Easy like Sunday morning...

I don't have to write much, do I? I want to make this easy...like Sunday morning...

Enjoy a day of doing nothing...be leisurely...eat with reckless abandon. Relax. Lick your wounds. Respect the Sabbath. Eat some more. Relax. Hair of the dog. Repeat. 

Dinner for 5

Last night I had four adults/ one 9 year old, a 10 month old and a 4 month old adding to the liveliness and spirit of my home on which would normally be a quiet, dull Tuesday night for me. Dinner last night proved to be the furthest thing from dull and nothing short of spectacular. One need not go to great extremes to plan a nice little dinner. I figured it was Tuesday after all and I needn't stress about preparing things like beggar's purses or beef wellington (? I had to think of something).
Anyhow, no food photos - sorry... but here is the tablescape, flowers and menu!

Table set for five 

Supermarket flowers...again! Love my grocery blooms! Tip: Stick with one color, vary the textures and be creative. I bought four different types of flowers, doubled up on each (because I like compact arrangements) and went to work snipping and sorting and arranging. 

MENU

Hello...

Grapefruit Margaritas

Marcona almonds

Olives

Hummous & Tabouli

Mixed vegetables and various pita and cracker bread

Storytime...

Marinated beef tenderloin-grilled,sliced atop a

Mixed greens salad with tangerines,feta,onion,pecans,and green beans

Bruschetta

Beautiful red wine- the name escapes me

Goodbye...

Peach cake (homemade- guest brought)

Minted brownies (from same guest :))

Still feeling the effects of these puppies today...Happy Wednesday! xo

The Cookie That Never Was....

If I shake my Magic 8 Ball right now.... my odds of serving these cookies at a bridal shower are slim to none. Outcome: Not So Good. Let me give you the run down... Recipe: Martha Stewart Baking Handbook/Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies - sidebar: my addition of Silver French Dragees for flair. Flavor output: Sensational. Balanced. Adult sophisticate. Subtle buttery, crumby, flakey cookie and sweet but not too sweet cheesecake-ish center. The cookie on it's own - not desirable in my opinion. The gooey center - tasty like cream cheese frosting. One bite on the whole, all flavors and textures coming together? Kismet. So I succeeded there. Where did I fail? 

My cookies look nothing like the book's photograph, all pure white center, fluffy like new fallen snow. My cookies look like a dog pee'd in that new fallen snow as the cheesecake center has a yellow tinge (granted idarkroom doctored artsy photo above isn't helping my case). These cookies are FRA-GEE-LAY! As in fragile on the highest level. I've had several casualties (breaking, crushing, digesting in my belly) therefore my yield is flirting with the number of about fifteen or sixteen when there should be about thirty. My party tomorrow shouldn't have more than about 18 people. But I shouldn't be concerned. I won't be serving up these time-sucking cookies, now, will I? 

They are in refrigeration mode until morn. I will test the cookies again, thus reducing my yield and bringing the number down even less. That's ok. My glorious silver banana leaf platter is narrow and can't hold many cookies to begin with. They will look like pieces of art. All six cookies. And that's if they make it in the car ride over to the soiree. Thank goodness I'm not in charge of desserts! This was a blitzkrieg cookie number. So no pressure. Except for the pressure I put on myself to be like Martha! Rats. Another cookie bites the dust!

CHEESECAKE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Yield: About 3 dozen
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1/8 plus ¼ teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 ½ teapsoon sour cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy for about three minutes. Beat in ¼ cup sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt until smooth. Mix in one egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, ½ cup sugar and ¼ tsp. salt until creamy and combined. Mix in the last egg yolk until well-incorporated. Gradually add flour and mix until combined.
4. Scoop out level tablespoons worth of the dough and roll into balls. Place balls onto parchment-lined or greased baking sheets. Using the handle end of a thick wooden spoon, or your finger, make an indentation in the center of each ball.
5. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your thumb (or the end of the same wooden spoon) to press the middle of the cookies, remaking the indentations. Place cookies back into the oven, rotating them from their original position, and continue to bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes.
6. Remove cookies from the oven and fill the indentations with the cheesecake filling. Place back into the oven and bake for about 8 more minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely. When cool, place cookies into the refrigerator to chill before serving.

Sucre!

