A Twitch In Time

I have always been a firm, and perhaps a bit naive, believer in the promise that with proper planning and time management, there is no limit to what one can accomplish. I am however beginning to reconsider my position in what is perhaps an overly optimistic philosophy. At some point, one simply runs out of time... or breath... or sanity... Or, as it happens, normal bodily control. My left eye has begun to express the stress that has been steadily gaining momentum over the last month or two, in the form of a spasm that resembles a perpetual winking motion played on fast forward. At first this seemed to be an isolated occurrence, but once the spasms became a perpetual part of my day I began to worry... Was this some early symptom of Parkinson's? Not typically prone to hypochondria, I decided I must slow down at least enough to focus my attention to when, where, and what was going on to trigger the twitch. Sure enough, not 10 minutes later, when I heard Josephine's eruptive cry shouting "I had it FIRST!!", I noticed my eye convulsing into distortion. And later, when Samuel hit his head on the table, and when Isabella decided to trim her own bangs, and when I burned the toast because I forgot it was in the oven, and when, and when, and when. With all of us continually tripping over one another in our 1200 square foot abode, there are lots of moments like these. At least the twitching proved to be completely reactionary. Whew... Dodged a bullet there, at least. But now what? Surely my eye was telling me what I was not willing to admit to myself- somethings got to give.

On top off all of my full time day to day domestic duties, I have been attempting to put the "have it all" theory, so popularized by the 70's feminism movement, to the test. Creating menus and cheffing for private parties, catering small events, writing (of course), book signings, driving all over creation to a seemingly endless stream of pointless auditions, and attending acting classes. Oh, and let's not discount caring (and feeling overly-responsible) for my recently-released-from-the-hospital father, who could have played Jack Lemon's character in Grumpy Old Men without ever having to act at all. Even staring at this screen reviewing this list has left me with a stiff frowning face. I am not happy with this list. I am officially chasing too many dreams to catch any of them. I flubbed a rare girls night because I wrote down the wrong date, I showed up to acting class an hour early because I managed to forget the start time, I am remiss in returning phone calls (personal AND business), and while Isabella is already doing lessons over a year ahead of her supposed grade, I feel I am short changing her in homeschool as well. I haven't burned my bra yet (though with my track record of forgetting to turn off the stove this could be a distinct possibility)... Would that help me to "have it all"? I am going crazy!




What do I want most?

-The most important of course is the base issue of home and hearth, wanting everyone to be engaged, educated, and healthy, and living in a perfectly tidy house at least 98% of the time.
-Next would be my blog and food writing, which has back slided considerably since being signed by my agent a couple of months ago, who is not helping me to do anything I actually want to do (is this a normal?).
-Next would be the entertainment sector. While I would not pass up any real opportunities, I have come to realize that I would rather be myself on camera that pretend to be someone else. Ultimately I want to be a food/lifestyle personality, not an actress (it is with a heavy heart that I admit this, I have dreamed of giving my Oscar acceptance speech since I was 4).

Now I just need to eliminate anything that is overshadowing my focus and stealing my joy, which is much easier said than done, as I would rather go through life with entire body convulsions than to disappoint anybody. Oh, what's a girl to do... I know this sounds like more of a diary entry than a blog post, but I am sure there are many mothers out there like myself, who are feeling the blessed burden of empowerment weigh heavy, trying to do everything because we can, which is a wonderful thing, at least in theory.

Bye Bye Berry

I know, I know... my last blog post was all about the shift from summer to fall and the abundance of the current harvest, and as figilisious as it is, I simply had to have one last fling with my favorite summer indulgence- berries. When walking past the table of fresh berries at Central Market, the smell alone is enough to get me salivating. Colorful, vibrant, and juicy (similar to myself), these treasures are about to once again be buried below the seasonal radar. Not that berries can not be found year round these days at supermarkets, but there is something seemingly dishonest, and equally disappointing, in purchasing something so out of place... the flavor and texture seem forced and unnatural. So this is it, my farewell tribute. What could be more befitting than to pair the fruits with shortcake? Now, if you are not a fan of shortcake, I simply consider you someone who has not been fortunate enough to experience this recipe, which produces something so addictive it could be more aptly named shortcrack. Somewhere between the best white cake you've ever eaten and the most delicate of biscuits, they are soft, sweet, and substantial on the tongue. While I paired them with berries and whipped cream for the dessert, they made a luscious treat at breakfast the next morning with yogurt and honey. Give them a try before it is too late!



