Beyond Food

It has happened again. I check my blog to realize it has been several months since my last post. I constantly tell myself I’m going to change this, yet days continue to go by without an update. So with the holiday season upon us I felt it was time for an update.  For those of you who talk to me on any kind of regular basis, you’re more than aware that I love Pinterest. I keep meaning to write a post about my love for the site, and then another day goes by and so on.  I did write a post for my company blog, but I have yet to put down in words what I find to be the heart of the site and the reason I have become addicted to it along with so many others.

I’ve been trying to think of a word to describe my organization style and I believe the best description would be a self –identified as a hybrid organizer completely in between the Type A and Type B. When tasked with a mission, I can store, file and color code down to the last detail.  However, if you’ve ever come across my inbox, desk, or witness my kitchen when I bake or cook you might see a different picture.  I tend to thrive in organized chaos and I have always been this way, no matter how hard I try to keep everything in line from A-Z.  I believe this also falls in line with my personality. I’m a dreamer, believer and individual who is happy to believe in the power of a fairy tale and the impact of a shared voice.  The other half of me is a person who loves the power of facts and concrete information that leaves me with a piece of mind.

Out of all the sites and apps out there, Pinterest fits my personality like a glove.  It allows you to pin ideas of realistic value, a recipe I will actually make for dinner or a DIY that I can actually handle. More importantly, it allows you to dream.  Whether close to being engaged or not, I along with millions of other girls have pinned wedding ideas, future dream homes and places I want to visit.  In my mind bringing reality and dreams together is a gift that few other sites have accomplished in such a unique way along with a social connection.

I wouldn’t say the site is currently perfect but it has the foundation to get there.  I have been told my eyes literally light up revolving around Pinterest discussions and frankly I just can’t help but talk about this site with excitement.  

Are you on Pinterest?

A Numbers Game

I’ve never been very good with numbers. I could never wrap my head around the formulas, and I can’t remember ever enjoying the process behind math. There is a part of me that should love math. I hate not knowing what’s going to happen next and I grasp on to reliability as often as I can.  When it comes to math you can’t get more reliable. No matter how many different ways you look at two plus two it will always equal four and that will never change.  Numbers provide a guide  - something that we can turn to and rely on.  However, I realize now that the reason I never grasped on to math was because I need more than numbers.

I know numbers are not perfect and they can fail us just like anything else – but they are one part of an entire process.  Numbers can’t tell a story alone, but without them we’re bound to tell an incomplete story.  This process is part of the reason I love telling stories through food.  When it comes to food the recipe is our numbers and guide. It lays the foundation, but it’s how you create that recipe and bring it to life that you discover the story.

Look at a recipe and follow it measurement for measurement – without straying away from one detail.  Next time look at that recipe as a guide for your own interpretation.  I’ve created meals both ways, and the truth is that I’ve succeeded and failed both ways. Other factors always play a role outside of the numbers.  Ingredients, oven temperature and the process can all affect the outcome of the final product.  When it comes to food every recipe can bring to life a different memory. For instance, when I see a recipe for Matzoth Ball Soup, my mind is instantly at the family table I grew up at and when I look at my favorite recipe for Banana Cake I recall when my love of food took off.  When it comes to my banana cake I’ve never strayed from the exact numbers once. I rely on them because they set the foundation, but it’s the ripe bananas on the table and the smell of comfort as it’s pulled out of the oven that paints the picture in my head.

Below is a recipe I discovered on my latest social media obsession, Pinterest (check it out if you’re not on it yet, seriously.) I was immediately drawn to the recipe, because obviously it involved pumpkin.  I followed this recipe exactly as I found it, and I was pleased, but I felt like something was missing.  I might play around with it to find my perfect balance and I encourage you to do the same.  The numbers will always be there, but it’s how you tell the story or create the meal that get’s remembered.

Pumpkin Nutella Cheesecake Muffins

Recipe from TastyKitchen.com

For the Muffins:

 4 Whole large eggs

1 ½ cups Sugar

1 Can of Pumpkin puree

1 ½ cup Vegetable oil

3 cups All-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

For Nutella Filling:

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

½ cup Nutella

1 Large Egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add in sugar, pumpkin and oil. Beat thoroughly. Add in remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

In a separate small bowl beat together the Nutella, cream cheese and egg.

Place liners in a muffin tin.  Place about 2 tablespoons of pumpkin batter into the bottom of each liner. Top that with a tablespoon of the Nutella mixture, then top with an additional tablespoon of pumpkin batter.

Bake for 18- 22 or until done in the center.

Makes around 20 muffins.

