Our friend Robin, of Robin Cain Photography, was ...]]> One of the great things about living in Colorado is the great access to farm-fresh produce during the summer.  From fresh corn to fragrant tomatoes, everything seems to be in season right now, so we decided to take advantage of the abundance of wonderful food at a summer “Farm to Table” dinner party last weekend.  The meal featured local, organic produce and flowers, and herbs and other goodies right out of the garden!

Our friend Robin, of Robin Cain Photography, was able to come and photograph the festivities.  She’s such a talented photographer–check out her blog or site if you’re looking for a Colorado wedding or portrait photographer!

It’s such a great feeling to work with farm-grown produce, especially when you know where it came from.  It doesn’t have to be fancy (as you’ll see here), but be inspired by the flavors of the season!

Above: Salami, figs, and a goat cheese spread.

Warmed goat cheese spread:
Simply combine equal parts cream cheese, marinated feta, and goat cheese; add whatever herbs you have on hand (I used chives and thyme; but rosemary would be a wonderful addition!) and bake in dishes at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Serve with crusty baguettes or crackers.

Our cat, Butters, had a great time with all those savory smells!

Above: These wonderful fingerlings came from a local farm and were seasoned with garlic and rosemary, roasted in olive oil.

Roasted Fingerlings:
Slice fingerlings thinly. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh diced garlic, and thyme, rosemary, or other favorite herbs.  Roast at 400 degrees, in a single layer on a  baking sheet for about 25 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy. Finish with a dusting of sea salt.

We finished off the meal with a delicious dessert of lemon curd cakes, drizzled with lemon syrup and dolloped with a creme fraiche whipped cream, poppy seeds, and a sprinkling of pistachios.  The best combination of salty, sweet, and tangy–and a perfect end to a summer meal!  Recipe via Food & Wine.

What recipes are you enjoying this summer?

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 3 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Cooking and Food, Entertaining, Real Parties

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I recently came across a brilliant solution to getting a perfectly crisp crust ...]]> Rhubarb is such a delicious treat made all the more special by its short season.  While growing up I didn’t really appreciate the sweet-tart flavor of rhubarb but these days I can’t get enough of it!  But rhubarb and pastry crust can be a tricky combo to bake with, all of those who have had a soggy mess when trying to bake with rhubarb pie raise their hands!

I recently came across a brilliant solution to getting a perfectly crisp crust with a lovely rhubarb filling and have to share this most simple addition to the rhubarb + pie crust baking process.  It is as easy as stirring the rhubarb with sugar, putting in the refrigerator for several hours to rest and then straining.  Yup, it is that simple.  And it ensures a nice flaky crust that isn’t bogged down by all of that juice that the rhubarb let go over while resting in the fridge.  You can then use that juice to boil down into a pretty little syrup to drizzle over the rhubarb in your tart or pie.

The rustic tart recipe I found this trick in is perfect for a farm to table dessert.  It is so simple that it allows the ingredients to shine, so pick out some super fresh rhubarb while it is still in season and enjoy!

Rustic Rhubarb Tarts
Adapted from Canning For a New Generation

Makes 4 generous individual tarts

• 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ slices
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 recipe of your favorite pie dough
• unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Put the sliced rhubarb in a larger bowl and add the granulated sugar.  Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the bowl and nestle the pods in the rhubarb. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Turn the rhubarb out into a colander set over a small saucepan and stir gently to drain as much of the liquid as possible.  Return the rhubarb to the bowl and add the lemon juice, flour and cinnamon (if using).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll them out on a floured work surface until 1/8″ thick.  If you prefer your edges a bit more polished, cut an 8″ round from each.  Divide the rhubarb mixture among the rounds, piling it high in the center.  For each tart, fold the edges of the dough up over the filling towards the center leaving about 2 inches circumference, pleating it and making sure any tears in the dough are pinched closed.

Dot the exposed filling with butter, brush the edges of the dough with milk, and sprinkle all over with the turbinado sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until well browned and bubbly.  While the tarts are baking, put the saucepan with the liquid from the rhubarb over high head and boil until the syrup is reduced by half (careful to not cook too long or it will harden!), set aside to cool.

When you remove the tarts from the oven, spoon some of the reduced syrup over the filling in each tart.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Optional: serve with a touch of plain Greek yogurt that has been sweetened with a bit of honey.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 1 comment · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Cooking and Food, Recipes

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Now that we’re married, despite all the caramel white chocolate pancakes, stuffed french toast, and ...]]> When Dr. Dave and I were first dating, one of the things we enjoyed doing together the most was cooking.  From shrimp scampi to chicken wraps, we experimented with new dishes as we got to know one another in the kitchen.  When we realized that we both had a passion for making (and eating!) sushi, we put our heads together and busted out our sushi mats.

