bread

oat banana bread with bloobs + walnuts

food blog culture has gotten annoying right? i'm ready for the rebellion.

way over the uber styled stuff, not every dish that comes out of your kitchen requires a whole photoshoot with fancy spoons and decor stored in back closets.

real kitchens have shit all over the place.

i'm trying to embrace the messy chaos. as long as the light's good and there aren't bugs crawling in the background, then how bad could the picture be?

i make banana bread over and over again because i always want to eat more.

i know that internet has 2 billion recipes for banana bread, but i don't care. this one is mine and it was goooooood.

a simple banana bread made with buttermilk, some oats, blueberries and walnuts folded in. i topped it with a line of raw sugar and a line of sesame seeds

this loaf was moist business. like, perfection moist. finished in 2 days between 2 people, moist.

Oat Blueberry Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups flour (227g)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup rolled oats

2 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk (80g)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (110g)

1 cup mashed bananas (300-350g)

1 1/4 cup sugar (250g)

1/2-1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4c-1c frozen blueberries

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

preheat oven to 325 degreesF. grease a 9x5" loaf pan. mix dry ingredients in bowl and whisk. mix wet ingredients (eggs - vanilla) in another larger bowl. add dry ingredients to wet and use a spatula to stir just til combined. fold in the blueberries and walnuts. scrape into pan and bake for 1 hr and 10-20 minutes - just start checking after an hour. 

let cool a bit before serving. it will get better after a day. 

bills coconut bread

earlier i woke up at 4. my brain was turning and my heart was racing in that anxious way it does. i knew there was no going back to sleep.

it took me back to my bakery mornings, my waking-up-at-3am-is-normal days.

while the nostalgic thoughts always seem to join in, i must say..it is extremely nice to have a break from that. i was cut off from everything those years.

"want to go out to dinner?"   "what time? anytime past 6 is tough for me..."

"we could do something chill like go to a movie, it's at 7." "hmm..no."

being hungover working in a hot kitchen is the worst

...Why did you do that again!? i yell and bitch at myself

do you know what a hangover looks like when its 3am? it looks like still drunk.

hungover poaching pretzels in a large pot of boiling lye water. jesus

i remember when i started i didn't know what lye was. i was told, "remember that scene in fight club when poured on the hand and his hand just started melting fucking off? that was lye. always wear gloves."

ANYWAY. i knew i wasn't gonna sleep. and in what seemed like the quickest and easiest decision i've made in awhile, flipped on the light, put on shoes, and went on a run.

wouldn't it be the best world if you could sleepwalk-excercise? wake up at 7 as usual, and have had already spent 45 minutes on the elliptical.

and you'd also showered before you got back into your bed?

and you ate fried eggs with buttered toast every morning.

yes, it would be the best.

i made coconut bread one evening. and the next morning i sliced it thick and toasted it and ate it with salted butter and had it for breakfast instead of eggs.

and did it again the next morning.

you know the loaves that call themselves bread but are really a soft/lighter/cakey texture? this is not that.

this is coconut Bread, deliciously sweetened. heavier and sturdy. i want it hot and toasty and a little crisp on the edges and able to spread dabs of butter on each little piece i pull off.

bread is for toasting. not cake. i don't want my loaf cake toasted.

i want my cake moiiiist.

the butter amplifies the greatness of bread and the bread amplifies the greatness of butter. i'm not surprised at all that this bread is so famous.

the time i took this picture i was eating it with leftover salty caramel.

Coconut Bread

from bill granger, recipe posted everywhere

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups (315g) ap flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp (10g) baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup (200g) sugar

5 ounces (140g) sweetened flaked coconut (about 1 1/2 cups)

6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted and browned

heat oven 350 degreesF. in a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. 

in a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add sugar and coconut, and stir to mix. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture, then stir in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. add butter, and stir until just smooth - be careful not to over mix. 

butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan or coat with nonstick spray. spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before turning it out onto a cooling rack. 

serve in thick slices, toasted, with salted butter. yay, all is right in the world before your slice is finished. 

blackberry focaccia

hotdamn!

that bread is attractive!

the result is different from a typical focaccia, as if the powdered sugar didn't lead your brains to realize. the crumb is soft and much more compact.

there's less holiness going on.

right out of the oven is truly the only way to eat this bread. the crust is crunch heaven, the crumb is warm and soft, the berries have melted into the crumb..a nice shower of powdered sugar and you're in business.

immediate business.

do not wait to eat.

if you need to wait til later today to eat it, don't make this. make chocolate cake

ok so straight out of the oven, this blackberry focaccia equals a really nice experience.

next day? no, stop.

it'd be nice on a brunch table. it'd be cool with tea.

i had it before dinner and forced everyone around me to eat it..it's at its most delicious peak, obviously i must force it on you.

