edible exploits: Texas caviar

Its Monday again, sigh. My weekend was productive but, it doesn't make the Monday grind any easier. How about you -- did you do anything fun? Did you catch "the game"? Yeaaaah, not me. Not having the slightest interest in football, the Superbowl is purely an excuse for me to try new dip recipes (to keep me occupied while I tune out the play-by-plays). And yesterday, I found a winner!

What's more exciting than salsa but, much healthier than those sour cream and cheese dips? Texas caviar. Yes, you heard me right. But you won't find any overpriced fish eggs here, my friends. This dip is like a bean salad bursting with flavor-- courtesy of jalapenos, hot sauce and a homemade vinaigrette. And its oh-so-satisfying. Pair it with a whole-grain pita chip (I love Stacy's) and you've got a snack thats truly lunch-worthy.

Texas caviar

{Recipe from Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition}

Total time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time if desired

Ingredients

• 3 - 16oz. cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 - 6oz. jar pimientos, chopped, with juice
• 3 fresh or canned jalapenos, chopped
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup basic vinaigrette* (recipe follows)

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator -- the longer it sits, the better it tastes. Serve with your favorite chips or crackers.

*Basic Vinaigrette

(makes 1 cup)

For garlic flavor, mash:

• 1 garlic clove
• 2-3 pinches of salt

Put mashed garlic in a bowl and add:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot (optional)
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard (optional)

Whisk together until combined. Gradually add:

• 3/4 cup olive or walnut oil

whisking constantly as you drizzle. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Its probably best that I'm starting out the week with a healthier snack, 'cause the Valentine sweets are a-comin'..... cheesecake and cookies and chocolate, oh my! x

road trip: NYC

Howdy friends!
I've been MIA this past week, mostly recovering from our trip to New York City last weekend. It was so nice to just unplug from life, seek out some adventure and experience something totally new. It filled me with so much inspiration (and lots of delicious, expensive food).

With my battery recharged, I'm finally ready to get back to work here in Blogland. My first order of business will be to recreate a famous New York City delicacy. Hint: it starts with cheese and ends in cake. I think I've said too much...

x

edible exploits: cranberry crumb bars

In an attempt to try and use up some of the produce I've been hoarding in my itty-bitty freezer, I came upon some beautiful cranberries I'd stowed away back in October. One of the great perks of living in New England - other than being able to enjoy the vibrant autumn leaves, of course - is access to fresh, local cranberries that grow in bogs right in our "backyard" and all around the surrounding towns.

These particular cranberries came from a friend of my father's, who owns several local bogs. My Dad was kind enough to share his berry bounty with me, and they have been patiently waiting in my freezer (where they can stay for up to a year), for the perfect recipe to come along.

These cranberries were extra special to me and as such, deserved to be savored in a really great recipe. But which one? Cranberry sauce? Bor-ring! Not to mention, so predictable. Cranberry bread? Yawn. Cranberry cookies? Meh. Nothing seemed to inspire me enough to want to use my precious rouge beauties.

When I came across Tiina's cranberry crumb bars, I was intrigued. And now that I've made them, I know I held out for the right recipe. Sweet, tart and crumbly, these bars are like a fruit crumble to go. Great with a cup of tea, or perhaps as a juicy midnight snack (not that I would know *ahem*), these crumb bars are a major win. And they're Dad-approved :-)

Cranberry Crumb Bars

{Recipe from Sparkling Ink, November 2009}

Prep Time: about 20 minutes
Total Time: about an hour
Makes: ~18 bars

Ingredients:

For dough-

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, chilled
• 1 egg
  

For berry layer-

• 3 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch

::If you're using local berries like I am -even if they're right out of the freezer- make sure to give them a good rinse, and pick over them for leaves, twigs and damaged berries. Other berries or fruit also work with this recipe so, if cranberries are out of reach, use whats available to you.::

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into cubes and work it into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Add in the egg, and mix until combined. Divide the mixture in half, and press one half into a deep greased baking dish. [Tiina recommends a 9x13" but, I used a 10x10" which also worked worked well and produced a thicker bar.] Set the rest of the dough mixture aside.

2. In another large bowl, toss the cranberries with the sugar and corn starch. Spread the berry mixture evenly over the pressed-in dough (and sprinkle any remaining sugar/corn starch evenly over the berries). Crumble the second half of dough mixture over the berry layer.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. To prevent the top from browning too much and to ensure the bottom layer bakes properly, move the dish from the middle level to the lowest level in the oven after 30 minutes of baking. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Now I'm off to New York City for a long weekend of eating, drinking and merriment -- I hope yours is equally fun! See you next week. x

scrap paper fun: part one

I've been itching to do something creative lately but, I wanted to use up the materials leftover from other crafting endeavors before I go spending more money at Michael's. So, I decided that some scrap paper projects were in order.

