Cookie exchange and superb Blondie recipe

It's been a big week for my kitchen. I had Prof. Hubs' Russian Feast to prepare for all of his students and a cookie exchange to attend within 24 hours of each other.

They both went off without a hitch. Well, sort of. I had originally planned to bring three dozen parisian macarons (pumpkin flavored, of course) to the cookie exchange. I worked so hard on them for hours-I even PIPED the meringue into the perfect little discs hoping to achieve that gorgeous, smooth, footed shell for my macarons... Alas, it was not to be. My macarons were hideous. This was partly due to a food dye incident which caused them to be BRIGHTPINK instead of light orange, but mostly due to the fact that they were bumpy, footless, and not at all shiny and gorgeous. I had to toss them. But what to bring to the cookie exchange?

Enter the blondie.

I took a Zingerman's recipe and messed with it some (I did not feel like/have the ingredients for making a separate praline) to make a perfectly gorgeous blondie. It comes together lightning fast and tastes really homey and delicious... Especially if, like me, you take them out a smidgen early so that the center bars are still really goey and chewy :)

Desperate Housediva's Gorgeous Blondies

inspired by a recipe from the Zingerman's bakehouse

Makes 16 large blondies

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp dark Rum or Cognac

1.5 cups cake or all purpose flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 to 1.5 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325

Melt the butter. In a large bowl (or standing mixer) combine melted butter and brown sugar. Mix well until emulsified. Add vanilla, rum and eggs. Gently add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips.

Pour into greased 8X8 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Breathing...and the world's greatest brownies...

When I started this blog it was a way to keep myself occupied as I made the transition from a New York City single girl to an Ohio housewife. It was also to be something of a record of our first year here in Midwestia and a place to share recipes old and new. I kept it up pretty regularly for a year but then something happened:

I didn't need a blog to keep me busy anymore. I was busy already. Somehow life and its engagements caught up with me-I was so busy I didn't quite know what to do with myself. Suddenly, instead of a respite from my nebulous days it became yet another thing I needed to do in my ever-increasingly scheduled life. So I took some time off the blogging. I checked my priorities. I re-checked them. I decided to focus on family, on health, on re-invigorated my photography business, and several other things, but you know what? I missed my food blog :) And so did you, internet, so did you! I have had so many people, acquaintances, relatives, and friends (both flesh and internet) ask me to start posting again that it's been really awesome. So here I am. Breathing and blogging. And cooking...

I hereby re-instate the Desperate Housediva food blog with the world's best brownies!

My favorite brownies in the entire world would be the Zingerman's Magic Brownies, no contest. Though the La Brea bakery in LA comes in at a distant second (they're quite delish.)

When I worked at Zingerman's in college I must have eaten two of these gorgeous chocolate bricks a week (at least.) They are more of a cakey, dense chocolatey and nutty brownie than a goey, fudgie one, but to me that's part of what makes them so good.

This recipe is obviously altered from the real recipe in that it's made for home cooks to produce one pan of perfect Zing brownies and not a commercial amount. But I must say the flavors don't suffer one bit. I really feel like they are as good as the real thing, especially if you use the highest quality ingredients you can get your hands on (and in Midwestia that's not nearly as high as most anywhere else!)

The Zingerman's Magic Brownies.

(no, they don't have anything "magic" in them, you junkies, you! They just contain delicious chocolate, lots of butter and wholesome goodness throughout!)

Ingredients
13 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
6-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups sifted cake flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions
1. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, heat the butter and chocolate in a double boiler, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until lemon-colored and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Add flour mixture. Beat on low speed until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Stir in walnuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until brownies appear set.

3. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Makes 15 servings.

Olive Tapenade

Oh, my poor blog! How I have neglected you!

I seem to begin every other post with such exclamations... I should either:

a. Write a blog post more often.

b. Get over myself and realize that, like the diary I kept in grade school, apologies to the page are for my sake and not for the page's.

Just a quick recipe to share before I finish this glass of Dashwood sauvignon blanc (which is a steal, btw, at $9.99!)