Berry Shortcake

3 cups cake flour, plus more as needed1/4 cup plus 1 TBS sugar, 2 tsp sugar (for the berries), plus more for sprinkling
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 TBS very cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 egg beaten with 1 TBS water
2 cups or so strawberries/raspberries/blackberries/blueberries
1 TBS raspberry jam
little squeeze of fresh lemon juice

-preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment (or spray with vegetable oil cooking spray)
-sift together the flour, 1/4 cup plus 1 TBS sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then place mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade
-add the butter and pulse several times until the dough resembles a coarse meal
-add the cream and blend until the dough come together (a few seconds), it will be slightly crumbly... don't overwork or the cakes will be tough!
-transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and roll out with a well floured rolling pin into a 12 inch long rectangle (if the dough it too sticky simply pat with a little more flour
-fold the left end to the middle, and the fold the right end up over the left to form 3 layers (like a business letter)
-roll the dough into a 3/4 inch thickness and cut with 3 inch heart or circle (or really any shape) cutter
-brush with the egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar (coarse turbinado sugar looks nice), bake until golden for 15 to 20 minutes

-meanwhile prepare the fruit by mixing together the berries, jam, sugar, and lemon juice
-take half of the mixture and mash together with a potato masher or pastry blender and then combine back together

-to assemble, cut the shortcakes in half and fill with berries
-either place the whipped cream inside, sandwich style, or dollop on top (just remember, if the shortcakes are still warm the cream will melt, so either cool completely or place the whipped cream on the side)



Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp of brandy (optional)
1/4 tsp vanilla

(if you would like to give your whipped cream a little something extra, you could add a big TBS of sour cream into the mixer as well if you have some on hand)

-whip all of the ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium high speed until thickened, then bump it up to high speed until soft peaks form

Gettin' Figgy With It

The other day, while at Central Market, I suddenly noticed that the parade of peaches and corn had slowly transformed into fall displays of gourds, grapes, and greens, solidifying the most tragic of realizations- Summer. Is. Over. (sigh). While trying to make peace with this fact, I decided to take a few extra moments to inspect the incoming cornucopia that would be shaping my menus (and outdoor decorations) over the next few months. I spotted a table stocked with what appeared to be egg carton type containers, only smaller, and found that positioned within each well was a perfectly plump, unblemished fig. Seeing how beautiful and fresh they were, and yet how generally unfamiliar with fig preparations I am, I knew when I gently placed several in my basket that this would be a delicious game of trial and error.

Having long since sworn off packaged foods containing additives, preservatives, and otherwise undesirable ingredients, I set out to see if I could recreate one of my (and surely countless others) favorite childhood snacks, which undoubtedly put figs on the proverbial map- Fig Newtons. I must shamefully admit that growing up I was not even aware that a fig was something to be found outside of the Nabisco 'fruit and cake', so ubiquitous was the brand; I remember being in the supermarket, asking "Hey Mom, can we try the new strawberry FigNewtons?". It was a proud moment when the homemade version emerged from the oven just as good, nay- better, than it's fortified counterpart, and made a pretty enough presentation to be served as a full on dessert. The cinnamon applesauce I happened to have on hand lent the filling a little extra zip, and the pastry unevenly spread on top (because I did not make enough) turned out o be a beautiful accident, as it gave a little window into the dark purple figginess inside. It was gone in a single day, consumed by my brood at a rate otherwise unprecedented, to be followed by an equally unprecedented line at the bathroom. Aside from the mild, ahem, laxative effect (similar to raisins), figs are actually a nutritional powerhouse, rich in antioxidants, calcium, fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K (yay!).


