Some More S'Mores

i just got new cookie sheets. and they must be christened! (thank you mom and dad for the birthday present)

since it's summer. and with summer comes camping. and with camping comes bonfires. and with bonfires comes s'mores.....it's time to whip up a batch of s'more cookies!

these are a labor of love that started as a theoretical brainchild of my nephew. every christmas i make an obscene amount of cookies. i always let my nieces and nephews pick which kind they want me to make....so everyone gets something they like.

my brilliant nephew marc took things a step further, and challenged me to make an entirely new kind of cookie. a s'more cookie.

it took some trial and error. quite a bit of error actually. the perfect ratio of graham cracker crumbs to all purpose flour. the right kind of chocolate chips. the exact perfect time to add the marshmallows. baking time and temperature....

but i've finally come up with a cookie that i can present to my nephew with pride!

now i admit, these aren't my favorite. i like a good strong ginger snap. or a classic chocolate chip with pecans. but marc loves them. and tony loves them. and i will admit they have that wonderful sense of nostalgia associated with summers at camp. and they're a world less messy than a regular s'more.

see how nicely browned the marshmallows are? that's the key to a s'more....the taste of a well toasted marshmallow.  and you can still see just the hint of letter from the hershey bars.  yes, you must use hershey bars. i'm all about high end dark chocolate. but c'mon people. it's a s'more. and for that you have to go with the PA classic.

here's the recipe as it stands now. be very careful to watch the cookies during the last few minutes. you want a toasted marshmallow. not a blackened one!

1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
6 oz unsalted butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 c chocolate chips (i'm a fan of the ghiradelli semi-sweet)
1 c mini marshmallows
3 Hershey bars (chopped into small pieces)

-Heat oven to 350F
-Sift crumbs, flour, soda and salt together
-Cream butter and sugar together for 2 minutes at medium speed
-Beat egg and vanilla into butter mixture for 30 seconds
-Add dry ingredients to butter mixture gradually while mixing on low.
-Fold in chocolate chips
-Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet
-Bake 9 minutes
-Remove cookies from oven and press a few marshmallows and a few Hershey pieces on the top of each.
-Place cookies back in oven under broil for 2-3 minutes (watch carefully, as soon as the marshmallows start to brown, remove from oven)

these little beauties will be coming with me tomorrow on a tubing trip down the shenandoah river.  i've also made a gallon of mint-infusted lemonade for the ride. the combination should make for a lovely lazy floating day on the water!

New Ink

i spent this afternoon bonding with my sister. not over lattes and pedicures. but over needles and ink....

for those of you who haven't heard of it, there is a movement known as "project semicolon" that started a few years ago.

http://www.projectsemicolon.com

to summarize, a woman began this movement to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention. to help those struggling with the decision to keep living to find the strength to keep going. in grammar, a semicolon is a place where a sentence COULD end; but continues.

when someone is questioning whether to continue their life, they are encouraged to draw a semicolon on themselves. to look at it and say "my life is this sentence, and it will continue".

many have gone further and have had the semicolon tattooed as a permanent reminder to keep...going....keep....living.  others have gotten the tattoo as a memorial to those who have lost that struggle.

i will never stop grieving over the loss of my dear, sweet, amazing and wonderful nephew max. when he chose to take his own life. when he chose to end his sentence. it is a pain i carry in my heart that is every bit as permanent as a tattoo. so is the love i will always have for my dear maxwell.

i took the semicolon and added wings to it, to make it a dragon fly. (my mom always told me i was a dragon fly. a creature that could never stay in one place for long.)

it's a simple design, but one of hope. and of remembrance. i've got him tucked behind my ear. a little "bug in my ear" to tell me to keep faith and persevere.

i also got this little guy. not only for my love of greyhounds, but my inspiration to keep running. now, to be clear. when i say i've been "running"....i don't mean graceful leggy strides. i want you to picture a turtle trying to meander it's way through molasses on a cold day. that's how i "run". but i am out there on the trail. and as slow as i am, it's still faster than if i was on the couch. so when i want to quit and go back to the couch? i look at this sleek creature and keep running. (it is now that i must point out the irony, that my actual greyhound? is most definitely at home snoozing on the couch while i am out huffing and puffing. she takes her retirement very seriously)

if you are ever in need of a tattoo artist in baltimore? i highly recommend charlie foos at read st. he's about the most gentle tattoo artist there is. and believe me, that is a trait you want!!

'Nanners

i know i've been rambling about all the dinners i'm going to make next year, so i figured for now i should focus on breakfasts. this is one of the go-to standards i like to make on the weekends. really tasty. incredibly filling. and full of fiber and potassium!

rules of the universe. no matter how  many bananas are in the bunch you buy, you will never eat them all before they get too ripe.

so one of my favorite things to do with ripe bananas is slice them and cook them in a skillet. a little honey, a little butter, a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. 

they're really easy. just heat the skillet over medium high. then add the butter. once it's melted, stir in the honey, salt and cinnamon. then lay the banana slices into the mixture. let it get nice and bubbly for about five minutes and they're good to go! no stirring needed.

it's sort of like a poor man's bananas foster. the combination of honey, butter and sea salt tastes is like a really smooth salted caramel.  

most mornings i'll make this and pour it over a bowl of oatmeal and toss with a little granola for texture.

that plus a good cup of lavazza coffee, and the day is ready to begin! excellent way to start a weekend. happy saturday to you all!

