vanilla custards with roasted blueberries

Today is my sisters birthday. Every year, I ask her what kind of cake I can make her and do you know what she says? I dont want a cake. I just want a big bowl of vanilla bean custard. I hope you understand how hard this is for me (and please read that back in your brattiest little sister voice; it is, after all, all about me, right?) Making elaborate birthday cakes for family and friends is my thing. It has launched an entire section of this site, and portion of my cookbook (which includes my sons 2nd, my husbands 37th and 38th, and maybe even your next birthday cakes, too). I delight in trying to find a layered summary of everyones favorite things that fits in a cake carrier, and I think its awfully mean of my sister to deny me this outlet every August 30th. (Huff. Puff.) A bowl of custard? Theres not much to say about it.

Or, there might not be if your narrator wasnt such a blabbermouth. To wit: Custard, or pastry cream, is a pretty big deal in my family. My mother and sister especially consider it among the dessert greats, whereas others mostly look at it as just an element of grander things. Its the filling of cream puffs and eclairs; it forms a delightful layer underneath freshly sliced strawberries or an artful arrangement of stunning fruit. Sometimes, it separates cake layers, fills the hollows of doughnuts and Boston Cream Pies, too. But it rarely gets its own day in the sun or you know, single serving bowl with a spoon and my sister thinks that it should.

Custard, especially that which is flecked with the sweepings of a recently split vanilla bean, is really the ultimate vanilla pudding. And I know, I know that I had a rant not so long ago on this site about how it irks me when people call pudding what I actually call custard (I consider puddings to be mainly cornstarch-thicken simplicities, not to bore you to death with semantics) but were you to on occasion serve custard the way you would pudding, I dont think youd regret it at all.

So this year, at last, my sister gets her way. I made little bowls of vanilla bean custard and topped them with briefly roasted blueberries. I know, I know, the blueberries werent requested but theyre really wonderful right now and their tartness, which is amplified slightly by a lemon juice finish, plays off the dense richness of the chilled custards underneath perfectly. I just had to. I couldnt leave well enough alone. I suspect she wouldnt expect it any other way.

One year ago: Peach Butter
Two years ago: Peach Shortbread
Three years ago: Nectarine Galette
Four years ago: Cold Brewed Iced Coffee and Bourbon Peach Hand Pies
Five years ago: White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Vanilla Custards with Roasted Blueberries

This is my go-to custard recipe these days, adapted over the years (using less thickener and a range of butter amounts) from Julia Child. It can be used as the base for a fresh fruit tart in the yield listed below. It doesnt make a terrible lot, just about 1ish cups of custard. I divided them into five tiny cups and we enjoyed our tiny desserts, but for a crowd or people with more than teacup tastes in dessert, definitely double it.

Vanilla beans can get expensive, I know, but one thing I dont think enough recipes tell you is that you dont need to use all or even half of a vanilla bean to get a clear vanilla flavor. I went ahead and used half a bean here, but I also think you can get great vanilla flavor from even a quarter bean. Heck, Ive even used 1-inch segments of a bean before in a small yield of a dessert. Use what youre comfortable with. And if you dont have a fresh bean, just extract, stir in a teaspoon at the end (Ill tell you when).

About the butter: Julia Child would suggest that you use 1 tablespoon of butter for this yield of pastry cream. Dorie Greenspan would suggest 3 tablespoons; Ive seen recipes that suggest up to 4 tablespoons and some that suggest none (gasp!). Id suggest using 1 to 2 tablespoons, and only adding more if you want your pastry cream really, really luxe. But who would want a thing like that?

Serves 4, petitely

Custards
1 cup whole milk
Seeds from 1/4 to 1/2 vanilla bean (see Note) or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 to 2 tablespoons (see Note) unsalted butter

Berries
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Juice from a wedge lemon, or to taste

In a small saucepan, combine your milk and vanilla bean flecks (if using extract instead, dont add it yet). Heat the mixture until it is warm, then set aside. You can also do this in a microwave. If your saucepan or microwave dish has a small spout, even better.

In the bottom of a small saucepan, off the heat, beat or whisk your egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar together vigorously, until it pales in color and a ribbon of batter falls off your whisk when you lift it from the bowl; this will take a few minutes by hand, and likely just one minute with an electric mixer. Whisk in the flour until fully incorporated.

Whisking the whole time, drizzle the warm vanilla-milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, just a tiny bit at a time at first. Once youve added about 1/4 of the milk, you can add the rest in a thin stream, whisking constantly.

Bring the saucepan to your stove and heat it over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to bubble. Once bubbling, whisk it for 1 to 2 more minutes, then remove it from the heat. Immediately stir in vanilla extract (if using) and butter until combined.

To cool your custard quickly, place the saucepan in a larger bowl of ice water that will go halfway up the sides of the saucepan (i.e. water should not spill in) and stir the custard until lukewarm, then divide among serving dishes or ramekins. You can also pour it into serving dishes or ramekins still hot, but you should then press a film of plastic wrap against each custard in the fridge so it doesnt form a pudding skin. Custards keep in fridge for up to 4 days.

