Sasha's Kitchen on the Road: Paris Foodie Adventures

My husband Brad and I recently returned from a 12 day trip to Europe. On this particular trip, we visited three cities - Paris, Brussels and Prague.  Each of these cities has its own unique culinary traditions, and we made an effort to taste some of the best and most authentic foods in each place that we visited.  I will be doing separate posts on our gastronomical adventures in Prague and Brussels but I figured I'd start with Paris and some of our favorite foods that we ate while visiting that beautiful city for six days.

Crepes are one of Paris' specialties.  We had several crepes while in Paris. On our first night, we visited Le Petit Josselin in Montparnasse to sample some wonderful Parisian crepes. Josselin is one of Paris' best creperies and did not dissapoint, just like my husband had enjoyed the sister creperie down the block some 10 years prior on his last visit to Paris. We both had excellent savory and dessert crepes at Josselin. Below are photos of Brad's savory salmon crepe and my caramel crepe.

Street crepes are also wonderful. I had an amazing crepe with just sugar made hot while I waited (not pictured) at the Crepe Stand at Comptoir de Relais, a delicious Paris restaurant in the trendy rive gauche neighborhood of St. Germain that we enjoyed later in our trip.

Macarons when made correctly are just about the loveliest, pretties Paris dessert in the world. I've made macarons in the past but never ever like these. We went for the very best Paris macarons we could find at the wold famous macaron-maker, Pierre Herme.  We couldn't decide among all of the beautiful, colorful and delicious flavor combinations so my husband and I narrowed it down to seven (pictured at the top) and relished every bite.  These were a highlight and a trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to Pierre Herme.

Lamb and veal dinners are delicious in Paris.  I had a great veal with gnocchi and my husband had the delicious lamb dish pictured below at Restaurant Christine in St. Germain. For dessert at Christine, we had a Paris classic - one of the best souffles that I have ever had - a vanilla souffle with a strawberry sauce.

Now back to our full meal at Comptoir de Relais.  First we had some great French wines and appetizers at the wine bar portion of the restaurant while we waited for our table. Then, at dinner, we had a delicious beef dish (a bit stew like) with noodles pictured below. Yum! On the bottom is a picture of one of the appetizers, basically a mini beef sandwich with a creme fraiche based sauce. The apple tart we had for dessert was scrumptious as well.

We had another great meal in Paris at Allard Bistro - first a delicious salad with frisee and lardons, followed by a French classic made famous by Julia Child - boeuf bourguignon. This was another amazing meal, which ended with our desserts - a raspberry tarte and another French classic - profiteroles.

Sasha's Kitchen on the Road: Paris Foodie Adventures

Sasha's Kitchen: S'mores Whoopie Pies

First off, I apologize for my prolonged absence. I have been on vacation for the last two weeks in Europe (new travel-food posts coming soon!) and my computer was having some issues for the week before that. But I am back!

Just before we left for vacation, I got a new cookbook that I have only begun to explore, Whoopie Pies, by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell.  This cookbook has fun and fantastic recipes for whoopie pies of every flavor imaginable.  Whoopie pies are something like an inverse cupcake and they seem to have the same fun-loving, cute appeal. I have made toasted s'mores cupcakes, which were  big hit, so this time I figured I'd follow Amy and Sarah's directions in putting together a s'mores whoopie pie. The result was equally delicious and reminiscent of the cupcakes, although I didn't actually use my creme brulee torch to toast the whoopie filling, the way I did with the cupcake frosting.

This recipe requires three components: whoopie cakes made using graham flour, a marshmallow whoopie filling, and chocolate ganache.  These whoopies are made the traditional way, using crisco shortnening and butter together in the cakes to get the texture and consistency just right.

Sarah & Amy's Graham Cracker Whoopie
1 1/4 cups graham flour
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sarah & Amy's Classic Marshmallow Buttercream
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache
8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (use good quality chocolate)
1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375. First prepare the  cakes. Mix the flours  and salt in a mixing bowl.  Using a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening and brown sugar for about three minutes until light and creamy.  Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat until combined. Combine the milk, baking soda and vinegar in a cup and add to the batter along with the flour mixture. Beat at medium speed until combined, for about two minutes.  Add the vanilla and beat for two minutes until combined.

