-A house is made of brick and stone, but a home is made of love alone-

   And gingerbread. What else do gingerbread people live in? This was the first year I decided to make a gingerbread house from scratch, and it ended the same way it does every year: my house still mostly fell apart, there were tears (and beers), and the best candy for decorating always ends up trashed afterwords because it's the most tragic for snacking. Except Teddy Grahams. I made an orphanage for the little bears and they seem to like their view of the tree. 

Gingerbread House

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   The gingerbread is easy to make like most simple cookies. To begin, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices together in a bowl. Next, in a small pan, melt the shortening and cool slightly before mixing in the sugar and molasses. Add eggs once the mixture has cooled completely.

   Pour the liquid mixture into either a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixture. Start by mixing four cups of the flour into the wet mixture and add the last cup afterwords. The dough should be very stiff. Flour a work surface and roll out the dough; you want it to be fairly thick, but it will expand while cooking. Once you have cut out your shapes, place them on greased cookie sheets and let them chill for 15 minutes to set back up. Bake the pieces anywhere from 5-10 minutes, taking into account the size of the pieces. 

   You want to dry the pieces for a full two days prior to building with them. Once they have dried out, they are ready for construction. We built ours on a few paper plates, but cardboard is ideal. To make the icing, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder with water until a very, very thick paste forms. I would suggest working in layers instead of globbing it on. Also, try not to put heavy pieces of candy on the roof, as they're likely to slide of during the drawing process. 

After a long night

Recipe

5-10 min 350 F

Adapted from The Melrose Family

Gingerbread

5 c flour 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ginger

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp nutmeg 

1 tsp clove

1 c shortening 

1 c sugar

1 1/4 c molasses

2 eggs

Icing

3 tbsp meringue powder

4 c powdered sugar

6 tbsp water

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!!

     "Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet,

but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat."

     This time last year I was finishing up my classes in Italy and preparing for the oncoming winter...with alcohol, naturally. I had a rouge bottle of what I think was vodka that I decided to turn into limoncello. Traditionally, the saccharine beverage is made with grain alcohol, but when there's free booze about, you gotta just go with it. It turned out well, but I only made a small dent in it before I had to leave for greener, Scottish pastures. My roommate and her husband were the happy recipients of the bottle. Fast-forward to the present, and a new, smaller jar of limoncello is working away on my counter top.

Limoncello

 The original

New and Improved 

     It's pretty simple to make this spirit. The first step is to gather some organic lemons. I'm normally nut fussy about this, but citrus fruit does undergo a fair amount of pesticide treatments, so it's better to use the organic for this application. For half a liter of vodka, I peeled five lemons, making sure to leave the white pith behind. Next, I mixed the water and the sugar together in a jar until the sugar dissolved. Then I just combined everything together in a sealed jar and began to wait. I would recommend a four week resting period (ours will be ready by Christmas Eve), but if you're in a hurry, I believe two weeks would be enough time to get a similar effect. Chill the limoncello before serving and store it in the refrigerator for future imbibing. 

Recipe

500ml vodka

1 c water

1 c sugar

5 lemons, peeled 

      "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." ~Meister Eckhart

     We all have that one dish that always makes it to the table: Mom's pumpkin pie, Uncle Tom's sweet potato/marshmallow monster casserole, Great Grandma's creamed spinach... you may not like them all, but they will always have a spot. I like the idea of adding new dishes to the line-up while still keeping the classics in reach. Here are some fun ideas to switch up your spread this year.

Cider and Bourbon Glazed Shallots

     Kind of like creamed onion's trendy cousin that sits in the corner with her wine and silently judges the family. These gems make for a lighter side in a sea of dairy-laden dishes. The recipe can be found here.

Shredded Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad

     I normally don't support salad, especially on Thanksgiving, but this one has some backbone. The nuts add crunch, the pomegranate arils acidity, and a salty hit comes from the cheese. The recipe can be found here.

Stuffing in a Bundt Pan

     I'm a crunchy top, corner, and underbelly kinda gal, so the idea of baking your stuffing to maximize the crust-to-filling ratio really appeals to me. Here's the recipe.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

     Picture this: layers of sliced sweet potatoes, baked in a maple/rosemary caramel, topped with whipped vanilla-bourbon sweet potatoes, and finally crowned with a halo of meringue. This side dish will be on our table this year and is already made; all it needs is its albumen topper the day of and it will be in the running for new "classic" side. 

     "Farming is a profession of hope."

