introducing the Rutabega..

Was brought home some Rutabegas... (always think of a an old beat up car when I hear that word not sure exactly why and not curious enough to figure that out, either.)  Anyway, I am the girl who always gets the checkout clerk grabbing for the produce code book.. there are few vegetables in the store that don't frequent my cart.  But these.. this is a first. Not common around our house growing up.  They look kinda like a turnip so I thought oven roasting would be best for a 1st try.  

Tossed them with the usual olive oil and sprinkled on some garlic, onion powder and seasonings and turned them into oven fries.  And you know what?... pretty good.  Would actually make them again.  Scarlett ate those on her plate and they were a nice alternative side dish from potatoes or another starch.  

Rich in beta carotene, part of the cruciferous family of vegetables.. What does this matter, you ask?  Cruciferous vegetables have excellent cancer fighting properties. Research suggests that these cruciferous vegetables contain a kind of phytochemical known as isothiocyanates, which stimulate our bodies to break down potential carcinogens. They work by preventing the transformation of normal healthy cells into cancerous cells. Woot-woot!

And what I recently learned, Rutabegas are actually a great tasting vegetable with a delicate sweetness and flavor that hints of the light freshness of cabbage and turnip. I think next time, I will cut into cubes, roasted and then mix with some beets, potatoes and carrots... and simply season with salt and pepper.  They have a nice flavor that doesn't need to be masked.  But for a 1st try.. this oven fry rutabega recipe is great. Start here introducing yourself to another kid-friendly, yummy, super food!And, yes.. go ahead and serve them with ketchup.

Rutabega Oven Fries

  2 rutabegas, peeled and cut into fry size

  1 clove garlic, chopped

  2T. olive oil

In a small bowl mix together..

  1T. cornmeal

  2t. paprika

  1t. sea salt

  1/2t. fresh cracked black pepper

  2-3 T. Parmesan Reggiano grated cheese

In a large bowl toss fry-size rutabegas with chopped garlic and olive oil.  Sprinkle over spice mixture and toss til coated.  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with a cooking spray.  Bake for 25 minutes, turning once with a spatula. (fork tender and outside is crispy-ish)

Red ambition

Been looking for a new shade of me.. for a long time.  Love the blonde, but when winter comes.. I know I need to richen it up. Have always wanted to do a nice red.  Not the red, burgandy wines of my college years.. I was so whatever, nyc girl with a touch of goth.  Yep, that explains me.  

Enter Drew Barrymore's new commercial for some sort of product .. but who bothered to pay attention to that when all I could see was the perfect shade of my RED! 

and how!  Whatcha think?  Got an appointment on monday.. I'll let ya know how it goes.

simply kale

Big, leafy greens.. so good for you, but can be so intimidating.  Don't be afraid.  Try it, you might like it and the benefits are HUGE.   Here is my simple, basic way to cook kale for everyday cooking.  It is so yum this way, I actually crave it.  If you must... Garlic lovers: go ahead and add some chopped garlic to the oil and saute for a minute before adding the broth and kale.  Sauteing some onions doesn't hurt either, but again.. this is the basic and honestly, I love it in this simplicity.

  Simple Kale

  1 bag or bunch Kale, chopped

  2 T. Olive oil

  1 c. chicken or vegetable broth, preferably organic and low sodium

  In a large saucepan, heat 2 T. olive oil and add 1 cup of chicken broth.   Bring to almost a boil and add chopped kale.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes, til stems are tender. 

  Season with S+P, if you like. 

Results vary.  This you need to know.  Sometimes, I cook a pot of greens and I don't even need to add salt. They taste that good.  Sometimes, using the same technique.. a pot of greens taste really bitter.. or too uh, lets just say.. not-so-pleasantly-green.  But don't give up on 'em.. here are a few easy "fixes" that will remedy any not so yummy result. 

Try adding a splash of vinegar.  Balsalmic is a great choice and so is raw apple cider. 

Add some coconut milk or broth. This sweet, aromatic broth will curb the bitterness.  

Top with some stewed tomatoes.  This is my favorite remedy.  

Don't have any canned stewed tomatoes in the pantry?.. No worries, they are so easy to make.  Here's how:

Quick Stewed Tomatoes

Place one can of good quality tomatoes in a saucepan.  Add a good bit of dried basil, pinch of brown sugar (Raw sugar or honey will work as well) and 3-4 Tablespoons of butter.  Slowly simmer together.

voila.. stewed tomatoes. 

These are especially good on collards, a southern favorite.

There's no such thing as natural beauty. jerseylicious sugar plum cookies.

So, I saw these cookies on the internet. Yes, the lovely internet that never lies to you and always has perfectly correct recipes to share by simply download and bake. (can you hear the sarcasm?) 

cute, right? don't you want to make them right away? What?! No?! You're not from Jersey?! Oh.

Yes, yet another recipe that I tried off a blog that flopped and flopped big. Funny thing is 98.9% (yes, that is an exact percentage.. i am that calculated.)  of the time I check recipes against several similar, to ensure success. This time.. uh, I just didn't.  The bright pink girly cookies distracted this jersey girl, that's all I'll have to say.  Well, after altering the recipe.. by which I mean.. adding a full cup of flour more!.. they came out perfectly.  Anyway, these are so fun.. I will be making them again.  Next time in a bright fuchsia pink.  They are simply fabulous for a little girl's "Fancy-fancy" party or a boutique event.  
In the words of the immortal Truvy... "there's no such thing as natural beauty."  Enjoy these guilty pleasures..  very un-natural looking cookies! 

this photo shows lovely finished results..

after figuring out how to make this recipe work. read on. 

  Brightly Hued Jerseylicious Cookies
     

    1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

    1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

    1 cup natural peanut butter (or whatever kind of pb you enjoy)

    1cup sugar

    1 cup light brown sugar

    4 tablespoons milk

    2 eggs

    1 t. vanilla extract

    3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

    1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    Food colouring gel.. i suggest bright pink or purple

    Sanding sugar mixed with coloured sugar crystals (for added desired bling)

Preheat oven to 375º degrees.

Cream together the butter, shortening, and peanut butter, I used my trusty ol' stand mixer here.  Mix in sugars, egg, milk and vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  Add to wet mixture til just mixed. Don't overwork the dough.  

Add gel food colouring... a lot. Use a toothpick or skewer and add a good gob.  Mix together until you get a brighter than you think necessary hue. Then it's just right! 

Chill the dough for 15 minutes.  

I use a small ice-cream scoop.. which is the perfect 1" size. Roll the dough into approximately 1 inch balls.

Roll balls in mixture of sanding sugar and coloured sugar crystals. (I used raw sugar and purple crystal sanding sugar.. avail at supermarket)

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet or silpat,  at least 2 inches apart.  

Bake between 9 minutes.  Let cookies cool about 1 minute on the cookie sheet (but no more) before removing them to a cooling rack.

After cooling for 1 minute...  Immediately, deposit 1 HUGS striped kiss in the center, gently. Do not push down too much, it will melt through. 

Now run the cookies to a cool fridge (or if you have absolutely no fridge room.. to a dry spot outside or in the garage, if it is winter like it is here) 

The reason you do not want these cookies to sit in your warm kitchen after pushing a kiss on them.. is the kiss will then become molten and melt down into what looks like a demented nipple cookie.  Don't do this.. I did.. I learned and now I tell you. Seriously, if you don't add enough dye.. way more than you think necessary and then don't heed my take the cookies to cool quickly.. you end up with grey-ish demented nipple cookies. Not exactly what I was going for.  see photos of such disappointments.  

Now you know.. and when they work.. THEY are FUN!  SO, go ahead.. trust me and make some!

 THIS, is exactly what the internet will lead you to make. Demented grayish striped deflated nipple cookies. 

 Ok, remedy.  This is the hue you want your dough to look like. GRAPE! purpleicious! and no worries, those little white-ish flecks are the result of choosing chunkalicous peanut butter rather than (yawn) creamy.  But, no.. choose what you like. I won't judge you.

This is where you want the bling! Roll the purple balls in sanding sugar and crystal sugar, colour of your choice.

Puffy purpleicious mounds.. not flat (see photo of error above! grrr.)  Glistening with the "bling" of rolled sugar. 

sugar plum fairies do dance in our kitchen

This is a not so great picture of finished results using my recipe above.
Definitely worth the effort! 

visions of sugar..ed globes of gumdrops, danced in her head..

I think Scarlett's favorite candy is gummies. You know, the really-get-stuck-in-your-2-year-old-teeth-that-you-always-fight-me-when-it's-time-to-brush-and-I-feel-we-never-do-a-good-enough-job-gumdrops and such. mommy stress much? yes. duh. 

So what's one to do when it's her 1st real Christmas that she is understanding...? Make ornaments studded with such pieces of heaven.  Yes, this is one of the ways I ensure her devout devotion to me! 

This project is simple.  Gumdrops (Trader Joe's has an awesome pack of pastel coloured but REAL fruit included ones) 
Styrofoam orbs
Toothpicks, cut in 1/2 

Simply take half toothpick and insert in gumdrop halfway.  Then insert said gumdrop into styrofoam orb. Continue round til you have studded the whole thing.  

To hang, use a heavy wire to poke straight through.  Twist wire so it doesn't lose it's place and gumdrop ball drop to the ground.  Which I am sure, is Scarlett's Christmas wish.  
at top of ball, twist wire into a loop and hang with ribbon.  

Fun, childlike, sugar-laced wonder... It's what christmas is all about.  At least at my house. 

  Or simply set the gumdrop balls on a table, like I lazily did here! This was my Christmas tea table that I decorated.  Using glass cake domes as little snowglobe inspired vignettes. I have a love affair with vintage painted wooden christmas ornaments from all over the world. The dishes are french china and for sale here on etsy.

Another idea, if I had time would be to stick a small dowel in them and place them in a little pot.. cover with snow.  Little gumdrop topiaries... this, i think would be cute lined up down the middle of a holiday table. Alright, convinced.. gonna try one. Will post image later!

vintage ornaments and frames as trays.. measuring cups from the 1930's double as votive holders.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

With the holidays and baking season upon us, these cookies are amazing just to have on hand and they package up beautifully for an easy, delicious last-minute gift, should you need one.  

Hershey's cocoa powder (unsweetened) works fine here if you don't have any dutch-processed cocoa powder on hand.  Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough and roll into a ball in your palm, then drop into a sanding sugar..  Easy and the cookies come out very round and uniform. Meaning, perty! .. so don't forget to mention they are homemade to get some well-due credit!

(adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies)

Chewy Chocolate Cookies  

2 cups + 2 T. all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
sanding sugar (I used organic sugar) for rolling

Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined, then reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.

Form the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Scoop the dough into 1¼ inch balls, drop and roll each ball in the sanding sugar.   I used an organic sugar which is slightly brown-hued..  the sugar comes out sparkling in the end.  Raw sugar would work well here, also.  

Place (with room to spread) on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set. They will still look a bit gooey when removed from the oven. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove from the cookie sheet and cool completely.