Israeli Couscous Currant Salad + Creamy Sweet Basil Dressing

You know when the past week feels like it was double, maybe even triple as long than it actually was? Yeah, me too. My world has been a little shook up, forcing me to break and recreate new habits. I spent a part of this week flying to and from Portland in a 32 hour time span. This has been my shortest plane ride so far seeing as it's only 170 miles away. We went up, coffee was served, then half-full it was being collected because the plane was landing. I'm not a slow coffee drinker either. 

Before this, we got to enjoy a visit from my boyfriend's parents. When they visit I like to interweave home cooked meals with our restaurant adventures. This recipe was one of those dinners, the other was a build-your-own taco night. My favorite. It was followed up with warm brownies and Ben&Jerry's boston cream pie ice cream. Also one of my favorites.

I've adapted this salad off of a prepackaged one sold at Trader Joes, one I have been completely obsessed with for a few years now. I've gotten to the point that I've decided to work on recreating it, mainly because it has been sold out every time recently due to popularity.When I am cooking for someone, I prefer to know about their palate so I can cater the meal to it. This salad reminds me of Mark and Wendy, his parents. To be honest, most things with fresh basil remind me of them and that's not a bad thing. This salad combines so many different flavors and textures.

Why in a jar? Because it's fun to eat a salad out of one. Put in your dressing and shake it up. Plus, I put a lot of things in jars, like wine (I know I'm breaking some kind of cup rule). I'm always trying to be more creative, stuffing whatever I can into a jar and making something awesome out of it.

We ate these salads on a hill nearby looking out at the sun setting over Puget Sound. It's one of those views that almost looks fake, almost like a painting. It's perfect, until it gets cold. Then you're shaking because you forgot a jacket, and running back up a hill while full of couscous.

Creamy Sweet Basil Dressing

1 1/2 cups loosely packed chopped basil
1 small garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
2teaspoons blue agave nectar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, stopping to scrape down with a spatula. Blend until the mixture is combined and green, basil will be minced and small.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Israeli Couscous Currant Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup cold cooked Israeli couscous
1 cup purple cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup canned sweet corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dried currants

In a jar:
Prepare Israeli couscous according to packaging's instructions. Let cool until cold. Layer the ingredients in the order that they are listed above, starting with the lettuce at the bottom. Top with sweet basil dressing. 

Shake the jar to mix. (Best part) 

Makes four 24oz. jar salads.

In a bowl: 
Combine all ingredients including the sweet basil dressing. Mix until dressing has coated all of the salad and serve. 

Chocolate Almond Espresso Tart

What a day. I sit currently in bed covered by my favorite blanket, leg raised by 2 couch pillows and with one of Pasta&Co's cookbooks. I also have a bag of ripe cherries. I am currently on a short bed rest due to a bug bite, likely a spider. It's located in the spot where your foot becomes the front of your leg, which I have now learned any bite on a joint is the worst. My sock, bottom of my pants, and shoe all seem to rub it just the right way to irritate it.

Now it's swollen and I am bed-mates with a bag of water which used to be a makeshift ice pack. It's funny how unprepared you realize you are for these situations when they happen. Now the problem with me being injured or sick, is that I unfortunately am not the best being told to do nothing but rest. The other problem being that I cannot get up to cook treats for my family. But, I am getting pizza and sunflowers in mason jars brought to me which is lovely.

The good news: chocolate cures everything. Well, at least my sweet tooth.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about making something chocolate for a work potluck. This is that. This tart is ideal for those who love to drink their espresso, and eat it to.

That's me, and most of Seattle.

The dark chocolate makes this tart rich and bold, perfect to be paired with espresso. With that being said, it can be challanging to eat more than 1 (maybe 2) of these. Well, unless you are the kind of person who can chow down on a ton of dark chocolate as long as you have a glass of milk.

