double ginger sugar cookies

two cookies sit on a table. one chocolate chip. the other, a sugar cookie.

the chocolate chip looks at the sugar and scoffs. it knows that it is the front runner, cherished and beloved by all across this (great..?) nation.
it knows that people want it. and it knows that if it's anytime but christmas, it's gonna kick the sugar cookie's desserty ass.

let me lay down the law.
unless you, you pretentious chocolate chip cookie, are one of These kin, still barely warm from the oven...which you are probably absolutely not...i'm swiping the sugar cookie, leaving you on the table left to wallow.

these sugar cookies are great because they have ginger in them and then ginger again.
candied and ground.
they are simple + oomph.
i have a serious thing for ginger.

stash this recipe away, and churn them up on any random chilly day.

frost them. sandwich them. dot them with caramel puddles. leave them plain.
cooooooooookies, Yes.

don't share them with anyone dumb.

Double Ginger Sugar Cookies

from food and wine

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

in a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the crystallized and ground ginger, baking soda, and salt. in a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, or using a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. beat in the egg yolk and vanilla, scraping down the sides. beat in the dry ingredients at medium-low speed. divide the dough in half and pat each into a round, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 

preheat the oven to 350. on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough 1/8 inch thick. using a 2 inch cutter, stamp out rounds and arrange on baking sheets. bake for about 20 minutes, until golden, turning the pans halfway through baking. 
right when i took them out of the oven i smashed them down softly with the flat bottom of a glass. this is totally optional. 
let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. 

butternut squash lasagna

ba ba black sheep, have you any lasagna?
yes sir, yes sir, i'm hoarding a whole pan.

when it's just as dark when you go into work as it is when you leave work, lasagna pan hoarding is so completely fine.
feck you skinny pregnant gisele.

butternut squash lasagna.
three cheeses showed up. ricotta, parmesan, and mozz. and they are all friends and love each other.
there is spinach and caramelized onions and béchamel.

my favorite part about making béchamel is stirring in the nutmeg. it just smells like you are doing things right.

Butternut Squash Lasagna 

adapted from the kitchy kitchen

4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

20 oz spinach, washed and dry

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup red or white wine, i used white

1 lb lasagna sheets

12 oz ricotta

2 balls fresh buffalo mozzarella

1-2 cups regular mozzarella, grated (depending on how much cheese you'd like)

few handfuls of parmesan, grated

chili flakes

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup basil, julienned

olive oil

butter

hot sauce

for the béchamel:

1 3/4 pints milk

few sprigs of parsley

1/4 tsp nutmeg

10 peppercorns

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1 bay leaf

6 tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup grated parmesan

preheat the oven to 425 degreesF. drizzle the butternut squash with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt and fresh black pepper. roast for half an hour, until tender and browned. meanwhile, over medium heat saute spinach in a few tbsps of olive oil,  2 cloves of minced garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. let the spinach wilt down, then remove from pan onto a plate lined with a couple paper towels. next caramelize the onions. melt 1 tbsp butter and a tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook down for about 30-40 minutes, halfway through caramelizing, stir in the wine and the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic. the onions are done when they are a rich brown color, sweet and caramely. set aside. 

boil the lasagna sheets until al dente. set them aside in a bowl of water. 

to make the béchamel: bring the milk and all the ingredients except the butter, flour, and parmesan to a simmer. in a separate sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour. stir until doughy and nutty smelling, about 1 minute. strain in the milk mixture a cup at a time, whisking to incorporate with the butter and flour. it should be smooth and velvety. add the parmesan and set aside. 

slice the buffalo mozzarella. 

preheat the oven to 375. in a large baking dish, place a layer of noodles, some onions and spinach, the mozzarella, dot with a third of the ricotta, some basil, and then cover with 1/4 of the béchamel. repeat 3 times, and finish with remaining béchamel and parmesan. bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbling. turn the broiler on and bake for another 5 minutes until browned and crisp on top. allow to sit for a little and then dig in. 

serve with a bunch of hot sauce. 

maple cream tart + pretzel crust

october. over?

i sit in my living room.
i pick pineapple off the pizza.
i rub my eyeballs.
i squeeze the cellulite on my leg.
i watch political things.
i rewatch episodes of girls.
i search the bag for the fruity tootsie rolls.
i dream of better things.`
i make a tart.

maple cream, pretzel crust.
whips of cream. valhrona carmelia crunchy balls.

i'm so into it. especially the crust. and maple.
and the balls.

