tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11670581270594510202023-11-16T05:31:36.945-06:00Hallway ToastVegetarian Cooking, With or Without a KitchenAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-82147465218365937852010-12-09T22:34:00.002-06:002010-12-09T22:51:55.530-06:00I eat, therefore I am<div>Dear Kathryn,</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't believe that Hanukkah is officially over. It seems like just yesterday, everyone was gathering around my laptop and watching that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU">viral vide</a>o from the Maccabeats. Anyways, now that the festival of fried foods is over, look out for some Christmas inspired baking coming your way. Hopefully, I will be able to combine my three great loves - lemon, marzipan, and gingerbread - into one outrageous confection. </div><div><br /></div><div>Assimilatedly yours,</div><div>Allison</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-76203010830368847742010-06-18T17:37:00.008-05:002010-06-18T17:49:07.363-05:00Devotay Iowa CityAllison, it was so great to see you a couple of weeks ago when we met up to see our friends <a href="http://www.grinnell.edu/">graduate from college</a>. However, I'm still trying to decide what the best part of the weekend was--seeing all the people I've been missing all year, basking in being in Iowa again, or our dinner at <a href="http://www.devotay.net/">Devotay</a>. It's kind of a toss-up, but I'm certain of one thing: for taking me there to eat, I owe you eternal allegiance.<div><br /></div><div>Devotay is a tapas restaurant that focuses on local foods--its menu changes with the seasons, according to what produce is available--here's what we tried the day we went:<br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7viTYW5oi-YLTMRSp9UhChJaMhAlOSttWPJmgnyd48op48r98nOKUo4nlUfWK7NCGiGtN3OuKj00PEc2k496HYQHT4uqzKSAHySX8-rGjtOblhjuO7O8QkH3hqudU4y35t2xK0CnZCyw/s1600/IMG_0096.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7viTYW5oi-YLTMRSp9UhChJaMhAlOSttWPJmgnyd48op48r98nOKUo4nlUfWK7NCGiGtN3OuKj00PEc2k496HYQHT4uqzKSAHySX8-rGjtOblhjuO7O8QkH3hqudU4y35t2xK0CnZCyw/s400/IMG_0096.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247937312714498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">a delicious white sangria with citrus and melon flavors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLZ2uD3XipTp6HrqwL68pa3DzaS-hxIWjmzr_YEMML6qw2BMKQqp185VFNDH4eU50AdfAZpexDhK_y9yd8Qsqv4bWqSCJb8-ug2ps1hY1aVULBgVokEl5VTuhFQf7GPFNajHlNLIAokk/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLZ2uD3XipTp6HrqwL68pa3DzaS-hxIWjmzr_YEMML6qw2BMKQqp185VFNDH4eU50AdfAZpexDhK_y9yd8Qsqv4bWqSCJb8-ug2ps1hY1aVULBgVokEl5VTuhFQf7GPFNajHlNLIAokk/s400/IMG_0099.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247715594996066" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">artichoke salad with capers, mushrooms, bleu cheese & sprouts</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE37MWHtg3t79a9DTY0QPzGPXCYfi7XvyxTT1vMQJpIToK6B_TLlklqIcRkKCdBrXedDYyveeiqlL_h3NlF9sWnhIlA5t_u9Axod2B2kNkYDBo9G6YMEHCiWu18RRy5zIbi8RROfIpDBY/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE37MWHtg3t79a9DTY0QPzGPXCYfi7XvyxTT1vMQJpIToK6B_TLlklqIcRkKCdBrXedDYyveeiqlL_h3NlF9sWnhIlA5t_u9Axod2B2kNkYDBo9G6YMEHCiWu18RRy5zIbi8RROfIpDBY/s400/IMG_0100.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247697448285346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">local cheese plate with smoked almonds, olives, and a drizzle of balsamic</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE8csBwPaH5Ei7JNF4utsIBUtgpc7j7ojICd9qtxyw44xH4vWWbwl5M-sQwYFPY5gEadH5olh-WjH3nbNetoH1DR15UmoQ0S8aXs2rS-1iTyy346XVbfNwi6G5f4904DIQmW37RVJ9O4/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE8csBwPaH5Ei7JNF4utsIBUtgpc7j7ojICd9qtxyw44xH4vWWbwl5M-sQwYFPY5gEadH5olh-WjH3nbNetoH1DR15UmoQ0S8aXs2rS-1iTyy346XVbfNwi6G5f4904DIQmW37RVJ9O4/s400/IMG_0101.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247686949293618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">baked northern prairie chevre with marinara & grilled sourdough</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Rsuy1BB_KjQejwwLT9hD1WwaB7gdkCa82k7B32gOQr2kobe-Ljh7FcJZZfwiDdaFuIcNELCn9CLSgi28WQ9Ez8ry_vHmA0XdLvrhiGdj8I5Py-URx35qZcMKabmtdOTlgFs8DG2dwqc/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Rsuy1BB_KjQejwwLT9hD1WwaB7gdkCa82k7B32gOQr2kobe-Ljh7FcJZZfwiDdaFuIcNELCn9CLSgi28WQ9Ez8ry_vHmA0XdLvrhiGdj8I5Py-URx35qZcMKabmtdOTlgFs8DG2dwqc/s400/IMG_0103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247670935049858" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">spicy & delicious patatas bravas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfIK1whcyP-cO92YIAvWHZ1fkBQch7YA6sYtxZ-ii1oUES1FiBW4fiBmSq0OVSyw_lS9zIUrQsYc5NK0ZaeahudB1ma6C3Lh_bOylynoKWuTg3mZOXZPKy0fGYi62m7aCczWwJxaT3mw/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfIK1whcyP-cO92YIAvWHZ1fkBQch7YA6sYtxZ-ii1oUES1FiBW4fiBmSq0OVSyw_lS9zIUrQsYc5NK0ZaeahudB1ma6C3Lh_bOylynoKWuTg3mZOXZPKy0fGYi62m7aCczWwJxaT3mw/s400/IMG_0105.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484247663668115490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">stuffed acorn squash with sundried tomatoes, quinoa, chives & tahini spinach salad</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Everything was so good! I kind of wish I lived in Iowa City so I could eat here constantly.</span></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-13769564782416081592010-06-15T20:41:00.002-05:002010-06-15T20:48:33.168-05:00Today in Food<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCN6GZHyL_Ap2JUv_RE797MB6AhL8SQ8wxN7L3pZpDvNkw547zI3Bfkdu_L8Re9zwFu7NuEsyqex30Gf5JCWeetSRueQAj6fB_JbIYQf6YYUFaZ-UpWW_ODQ1LIitmkOTJx7M9oZDt0s/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCN6GZHyL_Ap2JUv_RE797MB6AhL8SQ8wxN7L3pZpDvNkw547zI3Bfkdu_L8Re9zwFu7NuEsyqex30Gf5JCWeetSRueQAj6fB_JbIYQf6YYUFaZ-UpWW_ODQ1LIitmkOTJx7M9oZDt0s/s400/DSC_0042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483181329543469970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">strawberries & blueberries with greek yogurt, apple juice, green tea</div><div style="text-align: center;">(yes that is my Grizzly Bear cup! And my chipped All Things Considered mug)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5j9QV6Oe_hKnH-fUPxdLJUvzqEoY_wQk4HzIlnAucETsKgnbouu96sLIVtAVA4ZvwQXRDoWVFxJq1KmpQdG5eZtZcFIfeMO67KbieP62cOOTqys0lheIJyvPoY9rij0q4p3R3-3lVcY/s1600/DSC_0058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5j9QV6Oe_hKnH-fUPxdLJUvzqEoY_wQk4HzIlnAucETsKgnbouu96sLIVtAVA4ZvwQXRDoWVFxJq1KmpQdG5eZtZcFIfeMO67KbieP62cOOTqys0lheIJyvPoY9rij0q4p3R3-3lVcY/s400/DSC_0058.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483181320210272594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Completely delicious veggie burrito at <a href="http://elotetulsa.com/">Elote</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvUOJssGwywhdLjtcJGse8gVaNpSjIKbotzqV26U8-vK8rpbzlKcRbJcyu5BSMurjhJj1MkR8hCznOU5GBwLnlLeyZs1wcszIdBcQX4d4zhxUNbgSPMZJNcBwWHzXiw2vx4XtoeVzjVQ/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvUOJssGwywhdLjtcJGse8gVaNpSjIKbotzqV26U8-vK8rpbzlKcRbJcyu5BSMurjhJj1MkR8hCznOU5GBwLnlLeyZs1wcszIdBcQX4d4zhxUNbgSPMZJNcBwWHzXiw2vx4XtoeVzjVQ/s400/DSC_0059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483181310916247090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Jessa's "lunch" was chips & guacamole, sopapillas, and a margarita</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_7xespCP5Qq687OEbOsIDH6nC1lXXgAlAWWvPK5KJhxwxVwGvmGtCekZ3uTaymBw-jOI5mP-jEWy14pVU5Hb1pgAN-HI4k_guIg3p70yGd-9uVkxqjVMCMo83N6hnBEPOi3U4O9UoEY/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_7xespCP5Qq687OEbOsIDH6nC1lXXgAlAWWvPK5KJhxwxVwGvmGtCekZ3uTaymBw-jOI5mP-jEWy14pVU5Hb1pgAN-HI4k_guIg3p70yGd-9uVkxqjVMCMo83N6hnBEPOi3U4O9UoEY/s400/DSC_0061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483181302402645346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">my dessert - extremely good dark chocolate flan, with a chocolate-covered jalapeño</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I mostly ate the chocolate off the outside of the jalapeño without eating the jalapeño itself)</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CoFUJZ9ws3sow7DZaejdJEkG1AbVz177DQp7pqQiBk_X-ewuElIsYhsqAi3MOW9NpOhsYAY-JKo1zgOBND9bns3XoXJnfgd_wZCEBmpZd06TTirZI_pBEl-IDbK0BT_QY4jB-HH6Bok/s1600/DSC_0136.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CoFUJZ9ws3sow7DZaejdJEkG1AbVz177DQp7pqQiBk_X-ewuElIsYhsqAi3MOW9NpOhsYAY-JKo1zgOBND9bns3XoXJnfgd_wZCEBmpZd06TTirZI_pBEl-IDbK0BT_QY4jB-HH6Bok/s400/DSC_0136.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483181293435416834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">dinner - spaghetti with mascarpone, lemon, spinach & walnuts (from <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/recipe-spaghetti-with-mascarpone-meyer-lemon-spinach-and-hazelnuts-076811">this recipe</a>, with some adjustments), bruschetta & watermelon</div></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-47028802887216661282010-04-27T23:24:00.003-05:002010-04-27T23:37:14.272-05:00Farmer's Market Dinner<div>So I am SUPER EXCITED that it is spring and there are beautiful fresh things everywhere and I can go to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings and hang out with hippies and their surprisingly well-behaved dogs. And buy things like delicious butter lettuce and young garlic (which I totally thought was green onions until I read an article in Vegetarian Times. So THAT'S why my green onions were purple!)</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblu2BAzbKqnmI11oHGwtbjcLPaJF3fDRbCJSqyBqpmkiuXCkTGGe1gj0msd4F9N4albupn8dWHI2xFaJh6HBgdfu-gRdOxRkooFyskzjZokXsMWZI-0zxomIQjD0AXXtWwYE6QMaPWk4/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblu2BAzbKqnmI11oHGwtbjcLPaJF3fDRbCJSqyBqpmkiuXCkTGGe1gj0msd4F9N4albupn8dWHI2xFaJh6HBgdfu-gRdOxRkooFyskzjZokXsMWZI-0zxomIQjD0AXXtWwYE6QMaPWk4/s400/DSC_0301.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465039864468036018" /></a>Last week I accidentally let all my farmer's market produce sit unused in the refrigerator for a few days and was faced with the dilemma of needing to use ALL of it in one meal so my beautiful swiss chard and maitake mushrooms and dirt-covered carrots didn't go to waste.<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ73fwY_waIvvMKNHaHszxwAkFTeDgxzFrpGuOeGhkFrtpO9UTCxOf-bZZy15C4k0uBCfrlCHObX5MH4MLeUs1Ml-YCVqBLCLIxBtjW3L3DPEYF_WmMDmTPTEuVUztixWOCHadMYhthSo/s1600/DSC_0303.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ73fwY_waIvvMKNHaHszxwAkFTeDgxzFrpGuOeGhkFrtpO9UTCxOf-bZZy15C4k0uBCfrlCHObX5MH4MLeUs1Ml-YCVqBLCLIxBtjW3L3DPEYF_WmMDmTPTEuVUztixWOCHadMYhthSo/s400/DSC_0303.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465039856744344658" /></a>The solution was a salad, a sauteed swiss chard with mushrooms and caramelized onions over cheesy polenta (Allison, you know my love for cheesy polenta!) and delicious drop biscuits with young garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. I just made a basic polenta recipe, then stirred in butter and parmesan and a splash of heavy cream at the end. The sautee is pretty self-explanatory--onions, swiss chard, mushrooms, flavored with salt and pepper and a little white wine and balsamic vinegar. Divine.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9Ku_bfNmKg4iAp3YcOI62MeViOUsB77j7g1JMffohGy60oprLc37kyUF8m6_0pAw1WluayLSlaLmkQ1xOVzXefdVWzx8itF2pUUeSLDsvSPd5FL9JoZnDDswmvT5-svpRGEZReWaYgY/s1600/DSC_0302.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9Ku_bfNmKg4iAp3YcOI62MeViOUsB77j7g1JMffohGy60oprLc37kyUF8m6_0pAw1WluayLSlaLmkQ1xOVzXefdVWzx8itF2pUUeSLDsvSPd5FL9JoZnDDswmvT5-svpRGEZReWaYgY/s400/DSC_0302.