Using a spoon, drop 1 tablespoon of batter onto the prepared sheets, and repeat. Make sure to space them at least two inches apart so the whoopie cakes do not run together.  The recipe is supposed to make 48 cakes (for a total of 24 whoopies when paired together) but I made just 40 out of it when I prepared this. Bake each sheet one at a time for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 375 degrees, just until the cakes begin to brown.  It is important to bake  one sheet at a time to make sure they bake evenly an don't get burnt.  Allow the cakes to cook completely before frosting and adding the ganache to make the full campfire s'mores.

To make the marshmallow filling, beat the fluff, vegetable shortening, confectioner's sugar and vanilla on medium speed for several minutes until fluffy using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

To make the chocolate ganache, put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to bubble.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for 10 minutes until the chocolate is melted. Stir with a spatula until smooth and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until firm.

To prepare the whoppie pies, you can spoon the marshmallow frosting (or use a frosting bag)  onto half of the whoopie cakes. Top with the ganache and with a second whoopie cake.  This tastes just like the s'mores I had as a kid, only a million times better!

Sasha's Kitchen: S'mores Whoopie Pies

Michelle's Kitchen in Toronto - Snapper and Mango Salsa with Rice and Beans

With the heat still blanketing the city and me in my element with it, I decided it was finally time to have company over to my apartment now that I have a brand new balcony! After disclosing my plans to finally start cooking again, my insanely talented musician friend Jimi Maze (check out his music here) agreed to play guinea pig in my epicurean experiments. A few days earlier, he very graciously brought me a pepper plant as a house-warming gift. Add this to the Pakistani mangos I had bought earlier that week in Little India and of course, this got my creative juices flowing! How could I use these gorgeous colourful peppers and sweet juicy mangoes in some way? My brain immediately supplied the answer; mango salsa!

Given the heat, I decided that serving something light was a good idea so I headed to my local megamart to see what kind of fish they had. Once that was done, I needed a side dish. Given that I was already on a South American path with the salsa, I decided some rice and beans were in order! My mother had brought me some farm-fresh corn the previous day and I decided to incorporate it into my efforts. I added a salad with homemade dressing and dinner was set!

Mixy's Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 avocado, chopped and cubed
1 green onion, chopped fine
3 tbsp black beans
1/2 red or yellow pepper, seeded and diced
1 bird's eye chilli, seeded and chopped fine (or leave the seeds for extra heat)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chipotle
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
1 lime, squeezed
dash of lemon juice

Mix everything together and use right away or let it hang out in the fridge for 30 minutes to meld the flavours. Make sure to add the citrus before you add the avocado and mix it in so the avos don't turn brown. This is lovely over fish but I also had leftovers of the salsa over pork chops that I covered in chutney, seared and popped in a 400F over for 10-15 mins which was delicious! Jimi and I had the salsa with snapper that I put in a 375F over for 17 mins with some olive oil, lime juice, salt and salad herbs.

Add to this my side of rice and beans that I cooked in my rice cooker. If you don't have one (and you really should!) just cook the basmati according to the package instructions with all the ingredients in the pot at once; easy one-pot wonder!

Beans and Rice - Michelle-style

1 ear corn, corn sliced off the cob (use raw)
1/2 can black beans
3/4 c basmati rice
3/4 c water
3/4 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 lime squeezed for juice
1 bay leaf

Put everything in your rice cooker and hit "start". I felt it needed more salt, but Jimi said his was great, so salt to taste.

I love entertaining and plan on doing much more of it before the summer is over. Must take advantage of my brand new balcony and killer view!

Michelle's Kitchen in Toronto - Snapper and Mango Salsa with Rice and Beans

Amasea's Kitchen in Sun Valley: Sour summer slaw

Sorry for the absence, folks!
I went off and got married, then unfortunately we had a loss in our family, so I haven't had a lot of time for creative cooking.

I did make a rhubarb pie last week, but it was honestly really, really bad. Not so much that I wouldn't eat it (PIE!) but not good enough for this blog, even to help others learn from my mistakes.

