fudge ripple

warm roasted-radish salad with radish greens & mint dressing

2012-02-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

our warm days
and
plunging cold nights
have me craving
a taste of spring
with
warm comfort

a morning visit to the farmer's market
and a
beautiful radish melange

got me thinking
of
warm salad
good books
and
the days to come

warm roasted-radish salad
with
radish greens & mint dressing
(printable recipe)
1-2 bunches of your favorite radish variety
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp aged balsamic vinegar
preheat the oven to 375F. wash and dry the radish. remove the leaves and reserve for dressing. place on a parchment lined sheet pan. dress with olive oil and sea salt, making sure each piece is lightly coated and well seasoned. * if you have different sizes of radish, cut or leave whole so they are of equal size. this will ensure even cooking. if you don't wish to cut, roast in separate pans.
roast for 15-20 minutes.
remove the pan from the oven and drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the radishes. return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or more if the radish are not yet tender to the touch.
meanwhile prepare the dressing
radish greens & mint dressing
1/4 cup packed--cleaned and dried radish leaves
1/4 cup packed--de-stemmed mint leaves
1" green garlic**--from the bulb end
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp aged balsamic vinegar
2 tsp white wine or champagne vinegar
pinch salt
generous pinch pepper
about 1/2 cup olive oil
whiz the radish leaves, mint leaves, green garlic, lemon zest , lemon juice, and vinegars in a food processor or blender. add olive oil in a steady stream until you get the consistency you like. i prefer a loose dressing. taste and add salt and pepper. (you can add a bit of yogurt if you want to make a nice dipping sauce)
**if you can't find or don't want to fuss over green garlic, a small clove of garlic will work just fine.

pull the radish from the oven and give them a minute to cool slightly. if you wish to slice them, do so as soon as they are cool enough to handle. place in a bowl and toss with as much dressing as you like. adjust seasonings once more. serve while still warm

flax seed and cracked pepper crackers {joy the baker}

2012-02-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

i'm a little obsessed with flax seed

probably

because i am so thankful

it has replaced

wheat germ

and

cod liver oil

in my diet

yes

i grew up on wheat germ

brewer's yeast

and

cod liver oil

this is another story--not for today

today

i am here to talk about flax seed

flax seed

crushed and whole

hand turned

into

hearty & wholesome

crackers

a recipe

tucked near the end

of the

sunshiny

cookbook

equally delightful

joy the baker

wait

you didn't know she has a cookbook

well

it isn't really technically "out" yet

it will be soon

i am lucky enough

to get a sneak peak

as part of

a cookbook spotlight

YOU

can enter to win one of your own

(click HERE)

flax seed and cracked pepper crackers

makes about 4 dozen

1/4 cup golden flaxseed

1/4 cup groun flaxseed meal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt (i used sea-salt)

2 Tbs unsalted butter-cold and cut into cubes

1/2 cup buttermilk

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flax seed, flax seed meal, flours, baking soda and salt. Add the butter, and using your fingers, quickly work the butter into the dry ingredients. Some of the butter will resemble oatmeal flakes; others will be the size of small pebbles. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add buttermilk, and use a fork to bring all of the ingredients together. Make sure that every bit of flour is moistened by the buttermilk. The dough will be shaggy. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead together about 10 times to bring the dough together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 10 minutes.

When chilled, cut dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out half of the dough. Roll just thinner than 1/8" thick. Use a 1 1/2" round cookie cutter to cut out crackers, or use a pizza cutter to trim the edges and cut the dough into 1 1/2" squares. Prick each cracker with the tines of a fork and place on baking sheet. Bake crackers for 15 to 18 minutes, until slightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight container to store. Crackers will last, in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*

we interrupt this radio silence...

