tomato goat cheese pizza tart

holla atcha!

the sun is out, the birds are squawking, and i made something round that isn't a cookie.

today is not about sugar.

it's about tomatoes.
and angrily buying herbs because all my herb pots have died.
and welcoming goat cheese back to the blog...it's been since september(!!?!)

AND lez not forget about magical puff pastry..it's a goooood thing to have hanging out in your freezer.
it's like a more delicious bread that you can wrap twist and fold. the inclusion of puff pastry almost guarantees success.

so this thing, it's a tart, it's like pizza. there are sweet winey onions. and three kinds of cheese because let me be excessive.

the best bites are the ones with the bits of crispy broiled parmesan.

this is totally an ina classic..i just made one big tart instead of a bunch of littles. it can totally be lunch, dinner, snack, leftovers for breakfast....that seems to be the way it goes around these parts.

i'm gonna go do art. meow meow!

Tomato Goat Cheese Pizza Tart

adapted from ina garten

1 sheet all-butter puff pastry (round or rectangle), defrosted

2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, sliced

kosher salt and black pepper

olive oil

2-3 tbsp white wine

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

handful of mozzarella, grated

2 ounces goat cheese

1-2 tomatoes, sliced

2 tbsp basil, julienned

unfold sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it out slightly. preheat oven to 425. heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil  in a skillet over medium to low heat. add the onions and garlic and saute for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining. add 1/4 tsp kosher salt, a couple pinches of pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook another 10 minutes, until all the onions are lightly browned. remove from heat. 

using a fork, prick the puff pastry a bit, leaving an inch border. sprinkle most of the parmesan over the puff pastry. top with onion mixture, and spread out evenly. crumble goat cheese over the onions, then top with the tomato slices. brush each tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil. finally, scatter the remaining parmesan and a handful of mozzarella over the top. 

bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. 

brown sugar rosemary pound cake + lemon cream

i've caught myself summer daydreaming hard lately...thinking of all the things i want and hope to do.

reminding myself to slurp up all the goodness, the brightness and lightness that comes with summer.

take trips. eat popsicles. walk barefoot. the smell of water on asphalt. barbecues every sunday.

and this lemon cream.
i want a summer full of this lemon cream.

it's tart and fresh like lemon curd, but creamier, lighter.

it's my new favorite dessert condiment and i shall slather it on everything i can get away with.

cake, scones, tarts, as a filling in a layer cake...

i declare summer 2012 the summer of lemon cream.

sounds like a pretty lovely summer, amiright?

dessert condiments need cake to ride on. brown sugar rosemary pound cake is dense caramely bliss.

if this humble looking loaf had arms, it would smack be for never giving it the attention it deserves.
because it's delicious.

it takes all of 5 minutes to whip up the batter.
next, chop up rosemary, smell your herby fingertips, then fold those pretty green flecks through the batter.

what is better than a beautiful pound cake?

two beautiful pound cakes. one to eat now and one to freeze and eat later.

this summer of lemon cream is gonna be good.

we'll be sitting on porches, iced tea in a glass, lemon cream on cake, fingers licking our plates clean.

it's everything i can hope for.

Brown Sugar Rosemary Pound Cake

adapted from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed

5 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 tsp chopped rosemary

preheat oven to 325. grease two loaf pans. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. set aside. in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy. add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl. add the rosemary. add the flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. beat until just combined. divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with a spatula. bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. turn out cakes onto the rack to cool completely

Lemon Cream

adapted from tartine inspired by for me, for you

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

2/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

pinch salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

create a double boiler by placing a steel or glass bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water. over medium heat bring water to a simmer. combine lemon juice, eggs, and sugar and continually whisk until mixture registers 180 degrees F on a thermometer and has thickened, about 10-12 minutes. take off stove, strain through a fine mesh strainer and let cool for a couple minutes. transfer to a blender. cut butter into 1 inch pieces and blend, adding the butter a couple pieces at a time 

beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the lemon cream. 

lemon poppyseed cookies + cream cheese frosting

for all the moms,

your job is no joke. i mean, you've grown humans inside your bodies. and once us children are out of your bodies, you moms need to remember to feed us always.

you teach us language, and read us the same stories over and over, with enthusiasm.

you smother us with love, and don't mind if we barf on you.

and then, when we turn thirteen and suddenly turn on you, you still love us.

we're sorry for all those teenage angsty years. thank you for not punching us even when there was a small part of you that wanted to.

we really love you.

so this is for my mom, who taught me how to eat cookie dough like a champion. who patiently sat through "bug checks" every night before bed, rubbed my back, and asked me the 'best and worst' of my day.

my mom decided to jet off to europe, so she is there, and i am here.
mom, i know a beautiful house in the south of france is much more picturesque than this wobbly kitchen table i'm sitting at now...but i wish you could be here, if only for breakfast.

if there is anything my mom loves almost as much as her children, it's cookies.

so these are for my mom, who yells "I LOVE COOKIES" without fail, every time she eats a cookie.

they are lemon poppy seed cookies, with a twinge of almond and a light schmear of lemon cream cheese frosting. total mom cookies.

so mother, mom, mama darling...you are dear in my heart, today and always. even when i give you tude and make fun of you for leaving your keys all around town. you absolutely deserve to be on vacation, galavanting over europe without any humans whining at you. you best be living it up like crazy, dancing on cobblestones, drinking too much wine, eating too much cheese.

and when you get back, i will make you cookies, for breakfast.

