Eating the Rainbow – Stacking the Fridge

Posted on June 5, 2013 by jacky grace

It’s a rare evening when we don’t cook dinner.

But last night we went out to celebrate his brother’s Birthday!

That’s the Birthday Boy blowing out the candle on his ice cream, brownie sundae.

The sundae was preceded by beers, burgers and fries. Have you had a burger and fries at The Smith? If not, you are depriving yourself. Look at it! You need that burger in your life!

I didn’t have any of the sundae, but I did eat the whole burger. And all of the fries. (hangs head in burger and fry shame.)

So this morning I woke up feeling … virtuous. I would eat fruits and grains and wholesome foods! I would make today the day I start eating really healthily. (At least until dinnertime.)

On an average day, we do keep fairly healthy. Like I’ve said before, nothing crazy. Just fruits and vegetables with every meal.

I think it’s inherently easier to do this in the summer, when Mother Nature gives us a riot of colors to tantalize the taste buds and to help us eat the rainbow.

That’s what we should aim for ever day, the rainbow. Get in your greens, your reds, your oranges, and you give yourself a diverse array of tastes and textures and flavors, as well as a nutrients. Here’s a link from Whole Living that gives a rundown of the different nutrients in the different colors: http://www.wholeliving.com/173430/eat-rainbow

Here’s how I set myself up for the week so I can have good foods at my fingertips.

We food shop on Saturday or Sunday, buying the produce that looks the best and that’s on sale. Trust your eyes and nose. You’ll be able to tell what’s fresh. The sales help direct you too because what’s on sale is usually what’s in season.

When we get home, I wash everything immediately, and then cut it up into bite chunks and store in Tupperware.

This is a two, maybe even three-fold strategy.

1, in an itty kitchen, space is at a premium. Instead of storing a watermelon, a pineapple and pounds of peaches, I have Tupperware containers that I can easily stack in the fridge.

2. This is about itty CITY kitchens, and in the city, you’re usually in a rush. Taking the time on Sunday to cut up the fruit saves you time during the week. Crazy morning and need to pack lunch? Scoop out some fruit into a smaller Tupperware container and go.

3. It’s conveniently cut up and ready to go so you can’t say it’s easier to eat the bag of chips. No excuses, mister!

So this morning, I scooped out some pineapple and watermelon for a mid-morning fruit salad.

Then, I had some strawberries that were starting to get a little mushy. A few quick pulses in the blender, a teeny drizzle of honey, and I had my own quick and easy strawberry jam to throw on an English Muffin for lunch later.

Don’t you feel healthier already?

Tahini

Posted on June 4, 2013 by jacky grace

When I made falafel, I told you that the tahini was optional.

I said this because not everyone is a fan of tahini or even knows what it is.

But I’m slightly obsessed with it. Even before I started dating my Greek Armenian boyfriend, even before I had his meme’s homemade babaganoush and hummus, I was in love. With tahini, not him. I love him, but I’m talking about my love of tahini right now.

It’s enough to dedicate a whole post to it.

Tahini is like peanut butter that’s made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts.

That’s all it is, is ground sesame seeds and oil. You can make your own if you’re feeling adventurous. http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dipsandsauces/r/tahinirecipe.htm

It’s nothing exotic or crazy, though it does play a large role in the unfamiliar to most flavors of middle eastern food.

But I have one word for you, you who are wrinkling your nose at tahini.

Hummus.

Tahini plays a huge role in hummus. There’s a hummus craze right now if you haven’t noticed. Long a staple at the middle eastern table and a key player in any mezze spread (think Greek version of Italian antipasto), hummus has made its way to our grocery shelves, to our diet menus and to our daily routines. Carrot sticks and hummus. I bet someone in your office brings that for lunch.

Hummus is essentially chickpeas, garlic and tahini.

Tahini has such a complexly rich flavor. It’s more intense than peanut butter, a tad smoky even. It’s a flavor that can’t be substituted.

I have a minor love affair with tahini. I’ve always loved the flavor, but even more so recently. I’ve always loved peanut butter. Slathered on celery, melted on a warm English muffin, straight from the jar. But sometimes peanut butter gives me a tummy ache.

Sad. I know.

Craving my usual celery peanut butter snack but being wary of how it would affect my stomach, I grabbed the tahini from the fridge. Brad’s Organics makes great tahini and it even comes in a jar that resembles peanut butter packaging. Great if your kid has a peanut allergy and doesn’t want to feel left out or different.

