The City Sage

Giveaway: Jamie's Food Revolution (And a Scone Recipe!)

Last fall I bought a new cookbook. The title? Jamie's Food Revolution. The reason for my purchase? Jamie Oliver looked especially tasty on the cover. But when I brought the book home, something happened: the Huz, whose previous cooking skill consisted of wrecking my pricey pots while boiling water, made Jamie's meatballs. Then he made Jamie's Potato Leek Soup. Then he made Jamie's Yorkshire puddings. Yorkshire puddings, people! Clearly this book was magic.

We then learned that the cookbook springs from an endeavor Jamie undertook in England. With the goal of getting Britons choosing healthy home cooking over processed foods, he began a 'Pass It On' movement. He taught a group of non-cooks a few basic recipes, then they taught their friends, etc. So this book is designed for newbie and pro cooks alike. No wonder the Huz took to it like a fish to white wine sauce! Having his help has curbed our take-out habit, as we now share dinner duty instead of ordering pizza when I lack the energy to cook.

I have a copy of Jamie's Food Revolution for one lucky reader, complements of Jamie himself! Just leave a comment telling me your favorite tip for eating healthily, and tweet the giveaway for an extra entry. I'll be back later with another recipe from the book and information about Jamie's latest projects---including his his passion for improving the diets of American kids and his attempt to bring the 'Pass It On' movement to one reluctant West Virginia town...stay tuned!

Jamie Oliver's Fruit Scones
These scones are rich and satisfying---proof that there is room for moderate indulgence in a sensible diet!---plus their reasonable size and zero sugar content makes them an ideal alternative to the calorie bomb scones sold at coffee shops. The dough freezes well, so you can store a few unbaked scones in the freezer and pop them in the oven at teatime!

1 cup mixture of dried cherries and raisins
1 orange
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk

Grate the zest of the orange into the dried fruit, then squeeze its juice into the fruit/zest mixture. Let the fruit soak awhile to absorb the juice--I microwaved it for 30 seconds to hasten the process. In the meantime, combine flour, baking powder and salt, then cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Jamie suggests doing this in the food processor; I like to freeze my butter and then grate it into the flour. With a fork or fingertips, combine butter with flour until the mixture is coarse and mealy. Beat eggs and milk with fruit, then pour wet into dry and mix, being careful not to overwork. Add a splash more milk if the dough seems too dry. Pat the dough flat and cut rounds with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Best enjoyed warm, either plain or with jam!

To Die for Recipe: Best. Easiest. Cupcakes. Ever.

It is one of life's great dilemmas. You find yourself standing before a platter of holiday treats, asking yourself the question that has plagued mankind since the beginning of time: 'Cookie or cupcake?' Well here at The City Sage, I make the tough choices for you. The answer? Eat both!

There are a million and one variations on this decorating technique, but they all have one basic tenet: they maximize aesthetic impact while minimizing actual skill required. If you can bake a cupcake and use a cookie cutter, you can make these treats. And I'm not just talking for Valentine's Day. Imagine the possibilities for St. Patrick's Day, Flag Day, Arbor Day, you name it!

I used a reliable cupcake recipe, a no-brainer icing recipe, and a go-to sugar cookie recipe. But feel free to fall back on that great triumvirate of Duncan, Betty and the Dough Boy--I won't tell! But I will demand a cupcake for my silence :)

Prettiest Shop Ever: Cako Bakery in San Francisco!

Just in case you need a reason to visit the City by the Bay--other than a waffle date with yours truly, of course!--then Cako Bakery  is that reason. From the pink polka-dot walls to the cupcake chandelier suspended from the ceiling, and from the mouthwatering scents that fill the air to the rows of scrumptious sweets, Cako stimulates your senses while it satisfies your sweet tooth!

Just a tiny bunny hop from Union Square, Cako opened last fall and has been calling my name ever since. I don't need much (okay, any) persuasion to eat sugar, but an appeal to my girly side never hurts. If you have stylish stationery with swirls and squiggles in my favorite color, I'm yours for life.

  

Just in case you can't make it to San Francisco in time for a Valentine's Day cake-a-thon with me, you can still gain inspiration from this decor---wouldn't it make for a fresh and cheerful party theme? Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mini red velvet to eat...

