holy matrimony

Its hard for me to believe but, my husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary this week. And what a year it has been! I wanted to celebrate with a homemade dinner reminiscent of our fabulous Jamaican honeymoon: juicy roasted jerk chicken with ubiquitous rice and peas (Jamaica's version of beans 'n rice). Simple enough, right?

I sought out traditional Jamaican recipes.
I researched exotic ingredients and cooking methods.
I spent 2 days prepping-- chopping, grinding, marinating, soaking.
I followed the directions to a T.
And the resulting meal was AWFUL.

Looking back, I was naive to think that I could recreate the flavor of chicken that has been cooked in a specialized jerk pit and smoked to perfection by pimento wood, in my crappy electric stove. Its just not the same. There was something off about my jerk paste as well-- I suspect too much allspice, and no garlic or ginger (neither were in the recipe I used but, seemed to pop up in other jerk recipes I saw). As for the rice, I have no idea what the hell happened. The beans were under-cooked, the rice was over-cooked and the spice level rendered any salvageable morsels completely inedible. I pride myself on being a decent cook and this flavor fail was a major source of shame to me.

My saving grace was a simple fruit salad I found in my search for Jamaican recipes, called matrimony. (I mean, what better dessert could there be to celebrate the anniversary of our marriage than a dish called matrimony?) Traditionally this is made with oranges and star apple - a fruit native to Jamaica and next to impossible to find this far north - so this recipe substitutes a combo of pear and apple. The fruit is simply dressed and seasoned with just a pinch of nutmeg-- a light, lovely post-dinner treat. Or, in our case, dinner.

Matrimony

{recipe from Sky Juice and Flying Fish: Traditional Caribbean Cooking}

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored & diced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored & diced
• 2 oranges, supremed
• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• grated nutmeg, to taste
• (I also added a pinch of cinnamon, too)

1. Place the diced pear and apple in a medium bowl, add orange sections and mix. Sweeten with condensed milk and nutmeg, and toss to combine.

2. Let chill for at least one hour before serving. Serve chilled.

Thankfully, our meal turn-out was not reflective of our marriage and we were able to laugh off my disastrous attempt at authentic Jamaican cooking. Looks like we have yet another good reason to go back. x 

the cookie cure

Like I mentioned last week, I've been feeling a bit blue lately-- and what better cure for the blues than a batch of fresh-baked cookies? Not just any cookies, though. I needed something a little different... but still comforting and somewhat familiar. And thus, my Cure-All macadamia white chocolate chip cashew butter cookies were born.

I am in *love* with this flavor combination. My husband --who has a habit of dipping pieces of chocolate into peanut butter as a snack (weirdo)-- surprised me one day with a square of white chocolate dipped into some precious, coveted cashew butter. I'm not crazy about white chocolate but, it was so creamy and delicious that I had to make something with those two ingredients. And you just can't go wrong with cookies. EVER.

After experimenting with a few recipes, the best and final version is actually a modified JOC recipe for classic peanut butter cookies. Despite the difference in texture between traditional PB and cashew butter (the latter, like most natural nut butters, is more runny), the cookies still have the familiar crisp edges and rich gooey insides-- exactly what I was going for. The addition of white chocolate bits and roasted macadamia nuts sweetens the deal and gives these little beauties the perfect touch of crunch.

Cure-All Cookies

{adapted from JOC, 2006}

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup cashew butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup roasted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets. Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until well blended. Add in the egg, cashew butter and vanilla, and beat to combine. Stir in the flour mixture until blended. Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Flatten dough with your fingers, a flat-bottomed glass, or a fork (don't skip this step or the cookies won't bake properly). Bake 1 sheet at a time, 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow cookies to set up on the sheet for a minute before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you're not into cashews, substitute classic peanut, creamy almond or rich hazelnut butters. Also, feel free to swap out the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts for semi-sweet chocolate bits, toasted cashews, slivered almonds, or whatever else you're craving-- go nuts :-)  

x

pastry the lazy way

As I mentioned on Friday, my husband's grandmother, MD, visited with us over the weekend. She is by FAR the coolest grandma I've ever met (we took her to get her nose pierced for Christmas last year if that's any indication) and I treasure having her around since losing both of my grandmothers years ago. Well, I wanted to shower her with all kinds of homemade goodies from my kitchen - including a show-stopping chocolate-glazed Napoleon - when she was up north. Despite all my planning and preparations, I didn't end up cooking a damn thing during her visit. I didn't even toast my own bagel.

