Deglazing

Lighter Cheesecake Bars

Roasted Veggie Lasagna

 

Playing with the Night Light

Some of the best times playing with my camera have to do with capturing the light.  I guess, on a fundmental level, that's what photography is all about.  Capturing the light and to a varying degree chasing the light.  It often reminds me of one of my favorite all time books, Chasing Daylight. It's a wonderful book about a dying man and his wish to capture the most of his remaining days.  It's beautifully written and a wonderful story, I highly recommend it.  I think of photography in the same way.  It's all about capturing the moments.  The little indefinable moments, the things that take your breath away, make you smile, make your heart sing, the things you would miss if today were your last day.  I often find my favorite photos are the unplanned ones.  The ones were something strikes me and I just have to capture it.  Photography is often a playful call to life for me.  It slows my whirring mind and gives me the chance to capture life's elusive quality.  Last night I noticed the crazy sky.  It was like dawn, but in the middle of the night.  I knew I wanted to capture it.  I didn't care if the photo was breathtaking, but I wanted a record of it.  So I set up my camera and tripod.  Then I decided to do a little project I had been dying to try, writing with light literally.  This one takes two people, but it's so much fun.  If you have kids they would love to give it a try.  I start by focusing on the light source, in this case a very small flashlight.  Tim holds it and when I release the shutter he begins to write something.  In this case the shutter was open for 6 seconds.  Keep in mind the writing has to be done backwards in order for the camera to capture it properly.  Here are a few of the outtakes.  I am also including a funny photo of John looking p-oed about a bottle cap on her head.

Learning, Learning, Learning

One of my favorite hobbies is playing with my camera.  I am no master, but I enjoy the process.  In recent weeks I have been trying to learn just what all those buttons mean.  It's been an interesting look into the world of photography.  I have to say it makes me respect those amazing photographers, you know the Kelby's of the world, even more.  Today I was trying to get some interesting shots of Tim's favorite candy machine.  Here are some of the outtakes.  As you can see, I am still learning, learning, learning.

By the way, if you are interested in learning more about your camera and how it works, then I highly suggest the book, "Your Camera Loves You, Learn to Love It Back".  It's a great resource for learning more about just what all those buttons do.

Pineapple and Macadamia Nut Tarts and Other News

So the bake off started in earnest this week.  I decided to get my butt back to the kitchen and get started.  I have to say it was a pure delight to be in the kitchen again.  For Christmas I got a new Ipod  (I have some sort of electro magnetic discharge that destroys all electronic devices, especially any Apple product, not sure why really, so this is like my 8th Ipod or something).  The Ipod is almost always with me in the kitchen.  I love 80s rock music and with my Ipod I can dance and sing with abandon in the kitchen.  Fortunate for my neighbors I got a shade for the kitchen window recently.  I am sure they appreciate not having to see me dancing around singing into my whisk. 

The new issues of my food magazines have been coming in recently. When I saw the Feb/Mar issue of Fine Cooking it was love. I knew I would be in the kitchen making the pineapple tart. This tart is a real beauty. There’s something so nice about a dessert that is as beautiful as it is tasty. This tart delivers in all categories. It might have something to do with the whole pineapple and 1 1/4 cups of macadamia nuts. I love macadamia nuts. Tim made the astute observation that macadamia nuts are a lot like cashews in flavor the other day. I hadn’t really thought of it, but it’s true. Macadamia nuts are like tropical cashews with a little more crunch. The flavor is slightly mellow and creamy and nothing short of delicious if you ask me. It’s like a cashew that went away on a tropical vacation. This dessert looks complicated, but it’s really not.  The food processor does most of the work for you.

The really fun part of a dessert like this is arranging the fruit. It’s like a work of art.  When you are finished it looks like a flower.  I loved that.  The layering technique is quite similar to what you would do for a French Apple Gallette.  Once the pineapples are thinly sliced enough it’s super simple to arrange the slices into this pretty design.

Here’s the finished product.  The pineapple cooks down nice and tender and a little glaze over the top makes for a lovely finish.  I added 1/2 a vanilla bean to the glaze, that’s what the little flecks are on the top of the tart.  The filling is kind of like a custard.  It’s amazing to think you can make a paste with nuts, butter, flour, and sugar and have it come out with a custard consistency, but here we are. 

