Jam Thumbprints with Toasted Coconut, MACARONS by Fançois Payard and World Peace Cookies
In the mood to feel good? Need to unplug for a moment? I can magically make that happen:(1) Read my blog;(2) While still (hopefully) chuckling from Dorie & Ina: The Art of Fierce, drive to to your local theatre to see “La La Land”. If you’re not happy after (1) and (2) then, apparently, you don’t do happy.
EYE to EYE with JULIUS CAESAR at CAESAR’S PALACE.
One afternoon, during the Thanksgiving holiday, my son-in-law asked if I wanted some coffee. It wasn’t 5 o’clock anywhere so coffee sounded like a good substitute. “I’ve got a new cup for you, Mary,” he said as he reached into the cupboard.
He set the “new” cup in front of me. As you can see, it says, FIERCE. Melissa, standing nearby, watched as I morphed into my ‘hurt feelings’ position. You know, head down, shoulders rounded, going mum. Realizing her mother was of a different generation, she jumped in, “Mom, mom, that’s a good thing. It’s a compliment. My friends just gave it to me and we thought you’d like to use it.”
“You mean being a fierce woman is a good thing?” I questioned, somewhat amazed.
“Yessssss,” Missy emphasized. “They – gave – it – to – me – as – a – compliment.”
“It’s good, Grandma” Emma chimed in, with the entire family shaking their heads in agreement. (I knew Clara, who remained silent, was thinking, “Whew, that was close.”)
LA TOUR EIFFEL (FAUX)
ELLEN FAHR (L) AND HER HUSBAND, CHARLIE, WERE OUR FIRST FRIENDS WHEN WE MOVED TO HENDERSON IN 2004. BEST REALTORS EVER. LUNCH, 58 TOUR EIFFEL, PARIS LAS VEGAS
So I’m all over this but discovered via Google I was fiercely ignorant in the urban slang department. The first twisted version of fierce grew up in the 1990s and later evolved into a fashion statement. Six years ago model/television personality Tyra Banks hijacked it and social media went nuts.
I AM ALWAYS RELIEVED WHEN I SPOT ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB’S RESIDENT GREAT BLUE HERON. SUCH A GORGEOUS CREATURE GREETING ME EACH MORNING WHEN I WALK THE “LOOP.”
Today fierce, in its affirmative form, seems to have landed between ‘the combination of a positive mental spirit, bold words and unapologetic actions used collectively’ and women ‘who are on fire and possess too much swag for the common man or woman to handle.’
Take your pick.
“FIORI DI COMO,” THE GLASS SCUPLTURE BY ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE DALE CHIHULY HANGS FROM THE CEILING IN BELLAGIO’S LOBBY. IT IS BREATHTAKING TO SEE, YEAR AFTER YEAR.
EVERY DAY BETWEEN 15,000 TO 20,000 TOURISTS VISIT THE BELLAGIO’S HOTEL-CASINO LOBBY TO SEE CHIHULY’S MAGNIFICENT ART BLOSSOMS.
However you phrase its definition, Baking Icon Dorie Greenspan and renown television personality and author Ina Garten are double-digit fierce. That’s why I’m featuring them and their favorite cookies in today’s post. Both are incredibly hard-working and classy women who, for thirty-some years, have shared their lives and talents with us. This special season is an opportune time to reign glory on Dorie and Ina. Let’s do it.
DORIE GREENSPAN’S 12TH COOKBOOK WILL GARNER SOME AWARDS OF ITS OWN.
The seemingly indefatigable Greenspan, an IACP/James Beard award-winning cookbook author, just published her 12th cookbook. Greenspan was the French Fridays with Dorie guru of our virtual group which cooked through all her recipes in Around My French Table, More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. This week-end I baked her renown World Peace cookies featured on the cookbook’s cover. All recipes below.
Then there’s the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, whose tenth cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey, just hit the bookstores. Having always been an Ina fan, I already own most but am trying to fill in the gaps by haunting favorite used book and thrift stores. Long ago I bookmarked her Jam Thumbprint cookies from her Family Style cookbook. Fun to mix together and a tasty morsel.
OKLAHOMA FOOD-BLOGGING COLLEAGUE & FRIEND, GUYLA MAYO SENT ME HER LATEST JIGSAW PUZZLE SUCCESS. IT’S WINTER AND TIME TO RETURN TO MY MONTHLY JIGSAWS. THANKS GUYLA & GARY.
As I end this post, my last for 2016, I thank you for loyally following my blog. It seems amazing that my subscriber list continues to grow with other readers stopping by occasionally. I appreciate your comments and personal e-mails. Know these two things for sure: 1) I love writing this blog;2) LOBNB’s Readers are FIERCE.
Sending kindness and good wishes to All.
