Snacks

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.

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Banana Bread Hearts

February 11, 2014 by mollygilbert520 13 Comments

Been staring at that poppyseed salad for awhile, eh? My bad. Let’s change the scenery, shall we?

Banana bread!

It’s never not a good time for banana bread. Plus it happens to be a personal favorite of my Valentine, and I’m a sucker for that guy.

There are a million different ways to banana your bread, and I have yet to settle on “my” way. I think my way involves browned butter, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. It’s certainly a good start, anyway. This time around, I turned to the lovely Zoe Francois of Zoe Bakes, whose blog I’ve been following for ages and whose recipes are always second to none. Her original recipe is for Nutella Swirled Banana Bread (um, HELLO), but since I can’t keep Nutella in my pantry without terrible things happening (read: flabby jowls) I left it out.

What’s left is a banana bread for purists – strongly banana, faintly sweet and lightly spiced. The recipe makes two loaves — one for now and one for… slightly after now. If you’re feeling cutesy, it’s pretty fun to cut out banana bread hearts, dip them in chocolate, and trade them for smooches.

SMOOCH.

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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!

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Chewy Gingerbread Chocolate Chunk Cookies

December 13, 2013 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

Gingerbread chocolate chunk cookies! They’re the tenderest things, with the perfect chew. The way they yield when you first bite them is an eye-closing thing. And then the gingery spice hits you and the chocolate chunks put up a fight with some richness and heft. So good. I’m pretty sure Santa wants these cookies. He must! With a tall glass of milk and extra helpings of coziness and goodwill.

Well, eff Santa, because I accidentally ate all the cookies and now they’re gone.

…Oops. I’m sorry, Santa.

But am I, really? I mean, I’m a Jew with a Christmas tree, so I’m sort of an expert in sending mixed messages/disappointing my elders, anyway. Ah, well.

Kids, don’t be like me. Don’t just eat the cookie chunks out of that pint of ice cream, and then put it back in the freezer. Don’t accidentally kill all the plants you own. Do wear real pants instead of leggings sometimes, and please, for the sake of Christmas, save some effing cookies for Santa.

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Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Ginger

November 18, 2013 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

Thanks for playing the giveaway game, everyone! It was fun to hear so many delicious stories about holiday baking — you guys are legit. I really wish I could gift everyone that fabulous baking book, but that’s not how contests work, apparently, and besides it’s not like I’m made of baking books, and baking books don’t just grow on trees, and I’m pretty sure the Beatles said baking books can’t buy you love, anyway.

As a consolation, today I bring you cranberry sauce.

Because Thanksgiving is almost upon us? Yes. Or maybe because it adds some real pizzaz to a turkey sandwich, leftover or otherwise? (Sandwiches need pizzaz. Also some brie, probably.) Because it’s the prettiest color in the kitchen? (It is, and I want a manicure to match.) Or because it’s just so amazingly easy to make?

All of the above?

Let’s do this cranberry thing.

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Peggy’s Apple Cake

October 17, 2013 by mollygilbert520 9 Comments

In most parts of the country, the air’s getting crispier. People are reaching for heavier knits, tucking their feet into adorable suede booties, and taking long, leaf-crunching walks in the chill. In San Francisco, we did that in July (minus the leaf crunching). Our October days are pretty hot (and fog-less!), so I’ve been busy sunning myself (carefully, with sunscreen!) on the roof. The warmth is nice, but it feels pretty weird.

I mean, we all try to pretend it’s autumn out here, making soup and reading Martha Stewart Living and thinking about Halloween treats and costumes but, between you and me, apple picking in eighty degree heat just isn’t the same.

