A Walk Thru The Boston Public Garden

 

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Asparagus, Mushroom & Leek Spring Pasta

Spring Pasta Supper
Asparagus, Mushroom & Leek with Pappardelle Pasta

At the beginning of every season I go to the local market and long to make something that 'feels' like that particular season- roasted root vegetables in the Fall, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers in the Summer.  This pasta took shape like all good recipes- it started on pinterest (are you following me?), and ended with a trip to Verrill Farm.



1 pound of pappardelle pasta (here is the homemade recipe- or buy it if you can find it.)
1/2 pound of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pints of mushrooms, sliced
2 leeks, large dice
1 pound of asparagus, 2-inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of cream
sea salt & cracked pepper
olive oil
parmesan cheese


Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt.  Meanwhile...

In a saute pan, cook diced bacon on medium, rendering fat, cooking until crispy.  Remove cooked bacon and set aside, leave the bacon fat in the skillet.  Add olive oil.  Cook mushrooms in olive oil and bacon fat for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown.  Add leeks.  Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add asparagus and garlic.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until the asparagus begins to get tender.  Add cream, salt & pepper.

Add the pasta to the boiling water.  For fresh pasta, only cook for 30 seconds.  For dried pasta, cook for 4-6 minutes.  Add 1/4 (or more or less) pasta water from the boiling pot to the sauce.  Remove the pasta from the water with tongs and put it directly in the sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce.  Add more pasta water if needed.

Serve topped with parmesan cheese & good olive oil drizzled.

This pasta would be great for Mother's Day served with this dessert...

Vanilla Pound Cake layered with Lemon Curd Cream, Whipped Cream, Berries & Black Plums - Recipe coming later this week along with a planted pansie centerpiece.

Emma's 1st Easter

 

Mrs. Ross's Blackberry Cobbler | Baking with Emma

Mike is often requesting that I try to replicate recipes from his parents' neighbor, Mrs. Ross.  Mrs. Ross does a lot of entertaining for their neighborhood family - we are often there for Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.  He's always describing certain recipes she makes - the 'best' green beans, chocolate sheet cake, and blackberry cobbler.  I found some great looking blackberries so I told him I wanted to try to make a cobbler like Connie's.

Me : "What is it like exactly"

Mike : "It is a cobbler, but it doesn't have a crumbly top."

Me : "So, is it like a dumpling topping?  Like biscuits?"

Mike : "It is more like a cake.  But with berries."

Me : "Like berries on the bottom with cake batter on top?"

Mike : "No, the berries are on top.  Actually, they are in the middle, too."  

Me : "I think I'll just call your Mom."

Berry Cobbler
from Connie Ross's Kitchen

*I had 3 cups of berries, so I made 1 1/2 of this recipe, which filled a pie plate perfectly.

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 to 2 cups berries sweetened to taste

Melt butter until it starts to brown.
Pour into 1-1/2 qt baking dish.
Mix flour, sugar & baking powder with milk. 
Pour over melted butter.
Spread sweetened fruit over melted butter & batter.

Bake about 30 min @ 350 degrees.

Serves 4-6

 

I put in 3 tablespoons of sugar for 3 cups of berries.

Melted butter into the pan.

Mix together dry ingredients and milk.

Pour it into the pan with the butter.

Then top with sugared berries.

Done.  I can't believe how easy!

Ready for the oven.  I baked it a bit longer - almost 35 minutes because of the larger size of recipe.

Baked and beautiful.

 

Just needs a sprinkling of sugar and some vanilla ice cream.

 

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The View From Where I Sit | Staying in on a Saturday Night | Homemade Pizza for Two

This is a little peak into our house on a Saturday night when we decided to stay in.  Mike and Emma played in the living room while I spent some time in the kitchen preparing a pizza and a salad for us to share.



While I was fixing dinner, I snapped a couple of secret photos during their storytime.  The book is "Guess How Much I Love You" - so sweet.  Keep reading...

Photography | Painting Backdrops

I take most of my photos on our sun porch.  It has pale yellow bead-board paneled, brick painted walls and with windows on three sides.  The light is great, but I often have trouble getting a nice clean backdrop because of the windows or the painted brick.  I decided to paint some backdrops to give my photos a more professional look.

I painted my large canvas a pale powder blue - this blue has always been my signature color.

I purchased all of the paint colors I need to mix custom colors whenever I need them.  I'm able to paint my large canvas or smaller foam boards any color that I need at a moments notice.

I'm storing them in this little box in my workshop/utility room to keep them handy.

My blue board at work!  I love it.  I can't wait to try other colors on my foam boards.

Chocolate Cake... not from a box! (and it tastes amazing)

After a long hard battle competing against the mighty boxed cake, I have finally done it.  I made a cake that I think actually tastes better than my husband's favorite (and frequently requested...) cake from a boxed mix.  Why bother?  It totally bugs me that he has liked the boxed mix rather than my 'from scratch' chocolate cakes.  It is the same reason I continually make cookies other than is favorite chocolate chip.  Plain and simple pride. 

He has confirmed that he indeed likes this cake better.  I win.  It might have to do with the fact that Emma helped me make it... she's got his number!  So, I guess... we win.



I was inspired by Tessa from Nine and Sixteen - I used her "Love Me Forever Chocolate Cake" recipe as a starting place and added a couple of twists like using a hot cup of coffee instead of boiling water.  I also used melted butter instead of oil.  Not sure why, just thought melted butter would add great flavor.  Thanks for the inspiration, Tessa!

This recipe makes half a normal sized cake.  I am big into halving recipes - there are only two of us after all, and someone is going to be eating the cake until the platter is clean.  That someone is me, so I like to move the finish line a little closer to avoid having to buy new clothes. 

A Very Good Chocolate Cake
that's better than the box

1 cup sugar
7/8 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons of melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup of hot coffee

In a mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.  Stir to combine.  Add egg, milk and melted butter.  Mix on low until combined.  Add vanilla and hot coffee.  Beat for 1 minute on medium high.

Line a 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, or spray it with non-stick spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool.  Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
4 cups of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of good vanilla

In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter and milk together in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 45 seconds.  Add cocoa and stir to mix.  Pour mixture into mixer bowl.

Add pinch of salt, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix together on high for 3-4 minutes until shiny.

Here are some more step-by-step photos of my process: