Baking with Dorie

Lenox Almond Biscotti

Big fans of Dorie Greenspan, it was pretty much a no-brainer when we got our iPad that we’d get the Baking with Dorie app. To be completely honest, I knew I wanted an iPad because they’re sleek and shiny but I had no clue of what to do with one. I was essentially using it like a giant iPhone. This app makes sense. As my dad would say, “Azoy*!”

You can make notes to the recipe, add ingredients to your shopping list, make it a favorite. It is clear and easy to follow, plus there are instructional videos throughout. It is like having Dorie in the kitchen with you. And the biscotti was delicious! Just the right amount of salty.

The app costs $7.99, comes with 20+ recipes and 100+ videos.

Anxiously awaiting the Lucky Peach iPad app. I loved the first issue but it was, um, print. How yesteryear. (Beautifully designed print, I thought. And on my favorite topic! RAMEN!)

What other apps are worthwhile?

*That’s how it goes!

Swiss Chard Pancakes

After my earlier disaster (which actually turned out ok), I needed some cheering up. I had been eyeing some Swiss Chard pancakes from the new Dorie Greenspan book. Savory, warm pancakes. I knew those would cheer me up. They would turn my sad onion-y frown upside down.

I love chickpea flour pancakes. I love buckwheat pancakes. I love potato pancakes. And I love them crepe-y with sugar and lemon, too. I love pancakes. For dinner.

These pancakes were really delicious and different. Onion-y and hearty. Perfect with a salad. JA said she wanted to live inside her pancakes. I think she liked them.

Recipe here. I’d use less oil next time.

Oui, s'il vous plaît

This Feral household is très excited about Dorie Greenspan’s newest book, Around My French Table. Her Baking book never fails and so far, so good with this one. To date we’ve tried a very simple cauliflower soup with which we made the most scrumptious gougères ever. (We froze most of them since we’re planning on lots of soups this winter.) And tonight I made moules marinière. My first mussels ever. And definitely not my last. (Even JA kept dipping bread in my sauce, even though she doesn’t really eat shellfish.) Délicieux!

Gorgeous Gougères

Moules Marinière

I love how the book is written. It feels very casual, like she is talking to you, but there is nothing casual about it. No guess work. No wondering what she means. It is all spelled out and easy to follow. I find myself reading this cookbook. I never read cookbooks. Seriously.

What to make next? I vote for swiss chard pancakes.

Hockey, French Fries and other Family Matters

I remember my Grandpa Herbie once telling me that he could easily eat french fries at every meal. This was funny to me because a) my grandmother was the best cook ever (yes, way better than your grandmother) and b) I was, like, DUDE-GRANDPA, ME TOO!

We had 3 orders of fries this past weekend. One while watching the Whalers’ game in Danbury. The fries were great. I don’t know who won the game.

JustAwesome was (apparently) standing on the ice

during the game. I sat in the bleachers.

So, I decided to go back on my Weight Watchers plan, you know, get strict with it. With few PointsPlus values left for last night’s dinner, I made a roasting tray which JA then slow-cooked with some eggs for a More-Vegetable-Than-Egg-Frittata ala Bittman. Served with a large salad. It was so tasty and warming. Perfect. So perfect I decided to have it again for lunch but I didn’t have the patience to slow-cook the egg so mine was more of a scramble.

And I had enough PPVs left over for 2 gingerbread cookies (Lebovitz) from one of JA’s practice batches for her work Cookie Swap. I love that I live with someone who does practice batches!

Gingerbread cookies. Lebovitz

Midnight Crackles. Greenspan

Incidently, I lost 3 pounds this week. Thank you, Weight Watchers!

The Great Scape

I love seasonal veggies and crazy lookin’ scapes excite me. They grow from the tops of garlic plants—a deliciously mild and tasty by-product. They taste fresh and bright. They’re extremely versatile.

I like to make them into pesto and it is not your Momma’s (or step-momma’s) 80’s-style pesto. All you really need are scapes. Forget the basil. Forget the pine nuts, and obviously, forget the garlic. Actually, some people use almonds or pine nuts, but I’m something of a purist. I keep it simple.

Scapes

Olive oil

Parmesan or Pecorino

A little lemon

Sea Salt

Or, you can roast them. Or just cut them up and add to a salad. Or in mashed potatoes. Or...

Dorie Greenspan freezes the pesto until the tomato season. She says they’re “stupendous together”. Mmmm!! Check out her link to see how she stores it and for more details on what scapes are, what to do with them and what they taste like.

Oh man, I wish we were making pizza tonight. What cheese goes with scape?