Chocolate, Cheese, and Wine, Oh My

For the second year Andy and I hosted a party featuring chocolate, cheese and wine. Most of our friends travel over the school Winter break. We send out an invitation asking people to pick up either some chocolate, cheese, or wine while traveling and bring it the party to share. We get together the first weekend we return from the holiday so everyone has a chance to get caught up with each other. We've had the chance to sample some excellent treats from all over the world. This year we had Pecorino from Umbria, Reblochon from France, a really strong cheddar from England, and Dutch goat cheese. Yes, things smelled a little funky, but I mean that in the nicest way.

Here are a few pictures of some of the treats we sampled.

In addition to the chocolates and cheese I like to add a few homemade treats. Brownie stuffed cupcakes, Mexican Chocolate Cake, and White Chocolate Cranberry Bars. I did make a rule that you had to eat a cupcake before you went home. I did not want any of those leftover in my house.

After everyone went home there were several odds and ends of cheese lying about, and what to do with leftover cheese?

Fromage Fort of course. Fromage Fort (Strong Cheese in French) is a creamy dip made up of leftover cheese, a little wine, come garlic, herbs, and butter. Serve it with bread, grissini, crudite, or make an over the top great grilled cheese sandwich.

Fromage Fort

adapted from Food and Wine magazine

This is a forgiving formula.....use what cheese you like or have on hand. Be warned that a strong, funky cheese will dominate in flavor so use them judiciously unless that's what you're looking for.

1 pound (more or less) of cheese. I used a mixture of Pecorino, another unidentified hard cheese, Edam, Brie, and Chevre.

3/4-1 cup white wine, any variety

1 clove of garlic

1-2 tablespoons of minced herbs, rosemary, chives, parsley.....whatever strikes your fancy

2-6 tablespoons of softened butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Grate the hard cheeses and cut or tear the soft cheeses into chunks. Put all the cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, herbs, butter and about half of the wine.  Process until smooth. Add more wine or butter if you want to loosen the mixture up a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Resolutions? Probably not, but maybe this one.

How is 2013 treating you? Made any resolutions?
Confession.
I don't make New Year's resolutions. (I also don't give things up for Lent).
Why you ask?  Slippery slope people. Some would say I am weak, (or distracted by shiny objects), I say, I'm a realist. I know for fact that I WILL eat all that chocolate, not go to the gym, not drink 8 glasses of water a day, nor learn to crochet. And then once I do/don't do all those things I'll think, well heck what else is there to lose, and then who knows what I'll get in to.
See, slippery slope.
But......maybe I will make some resolutions this year. Like I most definitely WILL resolve to make these more often.

Nope, they aren't Cinnamon Rolls. They are what Cinnamon Rolls would be if they spent a semester abroad in some place sexy and exotic. They are Tahini Buns. What's that you say? Never heard of them? I hadn't either, but I had a big ol' jar of tahini that I needed to use before we left for Christmas break, and while searching out ways to use it I found this recipe.

They start with a pita dough which is rolled up with tahini, sugar, and cinnamon. I was skeptical but wow, it's a deadly, addictive combo. So, when you fall off your "I'm never eating carbs again" wagon, we'll be here waiting for you.
No judgement.

Tahini Rolls (Tahinov Hartz)
adapted from Taste of Beirut

1 recipe of pita dough. I used this one
1 1/4 cup of well stirred Tahini
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
coarse sugar for dusting

Make the pita dough. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once the dough has risen, divide it equally into 3 portions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together the tahini, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Roll out each portion of dough into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. Spread one third of the tahini mixture over the dough and roll up as you would for cinnamon rolls.
Seal the ends well and gently, using a back and forth motion (as though you were making play dough snakes) stretch the dough out to a 2 foot rope. I read that you should try for a 3 1/2 foot rope of dough but I think that's just silly talk.
Cut each rope into 6 pieces. Roll each piece in a pinwheel fashion and pinch the ends tightly to seal. Flatten each roll slightly with your hand and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes.

Well Hello There

Um, yes it has been a while....I appreciated your kind notes and inquiries....it was just....Life.

It happens you know. Busyness sets in, stuff happens, and things like blogs fall by the wayside. 

But, while I was away there was this.

We spent Thanksgiving in Brussels eating loads of CHOCOLATE and giving thanks for great beer. 

Really. Great. Beer.

And then there was this

We spent the Christmas holiday wandering around Italy with some family friends. (More about that later).

