arugula pesto & fontina crostini + pickled shallots

i'm still learning about myself. i'm 23, so that's normal right?
we're always learning new small things about our weirdselves.

i'm making more of an effort to channel my astrological self and learn to balance things out, like ratios in baking, and life.

i've learned that i can function fine with a messy closet, but that i hope i'll stop being messy eventually.

i've learned that i'll just never be a glass-of-milk-drinking gal. glass of fresh almond milk, Yes.
cow milk, nay.
no, not even with cookies. i'll take those with ice cream, thank you.

i don't know myself well enough just yet to know what i would do if i was sitting next to carrot top on a bus. i have no clue what i'd do.

would i be quiet, look out the window, and keep it cool? would i laugh to myself and text people about it? would i try to punch his bulging shoulder? would i strike up a conversation and then say something weird, on purpose or unintentionally?
someday, i hope to have the answer.

one thing that i have been aware of for some time now is my behavior in office supply stores.

my brain creates an Instant Need(IN) for all kinds of things i spot as i casually browse the aisles, moving my way slowly to the aisle with the thing i needed in the first place.

this behavior also holds true for places like target, art stores, and whole foods.

so i should have known when i walked into office depot today to get new sharpies. i should have known i'd be walking out with graph paper post-its, mentos, and a rogue neon folder.

it's okay, odds and ends like these are totally life's simple pleasures.

other obvious simple pleasures include bread and cheese and being satisfied with yourself for using up leftovers in a delicious and efficient way.

efficiency is important, i've learned.
and so is the whole delicious thing, otherwise we wouldn't be satisfied...we'd just be pissed and eat cereal for dinner.

sometimes figuring out what to do with leftovers is fun. and sometimes it is a pain.
more often than not, a baguette can solve this problem.

refrigerator odds and ends are always lurking. a little leftover pesto, random fruits and vegetables here and there. precious wedges of cheese.
we need to put them on bread quick before they go bad!

this is what we have here. toasted baguette smeared with arugula pesto (from these beautious potatoes!), fontina, and some sweet pickled shallots.

they turned from snack to dinner quickly. i love them.

Arugula Pesto, Fontina, and Pickled Shallot Crostini

inspired by this sandwich

some baguette, cut into thin slices

arugula pesto

fontina, sliced

pickled shallots (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350. arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. bake for a few minutes until lightly toasted. when cool enough to handle, slather each crostini with arugula pesto and then a slice of fontina. bake until the cheese gets melty. top with some of the pickled shallots and EAT. 

Pickled Shallots

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

Bring the cider, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium flame. simmer for a minute, until the sugar has dissolved. then pour hot liquid over shallots in a small bowl or jar so that they are fully submerged. allow to sit for 20 minutes, then place in an airtight container until ready for use. this can be done up to a week before. 

twice baked pesto potatoes

dear teeth,
i know i've been eating a lot of peanut brittle. i'm sorry, that can't feel good for you.

dear otis redding,
you make my mornings, days, nights, and hours stuck in my car more enjoyable.

dear wine,
hey,...wassup?

dear empanadas,
you're enticing. i'm really into you lately. you have so many possibilities in life.

dear really hot weather today,
i don't want to be a complainer, you were cheery and beautiful...but you made my fingers swell up and then my rings were borderline cutting off finger circulation. uncomfortable.

dear pesto,
you're pretty. and you make everything better. like sundays and sandwiches and potatoes.

dear twice baked pesto potatoes,

this might turn into a love letter. i'm a little smitten.
bright arugula pesto, parmesan, creamy potatoes, and crisped edges! you are the height of dinner perfection.

i might add some caramelized onions when i make you again very soon. i think this is a good call by me.

love, julia

Twice Baked Pesto Potatoes

makes 6 servings, or less if i'm there

3 russet potatoes

2/3 cup arugula pesto, or other pesto

2/3 cup creme fraiche

1/3 cup parmesan, grated, plus more for sprinkling

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp chives, chopped

salt and pepper

preheat oven to 350. wash the potatoes well. with a sharp knife score around the diameter of the potato, just piercing the skin. this makes it easier to cut in equal halves. bake the potatoes for about an hour, until cooked all the way through. remove from oven, and let sit until cool enough to handle.  cut each in half. 

scoop out the potato from the skins and put into a medium bowl. fold in the other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. spoon back into the potato skins. arrange on baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with parmesan. bake for 15 minutes longer until they are golden and melty. 

