Whole Wheat and Cookies

I’ve been in vacation fog for the last two weeks. Not that I’ve returned from vacation, only that I’ll be headed towards one in the manner of days. And with a beach vacation on the brain, I’ve decided to share cookies. For those worried about their swimsuit figure and the summer that Memorial Day weekend welcomes, don’t worry: the cookies are whole wheat!

Which means you can eat them with a banana and a class of milk for breakfast.

Right?

This recipe from Cookie and Kate offers the chewy and nuttiness of whole wheat cookie, with the softness of a traditional white flour cookie. When I went to make these cookies, I didn’t take an inventory, so ended with a mix of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Walnuts would make a delicious addition.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (60% or higher), or a mix of white and semisweet chips

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Then beat in the raw sugar.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Once combined, add the vanilla and maple syrup.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients to the egg and butter mixture in thirds.

Add the chocolate chips and oats by hand and stir until the distributed. Scoop about one to two tablespoons of the dough and drop them onto the cookie sheets. Leave space between the cookies as they will expand.

Bake for a bout 10 to 11 minutes. Kate said in her original post to err on the side of under baking. Cool for about one minute or until firm and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Weekend Finds

It’s been a while since a weekend finds post. Or any post for that matter. Please blame that on my poor time management and overzealous celebration of a birthday (yes, mine). As you can surmise from the above photo, Parker is having a completely wild and crazy fifth of May.

- A crostini party! Because (almost) everything is made better by bread.

- Doesn’t this Nutella and hazelnut cake make you want to soon?

- One of my favorite ways to eat popcorn. I’d also suggest with some sea salt and parmesan and shallot pepper spice mix.

- These scones look like they’d make a lovely savory breakfast or snack

Pizza Friday

Over the course of the last month, we’ve been eating pizza twice a week. This is not to prove that we eat unhealthfully, but rather to get our fill of Casey’s signature pizzas before the outside temps in Phoenix make turning the oven on unbearable.

Over the past month, Casey has perfected his use of the ever-famous Lahey no knead pizza dough. With the help of Lahey’s “My Pizza“, which was gifted for our anniversary last year, and a pizza peel, which Casey received as a birthday gift this year, Casey and our oven have been cranking out delicious pizza.

Our combinations are still pretty traditional: ricotta with asparagus, peas and pancetta; red onion, parm, tomato base, and sausage; mushrooms and cheese.

Here’s what Casey has learned during the process:

• As any baker knows, just because the oven beeps and tells you it’s at the preset temperature, give it another 15-20 minutes to actually get to the temperature
• Use cornmeal to help maneuver your pizza dough from peel to stone
• Always preheat the stone. I repeat: always preheat the stone
• Don’t go over board the toppings
• When making the dough, be precise. A change in the water content changes how the dough will cook.

Our pizza making season is over, at least until November, when temps start to die down again. But for those of you with mild springs and summers, here is an additional article to read about making homemade pizza.

Liebster Award

A big thanks to Annie over the The Little GSP for nominating this blog for the Liebster Award. This award is given from one blogger to another in the spirit of celebrating the blogs you enjoy. There are rules attached to it, but they’re pretty fun.

The rules

1. Post eleven facts about yourself.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.
3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

My 11 Facts

1. At least once a week, I let Parker con me into giving him double treats. He’s just that cute.
2. I like to dance in the kitchen when I’m making dinner or baking.
3. I like to put sparkling water in my apple juice.
4. I play PC Games..well, really more like two games (diablo and gw2).
5. I think it’s easier to shop for the house or the kitchen that it is for myself.
6. When I don’t feel like cooking, my favorite fallback is stove top popcorn, crisp, cool apples, and cheese (preferably a sharp white cheddar or brie).
7. I’m surprised that my patio garden is lasting as long as it currently has (almost 6 months). I have a terrible black thumb.
8. I always take my coffee to work with my during the week, rather than drinking it at home.
9. I don’t have cable or even network television; however, I probably watch more TV than I should thanks to Netflix.
10. Our house revolves around a 10 pound Snowshoe Siamese. And boy, does that cat know it.
11. I love shoes.