We didn't have much time to spend with her so, we opted for pizza, beer and munchies instead of the spring feast I had planned. As much as I love cooking (especially for those I adore) I'm glad that I let go of my plans. The time that I would have been chopping, boiling, sauteing, and baking was spent laughing, joking, shopping, and catching up with her. Initially, I was a little disappointed that we wouldn't be having a proper dinner but, it was definitely time well spent. And you know what? Taking a little break from cooking was kinda nice. (There, I said it. Now don't tell my husband.)

Come Sunday though, I was itchin' to get back in the kitchen. And since I already had all the ingredients, I decided to make that chocolate-glazed Napoleon in honor of MD. I took a few short-cuts to expedite the process and it was still a project-- but the results were well worth it. My quick 'n dirty Napoleon doesn't even compare to Martha's exquisitely assembled pastry - in fact, my rushed assembly mixed with crappy lighting makes this treat look rather sloppy - but don't be fooled. It was a-freakin-mazing. One bite oozing with pastry cream, and I'm sure you'd agree.

Lazy Lady's Chocolate-glazed Napoleon

{adapted from Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2003}

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 package frozen pre-made puff pastry dough, thawed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
• 1/4 ounce white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• few drops of vegetable oil
• pastry cream* (recipe follows)

1. Thaw both sheets of pastry dough as directed. Once thawed, you may flour a work surface and roll the dough out a bit if you like OR if you're a Lazy Lady like me, you can just cut each sheet of pastry in half (the resulting pastry will be thicker but, just as good). Take 3 of those 4 strips and lay them side by side on a large baking sheet (you'll have one strip of pastry leftover; wrap it, stick it back in the fridge and make some turnovers or empanadas with it later). Prick the dough all over with a fork, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

2. Preheat your oven to 425 F. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the strips are puffed and golden all over, about 14 minutes. Set another clean baking sheet directly on top of the pastry strips and bake for another 6 minutes or so, until the pastry is cooked through and browned. Remove the second baking sheet and bake for an additional 4 minutes. Cool strips on a wire rack before trimming the edges of each piece. (Martha says to trim them to 4.5" x 12" but, so long as the pastry strips are uniform in size, it really doesn't matter.)

3. To make the chocolate glaze: bring the heavy cream just to a boil in a small saucepan. Put the chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it; whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is combined. Whisk in the corn syrup. Set aside. (Martha says to strain the glaze through a fine mesh sieve but I didn't bother with it and my glaze was fine. Oh, Martha and your frivolous steps...)

4. Place the chopped white chocolate and a drop or two of vegetable oil in a small resealable plastic bag. Microwave on high for 25 - 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted-- you'll have to squish some of the chunks with your fingers to make sure it melts completely. Set aside.

5. Take the flattest strip of pastry and coat one side entirely in the chocolate glaze. Take your baggie of melted white chocolate, snip the corner of it with a pair of scissors and use your faux pastry bag to pipe thin lines across the width of the glazed pastry strip, a little less than an inch apart. If you like, you can create the distinctive flourish design by dragging a tooth pick, skewer or tip of a knife lengthwise through the white chocolate stripes in alternating directions. Or you can skip this step completely and just go with the chocolate glaze. Your call.

6. Assemble your Napoleon: start with one strip of unglazed pastry, top with half of the pastry cream and spread evenly over the strip leaving a slight border all around. Top with the second unglazed pastry strip and repeat with the remaining cream. Top with the glazed strip of pastry. Chill for about 30 minutes if you can stand it (we couldn't!). Use a long serrated knife to cut into 4 to 6 pieces - the cream will undoubtedly ooze out but it won't matter. Serve & enjoy!

*Pastry Cream
(makes about 4 cups)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Ready an ice bath and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt, and stir to mix. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Slowly pour into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

3. Transfer mixture to a clean saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to a large heat-proof bowl. Whisk in the butter and vanilla, and set the bowl in the ice bath, stirring occasionally until chilled (about 10 minutes). Cover finished pastry cream with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use (no more than a day, or else it may become thin and runny).

 Luscious vanilla cream, sandwiched in between layers of flakey pastry and glazed in chocolate: a decadent take on this classic French treat and worth every bit of effort. x

sweets for sweets

As I stood in line at 7-11 the other morning, waiting to pay for my gas, I observed all these pink and red-hued monstrosities around the register: heart-shaped gobs of sugar, sad [dusty] fabric roses, oversized novelty cards and fuzzy 'love cuffs' (?!?). It was a grim reminder: Valentine's Day is this weekend, and some poor fools are actually going to buy this junk. Eek.

