Appetizers

(One Pan & Done!) Artichoke Gratin

November 7, 2017 by mollygilbert520 1 Comment

The holidays are upon us!? How is it that they sneak up on us every year? Have you seen this cartoon yet? It is both ridiculous and accurate.

If you’re looking for a rich and warming dish to dive into in the coming months (either to help celebrate the holidays or to help stress-eat your feelings this season), I think you might like to know about this artichoke gratin.

It’s a gratin! Grah-tin? Grah-TEH? Cheese-filled skillet of indulgence? Yep, that’s the one.

It’s from my most recent cookbook, One Pan & Done, so it promises to be quick and easy to pull together, and packed with rich, cheesy flavor (plus some tang from the artichokes and garlic). It’s awesome served with crisp apple slices to balance out the richness, although crackers and chips are always a good move.

Happy Gratin Season!

(photos in this post by the amazing Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle Et Vanille)…

Baked Brie & Berries

December 29, 2014 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

Guys! We are T minus 2 days until the new year. Twenty-fifteen holy smoooookes. Should we, like, eat some cheese or something?

WE SHOULD. And it should be warm.

Here’s one last Holiday Mollygram, the last of 2014, anyway, with a recipe for Baked Cheese & Raspberries! It’s a riff off of a recipe in the appetizer section of my cookbook (in the book it’s Baked Brie & Strawberries, p.9). Whether you use raspberries or strawberries (or pears or blackberries or whatever), it’s a great recipe to ring in the new year.

CHEERS, FRIENDS! LOVE TO YOU!!

Did you get all that? No? Written recipe is below!

…

Spicy Brown Sugar-Rosemary Cashews

December 19, 2014 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

I know, I know. It’s supposed to be Pie Day Friday! Where is our pie???

Well, let me tell you. I made a pie this week, and it was no good. It was a bad pie. (Lest you think bad pie didn’t even exist, I am here to tell you that it does, it really does.)

BUT! I made you a new Holiday Mollygram! It’s got cashews and brown sugar and some terrible singing, too. Enjoy, friends!!

Catch all that? You can find the actual recipe, from Sheet Pan Suppers, below!

…

(Cookbook!) Pears in Prosciutto

November 4, 2014 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

Cookbook sneak peeeeeek! As you may already have deduced (from my shameless, hammering “reminders,” perhaps), the cookbook I made for you comes out in 27 days!

<——– That’s it! Holy sheet pans, Batman.

I’ve got to say, putting work out there, work you’ve spent hours and days and weeks and YEARS honing, is totally nerve-racking and a little bit terrifying, but I’m really quite proud of this little book, and I can’t wait to show it to you!

In that vein, I thought you might like some pears. Wrapped in some salty prosciutto and baked until tender and warm?

YEP YEP YEP.

These are capital E Easy (only three ingredients and minimal baking time), but don’t let that fool you – they’re also capital D, capital LICIOUS. The pears get sweet and soften a bit in the oven, while the prosciutto crisps up and lends a rich, salty bite. They make a great pre-dinner snack or party appetizer (they do well next to a generous cheese platter), and I hope they’ll get you in the mood for more stuff on a sheet pan! Stay tuned…

Pears in Prosciutto (from Sheet Pan Suppers)

It can be hard to tell if a pear is ripe for eating— especially Bosc pears, which are generally quite firm. Here’s the trick: Gently touch the flesh at the pear’s neck, just under the stem. If it’s rock hard, move on—it’s not ready. If it yields slightly, it’s ripe and good to eat.

Ingredients:

8 slices (about 1⁄4 pound) prosciutto, cut or ripped in half lengthwise to make 16 strips
2 Bosc pears, unpeeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Wrap a strip of prosciutto tightly around each pear wedge, placing the pears skin side down on the prepared pan as you go. Make sure to leave some room between pears on the pan. Sprinkle plenty of ground black pepper atop the prosciutto- wrapped pears.

Bake until the prosciutto is firm and crisp and the pears are tender, their tips nicely charred, 15 to 18 minutes.

Serve warm, while the pears are meltingly tender inside their crisp shells.

Makes 16 pieces.

White Bean & Avocado Hummus

April 1, 2014 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

I can’t say much with authority in life, but today I will say this: putting together an 8-drawer dresser from Ikea is a suckbox of an activity. It takes, on average, at least two days and as much sanity as you have on hand.

True, it probably would have been an easier task had the instructions not been missing and had all of the parts been in tact, but still. Just part of the experience, amiright? Thanks, Ikea. Your cheap furniture may or may not be worth the subsequent years you took off my life this weekend.

