Popular Recipes

Honey Butter Blondies

Written on January 31, 2011 by in Dessert

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There is so much right about these it’s hard to know where to begin. Honey butter is a sweet and rich condiment made of 1 part honey to 1 part butter. It’s a great thing to spread on toast, in sandwiches—wherever! It only seemed natural that this would make an excellent blondie, and with chocolate chips(because what do those not make better?). The flavor of honey butter shines through more as an aftertaste. I would have liked these to be a little fudgier but if you like your brownies more cakey then these are for you.

Honey Butter Blondies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup(1 stick) butter(or Earth Balance) at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour(I used Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free)
  • 1/3 cup chocolate or white chocolate chips.

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Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Start by creaming together your butter, sugar, and honey until it’s nice and smooth without any clumps. Add in the egg, extract, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and beat lightly.

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Sift in the flour and mix again until  the batter is even. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips gently.

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Press the batter into a greased 8×8 baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center has set. Cool completely before cutting in and serving.

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The top looked burnt but it wasn’t at all; I can only assume the ingredients cook to be that deep brown color. It actually smelled a lot like graham crackers baking!

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I ate mine hot out of the oven and it was amazing. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a pat of honey butter on top. Technically, these were honey margarine blondies since I made mine with Earth Balance, but that doesn’t sound nearly as appealing so we’ll just stick with honey butter.

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How To Take Good Food Photos With Limited Space

Written on January 30, 2011 by in Photography

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One of my biggest worries going back to living in a dorm room wasn’t how I’d eat—I’m plenty used to cooking in tight quarters with ad hoc ingredients—but rather how it’d look. I thought to myself “Great, now I have to go back to grainy, awkward photos with street corners in the background.” But with a little effort I’ve figured out how to get around that.

The scene above might look like a pan of blondies on top of a few t-shirts covering 2 stacked food storage container. Or it might look like a tabletop with a maroon tablecloth; it’s all about perspective.

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To take this photo, I made a make-shift table near a window for natural light and covered the surface with on-hand material. No matter where you are, natural light is your best friend for photography to attain realistic shadows.

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Background material is important for a photo, too. In most side photos I have to be careful not to get the heater or my bed in the view line(not because it’s messy or unmade or anything…). But before you go and buy expensive textured tablecloths, look in your closet for inspiration. Most plain t-shirts can be used as a neutral background letting the food show.

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The benefit of using a white t-shirt like this is that it draws no attention to itself whatsoever and takes a keen eye to tell what material it actually is.

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Lastly, you can always set up a lightbox to make the best of artificial lighting and closeted background. The benefit of this is shadow less objects with customizable backgrounds, albeit small, like the one below.

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Have any other questions about photography? Leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer it as best I can.

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Candy Recipe Round-Up

Written on January 29, 2011 by in Recipe Round-Up

Valentine’s Day is only 2 weeks away.

Scared you a little, didn’t I?

Valentine’s Day is full of expectations. If you’re in a relationship, you’re expected to do nice things for each other and be all lovey-dovey. If you’re not in a relationship, well, you’ve probably thrown your expectations out the window by February 14th and are ready with a pint of ice cream.

At the end of the day, nothing says “I love you” like “Here, eat all of this sugar and for this one day I won’t judge you,” so here are some suggestions for what sweet treats you can make to surprise your sweetheart.

Jenna’s Oh Baby Bars:

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These are a must for anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter. And who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter? Well, unless your date’s allergic… And they’re even easier to make than peanut butter cups. I recommend using a small loaf pan so that the layers are nice and thick.

Peppermint Patties:

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Peppermint patties are the perfect dessert for a date because they’re also a breath mint. These were surprisingly easy to make, too.

Mound Bars:

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Coconut is one of those love or hate flavors. But if you know someone who loves it, then chances are they’ll love you for making these for them. They taste much fresher and lively than the ones you buy from the store.

Vegan Truffles:

This is probably the most tedious recipe but also the most impressive. Make your own truffles with pure chocolate, no refined sugar, and all fresh flavor. These are a must-eat for any true chocolate lover.

