#more like a food processor the way she crumbled

[seabunnbunn]

Lil Euanthe blender moment. None of this is canon, I just thought the symbolism would be fun to play with.

After the final horns ceased their call and the din of battle calmed, Artemis looked across the bloodied field before her. Searching. The huntresses that remained were calling their hounds and collecting themselves before starting the endless job of counting. The battle had not been fair, they were overwhelmed and they had known it, but they had pulled through. Thanks to a certain terracotta soldier, Athena had been found, caught up, and brought to the battle just in time to turn the tides. It was this terracotta soldier Artemis was searching for. Her finest creation, her most trusted huntress, and second only to her brother, her closest and oldest friend. She and Euanthe had been separated when Atlas threw down his pillar and split the valley in two. The battle had been hard for Artemis, it had been hard for Apollo, hells it had been hard for Athena. So few of her huntresses remained that she feared the worst.

In the distance, she saw Apollo in his chariot surveying from above. He made hasty circles in the sky, yelling down to huntresses, issuing search orders for people who would never be found. He started another loop around the field, but something must have caught his attention. He yanked hard on the reins and his carriage jolted to a stop as he stared at the ground below him in what she could only assume to be shock, although she was a bit too far to tell. She could tell, however, when his attention snapped to her and he came soaring towards her, cutting the sky in two with an arcing ray of sunlight.

“Aphrodite, Dionysus, and Hades have their champions accounted for, do you have eyes on Euanthe, cousin?” Hermes appeared beside Artemis, holding a scroll with hundreds, thousands of names, mostly crossed off. Her eyes were glued to her brother’s chariot as it drew closer, trying in vain to discern his expression, trying to figure out what had shaken him so thoroughly.

“Have you seen her?” she asked.

“Well, no, that’s why I’m asking you-”

The chariot landed not so gracefully maybe 20 meters in front of where Artemis stood, she had already started to close the distance before her cousin had the chance to finish his sentence. Apollo lept off and met her halfway.

“Artemis, come quick. I lost sight of her when Atlas- I couldn’t- I didn’t know what had happened I-” He was out of breath and panicking. She seldom ever saw him like this.

In the distance, she heard one of her huntresses scream. She turned to Apollo and ran for the chariot, Hermes had already lept aboard and the second Apollo got his hands on the reins, they were in the sky. She had to hold on to keep herself from shooting off the back and plumetting to the battle-torn land below. She searched for the source of the cry and saw a group of five or six huddled in a small circle. The chariot crashed to the ground not far from where the group of huntresses had gathered. Artemis lept off the side and ran. The small crowd parted as she rushed in, revealing a woman, shattering a crumbling, as she struggled to raise herself from the ground. The huntress by her side tried to help her stay still, but stood and backed away when she noticed Artemis standing before her.

The scene stopped Artemis in her tracks as Euanthe raised her terracotta head to meet her gaze.

“I think we were a- we were a tad in over our heads in that one, my lady.” Euanthe said with a grimace as she tried to sit up. Artemis dropped her bow and went to her, propping her on her lap, careful not to crack her anymore than she already was. She had seen Euanthe after particularly bad battles before. Sometimes losing a finger, sometimes so much as an arm or leg. It would take her several days to make a new one to the right size and to repaint her tattoos, but she had always recovered, it had never been this bad. Holding her here, she could see now that her legs were completely shattered, they just barely clung to their shape, but each time either of them moved, or a gust of wind blew past, more of her crumbled away. An overturned boulder lay beside them, skid marks marred the ground leading up to where she had found Euanthe, the spot of impact not far from where they sat.

“You know, I didn’t even see it coming. I was distracted by big guy over there, but don’t worry he didn- he didn’t stand a chance.” She said, jutting her chin at a mass of a soldier hulked over on his side, Euanthe’s spear jutted out of his core. Artemis held her as bits of clay from her arm crumbled into her hands, she looked to her brother.

“Do something.” She said, barely above a whisper, but he was standing there, mouth slightly agape, arms to his side, looking at the boulder. He gave her a slight shake of the head and looked back at Euanthe. Beside him, Hermes was on his knees, muttering something under his breath. Artemis looked back to Euanthe.

“Well aren’t we glad that you were here, who knows what he could have done. He could have easily taken out a hundred of our own but you stopped-”

“I wasn’t supposed to last this long, was I? I fear I’ve outrun my course.” Euanthe breathed as a bit of her ear crumbled to the ground below, reunited with the orange cracked earth beneath her. “Artemis, would that you answer a question of mine. It has been burning me as of late.” Artemis nodded, holding back the moonlit tears that threatened to pool in her eyes. “You must answer honestly, you owe it to me. When you made me, how long was I supposed to last?”

She couldn’t help it as a silver tear landed on Euanthe’s forehead, darkening the small splotch of clay. In her periphery, she saw her brother turn away as he wiped similar tears from his face. Artemis searched her face for any hint as to what she should say next. Finding nothing but the slightest his of desperation and curiosity, she decided on the truth.

“We didn’t know.”

“How long?” She pushed, her expression betraying nothing but earnesty.

“In our wildest dreams, not three days.” At this Euanthe let out a short laugh. There was a slight *crack* and one of her legs settled at an awkward angle next to her, rolling over slightly.

“And how many came before me?” She asked.

“Hundreds.” This time, she did not even try to stop the tears now falling from her eyes. She had tried her best to keep her voice level, however. It was true, they had tried hundreds of times before Euanthe to craft something like her, but the others lacked something that the twins had never been able to put their finger on.

“Hundreds…” Euanthe breathed. “And- how many shall come after.” What was once earnesty had defected to sadness.

The tears stopped, Artemis went rigid as the weight of this question struck her.

“None.” She said. And she meant it, there would never again be anything like Euanthe. It would have been impossible for them to make another with as much love and compassion as she had, even if they wanted to. But they had been with eachother for the last several hundred if not thousand years, there would be no reforging of a bond like that.

She let out a small huff and looked away for a moment. “How dare you”

“I-”

“How dare you torment me so.” she returned her gaze to Artemis, “Like the moon to the waves you push me out to sea, except I am the one to come clawing back to shore. There is your push, and my pull, and I am growing weak. I don’t know how much longer I will last, but I know when the end comes, I will greet it with open arms, for it will deliver me from this pain of pains.” She too now had silver tears streaking down her cheeks. With each word she spoke, a piece of her was lost to the ground beneath her. “I have long wondered what sits beneath my flesh, but I know surely now there must be something akin to a heart, for I feel it. I feel it cracking in ways my limbs will never know. There is not enough gold in the world to bridge the gap you’ve carved. You are the one who will have to live with that, not I. So make your peace, but do not aim it at me. One more strike and I will surely shatter completely.”

“I love you.”

“You don’t.”

“I do.”

The valley was silent. Where there weren’t bodies or weapons, where shields and chariots did not suffocate the earth, there was tall, green grass. Thyme and sage bushes sprouted out of the ground. They were in full bloom, a storm had passed not three days ago, the world drank it in. It was a lovely spring day.

“No, my lady, you do not. You are just a god. Cursed to love your creations, only to realize they love you back. Only to realize that you have passed on a little bit of that love, and that that is too much. It’s too much to lose, and you will lose it.”

What was left of the terracotta soldier was a gruesome sight indeed. As she lay there, her head cradled by the goddess, she dreamt. She dreamt of fairer days. She dreamt of a boatride down a starry river, of greener pastures, and of the moon.

“I love you all the same.” said the moon.

[alchemeiters-records]

Welcome to the Alchemeister’s Records

This time, I'll be crafting a dessert loved by all the fairies and their queen: Titania's Spring Circlet Tart.

The White Gold and Amethyst Circlet

Deep within Oberon and Titania's realm, where the fae gather under the moonlight to dance and play, and where no man may enter and return to the mortal world, legends and odes describe a pure white circlet made of gold adorned with deep purple amethysts.

The fairy queen wears it once spring has come; her astonishing beauty and elegance can be compared to no other.

She gathers the admiration of the trees and bushes, prompting them to adorn their branches with white flowers and purple fruit.

This makes them slightly resemble the queen of the forests, letting every inhabitant of her land know that it is yet again the season of beauty, rebirth, and bountifulness.

May all her vassals rejoice in the blessings of her majesty!

First, we will form the crust for our tart. The formula for creating the perfect tart shell, comparable to an earth golem in resistance and appearance, is as follows:

- 20g ground almonds

- 125g cake flour

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 63g cold butter

- 1 tbsp water

Begin by combining the ground almonds, flour, and sugar in a food processor. Run it for a few seconds to combine all the dry ingredients.

Next, add the cold butter and run the processor for a few more seconds until the mixture takes on a yellowish color and forms small chunks resembling the sands of time.

Open the processor, scrape down all the walls and bottom, and run it for another few seconds to ensure all the ingredients are uniformly combined.

Finally, add undine’s pure water and run the processor for 1-2 minutes.

At this stage, if there are abundant undines nearby, the humidity in the environment would cause a clay-like paste to form, making the paste stick together and revolve inside. However, if it does not combine this way, individual clusters of pastry are fine too.

The next step is rolling out the pastry, otherwise known as golem’s clay, to the size of our tart tin. A baking mat with tart-size circles is a perfect tool, though not indispensable.

On a clean working surface, lay down a layer of cling film. Spread a small amount of flour on it, then place the pastry in the center.

In the case we are working with the crumbly variation, take the dough and press it together to form a disk.

With a floured rolling pin, start rolling it out from the center outwards, changing directions periodically. Once it is roughly the desired size, use your hands to push the uneven borders into a circular form as if molding your own destiny.

Then, use the rolling pin to flatten the uneven borders to the necessary size and thickness; 1.5 - 2 mm is optimal.

Once the crust is ready to fit into the tin, flour your rolling pin again to avoid the crust sticking to it while lifting it.

Lift one side of the film, place the rolling pin above the crust, and fold the film as you tuck in the pin with the crust. Slowly peel off the film from the crust and roll away the pin to the middle so it hangs free. Then, peel off the rest of the film.

If the crust breaks while trying to peel it, press it together, roll it out, and try again.

To make the golem’s clay sturdier and break-resistant, you can chill it for a few minutes using Fenrir’s icy breath or by putting it in the fridge before peeling it to harden the butter slightly.

Using your rolling pin and hands, lift the crust over the tin and place it gently into the it.

Once in the tin, use your hands to press down the crust to fit every space and mold it into shape.

Use a fork to make holes in the pastry in the pattern of a magic circle to enhance the flavor and to let air escape and ensure that air pockets won’t form beneath the pastry while baking.

Now it’s time to prepare the cheese filling. The ingredients for the ivory elixir are as follows:

- 300g cream cheese

- 140g sugar

- 130g cream

- 2 eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

In a bowl or electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Whisk until fully incorporated and the mixture has a creamy and fluffy consistency.

Add the vanilla essence and cream. Whisk until fully incorporated, then add 1 lightly beaten egg.

Whisk to incorporate, add the remaining egg, stop the mixing, scrape all the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure there are no lumps left.

Mix one final time on high speed. Once finished, take a spoon or spatula, lift a small amount of the mixture, and let it drop to check the consistency. If it drops slowly running, it’s a success.

Summon a salamander friend to help you preheat the oven or turn it on to 170°C alternatively  gas mark 3.

While our fiery reptile friend warms up the oven, place half the berries in the crust to your preference, leaving space between the berries.

Then, pour in the cream on top, spreading the mixture evenly, and top with more berries.

Once done, shake the tin slightly and tap it gently on the surface of the table to let any air bubbles rise to the surface.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the surface starts to turn golden brown and our salamander friend rejoices in the fragrant aroma.

While the tart is baking, let us transmute a berry-refreshing potion to complement the fairy treat.

The ingredients are;

Berries of choice as desired

2 Tbsp sugar

A splash of water

1 tsp vinegar of choice

In a saucepan, combine the berries, 2 tbsp sugar, and a splash of undine’s water just to cover the bottom of the saucepan.

With a spatula, mix the berries and sugar, bring to a boil over medium heat, then smash the berries with the spatula while boiling.

Add 1 tsp of vinegar of choice to enhance the floral scent carried in the berries by the forest’s blessing.

Once most berries are smashed, the sauce has thickened, and the deep royal red color has appeared. Remove from the heat and let cool until ready to use.

Finally, our delicious fairy dessert is complete. One bite of this Titania’s Spring Circlet Tart will be enough to transport you to the fairy realm for a delightful tea time in the forest with Her Majesty. For more fantastic and delicious meals, please like, reblog and follow. 

Until the next Record, pursue a delicious time with alchemy!

[hopelikethemoon]

Family Dinner (Javier x Reader) {MTMF} [smut]

Title: Family Dinner Rating: Explicit Length: 3700 Warnings:  Family Fluff and Smut (period sex, shower sex, and fingering)  Notes: You can find everything about Maybe Today, Maybe Forever here. Set in the Summer of 1998. No pre-reads so this is entirely unbeta’d because we live in a lawless land.  Summary: Javier teaches Josie to make enchiladas. 

@grapemama @seawhisperer @huliabitch @pedropascalito​ @rogrsnbarnes​ @thewallpapergoesorido​ @twomoonstwosuns​ @gooddaykate​ @livasaurasrex​ @ham4arrow​ @plexflexico​ @readsalot73​ @hdlynn​ @lokiaddicted​ @randomness501​ @fioccodineveautunnale​  @roxypeanut​ @snivellusim​ @lukesrighthand​ @historynerd04​ @mrsparknuts​ @synystersilenceinblacknwhite​ @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead​ @exrebelshocktrooper​ @awesomefandomsunited​ @ah-callie​ @swhiskeys​ @lady-tano​ @beskar-droids​ @space-floozy​ @cable-kenobi​ @cool-ultra-nerd​ @himbopoes​ @findhimfives​ @pedrosdoll​ @frietiemeloen​ @arrowswithwifi​ @random066​ @uncomicalhumour​ @heather-lynn​ @domino-oh-damn​ @cyarikaaa​ @ahopelessromanticwritersworld​ @im-still-a-pieceofgarbage @ksgeekgirl​  @yabby-girl​ @xqueenofthecraziesx​ @punkass-potato​ @coredrive​ @pascalesque​ @theduchessofkirkcaldy​ @queenquazar​ @sabinemorans​ @buckstaposition​ @holkaskrosnou​ @yespolkadotkitty​ @fleetwoodmactshirt​

You inhaled deeply as you walked through the front door, catching the scent of something delicious coming from the kitchen. It smelt like roasted chilies. “I smell something good!” You called out as you kicked off your shoes by the front door, before you headed into the kitchen. 

Javier had Josie sitting on the kitchen counter beside him as he used a knife to peel the soft interior of the roasted pepper into the food processor. “Hey, baby.” He drawled out with a grin as he glanced back at you. 

“Mommy! We’re making enchinchillas.” 

Your brows shot upwards, “Interesting choice, if that’s the case. I think you’re making enchiladas.” You corrected her, biting the hair tie off your wrist and pinning your hair back into a loose bun. “How’s it going?” 

“The tortillas were a hit.” Javier told you, “Josie’s a natural with them.” 

You grinned, “Well, she certainly watched us make them when she was little.” 

“Really?” Josie asked. 

“Really.” You told her, kissing the top of her head as you reached over and ran your hand down Javier’s back. “We used to put you in your highchair and set you up in the kitchen so you could be part of the action.” 

“Wow!” She clasped her hands together. “Daddy said I was good at making them.” 

Javier shrugged a shoulder, “I figured, my mother started getting me involved with her cooking when I was a little younger than Josie. She loved this enchiladas recipe.” 

