Social Kitchen

I’m a fan of banana bread.  It so standard…yet so satisfying.  And it feels like I make it a lot.  Especially because I always have a lot of leftover bananas (mostly because I’m constantly failing to use them in the spinach/kale/banana shakes that I intend to make every single day…what can you do).

This is the thing, though.  I almost never make just plain banana bread.  With, say, some standard toasted walnuts.  That seems normal and delicious, but, for some reason, I like to amp things up.  Take it to the next level, if you will.  It’s delicious made with peanut butter, or a caramel swirl.  It is always tasty with chocolate chips, but even better with espresso powder.  Seriously, I could write a Dr. Seuss book with my renditions of banana bread.

They’re all tasty, and it does spice things up.  But this time, I did something even more out of the ordinary.  I made plain, old banana bread, with, say, some standard toasted walnuts.  The real deal.  Simplicity wins.

Banana Bread

I know, I know.  Another savory tart recipe.  It’s as if I don’t know how to cook dinner for myself until I call it a tart (which, by the way, there is nothing wrong with!).  But people, my back log is running dry.  This was all I had to work with!

Here we are, well into the month of September, and I’m still dreaming of peach galettes I can post about, or a lovely plum sauce that I read about the other day.  But, of course, my supermarket will no longer support these dreams.  I have to come to accept that it is Fall.

Not that I’m complaining.  Fall is my favorite season, after all.  It just kind of snuck up on me, though.  I wasn’t prepared.  And my mind still does not yet wander to the apples and the squashes and the pies.  So here is a dish with my last summer dreams.  The last of the summer vegetable bounty.  My summer backlog is now complete – onward to sweaters and shorter days.

Ratatouille Tart (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1/2 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted according to directions
1/4 eggplant, thinly sliced
1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow squash, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ricotta salata, cubed

Heat the oven to 375°F.  Lightly flour a work surface, lay the sheet of pastry out, and gently roll until about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut the pastry in half and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Prick both rectangles with a fork all over the pastry.

Spread the tomato paste or sauce evenly over the pastry, leaving a half-inch border around the edges.  Evenly sprinkle the oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, to taste.

Arrange slightly overlapped slices of vegetables in rows over the tomato paste, alternating vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.

Evenly sprinkle with the ricotta salata.

Bake in the heated oven until the pastry is puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly on baking sheet and then serve.

As you all already know, every year, I make a cake for my sister’s birthday.  It’s a must.  There are certain specifications that must be met, I spend weeks trying to find the perfect recipe, but the nice thing is that she always enjoys it..and I always like to top the cake from the year before.

This year, for her birthday, my family just happened to be on a trip together.  And for that reason, cake making had to be skipped.  She was not happy, my sister.  She was actually quite upset that she missed out on a homemade treat just because we were out of the country on her birthday.  (To be fair, we were returning from our trip on her actual birthday.  We were jet lagged, and traveling back to her respective homes.  And the only treat that she got on her actual birthday was the airline remembering her vegetarian meal.  So, I suppose she had a reason to be cranky).

So nearly a month after her birthday, I was making a birthday cake for her.  Again, she had her requirements.  My family loves all things meringue, so she definitely wanted that included in the cake.  I suggested a pavlova.  She refused.  Because she said that the cake had to have some chocolate in it.  I suggested a flour-less chocolate cake with a meringue top.  She refused.  Because we were going to be eating it with my parents and my mom is not the biggest fan of a lot of chocolate at one time.  I suggested lemon meringue pie.  She refused.  Becuase I forgot the chocolate requirement. Oh yeah.

So, knowing all of this, I made this cake.  A birthday cake at its best!  A chocolate chip pecan pound cake-like bottom, with a fluffy, marshmallowy chocolate chip studded meringue top.  It satisfied all requirements, and most of all, it satisfied my sister’s need for her birthday cake.  I have already started researching for next year’s cake so I’m ready.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cake

Chocolate Chip Cake (adapted from Bake or Break)

• 2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softenend
• 1.5 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease an 9 inch round springform pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, in a separate bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well.  Beat in vanilla with eggs.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined.  Stir in Greek yogurt.  Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour batter to prepared pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile make meringue.

Meringue Topping (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat egg whites on high until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and salt.  Beat until light peaks form and slowly pour in sugar.  Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.  Carefully fold in vanilla, chocolate chips and pecans.

Take cake out of oven.  Carefully spread meringue mixture on top of cake.  Place back into oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean for the cake, and the meringue is light brown and toasted on top.  Let cool for about 25 minutes before slicing.

Today, friends, we all celebrate.  Because this is my 100th post!  What does one post for a milestone like this?!  An extravagant cake?  My favorite cookies?  A savory dish?  Something to deliver on the promise of keeping healthy for a little bit?

Nope, none of the above!  Or maybe all of the above, I don’t know – I’ve never celebrated such an occasion before!  But I wanted to post something all of you can make today.  Something that is easy and gooey and yummy and celebratory.