TRS Rules (Tony Rating System)

as i start sorting through all the recipes i've made, and have yet to make, i need a way to figure out which ones i'll keep on the rotation. which ones will make it to the table for future meals.  so i've had to devise some sort of a rating system.

i usually rely on tony to be the judge and jury of the dishes i prepare. i will of course take into account the opinions of other dinner guests when they care to offer feedback. but tony is the constant face in my test kitchen, and the most brutally honest. so the rating system bears his name.

i've asked him to chime in, as i need a way to keep track of the meals i'm planning in 2016, and which ones are worth making again. or which ones are suitable for impressing company. or which ones make sure that company never returns...

here is a break down of how the "TRS" works:

no stars=after one bite, tony leaves the house and will not return until every trace of this disaster has been removed. we will never speak of this again....

one star=he barely chokes down the meal, and even then out of politeness....or possibly starvation. leftovers are tossed.

two stars=he finishes the meal, and may eat the leftovers if there's nothing better. usually the leftovers hide in the back of the fridge for two weeks and are eventually tossed. no sleep is lost if this meal is never made again.

three stars=he shrugs. usually there's a "meh". it's decent. this dish will stay on the rotation, but it stands room for improvement.

four stars=he goes back for seconds. sometimes thirds. a very satisfying meal. if there are leftovers, they are usually gone within a day. this moves to the top of the rotation to become a standard at la casa de gaio.

five stars=he weeps. he swoons. he closes his eyes in bliss. this is a meal a dying man would ask for as his last. faith in humanity is restored. all is right with the world.

there is always room at the table for anyone who wishes to be a part of the test kitchen!

Oh KALE no!

i love my mother. really i do. we agree on most things. that rubber soul is a great album. if something is good with chocolate, it's better with more chocolate. that books are better read from pages than from screens, and that a life should be fully spent before dying....

on the few occasions we disagree, my mother and i usually are able to see each others' viewpoint, and respect our differences. even on politics and religion, we can have an open and thoughtful dialogue. usually.

however there remains one point that will forever bring contention between my mother and myself. the green leafy subject....of kale. specifically kale smoothies. these bright green wonderfully healthy and surprisingly tasty smoothies have become a standard breakfast here at la casa de gaio.

isn't that pretty? doesn't that just LOOK healthy? my mom will tell you it tastes "green" but i promise, it tastes like a tropical vacation.

much like my beloved sprout of brussel, kale has a stupid amount of vitamins (A, C, K) as well as potassium and iron. and i'm deficient in both of those minerals.  this particular recipe also has banana (more potassium), mango (more vitamin C and a high amount of fiber) and pineapple (which is rumored to help reduce bruising....anyone who knows how clumsy i am....knows i always have bruises that need reducing). it also has greek yogurt and almond milk, both of which provide much needed calcium.

i've gotten in the habit of making a large batch of them and pouring them into quart size bags to keep in the freezer. they thaw out, and done. breakfast is ready. often i won't even bother with the glass, i'll just put a straw straight into the bag and drink it ala capri sun.

tony swears these are magic after a long bike ride. which i can believe. the natural sugars, calcium and proteins would help to repair muscle strain. not to mention they're very refreshing and cooling.

i have other versions of the kale smoothie as well, depending on what i'm in the mood for. they all start with the same base:

1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk (or coconut milk, or regular milk, or even juice)
1 banana
1 cup kale

from here i add two cups more of whatever flavor combination i'm craving. some of my favorites are below:

1 cup peach + 1 cup blueberry
1 cup pineapple + 1 cup mango
1 cup strawberry + 1 cup raspberry + 2 Tblsp peanut butter (my favorite)
2 cups mixed berries

put it all in a blender until smooth, and voila. done. each batch fills makes about two servings.

i will say, for anyone put off by the color green? use blueberries or blackberries. they turn the smoothie a lovely shade of purple.

i think next i want to try one with cherries....we'll see how that one turns out. one of these days i will find one to break my mother of her prejudice against kale.

A Few of My Favorite Things

i'm going to try to make this a recurring segment: my favorite things.

basically just keeping a list of what makes me smile. what makes me happy. what shakes me out of a funk after a bad day. what makes me not throttle my co-workers in a bloody showdown....

simple joys and small treasures.

like, the color orange. especially in flowers. a friend of mine gave me these tulips out of her garden. they made me smile for a solid week. it's a happy color. these are happy flowers.

and cupcakes. everybody gets their own cake. nobody has to feel bad that their slice is smaller than someone else's. they're all equal. and delicious. and so fun to decorate. i decorated these ones to look like little ewoks. (and they're filled with a whiskey ganache....which just ups the happy exponentially)

roald dahl. just cause. i like saying "vermicious k'nid"

these guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuvaos1WHTk
seriously. i want to go to australia just to see them.