WORLD PEACE COOKIES by Dorie Greenspan, Dorie’s Cookies
Makes about 36 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup BEST-QUALITY unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into irregular sized bits
DIRECTIONS:
1. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.
2. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until soft, creamy and homogenous, about 3 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla.
3. Turn off the mixer, add all the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to start the blending. When the risk of flying flour has passed, turn the mixer to low and beat until the dough forms big, moist curds. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix with beater on low to incorporate. Sometimes the dough is crumbly and sometimes it comes together and cleans the sides of the bowl. Happily, no matter what, the cookies are always great.
4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together, kneading it if necessary to bring it together. Divide the dough in half. Shape the dough into logs that are 11/2 inches in diameter. (Use a ruler for a correct measure.) Don’t worry about the length — get the diameter right, and the length will follow. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and freeze them for at least 2 hours or refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.
5. When you’re ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
6. Working with one log at a time and using a long, sharp knife, slice the dough into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. (The rounds might crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Slide in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. Cut the second log and put in the fridge while you bake the other.
7. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes — don’t open the oven, just let them bake. When the timer rings, they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, and that’s just the way they should be. Leave the cookies on the pan and transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can munch them, let them reach room temperature or put them in an airtight container.
STORING: The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking — just bake the cookies 1 minute long.
Oven-Ready Thumbprints
JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES with TOASTED COCONUT
by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, Family Style cookbook
Yield:32 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Apricot preserves and Blackberry preserves or filling of your choice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla.
3. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together.
4. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet.
My baking and cooking projects improved when I invested in a food scale two years ago.
6. Press a light indentation into the top of each with your cookie ball with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.
TIP: 1. Use your food scale to gauge a 1-oz. ball of dough.
2. After making the thumbprint cookies, slide the entire pan in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking.
3. These cookies freeze well.
The closest I’ve ever gotten to a food truck is watching the comedy-drama film, Chef, at our local theatre in 2014. Having just googled the “Top Ten Food Trucks near Aspen,” none of them are. Near Aspen, I mean.
SPICY MEATBALL WRAP SMOTHERED in SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE
Street foods, whether from a truck or cart, predominantly reflect local culture and flavor. Trucks namedThe Confluence Cowgirl Kitchen, Mi Lindo Nayarit and Slo Groovin’ Bar-b-Que based in Carbondale, Marble, even Glenwood Springs echo our diversity. But, in Aspen, if it’s street food I desire, only my kitchen can answer the call.
THIS MEATBALL PACKS a WALLOP AND IS JUST AS DELICIOUS SERVED INDIVIDUALLY DURING A COCKTAIL PARTY. (toothpick, please.)
Boulettes de Merguez à la Sauce Sriracha, a recipe from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen pays homage to the Maghreb* influence in Parisian cuisine. Americanized, these are flavor-packed Spiced Meatballs with Sriracha Sauce. I chose to wrap them in a grilled Naan smothered in sauce and wrapped in parchment paper. Heavily seasoned, this is street food to the max. Grabbing a beer, I walked out to my balcony and polished off this glorious sandwich in a flash.
I made my meatballs and then put them in a cast iron skillet to roast in the oven. Every 5 minutes (15 minutes cooking time), just give the pan a shake.
A colleague recently made this recipe, 20 meatballs, leaving them on the counter to cool for a later cocktail party. She ran to her gym. Returning home, she found only 4. A certain male partner was nowhere in sight. They’re that fantastic. See the recipe and more tips below.
WELCOMING MADISON
When is the last time you basked in a friend’s joy? Their happiness becomes yours. Last week I caught that feel-good bug when a dear friend became a first-time grandmother. She and her husband had raised three terrific young men. Still, at her house for the past 20-plus years, the score was always, 4-1.
When beautiful Madison arrived, her grandparents were over-the-moon.( I don’t think they’ve landed yet.) My challenge was how to welcome this precious baby. Realizing she is already an indulged child, not for want, here’s the gift I just mailed to Madison’s grandparents.
I asked my granddaughters as well as the 4-year old daughter of blogging colleague Katie, to send me their Top 10 list of favorite baby books. This request turned into a family affair with Melissa and Stephen revisiting their memory library with Emma and Clara. Katie and Marcel, Alaia’s parents, also took the familial recall stroll.
ALAIA, 4, with HER DADDY, MARCEL, WHILE VISITING ME IN CAMBRIA.
CLARA, 13, (L) and EMMA, 15, DURING the SUMMER.
Following their quick replies and meshing the lists together, I bought the books and mailed them to Florida, requesting that they always remain at the grandparents’ house in anticipation of baby Madison-visits.
“There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favorite book.” –Marcel Proust
THE LIST. (per Emma, Clara and Alaia.)
