Brussels Sprouts with Aged Provolone and Toasted Pecans

Every once in a while accidental kitchen magic happens. It usually seems to happen on those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking, or realize at 6PM that you have totally forgotten about dinner, and you must rummage through your pantry and refrigerator in the hope that, please God, there is something edible that you can quickly throw together….This recipe was born of one of these nights: I had little more than a bag of Brussels sprouts and a hunk of cheese in the fridge. We also happen to have two big, beautiful pecan trees in our back yard that have been dropping literally hundreds of nuts around our house. And so, out of necessity came this dish, but I am not exaggerating when I say kitchen magic…this totally knocked my socks off…

This recipe is so simple I almost feel guilty posting this; but it’s too delicious not to share. This is one side dish I will definitely be voting in to make an appearance at our Thanksgiving table this year, and is tasty enough to win over even sprout-haters and picky eaters. *If you are a meat-eater a little pancetta or bacon added to the cheese topping would be sublime…

Ingredients:

– 2 Tbsp. butter, divided in half

– 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

– 1 lb. Brussels sprouts

– 1/4 c. vegetable stock, or water

– 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

– Salt and pepper to taste

– 1/2 c. grated aged provolone (Parmesan or Romano would also work really well)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet melt first tablespoon of butter

2. Add chopped nuts to butter and sautee, stirring frequently

3. While nuts are toasting, chop your sprouts. Sprouts should be cut thin; you can use a mandolin if you like, but I simply cut the sprouts down the middle and then julienned the halves

4. Add second tablespoon of butter to skillet

5. Once butter is melted add sprouts to skillet. Sautee 2-3 minutes.

6. Add stock to pan and allow to cook 5-10 minutes, until sprouts are softened but still green and toothsome. Stir often

7. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper

8. Place sprouts and nuts into a casserole dish, top evenly with the grated cheese and set under the broiler in your oven 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly

9. Serve immediately

“Creamy” Cilantro-Lime Dressing

This is a delicious and summery vegan dressing that can not only be used for salads, but is also fantastic as a marinade, as a sandwich topping, or as a dip for fresh vegetables. Plus, its “creaminess” comes from pureed tofu so this dressing packs a little protein punch too!

Ingredients:

Yield: Approximately 1 cup of dressing

– Juice from one lime (about 1/8 c.)

– 2 Tbsp. white vinegar

– 1 dash each cumin, coriander, and cayenne

– 1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed

– 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

– 3 oz. (usually 1/4 block) firm tofu

– Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor combine lime juice, vinegar, seasonings, and cilantro. Blend well.

2. While blending slowly add your olive oil — it is very important to do this slowly so that the dressing can emulsify.

3. Transfer dressing to a separate container and rinse blender

4. In your cleaned blender combine the tofu with about 3 Tbsp. of water. Blend until smooth — you may have to add a little bit of water, check the consistency

5. Mix the pureed tofu into the cilantro-lime dressing. Serve. Will keep in a covered container for about one week.

Curried Lentil Burgers

I am a sucker for a good vegetarian burger. This Curried Lentil Burger is about as good as it gets as far as I’m concerned; vegan and versatile. This is my own recipe, and it is really easy and pretty quick to make; and super good for you too!

Ingredients:

Yields 6 6oz. burgers

– 3 ounces (1/4 block) firm tofu

– 1 c. red lentils

– 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

– 1/2 c. diced yellow onion

– 1/2 c. shredded or finely diced carrots

– 1 Tbsp. minced ginger

– 1 Tbsp. curry powder

– 1 tsp. cayenne

– 1/4 tsp. cumin

– 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

– 1/4 c. fine breadcrumbs

– Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place tofu into a blender or food processor with 3 Tbsp. water. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

2. Place lentils in a medium-sized saucepan with 2 1/2 c. water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and all water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

3. While lentils are cooking sautee onions in oil in a large pan until translucent, about 5 minutes

4. Add carrots to onions and sautee another 3-5 minutes

5. Add ginger and spices, sautee for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

6. In a large bowl combine seasoned vegetables, lentils, tofu, flour, and bread crumbs. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

7. Once cool enough for you to handle (you can place the bowl into the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up this process), form evenly into patties

8. Place patties on a foil lined, greased baking sheet, brush with oil of cooking spray and broil for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and just beginning to crisp

Serve on a bun with your favorite fixings, stuffed into a pita, with jasmine or coconut rice, or use it to top a salad. We had ours over a bed of spring greens, fresh herbs, and tomatoes, topped with radish sprouts and my “Creamy” Cilantro-Lime Dressing. YUM!!!

