What's for dinner?: Cornbread, Braised Leeks, Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash

Wow. So Eat for America was a smashing success. The four of us had some delicious meals and some great laughs together, bonding even closer over the savory and sweet mouthfuls that just didn't end for 4 days.

It was hard to go back to Philadelphia and eat like a normal person. Not that Philadelphia isn't an AMAZING food city, don't get me wrong, it is, but eating in three cities with no restraint for a long weekend is really hard to compare.

More about that later, but tonight, I bring you some healthful yet hearty cold weather cooking. Mmm. Well start with the corn bread. During Eat For America, we got to enjoy the corn bread at Volt restaurant in Frederick Maryland. While the entire meal was delicious - I have always had a thing for corn bread. It's. so. good.

Volt's cornbread is the most delicious cornbread I have ever had. If I could replicate one thing we ate that night, it would be the cornbread. Call me crazy, but this stuff is good. There were choices of bread of course, I think four in all, but if you get the opportunity to dine at Volt (which I hope you do) go for the cornbread. You will not be disappointed. In three rounds of bread, I had convinced my whole table to come to the cornbread side, and it ran out in our basket.

Since our trip, I've been craving cornbread. So tonight, I decided to make some with my dinner.

Pairing nicely with my corn bread, I power played some vegetables. A creamy butternut squash roasted with garlic cloves (mmm - you can throw the left over in the blender tomorrow for a delicious soup) and some olive oil braised leeks inspired by the olive oil braising feature in the most current issue of fine cooking.

No real recipes tonight - just ideas, sorry was busy cooking! But if you have questions, you always know where to find me :-) Now go make some cozy cold weather food, it's chilly out there!

Eat For America

I always like to eat well on vacation, and have dragged travel companions to restaurants and eateries when in the area of a place I'm dying to try, but never have I planned a get away SOLELY based on food.

Enter EATforamerica, which frankly, I didn't really plan at all. The most I've contributed is setting up a "pop-up" twitter account - which I'm still learning how to use - that currently only has it's future decided from now through the duration of the trip. After that, who knows. Follow us here: @eatforamerica

The trip is mostly the brainchild of Grace (former head of the Wu-teach clan, the pack of science teachers I spent two years with during my time in Teach for America.) and included suggestions from her brain trust, Jon, also a former TFA teacher, and Sophie who you know from Girls Night In, and of course, a former member of Wu-teach. While we have bonded over our classroom woes, we have forged a friendship that goes even deeper because of our love for Top Chef, food, brunch (which has turned into an annual Brunch for America), and most of all - eating.

We are traveling this weekend to Frederick, MD, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, and Atlanta, GA in order to do just that. Together, the four of us will EAT for America. More details to follow.. but for now:

Eat for America

The Players

Lauren (a.k.a. LBD, dark horse) - Yours truly, your blog host and honored participant in EATforamerica 2k12. Skilled in sugar work, according to some. Executive Chef of three annual Brunch for Americas. Idolizes Martha Stewart.

Height: 5'3"

Hometown: New York, NY

Current Residence: Philadelphia, PA

Current Occupation: Analyst

Prize possession: Pair of patent leather lace Valentino pumps.

Favorite Food: If carbs were a food.. no really, bread, chocolate and cheese.

Best thing you've ever cooked: Braised leeks and short ribs.

Most excited about on EFA: Potentially meeting some great chefs and of course trying their food!

Grace (Wu-Teach, mother) - Creator and lead executor of EATforamerica, Grace dreams of owning a food truck. Competed in TFA Philadelphia's "Chopped" competition with sous-chef Sophie. They finished in 2nd and were also tagged as the competition's underdog duo.

Height: 5'5"

Hometown: Carrollton, TX (if a car rolls over you, it weighs a ton) (seriously, that was her response)

Current Residence: Dallas, TX

Current Occupation: Math/Science Content Coordinator

Prize possession: Splat - my catters!

Favorite Food: Any pappardelle dish usually gets me.

Best thing you've ever cooked: An appetizer. It was a seared scallop over polenta with arugula salad

Most excited about on EFA: Table 21 reservations!

Sophie (Daughter) - Writer and photographer of acclaimed facebook album "A trip to tasty town," as well as the co-author of this post. DIY home cook. Loves pandas (so much that I can't look at one without thinking of her) and is part of the localvore food movement in Philadelphia. An advid potluck dinner party junkie, Sophie has attended all three Brunch for America's and has served as the sous chef for the past two.

Height: 5'4.5"

Hometown: Great Neck, NY

Current Residence: Philadelphia, PA

Current Occupation: Research Associate

Prize possession: Global chef and paring knife (named Ajito and Manzanita, respectively).

Favorite Food: Pork belly, duck bacon, fresh summer corn, poached egg and potato chips.

