Snippets of Thyme

Butternut Squash and Orange Cauliflower Soup

2011-06-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 50 Top Food Blogs! Thank you to every single one of you that voted for me. I am overwhelmed! If you would like to add your vote, click on the side link to the right. Thank you!

Really, it seems that whenever I go to farmer's markets, my mind quickly wanders into the land of soups. I see all of the fresh produce and I can't help but envision a big pot of scented soup with some sort of rustic crusty bread to go along with it.

The other weekend, my cousin and I checked out a new farmer's market here in Houston. This one is called "Midtown Farmer's Market". It was a sweet discovery but it so happened there was more to discover there than the little market.

This market almost acts like a welcoming party to a famous restaurant in Houston...T'afia. I had heard of this restaurant and was delighted to see that we had landed right in front of it. In fact, on Saturdays, the owner, Monica Pope sets up an outdoor kitchen in the front of the restaurant. There she was, right there, instructing everyone on the dish she was cooking. She prepares all sorts of delicious dishes and gives a cooking lesson to anyone eager to learn.

Her restaurant specializes in cooking with local ingredients that she incorporates into her dishes. I wondered about the cute name, T'afia. I went to her blog and learned more about this unique name.

T'afia comes from the creole word "ratafia", which is a fortified wine made with seasonal produce. The word t'afia is also used to mean a toast "to your health". What a wonderful and fitting name!

The mood of this market was so different from other markets in Houston. There were stalls selling fresh fruits, vegetables, candles, and funky clothing.

This market almost seemed like a "pocket market", especially there to provide for the people in that area. However, a curious line wound its way under overhanging pavilions and a very diverse crowd of people stood waiting. For what? As you might have guessed, they were all waiting to eat in the restaurant T'afia.

I knew we didn't have time to try out this restaurant today but I did want to check it out further...on the inside perhaps. Look at the line of people waiting to eat there! This is Houston, Texas. It is hot outside!

I didn't want to be rude but you see I have this over-riding curious nature about me that gets away from me and leads me to often get overly excited about new discoveries. I just "had" to see inside.

Yes, I did manage to slip inside (apologizing to the people first in line and promising that I was not "butting"). How juvenile, I actually used the word "butting". No wonder the group at the door looked at me funny. A grown woman promising not to..."butt".

The inside of the restaurant is fabulous. The colors and artwork were vibrant and powerful, the energy was buzzing. Food was flying back and forth from the kitchens. T'afia is definitely a place I would love to come back and try out. Something to definitely plan for another weekend with Patrick perhaps.

First things first, however. The sun was burning hotter and it was time to head home. I was still dreaming of soups. I had recently come across a recipe for a Butternut Squash and Orange Cauliflower Soup. After making some fun fashion purchases at the market outside T'afia it was time to go home and make this soup.

I really never thought I would find the orange cauliflower called for in the recipe. I had never heard of it or noticed it in the markets. Lo and behold, the minute I walked into my produce section of my local grocery store, there sat ... orange cauliflower. Go figure. I was curious about why and how it has become orange so if you are interested here is a link to an article I found in Saveur magazine.

This soup might just define "soup perfection" for me. I really did enjoy the wonderful robust flavors of this one. I like butternut squash very much and blending it into soups is just how I like to eat it.

The recipe called for toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the soup. While that does sound delicious, I didn't have any. I crushed up some smoked almonds and that tasted really good. The saltiness of the spices used on the smoked almonds added to the flavors of the cauliflower and squash. The color of this soup is a beautiful deep sultry orange.

I decided that I need to feature more soups on "Snippets". We do eat a fair number of soups during the week. Typically, they are just thrown together from leftovers but often, that is the best kind.

On the weekend, we'll fix something a bit more elaborate, a barbecue or pasta dish, but during the week, it can often be soups and bread combinations. I never tire of trying out soup varieties.

Butternut Squash and Orange Cauliflower Soup
(recipe adapted from Cannelle and Vanille blog)

2 Tbs olive oil

1 medium leek, washed, quartered and diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 carrots, medium dice

1 orange cauliflower, chopped

1 small butternut squash, peel and medium diced

1 qt chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups water

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

toasted pumpkin seeds

purple basil oil, optional

In a large stock pot, sauté the leek, garlic and carrots with the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and butternut squash and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the stock, water and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 25 minutes until tender.

Puree the soup with a blender. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with a drizzle of purple basil oil, toasted pumpkin seeds (I used crushed smoked almonds) and micro greens.

Mammie Moo's Strawberry Shortcake

2011-06-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Father's Day has just passed. I asked Patrick what he wanted for dessert on his special day. I knew immediately what his first answer would be. Boston Cream Pie. He loves this dessert.

I know, however, that he has been mentioning a dessert ever since I've known him that brings back special memories. He tells me about his grandmother, Mammie Moo's Strawberry Shortcake. His eyes get all dreamy when he attempts to describe this cake.

I met Patrick the weekend after Mammie Moo died. I remember he was sad over her death. He said every year she would make her special strawberry shortcake. As children, after they arrived at her house on the lake, the children would run to the refrigerator to see if the strawberry shortcake was made. He had such fond memories of her house and in particular that strawberry juice soaked dessert.

How do you match that memory? I had never met Mammie Moo, although I regret that I didn't. I had never seen this infamous dessert so of course, never tasted it.

As I was making my list and planning out my Father's Day barbecue, I thought I would make an attempt to duplicate this strawberry shortcake...

But I planned to keep it as a surprise!

I was perusing the internet, looking at different variations of strawberry shortcakes and trying to nonchalantly have him point out the one cake that looked like Mammie Moo's. I came to one such cake on the Williams Sonoma website. "That's it" he said, looking over my shoulder. "It looked similar to that one."

I reassured him that someday I would try to attempt it but for this Father's Day, it would be Banana Bread Pudding, a dessert he had recently enjoyed at a restaurant in Louisiana.

Yep. Banana Bread Pudding. But, on my list were all the ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake!

The cream for this cake is delicious. It is made with heavy cream and crème fraiche. Yep, if you are raising your eyebrow questioningly right now, this is no low calorie dessert. After several finger licking samples, I was pretty excited about the quality of the rest of this dessert recipe. This cream filling recipe sure did taste good.

There was one mistake that I made with this cake. He specifically remembered as a child that the strawberry filling soaked into the cake making it all that more wonderful. I spooned on the cream filling first and then the strawberry filling on top of that. Next time, oh and there will be a next time, I will try to add the strawberry filling first so that it is directly on top of the cake.

It was a special weekend for another reason in addition to the Father's Day holiday. We had some very special friends in town and they were joining us for our Father's day barbecue dinner. One rolled stone back, when we were living in Kansas City, we spent day after day with these friends at more ballet rehearsals and performances than we can now count. Wonderful times with wonderful friends and we were eager to spend a day with them again.

My family asked in earnest for me to make a new recipe that I recently tried out for focaccia bread. That recipe and photos are coming soon. It is a delicious recipe so that was added to our dinner menu as well.

It was so much fun bringing out the Strawberry Shortcake as a surprise. I said I was leaving the table to get the Banana Bread Pudding but instead came out with my Mammie Moo attempt at her cake. I knew that the strawberries didn't soak into the cake like I had hoped so I did have some sugar-soaked strawberry slices to add to the top of each slice.

My husband and Madeleine -1994

What a wonderful day in Houston. Great friends, great food and a happy memory to hold onto this special Father's Day. It is hitting us hard this year that we have one year left as a complete four-some before our daughter heads off to college. Times like this around the table become more precious as we approach each holiday.

Happy Father's Day to all of the great Dads out there.

Ingredients: (this recipe is adapted from Williams Sonoma)
For the cake:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
5 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
5 Tbs. boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated zest of 2 lemons
For the strawberry cream filling:
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly
sliced, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
4 to 6 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 cups crème fraîche
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip together the egg yolks and sugar on high speed until thick; the mixture will still be grainy. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the boiling water. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and whip again until thick. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Reduce the speed to low and stir in the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until thick and smooth; the mixture should not look dry. Fold half of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.

Gently spread the batter in the prepared pan. (Snippet's Notes: I used a springform pan with the removal bottom and that worked well) Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove the ring. Invert the cake and remove the base of the pan. Carefully peel off the parchment. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 3 layers. (Snippet's Notes: It was very difficult to get 3 even layers. Next time, I will try using a piece of dental floss. Wrap the floss around the cake, cross the floss, and gently pull it through the body of the cake.)

To make the filling, place the 2 cups strawberries in a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and 2 Tbs. of the granulated sugar. Taste for sweetness; depending on the berries' ripeness, you may need to add an additional 1 to 2 Tbs. more sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the crème fraîche, cream, vanilla and the remaining 2 Tbs. granulated sugar. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form and the cream holds its shape. (Snippet's Notes: Be careful not to over whip or you will have an entire bowl of sweetened butter!)

Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Arrange one-third of the strawberries and their juices over the cake. Spread one-third of the cream over the berries. Repeat the layering process with the remaining 2 cake layers, berries and cream, ending with a layer of cream.

Before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar and garnish with additional berries. Cut with a serrated knife. Serves 8 to 10.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma TASTE Magazine, "Layers of Delight," by Emily Luchetti (Spring 2002).

Red Snapper with Herbs and Roasted Summer Vegetables

2011-06-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 50 Top Food Blogs! Thank you to every single one of you that voted for me. If you would like to add your vote, click on the side link to the right. Thank you!

The kids and I were feeling restless the other day. We decided that a venture out into the megalopolis of Houston was in order. We had run out of our assortment of Asian goodies from Viet Huong, the huge Asian grocery store on the western side of Houston. "Let's go there" I suggested. The kids readily agreed. I know they were thinking of mochi balls, seaweed snacks, and steamy pork buns.

But I had something else in mind.

I have been following Penny de los Santos' blog, Appetite, as she travels the interior of Mexico on assignment. Penny is a photographer for National Geographic and other illustrious magazines. I love to imagine what her assignments might be like, camera in hand and so many sights to capture.

I grabbed my camera. I announced to the kids, "Let's go on assignment."

Admittedly, it doesn't have the same ring as "on assignment in the deep interior of Mexico" but I am known for my over-active imagination so, in my mind, parallels could be conjured.

The kids quickly dispersed once we arrived in the store. Somehow, going "on assignment" with mom doesn't seem to have the same affect it does on them .... as it does on me. I offered them the position of "fixer" but... still no takers.

Right away, I noticed the Jack Fruit {right} piled high in the produce section. My husband told me that when he was in Mexico, he was warned about the stench of Jack Fruit. Apparently, it is supposed to taste delicious but have a beastly aroma. My fingers itched to take one home and find out but I resisted. I had something else in mind I wanted to take home. These dragon skin-like bulbous fruits are about the size of a small watermelon.

We also picked up some banana wrapped rice triangles called Puah Kiam Ti Chang. Recently, I came across a u-tube video on this fantastic blog My Lemony Kitchen that demonstrates how to make these. Usually, they are stuffed with rice and meat but these were more of a pounded rice filling.

Huge bins were filled with shallots on one side. On the other side was heaped with taro root. I made a mental note to do some research on how taro root is used in Asian cuisine. It must be popular because there was a ton of it.

The most interesting part of this huge Asian grocery store is in the very back. That is the seafood market. Each time we have visited this store, we have actually avoided this section because we are not used to the over powering aroma of fresh seafood. However, I have been getting more and more curious about baking whole fish. I see so many people who shop here purchasing entire fish.

These crabs were snapping and waving their claws all around. Several people were eagerly plucking them up and putting them in a bag. Oh how I would love to tag along to their home and see how they are going to prepare these crabs. What will this meal look like on the dinner table tonight?

I really felt like I was channeling Penny de los Santos at this point. The energy of the people eagerly choosing their daily fish or seafood was pretty exciting for me. I was working hard with my camera to capture some of the wonderful sights in front of me.

I paid close attention to what people were choosing and how the staff was cleaning and de-boning the fish. I have been pushing myself to expand my cooking skills and try my hand and baking a whole fish.

