Category:

Lime Angel Food Cake with Pistachios

3/21/2017

I felt like eating cake today.

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze & Pistachios
Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito | Bon Appétit, April 2010

CAKE:
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

LIME SYRUP and LIME GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 1/2 cup unsalted raw pistachios (about 2 ounces), finely chopped in food processor
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
• 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan with 4-inch-high sides and removable bottom (do not use a nonstick pan)

FOR CAKE:
1. Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350˚F. Sift flour, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and salt into medium bowl; repeat sifting 3 times. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, lime peel, and vanilla on medium speed in large bowl until frothy. Add cream of tartar; increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1/3 of flour mixture over whites and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining flour mixture in 2 more additions just until incorporated. Transfer to an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with 4-inch-high sides and removable bottom (do not use a nonstick pan); smooth top.

2. Bake cake until pale golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 38 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of a bottle and cool cake completely.

3. Using a long thin knife, cut around cake sides and center tube to loosen. Lift out center tube with cake still attached; run knife between cake and bottom of pan to loosen. Invert cake onto rack, then turn cake over, rounded side up. Set rack with cake atop a rimmed baking sheet.

FOR LIME SYRUP & GLAZE:
1. Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons lime juice in small saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush syrup all over top and sides of cake. Immediately press pistachios onto top and sides of cake, pressing to adhere.
2. Stir powdered sugar with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Let stand until glaze sets, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer cake to platter and serve.

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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Crème Anglaise

3/1/2017

2 Comments

Whenever I eat a flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise I'm reminded of a dessert my mother and aunt made often when I was growing up in the Amana Colonies. A dense, bitter chocolate pudding was poured into a mold, and when set, it was released into a large bowl of sweet vanilla sauce. I was always so happy when I saw it being prepared. I loved it. And many years later, when I was in Paris with my sister and daughter during October, the first time I had ever visited in the fall, I saw Gâteau au Chocolat avec Crème Anglaise on bistro chalkboards, everywhere. One restaurant had a little table set up by the front window with pitchers full of the vanilla sauce alongside platters of chocolate cake. You probably know what I had for dessert that night.
I have baked many flourless chocolate cakes and this one has edged itself to the front of the line. Double the recipe, below, for the Crème Anglaise if you want a generous dish of the vanilla sauce to accompany all of the chocolate cake slices ;-P

Flourless Chocolate Cake

+ a Martha Stewart recipe
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the cake pan
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder, such as Medaglia d'Oro
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Cocoa powder for serving, optional
• Vanilla Fleur de Sel for serving, optional
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment round; butter parchment and sides of pan. Melt butter and chocolate, stirring until smooth, in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water or in 15 second intervals in a microwave oven.
2. Beat together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed, about 3 minutes; mixture should be thick and pale. Add espresso powder and salt; beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and melted-chocolate mixture; beat 1 minute longer.
3. In another bowl, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Increase speed to high; gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Stir about 1/2 cup into the chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold remaining egg whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Transfer batter to pan and bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove side of pan; transfer cake to a serving plate. Dust with cocoa and a sprinkle of vanilla fleur de sel, if desired.

Crème Anglaise

+ recipe from French Tarts by Linda Dannenberg
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the yolks and the sugar. In another saucepan, heat the milk and the vanilla extract over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a spoon. Set over medium heat and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Do not let the sauce come to a boil or it will curdle. Remove from the heat and place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool, then refrigerate if not serving immediately.
2. Crème Anglaise is best served the day it is made, at room temperature, but if can be refrigerated for a couple of days and served chilled.

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Chocolate-Orange-Olive Oil Cake

1/27/2017

4 Comments

I just ate this... right after I finished taking photos, I sat down and devoured it. And what I found was, this Chocolate-Orange Olive Oil Cake made with almond flour, is even better the second day! That's because all of the zested orange added to the batter has additional time to infuse the baked cake. And for me, there has never been a more delicious combination than chocolate and orange.
I've recently baked several breads and cakes with almond flour exclusively (no wheat flour added) and with some of them, I have run into trouble when using the oven temperatures and baking times that are called for in the recipes. This cake was no exception. In the recipe below, I show my adjusted time and temp. I recommend observing your cake closely towards the last 15 minutes of baking and testing frequently with a skewer for doneness. Ovens vary and pan size can also change the cooking time.