“I know.” You smiled warmly at him. “I’m glad you’re passing the tradition on.” 

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to your cheek. “How was work?” Javier questioned as you walked towards the other side of the kitchen. 

“I’ll be honest, I feel like crap.” You told him, pulling open one of the upper cabinets and pulling down the plastic tote that contained medicine. You grabbed the bottle of Tylenol and popped two into your mouth, holding them there while you put the tote back out of reach of the girls.

“What’s wrong?” Javier asked, before turning his attention back to the enchiladas, “Alright Josie, you can put the garlic in now.” 

“I love garlic!’

“It’s that time of the month.” You answered around the pills, filling up a glass of water to wash them down. “I’ve got the cramps of the century.” You washed your hands off in the sink, prepping to help them with dinner. 

“You should go lay down with a heating pad.” He offered, before the sound of the food processor switching on filled the kitchen. The smell of peppers and garlic made your stomach growl. You loved when Javier cooked. You weren’t half bad at making some of his favorite dishes, but he’d really honed his skills when he stayed at home for two years. 

You ducked out of the kitchen for a minute to find the camera, wanting to capture this moment on film. Javier tried to keep the memory of his mother alive with the girls. Especially Josie, who he swore looked like her. You could see it too. 

He had been so young when he lost her and he worked hard to supply Josie with her own collection of memories related to her abuelita. 

“Smile.” You urged, grinning as Josie and Javier both turned towards you and offered a confused look. 

“The paparazzi found us, JoJo.” Javier winked at her, “They’ve heard what a good cook you are, princesa.” 

Josie giggled as she pretended to hide her face from you, “No pictures please! No pictures!” She scrunched up her nose as you took two more pictures of them. 

“I can assure you, I have full press privileges in the Peña test kitchen.” You told her, matching her sassy expression with one of your own as you put your hands on your hips.

You moved to the other side of the kitchen to grab the large glass casserole dish you had used the last time you made enchiladas. You sat it down on the sink beside Josie. 

“Thanks, baby.” Javier said with a warm smile as he removed the blade from the food processor bowl, passing it to Josie. “Alright, now poor this into that dish.” He instructed her.

“It’s so red!” She mused as she poured the red sauce into the bowl. 

“Alright, you’re going to have to stay over here.” Javier informed her, “Because the oil is going to be very hot and I don’t want you to get burnt.”

“Okay!” She nodded, listening intently to him. 

“You’re going to dip the tortillas into the red sauce and then let mommy put it on a plate and bring it over to me.” He passed you the plate, before he moved towards the stove and got the skillet going.

“Look at us,” You told Josie with a grin. “We make quite the team, don’t we?”

She nodded, “We do! I wish sissy could help us. But daddy said she was too small to help us.” She pouted a little as she used the tongs to place the tortilla onto the plate. 

“She’s sleeping,” Javier told you as you brought the plate over to him. “We went to the park this afternoon and she was all about chasing after Stevie.” 

“I figured you hadn’t left her somewhere,” You teased, watching him for a moment as he carefully put the tortilla onto the skillet, moving it around before flipping it over. 

“Mommy! I have more for you!” She kicked her feet against the cabinet to get your attention.

“Babydoll, I am right here.” You chuckled as you returned to collect another tortilla, moving in between the two of them as the process continued. “Did you make the filling already?”

“I sense doubt in my skills,” Javier teased as you returned with another tortilla. “You’ll be proud of JoJo. She helped saute the onions and chicken.”

“But they’re not chicken nuggets.” Josie told you very primly. “I thought all chicken was nuggets.” 

You rolled your eyes and laughed, “Well, you do live on them.” 

She nodded, “I love chicken nuggets.” 

Once the tortillas were done in the skillet, Javier brought Josie over to help him fill them, holding her up over the side of the counter. You opted to take photos, quite impressed with how skillfully Josie was able to fill the tortilla, roll it, and place it into the long casserole dish. 

“I think this is going to be the cure for my crappy day.” You remarked as Javier worked on the finishing touches — spreading more red sauce over the enchiladas, before covering them with crumbled queso fresco and cheddar cheese. 

“I bet I can think of another way to cure your bad day, baby.” Javier retorted with a wry smirk. “The kind a nice hot shower might be able to fix.” 

“Behave.” You warned, picking up a piece of queso fresco and popping it into your mouth. 

Javier clicked his tongue against his teeth as he opened the stove and placed the dish inside. “Well, JoJo. You’ve done it. You have successfully made your very first enchiladas.” He turned on the stove light so she could peer inside. 

“We did it daddy!” She cheered, wrapping her arms around his leg and grinning up at him. 

“But now,” He started in a very grave voice. “We have to do the most important part of cooking.”

“What’s that?”

Javier gestured around the kitchen to the various plates, bowls, and utensils that had been used to make the enchiladas. “Clean up.” 

She scrunched up her nose and shook her head. “I’m good.” 

You snorted, smiling at the two of them. “Even Barney has a song about clean up, Josie.” 

“He says everybody do their share!” She pointed at you. “Are you helping, mommy?” 

“Mommy has to go check on sissy,” Javier explained to her, before turning his gaze towards you. “Go rest.” He mouthed to you, nodding his head towards the bedroom. 

“The Tylenol’s helping.” You assured him, “But I will go check on Sof. If I were her, this smell would wake me up.” 

“C’mere.” Javier crooked a finger at you, urging you close so he could press a kiss to your lips. “Thanks for helping.” 

You ran your fingers over the exposed skin of his chest where he had three buttons undone. “I’m always happy to cook with you.” You kissed him again, before you slipped out of his embrace and headed for the nursery. 

As you had expected, Sofía was wide awake, but contentedly chilling in her crib. You scooped her up with her stuffed Scooby-Doo plush, and headed back out into the kitchen. “Look who woke up from her nap.” 

“Sissy!” Josie squealed, grabbing at Sofía’s dangling feet and kissing them. 

Stevie barked, darting into the kitchen to announce that someone was at the front door. She paced back and forth for a moment, before running back into the family room and barking again. 

“Monica and Nadia are joining us.”

“I figured.” You said as you passed Sofía to him. “You pulled out the big casserole dish.” 

He chuckled, scratching at the back of his neck. “I would’ve invited Steve and Connie too, but her mother’s in town—”

“Say no more.” You made a face, before you leaned down and kissed your daughter’s belly as Javier held her back to his chest in a cradle. She giggled and squealed, patting at your head. 

Josie scurried out of the kitchen to greet her two favorite people. That child could talk a person’s ears off if they let her and Monica and Nadia always let her. She was obsessed with them and they were fine with that. 

“I come bearing gifts,” Nadia said as she walked into the kitchen with a bottle of Dewars White Label. 

“You don’t have to bring us gifts every time you come over for dinner,” You told her, giving her a hug after you took the bottle from her. “But I’m not going to say ‘no’ to scotch.” 

“That’s what I thought.” Nadia laughed, waving at Sofía as she babbled for attention in Javier’s arms. “Honestly, I got it at my co-worker’s barbecue last weekend.” Nadia told you, “They played a bunch of stupid games and I won it.” 

“Games?” You made a face.

“I don’t understand people in Florida’s obsession with party games.” Javier rolled his eyes. 

“You’ve both lived here for how long now? Aren’t you Florida people now?”

“No.” You both answered in unison. 

“Mhm.” Nadia gave you both a skeptical look. “Whatever floats your boats, party people.” 

“How’s the internship going?” You questioned as you moved to put the bottle of scotch in the liquor cabinet. “Planning to escape to space anytime soon?”

“I’m not an astronaut.” Nadia reminded you with a short laugh, “I am having a blast.”

Javier chuckled, “Like blast off?”

Nadia groaned, “You are not allowed to pull out dad jokes, Javi. It is too early.”

“Anyways,” You gave Javier a pointed look, even though you couldn't help but grin. He could be so fucking corny sometimes. He’d always had a great sense of humor, but back in Colombia, it tended to veer into the dark humor realm. “What do they have you doing?”

“Well, the internship title is ‘Molten Regolith Electrolysis Subsystem Design and Testing’, so that is what I do.”

“That’s a lot of words.” You shook your head. “As long as you’re having fun.” 

“I am.” Nadia nodded, glancing back towards the family room at the sound of Monica and Josie laughing. “The distance sucks, but we’re making it work.” 

Javier bounced Sofía in his arms, “That’s what, three hours?”

“Four with traffic.” Nadia made a face, “Seriously, thanks again for letting her have your old Taurus. I don’t know what we would’ve done.” 

“We’re happy to help,” Javier told her with a smile. “We just want what’s best for Monica.” 

“I think I can speak for her when I say you guys were exactly what she needed.” Nadia told you, a faint smile playing over her lips. “I obviously wasn’t there for everything, but I know what she says. She needed actual parents.” 

“I might not have given birth to her, but Monica is as much our daughter as Josie and Sofía.” You assured her. “She’s a hell of a young woman.” 

Monica appeared around the corner with Josie wrapped around her back, arms slung over her shoulders. “I heard my name.”

Nadia grinned at her, “I can’t embarrass you by looking at baby pictures, so I’ve got to make do with verbal brag books.”

“Oh God,” Monica grumbled, closing the distance between her and Nadia to press a kiss to her lips — which Josie provided sound effects for. 

“What a weirdo.” Nadia teased, ruffling Josie’s hair. “What did you do this week?”

You turned back to Javier with a grin, “Never a dull moment.” 

He clicked his tongue against his teeth and shook his head, “And to think I used to picture being cooped up in an apartment alone somewhere at this point in my life.” He readjusted Sofía in his arms, letting her wrap her arms around his neck as she gurgled and attempted to add to the conversation. 

“All that’s missing is the white picket fence.” You smirked, “I think it would clash with our aesthetics.” 

He snorted, “It’s a damn good life.” 

“It is.” You reached up and ran your fingers through the hair that fell against his forehead, before you leaned in to kiss him. “I think I might take you up on that offer.” 

His brows rose upwards, “Yeah?”

“Something to think about.” You whispered as you kissed him again, before you turned back towards the girls. “So what are we drinking?”

“Monica’s driving. Do you have any gin?” 

“Yep, in the cabinet.” You nodded, “And lemonade, since I know exactly where this is going.” 

“Mommy, can I have gin?”

“Nope, but you may have lemonade.” You told Josie, patting her back. “Hey, why don’t you take Stevie out in the backyard before dinner?”

“Okay.” 

“I’ll go with her.” Monica told you, before looking to Nadia, “Hon, can I just have a Coke?” 

“You’ve got it.” Nadia snapped her fingers, before helping herself to the fridge as Monica departed the kitchen. 

Given your upbringing, family dinners had never really been a thing that you looked forward to. Hell, family in and of itself was such a contentious topic. But that wasn’t the case anymore. You didn’t envy others for the families they had, because you had your own. You had Javier, who proved to be the most incredible partner — and you had the girls, Nadia included. 

 ———

 You tilted your head back, eyes closed as you let the warm water run down your chest, rivulets running down between your breasts and falling at your feet. Despite your claims that the Tylenol had eased your cramps, you still felt the stiff knot of tension in your lower belly. This month seemed determined to be a bitch. Your period just had to arrive fast and hard on a Friday — just to ruin hitting the pool over the weekend. 

The bathroom door creaked open and you smirked, “Who goes there?” You questioned with a teasing lilt, listening to the tell-tale sound of Javier’s clothes being removed. The faintest flicker of arousal burned in your core at the promise of what was to come. 

“Depends on who you want me to be, baby.” Javier drawled out, peeling back the shower curtain. 

You turned beneath the showerhead, blinking as the water ran into your eyes as you watched him step in to join you in the shower. “So many possibilities.” You teased, reaching out to stroke your fingers over his chest. “But I think you is the best answer.” 

He nodded his head slowly as he ran his hand over your hip, stepping closer to you. “That is the best answer.” Javier gave your hip three squeezes, before he leaned down to trail a line of kisses down the curve of your throat. “How are you feeling?”

“Gross.” You admitted, resting your hands at his shoulders, playing with the water droplets as they fell onto his skin. “I feel like my body is punishing me for not breastfeeding anymore.” You sighed softly when Javier’s tongue darted out against your pulse point. “I’ve got cramps, I’m bloated, and thanks to someone I’m a little bit horny.” 

“I’m very interested in that last one,” Javier remarked, pressing kisses along your collarbone as he ran his hands over your waist. “You gonna let me take care of you, baby?”

You nodded, raking your fingers through his wet hair, “I’m looking forward to a little relief.” You told him, letting him manhandle you as he turned you around. 

“I’ll help however I can,” Javier whispered close to your ear as he ran his hand downwards, tracing shapes over your lower belly before he dipped downwards. 

You closed your eyes, sinking back against him as he parted your folds, dragging his fingers between them. He never cared — at all. You’d had boyfriends when you were younger that treated you like a pariah when you were on your period. Javier wasn’t one of them. He took it all in stride and was always willing to adapt. 

“Baby,” Javier started, brushing his lips over the shell of your ear. “Have I mentioned lately how fucking gorgeous you are?” 

A little bit of praise and you felt like every nerve in your body had come to life. “I think you mentioned it last night, but I’m open to hearing it again.” You told him, turning your head to press a kiss to his scruffy cheek. 

Javier worked one and then two fingers into you, dragging them in and out of you slowly. There was something tantalizing about the feel of water rubbing down your skin while he worked at your cunt. You shivered and he chuckled, scraping his teeth over the curve of your shoulder. “Bet I could bend you over right now and fuck you. Couldn’t I?” 

You couldn’t help but nod your head, your mind focused on the singular bliss of his fingers working in and out of you. He kept hooking them just right, sending little pulses of need through your veins. 

His cock was hard against your ass and you couldn’t help but grind back against him. You grabbed at his free hand, bringing it to your chest, urging him to grab at your breast. 

Javier pinched at your nipple and the twinge of pain was quickly followed by fresh pleasure as it burned through you. You were going to come. You could feel the heat radiating through your core. 

“This pussy—“ Javier rasped out as he caught your earlobe between his teeth. “There’s nothing better, baby. So fucking perfect.”

You were so close. 

“Come for me, baby.” He urged. “Come on. Be a good girl. Just for me.”

You cried out softly as you started to come around his fingers, your inner walls clenching and pulsing as your release washed through you. 

He withdrew his fingers while you were still coming down from your high, letting the water rinse them clean before he guided your further under the water’s flow. 

You turned around to face him, tilting your chin as you pulled him down and kissed him. You balanced on one foot, wrapping the other leg around his hip, drawing him towards you.

Javier took the hint, reaching down between you to guide his cock to your center. He grabbed at your thigh, holding it to his hip as he pushed into you.

Your nails scraped over his scalp as you combed your fingers through his hair. Your cunt was still clenching from your release, drawing him into you until he could press no further. 

“How does that feel, baby?” Javier questioned, rocking grinding his hips into yours. 

“Fuck.” Your head hit back against the wall as he remained still within you. You swore you could feel every inch of him buried within you, your inner walls fluttering around him — making it feel even tighter. 

“Use your words.” He nipped at your jaw. “Come on, baby.”

“Fuck you.” You mumbled, scoring your nails down the back of his neck as you rolled your hips, clenching tight around him as you did.

Javier swore hoarsely, his fingers digging into your thigh as he tried to keep you still. “Want you to come for me, just like this.” 

Your eyes flickered open to meet his, blinking through the water droplets as they fell from his face and hair onto you. He looked good. It was unfair how good he looked. 

