"Wild" Blackberry & Rosewater Jam

To those of you who aren't familiar with Oakland, you might be surprised to know that there are wild blackberry brambles in several parts of the city (we also have a serious deer problem, which I may or may not have told you about... more on that later).  

On one of our walks recently, D and I noticed a very prolific patch of them and made a mental note to return when they ripen. So yesterday, we marched right down there with our bucket (and ladder, maybe) and got to pickin'.  In half an hour, we picked about seven cups of beautifully wild blackberries!  (I think the movement is called "foraging," and while very trendy a term, it still sounds like "scrounging" to me...so I say "wild")

 These guys were a little fuzzier than regular blackberries, but after a good soaking, the fuzzies came right off. 

 

For a little added interest, I put about one teaspoon of rosewater in the jam.  You can find rosewater among the Middle Eastern or Indian products in specialty/ethnic stores.  It's not expensive, but it is potent.  A little goes a long way! D was worried that even the little tiny teaspoon I did add was too much, but it's actually just right.

 

Look how gorgeous and deep the color is!

And now it's officially summer, now that we've canned something.  Sidenote: This is my all-time favorite size/shape/brand of jar, in case anyone cares. Simple design (no cornucopias embossed on the other side), not too big, not too little, nice and wide, easy to pour into, easy to get jam out.

Oh, yeah. Fruits of our labor. 

Wild/Foraged/Scrounged/Organic Oakland Blackberry and Rosewater Jam

Every Herb Pesto

Oh, yeah.  You're gonna like this one.

This is some good stuff. 

Here we have my adaptation of this pesto recipe (p.s. She's my new favorite. Also, when I say "adaptation" it mostly means I forgot something or I tinkered with the instructions. But I'm a glass-half-full kinda gal, so I use words like "adaptation" to make it seem like I did it on purpose and from a place of creativity when mostly it came from a place of haste or lack-of-planning), made with basil, parsley, cilantro, and spinach. I used pine nuts, because I didn't have almonds, but I think it tastes more decadent that way. Also, I forgot to add lemon, but I like it just way it is.  Next time I'll actually follow the recipe (something I'm notorious for NOT doing).

 
Anyhow, I was totally excited to make this for dinner and tell you all about it, but something even better happened - we just got invited for Persian food at the neighbors!  And I do not pass up Persian food with the neighbors.  So, the pesto will have to wait another night, but I can tell you that it was delicious right off the spatula.  Late for dinner - see ya!

Harissa

 
Have you heard of Harissa?  It's a hot, North African chili paste and it's my new favorite condiment. It's salty and spicy and garlicky and awesome...if you're into that kind of thing.  I first tried harissa in a breakfast sandwich from Vesta Flatbread food truck at the Oakland Farmer's Market. Hooked!  Immediately!

Now, I'm no taste bud adrenaline-seeker, but this stuff is good (And pretty spicy! A little goes a long way) - and you can make it at home fairly easily!  This is the second jar I've made. I use a recipe similar to this one.  Instead, I only add a little cumin in place of the caraway and coriander seeds.  I suppose the spices used depend on which region's recipe you're following (Tunisia vs. Morocco vs. Algeria, etc.)  Also, I used only arbol chilies, which are fairly small and hot, even though I did seed them.

Ok, so how to use this stuff? Probably any way you like! I primarily eat my harissa with eggs and avocado for breakfast. The avocado cuts the heat a little.  Honestly, I eat this almost every single morning - it's so good!  Vesta uses it with chicken and even on top of potatoes, but you could use it whenever you need a little heat.

I dare you to try it. I'll bet you get hooked too.

Teeny Zucchini

Did I tell you that we moved to the sweetest little street in Oakland (that is not an oxymoron)?  Last August, we left the fog of San Francisco and headed to the Sunny Side of the Bay.  We absolutely love it!  We have sun and space and neighbors we know!