      Many moons ago, I tried to work on a farm in NJ through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), but my gut told me I was making a bad decision. I ended up only staying a few days because you could smell some funk in the air, and it wasn't the hippies I was bunking with. It really spoiled my first farming experience and I wasn't keen on trying again until my sister and her fiance invited me to come to a farm they had worked on in south central PA. These patrons were truly lovely and made us feel at home. To earn my keep, I offered to cook a few meals for the house. The organic/vegan challenge ending up being really fun but not for me (hello, honey and butter are my favorite things). The muffins I decided to make for breakfast were very well received and will hopefully become a regular on the farm.

Pink Banana Squash Muffins

     The recipe I used came from the book "Vegan with a Vengeance" and was adjusted more than a safe amount, and yet these muffins still came out more than edible. Coconut for canola, nut milk for fruit juice, and molasses for maple syrup made use of what was on hand in the farm's pantry. The biggest swap however was switching out carrot for shredded Pink Banana squash, which needed to be used to make room for more squash.

     This recipe is rather simple. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the almond milk, coconut oil, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Add in the shredded squash. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix just to combined. Pour the mixture into greased or lined cupcake pans, top with pumpkin seeds, and bake for roughly half and hour. Cool slightly and enjoy with a nice cuppa of your choosing.

Recipe

350 F 25-35 min

Adapted from "Vegan with a Vengeance"

2 1/2 c flour

1/4 c quick cook oats

2 1/2 c Pink Banana Squash 

1 c almond milk

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c molasses 

1/2 c coconut oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cardamom 

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

"Shall I not have intelligence with the earth?  

Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mould myself?"

-  Henry David Thoreau

     Apple, pumpkin, pear...all classic flavors we associate with fall treats, especially baked ones. Naturally, I pick someone's birthday to try something different. Honestly, moms deserve better, but this one got a cake that could have been gnarly. Luckily, using butternut squash was actually a great idea and will be making future autumnal appearances. 

Butternut Squash Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

    This cake has one little added step for the topping, but the extra texture and colors are well worth it. To start, add the almonds, dried cranberries, and sugar to a pan on medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved. Now add the rest of the sugar, spice, and salt and take off the heat. Let this cool on a plate until i are needed.

    The cake is very simple to put together. Make sure your squash puree is cool before you begin. The recipe I used called for roasted squash, but I opted to steam mine for the sake of time. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Combine the wet ingredients, including the sugar and squash in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. If you want to add any extras. now is the time to do so. Bake the cakes at 350 F for around 30 minutes. Allow cakes to cool on a rack before icing.

     Cream cheese icing is like crack for a bunch of people, but I don't really subscribe to that drug train. However, I know cream cheese icings are traditionally used with pumpkin, so I had to give it a try. To make the icing simply beat the softened cream cheese and butter with powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and well combined; add milk if the mixture is too stiff. I also made a pastry cream for this cake; the recipe and instructions can be found here.

     To assemble the cake, lay down the first disk, add pastry cream, add the second disk, and cover with icing. Lastly, sprinkle the sugared nuts and cranberries onto the cake or get tres fancy with a design. This cake needs to be refrigerated due to the icing, however, this will make the topping less crunchy. You could always make extra and sprinkle the rest on pieces as you serve them later.

Recipe

(adapted from Canadian Living)

350 F 30-35 min

• Cake
• 1 squash, 2 c cooked
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
• 1 c vegetable oil
• 2-1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 
  
• Pastry Cream
• 
  
• Cream Cheese Icing/Topping
• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened 
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 c powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ///
• 1/2 c almonds
• 1/4 c dried cranberries
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 4 tbsp sugar (2 tbsp for melting, 2 tbsp for sugaring)
• pinch of salt 

   

     "Poetry is what we do to break bread with the dead." -Seamus Heaney

     It never really occurred to me that quick breads were not as popular outside of the United States until I lived in Italy. Not only did they not trust my zucchini bread to be sweet, but they doubted its carby title as well. To be fair, in the traditional sense, these "breads" much more resemble cake in their taste and structure, but are still referred to as bread on this side of the pond. The wonder of quick breads is in their simplicity; you don't have to frost them, you don't even have to glaze them, and recipes typically don't result in a surplus (I don't understand what a cake surplus would look like, but to each his own). As we are ushered into October, I decided to make one last sunny, summer treat.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

They don't call em quick breads fir nothin. Start by mashing your bananas in a large bowl. Then add the sugar, oil, vanilla, chocolate chunks, and egg. Mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Pour the dry mixture into the wet and mix just to combine. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes (check at 40 minutes as banana bread tends to overcook). Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack. Since I'm a big fan of saturated fat, I eat mine warm with butter. Feel free to add nuts to this recipe, or anything else for that matter, as long as it doesn't contain too much liquid. 