Frosted Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

adapted from joanne and annie's eats

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp lemon zest

1 large egg

1 tsp almond extract

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 - 1 cup confectioners sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

preheat the oven to 350. line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. in a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. set aside. rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips to release the fragrant oils in the peel and make a lovely light yellow sugar. in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. mix in the lemon zest and egg. then the almond extract. then mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. 

drop balls of dough onto the prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart (i rolled them a little in my hands to make them more uniform). bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the cookies are set and just beginning to brown at the edges, but not the tops. cool on the baking sheets for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool before icing. 

to make frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until whipped and fluffy. add the confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and beat. taste and adjust sugar and lemon to desired taste and consistency. (i don't like frosting that is too sweet so i always start with a little sugar and keep tasting and adding a little more until it's just right)

frost and eat up. 

buttermilk ranch + a salad of red lettuce, tomato, corn & pecans

you know how posh spice goes to classy restaurants and orders arugula sans dressing?

what do you think she'd think about this ranch? what if i somehow managed to lock her in my kitchen and force her to eat a plate of arugula doused in this ranch dressing?

i'd automatically become her least favorite person in america.

i'm a ranch freak, of the non-bottled variety.

if it were up to me, hidden valley would forever stay hidden. in its valley.

but homemade ranch, This homemade ranch! .....a sauce to be cherished for sure.

this is gonna be easy. check out these ingredients.

chives and parsley..their freshness is unbeatable.
garlic. salt. pepper. really?! no way! you have these things. yes way.

buttermilk. sour cream. how can this go wrong?

mayonnaise. 'mayonnaise is my favorite thing!', said no one ever.

..i know i know, but really, there is a time and a place for mayonnaise. ranch is just one of those times.

stir. refrigerate. done. that's literally it. that took 5 minutes. and it's so balls out delicious you'll want to smack yourself for not churning out homemade ranch sooner.

put it on everything..french fries, supa crunchy celery, pizza, hashbrowns with arugula. and salad, salad that you actually crave. salad that you'll gladly eat 5 plates of.

i'm obsessed with the taste of buttery pecans and fresh corn together..

this plus this.

i threw together a salad that marries those flavors with a couple simple lovely things from the market...pretty lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crisp slivers of onion. AND THE RANCH.

it's creamy, but it's not heavy. it tastes fresh and tangy. this is salad done right.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

from the pioneer woman & joy the baker

1 cup real mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

buttermilk

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

hot sauce

mince the garlic, then sprinkle about 1/4 tsp salt onto the garlic and mash with a fork into a thick paste. 

in a bowl combine all the ingredients except for the buttermilk. stir. whisk in the buttermilk until you've reached your desired consistency. taste and season. add a dash of hot sauce. chill for a few hours before serving. can thin with a little buttermilk or milk when it comes out of the fridge if you'd like. 

And a delicious salad..

1 head red leaf lettuce

kernals from 1-2 ears corn (can boil the ears if you prefer to eat it not raw)

handful toasted pecans

2 ripe tomatoes

slivered red onion

buttermilk ranch dressing!

spiced pretzel snickerdoodles

i'm beginning to see that i have a morning routine. like an old man.

buzzing alarm. i awake. snooze it.

i zombie walk out to my corner couch spot with my computer in hand.

i go to the kitchen, make coffee. i stand with my upper body hunched over the counter, staring blankly as i wrap my head around kick-starting another day.

i search for my favorite mug hiding amongst all the other mugs, pour coffee, leave the spoon in the mug always.
wedge myself back into the couch. check internety things like email, news, facebook, blog.

sometimes i make a to-do list for the day. i add things like 'take a shower' and 'drink tea' to make the list longer so there are more things to slash off.

i also really want to eat in the morning.
..those people who claim they can't eat until 11 o'clock...i'm not included in that group. give me toast. give me cereal. give me cakes from a pan.

i only pick cereal when there are bananas. the best kind of banana has green at the top...don't disagree with me, this is my routine.

once i finish the bowl, there will be milk leftover. i go back to the kitchen and pour more cereal in because i don't like waste, and eating cereal makes me want to eat more cereal.

i seem to fall into a lot of these kinds of routines. i have baking routines too.

one of them has developed and escalated fast.
that is...
i decide to bake something, i gather my ingredients, i spot the pretzels in the massive pretzel bag. then, i contemplate if i should throw them into the mix.

more often than not, i want to.

more often than not, adding pretzels makes something better than it was before.

remember these brown butter blondies with cashew pretzel caramel? i daydream about them.

snickerdoodles are my favorite kind of cookie when i'm in the mood to eat more than 3 cookies.

the mood struck.
so i made snickerdoodles, rolled them in spiced sugar, and shoved pretzels into them.

oh ma gah. i might not be able to resist myself at all anymore. this might become a squash-pretzels-into-every-cookie-possible blog.
sorry i'm not sorry.

