hazelnut mini cakes

ok, hi!!! this isn't *thanksgiving content* this is just a list of things that i am excited about. you can read it now or when everyone else is tryptophan napping (and you're not because you b.y.o.-ed a squashducken) or when your husband is outside hanging christmas lights from the chicken coop even though half of them are burnt out. i don't know. 

eggboy's birthday! and eggdad's too! // they are both early next week so we are celebrating this weekend and eggboy has requested corned beef hash, which i have never made before! do you have any tips? so far all i got is the name and number of the town diner, in case i screw it all up.

my quin candy advent calendar // it's been sitting in my kitchen for about a week now, tempting me every time i walk by. thankfully there are bonus days thrown in there, so i've broken into those already, but now i've gotta wait until december 1 to actually start the countdown.

pizza night x 2 // since today is the friday of this week's work week, we get to have pizza. and since real friday is also still friday, we get to have pizza again. yippee!! amy thielen's cracker crust pizza has been one of our favorite's lately and we've been grinding up some of the wheat that eggboy grows to put in the dough. very tasty! very farm to belly.

these cute-as-a-button cake stands // they are the ones in these pictures and they are from aheirloom and yessss, your mini cakes deserve their own mini stands.

i'm gonna be in the tv making gingerbread cookies all weekend! // turn on food network or hgtv on saturday night at 8pm (eastern time) and i'll be making these little guys at some point during the hour! 

the turquoise raymond loewy skillet // i mean, look at it, it's stunning. it makes me want to be one of those people who are into design and who can authoritatively say things like, "ah yes, i love a good mid-century modern design." or something.

the spring awakening revival // it is my favorite musical and it recently returned to broadway with a cast that's a mix of hearing and deaf actors. watch this video, it is so beautiful. 

cake in a crate // my old friend from juilliard and his ladyfriend recently started the coolest ever company that is basically like blue apron but for vegan/gluten-free/refined sugar-free cakes! i tried it out over the summer and it is great. all of the ingredients come in cute individual packages (a.k.a. my true weakness in life) and the recipes are super tasty. i am especially excited about it right now because these here hazelnut mini cakes are now one of the crates that they're offering! 

...so these are vegan and gluten-free??? yesyesyes! they are super squishy and nutty and a little bit coconutty, and of course chocolaty because what is a hazelnut without its friend, chocolate? they are so easy to make and they whip up in a heartbeat and in case you're snowed in or you don't want to put on pants to go to the store or you just like cute awesome things, here, have cake in a crate send you all of the ingredients! 

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hazelnut mini cakes

makes 12

Ingredients

Cake

1 1/4 c Gluten-free all-purpose flour
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 c maple syrup
1/3 c coconut oil, melted but not hot
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c full fat coconut milk

Ganache

3/4 c chocolate chips
2 tb coconut oil
1 tb coconut milk
2 tb maple syrup

Assembly

Crushed toasted hazelnuts
Sprinkles

Clues

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, hazelnuts, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and coconut milk. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then pour into the muffin tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; begin checking for doneness at 16 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is fully melted. Stir in the coconut milk and syrup, and then continue stirring for a few minutes until the ganache cools slightly. 

To decorate, pour the ganache over the cakes so that it drips down the sides. Top with hazelnuts and sprinkles as desired. Enjoy! 

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-yeh!

olive oil baharat sweet potato chips

greetings from deep fried foods week! i have been spending my days in ratty old painting clothes, frying up all of the recipes for my book and the upcoming hanukkah season over and over and over again, and listening to justin bieber.

(because i am a fan of justin bieber now. omg. i don't even call him justin bieber, it's just bieber and eggboy doesn't approve. but! i like his new album! and when i listen to it i feel similarly to how i felt in 2009 about owl city: fun, ready to dance, and maybe in the mood for some internet shopping because in 2009 i did all of my holiday shopping on 5th avenue with owl city fireflying in my t-mobile sidekick earbuds, or something... i've also been really really into that disclosure/lorde song that they ***nailed*** on snl last weekend.)

ok, so now you know the vibe of my kitchen these days. fry stuff, eat it, make every attempt to dance it all off, repeat. watch master of none. don't think about skinny jeans. i know it was a really dumb decision from a health standpoint to book all of my fried food into one week (i ate latkes and schnitzel yesterday, that's it), but from a cleanup perspective, all is going well up in here! 