“That’s no fun.” You whispered, tightening your body around him again as you wiggled your hips. You ran your hand over your neck, before sliding it down your stomach, between your thighs to where your bodies were joined. You scraped your fingernails over his lower belly, trailing downwards towards the root of his cock, fingers playing over the skin just at where you were pressed together. 

“It’ll be very fun,” He assured you as he drew back just enough press back into you once more. He breathed out your name as he pressed his forehead to yours.

You curled your fingers around the back of his neck, tilting your head just enough to kiss him as your fingers sought out that little bundle of nerves that set off fresh heat in your belly. 

He palmed at your breast gently as he rolled his hips slowly — barely pulling out of you before pressing back into you once again. You moaned against his lips, your tongue sweeping out to find his as you kissed him. 

Your first release had barely settled before you felt your second building on the heels of it. Javier kissed you so desperately as your release washed through you. He swallowed up the sounds you made, lips crushing yours. 

Javier started moving then, driving into your clenching cunt until he was able to find his own release right behind yours. He ran his hand over your thigh tenderly soothing the bruises he’d left. 

He sank against you, forehead pressed into the crook of your neck, “Fuck, baby.”

You ran your hand down his back, “Water’s getting cold.” You told him, kissing his shoulder.

He chuckled, the sound muffled against your skin. “It’s worth it.” 

You smiled against his shoulder, “It helped.” You whispered, winding your arms around him. 

“Good.” You whispered, squeezing your hip three short times. 

[issamochef]

Sweet dough For Tarts And Tartlets | Easy Recipes https://ift.tt/2Xhr8PJ

Sweet dough - Easy Recipes

Sweet dough is one of the essential pastry recipes. Crispier and more resistant than shortbread, it is now found as a base in a large number of pies and tarts.

The possibilities offered by this dough are very wide: strawberry tart, lemon tart, coffee tarts, caramel tarts, citrus pie and even in a classic pear and chocolate tart.

The recipe I offer is that of Pierre Hermé, which other chefs like Cédric Grolet also use.

It is a pie crust that owes its success to its strength and crispness. However, to prevent it from softening and becoming pasty on contact with cream, sometimes you have to spread a thin layer of melted chocolate, white or dark, isolate it and guarantee its crispness.

It is also possible to brown it with an egg yolk, which will make your dough golden and shiny, while also isolating it.

You can use this recipe to make two pies about 26 cm in diameter or 12 small tarts. If you don't want to use it all, you can freeze the rest of the dough for a future recipe.

Two sweet dough pie shells

for 6/8 people (circles of about 26 cm)

Preparation:       30 min

Rest:                  2 h

Cooking:           20 min

Difficulty:         Easy

Material:

A pastry robot (optional, you can make this dough by hand)

A pie ring

A rolling pin

Ingredients:

Sweet dough :

150 g butter

95 g icing sugar

30 g ground almonds

60 g egg (1 egg)

2 pinches of salt

250 g flour (preferably type 55)

Preparation of a Pate Sucree:

Equipment :

For starters, I always make this recipe in a food processor. If you don't have one, you can do it by hand using the exact same steps.

To bake the sweet dough I recommend using a pie ring, which makes unmoulding much easier. If you have the choice, the perforated circles on the sides ensure better cooking.

I then place it on a ventilated silicone (Silpain or Airman depending on the brand), itself placed on the rack of my oven.

This avoids having to prick your pie shell, it will not swell and will be cooked much better with this type of silicone which lets the dough breathe during baking (remember to place it on a rack).

If you often bake pies, I recommend it!

Dough :

In the bowl of your food processor fitted with the foil, mix the butter until it is soft. You can skip this step by taking butter at room temperature (but you don't always think of removing the butter first).

Then add the icing sugar, ground almonds, egg and salt. Run your food processor at medium speed until your mixture is smooth.

Add the flour and knead at medium speed. It's best to knead as little as possible and stop as soon as the flour is incorporated into the mixture, even if it doesn't form a nice ball of dough.

The more you mix, the more crumbly, difficult to work with and brittle when baked. It is also to avoid this that it is preferable to use a type 55 flour, which will have less tendency to shrink during cooking.

Then place the dough on a cling film, wrap the dough well and crush it with your hand to form a disc (or something like me ...).

This allows your dough to be very compact, to have about the right shape to spread afterwards. The thinner it is, the faster it will cool in the refrigerator.

Let your sweet dough sit in the fridge for an hour. This is important, otherwise, you will not be able to work it.

The sinking of the Pate Sucree:

Flour your work surface and your dough and spread it out, taking care to make it make a 1/8 turn between each stroke of the roller. This allows you to know if there is still enough flour underneath, the dough should always slide well and not catch on your worktop, but also to keep the basic round shape and avoid ending up with a square afterwards. having spread its dough.

Method 1:

Roll your dough on your rolling pin and roll it out onto your circle or pie pan. If she doesn't panic, the advantage of the sweet dough is that it is very easily welded together and that it is not visible after cooking.

Take the edge of the dough protruding from the circle and slide it while pressing down at the same time with the fingers of your other hand so that it is firmly against the edge of the circle. If you push the dough in from the inside, it may tear.

Then with your fingers take care by pushing gently to make a nice right angle of dough at the level of the circle. This is called "baking" a pie.

Finally with a small knife, cut the excess dough by sliding the blade against your circle or pie pan.

Method 2:

You can also cut out a circle that matches the bottom of your pie using your circle as a template.

Also, cut long strips of dough equal in width to the top of your circle. If they are too soft, let them harden for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Then just come and apply them on your round dough base.

The best of the best is to have a dough base that is a little smaller than your circle, so your strips of dough will slip into this small space and the solder will not be visible after baking since it will be under your pie.

The cooking :

Finally, put your pie in the fridge. It must still rest for an hour.

Resting your sweet dough helps prevent it from shrinking during cooking. If you are really in a hurry you can cook it this way, but be aware that its size will decrease and the edges may fall off.

The sweet dough is cooked at 170 ° C in hot air.

The cooking is variable depending on what you are going to do next with your pie. Prefer a slightly shorter cooking time, 10 to 15 minutes if you then want to brown it (see below) or if you then garnish it with an almond cream which will ask you to re-bake your pie shell.

If your pie won't be ironed anymore, bake it for 15-20 minutes. This should be adapted to suit your oven.

Obtain a perfectly smooth pie:

If your pie or tart is not perfectly smooth on the bottom or sides and you are concerned, you can remove the excess dough.

For this, you have to scrape the tart on a sieve, or a colander, a bit as if you were sanding it. It is of course easier and less risky with tartlets since they are easier to handle.

Obtain a golden and shiny paste:

Once your dough is cooked and possibly smoothed, you can apply egg yolk gilding.

Just beat an egg yolk and apply a thin layer on your pie, as if to brown a galette des Rois. You can only brown the edges for aesthetic reasons: your dough will be golden and extremely shiny.

If you apply this foil to the bottom of your pie, it will also insulate it from the moisture of the cream.

Bake your pie again for 5 minutes to set and dry your gilding. Don't worry if it looks a bit dull when you take it out of the oven, the end result won't be appreciable until your pie has cooled.

Tips to remember:

Once the flour is incorporated, you should work the dough as little as possible to prevent it from becoming crumbly, so stop your mixer as soon as the mixture is smooth.

To facilitate the rest, your dough should have a round and flat shape when filmed.

If your dough breaks, tears and has holes in your circle: do not panic, seal with a little dough, making sure that the thickness remains the same everywhere. During cooking, the dough will weld together and you will hardly see anything once it is cooked.

It is important to respect the last pause time so that this pie dough does not shrink during baking.

#pastryrecipes #toprecipes from https://ift.tt/3jK5VHD via PASTRY RECIPES

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Two Hundred Eighty-Four: Apple Pie ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

Though he never would have thought as much when he was first shoehorned into this class, Sasuke has to admit...Home Ec has grown on him. While he’s still a good student and honestly enjoys most of his classes at least somewhat, there’s just something really...nice about that class in particular. Sure, it’s not just baking cookies everyday, but it’s become a nice change of pace compared to everything else.

He tells himself it’s because the class is just so...different. He’s actually learning some handy skills, even if most guys wouldn’t bother. He’s handier in the kitchen than ever, knows several ways to sew by hand (and how to use a machine), and they’ve even broached into things like human development. Never did he think he’d know so much about babies...but, well, you never know. Maybe he’ll have to...deal with one someday.

But if he’s honest with himself - truly honest - there’s another very big factor to why he’s come to enjoy the class as much as he does.

Strolling into his last block of the day, Sasuke finds himself to be a little early, and almost alone. There’s an away basketball game, and several of the girls typically present are absent, either as part of the team, or the cheer squad. Along the whiteboard, he reads the daily instructions. Apparently, given the low class percentage, they’re just having a free day.

Before he can stop himself, Sasuke perks up...because he knows exactly what that’s going to mean.

“Hi, everyone!”

Turning, he gives a lax wave to the only other senior in the class: Hinata Hyūga. “Hey. Seems we’ve got a free day with the game today.”

“Oh?” Like him, she seems to brighten at the notion. “That’s great! I’ve had a recipe I’ve been wanting to try with you!”

“Yeah?” Sasuke does his best to temper his reaction, despite the warmth the notion brings him. “Something we can finish in class?”

“Well...it might go a little over...is that okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing to do. A few teachers lightened up because of the game, so I’ve got hardly any homework.”

“Me too! O-okay, we’ll do it then!” Digging into her binder, she pulls out a recipe with a grin. “Apple pie!”

Sasuke blinks, looking the paper over. “...is it very sweet?”

“Well, sort of...but the apples are a bit sour, so that sort of...balances it out?”

“...okay.” He won’t admit it, but he’s not quite so put off by sweets anymore. Not since meeting Hinata.

The pair move to the kitchen wall, first gathering their ingredients and a pie plate. “So I actually use a different pie crust recipe...it’s just a few ingredients you mix and press in the plate, and bake with the rest of the pie! It’s so much easier than rolling stuff out,” Hinata offers, flipping the page over and showing the separate crust instructions. “You want to do that, first?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Great! I’ll start peeling and cutting the apples!”

Having not actually made a pie yet, Sasuke follows the recipe carefully, wary of messing something up. But true to Hinata’s word, it’s actually pretty simple. Mixing up the handful of ingredients, he smoothes it along the bottom before announcing, “Okay, now what?”

“Here, mix up the spices and sugar for the apples - I’m almost done!”

He does as asked, not bothering to quip or question. By now, the pair have done enough baking together to just know how to go about it. Hinata leads, and Sasuke follows. In all reality, he’s probably gotten enough practice to lead himself, but...well, he hasn’t given that a try just yet.

Hinata pours his mix over the sliced apples, coating them well and putting them in the pie plate atop the crust. “All right, I think we’ll do the Dutch style topping.”

“...what’s that mean?”

“It’s a crumbly sort of top, rather than a solid sheet of crust!” She shows him how, pulsing the ingredients in a food processor until they form, well...crumbles! “Now we just spread this over the top...and there we have a pie! It has to bake for about fifty minutes, so...we’ll run over class by a little bit. But I don’t think the teacher minds.”

With the oven already hot, it’s Sasuke who puts it in, setting the timer. They tidy up, and then...it’s time to wait.

As per usual, they pass the time on their phones, the instructor hardly caring on such a relaxed day. Hinata plays a mobile game, Sasuke browsing a forum he frequents.

But eventually they get bored.

“So...what’s your favorite kind of pie?”

“I honestly don’t eat much of it. Too sweet most of the time.”

Hinata makes a face. “I still don’t understand that…”

“Well what about you?”

“I’d say...lemon meringue.”

“Lemon?”

“Mhm!”

“What’s...meringue?”

“It’s egg whites and sugar, beaten together until it’s light and fluffy! You bake it, and the tops turn a light brown...it’s so good. Maybe we’ll try one next time! It’s actually pretty simple.”

“I could maybe do lemon if it isn’t too sweetened.”

The bell eventually rings, and the pair linger, their teacher more than used to them staying past the bell. It’s not too long before the timer dings, and Sasuke retrieves the pie. It actually smells...really good! Cinnamon and nutmeg just might make it tolerable.

“Want some ice cream?”

“Is...pie really not enough?”

“Apple pie and vanilla ice cream are like...a match made in heaven!”

“I’ll pass.”

“How about caramel sauce?”

Sasuke blinks owlishly. “...I think it’ll be sweet enough.”

Hinata dishes some up, indulging in a little bit of some ice cream left over from the day they all made a batch by hand. And then she seems to hover in wait, eager as always to see his reaction.

Sasuke takes a bite of his own, chewing thoughtfully. “...I like it.”

“Yay!”

“It’s not so sweet.”

“I went a little light on the sugar for you.” Hinata then digs into hers, humming happily.

“...you know...I’m gonna be really sad when this class is over.”

That makes her pause. “...are you...switching next semester?”

“Dunno yet. But I only needed the half a credit.”

“Oh...well, I was going to stay. There aren’t really any classes I need in this block next semester.” She gives a halfhearted smile. “It’ll be sort of l-lonely without you.”

“Yeah...I’ll have to see what the guidance counselor says. My dad’s riding me pretty hard about pumping up my grades for applications.”

“Well, that makes sense. It’s important. I’m still not sure what I’m doing next year, so...I’ll admit I took a bit of an easier road than I could have.”

“It’s different for everybody. Gotta do what makes you happy, too.”

“Yeah…”

The pair sink into a slightly awkward silence. In truth, he’d be more than happy to stay. And surely his mother would support it. His father, on the other hand…

“Well, if you do switch, I’m still glad you were in here,” Hinata then offers, smiling a bit more warmly. “It’s been a lot of f-fun teaching you stuff!”

“Yeah? It’s been nice learning it. Maybe we can still make some stuff after school sometimes, when we’re not too bogged down.”

“I...I’d like that!”

“Then consider it a plan.”

The atmosphere then lightens until he gives the clock a glance. “But, speaking of...it’s getting kinda late. Think we should go?”

“Probably...want to take some pie home?”

“Sure.”

They each take a few slices, Sasuke sure his mother would like some. If only Itachi were home, but...well, that won’t be until Winter break. The pair part ways in the hallway, Sasuke going to pack up his stuff for the evening. The thought returns as to what to do come the end of the semester.

He really does want to stay...and surely half a credit won’t make that big of a difference, right? Maybe he’ll talk to Mikoto about it...sighing and picking up his bag, he leaves the school behind, apple pie carefully nestled in his backpack.

                                                       .oOo.

     (This is a sequel to days 98, 108, 139, and 227!)      I have...fallen another day behind OTL Yesterday was just exhausting, in more ways than one, so...I took the night off. I'm sorry ;n; I probably won't have time to catch up until at least the end of October since I have another challenge going on, but! Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be done on the last day, aha~      Anyway! More of our cute lil Home Ec AU. I really do love this one, it's just so stinkin' sweet. But it seems we have a little bit of a plot conflict...Sasuke might be leaving the class? Say it ain't so! We'll have to see what his decision is come the end of the semester, but...at least he and Hinata will keep on keepin' on no matter what!      But with that, I really need to get to bed, lol - thanks for reading!

[parson-kent]

you should die with me

""Nurse," he mumbled through a mouthful of cookie, "why do you always gotta make things so sexual? Can't you just enjoy things, for like one fucking time, without turning it weird?"

"Well, why are you such a fucking prude, Dex? How about letting me eat this goddamn cookie without judgement? 'Why do you make things so sexual, Nurse, blah blah blah?' It's because we're so rooted in early Protestant ideals that you're like this-"

And, yeah, it kinda devolved from there."

or Nursey and Dex get on each other's nerves and also get off on each other's nerves.