Espresso Almond Ganache
8 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons ground espresso beans

Tart Shell
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, extra for parchment paper
1/2 cup almond meal
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon almond slices

Ganache: Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set to the side. In a small saucepan bring cream and espresso to a boil then remove from heat. Pour espresso cream mixture through a sieve over the chocolate. Throw away the solids. Let the ganache stand for 2 minutes then whisk until smooth. Set to the side and allow mixture to cool to room temperature, 2 hours.

Tart shell: Sift almond meal, flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl then set aside. Mix butter and sugar in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and almond extract, mix until combined. Stop to scrape the bowl down if needed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the almond meal mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the espresso cream. Shape dough into a thick rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough until cold and more firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out tart dough between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment paper, rolling it out into a 16" x 6" rectangle, 1/4" thick. Press dough into a 14" x 4 1/2" rectangular tart pan and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Remove excess tart dough by cutting around the edge with a knife. Prick all over bottom of shell with a fork. Bake tart shell until it's firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack still in the tart pan to cool completely. Once cool, unmold tart shell from pan.

Smooth chocolate ganache over bottom of tart shell with an offset spatula. Sprinkle almond slices over the ganache. Set in fridge for 20 minutes, then serve.

Balsamic Peach Chicken Pizza

I started this morning out by listening to Queens of the Stone Age on the drive to work, which means 2 things. I was both pumped up for the day and having flashbacks of playing "No One Knows" on Guitar Hero for hours. I continued to try to beat the song on 'expert' for so long that I developed a cramp in my right arm. Weird, right? It would kick in when the right string of cords would come up, forcing my fingers to reach as far as they could. My ultimate defeat (or so I thought when I was 15) was failing at 99%. My life crumbled, then I picked it all back up and beat it. When Guitar Hero was still in production, I was obsessed. Now my guitar controller sits sadly alone next to my TV, gathering dust until I feel like it's time to shred with 5 colored buttons again. The worst part to racking up hours on the game, is anytime any  of the songs play on the radio, or at a restaurant, ect. all you can imagine in your head are flying colored round-note-things coming at you. Alright. Enough about that.

There are many things I look forward to when the warmer months start to show up, 2 of those things are peaches and corn. The day corn prices change from $6.99 for a prepackaged bunch of 4 to less than a dollar each is my favorite day. Luckily that day came a couple of weeks ago. 

Peaches hold a special place in my heart. Growing up, my grandpa was either eating a peach, holding a jar of peaches (fork in hand also), or eating something peach flavored. If he was doing none of the above, then it was guaranteed that he was within a 5 foot radius from something peach related (probably peach rings). My grandma would always make the most delicious peach cobblers, peach muffins, and on a rare occasion a savory dish.

This pizza incorporates the ripe summer peaches. It also incorporates my obsession for salty-sweet foods. Enjoy a slice on one of these warms days with your favorite drink.

1 ball whole wheat pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
1/2 sweet onion, sliced into rings
2 ripe peaches, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded chicken
1/4 cup balsamic glaze
3oz herbed Goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mozzarella
1/2 tsp oregano

Place a pizza stone (or sheet pan) in the middle rack of your oven. Preheat oven to 450. 

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 14" circle. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil, then drizzle balsamic glaze on top  leaving 1" of space around the dough so it can form a crust. Top the pizza with onions, peach slices, and shredded chicken, spreading them all out equally on top of the dough. Place goat cheese crumbles and mozzarella over toppings, then finish the pizza off with oregano sprinkled on top of the cheese. Bake pizza for 10 minutes, or until cheese starts to bubble. Let cool for 2 minutes, then enjoy.

Optionally, sprinkle red pepper flakes for some heat. 

 Note: if you don't have a pizza peel, prepping the pizza on parchment paper or an upside down baking sheet will make it easier to transfer into the oven.

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My world recently:

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

You know what is one of the hardest things for me to do?

Picking what to make for a potluck.

You remember that everyone knows how much your life revolves around food and then the pressure is doubled. If all else fails, choose a dessert covered in chocolate. When this potluck finishes tonight I will be ringing in my weekend. At the end of a workweek I feel stretched, like I deserve as many doughnuts as I can handle (which is 2, maybe). Luckily, I live 3 blocks from Top Pot Doughnuts, I'll see you at 9am for a short latte and a glazed ring. 