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465039837852882898" /></a><br /></div><div>The standout was definitely the biscuits. They were SO GOOD. I ate like four of them in a sitting. I used <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/blue-cheese-scallion-drop-biscuits/">this recipe from Smitten Kitchen</a>, and didn't alter anything except that I used dried buttermilk instead of fresh and substituted young garlic (apparently) for the green onions and sun-dried tomatoes for the blue cheese. Go make these. Now. You will be happy you did.</div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-4870314816929331452010-04-19T20:54:00.012-05:002010-04-19T22:53:57.365-05:00the unexpected perfection of simplicityHey Kathryn,<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>So, it's been awhile. Since, I last posted, I moved to Chicago! I now live in a lovely apartment with two fetching roommates, in an historic Swedish neighborhood called Andersonville. I had a lovely internship at a museum, and am now employed at a wine and cheese shop. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I guess this transition hasn't been all ponies, sunshine, and champagne bubbles. I've struggled a lot with learning how to cooking for myself. On the one hand, it's great! I have complete control over everything, and no longer have to contend with my family (whom, I love so dearly) raiding the fridge and using the ingredients that I had mentally reserved for certain dishes. On the other hand, I have to buy my food. Since, the farmer's markets have opened up again, I've been thinking a lot about the most cost-effective ways to prepare my fresh produce, so that I can extract the most pleasure out of them</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Case in point: On my latest trip to the farmer's market, I found an herb vendor that sold lemon verbena. I was tickled to find fresh sprigs, and I immediately fell in love with its scent. I bought it and wanted to find the perfect dessert item that would trap its bright, herbaceous fragrance and translate it into tender lemony morsels. I began my search and found some promising results - recipes for custards, cookies, cakes, scones, but I found some fault with all of them along the way. As my search ensued, the leaves began to brown, and eventually, I gave up and adapted a recipe for lemon raspberry muffins. I thought I was on the right track by substituting the lemon zest with triple the amount of the chopped lemon verbena leaves, and then blooming them in the melted butter. However, the butter masked the flavors, and I was left with muffins with nodes of grass and instead of fragrant sun-kissed lemon fields.</div><div><br /></div><div>All was not lost though - I saved 12 of the lemon verbena leaves, and stuck them in a tupperware container in the refrigerator with a cup of sugar. After a couple days, the sugar had absorbed the oils and had the same intoxicating scent of the lemon verbena leaves. I ended up using the sugar in a most simple fruit salad of pears and raspberries, finished with a dash of cream. It was unexpectedly complex with the contrasting textures of the fruit and the lingering lemon taste, and totally satisfying. In the end, all you need are fresh ingredients, prepared simply. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0wP3NFIzlAHsy4CLcTZT6eyJFYMSUYMP2vNtIX-_oj0bwDaY7UBxvrBS-SL_zVbk93T9H9N5ghVr2RxdT5JJWf2AYsSBGJGftnxc9_45sacAG0XdyVKwXQCIDuFNJ4GxmLLNeDweeXc/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0wP3NFIzlAHsy4CLcTZT6eyJFYMSUYMP2vNtIX-_oj0bwDaY7UBxvrBS-SL_zVbk93T9H9N5ghVr2RxdT5JJWf2AYsSBGJGftnxc9_45sacAG0XdyVKwXQCIDuFNJ4GxmLLNeDweeXc/s320/IMG_0065.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462062330557500706" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Pears and Raspberries with Cream</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4 Pears, finely chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup Raspberries (fresh or frozen)</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 tablespoons Lemon Verbena infused Sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">The juice of half a lemon </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4-1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Combine the pears, raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Let marinade either at room temperature (if using frozen raspberries) or in the fridge for at least thirty minutes before serving. Spoon unto the center of small bowls or ramekins, leaving a small rim clean. Drizzle cream along the rim, and serve. Serves 6.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Optional flavorings to salad:</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 tsp Almond Extract, 1 tbsp lemon zest</div><div> </div></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-39053527138870771722010-04-17T21:18:00.002-05:002010-04-17T21:23:35.073-05:00First Picnic<div>Well, this isn't exactly a cooking-related post, but it is FOOD-related, and most importantly life-related and fun-related and awesome-related.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sorry, where was I? Oh yes--I went on a picnic! It was the first picnic of the season, and I had all sorts of plans to make a cold green bean and cherry tomato salad, and homemade lemonade, and cookies. Well, I accidentally slept in, so that didn't happen. However, I learned that sometimes delicious prepared salads from Whole Foods can be just as good as homemade when you're eating them on a blanket in the sun with a friend.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU4NnpqRQE4ukWHZuEN6bDNrdMRszZGed_vZTGtl3BopZ8Uem2UP423gHybbr8y8MgX_YOJGEFwTpaSAJsncO4Xu6n30maxtbpWTRruHfITKiSvrSf7-Cf7hF_NGH8CZiW1oB70vYA44/s1600/DSC_0149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU4NnpqRQE4ukWHZuEN6bDNrdMRszZGed_vZTGtl3BopZ8Uem2UP423gHybbr8y8MgX_YOJGEFwTpaSAJsncO4Xu6n30maxtbpWTRruHfITKiSvrSf7-Cf7hF_NGH8CZiW1oB70vYA44/s400/DSC_0149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461296252105779218" /></a><b>Our Picnic Menu:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Baguette with goat brie</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Strawberries & Cocoa Haze (basically organic, fair-trade Nutella)</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Tabbouleh</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Salad with candied pecans, feta, and and kalamata olives</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Izze sodas</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCal4Dv00E_syWOL5iZ3vdVquzOPkFXn1gUdQLMtyj2AMmnt2MwYFQsCmFyxofOTGh2_Je0rrKjd9UXZxb_n1wBjEbOjISAWl3PABwbXOfYSQ9h-FmPP_0697k7NGeLQXLMXX0Wu_wIM/s1600/DSC_0150.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCal4Dv00E_syWOL5iZ3vdVquzOPkFXn1gUdQLMtyj2AMmnt2MwYFQsCmFyxofOTGh2_Je0rrKjd9UXZxb_n1wBjEbOjISAWl3PABwbXOfYSQ9h-FmPP_0697k7NGeLQXLMXX0Wu_wIM/s400/DSC_0150.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461296242663410930" /></a>Yum! It was delicious! Macy thought so too. She tried tabbouleh for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. (n.b. Macy is the dog, not the person)</div><div><br /></div><div>I just hope I get to go on another picnic soon! Now I'm off to pore over my newly acquired copies of this month's Bon Appetit, Clean Eating & Vegetarian Times. While eating cookies & cream ice cream. Well, we can't be virtuous all the time, I suppose.</div></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-89851740533739030542010-04-13T20:12:00.002-05:002010-04-13T20:31:23.715-05:00Lentil Burgers & Oven Fries<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What better way to ease back into this whole blogging thing than with a meal that is similarly simple and straightforward? Today I was in the mood for a summery dinner because it has been GORGEOUS here, with highs in the 80's every day since the beginning of April. I spent the day with my windows open, listening to music and having solo dance parties and just generally pretending that I was a character in a Zoey Deschanel movie. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So anyway, what's more summery and low-key than burgers and fries? Of course I adapted that classic combination to be a little healthier and, of course, vegetarian. I adapted a Martha Stewart lentil burger recipe, and served crispy burgers on toasted whole wheat buns, topped with goat cheese, spinach, dijon mustard and sweet onion slices. Plus, I think I discovered the secret to perfect oven fries: just keep baking them. Before, I always got impatient and took the fries out before their outsides got sufficiently crispy--you just have to believe! And leave them in the oven for like an hour. I rounded out the meal with some realllly good strawberries. Good call on my part, I gotta say.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa05TcbO3MFFVl0vkP3_RUO10jW_U6qtb_r5HYntmjYiJgv8ivePfkx8U-ggqxDURteEtchvQ1EokCQkZuoqaT81Lsy_9wRY51sFguAOuEFwQO_7o3rzCt3GSRhnWVxGj-2ivQuD8pGo/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa05TcbO3MFFVl0vkP3_RUO10jW_U6qtb_r5HYntmjYiJgv8ivePfkx8U-ggqxDURteEtchvQ1EokCQkZuoqaT81Lsy_9wRY51sFguAOuEFwQO_7o3rzCt3GSRhnWVxGj-2ivQuD8pGo/s400/DSC_0144.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459795200954058386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bDaqYYTbyzVYMLzyKIcmX9cQkEYpXd9oa6vAsLb2MYOJ7kXFl5u_f2mEHwkFMYhhppIqMns4_RkzDfNpuHOb139ZCI87pg6fDM_Ip4MI31cxyZ8PIUkqQyuBNRcsbdhcsiZN9Y-8-I/s1600/DSC_0147.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bDaqYYTbyzVYMLzyKIcmX9cQkEYpXd9oa6vAsLb2MYOJ7kXFl5u_f2mEHwkFMYhhppIqMns4_RkzDfNpuHOb139ZCI87pg6fDM_Ip4MI31cxyZ8PIUkqQyuBNRcsbdhcsiZN9Y-8-I/s400/DSC_0147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459795196275770706" /></a><b><br /></b><div><b>Lentil Burgers </b>(adapted from <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mediterranean-veggie-burgers-with-mint-yogurt-sauce-and-carrot-salad">this</a> Martha Stewart Recipe)</div><div><i>Makes 3-4 burgers</i></div><div><br /></div><div>1 Wheat Hamburger Bun</div><div>1 Can Lentils (16 oz) (rinsed and drained)</div><div>1 Egg (pasture-raised eggs are the most humane and the tastiest)</div><div>2 Scallions, chopped</div><div>1/2 c. Parsley, chopped</div><div>2 tbsp. olive oil</div><div>Buns, toppings & condiments of your choice</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Tear the hamburger bun into large pieces and throw it in the food processor. Process into coarse bread crumbs. Add lentils, egg, scallions, and parsley, plus a healthy dose of salt and pepper. Process everything into a coarse paste.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. For the lentil paste into 3-4 patties and carefully transfer to hot oil with a wooden turner. Cook 4 minutes or until well-browned and crisp, turn carefully. Cook another 4 minutes, then remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towel.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Toast up those buns, top your burger how you like it, and enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Oven Fries</b></div><div><i>Serves 4</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>3 large Russet Potatoes</div><div>2-3 tbsp. Olive Oil</div><div>Salt</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Pre-heat oven to 425. Peel the potatoes if you want to. Cut potatoes into slices length-wise, then turn and slice again.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Arrange potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle liberally with salt, and toss to coat.