The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie

I've been thinking about the meaning of the word "home" a lot lately.  For so many reasons, I suppose.  But there are two that really seem to standout in my mind.

A recent trip to Budapest, one of the most surprisingly beautiful cities I have visited in Europe, brought my family face to face with hundreds of refugees fleeing the war torn Middle East for a better life.  These people were walking from Budapest with the hopes of finding a safe and secure new home in Germany.  Families, young men, and small children carrying their lives on their backs and leaving they only home they have ever known.  You can watch the stories on the news and read about the crisis that is facing Europe right now, but to actually watch the people walking past you is something altogether different.  Clarifying.  And you wonder if these people will ever again feel at "home".  Surely refugee camps, abandoned warehouses and halfway houses can't be the image of the new life they are desperately trying to find.  But all of these places are light years from the hell that was their home.  So maybe, just maybe, there's a glimmer of hope there.

Grain and Dairy Free Chestnut Flour Brownies

I feel spectacularly lucky to be living in Europe with my family.  The opportunities to experience the cultures and explore the history of this continent are the stuff of dreams for most people.  And we get to live that dream.  I spend a lot of time trying to photograph and document all of our travels and even the moments that have become commonplace for us because of living here.  My goal is to have a physical reminder of all the things we have seen and done so that my children will be able to hold onto the memories that they have made here.  I'm pretty confident that my oldest will be able to remember some of the highlights on his own, but at 6 years old Wyatt probably will only be able to retrieve bits and pieces if he's lucky.  And the baby has no idea that she isn't actually European, so photos of her in the incredible places she's been will be like looking at some other person's life when she flips through them in a few years.

To me, it's those memories that are the most important to take away with us from this adventure.  Much more so than any souvenir that will be stuck on a shelf or broken within days of buying it.  They will build my kids into the adults that they will be one day (sooner than I am ready for!).  I know for sure that mine have influenced my personality in so many ways.  We didn't take fancy vacations, we just didn't have the money for that.  So the memories that influenced me the most are of the times I spent in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother.  My skills are only so good because of the experiences that I was allowed to have alongside those two women.  To say that my most influential memories are all about food is an understatement.  In fact, even what I can recall from the few vacations that we did take is food.  Salty, delicious Virginia ham and Death by Chocolate in Colonial Williamsburg, anyone?  Or maybe catching crabs and eating pizza and boardwalk fries at the Jersey shore?

Recently, my mom has been struggling with some health issues and has been forced to reevaluate the way that she eats as a result.  She hasn't been able to eat many of the wonderful foods that she and my grandmother taught me how to make as a child.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to have the memories of the pastries, cakes, and breads that she knows so well and not be able to eat any of them.  When we visited back home just last week we had a big family gathering.  After making cakes, cream puffs, breads and lemon bars for days, my mom had to just sit by and watch everyone else eat them.  As the guests started to leave and only close family was left lingering and chatting she asked me to make these for her.  Just a little pleasure in a moment when there were so many things she had to stay away from.  It was, of course, the least I could do for the woman who's lessons made me the person that I am.  I had been tinkering with a recipe that includes none of the things she has to stay away from but is still the comfort food she longs for.  I'm thrilled that by the end of that evening, I was able to present these brownies to her and hopefully, create another one of those memories that stays with you for a lifetime.

Grain and Dairy Free Chestnut Flour Brownies
Makes 12 brownies.  Adapted from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I found chestnut flour in a natural food store recently and decided to give it a try.  It's so different from the other nut flours I've used before.  Unlike the grainy texture of almond or hazelnut flour, chestnut flour is silky and really feels like wheat flour.  It's a bit on the expensive side, but in this recipe a little goes a long way.  One bag will last quite a while if you care for it (like other nut flours, it stays the freshest when stored in the freezer).  In this recipe it really does well and helps give the brownie structure without imparting an overly nutty flavor.  The other new ingredient for me was coconut oil.  Admittedly, I cannot stand coconut.  So I was definitely hesitant to give it a go, but there really is no other good substitute for butter in a recipe like this except maybe vegetable oil.  I have to say that the coconut oil ended up doing a good job.  And while there was a slight aroma of coconut, I was happy that I couldn't taste it at all in the finished brownie.  Success.

5 tbs coconut oil
1 1/3 cups (8 oz) 60% cocao semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cups cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup chestnut flour, sifted

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil.  Once the coconut oil is melted stir in the chocolate chips and remove from the heat.  Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture and then add the vanilla and eggs.  Stir until all are well combined.  Then add the chestnut flour and stir vigorously.  The batter will appear slightly curdled at first.  Keep stirring and you will see and almost magical transformation into a thick, smooth batter.  Pour the finished batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top appears to have dulled in shine just a little bit and the center is just barely set.  Cool completely and then cut into 12 squares.  The brownies will keep for a couple of days stored in an airtight container.

Blackberry Clementine Smoothie

Don't think it's escaped my notice that my posts lately have been very introspective and deep.  Maybe bordering on a little too much information for all of my dear readers.  Maybe?  I don't know but I like to think it's part of my charm and hopefully you do too.

So in that spirit,  I thought I'd offer up something much the opposite today.  Short, quick and to the point.  Sort of like the recipe I'm sharing as well.  It's fitting, don't you think?   This is the sort of thing I'm craving these days.  In the heart of winter when I can't bear the idea of another stew for dinner or bowl of oatmeal at breakfast time what I really want is something to remind me that summer really will come again.  And thankfully Mother Nature obliges by bringing forth an abundant harvest of citrus in the bleak days of January.  So I'm celebrating citrus with a bright smoothie that makes me smile and feel just a little bit closer to the warm days of July.

Blackberry Clementine Smoothie
Makes enough for 2 smaller servings or one large one.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I don't know about you but when I have a typical smoothie for breakfast I usually end up feeling hungry an hour later.  They just don't "stick".  So I've thrown in a couple of ingredients that not only increase the sticking power of this smoothie but add a few more nutrients and fiber to an already healthy breakfast.  Why not?  So in go some rolled oats and chia seeds.  I like to blitz the oats first before adding the rest of the other ingredients so that they're broken down quite a bit.  I think it helps the texture.  Otherwise this is like any other smoothie- just throw the ingredients into the blender and blend.  Perfect for any busy morning on the go.

