strawberry-vanilla swirled frozen pops

several years ago i came across a recipe for sangria popsicles. they sounded too good and i just had to make them. i went on a search for the perfect popsicle molds and decided on these cute star shaped ones. and then? never made the sangria popsicles. not only that, i never made any popsicles at all. these babies have been tucked away, moved from apartment to apartment and never once filled with a delicious frozen treat. until now!

i saw this strawberry-vanilla pop recipe in the latest gourmet and.....i had to make it! strawberries have been perfectly sweet lately and when paired with the creamy vanilla? oh my goodness these are delicious. the only problem? my popsicles are stuck in the molds. the stick comes out but the popsicle? not a budge. maybe the molds are getting revenge for neglecting them for so long. luckily there was quite a bit left over after filling the molds so we have been enjoying this in a bowl, regular ol' ice cream style. it might not be as fun, but it's tasty nonetheless!


strawberry-vanilla swirled frozen popsicles
(from gourmet, may 2009)
ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 cup sugar*
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 pints premium vanilla ice cream**

Equipment: 12 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds or 12 paper cups and 12 wooden sticks***

mash strawberries in a large bowl with a potato masher or a fork. transfer to a 12-inch nonstick skillet along with sugar and lemon juice and boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. transfer to a bowl, then freeze, uncovered, until cold, about 10 minutes.

transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals, stirring, until softened, about 50 seconds total. spread evenly in a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and freeze while strawberry mixture chills. if making your own ice cream, you can place it in the baking dish straight from the ice cream maker and freeze for a few minutes.

dollop tablespoons of strawberry mixture all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. spoon into molds (or into cups) and add sticks. freeze until firm, about 1 1/4 hours (and up to 4 days, covered).

*i only put in about 1/4 cup of sugar (cause i ran out) but i think that was a good thing because the strawberries on their own are so flavorful and sweet they don't really need sugar to help them out.
**i whipped up my own batch of vanilla soy ice cream but...ya know...whatever works for you
***or six popsicle molds and a tupperware for leftovers in case your pops get held hostage

-d

for the love of grilled cheese

According to Chowhound, April is Grilled Cheese Month. While my West Coast compatriot is not a huge fan of cheese - in fairness, it doesn't love her either :) - I am fairly certain that, should I find myself stranded on a desert island, one of my five proverbial things would be some kind of cheese. So I'll take any excuse to experiment with melty cheese and bread products. It almost makes me want to have a grilled cheese party, but that would mean sharing.

The thing that is really great about grilled cheese is that it is so easy AND so versatile. The key, I think, to great grilled cheese is great bread. I prefer a crusty loaf with a soft yet chewy interior. Sourdoughs and rustic country loaves are always nice. And my favorite olive bread from Acme Bread in San Francisco also makes delicious pressed sandwiches.

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Extra sharp cheddar or brie with thinly sliced tart apples, grainy mustard on the side for spreading

Taleggio and arugula on country bread

The caprese (fresh mozarella, basil, tomato) though sometimes I like to mix it up and use pesto in place of basil leaves

And really any other soft, squishy, melty cheese, sandwiched by nice bread, thrown in a panini press/grill pan and cooked until it acheives melty, toasty goodness. Gimme.

- e

scallion biscuits with cracked coriander

it seems that every time i see a biscuit recipe i am compelled to make it. this time, i set out to bake the ramp and buttermilk biscuits from the april issue of bon appetit but ramps were nowhere to be found so i used scallions instead. i also made some slight changes to make them vegan. these didn't rise as much as some biscuits i've made but they still had a delightful buttery flake in the layers. the cracked coriander on top also added a nice little crunch...and a nice little flavor.



scallion "buttermilk" biscuits with cracked coriander(adapted from ramp and buttermilk biscuits with cracked coriander, bon appetit, april 2009)
ingredients:
3/4 cup chilled soymilk
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted margarine, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, cracked*
olive oil (for brushing)

preheat oven to 425°F. mix soymilk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside to curdle (about 5 minutes).

mix curdled soymilk and scallions in small bowl.

in a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. add chilled margarine and cut into flour mixture until fine meal forms. add soymilk mixture; stir until dough forms.

turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and press out to 7-inch round, about 1/2 inch thick. using 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds. gather dough scraps; press out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out additional rounds. transfer dough rounds to baking sheet. brush biscuit tops with a bit of olive oil. sprinkle with cracked coriander seeds.

bake biscuits until golden brown, about 20 minutes. cool on rack. serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

*according to bon appetit, the easiest way to crack the coriander seeds is to put them in a plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin.

-d

lemon yogurt pound cake

A few weeks ago, for Easter, my brother and I made a decidedly non-traditional dinner. Neither of us really eats ham anymore (unless it's prosciutto, but that's a whole 'nother story) or any of the traditional Easter offerings. Instead, we opted for a light and refreshingly springy meal of homemade wild mushroom ravioli with an asparagus and gremolata sauce.



And to finish the meal, I made the Barefoot Contessa's lemon yogurt cake. It was perfectly delicious, and was even better the next day! The recipe calls for both a simple syrup that sinks into the cake, infusing it with extra lemon-i-ness and a bit of moisture, and a lemon/confectioner's sugar glaze. I decided not to make the glaze, and the cake was delightfully without it! I imagine you could also make this with orange zest, or a mix of orange and lemon for something a bit different. OH, and did I mention the best part about this cake? No mixer needed!!! You whip the whole thing up by hand.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
The Barefoot Contessa at Home

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For glaze
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment (this will insure the cake does not stick). Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it is all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester places in the center of ther loaf comes out clean (*here's a general baking tip - always under-estimate baking times. You can always bake something longer, but you can never un-bake a burnt cake. So, if a recipe recommends a 50 minute bake time, check your baked good at 40 minutes!)

