My strategy is simple. Cook and bake as if it were the crispest fall day and the weather will follow suit. So far it hasn’t worked. It was almost 90 degrees when I was making this cornbread and chicken chili. This cornbread is super delicious and is due in large part to the perfectly crisp crust, which is achieved by heating the pan before pouring in the batter. That shock of hitting the butter slicked cast iron causes the batter to instantly create a barrier, which allows the bread itself to remain soft and crumbly while the crust continues to darken and crisp. Next up, I’m swapping a portion of…
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Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Bars
Every weekend I go through the same song and dance with myself.. an exhausting internal monologue (sometimes it’s aloud if I’m honest) that involves arguing over whether I should get a chocolate croissant from the patisserie or make something at home. I go through the the cost/benefit analysis, the nutrition/lack thereof analysis, the time/energy analysis… comprehensive analyses are kinda my thang. Depending on the weekend, it could go either way. Though more times than not, I end up tinkering on something at home. Today, I tinkered. Oh yes, I tinkered. My goal is always, yummy and decadent with ingredients that I feel good about. The magic of nut butters in…
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Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are amazing AF. I can’t stop eating them. Drop everything and make these now. Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes about 16 cookies Ingredients: 1 cup almond meal (walnut would also be nice) 1 cup tahini 1/3 cup honey 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips Flaked sea salt Method: Mix almond meal, tahini and honey together in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let dough rest and ingredients meld. This step is important to the process, so do not omit. Right before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take dough…
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Chocolate Squash Muffins
When I’ve had a tough week and need to unwind, or even when my week was fine, but I need some self-care time (as we millennials call it)–more times than not, I turn to muffins. (That was a completely organic and unintentional, rhyming poem and I refuse to change it.) Muffins are so easy, you almost have to TRY to not have a muffin turn out. As a result, they are the perfect vehicle for kitchen creativity. I’ve been toying more with veggies and beans in my muffins, so expect more of this ilk to come. I’m all about feeling healthy while relying on a muffin for emotional support. Enjoy.…
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Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
Alright sooo…. these cookies are not healthy, or made from fruit, or modified to be whole-grain … but what they are … is damn good. This recipe took the internet by storm a few months ago. It was then that I made my first attempt–improvising with my usual whole-wheat, date sugar variation…. but they were a fail. A hard fail. I so badly wanted to experience those undulating ripples that I decided to try again. But this time, I followed the Vanilla Bean blog’s recipe down to the absolute T–to the gram really. If you don’t use a scale to weigh ingredients when baking, I would highly recommend it. In…
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Strawbanana Muffs
I am a modern career woman who spends late nights at work and too much $$ on takeout and wine. I also bake like a 1950’s housewife and bring something homemade to most occasions I’m invited to. Confusing I know. These strawberry-banana muffs were a last minute contribution to a laid-back summer Sunday deck hangout. I had a bunch of brown bananas (duh) but knew chocolate would melt. The strawberries in my fridge were begging for their moment to shine. I gave them their moment. Tender and juicy from the fruit, with a crisp crust from the coconut oil. These were delicious and a big hit. Strawbanana Muffs Yield: 12 muffins…
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Strawberry-Basil Jam
Some people have Christmas, others favor Halloween, then there’s those that await First Contact Day … myself? I’m partial to the first day of strawberry season. And it’s here! Like tomatoes, there is nothing quite like a summer strawberry. Choosing local also makes a big difference. I picked up mine from Eckert’s Farm and was surprised by how different they are from regular grocery store strawberries. I found them to be smaller, juicier, and more flavorful. I would describe these particular strawberries as sweet, floral, and fragrant. Now, the responsible thing to do would be to can my jam and store for colder months, when hibernation and SAD kicks in and…
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Chocolate Date Cake
Food blogging used to occupy a good deal of my thoughts … and take up a lot of my time and energy as well. And I loved it. But between law school and a new job (which is really more like a lifestyle if we’re honest), I was forced to take a hiatus. Now things are under control. Just kidding. They’re absolutely not. But I missed sharing my food. So. This is my first post on my new blog. I chose this recipe as the first because it is representative of my style of food and attitude towards eating. Food should be simple, beautiful, wholesome, and enjoyed. It should also…
