Blueberry & Lavender "Lumples"

Two years ago, right before Richard and my wedding, I met the most lovely woman named Kathy, who just so happened to be from Virginia. Since my soon to be husband was also from the south, we became fast friends due to her constant insisting that since I was NOT from the south, she  had to teach me how to bake just like a proper southern lady. You see, Kathy is seriously one of the best bakers I have ever met. Not just someone who can follow a recipe and actually remember to include all of the ingredients, a skill that I sadly lack... but she could whip up a perfect pie, decadent brownies, and impressive desserts. You name it, she could bake it!

I immediately started joining Kathy in her home on Saturday mornings for my weekly lady lessons, as we liked to call them. I learned how to properly make pimento cheese, bagels, pies, and my very favorite treat to date, "Lumples." Well, that's what she called them. A sort of scone, muffin, pastry lump-of-a-thing which is stuffed with fresh blueberries and smells of heavenly lavender. Like me, they are slightly hard on the outside, flaky and delicate on the inside, and just slightly, perfectly sweet. And I mustn't forget the glaze. Ah, the glaze. They are drizzled with a light meyer lemon glaze that adds the slightest taste of sour. And there you have it. A lumple. The kind you'd never want to have removed. I love them.

Blueberry & Lavender "Lumples"

Ingredients:
Makes about 8 Lumples

2 cups unbleached King Arthur all purpose flour (Kathy said King Arthur is the ONLY flour to use.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon dried lavender buds

1 egg 

3/4 cup whole milk

7 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together. 

Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and blend together with your fingers until the mixture resembles course corn meal.

Mix in the dried lavender buds. You can find these in the spice aisle at Whole Foods and other nice grocery stores. 

Add the egg and the milk and mix quickly with a fork until just combined. Do not over mix or the lumples will become dense. 

Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about two inches apart. The dough can be kind of messy. Then, once the lumples are formed, add several blueberries to each lumple by lightly pushing them into the lumple so that they will stay in place while baking. You don't want to mix the blueberries into the mixture before forming the lumples because the berries will get mushy and mix into the dough. 

Bake 15-20 minutes until just slightly golden. 

Meyer lemon glaze:

2/3 cup confectioner's sugar (sifted well)

6 tablespoons of butter at room temperature

Juice of 1 Meyer lemon

Mix well until smooth. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add another tablespoon of softened butter.

Drizzle with the Meyer Lemon Glaze onto the lumples immediately after removing them from the oven. The heat will make the glaze melt perfectly over the lumple. 

Enjoy!

Summertime Peach Cobbler

GAHHH, why isn't EVERYTHING made out of peaches?! It's the peak of summer and I cannot think of a single food that I love more.

I love peaches.

SO SO MUCH!

They're a real peach.  I guess that's where that saying comes from.

You can grill them, you can put them in salad, you can make my very favorite desserts out of them.  You can bob for them. You can eat them with a man named Bob. They'd even brighten up some corn on the cob. (Sorry, I momentarily channeled Dr. Seuss there. I'm on a peach sugar high). Anyway, there is really nothing that a peach can't make better. Even RK, who claims that he has always disliked peaches, now loves them. They are perfect. We are in love. WE are a real peach.

I am also in love with this cobbler recipe. It is SO simple. Nothing fancy. It just focuses on the flavor of the peaches and the simplicity of a perfect pastry topping. Just use very ripe, fresh peaches and you will have the perfect summertime dessert! Rich's grandmother's china is optional, but encouraged.

Ingredients:

For the peaches
8 fresh peaches, peeled, and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the pastry
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoon chilled butter cut into small cubes
1/4 cup boiling water

For the topping
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine peeled and sliced peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss everything together until the peaches are coated evenly. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.

While the peaches are baking, in another large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugars, baking poser, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter and blend until the mixture resembles course meal. Stir in the boiling water until just combined.

Remove the peached from the oven and top with spoonfuls of the pastry topping. Sprinkle the entire cobbler with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake until the topping is golden and the peaches are bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Remove the cobbler from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This is totally optional, but I did it and it was delicious.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream!