My first nurseydex fix!! Also posted on ao3. Trigger warnings for language, ignorance. Check below the cut for the fic :)))

and every word that you mock sounds so pretty to me, you should die with me - Saturday Night, HUNNY

-

Dex was working on the boiler in the basement of the Haus when he heard Nursey come in through the front door. He recognized the stomp of his hipster-thrifted boots across the living room floor and his laugh as he talked to Bitty in the kitchen. He recognized the way he could almost make out their conversation. He also recognized the way he said goodbye and turned to head down the basement stairs.

Nursey came clambering down the stairs with two big cookies, one in each hand.

"Dude, look what Bitty made!! It's his MooMaw's chocolate chip recipe, apparently she has like tasks he has to complete before she rewards him with the best recipe? Anyway, he just got this one. They smell so good, dude! I brought you one."

Dex smiled, face hidden behind the broiler. "Let me just deal with this last screw and I'll grab one."

Nursey apparently seemed content to stand there and ramble as Dex finished up. He was talking about his Mexican poetry class or something, but Dex wasn't really paying attention. He just let Nursey's words wash over him.

Finally, he gave the screw one final twist before standing up and grabbing a towel off the floor to wipe his hands. He brushed off any oil or grease that would be on them before grabbing a cookie out of Nursey's hand. They both took their first bite at the same time, and Nursey let out a small moan. Dex blushed and tried to focus on enjoying Bitty's delicious baking skills. And you know what? Dex could also attest to the sinful delightful-ness of this certain cookie, but did you see him moaning over it? No.

"Nurse," he mumbled through a mouthful of cookie, "why do you always gotta make things so sexual? Can't you just enjoy things, for like one fucking time, without turning it weird?"

"Well, why are you such a fucking prude, Dex? How about letting me eat this goddamn cookie without judgement? 'Why do you make things so sexual, Nurse, blah blah blah?' It's because we're so rooted in early Protestant ideals that you're like this-"

And, yeah, it kinda devolved from there.

-

Shitty stomped down the steps about 15 minutes later to break up their fighting. By then it had gotten so loud that Dex was pretty sure the Lax bros could hear it from their house. He was pretty sure he had been going on about respecting people's boundaries, while Nurse had been off on some rant about Protestant ideals and how they had cursed America. Whatever it was, it had been pretty bad.

But then, Shitty arrived and taken them into the reading room.

"Bros, I want you to reflect on this moment. Do you feel in anyway better than the way you were feeling before? Do you feel accomplished or satisfied"

Dex shook his head, but resolutely refused to turn even the slightest inch to see what Nurse said.

Shitty just shook his head before he launched into some complicated lecture about emotional control and shared space. Dex listened with some level of interest before tuning it out.

Suddenly, Shitty snapped his fingers in front of his face. "Hey, both of you, pay attention. You'll be quizzed on this later."

-

Dex woke up the next morning to sunlight leaking in from the windows. He blinked at the sudden brightness then quickly squeezed his eyes shut. Apparently, his roommate had forgotten to shut their black out blinds properly.

"Are you fucking shitting me, Trevor? This type of shit happens every week, you've got to stop it."

No response. Dex leaned over the side of his bed and stared at the empty bed across from him.

"Oh- fuck, you've gotta be kidding me? He's gone, that's just great, he already left," Dex mumbled to himself as he stood up, back cracking.

He stretched his arms up to the ceiling, twisting and yawning. Then, he stomped over and yanked their blackout blinds shut. Dex turned and grabbed his phone and then laid back down in bed in the blissful darkness. His first class wasn't until 1:00, so he had a nice day ahead of him, seeing as it was only 8:30. He checked Twitter first, liking some of Bitty's tweets and laughing at some new memes. Then, he stumbled across a tweet from one Derek M. Nurse posted only a couple minutes after Shitty's lecture.

derek loves smh @dnursey   when ur much better at shitty's end-of-lecture quizzes than that other guy #nailedit #educateyoself   [ Picture of a slightly crumbled piece of paper with what seems to be a quiz on it. Each answer is hastily bubbled in, and at the top is sloppy handwriting that reads "11/12 Excellent job, Nurse. Lots of improvement since last time." ]

Dex felt anger rising in the pit of his stomach. He snorted with intense derision as he finished reading Nurse's stupid post. He threw his phone to the foot of his bed. Dex laid there, just looking at the ceiling for a few minutes. Why the fuck was Nurse so annoying? Sure, his own quiz was lying next to his bed with a "7/12 Dex, I know you can do better. Don't let your anger get to you." written on it, but seriously, who the fuck even actually gives quizzes after lectures anyway. It was all too much for Dex sometimes. He had ideals and ideas and values and morals and a ton of other bullshit engrained in him from years of living in his small town in Maine. That type of stuff doesn't just fade away from 8 months at a private liberal arts college.

Sure, maybe he came to Samwell to discover more things and explore, but he was afraid sometimes. Afraid of rejection, of failure, of judgement. So many times he wanted to do something, but then worried about it getting out or being made fun of... or even of being supported. Knowing he now had people who would love and support him through whatever? That shit was scary. Dex didn't have any more excuses to push himself down because now he had people who wanted to build him up.

He leaned down and picked up the crumpled quiz off the floor. He smoothed it out before grabbing his computer. Maybe if they were so intent on building him up, he could help a little bit too.

-

A month later, Dex and Nursey were hanging out together in the Haus living room. Well, "hanging out" might be stretching it. They were in the same room, working on schoolwork separately. And not fighting. It was pretty much a miracle. However, getting to this point had required some hard work on their part. Something had flipped in Dex after Shitty's lecture. He realized the reason why he had picked Samwell. The slogan "1 in 4, maybe more" was burnt into the deepest recesses of his mind. Samwell represented everything Dex wanted to be - everything he couldn't be back in Maine. So, he had sat down with his computer that afternoon and searched everything he could on Protestant culture and its effect on modern America. Then, through gritted teeth with genuine emotion in his eyes, he apologized to Nurse the next day. Nursey accepted it with little chirping, apparently seeing something in Dex that was different from all the other apologies.

Dex continued to work on his behavior. He would borrow books on social justice and unbiased history from the Samwell library and engage respectfully in debates in his classes and even just out on the quad. He noticed that the team was being more open with him too. Before, they would hide the hard conversations and reprimands from him. But now, they had been including him, asking him for his opinions and educating him on important topics. Still, he and Nurse got into it sometimes, but now it was mostly just playful. Dex had come to love their arguments - it was amazing getting to be so intense and passionate with another person.

It felt... intimate, really. It was almost like, despite their two very different backgrounds, Nursey was the only person who really understood him. He knew the ins and outs of Dex's personality better than anybody, even Dex himself. He knew how to push his buttons, but he also knew to look out for Dex's shaking hands when he codes for too long and then get him a water or gatorade. Nursey knew Dex. And it felt good to be known.

Dex was deep in these thoughts as they laid together in the living room. Suddenly, a resounding BANG from the kitchen echoed throughout the Haus. The two of them scrambled to get up, Dex knocking over his computer and Nursey creating a shower of paper in the middle of the Haus. They rushed into the kitchen to find Bitty, covered in flour, the lid to the food processor missing.

"Oh y'all, I'm such a mess," he said, close to tears. "Finals are just stressing me out, no big deal."  

Dex ran to him, wrapping him in one of his signature bear hugs reserved for close friends. He locked eyes with Nurse over Bitty's head and they exchanged a curt nod. Nursey immediately began to clean up the mess in the kitchen while Dex led Bitty upstairs to the bathroom. He made sure Bitty was situated and ready to take a shower before heading back downstairs with a load of flour-covered clothes for the laundry.

"I'm going downstairs to do the wash," he called into the kitchen as he passed by the door.

Nursey just threw him a small wave before he turned back to scrub the tile. Dex smiled to himself the whole way down the stairs to the basement. Nursey and him were both learning; growing together.

Dex reached the bottom of the stairs still wrapped up in his thoughts. He really did love the way he and Nurse were getting along now - it caused something to stir inside him. He felt it deep in his stomach, something fiery and passionate just like Nursey coiling there every time they were together. Dex dumped the load into the washer. He just wished it had happened sooner. Nursey was one of his best friends now, along with Chowder. They were both such amazing people. Samwell had changed Dex - he was a better person now, with friends who loved him and helped him become the best version of himself that he could be. He set the dial to normal load and finished with pouring the detergent in. Then, he leaned against the washer and sunk deeper into his thoughts.

-

Nursey found him ten minutes later. He had flour in his hair and some in his stubble. His stupid hipster shirt was also covered in flour and he looked pretty angry. Dex had to laugh.

"God, Nurse, what was Bitty cooking in there?"

Nursey just groaned and glared at Dex. "Dude, get your ass up there! I need help cleaning up this mess."

Dex smirked, a glint of amusement in his eyes. ""Help'. 'Cleaning'. Two words I never expected Derek Malik Nurse to say at all, let alone in the same sentence. Didn't you have maids for that in your brownstone?"

Nursey stomped closer to him. "Well, you're the master of cleaning, huh? All those years in bumpkin Maine, on that lobster boat."

Let it never be said that William J. Poindexter was one to back down from a challenge. He stepped closer, laundry and flour both far from his mind. "Like you would know a thing about responsibility. It was all just prep school and expensive field trips and Broadway and hundred dollar dinners with you, huh? Never learned the value of hard work."

"Of course I know hard work, try writing a 20 page essay in a week. With a 15 page-"

Dex cut him off. "Try coding an entire plug-in in the 30 minutes so I have 30 minutes to troubleshoot in my hour long lab! English is just some words-"

"Oh, I've heard this one before! 'My name's Dex and I just think English is just some words on paper!'"

They were both yelling at this point, trying to outdo each other in the loudness factor. Their fights always ended like this. However, Dex was just realizing how close they were. In their fury, they had gotten almost uncomfortably close.

Intimate, Dex's mind whispered.

Dex tried to shove that thought from his mind and focus on Nursey's rant, but it lingered. Suddenly, almost as if he couldn't control his own limbs, he pushed Nurse against the washing machine. He held him there, wrists trapped against the cool metal.

Nursey became very quiet and swallowed.

Dex looked at him, with flour everywhere and a righteous passion still contained in his warm brown eyes. He leaned in close and released one of Nursey's wrists so he could cup his cheek.

"Is this okay?" He asked, head bent in close enough that his warm breath washed over Nursey's face.

Nursey nodded and whispered, "Just fucking kiss me, Poindexter."

Dex leaned in with just a faint brush of the lips. Then, Nursey pulled his other hand from Dex's grasp and pulled him in close, trapping him in an almost brusing kiss. They fought with each other just like in real life. Nursey moaned just a bit when Dex moved his body so he and Nursey were flush against each other. Dex took that as a sign, pushing his tongue into Nursey's mouth.

They pulled apart slowly, each breathing heavily. Nursey looked up at Dex from lidded eyes. Dex smiled in his head.

Finally, Nursey's passion was directed at him. And only him.

[the-coconut-asado]

Crazy for Kiwi Crickets

When it comes to eating out in Fiji, you are only as good as your last success.

 Consistently get it right and the punters will flock. Anything less than excellent and it’s ‘Maaan that place has gone downhill – but the duck soup at Harbour Centre is the Bomb!’ You can’t actually get duck soup at Harbour Centre, but anything with duck in Suva is a sure-fire winner as they are in constant short supply.

 Fiji is always in pursuit of the New Big Thing. That duck soup place I mentioned was actually the New Big Thing once, so was The Guava Café (doorstep griddled toast and Land of the Giant-sized portions); Singh’s burn-your-ring curry house and the Chinese restaurant at Samabula where you got a decent takeaway and a ringside seat at a sailors’ punch up.

 There are some classics that never go out of fashion. The cream buns at Hot Bread Kitchen – the ‘cream’ is actually buttercream and they sell them in sets of six like monkey bread so yeah, good luck with just eating one; Cardo’s Steakhouse in Denarau – they claim their cattle are descendants of Argentine castaways from the 19th century (kind of yarn that could spark a punch up in that Samabula Chinese restaurant, but the steaks ARE consistently good); Friday seafood lunch at Suva Bowling Club (you may not recognise half the seafood on your plate, and that’s a good thing); And, sadly closed now, The Cottage – tucked behind the main drag in Suva, serving the best local Fiji food and only open at lunchtime. And didn’t we all wail when the owner retired and shut up shop after decades of top-quality chow.

Anyway, it’s quite something when the New Big Thing is your sister-in-law’s café. Weta (Coffee) Fiji, the fifth child of Mue and her husband Darran, opened its doors in March this year. 

The café gets its name from a gerbil-sized cricket native to New Zealand. A quick google search and you can watch a film of a weta fighting a foraging pig, so maybe not exotic pet material. 

While the lion’s share of daily sales will always be the coffee (and we returned with bags of beans to London, it’s that good), it’s the food at Weta that’s getting the lion’s share of hype. World Health Organisation apparatchiks would probably advise not have more than one Honey Butter Waffle a month, yet people are spectacularly carb-loading these Weta signature goodies daily on their way to work. Take a look at the picture below and you could so easily join them.

Aside from the waffle-fest, Mue and cousin Cherie (whose aunt founded that other Fiji café classic Bulaccino) have entered into a kind of foodie face-off with each other, competing to see who can come up with the most mouth-watering innovations. The Honey Butter Waffles already give 1-0 to Mue; but ever thought of combining crispy nuggets of bacon with a rich mayonnaise, slathering it on a chicken schnitzel and sandwiching it all in a toasted mini baguette? Then check out their Chicken Baconnaise Panini and Cherie evens the score. How about a teal-green smoothie that tastes fruity and delicious but you don’t know why? Place your order for their Ugly Green Juice  - a joint invention so let’s call it a draw. I assiduously worked my way through most of their menu over two weeks and couldn’t find much that was less than evil genius.

Because this is a family concern, and Mue does a lot of her experimenting in her own kitchen, I got caught up in the whole entrepreneurial swirl when we were there this summer. Watching while Mue, with apparent carelessness cloaking a keen cook’s eye, tossed ingredients for her Marsala Chai muffins into the food processor at 5 in the morning while simultaneously whipping up a vegan version of her waffle mix. Slavishly watching her EPOS app to see if the sales dial had moved to kerching! levels – in short, generally starting to catch the fever of the hospitality business owner. Is Suva ready for Kava Hot Chocolate? (Kava is the ceremonial drink of Fiji with delicate overtones of mud). Apparently yes, and at least 10 people on the first day of sales had a dreamless sleep that night. Another invention marked up to Mue and another profit stream.

Having eaten our body weight in tropical breakfast patisserie, we left Suva for a few days to head to our own New Big Thing on Fiji’s Other Big Island.   

Savusavu is a picturesque town with a bay big enough to host a fistful of yachts and a marina to moor them. Even though it’s popular, the road to Savusavu – which nestled on the South coast of Vanua Levu - is one less travelled compared to the resort islands of Western Viti Levu. It has a reputation as a millionaire’s playground and we were told ‘be careful, you won’t want to come back’ (do people wrongly assume that we are at home in the company of dicks with yachts?). Anyway, they weren’t wrong about the beauty of the place, and I can now tell them a few tales about some unexpected food epiphanies.

The first was thanks to Sarah, the owner of the Gecko Guesthouse. It said in our Airbnb blurb that she would throw in a cooking lesson if we asked nicely. Which we did, and she obliged, if a little reluctantly at first. We spent one chilled-out evening learning her techniques for snake bean and bitter gourd curries (be sparing rather than slavish with your spices), a-ma-zing fish madras (although we can’t get fresh walu in the West, swordfish would be a decent substitute) and clever hack for cooking rice (err, use an electric rice maker).

