OLIVE OIL AND ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

A few weeks ago, Nate and I had a three-day weekend that didn’t feel much like a weekend at all. It was filled with company and commitments that we both could have done without and by the time Tuesday morning rolled around we felt like shells of ourselves. Nate trudged off to work and I headed to the fridge. 

I knew that behind the door I would find perky lettuces, homemade nut butters and hummus, bowls of cooked grains and jars of herby dressings. They were there in anticipation of precisely this kind of moment and I cursed my foresight. I took a minute to ponder the idea that maybe someone had broken in during the night and left behind a plate of bolognese or perhaps a large slice of chocolate cake. When I opened the door I found that it was as I had left it. 

As luck would have it, I found a rather sad looking zucchini in the produce drawer. It was past its prime and destined for baking. Watching Jack chase a few blocks across the kitchen floor, I shredded the squash into cold, wet shards the color of new grass and set them aside to drain. I reached for whole wheat flour and maple syrup and at the last minute brought the olive oil down from the cupboard. Soon the house was filled with the scent of comfort and the very idea of the warm muffins, slathered in butter, began to revive me. 

This is your basic muffin recipe with a few healthy upgrades. It tastes good enough to will you out of bed but is substantive enough to carry you through the day. These are best eaten or shared the day they’re made, but can go an extra day or so if tightly wrapped. They also freeze well and you can enjoy them one at a time, as needed. Toast, top with butter, and you’re good as new. 

OLIVE OIL AND ZUCCHINI MUFFINS/ makes about 18 muffins

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of 1 orange
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped
turbinado sugar, for topping

Preheat your oven to 350F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with 18 or so paper liners. 
Grate the zucchini into a bowl or colander and set aside to drain. 
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, maple syrup, salt, orange zest and eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and soda and stir until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and pecans. 
Fill the muffin liners nearly to the top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and spring back slightly when touched. 

APRICOT AND ALMOND CAKE

Shortly after Jackson turned eight months old, I quit my job. I told my boss on a Monday during a clipped and uneventful conversation, and by 2pm I found myself standing alone in our house on a summer afternoon. My mom had Jack. Nate was at work. The dog panted in the corner. 

Not knowing what else to do, I got into the shower. In my befuddled state I neglected to flick on the lights, and I welcomed the shade and the cold tile with gratitude. I stood under the cool water, willing myself away from the black hole of panic that threatened to consume me. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t, it’s a sticky time for women to choose to stay at home. With the memory of Hillary’s loss still burning in my mind, I wondered what kind of example I would be for our son if I “just” stayed home. I turned my focus to the sensation of the cold water on my face and repeated our reasons back to myself, one by one, like mantras. Our life would be simpler. I would have more time to write and cook. I could go back to freelance projects. Maybe write that book I always talked about. They were all good reasons, but I only needed one: Jackson. 

Feeling somewhat assuaged, I stepped out and dressed, then into the kitchen to look for something to do. There were apricots on the counter, fragrant and tinged with pink, and I thought about how lovely they would be in a cake. I set about creaming butter with sugar and slicing fruit. There was a bit of almond paste in the fridge and I threw that in too. By the time the cake came out of the oven I was in high spirits and took the dog for a walk while it cooled. When we returned, I sat down at the table by myself and ate two slices, dusted with confectioners sugar and washed down with cold iced tea. Slowly, the fear began to melt away and for the first time I allowed myself to feel excited. For a brief moment I was a kid again on the last day of school before summer vacation. The smell of the freshly baked apricot cake in the kitchen on that warm afternoon was blissful, and I decided if this scent was what my kids remembered me by, then that might be just fine. 

APRICOT AND ALMOND CAKE/ makes one 9" round cake
If you can't find apricots, you could easily use another stone fruit or cherries, perhaps. Blackberries would also be nice. Personally, I think the combination of apricot and almond is a match made in pastry heaven and it's worth trying to make it as is. 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for lining
1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup almond paste
1/3 cup granulated sugar
scant 2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
5-6 apricots, sliced 3/8 inch thick and tossed with a few tablespoons of sugar
confectioners sugar, for serving

Preheat your oven to 350F. Butter a 9" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper as well. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. 
Combine the butter and almond paste until nearly smooth. Add the sugars and cream until fluffy and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the dries in two or three parts, alternating with the milk. Beat until fully combined but take care not to overmix. 
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and arrange the apricots on top in a pretty rosette pattern. Bake until golden brown and the top springs back slightly when touched, about 50 minutes. 
Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes or so and then, with great care, turn out to a wire rack to continue cooling. Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving. 