OLIVE TAPENADE

(adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten)

1/2 pound good olives, rinsed and pitted. (I used a mix of fancy black olives)

2 Tbsp capers3 anchovy filets, rinsed

(I know, I know...you say you hate anchovies...but, trust me. So do I! But the addition of anchovies cuts the briny olive taste and makes it nice and mellow)

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 Tbsp fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture resembles a coarse paste. Transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy!

This Fruit Crumble will make you feel Happiness

I'm constantly buying beautiful, seasonal, local fruit at our local market. I love to enjoy it that day on its own but what do you do when you have fruit that's not exactly at the height of freshness but still completely good? You put it in something else, of course. There's something about a super-ripe strawberry that isn't the most appetizing raw but it's bursting, juicy flavor is a welcome addition to a fruit crumble. Now, you can always use fresh fruit for this recipe-it will still be fabulous, but there is something about that ripe-ripe fruit that just sings when baked. And this is seriously the best fruit crisp/crumble I have ever had, let alone made. Ignore any previous crisp/crumble recipes you may have tried-(even the one I posted almost a year ago on this very blog!) because they can't hold a candle to this one. You can, of course, use any combination of fruits that pleases you. I did a strawberry-raspberry crumble but am looking forward to doing a strawberry-rhubarb next and then perhaps a peach-raspberry...My thanks go out to Nigella lawson for the recipe this is based on and to Deb from SmittenKitchen for publishing her version and thus bringing it to my attention. Seriously, ladies. Thank you.

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S FAVORITE FRUIT CRUMBLE

Crumble Topping:

2/3 cup white whole wheat flour

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder (I think this is what makes the topping so perfect-it adds a bit of lift and fluff)

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

large pinch of salt ( you may prefer a small pinch, but I like my sweets to have a bit of salt)

1 stick of butter, melted

Fruit Filling:

1.5 cups of a favorite fruit, cut into small pieces (any berries or stone fruits or rhubarb)

1 cup of another fruit, cut into small pieces (any other berries or stone fruits or rhubarb)

juice of one lemon

1/2 cup sugar

3 to 4 Tbsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

Heat oven to 375. Prepare topping: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until large clumps form. Refrigerate until ready.

Prepare fruit: Mix all filling ingredients together in pie plate or casserole of choice (a deep one.) Spread evenly.

Top Fruit with topping evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes until topping is golden brown and topping is bubbling underneath.

Allow to cool slightly or to room temperature and enjoy!

Salad Days: Part III Mexican Salad (AKA: The most delicious salad ever)

How I do love these long Summer days!

And how I do love the beautiful produce which is displayed in Midwestia's amazing famer's market... Not to mention the gorgeous herbs reaching towards the sun in my little backyard garden. Lovely. Each and every one.

In this, the final installation of the Salad Days posts, I present you with the recipe for my salad piece de résistance; the Desperate Housediva Mexican Salad.

In a word: Yum!

This is the ultimate salad for people who don't find salads satisfying. It's quickly become Professor Hubs' (and Professor Hubs' whole family's) favorite Summer Salad.

It's customizeable, easily made completely vegan, and is naturally gluten free.

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S MEXICAN SALAD

adapted from a recipe from my friend Claire and a recipe from SELF magazine...

(serves 4, generously)

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

1 can black beans, drained (preferable organic)

1 can sweet corn kernals (preferable organic and low salt) OR the kernels cut off of 2 leftover corn-0n-the-cobs.

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 jicama, peeled and chopped (or if you can't find it; 1 firm apple, peeled and chopped)

5 radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onion or a handful of chives

handful of shredded cabbage

1 bell pepper (red or yellow) chopped

1 avocado, chopped

Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Handful or crumbled feta cheese (or not, for vegan cooks...)

Grilled protein of choice, cubed (Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, grilled tofu, etc.)

Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing.

DRESSING

Juice of 4 limes + honey to taste (or 1/4 cup rose's sweetened lime juice)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup olive oil or more, to taste.

Wisk to combine and use at least half to dress salad. Add more to taste and save the rest for another purpose (another salad, a marinade, etc.)

Enjoy!!!

