tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71745929378023463612024-03-13T21:45:56.100-07:00A Teaspoon of CurrySerena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-8748883709222554382011-08-23T10:15:00.001-07:002011-08-23T10:15:59.672-07:00My new blogAs most of you know, my new blog is <a href="http://www.teaspoonofspice.com/">http://www.teaspoonofspice.com/</a>! Come join me (and my business partner Deanna Segrave-Daly) on our fun new food finds and recipes and kiddie kitchen adventures!Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-38533271063475877792011-04-30T12:54:00.000-07:002011-05-01T07:38:19.894-07:00Royal Wedding Tea<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LDxbLQ4YecY/Tbwvoy7idvI/AAAAAAAAAXk/cZIwJhYU2Z4/s1600/IMG_4174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LDxbLQ4YecY/Tbwvoy7idvI/AAAAAAAAAXk/cZIwJhYU2Z4/s320/IMG_4174.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princesses at tea</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was just a little girl, but I remember watching Princess Di's fairy tale wedding on TV with my mom and sisters. We weren't up at 4AM to watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjLKPNu-9gc">royal wedding of Prince William and Kate</a>; but my girls and I and a dear friend did don big hats and pearls and watched internet clips last night. Then we sat down to a tea party (for dinner!) The food wasn't 100% British. But it was absolutely delicious. Here's what we ate:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Radish and thick butter teas sandwiches with Union Jack toothpick flags </div><a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pimento-Cheese-Sandwich">Pimento Cheese</a> on white bread sandwiches <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5fvWuPYsIbE/Tbwu8pnv8hI/AAAAAAAAAXY/YW4qpD-G0KU/s1600/IMG_4172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5fvWuPYsIbE/Tbwu8pnv8hI/AAAAAAAAAXY/YW4qpD-G0KU/s200/IMG_4172.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea with crumpets</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-06/features/ct-food-0406-holes-add-20110406_1_crumpet-rings-baking-soda-yeast">Crumpetts </a>with Lemon Curd Napa Cabbage and fennel salad with lemon vinaigrette </div>Prince Williams Imposter <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/03/prince_williams_grooms_cake.php">Biscuit Cake</a> (we didn't have time to make the cake, so spread tea biscuits with Nutella)<br />
Strawberries and brown sugar<br />
Ginger tea <br />
A sunset orange cocktail of Tanqueray's London Dry Gin with a splash of fresh orange juice and a drop of Angostura bitters<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>One final note, the crumpets were amazing; even though we accidentally added the baking soda with all the other dry ingredients - instead later with the milk. Any Brit would've recognized them as a homemade crumpets: Golden and chewy on one side and spongy and blond on the other side with holes (similar to English muffins) throughout. Warm and spread with butter, they were royally delicious.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ9KpXr5M8k/TbxpS9xZKwI/AAAAAAAAAXo/XgMjd2SYoJY/s1600/IMG_4178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ9KpXr5M8k/TbxpS9xZKwI/AAAAAAAAAXo/XgMjd2SYoJY/s320/IMG_4178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imposter Prince William's Biscuit Cake and crumpets with strawberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju6BWVG05lU/TbxphglpZvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/rw1VWU2pMfw/s1600/IMG_4185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju6BWVG05lU/TbxphglpZvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/rw1VWU2pMfw/s320/IMG_4185.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Cocktail ingredients</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-20763736112520050562011-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:002011-04-23T21:04:20.728-07:00Smoky (as in smoke-alarm) Artichokes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06rxIOP5jc8/TbOet9Wg14I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/e1szj83fdIg/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-06rxIOP5jc8/TbOet9Wg14I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/e1szj83fdIg/s320/IMG_4120.JPG" width="320px" /></a>I’ve always known my three kids to be good sleepers. But tonight my cooking set off the fire alarm after they were in bed and nobody woke up! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I’ve been trying to pre-cook Easter dinner this week. The hope is that I can spend more time hiding eggs tomorrow instead of cooking. So I was making these chili, oregano and garlic olive oil infused <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Carciofi-Arrostiti-Roasted-Artichokes">Roasted Artichokes</a> tonight.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At first the roasting vegetables filled the entire house with the heady smell of garlic and vegetables caramelizing. But at a roasting temperature of 500 degrees, caramelization eventually turns black. Thus, the smoke and the smoke alarm.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I threw the roaster of artichokes out on the back deck and ran upstairs to open all the windows and fan the air near the alarm with a big blanket. Then I heard my neighbor yell in the open window, “Everything ok in there?” “Uh, yeah, thanks Bill. Just doing a little cooking.” Ironically, Bill told me earlier today that he was smoking salmon tonight….outside. Guess I should’ve paid more attention to the headnote on the Roasted Artichokes recipe; in Sicily, they roast their artichokes over an open fire…outside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Yes, I tasted them. They are amazing; smoky (go figure), garlicy, spicy and caramelized with tender leaves.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-YqUWuvQbk/TbOfFI-sEdI/AAAAAAAAAXU/zFoR1AmC2Eo/s1600/IMG_4111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-YqUWuvQbk/TbOfFI-sEdI/AAAAAAAAAXU/zFoR1AmC2Eo/s400/IMG_4111.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted artichokes cooling on my back deck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-49840199037706568422011-04-03T12:43:00.000-07:002011-04-03T12:43:01.274-07:00Prize-winning Pico de gallo<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qpNOlkFDPIA/TZjDjO0AbOI/AAAAAAAAAW8/mgDlwWq__Lo/s1600/Spicy+lime+berry+salad.app.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qpNOlkFDPIA/TZjDjO0AbOI/AAAAAAAAAW8/mgDlwWq__Lo/s320/Spicy+lime+berry+salad.app.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry Pico de Gallo salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now that the <a href="http://www.calgiant.com/consumers/index.php">California Giant Berries</a> “Reciberries for Life” healthy recipe contest has officially closed, I can share what I’m sure will be the prize-winning recipe. Now, there, I just jinxed myself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I created the recipe after eating at a little Mexican taco restaurant in south Tucson a couple weeks ago. There were no paper menus; the menu board listed – all in Spanish – fish tacos, bean tacos, chicken tacos and every-part-of-the-cow tacos. We tried almost every delicious variety (except beef tripe - I once had a very bad experience with tripe during the throughs of morning sickness several years ago.) The soft corn tortillas enrobing each taco were warm and freshly handmade. Food was served very simply on paper plates – but the simplicity of fresh corn and tomato salsas, lime juice contrasting richly sauced meats, and striking white Mexican crema was beautiful. </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlJD-6RuaOg/TZjFFWe898I/AAAAAAAAAXA/JJs5J-A95dM/s1600/picoDeGallo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlJD-6RuaOg/TZjFFWe898I/AAAAAAAAAXA/JJs5J-A95dM/s320/picoDeGallo3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacos at Pico de Gallo restaurant in Tucson</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">However, the most striking dish – and the possibly the most delicious part of the meal was the <a href="http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/1354/pico-de-gallo">restaurant's</a> namesake, Pico de Gallo. It was fruit, spice, salt and sour lime. It was a super refreshing way to counter to the fiery spices in the tacos. Here are some photos of the Pico de Gallo and the recipe I created.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ewdB5ydrHmg/TZjFMgbfo2I/AAAAAAAAAXE/9L0O96oq40g/s1600/picoDeGallo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ewdB5ydrHmg/TZjFMgbfo2I/AAAAAAAAAXE/9L0O96oq40g/s320/picoDeGallo2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouring horchata, a sweet rice drink at Pico de Gallo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dhLBviynrU0/TZjFSU87WLI/AAAAAAAAAXI/ijrCAIGWZ9k/s1600/picoDeGallo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dhLBviynrU0/TZjFSU87WLI/AAAAAAAAAXI/ijrCAIGWZ9k/s320/picoDeGallo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horchata and Pico de Gallo salad: Fresh coconut, mango, watermelon </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<strong>Strawberry Pico de Gallo</strong><br />
1 pound strawberries, washed and halved<br />
½ cantaloupe, peeled, sliced in 8 slices<br />
1 mango, peeled, cut in bite-sized chunks<br />
½ lime, juiced<br />
½ tablespoon sweetened flaked coconut<br />
1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt<br />
1/8 teaspoon chili powder<br />
<br />
Arrange fruit on a serving platter by mounding berries and mango in center and cantaloupe slices fanning out around platter.<br />
Sprinkle lime juice over all fruit. Sprinkle fruit with coconut, salt and chili powder. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HBb3AWdN_ZI/TZjFY9RxZqI/AAAAAAAAAXM/htf7-FVAjQo/s1600/picoDeGallomyRecipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HBb3AWdN_ZI/TZjFY9RxZqI/AAAAAAAAAXM/htf7-FVAjQo/s320/picoDeGallomyRecipe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My recipe for Pico de Gallo salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-87254338070340702432011-03-23T12:44:00.000-07:002011-03-23T12:44:02.821-07:00Spring has sprung cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SrhcVA669XY/TYpMC9WnknI/AAAAAAAAAW4/Z77PtHHbC0E/s1600/IMG_3970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SrhcVA669XY/TYpMC9WnknI/AAAAAAAAAW4/Z77PtHHbC0E/s320/IMG_3970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In honor of spring, we made cupcakes. I discovered these amazingly creative <a href="http://www.collaborativecurry.com/2011/03/rainbow-cupcakes-for-stpatricks-day.html">rainbow cupcakes on Collaborative Curry’s</a> blog in honor of St. Patricks Day. But since we had three sick kids on St. Patrick’s Day, no one really felt like whipping up six-colored cupcake batter. Additionally, since we used up all the red food coloring in the pantry on the red velvet birthday cake, the full rainbow of colors wasn’t really an option. Four-colored cupcake batter was created: Yellow, green, blue and the most beautiful and springy lime green color. (In fact, the lime green was exactly the color of the crocus leaves popping up in my front yard!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We followed Collaborative Curry’s directions to pour the (rather runny) batter in the center of each cupcake wrapper and not stir.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N4gGOOvbtMs/TYpLozbipyI/AAAAAAAAAWw/jje59-isVxA/s1600/IMG_3954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N4gGOOvbtMs/TYpLozbipyI/AAAAAAAAAWw/jje59-isVxA/s320/IMG_3954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> The coloring turned out great. However, as you can see, the cakes fell. I believe I should have added the full 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda. I may have under-baked them slightly so they would retain the amazing moistness Collaborative Curry wrote about – this may also have contributed to the fallen cakes. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7Pcg6EWF_1w/TYpL4j-RpVI/AAAAAAAAAW0/7idDL9jDTl0/s1600/IMG_3956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7Pcg6EWF_1w/TYpL4j-RpVI/AAAAAAAAAW0/7idDL9jDTl0/s320/IMG_3956.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Lastly, you may want to add those two additional tablespoons of sugar in the recipe to keep the cakes from being a bit tough. But with all those colors, what kid will notice the cakes are less-than-super-sweet. And with the delicious aroma and taste of 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla, adults too will eat every crumb.</div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-53704665284845191952011-03-09T19:56:00.000-08:002011-03-09T19:56:16.193-08:00Happy Paczki Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pIHKAYnIL1Y/TXhKBxIO4PI/AAAAAAAAAWM/hpwDJOCg-Mk/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pIHKAYnIL1Y/TXhKBxIO4PI/AAAAAAAAAWM/hpwDJOCg-Mk/s320/IMG_3922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Yesterday was Fat Tuesday; or in any place where wonderful Polish bakeries exist, it's Paczki Day. These traditionally Polish raised donuts are filled with a super-sized amount of jelly and are usually sold only one day a year - the day of feasting before a traditional fast on Ash Wednesday. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It makes me smile to ponder that no one seems to know that the singular form of <em>paczki </em>is <em>paczek</em> (according to the <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/freep">Detroit Free Press</a> tweet yesterday.) Obviously, no one else can eat just one either.<br />
<br />
We certainly didn't. My dear husband was at <a href="http://westernsprings.patch.com/listings/kirschbaums-bakery">Kirschbaum's<strong> </strong></a>(a local German bakery which has embraced the Polish tradition) by 7:30AM for a box of these fried yeasty yummies. They were fresh, thickly sprinkled with powdered sugar and filled with poppyseed, strawberry, blueberry, cheese (a cream cheese custard) and Strawberries & Cream fillings. The blueberry was terrible - the filling was fake food chemicals. (My kids still ate the sticky sweetness.) But the poppyseed was amazing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-truwkjS_4ts/TXhKQxMyniI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/khfogvX7LhY/s1600/IMG_3921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-truwkjS_4ts/TXhKQxMyniI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/khfogvX7LhY/s200/IMG_3921.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-37294622163400215442011-02-17T20:10:00.000-08:002011-02-17T20:10:28.796-08:00The best coffee house: Macys in Flagstaff, Arizona<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KgqdLJDc7nc/TV3mNv5EckI/AAAAAAAAAWE/YCeA6DYwGe8/s1600/macys+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KgqdLJDc7nc/TV3mNv5EckI/AAAAAAAAAWE/YCeA6DYwGe8/s200/macys+sign.jpg" width="200" /></a>Last night we returned from a winter get-away to Arizona. While it was luxurious to escape the three feet of snow blanketing our back yard, it was 43 degrees at the Grand Canyon and 45 degrees when we arrived home to Chicago. Luckily the snow was <em>nearly</em> gone after a week away. And fortunately, while in the desert state we were able to visit Macys European Coffee House & Bakery in Flagstaff; my vote for the very best coffee house bakery in America. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6d54BTiKHa0/TV3mAb_vFRI/AAAAAAAAAV4/IdZjEH7RDmA/s1600/coffee.pastry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6d54BTiKHa0/TV3mAb_vFRI/AAAAAAAAAV4/IdZjEH7RDmA/s320/coffee.pastry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberry Danish, Sticky Bun, Coffeecake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Macys may not be the most traditional European bakery; case in point, the macadamia nut sticky bun made with buttery whole wheat sweet dough and saturated, not sprinkled with macadamia nuts. The unconventional Blueberry Danish was topped with rich, sweet tofu “cream” cheese that tasted nutty and rich in the way that only a very good baker can magically make tofu taste. The Danish dough was not cloying and white-flour; instead, it too was made from whole wheat flour and was somewhat hearty – though not too thick to disqualify itself from being a delicate Danish. We also tasted a super moist Blackberry Peach Coffeecake that was heady with almond and sprinkled with the darkest and most molasses-y brown sugar-butter crumbles. Somehow, the fruit in all the baked goods was rich and flavorful, despite the winter weather outside. And that is why this place is the best: Quality ingredients and deliciously creative recipes. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oh, and then there was the coffee. My husband thought it was the best he’s ever tasted. They don’t do Americano drip. Only espresso. And they make beautiful latte art in the top of your steamed milk foam.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rRSVGK2mNTg/TV3mIoJdFXI/AAAAAAAAAV8/ox4l_h-UaXw/s1600/macnut+roll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rRSVGK2mNTg/TV3mIoJdFXI/AAAAAAAAAV8/ox4l_h-UaXw/s320/macnut+roll.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macadamia Nut Sticky Bun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-74267780856988219722011-02-02T08:08:00.000-08:002011-02-02T08:14:15.094-08:00Oatmeal Pancakes on Snow Day 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmARBAHReI/AAAAAAAAAVg/b9uCJIe_-ZY/s1600/IMG_3735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmARBAHReI/AAAAAAAAAVg/b9uCJIe_-ZY/s320/IMG_3735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These pancakes are hands-down the best pancakes I’ve tasted: Nutty from the whole wheat flour, hearty oatmeal, yet with the deliciously tart flavor of buttermilk. Thus, I had to get them posted immediately so you might have the opportunity to serve them for lunch or dinner on this Snow Day 2011. Isn’t it rather incredible that all of America is snowed in on the same day?<br />
<br />
This <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whole-Wheat-Oatmeal-Pancakes-241530">Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes</a> recipe is from Epicurious and I followed it exactly. If you have it, use fresh nutmeg and grate it straight into the dry ingredients. The fresh nutmeg makes the pancakes ultimately rich. And when you serve them, pull out the real maple syrup. (Those Vermont or Wisconsin maple farmers work very hard to produce it – that’s why it costs a good $7.00-8.00 a bottle.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmAeUqgFbI/AAAAAAAAAVk/gkA1XOINgHs/s1600/IMG_3731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmAeUqgFbI/AAAAAAAAAVk/gkA1XOINgHs/s200/IMG_3731.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>In fact, these were so good, we might have them again for dinner with some sunny-side-up eggs and a salad of fresh apples, frozen blueberries and bananas.<br />
<br />