2012-02-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

ugh

where have i been?

i'm asking you

as much as i am asking myself

i've been

cooking

and

cleaning

working

and

chillin'

just about anything

but blogging

and for that

i do apologize

i tend to blog about

what we are eating

what i am crafting

our travels

and

i just haven't done anything

blog-worthy lately

honestly

these last couple of days have been consumed

with

pulled pork

and

bbq beans

for a crowd

i'm making dinner for 75

as a fundraiser

for

our local american legion

hopefully

we will raise

lots of dough

for the uso

hmmm....

perhaps i should have done a bake sale

and named it that

catchy, no?

and today

while making dressing for coleslaw

i thought to myself

"what exactly do poppy seeds taste like?"

let me warn you

they don't taste like

lemon muffins

that is FOR SURE

after my second spoonful

because the first was just a palate cleanser

i began to panic

poppy seeds being classified as an opiate and all

and me being

uptight and repressed

if you come by my place

and see

fantasia on the tv

in constant loop

and me

zoned out on the couch

with a bowl of

small, dark, round seeds

on my lap

know

it all started

as an innocent

culinary curiosity

browned butter chocolate chip cookies

2012-01-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

mayberry-esque after school tales

warm cookies and cold milk

aren't mine

in my world

cookies were for christmas

fruit, yogurt, cheese

were snacks

i never quite developed

a sensory memory for the ubiquitous
toll house

instead of invoking memories

backyard tag, championship games, mom with flour dusted apron

i've been a bit bored by them

until now

this is not my recipe

it came to me by way of a third-party

i have been told

it was created by

Cook's Illustrated

which doesn't surprise me

in the least bit

this cookie is filled with

notes of toffee

enough salt to tease your palate

the bite of bitter chocolate

and

manages to be both soft and crispy

the recipe is a bit fussy

but worth it

trust me....

browned butter chocolate chip cookies
makes 16
(Print Recipe Here)
from cook's illustrated and only v.slightly changed

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbs unsalted butter--divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar-firmly packed
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups toasted walnut halves

heat oven to 375F. line baking sheets with parchment paper. whisk flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. heat 10 Tbs of butter in a skillet over medium heat, swirling continually, until it becomes a dark golden brown and it smells a bit toffee like. this should take about 3-5 minutes...the larger the skillet, the quicker the reaction. remove from heat and pour butter into mixing bowl. add the remaining butter and stir until it is melted. add the sugars, salt and vanilla to the bowl and hand-whisk until mixed well. add egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth and begins to lighten in color a bit. let rest for 3 minutes. whisk again for 30 seconds and let rest for 3 minutes. do this procedure 2 more times. use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in the flour mixture so that it is just combined--do not over-mix. stir in chocolate and nuts. scoop out large balls (about 3 Tbs) onto to the parchment, placing about 2" apart. Bake for about 10-14 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. cool on wire rack.

*the original recipe calls for table salt, semi -sweet chips or chunks and chopped pecans or walnuts. i prefer kosher salt, bittersweet (60-70% cocoa solids) and large pieces of walnut which is why i inserted them into the recipe. try it both ways and decide for yourself!

shaved zucchini

2012-01-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

sometimes

after a long weekend

heavy eating

i'll prepare

something really simple

this dish

bright and light

comes together rather quickly

Shaved Zucchini

{serves 4}

(printable recipe)

4 medium zucchini-about 4 cups

2 garlic cloves--peeled and smashed

2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp dry thyme

zest from 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

shave the zucchini using a vegetable peeler. make long strips and shave until you reach the heavily seeded part. turn and begin again. in the end, you will have a core. discard. heat olive oil in a skillet. add the whole, but smashed garlic and let it brown. remove the garlic (you are using it just to flavor the oil) and toss in the zucchini. toss continually and allow the zucchini to cook through...this will take about 5-10 minutes. add zest, thyme and lemon juice. taste for seasoning--add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 Lusty Drinkers...{wine punch}

2012-01-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

( drawing by jasper danckaert

via americangardenhistory.blogspot.com)

i have a large box

overflowing

with collected recipes

ripped pages

yellowed cards

scribbled notes

occasionally

i grab a few recipes

to try

this weekend

i'm going for the drink

not exactly sure where i got this recipe

boy am i glad i did

upon reading the recipe

i laughed out loud

it reads

"Serves 4 lusty drinkers, or 8 bon vivants or 16 party drinkers"

teetotalers need not apply!

