Tag: Vegetarian

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I don’t think I’ve ever met a person with a sweet tooth the size of mine.

I can pretty confidently say that I would almost always choose something sweet over salty, and if I could, I would eat only dessert and never eat a real meal.

Okay maybe I’m exaggerating, but I love sweets.

Regardless, sometimes we all need a break from our dear loves.

Sugar and I are taking a break.  Not for long.  For two weeks, until Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, I bid sugar farewell by making some Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies for my class this past Wednesday.

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (Note: I used all plain white sugar)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
zest of 3 oranges
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add vanilla, eggs and orange zest.  Add dry ingredients (except chocolate chips).  Mix until combined, fold in chocolate chips.

Chill the dough while you preheat the oven to 350F.  Bake tbsp sized amounts of dough for about 9 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.  Allow to cool and enjoy!

Pretty tasty.  They were gone in about 5 minutes! I say that’s a good sign.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Fall Cake

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It feels like fall.  That’s probably because it is.

Lately, we’ve had daytime highs of 43F.  To most Californians that would sound like winter.

Most mornings it’s below 30F.  Most Californians (including my former self) don’t even know what that feels like.

Regardless of what fall looks and feels like, I generally have a vague idea of how fall tastes.

At work, there is a cake called the Fall Collection.  I’ve never tasted it in it’s full glory, but I’ve tried pretty much all the component parts: Gingerbread Cake, Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake, Caramel Pecans and Vanilla Buttercream.

Sounds like fall.

I was inspired to recreate it.

I won’t lie.  This was sort of a process.  It pretty much requires two days since the cheesecake has to cool completely and set.

BUT totally worth it.

Start with the cheesecake.  I used good ol’ Paula Deen’s recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake.  I’m not 100% pleased with the recipe, I think it could use a little more spice.  But definitely not bad for my first try at cheesecake.

I didn’t have a springform pan, so I greased and floured two round 9″ baking pan and lined the bottom with wax paper to keep it from sticking.  After baking and letting it set overnight in the fridge, I used a knife along the edge of the pan and turned the pan over.  The cheesecake slipped out pretty easily.

The next step was the gingerbread cake.  Using this Food Network recipe, but adding extra crystallized ginger.  Great flavor, but would like it to be a little less dry (or maybe I just overbaked it a bit).

While your gingerbread cake is cooling, start making the caramel.  I’ve never had my caramel turn out right.  This time it did!  It was great!  Thanks to Yummy Supper!

Toast the pecans and mix it with the caramel.

Then the layering can start.

Start with the gingerbread cake.  Put it on a plate, remove some of the cake to make a little well for the caramel pecans.  This will keep it from overflowing.

Next, place the pumpkin cheesecake layer.  My cheesecake had a little bit of a well in it naturally (mistake maybe?), the well allowed me to pour more caramel pecans in there and keep them from flowing out.

However, if you, unlike me, make perfect cheesecake that is flat on top, you can create a barrier with buttercream that will keep your caramel from flowing all over the place.  Which leads to the next step, frosting.

Make traditional vanilla buttercream with butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.  Frost the cake all around.

Lay it on there thick, because we could all use a little more buttercream in our lives.

Layers of Lunch

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Yesterday, I had a meltdown. I cried in the hallway on campus and in the computer lab for probably at least an hour… maybe two.

This had something to do with it.

But really that was only the tiniest part of it.

Today was a better day.  I went to the gym.  I made split pea soup and layered it with sauteed kale.

Then I shared it with a friend.

Why not bring your friend lunch in a peanut butter jar?  Especially if she sat with you through a meltdown.

Then I went to class.  Got a little frustrated.  Went to Wegman’s to buy baking supplies.

Tomorrow will be even better.

My Mission for the Perfect Pie

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Lately, it would seem, that it has become my mission to make the perfect pie.

Let me explain a little bit as to how I came to this conclusion.

Friday, my eyes were extremely itchy and watery.  Allergies?  Maybe.  I took an anti-histamine to see if that would make it better.  Interestingly, my eyes began to hurt even more.  The only solution I could think of was making an eye appointment for the next day and going to bed… at 6pm.

