zuppa toscana (an Olive Garden copycat)

as i've grown to be somewhat of a food snob i find that i can't bring myself to chain restaurants with any anticipation of enjoying a meal there. there are however a few items that i actually don't mind and from time to time even find myself missing though. pizookies at BJ's, cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster or bottomless fries at Red Robin's come to mind. but one thing that i've always loved, despite their grotesque overcooked pastas is the zuppa toscana at Olive Garden. it's so damn warm and tasty. eating that soup is like getting an internal hug on a cold long day. while i could probably go to Olive Garden and join in on their all-you-can-eat soup, salad and breadsticks deal, i prefer to make the soup at home because at home nobody will judge you for slopping down multiple bowls of soup. and in place of their breadsticks, i like to toast up some nice crusty, chewy bread from Acme or Tartine for dunking.

zuppa toscana

ingredients:

-1 lb mild italian sausage

-1 large onion, chopped

-4 garlic cloves, minced

-1/2 c white wine for deglazing

-1 tsp red pepper flakes

-2 russet potatoes, cut into cubes

-5 c fresh kale, chopped

-3 c chicken broth

-2 1/2 c water

-1 c heavy cream

-salt and pepper

directions:

1. in a large stockpot over medium heat, crumble and brown sausage

2. set sausage aside

3. in the same stockpot, cook onions until softened

4. add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 1 min)

5. add wine to the stockpot to deglaze (scraping off all of the browned bits)

6. add potatoes, kale, chicken broth, water and sausage to the pot

7. increase the heat to medium high until it begins to boil

8. once boiling, reduce heat to medium low

9. allow soup to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender

10. stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper

passion fruit bars

you guys, these bars are killer! they are reminiscent in look, texture and concept to lemon bars so you'd think they are practically the same but passion fruit has a very distinct flavor and it. is. awesome! they are a little less tart than lemon bars but have a lot more character to them. also, i like that these aren't overly sweet. they're super easy to make and a hit at bbqs. unfortunately i think that i slightly undercooked mine, which wasn't so much a problem in mouth feel texture as it was annoyingly unpretty when i cut through them. even so, these are soooo good! make them!!...orrr you can stalk the next bbq i go to and sneak one for yourself.

*i used Goya brand passion fruit puree found in the frozen aisle at Safeway

Passion Fruit Bars  

(i got the recipe here)

ingredients:

for crust: 

- 2 sticks butter, melted and slightly cooled

- 1/2 c granulated sugar

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 2 c flour

for filling:

- 8 large eggs

- 2 1/3 c granulated sugar

- 1 1/2 c passion fruit puree

- 1/2 c flour

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. line a 9x13 pan with foil so that the foil extends over the sides. spray with cooking spray

3. in a bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt for the crust

4. once mixed add flour and mix until evenly incorporated

5. scrape into the foil lined pan and press into an even layer

6. bake crust for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown

7. while the crust is baking, in a large bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and passion fruit puree until the consistency is even

8. sift the flour over the filling mixture and whisk together until smooth

9. pour filling mixture over the hot crust

10. reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F

11. bake for approx. 25-30 minutes or until the center barely jiggles when you tap the pan

12. remove pan from oven and allow to cool to room temp

13. refrigerate bars until you are ready to serve

14. when ready, pull the sides of the foil up so that all contents in the pan are removed

15. with a large, sharp knife cut into bars

16. sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving

pineapple coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

"if you like piña coladas...." just kidding...that was lame. and that song came along well before i did so i don't know who i think i am reciting random lyrics when i don't even really know any words past those five. anyhow, if you do like the flavor combination of pineapple and coconut then you are sure to love these cupcakes as well. they are super moist and have a little chew to them from the pineapple and coconut in the cake batter. add velvety cream cheese frosting topped with crunchy toasted coconut and you've got a winner. 

totally licked the mixer afterward 

like my sports paper liners? they're all they had a the store. 

pineapple coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

makes about 24 cupcakes

ingredients:

for cake:

- 2 c flour

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 3/4 c vegetable oil

- 3/4 c buttermilk

- 3 eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 c sugar

- 1 8oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

- 1 1/2 c shredded coconut

for frosting:

- 1 c shredded coconut

- 8oz. cream cheese, softened

- 1/2 c butter, softened

- 2 c powdered sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

directions:

for cake:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F 

2. line muffin pan with paper liners 

3. in a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda

4. in a large bowl whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla

5. to the wet mix, incorporate sugar, pineapple and coconut

6. mix in flour mixture until just combined

7. evenly spoon cake mix into prepared muffin pan so that the batter fills 2/3 each paper liner

8. bake for approx. 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after insertion

9. allow cupcakes to cool before frosting

for frosting:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. line a baking sheet with foil and sprinkle the shredded coconut into a single layer

3. bake for approx 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally as the coconut browns

4. once coconut is toasted, set aside to cool

5. with an electric mixer, mix together sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and butter until completely smooth

6. frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with toasted coconut

dark chocolate hazelnut sea salt cookies

stacks and stacks of cookies!

ever since i had a chocolate cookie with tiny bits of chocolate sprinkled about rather than in chocolate chip form i've never looked back. having the small chocolate shards spread evenly throughout the cookie ensures that every bite has a lot of chocolate flavor. i finally had the opportunity to try this method when i made these cookies for a birthday dinner i was throwing and i've got to say...oh my damn these cookies are good! take all things delicious and put them together in a soft yet crisp cookie and you cannot go wrong. dark chocolate? good for you! and slightly bitter. hazelnut? the best of all nuts. sea salt? enhancing and balances the sweet. you know you want some. i definitely encourage you to make these cookies! 

just the right ratio of chocolate vs. nuts

once upon a time my knife lost in the battle against salted caramels

shards of chocolate

oops, forgot the eggs...

dry ingredients with chocolate mixed in. i don't know if it makes a difference whether i put in in with the flour first or whether i mix it in with the nuts (i don't think it really changes anything) but this is just how i did it. do whatever you feel like..

salty sweet

dark chocolate hazelnut sea salt cookies

ingredients:
- 1c salted butter, softened
- 1/4 white sugar
- 1 1/2c packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4c all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2c dark chocolate, chopped
- 1c toasted hazelnuts, chopped

directions:
1. in a small bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and chocolate
2. in a large bowl beat butter, white sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy
3. beat in vanilla and eggs (one at a time)
4. mix in dry ingredients (half the amount at a time) until just combined
5. stir in hazelnuts until evenly distributed
6. put cookie batter in the fridge to chill for at least ten minutes
7. preheat oven to 350 degrees F
8. roll dough into balls to your desired size (i used a small ice cream scoop to measure mine and they turned out to be pretty big)
9. evenly space and drop dough balls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
10. bake for approx 15 mins. or until just browning on the edges
11. take out of oven and allow to rest on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
12. devour.

i used these cookies as name tags for the seating chart. i stamped each person's name or nickname on the front of a tag and wrote little individual personal messages on the back and then tied the tag to the cookies. then they sat on a plate according to where each person was sitting for the night.

"special friend" is my friend Kristina. if you're curious about why i call her Special Friend here's the quick recap.

cookies for all!

pumpkin spice steel cut oatmeal

i don't even really know why i'm blogging about steel cut oatmeal. you basically follow the instructions the oats come with and then toss in pumpkiny things. the original recipe calls for regular milk and maple syrup but i don't keep that stuff around my kitchen so i accidentally made a healthier, even more nutritious version substituting in almond milk and a mashed banana. it came out really creamy and definitely pumpkiny. the addition of pecans and cranberries add a nice texture and tartness. this is a good variation from your standard boring oatmeal so if you're into the whole pumpkin thing, i say give it a go!