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Recipe

(Adapted from Thrifty T's Treasures)

350 F 50-55 minutes

3 medium bananas, mashed

3/4 c sugar

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 c unsweetened chocolate chunks

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

      “Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape..." -Harper Lee

     I'm not sure why, but the end of summer, to me, conjures the smells and tastes of baked bananas. Whether it's in the form of bread (next week), roasted over a campfire, or bathed in caramel and spooned over ice cream, it acts as a nice little safety blanket that ushers you into fall without getting smacked around too much (I'm looking at you allergies... ). I hadn't made granola in a while and decided to bake in some bananas to make the ultimate banana bread granola. It did not disappoint and like most of the granola I make, is vegan.

Banana Bread Granola 

     Granola is such an easy treat to make and can keep for a few weeks covered, making it ideal for camping or other extended travel. To make this version, start by mashing your banana in a large bowl. Add the other wet ingredients to the bowl. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and add to the wet; stir to combine. Pour the granola on a lined sheet tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. It is important to stir the mixture to insure most of the moisture bakes out, yielding crunchy munchies. Once browned, let the granola cool on the sheet tray completely and store in an air-tight container. This granola goes exceptionally well with blueberry yogurt. 

*Note: I am allergic to walnuts and pecans, so I used almonds and sunflower seeds instead. Feel free to use these for a more "traditional" tasting banana bread flavor.  

Want a bonus recipe? Comment!

Recipe

(Adapted from Minimalist Baker)

350 F 30-40 min

3 c rolled oats

1 c chopped almonds

1/3 c sunflower seeds

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 c vegetable oil

1/3 c plus 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)

1 tsp vanilla 

1 medium banana, mashed (1/2 c)

    “The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into autumn – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.” 
―E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web

     I've said it once and I'll say it again: Although it is September, it is still hot, I am still sweating, and it is Summer yet! That is to say, although I know it is coming to an end, I don't subscribe to premature shifting of the seasons. Let's enjoy the last of the stone fruits, the melons, the corn, and most importantly, the tomatoes. Summer can't last forever, but this pie will be a great way to end the season.

Ricotta-Tomato Pie

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    Savory pies might seem odd for summer, but in truth the singular ingredients aren't so heavy. Except maybe the ricotta, if you're not used to eating grown-up portions. The ratio of cheese-to-tomato in this recipe is pretty high,but you can put less in if you're feelin guilty. Pro-Tip: Don't. 

     The first step in this recipe is to make the pie shell. I took a basic recipe from my pie bible and switched it up a little. I mixed the flour and salt together in a large bowl and added some onion powder. I then cut the cold butter in with my hands (after I dunked them in ice water for a minute, lol) and drizzled the water in until the dough just started to come together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least an hour.

     Once the dough has chilled, roll it out and blind bake it for 15 minutes. During this time, measure out the ricotta and add salt and pepper to taste. Pick a variety of tomatoes and slice them fairly thin, about a 1/4 of an inch. Spread half of the ricotta on the bottom of the pie base. Add a layer of overlapping tomato slices, salt and pepper, and chopped thyme. Top with most of mozzarella. Repeat this step once, sprinkling the rest of the mozzarella on top.

     Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours and let cool before you dig in. This pie is nice warm, great room temperature, and surprisingly good cold. 

Recipe

350 F

Single Crust

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 c very cold water

Filling

2 c ricotta (full fat)

1 c shredded mozzarella

4-5 large tomatoes 

1 tbsp thyme

salt and pepper

     Green fingers are the extension of a verdant heart

     After a long winter in Scotland, you can bet that I was thrilled to have a garden bursting forth with gems and jewels of produce come stateside summer. Besides the handful of tomatoes the rotund groundhog ate, and the third round of string beans being late due to bunny ravaging, the earth is sharing its glory with us. Even though we don't have our own string beans yet, I saw a recipe in the newest issue of Bon Appetite that I wanted to make, so I gathered all the lovelies from the market. 

     The recipe is provided by famed vegetable-guru-restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi, a London based chef with a strong penchant for all things green. I didn't have a chance to go to any of his establishments while I was visiting, but based on how this dish turned out I might need to next time I'm in town.


Mixed Green Beans with Peanut, Ginger, and Lime

Bon Appetite

     This cold salad is truly refreshing when it's been a heat wave and you can't even with cooking. The only bit of stove time is to cook off the beans. To do so, bring a large pot of water to a boil, generously salt, and drop in the hardiest beans first (this will probably be the yellow/wax beans if you're using them). After all the beans have just become tender, submerge them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and lock in the color. 