Carb-free, Guilt-Free, Taste-full Eggplant Pizzas

Ok, this recipe was so delicious that I didn't even stop stuffing my face long enough to take a photo! (Rich took an embarrassing photo of my stuffed face that shall remain unpublished.) Fortunately for me, that gave me the perfect reason to make it again today! I'm a little obsessed...

As I said yesterday, Rich and I are trying to eat healthier for our upcoming vacation(s). Well, I am eating healthier and since I usually make the dinners in this family.... Rich is getting into bikini shape too! Next up, couples waxing. Butt (yup, I did that) as I've mentioned, when I decide to eat healthy, all that I want to eat is pizza. Quite honestly, all that I EVER want to eat EVER is pizza. 

I am a big fan of the Pinterest famous cauliflower crust pizza. It's absolutely delicious, but it is SO much prep work. Anything that requires a food processor is a pain in my ass, which makes me a pain in Rich's... it's a rabbit hole of pain. So, I like to stick to kitchen appliances that require very little cleaning. And while the zucchini pizzas I have seen floating around the internet look really yummy, they are way to small. I mean, I need to mush two of them together to make them "bite size!"  So, no. Then, I remembered Julia Child's eggplant pizzas! 

Tranches d'aubergine a italienne. A' perfecto is what I call them. They are so easy and so delicious!I actually really dislike eggplant! (Please note that I did not say "hate" eggplant because I save that word for foods like salmon.) But, it's true. Eggplant is not something that I usually reach for in the kitchen. But, I think I have finally found an reason to show it a little love. 

Now, even though this recipe is from Julia Child (after all, the best are other people's), I made this my recipe my own... which you should do, too! I had some extra mushrooms in the fridge that I sautéed and put on top and I also added some kalamata olives and fresh basil. 

Ingredients:
1 large globe eggplant
About 1 tablespoon salt for drawing out excess water from eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

Hot red pepper flakes

(Again, you can add more toppings if you want to...)

Method: 
Slice the eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the excess water that makes eggplant have that awful, mushy texture. Wipe the eggplant fry with a paper towel to remove the water and all that salt. Don't skip this step or your pizzas will be wayyyy to salty!

While the eggplant is sitting, you can make the pizza sauce! (Recipe below!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of each piece of eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper lined backing sheet. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes. I flipped the eggplant halfway through baking so that both sides got golden brown. 

Once the eggplant is roasted, top each piece with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and toppings of your choice and bake for another 8 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and slightly browned! Then top each pizza with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes! 


For the pizza sauce:
You can totally use your favorite store bought sauce, but if you are feeling fancy here is my recipe.....

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

When the tomatoes are beginning to cook down, about 20 minutes, remove the skins, they should slide off easily, and dispose. Once all of the skins are removed, remove and dispose the garlic cloves and crush the tomatoes until they are smooth. 

Continue cooking, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is a deep red color. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!!

Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla Gelato and Balsamic Reduction

I'm not going to lie... I have been skeptical for a while on this one. I don't question many italian dishes. In fact, I don't really question anything Italian! My favorite foods, favorite wines, and my favorite men are all italian, which are pretty much the most important things in a girl's life.  Butttt, olive oil? In a cake? Meh.

Then I remembered a stop that Richard and I made while we were traveling through Modena, Italy. We were lucky enough to take a private tour of Villa San Donnino, where we learned about the process of making "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale." At the end of our tour, we enjoyed a tasting of several different vinegars aged 6, 12, and 25 years. Needless to say, they were absolutely to die for. For our last tasting, we were served the 12 year balsamic drizzled on top of vanilla gelato. (Now you see where I am going with this....)

I have always loved balsamic vinegar, but having it on top of vanilla gelato it is a whole different ball game. This quickly became one of my favorite desserts, so while I was totally knocking this whole olive oil cake thing, I realized the following:

1. Gelato + Balsamic vinegar= delicious.
2. Olive oil + Balsamic vinegar= delicious.

Therefore..... yep. It's all happening.

