Maple Brown Sugar Banana Oatmeal

Posted on November 20, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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This is the best oatmeal I’ve ever made in my life. I know I say things like that a lot here, but every time I say it, I mean it.

I especially mean it in this case. O.m.g. Words are almost failing me but I’ll try to power through.

I made this oatmeal yesterday morning after I got back from a long hike. It was the first morning it’s felt like winter and my hands and ears were frozen. I wanted something quick and warming, and I also wanted to use up some banana and dried figs that I had lying around. The idea for this maple brown sugar banana oatmeal was born.

Originally, I was going to just mix brown sugar and maple syrup into the oatmeal and put banana slices on top, but then I decided to mash up half a banana and put it in the oatmeal. That was an excellent decision. The mashed up banana gave the oats more flavor and paired well with the sweet brown sugar and slightly smoky maple syrup.

I also added a little cinnamon into the oatmeal because I wanted a warming spice. It tastes good with the other ingredients and it pairs well with the figs on top. I added walnuts for crunch because I like to have different textures in my breakfast bowls.

When I took the first bite, I almost blacked out. “This is really good,” I said to myself. I made a mental note to file away the recipe for when I open my own bakery someday. This definitely deserves a spot on the breakfast menu.

I’m going to make the oatmeal a lot this winter. In the meantime, I’ll be jamming out to this song. It’s good for Monday mornings when you run out of the house in a rush and decide to have a 30 minute session of car karaoke.

Maple Brown Sugar Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 banana, cut in half with one half mashed and the other sliced
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dried figs sliced in half and chopped walnuts for topping

Directions

Combine the oats and almond milk in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the oats, stirring occasionally.

After a couple minutes of cooking, stir in the mashed banana, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook the mixture, stirring every so often, until the oatmeal is thick and dense. If you like your oats more runny, take the oatmeal off the burner earlier.

Top with dried figs, chopped walnuts, banana slices, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

 

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Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday).

This week was filled with a lot of what I like to call, “Thanksgiving pregaming.” People are excited about the holidays so they start eating and drinking more and working less, which is always a good idea in my book.

I went out to a family-style lunch with some coworkers on Friday to test out food for a holiday party we’re hosting. “Test out food” is really code for shirking our responsibilities, but who can blame us?

The lunch was a success but I got pretty worked up because everyone there was defending pumpkin spice. They even suggested creating a punchbowl for pumpkin spice martinis at the holiday party.

Without getting into the whole debate again, let me just briefly say that I hate pumpkin spice with a fiery burning passion. You can read more about my feelings here.

After I let that go, I managed to enjoy the rest of lunch. We all started talking about our Thanksgiving plans and what food we like to make. Some people are really into the turkey, while other people focus on the desserts.

Wherever your Thanksgiving takes you, I hope it involves lots of good food and entertaining company. The holidays can be as maddening as they are fun, with constant socializing, occasional family drama, and little to no sleep (unless you go into a food coma after dinner).

Still, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year and it’s DEFINITELY my favorite holiday. It gives me an excuse to eat as much as I want for as long as I want…which sounds like something I do already.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

I read a good article this week about Paul Cézanne’s studio in southern France. I actually visited his atelier in Aix-en-Provence a few years ago when I was living abroad. I wasn’t as into photography then, so I approached the studio mostly as a tourist. I like this story because the author describes the studio from a photographer’s perspective. It gave me insight into how colors and light can affect composition.

I saw “Lady Bird” yesterday morning and I absolutely loved it. The movie, which marks Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, is the story of a teenage girl growing up in Sacramento. It focuses a lot on the relationship between the girl and her mother, which is often tempestuous (to say the least). I full out sobbed during one of the final scenes, which consists of a long shot of the mom’s face. I won’t say anymore. You definitely need to go see this movie.

It came out last week that Drake collects Birkin bags for his future wife. Yes, that’s weird. No, I don’t care. I love Drake unconditionally so I give him a hall pass on creepy things like that. Also, Drake seems like an all-around good guy. If you need proof, check out this video of him yelling at a guy who was groping women during one of his sets.

