post-hallowe'en bake

our street is usually hopping hallowe'en - but this year, with the holiday on a saturday, many of our neighbors went to parties and left dark doorways that didn't draw the trick-or-treaters down to us. and so we were left with a bag of mini reese's peanut butter cups. we usually donate candy to the operation gratitude halloween program, but they don't take chocolate. what's a mom to do? ;)

of course I turned to google. and found this. (and this. and this. and this.)

with a bunch of very ripe bananas in the fruit bowl, and feeling that this was at least kind of healthy, I went with the banana bread...





it smelled amazing. looked great. but ended up with mixed reviews. d liked. k didn't. e kinda. they all said they prefer my traditional banana bread. (I'm on a restricted diet right now, so didn't get a chance to try it.) in the end, I was just glad to get the candy out of the house.

ambitious kitchen - peanut butter cup banana bread

::45::

marking milestones always makes me nostalgic. and I'm feeling remiss that I haven't recorded a bunch of going-ons here. for me, this space is really my visual and written diary. so in celebration of another year older, i'll list a few ...

- the sunsets lately have been spectacular. late summer. hot nights. but when I realize it is the end of september I begin to get antsy for cooler weather. we're ready. (even if the predicted "h-el-l nino" arrives.)

- we're leasing a third horse. Cisco. I'm a sucker for old animals in need of rescue, and he fit the bill. he is sweet and slow, and perfect for me to join in riding with the girls on Sunday. love.

- a close friend recently lost her mom after a short and aggressive bout with cancer. seeing her grieve, I was reminded of the complexity of loss, and death, and what it has brought to my life. on the other side, to know joy. true joy. there is so much space between the two. where i usually sit. i need to appreciate that space more.

- d ran a 1/2 marathon! we are extremely proud of him. he worked hard. trained hard. and set a personal record. he inspires us all...

- with that e has joined me spinning. while I enjoyed running, I had started to get bored and wasn't motivated to run when the weather was hot. riding has been great for my core, but i needed some cardio. I did some cross-training which I enjoyed, but then friends put me on to their studio, which I fell in love with. I'm going 3 times / week. and happy to have e peddling at my side at an early weekend class.

- I experienced my first american high school football game. albeit working the "snack shack". it felt like some kind of initiation. perhaps not that different than the wheat king games of my youth. I am excited for e - and her HS experience. she loves her school - and I am extremely grateful for that.

- k has also settled in nicely to school as well. I recall the transition a little more difficult for e. I'm sure seeing it first, has helped k a lot. she is familiar with the school, and the principal is actually someone we've known for a long time. (she is amazing!) while I've had my hesitations, she seems to be confident with the choices made and happy to be there. I am known to ramble on school choice here, the girls own academic pathways are something I keep to us. our public school system affords many levels of learning in an effort to differentiate. while in theory I might be attracted to this idea, the segregation that seems to be a result troubles me. i try and hold onto words my mom said to me a long time ago - you don't need the best for your child, you need what's best for your child. (thanks mom xo)

- we're going out tonight to celebrate 45 - and a friend's 44 at the six in calabasas. love the spots that have started to pop up in the west valley. hope the drift continues.

- our neighborhood has changed quite a bit this year. death. divorce. job loss. moving. and kids that at one point so easily played all together are growing up and with that new interests and a little drifting apart. it is great to see that when social occasions bring them all together, they fall back easily, like family. and I am still so constantly grateful for the friendships I've formed here. I don't know what I'd do without them.

- with new families in the neighborhood, and little kids too (yay!) a couple of young moms started "wine wednesday". described as "bookclub without the book" we gather the first wednesday of the month to nosh, sip wine, and talk mom-stuff. it is really great. and a treat to sit with these moms as they weave through motherhood, work, graduate school and so on from my vantage point, with older kids.

