- sweet road -

Scenes

2013-05-09T00:55:00.001-04:00

My housemate making coffee cupping style. This is mostly because we don't have any non-espresso coffee making devices in our apartment but also because it's a simple, no frills way to make a damn good cup of coffee.

Update.

2013-04-16T16:07:00.001-04:00

At this point I've included the "I'm an incompetent blogger" statement in more than a few posts. I've been neglecting this blog a lot and I get around to posting more and more infrequently as time goes on. I don't exactly feel bad nor do I regret stepping back from blogging, computers, and the endless social media participation required to keep up a successful blog. It's been nice to take a break. I do really enjoy blogging whenever I have the time and motivation but right now my priorities lie elsewhere... and that is exploring and experiencing the food world around me further before I can say much more about it.

Until I reach a point where I find myself inclined to be blogging more often, I wanted to update you on the lull happening around here. Once I come back more regularly I promise I'll have something truly picture and word-worthy. Until then life is still just as food-focused as ever. It's not nearly as sugary but it's still sweet.

Apple Chunk Muffins

2013-01-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

Apple pie in a muffin.

Sometimes you have to make do with what's around, and all I could find was a popover pan. It was a little difficult to measure the baking time at first, but after some trial and error I achieved that ideal crunchy muffin top. It also helps to sprinkle a good amount of sugar on top of the batter before baking. Most importantly, this muffin has some serious texture because of the massive apple chunks and almonds: It's a combination of a muffin and an apple pie.

I used this apple muffin recipe from The Boot (originally adapted from Martha Stewart), but halved it, changed the amount of apples, and slightly altered the ingredients:

1/2 c sugar
1 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 small honeycrisp apples
1/3 c chopped almonds
1/4 c oats
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1/3 stick butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400º F

-Cut apples into 1/2 in. cubes
-Mix together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
-Add the apple chunks, the almonds, and the oats, then toss to coat
-Whisk together the eggs, milk, and butter
-Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and carefully fold together until thoroughly incorporated, but be careful not to over-mix the ingredients
-Scoop the batter into greased muffin tins (about 3/4 full, more if you want a larger muffin top!), sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
-Let the muffins cool and enjoy!

Holiday Gingerbread Biscotti

2012-12-21T12:58:00.002-05:00

Never have I looked at a log of biscotti and thought "Yeah, I wanna put that in my face."

Then sometime last week a switch took place in my craving motherboard and all my childhood dreams of eating cookies for breakfast came true.

On my way home for the holidays I got a call from my mom asking a) my ETA and b) whether I could bake cookies for my Grandma. My recent love affair with cherry and chocolate biscotti left me with with a strange sort of biscotti tunnel vision so I didn't really have a choice in the matter. I was going to be baking biscotti.
After one of those recipe search sessions that takes almost as long as the baking process I finally came across a gingerbread biscotti recipe from Jessie's Kitchen Chronicles.

I didn't add the frosting because I'm really not sure how much sugar Grandma can handle, but feel free to pump up your blood sugar levels this season.

Gingerbread Biscotti
1/2 c butter (1 stick)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tbsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
2 eggs
3 tbsp molasses
2.5 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350º F

-In a medium bowl combine the butter, sugars, and spices
-Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition
-Add the molasses and mix
-Add the flour and baking powder, mixing slowly to absorb all the dry ingredients
-Add the chocolate chips
-Move the dough to a floured surface and form into one or two logs, then flatten the logs slightly and place on parchment lined baking sheets
-Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and slightly cracked (not dough-y), let cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into 1/2 inch thick slices and place them on the baking sheet cut-side down
-Reduce the oven temperature to 325º F and place the baking sheets back in the oven for 7-9 minutes
-Remove the baking sheet, rotate the biscotti slices so the side facing up is now facing down, and bake for another 7-9 minutes
-Remove the biscotti from the oven, let cool, and enjoy!

Top Blog Discoveries of 2012

2012-12-18T17:58:00.000-05:00

As a blogger it's hard to avoid feeling like a squirrel, frantically gathering and storing the url's of beautiful, nourishing blogs over the span of a year in preparation for the winter: the end of the year. Inevitably, you will lose track of some of them. A lot of them. I constantly scavenge for intriguing content and inspiring aesthetics. It's hard (if not impossible) to pick favorites, but I can pick out some of my greatest discoveries I've gathered and kept this year. Check them out:
8. Grassdoe

Grassdoe, the photo blog of Jonathon Levitt is filled with rich, raw and rustic photographs. You can't help but feel a little more relaxed while looking through his photographs of colorful landscapes, simple foods, and furry friends.

7. Green Kitchen Stories

David and Luise create some of the most reliably vibrant dishes I've seen in the blog world. Bloggers have done an awesome job of letting the world know know what healthy doesn't have to mean tasteless and unappealing, and Green Kitchen Stories is one convincing case.