i recently learned a really great new thing about frying. last month i took a trip to the california olive ranch (those are their olives being harvested in the photos!) and among my biggest takeaways from the trip, in addition to the v fun times spent with lindsey and grace, was that the smoke point of good fresh olive oil is actually high enough to allow deep frying. like 425º high. i've always thought that canola and vegetable oil were best for frying, but finally i got home and fried some cauliflower and potato chips in ca olive ranch's olive oil and it worked. no smoke at all. it was like magic, only then i googled it and by the looks of how many articles there are about it, i think i am one of the last people to learn this... whatever! i get to eat all of the chips by myself with less guilt now.

this chip recipe is the easiest recipe ever. it's just fried sweet potatoes dusted with baharat, which is a middle eastern spicy situation that's got a little bit of cumin and some mad fall flavors going on, like cinnamon and nutmeg. it's super wonderful and these chips are likely something i'll make again after thanksgiving with any leftover sweet potatoes that didn't make it into the casserole.

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olive oil baharat sweet potato chips

ingredients

good olive oil, for frying (like california olive ranch)

1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced with a mandoline

kosher salt

1 tsp baharat, or to taste

1/4 tsp sugar

garlic and onion yogurt sauce, for dipping

clues

in a heavy pot fitted with a thermometer, heat about 2" olive oil to 360º. fry the potato slices in batches until browned and crispy, 1 1/2-2 minutes. transfer them to a paper towel. sprinkle with salt, baharat, and sugar, and enjoy!

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-yeh!

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thank you so much to the california olive ranch for sponsoring this post! their olive oil is some of the best olive oil i've ever had and i am so excited to be partnering with them on posts over the next year!

rosemary farro with roasted grapes, shallots, and almonds

i was a smelly homebody this weekend! i wrote and procrastinated and then wrote and procrastinated some more, and then at night we emerged to go eat salads at our brand spankin new awesome town brewery because we are hip millennials and our brewery is so cool. (now that we have a brewery, what else do we need in order for you to come visit us? a fried chicken place? a cookbook store? i'll work on it.)

i have some personal news and that's that i don't think i'm a future village champion curler of america. or maybe i'm just judging it too quickly? but ok, imagine this: because i was a former mathlete and know a thing or two about angles and curves, i was elected to be the skip, which is the position that stands down at the far end of the ice to give aiming directions while everyone else (i.e. all of your friends who you signed up with) waits to throw the stone (i.e. hangs out and laughs and forms inside jokes and strengthens their friend bonds). so there i was, spending my three units of social time for the week trying to make small talk about the fabled beer vending machine that's hidden deep in the back room of the curling barn with a total stranger and failing miserably and watching my friends at a very long distance laughing and having the best time ever. so i quit.

conveniently, the class session ended that day so i didn't need to be dramatic about quitting mid-season and letting my team down, not that i was of any real value anyway, but i'm glad i tried! it was a really fascinating learning experience and maybe i'll take it back up again once i find a teammate who is socially confident enough to not get fomo while watching a bunch of people whom they can't interact with have fun. could i put out a craigslist ad for a skip? female, 26, seeks platonic friendship with introverted calculus whiz who can lunge well. 

errmm...for now i think i'll devote all my free time to master of none. what a great show! 

i wanted to make you a grape salad as a nostalgic nod to #grapegate for thanksgiving. but i came up with this farro salad with roasted grapes, because 1) ohmygahh grapes deserve better than to be dressed in an outfit of sour cream, and 2) i'm going through a farro stage. it's such a fancy yet hearty grain! i've been using it lately where i would normally use israeli couscous or rice. (my first foray into farrotto happened over the weekend and it was a success.) this salad is great warm or at room temperature, and the rosemary, toasted almonds, and roasted grapes lend some wonderful fall flavors. i've been putting some fresh mozzarella in mine, but if you're looking for a vegan dish for your thanksgiving table, this will totally hold up without the cheese. and speaking of vegan thanksgivings, um, i think i'm gonna make a squashducken...????

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rosemary farro with roasted grapes, shallots, and almonds

serves 4-6

ingredients

1 pound grapes from california

1/4 c olive oil, divided

kosher salt and black pepper

1 c farro, rinsed and drained

1 sprig rosemary

1 large shallot or 2 small ones, finely chopped

1 1/2 tb white wine vinegar

1/2 c toasted almonds, roughly chopped

4 oz fresh mozzarella pearls, optional

clues

preheat the oven to 425ºf. line a baking sheet with parchment and spread out the grapes (remove them from their stems). drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.

in a large pot, cover the farro with water, add the rosemary sprig and a good pinch of salt, bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer for 30 minutes, until tender. drain it and place it in a large bowl. (discard the rosemary sprig.)

while the farro is simmering, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pot with the shallot and simmer it over medium heat. remove it from the heat once the farro is done cooking and stir in the vinegar. 

add the grapes, almonds, and mozzarella (if using) to the bowl with the farro and drizzle it with the shallot mixture. toss to combine. salt and pepper to taste. serve warm or at room temperature. enjoy!