THE TOP 10 LIST: 1) Good Night Moon; 2) Good Night, Gorilla; 3) Good Dog, Carl; 4) Little Lady Bug: Finger Puppet Book; 5) But Not the Hippopotamus; 6) I Love You, Stinky Face; 7) Mama Mama, Papa Papa; 8) Time for Bed; 9) King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub; 10) The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
SPICED MEATBALLS with SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE from My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz
Makes 20 walnut-sized Meatballs (Tip: I made mine a bit larger.)
MERGUEZ MEATBALLS
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons harissa, Sriracha, or Asian chile paste (Tip: I used Sriracha, a staple in my kitchen.)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Tip: I used 1/2 teaspoon, maybe 3/4 teaspoon to soften the flavors of the tangy spices.)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac (optional) (Tip: Please don’t skip the sumac.)
1 pound ground beef or lamb (not lean), or a mix of the two (Tip: I used lamb, a more traditional taste.)
SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE
1. 3/4 cup mayonnaise, homemade or store bought
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce or harissa (Be careful. This is hot.)
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a hot skillet, toast the fennel, coriander, and cumin seeds for a minute or so, until they smell fragrant.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool.Grind to a powder in a spice mill or mortar and pestle, or crush in a sturdy plastic bag with a hammer.
3. Combine the crushed spices in a bowl with the cilantro, garlic, paprika, harissa, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and sumac. Add the ground beef/lamb and mix well. The meatball mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before rolling and using. (Tip: I wore disposable latex gloves and mixed together with my hands.)
4. Pinch off pieces of the sausage mixture and roll them into meatballs the size of unshelled walnuts or to your preferred size. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan to cook them evenly. If you have a grill, they can be cooked over a fire. Or, they can be roasted on a greased baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. (Tip: To save calories, I roasted in the oven using a cast iron pan.)
LOVE THE SRIRACHA MAYO.
5. To make the Sriracha mayonnaise, combine the mayonnaise and the Sriracha in a small bowel. (This can also be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated).
6. Serve the meatballs warm with the Sriracha mayo.
* The Maghreb is the region of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
CooktheBookFridays is an international virtual group of food bloggers cooking its way through My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz. To see what my colleagues cooked this week or to join our group, go here.
Where to begin. This is my last LIGHTSonBRIGHT postmarked from California. In mid-November I left Aspen, barely escaping the first snow flurries, knowing it would be springtime before my return. The left side of my brain, where my logic is warehoused, kept telling me this was a good thing. My heart, where most of my decisions are made, was shouting, “What have you done?”
David Lebovitz’s CROQUE MONSIEUR from My Paris Kitchen cookbook
In the past 5 1/2 months of this solitary journey I have motored through five states, joyously celebrated three major holidays, one VIP 50th birthday and settled into 3 different homes. Good fortune smiled broadly in December for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos.
The Valley Vixens, my nature study group, flew to California for a long week-end of whales, wildflowers and birds. – with our guides at Chimney Rock, Point Reyes National Seashore
This solitude and being alone thing cuts both ways. My adventures and explorations throughout California from Point Reyes in the north to Los Angeles have been magical. I have fallen in love with this state and the people in it. (Caveat: Aspen and the Rockies are still #1.) I’ve relished my aloneness, Yin time to my Yang’s constant busyness of Aspen. Admittedly, it’s time for Yang.
My BETTER THAN THIS drop cookie
There will be many hours during my 1,000 mile trip back to Colorado, to revisit this journey, realize Life lessons learned, and re-think traveling more simply. Unfortunately, the drive also coincides with what would have been our 30th wedding anniversary. That day I plan to cut short my driving time, stop at a familiar hotel, enjoy a nice dinner with a glass or three of wine and remember the good times. Reservations already booked.
Load. Lock. Puree. This tapenade can be thrown together in 10 minutes.
MY PARIS KITCHEN: TAPENADE & the non-sexist CROQUE
I’m betting you’ll like this farewell post from Cambria. It’s Cook the Book Fridays when we feature recipes from David Lebovitz’s spectacular My Paris Kitchen. That man knows how to write a cookbook. Here’s my take on his Artichoke Tapenade with Rosemary Oil, a tasty quickie and multitasker. Try it also on pizza, stuffed in mushrooms or in a myriad of other ways suggested here. And, that Rosemary Oil? Do it.
The Rosemay Oil infusion is oh-so-simple to create and it is a classy touch to the tapenade.
Let’s be clear. The Croque-Monsieur, which America has bastardized into a fried ham and cheese sandwich, is sexist. Whenever this recipe is featured anywhere, we women end up in parentheses:(to make Croque-Madame, top it with a fried egg). I just can’t work with that. Instead, this week we’re making David’s absolutely delicious Croque-Madame. (If you’d rather make a Croque-Monsieur, hold the egg.)
