On Vacation

Beautiful yellow plums in our back yard

I'm taking a little vacation from my blog for a week or two or three.  I am working on a couple of time-consuming projects that require my undivided attention on the weekends.  Because of this, I have no time to plan, cook, fashionably plate, photograph, write, and post my blog.  As much as I love doing this blog, it does require a lot of time and effort.

So....I'm taking a break.  Check in occasionally. I may need a change of pace from my projects and I often do get the itch to get in the kitchen if I'm away from it too long.  I just can't promise anything!  I leave you with a few pictures from the past glorious summer.

A lovely sampling of microbrews in Cannon Beach, Oregon

And speaking of Cannon Beach, its famous monolith

Calla Lillies in our yard

Double Chocolate Cookies

I am not going to say much about these cookies but WOW!!!  These are really amazing.  So quick to make. So few ingredients. Such a delicious end result.  They're crackly, soft, chewy,chocolaty all in one cookie. If you are looking for a very chocolate cookie, may I highly recommend these double chocolate cookies. 

The recipe makes 12 large cookies (size of my whole hand!). Next time I will make them using a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon.  Give yourself plenty of room on the cookie sheet as the batter is very thin and they spread a lot when baking.  Also, it is imperative to use parchment paper or a slipat liner as these cookies stick and need to be literally peeled off the paper.  May I just say again, WOW!!

Double Chocolate Cookies

3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 (F).

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups confectioner's sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together 4 egg whites with 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into the medium bowl filled with dry ingredients (from the first step), and use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together until well-combined. Don't worry if your batter looks too liquidy! This is normal.  It should have a sludgey, paste-like consistency. If your batter is still too liquidy (if it has the consistency of milk, it's too liquidy), keep adding 1 tablespoon quantities of confectioner's sugar until you have the right consistency.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and use a cookie scoop to spoon 2 tablespoons of batter on top of each other (if you want to make smaller cookies, just spoon 1 tablespoons worth of batter). Leave plenty of space between the cookies because they will spread.  Bake at 350 (F) for 14 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are cracked, glossy, and flaky.

Rest the baking sheet on a cooling rack and leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Once the cookies have set, use a metal spatula to turn them into the cooling rack to cool completely.

Buratta Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

I have been reading about Buratta fresh mozzarella cheese for quite some time from other food blogs. I finally found some at Trader Joe's and brought some home to try. 

Here is Wikepedia's definition:  Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is also defined by some sources as an outer shell of mozzarella filled with butter or a mixture of butter and sugar. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian.

Let me just say, the concept and idea of it was  much more appealing to me than the cheese itself.  It was so very bland and the texture was just too mushy for my taste.  The Husband wasn't thrilled with it either.  It came in two 4 ounce balls and we still have one left.  It has a very short shelf life due to its freshness.  I was lucky to be given some beautiful Roma tomatoes (along with pears and apples) from a co-worker's garden, so another salad Caprise will be in order later in the week.  I'm glad I tried this cheese, but in the future I'll stick to the basic fresh mozzarella.

Iced Molasses Cookies

School has started and I see the little ones walking toward the neighborhood school on my way to work. It reminds me of those long ago Fall days when my brothers and sisters and I would trek to our elementary school, lunch boxes in hand.  Now kids seem to carry everything they need in backpacks nearly as big as they are.  How much does an elementary student need anyway?

Back to my point.  In our sack lunches besides a sandwich and a milk ticket, would be two or three cookies and an apple.  Nothing fancy but certainly an adequate lunch to see us until dinner.  One of my favorite store bought cookies, though not one we got in our lunches, was Grandmas Iced Molasses cookies.  I loved the spicy soft cookie with the thin vanilla glaze on top. I'm not sure if they are even made anymore, but I looked up this recipe and they are so very reminiscent of those store bought cookies.  One helpful hint. Do not overbake or they will not have that soft center and will be more like a gingersnap.

These are the perfect cookie for Fall with their warm spices to get us ready for the cool days ahead. Enjoy!

Iced Molasses Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling cookies
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulphered molasses

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice together in a bowl and set aside.

Use an electric mixer and beat the butter for 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with mixer set at medium speed. Add egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Place remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with 2 Tbsp of dough each time, roll dough into 1 3/4 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Bake until the outer edges of the cookies begin to set and centers are soft and puffy, about 11 to 13 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks.
Optional Glaze
When cookies have cooled, lay out over a sheet of wax paper. Sift 1 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) and then whisk with 2 Tbsp of milk until smooth. Dip spoon into glaze and dribble over cookies.
Yield: Makes 18 large cookies.