Blackberry Focaccia

adapted from Nigel Slater's Ripe

3 1/4 cups (450g) 

bread flour 

7g (about 2 tsp) instant yeast

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

8 oz blackberries

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp demerara sugar (raw sugar)

confectioners' sugar for dusting

put the flour in a large bowl, add the yeast, sea salt, and then the sugar and warm water. mix with a wooden spoon. turn the dough out onto a generously floured board and knead lightly for 5 minutes or so

(this can also be done in a kitchen aid fitted with a dough hook.) 

once the dough feels elastic and "alive", put it into an olive oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and leave it to proof somewhere warm. it will take about an hour to double in size. once it has, punch it down to knock some of the air out. tip it into an oiled shallow baking pan about 12 inches in diameter or a rimmed baking sheet. gently knead half the blackberries into the dough, scattering the remaining ones on top. cover the dough once more and return it to a warm place to rise. 

preheat the oven to 425 degreesF. once the dough has expanded to almost twice its size, drizzle over olive oil, scatter with the sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes until well-risen, golden brown, and crisp on top. it should feel springy when pressed. leave to cool slightly before dusting with confectioners' sugar. cut into thick wedges and eat while it is still warm. it will not keep for more than a few hours. 

winter shortcake



looky here! it's a winter shortcake.
what constitutes a winter shortcake? there are 3 components. winter fruit, a heartier cozier biscuit, and cream.

these are whole wheat brown butter biscuits.
remember that new flour mill in town, Grist and Toll? i snagged a bag of their 'Sonora' whole grain pastry flour and used it to make these here biscuits.
(so light. so delicate. so nutty.)



they are good all on their own. eat one for breakfast with butter and an espresso. 
then later slice one in half, slice up some fruits, make the damn shortcake, eat the damn shortcake. 

it's pretty much a dessert hamburger that you eat with a fork.



See? Strawberry is not the sole dictator of the shortcake universe. 




Whole Wheat Brown Butter Biscuits
adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups whole wheat grain flour or white whole wheat flour
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (4 oz) chilled brown butter
3/4 cup heavy cream (or buttermilk)
1 egg yolk (save white to brush the tops)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
(optional: 1/4-1/2 cup dried fruit, candied ginger, etc)
sugar for topping

mix the dry ingredients in a bowl or the bowl of a food processor. cut in the butter with a pastry blender, bench scrapers (my favorite), a few pulses of the food processor, or even a fork. whisk together cream, egg yolk, and vanilla. stir into the dry mixture until a dough forms. transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead in the dried fruit if using). 

pat the dough into a disk about 1 1./2 inches thick. stamp out circles with a biscuit cutter, or cut into squares. transfer circles to a parchment lined baking sheet. refrigerate for 15 minutes (or put it in the freezer for 5 minutes). preheat the oven to 375 degreesF. brush the tops with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on the tops. 
bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. 

Whipped Cream: 1 cup heavy cream + 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar + small splash of vanilla 
beat til soft peaks

Fruits: 
blood orange/any citrus segments
blackberries
kumquat, sliced thinly

To Assemble: slice a biscuit through. place bottom half on plate. top with a few nice dollops of the cream. top that with a mix of your fruits. top it the whole thing with the other half of the biscuit. 



raisin challah





challah is Tasty.
challah is pretty dang easy.
challah is pretty dang gratifying.
it is shiny and soft and faintly sweet.

oh sweet challah, be mine forever and always.
cuddle up next to me, you beautiful braidy boule, and spoon me all night.

butter and honey, you guys are coming too.




