Dishwasher doesn't work...

But we're almost there!

Phew, almost done!

...Patience is a virtue, for every cook!

From the Recipe Files...

Cooking is on hold for a couple more weeks for obvious reasons (see pic below). But what better time to share some of my favorite recipes from the Engel household. Blueberries are just starting to make their way to the farmer's market which brings to mind one of my all time fav Blueberry Bundt Cakes. This will be the first Bundt cake added to my blog!

Bundt cakes are great because they can be considered a dessert in the evening or coffee cake in the morning. Dessert any time of the day? Sounds like my kind of cake! If you don't have a bundt cake pan don't fret as this cake can easily be made in a basic cake pan - and you can still eat it in the morning... But I can't promise it will taste as good. Bundt cakes always have a certain density that make them more filling and satisfying than a typical cake. They are a perfect match with your morning coffee or tea. Topped with a light glaze (as you all know I'm not a big fan of thick frostings), you can't go wrong with this recipe!

Lemon - Blueberry Bundt Cake
adapted from Cooking Light

2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 butter softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon grind
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) container reduced fat sour cream
2 cups fresh blueberries

For the glaze...
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
hint of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease your bundt pan and dust with the two tablespoons of granulated sugar. This adds a nice crunchy, sweetness to the outside of your cake.

In one bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. In a mixer combine the 1 3/4 cups of sugar, butter and lemon rind. Once well blended, add the eggs slowly one at a time. Next, beat in the vanilla and sour cream. Mixture should appear light and fluffy. At medium speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. In another bowl, toss the blueberries in 2 tablespoons flour until coated. Fold into the batter. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes then flip over onto a wire rack to cool some more.

The glaze is super simple. In a bowl combine the lemon juice, powdered sugar and a drop of vanilla. Drizzle over the bundt cake.

This cake is great the next morning with coffee... unfortunately, it doesn't always make it to the next day at my parent's house!

Here's a picture of my mom and me in Sonoma... the trip I've referenced a couple of times in previous blogs. Gotta love Spring flowers!

Cooking with Quinoa

Personal trainer, check. Mental commitment to getting into shape, check. Healthy diet, Quinoa! Summer is just around the corner and I've come to realize this new Southern California tan will look a lot better once I get myself in tip top shape. Hell no, I'm not going on a diet, just cleaning up my act. This next recipe comes from a cooking class I took about a year ago in Ojai, CA at the Lavender Inn. The woman who ran the class was such a wonderful resource for all things food - nutritionally speaking.

Quinoa is an amazing grain that you should incorporate into your diet no matter what. Two things that I love about Quinoa: it cooks in less than 20 minutes and it is so easy to prepare. One thing that I don't recommend for quinoa is eating it plain. Instead, incorporate this awesomely complex carb with vegetables and protein.

Summer Picnic Quinoa Salad

Recipe from Suzanne Landry

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup diced carrots
1/3 cup green peas (fresh or defrosted)
1/3 cup cucumber, peeled & diced
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Optional: 1/2 cup precooked chickpeas

Cook the quinoa in the water on high temp. Once the water starts to boil turn the temperature to low and simmer. Should take about 15 minutes, or until the grain is translucent. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

In a large pot of boiling water blanch the carrots for 30 seconds, strain and drain in cold water to stop the cooking. Add the chopped vegetables and chickpeas to the cooked quinoa and toss together. Lastly, toss in the fresh herbs, vinegar and olive oil.

This dish is great served immediately or the next day!

Psst... Quinoa is a great carb choice if you live your life gluten free!

Comfort Food from the Garden

I've had the unfortunate luck of getting sick my second week at the new job. Not just any cold, but one that seems to linger around - changing up the symptoms whenever it wants. Not to mention, my iphone is broken. Ya, I know, what's next? At least we've been blessed with the bounty and beauty of Spring (corny?). Spring peas, asparagus and oranges will give me the vitamins I need to beat this beast of a cold.

In the meantime, I'll let my mom take care of me. Thus, I can't take credit for this next recipe. It came from the Engel kitchen; some comfort food in the form of risotto. Using your freshest Spring veggies, you can make a knock-out risotto in no time at all. It's healthy, satisfying and goes down well with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (if you aren't under the weather, then again...).

