Triple Chocolate Scotcheroos Some people, when they travel, they look for hotels with amenities like spas or room service. Others look for hotels near restaurants or local attractions. Me? I look for ones near supermarkets. And on my recent trip through the states, my traveling companion was shocked that I’d managed to pack 3 empty suitcase into one larger one, the limit of our collective baggage allowance. Not to mention our two carry-ons—”someone” was ready for some serious shopping… I’ve been dying to make a batch of Scotcheroos for a long time and although I’ve become pretty adept at finding substitutions for American ingredients here in Paris, butterscotch chips had me scratching me head. At the Publix supermarket conveniently located just across the street from our hotel in Lawderdale (I had to teach Romain how to say Fort Lauderdale that way, for reasons that he didn’t understand), I stocked up on everything I could. (I wouldn’t have been available to help as I was too busy grabbing things.)
Fruitcake Bar Recipe I’ve been making these Fruitcake Bars more and more as the holidays approach. Not only are they incredibly simple to put together, unlike other fruitcakes, these really do taste great. They can be made up to a week in advance, which will undoubtedly help alleviate holiday stress. It’s from my archives but thought it worth sharing again since folks enjoyed them so much at a recent Paris book event (and wine-tasting), and because the baking season is quickly approaching and it’s nice to have a recipe for a very easy-to-prepare dessert or snack. These Fruitcake Bars, which are adapted from Alice Medrich’s wonderful book Pure Dessert, don’t have any icky green cherries or other inedible oddities in there. So you don’t have to worry about people giving you funny looks when you offer them a slice. They’re packed with lots of healthy dried fruits and nuts, and are one of those great desserts to make when you don’t feel like going shopping, since you’re likely to have these ingredients on hand.
Improved Lemon Curd Did you know that there is no such a thing as a Meyer lemon anymore? Well, at least not as we know them. Officially, they haven’t existed for about fifty years, when a virus attacked the Meyer lemon trees and they were banned in the United States. Then in 1975, a new, “Improved” Meyer lemon tree was released that was virus-free, and people began planting them in backyards in America. And in Paris apartments, too. (More on that, later…) Some think that the now-extinct Meyer lemons, and the new, Improved Meyer lemons, are a hybrid between oranges and lemons. Because they are relatively fragile, these delicate citrus fruits don’t ship well. Yet I scored when a friend arrived in Paris, claiming to have not one—but two Improved Meyer lemons for me. And Improved Meyer lemon juice is sweeter than standard Eureka lemon juice, and the small amount might get lost in another dessert. If you’ve never made, or tasted, lemon curd, you’re in for a treat. Related Links and Recipes Lemon Tart Citrus
Homemade Granola Bars Homemade Granola Bars Boxes of granola bars are so easy to purchase. They’re right there in that snack aisle, packaged so nicely. And there’s usually a brand or two on sale for a great price. This recipe comes from a brand new cookbook called The Pure Kitchen from first time author Hallie Klecker. A few things about the recipe: 1. 2. 3. 4. My version turned out to be a Maple- Pecan Granola Bar. The Pure Kitchen offers a unique but easy approach to fortifying your diet with whole, natural, pure foods. Author Hallie Klecker is offering a copy of The Pure Kitchen to one Recipe Girl reader.
Dried Cranberry, Walnut, and Lemon Scones Recipe at Epicurious photo by Tina Rupp yield Makes 12 active time 20 minutes total time 40 minutes Jennifer Wickes of Pine Beach, New Jersey, writes: "I grew up in Bermuda learning to make English sweets like these scones. Preparation Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, and 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Bake scones until golden and tester comes out clean, about 18 minutes.
no-bake energy bites I probably should have poured a nice stiff drink recipe for you all on this loveliest of lovely tax days. Especially for my fellow small business owners who just gave half of their revenue back to the government. Good grief, I won’t even go there. Instead though, I thought I’d offer my idea of a more comforting alternative. Pasta. When life is good, and when life gets crazy, I turn to pasta. And just as it has for years, this one hit the spot. Read more This past Friday night was meant for celebrating. The weather was sit-out-on-the-deck-in-the-cool-evening-breeze perfection. And a very special birthday girl turned the big 3-0. Friends, meet Stacey. Read more TGIF, friends. Hope that you all have had a lovely week, and that a relaxing weekend lies ahead. Read more Ever since my friends and I met for a tapas happy hour at our neighborhood Spanish restaurant a few weeks ago, I’ve had sangria on my mind. Read more Read more I’ve always said that I like a good balance of cooking and baking in my life.
Sliced Mango with Sugared Lime Zest and a Little Getaway March 2nd, 2012 This past weekend, Matt and I took a little road trip to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs (more on that later). I took the day off from work on Friday, which I feel like I never do, and we woke up nice and early to get on the road by 6:30 am. It’s a long drive to Palm Springs from San Francisco (about eight and a half hours) but we didn’t mind. We chatted the whole way in the car, about Turntable Kitchen and relationships, work and play, vacations and weddings. One of the reasons we decided to go to the Ace was because we wanted a weekend away, but we didn’t want to go somewhere where we’d feel compelled to do a lot, especially in light of my recent post about being overwhelmed. There’s nothing that will make you feel disconnected and on vacation like eating tropical fruit. It can be a bit of a pain to cut up (some tips can be found here) but it is SO worth the effort. Sliced Mango with Sugared Lime Zest adapted from Martha Stewart*serves four 1. More on the Turntable.
No-Bake Lemon Cream & Coconut Icebox Cupcakes Recipes from The Kitchn Take, for instance, these little three-bite cupcakes. They require only a few ingredients, and they come together with very little work. But then, in the refrigerator they transform into a little piece of cake, tangy and bright with real lemon, sprinkled with coconut and topped with a colorful berry. You're not eating cookies with cream on top; you're eating cake. Lemon Cream & Coconut Icebox Cupcakes makes 24 cupcakes 2 ounces cream cheese, very soft2 cups whipping cream1/3 cup powdered sugar1/4 teaspoon salt2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/3 cup juice)72 Nilla wafers (from 1 box) 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes24 raspberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted Whip the cream cheese until very soft in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and hand mixer). Place a Nilla wafer in a cupcake paper (I used regular-sized cupcake papers) or in a ramekin. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the stack has softened into a cakey texture.
4-Ingredient Cheerio Snack Bars Sometimes you just need to play with your food, especially when it’s snack time. And this simple little bar is the perfect food for doing just that. No cuttlery, napkins or proper table manners required. Just grab a square and get as messy as you please. I think I’m going to be a good mom. Plus, with only four ingredients, it doesn’t get any more easy. 4-Ingredient Cheerio Snack Barsadapted from taste of home Ingredients 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup honey 1/4 peanut butter (I used natural crunchy) 2-3 cups plain cheerios Method | Combine sugar and honey together in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. First off I should say that I made the moronic decision of using honey nut cheerios instead of plain so mine turned out a tad bit sweet. The cheerios maintain their light, crunchy texture, and the peanut butter and honey meld together perfectly to bind the bars and provide a delightful, honey nut flavor. Enjoy! -Dana
Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe Enlarge Credit: Todd Coleman SERVES 10 FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING1½ cups flour¾ cup sugar1 tsp. ground cinnamon½ tsp. baking powder½ tsp. kosher salt12 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled½ cup finely chopped walnuts FOR THE CAKE8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan2 cups flour, plus more for pan1 tbsp. baking powder½ tsp. kosher salt¾ cup sugar1 tsp. vanilla extract1 egg⅔ cup milk 1. 2. See all 150 classic recipes featured in our 150th issue »