Salad Days: Part II Thai Basil Salad

What I've been up to (that's kept me from sharing recipes:)

-Driving

-Travelling

-Honeymooning

-Beach combing

-Relaxing

-Reveling

-New Car-getting

-Eating

-Bonding

-Cooking

-Singing

-Shooting

-Loving

-Grieving

-Resting

-Nurturing

-Reminiscing

-Returning

-Connecting

...and infinite other gerunds...

As I mentioned in the last post, Prof. hubs and I have been feasting on the most delicious and filling of Summer Salads... This one is inspired by a salad that I ate after an exhausting day trekking through San Francisco with a friend in 2004... I have been craving it ever since. It's the perfect combination of flavors and textures-so refreshing, so toothsome, a bit spicy... Perfection.

And now, the second installment of my soon-to-be famous Salad posts:

THAI BASIL SALAD

(makes 2 huge portions or 4 regular...)

1/2 package asian rice noodles (pad thai noodles, vermicelli, etc.) cooked per package directions (use one handful or the whole amount-it's up to you and it's all good.)

2 head romaine lettuce, chopped

2 large handful of shredded cabbage (I just use the bag of pre shredded cole slaw mix)

5 thinly sliced red radishes

1 small handful shredded carrot (I just use the kind that's already in the bag of shredded cole slaw mix...)

1 peeled and cubed cucumber

1 mango, diced

8 grape tomatoes, halved

small handful chopped peanuts

small handful of each of the following herbs, chopped:

scallions, basil, mint, cilantro

Protein of your choice (I like grilled steak but sauteed tofu is lovely for a vegan choice as is chicken or shrimp as a steak alternative...)

Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing. Enjoy!!!

SALAD DRESSING

Juice of 4 limes

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce

2 Tbsp water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp Shriracha sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

4 Tbsp canola oil (or other light, flavorless vegetable oil)

Wisk to combine well.

Salad Days: Part I Salade Niçoise

I've been on the road again as is evident from my lack of posts. First it was a stressful work week in NYC filled with photography work and voice lessons. Upon my return I was hostess to my sister-in-law for a week. We had a wonderful visit peppered with a few wonderfully successful cooking experiments but all of our traipsing around Midwestia and its environs left little time for blogging.

During my NY visit one of my dearest friends informed me that I was looking a teensy bit more 'happy and plump' than usual, which, combined with the poll results asking for more healthy, fast, and vegetarian recipes has me excited to share these next few posts. In short, as it is nice to look happy I don't want to look plump and I know that these salads can help :)

Salads. As I've stated before I'm not naturally inclined to love salads. In fact, until this past week I only really enjoyed three of them. But the past eight days or so have proven me wrong. It wasn't that I didn't like salad, it was just that I didn't like BORING salad. I love when a salad has so much flavor, texture, and heartiness to it that you don't feel as though you've joined a cult of asceticism but rather you've taken the first steps to living a life of European luxury. I think this first Salad is a perfect example of a satisfying meal that happens to be a made up primarily of vegetables. I first learned to make it during my time living in Paris and I can't stress enough how simple, delicious, and filling it is.

Salade Niçoise au Thon

(Nicoise salad with tuna)

(makes 2 very large portions or 4 rather small)

1 bag of Spring Mix greens

4 cooked red potatoes, cubed (from a bag of steam-in-microwave red potatoes or a few red potatoes from last night's roast.)

2 handfuls French green beans (from a bag of steam-in-microwave French green beans/haricot Verts or steamed on stove)

2 cans Tuna packed in olive oil (This is a MUST! It MUST be the rich and delicious kind packed in olive oil or it is decidedly un-French, un-decadent, and un-satisfying.)

2 Tbsp capers

10 niçoise olives (or your favorite black olives)

a few anchovies (optional)

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

a few slices of red onion for each salad

French Vinaigrette

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp minced shallot

1 Tbsp minced garlic (optional)

1 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 cup good Extra virgin olive oil

s&p to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil until well blended. Then wisk in oil, slowly, until emulsified.

SALAD ASSEMBLY

Distribute ingredients evenly among plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Bon Appetit!