Now that we’re married, despite all the caramel white chocolate pancakes, stuffed french toast, and croque montagnard, our favorite food is actually quite healthy.  Whenever we are looking for a celebratory meal for birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays, we usually turn to sushi.  However, as ex-grad students with loan debt, we can’t afford the high expense of sushi restaurants…luckily, over the years, we’ve refined our sushi-making abilities to near restaurant quality.  I thought I’d take today to show you all how easy it is to make sushi at home! Don’t be intimidated; it’s really much easier than it seems.  And much cheaper…the entire platter of sushi below cost less than $40.

{all photos from author’s personal collection}

The most important aspect of good sushi is, obviously, good fish. Make sure you purchase “sushi-grade” fish from your fishmonger.  We find Whole Foods carries good salmon, tuna, unagi (smoked eel), crab, and octopus.  However, a fishmonger would be another good option if you have one close by.  Keep it very cold until you’re ready to make your sushi.  You will also need:

-Nori (the seaweed wrap for sushi rolls, which you can find in the Asian section of your supermarket)
-Short-grain white sushi rice
-Fish of your choice (unagi, tuna, salmon, crab, octopus, etc.)
-Filler vegetables (green onions, avocado, cucumber, carrots, whatever you’d like!)
-Rice vinegar
-Cream cheese if desired, soy sauce, ginger, wasabi (optional)
-Sushi mats

Look at the color on that salmon! Just beautiful.  We find it helpful at the beginning of a sushi-making session to lay everything out on the counter, buffet-style, so we can grab from a variety of things when building a roll.  We’ve also experimented with a homemade eel sauce, a slightly-sweet vinegar sauce (see recipe below).  Line it all up, with room enough for your sushi mats, which you can purchase at most grocery stores or specialty food stores.

The unagi is a beautiful fish. If you’ve never had it, it is slightly sweet, a little smoky, and has a great tender texture. It’s wonderful with cream cheese. :) Pop it in a warm oven (170 degrees) for about 10 minutes before using to heat it up; then peel the thick fatty skin off before slicing and eating.

To prep your ingredients, slice the veggies into long thin strips.  We like to cut our fish into thicker sections for a higher ratio of fish in a roll, but you can slice yours as thick or thin as you’d like.  If you like sashimi, reserve some wider slices for this.

While cutting and prepping your ingredients, start cooking your rice.  You will need short-grain white sushi rice.  Rinse the rise several times through a mesh strainer until the water runs clear: this is how the rice becomes sticky after cooked.  See Dr. Dave’s perfect sushi rice recipe below.

Once the rice is done, put it into a chilled bowl and fan while stirring, to cool it.  Add rice vinegar to taste, and continue to stir and fan until cool enough to handle.  We also like to add some sesame seeds to the rice for a delicious, nutty flavor.

Next, take a piece of nori out of the package and lay down on your sushi mat (shiny side down).  Using a flat, wide wooden spoon, spread a thin layer of rice onto the nori, leaving about an inch of nori uncovered by rice at the top (you’ll need this section to seal the roll).

Once your rice is spread, place your roll ingredients in a line near the bottom of the nori. This roll (my favorite!) is filled with unagi, cream cheese, avocado, and eel sauce.

Start rolling away from you, from the bottom of the nori, using the sushi mat to squeeze the roll firmly as you go.

When you’re done rolling, give one final squeeze and remove the mat. You’ll be left with a neat tidy little roll!  Now dip your finger in the water/rice vinegar mix and run it along the inch of nori you left uncovered. Press it against the roll to seal it closed; slice with a very sharp knife dipped in the water/rice vinegar mixture to keep the rice from sticking to the knife.

Making sushi is a fun way to spend some time together in the kitchen, trying something new, and ending with something delicious!  Don’t worry if your first rolls don’t turn out looking as well as planned: they will still taste delicious!

RECIPES:

Homemade Eel Sauce: Combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and 1/4 cup white sugar in a saucepan.  Simmer over low heat until thickened.  Drizzle over rolls or use as a dip. Store leftover sauce in fridge for up to a month.

Dr. Dave’s Perfect Sushi Rice: Place rinsed rice into heavy-bottomed pot.  Fill with water until a finger inserted into the pot just touches the rice and the water comes to the base of your fingernail (sounds strange, I know, but it just works!).  Bring to a full boil, uncovered, until the level of the water reaches the level of the rice, then reduce the heat as low as possible. Cover and cook until no water remains (keep a close eye on it).  Or, use a rice cooker. ;)

Roll combination ideas:
-salmon, avocado, and cream cheese
-tuna, cucumber, and green onion
-crab meat, carrot, cucumber, avocado
-anything that tickles your fancy

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 6 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Cooking and Food, Recipes

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{image via Honeysuckle Life}

Mango Bread Recipe adapted from Banana Bread Cockaigne from Joy of Cooking

Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

A delicious open-faced sandwich fancy enough to serve for dinner guests.