Best thing you've ever cooked: 2011 Thanksgiving spread for 17 (including three pregnant women) and one baby.

Most excited about on EFA: Hugging Kevin and seeing his pig tattoo en vivo!!

Jon (Mr. Wiiing!, M.D.) - Our senior advisor of EATforamerica has been instrumental in suggesting where to sleep and various dining options with his experience and inside hookups on our chosen path. Sharp palate, sharp comments, nothing gets by this witty foodie.

Height: 5'11"

Current Residence: Philadelphia, PA

Prize possession: a med school textbook

Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter and Jam Cups

Happy Valentine's Day! While there are mixed opinions on the day, for me it's always been the best excuse to just indulge in chocolate. Of course.

Today's treat is just that. A chocolate peanut butter cup with the addition of tangy sweet raspberry jam to amp up the love. I gave these out to co-workers and of course my Valentine this year, and they were a big hit all around. What's not to love?

I use small candy cups, not just mini muffin baking cups, but smaller than that. I get mine from Sur la table, but I'm sure they can be found in any general baking store or crafting shop, as well as online.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter and Jam Cups

Ingredients

4 Ounces of good quality dark chocolate

2 ounces crunchy peanut butter

2 ounces raspberry jam

makes about 16 - 20 mini cups

Melt the chocolate either using a double boiler or microwave method. Add a small spoonful to the bottom of a baking cup, just enough to cover the bottom. Add a tiny dollop of peanut butter and jam, and flatten with the back of your spoon. Pour a layer of chocolate over the jam and peanut butter, enough to cover and lay flat. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens and enjoy!

Kale Bacon and Tomato Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is not a health food.

It is time to accept the fact that you are eating a gooey concoction of cheese, pasta, milk and butter, no matter what you do. It pains me to see the plethora of "healthy" mac and cheese recipes that can be googled, with wheat pasta, or low fat cheese, but what those recipes are really doing is taking the deliciousness out of the dish. I've yet to find a "healthy" mac and cheese that is really both healthy and delicious. On the opposite end of the spectrum, with Valentine's around the corner, lobster mac and cheese renditions are just popping up everywhere. That's beyond accepting your fate. That's embracing it with open arms.

So I have come to accept the truth, that when I am going for mac and cheese, I'm going for a really unhealthy meal. It is what it is.

Nothing you can do about it.

What you CAN do is amp up the nutritional value by adding veggies into your typical mac and cheese, and cut back on fat sources that really don't add to the flavor, and mix in some cheese content that is a little easier on the system. Note: I am in no way, shape or form claiming that I have made mac and cheese healthy. I have simply added nutrition into the mix so that these calories aren't as extremely empty as they were before. This dish is still really bad for you. I would NOT recommend this as a diet. Got it?

Great. So what's different about this mac and cheese... well.. it is full of superfood kale, arugula and heirloom cherry tomatos. Instead of a sauce full of whole milk, I add a lesser amount of skim milk into my rue in order to keep it from getting too watery. Rather than use my usual sharp cheddar, I use a mix of grated gouda and creamy goat cheese. And while I'd love to pour in lots and lots of cheese, I use just what is needed.

All in all it is delicious. It is not healthy, but does provide some nutrients that aren't usually there and will be easier to get down if you're not in love with vegetables (which, if you haven't noticed, I'm not).

And without further ado...

Kale, Bacon and Tomato Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta (any shape, but I like shapes with grooves, they hold the cheese well)

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup skim milk

5 ounces grated gouda cheese

3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

1 ounce grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp olive oil

2 cups chopped and rinsed kale, ribs removed

1 cup arugula, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes (seeds removed)

1 slice of bacon cooked and chopped (it's mac and cheese afterall..)

Topping

1 cup breadcrumbs (fresh is best)

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 clove garlic finely minced

Bring a pot of water to a boil, enough to cook the pasta. While the water is heating up, saute the kale, arugula and tomatos in the olive oil. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, and stir in flour, whisking until frothy. Add the milk slowly, still whisking at medium heat until creamy, about 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep on the burner and add grated cheese, whisking until melted.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir vegetables into pasta and mix well. Add cheese sauce and stir well. Add to a baking dish (9x9 for thicker servings, 9x13 for thinner servings).

Stir together garlic, butter and breadcrumbs for the topping. Sprinkle mixture over the pasta mixture and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Cut and serve with a spatula. Enjoy!

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

I've never been a fan of frosting. Especially the overly sweet processed stuff that comes out of a can. I much prefer a cake that stands on it's own.

What I am a fan of is red wine and dark chocolate.

So when I realized I could combine red wine and chocolate and into a rich, moist cake that needs nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar for effect, I was so in. With ingredients like this, and a recipe this simple, what's not to love? And why don't I make this more often?