Maple Cream Tart with Pretzel Crust

crust adapted from food & wine, maple cream from here

for the crust:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed thin pretzels

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

maple cream:

4 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

1 1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cornstarch

6 egg yolks

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

splash of vanilla 

to make the crust:  in a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with 3/4 cup of the pretzels and the confectioners' sugar at low speed until creamy. beat in the flour and egg. add the remaining 1/2 cup pretzels. flatten the dough between plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. 

preheat oven to 350. roll of the dough between sheets of parchment (or just press in the crust as i did) into a round or rectangular tart pan. (you may have dough leftover depending on the size of the pan you're using.) refrigerate the shell for 30 minutes until firm. 

line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. bake for about 30 minutes, until nearly set. remove the parchment and weights and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until the tart shell is firm; cover the edge with foil if it darkens too much. let it cool completely. 

for the maple cream: in a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the milk, the vanilla bean, the maple syrup, and the salt. bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. 

in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the corn starch to a thick paste. bring the milk back to medium heat. once the milk just comes to a simmer, ladle a few cups of  it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine. pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk, whisking constantly. cook until custard thickens, about 5-8 minutes. once thick, remove from heat and continue stirring to cool. once the custard has cooled a bit, add the softened butter pieces, stirring after each addition. the custard should be smooth and thick. if there is any trace of lumps in the custard, pass it through a fine mesh strainer. 

pour the maple cream into the cooled tart shell. this recipe makes more maple cream than needed to fill one tart shell, so if saving for later, press plastic wrap on the surface of the cream so it doesn't form a skin and refrigerate. 

whip cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. spoon or pipe onto tart. 

pumpkin pancakes, mornings to savor

pre-pancakes: early morn drop-boyfriend-off-at-the-airport deal.
during pancakes: pumpkin, spices. couch. 2nd coffee.
only concerns: mess i left in the kitchen, will there be enough maple syrup? why is my amazon book still not here?
after-pancakes: the post-pancake nap.

mornings like this have become things to look forward to.

Pumpkin Pancakes

from martha stewart

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

pinch of ground nutmeg and cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

sift the flour, sugar, baking power, spices, and salt together in a bowl. in another bowl, beat the pumpkin, egg, milk, and butter. fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to incorporate. heat a griddle pan and grease with a pat of butter. scoop about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and cook about 3 minutes each side. 

serve with maple syrup. 

basil pots de creme + strawberry cream crumbs

well, art is art, isn't it? and east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.
now, you tell me what you know.

Groucho Marx

trust me.

Basil Pots de Creme

from brave tart, she's magical

16 oz cream

8 oz whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, seeds reserved

7 oz sugar 

1 1/2 oz clean basil leaves

8 oz egg yolks

1/4 kosher salt

in a medium pot, combine the milk, cream, and vanilla bean pod. bring mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat. cover and steep for 1 hour. 

while the vanilla steeps, prepare for the water bath and set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. you'll also need a baking pan with tall sides, like a 9x13" baking pan, a fine mesh strainer, and aluminum foil to cover the baking pan. 

grind the sugar and basil leaves together in the bowl of a food processor for 2 minutes, until the sugar has turned solid green. put the yolks in a medium bowl, then whisk in the basil sugar, reserved vanilla bean seeds and salt. stir to fully incorporate. 

when the steep time is up, preheat the oven to 300 degreesF. return the milk/cream mixture to a simmer, then carefully ladle some of the hot cream into the eggs. repeat with a few more ladle-fulls until the egg mixture has warmed and is more fluid. then whist the warm egg mixture back into the pot of cream. turn the heat to medium low and cook mixture, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. keep cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes quite hot to the touch and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

pour the mixture through the sieve into a medium bowl (okay to reuse the bowl that held the eggs). portion the strained mixture evenly between ramekins (i used little jars), and place in the baking pan. fill the pan about 3/4 way full with the boiling water, then cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and carefully transfer to oven. 

bake for between 30-45 minutes, or until the custards have a gentle set. to test, giggle a ramekin. there should not be any liquidy movement in the center. keep baking until the custards are set through. its possible for some of the custards to finish cooking before others...so feel free to remove one by one. 

remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. then cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or until thoroughly chilled through. they will keep, covered and refrigerated, for a week. 

i even put some in the freezer, and it was good. 