1/4 cup rolled oats
2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
3 clementines, peeled (make sure you've got seedless ones)
3/4 cup frozen blackberries

Toss the oats into the cup of a blender and pulse a few times until they are broken down into a powder.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Manchego Crackers

I follow a few other bloggers that have become new moms or second/third time moms in the past year.  These ladies are the real deal.  They are brilliant writers, photographers and recipe developers.  From the outside looking in it seems they've got it all together.  And I never noticed any break or pause when the little ones arrived in their lives.  New baby?  No big deal. 

Um, what?

I am in total awe of the ability of these ladies to juggle the exhaustion and foggy brain with day to day life and still being able to pull together some great recipes and posts.  I just don't know how they do it.  I have lots of ideas and inspiration- that's not the problem.  It's the organization and time that I can't seem to work out.  I have no idea how the other mom bloggers do it.

And then I read something the other day that made me stop and think.  It was a mom talking about how there is so much pressure these days to appear as if we are always having the best time and are doing the most adventurous things.  But the reality of the situation is often much different than the appearance.  In her own example, she had taken pictures of her kids on a kite flying outing looking happy and carefree.  But what the pictures don't show is that is was a freezing day that didn't last more than an hour with much crying and several broken kites. 

It made me realize that those other mom bloggers are probably much more like me than I realize.  They may look like they've got it all together but they're probably just putting their best face forward and are living in as much chaos behind the scenes as I am.  The difference is that they manage to pull together a few great moments that look good on the screen (and probably taste just as awesome).  But it's all just appearances.

My goal going forward is not about food or photographs.  It's much more personal.  I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself and realize that my life is not any less wonderful if I can't get a blog post done for a week or two.  In fact, it will probably be even better because I'll get to spend real time with my kids- talking with my oldest who is really starting to show his personality and maturity, battling and playing with my 5 year old rough and tumble kid and snuggling with my baby girl.  We'll cook some awesome food together, go on adventures around Europe and see some amazing sights for sure.  And if I get in a great photo shoot in the meantime, you can be sure it's something that I love and am proud of because I took the time to really put my heart into it.

This time around it's these great crackers.  The quince jam that I paired with it is wonderful, but I think I'll save that for another day.  The crackers are just as good with the jam as without (or with another type of preserves like fig!).  They are crisp, tangy and super easy to make.  I took them along to a wine tasting get together and they were the perfect accompaniment to the wines.  And just to give a further shout out to being real, the wines were all under $5 and the one we brought was awful.  But it was a fun night with new friends and that's all that matters.

Manchego Crackers
Makes about 3 dozen 3 inch crackers
For the printable recipe, click here.

Manchego is one of my favorite cheeses.  It's a hard sheep milk cheese from Spain, a bit tangy and nutty.  If you can't find Manchego, you could use Pecorino Romano or Parmesan which share some of the same qualities.  The cheese pairs beautifully with quince and fig jams on a cheese board and these crackers are no different.  They are best used the same day as they are baked as they lose some of their snap as time goes on.  I doubt you'll have any leftover anyway.

1 cup shredded Manchego cheese
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
5 tbs cold butter, cut into cubes
3 tbs plain Greek yogurt

In a food processor, blend together the cheese, flour and pepper.  Drop in the butter and yogurt and pulse the mixture until it just comes together and you can still see streaks of the butter and yogurt.  Pour the dough onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and press into a log with a 3 inch diameter (I made mine with squared sides but round would be just as nice.  Wrap tightly in the paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.  You could also freeze the dough for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake the crackers, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.  Take the dough from the fridge and let it warm on the counter for a few minutes to make slicing easier.  Using a sharp, heavy knife slice the dough into 1/4 inch slices.  I found that the thinner crackers had a better snap to them so try not to get too thick.  Lay the slices flat on the baking tray.  They don't need a lot of space between them as they don't spread much at all.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, flipping the crackers after the first 10 minutes.  The finished crackers are a beautiful golden color (but not brown).  Cool on a wire rack completely.  Store the crackers in an airtight container.

*You can also make the cracker dough by hand if you don't have a food processor.  Simply mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then cut the butter and yogurt in using a pastry blender or two knives. 

Smitten Kitchen's Apple & Honey Challah "Muffins"

My post on my personal Facebook page yesterday morning:

                "Why do I feel like I have completed some amazing feat by just getting my kids
                out the door in the morning? I'm spent."

It's funny how something so simple can resonate with so many.  I even got comments and likes from those friends I never hear from but know are lurking somewhere out there in the Facebook shadows.  As one friend put it, "You just summed up motherhood."  And now that I'm back at the beginning of the journey with our new baby girl I'm finding I'd forgotten just how much of a juggling act it can be.  Some days I feel like I am the whole circus combined into one exhausted act.  I can juggle, walk the high wire and tame the lions all in the same day.  Sometimes more than once!  Only I don't look nearly as good in a leotard as those Cirque du Soleil girls do (but oh, how I wish....).

I do have to admit, however, my juggling act isn't always the best (almost as sad as my post-baby body in the aforementioned leotard).  Sometimes those little balls just won't stay up in the air no matter how much I try.  A few fall before I can snatch them back up.  Lately one of those fallen balls is my kids' breakfast- especially on those rushed weekday mornings.  It's nearly impossible to get a healthy, warm breakfast on the table for my two bigs while simultaneously nursing or changing their baby sister who seems to always be hungry at the most inconvenient times.  So those poor boys are reduced to grabbing whatever they can pop in a toaster or pour in a bowl.  It's hard for me to watch. 

I don't have a solution for my juggling woes.  Just a few really awesome catches every now and again that make me feel like Barnum and Bailey might actually be calling me up sometime soon after all.  These sweet little "muffins" are one of them.  I took one of my favorite recipes and made it easy for my kiddos to grab in the mornings when I'm not around to help them out.  Challah is a beautiful bread enriched with eggs and honey and with the abundant apples in season right now folded right into the dough these little rolls are truly my idea of a perfect breakfast alongside a cup of cold milk.

I'm not going to give you a recipe this time around because I truly did nothing to alter the original recipe in it's brilliance.  So instead I will give you the link to Deb at Smitten Kitchen's recipe (so click here now!) and tell you that it makes 2 dozen "muffins" if you make the whole recipe.  Follow Deb's recipe until you get to the step for the braiding of the dough.  Instead of cutting the dough into 4, cut it into 24 equal pieces.  Place those pieces of dough into buttered muffin tins and continue on with the recipe as written.  I halved the recipe this time around and ended up with 12 of the most beautiful breakfast treats around.

