A New Resource

For as long as I have been baking, my cookies have been coming out flat and crunchy, and not at all like the moist, chewy goodnesses you get at the open air markets or the coffee shop. Then I found this.

And I made the Alexis' Brown Sugar Cookies, halving the vanilla extract and replacing it with almond extract. And they are HEAVENLY, and there is only one left now, so I might be making more chocolate chip cookies tomorrow...

The Leftover Pasta of Summer

It's all in the presentation
Originally uploaded by gaffentine

I made dinner from leftovers last night. (And ate THOSE leftovers for lunch today!)

I had some extra steamed asparagus, a few cherry tomatoes going soft, fresh baby carrots (REAL baby carrots: just the tiny ones, fresh out of the ground, not the ones you get in a bag that have been miniaturized with an awl, or something...) fresh radishes, a bit of leftover radicchio and some other greens.

I heated some water for pasta, while I grabbed the rest of a bag of TJoe's frozen shrimp out of the freezer (a weakness of Matt's), and put it in a bowl of cool water. Added some butter and about a half cup of white wine to the shrimp in a pan, and let it simmer for a few minutes, while angelhair pasta boiled away in the pot of water. Drained the pasta, transferred it to another pan and added a pat of butter, the asparagus (cut up) and the tomatoes (halved). Stirred it around a bit, just until the asparagus and tomatoes were no longer cold, and then plated it up with the shrimp over all.

Sliced a few carrots and radishes, sprinkled them over the radicchio and greens, and called it dinner!

Pie-Brain

So, I've been eating these delicious peaches I got at the Farmer's Market on Monday (note to self, ask Matt about his client with the peach trees, ie, HOW'RE THOSE PEACHES COMIN' ALONG??), and since I still have pie-in-my-mind, I think I'm going to go to the one after Mass tomorrow morning and get a bunch more, and make a PEACH PIE. And then probably eat the whole thing myself.

Here's hoping it's not too hot tomorrow, since I'd also like to make banana muffins again. Not for us, for some people hosting a dinner party tomorrow night. If there's one "hostess gift" that's been a consistent hit, it's providing "breakfast for tomorrow" for the hosts of what will probably be a very late night.

Breakfast Prep

Breakfast Prep
Originally uploaded by gaffentine

You may find the recipe - and the philosophy behind this method - over here.

This pie was a huge hit, both with our camping buddies, and with our fishing guides, on our recent camping trip. I do recommend a pie for breakfast when you're camping. Nothing better than a slice of pie and a hot cup of coffee (or hot chocolate) on a cool morning.

Preparing for Camping

So we're off tomorrow into the wilds of North-Eastern California (according to Maps.google, it's almost exactly halfway between here and Death Valley, a coincidence that is not at all lost on me.)

I've been in the kitchen all afternoon, preparing some home-baked supplies for the next three days. This trip is a fishing/camping trip for ourselves and another couple. Matt has been talking about fishing in the early morning, and the early evening, with time during the day for naps and hikes. I plan to get up to start breakfast after he leaves, which means they'll be going off with nothing in their bellies, unless they want to fortify themselves with:

Teresa F.'s Grab-n-Go Breakfast Cookies.

1/2 c. softened butter or margarine
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 14 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well*
3 c. quick-cook rolled oats
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. raisins, or dried blueberries, or cranberries**
1 c. walnuts, or pecans, or almonds, chopped***

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Beat butter and sugars with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and beat to combine. Add pineapple to mixture, and beat to combine.

In large bowl whisk together flour, oats, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture, and beat just enough to combine. Mix in dried fruit and nuts by hand.

Drop 1/3 c. of dough on cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. With a damp hand press cookies to 1/2" thickness. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. These freeze well.







*I don't like pineapple, and I can't have it anyway (triggers contractions, or something), so I substituted some canned peaches that I ran through the blender real quick.

**I, for whatever reason, was out of raisins, so I chopped up some dried apricots, threw in a handful of dried cranberries, and topped it off with some dried coconut.

***Half cup of chopped pecans, half cup chocolate chips. I couldn't help it...

On the Prowl

Today, I am hunting for pie recipes. So far, an apple pie looks promising, along with a no bake berry pie...

Mother's Day Lunch

Mother's Day Lunch
Originally uploaded by gaffentine

Herb Salad with Goat Cheese; Strawberries on Kiwi Slices (Mama T's donation!); Caprese Salad; Cheese-and-Baguette; and (Matt's Favorite) ROUND TABLE TAKEOUT! :)