6. The Boot

The Boot is a blog hailing from Barletta, Italy (hence the name). Marissa shares romantic photographs of her life as an American living in Italy cooking stunning Italian meals, teaching english, and exploring all that a new land to call home could bring.

5. Chasing Delicious

Aside from Russell van Kraayenburg's gorgeous photographs, his voice is poetic and telling of the atmosphere he wants you to experience with him in the kitchen, through food. His "Kitchen 101" segment of the blog is filled with clean, informative designs teaching everything you need to know in the kitchen from conversions and cooking tools to knife cuts. You can also buy these diagrams as posters at The Sweet Tooth.

4. Oh, Ladycakes

Ashlae wrote a guest post for me last March, only a few months after I had come across her site and since we were in touch to collaborate I have become an even bigger fan of her blog. She comes up with such creative ingredient combinations to make incredibly simple vegan recipes brimming with complex flavors. Vegan recipes can be tricky because sometimes you need ingredients that are difficult to find, but Ashlae does a great job of using ingredients that anyone can access. And did I mention she's hilarious? You can always count on Ashlae's words to be either quirky, funny, or heartfelt.

3. Globetrotter Diaries

Karen and Valerie travel and self-educate through food. Food is a great provider of information about a country and culture, so why not take advantage and hit the (cook)books? Or more appropriately, the stove. While they cook up a variety of tasty looking meals, they also feature photography from around the world and information about the food and ingredients they are using. Be sure to take a ride with them this year!

2. A Restless Transplant

Foster Huntington has achieved my ideal life. After working as a designer in New York he packed up to live a life of travel, photography, surfing, and outdoor adventure up and down the west coast. This lifestyle requires minimalism, resourcefulness, and having an open mind. He makes friends at campsites and along the road, he photographs and writes stimulating accounts of exciting and not-so exciting moments, and he work in social media from his computer to fuel the never-ending adventure. I would be jealous if I weren't inspired.

1. Esther-FromTheSticks

It's too easy to spend hours browsing though Esther's blog; I did my first time. This girl has got talent and drive that very few people have, and it will definitely take her places. She designs and sews impeccable pieces of clothing and she masterfully photographs the finished designs with a theme and setting to match the mood of the clothes. If that's not enough, she creates delicate, romantic, and fun short films that intertwine with her interests in fashion and portraiture. When I was her age I stopped myself from doing certain creative projects because I thought I needed other people to help with certain tasks. This girl makes everything herself and models in all of her photos (and damn, Tyra would be proud). She proves that nothing can stop you, and you are your own best resource to get something accomplished.

Lingonberry Drop Scones

2012-12-09T23:45:00.004-05:00

Dad always got the burnt cookies. In our family it was standard practice to set off the smoke detector during the baking process: the first batch was unevenly baked because we never waited to preheat, the second batch was nearly perfect because we paid attention, the third batch was burnt because we got cocky, and after that we cared just enough to finish the batter without setting off the smoke detector.
At some point during the cookie chaos my dad would come into the kitchen and ask if he could try a one. We always referred him to the burnt cookies because if we were baking it was probably for a reason other than fun, and knowing we needed at least 20 cookies for whatever occasion meant we left the black-bottom cookies for dad.

After awhile instead of asking "Can I have a cookie?" dad started asking "Where are the burnt cookies?"

This batch of drop scones initiated my future baking attempts in my new apartment. I burnt them.

After spending a few minutes fanning the smoke detector with a rag and opening windows to soften the stale, smokey scent I decided the damage wasn't too bad. The bottoms of the scones were only a shade darker than medium brown which warranted them edible enough for me or my dad.

Lucky for dad I don't burn cookies or any other baked goods anymore, and if I do I make sure he's not around to have to eat them.

Lingonberry Oat Scones
1/2 c old fashioned oats
3/4 c flour
1.5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 c coconut cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c lingonberry preserves
Extra sugar

Preheat oven to 425º F
-Mix the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder
-Mix the coconut cream, egg, vanilla, and preserves together in a separate bowl
-Combine the wet and dry ingredients
-Drop the batter onto an oiled or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with a coating of sugar on top of each mound
-Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light brown (don't burn!)
-Let cool, and enjoy!

Wine-Cooked Tortellini

2012-12-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

Food Illustration #2 - Tortellini Cooked in Wine

Moving into a new apartment in a new city means a lot of rice, beans, pasta, and wine because a) they're simple foods that don't require a lot of babysitting and b) they're cheap. After awhile these basics can get a little monotonous, so as I was debating whether or not to make a grocery store trek I remembered a wine-cooked pasta recipe I had once seen and decided to use it as inspiration:

Wine-Cooked Tortellini

1 c dried tortellini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, diced

Onion powder, oregano, thyme, salt & pepper

1 c chopped tomatoes

2/3 c sliced baby portobello mushrooms

3/4 - 1 1/2 c dry red wine

-Bring a pot of water to boil and begin to cook the tortellini until they are just starting to soften (about 1/2 cooked), then drain them in a colander

-In the meantime heat the oil in a large saucepan and begin to saute the garlic

-Add about 1/4 tsp of each spice/herb to the oil (more or less depending on your taste) to create a sort of paste making sure not to burn the spices

-Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to cook

-After a few minutes add the red wine and tortellini to finish cooking

-Add more wine if needed

-Let cool & eat!