Spiced Pretzel Snickerdoodles

adapted from smitten kitchen via martha stewart

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

16 tbsp ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ginger

pinch of each ground nutmeg and clove

pretzels, large or small

preheat the oven to 375 and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. 

sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. scrape down sides of bowl. add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine. add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. chill the dough for at least 1 hour, up to overnight before baking. 

once dough is chilled, mix the 1/4 cup sugar with all the spices. scoop tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and roll in the spiced sugar. place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. press the dough balls down just slightly with your palm. bake for about 8 minutes, until the cookies are puffed but still very soft in the centers. remove from oven and press a pretzel into each cookie. return to the oven and bake 2-3 minutes longer (the cookies won't brown). let cool a couple minutes on the sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

makes about 3 dozen cookies

raspberry mint limeade

MOCK. Si.

ing. Si.

bird. sii.

mint. Si.

raspberries. si!

limeade. heck si! lez make it.

it's spring. summer is a creepin. refresh yourself with iced beverages. lez make limeade with raspberries.

make some easy mint simple syrup. sugar water mint. boil. strain. done!
if you are impatient like me, stick it in the freezer to cool faster. we need this juice asap.

squeeze limes with your fingers.
do you have cuts on your fingers? brave through it, you lime squeezing champion you.

throw some raspberries in a little pan and let them turn to thick bright juice. strain out those finicky seeds.

gather some glasses and ice cubes and fill them with lime juice and minty syrup, fizzy club soda and some pretty raspberries.

annd lastly! pour a little raspberry juice on top.

now you have cups of raspberry mint limeade. or weekday lunch mojitos.
look! they're lava lamp pretty.

tomorrow is cinco de mayo. you should make this drink and add rum to it. or champagne where the club soda is supposed to be. YESyum.

and you know not to drink on an empty stomach..so enchiladas, obviously right?
or brussels sprout tacos!

i'm also seriously considering a pinata for myself.
si? siiii.

Raspberry Mint Limeade

adapted from food52

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 pint raspberries

ice

club soda

limes and mint leaves to serve

make a mint simple syrup by combining sugar, water, and mint in a saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. remove from heat and let cool completely. then strain the leaves. 

place raspberries in a small saucepan over low heat with a pinch of sugar and tablespoon or two of water. let the berries break down and release their juices. press through a strainer to separate the juice from the seeds. set aside to cool. 

to assemble, add about 1 ounce each of mint simple syrup and lime juice in a glass with ice. top with club soda, about 6 ounces. stir together with some mint leaves, a couple raspberries, and a wedge of mint. top with a generous spoonful of the raspberry sauce. 

serves about 2 quarts

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. 

loaded peanut butter cookies. the best.

hello peoples!

i have a new goal in life. and that is to figure out a way to live at a radiohead show.

i don't think i've ever been happier in my life than i was on saturday night. stars in the sky, lights and palm trees, thousands of people who feel just as happy as you..
and music, sweet beautiful crazy thom yorke music.

coachella 2012, so sweet.  so cheery and musical.

 i know it will be one of those memories that i will look back on forever until i am old and grey and cannot remember any more.

spotlight: peanut butter cookie revival.

i think that mr yorke would be more excited by a peanut butter cookie more than chocolate chip.
of course, it'd be vegan.

these are not vegan peanut butter cookies. i'm sorry radiohead! i love you. please let me still live at one of your shows?

peanut butter cookies. loaded with goods.
goods are peanut butter chips, toasty pecans, white chocolate and dark chocolate.

not vegan. and the very best peanut butter cookies ever, i do believe.

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

adapted from smitten kitchen via magnolia bakery

*recipe includes my personal favorite amount/ratio of add-ins. change it up however you like it!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup chunky peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup white chocolate, cut into chunks (good white choc!)

2 tbsp dark chocolate chunks

 1 tbsp sugar, for sprinkling

preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. set aside. 

in a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. add the sugars and beat until smooth. add the egg and mix well. add the milk and vanilla extract. add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. stir in the peanut butter chips, pecans, white and dark chocolate chunks. place the tbsp sugar in a small bowl. drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, and roll to coat. arrange on ungreased cookie sheets leaving several inches between. using a fork, lightly indent with a criss-cross pattern, but do not overly flatten. bake for 10-12 minutes. do not overbake! the cookies may appear to be underdone, but they aren't!

cool cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely. 

crispy brussels sprout + black bean tacos with avocado crema

who wants to dress up like a zombie with me at coachella? we can stumble into groups of sweaty urban outfitter dorks and swipe at the air and act gross and pretend to try to eat them and completely invade their major coolness?

anyone?

i'm off to a land of neon and krAzy. and thom yorke. and hologram tupac.

but before i go i need you to take a look at these tacos. these tacos are doing something here, besides being tasty.

these tacos here are acting normal, like they're just regular tacos.

they've got the tortillas, the cumin-spiced beans, the limeyness...classic suspects in the taco species, right?

but hold up.
...this taco is doing what i do.

when i meet people, i act super normal. i feel myself doing it all the time, acting quite nice and normal.

brussels sprouts and parmesan. hey, you guys are weird to find in a taco... weirdness hiding in the normalness. like!

topped with some avocado crema, these half normal half wacky tacos are so. so. awesome.

i should learn a thing or two from this shouldn't i? i should try to be my weirder, less sickeningly nice self when dealing with brussels sprouts.

