Butter + Cream

Weekend Pics

2011-11-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

I know... It's Wednesday, so this is a bit belated. But if Sandra Lee can wear a blouse made out of the same fabric as her curtains, then I can show you my weekend pictures in the middle of the week.

Cardinals won the world series! And no, we're not done hanging pictures yet.

Husband ate a late-night hot dog.

Tater and Charley made friends. Yes, the pug is wearing a Halloween sweater, it makes him feel fancy!

Not gonna lie, I enjoy a dog in a costume.

But this is just... wrong.

Impromptu "just because" cake and ice cream.

Early Sunday morning.

Morning mimosa... In a plastic cup. With chipped nail polish. Keepin' it classy.

My first country music show. Love.

Fancy Pear Tart

2011-10-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Want to get me rousted out of bed and out the door early on a Saturday morning? Well I have two words for you: Amish farmers! Like, horse and buggy, white bonnet, friendly bearded Amish people selling the fruits and veggies from their farms. The Saturday market in Tower Grove features a few Amish farmstands, and because I have zero self control, I found myself at home that afternoon with about six pounds of pears.

My husband and I made a deal. I would make him a pear tart if he would make me a pear-based cocktail. So I googled and googled, and as soon as I saw the words "butterscotch pastry cream" thrown in, I was sold. Never mind that I had never made a tart before. A tart is just a shallower pie, right?

With the holidays approaching, it's time to think about festive treats that solicit "ooohs" and "aaaahs" from your party hosts. This tart fits that bill perfectly. While it has a few different components, they can all be made ahead of time, and the tart assembles in a snap. People are always impressed when you make your own pie crust, and this one does not disappoint.

Pastry cream meets pie crust... OMG this pie crust. It has ground almonds mixed in, which gives it a warm toasty flavor, and just a hint of crunch. It just might be my new go-to...

The butterscotch pastry cream gets topped with rings of red-wine poached pears. The red wine glaze on the pears makes for a spectacular presentation, and it comes together in no time.

Just keep laying down pears in an overlapping fashion, and you'll have this showstopper without breaking a sweat! The tart keeps well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, and it would not have lasted longer than that in our house anyway.

Butterscotch Pear Tart
Adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious.com

For the shell
3/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
raw rice for weighting the shell

For the poached pears
Note: I had extra leftover poached pears and syrup, which are delicious on top of vanilla yogurt. I imagine it would also be excellent atop a slice of cheesecake.
3 firm-ripe pears
2 cups dry red wine
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup sugar

For the ginger butterscotch pastry cream
3 large eggs yolks
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make the shell:
In a food processor grind coarse the almonds with the sugar,add the flour, the salt, and the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add 3 tablespoons ice water, and toss the mixture until the water is incorporated. Press the dough into the bottom and up the side of a 7 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim, crimping the edge decoratively, and prick the bottom with a fork. Chill the shell for 30 minutes, line it with foil, and fill the foil with the rice. Bake the shell in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 7 minutes, remove the rice and foil carefully, and bake the shell for 5 minutes more, or until it is golden. Let the shell cool in the pan on a rack.

Poach the pears:
In a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears in one layer combine the wine, the cinnamon stick, and the sugar and bring the liquid to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pears, peeled, and poach them, turning them occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until they are just tender. Let the pears cool in the syrup.

Make the butterscotch pastry cream:
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat lightly the egg yolks. Add the brown sugar, a little at a time, beating, beat the mixture until it ribbons when the beaters are lifted, and beat in the flour. Add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking, transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan, and bring it to a boil over moderately low heat, stirring constantly. Boil the mixture, stirring constantly , for 2 minutes. Strain the pastry cream through a fine sieve into a bowl and stir in the butter and the salt. Let the pastry cream cool, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, for 1 hour.

Assemble the tart

Remove the rim of the tart pan, set the shell on a platter, removing the bottom of the pan, and spread the pastry cream in the shell. Arrange the pears, drained, cut lengthwise into sixths, and cored in a spoke pattern on top of the pastry cream.

Lovely Weekend

2011-10-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

People joke about the lack of seasons in Los Angeles , but like many Angelenos, I had no complaints about year-round sunshine and beach days. But the more time we spend in the Midwest, the more I'm becoming enamored of the red and orange leaves, the cool crisp air, and that back-to-school desire to buy some cute new boots and a big chunky sweater. We had a beautiful weekend in St. Louis, here are some pictures.

Coffee, cornbread, and a canning cookbook.

A red and orange tree in Tower Grove park. The photo doesn't do these colors justice.

A HUGE head of farmer's market cabbage.

Sunny day in a corn maze.

A view of the city, from out in the sticks.

My first real pumpkin patch! Where the pumpkins were still growing in the ground!

This is a pumpkin cannon. As in, it shoots pumpkins at about a bajillion miles per hour. So fun.

Very Good Applesauce

2011-10-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

Autumn has put me in a bit of a difficult position. I have an undeniable weakness for these...

But it's just John and I...

Oh, and the dogs... But they don't eat apples. As much as they would like to.

I have a weirdness about eating fruit off the core. I don't like the mess. So I knew that if we were gonna put all these bad boys to use, they would need a bit of work. These are prime apples so I didn't want to do too much. Just enough to highlight their great flavor, and celebrate the fact that Fall is here.

As far as applesauces go, this is a classic. It would go just as well atop a latke as it would in kiddo's lunch box. Spoon it into a muffin recipe in place of eggs, or eat it for breakfast with a sprinkling of granola. Or do what I do, and eat it by the spoonful, warm out of the pot. No worries, I won't tell anyone.

I took the extra step and canned mine, because I was getting a little itchy to bust out the mason jars. But it would hold up just fine in a tupperware in the fridge, if you don't want to mess with the boiling water and tongs. That said, if you are intimidated by the canning process, I really encourage you to give it a try. It's comforting to know that we'll be able to enjoy these gorgeous Fall apples months from now, long after the pretty yellow leaves are covered in snow.

Applesauce
Adapted from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff
Makes 5 half-pint jars

3 pounds of apples, peeled, cored, and cut into one-inch chunks
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt

Put the apples in a 6-8 quart pot, and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples have broken down, about 30-40 minutes. Stir in the spices and salt, and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Puree the apples, and return the puree to the cooking pot. Add the remaining water, bring the applesauce to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes.

Instructions for water bath canning
Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. This will be your canning pot. Wash the jars, and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter (or a pair of tongs reinforced with rubber bands), remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids.

Ladle the hot applesauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it's just finger-tight (meaning that the lid is just gently screwed on, not fully tightened). Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes to process. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the centerof each; if it can be pushed down, it hasn't sealed, and the jar should berefrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.

Apple Spice Cake Revisited

2011-10-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we hosted our first house guests. John's mom and grandpa came to visit, and it was wonderful to explore the city, try new restaurants, and finally use our dining room table.

When I have guests for a weekend, I like to have a casual sweet treat for whenever the mood strikes. Nothing fancy, just a hunk of cake or some simple cookies to nibble on while we drink coffee and catch up.

Allison and I both share a love for this apple spice cake, and it's perfect for fall. But John's mom is vegan, and so am I (well... I'm trying. Parmesan cheese and I got back together for a while, and I'm trying to break it off). So the recipe needed a bit of tweaking. And I thought this might be a good thing to share with y'all, in case you ever have a house guest who has dietary restrictions. If you think you can't bake without sugar and eggs, you'd be surprised at how a few simple changes can make just about any recipe vegan-friendly.

So just to recap, vegan means no animal products. So no eggs, butter, milk, buttermilk, and for the most hardcore, no white sugar. It turns out that a lot of granulated white sugar is bleached in a process that uses cow bones. Ew. But fear not! There are some easy substitutions that won't compromise your flavor or texture.

Meet flaxseed! These little seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and when they're whipped up with water, they take on the sticky consistency of eggs. They also have a nice nutty flavor, so they pair perfectly with this recipe. Just buzz them in a coffee grinder...

And mix with water in a blender (or use an immersion blender).

The flaxseed gets mixed in with sugar and oil. For vegans, use organic cane sugar. It's unbleached, so it doesn't use any animal products in its processing.

And in a separate bowl, mix together your dry ingredients.

Mix the wet and dry, and then add in chopped apples and pecans.

I made the mistake of letting my cake cool in the bundt pan for too long, so it stuck quite a bit. So mine looks... rustic. But with a tasty caramel drizzle, I promise your guests won't mind.

Vegan Apple Spice Cake
Adapted from this recipe by Martha Stewart

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups organic cane sugar
3 tablespoons flaxseed, ground in a spice grinder
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water
4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Nonstick cooking spray with flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Combine ground flaxseed and water in a blender, and blend until thick. Set aside.

Working over a large sheet of parchment or wax paper, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; gather sifted ingredients into center of sheet; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and flaxseed mixture; mix on high speed until well combined.

Fold reserved parchment in half lengthwise; with mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Add apples and nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 70 - 75 minutes (I started checking mine at 1 hour, but ultimately it needed about 70 minutes)

Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.

Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack, and serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce
From VegWeb.com

1 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup water, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
3 tablespoons margarine (I use Earth Balance)
3 to 4 tablespoons almond milk (another non-dairy milk is fine too)

Heat a 1 1/2 quart to 2 quart pot or large frying pan with a thick, heavy base over medium-high heat. Add sugar. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon every 10-15 seconds, for about a minute, until sugar starts to melt. Stir, nonstop, for about 2-3 minutes.

Add vanilla. When the sugar starts to turn just a little darker, or as dark as you want it and the water is almost gone, add margarine and stir nonstop until it melts. Let boil on medium heat for 2 to3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

Add non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to boil it about 4 minutes, stirring every 20-30 seconds.

Turn the heat off on your stove, and let the caramel cool for about 20 minutes.

Here we are.

2011-10-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever suddenly found yourself sitting in a large condominium in a Midwestern city, inexplicably listening to country music, and trying to revive a blog that you've sadly neglected for many months? I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened since I last posted here. This has been a weird and wonderful and packed 2011, but this website that Allison and I love so much fell through the cracks. And we are so sorry!

I feel like Al and I have both lived a lot of life in the last few months... Here's a brief update on my side of things, the back end of 2011 in review, if you will.

John got a PhD...
My peanut of a niece was born...

We got married!

This picture was taken on the wedding day. That morning, the power went out... In the entire town. Once we weathered that storm and the lights came back on, I went outside to check out the ceremony and dinner space... And I got stung by a bee. But who was right there, rubbing bee-sting salve on my foot and making me laugh? Allison!

Then we honeymooned...

And then, after a whirlwind summer of love, friends, tanning oil, presents, the ocean, and margaritas, it was time to pack our knives and go.

About three weeks before our wedding, John got offered his dream job, a post-doc at Washington University in St. Louis. It's hard to sum up my feelings about the move in a quick witty sentence. It's one of the hardest things we've ever done, and some of our final weeks in LA were really really sad. I am terrible with goodbyes, and I recall at least one drunken sobfest with my best girls.

But after being here for a couple of months, I can say with complete honesty that I'm glad we did this. St. Louis is charming the pants off me. There is brick everywhere, leaves are falling off the trees, and there is a real sense of community in our neighborhood. Our neighbor is a blonde girl with a pug. And our condo. Holy cow. We have two bathrooms. And in the kitchen, I have an island, and a stunning exposed brick wall. And best of all, we get great light, which means good food photos!And John and I have a neutral baseball team, go Cardinals!

So it's been a lot, but I feel like we're finally home. And the best thing about home is that the food tastes really good here. I'm happy to be back at B+C, and will have a lot to share with you in the coming year. Thanks for sticking around!
Love,
M

This Week I...

2011-05-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

...bought way too many goodies at my neighborhood Farmer's Market...

...including about 5 pounds of cherries, that I have many delicious plans for.

...went to a work event at Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in Napa, where the man himself was preparing and handing us our sushi, and...

...I have to admit I was a little starstruck and may have made him shake my hand later as I mumbled something about loving his food and watching him on TV all the time.

...went on an amazing walk to one of my very favorite spots.

...freed a snake with my bare hands that our cat had cornered and trapped in some netting (sorry if this picture of a snake grosses anyone out, but I had to share as it was a very harrowing experience).

...had a shot (or two) of tequila after the snake adventure.

I have to say this week has been very strange. Lots of ups and downs, and some unusual (see snake photo above) times. Hoping things will be a little more calm next week!

Last Week I...

2011-05-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

...had a birthday dinner for my Mom at the Chicken Shack...

...and made several pizzas...

...and this carrot cake, which totally knocked my socks off.

...had a picnic at the park...

...which included some swing time.

...made a special meal for my man (Steak with Mushroom Pan Sauce, Creamed Spinach, and one of his other favorites).

...pilfered some lilacs (my favorite flower) from my parent's house; my goodness but they smell amazing.

...bought this mustard simply because it came in a container shaped like a beer mug.

...made some springtime arrangements which make me smile.

Happy Tuesday!

This Week I...

2011-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

...canned my new favorite jam (for this week anyways): strawberry rhubarb.

...played with some pretty new fabrics.

...hard boiled some eggs...

...and then dyed them.

...planted tiny plants in big pots...

...and tiny plants in small pots.

...made the homemade version of a strawberry fruit roll-up.

...ate several artichokes my new favorite way, with a browned butter green onion dipping sauce.

...did some intensive Easter Dinner menu planning. Can't wait for this weekend!

How did you all spend your week?

This Week I...

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

...started making some preserved Meyer lemons.

...added more little baby succulents to my collection.

...consumed way too many chocolate Easter eggs.

...kicked some ass at bowling.

...cooked a pizza with an egg on it, even though it seemed a little odd at the time.

...enjoyed some snuggle time with this little monster.

Ok, same question as last time: how did you all spend your week?

Carbonara Pizza

2011-04-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love this pizza. I love its thin crust, it's crispy bits of prosciutto, it's little bits of green onion. I love it runny egg and all. I love this pizza so much, that I want to make it Saturday night for dinner, eat the leftovers for breakfast Sunday morning, and then make it again with the remaining pizza dough Monday night.

Oh wait, I already did that.

Did I mention that I've also been trying to eat healthier lately? I'm sure a 3-day pizza diet isn't included in that. But at least we shared the pizza on Monday with my parents, which meant no leftovers to snack on, and we ate it with salad, see?

Salad negates bad diet choices, correct? Yeah, I thought so.

Make this pizza. It's yum. And totally worth a 3-day pizza binge.

Carbonara Pizza
Adapted from Sunset, February 2010

Pizza Dough
I used my favorite pizza dough recipe here
Note: this recipe makes enough dough for six pizzas, extra dough can be refrigerated for two days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Carbonara Topping
8 or 9 green onions, chopped
9 ounces coarsely chopped prosciutto
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated pecorino romano
Freshly ground black pepper
9 tablespoons heavy cream
3 eggs

If following the pizza dough recipe above, prepare dough, and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours for the final rise.

Heat a pizza stone or baking sheet on lowest rack of oven at 550° (or as high as oven will go), at least 30 minutes (I like to let mine preheat an hour if possible).