I woke up the next morning, around 6:30am to severe eye pain, blurry vision and such light sensitivity that I could barely open my eyes.  My eye doctor appointment wasn’t until 11am.  After sitting in my room with the curtains closed, feeling somewhat like a mole rat…

I got a ride to the eye doctor.  Only for the doctor to tell say “Wow, your cornea look like meat!”

What do you say to that?

Oh, and how does this relate to pie?

Well, subsequently for the next two days, I couldn’t look at a computer screen, watch television or really spend a lot of time in the sunshine or other well lit areas (i.e. Wegman’s).  Instead, I decided baking would be a good idea.

Minimal staring required and a rolling pin doesn’t emit light.  Problem solved.

I should also mention that my gift to myself for being sick was a pastry blender.

Nerd.  I know…

So that night, I made two pies:  Assorted Squash and Apple.

Assorted Squash Pie is basically a pumpkin pie but instead of pumpkin I used butternut squash and some other type (maybe a sweet dumpling squash?).

Tasty but pumpkin still wins.

Then the apple pie.  I wish I could say it was amazing.  It was alright.  I used Joy of Baking’s recipe.  The crust is great.  The filling… eh? Not amazing.  It turned out runny.

I was not pleased.  Plus the slices just looked a little sad…

That was last week.

Last night, I decided I needed to make another pie, because when you’re sick with the flu what else are you supposed to do?  Sleeping and resting doesn’t seem to be in my vocabulary.

Apple Plum Pie

1 recipe for pate brisee (like Joy of Baking’s)
For filling:
5 small apples
4 plums
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
few shakes of nutmeg
juice of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tbsp flour

Peel and slice apples, sliced plums.  Combine in a large bowl with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon.  Allow to sit for at least half an hour.  Toss with flour.  Place filling in prepared pie dish.  Put top on pie.  Chill in the fridge while oven preheats. Preheat oven to 425F.  Bake 45-50 minutes.

So this time I learned from the runny filling and used 3 tablespoons of flour and skipped all the simmering of juices and such.  I also learned that to keep your crust from shrinking you need to let the dough rest for a while so the gluten can develop.  A few hours in the fridge should do it.

I also learned that forgetting about your pie is bad.

It burns.  Funny how that happens, right?

So this pie neared perfection.  Except I burned the lattice top.

I’ll try again soon.

Grapple Almond Tart

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As a kid, I always wondered where that artificial grape flavor came from.  Green grapes or big purple grapes don’t taste like grape flavored products.  Where the hell did that purple scented marker come from?

Clearly not grapes.

But now I’ve come to realize that my west coast upbringing has limited my grape palate.  Enter the concord grape.

That‘s what they mean by grape flavored.

So while I was dog sitting, the dog parents were nice enough to let enjoy fruit from their fruit share.  They had about 6 gallon-sized bags of concord grapes, tons of apples and a tart pan.

Since it’s been about 3 weeks since I’ve baked anything, I don’t know what I was waiting for.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 recipe for pate brisee (or other tart dough), see below
  • 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced in half
  • Concord grape juice (enough to cover the apples), about 3-5 cups.  Store bought would probably work, but I cooked down a large bag of concord grapes in a pot then strained it to keep the juice only.
  • 1 recipe for frangipane, see below
  • 9″ tart pan with a loose bottom
  • Apricot jam to glaze with

I started by making the crust using a basic Pate Brisee recipe

Pate Brisee

250 grams cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
125 grams (4 1/2 oz) Butter, very cold
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold water

Combine the cake flour, sugar and salt.  Cut in the butter until you get pea sized pieces.  Create a mound with your flour/butter mixture, add the water and knead until combined.

Chill the dough for at least half an hour.  Preheat your oven to 375F.

Roll out and chill again.  Place in a 9 inch tart pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool.

In the meantime, poach your apples in the concord grape juice for about 10-15 minutes, or until tender.  That’ll soften them, give them the lovely deep purple color while also contributing a hint of grape flavor.  Allow them to cool, then slice them.

Next make your the frangipane (almond filling).

Frangipane

7 ounces Almond Paste
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
3 tbsp flour

Combine the almond paste, butter, sugar and almond extract with an electric mixer.  Add one egg at a time until combined.  The gradually add in flour.

