tahini puppy chow

/

hello from hawaii where we are celebrating eggboy’s 30th birthday!! we came here right after a quick couple of days spent in new york for the today show and the launch of my taim falafel and it was so much fun! i got to make tater tot hotdish on air with al roker and harry connick junior, and they and everyone else at the show were so gosh darn sweet! i was so nervous but made sure to eat a good breakfast at ess-a-bagel before and then i managed to squeeze in a mention of our town tater tot factory during the segment. new york actually felt balmy when we got there since it was -20 when we left grand forks. it was perfect walking weather, so i was able to easily avoid the subway and log a zillion steps per day. 

anywho, about a month ago my bb kristin texted me a very important text message:

tahini puppy chow?????

yassssss!!!!!! ever since chanie posted a recipe for it i've been eyeing it up and down.

the last time i’d had puppy chow was probably also the last time i wore limited too and was obsessed with lime green and those little rhinestone accessories that stuck onto your hair by way of velcro. (do you remember those? what were we thinking?) puppy chow was the best soccer game half-time snack, tied with firmly packed rice krispies treats. and it is best eaten by shoveling it into your mouth, creating a powder sugar mustache that, now that i have grown out of my limited too phase, begs for a cocaine joke.

when kristin arrived at our house for our annual chrismukkah slumber party, she brought:

chex

powdered sugar

my favorite m&m knockoffs which i think you can only get in the whole foods bulk section (the colors are the prettiest)

tahini for the puppy chow

more tahini for my personal use because my stash got dangerously low and good tahini does not exist in grand forks

and then we went to town and made what seemed like way too much puppy chow at the time but after a couple days of steady noshing it was gone and we got really sad. it’s ok though because the recipe is right here! we improvised on kristin’s classic peanut butter recipe, essentially just swapping out the peanut butter for tahini, adding a bit of cinnamon to enhance the flavor and finishing it with toasted sesame seeds, those pretty m&m knockoffs, and some chopped halva that i've had in my freezer from when ruth gifted me halva kingdom halva in tel aviv! it is perrrrfect to have around in a cute container for when you need just a little bite of something sweet.

tahini puppy chow

makes about 8 cups

ingredients

1/4 c butter

1/2 c tahini

a couple pinches of cinnamon

a big pinch of salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c chocolate chips

6 c chex cereal

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

2 tb sesame seeds

1 c chopped halva

a few handfuls of m&ms

clues

in a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter. stir in the tahini, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate is fully melted. remove from the heat.

in a large plastic bin or bowl with a lid, combine the chex and tahini mixture, stirring gently to keep the chex from breaking. stir in half of the powdered sugar and then add the rest of the powdered sugar and the sesame seeds, snap on the lid and shake, shake, shake! taste and add more powdered sugar as desired.

finally, fold in the chopped halva and m&ms and enjoy! 

-yeh!

falafel with preserved lemon yogurt, spicy pickled onions, and fresh mint

/

happy new year, friends!!

i hope you all had wonderful holidays, wonderful food, heated fireside debates, manageable new year’s days hangovers, etc. i had a great little weeklong break where i actually for the most part kept to my rules of not opening my computer, turning on my camera, or scribbling down recipe testing notes. as a result i still found myself in the kitchen for most hours of the day, but i explored all sorts of new time-consuming treasures that i’ve been meaning to try, like kubbeh soup and the novel-long-yet-extremely-thorough-and-rewarding recipes in the breads bakery book (more on that later, i can’t wait to talk your ears off about this). i also revisited this brilliant spinach salad recipe from jerusalem—and i can’t believe that i just called a spinach salad recipe “brilliant” but try it and you’ll know why and don’t skimp on the butter—and stocked our fridge with ribollita, hotdish, challah, and sarah kieffer’s chocolate chip dough. so i now have no excuse to just gnaw on my pile of cake scraps when i forget to eat lunch and then feel as if i’m going to kickstart the apocalypse if i don’t eat immediately.