Inspired by Martha's scrap paper notebooks and by this recent grocery planner project over at Design*Sponge, I tried to find uses for some scrapbooking papers that I bought for an album last year that never materialized.

First, I gave my beat-up RS planner a fun tree print lining to bring it back to life, and then I covered a plain clipboard with a cute strawberry print to use as my own grocery/meal planner. (Maybe it will inspire me to add some more fruit to my shopping list? I hope so!)

I also needed a notebook for BYW class but, didn't really have the money to buy a nice hardcover one . So what's a crafty-but-cash-strapped girl to do? Make one! (Or three!)

My mom loved my DIY notebook so much, she requested one for herself-- for grocery lists, messages and such. I made her two mini notebooks with some cool purple hydrangea paper (below) while I was at it.

The only materials I used: various papers, spray adhesive/glue, scissors, a hole punch and some jute twine (all of which I had around the house). All of these little projects were super simple and not at all time consuming -- the total time it took me to complete all of them was less than an hour (plus a little drying time). A piece of cake with a big visual impact. Funny how lovely prints cheer up the most mundane things, huh?

I'm already looking around my office for more things I can cover in pretty prints, and seeking out other fun scrap paper projects... leave me a comment with any links, projects or ideas!

And stay tuned for Part Two ;)

x

cheese please

Recently over at the fabulous Sunday Suppers, they gave us a peek at the dessert cheese table they created for their feature on Martha's wedding blog, detailed in several posts. I thought the whole idea was brilliant and beautifully presented -- I had to share.

As Casey mentions, "it is very attainable for every bride—DIY brides to high end wedding planner events can mold this idea to fit their budget" and I just love the versatility in this project. The DIY possibilities for a buffet like this are endless.

Its all just so rustic and chic. The divine cheeses... the beautiful fresh fruits... the crusty baguettes... the golden honey... the gorgeous cake stands and cloches... I'm in love.

They even shared their tips for selecting cheese for your own spread, plus how-tos for the honey fromage blanc and granola party favors. So go have a look! x

{all photos by Karen Mordechai for Sunday Suppers}

edible exploits: pineapple with tequila & mint

Hello there friends. Its *Friday* ya-hoo! Some days I felt like it would never come!

Well, I've continued with my resolution to try new recipes every week to expand my culinary horizons, and I'm pretty proud of that. I'm told that many people have given up on their resolutions by now, and for once I'm not one of them.

I was looking around for some snack and dessert recipes that are on the healthy side because I'm also attempting to eat better this year. So, I thought maybe having a delicious fruit dessert recipe would be handy for those days you just need something sweet but, don't want to resort to something too sinful.

I came upon this super simple recipe in Perfect Mexican -- a little gem of a cookbook, with lots of fresh, wonderful recipes and vivid, enticing photos. Sweet, succulent pineapple combines with fresh mint and just a touch of smokey-smooth tequila for a treat that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth (without all that sugar, of course).

Pineapple with Tequila & Mint

{Recipe from Perfect Mexican, Parragon Publishing 2006}

Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe pineapple


• sugar, to taste
  
• juice of 1 lemon
  
• 2-3 tablespoons tequila (or a few drops of vanilla extract if you prefer)


• several sprigs of fresh mint, leaves removed & cut into thin strips
  
• fresh mint sprig, to garnish (optional)

::What to look for in a ripe pineapple: the flesh should be firm, somewhat golden in color and it should have a sweet aroma. Steer clear of fruits that are completely green, don't smell sweet, have brown leaves or are bronze/red in color.::

1. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut off the top and the bottom of the pineapple. Place upright on a cutting board, then slice off the skin, cutting downward. Cut the pineapple in half, remove the core, then cut the flesh into bite-sized chunks.

2. Place the pineapple chunks in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar (only a pinch is needed as ripe pineapple is already quite sweet), lemon juice, and tequila or vanilla extract. Toss to coat well, then cover and chill until ready to serve.

3. To serve, arrange on a plate and sprinkle with the mint strips. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig if desired.

I would recommend using a good quality blanco (white) or plata (silver) tequila for this dish, as the smokey-ness does not overwhelm -- I like Don Julio or Herradura for their smoothness. As a general rule of thumb: if you wouldn't drink it straight, don't put it in your food!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! x

food for thought

I just discovered Brooklyn-based illustrator Claudia Pearson yesterday via decor8, and I have completely fallen in love with her 2010 seasonal produce calendars! I still haven't gotten a pretty new calendar for this year (yes, I'm a slacker) but, I think I've found the one for me.

These lovelies encourage you to buy local, with beautiful illustrations showcasing the produce in season during the months -- helping you change up your fruit & veggie intake, get the freshest ingredients available and perhaps keep you on track with those resolutions to eat better. Cute and practical. Love!

She makes three different versions - 6x9" printed, tea towel and poster - all available in her sweet shop. Check out her blog for recipes that coincide with her featured produce, too!