No, artist Andy Goldsworthy isn’t hanging out on Moonstone Beach but visitors and locals alike create their own disposable twig art every week-end. Using debris that’s washed up on the beach, they spend their time creating habitats. And, then, we all sit together in them and enjoy the sunset. And, then, Boom, it’s washed away at high tide.
For David’s, first mix together his Béchamel which elegantly separates his version from the pack. Don’t be intimidated, Readers. It’s a white sauce, plain and simple. Now, start building the sandwich, layering the prosciutto or ham with Comté or Gruyère cheese. Then, butter. Not a good calorie-counting day. Serve this richness with a green salad/mustardy vinaigrette. I cannot express adequately how deliciously amazing this sandwich tastes.
Mmmmm. dark chocolate, dried cherries, toasted walnuts and oatmeal – what’s Better Than This?
We only post David’s recipes if they are already out there in cyberspace. Luckily these two are flying high so I’m reprinting them. I do encourage you, however, to buy this terrific book.
My friends travelled from Colorado to San Francisco for sunshine, warmth and to visit me. Is one out of three considered a Win?
The BETTER THAN THIS Cookie
The beloved Dorie Greenspan, our talented French Fridays with Dorie mentor, bakes World Peace cookies. Her test-tasting neighbor, Richard Gold, became convinced that ‘a daily dose of these cookies was all that is needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness.’ They are sublime. Blogger Chris Scheuer, who resides at Cafe Sucre & Farine, makes I Want to Marry You cookies, a chocolate chip delight reputed to inspire marriage proposals. These are two of the best cookies I’ve baked.
Pop into the ‘fridge for ten minutes before putting into a 375 degree oven.
However, I’m throwing down the gauntlet and suggesting to these ladies that my gem of a cookie can compete. I’m naming it the Better Than This cookie because no cookie you taste or bake now can be, you got it, Better Than This. Here’s the deal. Since returning to Aspen three years ago and setting up shop at The Gant, its young, professional staff has made me feel comfortable and safe. They’ve helped launch me into a happy albeit different Lifestyle. My gratefulness knows no bounds. Those kids have become willing LIGHTSonBRIGHT test-testers. Because I’ve been MIA the past many months, I’m afraid my tiara may have tarnished somewhat. Here’s betting this tasty jewel of dried cherries, dark chocolate, rolled oats and walnuts, will re-burnish my status and have them asking, “What can be better than this?”
I will miss these crazy noisy clowns called Acorn Woodpeckers who live nearby. If you ever spot a tall pole or tree riddled with hundreds of holes, each containing an acorn—it’s an amazing Woodpecker granary tree. Stop and take a look.
A Granary Tree – One tree can have up to 50,000 holes drilled by Acorn Woodpeckers, each filled with an acorn for winter forage. Imagine the effort involved.
When I see you next time, I’ll be happily shedding my road warrior skin and blogging from Colorado’s High Country. Big smiles all around.
CROQUE-MONSIEUR by David Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen cookbook
Makes 2 Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
Béchamel Sauce ingredients
1 Tablespoon salted or unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
3/4 Cup whole milk
Pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Croque-Monsieur ingredients
4 thin slices sourdough or country style bread, 1/4 to 3/8” thick
4 slices prosciutto or thinly sliced dry cured ham or 2 thick slices boiled ham
2 thin slices Comté or Gruyère cheese
4 Tablespoon salted or unsalted butter
1/4 Cup grated Comté or Gruyère cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Spread the Béchamel Sauce on the bread.
1. Béchamel Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the flour. When the mixture starts to bubble, stir and cook for 1 minute more. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the milk, stirring to discourage lumps. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Cook for about 1 minute more, until the sauce is thick and creamy, like runny mayonnaise. Remove from the heat, stir in a pinch of salt and cayenne and set aside to cool a bit and thicken.
2. Place meat of choice on one slice.
2. Spread the Béchamel evenly over the four slices of bread. Lay a slice of meat over two of the bread slices, top them with slices of cheese and then top with the remaining ham slices. Close the sandwich with the two remaining slices of bread, Béchamel side down (on the inside). Brush the outsides of the sandwiches without restraint with the melted butter. (TIP: My choice, Prosciutto and Gruyère).
3. Top with cheese of choice and then add more meat.
3. Turn on the broiler and heat a large ovenproof frying pan or grill pan over medium heat on the stove top. (Make sure to use a pan with a heatproof handle for broiling later.) Place the sandwiches in the frying pan, drape with a sheet of aluminum foil and then rest a cast iron skillet or other heavy pan or flat object on top. Cook until the bottoms of the sandwiches are well browned. Remove the skillet and foil, flip the sandwiches over, replace the foil and skillet and continue cooking until the other side is browned. (TIP: I used a grill pan and browned for 2 minutes on EACH side.)
