Wisdom of a Tomato

I used to think I had it all figured out... then life happened. The carefree days of being a child gave way to the unpredictable world of adulthood. With age comes wisdom, and what I have learned at the ripe old age of thirty six is that I don't know half as much as I thought I did. Currently perched on the precipice of a rather large change, I am re-evaluating my life. My brain is crowded with thoughts. I find solace in the kitchen, it's where I clear my mind, become calm, and remember who I am. Something as simple as a sliced homegrown tomato with a little drizzle of pesto can transcend the plate and become a reminder to stop complicating things and get back to the basics. Sometimes you have to deconstruct in order to rebuild.

"Donut" Deluxe

I spend a good amount of time at the hair salon each month, with my head wrapped in foil, sitting under the dryer as I cook away my gray.  Usually, I am mindlessly flipping through pages about who made the latest fashion faux pas or what the hemlines are doing this season.  Occasionally, I will stumble onto something of interest. That was the case last week when I found a picture of an "apple donut".  It was a thick round slice of apple, core removed, slathered with peanut butter and dipped in granola to imitate the look of a sprinkled donut.  It was a quirky idea that caught my eye.  As a food stylist, I am constantly storing little nuggets like that in my memory for later use. While I enjoyed the playful approach to the snack, I kept imagining the rough assault on the roof of my mouth.  As I was making my breakfast this morning, a light bulb came on - I could create the same look with my french toast... a similar concept but with a much softer texture.  So, I cut my bread into donut shapes, sliced and cored an apple and got to work.  I sauteed the apple rounds in butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon until just barely tender. I dipped and flipped my french toast and slid each one right on top of an apple ring.  I spread a generous amount of peanut butter on the warm french toast and sprinkled it with sunflower seeds, pepitas, and raisins.  Absolutely scrumptious!  Topped with maple syrup, it was certainly better than any donut I had ever had.  Who knew that inspiration would be lurking under the warm air of a hairdryer?  I wonder where the next idea will come from....



*Tasty Trick: I used a splash of caramel coffee creamer in my french toast batter.  mmm. mmm. mmm.

Cucumber Basil Cocktail

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade... then spike that lemonade and forget all about the lemons you were handed in the first place.  Ok, maybe not the healthiest approach, but an effective one nonetheless.  Feeling a little beat down lately, I decided it was time for a delicious cocktail recipe... something summery that would take the edge off.  I started with 2 shots of white tequila down in the shaker.  (I'll be honest, I bought Espolon because of the cool black and white illustration on the label... I mean, c'mon, it's a skeleton riding a rooster. How could I resist?)  Next, I muddled cucumber slices and fresh basil, then added a splash of lemonade.  After a few good shakes,  I strained out the muddled shrapnel and poured the delicious nectar into a chilled glass with ice.  A sprig of basil and two or three cucumber rounds were added for aesthetic appeal and there was only one thing left to say - wow! Refreshing, delicious, and beautiful.  So take that, life... keep on throwing those lemons, I'll just keep making them awesome.

2 Peas in a Pod

Shelling peas is usually a chore, but when you're spending quality time with your mom, drinking coffee and discussing life while you work, the task is much more enjoyable.  That is exactly how I spent my Sunday afternoon... just me and my mom, plucking peas from their pods, basking in the beautiful weather. Time was passing without so much as a hint. After we finally reached the bottom of the bowl, it was time for some instant gratification for our efforts. I had a container of leftover quinoa, a bag of radishes from a friend's garden, and a few lonely lemons leftover from work.  I tossed the fresh peas and sliced radishes in a bowl with a drizzle of balsamic, a squeeze of lemon, and a healthy dose of zest.  A tiny kiss of sea salt and a few chopped almonds completed the dish and it was gone as quickly as it came together. Simple yet delicious. We spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's company, relaxing in the sun, and talking up a storm... just two peas in a pod.  Love you, Momma.  This one's for you.

Cherry Tea Granita

Today was hot. Sweaty hot. Running errands, working in the garden, and schlepping boxes out of my basement didn't help matters. Drained of my energy but still craving a treat, I decided to make a quick granita. Sounds fancy, but it's super easy to create. If you can boil water and stir, you can make granitas. Start by boiling 1 C of water and stirring in 1/2 C of granulated sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat. Let the sugar solution come to room temperature, mix in 3 C of juice, or coffee, or any sweet nectar you desire. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and place in the freezer. Every 15 - 20 minutes, agitate the mixture with a fork, scraping the frozen bits towards the center. After about an hour, you will have a soft, slushy delight. Today, I chose sweet tea (brewed with spearmint and lemon balm) and cherry puree. I used 1 C of the cherry puree and 2 C of the sweet tea. The flavor was deliciously sweet with a minty undertone. So light and refreshing, it was the perfect end to a hard worked day.

Flight of the Pancake

Sometimes, it's not about documenting a recipe, it's about sharing an experience.  That is the case with today's post.  It was one of those beautiful mornings when I had the luxury of getting lost in the zen of cooking.  Pancakes were my blank canvas. No ingredient was off limits. I cranked the ipod and got to work, it was experimental bliss.  Just me, my imagination, and big bowl of pancake batter.  First up, bacon and sweet cherries.  Quite delicious, although I believe they would have benefited from something herby... rosemary perhaps.  Next in the queue, granola crunch cakes. With chunky granola thrown in the batter and garnished on top for good measure, they were a nice change from the ordinary pancake texture.  My final (and favorite) concoction of the flight was a layering of plain pancakes with peanut butter and jelly in between. Topped with maple syrup and chopped peanuts, they were gooey, fruity, nutty perfection.  The next time you want to treat yourself, try a flight of pancakes. I believe I'm headed for frequent flier status...

Me vs. The Ravioliera

For Christmas, my dear friend Julie sent me a ravioliera (fancy word for ravioli maker).  The minute I opened the package, my mind went crazy with ideas to fill the pretty little pasta pillows.  As I was jotting down recipes, I remembered there was one crucial kitchen gadget that I didn't own - a pasta roller.  My ravioli conquest would have to wait.  Utterly disappointed, I placed the ravioliera on the shelf, and there it sat, staring at me, mocking me... until today. My lack of gadgetry was no longer going to hold me back!  I had flour, I had eggs, and I had a rolling pin.  It was pasta making time.  Mixing, kneading, and rolling ensued.  After the dust cloud of flour settled in the kitchen, I was left standing with 2 beautiful sheets of pasta, ready for the ravioli maker.  I quickly whipped up a filling of sauteed chard, onion, and garlic that I mixed with ricotta.  After carefully sealing each individual pocket, I dropped them one by one into a pot of gently boiling water and waited for them to float to the surface. They were rustic in appearance but sublime in taste.  One word: Victory.

Lessons Learned in Ravioli Making:

1) Don't be a baby - you don't need a machine to roll pasta 

2) Don't try to contain the floury mess, embrace it.  You can sweep later.

3) Don't overfill the pocket

4) Don't drop them all in the water at once - big clumpy mess