Wednesday, December 2, 2009

There's an In-N-Out in Death Valley, right?

My Dad is running in the Death Valley Marathon on Saturday, so I'm off to California to cheer him on/eat an In-N-Out Burger. I'll be on blog hiatus for a bit.

This isn't Death Valley, but it's a National Park, so the picture is relevant. Even though Death Valley is mostly desert. RELEVANT. I swear.

World's Best Scones

A while back I wanted to make scones for afternoon tea, and I typed "World's Best Scones," into Google. I clicked on the first recipe that came up and it had potential, so I tried it. These really are the World's Best Scones. Incredibly easy to make, ready quickly, and really really yummy.

World's Best Scones
Yields 8

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl.

Cut in butter using a pastry blender or rubbing between your fingers until it is in pea sized lumps (I used a cheese grater.) Stir in the currants or raisins.

Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Overworking the dough makes for bad scones.

With floured hands, pat dough into balls 2 to 3 inches across. Place onto a greased baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Let them rest for about 10 minutes (I ignored this because I was hungry and popped them in the oven.)

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, not deep brown. Break each scone apart, or slice in half. Serve with butter or jam.

Original recipe here

Homemade Peppermint Patties

My favorite candies are Milk Duds, sour gummy worms, and York Peppermint Patties. When I saw a recipe for homemade peppermint patties, what choice did I have but to try it? (it's probably only a matter of time before I attempt to make homemade Milk Duds...) Making these is not easy. Or rather, it's not easy to make these aesthetically pleasing. Maybe my problem was I could only find milk chocolate dipping chips, instead of dark chocolate. However, these taste GREAT, nearly better than the original. They made my teeth hurt because they were so sweet, but it was worth it. Unfortunately this is another instance where I forgot to take photos and barely captured two photos on my phone as an afterthought. Whoops.

Peppermint Patties
Original recipe here at NoshwithMe.com

  • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 cups semisweet chips or dipping chocolate (harder to find than I expected)
  • 2 teaspoons shortening, if not using dipping chocolate

In a large mixing bowl, combine condensed milk and peppermint extract. Beat in enough confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, to form a stiff dough that is no longer sticky. Form into 1 inch balls, then place on waxed paper and flatten with your palm or the side of your fist to form patties. Let patties dry at room temperature for two hours, turning once

In a double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate (with shortening, if not using dipping chocolate,) stirring often. Brush chocolate onto patties with pastry brush. Let cool on waxed paper until set.

Baked Doughnuts

I knew I wanted to make doughnuts while I was home for Thanksgiving and had access to my parent’s kitchen and, maybe more importantly, my Mom’s stand mixer. I also needed to be sure I had enough people around to actually eat the doughnuts, and my family kindly obliged. I much prefer the lighter taste and texture of these to fried doughnuts, and they could almost be healthy…. ? Or not.

Baked Doughnuts

Original recipe here at 101Cookbooks

Don’t over bake these, if anything, under bake them a bit – they continue baking outside the oven for a few minutes. You want an interior that is moist and not dry. Also, be sure to cut big enough holes in the center of your doughnuts, too small and they will bake shut. Remember they rise when they’re baking.

Yields about 1 1/2-2 dozen medium donuts, and the equivalent number of doughnut holes

  • 1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • A pinch or two of nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • Various sizes of circular cookie cutters
  • An electric (stand) mixer

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Place 1/3 cup of the warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and set aside for five minutes or so. Be sure your milk isn’t too hot or it will kill the yeast. Stir the butter and sugar in to the remaining cup of warm milk and add it to the yeast mixture. With a fork, stir in the eggs, flour, nutmeg, and salt – just until the flour is incorporated. With the dough hook attachment of a mixer beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed.

If the dough is overly sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time. Too dry, add more milk a bit at a time. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and eventually become supple and smooth. Knead a few times and shape into a ball.

Transfer the dough to a buttered or oiled bowl, cover, and put in a warm place. Let rise for an hour or so until the dough has roughly doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and roll it out until ½ inch thick on a floured countertop.

Use a 2-3 inch cookie cutter to stamp out circles. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and stamp out smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. If you cut the inner holes any earlier, they become distorted when you attempt to move them. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8-10 minutes – start checking around 8. While the doughnuts are baking, place the butter in a medium bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for a minute. Dip each one in the melted butter and quickly toss in the sugar bowl. These are meant to be eaten immediately, while still warm (they do not hold up well.) Eating them quickly was not a problem…

World Peace Cookies

These cookies are really, really addictive. Not entirely unlike the chocolate wafers I previously posted about, they have a great dark chocolatey taste and crumbly texture. Sorry about the lack of photos, I was nearly done making the dough when I remembered to take a photo with my phone – my pint-sized nieces and nephews were in town for Thanksgiving and things were hectic. When the cookies were done they were promptly eaten, so I never managed to get a picture of the finished product, as I was too busy eating it. Check out the amazing smittenkitchen.com (where I discovered this fantastic recipe) for much better photos.