when i wasn’t in the kitchen, i was cleaning with our new daughter, stacy the roomba, listening to my new favorite podcast, unorthodox, and actually going to the gym. my chrismukkah present to myself was a floor length coat that is essentially a walking sleeping bag, and i have not known cold since the day it arrived so i’ve been a bit more motivated to go out into the cold and drive to the gym. i even went to a morning class, it was one of those new drumming workout classes and it was a lot of fun even though i can’t really walk now. 

we spent our new year weekend skiing in bemidji on their cute as a button little ski mountain where the black diamonds were about as difficult the bunny hills in the alps (go figure…) so now we don’t hate skiing anymore and eggboy feels like a good nordic boy again. and then we rang in 2017 with emily and evan the cow farmers over my weird craving for a chocolate martini and a big basket of french fries. this brings me to my sad life update which is that i’m actually vaguely following through with my dumb resolution about giving up french fries and potato chips and other fried foods. but only monday through friday at sundown. my yoga pants were getting tight.

but i’m making an exception for this week (#ourdietstartstomorrow) because this week i’m flying out to new york with eggboy for:

  1. the launch of my falafel collab with taim!
  2. i’m gonna make tater tot hotdish on the today show on friday morning during the 9am eastern hour! 

this falafel collaboration is part of the guest chef series at taim, which is one of my very favorite falafel spots in the city. every month since september they’ve had a new special falafel and i am honored to be mrs. january. since january is a cold dark month, i went with some bright colors and flavors to add a little zing to your day. the sauce is yogurt that’s been blended with some tangy preserved lemons (fried things + yogurt is my new peanut butter & jelly), and then i’ve also added some fresh mint and crunchy cucumber, and pretty pink pickled onions that have a bite. it’s groovy. it’s sunshine for your mouth. it’s your chance to ingest your way out of any winter blues.  

also $1 from every falafel sold goes to hands of peace, a super awesome organization that fosters understanding among israelis, palestinians, and americans, with the mission for change and peace in the middle east.

here is a recipe so you can make this january falafel at home! the falafel and pita here are the ones from molly on the range. to get einat's magical falafel, you’ll have to get your bum to taim! 

Falafel with Preserved Lemon Yogurt, Spicy Pickled Onions, and Fresh Mint

makes 4 sandwiches

ingredients

pita:

1 1/2 c warm water

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 tb sugar

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 tb olive oil

3 3/4 c bread flour, plus more for dusting (optional: sub out 1 3/4 c bread flour for 1 3/4 c for whole wheat)

falafel:

1 c dried chickpeas, soaked for 10 hours or overnight and drained

2 tsp cumin seeds, freshly toasted and coarsely ground in a spice grinder

1 tb coriander seeds, freshly toasted and coarsely ground in a spice grinder

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c lightly packed cilantro leaves with stems, roughly chopped

1/4 c lightly packed parsley leaves with stems, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp kosher salt

black pepper

2 tb flour

1 1/2 tb lemon juice

olive oil or flavorless oil, for frying

 yogurt:

1 c plain full-fat greek yogurt

a handful of finely chopped (or pureed) preserved lemon

2 cloves minced garlic

Salt and pepper

pickled onions:

1 c warm water

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tb sugar

1 large purple onion, thinly sliced

Tabasco sauce

fresh mint salad:

1 part fresh mint leaves

1 part mix of parsley and cilantro

1 part chopped cucumber

olive oil

salt and pepper

a good pinch of sumac

also:

feta cheese, if desired

clues

to make the pita:

in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the water, yeast, and sugar. let it sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. with the mixer running on low speed, add the salt and oil, and then gradually add the flour. increase the speed to medium high and mix for 7-10 minutes, adding just enough additional flour so that the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. do not add too much flour. the dough should be smooth and slightly sticky. lightly coat a clean large bowl with oil or cooking spray and then place the dough in the bowl and turn it once or twice to coat it in oil. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

turn the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. mold each piece into a ball by stretching the top and tucking the edges under. place the balls 1” apart on a piece of parchment paper, cover them with plastic wrap, and let them rise for 30 minutes. 

