I have to apologize, there isn’t a fancy cocktail today… happy hours have been a little more like a bottle of beer when we can sneak one in. Sometimes that’s just what the doctor ordered though. I do have a little something that makes me a super happy lady. My husband Aaron designed this bag for our magazine, Remedy Quarterly (it started out as a sketch for his blog) and I am majorly in love with it. It’s available to anywho who pledges $25+ over on kickstarter.

I hope you have a most excellent weekend full of good food and good times! Cheers!

I had an idea the other day to begin a weekly post called “the weekly crumb”. There’s so much out there, on other blogs, in newspapers, books and on web sites that sticks with me and inspires me. Hopefully you’ll like them as much as I do.

This week’s crumb comes from Homesick Texan.

It’s recipes like this that I wish you could reach right through your computer screen and have one of these cookies. It also makes me want to give martha stewart and her team a great big hug. I mean buttery maple cookies with maple reduction and salt on top? How could they not be good? If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to get a napkin to wipe that drool, then walk yourself into the kitchen and get the syrup out of the fridge. These cookies are a must-make.

This recipe is really simple, having a mere six ingredients. Simply whisk the flour and salt together, whip the butter and sugar together and lastly add some egg yolks and maple syrup. See? Easy, right? Next you simply spoon them onto baking sheets and use a glass to flatten them into lovely little rounds. Pop them in the oven and prepare yourself for a whole lot of goodness.

Once the cookies are done baking, it’s important to let them cool a bit so you can pour a maple syrup reduction over each one. I was not so patient and the syrup soaked into most of my cookies. Sprinkle a little coarse salt over top and you’re all set.

Just imagine a small, dense and buttery pancake. Add in a little salt and these cookies are elevated to a whole new level. Maybe it’s my sweet tooth, maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s just that these are unlike any cookie I’ve had, but I think I’m in love with them. They’re dangerous and delicious all in one bite and I just can’t get enough.

glazed maple cookies
from everyday food, november 2009
makes 40 cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt + 2 Tablespoons for sprinkling on top
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 350° with racks in the upper and lower thirds.

1
IN a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
2
In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3
Beat in 1/2 cup maple syrup and egg yolks.
4
With the mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.
5
Using a Tablespoon scoop, drop batter 3-inches apart onto to baking sheets.
6
Using a flat-bottomed glass dipped in flour, flatten cookies to 1/4 inch thickness.
7
Bake 12-15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
8
Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
9
In a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup maple syrup until reduced to 3/4 cup. When cookies are cooled, spoon the syrup over the cookies.
10
Sprinkle each cookie with a little salt.

New York Magazine has a great Thanksgiving article in which the co-owners at one of my favorite restaurants, Applewood suggest a few new takes on classics. Ummm, pumpkin pie with pecan-caramel sauce here I come.

Check it out here.

Photos by Romulo Yanes for New York Magazine

If I had to narrow down my most feared/hated vegetables, brussels sprouts would be pretty high on the list. I think it all goes back to childhood memories of my babysitter microwaving brussels sprouts and filling the house with that distinctive odor; an odor that has always left me feeling a little queezy. Lately I’ve been feeling a little bad about my disdain for those cute little green buttons of a vegetable. They’re popping up on the menus of my favorite restaurants and my friends have been raving about the roasted variety. After flipping through this months issue of Food & Wine (which is awesome by the way), I found this recipe for spicy brussels sprouts with mint created by David Chang and decided it was time to give the little green guys a chance.

One of the reasons I fell for this recipe above any other was that it’s suppose to be spicy, which always makes me happy. Oh and it also involved rice krispies. That just sounded genius to me.

I had to do a little research into how you even go about boiling brussels sprouts. Apparently it’s good to soak them in a luke warm water bath for about 10 minutes to rinse away any dirt or other hidden stuff. Then you trim the stalk a bit and mark a little X in the bottom. Supposedly that helps them cook more evenly.

While the brussels were boiling, I whipped up the vinaigrette, which is a combination of fish sauce (which is not as scary as it sounds), lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, hot pepper, garlic, cilantro and mint. Once that was all mixed together, I browned the rice krispies with a little cayenne pepper and oil. By that time, the sprouts were done boiling and close to being all together finished. I simply cut them in half then heated up some oil. The key to this recipe is charring those little suckers so they get nice and brown on the edges. Once they were sufficiently crispy, I poured the vinaigrette over top and made sure they were well coated, then sprinkled a handful of rice krispies over top.

