Monday, May 17, 2010

Who Doesn't Love Peanut Butter?


Sure, there are preferences.  Like creamy versus crunchy or freshly ground versus the processed stuff.   But really, are there many of us out there who don't like a generous spoonful of peanut butter every once in awhile?  In this house, it's one of those guilty pleasures that we indulge in from time to time, but only when no one is looking or if there is even a jar of it around here in the first place.

Heck, we all grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  And who doesn't like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup?  (Alright, if you are out there, don't let me know about it).  A peanut butter sandwich on toast?  Heaven!  Made even better with a few slices of crispy bacon or a smattering of banana slices.  I know, I know - we are not talking about healthy food here.  But everything in moderation, right?

So the other night we attended a party in the 'hood.  A BIG party in the 'hood.  We have a slew of really great neighbors and some of them put on a fantastic "Craw-B-Q" in their adjoining back yards every year.  Lots of crawfish, kids, beer, live bands and local color.  Folks bring lawn chairs, blankets and pretty much everything but their kitchen sinks.  It starts early and ends late.   It's not held in our back yard, but it may as well be since it is directly adjacent.  It's a great opportunity to just hang with our friends and neighbors.

But I am incapable of attending ANYTHING without bringing something.  It must be in my DNA (Mom?) or something.  One year I brought cupcakes.  They were great, but a little too "frou-frou", I thought.  It needed to be something more "down and dirty" (to use one of Henry's endless cliches). 

We used to make amazing peanut butter and chocolate bars when I worked at Star Provisions.  I thought about making them for this occasion, but worried that the chocolate might not hold up as it was a warm night.  Then I thumbed through Martha Stewart's "Cookies" and found a recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.  That sounded right.


I made them.  I would make them again.  They were the perfect blend of nutty, sweet, crunchy and salty.  I jazzed them up a bit with the addition of strawberry-rhubarb jam, but regular old strawberry would do just fine.  We wandered over to the party at about 6pm and I set them out on the dessert table.  Twenty minutes later, they were gone!



PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BARS  (adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 18-oz. jar creamy peanut butter (I used Jiff)
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 15-oz. jar of strawberry jam
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with heavy duty foil, letting foil overhang sides.  Spray with cooking spray.  Line bottom of pan with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit and spray again.

In electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.  Add peanut butter and beat until combined.  Add eggs and vanilla extract and blend briefly until mixture is smooth.  Add flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.

Transfer two-thirds of the mixture to the prepared pan and press in evenly.  Top evenly with jam then crumble remaining peanut butter mixture over top.  Sprinkle with the chopped, salted peanuts.

Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Using foil overhang as handles, lift bars out of pan and place on a cutting board.  Remove foil and parchment and cut into squares.  Bars can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.  If they last that long.

Yield:  24 bars

So we already know that I am a RIDICULOUS PERSON who feels compelled
to make everything look good.  That means cutting off the imperfect edges so I can cut perfect squares.
I would say that's a pretty good excuse.   In other words, "Cook's treat."

I will admit that I personally happen to LIKE the processed version of peanut butter. Probably because of the salt content.  And sugar.  I hate to tell you this, but it works best here.  Freshly ground peanut butter just doesn't make it in this recpe.  Sorry!

Punk or mod? Why not both?


Last saturday I did two things that wese so opposite, but both were related with music.


At 8 o'clock I went to Razzmataz  for a punk concert: The Exploited with one of my beloved punk bands: The Adicts! I wasn't on the first row because there was lots of people making pogo, and I was alone (and had another parte after that, so I was dressed like in the first picture for a punk concert, yes).

But the upside part of Razz was open, and I could sit down and see everything from a good place! Sorry if the pictures are not as good as usual :(! Click for a bigger one :D

The Exploited
The Adicts, they were FABULOUS!

After this, I had a party with Laia in the basement of a restaurant... yes, yes! The basement! The place is called "Taxidermista", and once at month they do a party where the music they play is in vinyl format... so the sound was great! There was my dear Victor; I really love this guy, he's so funny!

Laia & me, and with Victor!
I didn't know the name of this girl but she was great!

Laia was really pretty with her vintage dress... she bought it the day I bought my 50's sailor dress at Gracia, do you remember? So, that day, I found her this gorgeous dress too!


And I was wearing a vintage skirt I bought the other day... I really love the color, isn't it adorable? Oh, by the way, there you can see my new bag, bought on Amsterdam! It's from the Van Gogh Museum!