Isn't she precious? Isn't she just so soft and sweet looking? She had the kindest face and her tiny little bun bundled at the nape of her neck was adorable. I was rather lost in imagining a life for this tiny grandma. I was thinking that this is what Penny must experience while capturing so many wonderful faces on her travels.

As I was steeped in feeling very "photojournalis-tic" at this point, I felt a tiny tap-tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there was this very kind looking man tapping me.

"Excuse me, ma'am." he said softly. We do not allow any photography in the store as it makes our customers uncomfortable."

"Oh, dear," I gulped. "I am so very sorry. I will put my camera away immediately."

If you can imagine the sound of melodious music wafting softly through the air... and then the harsh, scratchy screech of that record being dragged or ripped to a stop, that would be exactly the sound I heard in my head as I pouted.

Life as a photojournalist in the Asian market of Houston, Texas... was henceforth... over.

I moped back to find my teens among the many aisles of Asian goodies, told them of my polite reprimanding, and tried to quiet my pitter-pattering heart beats. Of course, they hooted and sniggered at my chastising.

On the way out, however, I did manage to grab several handfuls of these lychee fruits {above}. Maybe my photojournalistic moments were over, but I didn't want to miss out on the lychee fruit!!

"I did it". We carried our first ever WHOLE fish. A red snapper to be exact. Why a red snapper you might wonder? Because, quite simply, it was the prettiest fish on the block.

I told the kids to be culinari-ly brave and that we were going to try baking this fish...whole. Back at the seafood market, camera tucked away, I was just a regular joe at this point. I took my place in the queue to raise my hand and point out my red snapper.

I found the idea of cooking this fish on the blog of a very well-known site called "Cannelle et Vanille". I was entranced with her photography but the idea of eating a fish whole made me wonder how the taste was different from buying the skinned, de-boned filets that we usually buy.

I knew I wanted to roast lots of vegetables to be served with the baked red snapper. Tomatoes look brilliant in the markets right now. I also spotted this elephant garlic {above right} in the Asian market. Mmmm roasted garlic to spread on toasted bread...

Nothing really tops the aromas of roasting garlic, fish, potatoes, tomatoes and onions.

I have to commend the kids on their culinary bravery with this one. It may sound ridiculous to other cultures, but Americans don't eat very many dishes where the animal from which it derived can be um...identified. I know, it is silly. I did, however, put the fish at the END of the table instead of in the center.

We enjoyed the meal immensely! This is something definitely we will do again and try out different herbs and flavors. We had the roasted veggies and a fresh green salad with the baked fish.

Baked Red Snapper with Herbs:

Ingredients:

Fish of your choice

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Lemon Slices

Assortment of fresh herbs

Ask the store to de-bone and clean out the fish for you if you do not want to do this on your own. Brush olive oil generously all over the inside and outside of the fish. (Snippet's Notes: I made my own rosemary olive oil, go here for the how to) Very generously sprinkle sea salt and pepper all over the inside and outside of the fish. Tuck fresh herbs of your choice inside the fish as well as tie some around the outside. (Snippet's Notes: soak the string that you tie around the fish so that it does not burn in the oven.) Place the entire fish on a baking pan. Put it in the oven at 350˚F for 25 -30 minutes or until done.

Honey Whole Wheat Pretzels...and wee weekend guests

2011-06-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 50 Top Food Blogs! I have 4 more votes to get into the top 50. So Close!! If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

** Thank you to FoodBuzz for choosing this article for their "Top 9 Blog Pics"

A very special weekend took place at our house. With very special people. My adorable first cousin came for a visit with her two sweet little girls. Have I mentioned that these two little tots are the most precious and adorable 7 month old and 4 year old girls in the entire state of Texas. I didn't?? Well, they are.

Getting to immerse ourselves in all things toddler and pre-schooler are a rarity around here with being in the "teen" stage. We couldn't wait to delight in little fingers and toes, giggles and gurgles, and tiny, tiny everything!

Whenever the girls travel without their Daddy, they carry a little doll that my cousin made. One of the most adorable moments that made me smile was watching Daddy carefully being put "night-night" before going to bed.

A big question for me was what could little hands make in the oven? Sweets, cakes, or tarts? What about pretzels! What fun it would be to roll out pretzels, shape them in their loopy shape and bake them in the oven.

This was the second time that I made pretzels. Believe me when I say these are the best pretzels I have ever tasted. Nothing beats biting into a warm, doughy pretzel soon after it has come out of the oven. We had a wonderful time rolling out the pretzel dough. Shaping it into the loops was definitely a delightful task for a 4 year old.

It seemed, however, that we had a little leftover dough. What should we do with it? Do you see that little quirky robot character below? Well, indeed, baby dolls are so "passé" for girls these days. Robots are the NEW baby doll! Yes ma'am, this little robot friend was patiently waiting for a robot sized pretzel of his own. Making a teeny of tiniest pretzel for who was now affectionately known as "baby mwok" became the highlight of our baking journey.

Once all of the pretzels were hot out of the oven salted and buttered {but most importantly Baby Mwok had his} we all enjoyed these yummy treats for snack time.

The baby wasn't ready to delight in pretzels yet, but she was transfixed by Patrick's beard! Every time he passed by she stared in seriousness at his beard. Finally, a tiny little hand reached out to see what all of this stuff was on his face. Precious!

Pretzels are a great snack for kids ranging from 4 year olds all the way up to, ahem, let's just say 14 and 17 year old types. We used half whole wheat in these pretzels and substituted sugar for honey. Like I said, I don't think any store bought pretzel will do it anymore. These pretzels are easy, delicious, and healthy in terms of "snacks".

It's HOT here in Houston. We did manage to get in a little walk to the lake. It's tough to play outside during the afternoon here and waiting until early evening is the best time for all of the little ones to come out to the parks and pools.

The girls love being outdoors. I remember babysitting for the baby a few months back. I walked with her outside for almost an hour. She stared seriously and intently at everything around her, completely content and happy to be outdoors.

Not only did I enjoy baking with these special cousins but watching my teens share in the kitchen moments was sweet as well. It makes me think of the future and of their children and what they might be like.

Honey Wheat Pretzels
*Adapted from Food Network
1 1/3 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package fast acting yeast
11 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 1/4 cups
11 ounces whole wheat flour, approximately 2 1/4 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
1/3 cup baking soda (Snippet's notes: Do NOT put this in the mix. It is for the boiling water!!)
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

1. Combine the water, salt, yeast, flour, butter and honey. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 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 sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

2. Preheat the oven to 450˚ degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

3. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

4. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

5. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Carrot Cake Bundt...with Cherries!

2011-06-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 50 Top Food Blogs! I have 7 more votes to get into the top 50. So Close!! If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

Company arriving! A sweet weekend to look forward to with delightful relatives coming to visit. Weekends like this put me into full planning mode. Market shopping to anticipate, lists to scribble down, careful selection of fresh ingredients for the season.

I need a fairly quick dessert for our weekend guests and planned to make a carrot cake. Actually, it was the desire for cream cheese frosting that was beckoning me. You see, I came across this amazing, simple, creamy, luscious cream cheese frosting the other day. What better than to make it again for carrot cake.

But...wait...

What is this that I see at the market!

Bing! Cherries that is!

Oooooh. Look at those juicy cherries. When we lived way up there in Michigan, we had a cherry tree right in our back yard! Who has a cherry tree in their back yard anymore? One summer, Patrick's mother was visiting. She and the children picked bowls and bowls of them. Before long there were jars of cherry jam being made in the kitchen. We still reminisce about that cherry jam and that adorable cherry tree.

I decided that somehow cherries had to participate in this carrot cake endeavor (cream cheese frosting endeavor if truth be told) that I had laid out for my ~~myself~~ visiting guests.

I arranged them on top of the carrot cake (which now is in bundt form) and spinkled some mint along with them. Why the mint? Because it is just so darn pretty.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 c. flour

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 c. Canola oil

1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple

2 c. grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (3 oz.) pkg. low fat cream cheese
4 tbsp. softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Dash of salt

Combine all dry ingredients. Then add remaining ingredients. Grease your bundt pan. (Snippets Note: great it well if you want a beautiful slide out) Pour ingredients in bundt pan and bake mixture for 60-75 minutes at 350˚ degrees. Do not forget to preheat oven. Serving size: 10.

Cream cheese frosting; Cream the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and blend well. Apply icing to the cooled carrot cake and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2011-06-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 50 Top Food Blogs! I have made it into the top 50! If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #1 "Snippets of Thyme"

**Thank you to Food News Journal for choosing this article for their "Best of Blogs" on 6/10/11

Mmmmmm. There is an aroma in our house that is becoming a weekly delight. Roasted red peppers and toasted pita chips. I roast all sort of vegetables regularly but red peppers caramelizing and sizzling in the oven are my favorite.

Usually, I take whatever vegetables I have in the refrigerator that don't look like they're going to make it to the dinner table and roast them in the oven for soups. Lately, however, we've been keeping roasted red pepper hummus on hand. Fixing small very casual meals during the week can often involve only hummus, homemade pita chips, and some fruit.

Olive Oil to brush on the peppers

"Mom, remember when you used to make us chips from pita bread and toast them in the oven?" my kids asked me when they saw I was going to make hummus. Perhaps their delighted faces prompts me to delve deeper into cooking and establish these memories for them. Memories, like this simple request for my homemade chips give me such satisfaction.

Red peppers in hummus give it a fantastic flavor. The color is beautiful as well. I definitely am a visual person and the wonderful rustic browns of the chips nestled alongside the deep mellow creaminess of the hummus is a beautiful combination.

Chickpeas, rinsed

It is certainly hot here in Houston. Have I complained about that yet? "Yes" you say. I apologize. Heat and I don't get along very well. I am dreaming right now. At this time of the year, my thoughts are filling with all of the places that I want to see. So many places to see... where could we go?

We've been taking our evening walks later and later in order to miss the Texas heat. Evenings here are quite nice, actually, and when we get around our lake area, the wind usually kicks up and blows aggressively.

{Below} This little guy was enjoying his own personal pond. He was a bit wary of my looming camera but after a few minutes resumed circling again. I've never seen this type of bird around here before. Where did he come from? What sites has he seen? My mind is churning lately with far away sites that I would love to see.

I can't seem to keep these pita chips around for too long in the pantry. I brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese for a little more zing.

More thoughts...of birds, of travel, of sites. We're almost decided. I think we are going to go out in the world and discover new places. I am restless, like these birds here. I need to fly.

So graceful and free. Can you imagine it? Soaring openly above the water with the air rushing over your feathers? Where is he going? Where could we journey to? Somewhere out of the heat of this southern terrain I hope.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
(adapted from Cooking Light magazine)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup water
2 fresh red bell peppers (or chopped bottled red peppers if short on time)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Roasting the red peppers:
Cut the peppers and remove pith and seeds. Rinse and pat dry. Brush olive oil all over each pepper. Sprinkle with salt. Set the oven to 400˚F and roast for about 25 minutes or until nice and caramelized. (Snippet's Notes: I don't remove the skin and think it tastes wonderful in the hummus)

To make the hummus:
Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Makes about 2 cups of hummus.

To make Pita Chips:
Take out a pita bread round from store bought package.
Cut it into triangles and separate sections. Brush each wedge with olive oil. Generously Sprinkle each one with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven on 350˚F for about 25 minutes or until crispy.

Chickpea Samosas with Raita dip; and a Thank You dinner

2011-06-03T04:43:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 12 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

Remember how proud I was of my husband for working so hard on a major project that his company is implementing this year? Well, he, in turn, is just as proud of his supportive work team. I popped into what they call "The Big Room" at work and was so impressed with his group. They have really pulled together so many nationalities and cultural differences to form a cohesive team that has reached the fruition of a year long journey.

My husband asked if I would like to have some of his work mates over for a thank you celebration to show his appreciation. Knowing that his team is from all over the world, I thought that would make for an interesting and diverse evening of great shared conversations.