It was the moment of truth. Would my grown up palette be able to overcome my stinky childhood memories? It’s good news my friends. I’m happy to say that I liked them. The charred bits really do add a nice caramelized flavor to the brussels that, when combined with the complex flavors of the vinaigrette, makes for one heck of a side dish. The dry spiced krispies add an extra little pizazz that compliment the juicy flavor and texture of the sprouts. I have to admit, it wasn’t nearly as spicy as I anticipated but in the end, I didn’t really miss the little zing.

spicy brussels sprouts with mint
from food & wine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup Rice Krispies or other puffed rice cereal
1/4 teaspoon togarashi* or cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small red chile, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint
4 cups roasted or boiled brussels sprouts (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise

1
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the Rice Krispies and togarashi and cook over high heat, stirring, until browned, about 30 seconds. Season with salt. Transfer to a plate and wipe out the skillet.
2
In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, water, sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice, garlic and chile and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cilantro and mint.
3
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat until nearly smoking. Add the brussels sprouts; cook over high heat, stirring, until charred in spots and heated through, about 5 minutes.
4
Transfer to a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Just before serving, sprinkle the Rice Krispies on top and serve right away.

*Togarashi, a Japanese blend of chiles and sesame, is available at Asian markets.

Oh boy! So many good reads this month! I went a little nutty at the magazine shop and now I’ve got a day’s worth of reading (and probably drooling too). My surprise favorite is Food & Wine… I mean, David Chang’s take on Thanksgiving leftovers? Awesome! Five-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee, man that sounds so good!! But really, I’m loving it all.

I thought it would be appropriate to make spiked apple cider on this last Friday of October (!!). It’s the perfect fall cocktail, full of warmth from both the warm cider and the bourbon and of course a little cinnamon sugar pizazz around the rim.

Cheers to you! Have a fantastic weekend!

spiked apple cider
makes 2 cocktails

1 cup apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
4 oz bourbon
1 Tablespoon cinnamon sugar

1
Warm the cider on the stovetop with the cinnamon sticks until it’s reduced to about half a cup. This should take about 15 minutes over low heat.
2
Pour the cinnamon sugar on a plate. Just barely dip the rim of your glasses in the cider, then dip it in the sugar.
3
Add the 2 oz bourbon to each glass and top with the cider.
4
Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick and enjoy!

When it comes to sides for the Thanksgiving dinner table, there can never be too many. Of course I always want the staples like sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, the list could go on, but I also like to add in a few surprises to the mix. That’s where these lovely thyme-roasted apples and onions would come in to play. They’re full of flavor and are the perfect dish for a big old mash up. You know, a little turkey, a little potato, a little onion and apple all in one forkful.

This recipe immediately caught my eye because it uses an apple cider reduction (be still my heart!). The reduction coats the apples and onions and it, along with the thyme, infuse into them both. It actually took a bit longer than I anticipated due to the cider reduction and fairly long roasting time.

When I couldn’t take it any longer I pulled the apples and onions out of the oven and took a nice big whiff. The aroma is intense and awesome. The onions begin to get all nice and caramelized while the thyme brings a lovely savory note to the whole shebang. The thing is this side dish just screams for a partner, so instead of the turkey and potatoes, I spooned it over some couscous and put a little merguez sausage over top. Pretty awesome, if I do say myself and it’s just as good the next day. And that’s the true sign of a good Thanksgiving dish, whether it gets better with time. I’m happy to say this passed the test.

thyme-roasted apples + onions
from November 2009 Bon Appetit
I divided this in half and it worked well. I also only roasted it for about half the suggested time, and it still turned out tasty.

4 cups apple cider
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling
6 7-to 8-ounce onions, halved through root end, each half cut into 6 wedges
6 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme, divided
6 Braeburn (or Fuji) apples (about 2 3/4 pounds total), peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 4 wedges

1
Boil cider in large saucepan until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 28 minutes.
2
Whisk in butter. Season glaze with 1 teaspoon coarse salt.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm; whisk before using.
3
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
4
Butter 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toss onions in large bowl with 2 teaspoons thyme and 3 tablespoons glaze. Arrange in single layer on 1 sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast onions on upper oven rack 10 minutes.
5
In the meantime, toss apples in same bowl with 2 teaspoons thyme and 3 tablespoons glaze. Arrange in single layer on second sheet. Sprinkle apples with coarse salt and pepper. Place the apples on the bottom rack and roast both the apples and onions for 20 minutes.
6
Remove both sheets from oven. Drizzle remaining glaze evenly over onions and apples. Reverse position of sheets. Roast 20 minutes longer.
7
Increase oven temperature to 475°F. Roast onions and apples until tender and slightly caramelized, watching closely to prevent burning, about 10 minutes longer.
8
Transfer onions and apples to large bowl. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme.

