Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones - Tuesdays with Dorie

Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Patricia from Life With a Whisk chose Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones on page 30 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Hot damn. These scones are good. They're not your Starbucks super-sweet scones. They are nice, slightly sweet and have a great texture with oats and dried fruit.

Don't you just want some of these?! They come together in a jiffy. I make my scones by hand and I added currants to the scones.

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Patricia from Life With a Whisk blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 30)

Maple Cornmeal Biscuits - Tuesdays with Dorie

Maple Cornmeal Biscuits

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, May 17, 2011 – Lindsay from A Little Something… Sweet chose Maple Cornmeal Biscuits on page 24. of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

These are sooooo good! I could eat a hundred of these light, slightly sweet biscuits. The maple syrup flavor is subtle yet delicious!

I made half the recipe and used a cookie scoop to dish out these drop biscuits. Yes, no rolling or forming...but scoop and bake. So easy! My scoop was small as I got 12 small biscuits (the full recipe yields 12 larger biscuits)

I hope you get a chance to make these soon. They are perfect with breakfast, lunch or dinner! 


Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!


Recipe:
Lindsay from A Little Something… Sweet blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 24)

Spinach and Ham Quiche - French Fridays with Dorie

Spinach and Ham Quiche

This week, the French Fridays with Dorie group made Spinach and Bacon Quiche from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook Around my French Table.

I did make and eat this on Friday, but ran a little late in my posting.

I'm going to tell you something. In confidence. You know, between you and me.

I stepped on the bathroom scale the other day and there was a number (in big, bright blue digital characters) that is just not right with the world. I mean, the biggest number I've ever seen. Ever.

I'm afraid the state or feds are gonna come barging through the door, while I'm standing in front of an open refrigerator, and arrest me for perjury...for the weight shown my driver's license is, um, not close to the actual number. Oy vey. I need to move a lot more and eat a lot less.

So, I tried to lighten up my little quiche. I dropped the crust and the bacon. I replaced the bacon with small pieces of ham (way less in fat). But it didn't lose any flavor.

Finally, I know this probably isn't anywhere "around my French table", but I did eat my second half with some Salsa Lizano sauce from Costa Rica. It goes perfectly with egg dishes. :)

Be sure to check out my fellow French Fridays with Dorie members and see their creations!

Please note: French Fridays with Dorie will not be posting recipes. Please support Dorie and purchase the book or find it at your library.

LA Food Blogger Bake Sale - Saturday, May 14th

Los Angeles! Plan your weekend around this awesome bake sale!!!

What: More than 40 Food Bloggers across Los Angeles come together to bake their favorite treats from their blogs to raise money for Share Our Strength in the 2nd Annual Food Blogger Bake Sale, to help the fight against childhood hunger in America!

I'm going to bring Espresso Mini-Bundt Cakes!

When: May 14th from 11:30 – 2:00pm

Where: BLD Restaurant (7450 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036)

Why: Because we want to raise a TON of money for Share Our Strength and help END childhood hunger in America! Don’t you want to help?? Did you know that nearly one in four—children in America face hunger, that’s more than 17 million kids!!

Thanks to Gaby of What's Cooking Gaby for organizing all the bake sales! Check out Gaby's blog post for a list of the bakers participating in the Los Angeles bake sale... and for other locations!

Fava Beans with Corn and Walnuts

Fava beans are in season! I've been seeing them in the Farmer's Market. When I saw the fava beans and the first-of-the-season white corn, I knew I had to make a summer side dish.

Shell the beans and then blanch or steam them for a few minutes.

After, the outer coating is removed, leaving a bright green fava bean.

I cut fresh white corn off the cob. Some olive oil is heated in a pan and the corn and fava beans are heated through. I threw in some walnuts at the last minute. Season to your liking!

Ingredients:
Fava beans
Fresh white corn
Walnuts
Olive oil, salt & pepper

Brown Sugar Bundt Cake - Tuesdays with Dorie

 Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Peggy from Pantry Revisited chose Brown Sugar Bundt Cake on page 179 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Dude, it's a Bundt. You know I'm there. I love all of Dorie's Bundt recipes...and this one is no exception. I brought this into the library while it was still warm...and everyone could smell the lovely brown sugar!

Instead of using pears, I used granny smith apples. I also skipped all the nuts and the raisins to make it co-worker friendly. Super easy to make and no frosting. Ah, this is why the Bundt is the greatest baked good on the planet! Darn, I Like Big Bundts. :)

Thanks Peggy for a great pick! Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Peggy from Pantry Revisited blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 179)
My notes: I used 2 granny smith apples instead of pears. I skipped all the nuts and raisins.

Royal/T JustJenn Mother's Day Tea

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Today, I took my friend Helen and her beautiful daughters Emily and Alison (here with the cosplay waitress) to Royal/T in Culver City. Royal/T had a sold-out Mother's Day tea and comic/cookbook signing by my good friend, the super talented JustJenn!!!

O.G. (Original Grandma) and JustJenn at the totally cute book signing table. I was excited to buy Jenn's new comic/cookbook featuring her adorable and witty 90-year old O.G.'s favorite recipes. You can get your own copy on JustJenn's website!

Alison ordered the Roasted Beet salad $10... (Royal/T menu)

Emily got the Brioche French Toast $8...

Helen devoured the Salmon with Edamame rice bowl $13 (I've had this before and it is delicious!)...

I ordered the Grilled Veggie Panini with sweet potato fries. Yum! And, of course, we ate some JustJenn Royal/T cupcakes!

We ended our lunch by taking some photos in the awesome photo booth at Royal T. It pops your head onto several different hairstyles! It was hilarious! Here is Helen with her set. One of mine looks makes me look like an Asian Valerie Bertinelli. Hilarious.

By the way, I took my mom and dad out to dinner last night... well, I must admit that despite my best efforts, my mom was able to get the check. I know, can you believe this? I'm 40 years old, employed, and my mom demands the check. She has stealth maneuvers! She makes direct eye contact with the wait staff and says, "Give me the check" BEFORE we even order the food. Sometimes she'll "go to the bathroom" and come back and the check is paid. Oy vey. 

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! - mary the food librarian