Perfect (Roasted) Peaches

I grew up eating my mom’s mom’s peach cake. Years ago, in an effort to capture her mother’s recipes (passed down), my mom typed up her own copy of each recipe onto 3x5 notecards using the old word processing tool – the typewriter. Complete with spelling errors and offset keys where you could tell something was misaligned, the notecards together make for a fun journey that I’ve always enjoyed looking through.

So peach ‘caje,’ as mom wrote it. It’s an old German family recipe. A light and yeasty dough is stretched to fit in a glass baking pan and sliced peaches, tossed with a bit of sugar, cinnamon, and perhaps a drizzle of butter, tops it all off. It was the perfect dessert, with ice cream, or even breakfast (with yogurt).

Now gluten-free, the cake doesn’t have the same appeal it once did. But the peaches. I’d forgotten about peach cake until recently, when I was left with two perfectly ripe specimens. Being a banana girl, I wondered, “what to do?”

Peaches don’t pack well, so they’re not great with lunch at school. But on a salad, with peppery arugula? Or baked until tender to top my morning kamut-meal (like oatmeal for us with oat allergies)? Now we’re talking.

One time, and I was hooked. Opening the oven door to check on the fruit, the aroma of the butter, cinnamon, and juicy peaches sent me right back to the peach cake like I’d just had it yesterday. Funny how memory and scent are linked.

I later made these over my birthday weekend. They were devoured along side bacon, eggs, and gluten free English muffins, and again later tossed with greens. They’re perfect with vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or even crème anglaise. I could even see myself putting them on a pizza, with salty prosciutto and a hearty green, perhaps a garnish of soft goat cheese.

How do you like your baked stone fruit?

Baked Peaches

6 peaches, halved and pit removed
¼ cup maple syrup, more if desired
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an 8x8-inch baking pan, combine all ingredients. Place peaches cut side down and bake for 30 minutes, checking to ensure the sugar doesn’t burn (this will vary with your peach). Once the peaches start juicing and breaking down, flip the peaches and continue baking until tender, about 60 minutes total. (If you have particularly unripe peaches, I’ve facilitated the tenderizing process by smushing them, cut side first, a bit).

Easy Maple-Bacon Salmon

This is my go-to, I'm-too-tired-tired-to-cook-something-hearty favorite. There is something about the rich, buttery flavor of the fish that melds beautifully with the sweet maple syrup and crisp and salty bacon. And aside from a stop at your local fish market, it comes together easily (and in less than 10 minutes). Serve with a side of steamed snow peas and roasted butternut squash for a healthy, hearty, and utterly delicious meal.

Maple-Bacon Broiled Salmon

One 12-ounce salmon fillet, skin on
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 slices bacon, cooked to a crisp

Preheat the broiler to high.

Place the salmon fillet, skin side down, in a 9-by-12-inch baking pan. Drizzle half the syrup on top. Place in the oven, no more than 2 inches under the element. Cook for 4 minutes, then rotate pan 180 degrees. Cook 4 minutes more, or until the thickest part of the fish is almost cooked. Remove from the oven, crumble the bacon on top, and return the fish to the oven for 1 minute more.

Drizzle the remaining syrup on top and serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Nut-free, Gluten-free, Kid-friendly

Carrot Cake for (Carrot) Lovers

It was for my 30th, after all.

First of all, yes. I exist. Sorry for the radio silence. I've just been too busy with work, feeding myself, and playing outside in the wilds of Vermont -- when not sleeping.

But oh boy you are in for it! I plan on ramping things up over the next two weeks, with full-fledged culinary fun coming in December. And if everything-holiday isn't quite your cup of tea, I'll have some fresh and healthy ideas to intersperse with all that triple creme cheese, Champagne, oysters, pie, cookies, and more, you'll be indulging in.

But first things first. I must properly share with you maybe one of my favorite recipes of the year. Not because it's perfect (in fact, far from...). But it was delicious, and is what helped me usher in the next stage of my life - the big 3-0 - with a bang. Perhaps I can blame it on the cake, because I don't necessarily feel old at all (unless you mention the number of friends wedding and bearing kids. Oh goodness...). I kind of feel young and free...

Back to the cake. Gluten Free. Moist. CARROT CAKE. Need I say more?

Kate gets the claim to fame here. Over our annual girls weekend in Rhody, she mentioned some GF creation from Saveur, and my ears perked up.