• adapted recipe | Mary Luz Mejia

• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 1 1/4 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 3/4 cups fine almond meal/flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 2/3 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra oil for greasing pan
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• Zest of 2 large or 3 small organic oranges
• 3 large eggs
• Whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche, for serving
• Candied orange rind, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Grease an 8 1/2-inch to 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
3. Combine the cocoa and chopped chocolate in a bowl. Bring the whole milk to a boil and add to the chocolate, whisking until smooth. Stir in the vanilla bean seeds; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the almond meal/flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Place the sugar, olive oil, orange juice, zest and eggs in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is smooth and thick. Scrape the cocoa mixture into the egg mixture and beat until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of bowl if necessary.
6. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 40 minutes. To test doneness, use a wooden skewer to pierce into the center of the cake. If there is moist batter or crumbs on the skewer when removed, continue to bake until the skewer tests dry, possibly another 15 minutes. (I baked my cake for 40 minutes, then turned on the convection for an additional 15 minutes before my cake was done. Adjust accordingly to your oven and pan size).
7. Remove cake and cool for 10 minutes before running a thin knife around the edges and removing the ring. Serve with whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche and top with a slice of candied orange rind.

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Christmas Dinner... 2016

12/27/2016

6 Comments

This was an unusual Christmas for my husband and me. It's the first year neither one of our daughters was here to celebrate -- with one visiting in-laws in Milwaukee and the other with her boyfriend's family in Chicago. Christmas Eve for us was spent at our neighbor's; a tradition, now that we are no longer traveling over the holidays. We have amazing neighbors and I've made it clear to all of them that they can never move away from me...

When we finally gathered yesterday with family, our Christmas dinner was French Onion Soup and a Salad of Arugula, Roasted Peppers, and Steak. Dessert... a Lemon Meringue Tart.

To start off our midday meal, we drank small glasses of spiked eggnog. Fortunately, the rich aperitif didn't seem to kill anyone's appetite... I stirred a good sprinkling of Chinese 5 Spice into organic eggnog, then added golden rum... to taste. The top was covered in a thick coating of whipped, heavy cream, along with a generous grating of nutmeg.

Whitney with her Frenchie, Midge

As usual, Bisous waiting for anything edible to drop from above.

This will now be my go-to French Onion Soup. The best I've ever made. I made some slight changes to a recipe by Ina Garten.
(recipe below)

When finishing the soup, you will want to top it with the best Gruyére cheese you can fiind. It really makes a difference. I could eat this soup every day...

This is one of my favorite "hearty" salads, and I make it often during the summer for our alfresco meals.

(recipe HERE)

La Fin... Lemon Meringue Tart. Perfect any time of the year...
(recipe below)

French Onion Soup

Serves 8
• 3 3/4 pounds yellow onions, halved, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup medium-dry sherry
• 3/4 cup Cognac
• 2 1/4 cups good quality dry white wine
• 3 quarts organic beef stock
• 1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
• 2 teaspoons concentrated beef base (such as Better Than Bouillon brand)
• 1-2 French baguettes, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4-5 cups grated Gruyére cheese
1. In a large stockpot, over medium heat, sauté the onions with the butter and bay leaves until the onions turn a rich golden brown color. Take your time with this -- approximately 45+ minutes. You want to slowly caramelize the onions and not burn them.
2. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and brandy and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for an addition 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
3. Add the beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in the concentrated beef base, starting with 1 teaspoon. Taste, and add additional base if needed. Adjust salt and pepper; remove the bay leaves.
4. Brush the baguette slices with the melted butter and place on a baking sheet. Transfer to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until the bread slices begin to lightly toast and turn golden. Remove from oven. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Place several slices of baguette onto each bowl of soup, then generously cover with grated Gruyére. Place several bowls on a baking sheet with 1-inch sides and slide onto middle rack of oven. Broil until cheese is melted and gooey. Repeat with remaining bowls. Serve.