Arugula Pesto

3 cups packed fresh arugula

1 cup packed fresh basil

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4-1 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

place pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and chop until a coarse mixture. add arugula, basil, salt and pepper. with the blade running, stream in olive oil. add enough until desired consistency. taste and adjust seasoning to your liking,

french toast biscotti

do bugs think that they are pets?

this room is huge and this one bug will not leave me alone...landing on my knee and flying around my space.
don't they know how annoying and gross they are?
don't they know that they're just asking to be smashed with a shoe? i'm not proud, but i'll do it.

i should not be discussing bugs right before i talk about baked goods. it's gross. what's wrong with me. i feel strange.

my decisions right now are definitely questionable. but at least i did one thing right today. french toast flavors.

never ever question french toast. (don't do it you beast.)

maple and cinnamon sugar and buttery pecan biscotti...or french toast biscotti.
call them what you will, they are a fiiine tea accompanier.

i dream of moving to london and having a daily tea time routine. and developing a slight, more intelligent-sounding accent, p'haps?

but, i'm still in city where caffeine runs through it's veins. oh and i need to wake the heck up. so i'll drink tea and act intelligent tomorrow, coffee it is!

fill up my cup. mazeltov! make biscotti. munch biscotti.

you know what to do.

French Toast Biscotti

adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

2-4 tbsp maple syrup

preheat oven to 325. line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. mix flour, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. with an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy. add 1 egg and beat well. add egg yolk, beat well. mix in vanilla and then dry ingredients and pecans.

transfer dough to work surface. divide in half and shape each half into a 9-inch long, 2 inch wide log. transfer logs to baking sheets. beat remaining egg and brush the logs with the egg wash. bake until golden and firm to touch ( dough will spread), about 50 minutes. cool on baking sheets, keep oven on. 

mix 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2 inch wide diagonal slices. place biscotti cut side down onto baking sheets. with a pastry brush, brush each biscotti with maple syrup. then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over each cookie. bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. cool on racks. store in airtight container. 

baked feta with sage honey

lunchtime is breaktime for your brain. shut it off.

stop writing and stressing and worrying.. and just bake cheese.

b
a
k
e
d
chEEse!

bake your cheese. eat it with bread and a fruit.

read a magazine. turn on some tunes. try to massage your own back.
and scold yourself for not baking cheese for lunch more often.

honey and cheese should be together.

i used this wonderful sage honey that i purchased from whole foods.
but you can use any honey around you. this is baked cheese we're talking about, it's going to be pure greatness no matter what.

oh, and hey, i love you.

Baked Feta with Sage Honey

4-5 ounce slab greek feta, blotted dry with a paper towel

olive oil

2 tsp sage honey or other honey

few sprigs of thyme

fresh black pepper

preheat oven to 400. place the feta in a small ceramic baking dish. cover with a few glugs of olive oil and bake for 7-8 minutes. preheat the broiler. heat the honey over the stove or in microwave until fluid enough to be poured. pour honey over feta. sprinkle with sprigs of thyme and fresh ground black pepper. broil it until the cheese browns and just starts to bubble. 

serve with bread and fruit. 

cranberry awesome cake

SOUR.
!!!
eye squinty, awesome tart.

as a young las, the candy wonderland stores...you know, the ones with all the separate bins and bag-filling up...those stores filled me with such pure happiness.
and the sour sugar covered gummy things of all shapes and forms...those were my main squeeze.

peach ring after peach ring. sour green apples, and watermelons and the other smaller version of sour watermelons.

and sour belts, obviously.
and maybe the occasional red sweedish fish...not sour, but just too good to pass up.

and now, while i would totally be glad to eat all of these sour gummy creatures out of a striped bag, i would rather sit down and get my sour fix via cake. THIS cake.

cranberries are natural tart beauties. and phenomenal to bake with. they melt into the soft crumb of cakes and breads. and their tartness is so beautiful with the sweet. and the color!

adjectives!

this cake is a little different. there is no baking powder. no soda. no acidic things. !!??!!?

the eggs are beaten and beaten to a froth. and that takes care of all the cake rising.

it's incredibly dense and buttery in the best way possible. and i'm crazy about it.
maybe i say this a lot. maybe that can get confusing.

but i will say that i shall make this cake for the rest of my life. when i'm a granny, i'll be mixing up this cake. it's become a trusty standby and it i can never get enough.

i mean...these photos are clearly just the same one piece of cake. the only piece that managed to survive til morning.

it has 6 ingredients. to the kitchen you go!

ps. words of the wise.. don't start a conversation about how the cake is leavened with eggs alone at the dinner table.

most people at the dinner table are bored by that... they'll awkward nod and smile along as they think about sports or taxes or how they wish you'd stop talking about eggs.

Cranberry Awesome Cake

from bare feet in the kitchen

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

12 oz fresh cranberries

preheat oven to 350 degrees. with a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. the mixture should almost double in size, the eggs are the leavening agent in the recipe so it's important not to skip this step. the mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. add the butter and vanilla, mix 2 more minutes. stir in the flour until just combined. fold in the cranberries. 

spread in a buttered 9x13 pan. bake for 40-50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. 

let cool before cutting into slices or attacking it with a fork. 

coconut milk poached mahi mahi

your mom probably gets concerned about your eating habits.

if she's anything like mine, bless her dear loving heart, she cringes and makes this almost cry-face when you mention that you didn't have time to eat breakfast and ate chips and pudding all day.

and as much as i wish she'd tone down the dramatic cry-face, worrying is a mom thing and she can't help it.

balanced nutritious dinners make mom's happy.

so...let's make happy healthful dinner. real dinner. with bok choy and coconut milk and words like 'poach'.

we will need a fish.

we will also need limeyness and heat.
(boo! alien hand!)

sequence of events: fish into the coconut milk with the other green flavorful stuff. add more nutritious green plants. fish poached = cooked. ladle fish and broth and greens into bowls.

and in the end, it's sprinkled with crystalized ginger and cilantro. because.. they're good.

and hopefully you've made some rice to eat with it.
eat the rice with chopsticks if you want to frustrate the people around you.

it's soothing. it's light without leaving you full. it's dairy free..woop lactose intolerants!

might you consider making some for your mom?