Stout Barbeque Sauce

I don't often make my own barbeque sauce, opting for the more than adequate and copious bottled sauces available in the stores.  This recipe caught my eye though.  It sounded intriguing using stout beer as a main ingredient.  It was a very good sauce for pork country spare ribs and I think it would be just as good for beef or even chicken.

Since I don't have an outdoor barbeque, I baked the ribs in the oven at 250 degrees (low and slow) for about 2 1/2 hours. basting with this succulent sauce every 30 minutes.  When I make this again, I may look for ribs with bones, as the country ribs I used were a tad on the dry side.  The flavor was outstanding with just the right amount of spicy zing from the Sriracha hot sauce addition.  Before the summer grilling days are over you may want to give this sauce a try.

Stout and Sriracha BBQ Sauce

1 tbs olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp sriracha
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup Stout beer
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp onion powder
(Yield, about 1 1/2 cups)

In a pot over medium heat, add the oil and allow to get hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and stir until you can smell it, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Allow to cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Blackberry Skillet Cake

The beautiful berries of the Willamette Valley in Oregon are bountiful this time of year.  I am always on the lookout for a new recipe to use these plump little jewels.  Today the Triple Crown blackberries called out to me at the local Farmers Market here in Salem.  A few weeks ago I had clipped a recipe from The Oregonian newspaper and these berries fit the bill. 

This blackberry skillet cake was a nice recipe to make.  It involves using a 10 inch cast iron skillet and this happens to be the favorite pan in my kitchen.  I use it so often that I don't even put it away after each use.  Every time I wash it, I dry it well with a towel then set it on a hot burner for about 2 minutes to ensure it's thoroughly dry.  This inhibits any rust forming.  I then put a dab of canola oil in the pan and use a paper towel to wipe it around the entire pan including up the sides.  My garage sale $5.00 cast iron skillet is as good as any non-stick pan one can pay big money for in kitchen stores. 

As this cake was cooking, the house was filled with such a wonderful aroma of the cake and the blackberries.  It is delicious served slightly warm with a scoop of ice cream. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Blackberry Skillet Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
10 Tbsp butter at room temperature (divided)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 cups blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 6 Tbsp butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and lemon zest until combined.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk, and beat until combined.

In an oven-proof 10 inch skillet, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and arrange blackberries evenly in the skillet.

Pour batter over berries and smooth top.  Bake until cake is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Let cake cook in skillet on a wire rack 5 minutes.  Run a knife around edge and carefully invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Makes 8 servings.

An Italian Cocktail Classic

How has it taken me forever to discover the delicious cocktail called the Negroni?  This is a drink made with an Italian apperitif called Campari. It is apparently really catching on here in the States.  Not to long ago a Facebook friend mentioned sipping one on a Saturday afternoon and her photo looked very appealing.  It wasn't until yesterday though, while thumbing through the latest addition of Bon Appetit magazine I saw a two page ad for Campari and I knew it was time to get to the liquor store.

It actually took me going to two liquor stores before I was able to get my hands on a bottle of Campari, the key ingredient in this drink.  Let's just say apparently my town isn't a Negroni kind of place.  With gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in hand I mixed up one of the most lovely cocktails I have had in a very long time.  It is one equal part of each of the  three components and it can be stirred with ice and strained into a glass or served over ice, garnished with a twist of orange peel. 

I don't know if this fantastic drink is going to totally replace my Perfect Friday Night Martini, but it certainly will be a very close runner up!  For anyone who is interested in the history of the Negroni, here is the Wikepedia link that will tell you everything you want to know.

Negroni

1 ounce gin
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth

Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice and stir then strain into a martini glass or pour into a glass over ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

When Life Hands You Zucchini....

Make chocolate zucchini muffins!  When a nice friend from work gave me two good sized zucchini I pondered what to do with them.  Sweet or savory, I pondered?  Since The Husband won't touch anything made with a squash product except pumpkin pie, I knew he wasn't a factor in my decision.  I found this delicious sounding recipe and it looked like it was worth a try.  And boy was it! 

These went together in a matter of minutes.  I actually only beat the eggs and sugar together with my mixer and stirred the rest together by hand.  These are the most tender, moist, yummy muffins I have had in a very long time.  There is no way an unsuspecting husband would know there was zucchini in these if a wife hadn't mentioned it.  Live and learn. You gardeners out there with zucchini on your hands should give these a try. You won't be sorry!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 cups of shredded zucchini
3 eggs
4 oz of dark chocolate, semi-sweet, melted
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a muffin pan.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Mix and set aside.
3. Beat eggs and sugar together on a medium speed for about a minute.
4. Slowly add oil while the mixer is on.
5. Add shredded zucchini and vanilla extract, keep mixing.
6. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry mixture.
7. Add the melted chocolate and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
8. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.