To serve: Preheat oven to 450F. Place blueberries in a heatproof, shallow roasting dish and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Roast in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, rolling around once or twice during cooking time to ensure they roast evenly. The goal is not to let the blueberries fully slump or turn to sauce; you just want a little trickle of juices puddled across in the bottom. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over berries the second they come out of the oven and roll them back and forth to evenly incorporate it. Spoon hot roasted blueberries and some of their juices over each custard. Eat immediately, passing any extra roasted blueberries alongside.

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leek, chard and corn flatbread

We are at the beach this week and even though there was a point when we were trying to pile the toddler, his 55 favorite toys including a full-sized tricycle, me, my 25 kitchen necessities including, apparently, a meat thermometer and the serrated peeler one of you told me about a few weeks ago that I now cant live without, the beach towels, blankets, umbrellas, sandcastle-shaped bucket, toddler bed bars, a box of groceries and my husband (happy anniversary, baby!) in our little car that we thought we should really just stay home instead, it wasnt long into our drive onto the North Fork, passing miles of farms, leave-you-money-in-the-box roadside blackberry stands, dilapidated barns, impeccably kept houses, and more grape vines than you could count in your lifetime that we were unwaveringly certain we were back where we were meant to be.

Its so quiet here that the days feel longer, virtually distraction-free. Weve been beaching in the morning, adventuring with the toddler in the afternoons and cooking up a storm for dinner each night. We had a mash-up of Mollys Dry-Rubbed Ribs and Harold McGees Oven Ribs (that I really have to reassemble here one day, with some streamlining) one night (with corn and an heirloom caprese), and last night, we had a tiny dinner party with friends that are in town with sugar steaks (a recipe Ive only been promising you for a year), a crunchy Greek salad and this old favorite potato salad. Are you around? You should come over for dinner. We tend to make too much.

I didnt make this flatbread here but it would fit in perfectly would I want to repeat this dinner from last week. About a month ago, I saw the chard lined up next to the corn and leeks at a farm stand and couldnt get the combination out of my head. It was the most mid-summery combination I could imagine and I debated assembling the three into a galette (but wasnt in the mood for a buttery crust; am I broken?), pizza (but it would require more cheese than I thought necessary; ditto, broken?) and finally just decided to call it flatbread, though were still going to just use a pizza dough. So to make this as unnecessarily confusing as possible.

These three ingredients cooked together play off each other fantastically; the leeks get deep and sweet; the chard wilts but retains its bulk and the corn kernels crunch across the top. I scattered the top with soft goat cheese, but you could just as easily soften it and spread it thinly under the ingredients, as we did here. Whatever you do, I implore you to make this before the endless piles of summer corn are a distant memory.

One year ago: Naked Tomato Sauce
Two years ago: Fresh Tomato Sauce
Three years ago: Tomato and Corn Pie
Four years ago: Crisp Rosemary Flatbread and Marinated Eggplant with Capers and Mint
Five years ago: Double Chocolate Torte

Leek, Corn and Chard Flatbread with Goat Cheese

I tend to make things with small yields that are easily scaled up, but this will yield two big flatbreads. (We find that one feeds the three of us for a light dinner, unless the toddler has an unusually large appetite. Then things get ugly.) Honestly, I was trying to scale the recipe to the size these vegetables are typically sold in. (I.e. Wouldnt half an ear of corn be an annoying amount?) Nevertheless, you can of course half this recipe, but the good news is, if you dont, we found this reheated really nicely for a second dinner. We ate it with a tomato salad, and one of the nights, we had some leftover chicken, too.

Should you have a grill at your disposal, I think this would make an unbelievable grilled flatbread. Heres how: Prepare your filling and set it aside. Roll or stretch out your doughs. Get your grill going at a high temperature and brush the grates with oil. Throw the first raw dough down right on them. After a few minutes, it will be black and blistered underneath. Flip it off the grill, landing it ungrilled (top) side down on a platter. Spread half the filling over it and slide it back on the grill for 5 to 7 minutes with the top down, until charred slightly at the edges. Repeat with remaining filling and dough. Invite me over.

Because this tends to irk me in other recipes, its only fair that I warn you that the toppings will not glue to the flatbread. To do so would require a lot of melty cheese or wetter ingredients and really, this is delightful with neither. You can pick up squares with your hand (but no handsprings, okay?) or eat them with knife and fork. The flavors taste like they were always meant to be together, and if youre me, youll miss it long after youve finished your leftovers.

Makes 2 large (9x13ish inches) flatbreads

About 1 1/2 pounds pizza dough (from two of these, or store-bought)

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large leeks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 12-ounce bundle chard or about 6 cups (6 ounces) of leaves, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from 1 to 2 medium ears corn)
Cornmeal, for sprinkling baking surface
4-ounce goat cheese log, cold

Trim the ends off your leeks and halve them lengthwise. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch half-rings. Fill a medium bowl with very cold water and drop in sliced leeks. Swish them around with your fingers, letting any sandy dirt fall to the bottom. Scoop out the leeks and drain them briefly on a towel, but no need to get them fully dry. Do the same with your chard ribbons, but you can leave the leaves on towels until theyre nearly fully dry, while you cook the leeks.

