an apple picking adventure

Last Saturday me and a few friends from work journeyed upstate for a day of apple picking, apple-cider-donut eating, and fancy Iberico-ham-and-Manchego-cheese-plus-red-wine picnicking. Narrow, winding roads, canopied with leaves of red, yellow, and orange, nestled around charming, picturesque homes that we instantly dreamed were ours, filled our peripherals. We pulled up to Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm, only to roll the windows down and take in the sweet scent of warm apple cinnamon wafting from the bakeshop and into our noses. It was a fine, fine day for the senses.

Getting up there was a feat. The other journeyers drove, while I took the Metro North due to unforeseen LIRR cancellations and mad dashes from Penn Station to Grand Central in what I had hoped to take 13 minutes or less. It took 13 minutes and 34 seconds. It's an unfortunate moment when you witness the train pulling out of the station as you're approaching the platform feeling short of breath and at that point, hopeless. And so naturally, as I waited for the next train out to Croton-Harmon, I people-watched at one of the best places to partake in such an activity. I secretly hoped for a flash mob to break out before my eyes, but what girl can be so lucky to catch an empty cab at the exact cross street she needed at the exact time she needed (even though traffic was just plain terrible) AND witness one of the coolest things ever? Not this girl. I did, however, have a very unexpected and very beautiful view of the Hudson River and the Fall foliage all along my way up. Suddenly, taking the Metro North wasn't all that bad.

With our stomachs full, we ventured out to the orchard and began our picking. It was so, so lovely. The next best thing to eating as many apples as you possibly can, is photographing them. I don't know why it felt entirely satisfying to be surrounded by so many apple trees. But it did. So with an apple in one hand (and/or mouth), and a camera in the other, I soaked up the most Fall-ish day I think I've ever had. All while in very good company.

fall apple cinnamon tart

It's a week before Thanksgiving, so naturally this is what's running through my mind majority of the day;

• "Only 6 days 3 hours until I can blast Frank Sinatra's Christmas album & 'Now Christmas' 1, 2, & 3" (I'm not ashamed of the latter, and I bet you secretly like it too.)
• "Is it too early to light an apple cinnamon candle?
• "No. Yes."
• "Screw it, DO IT"
• "It's ok that you're not paying attention in class right now. Planning what you're going to bake throughout the whole month of December is more important anyway. If need be, just offer your kind professors some baked goods. They'll surely understand."
• "You need to organize, you need to clean, you need to buy more candles, you (& your abode) need to be COZY."
• "You're broke. Get off Nasty Gal, get off Urban, get off Anthro."
• "Stop writing this and get your ass to the gym. You're going to be consuming copious amounts of food over the next month and you cannot spare to skip a day. Trust me."

In regards to the first bullet, I usually have a rule where I cannot listen to Christmas music anytime before Thanksgiving. But hey, am I really to blame if my Itunes "accidentally" started playing 'A Very She & Him Christmas' on repeat while I baked up this beauty of a tart? My hands were full of sticky, buttery Pate Brisee and they were not coming close to my keyboard. I mean there was really nothing I could do except make myself listen to it. ;)

If you couldn't already tell/didn't already know, this is my favorite time of the year. It's a time full of insane amounts of baking & cooking, watching classic Christmas movies, drinking Dunkin D's hot chocolate (can't mess with tradition, folks), all whilst enjoying the company of friends and family. Seriously, it's so perfect it makes me smile just thinking about it!

A few more small things to appreciate during this wonderful season; pretty leaves, really good smelling fall & winter candles, said candles lit while watching a Christmas movie and cuddling with your cat, and the simple fact that it's scarf & boot weather.

Alright, so it isn't the best leaf. But it's in my backyard, in Florida mind you, so I take what I can get.

Remember these cute little tart pans? I bought them about a month ago along with some other pretty rad vintage items and I was finally able to put them to use! I decided to test out a recipe for an apple cinnamon tart because I plan to make it for Thanksgiving dessert alongside pumpkin cheesecake. I was so happy with the results and cannot wait to make it again! It may look intimidating, but it's actually quite simple and so delicious.

I was eating very clean up until last weekend when I splurged (a lot) while visiting my best friend. When I got home on Tuesday I told myself that it was back to clean eating until Thanksgiving. Then I made this tart. And then I tasted the crust. And oh. my. goodness. So flaky, so light, so perfect!!

All of the recipes I came across didn't call for cinnamon. Being a huge lover of all things cinnamon, and of course cinnamon-sugar, I knew without a doubt that it would make it's way onto my tart. That decision couldn't have been better I tell ya.

