I like leftovers. I love having yesterday’s dinner for lunch because something warm and satisfying is often better than a pb&j that got squashed in my purse. While Ryan was in South Africa, I decided I didn’t want to cook every night of the week so I wanted to make something that would yield a lot of leftovers. Meatloaf seemed like a hearty and delicious option. And this recipe fit the bill. I had it for a few days of lunch, and there was even some left over for Ryan to eat when he returned to London tired and hungry.

In my search for a tasty meatloaf recipe, I came across one from Yotam Ottolenghi. To be honest, I’m intrigued and intimidated by Ottolenghi recipes. Yotam Ottolenghi is an Israeli chef based in London. He has multiple restaurants and many cookbooks. His food tends to be influenced by Israeli and Mediterranean flavors. And he’s well known for creating delicious vegetable based recipes. Obviously I’ve ignored the vegetable part and gone straight for the meaty recipes. 

For my birthday last year, Ryan and I went to his restaurant on Upper Street and it was very good. I also felt, it was slightly hyped up. I was expecting to have my mind blown by the food, but everything was served small plate style, and it was kind of expensive and overall I felt that the cost didn’t match up to my expectation. But, I will say the dessert was amazing. The window display overflowed with dessert options, each looking so tempting it was hard to choose. My overall takeaway of the experience was that everything we ate was a combination of interesting and unusual textures and flavors.

And the same is true for the recipes in his cookbooks. When I was first learning to cook, I wanted to get ideas about how to do more with vegetables. I borrowed his book Plenty from the library and I was intimidated. Some of the ingredient lists were a long and had items that I wasn’t familiar with and wasn’t sure I wanted to buy. I wasn’t ready for risk taking and complex cookery.

So when I came across this meatloaf recipe, I was nervous. I read through the recipe and thought, yeah I can do this. Sure, it has some ingredients I wouldn’t usually put in meatloaf, like cinnamon or pine nuts. But, I was willing to try something new. And in fact, I think this is a perfect starter Ottolenghi recipe. Even though the ingredient list is a bit long, it includes items that are all familiar and seasonings you probably already have in your house. I think this recipe will push you out of your comfort zone, but only just the right amount. I thought the texture and combination of this meatloaf was fantastic and really different from the usual slab you’d get at a diner. This recipe also made me receptive to trying other Ottolenghi recipes. This one went well, so I feel confident enough to go back to Plenty and try to tackle some more complex recipes and learn to do awesome things with vegetables.

The original recipe (found here) includes recipe for a yogurt-tomato salsa. I didn’t make that, but you might want to consider it. The first day I made this the meatloaf was so moist that I didn’t need any gravy, ketchup, salsa, or sauce. It was delicious just plain. But as with all meatloaf, after a few days in the fridge it started to get a little dry and would have benefited from the salsa. Since I didn’t make it, I just used barbecue sauce and that was delicious as well.

Finally, this recipe asks you to grate some tomatoes and an onion. I highly, highly, highly recommend using a food processor. I grated the onion using a box grater and started profusely crying. Seriously, I had to stop occasionally because I couldn’t see. Use a food processor and save yourself!

Messy level: The assembly for this recipe is fairly straightforward. You mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then press it into a large pan. It’s the prep where you get messy. You’ll need to do a fair bit of chopping and then the grating requires a food processor which is more equipment to clean. The actual food won’t get everywhere as you cook, but you will have a pile of dishes at the end.

Beef, Lamb and Bulgur Meatloaf

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 150g/ ⅔ cup bulgur wheat
• 400g/ 14 oz ground lamb (if you go for a full pound of meat that's ok)
• 400g/ 14 oz ground beef (if you go for a full pound of meat that's ok)
• 1½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 20g/ ¾ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 20g/ ¾ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 60g pine nuts, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut in half and roughly grated (discard the skins)
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Put the bulgur in a medium bowl. Cover with 2 cups of warm water and let soak for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
3. Line a 8x12" pan with parchment paper.
4. Drain the bulgur and press it to squeeze out excess moisture.
5. In a large bowl, add the bulgur, lamb, beef, allspice, cinnamon, salt, grated onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, pine nuts, and grated tomato. Mix well until everything looks evenly distributed.
6. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Use your hands to press the mixture down so it is tightly packed and even across the pan.
7. Brush the top of the meatloaf with a little bit of olive oil (less than 1 tablespoon should do it).
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown on the top and cooked through.
9. Let cool slightly, then serve.

3.2.2925

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I love gingerbread so much that over the summer I found gingerbread lip balm, bought it, and then saved using it until last week. Ya know, so I’d only use it “in season.” I also love a good gingerbread latte. Look how cute this one is from Costa Coffee! Ryan said the gingerbread man looks so happy, but he doesn’t know he’s about to be submerged in hot liquid. And of course gingerbread cookies for Christmas. This year, I want to try and make a gingerbread house from scratch. However, as much as I love gingerbread, I’d never had it in a bready-cakey form. Obviously, that had to be remedied so I made a gingerbread cake.

If you haven’t had gingerbread cake before, please try this recipe. It is so moist, even four or five days after making it. The batter is actually pretty liquidy when finished, so that probably contributes to its moistness. The best part though is that this cake is jam packed with flavor. It has Guinness (or whatever stout you prefer) and for me, that gives it “chocolate notes” without it actually having chocolate. I know that might sound like the pretentious sort of thing you say about wine, but there are flavors in the cake that remind me of the richness of chocolate. I also think the Guinness adds just a slight edge of bitterness, which is nice because it keeps the cake from being too sweet (which most holiday cakes are).

But, a lot of the flavor comes from the fresh and ground ginger, cinnamon, molasses, and pepper. I love this combination of flavors. It is warming, intense on my taste buds, and makes me feel like holiday cheer is nearby. This cake has real presence. This is not a cake you absentmindedly scarf down, and later can’t recall what it tastes like, but all you know is that your teeth are coated in sugar. This cake is different. This cake says hey, I’m here, step into Christmas. This is the cake that is so full of character and quality that you only need a small piece to feel happy, satisfied, and full of holiday spirit. Warning: If you serve this at a party, let people know what it is so they don’t expect a brownie and then end up with an unexpected (but awesome) flavor shock.

I recommend serving it with a cloud of whipped cream because the light sweetness helps mellow out the cake. Or, better yet. Cozy up on the couch with a blanket, your favorite movie, and a cup of herbal tea. I don’t think you could have a more relaxing and pleasant afternoon.

I got this recipe from KCET, a California TV station, but originally it comes from America’s Test Kitchen.

Messy level: Three spoons. For the batter you need a sauce pan, two bowls, and the baking pan. It’s a lot of dishes! Also, molasses is always messy and buttering and flouring a pan can lead to spills. It’s not a daunting mess – you won’t have a ruined counter or apron, but it’s definitely not a one bowl cake.

Gingerbread Cake

 

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup Guiness (or stout of your choice)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅔ cup molasses
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pan
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• powdered sugar (optional for dusting)
• whipped cream (optional, but highly recommended, for a side)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350/180°.
2. Butter and flour 8-inch square baking pan.
3. In a medium sauce pan, bring Guiness to boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
4. When it's come to a boil, remove from heat and stir in baking soda. The Guiness will foam up. When the foam stops, stir in molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir until dissolved. It might like dissolved, but stir a bit more, I found the molasses deceiving.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.
6. Pour the stout mixture into a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, oil, and grated ginger into the stout mixture. (You can do this all in the sauce pan if you want, but I don't want you scratching your pan)
7. Take wet mixture and whisk it into flour mixture in thirds. Each time you add, stir until completely smooth before adding more.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan against counter 3 or 4 times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean and the top should be a bit firm.
9. Cool cake in pan.
10. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using. Then cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if using.

3.2.2807

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It’s Monday and my goal today is to get life in order. Or, as close to order as I can. I know, that’s a big goal. But see, in the two weeks since I started working, Ryan and I haven’t yet adjusted to the dual-working family. To get specific with you, our laundry is mountainous, the bathroom needs cleaning, the fridge is bare, and we are jet-lagged and exhausted from a quick and wonderful trip to Raleigh, NC (which I’ll tell you more about tomorrow for Tourist Tuesday). We need to get organized and we’re both home today, so this is our moment.

And sometimes, getting it all together, starts with a good meal.I can’t function when I’m hungry, so I need something yummy to pep me up for my chores. I heard about this recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen podcast and I was intrigued. I love garlic and I love pasta. Pasta is my favorite food and my favorite “I just can’t do anything more complicated after work” dinner. But sometimes tomato sauce gets old, so a new sauce spices up the routine.

However, garlic can be a bit tricky. Sometimes too much garlic gets stuck to my very soul. It oozes from my pores, it clings to my breath, and the smell lingers on my hands. Sure, it’s near Halloween, but I’m not trying to scare off any vampires. Garlic smell keep to yourself! But this recipe is great because it doesn’t do any of those things! This recipe gives you a mellow roasted flavor that only lingers on your taste buds. That’s where it should be, and not anywhere else.

I especially like to make this meal after work because it is pretty quick. And this recipe uses ingredients already in my pantry but still feels a little bit fancy and special. I like the peppery arugula paired with crunchy walnuts and tangy balsamic. Yummy and easy – what more could I ask for? My life is already started to get sorted.

Final thought: buy your garlic already peeled. Yes it’s more expensive, but you’ll need a lot. And if you peel the garlic yourself then your hands will smell like garlic and then the promises I made above will be lies. Don’t make me a liar, buy already peeled garlic and your prep will be quicker and easier. Ok, now back to my chores! Enjoy your Monday.

Messy level: Three spoons and only because of the food processor. I love using a food processor until I have to take it apart to clean and realize that 2 minutes of blitzing leads to 4+ pieces of cleaning. Isn’t life hard? Just kidding. Don’t let the three spoon get you down, because the whole cooking process is pretty quick.

Pasta with Garlic Sauce, Arugula, and Walnuts

 

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Cook time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Cook's Country

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 50 garlic cloves, peeled (1 cup)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 8 ounces arugula
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• Grated pecorino romano cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the garlic and oil. Cover and cook until the garlic is browned all over. Stir occasionally. America's Test Kitchen says 6-8 minutes, but for me it's been like 12 minutes.
2. While the garlic is going, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
3. Once the garlic is browned, add the broth, balsamic vinegar, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Bring to the garlic mix to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for for about 5 minutes. The garlic is ready when you can easily stab it with a fork.
4. While your garlic is simmering, your water should have come to a boil. Salt the water generously and add in you spaghetti. Cook until al dente (look at package but about 8-10 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
5. When the garlic mixture is finished, transfer it into a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
6. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you'd like to thin out the sauce.
7. Mix in the arugula and chopped walnuts. Sprinkle with cheese.

3.5.3226

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But England does not celebrate pumpkin everything like the U.S. I can’t find pumpkin spice in the grocery store so I make my own instead. A few weeks ago I had a craving for a pumpkin spice latte. Ryan and I decided to trek over to Starbucks to find out if it had arrived. Mind you, in the U.S. you’d never have to guess because every Starbucks window would be plastered with orange writing and pumpkin pictures. On the way to Starbucks we passed at least four proper coffee shops and a few other places that also sold coffee, but my heart was set on a PSL. We got there, and we were nervous, but they had it! It was advertised with only one small picture and a line item on the menu. How are the people of England supposed to know about pumpkin mania with such little advertising?

To get my true pumpkin fix, I hit the kitchen. I found this recipe for a pumpkin swiss roll on Pinterest and I was excited, but nervous to try it out. To make the beautiful swirl you have to bake then roll up a cake. Roll up a cake?! What if I break it? The key is, as soon as it comes out of the oven, you roll up the cake (without the filling) while it is hot. The cake won’t be so hot as to burn you, but I recommend using gloves or an oven mitt to make it easier. Then, wait for the cake to  be completely cool. It’s hard to be patient (and Ryan and I weren’t entirely patient), but if the cake is hot it will melt your filling and you don’t want that.

This cake is a great treat for any old day, but I also think it can be pretty enough to bring to a party or to your Thanksgiving feasts. The swirl of cream cheese looks just beautiful when cut. And you might not believe me, but this is actually easy to make. Any level of baker can make this recipe, I know it. Most importantly, this roll is incredible delicious. Ryan and I ate this whole roll in about two and a half days and have been talking about making another one ever since. As you can see, we still haven’t gotten our pumpkin fix yet.

I hope you enjoy the new recipe format below. I like this a lot because it looks more streamlined and easy to read. If you like to print recipes, you can finally do that. If you bring your computer into the kitchen, like I do, then you don’t have to scroll as much and won’t get dirty fingers on the keyboard. The only drawback is that I can’t post pictures alongside the steps, but for difficult or strange techniques I’ll still post those pictures above the recipe.

Now enough talk. Get your pumpkin on! Recipe by Sweet Anna’s.