German Wine Punch

At 8 am, pour one bottle of average German wine and pour in a pitcher over 2 pints of strawberries. Refrigerate.

3 hours prior to serving, place 2 bottles of wine and 1 bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine) in the freezer. Immediately prior to serving, add the frozen wine to the strawberry wine mixture in a punch bowl. serve very cold--you may use dry ice for effect

trinket tray {give-a-way}

2012-01-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

let me explain myself

i. have. a. lot. of. hobbies

i knit

i sew

i glue

i glitter

i tinker

and

i paint

which means

i have a lot of inventory

today

i am giving away

one of my favorite little pieces

a trinket tray

this

glass plate

painted in reverse

6-inches

red and sage

food safe,
but meant for decorative use only

i think it i would make a lovely valentine

which is why...

it will come with

1 dozen

homemade

milk chocolate salted-caramel truffles

(believe me...you will love them)

contest is open until

midnight (pst) january 22, 2012

winner will be chosen through random.org
(winner will be notified on january 23rd
and have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be picked)

Rules:

open to US residents only (sorry folks)

one entry (for each)

please put each action in a separate comment

-follow this blog

-follow on twitter @fudgerippleblog

-follow on facebook https://www.facebook.com/fudgeripple

if you are already a follower, let me know--that counts!

two additional entries (for each)

-tweet the give-a-way on facebook

-share the give-a-way on your facebook page

-blog about the give-a-way

that's it
i hope you enter
and
i hope you win!

linking up to

will travel for food

2012-01-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

yesterday

a friend posted a question on facebook

asking

"what is the farthest you've traveled just for food"

my initial response

"i'm embarrassed to say"

soon

it became a competition

complete with

mocking and cajolery

another friend

asked

in that manner that indicates more statement than question

"isn't all travel about food?"

i'm in that camp

for me

food is part of the sensory experience

of travel

but i am curious

do you feel the same way?

to answer the question regarding how far i have traveled....specifically...for food

it is a toss up between

127 miles

in the dead of winter in alaska for halibut fish and chips

140 miles round trip

from a campground in mississippi to a rural gas station

for caramel cake

(you can see that story here)

and

I ask YOU

what is the farthest you have traveled just for food?

i would love to read your response

in the comment section

heart palmiers

2012-01-11T18:31:00.000-08:00

we have neighbors

with fabulous taste

crown molding

silver service

art gallery lighting

kind of taste

i almost wonder

if hubs and i

are their pro-bono friends

while residing in california

we rang in

london's new year

together

complete with

champagne

caviar

and

crown roast

imagine my horror

as i catch

from the corner of my eye

hubs

in all his glory

hands full of palmiers

flaky crumbs falling to his beard

a smile as broad as his shoulders

complimenting the hostess

on her fabulous dessert

turning to me

gave a grand wink

and said

"you should make these"

so i did

simple easy heart palmiers

1 sheet puff pastry--cold but not frozen

2 Tbs unsalted butter--melted

2 Tbs granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar for dipping

place puff pastry on a sheet of parchment. in a small bowl, mix together the 2 Tbs granulated sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. using a pastry brush, brush the butter evenly covering the entire piece of pastry. evenly and liberally sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the butter. measure or eye the center of the puff pastry and gently score with the dull end of a knife (do not cut through) starting on one end, tightly roll the dough to the center. roll the opposite end to the center, forming what looks like a scroll. gently press together, and if you would like an exaggerated heart shape, pinch the bottom to a point. wrap in parchment and/or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill. after 1 hour and up to 24 hours, preheat the oven to 375F. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a saucer or shallow bowl. remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice crosswise in 1/4" sections. reshape as necessary, then dip both sides in the sugar. place on parchment paper approximately 1" apart. bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. allow to cool a bit, but not fully before removing from the parchment. the sugar will cause them to stick if they cool too much. allow to finish cooling on a wire rack.

eat with abandon!

linking up to

504 Main--tickled pink

i heart pizza pie

2012-01-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

we had spaghetti and meat sauce

for dinner last night

simple

but

delicious

lunch today?