An Impromptu Meal

Last Saturday I went to Green City Market for the first time.  I approached this market in the same way shopaholics approach Nordstrom’s.  I have always been of those crazy people that never minds grocery shopping, but being at an outdoor market is an entirely different experience. It brings another level of connection to the food and the hands that have touched it and put their heart into it.   I left the market with an arm full of sunflowers, Ciabatta Bread and produce, that I simply couldn’t wait to bring the flavors to life.

I often feel obligated to show up to these markets with recipes in mind, otherwise I fear I will buy something that simply goes to waste.  Despite several attempts, I’ve never been good at planning that way.  I don’t know exactly why, but following a recipe often leaves me feeling less connected to the food. I love the feeling of adding a dash of this and that and watching it coming together. Sure this can often lead to some less than perfect meals, but I learn and revise. I still believe recipes are important (since I have followed plenty), but I feel it’s so important to put your own personal touch into every meal.

Tonight I came home from work without a clue of what I would make. I didn’t want to go to the grocery store or get something from take out so I forced myself to use whatever I had and put a meal together. I had pasta and with that you can pretty much do anything.  At the market I bought garlic snape for the first time and the flavor it brings to a dish is so powerful you only need a tiny bit.  With those two ingredients and a few staples I managed to put a meal together.   I didn’t create something that has never been done before; it was simple and basic pasta.  It was that little touch of something unexpected that made it feel like my own.

 

A Basic Buttered Pasta

1 Pkg of Pasta, any variety

2 Tbsp. butter, add more to taste if necessary

2 Tbsp. olive oil (I just went with a few glugs, but if you prefer measurements I would start with 2 Tbsp. and adjust for taste beyond that.)

Salt and Pepper

1 stalk of garlic snape, diced thin

1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella, but you could try different flavors)

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and place into a serving bowl. Immediately add the butter and olive oil so that the butter melts and the olive oil sticks to the warm pasta.  Add the cheese and stir to blend. Top off with the salt, pepper and garlic snape.

Serve and enjoy

Reminder of Summer

Throughout my life summer has always represented a break. In elementary school through college that symbolic last day has always been an adventure where you feel free of the rules and structure that has defined you the past nine months.  For the first time in my life I didn’t have that last day this summer.  I entered the “real world” as you might say, and summer no longer carries the same sense of departure.  This is not to say I’m not thankful for the job I have, and the wonderful opportunities and events it has led to this summer, but for the first time summer has just blended in to the rest of life.

This summer was a new experience for me in many ways.  It represented the start of a new job, a move to the city and a few business trips along the way.  As a person who adjusts to change more gradually than others, I was startled by this “new” summer” that entered with less flexibility and less time.  As I sit here with more than half of summer gone by, I began to realize that the idea of summer is never defined by one year.  It’s defined by the simple moments that take you right to the heart of the season.  Whether it’s late-night Dairy Queen, a run along the beach, or an outdoor farmer’s market, the essence of summer can be captured in a single night. I’m sure this summer is one of many that will be filled with new experiences and I will continue to adapt.   Yet, even during the busiest of summers, when time seems to be going a mile a minute, it only takes a night of catching lightning bugs to remind you of what summer is all about.

When all else fails I turn to the one thing that seems to always connects me to something bigger than what lies in front of me, and that is food.  Whenever I drink an ice cold glass of lemonade or an ice cream cone at night I’m not only reconnected with the current season, but I’m reminded of the comfort of my childhood summers, when life was care free and a worry did not exist beyond the day in front of you.

If there is one food that is an epitome of summer, the classic s’more always tops the list.  I would even go as far as saying it’s impossible to eat a s’more angry.  Whether you’re 5 or 75 the first bite of a s’more is pure happiness. 

If you’re facing my dilemma of a rushed summer with less time for bon fires and camping trips, you have to try this recipe for s’more cookie bars.  It combines the reminder of a s’more with the addition of a chocolate chip cookie for good measure.

Summers are always going to change, but sometimes it’s as simple a s’more to remind you that summer is truly here.

S’more Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

11 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 ½ cups flour

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini marshmallows

3 regular chocolate bars, broken into pieces

1-2 packages of graham crackers, broken into square pieces

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking pan or line with parchment paper. Any size-baking sheet will work. 

Lay out graham crackers on the pan as close as possible (they should be touching.) Set the pan aside.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.  Chill in the refrigerator for one hour or over night.

Place 1 Tbsp. – 1 1/2 Tbsp. of dough per graham cracker. Press down very slightly with fingertips. Bake for 5 minutes and then remove from oven to place part of the chocolate bar on top. Bake for an additional 5- 7 minutes or until dough turns golden brown.

