Prosciutto and Cheddar Pretzel Bites with Jalapeno Mustard

This was my other contribution to the slumber party. I figured we would be in the mood for something snacky and indeed we were. Chips are fine, but here is a way to kind of class up your snack table. After my successful pass at pretzels a few months ago, I was interested in making more. The only thing is that pretzels are kind of a time consuming process. Much of that period is downtime so you can do other things like make donuts, but I think these are even more of a treat because of the work that goes in to them. That said, the work is totally worth it because these are delicious. They definitely curb a salty snack craving, but there is a hint of sweetness in the pretzel itself and more than a hint in the honey mustard dressing.

Prosciutto and Cheddar Pretzel Bites with Jalapeno Mustard
(Adapted from Gourmet, October 2009)

*Note, I used a smoked prosciutto because the original recipe called for country ham which I did not have, but smoked prosciutto is similar in flavor.

Makes about 36 bites

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees)
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped prosciutto
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar
6 cups water
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded fresh jalapenos
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pretzel salt or coarse salt for sprinkling

In a large bowl, stir together the yeast, 1 teaspoon brown syagr, and warm water. Let it stand for 5-8 minutes until foamy. If the mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.  In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the warm milk until dissolved.

Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until soft dough forms. Add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it to form a smooth ball. Transfer the dough ball to a clean bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hanfs with flour, then gently roll and stretch one piece of dough to form a 12-inch long rope. Flatten the dough and arrange so a long side is nearest you, then roll out to a roughly 12x4-inch rectangle with a lightly floured rolling pin. Press one quarter of the proscitto and cheese into the lower third of the rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the bottom edge. Stretch the bottom of the dough up over the filling and press tightly to seal, then roll up as tightly as possible to form a rope. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces and transfer to the baking pan. Make 3 more ropes with the remaining dough, prosciutto, and cheese and cut them into pieces. Let rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The dough will rise slightly.

Bring 6 cups of water to a gentle boil in a 4 or 5 quart saucepan. Reduce the heat and stir in baking soda. Cook the pretzel bites in batches in gently simmering water, turning once until slightly puffed, about 20 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pretzel bites back to the sheet pans.

Bake the pretzel bites until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.

Brush the warm pretzel bites with butter and sprinkle with salt. Meanwhile, stir together the Dijon, honey, and jalapenos. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve the pretzel bites warm or at room temperature with the jalapeno mustard for dipping.

Printable Recipe

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn

I recently came across a popcorn recipe I wanted to try. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to attempting it, it seemed a bit too involved and I wanted something easier to kick back and watch the Lady Gaga concert on HBO. I'll get around to the other recipe eventually, but this was really great in the meantime and satisfied my immediate snacking needs. It tastes more indulgent than it is and you feel like you're in one of those fancy theaters with a waiter instead of your barely furnished living room curled up on your big comfy arm chair while eating.

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn
(By Esi)

Makes about 3 cups of popcorn

1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black truffle salt

In a large saucepan or skillet that can be fitted with a cover, heat the oil and 2-3 kernels of popcorn over medium heat. Once the kernels have popped, add the remaining kernels and pop, shaking the pan constantly, until the popping stops.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, Parmesan, and truffle salt. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Rosemary and Sea Salt Soft Pretzels

With the cold and wet weather this past weekend (as well as street closures due to the Oscars which created a traffic nightmare), I knew it would be a great time to stay in and get some cooking done. I wanted a fun project and since I haven't unpacked my books in my move, I turned to a book that was just sent to me a few days ago, courtesy of Amazon. I've long been obsessed with the Food Porn Daily site and drool over their luscious pictures and delicious sounding recipes, well, daily. I was so excited to learn the people behind it created a book that's just as beautiful as the website and with recipes! This was my first time making pretzels and while plain salted pretzels are fine, I loved the idea of kicking them up with rosemary and mustard seeds. I had a bit of difficulty transferring the pretzels from the pan to the boiling dish and back to the pan, but eventually I figured out a system. I loved the herbacious flavor of these, but at the same time, it's not overwhelming. In my opinion the best mustard to serve these with is spicy sweet, but by all means, figure out what works best for you. 

