t o m a t o e s & t e q u i l a

I love Smitten Kitchen. I secretly want to be Deb Perlman's best friend. She is a great cook and lives in New York and I picture us at Zabar's together, chatting and shopping and planning dinner. I think she is smart and funny and I love her writing style.

My Mom got me the Smitten Kitchen cookbook for Christmas last year (and a cute cookbook stand to place my new cookbook on - Moms, they think of everything!) and pretty much everything in it looks amazing. I want to make all of it and yet somehow, I have hardly had time to make anything from it! I decided that was unacceptable and tackled her Chocolate Chip Brioche Pretzels over the weekend.

I actually had a difficult time with the dough - it wasn't coming together as I thought it should based on the notes in the recipe. In the end, I (and the hubby) had to coax it a bit. The result was a little bit dense for a brioche, but really delicious nonetheless. I will definitely try it again at some point to see if I can do any better. Frustratingly, I don't know where I went wrong! Normally I have a sense for my error, like, the butter wasn't quite room temperature or my baking soda is not the freshest (dries out like crazy in Colorado). This time, not a clue what happened. Oh well - onward!

After baking (and taste testing), I froze the remainder of the pretzels. They'll make an awesome brunch or treat for guests - I plan to just reheat in the oven and serve. I also considered slicing them like you would a bagel and making french toast out of them...and as I typed that I realized how awesome that sounds and made an executive decision to make that happen asap.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BRIOCHE PRETZELS RECIPE

So these are actually called "Better-Than-Crack Brownies" per the blog I found them on (my favorite!:How Sweet It Is), but that got to be too much to say so I just shortened the title to Crack Brownies.

These make me feel uber-American. They make me want to say "America" with a George W. Bush accent and then go do something American like, eat McDonald's or be really loud and obnoxious in public, or wear socks with my sandals (preferably Tevas, while sporting a neon fanny pack).

Why do these make me feel uber-American, you must be asking. Because they are over the top, ooey-gooey, gluttonous, peanut-buttery chocolatey richness. They are big and bold and all together just a little too much. So obviously I made these for the Super Bowl a few weeks ago. Sorry it took me so long to share them.

No, I am not dead. I bought a house which is like being socially dead for at least a month. We are finally getting settled and I am able to get back to a little cooking. Truth be told, I am also trying to eat a bit more healthfully and sometimes it's hard to find blog-worthy recipes that are also healthy and delicious. I guess that dilemma extends beyond blogging - it's hard to find delicious, healthy, interesting recipes in LIFE. Boo.

These pretzel dogs would not fall into the healthy category. But, I simply had to make them for the Super Bowl. My Niners were playing and this momentous occasion called for really good football food. I mean, I've been waiting for a return to the Super Bowl by the Niners since I was like 6 - I wasn't about to ruin the day with icky healthy food. I did have some carrots and dip though - good job me.

I was so bummed they lost and had to wonder if they would have if Alex Smith had been playing. I'm not into all the Colin Kaepernick hype. I think they treated Alex Smith kind of poorly, booting him out mid-season and all. That's enough football talk though, I don't need angry Colin Kaepernick fans leaving nasty comments on my little food blog.

Aside from a bit of cooking and pouting over my team's loss, I have been spending time debating the very important differences between grey, beige, and "greige" walls. The final color choice is TBD - I'll keep you posted.

PRETZEL DOGS RECIPE
(Joy the Baker, originally adapted from Alton Brown)


1 ½ cups warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
about 14 cups of water
1 cup baking soda
1 large egg, beaten, with a splash of water
8 hot dogs (I prefer Hebrew National)
salt and pepper for topping

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water and sugar.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and set aside for 5 minutes.  The mixture will begin to foam and froth.  If it doesn’t, throw the mixture away and start again with new yeast.