the sauce

with
a little cheese

and

a slice of pepperoni

for good measure

sandwiched between

two hearts

puff pastry

heart pizza

makes 4

2 sheets of puff pastry-cold but not frozen

1/2 cup pasta or pizza sauce

4 pieces of pepperoni

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

use a cookie 3" heart or other cookie cutter to cut out 8 pieces. place 1/2 of the pieces on a lined cookie sheet. heap with pasta sauce, sprinkle with parmesan and place a piece of pepperoni on top. cover with the remaining pieces of dough. using the tines of a fork, press around the edges to seal. place in a 400F oven until golden brown and puffy (about 20 minutes)

2012 begins...{honey roasted carrots}

2012-01-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!
a well worn phrase

with

genuine intent

i find

when spoken

it is always with a positive lilt

and rarely

tone of indifference

sarcasm

no gifts to buy

no religious or political schism

just

the turn of the calendar

giving us all

a chance

review

renew

resolve

for 2011

my goals were

i will not judge in disappointment,

as i am confident

i too fall short of expectations

others place on me

rather than toss the years of the past i will carry them forward

both as

fond memories and retrospective caution

and

i will eat more fruit

for 2012

i have chosen a theme

...dust yourself off...

simply

bootstrap mechanics

get up

wipe off the dust

and give it another go

and eat more vegetables

like these

honey roasted carrots

2 dozen small carrots-washed, peeled and trimmed

2 Tbs honey

1 Tbs white balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp toasted whole cumin seeds

warm the honey and vinegar to thin. toss the carrots in the mixture and place on a lined sheet pan. sprinkle with cumin seeds. place in a 350 oven and cook until soft and caramelized, about 30-35 minutes.

i also like to serve these, with some tooth to them, as a crudite with dip. you only need to cook them until they are softened but not colored--about 25 minutes. they are delicious with a simple tahini/soy sauce dip.

linking up to
full plate thursday

walnut stuffed figs

2011-12-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

we really didn't eat a lot of desserts

when i was a kid

usually

after dinner

a pot of coffee was brewed

and

bowls of

fresh fruit

and

nuts

were heaved to the table

one particular treat

at holiday time

was

freshly cracked walnuts

stuffed into

dried figs

this year

i gave the treat a little update

by dipping the figs

bittersweet chocolate

a sweet

with

benefits

walnut stuffed figs

12 dried figs
12 large walnut halves-toasted

warmed honey and flavorful cheese
or
bittersweet chocolate-melted and tempered

using a sharp knife, make a split in the fig without cutting all the way through
like this

push a walnut into the fruit
like so

and close it up

leave as it,
drizzle with honey and serve with cheese as a savory snack
or
dip in chocolate for a great sweet

gravlax

2011-12-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

we had a gorgeous feast

for

christmas dinner

a feast

of seven fishes

actually

i was excited to present

home cured

gravlax

during cocktails

many years ago

before i had cable

leaving me with 5 channels

(and surprisingly a lot more interesting tv)

i watched a lot of julia child on pbs

each episode

numerous times

an episode i distinctly remember

is one where she made gravlax with a seattle chef

i was amazed

but never actually made it

truthfully

i'm not much a fan of salmon

but this

this gravlax

is something really special

pure in flavor

sweet

salty

briny

fresh

my family

never shy to poke fun

was primed to make bait jokes

but

found it difficult

to utter much of anything

through their stuffed gullets

gravlax

(printable recipe)

this takes several days to cure, plan accordingly

1 1/2 lbs fresh salmon filet (you must use salmon in season)

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vanilla sugar*

1 Tbs grapefruit zest

1 heaping Tbs pink peppercorns

1-2 sprigs thyme

rinse and dry the salmon filet. line a casserole dish with plastic wrap, overlapping considerably. place salmon filet in dish. in a bowl mix together the salt, vanilla sugar, brown sugar, grapefruit zest, peppercorns and thyme. coat the salmon heavily with the mixture...be generous and make sure the entire surface is covered. close the salmon in the plastic wrap, making sure it is well covered.