Leftovers Stew

2012-11-28T00:23:00.000-05:00

As you can see, this stew was filled with turkey. While I do consider myself primarily a veghead, I don't believe in wasting food - meat or not. This Thanksgiving I knew it was my duty to re-purpose the leftovers otherwise my family would let the turkey would dry out in the fridge and the potatoes would deteriorate into a wet pile of mush.

Solution = stew.

While I didn't actually eat these honkin' hunks of meat pictured above, I did take some broth taste-tests; I'm not about to feed my family tasteless slop!

You don't have to follow this recipe too accurately since soups are usually a mess of whatever is left in the fridge, but I'll give you a bit of direction on how to create this leftover stew.

1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil
4 c veg broth
2 c water
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 - 1 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 potatoes, chopped into 1/2 in. cubes (or approximately 1 c leftover mashed potatoes for a thick, creamy broth)
Leftover turkey
2/3 c Ancini de Pepe
Rosemary
Basil
Salt & Pepper

-In a medium-large pot cook the onion and garlic in the oil until the onions are halfway cooked
-Add the vegetable broth, water, celery, carrot, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
-Add the potatoes and leftover turkey and continue to cook until the potatoes begin to soften
-Add the Ancini de Pepe, rosemary, and basil, and continue to simmer until the pasta has cooked
-Add salt and pepper to taste (and any other spices or herbs you would like)
-The pasta will continue to absorb water as it cools or after refrigeration, so you may need to add more water later on
-Enjoy!

Leftover Breakfast

2012-11-24T09:11:00.000-05:00

The notorious, never-ending Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches don't have to be limited to lunch... I'm sure you probably want leftovers for at least two meals per day, right?
No worries, I sympathize with you. After the second day it starts to get old. Instead of cramming the whole entire turkey, graving, and cranberry sauce dinner into your sandwich why not switch it up and only use one or two leftovers combined with a couple new ingredients? I was filled with inspiration as I read a few blogs yesterday and I decided to go for a breakfast version.

Open-Face Thanksgiving Leftovers
1/4 - 1/3 c sweet potatoes
1-2 tbsp gravy
A handful of spinach
A few slices of gouda
1 egg
1 piece multi-grain bread
Salt and pepper

-Toast the bread so it becomes just crispy
-With a fork, mash the sweet potatoes with the gravy to create the consistency of a spread
-Cook the spinach with a bit of oil over medium heat in a small pan
-Spread the sweet potato spread on the toast, then top with the spinach and gouda and send back into the toaster oven for a few minutes (until everything is warm and the cheese begins to melt)
-While everything is toasting, cook the egg to your liking in the small pan, then place on top of the toast
-Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Spiced Black Beans

2012-11-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

Congratulations everyone, we have successfully entered the season of gluttony! Last night I ate more dessert than anything else on my plate and, well, I have no other choice than to be proud of it. Shame is simply not an option. From chocolate ganache cake and hazelnut truffles to pumpkin cannolis and pumpkin pie, I'm certain I achieved putting on my 5-10 lbs the average American gains between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Last winter when I was in Cuba I ate a ton of rice and beans and I felt awesome about what I was eating because I wasn't held back by the lethargy following one too many cream soups, cupcakes, and starchy potato dishes.

Black beans are an amazing low-fat source of protein, fiber, and iron. They also pack in a ton of vitamins and minerals such as B9 (folate), thiamin, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. I gravitate towards black beans during the winter because high protein foods keep you feeling full and satisfied for a longer period of time. This year, instead of snacking on Grandma's cookies and Christmas truffles, I threw together this adobo spiced black bean snack to munch on.

Adobo Spiced Black Beans
1 can of black beans
1.5 tsp adobo seasoning
1 lime + zest of about 1/2 the lime
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 300º F

-Drain and rinse the black beans, then toss into a bowl with the adobo seasoning, zest, and juice of one lime
-Spread the beans on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper
-Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30-40 min or until the beans begin to split and become crispy on the outside while still soft on the inside
-Remove the beans from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!

Beacuse You Need More Thanksgiving Recipes...

2012-11-15T16:50:00.000-05:00

The last thing you need right now is another Thanksgiving recipe, so here's another Thanksgiving recipe: Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Coconut Cream Sauce

In the blog world every holiday recipe is coming out of the woodwork before the big day so it's hard to avoid joining the party. Everyone's pages are filled with pumpkin, squash, cranberries, cornbread, and every exquisite and obscure ingredient that could possibly be paired with the Thanksgiving staples. While I kept my test kitchen fairly simple, I'm still proud of my little pumpkin babies.