I've never been a fan of the mandatory gift-giving on this (or any other) holiday -- especially when it comes to over-priced flowers and poor quality confections. I think that a holiday expressing love -be it romantic, platonic or familial- does have merit. So why give your loved ones the predictable commercialized crappola that stores seem to be stuffing down your throat this time of year? No, no. Your nearest and dearest deserve something made with love: dessert.

Making a sweet for your sweets is a great way to say 'I love you'. I mean: you take the time to carefully measure ingredients, combine them in just the right way, to create a scrumptious finished product -- and then to resist the temptation of devouring it yourself. That's love in my book.

Here's a round-up of some fantastic dessert recipes from my fave sites, perfect for Valentine's or any other day. Best of all: you can whip them up at home in about an hour or less (while everyone else frantically grabs the leftover Whitman's samplers and abused bouquets at the store).

Trust me when I say, they won't miss the chalky conversation hearts.

{photo from Martha Stewart}

Something rich: Strawberries 'n Cream Cheesecake

What's better than an ordinary cheesecake? One with a sweet strawberry base layer, topped with a rich vanilla cream layer, that's what. Your Valentine(s) will surely appreciate the extra effort that goes into this decadent dessert.

{photo by Ken Kochey for Real Simple}

Something light: Citrus Salad with Honey & Mint
Have a health-conscious Valentine? How 'bout a succulent citrus salad bursting with fresh flavors, and a drizzle of naturally sweet, golden honey. Less than 10 minutes of work for a gorgeous unexpected treat. Perfect for a surprise breakfast in bed.

{photo by Maria Robledo for Real Simple}

For the Chocoholics: Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream Pie
With 'chocolate', 'caramel', 'ice cream' and 'pie' in the title, you know this one is gonna be good. And with no cooking required, how can you go wrong? The hard part: letting this bad boy set up in the freezer before digging in. Are you drooling yet?

{photo by Frances Janisch for Sweet Paul}

For the kids: Heart Cookie Lollipops
For the wee people in your life, these adorable cookie lollies are the answer. Let's face it: everything is better on a stick, and these are no exception. Sweet sugar cookie hearts with hard candy centers like stained glass, they will surely delight the yougin's (or the young at heart :-) ).


I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day and a fabulous weekend. 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

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

diy: graveyard pudding cups

Hello friends!

My posting has been a bit light lately for a bunch of reasons you don't care about, BUT I'm back today to share one of my favorite Halloween treats with you: graveyard pudding cups!

(all images: moi)

These are a family favorite-- my mom used to make them for school Halloween parties way back when and they were always a hit. I revived the tradition a few years ago when I made them for my husband, and he now insists on them every Halloween.

They are unbelievably simple to make so, this would be a perfect last-minute treat to whip together on or before Saturday.

You will need:

• 1 box of instant chocolate pudding mix


• roughly 1/2 package of Oreo or chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed


• Milano cookies


• 1 tube/pouch store bought decorating icing, in brown or black (feel free to use homemade icing if you wish, I'm just lazy :P)


• Mallowcreme pumpkin candies (optional)


• gummi worms (optional)

{makes about 4 large pudding cups}

First, prepare the pudding as directed, let set for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, arrange a few Milano cookies on a plate or other flat surface and use the icing to decorate your tombstones. I went with the classic 'RIP' but if you have a finer icing tip, get as creative as you want. Allow the icing time to set.

While the the icing is setting, gently mix about half of your crushed Oreos into the chocolate pudding. Line the bottom of your cups or dishes with gummi worms if you're using them, and then layer the pudding mixture on top. Do not fill completely as you'll need room for the "dirt".

Top the pudding with the remaining crushed cookie "dirt". Carefully add your Milano cookie tombstones and pumpkins as desired, and VIOLA!

These would be great for a Halloween party (you could put guests' names on the tombstones for extra fun) and its easy enough for little ones to make as well. My only suggestion would be that you do NOT make this too far in advance (I'd say a few hours before you plan to eat them, tops) otherwise the cookies loose their crunch and get all mushy.

I bet you could even put a twist on this and make it as classic trifle (using crumbled cake or toffee bits for the "dirt") and add a few whipped cream ghosts... next year!

Well, I hope you enjoy! Have a safe & happy Halloween!

xxx,

Mrs. M