Breakfast

Waffled French Toast

March 16, 2015 by mollygilbert520 5 Comments

It rained all weekend here, and I didn’t want it to end. The weekend, I mean, and maybe even the rain. I cozied up with (too many) fat slices of pie and a terrible/awesome line-up of movies on tv (Major League, Footloose, Sister Act… I could go on but I’ve got a rep to protect) – needless to say, it was GREAT.

And now it’s Monday and, I don’t know about you, but I think that sometimes Monday needs a big, juicy fist to the face. So we’re making french toast! In a waffle iron! On a weekday! Take that, Monday.

I’ve been leafing through Dan Shumski’s Will It Waffle? for the past few weeks and, in the matter of classic french toast, I just had to know: would it, indeed, waffle?

The answer is yes, my friends. The answer is YES.

Bonuses to waffling french toast (as opposed to employing the traditional skillet method) include but are not limited to: the elimination of flipping and/or babysitting; extra crispy edges; and, most importantly, the creation of delicious divots for maximum syrup collection.

So not only will it waffle but, indeed, it should. Let’s kick this Monday in the shins with waffled french toast!

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Egg in a Heart in a Bread

February 9, 2015 by mollygilbert520 12 Comments

Whether you’re single or attached, Valentine’s Day is kind of the worst.

For the single, it’s a quiet kind of pity party, a big fat reminder of singledom (and what’s so bad about that, anyway?), and for the coupled, it’s a day of weirdly forced romanticism – diamond commercials (gag), expectations (flowers, at least), cheesy fixed price menus (molten lava cakes!) and exorbitant prices all around. Ugh.

And yet. I do love an excuse to bust out the heart-shaped cutter. Like a heart-shaped, egg-filled piece of toast!

Or four. On a sheetpan! Obviously.

The nice thing about these is that they all cook at once in your oven, so if you’re hosting a Valentine’s Day brunch or have a bunch of kiddos to feed, you don’t have to stand over the stove and make these one by one.

Plus they’re cute!

But if they’re not your thing, you could always just go with chocolate. Or cookies. Or pizza! But you know what they say… every kiss begins with Eggs in Hearts in Breads. Or something.

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Aretha Frankenstein’s Waffles of Insane Greatness

October 22, 2014 by mollygilbert520 1 Comment

Our wedding is in 3 days! Probably 2, by the time I get to posting. And the cookbook I’ve been working on for over two years comes out in 41 days. Forty-one. (That’s December 2nd, for those of you trying to do the math.) So many big numbers!

I’m trying to stay calm, but everything is HAPPENING, and I’m jittery and excited as all get out. ALL GET OUT, YOU GUYS!

Only waffles will do. I first made these waffles on my sister’s wedding day, which is maybe why I’m thinking about them now. Emily and John’s wedding, last year, was so beautiful and lovely and it went by so fast, which is how these things go, I suppose. So (while I stuff welcome bags and rearrange seating charts) I’m doing my best to remember to breathe deeply and take each day as it comes – with waffles, if I can help it.

Aretha Frankenstein’s Waffles of Insane Greatness

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Marionberry Pie

July 25, 2014 by mollygilbert520 27 Comments

It’s POTLUCK day! On the interwebs. I’m talking about the #SoLetsPigOut Potluck, a virtual get-together hosted by two beautiful and talented women, Em & Gina, who decided it’d be fun to gather their interwebs friends and collect a heap of recipes for one fantastic midsummer celebration.

Have you ever been to a virtual potluck? It’s the same as a regular potluck, except you can show up pants-less and no one will be the wiser.

Not a bad deal, overall.

My contribution to the party is pie! Because pie makes friends wherever it goes. And I like friends. And pie.

As a recent transplant to the Pacific Northwest, marionberries are new to me – have you heard of them? Or tried one? They’re a variation of blackberry, indigenous to the state of Oregon, and they’re so, so good. Plump and juicy and sweet, with some tartness thrown in for good measure. I’ve seen them popping up in goodies all over the place here (muffins, scones, smoothies, jams, smooth jamz, etc.) which makes sense because they’re in season just now.

But I wanted in on the fun and, after a glimpse at the latest cover of Bon Appetit, I knew a pie was in order.

I used frozen marionberries because I found a reasonably-priced enormo bag of them at Whole Foods, and most of you won’t be able to get your hands on fresh ones, anyway, so let’s embrace the frozen berry! They make for one fantastic pie.

Happy (virtual) potlucking, friends! Make sure you check out all of the other pot-lucky posts and recipes, here and here. It’s a (virtual) feast day. SO LET’S PIG OUT!

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Cherry Cashew Sesame Bars

May 15, 2014 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

Tonight, I’m taking a red eye flight. By myself, which means that instead of nodding off on Ben’s shoulder, I’ll probably (accidentally) drool on a stranger. I’m also going to be the sneezy/sniffly girl on the plane — you know, that girl. Everybody hates that girl! Rough.