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Stick the fries in the oven for about an our. Check them every 20 minutes or so to flip the potatoes and make sure they're evenly browned. Don't give up.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Remove from the oven, eat way too many dipped in organic ketchup.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, <b>GLEE IS ON!!! </b>I'm so psyched it's back! Gotta go!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-59847451367189267562009-09-01T16:17:00.002-05:002009-09-01T16:24:52.320-05:00Birthday Pasta<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6Exfvn5jZTAzNxBeRcmi9H2ZcBq4xbVJyQ6mZ7yCHG1z122vV4Aw6Nnt8g5EO064-YRJ84Qw4C8HLun-fyJkRvQFErZhjaV2w6ry4DKG9tQZIo-1SnPVvnk3aGkZJSZypVrSPCzw2bM/s1600-h/IMG_4729.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6Exfvn5jZTAzNxBeRcmi9H2ZcBq4xbVJyQ6mZ7yCHG1z122vV4Aw6Nnt8g5EO064-YRJ84Qw4C8HLun-fyJkRvQFErZhjaV2w6ry4DKG9tQZIo-1SnPVvnk3aGkZJSZypVrSPCzw2bM/s400/IMG_4729.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376611821309099970" /></a>So, Allison, I just turned 23 last Thursday, and to celebrate I fixed myself and some family members a lavish birthday dinner! There was peach pie, of course (you know I'm not much of a cake person).<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6LXZJxhp-vQBPNxFv_aO9h0rZDd1p-U9I8EJTiEV3iy5Ef05mzs77lPlvft7qDpC1K77M8tePXFDfcB9ANjUOEQQj5UWK1FS1Kl2Mu04F__N4uF88DOLL7wMwZEegqSY2VxeTDNf0h4/s1600-h/IMG_4718.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6LXZJxhp-vQBPNxFv_aO9h0rZDd1p-U9I8EJTiEV3iy5Ef05mzs77lPlvft7qDpC1K77M8tePXFDfcB9ANjUOEQQj5UWK1FS1Kl2Mu04F__N4uF88DOLL7wMwZEegqSY2VxeTDNf0h4/s400/IMG_4718.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376611815663093570" /></a>But the thing that really took the cake (haha) was this awesome roasted tomato pasta. I love olives and briny flavors, and this mixture of savory tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers was absolutely delicious. I used this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pasta-with-Kalamata-Olives-and-Roasted-Cherry-Tomato-Sauce-106310">recipe</a>, from a long-ago issue of Bon Appetit, and it was just really, really good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Iac30AEgodQ28ssDgOyUFzk5pUmiugKYISRShcUNzewecVTyLUjwx3IzH-D-xAbAD7k8uMIKZNNLwxPAk4xPgSH81iHos32bTtAMICe0Qk_du2ulMY8IoLfD0JwWw_j5zausxhfMPIY/s1600-h/IMG_4727.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Iac30AEgodQ28ssDgOyUFzk5pUmiugKYISRShcUNzewecVTyLUjwx3IzH-D-xAbAD7k8uMIKZNNLwxPAk4xPgSH81iHos32bTtAMICe0Qk_du2ulMY8IoLfD0JwWw_j5zausxhfMPIY/s400/IMG_4727.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376611794912600994" /></a>I can't wait to hear about your birthday celebrations, fellow Virgo! Do you have major and elaborate cake plans--I hope so! I can't wait to see.</div><div><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-91547201214646999962009-08-24T20:01:00.002-05:002009-08-24T20:13:15.284-05:00Good food in Arkansas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0q6WIhMVEi4H-gW10ZHu7xOX_KoRudh66D3-8fqBnFvwElLZxdhbjnJfG9dLGjgwbLKqNQ3FRqfMzPbAAb-W-HI6_iNMl9OEoDnikLF_rOh1zpdu8cgAAYTTFAw-xXTqXUSPZb1lzT4/s1600-h/IMG_4686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0q6WIhMVEi4H-gW10ZHu7xOX_KoRudh66D3-8fqBnFvwElLZxdhbjnJfG9dLGjgwbLKqNQ3FRqfMzPbAAb-W-HI6_iNMl9OEoDnikLF_rOh1zpdu8cgAAYTTFAw-xXTqXUSPZb1lzT4/s400/IMG_4686.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373700941541681042" /></a><div>This weekend I explored north-west Arkansas with my friend Jessa, and discovered a surprising amount of good food. First up was a trip to <a href="http://www.wareaglemill.com/">War Eagle Mill</a>, a water-powered grist mill that grinds and sells organic grains. We got to see the mill in action:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmfzMiwXP0l4hgH8GrGm1Nu7SAPmtFz1idyl_yl58qD1gCamnQEOPCO8ewsMBCU0bfSGZB5Gg7cKvo25KhUzQbJ64d_wqaqzeCckhSJhaasLNsMsz8j9DUzpqGz2RO-RlpvZL65WfQWg/s1600-h/IMG_4684.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmfzMiwXP0l4hgH8GrGm1Nu7SAPmtFz1idyl_yl58qD1gCamnQEOPCO8ewsMBCU0bfSGZB5Gg7cKvo25KhUzQbJ64d_wqaqzeCckhSJhaasLNsMsz8j9DUzpqGz2RO-RlpvZL65WfQWg/s400/IMG_4684.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373700933206567874" /></a>Of course, I couldn't resist making a few purchases. I picked up some whole wheat flour, some spelt flour, some cornbread mix, some apple butter and apricot butter, and a copy of the Mill's cookbook. Okay, okay, but I'm helpless when surrounded by grain, especially grain packaged in vintage-y looking cloth bags! It made me feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs8QkVXIo6_hF4AAfX2i2hX2gBulB6ynQUJMaGNyQCE504Krn9eqc6LpU4WWRm5kWSZDA2XIXPmTqNuw6Pa2HdZoJ9mO-ohjcsWQIbCtfVZejgO4kQhD-LYdn0fUvpNBdkzqcADd6q9Y/s1600-h/IMG_4689.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs8QkVXIo6_hF4AAfX2i2hX2gBulB6ynQUJMaGNyQCE504Krn9eqc6LpU4WWRm5kWSZDA2XIXPmTqNuw6Pa2HdZoJ9mO-ohjcsWQIbCtfVZejgO4kQhD-LYdn0fUvpNBdkzqcADd6q9Y/s400/IMG_4689.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373700922503453778" /></a></div><div>We ate lunch at the perplexingly named <a href="http://www.wareaglemill.com/restaurant.html#tea_link">Bean Palace Restaurant</a>, where I had a just-okay taco salad and some pretty darn good blackberry cobbler. </div><div><br /></div><div>On our way back to Oklahoma we stopped in Fayetteville and had lunch at the <a href="http://www.greenhousegrille.com/home.html">Greenhouse Grill</a>. Or, more accurately, we had brunch. Who knew Arkansas would have organic blue-corn pancakes with raspberries and walnuts in the batter, topped with a yogurt-honey swirl and fruit chutney? Arkansas, you are too good to me.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHw2jXOg66WoKxzYBtWP34ER5A00CmA4X7IvUznJnCmWDpsy-NZ4rf0Xs3_104lKhIoMXto1C6UZBvtidK3GxL7bt0w3gypwYKwh1xs43Np8DEkcaV6LLG4ZY5XPtAK9n6vn_79OQXR8/s1600-h/IMG_4695.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHw2jXOg66WoKxzYBtWP34ER5A00CmA4X7IvUznJnCmWDpsy-NZ4rf0Xs3_104lKhIoMXto1C6UZBvtidK3GxL7bt0w3gypwYKwh1xs43Np8DEkcaV6LLG4ZY5XPtAK9n6vn_79OQXR8/s400/IMG_4695.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373700907194953794" /></a></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-73361066536260401922009-08-07T16:01:00.003-05:002009-08-07T16:09:40.440-05:00If you give a mouse a cookie...<div>I'm not sure who the mouse is in this scenario--probably me. I don't usually bake that much because I know if I have cookies, or cake, or pie at my disposal, I'm more likely to eat it all at once than savor it slowly like a logical person.</div><div><br /></div><div>But anyway, I made some ginger cookies anyway! They came from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Contessa-Home-Everyday-Recipes/dp/1400054346/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249679045&sr=8-1">Barefoot Contessa at Home</a> cookbook, and the recipe is available online <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/The-Barefoot-Contessas-Ultimate-Ginger-Cookies-200928">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vUOIW7dOcw7BpMXVKhoQq1tfUOZ0GP7TE4KUMaIqpzqAnAwFulv6cF0Ra7J1m4eJs2wVaqN-_U2w2VhQxMADC7sTtWN2gPcjSWC9E8TMwgGFCUYQvgAYzWICElDUcZtcsi90hSbLEMA/s1600-h/IMG_4601.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vUOIW7dOcw7BpMXVKhoQq1tfUOZ0GP7TE4KUMaIqpzqAnAwFulv6cF0Ra7J1m4eJs2wVaqN-_U2w2VhQxMADC7sTtWN2gPcjSWC9E8TMwgGFCUYQvgAYzWICElDUcZtcsi90hSbLEMA/s320/IMG_4601.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367330220810586882" /></a><br /><div>The "secret ingredient" was chopped crystallized ginger. If you like ginger (a lot) like I do, you will love these cookies. If you don't, well, they might be a little overwhelming. Also, they're kind of tricky (Beat ingredients for exactly five minutes! Bake for exactly thirteen minutes!), but if you have faith and follow the recipe, they will come out all right in the end, I promise!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNI8HMcnVlU9MsIHK7ckGk6wN5piziiUPKd31qwEAEgEPHNZjVzGrk10__sZwEEyP9FzT682Dc6xuDNP7ReegDdFR8lbQbum8SqJ_D1u7oXuiayC7oeXvkhjPnxAmzPnFs5I_WUIbCoco/s1600-h/IMG_4603.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNI8HMcnVlU9MsIHK7ckGk6wN5piziiUPKd31qwEAEgEPHNZjVzGrk10__sZwEEyP9FzT682Dc6xuDNP7ReegDdFR8lbQbum8SqJ_D1u7oXuiayC7oeXvkhjPnxAmzPnFs5I_WUIbCoco/s320/IMG_4603.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367330216056177458" /></a><br /></div><div>They're crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside! Much bigger and more luscious than the lowly ginger snap.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvxw9TzLqNU7TeZGLzd5Qyiwu5ZP1teCQ4eiYwt9Vw6hrCQTajpGlIKTdY33D6shOplvt69knFj1P1cX67AM302zpwI8j7Uw4TdvCyJKRcxtkKCnob37VVmFkPab_3pjwZNcRuS-CVIw/s1600-h/IMG_4604.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvxw9TzLqNU7TeZGLzd5Qyiwu5ZP1teCQ4eiYwt9Vw6hrCQTajpGlIKTdY33D6shOplvt69knFj1P1cX67AM302zpwI8j7Uw4TdvCyJKRcxtkKCnob37VVmFkPab_3pjwZNcRuS-CVIw/s320/IMG_4604.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367330206774800578" /></a><br /></div><div>Is it gross to take close-up photos of food you've just bitten out of? Oh well! Anyway, these cookies were awesome and I suggest you make some forthwith.</div><div><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-54431798276312505222009-08-03T23:02:00.002-05:002009-08-03T23:05:50.267-05:00Cupcakes!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr19MJDtU_mfp41VISmJKKOkPyNpEYFponJBCUPm794cjukr7YO5J23_NZMKO_lrfWh-wRbHunvltnu8ZT6SIKHbgMruAJdo2SM_aLz0ZE7qjZBcpMJD_Ok23_Pvr9FM2s35hVO_SCoE/s1600-h/IMG_4579.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr19MJDtU_mfp41VISmJKKOkPyNpEYFponJBCUPm794cjukr7YO5J23_NZMKO_lrfWh-wRbHunvltnu8ZT6SIKHbgMruAJdo2SM_aLz0ZE7qjZBcpMJD_Ok23_Pvr9FM2s35hVO_SCoE/s320/IMG_4579.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365954453457707314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfLnSrz92BMEgz_Ispf47bq3IDH66HoNk6Plbxl0En-vpIejpS386_GhOUd8LRHRx_1fEa_NJIB3j4gEj77DGwjIBCknq0cGt8fEHaNyTlssnKfJw8P25E3qbOuffrsaFhp4nhr8QNqc/s1600-h/IMG_4578.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfLnSrz92BMEgz_Ispf47bq3IDH66HoNk6Plbxl0En-vpIejpS386_GhOUd8LRHRx_1fEa_NJIB3j4gEj77DGwjIBCknq0cGt8fEHaNyTlssnKfJw8P25E3qbOuffrsaFhp4nhr8QNqc/s320/IMG_4578.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365954450271236610" /></a><br />Hey, I ate some cupcakes! With my friend Ruth! They came from <a href="http://kupcakz.com/">Kupcakz</a> which, wacky spelling aside, really does make insanely good cupcakes. Ruth hand a mint-chocolate one which, as you can see, she was pretty excited about. I had a dark chocolate with peanut butter buttercream and man oh man it was good. They kind of hollow out the cupcakes so extra frosting goes down into the middle. Mmmmmmm. I wish I had more cupcakes RIGHT NOW.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-65931778015341274332009-07-25T20:58:00.002-05:002009-07-25T21:18:23.661-05:00Summer Chopped Salad<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>So far this summer, I've had enough trouble just getting off the couch, let alone summoning the energy to cook a real meal. This chopped salad is a great solution--all you have to do is cut everything up and throw it together! Plus it's got a little bit of everything in it, so you don't need any side dishes.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8Akb4ma063k-MFpOx6ZzNpHdjlnjjRy_MxFLWS6XpRsvhlcw8w4lz2DOAedwjfDPdkuVkVD-uC0HoJkWCT97kfSV1DaJa8IswG0sbxR8cy1INY4A5yMYv0Fde9cUKZngzvECjw_6-vk/s1600-h/IMG_4531.