This cake is not too sweet and perfectly tender. The olive oil contains natural emulsifiers, which improves the cakes moisture and texture. It is absolutely delicious on it's own, or amazing topped with fresh fruit, ice cream, or whipped cream. It can really be the perfect base for just about any topping! My only tip is to be patient, when I say to mix for 10 minutes, mix for the full 10 minutes. You will end up with a deliciously dense and extremely moist cake!

Torta all' Olio di Oliva

Ingredients:

8 tablespoon unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or you can use only all purpose flour)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

1 cup 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

To serve: 

Vanilla gelato 

Balsamic reduction

Method:

Grease an 8 inch cake pan and preheat your oven to 300 degrees with a rack placed in the middle. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy,  about 10 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the olive oil in a steady stream and then continue mixing for another 10 minutes. 

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add one third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix to incorporate the ingredients. Then, add one third of the milk, followed by another third of the flour mixture. Mixing until just combined each time. Repeat this pattern until all ingredients are combined and then mix on medium speed for another 10 minutes. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is browned and the edges of the cake are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooing rack and let cool. 

To serve, dust the cake with confectioner's sugar and cut into slices. I topped the cake with vanilla gelato and a balsamic reduction (or a balsamic glaze which can be purchased at most grocery stores if you do not want to make it your self.) This cake is also amazing with fresh fruit and whipped cream!

(Read more about our trip to Modena HERE.)

Garden Vegetable Soup

I have decided that it is FALL! It's official. I'm done waiting... and sweating! I went to Starbucks this morning (as I only do from mid September-November...) and ordered a Pumpkin Spice latte and it set me over the edge! Both into fall and into an over-caffeinated, gourd-based decorating spree (there was some dried corn involved, too. After all, it is FALL!).

 

it's that time of the year!

Now, I may have a friend or two who is less than thrilled about my seasonal enthusiasm, (ahem... Marco....), which Rich calls my "seasonal affective disorder" because he says I try to bring about the changes in season through my decorating. But, here's what I have to say to you (and Marco), "Come over and eat a pumpkin whoopie pie while sitting at my lovely, gourd covered dining room table, and shut your mouth!"

I know that it is going to be in the high 80's this weekend, but I will be holed up in my house with the A.C. blasting, brainstorming for my Thanksgiving day menu. You might think that I am kidding.... I am not. Trust me, the only thing that I'm kidding about is that I haven't already started thinking about what I am going to serve on my perfectly decorated Thanksgiving table. I just really love fall!

I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but this time of year just gets me verrrrry excited! Maybe it's a little too early to talk turkey, but it is not too early to break out the fall decor. It's after Labor Day, so something has to fill the hole in my heart left by my inability to wear white jeans (which isn't a seasonal thing for me, white jeans just never work for me and that hurts my heart!)

Anyway, I made a soup a few weeks ago and, looking back, maybe I was jumping the shark a little bit. I mean, I pretty much had to strip down to my skivvies and surreptitiously sip soup slowly as I sat about 2 inches away from the A.C. (which Rich assures me is the least sexy way to see me unclothed). I did all of that just to avoid spontaneously bursting into flames from severe overheating. But, seeing as it was in the 60's this morning,  I decided to give this whole soup-making thing another try. Here's the thing, it's the end of summer vegetables and there's starting to be a (very) slight chill in the air, so take off your judging pants (or shirt... this could get fun) and give soup a chance.... I promise to hold off on the pumpkin recipes for at least another week!

Ingredients:
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and thinly sliced
1 potato, peeled
1 onion
3 stalks celery
5 carrots, peeled
A few leaves of kale (I used curly)
1 zucchini
15 green beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 gallon (or so) of chicken or veggie stock (you know me, I use no chicken- chicken broth because it is the bomb dot com)
2 28oz cans of diced tomatoes
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
A few fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

If you have some extra veggies that you are dying to add... go for it. Get crazy, be creative, the sky is your limit (I am such a motivational blogger! Woo!)