place a board or casserole dish on top of the fish, then use cans or bottles to weigh it down. place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

after 24 hours, remove the weight, open the plastic wrap, you will see that the sugar and salt are now liquid, use it to baste the fish. wrap again in plastic and place the weight back on. place in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. on day three, repeat the process. on day four, your fish will be cured (if you are using a larger piece of fish, it may well take a bit more time). your fish should be firm and have become a bit deeper in color. remove from the cure and gently rinse with very cold water. dry. slice off a thin piece and taste. if it is overwhelmingly salty, place cold water in a casserole dish and put the fish in meat side down. cover and place in refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour. remove from water and taste again. if the fish is still unbearably salty, soak it again for a maximum of 1 hour.

serve with blini, creme fraiche and dill or chives

*to make vanilla sugar, whirl 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 dried vanilla bean pod in a food processor.

feast of seven fishes

2011-12-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

christmas eve dinner

has always been a bit of a hodgepodge for us

growing up

my mom and i would do most of the cooking

relatives would contribute to the bounty

with a specialty or two of their own

the only constant

baccala

and

linguine with clam sauce

the rest

a crap shoot

as the crowd grew from 20 or so people

to upwards of 70

my folks began having the affair catered

among the large chaffing dishes of gorgeous catered food

there was always a platter of

baccala

and

linguine with clam sauce

always

for the first time

in the 40 plus years my folks have lived in california

we are doing an immediate family only christmas eve

which means

instead of 70 people

we will be

also

for the very first time

we are doing a traditional italian christmas eve supper

a feast of seven fishes

(for more on this tradition click here)

but

because i am italian

which means

my fear of not having enough food for people to eat

supersedes my need for stress reduction

we are having

2 by land and 8 by sea

because

what is christmas without just a little bit of pork?

because

i am not crazy enough to make the food twice

(once for the blog and once for real)

i will be sharing the recipes

post christmas

but

i wanted to share our menu

just in case

you are looking for last minute ideas

A Feast of Seven Fishes

Christmas Eve

roasted shrimp cocktail
gravlax with blini
calamari fritti
bluefin tuna tartar
cheese platter

linguine with clam sauce
orchiette with sausage & spinach
king crab
swordfish siciliano
baccala pugliese
kalua pork

arugula salad
braised leeks
roasted asparagus

cream puffs
cannoli
chocolates
cookies

Merry Christmas
to those of you who celebrate
...a weekend filled with joy
for all

chocolate dipped

2011-12-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

i'm a chocolate girl

when i was young

young, like grammar school, young

my sister and i had a chocolate business

we spent our evenings

melting chocolate

making caramels and creamy marshmallows

filling

chocolate

eggs in spring

christmas trees in winter

chocolate lollies for every holiday in between

as an adult

my choice in chocolate

has become a bit more sophisticated

now

i prefer dipped confections

to molded ones

for the holidays

i made a few of my favorites

"100grand bars"

chocolate dipped grahams

gingerbread "mallomars"

for the 100Grand bars

i like this caramel recipe from joyofbaking

just add a nice pinch of sea salt

cut into squares

mix crispy rice in the tempered chocolate and dip the caramel into it

for the gingerbread mallomars

the gingerbread marshmallow recipe can be found

here

place on top of a graham cracker and enrobe in tempered chocolate

for the chocolate covered grahams

i simply cut the graham crackers into 4 pieces and dip them in tempered chocolate

the design on the top is made with a chocolate dipping tool

i buy my chocolate 20 lbs at a time and to be frank, only use callebaut 63% and 70%

i find it is terrific both in sweets and baking

here is a great video showing you an easy way to temper chocolate using your microwave

like anything, the better the ingredients, the better the result

happy dipping!