Messy level: This is a three spoon recipe, but just barely. I’m giving it three spoons because you need two bowls for the cake, one for the frosting, and then you still have to sprinkle powdered sugar everywhere. Also, if you over fill the inside you’ll have a cream cheese burst (like I did) at the end of the cake.

Pumpkin Rolls with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

 

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Ingredients

• for the cake:
• ¼ cup powdered sugar (for dusting the towel)
• ¾ cup flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup pumpkin purée
• for the filling:
• 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tbsp butter, softened (if you don't let it soften you will have butter chunks in your filling)
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375º/190º.
2. Line a 10x15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper. (a pan with edges all around, you have to have this pan) Then grease the parchment paper.
3. Somewhere on your counter, spread out a clean kitchen towel or piece of parchment paper, and sprinkle that with powdered sugar.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice & salt.
5. In a large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla & sugar until thick & creamy.
6. Add in the pumpkin and mix to combine.
7. Stir in the flour mixture.
8. Pour the batter onto the prepared pan. Spread the batter evenly.
9. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched. Stay on the side of slightly under cooked, if you over cook it then cake will be too dry and won't roll.
10. Immediately loosen the edges of the cake and turn it out onto the sugared towel/parchment. Peel off the parchment paper.
11. Roll up the cake & towel together fairly tightly, starting with a narrow end.
12. Cool completely on a wire rack.
13. Now start on the filling. In another medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter & vanilla until smooth.
14. Carefully unroll the cooled cake (removing the towel) and spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake, coming to about 1″ away from the edges. If you go all the way to the edge, you will have filling oozing out the end.
15. Carefully reroll the cake, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
16. Before serving cut a little slice off of each end so the roll has a smooth look. Then dust the top with powdered sugar.

3.2.2802

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But my most impressive braid is this bread!! I am so absolutely proud of it and I’m excited to share it with you. I got this recipe from The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake. I might have mentioned it before, but I’ve become a big fan of the TV show The Great British Bake Off. After every episode I always want to get in the kitchen and make something. So recently I went to the library and checked out the book and went on a baking spree trying out all kinds of things – and the more
complicated the better. 

This bread is just beautiful to look at and so hearty and tasty. The nuts give it a good crunch, the apricots add sweetness, and the whole wheat makes you feel you’re doing something good for yourself. I don’t have a lot of experience with bread, and this came out really nice, so don’t feel intimidated if you choose to try it. I do have two recommendations though.

First, the recipe called for putting a milk wash on the dough before baking it, presumably to make it shiny. Next time, I wouldn’t do this. It makes the bread get dark more quickly and made me nervous about whether the bread was burnt or done or what. Also, I’d knead the dough by hand. I used my mixer and with a mixer it is easy to over work the dough. And, since I don’t have a lot of experience with bread, I don’t have an eye for it, and wasn’t entirely sure when it was sufficiently kneaded. Luckily, I didn’t over work it. But in summation, until I’m an expert bread maker I intend to knead by hand so I can learn it by look and feel.

And now behold my beautiful bread braid. Adapted from The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake. Please note that the measurements in grams are most accurate and for bread that is important. Go with those if you can! The measurements in ounces are my converted approximations.

Ingredients:

100g/3.5oz/.4 cup hazelnuts (If you can buy some skins off then you can skip the first few steps)

500g/17.6 oz/4 cups whole wheat bread flour

1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes, crushed

7g/.25 oz/1.2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp honey

300ml/1 1/4 cups/10.5 oz lukewarm milk

100g/3.5oz/.4 cup dried apricots

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

2. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins darken.

3. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven. Turn the oven off. Wrap them hazelnuts in a dishtowel and leave them to steam for 1 minute. Rub the hazelnuts in the dishtowel to rub the skins off.

4. Cut the hazelnuts in half. Set aside.

5. Cut the apricots in quarters. This is easiest to do with kitchen scissors.

6. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Make a well in the center. 

7. Mix the honey into the milk.

8. Pour the honey-milk into the flour well.

9. Using your hand, or the dough hook on low on your mixer, mix the flour and milk until you have a soft dough. If it feels dry and there are lots of crumbs, add a little more milk one tablespoon at a time. If it is very wet and sticky, add a little more flour one tablespoon at a time.

10. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Or knead for 4 minutes using the dough hook on low on your mixer. The dough is ready when it feels very elastic. This can be hard to tell because whole wheat can get firm as it is worked. You want to be able to pull the dough apart and have it stretch a little like putty – not just rip in half.

11. Add the hazelnuts and apricots. Gently work into the dough until evenly distributed. It will seem like too much nuts and apricots but it isn’t. As the dough rises later it will all work out.

12. Put the dough back into the large mixing bowl (so long as it isn’t all dirty). Cover with plastic wrap. Leave it to rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size. It might take longer than an hour if your kitchen is cool.

13. Punch down the dough and then put it on a floured work surface. Divide into three equal portions (I did this on a scale).

14. Using your hand, roll each third of dough into a long rope about 16 inches long.

15. Pinch one end of each strand together. Then neatly braid the three strands. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under.

16. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the braided dough on the baking sheet.

17. Put the dough into a large plastic bag, or cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for an hour. Don’t let it get too big or it could loose the braid shape.

18. Towards the end of rising time, heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.

19. Uncover the loaf and bake for 30 minutes. It is done when it is darker brown and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap/knock on the underside.

20. Cool on a wire rack. Then cut and serve!

Messy level: Overall, this isn’t too messy of a recipe. The dough is easy to work with and doesn’t stick too much. But, getting the skin off of hazelnuts is frustratingly messy. No matter how hard the skins get all over the towel, the counter, and on the floor as I try to put the skins in the trashcan. Also, flouring the counter repeatedly led to a lot of scrubbing from me. Still, you won’t have a lot of dishes or anything at the end so that is pretty nice.

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First,  if there is a way I can put more vegetables in my food, I will do it. I know people who are anti-hiding vegetable – but not me. I’m always trying to find a way to get more veggies in my diet. I like green smoothies and the zucchini chocolate chip cookies from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and I like today’s muffins. When I saw a picture called “spinach Popeye muffins” on Pinterest, I knew it was something I had to try. I mean, make me strong like Popeye and they taste good? Yes please. Try not to be put off by the green muffins. They are fun looking and taste like banana bread. 

Second, this is the first baking recipe I have ever significantly altered! When I read the original recipe, I wanted to decrease the sugar and make it a bit healthier. But, I wasn’t really sure how to do it because I know baking is a science and messing it can lead to bad results. Then I read this article from the Harvard School of Public Health and decided, “what the heck, let’s try it.” So I decreased the sugar by a 1/3, I substituted some brown sugar for the white, and I used low-fat yogurt instead of whole milk. I had no idea how it was going to come out. Luckily it came out SO TASTY!!! The muffins don’t really rise though and the muffin is a bit sticky in texture – both of which I think are a result of my meddling.  Still they tasted amazing and I’m sure with a little more meddling, I could fix those issues. But in summation, Ryan and I ate 7 about as soon as they came out of the oven.

Which leads me to my third and final point. While I was baking I was video chatting with my family and I showed them these muffins. There were skeptical and asked Ryan and I to eat one on camera. Anyway, we told them the muffins were sweet and tasted like banana bread. And the best part is they promised if I posted the recipe they would try it. So, here it is guys.

If you’re off put by green spinach-banana muffins, I’ll post a regular banana bread recipe next week.

Adapted from The Green Forks.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 non-fat Greek yogurt

1 6oz bag of baby spinach

2-3 mashed ripe bananas

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line the muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

3. Place the oil, yogurt, and spinach in a blender. Blend on high until pureed. You might have to do this in batched (I did because my blender is weak).

4. Add the banana and vanilla to the blender and blend until just mixed.

5. Pour pureed mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold together with a rubber spatula until combined.

6. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until  toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool (if you can wait!)

8. Try it!!

Messy level: This recipe is a three spoon recipe, although if you have a nice blender maybe fewer spoons. I tried to put all the spinach, yogurt, and oil in the blender at once and all I was doing was overheating the blender. I then took it out and did things in batches, which meant using another bowl. And of course it’s me, so I got green drops of batter all over the counter. Overall, not too messy, just gotta be careful.

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What’s changed since last time? I had a recipe. I found it in my cookbook Melt by Stephanie Stiavetti and Garrett McCord. I decided I’d trust them and their recipe because I loved their chorizo macaroni and cheese. Last time I didn’t have a recipe and I was just winging it. But this time, maybe things would be different. Maybe the flavor combinations would be delicious. Maybe the pasta would redeem itself and not taste so nasty. Maybe I could eat a whole bowl.