'WHHAATTT?!!' Cake? Saveur? My old employer!

I'd spent 3 months there, testing recipes, and testing again. Nothing GF. Nothing special dietary-wise. The magazine, I feel, focuses on sharing the flavors of the world with its readers. That's why I was partly surprised. And, once I'd looked the recipe up, surprised and delighted more as the recipe was developed by a colleague of mine!

I was kind of envious of this colleague. Her private cheffing career had taken off. She was a part of this group, the same group I'd looked into, of savvy ladies, cooking up a storm for well-paying families. But I didn't feel ready for it yet, mentally, physically, psychologically back then. Something held me back... (and in retrospect, it all makes sense because it wasn't, isn't, the right thing for me now). She had it all in my mind. Healthful cooking, a joy and warmth she brought to the room. You couldn't not like this woman. And apparently, not like her cake, either.

I followed the recipe to the nines, except for swapping canned pineapple for fresh, finely chopped in the Cuisinart. And I swapped cornstarch for arrowroot, due to my corn allergy. Overall, the flavor of the cake was superb. We baked it in a sheet pan rather than round, but I felt the thin layers were fine given the delicate nature of the sponge-nature of the cake.

For frosting, I thinned out the given recipe with about 1/4 cup of milk, and reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup. Plenty sweet for my taste. The cake was the hit of the night (and the best breakfast ever come Monday morning). It's a new favorite for ushering every new year of my life now!

Carrot Cake
Adapted from Saveur Magazine

For the cake:

1 tablespoons butter, for greasing pans
4 eggs, divided and at room temperature
2 egg whites, at room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ cups shredded carrot (4 medium)
20 oz. fresh pineapple, finely chopped and drained
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnut pieces
1 cup cornstarch (or arrowroot starch, as I used)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, soft
½ cup butter, soft
2.5 - 3 cups confectioner's sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Heat oven to 375°F with rack in the center position. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment; set aside. Combine egg yolks with ⅓ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high speed 2-3 minutes until very thick and pale in color. Fold in shredded carrot, pineapple and vanilla extract; set aside.

Pulse walnut pieces in a food processor until finely ground. Add starch, baking soda, salt and spices; pulse to combine and set aside.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Slowly whisk in ½ cup sugar and beat whites until stiff and glossy. Fold walnut mixture gently into whites, then fold blended whites gently into carrot mixture. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pans and bake 20–25 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pans. Allow cakes to cool 30–45 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges of cakes to loosen from pan, remove parchment and invert onto a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until well-blended. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Place one cake round on stand or serving dish and spread ¾ cup of frosting evenly over surface, leaving a ½-inch border around edges. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of coconut and press lightly into the filling to set. Top with second layer, using remaining frosting to cover surface and sides of cake. Press remaining coconut evenly around sides and over top of cake. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Are We Dam-Ed?

They were a way out of the Great Depression - it was a great idea, at the time, for FDR. But imagine if we opened up all those dams and opened them back up to their (original) ecosystem. Think of the fish and wildlife that would return?

Sure, hydropower is a benefit of damming rivers. It's a clean and renewable energy. But is it significant enough to sustain?

Hear from dam-busters and pro-wildlife supporters and hear their stories yourself. DamNation is a pretty wild film.

A Must-See Film: Escape Fire

A little segue from healthy eating and local foods today to talk about healthcare. The US is amidst a healthcare crisis, I believe, with prescription drugs being handed out quite easily, and surgical procedures as the "solution" to many issues -- rather than what we really need -- CARE.

I'm greatly looking forward to seeing this Sundance Film Festival favorite this Thursday. You can, too. Check out their Facebook page to see where/when the film is being shown. We need to do something to fix healthcare in this country. You and I can start simply by listening and watching here.

(Cheater's) Coconut Curry

With weekdays filled with classes and homework, dinner is really an afterthought for me. I come home starving at 4, though, so I need a solid, healthy meal to get me (and my over-working brain) through the night. Because waking up at 2 a.m. for reasons that are only unbeknownst to me until 7am the next day when I take a bite of my toast and realize I'm beyond famished is really not cool.

So, I've taken to cooking up a storm on weekends. And with a jar of green curry paste and a gorgeous hunk of grass-fed meat from a local farm, one thing was on my mind: coconut curry. And I'm not even supposed to EAT coconut. This was worth it.