Once dough and oven are ready, working with one dough ball at a time (keeping the rest covered), begin to assemble each pizza. Here are some helpful pizza dough shaping instructions:

To stretch dough into an 11- to 12-in. circle, first tap down the center of the ball with your fingertips to gently deflate it. Next, push it outward from the center with your fingertips. Then pick up the dough circle and, holding it under the rim, turn it like a steering wheel, letting the gravity of the dough help it stretch. Drape the dough over the backs of your hands and gently stretch outward, rotating periodically. Flop the stretched dough down onto the pizza peel.

Spread about 1/2 cup pecorino evenly over dough. Top with a third of green onions, then a third of the prosciutto. Grind on some pepper and drizzle with 3 tbsp. cream. Give the peel a good shake every few seconds to keep dough from sticking.

Using peel or baking sheet, slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone. Bake 2 minutes, then remove from oven with pizza peel or baking sheet, crack an egg onto center, gently push back into oven, and bake 3-4 minutes more. Just before serving, drag a knife through the egg to spread it around.

Repeat with 2 dough balls and remaining toppings.

This Week I...

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

...enjoyed a walk through the valley.

...picked up some pretty new pottery at the flea market.

...got some garden beds ready for planting.

...canned some pickled carrots and pickled asparagus.

...devoured this book (oh my goodness it's so good).

...enjoyed a few glasses of this while soaking up some sunshine.

Happy Friday everyone! What did you all do this week?

Chickpea Salad with Parmesan & Parsley

2011-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, simple is better, no? I like to think I'm a pretty un-complicated gal myself. Especially when it comes to recipes. Some of my most favorite recipes, are also the easiest, but what they all must have in common is that their results taste amazing. Maybe simple means just a few high-quality ingredients with little fussing or fixing to let their flavors shine. Or maybe a simple recipe means a one pot meal, with not a lot of dishes to clean up. Or perhaps a simple dish, is one that takes all of five minutes to put together, with ingredients you already have laying around in your fridge and pantry.
This chickpea salad has all of those factors. Ingredients that are usually on hand, only one bowl gets dirty, and it really does take all of five minutes to put together. It may be quick, easy, simple, but it tastes fresh, and light. I've been making a variation of this chickpea salad for years. It's the perfect thing to throw together for an easy lunch, a quick side dish, or a meal when you don't feel like making a trip to the store. The best part is it can be varied and adapted depending on what you have in your fridge and pantry. Mine usually includes a veggie or two, whatever fresh herbs are laying around, a little oil, salt & pepper, and some spices depending on what I'm in the mood for. It's always filling and satisfying, and best of all, simple.
This particular chickpea salad recipe comes from the wonderful Molly of Orangette. I adore her blog, as well as adore her monthly column in Bon Appétit magazine. She has a way of writing that makes you hungry for the food she makes, and her recipes are ones that are accessible to everyone. After reading her articles I always feel compelled to go buy the ingredients for whatever dish she was describing and make it right away. And this one was no exception.

In this month’s Bon Appétit she discusses just how important a well stocked pantry is. By keeping on hand some good-tasting basic ingredients, such as olive oil, canned tomatoes and beans, vinegars, noodles, and garlic, one is never too far from a special meal. The way she described how being choosy about what she keeps on hand in her pantry has in turn made her a better cook, opened my eyes to what I keep on hand in my own home.

When I went to make this salad I took care in the ingredients I chose. I used some of the fancy olive oil my parents brought back to me from Italy, the expensive Parmesan that I've been saving (really, who saves cheese??), and the juice of a Meyer lemon, a citrus which tastes so good it always feels extravagant. And all those ingredients just made this salad, a simple little thing that came out of ingredients I had on hand, taste like something way more special.

Chickpea Salad with Parmesan & Parsley
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Notes: If I didn't make it clear enough up there, this salad is really yummy. It's delicious as written here, but don't be afraid to mix things up a bit. Use whatever herbs you may have on hand, try a little red pepper flake, add some zucchini. Really, the choices are endless!

1 15- to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or any other herbs you may have laying around)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse kosher salt

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Tortilla Soup

2011-04-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

This may sound ridiculous to all you adventurous eaters out there, but I credit the beginning of my love for cooking and food to the California Pizza Kitchen. That's right... Not a semester with a family in the hills of France. Not a backpacking trip through Asia. Not a jovial Paula Deen-esque grandmother who cooked all the classics. Nope, for me it was my three year stint as a waitress at CPK. Corporate, chain-ey, California Pizza Kitchen. You see, when you're waiting tables, you don't stop for meal breaks (at least we didn't). You pilfer ends of loaves of bread from the slicer, grab a few gulps of water out of conical paper cups (having a water bottle in the kitchen was a health code violation), and if the kitchen makes a mistake, like chicken on a pizza when the guest said, "no chicken", you eat that mistake as fast as you possibly can. So I discovered lots of deliciousness like balsamic vinaigrette, pesto sauce, and the insanely delicious wonder known as peanut sauce.

Oh. And this soup. At CPK, cups of soup were one of the few items that didn't have to be entered into a computer (and paid for). So we'd all fill up on tortilla soup before a shift started, loading it up with crispy tortilla strips and lots of Cholula. It's one of those food memories that instantly takes me back to those superhuman nights when I could work a 9 hour shift on my feet, and then close the bar next door with my cute coworker.

When I left the restaurant, I went on a tortilla soup mission, and was often disappointed. It seems there are two camps when it comes to tortilla soup. Some is thick, orange, and pureed, with little chunks of tomato, corn, and chile. Some is more brothy, with bigger chunks of vegetables, and sometimes shredded chicken. I sit squarely on team puree, and nearly jumped out of my skin when I found this recipe in Ann Gentry's Real Food Daily Cookbook. It's the undisputed winner, rich and velvety in texture, with lots of corn, tomato, and onion flavor, served with the holy garnish trinity of tortilla strips, avocado, and cilantro. Oh and don't forget the Cholula!

Taco night hasn't been the same since. Oh and don't hesitate to make the whole batch. It holds up really well in the fridge, and we've always finished the entire recipe.

Tortilla Soup
Adapted just slightly from The Real Food Daily Cookbook by Ann Gentry

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tamari
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups vegetable stock or water
1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
10 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
1/4 finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup fried tortilla strips for garnish
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed

Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the jalapeno chile, tamari, cumin, salt, oregano, and pepper, and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the tortillas and simmer 10 minutes longer, until the tortillas are falling apart.

Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the soup in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, working in batches, puree in a regular blender. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, and serve with a generous splash of Cholula.

Preserved Grapefruit Segments with Mint Syrup

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

So I canned some yummy grapefruit the other night...

...they were little segments of deliciousness...
...soaked in a fragrant mint syrup...

...tasty on their own, but oh so good with some softly whipped cream.
And then I decided to candy the grapefruit peels at 9:00 at night...
...which may not have been the best idea...
...but that's a story for another day.

Preserved Grapefruit Segments with Mint Syrup
Recipe from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff

I ♥ Canning

2011-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Is winter over yet?? That seems to be a sentiment I’m hearing from a lot of people, and I’m afraid I have to concur. I know that technically we just had the first day of spring, but in my neck of the woods it feels like the sun will never shine again. Ok, so maybe that’s being a little dramatic, but I can’t help it, I’m ready for some sun! That’s why today I’m going to talk about canning, because those jars up there are like bottled sunshine to me.
Sounds silly I know, but that’s just how much joy this little hobby has brought me over the past year. My first venture into the world of canning and preserving was when I canned some apricot and strawberry jams for a special little party last summer. Unfortunately for the recipients, the jams could have used a little bit of work. Sorry guys! It was only my first attempt! But I at least learned the canning process, and after one time I was hooked. I quickly started getting my hands on as much fresh produce as I could and became a canning fool. Every trip to the farmer’s market was an exciting adventure into what I could can next. What could I put-up with fruits such as these?
And what tasty creations would come from these beautiful veggies?
Just look at how gorgeous all that produce is! What I love about canning, and what makes me think of those little jars as bottled sunshine, is that it’s all about preserving the freshest, most perfect fruits and vegetables. I love searching out a fruit or vegetable at its most absolute peak of ripeness and perfection and finding a recipe that will preserve that glorious moment. So that months later, when that jar is opened up it brings me back to that moment in time. Each time I open a jar of something I canned last summer, I swear I taste the sunshine that made that peach, or green bean or tomato, the most perfect specimen of flavor. That may sound a bit cheesy I know, but I just can’t help it .
How great is it to take something that tastes so good already, and doing something with it to make it even more special? That peach that is dripping with juice when you bite into and tastes so sweet it’s like pure sugar? Put that in some brandied vanilla syrup and save that sweetness for the depths of winter when you really need some perking up.
Or how about those just-picked strawberries that are almost too good to stop eating by hand? Cook them into a jam with some orange juice and zest to really make their flavor sing, and then enjoy that jam on your morning toast months later when fresh strawberries are a distant memory.
Another thing I love about canning is the wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Canning is not difficult, but it can take time and patience, which makes the end result just that much more rewarding. You may have just spent an hour pitting several pounds of cherries and then another hour preserving them, but you just created something that you will get to continue to enjoy over the next year. Each time you open up one of those jars and savor the flavor of that fleeting summer fruit, you will be reminded of the work that went into it, and it will make it that much sweeter.
And there’s something so great about making something without preservatives, without added flavorings and dyes, something that is just pure preserved goodness. Most canning recipes only involve a handful of ingredients. I love knowing exactly what goes into each jar, so that I know exactly what is going into me when I’m eating it.
If it isn’t obvious yet, this whole canning thing has become one of my favorite hobbies, and one that is extremely important to me. I know I’ve already listed some of the reasons that I love it so much, but there’s something else about it that makes it special that I can’t quite put my finger on. All I know is that after I first started this hobby last summer, I couldn’t stop. I canned,

and canned,
and canned some more.
I couldn’t stop myself! I had no idea where all this food was going, or what I was going to do with it. I mean, there are only so many canned goods that two people can eat over a year. And I didn’t even have a proper place to store all these canned goods. Here’s a reminder of the shack I’m living in. Pretty soon I had over a 100 canned items, sitting in piles on the floor of the bedroom.
Why had I canned so much, and what was driving this obsession? Definitely part of it had to do with how much joy I get out of sharing the creations with others. There’s nothing better than giving away a jar of something you lovingly made with your own two hands. Lucky for me, Christmas was right around the corner, and that huge stash of canned goods became presents and a way to spread holiday cheer. I packed them up in baskets and boxes, shipped them off to relatives and friends, and crossed my fingers that everything tasted ok. Here are some of the baskets getting ready for delivery:And maybe that joy of giving is really what this whole obsession is about. I’ve come to realize that I’m happiest when I’m sharing with others things that I’ve made. Who knows, perhaps someday I’ll get to do that for a living; that would be the ultimate dream. For now I’ll just enjoy getting to do it in my free time.
This canning post wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the book that helped teach me how to can, and continues to provide me with amazing recipes for canning, season by season. And that book would be Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff. Every single recipe I’ve tried (16 and counting!) out of this cookbook has been a revelation. I love this book so much that I’ve been working an idea around in my head of attempting to make every recipe in the book(!), and chronicling the experience. I told you, I’m obsessed!
What I love about this particular canning cookbook is it’s a fresh new look at the act of canning, that makes it completely accessible to those who have never done it before. I also love that she doesn't use pectin in any of her recipes (a topic which could fill another entire post, so I will spare you with the details on that at the moment). Instructions in the book are not scary, or intimidating, and oh my goodness are there some irresistible recipes in this book.
Take these Dilly Beans for instance. These little beans may not look like much, but they are so incredible that they deserve a post all to themselves. They are so good that everyone I’ve handed them out to has asked for more. My brother has become so obsessed with these little pickled treats that he won’t leave me alone until I provide him with another jar or two. He frequently sends me text messages that simply read: “dilly beans?” As in, “where are my dilly beans?” It's amazing how good the combination of green beans, garlic, dill and peppers can be when pickled in some apple cider vinegar.
Another favorite recipe from the cookbook is the Peach Jam with Lemon Thyme and Almonds. The combination may sound a little odd at first, but the unique flavor of the lemon thyme and the added texture of the almonds makes this something special.
Basically I have yet to find a recipe that didn't impress. For example, these Preserved Grapefruit Segments in Mint Syrup that I canned the night before last. I will be back to talk to you about these in a few days, because they are just too good not to.
I'm still learning when it comes to this whole canning thing, and I hope to continue to share my experiences on this blog. In no way do I claim to be an expert at any of this, and would welcome any comments and suggestions along the way. Especially of things to make! I've already got my sights set on Pickled Asparagus, Strawberry and Lavender Jam, Homemade Ketchup, the list goes on and on...

What I've Been Eating!

2011-03-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick little glimpse into a few meals I've cooked over the past couple of months that I've really enjoyed. I know posts have been a little sparse around these parts; I think I tend to go through phases where I get more caught up in the preparation and consumption of the food I make, and the photo taking and blog writing fall by the wayside a bit. That being said, I realized today that there has been some really tasty stuff being eaten that I should have been sharing with you all, so I'm going to try and do that right now. Sound good? Ok then.

Let's start with the Sea Bass with Swiss Chard and Piquillo Pepper Sauce pictured above. The recipe for that came from Cindy Pawlcyn's Big Small Plates cookbook, which I absolutely adore. I also absolutely adore Cindy Pawlcyn, who is a local celebrity chef, and the owner of 3 restaurants in the Napa Valley. I've seen her out and about at the farmer's market a few times, and at her restaurants a couple of times, so I think I can say that the two of us are friends now right? She even signed my copy of her cookbook, so I mean, yeah, were friends.

So my friend Cindy has some pretty great recipes, and this is one of them. The fish is simply prepared with salt and pepper, sauteed in a little olive oil, and served over some spicy Swiss chard with a flavorful and smooth piquillo pepper sauce. Yes I realize the sauce in that photo appears a very strange neon color, but trust me that in person it doesn't look as if it was something out of a zombie movie. Another meal that didn't exactly photograph brilliantly, is this oh-so-gosh-darn-good seafood curry:
I don't think that curry is one of those things that usually photographs well though, especially the brown and red ones. Even though they may taste amazing, they can be a little unappealing visually in my opinion. But maybe that's because I'm kind of late to the game when it comes to curry, and never really tried it until last year. I didn't know what I was missing out on though. It has quickly become one of my favorite things to eat, and this recipe that I tried out of Bon Appetit magazine has quickly become one of my favorite meals.

The curry paste is easy to make, and just involves a quick blend of some ginger, jalapeno, herbs and spices. That gets sauteed in a pan for a few minutes, and then a can of coconut milk goes in, and you've got a delicious green curry sauce. Just toss in some veggies & some seafood (I usually do green beans, red pepper, shrimp, and scallops), and you've got yourself a delicious dinner. I don't usually repeat recipes that often, but I've made this at least 3-4 times over the past few months.
And then there was the day I ate these pancakes. Hoo boy these were ridiculous. Ricotta pancakes, topped with toasted almonds, mango, strawberries and an orange maple syrup. They were very loosely adapted from this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine, and were light and fluffy and I loved the combination of orange and maple syrup. Yum.