? nevermind. that's not the lesson at all.
it appears that my brain has already checked out.

Crispy Brussels Sprout and Black Bean Tacos 

and Avocado Crema

makes 5-6 tacos

1 lb brussels sprouts

olive oil

kosher or sea salt

pepper

handful of grated parmesan, about 1/4 cup

1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp cumin

small tortillas, flour or corn

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 green onion, sliced

small handful cilanto

hot sauce

1 ripe avocado

juice from 1 lime

1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

preheat oven to 400. wash the brussels sprouts, peel the outer leaves and halve. toss them with olive oil, a generous sprinkle of coarse salt, pepper, and handful of parmesan. spread on a baking sheet and roast until crispy and a bit browned, about 25-30 minutes. let cool a bit, then chop them up a bit. 

place beans in a bowl and mix with cumin, salt and pepper. slightly mash. 

to make avocado crema, mash the flesh of the avocado well with the lime juice, sour cream, salt and pepper. 

heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat in a large skillet. place 1 or 2 tortillas in the pan and place two generous spoonfuls of black beans into the center. fry for a minute. then with metal tongs, fold over and fry on each side until browned and crisp, about 30 seconds on each side. repeat with the rest of the tortillas. 

stuff each taco with the chopped brussels sprouts and top with the avocado crema, sprinkle of green onion and cilantro and hot sauce. feast!

bran muffins + sunday scenes

it's spring. and it's nice.
i've been trying to admire all these pretty things around me. like magenta blurs and green beach houses.

i've been embracing spring's finicky weather, with fireplaces when it's cold and open doors when it's hot.

and i've been loving all up on sunday, bigtime.

if there was any day built for taking it easy, for loving the simple things, it's sunday.
stay in pajamas longer, sit on the floor. wear love socks.

sundays are for homely romance, and walks with my two favorite boys.

sundays are for trying not to think of all the crap you need to do.

for drinking bouzy coffee out of giant mugs.

how about appreciating people you don't know. whoever's gate this is here, sir or ma'am, i appreciate you. i took a picture of your gate and now it is on my blog. we're connected.

sundays are definitely about food too... there is certainly no better day to bake muffins. shall i smell up the house with some sweet muffin smells?

yes. always yes.

bran muffins.

bran muffins are homely and perfect like a sunday. i'm not talking about the god awful dry health-food bran muffins. those make me angry.

i'm talking about these ones, these ones that make me grin. and stuff my cheeks like a squirrel.

they are light and a little chewy, punched up with some orange, and softened with buttermilk.
they are homely and perfectly sweet like a sunday.

the leftovers were breakfast this morning, as i longed for more frangelico and another weekend.

Bran Muffins

adapted from Nancy Silverton via David Leibovitz

2 cups wheat bran

1/2 cup dates, pitted

1/2 cup prunes, pitted

1 cup + 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

zest of half an orange

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour ( i used graham flour )

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 350. grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with papers. 

spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes, stirring a couple times so it cooks evenly. let cool. 

while the bran is toasting, heat the dates and prunes with 1/2 cup water. simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. puree the softened dates and prunes in a food processor until smooth. 

in a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk, 1 cup water. then mix in the fruit puree, orange zest, and brown sugar. 

stir in the oil, egg, and egg white. 

mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the wet ingredients. stir until the ingredients are just combined. spoon the batter into the muffin tins, mounding the tops. bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the muffins feel set in the center. 

vanilla berry semifreddo

ello people. ello blog. it's truly been a week.

yesterday, i went to the gym.

at this gym, i got on a treadmill and decided to race the guy running next to me.

rules of the competition: do not stop running until the guy next to me stops running and then i win.

sure enough, the guy i selected to race against turned out to be quite the runner.

no, i cannot stop. the only rule is that i need to win. i must ignore these side cramps and the urge to lay down on a floofy cushion.

and SO, i ran harder than i have since my athletic high school years and theN he stopped.
mission complete and I WIN.

after i won, i poured the rest of my water on my head and tried to avoid all 90 mirrors in the gym...
because, damn...human faces should not ever be so red.

but i was so proud that i awarded myself with another one of my made up games. this one is much better. i call it pillowfest.

rules of pillowfest: get into bed well before you plan on going to sleep. gather all the pillows and blankets you have access to. arrange them in the comfiest coziest way.

make sure you have your loosest fitting pants on. pull them way up.

then do some major self-indulgent multi-tasking. this tends to include:
1. my computer on top of a pillow on top of my lap.

2. a couple cookbooks, notebooks, and markers to my left.

3. a hot beverage and a snack. probably a sweet one.

4. remote swallowed up in the bed somewhere, and whatever bravo rerun on in the background.

good. great. everyone deserves pillowfest after a long week.

and even more if they've just won a big race against a stranger who didn't know about the race.

i also want some damn ice cream.

but this is not ice cream. this is a semifreddo. it's cold and frozen and creamy like ice cream.

but it's lighter. and more whippy.
and you don't need an ice cream maker! if you have eggs and cream and hands, you can make this right now. right on broheim!

have you ever put a tub of cool whip in the freezer and then got a spoon and attacked it?
this is just like that but better times 633784930.