A full grown pumpkin cheesecake would have been a sexy centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table, but the idea of putting everything in a cupcake tin is just too alluring. Now I won't continue to cut increasingly small slivers until the entire cake is gone (guilty).

Then again, I have already eaten three of these...

The recipe I used was originally from Eating Well but I made some modifications. I omitted the crust because it just doesn't seem necessary in a cupcake liner, I replaced the cottage cheese with 0% fat Fage Greek yogurt, and I reduced the size of the batch. It resulted in a much lighter texture than your typically dense cheesecake but the full flavor is still there. You can find the original recipe here or you can follow my version:

Individual Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Coconut Cream Sauce
6 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1.5 eggs (scramble the second egg and use 1 oz)
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz 0% fat plain greek yogurt (I recommend Fage)
7.5 oz (half a can) pumpkin puree
1 can coconut cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar*

Preheat the oven to 325º F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners

-In a medium bowl, combine the first four ingredients on medium speed until the ingredients are evenly incorporated
-Add the eggs one at a time making sure to mix the ingredients well between each addition, then add the vanilla
-Add the yogurt, then the pumpkin puree and mix until everything is smooth and well mixed together
-Divide the batter among the tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the batter is no longer jiggly
-Allow the cheesecakes to cool, then refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours

-Empty the can of coconut cream into a large bowl - the top coconut layer and the liquid will have seperated
-With a mixer start combining the coconut cream on low speed and gradually increase your speed. Watch out, the coconut cream will splash (reason for large bowl)
-Sprinkle the powdered sugar into the cream (optional)
-Spoon the coconut cream on the individual cheesecakes and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. For a sauce-like texture, you can eat the cheesecakes right away, but for a more solidified layer of coconut, refrigerate for no less than 30 minutes

Rum Baked Bananas

2012-11-12T12:58:00.000-05:00

Illustration and artwork has been a reoccurring idea for the blog, but it's not like I sat down and thought about how cute an illustration for today's post would be. I am glad I got around to making food-art to post because it was a lot of fun, but my true inspiration came from the fact that this dessert is just ugly. In person you get the appeal, but unfortunately my camera doesn't capture the subliminal scent convincing you to get over the appearance of moist, brown bananas. Don't let me dissuade you, you'll just have to try this one for yourself to believe how tasty it is!
I love this recipe because it is incredibly simple and it's all about the bananas. You can also make as much or as little as you want. You can eat it by itself or you can top it with ice cream or yogurt. You can add it to waffles or pancakes for breakfast, and I'm sure you could make another peanut butter sandwich out of these boozy bananas for lunch if you feel so inclined. Can you tell I'm going through a banana phase? Check it out:

Rum Baked Bananas (from Epicurious)
2 bananas
1 lime
1 tbsp (or more...) dark rum
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp butter (optional)

Preheat oven (or toaster oven to use less energy and preheat faster) to 400º F
-Peel the bananas, slice lengthwise, and place in a small, greased baking dish
-Squeeze the lime evenly over the banana slices followed by the rum
-Sprinkle the spices and butter (if using) evenly over the bananas
-Bake for 10-15 minutes
-Let cool and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Non-Recipe

2012-11-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

Well my orange juice looks green...
As winter creeps closer and the temperatures drop I can feel my body craving more proteins and fats to make up for the extra hours and calories I spend shivering everyday. Blood circulation is not my body's forte thanks to genetics (anemia and low blood pressure... woohoo!). I decided it's a good excuse to drink more red wine, but I'm also happy to give in to the healthy-fat cravings. Avocados are my #1 but this week I've been craving this simple little peanut butter banana toast for breakfast.

What you need:
Scrumptious super-multi-mega-grain bread with nuts and seeds
A tablespoon of peanut butter
1/2 banana

-Toast your bread until it's a nice balance between warm and soft and crispy
-Spread the peanut butter on the toast... it will begin to melt so resist all urges to eat it immediately
-Slice the banana and place each round strategically so to fit on the toast (some may overlap)
-Eat

Chocolate on Chocolate

2012-11-06T19:10:00.000-05:00

I made chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache for an election party tonight because I voted for Obama. Hey, it was either that or make blue cupcakes and I have no blueberries or blue dye. I'm also opposed to food dye.

Don't hate me if you voted for Romney, I won't hate you.
I despise talking about politics, so I won't. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion whether it's political or whether it's about how they do or don't like chocolate. While I'll never understand why someone doesn't like chocolate, it's not my job to convince them they must like chocolate.

I will talk about how these cupcakes are uh-mazing (and I usually don't like chocolate cake): these chocolate cupcakes are uh-mazing.

And just because these cupcakes have some patriotic flair doesn't mean they are special occasion election cupcakes. They should be made and devoured at least five times per year.