But it’ll all be fine because, when I wake up bleary-eyed from my unrested, sniffly, drool-covered airplane snooze, I will be in Miami. Miami! I’ve never been, but I hear that everyday’s like a Mardi Gras, everybody party all day, no work, all play, okay? (Where’s Will Smith when you need that guy?)

I’ll be there for BlogHer Food – a conference for food bloggers (this is a real thing, and I find it both hilarious and amazing). I’m excited to meet some fellow bloggers and, since this is my first time going, find out what this conference thing is all about. Will you be there, too? Get in touch!

I’ve never been to Miami before, but I envision eating a bunch of cuban sandwiches and possibly running into LeBron James. What else should I look out for down there?

In the meantime, I’m packing up the essentials – maxi dress, sandals, swim suit, business cards – and plane snacks. For long trips, I like to pack my own snacks so I don’t have to rely on unreliable airport/plane food. Do you ever do this? I like to make my own sandwiches, and usually some cookies, too (nothing brightens a miserable in-air experience quite like a homemade cookie). Tonight, in the name of portability and good health, I’m packing these homemade cherry cashew sesame bars.

I adapted these guys from Megan Gordon’s beautiful new book, Whole Grain Mornings, which I’m just loving these days. The bars are sturdy and flavorful, packed with good things like cashews, toasted sesame seeds, rolled oats and dried cherries. The bars, which you can cut as large or small as you please, are surprisingly filling and easily wrapped in some parchment for the road. They’re great for a quick breakfast or, in my case, a fuss-free plane snack (post boarding and pre-drooling, probably).

See you in Miami, friends!

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Crackly Rye Banana Bread

May 1, 2014 by mollygilbert520 Leave a Comment

Weekend baking project! And GO.

Ben can’t tell how he feels about the crackle in this bread. I, on the other hand, love the crackle. (Just so we’re clear, by crackle I mean raw millet, aka birdseed, aka don’t look at me in that tone of voice because it tastes good, okay?)

So, yeah. Birdseed banana bread. Have I lost you yet?

Though it’s used in birdseed, yes, millet is actually a human food. It’s a kind of ancient seed, healthy and full of nutrients, which happens to be having a renaissance in the bulk food aisle, somewhere between the multicolored quinoa and the chia seeds (and the general pretension, yes). And whatever, it’s great in banana bread! With a bit of rye flour and coconut oil and not very much in the way of sugar, the loaf sings and crackles and makes you feel better when you pull a back muscle and have to hobble around like someone three times your age. It’s great in thick slices for breakfast or thin, half slices when you’re not supposed to be snacking but just can’t help yourself (I’m told).

Banana bread is a staple, for me. One that gets tweaked and twisted and changed according to how I feel, or what’s in my pantry, or which books or blogs I’m reading this week. I mean, how many recipes for banana bread have I tried, at this point in my almost-30-year-old life? A bunch. But this one, with its depth and crackle, is my favorite version yet.

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Malted Almond Chia Pudding

April 11, 2014 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

Remember that time we made malted almond milk? That was fun. I used it to make smoothies, and when I still had some leftover – chia pudding!

As you may have noticed (or maybe not because pie), I’ve been experimenting with a bit of a healthier approach towards eating these days. I haven’t cut anything out or made anything off limits, so there will still be plenty of doughnuts and also lots of cookies, I’ll just supplement with lots of salads and soups and whole grain banana bread affairs (coming soon). And chia pudding!

Have you ever tried chia pudding? I won’t lie, it’s kind of weird. It’s a texture thing. If you’re not into tapioca things, you probably won’t be into this thing. It’s just chia seeds (which are naturally grain and gluten free and are the richest plant source of Omega-3, so that’s probably good) simply mixed with almond milk, some salt and vanilla extract, and then BOOM. Pudding. The little chias soak up everything in the land — everything! — and then sort of gelatinize and thicken up, which is pretty amazing and ultimately means we can eat pudding for breakfast. I’m okay with it.

Chia pudding’s definitely not a new thing, but it’s new to me and I’m excited to experiment with different flavors — maybe next time I’ll add some cinnamon or roasted fruit or coconut milk… so many options! This version’s not very sweet (I’m sure you could add your favorite sweetener if you like) but I like that about it. It’s richly almond-y, and the chia seeds heft everything up and are really filling. In general, it just feels wholesome and good. I kind of want to try making a warm version, which to me seems like a cozier option for breakfast.

Have you ever tried chia pudding? Into it, or no go?

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Roasted Rhubarb

April 8, 2014 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

Last weekend I decided to take a trip to the Ballard farmer’s market – as a newbie to the city of Seattle and person who generally likes food, I’d heard this was a must-do. So I was excited to wander over on Sunday, empty-basket in hand, as the sun peeked out from behind the drizzle.

I’m here to report that the outing was, indeed, a must-do. Yes, the produce and flowers and prepared food are fantastic (salmon sliders, hello). Yes, I did get my hands on a huge arrangement of gorgeous flowering quince branches. I bought freshly canned tuna, a handful of sunchokes (more on those later) and some broccoli rabe, a big bag of arugula, a gigantic leek and bunch of firm, bright pink stalks of rhubarb. It was awesome.