Now back to dinner foods. I made these Chipotle Winter Greens & Buttermilk Grits one cold and yucky night and they warmed us right up. Once again, maybe not the most appealing looking bowl of food, but trust me when I say it was delicious. Smoky and slightly spicy winter greens, served over a healthy helping of creamy grits. I sauteed some mushrooms with the greens for a little extra protein, and added Parmesan cheese to the grits, because cheese is always a good thing.
Last but not least, I want to share with you the meal I made for Valentine's Day this year. Clockwise from upper left, Fried Chickpeas with Sage & Lemon, Parsley and Endive Salad, Homemade Pasta with Lobster Cream Sauce, and Champagne, which is an essential part of the cooking process. I loved every single one of these recipes, and will definitely be sharing them with you all in full detail in the future. But for now here's just a taste.
Thanks for letting me share! Hope all of you out there are enjoying some good eating yourselves!

Guinness Chocolate Pudding

2011-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a nice tall glass of Guinness on St. Patrick's Day. A nice tall glass of Guinness chocolate pudding that is! This delicious treat is made up of a dark and decadent chocolate pudding made with the Irish stout, topped with a "head" of softly whipped Guinness flavored cream. I've made Guinness flavored desserts in the past, but for the most part I've found that the flavor of the stout doesn't really shine through. That's not to say its super strong in this dessert either, but the dark chocolate and Guinness combination brings the stout flavor to the front a little more, as does adding Guinness that's been reduced to a thick syrup to the whipped cream topping. It's just the perfect amount of flavoring. Not so strong that it turns off those that are not a fan of stout, but a big enough presence that those who love stout will be able to appreciate it.
I came about this recipe last night while trolling the internet looking for a good last-minute Irish themed dessert. I haven't had much of a chance to make desserts lately, and I was feeling a little bummed about not having made something that would help get me into the St. Patrick's Day spirit. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. I loved the idea of a dessert mimicking a glass of Guinness; an image that just screams Ireland to me.
The original recipe used 8-oz highball glasses to layer the pudding and whipped cream, creating miniature versions of a classic glass of Guinness. I wanted to recreate that look, but do not own any glasses that are similar to that. Lucky for me however, I am apparently living as if I was a college frat boy, and the only water glasses I own are Guinness pint glasses. Of course consuming a pint of pudding is never a smart decision, and I don't really recommend that as a serving size, but I had to make at least one that way for the effect alone. For the remaining pudding I used small jam jars, which are a perfectly adorable alternative.

I absolutely loved how these turned out, both in looks and taste. Pudding is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and this is a great riff on the classic chocolate flavor. It's deep and intense; the wonderful counterpart to the sweetly whipped cream. It's the perfect Irish treat for any St. Patrick's Day meal, and I can hardly wait to go home and enjoy my cold glass of Guinness dessert after dinner tonight.

Oh, and these should serve as a public service announcement that small kitties like whipped cream too. So be careful where you leave yours laying around.

Guinness Chocolate Pudding
Adapted from Epicurious.com

8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
One 14.9-ounce can Guinness Draught
3 cups heavy cream or whole milk
7 ounces high-quality bittersweet (70 to 72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar

In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.

Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into a measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 1 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream or milk, and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.

Slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding may look slightly separated).

Divide pudding among glasses or bowls, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.

Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.

Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup, and 2 tbsp sugar, and beat until combined.

Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.

Stuff I love!

2011-03-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

It's been that kind of evening... The mushrooms I was counting on for tonight's dinner have vanished from the refrigerator, my homemade pesto tastes more like pumpkin seeds than basil, and sharing my yoga mat with a pug and his chew toy was not exactly relaxing. Oh, and my UCLA Bruins are down 16 points in the second half.

I've decided not to fight the forces that be. Instead, I'm going to share some of the lovely things that have caught my attention recently, in the hopes that sharing some positive energy will turn my night around. So without further delay, here is some stuff I love:

My juicer! A birthday gift to myself, this baby has changed my morning routine forever. I'm such a picky eater when it comes to breakfast. I don't like anything too sweet, too heavy, or too rich, and cereal has never really rocked my world. To make my princess tiara a little bigger, I'll add that I don't like fruit that's bruised, or eating fruit that's on a core (i.e. a whole apple or pear) while at work. And I find smoothies too thick and heavy. But none of that matters anymore, because I just juice every piece of fruit, no matter how decrepit, and the end result is delicious. My fruit bowl used to languish in the corner, and now I can't get back to the farmers' market fast enough. It's also been an amazing way to crank up my veggie intake, as carrots, beets, celery, and cucumber are all delicious when juiced and mixed with fruit. So go get a juicer!

Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston. Kathy is hot and blonde, and she's BFFs with Oprah. She's also a vegan and a wellness guru, and I have a big life crush on her. When I went vegan a few months ago, it really motivated me to make other little life tweaks to tap into more energy and happiness. This book is great for anyone who is inspired to live with more mindfulness and purpose, but doesn't quite know how to make it happen. The book isn't perfect (at one point she encourages her drug addict readers to "cook an organic meal for friends" instead of smoking crack), but it's a refreshing and motivating read.

Photo from goveganmeow.blogspot.com

Native Foods Culver City - This is not your kooky aunt's vegan restaurant. Right now Native Foods is my favorite place to eat in LA, period. It's withing walking distance from my house, but absolutely worth a trek across town if you have to. Chef Tanya has a full menu of apps, salads, and rice bowls, but in my humble meatless opinion, it's her sandwiches and wraps that steal the show. The Ruben sandwich is to DIE for. Oh, and all you readers who are lactose intolerant should go buy some of the dairy-free ranch dressing. I am a ranch enthusiast, and would not be able to tell in a million years that theirs doesn't have any sour cream or buttermilk.

ApartmentTherapy.com - Holy time suck Batman! I could get lost in this website for hours. We're refreshing our place, and Apartment Therapy is a never ending source of inspiration. While we can all dream about Viking ranges and marble backsplashes, it's just as fun to watch couples in Chicago master their DIY projects, or New Yorkers make it work in their tiny studios.

Those are the things that are making my world go round this week... What about you all? Have a great weekend! xoxo, M

Lentils with Shiitake Mushrooms and Mustard Vinaigrette

2011-01-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

When it comes to cooking, I am more likely to turn to a recipe rather than trying to create one on my own. Sometimes though, inspiration strikes and I attempt to go off in my own direction. Those directions can lead to dishes that are not always exactly awe inspiring, but occasionally I head down a path that takes me to something new and delicious. Which is exactly what happened with this lentil and mushroom dish.
I had been craving the combination of lentils and mushrooms ever since seeing this recipe in the latest issue of Food and Wine. I wasn't completely feeling the combination of spices however, and felt like I wanted something with a contrast of hot and cold components. That's when I remembered a recipe I had bookmarked some time ago for a warm lentil salad served over a bed of frisée. The idea of warm lentils paired next to a cool crisp salad was exactly what I was looking for. The dressing in that recipe however was mayonnaise based, and I wanted something a little less heavy. The combination of mustard and shallots was calling to me, so I whipped up a super simple vinaigrette that was just what I was looking for.
I tossed both the lentils and the frisée in said vinaigrette, layered them on a plate and topped them with a generous serving of sauteed shiitake mushrooms. After one bite I breathed a contented sigh; this was the dish I was craving. The sharp bite of the frisée and the creaminess of the lentils are complemented nicely by the mustard vinaigrette, while the buttery mushrooms add the perfect amount of decadence and a bit of meatiness to the plate. It was perfectly satisfying as a light weeknight dinner, and I'm already contemplating when I can make it again. Basically I don't have enough good stuff to say about this combination of flavors, and I'm so happy that it tastes as good as I was hoping it would.
Lentils with Shiitake Mushrooms and Mustard Vinaigrette
Inspired from here, and here

Notes: Feel free to play around with any of the ingredients. Swap in red lentils if you have 'em, go for any other type of mushrooms depending on whats available at the store, and I think this could be served on any type of salad green that suits your fancy. I'm a bit gaga for frisée so that will always be my first choice, but it can be pretty pricey. The shiitake mushrooms are also on the pricey side, but I loved the distinct flavor they brought to the dish, and they taste oh so good sauteed in butter. But then again, what doesn't?

1/2 cup brown or green lentils
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
A couple handfuls of greens (frisée, spinach, or mixed greens I think would all be good)
1 tablespoon chopped herbs (parsley or chives work well)

In a small saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together shallot, mustard and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the shiitake mushrooms and season with salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, 5 minutes.

Drain the lentils and mix with a few tablespoons of the mustard vinaigrette. Taste and add more vinaigrette if desired.

Toss the greens with a bit of the remaining dressing. Pile greens onto a plate and top with lentils and mushrooms. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Salted Butter Caramel

2011-01-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

Today I want to wish my brother Ryan a very Happy Birthday! He's an amazing older brother, and an wonderful father, and hopefully he has an awesome day today because he deserves it! And hopefully he doesn't mind me sharing his age with you, because this birthday cake ain't telling no lies.
Last weekend we had a Birthday Dinner for Ryan, which included boozy cocktails, bacon wrapped appetizers, a manly meal of steak and asparagus, and of course, dessert. I debated for a while over what kind of dessert to make, and finally decided I wanted to go the classic birthday layer cake route. Because what's better than having a cake with candles to blow out? Well besides having a little helper to assist you in blowing them out.
I decided to go with a vanilla layer cake with chocolate cream filling and white chocolate whipped cream frosting, which seemed like it would appeal to everyone.
And for the most part it was tasty, but the cake layers themselves were a little dry for my liking. It didn't really matter though, because it was this ice cream that stole the show. Imagine the creamiest vanilla ice cream, swirled with layers of a salted caramel that creates an intoxicating combination of salty and sweet that will make you swoon. You will seriously have to be careful with this one, because the flavors are so addicting that it's difficult to stop. And that's coming from someone who's not an ice cream lover, but I think this particular ice cream could definitely convert me.
If nothing else, please, please, do yourselves the ultimate favor and make this glorious salted butter caramel sauce. Especially if you are a fan of salty and sweet in desserts, because this is the ultimate version of that. The salt is definitely not timid in this sauce, so if you are a little wary, start with a 1/2 teaspoon and work your way up from there. Trust me when I tell you though that layered in a vanilla ice cream, that salt works magic with the sweetness, and richness of the ice cream. This sauce could work wonders on all sorts of desserts; drizzled on top of an apple spice cake, swirled into a chocolate milkshake, or just poured on top of your favorite ice cream. Really, I can't think of anything it wouldn't be good on, and you won't be able to either.
Vanilla Ice Cream with Salted Butter Caramel
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop

Makes about 1 Quart

For the Vanilla Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least overnight). When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. During the final minutes of churning, pour in approximately 1 cup of the salted butter caramel (recipe below), or layer the caramel between the ice cream when you put it away in a container.

For the Salted Butter Caramel
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt work well)

Melt the butter in a large, deep heavy-duty saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is deep golden brown and starts to smoke.

Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in half of the cream until smooth (wear an oven mitt, since the mixture will steam and splatter and may bubble up furiously). Stir in the rest of the cream, then the vanilla and salt. If there are any lumps of caramel, whisk the sauce gently over low heat until they're dissolved.

The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If using as a sauce for ice cream, gently rewarm it in a microwave or stir it in a saucepan over very low heat.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

2011-01-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

I have a tendency to get into a little bit of a funk in January. The holidays are long gone, the weather is rainy and dreary, and it makes me want to hibernate in my little shack with a warm fire until February comes along. During this month I definitely need a bit of inspiration to get me off the couch and get my creative juices flowing again. Luckily, I received some new cookbooks for Christmas, and inspiration is not so hard to find in this stack of loveliness:
Oh how I love me some new cookbooks. I can't wait to read them all the way through when I first get them, and mentally pick out dishes that I'm dying to try. I even like to read the recipes in bed before I go to sleep, thumbing through the pages until I can no longer keep my eyes open. Unfortunately as much as I love reading and gathering ideas from cookbooks, I am horrible at actually going back to those books on a regular basis and making new recipes out of them. I think it has something to do with the onslaught of cooking magazines I receive each month, when I tear out the glossy pages and place them in a folder that is always overflowing and easily accessible. Instead of reaching for a cookbook, I tend to reach for that folder instead. Not to mention the recipes I get inspired from off of other blogs and cooking websites. With all those other forms of cooking inspiration, I forget about the books that are tucked away in my cupboard, begging to be opened and used.

So I made a pact with myself after obtaining the most recent additions of cookbooks, that I would cook at least one recipe out of each book in the next couple of weeks, and make sure that they don't get put away before that happens. Which is how this delicious bowl of shaved Brussels sprouts with egg, almonds, and a citrus vinaigrette appeared in my kitchen.
This recipe came out of Michael Chiarello's Bottega cookbook, and was a real no-brainer as one of the first recipes for me to make. I had tried the salad at Bottega back in December and had been craving it ever since. Thinly sliced raw Brussels sprouts, mixed with the finest particles of hard-cooked eggs, salty Marcona almonds, and a decadent tasting citrusy dressing. The combination may sound a little odd, but trust me that it is amazing. I was thinking about this salad way after the rest of the meal was over. Needless to say I was super excited when I received the Bottega cookbook, and saw that the recipe for the salad was included.
As excited as I was to see this dish in the table of contents, I was a little wary as to how complicated the recipe might possibly be. I've made recipes from some of Michael Chiarello's other restaurant cookbooks and I know that the guy tends to not always adapt recipes for the average home cook. The list of ingredients can include items that are expensive and difficult to find at your local grocery store, such as late-harvest olive oil, grey salt, and cheeses that have been aged specific amounts of time. The instructions can also sometimes require tools and equipment that might not always be in every home cook's kitchen.

For example, in this recipe the instructions call for using a juice extractor for the citrus vinaigrette to juice the entire fruit, peel and all. And if a juice extractor isn't available, then I should have the fruits juiced at my specialty produce market. Well I don't have a juice extractor, and I don't have a specialty produce market, so I had to make due with zesting and juicing the citrus instead, and don't worry, it still turns out delicious.
The recipes in the book appear to come straight from the way they probably make them in the restaurant which I can definitely appreciate; it may just mean some tweaking and a little more work on my end, which I don't mind when the results are as good as this salad. Part of the reason this salad works so well, in my opinion, is how finely everything is chopped and shaved so that it all kind of melds together in one delicious forkful. Which means a little bit more prep work than I might normally do for a salad, but is well worth the effort.

If you don't have a mandoline for shaving the sprouts, I think slicing them as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife would work as well. Pressing the eggs through a sieve may seem like an unnecessary step, but what results is the perfect texture for the salad. If a sieve is also not available, the recipe instructions recommend improvising with a grater, colander, mini-chopper, or even a slotted spoon.
What comes together is a bowl of sunshine in the dead of winter. Each bite is a light and fluffy mixture of textures that combine beautifully in your mouth. The citrus vinaigrette brightens up the heartiness of the Brussels sprouts and contrasts deliciously against the saltiness of the almonds. This salad was a real winner, and just what I needed to get me through the occasional dreariness that January can bring.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s Bottega

Note: I think this salad would work great for a dinner party. All the individual elements could be prepped earlier in the day and then tossed all together when it's time to eat.

