Comfort Foods and Indulgences

smoresbars-2A brief summary of what summer represents:

  • the beach
  • the ice cream man
  • lazy day
  • sleeping outside in a tent
  • staying up late
  • movie’s under the stars (at Jeni’s)
  • family vacation
  • no homework
  • s’mores
  • fireworks
  • Dodger stadium

S’mores, baked in a pan.  Go figure.  I found a FANTASTIC  recipe for a s’mores bar. Although the action of putting the marshmallow on the stick, setting it over the campfire, burning it up is all fun and games, these bars, baked in the oven can’t be beat.  I whipped up these, last minute, for a party that Eli was going to.  

Read more ...

ImageI knew I would regret the Wall Street Journal’s expanded leisure section! Before, I was free to read the home sections of any newspaper knowing my darling husband, Bill, would never notice if there was an article on how to be or do a better anything (even dominatrix sex), but the Wall Street Journal - that’s different. He habitually reads it cover to cover. This Saturday’s paper had a recipe for POT OF GOLD (“serves 16!”), and that is when he said– in a moment of early morning intimacy – “You never made me Pot au Feu!”

A little research shows that a classic Pot au Feu is “comfort food”. Cool! I like comfort. And, that it takes the better part of an afternoon to prepare. That is not comforting! Decidedly un-cool!

Hmmm. I think this WSJ Saturday home page is going to be in our family for quite some time. I have two choices: 1) I could throw a hissy fit, or 2) I could rise into a state of Zen adventure! I do love adventure!

Read more ...

pie smores slicesSummer has officially arrived in Los Angeles. It’s hot. My oven hasn’t been turned on for days. Dinners are all about the BBQ, my saute pan, and lots and lot of fresh veggies and salads.

Not using my oven is a big problem for the dessert loving boys that I happen to live with. There is only so much ice cream one can make and berries dipped in homemade chocolate sauce doesn’t always satisfy the sweet tooth. The question is; what can I make for dinner, including dessert that didn’t require me turning on my oven.

I am not fond of a no bake pie. I like most desserts cooked and sometimes, the more well done the better. So, in order to beat the heat, give my family the dessert they deserve, I have whipped up a sweet treat that both young and old will devour.

Grabbing a bag of gluten free graham cracker crumbs from the freezer, and a block of Scharffen Berger chocolate, I got to work before the mid morning sun heated up my kitchen. If you want something quick, easy, using only pantry staples, this is the dessert for you.

Read more ...

brownie-chever-3Brownies are the perfect picnic food. I wanted chocolate, I wanted a brownie, but I wanted something a little different. I thought a cream cheese brownie would be great but didn’t have cream cheese. However, what I did have was some goat cheese. I thought, what the heck…I am going to experiment.

I used the brownie base for David Lebovitz’s (Ready for Dessert) cheesecake brownies, but swapped the cream cheese for goat cheese and added a touch more sugar (to compensate for the tartness in the goat cheese).

I also omitted the chocolate chips from the actual brownie base and instead took a skinny bar of Valrhona and did a rough chop. After swirling in the cheese mixture, I dotted the top of the brownies with the chocolate chunks.

Read more ...

baklavacookiesYesterday I started out wanting to make traditional Baklava and ended up making cookies! I saw a picture in a magazine where filo dough was cut and placed in mini muffin tins then filled with a quiche mixture. My Baklava Cookies evolved from that idea, and I absolutely love them.

I started by putting pecans, bread crumbs, sugar, honey and spices in a food processor and whizzing it all up. It looked a bit dry, so I drizzled in a bit more honey and mixed it well.

Then I layered filo sheets with melted butter and cut them into small enough pieces to fit into mini muffin tins. Once I put them in the tins, I placed a teaspoon of the nut mixture in each one, added one chocolate chunk, and then folded the filo sheets over and pressed down.

I brushed each with melted butter and baked them into wonderful little balls of nuttiness.

Read more ...