Vanilla Berry Semifreddo

adapted from a cozy kitchen via donna hay

*use whatever berries or fruits you'd like, and add as much or as little as 

you prefer, the measurements are super adaptable!

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 pint raspberries

1/2 pint blackberries

salt and sugar, for purees

line a 2 quart loaf pan with parchment and pre-chill pan in the freezer. 

make the berry purees: place the raspberries in a food processor with a pinch of salt and a few pinches of sugar. process until smooth. spoon into a small bowl and set aside. then add blackberries to the food processor with another pinch of salt and sugar. process til smooth, scrape into another small bowl, and set aside. 

place eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or a double boiler). attach a thermometer and beat either by hand or with a hand-held electric mixer, for 6-8 minutes, until thick and pale and 160 degrees F. remove from heat and beat for an additional 6-8 minutes or until cool. 

in a separate bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream until stiff peaks form. gently fold cream into the egg mixture until well-combined. pour into the chilled loaf pan. 

spoon over about 1/4 cup of raspberry puree and 1/4 cup blackberry puree and use a spatula or knife to swirl it through the cream mixture. freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. 

slice to serve! can serve with the leftover fruit puree or plain. 

classic banana cake with brown butter frosting

idealistic me makes banana bread every week. it fills the house with good smells and i feed it to people i love and bring it to neighbors while wearing clean frilly oven mitts and life is full of banana bread love.

idealistic me uses the same perfected banana bread recipe that i have clearly memorized, and i don't use run on sentences.

bringing it back to real life...

i don't make banana bread every week. i don't have one memorized recipe that i always use.

and my oven mitts are not frilly. they're actually disgusting.

the other morning, i faced the ugly facts.
there must be at least 20 black, mangled, barely-even-bananas-anymore bananas piled up in my freezer.

that's too many.
i must accept that i am not a banana bread machine of a housewife and start to tackle this freezer space problem.

bread? no.. cake.
bundt? yesyes.
frosting? unnecessary
brown butter frosting? severely recommended.

i'm gonna go bring this to my neighbor now. i'll be wearing different colored socks, but i'll pretend that i'm wearing lipstick and have my hair in the perfect updo.

yes, an updo.

Classic Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

from Baking: From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar (i used 1 cup white, 1 cup brown)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

about 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups)

1 cup sour cream

center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350. generously butter a 12-cup bundt pan. 

whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. 

working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg. reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (the batter will curdle), all the sour cream, and then the rest of the flour mixture. scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to get the bubbles out and smooth the top. 

bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. check the cake after 30 minutes or so, if the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature. 

the cake is even better on the second day, so if possible, wrap the cooled cake with plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight. 

Brown Butter Frosting

8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1 1/2-2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

pinch or two of sea salt

2-3 tbsp milk

cut the stick of butter in half. in a small saucepan, melt 4 tbsp (one half) butter over medium heat until it browns, and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan. remove from heat and pour into a bowl, leaving any burned bits behind. let cool a bit. 

place the remaining 4 tbsp softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat. add 1 cup confectioners sugar, browned butter, vanilla, salt, and beat. add milk, a little at a time, and more confectioners sugar until desired consistency and taste is reached. 

meyer lemon pistachio rice pudding

silence.

sHh!

this is a calm space today.

i'm meditating.

and i'm sorry for shushing you.

some people lay on the floor, or revert into child's pose. i make rice pudding.

making rice pudding is therapeutic.

there's no vigorous whisking. the stirring is calm. i'm totally calm.

everything is quiet and romantic.

ah tranquility, it can be hard to come by.

meyer lemon pistachio rice pudding is so perfect for spring i can't stand it.

except that i can. i really really can.

wait, i'm getting worked up. i'm supposed to be relaxed.

40 minutes of gentle stirring, watching rice and milk slowly transform.

into pudding, beautiful pudding!

thick and creamy, comforting and calm.

i'll be hyper and freakish tomorrow. but today, eat and shush.

Lemon Pistachio Rice Pudding

adapted from smitten kitchen

1/2 cup arborio rice

4 cups milk

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split

zest of a lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup pistachio nuts

in a large saucepan, place all the ingredients except the lemon juice and pistachios. bring it to a gentle boil and then turn it down to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan, about 30-40 minutes. taste to check for doneness, the rice should be very soft and plump. 

take the pudding off the heat and stir in lemon juice. stir in some chopped pistachio nuts and sprinkle the rest on top. can serve warm immediately or chilled. i like this one chilled. 

roasted cauliflower & fingerlings with lemon tahini dressing

hey. you there!
welcome to another week.

how was your weekend? what kind of weekend food have you been eating?

mexican food? bratwurst? hard cider?

umm. check check and check.

it's nice to treat monday as a recharge day. on mondays, i tend to drink more than 2 cups of coffee and want vegetables more than i normally do.

so. dinner with cauliflower and potatoes. it's gonna be way better than you think it's gonna be.

this dinner snuck up and said "WHATUP JULIA, I'm tonight's dinner and you best be treatin me with a little respect. i was never a cheeseburger or the popular kid in the crisper, but YO, look at me now. I look dayum good."

word for word.
..i used to watch maury when i was home sick in 7th grade.

have you run out of things to say on your blog when you turn meals into characters on the maury show?
maybe so.

but this dinner, this delightful medley of cauliflower, fingerlings, and chickpeas...definitely NOT the father.