Rosemary and Sea Salt Soft Pretzels
(Adapted from Martha Stewart and Food Porn Daily)

Makes 12 pretzels

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons butter melted for brushing
Vegetable oil for baking sheets
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon mustard seeds

Assorted mustards, for serving

Mix yeast, kosher salt, sugar and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour the yeast mixture over the flour, stirring to combine. Use your hands to gather the dough together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch rope. Form a U-shape with one rope and twist the ends together twice. Fold the twisted portion backward along the center of the U-shape to form a circle, then gently press the ends of the rope on to the dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Let rise for 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Return the pretzels to the baking sheet. Sprinkle each with some of the salt, then rosemary, and then mustard seeds. Bake 10-15 minutes until the pretzels are golden brown and cooked through. Brush each pretzel with melted butter and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted mustards.

Printable Recipe

Sriracha Chicken Wings

During my holiday break, I basically prepped for the 10 in 10 Challenge by eating whatever I wanted. I also worked out a lot so I didn’t really put on weight, but it wasn’t exactly the healthiest diet. One of my indulgences was these chicken wings. I hadn’t planned on doing another wing recipe so soon after the Garlic-Sizzled wings, but these sounded too good to pass up. They aren’t totally bad for you, but they aren’t exactly loaded with health benefits. For some reason, whenever I turn on my oven in my teeny apartment, the smoke alarm goes off. It went off four times while making these wings, but it was worth the annoyance. I adore spice and these wings have a ton of it. If you’re a wimp, reduce the amount of Sriracha, but please don’t leave it out. The sauce is sweet, smoky, and definitely spicy. It’s the kind of spicy that stays on your lips for long after you’re done eating. You can eat this sauce with just about anything so go ahead and cook up extra and toss it with your eggs, serve it with some chips or even a steak if you desire.



Sriracha Chicken Wings
(Slightly Adapted from White on Rice Couple)



Makes 2-3 generous servings

2 pounds chicken wings
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with canola spray.

In a large bowl, toss the wings with 2 teaspoons of oil and a large pinch of salt and a large pinch of pepper. Spread chicken wings out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip chicken wings over and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fully cooked and crispy brown.

In sauce pan, heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium heat and add onion. Cook until the onions are browned, but not golden, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup, sriracha hot sauce, vinegar, fish sauce and cumin.

Stir well and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed. Remove from heat and set aside. After chicken wings have finished baking, toss wings in sauce. Serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Not everything at my cocktail party was sinful. I made feta salsa which while it isn't the healthiest thing on the menu, it certainly has some good for you ingredients (uh, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil..come on!). The first time I made this salsa, I served it with baked kettle chips. The last time (after our infamous Adele show at the Hollywood Bowl), I attempted various flatbreads. Some failed and some were successful. This time I decided to go with some baked pita chips so people wouldn't feel too guilty about all the other things I was feeding them. These chips are so incredible and provide a great satisfying crunch when you are gulping down large amounts of Proseco, but they don't make you feel weighed down. I plan to make these often as a snack to have during the work day when I can't escape my desk, but need something to get me through the afternoon. What are your favorite snacks for the work week?


Whole Wheat Pita Chips
(From Pennies on a Platter)

Whole wheat pitas, cut into triangles*
Canola oil spray
Kosher salt

*Depending on how may pitas you use, you may have to make these in batches.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Spray the foil or parchment paper with vegetable spray. Lay the pita triangles down and spray again. Top each triangle with a bit of salt. Bake for 5-10 minutes until crisp and browned, turning once halfway through baking.