Cako Bakery is located at 211 O'Farrell Street in San Francisco. All photos are by me!

To Die For Recipe: Chocolate Marble Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Streusel Topping!

I returned from my weekend travels to discover a Banana Situation. We've all been there: caught standing shamefaced in the kitchen with a bunch of smushy brown bananas, the very same bananas we so confidently brought home from the grocery last Monday, positive they'd be eaten by the end of the week. But do not despair, gentle readers. Salvation is here, and it's covered in peanut butter streusel.

This is more than just a vehicle for using overripe bananas; it's a celebration of all that the humble fruit can achieve. Moist, mellow banana-y flavour joins in a menage a trois with deep chocolate and chunky PB crumble--so scandalously good! The separate steps make this recipe a bit laborious, but stay the course and you will be richly rewarded. So next time you find yourself with a Banana Situation on your hands, dry your tears and reach for this recipe.

Chocolate Marble Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Streusel Topping
Makes 2 loaves. Adapted from myrecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 bananas)
1 egg
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then blend in banana, egg and yogurt. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and stir until just combined--don't overmix! Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, then pull out about half the banana batter and stir into melted chocolate. Layer dark and light batters into two 8 x 4 inch baking pans, swirl with a knife to create a marbled pattern, then bake at 350 degrees for about an hour--top and sides will be browned and a knife stuck into the loaf will come out clean. Let cool and then devour!

For the Streusel Topping--technically it's optional but you'd be remiss not to try it!
Before baking, combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup butter and 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter in pans. Bake as directed.

Holiday Recipe: Peppermint Bark

Every time I walk into Williams Sonoma this time of year, I have to stop myself from devouring an entire tray of peppermint bark samples. It's so addictive! Naturally I couldn't leave well enough alone--I had recreate it at home, and I now have a gallon of the stuff calling my name temptingly from the cupboard. I love the way the bark melts in layers; first the peppermint pieces dissolve, then the white chocolate, leaving you with a tiny sliver of deep dark chocolate on your tongue.

This treat would be really easy to give as gifts. Just make a gargantuan amount of it, pack it all up in glass jars or cellophane bags, tie those suckers with a big bow, and you'll be the hit of the season!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed candy cane pieces

In the microwave, melt half the white chocolate chips--the best way to do this is to heat for thirty seconds, stir, heat for thirty more seconds, stir, and repeat until the you have a smooth, pourable consistency. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a spatula to spread the melted white chocolate in a thin, even layer. Sprinkle with half the candy cane pieces and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Melt the semisweet chocolate chips and stir in the peppermint extract, then in a separate bowl melt the rest of the white chocolate chips. Working quickly, smooth the dark chocolate in an even layer over the chilled layer of white chocolate, then top with the rest of the melted white chocolate. Run a knife tip through the melted layers to create a marble pattern, then give the tray a shake to smooth out any lumps and bumbs. Sprinkle with the rest of the candy then chill until hard. Break into pieces and devour!

Oh, and before I say goodbye 'til Monday, may I suggest you:

• Enter this week's giveaway for a Lauren Moffatt Jacket!
• Admire this amazing holiday party decor.
• Gift someone with affordable original art.
• Fall in love with this entire blog.
• Swoon over Erin's engagement photos.

Have a glorious weekend everyone!

Holiday Recipe: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

For the entire month of December, my oven will be churning out oodles of warm, sweet, gooey, chewy holiday treats. I tried this recipe last night on a whim and it turned out so beautifully that I just have to share it with you! It's super easy, very versatile, and guaranteed to get even the lamest office party started!

The chocolate cookie part of these sandwiches features the perfect blend of rich chocolate and moist, buttery goodness. As for the filling, I left mine plain but orange or peppermint extract would be beautiful as well. I did find the dough a little finicky to work with and will probably add more flour next time, but believe me--there will definitely be a next time!

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Holiday 2009 Sweets

Cookies:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:
1 cup confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1-2 teaspoons milk
Food coloring or flavoured extracts as desired

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar, then stir in egg and vanilla. Mix wet with dry to create a firm dough, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. When chilled, roll out dough and cut into shapes or form into flat balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. To make filling, beat ingredients until smooth, then smear a dollop of icing between two cookies.I dare you to eat just one!

Seduced by Halloween!