But! But. I had just bought my beautiful branches and was sidling over to the honey booth when — HEY! I know that little girl. How do I know that girl? She’s all cheeks and dark brown curls. She’s dancing (adorably) in front of the bluegrass trio by the curb. How do I know her??

OH RIGHT, I stalk her mom on instagram! Yes, correct. The little girl was baby June, daughter of Molly Wizenberg (she of Orangette), who was also standing right there. At the market. Next to her husband (who runs one of Seattle’s best restaurants and bars). Next to me.

um… HI MOLLY! Thanks for being an amazing writer and cook and inspiration to me, in general. Also your daughter is the cutest and your husband makes great pizza. …Hi.

I actually didn’t say hi, since they seemed to be enjoying some family time, and also because I wasn’t sure what I would say (the above seemed a bit over the top, at the time). I mainly just smiled from behind my giant branches and hoped no one would call me out as a creeper (holy smokes I’m such a creeper).

Then I bought some granola from Megan Gordon (of Marge Granola and an amazing, newly released cookbook) and my life was pretty much complete. Ballard farmer’s market, you rule.

As for the rhubarb I bought at the market? I knew only a recipe from Orangette would do. This one is the simplest as they come, and turns sour, tart stalks of rhubarb into sweet, tender, spoonable fruit. We ate it warm, spooned over bowls of ice cream, which I think is the way to go, though the other Molly swears by eating it straight from the refrigerator.

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Double Chocolate Baked Doughnuts

September 19, 2013 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

Just give me a dang doughnut.

I’ve been sick for nine days. My body thinks it’s funny to not let me hear things with my ears. My throat feels like medium grade sandpaper and my voice sounds like that of a dying cow. Sinusitis, I’m done with you. GIVE ME A DANG DOUGHNUT.

Do we spell doughnut like dough + nut? Or is it just donut? I think we as a society should come to some agreement here. I feel like “doughnut” is the proper literary spelling and “donut” is the proper lazy person spelling. I’m the kind of person who can’t be bothered to sift flour for a recipe, pretty much ever, but I also think I’m fancy, so I’m going with doughnut.

In any case, why don’t you just give me a dang double chocolate doughnut already?!? A baked one! With sprinkles!!

I want the rainbow ones, please.

Thank you. I’m sorry I yelled at you. With my sad, raspy, bovine voice. That was the sinusitis talking, and sinusitis is dumb. You are my friend. I will share my doughnut.

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Raspberry Nectarine Clafoutis

June 21, 2013 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

I killed so many bugs in the name of this clafoutis. So. Many. Freaking. BUGS.

It all started with a lovely day of stone fruit picking last weekend. Unable (again) to restrain myself, our kitchen counter found itself beneath a good twelve pounds of freshly-picked and amazingly fragrant nectarines and peaches. Gorgeous fruit! Fresh and ripe and beautiful. I’ll make so much pie, I thought, and cobblers and custards and jams! Maybe scones? Parfaits? Who’s to say?! My heart (and my kitchen) was ripe with summer fruit potential.

Except there were bugs. …So many bugs! They came out when I went to wash the great pile of fruit. URGH. They creeped and crawled and CREEPED. They were black and had pincers and were the size of golfballs (the last part might not be true).

I screamed. I swatted. I put on my rubber dishwashing gloves and went at them, dancing and dodging around on my tippy toes, shaking and wriggling and trying not to actually touch the things. I’m not proud. I threw one out the window. I tried to drown some in the sink (don’t tell PETA), but they crawled back up the drain. They had to be smashed. (Keep the change, ya filthy animal.) It was traumatic for me (but probably more so for the bugs) and I’m getting itchy just talking about it.

At any rate, in the now famous Battle Of The Bugs, there were casualties. Mostly of the insect variety, but we lost a lot of good peaches out there. There was plenty of bug-free fruit left, though, and I showed those bugs who’s boss by making clafoutis (actually I did it by smashing them to smithereens, but I’m trying not to come off as a terrible person and also the clafoutis makes for a prettier picture).

So what exactly is a clafoutis, you ask? Well, it’s pronounced CLA-FOO-TEE and it’s a fancy (but non-fancy) French dessert of fruit (traditionally cherries) in a firm, baked custard. It’s sort of a cross between custard and cake (and pancake, odd as that sounds); clafoutis are firm enough to slice up in pieces but smooth, soft and yielding in that cream-and-egg-enforced, custardy sort of way. It’s light and rich and delicious, and delightfully bug-free (I made quite sure of that. But I still feel kind of itchy?)

Let’s fire up the citronella candles (and bring some swatters and maybe a can of RAID — fine, forget the RAID) and eat this al fresco, in fat slices dusted with confectioner’s sugar. We’ll crack some wine — pink sounds good. We’ll pour some out for our bug friends (enemies), gone but not forgotten.

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