Raisin Challah
adapted from this recipe

1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tbsp)
1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
5 large eggs
1 tbsp salt
8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup golden raisins
poppy seeds


in a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water. 
whisk oil into the yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. gradually add flour. when the dough holds together, it's ready for kneading. 
turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. clean out the big bowl and grease it, then return the dough to the bowl. cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. you can warm your oven to 150 and then turn it off, and let the dough rise in there. 
after doubled, punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour. 

at this point, you can start braiding the dough. it will make 2 larger loaves or 3 smaller ones. i simply divide each ball of dough into 3 equal pieces, roll each one out, pinch the ends together and braid. to make a round challah, just twist into a circle, pinching the ends together. make two or three loaves. place the braided loaves onto greased cookie sheets, with at least 2 inches in between them. 
beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. at this point, you can either freeze breads or let rise another hour. if baking immediately, preheat the oven to 375 degreesF and brush loaves with second egg wash. 
bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. cool loaves on a rack. 

scrambled eggs and beer bread


carby complaints:
"i don't want to wait for yeast to activate and proof for hours."
"i don't want to have to drive to the store to get bread."

Beer Bread. it's nearly instant gratification.
every ingredient is pretty much always on hand and it takes 5 minutes to mix up. 1 hour later and i have a tall crusty loaf and a house perfumed with breadiness.

the eggs turn it into a meal, and voila! temporary self-satisfaction.

 carbohydrates, you assholes.



Beer Bread
adapted from here

*this is a savory bread with a sweet beery flavor. don't let the 1/2 cup of sugar deter you. 

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces beer
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 375 degreesF. grease a loaf pan. in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. add the beer and mix well. dump into the loaf pan, and drizzle the melted butter over the top. bake for 55 min-1 hour. 
let cool. 


oatmeal buttermilk bread



oaty bread, oaty bread, what are they feeding you?
(yeast!)

oaty bread, oaty bread, it's not your fault.




i need a sandwich. really.
i need toast with butter. i need toast with green... avocado, clearly.


i truly in my life have never experienced such spastic eating habits. i miss eating meals.
real, sit down, shut up, meal time.
FOOD!
SAVORY FOOD.


you see, this new restaurant is opening.
the new restaurant. the one that i'll also be responsible to bake and pastry for.
that new restaurant is opening now, like yesterday.

so to say that things have kicked into overdrive would be.. completely accurate.
i fake faint onto my work station at least thrice a day. and i drink a. Lot of supposed energy boosting beverages.
not red bull though, no. it tastes like a hangover.



one morning off, i took the time to mix yeast with water and flour and oats, and to use my buttermilk stash for something other than cake.
it proved to be highly worth it. if anything but for the smell alone.

the dough, stubbly from the oats, is a bit on the sticky side. this is good.


excuse me while i bury my face in fat toast.






Oat Buttermilk Bread
adapted from Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman

1 lb 10 oz bread flour
6 oz whole wheat flour (i used half whole wheat half spelt)
5.3 oz rolled oats
2 cups warm water
1 cup buttermilk
2.4 oz (3 tbsp) honey
2.4 oz (5 1/2 tbsp) canola or sunflower oil
0.7 oz (3 1/2 tsp) salt
0.18 oz (1 1/2 tsp) instant dry yeast

in your mixer's bowl, combine the oats with the 2 cups of water and let soak for 30 minutes. 

add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together with the paddle attachment until they come together as a sticky mass. switch to the dough hook and knead for about 10 minutes. the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom. if it is still too sticky to handle, add a few tablespoons of extra flour. continue to knead for a minute or two with floured hands, then shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let sit at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. 
after the dough has doubled, divide it in half and shape into two loaves. 
to shape: on a lightly floured surface gently press dough into a wide rectangle. fold both sides into the center, then working from the top roll up and gently pinch seam together. repeat with the other dough. place seam side down into greased loaf pans cover loosely with plastic wrap or light dish towels and allow to rise in a warm dry place about 1 1/2-2 hours, they should be domed about an inch or two out of the pans. 
preheat oven to 400 degreesF. brush the top of the loaves with water or egg wash, sprinkle with oats, place inside the oven and drop the oven temperature to 350 degreesF. bake for about 20 minutes and then rotate in the oven. bake for another 25-30 minutes until tops are browned and loaves sound hollow when knocked on the bottom. 
allow loaves to cool completely on a wire rack. 


challah french toast. stuffed with ricotta


i want my baby back baby back baby back
i want my baby back baby back baby back

chiiiiliiis. baby back toast.



challah is a sweet eggy bread like brioche. it is braided so fine. it is meant for french toast, you know.


two slices challah are sandwiched with barely sweet ricotta cheese.
it is plunged into french toast custard dip...eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla.
it meets the hot griddle. it sizzles and oozes good morning smells.

maple syrup bath to follow.




Ricotta Stuffed Challah French Toast

2 slices challah
2 eggs
splash of milk, about 1/4 cup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup ricotta
1-2 tsp sugar

oil or butter for griddle
maple syrup

mix the sugar into the ricotta. spread onto one slice of challah and top with the other. whisk up the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a wide bowl. let challah soak well in the custard on both sides while you head a griddle over medium heat and grease with oil or butter. when pan is hot add stuffed challah and cook undisturbed for a few minutes until golden. flip and cook on the other side til golden. serve immediately with maple syrup. 

almond poppy seed loaf

i didn't make any new years resolutions, i never seem to. 

february resolutions sound less intimidating

shall i february resolute? 

my february resolutions are for things like, eat at son of a gun, walk more, perfect some kind of carrot muffin, stop thinking so much about what other people are doing..

onward to baking!

there are things i bake because they're fun to make.

there are things i bake because i want to try new things.

there are things i bake because it's my job and i have to.

and then there are the things i make because that's just all i want to eat.

the minute that i start thinking about almond poppyseed anything, i get unnatural food tunnel vision. it's all i want and all i need.

this issue directly relates to costco and my youth.

my mom was a fiend for costco and their muffins. the almond poppyseed was my everything.

i'd call dibs on the whole row. i'd scrape the muffin paper with my teeth.

little did my scrawny middle school self know that she would one day grow up to be a baker and spend a good chunk of life obsessing over making a breakfast bread as good as costco.

it needs to be perfectly moist and very speckly.

it must taste as good as almond extract smells, and live up to all my childhood flavor memories.

i think i did it.

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf

adapted from the girl who ate everything

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup almond meal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp poppy seeds

1 1/8 cups vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

preheat the oven to 350. line two 8-9 inch loaf pans with parchment and grease (i used a long 16 inch loaf pan). combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. in another large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, extracts, and melted butter, mix well. add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. scrape into prepared pan/pans and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. 

for glaze:

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsalted butter

pour all ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. pour glaze over warm bread. 

buttermilk chive biscuits + black pepper brown butter

one day out of the week there will be no bacon, and no cheddar.

but there can still be biscuits.

sometimes, i just need the biscuits all to myself.

one of the good parts about making 300 biscuits a day is that making a normal home-sized batch feels like the quickest easiest thing.

biscuit making is all about the method.

mix up dry. cut in butter. fold in just enough buttermilk for a dough to come together.

there is no need for buttermilk measuring.

chive biscuits, plain and simple, a nice change of biscuit pace.

black pepper brown butter is just brown butter stirred with a little honey, salt, and lots of coarse black pepper.

hella good

Buttermilk Chive Biscuits + Black Pepper Brown Butter

adapted from bon appetit

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped chives

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

buttermilk, about 1-1 1/4 cups

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt and mix together well. mix in chives. using one or two bench scrapers, a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry mix until it resembles a coarse meal and butter chunks are around the size of a hazelnut. create a well in the center of the dry mix and pour in  buttermilk. stir until dough just comes together and is evenly moistened. either pat into a disk, about 1 1/2 inches tall and stamp out rounds using a biscuit cutter, or simply scoop 1/4 cups of dough onto a baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. brush with a little buttermilk and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. cool slightly and serve. 

Black Pepper Brown Butter

from

Keys to the Kitchen

by Aida Mollenkamp. do you have this book? you should have this book

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. cook swirling the pan to ensure it cooks evenly, until the butter turns a nut brown color, about 5 minutes. immediately remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the honey, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool to room temperature. 

brown butter blueberry cranberry muffins


honey, you baked!

baked what?

baked muffins.

muffins for americuh. red white and blue. and brown butter.


the best most crummy and delicious muffins can be made right now, if you get up off your bed and out of child's pose.
you need things from the pantry like flour and baking powder, things from the fridge like milk and butter. and things from the freezer like frozen blueberries.

i'm gonna have to advise you to lick this batter. brown butter is one of the great wonders of the food world, you know.


is that not the prettiest crumb?
the baking nerdiness is reaching new heights with sentences like that.


the batter yielded me 11 muffins. all the muffins shouldn't have to sacrifice just so you can have one extra muffin.

mad respect.


Brown Butter Blueberry Cranberry Muffins
adapted from this wonder

7 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup fresh cranberries

 for the topping:
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp sugar

 preheat the oven to 375 degreesF. 
melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat while keeping an eye on it, melt and cook down the butter until it starts crackling and little brown bits appear. butter will begin to brown and brown quickly so keep a close eye on it and pull it off heat as soon as the butter is evenly browned. careful to burn! set aside to cool a bit. 
whisk milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. add brown butter and stir to combine. 
whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. add milk and butter mixture all at once and stir gently to combine. gently fold in the cranberries and blueberries. 
to make the topping, combine the butter flour and sugar in a small bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly. 
divide the batter among muffin cups ( i got 11 muffins). sprinkle topping over the tops. 
bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. cool in pan set on a rack for a few minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature. 

pumpkin pecan bread + instagram lovin


well hello humans, happy day to you.

i've been working. working. working. then, finally, lazing.

mondays. everyone's least favorite. my most favorite. walking dead in the morning. oats, apples, peanut butter. sleepy afternoons. schooling myself on bread, and mastering the art of caffeine overload.
i'm looking forward to another.


do i sound redundant lately? my life has been severely redundant.


nights with candles and a fan blowing into my face.


this was the sky one morning/night when i walked into work.

and later that same day, the sky when i walked out of work.


this is a grapefruit.


and dinner. spinach + cheese ravioli tossed with apples arugula and hazelnuts. with roasted purple cauliflower

lusting over old ovens. turquoise ones.


halloween stash.


some pumpkin pecan bread. bread that vegans can eat.


if you want the recipe to this vegan pumpkin pecan bread, i will write it for you. if you have a bunch of eggs and want to flick vegans, calm down, make pancakes.



Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Bread
adapted from joy the baker

 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped toasted peans 

 preheat the oven to 350 degreesF. grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans and set aside. in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. in another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, and water. add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together with a spatula. fold in the pecans. 
divide dough between the two pans and bake 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. let them cool in the pans for 10-20 minutes and then invert onto a rack to cool. 


apple quinoa bread


i overslept.
my alarm was set to 5 pm not am, and i overslept.
i woke up 18 minutes after the minute i was supposed to be at work, on my feet, lookin alive, making dough.

the feeling of being late to work gives me crazy anxiety. i hate being late.

my family was always late to everything. i was always uptight about it.
i was the kid in the backseat of the car, frustrated and ready to go,  honking the horn obnoxiously. then i'd get yelled at.


i got to work in record time, from the minute i jolted awake to walking in the restaurant doors..12 minutes.

i probably could have taken an extra minute to grab an apple or my ever important sharpie.
but the thought of being any later was too much to bear for my late-phobic brain.

so no coffee, no breakfast, no morning zone out time.
the day was clearly thrown off. and the energy was at a 2 for the rest of the morning.


the day perked up with a fat tall venti whatever latte, and then i got back to turning pretty apples into hundreds of sweet, paper thin apple chips.

and then scooping biscuits, obviously.


i made this apple quinoa bread because i had slightly overcooked some quinoa and felt guilty throwing it away.

so, very lightly sweet breakfast bread. it would be completely vegan if i didn't smash a tablespoon of butter into the oat topping.
and quinoa is protein (aww yeah). so protein bread. i'd rather grab protein bread than a protein bar. if i'm not running too late to think about food.


it's dense and super moist.
my sincerest apologies for throwing around the word moist so much.
i'm just trying to describe things accurately.


Apple Quinoa Bread

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 large apple, peeled and grated
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tsp vanilla extract
small handful toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
small handful of golden raisins (optional)

1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil to keep it dairy-free)

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. grease or line an 8inch loaf pan with parchment paper. in a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. in another bowl, mix the grated apple, oil, quinoa, and vanilla. in a third small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping - the oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter or oil and set aside. add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir til just combined. fold in the nuts and/or raisins if using. scrape into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the oat topping to cover the batter. bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

vanilla rum banana bread + kaffir lime glaze


wilco @ hollywood bowl. raincoat crisps. wine.
achey hands, fingers acting double jointed. one hopeful morning.
homeland, dexter.
vanilla rum banana bread. coffee x4.
2001: a space odysee.
dead computer. getting angry, punching a pillow, more than a little pouting.


what do you do when your computer is dead and you don't have a new one yet...and you have a blog?

i don't know.
i appear to be borrowing someone's computer, loving up on instagram, and making banana bread to comfort my soul.



i got my hands on some finger limes for the first time, and they are crazy cool. i couldn't help but to squeeze some of the crunchy little lime beads into the glaze.



