baked eggplant casserole thingy (YUM)

subtitle: eggplant moussaka, minus the moussaka

subtitle II: eggplant parmesan--no it isn't really that either...

you will second guess the ingredients. and if you haven't by the time the cashier slowly glances up at you as she rings up the 2nd pound of mushrooms and the 3rd eggplant...you better double check your ingredient inventory. because chances are, you forgot something. then you'll feel knocked over the head yet again as you swipe your credit card to pay for all these groceries you have to lug home
when you realize 1 of the 4 guests doesn't like mushrooms. but what are you going to do? 2lbs of them are already weighing you down and you're wishing you didn't do that last set of curls at the gym.

seeing as i have my own food issues, i tend to freak out a little bit when "vegetarian" gets thrown into the mix. now, granted, i pretty regularly happen to eat vegetarian but when it involves cooking for a crowd, i feel the pressure. no longer! a thoughtful gift of the new moosewood cookbook is the perfect remedy for this kind of situation. the original recipe that caught my eye as i was flipping through was eggplant moussaka. the only problem was that i really don't like dairy-y sauces (a bechamel in this case). i blame it on the lactose intolerance. go ahead and try to fight that. so i skipped it.

what resulted was a delicious crowd-pleasing dish--even the non mushroom person! and, she doesn't like eggplant either! "you know, i don't like mushrooms or eggplant but this is good." pre-baking the eggplant dries it out some so that you don't get any sort of that slimy eggplant texture. and the tomato sauce is actually quite dry (has so much stuff in it) that it doesn't re-slime the eggplant.

eggplant _________

• 3 medium eggplans (abt 7" long), peeled or not
• salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14 1/2-oz can tomatoes, including all liquid
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp cinnamon (i did not use)
• black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 - 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 packed cup freshly minced parsley
  
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs, plus extra for top (1/4 cup) (gluten-free)
  
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean
  

• slice the eggplant into quarter-inch-thick rounds. sweat the eggplant: salt the slices lightly on both sides, then layer them gently in a colander, and place over a sink or bowl. let stand for 20-30 min
• lightly oil a baking sheet, and preheat oven to 375. pat eggplant dry with a towel and spread slices on the baking sheet (it's okay if they overlap a little) and bake until tender (20-25 min)

mushroom tomato sauce:

• heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. add onions and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 8-10 min, or until the onions become translucent. add mushrooms and garlic, stir and cover. cook over medium heat another 8-10 minutes (until mushrooms start to cook down).
• add tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, oregano and basil. crush tomatoes. bring to a boil then lower heat, and simmer, uncovered, another 12-15 minutes. remove from heat, stir in parsley bread crumbs and parmesan. set aside
  

• preheat oven to 375 degrees. oil a very large casserole or deep baking pan at least 9"x13." place a double layer of eggplant on the bottom, add half mushroom sauce, add the rest of the eggplant and then add the rest of tomato sauce. dust lightly with bread crumbs and some parmsean.
• baked uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly on the bottom and lightly browned on top.
  

latino brunch and a photo shoot

when i heard that the studio was lit, the only thing that made sense to do was cook and document! friend/colleague mel was generous enough to host and shoot this shindig. and what a shindig it was. i was *pleasantly* surprised to be introduced to this social network that resides in jersey city. as i cooked, a number of friends drifted in and out and soon enough the 6 of us were sitting down to a feast. the feast was a combination of the impressively vast amount of food mel had on supply and a few supplemental materials we picked up at the local deli. on the menu: arepas, guacamole, pico de gallo, eggs, bloody marys and flourless chocolate cake.

let's talk about flours. you've got to have arepa flour, not cornmeal or other corn based flour substances. look at your local latino market or the latino section of large supermarkets. it's pretty common.

arepas with eggs, guacamole and pico

make the arepas:

• once you have arepa flour, just follow the directions on the package. it will be a simple mix of the flour, pinch of salt and warm water. i suggest adding some grated cheese at this point...
• flatten a small handful of dough in the palms of your hands, and fry on the stove top in a decent amount of heated oil until browned on both sides.
  

make the guacamole:

• 2 avocados
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
  
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
  
• juice from 1 lime
  
• salt and pepper

• mash the avocados with a fork and add salt to taste
• add tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. mix well.

make the pico de gallo:

• 2 tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• small handful cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1-2 limes
• salt and pepper
  
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

• combine all ingredients in a bowl, allow to sit for a few minutes. you might want to add a tiny drizzle of olive oil...

once you have the components (arepas, guacamole, pico) i suggest layering them with over easy eggs. and more cheese.

flourless chocolate cake
from epicurious

my general rule: the simpler the recipe, the better. nothing fancy required. it's a little bit of a labor of love but totally worth the effort and will blow everyone away.