Pork, Potato and Smoked Paprika Empanadas {Using Up My Leftovers}

We're gearing up for spring break here in our house.  I'm super excited for the trip we have scheduled for next week.  Mainly because it involves two of my favorite things- food and gardens.  We're headed to Belgium and The Netherlands and I have packed our itinerary full of waffles, french fries and chocolate eating as well as tulip fields as far as the eye can see in all their blooming glory.  If any has ever been to Bruges or Amsterdam and has specific recommendations on great places to eat, I'd happily take them.  I've got a little list going, but the more options the better in my book.

Sounds idyllic, doesn't it?  I promise loads of photos when we get back.  It's supposed to be a bit rainy, but I imagine the bright colors of those tulips and the canal-side homes in Bruges will make up for the gray skies. Can't!  Wait!

It's a good thing there's a vacation at the end of this week because one of the most stressful things I do around here is prepare for our trips.  Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I certainly can't be, right?  It's exhausting- all the google searches on what I need to have in my car to drive through Belgium, all the laundry that needs doing before we get going, the food shopping for snacks and breakfast stuff that we can take along with us, stressing about how we're going to pack everything we need into the car.  And the worst of all- how to use up what I've got in my fridge so that what's in there doesn't go to waste and I don't have a fridge full of gross-ness awaiting me at the end of an awesome vacation.

This is one of the best ways that I know to use up leftovers.  And they've graced our table this past week to the delight of all but my picky little man (sigh).  My husband is very much an "I need meat at dinner" kind of guy and he's not a big fan of poultry, so we tend to eat a lot of pork around here.  Pork tenderloin is one of our favorites (especially this one), but we go for good old fashioned roasts as well as big, thick chops on the grill.  There are always leftovers because I don't know how to cook for less than an army of people (thanks to my Nana for that one!).  My family has come to expect these great little empanadas within a few days of the first dinner.  They never, ever disappoint.  Serve them up with a big salad and you've got one great dinner.

One less leftover in the fridge- check!

Pork, Potato and Smoked Paprika Empanadas
Makes about 15 empanadas.  Dough recipe from the sadly no-longer-in-print Gourmet magazine.
For the printable, click here.

This really is a favorite here in our house.  I've been using the same dough recipe from Gourmet magazine for years and it's pretty fool-proof.  I've been guilty over over mixing and re-rolling the scraps maybe one time too many and the empanadas are always tender and flaky.  I haven't changed a single thing from the original, though I do occasionally use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar depending on what is the closest to me when I'm working.  The filling is pretty flexible.  You can use whatever leftover pork you have and it will work just fine.  If you don't have thyme or smoked paprika you can go in another direction and be just as satisfied.  Maybe some cumin, chili powder and roasted chili peppers for a bit of a Tex Mex flavor?  Mushrooms and tarragon?  You could even swap out sweet potatoes for the yukon golds.  The possibilities are endless.

For the dough:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 stick (1/2 cup or 8 tbs) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup ice water
1 tbs white or apple cider vinegar

In a large bowl, blend together the butter, flour and salt with your finer tips or a pastry blender until the butter pieces are about the size of peas.

In another bowl, mix together the water and vinegar.  Using your hands or a fork, stir the liquid mixture into the flour and butter until you have a shaggy dough.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it two or three times just to bring the dough together.  Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

*I've also made the dough in a food processor with no problem.  Follow the same steps, pulsing the processor blade to do your blending.

For the filling:
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 medium waxy potato (such as yukon gold), diced
1 cup leftover pork, shredded or diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cup low-sodium or home made chicken broth, divided
1 tbs flour

1 egg for egg washing the empanadas

Saute the onion in 1 tbs olive oil for 2-3 min or just until softened.  Add potatoes and stir with the onions for another minute.  Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, uncovered, until the pan is almost dry to par-cook the potatoes.  Add the pork, garlic, the rest of the broth, thyme and paprika to the pan and stir just to warm through (about 3 minutes).  Sprinkle the flour over the pan and stir, cooking for another minute to thicken the pan juices.  Set the pan aside to cool COMPLETELY before proceeding.

To assemble:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with with parchment or a nonstick liner.  In a small bowl beat the egg with 1 tbs of water and set aside.

Roll the dough out into a circle about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Cut into circles using a 5 inch diameter cutter.  Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each circle.  Brush the edge of the circles with a bit of egg wash and fold the dough to form a half-circle enclosing the filling.  Press the edges with your fingers and crimp with a fork to ensure a tight seal.  You can re-roll the dough scraps and cut out more empanadas.

Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets.  Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of smoked paprika.  Bake for 22-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the empanadas are puffed.  Cool slightly and serve warm.

Buttermilk Scones {A Tuesdays with Dorie Post}

I have a serious obsession with, no, addiction to scones.  They are ones of my all time favorite breakfast foods.  And that's saying something because I absolutely love breakfast.  Especially when I get to linger over a great spread with friends or (on really special days) the quiet of my child-free home after dropping my kids off at school. There's just something about the light of the morning, a good book, a cup of steaming tea and warm, flaky scones that makes my day start in just the perfect way.

My favorite scones have always been ones made with a copious amount of butter and cream.  I've made versions with Meyer lemon, chocolate chunks, and even pumpkin.  They always turn out just the way I like them- light and fluffy with plenty of rich flavor.  So when these scones turned up in the Tuesdays with Dorie schedule I was a bit skeptical.  How well would buttermilk do the job of replacing cream?  Would the scones be too much like biscuits and not enough like the scones that I love?

I am now officially a convert.

These buttermilk scones were every bit as good as the cream based scones that I usually make.  And I just loved the idea of creating the jam-filled pinwheel shaped scones.  They were absolutely delicious, if a bit messy to fill and cut.  I filled mine with home made fig jam, but I'm positive the scones would be just as wonderful with any berry flavored jam or even lemon curd (Oh!  Now there's a great idea I just came up with.).

Can't wait to see what other wonderful variations my fellow bloggers came up with?  Check them all out on the Tuesdays with Dorie page!