Of course, as all of you know how this "snippets" mind works, food flew straight to the top of my list of "to dos". We would have Europeans, South Americans and Indians attending our little soirée. I needed to prepare a list of dishes that could cater to a vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian crowd. I reveled in the laundry list of "what-ifs" I could cook up.

My daughter suggested samosas. Yes! Samosas are so delicious and I had just run across a recipe for vegetarian samosas filled with peas and chickpeas. That would be a great vegetarian option for our menu.

We began cooking several days in advance of the party. I think we made about 50 or so of these flavorful packets. Folding the triangles was awkward at first but before long we were clicking along and the scented samosas were piling up.

Madeleine and I imagined generations of Indian women deftly folding samosas up at an expert pace. We giggled at the image we must present trying to get the technique just right.

The filling for these chickpea samosas is so aromatic. Not long after all of the ingredients were being mixed on the stovetop did the kitchen fill with enticing smells. Spices are important in Indian food and it was so interesting to become familiar with cumin, mustard seed, ginger, and cilantro combined.

After brushing the filo dough triangles with butter, we slid tray after tray of them into the oven. Again the smell of these delectable bundles filled the entire kitchen.

The cold yogurt and cucumber dip, called Raita, that accompanied these samosas is a great accompaniment. As the layers of flavor from the samosas build, the cold and creamy yogurt adds a softening touch.

It was a wonderful evening getting to know these hard workers who hail from all over the globe. We stayed up into the evening listening to funny stories from Scotland, about cooking with cactus in South America, and the multitude of differences between cuisines from the diverse regions of Northern and Southern India. Wouldn't it be something to zip to each country and really see these wonderful stories played out in kitchens all over the world!

Spicy Chickpea Samosas with Raita:
(adapted from Cooking Light April 2011 issue)

Ingredients:
(yields 12 servings)
Samosas:
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen or fresh green peas
1 tablespoon water
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
24 (14x9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Raita:
3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
3/4 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
To make samosas, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped carrot; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 cup onions, ginger, and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (Snippets notes: Wait until the pungent smell fills the room. It's wonderful!) Add green peas, 1 tablespoon water, and chickpeas; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup cilantro and 1 tablespoon juice. Cool (Snippets Notes: I made this filling ahead of time and kept it in the refrigerator)
Preheat oven to 400˚F
Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large work surface (Snippets Note: I used 2 sheets at a time because one was too difficult for me). Cover remaining dough to keep from drying. Coat with cooking spray. Fold layered sheets in half lengthwise. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling onto bottom end of rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold bottom corner over mixture, forming a triangle; keep folding back and forth into a triangle to end of phyllo strip. Tuck edges under; place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo. Bake at 400˚F for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden.

To make raita, combine yogurt and remaining ingredients. Serve with samosas. (Snippets Notes: I made the yogurt mixture the day before the party. I kept the cucumbers out until right before serving so they wouldn't get soggy)

Sticky Rice with Mango

2011-06-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

We are well underway with summertime sizzling temperatures here in the far south. The humidity is descending, curtains are being drawn, and children can be heard laughing and splashing at the neighborhood pools. It's summer in the South!

Whenever we treat ourselves to Thai food, we can't seem to get out of our favorite restaurant without the 4 of us sharing this "Sticky Rice with Mangoes". It's funny how all four of us like it. I've had friends try it and received very mixed reviews but we all thinks its a tasty treat.

It's time for mangoes! What better fruit to represent the burst of nature that takes over during summertime. The vibrant colors of the inside of a mango are a delightful surprise based on the more demur outer hues that are much more subdued.

Sticky Rice is made with soft sushi grade rice cooked in coconut milk. It is served warm and chewy next to the cold and flavorful mango. The restaurant here in Houston is very adamant that they only serve mango when it is in season. I thought I would give this fun dessert a try since I saw mangos in our market and serve it at home. Mangos aren't a fruit we are used to seeing readily available so we are delighted to have them available.

I love the color combination of the white sticky rice with the burst of bright orange. The rice looks like it would be plain and flavorless but is sweet, milky and chewy. I think most people who try it are surprised that coconut milk is so sweet.

I spooned the warm sweet rice into ramekins into order to mold them into the same shape as served in the restaurant. It was fun to use dishes that we brought back from Japan that don't get used as often as they should.

Mango is so bright and juicy. I was surprised to see so many things in nature that remind me of this fruit.
Several years ago, I made a wonderful salsa for pork chops with cubes of mango chunks in it. I'll have to dig up that recipe. Not only was it tasty but it was beautiful alongside of the pork.

After living in Kansas for a few years, we definitely got used to seeing sunflowers all over the markets there. It was fun to bring home a bundle of them recently and be reminded of the beautiful state of Kansas. We knew very little about that state when we moved there but we were continuously delighted with its beauty.

I'm sure I'll be asked to make this Thai dessert again and again. I imagine it will become a yearly request as soon as mango season is confirmed. The other Thai dessert we enjoy is fried banana slices drizzled with honey. Mmmmm. Maybe that will be my next Thai dessert endeavor.

Mango and Sticky Rice Pudding (Khao Nieow Ma Muang)

(Adapted from Food of the Word Cookbook)

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large ripe mangoes

200 g (1 cup) glutinous rice (Snippet's Note: I used sushi rice)

170 ml (2/3 cup) coconut milk

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

170 ml (2/3 cup coconut cream mixed with 1/4 tsp salt, for garnish

2 tbsp dry-fried mung beans (optional)

To Make Sticky Rice:

Put the glutinous rice in a bowl and pour in cold water to come 5 cm (2 inches) above the rice. Soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Drain and transfer to a steamer. Spread the rice in the steamer. Cover and steam at low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the rice swells and is glistening and tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the soaking time.

While the rice is cooking, stir the coconut milk, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as the rice is cooked, use a wooden spoon to gently mix it with the coconut milk. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Peel the mangoes and slice off the two outside cheeks of each, removing as much flesh as you can in large pieces. Avoid cutting very close to the stone where the flesh is fibrous. Discard the stone. Slice each cheek lengthways into four or five pieces.

Arrange the mango pieces on a serving plate. Spoon a portion of steamed sticky rice with coconut milk near the mango slices. Spoon the coconut cream garnish on top and sprinkle with mung beans. Serve at room temperature.

Strawberry Fields Forever

2011-05-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 13 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

It wasn't long after we moved to Texas that I began to hear about "Froberg Strawberry Farm". As spring began to slip into summer, at the mere mention of strawberries or blackberries, this farm, southwest of Houston, Texas would spring into conversation.

Going to Froberg Farm was like stepping back in time and catching a glimpse of what true farmer's markets were like. Strawberries are just one of their highlights. This farm rotates fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year.

The drive out into the country was soothing and quiet - just what I craved that day. What fresh produce would I find? What kinds of dishes would I make? What in the world is "Mayhaw Jelly"? Go here and you can learn about it. Snippet: It is a very southern plant that was collected in the springtime to make into jelly.

Only a few rickety signs guide you to this reputable farm. I love that. Simple. Unpretentious. As I crossed over a long lonely stretch of train tracks, my car crunched over the little gravel road winding its way up to the farm.

An old rickety screen door creaked open and I felt transported to some other time. The produce looked amazing. I wanted to capture some photos. Fruits and vegetables are so beautiful to photograph, but I couldn't wait to fill my baskets with some of what I was seeing. An apple tart? I should make that. No wait, look at that jar of fig preserves. Figs are a childhood favorite of mine.

Look at the fresh sugar snap peas and the just-cut asparagus. They looked like they had just been brought in and spilled into the many wooden bins inside Froberg that morning.

This sweet little tot was so cute holding her huge strawberry. She was dressed in a bright little outfit that had strawberries all over it.

Strawberries. I was definitely stuck on strawberries. I wanted to make something with strawberries.

I scooped up pails of strawberries dreaming of many different recipes I could make, when one of the farm workers asked if I had seen the blackberry fields outside.

Blackberries? Fields of blackberries? I had to take a peek. People aren't really allowed in the blackberry patches but she said it was o.k. They would be picking some that afternoon for sale the next day.

I walked way out to the blackberry fields and could tell this was going to be a treat. The fields were nothing short of delightful...magical even. It was morning and no one was outside. I felt like I was transported back to France where I would beseech my husband to stop randomly along a country road so I could roam up and down the grape vineyards. He just shakes his head but smiles obligingly, knowing my quirky ways.

Blackberries are beautiful growing on their dainty vines, plump and juicy. The deep dusky purple contrasts so playfully with the pop of bright pink blackberries yet to ripen. The winding green leaves fluttered and swayed in the breeze and little flowers that were tucked here and there seemed to finish off this captivating scene.

I went to a very southern school in the deep countryside of Louisiana. Our religion teacher, Sr. Smith, would look at us at the beginning of class, close her book and say "Go out girls! Go run, go be free, that is my religious teaching for today!". We would scramble outside lickety-split, eager for every precious minute of being outdoors.

Often, we went straight to the blackberry brambles if it was springtime. Our skirts became the bowls and they filled up with this delicious fruit. We would run to the cafeteria, holding those skirts, to get little bowls, ~~dump~~ sprinkle sugar onto the blackberries, smash them up into the sugar, and taste a little bit of heaven. Sr. Smith knew what she was doing. She was teaching us to live freely and enjoy nature first-hand, not read about it in books.

After wandering slowly and admiring the vast blackberry patch, my quiet reverie was abruptly interrupted. This huge bright red train came barreling down the tracks right in front of the farm! The ground shook and the blackberry vines swayed more as the clickety-clack got louder and louder. The scene was jarring but it just seemed to fit somehow into this country landscape. I thought of all of the little boys and girls who would think this a terrific sight while munching on their juicy strawberries and blackberries.

The train disappeared with a huff and a whistle and the air and ground settled right back to its peaceful aura.

I noticed this huge, rambling tree stretching its ancient limbs almost to the ground. An old battered tire with the worn out letters of "Froberg" were painted on its side. How long has that tire been laying there?

Strawberries. They were still on my mind. It was getting warm and my car was scented with all of my fruity baskets. I saw some adorable little tartlets on the popular food blog Cannelle et Vanille the other day. There was a photo of her sweet little girl delighting in her own little tartlet. Each time we have travelled to Europe, my kids point first to the petite individual tartlets in the patisserie windows. I'll give it a try - strawberry tartlets.

The filling Aran (of Cannelle et Vanille) used is called frangipane. It is made with ground almond flour. We were truly delighted with this light and sweet flavor and texture. I baked some strawberries on top of the tartlets but then added more slices after they cooled because they were more vibrant and fresh-looking.

What a wonderful morning I spent wandering those enchanting blackberry fields. The breeze was cool, the mood was relaxed...the entire farm seemed to be snuggled in the countryside truly lost in the past. Lost? No, not lost. It seems perennial...waiting to be found by others; to give others the pleasure it gave me that spring morning.

Strawberry and Almond Tart

Makes 6 3-inch tartlets

Pie crust of your choice
½ cup (110 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (110 g) natural cane sugar
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
1 cup (110 g) almond flour
1 Tbs (10 g) tapioca starch
¼ tsp salt
2 cups sliced strawberries

Pre-heat oven to 400F.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light. Add the egg and almond extract and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix.

Roll out the pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 6 4-inch disks and fill tart molds with them. Cut off excess dough.

Fill the tart molds with frangipane and arrange the sliced strawberries on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until crust golden. (Snippets notes: I added more fresh strawberry slices on top after they came out of the oven just because it looked so pretty!)

Les Madeleines and all things classic

2011-05-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 19 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

The last Literature Club get-together this year for my daughter. What fun these teen girls have meeting together, discussing wonderful literature and snacking on little cakes and cookies. Each month, one of the group hosts a literature club based on the classics. Jane Austin's collection of wonderful masterpieces are popular choices for this group. You could pick up any one of these girls and transport them to that era and they would fit right in. I wanted to send my daughter, whose name is Madeleine, with sweets that seemed fitting for something that might be eaten during the time of Emma or Pride and Prejudice.

It was an easy decision..hint, hint...Les Madeleine cakes. These are so versatile and delicious for events like a Literature Club. They aren't really cookies and they are too small to be considered cakes. The daintiness of the graceful shell pattern make them a quaint little party food.