• 12 ozs bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 12 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• preheat oven to 350°F. butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper; butter paper. wrap outside of pan with foil.
  
• stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. remove from heat. cool to lukewarm, stirring often.
• using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
  
• fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, then fold in vanilla extract.
  
• using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until medium-firm peaks form.
  
• fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. pour batter into prepared pan.
• bake cake until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall).
• using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. remove pan sides. place 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round atop cake. invert cake onto tart pan bottom. peel off parchment paper.

or, just make this cake in whatever buttered pan you have. it might not be as beautiful but will be absolutely delicious. and this cake definitely does not require a glaze. i recommend a nice sprinkle of powdered sugar.

chocolate pecan pie with bourbon

for some, the holiday season and pie are synonymous. i can't say that i'm a huge fan of either (holidays=winter, why have pie when you can have cake or ice cream?) but thanksgiving and pecan pie break these boundaries for me.

when a dear friend was in charge of the pecan pie for thanksgiving dinner, she openly accommodated the idea of a bourbon and chocolate tweak. i mean, seriously, BOURBON AND CHOCOLATE, what's not to like??!! seeing as we had maaaany other dishes to cook, we did not make our own pie crust. go ahead, get mad. but we did make the most important part (the bourbon and chocolate...catching on here?) we bought a gluten-free crust from whole foods. which really wasn't half bad.

don't be fooled, this pie would be good at any time of year.

chocolate pecan pie with bourbon

from food & wine

crust (if you feel you have the time for this)

• 1 1/4 cups flour-substance
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water
  

filling (this is the good stuff)

• 2 cups (about 7 ounces) pecans
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

• make the crust: in a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt. add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. transfer to a bowl and stir in the ice water. knead the dough 2 or 3 times on a lightly floured surface and pat into a disk. wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. fit the dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate. trim the overhang to 1/2 inch, fold the edge under itself and crimp decoratively. refrigerate until firm.

• make the filling: preheat the oven to 375°. toast the pecans on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant; coarsely chop.
  
• in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, melted butter, bourbon and salt until blended. stir in the pecans and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
• pour the filling into the pie shell. bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 55 minutes, or until the center of the pie is set.
  
• cool for at least 1 hour before serving. (or until you can't stand it any longer)

back in the kitchen: french toast with raspberry syrup

there's nothing like spending a week and a half without being able to cook that will inspire me to get back in the kitchen. a trip to the farmer's market for the first csa pickup of the season certainly also helps. as does being resolved to hang out at home on a saturday afternoon to watch some world cup soccer...

so, to whet my appetite for a day of cooking and futbol watching, I decided to start with some french toast. the catch was that i decided whatever i cooked needed to include at least one piece of csa bounty. for the french toast? raspberry syrup, of course!


french toast with raspberry syrup
serves 1

• 2 slices of your preferred bread (or more if it's small!)
  
• 1 egg
• some milk (or soymilk)
• dash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon
• 1/2-1 cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• dash lemon juice
• about 1/2 cup water

• combine egg and some milk to create a slightly thick mixture. add vanilla and cinnamon, stir. dip bread in egg mixture and allow to soak.
• meanwhile, combine water and sugar in a saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly.
  
• stir in the raspberries, and stir occasionally (the more you stir, the more the berries will break down). bring to a boil and continue cooking until mixture thickens slightly more about 5-10 minutes. add lemon juice towards the end of the cooking time and stir.
• cook toast in a buttered pan over medium high heat until golden brown on both sides.
  