Garden Risotto
adapted from Elie Kruger The Food You Crave
1/2 pound asparagus
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 3 cups lightly packed)
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Microwave the asparagus in a tightly covered microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon water for 90 seconds and cut into 3/4 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil on medium-low heat and cook the onion and fennel until softened and translucent. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Next add the wine and let simmer, still stirring, until wine is absorbed. Using a ladle, add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, salt and pepper and simmer, still stirring! Stir until broth is dissolved and repeat with the 3/4 cup broth until the rice is almost tender and creamy. This should take about 15 minutes.

Here comes the garden! Stir in the peas and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus last and cook until everything is hot and well combined. Take off the burner and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Starting Fresh with Minted Peas

Last week I started my new job. Wow! What a whirlwind it has been, but definitely a fun one. Although I am going to miss Northern California, Southern California is where my heart is... Sun, waves, palm trees and that lovely sense of familiarity wherever I go. My ego has been bruised a bit as I've joined my parents in their humble abode. But I have a new pep in my step and a smile on my face that feel so refreshing.

With my fresh new perspective, it was only necessary that my next dish include mint... a fun herb that's super versatile and has a sweet aroma and flavor. Mint tossed in with some fat, sweet and succulent sugar snap peas makes the perfect spring combination... dressed up with some butter, of course. Peas with mint is a pretty classic side dish. I was given this recipe at one of the cooking classes I participated in at Ramekin's Bed & Breakfast in Sonoma.

Minted Sugar Snap Peas

adapted from Therese Nugent 2009

1 pound fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced

zest of 1 lemon

salt to taste

Bring a saute pan filled with water to a boil. Blanche the peas until crisp-tender and bright green (approximately 3 minutes). Remove from the water and set aside. Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the peas. Stir in the mint and lemon zest. Saute the peas until heated through (approximately 2 to 3 minutes). Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

What better way to celebrate spring than with refreshing mint, sweet sugar snap peas, and a zest of lemon! ... Maybe mint mojitos?

Psst... I used spearmint from the garden, the most accessible variety.

Old Fashioned Cake that Never Goes out of Style

You know something is good when you just can't stop talking about it; to the point where people start wondering if you're crazy or the cake really is that awesome. My mom and I visited Ramekins Bed & Breakfast and Cooking School in Sonoma last weekend. We participated in 3 classes: Splendor of Spring, Gnocchi & Ravioli Making and Thai Food. Although I felt like I had eaten for 3 that weekend, the scenery in Sonoma was amazing and the cooking classes were definitely worth those 5 extra pounds I'd be taking back to San Francisco with me.

The Splendor of Spring Class was my favorite. It elegantly incorporated Spring flavors into pretty basic recipes. One of the recipes was this amazing Old Fashioned Rhubarb Cake. Like a lot of the recipes I blog about, this cake can take on many personalities - from the fruit you mix into it to the sauce you top it off with. Although it calls for Rhubarb, we used strawberries. There was also the discussion of using peaches come peach season. But, really, the possibilities are endless. Once you perfect the basic dough, you are golden.

Old Fashioned Cake with Minted Strawberry Sauce

adapted from Therese Nugent's Recipe, March 2009

Sauce Ingredients

1 16 ounce basket fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced

Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup spectrum shortening at room temperature

1 egg at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 cups fresh fruit of choice (Rhubarb or Strawberries), chopped

For the crackle topping

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the sauce: In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the mint. Cover and chill until cold, best if chilled over night.

For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13'' baking dish with shortening and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine shortening, egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract and the 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Mix together well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. Fold in the fruit and spread the batter in a baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Sprinkle the topping over the batter (you may not use it all). Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake taster inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve slices of cake with a heaping scoop of the mint strawberry sauce. You will never forget it!

Psst... the best way to hull strawberries while preserving the most fruit, is with a tomato shark

Fond Memories in a Monster Cookie

Just recently, I had been exchanging Facebook messages with a good friend from high school. She had just discovered my blog and mentioned I should post my mom's M&M cookie recipe. I was so excited she remembered these cookies, as I had totally forgotten! Always emerging at soccer practice in a large ziploc bag, these babies did not last long. Back in the day of daily soccer practice and cringe inducing homework, this was one of my mom's classic, feel-good desserts. I hope to get a few more up here soon!