Buttermilk Scones
Makes 1 dozen triangle shaped scones or 24 spiral ones.  Recipe from Baking with Julia, edited by Dorie Greenspan.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I rarely ever follow a recipe exactly, but found little need to make any changes with this one.  I did cut back on the butter needed to brush the tops (I only used about half of what the original called for).  This recipe makes quite a few scones- directions for freezing uneaten scones are at the end.  If I were to make these again, and I'm sure I will, I would probably halve to recipe.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted cold butter (6 ounces), cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk 
1 tbs grated orange zest or lemon zest
 
2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
1/4 cup sugar, for dusting the tops
(If making the spiral scones)
4 tablespoons jam or jelly, and/or 4 tablespoons diced or small dried fruit, such as currants, raisins, apricots, or figs
 

Position the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together with a fork. Add the cold butter pieces and, using your fingertips (the first choice), a pastry blender, or two knives, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  It's OK if some largish pieces of butter remain-they'll add to the scones' flakiness.

Pour in 1 cup buttermilk, toss in the zest, and mix with the fork only until the ingredients are just moistened--you'll have a soft dough with a rough look. (If the dough looks dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk.) Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it very briefly--a dozen turns should do it. Cut the dough in half.

TO MAKE TRIANGULAR-SHAPED SCONES, roll one piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle that is about 7 inches across. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and cut the circle into 6 triangles. Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside while you roll out the rest of the dough.

TO MAKE ROLLED SCONES, roll one piece of dough into a strip that is 12 inches long and 1/2 inch thick (the piece will not be very wide). Spread the strip with half of the melted butter and dust with half of the sugar. If you want to spread the roll with jam and/or sprinkle it with dried fruits, now's the time to do so; leave a narrow border on a long edge bare. Roll the strip up from a long side like a jelly roll; pinch the seam closed and turn the roll seam side down. Cut the roll in half and cut each piece into six 1-inch-wide roll-ups. Place the rolled scones cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Repeat with the remaining dough.
 
Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes, until both the tops and bottoms are golden. Transfer the scones to a rack to cool slightly. These are best served warm but are just fine at room temperature.

If you're not going to eat the scones the day they are made, wrap them airtight and freeze; they'll stay fresh for a month. To serve, defrost the scones at room temperature in their wrappers, then unwrap and reheat on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in a 350°F oven.

Herb and Olive Oil Marinated Goat Cheese

I'm still on my "spring is on it's way!" kick.  I can't really help it, my body is craving fresh, simple foods with lots of veggies and herbs and the markets are responding in just the most perfect way.  And just in time too because frankly, I'm about done with stews and braises and trying to find winter veggies that my family will eat (they are just not squash or root vegetable people so I can forget butternuts, turnips and the like...).

Here in Germany we get to celebrate our first Fasching this coming week.  It's pretty much the German version of Carnival or Mardi Gras that gets celebrated in other parts of the world.  There are parades, costumes and parties in every big city in our part of the country and in many of the small towns too.  As I was walking out the door this morning with two costumed kiddos all excited and ready to go to school, I ran into my German neighbor.  She asked if we have Fasching back in the US.  When I said no, she just chuckled and replied that there isn't anything like Fasching anywhere in the world and that we are in for some fun.  I can't wait to check it all out! 

There are many stories about the origin of the celebration, most having to do with the start of lent, but I like the version that my oldest came home from school with yesterday.  His teacher described the first Fasching as a celebration of the end of a particularly long and hungry winter and the first signs of spring.  I can dig that sort of celebration.  That's exactly how I'm feeling these days so I'm ready to party with the best of them.  Or at least I think so- those Germans really know how to have a good time.

So if you feel like celebrating spring along with me, I've got a simple party appetizer sort of recipe for you today.  I honestly can't think of a reason NOT to have a jar of this beautiful cheese in your fridge.  It's about the easiest thing ever to prepare and after just a few days of the herbs mingling with the oil and cheesy goodness, you've got something that is more than the sum of its parts.  Pure perfection.

Herb and Olive Oil Marinated Goat Cheese
Makes 1 pint jar.
For the printable recipe, click here.

There really is no specific recipe here, I am simply inclined to give you suggestions and send you on your way.  Truly, the direction you go with this is all your own.  I went a decidedly Mediterranean route with my herbs choosing to use basil, oregano and Italian parsley.  It would be lovely with tarragon or dill instead if you are so inclined.  And if you can get your hands on a french feta (which is milder than it's Greek counterpart), you might try that in place of the goat cheese.

The only rule to really follow here is that you should use a really good quality olive oil.  I know it seems like you would use a lot, but the flavor of the oil is really important to the final result.  I used a good sharp, grassy Greek oil.  When you use the cheese, save the oil and strain it.  You will have a wonderful herb-infused oil that you can use for all sorts of things (think viniagrettes or to brush over a flatbread before tossing it in the oven).

1 log of fresh, soft goat cheese
fresh herbs, rinsed and dried, at least 1 small bunch in total (about 6 stems of one variety or a total of 6 mixed)
good quality olive oil, about 1 cup

Using a clean pint jar, layer about half of the herbs in the bottom of the jar.  Slice the cheese into 1 inch thick discs and place them into the jar until it it almost full.  Tuck the remaining herbs around the cheese and over the top.  Fill the jar with the olive oil almost to the top.  Make sure to cover the herbs completely.  Cover the jar and store in the refrigerator for at least three days to really flavor the oil and cheese.

When ready to serve, remove the cheese slices from the jar and serve alongside toasted baguette slices, crackers or warm flatbread.  The cheese will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator stored in the oil.

Baked Yeast Doughnuts with Blood Orange Glaze

Those hands.  Those sweet little boy fingers.  I've used my little man's hands a few times in photos for this blog and the results are always so captivating to me.  I don't know that you can get any more pure than little hands helping shape dough or adding ingredients to a bowl.  They just want to help- be in the mix- and it's always a joyful experience.  The photos are some of my all-time favorites because they capture such important yet small moments. 

But they're no longer the chubby little toddler hands, dimpled and clumsy, that used to love holding onto my index finger as we walked along together.  These hands have more slender, sure and independent fingers than they did even a few months ago.  Fingers that hesitate a moment before gabbing onto my hand as we walk home from school.  They now wield scissors with abandon and accuracy (for better or worse) and would much rather stack LEGOs than help his mom in the kitchen.

Here's the thing, though.  The little guy is still just 4 years old so there are times when he wants to be considered a "big boy" like his 9 year old brother, and times when he's still, blessedly, just a little boy.  He likes to twist his hair between his fingers (and gets mad if it gets cut too short to be "twirled") and stick his first two fingers in his mouth when tired.  Signs that my sweet little mama's boy is still in there somewhere despite his desire to grow up as quickly as he can.