Espresso Bark:

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If you think you’ll need a pick-me-up after dinner to stay awake, espresso bark is the perfect combination of chocolate and caffeine. Of course, if you want to spend your night making inappropriate jokes you could always make Nut Lovers Bark, because who doesn’t love salty nuts?

Now that I’ve reminded you, you have no excuse to forget this year and put things off until the last minute, so get candy crafting!

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Lentils With Potatoes And Caramelized Onions

Written on January 28, 2011 by in Entree

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Comfort food rarely looks appealing, and yet there’s nothing we want more. It’s warm, thick, and often rich with flavor; who cares what it looks like? This has been my favorite comfort food lately. It’s not really a stew because there’s no liquid. Instead, it’s a thick, creamy bowl of flavorful carbs. And that is the most comforting thing in my eyes.

Lentils With Potatoes And Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3-4 starchy potatoes, diced and cooked
  • 1 onion, julienned
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for finishing

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Start by cooking your lentils to completion with the bay leaf, salt, and pepper. When the lentils are done cooking, remove the bay leaf and discard.

Meanwhile, caramelize onions in a large frying pan with the olive oil. Once the onions are loose and translucent, add in the potatoes as if you were making a hash and cook for 10-15 minutes until they start forming a crust.

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Add the onions and potatoes in with the lentils and mix the contents together well. Don’t worry if the lentils start mashing and the potatoes break apart; that just means the flavor will blend together more. Serve hot and drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil(the kind Ina’s always pushing).

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I didn’t promise a pretty bowl, but I will promise that you can’t eat this without smiling. It’s thick and hearty and can please the cravings of a meat and potato lover. I like to eat this with ketchup, which is weird because I don’t normally put ketchup on anything. I’d also suggest eating this on the couch watching trashy TV wearing old sweat pants, because it’s that kind of comfort food.

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Wildflour Bakery In Providence

Written on January 27, 2011 by in Restaurant Review

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When I first arrived back in Providence, one of the very first things I did was stop by the newly opened Wildflour bakery which specializes in vegan and gluten-free pastries. Clearly, I have my priorities.

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The bakery had a really friendly atmosphere. The staff were more than helpful with any and all questions we had on their baked goods. And there were a lot. Everything in the showcase(pictured above) was vegan, and on the shelf above that sat out the vegan/gluten-free baked good. The choices was almost mind blowing considering I feel lucky to be able to order 1 or 2 things off of a menu usually.

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We finally settled on a gluten-free brownie and raw cheesecake to split between 3 people. One of the workers told me that the gluten-free brownie was better than their “regular” brownie, so it certainly seemed promising. The cheesecake was on the pricier side but considering the size of it and the work that goes into raw cheesecake I knew we had to try it.

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Ultimately, the brownie paled comparison to the cheesecake. It tasted a little starchy and overly sweet without that deep richness that a good brownie has. I thought that some of my brownies tasted better than that and my parents agreed(and not just because they’re my parents I hope).

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I really enjoyed the cheesecake. My guess at the recipe would be a thin almond/date crust with a filling made of soaked cashews, coconut cream, lemon juice, and agave, covered with coconut flakes and raw chocolate syrup, kind of similar to my recipe. But aren’t things always so much better when someone else makes them for you?

In short, I will definitely be back; there are too many desserts I haven’t tried yet, and I could always use a break from baking. Oh, they also serve raw juices, but who wants that when you have cheesecake staring you in the face? That’s what I thought.

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Grasshopper Brownies

Written on January 26, 2011 by in Dessert

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These are my new favorite brownies. They’re also probably the most fattening/sugary brownies I’ve ever made. Coincidence? I think not.

I’ve been wanting to make grasshopper brownies for the past few months. If you don’t know what those are, they’re a layer of brownies topped with a peppermint filling and a chocolate top. Delicious, no? These are so sweet and rich and they absolutely melt in your mouth. I couldn’t praise these enough. It’s like a peppermint patty in brownie form. Just don’t think about how many calories in them and enjoy.