I dipped the celery in the tahini and it was love at first bite. Carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, pita bread. So good.

Tahini makes a fantastic salad dressing. A tablespoon of tahini, some lemon juice and some black pepper is a nice change to your usual side salad. Use it as a sandwich spread. Mix with tuna fish instead of mayo and stuff in a pita with some sprouts for a Middle Eastern twist on the typical tuna sandwich.

If you’re getting bored with the typical flavors of your kitchen, try tahini and bring a little Middle Eastern flair to your lunchbox.

It’s a great item to have in your itty bitty city kitchen arsenal because it has a long shelf life and it’s extremely versatile.

Most importantly, though, it’s delicious!

φάω

fáo

(That’s eat in Greek!)

Have Hope, Kitchen-Challenged Sisters

Posted on May 31, 2013 by jacky grace

I’m visiting my parents this weekend.

For most twenty-somethings living in the city, a trip back to the parentals’ house in the ‘burbs is a groan-inducing event.

But, most twenty-somethings don’t have parents like mine.

I was blessed with the cool parents.

Me and my cool parents at a friend’s wedding

My house was the one everyone came to and sometimes I’d even come home to find my friends hanging with my parents without me.

My parents are just. Chill. Relaxed. Easy.

You can tell my mom was a hippie. She was too young to have been a real hippie, but she’s still a flower child. And my dad’s just… my dad. I don’t know. He’s comfortable. He claims he hates people but he’s warm and friendly and talkative. He calls himself a freak. And we affectionately call him one too.

My parents had the open door policy. Some of my friends would quite literally open the door of our beach house, run to the kitchen, grab a soda and run off to work.

And mom didn’t care who came over for dinner.

She didn’t say a word when a friend who was… er… feeling the effects of a mood altering substance… kept his sunglasses on through dinner. He really needed those Spaghetti and Meatballs. Mom just laughed. Dad just shook his head.

I’m lucky.

The only complaint I have in going to my parents, yes I get to hang out with them and have my mom’s home-cooked food, but, it is her food and her kitchen. Get out.

My mom is a true Italian woman. The kitchen is her domain.

Don’t try to help her clean up the dishes. Don’t try to help her prepare anything.

Out.

She has a system. She has her way.

(Mom and I are both Sagittarius – independent and stubborn. Poor dad).

Which is probably why for years my friends and family made fun of me for my lack of domestic skills. Domestically challenged. That was me.

I couldn’t cook, I couldn’t clean, I couldn’t do laundry.

I could bake though. My mom hates baking, so I always got that job.

Looking back, I wasn’t challenged, I was just barred from the kitchen!

Once I got my own kitchen, I was free! Tiny though the space is, it is mine. All mine. And I can make whatever I want, however I want. I can experiment. I can create. I can cook.

You need a level of freedom to cook.

I never could have made dinner in my mom’s kitchen, with her watching over my shoulder and telling me where things were. I spent 23 years of my life in that house, but she still would tell me where things were.

But now that I have my own kitchen with my own pots and my own ingredients, I cook up a storm. You have to feel comfortable and you have to accept the fact that you will probably burn something, or overcook something, or mistake the sugar for the salt at some point.

But in the privacy of your own itty bitty kitchen, no one needs to know but you.

And I think the small space even helped me. It’s not small, it’s efficient. Everything is within reach. Forgot to get the milk out to pour into your pudding that’s now bubbling on the stove? No problem. The fridge is a mere foot away. Disaster averted. Need another bowl because you underestimated just how much pasta you actually made? In the cabinet right over your head. No problem.

So, all you kitchen-challenged gals out there, have hope.

When you have your own itty bitty kitchen, you will find your inner domestic diva!

Grams, Liters, Milliliters? Help!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by jacky grace

Getting ready for work in the morning, I usually watch Cooking Channel.

My new favorite is Bill of Bill’s Food.

Have you ever seen him?

Adorable Australian accent and even more adorable daughters!

And he cooks simple, delicious, healthy foods.

Like this. http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/bill-granger/apple-dried-cherry-and-almond-loaf.html

I need to make his Apple, Dried Cherry and Almond Loaf ASAP!

I know I can easily find the recipes online, but sometimes I jot them down as the episode plays. Bill is so easy to follow. Same with Nigella. I feel like I can cook along with the two of them.

Except when it comes to measurements.

Grams? Mills? Oven at 175? That can’t be right!

