Monday, April 21, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
I feel all proper. And like I need tea. Epic amounts of tea.
Ah baking. You with your exact measurements (that I usually alter anyway), long times in the oven (come on come on come on comeoncomeon!!!), and oh-so-satisfying results (mmmm....warm doughiness). I must submit to the muses when they call, and call they did recently!
I saw a recipe for Olive and Rosemary Scones whilst in my local bookstore. Rather than buy the whole hefty cookbook with funds I needed to save (to buy other things for the kitchen, duh), I took a not-so-discreet photo of the recipe in its entirety, and one quick trip to the store to purchase Kalamata olives later I was ready to try something I hadn't made before.
A note about scone dough: it is sticky. Very sticky. So very incredibly sticky that I had to wash my hands in flour three times to finally get it all off.
See after combining all the ingredients except the olives in the food processor, you're supposed to turn the dough out on a "lightly" floured surface and fold the coarsely chopped olives in. Easier said than done...
I had to spread piles of flour all over the dough, my hands, and the counter, and it still left a good handful stuck behind when I moved a slightly misshapen round to the baking sheet. I scooped up as much as I can, gingerly patted it onto the sheet, and sliced it. Yes, as dough. You cut it like you would any other thing (except with the knife having to be dipped in flour every two inches or so), but just leave it all touching on the sheet. It actually made the finished product SO easy to break apart.
Enough talking - slice of finished product:
It is so soft, yet quite dense. Even now, a few days later, it's still moist. You can kind of see how it would just come apart thanks to the pre-slicing. I liked the flavor combination of the salty olives and savory rosemary too. Perfect for breakfast or snacking really.
I saw a recipe for Olive and Rosemary Scones whilst in my local bookstore. Rather than buy the whole hefty cookbook with funds I needed to save (to buy other things for the kitchen, duh), I took a not-so-discreet photo of the recipe in its entirety, and one quick trip to the store to purchase Kalamata olives later I was ready to try something I hadn't made before.
A note about scone dough: it is sticky. Very sticky. So very incredibly sticky that I had to wash my hands in flour three times to finally get it all off.
See after combining all the ingredients except the olives in the food processor, you're supposed to turn the dough out on a "lightly" floured surface and fold the coarsely chopped olives in. Easier said than done...
I had to spread piles of flour all over the dough, my hands, and the counter, and it still left a good handful stuck behind when I moved a slightly misshapen round to the baking sheet. I scooped up as much as I can, gingerly patted it onto the sheet, and sliced it. Yes, as dough. You cut it like you would any other thing (except with the knife having to be dipped in flour every two inches or so), but just leave it all touching on the sheet. It actually made the finished product SO easy to break apart.
Enough talking - slice of finished product:
It is so soft, yet quite dense. Even now, a few days later, it's still moist. You can kind of see how it would just come apart thanks to the pre-slicing. I liked the flavor combination of the salty olives and savory rosemary too. Perfect for breakfast or snacking really.
Next time I make this, I'm going to increase the sugar and try strawberries with either rosemary or sweet basil. I can almost taste them now...
Monday, January 20, 2014
Oh em gee FOOOOOD!!!!
Alternate title: Why I will never become a Calvin Klein Model.
When I'm stressed, I like to cook (or clean things if there's nothing to cook). When I relax and get happier, I like to eat. After I eat, I feel I should work out to make it worth it. Then I get stressed again.
Repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
In the past week or so, I've been a teensy bit more stressed than usual. Working out has helped immensely, and it makes me feel good. However nothing makes me feel great like going into the kitchen and cooking. Thus these creations came about:
Dessert came about because I wanted to experiment with baking something different. So I settled on peanut butter cookies....sort of.
These are a standard peanut butter cookie recipe divided in half, with one half getting peanut butter, as normal, and the other half getting Nutella instead. I then chilled the doughs to make it workable, pressed them together, rolled it all up, and sliced. Some I rolled into balls to make swirly, while others were left in the cut form, producing spirals.
They spread out a little more than I would have liked. I might need to increase the flour (although the dough was already so thick the little motor on my ancient hand beater was whining alarmingly), or decrease the butter.Either way they are amazing. And I have that independently confirmed from external sources as well! Stress, you have been defeated for now. Until we meet again, I shall stay ever vigilant, my knives well-sharpened.
When I'm stressed, I like to cook (or clean things if there's nothing to cook). When I relax and get happier, I like to eat. After I eat, I feel I should work out to make it worth it. Then I get stressed again.
Repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
In the past week or so, I've been a teensy bit more stressed than usual. Working out has helped immensely, and it makes me feel good. However nothing makes me feel great like going into the kitchen and cooking. Thus these creations came about:
Over the holidays, I had a wonderful meal prepared for me of pork loin with a cranberry-balsamic-rosemary sauce. This is my recreation of that, and I must say I pulled it off! Cheesy polenta (a new near-constant craving of mine) and roasted cauliflower rounded out the meal. So. Good.
These are a standard peanut butter cookie recipe divided in half, with one half getting peanut butter, as normal, and the other half getting Nutella instead. I then chilled the doughs to make it workable, pressed them together, rolled it all up, and sliced. Some I rolled into balls to make swirly, while others were left in the cut form, producing spirals. They spread out a little more than I would have liked. I might need to increase the flour (although the dough was already so thick the little motor on my ancient hand beater was whining alarmingly), or decrease the butter.Either way they are amazing. And I have that independently confirmed from external sources as well! Stress, you have been defeated for now. Until we meet again, I shall stay ever vigilant, my knives well-sharpened.Monday, January 13, 2014
I LIIIIIIIVE!!! (and coooooook!!!!)