Since I'll be going to London and Paris in a couple months, I have been pulling out my clippings of pastry shops to visit...re-reading articles that sound like "Pastry Tours of Paris"from various mags like Town & Country or Elle Decor, making sure Pierre Herme is on my "Must Do" list in London and of course, Laduree and Pierre Herme in Paris! As you can see, the theme of this is my beloved, worshipped, sick amorous affair with the macaron. I just stumbled upon this heavenly new book, Laduree: The Sweet Recipes that has the recipes to the Laduree macarons. Upon receipt, I will try out a recipe or two and tell you how successful I was in creating something that looks like this:

Or this...

I'm checking out the selection at Laduree in Tokyo! They love pastries there!

 Decisions decisions....

Yummmmmmmmm....

 I might try this beauty....

Not going here...but it's a vision, no?

April Blackberry Fools Day!

Blackberry Fool

What's a fool? Such a silly dessert name if you ask me! A fool is an English dessert and usually consists of  fruit puree mixed with whipped cream, sugar and sometimes a flavor like rose water.  The most common flavor is gooseberry but Martha Stewart used blackberry which is probably just as delicious and when it comes to baking...she ain't no fool! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups blackberries (8 ounces total), plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a blender, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice; blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula to push through. Discard seeds; transfer 1/2 cup berry puree to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate; reserve for topping.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream and vanilla; whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold remaining berry puree into cream. Spoon mixture into custard cups. Cover loosely and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to overnight). To serve, drizzle blackberry fools with reserved berry puree, and garnish with blackberries.
   
   
   Recipe and picture from marthastewart.com

Once a garnish always a garnish?

All hail kale. It seems like this garnish on fruit and vegetable platters or scattered about a table in a buffet line is showing up everywhere other than where it came from! I'll be honest - I don't really love eating kale but I consume it for it's nutritional benefits. If kale is in a fresh pressed juice, I thoroughly enjoy the outcome. I have had a kale salad, chopped, drizzled in a lemony vinaigrette with thinly sliced parmesan slices gently resting on the mound of greens. Operative word: Parmesan. It made the salad! I recently made a lentil and vegetable soup with kale. I have to admit, I ate around the kale leaves. So what was the point? I won't lie, I try to embrace the "au currant" food of the moment at times, regardless if I am being true to myself of whether I like it - like it, or just tolerate it because it's "good for you" type thing. I do A LOT of the latter. I remember reading last year that grains were the big deal food. Grains like farro showed up everywhere in restaurant cuisine in place of rice or potatoes or polenta. I like grains but I get discouraged when I can't find the small-yield, organic, special grains that some of my recipes require. But I digress. Back to my kale quarry - I think it's the texture. I can't get past the mouth-feel and the fact that it's a garnish in my eyes. Needless to say ~ I will try it again, perhaps tonight...with my grilled filet mignon. 

My simple kale salad....

Bunch of kale, washed, ribs removed, then chopped 

lemon juice from 1/2 - 1 lemon

toasted pine nuts or toasted walnuts, chopped

olive oil

sea salt

pepper

parmesan shavings 

Chop kale and nuts and toss with lemon juice and olive oil to coat leaves. Add a good sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Since these greens have a unique, peppery flavor, I think the best quality olive oil one can find to make the dressing and a great sea salt are imperative to really savoring and enjoying this type of salad. Garnish with fresh shaved parm regg - and voila! 

Getting Crunchy

Spring has sprung. I have a new found appreciation for the plantlife on my terrace and have taken care into watering my palms daily as well as supplying them with much needed nutrients. Not one for being a green thumb, I am turning over a new leaf (pun intended) and getting my hands dirty in our "garden" of sorts. I also have this urge to supply others with nutrients as well... especially my dear friends who have just recently given birth to little angels. If anyone knows.. a new mom needs her healthy snacks! When Paisley was first born, I never ate a proper meal and was always digging into gummy bears in the cupboard...what I DO NOT recommend -but it was quick, easy and stared me in the face! I justified it because I was consuming nothing else. But that's another story.

I came across a granola recipe and figured how pleasant that would be to make and deliver to my new mom friends. Who doesn't love a homemade food offering? If it's healthy, that's even more of a bonus!