     While your beans are chillin out, you can make the dressing. I omitted the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass because I don't live in a bougie Brooklyn neighborhood. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium in a small skillet and add the shallot. Cook until tender, around three minutes. Next add the ginger, garlic, and coriander and cook while stirring for one minute. Pour these contents into a large bowl. 

     In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and toast your peanuts on high for two minutes (they should already be salted and roasted). Drain these on a paper towel and set aside. Now add the lime juice, lime zest, sugar, salt, and remaining oil into the shallot mixture as well as pepper to taste. Toss in the beans, cilantro, and most of the peanuts and give it a good mix. Top with remaining peanuts and a fried egg if you're like me #putaneggonit.

Recipe

• 2 lbs. mixed snap beans (such as green, wax, haricots verts, and/or Romano), trimmed
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ½ large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer layers removed, finely grated on a Microplane
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ c salted, roasted peanuts
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ⅓ c (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems, plus more for serving

     "We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience." -George Washington

      What an inspiration to us all. George goes and cuts down a cherry tree in youthful exuberance, and instead of getting scolded by his father, he gets a pat on the back for being honest about the event. Now, when we went to go pick cherries a few weeks ago, we also ate a lot of plums. I thought about being like George and owning up, but decided if no one saw me do it, it might have not even happened. Only the cherries and I know what savagery occurred in the plum grove that day.The cherries did make it home safely, for they had a higher calling. I didn't get enough for a pie, but decided I could make a good amount of jam from these sour gems. Like eating pie every morning.

Sour Cherry Jam

This jam is fairly simple to make, except pitting the fruit can be a pain. You have three options when working with fresh fruit:

1. You can buy a pitter and pit those babies all summer long.
2. You can use a knife to remove the pits, but you might want to kill yourself in the end. 
3. You can leave the pits in and strain at the end, which is what I did, because I'm lazy.

So all the you have to do is cook down the cherries for about half an hour over medium heat with about a cup of water and half a cup of sugar. At this point you will strain the pits out if you need to, then blend the fruit and return the mixture to the stove. Now add a small pinch of salt and reduce until the jam has thickened. Take the mixture off the heat, add vanilla, and let cool completely. I just put my jam into a clean canning jar and keep it in the fridge; I'm sure you can actually can this goodness, but ain't nobody got time for that. 

Recipe

1 qt sour cherries

1/2 c sugar

1 c water

1 tsp vanilla 

small pinch salt

     Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!

     There are two things that I truly excel at: being thrifty and laziness. If that paints a negative picture of me as a person in your head, than you probably wouldn't be sad about not getting invited to any of my parties anyway. This combo of learned skills is especially good for summer dessert making. No one wants to spend more than an hour in a hot kitchen making a dessert, and most of the time, you don't have to. Unless, that is, you're like me and have been roped into making a Grateful Dead tribute cake. What is life? Anyway, this last dessert I made was very easy to make, ticking the "lazy" box, and used up the extra egg whites I had leftover from making ice cream. Also, we went fruit-pickin and had to put the little gems to use fast.

     Patriotic Pavlova 

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     To begin, wash and prep your fruit to your liking. We kept the pieces pretty big because we're professional eaters. Once everything is prepped, add to a bowl and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet your fruit is. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

     Next, you want to consider fillings. I had leftover pastry cream from the cake I made for my Dad, which you can view a recipe for here. You could also make a curd and/or whipped cream the landing zone for the fruit. Just make sure whatever you go with has cooled.

     To make the pavlova base, beat room temperature egg whites with cream of tartar and vanilla until foamy. Next, beat in the sugar, on tablespoon at a time, until glossy and stiff peaks form. On a lined baking sheet, spread the egg whites out into a flat circle, making the shape slightly concave. 

     Bake the base in an oven that has been preheated to 300 F but is then turned down to 250 F once the base has been placed inside. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the base to sit inside for the next hour and then remove. We had extra egg whites so some cocoa was added and we snagged a fabulous little beach treat.

     To assemble, just spread your filling of choice evenly over the base and cover with the fruit that has been macerating. 

     Is it weird that I picked an Aussie treat to celebrate the 4th with? Ask yourself this: who would we be if we didn't take in other's desserts and make them our own? Not America.

Recipe  (Adapted from "Your Homebased Mom")

300 F to preheat then immediately lowered to 250 F 

50-60 minutes

Pavlova base

4 egg whites, room temperature 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Filling (your choice)

2-3 c

Pastry Cream option

Fruit

3-4 c your choice 

1-2 tbsp sugar, based on sweetness of fruit