I realize that this hiatus has been rather long, and I'd like to apologize.
Between travel season for work, Holidays: Round 1 (Thanksgiving), crazy work stuff, Holidays: Round 2 (Xmas w/partner's family), Holidays: Round 3 (Xmas w/my family), Holidays: Round 4 (Xmas/New Years w/more of partner's family), and finally back to work, my time in the kitchen has been a little lacking.
HOWEVER!
It is a New Year. Resolutions be damned - I'm focusing on me this year. Getting healthy, finding my passions, taking time to just sip a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise...and of course cooking all the time! In addition, Santa Clause was VERY good to me in terms of kitchen supplies:
Between travel season for work, Holidays: Round 1 (Thanksgiving), crazy work stuff, Holidays: Round 2 (Xmas w/partner's family), Holidays: Round 3 (Xmas w/my family), Holidays: Round 4 (Xmas/New Years w/more of partner's family), and finally back to work, my time in the kitchen has been a little lacking.
HOWEVER!
It is a New Year. Resolutions be damned - I'm focusing on me this year. Getting healthy, finding my passions, taking time to just sip a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise...and of course cooking all the time! In addition, Santa Clause was VERY good to me in terms of kitchen supplies:
- Food Processor (yaaaaaaaay!)
- Silpat (silicone baking mat - cookies never burn again!)
- Citrus Zester
- New set of knives
- Wooden Spoons
- Cutting boards
- Stock pot
- Cookbooks!!!!!!
So I will be using all these goodies and more to create some fun culinary adventures. Please do stay tuned - I promise it's worth it!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Oh I'm fancy!
I went wild and crazy and oh so fancy with this one.
Rolled pesto and cheese chicken breast with orzo pasta. Mmmm mmm good!
And yes, before you ask, those are toothpicks in the breast. I'd suggest taking them out before you try to eat, but hey - I'm a fan of natural selection.(NOTE: In no way do I encourage you to try to eat this with the toothpick in. Please remove before eating. I am not responsible for any stupidity/choking/death on your part. Ooo my first disclaimer!)The chicken was baked with pesto and mozzarella in the middle, drizzled with olive oil and a touch of balsamic. Nice and moist all the way through. I sautéed the orzo with onions and garlic and diced red peppers, simmered with chicken stock. Nice theme running through the meal, wouldn't ya say?I felt fancy making and eating this - t'was rather fun! Now off to fricassee something. Dunno what it means, but it's the fanciest term I could think up on the spot...
Rolled pesto and cheese chicken breast with orzo pasta. Mmmm mmm good!
And yes, before you ask, those are toothpicks in the breast. I'd suggest taking them out before you try to eat, but hey - I'm a fan of natural selection.(NOTE: In no way do I encourage you to try to eat this with the toothpick in. Please remove before eating. I am not responsible for any stupidity/choking/death on your part. Ooo my first disclaimer!)The chicken was baked with pesto and mozzarella in the middle, drizzled with olive oil and a touch of balsamic. Nice and moist all the way through. I sautéed the orzo with onions and garlic and diced red peppers, simmered with chicken stock. Nice theme running through the meal, wouldn't ya say?I felt fancy making and eating this - t'was rather fun! Now off to fricassee something. Dunno what it means, but it's the fanciest term I could think up on the spot...
Monday, October 14, 2013
For some other light reading
Dr. Ken Albala is a wonderful man and a true genius when it comes to food. He taught the course "The Global History of Food" while I was an undergrad and I just loved it. I wrote my final paper on cannibalism. 'Cause why not?
His own blog is wonderful and insightful and chock-full of delicious-looking foods. I aspire to one day cook many of the things he describes. Though my slight obsession with making sure things are done right takes occasional issue with his "some of this and a little of that" approach (but that's probably more to do with experience).
Anyhoo to tide y'all over until I get back in the kitchen, enjoy kenalbala.blogspot.com
Cheers!
His own blog is wonderful and insightful and chock-full of delicious-looking foods. I aspire to one day cook many of the things he describes. Though my slight obsession with making sure things are done right takes occasional issue with his "some of this and a little of that" approach (but that's probably more to do with experience).
Anyhoo to tide y'all over until I get back in the kitchen, enjoy kenalbala.blogspot.com
Cheers!
Friday, October 11, 2013
So very very busy....
Sorry for the lack of foodstuffs lately. I do have this real-world job that, for some crazy reason, insists I come in at regular times and do work and stuff.
They do sign my paycheck, which does allow me to buy nommy things for creating meals, so I guess I'd better appease them. Currently I'm out on the road a lot, and it looks like that's how it's going to be til about mid-November.
I have a few things in the queue that I'll post, but it'll be crickets around here for a while
(Side note: for some reason I've always wanted to try crickets... chocolate-covered of course. Heard they taste ok...)
Whilst on the road, if I come across any tasty dishes in restaurants, I'll be sure to tempt you all with lovely iPhone photos.
Then of course come back and try to replicate them, to make you drool even more!
Cheers and happy cooking!
They do sign my paycheck, which does allow me to buy nommy things for creating meals, so I guess I'd better appease them. Currently I'm out on the road a lot, and it looks like that's how it's going to be til about mid-November.
I have a few things in the queue that I'll post, but it'll be crickets around here for a while
(Side note: for some reason I've always wanted to try crickets... chocolate-covered of course. Heard they taste ok...)
Whilst on the road, if I come across any tasty dishes in restaurants, I'll be sure to tempt you all with lovely iPhone photos.
Then of course come back and try to replicate them, to make you drool even more!
Cheers and happy cooking!
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