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow to soak in. Cool. (*I will admit, I had a bit of trouble with the "soaking-in" bit, and used a pastry brush to disperse the simple syrup over the loaf).

For the glaze, combine the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice, and pour over the cooled cake.

Enjoy! - e

sesame soba noodles

After a long, cold winter, Boston is finally experiencing a bit of a warm spell. So while I am certain it will be freezing again by the end of the week (I don't trust those weather people!) I am taking advantage of the restorative properties of the sunshine and making some cool, refreshing salads. While the farmers markets have yet to start up in New England - only a few more weeks!! - the grocery has perfectly respectable fresh veggies. They may not be local, but right now, I'm alright with that. This is a nice, and very versatile, noodle salad. You could really throw just about any vegetable in there, but this combination works really well! I ended up using normal, not baby, bok choy, as my store was out that day. Instead of using it raw, I blanched the bok choy, and it worked just fine.

Sesame Soba Noodles
Bon Appetit, June 2008

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper, divided
1/3 cup canola oil
8 ounces soba noodles
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
3 cups (loosely packed) mixed baby greens
2 heads of baby bok choy, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
1 English hothouse cucumber, sliced
3 green onions, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Salted roasted peanuts

Puree first 9 ingredients and 1 teaspoon red pepper in blender until smooth. With machine running, gradually add canola oil through opening in lid. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook soba noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Using kitchen shears, cut noodles crosswise in 2 to 3 places. Drizzle noodles in strainer with sesame oil and toss to coat.

Place greens, bok choy, cucumber, green onions, chopped cilantro, and mint in large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon red pepper, dressing, and noodles; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and peanuts and serve.

- e

ricotta pasta...summer style

well here we are back in san francisco after a fabulous weekend in boston! i heard it was in the 90s (!) here while we were gone, but summer has decided to stick around for us a little longer as it is still hothothot today. kris and i had a hankering for the cashew ricotta from veganomicon but this weather just doesn't scream baked ziti (our usual ricotta pasta). instead we went for something quicker, lighter and much more summery. light on the pasta with lots of bright green blanched broccoli and a sauce of barely cooked tomatoes and garlic topped with refreshing dollops of ricotta. this made four large servings so you could even cut down on the pasta a bit more.

summer ricotta pasta
ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta
1 large head of broccoli, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
olive oil
dollops of ricotta (recipe below)

while pasta is cooking, chop broccoli, leaving florets fairly large. add to the pasta pot for the last couple minutes of cooking to blanch. drain with the noodles.

heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. add garlic and cook a few minutes until fragrant. add tomato chunks and cook until heated through and just beginning to break down. season with a bit of salt and pepper. remove from heat and stir in the basil.

add tomato mixture to the noodles/broccoli and toss to combine. serve with several dollops of ricotta.

cashew ricotta
(from veganomicon)
ingredients:
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 lb firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil*

combine first 4 ingredients in food processor. puree to thick paste.
add tofu and blend until smooth.
blend in salt and basil

*erin gave me a gigantic bag of herbs de provence (and the amount she passed on to me does not even compare to the enormous quantity hiding out in her cabinet...and i hear i was not even the first to receive some. seriously. she has a ton of herbs de provence), which i was very excited to use. we used it in place of the dried basil (and then added a little more basil for an herbier ricotta). experiment with your own herb combinations!

-d

super herby pasta

since kris gets home from work before me, i often come home to him concocting in the kitchen. i love it! we had a fridge full of fresh herbs leftover from various things and decided to make a pasta dish bursting with fresh herby flavors. kris's take was a whole wheat pasta tossed with a lemon dill sauce and topped with parsley and rosemary-broiled zucchini slices. we had some oil-braised garlic leftover from something as well that went into the sauce and added a wonderful soft buttery garlic note (if you don't have any on hand, you could just sautee some minced garlic in stead). here's a loose recipe to follow:

herby pasta
ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta of your choice
juice of 1 lemon
white wine vinegar
handful fresh dill, chopped
handful fresh parsley, chopped
several cloves oil braised garlic, chopped (recipe below)
margarine
1 zucchini
fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

cook pasta according to instructions.

slice zucchini and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet with a few fresh rosemary leaves. broil or bake until tender.

meanwhile, in a small saucepan add chopped garlic and sautee a few seconds to heat through. add lemon juice, a splash of vinegar, dill and a small amount of margarine. continue to add margarine in small quantities and cook until melted. adjust the flavor with salt and pepper and more vinegar/margarine. continue to cook over medium heat. you should end up with a nice sort of thick sauce.*

toss pasta and zucchini with sauce and parsley, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy!

oil-braised garlic
2 large bulbs garlic, whole cloves peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 rosemary sprigs

preheat the oven to 350. place the garlic, oil and rosemary in a baking dish. cover with foil and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until the garlic cloves are very soft and just starting to brown. (can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks).

on a side note, kris and i leave for boston tonight! we're so excited to see old friends, new babies and eat some bagels already!!! erin and i will once again be reunited and should have another delicious foodie post coming soon.

*is that vague enough? sorry.

-d