Vanilla Rum Banana Bread with Kaffir Lime Glaze
adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp dark rum
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3

kaffir lime
finger lime (optional but fun)
confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350. sift or whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for a few minutes. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. add the vanilla, rum, sour cream, and mashed banana. then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. scrape into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes. 
simply mix lime juice with confectioners sugar until it becomes a smooth glaze and desired consistency is achieved. pour over the cooling bread. 


fresh veggie sandwich


when seasons end i always feel like i am leaving a part of myself behind. in that happy/sad nostalgic way.

but
i think i'm dang ready to shoo this humidity away and get under a blanket.
i do believe it is my true natural habitat.


if i were an exhibit at a zoo, it'd probably be me on a couch, oblong bun on the top of my head, with my body buried in sweaters and scarves.
i'd have a creepy smile plastered on my face and stare right back at you looking at me, and then you'd want to leave and move onto the meer cats and i could continue spooning ice cream out of my mug and watching breaking bad on netflix.


um..
i want a sandwich.


SANDWICHES, YES. it's obvious why everyone is obsessed with sandwiches.
i'd pick a good veggie sandwich over a meat one any day. it doesn't matter what the heck season it is, sandwiches are golden.
i like to think that making a good veggie sandwich is an art form.


in my perfect veg sandwich world, avocado is an absolute must.
there needs to be fresh crunch.
there needs to be juiciness.
there needs to be creaminess, the avocado has this covered.
there needs to be good crusty bread. i prefer it toasted.


there needs to be salt and pepper.
there needs to be something bold in flavor or spicy..like a flavorful spread or pesto.

and there should be lots of color! the more it looks like a rainbow the better.
i like to just wander around the produce at the market and see what pops out at me.


here i have fresh ciabatta bread, too-perfect-for-words-and-soon-to-be-gone tomatoes (wah), cucumbers, red onion, funky sprouts, romaine lettuce, avocado, and a little chipotle sun-dried tomato spread.


dip the cucumbers in the sauce to snack on.


there is grape juice too.
and hold up, does anyone drink concord grape juice on the regular?
no right?
this needs to change. drink that purple drink.

i made this exact sandwich for four days. for dinner. by myself.
it was probably the highlight of those days. i can't wait to eat it while i'm couch lounging under a blanket.


Avocado Chipotle Veggie Sandwich
inspired by wanting to eat sandwiches

fresh ciabatta, or other crusty bread
1-2 ripe avocados
1 large heirloom tomato
1/2 cucumber, sliced
a little red onion, sliced
romaine lettuce
sprouts
cheese (optional..i added a few shavings of parmesan)
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
chipotle spread

mash up the avocado in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon and a liberal pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. 
toast the bread. spread avocado on one side of the bread and chipotle spread on the other. layer on the other ingredients, smush together, and slice. 

Chipotle Spread
1 chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tsp adobo sauce
1-2 tbsp mayo, sour cream, or greek yogurt
1/4 cup red pesto (i had a small jar of this in my pantry, i think it might be from 
whole foods.. its just a pesto made with sun-dried tomatoes)

mix everything up. 




rosemary focaccia + little caprese sandwiches


sunday night is now officially my frIIIday night!
the sunday night blues have now been converted to the tuesday night blues.


thus, monday mornings are couch relax time.
coffee time. scratch my back and zone out time.


bread baking is a part of my daily life now.
i spend a lot of quality time with sourdough and naan, soft pretzels and steamed buns, bagels and sticky buns.
the quality time is often hot, messy, and stressful.


but even when i am stress running around and have dough in my eyebrow, i can still stop for 10 seconds to crack my back and admire the coolness of what i'm doing, what i'm making.


i made some rosemary focaccia not at work couple weeks ago. it was perfect, everything an olive oil crusted bread should be. crisp and salted. soft chewy innards. the top, sprinkled with flakey sea salt and a little bit of raw sugar.