And the blog was set aside for a bit. But, with the New Year, I have some new inspiration in the kitchen, I have new look for the blog (BIG thanks to Kristin at Designer Blogs), and well, there is more new stuff coming down the road. Intrigued? Stay tuned.

While in Italy we (surprise) ate our fill of pizza, pasta, bread, and cheese so when we got home, even though inspired by what I saw in the markets and ate in restaurants, I was craving Mexican food. Actually I am always craving Mexican food. No really, if you ever want to go for a taco ask me. I'll say yes every time.

EVERY time.

So I whipped up burrito bowls, technically Tex-Mex, but we're not going to argue that point are we? To be honest, whipped up is not the right word here. There's a lot of parts to this. Not a school night meal at all but a great weekend, curl up and watch the Seattle Seahawks take down the Washington Redskins meal for sure.

Burrito Bowls
Grilled Chicken with Spicy Honey Chipotle Glaze (recipe follows)
Brown Rice with Cilantro (recipe follows)
Mojo Black Beans (recipe follows)
Salsa (recipe follows)
Guacamole or sliced avocado
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Sliced Green Onions


Grilled Chicken with Spicy Chipotle Honey Glaze
1/3 cup honey
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
1 tablespoon of orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts placed in a zip top bag

In a small bowl whisk together the honey, minced chipotle pepper, and orange juice. Set aside.
In another small bowl whisk together the olive oil, salt, ground coriander, ground cumin, and paprika. Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts and give the bag a few good squishes to coat the chicken evenly with the oil. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Prepare grill to medium high heat. Cook chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on one side. Turn chicken over and brush cooked side with the glaze. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Turn again and brush the second side with glaze. Cook for 1 minute, turn the chicken and brush again with remaining glaze.
Allow chicken to sit for 5-10 minutes then slice diagonally.


Brown Rice with Cilantro and Lime
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove of garlic minced
salt and pepper

Whisk together the cilantro, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, cumin and garlic. Pour over prepared brown rice while still warm and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mojo Black Beans
2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
11/2 teaspoons ground cumin
11/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried chipotle chili powder
Juice of one medium orange
Juice of one medium lemon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Saute the chopped onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to turn golden.
Add the black beans, chicken broth, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder, orange and lemon juice. Stir well and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Salsa
2 cans of diced tomatoes (drain them if you like less liquid in your salsa)
1 shallot minced
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium mixing bowl stir together all the ingredients and let sit for a few hours to blend the flavors. Keeps for one week in the refrigerator.

To assemble burrito bowls, place a few spoonfuls of rice in a bowl, layer on the beans, grilled chicken, salsa, guac, sour cream, cheese, and green onions.
Enjoy!

While it lasts

It's nearly November and the weather still allows us the luxury of eating in the garden. While it lasts, we try to grab as many meals as we can on the patio. This Saturday morning was a beauty; blue skies, warm breezes, the scent of Jasmine, and a house filled with giggling girls.

And, eating on the patio gave me a few more moments of relaxation before I tackled the cookie crumbs, lemonade spills, and the microwave popcorn arson scene in the microwave from lasts nights sleepover.

Banana Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze
adapted from theKitchn

2 ripe bananas, mashed
milk, approximately 2-4 tablespoons
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
Glaze:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Pulse until the butter pieces are no bigger than pea sized. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Alternately combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and cut in the butter until the butter pieces are no bigger than pea sized.

Combine the mashed banana with enough milk to equal 1 cup. In a small mixing bowl combine the banana, and yogurt. Mix well.

Pour the banana mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined  The dough will be slightly wet and sticky. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or floured glass cut out the scones. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps and repeat.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the scones are browned and firm to the touch.

While the scones are baking make the glaze. Melt together the butter and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has melted. Add the vanilla and stir well. Add the powdered sugar and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the top of the scones after they have slightly cooled.

Thankful

“Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.” 
― John Henry Jowett

With the events of the past few weeks put in perspective, honest conversations shared, suitcases packed and unpacked (yes J, unpacked), stories heard, hands held, laughter shared, I find myself wanting to tell a lot of people thank you.

Thank you Lauren for sharing a cup of coffee with me every morning. I covet those few moments to catch up.

Thank you Julie for showing me a sweet new spot of respite, conversation and friendship.

Thank you friends from the "Hood" who loved on us long distance.

Thank you Micha for making me laugh.

Thank you to my family, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, who stormed heaven and sent words of encouragement.

Thank you Singapore small group for your faithfulness to me and my family.

