Obedience Training

Somethings require me to exercise more self control than I know that I possess. This problem runs in the family. If my dad is presented with a box of cookies, it is a personal challenge for him to finish off the box before the sun rises. He alway prevails. This is why I do not bake. It's nearly impossible to resist something so delectable. I know another family member who can relate:

"leave it!"

It's not that self control can't be taught.... It can. See:

Sometime you just have to look away from that delicious treat on the floor ...er... kitchen counter.... Whatever.

But come on, I've been good, I've been patient. Can't I please have just one?!?! Pretty please??!?

puppy eyes!

I'll be self-restrained. I'll be good. Promise.

I promise to be good afterwards. Just one treat, then i'll pack em up and give em away.  I'll even shake on it. 

Well then, okay.

This is why I don't bake for myself. But I will gladly bake for others. It's a good thing the world has Jessica from the most entertaining cooking blog on the web, How Sweet It Is. Otherwise, the world would never see this ridonculous cookie recipe. This recipe is made special by two techniques: melted salted butter and the stacking method. To form the cookies, roll a 2 tbsp lump into a ball, rip the ball in half, and stack the pieces on the baking sheet like a deformed snowman. And do not, do not, do not overcook.

 Instead of m&m's, I filled my cookies with white chocolate chips and mini peanut butter cups from trader joe's, which PS are excellent frozen and even more excellent not within my reach.

get out of my house

I baked these treasures for a kind and wonderful coworker, er, ex-coworker, since I have now re-established unemployment. More on that another time, maybe.

 And yes, folks, I used self-restraint and only ate ONE. And it was awesome.

Three Little Words

Best Dressing Ever. What did you think I meant?

When I say "best dressing ever", what comes to mind? If it is not the balsamic dressing at Upper Crust in San Luis Obispo, then I don't think we can be friends.

I've wasted many minutes of my life pondering how and why that dressing got so good. What I really should do is dedicate more time to research, and by research I mean drive my butt up to SLO for a salad bathing in that ridiculously good dressing. I swear it must have bacon in it. And shallots. And rainbows. Those are the only reasons it could be that good. I could spend hours trying to recreate the dressing, but the truth is that some things should be left to the experts. In an attempt to satisfy my craving for the best dressing ever, I whipped up a roasted garlic balsamic. It's not Upper Crust, but it's damn good.

First you need some roasted garlic, which, ps, could not be easier. It's as easy as 1, 2 ,3...

Lob off about 1/4" of the head of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle 1 tsp EVOO over each head, wrap with foil, place on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for 40 minutes. When time is up, remove from oven and let cool inside the foil for about 20 minutes. When you unwrap, you will be greeted with a sweet, savory, garlicky treasure. Spread on toast, toss with pasta, mix into salad dressing, or whatever else your heart desires.

Now you're ready to make a tasty dressing.

Roasted Garlic Honey Balsamic Dressing


Ingredients

• One head of roasted garlic
• 1 tbsp smooth dijon mustard (like grey poupon)
• 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a food processor, blender, or other magic bullet type device, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth
• The food processor also aerates the dressing, making it nice and thick

mmmmmmmmmm 

This dressing is perfect with baby greens, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. And it doesn't leave you with garlic breath, like the upper crust dressing does. However, I would have upper crust garlic breath every day for the rest of my life if I could. Best. Dressing. Ever. The three sweetest words you could ever hear.

Squashed

In my personal opinion, the kabocha is the unsung hero of squashes. It's tastier than any squash out there. It can be roasted, pureed, sauteed, tempura'd, etc. It's always good. If you haven't tried kabocha, do so now. Actually, you probably have and didn't know it. Kabocha is the squash used in vegetable tempura dishes at japanese restaurants. If you didn't know, now you do.

This is the giant kabocha space ship that sat on my counter for days and begged "eat me!"

And so . . . I did. Today's recipe was inspired by a recipe in Self magazine, 2008. I maintain that you could slather a kabocha in paint thinner and it would still be delicious. But that's just me.

The first step is to slay your kabocha squash. This is where a good knife is just as important as it is dangerous. Just close your eyes and tell me when it's over.

i don't wanna!

It's really not that bad, but does take some elbow grease. Good thing i'm ripped. (?)

before

after

Cumin Spiced Roasted Kabocha

1 WW PP+ per cup of squash

Ingredients

• The hugest kabocha you can find, or two small, insides scooped out, peeled, and sliced
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp paprika - any kind

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375
• Toss kabocha in EVOO
• In a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestel, crush bay leaf with sea salt
• Combine sea salt/bay mixture with cumin, sugar and paprika
• Sprinkle over oiled kabocha and toss until coated all over
• Spread on a baking sheet and bake for one hour, or until edges are golden and kabocha is soft
• You won't be able to flip the kabocha, so don't try -  it doesn't get crispy. Just tender and delish.

The cumin flavor is not overpowering and the balance of sugar and salt is perfecto. Kabocha is already sweet, but the brown sugar really complements the natural sweetness and doesn't compete with it. Also, this whole bay leaf/sea salt business is a winner and will likely find its way into my kitchen again.

If you need an awesome recipe to go with the kabocha, you will have to come back in a couple days! It's finals season in lauren land, so naturally i'm procrastinating by doing everything BUT studying. What the heck is that about? Off for a bike ride ...