However, the piece de resistance of Savusavu is a ‘dive’ (my friend Ije’s word when he saw the Insta post) called Arun’s Hidden Taste of Paradise. 

The name felt a bit at odds with its appearance, which is a little grubby and dishevelled, but don’t be fooled. The clue is in the word ‘hidden’ because if you make it through their mesh-covered door you will taste cassava chips which are meltingly creamy on the inside and quadruple-cooked crispy on the outside and, hands down, the best butter chicken I have eaten in my life. The eponymous Arun, both owner and cook, seemed frankly scared when I asked for a photo, so I didn’t push on asking for the recipe – but kept the flavour profile running around in my head for the rest of the trip.

Obsessed as I was, I hunted down ingredients lists for butter chicken on my bookshelves and I think I have found a pretty good match in Vivek Singh, who based his Cinnamon Club classic on a 1950’s recipe from the Moti Mahal in Old Delhi. But then I saw a recipe for a curry pie in last month’s Delicious Magazine and had the brainwave to make this pie with the butter chicken. And while you might have to make the trip to Suva to get Mue’s original and best Honey Butter Waffles TM, I have slightly adapted her Chai Latte and Choc Chip Muffins  and Ugly Green juice here.

So raise your Ugly-Green juice-filled glass to New Big Things. And watch out for the next one - the launch of Mue and Darran’s Writers Lodge guesthouse with Kava Bar and Weta Café later this Autumn.

You can follow them on @wetafiji. 

 Butter Chicken Pie

You can just make this butter chicken straight with pilau rice and all the trimmings, but turning it into a pie takes it to the next level. This pastry is super short and crispy, thanks to a mix of butter and lard. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients or the processes. It’s dead easy over a lazy Sunday and the flavours are so worth it. Serves 4.

 Ingredients:

For the butter chicken:

800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

One red chilli and some coriander leaves

1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into strips

For the marinade: 

120g Greek yoghurt

5 garlic cloves, grated or crushed

1 inch piece  of ginger, peeled and grated

1 tbsp sunflower oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

3 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp turmeric

For the sauce:

8-10 tomatoes

1 in piece of ginger, half grated and half chopped finely

4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed

4 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves, 1 bay leaf

2 tsp chilli powder

80g salted butter, diced

2 green chillies, split lengthwise but still joined at the stem

80ml single cream

A few dried fenugreek leaves

1tsp garam masala

1 tbsp. sugar

For the spiced butter:

1 Tbsp. ghee

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp. crushed chillies

For the pastry:

230g plain flour

1 tsp kosher salt

65g salted butter, and 50g lard, both chilled and cubed

4tsp. soured cream

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar( or use white wine vinegar as a substitute)

4 tsp. water

1 egg., beaten

3 tbsp. lime pickle (I like Pataks)

2 tbsp. sugar

How to make:

First marinate the chicken. Mix all marinade ingredients, stir in the chicken, cover and pop in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

 Heat the oven to 220C/ Gas 9. Spread the chicken pieces out in one layer on a large baking tray, leaving a margin on the side to say out the strips of red pepper, tossed in a tsp. olive oil. Cook for 15-20 mins, turning the pieces halfway through so that they cook evenly. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the sauce.

 Slice the tomatoes in half and put in a large saute pan with 125 ml water, grated ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf. Simmer, covered for about 25 mins until the tomatoes are mushy (the aroma from this simmer will already be driving you wild with desire). Remove the whole spices, add the chilli powder and simmer for a further 10 mins (Vivek likes to push the tomatoes through a sieve and just use the resultant puree, but I prefer my sauce to be a bit more rugged, a little less refined).

 Add the chicken pieces and the red pepper slices and all their juices and give it a good stir. Slowly stir in the butter, a couple of cubes at a time, and simmer for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the chopped ginger, chillies and cream and simmer for a minute or two longer. Stir in 1 tsp.kosher salt, crumble in the fenugreek leaves and the garam masala. Adjust the seasoning if necessary then add the sugar.

 In a separate small pan, warm up all the ingredients for the spiced butter until the seeds start to pop. At this stage you can serve the Butter Chicken with the spiced butter spooned over the top, but if progressing with the pie (which I urge you to do) , then set both the chicken and the spiced butter to one side.

Now make the pastry (you can also make this ahead and chill, just bring back to room temperature before rolling out). Combine the flour , salt and a generous grind of black pepper in a food processor. Add the butter and lard and blitz until it has the texture of fine breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, mix the soured cream, vinegar and water then add to the flour and butter mix and just blitz until the mixture starts to come together (don’t overwork it). Turn out onto a floured surface and bring together into a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film then chill for at least 30 mins.

Heat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Brush the rim of your pie dish with the beaten egg, then fill the dish with the butter chicken and drizzle the spiced butter all over the surface. Roll out the pastry in a circle big enough to cover the pie dish, then lay over the top of the dish, crimping the edges to seal and trim off any surplus pastry to neaten the edges. Cut a small cross in the middle to let the steam out during cooking and make some pastry leaves with any pastry offcuts.

Brush all over with the rest of the egg glaze then pop in the fridge for 10 minutes.During that 10 minutes, make the lime pickle glaze by mixing the pickle with 2 tbsp. boiling water and the sugar. Set aside.

Bake the pie for 40 mins then brush all over with the lime pickle glaze and bake for 15 mins more. Serve garnished with the chilli (dipped in a little oil to make it glisten) and a few coriander leaves.

 Mue’s Chai Latte Choc Chip Muffins (and some variations)

When I asked Mue for the recipe she had to quantify her instincts on ingredients, (and thanks for leaving out the eggs first time round missus) but the results were judged by those who ate them as ‘the best they have ever had’. I have slightly adjusted the recipe, using chai latte mix instead of masala chai and used my favourite buttermilk instead of sour cream. (makes 12 generous muffins)

Ingredients:

3.5 cups flour (about 350g) plain flour

3 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp chai latte powder

Pinch kosher salt

125g butter, melted

200g sugar

2 tbsp. Coconut oil, melted

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups buttermilk and maybe a tbsp of milk

2 eggs

1 50g packet of chocolate chips plus a few extra for serving

For the streusel topping: 

20g plain flour

10g sugar

10g butter

1 tsp. Chai latte powder

How to make

Heat the oven to 220C/ Gas 7-8. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin holders (I like the tulip-shaped ones in the photo). 

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, chai latte powder and salt. In separate bowl mix the melted, cooled butter and coconut oil with the beaten eggs, Buttermilk, splash of milk (1 tbsp) and the vanilla paste. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until a thick, gloopy consistency. Add a little more milk if the mix is too stiff. You want it not quite falling off your spoon. Then fold in the chocolate chips. 

In a third bowl, rub the butter into the flour until you have fine breadcrumbs then mix in the sugar and chai latte. 

Fill the muffin cups evenly (about 2 tbsp. Mix per cup), then top with the streusel and pop in the oven, turning the heat down immediately to 180C/ Gas 5. Bake for 30 mins until a skewer comes out clean from the centre, then remove from the oven and dot each muffin with a few more chocolate chips cool and serve. 

Variations

For Blueberry muffins, omit the chai latte powder and choc chips and stir in 3 oz fresh blueberries into the muffin mix. Bake as before. 

For Apple, Pecan and Golden Syrup muffins. Melt 2 tbsp golden syrup with the butter and coconut oil, then add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients as before. Fold in 1 grated apple and 50g coarsely chopped pecans into the muffin mix then bake as before. Dot each muffin with a few more chopped pecans when out of the oven and before they cool. 

Mue and Cherie’s Ugly Green Juice

This is the colour of verdigris but tastes delightful. Just shut your eyes and drink (or colour match with your nail polish, like here). 

Ingredients: 

½ cup frozen strawberries

2 tsp acai berry powder or lingonberry powder

2 tsp Splenda or Stevia sweetener

4 tsp. Spirulina

1-2 Cups nut milk (try to get a nice think consistency, so start with 1 cup and add more to taste

How to Make

Put all your ingredients into a blender, blitz till smooth and serve. 

It’s that simple.

[kriskebob-blog]

Day 2: In which the real challenge is, can she keep it to one post this time?

Hello again friends. I have buddies who have been writing partners with me over many years, some spanning back to freshman year of high school. Any of them can tell you that I tend to provide a LOT of background information and context when telling a story. If you’ve made it with me this far, you too are now beginning to understand my verbose tendencies. But I’m really going to try to keep Day 2 contained to a single and readable blog post. Let’s see if I can pull it off. 

To my pleasant surprise, I sprang out of bed at my 6am alarm with no problem in spite of going to bed a bit late. I was excited to get this burrito bake thrown together and ready for Sam. Since I had prepped all the components the previous night, it didn’t take much time at all to assemble the burritos. I did have to get out the bullet to crush up some pumpkin seeds, which Dr. G advised me would make for a pleasant crunchy topping. I winced as I hit the pulse button a few times, hoping I wasn’t waking Sam. 

Once more I was assembling wraps. Here’s how they looked before I folded them over: 

Please note I prepped them literally on my stovetop because I HAVE NO COUNTER SPACE. 

Anyhow. They were definitely super full but since they only needed to be gently folded over and then placed seam side down, I got them into the baking dish no problem. Topped them with a few scoops of salsa and the pumpkin seeds and into the oven they went. Once they were out, they also got topped with some avocado. 

Here’s a few pics of the finished product. Please forgive the fact that I know nothing about photography, especially food photography. Like, does the rule of thirds still apply? I’m thinking no...

I proudly told Sam breakfast was ready and we devoured these. And... I have to say... it needed salt! Does this Dr. Gregor guy really know what he’s talking about? I couldn’t help but wonder. Sure, he knows about medicine and nutrition and stuff, but food needs salt, and nutritional yeast is a pretty unconvincing substitute on the palate. Hmmm. I decided I might have to do some further digging on this guy and his philosophy. I’d bought his cookbook pretty impulsively, after all. Don’t get me wrong - there were a lot of tasty things going on in this recipe, but I definitely felt like it needed more seasoning. Even a bit of hot pepper flakes or something would probably have helped distract my mouth from the lack of sodium it’d become so accustomed to. 

Sam went on his way to work and I settled in to relax with some trashy TV for a few hours. I felt like I’d earned it after all my running around yesterday, dang it! (Parents everywhere roll their eyes... I know, I know.) I got hungry around 10:40 and ate a banana and felt like I deserved an award for my healthy choice. When lunchtime rolled around, I didn’t really feel like assembling another wrap and we had a lot of shredded lettuce left over, so I put the chickpea mixture on top of that and had a salad instead. I realize I never actually commented on how the curry chickpea wraps came out last night. They were delicious! The sweetness of the apples and raisins helped distract me from the lack of salt, hah. Honestly a really nice combination of textures and flavors, and easy to make. I’d make it again.. probably with more salt but anywho...

Lunch was over and this was around the time I’d normally indulge in some chocolatey granola. I could feel the craving for chocolate kicking in, hard. Alright. Time to put together these no-bake brownies. This was another recipe that was super simple so long as you had a food processor or some kind of chopper - you literally just pulsed chopped walnuts with a handful of pitted dates, then added in a bunch of cocoa powder, and boom. “Brownies.” Dr. G. advised I use parchment paper to press this rather crumbly mixture into a square baking dish, so that it wouldn’t stick to my fingers as I evened it out. Worked like a charm. I pressed some chopped pecans into the surface, covered the pan in foil, and put it in the fridge. Dr. G. said it would need an hour to set before eating. Sigh. That was a long time to wait when I wanted chocolate now. I settled for some strawberries instead for the time being and began looking at the recipes I’d be cooking that night for dinner.

And thank goodness I did, because there were several things I needed to start prepping early. I would be making zoodles with a cashew cream sauce, which meant I needed to put the raw cashews in water ASAP so they’d have enough time to soak before dinner. Took two seconds, but you can see that you need to really plan out your meals and read the recipes well in advance if you’re going to cook this way. I also would need 1.5 cups of homemade vegetable stock or  water. Okay, I definitely didn’t want water in place of that much stock. I flipped to the vegetable stock recipe. It looked very simple to throw together, but it would need an hour and a half to simmer. I looked at the clock. About 1:20. I could’ve started it then, but I really wanted to get to the library. 

See, I’d done a little research after lunch. I wanted more detail about Dr. G’s nutritional philosophy than this cookbook alone could offer me. Nikki had told me about the book he’d written and I had seen it on Amazon. But I didn’t really want to pay for it, and also I wanted it now. It wasn’t available at my local library, but luckily a quick search of their databases revealed that the next town over had it. 

I drove on over to Tolland Public Library, feeling like an interloper with my Vernon library card, but it didn’t matter. I walked out triumphant and more surprised than I should have been at how huge the book actually was. I got home and got to work on throwing the veggie stock together.

This is before I added parsley and some other seasonings, but you get the idea. Took probably ten minutes tops to throw together. I set it to simmer and settled into my armchair to start reading Dr. G’s book. 

I was hooked. A professional sharing their expert knowledge on the science behind living a longer and healthier life is like catnip to me. I was thoroughly bummed by this part, though: To see what effect an increase in meat consumption might have on disease rates, researchers studied lapsed vegetarians. People who once ate vegetarian diets but then started to eat meat at least once a week experienced a 146 percent increase in odds of heart disease, a 152 percent increase in stroke, a 166 percent increase in diabetes, and a 231 percent increase in odds for weight gain. During the twelve years after the transition from vegetarian to omnivore, meat-eating was associated with a 3.6 year decrease in life expectancy. 

Damn it, Dr. G. You’re telling me I can’t eat a burger even once a week without being way more likely to die a prolonged and terrible death one day?? I hemmed and hawed as I read on. Eventually my stock was ready to take off the burner and cool. The next step was to put it in the blender and liquefy it. It made so much I actually had to do this part in batches. Dr. G. also directs you to take out a small amount and mix in 2 tablespoons of miso, which helps add some sodium but in a healthier way, since soy is good for you or whatever. Awesome. My stock was done. I put that away and went back to reading for a little while. 

Alright, still with me? We’re almost there! Just gotta get through dinner. According to Dr. G’s meal plan, this dinner should contain two parts: a huge salad, and also the zoodles with the cashew cream sauce. I honestly wasn’t sure where to start and decided to make the cashew cream sauce first. It was pretty easy - mostly ingredients I already had on hand at this point, such as the stock, blended lemon, yeast, miso, etc. I just had to chop up half an avocado and toss it in and boom, I had my cashew-cream sauce. The next part of this dish was to spiralize the zucchini and steam it lightly. Once that was done, you would combine it with the cashew sauce and some chopped grape tomatoes in one big pot just long enough to heat it through. “Avocado-cashew alfredo” is what Dr. G called it. He also suggested you sprinkle it with “nutty parm” when it was done. Turns out nutty parm is a big heaping handful of nutritional yeast blended with a few handful of nuts. It does not taste nearly as good as actual parmesan cheese, but you knew that already, didn’t you? 

The salad was pretty simple too. Chop up a bunch of lettuce, mix in some baby spinach, some shredded carrot, more grape tomato, etc. The only part that took any extra work was making the dressing. I was really skeptical of the dressing because it had no oil in it. Just water. As a woman who married into an Italian-American family, the lack of love for EVOO in this book hurts my heart a little. But again, no half-measures! The dressing’s base consisted of water.... and then you add raw garlic, yeast, some almond butter, blended lemon, our old friend miso, fresh parsley, turmeric, the savory spice blend, and “salt free stone-ground mustard”. I don’t know what magical land Dr. Gregor lives in where he can purchase salt-free condiments - I stopped at the health food store on my way back from the library and even their condiments still have some salt. I just used the coarse-ground mustard I already had on hand. Finally, the salad also called for a healthy sprinkling of hemp hearts. 