Help!

Here’s a link to an awesome conversion chart I found no StumbleUpon. Thank you Everest for doing the kitchen math for me!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1Ad3mx/:1RRVEJ5X:npLm+j$n/www.everest.co.uk/PageFiles/4280/kitchencheatsheet.gif/

Forbidden Fruit – Peaches

Posted on May 29, 2013 by jacky grace

Bible scholars have it all wrong.

In the garden of Eden, it wasn’t an apple with which Eve tempted Adam.

No, it was not a bright red apple that grew from the Tree of Knowledge.

No, sirs. No. I say.

The forbidden fruit that caused the ejection of our ancestors from paradise was a juicy, summer ripe peach.

For what is more sinful than biting into a plump, golden peach and licking your fingers as the juices drip down your arm. Sensual. Seductive. It surely was the peach that drove Eve to sin.

Exhibit A: in China, the peach is the fruit of the gods and is a symbol of longevity (http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/flowers_symbolism.htm)

When I opened the weekly circular for my local grocery store and saw that peaches were on sale this week, I felt that little thrill you get when you do something you know you shouldn’t.

Why do peaches conjure these feelings?

Perhaps it has to do with their tantalizing scent and sweetness.

Or maybe it’s just the association of peaches with steamy summer nights, languid beach days and standing in the fridge with a spoon eating peaches out of the bowl.

Going back to the weekly circular. Yes, I check out what’s on sale that week.

Firstly, because well, who doesn’t like saving money and who, with a city kitchen especially, doesn’t need to save money?

Secondly, things are usually on sale when they are in season. Fruits and vegetables are cheaper when the cost of transportation etc is cheaper, meaning when they are able to be obtained locally.

I try to support local growers when I can.

And I am more than happy to take those peaches off your hands Mr. Local Farmer Man.

Growing up, I spent my summers at the beach. My parents have a beach house in the small town of Fenwick Island, Delaware (12 streets. There are 12 streets in the town).

My dad’s family has always rented a cottage a few blocks over, and one or other of his siblings is there most of the summer with some or all or an assortment of cousins.

But the best week was always when my aunt Ann Marie was there. Because Ann Marie cut up peaches.

It’s such a simple thing really, ripe peaches cut up in a bowl.

Ann Marie would always buy pounds and pounds and bags of ripe, fresh peaches and she and my grandma would sit in the tiny kitchen of the cottage cutting up the endless piles of peaches. The smell would overwhelm the beach side cottage. It would overpower the salt air wafting off the ocean.

The peaches would be tossed in a bowl with some sugar and put into the fridge overnight. Overnight, the sugar worked its magic, drawing out the juices and making a natural syrup surrounding the peaches.

We’d clamor around the big bowl, spoons diving in, no time to scoop out into our own servings.

We were all family.

The first time I brought my boyfriend to the shore to meet the family, we walked into the cottage and my aunt said “I cut peaches!”

I was thrilled. He didn’t know what she meant.

He had never had cut peaches.

Well he had eaten peaches before, but not like this.

He couldn’t understand my excitement. Until he had his first bite.

Now he gets just as excited as I do about peach season.

Admittedly, it’s a little early. August is really when they’re best. But if Mother Nature is going to give us peaches in May, I am not going to say no.

This isn’t really a recipe. More of a suggestion. One you won’t be sorry to follow.

Buy a pound of peaches. You want nice firm fruit that waft peach scent into the air.

Wash and dry them.

Break out a cutting board and start slicing. You can cut in wedges. I go for chunks.

Drop the peaches into a bowl. Or a glass jar. I use a jar because I love opening the fridge and seeing a jar full of gold and pink peaches dripping in their own juices.

Sprinkle the cut peaches with sugar. Or drizzle with honey. I actually prefer honey, but my aunt and grandma always used sugar. I just like the extra sticky syrupyness the honey provides.

Resist the urge to eat these right away. Refrigerate overnight. You won’t be sorry.

I love having a jar of peaches in the fridge all summer.

You can eat them right out of the jar.

Or you can top some Greek yogurt with peaches and granola for a healthy snack or breakfast or a light lunch.

Warm toast, slathered with ricotta cheese, piled with cubed peaches and topped with an extra drizzle of honey is a sweet bruschetta for a 3 O’clock pick me up.

A bowl of peaches topped with a dollop of whipped cream is a virtuous dessert on a hot night.

So go, off to the store with you.

