Sweet indulgences

When the mercury drops, I find my pantry suddenly filled with cozy veggies, mostly those from underground or that can last a winter in an oaken barrel in a cellar. Except I don't have any barrels or subterranean storage. But you get the picture: squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, apples...the cozy stuff.

I invented this next dish as a spicy awakening for the senses when you just want to hunker down for a long autumn's nap. I will be making this side dish ALL the time because it's the perfect balance of flavorful, satisfying, and special.

Glowing Sweet Potato Fries (with Garlic-Pesto mayo)

1. Preheat the oven to 375

2. Slice two medium sweet potatoes lengthwise into thin matchsticks, about 1/4" on each side. Spread on jelly roll pan and toss with:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika (smoked is awesome if you have it on hand)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3. Bake until thoroughly cooked and a the skins begin to crackle (you don't want them soft and mushy- a little over-done is OK). Takes 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 or 15.

4. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 c plain yogurt with 1/8 c mayo (more if you like), 2 Tbsp pesto and 1 large clove finely minced garlic. Let this sit while the fries bake so the flavors really come through.

These are incredible, I've had them with tomato soup on a rainy day or with any range of entrees. Happy spicy munching!

Feelin' crunchy

This weekend was our first taste of autumn. We went for a run in the woods looking for five features of fall (and yes, in April we sought seven signs of spring because we are alliteration nerds). My favorites: squirrels gathering nuts, a Japanese maple in brilliant display, and the cool breeze by the water. It was all I needed to turn on the oven and get some cinnamon baking. Inspired by my new find, gluten free oats (!), I decided to try my hand at granola.

This one is peanut-buttery and perfect for studying. I'm a crunchy snacker when I have papers to write, so this treat was gone a little too fast :) I hope you enjoy!

Study Break Granola

1. Preheat oven to 275

2. Toast on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, careful not to burn:

1/4 c each: sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, and almonds

3. Melt together over low heat in a small saucepan:

1/4 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

2 1/2 T canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4. In a large bowl, combine toasted nuts and seeds with:

1 1/4 c. GF oats

1/4 c coconut flakes

1/4 c ground flax seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

5. Add wet to dry and combine well.

6. Spread onto jelly roll pan and bake about 30 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes to prevent burning.

7. Remove from oven when golden and toasty and let cool at least 20 minutes while it firms up.

Happy munching

Breathing fresh air

For the first time in three years, I spent the day in the countryside, with no agenda and no schedule for weeks behind or in front of me. And for the first time in nine years, I am on summer vacation! I realize that this may be my first and last true summer break since high school, so I am (gently) trying to make the most of it.

Alex and I have been focused on setting up our new apartment, but also on sleeping in, taking naps, and eating delicious foodie. So much so that a drive to the country to acquire even more foodie was the perfect way to spend our Friday. We loaded up our (new!) car with homemade guacamole and chips and drove north to a farm somewhere on the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Even on the highway we were struck by the incredible lushness of our environment, how all of the trees and wildflowers seemed to be concentrated versions of what we were used to in Upstate New York. Everything oozed green.

When we arrived at the farm, we purchased some of their famous salsa and had a picnic in the shade of pine trees before setting out for the blueberry patches. The fields that awaited us were dotted with blue, purple and green.

I come from a long line of women who are great "pickers," as my mom says, so I took the job pretty seriously, sampling each bush for flavor before cleaning it of ripe berries and plunking them into my mixing bowl. Alex took a more relaxed approach. But with nowhere to be and nothing on our plates but blueberries, we were in no hurry.

We ended up with twelve or fifteen pounds of the most delicious, sun-warmed berries. Nothing compared to the forty pounds I would pick each summer with my mom, but we are a much smaller family with a much smaller freezer.

The farm is a working orchard and sold peaches, plums, apricots as well as green beans, corn, tomatoes, summer squash and canteloupes at the stand out front. We bought bags of everything and spent the ride home fantasizing about the many dishes we would prepare to showcase our produce. We both love the combination of peaches and blueberries, so we chose a crisp recipe that is easily GF and seemingly failsafe.

Look at that combination...I mean, fugetaboutit!

Peach-Berry Crisp

I tossed about 5 cups of blueberries and 5 peaches (thinly sliced) into a large glass baking dish with about 1/4 cup of GF flour mix (brown rice, potato starch, and tapioca flours), 1/4 cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, one tsp. of cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. After letting that macerate for a few minutes, I topped it with a mixture of 1 cup GF flour mix, 1/3 cup softened butter, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 cup ground flax seeds, and 3/4 cup chopped almonds. I just mushed the butter into the dry ingredients until it was well combined and could crumble in my hands, then sprinkled the mixture atop the fruit. Note: This could easily be modified to be vegan with some margarine or vegetable shortening.