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add butter and oil and once theyre fully melted and a bit sizzly, add the leek slices. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook leek for 10 to 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise heat back to medium, add the chard ribbons and cook until they wilt, about 4 minutes. Season mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more if needed. Finally, add your corn kernels, cooking them with the leeks and chard for just another minute.

Sprinkle two baking sheets with cornmeal. If you have pesky old baking trays like I do, and your breads really like to stick to them, I find things will release more reliably if you first lightly spray them with an oil before sprinkling on the cornmeal. Roll or stretch half your dough into a rectangular-ish shape (flatbreads are prettiest when theyre irregularly shaped, in my humble opinion) and arrange it on the prepared sheet. Spread half the leek-corn-chard mixture on it. Sprinkle it with half the log of goat cheese, crumbled into small bits.

Bake flatbread in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges of the bread begin to brown slightly (they might brown more deeply in a better oven than they did in my lousy one). Repeat with remaining dough, filling and goat cheese.

To serve, slide each flatbread onto a cutting board and cut into 8 rectangles. Serve immediately.

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Dinner From Last Night: Margherita Flatbread Pizza What we had for dinner last night. Or the night before. Or within the last week... This is what we eat! (At some point in the preceding month.) Aeron Vale Allotment Society's AWARD WINNING website aeronvale-allotments.org.uk AWARD WINNING official web-site pages with general growing information and tips. Fruit and veggie comparisons: How big is your baby? Baby size ... I have a really hard time sleeping as well but once i got my body pillow it is so much easier. I find myself with the pillow between my legs and under my belly which ... Vegetable Program - Vegetable Research - Recommended Vegetable ... Recommended varieties for Saskatchewan producers. The varieties listed on this page represent some of the best performing vegetable varieties based on ... Garden Guides, Your Guide to Everything Gardening Learn about gardening on GardenGuides.com. How to grow plants, start a garden, get gardening tips or find supplies. Join the community and connect with gardeners with ... Kid-Friendly Recipes - KitchenDaily Kid-Friendly Recipes with ratings, reviews and menus Rodale Store - ABS DIET Get full access to all of the lifestyle-changing information from the best-selling books, plus online only content, decision tools, shopping lists, and more, including: The Hornet Restaurant - Mobile and Small Screen Site The Hornet, located less than a block from The Mayan Theater, serves as a terrific destination for dinner and a movie. The Hornet's atmosphere heats up for Happy Hour ... Blood Type O - Saga Stevin Highly Beneficial: Neutral: Avoid: Beef Beef, ground Buffalo Heart Lamb Liver Mutton Veal Venison: Chicken Cornish Hens Duck Partridge Pheasant Rabbit Turkey Quail: Bacon Bitchincamero Food blog Miami ... Butternut Squash & Mushroom Chicken Pot Pie October 11th, 2011 Filed under: entree, recipe Tags: butternut squash, casserole, chicken, mushrooms

mediterranean baked feta with tomatoes

A few summers ago, I discovered what I consider to be one of the greatest things that has ever been placed over oiled grill grates on a beachy summer evening, preferably while a glass of rose trickles condensation down your hand: grilled haloumi cheese. Maybe youre Greek or better versed in the world of grill-able cheeses than me and are nodding silently right now, lucky enough that this is old news. Or maybe youre confused because I just said grilled cheese and really? There is nothing new about two slices of white bread fried in butter until the gooey orange runs over the crusts and your freak-of-a-toddler wont touch it. But, of course, this is an entirely different kind, no bread, no butter and absolutely better in summer than any other time.

Haloumi, the star of the saganaki show, is like the hardest feta youve ever seen, and quite rubbery when cold. I bet that made you really hungry, right? But the thing is, when heated, it becomes tender in the center but not runny; it doesnt fall apart, just blisters and sighs. The easiest way to eat it is sakanaki-style, with lemon juice, black pepper and pita bread. But my favorite way is finely chop a salad of fresh tomatoes, olives or capers, red onion, olive oil and red wine vinegar and spoon it over the grilled haloumi slices. You dig in immediately and wonder where it has been all of your life.

Nevertheless, I have never spoken of haloumi here, difficult as it has been for me to ever shut my yap about a great cooking discovery, because its just not that easy to get. I see it more places every year even Whole Foods and Fairway last week, and its always been a mainstay at cheese stores but its really marked up in price and hardly everywhere and the last thing I want to do is ooh and aah over something that youre never going to get a taste of. That is, usually. But it wasnt until I had a chance to preview the Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook a couple weeks ago that I finally figured out how I could make this dish something that everyone could love, regardless of their level of access to Greek cheeses.