Mushroom Pot Pie with Port Gravy

On Saturday I took my daughter, Harriet, the farmer’s market here in Charleston. I love farmer’s markets, and wish that we had more of them, but navigating your way through the throngs of oblivious people while avoiding being tripped by a dog leash or run over by a double-wide stroller is often enough to sap my motivation to go. Also frustrating are the often outrageous prices for produce that may or may not actually be organic and local….I don’t mean to bash farmer’s markets: I really do love them, and think it’s important to support local farms and food purveyors, but the one in Charleston could certainly stand some improvements….

Regardless of my complaints and the brain-melting heat, Harriet and I actually had a lovely time wandering the market, and found some really amazing things. We bought a basket of locally grown Asian Pears, which were crisp and juicy and mind-blowingly delicious. We also got fresh peaches and gold cherry tomatoes. But our best find was the Mepkin Abbey oyster mushrooms. (Mepkin Abbey is a community of Trappist Catholic monks here in South Carolina, and they grow THE most amazing oyster mushrooms.)

Usually when I get Mepkin mushrooms I just sautee them with some butter or olive oil and salt, but this time I wanted to do something really special with them to showcase their amazing flavor. I love baking so making mushroom pie seemed like the obvious way to go. Pot pies are so easy to make, and so delicious and comforting — they always remind me of being a kid. The port gravy elevates this a bit, so it’s more sophisticated than your typical pot pie. If you don’t have port, you could substitute a dry red or even a white wine, but nothing quite compliments the flavor of mushrooms the way port does, in my opinion. If you are a meat eater, chicken would be an excellent addition to this, but I think that the meatiness of the mushrooms makes this plenty substantial on its own. Similarly, you can use any kind of mushrooms you have available, and could also swap out the peas and spinach for any vegetable you prefer, or simply omit them and make this a straight mushroom pie….

Ingredients:

– 1 Perfect Pie Crust,* or two store-bought crusts

– 1/2 c. butter, or butter substitute such as Earth Balance for a vegan pie

– 1 lb. fresh mushrooms (I used 1/2 oyster and 1/2 cremini)

– 3/4 c. frozen peas

– 2 c. loosely packed fresh spinach

– 1 vidalia or other yellow onion, diced

– 1/4 c. flour

– 1  c. vegetable stock**

– 1/2 c. ruby port

– 1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme, or 1 Tbsp. fresh

– Salt and Pepper to taste

*Reduce sugar in recipe to 1 Tbsp.

** You can buy vegetable stock in any grocery store but I like to make my own — every time I cook with vegetables I save the trimmings in a large plastic bag in the freezer. Before long I have a bag full of asparagus ends, leek bulbs, broccoli stalks, etc. To make stock, simply put all of your veggie bits into a large pot, cover completely in water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until liquid is reduced by half

Directions:

1. Trim, wash, and dry mushrooms

2. In a large saucepan melt 1/4 c. butter (substitute) over medium-low heat

3. Add mushrooms and gently sautee until they are browned and softened

4. Add peas and spinach and cook until spinach is just barely wilted

5. Salt and pepper to taste

6. Transfer vegetables to a heat-proof bowl and set aside

7. Return saucepan to stove, turn heat up to medium and add remaining 1/4 c. butter (substitute)

8. Add diced onion and sautee in butter until translucent

9. Add flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes

10. Slowly add stock while stirring, creating a thick gravy

11. Add port and stir well

12. Add thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat

13. Add vegetables to gravy and mix well

14. Preheat oven to 425F

15. Fit 1/2 of your pie crust (or 1 whole crust if using store-bought) into the bottom of a 9” pie pan or similarly sized casserole dish, making sure that some of the crust overhangs the edges of the dish

16. Fill bottom crust with vegetable-gravy mixture

17. Carefully place second half of pie crust over the top, pinching the edges of the dough to seal together

18. Use a knife to cut the top so that heat can escape (and your pie doesn’t explode in the oven!)

19. Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown

20. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving

This is a hearty entree, but could certainly be made to be served as a side dish. I think it is perfect on its own, served with a little salad (and a glass of wine!). I made a little salad with the gold cherry tomatoes I got at the farmer’s market, with avocado, red onion, and some tangy feta….