I tried a recipe and made a few adjustments based on personal preferences and keeping in mind those that may or may not be breastfeeding. I substituted honey for agave nectar and omitted cocoanut because I personally do not like the texture. But that's just me. You can also sub out any nut or mix it up.

My recipe and substitutions are as follows:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or almonds, walnuts)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar (I used light)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt ( plus a dash more)
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup assorted dried fruit (preferably unsweetened)


Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Stir agave nectar and oil in small saucepan, heat on medium low until smooth and combined. Pour agave mixture over the oat mixture and toss. Spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden, stirring periodically, for about 35-40 minutes.
Place sheet on rack, stir granola; cool. Mix in the dried fruit and enjoy.

After about 20 minutes, granola gets nice and golden...stir it up!

After granola has cooled, toss it with the dried fruit! Yum.

Gordo Martes!

That translates about as well as "Ochocinco" but you get the point. Fat Tuesday. It's Pazcki Day (pronounced PUNCH-key) to us Poles. Not the healthiest thing to eat, but I decided to set forth on a mission to find a paczki in my local West Palm Beach neighborhood. Thanks to Google, I simply entered "Polish bakery West Palm Beach" and poof... I get a delightful european bakery on Dixie which specializes in Polish and German deli meats. I gathered my belongings (wallet, sunglasses, keys and infant) and hopped in the car to get my deep fried piece of dough filled with a sweet confiture.

My jelly donut (to the layman) resulted in this:

The "drop" of filling was of a raspberry substance, smooth texture, no seeds, but phony in taste. The dough was dry and the top was stingily dusted with what seemed to be powdered sugar. This bad boy gets an F for failing to make me weep for anything other than consuming needless calories. 

Now here's what these beauties should really look like:

Nice dusting of powdered sugar....

A little glaze on top never hurt....

A decent amount of filling oozing out...nice. Dough is a little dense. My grandma made them sort of like this .... (she was stingy on the jelly, though, too).

Happy Fat Tuesday! Indulge today! Get back on the wagon tomorrow! XO

And the award goes to....

Me! For making these A-MAZING cookies last night!

Granola, dried cranberry, chocolate chip cookies

For delicious recipe...click here

Napkins - Anthropologie

Lime-Blueberry Tart

Just a few weeks ago, I felt the urge to make a tart because sometimes I stare longingly at all my baking pans and think, "Hmmm I haven't used that in a while." So I was inspired by this recipe in my Bon Appetit magazine to make a delicious tart consisting of lime curd, blueberries and blackberries, my summer favorite flavors. Since it turned out spectacular  - I took a photo and felt like sharing the recipe (even though you can easily go to the magazine's website and see a pic for yourself along w/recipe). The next pan that keeps staring me in the face: madeleine pan... those will in the running next, or a chocolate cake! We'll see...  I am trying to stay away from sugar (and salt) due to the bloat that has taken over my prego physique over the past two weeks. Not too much longer till my little "Sugar and Spice" creation is welcomed into the world. I think she'd rather stay in my tummy and eat my yummy desserts in the meantime! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Lime Curd

• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

Crust

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 large pinch of salt

Topping

• 2 6-ounce containers fresh blackberries
• 1 6-ounce container fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon blackberry jam

• 
  
  

  Test-Kitchen Tips

  Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the lime curd makes sure that a skin doesn't form as the custard chills. Brushing the berries with a little blackberry jam gives the fruit topping a shiny, pastry-shop finish.

Preparation

Lime Curd

• 
  
  
  Set fine metal strainer over medium bowl and set aside. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in another medium metal bowl to blend. Whisk in lime juice. Set bowl over large saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until curd thickens and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 178°F to 180°F, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour curd through prepared strainer set over bowl. Add butter to warm strained curd; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until blended and smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd, covering completely. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Lime curd can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Crust

• 
  
  
  Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg yolk; beat to blend. Add flour and salt and mix on low speed until mixture resembles large peas. Using hands, knead in bowl just until dough comes together.
• 
  
  
  Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Break dough into pieces, then press dough evenly up sides and onto bottom of pan. Cover and chill 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• 
  
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover crust and bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

Topping

• 
  
  
  Remove sides from tart pan and place crust on plate. Spread lime curd evenly in baked crust. Arrange blackberries in 2 concentric circles just inside edge of tart. Mound blueberries in center of tart. Place jam in small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave until jam is melted, about 15 seconds. Whisk to loosen and blend, adding water by teaspoonfuls if thick. Brush jam over berries. DO AHEAD Tart can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/lime_tart_with_blackberries_and_blueberries#ixzz0ruJano95

Be still my beating heart...