Sometimes a good old crisp just hits the spot. They’re so simple and versatile and just plain tasty. I decided to make this one after I picked up some lovely little seckel pears at the market this weekend and needed something to do with them. I looked for inspiration in one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply Organic and quickly found this one for fall fruit with the addition of cranberries for tartness and color. Mmmmm, sounds good to me.

After peeling and slicing the fruit, I simply placed it in the baking dish and tossed it with some sugar. The topping is made from a mixture of flour, oatmeal and butter with a bit of cinnamon and cloves… the perfect fall combination. I added a little butter over the fruit, then the oatmeal mixture over top. To be honest, I think there was a little too much of the oatmeal mixture, it was really piled on. I popped it in the hot oven and let it be.

When I pulled it out of the oven my suspicions of too much crumble were right… there was just a bit too much dry flour, so I added a bit more butter over top to just give it a little crispness.

I served up two slices and we dug right in. I have to admit, I wasn’t quite sure how the cranberries would work but man are they the perfect fruit to combine with the apple and pear. They bring a lovely tartness and bright red color that contrasts the warm, fall flavor of the apples and pears. The oatmeal mixture over top actually isn’t as overwhelming as I thought it might be because there’s enough for every bite. I still think I’d reduce it though. The oatmeal is an easy fix for a dessert that is sure to be a fall favorite.

pear, apple + cranberry crisp
adapted from simply organic
I’ve adjusted the oatmeal mixture so that it will be a better ratio.

topping
……………………………………………
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces

fruit mixture
……………………………………………
2-3 fuji apples, peeled and cut into thin wedges
6 seckel pears or 4 larger pears, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9×9 inch baking dish.

1
To make the topping, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon and cloves in a medium bowl.
2
Using a pastry blender or your hands, work the butter into the mixture until the pieces are pea-sized. Set aside.
3
To make the fruit mixture, I just combined the apples, pears, cranberries and sugar right in the baking dish, because I’m a little lazy and I don’t like to do dishes.
4
Cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the fruit mixture.
5
Crumble the oat topping over the fruit.
6
Bake for 40 minutes or until the fruit is soft and the topping lightly browned.

Polenta been tempting me for a while now. I’ll order it in a restaurant and say, “wow, i’ve really got to make this at home”. Then I’ll come home and attempt to make it and disaster will follow. There’s something about that beautiful yellow powder that just does not agree with me. But finally, after several attempts I was finally successful in my quest to make polenta. Not only did it not fall apart and look like a sad lump, but it was pretty dang tasty too.

I made my polenta with milk, which helped give it a richer flavor. Once it mixes with the liquid it quickly aborbs the it and begins to bubble and thicken. At this point I stirred in some fresh thyme and ground pepper, because polenta needs a bit of jazz. Then comes a key step. Pour the polenta into a springform pan (or you could use a sqaure baking dish). It’s important to spread the polenta evenly and let it harden for a bit.

After about a half hour cut it into pieces so you have 8 little wedges. This is the part where my polenta usually turns on me. But I was thinking happy thoughts and set my polenta into a pan of oil and let it cook for about five minutes. Then came time to flip and I was a little nervous. I flipped one and it didn’t fall apart… woohoo! The next one was a little thinner and was not so lucky. I ended up with a few ugly pieces but most of them were lovely little wedges.

I brought my crisp little wedges to the table, shredded a little parmesan cheese over top and stopped to admire my little kitchen triumph. Then came the true test, the taste test. Yup, they were good. The thyme really shines in each little bite. We ended up topping ours with an egg and it was just right, but I also think tomato sauce would be quite tasty too.

fried polenta with thyme

2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 cup polenta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1
Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add salt.
2
Whisking constantly, add polenta in a slow steady stream. Continue to whisk until all of the lumps have disappeared. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
3
Stir in butter, thyme and pepper.
4
Pour polenta into an springform pan (or if you don’t have one, a 8-by-8-inch baking dish). Let cool until firm, about 30 minutes.
5
Pull the edges off the springform pan and cut polenta into 8 wedges.
6In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
7
Add polenta wedges and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.