I made a glaze to brush over the tart while it was still warm out of the oven, which I lightly adapted from smitten kitchen. I adored the idea of being resourceful and using the left over scraps from the apples. In addition to the apple scraps, water, and sugar, I also threw in a little vanilla extract because, well, why not? I highly, HIGHLY recommend you don't skip the glaze because it is so full of flavor. I had so much of it left over, and being that it tastes amazing I didn't want to throw it away. It's currently sitting in my fridge while I think of something else to do with it. Maybe a cocktail of some sort or a sweetener for my tea? Double resourceful.... can't get any better than that!

Fall Apple Cinnamon Tart
makes one 9 inch tart
adapted from barefoot contessa, smitten kitchen, & anne burrell

ingredients:
for  the crust

• 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup of ice water

for the apples

• 3 golden delicious apples
• 2-4 tablespoons of sugar
• ground cinnamon to dust on top
• 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced small

for the glaze

• apple peels, cores, scraps
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• enough water just to cover the scraps
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

steps:

for the crust

Roughly dice the cold butter. In a food processor, combine butter, flour, and salt. Pulse until crumbly and resembles the texture of grated cheese. Through the chute, drizzle in half the cold water and pulse until mixture forms a ball. Add the remaining water if needed and pulse in order to form a dough ball. Remove from food processor, form into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. The dough will be sticky. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

for the apples

Peel and core the apples, and put the scraps aside for the glaze. Slice the apples relatively thin, and set aside while rolling out the dough.

to assemble

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Remove dough from the refrigerator and place  on a floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough to about 1/8-1/4 inch thick, depending on how thin you’d like your crust to be. Lay the dough in your tart pan, with the excess hanging over the sides. Take your rolling pin and roll over the top of the pan to crimp the excess dough for easy removal. Arrange apple slices in any design you’d like, but pack them tightly. Sprinkle the sugar all over the top, I used about 1/8 cup, and dust with as much or as little cinnamon as you’d like. Dice the tablespoon of butter into small cubes, and dot the top of the tart. Bake for 45-50 minutes on the middle rack.

for the glaze

Place all apple scraps plus any left over apple slices in a medium sized sauce pan. Add the sugar, enough water to cover the scraps, and the vanilla extract. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low-medium and let simmer while the tart bakes. The glaze should become slightly thicker as it cooks.

to finish

Remove tart from the oven. While that is slightly cooling, remove glaze from the stovetop and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a medium sized bowl. Discard the scraps. Brush the glaze all over the tart, including the crust. You will have a lot of left over glaze.

Serve warm, or let cool to room temperature and place in an airtight container. It should keep a few days.

Enjoy!

salad of the week + father's day idea #1

Has it really been just about 2 weeks since I last posted on here?? Last week really flew by. Between having a midterm & going to Disney to celebrate one of my best friend's birthday, my time was very limited. I really wanted to post a new salad last week for the June Salad-A-Day Challenge, but unfortunately it didn't work out. I decided that it might be easier to post a "salad of the week" from now on, rather than trying to post multiple recipes per week.

On a happy note, next week is the last week of my 4 hour microbiology lab on Tues/Thurs! That means more free time, which will ultimately be filled with gymmin' it up, kickboxin' it up, and recipe testin' it up. Flatbreads and sparkling summer beverages anyone?? The excitement is almost too much!! Throw in planning my birthday trip to NYC and I'm a happy, happy lady!

The salad I came up with for this week is simple, healthy, and super easy. It's nothing too fancy, but the flavors complement each other very well. It's been a go-to salad in my house, and with a little tweaking it is now another staple to be enjoyed all summer :)

Salad of the Week: Cran-Apple Salad with Mixed Greens, Feta, Sliced Almonds, and a Tangy Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 serving

 Ingredients:

• 3 slices of a Granny Smith apple (~1 cup), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat feta, crumbled (I usually buy mine already crumbled)
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• A couple of handfuls of mixed greens, I used spring mix    
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• good pinch of salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Toast sliced almonds in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. You can also do this in a toaster oven. Rinse mixed greens, set aside. Make the dressing by whisking together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Once mixed, whisk in EVOO until dressing is emulsified. Add salt and pepper, give it a quick whisk. To slice the apple, I find it easiest to use an apple slicer, then cut those slices in half since they are pretty thick. Once cut in half, cut into smaller bite-sized pieces. In a large salad bowl or mixing bowl, toss together mixed greens, apples, dried cranberries, reduced fat feta, sliced almonds, and the vinaigrette. Add a little more dried cranberries or feta to garnish, (optional).

prepare ingredients

whisk together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey

whisk in EVOO until emulsified

apple slices are thick. cut these in half, then slice into bite-sized pieces :)

I feel so good when I know I've been fueling my body with healthful foods and exercising regularly. I can almost hear my heart saying "Thank You" as I'm jogging away on the elliptical.

There comes a time though, usually a special occasion, when you know that you may splurge a bit. Said splurging may consist of cheesy pasta for dinner, cake for breakfast, or sinful cookies for dessert. I am both saddened and pleased to tell you that I have recipes for all of these! Saddened because healthy eating is not the priority in these dishes, but very pleased because they are all finger-lickin' (or fork-lickin') good!