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter, sliced and room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup red wine

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour a 9 inch cake pan.

Cream the butter and sugars in an electric mixer, adding eggs one at a time. Add the wine and vanilla. In another bowl, mix your dry ingredients with a whisk and then add slowly to the wet mixture on low speed until just combined. Pour the batter into the pan. It will be a little dense, so spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the center is done. Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with strawberries and you've got yourself a Valentine's day dessert!

Quick Fix: Arugula Pesto with Goat Cheese

I'm really lazy. Especially when it's cold out. Sometimes I can't muster up the energy (yes, I can, I'm just being lazy), to go to they gym, to go to the grocery store (I can eat bread for dinner right?), to do my laundry, to update my blog...

It happens to the best of us. Sometimes the couch is calling and a marathon of your favorite show comes on, or maybe a marathon of your not so favorite show, but will be your favorite show if it means you don't have to get up right now..

Who hasn't been there? Just where will Adam Richman find his next food challenge.. what will Robert Irvine do to fix THAT restaurant.. which FBI agent will suffer an emotional meltdown while tracking down THIS serial killer.. how DOES he meet their mother.. why can't these housewives just get along with each other?

As you can probably tell, I have a lot of lazy experiences..... and when C.S.I. calls, and I'm missing an ingredient, I can't just stop and get to the grocery store. So I get creative in the kitchen. This is a quick recipe I thought up when I discovered that I didn't have a sauce on hand for the pasta I was boiling during a recent marathon.

What I did have, was arugula. Peppery, tangy, fresh arugula. And that's when it hit me, PESTO!

I was so excited (distracted) by the idea (by what was on TV) that I forgot to put the nuts in, and it still was absolutely delicious. Which means that if you or a loved one have nut allergies, no worries! It's all good, just omit the nuts! So fresh tasting and acidic, serve over pasta and top with a bit of crumbly creamy goat cheese to contrast. Mmmm, now get back to the couch...

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups Arugula

1/4-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I like more cheese, so 1/2)

2 garlic cloves smashed and chopped finely

1/2 cup Olive Oil

A squeeze of lemon juice

A handful of almonds (optional)

Goat cheese (for serving)

Add arugula, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and almonds into a food processor with about 1/4 cup of the oil. Begin processing and add remaining oil in a small stream. Keep adding the oil until the mixture becomes a thin paste (the consistency of pesto). Enjoy!

Les Macarons

Fears. We all have them. Many are exaggerated or irrational.. such as globophobia (the fear of balloons) or katsaridaphobia (fear of - ew - look it up if you have to, I can't even say what it is).

But none of my fears have been more irrational, more ridiculous and more worthy of conquering than my fear of making macarons.

I know. It's terrifying - the thought of making those perfect little pastries. What if they don't rise, what if they aren't light and airy, what if the ends don't crust up and give the wafers their distinct character?! There is so much room for failure.

But today, I tell you, there isn't! It's so much easier than it seems, and you TOO can conquer your fear of making macarons (as far as google tells me, there isn't a word for this condition yet, but do not worry, you are not alone)!

That's right my friends. Today, I liberate you from the emptiness you feel when you think of Paris, the envy you feel when you pass by your local patisserie (or four.. macarons are so trendy right now!) and look inside to see the delightful pastry perfectly executed inside.

Okay, so maybe your suffering doesn't exactly mirror mine..... but who cares! It's time to talk about cookies!

photo credit: urbanspoon.com

I first encountered the macaron in Paris. In a shop window, I distinctly remember walking by with my group of girls, and longingly gazing back at the filled wafer cookie. What was it? Why were there so many colors? How did they all look SO perfect? I will one day return to Paris and reunite with the birthplace of the cookie I have since learned so much about.

I often wondered about the macaron, as I later found out was the name for the elegant wafer filled with ganache, jam or curd. I needed to know more. Why didn't I just go inside?! Only a couple of years later, I began to notice macarons everywhere I went. Small gourmet food shops, pastry shops, literally everywhere. Well not, everywhere. Not to be confused with the American coconut macaroon, these are reserved for high end bakeries - for now. There is something special about the macaron, and an unlimited number of flavors and fillings to experiment with as I've learned.

Over Thanksgiving, I got to talking to Chris' mother, and she mentioned that she was going to make some for the very first time. I shuddered.

MAKE THEM?! FIRST TIME!? BUT........

This was it. No more buts.

"I'll make them with you!" I exclaimed. "I'm just..... intimidated.." I explained sheepishly.

She nodded, and together we cried and hugged. She understood! Okay, that last part didn't happen, but she did understand. And we agreed to make them.

