Figs on Toast & Figs for Days

I am serious. This is going to be the first annual Ginger in the Kitchen: Fig Marathon.... kind of like when they play 12 episodes of America's Next Top Model, but even BETTER!

I was at Whole Foods on Monday (surprise!) and the fig display and I had a serious moment.... the kind that makes you a little swoon-ey, but not full blown love at first sight. You see, figs and I have a complicated relationship. I think they are really pretty and sweet, but I just don't know what they've got going on inside (besides jammy deliciousness.) This could be because as a child my life was ruined by Fig Newtons (gag!!!!) or because as an adult I just don't know what the hell to do with them! They look lovely on a cheese bored, and man, are they perfect stuffed with some blue cheese, but we have really never taken our love any further than that. So, in an effort to deepen our relationship and see what these tiny, little fruits are made of..... I bought 3 pints. Let the fun begin.

I decided to start easy. I used to hate avocados (except guacamole.... I'm not completely crazy.) Then the avocado toast craze happened, and being the on trend lady in the kitchen that I am, one day I gave it a try. My life was changed. Holy delicious! Avocado toast taught me two things that day: 1. I should always listen to Gwenyth Paltrow and 2. If you don't know what to do with it..... put it on toast!

Back to figs......

Put them on toast!

You can't really go wrong here. Figs pair well with endless ingredients. Here's a few delicious combinations to try:

Grilled peaches, grilled figs, ricotta cheese, and wildflower honey. 

Figs with arugula and goat cheese drizzled with balsamic reduction.

Grilled figs with creamy blue cheese, prosciutto, and thyme. 

I placed each combination on lightly grilled and sliced baguette. The figs were super yummy grilled... just heat your grill to medium, lightly brush the figs with olive oil, and then grill them over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side or until you see some nice grill marks. I did the same with the peaches, too. Then, just pile everything on your sliced baguette, and voila! This is such an easy, delicious appetizer! You are sure to be everyone's favorite hostess... and figs and I have just taken our love to the next step!

Stay tuned! Fresh fig ice cream and savory fig jam to come! It's a love affair in the making.

Butternut Squash Soup and a Laundry List of Triumphs...errr...Excuses.....

Yes, that's right. I have reached a whole new low as a "blogger." (I am having to use quotations now because I hardly think I even deserve the title.)
I am pushing two months on my absence this time and the sad part is that it doesn't even feel as though it's been two weeks. Catering, holiday parties, our engagement party, holiday dinners, family dinners, birthday dinners.... holy hell it's been a busy few months.

Dear Holidays: You are wayyyy too needy, you bitchy little time whores.

Ok. So Let's do a quick review of that awesome/pathetic list above.

Catering.
Yup. I catered my first party... or as Richard says "My 23rd party" because apparently honesty is a sign of weakness.
My boss asked me to cater her book release party for 100 guests and it was a huge success.
I got asked for my business card several times, so now I am planning on making some.

A serious cheese spread.

Crostini with buratta and shaved black truffles.

Toast with goat cheese and fig jam with shallots and port.

Heirloom tomato bruschetta.

Melon wrapped in prosciutto. 

Our Engagement Party.

We decided to wait until the busiest time of the year to announce our engagement to our family and friends. Genius. Not only was I cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 15 guests two days later, but I ended up booking a commercial and shooting for 14 hours before our party. I am super woman.... who has a really super fiancé and best friend who helped me pull this one off.

DomainLA Wine Shoppe was the PERFECT place to host our party. 

We could not have been happier. 

Thanksgiving Dinner. 

The single most important meal of the entire year looked a little like this:

1 insane menu (yes, with 2 turkeys) 15 family members and close friends, probably 18 bottles of wine and 1 amazing holiday.... it could not have been more perfect and it was so wonderful to have everyone in town!

Ok.... the moment you have all been waiting for-----

I am actually going to post a recipe. 

Yes, I do remember how.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 pounds of butternut squash, cubed***

2 cups of chopped yellow onion

5 whole cloves of garlic

4 cups of chicken stock

Olive oil

Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

***Note: Peeling butternut squash makes your hands peel and get super dry. Wear gloves..... or buy it already cubed like I do. Lazy.

Kitchen Utensiles:

Immersion Blender (A regular blender will do just fine.)

Method:

Place cubed butternut squash in a glass baking dish lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour until very tender. Halfway through baking, add the whole cloves of garlic to the squash so that they roast as well. 

In a large pot, add about a table of olive oil and sauté the onions until they are golden brown. 

Add the roasted butternut squash and garlic and continue to brown for a few minutes. 

Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. 

Season with cinnamon and nutmeg (optional)

Once the soup has come to a simmer you can blend until smooth. I always use my immersion blender because it is SO easy, but if you don't have one, you can pour batches into a regular blender and blend until smooth that way. I just always make a HUGE mess that way.