Super Moist Super Chocolate Super Cupcakes (adapted and renamed from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle)

1 c all purpose flour
1/3 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/3 c neutral oil
2 eggs
1/3 c whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c boiling water

Preheat the oven to 325º F

-In a large bowl combine the first seven ingredients
-Add the oil to the dry ingredients and combine until it creates a crumbly texture
-In a separate, smaller bowl whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla
-Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and make sure they are well incorporated
-Add the boiling water to the batter in three or four segments making sure to incorporate the water to create a smooth batter before adding more water
-Pour the batter into lined cupcake tins and bake for 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Chocolate Ganache
9 oz. chocolate
1 c heavy cream

-Combine the chocolate and the cream in a double boiler until you can mix the two together to make a thick, creamy ganache
-Once the cupcakes have cooled, dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache to get an even coat and a little "loop" poking up
-Set the coated cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow the ganache to set
-Decorate however you'd like... or don't decorate
-Enjoy!

Why You Should Eat Fish This Winter!

2012-11-04T18:51:00.001-05:00

When is the last time you thought about Iceland? Oddly, I've found that a lot of people don't think about Iceland too much. Maybe it's not that odd. I spend a lot of time thinking about Iceland, but my yearning for personal vacations to obscure landscapes is beside the point: You should start thinking about Iceland this winter.

Icelanders eat 225 pounds of fish per person each year. That's 78 more pounds of fish than the Japanese are eating per person every year and 177 more pounds than Americans. More fish means more of the infamous omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and more omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid means lower rates of seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder is known to be more common during the winter in areas where the nights are long, yet Icelanders who get six hours of daylight during the winter have the lowest known levels of seasonal affective disorder. The reason these isolated, frosty headed friends of ours are able to party it up in their Lopapeysurs each and every dismal winter has been linked to the levels of omega-3 fatty acids occurring naturally in their diets (fish). It's been observed that those with seasonal affective disorder as well as depression have low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets, and countries such as The Netherlands, Switzerland, The United States, and The United Kingdom with the lowest consumption of fish (less than 70 pounds) have the highest rates of seasonal affective disorder and depression.

So when you look out your window this winter and see miles of grey, whether it be skinny and naked tree limbs or dirty snow-sludge shoved to the gutter, it might be a good idea to consider cooking up salmon with snap peas, yellow peppers, and dill pistachio pistou or some crispy-skin fillets with wilted escarole.

Read all about omega-3 fatty acids in the book Why Women Need Fat
For more information about fish intake and mood disorders, check out the The American Journal of Psychiatry, VOL. 163, No. 6 and The American Journal of Psychiatry, VOL. 158, No. 2
*Variety of Fresh Fish Seafood In Market - Photo by Kittikun Atsawintarangkul

How Fresh Baked Bread = World Peace

2012-11-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

Okay, maybe world peace is a little drastic, but it's true that the scent of fresh baked bread has been proven to cause changes in attitude and temperament, making people more concerned with the well being of others.

Researchers at the University of France in Southern Brittany tested the theory by asking volunteers to stand outside bakeries where the smell of yeast and crisp, warm bread wafted through the air. Another group of volunteers stood outside clothing shops. The volunteers pretended to drop items as they searched through their bags, and over 70 percent of the time strangers would help the clumsy volunteers with their misplaced belongings when they were also immersed in the aroma of baking bread. Outside the clothing stores strangers would help the volunteers only 50 percent of the time.

Think it might just be coincidence? The experiment was repeated over 400 different times. To top it off, real estate agents have also reported the scent of baked goods increases their chances of selling homes.

With the winter holiday season coming around the corner, why not put this new knowledge to use? Everyone knows Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years can be stressful, especially when a lot of family in involved. Make a batch of this baguette dough, freeze it, and bring it out to thaw and bake when guests are expected. Who knows, maybe those pesky cousins will be a little more manageable this year!

The Chocolate Before the Storm

2012-10-29T12:49:00.000-04:00

Of course safety is everyone's first priority as the hurricane inches closer, only hours from New York and the surrounding east coast states, but there has been a lot of blog optimism and support for what has become known as the biggest storm of our time. After filling bathtubs, collecting flashlights and candles, and stocking up on food I took the liberty to bake some last minute sweet treats to hold us over during a power outage. Using some choux I filled these little puffs with something along the lines of a chocolate cheesecake center.

Choux can seem intimidating. It's not. All it requires is water, flour, butter, and salt. See my first blog post (ever) here for a fail-proof choux recipe.

The first batch came out a little flat as you can see... my mistake. I was a little lazy in measuring out the flour so the dough was too thin. I fixed it after these little guys came out of the oven and the next batch came out nice an plump!