We settled on a classic almond cookie filled with dark chocolate ganache. The flavor was fantastic! While they did not come out as "perfect" as I had seen in stores, they were delicious, and the experience was a breakthrough! We had a starting point, and we discussed our mistakes, learning where we had room to grow. I've since made macarons three times, even as gifts for coworkers (mini almond macarons with strawberry ganache filling). I have even taught another friend how to make them for the first time (vanilla buttercream). Things have really turned around.

Check that out! Happy Holiday's at the office!

For Christmas, I gave Chris' mother a backordered magazine with a spread about macarons. I book marked the page and thanked her for the experience, promising to master the art with her. Sweet, I know. However, I don't think I could have better expressed my gratitude to her for pushing me to conquer this baking hang up.

I'm not printing the recipe we used yet because I'm continuing to master and tweak the art, but my own recipes will follow. Until then, feast your eyes, and go try to make macarons! Lay that deliciously light and crisp foundation, and together we will fill it with ganache! With that, I leave you with today's lesson - in the wise words of former Nike marketing executives: Just do it.

'Tis Better to Give...

You've probably heard that one before, but it's something that's been instilled in me over the years. As much as I love receiving presents (really I do), I love the art of gift giving.

I love wrapping, thinking of new ways to wrap, and of course, handing over the carefully wrapped present. There's a selfish part in all of it, the ultimate wow factor the package brings, but I just love giving gifts. I'm a retail dream. What are you getting your parents, your siblings, your favorite maitre d? (Yup, that last one was feature in a Saks gift giving guide catalogue. You betcha.)

But there is something extra magical about food gifts. Taking the time to make something delicious catered to the person it is for. One year, I made my father miniature black and white cookies, since he's moved out of New York City and misses his favorite Italian Bakery treat. My former roommates and I seem to have begun a tradition of making large batches of jam in different flavors, canning it, and giving it to everyone we know.

Having just moved into a new apartment, I was faced with my first year with not only a concierge desk, but an entire building management team. What to do.... but bake! This tray is composed of home made biscotti, mexican wedding cookies, a tower of star shaped sugar cookies of different sizes, stacked to resemble a christmas tree, nutty maple sour cream bread, and of course home made jam for spreading.

What are you giving this year?

An Ode to the Dutch Apple Dumpling

One of my favorite parts about fall is the apple the creeps up in desserts. Unlike pumpkin, apple desserts don't smack you in the face like the pumpkin flavored everything that literally attacks over night somewhere in September. Apple is classy like that.

I distinctly remember the first time I tried apple butter at an apple orchard. It was a "how have I never discovered this!?" moment. I believe I was around 6 - high expectations from food. I grew up loving apple pie, candy apples, apple strudel, apple muffins, apple donuts, the apple crisp at Applebee's (don't judge, I went to high school in East Brunswick, NJ. Applebee's and the tiny mall are pretty much what there is to do), and one of my all time favorites: apple dumplings.

The traditional dutch apple dumpling is constructed with a simple dough wrapped around a cinnamon and brown sugar buttered apple. What's not to love?

The chain restaurant Cheesecake Factory, (which I find consistently good and if I am going to a chain restaurant, that's the one I want to go to.. I will defend Cheesecake Factory against chain restaurant critics any day!) used to have an apple purse on their menu and it was a must every time I went there (we had a Cheesecake Factory in a surrounding town's mall - NJ loves their malls - that I worked in for a summer. After work, CF apple dumplings became routine). The dough was slightly more puff pastry (but not quite) than the traditional apple dumpling, but it was - as most of their desserts are - awesome sauce. I was heart broken to find in college that the item was taken off their menu.

But as my passion for baking and cooking only grew in college, I was delighted to find how easy it is to make them yourself! There are tons of recipes out there for apple dumplings, so try several and find one that works for you. Mine is an adaptation of different ones I've tried over the years, a mix between super thin dough and a flakier crust, a seasoned buttery apple with an addition of nutmeg to the traditional cinnamon and brown sugar and some pecans for added nuttiness and crunch.

While I've seen them served with caramel sauce, whipped cream, ice cream, etc., I prefer mine stand alone with a glass of ice cold milk. Yes, I put ice in milk.

It's easy to forget, but my home of Philadelphia is fairly close to Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The simplicity of this dessert mirrors the life style of it's origins. There is no pretense, no fuss about fluting your pie crust, no pressure to be anything but delicious. In fact, the non-uniform overlay of the dough creates a beauty in itself, that is easy to dress up with decorative leaf cut outs of dough, sanding sugar, or nothing at all. Let the dessert do all the work for you.