Grasshopper Brownies

Ingredients(Makes 16 servings):

  • 1 1/4 cup flour(I used gluten-free all-purpose flour)
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4oz(1/2 cup) chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 stick butter(or Earth Balance)
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter(or Earth Balance)
  • 8oz(1 cup) chocolate chips

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Start by sifting together the first 6 ingredients. Melt down the 4 ounces of chocolate and mix this with the cooking oil. Add that to the flour mixture along with the water and egg and mix to form the batter. Grease an 8×8 cooking pan and spread the batter in. Bake for 25 minutes and let this cool completely.

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To make the filling, melt a stick of butter, pour in the peppermint extract and sift in the powdered sugar. This will form a loose filling. Spread it over the cooled brownies in as even a layer as you can.

Tip: If you’re having trouble with the peppermint mixture sticking when spreading, put a piece of saran wrap between your hands and the filling and use that to press the filling down.

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Lastly, melt 8 ounces of chocolate with a tablespoon of butter and spread this out evenly on top of the peppermint layer. Take care to move quickly and gently so that the peppermint layer and the chocolate don’t get mixed together. Let the top harden completely before cutting into these with a sharp knife.

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You can really use any brownie recipe for the bottom; I just included that one for convenience sake(it also makes incredibly moist brownies which is never a bad thing). I wasn’t crazy about the filling as I was making it, but combined with the chocolate and brownies it’s just rich enough not to get lost in the experience. Yes, experience, because these brownies are better than any trip to Disney World.

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Mocha Buttercream

Written on January 25, 2011 by in Dessert

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Remember when I made cupcakes and was too lazy to frost them? Well, 6 days later it snowed again and I had nothing but time.

At first I was going to try a chocolate buttercream but to get chocolate to be the right temperature seemed like more work than reward. Also, I was on a coffee kick and decided to split the difference and settle on mocha. Who doesn’t love mocha lattes and mocha cappuccinos? It’s an excuse to have chocolate in the morning. This frosting is just as rich and pairs perfectly with any chocolate cake recipe.

Mocha Buttercream

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick of butter(or Earth Balance) at room temperature
  • 3 cups of powdered sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons warm water + 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules(you could substitute with 2 tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee)
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

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Cream together the stick of butter with 1 cup of powdered sugar.

Once the mixture is homogenous, mix in the coffee, cocoa powder, and 1 more cup of powdered sugar and beat again.

After that has come together, sift in the last bit of powdered sugar and beat until the buttercream is smooth and there are no lumps.

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Let’s address some elephants in the room:

1) I’m completely aware of what color the frosting is and what it looks like. You don’t have to tell me because I’m not blind. In fact, I was the one licking it off my fingers, so clearly the flavor trumps the appearance.

2) I know I can’t pipe frosting to save my life. My favorite Charmed one was Piper; I loved Billie Piper as Rose in Doctor Who; I, on the other hand, am no piper. You can hire me to bake your birthday cake but God help us all if you want me to decorate it.

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I will, however, garnish with some espresso chocolate bark because that’s how I roll.

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Raw Vegan Hazelnut Cream Cheese

Written on January 24, 2011 by in Uncategorized

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At one point in my life I had a love affair with Panera Bread. Haven’t we all? I remember when I was writing my thesis working in the same Panera Bread for at least 4 hours and taking advantage of the free refills. Well, not being able to eat wheat put a huge wedge in our relationship. I pine for their cinnamon crunch bagels to be back in my life.

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Another favorite of mine was their reduced-fat hazelnut cream cheese. It’s tart, nutty, and sweet, and a perfect pairing for that cinnamon bagel I was talking about. I decided to try and make my own without dairy. At first I didn’t love the flavor, but by the next day everything tasted ten times better. It reminds me of the filling for my raw cheesecake recipe. And who wouldn’t love cheesecake filling on a bagel? This is slightly healthy for you, but more importantly completely delicious.

Raw Vegan Hazelnut Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours
  • 1/3 cup hazelnuts
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1-2 Tablespoons coconut milk or other non-dairy milk

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Soak the cashews if you haven’t already done so and drain off the water. Add the first 4 ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until it’s smooth and homogenous. Next add in the nutritional yeast and cinnamon and process again, slowly adding in the coconut milk until it reaches a cream cheese-like consistency.