In her stunning first book that will immediately make you want to run to the kitchen and do something new with vegetables, Sara Forte suggests that you either grill or bake feta cheese which will give you a haloumi-like impression but is softer and easier to find with halved cherry tomatoes, chopped Kalmata olives, red onion, garlic, parsley and a tiny drizzle of olive oil until it becomes soft enough that you can scoop it up with a piece of flatbread. It makes a great low-fuss appetizer or side dish or, heck, even dinner with a summery salad and some cured meats or pickles, something I think we should do as much of as possible before summer is over. Deal?

One year ago: Zucchini Fritters
Two years ago: Perfect Blueberry Muffins
Three years ago: Peach Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting, Melon Agua Fresca and Cubed, Hacked Caprese
Four years ago: Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs and Dimply Plum Cake
Five years ago: Smoke-Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers

Baked Feta with Tomatoes and Olives
Adapted, barely, from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

I dont think anyone would mind if you use more than the suggested amount of tomatoes. Feta is so salty and tomatoes are so delicious and sweet right now, the more the merrier. Now, I dont have a grill but I am sharing the grilling instructions here because most of you do, but with the caveat that I havent tested this on a grill. My only concern would be leakage. I dont think any harm would come from doubling up on the foil.

If youd like to make this with haloumi (you can buy it here or here or here, btw, and probably a cheese or good grocery store closer to you), I like to cut my block of haloumi into about 1/3- to 1/2-inch slices. I brush the grill with oil and place it gently, directly on the grates, cooking it until its blistered on one side, then flipping it and doing the other. Lay the grilled slices out on a plate and toss it with a chopped salad made from the non-feta ingredients below, plus a splash of red wine vinegar. I usually skip the garlic (just personal taste) and would only use a tablespoon or so of minced red onion, since the salad will be raw, but otherwise think youll love it as much as we do.

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup chopped, pitted Kalmata olives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (oops, I forgot this)
2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 8- to 10-ounce block feta
Crackers, flatbread*, pita chips, or crostini, for dipping

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.

On a grill: Heat your grill to medium-high. Set the feta block in the middle of a piece of foil. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the feta. Fold up the edges of the foil so that it will hold in any liquid as it cooks. Place the packet straight on a grill for 15 minutes to warm it through. Remove from grill and transfer to plate or serving dish.

In the oven: Heat oven to 400F. Check to see that your dish is oven-proof. (I didnt!) Place the block of feta in the middle of your dish. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the feta. Bake for 15 minutes.

Both methods: The feta will not melt, just warm and soften. Serve with crackers; eat immediately. As it cools, the feta will firm up again. We found that the dish could be returned to the oven to soften it again. We did this with leftovers, too.

* I made these. These days, Ive been running a pizza wheel over the rolled-out pieces to pre-cut it into rough rectangles before baking it, like so.

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Herb-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta Recipe at Epicurious.com Find the recipe for Herb-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta and other herb recipes at Epicurious.com Baked Frittata with Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Feta ... If you read my last post about healthy breakfast ideas, you know I am a huge fan of breakfast foods. Unfortunately, I work during the weeks and dont have a ton of ... Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta Recipe MyRecipes.com 5 large tomatoes, cut into eighths; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Baked feta & tomato with herb salad recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Drizzle a little oil in the bottom of 2 small baking dishes, line with tomato, season then divide the feta on top. Everyday Food . Recipes . Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta PBS Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta : Serves 4 Prep time: 25 minutes Total time: 40 minutes . Preheat oven to 475 degrees with rack set in upper third. Feta baked with tomato & oregano recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food Cooked feta keeps its shape but becomes lovely and spreadable. Serve with warm crusty bread to scoop up the sauce Mediterranean Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomatoes Serve flavorful roasted tomatoes on pasta. Or, use tomatoes as a topping for pizza or bruschetta, or include in an antipasto platter. Wine Pairing Recommendation ... Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Recipe : Ellie Krieger ... 36 min; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons); 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of no-salt-added diced ... Feta cheese (Recipe: pasta salad with feta, basil, olives, fresh ... Something you might not know about Rhode Island: We make great cheese. Not good cheese. Great cheese. And not just the provolone and mozzarella and ricotta you'd ... Penne with Chicken, Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes, and Feta Recipe at ... Find the recipe for Penne with Chicken, Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes, and Feta and other tomato recipes at Epicurious.com

my favorite brownies

I understand that when a website but 5 11/12 years old boasts not one or two but eleven brownie recipes that its possible, perhaps, or at least worth considering that the brownie category: its been exhausted. The brownie beat reporter can retire. The archives are full. I get it, I do. Shouldnt we be discussing blueberry pie, summer harvest tians or backyard grillery? Probably.

But the thing is, I really wanted a brownie. And more so, I wanted my favorite brownies. And despite having an alphabet of brownie recipes on this site from Adorable Hearts to Baked Bakery to Cream Cheese, Cocoa, and Creme de Menthe, I actually havent shared my go-to brownie recipe in its purest form, what I dub my Forty Minute Naptime Brownies. And for that, we need to talk about, well, Jacob.

