Spicy Arugula Spread
This is a recipe that almost wasn’t. It came about last Sunday night while I was preparing beer bread and chai truffles for a food swap the next day. I was really nervous about going to the swap, in part because I wasn’t sure whether my dishes would be fancy enough for all the foodies in attendance. This is a common fear for me. I call it Potluck Anxiety, and it tends to sneak up any time I take a large batch of treats to a social gathering. Potluck Anxiety is usually really annoying but in this instance I’m glad I had it, because otherwise I might have never made this...
Read MoreCheddar Kale Muffins
These savory muffins call for a whole head of kale, plus protein-rich cheddar cheese, making them a healthy and filling option for breakfast on the go. You’re going to have to take my word for it that these muffins look good. I made a batch of them for us to take on vacation to San Diego, and I was in such a hurry to pack them up that I forgot to take a picture! They were great travel food; not too smelly on the plane, and a big step up from any of the airport snacks. Cheddar Kale Muffins (yields 12 regular-sized muffins) 1 head kale, washed and dried 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/4...
Read MoreTangerine Shortbread
In a pinch for a last-minute hostess gift or holiday bake sale offering? These zesty shortbread cookies come together in less than 40 minutes and have just four ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and the Oasis Gardens tangerines from this week’s local box. Don’t let the simple ingredients fool you; these Christmas cookies taste fancier than the recipe lets on. They have the golden color and tender texture of traditional shortbread cookies, but the tangerine zest in the dough gives the finished cookies a fresh flavor. You can use the zest of any citrus fruits you have on hand,...
Read MoreChallah Pear Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
I first read about Confituras’ Salty Caramel Pear Butter in one of my favorite Austin food blogs, Local Savour. I knew right away that I wanted to use it to make Christmas cookies, and last Wednesday I bought a jar of pear butter from Stephanie herself just for that purpose. Well. Sort of. I never actually made it to the cookies because as soon as I sampled a little of the pear butter, I ended up eating half the jar. I still needed to make something for dessert that night, so I came up with this challah pear pudding with salty caramel sauce. For the recipe I used cinnamon...
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