A new bakery just opened in St. Louis and if you’re in/near South City, you should definitely check it out. Knead Bakehouse + Provisions is a small storefront near The Hill, St. Louis’s Italian neighborhood. I stopped by on opening day yesterday and the selection was small but delicious. I’d recommend the spicy cranberry doughnut and a cup of their coffee.

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I started watching “A Chef’s Life” on PBS a year ago. I binged watched the first four seasons but the fifth season didn’t air until late October. I completely forgot about it until this week, when I was coming off my “Mind of a Chef” binge and looking for more cooking shows (along with maple syrup, that’s my therapy). For those unfamiliar with the show, it follows the life and cooking of Vivian Howard, a southern chef. Howard grew up in a farm in Eastern North Carolina, left to pursue a cooking career in New York, and then ended up moving back to her hometown to start a restaurant. I admire her spunk and her commitment to local ingredients.

I hope you have a good week! Here’s a song to get you started. It’s by a French rapper named Elohim. I found him by accident and I’m kind of confused, because his artist page lives under the more mainstream artist Elohim’s page on Spotify. They sound nothing alike; Elohim (the woman) is American and Elohim (the man) is ostensibly French. But whatever, they both are great.

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Squatters Café

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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A few weeks ago, I read about a new restaurant opening in the KDHX radio building near downtown St. Louis. It took me by surprise because usually I’m abreast of what opens and closes in the area, and I had no idea that the restaurant, Squatters Café, even existed.

I stopped by for lunch last week and I was blown away. Squatters is the brainchild of Chef Rob Connoley, a St. Louis native and James Beard-nominated chef who worked for a while in New Mexico before coming back to his hometown. Squatters is his first restaurant in St. Louis and he already has plans for another, more high-end concept.

I’m happy that Connoley is back is town because St. Louis needs this kind of lunch restaurant. Yes, there are great places to get sandwiches, soup, and other lunch fare, but sometimes it’s difficult to find a place that specializes in local, organic food (even though there are more and more opening).

Squatters’s food is “vegetarian whimsical,” if that’s a thing. Maybe I just made it a thing. Most of the items on the menu are plant-based even though a few have meat (more on that later). The presentation is artful and it’s clear that Connoley and his sous chef focus on detail.

The first day I went for lunch, I ordered the beet salad. I would eat salad everyday if they all tasted like that. Connoley puts goat cheese and yogurts inside the beets, so when you cut into them with a knife, you see it in the center. He serves the beets with candied nuts, fresh greens, shallots, and a side of his sunflower seed bread.

The bread alone is worth a trip to Squatters. I bought a piece of it to take with me. It’s hearty, filling, and flavorful. It’s the kind of bread that tastes good by itself or slathered with jam. I judge bread by whether it could be an attraction on its own, and this bread meets that qualification.

I ended up talking to Connoley for a little during the first lunch and I told him that I almost ordered the duck hash, but then I didn’t because I wanted something lighter. “Go with your instincts next time,” he said, which is a good rule to follow in general.

When I stopped by for lunch yesterday, I tried the hash and it was delicious. The sweet potatoes were warm and perfectly roasted with subtle smoky flavor. The maple wild rice was slightly sweet and the duck was tender and juicy. Connoley tops the dish with a fried egg. I love the way the saltiness of the egg and the flavors of the yolk contrast with the sweetness of the potatoes and the rice.

Screen Shot 2017-11-17 at 9.11.51 AMNext time I stop by, I want to try more of Squatters’s baked goods. I had their ginger cookie the first time I went and it was amazing, sugary and crunchy on the outside and soft in the center.

They were out of this yesterday, but I’m dying to try their cinnamon crisps and pecan milk. The restaurant sells the crisps in a little bag that you can take away with you and the pecan milk comes with it.

If you’re around St. Louis University or the Fox Theatre, I’d highly recommend stopping by Squatters. It’s only open until 2:00 PM but it serves breakfast all day and it has an extensive coffee menu.

“I could stay here forever,” I told Connoley and his sous chef the first time I ate lunch there, and it’s true. Connoley and his team are warm and welcoming, so when you come by for lunch it feels more like stopping by a friend’s house. Connoley might even sign one of his cookbooks for you. More on that on my Instagram.

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Thé Time: Conscious Apothecary

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Welcome to the first installment of Thé Time. In French, “thé” means tea.