I dont mean to shock you, but my son, the light of our lives, and dont even get me started on how I plan to gaze adoringly at the photos from shirtless pig-sketti night last week long into my rocking chair days were he to have a singular flaw, it would be that hes just never been that into sleep. He was 18 months old before he took a nap longer than 40 minutes and I am not allowed to talk about the oh-so recent age when he started mostly sleeping through the night because it scares my friends who havent had kids yet, and I promised to stop doing that. Lest you think this post is going to become a disposal ground for my parental woes, fear not. The upshot of this is that when you have a child who takes short naps, you learn to excel in short baking projects, and I can now make these in my sleep. You know, whenever it is granted.

My favorite brownies take 10 minutes to put together and embody everything I love in a brownie; theyre bittersweet and chewy, where so many brownies excessively sweet and fudgy (or worse, the dreaded cakey and chocolaty in color only). Like many of my favorite recipes, theyre defined not by what they have in them but what they dont; theres no brown sugar or brown butter, baking powder, Dutched cocoa, cake flour, nuts, coffee granules, chips or frosting. Seriously, I think if a brownie needs frosting to sing, it probably wasnt a great brownie to begin with. There are seven ingredients and the most important one, as it should be, is the unsweetened chocolate. Why unsweetened chocolate? If you want a baked good with deeply rooted chocolate intensity without using a half-pound or more of chopped bars (these use just three ounces of chocolate, which means you can splurge on the best stuff), youre going to have to start with unsweetened chocolate, every time. These brownies understand that.

And although they take well to all to all sorts of dolling up (from cream cheese to white chocolate mint ganache to being cubed and buried in cheesecake, true story), they need none of that to make for a speedy in preparation, cooking and clean-up time square of mood management, one you can tuck into even before your resident Nap Conscientious Objector (no more Muhammed Ali board books for you, kid!) wakes up. Because I dont know about you, but when I decide I want a brownie, I want it exactly then. These brownies will not make you wait.

One year ago: Hazelnut Plum Crumb Tart
Two years ago: Raspberry Limeade Slushies, Sweet Corn Pancakes and Eggplant Salad Toasts
Three years ago: Summer Pea and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad, Lobster Rolls, Espresso Chiffon Cake with Fudge Frosting and Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Four years ago: Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa, How to Poach An Egg, Smitten Kitchen-Style, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Five years ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake and Plum Almond Tart

My Favorite Brownies

Ive talked about these before. A larger, thinner version of them formed the mosaic in the brownie mosaic cheesecake. I riffed on them with bittersweet and white chocolate instead of unsweetened for some schmoopy heart brownies. But Ive never given them to you straight, and I must, because from time to time someone asks me what my favorite brownie recipe is and I have to email it to them, which makes me feel like Ive failed as a food blogger.

In an effort to put some unique spin on these, Ive done many things to them over the years: Ive browned the butter, replaced half the white sugar with brown or replaced some of the flour with cocoa powder. Ive added pinches of cinnamon and toasted walnuts and chocolate chips. All of these things are good. None of them are needed. If you promise not to fuss, you could be eating these in under an hour. Im not even going to pretend youre still reading, knowing that.

Makes 1 88 pan of brownies which you can cut into 16 2-inch squares (shown above), 25 smaller squares, or 32 21-inch bites, which is what I usually do.

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
1 1/3 cups (265 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt (about 2 grams)
2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350F. Line an 88-inch Line an 88-inch square baking pan with parchment, exentending it up two sides, or foil. Butter the parchment or foil or spray it with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula and scrape batter into prepared pan, spread until even. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free.

Let cool and cut into desired size. If youre like me, you will prefer these and all brownies, cold or even frozen. But I bet youre normal and will just eat them hot from the pan. If desired, dust the brownies with powdered sugar before serving.

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Paleo Brownies Recipe This will be your favorite brownie! Looking for a paleo brownie that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Good quality cocoa powder, healthy coconut, almonds just the start of how to make this extremely ... Scratch Brownies - Family Favorite: No Need to Buy Brownie Mixes ... Scratch Brownies - Family Favorite No Need to Buy Brownie Mixes - Easy Recipe My New Roots: The Raw Brownie Um, so, I am about to change your life. Ready? The Raw Brownie. I guess I havent mentioned it yet, but I am now working as a chef in the premier raw ... Good Ol Homemade Brownies Buns In My Oven This may be a cooking blog, but I find myself sharing some of my deepest, darkest secrets (never having tried oatmeal before, for instance) here. Brownies My Way : Cafe Fernando Food Blog - brownie - Brownies Brownies My Way : Some like it fudgy, some like it cakey. Some add walnuts, some don't. Some prefer thin slices, some like it thick. No Shall we talk about brownies again? Your favorite recipes and why ... Shall we talk about brownies again? Your favorite recipes and why they are favorites? Twix Brownies My Baking Addiction Thick, rich brownies stuffed with Twix candy bars and topped with an enthusiastic drizzle of caramel. Snickers Brownies Recipe My Baking Addiction Rich, fudgy, thick brownies with a gooey Snickers filled center. My favorite kitchen For Valentines Day i mad this chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream from the great blog "Pinch my salt" Prepare the filling: Gallon of premium vanilla ice ... My Favorite Brownies Beantown Baker I freaking love brownies. They might be my favorite dessert. I mean, I'd never say no to any dessert, especially if it's chocolate, but there's just something special ...