(oooooooooooooooh) (Booooooo) (cauliflower skips around the room clapping and nodding)

i'm sorry. i have absolutely no idea how any of this came up.

i'm ruining everything.

now. awkward transition into talking about the food.

fingerling potatoes are sliced and roasted til crispy like big french fries.
cauliflower and chickpeas get sprinkled with cumin and roasted til caramelized.

while all this roasting is going on, mix up the easiest tastiest dressing with tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil. drink wine if you feel like it.

to make a medley, toss everything together. add red onion, arugula, and golden raisins for bonus flavors and textures.
pile it all onto a mound of brown rice.

eat it. and don't think about maury ever again.

Roasted Cauliflower & Fingerling Medley with Lemon Tahini Dressing
serves 5-7

   2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets

1 - 1 1/2 lb bag fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced

few handfuls of arugula

1/3 cup golden raisins

olive oil

sea salt

pepper

cooked brown rice

for dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced with a pinch of salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tbsp well-stirred tahini

2-3 tbsp water

2 tbsp olive oil

preheat oven to 350. toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and a few large pinches of cumin. spread onto 1 or 2 baking sheets. spread potatoes on a separate baking sheet, drizzle and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. roast for 20-25 minutes. turn the oven temperature up to 425. roast for 10 more minutes until caramelized and crisp. remove from oven. spread chickpeas onto one of the baking sheets with the cauliflower. roast for 5 more minutes, until the chickpeas crisp slightly. remove from oven. 

to make dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together garlic and lemon juice. add the tahini, and whisk to blend. add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. add more water to thin to desired consistency. 

toss the cauliflower and chickpeas with the potatoes, onion, arugula, and golden raisins. mound on top of rice and spoon dressing on top. 

maple oat scones

if i had a superhuman alter-ego, i think i'd be Maple Syrup Woman. or girl? maple girl, syrup woman?
i don't know, one of those.

maple syrup would be my superhuman fuel. i'd squirt maple syrup in bad people's eyeballs and chuck pancakes at their heads. hard, stale, not delicious pancakes.

i'd add extra maple syrup to nice people's waffles when they weren't looking.

i'd have access to only the strongest maple syrup, the kind that would make robbers stick to floors and walls.

my hair would be slicked back with maple syrup.

oh and my body would also move like spiderman.

if i win the lottery, this cRazy lottery that everyone in california is going nutty over, then i can spend more of my time developing the Maple Syrup Woman's body suit, and building her giant lair in canada.

for now, i'll just stick to admiring the sugar crusted tops of maple bottles,  and pouring it into scones.

these little dudes will warm up your chilly morning, in this slow transition into spring..

whole wheat pastry flour and oats keeps them light and nutty, maple syrup for sweetness, and butter for..butter.
they're a lovely happy medium between indulgent and wholesome.

and the perfect vehicle for that jar of jam you've been saving to open.

i stood at the counter and ate too many to disclose here.

..i mean, i'm obsessed with food and want my dream alter-ego to be maple syrup themed...
obviously i'm going to be immoderate sometimes.

Maple Oat Scones

adapted from 101 cookbooks

~can be made by hand on a work surface or in a bowl, or in a 

food processor. i'll include directions for both~

1/4 cup real, good quality maple syrup

7 tbsp cream, or half and half

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

11 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks

1 egg, lightly beaten

raw sugar for sprinkling

preheat the oven to 400. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

whisk together the maple syrup and cream into a small cup and set aside. combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt  in a bowl. 

if mixing by hand: dump flour mixture out onto a work surface or into a large bowl. cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, bench scraper, or fork, (i like using a bench scraper!) until the mixture resembles little pebbles in the flour. then add the cream and maple syrup mixture, mixing until the dough just comes together, don't overmix!! if the batter is too dry, add a touch more cream a bit at a time - you want it to just hold together. 

if using a food processor: put the flour mixture in the bowl of food processor fitted with blade. cut butter into the flour mixture, pulsing until it resembles little pebbles in the flour (about 20 quick pulses). now add maple syrup and cream mixture, and pulse until the dough just comes together, don't overdo it! add a bit more cream if the dough is too dry, until it just comes together. 

turn dough onto floured surface, knead once or twice to bring the dough together. to cut out scones, arrange the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle or circle. trim the edges and slice into nine squares or triangles. for round scones like you see here, scoop rounds of dough with an ice cream scoop or stamp out rounds with a biscuit cutter. 

arrange on baking sheet. brush them generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. 

bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on the bottoms and tops. 

two green things: avocado toast + green juice

weekend getaways are GOOD. even if only for a day. it feels great to just drive away.

