Something Clever

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Tue, 19 Feb 2013 06:45:54 -0800

I just returned from a week of sailing in the British Virgin Islands. And I forgot to pack just one thing for my trip: a camera. Boo.

Thankfully, my compadres did a better job. More to come when I get copies from them.

This photo was taken with my phone. Most days were warm and sunny, with just enough wind to keep you cool (well, that and the blended drinks). But on this particular day we experienced a storm. Torrential downpour, strong winds and 5-10 foot swells makes for an exciting day of sailing!

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Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:01:02 -0800

Now that I’ve made this bread 3 times in the last 3 weeks, I thought it was only appropriate that I share it.

The inspiration: my new dutch oven that my mom gave me for Christmas. I love this recipe because it’s much quicker than the other dutch oven bread recipes I’ve seen. It’s not giant (it serves 4, although Cory and I ate almost the entire thing between the two of us last night). Also, it’s easy. I haven’t managed to fuck it up, the way that I have pretty much every other yeast bread.

Buttery Dutch Oven ‘Quick’ Bread

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp honey
olive oil
sea salt

In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast, and allow a few minutes for it to proof.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, vital wheat gluten and salt on low for a couple minutes.

Whisk the honey into the melted butter.

Add the yeast and butter mixture to the flour and mix on medium-low until dough comes together. Swap out the paddle attachment for the kneading attachment, and knead at medium-low speed for 8 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl, and pulling the sides of the dough down to the bottom, shape into a ball.

Place dough in a dutch oven, cover, and allow to rise for 4 hours (I’ve left it for 8 hours; I’m sure even longer would be fine…).

Preheat the oven to 425.

Punch the dough and knead for another minute or two. Shape back into a ball and place in the dutch oven.

Cut a large X on top. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes or until beautifully browned and crusty on top.

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Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:41:05 -0800

I intended to post a couple recipes this weekend, but… they failed. For me at least. Who knows if the recipe I used for this sourdough bread was bad, or if it was my own doing that caused it to fail. And by fail, I mean be way too dense and really hardly rise.

Or this roasted banana pudding, which I had such high hopes for (and invested way too many eggs in). Tell me, pudding, is it me?

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Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:33:56 -0800

I was referred to this waffle recipe from a good friend that is an excellent cook. I thought the maple whipped cream seemed like an appropriate topping (especially given that I had extra whipped cream in my fridge), but what would you put on them?

Rice Crispies Waffles with Maple Whipped Cream

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

1 1/4 cup flour (I used 1/2 c whole wheat - I can’t resist)
1 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the maple whipped cream:

1/2 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp real maple syrup

With an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream and maple syrup until it holds stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat waffle iron to medium.

Stir the flour, cereal, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

Whisk egg yolks, milk, vanilla and oil together in a medium bowl.

With an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they hold soft peaks.

Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine, then whisk in the egg whites until just combined. Do not over mix; a few streaks of whites should still be visible.

Pour 2/3 cup batter into the center of the waffle iron and spread batter out toward edges. Close lid and cook until deep golden brown (3-4 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:24:07 -0800

Happy New Year! Cheers to the many wonderful things to come in 2013! Like weddings…

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Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:20:00 -0800

Normally I share the things that I make, but this was too delicious not to share, and I guess technically I picked it out. Oh yeah, and my oven is broken, so you would not have wanted to look at the shit that was coming out of there anyways. **cue the sad music**

It’s was Nutmeg-Infused Eggnog, and Cory made it for my family’s Christmas party. He’s getting pretty great at making cocktails, I must say.

Nutmeg-Infused Eggnog

From Saveur; serves 8-10

1 cup dark rum
1 whole nutmeg
6 eggs
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup brandy
3 cups half and half
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
freshly grated nutmeg

Crack a whole nutmeg into several pieces. Place nutmeg pieces in a small jar or bowl, add rum, cover, and let infuse overnight.

1-4 hours before serving, strain the nutmeg pieces from the rum. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a large bowl, and the whites in a covered container in the fridge.

Whisk the egg yolks vigorously until smooth, slowly adding 1/2 cup of sugar, whisking until lighter in color and thickened.

Whisk in rum, brandy, cream, and sweetened condensed milk. Cover bowl and place in the fridge for at least 1-4 hours.

Just before serving, give the mixture a quick stir to reincorporate ingredients.

In another large bowl, using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form.

To serve, pour or ladle the eggnog into cocktail glasses, top with a dollop of egg whites, and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

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Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:05:00 -0800

Just doing a little waiting.