EASY CREAM AND CARDAMOM SCONES

Lately, I've been all about hygge, the super buzzy philosophy for which we have the good Danish people to thank. It's not a novel idea for Nate and me (who have on more than one occasion been accused of being homebodies) by any means, but I'm thankful someone made it cool and that I now need zero excuses to get cozy on the sofa with my cocoa. If you're not yet familiar with the feng shui of 2017, I suggest you start reading up immediately and casually dropping the term in conversation. People will think you're ultra hip, and you'll be left alone to revel in your slippers, wooly blankets, bathtub, etc. This is a pretty hilarious study on the trend. 

In all seriousness, with all the current uncertainty in the world, many of us feel a pull to get more involved. Get out and march. Get up and make calls. Volunteer. And so we should. However, it's important that all of this is then balanced with a fair amount of self-care, so that we can look inward and understand what is at risk, and also recharge so we have the strength to carry on. I don't think it's a coincidence that hygge is growing right now. 

I won't pretend that a few humble scones are the missing link for social justice. But, they might bring a smile to your neighbors or your kids. While I personally don't mind them slathered with a generous amount of clotted cream, they're also perfectly delicious as is. Wrap them up and hand them out the next time you're gathering. Invite friends over to share them with you while you write postcards to your Congress people. I have always believed that food is the universal language and that by coming to the table together we will share more than just a meal. 

A few notes about these scones... They are very easy. Because we use cream instead of butter as the magic binder, we only need a little stirring. They're also foolproof. The cream coats all of the dry ingredients, resulting in a moist, tender, fine crumb. If you are averse to scones because you think they're too dry and crumbly, give these a whirl. You can also make them in advance. Do everything up to and including the step of shaping them. Then, wrap them tightly on a baking sheet and freeze for up to two weeks. When you're ready to bake, simply pull them out of the freezer, space them appropriately, egg wash + sugar and bake. This is also a good system if you wish to eat them slowly over a week or two. Pull a few out and you can enjoy a particularly hygge moment without dirtying the kitchen or ending up with an entire batch and nobody but yourself to enjoy them.

These scones are endlessly adaptable. I've made them into large triangles when we're going to keep them for ourselves for breakfast and afternoon coffee, but I've also shaped them into little circles for parties. Use whatever dried fruit, nuts, and spices you have on hand. If I'm going to use fresh fruit I poach it in simple syrup and then drain it very well to control the added liquid. I think cardamom pairs particularly well with fruit, but you could easily substitute in cinnamon or powdered vanilla bean, or omit entirely. My favorite combinations are dried cherry + cardamom, currant + orange zest + cardamom (both shown in the photos), crystallized ginger + dates, diced poached rhubarb + vanilla bean, pecan + dried pear + cinnamon, and dried apricot + poppyseed. 

Lastly, in my hurry to get these posted I only included metric measurements. I'll probably update that at some point soon, but for now please buy yourself a kitchen scale and open yourself up to the beauty of weight measurements. 

EASY CREAM AND CARDAMOM SCONES

Makes 8 large scones

Scones

• 400g all-purpose flour
• 83g sugar
• 20g baking powder
• 5g salt
• 185g chopped dried fruit or nuts
• 350ml heavy cream
• 60g honey

Topping (this is an intentionally loose recipe - alter to suit your tastes)

• 1 egg mixed with a splash of heavy cream
• handful of organic sugar (organic is essential to get that crunchy topping!) mixed with a generous pinch of cardamom, cinnamon or powdered vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add fruit/nuts and mix to incorporate. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the cream and honey until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!

On a lightly floured surface, pat the mixture together into a flat circle, approximately 8 inches in diameter. Using a bench scraper or a lightly floured knife, cut into 8 triangles. 

Spread scones evenly on prepared baking sheet. Place in freezer for at least 20 minutes, and up to 2 weeks (wrapping tightly in plastic wrap if you are going to freeze more than a few hours). When you're ready to bake, remove from freezer and brush egg mix over top and sides of each scone, being careful not to allow it to pool down the sides. Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture generously over the top. 

Bake until scones are golden brown on top, about 18-23 minutes. 