And ask as T.S. Eliot did,

Do I dare to eat a peach?

From The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

“Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”

Oatmeal Bites

Posted on May 23, 2013 by jacky grace

We are healthy eaters.

I mean that in both senses of the phrase.

We have big appetites and will rarely say no to food when it’s put in front of us.

But we also try to eat healthy. No crazy diets or anything like that. I love milk and cheese too much to be vegan, and mom’s meatballs (I promise the recipe is coming) and a juicy burger are just cravings I know I could never kick. But still, for the most part, we limit chicken and meat to 1-2 times per week and try to have as many fish and veggie-centered meals as possible. Our fridge is always stocked with a rainbow of fruits and veggies for munching- strawberries for yogurt, blueberries for cereal, apples to dip in peanut butter, carrot and celery sticks for pre-dinner snacking.

I don’t stress about food. But I like to feed my body well. And I just feel better when I eat fresh foods.

But I have a few weaknesses, namely bread (you will see a crusty loaf of bread play a role in many a meal on here) and cookies (okay okay and ice cream, but ice cream is milk and has a ton of calcium and vitamin D so it doesn’t count as a weakness since it’s good for me).

I’m Italian, so the bread is hardwired in my DNA. You will not take the bread away from me.

Cookies, though. I’ve indulged in my fair share.

And my share no longer fits in last year’s bathing suit.

And I really don’t have the money to spend on a new one.

So, a healthier cookie it is!

I’ll admit, this isn’t so much a cookie as an oatmeal bite.

I don’t really know what to call it, but I like the way oatmeal bite sounds. And that’s really what it is, oatmeal and cinnamon and almonds baked into a soft bite.

There’s no flour or eggs or butter to be found in this.

No joke.

For these bites you will need

1.5 cups oats (instant or quick cook work here)
2 bananas
4 oz apple sauce (I had the single serves in my fridge and one of those is 4 oz)
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon vegetable oil if the mixture is dry

That’s the basic “dough” recipe.

In a bowl mash together (see, see, potato masher again!) the bananas and apple sauce.

Stir in the oats and honey and the vegetable oil if mix is dry.

You will get a cookie dough like mix.

Now add in whatever you want.

I used cinnamon and almonds this time, but you can mix in some chocolate chips and hazelnuts to give them more of a dessert cookie feel, or toasted coconut and macadamia nuts for a taste of the islands or some walnuts and nutmeg for a play on banana nut bread.

Spoon out the mixture in golfball size mounds onto a greased cookie sheet.

I got 20 bites.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. The outsides will brown and the insides will be a little soft.

Your kitchen will be filled with scent of oatmeal and cinnamon and your neighbors will want to come make friends.

Bake these the night before for a grab on the go breakfast or to pack for mid-morning snacks, or for that 3 o’clock slump, or have them warm that night with a steaming cup of chai tea.

They’re even quick enough that you could make them in the morning before work. If, you know, you’re a morning person and capable of doing anything before coffee.

Life changing salad dressing

Posted on May 23, 2013 by jacky grace

A few leaves of romaine. A handful of spinach. A couple of tomatoes. Maybe some olives.

This is usually what comes to mind when you hear the words side salad.

You begrudgingly toss together some greens to give yourself a well-rounded meal and to add some veggies into your otherwise veggie-less dinner. You are an adult. You eat salads with your meals.

Banish those thoughts from your mind.

I’m about to change the way you think about salads.

This dressing.

It’s going to change your life.

This will change a bowl of lettuce into a savory, delicious side dish you will want to accompany any meal. If you are looking for a light dinner or a hearty lunch, this also works as a meal.

You’re probably thinking, dressing? How is that going to change my salad life?

And then you’re probably thinking, dressing? Who has time to make that? I can just buy a bottle.

Now, I have some bottled dressings in the fridge. But nothing compares to the freshness and the brightness of the flavors in a homemade dressing.

Plus, sodium, preservatives, dyes, colorings. These things are in your bottled dressing.

Sucks.

So, if you make your own, you can have control (control freak again!) over what goes into your food.

This dressing takes a minute to make, literally.

All you need are

Prosciutto
olive oil
red wine vinegar
spicy mustard

Drizzle a little olive oil in a frying pan. Rip up some prosciutto into the pan. You don’t need to be neat, just tear it up. The more rustic and homemade it looks, the better. People will believe you when you said you made it.

Figure about 2 or 3 pieces of prosciutto per person. You can add more if this is going to be your main meal.