Delicious!

Caramel Custard Bread Pudding

Its going to be difficult for me to describe just how delicious this is without using expletives…..Let’s just say that this is the kind of thing that you may want to eat in private because there will probably be sufficient eye-fluttering and moaning to cause some embarrassment in mixed company. It’s what would happen if creme brulee, caramel, and French toast had a menage a trois…Yeah, it’s that good…

I never liked sweets. Given the choice of a cheese plate or popcorn (or a cocktail) versus dessert, the savory option would win every time. And then I got pregnant. Aside from wanting to put cream cheese on everything, I also craved sugar. Hard core. There was a key lime pie phase, a lemon bar phase, a chocolate-raspberry truffle phase, a peanut brittle phase, and a cinnamon ice cream phase. Not that I was turning down any other sweets available amidst the cravings….I had assumed that once my daughter was born the cravings, and the sweet tooth, would go away. Incorrect. It seems that the sweet tooth that was neglected for so many years is here to stay, and wants to make up for lost time…

Now, despite my newfound love of all things dessert, I’ve never been a big fan of bread pudding; but, my sweet, wonderful sister recently brought me some amazing local eggs and raw milk from the farm she works on, and I wanted to put them to good use.

(Quick note: Sea Island Eggs are a much-coveted Charleston delicacy. Known locally as “Celeste Eggs” they are found on the menus of all of the best local restaurants. Why? Because they are delicious — nothing like the eggs you find in the grocery store. Next time you’re at your local farmer’s market, see if you can find a local egg purveyor. You’ll never be able to go back to supermarket eggs again, I promise.) I also just baked a loaf of bread yesterday, so putting the eggs, milk, and bread together for an easy dessert seemed like a no-brainer, but how to make it more appealing was another question entirely. I considered strawberries briefly — and then, out of nowhere, it hit me: caramel.

One of my favorite sweet things in the world is caramel. I LOVE caramel. Like, love it the way peanut butter loves jelly, like Ricky loves Lucy (bad analogy: my love for caramel is waaaay more affectionate), like a fat kid loves cake…or caramel for that matter… Eating caramel is an other-worldly experience, but for all of the complexity of its flavor it is astonishingly simple to make: milk (or cream), butter, brown sugar. That’s it — three simple ingredients. For this recipe the milk, butter, and sugar are all baked together with the bread, rather than separately making a caramel sauce, so it’s just about as easy as could possibly be.

Ingredients:

Yields 6-8 servings

– 2 2/3 c.  whole milk

– 1/4 c. butter

– 1 c. brown sugar, plus 2 Tbsp.

– 3 eggs

– 1 tsp. vanilla

– 1/4 tsp. salt

– 3 c. cubed (about 1”) day-old bread — use the rest of that baguette left over from last night’s dinner, or some crusty French bread, or use my easy recipe to bake your own, but don’t use pre-sliced sandwich bread — your results will be disappointing

– 1/4 tsp. vanilla

– 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cut bread into cubes, removing crusts

2. Toast bread briefly under broiler, until crisp. I tossed mine in about a tablespoon of melted butter, but it’s not necessary

3. Set oven to 350F

4. Scald milk*

*Scalding milk is not a common practice anymore. It used to be crucial when baking, but now that our milk is pretty much all pasteurized there’s not the same concern about bacteria. However, when working with breads it is a good idea to scald your milk to keep the bread fluffy. To scald milk:

– Heat milk over medium-low heat

– Stir frequently

– Cook until just beginning to bubble and steam, but DO NOT boil

– Remove from heat

5. Add butter to scalded milk and let cool

6. Add two eggs, plus one egg yolk to one cup of the brown sugar. Mix well.

7. Place bread cubes in a greased bread tin or a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish

8. Add cooled milk to egg/sugar mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Mix well.

9. Pour liquid mixture over bread cubes

10. Sprinkle cinnamon and remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar over top of bread

11. Set casserole/bread tin in a pan containing about 2” of water

12. Bake in oven at 350F for 50 minutes or until a skewer or knife inserted into the center comes out clean

* Be very careful removing the pan from the oven! That water is HOT — strain it carefully into the sink before attempting to remove your casserole or bread tin from the pan.

