Snacks

(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.

Homemade Oreos (Fauxreos)

August 22, 2014 by mollygilbert520 9 Comments

It’s Fridaaaaaaaay! Hallelujah.

And we have OREOS! On our minds and in our mouths. It’s going to be a good weekend.

I made these little beauties as a knee-jerk reaction to a few things that happened this week. First, I ran my credit card through the washing machine, so that was fun for everyone. Then I made friends with a giant spider crawling up the wall of my bedroom (totally awesome) and, finally, a bunch of the (very lovely, I might add) wedding invitations I sent out last week showed up in my mailbox, all marked-up and ugly-like, because the post office is a big fat idiot. I’d like to return YOU to sender, post office. And then shove like 5 homemade Oreos (fauxreos?) in my face.

I’ve been wanting to make my own Oreos for awhile now, but never went for it because it seemed like kind of a hassle. For the record, it’s totally not. The simple dough comes together (without the help of an electric mixer, I might add) quickly, and the cream filling is a breeze of butter and sugar.

And the real secret here? …Salt. (Kosher salt.) There’s a generous amount of it in the chocolate cookie dough, and then an extra pinch is whisked into the filling, too. It really helps balance the sweetness of the cookie and compliment the deep, dark chocolate flavor we’re going for.

So what are you waiting for? It’s milk’s favorite cookie! And it’s the weekend! Homemade Oreos should probably happen. Dunked then crumbled. (Heyo.)

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Marionberry Pie

July 25, 2014 by mollygilbert520 28 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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Watermelon Limesicles

July 18, 2014 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

More popsicles! Because it’s hot and because it’s Friday and just because. Can’t stop won’t stop, or whatever the cool kids are saying these days.

Watermelon-Limesicles! They’re made to look like slices of watermelon, see? With little chocolate chip “seeds” and everything. How annoying am I??

These are easy peasy, though. Just fresh fruit, the greenest lime sherbert, and a bit of time in the freezer. The chocolate chip “seeds” can be optional, even.

I made these with my cousin-to-be, Sophia. She’s a doll.

We think these treats would go over well at your next bbq, or for a summertime kid’s birthday party, or a summertime adult’s birthday party, preferably on a cool rooftop and maybe dunked in a glass of oh, I don’t know, tequila. Or gin. (The booze is my idea, not Sophia’s, because I’m a wizened almost-thirty-something and she’s a high school student with a heart of gold.)

The good news is that it’s watermelon season this very minute, so find a good one and get to popping! (Do you know how to choose the best watermelon? I found some good tips over at The Kitchn.)

Watermelon Limesicles for all!

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Dark Chocolate Pudding Pops

June 27, 2014 by mollygilbert520 6 Comments

Question: what do you do when your wedding rehearsal dinner venue bails on you, just a few short months before said rehearsal dinner is set to go down?

Answer: dark chocolate pudding pops.

I mean first you ball up your fists and let fly a few choice expletives at the computer screen, but then you just eat like twelve popsicles, and suddently the earth doesn’t seem like such an unfair place to be just now. You know?

Chocolate pudding pops are actually the answer to many of life’s difficult questions. For example: How can I show my partner that I love him/her?

Chocolate pudding pops!

I’m worried about global warming. How can I help keep our planet cool?

Chocolate pudding pops!

What’s the meaning of life, anyway?

Chocolate pudding pops! …Among other things, probably.

Why are my pants so tight?

Chocolate pudding pops, duh.

Whether you’re grappling with one of life’s major issues or just wondering what to serve at your 4th of July BBQ, the answer is clear: just look to the pudding pop. You’re sure to land on something sweet (and deep and creamy, too) in the end.

Happy #popsicle week, everybody! I hope you’ve checked out all the amazing pop recipes that went up this week, and have been enjoying them as much as I have.

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Date Shake Popsicles

June 24, 2014 by mollygilbert520 26 Comments

Shake your dates! It’s officially summertime.

Here in Seattle, the days are long and gorgeous. Everything is green green green, except when the sky turns pink for an almost-10-pm sunset. People jog around Greenlake in short shorts, shoes crunching the gravel as they mosey or fly. Groups of friends set up volleyball nets in the park, or spread blankets on the grass for a lazy midday picnic. They splash in the lake with their little ones, or kick soccer balls or ride bikes. One group practices some kind of “freestyle frisbee” situation, kicking and flipping and ducking and swooping, almost like they’re playing hacky-sack (remember that?), except with a frisbee instead of a little beanbag. It’s probably really hard to do but it makes me laugh a lot to watch them.

Summertime rituals! Easily dusted off and brought back to life. My favorite rituals of the season are long walks outside, ice cream from a cone, sunblock that smells like coconuts, long cotton dresses, peach picking, new leather sandals, and, of course, popsicles. Also freestyle frisbee.

Just kidding.

Popsicles! Of all kinds. I like the red, white and blue rocket pops. I love fudgesicles. I really want to try these smoked peaches and cream pops. And date shake pops! These ones happen to be the richest, creamiest pops I’ve ever made. They’re inspired by the date shake — have you heard of this phenomenon? Date shakes are basically just milkshakes made with fresh dates and vanilla ice cream. Instead of going the ice cream route for these pops, I used coconut cream and a whole vanilla bean. Holy sweet Mariah Carey. They are good.

The dates bring an almost caramel-y flavor to the pop, and and the coconut cream’s lush, rich texture makes you feel like you’re eating the creamiest of ice creams. And since they’re both sweet on their own, no added sugar needed! Just some vanilla bean seeds for that floral aroma and the visual pop of black on white. Three ingredients. Boom. Popsicles.

Do you have a popsicle mold? They’re inexpensive and kind of the most fun (I own this one). Don’t be like me and look for popsicle sticks at your local hardware store, though. They won’t have them and you’ll go to two other places and waste nearly an hour before you realize you could just buy a pack of 100 from Amazon in about three minutes flat.

Let’s make popsicles. It’s #POPSICLEWEEK!

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Coconut Mac Nut Ice Cream (Vegan!)

June 19, 2014 by mollygilbert520 6 Comments

I feel like my life these days is such a balancing act (whose isn’t?). It’s all about keeping some sort of equilibrium. Or maybe it’s about seeing just how much I can get away with.

For example: I went for a run yesterday. Do I have to do it again today? Exactly how much laundry can pile itself up before I’m out of underwear? Is it still considered “working” if I’ve got World Cup soccer on in the background? What if it’s on mute? Also, I had salad for lunch. Can I have three fudgesicles for dinner?

Balance. Between being a good and healthy person and letting my inner lazeball/chubster peek through. My good and healthy side has not just vacuumed but mopped, too, thrives on yogurt and chia seeds, finished planning her wedding months ago, and always remembers to take out the trash. My inner lazeball has watched three movies today and has a fudgesicle stain on her pajama shirt (which, by the way, she is still wearing. It’s noon).

This ice cream recipe is a manifestation of my constant struggle for balance. The thought process of making and eating it went something like this: I want ice cream. A big bowl. What if it’s dairy free and vegan? That’s fine, right? Totally fine! Coconuts are healthy. So is a little bit of rum, probably. And I can add some chocolate sauce. Just a little bit.

…A little bit more couldn’t hurt. I mean, I went on a run two days ago. And I’ll vacuum afterwards. Probably.

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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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