Here are the finished products:

The verdict? Delicious!! Both dishes! I think it helped that I used normal-people mustard for the dressing, and I also added a healthy sprinkling of red pepper flakes to the zucchini dish while it was heating through. And honestly, apart from having to make the stock and be sure to remember to soak the raw cashews early in the day, this really didn’t take more work than a lot of other veggie-forward dishes I’ve made from omnivore recipe books. Less, even, because I didn’t have to worry about handling or cooking meat safely. 

I warned Sam about 5 times that there was dessert “but not like, a normal dessert. Don’t get too excited. It’s a healthy one.” We each took a tiny brownie square (Dr. G advised cutting the already small pan into 16 “brownies”... hilarious) and munched on it, eyeing one another as our respective brownies crumbled between our fingers. “Well?” I asked. “It tastes healthy,” he nodded. “Ha. Sorry,” I said. “No, it’s not bad. I do actually like it, but it’s kind of hard to eat without an egg to hold it all together,” he told me. I’d have to agree. 

And that’s a wrap on Day 2, guys! Since I didn’t have my lascivious FRIENDS luring me out of my healthy haven with their Cheetos and Harry Potter games (love you Tina :* ) I was able to grab some unsalted peanuts when I got my late night snack craving, and that was that. A day of fully whole-foods, plant-based eating, and it wasn’t that hard at all honestly. See you on the Day 3 post! 

 Gadget rec of the day: A spiralizer! You can get one for like 20 bucks on Amazon and turn vegetables into long ribbons that can almost trick you into thinking you’re eating a tasty bowl of pasta. 

Music rec of the day: “Entropy” by Grimes 

[friedriceandtea]

Indonesian Mochi From My Friend's Family Recipe

Do you know that in the many regions of East and Southeast Asia, people love to eat mochi-like dumplings? While mochi is commonly known as a Japanese delicacy, it actually originates from China, where it is called tang yuan (boiled rice flour dumplings with sweet black sesame filling). In Indonesia, mochi comes in the similar form of the popular mochi ice cream in United States: colorful and the skin is pre-cooked, not boiled like tang yuan. It's called moci, which has peanut and sugar filling. The texture contrast of ground peanuts and chewy skin leaves you wanting to chew more. Mochi and other mochi-like delicacies are eaten at different occasions, but they can be eaten any time of the day, year-round. In Japan, mochi is a traditional item eaten during the new year as a symbol of good luck. In China, tang yuan symbolizes reunion. In my country, moci is eaten as snack.

Most mochi is made with glutinous rice flour, however, variations among families exist. The variations are usually made to cater different preference of chewiness, by adding other types of starches (corn, rice, tapioca, warabiko, and many more).

I was on a weekly catch up session with a middle school friend of mine, Yasmine Hudiono, talking about what we ate that week and what we want to make the next week. Over the past three years, Yasmine and I grew to bond over our interest in cooking. She was telling me that her new job as a corn byproduct sales specialist introduced her to this knowledge that there is actually contrasting difference between many types of starch. That is when she said, "do you know that my family usually makes moci with tapioca instead of glutinous rice?" I asked her, "how is tapioca different from glutinous rice?"

The moci is made in the same manner like making it the usual way. However, by swapping the glutinous rice flour with tapioca, it results in major texture difference. If glutinous rice flour results in tender, a bit sticky, and chewy skin... Tapioca results in bouncy, stretchy, and non-sticky skin that retains itself more. If you think it is similar to boba pearls, it is not. I absolutely love the different experience of chewing the tapioca-based skin. As you bury your teeth into the skin, they don't instantly tear, but they kind of get squished as if they were about to burst. As I am trying to describe the texture, somehow I got reminded of this scene from The Incredibles when the dad got shot by multiple amount of boba-lookalike sticky balls.

The only challenge here is the difficulty in handling the dough. Since tapioca tends to retain itself more, it is little bit hard to stretch compared to glutinous rice flour. But I think the result is worth the effort!

Ingredients:

1 cup tapioca flour, for skin

1 cup water

1/8 teaspoon of neutral oil

1/2 cup peanuts or cashew nuts (I mixed both), roasted and unsalted

1/4 cup brown or white sugar (I used brown for the caramel flavor)

1/4 tapioca flour, for dusting

Instructions:

Dry roast nuts on hot pan until you can hear it sizzle. If using raw nuts, put in in 350 F oven, stirring occasionally until the natural oil is released

Pulse nuts and sugar in food processor until they become a bit like dry, crumbly paste. The natural oil of the nuts will make them come together in chunks

Dry roast 1/4 tapioca flour on lowest heat possible until the flour is very powdery, even more powdery compared to when they come from the package

Stir 1 cup tapioca flour, water and oil in a nonstick cold pan until a slurry is formed

Turn on heat on medium, stirring the mixture with a strong spatula. When they start to curdle, turn the heat to lowest setting and continue stirring until a dough form

Continue turning the dough around until it becomes translucent, looking like a chicken breast. Remove and to a plate dusted with the heated flour and dust with flour on top. Let cool to warm temperature

Divide the skin dough into small portions

Take a portion of dough and stretch with your fingers. Maintain the shape by sticking it to your fingers and scoop fillings. Close the dough with pleating motion, moving slowly to ensure that the dough will not rip

Dust the dough to prevent sticking

Tips:

The dough is sticky, but it is mostly sticky to itself

It is important to not panic when it sticks to your finger. Just lift your finger slowly and the dough should pull itself from your finger

If tapioca sounds too intimidating, feel free to swap 1/4 of the tapioca flour with rice flour. Rice flour, different from glutinous rice flour, does not have sticky and glutinous characteristics, similar to cornstarch

[ceallachtomas]

I am "instantly" a changed man...

It will come as no surprise to you that generally abhor any type of convenience foods. I do not use cake mixes. I am not one for tinned soups. I prefer to make things the long and complicated way. I prefer to make them as they were originally made. To me, it feels as though they were made with more love, care and passion. Thus, from scratch has to be better. What if I created somethng that is instant, from scratch? Then it is a complete oxymoron.

There are certain things that take me right back to my childhood. Custard is one of them. Custard was an accompaniment to many types of desserts. Custard topped puds and crumbles. It was the glue that held together a trifle. It was mixed with fresh fruit. There were so many applications to use custard powder. It's versatility was amazing. But, as I became aware of good food and even more so, of high quality food, I began to question the thing that was always a comfort. Why would someone not just make custard from scratch? It would have to be a much better product, would it not?

In 1837 Alfred Bird created custard powder not out of convenience, but out of necessity. Bird was a scientist and chemist. His wife happened to be allergic to eggs, yet she loved custard sauce. Bird created an eggless custard powder to satisfy his wife's fondness for the dessert accompaniment. 

I will admit, there is nothing like the taste of custard powder. I close my eyes and I am reverted back. I am in another place and time. This time of year, when strawberries and rhubarb are in abundnace at the grocer, it only seems appropriate that a spring crumble and custard sauce are served as afters. Seeing a good deal on rhubarb, I could not resist this past weekend.

My daughter is lactose intollerant. I try to do alternatives when I can. Custard powder is usually made with not only milk powder, but accompanied by milk in liquid form to make the custard sauce. Not only did I create the custard powder from scratch, but I made a dairy alternative version as well. The results were not only pleasing, but they flooded me with nostaglia. Here in the States, the grocer just started carrying a product called a2 Milk®. From their website, I offer the following description:

"Ordinary cows’ milk naturally contains a mix of both A1 and A2 proteins. a2 Milk® comes from cows that naturally produce only the A2 protein and no A1. Published research suggests that a2 Milk® may help some people avoid digestive discomfort.

At The a2 Milk Company, we’re on a mission to bring you delicious, nutritious and pure a2 Milk®. We take great care to bring you milk naturally free from the A1 protein from cow to cup. Our cows have not been treated with growth hormones, rBST or antibiotics. All of our family farms are independently certified by the Validus Group to ensure we meet strict animal welfare guidelines." - https://www.a2milk.com

Overall this was a great success! I was able to satisfy a culinary craving without feeling as though I had sold out to a second rate convenience short cut. The quality of this homemade instant custard powder is just as good, if not beter than the shoppe bought version. I was, much like Alfred Bird himself able to create something, for my daughter to enjoy without having her feel as though it was a lesser substitute. Maybe in the end, instant is not so bad, especially if it is instant from scratch.

29/05/2018

Author: Ceallach Tómas Ó SéPrint Recipe

Custard Powder from Scratch

ingredients:

125 g. Icing Sugar

50 g. Dried Milk Powder (Dired Coconut Milk can be used)

50 g. Cornflour

2 Vanilla Beans

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Yellow Food Dye

instructions

Put Icing Sugar, Cornflour, Dried Milk, and Salt in bowl of food processor.

Split Vanilla Beans in half and add to dried mix in food processor.

Turn on processor to blend dried mix with vanilla bean seeds.

Slowly drizze in yellow food dye while processor is running.

Remove mixture into a glass jar and store with lid on until ready to use.

To make a batch of custard sauce:

For each 100ml of custard – a good sized portion on a pudding ….. place 1.5  Tablespoons of powder in the bottom of a microwaveable bowl or jug.

Add a little milk and mix until smooth  – see the little flecks of vanilla?  They look very visible in a tablespoon of milk but not quite so much in a jug full.

Add the rest of your milk (100ml for each 1.5 Tablespoons) and microwave for one to one and a half minutes until thickened.

If Milk is too cold it may take an extra 45 seconds to 1 minute to thicken.

Keep stirring in between heating intervals.

NOTES:

You can use a product such as a2® milk, or a nondairy type milk such as coconut, almond, rice etc in place of regular milk to make the custard sauce. The non dairy milk in addition to the coconut milk powder in the base recipe would make for a great vegan version of this recipe.

Created using The Recipes Generator

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[sfarticles]

Hot diggity dog! Explore some tasty takes on one of America’s iconic foods

As seen in the New Haven Register 7/22/20:

https://bit.ly/3fXQLvX

Whether you call it a frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, coney, red hot or hot dog, it’s National Hot Dog Month and time to celebrate one of America’s most iconic foods. Hot dogs are part of American culture and summer backyard celebrations.

I remember lunchtime when I was in elementary school, and we waited in line by the old station wagon with the wood-grain side panels where the street vendor served up boiled hot dogs topped with hot sauerkraut with spicy, brown mustard from the back hatch of the vehicle. This was the way wieners were served, at least in the New York City area.

Living not too far from the original Nathan’s on Coney Island, my parents would take me there to enjoy the famous dogs and french fries. Don’t we all have “hot-dog memories” and favorite brands and toppings? Each region of he country has its  favorites, too. It seems that Hummel, founded in 1933 in New Haven, is the favored brand in this region of Connecticut.

No matter where you travel in the country, there is a local hot dog stand, pushcart, diner, deli or restaurant offering its version of the American classic, often with “secret” condiments topping off the dog.

Traveling this summer might not be on your agenda, so get yourself a copy of “The Great American Hot Dog Book: Recipes and Side Dishes from Across America” by Becky Mercuri (2007, Gibbs-Smith Publishing, $14.99) and you will be able to “visit” some well-known hot dog places from  your own kitchen.

From the Coney Island Dog of New York to the Remoulade Dog in New Orleans to the tortilla-wrapped Bacon Burrito Dog  at Pink’s in Los Angeles to the New York System Hot Wiener Sauce served at the famous Original New York System in Providence, R.I., the book takes you on a tour to reveal the inside story of how the hot dog has evolved and become even more firmly entrenched in America’s culinary traditions.

You’ll notice how the humble hot dog has stepped up a notch or two, dressed up in creative toppings. Mercuri begins with a bit of hot dog history and introduces entrepreneurs who’ve contributed to hot dog culture. The following chapters are devoted to various regions of the country. She then breaks down the chapter by state, including well-known establishments, back stories and recipes for  the dogs, toppings and  signature side dishes.

Recipes such as Hot Dog Parmesan and Philadelphia Surf and Turf (a grilled fish cake, mashed, that tops  off a hot dog, with yellow mustard and chopped onions), I must admit, made me want to stick to the dogs I prefer, like those served from that old station wagon.

Celebrate the all-American food that has been served by presidents, enjoyed by astronauts on the moon and relished in backyards throughout the country. Here are a few recipes from the book for you to enjoy on your “tour.”

                     Deep-Fried Dogs with Mustard and Pear-Pepper Relish                                                                

The headnote says, “This mild, delicious relish is a cousin to that served at Blackie’s. If more heat is desired, increase the amount of jalapeno peppers. The recipe is adapted from a formula for pear relish by the late Chef Chet Beckwith of Baton Rouge, La., and as Chet would say,  ‘It will set your toes tapping.’”

Founded in 1928, Blackie’s, located in Cheshire, is a well-known establishment in Connecticut. They even make their own mustard. The author writes, “their spicy hot relish is a closely guarded secret, and fans are left speculating as to the formula for what appears to be a mixture of chopped green peppers, vinegar, and spices — including, perhaps a bit of cinnamon.”

4 firm Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and coarsely ground in a food processor

2 large onions, chopped

2 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1 jalapeno pepper (or more, to taste), seeded, deveined and diced

Boiling water

11/2 cups sugar

21/4 teaspoons mustard seed

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon salt

11/2 cups white vinegar

Prepare and place, in 3 separate bowls, the pears, onions and all the peppers. Place pears in a colander and pour boiling water over them, drain well and place in a heavy medium pot. Repeat with the onions and then the peppers, adding both to the pot with the pears. Mix the pears and peppers together. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, spices and salt, and add the pear mixture. Add the vinegar and mix well. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Pour the hot relish into hot, sterilized jars and cover, following the manufacturer’s directions for preparation and safety. Place the jars of relish in a boiling hot water bath for 20 minutes. Remove from water and set the jars on kitchen towels to seal, this will be indicated by a popping noise. Makes about 4 12-ounce jars.

Assembly

Canola oil for deep-frying

Hot dogs, all-beef or a pork and beef mixture

Hot dog buns, toasted

Spicy brown mustard

Pear-pepper relish

In a heavy, deep pot, heat the canola oil over high heat to 350 degrees. Deep-fry the hot dogs, a few at a time to the desired degree of doneness. Place the hot dogs on buns and top with mustard and pear-pepper relish. Serve immediately. Source: Hummel Brothers.

                                     Bacon-Kraut Dogs                                                                

Rawley’s Drive-In located in Fairfield is another Connecticut favorite. The author writes, “Rawley’s is a busy place, often frequented by Meg Ryan or David Letterman. ... The bacon topping is so popular that Rawley’s fries up twenty pounds of it every day, and some folks order ‘heavy bacon,’ or double the amount.”

Canola oil for deep-frying

Beef and pork franks

Hot dog buns

Butter

Mustard

Sauerkraut, plain or heated (recipe below)

Chopped onion

1 slice of bacon per hot dog (or more, to taste), cooked crisp, drained and crumbled

In a heavy, deep pot, heat the canola oil to 350 degrees. Deep-fry the hot dogs, a few at a time, until they are just beginning to blister. Meanwhile, heat a griddle. As the hot dogs are removed from the oil, transfer them to the griddle and cook until crispy and blistered. Open hot dog buns and lightly butter the inside; place on griddle to toast. Place the hot dogs in buns and top with mustard, sauerkraut, onions and bacon. Serve immediately.     