My 11 Questions from The Little GSP

1. What is your all-time favorite movie? Difficult to say, put most likely the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. 
2. What do you eat for breakfast on a typical weekday? One of these three options: whole wheat toast with salted butter and Nutella, honey Greek yogurt with granola, or honey nut cheerios.
3. Favorite blog post that you have ever written? I’ve really enjoyed most of my posts this year. If I had to choose one: Casey Cooks: Thai Chicken Curry. Who doesn’t like dinner cooked for them? 
4. Do you have any leftovers in your fridge right now? If so, what are they? Left over pasta from last night: leeks, peas, asparagus, orecchiete, and pork meatballs in a light marscarpone sauce.  And some left over garbanzo and roasted tomato soup. 
5. Three favorite online shopping websites? Amazon.com, RueLala.com, and Harney and Sons. 
6. If you won $300 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? Pay some bills, start or support an animal rescue, buy Parker a lifetime supply of treats, take a vacation, invest wisely, and buy my sister a horse. 
7. How many countries have you been to? Which ones? Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Jamaica, the Bahamas, 
8. Favorite author and/or book from your childhood? Wynken, Blynken, and Nod
9. Cats or Dogs? Parker.
10. Did you go to college? Where? What did you study? Northern Arizona University: Marketing and English
11. How many hours of sleep did you get last night? Seven and half or eight hours. And I’m still tired

11 Questions for my Nominees

1. Favorite Snack?
   
2. What is your big goal for 2013?
3. Coffee or tea?
4. What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
5. What inspired you to start blogging?
6. If you were independently wealthy and didn’t “have” to work, how would you spend your time?
7. Do you have a guilty pleasure television show? If so, what is it?
8. How would spent an extra 30 minutes in your day?
9. What are you currently reading?
10. Ideal vacation?
11. Which actor/actress would play you in a movie?

My Nominees

Just like Annie, I had a hard time finding the number of followers on many of these blogs; if it’s “over 200″…forgive me, my goal was to be in an acceptable range of that number Here are 10 goodies from my blogroll!

1. The Sundress Chef
2. Chez Sasha
3. The Goodie Plate
4. Old Vogue
5. SophieBowns
6. In Real Life
7. Le Pirate
8. At 350 Degrees
9. Kitchen Inspirations
10. Pretty Happy Baking

Thank you again for the nomination, Little GSP! Regular food posts will return next week!

Chickpea and Caramelized Veggie Hash

a flavorful, caramelized veggie and chickpea hash

There comes a time in each and every week where the produce from the weekend market trip begins to feel old, abandoned, and underused. Lately, it’s been my root vegetables, those stalwart standbys whose storage life and adaptability amaze. With the spring bounty that’s been cropping up (leeks! asparagus! strawberries! oh my!) I’ve been forgetting about the roots till the very end…

Enter this weekend night hearty meal. Eat on those nights when spring has decided to be shy and the last tendril of winter chill creeps through even the best insulated windows. Top this caramelized veggie dish with a sunny side up egg and let the creamy yolk add velvety texture to the spiced vegetables underneath. I can’t agree enough with Michael Ruhlman’s observations in Ruhlman’s Twenty that an egg has the power to make a dish a meal.

*As a warning, this recipe is written for feel and not precision (my favored method of cooking). Be sure to taste as your cooking to ensure the flavor profile meets your palate.

Chickpea and Caramelized Veggie Hash

For two people

• Half of one large red onion, diced
• Half of one large sweet potato, finely diced (or one small sweet potato)
• Two carrots, peeled and diced to equal size as the potato and onion
• Half of one red pepper, diced to match the potato, carrots, and onion
• 15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 eggs, fried sunny side up
• Spices: chili powder, shallot pepper, cumin, salt and pepper – all to taste

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkling of salt. Allow onions to caramelize and get crispy (about 5 to 8 minutes). Add the carrots, bell pepper, and potato, stir together. Cook the dish without stirring for about 5- 10 minutes, allowing the veggies to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Stir and allow the veggies to caramelize again. Add chili powder, shallot pepper, cumin to taste – I used large quantities of chili powder, so that the colors of the veggies darken. Add the chickpeas. Stir. Allow to caramelize for another five minutes. Stir. Continue this for at least 30-40 minutes until the veggies are cooked through.

While the veggies continue to cook through, prepare the eggs.