• top with syrup!
  

cornmeal pickle fritters

i don't really think i need to say anything else besides this: pickle fritters. just go freaking make them now. they only lasted 5 minutes when i showed up with them at a bbq.


cornmeal pickle fritters
adapted from epicurious

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a bunch of chopped pickles (a bunch is the technical term)
  
• vegetable oil for frying
  

• whisk together the egg, milk, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pickles
• heat a generous amount of oil in a pan over medium high heat. when the oil is hot, drop batter (amount depends on how large you want your fritters) and fry on both sides until golden brown.
  

gluten-free and spelt muffins from silver moon

i love an accommodating bakery. now hear me out. i also love a dedicated gluten/wheat/dairy/soy/refined sugar/insert other allergen or dietary preference here but once in a while, i just want to walk into your normal run of the mill bakery and be able to eat something. get ready for silver moon bakery. in addition to having all sorts of wheat and gluten filled baked goods, they have a daily spelt muffin AND a daily gluten-free muffin. that's two different daily muffins. as in everyday.

the day that one of each of these muffins were so kindly brought to my attention was spelt cranberry and gluten-free chocolate chip day. yum yum yum. and yes, i ate both of them. well, with some help. because really, i'm a sucker for a quality baked good. who isn't?

the spelt muffin was chewy, with a crispy top, delicious but one of the best parts about it was that it wasn't at all overly sweet. the plump cranberries were by far the sweetest part. the gluten-free muffin was a different story (but still delish). in addition to chocolate chips, there were golden raisins (at least, that's what i think they were), which really helped bind the muffin together. (probably helped avoid that whole crumbly gluten-free symptom).

gluten-free crepes at bar breton

a gluten-free note here. if you're looking for some legit buckwheat crepes (100% buckwheat instead of a wheat and buckwheat mix and therefore gluten-free), bar breton has them. buckwheat is a gluten free grain but if you're extremely sensitive, you have to make sure it isn't contaminated. bar breton must be certified as they have designated gluten-free items throughout their menu.

so these didn't exactly rock my world but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. i had la guerande with a poached egg, spinach, mushroom and parmesean. the parmesean and pesto like sauce didn't hurt. and really, we've already discussed how i believe an egg with a runny yolk can solve most food problems in life.

next time i'm going for a dessert version.

bar breton
254 5th avenue
ny, ny 10001
212.213.4999
mon-sun 11am-10:30pm

coconut pancakes

we talked about crazy gluten-free low carb flours before with the almond meal microwave cookie adventure. now another gluten-free flour, brought to you by The Baker: coconut flour. now, if you're like me, you're probably saying, now how the hell does a coconut turn into flour? there's nothing dry about the stuff. my second reaction was, how the hell is coconut flour healthy? i know that coconut is a good cooking alternative, however, because of the fat, it isn't exactly the obvious healthy choice. well, apparently, all of the fat is extracted in order to make the flour. so what results is something that's gluten-free, high protein, high fiber, low carb and low fat. another one of those wonder foods, if you will.

what to make with this wonder flour? coconut pancakes, of course. now it just so happened that when i was making these (the only time i've made them for myself and didn't have The Baker make them for me), i was also making them for someone on a super restricted diet (low fat, low calorie, low sodium, low everything). so if these turned out well with those modifications, then you know the original ones are splendid.

coconut flour pancakes

• 4 eggs (i used egg beaters)
  
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk (i used low fat)

• mix ingredients and let them sit for five minutes.
  
• oil or grease a pan and heat over medium heat.
  
• pour about a 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe, allowing each side to brown before flipping it.

why france kicks our ass: one reason

i am going to attempt to keep this brief. i've written about the difficulties of food allergy travel before. throw in charles de gaulle airport and you've got one hell of a mess. even if you don't have food allergies, that airport will find some way to pick you up, twist you up, and spit you out.

so as you're racing through the airport, wondering why the hell it takes 20 minutes to get from terminal 2D to 2E and where that freaking tram everyone talks about actually boards, take faith in knowing that as soon as you get somewhere near the gate, there will be viable, edible, decently enjoyable food options waiting for you.

i'm not even talking about those giant snak club vat sized bags of trail mix. we've all been there. you've got a 5 hour travel day ahead of you and your lack of time/preparation/whatever has put you in a less than desirable food situation. yeah, that's right, they don't serve food on airplanes anymore. and even if they did, would you really want to eat it? so you indluge in the trail mix that surely has enough servings to feed a small family and costs $7. and you eat it all by yourself. in one sitting. not feeling so great, are you?

back to the armpit of all airports. the last time i was there, a quinoa and shrimp salad over greens with a red curry sauce surprised me before my flight. delightful. this time, more quinoa but this time with hazelnuts. yeah that's right, i said hazelnuts. beat that. 2 for 2? both involving quinoa? score.