+

Strawberry Cream Scones

adapted from big sur bakery,  and these lovely ones

crumble them up, toast a little bit more in the oven. top the cremes with the crumbles. add a little extra fresh strawberry if you want. i wanted. 

apple quinoa bread

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

and then scooping biscuits, obviously.

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

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

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

Apple Quinoa Bread

adapted from anja's food for thought

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 large apple, peeled and grated

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

small handful toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

small handful of golden raisins (optional)

1/4 cup rolled oats

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil to keep it dairy-free)

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

oatmeal cookies with rice krispies, coconut, pecan + marshmallow

true or false.

i feel weird and guilty about all the nothing that has been going on here in the past couple weeks. true.
i'm still figuring out my strange technology limbo situation. true. ugh.

i dropped my phone on my face again, and this time, it rather flung into my face leaving me with an actual black eye. not false.

23 was a good year. true.
23 was the best year ever, golden year for sure. false.

i've played it cool with my black eye and led some people to believe i was in a girl brawl. false.

speaking of black eyes, concord grapes brighten my day. true.

cookie dough is an artform, a raw, gooey artform.
it's an obsession, it's comfort, it's ruining my appetite for dinner.
all true.

i made these cookies with a lot of things in them.

sometimes i can't keep it simple. i don't care. i don't want to. i want to take my grandma's cookies, and make them more trashy.

rice krispies. oats. coconut. pecans. marshmallows.

thin and chewy, with a pleasant crunch from the krispies.
do you see those crispy caramelized edges? they taste like a caramelized rice krispy treat.

for me, these are as addictive as it gets.
i didn't eat the dough for breakfast with coffee. false.
i love them so much more than any plain jane oatmeal cookie. true.

and when they were all gone, rice krispy treats is the right thing to do. (true to the true.)

Oatmeal Cookies with Rice Krispy, Coconut, Pecan, and Marshmallow

adapted from my grandma

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups rice krispies

1 cup coconut

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, chilled in the freezer 

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. line baking sheets with parchment paper or grease with nonstick spray. combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. cream butter and both sugars til fluffy. add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. then beat in the vanilla. add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. stir in the oats, rice krispies, coconut, pecans, and marshmallows. chill the dough in the refrigerator or immediately scoop tablespoons of the dough onto prepared baking sheets and bake for about 10-12 minutes. 

vanilla rum banana bread + kaffir lime glaze

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

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

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

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

Vanilla Rum Banana Bread with Kaffir Lime Glaze

adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp dark rum

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3

kaffir lime

finger lime (optional but fun)

confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350. sift or whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for a few minutes. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. add the vanilla, rum, sour cream, and mashed banana. then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. scrape into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes. 

simply mix lime juice with confectioners sugar until it becomes a smooth glaze and desired consistency is achieved. pour over the cooling bread. 

oh. crap.

i had a birthday.
and then i spilled a bottle of water on my computer.

it's at the computer store, i'm a nervous wreck.

i'm borrowing my mom's computer for the next hour. i hope i have better things to report soon.

um..

it's great to get out into the fresh air, take a walk, stare at the ocean and think about how many strange things could be hidden down there.
it's not cool to randomly catch great whites off the pier. and then casually throw it back in.
"it's okay, it was just a baby"...that's what people have said to me. an 8 foot baby.

i'm intrigued and terrified.

turn up the lights in here bay-bee. extra bright i want chy'all to see this.
...

this is going no where by the way.

oh, cake!
a picture of cake is here, everything is normal.

fresh veggie sandwich

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

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

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

um..
i want a sandwich.

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

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

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

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

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

dip the cucumbers in the sauce to snack on.

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

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

Avocado Chipotle Veggie Sandwich

inspired by wanting to eat sandwiches

fresh ciabatta, or other crusty bread

1-2 ripe avocados

1 large heirloom tomato

1/2 cucumber, sliced

a little red onion, sliced

romaine lettuce

sprouts

cheese (optional..i added a few shavings of parmesan)

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

chipotle spread

mash up the avocado in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon and a liberal pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. 

toast the bread. spread avocado on one side of the bread and chipotle spread on the other. layer on the other ingredients, smush together, and slice. 