Serves 6

For the Citrus Vinaigrette
2 lemons (Meyer lemons if available)
1 small orange
1 large shallot, finely chopped
¾ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

Zest and juice the lemons and orange into a small bowl, and add the chopped shallot. Gradually whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream until it emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Salad
6 cups Brussels sprouts
6 large eggs, hard cooked
¾ cup Marcona almonds, finely chopped*
¼ cup Pecorino-Romano

Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly shave or slice each Brussels sprout, holding the stem end.

Push the hard cooked eggs through a sieve. (Note: If a sieve is also not available try using a grater, colander, mini-chopper, or even a slotted spoon.)

In a large bowl, toss together the shaved Brussels sprouts, sieved eggs, and chopped almonds, reserving some of the eggs and almonds for toppings if desired. Pour on about a ½ cup of the vinaigrette and toss again. Taste, and add more dressing if necessary. Top salad with eggs and almonds (if desired), and cheese.

*Another example of an item that may not be readily available, however I highly recommend using the Marcona almonds (I found mine at Trader Joes). If they are difficult to find, then I think toasted almonds would also work well. The recipe says you can also fry blanched almonds in a few tablespoons of olive oil with a pinch of sea salt for a similar taste.

What I'm Eating in 2011!

2011-01-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Image from HubPages.com

Happy New Year dear readers! I hope 2011 brings you much joy and happiness, and that you accomplish culinary magic in your kitchen.

Butter + Cream turned one last weekend. It has been beyond rewarding for Allison and I to share our food, our friends, and stories with all of you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading and sharing all of your kind comments. We were both complete novices to blogging, and have learned a lot. If you read the site regularly, you know that things have been on the sparse side in terms of posting. I wanted to share a bit of what is going on with me, and shed some light on the future of Butter + Cream.

Back in September I read the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, and it turned out to be a real game changer for me. Honestly, I think it should be required reading for anyone who spends their hard earned money on food, whether it be in a grocery store, at a white-tablecloth restaurant, or a taco truck.

After Eating Animals, I read The Kind Diet, and now I'm reading Mad Cowboy and The Conscious Cook. You can probably see where this is going. My intention for 2011 is to focus on eating a plant-based diet. This means a completely new way of cooking, without the yumminess that is meat, dairy, or eggs. The explanation of why could fill its own blog post, and there are plenty of people who feel emotionally charged on both sides of the meat-eating issue. In fact, I don't even like using the V-word (vegan) because many people assume that I'm a freaky judgmental hippie. The short version is that I don't agree with the way the majority of farm animals in the US are raised and processed. The meat and dairy industries have monumental impacts on our environment, our health, and the millions of animals who suffer each day in factory farms, and I'm ready to opt out.

I was really hesitant for a long time to get into the gory details of where our food comes from. We have such a deep attachment to the foods we grew up eating, and I'm still wondering if I can live in a world without cream cheese frosting, or my mom's lasagna. These changes don't have to take place overnight, or at all, but what I would suggest and encourage would be for all of you fabulous home cooks to do a bit of research on where your food is coming from. Read about the US factory farm system, watch Food, Inc, and make your decision based on knowledge. I realize that I'm coming to this choice from a very privileged position. I live in Los Angeles, where our farmers' markets run year round. I have a 9-5 Monday-Friday job, and I have the luxury of time (and desire) to cook my own meals nearly every night. In addition, I don't have the duty of feeding picky kids at the end of a hectic day. So I'm not suggesting that this is a realistic shift for everyone to make. But the fact is that it is a realistic change for me, and one that I feel to be meaningful.

In making this shift, John and I have talked a lot about goals, and what we consider to be successful. Will I do this perfectly all the time? Of course not. Eating in restaurants is hard. And as someone who loves to entertain, I'm not ready to begin turning down food that others have lovingly prepared for me. But my sister-in-law and I had a life talk a while back, and she very wisely said, "I believe in what you do most of the time." This is where I'm starting. Eating a plant-based diet will begin in our kitchen, and we will take the rest on as it comes. John's still eating meat and dairy in restaurants, but I'm grateful for him being so receptive to the changes on the homefront. We started the shift to vegan at the beginning of December, and I already feel a difference in my health, my mood, my body, and my conscience.

This obviously puts us in an interesting position here at Butter + Cream. Butter and cream are ingredients that I am consciously trying to let go of, or at least eat a LOT less of. I do know that I want to keep blogging, and I want to share this period of transition and new cooking. Luckily, I have some good friends who are on the same path, and I think the plan will be for us to bring the veggie conversation to its own separate website. We don't have any details as of yet, but I will surely keep you posted. But don't worry, we won't replace cupcakes with tempeh loaves here at B + C.

Allison is still around, and is going to take the lead on things for the time being, but I'll still post when I stumble upon something I think you guys will love. Butter + Cream isn't going anywhere, especially with some big baking events in the new year. With the first half of 2011 bringing us baby showers, weddings, and birthdays, I'm sure we will bring you some good stuff. Best of luck on all of your resolutions this year. I hope 2011 is amazing to you!

xoxo,
Mary

Warm White Bean Dip

2010-12-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

Dear readers, I lied to you. I told you the cauliflower gratin was the best dish on my Thanksgiving plate, but that was only part of the story. As a girl who grew up with crazy pre-dinner spreads, having a selection of cheese, nuts, crostini, and olives is way important. And we knocked our pre-dinner munchies out of the park.

There was a dip, an epic dip, which shall henceforth be known as The Only Dip That Matters. White beans. Roasted Garlic. Olive Oil. Herbs. Buzzed together into silky perfection, served warm, with little slices of french bread. You may be thinking this sounds like hummus, but trust me it's not. This warm white bean dip is hummus' sexy roommate from the big city. Elegant, smooth, sophisticated... Watch out, this dip might steal your boyfriend.

Warm White Bean and Roasted Garlic Dip
Adapted from Essence of Emeril on Food Network

3 15-oz cans white beans, rinsed and well drained

1 head roasted garlic, cloves removed from peels*
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced mixed fresh herbs, such as thyme, marjoram, oregano and rosemary
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
About 1/4 cup water
Sea salt, for garnishing

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, the roasted garlic, olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the herbs, salt, pepper, cayenne, and red wine vinegar and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl, as necessary. Slowly add water until the dip reaches the desired thickness (keep blending until it is really smooth. There should be no chunks). Transfer to a saucepan and heat gently over low heat until warm. (Dip may also be served at room temperature if desired, but it is killer warm). Transfer to a shallow serving bowl or wide rimmed plate, and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, and the remaining minced herbs. Serve with crostini, pita chips, or a veggie tray.

*To roast garlic, cut the top off a head of garlic, and leave the rest of the peels in tact. Wrap the head in tinfoil, and roast in the oven at about 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until the aroma of rich roasted garlic fills your house. To extract the roasted garlic, hold the head over the food processor and squeeze. All the soft roasted gooey goodness will ooze out. That sounds way dirty.

Vegucating Robin

2010-12-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

I'm not a regular listener of the Howard Stern show, but I have a growing girl crush on his news woman Robin Quivers. First she ran the NYC Marathon the same year I did, and now she's doing a web-based cooking series called Vegucating Robin. Robin has been a vegan for the last four years, but nearly set her house on fire trying to boil water. She and chef Gavan Murphy created Vegucating Robin as a way to share her cooking journey with her fans. Robin's sense of humor in the kitchen is infectious, and their food looks amazing. As someone who's flirting with going fully plant-based, I can't wait to see what other recipes Chef Gavan comes up with. For now, check out their cannelini bean concerto. White beans and kale? Yeah, I can get down with that.

Cauliflower Gratin

2010-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope your Thanksgiving was fabulous, and that your pants are being friendly to you this week. We had a wonderful day in the kitchen, and I could not be more thankful to my BFF and sister-from-another-mister Nicole for steering the ship. We were triumphant in the kitchen, even if our guests did eat a bit later than we had planned (did any of you manage to get your Thanksgiving dinner on the table at the time you had planned? If so, you're my hero).

As my little household has transitioned to meatlessness (all the time for me, at home for John), we have a lot of conversations about satisfying food. While I could probably munch happily on brown rice and pureed soup for dinner, whether we consider a new dish a success or a failure often depends on that heft, that oomph, that weightiness that makes you feel warm and full on a cold (ok cold for Los Angeles) winter night. Our Thanksgiving meal was the most satisfying I can remember. Soft blistery sweet potatoes, a rich and savory stuffing, velvety mashed potatoes, and some zingy little cranberries . Turkey who?

If Thanksgiving is my Superbowl, then it needs an MVP, and this cauliflower number is it. If you've never made gratin before, let me offer a ringing endorsement. Gratins have a base vegetable that cozies up with a rich bechamel or cheese sauce. The whole thing gets topped with a crumbly savory topping and baked like a casserole. It's winter perfection. Potato gratins are very common, but cauliflower, sweet potato, and even parsnips are great variations.

Start by steaming a couple heads of cauliflower...

And whisk up a roux of butter and flour...

Stir in some milk, let it thicken...

Then whisk in some really yummy sharp cheddar.

Let your cheese melt, then season the sauce, and stir together with the cauliflower.

Next just put together an easy crumbly topping. Breadcrumbs, parsley, olive oil. Yum!

Then bake! That's it. 20 minutes later, you'll be indulging away. Go ahead, it's winter, it's cold out there.

Cauliflower Gratin

From Real Simple November 2010

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
2 small heads cauliflower (about 3 pounds total), cored and cut into small pieces

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (1 1⁄2 cups)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket; bring the water to a boil. Place the cauliflower in the basket, cover, and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes; drain well.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Whisk in the cheese, nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, whisking, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gently fold in the cauliflower; transfer to the baking dish.

In a bowl, toss together the bread crumbs, parsley, oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the cauliflower and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

The gratin can be prepared (but not baked) up to 1 day in advance; refrigerate covered. Add 5 to 10 minutes to baking time.

The Thanksgiving Menu!

2010-11-22T22:44:00.000-08:00

Photo from MondayMorningMuse.com

Cue the Superbowl music, the theme to Rocky, or Lady Gaga (whatever gets you fired up). Thanksgiving week is here, and for home cooks, there is no greater day than the 4th Thursday in November. On Wednesday I'll be scooting out of the office early and heading to San Diego, where I'll be cooking all day and night with my future sister-in-law Nicole.

Photo from FoodNetworkHumor.com

While this is a holiday steeped in tradition for many, I have to say that my favorite part of Thanksgiving cooking is discovering all of the different delicious variations that can be made on a classic set of flavors. Obviously you have an abundance of cinnamon, pumpkin, nuts, cranberry, and turkey, but when you add in a host of herbs, veggies, and cooking techniques, the possibilities are endless.

Martha Stewart will turn her nose up at me for saying this, but I haven't practiced most of these recipes. Half the fun will be making little flavor adjustments and figuring it out as we go. That said, I don't have any photos for you, but here is the menu as it exists in our brains. Are we being overly ambitious? Or playing it safe? What are you cooking this year? And how many glasses of wine can I reasonably knock back while executing this menu?

Food coma photo courtesy of winniewong.typepad.com

2010 Thanksgiving Menu!

Compiled by Nicole Nestojko and Mary Crowe. I put the links to recipes in where I could, and (V) means vegetarian (hooray!).

Thursday Morning Breakfast

Sour Cream Coffee Cake from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Thursday Afternoon Munchies

Sugar and spice candied nuts (V)

Brie en croute with crackers (V)

Warm white bean and roasted garlic dip (V)

Thanksgiving Dinner

Baby Greens with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Candied Pecans (V)

Roast Turkey with Gravy (dry brined)

Pomegranate Cranberry Relish (V)

Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes (V)

Sausage and Green Apple Stuffing

Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing (V)

Cheesy Popovers(V)

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla Pecan Butter (V)

Cauliflower Gratin (V)

Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Goat Cheese (V)

Dessert

Pecan Pie

Mama Nestojko's Pumpkin Pie

Mama Nestojko's Apple Pie

Cinnamon Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop

New York!

2010-11-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

I know that for most people, especially in the cooking blogosphere, November means one thing: Thanksgiving. But for this blogger, November now has another meaning. New York. More specifically, the New York Marathon. This year I was one of the lucky 45,000 who took to the streets, and our weekend in the Big Apple was everything we hoped it would be. We'll get to pumpkin and stuffing again soon, but I wanted to share some of the high points of my trip.

We rented this awesome apartment in Brooklyn, and it was great. Not sure if I'll be spending big bucks on a Manhattan hotel room any time soon.

Hi lady liberty! Thanks for having us!

After a 5 am wakeup, a day on airplanes, and a trek from La Guardia to Brooklyn on public transportation (all in high-heeled boots), this New York pizza was everything.

Look! A real New York hispter! Admire the rolled cuffs on the jeans, the man bag, and the perfectly coiffed hair. John rolled his jeans like that for the rest of the trip.

We loved the subway! This station had all of these cool little sculptures.

Now let's get to the good stuff... The baked goods!

We decided that since I would be burning a bajillion calories running the marathon, we'd treat ourselves to a little bakery crawl. We started in Chelsea Market, then made our way over to Midtown. The crawl began with an incredible cup of split pea soup and a glass of white wine from Friedman's Lunch. Because when you're on vacay, drinking wine at noon on a Friday is no biggie! Then we promptly popped some chocolates at Jacques Torres Chocolate, the blood sugar started flowing, and we were in business.

Ruthy's had these impressive cartoon cupcakes. They had some amazing cakes too, someone back there has some bad ass skills with a pastry bag. We also tried rugelach cookies. I liked them, but John looooved them. He grew up with a Yugoslavian grandma, and the flavors in that cookie took him way back. We had a rugelach moment. It happens.

Eleni's makes some pretty unreal painted cookies in just about every theme you can imagine.

I have no words for this cuteness.

We felt weird snapping photos, but Amy's Bread had a giant picture window into their kitchen. I stood with my mouth open watching the most efficient people on earth rolling dough, weighing dough, shaping dough, wash, rinse, repeat. I really wanted to put on an apron and join them. Amy, call me!

Next on the docket was Fat Witch Bakery. Their baby brownies were the perfect size for two bakery crawlers. I loved their "walnut baby", but wasn't as crazy about the "blonde baby". I think, ironically, I'm just not a huge fan of blondies in general.

Food Network was in the building! I stood around for a bit waiting to see if someone wanted to hire me, but sadly we had to move along. Next it was over to Bryant Park (desiiiigners...), to Crumbs.

Photo from Crumbs.com

At Crumbs we powered down a cookies n' cream cupcake. People literally stopped us in the park to ask where it came from. It was huge and delicious, a definite cupcake inspiration.

At this point we were getting weary and a bit hyperglycemic, but we wanted to make one more stop. At Magnolia Bakery, we ate the world's best pumpkin whoopie cookie filled with salted caramel buttercream. Mary Dryfoos, if you're reading this, we bought you a little gift box from Magnolia, then I forgot to bring it when we met for drinks that night. I feel terrible, and we owe you cookies!

Oh, and that's right. The marathon!