Once the yeast and water is frothy, add the flour, salt, and melted butter.  Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until well combined.  Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, creating a ball of dough around the dough hook.  Beat on medium speed for approximately 4 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl.  The dough will be soft, pliable, and just a bit sticky.  That’s perfect.  Scrape any residue out of the bowl and coat the bowl with a bit of vegetable oil.  Place the dough back in the bowl, sprinkle with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and store in a warm place to rise.  Allow dough to rise, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Place baking racks in the center and upper third of the oven.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and lightly brush the paper with oil.  It’s important to brush the parchment paper or the pretzels will stick! (I used baking spray and that worked fine)

Combine water and baking soda in a large pan (8 quart is fine) saucepan and bring to a boil.
While the water comes to a boil, turn the dough out onto a clean, slightly oiled work surface.  Divide dough into 8 or 16 pieces, depending on how large you’d like your pretzel dogs.  8 pieces of dough for whole hot dogs.  16 pieces of dough if you’re doing to slice the hot dogs in half.

Start with the fingers of both hands in the center of the dough, and roll, moving your hands outward as you roll.  Roll the dough along the oiled surface until you have about a 24-inch or 12-inch piece of rope (depending on how large your piece of dough was… the more dough the longer the rope).
Wrap pretzel around a hot dog, making sure to seal the ends.

When water has come to a boil, gently lower a few pretzel dogs into the boiling water.  Boil for 30 seconds.  Remove carefully, using a flat, slotted spatula.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Brush boiled pretzels with beaten egg, and add coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Bake until deeply golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack for a few minutes.

Serve warm with spicy, grainy mustard - YUM!

I believe that Oreos are the king of all cookies. Not sure why - they aren't particularly special. There is just something about that combination of crunchy cookie and cream filling that makes me swoon. So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to try them. Luckily, I attended an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party this weekend, giving me the perfect opportunity to try these. I should also mention that I took second place for my shoulder padded ensemble. Thank you very much. I also went home with a somewhat creepy, somewhat adorable wooden elephant that is now residing on my counter top.



Anyway, the original recipe called for sprinkling these with crushed candy canes. I changed these up a little bit from the original recipe because I am not crazy about candy canes. I thought the texture of them (too crunchy) would mess up my gorgeous Oreo pops. Instead, I added some peppermint extract to the candy coating for a subtle, minty taste. The result, as the hubby so eloquently stated, was "thin-mints on crack!" I have to agree - these were sort of amazing. Very much a thin-mint flavor, but more crunch, more chocolate, thicker and all around delicious.


 


These are a fun little holiday treat that I recommend if you are attending a cookie exchange or holiday party in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

 PEPPERMINT OREO POPS RECIPE
(Lulu the Baker)

1 package double-stuffed Oreos (the regular ones aren't thick enough)
2 bags white candy melts or 1 package chocolate bark (I used chocolate bark)
Paper lollipop sticks- I used 4 inch ones
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Red sprinkles

Line 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Very carefully, twist the Oreos until the top comes off and you have two pieces. Set them on the cookie sheets. Don't worry too much if they break - you can use the candy coating to put them back together and then they get covered up with candy coating so you can't see it anyway.

Using a wooden skewer (or anything that size), start at the edge of the cream filling and carefully pull away the cream filling, bit by bit. This is where the lollipop stick will go.

Heat about a quarter of your bark or candy melts, following the instructions on the package. Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the bark/candy coating and carefully but firmly place the stick in the notch you created in the cream filling. Using a spoon or the end of another lollipop stick, place about a pea size dollop of bark/candy coating on the non-cream filled side of the Oreo. Place it back on top of the cream filling and carefully but firmly press down. Repeat until all Oreos are done. Let them set for about 20 minutes.

Heat the rest of the candy coating/bark. Once melted add, the peppermint extract. The extract will slightly thicken the bark/candy coating - don't work. Taste the mixture and see if you like the level of peppermint, add more if you like.

One by one, dip the Oreos into the melted bark/candy coating. Hold the Oreo parallel to the counter top, over the bow, and tap the stick against the side of the bowl to remove excess coating. I also used a spoon and gently "pulled" the extra off the bottom - no one will see this anyway. Place on the parchment paper and sprinkle with red sprinkles (or whatever you like).

As promised, here is another of the items I made for Thanksgiving last week. Remember these?

Well, I decided to do some experimenting and instead of using cake batter I used boxed pumpkin quick bread mix. They were as delicious as the first time. You can essentially make these using any boxed cake or bread mix - so get creative. Try red-velvet, or chocolate cake mix, or how about coffee cake mix? - that could be interesting. These are almost impossible to mess up!