- trying to make this space more than just about my list making affinity! though re-reading this made me remember the importance in our house of getting things done on the weekend in order to enjoy our busy week. working in horse chores has been tough. but worth it. our groove feels close. and writing here feels good.

i think that's it. though i feel i'm forgetting something (memory, with eyesight perhaps? did I mention I finally chose reading glasses?)

with my birthday here, I have to say (again) I love my 40s. and am confident this mid-point will be a good one. hello 45 :)

day trippin'

we had been wanting to visit the quicksilver ranch for a while. coupled with an invitation to carpinteria, and wine tasting in the santa ynez valley, yesterday we packed up a picnic and headed up the 101 to make a day of it.
































santa ynez valley (sideways :) )
brander winery (perfect picnic spot)
quicksilver ranch (huell houser episode here!)
jedlicka's
sides hardware and shoes (bacon!)
carpinteria state beach

pilgrimme(age)

there is a wonderful new restaurant on island (in the old La Berengerie space - which is so special in itself) worth recording.



local fare. farm-to-table. shared plates. super yummy. touted as one of the best new restaurants by EAT magazine, it is a must stop if you are visiting galiano. (nice connection, Chef Jessie McCleary, is originally from Manitoba.)

the girls picks were marinated olives with espelette pepper, lemon and herbs and persian star garlic panisse with pickled galiano vegetables and aioli

mom and i chose galiano greens with a juliett blue, mustard and wine dressing; barclay sound sockeye with lacinato kale, brown butter and meyer lemon; and a farro special that included pesto and a poached duck egg.



and for dessert - one of everything! (dark chocolate bergamot pot de creme with sea salt, caramel and shortbread; fraser valley rice pudding with roasted chase, buckwheat and sesame; and dark chocolate truffles with berries



per the menu "We serve locally grown produce, ethically sourced meats and sustainable seafood. Our dishes are intended to be shared family-style to allow for a diverse sampling of the menu." (i'd be remiss not to add the beautiful plates and serving pieces are by local potter kasumi lampitoc.)



of course it was followed by a sunset stroll at montague...







pilgrimme
2806 montague
galiano island, british columbia

local fuel

adding to our list of favorite local spots...

gasolina cafe serves up spanish influenced, farm-to-table cuisine as well as a good variety of coffee, tea, and sweets.

i had the (very tasty) breakfast stew, a traditional Spanish garbanzos con espinacas topped with a perfectly poached egg and crispy toasts. the latte was perfect as well. (coffee comes from Poway,CA roaster James Coffee Co.)

this is Chef Sandra Cordero's first brick and mortar venture and she wanted to open something close to home (lucky us!). she was in the house - prepping for a photo shoot - and took time to stop and chat with us.

even thought it was an overcast morning, it was nice to sit outside at the colorful tables and watch woodland hills go to work.

will definitely be returning.





gasolina cafe
21014 ventura boulevard
woodland hills, 91364

more in the sfv...
local peasant
pedalers fork

night out

The Burning (Mandelshtam), 2006 oil and wax on canvas

d and i were thrilled to be invited to the inauguration of Enrique Martinez Celaya's new Los Angeles studio. and even happier that my cold subsided enough that we could attend saturday night!

we started off with a nostalgic early dinner at father's office (we went to the helms bakery location, but i spent many happy hours as a getty graduate intern at the santa monica office, years ago, when it was a craft beer pub with a long history. the office burger is still one of the best burgers i've ever had.)

then we headed to Martinez Celaya's space, which he's been in for 9 months or so. the converted industrial building provides discrete spaces for the artist to paint, draw and sculpt. it was truly magnificent. the kind of LA studio one dreams of. (Kitaj would always joke about how small his studio was in comparison to most L.A. artists.)

the night ended with a performance by his long-time collaborators, the cowboy junkies, who performed a full set in the courtyard, under the stars.


The Well, 2013 bronze



enrique martinez celaya bio
works here
more studio shots here
watch for Martinez Celaya exhibition at LA Louver April 2015

merry merry!

*that was just the break I needed. xo  we're home from our island - and I'm busy sorting through all the photos of the past four weeks and uploading posts gathered while we were away.  I realize that makes the timeline on these kind of quirky, but I like keeping it chronological.  for me - this blog is a journal of our days, my thoughts, and various other bits that are important to me to document. 


this was only our 2nd christmas with just the 4 of us waking up together christmas morning. (and only my 3rd without my mom.) we switched up our holidays this year to take advantage of the girls' later break and to give them the opportunity to enjoy a california christmas. (we will head up to the cottage on boxing day.)



we spent christmas eve having a traditional mexican feast - ceviche, tamales, and all sort of goodies prepared with love by one of the best cooks I know. then home to open the traditional gift of christmas pjs (horse and unicorn onesies!), compose a quick note to accompany santa's snack, and off to bed.

christmas morning d and i prepared a big breakfast - like that of my childhood (my dad loved to cook breakfast christmas morning) with eggs, bacon, panattone and lots of coffee.

