The Perfect Match

Coconut and chocolate were made to go together. This is a fact.

Perhaps my first dabble into this perfect pairing was in 3rd grade. That was the year I started making my own lunch for school. I know that seems young, but I was really independent and wanted to control what I was eating each day. My mom said that I had to make sure to pack a piece of fruit each day along with my PB&J, but she didn't give any other specific instructions. If you've read my other posts you know that we were a pretty health conscious family. There were no Ding Dongs to pack into my lunch. We did always bake though, so sweetened shredded coconut and chocolate chips were often in the house. I would place a handful of each inside a small, blue container - you know the thick kind you used in the 80s that they really don't make anymore - and take it in my lunch box.

So, there I would sit at the school lunch table. My friends with their Twinkies and me dipping into the shreds of sweet coconut and chocolate chips with my little spoon. They said it was weird, but perhaps they were secretly jealous.

When I saw a recipe for a coconut cake with chocolate chunks in it a few years ago in Bon Appetit I had to try it right away. I was not disappointed. This cake is very moist and it is just the right amount of coconut and chocolate. Don't be put off by the orange zest. It enhances the flavor of both the coconut and the chocolate.

Coconut Cake with Dark Chocolate Chunks

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons (scant) finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk, divided
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (such as Ghirardelli), roughly chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, divided
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan with 2 inch high sides. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into bowl. Stir in unsweetened coconut and set aside. Open the can of coconut milk and pour into a bowl. Whisk the mixture to recombine the liquid and the solids that may have separated. Measure out one cup and set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and orange zest in a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with the 1 cup of coconut milk in 2 additions, beating until just blended after each addition. Fold in half of the chocolate pieces. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Top with remaining chocolate pieces and sweetened coconut.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Loosely tent with foil if the coconut browns to quickly. Transfer to wire rack to cool in pan for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a medium bowl. Add additional coconut milk in 1/2 teaspoon increments until mixture is thin enough to drizzle over the cake. Reserve remaining coconut milk for another use.

Once the cake has cooled 45 minutes, run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen, place the rack on top of the cake and flip cake out on to rack. Then place platter on cake and flip over again so cake is right side up. Drizzle with glaze and allow to cool completely.

Note: This cake is best the day it is made, but you can make it one day ahead if you would like. Cover and keep at room temperature. 

Lemons!

We've lived in our house for four months now, and the backyard is still mostly dead grass. Let's see - work on backyard - okay added to the never ending list of things to do. The good news about the backyard is that there is a huge and abundant lemon tree! The tree looks like it's 50 years old. Our house is 70 years old so this is possible, though I know nothing about the lifespan lemon trees. I've always wanted a lemon tree and now I have one that is currently producing more fruit than I can possibly use. In an attempt to use up some lemons, I made a lemon loaf cake from my Barefoot Contessa At Home cookbook. I make this cake a few times a year because it's really easy and really good. Now I'll be tempted to make it all the time. 

Please leave a comment and tell me your favorite way to use lemons if you're so inclined. I would love some new ideas!

Lemon Loaf Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 eggs

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. 

In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter until it is fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. 

Place pan on wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear, about 5 minutes. 

Once the cake has cooled 10 minutes, carefully remove it from the pan and place on rack over a sheet pan. Slowly pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the warm cake and allow it to soak in. Cool cake completely. 

For the glaze, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Pour over cake. 

Serves 6-8. 

Ringing in the New Year, Korean Style

Last night we celebrated New Year's Eve with my closest friend. She is Korean and so we made some Korean dishes that are traditional to New Year's: rice cake soup and dumplings. 

We also made spicy cucumber salad, one of my all time favorite dishes. I just love the crisp, cold cucumbers and the salty, spicy, sweet dressing. It is really easy to make too. This blog gives an idea of how to do it if you want to try it at home.

I love Korean food. Thank you L for introducing it to me, and for sharing so many wonderful dishes (both Korean and non-Korean) with me over the years. I think this should be our annual New Year's Eve tradition.

Happy New Year everyone!