The marathon was one of the best things I've ever done. The people of New York were incredible, from the firefighters who yelled "welcome to Brooklyn" as we entered the borough to the church choir who sang gospel songs out on the steps in Williamsburg. Whole apartment buildings were having parties along the race course, and you really got the sense that New Yorkers love their neighbors.

The runners were a spirited group too. Has anyone seen Waldo?

Hi Jared! This is Jared from Subway. I joked on Facebook that my only goal was to beat Jared. It just so happens that at Mile 25.8, I was getting my last wind as Jared was slowing down, and I scooted right by him. Good job Jared, maybe you'll beat me next time ;-).

Thank you New York! It was an amazing trip, and we can't wait to visit again!

Other places we went:
The View Lounge
Orso
Terrace Bagels - OMG. I'm dreaming of these bagels!
Sushi Yama
Babbo
Friends Pizza Cafe

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2010-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there! It's Fall! Were you all aware of this? Because it sure did sneak up on me. I guess I should have had some warning considering all the pumpkin recipes that are floating around the internet. It seems like pumpkin is everywhere out there in the blogosphere! From breads, muffins and cakes, to flans, puddings and pies, to stews and curries, it's out there in all forms possible.
For my first pumpkin recipe of the season I wanted to make something I never had before. Something that was still full of pumpkin flavor but was more unique than the usual pumpkin quick breads and muffins. And if it could marry together that perfect combination of pumpkin and cream cheese, well then I would be a happy woman. So that's how these totally amazing pumpkin whoopie pies came to be.
Ahhh the whoopie pie. Such a delightful little treat. Just the name itself makes me smile. Say it with me now: "whoopie pie" Now don't you feel good? How could you not when you're squishing two pillowy cookies together with some cream cheese frosting?
These whoopie pies are seriously good stuff. Moist, pumpkin pie spiced cookies, just the right amount of sweetness cream cheese filling, all joined together in a portable, hand-held treat. I loved everything about these. Including the fact that technically it's two cookies, but since it's all smooshed together I get to pretend as if I'm only eating one! Because these are way too full of pumpkin goodness not to be enjoyed in their entirety.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking via MarthaStewart.com

For the Pumpkin Whoopie Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Filling
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)

Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

Makes 12 whoopie pies

Granola Bars

2010-11-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

In a time when flights are cheaper than ever, when every city is flexing its culinary muscles, and when even airports have wine bars, I'm about to say something controversial. I don't care much for travel.

Don't get me wrong, I like nothing more than wandering through a new city, stopping for a mid-afternoon drink just because, and enjoying public transportation (yes Angelenos, other cities have trains and buses that take you all around the city for a nominal fee! What an idea!). But the airports. And the luggage. And the $4 bottles of water, the lack of power outlets, the recirculated air, and the inadequate cabin lights! By the time I touch down on the East Coast, I'm usually wildly envious of the three year old who gets to throw a tantrum in baggage claim.

This weekend John and I headed to the Big Apple for a little race called the New York Marathon. I have a lot to say about Chelsea Market, my love affair with Brooklyn, an epic bakery crawl, and of course, the race itself. But before we ran around the city eating everything in sight, we had to endure 10 hours of travel. In an effort to make the day more pleasant, less expensive, and to keep me from becoming a hypoglycemic maniac, I gave myself a little TLC in snack form.

I found these granola bars on Smitten Kitchen last year, and they were a revelation.

Made from whole ingredients including my fall favorite, honey, not too sweet, and infinitely adaptable, these granola bars are delightful. And so so easy. If you're a regular granola bar eater, give these some thought next time you're in the grocery store. The homemade version will stretch your dollar, and are probably a bit healthier too.

Granola Bars
From Smitten Kitchen
In addition to being a great flight companion, these are perfect for curbing hunger in your hotel room between meals, or in the early morning when your travel partner snoozes through the breakfast hour and into the brunch hour. Take that room service!

I didn't make any changes to Deb's recipe, but I could see them working well with dried apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon, or drizzled with a bit of chocolate or peanut butter ganache. Or speckled with those mini chocolate chips that everyone loves. Don't be afraid to experiment, and be sure to report back and let me know how it goes.

Makes 12 to 16 granola bars

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed (I used sweetened)
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2/3 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cup dried fruit, or a mix of dried fruit (I used chopped apricots, cranberries and raisins)

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter an 9×13-inch baking dish.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

While the mixture is still warm, stir in the honey, vanilla and salt until the mixture is well coated, then the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish and press, press, press it in (wet fingers and/or a silicon spatula work great for this) until the mixture is packed as tightly as possible. This is crucial to having bars that hold together in the end, so really go for it!

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares — your best serrated knife is great for this.

You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or two, but they also store well and stay crisp in the freezer. Happy travels!

Thoughts on Meatlessness, and a Vegetable Pot Pie

2010-10-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

On a recent flight from LA to Chicago, I found myself completely wrapped up in Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. It's a non-fictional account of the meat industry in the US, and in my humble opinion, an important piece of work for anyone who grocery shops and cooks. Foer delves into the economic, environmental, and public health impact of factory farms, and encourages readers to think about the big picture behind what's in their shopping carts.

Needless to say, my fiance was more than a bit shocked when I got off the plane in Chicago, land of Italian beef, meaty deep dish pizza, and the old school steakhouse, and declared that I was considering going vegetarian. While the last two months have been a period of transition, it's also been a time for some really fun cooking.

No one's perfect, and I can't say that I've been following this vegetarian thing to the letter, but I'm making an effort. To me, eating well is a practice, just like yoga or writing, or even a relationship. It's something to work on, improve at, and go back to, even if things fall off track for a bit.

That said, dishes like this make vegetarianism easy as pie. Pot pie. Pot pie with a rich flaky crust, a creamy flavorful filling, and enough heft to make you say "chicken who?".

Vegetable Pot Pie
Adapted from Aida Mollenkamp, crust from Tartine
Fennel! Who knew? I don't like the licorice flavor of raw fennel, but cooked down in the pot pie filling, it was mild and dee-licious. Give it a try, I find it lovely.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 small heads fennel, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)
1 small russet potato, peeled and diced small (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1 cup whole milk
1 cup frozen baby green peas
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
1/4 cup parsley
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 large egg yolk
Tartine pie crust

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Prepare the pie dough, and chill in the fridge while you prepare the pie filling.

Melt butter over medium heat in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add fennel, onions, and carrots, and cook until just soft and onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and potato, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms have let off water and are shrunken, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to coat, and cook until raw flavor is gone, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add broth and milk, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add peas, herbs, cream of mushroom, and vinegar, and stir to coat. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn filling into an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

Whisk egg together with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt until evenly mixed. Set aside.

Roll out one circle of pie dough, and press it into a pie dish. Fill the shell with the vegetables, and cut the second circle of crust to fit over the baking dish. Place dough over filling and tuck into the lower crust. Brush dough with egg wash and cut slits in the top to vent. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

2010-09-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about blogging is getting to babble on about the people who make my world go 'round. You've met Jill, Pam, Dorien & Kenny, and obviously Allison. So it's a pretty glaring omission that after all this, not much has been said about the guy I'll be spending forever with. Without further delay, meet John Francis...

We met in college while working at California Pizza Kitchen. I thought he was handsome, and he followed me around the restaurant delivering extra ranch dressing to my tables and opening bottles of wine for me. He kissed me one Friday night after a late shift, I was smitten, and then he ignored my calls for a week. Then he called me, and I ignored his calls. But whatever phase of the ridiculous dating dance we found ourselves in, we'd usually end up together in the dive bar across the street from the restaurant, smooching to "Don't Stop Believin'" after eleventy six Miller Lites.

5 years later, I still think he's handsome, although I've mastered the art of opening my own wine. We share an obsessive love of Mad Men, Mexican food, and our dogs. He puts up with my messes (a trail of shoes and dirty laundry follows me around our house), and I put up with his questionable taste in snack foods (atomic jalapeno Cheetos are never ok). If he's not marathon running, playing exquisite classical guitar, or working on his dissertation, he's charming the little kids in my family, or listening intently while my dad recounts the 1981 NFC playoff game. And get this: he does the dishes. All. The. Dishes.

A guy like that comes along once in a lifetime, so his birthday dessert matters. While I've never seen him turn his nose at any of my baked creations, John Francis is a chocolate-peanut butter man. And since he's watched me make countless birthday cakes, I knew I wanted to mix it up and surprise him with something special. Enter the ice cream cake...

Maybe it's the throwback to all those Carvel and Baskin Robbins cakes of our childhoods, but I've never met anyone who didn't love an ice cream cake. A rich brownie base is packed into the sides and bottom of a springform pan, then filled with a chunky peanut butter ice cream. Never tried peanut butter ice cream before? I suggest you hop to it. It's sweeter, lighter, and more refreshing than the stuff straight out of the jar. Are you drooling yet?

If that's not enough...

Mmm hmm... I got my Coldstone on and mixed chopped up peanut butter cups into the ice cream.

Now you simply fill your brownie shell with your ice cream, and let it all freeze up together. There's no baking, which is great when it's September and it's 110 degrees in Los Angeles. Not that I would know anything about that.

If you're feeling fancy, you can whip up some ganache. It's super reliable for decorating ice cream because it freezes solid. Ganache is so easy. Almost too easy...

Happy birthday John Francis! Here's to a hundred more birthday cakes together.

JF with the overly tanned overly blonde ladies of Butter + Cream

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

Adapted from Mark Bittman and David Lebovitz

For the brownie:

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted or unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt if you use unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Meanwhile, grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. If you like, also line it with waxed or parchment paper and grease that.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour (and salt and vanilla if you are using them), and stir to incorporate. Stop stirring when no traces of flour remain.

Pour into pan, and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until set and barely firm in the middle. Cool on a rack before cutting.

For the peanut butter ice cream:

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 2/3 cups half-and-half

Pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 peanut butter cups, chopped

Puree the peanut butter, sugar, half-and-half, salt, and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator , then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When there are five minutes to go, stir in the peanut butter cups.

For the ganache:

5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Bring cream to simmer in a saucepan, then pour over the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature before using.

To assemble:

Press the brownie into the bottom and up the sides of a round springform pan. When the ice cream is done churning, spread it into the brownie crust, and freeze for 3-4 hours. To decorate, pour the ganache into a pastry bag with a small tip or a ziplock bag with a small hole cut in the corner. Pipe decorative writing and a border. Keep frozen until it's time to serve the cake.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

2010-09-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

It is so good to be back beautiful readers! Last week Allison shared a gorgeous post with all the delicious summer food she's been eating. I thought about doing something similar, but then I remembered that my meals from the last few weeks consist of frozen pizzas, prepackaged salads,and Thai takeout. Not exactly the stuff that culinary dreams are made of. John has spent the last 3 1/2 weeks working in Chicago, and what I've learned is that I don't cook well without an audience. When it's just me, a giant bowl of chips and salsa and a glass of red wine does the trick.

The good news is that John is back on California soil, and I found a new frosting I'm crazy about. I'm feeling like myself again, and really excited to bring you a great cupcake.

I'm baking for a wedding next month, and the bride-to-be loves a classic white chocolate raspberry combo. I've had a few misses in my quest to find the right recipe, but when I brought her these beauties, we both agreed that we have a winner on our hands.

There are three parts to this goodness, so you might want to spread out the baking across a couple of days.

Once you're ready for assembly, use a small sharp knife to cut little cores out of each cupcake. They don't need to be huge, a little filling goes a long way.

Fill these babies with raspberry goodness. Hello delicious!

Pipe on some buttercream, and you're in business!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Food & Wine, and Group Recipes

Makes 30 cupcakes

Note: I burned the first dozen. They may not come out very golden, so use the toothpick test in order to tell when they're really done.

For the cupcakes:

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with papers.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Use a cookie scoop to drop batter into the cupcake tins. Fill about 3/4 full, and wipe the sides of the pan clean. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely before assembling.

For the filling:

2 12 ounce packages of frozen raspberries (not packed in syrup)
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/2-2 cups granulated sugar (or to taste, 2 cups will be pretty sweet)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5-6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water

In a saucepan combine the raspberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the raspberries have broken down.

Remove the mixture from the heat and strain with a fine mesh sieve. Return the strained mixture to the heat.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/2 cup of water. Whisk the slurry into the raspberry mixture. Bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely before assembling cupcakes.

For the frosting
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 pound powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces white chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled.

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter until creamy. At low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, scraping down the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes longer.

At low speed, beat in the cream and vanilla, then gradually beat in the white chocolate. Scrape down the side of the bowl and the paddle, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light, 3 minutes longer. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously beat the buttercream for 30 seconds to deflate any air bubbles.

To assemble

Use a small sharp knife to cut a cone-shaped core out of the top of each cupcake. Fill the core with raspberry filling. Use a pastry bag and a decorative tip to pipe frosting on top of the cupcake, and top with a fresh raspberry. Enjoy!

Hamburger Buns

2010-09-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hey there! My goodness but its been a while since I've been around these parts. I've missed writing and sharing and all that other blogging goodness, but it seems that summer has a way of sweeping you up in its arms and not letting go. What is it about the days of summer? At moments they appear stretched out as long as the eye can see, but then in a blink of that same eye they're gone.

I had such a fun, busy, relaxed yet productive summer that I am bummed not to have shared more of it with you all. Much of the summer has, of course, revolved around food. There have been BBQ's, Fair's where I consumed my yearly quota of fried food, lots of hummus and falafel at this gem, and even a trip to the Reno Rib Fest where I embarrassingly managed to not consume a single rib, but did stuff my face with an embarrassing amount of pulled pork.

Much of my food experience has revolved around summer produce as I have become a bit obsessed with canning over the past few months, and as such, most of my free time has been spent preserving those fleeting fruits and vegetables of summer. It has been an extremely fun and rewarding hobby that has made me appreciate the food that we cook for ourselves even more. If you will indulge me, I hope to share some of that canning joy (and some of the trials and tribulations as well) with you soon.

In the meantime, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite produce of the summer season, and a few of the things I've been making with them, along with a Hamburger Bun recipe that changed all future hamburger experiences for me.
Being a very food oriented person, I tend to associate the changing season with the foods that go along with them. I particularly experience this association with fresh produce. As soon as a fruit or vegetable comes in to season it triggers a changing of the guard for me. I love the way that pumpkins scream fall, that the taste of fresh peas make me feel like it's spring, and that there's nothing else like a ripe heirloom tomato that's picked at the height of the hottest time of year. And those strawberries above, eaten at their peak of ripeness in May, tasted like the promise of summer. With every weekly trip to the Farmer's Market comes a sense of excitement of what newly ripened item may have blossomed in the short time between my last visit. Here's where some of that excitement led me this past summer:

I had previously spoken to you about these cherries here, but they're worth another mention. Cherry season is so fleeting that have a bad habit of gorging myself on them like they're going out of style, because in a way they are. Besides eating them out of hand there were also put to good use in this delicious cherry pie, which showcased not one, but two varietals of cherries:

One of the earlier vegetables to appear on the summer scene was squash:

I had good luck with squash in my garden this summer (which was about the only thing I had luck with in my garden), and so there were quite a few squash dishes enjoyed at my home. Probably the one I enjoyed most (and not shockingly the least healthy) was this savory zucchini tart which was filled with a garlicky ricotta mixture and topped off with thin slices of yellow and green squash. It was elegant and delicious, and a great way to highlight the squash bounty.