Enough said.

Lime-Cilantro Corn on the Cob!

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, www.mattbites.com and he recently posted about this delicious grilled corn that I had to try. I must share this recipe with you. I made the corn last night for dinner along with a thai cilantro chicken that I won't get into right now (superbly delish!). No I am not copying a blog post.... I really loved this corn and want you all to make this over the summer!

The corn is extremely simple to make and while there are no measurements to the ingredients (because you don't really need them), you can whip this up in no time flat!

Grill the corn however you've been taught to grill corn. If no teachings prevail, just stick it on the hot grill.
In small bowl, combine juice of a lime and some olive oil. Grate a little lime zest into bowl.
Have crumbled feta and chopped cilantro on hand.

Once corn is done, brush with lime/olive oil mixture and sprinkle feta and cilantro on top.

If food  and cooking isn't your thing but photography is... Matt Armendariz is also a brilliant food photographer and his website is equally delicious to peruse! Photo above was taken by MA. Just giving more props!
http://www.mattarmendariz.com/

Blueberry Nectarine Smoothie

If there is one thing I hate to do, it is waste fruit! When I see my produce on its way out or wilting on the countertop, I try to think of ways in which I can savor the last few moments of its over-ripened goodness! Typically I go through a lot of blueberries, but when there is a week when I don't eat as much yogurt or cereal as intended, blueberries happen to get shriveled and soggy by week's end. In that case, I keep a baggie of blueberries in the freezer and pull them out when I get in the mood to make a smoothie. I love to combine blueberries with any other fruit I happen to have available. Just recently, I was in a nectarine phase as it happens when certain fruits catch my fancy at the supermarket. Well, as it was getting a little soft to the touch and certainly exhibiting gross mouth appeal had I sliced up the stone fruit, I decided to combine it with the blueberries for a delicious breakfast accoutrement. I feel that blueberries are the little black dress of the fruit world. You can pair it with anything really, and it still tastes great. Plus they're incredibly healthy for you. So anyways, getting back to using up what I have in the pantry/fridge already, I like to remain healthy and limit the amount of sugar that these frozen drinks usually accumulate!

Here goes... my somewhat healthy breakfast smoothie with blueberries and whatever fruit that's lying about that's seen better days (bananas, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, peaches, plums). 

-1/2 cup or so of frozen blueberries (or fresh in the fridge if you have them!)

-wilted fruit of choice - sliced, peeled (optional)

-Fage fat-free greek strained yogurt (1/2 of this little cup shown below, eat the rest w/some Splenda or Stevia; granola)

-2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds (they've been holed up in your fridge, time to use this too!)

-About a cup of Sweetened Vanilla flavored Almond milk (Skim milk is fine too. If using unsweetened almond milk, the honey in the next step is imperative!)

-A couple squirts of honey

-Handful of ice cubes

Ingredients du jour!

On the smoothie setting.... blend until the consistency is pretty fine

And voila! Pretty heavy stuff, eh? I know, a truly simple recipe that we've probably seen a dozen times in our lives! But just a reminder to use what you have and put it in the blender! It's the "stew of the morning" and it makes you feel good to know all those healthy grocery store purchases are being put to good use! 

Enjoy!

*Note: This smoothie usually accompanies an egg white omelet w/spinach and an english muffin w/jam so that is why I keep the smoothie relatively low in sugar and carbs when I can. Plus with being pregnant, this drink alone can't sustain me, please!

Why Isn't This in WPB?

I am obsessed with French pastries and cookies, particularly macaroons and madeleines. I stumbled upon this delightful bakery - Madeleine Patisserie, in a magazine and of course, it's located in New York! I know I can get these goodies here in Florida but not in fancy flavors like Banana Guava Orange, Mixed Berries, and White Russian (macaroons) or for the madeleines, my whistle could be wetted by Orange, Rose or more basic: Lemon Zest. I guess just dreaming about these tasty treasures will help keep the weight gain at bay. Aaahhh....

Playfully fun colored macaroons

Fluffy little madeleines

http://www.madeleinepatisserie.com