and while I hesitated to cook a formal christmas meal, knowing we were leaving town the next day, I was so very glad I did. I managed to order a free-range young turkey which we had along with riced potatoes with gravy, roasted root vegetables, a black and wild rice with butternut squash and pomegranate salad (so good) and my favorite cranberry recipe and with a rustic pear tart with whipping cream for dessert. the girls set the table with our china and silver (which I promised myself we will use more in 2015), tall beeswax tapers in silver candlesticks, a floral arrangement, and the sweetest christmas crackers (these, that I'd found months back locally). it was beautiful.



all in all, it was a quiet day. mainly spent reviewing the goodies brought by santa - then going for a walk. the big news - two quarter-leases. a horse and a pony. it is a great big baby step and we are all very excited. (more on the logistics of this - and photos - soon!)

oh! and we closed the day with e conducting us in a family horn ensemble. (horns courtesy of the aforementioned christmas crackers!)

my wish for 2015, more days like this. we don't need much more. xo

cool eats.

another good alternative to cooking outside on a hot day, i've discovered, is using our crockpot. it gets used more frequently in the winter, i admit, when it is so nice to come home post-car-pool-violin-lessons-and-all to a house smelling like dinner. (that scene in Ramona and Her Mother remains forver tied to my "Crock-Pot" love.)

our favorite summer crockpot dish - lentil tacos. i use this recipe. simple enough for my pickier eater. and adaptable enough (with a favorite hot sauce) for those who like it spicy. (we swap out the chicken-broth for a veggie one to keep it a vegetarian meal - which we strive for monday :: wednesday :: friday.)

any tried and true summer recipes from your house, veg or not?

field trip :: underwood family farms

we are on spring break. and being quite lazy! it feels good. yesterday, we went strawberry picking. (and sugar snap peas, onions and a couple of ruby red grapefruit.) it was the perfect day. i'm constantly reminded how lucky we are to live where we do. with open space so close to us. the richness of the soil that surrounds us. the access we have to fresh, sustainably grown, seasonal food.

underwood has a lot of other stuff going on. (petting zoo and all.) but i was grateful the kids are older and seemed happiest spending their time in the fields (3 hours!). even the (almost) teenager and her best friend spent the day without complaint!

we came home with 6 lbs of strawberries. so of course, this was absolutely necessary.

underwood family farms
3370 Sunset Valley Road
Moorpark 93021

weekend to do

take in cushions to be reupholstered
violin examination recordings!
play in the sun
sew new oven mitt

around the house
trim back shrubs in front yard
think about cut-flower bed
finishing sanding and prime master bedroom



btw i'm loving this maple blueberry scone recipe from joy the baker!

leftover magic

as our activity schedule ramps up with the holiday season my meal planning becomes more important. a favourite around here is anything you can eat with your hands. handpies / pasties are always a hit.

monday i made a new (one pot!) favorite spiced yellow rice with chicken and vegetables and tonight i wrapped the leftovers up in puff pastry. presto. (and tomorrow these will hit the lunchboxes! i love stretching a meal.)

yum.

52 cookies :: week 52 :: oat and "shower" cherry cookies with chocolate chips

as soon as the latest 3191Q issue arrived i set on to make the oat and sour cherry cookies delivered by MAV.* the recipe is an adaptation from "Short & Sweet" by Dan Lepard and we took it a little further to make it our own, and using what we had on hand. (lesson learned from this entire experiment: everything is better with chocolate chips.)

the girls eyed the bag of cherries with suspicion (hoping i wasn't returning to raisins) and misheard my naming of them as "shower cherries"... hence...





Oat and "Shower" Cherry Cookies with Chocolate Chips
adapted from 3191Q issue no. 10

1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1/2 c sugar
1 c light brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 c rolled oats
1 c tart dried cherries
1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare cookie trays with silpat. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon and salt together. Beat sugars and butter until extra light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in oats and stir in cherries and chocolate chips. Spoon tbsp dollops of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet before transferring to wire rack. Store in airtight container.

Makes 2 dozen large cookies

* * * * *

K: These cookies are super good. At first I thought they won't be as good. But Mom said "Don't pick at the cookie, just take a big bite!" The cookies taste good when doing big bites!!!!

A huge thank u to TRACY BARTLEY for 52 weeks of cookies

E: Yum... I kinda like the sour cherries and of course I love the chocolate chips!!!! :) :D Also a huge thx to u cuz u stuck to the cookies!

