Winter Holiday Cookies

This past holiday season, my go-to contribution was cookies.  Gingerbread with chocolate chip cookies, Middle Eastern spice chocolate chip with cranberries cookies, peanut butter with white chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal with butterscotch chip cookies... batch after batch.

I know it sounds like I made a lot of elaborate cookies, but they were all incredibly easy because of the shortcuts I took.  All of the cookies were from mixes I bought on sale at Target.  At holiday time, they have a great assortment of flavors: gingerbread, molasses, oatmeal, peanut butter, sugar, snickerdoodle - and of course chocolate chip - and all under $2 each.  To add a creative twist to a regular mix, I like to include things like dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, crystalized ginger, butterscotch chips and blended spice mixes. 

One of my favorite cookies I like to make is from a standard chocolate cookie mix (my favorite is not an inexpensive one from Target, I hate to say.)  I add 1.5 teaspoons of this fantastic spice blend from a wonderful local farm, made from warm winter spices like cinnamon, cloves, alspice and rosebuds - yum!  It adds a festive, spicy undertone to a classic cookie.

Try some of your own flavor combinations.  There are so many things - dried fruit, nuts, candy chips - you can add to a standard cookie mix to jazz it up into something yumtastic!

Spiced chocolate chip cookies - YUM!

Happy 2014!

Happy New Year, faithful followers - if there are any of you out there.  Another year has passed and here we are with new resolutions, perhaps, and hope for a bright year ahead. 

I've already posted nine new items in my shop!  I'm venturing out with some new designs - and may try some new types of items this year.  Take a look...

pair of snack plates - grey & orchid with white flower design

soy bowl with crazy dots design in orchid & kelly green

set of coasters in ocean bubble design

set of 3 soy bowls - use for spices, salts, tea lights, kitchen or desk organization

pair of ice cream bowls in deep turquoise with swirly design

  I hope you like!  They were really fun to make.  I'm looking forward to sharing more new items with you soon.

In other news, I decorated my Christmas tree this year with all of my own ornaments.  I was quite pleased with how it looked...

 I was also quite pleased with some delicious appetizers made from fig jelly and manchego cheese - YUM!

 Now I'm officially hungry and ready for my afternoon snack!

I've Been Slacking

I'm embarrassed to see (and honestly can't believe) I haven't written since LAST NOVEMBER.  Shameful!  This is supposed to be my fun hobby.  Guess I haven't been having any fun.  Ha ha, thankfully that's not true!  I suppose my extra-curricular fun times have been distracting me from the blog....?  Maybe?  Anyway, whatever the reason, I'm happy to be back posting something... especially something so perfect for the hot weather this summer.

Icebox Cake!  The name alone cools me down.  Have you ever had one?  I hadn't grown up with these but am excited to discover them now.  (What I've been reading about icebox cakes makes them sound retro-30s style, so perhaps a grandmother would have made this sort of dessert...?)  I remember seeing a recipe for this delicacy last summer and never getting around to making one.  Since strawberries were on sale last week at Whole Wallet, I bought a quart of them, specifically for my first go at icebox cake.

My first attempt

So, if you're not familiar, an icebox cake is a cake you make in your fridge.  It works like this: whip up some whipped cream with your electric mixer, spread it between layers of crispy graham crackers and sliced up strawberries, then let it magically turn into cake-y goodness in the fridge after a few hours.  The graham crackers will soak up some of the moisture from the whipped cream and berries, and turn cake-like - all soft and spongy (not soggy!)

You can use any sort of stone fruit or berry, add flavoring to the whipped cream, chocolate sauce on top, or my favorite - lemon curd - between the layers of graham as well, for some added zing.  I used this awesome recipe as a starting point.  The graham crackers I used were "all natural" from the same place I bought the strawberries.  They were thicker, smaller & more substantial than the typical, Honey Grahams you get at Stop & Shop.  I did add some lemon zest to the whipped cream - and some lemon curd on two layers of the graham crackers.  OMG - yum!