As I'm sure you're aware, Father's Day is just around corner, and if you're like me, then you love to cook for any occasion that you can possibly can. Especially the kind that allow you to show your love for someone through delicious food. I thought it would be fun to post a few dishes that are inspired by dad, and may inspire you to make for your dad. :)

As an Italian, a former New Yorker, and now a boating/fishing junkie, my dad is all about the comfort food. You can't blame him, especially when his ideal meal is some sort of Italian dish for dinner and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I've decided to amp this up a bit though, and provide you with a new take on old comforts! Traditional chocolate chip cookies are taken to a new level with.....

Ooey Gooey & Chewy S'mores Cookies,  Father's Day Idea #1

Memories of sitting around the campfire, toasting up marshmallows and smushing it between two honey graham crackers flood my mind after taking a bite of one of these cookies. Oozing chocolate and gooey marshmallowey goodness.... it's so perfect!! If you like chunks of chocolate rather than mini chips, by all means use the big ones. With a cookie like this, you can't go wrong.

I can honestly say that these are in my top 5 best cookies I've ever had. And as I try to think of 4 other cookies just as amazing as these, I simply can't. So I might as well say that these are my number 1. We can all admit that that's kind of a big deal. They are gooey and very chewy, just as the name implies. If you like your cookies soft with chocolate chips that melt in your mouth, then you will be in heaven with these.

Although I don't cook or bake with butter often, there are times when you just can't replace it with something healthier. I was, however, able to use organic whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose flour, and Sucanat sugar in place of brown sugar. (Sucanat still contains some nutrients!)

I'm kind of going backwards here in terms of my Father's Day ideas. Starting off with dessert first wasn't my intention, but who's really complaining, right? My roommate, my brother, my friend, (and of course me), absolutely loved them! I am 99.99% sure that any guy who appreciates some good ol' cookies, would enjoy these very much!

Make these! You (and/or your father) truly will not be disappointed!!

****

Yield: ~20 medium sized cookies 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup= 1 stick of butter)
• 3/4 cup Sucanat sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 inch of a vanilla bean (scrape out & use the tiny beans) or 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, ~6 crackers
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 bag (or 1 cup) of semisweet mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows
• extra crushed graham cracker pieces & marshmallows to place on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. Gather all of your ingredients.

Place 6 graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until they become crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, don't worry! You can place the graham crackers in a sealed plastic bag and use the back of an ice cream scoop to crush them.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), add butter to the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until creamy, less than a minute.

Add in Sucanat sugar and granulated sugar, and cream together with the butter on medium speed until airy and creamy, ~3 minutes. This is an integral step in making sure your cookie has just the right texture and leavens correctly.

Scrape down the bowl and paddle as necessary.

Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Again, scrape down the bowl and paddle as necessary.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour [wwpf], graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.) While the stand mixer is running on low-medium speed, add your dry ingredients into the bowl. Add a little, let it mix in, then add a little more, let it mix in, and so on. The goal is to make sure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated evenly. Remember that they contain the baking soda and baking powder that cause it to rise, so you want to be sure that they mix in evenly so every cookie turns out the same.

Once the dough has come together (it will be sticky), add in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. You can use a rubber spatula or a low speed on the stand mixer to mix them in, but I prefer to use my hands.

Using a medium cookie scoop, a big spoon, or your hands, place medium sized (about the size of a golf ball, maybe a tinyyy bit bigger) cookie dough balls on your parchment lined baking sheets ~1 or 2 inches apart. Add extra graham crackers pieces and marshmallows on top. This step is optional but I highly, highly recommend it. The extra marshmallows on top get golden brown and gooey!

Bake for 10-11 minutes for a chewy, gooey texture. Let them cool for 10 minutes, if you even can! I couldn't resist and tried one almost straight out of the oven. Sometimes I have little to no self control :P

Place extra cookies in a Tupperware. They should be good for at least a few days. I can guarantee they won't stay around that long though!

ingredients

mini chocolate chips are so cute and delicious. there's no way you can eat just one

use a stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar

you want it to be mixed very well so it is creamy and airy. this step plays a part in leavening the cookie

add the egg and vanilla

it will look like this

mix together dry ingredients (wwpf, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder/soda, salt)

add the dry ingredients a little at a time so it is evenly mixed

stir in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. don't be afraid to also use your hands to make sure it is evenly mixed

i used my hands to form medium sized cookies, but that's only because I don't have a cookie scoop. make them as small or as large as you want :)

mine are about 3 inches in diameter. they're pretty big!

beauties

Tomorrow I'll be posting the remaining two Father's Day Ideas!

*comfort breakfast food in style

*easy Italian pasta becomes cheesy Italian pasta (don't worry it's still easy)