The good thing about these delectable little cakes it that they are a snap to make. I have a non-stick Madeleine mold and these cakes cook nice and fluffy then slide easily out of the pan. My daughter just likes them plain but I have seen fruit dips that can be set in a bowl for dipping these cakes. I have also seen chocolate dipped Madeleines that add more richness making them more of a dessert than a snack.

Since it was a Literature Club get-together, we thought packing these nicely in one of our "book boxes" would be a whimsical idea.

We lined the "book box" with a pretty napkin, arranged the Madeleine cakes snugly inside and off she went to spend a wonderful evening with her girlfriends. Often, after discussing the literature they watch the movie version of the book. Beautiful scenes of dancing and parties are typically a part of any Jane Austen novel. How different society is today than when young Jane fretted over her future.

Les Madeleine cakes are such a classic sweet to accompany these great works of literature. They were discussing themes for next year and have chosen classic "fairy tale" novels and how they have changed in their modern interpretations. I just might have to read along the sidelines too... perhaps with a few Madeleines to keep me company.

So many books, so little time...

Les Madeleine Cakes/Cookies:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla and half of the milk until thick and light yellow. Add the flour and baking powder bit by bit and continue mixing until smooth. Stir in the rest of the milk and the melted butter.

Carefully grease your madeleine tray if necessary. Spoon about two tablespoons of batter into each mold. Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F. Cool on a rack.

Makes 24 madeleines.

You could flavor your madeleines with different things, perhaps orange or lemon zest. A dusting of powdered sugar would look nice as well.

Dumplings: like little Humpty-Dumptys

2011-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 21 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

It's always fun to bake cookies with your kids. However, when you have teenagers, the sands of tradition shift somewhat. Somewhat? O.K., they shift greatly. Would teen parents agree? So many good changes come with having teens in the house like "Sweetheart, can you run to the store for milk and eggs?"

They are wanting to feel independent. They crave traditions but want to break free at the same time. I thought I would lure one of my kids into the kitchen by proposing we make something that seems exotic and foreign to our table.

It worked. I had a great afternoon making one of my daughter's favorite foods - dumplings.

We love all types of Asian foods. I do, however, feel intimidated to recreate these dishes in my kitchen. I saw these dumplings on a food blog that I admire, Almost Bourdain, and decided this will be our first foray into Asian cooking.

Ginger root, like my beloved vanilla bean, is becoming another scent that tickles and delights my nose. Fresh ginger is now a must in my kitchen. I always fretted about buying a ginger root and then not using all of it and throwing it away. I learned recently that you can freeze ginger and use more of it as needed. Cool.

The filling was a combination of pork and shrimp. This was an unusual pairing for us but these little bundles have a delicious flavor. Making the petite dumplings was a good pick to do with my daughter. At this point, making cookies can seem a bit childish. The dumplings have all of the "cuteness" factor of cookies but look exotic, foreign, and sophisticated for a teen.

Folding them was so easy and fun! We giggled over the little pillow bundles that piled up. We reminisced about when we lived in Japan. So many times we gathered with our Japanese friends and made all sorts of origami flowers, birds, and shapes.

Folding the little dumpling wrappers around the filling seemed daunting at first. We carefully followed the step-by-step directions that Almost Bourdain included in her blog post. After the first few awkward looking dumplings, we clipped along watching them pile up ready to be boiled.

This could become a new tradition in our house. Dumplings are quick and easy to make but most of all, they are fun to assemble! They could easily be made ahead of time and just pulled out ready to boil when guests arrive.

Szechuan Red Oil Wonton Recipe
Makes 24 (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
24 wonton wrappers
2 tbsp chopped spring onions
Wonton fillings:
150 g pork mince (or 75 g pork mince and 75 g chopped or minced prawns)
1 tbsp chopped spring onions
1/2 egg, lightly beaten
1.2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp Shaoxing wine
Dash of white pepper
Dipping Sauce:
3 tbsp Szechuan chilli oil
2 tsp minced garlic
5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar (Snippet's Notes: I couldn't find this "black" variety so I used regular rice vinegar and they tasted good)
1/2 tsp ground Szechuan pepper
1 tsp castor sugar

To Make Wonton Filling:
Mix all ingredients until well combined.

To Cook Wontons:
Heat a big pan of water until it's boiling. Drop a few wontons at a time and cook for 3-4 minutes until the filling is cooked (Dumpling will surface and float on top of the boiling water). Remove and set aside to keep warm. Repeat until all wontons are cooked.

Houston's International Festival Rocks!

2011-05-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 27 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

The International Festival of Houston, titled "The Silk Road", was an amazing amalgam of cultures, food, music, and dance. I don't know that I have ever attended a festival that dazzled the senses, oozed hopeful thoughts, and poured a sense of global unity at every venue. With the world in a current state of unrest, intolerance, distrust, and fragileness, this festival checked all that negativity in at the entrance. Harmony, joy, and celebration of life was replaced in spades as families and couples mingled elbow to elbow in celebration of the beauty of life, food, family, and fun.

This festival was hot. The food was hot. The entertainment was hot...but...the temperature was really HOT. Temperatures soared into the mid-90's for this huge event. We braced ourselves for a sizzling day but I didn't see anyone daunted by this sultry air or searing sun. The mood was alive, jazzed, and festive.

The first incredible smells that affronted us were the barbecued skewers of chicken. Not only did they look sticky and caramelized but they lured us right over with the crackling and hissing of the huge barbecue grills. Would it be wrong to take 10 steps into the festival and make a foodie purchase that soon?

Quickly, we were diverted by the booming and thumping of loud drums a little further ahead. An amazing, talented, and stunning troupe of Chinese dancers were flipping, spinning, and stretching their limbs in impossible ways.

Between the grills smoking at every turn and the sounds of music coming from about three different directions, I was a jangle of excitement and anticipation. Mom with a camera and a fervent desire to capture all of this beauty. I love this city!

If world harmony could be bottled up, the International Festival in Houston would be the laboratory site for assembly of a harmonious mixture that would be sure to impress even the United Nations right now.

The food, the glorious food! Honestly, every stall had amazing looking food. We sampled soft tacos that were superb, sweet french crèpes, aromatic Greek gyros, and crunchy Indian samosas.

You could literally walk through the festival as if walking along the silk road of the ancient times. Between the music venues, food selections, and dance troupes, families could begin their journey in Africa or Europe, cross over the Mediterranean into Turkey, journey to the Middle East, be dazzled in China, intrigued by Russia, and then slide down into mystical India.

There were the festival souvenir types of trinkets for the kiddos but prominently displayed in abundance were true artisan discoveries. Carved wooden masks from Africa, round ceramic gas lamps from Morocco, brightly painted nesting dolls from Russia, and wiggly squiggly carved snakes from Africa were just some of the eye-catching crafts that caught my eye.

I am a total people-watching person. Often in restaurants, someone at another table catches my eye and I lose myself in unraveling their world coming up with scenarios that I have no idea are accurate.

Partly entranced by the talented performers on stage, I nevertheless, continuously diverted my attention to the many colors, various dress, and assorted languages of so many people sitting on the lawns enjoying the entertainment. Families huddled together in the shade of the trees, relaxed and enjoying their time together. Children ran around dancing and playing with other children innocently unaware of any difference is appearance, just a yearning for playful fun.

Amazing it was, indeed. Simply Amazing.

This drink flew past me, smoky dry ice billowing out of the neon blue plastic cup. What was this? I have no idea. What country is it representing? I have no idea. Next time, I am going to be brazen (my family would chortle at this scene and be completely unsurprised) and chase after that drink owner to find out what in the world was that! How should I google this? Smoky, neon blue festival drink? Icy, frothy, gazzy liquid festival libation?

Look at the ingredients on this huge savory crèpe how fresh. The smell was divine and it competed with the heavenly sweet crèpes being smoothed and flipped on the adjacent burner.

I wonder how many cultures were wandering around enjoying the festivities? Disney World has Epcot Center but this was the real deal. The food was authentic, the people were fascinating, and the experience of it all together in one amazing venue was deep and heartfelt.

These Greek gyros smelled amazing. Truly amazing. I have a weakness for gyros and falafels and if I weren't bursting with emotions trying to capture the vivid scenes dancing before my hungry eyes, that would have been my foodie pick. I do regret not sinking my teeth into one of those gyros!

This french crèpe maker was studiously at task. The crèpes were beautiful and watching him deftly pour and smooth the batter reminded me of our incredible time in France last fall. These girls (right) were giggling and smiling as they passed me by. They were having so much fun that I had to break in and ask for their picture. I was going to try for a loose carefree photo but they excitedly arranged themselves in this adorable pose and were thrilled to have their picture taken. I would love to have been a little birdie and followed them along catching glimpses of their laughter and amusements.

Attending this festival just makes me curious to continue uncovering more of Houston's incredible offerings. Being the fourth largest city in the U.S. brings in a diversity of cultures and traditions that spill into venues like this one and showcase the many faces of this vast city. Good job Houston!

Grilled Double-Cut Pork Chops with Rhubarb Mostarda

2011-05-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have 30 more votes to get into the top 50. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #2 "Snippets of Thyme"

{Thank you to FoodBuzz for choosing this article for today's Top9 FoodBuzz!!}

I remember as if it were yesterday the day my husband bought his first brand new car. Little did I realize at the time, what a monumental day that was for him. You see, now that we have been married 20 years, I understand more about this guy than I did all those years ago. I understand how truly and incredibly hard he works for the very few items he desires.

We were so young when we married. We were engaged our senior year of college and planned to marry the summer after our college graduations. My graduation was the day before his ceremony. The plan was for me to fly out of NYC to St. Louis and attend his graduation the next day. We were young, in love, and the world was our oyster.

He said he had a surprise.

When he met me at the airport, the look on his face was pure rapture. No, this time it wasn't because he laid his eyes on me. He had worked hard on a full scholarship for an engineering degree. He had a diploma in hand. And, he had a wonderful job offer waiting for him. I had an inkling what this surprise would be but I played along.

I had graduated from college the day before, tearfully said farewell to my beloved NYC, a wedding to plan, a new job position to begin, and a new move way up to Michigan to anticipate.

As we held hands and walked into the parking garage for the first time as a real couple about to be married, he stopped and looked at me with the happiest grin I have ever seen on his face. A brand new red car was sitting proudly in its parking space. I'll never forget that day.

Over the 20 years that I have been married to this man, he has owned 3 cars. Each one of them has been taken care of with utmost tenderness and respect. I can honestly say, I have never known someone to work as hard as my husband. He takes care of his car as he takes care of his family, with pure devotion. Without fail, he is up early, off to work, day after day with seldom a complaint about his job.

Other than his love for beautiful cars, there are hardly any other material items that he desires. He did want an ice cream maker last year but I think he was just trying to come up with an idea for us.

One thing I can think of that makes him happy is a nice barbecue. Well, it's indeed that barbecue time of year. I was so pleased with that flap steak soft taco dish the other day, I decided it was again time to open up my new cookbook The Cook and the Butcher by Brigit Binns.

I also really fell in love with rhubarb this year after making Martha Stewart Living's Poached Rhubarb with Elderflower Sabayon this spring. One of the pork chop recipes in my new cookbook uses rhubarb as a savory side to these smoky chops. It is called a rhubarb mostarda.

Again, a hit from this cookbook! And, I'll let you know when I cook something that isn't a hit. (I have a recipe I will post next week that was NOT a hit, hint, hint). However, this pork chop dish is amazing. Another recipe with rhubarb to celebrate this wonderful stalky pink celery looking plant.

Not only are the pork chops a wonderful barbecue treat but paired with this incredibly deep red and fragrant side relish was a dish that I will no doubt make again and again. It was a 4 thumbs up for all of us.

Recently, I looked at my husband and I told him...it is time. It is time to make one of his wishes come true. My husband is a person with few materialistic possessions or desires for possessions. I probably make 99.9% of the purchasing decisions for our family and he is very content with that.