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8Akb4ma063k-MFpOx6ZzNpHdjlnjjRy_MxFLWS6XpRsvhlcw8w4lz2DOAedwjfDPdkuVkVD-uC0HoJkWCT97kfSV1DaJa8IswG0sbxR8cy1INY4A5yMYv0Fde9cUKZngzvECjw_6-vk/s320/IMG_4531.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362582820574429234" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I topped everything with the simple vinaigrette I've been making to go on everything. We don't even have any bottled salad dressing in our fridge any more, because this is so quick to whip up. There's no recipe per se, but the basic procedure is simple:<div><br /></div><div><b>Honey Mustard Vinaigrette</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div>1 shallot, chopped (or garlic if you prefer)</div><div>1 tsp dijon mustard</div><div>1 tsp honey</div><div>1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or whatever you have on hand)</div><div>2-3 tbsp olive oil</div><div>salt & pepper to taste</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions:</b></div><div>In a small bow, mix together shallot, mustard, honey, vinegar, and salt & pepper. With a fork or a whisk, gradually mix in olive oil. That's it!</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloFz0nJcnY-9rcloKFfJLfIjTaiVX_4qOPbB5h3VQMRjamDqDA8u-guW2gBJsKPdeDVWI5j_w9GPYJNXCNxAcSXpv-Y4XVsWdZrsVs2LSNYI9uzeASKqfJ6ZJ3SE9kG-0DwYDrtgnZ2E/s1600-h/IMG_4530.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloFz0nJcnY-9rcloKFfJLfIjTaiVX_4qOPbB5h3VQMRjamDqDA8u-guW2gBJsKPdeDVWI5j_w9GPYJNXCNxAcSXpv-Y4XVsWdZrsVs2LSNYI9uzeASKqfJ6ZJ3SE9kG-0DwYDrtgnZ2E/s320/IMG_4530.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362582814804525074" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The chopped salad itself is also difficult to write a recipe for. Basically, just cut everything into similar-sized pieces and layer in a salad bowl. Then toss with dressing and serve! If you want to keep leftovers in the fridge, I suggest adding croutons and cheese to individual plates, since the salad will keep better separate from those ingredients.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi464ydwd65fMLX27s28b_nvyoyr8noS1u_tVyrC1_Hdf8Ur6vd_WK5qwUoZVtGxGGEjKKt5oiznWWsJDYdajg6rhHhyQaJdEAk_5W0NXN_ws3rVS3MOzN0xIpnQt-WsPk-nXCQh-dQbks/s1600-h/IMG_4529.jpg"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi464ydwd65fMLX27s28b_nvyoyr8noS1u_tVyrC1_Hdf8Ur6vd_WK5qwUoZVtGxGGEjKKt5oiznWWsJDYdajg6rhHhyQaJdEAk_5W0NXN_ws3rVS3MOzN0xIpnQt-WsPk-nXCQh-dQbks/s1600-h/IMG_4529.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi464ydwd65fMLX27s28b_nvyoyr8noS1u_tVyrC1_Hdf8Ur6vd_WK5qwUoZVtGxGGEjKKt5oiznWWsJDYdajg6rhHhyQaJdEAk_5W0NXN_ws3rVS3MOzN0xIpnQt-WsPk-nXCQh-dQbks/s320/IMG_4529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362582812133780978" /></a><b>Summer Chopped Salad</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Romaine lettuce</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Red cabbage</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Spinach</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Cucumber</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Carrots</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Celery</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Cherry tomatoes, halved<br /></span></b>Toasted almond slivers</div><div>Dried cranberries</div><div>Homemade Croutons (or store-bought, if you prefer)</div><div>Cubed gouda</div><div>Crumbled Feta</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions:</b></div><div>Start with the lettuce, cabbage, and spinach--cut each into bite-sized slivers and layer into serving bowl. Next chop cucumber, carrots, celery and cherry tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and add to serving bowl. Finally, top with remaining ingredients, drizzle dressing over, and toss!</div><div><br /></div><div>This salad is addictive, probably because of all the cheese! I'm not sure how good for you it actually is, given all the toppings, but I do know that it's fresh and tasty. And if you make a ton you can eat it for like a week without having to cook again.</div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-36573487388601218172009-07-22T19:36:00.008-05:002009-07-22T19:53:49.572-05:00Nectarines in Cedar Falls<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilksC3Ac_BGSfGAIDzittQO0z76WtaGKa-dSadMARixoE8zDyC75ZrSPk-3tWobUDQvxosMFX6vwTyKRONaQyePhibMpyHYiuZBzwMeWbF62SYtcNFcNLWfJkL_a-5ryFBS0x7EIGPefI/s1600-h/IMG_4546.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilksC3Ac_BGSfGAIDzittQO0z76WtaGKa-dSadMARixoE8zDyC75ZrSPk-3tWobUDQvxosMFX6vwTyKRONaQyePhibMpyHYiuZBzwMeWbF62SYtcNFcNLWfJkL_a-5ryFBS0x7EIGPefI/s320/IMG_4546.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361450883552432082" /></a><br /><div>Well, Allison, while you've been off cooking for teenagers this summer at your camp job I've been... pretty much doing nothing. So much nothing, in fact, that I felt the need to get out of town and do nothing somewhere else. So I visited our friend Amanda in Cedar Falls! I won't get all mushy and say that visiting Iowa was like coming home again, but I will say that the cool temperatures and actual clouds were a welcome respite from what has so far been a searingly hot summer in Oklahoma.<div><br /></div><div>While I was in Cedar Falls, Amanda's family was way too generous in treating me to a ton of delicious food. There was Chinese, burritos, waffles, and more. The morning of the day I left, though, Amanda and I got a chance to do a cooking project of our own... well, as long as you use the term "cooking" loosely.</div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJIJKsz0cfUuU9gi__UBOCycfJx2yKQkxAMwL_b6v7HHFJGDOhdAulFBE8cRoAw6GfmQk35c1gRSp2AOcWi00iwuKzVUOoqO6b3ANt_55lrACs12uY5ZS0SxYyw7o4xgXk8G2WGy6zG4/s1600-h/IMG_4549.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJIJKsz0cfUuU9gi__UBOCycfJx2yKQkxAMwL_b6v7HHFJGDOhdAulFBE8cRoAw6GfmQk35c1gRSp2AOcWi00iwuKzVUOoqO6b3ANt_55lrACs12uY5ZS0SxYyw7o4xgXk8G2WGy6zG4/s320/IMG_4549.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361450767860437042" /></a><br /></div><div>It all started when we were leafing through the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wiliams-Sonoma-Kids-Cookbook-Williams-Sonoma-Lifestyles/dp/0848726073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248309709&sr=8-1">Williams-Sonoma Kid's Cookbook</a>, which was laying on Amanda's kitchen table. The peril of this book is that the recipes are all super-easy, and the photography is gorgeous, so it's easy to get drawn in. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though! Anyway, we saw a recipe for Apricot-Ginger parfaits which looked too good not to make. Plus, we were lucky enough to have a bona fide kid (Amanda's little brother) there to help us by licking the bowl that the cream was whipped in.<br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bpp-CcXpapDYBFSQy4wmx6RRzN0I9IKpUmwt8p1BPVzDBX-OxcQlk4CTMIVBx2g8iR6XCBAA-E0uYuzRC8jEMZqI-UGk3K3KkkGMj8Nl568J1EB1UZPZDouGsmsk4xq7TEoIRGKnoMg/s1600-h/IMG_4553.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bpp-CcXpapDYBFSQy4wmx6RRzN0I9IKpUmwt8p1BPVzDBX-OxcQlk4CTMIVBx2g8iR6XCBAA-E0uYuzRC8jEMZqI-UGk3K3KkkGMj8Nl568J1EB1UZPZDouGsmsk4xq7TEoIRGKnoMg/s320/IMG_4553.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361450648772219762" /></a><br />In the end, these are a little different than the recipe. We used nectarines instead of apricots, because that was what we could find, and we didn't garnish the parfaits with fresh mint, much to Amanda's dismay. We did, though, eat them on the front porch on a vintage table runner. And after breakfast we hiked into the nature reserve behind Amanda's house and went swinging in a playground and relaxed on quilts and read books until the heat of the sun became overwhelming. So I'd say they were basically a success.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Nectarine-Ginger Parfaits</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span></div><div>A bag of store-bought gingersnaps</div><div>4 or 5 nectarines</div><div>heavy cream</div><div>sugar</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This is basically self-explanatory. Slice the nectarines, and put the gingersnaps in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Sweeten and whip the cream (or if, like us, you forget to sweeten the cream, whip it and then add some powdered sugar). Layer everything in parfait glasses and enjoy! You're supposed to let them sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so the cookie crumbles become moist, but we were too impatient, and, after all, I think the crunch added a certain something to our gustatory experience.</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzm8K2XVstMOMiGpdZDG859LTfAahwT4_5I306UhdlqJCzB26CZ2U-vRVRTax9ww1KNQxIqKSIq_WT38sjbVFV5xGMOKHD96uGiyY4YfiJLBlB2de_Smrg_1Jys-n1iYtT_Jsqy0ioND0/s1600-h/IMG_4546.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></a></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-89752387833295049542009-05-28T19:16:00.007-05:002009-05-28T20:43:58.152-05:00The Holy Grail<div>Dear Allison,</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, my dear, it's finally happened: we've graduated and parted ways, supposedly to forge our separate paths in life. To find fame and fortune and fulfillment. Well, I've got the "fulfillment" part covered, anyway--as part of our Epic Trek Through the American South, my family had lunch in Savannah at none other than <a href="http://theladyandsons.com/">The Lady and Sons</a>, Paula Deen's restaurant! Now, you know how I love all things southern, but southern food can sometimes be problematic from a vegetarianism standpoint. I was impressed to see that at The Lady and Sons, there were three whole vegetarian entrees on the lunch menu! That may not sound like much, but when you're used to making do with a salad and sides, it's exciting.</div><div><br /></div><div>First things first: The Lady and Sons is in downtown Savannah, which is a quirky and awesome city full of antebellum architecture, indie boutiques, and hipsters who attend <a href="http://www.scad.edu/">SCAD</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWWHFNgOUW_n2onOFP3gNkpGbWrTnENNwT-VGzHfzNcClvXFSnw-oqGW7yygcG0d0mYd0u0lufZBBKmTxhYVpRoQGE9AH6zcbMJXPF_ct3CLy3ZGUJJo6JRWlvx769Ab1yESbpQCFNBw/s320/IMG_4457.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341035348175429266" />Now, in true Paula Deen fashion, our meal didn't begin with plain old bread. Rather, it started with a fried corn cake (there was maple syrup at the table to go with it), and a cheddar-garlic biscuit, both oozing with butter. Um, delicious is putting it lightly.<div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLKOO5bDBLac9p2lAbmsHQeIwgd-p0vt0NEn4tyTlg5XE-Xel4N39gO9fsMKB-kpKIXxwNo4UizThYr7At4dt5Uq1YepcdJpowrVi-hiOd5oL7TksFOHUrz9WGqaO5CLh6BA3ExGeHSc/s320/IMG_4458.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341035358259113698" />Here's what the interior or the restaurant looks like: there are three stories of dining rooms, and we were seated on the top story.<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwH7bvl4-hRTFdAYMufRXpjOR_h8CHwbB0FakoaDEouuFx_Q3s-aJkXjSHszNzKT86Y9XA5SJVVrBsv4ABrBdNGFoijy8ZquSuRIP7qF4XF0zN4b5R2swWWLbXHosfWZXT_RlwvhyphenhyphenjdA0/s320/IMG_4460.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341035366477556274" />We started off with fried green tomatoes, which were garnished with a roasted red pepper sauce and a vidalia onion relish. These were so. good. Crispy and surprisingly delicate, and I loved the onion relish. I really want to try and re-create them when I get home<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXNkWyOX-cPCyjM9IY6pACvB84W8mMzKeSHC6WMfpIPOlXUS8tE-AG3r23VMDN-8QRzD7wuzkGKPssM9EqzB-Cn8cmaZs9kcwEKnW1_C2p7SU4W-jP9YjjFm01Dft5ApuFygZS5uQHIo/s320/IMG_4461.