Once you have made your little choux puffs you need to make the chocolate mixture and fill the choux. You could do it in your sleep:

4 oz. cream cheese
5 oz. milk or dark chocolate
------------------------
-Over a double boiler melt the chocolate and the cream cheese together to make a thick, consistent paste
-Let the mixture cool enough to fill a pastry bag
-Poke a hole in the choux puffs with the tip of your pastry bag and squeeze the filling into the choux
-If you don't have a pastry bag you can cut small holes in the sides of the choux with a knife, fill a Ziploc bag with the chocolate mixture, cut off the corner of the Ziploc bag, and poke the tip into the hole to fill the choux (this is what I did)
-Once the filled choux has completely cooled the chocolate center will solidify and take on a thicker, cheesecake-like texture indicating they are ready to enjoy... though it is perfectly acceptable to eat them when they are warm and gooey!

How to Make One Cupcake pt.3

2012-10-24T17:08:00.001-04:00

I have taken it upon myself to bake almost entirely small batch recipes. I must have recently hit another seven year mark when I'm told my taste buds will decide to shake things up, because I can't take more than one cupcake (or any other dessert) per week. To celebrate fall, I have spent the past week or so perfecting this pumpkin cupcake. The result is not entirely true to the "one cupcake" title. You'll end up with two decent sized cupcakes or three small cupcakes to share.

This recipe requires a kitchen scale. I roughly translated the measurements into cups and spoons for those who do not have a scale handy but if you do have one I highly recommend using it.

Another quick note... Halfway through mixing I realized I was completely out of flour but luckily I had some Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake Mix. Browsing through the ingredients listed on the box I found the mix contained everything I needed to add anyways (flour, spices, baking powder). In the ingredients below I have listed both mix and non-mix ingredient options for you.

Individual Pumpkin Cupcake

1 oz. Brown Sugar

1 oz. Butter or Earth Balance, softened to room temperature

2.5 oz. Pumpkin

2 oz. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake Mix -OR- 2 oz Flour, 1/3 tsp Baking Soda, 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and a few shakes of ground ginger, allspice, and nutmeg

1 oz. Milk or Almond Milk

------------------

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Butter/Earth Balance, softened to room temperature

1/3 c Pumpkin

1/4 c Mix/Flour

2 tbsp Milk or Almond Milk

Preheat your oven (preferably toaster oven to avoid wasting energy and heat) to 375º F

-Mix the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated

-Add the half of the flour mixture and mix until smooth

-Add half of the milk and mix until combined

-Repeat with half of the flour and half of the milk until you are left with a smooth batter - avoid over mixing the ingredients

-Spoon the batter into two or three cupcake cups* and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

* For individual cupcakes you can use individual silicone baking cups or metal measuring cups with a cupcake liner. If you do not have either of these available, try cutting a soda can in half (be careful!) and place a cupcake liner inside.

For cream cheese frosting check out Christina's small batch recipe at her scrumptious blog, Dessert for Two.

Sweet Potato Rolls, Black Bean Burgers, Coconut Roux...

2012-10-01T21:49:00.002-04:00

One would think this is a fat and juicy burger smothered with a heap of melting cheese, but if you are one to think that, you are wrong. What you see here is a tiny, juicy black bean burger with a finely minced onion, wine, and coconut roux concoction topped with avocado slices which are all forced to stay put between the jaws of a home baked sweet potato roll. There is not one animal product in sight here, friends.
If I were a better blogger I would have instructions for each measurement and step to create every square millimeter of this bodacious hunk of veg, but I am too human and too spontaneous, so I'll share the recipe-less process.

As you may have read in my Lentil Sliders recipe, which is strikingly similar to this one in stature, I am horrible at making sufficiently-stuck-together veggie burgers and I have followed enough recipes to be confident in that fact. This veggie burger was an accident. It was a failed black bean stew to be exact. You'd be surprised at how spicy adobo sauce is and how difficult it is to backtrack that mistake. So I added carrots and pureed potatoes. When that didn't work I added flour and breadcrumbs and let it sit overnight to find a nice heap patty potential waiting for me in the morning.

On to the sweet potato rolls: I found a potato roll recipe in my copy of Veganomicon, but I didn't have any potatoes. Cue in sweet potatoes (recipe below).

Now to the sauce. I have unearthed a love for cooking with wine, so when I glanced over the words "wine" and "roux" (also in my copy of Veganomicon), I thought, "Oh, good idea" and whipped up this saucy stuff. Essentially it goes like this:

-Put some vegan butter in a saucepan
-Add some finely chopped yellow onions (we're talking almost a paste - you will cry) to the melted veg butter and let cook
-After the onions have cooked add some wine: just a few tablespoons
-After everything is near bubbly throw in another few tablespoons of coconut cream (add more or less to fit your taste buds' needs)
-Once this is all hot an bothered add about a tablespoon of flour and start whisking. Don't stop-it will become very thick very quickly.
-Add about 1/4 - 1/3 c more wine and about 1/2 c more coconut cream and continue whisking as it continues to thicken. Once it coats the back of a spoon you can stop. Remember the sauce will thicken when it cools, producing a cheese-like consistency when stored in the fridge. It will continue to act like cheese by melting when you place it on something hot like a veggie burger, for instance.