All things that, until last week, I thought were figments of my wishful-thinking based imagination…and then. I discovered Croque Montagnarde.

“What are you serving for dinner tonight, Briana?” “Croque Montagnarde.” ::insert stunned silence here::.

That’s how I picture that conversation going.  To sum up this “sandwich,” found in Martha ...]]> Unicorns. Easter Bunnies.  Instant hangover cures.  Stilletos that I can wear all night (and all day).  A camera that doesn’t make me look 10 pounds heavier.

A delicious open-faced sandwich fancy enough to serve for dinner guests.

All things that, until last week, I thought were figments of my wishful-thinking based imagination…and then. I discovered Croque Montagnarde.

“What are you serving for dinner tonight, Briana?”
“Croque Montagnarde.”
::insert stunned silence here::.

That’s how I picture that conversation going.  To sum up this “sandwich,” found in Martha Stewart’s feature on San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery… it is an ooey gooey combination of all things wonderful.

Toasted ham, creamy stinky gruyere, perfectly textured potato, some sassy sourdough, and a mild bechamel to pull everything together.  It is a thing of beauty. I highly recommend you make it immediately.

Croque Montagnarde
from Tartine Bakery & Cafe, as featured in Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

For the bechamel:

• 2 T unsalted butter
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1.25 C whole milk, warmed
• course salt and freshly ground pepper

For the croque montagnarde:

• 12 small fingerling potatoes (or 4-5 ounces other small, waxy potatoes), cooked until tender and smashed
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices thick, day-old Tartine Country Bread or other good quality sourdough
• 4 thick slices smoked ham (get the good stuff. Or prosciutto would be a nice twist.)
• 8 slices Gruyere cheese ( 4 oz.)

Directions:

1. Make the bechamel: melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour, and whisk until mixture bubbles slightly, but has not started to brown, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in milk.  Bring to a boil to thicken. Season with salt and pepper as desired (but don’t over-salt, remember the ham is a bit salty). Remove from heat.  Can make 3 days ahead: press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; reheat before using.
2. Make the croque montagnarde: Preheat oven to 425.  Toss potatoes with oil. Spread 1/4 cup bechamel onto each slice of bread, top with 1 slice of ham, some potatoes (don’t be shy), and 2 slices of cheese. Bake on a baking sheet until cheese is golden and bubbling, about 12-14 minutes (start checking often after 8 minutes, and rotate sheet as needed for even browning).

Please, please, please try this. Please.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · Comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Cooking and Food, Recipes

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Each region of the South has their own variations on cuisine.  As an Appalachian, I ate a lot of beans, greens and cornbread growing up.  And I still do- I probably make a big pot of greens, a pot of pinto beans and a pan of cornbread once every couple of weeks, especially during the winter.  I love this meal.

Not as much as my maternal grandfather though.  He ate lots of beans, greens and cornbread.  Papa Bruce was a doctor, ...]]>

Each region of the South has their own variations on cuisine.  As an Appalachian, I ate a lot of beans, greens and cornbread growing up.  And I still do- I probably make a big pot of greens, a pot of pinto beans and a pan of cornbread once every couple of weeks, especially during the winter.  I love this meal.

Not as much as my maternal grandfather though.  He ate lots of beans, greens and cornbread.  Papa Bruce was a doctor, and believed that a big bowl of greens would cure whatever ailed you.  So when chilled by blustery March winds, try some beans and greens to warm your soul, and according to my Papa Bruce, cure your allergies!

For the greens-

• Put a couple cups of chicken broth in a big pot, and bring to a boil with a couple tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add your greens.  I prefer collards, but it’s really a matter of personal preference.  Now you no longer have to go through the rigmarole of washing all the sand off the greens.  You can just buy a bag of greens in the salad section.  Maybe not as farm to table, but it sure is convenient.
• Add about a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of baking soda to the greens.  The baking soda makes them sooo tender.
• Now, I was going to be good, and make heart healthy greens with no meat.  But I had this hunk of country ham just staring at me, dying to make good pot likker with these greens.  I acceded to the ham’s wishes, chopped it up, and added it to the pot.