Attempt #2

I made two versions because of all the berries I bought - and the back-up container of whipping cream.  The first version had more compact layers due to the whipped cream not whipping properly.  I only used strawberries in this one.  The second version had both strawberries and blueberries, as well as very fluffy whipped cream. Unfortunately I spread the whipped cream on too thickly.  I'm going to take another stab at it next week and see if I can perfect it.  Fluffy whipped cream, but less of it with more berries - and lemon curd.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Thankfully the lemon-scented whipped cream of cake #1 didn't taste like scrambled eggs.

Layers of graham-y, creamy, lemony, strawberry goodness.

The fluffy, creamy layers of cake #2.  Note the blueberries.

The cake I make next week will certainly incorporate these berry and citrus flavors again, but I can't help but wonder about other flavor combinations.  Raspberries with chocolate grahams?  Peaches with blueberry jam on the graham crackers?  Or peaches with ginger-scented whipped cream?  I bet mangoes could even work in some way...?   If only whipped cream & graham crackers had no calories or fat... hmmm...

Yes, it's almost gone at the time of this posting.

Regardless, I hope you're now thoroughly inspired to try your own version of an icebox cake.  Let me know what sort of flavor combinations you try!

Snacking on Carbs

  I was tested for a gluten allergy when I had my physical earlier this year.  I wasn't positive for Celiac's, but I do feel like I'm sensitive to gluten: I can't drink beer anymore without feeling painfully bloated; excessive amounts of sourdough bread make me so gassy.  TMI, I know... sorry, but gluten has been making me feel uncomfortable lately.

Because of this,  I haven't had bread and cheese as a snack in a long time (which is super sad since that had been my go-to snack throughout my life.) But this past Saturday, I unexpectedly had some leftover crusty bread in the fridge.  Friday night I had gone out for dinner at Polcari's in Woburn.  We ordered pizza & salad but were brought this awesome crusty loaf of bread - complete with majorly garlicky dipping oil - before the meal arrived.  Because we were trying to "be good" we didn't eat most of the bread.  That's how it ended up in my fridge.

Rather than smothering in brie, which is a favorite activity, I remembered some flavored olive oil in the cupboard.  White truffle flavored, to be exact.  Just taking a whiff of the stuff makes my mouth water instantly.  And I don't even like mushrooms!  Something about that rich, creamy, pungently earthy flavor sends me over the moon - I love it!  So, what would be better than some amazing bread dipped in this oil that makes my taste buds orgasm?  Top it with some smoked sea salt!  Holy Mother... that added a whole other taste dimension, almost like grilled truffles with a hint of bacon.  I think the smoked sea salt has the power of making something taste bacon-y, which is fantastic news for me.  I'm a vegetarian and I miss bacon.  I admit it.

Not only are the two pantry ingredients I unearthed an amazing flavor combination (can't wait to try it on potato soup this fall) but they are also from local businesses!  The truffle oil comes from a little company based on the Cape, Gustare Oils & Vinegars.  I had discovered them last summer when on a Cape Cod shopping outing with my friend Heather who was in town visiting from Chicago.  Their store is really cool because you can sample all their different flavors of olive oils & vinegars.  The women who work there have some great tips for using the different flavors together, too.  As you'll see on their website, they have a ton of recipes available.  So far, I've mixed their Persian Lime olive oil with their Honey-Ginger balsamic vinegar to make dressing for a mango/avocado mixed salad, but I digress.  The smoked sea salt is from Soluna Garden Farm, based right near me in lovely Winchester, MA.  A few weekends ago, I went to the SoWa market in Boston and stumbled across their booth, full of amazing herbs and spices.  It was so hard deciding which amazing-smelling item to buy!  I'm taking a whiff of the salt right now.  I made the right choice.  It smells like campfire and smoked bacon.  Maybe I have bacon on the brain - the descriptive label on the bottle doesn't mention pork at all - but honestly, I can smell it.  The smokiness of the salt mixed with the earthiness of the truffle oil will delight your mouth - I'm serious.  Do yourself a favor and try this the next time you're looking for a new way to dress a delicious loaf of your favorite bread.  You can thank me later.

