Tough Decisions & Tender Biscuits

I have been sitting in front of a blank post form for about 30 minutes now. I think I have started a first sentence at least ten times and promptly deleted the boring, meaningless words. Maybe it's the day-quil giving me serious writing block or, it could be all the butter I have consumed in the last few days.

The writers block and lack of posting in the past few weeks is more likely due to the slightly drastic changes my life has taken in 2011. It is almost February and all of the sudden I find myself once again with one job. I officially quit my design job (you know the one that I was laid off from, and was rehired to, all in the past 15 months) after a lot of pushing for some commitment and security, which turns out was all in vain. Hard decisions had to be made. What was best for my soul, my sanity, and my career? Was it better to take a part time job in a environment that wasn't healthy but where I was using my degree, or is it better to keep my job as a food server where my managers care about my well being and my sense of job security?

This dilemma was something I had been struggling with for about 3-4 months, but the issue was pushed front and center when I decided to enroll in a baking and pastry certificate program here in Chicago. This is something I have wanted to do for a long long time, and I finally decided to take the plunge and go for it. I am three weeks in, and besides a long and boring weekend sanitation class, it is everything I hoped it would be and more. We have made scones and biscuits, focaccia, challah, french baguettes, and other goodies. I have learned so much in the little time I have been in school and can hardly wait for what the rest of the year will bring.

I have come to feel really good about the tough choice I felt I had to make, and cannot wait to be able to put all my positive energy into school and the many baking jobs I have lined up for the spring. So, let's kick off what will probably be a long string of baked goods here on the blog with some delicious buttermilk biscuits. I have never made biscuits before, and for some reason had gotten it in my head that they were a difficult thing to make. I don't know what I was thinking, they are incredibly easy, and so fast. Most importantly though, they are buttery and flaky and taste amazing.

Buttermilk Biscuits
adapted from Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen


2 lbs. 8 oz. all purpose flour (if you have them available, use half bread flour and half pastry flour for better results, but for the everyday home cook, AP still produces an excellent biscuit)
.75 oz. salt
2 ounces sugar
1.5 oz baking powder
.4 oz baking soda
14 oz. unsalted butter, cold and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (plus some extra melted for brushing)
1 lb 10 oz buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Sprinkle the cold butter over the dry mixture and with your fingers, break up the butter into smaller pieces to evenly distribute throughout flour (you can also use a pastry cutter, but using your fingers is way more fun). For flakier biscuits, do this until you have chickpea sized pieces, in other words, leave fairly big chunks of butter in your mixture. Just walk away, stop touching the butter (I know it's hard). For more mealy textured biscuits, you can break up the butter until it is in very teeny pieces, but I recommend the layered flaky goodness.

Add the buttermilk to your flour and butter mixture and mix with a spoon until dough starts to come together, then get in their with your hands and form the dough into a rough ball. Turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface, and knead just a few times until you form a cohesive dough.

Gently press into a rectangular shape, and roll out with a rolling pin until about 3/4 inch thick, being sure to keep your surface underneath the dough floured to prevent sticking. Cut into 12-16 rectangles, depending on how big you would like your biscuits, and place on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. You can either keep them together in a tight rectangle for soft interior sides, or spread them out for a evenly baked, crispier biscuit. Brush tops lightly with a bit of melted butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown and have puffed up.

A New Kind of Breakfast

How have I never eaten avocado toast before? How have I never even seen this dish before two weeks ago? It is an absolute tragedy that avocado toast has not been in my life until now. It's so easy, so rich and decadent, yet so healthy and full of protein. I know it may seem melodramatic, it is just toast after all, but seriously, it is so good. This isn't a complicated recipe, its barely even a recipe for that matter. You toast a slice of bread, smear on half an avocado, top with fresh ground pepper and sea salt, drizzle on some good olive oil, and call it breakfast.