Spread frangipane in tart shell.  Top with sliced apples and bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes.

Once it’s cooled a bit, quickly glaze the tart.  In a small bowl, combine some apricot jam and hot water until you get a slightly runny/jelly consistency.  Brush your tart with the apricot jam for a shiny, sweet finish.

Then slice it and share it with friends, because really… what fun is baking if you have no one to share it with?

Green Cake for Your Half Birthday

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Okay, it’s been a while since I last posted, but let me tell you… I’ve been a busy bee.

I haven’t really mentioned this before but aside from taking classes and writing my exit project, I also thought it would be a good idea to get a part time job.  Being the foodie that I am, I applied to work at a patisserie.

Sounds fancy, I know.  It is.  Sorta…

3 days a week, I’m surrounded by butter pastries.  It’s amazing.  Not only that but it’s fun all around, and I get to watch the chef make incredible goodies.

So basically, I’ve forgotten to take pictures of things but largely I haven’t had time to make anything aside from the most boring meals ever known to mankind (and in my world that basically means large salads with every vegetable and grain I can possibly add to it).

But today, at work, as the chef was making a chocolate cake with marzipan filling and green buttercream for a little boy’s birthday, I was reminded of something I made a few days ago.

A bright GREEN half birthday cake for my (Irish) former (but still near and dear) roommate, Christina (aka Boo).

The cake was a delicious Almond Raspberry Layer cake with green cream cheese frosting.

It tasted delicious.  It looked ridiculous.

But then again I think that’s a pretty good way to describe our friendship.  Amazing, but also pretty ridiculous.

Happy Half Birthday, boo.

Mango Pico de Gallo

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Friends, it’s hot.

I can’t deal.

This weekend is supposed to be in the 60s but honestly, that cool weather can’t get here fast enough.  Consequently, there’s noooooo way I’m turning on an oven, heck even the stove is getting lonely!

So what do you do when you really want to make something but it’s too damn hot?

Make something that doesn’t require an oven or a lot of cooking time. I have a suggestion…

Mango Pico de Gallo

1 cup mango, diced
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2-3 tomatoes, diced
juice of 2 limes
1-2 tbsp (or more) fresh chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Toss together and serve with chips, tortillas, fish, rice, beans, sauteed greens, salads, etc.

Super easy, right?

I also have another suggestion: BBQ Tofu with Mango Pico de Gallo

Press, slice and marinate some tofu in your BBQ sauce of choice.  Using a handy George Foreman grill (or a pan or a BBQ), grill the tofu. On a plate, place one slice of grilled BBQ tofu, top it with some sharp cheddar cheese, top that with another slice of grilled BBQ tofu, then layer on some of the Mango Pico de Gallo.

Aaaamazing!  Sweet, smokey, spicy, salty, citrusy all in one delicious little package!

Perfect for a hot summer day!  You should probably enjoy this outside with friends and a cold beer.

Any other way would probably just be blasphemous.

Go make it now!

Goya Stuffed Tomatoes

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So I’ve been pretty bad about blogging this week.  I think it’s the combination of the heat, the start of classes, new part time job and my strange desire to do absolutely nothing at the end of most days.

I wish I could say my time away from this blog has been super exciting but sadly it hasn’t been.  I’ve been sort of underwhelmed with most things, cooking and blogging included.  But today I’ve decided to be my usual chipper self again.

I’m done being underwhelmed.

So a few days ago, I finally made something new today with fun ingredients.  Last week, I got a shipment of Goya products from Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker’s program.  It was perfect  because I didn’t feel like making something super complicated, but I’m not one to compromise on taste.  Consequently…

Stuffed Tomatoes

1 package Goya Yellow Rice, cooked according to instructions*
1 tbsp Goya olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper
1 garlic clove
1 can of Goya Black Beans, or about 1.5 cups cooked beans
1 cup greens, chopped
A few large tomatoes
1 oz shredded cheese (optional)

Cook the rice according to the package instructions.  Actually don’t do that!  The package said to simmer the rice for 25 mins but mine was done after about 12!  It definitely would have burned if I had left it on for 25 mins.  Once rice is cooked, set aside.