Lemon Meringue Tart

TART PASTRY:
• 2 T. sliced almonds
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 1/3 T. very cold butter, 1/2" dice
• 3 T. ice water
FILLING:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
ˆ 1 cup water
• 3 T. cornstarch
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 T. butter
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
MERINGUE:
• 5 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Make pastry dough and chill for 2 hours. Line a 9-inch tart pan and bake blind at 400˚F until golden brown.
2. Dissolve sugar with salt in 3/4 cup of the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water and stir into the sugar-water mixture. Stir constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks with lemon juice until slightly thickened and stir into cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and bring back just to a boil. Take from heat and stir in the butter and grated lemon rind. Cool slightly and fill the baked tart shell.
3. To make meringue: Place egg whites, at room temperature, in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and start beating with a whisk attachment. Once frothiness has been achieved, slowly start adding the granulated sugar and the cream of tartar. Continue to beat at high speed until the egg whites just begin to hold stiff peaks. Do not overbeat or the whites will become dry and start to separate. Mound the billowy, cloud-like meringue onto the tart and bake in a preheated 375˚F oven until golden.

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A Holiday Party

12/10/2016

1 Comment

During the holiday season, our big celebration has always been on New Year's Day. That is when my husband and I host our annual brunch; an event that now spans 30 years.

What I don't do very often, however, is plan an event right before Christmas. But a week ago, feeling like I had the holidays under control, I asked friends who are in our gourmet "supper club" if they would like to come over for an evening of appetizers and drinks. Amazingly, during this very busy time of the year, everyone was free!

.
I cooked and baked some of my favorites, and I have links for you below to all of the foods on my menu.

And the best part, for me anyway, was pulling out favorite serving pieces, stands, and vintage decorations... and sharing it all with family and friends.

• Tortellini Salad with Snow Peas
• Zucchini Galettes with Fresh Ricotta and Lemon
• Époisses, Ham and Apple Tart
• Rolled Vanilla Christmas Tree Cookies
• Vanilla Shortbread Cookies
• Macademia Shortbread Biscotti
• Sablés à l'Orange et Raisins
• French Canelés
• Chocolat Chaud

... assorted cheeses, olives, salami, crackers, roasted peppers and drinks were also served

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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

11/15/2016

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This has been a month of dinner parties. Three men in our family have birthdays in November; my husband, son-in-law Dave, and yes... the landmark 1st year of French Bulldog, Bisous.
We celebrated those birthdays last night with Pumpkin Cheesecake drizzled with Salted Caramel Sauce. I don't think anyone would be disappointed if I made this dessert again for our Thanksgiving dinner next week. The great thing about cheesecake... it can be baked a day or two ahead, making it one less item competing for space occupied by the turkey and stuffing in my oven. My pumpkin pies are always baked the day of.
And earlier this month I was is Ohio visiting my sister, Susan. While there, I cooked for a dinner party she hosted prior to the opening of a holiday show at the Taft Museum in Cincinnati. (The show can be seen through January 8.) This is the third year where the Taft has displayed part of Susan's museum-quality, antique toy collection from the Erzgebirge region of Germany. Out-of-town guests at the dinner party were new friends who have accompanied Susan on the tours she leads twice a year to Germany -- a must for any serious collector!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

adapted recipe from Chocolate with Grace

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe here)
• Whipped heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 8 1/2 to 9-inch springform pan. Press a square of foil over the bottom of the pan (to protect the oven floor from any leakage) and bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325˚F. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Break the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the eggs to the mixture and mix briefly, just until well combined. Do not over mix. Pour on top of the graham cracker crust.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to rest inside the oven for an additional 1 1/2 hours before opening the oven door. The long cooling time should minimize cracks in the cheesecake. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Serve with the Salted Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream.