I decided to start this column partly to talk up all the good tea sold locally in St. Louis. You might not expect this, but St. Louis is a tea town (I’m going to see how many times I can say tea in one paragraph).

It definitely surprises me because I associate tea with places in the Pacific Northwest like Portland. When I was there a couple years ago, I went to a café that specialized in tea. Coffee wasn’t even on the menu. People sipped their blends in a dimly lit room, read, and occasionally stared at one another. It was very Portland.

Even though a place like that doesn’t exist here, there are many good local tea brands. I like buying local because it makes me feel like I’m giving back to the community. The things I buy local also tend to be fresher or better tasting than something I’d buy from the grocery store.

I usually spend a little more on tea but I justify it to myself for the two reasons I mentioned above. Plus, I drink it everyday. My morning routine is me running into my office (usually late), throwing down my bags, grabbing my tea pot, placing tea in the infuser, and filling up the pot with hot water. I don’t really feel like my morning has started until I’ve completed this ritual.

This week, I wanted to tell you about Conscious Apothecary. I discovered the tea at Lemon Gem, a cute little kitchen goods store a few blocks away from where I work. I took a chance on it because honestly, I liked the logo and I needed some loose leaf tea for my new ceramic teapot.

I’m so happy that I bought it. I’ve tried a few of their blends, but one of my favorites is the one I’m currently drinking. It has tulsi, lemon verbena, lemon peel, elderflower, and my favorite spice, cardamom. It’s fresh, citrusy, and warming, the perfect blend for cold fall and winter mornings. It’s also good if you run out of the house wearing only a sweater poncho and a dress and realize that it’s 20 degrees too cold for your fashion choices.

You can buy Conscious Apothecary’s blends at Lemon Gem or through their website. You can also find it on the menu at a bunch of different St. Louis restaurants and wellness centers. I’d recommend giving it a try!

Here’s a song that reminds me of Conscious Apothecary’s tea. It’s very soothing.

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Eggs: A Love Affair

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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I love eggs. There, I’ve said it. It feels a little anticlimactic because you probably already know this about me, but there it is.

I’m not sure when my love affair with eggs started. When I was little, I hated them. I think it’s because most of the eggs I ate were scrambled, overcooked, and dry. I hated the texture and I thought they were flavorless. I avoided scrambled eggs at all costs.

Flash forward to when I first visited France. This sounds weird to admit and feels even weirder to write, but I don’t think I’d ever tried a poached egg before then. I remember seeing one in the middle of a ham pizza, jiggling like a jellyfish. I was skeptical but intrigued. It ended up being one of the best food discoveries of my life.

I realized that I liked eggs that were less cooked. The runnier, the better. I loved an oozing yellow yolk. I loved the way the whites were just cooked, so they were smooth and soft. I like the way a poached or soft boiled egg became a part of the rest of the dish while still standing on its own. A poached egg is the penultimate performer.

I realized that I like eggs when they’re cooked into other things. For example, frittatas and quiche are two of my favorite dishes and they both take a lot of eggs, mix them with other ingredients, and bake them into one pan. The resulting eggs are usually light and fluffy, although some quiches can be dense. Either way, I love them.

I’ve also learned more about eggs over the years to see how they’re used in other cultures. Two of my favorite egg dishes, Eggs Kejriwal and Shakshuka, incorporate eggs in inventive ways. Eggs Kejriwal is an Indian dish served on toast with lots of cheese, and Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish that involves simmering eggs in a skillet with lots of tomatoes and spice.

I’ll always think of Shakshuka as a holiday dish because I made it the year my sister came to visit me in D.C. over Christmas. I didn’t have heat in my apartment so we huddled around the kitchen in blankets, feasting on eggs. I fed my sister the big, pretty eggs, and served the deformed ones to myself in a gesture of benevolence.

ANYWAY. Below are my top 10 egg dishes. I’m putting them here so you can make them, but also so I can easily have them on hand. When the weather gets cold and all I want to do is stay inside, I turn to eggs. I think you’ll enjoy these recipes as much as I do.