D: This combo of chocolate and cherries is perfect. And the oatmeal cookie is too. Biting into this is like acing your final exam. You could serve this with a little port wine. Mighty fine.


so this is it... whew! i am looking forward to a look back at our year of cookies. stay tuned...

*yes - i am posting this and dating it back after much delay in pulling it together! forgive me ;)

52 cookies :: week 48 :: oatcakes

first off, thanks for your dinner suggestions! can't wait to try them.

the countdown continues...




reading this reminded me how good stephanie's oatcakes are. and set me to baking them over the weekend. they disappeared before the weekend was over. so i made a second batch. these are really somewhere between a cracker and cookie. i've usually described them as the former. but there is a sweetness that lends them to the latter. and little guilt when the girls eat them two at a time. (i love them with a sharp cheddar - the girls like them plain and simple.)



Oatcakes
by Stephanie Congdon Barnes (thank you SCB!)
from 3191 issue no.9

1 1/2 c oats
1 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 c plain, whole fat yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and sift together with a whisk. Add butter and work in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until you have a coarse meal. Stir in yogurt until a soft dough forms. If you use a firm yogurt, you may need to add a tiny splash of milk to bring the dough together, but it should be a crumbly and short dough. Pat dough out on a floured surface and roll to a 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter or the top of a small drinking glass (as I did), but out your oatcakes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned. Store in an airtight container.

* * * * *

K: These cookies are so good. My mom said they were crackers so E and I had two each. These cookies are delicious-o.

E: Sweet, kinda salty, and delish. When I asked my mom what she was baking, she said they were oat crackers. So K and I ate a bunch while my mom was in the other room. Yum!

D: It tastes too good to be a healthy biscuit. They are lightly sweet and crumbly like a scone but not bready. You said they would taste good with cheddar, but they got gobbled soo fast that the block of cheese is safe for another day. Maybe you could make some more and we would be able to finish the taste-test!

what, when, where and how we eat.

i've been wanting to write this down for a while... (i'm making good on my new year's resolution of meal planning.)

i am a strong believer in the family meal. we hold on to having dinner together every night (with few exceptions). at the table. and along with that it is a properly set table. and everyone is eating the same meal. even as babes being introduced to solids they ate along with us. (loved this book.)

some years back our csa hosted a family nutrition night at our neighborhood school. my greatest take away was the philosophy of ellyn satter:

the "division of responsibility"(from toddler through adolescence) around eating is thus...

The parent is responsible for what, when, where
The child is responsible for how much and whether

It is the parent's job to choose and prepare food; provide regular meals and snacks; make eating time pleasant; model mealtime behavior and show them what they need to learn about food; not allow them to graze between meals and snack times; and let them grow up to have the bodies that are right for them.

as well, we try our best to eat 1) locally (and in turn seasonally) and 2) organic. i try to have at least one meatless meal a week (i'd like to get this to two.)

our CSA subscription (beets above) is a big part of my meal planning. along with that is a budget i try to stick to. and a goal of being as efficient as possible with the food we purchase (a whole chicken = three meals; eat what will spoil most quickly first; etc.) i work from home so most leftovers end up being my lunch. there are exceptions that i expect with some recipes. and plan for.

a look back at this past month:

Sunday: bratwurst w/ rice and collards (MSL)
Monday: roast chicken w/ roasted cauliflower, broccoli & potatoes
Tuesday: chicken handpies w/ salad (DaLS)
Wednesday: matzo ball soup
Thursday: teriyaki salmon w/ brown rice & baby bok choy
Friday: homemade pizza and chopped salad
Saturday: leftovers

Sunday: turkey meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes, spaghetti squash & kale
Monday: risotto w/ peas & bacon (DaLS)
Tuesday: crockpot beef stew
Wednesday italian sausage w/ kale (MSL)
Thursday: chicken chili (IG)
Friday: out (family event)
Saturday: out (family event)

Sunday: leftovers
Monday: ginger chicken soup with soy glazed vegetables (sunset)
Tuesday: spaghetti with turkey bolognese & spinach
Wednesday: bangers and mash w/ onion gravy and chard
Thursday: girls night out (restaurant)
Friday: homemade pizza w/ CSA salad
Saturday: 4 spice salmon w/ roasted potatoes & spinach

Sunday: shepherd's pie
Monday: breadcrumb & herb roasted cauliflower pasta
Tuesday: out (school fundraiser)
Wednesday: rosemary rubbed pork chops w/ polenta and beets
Thursday: red lentil soup
Friday: crockpot pot roast
Saturday: leftovers

i write the plan for each week right onto our calendar (yes - i still keep a paper calendar!) and prepare the shopping list based on that. i have found that the planning helps so much with the budget. no last minute trips to the store that result in picking up a few extras we didn't really need.

i do find it takes work to mix it up. and while the girls like to see some favourites in heavy rotation, d likes it best when there is a lot of variety.

so, what's your favourite dinner recipe?