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE BATTER TRUFFLE RECIPE
(Six Sisters)



Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.


 
Hello my long-lost friends! I know, I haven't posted anything in a month but hey, life happens. I got busy. The hubby and I are buying a house and that has pretty much been consuming us for a couple of weeks. We just entered into a contract on one yesterday! Hopefully all goes well and we will be the proud new owners of a home!

I had a lovely four days off for Thanksgiving and it was truly much needed. I feel refreshed and ready to get back to life. How was your Thanksgiving? - good I hope. We spent Turkey-day with my in-laws in Colorado Springs. We had a very nice, quiet day. It's funny how when you marry someone you become part of these very intimate family gatherings that have been slowly molded over years and years. I think in these situations the parents (either mine or his, or yours, or whatever) have become so accustomed to their family traditions over 30+ years, it all seems perfectly normal to them, and they don't really stop to think about how radically different other people celebrate the holidays. But as the "kid," moving between different families, you really get to compare the different moods and traditions of each family. The good news is that you get to observe and see what you like and don't like, and bring the traditions that you do like into your family. The bad news is that you have to stay very adaptable and flexible, which can be hard sometimes. Especially for yours truly who is a creature of habit.

Anyway, on to the important stuff - the food! I was in charge of dessert and also wanted to make cranberry chutney, as it is something my Mom always makes. I'll try to share each recipe with you over the next week or so, including a pumpkin pie version of these, that I made just for fun.

Since my father-in-law and sister-in-law have a soft spot for pecan pie, I made this twist on the classic - Bourbon Pecan Tart with Chocolate Drizzle. This tart is crazy rich. You literally only need a small slice and it is more than enough, which is kind of nice after a big dinner - no?

BOURBON PECAN TART WITH CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE RECIPE
(Cooking Light)

1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup (I only had light so I used that and it was no big deal)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
2/3 cup pecan halves (I used about a cup since 2/3c. did not seem to be enough)
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
Cooking spray
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 10 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Roll dough into a 13-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray. Trim excess crust using a sharp knife. Spoon sugar mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over tart.

I think pizza might be my favorite food and has been since as far back as I can remember. What's not to love?! You can make healthy, veggie-topped flatbread pizzas, ooey-gooey cheesy bad for you pizzas, grilled pizza, pizza with an egg on top, pizza with a salad on top, personal pizzas, big giant pizzas, thin-crust pizzas, thick-crust pizzas, pizza with white sauce, pizza with red sauce....you get the idea.


So one kind of pizza I had never made (or barely eaten for that matter) is a deep-dish pizza. I have just never lived anywhere that had deep-dish pizza. Last weekend I decided it was time to rectify that and made my first ever deep dish pizza. It was SO good. I topped mine with italian sausage, peppers, olives and red sauce - delicious!!

This recipe from America's Test Kitchen is really easy. I did not follow their instructions for the sauce and filling, I just used what I had on hand instead.

DEEP DISH PIZZA RECIPE
(America's Test Kitchen)

• Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each.
• Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into 13-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick.
• Transfer dough to pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling into pan.
• Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides.
• If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again.
• Repeat with remaining dough ball.
• For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups grated mozzarella evenly over surface of dough.
• Spread 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over cheese, add whatever toppings you want to use and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce.
• Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

So this is really weird, but, I get anxious when my fridge is too full. When I waste food, I feel like I am wasting money. Anyone who knows me will tell you this is basically my worst fear. Worse than vampires, or zombies, or space aliens taking over the planet. I am what one might call...umm...cheap. I like to think of myself as frugal, but who are we kidding, that's just debating semantics. When I feel the "too-full-fridge" fear (aka, major tightwad issues)  coming on, I know it's time to ensure I am using recipes that use lots of stuff I already have on hand. So, I start scouring all my cookbooks looking for recipes that require me to purchase only one or two things, at most.

In this effort, the hubby found this recipe for wonton chicken tacos. I had every single one of the ingredients except for cabbage/cole slaw, including an abundance of left over slow cooker chicken and frozen wonton wrappers. I love when that happens. In addition to already having most of the ingredients, the recipe was called "Sassy Wonton Tacos," and the hubby decided that we needed to make anything with the word "sassy" in the title. Weird.

