Brown Butter Apple Shortbread

I'm starting to think everything is better with browned butter.  When I brown butter (I say that as though it happens every day) my husband always walks into the kitchen saying "it smells good!".  It's butter browning and it's an amazing smell.  There should be candles that smell like browned butter.  I made this apple shortbread as an adaptation of Smitten Kitchen's peach shortbread and upon the recommendation of a friend.  I wanted to bring an apple dessert to my friend's BBQ and something that didn't require a pie server or forks.  This was the perfect answer.  Apples and browned butter is like fall in a pan.       

Apple Shortbread, adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) browned butter*
1 large egg
2 apples, I used granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced thin

* Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat until it turns a golden brown with brown specs. Transfer to small bowl and set it in the freezer until solid (about 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13 inch pan, or spray it with a nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices with a whisk. Use a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips, blend the solidified brown butter and egg into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly. Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. Lay apple slices over crumb base, overlapping slightly. Scatter remaining crumbs evenly on top and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool and cut into squares.

Birthday Love

Is when your Dad grinds fresh wheat berries to make his own flour and bake you bread.  You'll need a Vitamix for this one if you want to make it from scratch.  It is the most heavenly bread I've ever had, most likely because it was made with love.  It has a smooth taste of orange with bites of blueberries and a really luscious texture to it. I can't seem to get enough of it; I've been enjoying it for breakfast, and as an afternoon snack before hitting the gym.    

Blueberry Orange Bread, courtesy Vitamix

Use 3/4 cup of wheat berries in place of whole wheat flour. Grind berries into flour using a Vitamix Dry Blade container for I minute on high prior to using in recipe 

preparation: 5 minutes processing; 30 second. bake time: 60-70 minutes, yield: I loaf (16 slices)

1 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

2 T butter

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 orange, peeled, halved

1/4 inch orange peel

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Preheat oven to 350, spray an 8 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in loaf pan with cooking spray.  Combine first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place butter, water, sugar, egg, orange and orange peel into the Vitamix in the order listed and secure lid.  Select Variable 1.  Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Blend for 30 seconds. Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix gently to combine.  Fold in blueberries. Pour into loaf pan.  Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Salmon Curry

A simple fish curry is incredibly easy to make.  If you have the staples that most any Indian dish calls for as well as a can of rich coconut milk, you can create an aromatic broth and add whatever kind of meat or seafood you like.  Salmon has a stronger taste than other fish and I felt it competed a bit too much with the curry itself, but my husband loved it and its complex flavors.  Tilapia or any white fish would also work well.  I adapted this recipe from a new cookbook I picked up, the Curry Bible.  


4 salmon fillets
salt, to taste
1 T lemon juice
3 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t garlic paste
2 t ginger paste
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t chili powder
2 T tomato puree (or a small spoon of tomato paste or a chopped tomato)
1 cup coconut milk
1 green chili, chopped
2 T white wine vinegar
2 T chopped fresh cilantro


Cut each piece of salmon in half and sprinkle with salt.  Rub with lemon juice.  Let sit in fridge for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Sautee onion for several minutes.  Add ginger and garlic paste and stir for a minute.  Add spices and let cook for a minute.  Add tomato and let cook for one minute.  Pour in coconut milk, add chili and vinegar and some salt.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  You may want to thin out the coconut milk if you want it less thick.  Add in fish and let cook gently for 5 minutes.  Add fresh cilantro.  Serve over rice, with quinoa, cous cous or naan.  

Chocolate Frosting

I adapted this frosting from the recipe on Sprinkle's cupcake mix (sold at Williams and Sonoma).  I was actually pretty disappointed in the cake part (it was dry) but I could have eaten a bucket of this frosting.  I still have a lot of extra frosting in the fridge and I'm wondering if I should bake up a small yellow cake so I can enjoy it.  Or is it OK to just eat it with a spoon?  I can pretend that it's ice cream.  This frosting should be enough for at least 16 cupcakes and perhaps even two dozen depending on how much frosting you like to slather on.

2 1/2 c confectioner's sugar (2 cups if you want it less sweet)

1/2 c cream cheese (room temperature)

1 1/2 sticks butter (room temperature)

1 t vanilla extract

4 oz dark (or semi sweet) chocolate

In a glass bowl, melt chocolate and 1/2 stick butter in the microwave, about 20 seconds.  Stir until smooth.  In a stand mixer beat 1 stick butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and continue to beat, on medium low.  Add vanilla, then pour in melted chocolate and beat for 2 more minutes, medium.   

Cucumber Lime Margarita

The new jello shot.  Cucumber lime margarita.  When I stumbled upon this site I could hardly wait for the next opportunity to serve a cocktail this creative way.  My husband and I were hosting our monthly wine club so I tried this out on the crowd as they entered and I think it was a hit.  I actually think less tequila would work well, and it would be less like a shot and more like a proper cocktail.  Mix this up the evening before and let it set in the fridge.  Cut it up into squares and present it how you wish. 


Cucumber lime margarita (adapted from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen)


1 small cucumber (I used persian) plus one half for garnish (if desired)
1 12 oz can frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)
1 T agave nectar (optional)
2 packets Knox gelatin
3/4 c water
3/4 c agave tequila (1/2 c would also work well)
1/4 c Cointreau


In a small saucepan stir Knox gelatin in water and limeade.  Turn heat on to low and stir until dissolved, about 4 minutes.  Stir in agave nectar (or honey).  Remove from heat.  Chop up cucumber and throw into a cocktail shaker.  Muddle with tequila.  Strain and add into sauce pan.  Stir in Cointreau.  Pour into square 8x8 dish and let set in fridge overnight.  Cut into about 16 squares and garnish with cucumber slice, lime zest and sprinkle of sugar if desired.      

   

Pasta alla Vodka

My husband has been infusing vodkas and after a few weeks his chili infused vodka became pretty potent.  Even he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.....bloody mary's, perhaps?  When I came across this pasta dish on Pioneer Woman I knew it'd be a great way to use some of that vodka up.  I've never made penne alla vodka but always wanted to try it.  I was thrilled when I even stumbled upon this unique handmade pasta at Whole Foods.

Though not a light pasta dish by any means, it's a very simple dish that comes together fast.  It has a great zing to it.  Whatever that means.  The dish came out surprisingly not too spicy - perhaps most of the heat from the chilis dissipated, though I assumed it would get intensified after reducing.   It is creamy.  All kinds of creamy.  I followed Pioneer Woman's recipe quite precisely.  

1 pound pasta

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup Vodka

1 can (14 oz.) tomato puree

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (if not using chili infused vodka)

1 cup grate parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.  Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

The Roquette

This sweet and savory libation comes courtesy of my husband, who has been experimenting with different cocktails lately.  He was looking for a perfect drink (not too sweet, and not too alcohol-y) to go as a starter for the lamb we were grilling for dinner (that recipe to follow).  He found this recipe in the new issue of Bon Appetit, and just had to try it.  This variation on the gin gimlet adds some fresh arugula, agave nectar, lime juice and (of course) some gin.  Don't be put off by the arugula, he found the taste perfectly balanced!

It's pretty straightforward:  combine a handful of arugula, 3 tsp agave nectar, 3 tsp lime juice in a shaker and muddle.  Add ice and 1/4 cup of gin (he used Hendrick's, but any good gin will do), shake quickly and pour over ice.