Dutch Apple Dumplings

For the Dough

5 cups flour

2 tsp sea salt

3 sticks butter, cubed and chilled

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 - 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg, beaten lightly

For the Apples

4 apples, peeled, cored, halved

4 Tbsp butter, cubed

1 cup brown sugar

3 tsp cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for spinkling

1/2 cup pecans (halves) or almonds (slivers) - optional

Preheat Oven to 350° F

Blend the butter reserved for dough, salt, salt and baking powder until crumbs form - this can be done in a food processor, or with some motivation and a pastry blender. Use two forks if you don't have one handy. Blend in just enough water to create a soft dough (you may not need to use it all, so sprinkle in a little at a time).

Divide the dough into four pieces and flatten into disks. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, but you can do so overnight.

When firm, unwrap one disk at a time and roll out onto a floured surface to about 8 inches.

In a clean bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll apples in the mixture to coat. Add butter and nuts to remaining sugar mixture and blend roughly.

Set one apple half on each dough round, cut side up. Layer the sugar/butter mixture on top of the cut side (try to divide evenly among 4 apples), and lay the other half of the apple, cut side down, on top. Wrap dough around filled apple by pulling the ends up and pinching together, or wrapping with kitchen twine. Repeat for each apple, you should have four dumplings. Brush each with egg, and sprinkle with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.

Place on a baking sheet or pie plate lined with parchment paper, and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and apples are tender.

It seems that fall is fully here, and that means no more out door markets in Rittenhouse square for awhile (noooooo).

I perused through my last market of the season a couple of weeks ago and made sure to pick up another box of John & Kira's Chocolates. You may remember I first discovered John and Kira's at the Rittenhouse farmers market earlier this year when I tried their tiny chocolate bumble bees! Their hand crafted chocolates are so delicious and unique, it was hard not to fall in love.

This time I went for a 15 piece assortment of 10 different flavors, and every single one blew me away. I could hardly wait to try what was next, only to find that each one was just as amazing and different as the last. These aren't your average peanut butter filled or odd sugary nougat filled chocolates. The fair trade hand crafted chocolates are each filled with ganaches infused with flavors like Lavender Honey, Bergamot Tea, Coffee Whiskey, and Lemongrass. I know, right.

If I didn't like making food gifts for others around the holidays so much, I'd totally share these with everyone I love. But instead, I'll probably just buy another box for myself!

Check out all the fun for yourself on their website, your mouth will water just reading about the concoctions they've dreamed up even if you don't get anything!

Halloween Bleeding Cupcakes

Happy Halloween!!

These gory cupcakes caught my attention in October's Martha Stewart Living, and I just had to make them myself! So I cued up the Top Chef Just Desserts finale and got baking to work.

Sugar work is always impressive to me, but in this recipe the sugar work is so easy and creates a creepy illusion that definitely gets some oooohs and aaaahhhs.

They appear to be bleeding from "glass" shards sticking out of the top, it doesn't get much more chilling than that. I made some for the management group in my apartment building and they were a hit, obviously.

I've been absolutely petrified of bugs as long as I can remember, so creepy crawly cakes and cookies really don't jive well with me. Blood, however, not so much a problem, and these cupcakes drove home the chill factor without making me lose my appetite.

You can use any cupcake recipe, and top them with a cream cheese or butter cream frosting. Martha recommends using strained cherry preserves for the "blood," but I didn't have any and red food coloring (just a couple drops) did the trick just fine. Get it. Trick.

The glass is just caramelized sugar that hasn't been allowed to achieve it's golden caramel color. Poured into a thin sheet, it looks like glass shards when shattered. Too... cute?

Has anyone else created some creepy Halloween desserts, tricks, or treats? Stay safe, and remember kids, don't use real glass! Muahahahaha!

Pizza Obsession and Night Market

In college, my boyfriend, Chris and I were both RAs. Yeah. I know. Fun police. Losers. Whatever, laugh it up. You really can't knock free rent for two years though. You just can't. Or the unofficial license to buy your friends... errrr.. "residents" pizza, ice cream, and snacks in unreasonable quantities.

Right? Now remember how poor you were in college..... and how awesome that sounds now. Or maybe you weren't a poor starving college student, in which case, you should probably stop reading this. Unless you really like pizza. Otherwise you're going to get hung up on the RA thing and the rest of this will go over your head.

So anyways, yeah, free pizza budget. Which brings me back to my story. At a hall program (stop snickering) that Chris was running, he ordered a large quantity of pizzas, as per usual. The security desk attendant (stop snickering...) in the building exclaimed that she was in fact a "PIZZA FREAK" when the delivery came and Chris offered her a slice. Seriously, that's what she said. I can't make this stuff up.

Now, I also really happen to like pizza, perhaps even to a level that rivals even that of the "pizza freak" desk attendant. Sometimes, I get really excited describing my love for pizza. This has of course prompted Chris to start calling me a "pizza freak" sometimes in public places. It's kind of embarrassing, but pizza is SO GOOD. So good. So fine, make fun, but I am a self proclaimed PIZZA FREAK!