Yes, that's my cute soy dish, in case you're wondering!

Home-made Iced Tea Recipe

choose your favorite flavorful tea

boil some water

let the tea steep for a few minutes more than what the box recommends

pour into your favorite glass bottle or carafe; to sweeten mine, I like to add 1/4 inch-worth of amber agave nectar; stir or shake to dissolve

after the tea has cooled a bit, refrigerate & enjoy!

Long over-due: Herbed Spaghetti Squash Recipe

I'm embarrassed to say I made this recipe - specifically to share on the blog - last fall.  That's the best time of year for squash.  Acorn, butternut, pumpkin.  All kinds are readily available at farmer's markets and the chill in the air always makes me want to warm up in the kitchen and bake something in the oven.  Can you tell I'm trying to get you in the mood for this recipe?  I honestly can't imagine turning on my oven for extended period of time when it's forecast to be in the 90s this week. Although being familiar with New England weather, it could be in the 50s next week!

Here's the perfect recipe for a cold summer day, if we get one.  Finding the squash could be tricky, so you could always save this as something to look forward to later in the fall.

When I have a new ingredient I'm cooking with for the first time, in this case spaghetti squash, I usually perform a Google recipe search for it.  This was result #3: Emeril's Herbed Spaghetti Squash.  It looked so easy!  BAM - I was down for it. 

medium-sized spaghetti squash seasoned with salt and pepper, cut in half and roasted for an hour; scrape out the inside flesh with a fork.

scraping out the flesh with a fork

still scraping

spooning out the scraped flesh (sounds yummy, huh?)

empty squashes!

scraped flesh in a bowl (delish!)

fresh basil and a hunk of butter, ready to be added to a large frying pan

add the squash to the melted butter and chopped fresh basil (or other fresh herb of your choice) and saute

once everything is adequately combined over medium heat, serve (and eat!) immediately

BAM! A delicious bowl of spaghetti squash!  Feel free to top with fresh, grated Parmesan or Romano cheese - I did.

Made-Up Recipe: Vegetarian Fresh Spring Rolls

There's this amazing Vietnamese restaurant in Harvard Square, Le's, formerly known as Pho Pasteur.  It's located in a building that used to be a parking garage, and thus named The Garage.  I love everything I've eaten there... warm and fragrant pho, steaming vegetarian noodle dishes, shrimp salad with shredded cabbage and deliciously sweet dressing... but my favorite are their shrimp fresh rolls.  Thin, clear rice paper wraps around shredded cucumber, carrot, fresh mint and cilantro, and slices of cold shrimp.  Once this marvelous handful is dipped in the spicy sweet sauce, you've got a mouthful of heaven going on.  My creation is based on the amazing rolls at Le's, but with a few different ingredients.

I started by using two pieces of crunchy Boston lettuce instead of rice paper.

Shredded one small cucumber.

Sliced up a hard-boiled egg instead of shrimp.

Arranged the egg on the lettuce.

Dressed the egg with shredded cukes and chopped cilantro.

Added shredded carrots and a dressing made from Key Lime evoo and Honey Ginger vinegar, muddled with cilantro and mint, and a dash of S&P.

YUM!

First Attempt: Frozen Yogurt

It's August.  How did that happen?  Where did July go?  Time seems to have flown by so quickly I never even wrote anything here.  I've got lots of catching up to do.

Since it's been real summer weather in Boston lately, I'm going to share with you my first attempt at making frozen yogurt.  It was a project my mother and I had planned to do together, since I had given her an ice cream maker for Mother's Day.  She and I are both huge fans of ice cream and frozen yogurt, a trait we inherited from her father.  We had agreed on trying frozen yogurt since that seemed healthier and less fattening.  I went to her house one night after work - after barely eating anything all day, due to my excitement about making our own frozen yogurt!  Having had day-dreams about opening my own "healthy" ice cream shop, I was so looking forward to actually giving this a go.  Could I even make palatable frozen yogurt?