I told him. It is time. Go and live a dream.

And you know what? He did.

And I am so happy.

It isn't flashy red like his first car years ago. It is a more mature smoky grey. I am so happy.

Because he is the best man in this world.

So here's a great barbecue Sunday dinner. And a little something else...

Grilled Double-Cut Pork Chop with Rhubarb Mostarda:

Rhubarb Mostarda

2/3 cup (5oz/155g) sugar
1/3 cup (3 fl.oz/80ml) red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (Snippets Note: buy the fresh stuff, not the powdered, it just makes such a big difference)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 lb (750g) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch (12-mm) chunks
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dry mustard
Freshly ground pepper

For the Pork Chops:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 double-cut pork chops, each about 1 lb (500g) and 1 1/2 inches (4cm) thick

To make the mostarda, in a large, heavy pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cumin. Place over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Add the rhubarb and onion, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently to break up the rhubarb, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard, season with pepper and stir until smooth. Let cook completely. If desired, refrigerate overnight. Return to room temperature before serving.

In a shallow nonreactive dish that will hold the chops in one layer, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and garlic. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Place the chops in the dish and brush both sides thoroughly with the lemon mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours turning the chops occasionally.

Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Lift the chops from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade if using a charcoal grill.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat or preheat a cast-iron stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat. Place chops on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire or in the grill pan and cook without moving them for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes. Move the chops after 1 minute if the fire flares up. Turn and cook until the chops are golden brown and crusty, 2 1/2 - 3 minutes more. If using a charcoal grill, brush the chops occasionally with the reserved marinade. Move the chops to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat, and continue to cook until the chops are firm to the touch but still have a little give, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 3-4 minutes. Serve at once with the mostarda!

Crème Brulée - You can do it!

2011-05-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Note: I've been nominated for Babble's 100 Top Food Blogs! I have ONE more votes to get into the top 100. If you like what I've done here, would you follow the side link to Babble and vote for me? I am on page #3 "Snippets of Thyme"

Isn't everyone always intimidated by the thought of making crème brulée at home? When I see this on a restaurant menu, there is no doubt what my dessert order will be. The first tap tap of the spoon on that sugary coating makes me feel like a little girl anticipating the first peek inside a wrapped gift. Or, better yet, perhaps its like the final wallop that breaks open the pinata and all the treats reveal themselves; the sprinkling to the ground of such goodness bringing endless delight. My, my, my but my mind does wander... see what the dessert does to me?

Cream, vanilla seeds and pod, releasing their heady aroma in my kitchen

Let me begin by unraveling this dreamy journey and perhaps some of you out there will delight yourselves and some lucky guests with this creamy, luscious, sensational dessert.

Now, on to the addition of the beloved vanilla bean. Remember my article about Canino's Market here in Houston? Well, I am still basking in my vanilla bean bonanza find. Buckets I tell you...of vanilla beans. It was a beautiful sight that made my heart go pitter-patter. My husband need not worry about my having a love affair with another man. However, I certainly have developed an affair with this most exotic flower stamen - the vanilla bean!

This dessert is amazingly simple and elegant. Undoubtedly it is high in calories but for special occasions, it can be...just that...special! One wonderful tidbit about making creme brulee is that it can be made ahead. The custard filling can easily be cooked in the oven, each in their own ramekin and then refrigerated several days ahead of time.

Just before serving, sprinkle each pot de creme with sugar, torch the tops (right there in front of your guests!!), garnish (or keep it simple) and serve. At first, I was going try these out under the broiler. After googling this, though, it didn't seem like that always works well.

So, I sent Patrick off to Lowe's. If you know my husband (mechanical engineer), you must imagine how he trotted off in full anticipation of a gadget purchase. He came back giddily carrying our new..."torch".

I knew there was no hope at all that I would be giving the crème brulées their crowning moment of glory. He was completely taking over from here on out. "Take a picture of the torch flame" he suggested with that adorable twinkle in his eyes. Here it is... "zee flame"...

Have you ever smelled burnt sugar?
I tell you...
If the smell could be bottled and sold! It doesn't take much (burnt sugar) to move my senses. No wonder I have tearful moments when I wander through farmer's markets and am overwhelmed by the beauty of it all.
Now I have to go off and find out who were the first people to burn sugar over the top. Is there a pay scale for professional "googlers" like me? Remember, we learned that vanilla seeds are the insides of the stamen of a flower and fluffy bread might have had a start with "beer water"? I'm going to take a wild guess that burning sugar came from "zee french". Love those french...

The "torch" used for burning the tops of the brulées can be easily purchased at any hardware store. We paid $13. (Another note from Patrick: the torch can be found...in the plumbing section). I know, not very classy info. to include alongside this decadent dessert.

I must confess. There was no elegant dinner party at our house where these crème brulées were served. Like everyone else I have chatted with, we are all too afraid to attempt these little pots of luxury... in front of other people.

Yes, we just sat around our kitchen table, the four of us, in complete rapture, in complete bliss, and savored every bite. The recipe makes 6 brulées. Do you follow? That means there were 2...leftover.
One got tucked into Patrick's (a.k.a. torch man's) lunch the following day. He told me he whipped his ramekin out during lunch and made a big "to-do" about "just having a simple little leftover" from home.

What happened to the second leftover, you might be musing? As the writer of this blog...some snippets of info. just won't be revealed...even over thyme... (insert low chortle here...)

Crème Brulée:
(serves 6)

Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. (Snippet's Note: lean over the pan and breath deeply)
Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color.
Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually.
Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins.
Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. (Mine needed closer to 45 minutes) Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top.
Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top.
Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Potato and Leek Galette...and Listening

2011-05-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

**(REMINDER: My giveaway has until May 12! If you want to participate, just click on FOLLOW/Subscribe (right side) You will be eligible for my cooking apron prize!! Want to see the apron? Click here!)

Cooking is relatively easy. Listening is hard.

I repeat...Listening. is. hard.

I have always wanted to be a better listener to others. Time and time again, I fail rather miserably in that category. Look at me. I am such a chatterbox, word warrior, sentence streamer... that I have to resort to talking to the World Wide Web. Seriously!

The advice I have been told over and over again by mothers who have gone before me and reared teens is that the key is: Listen to them.

Sheeeeesh. Like I said, this potato and leek galette is easy! Listening... is a challenge. What they didn't say to me is that listening involves hearing what your KIDS' interests are, not what I would prefer discussing. My kids' eyes glaze over when I get tickled by how expertly I diced my onion and want to demonstrate for them my newfound technique. Where is their fascination with my budding culinary talents?

My eyes glaze over when I am excitedly approached and eagerly engaged in a scene by scene description of the current novel or heroic deed of "Vorax the Brave" in the latest video game. Whether it be play-by-play of Vorax's escapades within the medieval lands or scene-by- scene of the tortuous struggles by "Saffron the Light" throughout the novel, its not always easy to engage actively in your teens' world of hobbies.

But I'm working on it... the "glazed eyes" that is. Video games and fantasy fiction just aren't up my alley! I'm working on being a better listener; just like I am working on mastering recipes that strike my fancy; just like I am working on mastering photography so that one out of 5 photos I submit to food publications don't get rejection e-mails.

(To my fellow food bloggers...don't you just hate those rejection e-mails? Ouch. Oh that could be a lament for another article...)

Anyway, just as I am listening with my eyes to the nuances of light on the tip of a frosted cupcake and with my nose to the just right smell of baking bread, I am working on listening to my teens.

Now, a little about this galette. It is delicious. Who doesn't like crisped potatoes and leeks sliced in a pancake round? My biggest piece of advice making this is to be sure (REALLY SURE) that you use a a non-stick pan. Are you listening? Hmmmmm?? If not, return to the top of this article and re-read. I took a risk and thought I could flip the galette easily enough. Nope. Need a non-stick pan. See? I didn't listen! Sigh.

This would make a great appetizer for a small group. Its a nice little savory to cut into wedges for a party. The colors are pleasing but the aroma is what is enticing.

Enjoy! I'm going to go now and hear what my kids have to say... about Vorax... and Saffron!

Potato and Leek Galette with Watercress
(adapted from Martha Stewart Living, April 2011)

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large russet potato, peeled and grated (1 1/2 cups)
1 small leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise and rinsed well
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup watercress, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Recipe:

Place potato in a bowl of cold water, and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain well in a salad spinner or squeeze in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. Combine potato, leek, flour, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scatter potato mixture in skillet, and press lightly with a spatula to make sure it holds together. Cook until underside is golden, about 6 minutes. Flip. Raise heat to medium-high. Cook until underside is golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn out galette. Toss watercress with lemon juice and 1 1/2

teaspoons oil, and place on top of galette. Slice into 8 wedges.

Ciabatta Bread and my first Giveaway!!

2011-05-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

Oh No! Silly me...the giveaway is not a ball of mushy drippy dough! Look BEHIND the blob for a clue...

This week, it was time for me to turn to page 52 of Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart.

What new bread is in store for me now? Answer:
Ciabatta bread or Pain à L'Ancienne (Rustic Bread)

...and then I'll tell you about my first Giveaway!

Since I have started teaching myself how to bake breads, it just amazes me each and every time, that you can go from a lumpy, gloppy, mass of very few ingredients to a beautiful, crusty, golden loaf of delicious bread.

How did they do that in the ancient days? Since I have begun to cook from scratch, questions of food history swirl in my mind. Especially questions about the discovery of yeast.

How in the world was yeast discovered and then used in baking?
Yeast goes back some six thousand years, when it was discovered by the Egyptians.
Beer was produced and brewed in the same areas as bread was being made. It is suspected that the liquid ale was used in a batch of bread. The rise was more spectacular than a normal loaf of bread and so the same "ale" water was continuously used. No one really knows how it all came about. This is just a theory.

O.K., I just had to satiate my curiosity on bits of bread history so...
now...

I'm going to take a foray into the "Giveaway" world. I would like increase the number of followers to "Snippets of Thyme". Do you see the apron worn in the top two photos? Yes, behind the doughy orb?

That is the giveaway! A hip, cool, gorgeous cooking apron for all of you food bloggers out there as well as anyone wanting to look hip in the kitchen. My cousin recently made this apron for me as a gift and I just love it! I don't feel all fuddy-duddy wearing an apron because it is so darn cool!

**(If any of you have little ones at home, you can also visit her store "Bayouland Babies". Jena makes onesies, sundresses, jumpers, and adorable little cloth baby dolls.)

Keep following below and I'll tell you how you can get my giveaway...

My favorite...poached egg on freshly made bread

Here is what you must do:

1. Kindly click on "follow/subscriber" here on my blog site as well as Twitter and become a new follower.

2. Announce to your Twitter and Facebook peeps (or anywhere!) that I am having a "giveaway" and provide my url (rileymadel.blogspot.com)

3. Go to my comment box and type: This Apron is Too Cool for School

I will be using a random name generator to pick the lucky winner.

The winner will be announced by May 12

Ciabatta Loaf Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 1/2cups (20oz/567g) unbleached bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoons (0.4oz/11g) salt
1 1/4 teaspoons (0.14oz/4g) instant yeast
2 cups (16oz/454g) chilled water (about 55ºF or 13ºC)
1 tablespoon (0.5oz/14g) olive oil

Do ahead

Combine the flour, salt, yeast, and water in a mixing bowl. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute (Snippets Notes: Because if you don't put it on lowest speed, you might be wearing a lot of white on your face). If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for about 1 minute, until well blended. The dough should be coarse and sticky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.

Drizzle the olive oil over the dough. Mix on medium-low speed using the paddle attachment, or by hand using a large wet spoon or wet hands, for 1 minute. The dough should become smoother but will still be very soft, sticky, and wet. Use a wet bowl scraper or spatula to transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface. With wet or oiled hands, reach under the front end of the dough, stretch it out, then fold it back onto the top of the dough. Do this from the back end and then from each side, then flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball. The dough should be significantly firmer, though still very soft and fragile. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Repeat this process 3 more times, competing all repetitions within 40 minutes. (Snippets Notes: I just stretch and fold right there in the bowl as opposed to taking the dough out and moving it to the counter)

After the final stretch and fold, immediately cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate over night or for up to 4 days. The dough will rise, possibly to double its original size, in the refrigerator.