And these bars fit all of those criteria.  Here’s to 100 more posts!  Yay.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars (slightly adapted from here)

• 3 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13, rectangular shaped pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, use a fork to combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, peanut butter, salt and sugar. Press into the bottom of prepared dish. Spread chocolate chips over the crust. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk on top.  Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the top layer is a golden brown. Remove and cool completely before slicing and serving.

Food guilt.  It’s really setting in.  I know that it usually comes immediately after the holiday season, during the dreaded month of January.  It’s cold, holiday lights are being packed away, and you are left with the realization that you ate about 4 dozen more cookies than you intended to.

But for me, this year, my food guilt has come early.  Can we think about the summer for just a second?  Ice creams, and pies disguised as breakfast.  Cakes and…more cakes.  The time has come for my back to school slimdown.

So although I would normally never oppose to having a cupcake for breakfast, as muffins sometimes tend to be, I decided to make this a bit more wholesome.  Oats, whole wheat flour, and maybe just a bit of butter make this a healthy and indulgent all rolled into one.  This healthiness should hold me over until the fall flavors food guilt comes around.

Strawberry Balsamic Muffins (recipe from Simply Recipes)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 pint strawberries, rinsed and cut into quarters

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a large bowl, stir together oats, milk and yogurt until well combined.  Set aside.  In a separate smaller bowl, mix together strawberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

To the oat mixture, whisk in eggs, butter, brown sugar and vanilla.  On top of the oat mixture, sift in both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper and cinnamon.  Gently stir in strawberry mixture.

Fill each muffin tin almost to the top.  Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown on top.  Let stand in muffin tin for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.  These are best eaten freshly baked and warm.

You know how some people cannot stand sweet and savory foods together?  Like salt on their chocolate, or dates in their salads.  You know what I’m talking about, right?  Yep, I’m not one of them.  What does bother me, though, is when sweet names are given to savory foods.  A mushroom rice pudding.  Or a spinach baklava.  I just don’t understand it.  There are separate and distinct names given to these foods that should be used!  Risotto!  Spanikopita!

The reason why I bring this up is because this dish is essentially a tomato bread pudding.  A dish that I would have not been inspired to make if it were actually named that.  Instead, it was called “scalloped tomatoes.”  The name drew me in.  Scalloped tomatoes just screams comforting, and luxurious goodness.  And that’s exactly what this is.

Barely cooked tomatoes with lightly toasted bread, fresh herbs, and cheese.  It may sound like a savory bread pudding, but no.  Please don’t go there.  There is so much in a name.

Scalloped Tomatoes (very slightly adapted from Ina Garten)

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups cubed pieces of bread from a French or Italian loaf, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 – 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch dice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup slivered basil leaves
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a shallow baking or casserole dish (6-8 cup) with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned and toasted.

While bread is toasting, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl.  After the cubes have been toasted, add the tomato mixture directly over the bread.  Continue cooking, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Take off heat and stir in basil leaves.

Pour the tomato mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly.  Serve immediately.

Way back when, at the beginnings of this grand season called summer, I had told you that a delightful, no, delicious, no, dare I say, the best ice cream recipe was forthcoming.  And here we are, in the midst of back to school sales, in the middle of conversations that have at least several mentions of how lovely a season fall is, in the middle of August, when I have finally decided to share this with you.

I wasn’t trying to keep it from you.  Promise.  I just didn’t know how to present it!  I have never been a fan of butter pecan ice cream.  Or, to better explain, I never really even thought about butter pecan ice cream.  It wasn’t a part of my ice cream vocabulary.  Plain vanilla ice cream with pecans mixed in didn’t excite me.  But for some reason, when my most recent love of my life came through my door (my ice cream maker, obviously), all I wanted to make for the inaugural spin, was butter pecan.  It didn’t make sense!  It couldn’t be explained!  And therefore, I held off on posting it.  But here we are, approaching the end of the summer, and I simply cannot let the season slip by before letting you experiencing this.  It would be wrong of me.  Because this ice cream is that good.

Butter pecan ice cream is just a tease, I learned.  It is hardly just vanilla ice cream with pecans.  Or, it doesn’t have to be.  Add some vanilla bean paste, brown some butter, and adjust salt levels to make the most satisfying, most complex, most delicious butter pecan ice cream you will ever have.  You won’t need a reason for making it.  You won’t need an explanation for loving it.  You will simply become a butter pecan believer.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream (adapted from here)

You can tell, right?  I don’t have many photos of this ice cream.  Do I need to say it?  It’s because we ate it so fast.  We didn’t let it freeze.  We ate it straight out of the machine and we couldn’t stop.  So there we have it.  But more importantly, if you want to make this and eat it just as fast, you can still make this even without an ice cream maker!  Just click here for directions!

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 packed cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt

In medium bowl, whisk together both sugars, vanilla, salt and milk until the sugars are dissolved.  Stir in the heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

At least an hour before making ice cream, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat.  Allow it to melt and then foam.  Immediately add  the chopped pecans and salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until pecans are toasted, about 8-10 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.

Churn according to your ice cream maker’s directions, adding the pecans for the final 5 minutes of churning.  Or look above to see how to make without an ice cream maker.  Serve the soft ice cream, or transfer to a freezer-safe container to freeze completely.