Egg Dish Power Rankings:

1.) Shakshuka
2.) Baked Eggs with Mushrooms and Spinach
3.) Eggs Kejriwal
4.) Zucchini and Corn Skillet with Eggs
5.) Broccoli Skillet Flan
6.) Sorrel Rice Bowl with Poached Egg
7.) Huevos Rancheros Scrambled Eggs
8.) Fried Egg with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
9.) Spinach Gruyère Quiche
10.) (Almost) Perfect Scrambled Eggs

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Turkey Chili and Cornbread

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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I used to hate chili. I know I start a lot of stories here that way but it’s because it’s true. When I was little, I was kind of a picky eater. I liked everything sweet but I wasn’t a fan of other things, like salad and chili.

Luckily, times have changed and I’m now a chili believer. It’s the perfect thing to eat on a cold fall night when all you want to do is get under the covers and binge watch “Mind of the Chef.” I’d recommend making this first.

A lot of chili recipes call for ground beef or sausage. I still don’t love ground beef so I subbed in ground turkey. It’s leaner than beef so the texture is a little different, but taste wise it’s just as good. It cooks up fast and tastes delicious with spices.

Chili isn’t chili without cornbread, in my humble opinion. So I decided to make some cornbread to go along with this dish. You might be thinking, eh, I’ll skip that step and buy bread from the store (or skip it altogether). I’d advise against that.

Cornbread is actually one of the easiest things to make. You mix together the ingredients, spread it into a greased pan, pop it in the oven, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. Yeah, that’s not as easy as buying bread from the store, but the from-scratch kind tastes better. It’s also good for dessert with honey.

So yeah. I’d recommend that you make this turkey chili and cornbread as soon as possible. When you’re cooking, you can listen to this song. Whenever I hear it, it reminds me of fall.

Turkey Chili (adapted from the NYT)

Ingredients

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 pounds ground turkey
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 large sweet red pepper, cored, deveined and coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, cored, deveined and finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth, fresh or canned
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 15-oz cans of red kidney beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese for serving
lime wedges for serving

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over high heat and add the turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until the meat is light brown.

Add the onions, garlic, pepper, jalapeño, oregano, bay leaves, chili powder, and cumin. Stir together and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper, stir, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Stir in the drained beans and cook the mixture, stirring every so often, for about 10 minutes.

Serve the chili with shredded cheese, lime wedges, and cornbread. Enjoy!

Cornbread

Ingredients

cooking spray to grease pan
1/4 cup butter
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside. Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly.

Whisk the yellow cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a large liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, whole milk, and egg.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (don’t over mix). Spread the batter in the prepared pan (the batter will be lumpy) and smooth the top.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Enjoy!

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Honey Cornmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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I woke up on Sunday morning excited to make these pancakes. It was one of the only things getting me out of bed.

When I eat pancakes, I like them to be light and fluffy. I’m sure there are proponents for thicker, denser pancakes, but I’m not one of them. I think the perfect pancake should melt in your mouth the way regular cake does.

Which brings me to these honey cornmeal pancakes. O.m.g. I wish I could make them again right now, but unfortunately I’m sitting at a desk far away from my kitchen staring a computer screen.

I used cornmeal and whole wheat flour for the batter. I was a little worried that not using all purpose flour would mess with the texture of the pancake but I was wrong. As long as you use whole milk or buttermilk in the batter, the resulting pancakes will be light, fluffy, and dare I say, cloud-like?

The strangest part of this recipe is creating the honey/butter element. At one point, you melt some butter in a hot skillet and add honey, and swirl it around. Then you let it cool and pour it into the batter. That’s how the pancakes get their honey flavor.

You’re supposed to use the same pan to cook the pancakes, but if I were you, I might use another one. Or, I’d try to rinse and wipe down the pan before you cook with it again. That will prevent things from sticking and burning later.

ANYWAY. The other great thing about this recipe is the blueberry maple syrup that goes along with it. I totally improvised on that but it worked out well. You just simmer whole blueberries, maple syrup, and some hot water in a small saucepan while you’re making the pancakes. The sweetness of the syrup pairs well with the corn cakes and honey.

Here’s a song that I listened to on the way to work this morning. I love the part sampled from “Bonita Applebum” and Wyclef’s part. No one, and I mean NO ONE, can sing like Lauryn Hill.