One of my most favorite things about our new neighborhood is that we have a community garden, just for the people on our little cul de sac.  We've planted tomatoes (lots!), zucchini, corn, squash, basil, beets, carrots, eggplant, radishes, beans, and peppers. The tomatoes seem to be doing well, but we'll see what else the soil allows.

This is our first little harvest.  Teeny zucchini!  I thought they would get bigger, and maybe they will, but for now, this is it.

I also spied an almost red tomato, which tickles me the most because I started those babies from seed! I am one proud tomato mama.

Oh, and this cocktail? Well, that's basil (in the form of a gimlet) from our garden. And I have the best husband/mixologist on the block to make them for me! I haven't told the neighbors of his cocktailing talents just yet...

Preserved Lemons

I can't say "lemon" without actually thinking "yemon." When my niece was little (yitto), she couldn't say her Ls, so she replaced them with Ys.  So, here we have some preserved yemons.

In any case... I made some this morning with a windfall of meyer lemons (See? You're doing it now too!) from my friend at work.  Ever since I sorely lost a canning competition to someone who made preserved lemons (so original!), and ever since I bought a tagine, I've been wanting to make these. 

I followed this recipe.

Wash the lemons well and then slice off the ends of the lemon like so.  (Then line them up and take a photo, because I just think this is so pretty, I just might hang it on my wall)

 

Then almost quarter the lemons, leaving the lemon attached at the bottom:

 

Douse it with kosher or sea salt, making sure to get all surfaces covered with ample amounts of salt. I used a little more than 1 tablespoon of salt per lemon.

Here's a simplified version of the method I used.  First, place the lemon in a sterilized jar, and then squash it down to release the juices that will eventually cover your lemons. 

Squash!

If you don't have enough juice to cover the lemons, juice an extra lemon or two into the jar or take one wedge out.  Top it all off with a little more salt.

 

And voila!  Keep them on the counter top for a few days, flipping the jar daily, then move them to the refrigerator.  In about 3 weeks, the rinds will soften and they should be ready to go!  Rinse the lemons before using. 

 

I've seen the recommendation to add spices, so I threw some cloves in one of them.  Fingers crossed!  I will be making this when my preserved yemons are ready!   

All Your Cookie Are Belong To Me

D is a big cookie guy - lucky for him, I like to bake! We got this cook book for our wedding, and it is awesome! I made the Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut cookies after dinner last night. They were HUGE!!

See?



Woops, See?


I did NOT need too many of these lying around the house, so I pre-portioned some scoops and froze them for another moment of desperation.


My favorite part was that we were almost out of chocolate chips (we had 1 of the 12 ounces required for the recipe) and so D and I were scouring the kitchen for chocolate bars. We were able to scrap together 9 more ounces of chocolate. Yay! It was plenty. And the cookies were chewy and amazing! I think the secret is the molasses, personally. But I do love me some molasses.

Here's the recipe, if you dare.

Thanks to Sandy & Vince for the book - we love it!

Please Tell Me You Know About Kale Chips...

I'm probably the last to know about (or try) kale chips, but I have to evangelize here a second. They are amazingly light and crispy and so un-kaley! Even my nephew who shuns all things green was begging for these little guys.

Here's how you make them:

• Wash and dry your kale (I've used the darker, flatter Tuscan kale as well as rufflier traditional kale, both are great - use whatever's available)
  
• Cut out the center rib of your kale and chop into pieces (3 to 5 per leaf)
• Toss with a little olive oil and salt (use salt sparingly, these guys shrink up!)
• Lay pieces in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet (crowding them too much will cause them to steam instead)
  
• Roast at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy & still green (don't let them get brown! Brown = bitter)
  
• Enjoy!
• Check your teeth for kale bits before leaving the house
  

And get used to the phrase, "I want more kale!" because it's gonna happen.

Tiny Pies

Look what I made today! Tiny hand pies!


We're having a potluck at work tomorrow, and since I had the day off, I made these tiny hand pies. And since I used Trader Joe's piecrusts and Trader Joe's cranberry apple pie filling (in a jar, such a cheater), they were super easy. A bit time consuming, but easy.