Chipotle Spread

1 chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tsp adobo sauce

1-2 tbsp mayo, sour cream, or greek yogurt

1/4 cup red pesto (i had a small jar of this in my pantry, i think it might be from 

whole foods.. its just a pesto made with sun-dried tomatoes)

mix everything up. 

peach marshmallows + graham crackers. s'mores.

eating marshmallows right now = this moment could be even better if s'mores were to occur.
am i right y'ALL?

the marshmallows, they are peach.

not in-your-face gummy candy peach, but delightfully light, sweet, and peachy.

i plunged a few chocolate covered almonds in one corner. whatever, why not.

abstract food art! kind of..

and graham crackers. there were none to be found in my humble abode. blasphemy!
(is that a blasphemous thing? ..not reeally. i dunno, shut up.)
the graham crackers, i had zero of them. i decided, what the heck, i'll just make some. i couldn't find a good excuse not to.

to make graham crackers, all you need are some basic pantry staples. things like brown sugar and honey. this is going great.

and the makeshift s'more..
a composed mess of graham cracker peach marshmallow and white chocolate.

good. weird? sweet treat tasty. there's marshmallow goo all over my hands and i don't care.

if i did it again, i might sneak some tart lemon curd in there. i am a prisoner to the Tart.

oh, right..it must be mentioned.
*this does not fulfill your yearning for that comfortingly familiar flavor of a classic s'more.

i don't think the sandlot boys would approve of this s'more.
luckily they aren't here in this kitchen to stop me.

very lucky, because they must be old now and that'd be uncomfortable.
GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN, SMALLS

Graham Crackers

adapted from smitten kitchen via nancy silverton

2 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour (i used 2 cups all purpose 1/2 cup graham flour)
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
7 tbsp (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild flavored honey
5 tbsp milk
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract

combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. pulse to incorporate. add the butter and pulse on and off until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. 
in a small bowl, whisk together honey, milk, and vanilla. add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times until the dough barely comes together. it will be very soft and sticky. lay out a piece of plastic wrap and dust it with flour, then turn dough onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. wrap it and chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. 
divide dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. flour a work surface evenly and roll out dough about 1/8 inch thick. use it's very sticky so flour is important. cut into rectangles, squares, circles, etc. place crackers on one or two parchment lined baking sheets and chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. repeat with the second batch of dough. (or freeze it to make later!)
preheat oven to 350 degreesF. bake for 15-25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even baking

Fresh Peach Marshmallows
adapted from this recipe

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
1/2 cup peach puree, method below
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
drop or two of orange food color (optional)

peach puree:
2-3 ripe peaches, diced
tbsp sugar
squeeze of lemon

place the peaches, sugar, and lemon in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree. strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, and transfer to a small saucepan. cook the peach puree down to about 1/2 cup, to concentrate the peachy flavor 

for the mallows: oil the bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish. dust with confectioners sugar. 
in a bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and peach puree, and let stand to soften. 
in a 3 quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water and salt over medium low heat, stirring  with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. increase heat to medium and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240, about 10 minutes. remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. 
with a standing or hand held mixer, beat on high until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume. 
in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they just hold still peaks. beat egg whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. pour mixture into prepared pan. sift a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar evenly over top. chill until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to one day. 
run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. loosen marshmallow with your fingers and ease onto cutting board. with a large oiled knife, trim the marshmallow and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. 
mix remaining confectioners' sugar with cornstarch and sift into a wide bowl or baking sheet. toss with the marshmallows on all sides. shake off the excess and store in an airtight container for up to a week. 

and then ...

Graham Peach Marshmallow and White Chocolate S'mores
i did it in the oven because i was too lazy to go looking for the old brulee torch. 

triple coconut cream pie (with bananas)

i've been a little of a mess lately. everything's all over the place..me, my brain, my clothes, my eating habits, my slightly clumsy awkward ways.

i feel tired. i'm overwhelmed, i'm bored, excited, and not excited.

i've been getting honked at on my bike a lot, one guy even yelled. it makes me nervous.

i've been surviving off of brownie batter, cheddar cheese cubes, sticky bun scraps, and cereal. in a very not good way. my stomach and my heart and my blood have good reason to be quite pissed off at me.

i make biscuits by hand almost every day of my life. and not like 30...like 300. that must be doing something strange to my brain.

the other night, i was laying in bed, and i dropped my phone on my face.
maybe i was hallucinating and thought i was holding a biscuit.
i was not. it was an iphone. it really hurt.

my hair is either in work position - low super tight bun, jutting bobby pins, covered with a baseball hat.
or ridiculous knot mess bun on top of the head.
i'm having a hard time remembering the last time i looked particularly put together.