But the summer produce is coming on, and I'm getting excited. I'm going to wait to see what looks awesome and fresh in the next month or two, and start canning again. You'll get the story on that once I get my enormous canning pot out of storage :)

It being summer, it's time for barbecue, slaw and salads, and those last two were on the menu tonight. I had some great fresh fennel -- a whole bulb, feathery top bits (I'm not sure what to do with those) and all, from Idaho's Bounty. I sauteed half the bulb for something else, but the remaining half went into the Cuisinart's shredder attachment, with two small Fuji apples and about a dozen baby carrots (I would have used big carrots, but the babies were getting a little...rooty, so they needed to be used). I didn't have any cabbage, or that would have gone in too.

Mixing that in a bowl and removing the big, improperly shredded pieces, I added about three tablespoons of lime mayonnaise (interestingly, the Hellmann's intended for the Hispanic market has fewer unpronounceable ingredients and preservatives than the American varieties -- thanks, Grocery Outlet!), a tablespoon of lime juice, a tablespoon of grapefruit vinegar, salt, pepper and freshly-ground red pepper flakes. Oh, and a handful of dried cranberries, since I was out of raisins, for that hint of sweet. If I were to make this again, I think I'd use a little less total liquid, but that's just my taste; others might prefer the squishier texture.

I paired it with a simple salad: organic greens from Idaho's Bounty, topped with corn kernels, sliced almonds, a vinaigrette and some grilled Halloumi-style grilled cheese (not pictured). With a glass of red wine for a little mouth weight, delicious!

Amasea's Kitchen in Sun Valley: Sour summer slaw

Sasha's Kitchen: Caramel Souffle

I love making souffles.  Once you get the hang of it (which I admit took a couple of tries in the beginning) they are very easy to make. Most people are familiar with chocolate souffles, which are amazing when done correctly. However, souffles can be done in just about any flavor.  Some of my favorites are the fruity souffles, which are light and wonderful.  I decided to try out a simple caramel souffle using some goat's milk cinnamon caramel that I bought in Vermont from Fat Toad Farm, a local organic Vermont farm that makes their own delicious caramel.  This souffle tastes just like the amazing cinnamon caramel but presents it in a light and airy souffle.

Sasha's Cinnamon Caramel Souffle (makes 4 individual sized souffles)
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1/2 cup of Fat Toad Farm's Cinnamon Caramel
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
a couple teaspoons of sugar
a bit of butter or Pam

Preheat the oven to 425 F. The oven must be fully preheated before you put the souffles in. First, spray 4 individual souffle ramekins with butter or Pam and sprinkle with sugar.  Beat together the egg yolks and the caramel to make your souffle base.  Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on high for about 3 seconds, using the whisk attachment. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating for about three minutes until the egg whites are puffy and foamy, a bit like a meringue. Gently fold the egg whites into the souffle base, using a spatula.  Fill the four ramekins to the top with the souffle mixture and bake for about 30 minutes until the souffles rise and are golden brown on top. Do not open the oven while the souffles are cooking or they will collapse, but leave the oven light on so you can watch progress on the souffles.

Sasha's Kitchen: Caramel Souffle

Brad's Kitchen: Belgian Frites with Spicy Mayo

My wife Sasha and I are taking a trip to Europe in a week and a half and one of the places we plan to visit is Brussels, Belgium. Belgium is probably best known for its food, including Belgian waffles, frites, beef carbonnade, mussels, chocolate and beer. We can't wait to try all of those things on our trip. Since Sasha & I both love Belgian frites with spicy mayo, we decided to try our hand in making them at home as a preview for our trip. It was actually not too difficult and the result was pretty authentic and quite satisfying.

Brad's Belgian Frites
5 medium sized potatoes

Canola Oil

salt

mayonnaise

1 T dijon mustard

cayenne pepper

To prepare the frites, first peel five medium sized potatoes. Then slice the potatoes into strips which are about the size of the fries that you want to prepare. I used our hot pot to deep fry the frites. I made the fries in two separate batches, filling the hot pot about half way with canola oil and placing the metal basket with the sliced potatoes into the fryer. I set the temperature to 375 degrees and fried for about 10-15 minutes until each batch was golden brown. The first batch took longer than the second one, because the oil needed time to heat up to the right temperature.