Avocados:
-Slice

Once everything is good and done and you are shoving this heaping metropolis of gold into your face it will start to look like this:

I swear it's more appealing in person. Trust me.

Sweet Potato Rolls

1.5 c warm water

1 c soy milk

2 tbsp vegan butter

1 package yeast

5 c all purpose flour

2 tbsp brown sugar

2.5 tsp salt

1.25 c mashed sweet potatoes

-Combine 1 c warm water, the soy milk, and the butter in a saucepan until the butter is melted, then let cool

-In a cup mix the remaining warm water and the yeast, set aside to let foam

-In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt

-Mix in the mashed sweet potatoes to the flour mixture until you get a crumbly mixture, then add the yeast mixture and the soy milk mixture to create a dough

-Bring the dough to a floured surface and knead until it takes on an elastic texture

-Let the dough rise in a bowl for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size

Preheat the oven to 450º F

-Fold the dough and and gently roll into a long rod

-Cut into pieces smaller than a tennis ball but larger than a golf ball

-Roll the cuts into balls and place on a baking sheet, then let rest for 30 minutes

-Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes

Four Steps To Approach Fall

2012-09-26T23:03:00.003-04:00

The first few days of fall have crept up and BOOM, everyone is sick.

Friends are sick, family members are sick, and apparently everyone on facebook is sick. Maybe it's because the school season has started and kids are crammed into colonies of concentrated spaces, all breathing and germing over one another as if placed in petri dishes to conjure up an autumn salutation. Or maybe it's the fluctuating weather. Whatever the case, unless you are superhuman, you may need some tips to battle the transition from summer to fall to winter (via food of course).

As I write this I am bundled up in bed leaning against a mountain of pillows with Larrouse Wine as my desk. I have failed miserably on the sickness front, and to compensate I spent all day sleeping, accumulating my weight in food books at the library (can you tell I like Anthony Bourdain?), and making a robust mess of some of greatest flavors to hit a vegetarian plate.

But onto more important topics. How to survive the coming fall and winter months:

Step 1
When approaching fall, sickness, or both, it is absolutely necessary you take a groggy morning hour at the produce section of your grocery store or farmer's market for soup and stew ingredients. Make sure to stock lots of fresh winter vegetables. This is the time of year you'll hit a goldmine, literally: acorn squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and all other produce that dons a gold-orange hue are plentiful and seductive right now. Take advantage.

Step 2
Pamper. This is a very important word. Fall and winter are flu and cold season, so consider your new found winter narcissism a future investment. Drink lots of tea and veg out, spend an extra 20 minutes in bed, make yourself a big fat breakfast of slow cooked oatmeal, yogurt, and berries and eat it in your bathrobe, bundle up and go for a long, crisp walk or jog (take your dog), take a bath, and eat chocolate. Eat dinner too, but dessert is important.

Step 3
Winter can coax you into bundling up and staying in to watch movies, read books, or rot your brain on tumblr night after night, which is fine, but not all the time. Force yourself to get out and get some fresh air. Get dressed up to go out with friends or just run out to get coffee in your sweatpants, knit sweater, and "I'm still in my pajamas" hair. But don't get coffee or you won't sleep and then you'll get sick. And if you go out to have a crazy night with friends be wary of strangers; They'll probably get you sick.

Step 4
Move slowly. Eat slowly. De-stress. There's a reason why winter is so freaking cold: to slow you down and force you to relax and savor your moments. You've just had all sorts of summer adventures (whether good or bad) and if you're going back to school you'll pile up a to do list that's as tall and daunting as some NBA player that I don't know the name of because I don't watch basketball....
So chill out. But stay warm.

Now that you know what to do with the discomfort of waking up in a tundra (maybe not that cold...) for the next 5-6 months, let me share my latest winter warming masterpiece.

Wine Soaked Eggplant with Heirloom Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Pesto

1 eggplant
1-2 c dry white wine
1/2 - 1 c olive oil
1/3 c diced yellow onion
1 tsp garlic
2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
goat cheese
pesto

-Slice the eggplant into rounds no thicker than 1/4 in.
-In a large baking dish or bowl combine approximately 2 parts olive oil to 1 part wine. You can determine the measurements of those ingredients from the size of your eggplant. Then add the onions and garlic.
-Preheat the oven to 415º F and soak the eggplants in the mixture for about 10-15 minutes on each side
-Remove the eggplant from the mixture and place on a baking pan, then spoon some liquid and the remaining chunks of onion and scatter them in the pan with the eggplants
-Bake for 10-14 minutes, then remove pan and flip the slices (add more liquid if they begin to dry out). Continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the eggplants are soft and cooked throughout.
-When the eggplant is done cooking, arrange the ingredients in this order: eggplant, goat cheese, pesto, tomato. Continue the pattern until you feel like the tower can no longer stand up.