On Baking Day...

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours in advance for ciabatta. About 1 hour after taking the dough out of the refrigerator, line the back of a sheet pan with parchment paper and generously dust the entire surface with flour. Use a wet or oiled bowl scraper to transfer the dough to the work surface, taking care to handle the dough as little as possible to avoid degassing it.

Dust the top of the surface of the dough with flour and also flour your hands. Using your hands or a metal pastry scraper, gently coax and pat the dough into a rough square measuring about 9 inches on each side, still taking care to degas it as little as possible.

About 45 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550ºF (288ºC) or as high as it will go, and prepare the oven for hearth baking. Slide the dough, parchment and all, onto the stone; if you aren't using a stone, put the entire pan in the oven. (Snippets Notes: This is a shallow pan that you fill with water and slide in the oven right beneath you bread. It will steam the dough and make a really nice crust) Pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan underneath the pan holding the bread, then lower the temperature to 450ºF (232ºC)

Bake for 12 minutes, rotate the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until the crust is a rich brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Chicken, Fennel, and Artichoke Fricassee

2011-05-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Continuing to be inspired by all of the spring recipes popping up everywhere, this dish here certainly caught my attention. The crispy chicken, sauteed fennel and roasted artichokes were such delightful combinations for this dish.

I know we're supposed to choose the healthier white meat option but I really don't think the dish would have been flavored so richly and aromatically if I had used boring chicken breasts. The enticing crispiness of the chicken browning up on the stove top is just wrong but - oh, so right. This is a definite do-again. This dish is so full of delicious scents and beautiful spring colors, easy to prepare, and feeds a large group.

I often go to the "Pioneer Woman" blog when I am overwhelmed with the homeschooling world we have chosen.

I immediately identify with Pioneer Women's "homeschool" anecdotes. I love her tongue-in-cheek approach to this very demanding of roles. I gleen inspiration from her on days when I am scratching my head and seriously asking myself "why, Why, WHY?" did we choose this homeschooling path.

We are crawling along to the end of our school year with all of the typical "burn-out" sentiments of our friends who attend public and private schools. Taking long walks with my husband is definitely therapeutic. On weekends, we leash up an always eager Chester and take off towards the nearby lake. We walk along this gorgeous wall bursting with honeysuckle and become intoxicated with the heady perfumed air.

Now that our children are called "teens", it is wonderful that they can "weigh in" on our schooling decisions with opinions and wishes of their own. They have classes in a small private school here in Texas where they take their science and math courses with groups of other kids.

However, when we hit a rare day when we truly "homeschool" and the day is filled with deeper conversations, rich documentaries, and quiet study for hours, that is when they tell me how much they appreciate our decision.

They understand the importance of working in groups, volunteering by giving presentations at the museum, answering to the deadlines of teachers. "Yes, Mom, stop trying to socialize us. We're over-socialized! Can't we just have a few more days of "down time?" is often the request I am asked.

It saddens me to see that their world has become a hectic frenzy of deadlines, exams, packed social schedules, and concerns about grades. That is the reality of our world though, isn't it? Yes, it is.

I can mostly offer comfort in family dishes relished, time shared at the table exploring world happenings, and musings about the many "what-ifs" of the future.

As we all watch the events unfold this week, from the merriment and festivities of the Royal Wedding in London, to the dramatic killing of a man deemed to be responsible for attacks on our country, we wonder and reflect on the emotive images and sounds that we hear this week.

However, as Patrick and I take our long walks around our home, in one of the most diversely populated cities we have seen outside of NYC, what we see around us is a universal human desire for time spent together, enjoyment of beauty through nature, and yearning for a better world for our children. It never fails to utterly amaze me when I watch the myriad of international families living in our neighborhood interact with their children.

Playfulness, Joy, Hope, and Love are the common threads of sentiment that I see. Am I mistaken? Watch any family interacting with their children. Is that not love personified?

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (Snippets Notes: I chose all thighs and legs)
Course salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch wedges, 1/4 cup fronds reserved
1 can (15 oz) water-packed whole artichokes, drained
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 425º. Season chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken on all sides, 8 to 10 min. Transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 1 TBS fat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Brown fennel wedges, artichokes, and onion in skillet, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 min. (Breathe in this incredible aroma!)

Return chicken to skillet. Add stock. Transfer to oven. Braise until cooked through, 18 to 20 min. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a platter. Reduce braising liquid over high heat to about 1/3 cup. Stir in vinegar. Pour sauce over chicken, and top with fennel fronds and parsley.

Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes

2011-04-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

After being so thrilled to find all of those beautiful fava beans at Canino's Mexican Market here in Houston, I knew I was set to make this delicious looking dip in Martha Stewart's April issue. We had a busy weekend with many activities beginning to wind down for the school year. I knew there might be some fast food runs here and there so I wanted to make something healthy for at home.

My son's "Odyssey of the Mind" team qualified for the state competition. That would keep us quite busy for half of the weekend. His team was challenged to build a contraption that would perform a "simple" task like hammering. They had to come up with a skit and tie the contraption to a storyline that included a famous person from history. They created a story line about a lost invention of Leonardo da Vinci.

The ingredients that went into this dip were simple but so aromatic. It was a wonderful dish to pull together because it is so visually appealing. The lemon zest and juice with the fresh snippets of tarragon made my nose buds tingle.

Fresh Fava Beans from the market

The soft goat cheese is a perfect partner for the mild fava beans and the sharp crispness of the radishes.
I just cannot believe I haven't eaten radishes until now. They are so good...well...especially spread with this dip.

Fava beans are the prettiest color green. They are fun to shell because the pod is so big that they really "snap" quite satisfactorily!

The team did a great job. Often I had to chuckle at the variety of pieces and parts teams were carting up and down the hallways. All items for costumes and apparatus must come from scrap parts so some of the uses of foil, candy wrappers, soda cans, and whatnot were pretty amusing. The judges were wonderfully kind and supportive of the kids. Many of them had funny hats that they wore during the competition to create a light-hearted mood.

As the school year draws to a close, events like this help mark the end of so many new experiences for us here in our new home of Texas. This was a tough move for all of us but we are finding our place slowly but surely in this metropolis. We enormously appreciate the diversity of cultures all coming together in this city. We always feel like we've just tipped the edge of discoveries waiting for us here.

Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes

Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes Recipe:
(adapted from the April issue of Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients:

2 pounds fava beans, shelled
1/2 cup soft goat cheese (4 oz)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest,
plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water, plus more if needed
1 bunch radishes, halved if large

Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Cook fava beans until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and transfer to ice-water bath. Let cool. Drain, and peel beans.

Pulse beans, goat cheese, oil, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until just combined but still chunky, about 6 or 7 times.

Stir in water. Add an additional tablespoon water if mixture is too thick. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with pepper just before serving. Serve with radishes. (Snippets Notes: I found these imported thin crackers at Whole foods that had bits of figs and hazelnuts in them. I know, it sounds odd but in addition to the radishes, they also added a nice crunch)

Ingredients:

Sinful Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Doesn't every culture have its form of the classic cinnamon roll?
Isn't that a wonderful thing?
I am always wondering about the first person who decided to add the ingredients of cinnamon and butter together, spread it on bread dough and roll it up for slicing. What creativeness in the kitchen.

I came across this simple cinnamon roll recipe after deciding this year, I was going to delve into the baking arena. I tried it once and thought the deliciousness of the outcome was just beginner's luck.

I tried a second and third time with this recipe and met with succulent success each time. Something like this, cinnamon rolls, seemed so scary to me for so many years. So, I made them yet again to see if it really was possible to continue duplicating yumminess, BUT this time froze them ahead of time to simplify holiday prep time. From freezer... to thawing... to oven they were sweet deliciousness.

I just love spreading the cinnamon butter mixture all over the pillowy dough. Then, using dental floss to gently and cleanly slice through the rolled dough is nothing short of amusing fun.

I put my dough in muffin tins because I liked how they all come out the same size.

{I know, a little "Type A" here...}

I've made these with two types of frosting. The cream cheese frosting sits up nice and thick on top of the cinnamon rolls (Shhh...I use Pillsbury frosting in the can. Yum).

A glaze type frosting cools transparent and has less presentation but is so tasty. I just melt a stick of butter and then keep adding powdered sugar until it looks nice and glazy. I also cannot resist adding a tsp. of vanilla to it.

S.Kenney 2011

These easy cinnamon rolls originally entered our house around Christmas time but they are becoming a year round holiday request.

Spring is here, Spring is there, Spring is soon going to be everywhere!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. Whether you celebrated the Spring tidings with the Easter bunny and Easter baskets or the religious celebration of Easter, relaxing and being together with loved ones is a holiday everyone needs. I can tell from everyone's beautiful blogs, that sugar was definitely involved and consumed!

Sinful Cinnamon Rolls:

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine, softened
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, softened margarine.
Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/sugar mixture.(Snippet's Note: Be sure that the butter isn't too soft. It will drizzle and ooze off of the dough.) Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Remove from muffin cups to cool. Serve warm

Sweet Petite Cupcakes with Sugared Flower Petals

2011-04-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

With the flutter of incoming Spring, all sorts of "rites of passage" events begin unfolding all across the U.S. One of the most important to juniors and seniors in high school is "The Prom".

In our homeschooling world, we have what is called "The Gala". I know, we could have just called it "The Prom" but we just have to do things a bit differently...

For a teen girl, this means shopping for formal dresses and pretty sparkly shoes, pampering the nails and toes, and booking a hair salon for that romantic and elegant "up-do".

But the swirling thoughts in this mother's mind were "What should I bake for the pre-party?". It should be sweet, elegant and petite. That's when I eyed these hydrangea flowers at the market. They were so soft, fragile, and velvety.

Something with sprinkles and flowers sounded like a good idea. Little petite cupcakes.

The girls spent the day in full girlie preparation for the evening Gala. Toes were polished, hair was curled up in ringlets. My daughter and her sweet friend Mary are huge Jane Austen fans and this is their modern day version.

I spent the day making crystalized flower petals.

When I snipped off a hydrangea petal and held it upside down, it was in a nice little heart shape. These could be the adornment for the tip of my petite cupcakes.

The Limosine was parked outside. The belles of the ball and the dashing young gentlemen all arrived. Along with the fun and frolic came my petite cupcakes with their crystalized flower petals. Photos were capturing the moment and sweet bites of small treats were savored.

The day was ending for my baking quest to make little sweets to bring for their gathering. The night was just beginning for these young ladies and gentlemen, who were all swept into the waiting limo, ready for hours of dining and dancing.

Sweet Petite Cupcakes with Crystalized Flowers:

Cupcakes:
(adapted from Martha Stewart's cupcake recipe)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer pans to wire rack; cool completely.

Frosting:

I must admit. My first batch of frosting was a dismal failure. At room temperature, the butter cream frosting I made started to droop and sag on the cupcakes. I decided to buy canned cream cheese frosting. It worked beautifully. It has the texture and strength to really sit up and hold the sprinkles.

Flowers:

Whisk the whites of one egg until bubble and frothy. Take a small paintbrush and lightly coat the flower petals. (Snippets Notes: I do one or two petals at a time and then sprinkle with sugar) Lightly sprinkle the petals with sugar. Let air dry in a safe spot over night until stiff and sparkly!

Poached Rhubarb with Saboyan Cream

2011-04-20T05:17:00.000-07:00

Poached rhubarb with Kirsch Sabayon

I decided I wanted to make a variety of spring dishes to celebrate the turning of seasons. I was so inspired by that Mexican market and the bundle of vanilla beans I discovered there. It seems that in every other program of "The Take Home Chef", Curtis Stone is hailing the necessity of using REAL vanilla, straight from the pod. As he excitedly scrapes his knife along the slender skin of the pod, I can't imagine that tiny bit of mushiness can be that impactful.

But it most certainly can. And, now I have experienced its beautiful-ness myself.