weeknight dinner: eggplant, two ways (csa week 5)

a beautiful eggplant sat in my fridge. this was enough to conjure up thoughts of the book alone in the kitchen with an eggplant (read it). the problem was, that after the last eggplant (baked eggplant parmesan), i wasn't quite sure what to do with it. i was feeling antsy enough that i didn't really want something italian and didn't just want to roast or grill it. better yet, i wanted it to be easy. do i even have to say his name anymore?

so what actually happened was that i was having a rough week and to make myself feel better, decided to hang out in my kitchen alone with my eggplant and cook it two different ways (dinner for different nights). i chose to do a simple eggplant stir-fry with some csa bok choy and mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant. and then i made a cobbler.

first the stir fry: i briefly sauteed the eggplant in some canola oil (careful, it will absorb however much you throw in there) until it was slightly soft. then i sauteed the bok choy with lots of minced garlic and some ginger. then i thew the eggplant back in, mixed everything together, threw in some oyster sauce and let it all cook for a couple more minutes. voila, how's that for instant gratification?

then the bittman recipe. this one attracted me because it had a bunch of interesting ingredients that seemed like an easy mix as well as a bit of an unusual combination. basically, you slice and score the eggplant and then coat it with a mixture of chopped parsley, honey, olive oil, garlic, and breadcrumbs. yummmmm, right?! then you sprinkle lemon juice on top and if your bittman, serve with yogurt, if you're me, goat cheese and toast. instant gratification part II. if you haven't already, definitely take a look at the microwave minimalist column.

mark bittman's microwaved honey eggplant

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free)
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt
• 1 large eggplant
• lemon juice
  

• combine parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, honey, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
• cut eggplant crosswise into 1-inch slices; score the top of each. put slices in dish and spread breadcrumb mixture over eggplant tops, pressing it into slits.
• loosely cover with waxed paper and microwave on high power for about 5 minutes. remove paper and cook another 2 or 3 minutes, until very soft. sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with yogurt (or goat cheese!) on the side.
  

GLUTEN-FREE DOUGHNUTS at babycakes bakery nyc

it's been 6 years since i've had a doughnut. besides the phase i went through in preschool, i never had a particular liking for them until i couldn't eat them (of course). then, a few months ago, as i was wandering around whole foods, i noticed them in the freezer. however, i couldn't quite bring myself to buy a whole box of frozen doughnuts. i went with qb's instead (ice cream filled rice crispy treats)...probably not much better.

the frozen whole foods variety were the only wheat/gluten-free doughnuts i had seen around. and there are certain things i just don't care to make at home. doughnuts being one of them. so as i was checking up on my google reader (it will change your life) yesterday, i noticed a new blog post from babycakes bakery. erin mckenna made DOUGHNUTS. gluten-free ones! and she seemed just as excited as i felt about the whole thing. what wasn't clear was whether they were actually available in the bakery yet. so i checked the blog again this morning to see if my posted question had been answered. what i found was someone who had gone to the bakery YESTERDAY and had doughnuts! so i did what any normal person would do, i called the bakery.

when i visited the bakery on this particularly hazy wenesday afternoon, in need of a little cheery treat, coconut, cinnamon and sugar, chocolate glaze, and (i think) plain were available. i may have missed one or two options here, my head was in a doughnutty glaze and not thinking properly. i went with the chocolate (any surprise there?) can i get a hallelujah?! IT TASTED LIKE A REAL DOUGHNUT--soft and cakey (but not too gluten-free-crumbly) with a sweet, thick chocolate glaze. you know that thin, slightly crusty layer that holds everything together that old fashioned doughnuts have? yeah, this one had it too. if the other doughnuts are half as good as this one, RUN and rejoice in doughnut glory!

doughnut waiting very patiently on my desk

in an announcement today, the doughnuts are now permanently on the menu; $3.25 each!

now if only they would make some apple fritters...

squash fritters with summer corn salad (csa week 4)

a giant yellow squash was living in my refrigerator. and i, dear readers, made a promise to you all to attempt to not just eat all of my csa veggies raw or sauteed with garlic. i had visions of squash fritters. i think this probably stemmed from the desire to fry some squash blossoms but this was difficult seeing as i didn't have the blossoms to fry. i was a little bit worried that the yellow squash wouldn't be as solid as green and therefore not so fritterly successful. however, the yellow squash's delicate flavor (compared to green) made this taste practically blossom-like!