In a pot, heat olive oil.  Add onions and peppers and cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent.  Add garlic, beans and greens.  Continue to cook for a few minutes, until the greens have wilted. Mix in the cooked rice.  Then you have a delicious tomato filling or just a tasty, versatile side dish on its own!

Should you have a ton of tomatoes from your garden or CSA like I did and actually want  stuffed tomatoes not just a delicious rice dish, core the tomatoes by cutting off the top and removing the center with a spoon.  Preheat your oven to 375F. Fill tomatoes with rice filling.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Pretty delicious.  I’m definitely a fan of this yellow rice! Thanks for letting me try it out Goya!  I’m also excited to try out the Adobo Seasoning.  (P.S. You can get some Goya coupons on their website!)

Well off to do some reading and hit the gym!  Have a happy day!

Molasses Almond Tea Cookies

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I can’t sleep.  My alarm is set for 5:30am so I can be at the gym by 6:00am, but I have a hunch that’s not going to happen.  Instead, I’ll tell you about some cookies I made not to long ago.

I’m a fan of dipping and dunking.  Some call it bad manners.  I call it delicious.

Molasses Almond Tea Cookies

inspired by Smitten Kitchen’s Graham Crackers

1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup +1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 tbsp butter
1/6 cup (about 75 grams) molasses
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in the food processor.  Pulse into the dough turns into a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 2 hours.

Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 375F.  Roll the dough on a clean floured surface and cut into desired shape.  I used the little cap on my blender top to cut out ovalish shapes.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake 7-10 minutes, or until golden on the egdes.

Allow to cool and serve with tea.

This will make 2 dozen (or so depending on the size/shape) crispy, chewy and delicious cookies that are perfect for dipping in hot coffee or tea.  Also perfect for the dreary weather we’ve been having these days.

Side note: these are delicious made into ice cream sandwiches with banana soft serve.

I should probably try to sleep.  Tomorrow is the first of class (thank goodness) and training at a new part-time job!  I guess it’s not for sure if I got it or not but after tomorrow I should know.

Have a lovely day!

Polenta Eggplant “Lasagna”

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Saturday was a serious cooking day.

Every year my department puts on a pancake breakfast for incoming Master’s students (second years are invited as well).  Naturally when the Biscotti Queen asked me to help, I couldn’t say no.  As a result, we calculated that I made about 300 pancakes (maybe more?).  Starting to think I should quit planning and work in food service.  Ha!

Then later in the day there were vegetables that needed to be used.  So I tried to pack as many vegetables into one dish as possible.  The result:

Polenta Eggplant “Lasagna”

1 medium eggplant
1/4 cup salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3 small onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes
1/2 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 3/4 cup corn meal (polenta)
7 cups water
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
10 oz ricotta cheese (I used fat free)
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Place in a large bowl, coat with 1/4 cup salt, let stand 15-20 minutes. Don’t worry your eggplant won’t be salty.

In the meantime, chop onions, bell peppers and one tomato.  Heat oil in a large pot and add onions.  While those cook for a few minutes, thoroughly rinse the eggplant and lightly pat dry.  Once onions are translucent, add the eggplant, bell peppers and garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add one roughly chopped tomato and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Add pasta sauce and simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes.

Once your sauce is ready, turn off the heat and start making the polenta.  Combine cornmeal, water, onion powder, garlic powder and salt in a pot.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Once it starts to boil keep stirring for 5-10 minutes until your polenta thickens and starts to come off the pot.

Then preheat the oven to 375F and assemble your lasagna.  First spread 1/3 of the polenta into a deep baking dish (I didn’t have a really deep baking dish so I used a 9×13 baking dish and a souffle dish), next layer on half the sauce, then spread with half the ricotta cheese and repeat.  Lastly, top with the last third of polenta.   Top with a fresh sliced tomato and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes and place under the broiler for a few minutes to get a crispy top.  Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoyed with

new apartment mate (one of two), Anna.

And a glass of wine

Normally, I’m not a fan of white wine, but this was pretty great.  Maybe not the best pairing with this dish, but fantastic on its own!  Definitely recommended!

Off to catch up on Mad Men! Have a great night!