Did you know that a vanilla bean is the stamen of an orchid and is native to Mexico? I most certainly did not know this. No wonder there were buckets of them at Canino's market. And small tidbits like this, just give us fodder to procrastinate many times during our day. We are intrepid googlers and it only takes an "I wonder why...." to get the googling going...

Vanilla Bean goodness...all bottled up

When my husband and I had recently graduated from college, we were both hired by the same company. I moved from NYC and he from Missouri way up to Michigan. We were introduced to the stalky plant called rhubarb because it seemed to dominate a section of our yard.

Vanilla beans from Canino's market

Our neighbors spotted it growing there and asked if they could have a bunch. We had never heard of rhubarb, being a midwestern and a southern couple. It certainly didn't look appetizing or even pretty for that matter. We figured it was some sort of pink celery that they wanted to slice up in a salad.

Vanilla seeds scraped from the orchid pod. Oh the smell!

A few hours later, they knocked on the door and proudly presented to us a fresh out of the oven rhubarb crisp. We all sat down and had a bowl of this dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

Rhubarb.

Now we know. Who knew? Who cares? Rhubarb = Amazing!

I looked at our stalky overgrown patch of it in our yard with new felt pride.

I came across this recipe using rhubarb and thought that it reminded me so much of that spring so many years ago. We were so young. We had our first house. Life was so simple and sweet. We had money jingling in our finally employed pockets. Rhubarb Crisp certainly helped add to the sweet newness of everything in those post college and newlywed years.

What I quickly learned here in the South is that rhubarb is not easily found. It is a northern plant. It likes cold soil and close to freezing temperatures. That must have been why Patrick and I weren't familiar with it from childhood memories. Cold is also certainly foreign to Texas. People at the grocery looked at me very quizzically when I asked where is the rhubarb. I read the recipe again and still really wanted to try it out. Finally...I found a bunch and snatched it up realizing it probably travelled pretty far to get into my recipe.

S. Kenney - 2011 (not rhubarb, just my pretty flower!)

The colors in rhubarb are subtle but very beautiful. It reminded me of this flower that I photographed recently. Only in the spring time do you see such vibrant jewel tones as flower buds present candy colors that are fresh and clean. Rhubarb is the perfect spring plant and represents the season well.

rhubarb...poaching in sugary syrup

At first, when I was making this spring dessert, I thought it was going to be rather uninteresting and plain. The rhubarb boiling in the pan did look like chunks of pink celery. I was a little nervous the 3 eager critiquers here would be feigning politeness. Especially after the Easter Bird's Nest cake!

The Sabayon cream is mainly whipped yolks and sugar. The recipe called for elderflower liqueur. Patrick and I went out to a new wine shop that just opened here in town. After passing in front of two liquor stores, we remembered that we now live in Texas. Closed on Sundays. Closed ALL DAY on Sundays. Grrrrrr.

S.Kenney 2011

I decided to replace this elderberry liqueur with kirch (cherry) liqueur because we had some at home. Again, the entire presentation didn't look like too much at this point and I thought perhaps I had hit a recipe that was photographed to look like much prettier than in reality.

Trust me. This was not the case.

After my first taste of the poached rhubarb with a small dollop of the cream on the spoon, I experienced profound happiness.

Oh. My.Word. If spring could be scooped into a bowl, this is IT!

The rhubarb is sweet and syrupy, earthy and rustic in presentation. The sabayon cream is velvety, rich and deeply floral in nature. The two pair sublimely together. The colors are fresh, sweet, and delicate.
I will definitely be experimenting more with poaching fruit and adding a cream to it.

S.Kenney 2011

What a light dessert. Spring is a short season. Before the heavy heat of Texas descends, I need recipes like this. Its the season of long walks. Baby spiders are beginning to weave their web of seasonal change and sparkle in corners and crevices.

Poached rhubarb with saboyan cream

The air feels fresh and clean. The wind blows soft and cool. Overnight it seems, baby shoots of flowers open and dominate the fields.

A walk in the neighborhood

I wonder if we'll see another adorable family of little ducks like we saw last spring. I'll have to tuck my camera with me and be on the look out. One thing is for sure, the herons are flapping their graceful long wings and creating such artistic pleasure as they dominate the sky with their lanky physique.

To all those coming out of long, harsh winters in the North, you should celebrate one fortunate fact. Rhubarb is a Northern plant. It is spring bottled up in a relatively unattractive stalk. Its a gift to the northern climate for sure.

Poached Rhubarb with Elderflower Sabayon
(Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, April 2011)

Serves 4
3 cups water
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, pod reserved
1 strip (2 inches) lemon zest
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons elderflower liqueur, such as St.-Germain, or any other sweet, floral liqueur
(Snippets Notes: Due to it being Sunday, all liqueur stores were closed so I used Kirsch which is cherry. We thought it tasted wonderful)

1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring water, 2 cups sugar, the vanilla seeds and pod, and lemon zest to a boil in a wide, shallow saucepan. Stir. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add rhubarb, and simmer gently until just tender, 3 minute. (Snippets Notes: Important not to over cook. Don't go too far away from the bubbling mixture. If over cooked, it is instantly mushy) Transfer to a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool completely. Divide among 4 bowls.

2. Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the egg yolks, and the elderflower liqueur in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until sabayon is tripled in volume, frothy, and warm to the touch, 6 to 8 minutes. (Snippets Notes: Do not walk away. I went to pour a cup of coffee and within 1 minute I had scrambled eggs and had to start over. Baby, baby, baby it)
Serve immediately over rhubarb.
3 cups

Houston's Canino's Mexican Market! Wow!

2011-04-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

All of the hard work of the high school Junior year is coming to a climax. Testing, testing, and more testing for Madeleine. SAT's, ACT's, Subject tests, and AP tests will fill up the next 2 months.

I registered her to be tested at our local high school nearby.

A few days before the test, as I checked our paperwork, I noticed we had a rather big...Problem.

Houston is ridiculously HUGE. There are 2 high schools with the exact same name in this gi-mormous city. One in our neighborhood...

And...one clear across Houston about 45 minutes away. Yes, she was registered at the latter.

Who would have guessed? Not me, apparently!

So, we packed up early Saturday morning and trucked over, at the crack of dawn, to the OTHER high school for testing.

Never one to miss an opportunity for something to explore, I had heard about this huge Mexican outdoor market in that area of Houston called Canino's Farmer's Market.

Poor Madeleine...hours of testing ahead of her. But, what was a mother to do, however, with all of this enviable spare time? After dropping her off with pitiful look on my face that said, "I'm so sorry you have to take hours and hours of testing", I rather feverishly sped away. I was in search of this much talked about market.

Arriving at Canino's Farmer's Market was like crossing a line at some point on the drive and entering a completely different culture.

Holy Guacamole! Arriving at the market, I couldn't help but think this market is huge! I definitely felt like I had left the U.S. and journeyed south into the lands of Mexico. This must be what everyone is calling a "Staycation"!

Come along with me as I explore this vast market and meet the wonderful Mexican population of Houston. Here is where everything for the Mexican, Central and South American kitchen can be stocked for authentic South American dishes. I trundled home with all sorts of new items to discover in my kitchen.

Huge mounds of cactus leaves told me that I wasn't at my nearby Kroger anymore. This market is a moving feast for the eyes...a cacophony of sounds for the ears...an enticing array of aromas for the nose... and a passion for food and culture that so, so warms my heart.

Peppers, peppers, peppers were everywhere. All different shapes and colors, bursting with glossy hues of red and green and yellow.

Trucks like this one were loaded with produce. The air was stimulated with hustle and bustle as stalls opened, families with children all worked together to unload more and more food, and snippets of Spanish rang throughout this enormous market.

Isn't this little girl precious with those rosy cheeks? She was so sweet and helpful trying to answer my questions about tomatillos, cactus, and yucca roots.

Many items at this market were jarred like tomato relishes and peaches. Corn grinders lined the tops of stalls to make the popular and delicious tortillas.

Thank you ACT tests for taking hours and hours because I was moving at a snails pace trying to savor and devour this enormous venue. Items I had never seen before were overhead, in bins, crates, and baskets. Produce of every color, shape, and texture was spilling out of every corner.

After about an hour of wandering the market and trying to calm my senses and take in all of the new sights and sounds, I began to smell the most enticing aromas. Grilled onions, corn, slow cooked beef met my olfactory organs and worked their magic leading me straight to the back of the market.

Fresh baked tortillas with grilled vegetables and slow cooked beef and pork were being sold in delicious looking soft tacos. People were lingering around these stalls ordering their food and generally relaxing with one other. The weather was beautiful and it felt like a perfect Spring day.

I wasn't hungry a minute ago but with the hypnotic allure of these gorgeous smells, all of sudden I seemed to be starving!

I decided to get in line with the locals and indulge in one of those soft tacos. Somehow, I didn't seem to blend because there were quite a few stares coming my way. This little guy was so cute. He watched my every move so I'm sure it was evident that I wasn't a "local".

How does this look? Delicious? Yes ma'am it was. The pork was grilled and spicy. The onions and peppers were hot and caramelized. A thick slice of avocado rested on top. I scooted right up to the little metal bar and ate my soft taco with everyone else. I don't speak Spanish but we laughed and mmm'd and aaah'd over our barbequed meal.

Re-energized again, it was time to explore what appeared to be another entirely new section of the market. Peppers, peppers, and more peppers awaited me at almost every stall.

I have been wanting to make this spread that I saw in Martha Stewart's magazine. It calls for fresh fava beans. I couldn't find them anywhere. I was hopeful that they might show up here. And they did!! Looky here...

I also have been shocked at the price of fresh vanilla beans in my local grocery store. Here I came upon a barrel filled with vanilla beans for a fraction of the cost. Another recipe came to mind that I now could make.....

Prickly pear?? I think??

Sacks of cinnamon

Prickly pears and bulging sacks of cinnamon certainly caught my attention. I'll be googling how to cook Mexican dishes with these items when I get home.

Finally, after sampling sprinkles of spices over cool watermelon, roasted peanuts, and a tasty lime flavored soft taco, it was time to end my "staycation".

As I got back in the car and crossed that imaginary line somewhere and left behind the beautiful culture of Mexico, I worked hard on re-installing that pitiful pained look on my face as I picked up my bedraggled and brain-worn out daughter.

"How was it, sweetheart?" I whimpered expressively with a countenance of complete understanding and pity. "I thought of you toiling away in there hour after hour. Why don't we go home and I'll make you....perhaps...

Fava bean salad,

or something with fresh vanilla beans possibly,

maybe... something with cinnamon (lots of it),

prickly pears,

yucca roots?"

Off we went went, back to suburbia knowing that however her testing went, I'm sure there will be good things to eat!

Whimsical Chocolate Easter Cake

2011-04-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

S.Kenney 2011

Easter brings so many special memories to mind. When my children were 3 and 5, we decided to take a trip to Italy during the Easter holiday. I know what many of you are saying... Italy? TransAtlantic flight? With 2 toddlers?

I know. And...Guess what...

S.Kenney 2011

We went on this trip to Italy with 2 toddlers and my IN-LAWS!

S.Kenney 2011

It was all fabulous. We had a wonderful trip. It was hectic. It was crazy at times. Finding diapers between 2:00pm and 4:00pm in the afternoon was an interesting predicament on one day. All stores close for "nap time"!

S.Kenney 2011

We stayed on a family run olive oil farm in Tarvarnelle Val di Pesa. The farm is named "Sovigliano". We were actually only 20 minutes from Florence but it felt like everything you imagine the Italian countryside should look like. Outside our shuttered windows grew the largest rosemary bushes I had ever seen.

S.Kenney 2011

So many memories. But, one of our fondest is when we went to the local church of this tiniest of tiny Italian villages for Easter Sunday mass. The owners of our farm told us to listen for the church bells and begin walking in that direction to find the location.

Seriously?

Incredible. The bells were beautiful. We started walking...