When corn is in season I purchase as much as I possibly can. Every Friday at the Farmer's Market I pick up 4-6 ears with no specific plan in mind, but I always manage to find something delicious to do with them.

Which is where this soup comes in. This dish quickly became one of my favorite meals of the summer. I must have made it three or four times, which is unusual for me. I don't tend to repeat dishes very often, unless they're winners, which this soup is. What we've got here is a creamy corn soup topped with shrimp, avocado, roasted poblano peppers, green onions and cilantro. I toyed with the corn soup recipe a lot, tweaking and changing it a little every time, with my last attempt being the most successful. It might seem like a lot of toppings, because it is, but the combination is heavenly. Succulent shrimp, smoky peppers, the crunch of the green onion against the fatty richness of the avocado; all perched atop a soup of creamy goodness. I love this soup. Could go on about it all day. But I'll stop myself.

Ahhh tomatoes. If any vegetable feels like summer, it's this one. Because there is just no comparison to a fresh summer tomato. I know they sell them year-round in the grocery store, but those aren't real tomatoes. Those aren't bursting with juices, waiting to be sliced and piled atop mozzarella and basil in a caprese salad. They aren't like these little jewels, which I split in half and slowly roasted in the oven until they were so carmelized in their own juices that they tasted like candy.

This bowl of beauties were also roasted in the oven, but they were turned into another one of my favorite summer soups.

The method for this soup is so simple that I make it as often as possible when tomatoes are in season. Simply slice tomatoes in half and roast them on a baking sheet with some unpeeled garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Let them hang out until they're blistered, shrunken and spilling their juices. Saute some diced onion, carrot, and additional garlic in a pot until softened. Add your roasted tomatoes and garlic and then add stock until it just covers the veggies. Simmer it for thirty minutes or so and then puree the mixture until smooth. Feel free to add in some large handfuls of basil while you're at it, and maybe pile some on top for good measure. So so good.

And finally this summer, there were peaches. Oh peaches. You have been so good to me this summer. Remember all that canning I mentioned earlier? Well the peach dominated that hobby this summer. I bought them by the boxful and went to work putting them away for winter when I knew they would be highly appreciated. In the meantime I appreciated them in numerous pies and cobblers which are always the highlight desserts of the summer for me. Look at how beautiful they are! That rosy shade! That little bit of fuzz! Such a cute little fruit I tell ya.

Pretty soon though all the peaches will be replaced with crisp apples, winter squashes and root vegetables. And while I'm sad to see the summer produce go, I welcome what's to come with open arms. Because even though I will miss all those caprese salads, juicy summer berries, and fresh ears of corn dripping with butter, I have a whole new crop of possibilities to look forward to. And the fact that these items only come around once a year make them that much more special.
These hamburger buns are special, but they should be eaten all year long. I made them for a BBQ in July, and they changed the way I thought of homemade hamburgers forever. These are no ordinary bun. They're light and fluffy on the inside with a chewy delicious exterior. If there ever was a gourmet hamburger bun, then this would be it.
I cannot urge you strongly enough to try this recipe. As I always am with recipes involving yeast, I was skeptical of how these would turn out. But my fears were put aside as soon as these puppies came out of the oven. I couldn't believe that I had made a hamburger bun that tasted this good. I know that BBQ season is fading, and I'm coming to you a bit late in the game, but these are worth one last fling with the grill.

Light Brioche Burger Buns
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Notes: These are definitely best eaten the day they are made, so try and aim for that if possible. I used black sesame seeds on top as that's all I had on hand, but feel free to experiment with other toppings. Poppy seeds, onion or garlic flakes, they all sound good to me!

Makes 8, 4 to 5-inch burger buns

3 tablespoons warm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sesame seeds (optional)

In a glass measuring cup, combine one cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper or a wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, well-floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough might be on the sticky side, but try and use as little flour as possible or else the buns will be tough.

Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper or large knife, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours.

Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with one tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. (Note: Use caution when opening oven door as the steam from the pan of water can be very hot) Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

The Napa Town & Country Fair Part 2

2010-08-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it's a tad belated but today I bring you Part 2 of our epic Napa Fair experience. But first, a programming note. You've probably noticed that it's been a while since we've posted a new recipe. I wish I had something new to share with you every day, or at least every week, but I also think it's important to keep it real. And the reality is that all of our cooking and baking that we post here takes place in our day to day lives, and my life right now is taking a lot out of me. I think even the most passionate cooks can relate to those days (or weeks or months) when the best thing you can do for yourself is heat up a frozen pizza and pour yourself a big glass of two-buck Chuck. So I hope you forgive and bear with us, and I promise that we will have lots of great recipes in the future.

For now, please enjoy these baked goods that someone else created! Today's photos come to you from the Home Arts Exhibition at the Napa Fair. These were all made by amateurs like us and judged by some really sweet looking old ladies in matching yellow shirts.

This cake was entered in the decorative division. It's sweet and festive, but it was the entry card that caught my eye.

Notice anything on the entry form?

I'm not sure if "special people" is the politically correct way to group them, but I think it's awesome that Napans with developmental disabilities are getting in on the action.

We went to the fair on a Saturday. The baked goods had to be submitted for competition on Monday. You can do the math on how long these cakes had been sitting out. Some entries held up remarkably well...

Others had a more difficult time.

The home arts exhibition also featured some amazing quilts. You can't see it here, but this quilt has the name of a state and its state flower in each square.

There are 49 squares in the quilt. America has 50 states... Texas is missing. I have no explanation for this whatsoever...

This was an entry in the "tablescape" division. Allison could sweep the tablescape category, I'm encouraging her to start brainstorming concepts for next year.

This is a flower arrangement in some little kid pants. I can't help but feel disturbed by this one.

The people in charge of the fair were very excited about their new laser lights. They were quoted in the local paper saying that they would "blow some people away." Don't these look like the faces of people who are blown away?

After looking at all those cakes and pies, we needed something sweet to cap off the night. That's a plastic chocolate dipped banana over the cash register. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Chocolate. Dipped. Soft. Serve. Yes.

This is Foreverland. They are a Michael Jackson tribute band, and they have approximately 42 members. At least that's what it looked like from the audience. They sang "Black or White"...

And we got down with our bad selves, ice cream cones in tow.

What have y'all been up to this summer? Any fun fair adventures to share?

The Napa Town & Country Fair Part 1

2010-08-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, the Napa fair was the highlight of my summer. My sister and I would get a week-long pass and wristbands for unlimited rides. We'd wait outside the gates before they opened, and then spend hours running from the giant slide to the tilt-a-whirl, taking breaks for curly fries and sno cones. Today I have a weak inner ear and an aversion to crowds, but I was dead set on making a night at the fair happen.

Before this weekend, I hadn't been in years. While I was certain that it would still have that summer magic I grew up loving, John and Allison were slightly more dubious. Think about the first time you went to Disneyland as an adult. When I went in college, everything was a little smaller, a little more crowded, and a little more wooden than I remembered. When we drove down one of Napa's main streets on Friday and saw a few lonely ferris wheel cars sticking out above a two-story building, I started to get a little nervous.

I had been hyping up the fair to John for weeks, and I badgered Allison and her boyfriend Nick into joining us. Luckily, the night exceeded our lowered expectations, and we had a blast. Let's start with the really good stuff, the fried food.

Corn dogs... You had me at hello. I never eat corn dogs because they render me powerless. Had I not been in public and under the expectation that I would behave like a normal human, I may have inhaled 5 to 6 corn dogs.

Research has shown that corn dogs taste better when you're sitting on bleachers and a local cover band is rocking out to Susie Q. Mustang Sally works too.

Blooming onion. Not gonna lie... We ate all the bloom, and left most of the onion. Don't judge.

Deep fried mushrooms. These delicious morsels were the sleeper hit of the night. Battered, fried, and dipped in ranch, I have never eaten mushrooms this naughty.

I insisted we order super nachos. Yes, beneath this massive pile of toppings, there are chips. I did serious damage on this plate of nachos, which isn't surprising. I never met a plate of Mexican food that I wouldn't take on.

Hello lover. This is what we in these parts call a block o' curly fries. There's no way to eat them without covering your hands in grease. I once attempted an entire fry brick by myself when I was 12. It didn't end well folks. Not well at all.

Once we stuffed our faces, it was on to another fair highlight: the livestock! Napa has an active 4-H community, and the livestock exhibition is huge. I've decided that instead of another pug, I would like to get a pygmy goat. This one looks like he'd fit in quite nicely.

The lambs at the Napa fair are the most glamorous I've seen anywhere. They wear leotards (sheepotards?), I'm assuming for warmth, but also for fashion. Check out these divas. Yes that's cheetah print. Do you think they're cougars?

This is what's called an oreo cow. They're supposedly rare, and specific to the region. Emily told me that. There's not much to put this photo to scale, but I must comment that these cows were massive enormous beasts. My 10 minutes in the 4H tent pretty much solidified the fact that I will never be cut out for ranch life. These guys scared the crap out of me.

This is the part where I get my Charlotte's Web on.

And this is the part where I giggle. I will think about this pig ass next time I savor the bacon in my Cobb salad. Aaah, good times.

OK, that's enough for one day. Tomorrow I bring you some champion entries from the Home Arts exhibition, and some embarassing/awesome photos of Allison and I dancing. What's your favorite fair food? Let us know in the comments!

BFF Jill Threw Us a Party!

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's a good day today. It's Thursday, which is almost the weekend. My amazing and talented fiance has restored the wifi in our house, so you will be hearing a lot more from me. Tonight I'm putting on my pleather and eyelashes and going to see Lady Gaga in concert, and tomorrow, we're driving up to Napa for what promises to be an excellent weekend. Mary + Allison + the Napa Town and Country Fair... I don't know if you know what happens when the two of us are surrounded by fried food, livestock and plastic cups of wine, but I guarantee it will be a good time.

But before we get to this weekend's festivities, I want to recap a backyard party that was one of the highlights of the summer. And to recap this party, I need to talk about BFF Jill.

If we're being technical, BFF Jill is John's niece's mom. If we're being real, she's his sister, and soon to be mine. Jill and I have known each other since John and I started dating, but our friendship has really come into its own over the last two or three years. We started volunteering at Planned Parenthood events together, rallied around some of the same political causes in the 2008 election, and discovered that we both have jobs that allow for frequent email communication, so that we can keep eachother apprised of important things in our lives like what blogs are good today, and what we had for lunch.

Jill has exceptional strength, honesty, and depth. She's even-keeled, which I guess you have to be when you have a 14-year old daughter. My life plan is that when I have my own pre-teen someday, I will put drop her off on Jill's porch. Four years later, Jill will return her to me and she will have a college acceptance letter and a good head on her shoulders. Sounds pretty win-win to me.

Jill is getting married next June. In fact, she and her fiance will tie the knot exactly 6 weeks before John and I do. I think plenty of women would have a teensy bit of resentment toward a close friend crowding their wedding date, but Jill never batted an eye. Instead, she and her fiance offered to throw us a party. Go open your dictionary and look up "gracious"... Yep, there she is. And I know what you're thinking... "Mary, you already had an engagement party." And that's true, but with our two huge families living on opposite ends of the state, two parties was just the most practical way to make sure that everyone got to celebrate.

I know you can't really plan these things, but I think every engaged girl needs a bride friend. Maybe we could make a girl-buddy pairing website... When I'm excited and I want to talk about the merits of chiavari vs. folding chairs, Jill will listen, not because she's been there, but because she's there right now. In 10 short months, Jill will walk down the aisle in a dress that I just saw for the first time this weekend (!), I will cry buckets and melt into a heap of happy goo. In the meantime, check out what she did for us... All photo credits go to my lovely neighbor Dorien. Go say hello to her at her blog, the Women's Debauchery Auxiliary!

These are peaches... Wrapped in pancetta. I'm fully on board with the "let's wrap fruit in bacon" movement. Here's the recipe.

These potatoes... Oh my word. Creamy, rich, delicous, amazing. An old family recipe that Jill is not at liberty to share. I'm working on her.

Pork loin! We should party with pork more often. When it's summer, and you're in the backyard, put a delicious cherry sauce on top. Your guests will ooh and ahh. This cherry sauce came from Savory Baking, and it's downright sumptuous.

Quiche, mmm... I lurve quiche.

And this plate o' beauty... Vegetarian! When you throw a party and the vegetarian plate looks like this, you know you're doing something right.

That's my sister in the background! Isn't she adorable?

Self portrait with Shannyn!

John's mom is cracking my grandma up. Cuteness.

Dan's raising the roof.

My happy dad and his gorgeous wife.

Thank you Jill!!!

Marble Birthday Cake

2010-08-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last night, we celebrated the birthday of Pam, one of my very best friends. Before I tell you about her cake, I want to tell you about why I adore her. Pam and I met when we lived in the same dorm in our freshman year at UCLA. She was a bad ass New Yorker with a tattoo and an attitude. I was gawky and insecure, blushing when a stranger talked to me. But we had the same razor-shag blonde haircut, she was always nice to me, and we became unlikely pals. After freshman year, Pam moved into the best apartment in Westwood. All of our friends took turns living in the second bedroom, and I spent a summer there. Pam had every episode of Friends on her computer, and she always let me borrow her fancy ceramic flat iron. It didn't hurt that she had a hunky neighbor who was literally an Abercrombie and Fitch model. Yum... I digress.

Eight years later, we have the kind of friendship that only exists with someone who's seen you through the ridiculousness of your early 20's. The party nights, spray tans, random boys and vacations, along with the hard stuff, fighting, breakups, and messes. She's the first one to take you to a four-star dinner on your birthday, or let you borrow her coziest sweats during a marathon session of So You Think You Can Dance. She has a sick shoe collection, and she'll tell you if have something in your teeth, and she'll tell you when you look beautiful. And her kitchen is always stocked with cheese, crackers, and a chilled bottle of chard. Friends like that don't come along every day.

Pam wears a lot of black and white, so I thought a marble cake would be a clever choice. Marble cake has an amazing "easy to fancy ratio". I just made that term up, maybe I'll put it in my Food Network tape. Anyway, instead of making two different batters, you make a vanilla batter, then take out a small amount and mix in some cocoa powder. Then spoon the batters into the pan in a checkerboard pattern, and swirl away with a butter knife. Look how fancy you are!

When I want a cake to look really pretty, I cover it in fondant. Fondant is a lot like pie dough in that many of us are afraid of it (as an aside, are we just afraid of using rolling pins? Someone research this.). I'm no pro at this. My fondant cakes are usually lumpy, with some cracks, fingerprints, and weirdness. But it's the effort that counts, and people are always impressed when they see a gorgeous fondant-covered cake. It really helps to cover the surface with powdered sugar or cornstarch, and use a bench scraper to make sure that it doesn't stick.

I am artistically challenged, so rather than try to pipe a decoration, I used a damask stencil to cut out pieces of black fondant. With just a bit of water, the decorative pieces easily stick to the cake. I did this during The Bachelorette finale. I liked Roberto from day 1, I hope that he and Ali make it and live happily ever after.