These are amazingly good and it makes approximately 20 muffins.

Crumb Topped Peach Pie

Within the past year my town finally got a Trader's Joe.  This is a great thing!  No more drives 40 miles up the freeway to pick up their fantastic Mediterranean hummus and pita chips, delicious crumpets, decent inexpensive wines, and beautiful produce.  On my most recent visit, this cute little box of 12 peaches were too tempting to resist. 

These peaches were picture perfect and as tasty and juicy as can be.  A few were used to slice and put over non-fat Greek yogurt for breakfast.  A few more were sliced to be served over vanilla ice cream.  And the ones left were put to good use in this very easy to make crumb topped peach pie.  I had some pie crust dough in the freezer, leftover from making tarts.  The beauty of this pie is not having to fuss with a top crust.  This crumb topping is a perfect compliment to the peaches.  I served mine without anything on the side, such as ice cream or whipped cream.  This is my kind of pie; easy to make and delicious to eat!

Crumb Topped Peach Pie

1 unbaked pie crust

Peach Filling:
6 to 8 c. cut up peaches
1/2 c. sugar
4 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

Crumble Topping:
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Toss in bowl peach filling ingredients. Put in prepared pie crust, dot with butter. For crumble topping, combine 1/2 c. flour, brown sugar and cut into mix with butter. Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Put on top of peaches.

Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce to 375°F for 20 minutes.

At this point check to see if more time may be needed.

Excellent served while still warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, or cold with whipped cream.

Pavlova

We're are a big fan of meringues in my house.  They are easy to make and keep well in an air tight container and they are relatively fat free, though not low caloric due to the sugar.  Meringue cookies are the usual form they take when I'm whipping up egg whites.  This time I decided to make them a tad bit bigger and go for the National Dessert of New Zealand and Australia, the Pavlova. 

Named after the famed ballerina, Anna Pavlova, these puffy, light, and crunchy meringue shells filled with whipped cream and topped with fruit are ethereal. They are a perfect summer dessert when berries are available in abundance and a heavy dessert after dinner just isn't warranted.  There is such a sensory experience going on when these are consumed.  The crunch and marshmallow texture of the meringue combined the sweet and soft whipped cream topped with the tangy cool fruit.  Quite remarkable!  I chose to make small ones so the leftovers could be stored sans whipped cream and fruit.  But wouldn't it be fun to have a big one at a dinner party with friends where everyone had their own fork and just dug in to a communal Pavlova?  I need to have a summer dinner party soon.

Pavlova

Makes one 9" pavlova or 8 mini-pavlovas
For the meringue base:

4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups diced fresh fruit
Preheat the oven to 275°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Trace a 9" circle on the parchment using a cake pan or dinner plate as a guide. (If making mini-pavlovas, use drinking glasses as guides.) Flip the parchment over. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Mix the vanilla and white vinegar together in a separate bowl.

Whip the Meringue. Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are very clean with no residual fat or grease. Pour the egg whites in to the bowl and begin beating at low speed. Gradually increase the speed to medium.

When the egg whites have reached soft peak consistency and the beaters leave trails in the whipped whites, begin adding the sugar a few tablespoons at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition. While doing this, gradually increase the speed so that you are at maximum speed once all the sugar has been added.
Continue whipping until the meringue holds stiff peaks. Stop the mixer and sprinkle the vanilla and vinegar over the meringue. Beat for another 20 seconds to fully mix.

Use a spatula to scrape all the meringue onto the parchment in the center of the circle. Working from the inside out, spread the meringue to fill the circle. Smooth the sides if desired or leave it in billowy lumps.

Put the meringue in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 250°F. Make for 60-70 minutes for one large pavlova or 50-60 minutes for mini-pavlovas. The pavlovas are done when the outsides are dry to the touch, are very slightly browned, and sound hollow when tapped. It's fine if cracks form in the crust.

Turn the oven off, but leave the pavlova inside with the oven door ajar. Let sit until the pavlova is completely cooled, or overnight. At this point, the pavlova can be wrapped in plastic or sealed in an airtight container and kept for several days unless your house gets very humid (in which case, eat your pavlova right away!).

Just before you're ready to serve, make the whipped cream. Combine the cream, vanilla, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until stiff peaks are formed. Spread the whipped cream over the pavlova, leaving a little bit of an edge. Top with fruit and serve within an hour or two. (Do not refrigerate; the meringue will quickly soften.)