And now, since this is the most severe snowstorm we’ve experienced since living in Chicago, here’s a snapshot from the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-latest-blizzard-warning-dont-travel-stay-indoors-20110201,0,3765352.story">Chicago Tribune</a>. <br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">As of 6 a.m. the National Weather Service reported 17.3 inches of snow at O'Hare International Airport, 17 inches at Midway Airport… </span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Just about every main road through here is impassable,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Curt Gregory. “</span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">People were getting stuck and requiring rescue all night, he said, but some people are still trying to drive. </span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">“You’re not going to stop that,” he said around 8 a.m.. “For the most part we’ve got the majority of it cleaned up. Now it’s just sporadic. When people leave home and think they can get through in a Honda Civic, we’ve got to go rescue them.”</span></em><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmApJEoELI/AAAAAAAAAVo/DPA5F6d38N8/s1600/IMG_3733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmApJEoELI/AAAAAAAAAVo/DPA5F6d38N8/s200/IMG_3733.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">-- The inbound Stevenson Expressway remains closed at Martin Luther King Drive due to the shutdown of Lake Shore Drive.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">-- As of 3:45 a.m., state officials were telling motorists to stay off I-290 from St. Charles Road to I- 90 and I-57 south of I-80.</span></em><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmA1bqwhXI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Wx0jLE_1Pjc/s1600/IMG_3732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUmA1bqwhXI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Wx0jLE_1Pjc/s320/IMG_3732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-51480528425302814392011-01-28T04:05:00.000-08:002011-02-02T08:14:47.158-08:00An A+ in Nutrition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUI55mIMXKI/AAAAAAAAAVY/1TVIBRdVR_4/s1600/2011-01-fruit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUI55mIMXKI/AAAAAAAAAVY/1TVIBRdVR_4/s400/2011-01-fruit2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>For an easy ego boost, try offering kiwi slices to a classroom full of fifth and sixth graders. I was rewarded with a standing ovation! This week I had fun teaching a few nutrition classes at my kid’s school.<br />
<br />
<br />
After explaining that your body needs 40 nutrients every single day to grow and be healthy and that the way to do this is by eating according to the Food Guide Pyramid, we tasted several “new” foods. Here are a few of the highlights: <br />
<br />
• Every single kindergartener tasted and LIKED grapefruit. The trick was to tell them it’s a tricky fruit because it’s yellow on the outside and “super pink” on the inside. I also sliced it into wedges so the kids first tasted sweet/sour juice instead of pith.<br />
<br />
• My kid – daughter of a dietitian – knew the answer to every single nutrition question.<br />
<br />
• The fifth and sixth graders were presented with a tray of fruits and veggies and asked to identify the following for extra credit: Persimmon, fennel, guava, kiwi, pomegranate, Bosc pear, star fruit, cactus paddles. One kid got eight of 10 correct.<br />
<br />
• One sixth grader told me his mom de-prickers, slices, and fries cactus paddles for dinner. And she’s not Hispanic, she’s Irish.<br />
<br />
• There was not a single kid in grade K, five or six who refused to taste the star fruit. <br />
<br />
• The fifth graders kept trying to get me to okay soda: “What if you drink it alongside a glass of milk.” “Can you have pop just once a day?” “But if my mom sends it in my lunchbox, it must be ok.” Ugh, I can’t argue with that last comment: Moms – if you put it in their lunchbox, you’re giving it an inherent stamp of approval. <br />
<br />
• But I did get the 10-year-olds to utter , “Oh gross!” when I held up a bag of Skittles…by simultaneously holding up a bag of 9 teaspoons of sugar – the amount in the Skittles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUI8qdhPERI/AAAAAAAAAVc/i2eKz563dHE/s1600/IMG_3678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TUI8qdhPERI/AAAAAAAAAVc/i2eKz563dHE/s320/IMG_3678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>In summary, it’s cool to wow kids with starfruit.Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-88783499014513399732011-01-13T20:27:00.000-08:002011-01-13T20:27:28.938-08:00Chicago-isms: Stopping for "some Bakery", "coffee, and"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_HCktocEI/AAAAAAAAAVM/NBGF-k0Bc8o/s1600/2011-01-12+webber+bakery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_HCktocEI/AAAAAAAAAVM/NBGF-k0Bc8o/s320/2011-01-12+webber+bakery.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We stopped off for some bakery yesterday. That’s right. “Some bakery” is a Chicago-ism, that in most parts of the country – and in proper English – would translate to “some baked goods.” Maybe it’s because this city is so rich in bakeries with the tradition of preparing such incredibly delicious baked goods that the phrase implies that one would take home the entire bakery. Or maybe it implies a bakery is an integral part of a neighborhood. Either way <a href="http://www.webersbakery.com/">Weber’s Bakery</a> on Archer Ave is not to be missed. Erich is the third generation in his family to be turning out most delicious German ‘bakery’in the city. <br />
<br />
In fact, Weber’s poppyseed pastries or apple fritters would be perfect to have at your next “coffee, and.” That’s another Chicago-ism and it means coffee klatch or coffee break. <br />
<br />
Yesterday, while returning our delightful guests to Midway Airport, we had the opportunity to stop at Weber’s to pick up some bakery for today’s coffee, and. Specifically, we ordered fresh rye bread, a chocolate donut, poppy seed Danish, apple pastry, prune Kolacky and butter croissants. It was all placed lovingly in a box by one of many helpful counter attendants and tied with an old-fashioned twine stringing machine. (My girls loved watching this machine that whipped the string around the box and tied it snuggly!)<br />
<br />
Weber’s lists their <a href="http://www.webersbakery.com/site/epage/48697_670.htm">signature items</a> as buttermilk poundcake, Banana Split Torte, Kolacky, chocolate cake donuts, Grandpa Rye Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Cylinder, Fresh Strawberry & Cheese Coffee Cake, Raisin Houska, Sauerkraut Rye Bread and brownies. All that bakery is good. My list would also add: Poppyseed Danishes and apple pastries. But I would scratch out the chocolate donuts; while they have dense delectable frosting made with two different chocolates, the cake donuts always taste like they’ve been fried in old grease. (A downfall of places that fry A LOT of donuts…like Dunkin.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_QJ7CxIiI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/9_vQ-m3KBkc/s1600/2011-01-12+apple+fritter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_QJ7CxIiI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/9_vQ-m3KBkc/s320/2011-01-12+apple+fritter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The apple pastry is a unique masterpiece. It is a few paper-thin layers of pastry dough wrapped around a large mound of spiced-cooked apples and walnuts that have been sprinkled with sweet bread crumbs. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The poppy seed Danish is rich buttery sweet dough stuffed with ooey-gooey poppy seed filling and drizzled with just enough creamy glaze.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Unfortunately the Saurerckraut Rye bread is not made every day. (That’s right sauerkraut is baked right into round loaves of crusty rye.) Instead, we took home a beautiful loaf of plain rye that must have been stuffed with 2-3 tablespoons of caraway seeds. Caraway can be a questionable flavor for many kids, but mine think it tastes like peppermint sprinkles. The dark black seeds do have a zing-y quality! And my eight-month old baby had his first taste of rye bread today. He loved it – another testament that introducing strong flavors early on can lead to wide-ranging kids’ palates! (That’s what I’m hoping!) The rye bread is delicious when lightly toasted and topped with aged Wisconsin Brick cheese; a German classic that started with some classic German bakery (the bread) from a classic German bakery (Weber’s)! Got that? </div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_QPOr2QjI/AAAAAAAAAVU/1m4lL_K6S0M/s1600/2011-01-12+bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TS_QPOr2QjI/AAAAAAAAAVU/1m4lL_K6S0M/s320/2011-01-12+bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-23829267104670339952010-12-31T10:32:00.000-08:002010-12-31T10:32:41.626-08:00Icebox Cake - Still a little confused<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4Ve9AZXiI/AAAAAAAAAVE/Dv9F8xzBZ40/s1600/IMG_3501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4Ve9AZXiI/AAAAAAAAAVE/Dv9F8xzBZ40/s320/IMG_3501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garnish with dried cranberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Looking for a super simple, show-stopping dessert to make for a party tonight? This festive <a href="http://www.relishmag.com/recipes/view/44725/lemon-raspberry-icebox-cake.html">Lemon- Raspberry Icebox Cake</a> is also an opportunity to take pleasure in eating spoonfuls of whipped cream straight-up! I prepared this beautiful dessert from the December issue of Relish Magazine for a Christmas party.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4UwHqzk-I/AAAAAAAAAU8/sFiZR50xZIs/s1600/IMG_3494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4UwHqzk-I/AAAAAAAAAU8/sFiZR50xZIs/s200/IMG_3494.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The prep was effortless and almost therapeutic. After whipping the cream and folding in <a href="http://www.dickinsonsfamily.com/products/curds/specific.asp">Dickinson’s</a> delicious jarred lemon cream, just smear raspberry jam atop graham crackers and assemble layers within a springform pan. Start now, it has to chill 5 hours.