Serve warm or cold.

I was kicking myself for not having any vanilla ice cream or whipped cream in the house — that would have been unbelievable. I topped it instead with a little bit of powdered sugar and a splash of raw milk. So good I had two pieces and had to stop myself from eating more…

It also occurred to me that adding chopped apple, pear, or banana into this would be absolutely insane. In a good way. Or chunks of dark chocolate?!? Craziness! It might be too much to handle…

Adapted from Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

How to Make Your Own Shampoo

I’ve been wanting to try making my own shampoo for a while now: finally the monster pump bottle we had been using for what seems like the past year ran out! As much as I like to try to make everything from scratch, with an increasingly mobile almost-one-year-old wobbling every which way around the house, I was definitely not going to be messing around with lye. That’s just me though, if you want to mess around with the hard stuff, I commend you, and here’s a link to get you started. So, I guess you could say this is the cheater’s version of homemade shampoo….

Cheater’s version or not, making shampoo this way is not only better for you (no chemicals), and better for the environment, but it’s fun too! Plus, you can customize your shampoo to make your very own scent — at the end of this post I’ll include some information on aromatherapy, but you can use anything from cooking extracts, to tea bags, to citrus peels and slices of fruit, to dried herbs and spices. Or, you can get creative combining essential oils — health food stores usually have a wide variety to choose from. I made one bottle of peppermint shampoo for daytime use, and one bottle of calming, nighttime shampoo with lavender, chamomile, and rose oil. (Both are baby-friendly too!)

As far as cost goes, you’re probably not saving that much money in all honesty, depending on which shampoo you usually buy. I mean, you can’t really beat a bottle of VO5 for $0.99 price-wise….But I’m going to assume that you’re reading this page because, like me, you don’t want to be lathering your hair with chemicals, and maybe also enjoy the process of making things yourself and breaking dependence on large corporations…. In that case, here’s the cost breakdown: I purchased one 32 ounce bottle of unscented liquid castile soap (this can also be used for making laundry detergent, by the way…) for $10, which seems to be about average price-wise.

If I use this castile soap exclusively to make shampoo, using this recipe, I will be able to make eight 8oz bottles of  shampoo. So, that’s $1.25 per bottle of organic, custom-made shampoo. As a point of reference, one 8oz. bottle of Rainforest Shine Shampoo from The Body Shop costs $4.00 (but The Body Shop’s Ginger Shampoo costs $10.00 per 8oz), an 8oz. bottle of Organics Shampoos cost $5.50 on average (as do the confusingly similar Organix shampoos), and Burt’s Bees averages about $8.00. And 80z of homemade shampoo can easily be found for upwards of $15.00 on etsy.com and from other smaller purveyors. So, yeah, if you want the organic, good-for-you, good-for-the-planet stuff, you will definitely save money making your own…And it’s super easy!

What You Will Need:

Yields one 8oz bottle, but recipe can be multiplied for larger batches

– 4 ounces of unscented liquid castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s, Desert Essence, or Dr. Woods

– 4 ounces distilled water

– 1 teaspoon of coconut, jojoba, avocado, grapeseed, or other light natural oil

– essential oil, herbs, tea bags, extract, or whatever you want to scent your shampoo with!

Directions for Shampoo Using Essential Oils or Extracts Only:

1. Mix together castile soap, water, and oil

2. Funnel mixture into an 8oz plastic container

3. Add 15-20 drops of extract or oil into bottle

4. Shake well

Yup, it’s that easy.  Homemade shampoo is a thinner consistency than store-bought however. You need to tilt the bottle directly over your head, but it lathers nicely, cleans well, and will leave your hair light and shiny. I used peppermint extract when I made shampoo with the above recipe. It is a great energizing scent, perfect if you prefer to bathe in the morning. My husband loves this one…

Directions for Shampoo Using Herbs:

Though slightly more complicated than the above recipe, this one’s still pretty foolproof…

1. Boil water

2. Add herbs, flowers, tea bags, leaves, or spices. I used about 1/3 lavender per 1/2 c. water plus two bags of chamomile tea here, but you can use whichever herbs you like. See section below for some notes on aromatherapy and suggested scent combinations

3. Turn heat to low and let just barely simmer for 20 minutes

4. Strain

5. Allow to cool completely

6. Combine herb water with castile soap and oil. Add additional essential oil if desired (I added about 10 drops of rose oil to mine).