Method:
Chop all of the veggies into bit sized pieces... about 1/4 inch. Then, in a large stock pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute all of the vegetables for about 5 minutes until they are translucent, but not browned.

Add the stock of your choice, tomatoes (with their juices) and fresh herbs, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the soup, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes.

Serve. Hot. Enjoy.

Rigatoni with Buratta, Summer Squash, and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I have been on a serious carb fest lately. (That is a thing, by the way. See: I only want to eat carbs all day.) This makes sense with our Palm Springs vacation coming up in only a few short weeks. You see, I really love to be healthy and in shape UNLESS I have to be in a bikini for 4 days. As soon as it's time for me to start perusing for a new bathing suit, it's also time to start my carb only diet. (Is butter a carb?) The only thing that could make my life easier would be if there were a bikini shop next door to Terroni.

Speaking of Terroni....I really love it there. Have you been? If not, you should go. In this humble Ginger's opinion, you won't find better Italian food anywhere in Los Angeles than at Terroni. This is a pretty big statement seeing as I have only had one dish there. I have been at least a dozen times, but the first time I went I ordered the homemade rigatoni with burrata and zucchini. Now, if you know me, this will come as no surprise because if there is ever ANYTHING on a menu that has burrata in it, I will order it with out question. Burrata and I are in love. Hard. (Don't tell Rich, he thinks we're just friends. He's so naive.) No matter how many times I go, I just have to order this pasta. It is perfection.

So, after our pizza grilling party the other night (yup, it was a party) I started thinking about my next meal immediately (I am such a fat kid) and I could not get this pasta out of my mind. I even dreamt about myself taking one cheesy bite at a time in slow motion. I used to have dreams about my wedding and nice romantic things like that... now I have them about pasta. Maybe it's because Rich is still on the couch being all old and injured (his back... STILL! Ugh, poor handsome boy. I guess while you're incapacitated, I'll leave it to cheese to please me). But with Rich stuck on the couch, I couldn't bear to leave him and take myself on a pasta binge date.... so I decided to make it at home.

Just a note: I am watching The Today Show right now, as the Mr. and I do every morning because we are old and married (well, he is old and I am married) and Al is at the Iowa state fair (why on earth!!! I know....) and they just did a segment on a bunch of kids in a pie eating contest and I thought to myself "Sarah Keith, you could totally kick those 8 years olds asses in a pie eating contest..." This statement is F'd for many reasons, but mostly because it is 9:36am and now all I want is a pie....to myself. Ok. Back to Pasta.....

This pasta. 

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of rigatoni pasta, cooked to al dente, of course
2 pints of cherry tomatoes (or about 2 pints....)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp basil, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Yellow squash, sliced (Zucchini would also be great!)
Burrata cheese
Kosher salt

Burrata is my soulmate. Don't tell my husband.

Method:
In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and basil. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, giving the tomatoes a stir every now and then.

Cook the rigatoni to al dente. While the rigatoni is cooking, sauté the squash or zucchini until just browned.

Combine the rigatoni, roasted cherry tomatoes with their juices, and squash. Top the pasta with burrata cheese, season with kosher salt, and top with fresh basil if you so please... which I always do.

Enjoy, because.... how could you not?!

Penelope approved.

Dry Rubbed, Slow Roasted, SERIOUS Chicken Legs

With two husbands in my life (one gay, one straight, both wonderful & Italian), I consider myself a very lucky lady. I mean some, less fortunate, girls can't even get themselves one boyfriend, let alone two husbands! That sounded a bit bratty. And a lot Mormon. It's not. But I definitely put in the legwork keep my men happy (I didn't mean it like that. Besides I don't have the legs required for the kind of legwork Marco would like, so get your mind out of that sexy, six legged gutter!) Where was I? Oh right, they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Hopefully for us girls, that stomach is burried underneath some nice abs, not just more stomach, but that's besides the point. (Although, I could definitely get lost in that day dream for a minute...ok...) Anyways. Stomach. Food. Date Night.