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4VTk24MoI/AAAAAAAAAVA/SheT9puFidg/s1600/IMG_3496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4VTk24MoI/AAAAAAAAAVA/SheT9puFidg/s200/IMG_3496.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One note: (And if I could make this “NOTE” enormous and flashing red, I would) You will still have plastic wrap adorning your serving platter – unless you can determine how to remove it. I could not! I read the recipe instructions numerous times: “Gently lift cake by the plastic wrap to remove it from pan bottom and peel away plastic wrap.” How? How do you remove the plastic wrap from beneath the pie without the disassembling the dessert into a messy heap? I found myself wishing I could do that trick you see in cartoons where the guy pulls the tablecloth out from beneath the plates and silverware and leaves the table settings undisturbed! But after reading the <a href="http://www.relishmag.com/article/43217.html"><em>many </em>comments</a> about troublesome plastic wrap by Relish’s recipe reviewers, you may become enlightened with a solution. One suggests: Use parchment paper on bottom and spray the sides of the springform pan with cooking spray. Had read this <em>before </em>making the dessert I would've tried it.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Despite the plastic wrap malfunction, the Christmas party guests somehow managed to enjoy eating sweet-tart lemony whipped cream straight-up almost as much as me.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4Vp4ULh9I/AAAAAAAAAVI/ncjSFJCcWlc/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TR4Vp4ULh9I/AAAAAAAAAVI/ncjSFJCcWlc/s320/IMG_3588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few bites of leftovers</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-4452515470924936212010-12-23T20:15:00.000-08:002010-12-23T20:15:23.522-08:00Magical 3rd birthday and Red Velvet Cake<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRJ5CtNlhFI/AAAAAAAAAUc/Q-fH-elPQV4/s1600/bday+cale+thea+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRJ5CtNlhFI/AAAAAAAAAUc/Q-fH-elPQV4/s200/bday+cale+thea+3.jpg" width="200" /></a>Birthdays are magical. But I do believe that the third birthday is the most magical of all. At three, you awake from beneath your lavender sparkle quilt – just like you do any other day – but this day, you get special birthday smiley-faced pancakes with Wisconsin maple syrup <em>and </em>peanut butter. And for the rest of an entire day, things get better and better! And since you don’t really have any frame of reference for this wonderful day (because you don't really remember your second birthday), it’s like your third birthday just happens on day by magic!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRQdQdu7_fI/AAAAAAAAAU0/fPLOc8yrZFw/s1600/IMG_3552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRQdQdu7_fI/AAAAAAAAAU0/fPLOc8yrZFw/s320/IMG_3552.JPG" width="320" /></a>I’ve been concerned that my little ‘Christmas’ baby born three years ago would be slightly traumatized by having a birthday amongst all the bustle of this season. Her birthday might feel forgotten. But this year, as we drove out of town to cut down our Christmas tree on my little girl’s birthday, we saw house after house covered with twinkling lights. If that’s not magical, then it’s got to make her feel festive at the very least. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As you may know, I put a fair amount of thought into my kids’ birthday cakes. I’ve never made a Red Velvet cake, but have always wanted to recreate my Grandmother’s recipe. Just this year she dictated it to me over the phone from Montana where she is a spry 92. I ended up combining Grandma’s recipe and this one that I found for <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000000833335">Red Raspberry Velvet Cake</a> from Cooking Light. The Cooking Light recipe notes that Red Velvet cake is said to have originated at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in the 1950’s. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So now I picture my little three-year-old dressed in a mid-twentieth century period frilly dress, white gloves, her golden curls just peeking out from beneath her proper hat...she's having tea and Red Velvet Cake with me in the lobby of the Waldorf-Astoria all decorated for Christmas. Magic! </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRQdgW3EEPI/AAAAAAAAAU4/L6FmbAgt4gQ/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TRQdgW3EEPI/AAAAAAAAAU4/L6FmbAgt4gQ/s320/IMG_3556.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-18249084014158237842010-11-15T20:14:00.000-08:002010-11-15T20:14:27.941-08:00Party Decorations- $6, Festive Taco Bar Party- Priceless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8hA5GuQI/AAAAAAAAAUU/8jYy90I2TDs/s1600/IMG_3321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8hA5GuQI/AAAAAAAAAUU/8jYy90I2TDs/s320/IMG_3321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I’m still finding salt in every corner of our home. Thus is the result of our Make-Your-Own-Margarita and Taco Bar party over the weekend. It’s my new favorite party theme; talk about simple! <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">All I did was set out a little buffet of: 1) Taco meat- Sauté some hamburger with lots of cumin, chili powder, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy and a little salt. 2) Black beans- My friend Rebekah gave me the following set-it-and-forget-it Slow Cooker Black Beans recipe. (I’ll be cooking garbanzo, pinto, and all my beans this way from now on.) 3)Condiments in festive little bowls: Chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, crumbled Queso Fresco cheese, a jar of nopalitos (spicy cactus pickles,) chopped lettuce and salsa from a can with the addition of fresh cilantro and tomatoes and frozen corn.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8EjFcE_I/AAAAAAAAAUM/b0yyWOX3cGQ/s1600/IMG_3313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8EjFcE_I/AAAAAAAAAUM/b0yyWOX3cGQ/s320/IMG_3313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The margaritas were a breeze: Sauza makes a great pre-mixed variety that comes in an easy-pour box; we also put out a bottle of <a href="http://www.tequila.net/tequila-reviews/mixtos/sauza-100-anos-tequila-blanco.html">Sauza Tequila Silver</a> (it has a clean, fresh, lovely fruit flavor/aroma), ice, lots of lime wedges and for dipping the rims of glasses, a wet paper towel on a plate with another plate of kosher salt. While this was probably not the most authentic Make-Your-Own-Margarita set-up, guests were happy to mix in tequila and limes to their liking. And most folks would rather chat than stand at the bar trying to remember the correct proportion of Triple Sec to tequila and lime juice.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But I was most happy with my $6.00 decorations. They were all edible! I filled an old straw hat (that looked rather sombrero-ish) with produce from our local Hispanic grocery store: Cactus paddles (nopales), prickly pears, chayote squash and peppers of every color and shape. (<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cactus-salad-recipe/index.html">Emeril's Cactus Salad</a> is delicious!)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Slow Cooker Black Beans (adapted from Rebekah)<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 c. dried black beans</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 red onion quartered</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cloves garlic, chopped</div><br />
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped<br />
<br />
2 teaspoons kosher salt<br />
<br />
¼ teaspoon cumin<br />
<br />
¾ teaspoon black pepper<br />
<br />
9 cups water<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8RDOP3pI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/-8kA4Q9SLr4/s1600/IMG_3315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TOH8RDOP3pI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/-8kA4Q9SLr4/s320/IMG_3315.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin and Chayote squash</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-62672898977635986632010-11-04T19:57:00.000-07:002010-11-04T19:57:42.415-07:00Real Popcorn<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNrI5E2ZjI/AAAAAAAAAT8/D6LiK9Prckw/s1600/IMG_3302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNrI5E2ZjI/AAAAAAAAAT8/D6LiK9Prckw/s320/IMG_3302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popcorn with Baby's pumpkin hat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course all pop corn is a real whole grain. In fact pop corn is one of the easiest ways to get more whole grains into your diet. Even smothered in salt and butter, it's still a whole grain with about 2 grams of fiber per cup. And who eats just 1 cup. So before you've finished a bowl, you've consumed A LOT of fiber. <br />
<br />
According <a href="http://www.jollytime.com/who_am_i/kid/popcorn_science/popcorn_dissected">Jolly Time</a> there are two types of kernel shapes: Mushroom and butterfly. Interesting.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNriR_Z59I/AAAAAAAAAUE/s4JpshwuMU8/s1600/IMG_3154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNriR_Z59I/AAAAAAAAAUE/s4JpshwuMU8/s320/IMG_3154.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unpopped cob in front of popped corn</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was rather difficult to discern if the kernals on these cobs from the Farmers Market were mushrooms or butterflies. But I can tell you that popping them was absolutely the most exciting two minutes of kitchen fun the girls and I have had! We just threw the cob into a glass bowl and covered with plastic wrap, venting 1/2 inch. Then we all watched the show through the microwave door as the kernals shot in rapid fire off the corn cob blowing and stretching the plastic wrap like a balloon! (The dear farmers forgot to give us cooking directions - so it was an experiment!). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The taste was so fresh and sweet! It didn't even need salt. </div><br />
