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< all recipes Maple Pecan Shortbread These are perfect as they are but can be iced and decorated for a special Valentines Day recipient. Maple Pecan Shortbread Serves: 16-24 cookies Ingredients 8oz (2sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup maple syrup 1 egg yolk ¼ tsp pure maple extract* 2¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup cake flour (not self-rising) ½ tsp kosher salt ¾ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped For decorating (optional) 1 egg – for brushing ½ cup sugar in the raw or festive frosting and sprinkles / royal icing Print Preparation In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and light, about one minute. Add the maple syrup, egg yolk, and extract; beat on medium speed until well combined. Into a medium bowl, sift flours and salt. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans, set aside. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Dough should be smooth and pliable. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, 30 minutes. Remove dough from fridge and allow to come to room temp, it will be much easier to roll out without cracking. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In between two pieces of parchment, lightly floured (or on a lightly floured work surface), roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut cookies out and place onto prepared baking sheet. If topping with sugar in the raw, brush tops with beaten egg and generously sprinkle with sugar. If decorating with icing, they are ready to bake. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing. *the extract is optional but the maple flavor will be very subtle without it Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Cucumber Avocado Soup This is possibly the easiest recipe I have ever made and one of my summer favorites. We are in the midst of California’s avocado season so get ‘em while they're hot!! Cucumber Avocado Soup Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 cucumbers, peeled and roughly cut 1 avocado 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1 cup greek yogurt + 1/2 cup water) 2 large handfuls baby spinach (about 3 cups) 1 jalapeños, stem and seeds removed 1 lemon, juiced 2-3 tsp kosher salt 1-2 tsp pepper Print Preparation Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (or food processor if that is all you have, although it will not be as smooth as you might like). Blend until smooth and chill in the fridge before serving. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Slow Roasted Tomatoes w/ Basil Green Goddess Dressing I waited ALL summer for the tomatoes to ripen in my Dad's garden, but because of the cool August weather they were really testing my patience (I definitely ate some crunchy tomatoes out of desperation). Last weekend I was finally rewarded and knowing that I would not be back for several weeks, I went a little overboard - I could not live with myself knowing I had left any tomato behind. The fact that just touching a tomato vine makes me itch like a complete lunatic, would not deter me. I came back with about 20lbs of tomatoes and several bunches of basil. So while these recipes came out of necessity, they might be the two best I have made all summer. The basil dressing is incredibly fresh and light, but the avocado gives it some decadent creaminess. It is heaven in a bowl. Cooking the tomatoes slowly intensifies their flavor so they become bursts of tomatoey deliciousness. Use them with the basil dressing on crusty bread for an appetizer, add them to salad, toss with pasta, or serve as a side dish. If you are a New Yorker, I just recently discovered Takahachi Bakery , which makes the most incredible sandwich bread (pictured above and below). I have been ordering sushi from Takahachi for years but never knew about the bakery - they make traditional French breads and pastries in addition to really interesting Japanese creations like Matcha Ciabatta rolls. I have yet to try any of these but given how often I have been in the past two weeks, it won't be long before I am hooked on those too! Whether you can get your hands on this bread or not, put the tomatoes and basil dressing on any sandwich. These BLTs were out of this world. Slow Roasted Tomatoes w/ Basil Green Goddess Dressing Serves: 1 pint dressing Ingredients For the Dressing: 1 clove garlic 1 cup plain greek yogurt (8oz) 1 avocado 1 (packed) cup fresh basil, washed and dried juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp fine salt) 1 tsp black pepper For the Tomatoes: Grape or Cherry Tomatoes (any small ones will do) Oil (Olive oil or a flavorless oil such as Safflower or Grapeseed) Salt and Pepper Print Preparation To Make the Dressing: Pulse garlic in food processor until it is minced. Add everything else to the food processor and blend until smooth. To Make Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 250˚F. Cut all of the tomatoes in half, toss with enough oil just to coat and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomato halves on a baking sheet cut side up. Roast according to times below, until they look shriveled and dry at the edges – you really can’t go wrong here so don’t over think it. No matter what, you will still get deliciously roasted tomatoes. To Freeze: These keep for up to 6 months in the freezer! I would recommend freezing them spread out (on the sheet pan you cooked them on is perfect) and then putting them into a container or plastic bag - this way they do not become one solid mass that you have to use all at once and takes forever to thaw. I prefer to portion mine out into a couple of baggies (the number depends on how much you have made) to help me not use them all at once. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Horchata 'Ritas It’s almost May which means warmer weather (hopefully), longer days, me maybe not resembling Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Cinco de Mayo! Before getting too excited though I thought I would pass along some history on this Mexican holiday (which I looked up upon realizing I had no idea what it even celebrates). Here are some quick facts: On May 5th, 1862 Mexican militia defeated an invading French army at The Battle Of Puebla. Despite only temporarily keeping Napoleon at bay, this battle was a David v Goliath sort of situation and was a big morale boost to the Mexican people. Many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day but they are wrong. That would be Sept 16th. Before our Congress became useless they issued a resolution in 2005 officially recognizing the day’s historical significance and “calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities”. So yeah. There is that. I think Americans embrace Cinco de Mayo so enthusiastically because it is a holiday with no strings attached. There is no precedent of family gathering (and subsequent family arguing) or religious ceremony. And since most people have no idea what the heck they are actually celebrating, it is really just an excuse to indulge in food and drink while enjoying the warm weather. So on that note, lets do our congressionally-issued duty and drink to the battle of Puebla! I don’t know where horchata has been all my life but am pretty happy to have finally discovered it on my recent trip to SF. For those on the west coast it is a part of everyday life but it has miraculously never made the journey east. I feel as though I have been accepted (or at least had a glimpse) into a super secret club with a some conspiracy to keep this delectable drink from the clutches of the east coast hipster brunch crowd…cuz you know it will be like Brooklyn invented it. I chose mezcal for its smoky depth of flavor which complements the horchata very nicely. I may or may not have gotten into the hubs’ stash while he was away for work. Oops!! It was totally worth it. Happy Cinco de Mayo! Horchata 'Ritas Serves: makes 6 cups before alcohol - serves 12-16 Ingredients 1 cup rice (uncooked) 2 cups blanched slivered almonds, lightly toasted 2 limes, zest and juice 2 cinnamon sticks ¼ cup agave (honey or sugar can be used as well) 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp kosher salt 2 cups unsweetened almond milk ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting mezcal* limes for garnish Print Preparation Combine rice, almonds, lime zest and juice, cinnamon sticks, agave, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Heat 4 cups of water to a boil and pour over other ingredients. Let cool, stirring occasionally, and put into the fridge to steep overnight. Strain mixture using a cheesecloth set in a colander or fine mesh sieve. Use a spatula to press liquid through first then squeeze cheesecloth to get every last drop. Whisk in almond milk and ground cinnamon. Mix mezcal directly into Horchata or pour into each glass. Serve over lots of ice, a dusting of cinnamon and a lime wedge. *Mezcal: the amount here is really a matter of taste and can be added to the whole mix for easy pouring or added to individual glasses. You can absolutely use tequila but I really recommend mezcal as it adds a wonderful smokiness.!I would probably start with 1.5 fl oz (or 1 shot) of mezcal per drink Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Soup With the leftover squash from those decadently sinful biscuits I decided to make something super healthy and just as delicious. I love this soup because it has so many flavor profiles, from the slight sweetness of the squash, to the deep smokiness of the roasted garlic, and a slight bite from the cracked black pepper. Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Soup Serves: 4 Servings Ingredients 2 lb butternut squash 1 onion 5-6 cloves of garlic 10-12 cups water ½ cup white wine (if using white wine vinegar use only ¼ cup) olive oil salt & pepper pepitas, for garnish (or any other seed you like) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 400˚F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Lay cut-side up on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes (until the flesh is easily pierced). Peel the garlic cloves, wrap in foil, and bake for about 30 minutes, until completely soft. Set aside. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and set aside. Roughly dice the onion. Heat a tbl of oil in a large pot and add in the onion; season with a tsp of salt to start getting the moisture out and sauté until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping the bottom to get up all those caramelized brown bits. If you have an emersion blender: add the butternut, garlic, and 10 cups of water directly to the pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. Puree with emersion blender until smooth. If you are using a food processor: in two batches puree the squash, garlic, and onion with a few cups of water and add back to the pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes. If you would like to thin it out a bit, whisk in remaining 1-2 cups of water. Once everything is blended, taste it to see what it needs. Hint: it will definitely need more salt and pepper – I like a lot of black pepper to counteract the natural sweetness of the squash – salt is tricky because it will seem like you are adding a TON but there is a tipping point at which the salt all of a sudden brings out all the other flavors before it becomes “salty” – so add slowly and taste often. To garnish I like to add some roasted pepitas: with the oven at 400˚F, toss a cup of pepitas with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 5-7 minutes. Keep a close eye on these, give them a toss if the outer edge is cooking faster. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Super easy, super tasty, super healthy, and yes perfect for the Super Bowl! Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Serves: 1 pint Ingredients 1 pound Tomatillos 1-2 Jalapenos 1 yellow onion, cut into rough pieces 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt & Pepper Print Preparation Move your oven rack to the top and turn on the broiler. Remove tomatillo husks. Place on a baking sheet along with the roughly cut onion. Halve jalapeños and remove stem and seeds, then add to baking sheet. Blister and char tomatillo, jalapeno and onion under the broiler – keep an eye on them, the timing really depends on your oven and you may need to move the pan around for even charring. Working in batches (depending on the size of your food processor), puree charred items along with cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and a teaspoon of salt. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Homemade Cracker Jack I am told there is a big baseball game on tonight, something about the World Series. I know, I knooow its America’s past time and the Mets are finally getting their day in the sun and people around here seem pretty pumped about it but I am just going to be honest here, I really don’t like baseball. There it is. The last time I went to a game I thought it was over when people started getting up at the seventh-inning stretch – I had crushed my giant box of Cracker Jack so in my mind the game was over until someone got me some more. Yes, I go to games pretty much for the junk food but in my defense I went to an all girls school (for 13 years) in the middle of New York City, going out to some random field on Randalls Island to watch lacrosse was just not a thing. More Gossip Girl than Friday Night Lights in millennial speak. And while I like to think of myself as “sporty”, my athletic career includes such highlights as inbounding the ball in middle school basketball (as in that was literally my only job), making a concerted effort to move in the opposite direction of the ball on the soccer field, and being forced to attempt the vault every week in gymnastics, but each time i sprinted loafed towards the springboard I ended up slamming into the damn thing instead of effortlessly twirling over it. Homemade Cracker Jack is more my speed. What I like about this recipe as opposed to one for the more traditional caramel corn is that you do not have to stand over boiling sugar waiting to see that hint of caramel color only to have it burn in the half second it takes to grab your oven mitt. You are still boiling sugar which might seem scary but you are just getting it to a certain temperature so clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pot and as it approaches 250˚F just hover with your oven mitts already on. No problemo. Homemade Cracker Jack Serves: 8-10 cups Ingredients 10 cups freshly popped popcorn* 1 cup peanuts 2 cups brown sugar 1¼ cups honey ¼ cup molasses 8oz (2sticks) unsalted butter, very soft or melted 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking soda Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 250˚F and line two baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment. Have popcorn ready to go in the biggest bowl you have. Keep the peanuts on the side. In a small pot, combine the brown sugar, honey, molasses, butter and salt. Add a few tablespoons of water to moisten the sugar before bringing to a boil over medium heat. Cook to 250˚F. As soon as the sugar reaches 250˚F, turn off the heat, stir in the baking soda and immediately pour over the popcorn, tossing to coat evenly. Add the peanuts and toss again. Spread the popcorn mix onto your prepared sheet pans and bake for about 1 hour, stirring to break up clumps once or twice. Once out of the oven, give one more toss and let cool completely. This will keep well in an airtight container at room temp up to a week. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Corn & Tomato Panzanella It is 4:04am, only 56 minutes before my alarm will go off because I am back at my old diggs for the summer baking at Levain out in Wainscott (come visit!). It is a great reminder of just how brutal this biz is on the body and its somewhat souring effect on my usually super chipper attitude. On a beautiful summer day, especially after work, the last thing anyone wants to do is stand in front of a hot stove or slave over a million ingredients. Luckily the summer’s bountiful produce requires little to no effort to prep and that is pretty much what this panzanella recipe is all about. Corn & Tomato Panzanella Serves: 4-6 side servings Ingredients 3-4 cups of bread, cubed 1 cup olive oil 4 tbl unsalted butter 3 cloves garlic 1 bunch fresh thyme (a handful or so) 2 tbl dijon mustard ¼ cup white wine vinegar 6 ears of corn, cut off the cob 2 cups tomatoes (1 pint of cherries or a few larger ones) 4 cups greens (any kind you like really) salt and pepper (lots of it) Print Preparation Heat olive oil, butter, garlic and thyme in a small sauce pan until the butter is melted and the garlic and thyme start to smell fragrant. Turn off the heat and let steep while you prepare the other ingredients (or longer - if longer than 1 hour put into the fridge). Strain before using. Heat the oven to 400˚F. If the bread is pretty stale give it a good spritz (or even douse) in water then toss in ⅓ - ½ cup of the infused oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast for about 20 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Set aside. Make dressing: Whisk mustard and vinegar together then slowly whisk in the infused olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss corn, tomatoes and greens in dressing (using as little or as much as you would like) then add the toasty croutons. Season generously with salt and pepper. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Muhammara I made this for my monthly potluck dinner with a group of girls from high school - well actually most of us went kindergarten through 12th grade together. In a class of 40 girls. Yes ALL girls. And yes we still like each other! We rotate apartments (I am planning on hosting the next one, once I get a real table and something other than plastic folding chairs to sit on) and everyone brings something - the non-cooks usually bring cheese, wine, or dessert. Arguably the most important elements to any meal. Given that this dinner would most likely be washed down with a healthy dose of pre-halloween candy, I thought I would offer something healthy to start. It was a hit. I believe a spoon was even used at one point when our provider of crackers and crudité arrived fashionably late. Muhammara Serves: 2 cups Ingredients 3 red bell peppers, roasted 1 cup walnuts ½ cup tomato paste juice of 1 lemon 2 tbl honey 3/4 cup water 1 tsp cayenne 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper Print Preparation Toast the walnuts and let cool. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree and taste for seasoning. Serve at room temp with pita or fresh veggies - anything that can carry a nice big scoop to your mouth! Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Pecan Pie I should begin by saying that this is not yo mamma’s Pecan Pie recipe. I have never been enamored with the dessert because it is always ridiculously sweet – that kind of sweet that gives you a pain in your jaw – and its pretty much all corn syrup which I generally try to avoid if I can. While I can force down a sugar bomb so as not to offend anyone on thanksgiving, knowing allllll that corn syrup goes into the filling makes me uncomfortable and slightly nauseous. But I was determined to make pie because I recently discovered the pie dough of my dreams – i know, try to contain your excitement but I am pretty sure it will be life-changing. The filling is inspired by a French walnut tart that my fave Mark Bittman suggested as an alternative to the traditional pecan pie – I thought this was brilliant and immediately did some recon on the subject and came up with a hodgepodgy sorta recipe that uses eggs to bind everything instead of syrup and a non-coma-inducing amount of sugar. The result is an almost meringue-like crust on top of gooey goodness packed with toasted pecans – all swaddled in buttery tenderness. Need I say more? No, no I didn’t think so. If you want to use the rolled dough scraps for decoration go for it – if a more elaborate top crust is your thing I would suggest doubling the dough recipe. You can also just bake the cut out scraps as cookies for snacking because why not? I am usually a pretty tidy cook (something you learn pretty darn quick in a commercial kitchen) but I thought I would give a slight glimpse into the mess that inevitably explodes in my kitchen when testing and photographing a recipe. Yikes! Its always a bit of a scramble to tidy up and scrub away any evidence before my cleanliness inspector husband gets home. Chris just avert your eyes. Pecan Pie Serves: 1 9" pie Ingredients pastry dough: 8 tbl unsalted butter, cubed and very cold ¼ cup granulated sugar 1½ cups all purpose flour ⅛ tsp kosher salt 1 egg yolk 2 tbl heavy cream pecan filling: 3 cups pecans (or walnuts), toasted and roughly chopped ½ cup granulated sugar 1 cup dark brown sugar 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tsp vanilla extract ⅓ cup heavy cream ¼ tsp kosher salt 4 tbl unsalted butter, melted (1 egg for egg washing the dough) Print Preparation Make the pastry dough: In a food processor