i've been humbled

nancy says i've been gloating about my baking.  i think she's right.  

Matzo Chocolate Brittle

I found this recipe here.  so happy, i am.  

These Cupcakes Astound Me

The Les Figues Garden Party is coming up and I needed to work out a vegan cupcake recipe to serve alongside the regular cupcakes.  I felt like experimenting a bit and I had read somewhere that you can substitute eggs and oil with applesauce.   I also decided to cut out the sugar since the cupcakes were already going in a healthy direction.  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, a crumbly dry scone-ish cupcake at best but these cupcakes ended up being amazing!  They were very gooey in the middle and the vegan chocolate chips were melty without being liquified.  Plus, if I'm calculating right, they are about 80 calories per cupcake.  I think next time I want to add dried sour cherries or maybe a dollop of fig jam in the center (for the Les Figues party).  So if you're in the Los Angeles area, come by the party on April 19th to try these cupcakes.   

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened)

3/4 cup cake flour 

1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup Splenda

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (sugar free if you can find them)

1. preheat oven to 350

2. mix dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another

3. add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in small batches

4. add chocolate chips

5. put heaping spoonfuls into cupcake tins (makes about 10)

6. bake for approximately 30 minutes

7. let cool for 10 minutes

note:  hershey's special dark sugar free chocolate mini-bars work really well though they aren't vegan.  if you use these, chop the bar into pretty sizable chunks for a good melt. 

Squid Ink Pasta, I Conquer You!

The squid ink pasta I made a little while ago was maybe a 5 on my satisfaction scale.  Today I tried it again and...10!  The other day I went to an Argentine market and found canned squid pieces in their own ink which was tremendously exciting. Using just a little bit in the pasta with little tomato paste made all the difference.  I'm so happpeeeeee!

Ingredients:

handful of squid ink pasta

2 crushed garlic cloves

chopped italian parsley

half a tin of squid pieces in squid ink pasta (Goya brand)

1 Tbsp double concentration tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

shaved parmesan 

1. cook pasta in salted water

2. drain

3. saute crushed garlic in olive oil

4. add pasta and tablespoon of olive oil

5. add squid pieces and half the ink in the tin

6. add tomato paste

7. salt and pepper to taste

8. top with parmesan and parsley

A Little Dinner With Friends

boiled artichokes with two different types of aioli

argentine cheese, raw goat cheese, honey, and fig paste

tomato tarte tatin

tomato tarte tatin with mozzarella 

tomato tarte tatin in the pan

I had Nancy and Thomas over for dinner.  Artichokes are everywhere nowadays.  I boiled them with lemon and salt and served them with an aioli and a quick mix of whole grain mustard and mayo.  And I made the tomato tarte tatin again.  It's one of my favorite recipes lately.

Yay for friends! Yay for eating with friends!

Creamed Polenta With Wine Sauteed Mushrooms

okay, so i need to work on presentation a bit, but taste wise this was pretty good.  I made some polenta with milk and just a little bit of cream and topped it with mushrooms and yellow squash that I sauteed in red wine and cream. Served with parmesan cheese, parsley, and vegetarian meatballs.  

Tomato Tarte Tatin and Pasta E Fagioli

I cooked dinner for my family yesterday and on the menu was:

1. pasta e fagioli

2. miso glazed fingerling potatoes

3. tomato tarte tatin

I like foods that are pretty.  tomato tarte tatin is enormously pretty.  i found the recipe here