Let cool slightly and remove from pan.

Enjoy your new version of a s’more J

Why Food is my Inspiration

I woke up this morning at 8:00 AM (which for me is sleeping in) with a full four-day weekend ahead.  I cherish mornings like this, and I thought it was only fitting that I choose a breakfast fit for the occasion – an almond croissant (the proper kind from a traditional French bakery) and a cup of coffee.  It was a busy week at work and last weekend was filled with the fun (yet long days) of BlogHer Food ’11 in Atlanta.  It was nice to have a morning to decompress without worrying about where I had to be or get done.  It’s during moments like this and the experience I took back from BlogHer Food that I truly realized why food is a main source of inspiration in my life. 

I started this blog so I could share my belief that food is more than a meal – it’s an experience.  I always knew that my creativity and my ideas were always brought to life when it came to a topic of food, and while I knew this I never truly understood why I was connected to food.  I didn’t grow up with a mother that loved to cook and I didn’t even find my true place in the kitchen until I was about 16 –years- old.   Yet, I always had a passion for food and I trusted that it would lead me in the right direction if I followed it.  I know that whenever I see take-out pizza I remember family pizza nights from my childhood and baked goods bring to life the comfort of a cozy bakery, no matter where you are.  With every bite, taste and nosh I am inspired to create something new, whether it’s bringing new flavors to the table or simply admiring the beauty that food can carry.  Whenever I look at a mango I can’t help but admire the beautiful flesh that appears with a color that can only appear in nature.  That first bite of sweetness takes me back to summer days, and true goodness that makes you feel nourished inside and out.

At BlogHer Food this realization became even clearer as I was surrounded by bloggers who felt this exact same passion for food.  They craved not only to taste food, but also experience it and connect through it.  The main message I took back from BlogHer Food (even though there were plenty to choose from) is the importance of failure. It receives a negative connotation, because it’s a disappointment or a sign of weakness. No one wants to fail and I strive every day to prevent it from happening, but no matter how hard I try I can never be perfect and mistakes occur.  I hate failure as much as the next person, but through discussions at BlogHer Food I continually heard the word failure brought up, but it wasn’t apart of a negative context.  Failure was constantly connected with the word growth, because through failure we discover more about ourselves than we often can through success.  It inspires us to think outside of the box, and lights a new fire to push even harder. A recipe can always come out unexpected even after making it 100 times – but it’s through these obstacles and challenges of cooking/baking that I’ve discovered unexpected treasures.  I will continue to strive for success – but when failures emerge I will no longer let them define me, because more often than not there is something sweeter waiting on the other side. 

Just because I hate to send you off without a recipe, I think these Homemade Oreos from Smitten Kitchen are a great treat to kick - off your Memorial Day weekend. 

Homemade Oreos

Recipe From: Smitten Kitchen

For the Cookie:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1cup sugar

1 ¼ stick unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

For the Filling:

 ¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup shortening

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue mixing until the dough starts binding together.

Place rounded teaspoons of the dough on parchment lined baking sheets.  With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes and rotate the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time. 

While the cookies are baking make the filling. Combine the shortening and butter in an electric mixer and begin to blend. Gradually mix in the sugar and vanilla. Mix until the frosting is light and fluffy.

When cookies are cooled, begin to assemble the sandwiches. If you want perfection, fill the cookies using a pastry bag and pipe the filling into the center of the cookie, about teaspoon size.  Press the cookies together to the frosting spreads throughout the entire sandwich. However, if you are in a rush I spread the frosting on with a butter knife and it worked just fine. As you can tell by the pictures, they still looked extremely tempting J

A Good Cook Knows....

It’s a soothing cup of tea when we’re battling the 24- hour flu, it fuels us when we have to cram for an all-nighter and it brings us right back to childhood when filled with creamy hot chocolate and marshmallows melting on top.  For some it might just be a portal, but I have always felt a coffee mug is a universal symbol for everything good in life.

 I grew up determined to drink coffee.  My dad was the only coffee drinker in the family and a coffee pot did not even exist in our house. What I craved was more than coffee; I desired the idea of it.  I eventually discovered a taste for coffee, but I have to believe the image and aura surrounding it is what so many of us love (on top of the fact that it keeps us awake in the morning.) It’s a constant in our life that still carries the reminder of a new day ahead. 