Turn the heat to medium and cook the prosciutto until it is crispy. This only take a minute, so don’t walk away.

When the prosciutto is crispy, lower the heat and drizzle in some red wine vinegar.

Add a tablespoon of spicy mustard and stir. Turn the heat back up, stirring to combine.

This is one of those recipes that can be tailored entirely to your taste. If you like a more acidic dressing, a splash more vinegar. If you want more spice, a little more mustard. The prosciutto is salty enough so do not add salt. Black pepper is okay if you like, but the mustard I use has enough kick for us.

When the dressing thickens slightly and is combined, pour over your salad.

Here is a bowl of baby spinach, tomatoes, dried cranberries and black olives. A perfectly respectable side salad.

And here is that same salad with the dressing.

See the difference?

Life. Changed.

Warm, crispy, salty prosciutto, tangy vinegar and a kick of mustard atop the mild crunchy spinach. A juicy tomato bursts in your mouth. The briny olive and the sweet cranberry. A riot of flavors.

The perfect prelude to the much anticipated (for me anyway) heaping bowl of spaghetti with broccoli pesto.

Oh- S*- what’s- for-dinner-broccoli-pesto

Posted on May 20, 2013 by jacky grace

I have a confession.

I, I who touted simplicity in kitchen equipment and who tut-tutted at fancy gadgets, own a food processor.

I said it.

I got it off my chest.

I feel a little bit better now that I am being honest with you.

I know. Bitty kitchen. And high rent. Where do you put it and how do you afford one?

Let me explain.

My boyfriend is Greek. Well, Greek and Armenian, but this story concerns his Greek side.

His father’s mother, my boyfriend’s yia-yia, passed away a number of years ago, long before i knew him, long before we knew of each other’s existence even.

I’m close with my boyfriend’s father. He and I are both only children, so we get each other. I understand his independence and stubbornness and his occasional need for solitude and for quiet because, well, I’m the same way.

My boyfriend and I were discussing the other day, that everyone always focuses on the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law. But father-in-law and daughter-in-law is a very under valued relationship. His dad has two sons and no daughter. It’s nice for him to add a female to his family. Especially since it’s great practice for the four granddaughters I pray he gets!

But back to yia-yia. I didn’t get to meet her, but my boyfriend’s dad says I remind him of her. From what I’ve heard, she was an elegant and incredibly intelligent woman (spoke 7 languages and had a Masters degree from NYU! A Masters. At the time! Imagine!). So I happily take the comparison as a compliment.

When yia-yia passed, the contents of her house were moved to her son’s basement. This was more than ten years ago, keep in mind.

So, we were at their house. And I happened to mention wanting a food processor one day.

His mom jumped right up to say she had one in the basement, unused, still in the box. It was yia-yia’s.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you yia-yia’s ancient Cuisinart!

This thing weighs a ton.

It’s a great weapon in case someone ever breaks in.

But guess what? It works. Perfectly.

I don’t care that it’s ancient.

It’s a little bulky, but I made space for it. It’s yia-yia’s!

And I kind of like that it was hers. It brings her into our kitchen and gives our home that feeling of history and of family that’s not always easy to get in a rental apartment.

So now, I can make one of my favorite things ever.

Pesto!!

I know I could have made it before with a mortar and pestle the old-fashioned way.

But, I want more than just basil.

I want to spice things up and mix up tradition.

Get it? Mix up? Food processor? Tradition? yia-yia’s food processor?

Also, we were away all weekend celebrating my boyfriend’s brother’s graduation from college.

After getting back at like midnight on a Sunday from a weekend of heavy dinners, too much wine and lots of running around to sit in auditoriums, I just don’t have the time.

I need something ridiculously easy.

And when I’m standing in the kitchen going Oh s*, what’s for dinner? I always turn to broccoli pesto.

I always have parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic in my kitchen. If you keep so frozen veggies in your freezer, you’re good to go for any last minute guest or any moment of crap, there’s no food in my house!

I make this in the morning before work sometimes so it can hang in the fridge all day. You can make this in advance and freeze it too.

So.

Broccoli pesto.

You will need

2-3 cloves of garlic

olive oil

broccoli florets

parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Or, if you’re using frozen broccoli, follow the defrosting directions on the package.

Or, put a little bit of water in a microwave-safe bowl, toss in the broccoli and zap!

You don’t really want to cook the broccoli, you just want to take away the rawness.