I baked this at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the juices bubbled and the topping was nicely browned. It's best to let this sit for a while to thicken, but if you must eat it right way, be prepared for a very juicy dessert with a serious crunch from the almonds on top. It's also delicious cold for breakfast. For dessert, I had mine with frozen yogurt and Alex ate his with ice cream to sweeten the berries (I love tart foods so this recipe does not have much sugar. Definitely add more if you are a sweet pie kind of person).

The next morning, I piled leftovers on top of yogurt but Alex preferred his straight up with a glass of milk. Warm or cool, plain or sweetened, this crisp is one of the best things about summer.

We still have at least ten pounds of blueberries left. How have you been using up your summer berries?

Fun in the sun- grilling "in"

Sorry I have been MIA the past few weeks. I have been cooking and eating delightful, fresh-off-the-farm produce and savoring every bite (privately), but I guess it's time I got back to sharing my goodies.

Last weekend was a perfect preview to summer: sunshine, bar-b-que, sales! We took advantage of the incredible long weekend and broke out the (stovetop) grill, joining the millions of families who charred up their Memorial Day. Saturday night, after a mega-Coop shopping trip, we created incredible sandwiches with all the flavors of the season: fresh pesto, heirloom tomatoes, grilled onions and portabellas.

I marinated the mushroom caps for about an hour in a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. I then grilled them alongside slices of sweet vidalia onion and brushed them with the remaining marinade, as needed, for about 20 minutes (flipping and rotating for that perfect grilled "x").

The pesto is a new creation each time, but roughly followed the recipe I posted last year: just a bunch of fresh basil, half a lemon, a couple ounces of parmesan, and a handful of nuts (EVOO, sale, pepper, of course). We spread the pesto on both slices of toasted (millet) bread, then layered the mushrooms, grilled onions, drunken goat cheese (one of my favorites), and lettuce and tomato. It was scrumptious!

Afterwards, we went out for a much-deserved scoop of "Louie G's" ice cream from our local shop. Waiting in line outside the blue and white striped awning with all the adults and kids brings huge summer flashbacks of dashing to get a cone after a day of swimming at the pool or running around at summer camp. This ice cream was just as delicious, and deserved. Alex models mint chip on a green T-shirt:

More from our "grill" soon: pancakes that almost made me weep for joy (I'll explain...) Also, we're expecting a whole lot more summer afternoons at the pool when we make the big move southward.

Hope you're outside enjoying the birdsongs and BBQ smells. Isn't this season amazing?!

Wild rice sald

It's been raining almost non-stop for what feels like weeks. The trees have burst into green and the grass is deliciously lush, but the humans aren't feeling so happy. Even the dogs at the park are glum.

To shake us out of some London-esque spring blues, I concocted a hearty and savory wild rice salad this weekend. It was one of those recipes I wake up with, as my final dream of the morning, giving subconscious direction to my culinary moves for the day. The same thing happened earlier this spring when I awoke with the NEED for a watercress and radish salad. I've never eaten watercress and I don't care for radishes, but on that morning, I knew it was the right thing.

So this wild rice salad of my dreams exceeded my expectations and warmed our house with its simmering scents. And now it's filling our bellies at our cold drowsy offices as we wait for the sun to shine through. It only gets better as it soaks up the juices.

This is a version I made with strawberries and peaches, which are perfect with the toasted pecans.

Wild rice salad of my dreams (all measurements are approximate, use your judgment)

In a medium sauce pot, combine and simmer 45 minutes:
1 c. wild rice (rinsed)
1 c. long grain brown rice
4-5 c. water (I can never get the amount just right)
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
3 cloves
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
1/4 tsp. allspice balls

When it's cooked, remove all the spices and leaves and let sit for a few minutes with the lid on. Then fluff and let cool while you prepare the mix-ins:

1 carrot, peeled and sliced to thin medallions
Zest of an orange
Juice of 1/2 an orange (more to taste, as needed)
EVOO (as needed)
1 bunch scallions, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (throw in more, to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all parts together, adding other veggies, cheeses (feta and goat are both good options) or dressing components and let sit as long as you're willing. The spices add a subtle aroma that melds really well with the orange juice and the hearty crunch of the wild rice.

What recipes have you dreamed of lately?