Kat's Easter EXTRA...

My amazingly sweet foreigner husband surprised me with this today...he sure does know how to make a gal happy. Behold: the chicken the pops/poops egg gumballs! (Click above to watch the video)

Peep tweets! (Beep, beep, who's got the keys to the peep?)

I don't know about the rest of you lovelies, but Easter Sunday (agnostic, thank you) has come to represent a Springtime version of Thanksgiving for me. It's a day that revolves around cooking and eating and friends. No wonder they are my two favorite holidays.
This is also going to be another Easter that I will spend with the lovely Miss Lang- the official hostess with the mostest, who has hosted all the Easter foodfests that I've had the privilege of gorging myself at here in Brooklyn.
So what better way to honor the lady AND the holiday than homemade Peeps?


The above link ultimately links to Martha's Homemade Easter Treats. It's a great idea- because just this past week Nicole and I looked upon bushel and bushel of Peeps at Fairway and lamented over the fact that while precious, they are incredibly artificial and make you feel kinda ill (if you eat more than one...which I always do).

The New York Times had an interesting article a little while back about the Peeps phenomenon...take a gander, and behold the power of the Peeps.

More Irish Soda Bread

Nicole sent me the Joy of Cooking recipe, but then I forgot to bring it home from work, one thing led to another, and I ended up using Martha's (from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook)!

Irish soda bread is one of my favorite things to eat, but I've never actually made it before. I don't know why! It was so easy, almost like making buttermilk biscuits. I wish everything had caraway seeds in it. I might get this shirt.

Anyway, here are my pics!







Even Martha's recipe takes zero time to put together, and I have a hunk of it wrapped in wax paper sitting here at work waiting for me to slather butter on it and eat it. My Irish grandmother would be very proud, then again, I don't ever remember eating this at her house. Actually, I lived in Ireland for six months in college, and I realized (and maybe I'm alone here) that most Irish food is kind of gross. If this is inauthentic, then, I'm not going to complain about it. It is too delicious.

IRISH SODA BREAD ( bad pics, good bread)

Do Not Wait Until Next St. Patrick's day. This bread is FANTASTIC and is the perfect respite from dinner rolls any ole night for dinner.

IRISH SODA BREAD (from The Joy Of Cooking)

One 8-inch round loaf

When this batter is made with the greater amount of sugar and baked in a loaf pan, it becomes a fine crusty tea bread that stays moist for 3 to 4 days. To make a tea loaf, use 1/3 sugar and 1 cup buttermilk.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F, 350 F if you are baking in the loaf pan. Grease a large baking sheet or an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pan.

Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in:

1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Whisk together in another bowl:

1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup for the tea loaf
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter

Add to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be stiff but sticky. Scrape the batter onto the baking sheet in a mound 6 to 7 inches in diameter or scrape it into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Use a sharp knife to slash a large X about 1/2 inch deep on top of the batter. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes on the baking sheet, 45 to 50 minutes in the loaf pan. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely before serving. Or, if using a loaf pan, let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

ANOTHER REASON

to love Martha.

MOLLY'S FEBRUARY DOTMC

Delish Chocolate cake that turns out even when you think it isn't going to! Molly made this for one of our supper clubs and it was fantastic, she had been worried that something went wrong but when she unveiled it- the proof was in the few minutes in which it was DEVOURED.

Ch-ch-ch CHIA! Observe- the magical drink seed...

Last night I had the pleasure of having many local DOTMC ladies over for a Persian supper (Molly Neuman- you were seriously missed).
I made a traditional (and nutritional) Persian drink using seeds known as "Tokhme Sharbati," or Chia Seeds. In dry form, they resemble black poppy seeds...but when thrown into any liquid, they plump up like little froggy eyes. Imagine a much smaller version of the tapioca balls you see in bubble teas...maybe that is less gross of a description...?
The drink I made is a refreshing tonic made with water, rosewater, superfine sugar, and a healthy amount of chia seeds. This is what is looked like:

The seeds have been written about extensively throughout history- from Ancient Persia to the early Aztecs and now- even Oprah's main doctor dudes (Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Andrew Weil) have expounded on the many health benefits of the Chia seed. Here's a mini-manifesto from Dr. Weil- including the Mexican/Central American drink recipe for "Chia Fresca."
Also- the Living Foods website (a site devoted to the benefits of a raw foods) has an excellent and in-depth look at all the health benefits of the seed as well.
My family has always sworn by the healing benefits of drinking iced tea or water with the Chia seeds- how it aids with digestion, eases upset stomachs and nausea, and just generally serves as an all around happy tonic.
Bottoms up!