Last Thursday, I met some friends at the Chinatown Night Market in Philadelphia to check it out. What a scene. There were people EVERYWHERE. I arrived around 7pm as the market was just getting started, and wandered around before my friends got there, scoping out the scene. Then around 7:20 hoards of people started showing up. Literally, half the population of Philadelphia and all of Chinatown's residents crammed into a 4 block radius to enjoy delicious gourmet food fare. Jose Garce's taco truck, soul food trucks, hot dog trucks, cupcake trucks, and even mobile wood oven pizza trucks lined up and served lines of hundreds of people. When we finally decided to commit to a line, we ended up in Pitruco's line for what had to be 35 minutes, but it was WORTH it.

Check out their facebook page here. I seriously recommend stalking out their location now and proceeding to said location. It was delicious. And I don't think that it was just because I had been standing in line for 35 minutes. That pizza was delicious, and I was totally impressed that it was made in a truck. Pizza freak was pleased.

In Pitruco's honor, I leave you with two pizzas I've made recently that were just delicious combinations of late summer and fall ingredients. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Prosciutto and Mozzarella Pizza

Crust: Whole wheat

Toppings: Fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, micro greens (after baking)

Portobella Mushroom and Kale Pizza

Crust: Whole wheat

Toppings: Fresh mozzarella, kale greens, sauteed or roasted garlic cloves, portobella mushrooms chopped and lightly tossed in olive oil, caramelized onions, and sauteed or grilled chicken

Both are delicious. I'm not usually for wheat crust, but Trader Joe's makes a really good one! Either of these would be delicious with regular or pesto crust as well! I've not made my own pizza dough, it looks hard. Anyone have any good recipes for that? I've always felt like pizza dough is totally something worth cheating with, and I'm someone who makes my own puff pastry, so what do I know? Thoughts?

Happy eating!

Girls Night In, Game plan: Game Hens

I love to cook with friends. I'm not very good with visual art, and I have a lot of creative type friends. Really, I can't draw, can't paint, and really don't have the patience for learning how to sketch. I love fashion, home decor, and obviously cooking, and this is where my creativeoutlets shine. I can so play those games.

So I love love love cooking with friends. It's awesome to feel that ownership over creation, and the best part is, then you get to eat when you're done. One of my favorite people to cook with, is a friend of mine going on 4 years, Sophie. To date, we have made all kinds of fun things, eaten delicious meals out, and I even took my first and only cooking class with her (knife skills, check it). I can't express how much I love our cooking nights. They always involve a bottle of wine (or two...), experimentation with new flavors, and lots of laughs. It's the best way to eat.


Most recently we started our cooking night at our local Whole Foods, loaded up on cornish game hens, which neither of us had ever cooked before, delicious herbs, citrus, and fennel. Some awesome choices if I do say so myself.

Sophie hates HATES touching raw meat, but is quite the serious foodie. I'm determined to break her of this fear. She's doing pretty well! Look at her go! Finally trusting in the modern technology of antibacterial soap.



And it's great, because all that hard work paid off. Our roasted hens, with fennel, rosemary, thyme, lemon, orange, olive oil and wine were succulent and delicious, coated with a crisp, golden skin. We stuffed the citrus under the skin, a technique I love. It seals the citrus flavor into the chicken, and makes a really pretty impression on the skin as it takes on a golden brown finish and tightens up around the fruit. Impressive for large birds around the holidays!

And of course there was the wine. We're partial to Laurenz and Sophia when we see it... because... well.... get it? Lauren.... Sophie... Laurenz... Sophia.... ahhhh! Yup, we're that cool.

But really, it is a tasty wine. Check it out.

We topped the night off with sweet. A shortcake topped with honey and balsamic poached strawberries and a homemade lavender honey ice cream. Delicious. And of course some moscato for good measure. What are your thoughts on dessert wine? I love it after dinner. It's a great compliment to most desserts, and I've heard that it's supposed to help settle your stomach. Not sure if that's true, but it sounds good to me!

All in all it was another successful night, and I'm looking forward to our next food adventure!

Summer Fades, Squash's Blossom

Whoah time flies. I've been away for over two months while I was moving, starting a new career, and working an intense summer job. I've cooked and eaten plenty of exciting things, but simply haven't had a chance to write about any of it! So many changes have happened, but I'm excited to get back in the kitchen and start experimenting with new delicious late summer flavors - and sharing it all here!