On a side note, wonton wrappers freeze incredibly well. I just let them defrost in the fridge slowly over a day or so and they were like new.

Turned out these little suckers were awesome. Flavorful, easy, and healthy. We doubled up on the wonton wrappers, using two for each taco, to avoid breakage. These would also make a great appetizer or good football-watching-food. If you don't want to do "Asian" flavors, try mixing things up and going for more Mexican flavors with salsa instead of bbq sauce and cheese/sour cream instead of cabbage.

WONTON CHICKEN TACO RECIPE
(health.com)

Nonstick cooking spray
8 wonton wrappers
4 ounces cooked, shredded skinless chicken breast (1 cup)
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
3/4 cup packaged coleslaw mix
2 tablespoons low-fat sesame ginger dressing (I didn't have any Asian dressings on hand so I just made up my own using rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red chili sauce, and garlic - even just plain old soy sauce would be fine)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray inside and outside walls of a deep square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Drape wonton wrappers over the pan's walls on a diagonal, making triangle-shaped "shells." Bake until crispy (3-4 minutes). Remove pan from oven; cool. Combine chicken with barbecue sauce in a bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine coleslaw mix, sesame ginger dressing, and cilantro. Microwave until softened (45 seconds); set aside. Carefully remove wonton shells from pan; fill each with 1 tablespoon of barbecue chicken and 1 teaspoon of cilantro slaw. On a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray, lay filled wontons on sides. Spray tops of wonton shells lightly with nonstick cooking spray; bake until warm and crunchy (5 minutes).

Hi friends! No, I am not dead - I am alive and here and happy....just haven't had any time to post! September was CRAZY. Let me list for you all the things that went on in September between the hubby and I:

1. 3 trips to California - one of them we drove out and back
2. 2 weddings
3. 2 rehearsal dinners
4. My sisters 30th B-day
5. 2 bachelor parties
6. 1 cousin visiting from New Zealand

Isn't that nuts!?

So anyway - here I am, back and ready to get cooking. Except that what I have to share with you today isn't even my own! My friend Katie and her hubby came over last weekend for dinner and she made this amazing side dish so I decided it needed to be shared with everyone. It's from SmittenKitchen, which of course we all love.

Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI SAUTE WITH ALMONDS RECIPE
(SmittenKitchen, Originally Inspired by the Red Cat, NYC)

2 tbl. olive oil
2 tbl. thinly sliced almonds
1 to 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks with a knife or julienne blade on a mandoline
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Few ounces pecorino Romano or paremsan, in thin slices — a peeler works great for this (you can just grate this too)

Heat the oil on high in a large skillet. When it is hot but not smoking, add the almonds to the pan. Cook them, while stirring, until the almonds are golden-brown, approximately a minute or two.
Add the zucchini to the pan, tossing it with the oil and almonds until it just begins to glisten, about one minute. The idea is not to cook the zucchini so much as warm it.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately, with or without cheese on top.

This tart is just so darn pretty and so darn healthy. Plus, it's crazy flavorful, as this is the time of year for tomatoes and zucchini. Definitely do NOT make this in the winter. I can't say this enough - take the time to educate yourself on what produce is in season throughout each part of the year. Your food will be twice as good with zero additional effort.

Tomatoes are a late summer fruit (yes, it's a fruit). A lot of people assume that summer produce is the same throughout the summer. This is not true. Try a peach in June and then try one in mid-August and then tell me with a straight face that they taste the same (peaches, and all stone fruit, are in season during the late summer). They don't. Wait for the good stuff.

When you eat seasonlly, you naturally become more atuned to the flavors and smells of what you are eating. After a whole year without eating something, your senses say "WOW - what the heck was that!" after that first bite. This "shock-value" is key to continually enjoying your food. Boredom is a foodie's (and a health nut's) worst nightmare.

Plus, seasonal produce is crazy cheap. I know you know what I mean. It's like when you buy apples in the fall and they are like .89 cents a pound.  This is because they are in season. It's a winning situation. Better taste and cheaper.