                                                          Sauerkraut                                                The headnote says, “Some folks are partial to plain sauerkraut on their hot dogs, but this version, mild and favorable is truly a delicious topping.

”1 (2-pound) package refrigerated sauerkraut

1/2 cup butter

2 medium onions, chopped

1 (14-ounce) can beef broth

1 cup white wine, such as Chablis, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a colander, rinse the sauerkraut under running water and drain well. In a deep, medium frying pan, melt butter over low heat. Add onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add sauerkraut and mix well. Stir in beef broth and, over medium-high heat, bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the wine. Pour sauerkraut mixture into a 13-inch by-9-inch non-reactive baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove sauerkraut from oven, stir in remaining wine, reseal with foil and return to oven for 1 hour longer, or until sauerkraut is golden and most of the liquid is evaporated. Makes about 4 cups.

                                       North Dakota State Fair Corn Dogs                                                                

Canola oil for deep frying

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, melted

6 hot dogs

Plain yellow or spicy brown mustard

In a deep pot, heat oil to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and dry mustard. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and shortening and add it to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Place the mixture in a deep pie pan. Dry hot dogs with paper towels. Dip hot dogs into batter to evenly coat and carefully place into hot oil, cooking two at a time. Deep-fry two to three minutes, or until golden brown, turning them carefully with tongs to brown all sides. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the mustard. Serves 6.

Note: Wooden sticks may be inserted into the hot dogs before they are battered and deep-fried.

                                       Culinary calendar                                                                

“Summer Saturdays”July 25 noon-4 p.m., participating New Haven restaurants will offer two-course prix-fixe lunch menus for $20 (excluding beverage, tax, and gratuity). Reservations are required. Other restaurants and cafes, including coffee shops and bakeries, offer 20 percent  off an item. Local musicians will perform live at select spots throughout the city. Special parking rates are available. Participating restaurants and other retail shops at www.infonewhaven.com/new-haven-summer-saturdays.

.          What chef would you like me to interview? Which restaurant recipes or other recipes would you like to have? Which food products do you have difficulty finding? Do you have cooking questions? Send them to me: Stephen Fries, professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, at gw-stephen.fries@gwcc.commnet.edu or Dept. FC, Gateway Community College, 20 Church St., New Haven 06510. Include your full name, address and phone number. Due to volume, I might not be able to publish every request. For more, go to stephenfries.com.

[tglifestyle]

I was first introduced to falafel, hummus, and tahini in my college days in Minneapolis back in the 90’s.  The flavors were unlike anything I had ever tried before, and I fell in love with the new tastes and smells.  It seemed so “exotic” at the time, which is funny to me now that I’ve tried so many different cuisines and developed a true love for good food around the world.

Homemade flatbread, falafel, hummus with grilled chicken & rice

For many years, I had a lovely neighbor who made the most wonderful Lebanese food – she would bring me fresh hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and baklava whenever she made some for her family.  And when she entertained, she always put out the most delicious spread.  I haven’t yet tried to make the grape leaves (which are my favorite) but I did make a batch of hummus this week, as well as homemade falafel, a tasty lemon tahini sauce, and some homemade flat bread.

Falafel with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Za’atar seasoning

I have made falafel from a mix before, but this was my first time making it 100% from scratch starting with dried chickpeas and I’m pleased overall with how they turned out.  The tahini sauce I made to drizzle on them is so good!  I think that may be something I just keep in the fridge to use as a dressing.  The flat bread recipe was easy, but it was time consuming to fry them all up.  I think next time I’ll use an electric griddle so I can do more than 1 or 2 at a time.

I have included links to the original recipes, as well as copied them below.  I made a half batch of the hummus, which is more than enough, and cooked the chickpeas in my slow cooker on high for 4 hours using Alton Brown’s recipe.  I don’t like a ton of garlic in my hummus, so if that’s your thing you may want to add more.

Falafel

Falafel

Original recipe is posted on the Downshiftology blog, and copied below.  The only changes I made to the original recipe were to substitute an gluten-free flour blend for the chickpea flour and I used canola oil for pan frying:

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (don’t use canned chickpeas)

1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped

1 cup parsley, roughly chopped (about a one large bunch)

1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped (about a one large bunch)

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp gluten-free flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

canola oil for frying

The night before, soak the dried chickpeas in water in a large mixing bowl for 8-12 hours. Make sure the water covers the chickpeas by 2-3 inches, as they’ll triple in size.

When you are ready to make the falafel, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to your food processor.  Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom and black pepper to the food processor and pulse several times until it resembles the texture of coarse sand.

Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and add the flour and baking soda. Stir together, then cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to one hour.

Use your hands, an ice cream scoop or falafel scoop to form the falafel into balls or patties (I made small, rounded patties).  If you find the mixture is too wet, you can add another tablespoon of chickpea flour. If it’s too dry and crumbly, you can add a teaspoon or two of water or lemon juice.

Once the falafel are formed, you can cook them by your preferred method:  either deep fry, pan fry, or bake:

Pan Frying (patties): *This is the method I used:  Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large skillet and fry the patties for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Deep Frying (balls):  Add about 3 inches of oil to a pot on medium heat. Heat the oil to 350F.  Cook the falafel in batches (about 6-8 at a time) for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Use a skimmer to check the color of the falafel and make sure they don’t over cook. Then remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.

Baking:  Heat your oven to 425 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.  Spritz the parchment with oil and place the patties in the pan, then spritz the tops of the patties with additional oil.  Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake another 15 minutes.

Serve the falafel immediately, while warm and crispy on the outside with Lemon Tahini Dressing.  They are delicious alone, on a salad, or on flatbread!  I sprinkled some Za’atar seasoning on mine.

Falafel with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Za’atar seasoning

Lemon Tahini Dressing

Original recipe is from Cookie and Kate’s blog post for Best Tahini Sauce Recipe.  I have copied it below with the only modification being a little less garlic.  This is soooo yummy!

3-4 small to medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup tahini

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pinch of ground cumin

6 tablespoons ice water, more as needed

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic and lemon juice. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, to give the garlic time to infuse the lemon juice with flavor.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another medium bowl. Press the garlic solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the garlic.

Add the tahini, salt and cumin to the bowl. Whisk until the mixture is thoroughly blended.

Add water 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. (It may seize up, don’t worry.) After about 6 tablespoons, you will have a perfectly creamy and smooth, light-colored tahini sauce.

Hummus – delicious on pita, chips, or cucumbers

Hummus

This is Alton Brown’s recipe, available in the Food Network app or on their website.  I made a half batch (which is what is shown below; the full batch version is available at the link above) because I used some of my chickpeas to make falafel so I didn’t have enough, but I’m glad because a half batch is plenty!

3 1/2  cups water

8 ounces dry chickpeas, sorted and rinsed

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons water

1/4 cup tahini, stirred well

3 tablespoons cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

Powdered sumac, optional

Place the water, chickpeas, and baking soda in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or on low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or until tender.  Drain and allow to cool at room temperature.

Place the chickpeas, garlic, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 to 20 seconds. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process for another 15 to 20 seconds. Add the lemon juice and water. Process for 20 seconds. Add the tahini. Process for 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

To serve, transfer the hummus to a bowl and drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sumac, to taste, if desired.

Ready to roll out the dough

Mediterranean Flat Bread

I found this super easy flat bread recipe on the All Our Way blog.  I made no modifications to the recipe, however I did *accidentally* let the dough balls rest a little too long, because I got stuck on a conference call for work.  So, then ended up rising a little bit, but they still rolled out easily and puffed up a little bit when I fried them.

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees, warm but not hot to the touch)

1/2 cup warm milk (about 100 degrees, warm but not hot to the touch)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

6 cups flour — keep 1/2 cup out and use as necessary

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook mix the yeast, sugar, water, milk and 2 cups of the flour until well combined.

Add another cup of flour, the salt, and the oil. Continue to mix. When that’s mixed in gradually add the rest of the flour reserving the last 1/2 cup.

Continue mixing until a soft dough forms and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be soft to the touch. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it is soft and smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Divide the dough in half, then from each half measure out 8 pieces. They will be about 3 oz. each. Form each piece into a tight ball. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough pieces rest for about 10 minutes — this helps the dough relax so that it’s easier to roll out.

Work with one piece at a time on a floured surface. With a rolling pin roll the dough from the center out. Turning the disc as you work. Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick into a 6-inch circle, cover with a small piece of plastic wrap, and repeat until you have 16 pieces of round flat dough.

Heat a lightly oiled skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, cook the flatbread for 2-3 minutes on the first side until it bubbles and puffs. Flip it over with tongs or spatula and cook on the second side until it is golden and spotty brown. Make sure the skillet is hot! If the bread cooks too long it won’t bend and can turn out dry. The right amount of heat is 2-3 minutes per side.  If you have a large electric griddle or flat top, you can cook more than one at a time and this will go much faster!  Transfer to large platter or cookie sheet and cover with a towel until ready to serve

The flatbread can be frozen with excellent results: Let the bread cool and wrap each flatbread with plastic wrap. Gently reheat in aluminum foil in a low oven. Our kids didn’t wait for the reheating process – they were too anxious to get to the bread.

Hot, fresh flatbread:  delicious!

Middle Eastern Fare I was first introduced to falafel, hummus, and tahini in my college days in Minneapolis back in the 90's.  

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Read More how to store and freeze herbs

The following post how to store and freeze herbs is republished from Clean Food Dirty City by Lily @ Clean Food Dirty City

  I love the flavor, color and utility that every herb can bring to a dish – herbs instantly change and elevate any recipe and they are a great way to rehabilitate refrigerator leftovers. I add them to almost every dish. Even so, I am ashamed to say how many times I have thrown away a half used bundle of parsley or cilantro because I simply  forgot to use it in time. Over the past few months, I’ve been making an effort to store and prep my fresh herbs within a few days to a week of getting them from the market (depending on the herb). Now is the perfect time to learn how to freeze herbs and start prepping and storing our herbs to make every leaf count. 

  Here are a few of my favorite ways to store herbs: 

  Store in Water (or Oil) 

First and most simply, you can freeze herbs in water. This tip came to me from my friend Negarin’s mother, who lived in Iran during many times of not being able to go to the grocery store. She has many other tips on prepping and storing veggies (but we will save those for another post!)

  Start by removing the thick stems from the herbs. Finely chop your herbs and put them in individual ice cube trays, leaving a enough room to cover with water. If you don’t have ice cube trays, you can use ziploc bags. Put a serving of herbs in each small ziploc. Cover with water by about an inch and freeze – make sure herbs are covered and excess air is out if using a ziploc. If using ice cube trays, once frozen you can pop them out and store in a ziploc bag. I like these silicon ones that have covers. 

  You can do the above method with oil, but I prefer the oil method below. With this method, you can add the herbs anytime to soups, sauces, dressings, marinades seamlessly, although I would not recommend it for salads or garnishes. 

  This method is best for herbs like: parsley, cilantro, mint. 

  Make an Herb Puree 

Similar to the method above, you will start by removing the thick stems from the herbs, and taking the leaves off. Admittedly, this can get a bit tedious which is why I like to put on my favorite podcast, call a friend, or soak in a few moments of meditative silence. You will want to gather about 2 cups of herbs. You can scale the ratio of olive oil to the amount of herbs you have (more olive oil for more herbs, less for less herbs). 

  Add the 2ish cups herbs to a food processor or blender like a Vitamix, and puree with about ¼ cup olive oil. You will likely need to scrape down the sides a few times before you reach a puree consistency. You can add a little more olive oil or water to reach this puree as needed. From here, follow the method above by adding to ice cube trays or ziplocs. 

  Herbs are then readily available to add to soups and sauces or stir into grains and pastas.

  This method is best for herbs like: parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano. 

  Make a Delicious Sauce 

You likely know this method already, but it’s worth noting again. The more time upfront you spend prepping these sauces, the easier your meals for the week – or month will be. Here are a few of my favorites.

  Pantry Pesto (specifically my Super Seed Pesto) 

  Chimichurri (my favorite is from my friend Jodi’s cookbook) but you can also find a million recipes online, and adapt for what herbs you have

  Mint-Cilantro Chutney (I haven’t made this yet but this one looks good) 

  Or even an Herb Compound Butter (to stir into eggs, slather on bread, and more) 

  I also love this Herbed Tahini, I don’t usually freeze it but it never lasts longer than a week for me

    Most of these sauces will last about a week in the fridge, or a few months in the freezer. 

  Drying Herbs 

Last but not least, the final method you can deploy is drying your herbs. Of course, you can buy dried herbs at the store, and this is what I typically do but this is a good method to turn to if you have an excess of an herb that you are not going to use quickly (and honestly more delicious than your typical dried herbs). 

  Take about an inch bundle of herbs – tie with a string or rubber band and hang upside down. They will probably dry out in about a week. You can test and see if the leaves fall off and crumble easily. Use as you would any dried herb. 

  This works well with herbs like: thyme, oregano, and sage.

  I hope this was helpful and will support you adding some flavor and green to your meals when your pantry gets down to grains and beans. I know that the more I get in the habit of adopting these methods the more delicious and easy it has become to elevate my meals in just a moment (while of course using every last herb)! Let me know if you have any other questions on how to store herbs and I will update the post

    The post how to store and freeze herbs appeared first on Clean Food Dirty City.

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Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites

Bite-sized Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites perfect for babies, toddlers and kids that are healthy, packed with protein and easily made with only 5 simple ingredients!

Ever since my daughter started eating solid foods, it has been such a fun adventure watching her learn all the new tastes, textures and varieties of fruits and veggies I have introduced to her.  I will admit, I was totally that momma that struggled with baby led weaning as I was SO afraid of her choking, so I tried to get creative with the food I would make her.  These cheesy broccoli quinoa bites are PERFECT for her because not only does she gobble them right up, but they’re the perfect size for her tiny hands and the quinoa crumbles really easily in her mouth so I’m not afraid of her choking.

These bite-sized savory treats are super easy to make too and only require 5 simple ingredients!  Packed full of protein and veggies, you can feel good about sharing these with your kids and I bet they’ll have a blast making them with you!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

Cooked quinoa – I love making a big batch of this in my Instant Pot to have on hand throughout the week and I highly suggest using chicken or vegetable broth to cook the quinoa in rather than water to give these more flavor!

Eggs – These are important to bind everything together.  I like that these bites crumble easily for my infant, but feel free to add an additional egg if you’d like them held together more.

Broccoli – I prefer to use fresh broccoli for this that I chop finely in a food processor, but you could also use frozen broccoli rice!

Carrot – I wanted to sneak in another veggie along with the broccoli and because grated carrot looks just like cheddar cheese, your kiddos will never know!

Cheese – I used shredded cheddar cheese in these, but feel free to use whatever cheese you’d like.

I do want to note that I did not add any salt, pepper or seasonings to this recipe as these veggie bites were created for little tummies, but if you’re making them for older kids (or even adults!), feel free to add whatever you’d like

  You could also make larger muffins for those bigger appetites!

I also want to note that these cheesy broccoli quinoa bites freeze really well too!  This recipe makes a TON (about 30 of them) and there’s no way my 9 month old could go through all these in a week so freezing them makes it really convenient to have meals prepped for her.  Simply place them in a sealed container or ziplock bag and they can be kept in your freezer for up to 3 months!

For your older kids, these quinoa bites fit perfectly in a lunch box and make great after school snacks!

