What I've Been Eating!

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!

Granola Bars

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.

Monkey Bread

This is monkey bread.  Frankly folks, I don't even know where to begin here.  If you've never had monkey bread before, close your eyes and imagine with me.  Imagine a warm soft ball of dough dipped in cinnamon and rolled in caramel and just barely dunked in some cream cheese glaze.  Are you drooling yet?  Now add a playful presentation, a big cup of coffee, and a crossword puzzle.  Oh, and there's not a can of biscuit dough in sight.  You see where I'm going here?  Monkey bread is no joke.

There's a reason why I'm sharing monkey bread with you today.  My grandpa turns 84 today!  Happy birthday Lou babe!  You don't look a day over 70!

 We'll get to the caramel butter ridiculousness in a moment, but first, you should know this.  You should know that my grandpa and I share a disdain for saying goodbye.  When we were little, he'd pretend he had to use the restroom, and then hide in the airport when we got on the airplane to go back to California.  You should know that my grandpa served our country in World War 2, a world away in the Pacific Ocean at the tender age of 17.  You should know that my grandpa thinks that Rachel Ray talks too much.  I think so too.  You should know that my grandpa loves monkey bread, even though he has diabetes and a touchy heart and probably shouldn't go anywhere near all this butter and sugar.  You will love monkey bread too.  Want to know how to make it?  Ok, I'll show you.

Sugar Doughnuts

There is something about a doughnut that is so hard to resist. Sure they may seem innocent enough, just some fried dough and a sprinkling of sugar, but there’s much more to them than that. It’s there in each sinful bite, that voice in the back of your head that says you should be eating something healthy, but you can’t help it because this doughnut is just so darn good.
I should really rename these “All Day Doughnuts” as that’s how long it seemed to take me to make them. I started making them at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning, hoping to enjoy them with a late breakfast, and was only starting to drop them in hot oil around 1:00 p.m. that afternoon. Apparently the temperature in my kitchen was not jiving with the doughnut dough, as it was stubbornly refusing to rise.

This can happen when working with yeasted doughnuts because depending on how warm your ingredients are and the temperature in your kitchen, the dough may take varying times to rise. It's helpful to be patient as you could potentially be stuck with lots of down time as you wait for the doughnuts to rise. That's not such a bad thing however, as all that time spent waiting can be used to do things that are productive. Or that time could be used to catch up on reality TV and old episodes of Chelsea Lately, which is precisely what I used it for. I may not have cleaned the house, or paid the bills, but at least I had doughnuts to show for my time.

Grandma and Grandpa's Breakfast Potatoes

This weekend I found myself in the kitchen of all kitchens, the birthplace of comfort food.  Mecca to many a home cook who strives to show love through the meals they make.  I spent the weekend in Grandma and Grandpa's kitchen.

 1984...  Too young to cook.

Where do I even begin?  Do I start with the mixer that's four generations old?  Or the monkey bread that may lead to an angry phone call from my grandpa's cardiologist?  Or the 100 mile round trip journey into the next state for a fried chicken dinner that sealed the deal on elastic waistbands for the rest of my weekend?

Let's start with these people.  Louis and Lois Crowe.  Next year they will have been married sixty years.  Every evening before bed, she takes his breakfast order.  And every morning, she wakes up and does the crossword puzzle in the Joplin Globe.  When Grandpa wakes up, he sits at the kitchen table drinking black coffee and watching CSPAN while she fixes the breakfast he ordered the night before.  And Grandpa's not the only one with breakfast privileges.  When I woke up on my first morning at their house, I walked into the kitchen to see the best looking breakfast potatoes I'd ever laid sleepy jet-lagged eyes on.  I happily scarfed them down on the first morning, but on the second day, I thought it would be best if I shared the recipe with you.  Thanks, Grandma, for letting me follow you around the kitchen snapping pictures while you made me breakfast.  Now if I'm ever hit with Midwest nostalgia, one of you faithful readers can whip up a batch for me.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Ok, ok, so I realize it’s not really “pumpkin season,” that time between Halloween and Thanksgiving where pumpkins are prominent in many a patch, front porch, and recipe. During the rest of the year they are not to be seen or heard from until fall comes round again. Unless you’re like me, and you have several leftover cans of the stuff staring at you woefully from your kitchen cupboard, begging to be used in one form or another.