When he agreed to actually stand still for three minutes and help me take photos of these sweet little doughnuts, I grabbed my camera as fast as I could.  I know those moments of patience for me and my desires are going to come less and less frequently as he grows up and I want to capture as many of them as I can.  Besides, it's really hard to get a four year old to stand still with a handful of warm, sweet-glazed doughnuts.  (Full disclosure, it would be just as hard to get me to stand still with these babies in my hand too.) 

Baked Yeast Doughnuts with Blood Orange Glaze
Makes about 3 dozen 2 1/2 inch round doughnuts.
For the printable recipe, click here.

These doughnuts are based on the sugar and spice doughnuts I made about a year ago.  They are wonderfully tender and delicious and just as good as their fried counterparts.  I like to make them small because, sadly, they don't keep too well after baking.  The small ones just seem to go faster than big doughnuts.  My guess is that it's just too easy to pop one in your mouth as you walk through the kitchen so everyone is tempted to grab one on the go.

1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk, heated to 115 degrees
1 tbs active dry yeast
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 1/2 cup to 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup room temperature butter, cut into cubes

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tbs fresh blood orange juice



In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.  Add the milk, vanilla, zest and yeast and mix on medium speed until blended.  Add 2 cups of the flour a 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed.  Beat until the dough is thick and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Switch to the dough hook.  With the mixer on medium add the chunks of butter one piece at a time, beating until no large chunks of butter are left, 3-5 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low and add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough gathers around the hook and comes cleanly off the sides of the bowl.  You want a soft, moist but not overly sticky dough.


***You can also do all of this by hand in a large bowl.  Follow the same steps simply using a wooden spoon to do the mixing.  Do the final mixing with your hands if it becomes too difficult to use the spoon***







Lightly butter a large bowl and turn the dough into the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight (or, if making right away, place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough double in volume, about 1 hour). 

When you are ready to bake the doughnuts, pull the dough from the refrigerator (or from your bowl on the counter) and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to 1/2 inch thick.  Using a round 2 1/2 inch cutter, cut the doughnuts out.  Place the doughnuts on a parchment lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart from each other.  Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 30-35 minutes for refrigerated dough and 15-20 minutes for room temperature dough, until nearly doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees while the doughnuts rise.

Bake the doughnuts for 5-8 minutes until they are lightly golden. While they are baking, mix the powdered sugar and 3 tbs of the blood orange juice in a shallow bowl.  Add any additional juice in small amounts until you have a smooth, spreadable glaze.  When the doughnuts come out of the oven, immediately dip or drizzle the baked doughnuts with the glaze.  The doughnuts are best eaten right away.

Kumquat Preserves

In the midst of a dark, gray winter here is a burst of color worth savoring. 

Maybe your winter hasn't been as dark or gray as it has been in my neck of the woods.  I am totally jealous if that's the case (I'm talking to you my Southern California friends!).  Perhaps you love that sort of wintery weather.  I'm not judging, but it's just not my thing.  Nine years in the Pacific North West cured me of any love for the constant dreariness of a rainy winter. 

My family and I took a break from the gray and found a snowy paradise at the top of a glacier in Switzerland last week.  The cloudless blue sky and perfect white of the ice and snow were just the thing to refresh and recharge me for the new year.

Back at my town market for the first time in a couple of weeks I noticed a definite change in the produce available.  The citrus is starting to make its way into Germany from Italy and Spain.  Tables covered in Italian lemons and clementines stacked in tight pyramids, stems and leaves poking through here and there.  It was a beautiful sight to see.  I'm hoping to find something new and fabulous that I've never seen before- like the summer and fall that brought currants, gooseberries and quince.  What sort of new tastes will the winter bring?  I can't wait.

In the meantime, here's a little taste of brightness to start things off.  Not new to me, but a harbinger of things to come.  I hope you can find kumquats near you because they are one of a kind with their sweet, tangy skins and slightly bitter flesh.  You can pop them in your mouth whole, cook slices until they're sweet and candied or make this wonderful small batch preserve.  I first tried them in California and with every taste I imagine sitting out in my old backyard with the warm sun on my face and the scent of the citrus blossoms in the breeze.

Kumquat Preserves
Makes about 1 pint.  Recipe from Food in Jars.
For the printable recipe, click here.

This is a simple way to dive into small batch jam making.  You can make one small recipe and not have to mess around with sterilization, canning pots or boiling lids.  This recipe makes just enough to fill two half pint jars- one to keep and one to give to your favorite neighbor.  The preserves are perfect spread on buttered toast or spooned over vanilla ice cream.

1 lb kumquats
2 cups water
1 1/4 cup sugar

Wash the kumquats well.  Quarter each and with the tip of a sharp knife remove the seeds and the inner membrane.  Reserve the seeds and membranes.  Slice the remaining skins and pulp into thin slivers.

Place the sliced kumquats, water and sugar into a large pot.  Wrap the reserved seeds and membranes in a square of cheesecloth and tie the bundle with the corners of the fabric or with kitchen twine.  Place the bundle in the pot (the seeds and membranes are pectin rich and will thicken the preserves).  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until the preserves are thickened and the temperature reaches 220 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Pour the preserves into 2 half pint jars and refrigerate.

Spelt (or Whole Wheat) Gingersnap Cookies {Tuesdays with Dorie}

This morning as I was dropping off my little one at school I caught a glimpse of another Mom who must be much more on top of things than I am.  She was carry a little bundle of cookies all bagged up and be-ribboned to give to teachers as gifts.  And it dawned on me- Christmas is in just one week.  I've only got three more days to pull together something tasty and sweet for my boys' teachers. 

How did that happen?  Didn't I just implore good old St. Nick to gift me with a bit more time? 

My plan was to bake up a few batches of tried and true cookies- including my favorite chai spiced chocolate crinkle cookies and maybe some pizzelles- to gift to teachers and neighbors.  We've got a cookie swap coming up in a few days as well and the there's Operation Cookie Drop, which the USO organizes to drop off cookies to soldiers, sailors and airmen who are stuck standing watch on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  In other words, I think I'll be up to my eyeballs in cookies for the next few days.  Thanks to my hubby, who gave me my Christmas present (a new Kitchen Aid mixer!) early, I think I'm up to the task.  The only question is which other cookies I want to include in my treat bags?

I think these little cookies may just make the cut.  I already have a favorite molasses cookie- from Cooks Illustrated- so I wasn't too sure about these, but I gave them a shot anyway.  Unlike most other cookie recipes, this one only makes about a dozen cookies.  I kind of like that.  There are just enough cookies to satisfy without making so many that you can't stand them anymore by the time you finish them off.  They're chewy, warmly spiced and couldn't be any more Christmas-y if they tried.