Thank you Faouzi for picking up my daughter and taking her home when you noticed she had missed the school bus.

Thank you ACST family for being resilient and moving forward even when at times you weren't sure you had it in you. I knew you did.

Thank you Bredy boys and our security staff for being so brave.

Thank you Hager, your sweet, gentle spirit brings me joy.

Thank you Andy, McKenna, and Morgan for being my soft shoulder to lean on, and my strong hand to hold.

Oh there are more people to thank, and forgive me if you weren't mentioned. I hope your feelings aren't hurt, but if they are, may I offer you a cookie along with my heart felt thanks?  They are buttery, and tender, and topped with warm cinnamon and sugar. A very cozy cookie made for sharing with the people you are most thankful for.

Snickerdoodle Blondies
adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed dark brown sugar *see cooks note
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter softened to room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.

With electric beaters, beat the sugars and butter until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients, blending on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool the bars completely. Remove from the baking pan using the parchment paper as a "sling" and slice into 24 bars.

*Cooks note: The original recipe calls for 2 cups of brown sugar. The brown sugar available to me is very dark, much more so than a dark brown sugar in the US, and can be overpowering in some recipes. I wanted less of a molasses flavor and so I only used 1 cup. I also think if you wanted to gussy these up for company you could make a quick cinnamon flavored glaze to top the bars with but truth be told, they're fantastic as is.

Sigh

The past few days have been a wild ride.

The adrenaline that carries you through moments of uncertainty and fear has gone.

I'm left with emotions that swing wildly from anger to sadness to mourning to defiance.

The embassy was breached. Our flag was burned. There were terrible videos and photos of angry young men posted to Facebook. They were unsettling.

Photo from clickondetroit.com

Our school was set on fire, looted, vandalized. Again, there were terrible videos and photos of angry young men posted to Facebook. They were maddening.

Photo of a looted and burned classroom

Opportunistic looters. Nearly every computer from the school was stolen.

And then, yesterday, our flag was raised yet again over the embassy. Our school is being cleaned up. There are pledges of help.

Photo from the American Embassy Tunis

There is hope.

During this rough time we had many friends staying with us. We were glued to the TV, the internet, and each other.

Over glasses of wine and mint tea and tears and laughter we shared this meal.

Moros y Christianos, simple, humble black beans and rice. The name translates to Moors and Christians. I didn't make my usual recipe for this dish, this was made on the fly with what was in the pantry. I had brown rice, cans of black beans and some homemade salsa in the fridge.

Moros y Christianos
2 cups brown rice
2 cans of black beans rinsed and drained
2 cans of diced tomatoes in puree
1/2 of a red onion finely minced
1 heaping tablespoon of cumin
2 teaspoons of chili powder
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2-1 jalapeno seeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cups finely chopped cilantro
Avocado

Cook the rice according to the package directions. While the rice is cooking combine in a mixing bowl the tomatoes, onion, cumin, chili powder, olive oil, jalapeno, salt, lemon juice and cilantro.
When the rice is cooked stir in the beans and salsa. Heat through and serve with diced avocado.

Figs

We've been back in Tunisia for a couple of weeks. Enough time to acclimate to the heat, (Sort of. Okay, not really at all), clean out the tumbleweed sized dust bunnies that grew during our absence, and take in whats available at the markets.

Going to the market is a once or twice a week affair, lots of inspiration to be had except at this time of year.  There really isn't a lot on offer. There is a pretty reliable supply of eggplant, zucchini, and plum tomatoes, but not many other vegetables. In another week or two the markets will be busting with goodness but for now....ratatouille and baba ghanoush rule. You can also find piles of stone fruit and heaps and heaps....and heaps of figs.

If you find yourself with kilo, upon kilo of figs, make this cake. It's rich, slightly crunchy around the edges from the brown sugar caramel, and has great texture from the cornmeal in the cake batter.

I think I'll have another slice and google some zucchini recipes.

Fresh Fig Upside Down Cake
Adapted from Food Blogga
Serves 12

1/2 cup butter
1 cup bron sugar
6-8 figs cut into quarters
12 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plain Greek yogurt or creme fraiche for serving

Preheat oven the 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
Melt the butter over medium heat, add the brown sugar and stir until melted. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Place the figs in a concentric circle around the pan.

In a medium bowl beat the butter, sugar, and honey until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.

Gently spoon the batter over the figs and spread to cover the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when poked in the center of the cake.

Remove the cake from the oven, allow to rest for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan and carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter. Serve with the yogurt or creme fraiche.