Armed with the knowledge that anything can be transformed into a pizza topping, I took the rest of my figs for turn to the savory side and got to work on some pizza dough. The sliced figs took a dive in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey, while I drizzle my rolled out dough with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and tossed on a some baby spinach and arugula (the bagged variety work beautifully on pizzas). Topped with the figs, sliced shallot, and some honeyed goat cheese I stumbled upon at CentralMarket, I had a beautifully untraditional pizza ready for the oven. For balance, I topped the second pizza (my dough recipe yields enough for two) with marina, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and torn basil (about as traditional as they come). A quick survey at the table revealed the figgy pizza to be the clear winner (though there were no leftovers from either one). The time spent in the oven gave the figs a slight chewiness that made them texturally satisfying and remarkably concentrated in flavor. The fall find also found its way onto some morning oatmeal, sauteed with apples and brown sugar.

Any way you slice it, this versatile fruit is ripe with possibility, and since they should be in abundance through December, I invite you to come out from behind your respective "fig leaves" and sample some of what they have to offer. Happy cooking everyone! ;)





Figgy Pastry

filling-
13 oz figs, I used an equal combination of dried and fresh
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1/3 cup cinnamon apple sauce

dough-
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

-preheat oven to 350, butter a rimmed baking and then line with parchment and butter again
-place the figs and sugar in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped, then transfer to a small saucepan
-whisk cornstarch into the water and then whisk into the saucepan with the figs, then add applesauce
-simmer over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens 5 -10 minutes
*If you are using only fresh figs you may need to add slightly more cornstarch to thicken the filling
-combine flour baking soda and salt in a medium bowl
-cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 minutes or so
-beat in egg and vanilla
-add flour all at once and beat on low speed until combined, mix in oats
-using an offset spatula, spread half of the dough in the prepared pan, spread filling over top, and crumble remaining dough on top, pressing down gently
-bake for 30 minutes, or until golden, cool, and cut into bars, squares, triangles, or any other shape you'd like!

Use any leftover filling on toast, as a dipping sauce, or glaze for chicken


Chervré and Fig Pizza

2 TBS olive oil, plus more for figs
2 handfuls of baby spinach, arugula, or a combination of the two
2 oz honeyed goat cheese*
medium shallot thinly sliced
4 figs sliced into quarters or sixths, depending on how thick you would like them on the pizza
splash of balsamic vinegar
drizzle of honey
*(if you can not find honeyed goat cheese, you can use plain, or simply mix a little bit of honey in yourself, as the cheese is very soft)
salt and pepper
prepared pizza dough
(note- this recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas, so either double the topping amounts, or create an entirely different pizza with other half of dough)


-preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal
-place sliced figs in a small bowl and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and honey and set aside
-roll out dough on a floured work surface and place on prepared sheet (if using the posted dough recipe, roll out half for a single pizza)
-drizzle about 2 TBS of olive oil onto the crust, place the greens on top and toss to evenly coat
-distribute the figs, shallot, and goat cheese evenly on top and sprinkle with salt and a few grindings of fresh black pepper
-bake for 12 -15 minutes