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341035371549201090" />For my main course, I went with the asparagus sandwich which, according to the menu, is "a favorite of the New York Times." The sandwich was filled with asparagus, red onion, jack cheese, and thousand island dressing, grilled between two slices of rye bread. It was served with cole slaw (which was garnished with green tomato pickles), and in the background is my lemonade with mint. This sandwich was homey and comforting and, most of all, different, which to me is the most important theme in a world of token portobello burgers. The cole slaw wasn't that special, although it was spicy and a step up from normal restaurant cole slaw.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN4RDBn8I1ncwRIIhs2fdKU0unmVLTPYSF3c8_d633W47gOok7D1l-anbvzVzrh_F-cuFCce1hRJbcSN9Nx3XbgkEWsxwvqWvOD9HHsqZwWDxbv4CeMQ_VSzCmFottFvNF568RMqz48I/s320/IMG_4462.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341035376318316306" />And then there was the macaroni and cheese: since I promised you would try it, I forced my father to bring some back from the buffet (which, as you can see, was mostly populated by vegetables-cooked-with-bacon). This macaroni and cheese was pretty awesome, and I'm about 95% certain the secret ingredient was mayonnaise. Actually I'm about 95% certain that Paula Deen's secret ingredient is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">always</span> mayonnaise.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYg3SP1sFw_QcrvKr4iNtW2zJYwkyzuiqQVLjiDtYOFfJTfc19zbGPTIQFk_H9LCwTiI0Q6EFFgQAN0bPv5nZRDVdrReWGfC2VOGH3_aqFwXuL0uA7qu8uM4jc56yGb4ALXK06-NBH4Y/s320/IMG_4463.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341041102312850146" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpo1eZeAJUcWSombiO7k2k_mk_Ur3zU23uZgfxxYbM20RlVs7-x0uX095eNf7S4bZaY2R7tV81uNDejwf5MBz-s-HBTO1jduRcFbNF9JcVq3rRWqZdfyelm8u7zfruEY8T-nccWzzGBA/s1600-h/IMG_4464.JPG"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpo1eZeAJUcWSombiO7k2k_mk_Ur3zU23uZgfxxYbM20RlVs7-x0uX095eNf7S4bZaY2R7tV81uNDejwf5MBz-s-HBTO1jduRcFbNF9JcVq3rRWqZdfyelm8u7zfruEY8T-nccWzzGBA/s1600-h/IMG_4464.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpo1eZeAJUcWSombiO7k2k_mk_Ur3zU23uZgfxxYbM20RlVs7-x0uX095eNf7S4bZaY2R7tV81uNDejwf5MBz-s-HBTO1jduRcFbNF9JcVq3rRWqZdfyelm8u7zfruEY8T-nccWzzGBA/s320/IMG_4464.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341041107075350018" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then there was dessert: a pecan pie so flaky, creamy and caramely that it was like looking into the face of god. Okay, maybe not quite, but it did come with a scoop of honest-to-god-not-from-a-can whipped cream on the top, which was pretty freakin' awesome.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So I hope your summer is going well so far, Allison! I can't wait to hear about your fancy cooking job and anything else that happens in your life. Keep me posted!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kathryn</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-62929473446623735732009-05-26T11:48:00.007-05:002009-05-31T23:28:03.965-05:00The Secret Password into the Rosenthal HouseHey Kathryn,<br /><br />So, it's been over a week since we graduated. Here's a portrait of my life, by the numbers, since we received our diplomas.<br /><br />20 - times that I played "Don't Stop Believing."<br />17 - episodes of <span style="font-style: italic;">Jon and Kate Plus 8</span> that I have watched.<br />2 - Listen Hear episodes that I have listened to.<br />3 - cards that I found from you while cleaning my room.<br />16 - Bagels that I made.<br /><br />That's right. I've followed through on the promise promise in my previous post, and I made some crusty, chewy bagels. Though I haven't had a New York bagel in awhile, I think these ones came pretty close to the real deal. They certainly beat out Panera's/St. Louis Bread Company's, which let's face the truth, are Parker House Rolls masquerading as bagels. I would bet my Great Aunt's collection of medical advertising cards from the 1800s that they do not even boil them before baking them, which is the way that all true bagels are made. <br /><br />This a really great recipe for channeling stress/aggression/graduation angst. This is the toughest dough that I've ever had to knead. I blasted some Yeah Yeah Yeahs and started kneading, and suddenly, ten minutes had passed. I really love that feeling of complete absorption into the cooking process, and it reminded me of a conversation that I had with Amanda about why we love to cook. We discussed that we liked the immediacy of the process, and how you have to devote your full attention to the food at hand. I think that's how I want to live, one fold, one push, one breath, at a time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXVvJJHNY6dim_xAMUh7tKzSWN4kOsVJFhG17H7IskVxCLAZmqrPDPdvYDnmmWCWCCNHkhTpnXe9DVhMVW-LyS0FzCyko6iKrkTi2zvsajUwAXP7WhBydCo_I4EL0GL9pVb4_8qDT_5k/s1600-h/IMG_0425.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXVvJJHNY6dim_xAMUh7tKzSWN4kOsVJFhG17H7IskVxCLAZmqrPDPdvYDnmmWCWCCNHkhTpnXe9DVhMVW-LyS0FzCyko6iKrkTi2zvsajUwAXP7WhBydCo_I4EL0GL9pVb4_8qDT_5k/s200/IMG_0425.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342209461300761730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Aren't they cute?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NS-QUqjOmeBOE7fl5zPRw_HjIkexwq7x4UWOTSC87zslcMBMSntktc_a0AfK0lPYrX8EyHy6Sd9xGc0gi4U1mrOacz1ak70_XjjK6a4hih_D4e01bxemVEo_O7QUPl5m-f1p8A_HFuA/s1600-h/IMG_0426.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NS-QUqjOmeBOE7fl5zPRw_HjIkexwq7x4UWOTSC87zslcMBMSntktc_a0AfK0lPYrX8EyHy6Sd9xGc0gi4U1mrOacz1ak70_XjjK6a4hih_D4e01bxemVEo_O7QUPl5m-f1p8A_HFuA/s200/IMG_0426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342210853049918866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bagels</span><br />Adapted from Nigella Lawson's <span style="font-style: italic;">How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking:<br /><br /></span>6 3/4 cup white bread flour, plus more as necessary for kneading<br />1 tbsp salt<br />1 package yeast<br />2 tbsp sugar<br />1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for greasing<br />2 1/4 cups lukewarm water<br />2 tbsp sugar (or malt extract, if you happen to have it on hand)<br /><br />To a large bowl, add the flour, salt and yeast together. Stir to combine and create a well in the center. To another bowl add the sugar, oil and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones all at once and forcibly mix. When the mixture starts to ball together into a dough, with your hands, start to knead it together to incorporate all of the flour into the dough. Turn out the dough onto a dry surface and knead the dough together, adding more flour if the dough seems too wet (don't worry - the dough should be drier than other bread doughs). Knead for at least ten minutes, or until the dough becomes smoother, suppler, and easier to work with. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and flip the dough around on both sides so that it has a thin coat of oil. Cover with a clean dish towel, and let it rise for an hour.<br /><br />After it has risen, punch down the dough, and turn out onto your work surface. Cut the dough in thirds, and then again into fifths, so in the end, you have 15 portions. Roll each piece into a log, and then pinch the ends together to form a ring. Make sure you get a tight seal so that they don't fall apart when you boil them. Set aside on a baking sheet and cover with a clean dish towel. At this time, set a large pot of water on the stove on high heat. Add the sugar or malt extract and wait for it to come to a rapid boil. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees or its highest setting. Once the oven has come to temperature, and the water is boiling, and the bagels have rested for at least 15 minutes, oil two baking sheets and set them aside. Drop the bagels into the water four at a time using a slotted spoon. Once they have been in the water for 30 seconds, flip them, and wait another 30 seconds. Retrieve them from the water and set them on the baking sheet, making sure they are well spaced. When you have filled up a baking sheet, place it in the oven, and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown.<br /><br />Enjoy.<br /><br />Also, before you set off to make these, make sure that your oven is clean. Our oven had some burnt bits at the bottom, and so with oven temperature at 500 degrees, those scraps turned into smoke. The bagels ended up being fine, and some even had some slight hints of smoke flavor, but my sister was not so fine with being awoken from her nap because of the fire alarm going off. Just a normal day at the Rosenthal house, I guess.<br /><br />I hope you are doing well at the beach - I miss you so much.<br /><br />Take care,<br />Allison<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6tFAegVNynX5JxsS9mYUE58Vn4CuukWLOnHUsJER-f9bZOG9uJZdSz-rEVSywaozSGsFQ9rPA-C1mOVGYE3Jh8nu9DjOUuoaE4eytg2L2dDhw85lcZETXOt9xnrI0DK-D-KwHP0L6gk/s1600-h/IMG_0422.JPG"><br /></a>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-4319395559233859992009-05-13T10:58:00.002-05:002009-05-13T11:12:59.451-05:00My recipe boxHey Guys,<br /><br />This update comes to you from Burling Library, where I am working on my last ever college paper. Mama needs a break, so I wanted to show you guys some of the recipes that I am dying to make once I return to Iowa City.<br /><br /><a href="http://theppk.com/blog/2009/04/18/chesapeake-tempeh-cakes/">It's a bird, It's a crab, No It's Tempeh Cakes!</a><br /><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/broccoli-slaw/">Broccoli Slaw</a><br /><br />And, maybe Nigella Lawson's Bagels.<br /><br />Also, I came across a tin of sardines from Portugal this week (ah, the perks of the museum world...), and if anyone would have a use for it, I would be more than happy to give it away. Let me know, by commenting on this entry!<br /><br />Good luck to everyone! <br /><br />AllisonAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-46040173111681585682009-05-06T11:36:00.003-05:002009-05-06T16:11:14.307-05:00BACON MANIA?!?!?!?!?!?!?Hey Everyone,<br /><br />I would like to channel all of my Hell Week (what we call the last week of classes at Grinnell)- Finals-graduation-frustration into one big rant about bacon.<br /><br />I know I'm biased since I've never even tried bacon before, but, whatever, I can judge if I want to.<br /><br /><a href="http://lifewithcake.com/2009/05/french-toast-and-bacon-cupcakes/">BACON SHOULD NOT BE ON CUPCAKES. </a><br /><a href="http://karagitz.blogspot.com/2005/09/chocolate-covered-bacon_28.html">BACON SHOULD NOT BE DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE.</a><br /><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/04/publics_demand_for_bacon_vodka.html">AND BACON SHOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE A FLAVOR OF VODKA.</a><br /><br />Y'all should eat salads. Not porcine carcass. <br /><br />AllisonAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-87957436205441594002009-02-14T17:04:00.003-06:002009-02-14T17:06:10.658-06:00You need a conversation piece on your bedside tableHi Everyone,<br /><br />It's been a long time since we wrote a fully collaborative post from Amanda's bed. We are enjoying our Valentine's Day with a relaxing tea!