(the small bit of sugar does great things to bring out all the awesome bready flavors)
(it's not gonna taste like sweet dessert bread, SIR.)


and THEN.
three days ago, focaccia was added to our grand list of breads to churn out.
coincidence? yes.
more work and another thing to stress about? yes.
delicious? yeeesh.


it was served as the base of a sandwich, open faced, layered elegantly with fresh hummus, heirloom tomato + cucumber salad, slices of grilled chicken, and olive pesto.


i just stuffed some caprese salad inside the the bread leftovers and called it an afternoon.


mozz bomb. juicy tomatoes. spinach pesto. i can be content any day with just these things.

but i do appear to have been majorly one-upped by my own job.


Rosemary Focaccia
barely adapted from pastry affair

4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour
2 3/4 cups warm water
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 1/2 tsp raw sugar

in a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, water, and yeast. cover the bowl with plastic and allow to rise in a warm dry place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough has tripled in volume and is bubbly. 
in a stand mixer, attach dough hook and mix in salt and rosemary. knead dough for an additional 5-7 minutes. dough will be loose and sticky. 
( if not using a stand mixer, turn dough onto a floured surface and knead dough, mix in salt and rosemary at this time. add more flour as needed. dough will be difficult to handle, but try to incorporate as little flour as you can, as it will result in a softer bread)
cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another hour, or until doubled in volume. 
in a 13x17 inch rimmed baking pan, evenly distribute 2 tbsp of olive oil to coat the pan. turn out dough onto pan and with oiled hands, pull dough to the edges of pan. the dough may resist, but with some patience it will stay put. cover dough with a clean dish towel and allow to rise for an additional 20 minutes. 
preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
using your fingertips, dimple the top of the dough. drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over bread and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, black pepper, raw sugar, and rosemary. bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. let cool slightly in pan before serving warm. 

on the next day, toast the leftovers and make sandwiches. 

plum topped zucchini muffins


i will take one summer fruit and one summer vegetable, and turn them into sweet breakfast.

i should, after all, be overloading myself with summer produce..because hello end of august, hey end of summer (swhaat!?), you always sneak up fast.


sweet breakfasts. can't stop won't stop.
and muffins, they're the cutest.


i want them in the morning, i want them in the evening. and that's the problem, because i'm an annoying muffin eater to everyone else but me.


i'll ruin the tops of your muffins in no time. and when i say ruin, i mean eat off.
i know it's the selfish thing to do, i'm sorry for acting selfish. i'm sorry for ruining your box of muffins by nibbling the tops off every last one.


i've truly pissed some people off, and i totally understand, people love the muffins. i love the muffins. and everyone is well aware that the top is by far the best.
i'm going to need to make more muffins.


soft zucchini-flecked muffins, lightly spiced, topped with streusel, and plums. and then more streusel.


they have big delicious tops.

..no you are.


Plum Topped Zucchini Muffins

2 zucchini (1 lb), ends trimmed
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
2-3 plums, thinly sliced

streusel:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
dash of cinnamon and salt


preheat oven to 375. line muffin pan with papers or spray with nonstick cooking spray. shred the zucchini on a box grater and then squeeze the water out with paper towels. whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. in another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. 
next make the streusel by simply combining all the ingredients together in a small bowl til clumpy and crumbly. 
gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture with the zucchini and walnuts. 
evenly divide the batter into the muffin tins. top each with a bit of streusel, then layer 2 plum slices on each. top with a bit more streusel and bake for about 20 minutes. 
makes about 14 muffins. 

peanut butter banana bacon & honey: a sandwich



check one. check one.

peanut butter. check.

honey. check.


banananananannanas. (bananas with tons of nanas!) check.

and le bacon. check two, check three.


smash it between soft crusty bread.

i like everything about this sandwich mic sesh.


did i just make this for snack? yes, do it.


it is my darling wonderful boyfriend guy's birthday today, a quarter century!


this person is very into movies, coconut things, and the weather.
he is pretend reading the grapes of wrath, he loves coffee, he paces around the room like a madman when he's on the phone.


this person and i had our first conversation when i was 16.
this person can lick his elbo.

And he loves the weather. i said that already. it's because this dude is reALly into the weather and earthquakes and atmospheric things. it's nerdy and cute.


sometimes i leave him weather doodles.



he would like this sandwich.
he didn't have any of this sandwich. because i only made one. and it was for myself.



but if he wanted one, i would make him one. because i am nice, and because it is his birthday, and because i love him.