Serve the hash in a shallow bowl, with the egg on top. Garnish with parsley. *Bacon can be added to enhanced the smokey flavor of the dish.

I realize this isn’t much of a recipe, so if you’re looking for a recipe to guide you, I suggest Deb’s from her Smitten Kitchen Blog and this orzo with caramelized vegetables from The Kitchn for the caramelization technique.

Also, if you’re looking for less smokey of a dish, consider Chez Sasha’s curried chickpeas.

March Roundup

I’m having a hard time believing it’s Easter weekend. Not because I don’t like Easter – chocolate, spring colors, chocolate (what’s not to love?) – but because it feels too early this year. Or too late in the year.

Or, perhaps it’s easier for me to say: It’s hard to believe April is just around the weekend. Where did March go? March was a good month, resplendent with jeweled couscous, mexican hot chocolate cookies, and a delicious birthday cake. Yet, March proved to be more than these three dishes and also proved to move too quickly for me to write about the other ones. (Note how I am blaming the month, not my procrastination).

Here’s a snapshot of what we ate in March, including additional pizza adventures. With my long weekend, I’m promising myself to stop procrastinating and get these recipes out to you! How are you spending your weekend?

a flavorful, caramelized veggie and chickpea hash

a soup made for spring: asparagus and parmesan soup

german cheesecake – light fluffy, and not too sweet

a flavorful stir fry with steak and brussels sprouts, courtesy of BA

Casey made this with the lovely pizza peel he received for his birthday…

Damn your birthday cake: a recipe for French Silk Pie

Recently, I’ve found myself whittling away hours on DIY blogs, like Young House Love and Apartment Therapy, and Apartment Therapy’s sister site: The Kitchn. While scrolling through posts and pictures of recipes, kitchen ideas, and adorable collections of lunch boxes, I asked Casey what type of cake he wanted for his birthday. (In years past, you’ll find his response here, here, and here).

I had paused to “Pin” a recipe at this point: French Silk Pie. Casey said, “Something like that.”

I’ll admit the idea didn’t sound terrible – it was why I’d paused to “pin” the recipe in the first place. By the by, French Silk Pie isn’t really French. In fact, someone enlighten about the difference between a chocolate cream pie and a French Silk Pie; they seem all-together similar.

While not a difficult recipe, I experienced a divine force continually telling me that making this recipe was not meant to be. First, on a grocery trip to purchase the eggs, butter, and other needed ingredients for the cake, I forgot the cream. On the next day (the day of the birthday!), I walked out of the second grocery store, (specifically taken to pick up the cream), loaded groceries in the car, looked at Casey and said, “We forgot the heavy cream. Damn your birthday cake.” Yes, those words came from me, the person who believes birthday cakes should be made especially for the celebrant.

So bless him, he went back in the store and picked up the cream for his own cake. Which was delicious. And decadent. And exactly what he wanted.

French Silk Pie, adapted from The Kitchn and Pioneer Woman

Please note that the recipe contains raw eggs, which are not recommended for consumption by children under three, the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems. 

1 pre-baked tart shell (recipe here)

• 4 ounces of fantastic quality 60% or higher cocoa chocolate 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon expresso powder
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large organic eggs
• Additional whipped cream to top the pie with, if desired

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 45 to 90 seconds, or until your able to whisk in the vanilla and espresso powder. Set aside and allow to cool.

Beat the heavy cream in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand mixer with the whisk attachments until stiff peaks form. This will take about 2-4 minutes. Pay close attention, as I’d hate for you to whisk your cream into butter.

Carefully remove the whipped cream from the mixing bowl and play in another bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about one minute. Add the sugar and beat until combined and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the chocolate and beat until incorporated. With the mixer still running, beat in one egg. Let the mixer run on medium (on my Kitchen Aid 6 or 7) for 3-5 minutes. The egg, butter, sugar chocolate mixture will start to become smooth. Add the second egg. Incorporate for 3-5 minutes. Add the final egg, beat for another three to five minutes until smooth. You’ll also notice that the mixture has started to take on volume at this time.

Fold the chilled whipped cream into the chocolate filling. Pour the filling in to the prepared tart shell and smooth with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least two hours, but preferably overnight (8 hours). The pie can be made in the morning and served in the evening as well.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with additional whipped cream if desired.