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Sunday Dinner

11/6/2016

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     A simple dinner with family on a recent Sunday night couldn't have been any easier. The main dish was a hearty "salad" of roasted potatoes, sausages and shallots, all tossed with arugula and a drizzle of lemon juice. Prep for the vegetables and sausages takes practically no time at all, and the oven roasting adds an additional 45 minutes. It is going to become my fall and winter go-to meal when I want something quick, delicious and filling.
     And the molded Crème Caramel is my kind of dessert. Since I was a small child, custard has been my favorite way to end a meal. At a restaurant, I will most likely choose crème caramel or crème brulée before a chocolate dessert, or anything else. This recipe belongs to Manger's Mimi Thorrison and is in her newly-released cookbook, French Country Cooking. Here is the link to her original recipe. She has changed the ingredients/recipe slightly in her newest cookbook, and I will just say... purchase that book. This may be the best Crème Caramel I've ever eaten. What I loved about it was the addition of lemon zest.
     Mimi Thorrison uses a large brioche mold for her Crème Caramel. I took a risk on a highly detailed copper mold with tin lining. It unmolded beautifully, but next time, I think I'll use a simple, large Charlotte mold (it took many hours of soaking and gentle scrubbing to remove the hardened caramel from the mold's crevices). Also, use the best quality ingredients you can in this custard. It's worth it and always makes a difference!

•

Sausage + Potato Pan Roast
recipe by Justin Chapple (adapted) | Food & Wine, October 2016

• 2 large red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1 large baking potato, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 10 medium unpeeled shallots, halved
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, links cut into 3 pieces
• One 5-ounce container of arugula
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss all of the potatoes with the shallots and the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned. Brush the sausage with olive oil and add to the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes longer, until the potatoes are tender and the sausage is cooked through.
2. On a large platter, toss the arugula with the lemon juice and a drizzle of the olive oil. Add the mixture on the baking sheet to the arugula: season with salt and pepper and gently toss to combine. Serve.

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Apple Kuchen with Honey and Ginger

10/13/2016

7 Comments

     I follow New York Times Food on Instagram. And when a drool-inducing photo of this kuchen... or cake... appeared on the site, I immediately got to work with the apples I had just purchased at a local farm.
     I was tempted to cut back a bit on the amount of ginger, fresh and candied, that was called for in the recipe; but I'm glad I didn't. Everything about this cake, from chef and cookbook author, David Tanis, is pretty perfect.
     The only thing I changed was the oven temperature and baking time. The original recipe calls for 325˚F. I baked my cake at 350˚, plus an additional 10 minutes longer. That may just be my oven, although I've had the Viking repair man tell me it's calibrated perfectly. May have to bake this kuchen along with my pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving this year -- or at least have it alongside our coffee in the morning.

FOR THE CAKE:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional butter for greasing pan
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling apples
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 ounces candied ginger, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 medium apples, peeled and quartered
FOR THE GLAZE:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons honey
1. Heat the oven to 350˚F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan (I used a 10 1/4-inch springform, since it was all I had).
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar, then add the honey and whip for 1 minute, until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated, then whip for 2 minutes. Stir in grated ginger, candied ginger and lemon zest.
3. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder and add to bowl, mixing briefly to make a stiff batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. With a paring knife, cut slits in each of the apple quarters on the rounded, outer side of each apple wedge. Slice partway through at approx. 1/8-inch intervals. Arrange apple quarters slit-side-up over the batter (I used all but one quarter, which my French Bulldog greatly appreciated). Sprinkle surface with 1 tablespoon sugar.
5. Place cake pan on a baking sheet and put on middle rack of oven. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges dry (I baked my cake for a total of 55 minutes). If cake browns too rapidly, tent with foil until done. Cool on a rack, then carefully unmold.
6. Make the glaze: Put sugar, honey and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mixture bubbles. Brush surface of cake and apples with warm glaze. Cake will keep for several days, tightly wrapped at room temperature.

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breakfast at my house... Fig & Almond Cake

9/8/2016

1 Comment

September and figs. I wish the season weren't so brief. I bought my first carton of fresh figs yesterday. My two "Little Miss Figgy" plants on my patio are still too young to produce fruit. I decided that baking a breakfast cake with my purchased figs, to eat along with my cappuccino in the morning, was the way to go.

And figs are really good for you! (read this)... Another reason to go out and buy some figs.!

And, right before I photographed the Fig & Almond Breakfast Cake, a neighbor stopped by with fresh raspberries that he picked from the bushes in his yard. Perfect timing!