CORNMEAL CRUST RATATOUILLE TART
( Ellie Krieger)

Crust: 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons water

Filling:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 pound thinly sliced eggplant rounds (about 1/3 medium eggplant) (I don't love eggplant, so I just didn't use any and used more zucchini instead)
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (about 8 ounces)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and sides of the pan on top of the dough and weigh down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rice and foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the filling: Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat; saute shallots until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spray 2 baking trays with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices on the trays in a single layer and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and basil, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.

Today I am sharing with you a guest post by one of my very, very dear friends, Katie. She comes from a long line of wonderful hostesses so anything she says about food and or entertaining - listen up!

I haven't tried this recipe for Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes, but definitely will be soon.

Enjoy!

There is truly nothing as lovely as being in the Rocky Mountains during summer. The afternoon showers, something I didn't get growing up in the foothills of the Sierra's in California, ensure that the mountains will be lush, green, and bursting with grasses and wildflowers all summer long.

The town of Crested Butte was the cherry on top of our weekend camping. Crested Butte just might be my new favorite Colorado mountain town. Telluride is stunning, but rather small. Aspen is a good size for wandering the afternoon away, but way too expensive. Crested Butte is far enough away and stunning enough to feel like you are on vacation, but close enough for a long weekend.


After a hike (Disclaimer: Anything I say about hiking should be discredited immediately as hiking is a highly a-typical activity for me. Most of the time, I just wander along the path thinking, "I'm bored, I don't understand this 'hiking' thing. I wonder if there is a good restaurant near by. I should remember to bring some booze next time we do this 'hiking' thing.") and very long but beautiful drive, we headed into Crested Butte to take a stroll and have a drink. It was such a lovely little town, with great little boutiques, perfect for browsing.


For dinner, I decided to go super simple - White Bean and Sausage Saute. This dish is perfect for camping since it can be prepared in just a few minutes beforehand. I modified the recipe to use smoked sausage instead of raw so that I could simply toss everything together in a tupperware and then just heat through when it was time for dinner at the campsite. And, it was really good. To accompany our sausage we toasted up some french bread.


WHITE BEAN AND SAUSAGE SAUTE RECIPE
(Adapted from Sunset) 
 
2 cans (15.5 oz. size) white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tbl. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced 
4 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1 polska kielbasa or other smoked sausage, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp. dried oregano


Prepare all ingredients and place in a plastic bag or Tupperware for easy transport to your campsite. Heat a dutch oven over medium heat (campfire or cook-stove will both work just fine). Dump saute mixture into pan and heat through, about 5-10 minutes. Serve with french bread.

I am a little shocked that this is my first rendezvous into baking with fruit all summer. I must be off my game or something. I love fragrant, flavorful summer fruits and I think the best way to showcase them is in simple dishes. Like this Blueberry and Blackberry Galette. This rustic galette was simple, easy to make, and really showed off the amazing flavor of berries this time of year. I made my pastry dough from scratch, though you could definitely use a store bought pie crust - I personally don't think store bought crust is as good, but one's pastry choices are extremely personal and I am not here to judge.

The other thing I love about galettes (and pies...and tarts....and cobblers....and crisps....) is that you really use the same basic template (some sort of starchy base or topping) and get to add any kind of fruit you want, in any combination you want. Use whatever you have on hand. Just keep in mind, if your fruit is really ripe, it will be runny when it bakes. My trick is to toss in 1-3 tablespoons of cornstarch (not flour) on top of what the recipe calls for. I find that cornstarch absorbs better and is a better base for that gooey syrup in pies and other tasties that we all love so much.


BLUEBERRY AND BLACKBERRY GALETTE RECIPE
(Cooking Light)

Pastry:

Aren't sliders fun? They are just so darn cute! Plus, I am super into hamburgers right now. As a friend and I were saying yesterday, hamburgers are such a great blank canvas for creative flavors.

For these sliders, I went with a recipe for classic burger flavors. Cheddar cheese, bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato. For a hearty beef flavor, these use ground sirloin. Sometimes the perfect burger is just a simple classic one and these little guys were pretty darn good.