World Peace Cookies

Recipe found here at smittenkitchen.com. Originally from Paris Sweets, Dorie Greenspan

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 (or 2) teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips


Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and cremy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour, put a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself from flying flour (I messed up on this and ended up covered in it), pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. If there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple more times. Continuing at low speed, mix for 30-60 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough – work the dough as little as possible, it will look crumbly (which is good). Add chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Take half the dough and shape it into logs that are 1 ½ inches in diameter. Do the same with the other half. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325. Line two baking sheets with parchment or baking mats (baking mats are on my Christmas list!)

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½ inch thick. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about one inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes – they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are just warm, then serve. Cookies are also more than edible at room temp. Store uneaten cookies in airtight containers.


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

These biscotti are really easy to make, which is a problem. For a recipe this simple, the biscotti are remarkably refined and flavorful. The fact that they’re easy to make means I make them all the time, which is great if you have people to give cookies to but bad when you live alone and can’t find any takers on short notice. It’s impossible to eat just one. I went through about 10 today so far. Thank goodness I was able to pass half the batch on to some enthusiastic friends, so crisis averted. This time..

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Adapted from marthastewart.com

Yields about 44

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, leveled
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup shelled salted pistachios (the original recipe calls for unsalted pistachios, but where's the fun in that?)
  • 4 ounces dark chocolate chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 (ie 2, since I always pretty much double vanilla) teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ¾ of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in pistachios and chocolate.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, vanilla, and cocoa (oh man does this mixture smell good.)

3. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. The dough is really stiff, so knead it like you would bread dough until it’s fully mixed together.

4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (NOT wax paper, I learned this the hard way. Wax paper works well enough without burning the dough, but the biscotti end up getting stuck to it and crumble when you try to remove them.) Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Divide dough in half and shape into two 2 ½-by-12-inch logs. Place logs on baking sheet and sprinkle the top of each with 1 tablespoon of sugar (per log.)

5. Bake until risen and firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Let logs cool completely on sheet, about 30 minutes.

6. Reduce oven to 300 degrees. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake until biscotti are mostly dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The original recipe can be found here.

MoMa Noodle Soup

The café on the second floor of the Museum of Modern Art is one of my favorite restaurants in the city, mainly because of their cappuccino and this soup. Though not technically listed as a soup (it's described on the menu as a pasta with a touch of broth), during colder weather I think extra broth is an excellent way to be cozy and warm. It's really really tasty, and good for you, which was my excuse to eat half a pot of the soup before forcing myself to put the rest in the fridge, where it lasted another two hours before I ate the rest of it. As far as I know there's no official published recipe from MoMa, and thus the measurements are guesstimated. I think the trick with the soup is the pepper. It gives it that edge that makes putting down your spoon really difficult.

MoMa Cavatelli Noodle Soup

Recipe guessed at by Annie and her Mom


In a large pot, add the red pepper flakes and fresh ground pepper to the chicken broth.


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ray LaMontagne

Last night I went to see Ray LaMontagne at the Beacon Theater, and the concert was amazing. He played a solo show with no backup band, which wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still better than great.
Forever 21 faux leather jacket
H&M dress
Thrifted leather belt
Hue tights
Diba Boots
Hair bow I used to wear in kindergarten

Monday, November 9, 2009

Opera capelet with bunnies

I went to see "La Damnation de Faust" at the Metropolitan Opera and wore my "opera capelet," which I never have enough excuses to wear. I call it an opera capelet because it ties at the neck with a ribbon and has an old-fashioned vibe that reminds me of classic opera costumes.
Click photo to enlarge.
What I wore underneath
The inside of the capelet is lined with ridiculously cute rabbits. I think maybe next time I'll wear it inside out (without the tag showing, of course.)
Anthropologie capelet
Forever 21 tank
American Apparel skirt
DKNY tights
Target black ballet flats
Vintage pearl necklace
Urban Outfitters feather hairclip

Friday, November 6, 2009

Chocolate Wafers

I love chocolate (who doesn’t?), but really, I LOVE chocolate. Even if a dessert recipe doesn’t call for chocolate, I’ll usually find a way to sneak some cocoa powder or chocolate chips in. I’m eating chocolate chips out of a bag as I type this. So when I was browsing Gourmet’s Favorite Cookie Recipes: 1941-2008 and I saw this recipe for Chocolate Wafers, I couldn’t resist. These are simple, easy to make, and dangerously yummy. The recipe calls for rum extract, and after an unsuccessful search for rum in my parent's cabinets, let alone extract, I gave up and used a dash of sherry for some sort of alcoholic/tangy component and replaced the rum extract with vanilla extract, which worked out well.