Coconut Milk Poached Mahi Mahi

adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

serves 4

1 lime

1 15-oz can light coconut milk

1 thai green chile, thinly sliced

1 tbsp cane sugar, brown sugar, or agave

1 lb skinless, boneless mahi mahi or other firm whitefish

1 tsp salt

1 head bok choy, torn

1-2 cups kale, torn

handful of cilantro

crystallized ginger and sliced chili for garnish

zest the skin of the lime, and then juice it. set the zest aside. in a large saucepan set over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, lime juice, chile, and sugar. cut the fish into 8 portions, rinse and pat dry. rub salt on fish filets and place in coconut milk mixture in saucepan. cook fish covered for 5 minutes. uncover, and gently stir in bok choy and kale. cook for 3-5 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. ladle fish into bowls with coconut milk broth. top with pinch of lime zest, cilantro, bits of crystallized ginger, and some sliced chile. 

serve with scoops of brown rice. 

whole orange poppy seed blueberry cake

i am a girl obsessed.

these obsessions can bring a lot of joy to my life.

they can also take up a lot of space in my brain when i should be thinking about going through the pile of papers on my roomchair and eating more antioxidants.

whatever. bows are more fun than papers.

i am obsessed with these paintings.

i'm obsessed with wood floors.

chips. i luh you. tortilla, pita, chocolate, and now these. my newest chip obsession. they are popcorn in chip form.

i am obsessed with the rain when i'm indoors. 

the splotches on my weird doodle journal. 

and grilled cheese. and fondue. and anything with melted cheese. 

peach and gray and white together! color friends.

i am in complete, heartbroken love with this short film. i have watched it over and over. is that an obsession?

oh while we're talking about movies, i can't stop thinking about this one. personal fave of the year!

also, i used to be obsessed with the first shrek...
um..what? nevermind.

i will forever be totally obsessed with this cookbook and this cookbook

and right now, it's become quite obvious. citrus, i. am. obsessed.

cara cara oranges are light pink, sweet, and beautiful.

and what do we do to things that are sweet and beautiful?

we pulverize them. and make cake disguised as bread.

the whole orange, pith, skin and all is blended up to a thick citrus pulp and folded into the batter.

the flavor is in your face citrus in a YEEEESSSSS way.

and poppyseeds and blueberries are the supporting actors. the show just wouldn't be the same without them.

do you have a citrus stash building up?

might you consider some pulverization and make this loaf?
or what about some orange cinnamon donut muffins?

perhaps you fancy a layer cake? chocolate cake with chai cream cheese filling and orange whipped cream. awesome cake. annoyingly long name.

zest your oranges and make white chocolate chunk cookies with orange zest and nutella!

lemon poppyseed focaccia with goat cheese. bread obsession.

OR just skip all this nonsense and make a big gorgeous cake of cheese. black bottomed orange cranberry cheesecake.

just...get into this citrus ok.

Whole Orange Poppy Seed Blueberry Loaf Cake

adapted from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book

1 whole navel orange, washed well

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 cup blueberries

for syrup:

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

position rack in center of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees. lightly butter and flour a 1 1/2 at loaf pan. using a sharp knife, remove the little green stem from the orange, and cut into 8 pieces. in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the orange pieces (skin and all!) and 1/2 cup of the sugar until pureed, scraping down the sides of the bowl. in a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. stir in the orange pulp. whisk in the melted butter to combine. in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds to combine. sprinkle the dry ingredients over the orange mixture, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just combined. pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. remove to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before unmolding and glazing. 

for the glaze: in a small saucepan, combine juices and sugar and simmer until sugar is dissolved and it reduces down a bit, about 2-3 minutes. using a pastry brush, brush the hot glaze all over the cake while it is still warm. 

once it completely cooled, i finished it by drizzling a simple glaze of lemon juice and confectioners sugar over the top.  

moooiiiist.

malted chocolate pudding

valentine's day would be much better if we were all on tropical islands. 
romance would be a lot easier to get into on a sunset boat ride, 2 margaritas deep. 


but this is realistic valentine's day.. it's tuesday. 
and tuesdays can get boring and tough. 


resume writing is a bummer. 
favorite socks go missing. 
my leg hurts. 

but the things we love make all that junk worth it. 


and any day can be made more romantic with pudding dammit. 

this valentine of mine is a good one. he takes me to french bakeries fully knowing that once we step in the door, i will transform into Crazy. 


he doesn't act disgusted when i eat every macaron in the box, 
and then he rubs my back when i feel sick from eating every. macaron. in. the. box. 


he deserves pudding. 

special malted chocolate pudding. 


does this interest you, sir?
does the mere mention of malt make you want to skip to work today? ..kinda.

i have a grand idea! today, you take the time to make some pudding. making pudding is a definite love gesture. 
present your pudding to someone you love tomorrow..boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, friend, dentist, pet, whoever!

show up with a darling cup of pudding in your hands, and they will jump into your arms and love you even more and surely not care that you don't have expensive jewels for them. they won't. 


unless they are rude. 