This dessert screams tropical getaway and it’s a wonderful way to shake off the winter blues (although winter hasn’t really been much of a winter in our neck of the woods).  If you make this tart, you will be surprised how few ingredients are in this lovely dessert and how simple it really is to make.  Think of it like a more sophisticated cousin of the pineapple upside down cake.  It has similar flavors, but it’s a little more dressed up. 

Pineapple and Macadamia Nut Tart (From Fine Cooking Feb/March 2012 issue)

by Dabney Gough

For the crust:
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
1/2 cup (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the filling:
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 oz. (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. light or dark rum
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 medium fresh pineapple (about 3-1/2 lb.), peeled, cut lengthwise into quarters, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 Tbs. mild honey, such as clover
2 Tbs. light or dark rum

---

Make the crust:

In a food processor, pulse the nuts and sugar until finely chopped, 12 to 15 one-second pulses. Be careful not to overprocess; you want to keep some of the crunchy nut texture. Add the flour and 1/4 tsp. salt and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse just until the dough resembles coarse sand and starts to gather into clumps, about 8 one-second pulses. Drizzle the egg evenly over the mixture and pulse just until blended in, 5 to 6 one-second pulses. Do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disk (it will be very sticky). Wrap it tightly and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Using your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom (not the sides) of a 9-1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. If the dough sticks to your fingers, dip them in water. Freeze the crust for 20 minutes.

Make the filling:

In a food processor, grind the macadamia nuts until they resemble coarse sand. Add the remaining filling ingredients and process until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.

Top and bake the tart:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Using a small offset spatula, spread the filling over the bottom of the tart shell, leaving a 1/4-inch border, and then sprinkle with the flour. Working from the outside in and leaving a 1/4-inch border, arrange the pineapple tightly in overlapping concentric circles over the filling. (Each circle should overlap the previous circle by 1/2 inch.) Use larger pieces of pineapple for the outer circles and smaller pieces as you work your way toward the center. If necessary, trim pieces to fit. You may not need all of the pineapple, but it’s better to use more rather than less, since it will shrink as it bakes.

Bake the tart, rotating the pan after 20 minutes, until the crust is light golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.

Meanwhile, combine the honey and rum in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until just slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Brush half of the honey syrup over the pineapple topping, taking care not to move the pineapple slices. Continue to bake the tart until the crust is deep golden-brown, 5 to 15 minutes more.

Transfer the tart to a rack and brush a bit more syrup on the top (you may not use it all). It’s OK if the tart looks liquidy in the center; it will thicken and firm up as it cools. Let cool completely and serve.

Make Ahead Tips

The tart can be made 1 day ahead. Cover it with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

 

So onto the other dealings of life right now.  The gluten free experiment is going well.  Thus far I have adapted quite a few recipes into gluten free without much trouble including muffins, tortillas, coffee cake, etc.  The real trick has been C4C flour.  I can’t say enough good about this stuff.  It’s making it so much easier to rework things. Yesterday I tried it in a classic recipe I have been using for years, flour tortillas.  I have been using Mark Bittman’s recipe for flour tortillas for what seems like forever.  It’s pretty simple.  You put 1 1/2 cups all-purpose (or in this case, C4C flour) into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Pulse with a pinch of salt and 2 Tbsp. cold butter until it resembles coarse meal.  Add 1/2 cup warm water through the feed tube and pulse for 30 seconds or until the flour forms a ball on top of the blade.  Remove from the processor and wrap in plastic and set to the side.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes or so.  Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.  Shape into balls and keep covered with clean cloth or plastic wrap.  Roll out each dough ball into 6 or 8 inch rounds.  Use a large non-stick pan or cast iron pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.  Place a round of dough into the pan and allow it to cook until bubble form and the bottom is lightly browned.  Flip and cook on the other side for 2 minutes or so.  Cool completely on wire racks and use as you would flour tortillas. 