7. Funnel into a plastic container and shake well.

As you can see, the lavender imparted a very dark hue to the shampoo — not to worry — it will not effect your hair color. I have very light blond hair, and have seen absolutely no change in my hair color since I started using this shampoo. Your shampoo may come out green, purple, yellow, or brown, depending on which herbs you choose. While chamomile does have a very slight bleaching quality, and hibiscus may augment reds, most herbs will not alter your hair color at all.

Different scents effect us in different ways. Below I have categorized some common scents into some basic categories that I thought may be helpful in determining which ingredients to select for your shampoo:

If you want an energizing shampoo select:

– Peppermint, Ginger, Citrus, Pine, Thyme, Sweet Basil, Eucalyptus, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Green Tea or Thyme

If you prefer a relaxing scent, to help reduce anxiety and promote sleep select:

– Cedarwood, Chamomile, Sandalwood, Cinnamon, Sage, Bergamot, Rose, Neroli, Myrhh, or Marjoram

If you something mood-lifting try:

– Geranium, Ginger, Juniper, Citrus, Mandarin, Nutmeg, Oregano, Rose, Tangerine, Sage

Something comforting:

– Vanilla, Allspice, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Marjoram

Or for something sensual try:

– Ylang-ylang, Jasmine, Sage, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sweet Orange, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Gardenia

Some awesome scent combinations:

Sensual/Exotic: Vanilla + Rose + Cardamom

Relaxing/Comforting: Lavender + Coriander + Rose + Patchouli

Stress banishing: Lavender + Juniper + Orange

Relaxing: Lavender + Rose + Cedarwood

Sensual/Comforting: Rose + Patchouli + Jasmine

Sexytime: Ylang-ylang + Sandalwood + Vanilla

Anti-depression: Lemon + Sweet Orange + Ylang-ylang

Energizing: Rosemary + Peppermint + Holy Basil

Calming/Exotic: Vanilla + Cinnamon + Clove + Cardamom

Make your own shampoo for healthy, chemical-free, shiny, scent-sational hair! If I do say so myself….

Spiced Orange and Fig Preserves

Figs, like dates and apricots, are one of those fruits that many of us are familiar with in its dried form (or its cookie form for those of us who grew up believing that eating sleeves of Fig Newtons was a healthy way to snack), but that we rarely have the opportunity to eat fresh. This is mainly because fig season is so short, but also because figs do not thrive in most places in the States and are extremely perishable.

Moving to the Lowcountry of South Carolina my husband and I were used to the fertile earth and amicable growing conditions of Virginia and our first year here attempted to sow our garden with as little thought to fertilizer and pH levels as we had in previous years. Big mistake. What few plants actually yielded fruit were extremely disappointing: our tomatoes never fully ripened, and even our watermelons were mealy and flavorless. Our sole source of horticultural joy has come from the massive and abundant fig tree in back of our house, which we had absolutely nothing to do with planting…

Fresh figs are incredibly luscious and sweet and are an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and E.  Eating a fresh fig is a study in texture — the toothsome resistance of the skin, velvet juiciness of the flesh, and crunchiness of the seeds. The fig is sensual too, conjuring images of Adam and Eve preserving their modesty only with fig leaves and stands of hair, and when figs become ripe they are purple and swollen and leak a milky substance from their base. I also always think of Hermann Hesse describing Kamala’s lips (in Siddhartha) as being the color of “a freshly cut fig.” What a lovely image….

Anyway (apparently I’m feeling a bit loquacious today), if you can get your hands on fresh figs, do so. They are delicious to snack on, a great way to dress up salads or baked chicken, and are absolutely divine transformed into preserves. This recipe makes a wonderful gift and is a delightful addition to any cheese plate, pairing especially well with funky, robust blues and mellow goat cheeses.