This happens to me once every two years.  I don’t move away from the TV for two weeks straight, I’m constantly checking stats and scores, I know the medal count by heart, and I become uncharacteristically emotional at every award ceremony.  I love the Olympics.

What’s weird about this time, though, is not only my obsession with sports I would normally never watch (synchronized diving?  love.  beach volleyball?  can’t get enough of it.  table tennis?  do you see how fast they go?!), but also my thinking that I would totally be able to compete in the games as well.  No, seriously.

Don’t worry, it’s usually a fleeting moment…that comes quite often.  But I’ve come crashing down to reality more than once.  Let’s just say that they make it look easy.  And when that happens, I realize I can never be in the Olympics, go into the kitchen, and make pie instead.  British pie, to keep up with the Olympic theme.  But, unlike me, this could definitely win a gold medal.

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee pie is half banana, half toffee, and all delicious.  I came up with that line myself.

Crust:

1 package digestive biscuits, 400 grams, crushed into crumbs

1.5 sticks butter, melted

1 tbsp. sugar

Filling

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. butter

3/4 tsp. flaky sea salt

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped finely

Topping:

4 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds.

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

For crust:

Line 2 muffin tins, 24 cups, with cupcake liners.  Stir together crumbs, sugar and butter, until crust comes together.  Distribute 2 tbsp. of crumb mixture into each of the liners.  Pat down evenly to form a smooth crust.  Place in freezer while you make the filling.

For filling:

Place cream, brown sugar and butter in a medium size pot.  Over medium high heat, bring all three ingredients to a boil.  Immediately turn the heat low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Take off the heat and stir in salt and pecans.  Let cool to room temperature.

After cooled, over each crust, evenly distribute filling – about 2 tbsp. each.  Smooth out the top for even distribution.  Place in refrigerator to set.

When ready to serve, prepare topping.

Topping:

Place 3-4 banana slices on top of the set filling.  Whip cream, sugar and cinnamon together until soft peaks form.  Gently spoon over bananas and eat immediately.  Preferably while watching the Olympics.

The other day, I was watching the Dolce Vita show on the Cooking Channel.  Let me tell you: that host is really actually living the sweet life, with his fields of fresh foods, and access to cheeses, and friends who all own a different type of food factory.  There was even a communal water fountain where you can get still and sparkling water!  Sparkling water that came out of a tap!  Insane.  I am very jealous and plans are underway for my move to Italy.

But I digress.  On one particular show, the host was making zucchini “meatballs”.  As you know, I don’t shy away from zucchini after my initial shunning of the vegetable.  But I have always paired it with lemon and garlic.  It’s so light and fresh and summery tasting.  But this guy, he not only suggested that zucchini should be paired with mint, he also said that mint and zucchini is the most natural pair!  Again, this blew my mind.

But who am I to argue with a guy who’s so cool that he picks his own tomatoes from his backyard and eats it like an apple.  (I mean, can you get cooler than that!?).  So I went with it.  And even added his suggestion of a smoked cheese.  And then ate them with a tomato salad with basil, another herb!  The fritters had all of these totally different flavors that went perfectly together.  I was amazed.  Seriously, you can find me in Italy soon.

Zucchini Fritters with Cherry Tomato Salad (recipe from The Cooking Channel)

For Fritters:

• 3 large zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup smoked mozzarella, cubed
• 1 cup soft Pecorino cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup, plus extra for coating
• 1/2 cup olive oil

For Cherry Tomato Salad:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4-5 basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

For the fritters: Add the chopped zucchini to salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until fork tender. Drain the excess water from the zucchini.  Leave in colander until cool to handle and mash.

In a mixing bowl, add the zucchini, smoked mozzarella cheese, Pecorino cheese, fresh mint leaves, eggs, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed. With your hands, shape the fritters into the size of golf balls. Coat the meatballs in the additional bread crumbs.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep frying pan. Gently place the meatballs into the hot oil and let fry until golden, turning to make sure that all sides are crispy.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain the excess oil.  Serve with the tomato salad.

To make the tomato salad: Add the cherry tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mix together.

Good morning!

Are you up yet?

Are you getting ready for your Sunday brunch?

You have a spare 25 minutes?

Wake up and make these!  They are fruity and tart and sweet and such a delightful addition to your Sunday!

Breakfast Blueberry Pastries

1/2 package puff pasty (does not need to be thawed)

1/4 cup lemon curd

1 pint blueberries

4-5 tsp. sugar

1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured surface, slightly roll our puff pastry.  Using a mini tart pan, glass, or a cookie cutter, cut our a desired shape.  Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheet.

Score the pieces of puff pastry with a fork, making sure that you don’t pierce all the way to border (leave a 1/2 inch boarder so a “crust” will form).  Spread a generous amount of lemon curd on to each piece.  Sprinkle evenly with blueberries, and with the sugar.  Lightly spread lemon zest on each of the tarts.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until caramelized and golden brown.  Let cool on a wire rack for about 5-10 minutes and eat warm, or room temperature, or hey, even cold.  Because they’re so good!