preheat the oven to 500ºf and line two baking sheets with parchment.

with a rolling pin, roll out the balls of dough into circles that are 1/4" thick. place them on the baking sheets and bake for about 5 minutes, or until they're puffy and just starting to brown. this will make more pita than you need for the sandwiches but leftovers can be stored in freezer and reheated in a toaster.

to make the falafel:

in a food processor, combine the chickpeas, cumin, coriander, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, a few turns of pepper, flour, and lemon juice and pulse quickly, about 80-100 times, until the mixture is combined, but still slightly grainy. 

in a large skillet, heat 1/4” oil over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking. form 3-tablespoon sized balls of the falafel mixture, packing them firmly. fry on all sides until golden brown. transfer to a paper towel. 

for the yogurt:

whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl. keep chilled until ready to use.

for the pickles:

whisk together water, vinegar, salt, and sugar. add the onion, cover, and let sit at room temperature for an hour or in the refrigerator overnight. add Tabasco sauce to taste.

for the fresh mint salad:

toss herbs and cucumbers with enough olive oil to dress well. season with salt, pepper, and sumac.

To assemble: spread yogurt in a pita, add falafel, pickled onions, mint salad, and feta, if desired. enjoy! 

-yeh!

fluffy pistachio cake with pomegranate buttercream

/

in 2017 i resolve to...

1. be a tidy human, the kind that is tidy enough for unannounced visitors to swing by for a slice of cake and not be totally horrified.

2. probably not eat as many potato chips as i did in 2016. 

actually, i don't think i like this resolution.

3. have 1-2 more hangovers than i did in 2016. i was, like, *pretty* straightedged this year because with the whole book tour and all the traveling and everything i never felt like i had the luxury of proper recovery time from an all-nighter. i mean, i have no regrets. but that's the problem, i think i'm allowed a couple more regrets...?

4. get a hobby. someone asked me the other day what i do besides food and music and my answer was workout but that's not really a hobby so much it is a thing that i do so i don't die or have to buy new clothes. i dunno... i guess i could read more and check instagram less? or get into birding??? i just met some of the town birders and their description of it sounded so cool. 

5. do more community things. eggboy and i have just started this and it's been the most fulfilling so i want to do it more. eggboy joined the board of our town co-op and i am starting to work with a new community food truck in town. i'm so excited about it and can't wait to tell you more once i know more. 

6. be a great bridesmaid! i'm gonna be one four times this year! i simply cannot wait! it's going to be a year of parties... which i guess will really help with #3!! 

ok that's enough resolutions, let's address this pink cake! 

unlike the dense fudgey pistachio loaf cake from bklyn larder that fueled my former brooklyn existence (and inspired the pistachio cake in molly on the range), this cake is a fluffy happy layered thing. it has the mouthfeel of your favorite vanilla birthday cake but its flavor is pimped out with pistachio, almond, and pomegranate. one pistachio cake isn't better than the other, it's just different. i think of the bklyn larder loaf as an afternoon snack situation, while this one, in all of its pink buttercreamed glory, calls for a celebration. a new year, perhaps! 

fluffy pistachio cake with pomegranate buttercream

makes one 2-layer 8-inch cake

ingredients

1 c roasted unsalted pistachios

1 3/4 c sugar

2 1/4 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c vegetable or canola oil

1 tsp almond extract

1 tb vanilla extract

3/4 c water

frosting:

1 1/2 c butter

4 c powdered sugar

big pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 tb whole milk

green and red food coloring (optional)

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

 

clues

cake:

preheat oven to 350ºf.

grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.

place the pistachios in a food processor and grind them until you have small crumbs. measure out 1/4 cup of the crumbs and set them aside for the filling.

pour the remaining crumbs into a large bowl and whisk in the rest of the dry ingredients. in a medium bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then pour into the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. begin checking for doneness at 28 minutes.

let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then turn them onto a greased cooling rack.

frosting:

use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk until smooth. measure out 1 cup of the frosting and set it aside for the filling. add a tiny drop of red food coloring (if desired) and the pomegranate juice and beat to combine.

to make the filling, mix a tiny drop of green food coloring (if desired) and the reserved ground pistachios to the reserved 1 cup of frosting.

assembly:

level your cake layers and spread the top of one of them with the pistachio-filled frosting. place the other layer on top, and then frost all over with the remaining frosting. 

enjoy! 