In other news, the hubby and I are headed for our first camping trip this year on Friday, to Crested Butte, Colorado. I can't believe it is the first camping trip of the year. With all the fires in Colorado, the governor instituted a state wide ban on campfires. Since that is my favorite part of camping, we decided to cut back on the camping trips this year. Regardless, I am excited to get up to the mountains and get some much needed rest. Hopefully I get some good pics to share.

BACON AND CHEDDAR SLIDERS RECIPE
(Cooking Light)

3 tbl. minced shallots
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
12 oz. ground sirloin
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 oz. 2% reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
8 whole-wheat slider buns
3 tbl. canola mayonnaise 
4 cornichon or other small dill pickles, each cut lengthwise into 4 slices
4 small lettuce leaves, each torn in half
1 small ripe tomato, cut into 8 slices 
3 slices cooked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Gently combine first 3 ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, being careful not to over mix. Divide beef mixture into 8 equal portions; gently shape each portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty, taking care not to pack mixture down.

Arrange patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Top each patty with about 1 tablespoon cheese during last minute of cooking. Lightly coat cut sides of buns with cooking spray. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack. Grill for 1 minute or until toasted. Spread about 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on bottom half of each bun; top with 1 patty. Top each slider with 2 pickle slices, 1/2 lettuce leaf, and 1 tomato slice; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange bacon pieces evenly over tomato. Top with bun tops.

People. I'm in a food rut. You know what I mean. When nothing, and I mean nothing, sounds even remotely appetizing. I think its the heat. Denver has been sweltering for weeks now and it really makes me not want to cook. Even my normal standbys, like simple pasta with fresh tomato sauce, sound terrible at the moment.

For the hubby's big 3-0 we had some folks over for food and to hang out by the pool. It was an awesome day and I think the hubby had a great time, which is what matters most. I made these little cake batter truffles since they didn't require turning on the oven. That alone was enough to win me over when reading the recipe. They also seemed birthday-ish - like mini birthday cakes for all of our guests.

In addition to being cute and requiring no actual baking, these were AWESOME. People were freaking out over them and there was not a single one left at the end of the day. I also liked that they didn't require plates and forks like typical birthday cake does. All around, a great dessert. I am sure you could use any type of boxed cake mix and get creative with the coating - I was thinking that next time I could do red-velvet cake mix, dipped in chocolate candy coating, and then rolled in crushed Oreos before the coating hardens. You get the idea.

CAKE BATTER TRUFFLE RECIPE
(Six Sisters)


Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.


It's really hot. Like really, really hot. Or as my Dad would say, "It's like the sun!" The heat is making me lazy and I have no energy to tell you any stories, or fun anecdotes. Instead, today you are simply getting a really yummy recipe, and that's it. These pot stickers are delicious, and surprisingly healthy. Under 300 calories for 5 of them. 

CHICKEN POT STICKERS RECIPE
(Weight Watchers)

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until dissolved. Pour the broth over the dumplings and cook, partially covered, until the liquid evaporates. Uncover and cook until the bottoms are crisp. Carefully loosen the dumplings with a spatula. Serve, sprinkled with the sesame seeds, with sauce on the side.

This past weekend was a friend's 30th birthday. My sister will be 30 this year as will my husband. I find that when people around me turn 30, it makes me feel old. I met my husband when he was 20...20 people! That is a decade ago! I just don't understand where the time goes.

It's like one day I am a carefree college student worried about whether my friends and I should make regular or strawberry margaritas, and how late I can stay out and still do okay on my test tomorrow, to suddenly, Did we pay that bill? and Shouldn't we be saving for a house? and oh by the way I need to figure out what the heck I am doing with my life.

I feel like real life is this secret that the "grown-ups" in your world keep from you until you are 22 and then it's like, "Surprise!!! Welcome to real life! ... p.s., it kind of sucks so good luck!"

I find that when I start to feel the burdens of being a grown-up, the best thing to do is just embrace it and make the fun times that much more fun. I can't change the fact that I should be saving for a house and that I have to pay my bills, but, I can embrace the good times I have with my family and friends.

So that's what I did. Totally embraced a wonderful, crazy Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday.