I had many ambitious goals for pumpkin recipes this past fall. There was going to be pumpkin breads, cheesecake, and cookies, along with several new recipes for the classic pie. Unfortunately, time caught up with me and I think I just barely got around to baking up some pumpkin muffins, and these pumpkin pancakes. Hence the extra cans of pumpkin hanging out in my kitchen.And so, with a few sad, lonely cans still staring at me from the cupboard, I decided that March is a perfectly acceptable month to eat some pumpkin. Especially when it’s a Saturday morning and I’ve got a pancake craving something fierce.

Red Pepper, Orzo and Goat Cheese Frittata

 

Iced oatmeal cookies.  A hot chocolate cake with four chocolatey layers.  A ridiculous red velvet cheesecake.  We've been hitting you pretty hard with the desserts lately.  And while I refuse to apologize for all that sugar and chocolate and butter, I thought you might enjoy something savory.  Something with (gasp) vegetables.

Next time you go to a potluck brunch, consider bringing a frittata.  Often morning meetings at the office turn into carb fests, with muffins, pastries, and fruit as far as the eye can see.  This colorful, hearty egg dish will be a welcome addition, without sending anyone into diabetic shock before 10 am.  The best part is that you can make the whole thing the night before, and then simply reheat before serving.

 

Crack some eggs in a big bowl, and whisk in some half and half.  Season with salt and pepper.

Then chop some onion...

And grab a big pile of spinach.  Studies have proven that spinach counteracts all effects of chocolate cake.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet, and saute the onions until they are translucent.  Add the spinach and some salt and pepper, and stir until the spinach has wilted.  Transfer the cooked spinach and onion to a buttered pie dish.

 

Blueberry Boy Bait

This recipe comes complete with an incredibly cute back-story. In 1954, a 15-year-old girl won second prize in the junior division of a Pillsbury baking contest. Her entry was a moist and tender blueberry cake that was named after the effect it had on teenage boys--one bite and they were hooked. Adorable right? I tell ya, I’m a sucker for cuteness.

I read about this recipe in 2006 in an issue of Cook’s Country and the story always stuck with me. When I saw the recipe on the Smitten Kitchen site last year I moved it towards the top of my to-bake list. That was way back in July, when the days were warm and blueberries were actually in season. I guess it speaks to the length of my to-bake list that I didn’t actually get to the recipe until now.

Anywhoo, the important thing is that I finally did get to bake this boy bait and boy was I glad I did. Get it? “Boy” was I glad I did? Ha, I crack myself up. You know who else cracks themselves up? My boyfriend; who seemed to think it was hilarious to continuously make remarks about how I was trying to attract other men by baking this boy bait. Luckily I had this delicious cake to shove in his mouth to quiet him down for a bit.

And it is delicious. A combination between a coffee cake and a blueberry muffin, it’s moist and filled with just enough blueberries to add a bit of tartness here and there. It’s definitely not the healthiest baked good, with a half a pound of butter and over a cup of two kinds of sugar, plus more sprinkled on top for good measure. But hey, when you’re baiting a boy, all bets are off.

Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins

Pssst...  Hey, it's me.  And I have a pesky reminder...  It's January.  Which means that technically, our New Year's resolutions are not null and void quite yet.  But fret not.  I have some muffins that will start your morning off right, while staying on the right side of the calorie gods.

Frankly, I'm not a dieter.  While I don't count carbs or swear off dairy, eating consciously is really important to me, and I believe in making little tweaks here and there to make my everyday meals and snacks just a little bit healthier (although all bets are off when it comes to those special occasion cakes).  This recipe is a perfect example of that.  White all-purpose flour is replaced with whole wheat flour, whole grain oats get added to the mix, and butter takes a day off in place of lowfat yogurt and just a bit of vegetable oil.  The result is a rustic, satisfying muffin.  And don't worry, the butter will still be there tomorrow.

Blueberry, meet lemon.  You two should be together forever and always.  These blueberries came from the Mar Vista Farmers' Market, and there was a line 15 people deep to get them.  But they are ever so worth it.

Mix whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt in bowl.

 

Cherry, Almond, and Cinnamon Granola

If some people are morning people and others are night owls, I am undoubtedly a morning girl.  When I was 8, I had my first slumber party and fell asleep before all of my guests did.  Not much has changed in the last 18 years, and it's still a rare occasion that I can get through a Netflix DVD without crashing on the couch.  I'm a huge fan of what my family calls "the slow wake up" in the morning.  Allowing time for a cup of green tea, a quick email check, and some NPR Morning Edition leaves me ready to take on the work day. 