I throw mine in a pot of boiling water for like thirty seconds, until the florets turn a bright green.

Meanwhile, throw the garlic cloves into the food processor and pulse.

I put the garlic in by itself to get it all chopped up so it combines more evenly with the broccoli. But you can put everything in at once.

Remove the broccoli from the water and put in with the garlic. Pulse to chop a bit.

Drizzle in some olive oil and blend.

If the mixture seizes, add more oil. Or, if you want to keep this lighter, add a little bit of the water from boiling the broccoli.

I try not to use a lot of oil. Especially after the four course meal we ate in Baltimore this weekend.

Blend until you have the consistency you want. I get it fairly smooth with little bits of broccoli peeking out so you can tell this is not your ordinary basil pesto.

If you’re serving immediately, throw in a handful of parmesan cheese and blend.

If you’re storing this for later, hold off on the cheese for now.

I’m putting this into Tupperware and refrigerating until dinner.

Tonight, I’ll boil some hot water, toss in some angel air and pour the pesto over.

A sprinkle of cheese on top, a crispy romaine side salad and some bread to mop the bowl.

Yum.

The easiest scones ever. Period

Posted on May 20, 2013 by jacky grace

I know.

You saw the word scone and you thought, yea okay, Martha Stewart. I’m really going to make scones.

Well, really.

Yes.

You are.

Well, I am.

And then you’ll see how easy they are and then you will, too.

You’re thinking, scones? Why on earth will I ever want or need to make those? I can grab one in the morning at Starbucks if I really want one, but when in my life will there be an occasion where me making scones will be necessary or appropriate.

First, making these is cheaper than buying a breakfast pastry on your way to work.

Second, making scones is kind of impressive. I just made these for mother’s day and both my boyfriend’s mom (future mother-in-law ladies, pay attention here) and grandmother (who is the most amazing home cook) went nuts for these.

Third, when someone asks you what you’re up to and you say making scones, you just sound so domestic. You might not know how to do your laundry without shrinking your blouse or how to get rid of that weird ring around the bathroom sink, but you say you’re making scones and you are a domestic diva in the minds of all of your friends.

And fourth. One word. Brunch. Scones are always appropriate and necessary at brunch.

But what about all that kneading and rolling out the dough? I don’t have the space for that. You promised I could make all this in my tiny kitchen.

Guess what?

No rolling out dough.

Nope.

None.

This recipe is easy, almost foolproof. And you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen. And if you don’t, then once you buy these ingredients, you’ll have all the baking basics you will need to make many more wonderful sweets.

Preheat oven to 400.

Now I hate measuring and haven’t given you precise measurements until now. But baking is different than cooking. So here’s what you’ll need:

1.5 cups flour
2-3 tablespoons sugar (depends on how sweet you want them)
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
.5 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk

The buttermilk is the only non basic ingredient. It’s like 2 bucks though. And you can make pancakes with it. And who doesn’t like pancakes.

So those are the ingredients for the basic scone dough.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Now, here is the trick to this recipe. This is the only important step in making these.

The butter needs to be cold. Really cold. Take it out of the fridge right before you are going to add it to the flour mixture. Cube it and toss it into the dry ingredients. The butter being cold will make the scones flaky and will give you these little buttery pockets to bite into.

If you’re fancy, you can pull out your pastry cutter to combine the butter and flour mixture. If you’re lazy, you can use your food processor to blend it all. If you’re like me, you know that your hands are the best tool. I just stick my hands in and start breaking the butter up into the flour. You want to end up with pea-size bits of dough.

Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Grab a spoon and mix until just combined.

The dough will be tacky and have a thick paste-like thickness.

This is your basic dough.

Now, you can go wild.

I added a handful of dried cranberries because I had them on hand. But raisins, dried apples, dried peaches, chopped hazelnuts, some chocolate chips or even just a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar will work. If you want, you can bake em off plain and slather em with strawberry jam, piping hot out of the oven so the jam melts into the buttery bites.

Once you have your mix-in mixed into the dough, scoop relatively even-sized blobs of dough onto a cook sheet. I roughly form them into a football shape. These won’t spread much, so you can plop them down fairly close together. I usually get about 8 scones out of this recipe.

I don’t go nuts about them looking perfect or being exactly the same size or shape. They will cook more evenly if they’re about the same size is all.

They take about 15 minutes. I check at the 13 minute mark and turn the pan if I need to.

Your kitchen is going to smell amazing.