Holiday Baking

I love holiday baking. I think the thing I look forward to most at Christmas time is baking cookies. In fact, between my mom and me, we usually have made so many cookies that our Christmas dessert always ends up being a cookie buffet. Even as a kid and later a teenager, my mom, sisters and I would set aside a whole day just to bake cookies before Christmas. We always listened to Nate King Cole and Frank Sinatra Christmas albums (along with a cheesy 80s Christmas album that is thankfully no longer in the music rotation) while we baked. Those were always my favorite days; no worrying about cleaning the house for guests or getting ready to go anywhere, just baking and listening to music while wearing sweat pants.

Recently I made my triple chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies again to have the dough on hand in the freezer. Those are always a favorite of mine. Also, today I'm sharing recipe for two more family favorites. I think the original recipes were from Gourmet magazine, but we've been making these for so many years, I'm not 100% sure where the recipes came from anymore. Well, at any rate they are both good, and I hope you will want to give them a try this year. Enjoy!


Chocolate Caramel Treasures

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
10 plain soft caramels (1 inch by 1/2 inch each)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2/3 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla and beat to incorporate. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt, and beat into butter mixture until incorporated. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill until firm enough to roll into balls, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Place egg white in a shallow bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl.

Using a sharp knife or bench scraper divide the dough into 30 equal pieces. (I like to divide it into 3 pieces and then divide each of those pieces into 10 pieces). Roll each piece of dough between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the egg white and then the pecans. Place on baking sheet.   Repeat with remaining dough. You should have 15 cookies on each baking sheet. Press the center of each ball of dough with your thumb to make a depression. Bake until cookies are puffed slightly, but still look a little soft in the center, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately press the centers of the cookies again with the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Make the filling: Heat the caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Spoon into centers of cookies and cool completely.

Make chocolate drizzle: Place chocolate chips heatproof bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals (stirring between each interval) until smooth. Pour chocolate into heavy duty Ziploc bag. Snip off corner to form a small hole. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and let stand until set.  (To speed this up you can place them in the refrigerator until set).

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Notes: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between each layer of cookies. The caramels can usually be found on the candy aisle of the grocery store. Be sure to buy soft, not hard caramels. 

Cherry Streusel Bars

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch peices
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons 2% or whole milk
Nonstick cooking spray

Filling:
7 ounces cherry jam
1/2 cup dried cherries

Streusel:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a piece of foil in a 9 x 13 inch pan so that it hangs over the long slides of the pan (to create a sling to help you remove the bars later). Spray the pan and foil.

Place all crust ingredients in food processor and pulse until combined and clumping together. Set aside 1 cup for streusel topping. Place remaining mixture into prepared pan and press into pan to form a smooth layer. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, wipe the food processor with a paper towel (no need to completely wash it). Place the cherry jam and dried cherries in processor and process until almost smooth. Spread filling on crust.

Add coconut and almonds to the 1 cup of crust mixture that was set aside to make the streusel. Sprinkle streusel on top of cherry filling. Bake for another 30 minutes until lightly golden. Cool in pan. When ready to cut and serve, use the foil sling to remove the bars. Place on cutting board, slip off of foil, and cut into bars.

Makes 12-16 bars. 

Note: Can be made one day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  

Christmas Morning

I love Christmas morning. As a kid I would often get up at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, knock on my parents door, and ask to open presents. The answer was of course "no" and I was told to go back to bed. I would lay in bed wide awake, waiting as the minutes slowly passed. Finally at 6:00 my mom would let me get up. I would then go wake my sisters screaming, "It's Christmas!" We would all file downstairs in our PJs and open our stockings. While we looked into the stockings my mom would start breakfast. Often she made this raspberry coffee cake.

Although I love big breakfasts, I am not a fan of spending too much time making breakfast. It is the morning after all and I'm usually hungry. This coffee cake is really easy to make though. My mom would whip it up as we unloaded our stockings, and then she would pop it in the oven to bake while she sat and watched us open the rest of our gifts. The cake is really, really good warm. She would let it cool just enough so that we could eat it, and while it cooled she would whip up a batch of scrambled eggs or other breakfast items.

Even though it's not Christmas yet, I found myself wanting this coffee cake the other day. So, I share the recipe with you now. Perhaps you will want to make it on Christmas morning, or some other day; it is really good any day of the year.