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Sat, 01 Dec 2012 08:20:19 -0800

Lately, I’m hung up on…

And forever on this guy, who shares my vision of a beautiful and comfortable home:

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Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:28 -0800

I hope you had a delicious Thanksgiving. It’s probably my favorite holiday (it is centered around food, after all).

Cory and I spent our Thanksgiving in Florida with his family. I always enjoy our time there so much. Southern food isn’t always the most accommodating to a vegetarian, but his sweet family and their amazing Southern hospitality goes a long way in making me feel at home.

And now that the Christmas season is officially upon us, I thought I would share this recipe that is perfect for a December brunch. It’s another winner from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook: Gingerbread Spice Dutch Baby.

If you’ve never had a Dutch Baby, let me explain: they’re sit at that perfect intersection between pancake and crepe. They’re light and fluffy, but also quite moist. And a little bit magical. You’ll need a cast-iron skillet (or other oven-proof pan) to make them. But they are SO easy!

Gingerbread Spice Dutch Baby

adapted from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

2 large eggs
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
1/3 cup flour (I did half of this whole wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk and it worked just fine)
1 tablespoon butter
powdered sugar and maple syrup for serving

Preheat your oven to 400.

Put eggs in a blender and run until they are smooth and pale in color.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the butter, powdered sugar and syrup, and process until smooth.

In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over high heat, being sure to coat the entire pan with the butter.

Pour the batter into the skillet, then transfer to the oven and bak for 15 to 20 minutes, until it has rolled up the sides and has a nice consistently springy texture (dry to touch like a pancake, but moister inside, like a crepe).

Slide the Dutch Baby onto a plate, top with powdered sugar and syrup, and pig out!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope yours was as indulgent as mine.

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 07:08:27 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope yours was as indulgent as mine.

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Sat, 17 Nov 2012 10:00:29 -0800

French macarons. Light. Sweet. Chewy. Lovely.

I do love macarons, but they are such a rare indulgence for me, as they run about $2.50 apiece. I just had to make them, so that I could enjoy, you know, like 10 at a time. And maybe even share a few with loved ones.

I used kitchen scale to get these exact measurements (necessary with macarons). I think we picked it up at the brewing supply store, and it has come in handy many times.

Basic French Macarons

120 grams almond meal
200 grams powdered sugar
100 grams egg whites (from about 3 large eggs)
Pinch of cream of tartar
30 grams sugar
Optional food coloring of your choice
Jam or buttercream frosting of your choice

The night before (or 12 hours or so before) you plan to bake, measure out your egg whites and place them in the bowl of your mixer. The aging process helps to break down the enzymes, and makes them whip better.

Use a pencil and a dollar coin (or something of similar size) to trace rounds onto (preferably white) parchment paper and turn the paper over, so that the rounds are just visible. Leave about 1/4 - 1/2 inches between circles.

Place the almond meal and powdered sugar into a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Sift the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Put the whisk attachment on your mixer, add the cream of tartar to the egg mixture and whisk on low speed until the whites become frothy, about 3-5 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium-hight and slowly add the sugar. Mix until stiff peaks begin to form, another 3-5 minutes or so. When it is just so, whisk in food coloring.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add a quarter of the almond meal/powdered sugar mixture, and use a rubber spatula to fold in 5 times. Repeat with the next 3 quarters, being careful to fold as little as possible. The idea is to keep the mixture light and fluffy, without it becoming to bubbly, or too flat.

Pour the batter into a piping bag with a large tip. Pipe the batter into the rounds on the parchment paper. Tap the baking sheet on the counter and use a toothpick to pop any bubbles that may come to the top.

Preheat the oven to 375. Let the shells rest 15-30 minutes while the oven heats. Allowing them to rest gives the shell a firmish top, forcing the air to go out the bottom during baking.

Place baking sheet in the oven and lower the heat to 325. Bake for 5 minutes, turn sheet, and bake for 5 more minutes. Take out and let cool before transferring to a cooling rack.

Once they are fully cooled, fill with whatever suits your fancy. Just peruse the internets for ideas. I used cherry jam, which was good, but next time I would use something a little smoother, without seeds or skin.

Refrigerate for at least an hour or so. Bon appetit!

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Sat, 10 Nov 2012 08:15:00 -0800

I’m not sure if I’ve ever expressed here my stance on cookbooks. I’m against them.

Which sounds like an odd thing to say, considering how much I love to cook and bake.