Chocolate Wafers, adapted from Gourmet Magazine (February 1950)

Yields about six dozen

  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rum extract (I used a dash of sherry and a tablespoon of vanilla extract)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ cups sifted flour
  • ¾ cups cocoa (I added an extra tablespoon…or two…of cocoa)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (I used only a teaspoon since I feel like baking powder occasionally adds a metallic taste to cookies)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar together gradually, until light and fluffy. Add rum extract (or vanilla extract) to the mixture and beat thoroughly.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add the sifted dry ingredients gradually, mixing well after each addition to make a light dough (as I added more and more of the dry ingredients, the dough got increasingly fudge-like and not particularly “light.” Not a problem as it turns out, as it still yielded an awesome, lightly crispy cookie).

The Gourmet recipe calls for rolling out the dough on a floured surface and cutting with a 2 ½ inch diameter cookie cutter. I found a much easier solution, thanks to a commenter on Gourmet’s site; roll the dough into two small logs, and chill for at least an hour until firm enough to slice into 1/8 inch thick discs.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes. Watch verrrryy carefully, as the cookies burn quickly. One cookie sheet I baked was a bit burnt, and still tasted excellent, but the ones I didn’t allow to bake as long ended up tasting better as they hardened naturally in Tupperware containers in the kitchen at room temp. Though they weren’t there long…

Original recipe can be found here.

Marimekko Dress

This is probably my favorite dress, though I rarely have occasion to wear it.
I found it hiding on the sale rack at Anthropologie (surprise, surprise - my whole wardrobe seems to be from there), the only one in the store. It was three sizes too small, but it was also 70% off and I thought it was a sign. It's tie-able in lots of different ways, which is my favorite part. Marimekko's prints are hard to resist.
I dream of the day when my kitchen will look this cool and my bed will be dressed in polar bear awesomeness.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Swirls & pearls

I have a major weakness for nightgowns, which, if I can get away with it, I wear as dresses. I think my obsession with nightgowns stems from Amelie (seen at a formative age), particularly Audrey Tautou's wardrobe. My apartment too looks like an orange version of Amelie's, but more on that later.

Jcrew cashmere sweater
Vintage pearl necklace
Anthropologie nightgown worn as a dress
Hue tights
Target leopard print ballet flats

Strawberries & Stripes



Vintage wool sweater, once my grandmother's
Vintage pearl necklace
Urban Outfitters striped dress
Hue tights
Target leopard print ballet flats

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Charley Harper dress

I wore this to a benefit dinner in Philadelphia, and it was actually warm enough that I didn't need tights. The dress (technically a nightgown) seems to be directly influenced by Charley Harper, one of my favorite artists, so of course I couldn't resist buying it.

I'm without footwear because I have a no shoe policy in my apartment. I originally wore this with boots, and would've photographed it in Philly but I was too busy dealing with technical computer problems to photograph anything (argh.)

Forever 21 blazer
Anthropologie nightgown worn as dress

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Honey Oatmeal Bread

I attempted to take full advantage of my parents’ kitchen whilst in Philadelphia (it is probably 8x the size of mine,) and opted to try my hand at bread. My sister suggested a Honey Oatmeal Bread from the (hilarious) cookbook Breaking Bread with Father Dominic. Excellent suggestion, Katie.

Honey Oatmeal Bread

Yields 2 loaves

  • 1 cup instant oats, uncooked
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg, beaten (optional)
  • About 5 cups whole wheat flour
  • Additional instant oats, for coating

1. Put the oats in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups hot water to a boil, pour over the oats and let stand for at least 20 minutes

2. Sprinkle yeast over ¼ cup warm water in a small bowl, stir to mix. Let stand 5 minutes to dissolve.

3. Feel the oats at the bottom of the bowl to be sure they’re lukewarm. Add honey, butter, salt and yeast mixture. For an extra-rich dough, add egg (I did, and the dough was excellent.) Mix well. Work in enough of the flour so the dough can be handled, but the dough should remain pretty sticky because of the honey.

4. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead until dough is elastic but still rather sticky, adding flour as needed; don’t add too much flour at a time.

5. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

6. Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces. Knead out any air bubbles, but don’t use flour on the kneading surface; you want the dough to remain sticky.

7. Form each piece into a loaf. Roll each loaf in additional oats until completely covered. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

8. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaves about 45 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on wire racks.

Bedazzled folk art chickens enjoying a snack..