These are not going to last long.

Brew a pot of coffee or some tea.

Pick out a witty British novel.

And enjoy.

Summer, Tomato, Avocado: menage a trois!

Posted on May 17, 2013 by jacky grace

First, to quell your curiosity, no. He did not get home last night soon enough to get me a piece of cake. I had to untangle myself from the couch and cut a slice myself.

(Boo!)

He was late because the Rangers and Bruins went into overtime.

Then the Rangers lost.

(Double boo!)

But that was yesterday.

And this is about today. Today. The first morning this year where I woke up to a tinge of stickiness in the apartment.

Despite the air conditioning cranking away, I could catch a hint of humidity in the air.

This is the first sign of summer in the city.

The first indication of those steamy nights to come when you leave the office and the heat the pavement absorbed all day is released and burns your ankles. Those nights when all you can do is sit on a roof with a drink in your hand as the condensation collects on the glass and slides onto your fingers.

It’s a sign of tomatoes and avocados.

I have a confession.

I love avocado.

It’s border-line obsession.

I cut it up in a salad, I add it to tacos, I throw some slices onto my tuna fish sandwich.

Avocado has like 20 essential vitamins and minerals, good fat and it has the all important ability to add richness to a dish without packing on the calories. It is high in calories, but not in the way that butter is- remember those 20 vitamins and minerals.

Okay. Enough nutrition.

When I padded into the kitchen this morning and felt cool rather than cold tiles on my feet, I knew a summer sandwich was the order of the day for my bring to work lunch. (I made him one too, of course. It was the least I could do after the Rangers lost game 1 of the series).

This is my favorite preparation of avocado.

And it combines two of my favorite things.

Right now, Greek yogurt is THE hot thing. Everyone’s making it, everyone’s eating it, everyone’s cooking with it.

My boyfriend’s Greek, so we’re not jumping on the bandwagon here.

Let me take a minute to extol the virtues of Greek yogurt. First, of course, it’s better for you than other yogurts because it provides more protein. Second, the taste is just incomparable to any other yogurts- the tangy quality cannot be found in your typical fruit on the bottom yogurt cup. Then there’s the thicker texture. It just feels more indulgent. And last and most important to the tiny kitchen is its versatility.

When fridge space is limited, this one container of Greek yogurt packs a lot of uses. Why buy mayo, sour cream and containers of yogurt when instead you can buy one big container of Greek yogurt? (Plus it’s better for the environment- one big plastic container instead of all those individual plastic yogurt containers). Save some valuable fridge real estate. Also, save some money! I don’t know about you, but I can never seem to finish the may or the sour cream before they expire. That’s just money in the garbage, and with the rent being so d*mn high, I just can’t afford to throw out some of my paycheck with spoiled food.

SO Greek yogurt. Save space, save money and save your waist line – it’s far better than mayo and sour cream.

Okay. Enough with nutrition.

Ready?

Greek yogurt and avocado. I use one avocado for two people. The yogurt ratio depends on how tangy you want it to be. I tend to two heaping teaspoons of yogurt to one avocado.

Split the avocado in half and remove the pit.

Holding the avocado half, slice through the flesh, stopping at the skin, longways. Turn ninety-degrees and cross hatch your slices. Like this.

You should be able to easily scoop or squeeze out the avocado into a bowl.

Add the yogurt.

Remember that potato masher?

Remember that senior partner that pulled an attitude with you today?

Channel him.

Start mashing!

The consistency is up to you. You can leave it a little chunky or go for all smooth. If you want it perfectly smooth, you can of course use a food processor. But who has room for one of those? And who has the patience to clean one of those?

So this is good to go. A squeeze of lemon or lime if you want to add some brightness.

How to use this wonderful creamy deliciousness?

In place of guacamole as a dip for chips or celery sticks

As a spread for taco night in place of sour cream

A sandwich spread instead of mayo

Possibilities are endless really.

How did I use it this time, you ask?

Much as I could just sit there with a spoon and eat it from the bowl, I restrained myself and used it for the best lunch to bring to work ever.

Toasted English muffin, slathered on both sides with avocado spread, slices of ripe, juicy tomatoes and crumbled feta.

The rich avocado coats your mouth. Bright, crisp, juicy tomatoes pop through. Feta adds the salty bite to break through the unctuousness. An English muffin gives the right amount of chew and the right amount of crunch.

A nice break in the work day.

Itty Bitty City Kitchen

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