Malted Chocolate Pudding

recipe from hungry girl por vida via martha stewart

*it's super important to splurge and use good quality cocoa powder in this recipe, i use Valrhona

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup malted milk powder

2 1/2 cups whole milk

4 egg yolks

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside. 

in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder. carefully whisk in milk, a bit at a time, making sure to dissolve the cornstarch. add the egg yolks and whisk well to combine. 

set pan over medium heat and whisk constantly. cook until it thickens and the first large bubble forms and breaks the surface. reduce heat to low and continue to whisk for 1 more minute. the pudding should be thick and generously coat the back of a spoon. 

remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. pour through the fine mesh sieve. place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. 

chill for 3 hours, and up to 3 days. 

top with lightly whipped cream and whoppers for extra happiness. 

gooey butter cookies

today was just Ugh.
i was in a major funk for the better half of the day.

energy level Low, confidence level loow, do your ears hang level LOW. mood level bleeeeeh.

FUNK.
somedays that's just the way it goes.

finally the sun was going down and i found myself standing in the kitchen chopping vegetables to the mamas and the papas.

hmm, this is rather lovely, i said to myself.. surely the activity to lift me out of funktown.

.
.
then i sliced my thumb really awesomely while chopping the chilies. Of course the chiles!

burning and blood and stinging all at once. yes, wonderful!

whatever you do just don't touch your eyes. do not touch your face, and absolutely NoT your eyes.
(comma i said to myself)

two minutes later, and where would i be but crouching my head under the faucet and hosing down my eye (and face, let's be real).

this episode, as you may have guessed, sent me into a deeper funk.
funk code level orange.

during these types of extremities, cookie dough is absolutely allowed, nay encouraged!

but i don't want you to eat too much cookie dough that you get sick and nauseous and grow to resent me.

Hence, gooey butter cookies.

from the moment i read about these, i couldn't get them out of my head. they were described as being somewhat like baked cream cheese frosting.
done.

these are not your average cookies. the texture is like whaaaat?WHOA.that's awesome.
a cookie dough lover's cookie at its finest.

puffed and gooey,
speckled with vanilla bean seeds,
rolled in powdered sugar,
and they distract you from realizing you were in a bad mood.

and now this despicable day has come and gone and i'm totally gonna forget about it. i will wake up tomorrow content, refreshed, and joyful.

and if i'm not, gooey butter cookies for breakfast!

Gooey Butter Cookies

recipe by Mathew Rice of Nightwood Restaurant 
barely adapted from lottie and doof (i also halved the original recipe)

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 8oz package  cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter

1/4 - 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (optional but wonderful!)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

confetioner's sugar for rolling and dusting

stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar together until fluffy. add the eggs and vanilla extract. 

incorporate the flour mixture. chill for at least 30 minutes. 

preheat oven to 325. scoop roughly 1 ounce balls and toss in the confectioner's sugar. place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, a couple of inches apart. bake until they spread and puff slightly, about 12-16 minutes. they will be really soft in the center. if they start to brown, they've gone too far. cool to room temperature. 

*refrigerate and serve cookies cold out of the refrigerator...these cookies are said to taste much better cold than warm. 

mm cookie doughy. 

garlicky pita chips + roasted broccoli hummus

it's snacktime.
i think that maybe you want a snack.
i definitely want a snack.

maybe this snack that you want is salty. maybe you just ate a lot of jelly beans and now you are craving chips.

or maybe you ate so many chips and guacamole and wings yesterday that you are considering a juice cleanse and rolling your eyes at me.

well, fine. go do your juice cleanse.
i'll be here, snacking. in pajama pants.

this is what's happening.

some leftover pita is tossed with olive oil and garlic and salt and thrown into the oven.

chips. cruuunch. baked! health? sure! yum. cool.

next. some leftover roasted broccoli is going into the food processor with other normal hummus ingredients.
it's like a jamba juice boost for hummus.

that felt good. don't let your leftovers rot! i'm trying to be better about this.
feeling resourceful is important.

and so is hummus always.

ALL HAIL THE CHICKPEA

Garlicky Pita Chips

4-5 pitas, cut into wedges

4-5 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp sea salt

preheat oven to 350. whisk together the olive oil, garlic, and salt. in a large bowl, toss the pita with the olive oil mixture until well-coated. spread onto a large baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10-15 minutes, tossing once halfway through. let cool and eat. 

