molly irwin

hey there cookie

 

Oatmeal white chocolate chip

I'm so impressionable. 

Someone mentioned white chocolate oatmeal cookies on twitter the other day and I knew I had all the ingredients on hand and had to make them. I'm not even a big white chocolate fan myself, but my girls are and I'm not eating them now anyway. It's all for them.

And now it's for you too. Help yourself.

This recipe is adapted from a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie recipe my mom gave me years ago. Just follow the usual cookie mixing process with the following ingredients:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup light brown suger

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup flour

3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup flax seeds (optional)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on parchament lined baking sheet. bake in 350 preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until browned and crispy.

Allow plenty of room for the cookies to spread out. I only got six per sheet, but my baking sheets are smallish; 12" x 18".

These were declared a certain 10-year old's new favorite.

 

chocolate zucchini cake

You know how when things are crazy in life some people tend to over indulge?

Well, this might be the blog equivalent of that. Two food posts in one week just isn't the norm.

We're in the final stretch before back to school. The season brings new circumstances for our family this year: a new school, my littlest starting school, new roles for me as a Sunday School class aide and [hopefully] working outside the home in another capacity, though that hasn't been finalized. I'm implementing a merit-based allowance for the kids to encourage smooth morning and evening routines. I'm posting lists in prominent spots around the house so we all know what's expected of one another.

I haven't much felt like talking about these things in a deeper way here. Everything has been uncertain while I distill facts into firm decisions. ... so ... food. Easy topic. And why not chocolate at a time like this? hmmm? Especially when that chocolate is balanced against a hearty vegetable.

This cake has what I (typically a non-sweet person) consider the perfect mild sweetness and moist crumb, with spots of soft, melty texture due to a sprinkle of chocolate chips added to the batter. I prefer this light sweetness over any overly-sugary, holiday-type cookie, any day.

I modified the recipe (linked) adding 4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder -- don't forget that, or your cake will lack the expected color and chocolate-y flavor throughout.

Chocolate zucchini cake :: Gourmet August 2002

 

gazpacho

 

Oh summer! You won't get away from me yet ...

Making gazpacho is something I've never done before, and it was on my [short] list of things to try this summer. We had piles of tomatoes and bell peppers from the garden. I just had to find a really good quality red wine vinegar (I used Chianti vinegar) and a nice crumbly sourdough bread, which I pulsed into large crumbs. 

Certainly it's every bit as labor intensive as the tools you have. I hand-diced the vegetables individually, but if you use a food processor it would reduce time significantly.

After checking around I decided on this basic recipe, but since I like a more robust flavor I think I would add more onion and slightly more vinegar next time. Plus, maybe a diced jalapeno garnish.

Chill it overnight; then serve in a frosted, footed bowl. It tastes even better today.

 
  

red pepper vinaigrette

A foundation of crisp greens is one of my favorite things about meals this season, so it's pretty exciting to see my baby lettuce coming up. It's not big enough to harvest yet, but soon. 

I've always preferred homemade vinaigrette to store-bought dressings, and usually stick to the simplest 2-to-1 oil-to-vinegar (or lemon juice) ratio, with some salt and pepper. Maybe add a splash of dijon as an emulsifier. This week while shopping though something in those ready-made bottles caught my eye. All the little flecks of red pepper and garlic ... I can do that too! It seems so obvious, but it's just enough of a hassle that I haven't added them before.

My little experiment turned out so delicious, I thought I'd share it here.

Red Pepper vinaigrette

• a few slices of red bell pepper (approx. 1/4 cup)
• 1 + 1/2 slices red onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp. good dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/4 cup good quality red wine vinegar (I used a Chianti vinegar)
• 1/2 + a little more extra virgin olive oil

Blend well in a blender and use immediately. If you don't have a blender, I'm sure finely-diced veggies and garlic would work. Refrigerate extra in a mason jar.

So, So yummy! I like a strong vinegar component to my dressings, so do adjust the oil, or add a splash of water to tone it down if need be. 

I've been outside turning compost over into the garden beds. Tomato starters are going in the ground tonight.  So excited that summer's here in the Mid-Atlantic US!

 

food logic

 

Too much cream in my coffee by the Iron Skillet band.

That was actually the name of the band that played at my wedding reception. Long story.

Last week I took a good look at what used to be my non-stick pan and realized just how much coating wasn't there. You know where it's gone? Inside me and my kids.

For someone who takes pretty good care to prepare fresh, home-cooked (often organic) foods I realized I was completely missing another side of the 'healthy' equation. It's not only what we cook, and how we cook it, but the tools used. I had been a hold-out on non-stick because I like my omelettes just so. I don't, however, like them just-so-chemical-laden.

The Lodge logic 10.25 came home with me that very day. What I used to consider a campfire staple is now my mainstream. It's about time. [Jill's piece, and breakfast in my friend's kitchen had me primed.]

And the cream in my coffee? It''s just about my last vice. I know. I know.

+++

Like so many of us, I've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. It highlights some real problems. It's compelling and disturbing. My biggest question so far -- and it raises many-- is where are the bagged lunches? Seriously. It is a parent's job to nourish and to fortify. I know I'm probably "singing to the choir" here, but don't people pack lunches from home anymore? And why not?

 

foods we live by

 

I happened to catch Ina Garten's show yesterday while making dinner. The episode featured a reenactment of foods she and Stephen (we're on a first name basis now) recall as courtship favorites: steak sandwiches, the first thing Ina made for him, brownies mailed in a college care package, and eggplant parmesan from backpacking through Italy.

As I prepared our meal from a stained and wrinkled card for Welsh Rarebit, my handwriting at the bottom was a pleasant reminder of an evening with a super cool couple in their rustic New Hampshire cabin the year we were married.

I've seen a number of prettily designed 'favorite foods' themed scrapbooks in magazines, and I have to say that for me personally nothing conjures familiar memories better than the tattered old originals. I'm not talking about pouring over my grandmother's recipe file, though there's a certain pleasure in that, of course. It's my own binder of food-related memories; people, events and experiences recalled through a collection amassed over the years.

Like most of us I tear tons of recipes from magazines. [A problem maybe as I recently picked up a bunch of back issues of Cooking Light at the thrift store for .50/each for this very purpose. Though with the state of publishing these days ... well, you know.]  I make notes in the margin as I try them: date served, any alterations, how it was received, etc. But along side those glossy tear sheets are my beloved hand-written, photocopied memory joggers: cheese brunch from Ann's mother-in-law on the occasion of Will's baptism, Drunken Chicken from Peggy (served with plenty of wine on the side) in their tiny studio apartment, Chicken Vermouth from New Year's Eve with Sandy and Barb at Sandy's sister's house, and a post-break-up/makeup beef stronganoff in a fourth floor Capitol Hill walk-up.

The binder I keep isn't pretty -- I slid a piece of grocery bag inside the cover sleeve because I liked the words and graphic -- but it's a memory book in the truest sense. A constant reminder of people and occasions I'll always think of more vividly each time I prepare that meal again. 

of an early, inspiring morning

I woke at 4AM this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. After a leisurely virtual stroll through my flickr favorites and perusing the Purl Soho photostream in slide show format, I came across the lovely work of seamstress and author Meg McElwee. I have her new book, Sew Liberated, on my wish list at Amazon, but had never been to her charming blog before. Especially appealing is her lovingly handcrafted baby boy's room, (this shot is completely adorable, as are these cushions and blanket.) As well as her use of handwritten vintage family recipe cards as cover art for a cookbook project. One of my sisters has my Grandmother's cards and I would love to photograph them this way.

Well, since I was awake and it was a cold morning here, I whipped up a batch of breakfast muffins for the kids. They're based on Heather's pumpkin muffins, (which are really rich and yummy!) but I tossed together ingredients on hand for an apple and oat variety.

Apple and oat muffins

8 Tbl. melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup applesauce (mine was chunky homemade)

1 tsp. vanilla (give or take)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup unprocessed coarse bran (miller's bran) I used shiloh farms organic

1/2 cup quick oats

1 cup flour

Cream together butter and sugar, then add all other ingredients. Scoop more than half full into muffin tin. Sprinkle with some oats and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Yield: approx. 10 large, overflowing muffins.

--------------

By the time the I saw the kids off, there had been coffee, followed by tea and sunshine for the still life above. Here's looking forward to an early evening tonight.

Enjoy your weekend, friends.

easier seeds

From our garden patch we got one small pumpkin. That's it. Our soil isn't ideal for growing viney plants in that family, but we were thankful for the one.

I used to think doing pumpkin seeds took more effort than it was worth. Separating them from the pulp alone was quite a process. Until I read about the boiling water method. To remove the pulp from the seeds you can place them in boiling water for about 10 minutes, which also nicely plumps up the seeds. From there you let them dry, then drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes. Give the tray a shake at the half way mark, and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt when finished.

Paul returned home from a business trip on Monday night with eight gorgeous pumpkins ranging in size and color, so we'll be doing more of these in the future. They keep nicely in a mason jar for weeks and top salads and muffins beautifully.
 

in the kitchen

I have a new post over at One Good Loaf today.

To all of you who have been so supportive of my desire to live a more healthy life, I want you to know I'm not eating them. Seriously, I'm not. The family's got to eat though and I like making homemade things from real ingredients as often as I can. It's not a perfect system and I do buy those quick easy shelf stable things at times, but I have recently (and over time as we ran out) switched our baking cupboard over to natural organic sugars and unbleached flours. It seems like a simple way to make a big impact on the way we eat. I added flax seeds to the kids oatmeal cookies last night.

As for me I'm already feeling physically better, just three days into a 'white stuff' elimination plan. No rice, breads, flour, sugar -- for a while. No beer. No wine. I'll know when I feel better. When it's right to re-introduce things.

It's kind of crazy how much time I'm spending between the kitchen and the garden today. The place is a mess as I make space for the canned vegetables, jam and apple butter I've been preparing over the last few weeks. It all seems so old fashioned (in a really good way) to take the time to make these basic foods. And I'm feeling a strong connection to my Grandma of late as I move around the kitchen table attending to the necessities of nurturing our family. 

 

slow roasted

If you haven't made Pomodori al Forno, I highly recommend that you get yourself a big bunch of ripe red tomatoes before they are gone for the season and give this recipe a go. Hands down my favorite way to enjoy tomatoes. This is super easy, and believe me you will want to make two large trays full: one to eat now and one for tomorrow. I've stored some in the freezer as well. No more jars of cardboard-like sun-dried tomatoes for me.

The recipe is here, from Molly Wizenburg at Bon Appetit.