Baking Therapy

on hiatus

2011-05-15T19:10:00.002-04:00

It's time to admit the obvious - I'm on hiatus from Baking Therapy. I appreciate all of you guys too much to pretend each week that I'm going to get my act together and back to posting. The truth is it's just not happening right now. I haven't had the time or the gusto to make any delicious sweets or treats lately.

So until future notice, I'm living in a world of taffeta and chiffon with wedding planning vs. flour and brown sugar.

I'll be back so this isn't the end... just an "until then" :)

molto bene: easter sweets with maria sanchez

2011-04-03T20:15:00.029-04:00

If you live in the Waterbury, CT area and have Italian-American blood in your veins, you've probably been noshing on frosted lemon italian cookies and biscotti from Sweet Maria's for a while (if you're lucky). For the rest of you: meet Maria Bruscino Sanchez, owner and baker at Sweet Maria's bakery. After a short career in the advertising industry, Maria followed her dream and opened a bakery in her hometown - pretty inspiring (and relevant) for a girl like me!

So this weekend, future MIL and I dropped by The Kitchen at Middlebury Consignment for an Italian Easter Sweets class lead by Maria herself. What we found was a beautifully updated kitchen filled with Italian ladies eager to learn from a master. And a list of yummy treats waiting to be sampled.

The topic was "Easter Sweets" but in 29 years of Easter celebrating, I've never had Italian meat or rice pie. But... OMG praise Jesus that I'm marrying into the Italian way of things! I could eat both of these and nothing else for 40 days and never want anything else - and that's saying something.

The Italian Rice pie is the delicious result of rice pudding getting frisky with tiramisu in a dark alley. It's creamy and rich with the texture of rice and the spice of cinnamon. And the Easter Meat Pie is meaty and cheesy with crust that goes for days. We ate it at room temperature but I'd love to try it warm. Imagine a quiche on steroids with two kinds of cheese and three types of cured meat. Salivating yet?

OK, are you now??

Many many thanks to Sweet Maria for sharing her secrets - now make this yourself! Your Easter guests will thank you, I promise. And let's just say I'm looking forward to Easter dinner at MIL's this year to continue my Italian culinary education :)

Pizza Piena (Easter Meat Pie)

Maria Bruscino Sanchez

Filling:

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups ricotta (preferably whole milk)

1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano

3/4 lb. am (diced small)

3/4 lb. prosciutto (diced small)

1/4 lb. salami (diced small)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp. black pepper

Crust:

4 eggs

1/3 cup shortening, melted, then cooled

1 1/2 - 2 cups flour

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Make crust. Beat eggs and cooled shortening. Add salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups flour. Knead to make a soft, not sticky dough. If dough is sticky, add additional flour. Cover and set aside.

Make filling. Beat eggs, ricotta, pecorino Romano. Add chopped meat, parsley, and black pepper.

Reserve 1/4 of the crust dough. Roll out 3/4 of the crust dough like a pie crust. Place into a 9-inch springform pan. Pour in filling.

Roll out remaining crust. Cut into strips. Layer strips over filling in a lattice pattern. Crimp edges of crust all around.

Bake 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, or until center is set. Cool pie in pan 3-4 hours or overnight.

Refrigerate and cut into pieces.

OMG: spaghetti bolognese

2011-03-27T19:57:00.021-04:00

HTB* and I are still getting into our suburban routine. For us that means pick-ups at the Metro North train station, taking turns walking the Grizz,** and maneuvering weeknight dinner duty - among other things. I absolutely have new respect for commuters who cook dinner after a full day, do homework with their kids, run a load of laundry, kiss their husbands and get up in the morning ready (and willing) to do it all over. I can barely stay awake on the train home and HTB has gone a couple weeks without a real make-out. Poor guy.

And just to remind me how much I love him, last Thursday I came home after a long day to the most incredible smell in our house. I may have told you that HTB comes from an Italian American family, but that fact alone does no Mario Batali make. In fact, dating in the culinary capital of the States, he never had a chance to woo me with his culinary ways... but OMG. Complex flavor with a robust red wine taste, and still light enough to be scooped with a crusty warm baguette. I mean, restaurant quality! I guess HTB was telling the truth about sweating olive oil and bleeding marinara. Lucky me :)

*HTB = Hubs-to-be

**the Grizz = 3-year old Cockapoo princess

Caveat: the following recipe is to me what "F-me boots" are to college guys. Make it immediately - but beware of the inevitable food baby to follow.

Spaghetti Bolognese

adapted from Rocco Dispirito's Rocco's Italian-American

1/4 pound ground pork

1/4 pound ground beef

3 tbsp. extra-vigin olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery, rinsed and diced

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 glass red wine

2 cups marinara sauce

2 cups chicken stock

salt and red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

1 1/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti (or orecchiette when you have it as leftovers)

salt

pepper

In a stockpot, over high heat, brown the meat in the olive oil. Lower the heat and add everything else, except the pasta and the cheese, cover, and simmer 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt when it begins to simmer. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, drain, and toss it in the pot with the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the cheese.

comeback: peanut-butter surprises

2011-03-20T21:21:00.005-04:00

I know, you're surprised. But I'm back! It was a long hiatus (actually the longest in Baking Therapy history), but it was much needed. I had an engagement to celebrate, a fiance to play with and a new home to warm. Plus a new commute to figure out. But the fiance is happy, the house is sizzling (photos to come soon!) and I'm a master of Grand Central. So it was time to pull the standing mixer and return to the baking state of mind.

I knew it would be a shock to see Baking Therapy pop up on your newsfeed, so I chose Martha's Peanut-Butter Surprises for my comeback. What's better than a current Baking Therapy post and a burst of peanut butter inside double chocolate cookies?? Maybe a supercute 1890's farmhouse and sunny skies all weekend... but we already got that :)

These. are. chocolatopia in your face. With a splash of pb. And a side of happiness wrapped in deliciousness.

Peanut-Butter Surprises

via MarthaStewart.com

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between additions. Add vanilla, beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients; mix on low speed until fully combined. Add chocolate chips, mix on low speed just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.

In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Drop 1 tbsp. of dough at a time onto baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2-inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 2 tsp. peanut butter mixture. Top with a second tablespoon of flattened dough. Carefully mold dough to cover the surprise.

Bake until firm, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and let cool completely on wire racks.

bling

2011-02-13T19:29:00.006-05:00

Oh! Oh hi!! Friends it's been too long! I know it has. But I have an excuse. (well, two)

First, you know I'm moving. So I've been busy packing and purging... and packing more.

But the better excuse is...

I'm engaged!!!!!

Bf did it last weekend, completely shocking me and pulling off a surprise engagement party with all of our closest friends and family. Can you believe it?! Isn't he the cutest??

We're just over the moon and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

So, needless to say there's no recipe today (my kitchen is in boxes!), but hang with me and give me a week to move in and unpack. I promise great things in the Connecticut kitchen!

In the meantime, I can't stop smiling :)

chili, bands and beer: NYChiliFest 2011

2011-01-30T21:01:00.007-05:00

Tonight was a true test of stomach capacity. It was NYC's biggest chili festival - with dozens of NYC's best restaurants serving up their finest and competing for the ultimate prize: the golden chili cup. All proceeds went to Food Systems NYC, but we didn't need the charity excuse to stuff our faces full.

We checked in to get a bowl and spoon and then set off to find our fill of chili and Brooklyn Brewery beer inside Chelsea Market. With 2 dozen chili stations and a couple thousand hungry patrons it was chaos for a while as mugs and spoons clinked together searching for the next ladleful. But we pushed our way through to make the most of the "unlimited" experience and OMG.

Chili. Coma.

I think in the end I had about 14 helpings. 14. Helpings of chili. But I had to try them all (well, most of them)! And they were only about an ice cream scoop-ful, we're not talking full bowls here. So, that's fine, right..?

My favorites:

Northern Spy Food Co.

And the very best of the night (in bf and my eyes): a dark, bbq-rich short rib chili from Fette Sau

Some surprising dislikes:

Dressler

The Green Table

and the Food Network Test Kitchen

The biggest issue were the crowds (and the chili shoveling that ensued). We ate like it was our last meal and we were in the wild fighting lions for a fresh kill. But it was worth it! After all, there was live music and all the chili you could eat.

If you didn't make it this year, mark your calendars for 2012. We'll be back, and we might be throwing elbows next to you :)

blue: flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

2011-01-24T22:01:00.011-05:00

Ok, my fingers are blue. Some shade between blue jean blue and royal. Why? 'Cause there's no heat in my apartment. And it's in the teens outside. So.

I'm baking.

Naturally.

Oh and thanks for all the well wishes on my big move! Ya'll are so sweet - really. I know, I'm excited too. And yes, you can come over for dessert sometime around our new expands-to-be-90" dining room table. We'd love to have you for an evening in the country!

In the meantime I suppose it's fitting that my last few weeks in Manhattan are spent living like a true hardcore New Yorker (freezing in my pre-war brownstone, under 4 blankets, wearing sweatpants to bed).

Inspiration from tonight's recipe came after perusing Tastespotting and finding an unusual amount of flourless peanut butter cookie recipes. I heart flour and I was pretty skeptical of the results, but photos in the posts showed gorgeous puffy cookies. So I gave them a try.

How do cookies puff with no flour? Good question. But they did and OH MY they're sinfully good. If you have a peanut butter cup craving, trade in the Reese's for a homemade treat. These are deeeeeelightful!

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Southern Living

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup Hershey kisses, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, sugars, egg, baking soda and salt and combine with a hand blender until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, measure cookies to a baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time at 350 F for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed and edges are just brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool until firm.

OH! AND GO STEELERS! Super Bowl #7 here we COME!

new digs: alexis cookies

2011-01-20T23:05:00.022-05:00

It's been 10 days since my last post. 10! Miss Marla even called me out for leaving you hanging. And ya'll, I apologize sincerely... I just had to wait until all was final so I couldn't jinx it with an early slip. But papers are signed, checks have been exchanged and here is my news:

I'm trading my 300 square feet for 12o0! And trading the 88th Street kitchen closet for this:

Do you see that? Do you see that shiny silvery thing? IT'S A DISHWASHER. And that black thing on top of the cabinets? GRANITE COUNTER TOPS. Are you swooning?

I don't think I've ever shared the kitchen closet with you. For the past two years everything I've beaten, creamed, whipped, and baked for this blog has come out of a kitchen closet no bigger than a Port-O-John. But you get what you get (a brownstone apartment steps from Central Park) and you don't get upset - you just cook in 4 square feet. I even had (a couple) dinner parties! It's amazing what you can do with a kitchen closet when you put your mind to it.

The truth is I've been dreaming of the new place since we put the offer down, but it's bittersweet. 2/19 will mark my official departure from this island I've loved and called home for the past 6 years. Trading kitchens means I'm leaving the 212 for the 203 and becoming the very thing I've snubbed as a New Yorker... a commuter.

Don't worry, I'll be in the city every day for work and play! I'm terrified, overwhelmed, nervous and absolutely thrilled, but change is good and this one means bf and I get more of the quality time we've been missing. We're gonna be roommates :)

So the countdown is on! I'm so excited for the creative freedom the new kitchen will bring and can't wait to share it with you. In the meantime, tonight's recipe came from a friend whose cookie taste I trust. I'd never heard of Alexis Stewart's chocolate chip cookies but between her famous Mother and my friends enthusiastic thumbs up I had to give them a try.

The butter and brown sugar are intense but they really do make a perfect chocolate chip cookie. They're soft, chewy and crispy in all the right places - so if you can get past the calorie count they make a great treat! Give them a try for a tasty update on a classic. For now I'll be here. Packing and decorating the charming 1890's farmhouse I don't live in yet.

Alexis' Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Alexis Stewart

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 package semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini's)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Cream butter until smooth; add sugars and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop 2-3 tbsp. dough per cookie onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden, 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and allow to cool on racks.

belated: pretzel salad

2011-01-10T20:37:00.005-05:00

Well I have no idea how it's already January 10th, I just don't. A minute ago I was in an all-sequin dress for NYE (yes I was) and the next I'm speeding through Connecticut on the Metro North last Friday with feet of white stuff coming down around me.