Miles loves looking at the lights on our tree. I can't wait for him to celebrate his first Christmas. I'm so excited that I'll probably wake up at 5:00 am that day.

Raspberry Coffee Cake

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole or 2% milk
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar, for dusting the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate. On low speed add half the flour mixture, the milk and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.

Spread the batter in prepared pan. Spoon the preserves in 12 dollops onto of the batter. Using a knife, swirl the preserves into the batter to form a marbled effect.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve warm.

Serves 8-10

Notes: Although this is best eaten warm, it is still very good at room temperature.

Lasagna at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, the all-American holiday complete with turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, lasagna, pumpkin pie, the list goes on. That's right, you read that correctly, I said lasagna. We always have lasagna at Thanksgiving along with the traditional fare. Because my mom is a vegetarian she makes a lasagna so that she will have a substantial main dish too. But somehow everyone in the family ends up with a square of lasagna on his or her plate. I guess we just can't pass up lasagna even if we are stuffing ourselves with a bunch of other food (pun intended).

It's just as well that my mom makes the lasagna though. She definitely cannot make the turkey (thankfully another relative assumes that role). She once made a turkey when I was in high school. She got a free turkey from the grocery store for spending so much on groceries. She decided to cook the turkey thinking that she could make things like turkey sandwiches, enchiladas and so on for my step dad and me to eat.

Since she rarely cooked meat she didn't own a roasting pan that would fit the turkey. She purchased a foil pan and began cooking the turkey in that on a cold November evening. My sisters and I were doing our homework at the kitchen table as the turkey baked. Then I thought I smelled smoke.

"Is something burning?" I asked.

"Mom, something is burning!" my sister yelled. My mom came in and opened the oven door. Smoke billowed out. The foil pan had a large hole in it and juice from the turkey was spilling out onto the bottom of the oven and burning.

Being of no help at all my sisters grabbed their papers and ran upstairs shutting their bedroom doors to avoid the smoke. I tried to help my mom by opening the windows to let the smoke out. The turkey wasn't done though, so we had to let it continue cooking. My mom slid a sheet pan into the oven on the rack below the turkey to catch the drippings, but there was still a lot of it on the oven floor burning away.

My eyes started to water from all the smoke and it was suddenly freezing in the house with all the windows open. Mom suggested I head for my room as well.

"Smoked turkey is served," my mom laughingly called upstairs over an hour later.

What a sight we were. Eating dinner in puffy jackets with the hoods pulled up because it was so cold in the house with the windows open. Our eyes burning and watering from all the smoke. We all laughed and told my mom she was never, under any circumstances to make a turkey again. And to this day she hasn't.

Her lasagna is still there at Thanksgiving though. She usually makes a simple lasagna with layers of ricotta, noodles and marinara sauce. I was having some friends over the other day, and thinking about our tradition of lasagna at Thanksgiving, decided to make a butternut squash lasagna. (Speaking of butternut squash, I am also loving this recipe again lately).The picture below is not the best, but it was tasty. Here is how I made it:

Butternut Squash Lasagna

1 large butternut squash, quartered lengthwise
1 teaspoon lemon zest
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 1 pinch, divided
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Extra virgin olive oil
15 oz whole milk ricotta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
1/2 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
16 no boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Make the squash filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Scoop out the seeds from each squash quarter with a spoon and discard. Place squash quarters on sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with another piece of foil and roast in oven until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you can handle the pieces. Scoop out the squash with a spoon (or peel away flesh with a pairing knife), and transfer to a food processor. Add lemon zest, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Process until smooth (may take a few minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Squash mixture can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Make the ricotta mixture: Mix the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Set aside.

Make the sauce: Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add flour all at once and whisk for 1 minute. Add the milk and continue whisking. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium and continue to whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add a pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Ladle 3/4 cup sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer ingredients in this order: 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 butternut squash mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, remaining butternut squash mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 3 lasagna noodles. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the lasagna. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is browned on top and lasagna is bubbling. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 8-12

Note: You can make the lasagna 1 day in advance. Simply cover with foil after layering and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Again and Again

You know a recipe is good when you find yourself making it again and again. One recipe that I make at least a few times every fall is Giada DeLaurentiis' Apple Crostata. The crust is rich and flaky and the apples bake up perfectly. It's much easier to make than apple pie and to me tastes better. I like that it's supposed to be rustic and imperfect. It needs no adornment, though you could serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you wanted. I've also used this dough to make other crostatas filled with jam or fresh figs. This was my first time making it this year and I'm sure it won't be the last. A good consideration for Thanksgiving too if you want to make something yummy and homemade but want to skip the work of making a pie. Enjoy!