 

Ingredients:

Yields 24 oz. preserves

– One whole orange

– 4 c. fresh, sliced figs

– 4 Tbsp. filtered water

– 1 Tbsp. minced ginger

– 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

– 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

– 1 vanilla bean, scraped (optional)

– 3/4 c. honey

– 2 tsp. fruit pectin*

*Pectin is a thickening agent, usually extracted from citrus fruits or apples and is available in many grocery stores and most health food stores.

 

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse your jars; let stand in hot water. Meanwhile, boil your lids and rings in a large pot to sanitize. Let stand in hot water also.

2. Zest your orange.

3. Chop orange, removing remaining peel, seeds and membrane

4. Remove stems from figs and chop. You do not need to remove skins

5. Place orange, figs, and water in a medium-sized saucepan and cook over low heat

6. Add ginger and spices. Scrape in vanilla, if using. Bring mixture to a boil.

7. Measure out honey. Stir pectin into it, then add mixture to boiling fruit. Stir vigorously for 2 minutes to dissolve pectin.

8. Return to a boil, then remove from heat

9. Remove your jar lid and ring from your large pot and return water to a boil

10. While waiting for water to boil fill your jar(s) to 1/4” of top and wipe clean. Do not overfill or jar will not seal properly.

11. Screw on lid (with ring) tightly. Place jar into boiling water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes. Add 10 minutes boiling time for each additional jar.

12. Remove jar (carefully!) from water. Let cool. Check seal — lid should be sucked down/un-popped.

13. Label and enjoy! Jam should last about 3 weeks once opened.

 

I put one of the jars of preserves in a gift basket I gave to my sister for her birthday, along with a big hunk of blue cheese, a sheep’s milk cheese washed in Prosecco, a goat cheese, fresh pear, toast points, and some baked goods:

I’m a total geek when it comes to birthdays, and a firm believer that nothing can compare to a thoughtful handmade/homemade gift…

 

 

Best Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry pancakes are the perfect lazy Sunday breakfast, though, I would gladly eat these for dinner any night of the week…These pancakes are substantial and yet somehow light at the same time, and showcase one of summer’s best fruits.

 

Ingredients:

Makes about 1 dozen pancakes, depending on size

– 1 c. flour

– 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 2 Tbsp. sugar

– 1 egg, beaten (or 1/4 c. applesauce)

– 1 c. milk (or almond milk) — 1/4 c.  more can be added if you desire thinner pancakes

– 4 Tbsp. melted vegetable shortening or butter

– 3/4 fresh blueberries

*ingredients in parentheses are for vegan recipe

 

Directions:

1. Heat skillet or griddle over medium heat

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar

3. In another bowl, add milk to beaten egg and mix well

4. Stir melted shortening or butter into milk-egg mixture

5. Combine flour and liquids at once and beat until perfectly smooth

6. Fold in blueberries

7. Grease griddle

8. Using a soup ladle or 1/4 measuring cup, pour batter into center of heated pan

9. Bake until you see air bubbles appear on the top of the batter, then flip until both sides are golden brown

10. Continue with remainder of batter

11. Serve immediately with maple syrup, fruit reduction, honey, butter, or jam

12. Enjoy!

Adapted from The Modern Family Cookbook, 1942

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

My brother’s birthday is on Monday. Unfortunately (for me, anyway) he is spending the summer working on Nantucket. So, since I will not be able to celebrate the anniversary of his arrival into this world in-person, I’ve opted instead to send him a care package. Along with road atlases of the American Southwest, Chile, and Mexico, a Moleskin journal, and break-away piece of amazing dark chocolate, I am also sending homemade peanut butter cookies; his favorite. I’m a big fan of the sweet/salty flavor combo, so I decided to add some crushed salted peanuts to my usual recipe. These were delicious! I think next time I’ll try making these using cashew butter and salted cashews….and maybe sprinkling a little sea salt over the top before baking too…

Ingredients:

Makes 2 dozen large cookies

– 2 1/2 c. flour

– 1/2 tsp. baking soda

– 1 tsp. baking powder

– 1 c. butter or butter substitute

– 1 c. sugar

– 1 c. brown sugar

– 2 eggs, beaten (or 1/2 c. applesauce if making vegan)

– 1 c. peanut butter

– 2 tsp. vanilla

– 3/4 c. crushed, salted peanuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Measure flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl

3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter (substitute) and both sugars. Beat until well blended, but not fluffy

4. Add eggs (or applesauce), peanut butter*, and vanilla to creamed sugars

* Tip: To prevent peanut butter from sticking to your measuring cup, spray cup first with a little cooking spray — it minimizes mess and frustration!