i made a little corn salad to go with them since i finally have corn in my fridge and i absolutely adore summer corn salads. it's one of those things, don't know why but i can't get enough. both of these items were relatively quick and easy. frying took the most time but i see no reason why you shouldn't just take two giant skillets (or more) and cook as many fritters as possible at one time.

squash fritters

• squash (i had one giant one)
• 1 egg
• (gluten-free) bread crumbs

• 2 tablespoons of flour of choice (spelt or gluten-free)
• parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper
• oil for frying

• grate squash on the large holes of a box grater, squeeze out liquid.
• mix grated squash, one egg, breadcrumbs and flour until the mixture binds together.
• add salt, pepper, and parmesan, mix.
• add enough oil to coat the bottom of a pan and heat.
• fry heaping tablespoons of the squash "batter" until golden brown on both sides.

summer corn salad

• corn, cut off of cob
  
• 1 red onion, diced
  
• 1 small tomato, diced
  
• basil, chopped
  
• salt and pepper

• you can use the corn raw, or saute it in a pan for a few minutes, if desired.
• mix all ingredients together.
  

superfood salad: kale and quinoa salad (csa week 2)

let's talk about superfoods. here is a yummy dish, perfect for summer that incorporates quinoa (our featured superfood) AND my csa kale. *SIDENOTE: on further inspection, i don't think my dark leafy csa green was kale. swiss chard perhaps? i have labeled my post as such. dark leafy green lovers of the world, help me! (see picture below).**UPDATE: kale!

superfoods are rich in multiple nutrients. in this case, all dark leafy greens are probably pretty close to having super powers but quinoa is an interesting one. quinoa is an ancient grain but is actually a seed. the seed is from a dark leafy green plant (a-ha!) that is closely related to spinach. the special thing about it? it contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. when cooked, it has a rather nutty flavor and a chewy texture with a little bit of crunch. so, to summarize, quinoa is low carb, high in protein and fiber, gluten-free, AND DELICIOUS. good, moving on...this recipe is rather tabouli-esque but is of course wheat and gluten-free.

kale and quinoa salad

• one bunch dark leafy green of your choice, roughly chopped (kale in this case; stems removed)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil
  
• 1 cup quinoa
• large handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
  
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
  
• small handful fresh parsley, chopped
  
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• salt and pepper
• sesame oil
• juice of one lemon

• rinse the quoina.
• cook the quinoa: boil 2 cups of water and then add 1 cup of quinoa and some salt. cover and turn temperature to a simmer. cook about 15 minutes, until the water has been absorbed, the quinoa has turned translucent in color. remove from heat, let sit for a few minutes then fluff with a fork. next time i will be using my rice cooker for this.
• while the quinoa cooks, sautee your green with the garlic and some olive oil.
• combine quinoa, greens, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, red pepper, and parsley.
  
• add sesame oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
• serve warm, room temperature or cold!
  

wheat-free strawberry dumpling (csa week 2)

subtitle: a dessert to rock your socks off--seriously!

it really pays to stay on top of the food blogs. especially one of my favorites, thekitchn; i've mentioned it on more than one occasion. in this particular instance, a recipe review of gourmet's strawberry dumpling caught my eye. it looked so good, simple, and seemed like the perfect use for my overabundance of csa strawberries. what's more, this week's strawberries weren't particularly sweet, so i hadn't gobbled them all up plain quite yet. it seemed much better to use them in a recipe that would enhance their flavor and sweetness.

so this recipe is sort of obvious in a few ways. by that, i mean that it makes complete sense and once you understand it, it's one of those method things that you could apply to almost any food. how, you ask? forget the strawberries, use your favorite berries. or go with all stone fruits. or, hell, i bet it would work with apples as well. or let's get really crazy, and go back to the dumpling roots. now we're on a completely different page but in addition to the classic chicken and dumplings, you could make this with any vegetables you wanted (no meat necessary).

don't be scared by the way it looks here. we can't all be as beautiful as gourmet magazine. that and my nectarine and spelt additions made the colors much more, shall we say, earthy??? i made a couple of minor modifications to the recipe below. first, i used a combo of strawberries and nectarines because i happened to have a nectarine on hand. second was using low fat milk instead of whole. and i'm glad i did. i'm not into the super rich dairy items (hence the froyo preference) and i really don't think that this negatively impacted the dumplings. the whole dessert is so good and substantial but not too heavy that i was glad the dumplings didn't feel like they were going to sink to the bottom of my stomach. that and spelt tends to be a little denser, so i figure they canceled each other out. i even plan on trying soy next time.