S.Kenney 2011

I had dressed my little toddlers in their carefully thought-out Easter attire. Madeleine had a pale pink linen dress with white crocheted collar (huge pink bow in her hair of course). Riley, I dressed in a pale lemon linen sailor jumper with little canvas white tennis shoes. (He even had a yellow sailor cap)

**I must interrupt this visit to my memories of Easter past for a moment. I just have to comment on these chocolate curls. The incredible blog "Sprinkle Bakes" posted an absolutely gorgeous cheesecake that she made for The Cheesecake Factory. Yes, The Cheesecake Factory. She is that good...and her photography is incredible. She made these chocolate curls and posted a video "tutorial". I loved it. I had to try it. So, these are my chocolate curls.

...Back to small Italian village reminiscing...

We had been encouraged by our farm hosts to purchase little woven baskets for the children, line them with white linen napkins, and fill them with simply decorated boiled eggs. During mass on Easter, the children are invited to walk up to the altar and place their baskets there to be blessed. With some prodding and coaxing, we hoped that our wee ones would participate in this little procession.

What we weren't prepared for, however, was to undoubtedly become the town spectacle the minute we entered the tiny chapel. There we were: My in-laws, husband, 2 toddlers and me! We were dressed in our typical Easter pastel outfits just like our children.

S.Kenney 2011

No kidding when I say this...every pair of eyes was turned on us as we attempted to look as casual as possible filing into an empty pew. It was evident within minutes that our dress was making us into quite the local spectacle. The other little children were completely turned around in their seats staring open-eyed at my children.

S.Kenney 2011

It was at this moment that I discreetly took off my son's sailor cap and tucked it into my purse.

That must be it...

the sailor cap was too much and it was drawing attention.

My colorful floral silk scarf now felt rather garish and loud. My husband's yellow Ralph Lauren button-down even seemed too bright.

S.Kenney 2011

After sweeping our eyes over the local dress on this Easter Sunday, we couldn't help but notice that Americans (that would be...us) definitely dress brighter and a bit...um... "louder" than do the Italians. The Italian people in that little chapel dressed beautifully, don't get me wrong. I'm not being insulting. Honest! Its just one of those wonderful cultural opportunities to truly notice the differences between cultural styles. Their dress was more somber, quiet, natural, and fresh. I loved it.

S.Kenney 2011

Everything about Italy was somber, fresh, beautiful and under-stated. Try as we might, there was no way we were going to slip in anywhere and not be undoubtedly cast as Americans.

We dubbed our children the "lolli-pop" kids the rest of the trip. We had many good laughs remembering the shy glances as well as the overt stares that we received traveling through this stunning country with my Gymboree attired "lolli-pops".

The Lollipop Kids chasing pigeons in Florence, Italy

Alas...no sailor cap

Aren't these experiences, and chuckles, and memories what make traveling the world so wonderful? Easter will always be filled with these adorable memories for our family.

So, about this cake? Do you think its a tad bit over the top? I'm thinking the majority will say "YES". Oh dear, so American.

So sugary.

So chocolate-y.

So Froo-Froo!

(Cake adapted from Martha Stewart magazine)

Ingredients

For The Cake

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pans

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup dark rum

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

For The Frosting

4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 1/2 cups sour cream

For The Garnish

1 thick 16-ounce block bittersweet chocolate, room temperature

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Phyllo nest

Small candy-coated chocolate eggs

For The Nest

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for mold

1/2 ounce ( 1/2 cup) kataifi (a type of phyllo), thawed (Snippet's note: I used regular phyllo dough and cut it in thin strips. I couldn't find this kataifi variety)

Cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions:

Make the nest: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush a 1/3-cup-capacity round silicone mold with butter. In a bowl, gently toss butter and kataifi to combine. (Snippet's note: butter made my phyllo dough all soggy so I just left it out...)

Lift kataifi out of bowl, gently stretching strands to form a loose rope. Lay 1 end in the cupped fingers of 1 hand. Gently spiral rope to shape into a nest.

Fit nest into mold, pulling up edges to rest over rim. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in mold on a wire rack. Unmold. Dust with cocoa.

Make the cake: Butter two 10-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment. Dust with cocoa, and tap out excess. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Add remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into centers of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 45 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn onto racks. Remove parchment, turn cakes right side up, and let cool completely.

Make the frosting: Sift confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt into a bowl. In the bowl of a mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating until combined. Beat in melted chocolate and sour cream until combined.

Make the garnish: Using a vegetable peeler, scrape chocolate at a 45-degree angle. Using a spatula, transfer curls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 days). (Snippet's Note: I used the chocolate curls found on SprinkleBakes's blog.)

To assemble: Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to create level surfaces. Reserve trimmings. Place 1 cake, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread 2 cups frosting over top. Top with remaining cake, cut side up. (Snippet's note: My cakes were unbelievably flat. So I crushed chocolate graham crackers for the top) Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Finely grind cake trimmings in a food processor. Sprinkle crumbs over top of cake.

Using tweezers, gently press chocolate curls to sides of cake. Dust top with confectioners' sugar if desired. Decorate with nest, chocolate eggs, and flowers. (Snippet's Note: Get one big glass of milk because this is one killer chocolate cake!!)

Cranberry Bean and Black Quinoa Salad

2011-04-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

I'm doing it. I really am. I am getting more and more confidant with teaching myself to cook. I feel like I can attempt many more types of dishes in the kitchen than I ever thought possible. I'm learning about what I enjoy cooking and what "stresses" me to cook.

I practically skip out the door on Saturdays to get to my Williams-Sonoma class. Now I recognize familiar faces and just adore the chef, Jill's witty style. Last weekend the topic was "Legumes".

I will not buy more cooking gadgets from the store this week.

I will not buy more cooking gadgets from the store this week.

I am sure there are no more incredible DEVICES from the Williams-Sonoma store that I need in my kitchen...this week. But, I never know what I might cook and then need... NEXT week...

Ha!

Beans? A new line of carefully selected bean growers has been added to the W&S line up of packaged food items. This wouldn't be a gadget weekend. Oh, no! Bringing home ~~more gadgets~~ beans would be an intelligent and healthy option to ensure the well-being of my beloved family.

Yep. That's how my mind works. Now lets look at those beans.

We made all kinds of healthy deliciousness with beans, or, legumes. One bean salad in particular was tasty. It was a Cranberry Bean and Toasted Black Quinoa Salad. Williams-Sonoma has started a new "legumes" line in their store.

I definitely wanted to cook with more beans. I have no idea why I've been intimidated by buying beans that you soak. Really, all you do it put the desired amount in a bowl of water overnight and rinse them out the next day. Why did this always sound so trying? I also didn't know that beans need to be kept in the refrigerator.

The only beans that I ate growing up were black-eyed peas. This is a southern traditional bean eaten on New Year's Day. I honestly cannot remember eating them on any other day of the year. Families eat a serving of black-eyed peas with cole slaw. If I remember correctly, the black-eyed peas were eaten for good luck and the cole slaw for wealth. I remember my brothers cringing and grimacing while eating their portion but since, even as a child, I pretty much tried anything, I did happily eat mine. If we ate these good luck charmed foods, then we could flip our plates over and there would be some money underneath. How is that for instant luck and wealth in one sitting!!

Since beans aren't loaded with flavor, these wonderful ingredients went into the bean salad: garlic, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and feta cheese.

The recipe calls for toasting the black quinoa on the stove top for a few minutes. This was fun. They crackle and smell delicious. This salad would be a great option to take to a summer picnic or barbeque. I served it with my bbq'd soft tacos.

For me, this beans salad has all of the rustic, deep, and rich colors that I like to see in food. The woody beans, the deep scarlet toasted quinoa, the strong herbal smell with the tart feta appeal to all of my food senses. This recipe made so much of this salad that we had leftovers for days afterwards. The flavors get better and better. Enjoy!

Toasted Quinoa Salad with Cranberry Beans

*(all beans are from the Zursun Heirloom Collection at Williams -Sonoma)
(adapted from the Williams-Sonoma cooking class)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (210g) dried cranberry beans*), rinsed and soaked overnight
1 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup (180g) black quinoa*, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups (375ml) chicken or vegetable broth
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 cucumber, about 10oz. (315g)
1/2 cup (20G) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup (75g) crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Recipe:

Drain the beans and rinse with cold water. Place in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches (7.5cm). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. (Snippet's Note: don't let them cook too long or they are mushy. The difference is pretty noticeable) Drain the beans and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and the 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil. Pour over the quinoa and stir until incorporated. Stir in the cranberry beans, cucumber, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper. (Snippet's Note: Try to not eat several large spoonfuls before its served at the table!) Serves 4 to 6

Soft Tacos with Grilled "Flap" Steak

2011-04-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, look what came home with me from my latest foray to the Williams-Sonoma class the other weekend. The Cook and the Butcher cookbook somehow followed me home and flipped open to a delicious looking "flap steak" recipe and voila...Sunday dinner!

This cookbook is written by Brigit Binns for Williams-Sonoma. What I like about it is that each chapter is designed to educate novice chefs like me from the perspective of butchers. I haven't devoured it from cover to cover yet. To be honest, I am a little intimidated. I get really confused by all of the names of beef as well as the varieties of cooking methods. I can tell, though, that this book is going to sort it all out.

Patrick and I were in Dallas a few weekends ago. We went to meet his brother's fiance. She is from Mexico and made us the most delicious, authentic breakfast soft tacos. I thought I would just eat one and ended up eating three (piggish...I know. Thats why we are food bloggers).

Well, the next William-Sonoma class was covering meats and grilling. How timely because I wanted to duplicate the delicious flavors of the beef we had in Dallas. The smell in the store drove everyone beserk it was so aromatic. Our adorable chef, Jill, caramelized onions for us to sample alongside the meats she cooked. I especially liked the ease and flavor of skirt steak. Whole Foods was out of skirt steak and the butcher said "flap" steak would work just as well.

I am now getting acquainted with my butcher at Whole Foods. Isn't that great? You know how you always hear "Just ask your butcher this question...or that question". Ha! I couldn't even imagine a grocery store butcher taking time with me. However, I have started talking with the people at Whole Foods in the meat as well as seafood department and they are so wonderful! Really!

In addition to this hefty new grilling cookbook making its way home with me, I also bought what I consider to be the best cooking purchase ever! I picked up the new All-Clad "instant read thermometer". This is a great tool for grilling meats. We used it on the leg of lamb the other day and it worked beautifully. The fear of over-cooking or under cooking meat has often made me pass on trying out a recipe.

In fact, M. has been down with a cold for a few days now. I considered telling her to pop this meat thermometer in her mouth so we could figure out if she had a fever. I didn't do it. You know, she is a teenager and all. My humor just doesn't seem to work well on the teenage variety.

A dry rub we have tried out since moving to Texas has quickly become our favorite. Its called "Rub Grub". Yep. Its Texan alright. This rub is amazing on barbeque. I seasoned the flap steak with this before it went on the grill. Delicious.

Time to get serious and dig into this new cookbook and learn more about beef selections.

I do know one 4-legged creature that certainly was thrilled with this new cookbook find. His name is Chester and he is hoping that I read it from cover to cover and apply any newfound learning. Often.

I know your not supposed to feed your pets table scraps. But look at that face!

Did we hand out secret tidbits under the table? Geesh. No one ever tells. But, he sure does seem to be snoozing rather dreamily...

Grilled "Flap" Steak:

(from The Cook & The Butcher cookbook, p. 52)

1 skirt (flap, hanger or flank stead will also do)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Rub Grub (Sarah's addition)

Place the steak in a nonreactive baking dish. Brush both sides with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper (and Rub Grub). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.

Remove the steak from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over high heat, or preheat a cast-iron stove top grill pan over high heat. Place the steak on the grill rack over the hottest part of the fire or in the grill pan, and cook without moving it for about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the steak registers 130º-135ºF (54º-57ºC) for medium-rare, 1-3 minutes more, or to your desired doneness. Transfer the steak to a platter and let rest, loosely covered, for about 5 minutes.

Cut the steak across the grain and on the diagonal into the slices and about 1/2 inch (12mm) thick. Arrange toppings and heat soft tacos and serve!