I salted the frites immediately after removing them from the fryer. Just like in Belgium, we ate our frites with spicy mayo, which we prepared by simply combining lowfat mayonnaise with a bit of dijon mustard and a healthy amount of cayenne pepper, to taste.

We served the frites as a side dish for our dinner along with some healthy chicken bratwursts that we got from Fresh Direct.

Belgian Frites

Brad's Kitchen: Belgian Frites with Spicy Mayo

Sasha's Kitchen: Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken & A Fresh Direct Promotion

As you may know by now, I am a big fan of Thomas Keller.  Even I don't have the time to explore the recipes in his French Laundry Cookbook, though. They are just too involved and complex for normal home cooking, although I am sure the result is phenomenal. But his cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home, I simply love and have really enjoyed cooking his recipes which are intended to be suited to a skilled home cook.  My husband Brad and I recently tried out his buttermilk fried chicken recipe which was simply delicious.  Ok, so fried chicken is not healthy enough to eat regularly (and it is something I rarely eat), but I did fry it in Canola Oil, and the result was an enjoyable treat.

Keller uses whole chickens in his recipe, which calls for two 2 1/2 to 3 pound chickens.  I made this recipe, but I only used one three pound chicken.  In addition, Keller gives detailed instructions for cutting the chicken into either an eight piece or ten piece cut.  While this is useful to know how to do, I used Fresh Direct and ordered one three pound chicken cut into eight pieces, which was perfect. This is what I recommend. I am writing up the full recipe below, as per Keller, but keep in mind that I cut all of the proportions in half.

Thomas Keller's Buttermilk Fried Chicken
two 2 1/2 to 3 lb chickens, cut into 8 pieces
chicken brine (cold)
6 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1 T plus 1 tsp paprika
1 T plus 1 tsp cayenne
1 T plus 1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 quart of buttermilk


Chicken Brine
5 lemons, halved
12 bay leaves
1 bunch parley
1 bunch thyme
1/2 cup clover honey
1 head garlic
1/4 cup black peppercorns
2 cups salt
2 gallons water

Brine the chicken as Keller recommends for 12 hours in the herb-lemon chicken brine, which seasons the meat and helps the chicken remain juicy throughout the frying process.

Prepare the flour seasoning mixture and use it to coat the pieces of chicken. Then dip in the buttermilk and re-dip in a second bowl with the other half of the flour seasoning.

To fry, I used a technique slightly different than Keller's technique but it worked beautifully. I used my hot pot/deep fryer and filled 1/3 full with canola oil.  I set the temperature to 320 degrees and fried each piece of chicken for between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the piece of chicken. When done. the chicken should be deep golden.

On the Fresh Direct promotion, use the code SUPPORTLOCAL to save 20% on Fresh Direct's local produce from local markets in the new york area, which you can read about and order on Fresh Direct. These local offerings are a great way to support local farmers and use farm-to-table produce in your kitchen. This is a limited time offer. Expires August 31, 2010. May not be combined with any other offer. All standard terms and conditions apply. Limit one use per customer/account. Residential orders only. Void where prohibited. Offer is non-transferable.

Sasha's Kitchen: Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken & A Fresh Direct Promotion

Sasha's Kitchen: Chocolate NYC Subway Sign Cupcakes

By now, my readers know that I like doing unusual cupcake, whoopie pie and macaron recipes. I just bought some rose flower water that I plan in using in some new offbeat baking creations. But last weekend I made some very traditional (and still delicious cupcakes) with a fun twist. I'm sharing my favorite recipe for chocolate cupcakes (other than those amazing Guinness Stout Chocolate Cupcakes) - Julie Hassan's Chocolate Cupcakes from her book 125 Best Cupcakes, one of my favorite books of cupcake recipes.