Class Act

Last weekend I donned yet another hat... culinary instructor. Central Market, the gourmet grocery store that I shop at several times a week, got wind of my MasterChef experience and proposed I put on a cooking demonstration in their cooking school. Ever eager for a new challenge, or an opportunity to be in front of an audience, I jumped at the offer and immediately began putting together sample menus. Since breakfast is truly the meal I am most enthusiastic about, I opted for a brunch themed class. Brunch is really just a prolonged breakfast elevated by champagne and bloody marys, and who doesn't love the sound of that? To me there is something all at once casual, and yet sophisticated about hosting a brunch, a privilege that manages to say something like, "I am leisured enough to laze about in the first half of the day be drunk by noon". As the class date drew nearer I began having panicked moments of dread- somehow I had overlooked the fact that I had selected a date which coincided with a major travel holiday... "What if no one comes?" was a common phrase espoused in the days leading up to the class. Saturday morning I arrived to a flurry of staff washing, prepping, and assembling trays of ingredients that I would be using for my various recipes. It was quite amazing to see actually... employees with actual culinary pedigrees working swiftly to accommodate my specifications so that I could stand up front with ease and play for 2 hours and get paid for it. I felt slightly guilty at first, but after doing the math and realizing I spend more in their store for food than I do on housing, I decided it must all balance out. When the door opened up 15 minutes before class to a line out into the hallway, I realized my apprehension about an empty class was completely unnecessary- there was not an empty seat. My menu was a celebration to the of summer (it pains me just to type the words), with berries and colorful veggies that will soon be out of season (sigh)- Berry Bruschetta with Honeyed Mascaprone Cheese and Berries, Frittata Primavera, French Toast with an Apricot and Maple Glaze, Baked Brown Sugar Bacon, and the requisite alcoholic beverage, Prosecco Cocktails. Aside from ending about 15 minutes early, the class went smoothly and was by all accounts a success. I shamelessly pilfered through all of the written reviews that were left by the guests and all but one had raved about the food and rated me as "excellent". The lone nay-say-er rated me simply as "good" and commented on the menu being too simple and similar to things she had done already (I am unsure why she booked the class to begin with as the menu was clearly posted). Anyhow, a good lesson learned is that you simple can not please everyone, as another woman wrote how thrilled she was that the dishes were items that she would actually make and be able to replicate. The greatest compliment by far was seeing how far some had traveled to come to the class- a mother and daughter had come from Marshall, 150 miles away, just to see me. The culinary director Carol Ritchie, who is one of the sweetest and most lively woman I have ever met (and with whom I share an uncanny mother-daughter resemblance), left me with a bottle of Prosecco as a gift, and an invitation to return, which I will be doing, very soon!

*To anyone from the class who is reading, I would love for you to send me the photos that were taken so that I may post them on the C&C Facebook page!


Frittata Primavera

1 TBS olive oil 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 zucchini, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
3/4 to 1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tsp fresh oregano
10 eggs
1.5 oz goat cheese, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper

preheat oven to
heat the olive oil in a large 12 inch oven proof skillet over medium to medium high heat
add the the asparagus and the zucchini and saute until slightly softened, about 4 minutes
add the tomatoes and shallot and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes
season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the oregano
whisk the eggs until fluffy with 1 tsp salt and and a pinch of pepper
add the eggs to the pan and let set for about 2 minutes before placing in the oven for about 15 minutes, until puffed and golden
run a spatula or thin knife around the edges and invert onto a cutting board
slice, top with a few sprinkles of goat cheese, and serve


Baked Brown Sugar Bacon

1 pack of best quality, nitrate free bacon
about 1/4 tsp of garlic powder
a few grindings of black pepper
1/3 cup brown sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees
place the bacon on a wire rack that has been placed on a rimmed baking sheet
sprinkle evenly with the garlic powder, pepper, and brown sugar
bake until crisp, 30 to 35 minutes


Challah French Toast with Maple Apricot Glaze

6 to 8 slices Challah bread, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups milk, warmed
3 egg yolks
3 TBS brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS melted butter, plus more for frying
1 cup maple syrup
3 TBS apricot jam
2 tsp Grand Marnier

place the bread on a wire rack, set atop a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 15 minutes, flipping half way through
reduce heat to 200 degrees
whisk together the milk, yolks, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a rectangular baking dish and soak the bread for about 20 seconds per side, until saturated but not overly soggy
heat a large skillet over medium low heat and add about 1 TBS butter until foamy, then add the bread slices and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, placing cooked sliced back in the oven to keep warm
when all of the toast has been cooked, add the syrup, jam, and liqueur to the pan and warm through
serve


Prossecco Cocktails

fill each persons flute with Prossecco or champagne, top with 1 tsp Chambord and garnish with a fresh raspberry