pumpkin spice steel cut oatmeal

ingredients:
- 1c steel cut oats
- 3c water
- 1c almond milk
- 1/2 c pumpkin
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 2tsp pumpkin pie spice
- pecans and dried cranberries to garnish

directions:
1. in a medium sized pot bring water and almond milk to a boil
2. add oats and reduce heat to a simmer
3. simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed
4. stir in pumpkin, banana, and pie spices
5. plate and garnish with pecans and cranberries or other toppings of your choice

browned butter pumpkin spice oreos and salted caramel oreos

fall has made it's presence with crisp morning air and mentions of Halloween everywhere. fall also comes with an abundance of pumpkin everything. pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin pies and bars and cookies and cupcakes. people are even throwing pumpkin into oatmeal. it's ridiculous! i decided that pumpkin oreos was fitting my fall ventures in baking. i looked up a browned butter pumpkin spice frosting to fill the oreos with but me and buttercreams have a hate/hate relationship. i don't love them (because they're literally too buttery) and also i always sometimes have a hard time making them for some reason. often they won't fluff up and i end up with something unusable. so just in case that happened this time, i also made a salted caramel filling as backup. luckily both of them worked out fine so here are two variations of oreos for the fall season! 

oreo cookie (recipe taken from here)

ingredients:

- 1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled

- 3/4 c sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 c semisweet chocolate chips

- 1 egg

- 1 1/2 c all purpose flour

- 3/4 c cocoa powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

directions:

1. in a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

2. whisk in sugar and vanilla until combined

3. whisk in egg

4. in another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda

5. stir dry mixture into wet mixture until it becomes solid

6. transfer dough to a sheet of parchment paper large enough to roll and twist the ends

7. shape dough into a log about 2" in diameter

8. place dough at edge of parchment paper and roll up, twisting the ends to keep the shape intact 

9. refrigerate for at least 2 hrs 

10. heat oven to 325 degrees F

11. slice dough into 1/4" thick slices and place on a prepared baking sheet

12. bake for approx 15 minutes or until tops of cookies are firm to the touch

13. allow to cool before filling

salted caramel filling (recipe taken from here)

ingredients:

- 1/2 c salted butter

- 1 c dark brown sugar

- 1/3 c heavy cream

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 2-3 c powdered sugar, sifted

directions:

1. over medium heat, in a small pot, melt butter

2. once butter is melted add brown sugar, heavy cream and salt. continue to cook over medium

3. heat until the caramel is boiling. allow to boil for three minutes and take off stove to cool (no more than 15 minutes)

4. once cool, beat in powdered sugar until you've reached desired consistency. add powdered sugar to make more stiff or heavy cream to thin out.

browned butter pumpkin spice frosting (recipe taken from here)

ingredients:

- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, divided (1/2 stick at room temp)

- 2 T dark brown sugar

- 1/4 c pumpkin puree

- 1 t pumpkin pie spice

- 2-3 c powdered sugar, sifted

directions:

1. over medium low heat, melt butter in a sauce pan

2. continue to cook until butter browns and has a nutty scent

3. add dark brown sugar and cook until sugar has melted

4. remove from heat and allow to cool

5. in a bowl, beat remaining butter until smooth

6. beat in browned butter and pumpkin spices

7. beat in powdered sugar until you've reached desired consistency

roasted cauliflower mushroom quinoa salad

a simple hearty salad full of texture and flavor. a great side dish, but also filling enough to be a meal on it's own. i could eat this for days and days. if you don't like blue cheese, you can substitute feta, goat cheese, or just forego the cheese all together. mMmm good!

roasted cauliflower mushroom quinoa salad

(adapted from this recipe.) 

ingredients:

- 1/2 head cauliflower cut into pieces

- 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, cut in half

- 1 tbs oil

- 1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

- 1 c quinoa

- 2 c chicken broth

- 1/2 c pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

- 1/4 c crumbled blue cheese

- 1/4 c balsamic vinegar 

- salt & pepper to taste

- 1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. on a baking sheet toss cauliflower and mushrooms in oil, thyme, salt and pepper

3. roast for 30 mins, flipping half way, so that the vegetables caramelize

4. while the vegetables are cooking, pour chicken broth and quinoa into a pot. bring to a boil.

5. reduce heat to a simmer and cover to cook for 15-20 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.

6. remove quinoa from heat and put to side

7. once vegetables are cooked toss with quinoa, pecans, balsamic vinegar. sprinkle with blue cheese and thyme.