Now it's January 10th, we've seen two Bachelor episodes, and we're staring a long weekend in the face. And in the middle of all that I'm on the cusp of some very exciting news :)

Hopefully I can spill the beans in the coming days but for now that's the teaser!

In the meantime, here's a much-belated recipe that was requested by Maris a few posts ago. This pretzel "salad" is a staple on my Mom's holiday table and I've grown to crave it over the years.

Salty, crunchy pretzels paired with sweet strawberries and cream make this a favorite. Serve it as an appetizer "salad" or dessert and your guests will love you for it!

Pretzel Salad

from "Favorite Recipes of Alabama Vocational Home Economics Teachers, 7th Edition"

recipe by Deborah G. Kidd, Benjamin Russell High School, Alexander City

2 cups thin pretzels, crushed

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp. sugar

8 oz. package cream cheese

2 10-oz. packages frozen strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 small carton Cool Whip

1 large package strawberry Jell-O

2 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix pretzel crumbs, butter, and 1 tbsp. sugar. Pat into a 9" x 13" dish. Bake 8 minutes and cool.

Cream cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Stir in Cool Whip and spread on pretzel layer.

Combine Jell-O and boiling water. Stir in strawberries and mix well. Pour over cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip layer.

Refrigerate until top layer is congealed and ready to serve.

HNY! the '10 highlights post

2011-01-01T21:19:00.011-05:00

Well Happy New Year everyone! It's really hard to believe that 2010 is done and done (when will time slow down?) but I hope you celebrated the year last night and welcomed the new one in style with yummy food and drinks like me. Many drinks.

I thought about how to wrap up the year of Baking Therapy and got inspired by someone whose delicious blog I visit almost daily. Joanne is talented, hilarious, a NYC runner (!!) and one of the better food photogs around - if you haven't been reading, hop on over! Her post today featured her Eats Well With Others resolution and top 10 posts - and as I scrolled down (and started salivating) I agree there's no better way to recap the year.

So here it is. Baking Therapy's 2011 resolution - push my comfort zone and break into Bon Appetit Desserts (thanks J)!

And the top 10!

The year started off with some incredible soft pretzels that I need to make again soon. They're easy, fun to shape, and provide instant gratification when they pop out of the oven looking perfect. These would be great for a Super Bowl party served with some hot mustard or cheese spread!

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a year since the best night of my life (aka my night with Dorie Greenspan). The randomness of this evening combined with the fact that I got to work alongside Dorie, baking Dorie's cookies, in Dorie's rented commercial kitchen, FOR FREE continues to astound me. New. York. Moment.

These were a really fun Baking Therapy creation for a friends Valentines Day party and though I won't take credit for the creative genius behind the concept I was pretty proud of myself and my little hearts. So cute! So easy! So impressive at a party :)

This was a Real Simple recipe I really adored, for its ease as well as its pretty final product. Potato and fresh rosemary makes this flatbread a light app or a filling meal depending on the size of the slice.

I'm convinced these cookies won me friendship with my boyfriend's closest girl friends, so for that I'm eternally grateful. Not only do I truly love the girls, but I love the cookies! I've made them several times since and each time they come out of the oven in chewy perfect rounds.

There are some foods that hit your tongue and make ever fiber in your body smile with the bright sun of summer. It doesn't get more summer than ripe peach pie and this recipe is a keeper - if I could make it in our beach house kitchen (read: oven which is only used to heat frozen pizza), it's a 10!

Well who could forget ice cream making with Blake Lively and Chace Crawford (i.e. the most-read Baking Therapy post EVER). It was fun, random, supported marginalized populations around the globe, and gave me starry eyes that lasted for days. AND! Thanks to Santa and my new KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment (YAY) there will be ice cream in 2011. And it will be homemade.

And for the second most-read post of 2010: Kristin Chenoweth's Pumpkin Roll! It was part of my October pumpkin obsession and fun to make - next rolling recipe in line, chocolate roll cake with Hostess Ho Ho-inspired filling!

These croissants were a real coup for me. Light, layered, flaky, and YEAST! They were made with yeast! And they came out of the oven with French accents. I can't wait to try them again soon.

My only yeast loaf bread of the year and this challah turned out well enough to inspire brioche, rye and raisin bread to come in 2011. It's just so easy!

Ok! I hope this post (and my blog) has inspired you to break out the standing mixer once in a while. It's been a great year and I'm looking forward to lots more in 2011! Thanks as always for reading, for commenting, for emailing, and for making my 2010 one to remember.

Cheers!

seasons greetings: mexican wedding cakes

2010-12-28T00:05:00.018-05:00

Greetings from PA (aka not the Blizzard of 2010)! I'm not snowed in under 14 inches of snow and my flight home (so far - I leave Wednesday) isn't canceled, so there's really no good reason for me to be baking up the storm I have been the past two days except... I can! And there are people (family) here to eat everything! Which means good things for my waistline and gives me something to do besides the Back To The Future marathon that appears to be never ending.

To that end, here are some cookies I whipped up tonight after some social plans fell through. When you can't drink, bake! My Mom used to make these and I found them absent in the Christmas cookie tins this year, so I perused Tastespotting and found this recipe that seemed easy enough for 10pm on a holiday Monday - though I'll tell you what, cookies are tough to make when there are cute little Grizzle dogs nearby. I used almonds since that's what was on hand (thanks Mom's kitchen pantry!) and they turned out quite tasty! And hey, they even look like the snow balls I'll be coming home to on Wednesday when/if I make it back to NYC.

There will be another Christmas-recipe coming, though to be honest I seemed to stick by tried and true recipes this year. I made this appley-goodness for Christmas dinner dessert, and put together a batch of these as hostess gifts for a neighbors party, but by request I'll be posting my Mom's Holiday Pretzel Salad! So stay tuned...

I hope you all had wonderful holidays filled with family, laughter and lots of joy (and good food) - now on to the recipe!

Mexican Wedding Cakes

via azcookbook.com

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup toasted and ground almonds (no need to skin them)

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper (I didn't).

In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Add the ground almonds and beat on low speed until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat until a soft dough comes together in large clumps (it will seem very dry).

To form each cookie, roll a level tbsp. of dough between your palms into a 1-inch rectangle.

Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the cookie bottoms are light brown and the tops are very lightly colored, about 20-22 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Gently roll the cookies in the sugar to coat them evenly. Store the cookies in an airtight container. The cookies will become surprisingly softer the second day - make sure you cover them nicely when storing.

holiday treats: peanut butter-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies

2010-12-21T20:42:00.011-05:00

It's December 21st and Christmas is all around with:

- giant snowflakes on Columbus Avenue

- holiday markets with red stripes and gingerbread men

- the Rock Center tree

- ice skating in circles at Wollmann Rink and The Pond

- peppermint Mocha's and red Starbucks cups

- fresh-cut trees being bartered on street corners

- holiday windows on 5th Avenue

- freezing cold apartments and salted sidewalks

- ugg's accessorizing every outfit

- horrible fragrance commercials flanking every TV show

- christmas parties and holiday cards

- lots of wine and bubbles

- snow wishes

- doggies in sweaters

- my birthday (and the late night it implies)

- Mom's pretzel salad

- White Christmas on AMC

and, maybe best of all, Christmas cookie exchanges!

I asked my co-workers for their favorite Christmas cookies and got a surprising answer: good ole Chocolate Chip. I've had a personal hankering for my own favorite Christmas cookies lately (and I'm on batch #4) so I found a recipe that combines the two into a cookie filled with deliciousness.

These were picture perfect and I stacked them together as a holiday treat for colleagues. Hope you're making the most of the last few days before Christmas! Merry, merry!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies

Sunset Magazine

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate chips (1 12-oz package)

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped (I left these out)

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and oats.

Drop dough in rounded 2-tbsp. portions, 3 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined baking sheets. With a fork, flatten slightly into 2 1/2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake in a 350 F oven until cookies are golden and tops feel set when lightly pressed, about 12 minutes (they will feel underdone but will firm up as they cool).

Let stand 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to racks to cool.

happy hanukkah: sweet challah

2010-12-07T18:51:00.011-05:00

And... we're back. Back on solid foods, that is. It was a rough go there at the end but I prevailed and the crazy thing? I miss the juices. Weird right? And not what you'd expect from a foodie like me. But my skin is glowing, my tummy is flat(ter), and I've been sleeping like a baby. Mission accomplished!

Now on to the good stuff. In celebration of Hanukkah and my Jewish friends, I'm sharing a delicious yeast bread that I love to eat year-round. Yes! Another yeast bread! Wuahahahaha. With this braided beauty, I think I've conquered my yeast fear :)

Challah bread's soft, eggy texture makes it perfect for morning french toast - or as a vehicle for something delicious like pumpkin butter, which is what I used it for!

This recipe yielded one big loaf - next time I'd either split it into two or create a 6-strand loaf - and it was easy to follow and absolutely gorgeous. Plus, with a perfect bread after just a few hours I think I'll be making this again soon. Maybe next time with raisins? And cinnamon??

Viva yeast bread! And Happy Hanukkah :)

Sweet Challah Bread

adapted from Cooking Light

1 package dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100-110 F)

3 tbsp. honey

3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. salt

1 large egg

3 cups bread flour, divided

cooking spray

1 tsp. cornmeal

1 tsp. water

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp. poppy seeds

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; stir in honey. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add melted butter, 1 tsp. salt and egg; stir well with a whisk.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 3/4 cups flour to yeast mixture, and stir until a soft dough forms. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will be very soft).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 F), free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough).

Punch dough down. Shape dough into a ball; return to bowl. Cover and let rise an additional 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 15 minutes.

Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 25-inch rope with slightly tapered ends. Place ropes lengthwise on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; pinch ends together at one end to seal. Braid ropes; pinch loose ends to seal. Cover and let rise 20 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine 1 tsp. water and egg yolk, stirring with a fork until blended. Uncover loaf and gently brush with egg mixture. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp. poppy seeds. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack.

yummy: Real Simple Pop Up Shop

2010-12-01T20:22:00.008-05:00

Day three on my juices and going strong. With each juice filled to the brim with fruits and vegetables I'm never hungry, but ya'll, I am CRAVING cheese. Is this a side effect? Homemade cheese-filled ravioli, cheesy alfredo pasta, cheese and crackers, you name it. Get it. In. My mouth.

And today at the Real Simple Pop Up Shop, I almost snapped. Real Simple Food Director Allie Lewis-Clapp was on location to give a fabulous cheesy food demonstration within the 15,000 square foot space at Rockefeller Center. It was opening day at the Pop Up Shop and staff and crew were abuzz adding finishing touches and welcoming customers.

You haven't heard of the Pop Up Shop? Well, let me fill you in. Just in time for the holidays, Real Simple has created a full-blown retail store in NYC to set you up with a gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list. There's something For Her. Something For Him. Something for the Kids, and something for Home. And even something for Pets! Some of the proceeds go to charities, you can sign up for high-value sweepstakes (Kitchen makeover, anyone?), and you can even have gifts wrapped and shipped to friends and family, right from the store. Oh, and you'll leave looking better than you did when you strolled in after a complimentary makeover by L'Oreal Paris.

There's so much going on you might need to stop by twice. I'll be there tomorrow through Monday so come say hi!

In case you missed it today, here are two Real Simple recipes from Allie's demo - both perfect for snacking at a holiday party. I might have to host one just to try them out!

Artichoke and Spinach Relish with Walnuts

1/4 cup walnuts

1 13.75-oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped

1 cup baby spinach, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

3 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and black pepper

Crackers and cut-up vegetables for serving

Heat oven to 400 F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally until fragrant, 6-8 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop.

In a small bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, walnuts, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Serve with crackers and vegetables.

Creamy Salmon Spread with Horseradish

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tbsp. prepared horseradish

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 oz. smoked salmon, chopped

Crackers and cut-up vegetables for serving

Combine the cream cheese, horseradish, dill, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a small bowl.

Fold the salmon into the cream cheese mixture. Serve with the crackers and vegetables.

Note: The relish and spread can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

give thanks: pain au chocolat, take 2

2010-11-28T21:32:00.022-05:00

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! I hope it was fabulous and filled with food coma(s) and family.