Roasted Broccoli Hummus

inspired by not without salt

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas

juice of a lemon

2 garlic cloves, roasted

large handful of roasted broccoli, about 1 cup

2-3 tbsp tahini

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2-3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

place all ingredients except olive oil in food processor. process until smooth. with the processor running, slowly stream in olive oil. taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. 

blood orange cakes

i spy,
something awesome.


snow?
no. it doesn't do that here. i only can dream about being in the snow right now. 


your baby? nope. it's not your baby.
i'm sure your baby is really awesome, that's just not what i spy.


food? well, yea. 
it's beautious fruit in the dead of winter!


have you seen this citrus invasion? 
i plan on taking full advantage of february's citrus bounty. 

juice. snacktime. salads! CAKE. 


lovely blood orange cakes that you get all for yourselves. this is time to whip out the jumbo muffin pan. 


more cake, bigger muffin top surface area.


a serving is a serving. everyone knows that. amIright?

these cakes here are packages of winter citrus celebration. 


a denser, creamier texture than a muffin. 


heck chyea, bring on the creaminess. (and the buttermilk tang!)


buttermilk. yes! you my main man. 

...also my boyfriend, you are too. 


boyfriend and buttermilk. you guys are the best. 


always there for me to lean on when things get weird tough. 


what? are you still reading this? 


i should stop. 
wrapping these thoughts up is getting tough weird. 


so.. these cakes are wonderful. all in favor of a winter brunch?

Blood Orange Cakes

adapted from dinner with julie

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups sugar

finely grated zest of an orange

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-2 blood oranges, washed and sliced very thin

sugar, for sprinkling

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

3 tbsp sugar

preheat oven to 350. in a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. then add vanilla. in a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

add about a third of the flour mixture, beating on low speed until combined. add half the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, and then the last of the flour. 

divide the batter between lined or greased muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full. top each with a slice of orange and a sprinkling of sugar. bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and tops are springy to the touch. 

let cool for about 10 minutes and make glaze: put orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. stir until the sugar melts and you have a hot syrupy glaze. generously brush glaze over cakes as they cool. 

*i used a 1/2 dozen jumbo muffin pan and had enough batter to make some extra regular sized muffins.

Pomegranate Quinoa Tabbouleh + Fresh Pita + Hello!

ELLLLOOO!!


back in action. not back to normal sleeping hours.


but back! with a fresh new look at the world, a lot of photos, and an undying hunger for falafels at all moments  of the day.

i have been off in israel...AND it was truly so much more awesome than i could have ever expected.
i met incredibly phenomenal people that i am totally in friend love with... it feels so wonderful to bond with such amazingly different people.


<heY YOU guys! jewrassic park in the haus!>


we got attacked by dust storms, and rode together in a large circle on camels, and floated on top of a sea that is dead.

we sat in silence under the stars in the middle of the dessert, shattered a lot of dinner glasses, and saw old powerful places.


mind blowing stuff. i feel crazy lucky to have seen it.

but now i'm just annoyed.
after the first couple days of getting my sushi and peanut butter fixes, i thought i was back to normal, ready to act like myself again and eat cake for breakfast.


no.


all i need is more israeli food.

more eggplant please. more za'atar. more falafel balls in my face. more sCHwarma. now.


so, since there is not an old israeli man on the corner of my street selling fat stuffed pitas, i simply must make my own.

light and puffed hot out of the oven.


with pomegranate quinoa tabbouleh!


and israeli salad. because cucumbers and tomatoes are part of every israeli meal. duh.

food with beautiful colors makes me smile awkwardly to myself.

there, the first real food i've made since coming home. it feels a little weird to get back into the groove.

but i've missed you, oh blog! 

virtual hug! 

i could give you a real hug if you came over. seriously, come over. i made way too much pita. 

Homemade Pita Breads

adapted ever so slightly from this recipe

2 1/4 tsp active dry or instant yeast

1 tbsp honey or agave

1 1/4 cups warm water, divided

1 1/2 cups bread flour, divided

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, divided

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

cornmeal, for sprinkling

in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup warm water. stir gently to blend. whisk 1/4 cup of the bread flour and 1/4 cup of the white whole wheat flour into the yeast mixture until smooth. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes. 

remove the plastic wrap and return the bowl to the mixer stand, fitted with the dough hook. add in the remaining 3/4 cup warm water, 1 1/4 cup bread flour, 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour, olive oil, and salt. knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. transfer the ball of dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk. 

place an oven rack in the middle position. place a baking stone or baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500. 

once the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured work surface, punch the dough down and divide into either 8 pieces (for larger pitas) or 12 pieces. form each piece into a ball. flatten each into a disk and then stretch out into thin circles, about 6-7 inches. transfer rounds to a baking sheet or other work surface lightly dusted with cornmeal. once the rounds have been shaped, cover loosely with clean kitchen towels. let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, until slightly puffy. 

transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, onto the baking sheet or stone. bake 2 minutes until puffed and pale golden. gently flip pitas over using tongs and bake 1 minute more. transfer to a cooling rack and let cool. repeat with the remaining pitas. 