cake decorating birthday

2011-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

yesterday was my niece's 7th birthday

a cake decorating party

she was very specific

about the cake

white

one layer

vanilla frosting

with

rainbows

sprinkles

and

chef hats

(i took a bit of artistic license and made clouds out of the fondant chef hats)

for the cakes to decorate

hot pink fondant

and

lots of candy

some of the candy made it onto the cakes

but mostly it was being "taste-tested"

it was unanimous

fun party

decidedly

not "christmasy"

which was all part of the plan

happy birthday

sweet isabella

Tuesday Night Supper Club {featuring a season for all things}

2011-12-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

hi all

this year has certainly flown by

much faster than i could keep up with

but

this time of year is so special

i am going to do my best

to slow down and enjoy it

for our last supper club of the year

i would like to introduce you to

ellen

from

a seasons for all things

ellen continually links up fabulous recipes to the supper club

and

she isn't just a good cook

she is really interesting too

last month she linked this wonderful

yankee pot roast

pot roast happens to be one of my favorites

ellen is a bread maker too

she told me her favorite recipe...

you can find it in her interview

read it

then bake it

you won't be sorry

1. where does your blog name come from? how long have you been blogging and how did you get your start?

A Season for All Things comes from Ecclesiastes 3:1. I found myself in overlapping ‘seasons’ in my life… parent to 4, Grandmom to 1, mother-in-law to a terrific “new” daughter, and homeschooling my 3 teenagers. I began blogging in 2009 when I got hooked on a friend’s blog. She basically emailed me through the basics and encouraged me to continue. Thanks, Kris!

2. you are a bread baker...will you share your number 1 recipe?

Honey Wheat Bread! You can find it at http://aseasonforallthings.blogspot.com/2011/01/honey-wheat-bread.html.

3. if you were in a cooking competition, and given a hamper with 3 ingredients--which 3 would you dread receiving?

Oooo, that’s tough! I do not feel competent dealing with Indian-style cuisine…. Curry, lamb, etc!

4. besides cooking, what else inspires you?

My kids! They are so open to trying new things where I would much rather stay in my own little bubble! I am so proud of what they have accomplished and the dreams they are dreaming! Proud moment…my twins, high school seniors, have both been accepted to Auburn University!

5. you home school your children...do you use cooking in their education?

Yes! When they were younger, we did a lot of cooking, measuring, and baking (chemistry) experiments. My youngest son enjoys cooking and creating new meals. He has no problem with mixing ingredients I normally wouldn’t put together (and some really come out well)!

6. what is your number 1 kitchen essential?

My crock pot! From freezer cooking, stews, applesauce, desserts and more, this one appliance is one I wouldn’t want to live without.

7. what is your favorite food memory?

Growing up, I became the unofficial cookie baker during the holidays. It was so encouraging when people began asking you to bake a special cookie or fudge recipe.

8. dream dinner party--guest list, location, menu, drinks, music

Dream dinner party…. Close friends and family. My house. Summer – grilled chicken and vegetables, my mom’s potato salad, fresh vegetables from the garden, and fruit. Winter – Soup and chili potluck, cheese and crackers, fruit plate, French or Italian bread, and Pudding Cake for dessert. Drinks – soda, coffee, sweet ice tea. Music – the sound of wonderful conversations and laughter!

9. its your birthday...what kind of cake?

This one is easy…. Bonny Butter Cake from the 1968 Betty Crocker Cookbook!

10. what makes you a great dinner party guest?

I don’t think I make a great guest except that I always try to help the hostess keep things cleaned-up and tidy during the party and after.

don't forget to stop by ellen's blog--tell her i sent ya'

now it is time to see what you have been cooking up

if you are new to the supper club, please go HERE before linking up

if you would like to be featured next year, send a note to fudgerippleblog(at)gmail(dot)com

with a link to your blog

tomato chutney

2011-12-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

basically

i am obsessed with this stuff

its a recipe

i swiped

from my visit to

ca' di gosta

in the hills of umbria

it was served one afternoon

and

after catching me

licking the jar clean

jenny shared the recipe with me

great on a turkey sandwich

or a perfect condiment to

kalua pork

make it

make.

it.

now.