out on the open road, with green nature-y things all around you, and a costco muffin stashed in the glove compartment.

road trips are also code for eat all the pizza and pancakes and milkshakes as you possibly can. didn't you know?

by sunday night my stomach was pretty pissed off with me.

and it was fiending for green. not green sprinkles. green planty food.

i ran with the theme and came up with a major power lunch.
avocado toast. the most perfect simple delicious lunch. and juice that is GREEN.

this is what's in the juice: apples, cucumber, basil, and lime. it's frothy and fresh and surprisingly sweet.
don't fear the froth. it might look a little strange, but froth is a good thing.

kids will not believe you when you tell them it's really good. they'll make gross faces while you drink it.
ignore them, they're judgers by nature.

anyway, this lunch was good. i felt the nutrients and vitamins rushing back into my bod.
then, i made a coffee cake.

Apple, Cucumber, Basil, and Lime Juice

adapted from Goop

1 cup fresh basil

2 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise

1 lime, skin and pith removed

2 apples, cut into wedges

1 inch knob ginger, peeled

starting with basil, juice everything into a glass. stir and drink. serves 2

Avocado Toast

1/2 avocado

lemon

sea salt

olive oil

rustic crusty bread

toast slice of bread. mash the avocado with a bit of lemon juice and sea salt. smear on the bread and top with another pinch of sea salt and drizzle of olive oil. 

parmesan soft pretzel twists

i come to you today lovingly, with a figure of speech lesson.

a simile: pretzels are like life.

they're misshapen, and look kinda weird at first. sometimes it seems like they might not come out right, like you're doing it wrong.
but in the end, they totally work out. they're oddball shape makes them even more beautiful.
and they taste phenomenal, especially dunked in mustard.

i wanna dunk my life in mustard sometimes. or perhaps my arm, i'd settle for an arm.

now a metaphor: pretzels are my life.

i would not exist, were it not for the pretzel. without its salty surface and tender chew, i would just die.
i need to eat them in order to live, breathe, and be content in my days.
they're just too good.

these pretzels you see before you, they are lovers, not fighters.

like most things, they are enhanced with cheese.
parmesan, though i imagine any gratable cheese would be just grand
GRAND, I tell you!

grand soft pretzels that fit right in my hand.

poetry is my thing today. i rhymed my order at the coffee shop. it was not on purpose, and i felt awkward about it after.

eat pretzel twists hot from the oven. maybe make something with cabbage, drink beer, and declare it German feast night!

maybe split one in half and make the sandwich of your dreams.

i wish i had enough leftover to make pretzel bread pudding with apples and cheddar and more mustard...but alas, i don't.

drats! rats! i love pretzels!

Parmesan Soft Pretzel Twists

adapted from Alton Brown, inspired by MB Post

1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

1 package active dry yeast

22 ounces all-purpose flour, about 4 1/2 cups

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

vegetable oil for pan

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water

coarse salt

grated parmesan, about 1/4 cup

combine the warm water, sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. add the flour and butter and using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. change to medium speed and knead dough until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 minutes. remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for approximately 50-55 minutes until the dough has doubled in size. 

preheat the oven to 450. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with vegetable oil. set aside. 

bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8 quart pan. 

in the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 14 equal pieces. roll out each piece of dough into a rope, make a U-shape, and twist. 

place the pretzels in the boiling water, 2-3 at a time for 45 seconds to a minute, flipping over with a spatula halfway through. remove them from the water with a spatula and place on the sheet pan. repeat with the rest of the pretzels. brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt. top with a sprinkling of grated parmesan and bake until dark golden brown in color, about 12-14 minutes. 

eat warm, with mustard and beer. 

sesame honey roasted carrots

carrots are great for our bods. we've been told this for a long while now.
adults and doctors and wise people have always said things like:

did you know that beta carotene reduces the risk of getting cardiovascular disease and pumps vitamin A into your system?

when i typed that out i accidentally typed vitamin !

that should definitely become a vitamin when they run out of letters.
i'd absolutely take a massive vitamin ! supplement every day.

now, while i'd like to think that eating carrots will make my heart happy and let me put off getting contacts for another year, i'm not so sure they do much to enhance my brain cells.

this is the story of last night.

i got some carrots. they were beauty pageant winning carrots. i was excited about it.

i tossed them with flavors of sesame and honey. then i roasted them, slowly, til they caramelized at the edges and filled with tons of natural sweetness.

in a word, they were majorMajorDelicious.

they were eaten up like candy with dinner and then sir boyfriend and i were off to downtown la to see Of Montreal.

the car was parked on top of a random parking lot, and we were off to sway and head bob and act weird with all the other weird people.

three songs in and we realized neither of us had my car keys.
the rest of the night was spent worrying. acting mad. there was a good amount of profanity outbursts and feeling stupid.

my loving savior of a father had to drive out to hand us the spare set of keys at 11:30.

and then..they were in the car.

the keys were in the car. WHAT on earth is happening to my brain!?

thanks for nothing carrots.