To find your own fresh pop corn fun, try Whole Foods or this <a href="http://www.bigredpopcorn.com/order.htm">Big Red Popcorn</a>: I can't personally vouch for either, but I've heard both are good.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNryCXWmYI/AAAAAAAAAUI/CIm9fgwkTfE/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TNNryCXWmYI/AAAAAAAAAUI/CIm9fgwkTfE/s320/IMG_3156.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was fun to pull some of the remaining corn right off the cob</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-59396197904099642010-10-27T20:37:00.000-07:002010-10-27T20:37:26.021-07:00Ultimate Comfort Food<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today was one of those days I just never got a chance to sit down to enjoy any sort of satisfying meal. So tonight after the kids were in bed, I still felt really hungry. Another <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/cupcakes/PumpkinCupcakes.html">Pumpkin Cupcake</a> would be tasty, but not very filling. And there’s no way I was going to cook or clean up another dish. Solution: Eggs and avocados. While this recipe will probably not win the <a href="http://www.theamazingavocado.com/bighit/submit-a-recipe.php">Amazing Avocado Recipe</a> contest which ends tomorrow, it will become your new ultimate comfort food. (If you have a favorite avocado recipe, submit it and you could win a $100 grocery card!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The rush began early in a mad dash to get the house straightened/decorated for our morning Halloween party. My cereal was eaten while standing and frosting cupcakes. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMjnoSHz7kI/AAAAAAAAAT0/v8cYuMOV_58/s1600/IMG_3223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMjnoSHz7kI/AAAAAAAAAT0/v8cYuMOV_58/s320/IMG_3223.JPG" width="320" /></a>The Halloween party was a success. Then again, when does dressing up as a duck and eating Pumpkin Cupcakes before noon (and drinking mulled wine if you’re a mom) not guarantee success?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The afternoon was filled with feeding kids lunch, cleaning costumes and feeding the cereal to the baby (a long ordeal since he’s still learning.) Bites of lunch were taken while cleaning up and searching for the piles of mail, etcetera, I’d stashed in drawers to clear clutter. I prepared dinner and ate a few spoonfuls of it while again trying to aim the baby’s spoon into his mouth.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But a few minutes ago, I finished a very satisfying bowl of Eggs & Avocados. Yum! This is the fastest, easiest and tastiest way you’ll ever cook eggs. They come out smooth and custardy because they’re cooked on low microwave power; and the mixing dish is also the baking dish that’s popped into the dishwasher. The creamy avocados on top make the egg seem even richer. (But because I’m I dietitian, I know the entire dish is only about 140 calories!) </div><br />
<strong>Eggs & Avocados for One</strong><br />
<br />
1 egg<br />
Splash of milk or water or cream<br />
¼ avocado, diced<br />
<br />
In a glass custard cup, mix together egg and milk until thoroughly combined. Top loosely with a paper towel and cook on 50% or 60% power in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute on 50% or 60% until eggs are set. Top with avocado and a dash of kosher/sea salt and ground pepper.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMjn3GjwCrI/AAAAAAAAAT4/_Mj58dwftTg/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMjn3GjwCrI/AAAAAAAAAT4/_Mj58dwftTg/s320/IMG_3229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs&Avocados for One</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-33795920565670631892010-10-26T19:46:00.000-07:002010-10-26T19:46:19.969-07:00Perfect Persimmons<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMeMH5iewwI/AAAAAAAAATg/T2r2XFpibV4/s1600/IMG_3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMeMH5iewwI/AAAAAAAAATg/T2r2XFpibV4/s320/IMG_3194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild persimmons growing among yellow leaves</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bright orange Persimmons grow wild in southern Illinois! Who knew? I knew autumn was <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/22/FDFV1FV0II.DTL">persimmon season</a> and I usually buy one a year, taking a gamble that the fruit won’t be too bitterly tannic to enjoy. The trick is to let the fruit ripen until so mushy it feels rotten. I’m impatient. So I usually cut into it too early. The result: It's so bitter it makes your teeth hurt! </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMePegffROI/AAAAAAAAATw/VDsp-MQEuh8/s1600/IMG_3200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMePegffROI/AAAAAAAAATw/VDsp-MQEuh8/s200/IMG_3200.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fruit is about 1 1/2" in diameter</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On our camping trip over the weekend to the Shawnee National Forest, we discovered tall persimmon trees dotted through parts of the forest. But they were hard to spot as the orange fruit blended in with the gorgeous orange foliage of other trees. When we did find a persimmon tree, the best part was that Mother Nature had already done the ripening for us! The most delicious persimmons were mushy and so ripe that they turned a blue-ish hue, that’s right, blue! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Biting into the soft fruit was heaven; they were rich and super sweet with a heady honey aroma and flavor. The girls and I ate a lot of them; many right off the ground. This year we enjoyed more than our one-a-year persimmon – foraged not from the supermarket, but from the surprisingly rich bounty of Land of Lincoln. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMeM89zBF2I/AAAAAAAAATs/fZmXfklQ3tE/s1600/IMG_3205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TMeM89zBF2I/AAAAAAAAATs/fZmXfklQ3tE/s320/IMG_3205.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking in Shawnee Nat. Forest</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-31092178104209886552010-10-12T18:57:00.000-07:002010-10-12T18:57:33.094-07:00Thanks Martha<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvnJZkuVmI/AAAAAAAAATE/pEzNfi-rqHk/s1600/IMG_3101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvnJZkuVmI/AAAAAAAAATE/pEzNfi-rqHk/s200/IMG_3101.JPG" width="200" /></a>I’ve been cherishing these days of 80-degree weather; I love summer and it’s given me a chance to make it to the bottom of my summer To-Make-Recipes pile. (Although I've been itching to try all the autumn pumpkin recipes I've been stumbling upon, like <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/">Pumpkin Creme Pies</a>.) “What’s at the bottom of the pile?” you may ask. Martha Stewart. Often, I’m less than lucky with Martha Stewart recipes; in their attempts for brevity, I find important details are left out. But tonight, Martha's FOOD magazine came through for me. And how! It was especially glorious that this recipe used the last of the bounty of tomatoes still ripening on my vines. </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvmYE2HO8I/AAAAAAAAAS0/Jd9ZKp5kGUE/s1600/IMG_3095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvmYE2HO8I/AAAAAAAAAS0/Jd9ZKp5kGUE/s200/IMG_3095.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The squishy crust that bakes toasty</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
At first, I was intrigued by the crust of this Tomato-Ricotta Tart. It’s just fresh breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil and squished into a tart pan. I adapted it to use whole grain soft sandwich bread, and that worked very well because it was very squish-able. This simple crust may work for other quiche-like dishes.<br />
<br />
The basil plant is all dried out, so I used my fresh mint and it brightened the dish. And I grated a deliciously aged <a href="http://www.vellacheese.com/">Vella Dry Jack</a> cheese instead of Parmesan. <br />
<br />
