Eat Local Challenge Recipe Deadline is Today!

Have you submitted your recipe for the  Montgomery County  Eat Local Challenge?  There's still time - the deadline is today.  Good luck!

Be well,

Technicolor girl

The Cookie Bake

I worked with Carrie when she first told me about her annual cookie bake. Carrie's intent was to have friends, colleagues, associates and their guests visit her home, bake cookies and then select baked goodies  to take home with them.

That was seven years ago. I attend as often as my schedule will allow. In my opinion, these are the factors that make the cookie bake work.

• Recipes, ingredients, mixers and other baking implements are provided. If someone wants to make something that is not on the recipe list they contact Carrie and let her know. Carrie will purchase the ingredients on the person inquiring can do so. One year I made bourbon balls. I purchased the bourbon. Carrie's cooking bake is one of the few places outside of a department store when I've seen a lineup of KitchenAid mixers in assorted colors and models.

• Snacks and beverages are available - there's something for everyone. The daughter of  Carrie's fiancé made an adorable appetizer featuring penguins. It was fun and festive, but also tasty!

 

• It's family friendly. One year Samantha brought her grandson between making cookies many guests played with Samantha's grandson. The cookies are packaged in white takeout containers; sometimes the young school aged children  decorate the containers.

 

• Guests are welcome . One year I took a guest, Myron. I RSVP'd to let Carrie know I was bringing a guest, of course.  Myron told me he was curious about the cookie bake and was certain he would be the only adult male present. Upon arrival Myron  was warmly greeted by the cookie bake crowd. Myron he found a recipe he wanted to try and set to work.  Carrie's fiancé (then boyfriend) struck up a conversation with Myron and soon the two were chatting about current events and sports while mixing ingredients.

•  Carrie's invite has a specific start and end time. It gives her time to prepare her space for the arriving guests. It also establishes a time for activities to wrap up so Carrie can clean up and decompress.  Guests who are so inclined help with clean up tas well. Samantha and I often volunteer for dishwashing duty because without clean baking utensils the event would come to a halt.  Bonus: we're often asked to me taste tester as baked items emerge from the oven.

This year I made chocolate flourless cookies.  The recipe was provided as well as all the ingredients (the recipe is above in the post).  Carrie, her fiancé and I taste tested the finished product. We determined the cookies are good, but the recipe will undergo a few minor tweaks before appearing on the 2015 cookie back recipe list.

Have you attended a cookie bake event? Did you enjoy it? What made the event fun? Have you hosted a cookie bake?  If yes, what other factors make a cookie bake a fun gathering? Share your comments below.


Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

Summer salad courtesy of Zaytinya

Zaytinya Martini

I recently met a colleague at Zaytinya  for an informal business meeting. After perusing the menu and submitting orders a member of the staff approached the table with a dish. My colleague and I looked at each other thinking the other had ordered the dish. When we  realized neither one of us had ordered the dish we explained that the dish had mistakenly been sent to our table and resumed chatting.

A few minutes later our server returned holding the dish. He explained the dish, a watermelon salad featuring feta cheese, kalamata olive, spring onion, and mint was for us. It was sent to us from the house because of our frequent patronage.  We thanked the server and studied the salad for a few seconds. I suddenly realized my colleague was a food enthusiast like me!

Zaytinya's watermelon salad

John Livanos of Zaytinya stopped at our table and explained that he had sent the salad - it was a new item on Zaytinya's menu. He wanted us to try it and thanked us again for our patronage. He also told us it was very common in Greek homes to serve this salad in the summer whether dining with family or family and guests. 

The salad is a combination of savory, sweet, and salty. It's also cool and refreshing. As my colleague chatted I envisioned myself sitting on a rooftop on a summer evening dining enjoying the salad. I had to know how to make this salad! I made a mental note to search the internet. 

The closest facsimile to Zaytinya's lovely salad is a watermelon salad recipe I found on Food and Wine's site. The recipe serves 12, so adjust accordingly. Not sure how to adjust the recipe for smaller or larger servings? Submit a comment I'm happy to assist.  If you  know of another recipe, share it by submitting a comment.

OR you could stop by Zaytinya and experience this delicious salad for yourself. Reservations for Zaytinya can be made via Opentable. The closest metro stop is Gallery Place. Valet parking and metered street parking are available.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

Easter Entertaining - ideas from Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen

Easter brunch. Perhaps like me, these words elicit mixed emotions. I enjoy cooking and entertaining, but often  feel exhausted once the cooking is completed and my guests have eaten. This year I decided  to contact  my colleague, Leigh Suznovich, author of Jeanie and Lulu's kitchen, for Easter entertaining ideas.  

About Leigh Suznovich:  Leigh is a culinary school graduate from the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and also graduated from Rutgers University with a double major in History and Political Science. After culinary school she started working for the wonderful website The Chef’s Connection doing freelance interviewing and editing. She has had the privilege of interviewing some of the top chefs in New York, including Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel and cake master artist Ron Ben-Israel. In October she launched her own personal food blog called Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen, which is a tribute to the cooking of her grandmothers. They continue to inspire her every day in the kitchen.

Here's what Leigh said:

I have always loved Easter even more than Christmas. There is none of the Holiday rush and focus on presents that there is at Christmas so to me it’s more relaxed and serene. It’s also Spring at Easter time with gorgeous flowers everywhere, bright and colorful dyed eggs and warmer weather which makes me a very happy girl. Of course, the best part of Easter is getting together with loved ones over a leisurely meal!

French Toast Bake

When it comes to Easter entertaining, the key is to keep it simple and make as much ahead of time as you can. A classic Easter ham is something that can be prepped quickly with your favorite herbs and spices and then just put it in the oven to slowly cook. It’s perfect.

Another absolute favorite of mine for Easter Brunch is a French Toast Casserole. It’s loaded with flavor, so easy to put together, and it’s best made ahead the night before. You just take a classic French toast batter of eggs, milk, spices and vanilla extract, add some of your favorite jam or fruit butter, and pour it over a cubed loaf of your favorite bread in a casserole dish. Let it sit overnight to let the bread really soak up all of that batter. Then you just bake it in the morning! This is my recipe for Figgy French Toast Bake that I love to make for brunch, using Fig Jam and rose water. It’s incredible!  French Toast Bake.

Mini Quiches

To go with the savory ham and sweet French Toast Casserole I like to make something delicate and elegant to have a little something for everyone. My adorable mini turkey sausage, mushroom and spinach quiches fit the bill perfectly. These can be put together quickly and easily and then baked. There is no slaving over a griddle or stove and you can make a dozen of them at once so they are really ideal for a crowd. Here is my recipe for them! Mini-Sausage Mushroom Spinach Quiches.

These recipes will make for such an incredible and impressive brunch this Easter. They’re easy, no fuss and delicious which will allow you to focus your energy on being with your loved ones. When it comes down to it that’s what food is all about; bringing loved ones to the table to celebrate both life’s special occasions and the wonderful every day moments. I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful Easter Sunday!

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Want to know more about  Leigh?  Visit her blog site, Jeanieandluluskitchen. 

Follow her on Twitter: @LeighSuznovich

Be well,
Technicolor girl