Scrap Soup

You know the feeling. You are in the kitchen, getting distracted and flustered. Children at your feet, in the way, asking questions, wanting to help, when all you want to do is get dinner out on the table- fast (or at least faster). Enter "Scrap Soup", the best accidental in(ter)vetnion EVER. It started simply, with a pot and spoon I gave to the baby to keep him entertained on the kitchen floor. For added interest, I plopped a few ice cubes in the pot, thinking that would be a relatively mess free distraction. Then Isabella
entered and immediately took it to the next level. She began grabbing the scraps from my cutting board until slowly but surly there was nothing left, and Josephine soon followed suit by sneaking a carrot out of the fridge and honing her peeling skills, placing orange strands into the pot. Next came frozen corn kernels, and a pinch of the fresh bread crumbs that I had just made. Knowing that I suffer from the last acceptable level of anxiety before succumbing to medication, one would think that this would add even more chaos, and therefore stress to the kitchen, but not so. I'll admit that while having a mild grade panic attack did enter my mind, I decided it would be much more fun to see where their freedom and inventiveness lead them, despite the bits of onion peel and parsley scattered about. Before I knew it, I had three little chefs sitting on the kitchen tile, completely engrossed in stirring their unique concoction, allowing me to sip my Chardonnay and finish out our meal in relative peace. Isabella proudly announced, "I have named this Isabella's Favorite Soup, and we must keep it in the fridge incase some guests stop by and would like to try it!" It was all I could do to keep a strait face, though the real award goes to my husband who was actually "served" some of this confection. Knowing how deflated she would have been if he'd refused, Wes obliged and dutifully took his bite, with feigned yummy noises and all (though how he actually choked down a parsley stalk and ice cube I'll never know). Watching my children's culinary creativity filled me with such a remarkable sense of pride that I was slightly ashamed by my earlier sense of urgency. What exactly is so terribly important about getting dinner out at a precise time, still steaming hot and plated perfectly, when I am not even entertaining? My kids don't care, it doesn't matter to my husband, but the perfectionist in me frequently keeps me from putting things into perspective. I have to continually remind myself that real life is happening right now, all around us, and every moment is a teachable one (for adults as well apparently), if we pay close enough attention. The trick of course is finding ways to incorporate the imperfections while keeping your sanity intact. That sums up motherhood quite nicely actually. Happy cooking everyone. ;)

In The 'Zone

Before end of summer's tomatoes are gone for good, I decided to utilize them in a dish that is one part fresh, one part comfort, and one part fun. For those of you who are not aware, I am altogether charmed by anything that can either be put on a stick or wrapped in a pastry of some sort (as it adds instant whimsy to most anything, making it even more delicious), and these lucky tomatoes were given a taste of the latter. Caprese Calzones, stuffed with ripe tomatoes, fresh ball mozzarella, torn basil, and drizzled simply with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper, were a big hit. Josephine (3) was anointed my sous chef and gladly assembled the little pockets, taking special pride in being trusted to crimp the edges with a fork. The best part about this recipe is the wonderfully versatile calzone dough, which can be filled with any number of imaginable fillings, whether traditional (Italian sausage, tomato sauce, mozzarella) or something completely new (broccoli, cheddar, and potato anyone?), and work great as a pizza dough as well. And because the dough has to be made ahead (to allow time to rise), all you will have to do at dinner time (or any time), is roll out, assemble, and bake.

*more photos at Confections & Confections facebook page



Calzone Dough

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 packet active dry yeast
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil

Pour the water into a large mixing bowl, stir in the yeast, and set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve
With a wooden spoon, mix in the wheat flour, cornmeal, and 1 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour, and beat vigorously for about a minute
Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm, draft free spot (so not under an AC vent!) for 10 minutes
Stir in the salt, olive oil, and the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until you have a soft kneadable dough
Turn the dough onto a floured work space and knead for 8 minutes (another kid friendly job), until you have a soft, smooth, elastic dough (sprinkle with extra flour while kneading if dough seems too sticky)
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat, cover, and let rise one hour until doubled
Roll out and play!

Bake with whatever filling you are using at 450 until golden, about 20-25 minutes (obviously any meats or veggies need to be cooked before going in the oven).