Peanut Butter Banana Bacon + Honey Sandwich 
adapted from youth

peanut butter
banana, sliced
honey
bacon, 1-2 slices  crisped
crusty bread, toasted

layer and smash together in sandwich fashion. 


s

rainbow summer + fruit nut loaf


rainbows are all around me. oh, i love them.












mmm. you sexy thing.






this picture could have been pink...if i could relax with the watermelon. but i never want to stop.
More, bring me more!





focus, i must.









RAIIIIINBOWS

and wait. fruit nut loaf too.


it's rainbow-ish right?

it's a heavy loaf of goodness, a loaf to squash all others!
the cast of characters: dried apricots, dried figs, dates, prunes, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds. and only a small bit of brown sugar flecked batter to hold them all together.

it might be the best thing to happen to a cheeseboard since the invention of brie.
so brie should certainly be next to it. or goat cheese. or any cheese. maybe some rosemary and honey.

sliced super thin with a sharp serrated knife, every slice is major art. stained glass mosaic art.

seriously. so so good.

Fruit Nut Loaf
adapted from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dried whole apricots
1/2 cup dried prunes
1/2 cup dried figs, halved
1 cup moist dates, quartered
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup almonds
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract or emulsion

preheat oven to 300. line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 
in a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. add the brown sugar, all the dried fruit and nuts, and mix thoroughly with your fingertips. set aside. 
in a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract and almond extract. pour egg mixture over the fruit and nut mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon until all the fruits and nuts are coated with the batter. scrape into the prepared loaf pan. 
bake until the top is deep golden brown and the batter clinging to the fruit seems set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. if the top appears to be browning too much, tent it with a piece of aluminum foil. cool completely in the pan on a rack. 
when completely cool, remove the cake from the pan. it will keep wrapped airtight in plastic, for over a week or can be kept fresh for weeks in the refrigerator.  and it also freezes beautifully. to serve, cut into thin slices with a sharp serrated knife. 

honey glazed buttermilk cornbread + spicy chili


i've been staring at too many screens lately.. computers, tvs, movie theatres...

i'm a little fed up with myself. and contemplating whether my brain is actually slowly degrading.

it worries me. wanna know what else worries me? like, way too much.


i worry about getting cavities, and about my parents getting old. i worry that i'll never be capable of braiding my hair properly.

and about my shoulder bones because they crack like crazy.
i worry about spending too much money on nail polish, dinner, and office supplies.


then on top of all this useless worrying, there's the stuff that normal people worry about..like dark streets and robbers and strange people who might kill me.

there are times when i worry about the fact that i worry so much. like right now, good god.

worry doesn't sound like a word anymore, it sounds like quarry. which sounds like little house on the prairie.
see. brain --> mush.


i used to worry about the people on little house on the prairie getting stuck in brush fires.

i bet they ate cornbread to soothe their souls out on that massive prairie.

check out that transition. from worrying, hair braiding, and little house on the prairie people in brush fires.. to cornbread.
nailed it.

i  **!%**ing love this cornbread. it's pure unadulterated cornbread, brushed with a honey glaze. and it's one of the great loves of my life.


butter on warm cornbread is remarkable. this is just the way things need to be.
if you drop some on the floor, eat it, who the ef cares.


ah yes, there's chili too. i'll take my cornbread with a side of chili. don't get that backwards.

not that you should ignore the chili. because it's great. it's spicy. it's made with beer. it's got fresh corn. and some turkey and beans of the black and kidney varietal.


i love it! but when there is honey glazed cornbread on my table, it gets shown up. anything does, really.

today is tuesday and today is may.(whaaat!)
ATTACK IT WITH CORNBREAD.


Honey Glazed Buttermilk Cornbread
inspired and adapted from sherry yard

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

for glaze:
3 tbsp butter
1-2 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp water

preheat oven to 350. in a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. in a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, egg, oil, and butter. pour the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. spread into an 8 inch square baking dish. bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. 

while the cornbread bakes, make the glaze. melt the butter in a small saucepan. add the honey and water and whisk until combined. when the cornbread is done poke a couple holes in the surface with a toothpick and brush the glaze over. let cool. 



Turkey Chili
serves 5-6

2 lbs ground turkey
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) bottle beer, (i used blue moon)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1-2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 ears corn
 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar

place turkey in a large skillet, and cook until evenly browned. drain and crumble. 
in a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the turkey with all the ingredients except the corn. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. a couple minutes before serving stir in the kernals from 2 corn cobs. 

serve with toppings: sour cream or greek yogurt, cheddar, cilantro, avocado
cornbread mandatory.