strawberry (or any other kind) dumpling

• 1 quart strawberries, trimmed and thickly sliced (about 4 cups)--or any other combination of fruit of your choosing!
• 2/3 cup sugar (you certainly don't have to use this much. adjust according to how sweet your fruit is)
• 1 cup spelt flour (or your preferred gluten-free baking mix)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup milk (the original recipe calls for whole; i used low-fat)

• stir together strawberries and sugar in a 4-qt heavy saucepan and let stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 15 minutes. bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. blend in butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. stir in milk until just blended, then add mixture to boiling berries and stir once or twice (thekitchn recommended just dropping the dough in on top and not stirring, which is what i did). tightly cover saucepan and reduce heat to low.
• cook, undisturbed, until dumpling looks dry on top, 15 to 18 minutes. let stand off heat, uncovered, 5 minutes before serving.
• serve with heavy cream, vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, regular yogurt--something creamy. or not.
  

gluten-free microwave cookies

there's nothing like a move to delay blogging/cooking/eating at home. for the past week (ok, more) i've been engulfed in moving type activities. when i finally got into the new apartment with my stuff (saturday), the knowledge that the gas wouldn't be turned on for four more days was almost more than i could handle. let's just take a moment to praise the housing market crash for its overabundance of leftover new buildings that cannot be filled. and therefore, people like me, get to rent units in them for a bargain price and more importantly, to experience NEW AND WONDERFUL KITCHEN APPLIANCES. in any case, the important part for you to take away from all of this is that i have a beautiful, full size stove and oven at my disposal. that means 4 working burners. not one, not two...you get the point. no more mini new york kitchen stove for me! i'm ready to get cooking! however, that was not in the cards.

after this rather traumatic weekend moving experience--to sum it up: it involved two "movers" who turned out to be weak high school students, an amazing part time boxer/mover who saved my life, and an angry landlord knocking on the door of my old apartment while i frantically cleaned and painted--The Baker decided i needed her to come over and make me cookies to help recoup. (isn't it awesome how i have all of these baker friends?! i suggest you try it.) so The Baker came over to make cookies but alas, we couldn't use the oven. that left just two things: the microwave and the george foreman.

i can hear my mom now, "blasphemy! you can't make cookies in the microwave!" another baker...go figure...but here's the thing, i really needed those cookies. and there didn't seem to be any reason to think that it would be a complete disaster. who doesn't eat the cookie dough? so what could you possibly do to it to make it taste bad??!!

our cookie dough of choice was The Baker's own goober puff. now you may know that i'm not so into blogging out my friends favorite recipes. they are theirs to do with what they wish. so i'm just going to tell you that i really think this method would work with any cookie dough (just to note: ours was wheat/gluten-free and on the firmer side) and you can read the tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe below.

no gas cookie method number 1: the microwave
a warning here: these cookies will not look like they've been cooked (you know that whole microwave cooks from the inside out and is incapable of browning thing). they seemed a bit on the drier side the first time we did them. 30 seconds on a greased plate in my new powerful microwave seemed to be just right. still a bit on the drier side which gave them a muffin like texture.

no gas cookie method number 2: the george foreman (and they totally doubted me on this one. just for the record.)
grilled cookies?! YUM! these ones got crusty on the outside and were still moist on the inside. the george automatically smooshes the dough down pretty evenly which makes for a lovely cookie.


the goober puff uses a combination of almond flour and oats. find almond flour recipes here.
or:

ye olde faithful nestle toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe

• 1 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (i, of course, use spelt)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (recipe says to split the regular sugar and brown sugar evenly but i like a little extra brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large eggs
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  

• preheat oven to 375° f.
• cream butter and sugar.
• add egg and vanilla, mix well.
• mix in flour, baking soda and salt until combined.
• stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
• bake tablespoon sized drops of batter for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
  

flourless peanut butter cookies

while we're on the subject of flourless cookies (i swear, HOW did i not know about this stuff?!) here's another one for you! and let me just reiterate that i'm totally into this flourless cookie thing because they also happen to not contain a great deal of added fats, so i can feel pretty awesome about eating them.