I've been home for the past week in Western PA and a "dead" video card on my parents desktop computer prevented me from posting all of the deliciousness that went down my gullet during the holiday. And... now I'm on a 5-day juice cleanse to detox from all of that deliciousness, so I'm anti-solid food until Saturday. But don't worry! I took pictures! And I saved recipes! And I'll be posting them all week (and salivating into my kale juice while I do so).

First up is something I'm truly thankful for. After a first brutal attempt, last week I gave thanks for... full-size kitchens and good yeast! Because apparently that (and lots of patience) is all you need to make patisserie-quality chocolate croissants. On Wednesday afternoon, with Turkey Day prep covered in foil and casserole dishes stacked in the fridge, I decided to give croissants another try. They'd been vexing me since the last unsuccessful attempt and I figured I had the best conditions to try again: a full-sized kitchen with plenty of counter space for rolling (and rolling, and rolling).

So I pulled up a new recipe and got to it. I think the recipe made all the difference but I also know why the last one didn't - rule #1 of yeast doughs: never try to half the recipe (which is what I'd done). So I mixed dough and let it rise and punched it down and let it rise again and by Thursday morning we had croissant dough ready for Thanksgiving breakfast.

This was a really solid recipe that was easy to follow, perfect to help someone like me conquer her yeast-fear :)

I made "plain" croissants with the rest of the dough (it makes a lot) and the family was snacking on them with grins and buttery fingers even this morning. The egg-wash is key for the bakery-look-alike croissants but not necessary for taste. I'll definitely be making these again, as soon as I get a full-size kitchen in my own apartment!

Chocolate-filled Croissants

via Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

2 (1/4 oz) envelopes active dry yeast

3 tbsp. sugar, divided

1/2 cup warm water 105 - 115 F

2/3 cup milk

4 cups to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

2-3 rectangles chocolate candy bar (I used semisweet chocolate chips)

Day 1:

Press butter into a 10x8-inch rectangle on wax paper, chill.

Combine yeast, 1 tbsp. sugar, and water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Heat milk to 105 - 115 F. Combine yeast mixture, warm milk, remaining 2 tbsp. sugar, 2 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat mixture at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 F), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Cover with plastic wrap and chill dough 1 hour.

Punch down dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 24x10-inch rectangle. Place chilled butter rectangle in center of dough rectangle, and carefully fold dough over butter. Pinch edges to seal.

Roll dough into an 18x10-inch rectangle; fold into thirds, beginning with short side. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Repeat rolling and folding procedure twice, chilling dough 30 minutes each time. Wrap dough in aluminum foil and chill overnight.

Day 2:

Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll 1 portion into a 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface, and cut into 4 rectangles (keep remaining dough chilled). Place 2-3 rectangles of chocolate candy bar, beginning on the short end of each rectangle and roll up tightly. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 425 F for 8 minutes (mine took 9-10) or until lightly golden. Cool croissants slightly on baking sheets, and transfer to wire racks to cool. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portions.

For egg wash: Combine 1 tsp water with yolk of one egg. Brush mixture onto croissants with pastry brush before baking.

breathe in: flourless chocolate cake

2010-11-17T15:44:00.015-05:00

This past weekend, a couple friends, bf and I rented a house in the New York countryside and spent the weekend sleeping, cooking every meal, and drinking lots of red wine. Lots.

It was the kind of weekend where you embrace relaxation, stay in your sweatpants from Friday until Sunday and truly enjoy the fact that the nearest neighbors are a couple acres away. And it helped that the house we found on Craigslist was absolutely gorgeous - an old(er) farmhouse that had been completely re-done with a nature-meets-modern-design interior, a stainless steel kitchen, and a back porch the size of my studio apartment. Oh who am I kidding, it was bigger. And it had two grills. TWO!

It was the prescription I needed for a weekend when I couldn't run, couldn't hike, and was forced to keep the walking to a minimum (by order of the doc). So I read half a book (The Help is so good!!), gorged on home-cooked food (including s'mores), and did 2 loads of laundry. Because there was a washer/dryer. IN THE HOUSE.

And I obviously took advantage of the kitchen to make us dessert on Saturday to pair with our grilled steak dinner. It was the Real Simple recipe that popped into my inbox last Friday, and with so few ingredients it was an easy choice for our weekend away.

I followed the directions and it turned out... exactly like the photo. Decadent and chocolatey and just like the "molten lava cake" I always want to order on restaurant dessert menu's. This is a true winner and would make a great entertaining recipe due to its ease and deliciousness. Pair it with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream for a yummy dessert!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Real Simple

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for the pan

1/4 cup heavy cream

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch springfoam pan (I used Pam for baking) and dust with cocoa powder.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter with 1/4 cup heavy cream over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar and cocoa powder; whisk in the chocolate mixture.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and set, 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edge of the cake before unmolding.

Tip: the cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate covered. Before serving, bring the cake to room temperature and dust with confectioners' sugar.

parts 2 & 3: pain au chocolat

2010-11-11T15:17:00.017-05:00

Ok, so I really failed at my first ever 3-day blog post with the chocolate croissants this week. By now I should’ve been 3 posts deep with an estimated 2 to 6 croissants in my belly.

The truth is a totally bummer, too. On Tuesday when I should have been turning and rolling and chilling x3 I found out that I have a pretty painful running-related injury. And on Wednesday when I should have been egg-washing and baking ‘till golden and eating, I found out that it could be pretty serious and I might have to take the next 6-8 weeks off to heal. Which means missing the half-marathon in 2 weeks that I’ve been training 3 months for. Waa.

So - many apologies for those of you who’ve been waiting for my flaky pastry results in anticipation, it’s been kind of a downer week. But! I really like the idea of multi-day posts and will continue them in the future with some exciting time-consuming recipes. Stay tuned.

Unfortunately I think the 3-days between Monday (dough making) and Thursday (baking) had a rough effect on the golden and puffiness of my croissants. Plus I feel like something about my dough wasn't quite right in the first place - might need to add some more milk to part 1. So no photos tonight, but I'm excited to try again soon? 'Cause nothing tastes as sweet as a flaky chocolate croissant!

Pain au Chocolat

Semi-sweet or milk chocolate (chunks or chips)

1 egg, lightly beaten, plus a splash of milk or cream for the egg wash

Part 2:

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to a rectangle, 1/2 inch thick with a short side facing you. Remove butter form refrigerator, place on bottom half of dough, fold the top half of the dough over the butter, pinch the edges good to seal.

Roll out the dough to a rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick, with a short side facing you; keep the corners as square as possible. Remove any excess flour with a dry pastry brush. Starting at the far end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter. This completes the first of three turns. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Repeat rolling and folding process above, two more times for a total of three rolls, with an hour refrigeration time in between. After the third roll, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Part 3:

Turn out chilled dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a rectangle. Using a pizza wheel or pastry cutter, cut the dough lengthwise to form two rectangles. Cut each half into smaller rectangles.

Place 1/2 oz. of chocolate 1/4 inch from edge on short side of rectangle nearest you. Roll the croissant over the chocolate and brush the edge with egg-wash before sealing over. Finish this process with all croissants. Cover loosely in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until very spongy and doubled in size , about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly brush croissants with the rest of the beaten egg. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the croissants are puffed and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temp.

part 1: pain au chocolat

2010-11-08T18:25:00.026-05:00

When I was a Junior in college I took a semester and spent 6 months abroad to study creative writing at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, England. Well OK... I spent 6 months abroad and went to a couple classes while I was there. I mean who really studies when they "study abroad," right?

But I did take advantage of my time in England. I got to know the locals (I bartended under-the-table at a local night club), I learned the customs (my boss taught me to roll my own cigarettes), and I enjoyed the cuisine (I binged on digestives and got sloshed on "snakebites"). And for a month in the Spring my friend Joe and I spent "Easter Holiday" carousing around Europe taking in the sights, eating delectables, and developing our wine palettes. It was heaven.

We made a breakfast tradition in each town we visited (from London to Madrid to Valencia to Barcelona to Nice to Rome to Cinque Terre to Florence to Vienna to Munich to Geneva to Mallorca) and treated ourselves to some of the best chocolate croissants I've ever had - and we weren't even really in France! Can you believe there was a delightful little bakery near every hostel/1-star hotel we stayed in? Bakeries with chocolate croissants?? It was like fate.

So we ate piles of fresh seafood and pasta and drank a LOT of red wine on the trip - we even went sky diving in the Swiss Alps! - but after all that eating I'm convinced the extra 10 "vacation" pounds that came home with me consisted solely of flakey, buttery, chocolately croissants (with some gelato on top).

I've been wanting to re-create them since (it's been 6 years) but the time and labor involved with homemade croissants has always stopped me. There is some overnight chilling (and then some more) and lots of folding and chilling and re-folding before you even get to bake them. But last week (in a separate conversation) someone told me "there's no time like right now" and then today I happened to find Willow Bird Baking - so we're giving it a shot!

Tonight I fitted the dough hook to the KitchenAid and made some croissant dough. And tomorrow I'll be folding and turning. And then Wednesday night (God willing) we'll have golden puffed pain au chocolat. Just like the bakery in Rome. Kinda.

So stick with me for the next couple days and let's see how it goes... this is just part 1.

Pain au Chocolat

adapted from Willow Bird Baking (which was adapted from Gourmet)

For the dough and butter block:

3/4 cup cold whole milk, heated to 110 F (use a candy thermometer)

2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar

One 1/4 oz. package active dry yeast

1 1/2 plus 6 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tbsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold

Make the dough package; heat milk to 110 degrees F. Stir warm milk, brown sugar, and milk in bowl of standing mixer and let stand until foamy, about about 5 minutes. Add flour and salt and mix with dough hook on low speed until dough is smooth and very soft, about 7 minutes.

Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand 2 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, a little at a time, to make a soft slightly sticky dough. Form dough into a rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, overnight.

Make the butter block; arrange sticks of butter horizontally, their sides touching, on a work surface. Pound butter with a rolling pin to soften slightly, butter should be malleable but still cold. Scrape butter into a block and put on plastic wrap, then cover with additional plastic wrap. Pound and roll out on both sides until butter forms a uniform rectangle. Wrap and chill overnight.

the harvest x5: chocolate gingerbread

2010-10-28T20:09:00.016-04:00

I'm into my final wedding stretch of the year - two left in the next two weeks and then I'm done for months. No more travel itineraries or rental cars, no sparkly shoes and matching earrings. I've seen southern weddings and midwestern weddings and high-altitude weddings and am adding South Jersey and North Carolina this month. But even though my real weddings are almost done for the season, I can sneak away whenever I want and click click click through layers of taffeta and piles of letterpress invitations. It's kind of my out-of-the-kitchen guilty pleasure (and let's face it, any girl who tells you it's not fun is downright lying).

I mean look at THIS!

{photo via Style Me Pretty}

And I mean, pulled pork sliders?! This is a couple after my own heart. There's so much deliciousness that surrounds weddings it's almost too much to handle... almost.

{photo via Style Me Pretty}

This weekend I'm wearing a chocolatey brown harvest dress. With pink shoes. So this week's harvest recipe? Chocolate gingerbread that turned out the same color as my J.Crew a-line.

MMMmmmmmmmmmmm...

Chocolate Gingerbread

adapted from Lara Ferroni

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

a pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

6 oz. plain greek yogurt

1/3 cup molasses

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F and line full sized loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Mix in the yogurt and molasses. Add the flour mixture and mix just until you get a smooth batter. Fold in the chocolate chips being careful not to overmix.

Bake until a cake tester comes clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

the harvest x4: pumpkin chocolate chunk muffins

2010-10-26T21:36:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel that life is passing by a mile a minute and you can't seem to reach out and grab hold of it before it's passing you by again? Like you have to remember to breathe and take long showers and put creamy lotion on your feet before you go to bed and do all of those luxurious things that you should be doing anyway but easily forget about?

Lately I've been doing 4 things: working, eating, drinking wine, and running. The first isn't an option because I need to pay my ridiculous NYC rent each month. The second is required for survival despite the fact that I could probably live off of my thighs for the next month if I didn't eat. The third is a side-effect of the first two and I haven't been shy about it lately. And the last one is a must if I want to smile after I cross the finish line next month.