Pomegranate Quinoa Tabbouleh

makes a big bowl of tabbouleh

2 cups quinoa, i used red

1 english cucumber, seeded and diced

4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion, diced

3-4 green onions, sliced

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 bunch mint, chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, diced

1 cup pomegranate seeds

juice of 4-5 lemons

1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil

lots of sea salt and pepper

*very loose measurements, just taste and adjust to your liking

first cook the quinoa. put 2 cups of quinoa in a saucepan with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. let rest covered for 5 minutes. fluff with a fork. 

toss the quinoa with the rest of the ingredients. taste and adjust seasonings

Israeli Salad

1 english cucumber, seeded and diced

3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 red onion, diced

few handfuls of parsley, finely chopped

juice of a lemon

few tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sumac powder (optional)

salt and pepper

toss everything together in a bowl. taste and adjust for seasoning. 

be like an israeli and serve alongside every meal. 

nutella pecan fudge + vanilla marshmallow. and a fond farewell.

and now for a letter to my brain.

dear brain,

in this new year, we're gonna be more decisive. i would really like that. i'm going to need to train you somehow to make your unimportant and important decisions more efficiently.

come on, it doesn't matter what we eat for lunch ok, just pick somewhere. we could save a lot of time, you and i...quick decisions make for extra time for me to attempt christmas songs on the ukulele and for you to sharpen your math equation skills.

i love you brain, we're in this together..you haven't steered me too wrong yet. even now, when i couldn't force you to make a decision between fudge and marshmallow.

you knew what was up. it was still 2011, there needn't be a choice.
together they would be, nutella fudge and fluffy vanilla marshmallow.

thank you for making me make this.

love, julia.
not louis-dreyfus. don't get too excited. just the person you're attached to.


anyway.

so this fudge marshmallow square thing. semi-classico chocovanilla flavors in a funky little boxy confection.

i sprinkled silver glitter dust all over the tops to be new years festive. the glitter isn't screaming to be seen in these photos. drats! good thing it's totally unnecessary.

all these textures are surprising together. the fudge is being fudgy. some toasted pecans add crunch. and then the square of light vanilla fluff.

so now that i've buttered you up with marshmallows, i must declare that i am filled with excitement and sorrow.

i am off to the other side of the world! so many things to get done in these few hours i have left, i'm becoming a little nutty.
i was totally putting this off...i do hate goodbyes.

not that this is goodbye forever...oh no! don't say such a thing!
just for a little.

i'm definitely not done ranting about cakes and peanut butter.

until we meet again...

be well dearhearts!

Nutella Fudge Marshmallows

 fudge recipe adapted from cookingincanuck, 

for the nutella fudge:

butter, for greasing pan

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

8 oz high quality (at least 60% cacao) chocolate, chopped

1 cup nutella

3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup toasted pecans

sea salt, about 1/2 tsp

grease the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with butter. line the pan with parchment, leaving a 2 inch overlap on the sides. scatter toasted pecans in bottom of pan.

in a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, nutella, and butter

form a double boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. the water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. stir until the chocolate chunks are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5-7 minutes. 

scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out over the pecans until the top is smooth. let firm up in refrigerator for about 2 hours. 


For the Marshmallow
I used this vanilla marshmallow recipe exactly and simply poured half over the fudge layer and the rest into another separate 8 inch pan just to have some plain jane but rockin homemade marshmallows.

cream cheese noodle kugel with caramelized apples (+ dried cherries!)

alright. we were playing the game good jew bad jew. now i'll be good jew. i will make a kugel. i will also go israel next week.
swhaaat?!
yes. which means that i'll have to say goodbye to you, and that i don't like.

but alas, it won't be forever and i will miss you and will try to shove lots of falafel balls and maybe a camel in my purse and try to make it through customs.
for now, we can just make some kugel.

sometime kugels are really weird. some can be pretty darn tasty.
i've had way more encounters with the weird ones even though they have so much delicious potential.
i must try and fix this.

do you know about kugel? it's one of those slightly-dessert-but-eaten-with-dinner type dishes.

it's made with noodles. wavy egg noodles. no boyz or spaghetti allowed.

the noodles are suspended in a cheesey sweet custard type situation.

there are tart dried cherries. they rule! throw some of those in there. people don't get annoying about dried sour cherries like they do about raisins.

caramelized apples. YES. yes. put apple pie-ish things into food. things can only get better. so this kugel has a layer of gooey cinnamon apples in the middle. this will heavily increase the chances of it being an awesome kugel instead of a weird one.

wanna know what else is weird? posting about kugel on new years.
but sometimes i make weird decisions and i'm running out of time before i depart and this needs to be shared.

because guess what.
this kugel trumped any kugel i've had. oh sweet success!

i think this could change kugel haters into kugel hoarders.

slap this on your "2012 to make list". make some different funky things.
what things are on your lists?

i want to make tamales and burrata and lots of infused alcohols.

but it's still 2011, let us enjoy this day! i'm going to go put a bow in my hair and make some crazy fudge because we should eat fudgy chocolate things on the last day of this crazy year.