Honey Cornmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

Ingredients

for the syrup:
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup warm water
1 tsp lemon juice
lemon zest

for the pancakes:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup salted butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
vegetable oil , for frying

Directions

First, make the syrup. Combine the blueberries, maple syrup, warm water, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring the mixture occasionally.

To make the pancakes, whisk the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and baking soda in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet and stir in the honey with a heat resistant spatula. Allow the mixture to cook down a little before removing it from the heat and allowing it to cool.

Mix the milk and eggs in another bowl, and then beat in the honey mixture. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix the batter well until smooth.

Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the middle of the skillet. Cook until there are bubbles appearing on top of the pancake. Flip and cook for a minute more. Repeat the process until you’ve used up all the batter. Store the cooked pancakes in a loosely-wrapped towel until you’re ready to serve them.

Serve with blueberry maple syrup and more lemon zest. Enjoy!

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Dimanche (That Means Sunday)

Posted on November 12, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Welcome to the second edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday). I’m writing this post at VB Chocolate Bar in Cottleville, Missouri, which means two things: I motivated myself enough to get dressed and leave the house, despite the fact that it’s raining. Also, I’m about to eat chocolate.

ANYWAY. Here’s a brief rundown of some things I discovered this week. The news cycle was maddening as usual, with more reports of Trump being a lunatic and accusations against men who allegedly sexually harassed women.

I try to keep things light on this blog but I can’t help weighing in on the latter news. It’s repulsive to me that men such as Louis C.K. harass women and it makes me sick that women felt like they needed to keep quiet about it for so long. Even though the tide seems to be changing and more women are coming forward, we still have a long way to go. In addition to women speaking out, men need to be held accountable for their actions.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

When I was in New York a couple weeks ago, I went to see “After the Blast,” a new play by Zoe Kazan. The story is set in the future and features a lovable robot named Arthur. Here’s an interview with Zoe Kazan about the play. I liked what she said about reading science fiction and how being an English major can beat that out of you.

Tom Colicchio, a well-known New York chef, published “An Open Letter to (Male) Chefs” this week on Medium. I’m usually skeptical of men in the industry who weigh in on sexual harassment or inequality, mostly because I’ve found their responses to be lacking. However, Colicchio’s response was well-reasoned and inspiring. I said on Twitter that the letter should be required reading and it seemed like people agreed.

I’m a big fan of the PBS series “Mind of a Chef” and the latest season features Ludo Lefebvre, a famous French chef who’s made a name for himself in L.A. I’m watching the fifth season on Netflix and I’m obsessed. I’d highly recommend watching it, if only to stare at Lefebvre’s fried chicken sandwiches and hear him talk about roasting chicken. When making roast chicken, you don’t leave and go watch TV or read a magazine, Lefebvre said. “You stay with your bird.”

A couple weeks ago I finished the novel Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. I saw the film adaptation Friday night and I was floored. Without giving too much away, the story is about the relationship between a 17-year-old Italian boy and his family’s summer guest. The book made me cry more than the movie, but there were still some heart-wrenching moments seeing the action play out on screen.

Ever since I moved back to Missouri, I’ve been visiting a lot of small towns. I usually go because I want to escape the fast pace of the city and spend time in nature, but it’s also interesting to observe locals. I read this article in the New Yorker the other day and it made me think about these communities and what they tell us about America’s evolution.

If you’re in Missouri and looking for a good place to see fall leaves, I’d highly recommend driving out to Augusta. I spent yesterday hiking around the country and I made a new friend. Check out my Instagram for more pics.

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Last but certainly not least, it’s officially hot chocolate season. An old friend of mine said that it wasn’t hot chocolate season until it snowed, but I disagree. Once it’s cold enough to wear gloves, I say bring it on. I made some last night using a mix that I bought from RJ Chocolatier, one of my favorite local chocolate makers. You should buy some if you’re in the market for good sipping chocolate.

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Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started. It’s good for Monday mornings and pressing snooze three times on your alarm.

 

 

 

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Maple Spice Scones

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Around this time of year, I start putting maple in everything. I’m cold and bordering on seasonal depression, which makes me crave something sweet and warming. Maple syrup is my medicine.

I adapted this scone recipe from 101 Cookbooks. I’m a big fan of her work. The original recipe sounded great but personally, I like a little spice in my baked goods during the fall. I decided to add some ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the scone batter.