And, to balance out my crazy Saturday I made this healthy, very-adult like salad. Which also happened to be delicious. I got several requests from the party-goers for this recipe. Enjoy!

LENTIL SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND ARUGULA RECIPE
(Not Without Salt)

1 c. green lentils
4 c. arugula
½ c. parsley
½ c. olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tbl. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 bunch asparagus
Salt and pepper
Parmeson

Wash the lentils then simmer in a saucepan covered with plenty of water. Simmer until tender but not mushy – about 15 minutes. Drain any remaining water after cooking.

While the lentils cook put half the arugula, the parsley, oil, garlic, vinegar, lemon zest and a hearty pinch of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed or a squeeze of lemon.

Add this pesto to the warm lentils then set aside. Taste again and add salt if needed, most likely it will need it.

Roast or grill the asparagus until charred in places and cooked through. Cut into 1-2” inch pieces.

Toss the asparagus and remaining arugula with the lentils. Top with plenty of shaved pecorino. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

I find the sounds, smells and to-do's of Sunday to be therapeutic. The washing machine churning, the dish washer swishing, the vacuum grumbling, the hiss of steam from my iron, the smell of a freshly cleaned kitchen. That on top of looking at my stocked fridge and to-do list with lots of items crossed out in big black sharpie marker signifying that "I get things done!" is utterly calming.

Then, after all the doing gets done, and the cleaning is finished, and the washing machine quiets, we make dinner. And it makes me happy. I simply love being in my kitchen, in my clean apartment, with nothing left on the to-do list except, "make dinner," and "watch movie." This is when I truly relax. The other 98% of my life I am running a perpetual list through my head of the should have/need to/next time/don't forget.

So, last Sunday we made these fish tacos and they were truly the cherry on top of a wonderful Sunday. SO GOOD. Light, summery, healthy, and easy. Definitely fits all of my requirements.

I found this recipe in an America's Test Kitchen; Cooking for Two (2009) cookbook I checked out from the library. Cooking for two (or one) can be tough and this cookbook breaks it all down so it doesn't seem like so much work for just two people. For example, they have sidebars throughout the book that point out ways to use up leftover ingredients from a recipe, so you waste little. There is a section for "Fancy Dinners," which can feel like so much work for one or two people. There are also sections for healthier dishes and using up what you have in your pantry - both are things I think about frequently. 

GRILLED FISH TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE-LIME MAYO
(America's Test Kitchen, Cooking for Two, 2009)


serves two


1/4 small head of cabbage (about 4 oz), shredded (also feel free to buy pre-packaged coleslaw)
3 tbl. chopped, fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tbl. fresh lime juice
1 tbl. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
1-2 tsp. minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
2 (6-8oz) skinless mahi-mahi fillets, about 1 inch think (I used tilapia)
4-6 corn tortillas ( I STRONGLY recommend La Tortilla brand)

Toss the cabbage, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, 1 teaspoon of the oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper together in a bowl and set aside for serving. In  a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice with the mayonnaise, chipotles and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for serving.

Combine the chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Pat the mahi-mahi fillets dry with paper towels, then brush with 1 teaspoon more oil and rub evenly with spice mixture.

On a gas grill, turn all the burners to high, cover, heat grill until hot.

Clean and oil the cooking grate. Gently place the mahi-mahi on the grill and cook, covered, until the fish is opaque and flakes apart when gently prodded. Gently flip when half-way through (NOTE: Are you listening? This is huge...DON'T TOUCH YOUR FOOD ON THE GRILL. Leave it alone. Every time you touch food on a grill you are releasing moisture. Especially with beef - set it and forget it!!!!) 

Remove fish and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Meanwhile, place tortillas on grill off of direct heat and heat until crispy on the outside and heated through.

To serve, smear each tortilla with mayo mixture, top with cabbage and fish.

ENJOY!

I feel that I have not been honest with you. I was looking back through my last couple months of posts and noticed that most of them are very decadent. Lots of cookies, like high altitude chocolate chip cookies; cocktails, like fresh strawberry margaritas; decadent breakfasts, like pineapple upside down pancakes; and just plain bad-for-you things, like pecan sticky buns. You see, I don't really eat like that. My friends and family would tell you that I am normally watching what I eat, I tend to eat light, "California style" foods, and I work out several days a week.