PEANUT BUTTER DARK CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

My childhood is punctuated by a collection of recipes. Mom’s spaghetti, Dad’s popcorn, Mrs. Mahoney’s cheesecake, Mr. Gaul’s pasta, Mrs. Kolhede’s sugar cookies, and Nana’s coffee can bread. There are many more (too many to count) and I would suspect you all have a similar list you could rattle off pretty quickly. These are the treats and dishes that make faces light up when they appear. They show up at potlucks and in tins under Christmas trees and by special request on your birthday. 

I have made these recipes for myself, but they never taste quite the same as the “originals.” And I guess that’s the point - that they are partially so special because of the loving intentions behind them. Maybe they simply remind us of the person who makes them. Or, that we get to eat something yummy that didn’t require dirtying our own kitchen. Ha. 

Kate’s peanut butter and Reese’s cookies take up a lot of real estate in my memory. She brings them every year to an annual cookie party we attend, and I always beeline for them. The recipe requires two ingredients, seriously. For reasons listed above, I still don’t make them for myself. That said, when I came across this recipe and I happened to have the ingredients on hand, I got a craving for those good old Kate peanut butter cookies and decided these would make a fine substitute. 

This recipe is from Amy Guittard's Guittard Chocolate Cookbook, which everyone needs. I used Valrhona chocolate (oops…) but in all seriousness I love both brands and keep a variety of both stashed in our cupboard for “emergencies.” There’s something about peanut butter and chocolate that makes people go ballistic. This plays on that classic combination but are still pretty enough to take to a party or package up as gifts. I panicked and made extra ganache filling, and I ended up with extra ganache filling. Guess it’s time to make some more peanut butter cookies....

PEANUT BUTTER DARK CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Adapted from the Guittard Chocolate Cookbook

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (the recipe calls for crunchy, which would be delicious, but I used smooth as that's what I had on hand)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling

• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a large bowl and with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and egg and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, mixing until just combined after each addition.

Roll the dough into balls approximately 1 1/2 inches and place on the baking sheets, spacing about an inch apart. 

Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and make a small indentation in the center of each cooking using a small spoon (I used the bottom of a rounded teaspoon). Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or so, until cookies are lightly golden and set. Allow to cool for a few more minutes on the cookie sheets, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. You make need to make a second pass over the indentations after the cookies come out of the oven the second time. 

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. Combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for a few minutes.

When the cookies are completely cool, spoon a small amount of chocolate filling into each indentation. Set cookies aside on the wire racks and allow the filling to cool and completely harden. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen this will take 1-2 hours. If it's a hot day or you live somewhere particularly humid you may want to give them some time in the fridge to speed things up. 

BAKED WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Jackson. My sweet baby boy is one month old. One month since he came into the world and brought with him the greatest joy his daddy and I have ever known. There’s no way to comprehend the experience. It feels futile - even silly -  trying to describe it so I’ll save that task for another day. We are ridiculously happy and I’ll leave it at that.

I’ve got just a few minutes here with a sleeping baby so I’ll get right down to it today, and I apologize in advance for the ho-hum pics this this post. As any of you parents know, life with a newborn takes on a narrow focus. Eat. Sleep. Eat. Sleep. Snuggle. Shower on a good day. Fold some laundry, maybe. Eat. Sleep. Fortunately we’ve had a revolving door of visitors bringing food and support, but getting a meal on the table (previously my strong suit) is now a daily challenge.

Before Jack was born I made a big batch of this soup and tucked several quart jars into the freezer. It’s nourishing and comforting and revived me during those first days when the divide between day and night was nonexistent. The recipe is not mine but was shared with me by a close friend of my mom’s. She often hosts a Halloween dinner and practically greets you at the door with a big bowl of it, topped elegantly with creme fraiche and chives. It feels like a warm hug every time.

There are a million squash soup recipes out there but I urge you to try this one. I make it exactly as it’s written in the cookbook. It’s velvety and tastes so much more indulgent than the ingredient list would suggest. It’s also simple. Roasting the halved squashes brings out a depth of flavor but also makes it easy to scoop out the flesh, keeping the prep minimal. Add a green salad and crusty baguette if you wish, but you may be tempted to ladle it right into a coffee mug as I’ve been known to do. More conducive to snuggling down under blankets on the couch during Netflix binges.

Since I have a growing stack of unwritten thank-you cards, I’m also going to use this space to thank all of you that have extended yourselves to us over the last month. The calls, texts, emails, visits, meals, gifts, hugs, kind words on Facebook and Instagram, neighbors that keep bringing in our garbage cans for us, … we are overwhelmed by our community. I hope I can return the favor some day.