The photo you see above is using gluten free C4C.  As you can see, it looks identical to a classic flour tortilla.  The texture is exactly the same as the classic flour tortilla.  So, if you have a gluten sensitive family member these tortillas would be wonderful for you.  Keep in mind C4C flour has milk powder in it.  If you have a sensitivity to dairy and wheat, then C4C would not work for you.  I am looking at testing this flour out with breads starting really soon.  I will get back to you on any developments.

John and I have been playing with the camera.  She has an awful habit of opening her mouth just when my shutter is releasing.  It makes for very funny and cute photos.  I love this big mouth photo from yesterday.

She can sit still for photos like this one of her eye.  She is such a beautiful cat, it’s fun to try and get more artsy photos of her like this one. 

So that’s the last from our kitchen and world.  Hope the new year is treating you well. 

Playing in the Kitchen

John loves new photo toys. I got a really cool guerilla pod for Christmas and we have been playing with it some. It is a great gift and I can't wait to test it out some more. I am not usually good at setting up tripods when I shoot, so I hope this little guy will help me overcome that.

Fall Comes to New England

One of my absolute favorite times of the year is happening right now.  The time between Labor Day and New Year’s Day is absolutely magical.  Small New England towns are the towns you see in postcards about Christmas.  Fall is a wonderful early start to the holiday season.  The trees just seemed to be set ablaze in the last week.  We took a three day weekend and really got out to enjoy it. 

Jordan Pond is always a fun little hike.  This weekend the colors made the walk even more enjoyable.

Red and orange leaves are always my favorites when the trees change in Maine.  This red leaf was so bright and beautiful I just had to take a picture of it.

Sunset on Cadillac is always beautiful. The colors were very subdued this weekend, but beautiful nonetheless.

The winds really were ripping most of the weekend, but with temps in the 60s it was still very pleasant. I can honestly say I have never seen the waves so large in Acadia on such a beautiful day.

Back from Eden

Bar Harbor was once named Eden.  Many years ago the island had a great fire and it completely changed the landscape.  Where large coniferous trees once stood tiny deciduous trees were able to finally grow.  Up until that point they were not able to get enough sunlight.  The changes allowed MDI to see fall in a way that was a complete and utter celebration of fall.  The tiny deciduous trees were set ablaze each autumn.  This weekend we went to what is now known as Bar Harbor, although I think Eden is a much better name for the lovely little town.  It feels like Eden to me.  Once I am there I never want to leave.  It’s such a naturally beautiful place with water everywhere the eye can see.  The leaves have just started to tip out, but they were beautiful nonetheless.  We caught sunset from the top of Cadillac and it’s was the most spectacular show of color I have ever seen.  It’s hard not to be amazed watching the last sliver of the sun descend over the horizon.  The few people who were left in the park cheered as it went down.  I cried.  I couldn’t believe just how beautiful it was.  It reminds us all to enjoy each and every day.

Home again, Home again

There is no place that I have connected to in my life more than Bar Harbor.  It’s my absolute favorite place in the world.  I have seen many things, but nothing feels like home to be quite like Bar Harbor. This weekend was lovely.  I enjoyed the chilly temperatures and the lighter crowds.  Bar Harbor is nothing short of amazing and here’s why.

 

 

What a Great Weekend!

Fall comes into New England in the most spectacular of ways.  The days are sunny and warm and the nights crisp and cool.  The skies are the most beautiful shade of blue you have ever seen.  The trees start to change and the apples are ready for the picking.  It’s really the most amazing time of the year.  I love September and all the way through to the holidays.  There’s so much to do and see.  This weekend was a glorious introduction to what’s to come in the next few weeks.  Temps were in the high 60s and the skies were crystal clear.  We had a lovely weekend.  Here are some of the photos of the food and fun. Hope you had a wonderful weekend too!

First off, the girls.  They truly are camera hams and these two shots prove it.

We had great food this weekend.  Classic, simple, old-fashioned style recipes.  Two of the highlights were chewy chunky chocolate chip cookies and banana walnut buttermilk pancakes.  Delicious, to say the least!

We went to visit my parents.  They both have birthdays in September.  So, Happy Birthday to my Mom today!  I love you.  On Sunday we went to the Augusta Arboretum.  It was the perfect chance to capture the flowers before they all die from the frost.  It was lovely day for a walk.