And I did eat the whole bowl! And it was pretty good!

One thing that made this version better is that I bought the gluten-full pasta. Last time I accidentally bought gluten-free, and I think that must give the pasta a different flavor. Last time the pasta was gummy and really bitter. This time it had the expected pasta texture and had only a slight bitter hint. Last time, the pasta made the whole apartment smell like delicious chocolate. This time, there was hardly any fragrance. I don’t know exactly why there was a difference, but there definitely was one.

But, what really made this recipe tasty and interesting was the combination of flavors. It has sweetness in the cherries, salty and creaminess from the cheese, and a nice crunch from the arugula and hazelnuts. By the authors’ own admission this recipe is a bit “esoteric,” but I think it was fun to try something a little bit unusual. This recipe is a simple way to spice up the mid-week meal. And to conclude, I’ll just go out on a limb and say it, chocolate pasta is back in my good graces.

This recipe is from the cookbook Melt. I made some adaptations based on the amount of money and time I wanted to spend finding ingredients. Instead of hazelnut oil I used olive oil and I omitted the cocoa nibs.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

3/4 tsp mustard powder

sea salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup hazelnuts

12 ounces chocolate pasta

5 ounces Bucherondin, roughly broken (I found this easily at Whole Foods, but you can use any soft goat cheese)

1 cup pitted cherries

2 cups whole arugula

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. In a small bowl (or jar with a little) mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Whisk (or shake) until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

3. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins darken and blister. The nuts will start to smell nice.

4. While the hazelnuts are roasting, start the pasta. Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente.

4. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and wrap them in a dishtowel and leave them to steam for 1 minute. Rub the nuts in the dishtowel to rub the skins off.

5. Roughly chop the nuts and set them aside.

6. When the pasta is done drain it. Arrange portions into separate bowls.

7. Scatter the Bucherondin, cherries, and hazelnuts over the pasta. Mix in the arugula. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta.

8. Mix and eat!

Messy level: Three spoons. This recipe is messy because pitting cherries is a little annoying, crumbling cheese is sticky, and the hazelnut skins will get everywhere. It’s not such an unruly messy, but I want you to know what you’re getting into.

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Meanwhile, back here in Virginia, the one thing I have made were these cookies. The recipe comes from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook and was recommended to me by my aunt. These cookies are colorful and festive and I made them for my friend to celebrate that she got a new job. I had been wanting to make these, but it’s taken awhile because the recipe is a bit labor intensive and requires some obscure ingredients. For real, I had to order some ingredients online. This cookie is a labor of love. But, sugary sweet, happy, and worth it.

They are a bit like snicker doodles,which the author, Christina Tosi, says is because of the cream of tartar. In the book, Tosi also wrote that she wanted to create boxed Funfetti cake in a cookie. And I think she nailed it. The cookie is so sweet, indulgent, and so cheerful. Yes, I did just say a cookie could be cheerful. I love the colorful sprinkles – it makes them the perfect celebration cookie.

As I said this recipe is from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. This recipe requires a two step process – first you make “crumb” and then you make the cookie dough. Neither step is super challenging, but I thought you should be forewarned. If you get intimidated, just remember how wonderful and pretty sprinkles are and then you’ll be able to keep going.

Ingredients

Crumb:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 tbsp brown sugar

3/8 cup cake flour (45 grams)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp rainbow sprinkles

1/8 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 tbsp Clear Vanilla Extract (clear or imitation extract is apparently important, makes it taste more like box Funfetti cake)

Cookie Dough:

16 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tbsp glucose

2 eggs

2 tsp clear vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups of flour

2/3 cup milk powder

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 rainbow sprinkles

cake crumb recipe

Directions:

1. First we’re making the crumb. Preheat the oven to 300°.

2. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed, mix together the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles.

3. Add the oil and vanilla. Mix again until evenly mixed and small clusters start to form.

4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour the clusters onto the parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Break them up occasionally as they cook. The crumbs should still be a bit moist when you take them out of the oven – they will dry out as they cool.

5. Let them cool completely before using them in the cookie dough. (I waited 1 hour)

6. Take the butter out of the fridge. You can let it come to room temperature while you wait for the crumb to cool.

7. Ok, now start on the cookies. In the stand mixer (which you’ve cleaned out from before), combine the butter, sugar, and glucose. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes.