BAKED WINTER SQUASH SOUP

From The New Basics Cookbook

12 servings

• 2 acorn squash, 2lbs each
• 2 butternut squash, 2lbs each
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 teaspoons brown sugar
• 3 carrots, peeled and halved
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 10 cups good chicken stock
• ¾ teaspoon ground mace
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Suggested garnishes - creme fraiche, chives, freshly ground black pepper, crusty croutons or toast, and your best olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Lay cut side up in a couple of baking dishes or shallow roasting pan and fill each cavity with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Arrange carrots and onions around the squash and pour 2 cups of the chicken stock around the veggies. Cover tightly with foil and bake until squash are very tender, about 2 hours.

Remove pan from oven. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the squash and place in a large soup pot, along with the carrots, onions and cooking liquid.

Add the remaining chicken stock, spices, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, you can use a blender and work in batches, returning the soup to the pot afterwards to heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving

FIG AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

It’s the first day of fall and I’m equipped with my apple spice tea, a bowl of soup and a couple hours of quiet. It’s been hot where we live but today the wind is cool and there’s a crispness in the air that feels appropriate for the occasion.

So much has changed since I last posted to this site. After much soul-searching (and tears) I left my restaurant jobs and my gig at Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen and started working on various things from home. Shortly after, Nate and I were elated to learn we are expecting our first baby in October (!!!). In anticipation of our growing family, we sold our house in Oakland and moved to a sweet little town about 20 minutes away. The changes were stressful, to say the least, but with a week or so to go before the due date we are finally getting ourselves settled and happily nesting away. And, I’m finally back in the kitchen.

During the moving process I didn’t have much access to cook. Even if I did have the opportunity, I was usually too tired and spent to give it much thought. I found myself making us simple meals that were nothing more than a few strategically combined ingredients. Avocado on toast. A plate of cheese and fruit. Crunchy vegetables toasted under a broiler and drizzled with olive oil. Salads were a mainstay, as they were easy to throw together and typically didn’t have any lingering scent to offend potential homebuyers!

Last year we celebrated our first anniversary in Spain and I’m still thinking about the dreamy meals we shared there (ps...shoutout to my husband who asked me to marry him exactly 3 years ago today!) Much like the things we ate while we were selling our house, the food we had in Spain was simple. This salad is a result of that trip. It’s a study in contrasts. Salty and sweet. Fresh yet indulgent. Delicate and decadent. The substitution options are endless and I’ve included a few below. 

A few notes

-If you can’t find fresh figs, crisp apples, pears, or fuyu persimmons would do nicely. It warmer weather, strawberries, blackberries, or yellow peaches would be a good substitution.

-I wanted to make this a decidedly Spanish salad so I used Manchego, but crumbled blue would be delicious with the fruit and salty prosciutto.

-Instead of pine nuts, try toasted walnuts (especially if you’re doing the pear and blue cheese thing)

-The arugula is sturdy enough that the whole salad can be assembled an hour or so in advance of company. Just wait to add the mint until the very end, as it will wilt and brown.

-The balsamic glaze is totally optional, though it does add a pretty fab dimension to the salad and you can use the rest on ice cream, fruit, paired with pork or steak… whatever your heart fancies. Just allow it to come to room temp before serving again or reheat if it’s particularly stiff.

- If you’re planning to make this for company, make the balsamic ahead of time. Not everyone loves the smell of hot balsamic bubbling away…

-A good basic balsamic is the way to go - something with nice flavor but not your most expensive stuff

FIGS AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

serves 2-4

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 large handfuls of arugula
• ½ small fennel bulb, shaved thin
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, cut into thin ribbons
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 3 slices prosciutto
• 4 -6 fresh figs, quartered
• Slivered manchego cheese
• 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• Pepper and flaky sea salt

Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer. Allow to cook down until syrupy. If your glaze becomes too thick, you can add another splash of vinegar or water to thin it down. Remember that it will continue to thicken as it cools.

In a medium bowl, toss together the arugula, fennel, mint and olive oil until the greens are shiny and coated. You can add a little more oil to taste if you wish.

Arrange the arugula mix on serving platter or individual plates. Tear the prosciutto into strips strips, gather each strip into a bundle and lay on top of the arugula. Scatter the figs on top.

Garnish with cheese, toasted pine nuts, and more mint, if desired. Finish with a crack of fresh pepper and a sprinkle of salt.

*Your extra balsamic glaze can be kept in the fridge for a couple weeks! Reheat before use