And now is a great time - the late summer months produce a plethora of interesting flavor profiles that are exclusive to the season. One of my favorite late summer blooms that I can't resist - the squash blossom. You can imagine my delight when I noticed the buttery, bright bloom growing around the corner from my new apartment in an abundant basil garden. Even more so when I spotted a small sign that prompted passer buys to help themselves! How nice! I love my new neighbor, whoever they may be. If I find them, I'll certainly make them some cookies. Or a pie. Or maybe even a big hug. This kind of fresh produce is hard to come by in city life - you usually have to wait for a farmers market! Fresh basil and fresh squash blossoms on my stroll home from work. Too wonderful.

I scooped up just a couple and brought them home with me. Carefully, I split them, and removed the stamen (the pollen covered center of the flower - not so great for eating) and plunged the blossoms into some cold water to keep them fresh and clean them off. I wrapped my delicacies in a damp paper towel and rushed to the fridge to decide what I should do with my fresh foraged delicacies before they shriveled up and left me hungry (squash blossoms don't live for long once you pluck them. In the most ideal care conditions, you're looking for maybe 24-48 hours - best case scenario, but more than likely you're going to want to use them in a few hours after picking them up from the market or picking them yourselves).

After gathering some goat cheese, flour, onions, garlic, wine, herbs de provence, I was ready to go. I stuffed the blossoms with just enough goat cheese to fill them, and twisted up the tops to seal them. Then I added just enough wine to my flour and herb mixture to make a thick batter (a little lighter than pancake batter consistency). Heating the chopped onion and garlic in some white truffle oil (olive oil would be fine, I literally just didn't have any on hand! grr!), I dipped the blossoms lightly in the batter and allowed them to saute in the pan until the coating became golden brown.

The result? A perfect after work snack. The nutty squash blossom crisped up, encasing the warm mild soft cheese inside. Mmmmm, I could have eaten a full plate of them for dinner!

Look how enticing that golden brown crust is! And the cheese just stuffed to perfection! Herbs provide just the right amount of earthy flavor!

Of course, I couldn't stop there! I came across an article on squash blossoms in MSL, and I realized that I needed more squash blossoms! Just like that. So this morning as I strolled home - I gathered a few more, and with Martha's inspiration concocted a squash blossom frittata. Mmmmm. Chopped up a few blossoms, onion, garlic, fresh basil, and fresh corn off the cob - put them in the pan to saute, and then added about 8 eggs. Transfer the pan into the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place slices of fresh mozzarella to the top of the frittata, and arrange a couple of sliced blossoms on top. Put back in the oven until the cheese is melted and enjoy! Mmmm summer!

Chocolate Ganache Red Velvet Cake

I am always honored when someone asks me to make food for an event. Food, baked goods, whatever. I think it's so important that others can trust you with creating a food memory for a special occasion.

At work, I have a reputation for making treats. I've brought in cookies, candies, homemade jam gifts for the holidays, breads, cupcakes for my student's service learning bake sale (chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes), and really all sorts of baked goods. I love to bring a little joy to my staff members', and I find the easiest way to do that is almost always with food!

Given my reputation, I was recently asked to throw together a cake for a surprise retirement party we are throwing for a colleague. Pretty exciting. While I only had a couple of hours, so I couldn't get too elaborate, I'm proud to say the cake turned out delicious! We haven't eaten it yet, but I always make a couple of cupcake sized cakes from each batter I make, in order to make sure the flavor and texture are right before serving. This red velvet recipe hits the mark. I tend to use Martha Stewart's basic recipe, but add extra cocoa, as I like my red velvet nice and chocolatey (of course!). The cocoa really doesn't seem to dry out the cake, even though I add double (1/2 cup instead of 1/4 cup), and don't really compensate elsewhere.

You can find Martha's recipe here, but I really do recommend my slight alteration. It really deepens the chocolate flavor. :-) Mmmmmm Chocolate. On top, I used a simple ganache (about 1 cup of near boiling cream pour over 8 oz chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes and mix carefully until smooth and shiny)

Cake decorating is hard. Well, in a time crunch it is. With only a couple of hours, and needing to transport this baby to school with all my other work nonsense, I didn't have much in the way of elaboration here.. so I did some basic white chocolate and dark chocolate piping, accented with some edible sugar pearls. Nothing crazy, but still elegant and appropriate for the staff gathering.

Black and white is an elegant combination in desserts. In the pictures, the pearls around the filled in white chocolate heart really don't jump out, but in person they just exude elegance (make sure you affix these while the chocolate is still melted so they stick). I would say my white balance is a bit off (too heavy on the right hand side), but the asymmetry gives this cake a modern look. I piped the hearts and white chocolate rose bud onto wax paper, and had some difficulty (white chocolate isn't as runny when melted as cocoa chocolate, in my experience). But once a base was established, I melted some dark chocolate for more texture and pipped a whole rose, and some swirl patterns. Once these cooled on the wax paper in the refrigerator, (about 15-20 minutes to be safe) I caaaaaarefully peeled the shapes off the paper and affixed them on the frosted cake. Tadah! Abstract rando cake design!