• So for the beans, get a hunk of country ham.  I’m lucky to have Benton’s right down the road, so I used that.
• After rinsing them off, soak a bag of pinto beans in cold water overnight.
• Drain the water, cover again in cold water, and toss your country ham on top (about a quarter of a pound or so).  Cook.  Cook. Cook.
  Seriously, bring the beans to a strong simmer and cook for an hour or so.
• Meanwhile, throw a big can of whole maters in a bowl and break them up with your fingers.  It’s a mushy job.
• Next, chop an onion.  I like a rough chop since my eyes were watering so bad I could not see for ten minutes, because it’s a rustic dish.
• Sauté the onion and a couple clove of garlic in some olive oil until they are soft.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for about fifteen minutes.
• Then add the tomato mixture to your beans.
• Cook for a couple hours til the beans are tender.  Add more water if necessary, as the beans should be pretty soupy to dip your cornbread into.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 3 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Cooking and Food, Recipes

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Please allow me to introduce you to my new best friend, Cookies & Cream Cupcakes. In case you need any convincing about how amazing these cupcakes are (which you probably don’t), they received numerous compliments along the lines of “this is the best dessert I’ve ever eaten.” These were actually just an afterthought for me since I had so many oreos left over after stuffing chocolate chip cookies with them. Turns out they’re more of a revelation than an afterthought.

It’s hard to ...]]>

Please allow me to introduce you to my new best friend, Cookies & Cream Cupcakes. In case you need any convincing about how amazing these cupcakes are (which you probably don’t), they received numerous compliments along the lines of “this is the best dessert I’ve ever eaten.” These were actually just an afterthought for me since I had so many oreos left over after stuffing chocolate chip cookies with them. Turns out they’re more of a revelation than an afterthought.

It’s hard to tell from the photo, but the cupcake batter is filled with oreo chunks and baked on top of half an oreo (quite similar in style to these Mini Oreo Cheesecakes, actually). The frosting is a hybrid cream cheese/buttercream, and is the perfect light compliment to the massive quantity of oreos that these cupcakes deliver into your mouth. Although I’m a sucker for anything oreo-related anyways, I can say objectively that these will melt your heart. At the very least, they’re a front runner for best cupcakes I’ve ever made.

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes
Adapted for Playing House from Annie’s Eats, originally from Beantown Baker
Makes 24 cupcakes
Printable Recipe

For the cupcakes:

• 24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

For the frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream

For the garnish

• Oreo cookie crumbs
• 24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo half in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.
4. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
5. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
7. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 1 comment · StumbleUpon It!
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There is really nothing to it for whipping up some doggy ...]]> Dogs get the rough end of the deal when living in a home where baking occurs.  They can smell it but not enjoy it.  Well, maybe they get a little bite if you are open to sneaking in human food here and there.  My dogs are at my heels when I am baking.  So I thought it was time to try baking some dedicated furbaby treats for my cookie monsters.

There is really nothing to it for whipping up some doggy diet approved treats; a little of this, a little of that, roll it out and bake.  But wow do the pups feel like champions when they get an entire cookie straight from a cooling rack! Or the jar, in the case of my spirited beagle mix…

You do want to take care to use aluminum free baking soda and avoid things like chocolate. And if your dog has any food allergies to avoid those ingredients.  My dogs love peanut butter so I decided to do a peanut butter and oatmeal based cookie for this first time.  You could easily mix it up and melt carob chips to drizzle on top of half of them… or maybe it is just my dogs that are that picky to get bored of a single type of treat?

Now I am thinking about all kinds of homemade dog treat ideas.  My dogs love these treats that are really just dehydrated sweet potatoes, how easy would that be to make with a food dehydrator!  We have been cutting processed foods out of our own diets and when you think about it those dog treats where the majority of ingredients are unpronounceable are likely not very good for them.

Peanut Butter Puppers
adapted from The Fun Times Guide

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup non-fat milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter ( I like Skippy Natural)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups oat flour (use your food processor or blender  to turn oatmeal into a coarse flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (Rumford is aluminum free or make it up yourself)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the peanut butter, egg, and milk together with a whisk (or in a mixer), then add flour and baking powder to make a stiff dough.  You’ll want the dough fairly stiff; adjust quantity of flour if needed.  You may have to use your hands to work in the last of the flour.
3. Roll out or press with your hands on well-floured surface (I use left over oat flour) to about ¼-inch thick.  Cut with a cookie cutter (for little dogs or for small treats use mini cookie cutters) or into squares with a knife and place on cookie sheet.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, then turn and bake another 10-15 minutes or until done.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container or zip top bag.  You can also freeze them.

Enjoy!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs, 2011 · Permalink · 1 comment · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: Pets, Recipes

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