-yeh!

pictured: plates // cake stand // cake flags

green lachuch with a fried egg, herbs, and cheese

/

what’s up, holiday homies!

it’s molly of yore here (specifically molly of last thursday, who has just finished wrapping all of eggboy's stocking stuffers). current molly is on holiday break, which means she’s not allowed to:

  1. unfold her computer 
  2. turn on her big camera
  3. write anything down on paper that could be considered “recipe testing”
  4. style food

in hopes that she will:

  1. clean the prop room (finally)
  2. spend more time at the gym
  3. read a book
  4. recharge, refuel, find inspiration, the meaning of life, inner and outer peace, the answer to all unanswerable questions, etc.

but she is probably:

  1. internet shopping from her phone in front of the o.a. and a bowl of potato chips with ketchup

this is all totally beside the point though. the point is i’m writing at you from the past to give you this brunch idea for new year’s morning because it’s savory, tasty, squishy enough to lap up a hangover, and kind of actually healthy! it could even make you excited to start your new year’s diets. it’s the lovechild of two things: the spongey yemeni flatbread called lachuch which is basically a large floppy crumpet, and this thing i often like to do on sunday mornings which is to blend all of our about-to-go-bad herbs into crepe batter. 

i first had lachuch in tzfat, a hilltop town in the galilee. there’s a great little stand there that fills lachuch with cheese, onions, tomatoes, za’atar, and really really spicy zhoug that the nice man always warns customers about. the whole thing gets crispy on the outside but remains chewy on the inside. the place is like a crepe stand for people like me who always like doughier things, and the few times that i’ve been there live in the back of my mind as really joyful memories. (look @ how happy i am)

lachuch itself is totally quirky in that it requires a yeasted batter. (i think i’ve only ever used yeast in doughs before this…?) in additional to yeast, most recipes i’ve read have an additional leavening agent, baking powder or baking soda. all of these leavening things create an elastic blobby batter that cooks up into the bubbliest pancake you’ve ever seen, and as i learned from the recipe in zahav, it’s often flavored with fenugreek, which has a very mild mustardy flavor. it does require some rising time, but if you know you’re gonna want these as soon as you wake up, blend the batter the night before and then let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.

and i’m using bob’s red mill all-purpose flour here, which is officially the softest velvetiest flour i’ve ever stuck my hand in! 

green lachuch with a fried egg, herbs, and cheese

makes 6

ingredients

2 c warm water

1 tsp active dry yeast

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 bunch each: coarsely chopped parsley, mint, cilantro

2 cups bob's red mill all-purpose flour

1 tsp fenugreek (optional)

oil, for the pan

for serving: fried eggs, grated sharp cheese, thinly sliced purple onions, fresh herbs, za'atar, and zhoug or other hot sauce

clues

Add the water, yeast, and sugar to a blender or food processor, give it a little swirl and let it sit for 5 minutes or until foamy on top. Add salt, baking powder, herbs, flour, and fenugreek (if using) and blend until smooth. Let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the refrigerator over night, until doubled in size and bubbly. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat it with a thin coating of oil. Ladle in about 1 cup batter, and spread it out over the pan. cook until the bottom is browned and starting to crisp and the top is set. Don’t flip it! 

To serve, top with a fried egg, grated cheese, thinly sliced purple onions, herbs, za’atar, and zhoug or other hot sauce.  Enjoy!

-yeh!

Thanks to bob's red mill for sponsoring this post!