triple berry summer buttermilk bundt

Our toddler left us. Or, at least until Friday. Over the last 2 3/4 years, weve occasionally been blessed with the chance to go away for a few days sans bb. We return well-rested and smiling, sandy grit in the bottom of our suitcases, traces of whatever had vexed us before we left deliciously eviscerated from memory, and almost giddy with excitement to start scraping spaghetti from the underside of the high chair again. But this is the first time with barely a Sayonara! as he ran out the door or a single Wish you were here! postcard from the road that Jacob has headed out for lazier climes without us. Hes spending a week at the mountain retreat of Camp Grandparents, where hes forced to endure petting zoos, baby pools, wide expanses of fresh air, nonstop adoration, and, no doubt, all of the ice cream he can talk them into.

Meanwhile, Alex and I have been left behind to attend to our assigned daily grinds and realize how totally dull this place is in the morning without a toddler buzzing from room to room at the crack of dawn, pulling on our earlobes to announce, Im awake! Wake UP! and serenading us with ABCs on his guitar. Weve also learned that we share differing interpretations of a weeks Vacation From Parenting. For example, I was thinking that, freed from the daily whirlwind of tight schedules, tantrums, irregular sleep patterns and spontaneous song-and-dance-and-marching! parties that life with a toddler demands, we could finally get caught up on things that have been neglected for the last 2 3/4 years. My to-do list for this week involves such enticing tasks as Get the apartment painted! Rearrange furniture and pictures! Clean out closets! Meet at gym every day after work, and Back-up and replace laptops. I was also thinking we could read and discuss War and Peace every night before we hit the pillow, but didnt want to be overly ambitious. Alexs comparatively modest list includes such audacious suggestions as Get lots of sleep, get drinks with friends, watch TV with the sound on and the Closed Captioning off, and very little else. Yeah, so who would you rather party with? Its okay, I wont take it personally.

Whichever version of our week off will prevail remains to be seen, but at least for the weekend, as it should, leisure won. Shortly after Jacob hit the road on Saturday (armed with eight books, Ernie, Bert, two monkeys, a soccer ball and glockenspiel, just the basics) I set out two sticks of butter, picked through all of the market berries Id bought and let languish throughout the week and baked what has to be the most perfect summer embodiment a buttermilk bundt bronzed with a faint crunch at the edges, tender to the point of pudding-ness in the center, and welcome wherever you take it. Its dotted with slumped berries, marbled with pink and purple streaks and topped with a thick, tart lemon glaze. And if that doesnt scream summer enough to you, consider taking it to a housewarming party on a gorgeous evening with the skyline of Manhattan in the distance, where you dont have to nervously glance at your watch as the babysitters tab adds up, nobody cares when you get up the next morning, and as you have long, uninterrupted conversations with friends about life itself, start to imagine that maybe if the closets have gone neglected this long, another week without cannot hurt them.

One year ago: Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes
Two years ago: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Improved
Three years ago: Chocolate Yogurt Snack Cakes
Four years ago: Zucchini Strand Spaghetti
Five years ago: Lemon Risotto and Strawberry Chiffon Shortcake

Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt
Adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts

The recipe, as originally published, uses 3 cups rhubarb for the berries and 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil for the vanilla. As you can imagine, you could likely use 3 cups of many chopped fruits or berries for different, delicious bundts throughout the year, such as cranberries in the fall or even diced peaches and other stone fruits in the month or two to come. Have fun with it.

Although I made these with the 3 cups of berries listed below (using one cup each of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, though currants or huckleberries or whatever you can get would also be delicious) I think this cake has the potential to be even more of a berry bomb with a fourth cup of berries. The cake as written below is full of berries, but its a balanced amount they dont overwhelm the cake, and I do really like a cake thats almost overwhelmed with fruit.

Updated with weights, at last, 7/10/12. Plus, a note about weights: Making it even more confusing for home cooks, not every recipe writer agrees on the weight of a cup of flour or sugar. However, when theres a discrepancy between what I would get and what a recipe writer has included in their ingredients, I default to their measurements, as I do below. The weights are on the heavy side by my measurements (my spoon-and-sweep cups clock in at 125 grams), but will work as listed in this recipe.