While I love a slow wake up, I'm not a fan of a huge breakfast.  I'm usually content with a piece of fruit, some yogurt, or a bowl of oatmeal, and my morning routine was kicked up a notch when I learned how to make granola at home.  Like many other things, granola from scratch is better than anything you'll find in a box.  It's fresh, healthy, and best of all, customized to your taste.  You can adjust the ingredients to make your granola as sweet, salty, crunchy, or as fruity as you like.  And as you're about to see, it's a snap to make.

Start with some oatmeal (I use the old fashioned kind, not the instant in a packet).

 Then add coconut, sliced almonds, and chopped pecans.  

 

Why hello honey bear.  You're looking awfully cute today.  Raw honey.  Nummy.  

 

Raspberry Pecan Rolls

 Here in Los Angeles we are having weather!  For those of you who live in parts of the country that aren't Southern California, it's quite a novelty for us to hear raindrops on the window, wind in the trees, and the boom of thunder that I thought was going to put my dog into cardiac arrest.

On a night like tonight, cozy and indoors, and not braving said elements, there is nothing better in the world to do than to bake.  And if you're going to bake, you might as well bake these raspberry rolls.  World famous mega-blogger Ree Drummond of ThePioneerWoman.com has a cinnamon roll recipe that is, in a word, perfection.  And while I make no claim to be improving on her classic timeless rolls, I just had a birthday and I'm feeling sassy, so I thought I'd put a different spin on things.

I added raspberry jam, toasted pecans, and a touch of cream cheese to Ree's dough, which results in rolls that are soft, chewy, and comforting as all get out.  Imagine the baby of a PBJ and a raspberry danish, and you have these tasty buns (Tasty Buns is my Jersey Shore nickname).

Let's make some dough...

 

Vegetable oil, whole milk, sugar.  Measure 'em out, toss 'em in a pot.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

The other day at work I received a message with the sweetest three words a girl can hear: The Oven Works.

I just about fainted with joy. For the last month and half I have been living with a broken oven. That meant no baking cakes, cookies, or pies, no roasting chickens and vegetables; it was all stove-top, all the time. It meant a lot of pasta dishes, soups and stews, salads, and lots and lots of rice pudding (I have an addiction now, it can’t be stopped). It’s not like I should be complaining, those things are all delicious.

But I missed baking. Baking is what I look forward to doing in my free time; it’s my creative outlet and my relaxation technique. So there was definitely a void. A void which can now be filled; with muffins, and cakes, and breads, oh my!

It’s good to have you back oven. I missed you old friend.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins
From Giada De Laurentiis

A note on these muffins: They are absolutely delicious. The lemon and almond mix together in the perfect combination of flavor and their texture is terrific. The ricotta helps makes them moist and yet they are still light at the same time.

Cooking notes: Be careful not to over-bake these. Don’t wait for the tops to get golden brown; they can get a little dry if they stay in the oven that long. 20 minutes was just right for my oven. These muffins do not have a super-strong lemon flavor, so if that’s what you are looking for go ahead and double the amount of lemon zest and juice.

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds


Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then remove from muffin tin.

Dreamy Cream Scones

 

This weekend, inspired by Nick Hornby's Juliet Naked, my book club threw a proper English tea party.  Well actually, I can't vouch for how proper it was since non of us are English.  And the large bottle of Cook's champagne might not be a part of a traditional tea...  Neither would the inappropriate stories that were told after said champagne.  But it was a tea nonetheless, and the scones I brought were right proper indeed.  If your only scone experiences have been at the snack kiosk at Starbucks, then you're in for a treat (btw not knocking the 'Bucks, I live and die by the fruit and cheese plate).  Scones are a cousin of the biscuit, fluffy and slightly savory, not as sweet or dense as a muffin.  They're best fresh out of the oven, and these buttery wonders practically melted in my mouth. 

                         

Sigh...  Look at Lucy's gorgeous tea set.  One day I won't be a mess, and will own nice things like this. 

Start by sifting some flour into a bowl...

The amazing action shots in this post are courtesy of my BF John Francis, who took all the photos and didn't even get to eat one scone.