After making my way through herds of children also craving their favorite sugary treats, my day begins. I live in a neighborhood notorious for being a safe "family friendly" environment, probably abnormal for a 20-something like myself to be a part of. Most my age are off drinking themselves silly, finding photos on their phone they don't remember. My silly drinking is done in my kitchen or on my couch while we lazily yell commands at our Kinect to play Netflix. My forgotten photos tend to only ever be of my cats laying on their back. Nothing is cuter than a kitty tummy.

Nothing.

I consider cupcakes as being one of my favorite treats. There's something about (what I like to call) "personal-pan" foods that immediately tractor beam me in. When that single serving food has chocolate literally dripping down it, I obviously cannot say no. You won't be able to either.

Adapted from Martha

Cream Filling
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes

Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the top of the cream filling to avoid a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until cold, 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Note: Before putting onto cakes, whisk cream filling after it has been refrigerate.

Cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (plus more for tins)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven 350. Butter cupcake tins. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Warm butter and milk in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. 

With the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar on high until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add in dry ingredients slowly into 3 parts. Reduce mixer speed down to low and slowly add milk mixture to the batter. Beat until smooth, then add in vanilla. 

Using an ice cream scoop (about 4 tablespoons), pour 1 scoop of batter into each cup. Bake until a light golden color, 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes then onto cooling racks to cool completely. 

Cut each cupcake in half with a serrated knife, scoop 1tbsp cream onto each bottom half then press down lightly with top half. 

Pour chocolate over each cupcake, allowing it to pour over slightly. Serve immediately. 

Chocolate Glaze

2/3 cup heavy cream
6 oz dark chocolate finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan then remove from heat. Add chocolate and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Pour into a small bowl to let cool. While cooling stir occasionally. Use immediately.

Mint-Walnut Pea Crostini

It's now the middle of May and somehow almost half of 2013 has escaped us. It feels as if everyone around me is headed away to a sunnier place on vacation, enjoying a fresh sunburn from the beach. I look forward to my escaping point and relaxing on the Pacific soon. I figure the moment I start experimenting with different popsicle ideas, a beach day is necessary. I sit listening to Imogen Heap's 'I Megaphone', realizing it has now been 15 years since it came out. Life may be the longest thing we all do, but recently how quickly time goes by has been becoming more noticeable. 

Tonight my boyfriend and I decided to go out to eat and ended up with mediocre Italian food. The only downside to learning how to cook is going out to eat and being given a dish that you find yourself saying "Ugh... I could have done that". When eating out a I try to always choose something I've never created, and/or want to make soon. I decided to give up on the middle-of-the-road gorgonzola penne I just ordered, and saved room for self serve frozen yogurt a few blocks down. Topped with fresh fruit from their topping bar along with a cherry on top, always.

This week I've been spending a lot of time perfecting my spicy-as-hell Chinese food, putting my newly gifted wok to the test. I'm sure I'll share my successes soon enough. It's been fun experimenting with new flavors, and browsing around different Asian groceries. Last week my work hosted an event which was catered, one of the bite-sized foods put out was a pesto pea crostini. I ate it and immediately fell in love with it wanting to recreate it. The one I had was topped with ricotta cheese which I felt got lost in the pea flavor. I chose to replace this with spreading goat cheese onto the grilled baguette, giving it a tart flavor. 

1 french baguette (cut into 1/2" slices)
12oz frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup olive oil (extra for baguette)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4oz chèvre
Extra salt + pepper to taste

Crostini:
Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Brush each side of the baguette slices lightly with olive oil. Place on pan for 1 minutes on each side, until golden brown grill marks appear.

Mint Pesto Pea:

Put defrosted peas, garlic, walnuts, green onion, mint, salt, and half of the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse processor until ingredients start to combine. Pour in the rest of the olive oil and process until everything is combined, forming a bright green spread.

Spread a thin layer of chèvre on each crostini, following up with another thin layer of the pesto pea spread.