i went to a crosby stills nash show with my parents. they were rockin, i was falling asleep in my lap with kettle corn stuck in my scarf.

i was out in the world at a shin dig, in a room with well-groomed, seeming sophisticates.
within ten minutes of being there, i bit into a cream puff, and the cream shoots out the other end.
i somehow catch the cream before it lands on my clothes, while trying to lick off the additional cream that made its way onto my chin, and i have a drink in the other hand.
trying to look graceful in this situation is out of the question.

i have even been dreaming about myself doing weird embarrassing things, and then waking up the next day feeling ashamed and dumb, all in the dream.

this has been my life, i'm hoping to snap myself out of it soon.

in the meantime, i'll just keep baking and dropping phones on my face.

coconut cream pie is too dang good. add bananas and, it is, for me, the ultimate pie.

i have read some crazy good tales of seattle's dahlia bakery, and it's famed coconut cream pie.

and the recipe is out in the world! for everyone to bake up and savor, slice by slice.

with a coconut crust, a custardy coconut cream, an added layer of bananas, a blanket of whipped cream and a finish of toasted coconut and white chocolate..it's certainly dreamy.

better than any party cream puff that i could ever drop on myself.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie with Bananas

adapted from Tom Douglas of Dahlia Bakery     

for the coconut pie crust:

1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup ice water, plus more if needed

for the coconut pastry cream:

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

2 large eggs

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

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

for whipped cream:

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 2 bananas, sliced

2 ounces unsweetened shaved coconut toasted in a 350 degree F oven for 7 minutes

a small chunk of white chocolate, shaved into curls

for the crust: put all the ingredients, besides water in a food processor. pulse until it becomes coarse crumbs. add water a few tbsp at a time, pulsing in between, until dough holds together when pressed between your fingers. 

dump dough onto a sheet of plastic and press into a disc, cover with plastic and refrigerate for an hour. 

roll dough onto a floured surface into a 12-13 inch circle. ease the dough gently into a 9 inch pie pan (i used a deep fluted tart pan), and trim the excess. chill at least 1 hour before baking. 

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the pie crust extending over the edges and fill with dried beans or pie weights. bake for 20-25 minutes until rim is golden. remove from oven, discard foil and beans, and return to oven. bake for 10-12 minutes more, until golden. remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 

for the coconut pastry cream: combine milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod to the milk mixture. place the saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. 

in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined. temper the eggs (to keep them from scrambling) by pouring 1/3 cup of the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking. then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut. whisk over medium-high heat until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes more. 

remove saucepan from heat. add the butter and whisk until it melts. remove and discard the vanilla bean pod. transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place it over a bowl of ice water, stir occasionally until it's completely cool. place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent it from forming a skin. refrigerate until completely cold. the pastry cream with thicken as it cools. 

for whipped cream: in an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed, gradually increasing the speed to high and whip to peaks 

To Assemble: fill the pie crust with a generous layer of bananas. pour over the coconut pastry cream and spread it into an even layer. dollop and spread whipped cream over the top and garnish with a sprinkling of toasted shaved coconut and white chocolate curls (made with a vegetable peeler)

strawberry creme fraiche ice cream

the last post was missing a recipe. how rude i am sometimes.

surely some ice cream will strengthen our bond.

strawberry creme fraiche ice cream!

are you familiar with creme fraiche? do you love creme fraiche? you should love it.
it's like a slightly less sour and more thick and creamy sour cream. it's a dream ingredient.

creme fraiche makes me think about the creme fraiche episode of south park.

and now, creme fraiche will make me think about south park and then ice cream.

simple icy creams... the color is cute and cheery, the taste is close-your-eyes good.

it's so smooth, light and fresh.
fresher than fraiche.

i put some fudge sauce on it, because it seemed like the smart decision.
i love this fudge sauce! it's gloopy in the best way.

dreamworld: the weekend lasts for 10 days and i have an endless supply of strawberry creme fraiche ice cream cones.