with the blade attachment, pulse the butter and sugar a few times (about 3 times). Add the flour and salt and pulse again until the butter is mostly pea-sized or slightly bigger (about 5 pulses). Add the egg yolk and heavy cream, pulse a few times then let the mixer go until the dough comes together into a ball. Dump the dough out onto a clean counter and gently knead the dough a few times before forming into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days (freeze for up to 6 months, thawing in the fridge 24hrs). Let dough sit on the counter 10-15 minutes before rolling. Rolling dough: Preheat the oven to 375˚F and take your pastry dough out of the fridge to soften (about 15 minutes). Roll out your dough to roughly a 12in circle, making sure to generously flour and rotate the dough as you roll - you can use a long offset spatula to slide under the dough as you go. Roll the dough towards you onto your rolling pin, place the tart pan where the dough was and roll the dough away from you and over the tart pan.* Gently lift the overhang so the dough tucks nicely into the pan edges and press it into the fluted sides - use the overhang scraps to patch any breaks or thin spots. Press your rolling pin along the sides of the pan to get a clean edge. Let the prepared dough chill in the fridge until firm, about 15-20 minutes (or 5-10 in the freezer if time is short). Prick the dough a few times with a fork, line with parchment and baking beans and blind bake for 20 minutes (see glossary for more info on blind baking). For the filling and assembly: In a large bowl, combine the nuts, sugars, eggs, vanilla, cream and salt, mixing to incorporate everything together before finally stirring in the melted butter. Pour the filling into your prepared tart pan and spread it gently out to the edges. Bake 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the center is just set. Let cool slightly and serve warm or room temp. Notes *Because this dough is so tender, it might not fully cooperate when you try to transfer it but DONT WORRY! You can easily patch any breaks etc as you are fitting the dough into the tart pan. If you are really having issues here, you can do one of two things: 1) reform the dough into a disc and start over (refrigerating newly formed disc first) 2) press the dough into the pan as if it were a shortbread cookie dough - this is a totally acceptable method but it is hard to get the thickness as even as rolling so I usually opt for patching but it is completely up to you! Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Breakfast Farro w/ Cherries, Honey and Toasted Coconut This breakfast bowl is inspired by my Mom who is so over the whole boxed cereal thing for breakfast but has a hard time finding something as easy to have on hand that can be put together quickly in the morning. A cooked pot of grains will last you all week in the fridge and when you think about it, we eat oatmeal for breakfast so why not farro!? I LOVE this cherry, coconut combo. It has such a deep nutty warmth and yet taste wonderfully fresh. Even frozen, thawed cherries would work here, even adding a bit of a sauciness. Yum. Breakfast Farro w/ Cherries, Honey and Toasted Coconut Serves: 2 bowls Ingredients 1 cup cherries, pitted and halved a pinch of sugar 1 cup plain greek yogurt 1 tbl honey 1 cup cooked farro or barley ¼ cup coconut flakes, toasted (i used Bob's Red Mill) Print Preparation Sprinkle cherries with a touch of sugar and let sit anywhere from a few minutes to overnight in the fridge. Stir honey into greek yogurt - adding more or less according to your taste. Divide farro into two bowls, top each with a large dollop of yogurt, cherries and the toasted coconut. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fudgy Brownies There are countless ways to make a brownie and not everyone is in the fudgy brownie camp. I have to admit I judge those people just a little bit. Ok, maybe a lot. So when a certain husband revealed his preference for chewy brownies AND the corner piece, I questioned whether our marriage could survive such absurdity. I just can't understand what could be better than dense, moist, super dark chocolatey goodness with a bit of a crackle crust on top. Swirl some peanut butter in there and game over. Take this to another level by swirling in some creamy or chunky peanut butter. Yum. Fudgy Brownies Serves: 16 brownies Ingredients 10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup flour 1 cup coco powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup chocolate chips (your choice of milk, dark, etc) 3/4 cup peanut butter (optional) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease an 8x8 pan and line with parchment so that some hangs over the sides (for easy removal later). Melt butter. Combine flour, coco powder and salt in a bowl and whisk in melted butter. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar then whisk in butter/flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and pour batter into prepared pan. If adding peanut butter: warm peanut butter slightly so that it is runny. pour evenly over batter and swirl with a knife or offset spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides. Let cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing. Previous Next hungry for more?