Here’s my version of a super supper dish that goes together quickly. The girls loved hearing we were having tart for dinner and they liked eating it too.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvmvqWIg1I/AAAAAAAAAS8/_PQVlsu217s/s1600/IMG_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvmvqWIg1I/AAAAAAAAAS8/_PQVlsu217s/s200/IMG_3098.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Tomato-Ricotta Tart</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cups course fresh whole wheat bread crumbs</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 tablespoons olive oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup whole-milk ricotta</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">½ cup Vella Dry Jack cheese (or Parmesan), finely grated</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 eggs</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 ½ pounds thinly sliced beefsteak tomatoes (about 2-3)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Preheat oven to 400°. In 9-inch springform pan, toss breadcrumbs and oil; press evenly into bottom.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Whisk together ricotta, grated cheese, eggs, mint and season with salt and pepper. Spread over top of crust; arrange tomatoes on top.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bake until tomatoes are almost dry, about 35 minutes. (The edges will get dark and crispy.) Cool. Unmold and serve warm or at room temp.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvnAfWhZLI/AAAAAAAAATA/ZmUMP1kMDwY/s1600/IMG_3099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKvnAfWhZLI/AAAAAAAAATA/ZmUMP1kMDwY/s400/IMG_3099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-13130243581702112992010-10-08T13:36:00.000-07:002010-10-08T13:36:52.005-07:00If they shuck them, they will eat them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6DZHFfipI/AAAAAAAAATI/viHhDk3rx-Y/s1600/IMG_3108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6DZHFfipI/AAAAAAAAATI/viHhDk3rx-Y/s320/IMG_3108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Aren’t these beautiful beans?! Dark purple. Deep green. Mottled green and purple. They’re fresh lima beans and purple pole beans from the farmers market. The girls helped me shuck them; and they really <em>were</em> a big help. Even the two-year-old was able to sweep her fingers down the pod to slide out the beans. The tricks were to give them each their own container; also, I cracked open the pods for my younger daughter. Her big sister snapped and shucked like a champ. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6Do5dmAlI/AAAAAAAAATM/1M7HQmlJ31U/s1600/IMG_3107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6Do5dmAlI/AAAAAAAAATM/1M7HQmlJ31U/s200/IMG_3107.JPG" width="200" /></a>We tossed them into this infinitely versatile recipe from the infinitely versitile <a href="http://mealmakeovermoms.com/">Meal Makeover Moms</a> cookbook. (Their <a href="http://mealmakeovermoms.com/kitchen/2010/10/02/no-whine-with-dinner-goes-on-pre-sale-a-pyrex-giveaway-extravaganza/">new cookbook</a> is due out any day and I'll be ordering a case of books for my friends!) The original recipe calls for broccoli and corn. But I always swap in the veggies I have. My cupboards were also bare of hoisan sauce; I substituted chili sauce, lime juice and fish sauce. So here’s my version of a kid-friendly dish with real Asian flavor:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Mixed-Up Tofu</strong> (adapted from The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6 oz angel hair pasta</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One 14-oz pkg extra-firm tofu, drained, and cubed on a paper towel covered cutting board (or a couple hot dogs, sliced, if your fresh tofu is fermented when opened!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tablespoons lite soy sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tablespoon lime juice</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tablespoon cornstarch</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tablespoon canola oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 sweet potato, peeled and diced in 1/2-inch cubes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup shucked purple pole beans</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup shucked fresh lima beans</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 puple pepper, sliced in thin strips</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 teaspoons garlic, chopped</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 teaspoons fresh, peeled ginger, chopped </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Whisk together the soy sauce, chili sauce, juice, fish sauce and corn starch. Set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet high heat. Add tofu (or hot dogs,) vegetables, garlic, ginger and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add 2/3 cup water, cover and steam until veggies are tender. Stir occasionally.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. Give the soy sauce mixture a stir and add to skillet, cook until liquid thickens about 2 minutes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5. Serve in individual bowls over pasta, top with nuts.</div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6EC7e-2JI/AAAAAAAAATU/xiz5LnsVft8/s1600/IMG_3110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TK6EC7e-2JI/AAAAAAAAATU/xiz5LnsVft8/s320/IMG_3110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-16086516562126325062010-09-30T17:26:00.000-07:002010-09-30T17:26:26.023-07:00Boozy Lollicakes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTw1Vvm32I/AAAAAAAAASw/QS3q2sYknA0/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTw1Vvm32I/AAAAAAAAASw/QS3q2sYknA0/s200/IMG_3046.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cakes brought home for my kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My cousin Jessica is hip. Yesterday’s blog from New York blogger <a href="http://food.lohudblogs.com/">Small Bites</a> chronicles the recent trendiness of boozy desserts. (Thanks for the reTweet TspBasil!). And what dessert generally gets the instant attention of lots (over 150) hungry guests? Wedding cake. Over the weekend, I attended Jessica’s wedding in Denver and her wedding cake hit the trendiness meter on two points: Boozy cake and a cake of individual portions, i.e., the small plate thing that makes a diner/guest feel special.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTi9CLr4gI/AAAAAAAAASs/gkzkn_vJ5T4/s1600/IMG_3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTi9CLr4gI/AAAAAAAAASs/gkzkn_vJ5T4/s200/IMG_3051.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of a strawberry Lollicake</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Here’s what she served: <a href="http://www.lollicakebakeshop.com/faq">Lollicakes</a>! Specifically, they were Guiness stout doused dark chocolate cake with Bailey's cream cheese frosting. How's that for boozy?!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Individual Lollicakes are fresh cake crumbs mixed with creamy frosting all inside an adorable candy shell. The best part: The Lollicakes were the classy centerpiece of dining tables. So we all got to indulge in them <em>before</em> dinner. And that makes a dinner occasion just a little more special...when adults get to eat dessert before dinner just like the kids!<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>By the way, my cousin also chose a Mexican fiesta theme for her wedding feast! The delicious buffet included cheese empanadas, beef and bean burritos, make-your-own-tacos and lots of pickled jalapenos! Maybe she's ahead of another trend!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTih1xuJ5I/AAAAAAAAASo/zJ3A6X8BE4w/s1600/IMG_3021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TKTih1xuJ5I/AAAAAAAAASo/zJ3A6X8BE4w/s320/IMG_3021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece eating dessert before dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-46453193821739115182010-09-20T19:36:00.000-07:002010-09-20T19:36:54.036-07:00The Pixy Stix Fountain of Youth<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJgQLHD3n_I/AAAAAAAAASQ/S_6SMy28nLw/s1600/IMG_2994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" qx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJgQLHD3n_I/AAAAAAAAASQ/S_6SMy28nLw/s200/IMG_2994.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chocolate-covered Caramel Corn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yesterday we discovered the Fountain of Youth. It’s in the next town over, in Riverside, it’s…(drum roll, please)…</span><a href="http://www.auntdiana.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Aunt Diana’s Candy Makers</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We know it’s the source of a food that will help you live ‘forever’ because we took the kids to sing ‘Happy 90th Birthday’ to a sweet elderly lady from church yesterday. And she told us she’s eaten Aunt Diana’s chocolates regularly for the last 37 years of her life. (It was established in 1973.) If fact, while she was pontificating about being 90, we were interrupted by her friend who brought over her favorite Aunt Diana’s peanut butter fudge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJgQlC_haeI/AAAAAAAAASY/UgcYMbqqc7k/s1600/IMG_2995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="150" qx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJgQlC_haeI/AAAAAAAAASY/UgcYMbqqc7k/s200/IMG_2995.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chocolate Fangs</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Upon leaving, we sped to Aunt Diana’s. </span></span><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We emerged from the cozy, Halloween-decorated shop with chocolate-covered caramel corn (salty, sweetness enrobed in rich milk chocolate), chocolate vampire fangs, a gum cigar and Pixy Stix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, I’ll be returning to the old fashioned candy counter for chocolate- covered peanut butter pretzels, chocolate-covered apricots and</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">homemade butter toffee topped with chocolate – all in the name of lengthening my life expectancy, of course</span></span><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJbFZbgxR6I/AAAAAAAAAR4/1pkqhcbHpx0/s1600/IMG_2990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" qx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJbFZbgxR6I/AAAAAAAAAR4/1pkqhcbHpx0/s200/IMG_2990.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Eating a Pixy Stix is tricky</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Pixy Stix were for our little girls. My husband and I were curious to see how they’d like a quirky candy we loved as children. Plus, small 6-inch straws of powdered artificial flavor seemed the appropriate amount of sugar for a 2 year old right before lunch.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJbF2j5sfjI/AAAAAAAAASA/b5uEbUbwMKA/s1600/IMG_2991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="150" qx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TJbF2j5sfjI/AAAAAAAAASA/b5uEbUbwMKA/s200/IMG_2991.