I mean, maybe you drive up to Sonoma county and find an apple orchard, and maybe it’s entirely gorgeous. You’ll probably get a basket and start picking, tasting as you go “just to make sure.” And it will be fun, for about ten minutes. Then you’ll start to really feel the sun beating down on you, because it’s hot, and you’ll wonder why you ate so many damn apples and also when might be an appropriate time to go home and take a nap? You’re sweating up a storm in your trusty “apple picking sweater” and there’s no cute stand selling apple cider doughnuts and decorative pumpkins and warm cider, anyway (not that you could drink anything warm in this heat), so it kind of feels like naptime might be a good idea. So you’ll leave — with eight pounds of apples, minor sweat stains and a deep-seated longing for the autumn of your youth.

Oh well. That’s “autumn” in the Bay Area. We can’t be ungrateful. We’ve got sunshine, after all. And apple cake! And lucky for us, apple cake tastes the same, whether or not we’re wearing cable knits. Happy autumn, all!

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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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Party Figs

August 22, 2013 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

These figs like to party. Which is good because next week is my 29th birthday.

29! Almost aaaaalmost 30! Not that I’m rushing. Let’s bust out the sprinkles. Or, as my sister’s first grade student calls them, “them sprankles.” To me, nothing says PARTY like rainbow sprankles. Sprinkles. They’re like the tiny party hats of the food world. Only more flattering and without that uncomfortable rubber-band chin strap.

Party figs! They’re the best of both worlds. Sophisticated elegance (fresh figs) meets lowbrow nostalgia (white chocolate and rainbow sprinkles). Eating them is like seeing Grace Kelly at the Dairy Queen. Or “The Situation” at Buckingham Palace?

Similes aside, I think you’ll want to make these before fresh figs disappear (a.k.a soon). Sweet in both flavor and appearance, they make a playful end to a late-summer dinner gathering, or else just a fun and colorful snack. Either way, it’ll be a p-a-r-t-y.

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Choco-Latte Chip Cookies

August 7, 2013 by mollygilbert520 6 Comments

Cookies help me think. And cookies with milk chocolate chips and espresso in them? Hours of thinking in my future. Look out, people.

You know what I mean, though? Mixing and measuring. Scooping and baking and cooling. Inhaling all of the warm, cookie smells. I feel less tense just thinking about the process. Baking is a relaxing ritual for me, one that lets me either bliss out and think of absolutely nothing when I’ve got too much on my mind, or helps me sharpen up my brain clatter and focus on what’s important.

Today I’m calling upon the focus. The writing-a-speech-for-your-sister’s-wedding-day kind of focus. I’ve got 30 days until game time, but so far no speech. (Help!) Granted, I haven’t actually tried to get anything down on paper yet (don’t tell Emily), but the pressure is on. (Help!) I mean, I’m a writer! This better be good. (Help!!) Maybe you can help? In exchange for cookies?

Go ahead — have a cookie. Then tell me — what should I do? Should I be teary and sincere? Or should I take the funny route? I know it’s a highly personal project, but I need to know — what are your best speech-writing tips?

I (and my sister, probably) thank you in advance. But we probably shouldn’t tell her about this. Okay? Cool. Another cookie for you.

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Dorie’s Swedish Visiting Cake With Apricots & Cherries

June 7, 2013 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

I inherited a cast iron skillet.

Except when I say that I inherited it, I really mean that the previous tenants of my apartment left it here and I found it and now it’s mine. Because finder’s keepers.

…Is that wrong?

I would feel more guilty about having technically stolen this skillet if it weren’t so dang heavy, you know? I mean, the move-outers clearly left it here. No room/strength to lug it out of the place, I guess. Plus it was all cobwebbed and rusty, which is no way to treat a skillet. I had to rescue it. At any rate, I use it now and imagine that it was once my great great grandmother’s who used it to make blintzes and apple cake and dutch babies, and that’s that.

Thievery and nostalgia aside, let’s talk about skillet cake. “Visiting cake,” as the wonderful Dorie Greenspan calls this one. Isn’t the name kind of perfect? Cake and visits should go hand in hand, I think. Anyway, I’m not entirely sure what makes this cake Swedish, but we are all children of the world and this cake is good so let’s just eat it.

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