In other news, I’m feeling fairly dramatic today.

Let’s talk about hummus! It’s a staple in our fridge, and though I’ve made my own a few times, I usually just buck up and buy it when I’m out grocery shopping. There are a few really great brands out there, and hauling out the food processor every few days to make a new batch is kind of a daunting prospect, so. Sabra it is!

That said, occasionally I get the itch to experiment on the hummus front. Awhile ago I made creamy garlic edamame dip, and the idea for white bean & avocado hummus came about this week. (I think technically you can only call something hummus if it’s made with chickpeas, but I like to live on the edge and we’re only talking about dips, not NATO members or medical terminologies, so I think we’re okay.)

I love the dense creaminess that white beans bring to the table here. They’re dreamy paired with rich (but light) whipped avocado, fresh lemon juice and punchy herbs and spice. It’s great in any kind of hummus application — spread on crackers or sandwiches, or used as a dip for fresh veggies, pretzels and chips.

You’ll need a food processor or high-powered blender to get a supremely smooth, creamy hummus, but don’t be daunted– I know for a fact that cleaning these appliances, while not the most fun, is at least 15 times more enjoyable than assembling something — anything, really — from Ikea.

…

Read More

Crab & Avocado Toasts, Charcuterie Cones

December 27, 2013 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

Look who’s fancy in 2014! (We are).

I can’t really believe that another year is wrapping up — it never comes easy, this warp-speed time phenomenon. Weren’t we just watching my sister get married? Just brainstorming ideas for Mother’s Day brunch? Just putting strawberries on sandwiches?

A lot of important things happened to me in 2013. I bought a doughnut pan (important). I had a niece named Matilda! I tried surfing (and wasn’t immediately attacked by a shark, which I was pretty sure would happen). I discovered yogurt mousse (yum). I started getting paid to write! Not much, mind you, but it’s something and it feels big. It’s been an important year, I think.

So. Let’s send 2013 out with a bang. With bubbly toasts and other toasts which are golden-edged and topped with avocado and crab. And charcuterie, too! Shaped like a cone because that sounds like fun.

In truth, New Years Eve usually feels like an over-hyped affair to me. There’s a lot of pressure to do something amazing, to have the best (!) night (!) ever (!), usually while out at a bar surrounded by strangers, which I feel like is a tall order.

Let’s ditch the strangers (but keep the booze), and instead surround ourselves with loved ones and appetizers. Doesn’t that sound better? Crab toasts, meat cones, fancy outfits, bubbly flutes, and maybe even an overly decadent dessert or two. Our kind of party, I think.

Happy New Year, all! I wish I could give you a hug. Be safe and content. Love to you in 2014!

…

Read More

Vegan Caesar

August 15, 2013 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

Firstly, THANK YOU. You guys sent me some great emails full of clever speech advice, and I now feel confident that I’m going to crush it (read: not totally embarrass myself) at my sister’s wedding in a few weeks. You are the best.

Secondly, I’m not a vegan. I just thought we should put that on the table. I’m pretty obviously non-vegan, actually, if we take butter and cream into account, which we probably should, considering my affinity for both.

Still, there are times and places for the butter and the cream (most times and most places, at least for me), but it’s important to know that those things are not the only things. (If they were, I probably wouldn’t fit into my pants.) Turns out there are other things out there, exciting things, just as rich and creamy as my old friends, but infinitely better for my future cholesterol levels/pants.

By “other things,” I mean cashews. Soaked overnight and blended into cashew cream. Have you tried this? You should. It’s the base for this smooth soup and the fantastic Caesar dressing you see before you, and it’s becoming a habit of mine.

This recipe came to me from my cousin, Ben. He’s both the kindest and toughest guy you’ll ever meet; he recently completed his second Ironman, so he’s legit. (Like, 2.4 mile swim then 112 mile bike ride then 26.2 mile run legit.) Don’t mess with Ben. Try his salad dressing! You’ll feel so good about your healthy, cashew creamy Caesar salad that you’ll briefly think about training for a marathon before chuckling at your own insanity and then letting yourself have double the ice cream for dessert. Being a non-vegan vegan is fun.

…

Read More

Nana’s Cheese Biscuits

October 16, 2012 by mollygilbert520 9 Comments

I spent the weekend in Tennessee, near Chattanooga; it’s where Ben’s Nana grew up. We were there to celebrate the life of this amazing Southern lady, to smile at her kindness and spirit, to cry because we’ll miss her.