Did I tell you I'm running the Philadelphia Half-Marathon on November 21st? No? Well, I'm running the Philadelphia Half-Marathon next month like I do every November and I've been a running fool the past few weeks getting myself whipped into shape. So between working, eating and drinking with friends and running there hasn't been time for much else.

But this past weekend I reminded myself to breathe deeply, I took a hot shower after my long Sunday run (sorry, Earth) and even put expensive lotion on my feet before I went to bed. And it felt great. Really great. Mental note: add in all of the above somewhere between working and eating and drinking and running. It feels awesome.

The one thing I have consistently fit into the schedule the past few weeks has been the Harvest celebration. I mean, before we know it it's gonna be 30 degrees and leaves will be crackling under our feet instead of dangling in shades of autumn above our heads. And it's almost November, can you believe it? November!

To slow down the time a bit I put together some Harvest muffins for a treat. I brought them into work and even though they are a snap to make, my co-workers said they might be the best thing I've ever brought in. Ever? Forever-ever? Maybe they're Harvest-starved.

But they are delicious, and the word muffin doesn't even work for these. A muffin implies a breakfasty-pastry-thing, and these... these are divine. Don't think about it too hard, just make them and enjoy the "best-ever" comments from those lucky enough to get a bite.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Adapted from Cooking On The Side

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup plain pumpkin

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Heat oven to 350 F.

Grease muffin tin, or use foil or paper baking cups.

Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

Break eggs into another bowl. Add pumpkin and melted butter, and whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and springy to the touch in the center. Turn out onto a rack to cool. Makes 12 regular muffins.

the harvest x3: pumpkin roll

2010-10-20T18:38:00.017-04:00

Ok, I think I lost some of you with the Betty Crocker post. I know, it was kinda amateur hour. But it was late on a Sunday? That's my only excuse.

Today's Harvest post comes from somewhere slightly (?) less lame but equally bizarre. Each Thursday my office distributes the week's People magazine. I know the People brand is as old as the hills and a success benchmark for all other celebrity/lifestyle weekly magazines, but it's never been my favorite (then again I don't read US Weekly or Life & Style either, just not so much my thang).

So I flip through each week to see what everyone's wearing and catch the occasional glimpse of K-Stew and R-Patz - and then pass it along to my celeb-loving friends (read: bf).

Last week as I was flipping I came across a recipe which lead to me haggardly ripping out the page before anyone caught me in the act. Because it was a recipe in People magazine. And it was by Kristin Chenoweth.

You know her as Glinda the Good Witch from Wicked or Fran from Promises, Promises but I know her as pint-sized, Mr. Schue-crazed, alcoholic April Rhodes from Glee. It's one of my favorites (Rocky Horror next week OMGGG!!!!) and I couldn't pass up her recipe for her Mom's harvesty Pumpkin Roll.

Despite the odd-ball instructions (roll in a tea towel?) I figured if Kristin could do it so could I and I gave it a shot the other night. My jelly-roll pan is about as small as she is so my roll turned out on the thick side but it was delicious nonetheless, and perfect for a Harvesty night.

Plus, EVERYONE loves cream cheese frosting. Everyone, I tell you! My roll turned out just like the People photo and it would be the perfect hostess gift for a Harvesty gathering - the cut rounds of cake are just so swirly and divine!

Moral of the story is: don't be ashamed of your recipe. As we know, some A-listers like to bake (and cook and make ice cream), and if they can do it so can we!

Pumpkin Roll

by Kristin Chenoweth via People

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. lemon juice

Sift together:

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

4 tbsp. butter

6 oz. cream cheese

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour 15 x 10 x 2 inch jelly roll pan. Line pan with wax paper.

Beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.

Fold sifted ingredients into pumpkin mixture. Spread batter into pan and sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven. Let cake sit in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out on a clean tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Peel off wax paper. While cake is still warm, roll up in towel, lengthwise.

Beat filling ingredients until smooth. When cake is cool, unroll and spread with filling. Re-roll (without towel), cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

the harvest x2: apple crisp

2010-10-17T21:19:00.016-04:00

What would a slew of Harvest recipes be worth without the quintessential apple crisp? This weekend bf and I drove out to Wilkens Farm to pick pumpkins (yes, because it was on the "Today" show last week) and came home with a 1/4 peck of Baldwin apples and lips crusted with apple cider doughnut sugar. What can I say, it's just that time of year.

After a couple long runs this morning (and a Steeler win!) bf and I had a lazy afternoon - sometimes you just need to relax on a Sunday (read: take a 2 hour nap). But it was a lovely evening for a stroll and after a crisp hour in Riverside Park we came home craving a Harvest sweet.

I perused the internet and found some great crisp recipes but they were all so... involved... for a Sunday night. In the end opted for an easy one from the Queen of homemade baking herself, Betty Crocker.

This was just as I remember Mom making when I was a kid. Turns out Betty knows what she's doing :)

Apple Crisp

Betty Crocker.com

4 medium tart cooking apples, sliced

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

vanilla ice cream, obviously

Heat oven to 375 F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan.

Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with ice cream.

the harvest: pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

2010-10-13T17:53:00.023-04:00

As you know, I work in advertising at a magazine. And, more often than not, when asked the common question "What do you do?" my answer elicits ooh's and ahh's in green tones of jealousy. The growing popularity of Mad Men and movies like The Devil Wears Prada have something to do with it but the truth always disappoints. No, I don't work in the "accessories closet" or schedule photo shoots like Whitney and LC on The Hills. And I (sadly) don't have piles of Louboutins at my desk to match every outfit.

I like my job, but my everyday probably mirrors yours - I work in front of a computer from 9-6pm and often nibble a brown-bagged lunch at my desk while perusing my favorite baking blogs and wishing I was eating that instead of the extremely boring morsel I brought to work. And then I do it again the next day.

But, like many of you I have that one co-worker who makes makes me LOL, and takes trips with me to the cafe each morning to get our coffee fix, and persuades me to visit our favorite bartender Gabe now and again for a never-ending glass of wine after a long day.

And she's leaving! She's going here and it's a great opportunity and I'm thrilled for her (yadda yadda, blah blah)... really, I am. I'm just going to miss our daily coffee trips and raucous happy hours - so I'm dedicating this post to Colleen.

One thing that we both love is The Harvest. At this point we're so obsessed with anything harvest/fall/pumpkin/gourd/corn stalk/chilly/leafy/apple-y and caramel that we use the word as descriptor. There are "Harvest weddings" and "Harvest weekends" and then there is "Heaven On Earth," otherwise known as "The Harvest," which describes the time period between late September and early November.

We happen to be knee deep in The Harvest right now (swoon!) and today's recipe truly embodies Harvest-in-your-mouth... and it's a toast to Colleen on her new endeavor as she leaves me get coffee on my own. I wish you all the best. No, Really.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from George Duran via The Food Network

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 cups (12-oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter. Stir in the chips.

Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cookies are brown around the edges. Remove cookie sheets from oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

[photos in this post courtesy of bf. not bad, eh?]

sleep deprived: fat witch brownies

2010-10-07T18:04:00.004-04:00

It's been one of those weeks that should leave me chained to my bed with a fever. One of those utterly exhausting weeks when you live for your bed at night and fight the urge to stay nestled deep inside when morning comes. One of those weeks where even baking is exhausting, despite the discovery of a great recipe. A week when I actually fell asleep on the couch waiting for my brownies to bake and woke up at 1:30am to a brownie brick in the oven.

But I made it to today and today is my Friday (!). I'm heading home to western Pennsylvania tomorrow morning and couldn't be happier with a long Columbus Day weekend in the 'Burgh. I'll be sleeping in. And eating out of my parents pantry. And grilling on their grill. And doing laundry in their washer/dryer. And probably buying (or baking with) a pumpkin and drinking apple cider at some point. Autumn, I love you.

For those of you who've had the opportunity to wander into Chelsea Market and let your noses guide you to Fat Witch, you'll appreciate this (and for the rest of you, you're in for a treat). Fat Witch makes some of the best brownies I've ever had and now (the Fat Witch cookbook was just released), I know why. GLORIOUS BUTTER. Was there ever really a doubt in my mind? I may have tried convincing myself it was the high-quality chocolate they used or the finest sugars available but let's face it, butter makes it better (despite what my thighs try to tell me).

I stumbled across the Original Witch recipe on Monday night after some impromptu carousing and in my particular state of mind decided that baking brownies at 10pm was a must. Obviously.

Like I said, my result was more brick-like than gooey brownie-like but that's my own fault. I cut out the middle of the pan to rescue a taste and that was it - these are EXACTLY like the little individually wrapped witches sold on 9th Avenue. And I bet they'd be much better minus the 6-7 glasses of red wine I had that night. Plus a glass of Prosecco.

These ARE decadent, but they're divine (and SO simple). Try them out! Apparently brownies are my thing lately.

[Sadly no photo since it was 1:30am and I was half-asleep by the time they finally came out of the oven, but you get the idea]

Fat Witch Brownies

via CakeSpy.com

1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. bittersweet chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. unbleached flour

pinch of salt

Grease a 9-inch baking pan with butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool while you prepare the next step.

Cream the sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended.

Measure the flour and salt and then sift together directly into the chocolate mixture. Mix the batter gently until well combined and no trace of the dry ingredients remains.

Stir in nuts or any extras.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan and bake 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with crumbs but not batter.

Remove from the oven and let cool on rack for 1 hour (do not fall asleep on your couch). Cut just before serving. Makes 12-16 brownies.

bake sale: cookies for kids' cancer

2010-10-05T19:44:00.006-04:00

Baking Therapy is donating some sweet treats this week for a great cause. If you're in the midtown NYC area, check out the Cookies for Kids' Cancer bake sale this Thursday or Friday to pick up a snack and donate some dollars to a charity that needs it! Thanks to Brooke for getting me involved.

I'll be baking tomorrow night for the sale so leave me a comment with your requests/suggestions/cravings! I'll be back soon with a recipe post (and Pennsylvania harvest-inspiration to come this weekend)!

bizzy: zucchini brownies

2010-09-30T21:36:00.006-04:00

Oh I've been away! There was a sorority alumni party, and a Glee premiere party, and a Grey's Anatomy premiere taco night, and a dinner to meet bf's best friends, and a 5 hour flight to Utah, and a pre-wedding BBQ with s'mores, and a 3 mile hill run and a 4 mile hike, and an outdoor wedding at Sundance, and an hour-long massage, and some pulled pork nachos, and a redeye flight home, and a long day at work, and a 5 mile run in Central Park, and drinks with a friend to catch up, and oh! Now it's today.

I'm tired. It's all been great, but I. am. tired.

But I know I've been away and I'm back! It's almost a new month after all, can you believe it? October, where did you come from?!

To celebrate the end of September I'm rounding out the month with my last zucchini recipe of the year. It sounds nuts but these brownies are fantastic! Even bf liked them, and he can be kind of a traditional eater.

Pull that last zucc out of your fridge crisper and try this chocolatey treat!

Zucchini Brownies

Allrecipes.com

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium-large zucchini)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. Cool brownies, cut into squares and serve slightly warm.

farm in your face: fresh corn quiche

2010-09-19T19:50:00.018-04:00

This weekend was another farm-friendly adventure for us and I'm starting to believe in my childhood aspiration to be a (part-time) farmer. On Saturday we escaped the city and headed north for the first apple picking of the season. We left Fishkill Farms with close to a bushel of Jonamac, Cortland, Empire and Macoun apples and drove on to New Palz, NY for lunch and a stop at a few other farmers markets.

And today, we checked out the Back to Basis Good Food Festival down on Gansevoort Street and treated ourselves to 4 "tastings" for brunch. Basis is a mission-driven company that is committed to traditional, localized and 100% traceable food. They partner with farmers and local communities to sell good food in NYC, and this weekend they celebrated the fall harvest with a food festival in the meatpacking district featuring some of the city's top restaurants (including Colicchio & Sons, Minetta Tavern, Craft and Gramercy Tavern among others) and local farmers.