I wasted some of the dough making these crappy ones, which are too big and fell apart when I picked them up. We'll just have to "confiscate" these.


p.s. I also made this today for lunch - so good & so easy!

Hold Everything & Roast Tomatoes

This year hasn't been so good for tomatoes in California, but my mom had a nice little backyard crop. And thankfully, they're still plentiful in the farmers markets.... because you must make these immediately!


It will take you all of 4 minutes to prepare. You do have to roast for 3 to 4 hours, but when these puppies come out of the oven, you will thank me. You will, I'm telling you.

Juicy, sweet (I mean, like candy sweet), and healthy (did that kill the appeal?)! They're better cold, but I am totally not discriminating.

Here's how you do it:

• Preheat your oven to 275F
• Cut your medium-sized tomatoes in half (cut top to bottom)
  
• Toss them with a little olive oil
• Put them on a cookie sheet, cut side UP
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Roast them in the oven for 3 to 4 hours
  
• Take them out when they're wrinkly and a little syrup-y
• Send Sara a thank you note

So easy. So delicious.

Marshmallows, First Draft

Canceled from work again, I have to find ways to keep myself busy.

What better way than to try my hand at marshmallow-making?


I used this* recipe and Tahitian vanilla from our honeymoon. What I loved about this recipe is that it required no candy thermometer. Next time, I'll mix it up with some different flavors. But for now, I have about one million marshmallows to finish up first.

And yes, of course I tried them in s'more form. They browned and melted quickly, but they made for a pretty decent s'more....and I know my s'mores.

*a couple notes on this recipe.

1. I know it sounds weird, but the gelatin smelled kinda funky (it was brand new from the store). The funk was enhanced by the heat of the sugar mixture, but did go away once the marshmallows cooled. I still think I smell it a little (could be in my head), and for this reason will probably add a stronger flavor in the future.
2. These set up quickly! You won't be able to make two flavors at once unless you separate out the ingredients at the beginning. And BTW, I needed a 9x13 pan to fit all the fluff.
3. Do yourself a favor and lightly dust the plastic wrap with powdered sugar after putting it in the dish, and before dumping in your fluff. I had a sticking situation yesterday, but fared OK in the end.
   

5 Minute Ice Cream

Thinking in my car is usually a pretty dangerous thing... not dangerous for drivers, but you can be sure I'm brewing a plan in my head that must be executed immediately upon my arrival home. Naturally, I threw down my bags, fired up the double-boiler, and went straight to work. In 5 minutes, I was done.

Yesterday's drive home inspired this: Machine-Free Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream (Marilyn, this one's for you)


Which literally took me 5 minutes to make. I had made this Banana Chocolate ice cream a couple days ago, and I was pretty pleased. I substituted Kahlua for the Bailey's, which didn't freeze so well because Kahlua has a higher alcohol content than Bailey's. And so I simply ended up adding more milk, which helped it better solidify. But the taste of alcohol was quite pungent. Drunky Monkey Ice Cream, we'll call it.

On this second go-around with the raspberries, I used Frambois, which has similar alcohol content to Bailey's. The taste of alcohol is much more subtle, and since I was too lazy to blend up the frozen raspberries, there are little chunkies, which I prefer.

As far as ice creams go, this one is fairly low-fat (if you worry about that sort of thing). Only 2 oz chocolate chips and regular milk will do. The rest is just alcohol and fruit. And the great thing is, since there's no machine involved, you don't need to pre-freeze your ice cream-maker bowl! So, it's total instant gratification - that is, if you can wait the 4 hours for it to freeze. Do yourself a favor, make it before you go to bed, and then it will be ready first thing in the morning. I like to call that multitasking!

The yield is smallish, so if you don't like it, no worries! But if you love it, you can experiment with lots of flavors without all that commitment. :) Enjoy!