 
It's been forever since I posted a Tuesdays with Dorie recipe and I missed the fun group of bloggers that I get to bake along with.  That international move just completely got in the way.  And then, of course, I had to figure out how to get by in this tiny kitchen of mine and how to find what I need in the German grocery stores.  Just like everything else lately, I'm a bit behind and still trying to play catch up.  But I'm slowly getting there and this is the first step in getting back to normal (or at least my new normal).  I'm going to include the recipe because I made a few changes.  And here's the link to find everyone else's version of these tasty little cookies.

Spelt (or Whole Wheat) Gingersnap Cookies
Makes about 1 dozen cookies.  Adapted from Baking with Julia, edited by Dorie Greenspan.  Recipe by David Blom.
Click here for the printable.

I love that the ingredients list for these cookies is relatively short and the process is fairly simple and straightforward.  I did feel the need to tweak it just a bit though.  The first batch I made was strictly by the books.  I found that for being called a gingersnap, the original didn't seem to have a whole lot of ginger or snap to it.  So I upped the amount of spice a bit and added cloves.  I liked the first batch, but felt my second lived up to its name more fully.  I also swapped out the all purpose flour for spelt flour.  Mostly because it was at the front of my cabinet, but also because I knew I could hide it easily from my family in an already deeply colored dough.  I quite enjoyed the depth that it cave the cookie.  If you can't find spelt, you can certainly use whole wheat or all purpose flour.


1/4 cup sugar
3 tbs unsulfured molasses
2 tbs butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tbs water
3/4 cup spelt (or whole wheat) flour

To glaze the cookies, you'll need 1 tbs molasses and 1 tbs water.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a bowl suitable for use with a hand mixer) place the sugar, molasses, butter spices and baking soda.  Mix on medium speed until the butter is whipped and creamy and all of the ingredients fully incorporated.  This should take about 2 minutes.  Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour until you have a soft dough, about 1 minute more.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shaping it into a rough square or rectangle.  Place the dough into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2 to 3 hours (or freeze for 45 minutes).

When ready to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone liner.

Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin as the dough is quite sticky.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 inch cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut out cookies from the dough.  Place them on the baking sheets with just a bit of room between them- they spread very little if at all.  You can re-roll the scraps and cut out more cookies.  If the dough is too soft, place it back into the refrigerator or freezer until it firms up a bit.

Mix the glaze and brush it on the unbaked cookies.  Don't be too generous with the glaze, it can make the cookies a bit soggy.  Bake the cookies for about 6 minutes.  They will puff up and become just a bit firm (they will fall back down when cooling).  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about a minute before removing them to finish cooling on a wire rack.  The cookies will keep for up to 4 days in a well sealed container.

Very Vanilla Sandwich Cookies

I feel like I'm just playing catch up lately.  We came back from Rome and flew straight back into the rush of life, but I'm not so sure I was ready.   Maybe I'm still in a food coma from all the pasta I ate on vacation and with the rush of the holidays and my oldest's (ninth!) birthday I feel like December is whizzing by at world record speed.  I need everything to Slow.  The.  Heck.  Down.  Already!

Seriously.  I'd like to actually enjoy the holiday season without feeling like I'm three steps behind at every turn.  I know I'm not alone in this feeling, right?  Can we write a big letter to Santa asking him to just slow the Earth turning for the next 14 days.  We can all sign the letter so that it looks super official.  We'll just ask for the world to go a little teensy bit slower so we can all have a few more minutes each day.  I promise I don't need anything else this year except this little wish for a bit more time.  Is that too much?  You're all with me, aren't you?

I don't know if Santa will come through for me, so in the meantime I'm trying desperately to dig myself out of a mountain of Christmas presents and shipping boxes that need to make their way back to the States (probably not in time, I'm so sorry family!) and cards that I have every intention of signing, addressing and sending today.  But instead I'm blogging so you can guess how much progress I'll be making on the gift and card projects.  Oh and baking.  There's that too.

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for my oldest to share with his class for his birthday.  Dark chocolate and cherry pannettone for me to share with my friends on the drive for a mini-girls weekend at the Cologne Christmas market a few hours away.  And cookies for my little one's class advent get together (that's what they do here in Germany- Advent, not Christmas).  For this party we were asked to bring something from our cultural heritage.  I decided to go with a very American sugar cookie jazzed up a bit.  I was nervous about these cookies because they're a bit sweeter than European tastes generally go for, but they were (thankfully) a hit. 

Now I just have to decide what cookies to bring to the office cookie swap next week.  Oh, and get working on that letter to Santa.  I really only need a few more minutes.

Very Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies sandwiches.  Adapted from Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever.
For the printable, click here.

These cookies are just about the most perfect bite of vanilla ever.  Tender and crisp shortbread-like cookies sandwiched around a light vanilla butter cream- what's not to like?  You can keep the cookies plain and simple or jazz them up by rolling the edges in colored sugar before refrigerating the dough.  I think the sparkly version is perfect for a holiday party, personally.  I didn't do much to change to original cookie because it's so darn good.  I added pinch of cardamom for just a bit of depth to the cookie and swapped out the white chocolate filling (I am just not a fan of white chocolate) for a simple butter cream.  The cookies are the perfect thing to keep in the freezer for when you want to slice off and bake just a few, as even without the creamy filling they're quite good.

Another note, since moving to Germany I have not purchased a stand mixer.  I bought an inexpensive hand mixer and have used that occasionally, but the majority of the baking I have done has been completely by hand.  I swear my right arm muscles have never been as strong.  I will give directions for these cookies using a stand mixer but you can get them whipped up using even the weakest of hand mixers or the power of your own biceps.

For the cookies:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cardamom

For the vanilla bean butter cream:
4 tbs butter at room temperature
1 vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: colored sanding sugar for decorating

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended.  Reduce the speed to low and stir in the flour, baking soda and cardamom until the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half.  Roll each half into a log about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  If you are dressing up the edges in colored sugar, pour about 1/4 cup sugar onto a piece of waxed paper or flat platter.  Roll the dough logs in the sugar to coat the outside.  Wrap each log in wax or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours (you can freeze the dough for up to 6 months at this point as well).

When you're ready to bake the cookies preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or a silicone liner.