When I met Nana, she was 92. Her hands were pale and fragile, but her eyes sparkled and her smile came warm and easy. At the sight of Ben, her face lit up like fairy lights at Christmas time; though Nana was once a Lookout Mountain cotillion queen and a sharp and witty newspaper columnist, her very favorite role was that of unconditionally doting Grandma.

Much like someone else I know (hint: me), Nana showed her love through cooking. A cake for every birthday, a feast for every Friday, a cookie (or four) for every little thing. A true southerner and generous in every way, her recipes weren’t complete without multiple sticks of butter, shortening, cream. She made a habit of tall and creamy pies, fried chicken, cheese biscuits, lush layer cakes, cornbread. Her recipe journals are rich and full of whimsy — reading them helps to fill in the gaps for me, a friend who came late into her life. Her jaunty words help to paint a picture of the vibrant and gracious woman responsible for bringing “Elegant Sour Cream Pound Cake,” “Truly Southern Pecan Pie” and “Especially Good Corn Pudding” into the lives of all she loved. The notes for her lime chiffon pie recipe read as follows:

“Lime Chiffon Pie is such a special favorite of my family, and even many friends. It is so delightful on steamy summer nights to end a dinner filled with recipes renowned in the South – of vegetables, just picked from the garden.”

I knew Nana for one year of her 92 total, so it’s fair to say I missed a lot. But I’ve made her lime chiffon pie, I’ve made her cheese biscuits and apple cake. I’ve got her words and stories to keep me company as I sift flour, roll out dough, melt another stick of butter. And for this I feel so lucky.

…

Read More

Roasted Padron & Fresh Tomato Salad

August 21, 2012 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

Today, a salad. Because in exactly one week I will be 28 years old and, on a day like that, salad is not going to cut it. On that particular and quickly approaching day, some sort of chocolate/peanut butter/more chocolate monstrosity will likely be in order, but today? Today we will stick with this simple and lovely, bright and mischievous salad. We’re only 27, after all.

Padron peppers are full of mischief. Buggery. Small and unassuming, they look out brightly from the stalls of the Bay Area farmer’s markets, their green skins smooth and shiny. Look at the cute and tiny peppers! You’ll probably buy some, because you will buy pretty much anything in miniature form (I can’t be the only one who does this. …No? Right? Anybody?!?). You’ll try one. It will be crisp, mild, herby. Another one! It’ll go down snappy and smooth. Then, a third…

Straight buggery.

Your eyes will widen and your jaw, it’ll slack. That third pepper will be SPICY. It will slap you in the face with spice, firstly because it’s just plain spicy, but secondly because you hadn’t expected it to be so. Mischief! Wonderment! Pepper roulette!

It’s sort of fun, really. This time of year, late summer, Padron peppers contain more capsaicin than in June or July (now, about 1 in 5 is spicy, says my farmer’s market vendor) a phenomenon which makes for one interesting salad, no?

So let’s roast some Padrons with olive oil and salt, and then pair them with fresh, cooling tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon. We’ll get a good balance of sweet and spice, salt and citrus and, most importantly, it will be a salad that’s fun to eat. Exciting, even. I mean, we’re 27 years old. Next week we’ll be 28. Let’s get our kicks while we still can, eh?

…

Read More

Squash Blossom Frittata

August 1, 2012 by mollygilbert520 5 Comments

Flowers in my eggs?!

It’s true.

Squash blossoms have been all over the Bay Area farmer’s markets lately, so when I saw some beauties by the Ferry building this weekend, what else could I do but scoop some up and bake them in a frittata with ricotta and goat’s cheese? Any logical person would have done the same, I think.

Now, I realize that there are those of you who are perfectly logical, thank-you-very-much, but who perhaps haven’t yet come across a squash blossom at the market or in the kitchen, and maybe wouldn’t even know what to do with one if you saw it, and so to you, Miss or Mister logical-but-squash-blossom-less, I say: that’s okay. Here’s the deal: squash blossoms are the dainty and edible flowers of young summer squashes (usually zucchini). They are bright orange, tinged with green, and sold at farmer’s markets alongside (and sometimes attached to) fresh, tender little squishes. Squashes. Squash.

Squash blossoms are usually stuffed with cheese and fried, which is a perfectly amazing way to enjoy them, but they can also be steamed or baked and thrown into soup, salad or pasta. Or you could bake some in a fabulously herby frittata with ricotta and goat’s cheese. Entirely up to you.

(I’d go with the frittata). (But really, it’s up to you).

(Frittata).

…

Read More