The ideal vision of coffee would not be complete without the mug as they’re as universally connected as cookies and milk.  I recently purchased a mug from the site curlygirldesigns.com (a site filled with all sorts of adorable.)  What instantly attracted me to this mug was what it said:

“A good cook knows that it’s not what’s on the table that matters, it's who is in the chairs.”

There are plenty of quotes/expressions that give me that inner-feeling of happiness, but there was something about this expression that truly resonated with me.  It’s a constant reminder that food is not just a recipe that we prepare like a science experiment. It invokes feeling, instinct and risk and the true pleasure is knowing that if it doesn’t come out right there will still be people around the table willing to give it a try!

I love having this expression on my daily coffee mug. It’s a simple joy that reminds me of the good things in life.

Of course, a side of French Toast doesn't hurt!! :)

A Journey in Blogging

My very first blog post on Beyond the Meal was in June 2009, right when I was starting my journey into the real world of life after college. I knew the reason why I wanted to start my blog, but I had no clue where it would lead. I often recall a moment when I was sitting on my bed in my college apartment, just weeks before graduation. As numerous college students feel at this moment, I didn’t know what direction my future was headed. The idea of being done with school is in itself a reason to celebrate - an accomplishment, victory and the end of an era to a structure that had been my whole life. As I sat on my bed that day I didn’t know what the new structure of my life would look like, but I knew I wanted food to be a part of it in some way. Hence, the dream of my blog was born. I started searching different food blogs and began to feel a tinge of anxiety. I was in awe of so many blogs that had beautiful lay-outs, gorgeous pictures and wonderful content to top it all off. As I often get when I’m excited about a project, I began to feel rushed – as if I immediately had to reach the potential of these blogs. I felt this pressure for awhile - the need to have engaging stories, amazing pictures and a layout that would be eye- catching.

Then one day I decided to do a post about my favorite banana cake (the inspiration behind my love of baking!) As many times as this banana cake had been made, I did not have a decent picture to include nor the ingredients to whip one up. Then I realized when I found this recipe for banana cake in an old Jewish cookbook, there were no pictures. To this day I have no clue what led me to that banana cake, or even that cookbook. So I published my post without a picture, exactly the way I discovered it and to this day it is still one of my favorite posts. It reminded me why I wanted to start this blog in the first place.

I think as with everything in life, we feel the competitiveness to meet certain standards – more often than not, driving us away from our true intentions. I realized the beauty of blogs is that they are a replication of us in a digital form. They show our passions, our interests, our mishaps and successes. If we create them with the sole purpose of copying a standard, we lose our authenticity. When I started Beyond the Meal I had no clue how it would turn out. Looking back on it today, I could not be happier. There are some posts without a picture, my content is not always perfect and my layout is simple, with the occasional flair of style. Yet, when I look at it I see myself and to me that’s the biggest victory.

I hope you take a look down memory lane with me, as I highlight some of my favorite posts.

I finally made a successful pancake.

I experimented with cake!

Made plenty of frosting!

This simple gnocchi inspired my most popular blog post!

Shared my love of pumpkin!

The post that started it all!

A teaspoon of vanilla

Don’t you love it when you have an excuse to bake? I often bake whenever I feel the desire to, but then I am always left making up excuses in my head, such as I will give it away as a treat or I had a bad day and deserve these cupcakes. However, a tried and true excuse for baking in the kitchen is always experimentation. What if I try this recipe with different flour, or try it with a little less butter? These are questions I always ask myself. This weekend my goal was just to experiment with new recipes. I rarely make brownies, so the brown butter brownies on the cover of Bon Appétit were calling my name. I was also going to try a new sugar cookie recipe (a classic that never gets old). While I thought that would be my experimentation for the weekend, I came across a new idea that would revolutionize all of my future baking.


I have viewed a lot of recipes for cookies, cakes and more over the years. I tend to have a problem of sitting and going through an entire cookbook, even if I never bake anything from it. Just reading about so many good ideas, gets me excited. Before I drift off too far, my main point is that the amount of vanilla is usually pretty similar. My usual standard is one teaspoon, more or less. I always stuck to that amount, occasionally free handing, but I drew the conclusion that the key to vanilla must lie in the quality of the vanilla. I only use pure vanilla, and whenever I have a gift card to Williams-Sonoma I buy the high quality Madagascar Vanilla or Mexican Vanilla, (be warned they are addicting and expensive).

Then this past weekend I came across two recipes that both called for a TABLESPOON of vanilla. It sounded a little crazy to me, how could a cookie possibly need that much vanilla. However, in the kitchen I am all about trying new things. If you have ever looked at the difference between a Tablespoon and a teaspoon you will realize the dramatic difference. Imagine adding a Tablespoon of salt, rather than a teaspoon. My theory for vanilla had always relied on the importance of quality, so I was not going to back track there. Granted there is tension in that alone, if it didn’t turn out that’s like flushing $3 down the drain.