Printable Recipe

Cranberry and Hibiscus Granola

Last summer I made a granola that was so good and easy, I have often thought about making it again, but I wanted to do something a little different this time. I had dried cranberries and dried hibiscus in my pantry and thought they would be great in a granola. The last few days we have been experiencing the first signs of May Gray/June Gloom and the sun has made zero to few appearances. It was the perfect time to preheat the oven and bake a few things. This granola is so simple and the smell of cinnamon was absolutely amazing! I enjoyed this granola over some agave sweetened Oikos Organic Greek yogurt. I received my coupons for it a while ago, but I just finally got around to picking up my sample. I loved the yogurt! For being fat free, it's incredibly thick and creamy and was a great vessel for my granola. I'm definitely going to be having some good breakfasts this week.

On a side note, I am going to be incredibly busy from now on. I will try to reply to comments as fast as possible, but it will take me longer to visit your blogs and I may be posting less. Once I get into a groove, I will hopefully be able to pick things up, but if you don't see me commenting as much for a little while, please don't be offended, I still love you and want to hear from you!



Cranberry and Hibiscus Granola
(Adapted from Adventures in Shaw)

Makes about 4 cups of granola

2 cups oats (I used old fashioned)
2/3 cup nuts, roughly chopped (I used pistachios and almonds)
3 tablespoons whole flax seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and lightly spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, whole and ground flax and cinnamon and stir to combine. Whisk together the vanilla and maple syrup and using a wooden spoon, stir into the oats mixture. Add the canola oil and toss everything to combine.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Using a heat-resistant spatula, stir the granola to make sure everything browns evenly. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Once the granola has cooled completely, stir in the cranberries and hibiscus flowers.

Printable Recipe

Edamame Hummus with Wonton Wrapper Chips

The other night when I got home from work, I was hungry, but not in the mood for a full meal. Since most of my recent meals are some combination of freezer finds and leftovers, I decided to stick with that theme for dinner. I kind of got lucky on this one. I had exactly the amount of edamame and lemon and it was a cinch to put it together so I could get down to the business of watching Gossip Girl. I loved the smooth hummus and the wonton chips were addictive. I misread the original recipe and added the oil to the hummus instead of the wonton chips, but it worked. I may decrease the amount next time though.

I'm flying up north tomorrow to celebrate my mom. Have a fantastic weekend and Happy Mother's day to all you fabulous mothers!



Many people shared concern over those affected by the Santa Barbara fire. If you would like to find out what you can do to help, please click here.


Edamame Hummus with Wonton Wrapper Chips
(From Not Eating Out in NY)

Makes 1 cup of edamame and 24 wonton chips

1 cup frozen edamame
Juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water
12 square wonton wrappers, sliced in half diagonally to 24 triangles
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Salt
Cooking spray

To make the chips: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spay a baking sheet with cooking spray or lightly coat with oil. Place the wonton triangles in a single layer on top, and spray or brush the tops with more cooking spray or oil just so that each side is entirely moistened. Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds if using. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the wonton wrappers have curled at the edges and are just lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt.

To make the edamame: Place the edamame in a steamer rack (or build a steamer by putting them inside a bowl; place the bowl inside a pot with 1-2 inches of water on the bottom and a lid to hold in the steam). Steam edamame for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Combine edamame, lemon juice, garlic, oil and a sprinkle of salt in a blender or food processor and pulse several minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Add the water to help bring it to a smoother consistency as needed — adding more or less. Taste for seasoning.

Parmesan Thyme Crackers

I feel like every food blogger who has picked up Ina Garten's new book has made this recipe. Well of course I had to jump on the bandwagon! Over the weekend, I went to a (very long) birthday party and I made these crackers to add to the munchies table. I also made the POM Cheesecake, but I was a little less successful with the topping which was a little runny and leaked on me in the car ride over. The only other crackers I have made are the ones I did for my first Daring Bakers challenge and this was a completely different cracker. They are buttery and flavorful and sooooo good! I mean, this is just getting ridiculous. Does Ina ever make a bad recipe? These are really simple too and I am sure extra dough freezes well so go ahead and make a double batch! Oh, random question, but if any of you have Blogger expertise and can tell me how to make an "About Me" section, I will love you to pieces! And PS, did you notice that those chicks on The Hills went to Lemonade on last night's ep, and they went to Palihouse where I had my birthday...yes, I am still watching The Hills, please don't judge. The "reality" may be laughable, but at least they have good taste in lunch and drink spots!