4. Close sandwich. Slather each side with melted butter. Now is not the time to begin worrying about calories.
4. When browning the sandwiches, place a piece of tinfoil and heavy object on top to weigh them down.
4. Remove the cast-iron skillet and foil and scatter the grated cheese on top of the sandwiches. Put the pan under the broiler and broil the sandwiches until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.
6.Perfect.
7. Scatter grated cheese on top and pop in the over to broil.
ARTICHOKE TAPENADE with ROSEMARY OIL by David Leibovitz, My Paris Kitchen cookbook
Because I was using up my opened items before leaving Cambria, I used green olives with pimentos. It was pretty and tasty but David recommends the real deal, fresh green olives.
Serves 6 to 8.
INGREDIENTS
Tapenade Ingredients
One 14-ounce) can artichoke hearts (2 Cups), drained and quartered
1/2 Cup pitted green olives
1/3 Cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
Rosemary Oil Ingredients (Makes 1/2 Cup)
1/2 Cup olive oil
Generous pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 Cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 Cup rosemary leaves
Toasted sliced baguette or crackers, to serve
DIRECTIONS
Rosemary Oil
1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Heat the oil and salt in another small saucepan until warm but not boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside. Add the herbs to the boiling water and cook for 10 seconds before draining and putting the herbs in the ice water.
2. When the herbs are cool, lift them out with your hand and press them in a paper towel until very, very dry. Add them to the oil. Let the herbs infuse for 15 minutes.
3. Blend the herbs and oil in a mini-chopper or food processor for 30 seconds. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh strainer. There will be a few bits of greenery in the oil. The rosemary oil can be kept for a few days at room temperature in a closed container, or for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before using.
Artichoke Tapenade
1. In the bowl of a food processor, purée the artichokes, olives, olive oil, capers, lemon juice, garlic, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Taste, and season with a bit of salt if necessary.
2. Serve drizzled with a liberal amount of rosemary oil, along with toasted slices of baguette or crackers for dipping. The tapenade will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
The BETTER THAN THIS cookie adapted from THE KITCHN COOKBOOK by Sara Kate Gillingham and Faith Durand
Note to High Altitude Bakers: When I return to Colorado, I will adjust these cookies to altitude and post the resulting recipe.
Makes 4 dozen cookies
1 3/4 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 Cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 Cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 Cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 Cup dried cherries
8 Ounces (two bars) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
Flaked sea salt (optional, I use the Maldon brand)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liner. Pour the walnuts onto the baking sheet and toast until browned about 10 minutes, turning once. Cool slightly and then chop coarsely. Cool completely before using them.
3. Cover the cherries with 1 cup boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes to plump up. Drain and thoroughly pat dry. Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
4. In a large mixing bowl with the paddle beater, mix together the sugars with the softened butter until completely blended. Add the eggs, one at a time to form a smooth batter. Mix in the vanilla, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
5. Add the flour all at once and stir the batter gently by hand until the ingredients are well-combined. Fold in by hand the rolled oats, cherries, and chocolate until all the ingredients are combined.
6. Using a medium cookie scoop or mounded 1 1/2 inch tablespoon of mixture, space the dough on the cookie sheet 1 to 2 inches apart. Put each tray in the refrigerator for ten minutes before baking the cookies. Then bake, rotating the tray once, until the craggy tips and edges just start to darken, 10 – 12 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE
7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. After completely cool, these cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. These cookies freeze well.
TIP: When baking, use exact measurements. No eyeballing anything. With all drop cookies, I use an Oxo cookie scoop.
Cook The Book Fridays is an international group cooking its way virtually through David Lebovitz’s newest cookbook. To visit our link or join us, go here.
The most often asked question about my Blog is, “With all the food you make, how do you stay so thin, not gain weight?” Now, Readers, when I think about Me, I certainly don’t think thin. In Aspen, where body image is everything, I’m a heavyweight.
YOGURT PARFAIT
The truth is I’ve always waged a bulge battle. As a kid I was chubby and remained about 15 to 20 pounds overweight my entire life. My nickname in junior high was Tank. Not a confidence builder. What I weighed eroded my ego and overshadowed the good things in life. Always. I applaud and envy women who are comfortable in their own skin, content with themselves. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pull that off.
“NOBODY EVER MENTIONED I’D HAVE TO FIND MY OWN FOOD.” This juvenile Great Blue Heron, who flew into this lake, obviously was hungry, unsure of himself. We watched him 30 minutes and he never came close to nabbing anything.
It was not until Michael’s sickness that I lost those unwanted 20. My doctor had cautioned me to rein in my stress, done only by exercise. Since our Henderson housing complex had a gym, most mornings, at 5am, I was in Spinning class or exercising. Every evening I would charge around our 3-mile loop with my best friend. While this didn’t keep stress at bay, it was conducive to weight loss.