Cream Cheese Noodle Kugel with Caramelized Apples

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 pound wide egg noodles

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 pound (16 oz) creamed cottage cheese (or just small curd)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup salted butter, melted

8 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup dried sour cherries

caramelized apples:

2 apples, peeled and sliced

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

preheat oven to 350. grease a 9x13 baking dish. 

parboil the noodles (5-7 minutes) and drain. in a very large bowl. 

make the caramelized apples. melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. add the apples and the rest of the ingredients. saute the apples, stirring frequently, until they just turn tender, about 6-8 minutes. remove from heat and set aside. 

beat cream cheese til fluffy. add cottage cheese and beat for another minute. scrape bowl down well. add sugar and combine, then melted butter. scrape down the bowl another time. add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. add cinnamon, vanilla and mix, then stir in dried cherries. finally, carefully fold in egg noodles. 

pour half of the noodle cheese mixture into the prepared dish. top with the apples, spreading them out in an even layer. then pour over the remainder of the noodles. bake for one hour before checking to see if the center is set. it may need up to 30 minutes more. mine was done after about 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

bacon jam + eat all the things at mb post

some holiday things to discuss:
1. fried spuds! latke overdose.

2. darling father busting out jager shots at hannukkah dinner.

3. dresses. 
it's a rare day when i wear a dress. not that i don't want to be a dress wearing being. i put that dress on, look in the mirror, look like a fool, and then change back into my go-to pants and loopy scarf. 


BUt but!..i got a dress, a lovely present it is. and dammit i am going to wear this dress. and people are going to call me out on looking girlie and want to pat me on the head.

4. christmas eve dinner at mb post. a kick butt meal. i strongly advise you eat here one fine day. butterscotch roasted carrots! bacon cheddar biscuits with maple butter! spooning truffle honey into my face!

mb post, you do porky things some major justice.

and now i can't seem to get bacon off the brain. i should make something that will allow me to put bacon in everything and on everything.

let's play the game good jew bad jew. tomorrow i will be good jew.

but today, Bacon. Jam.

put it on biscuits and breads. in your healthy bowls of vegetables. on scallops. in your cereal.
put it on really everything.
your toes? alright fine, you fetish weirdo. no judgements in the presence of bacon.

if you want any man to love and appreciate you extra today, present him with a jar of this bacon crack.

here you see it slathered on warm baguette with arugula and slices of pear.

ooh yes. gimme you.
one fingerful of bacon jam and i'm glad to play the role of bad jew for the rest of time.

Bacon Jam

adapted ever so slightly from spoonforkbacon. i think they're blog just totally rocks it. 

1 lb applewood smoked bacon

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp light brown sugar

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sweet bourbon or brandy, i used a little of both

2/3 cup strong brewed coffee

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp adobo sauce, from chipotles in adobo

1 tbsp sriracha

salt and pepper to taste

fry up bacon on medium high heat for 6-8 minutes. remove with slotted spoons and set aside. 

drain all but 1 tbsp bacon fat from the pot, add butter and melt. add onion, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. add shallot, garlic, and spices and saute for an additional 3-5 minutes. season with pepper. return the bacon to the pot and stir. 

pour the bourbon/brandy into the bacon mixture and cook the liquid down for about 3-4 minutes. 

add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for around 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

remove mixture from heat and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. 

skim off any fat/grease that has formed at the top and discard. pour the mixture into a food processor and process until desired consistency is achieved. 

Bacon Jam and Pear Crostini

toasted baguette slices
bacon jam
arugula
pear, sliced
drizzle of olive oil
sprinkle of sea salt


compile. set on plate. perfect little appetizer. 

merry HAPPY!

merry christmas to all and to all a good feast!

cheers butterloves!

brown butter blondies with cashew pretzel caramel

check one. check one. check IT out.

this is something you both want and need.
it's still not christmas yet. i'm allowed to shove another cookie in your faces.

it's sweet and salty. i know you're into it. pretzels and caramel, people.
pretzels and caramel.
that's your affirmation for the day. say it into the mirror to yourself after you've washed your face.

wait. WAY-T. how am i leaving browned butter out of this?

brown butter is the secret ninja in this recipe. people will get a little distracted by all the pretzel cashew caramel business on top...

until they take a bite. and feel the brown butter sending shock waves of joy through their bodies.

brown butter ninja. it's sneaky. it doesn't look like much. but anything you add it too will instantly be astonishingly good. it will karate chop you in the throat.

(with nutty caramelized flavor)

pretzels and caramel. cashews. brown butter ninja.

...um, how could this be bad, sir?

it just can't.