8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 7-8 minutes. (Tosi says this is the key to her cookies being great – the butter is so fluffy and creamy this way).

9. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour, milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and rainbow sprinkles. Mix until the dough just comes together, no more than 1 minute. You do not want to over mix.

10. Add the crumbs and mix in for 30 seconds.

11. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Portion out the dough into large-ish balls (about 2-3 tbsp). Flatten the tops a bit with your fingers. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

12. Put the cookies in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 1 week.

13. When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°.

14. Arrange the cookies about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

15. Bake for 13-18 minutes. They are ready when the edges start to be gold and the center of the cookie is starting to get color. They will seem soft, but they harden as you let them cool.

16. Let cool before serving. Then share them with friends and feel happy!

Messy level: 3 spoons. To make this cookie, you are basically making two recipes and that means a lot of dishes and a lot of chances for flour to fly. Glucose is really sticky and messy, eggs are drippy, and butter is greasy. It’s not the worst mess you’ll ever make but there’s potential. Give yourself time and try to be organized and it won’t be so messy!

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I’ll be honest with you, the first time I made this I was grumpy and I had mini melt-down. Ryan had to step in and help because I was being pouty and said things like “I quit,” and “it’s ruined.” The reason for all this drama is that I didn’t give myself time to make a new recipe slowly. I didn’t have cold water to make the pie crust. The kitchen was hot and the dough wouldn’t roll. I was hungry. I thought the steps were easy, and I wanted it to be done right now. 

The steps are easy, and even with my hissyfit, everything came out nicely. Although today’s photos are from the second time I made the recipe. But what I’m trying to advise, is that when you’re cooking be patient, give yourself plenty of time, and it’s ok if it doesn’t come out perfect. Even the recipes we know how to make well can be a pain when we are rushed, hungry, and grumpy. When you’re cooking, take your time and enjoy it. If you want to rush and are too hungry to wait, then definitely defrost something or get take out.

This recipe is fairly straightforward and very flavorful. It’s roasted root vegetables wrapped in a free-form pie crust. No pie pan is required! You can use whatever pie crust recipe or store-bought version you like. As well, pick whatever root vegetables you prefer, but I’ll let you know what I chose below. What makes this recipe is the thyme and balsamic. It makes the whole thing fragrant and delicious. Even though pie crust isn’t so healthy (at least the way I make it), I think this is such a great way to eat a bunch of vegetables.

Adapted from the Gourmet Housewife

Directions

Pie crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp shortening

cup of cold water (you won’t need it all)

Filling:

2 parsnips, peeled and cubed

1 turnip, peeled and cubed

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 medium carrots, peeled and cubed

1 red onion, cut into chuncks

thyme (about 4-6 sprigs)

salt

pepper

balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the vegetables on top, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.

3. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool just a little bit. Turn oven down to 350°.

4. While the vegetables are cooking make the pie crust. In a medium bowl mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening. This means use two knives and chop up the shortening until it is pea sized. Then, add 1 tbsp of cold water and mix it with a fork, into the flour mixture. Keep adding water and mixing until you get a dough that sticks together (about 4-5 tbsp).

5. Take your dough, put it on a floured work surface, and roll it out until it’s 1/4″ thick. If you’re having trouble rolling out your dough, put it between two pieces of parchment paper, then roll out it out that way. This worked for me because then the dough didn’t get too hot and it held its shape.

6. Now, put the vegetables in the middle of your pie crust. All of the vegetables might not fit just yet. Drizzle with balsamic. Then scoop up the edges of the pie crust and fold them on top of the vegetables. You aren’t trying to cover them entirely, this is more of an open face pie. Then, if you have any extra vegetables you can spoon them on top in the open part. Drizzle with more balsamic if you’d like.

7. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pie crust is light brown.

8. Slice and serve.

Messy level: I’m giving this three spoons because of the pie crust. Ordinarily, I don’t think pie crust is that hard. But, pie crust gets mushy when it’s hot and spooning hot vegetables on to pie crust leads to a little bit of a mess. It’s not unbearable, but it’s kind of annoying. Otherwise, chopping and roasting is pretty mess free.

The post Root Vegetable Galette appeared first on Cooking is Messy.

So, I was elated when my friend Lisa bought me the wonderful cookbook Melt
for Christmas. It’s a cookbook entirely about macaroni and cheese recipes. Cheese? Pasta? TOGETHER!?! Let me step up my pasta game. 