Feel free to use other veggies too like cauliflower, bell pepper or zucchini and you can even throw in fresh herbs, garlic and other seasonings as I stated before.  These are really so simple to throw together and they definitely make feeding my little one a whole lot more fun!

Hope your little ones enjoy these Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites as much as mine did and please let me know if you’d like to see more kid-friendly recipes shared on the blog!  If you do decide to make these or any other Eat Yourself Skinny recipe, please make sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see all the yummy things you’re eating!

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites

  Print

Serves: 10 Servings

Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup grated carrot

1½ cups chopped broccoli

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together broccoli and grated carrot until finely chopped.

Mix together chopped veggies, cooked quinoa, eggs and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Divide quinoa mixture evenly into two mini muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray, pressing down each one so that the bites hold together.

Bake quinoa bites for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 3 quinoa bites • Calories: 110 • Fat: 5.5 g • Saturated Fat: 2.7 g • Carbs: 9.2 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Protein: 6.1 g • Sugar: 0.5 g

3.5.3218

The post Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites appeared first on Eat Yourself Skinny.

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Baked Swedish Meatballs - Kalyn's Kitchen

posted by Kalyn Denny on January 24, 2020 I really like these Low-Carb and Keto Baked Swedish Meatballs, particularly the best way they’re they’re baked as an alternative of fried for simpler preparation. Use Appetizers to seek out extra low-carb recipes like this one. Click right here to PIN Low-Carb Baked Swedish Meatballs!

I really like these Low-Carb and Keto Baked Swedish Meatballs, and if you happen to’re in search of Appetizers Recipes for the Super Bowl, these little meatballs are an awesome alternative for soccer followers who're watching their carbs and this appeared like an ideal recipe to function for Friday Favorites this week!  The recipe was impressed by Oven-Baked Swedish Meatballs from a Swedish meals weblog known as Anne’s Food, but when your expertise to Swedish Meatballs is restricted to Ikea Swedish Meatballs, it may be solely the seasonings used on this recipe which might be acquainted. I liked so many issues about Anne’s recipe: the finely chopped onion, that she didn’t use breadcrumbs or serve the meatballs with a creamy gravy, and the best way they have been baked as an alternative of fried. The largest change I made was make the meatballs with a mix of turkey breakfast sausage and floor beef. You may actually use pork sausage too if that’s what you favor! I examined the recipe with my niece Kara, and we each thought they have been scrumptious.  And after all not utilizing breadcrumbs to carry the meatballs collectively makes them gluten-free, FTW! I haven’t tried making them forward and maintaining heat in a sluggish cooker, however I’m fairly certain it will work! If anybody makes these for the Super Bowl and retains them heat that means, come again and tell us how that turned out! And take a look at my spherical-up of The BEST Low-Carb Meatballs Recipes for much more concepts for meatballs for sport-day noshing.

How to Make Baked Swedish Meatballs:

(Scroll down for full printable recipe together with dietary info.) I used half floor beef and half floor turkey sausage, however use pork sausage if you happen to want.  Crumble meat right into a bowl and let it come to room temperature. Be certain the onion may be very finely minced so it may be properly-distributed via the meat. I used my beloved Cuisinart Food Processor (affiliate hyperlink) to cut the onion, which labored properly. Add the onions and spices to the bowl, and gently combine with clear arms.; I’m a fan of baking meatballs and meatloaf on a rack so the fats drips down. We used two completely different baking racks that we rigged up from what I had in my kitchen, however the meatballs on the wire rack undoubtedly cooked extra shortly and browned higher on all sides, so use that kind if you happen to can. Cooking on a rack like that is in all probability not 100% needed, however there will probably be some liquid that oozes out and baking on a rack lets that drip down away from the meatballs. Spray the rack with olive oil. Use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon to scoop out meatballs and kind them together with your arms. We made about 40 small meatballs, about 10 servings for an appetizer. Bake meatballs 20 minutes or barely longer; till they’re barely browned and cooked via. (We turned those on the rack with smaller holes half means via, however the ones on the wire rack didn’t should be turned.)

Make it a Meal:

For a low-carb meal you could possibly make the meatballs just a little greater and serve with one thing like Many Peppers Greek Salad or Arugula and Gorgonzola Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

More Tasty Meatballs You Might Like:

The BEST Low-Carb Meatballs Recipes ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen Dagmar’s Spicy Meatballs ~ Nami-Nami Low-Carb Baked Greek Meatballs with Feta ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen Greektown Turkey Meatballs ~ The Perfect Pantry Beef and Sausage Meatballs with Tomato Sauce ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a brand new class known as Weekend Food Prep  that will help you discover recipes you possibly can prep or cook dinner on the weekend and eat in the course of the week! Ingredients 1 lb. floor beef 1 lb floor turkey breakfast sausage (see notes) 1 small onion, diced very small 1 T garlic puree (additionally known as floor garlic) half of tsp. Veg-Sal (see notes) 1/four tsp. white pepper half of tsp. floor ginger half of tsp. floor cardamom half of tsp. floor allspice 1/four tsp. floor cinnamon Instructions Preheat oven to 400F/200C.  Put meat in mixing bowl and permit to come back to room temperature whilst you finely chop onion. I used my beloved Cuisinart Food Processor (affiliate hyperlink) to cut the onion, which labored properly. When the meat is room temperature, combine in onions, garlic, Veg-Sal, pepper, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and cinnamon. Mix together with your clear arms simply till spices and meats are properly mixed; don’t over-combine the components. Mist pan or grilling rack with olive oil or non-stick spray.  (Baking on a wire rack with a baking sheet beneath it'll make the meatballs cook dinner extra evenly and it additionally lets any liquid that oozes out drip down away from the meatballs.) Use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon to measure out meat, forming small meatballs by rolling together with your arms and putting them on the rack as you go. We made about 40 small meatballs, however they could be a bit bigger if you happen to want, simply alter the cooking time. Bake till meatballs are barely browned and cooked via,  about 20 minutes for small meatballs.  Serve sizzling. Notes Use floor pork or pork sausage if you happen to want. If you do not have Vege-Sal (affiliate hyperlink) use a barely smaller quantity of standard salt. Nutritional info based mostly on appetizer-measurement serving of 4 meatballs. This recipe was initially from Anne’s Food, and barely tailored by Kalyn. Nutrition Information: Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235 Total Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 5g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 113mg Sodium: 332mg Carbohydrates: 2g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 0g Protein: 19g Nutrition info is routinely calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I'm utilizing. I'm not a nutritionist and can't assure 100% accuracy, since many variables have an effect on these calculations.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions: With low-fats floor beef and low-fats floor turkey sausage or floor turkey, these Low-Carb Baked Swedish Meatballs are a great dish for all phases of the South Beach Diet, and likewise good for any kind of low-carb weight loss program, though you’d wish to use pork sausage if you happen to’re making them for Keto. The meatballs are even Paleo Whole 30 if you happen to use authorized meats! Find More Recipes Like This One: Use the Recipes by Diet Type photograph index pages to seek out extra recipes appropriate for a particular consuming plan. You may additionally wish to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the great recipes I’m sharing there.

posted by Kalyn Denny on January 24, 2020 Don’t Miss a Recipe! subscribe to obtain new recipes through e mail: We are a participant within the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate promoting program designed to supply a way for us to earn charges by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Source link Read the full article

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Black Sesame Cake with Matcha Mascarpone

This deep dark gluten-free chocolate black sesame cake is so moist that it’s almost gooey in texture – just on the very edge of lava cake – while still cake-like and tender. Nutty whipped matcha mascarpone cuts the inky black richness of the cake while pairing with the smoky notes of the ground black sesame seeds. A chocolate cake made for grown-ups adapted from A Common Table: 80 Recipes & Stories from My Shared Cultures.

Since she started helping me in the kitchen more regularly, I’ve been joking that the first time Zoella bakes at a friend’s house, she’s going to wonder why they only measure one flour. Baking with at least three different gluten-free flours is the norm for her, though I’m not sure she knows why yet. She does, however, know that I can’t eat gluten, whatever that means to her.

In the car yesterday, Zoella (3) said completely out of the blue, “you need to try gluten-free, mama.” She repeated slowly, “glue-TEN free.”

Impressed by her vocabulary and that she remembered that fact, I agreed, “Yes, you’re right. I can’t eat gluten.”

“NO, Mama, you have to try gluten-free before you say you don’t like it.” Ha! Look at her throwing my philosophy on new foods (ahem vegetables) back in my face. 

I have tried it. For years, and for years I had chronic migraines. So, I can’t eat it. Like it? Sure, it’s delicious! Like, you’ve eaten cake before, right? I’ve never met a cake didn’t like (except for that one time my mom put shredded sweetened coconut “grass” all over my 5th birthday cake – I’m not going to let her forget).

When I saw this chocolate black sesame loaf cake in my friend Cynthia’s new book, I needed a slice. And I immediately got to work making a gluten-free version so I wouldn’t miss out. 

A Common Table Cookbook

I’ve been a long fan of Cynthia’s work through her blog Two Red Bowls. The way she cooks, and weaves her stories and beautiful photographs through her cooking, moves me to want to make every single recipe she produces. Somehow, in my eyes, she does it all – a grown up lawyer, mother of two kids under 3(!!), award-winning food blogger, and now cookbook author. Goals. 

When her cookbook A Common Table arrived on my doorstep, I leafed through it at least a dozen times, bookmarking all the recipes I couldn’t wait to try. In her debut cookbook, Cynthia chronicles the varied cultures that have influenced her family – her, Chinese girl from South Carolina, and her husband, a Korean Irish boy who grew up in Hawaii. All of that family history tied together with the foods from places they’ve lived and traveled in getting to where they are now. The result is a collection of recipes that bridge these cultural distances in a mash-up of American and Asian flavors. 

A few recipe that I’ve got my eye on next:

Black Sesame-Stuffed French Toast

Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes

Sesame-Miso Potato Salad

Sweet Sesame Skillet Cornbread

Asian Pear & Jasmine Crumble

Honeydew Bubble Tea

While the book has many naturally gluten-free friendly recipes (like a peanut butter mochi cake!!), I couldn’t stop thinking about this black sesame chocolate loaf cake. I’ve taken her recipe and adapted it with gluten-free flours, a bit of salt to draw out the flavors of the gluten-free flours, and a matcha whipped mascarpone on top. This is my new favorite grown up chocolate cake. 

How to make black sesame powder

This black sesame cake uses ground up toasted black sesame powder to infuse the chocolate notes with smoky nutty black sesame flavor. To make black sesame powder, you first need toasted black sesame seeds. Either buy them pre-toasted like me, or toast them yourself on the stove top. Then grind the toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor until it becomes a fine powder. If you don’t have a food processor, a coffee grinder will work too! 

Black Sesame Chocolate Loaf Cake

Combining black sesame powder with melted bittersweet chocolate and molasses-laden brown sugar makes a cake that’s all at once rich in deep chocolate notes with an underlying nutty smokiness that makes you wonder what it is. Black sesame and dark chocolate both offer a pleasant bitterness that make them a surprisingly natural duo. In the version made with 1/2 cup of black sesame seeds, the cake it undeniably rich in chocolate flavor with a hint of black sesame’s savory super-nuttiness. 

When you pour this cake batter into the pan, it’s liquid and runny. Almost like coffee. You’ll think you’ve done something wrong and wonder how it can possibly bake into a cake. Almost like magic, it does.

This chocolate black sesame cake is ultra-moist and, as Cynthia calls it, “squidgy” – on the verge gooey – with a dense jet black center. Yet still,  it has cake-like structure and tender crumb. Almost like a brownie and a cake mash-up. Pillows of soft matcha whipped mascarpone offer a soft contrast to the chewy cake. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

I have a classic chocolate cake recipe here on my blog – posted both as a layer cake and as cupcakes. It’s my go-to back pocket recipe that I make again and again and again. 

This black sesame infused gluten-free chocolate loaf cake recipe offers something very different. Something luscious. Both in texture and flavor, this isn’t your like a birthday party chocolate sheet cake or a standard chocolate loaf. This is a grown up chocolate loaf cake with deep smoky chocolate flavor. 

What if you don’t love black sesame dessert?

Rest assured, with 4 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate folded into the batter, at its core with just 1/2 cup black sesame seeds, this is a chocolate-forward cake with black sesame in the offering subtle flavor notes. My husband, who is not a fan of black sesame dessert, actually loves this rendition of the cake. 

For those who love black sesame desserts (me), increasing the black sesame seeds to 3/4 cup at Cynthia’s recommendation, will bring the black sesame notes forward. This is how *I* prefer the cake. 

Charge ahead with your preference in mind!

Matcha March: Matcha Whipped Mascarpone

Because it’s still Matcha March, I’ve added matcha to the whipped mascarpone. Matcha’s sweet nuttiness is a natural partner for both black sesame and chocolate. As a trio, their flavors are harmonious together. 

Here are a few of my favorite matcha black sesame combos:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This deep dark gluten-free chocolate black sesame cake is so moist that it's almost gooey in texture - just on the very edge of lava cake - while still cake-like and tender. Nutty whipped matcha mascarpone cuts the inky black richness of the cake while pairing with the smoky notes of the ground black sesame seeds. A chocolate cake made for grown-ups.

Ingredients

Matcha Whipped Mascarpone

Instructions

Gluten-Free Chocolate Black Sesame Loaf Cake

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line a tall, 9 × 5-inch Pullman-style loaf pan with parchment paper. A regular height loaf pan may overflow—if this is all you have, take care to fill the pan less than 1 inch from the rim, and save the excess for muffins or mini cakes. Note: I used a regular 9x5 loaf pan here and was able to still use all the batter)

If using untoasted black sesame seeds, toast the black sesame seeds over medium heat in a small dry skillet until a few seeds jump in the pan and they start to smell toasty (but not burnt!), 2 to 3 minutes. Place the toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor and blend until a finely ground powder forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together, the sweet rice flour, oat flour, millet flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate, either in the microwave in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each interval, until fully melted and smooth, or over a double broiler for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate is melted, set aside and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and black sesame seed powder until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed or 3 to 4 minutes by hand. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. Fold in the melted chocolate until just incorporated.

Alternate folding in the flour mixture and the hot water (or coffee), 1/4 of the flour/water at a time, until the batter becomes smooth and liquid.

Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan, taking care not to fill the pan higher than 1 inch from the rim. 

Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and continue to bake for about 30-40 minutes more minutes until it springs back when touched (Note: Cynthia's non gluten-free version bakes up in about 15-20 minutes less time on the second bake). The cake should still be relatively moist in the center, and a skewer or cake tester should not come out completely clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before turning the cake out onto a plate. The cake may fall; this is normal, as it is so moist. Enjoy topped with matcha whipped mascarpone (below), whipped cream, or ice cream, if desired. The cake tastes even better on the second day.

Matcha Whipped Mascarpone

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream, mascarpone, salt. Whip on medium-high until the mixture begins to thicken.

Add the sifted sugar and matcha powder and continue whipping until soft thick peaks form.

Notes

*I used toasted black sesame seeds to skip the step of pan toasting them. For a stronger black sesame flavor, use ¾ cup black sesame seeds. I've made it both ways and love it equally as much. the 1/2 cup is great for a chocolate-forward cake with a hint of black sesame and perfect for folks who may not be big black sesame lovers. The 3/4 cup version has a stronger black sesame forward flavor that's great if you're a black sesame lover like me!

Adapted, with permission, from A Common Table: 80 Recipes & Stories from My Shared Cultures.

Source: https://www.snixykitchen.com/gluten-free-chocolate-black-sesame-cake/