When the avocado softens and melts from the heat of the bread, almost mimicking butter, you will think you have gone to breakfast heaven. Make that a bacon-y breakfast heaven. The addition of paper thin layers of prosciutto take this toast to the next level. Plus, the fact that prosciutto is so thin and lean also means not feeling guilty about adding a bacon-like component to your meal (not that you need to feel guilty when it comes to bacon, EVER).

This may not be a fancy breakfast, but it is fast, filling, and satisfying. This is exactly what I needed to jump start this week. The past few months have been absolutely crazy as I have mentioned, and I am in the middle of gearing up for a bridal shower this weekend (making desserts for 60 people) and a wedding next weekend (making my very first wedding cake....wish me luck on that one). I haven't had much time to cook lately, so this meal fits perfectly into my hectic schedule.

It's hard to believe that something this simple can be so amazing, but if you like avocado, please please try this. It might just blow your mind.

Avocado Toast with Crisped Prosciutto

serves 1

1 large slice of thick cut rye bread (or any bread you fancy)

1 half avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed (save the other half for about 10 minutes after you finish eating this, cause you'll want to make another slice, to which I say: go for it)

4 thin slices of prosciutto

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh lemon juice (optional)

In a small non-stick skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the slices of prosciutto and cook until just crisped. Set aside.

Toast your bread, and with a fork smash the avocado onto the toast. Drizzle toast with a small amount of olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and lay slices of prosciutto on top.

I have a million ideas for riffs on this toast. Eggs, cheese, tomatoes, spices, fresh herbs, all would make great additions. Just be sure to keep the avocado front and center, it's called avocado toast for a reason.

Sometimes You Just Need a Salad.

Sometimes, after all the noodles and rice and pork and chicken, you just need some green. Lonely Planet told us it would be in our best interest to stay away from salad greens and other potentially washed-with-tap-water uncooked food while on vacation in Cambodia and Thailand. Not wanting to risk the effects of a stomach bug while 30 meters underwater, I figure it was best to play it safe and not risk it.

By the time I got home, all I was craving was an obnoxiously huge salad. Like the kind they serve at restaurants as your entree, and when they set it in front of you, you think there is no way you are ever going to eat it all, but you do anyway, cause you know, it's mostly lettuce right? Right? What was I talking about again?

Oh yeah, so I made this salad, and it hit the spot. Roasted red beets, creamy refreshing avocado, tangy goat cheese, pistachios, fresh spring greens, all topped with an orange-mustard vinaigrette. It was almost my perfect salad. I had an apple out and ready to cut, but my salad was growing to gargantuan proportions so I left it out. I wish I had cut it into matchsticks and put it in to add another more crunchy/crisp element since the salad was pretty creamy all around.

The funny thing is, is that if you knew the teenager version of me, you would be astounded at me now proclaiming my craving for a salad. I wouldn't touch lettuce up until sophomore/junior year of college (and that wasn't that long ago folks). Ah, how times and tastes have changed. I sure am glad they did, because this, ladies and gentlemen, is pretty close to salad perfection in my opinion.

Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette
makes one gigantic salad

Two things about this salad. First, the measurements are not important here. Pile the toppings on until your stomach says enough, and mix the dressing according to how your taste buds like it. Second, most people roast beets whole, then peel and chop. This is all fine a dandy, but I prefer mine in nice crispy and caramelized bite sized pieces. I accomplish this by taking the outer skin off by cutting the beet in half, then slicing the skin off with a sharp knife. Think about peeling sweet potatoes, or ginger, or a pineapple for that matter, same principle, just on a smaller scale. Cube, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, then cook for maximum roasted surface area.
2-3 red beets, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 avocado diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/2 apple, cored and cut into thin matchsticks
big handful of mixed greens, or whatever kind of lettuce you like
1/4 cup olive oil + extra for tossing with beets
juice of one orange
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Toss diced beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15-25 minutes, until caramelized and cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a seal-able container (such as a Ziploc or mason jar), mix olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, mustard, and salt and pepper. Close tightly and shake the crap out of it until the dressing has emulsified.

Plate your greens, and top with, in no particular order, the beets, avocado, apple, goat cheese, pistachios, and drizzle on your dressing. Go ahead and eat the whole damn thing, cause its mostly lettuce right? Just humor me and say "right Bria". Thank you.

Some Khmer Cookin

I knew when I returned from my trip that it would be back to reality very quickly, but oh what a weird reality it has turned out to be. This morning I found myself back at my old design job. As my plane landed in Chicago last week, and my blackberry starting loading all the emails I had been avoiding, I received a request for some contract work at the product design firm that I had been laid off from last fall. It's like I have actually traveled back in time...I am just sitting at a different desk.

Except that last night I found myself meeting with my good friend to discuss the dessert table at her wedding, which I will be designing and baking myself. Scary huh? I am also training this week for my oh-so-exciting promotion from hostess to server (big money, big money).

So, reality stomped on me hard this week, and Thailand and Cambodia seem like a distant memory. Luckily I was able to find the time to take a step back, amidst all the craziness, and have a quiet night at home, with a (loose) recreation of one of my favorite Khmer dishes, fried ginger with pork. It was a fleeting moment I fear, but it was nice to relive such an amazing vacation, even only for an hour or two, through such a delicious meal.

Khmer Fried Ginger with Pork and Spicy Soy Sauce

adapted from Hot Sour Salty Sweet

1/2-1 pound boneless pork chop, sliced thinly
1/2 pound ginger, preferably young, peeled and cut into very fine matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

8 oz. can/container of sliced bamboo shoots
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce (they didn't have fish sauce in my grocery store, but if you can find it, use that instead with a little sugar to balance out the flavor)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3-4 scallions, green and white parts sliced thinly

In a wok (or a large skillet, I do not yet own a wok) heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the garlic and fry for about 20-30 seconds, stirring continuously. Add the meat, and stir-fry until it starts to brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Add the ginger, bell pepper, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, and soy sauce, and fry until everything is cooked through and tender, stirring constantly, about 4-5 more minutes.

I served this with brown rice and some spicy soy sauce (which is nothing more than a few slices a jalapeno and red pepper flakes soaking in some soy sauce) but any kind of rice, or even rice noodles would work.

It definitely wasn't exactly like the fried ginger we had in cambodia, but it was delicious in its own right and I would absolutely make it again. If only we could be staring at centuries-old temples or sitting on a beach while eating it. I guess the back deck and 65 degree weather will have to cut it for now.

Simple Comfort

After the holidays are over, it is refreshing sometimes to have a meal that is a bit on the lighter side (especially after eating all those fake girl scout cookies). It's also great to have a meal that you can clean out your fridge with. Its a great basic formula, but definitely not your run of the mill pasta dish or stir fry that usually seem to constitute a pantry meal.

This dish has all the good stuff. Creamy, crispy polenta and sauteed mushrooms and carrots, topped with a big 'ol fried egg. I am a firm believer in the "everything is better with a fried egg on top" school of thought. This separate but equally as valid as the "everything is better with bacon" school of thought. When the oozing yolk mixes with the earthy veggies and the cheesy polenta, it is heaven. Now that I think about it, I am totally adding bacon next time I make this.

I first saw a version of this recipe on thekitchn.com and really loved the combination, but I ended up changing it quite a bit. The night that I made this for dinner I made a soft polenta, but I truly believe the leftovers were better the next day when I cut squares of the cold polenta and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil. The cheese in the polenta became brown and crispy on the outside and was soft, hot, and creamy on the inside. Either way though, it is a filling, hearty meal that is full of protein that won't ruin your new years resolutions.