Don't forget about that giveaway and the discount on Delight.com!

Parmesan Thyme Crackers
(From Ina Garten)

1 stick butter at room temperature

4 ounces grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cup flour

With an electric mixer, cream the butter for 1 minute. The mixer should be on low speed as you add the cheese, thyme, salt and pepper. Once combined, add the flour and continue to mix until the dough is in large crumbles, should take about 1 minute more. You can add 1 teaspoon of water if it's too dry.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it into a smooth ball. Roll into a 9" log and wrap the log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 days.

Oven preheated to 350. Cut the log into 3/8" rounds with a sharp knife and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool on racks and serve.

Kale Chips

If you read this blog regularly (I think some of you do), you may be wondering what my recent obsession with drying out fruits and vegetables and calling them "chips" is. I really don't have an answer for you on that. I just like finding fun ways of getting my "five a day". Yesterday I said how I was kind of a waste of space on Sunday. I did do a quick farmers market run and I must have looked so bad the farmers took pity on me. I bought one head of kale, but the guy insisted I take two. All the better to make kale chips with, my dear. These are so easy to make and I am sure they are much better for you than the "vegetable" chips you can buy at the grocery store. There are so many ways to enjoy these with different seasonings too. They have a light crunch which is totally addictive and a nice slightly bitter bite. These were good right out of the oven (cooled slightly of course), and they were good when completely cooled as well. Some of them did not quite crisp up, but it was ok. This is my new favorite snack...for this week at least!



Kale Chips
(By Esi)

1 large bunch of kale (or 2 small bunches in my case)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash the kale thoroughly and pat completely dry with towels or in a salad spinner. Tear the kale into bite sized pieces, leaving out the inner stalk.

In a small bowl mix together the oil, vinegar, and a few dashes of salt. Pour the oil mixture over the kale and using your hands or a pair of tongs, toss gently to combine.

Spread the kale onto the baking sheet in a single layer. It may be necessary to do this in several batches. Sprinkle the kale with a bit more salt.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning once about halfway through.

Persimmon "Crisps"

Hooray for Saturday!! I am totally exhausted from a week of fighting social injustices with my friends. In between the protests, I have found a bit of time to eat and cook. I wanted to focus on some other fruits than just apples and pomegranates that have been featured on here a lot lately. I love persimmons and they have been all over the farmers markets in the last few weeks. My mom makes an excellent persimmon bread, but I wanted to keep it simple this time. I have a potluck later today where I will most certainly eat too much and drink too much wine so I wanted a nice healthy something to snack on while I make a super decadent dessert for my friends. I have seen several recipes for persimmon chips or crisps popping up lately, but this one attracted me mostly for it's simplicity and the use of only two ingredients. The flavor of these came out really good. Persimmons are naturally very sweet so it didn't need any excess sugar. My only problem was that they were more chewy than crispy. Actually, they really weren't crispy at all except for some browned edges. I am going to play around with the cooking temperatures and times and see if I can find something that turns out a texture I like. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and if you're in SoCal, hope you're out enjoying the beautiful weather!

Persimmon "Crisps"
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

Fuyu persimmons
Ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the persimmons as thinly as possible. Arrange the persimmons on the baking sheet in a single layer and lightly sprinkle each side with cinnamon (a little goes a long way). Bake for 10 minutes until slightly dried and the ends have started to curl. Flip the persimmons over and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the persimmons are dried. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Popcorn with Salted Caramel

Last week I got a wonderful package in the mail. I love food blogging!!! The fabulous Heather at Diary of a Fanatic Foodie sent me some treats for participating in her purple food event to raise awareness for victims of domestic violence. Included in my box of treats was a bag of Paloma Roja Red Popcorn. I have never popped corn that wasn't in a bag so I was kind of nervous, but it was really fun and now I want to pop all my corn in a skillet. That sounded a little dirty, huh? I thought it would be nice to pair the popcorn with a salted caramel, and it turns out...I was right. The salty sweet caramel was so good with the light popcorn. I do think that I would try this again (maybe for the holidays), but maybe make this into popcorn balls. Doesn't that sound fun?