So after all of this farm in my face, here's what I've decided:

1. I should have a farm

2. With my own chikkins

3. And grow my own vegetables

4. And have a cow to milk so I can make ice cream

Sounds great, right? And I think I would be really fulfilled if I were a farmer. My friends Caroline and Jon are my inspiration - aside from being the coolest wine-making cats I know, they are now running Italy Hill Produce and selling their amazing fresh veggies to lucky Finger Lakes residents. Sounds like a dream and even though I don't know them well I love that they're living the life and making it all happen. Even if you don't live on Keuka Lake, sign up for Caroline's weekly email newsletter (italyhillproduce@gmail.com) to get her favorite recipes to go with the seasons ripest vegetables. This week it was Moroccan Tomato Soup using late season tomatoes and Tomatillo and Yogurt Soup...Yum!

Sigh... until I move into my 1700's farm house upstate and start cutting fields and putting up fence posts - IT WILL HAPPEN - here's a recipe from tonight's Football Sunday dinner filled with the goodies we picked up this weekend. Hope you enjoy!

Fresh Corn Quiche

adapted from The Mainstay Inn, Cape May NJ

3 large eggs

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup fat-free half and half

3 tbsp. butter, melted

2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 1/2 ears)

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, grated

1 deep-dish whole wheat frozen pie crust, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in food processor, blend until onion is finely chopped. Transfer to large bowl. Add half and half, butter, corn, spinach, and cheese and mix until incorporated. Pour into crust. Bake until filling is slightly puffed and top is golden, about 50 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool slightly. Serve warm.

simply breakfast: kale & tomato scramble

2010-09-12T21:00:00.021-04:00

A while ago I stumbled upon a blog with the most beautiful photos. The images are clear, crisp, simple, and stunning. Blogger/photographer Jennifer Causey takes a photo almost every morning that is artistic and perfectly staged... and it's Simply Breakfast.

On the mornings I check out her posts I have unavoidable breakfast-envy. She makes healthy, farm-fresh meals that make you salivate, and she has this really cool brown coffee mug that I covet.

Her breakfast last Thursday morning inspired this post. She posted sauteed kale with egg whites and it couldn't have looked more delicious. It popped back into my head yesterday morning when bf and I took a trip across town to St. Stephen's Greenmarket (82nd Street between 1st and York). For being such a big city, I think New Yorkers are probably more food-conscious than most anywhere else. We eat organic when we can, we save our produce shopping for the green markets on the weekend, and we try to live as farm-to-table as possible (at home and when choosing a restaurant).

We picked up kale and heirloom tomatoes from Anthill Farm (Wayne Country, PA), "Misty Morning" cheese from Calkins Creamery (Wayne County, PA), walnut/raisin whole wheat bread from Bread Alone (Ulster County, NY), and a pint of fresh chocolate milk from Milk Thistle Farm (Ghent, NY) and headed across the park to make our own simple breakfast.

It ended up being an egg scramble of sorts, complete with toasted (and buttered) raisin/walnut bread as the perfect crunchy sidekick. Thanks Jennifer for the inspiration!

Saturday Kale & Tomato Scramble

1.5 tbsp. olive oil

a bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed, and roughly chopped

1 shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

5 eggs, beaten

salt & pepper, to taste

a pinch of Aleppo pepper, to taste

1 tomato, sliced thin

3 tbsp. shredded cheese

Saute the kale, shallot and garlic with olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until tender. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the eggs and mix in salt, pepper, and aleppo pepper. Pour into same skillet as used before and scramble over medium heat. Add kale mixture, tomatoes and shredded cheese and mix until eggs are scrambled and cooked through. Serve immediately.

fall has fell: zucchini cookies

2010-09-09T21:24:00.018-04:00

Thanks for the support on my passport bad luck, friends! Turns out I chose a good week to be "stranded" at home. As my friend Tom posted on Facebook today, "fall has fell" in NYC and we're all smiles from our goosebumped skin to our pashminas wrapped tight. I mean right now it's 62 degrees in Central Park!! AND we've got a 10-day forecast without one day over 80 degrees. Can you even?? It feels like we've waited all summer for this sweet kiss of fall... and we're ready for it.

A few things I'm psyched about:

NFL [Steeler] football
apple picking (and apple pies, cobblers, galettes and cakes...)
jeans and equestrian boots
snuggly mornings wrapped in blankets
cold wooden floors
homemade vegetable soups
SCARVES
the smell of leaves falling in the park

cozy sweaters

chilly morning runs
pumpkin ice cream

Sara Bareilles new album "Kaleidoscope Heart"- GET IT
zero humidity

trench coats

Glee, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice

no more air conditioning

dark nail polish

It's so close I can taste it and it tastes like a cinnamon spice latte from Starbucks. Mmmm....

In the meantime, I got a little zucchini-happy at the market the other day when I bought the zucc's for that DELICIOUS chocolate zucchini bread (I mean, it's out of this world - seriously). So today the squash baking continued in the form of Zucchini Cookies. Who even knew there was a website called food.com? I mean... I didn't. Google lead me there and these cookies are pretty darn good - actually they taste like little chocolate chip banana breads in your mouth. If you needed a visual.

Extra garden zucchini lying around and sick of zucchini bread? Try these and don't be scared of the dough before you mix in the grated squash - it will work, I promise!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies

adapted from Food.com

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 small zucchini, grated

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg, flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt gradually, mix well.

Stir in the grated zucchini, then fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls with two inches between each cookie onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden (do not over-bake). Let stand to cool 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

passport needed: chocolate zucchini bread

2010-09-07T21:14:00.013-04:00

I am blogging to you live right now from... my apartment in NYC. Nope, I didn't just jump out of the infinity pool to log a post. No, there is no beach native bringing me my third pina colada of the day. Apparently, one needs a passport to fly to Mexico. And that passport can not be 5 days expired. Even if you find out about it once you're standing in front of the JetBlue agent at 6:30am on Labor Day with your bag packed ready to fly to Cancun.

So, I'm in the city for the week instead of lying pool-side with a book or hiking around Mayan ruins with my parents. I'll save you the freakout (that happened yesterday when I came home from JFK) and instead I'll give you a fabulous new recipe. See, when life gives me lemons, I bake them into lemon bars. So tonight, I channeled that thought and grabbed some of summer's last squash.

I was perusing Tastespotting last weekend and bookmarked a few recipes to make after vacation. This was one of them. I shredded my zucchini fine and the loaf came out perfect - moist, chocolatey, and delicious. Summer's almost over so don't let those zucchini pass you by - they're in their prime and perfect with a little chocolate!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

via One Ordinary Day

1 1/2 cups shredded, raw zucchini

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or spray with nonstick spray a 9x5x3" loaf pan.

Grate the zucchini using a medium-size grater. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

In a bowl of your electric mixer, beat the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended - about 2 minutes. Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean, about 55 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely.

buon giorno: first look at eataly nyc

2010-09-04T14:30:00.012-04:00

My boyfriend is Italian. Like, black hair, olive skin, 6'3" Italian. Like, his Dad has a mustache and his Mom makes amazing food Italian. I, however, am a Euro "mutt." Scotland and Ireland, I think, with a little English thrown in at some point. So, despite my best efforts I look... American. Like, light brown hair, hazel eyes, 5'11" American. Therefore, I find my boyfriend's heritage completely fascinating and feel the need to tease him about it at all times. When he makes fun of me, my response is, "Oh yea? Why don't you go pull some meatballs out of your pocket." At some point he actually suggested us sharing a bowl of spaghetti like Lady & the Tramp.

It's fascinating for a Midwestern girl who grew up without a sense of family heritage that tied back to one specific country or another. So I'm embracing it with open arms and was thrilled when I learned that NYC's famed Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Lydia Matticchio Bastianich teamed up with Eataly co-founder Oscar Farinetti to create Eataly NYC, a giant Italian food and wine marketplace in the Flatiron district.

After MUCH hype this week, Eataly opened last Tuesday to throngs of New Yorkers looking to get their slice of Italy. I meandered in on Friday around 4pm to see what the madness was all about and, wow. The hype is hype for a reason. They've got everything you'd want, it's like a foodie/locavore's paradise wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with olive oil. I wandered through the space, careful not to bump into the hordes of people and exited with a burning appetite (and a prosciutto di parma panini on the freshest "rustic" bread I've ever had).

They've got fresh produce. And a butcher. And fresh seafood. And amazing breads with crusty crusts. And pizza's! And fresh (and dry) pasta's! And olive oils and sauces imported from Italy! And a cheese section where they give you a giant slice to sample before you buy! You just want to fill up your basket to the brim and walk quietly home on cobblestone streets to your apartment with a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean (or... to your studio apartment on 88th Street).

Oh, and everyone speaks Italian, which makes you want to get Rosetta Stone immediately so that you can fit in and feel fabulous saying things like "Vivi e lascia vivere!"

I couldn't wait to share this Batali-described Italian food "temple" with the bf so we went back today for a closer look. We emerged with more panini, a loaf of "rustic" bread, 1/2 lb of Taleggio, thinly sliced Coppa, fresh squash ravioli, a jar of tomato basil marinara and hazelnut/pistachio gelato for me - chocolate/vanilla gelato for him.

Bottom line? I will be going back. Maybe tomorrow :)

Eataly NYC

200 5th Avenue, across from Madison Square Park

a-list: ice-cream making

2010-08-31T18:14:00.013-04:00

I've been dying to make ice cream all summer.

Excuses I've given myself:

a) I don't have the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment (desperate for one, though I haven't been able to cough up the $80. Please add to my non-existent registry...)

b) My freezer has been packed tight with little room to freeze mixing bowls

But! I love ice cream and eat it as much as possible during the warm summer months. Who (if you're not lactose intolerant or watching your weight) can resist?! So last week when I spotted a Sunday afternoon ice-cream making class via DailyCandy I jumped onto PayPal and secured three spots.

It was with Guerrilla Ice Cream, a fabulous NYC ice cream company that is saving the world one scoop at a time. It was founded this summer by two 23-year olds (Ethan Frisch, ex-Pasty Chef at Allen & Delancey, and Ori Zohar, businessman extraordinaire), and this little ice cream truck is creating buzz by donating 100% of its proceeds to "marginalized populations in NYC and around the world." And one of the ways it makes its profits is through intimate ice-cream making classes.

So bf, our friend Emily and I all trekked down to a random building in the financial district to get our scoop on. We were a little late so we skulked into the class and took the only empty seats left around the table... which were directly next to Blake Lively (gorge), Chace Crawford (swoon!) and their random friend. Um, yeah. We made ice cream with Gossip Girl on Sunday night (can you even?! ONLY in NYC...).

Despite the obvious distraction, the class was really fun and Ethan was a great teacher. We made "starters" for Lemon Poppyseed Custard and Jasmine Raspberry Sorbet and my initial ice-cream making intimidation was cured. It's easy! And it turns out that Blake is a big ice-cream maker herself. Shoot, if she looks that good I don't mind treating myself to some Haagen Dazs once in a while.

After making our starters we were treated to a few of their favorite flavors to try ourselves: the Lemon Poppyseed from the class, a DELICIOUS Mango Coconut Sorbet, spicy Chai Masala, and their Port Wine Chocolate with caramelized bananas. We were sent home with stars in our eyes and 2 pints each, ready to be "spun" the next day into ice cream.

If anyone's around in NYC in the next few weeks it's worth a trip to their ice cream cart (and its definitely worth the $4.50) to sample one of their gourmet flavors.

If you can't get to the cart, try their basic custard recipe and add your own mix-ins!

Basic Frozen Custard

Guerrilla Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (we used 3 cups of half and half instead of the first two ingredients)

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Flavoring: herbs, spices, extracts, fruits, coffee, tea, etc

1/2 cup mix-ins: chocolate chips, fresh fruit, nuts, etc

Mix milk, cream and flavoring in a heavy-bottomed pot, and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes or until the flavor has been infused into the milk and cream.

Whisk egg yolks with sugar until the color changes slightly and the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes).

Carefully temper the eggs into the milk/cream mixture - put a few ladlefuls of warm milk into the eggs, mix slowly to incorporate, then our the warmed eggs back into the pot with the milk.

Stir carefully until the mixture thickens, and holds a line on a wooden spoon.