Let me explain my reasoning for taking this stance: there’s a whole lot of fluff out there. I’m the not-so-proud owner of too many cookbooks that really have no content that I couldn’t just as easily find on the internet, or have way too many complicated ingredients that I’ll never even consider buying. And don’t even get me started on Gwyneth Paltrow’s (and probably a whole myriad of other celebrities…) stupid cookbook. Wha?!? You’re saying I should buy a collection of recipes you didn’t write because you’re pretty and have been in a few movies? I’ll save my precious nickels for a cheap bottle of wine thankyouverymuch.

But every rule has it’s exceptions. And there’s a few really great ones out there. And this is one of them. This book was like an early Christmas present, except better, because now I can make some of these recipes for Christmas! It’s Deb Perelman’s new book, named after her blog, Smitten Kitchen.

(I should also note that I’ve found another cookbook that I am loving, and finding really to be more of a bible than a cookbook: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman)

I’m not ashamed to admit that not 3 days after getting this little gem in the mail, I had already made 3 things out of it. All fantastic!

These are the delicious pretzels that broke my Kitchenaid stand mixer. Yes. Broke.

I’m certain Kitchenaid will replace it, and these pretzels were divine, so it was totally worth it. :)

I would normally post the recipe, but I just don’t think I can do a better job than Deb does, and I’m not about to copy it word for word. But do take my word for it and consider buying this book. It really is fantastic!

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Sun, 04 Nov 2012 19:18:00 -0800

This is it. The very VERY best chocolate chip cookie in the world. I’ve had my share of great chocolate chip cookies, but these cookies really stand out. They have the perfect balance of crisp and chewy, they’re sweet with a touch of chocolate bitter to balance them, the whole wheat gives them a ton of flavor, and my favorite part is that they’re delicious the minute you pull them out of the oven, and equally delicious 3 days later.

I believe these are the keys to what makes these cookies so damn delicious:

1. Use cold butter. Like making a pie. I believe this is what gives it that beautiful texture.

2. Sift the flour. I love skipping steps in recipes when I think it seems unnecessary. I’ve tried this recipe both ways, and believe me, you want to sift.

3. Use a high quality chocolate and chop it. The finely shaved chocolate that flecks the dough and the chocolate chunks are magical.

4. Use a good salt. Even if you just use table salt in the dough recipe, dust the dough with a high quality, flaky salt before baking. I used a pinot noir salt last time and it was very tasty!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Kim Boyce’s Good to The Grain

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces chopped chocolate

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

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on low speed. Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add the chocolate and stir until just incorporated.

Scoop large balls of dough (about 3 tablespoons) onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with fancy salt.

Bake for 16-20 minutes, until just golden brown on the top.

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Mon, 29 Oct 2012 09:08:53 -0700

There’s some things that just taste best fresh. Super fresh.

With super fresh, seasonal ingredients.

And cheese.

Those things would be scones. Scones don’t taste so good when you get them out of a coffee shop pastry case (unless it’s at Starbucks, those always taste fresh, which makes me VERY skeptical…), but they ALWAYS taste good when you make them at home and eat them fresh out of the oven.

Apple Cheddar Scones

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 medium or 3 small apples
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and core apples. Chop into 1/2 inch chunks. Place them on the baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until they are just beginning to turn a nice toasty color. Take them out of the oven and allow them to fully cool.

Sift the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, apple chunks, cheese, cream and one egg into the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.

Pour the flour mixture over it, and mix on low until just combined.

Scatter some flour onto a countertop, dump your scone batter onto it, sprinkle some flour on top of that, and shape the dough into a round, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Using a pastry cutter or a large knife, cut the dough like a pie into 6 even pieces.

At this point, tightly wrap up any scones that you won’t be consuming today in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for another day. When you are ready to bake the frozen ones, simply resume at the next step, and plan for a few more minutes of baking time.

Place the pieces onto a parchment-lined pan, leaving 3 inches or so between scones. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with a sprinkle of water. Brush the egg onto the scones, then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the scones are a nice golden brown. Allow 10 minutes or so for them to cool, then pig out!

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Thu, 25 Oct 2012 07:37:05 -0700

Last weekend we celebrated the birthday of my love with a stay in Carlton, a bike ride around wine country, ending with dinner at Carlton’s finest French restaurant. I should mention that we did this with 22(!) of our friends. I think it goes without saying that it was really fun!

The ride was gorgeous. The best part was doing it with friends.

The second best part was the fact that it didn’t rain! I couldn’t believe it. We could literally see rain clouds off in the distance all day. Note rain falling in the distance:

But everywhere we went looked more like this:

It did finally start pouring. Right about the moment we got to the very last place. That’s okay. It made dinner more cozy.