Slice the dough into 1/4 inch rounds and place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.  Bake until the cookies are firm and the edges just begin to turn golden, about 12-15 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, make the vanilla butter cream.  Beat the butter for about 2 minutes until it  becomes creamy.  Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise.  Using the back of your knife, scrape the vanilla bean caviar from the pod.  Add the vanilla caviar to the butter along with the powdered sugar and beat the mixture on low speed.  Gradually add the granulated sugar and then the vanilla extract until fully combined, light and fluffy.

Spread a heaping teaspoon of butter cream on the bottom of one cooled cookie and then top with another cookie.  Repeat with the remaining cookies and cream  Store the filled cookies in the refrigerator in a sealed container (alternately, you can store the unfilled cookies at room temperature and the butter cream in the refrigerator until ready to fill).

Cranberry Lemon Bars

Well, Thanksgiving for us is a thing of the past.  And yes, I know that even though we are ahead of the rest of the US as far as times zones go we are not so far ahead as to actually BE after Thanksgiving which is still a week away.  I may have been in a Mommy-fog since my oldest was born almost 9 years ago, but I can at least count that far.  It's one of our favorite holidays though unless you're on an American military base, not exactly a popular one here in Germany.  We decided that we'd really miss a big, old-fashioned holiday if we didn't throw one ourselves.  But here's the problem- we'll be in Rome on the actual date.

Okay, I realize that being in Rome isn't really a problem.  In fact, I will be incredibly thankful to be able to enjoy a place I've been wanting to explore for forever.  So as I tuck into a platter of spaghetti carbonara on Thanksgiving day (and not, as a friend suggested, on wings at the Hard Rock Cafe just to say we "did" American on a very American holiday) I will be grateful for my good luck and the friends and family who will be traveling along with me to the Eternal City.

I've said before that we usually spend Thanksgiving with our "adopted" family of friends gathered in our military travels and the dinner we had this past weekend was no exception.  Sixteen friends, both old a new, crammed themselves into our home to enjoy the big turkey feast.  And we enjoyed every last bite as well as the company with which it was shared.  Thankfully, I had help preparing the meal because there's no way my tiny oven could have churned out enough food unless I spent a good three days preparing and cooking.  I love my friends, but that's just not happening.  So, except for the pumpkin pie that my oldest dropped when retrieving it from our (American-sized) refrigerator in the basement, we feasted in proper American style.

The best part about the day after Thanksgiving?  No, not the shopping- I loathe Black Friday shopping.  It's the leftovers of course!  Apple pie and cold sweet potatoes for breakfast.  Shepherd's pie made from just about every part of the meal.  Warmed pumpkin dinner rolls swiped with a dollop of the perfect cranberry sauce for a mid-morning snack. Today's offering is yet another way to use up those cranberries in case you made way too much like I did this year.  These lemon bars are a great way to break up all of the heaviness of Thanksgiving leftovers.  Bright with lemon and tart cranberry flavor and much less fussy than all of those apple pies you will have cursed just days before. 

Another great thing about the day after Thanksgiving?  You are officially allowed to listen to Christmas music.  I've got my Pandora fired up as I type this cranking out some Trans Siberian Orchestra.  Here's to a very joyous Thanksgiving and the best leftovers ever!

Cranberry Lemon Bars
Makes 12 triangles from an 8 inch tart pan or 12 squares from an 8 x 8 in square pan.
Adapted very slightly from Food & Wine magazine.  Click here for the printable.

Our mail from the States trickles in slowly here in Germany.  So the November issue of Food & Wine didn't land on my table until the day after I made my Thanksgiving feast.  Which actually worked out just fine because I spied this recipe and knew I had the perfect cranberry sauce sitting in my fridge. I didn't use the cranberry mixture the magazine suggested so I'll give you the link to my recipe below. If you have your own favorite cranberry recipe, go ahead and use it here, just promise me you won't use the stuff from the can, please? The only other changes I made were to halve the recipe because I wasn't feeding a Thanksgiving crowd and this amount is just perfect for my family and to up the amount of lemon zest in the filling.  The bars are so pretty on a dark, dreary fall afternoon and the tart/sweet taste paired with an easy, press-in crust are just right for a tired chef and tired post-Thanksgiving palate.

For the crust:
10 tbs cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

For the lemon filling:
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 tbs all purpose flour

For the cranberry swirl:
1/3 cup of spiced cider cranberry sauce or 1/3 cup cranberries cooked with 2 tbs sugar and a pinch of cloves until sauce thickens and berries pop


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust:
In a food processor or mixer blend the butter and sugar until the butter gets slightly fluffy and creamy (about 2 minutes).  Add the flour and a pinch of kosher salt and blend until the flour is incorporated.  Press the dough evenly into an 8 inch tart pan with a removable bottom or an 8 inch square baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper (let the parchment overhang the edges by an inch or two).  Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until the dough is firm.  Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden.  Cool completely before filling.

To make the lemon filling:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and flour. 

Assemble the tart and bake:
Blend the cranberries until smooth.  Add 1/4 cup of the lemon mixture and blend. 

Pour the lemon filling into the prepared crust.  Dollop the cranberry mixture in several places over the lemon filling.  With the tip of a knife or toothpick, swirl the cranberry sauce through the lemon filling.  Bake the bars at 350 for 25-30 minutes until the filling is set.

Cool completely on a rack.  Cut into 12 wedges or squares depending on the pan you used.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Pumpkin Scones

There are some days when I can see the eye rolls from my husband and sons even when my back is turned.  Another new recipe?  Can't we just have something we KNOW we like for dinner tonight?  Just once this week, please?

I don't mean to experiment on my family so much.  Or, at least, I don't start out intending to turn them into dinner-time guinea pigs but that's how it ends up most days.  I can't help it.  I see so many possibilities when I stand in front of the produce section and butcher case.  And most of those possibilities are not meals that have landed on my table in the past.  Why limit myself to what I've already tasted and tried?

But there's something to be said for the familiar.  And we all know it.  It's the reason comfort food exists.  And the reason why so many of those dishes we turn to when we need a break or a lift are the same ones time and time again.  We know exactly what we're getting when we reach for our favorite chicken noodle soup, mac and cheese or peanut butter sandwich.  It's always the same and there's comfort in that.