Shirt - Forever 21
Skirt - Vintage
Socks - Calzedonia
Shoes - Melissa
Bag - Van Gogh Museum
Hairscarf - H&M

So, punk or mod? Why don't both? I am, indeed!

Oh, and one thing more! Chicisimo has made a video about the new icons of Spanish Fashion... and look wich pair of lovely girls are there between lots of beautiful flowers!! ;)

Es Cendol

9 mei 2010, minggu

Ada temen datang ke rumah, cuman main n obrol2 aja...trus kita niatan bkin es cendol, soalnya da mulai agak2 panas, pasti nikmat banget.

Resepnya
Bahan Cendol:
650 ml air
½ sdt pasta pandan
75 g tepung hunkue
25 g tepung beras

Kuah:
1000 ml santan
1/2 sdt garam
250 g gula merah
75 g gula pasir
150 ml air

cara membuat
Cendol:
Campur tepung hunkue dan tepung beras dengan 200 ml air, masukan pasta pantan, aduk rata, sisihkan.
Masak sisa air hingga mendidih., lalu masukkan larutan tepung hunkue sambil aduk cepat hingga bening dan matang. Angkat.
Siapkan cetakan cendol, taruh di atas baskom berisi air es. Tuangkan adonan panas ke atas cetakan, gosok-gosok hingga butiran dawet jatuh ke baskom.
Tiriskan, rendam dalam air matang dingin. Sisihkan.

Kuah:
Rebus santan bersama semua bahan hingga mendidih.
Masukkan gula merah, gula pasir, dan air hingga mendidih dan kental.
Sajikan dingin cendol bersama kuahnya.

Sayangnyaaa anak2 ga doyan...apalagi Mei bilangnya 'ma, mushi mitai' busetttt dia bilang kayak binatang semacem ulat gitu..ijo2..hahhaa...
kagetttt!!! Ya uda, gw cuman ambil semangkok lagi, sisanya dibawa pulang temen...

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Pesto and Rosemary

    
    
This may have been the best chicken I've ever tasted in my life.  The fact that it came in a Kmart parking lot surrounded by a bunch of rednecks on their way to a NASCAR race shouldn't surprise.  Some of the best recipes come from grilling, and quality tailgating just requires imagination.  For a recent race day, I went with recipes from Mario Battali's Italian Grill cookbook.  Like most Italian recipes, the emphasis is on the ingredients, not fancy preparation or cooking technique.  The actual recipe calls for guniea hens, but let's be serious.  We're just trying to make good food and grilling more interesting, not be total tools.  So, I substituted boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Similarly, I bought the recipe's pesto pre-made.  I've made plenty of pesto in my days, but this was another way to save time and hassle.  Besides, as a marinade and grilling sauce subjected to 500 degree F heat, I don't know that the freshest basil and most authentic cold pressed olive oil were really needed.  The sublime nature of this dish came from the mere fact that it uses pesto in the first place.  Pesto for me is one of those sauces I could take a bath in, get coated all over and eat my fill, but I digress.  Marinating the chicken overnight in the pesto-based marinade took this recipe to an incredible place.  Even more wonderful was a prep time running about 2 minutes.  So, try this recipe.  I promise it will be one of your favorites.  Serves 4.
     
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
     
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, pesto, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  In a large ziplock or bowl, combine the chicken breasts and marinade.  Ensure the chicken is completely covered with marinade.  Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight preferably.  
Remove the breasts and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Place on a hot grill and cover.  Cook 5 minutes on each side.  If the chicken is charred before the inside is cooked, move off of direct heat but keep in the covered grill to continue roasting.  Remove when the chicken is just cooked through.  Transfer to a platter and serve.  
    

Menu Plan Monday

A couple of my friends (Sarah and Jessica) have been doing their menu's for the week with some yummy looking ideas. I don't have any children to cook breakfast and lunch for, so I just have my supper ideas listed. David and I are responsible for our own lunches usually, since I work 5 days a week. So here are the yummy ideas I have for this week.


Monday  - Vegetarian Meatloaf, broccoli
Tuesday –  Santa Fe Soup (without the beef), corn bread
Wednesday – Scalloped potatoes (without the ham and potatoes from the farmer’s market), lima beans, bread.
Thursday –  South Western Vegetarian Pasta, salad
Friday – Thai Curry Tofu with noodles and stir fried rice with vegetables
Sabbath –   Lunch: haystacks   Supper: Smoothies, bread, fruit

Can you tell that I like to use www.allrecipes.com yet? :P