• recipe from Beyond the Plate

• 2 1/2 ounces blanched almond meal
• 2 1/2 ounces unbleached, all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 ounces sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 2 large eggs
• several (I used about 5-6) ripe figs, quartered
• Confectioners' sugar and fresh figs for finishing, if desired
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Line the base of an 8 1/2 to 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then tighten the springform ring to keep the parchment in place; trim excess paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal, flour, salt and baking powder; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add the rum, dry ingredients and eggs. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 3-4 minutes. The batter should be smooth and all the ingredients are incorporated.
5. Turn the cake batter into the prepared springform pan using a spatula to spread the thick mixture evenly. Arrange the fig quarters over the top of the batter. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. Run a knife around the perimeter of the cake before releasing the ring; allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and decorate with additional fresh figs if desired.

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What have I been up to...?

8/28/2016

4 Comments

I'm not here :(

nor here :(

or even here :(

     It probably seems like I've been gone for awhile... So, what have I been doing? Not traveling. I wish I could say I spent the summer in the south of France, but that didn't happen. No surprise to most of you, I've been spending a LOT of time with my Frenchie puppy, Bisous. Right before I lost my Frenchie, Pipi, just a year ago, my vet tried to help me put her life into perspective. She told me, "Pipi is like 110 in people years and has had a better life than most children". I'm embarrassed to say, the vet was probably 100% right. I'm very devoted to my dogs and that's one reason I've been staying close to home with "B". No major trips. If any traveling is done anytime soon, it will be by car so Bisous can accompany us. So right now, there's no France in my future. Life is currently all about Bisous...
     And lately, most of my days are spent in my kitchen, trying to make sense of the ridiculous amount of produce from my vegetable garden. I'm thankful our backyard isn't any larger. If it were, my gardens would certainly be larger also, and there would be even more vegetables! Right after I finish this post, I will begin chopping tomatoes for a fresh pasta sauce we will eat for dinner tonight. We've had some wonderful dinners on the patio this summer, and I'm hoping warm weather will continue into October. I'm not ready to give up alfresco dining with friends and family quite yet...
     There have also been out-of-town visitors recently. This has all kept me busy. Plus, you would probably find my meal rotations rather boring. Not much experimenting this summer for me. I tend to make many of the foods we eat over and over during the growing season... because I love them. I wait months in Minnesota for the tomatoes, beans, zucchini, beets, etc., from my garden, and I'm perfectly happy eating them, much of the time, the same way. I will never tire of fresh tomato pasta sauce, Caprese salads, seared beans, zucchini-walnut bread... experimenting can wait!
     If you follow my posts on Instagram, you will most likely know what I've been cooking and baking in my kitchen. Below are a few iPhone photos of things I've made recently, along with links to the recipes. Photo shoots with my SLR camera seem like a luxury this time of year. It's all about sitting down and eating (immediately!) when the food is ready. No one wants to wait while I photograph.

Stuffed Zucchini... recipe HERE

(almost ready for the oven) The only thing I did differently was to fill the zucchini shells with tiny cubes of fresh mozzarella before I finished filling with the rice, ground beef and tomatoes. I highly recommend the addition of the mozzarella!

Yotam Ottolenghi's "Very Full Tart"... recipe HERE

This savory tart recipe is from Ottolenghi's cookbook PLENTY, and a great way to use up some of that vegetable garden produce! Loved that sweet potato added to the mix. The one thing I'll do the next time I make this tart is add one more egg, for a total of three. It will help that one cup of heavy cream set up better. Also, I recommend using a 9-inch deep-sided tart pan with a removable bottom.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake... recipe HERE

I posted the recipe for this Raspberry Buttermilk Cake several years ago. Every time I make this cake I ask myself... Why don't I make it more often? It is extremely easy and delicious!

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Forward>>

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze & PistachiosMatt Lewis & Renato Poliafito | Bon Appétit, April 2010

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Crème Anglaise

French Onion Soup

Lemon Meringue Tart

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Sausage + Potato Pan Roastrecipe by Justin Chapple (adapted) | Food & Wine, October 2016

I'm not here :(

nor here :(

or even here :(

Stuffed Zucchini... recipe HERE

Yotam Ottolenghi's "Very Full Tart"... recipe HERE

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake... recipe HERE

Categories

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze & Pistachios
Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito | Bon Appétit, April 2010

Sausage + Potato Pan Roast
recipe by Justin Chapple (adapted) | Food & Wine, October 2016