Yes, that's where I was. Date night. I have date night with my hubby's tonight. Both of them. It's always one of my favorite nights of the week. Sometimes we have a surprise guest (I do have to approve of all of Marco's conquests, er- dates, after all) but tonight it's just the three of us, which is my favorite way to do it (bad reader, no gutter). My very favorite threesome (okay, I guess I'm asking for it now. Even this parenthetical is dirty. You really can't say threesome without it sounding dirty.) Haha.... wow, this is gonna be one of THOSE blogs I think. You're welcome.

Subject change.

When I stopped eating meat (6 months ago!) I promised the boys that I would still cook it for them as if nothing had changed, so that's the plan for tonight. I was perusing Smitten Kitchen for a new idea on how to prepare the 35 pounds of green beans that we got in our CSA box this week, when I came across a chicken recipe that made me start to drool a little. I mean, a lot. So, I decided that while I might think green beans and wheat berries make a lovely date night dinner, maybe my husbands would prefer some melt in your mouth meat (Marco!). So I decided to make this dry rubbed, slow roasted chicken. I know- they are crazy lucky. I also dance (twirl) like a boss.

 this chicken is delicious.

Ingredients:

Brine
4 cups water
1/3 cup Kosher salt
1/3 cup white or brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar

Dry Rub
6 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons smoked paprika
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
Up to 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Chicken
5 pounds chicken legs. That's a lot of freaking chicken. Clearly, if you are not feeding an army, cut this recipe in half!

Sauce
A generous squeeze of honey
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Method:
Brine the chicken: In a large plastic container, mix water, salt, sugar and vinegar. Add chicken parts and cover with a lid or plastic wrap in the fridge, for at least 1 hour and up to 6. I did it for 3 hours.

Make the rub: Mix the ingredients and mix them well. Like, so well. (I need to get a life.)


Prepare chicken: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Remove chicken parts from brine and pat dry. Place pieces of chicken on two very large pieces of foil, large enough to fold over chicken and form packets. Pat chicken pieces generously on all sides with rub; do not be shy about using more than seems… seemly. Turn the chicken pieces so their meatier sides are down, and tightly fold the foil around them to make two large packets.

 

these legs look like they are hugging.....

Place two cooling racks (which will act as baking racks) on two baking sheets (one on each). Place a chicken packet on each and place one sheet on an upper oven rack and one on a lower. I ruined my baking sheets in a small oven fire back on July 4th (ugh) so I just put the foil packet directly on the baking rack and put foil below it. My house didn't burn down, so I guess my way works, too. Bake chicken for 1 hour, then rotate baking sheets. Bake for another 30 to 60 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of each chicken reads 155 degrees. (Chicken is done at 160. This leaves you a little heat window for the next step, without leading to overcooking. If you’d like to skip this, just cook the chicken in foil until it reaches 160.)

 

this is the ugliest photo I have ever taken.

Finish the chicken: Heat broiler. Carefully open each packet of chicken and pour accumulated juices into a saucepan. Arrange chicken pieces on open foil packets and run each tray under the broiler until lightly crisped at edges and cooked through. Place on serving platter.

Make a sauce from the juices: Boil your accumulated juices in the saucepan over high heat for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, until it makes a syrupy sauce that coats a spoon. I like to add a squeeze of honey for flavor while it reduces. Once syrupy, add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Serve with chicken.

I am serving this with gazpacho (because I am obsessed) and a green bean and wheat berry salad that you are gonna read all about tomorrow. Enjoy!

Uova da Raviolo & Kitchen Cartwheels

Richard and I are going to Italy in October (ah!!!) and in preparation for our trip we have been watching a lot.... I mean A LOT of Anthony Bourdain. It's no secret that we are huge food people... I mean, I would skip Vatican City AND endless gondola rides to experience some serious bolognese (yes, I plan to eat meat in Italy... but that's another conversation, one I'd honestly prefer not to have.) 