Being short on time (and not being in a kitchen of my own), I took short cuts and used that store-bought paste as it's senseless to invest in spices right now (they'd go bad before I finished them). But I don't think I sacrificed any taste... just be sure to use quality ingredients - good meat, fresh herbs, tasty, tender vegetables, and it's sure to be a success.

(Dreaming of a dish like this after a day like this, above....)

As I was roasting broccoli for the week and caramelizing onions, those two veggies were the first in the pot. I used up the last of my carrots and threw them in, too. And with a bounty of fresh basil, for a garnish at the end, my dish would be complete. I served this with the nutty quinoa I made, but it would be best over short-grain brown rice or black rice (my favorite). Then again, I kind of like it on its own (as I enjoyed last night).

Cheater's Green Coconut Curry

2 tablespoons coconut oil (skimmed of my coconut milk)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 head of broccoli (including stems), chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1/2 jar green curry paste (if you're sensitive to heat, start with less. I like mine with a smidge of a kick; this barely gave that kick to me)

1 lb meat (I used grass-fed chuck roast from a local farmer; chicken works, too, as would tofu if you wish), cut into bite-sized chunks

1 can coconut milk (I used the real thing, not lite)

1-2 cups water

1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons soy sauce

Salt, to taste

Fresh basil, for garnish

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until half translucent. Add the carrots and the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook. Once tender, add the curry paste and cook 1 minute. Then add the meat and cook until most pieces are seared. Add the coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil (add more water if you like your curry more soupy). Reduce to a simmer and let cook 15 minutes. Add the brown sugar and soy sauce, and taste for flavor. Season to taste, then keep warm until serving.

To serve, scoop the curry (with PLENTY of sauce) over a heaping mound of rice and top with a handful of fresh basil. Then grab a cocktail and enjoy...

Simple Summer Salads

Hi, remember me?

Perhaps. Perhaps not. It's been a while since I've written. Life has kind of "gotten in the way." Not in a bad way, per se. I've been taking a couple of classes, most recently (for the past three weeks) in Vermont, where they've really consumed me fully. Aside from having time for my brain to relax (and grow), I really have no other obligations or responsibilities at the moment, which is utterly amazing at times.

Anyways, spring/early summer in the great green state of Vermont is blissful. Some days it's 40 and I just want to curl up with a cup of rich hot chocolate, or a glass of my new favorite zinfandel, Seven Deadly Zins and a hearty steak dinner. 

Other days, like today, it's gorgeous, sunny, and a perfect 80 degrees - and I crave a herb-filled salad straight from the greenmarket topped with a hearty quinoa salad like this one, below, filled with toasty almonds, sweet golden raisins and apricots (I recently discovered Cheese Traders and I'm in nut/dried fruit heaven), refreshing lemon zest, and the perfect amount of parsley to bind it all together.

Since weekdays leave me no time for cooking (or really anything else other than class and homework and sleep), my strategy has been to cook up a meat main dish, a hearty grain-based side dish, and have a bunch of vegetables (raw, like greens or zucchini, and cooked, like roasted broccoli or beets) to use when quickly assembling dinner during the week. Last weekend, I went for a simple half roast chicken (using the best birds from a favorite from my college days, Misty Knoll Farm) and spring pea risotto using my go-to base recipe. So good. And this weekend? A delicious green curry made with fresh basil and grass-fed beef from a farm in Shelburne (check back later this week for the recipe, or try this one) and this incredible quinoa salad.

I used to not be a big fan of quinoa, as it somehow never sat right with me. Little did I know that you're supposed to rinse quinoa well before cooking, as there are some saponins on the grains that, to me, taste a little off. So I've gotten into the habit of soaking my quinoa in hot water for not even 5 minutes before draining and combining with a smudge of olive oil and water and cooking. It makes all the difference! The best part of this salad? It's not just for dinner (or served warm). It's the perfect packable lunch, or I may even devour this at breakfast with some more nuts on top (or a poached egg). 

What do you like to put in quinoa salads?

Summer Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups water

Salt, to taste

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Cumin and paprika, to taste

In a medium pot, combine quinoa, oil, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. Add the dried fruit, remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the almonds, juice, zest, and herbs in a bowl. Once the quinoa is ready, season to taste with cumin and paprika. Toss the quinoa with the lemon juice, adding a bit more oil if desired, and season well to taste. Serve immediately.