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-yeh!

this post is sponsored by grapes from california. all opinions are my own!

pistachio milk + some other things i'm loving these days

hello from austin where i am in bed at 8 and living my best life, eating a room service quesadilla, extra guacamole, extra unidentified white sauce, and hoping with all of my might that pitch perfect 2 is on demand. i really really really wanted to go out tonight and eat at all of the restaurants in jeanine's austin guide but i am completely pooped after this weekend because i have been in chicago, busy celebrating (wait for it) mum's 60th birthday!!!!!!!! it was so fun. relatives came from out of town, stoopie cooked a middle eastern feast, i made a chocolate mint cake, and we showered my mama with love!! i miss everyone so much already.

now i gotta get *in the zone* for a fun video i'm shooting with whole foods tomorrow! but first, let's talk about some stuff i'm loving these days:

-the bulk pistachio bags. making things with pistachios is fun, but making things with pistachios without ever feeling like you're going to run out is infinitely more fun. i've been working on a pistachio cake for my book, and i just learned how to milk a nut! it is so great, i can't believe i went this long without milking nuts before. (see below for gena hemshaw's nut milk recipe!)

-homemade halva. i don't think i ever really told you about my homemade halva struggle, but there was a very long and hard one and a lot of tahini was lost but finally the new york times posted michael solomonov's recipe and it worked and i feel like i can accomplish anything now. even a juice cleanse. no, just kidding, not a juice cleanse.

-this lauren winter jumpsuit. my friend lydia introduced me to lauren's work and i am so obsessed with this jumpsuit for one main reason: it is a beautiful elegant dinner-appropriate garment that completely disguises the fact that you feel like you are in your comfiest pajammies. i love it so very much.

-pilates. ever since rebecca led a mat class for alana and me last month, i have been hooked. it makes me feel sooo good and tall. i've been trying out a bunch of different youtube videos but have yet to find a clear winner... do you have a favorite online pilates video??

-sitting at the town coffee shop. ok! i've been leaving the house more and more these days. about once a week, i go to the town coffee shop, sit on my computer, and type up recipes/eavesdrop on conversations about the town gossip and what not. it makes me feel so alive. and then after that i sometimes stop at the co-op to look at the farro and pet the squash.

-fresh's cocoa body exfoliator. it makes me feel like a tootsie roll from head to toe.

-this is ground's mod laptop case. until I found this is ground, I thought that my days of organizing school supplies with such systematic glee was just a thing of my Hello Kitty pencil case past. but now! i get so much more pleasure out of bringing my work on the road, to the coffee shop, to my couch, etc. there is a designated spot for everything i need and it looks so darn cool.

-how to get away with murder. it's borderline scary for my taste, so i can't watch it without eggboy but we love it.

-quin candy. i had my first taste in portland the other day and since then i have not been able to stop. i feel like a monster when i eat it because no matter how forcefully i tell myself that this is the last piece, it is never the last piece. i've had their pretzel chews, mint chews, and fruity chews and they are all the best.

-my chickens. duh. we're ready for them to start laying eggs though. come on, macaroni!!!!! hurry up!!!!! 

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here is the recipe that inspired me to try making nut milk! i've seen recipes for it many times before, but after looking through gena hemshaw/food52's new vegan cookbook (and picking up a nice big bag of pistachios), i finally got to work! it is such a tasty treat. it's like a milkshake but better because you can have more of it without feeling like butt afterwards. i like the weird sensation of drinking unstrained nut milk, it almost feels like you're drinking milk after having dunked a bunch of oreos in it and the oreo crumbs are at the bottom. but if you'd like to strain it, go ahead! i also like adding a little splash of almond extract. thank you, gena, for inspiring me to try this new tasty thing!!!! 

pistachio milk

makes 3 cups

ingredients

1 c pistachios, soaked in water for 8-12 hours and drained

4 cups water

1/4 c maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

clues

put all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until completely smooth, 2-3 minutes.

cover the mouth of a large container with two layers of cheesecloth, leaving a well in the cheesecloth (a new paint strainer bag or a nut milk bag will also work well). Secure with a rubber band, then pour in the blended mixture. you might need to do this in batches, gently pushing some of the pulp to the side or spooning it out and discarding it. after pouring all of the mixture in, let it sit for about 10 minutes. loosen the cheesecloth from the rim of the container and gently squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.

stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it will keep for 2-3 days. shake well before using.

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-yeh!