Apple Crostata

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
ice water

Filling
3 large Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg white
2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds (optional)

To make the crust: Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball. If the dough does not come together in a ball add another tablespoon or two of ice water. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm about 45 minutes to an hour.

To make the filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the apples, 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and toss to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to an 11 inch round (you can trim off any ragged edges with a knife or pizza wheel). Gently drape two sides of the dough over the rolling pin and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour off any accumulated liquid from the apple mixture and place apples on top of the dough leaving a 2 inch border. Fold the dough over the filing in pleats to form and 8 inch round leaving the middle exposed. Whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake the crostata until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool on pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then slide off of pan onto rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Serves 6

Note: The crostata is best served the day it is baked.

A Halloween Tradition

Chili.

Cinnamon Rolls.

My husband's family has been eating chili and cinnamon rolls on Halloween for decades. They are originally from Washington which means that Halloween evenings were cold. Roy's grandmother wanted to make something warm for her kids before and after they went trick-or-treating, and one year she thought of chili and cinnamon rolls. The combo has lived on ever since. When I married into the family I jumped on the chili-cinnamon roll bandwagon. I like to make a double batch of each and invite friends to come over for a bowl and a roll and to pass out candy. It's a fun tradition, and the recipes that follow are nice to make on any cold evening (or the cinnamon rolls for breakfast for that matter). Both are adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.


Turkey Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 white or yellow onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
2 pounds ground turkey
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt  

Garnishes (optional)
Diced avocado
Minced red onion
Shredded cheese
Sour cream

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the turkey and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon. Stir in the tomato puree, diced tomatoes with their juice, beans, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 45 minutes until the chili has thickened. Season with additional salt if necessary.

Serve with optional garnishes.

Serves 6-8.


Cinnamon Rolls 

Sweet Dough
3/4 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to warm
3 large eggs
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Vegetable oil

Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch salt
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter 

Topping
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place buttermilk in microwave safe cup and microwave until it reaches 110 degrees on an instant read thermometer. (I did this by doing 20 second intervals and stirring after each interval. It took about 40 seconds total). Crack the eggs into a large liquid measuring cup and whisk briefly. Whisk in buttermilk and butter.

Place flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in mixing bowl fitted with hook attachment. Mix briefly to disperse the ingredients. With the mixer on low speed add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

Increase the mixer to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (After 5 minutes check the dough. It should stick to the bottom of the bowl but clear the sides. If it is sticking to the sides add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it clears the sides).

Turn the dough onto a clean counter or cutting board and knead for 1 minute (press the dough away from you with your palms, then fold back toward you, then rotate 90 degrees, and repeat). Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly oiled with vegetable oil. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Place dough in warm area and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle.  Brush the dough with butter. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture leaving a 3/4 inch boarder on the top. Press on the filing to adhere it to the dough.

Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Roll the cylinder over so it is seam side down. Gently stretch it to 18 inches in length. Cut into 12 evenly sized rolls. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray and arrange the rolls cut side down in the pan. (At this point you can place the rolls in the refrigerator for up to 16 hours, and then proceed with the rising).  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size and pressed against each other, about 1 hour.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until the rolls are golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk the mascarpone cheese, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth. Add to the powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the cinnamon buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 rolls.

Notes: You can substitute regular oregano for the Mexican oregano. Also, I use mascarpone cheese for the cinnamon rolls because I like it better than cream cheese, but cream cheese will work just fine if that's what you like or have on hand. Also, the cinnamon rolls are best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for one day. 

A Home

What makes home feel like home? Recently Roy and I bought our first house, and we've been thinking about this question. While we got what we wanted in terms of square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc. it's the feel of the house that's important to us. We think it should be a place where we really enjoy spending time. A place where friends and family feel welcomed and comfortable. A place for Miles to play and invite his friends over.