A "happy birthday" in buttercream, and you're done! Happy birthday Pammy!

A few notes on the cake and the subsequent birthday party:

My favorite fondant- Pettinice rolled fondant in ivory

Black food coloring- Americolor soft gel paste in Super Black

Birthday dinner- Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica Canyon (a splurge that's worth every penny)

Cocktails- Copa d'Oro in Santa Monica. Choose a fruit/herb/booze combo, and their mixologists will make you something amazing!

Pam's favorite wine- Rombauer Chardonnay

Accessory of the night- Silly Bandz

Marble Cake
From Martha Stewart Weddings

Makes 3 8" rounds

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk, room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup instant espresso powder, for mocha layers

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter pans and line with parchment paper. Butter lining; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Combine milk and cream in a small bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time; mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with flour.

Combine cocoa and the boiling water in a medium bowl; for mocha cake, add espresso powder. Stir in 2 cups cake batter.

Fill prepared pans with spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter to form a checkerboard pattern. Run the tip of a paring knife or a wooden skewer through batter in a figure-eight motion to make swirls. Bake until tops are golden, and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire racks. Flip the layers out of the pans, and chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes (until the outside is hard).

Quick Vanilla Buttercream
by Gale Gand
Note: I owe Gale Gand my first born for this recipe. This is the only buttercream recipe you will ever need. It is aaaahhhmazing.

6 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

To assemble:
Remove cake layers from the freezer. If they are rounded in the center, use a serrated bread knife to cut the round top off the layer (you want the flattest surface possible) Place parchment strips around the base of the cake to keep your cake plate clean. Frost the flat surface of the first layer, then place the second layer on top. Slice the top off the next layer, ice, and repeat. Cover the whole cake in buttercream using an offset spatula, and decorate as you wish.

S'mores Cupcakes

2010-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago Mary and I decided to have a cupcake bash. We holed up at her house the night before, baking about a gazillion cupcakes (seriously, I counted) way into the wee hours of the night and were pretty delirious by the end of it. It was a marathon of creaming butter and sugar, washing the same mixing bowl over and over, and exhausting ourselves with some intensive cupcake baking. We had been baking for several hours without stopping when I turned to Mary and said "I need to tell you something." I then paused for dramatic effect, probably wiped some cocoa powder or flour off my face or my arms or wherever else I was covered in it, and then I matter of factly said: "I don't really like cupcakes."
In our state of delirium and exhaustion this was pretty hilarious statement considering the fact that we were both knee deep in cupcakes. But unfortunately it's true, I'm just not really a fan. I mean don't get me wrong, I won't turn down a cupcake if it's offered to me (nor any other dessert for that matter), but I just don't really get the appeal. Part of it is probably the fact that I'm not a huge frosting fan and most cupcakes seemed to be slathered in large amounts of the stuff. Or perhaps it has something to do with always feeling a little awkward and clumsy while trying to eat one. Or maybe it's that there seem to be a lot of inferior cupcakes running around out there, that are not even worth a second bite. Whatever the reasons may be, I'm just not all that into them.
I realize that some may find this crazy or blasphemous, and that cupcakes are one of the most popular desserts out there these days. Up until a couple years ago I had never seen a store devoted entirely to cupcakes and now 4 such stores exist in my neighborhood. There's definitely a cupcake revolution going on, and I won't deny that it's contagious. Even though they might not be my favorite, I enjoy baking them and making them for others. I like the creative aspect to them, and the endless possibilities in frostings, fillings, and tastes. Each one is its own unique creation, and finding the perfect combination in a personal hand-held cake is very satisfying.
So I guess I can understand the appeal a little bit, and I've definitely eaten some cupcakes that are undeniably tasty. But I never seem to find myself craving one, and when I bake up a batch I'm always trying to give them away rather than save a few for myself. At least that's the way it used to be, until these cupcakes came along.

These, my friends, are some pretty epic cupcakes. The bottom consists of a thick layer of buttery graham cracker crumbs, followed by a moist oh-so-chocolatey cake, topped with an ooey gooey marshmallow frosting that is toasted till it's dark and flavorful, giving the cupcakes a hint of campfire. There's a lot going on in these cupcakes, but it's all worth it. Each individual element is delicious all on it's own (I could eat the marshmallow frosting with a spoon), but together they create a cupcake that is out of this world.
I mean, just take a look at these beauties:

Not only do these taste amazing, but they look pretty too. I love when that happens! These will for sure get you some ooohs and aaahs in the looks department.
And they are definitely winners in the taste department. Mmmm marshmallow frosting... The original recipe has you sprinkling the graham crackers on the top and bottom of the cupcakes, but I found that to look a bit messy on the top. Instead I like to create an extra thick layer of graham cracker crust at the bottom like so:
I love that it creates a nice sturdy layer of graham cracker for the cupcake to rest on, and a little extra graham cracker crust never hurt anybody.
These are some seriously yummy cupcakes. So yummy that they changed this non-cupcake lover's mind. Do yourself a favor and make these. Just don't be upset if you can't stop eating them, because I know I can't, and I never thought I'd feel that way about a cupcake.

S’mores Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart.com

Makes 2 dozen

2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Marshmallow Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Evenly place graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Sprinkle a small amount of chocolate in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Marshmallow Frosting

8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Summer Dinner Party

2010-07-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Photo from FoodNetwork.com

Saturday was one of those perfect summer days, where it's warm but not too hot, the day seems to go on forever, and you check every box on your to-do list. John and I took our engagement photos with the obscenely talented Avi Rothman. While I can't share them yet, I can say that the proofs are everything I hoped they would be. Oh, and there may or may not have been a lot of blue and yellow frosting. Everywhere.

Camera phone photo by Avi Rothman

On Saturday night, we hosted Avi and the neighbors for a quintessential summer dinner on the patio. Fried chicken, potato salad, and heirloom tomatoes with homemade ranch dressing. Do you ever have a meal that's so tasty you miss it when it's gone? It was like that. We followed it up with a nectarine and blackberry pie, a scoop of ice cream, and some gooooood sleep. We're right smack in the middle of summer, so if you want to make your own patio dinner from heaven, here are the recipes. I also threw in our beer and wines for the evening. I realized that I do my fair share of wine drinking, and that you might want to know what's in my glass... Now you know!

Oven fried chicken by Ina Garten. Do yourself and your chicken favor and use Crisco. Just do it, you won't regret it.

Potato Salad with Red Bell Pepper and Sweet Corn from Fine Cooking. Fine Cooking has a "create your own potato salad" recipe generator. Go have some fun with this, I love it. My recipe is below.

Ranch Dressing by The Pioneer Woman. I served it with green leaf lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, an avocado, and a Persian cucumber from Dorien's garden.

Nectarine and Blackberry Pie adapted by yours truly. I used the recipe for the peach pie I made on the 4th of July, but instead of peaches, I used nectarines (69 cents a pound at Pavilions, boo ya!) and blackberries. The yellow fruit with the purple sauce (from the blackberries) made it one of the prettiest pies I've ever made.

The beer- Honey Moon by Blue Moon

The wine:
Municipal Winemakers Bright White Riesling- This is one of my go-to wines. Most people think of Riesling as being a sweet wine, but Dave Potter, the winemaker at Muni, makes a clean dry riesling that I can't get enough of.
Robert Renzoni La Rosa Sangiovese Rose- Kenny and Dorien brought this back for us from their "mini-moon" in Temecula. I'm a huge fan of Rose, and this one tastes like strawberries. Refreshing and delicious!

A note about fat: this was just one of those meals. Buttermilk, mayonnaise, crisco, sour cream, butter. They all came out to play in this dinner. And I don't sweat it too much. I think if a meal is delicious, and you savor it and enjoy the time with your friends and have a great conversation, then the caloric splurge is well worth it.

Potato Salad with Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Corn and Cilantro
From Fine Cooking
For the Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

For the Salad
1 tsp. plain rice vinegar
kosher salt
3-1/2 lb. medium waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or red (or 3-1/4 lb. baby potatoes), scrubbed clean
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Make the Dressing

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

Make the Salad

Combine the rice vinegar and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Let sit to dissolve the salt. Put the potatoes and 2 Tbs. salt in a 6-quart pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the potatoes until barely tender when poked with a fork or skewer, 20 to 25 minutes. If the potatoes aren't all the same size, remove them as they are cooked. (Baby potatoes will take 5 to 10 minutes.)

Gently drain the potatoes in a colander and set aside until just cool enough to handle. Using a paring knife, peel the potatoes by scraping off the skin. (Skip this step if using baby potatoes.) Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch chunks. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the vinegar and gently stir with a spatula to coat. With your fingers, pull apart any pieces that are stuck together.

When the potatoes have completely cooled, gently fold the bell peppers, scallions, sweet corn, and cilantro into the potatoes. Fold in enough dressing to generously coat the potatoes (you may not need all of the dressing). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Piesignment #3- Cream Pie!

2010-07-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

Photo from http://www.sanfranciscodays.com/

Sometimes, when you write your own blog and run your own pie spectacular, you get to do things that are completely self-serving. Now is one of those times.

Photo from http://www.countryliving.com/

On a recent trip to San Francisco, John and I went hog wild in Tartine. Croque monsieur, almond frangiapane croissants, eclairs, quiche, and lattes in big bowl-sized mugs. Our plan was to taste a few bites of everything, and take the rest on our road trip. Unfortunately, our eyes were a bit too big for our stomachs, and we had a pastry casualty along the way.

The pie that got away. Photo from http://www.theamericanchef.com/

We had grand plans for a mini coconut cream pie, but it melted in the car before we had a chance to taste it. Bummer. It was beautiful, with a big fluffy pile of whipped cream and toasted coconut shavings on top. I would've eaten it anyway, but we were on vacation and I didn't want to risk any gastrointestinal distress by eating cream that had gone south. That was two months ago, and I'm still thinking about the pie that got away. It's time for cream pie redemption.

Photo from http://www.smittenkitchen.com/

Which brings us to the piesignment! This week, we want you to make a cream pie. The classic cream pies that come to mind are chocolate, banana, and coconut, but don't be afraid to think outside the box. Imagine a velvety smooth butterscotch cream pie, a sweet and tangy lemon cream pie, or a rich caramel cream pie. Or beat a sweltering summer day with ice cream pie! I guarantee you will be the belle of the ball when you bring one of these creamy dreams to your next get together.

Ok this is getting ridiculous. I'm hungry. Let's do this. Photo from http://www.epicurious.com/

To join in the pie spectacular, just bake a cream pie, blog it, and send your link to butterpluscream@gmail.com. If you don't blog, send us your photos and we'll give you a shoutout!

We want to see your mad pie skills by Wednesday, July 28, 2010. Happy baking!

Grilled Stuffed Bell Peppers

2010-07-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have a confession I need to make. You see, I have been doing a lot of cooking over the past month or so, and not a whole lot of blogging about it. And I feel bad, because there has been a lot of good food happening. There have been BBQ's with kebabs, coleslaws, and bacon wrapped jalapenos. There was a party for 30 or so people which involved lots and lots of massive amounts of tri tip and chicken and salads. Then there have been desserts, from massive hummingbird cakes, to blackberry bars topped with a delicious crumble, to one of my most favorite cupcake recipes ever (I'll give you a hint, it's one of the cupcakes mentioned in this post). There has also been my new found obsession/hobby with canning, which has so far resulted in 3 types of jam, brandied vanilla peaches, and spicy dill pickles.
All this food has been made and consumed and here I have barely said a peep about it. There are all the typical excuses: my job has been busy, photos either are forgotten to be taken, or turn out awful, writer's block, and the fact that even though the sun is out late, summer days have a nasty habit of slipping by faster than you can catch them. I also have a tendency to cram as many activities as possible into each day, which means I'm not actually getting to relax and enjoy the magic that is summer. I need to chill out a bit, read some books, lay in a hammock and drink iced tea, take a nap or two, and spend some quality time in my vegetable garden, which is where these beauties came from.
And hopefully in the midst of all this relaxing, I will be able to start posting a bit more, because I've got lots of great food and recipes to share with you all. For starters, these stuffed grilled peppers which you absolutely have to make the next time you fire up the grill. There's nothing I like more than cooking outside when the weather is nice, and I'm constantly looking for good grilling recipes so we don't always eat the same thing over and over.
What is so great about these peppers is that you could make them over and over and not get sick of them, because there are so many different variations that could be made. The filling is a great way to use up whatever veggies and herbs you might have laying around. I had squash from the garden, some corn from the farmer's market, a tomato, and some red onion. The veggies get sauteed for a bit before being mixed with breadcrumbs and herbs and then they are stuffed inside bell pepper halves. After some quality time on the grill, the peppers are soft and sweet with that great flavor that you can only get from grilling.

These are great for entertaining as they can easily be prepared ahead of time, and they are so quick to put together that they make a great easy weeknight meal. I like them so much, I'm even planning on preparing them ahead of time and taking them on a camping trip next month. They are the perfect side dish for summer, as they fulfill the qualities of summer food that appeal to me most. Not too heavy, easy to make, and highlight the deliciousness that comes from the summer bounty of fresh vegetables. I felt this recipe was a real winner, and I'm so happy that I've gotten the chance to share it with y'all. Hopefully there will be more of that sharing to come this summer.

Grilled Stuffed Bell Peppers
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3 medium red or orange bell peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sized squash, diced
3 ears of corn, shucked, and kernels cut off
1 medium tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and basil)
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

If using a charcoal grill, prepare and light the coals.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise right through the stem, leaving a bit of stem attached to each half. Cut out the cores, seeds, and ribs from the interiors of the peppers, leaving the stem intact. Sprinkle the insides of the peppers with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and squash. Saute the vegetables until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the corn and tomato and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in herbs, breadcrumbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the breadcrumbs soak up most of the liquid in the pan (just a minute or two more). Remove from the heat and spoon the filling equally into the pepper cavities.

When the grill is ready, put the stuffed peppers on and cover. Cook until just tender 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the peppers and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve.

Plum Blueberry Upside Down Cake

2010-07-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

After two crazy weeks filled with engagement and 4th of July festivities, John and I were very excited to spend this weekend putzing around the house putting photos in frames and clearing out the DVR. The best part of the weekend was when I got to cozy up in my chair with this beauty, freshly plucked from my library's shelves...

If you don't read David Lebovitz's blog, go give it a looksee. Mr. Lebovitz is an incredible pastry chef and writer. I want him to move next door and be my sassy gay man-friend. However, seeing that he lives in Paris, I don't think he'll be packing up and moving to Culver City any time soon. Ready for Dessert is his "greatest hits" of sorts, a collection of the most popular recipes from his early cookbooks that are now out of print. Many are very European and complicated and fancy, but on a lazy Sunday after a trip to the farmers' market, this simple upside down cake was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Can I just talk about the fruit that's going on at our markets right now? Every stand seems to be overflowing with gorgeous stone fruits and berries. It's easy to take all this goodness for granted, but come December, I know I'll be looking at these photos and whimpering like my pug on a car ride.

This cake is way easy. Brown sugar and butter...

Plums and blueberries...

And a scrumptious vanilla cake batter. I love vanilla cake, especially when paired with summer fruit.