This recipe is so good. Of course, it’s decadently cheesy and creamy. But it also had a smoky and spicy flavor. Not spice like when your taste buds explode after eating some hot salsa. It’s a friendly spice that makes your palate tingle with a warm, lingering heat. Ryan and I were really taken off guard by how yummy and special this dish was. We had it for dinner two nights in a row. The second night, we both came home excited for more mac and cheese. When we had our first bites, they were more delicious then our brains and mouths had remembered. It was like a wonderful surprise that surpasses all expectations. This is the kind of meal that makes you say “mmmm” over and over.

This recipe calls for two kinds of cheese: cotija and Lincolnshire Poacher. I’ve found cotija easily at Whole Foods, although it may not be in every grocery store. I could not find Lincolnshire Poacher, a specific type of English aged Cheddar. I even went to the specialty cheese stand in Eastern Market, but no luck. However, what’s great about the book is it names a few alternative cheese suggestions. I showed the recipe to the cheese monger in Eastern Market and she helped me pick out a good aged-cheddar. In short, use aged cheddar if that is what is easiest for you to find. If you do find Lincolnshire Poacher, tell me where!

Finally, I won’t be blasphemous and say something stupid like “this is too cheesy.” Because that’s impossible. But this recipe does make a ton of cheese sauce. If you’re getting squeamish about the cheese level, I’d recommend following the instructions for making the sauce, then pour the sauce slowly over the noodles until you’re at a level where you feel comfortable.  The hard things with macaroni and cheese is that in  restaurant you can ignore the creamy level, but at home you’re directly responsible and so may feel guilty about how much cheese is in there.

But I say, don’t worry about it. Sometimes you gotta treat yo self. This recipe is worth it. And you’re worth it.

This recipe is adapted from Melt.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of chorizo (I actually used a 12 oz package I bought from Whole Foods)

1 tsp olive oil

1 lb box of penne rigate (this kind of penne has ridges, so it can catch hold of the cheese)

4 ounces cotija, shredded

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp chipotle pepper flakes

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1 pound aged cheddar

Ground black pepper

Minced scallions for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut the chorizo out of their casings. Break them into bite sized pieces. Don’t get too crazy about this, you can also smash them up once you cook them.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo until well browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with paper towels, to absorb the oil.

3. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (a little bit chewy, it doesn’t have to be fully cooked because it’s going to be baked later). Drain and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a large casserole dish. I used a  2 1/2 quart dish, but I think my 9×13″ Pyrex would have given me more wiggle room.

5. In the dish, toss together the pasta, chorizo, and cotija.

6. Now to prepare the sauce! In a small sauce pan, heat the milk over medium heat. Heat just until it starts to steam and tiny bubbles form on the edge of the pan.

7. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir. The authors of melt recommend using a flat-edged wooden spoon. This will help you scrape the bottom of the pan and keep the roux (fancy name for the butter and flour mixture) from burning.  Heat and stir until it takes on a light brown color.

8. Slowly pour in the milk, chipotle peppers, and cumin. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens. The sauce is thick enough when you can draw your finger across the spoon and it leaves a clear path.

9. Remove from heat and add most of the aged cheddar. Leave behind some cheddar for topping. Stir until the cheddar is completely melted. Season with pepper to taste. Add some salt if you like also, but the cheeses are pretty salty on their own.

10. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Stir a bit to make sure it’s all well mixed. Top with the extra aged cheddar. Sprinkle scallions on top, if using.

11. Bake for 25 minutes.

12. Let cool a bit before serving. Then eat ravenously.

Messy level: Three spoons, maybe verging on four spoons. This one made a lot of dishes, although some of it might be my fault. I used the food processor to shred the cheeses (although I guess I could have bought already shredded cheese). I had to use the mortar and pestle to smash the cumin seeds (because why go out and buy ground cumin for just 1/8 tsp?). But, also I needed a pan for the chorizo, a pot for the pasta, two pots for the cheese sauce, and a casserole for baking. Also, there’s always the danger of pouring the hot cheese sauce that could lead to a molten cheese mess on my floor and counter. Luckily no such spilling occurred. Although there’s a ton of dishes, I only give it 3 spoons because there’s lot of time in between steps to do some cleaning so your kitchen doesn’t have to look like a disaster if you don’t want it to.

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