No, this isn't my audition for the new Courtney Cox series, it's my Halloween costume! This predatory pencil skirt doesn't see nearly enough action, and my cougar crush on Finn from Glee shows no signs of abating, so what better get-up than the original cougar MILF, Mrs. Robinson? I learned several important lessons while assembling this costume: 1) Very fine, very straight hair does not a bouffant make 2) Press-on nail glue is no joke 3) It is way too easy to find a sheer leopard print blouse at Goodwill.

And, it's been ages since I posted a recipe--but it wouldn't be Halloween without some sweet indulgence! These monster cookies are not only aptly named, they're also way more satisfying than those fun-sized Snickers you've been sneaking from the candy dish at work. Think chocolate chips and M&M's studding a moist, craggy bedrock of oats, peanut butter, and brown sugar goodness. Honestly, I wouldn't bother turning on the oven, 'cause the dough is Just. That. Good.

Do you have any grand or ghoulish plans for the Halloween? Tomorrow the Huz and I are doing Habitat for Humanity--it's my first time and I'm super excited, though I think I'll leave the leopard skirt and highball at home...Have a smashing weekend everyone!

Monster Cookies (recipe courtesy of 'Baked: New Frontiers in Baking' by Matt Lewis)

5 3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter (NOT the natural kind!)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's (bonus points if you used the Halloween theme colored ones!)

In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and oats. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter until smooth and pale. Beat in sugars until just incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla, corn syrup and peanut butter and mix until smooth. Stir in oat mixture in three additions, then fold in chocolate chips and candies. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop generously sized balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy!

Drop Everything and Bake: Jam Bonanza Bars!

You know what TV show I miss a lot? Friends. The character I miss most of all? Joey. Because Joey loved jam. And I really love jam. So for me, these snack bars are a little piece of heaven. Sweet fruit preserves ooze between tender butter cake and crunchy granola. A hint of almond provides a certain je ne sais quoi without getting in the way of what's important here: the jam!

These treats also have the added benefit of being appropriate at any time of day. Eat one for breakfast and pretend it's a muffin; have one for lunch and call it a sandwich; wash one down with a cold glass of milk for dessert. And feel free to try any type of jam that suits your fancy. I used a mix of pomegranate and rhubarb, but don't let me cramp your style. Heck, if you're feeling sacrilegious you could even forgo jam altogether and use Nutella--just keep your heresy to yourself, you infidel!

Find the recipe here and tell Martha that I sent you :)

To Die for Recipe: Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake Squares

Every once in awhile I come across a recipe with DEAB status: Drop Everything And Bake. That was definitely the case for these little babies. They contain that triumvirate of awesomeness--chocolate, coconut and graham crackers (I have such a thing for graham crackers lately). Throw in a thick layer of golden cheesecake and I'm a goner. In fact they barely lasted long enough for a photo session.

I won't reprint the recipe because you can find it easily via Martha Stewart. However I will say that these are a must-try. They're deceptively easy to make but sure to impress, great for a crowd and a perfect dessert for Fourth of July barbecues. Or for eating the whole pan by yourself with a gallon jug of Yoo-Hoo. Not that I know anyone who would do that...

To-Die for Recipe: Peach Cobbler Scones

I realized last night that it's been a while since I posted a recipe--and what better time to get your bake on than during a lazy long weekend? These scones are a variation on my basic scone recipe. They're tender and not too sweet--just like a warm peach cobbler with flaky biscuit topping.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can pretty much do anything you like with it; switch in blueberries and orange extract for the peaches and almond extract, or take a walk on the wild side and use chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Enjoy these scones with a hot cup of coffee or a tall glass of orange juice. I have it on good authority that they taste especially good when eaten in bed!

Foolproof Scones, Peach Cobbler Style
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup frozen peaches, chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter
1 egg yolk
1 scant cup half-and-half cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter (I like to keep mine in the freezer) into the flour mixture, then cut in with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Toss peaches in flour to coat. Meanwhile, beat together eggs, cream and extract, then quickly blend wet ingredients with dry and press into a mound of dough. Try not to handle it too much. On a piece of parchment paper smoosh the dough flat and cut into triangles, then bake at 450 degrees for approximately 12-14 minutes. Yum!