Fried Polenta with Balsamic Mushrooms and Carrots

adapted from thekitchn.com

Serves 3-4

1 lb mushrooms, cut into a 1/2 inch dice

3 medium carrots, cut into a 1/2 inch dice

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2-3 tablespoons oilve oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup instant polenta

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3-4 eggs (depending on how many people are eating, 1 egg per serving)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water, milk, and 1/4 teaspoons salt to a boil in a small saucepan. When it reaches a boil, whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes with the lid cracked, stirring occasionally. Add the parmesean cheese and stir to combine. **You can make this a day ahead of time. Spread the polenta in a thin layer in the bottom of a baking dish and refrigerate overnight. Heat some oil in a non-stick skillet and fry the polenta until heated through and brown and crispy on the edges.**

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant. Add mushrooms, carrots, thyme and balsamic vinegar, stir to coat evenly. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms and carrots are cooked through.

When the polenta and vegetables are fully cooked, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the eggs over-easy, making sure to leave the yolk runny (this is the best part).

Place a dollop of the creamy polenta (or a fried square of polenta) in the middle of a plate, top with a spoonful of the veggie mixture, and one fried egg. Sprinkle with a little extra parmesean cheese and devour.

This is a wonderfully quick (and inexpensive) weekenight meal, and a great way to use up leftovers. Enjoy!

Heather's Squishy Buns

As I add more and more recipes to this blog, you will soon figure out that I am not a huge sweets person. I live for appetizers and savor the main course, but you will almost never find me first in line at the dessert table. For breakfast, you can feed me eggs and bacon until I pop, but I can usually pass on the doughnuts and danishes. Its not that I hate sweets, I usually just prefer more savory treats in my tummy.

This is not to say I cannot appreciate a great pecan roll once in a while, and boy, these are GREAT pecan rolls. They are actually Ina Garten's Easy Sticky Buns, and my good friend Heather made them last weekend at the cabin. I was of course there with my pastry brush and melted butter, providing moral support and and extra hand. She needed that hand, not because she needed help in the kitchen or help with the recipe, but because we were at a cabin and she was sitting cross-legged on the floor, assembling pecan rolls at 8:30 in the morning.

Frozen puff pastry makes these rolls an absolute breeze (even on the floor). Unroll the pastry, sprinkle on some goodies, roll it up, cut it up, put into muffin tins, and presto, you have pecan rolls. Heather's turned out a little tall for the muffin tin we had, so like any great chef, she improvised and made them fit. They were promptly renamed 'Heather's Squishy Buns', and that is what they shall be called henceforth.

'Heather's Squishy Buns'

Adapted from Ina Garten's Easy Sticky Buns

My notes in green

1 package frozen Puff Pastry (17.3 ounces, 2 sheets - defrosted)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature) - if you forget like we did, just set them on top of a warm stove for a few minutes, or put them in the pockets of your apron as you prep the rest of the items

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans - chopped or whole, your call

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

2/3 cup light brown sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Here she calls for raisins...but Heather made the executive decision to omit, I backed this decision. If you want, add 1 cup of raisins.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup (or two 6-cup) muffin tins onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. There is a good chance that they will boil over, so this step saves some cleanup time.

Combine the 1 1/2 sticks of butter and the 1/3 cup of brown sugar together in a bowl. - Ina calls for doing this in a stand mixture, but there really is no need. As long as your butter is soft, a fork and a bowl is all you need to mash these two ingredients up together. Just ask Heather.

Place 1 tablespoon of this mixture into each of the muffin cups, and then evenly distribute the pecans among the 12 cups, on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden surface - or glass, or plastic, or 30 year old linoleum counter tops, whatever you have available to you - and unroll the puff pastry dough. Brush each pastry with melted butter, leaving a one inch border on all sides. Sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon - and raisins if you are so inclined...we were not.

Starting at one end, roll up pastry snugly, jelly roll style, and place seam side down.

Cut each roll into 6 even pieces and place one piece into each muffin cup, spiral side up.

This is where things got a little squishy. They were sticking up quite high so we did what any hungry, slightly hungover, unsure cook would do. We squished them down until they looked about even and stuck them in the oven.

30 minutes later, take them out, let them sit for just a few minutes, then turn them over onto a plate and let the gooey, sticky, goodness runeth over.