52 cookies :: week 47 :: walnut shortbread

Walnut Shortbread with Citrus & Flake Salt
from Sunset Magazine (February 2013)

2/3 c walnut pieces
1 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 orange
2 large egg yolks
2 c flour, sifted
1 tsp flake salt

Preheat oven to 350. Put nuts on a baking sheet and toast until light golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.

Beat butter, sugar, and zest in a bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks, stopping once to scrape bowl. Add flour and nuts and beat just until dough comes together and is blended.

Shape dough into a disk about 1/2 in. thick, wrap with plastic, and chill until firm, 30 to 45 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°.

Roll dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4 in. Cut into rounds or squares with a fluted 1 1/2-in. cutter and set 1 in. apart on 2 or 3 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Gather and reroll scraps, chilling dough if needed.

Bake 2 pans at a time until golden, swapping positions in oven halfway through, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Store in an airtight container. Makes 30 - 40 cookies

* * * * *

K: i think you know what my favorite part of the cookie was... if you didn't, shortbread! the walnuts made the perfect touch like cake with frosting. (see! they couldn't have done it without each other!)

E: Yummy! It is a really nice cookie. I wish you made more of them. You only made 15! They're good with milk. That's all...

D is away on business. Don't worry - i froze some of the dough and will bake it up for him on his return...

52 cookies :: week 44 :: brown sugar cookies

Brown Sugar Cookies
via Food52

3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c dark brown sugar, packed (I splurged and used Muscovado)
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Move oven racks to upper and middle third of oven, and preheat to 375 F. Line two cookie sheets with silpat. Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add egg, vegetable oil and vanilla, and mix until incorporated. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients just come together (dough will be a bit wet and crumbly). Portion dough into 18 balls (we're talking a little bigger than a golf ball) and place on cookie sheets about 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cookies are done when cookies are still light in color but darker around the edges. Remove from oven, cool in pan for 10 minutes before placing on rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

makes 18 cookies





* * * * *

E: i am very fond of these cookies. they are perfectly scrumptious!they are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. i will always love this type of cookie.

K: These cookies are nice and sugary with a touch of molasses. They're not too crunchy, they are not too soft, they are just right. I usually don't really like a lot of molasses inside my cookie but these ones are perfect.

D: Now that's a great cookie. Right from the chewy first bite, it's asking me to "guess my secret". Is it that crazy sugar from candy mountain? Is it molasses? Kinda smells that way... Definitely the wrong cookie to bake at the beginning of a three day weekend. I WILL EAT ALL OF THEM!

P.S. On behalf of USA. I apologize for not losing to team Canada in hockey. After you being so gracious to open your southern border to us "yanks". World Curling tournament is coming...time to seek revenge. (time to apply the sun screen too)

52 cookies :: week 43 :: gingerbread men (and ladies)

Gingerbread People
via Everday Food, December 2007

3 c all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 c unsulfured molasses
2 c confectioners' sugar
4 tsp powdered egg whites

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg and molasses. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; mix just until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw before baking).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. Working with one disk at a time, place dough on lightly floured parchment paper, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick, dusting lightly with flour as needed. Using paper, lift dough onto two baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

Remove paper and dough from baking sheets. Using a long offset spatula, loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, and brush off any excess flour. Transfer to baking sheets. (Gather scraps, briefly freeze, and re-roll.)

For softer cookies, bake 8 to 10 minutes; for crunchier cookies, bake 11 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, powdered egg whites, and 1/4 cup water (if needed, adjust consistency with confectioners' sugar). Transfer icing to a pastry bag with a small tip, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and snip a small hole in one corner. Decorate cookies as desired. (I like these frosting-free... but the girls and D had fun decorating a few too. Maybe more fun decorating than eating? Hmmm....)



Store in a single layer in airtight container.

* * * * *

K: A little too gingery. I don't know if it would be on my top 10 list.

E: Yep. Too gingery. Pretty good though. But I think they could be better.

D: Great cookie. Spicy cake and sweet frosting. That first bite of ginger got my tastebuds' attention. I double dipped the arms and legs in the frosting bowl cuz it was there. Just how I roll.