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pixy Stix & PB Sandwich</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But, neither my 5-year old, nor the 2-year old got it…the whole sprinkle-powder-on-your-tongue- thing was too complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, my husband remembered the Pixie Stick sandwich scene in the movie The Breakfast Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We set t</span>he girls up with bread and peanut butter and they had great fun sprinkling the powder over their peanut butter sandwiches – really not a bad lunch if you wash it all down with milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you remember, Ally Sheedy</span><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">had a Pixy Stix AND Cap’n Crunch sandwich, washed down with Coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t tell the girls about the cereal/Coke part of the lunch. However, if you care to try it, I found </span>a legit</span> </span></span><a href="http://www.yumsugar.com/TV-Dinners-Breakfast-Club---Pixy-Stix-Sandwich-315097"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">YumSugar recipe</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here's the clip to make all moms who pack lunches shudder:</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><object height="288" width="512"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/BrBNAlCnn7cAqM1-jSH0_A"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/BrBNAlCnn7cAqM1-jSH0_A" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="288" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-87181546714099011562010-09-11T04:52:00.000-07:002010-09-20T19:27:35.348-07:00Chocolate Zucchini CakeThis last week was the second week of kindergarten for my 5 year-old. Whew! We made it! I think it was crazier than the first week of school. Thus I've been remiss in providing the requested Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe to a reader. Let's hope you still have lots of zucchini hanging around. I do. And this recipe from dear old cook I once knew is worth making again and again. It freezes beautifully; just refrigerate it first and then lay plastic wrap directly on the frosting top and freeze in any container for no more than about 6 weeks. (Laying plastic wrap on it keeps it from getting freezer burned.) <br />
<br />
<strong>Chocolate Zucchini Cake</strong><br />
Cream together:<br />
1/2 c butter<br />
1/2 c oil<br />
1 1/2 c sugar<br />
Add:<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
In a separate bowl, whisk together:<br />
2 1/2 c flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp cloves<br />
4 Tbsp cocoa powder<br />
Combine liquid and dry ingredients and mix just until combined.<br />
Fold in:<br />
2 c grated zucchini<br />
1/2 c buttermilk<br />
Pour into 9x13' pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.<br />
Frosting:<br />
Bring to a boil:<br />
1/2 c butter<br />
2 Tbsp cocoa<br />
3 Tbsp milk<br />
Stir in:<br />
1/3 - 1/2 pound powdered sugar<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
Pour onto cake immediately.Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-40473472655308671862010-09-10T19:37:00.000-07:002010-09-11T04:28:12.367-07:00Pear Caramel Surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrpegM_XtI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5ykhPQisIYI/s1600/IMG_2961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrpegM_XtI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5ykhPQisIYI/s200/IMG_2961.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The flavor combo of pear and caramel is glorious. In fact I was just talking to my mom on the phone about it last night. She’s on vacation in Washington and stumbled upon a small little chocolate shop and was offered a sample taste of a rich pear caramel sauce. Upon swooning when she tasted it, she told the owner of the shop that it reminded her of a sauce made near her home in Montana, <a href="http://www.kingscupboard.com/shop/sauce_pear_cinnamon.html">King’s Cupboard Pear Cinnamon Caramel Sauce</a> from Red Lodge. The owners response surprised Mom, the sauce was in fact the same sauce from King’s Cupboard that the Washington chocolate shop found to be so delicious and high-quality that they bottled it and sold it under their own label! <br />
<br />
Similarly, today in my own kitchen, I was surprised to discover a swooningly delicious pear caramel sauce from a rather astonishing source. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrqRkAFZeI/AAAAAAAAARA/C-5BEueAE4w/s1600/IMG_2962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrqRkAFZeI/AAAAAAAAARA/C-5BEueAE4w/s200/IMG_2962.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>You may remember that I mentioned a Pear Grumble in my list of to-make pear recipes. I was fascinated by the name “grumble”; I’ve heard of fruit slumps and bettys and of course, cobblers and crisps. I was also intrigued by the recipe directions which described mixing up a cobbler-like dough and then folding in the pears, followed by pouring boiling water and melted butter and brown sugar over the whole grumble. Amazingly, I found the recipe in a children’s fairy tale book that I happened to pick up for my five-year-old. She loves fairy tales from around the world and she enjoys cooking. The book combined both her loves: Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers & Eaters; tales retold by Jane Yolena and recipes by Heidi E.Y. Stemple. Recipes accompany each of the delightful stories in the book. The grumble story was The Magic Pear Tree tells the story of a wandering poor Chinese priest who asks for a simple pear from a miserly farmer. The farmer refuses, but the priest is finally given a pear by a town guard. The priest eats the pear and then with the seeds proceeds to grow a magical pear tree and then distributes the fruit to townspeople. The greedy farmer is left with nothing.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrp4CoI-lI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/wu4dJcuOr-0/s1600/IMG_2958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrp4CoI-lI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/wu4dJcuOr-0/s200/IMG_2958.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She refused to wear a shirt today</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My two-year old did an amazing job of dicing the pears with her kid’s knife after I peeled, cored and sliced them. While she took eons to dice, I mixed up the recipe which I adapted to include nutty whole wheat flour, more pears and spice, and less sugar and butter. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrqqM8jGkI/AAAAAAAAARI/kauwDvAmNN4/s1600/IMG_2963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIrqqM8jGkI/AAAAAAAAARI/kauwDvAmNN4/s200/IMG_2963.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The recipe is actually entitled “Magic Pear Grumble.” And not only does it magically produce golden brown bready tufts atop thick syrupy spiced pears (thanks to the ‘magic’ ingredient of the hot water poured on top before baking,) but the amazing buttery pear caramel produced around the edges of this Grumble is cause enough alone to run to your kitchen and start creating some fairy tale magic. (Make certain YOU get an edge piece!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Magic Pear Grumble </strong>(Adapted from recipe by Heidi E.Y. Stemple)<br />
2/3 c white flour<br />
1/3 c whole wheat flour <br />
2/3 c sugar (scant)<br />
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
1/8 tsp. salt<br />
1/8 tsp. ground cloves<br />
1/2 c milk (fat-free is fine)<br />
6 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced<br />
1/2 c packed light brown sugar<br />
3 1/2 tblsp butter, cut in chunks<br />
3/4 c boiling water<br />
DIRECTIONS:<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<br />
2. In large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.<br />
3. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Batter will be thick.<br />
4. Fold in pears.<br />
5. Pour batter into ungreased baking dish.<br />
6. Place brown sugar and butter in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over; stir until melted.<br />
7. Pour hot water mixture over batter in baking dish. Do not mix.<br />
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not overbake, grumble will be syrupy.Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-67863522431367950152010-09-05T19:54:00.000-07:002010-09-10T19:10:19.056-07:00Good Housekeeping Not-ApprovedI love to try out new recipes. When I cook for my family, I retrieve recipes from a variety of sources: Favorites include <a href="http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/">Cooking Light</a> magazine or <a href="http://mealmakeovermoms.com/">Meal Makeover Moms</a> for their healthy but yummy and fun-to-try selections; and for especially seasonal cooking in the summer and fall from our weekly farmer’s market bounty, I go to <a href="http://www.relishmag.com/">Relish Magazine</a>. When I entertain, I also have favorite recipe receptacles – but I match the source to the character of the guests. For foodie friends, I go to: <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious</a> or <a href="http://www.food52.com/">Food52</a> for trendy, conversation-starting fare; for relatives from the Michigan or Montana country: Tried-and-true <a href="http://markbittman.com/">Mark Bittman</a> or Betty Crocker or the spiral-bound community/church cookbooks fit the bill; and for new friends (or for folks yet-unknown whom my husband invites over after church,) I have a stack of recipes-to-try that are a little modern but “triple-tested with the Good Housekeeping seal of approval.” I assume they have mass-appeal and they are from Good Housekeeping magazine. Well, unfortunately, today, Good Housekeeping failed me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIRPpsuljDI/AAAAAAAAAQY/4yJCYZ_QXxs/s1600/IMG_2937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIRPpsuljDI/AAAAAAAAAQY/4yJCYZ_QXxs/s200/IMG_2937.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leftovers- actually quite delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My husband invited four fresh young undergrad students home for lunch after church today. (He met them on Wednesday but forgot to tell me they were coming over for lunch today until last night.) No worries – I’d planned to make <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/chilled-corn-bacon-soup-recipe-ghk0810">Chilled Corn & Bacon Soup</a> for dinner tonight anyway, so I just rushed around before church to prepare it a couple hours early. We had lots of fresh corn in the house and we always have bacon. <br />