Brown Butter Blondies with Cashew Peanut Caramel

adapted from bon appetit december 2011

blondies:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

cashew pretzel caramel:

2 cups unsalted cashews, roasted

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream 

2 cups thin twisted pretzels, coarsely crushed

preheat oven to 350. line 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1 inch overhand on long sides of the pan. whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. stir butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned buts form at bottom of the pan, 7-8 minutes. transfer to a medium bowl or bowl of an electric mixer. add brown sugar. using electric mixer, beat until well-combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2-3 minutes. add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes. add dry ingredients, beat until smooth (batter will e thick). using a spatula, evenly spread batter in the prepared pan. 

bake until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes. let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. 

cashew pretzel caramel: first roast the cashews..preheat oven to 350. line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spread cashews over in an even layer. bake, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 7 minutes. set aside. 

stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium low heat until sugar dissolves. increase heat, boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is deep amber, about 12-15 minutes. add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute longer. add butter; stir until blended. add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth. stir in caramel and pretzels. pour over cooled blondie. chill until cool, about 30 minutes. 

run a knife around sides of pan to release blondie. using parchment overhand, lift from pan. cut lengthwise into strips and then into bars.

 can be chilled for up to 1 week in an airtight container. bring to room temperature before serving. 

swiss chard with white beans and parmesan

pink vegetables! it's times like these that i get amazed by nature.

it was kind of heartbreaking to chop up. but i needed to man up. stew must be made and slurped.

just some stew. some stew for me, some stew for you.
nothing wow-inducing or shmancy.
just dinner tonight.

i'm going to sit on the couch with my bowl of stew and i will try to make my fluffball of a dog sit on my feet to warm them. he will growl at me and then move away.
because he is rude.

this stew is not rude. chard is never rude. and it will warm me up in this stew.
but i will not try to put my feet in the stew. because then i would be the rude one.

what's going on right now?
hot sauce? Yes. lot's of it.

mmm. makes the sinuses. feel. awesome.

Swiss Chard with White Beans and Parmesan

adapted from tastespotting

*this tastes the best after the flavors have had time to mingle. make it today and eat it tomorrow!

1 bunch swiss chard

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

4 cups water or vegetable or chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 tsp smoked paprika

2x4 inch parmesan rind

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

grated parmesan for garnish

hot sauce! 

wash and dry chard. cut off chard stems and finely dice. roughly chop chard leaves. 

heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. add the onions and diced chard stems. cook until chard stems soften (but try not to let them brown), about 10 minutes. add garlic and cook additional 1 minute until fragrant. 

add tomatoes, water/stock, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and parmesan rind. bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

stir in the chard leaves and beans, and simmer for 10 minutes. it should be a little thicker than soup. 

season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper. remove bay leaf and parmesan rind. serve in bowls and top with grated parmesan and hot sauce. 

this will taste better on the second day. 

apple millet cakes + almond glaze

apple cakes. with millet. the millet adds a beautifully pleasant nutty crunch.

impossibly soft velvety cake with the tiny crunches of millet and the gooey spiced apples.
good good things.

some of the cakes got splattered with an almond glaze. and the rest, left bare with a quick sprinkle of raw sugar.

oh me oh my. this is definitely my kind of thing. apple cakes and me are quite a match.. i've loved every one that's ever crossed my path.

but these ones.
THESE ones, have stolen my heart.

Apple Millet Cakes

adapted from smittenkitchen

*this can be made as a whole cake in a large tube or bundt pan. also feel free to sub 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

5-6 apples, i used a mix of honeycrisp and fuji

1 tbsp cinnamon

5 tbsp sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1/2 cup millet, raw

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

raw sugar for sprinkling tops (optional)

preheat oven to 350. grease or line two muffin pans with papers. (or for a full size cake, grease a tube pan). peel, core, and chop apples into chunks. toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside. 

stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and millet in a large mixing bowl. in a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar, and vanilla. mix wet ingredients into the dry, then add eggs, one at a time. scrape down the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated. 

fold about half of the apples into the batter. put spoonfuls of batter into the bottom of the cupcake papers. top with a layer of the cinnamon apples. then top with a second layer of batter. sprinkle the tops with raw sugar.

bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes. 

for the almond glaze: whisk about a cup of confectioners sugar with a little milk and almond extract, until the desired consistency is reached. 

blueberry molasses spice cookies

have you made gingerbread/molasses spice cookies yet?

no?

heyZEUS, what on earth are you doing???

they better be really important things. because we are days from christmas here. aren't we supposed to be churning out cookies like crazy cookie elves right now?

and eating gingerbread-y things at the height of all this holiday spirit...it's important.

here are some molasses spice crinkles with fresh blueberries.
you don't have to put blueberries in them if you don't want to. but i totally endorse the blueberry addage.

just, whatever you do, make them and love them.

Blueberry Molasses Spice Cookies

adapted from cook's illustrated via simplyrecipes

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

pinch of allspice and cloves

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar + additional for rolling

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup unsulphered molasses
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (frozen will be a bit easier to mix into the batter)

preheat oven to 375. sift flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a bowl an set aside. beat the butter 2 minutes. add the brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat. add egg, vanilla, and molasses. gradually add in dry ingredients. fold in the blueberries.

scoop rounded tablespoons and roll in sugar. place on baking sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes. let cool a few minutes on sheet and then transfer to wire rack.