Cake
2 1/2 cups (355 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (20 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
1 cup (8 ounces or 225 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups (340 grams) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (175 ml) buttermilk
3 cups (350 to 450 grams) mixed berries

Glaze
2 cups (240 grams) powdered or confections sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter, very, very soft

Preheat your oven to 350F. Generously grease a 10-cup Bundt pan, either with butter or a nonstick spray.* Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk or sift 2 1/2 cups flour (leaving 2 tablespoons back), baking powder and salt together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and impossibly fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then, with the mixer on a low speed, add your eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla, briefly. Add 1/3 flour mixture to batter, beating until just combined, followed by half the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk and remaining flour mixture. Scrape down from time to time and dont mix any more than you need to. In the bowl where youd mixed your dry ingredients, toss the berries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. With a silicon spatula, gently fold the berries into the cake batter. The batter will be very thick and this will seem impossible without squishing the berries a little, but just do your best and remember that squished berries do indeed make for a pretty batter.

Spread cake batter you might find it easier to plop it in the pan in large spoonfuls, because its so thick in the prepared baking pan and spread the top smooth. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the cake 180 degrees after 30 (to make sure it browns evenly). The cake is done as soon as a tester comes out clean of batter. At 10 minutes before my baking time was up, a tester was totally wet with batter and I was certain it would never be done in the estimated time. 7 minutes later, the same tester was clean as a whistle, so fret not.

Set cake pan on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, before inverting the cake onto a serving platter to cool the rest of the way. Cool completely. Once cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth and very, very thick. (If youd like it thinner, add more juice, but I like the thick drippiness of it, seen above.) Spread carefully over top of cake, letting it trickle down the sides when and where it wishes. Serve at once or keep it covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

* Updated note, due to comments about cake sticking: If you have a nonstick Bundt, just a coat of butter or nonstick spray should do. However, if you have a regular Bundt, not nonstick coated, youre really going to want to make sure every nook and cranny is well-coated with butter or even shortening (the solidity of both helps them stick to the cake walls), and then dust the inside with flour. Setting your cake pan in the fridge or freezer (to set the coating even further) while you make the cake batter will provide even more insurance. I hope this improves the release rate of the cake!

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Blueberry-Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake I saw Debs triple berry summer cake and couldnt take my eyes off of it for days ... Blueberry-Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake. Yield: 10 to 12 servings. Prep Time: 20 minutes ... triple berry summer buttermilk bundt smitten kitchen A home cooking weblog from a tiny kitchen in New York City. The place to find all of your new favorite things to cook. Delicious / Wow, that is a scrumptious cake! Triple Berry Summer ... Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt via smittenkitchen.com. summer berry buttermilk bundt by smitten on Flickr. Pinned via web Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt Punchfork From Smitten Kitchen. Ingredients: Berries, lemon, lemon, all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, butter, eggs, 2 more. Summer Berry Buttermilk Bundt Cake In the kitchen with Kath I first saw the recipe for Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt on Smitten Kitchen, where Deb Perelman said she had adapted it from a recipe in Rustic Fruit ... Dinner At Sheila's - Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt The bundt cake above is the perfect vehicle for the summer berries in abundance now at the farmers markets, produce stands and ... triple berry summer buttermilk bundt Flickr - Photo Sharing! Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt on smittenkitchen.com This photo was taken on June 23, 2012 using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II Amanda Peterson: Sunday Servings: Triple Berry Buttermilk Bundt Seasons are back where they are supposed to be. It's July, and it's summer. And that feels right and very proudly American because of course, the southern ... Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt Cake Recipe - Food.com - 483287 This recipe came from SmittenKitchen.com, one of my favourite food blogs... and she's adapted it from Rustic Fruit Desserts. All I know is that it's delicious! It's ... Double Berry Bundt Cake eat.wander.love Lucky for me, she had just posted a recipe for a triple berry summer buttermilk bundt. Talk about timing. Her cake looked delicious, except for maybe ...

chopped salad with feta, lime and mint

Im sorry, guys, but I get really boring in the summer. Like, hey-isnt-it-nice-when-the-sun-shines boring. Or, let-me-tell-you-about-that-time-I-got-the-apartment-painted boring.

Okay fine, Ill tell you anyway. Remember when I told you that on our Vacation From Parenting I had an ambitious to-do list but my husband was quite certain wed be better off doing as little as possible? Well, Alex: 1, Deb: 0 and here it is encrypted on the permanent record of the internet. As it turns out, having to take your entire apartment apart to allow for painters is totally not fun at all. Sometimes theres a communication breakdown that leads to you coming home right as theyre finishing up to find that your apartment had been painted the wrong color. Sometimes, in the same week, your bathtub is suspiciously filled with plaster, your door handle breaks and leaves you locked out of your apartment for an eternity, your air conditioning dies, and 48 hours after the painters had left, not a single piece of furniture got ambitious enough to move itself back into position, which means that youll probably be doing that for the remainder of your so-called vacation. Really, Deb [insert slow clap here] next time your husband suggest you do nothing but sleep, socialize and relax for a week, perhaps you might just not argue.

It also kills all lofty cooking goals, but since were going for honesty, I should just admit that I didnt have all that many. Like I started saying above before I had to go and prove it, I get a little boring in the summer. But, its not my fault! Its just a theory, but I suspect that nature designed summer produce this way, intentionally making it so tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers required exactly zero amounts of cooking to transform them into culinary greatness so that youd be free for home improvements beach trips and cocktails on decks at sunset.