ROASTED TORTILLAS AND AVOCADO MASH
Quesadilla & Wrap
To my mind it’s because of my food blog rather than in spite of it that I haven’t regained those pounds. My pantry is loaded, my freezer is full and my cupboards, never bare. For me, it’s about choices, changing it up and menu variety. This week’s recipes, Yogurt Parfaits, a Weekend Apple Pancake and Mashed Avocado Tortillas are an example of that. Nothing earthshaking here but just reminders of what’s easy and possible.
This gorgeous Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) is eating sap from the “sap well” that was drilled by a sapsucker. Ajax Trail, Aspen Mountain
A recent Harvard study suggests that we front-load our eating to the early part of the day, taking in most of our calories before the sun goes down. It’s ludicrous to believe that culturally we could make that shift. However, that’s how I manage my day. Because I live alone and organize my own schedule, I can.
Cook the Weekend Apple Pancake until the filling is set firmly.
Just so you don’t think I’ve gone all sanctimonious on you, here’s my fail. I was determined to lose 5 pounds this Summer. My goal. Summer ended today. Didn’t lose an ounce!
Despite that, having food on hand to make quickly is the secret. My simplistic recipes and their adaptability represent just that.
“TWINS. TWINS. MY OB SAID NOTHING ABOUT TWINS.”
Starved? Famished? Need a quick breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner?
TORTILLA with AVOCADO MASH a favorite of Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, The Canal House
1. Pull out a whole-wheat tortilla and toast, heat or roast it.
2. Choose a filling. Make a wrap or quesadilla. You can’t do better than mashed avocado with lime juice and coarse salt. I even made a tasty wrap from last week’s leftover Roasted Butternut Squash Salad mixture.
Eggs, meat, legumes or veggies pulled together with spices, salt and pepper, make delicious mixtures.
If you always keep a carton of rich, creamy Greek yogurt (WITH the fat) in your fridge, magic can happen. Try Jody Williams’ roasted nuts/honey/yogurt concoction for breakfast or a snack. For a change of pace use fruit (canned or fresh), coconut, granola or syrup as a topping. Because the roasted nuts/honey mixture will keep for weeks toss it on ice cream, pound cake or, even better, cheese.
YOGURT PARFAITS by Jody Williams, Buvette
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup nuts (I used pine nuts, pistachios, almonds and walnuts.)
1/3 cup honey
Pinch of coarse salt
2 Cups (16 ounces) plain Greek Yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir together the nuts, honey and salt.
2. Layer the nut-honey mixture with a yogurt mixture, using 1 inch of yogurt to 1/2 inch of the nut-honey mixture.
TIP: This is rich so two layers of each with a dash of nuts on the top is enough. Use wide-mouthed containers, jam jars or brandy snifters, for example.
The Weekend Apple Pancake, always love this. Who can resist its dramatic puff or lament the quick fall.
WEEKEND APPLE PANCAKE adapted from Faith Durand,The Kitchn
INGREDIENTS:
3 apples, use different kinds like Granny Smith, Fugi and Gala
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 TBS unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
Powdered or cinnamon sugar, to serve
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut them into medium slices (1/4-inch thick or less). Cut the slices in halves or thirds. You should have about 3 cups of chopped apples.
3.In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and ginger and set aside.
4. Cut the butter into chunks and place them in a 10” deep cast iron skillet or 8×8-inch baking dish. Put the skillet or baking dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the 1/3 cup brown sugar over the melted butter. Carefully spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar.
5. Whisk the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly with a large wire whisk to beat out any lumps. When the flour is smoothly incorporated into the milk, beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one by one. Beat by hand for 2 minutes, or until foamy. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. By now the sugar should be bubbling around the apples.
6. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples. Bake for about 30 to 40 more minutes, or until center is set and sides are lightly browned. The pancake will puff up dramatically but fall after a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.
If you want, serve with powdered sugar or more cinnamon sugar but it is not necessary.
Insanely tasty Olive Oil & Maple Granola. Since I am eating this for a hiking snack, I added Pomegranate-infused Dark Chocolate Drops.
Admit it. I can read your mind. You don’t need another insanely tasty granola recipe. Because…1) Granola, not a fave food choice; 2) Already have an insanely tasty granola recipe; or, 3) It’s an easy purchase at your market.
I plead guilty to #3. Have you counted the various granola cereals on sale at your market? (My answer, “Yes.”) When you next visit your grocery store, notice the length of your cereal, bread or tomato products aisle. Here’s a statistic. The bread aisle in a Kansas City Walmart Superstore is 45 feet long and 7 shelves high. I know that because Father Jonathan, my Episcopalian priest, mentioned that factoid in last week’s sermon. He was suggesting we may be spoiled by too many choices. Ya think?