so apparently, these flourless peanut butter cookies have been an internet sensation for quite some time but i didn't discover them until a recent thekitchn post. these cookies are dangerously easy to make and quite yummy. if you don't like peanut butter, these might not be the cookies for you. a couple of pointers when making these cookies:

1. don't smush them down too flat! i may or may not have done this and some of my cookies turned out rather biscuit like (not necessarily a bad thing). if you leave them a bit thicker, you'll get a chewy center. mmmm.
2. i added chocolate chips to some of the tops of mine. definitely recommended: peanut butter and chocolate, you just can't go wrong.

sensational peanut butter cookies (from thekitchn)
makes 18 cookies

• 1 cup peanut butter (ALWAYS natural chunky peanut butter. i also happened to use salted because that's what i had, which was fine, but i wouldn't necessarily recommend it).
• 3/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• additional sugar for rolling

• preheat oven to 375.
• mix all the ingredients up in a bowl. roll walnut-sized pieces into balls and roll balls in the additional sugar.
  
• place on a parchment-lined (or foil-whatever you have) baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern.
  
• push chocolate chips into dough
  
• bake for 10 minutes. remove and let cool before removing from baking sheet.

flourless chocolate cookies at café angelique

isn't it amazing when you discover something you should have already known about? this is precisely what happened to me last weekend when my blood sugar took a dangerous dip and the search for caffeine got desperate. sadly, it always seems to be my mother that witnesses these episodes (saint that she is). "i think there's a place around this corner," i gasped. moments later, we walked into cafe angelique in soho. the last thing i expected to find was a flourless chocolate cookie. seriously, how did i never know such a cookie existed?!

and what a cookie it was...these ones were very plump and tall, crispy on the outside and dense and fudgy on the inside. serious chocolate hit. walnuts provided a good chocolate contrast and additional crunchiness. chocoholics unite! even more surprising was the simplicity of the core ingredients: egg whites, cocoa, sugar, and walnuts. so, they were practically healthy! and at $2.50 each, almost a bargain.


here's a recipe to try from nymag (although i haven't attempted it yet, so no guarantees here).

françois payard’s flourless chocolate-walnut cookies (courtesy of nymag.com)

• 2 3/4 cups walnut halves
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• preheat oven to 350. spread the walnut halves on a large-rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 9 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant.
  
• let cool slightly, then transfer the walnut halves to a work surface and coarsely chop them.
• position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and lower temperature to 320. line two large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• in a large bowl, whisk (or combine in an electric mixer on low speed) the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder and salt followed by the chopped walnuts. While whisking (or once you change the speed to medium), add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened (do not overbeat or it will stiffen).
  
• spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds, and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking.
  
• slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto 2 wire racks. let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

starbucks valencia orange cake - gluten-free!

alright everyone, here it is: the gluten-free cake promised by starbucks. for the record, the spring st. soho starbucks was out of them when i wandered over at 11:00. my valiant coworker and i trekked on in the rain to soho's number 2 starbucks on broadway and broome. victory! the cake was proudly displayed in the pastry shelf. at $1.95, it seemed like starbucks was dishing out bargains. ahem. i mean, valencia orange cakes.

it seems that this gluten-free cake stemmed from what i will call starbucks' grassroots marketing attempt. the site provides a forum for customer feedback where one of the hot topics became gluten-free offerings. the site introduced a voting option and it seems that this spread around the gluten-free community like wildfire!

the ingredients are pretty simple: eggs, orange pulp, almonds, sugar, orange peel, gluten-free baking powder, and orange oil. at 290 calories, 140 calories from fat and 16g of fat, this is certainly not any healthy alternative. HOWEVER, i am hoping that since almonds are one of the main ingredients, this is the type of fat you can feel good about. riiiight....the cake does come individually wrapped "for gluten-free goodness" as declared on the package. "you wouldn't even know it's gluten-free!" i exclaimed, overtaken by the cute cake's moist and spongy texture. "yes, yes you would," sighed my valiant coworker. we agreed that the cake had a texture rather corn bread like (not necessarily in a bad way) but after my initial excitement wore off, i was slightly disappointed by the cake's lack of flavor. the moral of the story here is that i'm not expecting everyone to go crazy over this cake but it's pretty awesome that this is a readily available starbucks product.