Store in a refrigerator for up to a week.

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Like I said, this tasted much better the next day. The consistency was perfect for me—thick but easily scooped and spread. It tastes nutty, spicy, and has a nice tang from the lemon juice that balances with the nutritional yeast to taste like real cream cheese.

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An aside on the bagels I use: I never buy gluten-free bread. There are so many other foods that are naturally gluten-free that I just don’t bother looking for replacements. But I really wanted photos to do this recipe justice and when I went to Trader Joe’s to buy regular wheat bagels I found these Udi’s gluten-free bagels for $4.50—“cheap” compared to other stores. I have to admit these were spot on in flavor and texture to regular bagels. I wouldn’t buy them regularly simply because I’m not used to having bread in my diet anymore, but if anyone’s looking for a gluten-free bread replacement I’d recommend these.

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What Would Your Last Meal Be?

Written on January 23, 2011 by in Recipe Round-Up

On Wednesday when I was wasting my time on perusing Twitter, I came across this article on the real last suppers death row inmates chose. I thought it was a fascinating look inside the inmates mind. I was surprised with some(like the smoker. What kind of meal is that?) and sympathized with others(I mean, who doesn’t want to sit down to a burger, fries, and a milkshake?). And then I started asking myself the very same question: What would my last meal be?

My initial reaction was that I’d eat all the things with gluten I can’t but crave—Dunkin’ Donuts lemon filled powder donuts, Boston Market mac n’ cheese, and a big chewy chocolate chip cookie. But after thinking about it I realized I don’t want to go out of this world gassy and bloated; I’ll take my vanity to the grave.

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So then I thought I’d eat a really good Holiday meal with food like the best quinoa dressing, whole roasted chicken, and fingerling potatoes.

Who am I kidding? That’d be a great healthy meal to eat before a race, but it’s no last meal. I don’t have a sweet tooth; I have 26. So I’d more likely have to order a dessert platter.

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Oh Baby bars so that I could die fat an happy.

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Taza chocolate. Like I said, I can’t resist it.

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Godiva’s flourless chocolate cake. I’m still in awe of how good this was, even better than my version. Those little bastards.

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And a pan of these brownies, which are sinfully good(recipe coming later this week!).

That’s more like it. Can you see a theme?

What would you want for your last meal? Feel free to share recipes!

 

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Four Humor’s Sake

Written on January 22, 2011 by in Uncategorized

Today I’m making my first of 2 trips back to Providence. Because of that, I’ll probably only be eating Larabars in the car and Whole Foods hot bar on the road for lunch. Instead I’d thought I’d (try to) humor you with some little known facts about me.

Four TV Shows I Watch:

Ok, let’s get real: If you know me, you know I watch a ton of TV. The national average is around 150 hours a month; I’m pretty sure I can knock that out in a week. What can I say? I’m an overachiever. So let’s make this one fourteen.

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Four Things I’m Passionate About:

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  • Award Shows
  • Celebrity Romances
  • Brownies
  • Cooking without having to clean up afterwards

Four Words/Phrases I Use Too Much:

  • “Amazing.” Some days I ask myself if I know any other adjectives at all.
  • “WTF”
  • “Oh Really?” I have a deep love for sarcasm, but you probably haven’t realized that.
  • “How easy is that?” Oh wait, that’s Ina Garten. I get me and her confused all the time.

Four Things I’ve Learned In the Past:

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  • Blood stains are really hard to get out of white socks.
  • If you go into Target for paper towels, you’ll also come out with a new shirt and season 1 of Modern Family.
  • If Ricky just let Lucy be in his show, each episode would have been approximately 5 minutes long.
  • Sweet and sour sauce makes anything better.

Four Things I’m Looking Forward To:

Four Things I’ve Loved This Winter:

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Four People I Want to Complete This Survey:

Did you learn anything new? More importantly, do you want to play along? Go ahead and tell me 4 things that you love lately.

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