Strawberry Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

adapted from The Perfect Scoop by Dave Leibovitz

1 lb strawberries, washed and sliced

3/4 cup sugar*

1 tbsp kirsch (or vodka)

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup creme fraiche

*i used cane sugar because i was out of regular sugar, and it worked out splendidly

toss strawberries in a bowl with the sugar and kirsch. stir until the sugar begins to dissolve and strawberries are coated. let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 

pulse the strawberries and their liquid with the creme fraiche, heavy cream and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until almost smooth, but still slightly chunky. refrigerate mixture for at least 1 hour. freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. 

august reminiscing

summery blues. the colors and the feelings.
it's that time.
when you write the date 9/2 and go 'huuh? what the hell"
it's the time that you feel summer fade, slowly being ripped from your fingertips.
indian summer. it sounds romantic, doesn't it?

and once autumn has snatched us up, i can look back at summer photos and feel the love.

scragly pizza dough. soon to be topped with cilantro pesto. and corn and cheese. oh yea, get down.

annoyingly trendy. cute bouquet. favorite clutch. (only clutch)

ted cuddles. band-aid fingers.

red velvet cake is weird. but it's some good cake.

cutting board inspiration. 

rosemary for focaccia. morsels of chocolate. and a plum to snack on. 

snacking while cooking is essential. 

this scene got me thinking, wouldn't plum, rosemary, and chocolate be a splendid combo? perhaps a bread speckled with rosemary and chocolate, with plums and ricotta? i think i'm all in. 

cemetery picnics.

melon full of water!

obviously... 

work. before 7am: stick bun spirals.

harvesting energy to go on a run, with good beats.

and after the run i can eat coffee ice cream with fudge sauce and strawberries.

pretty skies and coconut cream pies.

these ones. 

two lovely lamps, two lovely places.

caprese with fruit. ah tomatoes!
enjoy them now, enjoy the berries and the corn.

enjoy these dwindling summer days, we must.

salted caramel brownies

bonjour, bonne nuit, bon bon!
notice some little changes around these parts?
i made a new doodle and stuck it at the top of the page. i like it! it feels new and fresh.

AND and. this blogthing is now seeyouinthemorning.com. yusss, yay!, cool.

a lot of people ask me how i got so into food.
and actually, i don't really know, it's hard to answer.

i never knew how much i truly loved food when i was younger. i was too busy laughing or crying or playing bop-it.
but my life is full of these little food memories, ones that let me realize that my love for food was always there, it was never chosen.

i used to eat lemon slices for 80% for attention, the other 20 because i liked it.

i would order penne alfredo at any restaurant that would make it, and i felt fancy doing it.

i sucked on pistachio shells because i liked the salt and the clicking noise of the shells together.

i'd make one piece of cinnamon toast and one piece with butter and jam, because i liked them both, and because couldn't decide. i'd slice them in triangles and switch off bites of each.

i remember accidentally running through a swarm of gnats while i was eating one of those giant carnival twisty rainbow lollypops. and i remember being so upset after i realized they were all stuck to it.

and box mix brownies...one of the greatest things that could happen in a day.

i remember taking a trip to the mountains, i must have been 6 or 7. a family and friend weekend gathering for skiing and snow and making fires in a cabin.
seriously, the only thing i remember vividly about that trip is licking a bowl of brownie batter, playing uno, and thinking to myself 'this is my favorite part of the trip'.

..so, yea that sounds about right.

and while i've never met a brownie that i didn't welcome with open arms, it is now, after all these years of brownies, that finally, i've found it. my brownie nirvana.

this brownie, i do believe, is the perfect brownie for me.
i know that a perfect classic fudgy brownie, left in its purest form with no trace of caramels, or fruits, or peppermint patties, is a beautiful thing.

but my perfect brownie, the one i would want probably before any other, is this one. with salted caramel. and more salt.

sea saaaalty. i go at the maldon with a heavy hand, and i stand by it.

these taste exponentially better on the second day. like seriously, a totally noticeable difference in flavors. the first night, they were unbelievably rich and chocolate intense, quite delicious, but by the next day, they were truly something to be gushed over.

the ingredients settle together, the caramel nestles perfectly into the chocolate, and every flavor sings a joyous tune without being overpowered by the intensity of the chocolate.

and then i start singing.

thank you, salted caramel brownie. thank you for your existence. i know we will spend many great years together from now until forever.