Strain the mixture through a sieve to separate out any egg solids, herbs, spices, etc. and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Spin in your ice cream machine, or pour into small paper cups and freeze with popsicle sticks.

upstate adventure: zucchini bread

2010-08-30T18:41:00.022-04:00

This weekend we went on a last-minute getaway (which if you ask me, is the best kind). We picked a spot within a 3-hour driving radius, Googled a bed & breakfast, and set off for our one-night adventure.

We found our lovely B&B in the countryside of North Stonington, CT and couldn't have made a better choice. It was a horse farm! With hens! And a farm house from the 1700's... and about 100-acres of property to explore. Turns out we were the only guests for the weekend so we settled into our room upstairs and got ready for dinner.

We spent the rest of the evening exploring Stonington, had delicious mexican food at Milagro, and treated ourselves to a Dairy Queen mini-blizzard on the way home (new favorite flavor: banana split). I swear we're not a 60 year old married couple (shoot, we're not even married), but we spent the rest of the night cuddled up reading our books... and we went to bed at like 10pm! It was chilly with our bedroom windows open and all you could hear was crickets for miles - perfect sleeping weather.

We woke up on Sunday the best way possible: tucked deep in thick white sheets to the smell of something baking in the oven and bacon crackling on the stove. We padded downstairs and our host, Peter, had a spread ready. I drank coffee and bf read the paper while we gobbled up melon and blueberries and just-out-of-the-oven zucchini bread with fresh cherry preserves. The next treat was scrambled eggs from the farm, thick-cut bacon and a buttery english muffin. I couldn't have been more happily full so we took an after-breakfast stroll around the property to walk it off.

We showered in the claw-foot tub and checked out to head to a nearby winery for an afternoon tasting. 8 tastes and 1 full glass of Jonathan Edwards Zinfandel later, we were nibbling baguette and local "Bridgid's Abbey" cheese on their patio overlooking the grapes (I could have stayed all day).

It was a wonderful weekend - I love New England! - and other than the absolute peace we felt waking up in the country, I couldn't stop thinking about that zucchini bread! Here's a recipe I found to mimic it - I just need a recipe for cherry preserves... does anyone have one they love?

Now if only this bread can induce that peaceful feeling...

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread with Cinnamon (and dark chocolate)

via Simple Bites

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini

(4 oz. dark chocolate, chunked)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a 9x4 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with paper cups.

In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy; beat in eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Combine well. Stir in grated zucchini and chopped chocolate.

Fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Spoon batter into loaf pan and muffin tins. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen sides and remove from pan. Cool completely before serving.

BTS: chocolate chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

2010-08-26T21:57:00.020-04:00

This week launched "back to school." While bf laid out his clothes and sharpened pencils to head back to high school [I'm dating an English teacher (swoon!)], I enlisted in a few courses of my own. Sushi-making last night, ice cream-making this weekend, and yesterday I took a blogging class.

My company offers internal courses once in a while, kind of like an in-house adult education program taught by upper executives in subjects ranging in everything from leadership to navigating the corporate ladder. It's a huge benefit and this week I signed up for one that triggered my interest: "Blogging."

It was taught by a leading newspaperman turned TV critic turned blogger at EW.com who was nothing if not completely lovely. The presentation was an hour and a half, and I definitely learned a thing or two. He concluded with some blogging commandments so I thought I'd grade myself tonight:

1. Post every day

2. Create a conversation with your readers

3. Believe in what you blog about

So here goes:

1. OK, this ain't happenin' mostly so I can fit into my jeans this fall (D+)

2. I love hearing what you guys have to say! Comments are LIKE CHRISTMAS! (B)

3. Umm... hello! Friends, I BELIEVE!!! (A+)

In fact, I believe so much in today's recipe that they're my new crack. I know, I know. I've alluded to other addictions before. But these babies... wowza. Maybe I'm a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate (damn Hershey's and their Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!), but the addition of cocoa to the peanut butter cookie is SHEER GENIUS.

I urge you to walk (no, run!) to your standing mixer and get to it. Even if it's 9:45pm at night. Just make sure you have a quick escape plan for the cookies, or else you'll be eating the entire batch yourself.

Reese's Pieces Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

From Neil and Jessica at Kohler Created

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter, creamy

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 tbsp. honey

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups whoe wheat or all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/4 cups Reese's Pieces, frozen (I used chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and honey until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and stir until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture. Stir in the Reese's Pieces.

Drop or roll into balls onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (I crossed them with the prongs of a fork, like a peanut butter cookie)

Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 2 minutes until eating!

get your roll on: sushi-making

2010-08-25T21:33:00.030-04:00

Tonight was fun. Super fun! I walked into a 100-year old warehouse in Chelsea between 11th and 12th Avenues not knowing what to expect. It was at the invitation of my friend Jill who had won a sushi-making class at the Dean & Deluca corporate kitchen. It was a Facebook promotion she'd randomly entered, and I was one of the lucky +3 that got to "roll" with her - thanks, Jill!

As the elevator doors opened on the 6th floor of this no-name warehouse and we walked into a Top Chef rivaling industrial kitchen, we were immediately greeted by sushi Chef Tracy Griffith (also an actress, singer/songwriter, and half-sister to Melanie), Mark Daley the CEO (!!) of Dean & Deluca, and their Executive Sous-Chef among a few others. It was champagne all around as we staked out positions around the table and got ready to roll up a few "American-Style" (read: raw-fish-free) rolls.

I've lived in Japan and I've eaten my fair share of sushi inside and out of the country (my absolute NYC favorite is the omakase sushi at Gari on the UWS), but I've never rolled it myself. When I worked at Cosmopolitan I'd stare in awe at the sushi guys who created perfect roll after perfect roll for hungry magazine staffers in the Hearst cafe (in minutes!) - but I never thought to make it. Turns out? It's SUPER FUN.

We were introduced to Tracy's method of sushi-making: with no raw fish, and little seaweed to be found (instead she uses vegetable-based wraps nori-like wraps). We made an inside-out "Cowboy Roll" (grilled skirt steak, blue cheese, baby spinach and red onion wrapped with nori), a "Mexicali Roll" (marinated skirt steak, monterey jack cheese, tomatoes, scallions, black beans and cilantro in a corn wrap), a "Caesar Chicken Roll" (roasted chicken, romaine hearts, caesar dressing and fried onions in a corn wrap) and a modified "Rooster Roll" (Shredded chicken, scallions, red bell pepper, roasted peanuts and sweet thai chili sauce). And let me tell you, we ATE as we went along because THEY WERE DELICIOUS. At first I was skeptical of this "Americanized" sushi, but the flavors were big and her citrus and jalapeno-infused soy sauces were the perfect pairing.

By the end of the night I was a sushi rolling pro, and - stuffed to the gills - we were presented with to-go boxes for our creations, our own bamboo sushi rolling mats, and signed copies of Tracy's book Sushi, American Style.

[Oh, and I made friends with the Executive Sous-Chef who snuck me into the walk-in and sent me home with 6 Dean & Deluca cookie dough balls. Love. Him!]

It was a super unexpected and fun, and all of us were (very) pleasantly surprised. Thanks Dean & Deluca, for a great Wednesday night!

My favorite roll of the night was the first one we made - not sure if I was just hungry, but the combo of the steak and blue cheese was fantastic. If I learned one thing it's not to be intimidated by sushi - it's very easy and really not bad for you if you keep the rice "light." So throw some rice in your cooker, pick up some nori at the market and give it a try. I definitely will be.

[Apologies on the poor photo quality - all I had on me was a Blackberry!]

Cowboy Roll with Jalapeno Soy Sauce

by Tracy Griffith of Sushi, American Style

1/2 cup sushi rice, prepared

1 1/2 sheet nori

2 oz. skirt steak, grilled medium rare, sliced into strips

2 tsp. blue cheese

1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

1 tbsp. pink peppercorns, husked

Lay nori on mat
Press sushi rice over whole nori sheet
Sprinkle with pink peppercorns, flip nori over
Spread a thin wipe of cheese down center of nori, horizontally
Lay in spinach over cheese
Lay in onions over spinach
Lay in steak over onions
Roll and cut into 8 even pieces
Serve with jalapeno soy sauce

weddings everywhere: chocolate pound cake

2010-08-16T21:53:00.027-04:00

I don't know about ya'll but this summer has been just like the last few: the beginning of wedding season. I've been invited to six between July and November, and am making it to five of them - which means 8 flights, 4 hotel rooms and 4 rental cars. I'm at that late 20's stage where many friends are participating in one (or more) of three life stages: getting married, having babies, or buying their first homes. Three major decisions that many girls make before they turn 30 - well, unless they live in New York City.

You see, we breed a specific type of lady - the type who at 30-years old is meeting her friends for happy hour on a Monday night, dating whenever (and whomever) she wants, and renting her 400 square-foot studio apartment. There's a reason Sex & The City lives on in re-runs - New York City women are fabulous, and many of us are single. But being city-fabulous doesn't mean we don't envy our suburban-fabulous counterparts who are racking up life stages like we rack up Jimmy Choo's from sample sales. I mean, shoot. We want to get married and have babies and washer/dryer's too!

But, for the time being we'll be patient, take our laundry to the laundromat, and travel far and wide to throw rice, blow bubbles, and drink champagne toasts. After all, weddings are FUN.

This weekend I got to celebrate a dear friend who had a lovely midwestern wedding in her hometown in Ohio. Oh, and she looked absolutely STUNNING! We had so much fun dancing the night away and I'm so happy for her. Congrats, congrats Alyssa and Mark!

The recipe I'm sharing is a knock-off from another wedding - my cousin's nuptials last month in South Georgia. She had a wedding cake and a groom's cake, and I ate my share of the chocolately latter (and then some). It was so amazing that I tried to re-create it at home a few days later. My version wasn't perfect but it was close! My Mom called it chocolate pound cake like her great aunt used to make, but this was better than any pound cake from Starbucks.

You can make it in a tube or bundt pan or in two loaves - it was delicious and you can't beat the ease of directions! Give it a shot the next time you need to bring a hostess gift - it would wrap up nicely with a pretty bow!

Chocolate Pound Cake

Recipe found in my grandmother's old cookbook and submitted by the following teachers:

Nola Allen, Russelville, AL

Betty Coe, Montevallo, AL

Annie Childress, Mangham, LA

Mary Markham, Lumberton, NC

1 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. cocoa

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Sift all dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Bake in 10" tube pan at 325 F for 80 minutes.

winner! and breakfast: blueberry pancakes

2010-08-10T19:50:00.015-04:00

We have a winner.

"Sarah Winchester, come onnnnn dowwwnnnnn!!"

Sarah was lucky commenter #8 on my giveaway post last week and wins a delectable Chocolate Lover's Baking Bag from Fretzels by Jill. Delightful!

I actually "know" Sarah through her super cute cousin Blythe who works in my office. Blythe introduced me to Sarah's gorgeous blog and I can't get enough of her photographs. Check her out! (And Sarah - Congrats! Let me know where I can send the goodies)

This week has been a departure from my last few. I purposefully un-scheduled myself and have had a couple nights of needed relaxing. I went for a run. I caught up on DVR. I painted my toes. I read my book (LOVING the Dragon Tattoo series). And I am now actually fairly zen. It's amazing what a little time for yourself can do :)

The recipe I'm sharing is one that's pretty relaxing in and of itself. Comfort food, I tell you. There's nothing wrong with it. Last weekend I woke up on Sunday and was in the mood for nothing other than big, fluffy pancakes. And not the Bisquick kind. What can I say, it was just one of those days. So I searched around and found some delicious looking pancakes on Smitten Kitchen. They're Martha (of course) but they're the best from-scratch pancakes I've made, and the fresh blueberries added just enough sweet and tart.

Trust me on this one - these puppies are a must for a summer Sunday in the near future. I'd even add some fresh lemon juice to the batter next time for extra tang.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart from SmittenKitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tbsp. extra for brushing griddle

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tbsp. melted butter, and whisk to combine. The batter should have small to medium lumps.

Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining butter onto the griddle.

Using a 1/2 cup, pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart. Arrange a handful of blueberries over the cooking pancake, pressing them in slightly. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, flip over. If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with syrup, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

save the gulf: fish in foil

2010-08-07T10:53:00.011-04:00

Well ya'll, I have great news to report. During my stay in Gulf Shores, AL last week the public beach flags changed from double red (as they have been since the oil spill) to yellow and the swimming advisory was lifted - proof that the Gulf is clearing and the waters are becoming safe again.