With Rich being on be rest, he has been doubling up on his "No Reservations" episodes (and his TV watching and eating). Yesterday, while I was at work bringing home that cheddar (both figuratively and literally... SEE PHOTO below**) he watched the episode on Emilia-Romagna and the next thing I know, the text messages start pouring in..... "you have to make this," "please PLEASE make this, my lovely darling wife...." "our relationship depends on you making this ravioli." He said all of that, minus the pleasantries and with more threats, that our true love truly depended on me making this dish. Anyway, you get the picture.....

me... bringing home the cheddar.

So, being the wonderful, caring, pretty wife that I am (pretty first, wonderful and caring a distant second and third)... I did it. And it did it 'effing' well. 

Here's the thing. I can cook. Pretty well. (Toot Toot) But no matter how great you think you are at something, there are still things (really difficult dishes) that scare the living crap out of you. For me, this was one of them. First off, I had never even heard of "sunny side up egg filled ravioli" and second.... I am sorry.... I have to COOK the pasta while keeping an egg inside of it RAW?!?! 

WTF.

I am not a wizard. No matter how many times I watch Harry Potter.

But again, being the (insert a bunch of flattering adjectives here) wife that I am.... I decided to give it a whirl.... and ended up pretty much doing cartwheels in my kitchen (which, in hindsight, considering Rich's condition could definitely be considered showing off)... But what could I do, I was  overwhelmed with joy and I'm terrible at dancing (which I was too gluttonously full to do anyway). 

Uova da Raviolo

Ingredients:

For the Pasta

3 to 4 cups flour (I used exactly 3... it was humid out)

4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the Ravioli

1/2 small white or black truffle, shaved***

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, plus more for garnishing pasta
1/2 cup fresh sheep's milk ricotta
1/2 cup spinach, blanched, drained and chopped
Scant pinch nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 recipe basic pasta dough, recipe follows
7 very fresh eggs
12 tablespoons butter, melted and kept warm

***If you cannot find truffles or cannot afford them because they are priced like gold, you can use black truffle butter (found at Whole Foods) or could sprinkle the dish with truffle salt (also found at Whole Foods.) I don't recommend using truffle oil... if doesn't actually contain truffles, usually just the fragrance of them and the flavor will cook out with you heat it. 

This makes 6 raviolis, which, in my opinion, could feed 4. They are soooo filling. But, three per person is a good portion. 

Also, I would have a couple extra eggs on hand in case you break one of the yolks. 

happy eggs from happy chickens.... buy them!

Method:

For the Pasta

Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and the olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll or shape as desired.

For the Ravioli
Recipe from Mario Batali

In a bowl, combine 1/2 the truffle shavings, the Parmigiano, the ricotta and the spinach, mix well, and season to taste with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Set aside.

Roll out the pasta dough to the thinnest setting on a pasta rolling machine. From the thin pasta sheet, cut 12 circles with a 6-inch diameter. Set 6 of the circles on a sheet tray dusted with flour, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In the center of each of the remaining 6 circles, mound an equal portion of the ricotta mixture. With the back of a small ladle or spoon, hollow out a well in the center of each mound. 

Carefully break the eggs, 1 at a time, into a small bowl, and transfer 1 yolk and a bit of white into the center of each well. It is imperative that the yolk remain unbroken.

Cover each filled circle of pasta with an unfilled circle, and press the edges together with fingers to seal.

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Gently, using a wide spatula, lower each ravioli into the water to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and place gently into a 12 to14-inch saute pan with the remaining butter, shave the remaining truffle over, add a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and carefully put 1 on each plate.

Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt

I always joke that I eat ice cream for breakfast, but I never actually have.... until today. I dunno. I woke up to a hot apartment and it just really seemed like acceptable behavior. Plus, Rich's back is still hurting and he's being a total baby about it, so I figured if he can act like a child, I can eat breakfast like one. So after I made Rich some eggs....... and I had a bowl of ice cream like a fat kid pretty girl. 