tomato chutney

(printable recipe)

makes approx 6 pints

3 lbs cherry tomatoes-cut in half

1 head garlic-peeled and finely chopped

1 heaping tsp crushed red pepper

about 2" root ginger--peeled and finely chopped

10 oz cider vinegar

1 1/2-2 lbs dark brown sugar

generous pinch of kosher salt

place all ingredients in a large pot, stir and allow to sit for 30-60 minutes. place over medium heat, stirring occasionally and allow it to get to a dark, jammy like consistency. this should take the better part of an hour. when you think the chutney may be ready, taste for flavor. you can adjust the sweet/sour/spicy at this point by adding more sugar, vinegar or red pepper. test for doneness by placing a small bit of the chutney on a cold plate. if the chutney allows you to run a finger through it leaving a clean break, it is ready. you do not want it to get hard like a candy. place in glass jars and store in the refrigerator or if you are familiar with proper canning procedures, process for 15 minutes (at sea level) in sterilized jars.

gingerbread side-cars

2011-12-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

i have made

gingerbread villages

chateaus

houses

for as long as i can remember

last year

i spotted

little gingerbread houses perched on a mug

from

not martha

(as far as i can tell--this is her original idea)

giddy and obsessed

as i have been known to get

i went to hubster

he agreed to

make cookie cutters

(so i wouldn't have to knife cut each piece)

blowtorch in one hand

pliers in the other

he made these

in turn

made these

use your favorite gingerbread cookie recipe

bake as directed

cool

assemble and decorate

tip:

i plane the sides with a microplane to ensure straight edges

these attach quite easily with

royal icing

(make it nice and stiff)

the wreaths are also made from royal icing colored green

piped with a no.63 tip onto parchment paper

sprinkles for berries

allow to dry overnight--remove carefully--attach with royal icing

i am using them this year

as place cards

piping names on the broad side of the house

and

packaging them

like so

as gifts for friends

(you can get a template for the house from the not martha link above)

linking up to:
design dazzle
rook no.17
504 main

carciofi alla giudia {jewish artichokes}

2011-12-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

much like finding

crawdads in louisianna

brisket in texas

and

barbeque in memphis

you can find

specialties in each italian region

rome is no exception

but

it also has something really special

the

jewish ghetto

it is very small

virtually abandoned come dusk on fridays

it has

a cuisine of its own

the most famous item

possibly

the fried artichoke
carciofi alla giudia
(printable recipe)
serves 4-6
4-6 chokeless or baby artichokes
lemons
olive oil for frying
salt and pepper
italian parsley (for garnish)

fill a large bowl with cool water. squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the water and stir. trim each artichoke, removing all tough outer leaves and trimming the stem (do not remove entirely). toss the trimmed artichoke into the lemon water to prevent discoloration.
*if you cannot find chokeless or baby artichokes, you can use any artichoke, however, you must trim it to the tender leaves, cut off the prickly tops and remove the choke prior to placing in the water.
heat at least 3-inches of oil on the stovetop to 325 degrees.
meanwhile, remove the artichokes from the water and place on paper towel to dry. place each artichoke stem side up on the counter and gently push to flatten, being careful not to break the leaves. place in small batches in the hot oil and cook until soft, but not browned. remove from oil and place on paper towel or kitchen paper to drain and cool. allow to sit at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 hours. just before serving, heat the oil to 375 degrees and fry the artichokes, careful not to crowd the pan, until they are browned and very crispy. depending on the size of the artichokes this can take as little as 5 minutes and as long as 10 minutes.
remove from pan, drain slightly. sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve with a garnish of chopped parsley and a lemon wedge.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

as this day

draws to a close

i reflect

upon the gifts

family, friends, kind strangers

health, joy, laughter

curiosity

compassion

conscious

and

i am thankful

right this instant

chestnuts are roasting

in our fireplace

the perfect ending

may the spirit of being thankful,

carry us

today

tomorrow

and

forever

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

it is probably time to get a cat...