Don't get me wrong, I wish I ate like that - or rather, I wish I could eat like that. But alas, I was not blessed with the metabolism of a super model. Normally when I make these things it is because I want to share something here that is different than my day-to-day meals. I usually eat a small amount of these luscious creations and then send them with the hubby to work for him to share with his coworkers.

I struggle with this. Should my blog be a place to share wonderful, decadent foods that are not typically part of  my "real life?" Or should I share the simple, fresh dishes of my everyday world? I worry that the everyday dishes are too boring. I am constantly focused on so many "dull" things regarding what I eat. Budget, nutritional content, calories, time needed for preparation, and using up food in my kitchen so I waste very little. When I started this blog, I intended to use it as a place to share the dishes of my food fantasy world. I think I have done that. But now that I look back at many of my posts, I am not sure the cumulative effect I have created is representative of "me."

Which brings me to Oatmeal Raisin and Bacon Cookies. Just add these to the list of unnecessary but supremely delicious dishes I have been making lately. The hubby tells me these had mixed reviews at his work. I can see that. Bacon in dessert is not for everyone. But if you want the most perfect combination of savory/sweet, then you have to try these. I have noted the high altitude adjustments below for you fellow mountain-folk. Tell me what ya' think!

OATMEAL RAISIN  AND BACON COOKIES RECIPE
(adapted from bon appetit)

8 slices bacon
1/2  c. (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4  c. firmly packed brown sugar (minus 1 tbl. for high altitude)
1/2  c. granulated sugar (minus 1/2 - 1 tbl. for high altitude)
2  eggs
1  tsp. vanilla
1-1/2  c. all-purpose flour (plus 1/4 c. for high altitude)
1  tsp. baking soda (3/4 tsp. for high altitude)
1  tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2  tsp. salt
3  c. oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1  c. raisins

Heat oven to 350°F.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Chop bacon into a 1/2 inch dice. Add to pan and cook until crispy. When done, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towels to allow the fat to continue to drain off. Set aside. 

While bacon is cooking, in large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins and bacon; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

 Are you a sweet breakfast person or a savory breakfast person? I am definitely savory. I love eggs and potatoes for breakfast. Or even something with a little spicy kick.

However, seeing as my husband is 29 going on 6, he loves sweet breakfast. The sweeter and more carbohydrate packed, the better. So when I saw this recipe in a recent bon appetit, I knew I had to make it for him.

After I was able to nail flipping pancakes with large circular pieces of pineapple in the middle of them, these weren't too difficult to make. A tad bit fussy for breakfast, but worth it - they were delicious. The rich flavor came from pre-cooking the pineapple in butter, brown sugar, and rum....healthy, huh? To go along with this "health" food, I made Oatmeal, Raisin and Bacon cookies later in the day...more on that later this week. For now, I'll just say that they were ridiculous. Clearly I need to hit the gym this week.

Anyway, these pancakes would be great for a special occasion breakfast, like guests in town or Easter morning, since they look special and are not your average toast and eggs breakfast.


PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN PANCAKE RECIPE
(bon appetit)

Pineapple
1 tbl. unsalted butter
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 large pineapple, peeled, cut into eight 1/2" rounds, cored
3/4 c. dark rum (I prefer The Kraken)
1/4 c.(packed) dark brown sugar

Pancakes
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 tbl. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tbl. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Melt butter with cinnamon stick in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add pineapple slices; cook until light golden brown, 4–5 minutes per side (Note: My pineapple fell apart a bit while cooking so be gentle). Remove skillet from heat; add rum and brown sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until juices are thick and syrupy. Transfer pineapple to a plate; let cool. Reserve syrup.

Preheat oven to 325°. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and next 3 ingredients; whisk until smooth.

Heat a griddle or large heavy skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat with nonstick spray. Pour batter by 1/4-cupfuls onto griddle. Cook each pan- cake until golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Top each pancake with a pineapple ring. Flip; cook until pancake is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place pancakes on prepared rack and bake in oven until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Rewarm reserved pineapple syrup. Divide pancakes among plates; drizzle with pineapple syrup.