Sweet and Salty Brownie

from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

for the caramel filling:

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp fleur de sel

1/4 cup sour cream

for brownie:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder

11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60-72%), coarsely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

5 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

fleur de sel and coarse sugar for sprinkling

for the caramel filling, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350℉ or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool. 

for the brownie, preheat the oven to 350℉.

butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.

place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. 

turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars. whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. the mixture should be at room temperature at this point.

ddd three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. ddd the remaining two eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. don't overbeat the batter!  or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is a just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible. 

to assemble the brownie, pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer. 

bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel and 1 teaspoon coarse sugar.

rosemary focaccia + little caprese sandwiches

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rosemary Focaccia

barely adapted from pastry affair

4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour

2 3/4 cups warm water

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

2 tsp coarse sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 1/2 tsp raw sugar

in a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, water, and yeast. cover the bowl with plastic and allow to rise in a warm dry place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough has tripled in volume and is bubbly. 

in a stand mixer, attach dough hook and mix in salt and rosemary. knead dough for an additional 5-7 minutes. dough will be loose and sticky. 

( if not using a stand mixer, turn dough onto a floured surface and knead dough, mix in salt and rosemary at this time. add more flour as needed. dough will be difficult to handle, but try to incorporate as little flour as you can, as it will result in a softer bread)

cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another hour, or until doubled in volume. 

in a 13x17 inch rimmed baking pan, evenly distribute 2 tbsp of olive oil to coat the pan. turn out dough onto pan and with oiled hands, pull dough to the edges of pan. the dough may resist, but with some patience it will stay put. cover dough with a clean dish towel and allow to rise for an additional 20 minutes. 

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

using your fingertips, dimple the top of the dough. drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over bread and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, black pepper, raw sugar, and rosemary. bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. let cool slightly in pan before serving warm. 

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

plum topped zucchini muffins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

they have big delicious tops.

..no you are.

Plum Topped Zucchini Muffins

adapted from america's test kitchen

2 zucchini (1 lb), ends trimmed

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

2-3 plums, thinly sliced

streusel:

2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

dash of cinnamon and salt

preheat oven to 375. line muffin pan with papers or spray with nonstick cooking spray. shred the zucchini on a box grater and then squeeze the water out with paper towels. whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. in another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. 

next make the streusel by simply combining all the ingredients together in a small bowl til clumpy and crumbly. 

gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture with the zucchini and walnuts. 

evenly divide the batter into the muffin tins. top each with a bit of streusel, then layer 2 plum slices on each. top with a bit more streusel and bake for about 20 minutes. 

makes about 14 muffins. 

peanut butter banana bacon & honey: a sandwich

check one. check one.

peanut butter. check.

honey. check.

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

and le bacon. check two, check three.

smash it between soft crusty bread.

i like everything about this sandwich mic sesh.

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

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

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

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

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

sometimes i leave him weather doodles.

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

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

Peanut Butter Banana Bacon + Honey Sandwich 

adapted from youth

peanut butter

banana, sliced

honey

bacon, 1-2 slices  crisped

crusty bread, toasted

layer and smash together in sandwich fashion. 

s

a cozy weekend + buckwheat noodles with eggplant & mango

it was a splendid weekend, more special than most.

it started out strong with a stretchy car outfit and my favorite pillow, a playlist, and a stash of soba noodles and watermelon.

the soba noodles were filled with soft crisped eggplant and slices of mango. the watermelon was filled with water.

feeling free on the road. it was beach fog. it was a house on a hill. it was family love.

it was early mornings in a cozy bottomed bunk bed.

it was family dinner time in an old family dinner room.

it was bees eating peaches. it was humans eating plain marshmallows and jam.

it was tequila shot toasts. (ayiiiyiii!)

it was wishing that all seagulls would lose their ability to squawk.

it was puzzle and wine time. all the time.

tangly ponytails, and chilling on cliffs.

i never want to be away from baby belly laughs or cheesy biscuits.

twas such a precious weekend, surrounded by people who love each other so much.

and then there was the long, immediately nostalgic ride home.
bumpy nap included.

and a lapful of big sur bakery raspberry strudel flakes. .

and to close out the journey, just a few nonchalant zebras chilling on the side of the coastal highway.

because, as i always say, every great weekend ends with wild zebras.

(oh right, the soba noodles. easy, slurpable, and oh so delish. perfect to eat cold out of a tupperware, perhaps in the car or in a field. or just wherever you normally eat. ottolenghi can do no wrong!)

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango

from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

1/2 cup rice vinegar

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sunflower oil
2 eggplants, cut into 3/4 inch dice
8-9 ounces soba noodles
1 large ripe mango, cut into small chunks or thin strips
1 2/3 cup basil leaves, chopped
2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat up the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rise well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel.

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.