2011-11-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

we have a mountain home

i often talk about all the wonderful things about it

what i rarely mention

is our rodent population

hey

it is the mountains

after all

we have mice

mostly
they stay outdoors

or
under the house
however

as it begins to cool

and

snow falls

they make their way inside

it does freak me out

especially
when i find a nest
in the arm of my robe
or
under a pillow

this morning
may possibly be my favorite tell
the pantry held an empty walnut bag
across the room
another cabinet held this

walnuts in a vase
apparently
we have
fancy mice
eating only
from the finest of crystal

almond cake

2011-11-20T21:02:00.000-08:00

i owe david lebovitz a debt of gratitude

while searching for

an almond cake recipe

not calling for almond flour

i came across his recipe

one he admits comes from chez panisse

my pantry held marzipan rather than almond paste

so, i changed the recipe

ever so slightly

this cake looks light and airy

and it is

but it is also

incredibly moist

and almondy

have a slice on its own

or pair it with

brandied cherries

peach ice cream

toffee

this cake

would be a gorgeous addition

to your

thanksgiving dessert display

almond cake

printable recipe

(v.slightly adapted from david lebovitz)

1 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar

7 oz marzipan paste (i used odense)

1 cup all purpose flour--divided

1 cup unsalted butter--room temperature

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp pure almond extract

6 large eggs

preheat oven to 325^F. butter and flour a 9" springform pan. line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

using a food processor with the metal blade, process the marzipan, sugar and 1/4 cup flour until it resembles fine sand. in a separate bowl, mix together the remaining flour, salt and baking powder.

to the almond mixture, add the butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and pulse until a smooth batter forms. add the eggs one by one, and scraping the bowl as necessary in between additions.

add half of the flour mixture and pulse until just combined. add the remaining flour and pulse a few times. if need be, hand stir the flour until it is fully incorporated.

pour into prepared pan and bake for about an hour. begin checking after 50 minutes. you can use the toothpick test to check for doneness, or whichever method you prefer.

once removed from oven and while the cake is still hot, run a sharp knife around the perimeter to loosen the cake. do not open the springform pan until the cake is completely cooled. allow the cake to cool in the pan.

serve with a dusting of powdered sugar

the original food trucks {travelogue}

2011-11-16T01:17:00.000-08:00

i never understood

the why

waiting in queues winding corners

for food

deemed

"awesome"

by virtue of a great social media strategy

the food

usually expensive

often disappointing

always a lesson in compromise

i prefer

not

finding my next great meal through a twitter feed

the next hot

rolling rip-off

can wait

artisanal

delicious

food

is handcuffed in that environment

when i am in italy

i follow the markets

freshly made porchetta each wednesday

salumi

made by the same hand i shook

as we exchanged pleasantries

arguably

they are food trucks

but

without the

frenzy

of a trend

that may already have seen

its best days

*these photos were taken at the weekly market of a small village in umbria

(apologies if i offend any food truck vendors. some of you may have amazing food..stop hiding your light under a bushel)

white truffles of umbria

2011-11-13T02:20:00.000-08:00

as you may have figured

i am mid-term into an italian holiday

luckily

the bulk of our trip is in umbria

more luck

it is truffle season

the white truffles of umbria

are highly fragrant

and prized

i met a purveyor this afternoon

and was able to get a few knobs for myself

the truffle hunter gave me a little tip

to store the truffles in a large container

aside 2 or 3 raw eggs in their shell

after several days

the eggs themselves will taste of truffle

i'll let you know

how it goes

through this window {travelogue}

2011-11-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

this is a window

florence italy

7 via de conti

to be exact

twenty five years ago

give or take a few months

i sat on the other side

looking out

watching merchants, tourists, students, neighbors

wander to and from

the san lorenzo market

occasionally

my friends would shout

from the street below

an invite to the jolly cafe

pink floyd videos playing all day across the back wall

grande heinekens and great hot dogs

cheap

really cheap

tacked along the walls within that room

behind the window

were

posters

photos

letters from home

beds shoved against

3 of the 4 walls

and

3 strangers from california

became

memory makers

memories that swarm

and ooze like honey

into the creases of our lives

of days

that changed us

made us bold

gave us a bit more context

allowed us to shed our comfort

i visit this window each time i come to florence

and this year

the 25th anniversary

the shutters are flung wide

exposing

empty building

i asked the shop keep

across the way

about my surrogate home

he simply said

non c'e piu

it is no more

*i am currently traveling about italy...gathering more memories