I was worried about how I'd find Gulf Shores, a town that primarily survives on summer tourism and seafood sales to make it through the off-season. There were definitely more empty rental houses than I've ever seen in July and very little foot traffic "downtown" among souvenir shops, but the white sandy beaches were absolutely as beautiful as they've ever been. In fact, with all the sand sifting that's going on to remove "tar balls," the beaches are cleaner than ever - and the water is crystal clear with no oil to be seen.

Last week we celebrated with daily swims and seafood dinners, and here's a simple recipe I used one night at home.

We got fresh Mahi Mahi, dill, and a lemon, and then stuffed them all into aluminum foil packets for the grill. The result was delicious and super easy!

Also, don't forget to comment on my last post for your chance to win a delicious Chocolate Lover's Baking Bag from Fretzels by Jill! Giveaway ends Monday 8/9 so comment now!

Beachy Fish in Foil

2 white fish fillets (we used Mahi Mahi)

3 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

Half a lemon, sliced thin

Mix together the juice of half a lemon, olive oil, dill, and Old Bay. Add salt and pepper to taste. Immerse both fillets in the mixture, coat on each side.

Place each fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Arrange 2-3 lemon slices on top of the fish, and top with leftover lemon mixture. Carefully seal all edges of foil to form enclosed packets. Place packets on a heated charcoal grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, checking for flakiness. Do not over-cook.

Bloggaversary (and a giveaway): peach pie

2010-08-02T21:31:00.005-04:00

Oh em gee!! Can you believe it's been a full year of Baking Therapy? I surely can't - it's flown right by and I can't even imagine how fast the next year will go! I started this blog as a way to chronicle my baking adventures (and sometimes culinary delights) and it's been such a pleasure. I've gotten my "therapy" but I've also gotten to know many of my readers - and that's something I couldn't be more grateful for. You guys are the best and thank you so much for your comments and love over the past year!

To celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway :)

One lucky reader will win:

A Fretzels by Jill "Chocolate Lovers Baking Bag"!

Inside this adorable canvas bag you'll find a set of mini baking utensils, one dozen Fretzels chocolate covered pretzels, three decadent gourmet mochas, and The Little Black Book of Chocolate, full of fun facts and indulgent chocolate recipes.

If you haven't heard of Fretzels yet, ya'll better get on it. My friend Jill whips up the tastiest gourmet chocolate covered pretzels you've EVER HAD. And they're the perfect gift for anyone, any time. Delish!!

Just follow ONE of these easy steps to enter:

1. Comment to this post and tell me what your favorite thing about the past year has been

2. Share this post on your Facebook page (and leave another comment letting me know that you did)

3. Follow me on Twitter @bakingtherapy and re-tweet this post to your followers (and leave another comment with your Twitter handle)

I'll randomly select a winner next Monday 8/9/10. Good luck!

I looked back at my very first post from 8/2/09 and it made me nostalgic, so I'm sharing a summer fruit pie recipe that also makes me a little nostalgic. I spent last week in Gulf Shores, Alabama and after 9 days of beaching, fried food eating, and Blue Moon chugging I still wasn't quite ready to get on the plane to NYC. It's just a magical place for me, and even though my grandmother has been gone for 2 years now her presence still hugs me when I breathe in the thick Gulf air.

So this is a recipe that reminds me of her for two reasons: because the peaches came from Burris' Farm Market in Loxley, Alabama (and I remember stopping there with her to get the best tomatoes in the county) and because she once told me that I'd never find a man if I didn't know how to make my own pie crust.

Well I do know how to make it, but it's a good thing I've already got a man since I relied on Pillsbury to get the job done last week. My defense is that there wasn't a pastry cutter or food processor to be found in the beach house kitchen and I wasn't about to cut in butter with two knives when I could be lying on the beach instead (right?!).

So this recipe is for my grandmother (and all of ya'll!) in celebration of my 1st anniversary. Enjoy, it just SCREAMS summer (and is AWESOME with a scoop of Edy's Caramel Delight ice cream)!

Peach Pie the Old Fashion Two-Crust Way

AllRecipes.com

1 (15 oz.) package pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

1 egg, beaten

5 cups sliced peeled peaches

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2-cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

Preaheat oven to 450 F.

Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.

Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam (I did a lattice).

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the top browns too fast, cover it with aluminum foil about half-way through baking. Cool completely.

i confess: salted chocolate chip cookies

2010-07-19T22:04:00.008-04:00

... I watch the Bachelorette. Ooooh I'm so embarrassed about it! I've never watched a full season before this one with Ali and it's a sick addiction I can only compare to my affinity for pulled pork or chocolate chip cookies. It's also a curious suggestion: matching two people on a reality TV show and expecting them to get married at the end? And have that match last forever? Seems implausible but I can't get enough! A friend of mine has even dedicated most of her blog to the inner-workings of Ali's heart.

But doesn't it take more than a few months of traveling the world and one-on-one dates to fall in love with your future husband? We grow up and (usually) fall in love several times before we find our true match, and it's easy to relate long-term relationships with "the one." But as we get older I think past relationships work in our favor to help find what we are looking for in a mate - so maybe all it really takes is a few wonderful trips and a real connection.

Tonight I salute Ali with my tried and true favorite cookie, and wish her the best in love. After all, she's just a girl standing in front of (two) men, asking them to love her.

I can't even remember how I found this recipe - it's been in my browser for so long! And I apologize for the lack of photos but am directing you to the source of my inspiration. Dana's photos are delicious and mine turned out just as lovely, a true testament to the recipe! There's a ton of sugar but don't freak out - they're worth it!

Ashley's Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not Without Salt via Dana

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup Turbinado sugar

1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

12 oz. chocolate

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 360 F.

Cream the butter and the sugars on medium-high speed until light, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during the process. Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at a time (make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next). Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Combine the flour, soda and salt in another bowl. Mix with a whisk. With the machine on low, slowly add almost all the flour. Reserve just a bit of the mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the last bit of flour along with the chocolate. Stir with a spatula until just combined.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out mounds of dough making sure there is about 2 inches between each cookie. Do not crowd them and there is no need to press the dough down. Sprinkle each mound with a bit of sea salt.

Bake sheets, one at a time, until the cookies are lightly golden on the edges and a bit gooey in the center, about 12 minutes. Do not overbake! Remove sheet from oven and allow to sit undisturbed for two minutes. Then carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining sheets.

i heart wine: napa recap

2010-07-13T21:12:00.015-04:00

It's certainly turning out to be that kind of July - when I'm escaping every weekend on one adventure or another. For the fourth I flew North, this past weekend I flew West and in two weeks I fly South for "take 2" of last summer's Gulf Shores beach adventure. I'm so blessed to be traveling almost every weekend and taking in new sights and sounds with friends, so this week's post is just that: a recap of the sights and (delicious) tastes of the Napa Valley this weekend's trip.

Instead of adding a recipe I'm giving more poignant advice in the form of Napa area winery and restaurant recommendations. I love getting advice from friends instead of going in blind, so this priceless, right? If you're planning a trip, start jotting these down (and if you aren't planning one, start doing it!):

Eats:

Bottega, Yountville - An obvious choice with a great wait staff and cozy patio to sip wine while you're waiting for your table (or while you're stalking Top Chef Masters Michael Chiarello - yes, I did - while he makes his rounds among the guests). Get the Polenta and the Pneu Pinot Noir. Amazing. Oh, and I met this lovely wine blogger on the patio - check her out!

Brix, Napa - A nice spot on Hwy 29 for a date at night or a patio lunch overlooking their gorgeous gardens. The oysters were amazing with a glass of Seghesio Arneis.

Carpe Diem Wine Bar, Downtown Napa - Great newly-opened family run spot with a bunch of locals behind the bar. We loved the smiles and recommendation of the "Taken" Cabernet Sauvignon by Josh Phelps.

The French Laundry, Yountville - Well, duh. It's only one of the biggest foodie mecca's in the States. I was on a budget and couldn't bring myself to throw down the $250 prix fixe for the 9-course tasting menu, but mark my words: I WILL SOMEDAY.

Ad Hoc, Yountville - Thomas Keller's spot with simple, family style food that is winning awards all over town. The menu changes daily and you get what they want to cook in a place that feels like home. We didn't get here (we tried our hardest - make reservations, people!) but EVERYONE told me to go.

Wineries:

Cakebread Cellars, Rutherford - Gorgeous grounds full of sunflowers and herb gardens topped off with a beautiful facility with a state of the art kitchen! We took an appetizer cooking class with Chef Thomas and everything from the grilled peaches wrapped in prociutto to grilled lamb skewers with mint pesto to mini crab cakes was delicious. Chef Tom is the best!

Alpha + Omega, Rutherford - Really beautifully designed tasting room and separate dining room for events. We got a bottle of the '07 Chardonnay and sat on the patio in oversized outdoor couches overlooking their fountain. Bliss.

Ehlers Estate, St. Helena - Amazing wines and beautiful old farmhouse tasting room. Plus it's the only non-profit winery I've ever heard of. 100% of the proceeds go to the Leducq Foundation to fund international cardiovascular research. The Ehler's Merlot and 1886 Cabernet Sauvignon are incredible.

Miner Family Vineyards, Oakville - Lovely estate on the hillside with views of the valley from chairs on their porch. We loved the Miner '06 Oracle.

Mumm, Napa - Fun place for yummy bubbles on their misted patio - but make a reservation to reserve a spot. The Devaux Ranch was delicious and they had multiple champagne flights to choose from if you wanted to try a bunch.

Luna Vineyards, Napa - Also off the Silverado Trail, Luna's tasting room is luxurious and inviting. We had the '06 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon on the porch and chatted with their darling events director.

Girard Winery, Yountville - Lastly I have to add Girard right at the edge of Yountville. Their tasting room is open till 8pm (score!) so it's a great way to end a long day of tasting. The '06 Mixed Blacks is a favorite and I loved the crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Other notable local wines to try if you're in the area:

Renteria Pinot Noir

Patz & Hall Pinot Noir

Reverie Barbera

It was a great trip with amazing friends and a lot of California wine. You just can't believe how magical wine country is until you're there! Here are a few shots from the trip... doesn't get much better than this!

no-bake: ice cream cake

2010-07-06T20:06:00.011-04:00

Hawwwt dog! And Happy 4th! I can't believe it's already July... hope this past weekend found you NOT melting and instead, enjoying fireworks, cool drinks, sparklers, and lots of summery eats. We stole away to Newport, Rhode Island for a breather by the sea and had a LOVE-ly time noshing on fresh raw oysters (the Blue Points are my fav), clam chowdah, steamed lobstah and sipping on some really great local Chardonnay. Here are a few shots from our weekend:

As promised, this post is steamy oven-free and a perfect summery dessert for the Chocolate heavy-hitters out there. It was Bf's birthday last week and when asked (by his BAKER girlfriend) what his favorite cake was, I got "ice cream cake" in response. Despite the lack of flour and butter, I was not to be outdone and found a Rachael Ray recipe that at least involved some skill (OK, well not much).

This ice cream cake is just like it was when I was a kid -- except it looks a little more sophisticated and is much more decadent. One word: GANACHE. And lots of it! I customized it with some of his favorites -- Ben & Jerry's mint chip and a Haagen Dazs double chocolate to add some personal flair.

This was delicious and the only thing I'd change is less ganache (it was really rich) and a more careful hand when lining the pan with plastic wrap. The ganache and ice cream got imprinted with the plastic wrap lines, but the cake popped right out and had lovely (and delicious) layers - and looked pretty when I sliced it.

If the oven's too hot for a summery fruit pie, grab two pints of your favorite ice cream and indulge. It's worth it.

Triple Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Rachael Ray

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 12-oz marble pound cake, such as Entenmann's, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

20 chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco brand

1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof medium bowl and pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the mixture with a fork for about 2 minutes, until the ganache is smooth.

Line a nonstick loaf pan with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap, allowing a 4-inch overhang on all sides.