52 cookies :: week 42 :: spiced palmiers

i was thinking recently about the evolution of my magazine reading. my obsession with "bop" through fashion magazines, decorating magazines, parenting magazines, gardening magazines, education magazines, to now.

i've greatly pared down. with only dwell and sunset (a gift) coming monthly. there are also those publications that, while magazines in definition, are a little bit more: 3191Q, kinfolk, wilder. (i have yet to go digital on any of this. i still can't get in to curling up with a cup of coffee and the ipad. i'm sure the time will come.)

i've added a bon appetit subscription starting this month. (from k's school fundraiser.) i don't know if it's adam rapoport. the gorgeous photography. just my cocooning spirit. or maybe a combination of all that. but i'm lapping it up.

this recipe is from the most recent issue:



Spiced Palmiers
via Bon Appetit
December 2012

1/2 c sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cardamom
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 14-oz package frozen puff pastry (Dufour's was recommended, but I used what I had on hand from TJ's), thawed
All-purpose flour (for dusting)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided

Prepare baking sheets with silpat. Mix sugar and spices in a small bowl. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 14x10 inch rectangle, rolling out if needed. (As TJ's pastry comes in two sheets, I went with 2 7x10 inch rectangles, and skipped the cutting in half of the next step.) Brush lightly with butter. Sprinkle 1/4 c spiced sugar over. Cut in half lengthwise.

Fold both long sides of 1 pastry strip so that outer edges meet in the center of strip. Brush with more butter; sprinkle with 2 tbsp spiced sugar. Fold in half lengthwise, forming a 14 inch-long log about 1" wide. Repeat with remaining pastry strip.

Place logs on prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. (Palmier dough can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight in freezer. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut each log crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Lay slices flat on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1" apart.

Bake palmiers until golden on bottom, about 8 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, turn palmiers over. Brush lightly with butter; sprinkle with more spiced sugar. Bake until sugar is bubbly and pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer palmiers to a wire rack; let cool.



* * * * *
K: These cookies remind me of cinnamon rolls.  They taste so sugary and good.  I don't really care what the shape is, I just care how much sugar's on it.  The End.

E: Mmmm. . . . Crispy & Crunchy!  Delicious puffy, cinnamon, sugary cookies! :)  :)  :p :p

D: Nice crunchy pastry. Great dunker with red wine or hot tea. Just in time for the holidays. :P

52 cookies :: week 41 :: coconut thumbprint cookies with salted caramel

I love this time of year. And all the baking memories that come with it. Now, with Thanksgiving in our pocket, I am in full-on holiday mode. We have parties to attend and trips to take. I've purused blogs and magazine articles, drooling over holiday cookie baking lists. With less than a month until Christmas and only 10 weeks left in our challenge I'm a little obsessed with baking. I've even got a pinboard for the 52 cookies - as well as one with a dedicated ho-ho-holiday theme.

This cookie felt like the season to me. And in our favor, the temps have dipped and the rain clouds arrived. A perfect day for a coconut covered shortbread with a taste of salted caramel and a cup of tea.



Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel
MSL February 2012

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
12 oz sweetened flaked coconut
44 small soft caramel candies (12 ounces)
6 tblsp heavy cream
large, flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat to combine. Press dough together in plastic wrap, then roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip each ball in beaten egg, and roll in coconut. Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, and press an indentation into each with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove sheets from oven, and re-press indentations (I used a metal 1/4 tsp for this round). Bake cookies until golden, 9 to 10 minutes more. Let cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Spoon into indentations in cookies, and sprinkle with sea salt*. Rewarm caramel if it hardens before all cookies are filled.

*I salted half - and left half unsalted for the salt sensitive amongst us.



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K: These cookies are so good. The caramel is so tasty in the coconutty cup. I don't really like it with salt - I like it plain. But some other people like it with salt.

E: I ::heart:: the caramel. These cookies are good for the holidays. They aren't really an every day cookie. Delicious.

D: These gooey little buddies got gobbled up in one minute at my work holiday potluck. They were like "shafts of golden light" that we fellow hunchbacks devoured as we sat on the palace floor. Dirty hands and clean minds,.. Er... Clean hands and dirty minds, softly gripped the fragile coconut pastry and then tore into its warm center with their sharpened beaks. Only crumbs and satisfaction were left to contemplate their existence on the cold grey travertine.