Vegan Brownies

2012-09-22T09:05:00.003-04:00

There are only a few ingredients in this recipes and I lost my "official" copy. It's terrible. I can give you the recipe and I can guarantee it will taste delicious because it is made up of just a few tasty ingredients (chocolate) but I cannot 100% guarantee that your brownies will come out just like mine. Come to think of it, there are so many variables in baking that even if I did share the "official" copy of the recipe, your brownies still probably won't come out exactly like mine, so why am I worrying?

These brownies use a combination of coconut butter and coconut cream to replace the dairy and still attain a lush flavor and soft consistency that you would get from the butter and eggs. Don't worry if you're not a fan of coconut - you can't taste it in the end. If you can find dark, vegan, or baking chocolate that will work best, and depending on the type of chocolate you may need to add or subtract the amount of sugar in your batter. Dark and vegan chocolates won't need as much sugar, but baking chocolate is usually very bitter, so you'll need to up the sugar input.

Vegan Brownies
1 c chopped chocolate
1/2 c coconut butter (melted)
1/2 c coconut cream
1/2 c sugar - 1 c sugar
1 c flour (preferably all purpose)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 375º F

-Melt the chocolate in a large bowl
-Add the coconut butter and stir until you come out with a thick, creamy cosnistency
-Add the coconut cream and stir
-If you used a very bitter baking chocolate, you will need to add about 1 c of sugar, but if you used a less bitter (sweetened) vegan or dark chocolate, you will only need to add about 1/2 c sugar
-Combine the sugar with the wet ingredients until it is well incorporated
-In a smaller bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder
-Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until you come out with one smooth batter
-Grease and flour a small baking dish (aproximately 9 x 5 in) or line it with parchment paper
-Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
-Let the brownies cool, then slice into 12-15 squares and enjoy!

Simple

2012-09-18T14:33:00.001-04:00

Simple and Gratifying
1 ball of burrata (stuffed mozzarella)
1 cup of figs, sliced
balsamic glaze / reduction

-Place the burrata on a plate
-Place the sliced figs adjacent to the burrata
-Drizzle balsamic glaze over the figs
-Use a knife to cut the burrata and a fork or spoon to compile the ingredients onto your utensil
-Enjoy with friends or alone if you love cheese

Pasta Scenes

2012-09-12T19:05:00.000-04:00

Need a boost of cooking enthusiasm? Try spending all day gift hunting through stores like Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel. Over by the pasta makers I noticed a pasta cookbook filled with recipes for different types of pasta, savory tomato sauces, cream sauces, and pesto. It doesn't take much to sway my food decisions; After one glance I knew I was making homemade pasta for dinner. Mine wasn't as exotic or pretty looking as those in the book but I'm confident that it was just as good... maybe even better.

Getting ready to knead

Upside down colander + Skewers = Homemade pasta dryer

Some burrata and balsamic glaze as an appetizer

Eggs on Toast

2012-09-08T21:07:00.002-04:00

That's right, it's fashion week. I have friends who are working for magazines blogging about all the glitz, glam, and hoopla going on, and I am blogging about eggs. Eggs on toast. Because I can.

Green Mango Coconut Smoothie

2012-09-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

New obsession: smoothies.
They're a great way to pack in a ton of fruits and veggies, and they keep you full so you won't feel like you're constantly munching on snacks all day long!
Kale and spinach smoothies are popular options for green smoothies, but spinach is easier to work with if you don't have a fancypants Vitamix hanging out in your kitchen. It's definitely possible to make a quality kale smoothie without busting out at least a couple hundred for your blender (I got my blender for $30, and it treats me very nicely), but it will take a little extra pre-smoothie chopping. Kale also has a stronger taste than spinach, so if you're looking to mask that "healthy taste" with sweet berries or creamy bananas, your task will be accomplished more easily if you stick to using spinach.

Green Mango Coconut Smoothie, courtesy of Trader Joe's ingredients... they should hire me.
2-3 c spinach leaves
3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c coconut cream
2 1/2 c frozen mango chunks
1/2 c greek yogurt* (for vegan version, replace with almond milk, coconut cream, or both)
Maple syrup or honey to taste* optional

-Add the spinach leaves, about half of the almond milk, and the coconut cream to the blender and start on a "chop" setting. You may need to stop the blender and mix the ingredients if the spinach leaves get stuck to the sides.
-Add the mango chunks and the remaining almond milk
-As the chunks break down, increase the speed of the blender to get a creamy consistency
-Add the yogurt or extra coconut cream/almond milk for taste and texture. Feel free to alter the amount of ingredients to fit your taste
-Add maple syrup or honey if you are looking for a sweeter taste
-Enjoy!