How simple is this recipe? Add the ingredients and stir. That’s it.
That’s why I felt honor bound to share this recipe with you. Because…1) This granola is a guaranteed palate-pleaser; 2) This may become your only killer granola recipe; and, 3) Here’s a one-choice, healthier, preservative-free, sweet and savory granola.
Ready for roasting – 45 minutes.
Olive Oil & Maple Granola was created by Nekisia Davis of Early Bird Foods. It’s a chosen recipe from Food52 Genius Recipes, 100 Recipes That Will Change The Way You Cook. Since receiving this fabulous cookbook, I’ve made several thumbs-up, successful recipes. Here’s how the writers describe Davis’ granola. “Olive oil, maple, brown sugar and salt form a rich, shaggy crust on a wholesome mix of oats, pecans, coconut shards, and various seeds. It leans sweet but olive oil gives it a savory backbone and salt keeps it from being cloying.”
This recipe makes 7 cups of Granola so I used it plain for ice cream and yogurt topping and morning cereal.
I could name-drop, mentioning the famous people swearing by Davis’ product or the three Michelin star restaurant that sends every diner home with a jar of this goodness. But since the recipe is posted below, I challenge you to purchase what ingredients are not in your pantry and stir a batch together. If you can stir, you can do Olive Oil & Maple Granola. I’ve also suggested many variations, riffs on this recipe, experiments dependent on your taste and your pantry.
Out of the Woods, A Memoir of Wayfinding by Lynn Darling
Life, yours and mine, is also about choices, isn’t it? Last week I read “Out of the Woods, A Memoir of Wayfinding” by Lynn Darling. This memoir is about a woman, a writer, a widow who’s just sent her only child to college. Although she lived in Manhattan throughout her adult life, she feels lost. So she buys a ramshackle cabin in a remote area in Vermont to find herself. She names her digs Castle Dismal.
Darling is a beautiful writer. She has profound thoughts and observations but, to my mind, she’s a woman who was into suffering. That she chose to do this in an uncomfortable environment devoid of friends and family was a choice I wouldn’t have made. I’m not about piling suffering on top of suffering.
Thank You, Jack Canfield
Life is loss. That’s just a sad fact. How we deal with these losses is the difference between residing in Castle Dismal or Castle Joy. I credit my family for steering me towards Castle Joy. Following Michael’s death, in their many “just checking in” phone calls and messages, the advice from my daughter, Melissa, and my brother and sister-in-law was always the same. “This is your time now, Mary,” my brother’s wife, Janie, would say. “You do exactly what you want to do.”
Seriously, those three were broken records. Always the same. Never, “Do this. Do that. You should. You shouldn’t. Go here. Go there.”
Please understand, like all families, there was a subliminal message in those words. It was “Make good choices.” Nevertheless, their advice was liberating for me. Remember the Marlo Thomas song, Free to Be Me?
A Swallow, being a good parent, in its nest.
Fortunately my choices during the past three years have worked brilliantly. Thoreau ‘went to the woods in order to live deliberately, to pare life down to its essential facts.’ I returned to the mountains not only because it was my home but to follow my passions. Cambria, California, was a fortunate stroke of serendipity. Luckily, a wintertime Castle Joy. Since Henderson, Nevada, where we last lived, lies directly between, I can still hold tightly to those who were so good to Michael and me in the most meaningful eight years of my life.
Fast forward, some weeks later, to this juvenile Swallow who is wondering where Mom and Dad are.
No one is more aware than I that tomorrow this comfortable rug of contentment could be snatched out from under me. Then I will make other choices. As for now, I’m standing in my Castle Joy kitchen and urging you to make this granola!
OLIVE OIL & MAPLE GRANOLA by NEKISIA DAVIS, a FOOD52 GENIUS RECIPE
MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS
INGREDIENTS
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut chips or natural coconut flakes
1 1/4 cup raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
Coarse salt (Do NOT skip the salt.)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 300° F.
2. Place oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, syrup, olive oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove granola from oven and season with more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
TIPS: If you prefer your granola to be clumpy, stir in 4 beaten egg whites before placing in the oven. I added pistachios to my granola.
VARIATIONS: Any seeds (flax, sesame, toasted wheat germ) or nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios) or dried fruit (dates, cherries, cranraisins, candied ginger or banana chips) or spice combos can be substituted in this recipe. The olive oil, maple syrup, and salt trio is key.