This weeks obsession is, indeed, and conveniently, virtually cooking-free. Ive always had a soft spot for salads that are almost all crunch and no filler. While the ingredient combinations with which you can play this out are endless, sometimes a specific one gets in your head and you cannot get it out until you recreate it, ad infinitum, at home. This happened this week after we had dinner at The Breslin, before paint and plaster (and the avoidance there-of, which led to oh yes, we did, and Im not sorry) took over our lives. Pretty much everything April Bloomfield cooks is the kind of perfection that you didnt know your life was missing before you arrived (hello, lamburger, crisp boiled peanuts and thrice-cooked chips!) but is never going to be complete again without after you left.

And yet, it wasnt as much the market salad as the crazy, absolutely addictive interplay of feta, mint, lime and spectacularly well-toasted sunflower seeds on her chopped salad that I had to have again and again. And so I took this weeks languishing haul from the market and chopped away. I retoasted my sunflower seeds so theyd be darker. I used some queso fresco instead of feta, but you can use whatever you can get, even ricotta salata. I slivered some fresh mint and even stirred in some chile powder and the result has got to be my idea of a summer salads highest calling a revelation, crunchy and refreshing, and leaving you free to be your goofy self.

One year ago: Skirt Steak with Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
Two years ago: Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
Three years ago: Mediterranean Pepper Salad
Four years ago: Mango Curd
Five years ago: Everyday Yellow Dal

Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime, Mint and Sunflower Seeds

I used 1 cup each of halved and thinly sliced radishes (3 1/4 ounces), 1/2 pound of lightly cooked, cooled green and yellow beans (1/2 pound fresh) that Id cut into 1/4-inch slices on the bias, and quartered and thinly sliced Kirby cucumbers (from 5 ounces or 2 whole). However, you should use whatever is crunchy and youre craving, such as peppers, carrots, lightly cooked corn cut off the cob, celery, fennel or more.

To bulk this up into a more rounded dish, you could add a cup or two of thinly sliced lettuce, 1 to 2 cups of cooked, cooled grains such as barley, quinoa or farro, or a cup or so of cooked black beans, to add to the Southwestern vibe. In each case, it would be best to double the dressing so youll be able to cover everything evenly.

Serves 4 as appetizers and 2 as more of a meal-sized salad

3 cups chopped, crunchy vegetables
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta, queso fresco or ricotta salata
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup well-toasted sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon chile powder or 1/8 teaspoon each your choice combination of chile powder, cumin, cayenne or sumac
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

Mix the vegetables, feta, scallions, seeds and mint in a medium bowl. Whisk lime juice, olive oil, salt, spice and black pepper in a small dish and pour over vegetables, tossing to evenly coat. Adjust with more salt or pepper as needed. Garnish with mint and crunch-crunch-crunch away!

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Thursday Night: Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime and Mint I don't ... It's 107 degrees with the heat index today, which means that it's officially too hot to cook. Happily, we had a zippy salad in the queue from Smitten ... chopped salad with feta, lime and mint smitten kitchen A home cooking weblog from a tiny kitchen in New York City. The place to find all of your new favorite things to cook. Chopped Tomato and Cucumber Salad Recipe with Mint, Feta, Lemon ... Chopped Tomato and Cucumber Salad Recipe with Mint, Feta, Lemon, and Thyme Watermelon Salad with Feta and Lime - Party Menu Planning Made Easy Watermelon Salad with Feta and Lime Serves 4 4 lbs watermelon 3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves, plus whole sprigs for garnish 3/4 cup mild feta, crumbled Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint - Salty Sweet Refreshing This refreshing salad with watermelon, feta cheese, and fresh mint is simply dressed with olive oil and lime ... in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing and chopped mint over ... Foodie / chopped salad with feta, lime, mint Pin images from any website as you browse the web with the Pin It button. Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime, and Mint - Simply Living and Loving ... Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime, and Mint recipe from Smitten Kitchen I Love this for Cleaning out the fridge : This recipe uses whatever Crunchy Vegetables ... Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime and Mint Punchfork From Smitten Kitchen (vegetarian, gluten free). Ingredients: Mint, sunflower seeds, vegetables, black pepper, coarse or kosher salt, olive oil, lime juice, feta, 1 more. Cucumber and Avocado Salad Recipe with Lime, Mint, and Feta Cucumber and Avocado Salad Recipe with Lime, Mint, and Feta (Makes 2-4 servings, recipe created by Kalyn) Ingredients: 2 cups chopped cucumbers (3-4 medium cucumbers or 2 ... Watermelon Salad with Feta or Cotija Recipe Simply Recipes Watermelon Mint Feta Salad. 1/2 cup chopped red onion; 1/2 cup lime juice (4-6 limes, depending on how big and juicy the limes are) A quarter of a medium sized watermelon ...