When I think about the word home, I think about Meghan's house. Meghan has been my friend since 6th grade. Her house was one block from ours, and it felt like a second home growing up. Her mom, Mrs. D, would take me to and from school each day (along with Mrs. J another awesome mother in our neighborhood whose daughter was Kim - a fellow partner in crime with Meghan and me).

When I walked up to Meghan's house, as I did almost daily, I would see the white picket fence, green grass and colorful flowers that Mrs. D had chosen for the home. Next to the front door there was always a seasonal quilt.  Mrs. D is an amazing quilter and creates beautiful quilts for every season and holiday. At this time of year I'm sure she has just put up her Halloween or Fall quilt.

The inside of their house is just as warm and welcoming as the outside. Mrs. D decorates her home with great taste and has several items with blue and white patterns to reflect their Dutch heritage. I have many memories of posing for photos before school dances on their spiral staircase, stretching out on comfy couches in their bonus room, and unrolling my sleeping bag on Meghan's bedroom floor. Mrs. D always let me and other girlfriends come over, and rather than simply letting us hang out in her house, she made us feel like we were part of the family. I spent the night there more times than I can count. Meghan and I and other friends who had joined would stay up late scrap booking, snacking and talking. Mrs. D. would always make us something yummy for dinner, have homemade cookies or hot chocolate ready for us in the evening, and serve us a big breakfast in the morning. I'm forever grateful for the time I spent there and how welcomed I always felt.

I've been thinking about the days spent at Meghan's house as I prepare to raise my own kids in this home. That's the way I want our home to feel. A place with freshly baked cookies, flowers in the garden, kids' sleepovers. Hopefully I can be the type of welcoming mother that Mrs. D was and still is. Now, if only I knew how to quilt.

So, here I am in my new house. It's cold and rainy today. The perfect weather for hot chocolate! I'm now sipping this hot chocolate as I finish this post. Maybe this house will start to feel like home sooner than I thought.

Hot Chocolate

2 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for serving
1/2 cup whipped cream (optional)

Combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk mixture until it just starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour into mugs. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serves 2.

Sicilians

Sicilians love eggplant. My great grantparents were from Sicily, so we are an eggplant loving family. It was not until I was an adult that I met someone who did not like eggplant. What?! How could anyone not like eggplant? To me that was like someone not liking an apple. I thought that eggplants were something almost universally loved.

Well, a lot of people do love them, but I've come across several others that don't. My guess is that most of these folks have probably just had bad eggplant. A greasy version of eggplant parmesan in a mediocre Italian restaurant does not do eggplant justice. Also, eggplants really need to be eaten in the late summer (August to October). They will be bitter if eaten out of season. So, don't be tempted to buy one, or even order one in a restaurant for that matter, unless it's eggplant season.

Also, choose smaller eggplants over the huge ones as they will be less likely to be bitter. When purchasing an eggplant it should be smooth, shiny and a deep, vivid purple color (I'm talking about the typical eggplant you commonly see here in the US. There are other varieties too). Eggplant can be stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for a few days.

I will share a simple Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant. If you like eggplant you will like how this recipe pairs it with a simple tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, and salty ricotta salata cheese. If you don't like eggplant, perhaps this dish will change your mind.  This is commonly referred to as Pasta Alla Norma as rumor has it that the dish was created in the 1800s after Bellini's opera Norma. (Yes, I had to look up this fact).

Pasta Alla Norma

2-3 small to medium eggplants (about 1 pound total)
1 white onion, sliced into half moons
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
12 large basil leaves
2 cups shredded ricotta salata cheese
1 pound spaghetti
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Cut the eggplants into batons that are 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch long. Place in colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Briefly rinse the eggplant and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat large saute pan over medium heat. Pour enough olive oil into pan to cover the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, drop in half of the eggplant and fry until golden on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

Add a little more olive oil to pan if it has become dry and saute onion until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes  and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 9 minutes. When pasta is cooked, add to sauce along with 1 cup cheese and torn basil leaves. Spoon into serving dishes, passing remaining cheese on the side.

Serves 4-6.

Note: If you can't find ricotta salata substitute with pecorino romano cheese.