Now for my random off-subject rant of the day...I hope you all get out there and vote tomorrow! I mailed in my absentee early last week! This a food blog and not a political one, but I think it is important that everyone votes and let's their voice be heard. My parents lived here for 16 years before they were able to have that right and it is not one to be taken lightly. If you are in California, I strongly urge you to vote yes on Prop 2 and a loud HELL NO on Props 4 and 8. Don't discriminate and take away people's rights!

Popcorn with Salted Caramel
(Caramel from Tyler Florence)

For the popcorn:
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons canola oil

For the salted caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 stick butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt

To make the popcorn:
Preheat the oil in a heavy skillet or pan. Add 4 kernels of corn. When those kernels pop, add the rest of the cup of corn. Cover, shake pan frequently. When popping slows, let steam escape and remove from heat.

To make the caramel:
Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Once the sugar has dissolved and the caramel reaches a dark amber stage, add butter and salt and swirl to combine. Remove from heat and drizzle over the popcorn.

Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Garam Masala

Ladies and gentleman hope you all had a lovely Halloween. Due to Esi laying in bed all day, we are interrupting our regular programming to welcome the lovely and talented guest blogger JenFinn. For her first entry she made Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Garam Masala and paired it with Walnut Sour Cherry Crackers (which this host helped with...kind of). And now, a round of applause.


Roast Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Garam Masala
(From Cooking Light November 2008)

Yield: 10 servings (of about 3/4 cup)

8 cups (1-in)cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 medium)
3 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/4 tsp garam masala (I found it in the spice aisle at a major grocery store)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
4 cups Braeburn apple (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp half-and-half


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine squash, 2 tbsp oil, syrup, garam masala, salt and pepper. Arrange squash mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. (I didn't have a jelly-roll pan, so I used a cookie sheet and that was fine). Bake at 400 for 45 min or until squash is tender.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; saute 2 min or until tender. Stir in apple; saute 4 min or until tender. Stir in wine; cook 1 min. Stir in squash mixture, 3 cups water, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 min.

Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Stir in half-and-half.


Thoughts: The result is a beautiful, velvety and very filling fall soup. The apples add a delightful sweetness and thick texture.

Walnut Sour Cherry Crackers

Makes about 72 pieces

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup spelt flour or whole wheat flour
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp liquid honey
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped dried sour cherries
1/4 cup flax seeds

In bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, spelt flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter and honey; stir in buttermilk. Add walnuts, cherries and flax seeds; stir to combine. Scrape into greased 9-by-5 inch loaf pan, smoothing top.

Bake in 375 degree oven until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until semi-solid, about 2 hours. (Make ahead: Overwrap in foil and freeze for up to 10 days, partially thaw to continue.)

With a serrated knife, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices. Cut in half crosswise and arrange on 2 baking sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 300 degree oven, rotating and switching pans and turning crackers over halfway through, until browned and crisp, about 30 minutes. Let cool on pans on rack. (Make ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Notes: I couldn't find flax seeds, so I used, upon the lovely Esi's recommendation, raw pepitas. That turned out well. I've been known to spend 8-10 bucks on a pack of gourmet crackers before, so this is a *much* cheaper way of indulging my cracker obsession!! I imagine if you lightly spray the sliced crackers with cooking spray and then sprinkle some rock sugar over them before popping them in the oven, you can turn them into a sweeter dessert cracker. Also, I was pretty liberal with the cherries... the more the better!!

