26 August 2010

The Sweet Side of Tea

I am usually opposed to the addition of sweet extras like milk or sugar to hot beverages. Coffee is better black - and to those who disagree, I call you wimps! Tea is best in its virgin state, as it was meant to be enjoyed, chai or other milk teas being the only exceptions.
Well, I stand corrected. I made a batch of biscotti, and thought I'd try one with a hot cup of Mayan Cocoa Spice tea. The teapot whistled, the tea bag steeped, and after anxiously waiting for the tea to reach a comfortable temperature, I took a sip.
The flavors were good, but barely there - they seemed to lack body. So I did what I would under similar circumstances in a dish: add a bit of sugar (agave nectar, in this case) and some almond milk.
The next sip was an entirely different cup of tea. A full, smooth tea with definite chocolate and spice flavors. Perfect accompaniment for these chocolate-chip peanut butter biscotti!
They aren't vegan, as I had a bit of butter and some eggs to use up, but the truth is that I do prefer vegan cooking and baking and will be posting my latest vegan foray soon...

Chocolate-Chip Peanut Butter Biscotti
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chocolate peanut butter (such as Peanut Butter Co; if you don't have it, mix almost a half cup peanut butter with some sugar and cocoa powder)
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup peanuts, toasted & roughly chopped
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add peanut butter and continue to cream all together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
3. Mix all dry ingredients except peanuts and chips and add slowly to wet ingredients.
4. Gently fold in peanuts and chocolate chips.
5. Form dough into two flattened logs and bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch.
6. Let cool completely - if you don't give the logs enough time, the chocolate chips will smear all over when cutting...not pretty. 7. Cut on a slight diagonal into 1/2-1 inch thick slices. Lie these back down on the cookie sheet and return to oven for another 30-40 minutes.
8. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to two months (or, since these are the perfect mailing cookies, put them in tins and send them to far-away friends!).

24 August 2010

Attack of the Cherry Tomatoes


I went out to the garden, armed with two quart buckets and sandals. We've been getting a drizzly rain almost constantly for the last couple of days, so my usual barefoot approach wasn't going to fly - and never mind the scores of overripe split cherry tomatoes littering the ground! In 5 minutes, I was carrying two overflowing baskets back to the house and pondering what to do with my bounty. I decided to make crepes.
I had a slight problem. I'd used up all the eggs making biscotti (post to come soon!) and my pancake mix didn't thin well. I had, however, picked up a package of corn tortillas yesterday, planning to make a dish with peaches. Seeing as tomatoes and tortillas tend to go well together, it was an easy transition.
This might be the best savoury dish I have ever made, factoring in the fact that it's very quick, easy, and inexpensive. The sweet cherry tomatoes go wonderfully with the salty and tangy feta and the heavy-handed thyme, and the balsamic reduction adds another sweet tang. Mmmm.

Cherry Tomato Tortillas
6 cherry tomatoes per tortilla
small corn tortillas
1 tablespoon herbs de provence (ours had gone missing, so I used a garlic&herb mix, thyme, and...I can't remember!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar per tortilla
1 tablespoon feta per tortilla

1. Heat olive oil in a frypan. Add cherry tomatoes, halved. If their juice is hesitant to come out, squish them a bit with a wooden spoon. Add the herbs de provence.
2. Heat balsamic vinegar in a saucepan. Drain the cherry tomato juice into the balsamic, and boil until it thickens to a sauce consistency.
3. Heat each tortilla in a pan or if all your pans are occupied, in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Sprinkle the feta on one half of the tortilla, top with the cherry tomatoes, fold over, and drizzle on the balsamic reduction.

Cravings for Caramel Corn


It all started when I stumbled upon a recipe for homemade microwave popcorn. Rather than the $1 per bag most boxed types go for, this used bulk popcorn ($1.39 per pound at Whole Foods) and a brown paper bag. This sounded promising as far as college living goes.
Then, also at Whole Foods, I saw a bag of caramel corn.
I. Love. Caramel popcorn.
I discovered this at a birthday party earlier this year, when I gobbled about a pound while feeling complete bliss all the while. So I now had a great excuse to pop some corn in a brown bag: to destine it for caramel corn.
The slight saltiness adds depth to the sweetness and the airy crunch of the popcorn lightens up the caramel for the perfect snack. It tastes sinful, and in the quantities that I consume it, it most likely is. For normal folks, however, 1/4 cup of kernels should yield a healthy(ish) snack for about 4 people.
Caramel Corn
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 paper bag
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 250ºF.
1. Place popcorn kernels in bag. Fold end of bag over three times and place fold side down. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Put brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and pour water on top. Swirl pan to dissolve sugar.
3. Set to high and boil, covered, for two minutes.
4. Uncover and, stirring occasionally, let boil until browner around the edge of the pan and thicker.
5. Remove from heat, add butter and stir in, then add cream, vanilla, and salt.
6. Spread half the popcorn batch onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour half the caramel sauce over the popcorn and add half the peanuts. Toss to coat.
7. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, shaking the pan every 15 minutes. When done, the popcorn will be crisp and not at all sticky.
8. Store in an airtight container and refrain from constant consumption.