As this beauty bakes in the oven, the fruit juices infuse the cake with a delicious syrupy moisture. When you flip it out of the pan, it is almost cobbler-esque, but just sturdy enough to stand alone as a cake.

This cake was devoured as is at our BBQ, but I suspect that it would shine even brighter with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of cool whipped cream. It's best served with your feet up and a frosty glass of white wine in hand.

Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
Just barely adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

Topping
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups blueberries
1 pound (6 to 8) plums, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch slices

Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F.

To make the topping, put the 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet. Set the pan directly on the stove top over low heat until the butter melts. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is thoroughly moistened. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.

Distribute half of the blueberries evenly over the brown sugar mixture in the pan. Arrange the plum slices over the blueberries in overlapping concentric circles, or just scatter them in an even layer. Strew the remaining blueberries on top of the plums. Set aside.

To make the cake, in a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the 1/2 cup of butter and the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating until completely incorporated. Gradually mix in half of the flour mixture. Stir in the milk followed by the rest of the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Scrape the batter on top of the fruit in the pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Let cool for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Invert a serving plate over the pan. Wearing oven mitts, grasp both the pan and the plate and turn them over together. Carefully lift off the pan.

Variations: Go crazy! Use apricots instead of plums, and substitute any kind of berries for the blueberries.

Piesignment #2 - Allison's Three Berry Pie

2010-07-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have something I need to say about pies. They don't scare me. Never have, never will. I know this may sound a little cocky, or maybe a little silly to those of you who are also unafraid of pies, but I just had to put that out there. See, I hear all the time about the fear that pie crust instills in people, and I just don't get it. I guess I can see how it would be daunting; all that talk about keeping things super cold you think you'd have to live in Alaska to make an ok crust. Or how about the very specific instruction that the butter must be pea-sized before mixing in the liquid? I still don't know if I've ever achieved the perfect pea-sized piece of butter. And then there's the rolling out, and the horror stories of pie crust sticking and tearing, and ok this does sound a little terrifying.
But here's the thing, the most important thing about pie crust: homemade pie crust always taste better than store-bought, always! At least, that's what has been my experience. And so even if you mess something up, or it looks a little funky, you're still way ahead of the game in the taste department. When I began to bake about ten years ago, one of the very first things I ever made was pie, and since then I have continued to bake pies probably more than any other dessert. There usually is a pie of mine at every family gathering, every summer BBQ, and don’t get me started on Thanksgiving when the baking starts two days before the event and usually ends in 5 or 6 different pies.

Why so much pie? Part of it I think is because pie is just so darn simple to make, and anything that’s simple appeals to the lazy side of me. That’s right, pie is simple! Especially fruit pies. Because most pie crust recipes use the same method (cut cold fats into flour until it looks like coarsemeal, drizzle with a cold liquid and mix until it just comes together), the only part you really have to memorize are the ingredients. So once you’ve got the method down, and the ingredient portions memorized, you will never need a recipe again! Trust me, you'll love the feeling of having a pie crust recipe under your belt; it's like having a secret dessert weapon in your arsenal at all times.Because it means that you could be baking pies whenever and wherever you feel like it. Who knows when a dessert emergency may arise, and you are without a recipe?? The horrors. Ok, so maybe dessert emergencies don't really exist for most normal folks, but the point is, well I've kind of lost the point. How about this, being able to make a pie from scratch without any assistance except your own two hands and your brain will make you feel competent beyond your wildest dreams, and will be impressive to others as well. There's the point. I think.

Alright, back to the simplicity of fruit pies that I mentioned. Fruit pies are quite possibly my most favorite pies to make; for the same reason I've been going on and on about, which is that they don't really require a specific recipe to make. All you need is a bit of sugar, some thickener and maybe a splash of lemon juice to make the fruit shine. Which is really kind of the whole point of the pie right? I strongly recommend tasting your fruit pie fillings, which may or may not sound a little bit, well, duh. But I used to not be so much of a taster, and I always followed the recipes to the letter when it came to the amount of sugar to add. But not all fruits are made equal, and the amount of sugar you use will depend on how ripe or fresh the fruit may be. If you're like me and prefer to really taste the fruit, and not so much the sugar, than you may find yourself not adding quite as much as a recipe may say that you needed.

Here's my method for fruit filling - mix the fruit with some sugar, a thickener (I start with 3 tablespoons) and whatever flavoring you might be adding such as almond extract (oh how I adore pure almond extract), lemon juice, or a flavored liqueur. I then taste the filling to see if it needs more sugar or flavoring, adjusting if necessary. The next step is to let the mixture stand for about ten minutes which allows the fruits to release it's juices, which helps determine if the filling will need more thickener or not. If the fruit is really juicy and the mixture seems too loose, I will add a little more thickener, a tablespoon at a time, until it seems, ahem, thicker. I know this is kind of a vague description, but after making a few pies this way you will get a feel for whether a filling is the way you like it. Besides, no one is going to turn away one of your attempts if it is a little bit too juicy. I promise you.

I learned this method for filling from one of my very first cookbook purchases, All About Pies and Tarts, which is part of The Joy of Cooking series of books. It was also from this book that I learned how to make pie crust. You see, back in the day there were no such things as cooking blogs (at least if they existed I didn't know about them), the Food Network was not a channel I routinely watched, and I definitely didn't have multiple subscriptions to cooking magazines. So when I set out to learn how to bake a pie, All About Pies and Tarts was my teacher. And it was through the step-by-step photos, and the simple, easy to read instructions that I confidently learned how to make pie crust. And it still continues to be the book I turn to whenever a pie question arises.

When I went to make a pie for Fourth of July this year, I knew I wanted the crust to include stars of some sort. I have made variations of this design in the past, but have had trouble with the pie crust holding it's shape. Often the pie has come out of the oven looking like a mutated version of itself. I knew that a proper chilling before baking could help avoid part of the problem, but I was wondering if there were any other tips. So I turned to my trusty pie cookbook, and sure enough they had a suggestion. They recommended using a pie crust made partially with cream cheese, as it holds it shape better during baking, making it ideal for tart crusts and decorative pie crusts.

And wouldn't you know it but it worked? My stars kept their shape, and the crust was still flaky and delicious. Albeit I probably could have used more stars to cover the pie with, but oh well. It just made it a pie where the fruit was the star (pun intended). I used blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries for my three-berry pie filling, along with about a 1/3 cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, and approximately 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. And oh did that combination make for some goood berry pie. Each berry kept its individual flavor, with the tartness of the blackberries melding beautifully with the sweetness of the blueberries and raspberries. And the white pie plate, along with the red and blue berries, and starry topping made this the perfect dessert for a Fourth of July table. This was a pie to be proud of.

Have you heard me blabber on about pie long enough? Well too bad, because I need to give a shout out to a blog participant of our Summer Pie Spectacular! These adorable star hand pies come from the blog Sunday Treats which is written by two sisters, Katie and Becky, all the way across the country in NYC! They've got a super cute blog with some great looking desserts.

A few other recent pie posts out in the blogosphere:

Sassy Radish - Blueberry Strawberry Pie

Joy the Baker - Blueberry Blackberry Pie

Smitten Kitchen - Sour Cherry Pie with Almond Crumble Topping

What are you waiting for? Go make some pie!

Making a Pie with Any Fruit
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking All About Pies and Tarts

Once you develop a feel for making fruit pies, you can virtually dispense with recipes. A 9-inch pie needs about 5 cups of fresh fruit or berries plus sugar, thickener, and a little butter. You will seldom go wrong if you use the formula below. There are of course exceptions; tart or sour fruits will require more sugar, apples need less thickener, while juicy berries may require more, especially if they are heavily sweetened.

5 cups sliced fruit or berries
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten
Sanding or raw sugar

Roll out one disk of dough and fit into the bottom of a pie pan. Roll out second disk and place it on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Place both top and bottom crusts in fridge while preparing rest of pie.

Mix the fruit, sugar, thickener, lemon juice, and salt and let stand for 15 minutes before pouring it into the pie crust. Dot the butter over the filling. Cover pie with top crust or lattice. Seal the edge, trim, and crimp or flute. Cut steam vents in top crust. Freeze pie for 30 minutes.

Brush top of crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the pie in the lower third of a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes; then slip a baking sheet beneath it, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake the pie until thick juices bubble through the vents, about 30 minutes more. If pie crust appears to be darkening too quickly, cover the edges with tinfoil.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry Dough

Makes two 9- or 10-inch pie crusts, or 9 ½- or 10-inch tart crusts

Use this dough when making tartlet crusts, or pies with lattice or decorative tops; as it will hold its shape better while it cooks.

2 cup plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar or 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
6 ounces cream cheese, cut into ¼ inch pieces
6-8 tablespoons heavy cream
Additional ice water

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl or food processor. Using a pastry blender or the blade of a food processor, cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle heavy cream over the mixture and stir together or process mixture until it begins to gather into moist clumps. Press the dough into a thick, flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Piesignment #2 - Mary's 4th of July Peach Pie

2010-07-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

Peach pie on a retro tablecloth. I'm not sure if it gets much more summery than this. It kinda makes me feel like the blonde mom on the Wonder Years.

If I'm giving an honest holiday recap, the weather did not show up in So Cal this year. I think the high temperature of the day may have reached a blistering 65 degrees, and our Malibu-soaked watermelon, while delicious, was not exactly needed to beat the heat. Instead of packing the car and heading for the beach, we had a good old fashioned backyard party with family. Jill, Nicole, and I were secretly a little bit happy with this outcome, as it gave us a chance to get down to business and do what we do best: cook one handed (while the other hand holds a margarita). Our missions: Nicole went to town on breakfast, salsas, carnitas, and side dishes. Jill threw down some killer guac and a big stack of homemade tortillas. I took it upon myself to make pie happen. And oh did pie happen.

While the boys watched the hot dog eating competition, Nicole fried up breakfast sausages and bacon. I blanched two pounds of peaches and whipped up my favorite pie crust. I know that part of the pie spectacular should be trying out new crust recipes, but I'm kinda smitten with the savory flaky crust from Tartine. I want to settle down with it, I think I might be done playing the field.

After leaving the dough in the fridge to chill, I put together the filling. It's a simple and delicious filling I found in Martha Stewart this month. The crust wasn't ready for prime time, so I just put some plastic wrap over the bowl of peaches and let it hang out in the fridge. When it was time to bake pie, I had an audience, and nothing makes you feel like more of a legitimate baker than to roll out pie crust in front of people. Now I get why Ina Garten is so happy all the time.

I opted for a double crust because I knew the scrumptious peach filling could handle it. Then this beauty just baked and baked and baked, while ate my weight in tortilla chips and cheesy beans from the block party down the street. Cheesy beans, I'm glad I didn't get your recipe. I'd be on the bullet train out of bikini-ville before you could say "saturated fats".

The verdict: my future father-in-law loved it, and I'll take that feedback any day.

Summer Peach Pie
Crust from Tartine, filling adapted from Martha Stewart Living

For the crust:
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup very cold water
3 cups + 2 Tb all-purpose flour
1 cup + 5 Tb very cold unsalted butter

In a small bowl, add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep very cold until ready to use.

Put the flour in the work bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Add the water/salt mixture and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together in a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

For the filling:
3 pounds peaches (I only used 2 pounds, but could have used more), peeled and cut into wedges
3 Tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

To prep the peaches, slice an X on each piece. Boil for one minute, then submerge in a bowl of ice water until cooled. The skins will slide right off. Cut them into wedges, discarding the pits.

Combine peaches, corstarch, lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Mix together brown sugar and vanilla seeds, and stir into peach mixture.

To assemble:
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 Tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 375F.

Dust a flat surface with flourand roll out one disk of pie dough. Line a pie dish with the flour, and fill with the peach mixture. Roll out the second disk of pie dough, and place it gently over the top of the dish. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut off the excess pie crust that hangs over the side of the dish. Use your fingers to crimp along the edges of the pie to make a decorative crust. Cut slits in a star pattern over the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie crust with milk.

Bake until juices are bubbling through vents and top is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with some homemade vanilla ice cream. It's what the Butter + Cream girls would do.

Why Allison is an Incredible Best Friend

2010-07-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

Happy "Day After the 4th of July"! After making a champion comeback from that summer head cold that's been going around, my weekend was filled with family and dogs and fireworks and some cooking revelations that I cannot wait to share with you. One is Allison's corn tortillas. Do yourself a favor and make these. They're easy, and packed with delicious flavor. My future sister-in-law Nicole also whipped up some salsas that made me vow to never buy the bottled stuff again. They are restaurant quality, and don't require much more than a whiz in the blender. Stay tuned, they're coming later this week.

Now speaking of vows... You might recall that I recently got engaged. While I promise you that I won't turn Butter + Cream into a wedding blog and annoy you with questions about the merits of peonies vs. lilies in a bouquet, I do think there will be a few gems along the way worth sharing with y'all. My engagement party happens to be one of those gems.

When I asked Allison to be my maid of honor, one of the first questions she asked was, "When can we have a party?". John and I are planning our Napa Valley wedding from Los Angeles, so we decided to take a weekend to drive up and check out some potential venues, and then celebrate our engagement with our local friends and family. After finding the picture perfect location and setting a date(!), we were giddy at the thought of spending an evening celebrating with our near and dears. There aren't many words to describe the way we felt walking up the driveway that night. The party Allison threw for us took my breath away.

Please check out the multitude of pictures after the jump.

This festive window decoration was made up of some of our favorite photos (including photos from our engagement weekend).
Every detail was taken into account. This adorable "John & Mary" logo was a theme that weaved throughout the decor of the party. It was on the jars of jam that Al gave away as party favors. Yes, of course she made the jam from scratch.

She also made John & Mary water bottles...
And John and Mary sugar cookies! I completely lost it when I saw these. Can you see what I'm talking about when I say that she is incredible? I don't know anyone else on the planet who would go to this level of effort for a friend.

Her deck was beautifully decorated. My mom made the burlap table runners, and they used flowers, votive candles, and framed pictures as centerpieces. Of course, the view from Al's deck cannot be beat.

Chinese lanterns in the party colors decorated another long table.

And yes, that is my dog peeing on bridesmaid Sarah's chair. Ugh.

This is us feeling happy.

And this is Al working hard in a cute strapless dress, the hostess with the mostest.

The food was never-ending, and everything was delicious.

Baby!

Used to be a baby!

Oh baby... This is half of a hummingbird cake. It's only half a cake because my family quickly devoured the other half. Those beauties on top aren't flowers. They're pineapple! I bet if we're really nice to Allison, she'll tell us how to make this cake.

And lastly, this is the part of the party where my dad makes a speech, and I burst into tears. I anticipate that happening at least 175 more times this year. I just don't have the emotional fortitude for speeches from dad.

I can honestly say that this is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. It is gift enough to have a friend who has known you since you were 14, through Accutane and school dances and horrible hair choices. To get to celebrate the biggest best thing in your life with that friend almost seems too much for any one person to deserve. To say that I'm grateful for Allison and her gifts is the understatement of the century.

A business note: For anyone who wants to hire Allison for her maid of honor duties, she's is booked through July 16, 2011.