<br /><br />And, here's a video:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EIYpsOrTraQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EIYpsOrTraQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-72269065609306402902008-11-10T22:23:00.003-06:002008-11-10T23:12:10.702-06:00Where Community's Organically GrownWhoa. It’s been three months since we last posted - that's practically an eternity. In that amount of time, Kathryn and I started senior year, turned 22 and 21 respectively, have been asked about our post-grad plans about 182938109284039248 different times, and most importantly, witnessed the election of Barak Obama – I’m definitely still feeling the post-election glow.<br /><br />Because patience should always be rewarded, I offer all of our devoted readers out there a truly fabulous recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake. I made this over fall break, when I went on an Alt-Break service trip with other Grinnellians to <a href="http://www.communityhomestead.org/index.htm">Community Homestead</a>, which is an intentional community and organic farming operation for families and people with special needs. It was a locavore's dream vacation. In exchange for our work on the farm, we got to eat many a vegetable soup, made with freshly harvested produce, drank raw milk from their dairy barn, and ravenously consumed the homemade cookies and bread from their certified organic bakery. Being a part of this community and seeing the physical labor of food production really made me appreciate the sacredness of food, something that is often missing from my mind when I go shopping at the super market.<br /><br />We also got to take part in their weekly potluck supper, and we brought over the aforementioned beet cake, and we got to use some of the beets that we had harvested earlier in the week. Here it is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnJdplNheBRUKMuuRiV7zFTiVF25ISpApjQr0bzhUcpE2ydSCKcLMF2RZCBRaDJje3W2i-L779nsA6C5746juFxWWhi6tQUtAKygGVp5yHb5G2gJaHu7V5YMOPVOGWWTqiCKW1s_eoC4/s1600-h/n1341480097_30190124_9283.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnJdplNheBRUKMuuRiV7zFTiVF25ISpApjQr0bzhUcpE2ydSCKcLMF2RZCBRaDJje3W2i-L779nsA6C5746juFxWWhi6tQUtAKygGVp5yHb5G2gJaHu7V5YMOPVOGWWTqiCKW1s_eoC4/s200/n1341480097_30190124_9283.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266710690368452658" border="0" /></a>Bringing a cake made out of beets gets you some serious farm-cred at a country potluck - we even upped the anty by coloring our frosting and a powdered sugar glaze with the leftover beet roasting liquid and carved an extra beet into a shape of a heart and stuck it in the center of the bundt. As for the cake itself, the beets lend a really subtle earthy flavor to the chocolate and give it a supremely moist texture. Not only a conversation piece and way to use up the last of your autumnal root vegetables, I swear you will enjoy the cake for its pure and simple flavors. Enjoy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chocolate Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Adapted from Washington Post June 7, 2006<br /><br /></span>Ingredients:<br /><br />* 3 medium beets<br />* 1 cup vegetable oil<br />* 1 1/2 cups flour<br />* 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour or pastry flour<br />* 2 teaspoons baking soda<br />* 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />* 4 tablespoons butter<br />* 3/4 cup cocoa powder<br />* 3 large eggs<br />* 1 3/4 cups sugar<br />* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br />* confectioners' sugar (optional)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets and put them in a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and put in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until approximately fork tender. Reserve the juice from the beet pan and set aside. Peel and coarsely chop the beets, and then puree them in a blender with the oil. Set aside.<br /><br />Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a bundt pan with butter and dust with either flour or cocoa powder. In a medium bowl, stir the flours, baking sode, and salt. Set Aside.<br /><br />In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and cocoa powder together in the microwave, making sure to stir the mixture at least every minute to make sure that the butter doesn't burn. Once the mixture is smooth, set aside.<br /><br />With a hand-held, stand mixture, or good old fashioned egg beaters, combine the eggs and sugar in large bowl, and beat until the eggs are fluffy and change to a pale yellow color. Slowly incorporate the beet puree, the chocolate mixture, and the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture until it is just mixed in. Pour the batter in the pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Set aside, and let it cool. Meanwhile, make the frosting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cream Cheese Frosting</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Adapted from March 2008 Bon Appetit<br /><br /></span>Ingredients:<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>* 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature<br />* 2 cups powdered sugar<br />* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperatur<br />* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />* reserve beet roasting liquid (optional)<br /><br />Combine all ingredients except for the beet roasting liquid. Add the reserve beet roasting liquid in tsp increments until the frosting becomes an appealing shade of salmon pink. Frost the cake, and serve.<br /><br />Happy Cooking,<br />AllisonAllisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-80104809086435314502008-07-25T11:11:00.008-05:002008-08-05T12:10:52.634-05:00Pocketful of Peach Drop Cookies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Hey Kathryn,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Many strange things happened. I have had not one, but two whole days off from work this week, and the high yesterday in Iowa City was 65 and complete with cloudy skies and a chance of thunderstorms. Though it was not quite idyllic weather for RAGBRAI (the week long bike across Iowa), the odds could not have been better for summer baking, which is usually so nonsensical.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Also, I stumbled upon this great peach drop cookie recipe from the domestic guru herself, Martha Stewart, and unlike her public persona, they are not at all stuffy. They are a cross between a scone and a snickerdoodle, having both a chewy consistency along with a mildly spiced topping. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNApcOcCxOeoJ8mMPldwZae4AH4t75L2q4bdkWvg5q0GbMt4r5VNYOYcAKolx8e3e605bCNNUzQrnc4Aq5dKyQaTuUiwuSsa5QcXvumH9yRmhx-crXlTH-78JW-RfieNW7lgSdvDuEutk/s1600-h/P1011570.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNApcOcCxOeoJ8mMPldwZae4AH4t75L2q4bdkWvg5q0GbMt4r5VNYOYcAKolx8e3e605bCNNUzQrnc4Aq5dKyQaTuUiwuSsa5QcXvumH9yRmhx-crXlTH-78JW-RfieNW7lgSdvDuEutk/s320/P1011570.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226993804093823314" /></a>Look at how pretty they are with the flecks of purple peach skins! I didn't think of this before, but they would be excellent with chopped crystallized ginger.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r-YSlFPw84rp4Yj2MS5873yt0ZYbSbGTK0G-qgFYV3CO4QaK1GaRPtWDczjAhWo9zSIaXl82E3pSIKbXzXMkEVEQUMmToVppNdmQ9RngWRtpfm3o0CN3ARjKTdidGtM6-K7ZM4AU84k/s1600-h/P1011578.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r-YSlFPw84rp4Yj2MS5873yt0ZYbSbGTK0G-qgFYV3CO4QaK1GaRPtWDczjAhWo9zSIaXl82E3pSIKbXzXMkEVEQUMmToVppNdmQ9RngWRtpfm3o0CN3ARjKTdidGtM6-K7ZM4AU84k/s320/P1011578.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226994680260625042" /></a>They are also best eaten the first day, so invite some friends over, make some peach iced tea, and have a porch party.</span></div><div><br /></div>Peach Drop Cookies</span><div>Adapted From Aug 2007 Issue of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Martha Stewart Living</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div><br /></div><div>2 cups flour</div><div>3/4 tsp salt</div><div>1/2 tsp baking soda</div><div>1 stick of butter at room temperature</div><div>1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar</div><div>1 egg at room temperature</div><div>1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div><div>2 large ripe peaches, diced into 1/4 inch pieces</div><div>1/2 cup peach jam</div><div>1/4 tsp ground cinnamon</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 375, and dot the corners of a baking sheet with butter and place on top a sheet parchment paper or wax paper.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In a large bowl, stir the stick of butter until fluffy, and then add a cup of sugar. Cream the mixture until the sugar is well incorporated into the butter and is no longer grainy. Add the egg and vanilla and stir until well combined. Add the flour mixture, and stir (don't worry if the dough is clumpy at this stage). Add the peach jam and diced peaches and blend just until well combined. </div><div><br /></div><div>In another small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Use a tablespoon sized spoon and scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place in the oven. Bake until the edges are just golden brown, about 11 to 13 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for five minutes, and then transfer them to a cooling rack. </div><div><br /></div><div>Makes about 3 dozen cookies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy! Good luck with your article for Urban Tulsa. See you in less than a month!</div><div><br /></div><div>Allison</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-9709435984956108122008-07-08T10:47:00.009-05:002008-07-21T15:29:24.923-05:00You say sei-tan, i say sei-ton<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Hey Kathryn,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">How're</span> you? I can't believe that it's Friday already, one whole week after the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span>, when I actually made this new recipe. I didn't do the conventional 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> of July BBQ this year - there was a Jazz Festival in Iowa City, and I got me some fried o<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">reos</span> instead. They didn't quite match my expectations - the chocolate wafers were a little too soggy from all of the batter and frying - but you only live once, right?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">However, I still had the urge to cook something equally revolutionary, and then it crossed my mind that we've had this blog for over seven months, and we have very few posts devoted to vegetarian proteins like tofu, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">tempeh</span>, and probably the most mysterious one, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">seitan</span>. I wish that I had discovered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">seitan</span> when I first became a vegetarian, and was really craving meat. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Seitan</span> is made from gluten, the protein in flour. In color and in texture, it vaguely resembles liver, and since it is vegetarian, it is way less creepy to eat than the meat-version. It is delicious on its own, eaten with some homemade broth, or put into curries, taco-fillings, etc. If you haven't tried it before, I would recommend ordering it at a restaurant first so you can see if you like it (for all of those in Iowa City, go to Thai Flavors, and order it in the Green Curry). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Once you've discovered that you can't live without <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">seitan</span>, you can either continue ordering it at restaurants, buying it at the store, or you can make your own! I kid you not, it's easier than making pie. All you really have to do is make the dough, knead it,</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlLcRaDpK0dL5438rQFf05J7XeMCvZHR6jgCwgvBo4xUvn0_IS5E4b_OHan-LHMDd7NvdlZeh_3SpXtxSIxxMkgaN9uAs02dzGsGUsZRm06S0nkhaw1zz6lAr4ipYCCLNQKptCWVdGQ4/s1600-h/P1011572.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlLcRaDpK0dL5438rQFf05J7XeMCvZHR6jgCwgvBo4xUvn0_IS5E4b_OHan-LHMDd7NvdlZeh_3SpXtxSIxxMkgaN9uAs02dzGsGUsZRm06S0nkhaw1zz6lAr4ipYCCLNQKptCWVdGQ4/s320/P1011572.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222154542176858562" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">and plop it into some simmering stock.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzQs2G9_FmmuUNd_cs9Q9hxGem4AQPSfZ1rBu3-lsGQoyD9-sX_IOtDltx6hipMFilT8R-ideO0Z_7lnEMsjPb0TjldCaFmqaK7waH_LxFJpn4jVWUXo4G2knGhxJE1MAXiqqEUyBWqs/s1600-h/P1011574.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzQs2G9_FmmuUNd_cs9Q9hxGem4AQPSfZ1rBu3-lsGQoyD9-sX_IOtDltx6hipMFilT8R-ideO0Z_7lnEMsjPb0TjldCaFmqaK7waH_LxFJpn4jVWUXo4G2knGhxJE1MAXiqqEUyBWqs/s320/P1011574.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222154120274443554" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It makes quite the homey meal, served with the homemade stock and some noodles. Also, do you remember gak, that rubbery playdough? Because the seitan dough totally resembles it, so you can only imagine how much fun it is to work with it and knead it. </span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKQalzGvpYo72SWBYvujm3VeGbmCHMFxtDomCF3XSgVV4y2lVcf7vPwAg4vjZsiRk0Yip6kRiDhMCtKaNRSuvVNK9uVj9cMUMo5V-awiXGGaCQyYgkFAWVUC3jAJ4EPDQkCXE6M1ijws/s1600-h/P1011576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKQalzGvpYo72SWBYvujm3VeGbmCHMFxtDomCF3XSgVV4y2lVcf7vPwAg4vjZsiRk0Yip6kRiDhMCtKaNRSuvVNK9uVj9cMUMo5V-awiXGGaCQyYgkFAWVUC3jAJ4EPDQkCXE6M1ijws/s320/P1011576.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221829585732048562" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>Simple <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Seitan</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span><div>Adapted from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Veganomicon</span> </span>by Isa Chandra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Moskowitz</span> and Terry Hope Romero</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Braising Broth:</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2 tbsp vegetable oil</div><div>3 onions, roughly chopped</div><div>3 garlic cloves, kept whole</div><div>1 tsp dried thyme</div><div>salt and pepper</div><div>1 quart of water</div><div>1/4 - 1/3 cup soy sauce</div><div><br /></div><div>Heat the oil in a stock pot on medium heat, and add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic until they start to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">caramelize</span> and brown along the edges. Add thyme and salt and pepper and continue cooking until the onions are a golden brown all over. Add the water and the soy sauce and stir to incorporate the browned bits from the bottom into the stock. Watch the pot and once it comes to a boil, cover and simmer for at least 25 minutes. In the meantime, make the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">seitan</span>. </div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Se</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">itan</span> Ingredients:</span><br /><br /><div>1 cup Vital Wheat Gluten Flour</div><div>3 tbsp nutritional yeast</div><div>1/2 cup cold vegetable broth</div><div>1/4 cup soy sauce</div><div>1 tbsp olive oil</div><div>2 garlic cloves either finely minced or pressed</div><div><br /></div><div>Combine the gluten with the nutritional yeast in a medium sized bowl, and combine the rest of the ingredients in a small size bowl. Create a well in the gluten mixture bowl and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until the mixture comes together in a dough-like ball, and knead with a spoon along the sides of the bowl for about 2 minutes. Divide the dough into three parts, and knead and stretch each of them in your hands for about 3 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once the stock has come to slow simmer, drop the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">seitan</span> balls in the liquid, cook them in the covered pot for about an hour. </div><div><br /></div><div>To store the seitan, put in a reusable container along with the extra broth to make sure that the seitan stays moist.</div><div><br /></div>Another tip, you should wash any of the cookware that you handled with the raw gluten flour or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">seitan</span> by hand, not in the dishwasher. Hand-washing ensures that the loose bits of flour will not turn into protein clumps on your cookware. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Good luck with everything, and stay cool in scorching Oklahoma </div><div><br /></div><div>Love,</div><div>Allison</div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-63155655299335456162008-06-19T10:30:00.013-05:002008-06-20T09:54:50.337-05:00I survived the flood of 08'Hey Kathryn,<div><br /></div><div>It seems like you've been mighty busy over the past week. I've definitely tried to decompress over the past couple of days - I've had some time off, and it finally appears that this flood is on the mend. Yesterday, the water receded 10 inches, and more roads are starting to open up. It is now safe to cross the river and venture over to the Iowa City downtown area (yay! Farmer's Market, here I come!) </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have any pictures of the flood, but I do have this fairly biblical/ironic/mundane photo of a rainbow framing my neighbor's home that I took last Saturday when the Iowa River rose to around 30 feet, which is 8 feet above the 93' levels. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ljuJx5_6QDDUqf_8NpjGzLij6bRDcdy2qpzSoGXdlmcwnow3cTA712rp8XkSxl3QJdUyeb_cML2yFk_nKLBoZap5ufMwLiDapuOXyF3S6_u-jtmiy95g_jgFLf1aiybB1PsJduhl98/s1600-h/P1011494.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ljuJx5_6QDDUqf_8NpjGzLij6bRDcdy2qpzSoGXdlmcwnow3cTA712rp8XkSxl3QJdUyeb_cML2yFk_nKLBoZap5ufMwLiDapuOXyF3S6_u-jtmiy95g_jgFLf1aiybB1PsJduhl98/s320/P1011494.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213623737709545986" /></a><br />As far as cooking goes - I've been in quite the frugal mode, ie, trying to make as many things as possible without having to go to the store. Some projects have been really successful, such as this pesto I made with arugula, parmesan cheese, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and a combination of olive and truffle oil (I know, this hardly qualifies as a frugal ingredient, but I've been trying to find as many applications for it as possible before it becomes rancid.) I don't have any pictures of it, but it was rustic and sufficiently garlicky. If I were a recipe developer for Gourmet Magazine, I would use it as a base for a grilled pizza topped with smoked mozzarella and peaches. <div><br /></div><div>However, I found that improvisation can be a bit more complicated when trying to make pancakes. Marci and I attempted to make pancakes with a recipe that called for 1/2 a cup of plain yogurt. After discovering that the only non-gelatin containing yogurt we had in the fridge had expired a month ago, I thought we could use a combination of ricotta cheese and buttermilk. Due to this decision and the addition of a few too many frozen blueberries, the batter was a Bridget-Jones-cooking-disaster shade of blue and a little too watery. The batter would flood onto the griddle, which produced really haphazardly shaped pancakes such as these ones. </div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNszsSr1kgRmf1h2HpoMu2jvI26FDbn-c0Wk5QlMr9eJPbTk43VkN5MHhalc0Pec0Xs7itSO0Sj8BWi_jA9vMOFLJOq5u2UHqPgestQ8yv05qYqaYJhar62JNPoeOLE9BqYkWF9-0qd4/s1600-h/P1011509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNszsSr1kgRmf1h2HpoMu2jvI26FDbn-c0Wk5QlMr9eJPbTk43VkN5MHhalc0Pec0Xs7itSO0Sj8BWi_jA9vMOFLJOq5u2UHqPgestQ8yv05qYqaYJhar62JNPoeOLE9BqYkWF9-0qd4/s320/P1011509.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213637083608525906" /></a><br /><div>Bio-major Marci called it "imperfect mitosis." </div><div><br /></div><div>As hard as they were to spoon on to the pan, they were even harder to flip. We agreed to equally distribute the more perfect ones and the "screw-up" pancakes, but as you compare the two stacks, you can clearly see that Marci who was on flip-duty has a relaxed definition of sharing. Just teasing...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxDs6SVjatXBeESURyfzj0Uub5IXpbEURlmYoADy210nJHlTDEaBjC4iEUYme_WKid7_PfIcT-O9B2gS-EYIkEOBW-N4Zb6JGlMu5pusR2LYWt6WKGwlNruP8zDvej41DOMfPNjpe9Vs/s1600-h/P1011518.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxDs6SVjatXBeESURyfzj0Uub5IXpbEURlmYoADy210nJHlTDEaBjC4iEUYme_WKid7_PfIcT-O9B2gS-EYIkEOBW-N4Zb6JGlMu5pusR2LYWt6WKGwlNruP8zDvej41DOMfPNjpe9Vs/s320/P1011518.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213638911619509010" /></a><br /><br />However, even though these pancakes were mushy, not fluffy, blue, not golden brown, amoeba shaped, not round, Marci and I still cleaned them off. The real moral of the story is that there isn't anything in life that can't be fixed with a dollop of ricotta cheese and good old Canadian maple syrup. </div><div><br /></div><div>Missing you, and I hope that you find more great recipes from the Splendid Table cookbook. </div><div><br /></div><div>Allison</div><div><br /></div><div>PS - Marci and I had the greatest idea ever for a breakfast party in Grinnell. It'll be an ode to the character Letitia Cropley on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Vicar of Dibley</span> and the game will be called Surprise Ingredient Pancakes. What do you think?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15687550167623111913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-69555183055800322682008-06-17T19:15:00.002-05:002008-06-17T19:20:18.117-05:00One More PostI know I've been a posting fiend lately, but I just have to tell you about the dinner I just made. Well, actually, it was boring except for the main dish. I don't have any pretty pictures (because the tofu got eaten up too quickly), but here's what I did:<br /><br />First I marinated the tofu (extra firm, drained of liquid, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices) for 10 minutes in a mixture of teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, apricot preserves, honey, dijon mustard and chile powder (because, if we've learned anything in the past six months, it's that dijon mustard makes everything better). Then I fried the tofu in more sesame oil (over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes to a side), poured the oil off, added the remaining marinade, and sauteed the tofu in the marinade/sauce for a couple more minutes.<br /><br />We ate this over plain old rice, but it would also be good paired with something fancier, like quinoa or couscous.Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-62232110355928476652008-06-17T16:37:00.002-05:002008-06-17T17:16:07.678-05:00Non-Salmonella TomatoesHi Allison! I had to post again, if only to tell you about a recent trip to the bookstore, where I saw this lovely journal in the blank paper section. It's true, we can never escape the Pre-Raphaelites! I'm sure the irony of this journal doesn't escape you... since the Lady of Shalott's destiny is to float down the river to Camelot... and die... yeah, whoever made this journal probably didn't think about that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_Nk7qceUEHAU9pqhjHW3_aMmfpgZKikDz30LC4xPbZbdy0tvH8zY8h6-F_aW2GkI-8-yM1HCJXlVqd2HCxyeuwfq4e1KLQV75KSFlSiy2XazG7-BNvYK6Nk8RAVhZ9QmI09lid3IelA/s1600-h/IMG_2850.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_Nk7qceUEHAU9pqhjHW3_aMmfpgZKikDz30LC4xPbZbdy0tvH8zY8h6-F_aW2GkI-8-yM1HCJXlVqd2HCxyeuwfq4e1KLQV75KSFlSiy2XazG7-BNvYK6Nk8RAVhZ9QmI09lid3IelA/s320/IMG_2850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212968731069543698" border="0" /></a><br />ANYWAY. That wasn't the only thing I found at the bookstore. I also found something marvelous and exciting, something I actually purchased. None other than Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift's new cookbook, <a href="http://http://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Tables-How-Supper-Award-Winning/dp/0307346714">The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper</a>. Can I just tell you how much I love this book? It's not only full of tempting-looking recipes, but also little tidbits of food knowledge and new techniques... for example, there's a section on how to teach yourself to cook without measuring spoons. Although this isn't a totally vegetarian cookbook, there is a big section of vegetarian entrees, plus lots of good-looking side dishes, salads, desserts and pasta dishes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuYdTpeSopmTAS_VI3gmuRszMJuVIK_mewaCpECGH3F0bTpDeSgl-TviO_8RIrVVg1LBGrchOc1jAdb4w4ZigTxnQU1hN04bJXpNmu9rpQuolgzJ9evuRXeg0mGla1MLf6BM2g7hJOqw/s1600-h/splendidtable.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuYdTpeSopmTAS_VI3gmuRszMJuVIK_mewaCpECGH3F0bTpDeSgl-TviO_8RIrVVg1LBGrchOc1jAdb4w4ZigTxnQU1hN04bJXpNmu9rpQuolgzJ9evuRXeg0mGla1MLf6BM2g7hJOqw/s320/splendidtable.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212968738068128338" border="0" /></a><br />The first meal I tried was pesto risotto and tomato salad. The risotto was good, although it would have been better if I had been able to find fresh basil. I ended up using freeze-dried basil which was kind of like space food... and tasted a little bit like it. Luckily the onions and parmesan cheese compensated for that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqQSCezL8pT8MdPTJEngCUZ75-3OTK76alGM6e4WmTS0l5uK1RYJq8BmdflSZAEH2Xi-eKdO5h6DujE0z_BxSW6pisbUQVByv0I7hIkQpCStvikek-pE_PJRZ2VGfaMRkCEpi3cKOl70/s1600-h/IMG_2899.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqQSCezL8pT8MdPTJEngCUZ75-3OTK76alGM6e4WmTS0l5uK1RYJq8BmdflSZAEH2Xi-eKdO5h6DujE0z_BxSW6pisbUQVByv0I7hIkQpCStvikek-pE_PJRZ2VGfaMRkCEpi3cKOl70/s320/IMG_2899.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212968755792956466" border="0" /></a><br />The outstanding part of the meal was this tomato salad. I made this before everyone in the country was convinced that tomatoes were carriers of disease--so I made it with plain old grocery store tomatoes, not even organic, definitely not ripe-on-the-vine. And it was still SO GOOD. I imagine that if you make this salad with actual good tomatoes it would be amazingly, unbelievably good. And I don't even like tomatoes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9ap5ifrSNFhZpCjy_xtbyesPntXEBzt_TYTqMJMILQErf7XIw0SJHc1RB_r2uhVvY1szcImnmpN0joL23EkIo3vQdGabKPS12LboufiAcvyjgY-gc_vLqL4d2fdbAPs2su8KKxNBe_Q/s1600-h/IMG_2903.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9ap5ifrSNFhZpCjy_xtbyesPntXEBzt_TYTqMJMILQErf7XIw0SJHc1RB_r2uhVvY1szcImnmpN0joL23EkIo3vQdGabKPS12LboufiAcvyjgY-gc_vLqL4d2fdbAPs2su8KKxNBe_Q/s320/IMG_2903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212968795911804258" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Big Tomato Sweet-Sour Salad</span><br />(From <span style="font-style: italic;">The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper</span> by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:<br /><br /></span>Dressing:<br />1 cup cider vinegar<br />1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 med red onion, thin sliced lengthwise into long strips<br />salt and fresh-ground black pepper<br />8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced<br />2 tight-packed tablespoons brown sugar<br /><br />Tomatoes:<br />4 or so big ripe tomatoes (non-salmonella-ridden preferable)<br /><br />Finish:<br />1/2 cup light-packed coarse-chopped fresh dill leaves<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Make That Salad!</span><br /><br />1. To make the dressing, first pour the vinegar into a small sauce-pan and boil it down to about 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes, set aside.<br /><br />2. In a 10-inch skillet set over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Stir in the onion, sprinkling it with a little salt and a generous amount of pepper. Saute for a minute, or until the onion is softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to one minute. You want to soften the garlic but not brown it. Pull the skillet off the heat and blend in the brown sugar to melt it. (You can set the dressing aside at this point for several hours, or refrigerate it it for up to a week)<br /><br />3. Put the tomatoes into a large serving bowl. When you are ready to serve, warm up the onion mixture if needed--it should be warm, not hot. Pull the pan off the heat, and stir in the boiled-down vinegar and any liquid from the tomatoes. Carefully (the dressing could be quite hot) taste for seasoning and sweet-tart balance. Pour it under the tomatoes, folding in the dill.<br /><br />4. Serve, warm or room temp. I ate this over romaine lettuce and it was delicious!<br /><br />NOTE: According to the recipe, this can be made with bacon fat instead of olive oil but, for obvious ideology-related reasons, I wouldn't recommend that.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span>Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167058127059451020.post-21275988302553696792008-06-13T17:42:00.004-05:002008-07-03T14:55:47.035-05:00Summer in OklahomaHi Allison! I hope you're holding it together in Iowa City--every time I listen to the news I hear more dire reports about the flooding all over Iowa, and I worry about my Under Water Iowan friends. Oklahoma is rainy and grey, but far from being flooded--and, since I live at the top of a hill, I don't think I have too much to worry about.<br /><br />Anyhow, I thought it might be nice to cast our minds back to the beginning of the summer, when (here, at least) it was sunny and gorgeous everyday, and things were in bloom.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-60J5tWpjKJiCQ0W8UPA19MZggIjJR-M-bkfTr5oqmtasGLGPxlyRGAN-rbDbpcgKRkzHon8CEUh6heUe_Vunm2rXkLpaa6zufQYuagnt7kMmUBLU7jm6AUSt_Wowh22j5YBRUTrJIs/s1600-h/IMG_2846.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211501312534031282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-60J5tWpjKJiCQ0W8UPA19MZggIjJR-M-bkfTr5oqmtasGLGPxlyRGAN-rbDbpcgKRkzHon8CEUh6heUe_Vunm2rXkLpaa6zufQYuagnt7kMmUBLU7jm6AUSt_Wowh22j5YBRUTrJIs/s320/IMG_2846.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />One of my favorite things about coming home for the summer is making the drive from still-chilly-in-May Iowa to the hotbox that is Tulsa, Oklahoma. My mother's garden was flourishing, the air buzzed with insects and humidity, and I was happy, happy, happy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrrZSTaBIqJpLjzKX2IKCuT5iJAU_HUdheKjovAiD9aug8nfErKNHHPqWSYssC0Fd7LpCWcan0rckifWnZWTT98Enzs6YMx__rOQezOwc57uXNo2Z8ygvBB8WtcZtAFQy9rfQ-BHom1M/s1600-h/IMG_2848.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211501344058075906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrrZSTaBIqJpLjzKX2IKCuT5iJAU_HUdheKjovAiD9aug8nfErKNHHPqWSYssC0Fd7LpCWcan0rckifWnZWTT98Enzs6YMx__rOQezOwc57uXNo2Z8ygvBB8WtcZtAFQy9rfQ-BHom1M/s320/IMG_2848.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We have raised-bed vegetable gardens in our backyard--this tomato teepee hasn't yielded any edible fruit yet, but there are a few little green tomatoes struggling to grow--I say struggling, because we haven't exactly been attentive farmers around here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBqeU6ZuE8mQ7u0qxFmFF_tgajV0v7Izx_VAAyfBIpOd3DHXpomBShO-RSRNDL9NjEEWoHOQua3JkieHOBz246LcIRw6Y2ZtsXgxnIxdfPADO0_iryupE5OQ0GblsmZta_soM2CdhvdA/s1600-h/IMG_2843.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211501351599116594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBqeU6ZuE8mQ7u0qxFmFF_tgajV0v7Izx_VAAyfBIpOd3DHXpomBShO-RSRNDL9NjEEWoHOQua3JkieHOBz246LcIRw6Y2ZtsXgxnIxdfPADO0_iryupE5OQ0GblsmZta_soM2CdhvdA/s320/IMG_2843.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My strawberry patch is doing well, though! Okay, not SO well... mainly because I'm too lazy to go harvest the fruit, so it all gets eaten by the rabbits, possums, armadillos and raccoons that inhabit our backyard and live under our deck. Those three strawberries were rescued before the wildlife could get to them, and man, were they delicious. It made me think of eating Amanda's strawberries and taking video of our strawberry-tasting experience. Like all home-grown strawberries, these seemed to be a million times sweeter, tarter, and sourer than strawberries you buy at the store.<br /><br />Okay, now to the food part of this entry! I don't exactly have a recipe for you today, more like a suggestion. And that suggestion is: make ye some salads! For me, the quintessential summer food is a cold prepared salad, pulled out of the refrigerator whenever dinner happens. Salads are great for the summer because once they're in the fridge, they require no forethought whatsoever.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYc9_kn6nKr3JSnRoRkYQGhhaGpuAO6XMfAUJp4LZ53ae6Jh7qSZV3t_BWjb9eAPLf8e5PnVQNh6GZsfPS3_SjqBVrirUxXva4lMZWrn4PQUc7Dd-ydTIWdrYIesR2ftIM4_jSVHYPDWA/s1600-h/IMG_2851.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211501360113805362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYc9_kn6nKr3JSnRoRkYQGhhaGpuAO6XMfAUJp4LZ53ae6Jh7qSZV3t_BWjb9eAPLf8e5PnVQNh6GZsfPS3_SjqBVrirUxXva4lMZWrn4PQUc7Dd-ydTIWdrYIesR2ftIM4_jSVHYPDWA/s320/IMG_2851.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This was my dad's birthday dinner... a veggie dog, some cold cantaloupe, potato salad, macaroni salad, and pea salad. In all fairness, I should admit that I cooked exactly none of this... it was all my aunt's doing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61vcRkGyh3Mo8daPgKgjPPxerTkJ7ykn3DdiWSh3G25iJwbU9cfUR335dgCOre0j_H5LUVA0HWDAzZQRR_P_bNdizSWBuskOePq4__Le1PPgyoP8h6nycOL_n7c_tnYflwCsPrcl0v5E/s1600-h/IMG_2852.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211501368761032610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61vcRkGyh3Mo8daPgKgjPPxerTkJ7ykn3DdiWSh3G25iJwbU9cfUR335dgCOre0j_H5LUVA0HWDAzZQRR_P_bNdizSWBuskOePq4__Le1PPgyoP8h6nycOL_n7c_tnYflwCsPrcl0v5E/s320/IMG_2852.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I think my favorite was this pea-and-egg salad. It doesn't require a recipe... just mix together some defrosted peas, chopped hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, red onion, bell pepper, chopped cucumber, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Another great thing about salads: the proportions are all to taste, so you can customize them to your heart's content.<br /><br />A more real entry is coming soon, but for now I've gotta go help with dinner! This eating thing, it never ends, let me tell you.Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732803713617958754noreply@blogger.com0