This was our itinerary:

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Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:11:50 -0700

Lately…

We’ve wrapped up wedding season. Only 6.5 weddings this year (6 weddings +1 wedding reception), which doesn’t beat last year’s 8, but still…

We’re still obsessed with this big ball of fur.

We’ve gone fishing a couple times now. Though we’ve yet to bring anything home, we’re really enjoying it. Spending a few quiet hours on a boat with each other, drinking PBR, and hoping something will bite is more enjoyable than I had even imagined.

Cory did catch a good one (probably 12 inches or so) while we were on the Deschutes, but the line broke and it got away. The good ones often do.

Thankfully not this one. Damn, I love this guy.

And I did catch this little guy! I had to throw him back, but it felt great to catch something!

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Sun, 09 Sep 2012 08:37:32 -0700

I know. These don’t look fantastic. But they’re delicious and you don’t have to turn your oven on, which means they are the perfect 90 degree weather cookie. And I think they’d be equally delicious after spending a couple hours in the fridge.

No-Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls

from How Sweet Eats

1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup ground almonds (or peanuts) for rolling the balls in

In a medium bowl, stir the oats, almonds, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips.

In a microwave safe bowl, nuke the peanut butter for 30 seconds. Let cool slightly, then use a fork to whip in the honey and vanilla.

Pour the peanut butter mixture into the dry mixture and mix until well combined.

Scoop out dough and roll into balls the size of golf balls (or smaller… I think next time I will go about half that size).

Roll in ground almonds or peanuts.

Enjoy!

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Sat, 25 Aug 2012 09:52:07 -0700

My wonderful, and even more-of-a-foody-than-me friend, Michaelene sent me this recipe the other day. It’s from the America’s Test Kitchen, and they know they’re shit. I hadn’t thought that biscuits could actually be made easier, and still be delicious, but they are… ridiculously so. My neighbors (I brought it to our block party) raved about them. They’re easy to impress, apparently.

You start with the dry basics: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

Then melt the butter. This is what makes this recipe so unique: most recipes call for extra cold butter cut into small pieces. You want the butter in chunks so that in the oven they create steam, for a flaky, tender biscuit.

This recipe, however, has you melt the butter, then add the cold buttermilk.

It’s the cold buttermilk that works it’s magic. It curdles the butter, essentially creating the same effect as cutting up cold butter. But waaaay less work. We like that.

Fold that wet stuff in with that dry stuff.

Drop it onto a lined baking sheet.

Bake them. Eat them.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for brushing on the biscuits

Preheat oven to 475.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.

While stirring, combine the buttermilk with the melted butter in a medium bowl, until the butter forms small clumps.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the batter onto the baking sheet.

Bake until the tops are golden brown and crisp, about 12-14 minutes.

As soon as they’re out of the oven, brush the tops with butter, then let cool a few minutes before serving.

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Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:44:16 -0700

Have you ever heard of corn butter? It tastes a bit like butter: creamy and smooth, slightly salty and sweet. And like butter it only has one ingredient: corn!

I stumbled upon this recipe/method on Gilt. They’ve got some really fantastic food stories and recipes.

Basically, you begin with 8 or so ears of corn. Right now is the very best time to get super fresh, beautiful and cheap (this whole thing cost me less than $2!) corn.

Cut off all the kernels into a bowl, keeping all the juice.

You’re going to throw the corn in a blender or food processor and puree for a few minutes.

Then press it through a sieve, leaving you with only the juice. I just strained it right over the pan.

Then you cook the corn juice over medium - medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or so, until it starts to froth, whisking continuously. Once it starts to froth, cook it for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Then pour it into a glass serving dish, allowing it to cool and set. Voila! You’ve got corn butter. You can do so much with it: spread it on biscuits (that recipe’s coming very soon), pour it into a milkshake (I used coconut ice cream and it was delicious!), or slather it on a sandwich. Really, you could put this stuff on anything!

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Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:45:35 -0700

I rode my bike 100 miles today. Hooray for me!

My friend Cullen came and wore really silly (but actually kind of practical) socks. They were very amusing for me and for many other people. And the matched his bandana. Cullen is always so matchy matchy.

There was only one flat. But we were prepared. We were also prepared for…

Pizza!!! Extra prepared. Shit, the only thing that was better than the pizza was…

Drinkin’ beers with my friends! Harmony (far right) volunteered as a cheerleader and I like that. Cory was sick, but he was still a good sport.

Yes, friends, the Portland Century is a good, no… great time!

Something Clever

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2*5*13

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11*24*12

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope yours was as indulgent as mine.

11*17*12

11*10*12

11*4*12

10*29*12

10*25*12

10*9*12

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8*25*12

8*22*12

8*19*12

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