Although I don't have the original recipe, I do have Ina Garten's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. This is an excellent recipe for a good cookie dough that you can easily "make your own." As a cook with no professional training, these are the recipes that I look for and learn to love: the ones that survive any alteration or addition and always taste yummy. Ina calls for chocolate chips and walnuts, but I went for the monster effect - M&M's.

Mom's M&M Monster Cookies
adapted from Barefoot Contessa's Recipe
1/2 lb unsweetened butter (at room temperature)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs (at room temperature)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups M&M candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In a mixer combine the butter and sugar, beat well. Slowly add the vanilla extract and each egg one at a time so that ingredients are well incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In two waves, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Once everything is combined, pour the M&Ms into the dough and quickly mix together. Don't over mix!

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop heaping spoonfulls of dough an inch and a half apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes. My oven is a little hot, so I cooked mine for 12 minutes. Should yield about 2 dozen.

Sunday Scramble

I have to tell the truth, things have been a bit chaotic over here. February was beyond demanding on the work end, causing my mind to lose focus on the little things that keep me together. For example: a clean apartment, laundry, working out, keeping in touch with friends. All of the above had been unconsciously pushed to the side as I tried to keep my head above water at work. Then, March rolled around and the work stopped. I was left with dirty dishes, laundry spilling out of the closet, an empty fridge and an unrelenting desire to go out and PARTY! Now that it's Sunday, it's time I get my act together. This always begins with the gym; what better way to get focused and determined.

For anyone who sees Sunday as the day to get organized and focused, a healthy egg scramble is just the fuel you need. Eggs are packed with vitamins and protein, and chard is full of vitamin C and flavonoids. A little prosciutto and onion for the taste buds, and you are set to take on the day!

Chard & Prosciutto Sunday Scramble
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 cup chopped chard
1/4 cup torn prosciutto bits
1/4 white onion diced
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon water

Separate the eggs from the whites in a bowl. Add the egg to the egg whites plus 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk well.

In a saute pan, add cooking oil and diced onion. Saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add torn up prosciutto bits. Let the flavors marinate for about 5 minutes, then add the chard and continue to saute until chard appears wilted. Quickly pour in the egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon scramble ingredients together until egg is fully cooked. Salt & pepper to taste. I would wait to add the salt as the prosciutto adds saltiness that may be just enough for your taste buds.

This is a quick and satisfying meal for one on the run! Enjoy!

Ready for Spring... Soup that is

Seasons are what I love most about San Francisco. Originally from the land of palm trees, aka Southern California, it's not too often that I get to pull out my pea coat and mittens for a cold, blustery, winter day (sans snow, thank god). I also no longer take for granted those perfect 75 degrees and sunshine days.

Speaking of seasons, this morning is the first day of March. Spring is on its way, and I'm ready to take on a new adventure - seasonal soup. I pulled out a cookbook from one of my dear friends Breanne, called Soup for All Seasons. The recipe titled "Spinach, Parsley & Honey", (really, honey) had all the qualities I was looking for - vegetarian, satisfying, a bit of sweetness and authenticity. This is sure to keep me satisfied through the first couple rainy spring days of March.

Vegetable Herb & Honey Soup
adapted from Soup for All Seasons
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, finely chopped or grated
2-3 sticks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
1 quart vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
5 ounces baby spinach
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
4 basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
6 ounces canned tomato paste
1 drop Worcestershire sauce
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

In a large soup pan sautee the carrot, onion and celery in the olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The onions should become somewhat translucent while the carrots and celery will become more vibrant in color. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer for around 8 minutes. Next, add the spinach, herbs, honey and tomato paste. Stir quickly to combine all the flavors then simmer rapidly for 5 minutes. Now this is the hard part: Pour the mixture into a blender and puree everything together, leaving some texture. I used a measuring cup and blended the soup cup by cup, leaving some chunks of carrot, onion and spinach. This is difficult as the soup will be hot and has the potential of splattering everywhere! Return the soup to the soup pan and add the drop of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Re-heat gently for 2-3 minutes and serve.

I topped mine off with a quick homemade basil pesto (basil, olive oil & salt) and some homemade croutons.

For the croutons, I simply sliced up my favorite whole wheat bread into cubes, tossed them in olive oil and salt and baked under 400 degrees fahrenheit for about 10-12 minutes.