<br />
So around noon, as the young scholars were sitting in the other room chatting with my husband and daughters, I was struck with a bit of horror while dishing up the soup. I had known that “chilled” soup was possibly a stretch for college students – but it was a Good Housekeeping recipe – tested to appeal to the masses, right? However, the appearance of the cold soup may have escaped the Good Housekeeping testers. You see, there are two sorts of guests for whom you should probably not serve any soup with the look of, well, throw-up: College students and mothers of preschoolers. (This was especially top of mind since my 2 ½ year-old threw up on her dress not FIVE minutes before we were supposed to walk out the door to church this morning. In true inexplicable two-year-old fashion, she was fine 10 minutes after her mishap. We were late for church.)<br />
<br />
Well, as the poor co-eds sat down to our table, I announced the menu: Warm sourdough bread with our own Ginger Pear Preserves, lettuce salad with red peppers and chick peas and home-made basil vinaigrette, and Chilled Corn & Bacon Soup. Silence.<br />
<br />
In the end, I surmised that two of the dear guests liked it (seriously!) One guy was just really hungry and ate the soup and lots of bread. And one poor invitee choked down as much as was polite to do in the home of a strangers. My own little girl was familiar with her mother’s cooking style and her mother’s fondness for chilled soups this past summer; she asked for a second helping. Her father promptly emptied his soup into her bowl. (By the way, here is a recent success in the cold soup department, with my families' own seal of approval: <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chilled-Thai-Squash-Soup-with-Yogurt-and-Cilantro-359252">Chilled Thai Squash Soup</a>.)<br />
<br />
I feel badly for the person who finds themself in a situation in which they feel obligated to eat something they detest, especially when the detested item came from my kitchen. So luckily, I served large pieces of dense chocolate cake for dessert. I did not tell my guests it was Chocolate Zucchini Cake. They ate every bite.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIRWZHafuRI/AAAAAAAAAQo/hN8eL5KpOyQ/s1600/IMG_2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIRWZHafuRI/AAAAAAAAAQo/hN8eL5KpOyQ/s320/IMG_2947.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-32526170322843507672010-09-03T11:57:00.000-07:002010-09-03T11:57:22.620-07:00Sweet Ginger Pear Preserves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFAWUMYXmI/AAAAAAAAAPo/nSEuCx6AErE/s1600/IMG_2888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFAWUMYXmI/AAAAAAAAAPo/nSEuCx6AErE/s200/IMG_2888.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The other day, I invited myself over to the friend of a friend of a friend’s house (actually the son of our neighbor) to pick pears off their tree. They were happy to have us use the fruit. The tree was nothing short of majestic. It was heavily loaded with green and golden D’Anjou pears and it was gigantic, as a result of the rich compost pile at its base. This bumpy compost pile, however, made stabilizing a ladder very tricky. Still, the girls had fun climbing up and down the ladder and plucking pears off the tree.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>In the end, we had about 3 bushels! How glorious to be able to have copious amounts of pears to cook and eat. On my list of To-Make Recipes: Pear Cake, Pear Slump, Pear Chutney. And we’ve just finished canning <a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/recipe/215.php?recipe=115">Ginger Pear Preserves</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFBJG-dbMI/AAAAAAAAAP4/9tdYRkqvsPw/s1600/IMG_2883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFBJG-dbMI/AAAAAAAAAP4/9tdYRkqvsPw/s200/IMG_2883.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My 2 ½ year old daughter was most interested in helping with this preserving project. I didn’t plan to peel the pears – only core them – but my little girl was eager to help, so I handed her a fairly blunt peeler. I figured she couldn’t hurt herself too much; no more than riding her sister’s Razor scooter in bare feet, which she also insists on doing daily. Sometimes there are tears, but they never last. She’s tough. Case-in-point: The good amount of blood she drew from her finger after handling the peeler and a pear for about five minutes. She was fine after kisses and a Hello Kitty band-aid. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFAyFaTOGI/AAAAAAAAAPw/7G5ZeQ4o9OI/s1600/IMG_2886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFAyFaTOGI/AAAAAAAAAPw/7G5ZeQ4o9OI/s200/IMG_2886.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Eventually…the Ginger Pear Preserves turned out perfect; thick and rich, caramely and gingery – but not overpowering with sweet limey ginger. Disappointingly, the recipe made only about 3 cups, instead of the specified 7! I even padded the amount of pears and started with about 6 1/2 cups. (I may have boiled/reduced it too long - yet I turned the heat off when it reached the specified gel stage.) Since I didn’t peel the pears, I used the immersion blender just a little at the end of cooking to avoid big chunks of skin. The result was just right: Smooth with just a few chunks of fruit for texture. MMmmm, can’t wait to slather the preserves on my toast this winter! By then, my two-year old will be three and probably past her sweet klutzy stage. Sigh. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFBeovlXAI/AAAAAAAAAQA/bPeBfm7JmgE/s1600/IMG_2890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TIFBeovlXAI/AAAAAAAAAQA/bPeBfm7JmgE/s320/IMG_2890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7174592937802346361.post-23386954091086067422010-08-19T18:56:00.000-07:002010-09-03T11:30:03.199-07:00Intriguing Tomatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3Y_ZgI4RI/AAAAAAAAAPI/uVzAgfJr7O8/s1600/IMG_2834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3Y_ZgI4RI/AAAAAAAAAPI/uVzAgfJr7O8/s200/IMG_2834.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Tomato cobbler. I was intrigued too. Cobbler is made with fruit. But I guess tomatoes really are a fruit…so it should all work out right? Would it be sorta tomato-saucy? Or maybe the ‘fruit’ would turn sweet. The recipe has been on the very top of my To-Make-Recipes pile ever since it received all the Tweets from others who were also intrigued by the thought of <a href="http://content.markbittman.com/node/21">Mark Bittman’s Tomato Cobbler</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3ZbCr7_aI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/7Hi2byp81Z0/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3ZbCr7_aI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/7Hi2byp81Z0/s200/IMG_2835.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before baking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So here’s my report on the version with the herb topping which came together super fast once I dragged out the food processor: It was AMAZING! The fruit got juicy and rich and unami (yes, seriously.) The cornmeal baked up toasty to give the biscuit topping a buttery crunch. The tomato juices got wonderfully thick, thanks to just the right amount of cornstarch. And the herbs in the topping added just the right amount of sparkle – without the little kicks of herbal flavor from chives, basil and mint that I used, the dish may have been a little flat.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3Z3Si9XiI/AAAAAAAAAPY/sbCV-8VuFzg/s1600/IMG_2836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7gLSIph8cjU/TG3Z3Si9XiI/AAAAAAAAAPY/sbCV-8VuFzg/s200/IMG_2836.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden baked</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The dish would be perfect along a nice piece of lemon baked fish. (I just learned from <a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/">The Splendid Table</a> that lemon is a flavor that complements tomato nicely.) Tomato Cobbler would also be lovely topped with a rich scoop of crème fraiche and served with lemon vinaigrette-dressed salad and corn on the cob. (Corn and tomatoes are also a favorite combo.) But here’s our reality: We had it for dessert topped with plain yogurt. See, my girls had been playing hard all afternoon and were starved. So I whipped the recipe together but knew they couldn’t wait the 50 minutes (on the dot) for it to bake. So I served them deer sausage sandwiches and told them we had cobbler for dessert. Now granted, they were not quite as excited about Tomato Cobbler with herbs for dessert (sans ice cream that usually accompanies cobbler in our house) as they would’ve been by Blueberry Cobbler (with ice cream!) But they did eat every bite of my new favorite cobbler.Serena Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02030213355719396651noreply@blogger.com0