We used a mango frozen yogurt recipe that came with the ice cream maker.  At the time, I was on a big white peach kick, so we substituted the mangoes with white peaches.  Unfortunately we hadn't taken into consideration the fact that mangoes are larger than peaches.  Next time we'll need to use more peaches.  We also used Greek yogurt instead of regular plain yogurt.  Because of Greek yogurt's extra tangy-ness, I'll add extra honey in my next attempt.  I think I'll also use some ground cinnamon - that could be yummy.

Here's a photo play-by-play of our fro yo adventure....

mixing the plain yogurt with sugar

measuring out one cup

adding 1 cup sweetened yogurt to 2 chopped peaches

the peach blended yogurt is mixed back into the bowl of sweetened yogurt. the ice cream maker parts are lined up in the foreground. 

all of the yogurt is slowly poured into the ice cream maker

after mixing in the ice cream maker for 30 minutes, we had a somewhat icy, a little on the soft side, peach frozen yogurt!  with the recipe tweaks our next batch will be even better when topped with delicious berries...mmmmm...

I could really go for some frozen yogurt right now.  I may need to make a trip to Berryline.

Smell-o-Rama

When I had expressed interest in learning more about Indian cooking - vegetarian, specifically - my pan-Asian chef friend Ram was up for the task.  The first recipe he sent me was my first foray into Indian cooking at home.  I can't say I would have won an award for that dish (I added too much turmeric), but it was definitely a great start.  This next recipe he sent me back in March.  I made it back in March, too, but embarrassingly am only posting about it now.  Since it uses a lot of fresh veggies, it could be a great dish to make on a cool summer night with some selections from your garden or favorite farmer's market.

So, this dish is two recipes in one.  First, there is the amazing Cilantro Paste.  Once the paste is compiled, you then incorporate the chopped mixed vegetables into it, which Ram explains so eloquently below.

Simply Ram’s Cilantro Paste
Required equipment:
Food Processor or Blender

1 bunch of Cilantro
1 whole clove of garlic peeled
- 17-20+ pieces
1 medium size tomato
3-4 jalapenos or 1 medium green pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

The following can be combined or else used singularly (except the Curry Powder)
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Curry Powder

This is so easy to prep! Put all ingredients into the food processor/blender and grind carefully into a puree type of paste. Done!

When you cook with this paste it is very important to heat 10” nonstick pot first and then add oil. The paste needs to be lightly browned first before adding any other items.

Ram’s Cilantro Potato & Carrots (Onions)

½ to 1 cup of Simply Ram’s Cilantro Paste
- I have a heavy hand to 1 cup for me!
5-6 Medium sized potatoes
4-5 Medium sized carrots
1 Onion (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chili flakes (optional)

Dice both potatoes and carrots (smaller makes cooking time faster). Dice onion. After having prepared the paste add potatoes, carrots and (onions). Stir to coat all the vegetables then turn down fire to low. Add about a cup of water and then simmer it to fork tender. You can always add more water, so sometime I find less is more. Serve with Jasmine rice (preferred). Welcome to smell-a-vision!

This dish came out wonderfully, I'm happy to report.  It was so warm, delicious and flavorful.  I'll be making this one again, for sure (and I do still want to try to master Ram's Sai Bhaji – Sindhi Saag, too.)  Since I'm also trying to stick to a somewhat gluten-free diet, this dish is perfect in meeting that requirement, too.  Of course, I can't have a food post without some action photos.

I had an orange pepper on hand, so I used that instead of a green one

chopped ingredients into the blender

the completed cilantro paste before added to the hot oil in the pan

everything simmering together

viola! served atop some quinoa for extra protein - YUM!

Thanks, Ram, for another awesomely amazing recipe!  What's next?