Weekend dispatches from the kitchen

Sorry that I haven't updated this blog as often as I want. The last couple of weeks were filled with commitments that it was difficult to set aside time to write. Now that it's November, I know I cannot put it off any longer, otherwise you may never come back!

I try to make more complicated dishes over weekends. Not only because I have more time, but I find it to be a huge stress reliever. I am a constantly on-the-go person and there are often a hundred things in my head at one time (this is NOT bragging!). Cooking is one of the few activities that can force me to let go of my immediate concerns and focus on what I have on my hands: create something delicious. Obviously I have to stay alert because the kitchen can be a dangerous place!

I agree 100% with one of my friends who said cooking is therapeutic. The process of creating something is very satisfying to me. Unlike other pursuits such as sports that require lots of hard work and perseverance before you begin to see payoffs, cooking is relatively easy. Also a bonus: you get to eat what you make.

One of my recent weekend projects was an arugula/carrot frittata, adapted from my favorite cookbook Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. This also helped me use up leftover veggies in my fridge. I'm not a big fan of cheese so I left it out, and there were probably more veggies than eggs, so this is not a typical frittata. But it was delicious and comforting, especially when eaten along with toasted crumpets (kind of like English muffins). I'll certainly add this to my brunch repertoire.

Arugula-Carrot Frittata with Toasted Crumpets 

 

Because of my fascination with baking, I am naturally a fan of Dorie Greenspan, one of the doyennes of baking in America. Her specialty is French baking, and I've learned SO MUCH about fancy French pastries (macarons, the Pierre Herme cult, etc.) from her blog. Her Baking: From My Home to Yours is a definitive work in baking, but because it's a tomb of 500+ pages, I was hesitant to pick it up from my neighborhood library although I saw it on the shelf for a couple of times.

I finally mustered up the courage to take it home one weekend. After flipping through many luscious pictures AND painfully long recipes of cakes, tarts, and pies, I decided to try two that I believed were manageable: Chewy, Chunky Blondies and Swedish Apple Cake that is a variation of the Swedish Visiting Cake in the book.

 Dorie's Chewy, Chunky Blondies

Dorie's simple yet elegant Swedish Apple Cake

Not surprisingly, both turned out to be wonderful, despite my limited baking skills and using 50% less sugar in the batter. The blondies flecked with chocolate chips and shredded coconut had a hefty texture but you'd certainly ask for more, while the apple cake was simple yet sophisticated. I am looking to tackle more of Dorie's recipes in the future, so please stay tuned!