Roasted Carrots with Sesame and Honey

inspired by Tender by Nigel Slater

2 lbs carrots

2 tbsp olive oil

2-3 tsp sesame oil

1-2 tsp honey

sea salt

1-2 tsp sesame seeds

preheat the oven to 350. coat the carrots in the olive oil, sesame oil, and honey. lay on a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. bake for 20-30 minutes. increase the oven temperature to 425 and roast for 20-30 minutes more, until caramelized and tender. sprinkle with sesame seeds and let roast 5 minutes more. 

watch them disappear in minutes. 

chocolate peanut butter ball cookies

i've been kind of a neglecter, haven't i?

i've been making some moves in my life. nothing grand, but some baby steps.
i need baby steps and extra time to wrap my brain around semi-big decisions.

i've been anxious and excited and randomly jittery lately.
yesterday was everything i love about a sunday. i needed it, a normal, slightly lazy sunday with nothing on the agenda.

we woke up, it was early. we went back to bed.

we put on warm clothes and went out. to share breakfast, two spoons, sips of caffeine.

we walked in the wind and argued while smiling. we sat in the back row at the movies. i may have teared up a little and forgot momentarily about being anxious.

we cracked pistachios, we cleaned, watched basketball.
we put eyedrops in our eyes because it just feels so dang good.

we made spiced wine, and cooked dinner.
an arugula salad with avocado, brussels sprouts, and more pistachio nuts. and swordfish.

and then it was over. we nestled into the couch crevice and fell asleep.

the only complaint i had on march 18th was that i didn't have any of these cookies left.

they are chocolate peanut butter truffle ball cookies. it's very likely that they have already caught your eye.

dear joy the baker,

hey..hi. i've kind of had a girl crush on you for quite some time..like since 2008. in my brain we're old pals and complete brainmates. i couldn't be more excited for you and yer bOOk(!!) as soon as i laid eyes on these balls, i just knew.
what i knew exactly, i don't know...but it was good.

i think you are the most wonderful. cue music (laaa thanksforthememoriesss laaaa mEOW!!) huh?swhat?sorry

love, your proud creepster friend who you've never met.

fudgy chocolate cookies. with a big boisterous ball of peanut butter. i threw on some glaze and some salt.
yes, you should make these sir.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Cookies

from the Joy the Baker Cookbook

for the peanut butter balls:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

6 tbsp peanut butter

few pinches of salt

for the cookies:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

to make peanut butter balls: in a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter, and salt. with clean hands, begin to work the mixture together. the butter and peanut butter should come together to create a stiff but pliable dough. roll dough between your palms to create 16 small walnut sized balls. place on a clean cutting board or cookie sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside. 

place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside. 

to make cookies: in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. set aside. 

in a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until thick and pale. set aside. 

place about 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. in a large heatproof bowl, combine butter and chips. place bowl over but not touching the simmering water. heat until chocolate and butter have melted together. remove bowl from heat. add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and fold together. once entirely incorporated, stir in vanilla. fold in the flour mixture with a spatula until thoroughly incorporated. the mixture will be glossy and loose. 

spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of cookie batter onto the baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. bake for 10 minutes until crackled on top, but still fudgy in the center. remove from the oven and immediately press a peanut butter ball into the center of each cookie. the warmth will help meld the two together. allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

cookies will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

totally optional glaze: powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. + a sprinkle of sea salt. 

chocolate cherry skillet bread

hello.
i have a skillet for you.

it's not a skillet of eggs or pasta or bacon.

it's like a skillet of love.

because it's bread. fresh, soft, warm out of the oven bread.

perfumed with buttermilk and cherries and chocolate!
see, it is love.

this bread is too yeasty to be dessert.
but it's sweet and delicate enough that dunking it in soup would be a disgrace.

chunks of dark chocolate and dried cherries are folded into the sticky dough. as it rises in a heated oven, the warmth melts the chocolate and after a few punches and a knead or two, your beautiful dough has streaks of chocolate running through its bready veins.

this bread should be for breakfast, toasted with jam.
and the day after that, killer french toast becomes a priority.

on the flip side, this bread could very well be for dinner, with butter, maybe a chunk of cheese and perhaps a citrus cocktail.

invite a neighbor over. tell them not to get excited about eating salad or beef. 

if they sound bummed, tell them about the chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Skillet Bread

adapted from Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup buttermilk, warmed (110F)

3 large eggs

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/2 cup chopped tart dried cherries

raw sugar, for sprinkling

in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the buttermilk and let stand until foamy. about 10 minutes. add 2 of the eggs, the flour, and the salt and mix on low speed until combined. Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed until the butter is incorporated. fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. the dough will be very sticky. add the chocolate chunks and cherries and knead just long enough to incorporate them into the dough. scrape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles, about 1 1/2 hours. i let the dough rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 and then turned off. 

line two 10 inch cast iron skillets or baking pan of your choice with parchment. dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down. divide the dough in half and form into 2 rounds. while you lightly handle the dough, the slightly melted chocolate will form streaks in the dough. place each mass of dough into the pans, cover with kitchen towels and set aside to rise until puffed, about 1 hour. 

position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. in a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with a splash of water. brush the surface of each dough gently with the egg wash. sprinkle the tops with a little raw sugar and bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. let cool slightly and serve. 

these breads are best served the day they are baked and best eaten warm.