Back in the US (when I needed a few minutes of quiet to myself) I'd sneak off to my nearest Starbucks, order a chai tea and pumpkin scone and find a cozy table in the corner.  It's one of my favorite indulgences and one that I desperately miss living in Germany.  I know it seems silly.  I'm in Europe for goodness sake and there's a bakery on almost every corner!  Why on Earth would I miss the ultra-commercialized tea and scone when I could have so much better.  But that's the thing.  What I can get here may be better (and most assuredly is in most cases), but it's just not the same.  And even in the midst of my giddy joy in finding something new to try at the market or finding something fabulously different in a bake shop window I still miss the familiar from time to time.

Pumpkin Scones
Makes 9 3-inch scones.
For the recipe, click here.

This is a pretty simple scone to make and is based on my favorite cream scone recipe with a few modifications.  The dough is pretty wet, but isn't too difficult to work with.  Just give your counter a good dusting with flour and you're in business.  These scones make missing America  just a little less difficult, but even if you have a Starbucks nearby knowing how to make our own is still a good thing.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
a pinch of ground cloves
1 tbs baking powder
6 tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tbs
1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix!)
6 tbs honey
1 large egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
enough cream to create a drizzle-able consistency (1 to 2 tbs)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick liner.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices and baking powder.  Using your finger tips, a pastry blender or two butter knifes cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces resemble the size of peas.

In a separate bowl stir together 1/2 cup of heavy cream, the pumpkin, honey and egg.  Add all but 1/4 cup of the cream mixture to the dry ingredients and using your hands or a wooden spoon gently stir.  If the dough will not hold together when pressed add half of the remaining cream mixture.  Give the dough a few more turns in the bowl, adding the rest of the cream mixture as necessary to create a soft and slightly sticky but not overly wet dough.  Turn the dough out onto a well floured counter.  Gently pat the dough together into a ball and then pat the ball into a 9 by 9 inch square.  You can use a biscuit cutter to make 3 inch round scones or using a knife cut the scones into triangles.  I like to cut my dough into 9 square scones.  Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining heavy cream.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the scones no longer feel wet to the touch and the edges have gone golden.

Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.  In the meantime, make the glaze by stirring together the powdered sugar, spices and 1 tbs of the heavy cream.  If the glaze is too thick to spread or drizzle stir in up to another tbs of cream.  When the scones have cooled completely, drizzle them with the glaze and give them a few minutes for the glaze to set up.

The scones will keep for 2-3 days if kept in an airtight container.

Cherry & Oat Granola Bars

Last week's post was a bit extravagant, I admit.  And while I do enjoy a treat now and then its certainly not the way my family eats on a daily basis.  We're not slathering Nutella on our toast every morning and packing ourselves full of cake and cookies as many of the posts on this site might have you believe.  So I thought I'd dial it back a bit this week and show you how we really snack around here.

That's not to say that I'm offering up health food here.  But I find it's easier to cram a bunch of good-for-you stuff into my kids' snacks if there's a least a little bit of something sweet to go along with it.  They would have it no other way.  So these granola bars have a fair bit of honey in them to sweeten the deal.  But the oats, flax, pumpkin seeds and unsweetened cherries are healthy enough to make me think they're totally healthy.

I'm not one to blindly go around following food fads.  It's just not my style.  I'm sure my blog would see a jump in readership if I could call myself paleo or grain-free or vegan.  But frankly I like love bread and can't seem to figure out how on earth to make a great baguette without wheat flour.  The folks in my home enjoy honey, butter and a good steak every now again, all of which would make my vegan friends shudder in disgust (and I have some so I know whereof I speak).  Instead I do my darndest to find the best ingredients I can, raised and grown responsibly whenever possible and simply try to create food for my family that contributes to a good old-fashioned, well balanced diet. 

If my new neighbors and country-mates are any example at all, I think I'm on the right track.  I don't think I've ever come across a cuisine that centers around meat and potatoes to the near exclusion of lean proteins, veggies and fruit as the German one does.  But here's the thing- I'd also be hard pressed to find an overweight German walking around.  So I think they may be on to something.  What I've come to see is that they eat well but they also get up and move as much as possible.  They walk, run, bike and even skate everywhere possible.  And there are very few fast food restaurants or processed foods here.  It's an eating philosophy I can get behind and what I'm hoping to emulate as I cook for my own family.  It's reasonable, easy and pretty much the way I cook anyway.

These granola bars are but one (really, really tasty) part of the strategy.

Cherry & Oat Granola Bars
Makes 12 to 16 bars depending on how you cut them.  Adapted from Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole Grain Flours by Kim Boyce.
For the recipe, click here.

These granola bars are an excellent grab and go go snack.  They remind me a bit of my favorite Kashi bars- dark chocolate and cherry- but in a country that doesn't believe in selling chocolate chips (this is a very sad discovery), that's not really an option for me.  If you want to throw in some dark chocolate chips go right on ahead, I'll understand and be completely jealous.  Try to find some good quality cherries for these bars, preferably unsweetened.  I've used both sweet dried cherries and sour cherries in these bars and I favor the sour cherries because they really balance the sweet honey nicely.  But either works just as well so choose your favorite.  One final tip for making these granola bars- make sure you really get your honey up to a rapid boil otherwise it will not do a good job setting up in the oven and your bars will crumble.

4 tbs butter, plus more for the pan
2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cherries
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs honey
a pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and butter a 9 x 9 inch straight sided baking pan.  Set aside.

In a pot large enough to hold and stir the two cups of oats, melt the butter over medium heat.  If you like you can take this a bit farther and cook the butter until lightly golden.  Pour in the oats and pumpkin seeds and stir for about 5 minutes until the oats have toasted and turned a couple of shades darker (using a raw oat as a comparison is useful to determine the color change as it is subtle).  Remove the pot from the heat and pour the oats and seeds into a large bowl.

Stir the flaxmeal and cherries into the oat mixture.

Using the same pot heat the honey over medium heat.  Cook the honey until it comes to a strong boil, about 5 minutes.  Let it cook for just a minute and then remove from the heat.  Stir in the salt and vanilla extract.  Pour the honey syrup over the oat mixture and stir quickly to coat.  Stir the granola mixture until every flake of oats, nuts and cherries are coated- this helps to get a good set for the bars.

Pour the granola mixture into the prepared pan.  You can lightly butter your hands and press the granola into the pan or use a silicone spatula to press it evenly and tightly into the pan.  Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.  The bars will be shiny and sticky and the edges will be nicely golden.  Remove the bars from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.  Cut into 12 or 16 bars and let cool completely.

The bars will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container (I recommend wrapping them individually so that they don't stick to each other).