The Greatest Idea of All Time

I saw this in this month's Everyday Food magazine and had to make it immediately.

You could probably cut your bell pepper ring a little thicker and add cheese or veggies or another egg. And it fits perfectly on an English muffin or toast!

*high kick* Awesome idea....now, why didn't I think of this?

Oh, Yes I Did Just Make Crackers

I've been having a streak of bees in my bonnet. Every day it's been something different.

Today's bee: making crackers (of all things). Took ~20 minutes start-to-finish and I was able to make it in my tiny Cuisinart food processor. Bonus!



I made them with Parmesan, but maybe bleu or Gorgonzola would be good too!

If you're on a diet, don't make these. Yes, I'm on a wedding-dress diet, but I'm putting them away RIGHT NOW. Promise!

Recipe found here. Enjoy!

The Greatest Idea of All Time

OMG
(I don't think I've ever said that, but I feel it appropriate at this moment.)

Look. At. This. (found here)

Is this not the greatest baby shower favor you have ever seen in your entire life? How up my alley is this? Blog-readers (all 11 of you), next baby shower I throw, I'm using this idea. So please act surprised.

Should you decide to run with this idea too, here is my go-to/fail-proof/easy-peasy recipe (I omit the sugar).

*high kicks* ALL DAY for this idea. I love it!!

Giada is My New BFF

I received Giada's new cookbook as a shower gift, and I was instantly obsessed (Aunt Celeste, you know us too well).

The first thing I made was the Pasta Ponza, which was SO GOOD and so easy (or, as my dad would say, "really terriffic")! I recommend you make this for dinner tonight!

And I made these Pea Pesto Crostini for a mid-day snack. So fancy, right? Also, delicious & beautiful & easy.

...I might have just had one for breakfast...

Ginger Beer

My dad taught me how to make this fabulous new concoction: Ginger Beer! (<1% alcohol)


My sister is already going through a 10-step to break the habit.

I didn't actually make the batch in the photo, but I did make "Sara's Immunity Tonic" (I just named it) with carrot, apple, ginger, and lemon and lightly sweetened with agave. It's light and bubbly and kind of amazing.

My dad makes his with his ancient yeast, but I just used bread yeast to be sure I could duplicate it at home. Poor D, he's going to have to deal with a little brewery in the kitchen now... trust me, it will be worth it.

"Folksy Crack"

I've had a problem the last couple weeks... It looks a little something like this:


My friend called it "folksy crack," and that's exactly what it is. I made 3 batches last week, and probably ate 1.5 batches myself. The other 1.5, I had to give away, for the sake of my weight-loss efforts.

Got the recipe here, and so should you...if you can afford to have a vice.

Makin' Liquor

I have a little factory going right now. I was inspired by the abundance of lemons to make this limoncello recipe. In about 4 days, I'll let you know how it tastes.


I also made a 1/2 batch of this almond/orange liqueur (I only had 1 orange - it's the one on the left).

Oh, how I love jars and putting things in them. I will be complete when I have a pantry full of jars filled with whatnot.

Ohmygoodness, I just found this photo from this blog that I follow. Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!! Dreamy.

I Love It, I Love It, I Love It

This was probably the greatest gift of the season (and of all time). A big box of pomegranates, persimmons, and jars!!! Oh, and the best part was a written open invitation to pick fruits and vegetables from the Palmers' garden. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!

This one gets 10 high kicks. Thank you, Palmers!

photo credits: DMF, while I was shelling pomegranates and creatively directing from the kitchen.

Butternut Squash (Love) Soup

I've got a sick one here at home. I made this soup especially for him. It's the Butternut Squash Parmesan soup from one of my ultimate favorite cookbook, The Daily Soup Cookbook.

I've been on a bad cooking streak, so I think I redeemed myself a little with this soup. Plus, a cream heart on top is worth a couple points.

p.s. except for the cream heart, this soup is really low fat! If you're trying to stay slender through the holidays, this is a good soup to try. And you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.