I prepared the cookies as usual, and let’s just say they were LEGEN wait for it DARY (I stole that line from my friend Brett, who quotes it from How I Met Your Mother). The increase in vanilla brought a whole new dimension to the cookie. All of the flavors were stronger and it was a truly decadent treat.

I know the next step would be to use a whole vanilla bean, but for now I am content with this delicious discovery.

What experiments have you had in the kitchen?

Soft Sugar Cookies
Adapted from: Lovin' From the Oven

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside. 
Cream the sugar and butter together until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients.
Set in fridge to chill for at least one hour.
Once chilled, roll into Tablespoon sized balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Top with your favorite frosting.

Decisions

Do you ever stop to think about the amount of decisions you have to make in a single day? Some are so unconscious they simply become another part of the day, while others can stop us completely in our tracks.

I occasionally find myself thinking of life in terms of those flow charts that I often see in magazines or presentations, wishing I could see a layout of where my life would go based on a single decision. There are always going to be days that I wish I could go back and make a different decision, that’s just a part of life. As I watch all of the horrible chaos occurring in Egypt, I step back and realize how fortunate I am to have the ability to make a decision, whether small or large.  It’s a daily task I too often look at with apprehension and stress, rather than as a gift to determine my own path. 

There will be the occasional day when you get the best of both worlds and I am sharing the recipe below in honor of those terrific moments.

French Toast Waffles

I was scanning through blog posts when I came upon this terrific idea to combine the texture of waffles with the flavor of French toast.  There is no batter required, just a recipe for French toast and a waffle iron.

Recipe:

Favorite French toast recipe (Note: A thin slice of bread will work best for this recipe)

Prepare French toast as usual and heat your waffle iron to the desired setting.  Grease your waffle iron with butter or cooking spray.  Place the French toast in the center of the waffle iron and close. When the waffle iron lights up, check on the French toast, it may take slightly longer than the normal setting. Continue to check the toast until golden brown. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Discovering Creativity In The Kitchen

I love anything homemade, but sadly I was not born with the “Martha Stewart” gene. I failed at sewing in middle school, my drawing ability does not reach much farther than a flower and my pumpkin carving skills could use some work (if Alex Brosnahan and Beth Turner read this I know you are laughing at some of my failed attempts).

Over the years I did have some moments of success, I could make a pretty mean friendship bracelet and my best friend Ana and I were nearly in business making rubber band necklaces in high school. However, it was not until I found my place in the kitchen that I truly discovered a place I could put my creativity to use.

I have always loved food, so it’s only natural that’s where I have discovered the biggest connection. While I would love to be able to sew and draw, it never felt natural to me the same way being in the kitchen did.

When it comes to cooking and baking the beauty is effortless, as the food often speaks for itself. A salad can make a beautiful presentation simply by being thrown together, and the simple addition of cranberries and walnuts can add an entirely new dimension. Sometimes creativity in the kitchen is hidden from the eye, but is definitely noticed by our taste buds.
My approach to the kitchen is that anything is worth a try and inspiration can be found anywhere. I am sharing two recipes below that are full of simplicity, but offer their own touch of uniqueness. Hopefully they inspire you to find your own source of creativity in the kitchen.

Macaroni and Cheese with Spinach
Adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 cups nonfat milk
1 ¼ cup Quattro Formaggio Cheese (Sold at Trader Joe’s a blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina and Provolone cheese)
1 ½ cups fresh spinach

Directions:
1) Cook pasta according to package directions.
2) As the pasta cooks begin preparing the cheese sauce. Combine flour, salt and milk in a saucepan and stir to combine. Continue stirring, until thick.
3) Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until well blended.
4) Combine the pasta and cheese sauce and add spinach. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the pasta and sauce.
5) Serve and enjoy!!!

Open- Faced Baby Broccoli and Chicken Sausage Sandwich with Cherry Tomatoes


Ingredients:1 loaf of crusty bread, such as Ciabatta, sliced into 8 pieces
1 ½ cups baby broccoli
3 links of shicken sausage, sliced ( you can also use pre-flavored chicken sausage, such as roasted garlic)
½ cup cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2) Slice the bread and set aside.
3) In a large skillet combine the broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, chicken sausage, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cook until heated through.
4) Spread the mixture across the sandwiches and top with cheese. Add salt and pepper.
5) Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.
6) Serve and enjoy.