5. Add peanut butter mixture to your flour and incorporate fully

6. Add crushed peanuts to dough. I just put my peanuts into a large ziploc bag and used a pestle to crush them…

7. Mix well

8. Using your hands and/or a spoon, roll pieces of the dough to form smooth balls. I made these cookies rather on the large side, but the size you make them is totally up to you

9. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet, with at least 2” between each

10. If desired, press tops of cookies with the tines of a fork to get that old-fashioned PB cookie look

11. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden

12. Let cool on cookie sheet about 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to finish cooling. I find I get the best results when I bake 1 tray at a time…

And, of course, I had to do a taste test before sending these. Delicious!

Decadent Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (with vegan options)

When I asked my stepson, Mason, what dessert he would like for me to make he took the question very seriously. After much conflicted deliberation and mind-changing he decided upon Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. (It was between that and Coconut Cream Pie…so maybe that’s next.) I don’t think I had ever even tasted a real Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (outside of a shot glass, I mean), let alone made one, but after eating a piece of this (okay, more like six pieces…) I am certain I will be making this again. Soon.

Are there things that I would do differently? There are: I would probably make the whole thing from start to finish in a 10” cast iron skillet, so that the pineapple had a chance to caramelize a bit more and have a little more texture; I’d use brown sugar in the pineapple/cornstarch mixture to get a richer, deeper, more caramel-like flavor; I would use pineapple rings in the decorative first layer with the maraschinos to get that classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake look. But regardless of the type of pan it was made in, what kind of sugar I used, or how pretty it was, there is no doubt that this was one darn delicious cake. Not only did my husband say that it was one of his favorite things I have ever made, but nary a crumb was left of it 24-hours later! With only three people in the house… I think it’s safe to say we liked this cake…and that a few pounds were gained between the three of us….

Ingredients:

– 1 c. sugar (or 1/3 c. brown sugar, 2/3 c. white)

– 3 Tbsp. cornstarch

– 20 oz. crushed pineapple

– 2 Tbsp. melted butter or Earth Balance/butter substitute

– 1/2 c. maraschino cherries

– 1 2/3 c. flour

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

– 1/3 c. vegetable shortening

– 2 eggs, beaten (or 1/2 c. applesauce for vegan version)

– 1/2 tsp. vanilla

– 1/2 c. milk (or almond milk for vegan)

Directions:

1. Mix 1/3 c. of sugar with the cornstarch. Add juice drained from the pineapple  (about 3/4 – 1 c.)

2. Cook in a saucepan, stirring constantly until sauce boils and becomes glossy and clear:

3. Add drained pineapple and melted butter/butter substitute. Mix well and remove from heat

4. Drain cherries and arrange in whichever pan you’d like to use. I used a 9” spring-form cake tin, but you could use a large skillet or a regular cake pan, even a casserole dish or bundt tin would work

5. Cover cherries with pineapple mixture

6. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder

7. Cream the shortening with the remaining 2/3 c. sugar and the eggs (or applesauce). Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla.

8. Add the flour mixture and the (almond) milk alternately to the creamed shortening, ending with the flour. Mix well.

9. Pour batter over pineapple, smooth evenly to cover

10. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes. The center of your cake should be golden and barely springy when gently pressed with fingertips

11. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes

12. Turn onto a serving plate and let cool another 10-15 minutes. This part is important — the still hot pineapple juice will seep down into your cake, making it super moist and, well, pineapple-y….This part of the cooling process also allows your pineapple layer to set a bit. I rushed this part; as you may be able to tell from the pictures…

13. Carefully remove pan from cake

14. Serve warm. Do yourself a favor and throw some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream up on this beast….you won’t be disappointed….

Adapted from The Modern Family Cookbook, 1942