I also subbed in almond milk against my better instincts. The good news is, everything worked out in the end. The scones were flaky on the outside and soft on the inside with a good crumb.

HOWEVER, they were on the crumbly side. I’m not sure if this has to do with the almond milk or how much I mixed the batter, but either way, I wanted to warn you.

I’d rather have a crumbly scone than a rock hard one, anyway. These taste delicious, especially some strawberry rhubarb jam on top and with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

I brought some into work this morning and there are only a couple left. I might go steal the last one after I’m done writing this so I have it for a snack later in the morning (Friday midday slumps are real).

Screen Shot 2017-11-10 at 8.34.35 AMHere’s a song to get you started on your maple spice scone-making journey. I was listening to a 90s playlist yesterday and I found that it’s actually good work music. Then I realized I was listening to “MMMBop” non-ironically before noon and I loved and hated myself.

 Maple Spice Scones

Ingredients

1/4 cup maple syrup
6 Tbsp almond milk
2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
11 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 egg, lightly beaten
turbinado sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix the maple syrup and almond milk together in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl and set aside. Combine the whole wheat pastry flour, spices, rolled oats, baking powder, and fine grain sea salt in a large bowl.

Transfer the flour mixture into a food processor and pulse in the butter until the mixture looks like sand with little pebbles. This should take about 20-25 quick pulses.

Then, pour in the maple syrup/milk mixture and pulse until just combined. You want the mixture to hold together. It can be a little crumbly. If it looks too dry, add a teaspoon of more milk at a time until the dough is more cohesive.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead a couple times until it holds together. Form the dough into a rectangle with sides that are 1-inch deep. Cut the dough into nine equal pieces.

Place the scones on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving 1/4 inch in between them. Brush generously with egg and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and bottom. Enjoy!

*These will keep for a few days at room temperature in an airtight container.

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Campanelle with Roasted Cauliflower

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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This pasta was the product of improvisation and last minute decisions. I find that some of my best choices come from there.

I knew I wanted to use a head of cauliflower that I bought at the farmers’ market over the weekend in pasta, but I wasn’t sure what to combine it with. I thought about toasted pine nuts and caramelized onions.

Then, I spent part of yesterday afternoon in St. Louis’s Italian neighborhood, The Hill. As I was strolling around, I went into an Italian grocery and saw a huge plastic container full of fresh Italian breadcrumbs. I bought it and went home after work and made this pasta.

My favorite part of the recipe, apart from the breadcrumb/Parmesan cheese mixture, is the cauliflower. I used to hate cauliflower because I thought it was tasteless and bland. That was before I learned how to make it taste good.

For this recipe, I tossed it with some olive oil, sprinkled on a generous amount of salt and pepper, added some red chili flakes, and roasted it in the oven until it got golden brown and slightly charred. The cauliflower really takes on the flavor of the roast, which is to say, it gets a smoky, caramelized flavor. It’s delicious with the salty Parmesan cheese and the fresh basil.

You could add parsley instead of basil for the greens on top, but I had a bunch of basil I wanted to use up.

In other news, it’s almost the weekend and I’m pretty excited about it. It’s starting to get cold in St. Louis but it’s still nice enough to be outside. If the weather isn’t too bad on Saturday, I’m going to go on a hike out in Augusta.

In the meantime, I’ll be jamming out to this song. It’s perfect for times when you’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for more than an hour in the morning and you want to jump out of your car and start running down the shoulder of the road.

Campanelle with Roasted Cauliflower 

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, chopped
olive oil
1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
1/2 ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red chili flakes (or more if you like it super spicy)
1 box campanelle
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, toasted
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
5-6 basil leaves, roughly torn
Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Toss on the sheet and then roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is browned and slightly charred.

In the meantime, make the breadcrumbs/Parmesan mixture. Toast the crumbs and the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Place in a bowl and allow to cool slightly, then toss with a drizzle of olive oil and the Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Cook the campanelle according to package directions. Make sure to put a lot of salt in the water before cooking the pasta. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before you drain the pasta.

Combine the pasta, breadcrumb/cheese mixture, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water in the pot you cooked the pasta in. Top with basil and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

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