During the party, I'll try to take some pictures of the cake's inside! Red velvet is always so pretty, I think that's why people love it! It's really not much different from chocolate cake... just.... a beautiful deep red that is elegant and unexpected.

Italian Flag Cookies

Growing up for some time in Staten Island, I grew up surrounded by some really good Italian treats. I mean really good. New York pizza snobs are well know far and wide, but there is no pizza snob like a Staten Island pizza snob. Every where I go, almost no pizza is ever good enough.

Philadelphia is an especially painful pizza city (see below for my plea to Philly pizza makers..) so I'm always looking for something better (suggestions wanted - I've already been disappointed by Lorenzo's).

I just love Pizza. I was in NY recently and of course ran to the first pizza shop I could find, which happened to be Luigi's located in the Upper East Side (1701 1st Ave.) around the corner from my friend's place. Okay, well I didn't actually run, although that probably would have helped with the caloric coma that ensued after. Sooooo good. Here is my advice to the pizza places that continually let me down in my current home city. It may be the city of brotherly love, but I have NO love for the pizza. Please help.

Pizza crust - The crust is usually what makes me the saddest. Crust needs to have a crisp outside that is still soft, warm, and almost chewy to the bite. This greasy "bread" substance you try to pass off as crust makes me want to pop a frozen pizza into the microwave. It'd be way better. And that's a huge insult. Look at this beautiful crust example from Luigi's - there is no oil outside, no greasy residue. Just a deliciously thin crunch surrounding a warm doughy bread.

Cheese - SHOULD NOT TASTE LIKE POWDER! What IS that!? This really isn't hard to get right. It should be stringy, melty, gooey, and delicious! What are you doing wrong? It's not that hard! Mmmmmmmm cheese!

Carefully crafted and selected toppings - If I am offered one more slice of buffalo chicken pizza.... Seriously, is that all you do around here? I was in heaven with this succulent roasted eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella slice. And sauce - tomato sauce shouldn't taste like red sugar. It should taste like tomato.

Yes, I am aware that I am picky. Yes, I am aware that this is AMERICAN pizza, and Italian pizza is a whole different ball game. But I love my pizza, and that is that.

Cookies, pizza, and many other American - Italian goods are often part of my comfort food regime. Surprisingly; however, I never really tried the Italian Flag cookie (also called the Italian Rainbow cookie) until a few years ago at a Thanksgiving dinner with my boyfriend's family and family friends. He raved about them, and told me he looked forward to them year after year, so I tried my first Italian Rainbow cookie, and now I'm not sure how I ever did without. Over the last couple of years I've learned how to make them myself and have (according to Chris) really started to master the craft of the rainbow cookie. They are pretty labor intensive, but so worth it. Not only do they totally look impressive to bring to gatherings or just share with friends, loved ones, and maybe even strangers if you feel generous, but they are absolutely delicious. Also, a whole sheet cuts to serve a ton of cookies, so this is ideal for groups. However, if you're anything like me, you might just keep them for yourself :-)

Italian Rainbow Cookies

You will need some "special" equipment, but it's not that special.

3 - 9x13 cake pans, all the same size preferably (or one that you will reuse)

A power mixer (hand or standing)

Ingredients

8oz tube or can of almond paste

1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

4 eggs, separated

6-10 drops each food coloring (red and green)

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1/2 cup apricot preserves

8 oz dark chocolate chips

First, cream the almond paste, butter, and sugar with an electric hand or standing mixer. Set aside. Whisk baking soda into flour, and then stir mixture about a half a cup at a time to the almond paste mixture.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form and whites nearly triple in size. Fold egg whites in to batter carefully.

Separate the batter into three bowls, dividing evenly, and add red food coloring to one bowl mixing well, green to another, mixing well, and leave the third alone.

Grease your 9x13 pan (or pans) generously and spread the batter inside. It will seem really thin, and it is ok, just make sure you spread as evenly as possible.

When done, cool each cake on a cooling rack, carefully popping it out of your pan. Spread apricot preserves on your red cake and place the yellow cake on top (carefully!). Repeat the step with raspberry jam on the yellow cake, placing your green cake on top. Let compress with a pan on top of the cakes for a few hours (preferably overnight) in the refrigerator. (Sometimes I skip this step, and it's a little sloppier, but if in a rush you can still turn out a nice product).

Finally, melt your chocolate chips (either by double boiling or carefully in the microwave in short intervals, stirring every 15-30 seconds). Spread chocolate on top of your green layer and let harden. Slice the cake into 1 inch x 2 inch pieces, and you're ready to go. Store in an airtight container. I like them cold and refrigerated, but they've kept in a room temperature container for a few days for me as well. SO GOOD!