the way trees look after ice storms. like everything is straight out of a fairy tale where the characters live in a world made of crystal.

sequins. i'm pretty sure i get this one from my grandmother. she lives a life covered in sparkle. which makes her very easy to spot in a crowd. and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. i think sequins should be appropriate for more than just new year's eve. we should get to wear them on arbor day. and flag day. and wednesday.

the banjo. a truly underrated instrument with a bad reputation associated with red necks and white trash. i am by no means a country music lover. but old fashioned blue grass? that i have a soft spot for. i love the sound of a well played banjo. i mean c'mon. kermit. rainbow connection. need i say more?

blankets. i wish it were socially acceptable as an adult to be swaddled like i was as a baby. i love being wrapped in a good blanket. a handmade quilt or knit afghan being among the favorites.  and no, snuggies do NOT count.  it just isn't the same. just like the little bats....i want to be a burrito.

christmas lights. i have often picked a restaurant to eat at based entirely on their use of christmas lights in the decor. extra points if its in the summer. the soft and gentle glow of the little ivory lights might be the most flattering light there is. everyone is attractive under christmas lights.

peaches. fresh peaches. it's such a small window that they're in season. but when they are? they are fantastic. and i'm not scared to eat them with the skin still on. i embrace the fuzz.

so there they are, 10 things that make me smile. i'll try to think of more and add later. hopefully they will inspire someone else somewhere to smile too....

PSA

this is a very important message i feel everyone should know. brussels sprouts. they aren't all that bad.

i grew up in a generation that feared the tiny cabbage. it was associated with the bland limp colorless boiled bulb of mush that was served on cafeteria trays.

but as i've grown, i have learned that these little tiny green gems can actually be a fantastic side dish. it's one that tony requests frequently.

i bring this up because i have converted more followers into my fold. and the word is spreading....

i had the pleasure of my niece visiting me a few weeks ago. i have been promising her for years that i would teach her a few of my recipes.  we went over some classics like making yeast rolls and macaroni and cheese (that didn't come out of a box). and we tried out some side dishes she never had. i won her over....with the simple and wonderful joy of a roasted brussel sprout.

so easy. so basic. i will never understand why anyone would boil these lovely morsels?? quartered, tossed in salt, pepper and olive oil. roasted at 400F for 45 minutes. crispy. salty. and apparently also stupid healthy. they have a crap ton of vitamins K and C....and who wouldn't benefit from a little extra K and C? or for that matter the entire sunshine band *rimshot* (sorry folks, the occasional bad joke will happen).

my niece carried on the good word, and has in turn made these for her family.  perhaps this makes me a bad influence? perhaps, though my sister did say she ate 3 servings....

if she visits again....it's all about lessons in cauliflower.

My Roomates

ladies and gentlemen, i present to you: my beloved roommates. i'm sure you will see many more pictures of them in the months to come. and most of my tales involve one or the other....

  

this is tony. aka. "the sweet babboo" 

sadly, this is not tony's personal collection of whiskies. rather this was taken at the scotch whisky experience in edinburgh last fall. a truly remarkable collection of fine amber malts. a must see for anybody who has an appreciation for whisky. which it just so happens, both tony and i do!

i am very lucky to have found tony. he is the rare sort of man who won't turn his nose up at vegetables, is happy to enjoy a strong bleu cheese, and has been very willing to be my guinea pig for new recipes. he will be the official rater for all of next years recipes. 

this....is mahjong. aka. "the princess"

mahjong is the retired athlete of the family. she spent four years racing on a track in st petersburg florida. now she is our resident couch potato. for any of you who have never been around a greyhound? imagine a 72 pound cat. she lives for naps and belly rubs. and peanut butter.  

so that's the family! cute, aren't they?

Greetings and Salutations

hello world!

after years of hiding from all things technological and in any way social mediacal (yes i made that up, it's my blog, and i will use this as a platform to make my own words when i see fit) i have started *gasp* a blog.

this all started as a way to chronicle what will be my goal for 2016.  i want to go an entire year without having the same meal for dinner twice.  really i blame pinetrest for this. how else will i force myself to make all of the recipes i have saved?  at a later time i'll post all the rules of my goal, so the world can see exactly what i mean with i say i have OCD "obsessive culinary disorder". yes i can have chicken more than once. but not prepared the same way, or served with the same sides. yes i can go to the same restaurant more than once, but i must order a different dish.

i've already put a rather silly amount of time and planning into this endeavor.  many have suggested i keep a blog to keep a record of the meals. so....here i am!

with my tales of cooking attempts (both successful and tragic) i will also post any tales of travel and small adventures that i may happen across.  i have a hard time sitting in one place too long, and am always gearing up for another trip....whether it's a month to the other side of the world to try real sushi, or a day trip to pick apples in western virginia.  i find travel to be the best inspiration for my kitchen!

i'll be sure to introduce you (whoever "you" are that happen to be reading this) to my beloved roommates and long suffering test kitchen tasters....my boyfriend Tony and my greyhound Mahjong.