Pour half of the ganache (1 cup) evenly into the lined pan and spread to cover the base. Cover the ganache with a single layer of tightly packed cake slices; be sure the layer is flat and even. Working quickly, spread the vanilla ice cream evenly over the pound cake. Cover the ice cream with a layer made of half of the chocolate wafers. Spread the remaining ganache evenly over the wafers, then top the ganache with another layer, using all of the remaining wafers, and place the cake in the freezer for about 30 minutes to chill and firm up.

Remove the cake from the freezer and spread the chocolate ice cream over the wafers. Top with another flat, single layer of tightly packed slices of pound cake, trimming 1 or 2 slices to fill in the gaps (there will be a few slices left over). The cake may be slightly higher than the pan. Cover the cake completely with the plastic overhang and freeze until firm, at least 5 hours or overnight.

To loosen the ice cream cake from the pan, open the plastic wrap and invert the pan over a flat serving platter. Remove the plastic wrap, then slice and serve immediately.

bothered: strawberry strudel

2010-06-28T18:40:00.009-04:00

I think I'm getting old. Things that didn't used to bother me at all are bothering me.

Late June bothers me.

The heat bothers me.

The late June heat in New York City BOTHERS me.

Sticky subways? ... bothering. Sweat trickling down the back of my silk dress? Boom! Bothered.

So this might be the last heat-inducing (read: oven-using) recipe for awhile, because I am doing everything I can to stay cool (read: nekkidly writing this post as I sit in front of my A/C).

On the heels of all of the savory pasta recipes I've been posting lately, I got back to my baking roots this weekend to put the farm-fresh strawberries that have been sitting/ripening in my fridge to good use.

First I wanted to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie again since it was SO GOOD the last time, but I was out of rhubarb and knew I couldn't make it to the Union Square Greenmarket before the weekend was over. So I set out to make a strawberry pie. Turns out if you Google "Strawberry Pie" most of the recipes that pop up include jello. And I don't really like jello (unless it's in Mom's Christmas dinner "pretzel salad" - did anyone else's Mom make that growing up?).

But then I found a lovely blog called "What Geeks Eat" and a recipe for a rustic strawberry pie that reminded me of the delicious apple galette I made back in September - and that was all I needed to break out the flour, pastry cutter, and chilled butter and get to work.

This came out of the oven and after slicing it open, Bf declared it a "Strawberry Strudel," so I'm sticking with the name. The crust is my favorite, flakey and layered, and the strawberry middle is sweet but not too sweet - and having leftovers at my house doesn't bother me at all ;)

Strawberry Strudel

adapted from Vanessa's version at What Geeks Eat

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons (or more) ice water (it took me 5 tbsp's)

1 qt ripe strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles course meal. Add 2 tbsp. ice water and blend just until dough begins to clump together, adding more water if dough is dry (I used a pastry cutter, old-school style). Gather dough into a ball, flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.

Roll out dough between sheets of parchment paper to 1/8-inch thick round, 14 inches in diameter. Remove top sheet of parchment. Using bottom sheet as aid, transfer dough on parchment to large unrimmed baking sheet.

Remove the leafy heads from the strawberries and if they are small enough you wont have to cut them. However, if they are larger than the end of your thumb, cut them in half. Add the sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch and stir to combine. Spoon the filling into the center of the crust, leaving about 3 inches of a crust border all the way around.

Using parchment as aid, fold plain crust border up over apples, pinching any cracks in crust. Brush crust with cold water and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue baking until crust is golden, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

"all that glisters is not gold": fettuccine with leeks

2010-06-25T12:57:00.013-04:00

Living in NYC, it's not uncommon to spot celebrities around town. I have friends who have seen SJP, Mr. Schuester, and Whitney Port - my own last sighting was "Boston Legal's" James Spader as I was crossing 55th Street on Broadway (he looked good). And even though I work in media and have friends who hobnob with the beautiful people, I still get star struck like a 15 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I try to play it cool but there's just something fascinating about how the "other half" lives. Especially Academy Award-winning actors. Like Al Pacino. Who is playing Shylock in this summer's Shakespeare in the Park rendition of "The Merchant of Venice." (!!)

Bf has the summer off, so he waited in line with the crazies from 9:30am until 1pm to win our free tickets to last night's performance. Aside from the Philharmonic in the Park picnic night in July, Shakespeare in the Park performances are pretty high up there on my list of favorite summer nights. It's a must-do experience for any New Yorker, and if you can't skip out of work to sit in the park waiting for the free tickets to be handed out, the plays are very much worth the $50/pair to pay a "line-sitter" on Craigslist. We got lucky a couple weeks ago and ended up with tickets to "A Winter's Tale," the other play at Central Park's Delacorte Theater this summer, and it was fabulous (RENT's Jesse Martin is GREAT). The "Merchant of Venice" was no different, with many of the same artists from "A Winter's Tale" and the addition of Pacino and a few others. The caliber of acting is phenomenal, and the outdoor atmosphere of the Delacorte is just amazing - even if it's 90 degrees with no breeze like last night ;)

I got home from work before the show and we whipped up our own little "to go" dinners to take with us. Bf had stopped at Stew Leonard's that afternoon and brought back fresh fettuccine and garlic bread, so we went for an italian-inspired meal. I had tried this pasta recipe last week and loved it, and it was the perfect addition to our evening.

Yes, it's another Real Simple recipe (I promise to branch out next post) but it's delicious, and the fresh flavor of the leeks and garlic really shine (and the yellow of the corn and green of the arugula make a pretty plate).

Here's to sweating it out for the rest of the summer - whether watching Shakespeare or reading a Twilight book :)

Creamy Fettuccine with Leeks, Corn, and Arugula

Real Simple

12 oz fettuccine

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into thin half-moons

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

kosher salt and black pepper

1 cup corn kernels (from 1-2 ears, or frozen)

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used the Napa Valley Chardonnay we were drinking)

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups baby arugula

1/4 cup grated pecorino

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the corn and wine and simmer until corn is tender, 2-3 minutes; stir in the cream.

Add the pasta, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Fold in the arugula. Sprinkle with pecorino before serving.

let the boy do his thing: roasted asparagus

2010-06-21T19:11:00.017-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to plan things. In high school I planned our senior trip to my beach house (and held weekly meetings on my parents back patio to "organize" the crew). In college I planned Spring Break in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (and re-planned a detour to Key West when we realized our hotel in Ft. Lauderdale was disgusting). Nowadays I plan dinners and drinks and picnics and house-parties to get the girls together (and have a nicely color-coordinated Google-calendar to prove it).

So it should have come as no surprise last week when I got anxious with the bf who was "whisking me away" for a surprise weekend "somewhere." I thought and thought about where we could be going, outlined every destination within a 4-hour driving radius, and hemmed and hawed over what to pack. Did I need cute jeans and heels or a summer dress and flip flops? Did I need a hair dryer or a flat iron? How was my planner-type personality going to let this surprise weekend happen without biting all of my nails down to the quick?

Well friends, from now on I'm keeping my mouth SHUT and letting the boy do his thing. I just got home from the best weekend of the year so far and I had no control over any of it. Actually it was a good lesson in self control and patience - and it absolutely paid off. Bf wins. BIGTIME.

Knowing me so well, he booked us a fabulous condo in Amagansett, Long Island -- complete with a full kitchen! Some people might want to escape cooking for themselves on vacation... but not me. We grilled out (grilled! On a charcoal GRILL!) both nights and ate and sipped wine with the sound of the ocean crashing nearby. We slept in, read our books, laid out, and swam the Butterfly in the lovely heated pool on the property. I even limited my Blackberry-ing to a minimum. And then we ate some more.

It was the most refreshing weekend I've had in a really long time and I got back to the city this afternoon feeling completely rejuvenated. Sometimes you just need to be forced off the grid for a while, ya know?

The recipe I'm sharing is one we didn't quite get to this weekend, though we got close. With all intentions of re-creating this delicious prosciutto-wrapped asparagus that I had thrown together last week for an impromptu dinner party, we ended up simply roasting the asparagus on the grill and letting the charcoal do the work.

Both options work wonders, but here's the simple (yet delicious) recipe to try in the future. I took Giada's directions a bit further and after wrapping the asparagus in prosciutto, seared it in a pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat for a crispier flavor. I also served it warm as I prefer that over room temperature. Asparagus is one of my favorite greens and both of these methods (roasted or grilled) made a delicious summer side dish.

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Giada De Laurentiis (via the Food Network)

1 pound asparagus (about 19 stalks), trimmed

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6-8 paper-thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Snap the dry stem ends off of each asparagus and place on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Roast until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Wrap each asparagus with 1 piece of prosciutto, exposing tips. Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.

comfort food: eggplant pasta

2010-06-16T18:38:00.015-04:00

Sometimes I wish life was just "real simple," don't you? We have so many decisions to make each moment (grande or venti, burger or salad, heels or flats, red or white) let alone each time a mini life-crisis rears its head (this job or that job, follow my passion or follow my heart, rent or buy, peace out or stay put) and sometimes I just wish I had my own personal coach to curate my life and figure it all out for me. Do you ever feel that way (read: crazy)?

Until I find this personal assistant/savior/magician (who want's the job??), I'm relying on others to figure out the details... well, at least what's for dinner.

I was in the mood to cook the other night and logged on to RealSimple.com for a "quick 15-minute dinner" recipe for inspiration. This eggplant pasta salad popped up and having never cooked with eggplant I jotted down the ingredients and ran to the store.

Friends, this is deeelish! I prefer it warm vs. cold as the recipe instructs but the flavor is big and the capers are a must! Perfect (comforting) weeknight meal for the mini life-crisis around the corner ;)

Eggplant Pasta Salad

Real Simple

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup white wine

kosher salt and pepper

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. capers

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

1 pound dried penne

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery and cook, 3 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 2 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the sugar. Stir into the eggplant.

Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the capers, pine nuts (if using) and parsley.

Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the package directions. Toss with the remaining oil, let cool, and cover. Combine the eggplant with the pasta before serving.

summer lovin: strawberry rhubarb pie

2010-06-14T19:58:00.017-04:00

It's been feeling summery around here (read: steamy and suffocating with rain at any moment), so Izzy and I took an extraordinarily cheap flight from Cheaptickets.com home ($140 round-trip!) for a long weekend of relaxing with Mom and Dad in Western PA.

It's been 6 months since I was last home (at Christmas! Can you believe it?!) and I can't let another 6 pass before I'm back. We had burgers on the grill. We had fudge ripple ice cream from down the road. We had lightening bugs and cool evenings. I slept in and took naps. I went to the mall and shopped at Macy's without wanting to tear my hair out or elbowing an old woman for a deal in the shoe section. And we droooove! We rolled down the windows and drove around town and I couldn't have been happier sitting in the passenger seat with the wind blowing in my hair.

I love home!

To kick off the summer months, I picked up fresh strawberries and two stalks of rhubarb (and some shortening - c'mon, it makes the best crusts!) and got to making a summery sweet pie for dessert on Saturday night.

Deb delivered a lovely Lattice-topped Strawberry Rhubarb pie recipe and I went for it. OH MY GAH. It's crazytown delicious!!! The crust alone was to die for, and the pie itself was the perfect mixture of sweet and tart. I LOVED it. And I ate it for dessert on Saturday. And lunch Sunday before I left. Couldn't. Get. Enough.

Rhubarb is a funny thing and you don't see it a lot - so take the opportunity while it's in season and give it a shot if you haven't! This is the perfect entry into the wonderful world of rhubarb, I promise!

Lattice-topped Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Bon Appetit (with SmittenKitchen's adaptations)

For crust:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

10 tbsp. (about) ice water)

For filling:

3 1/2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices trimmed rhubarb (1 1/2 lbs untrimmed)

1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend with 1 tsp water (for glaze)

Make crust:

Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in shortening and butter until coarse meal forms. Blend in ice water 2 tablespoons at a time to form moist clumps. Gather dough into a ball; cut in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Make filling:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Toss gently to blend.

Assemble Pie:

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.

Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Cut into fourteen 1/2-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange 7 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly. Form lattice by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction atop filling. Trim ends of dough strips even with overhang of bottom crust. Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal. Crimp edges decoratively.

Brush glaze over crust. Transfer pie to baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about another 25 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.