Sabra Knockoff Hummus

This is the one I've been waiting for!  Here it is.  Super-creamy, awesome-tasting, stick-my-face-in-it hummus.  Super easy, especially if you already have a batch of frozen chickpeas :)

Notes: You could even use less than 2 cups chickpeas, it was even creamier with maybe 1/2 cup left to go, but then it's basically tahini and you're getting less beans.  Food processor is fine.  The key is to just process this to oblivion.  Just be patient, it will smooth out and be beautiful.

hummusoneverything

Cardamom Coffee Cake

This is THE BEST coffee cake, especially on the first day it's baked.  Moist and rich, the cardamom adds a really lovely undertone that you probably wouldn't notice unless you knew it was there.  This is my go-to.

Notes: Have made this several times in the absence of a bundt pan; a 9x9 brownie pan works fine if you halve the recipe.  Do the filling in one layer, so two layers of batter, much easier on this scale.  Buttermilk was milk+lemon juice.  Yumtown.

TO FIND: Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen, p.

Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies

These were not as classic and fudgy as I had hoped.  The brownie underneath was just kind of dry.  This might be because I forgot to add half the flour until after I had separated into pans, so they did get mixed a bunch, but I don't really think that was the problem.  Look for another version, cause I love me some cheesecake brownies!

sadbrownie:(

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

In a word, disappointing.  I love me some rhubarb pie and this just kind of mucked it up for me.  These flavors are meant to shine on their own!  Let them shine, pie!

Notes: Used CI crust, which I love, and 3 disposable pie tins used up a double recipe of both.  Oh and hell to the no on the lattice top.  I ain't got time for that bullshit.

sadpie.

White Lasagna with Asparagus and Mushrooms (and peas)

This was... not great.  It was edible and I ate it, but I wasn't excited about it.  Not what I pictured: a gooey, cheesy, soft and delicious lasagna with some nummy crunchy fresh veggies inside.  Kind of dry, and kind of boring-tasting.

Notes: I fudged on the veggie quantities a bit; less mushrooms, added a good layer of fresh peas.  The bechamel was really thick and difficult to spread, and that made it hard to cover everything, contributing to dryness.  Other than that, this was my first lasagna, and it was just kind of fussy.  I think I'd prefer to just make pasta, alfredo sauce, and throw in the fresh veg with some parm.  That's just more my style.

sadface.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

LOVE. this.  So fresh, crunchy, and bright!  Num num!

Notes: Used (untoasted) walnuts instead of pine nuts, liked it a lot, either works.  These proportions are just right.  A y-peeler would be best since with a normal one a lot of the asparagus ends up not getting shaved; but you can always just dip them in dressing and eat them!  Not a tragedy.

exciting!  salad!

No-Knead Focaccia

First successful no-knead bread!  This is extremely easy.  Came out tasting good, but the crust was kind of tough; not sure if it was overcooked, if it was because I brushed a lot of oil on it, or something else.  But pleasing for sandwiches and as a delivery vehicle for hummus!

Notes: Dough is extremely wet and sticky when spreading it into the baking pan, but if you flour the outside/top/your hands it's much easier.  Use less oil.  And I made my own Italian seasoning with some minced garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and red pepper flakes.  Pretty good but since I don't really eat a lot of Italian, I'd try some more Mediterranean spices next time (cumin, etc).  Dimples didn't really stick but who cares?  Eat bread, you'll forget all about it!

bread!

Pamplemousse Punitions

Sugar cookies with grapefruit zest in them.  Never made it to the oven, mostly because I am sort of unenthused about grapefruit.  But the dough made a good snack, with a little tingliness from the zest.

punishment?  i think not.

Rhubarb Cardamom Lime Muffins

YES.  EAT THE SHIT OUT OF THESE MUFFINS.  THAT IS ALL.

Notes: don't skip the crumb topping even though it seems fussy, although I used less than a third of it I'd say and it was plenty.  Cut the rhubarb into relatively small pieces, smaller than pie, it's nice to have them throughout the muffin and they're pretty mushy.  Batter is thick until rhubarb is added so let it macerate and get juicy for a while.  These puff up nice and round.  And are BEAUTIFUL.  And DELICIOUS.  EAT THEM ARRRRRR preferably while nice and warm.  Only unusual ingredient is lime (zest).

ARRRRRRRRmuffin

Best Cocoa Brownies

Yup I'd say yes.  I pretty much never met a brownie I didn't like but this is a mighty fine one!  And with just cocoa, too.  Will wonders never cease.

Notes: No walnuts please and thank you.  This is a weird recipe consistency-wise.  It's grainy when it comes off the double boiler, which is fine, don't wait for the sugar to dissolve--it smooths out with eggs and flour.  Beat it good.  And spread it in the shape it's going to end up in.  Underbake for awesomeness, and store in the fridge.  Or eat the whole pan in less than a day, like I did.  (Don't be like me--maybe?)

never met one i didn't like

Pink Lady Cake

Making and eating this cake was a good lesson about simplicity--as in, stick with it.  This was good, but ultimately I think too much was going on, and I'd rather have eaten a plainer cake.  Filled with lemon curd and frosted with 2/3 of the cream cheese frosting, this was just kind of heavy for my taste.  Puts me in the mood to make that beautiful lemon cake I've been looking at for a while now.

Notes: Part of the problem definitely could have been that I didn't have enough strawberries, so I used a cup of puree and 1/2 cup water--so the cake ended up being a little wet and dense.  The flavor was good, but it was kind of overwhelmed by the heavy cream cheese frosting and the lemon curd filling.  Might be better on its own, actually.

then again i never turn down cake

Pecan Sandies

Apparently Pecan Sandies are a thing?  I don't know.  I just wanted some kind of crumbly cookies with pecans in them, and these didn't really satisfy that requirement--not crumbly, more hard-tack-y.  Not appealing, I know.  Notwithstanding, I ate four of them today and I'm probably gonna have some more in a bit.  They fill you up.  You know what?  Don't make these again.  I'm looking at what I wrote and obviously I'm trying really hard to sound nice about them, but the truth is there are many better ways to eat a bunch of calories.  Next time, make a pie.

sadcookie

Marcella Hazan's Famous Tomato Sauce

This is the simplest marinara there could possibly be, which means it's just begging to be played with.  For the first time round, I stuck to the recipe except I added a clove of garlic.  Left the soft beautiful onion in there, nom nom.  It didn't blow me away but was a perfectly good pasta sauce, perhaps because I'm just using Costco tomatoes (and they're diced?).  Satisfying and tomatoey, and not complicated--what could be bad about that?

saucy

Roasted Strawberry Refrigerator Jam

Made this with the glut of strawberries I have.  A fine way to use them up!  Did this with balsamic and I have to say, I've been eating this nonstop with some lovely soft cheese and bread, feeling very French.  The vinegar definitely adds an interesting savory touch, it's more complex than normal strawberry jam, which I like.  Yes, it's a lot of jam to use up in a week, but it's almost a week and a half now and it seems fine to me?  If it comes down to it, I'm not above eating with a spoon.

jammin

Leek and Swiss Chard Tart (Quiche)

Made this for Karmia dinner, came out lovely, just like any quiche worked out just fine.  Good flavors together--and I hardly missed the cheese :)

Can't quite get the hang of all-butter pastry dough.  Frustrating.

a tart for a... lovely person!