Upside-down Onion Tart laced with Balsamic Vinegar,
Not surprisingly, I’m more about multitasking than meditation and mindfulness. No one defines me as serene or tranquil. In my next life, maybe. While I’ve dabbled with yoga throughout my adult life, that’s not been successful. Thirty-seven minutes into an hour session, I’d be in Downward Facing Dog mentally making my grocery list. By Warrior Pose I’d remembered two crucial phone calls to be made. Fifty-five minutes into the session when everyone is lying quietly, getting centered for the day, I’m rolling up my mat and creeping out of the room.
This tart is a ‘rather stylish and very tasty’ homage to the classic French tarte tatin. Fun to make.
I can finally announce, however, this was a major breakthrough month for yours truly. Let the trumpets blare. How many of those does one have in a lifetime? Is it time to make one of your own?
After tenderizing and carmelizing the onions/balsamic vinegar on the stovetop, lay the disk on top and pop into the oven for the magic to happen.
Since my return to Aspen, I’ve watched my friend, Judy, who lets nothing stand between her and three weekly yoga sessions. However it was my friend, Kathryn, another yoga groupie and new Lights on Bright follower, who inspired me to dig out my old mat. “You know, Mary,” she said, ”every weekday morning, except Friday, I have yoga to look forward to. Now, on Friday mornings, I have Lights on Bright. It’s perfect.”
Pasta with new potatoes, green beans, and pesto, served steaming hot or room temperature.
Red Cabbage, Parsnip, Orange and Dates Salad has Zing – that’s the perfect word. The orange’s juice provides the dressing.
Readers, you know I’m a sucker for praise. This yoga business was worth another shot. Long story short……3 mornings a week, M-W-Sat, 90-minute sessions, (repeat, 90-minute sessions), all month, without fail. Our teacher, Anne, is a flat-out miracle worker. She begins each class (it’s 7am, after all) with a short story. Last Monday Ann talked about Thoreau and Emerson’s famous conversation about Simplicity. Do you remember it? Thoreau was commenting to Emerson about the need to ‘simplify, simplify.‘ To which Emerson responded, “One “simplify” would have sufficed.”
Cannellini Bean Hummus topped with Olive Oil infused with Smoked Paprika
Cannellini Bean Hummus, a spicy and flavorful alternative to your regular dip or more-caloric sandwich spread.
While being amused by Emerson’s cleverness, it also occurred to me why I am so enamored with “River Cottage Veg, 200 inspired vegetable recipes” cookbook. Every month our virtual Cottage Cooking Club makes several of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s delicious recipes which are the very essence of simplicity. This month I’ve chosen a quickly made and tasty quartet: Red Cabbage, Parsnip, Orange & Dates salad; Upside-down Onion Tart; Pasta with New Potatoes, Green Beans & Pesto; and Cannellini Bean Hummus with my Baked Tostadas leftovers suggestion. Each recipe is delightful, simple and party or family fare.
Lunch – Baked Tostadas: Flour Tortilla, hummus spread, sliced tomatoes, chopped herbs. Ready for a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Baked Tostadas: Flour tortilla, hummus spread, roasted red-pepper slices and leftover carmelized onions from my last piece of onion tart. Just pulled from the oven – it’s lunch.
Enjoy this delicious food through photos, each dish special in its own way. I posted the savory/sweet Onion Tart Recipe below. If you’d like other recipes, just ask. It’s a sure bet any of these dishes would make a tasty addition to your table.
UPSIDE-DOWN ONION TART WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
INGREDIENTS:
All-butter, ready-made puff pastry (I prefer the Dufour brand)
3 to 4 medium onions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness and cut out an 8-inch circle. Wrap the pastry disc and place it in the fridge.
3. Peel the onions and slice each one into 6 or 8 wedges, keeping them attached at the root end.
4. Heat the butter and oil in an 8-inch pan ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. (I used a 9-inch cast iron skillet)
5. Add the onions, arranging them roughly in a pinwheel pattern.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for about 15–20 minutes, turning once or twice, until they are fairly tender, and starting to caramelize around the edges.
7. Trickle the balsamic vinegar over the onions and cook for a couple of minutes more, so the vinegar reduces a little. Remove from the heat and make sure the onions are fairly evenly spread around the pan.
8. Lay the pastry disc over the onions and put the pan into the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is fully puffed up and golden.
9. Invert the tart on to a plate, so the sticky caramelized onions are facing up, on top of the crispy pastry. Sprinkle with minced fresh herbs and/or crumble over a favorite cheese, if desired. Serve with a green leafy salad.
River Cottage Veg, 200 inspired vegetable recipes, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
The Cottage Cooking Club is an international online cooking group cooking and learning our way through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s “River Cottage Veg“ cookbook. The Club, led by Andrea,The Kitchen Lioness, is ‘meant to be a project aimed at incorporating more vegetable dishes into our everyday cooking, learning about less known, forgotten or heritage vegetables, trying out new ways to prepare tasty and healthy dishes, and sharing them with family and friends.’