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Bridesmaid Brunch

It just so turns out that getting married (in 491 days) gives you a pretty good excuse to throw lots of fancy engagements to celebrate yourself (and your groom to be... I guess.)  I LOVE THIS. 

Last weekend I threw what I would like to congratulate myself and call "The Prettiest Brunch Ever."

I had my bridal party over, minus my pretty little sister (Hannah you were very missed,) for mimosas and mid morning appetizers to ask them to do everything I say for the next year or so. 

Tips on throwing a perfect brunch:

1. Keep the preparation simple so that you have more time to drink champagne with your friends. 

Yep.... that's my only tip. Lot's of pretty, chilled appetizers that pair perfectly with bubbly. 

....And I guess to use the plates that you don't let your fiancé eat off because they make the table look pretty

Note: Pretty table= important..... maybe even more important than the food because, let's be honest, after 4 glasses of champagne to celebrate yours truly....... the only thing any one remembers are the pictures. 

Watermelon salad with fresh mint and feta cheese.

Asparagus tossed in a bacon and sherry vinaigrette.

Prosciutto with melon.

2 bottles of champagne. 4 friends. 1 hour. totally acceptable. 

Pistachio cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. 

French baguettes and brie cheese. Heaven. 

I am so blessed to have such lovely friends to celebrate with!

Pistachio Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box instant pistachio pudding

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

This is the easiest recipe on earth. 

Combine all ingredients. Fill lined cupcake pan 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter

i package of cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients and whip until light and fluffy with a kitchen aid mixer (or a hand mixer.) You could do it by hand, by I think that's self abuse. 

White Bean Bruschetta with Prosciutto

Bruschetta is one of my absolute favorite foods. 

I want to eat it three times a day, bathe in it, and wake up next to it in the morning. 

I throw Italian themed dinner parties so that I have an excuse to make mountains of it. I make it for taco night to remind people how good I am at making it and I throw it at my boyfriend every time he stops smelling like garlic in between.

Obsessed. 

I need to live in Italy.

Ingredients:

6 slices of rustic italian bread

4 roma tomatoes, small dice

1 small clove of garlic, plus 2 whole cloves to rub on toasted bread

5 leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin strips

1 tbsp olive oil, plus some for rubbing on bread

1/2 tsp salt

Thinly sliced prosciutto

White Bean Paste

1 cup of great northern white beans, cooked and drained

1/8 cup white onion, chopped

1 small clove garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt, more or less to taste and depending on if you use canned beans of dried. 

Basil oil

handful of fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

salt, to taste

cheesecloth/ fine mesh strainer

Method:

In a bowl, combine diced tomatoes (remove the seeds), basil, olive oil, and salt. 

Finely chop the garlic and use the side of your knife to grind it into a smooth paste. Add the garlic paste to the tomato mixture and gently stir. Set aside to let the flavors marinate. 

For the bean paste I used dried beans. Please learn from my mistake and do something better with your time than wait for 45 minutes for  your beans to cook..... use canned beans and drain them well. If you are crazy and want to use dried beans, soak them overnight and then simmer them in a large pot of water for 45 minutes to an hour until they are soft. 

Combine beans, chopped onion, small clove of garlic, olive oil, and salt in a food processor and blend until almost smooth. I like my food to have a rustic feel to it, so I left my beans a little bit chunky. 

Brush both sides of sliced bread with olive oil. Rub the bread with garlic. I smash my garlic cloves and then rub them on the bread for more flavor. Place bread on a baking sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on the bread- I have to really emphasize these things because I am pretty much a professional at burning things instead of toasting them. 

To Assemble:

Spread the bean paste on each piece of toasted bread. 

Place a heaping spoonful of tomatoes and basil on top of the bean paste and then top it all off with a pile of prosciutto. 

If you want to garnish the dish with basil oil, pour olive oil and basil into a blender. 

Can someone please buy me a Vita-Mix Blender? Thanks.

Blend until smooth and then strain the mixture through a cheesecloth and add salt to taste. 

Burrata and Black Truffle Crostini

My two favorite things ever= truffles and burrata.
I am a real pricey pain in the ass, I am aware (as is my boyfriend.)

So, one can imagine my enthusiasm when I saw burrata and truffle crostini on the menu at Osteria Mamma in Hollywood.

Served with prociutto and arugula, it is pretty much the only thing I ever want to eat again. That good.

Wonderful wine, amazing pasta, a very cute boy..... perfect date place and SO reasonably priced.

I am a fan. A huge one.

heaven.

Ingredients:

Toasted baguette rubbed with garlic and olive oil

Burrata cheese

Black truffles

Arugula

Prosciutto

I am stealing this appetizer for every dinner party I throw for the rest of my life. 

Look forward to your invitation.... I love hostess presents.