lemon berry pound cake

This was our rainy-day/sticker-chart-reward activity today.

lemon berry pound cake

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp lemon extract or zest (2 lemons' worth)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 pint fresh or 2 cups frozen blue or rasp-berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the loaf pan.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon, baking powder and salt, and beat well.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing until well incorporated. When the batter is smooth and thick, just before pouring into the pan, fold in the berries.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 mins. Cool in the pan on a rack before serving.

soy marinated tofu

This was actually my first time cooking tofu, and it was amazing, and an even better version of one of the kids' favorite dishes from Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles in Chinatown.

soy marinated tofu

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

4 teaspoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or a good pinch of ground ginger

4 teaspoons hoisin sauce, optional

One 16-ounce tub extra-firm tofu

1 or 2 scallions, thinly sliced, optional

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir together.

2. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot well between clean tea towels or several layers of paper towels, then cut each slice through the thickness again to make 1/4-inch-thick slices. Blot briefly again.

3. Cut each slice into 2 squares. Place in a shallow pan and drizzle with the marinade. Gently turn the tofu pieces over so that both sides are coated with marinade. Let stand for 10 minutes or so.

4. Heat a wide nonstick skillet. Transfer the tofu and marinade into the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently and frequently, until the tofu is nicely browned on most sides.

Scatter scallions over the tofu if desired, and serve at once.

japanese turnips in miso butter

I don't know when I'll ever encounter more hakuri turnips, but if I ever do, this is what I'll make. Probably one of the best dishes we've enjoyed from our CSA veggies this summer/fall.

japanese turnips in miso butter

3 tbsp miso paste
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
3 lbs Japanese turnips with greens
1 cup water
2 tbsp mirin (a Japanese sweet rice wine, I substituted some Chinese rice wine and 1 tbsp sugar)

Stir together miso and 2 tbsp butter.

Remove and coarsely chop greens from turnips. Wash and halve (or quarter) turnips (leave whole if tiny) and put in a 12-inch heavy skillet along with water, mirin, remaining tablespoon butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then boil, covered, 10 minutes.

Add greens by handfuls, turning and stirring with tongs and adding more as volume in skillet reduces. Cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until turnips are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 5 minutes. Stir in miso butter and cook 1 minute.

kale mac n cheese

After a summer of CSA vegetables, we needed something that our kids would definitely eat, hopefully in the form of vegetables. So, why not just combine kale, cheese and pasta? This was really really good - for both kids and adults.

kale mac n cheese
serves 4-6

1-2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch kale, removed from stem and chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/ 2 lb short pasta
2 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp flour
about 2 cups whole milk
1 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of cheddar, gruyere and random mozzarella)
salt and pepper, to taste

Boil pasta according

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan and saute garlic until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.

Add in the kale and stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend. Set aside.

Melt butter in the same sauce pan. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed, about 1-2 mins (you want to cook off the pastry flavor of the flour).

Slowly pour in the milk and whisk  until you've got a thick sauce (you may not need to use all of it).

Stir in the cheese until melted.

Pour in the blended kale and stir until fully incorporated.

Add in the cooked pasta, tossing to combine.

Serve immediately.

celeriac and roasted garlic soup

We got a celeriac in our CSA share this week, and after researching, I decided to make this soup. It hasn't even finished cooking, but it already smells amazing! My hunch is that the amazing smells come mostly from the half-head of roasted garlic and fresh herbs... Ok, and having now eaten it at dinner, I think it's the best soup we've ever made!

celeriac and roasted garlic soup
serves 4-6

1/2 of a full head of garlic

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 celeriac, peeled and chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped (optional, I threw it in since we had it)

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 bouquet garni (mix of herbs - I used some fresh thyme and sage we had on hand)

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup cream

salt and pepper, to taste

Roast Garlic: Place the halved head of garlic on a piece of foil and generously drizzle olive oil and season with salt. Wrap in the foil and place in a 350 degree oven. Allow to roast for 45 mins - 1 hr, until the garlic is soft. Squeeze soft garlic out of the skins and set aside. 

To begin making the soup, saute the onion in 2 tbsp of olive oil until soft and translucent. 

Add the celeriac and potato (this is where I also added my fennel) and saute for 10 mins.

Add the roasted garlic and herbs, and pour in the stock. 

Allow thesoup to simmer gently for 30-45 mins until the vegetables are soft. 

Puree the soup and add a little more stock if the soup is too thick.

Add the cream and season to taste. Serve.