Spicy Pepitas

Happy Halloween!! I was hoping to bring you a lovely pumpkin seed brittle, but after two failed attempts I came to a conclusion...I suck at brittle making. Halloween is one of my most favorite days of the year. Mostly because I love going down to West Hollywood and seeing the crazy costumes that people come up with. I am never that creative and usually don't think about what I am going to wear until the day of the event so I love seeing how much effort people put in to their outfits. I am having a little gathering of people at my house tonight (don't call it a party) to have some cocktails and nibbles before we head up to the WeHo Carnivale. It should be a blast and I am sure I will have more to tell you (and hopefully pictures to share). Over the next few days I will be featuring recipes that I made for my gathering (I told you not to call it a party!), and this is the first. As I mentioned, I failed miserably at making brittle. The first time I think my problem was not cooking the mixture long enough in the second part of the procedure. The second time, my mistake was letting the mixture get too dry. I didn't want to try it again (mostly because I was running out of sugar by this point) so I found this spicy pepitas recipe to use instead. Mine took a little longer than the suggested 5 minutes (more like 10), but they were really simple and tasty. Hope you all have a fabulous day and evening and enjoy your tricks...and treats!

Spicy Pepitas
(From Food Network)

2 cups Pepitas (raw hulled green pumpkin seeds)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground Ancho chiles or chili powder
2 teaspoons lime juice


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 5-10 minutes, or until puffed and golden, shaking the pan once or twice. Serve

Proof that I suck at candy making:

Daring Bakers September Challenge: Vegan Lavash and Toppings

After seeing the last few months of cakes, Danish braids, and eclairs, I finally decided enough was enough. I wanted to be a Daring Baker too! Now I am! I anxiously awaited my first challenge and then it came...vegan and/or gluten free lavash crackers and vegan and gluten free toppings. Umm...what?! In preparation for my first challenge, I actually went out an bought a ton of butter. I like to keep extra in the freezer, and now you're telling me I can't use it? The recipe was chosen by Shel from Musings From the Fishbowl and Natalie from Gluten A Go Go. Once my initial shock passed, I began to look at this for what it truly was...a challenge. And a really fun one at that. I had all the ingredients for the crackers already, except for the yeast, so I just had to think about what I wanted to do for the dips. That was quickly solved by a trip to the farmers market. I made two savory crackers and then one sweet. For my savory dip, I grilled tomatoes and made a nice little salsa (which FYI, is also awesome with scrambled eggs). Inspired by my friend's bluberry and blackberry galette, I thought I would do a dip with these same components for the sweet crackers, but that particular weekend at the farmers market there were no blueberries or blackberries to be found. I think it was just an off week because they were there a couple of weeks later. One of the farmers convinced me to try a golden raspberry so I decided to make my sweet dip based on that. It was good, but verrry tart. I think I actually enjoyed the sweet crackers on their own more than with a dip, although they were pretty good with my fig jam. I made my first batches of crackers during the first weekend of the month, but then last week I decided to make them again, replacing some of the regular flour with whole wheat flour. I kneaded the dough for longer than the 10 required minutes. I find kneading dough to be comforting, especially after a day of dealing with whiny actors, but that's a whole other story (PS, those actors that are my friends, you know I love you and I am sooo not talking about you!). In both cases, I didn't roll my dough out as thin as I could have so some of the crackers came out a little chewy and my very first batch required double time in the oven, but overall I was really happy with how they turned out.

For the first batch of savory crackers, I topped them with kosher salt and sesame seeds. These were the ones that required double the baking time, but they still came out really good. I decided to tear them apart after baking to give them a more rustic look. For the next batch of savory crackers, I used sesame seeds, kosher salt, cumin powder, and cayenne pepper. I forgot to press the seeds into the dough so most of the seeds fell off after I tore the crackers apart, but it was still a delicious cracker. Spicy and made doubly so with the grilled tomato salsa. The salsa was just Roma tomatoes rubbed on each side with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled for a couple of minutes on each side. Let the tomatoes cool and toss with jalapeno, green onions, cilantro, lime juice and season with salt and pepper.For the first sweet crackers I just combined a tablespoon of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon. I sprayed the dough with spray oil and then spread the cinnamon sugar mixture all over the top. I think these were my favorite. For the dip, I crushed a large handful of the golden raspberries in my hands and combined them with segments from one orange. Then I added about a tablespoon and a half of agave nectar and some lemon juice. Again, this is very tart (kind of like me) so if you want less tartness, reduce the lemon juice, or remove it all together.As I said, I really loved these crackers so I decided to try them again a few weeks later, replacing some of the regular flour with whole wheat flour. This time, I cut them before baking using a pizza cutter which made them easy to take apart once they had cooled. I did one batch of the savory with the same combination of kosher salt, sesame seeds, cumin powder, and cayenne pepper. This time I remembered to roll and press the sesame seeds into the dough, but some still fell off.
With the remaining scraps, I rolled them out and made another batch of the sweet crackers. Both of these versions were so good and such a nice snack to pack up and take to work. I have a feeling I will be making these crackers often. To get the full lavash recipe, visit Shel and Natalie. And thanks to them for picking a fun challenge. Visit the blogroll to see how the other crackers worked out.

Grilled Tomato Salsa

2 or 3 Roma tomatoes sliced, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 or 2 green onions, chopped
Juice from 1 lime

Preheat a grill. Brush each tomato slice with olive oil on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Grill on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool. In a small bowl combine the jalapeno, green onions, and lime juice. Chop the tomatoes and add to the mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve with cooled crackers.


Golden Raspberry and Orange Relish

1 large handful of golden raspberries, crushed
1 orange, cut into segments and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar or more to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1/2 lemon

Combine everything. Drain excess juice if desired.

Bacon, Leek, and Gruyere Empanadas

A while ago I saw a menu for a restaurant with a bacon, leek and Gruyere quiche. I am not a huge fan of quiches, but the mix of bacon, leek and Gruyere intrigued me. In the last month I have made two dessert empanadas but never a savory one. I realized I could use this combination in an empanada. They came out so flavorful and the crust was nice and flaky. I had a bunch of the bacon, leek and Gruyere mixture left so I used some with eggs and froze the rest to make more empanadas later. I cooked the leeks in a little garlic oil, but if you don't have garlic oil just use regular olive oil or the bacon fat and add a little garlic to it.

Bacon Leek and Gruyere Empanadas

For the filling:
1 12 ounce package center cut bacon, chopped
2 cups thinly sliced leeks
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

For the dough (From Epicurious):
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 stick cold, unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large egg
1/4 cup ice water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

To make the dough:
Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a dough blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size butter lumps.

Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork until just incorporated. Mixture will look shaggy.

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together. Then knead gently with the heel of your hand just enough to bring the dough together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

To make the filling:
In a large skillet cook bacon over medium until crisp. Drain the fat and set aside to cool.

Use the bacon fat or a little bit of garlic oil to slightly soften the leeks over medium heat. Do not brown the leeks. Set aside to cool.

Once the bacon and leeks are cooled, mix with the Gruyere.

To assemble the empanadas:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Roll out the dough to approximately 1/4 inch thickness. Using a glass or ramekin, cut the dough into circles.

Spoon a little bit of the bacon mixture into each empanada round. Fold over and use a fork to seal the edges.

Beat one egg with a splash of water or milk. Brush the egg wash over each empanada. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

I am trying to eat better during the week (and indulge on the weekends). I have been making lunches so I don't go out and spend more money than necessary and bringing fruits and veggies to work to munch on between meals. Sometimes, I want something that tastes a little naughty, but is still good for me. Chickpeas are high in iron and protein and the added crunch from roasting them makes you feel like you're eating chips!

Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
(from Anne's Food via Cheap Healthy Good)

1 15 oz can organic chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
1 tsp organic olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
few dashes of cayenne pepper (I used about 7)
1 heaping tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pat dry. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Shake sheet (carefully) about halfway through.

Take out chickpeas and place in a bowl. Add oil, salt, cayenne and cumin and mix well. Turn peas back onto the baking sheet and place in the oven for 5 to 15 minutes until bronzed and crunchy.

These came out great for me even though I should have kept them in the oven a little longer for the second go-round. Note, it's probably not the best idea to make these when it is 90 degrees outside and you live in a small apartment.