Here's the thing.... you know how sometimes, oh, I dunno..... they put an egg on a bacon cheeseburger so your husband is like "this is an acceptable breakfast sandwich.... theres AN EGG on it!" That is how I felt about this ice cream.... IT HAS GREEK YOGURT IN IT! This means three things:

1. Anything with REAL yogurt in it is automatically healthy*

2. Anything that is healthy is a great breakfast food. 

3. Frozen yogurt is an acceptable breakfast food. 

I know, I know- best use of PROOFS ever. Remember high school geometry? Who says that shit doesn't come in handy one day. (Hannah, stay in school. Being pretty isn't a career. Wait... Marco says it is.) So, in order to make this proof true, I'm blogging a recipe about it. Because even if you don't believe in math and science, everyone knows that if you blog something, it has to be true. (Seriously, stay in school, Hannah.)

*While this statement may be fact to me... it is not actually fact and should not be taken seriously. 

fresh mint chip frozen yogurt photographed in porcelain ice cream cones

 from anthroplogie. are they serious with these? best invention ever. best purchase ever.

Ingredients:

I cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 agave nectar 

3/4 teaspoon organic peppermint extract

2 cups greek yogurt (I used 2%, not whole milk and it turned out great)

2 ounces mini chocolate chips

Method:

Combine the chopped mint leaves and the cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once the cream is simmering, add the agave nectar and remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes. 

Once cooled, pour the cream through a sieve to remove the mint leaves and then combine with the greek yogurt and peppermint extract. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, or until chilled, and then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. When the yogurt is just about finished churned, add the chocolate chips. 

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Makes 4-6 servings.

Inspiration from Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte.

Wine & Cheese. Happy Sunday

It's that day. The best day of the week. Happy Sunday everyone! Thank you DomaineLA for another fabulous tasting!

This post is worth 1000 words......

why yes, those are homemade pickles

advice.

domaineLA = the real deal.

rose for days

This bitch.....

the loves of my life (I am talking about their glasses, obviously....)

Cheers!

xx

Savory Fig Jam and a Cheese Board for Two

You know those days when you could sit outside all day long, wine in hand, and just eat copious amounts of cheese until your arteries literally stop working? That is every day for me. If I could only have one thing to eat for the rest of my life it really would be cheese. 

So, yesterday, due to whatever political argument was ailing me at the time, I was daydreaming that Richard and I (and the 4 dogs, of course) were moving to France.... when I really got to thinking....these people know what the F is up. They drink wine (maybe even more than I do) they wear horizontal strips (which are my favorite) and I am sure that they have probably given cheese it's own food group. French women never get fat, they always look classy, and I feel like they would be much more accepting of whatever shenanigans that second glass (bottle) of wine got me into. 

Need I say more?

No. Moving to France was officially the best idea I have EVER had (as of yesterday.) So before I started looking at apartments for rent, preferably right next door to a quaint boulangerie, it seemed only fair to inform my darling husband of our new life path. Unfortunately, let's just say he was less than thrilled with the idea. Even less thrilled than when I also explained to him why turning our deck into a sandy beach was an absolute MUST for our next BBQ.... but that's a whole other story.  Anyways, while he was a bit under enthused with us moving to France for silly reasons like our careers, money, and family....... being the absolute dreamboat that he is,  he ran to the market, got every kind of amazing cheese possible, picked a perfect bottle of french wine and we are calling it a day. Did I marry well, or what? 

I obviously put on my best horizontal stripes, thanked god I just cut my hair into a bob, and broke out my favorite cheese board. Now, trying to keep in theme with "fig week" I figured this the perfect time to make my absolute favorite fig jam. It's savory, delicious, and pretty quick to make. It also calls for dried figs, so you can make it any time of the year. I actually made this recipe for our engagement party (almost 2 years ago- gasp!) and it was quite a hit!

a modest cheese board for two with savory fig jam

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 fresh thyme sprigs plus 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 small bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dried black mission figs
3/4 cup port
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


Method:
Cook shallot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf in butter in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add dried figs, Port, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until figs are soft, about 10 minutes. If there is still liquid in saucepan, remove lid and simmer, stirring, until most of liquid is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs and transfer jam to a bowl. Cool, then stir in minced thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on toast, make crostinis, or put a dollop of it right on a cheese board like I did. 

Au revoir!