Since I live in NYC, I decided to make these cupcakes NYC themed cupcakes.  And what's a better way to do that then making them look like NYC subways signs.  I did a number of trains on different lines, but was sure to put in some cupcakes for the train lines I have taken on my various commutes from the different places I have lived in both Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Julie Hassan's Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
[I omitted the chocolate chips]

Sasha's Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
gel food coloring
[I used store bought food coloring tubes to put the letters on the frosted cupcakes]

To make the chocolate cupcakes, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, canola oil, egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth. There is no need to use a mixer. Alternatively whisk in the buttermilk and dry ingredients. Combine well and fill 12 cupcake liners. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees fro 22-27 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make my icing, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and then beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the desired food colorings and frost with a spatula or a frosting bag.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Sasha's Kitchen: Chocolate NYC Subway Sign Cupcakes

Sasha's Kitchen: Jamie Oliver's Spicy Pasta with Mushrooms and Lamb Sausage & Upcoming CSN Stores Product Review

First off, a note, I will be publishing a product review in an upcoming post of a great serving product from CSN Stores.  I am thrilled to be doing a product review for CSN Stores, as they have so many great options for service on your dining room tables. An upcoming post from me on A Kitchen In Brooklyn will showcase one of the great products that CSN stores has to offer for chefs and home entertainers! CSN stores is a great retailer that has a fantastic selection of items for your homes and kitchens.  So stay tuned for a review of a really fun product from CSN stores to spice up any dinner party!

Jamie Oliver is one my my favorite chefs. His cooking style is so organic and raw - it really showcases the ingredients that he uses. Many of his recipes are quite simple, actually and they are always improved by using the best fresh ingredients possible.  Jamie is a big meat lover and loves to use interesting and flashy meats in his cooking. I love lamb and lamb sausage so when I saw Jamie's recipe for pappardelle pasta with spicy lamb sausage and wild mushrooms in one of my old Jamie Oliver books, The Naked Chef Takes Off, I knew the recipe was one I was going to have to try. I did a few variations to use the quality local ingredients in my grocery store and the result was quite delicious.

Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with Spicy Sausage and Wild Mushrooms (with some variations by me)
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
8 oz spicy lamb sausage, skin removed, and chopped into small pieces (I got some great lamb sausages at Fresh Direct)
2 handfulls fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (Jamie uses dried red chiles crumbed, but the effect is the same as it adds some heat)
14 oz wild mushrooms (I used cremini, but you could use oyster, shiitake or chanterelles), torn or sliced
[note - I omitted the butter, you don't need it, and added a bit of olive oil]
handfull of fresh parsley
grated parmesan cheese
1 lb fresh pappardelle (although Jamie made his own, I got mine fresh at Fresh Direct)

So I didn't make my own pappardelle, but a pasta machine is an inexpensive kitchen appliance I plan to get soon so I can start making my own ravioli, tortellini and fresh pastas.

To make this recipe, saute the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil with the sausage meat. Remember to remove the skin from the sausage meat and chop into small pieces. Add the thyme, red pepper flakes and mushrooms and a bit more olive oil. Cook the pappardelle and combine with the mushroom mixture. Throw in some fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Sasha's Kitchen: Jamie Oliver's Spicy Pasta with Mushrooms and Lamb Sausage & Upcoming CSN Stores Product Review

Sasha's Kitchen: Belgian Beef Carbonnade

My husband Brad and I are going on vacation to Europe for two whole weeks soon, and one of our stops (a brief stop and not the focus of this trip) will be in Brussels, primarily so we can eat our way through Belgian cuisine. Our brief visit to Brussels is planned to include eating the very best moules (mussels), frites with spicy mayo, Belgian waffles, Belgian beef stew and of course Belgian chocolate, that we can get our hands on.   Planning this made me really hungary for some Belgian cuisine.  I have already made Belgian waffles, which were delicious and easy to make.  I decided to try my hand at two of my favorite Belgian dishes this week - frites with spicy mayo (coming soon) and Belgian beef carbonnade, or beef stew.

Belgian beef stew is very simple.  My recipe is a variation of a Jacques Pepin recipe that I found on the internet.  They key to this stew, and quite frankly any classic Belgian carbonnade is the quality of the Belgian pale ale that you use to make the broth, as well as the quality of the beef in the stew.  Pepin uses flatiron steaks, which are expensive and contain a bit too much fat for my style of cooking.  Instead, I elected to use lean stew beef from Fresh Direct, a great NYC area provider of quality meats.  For the beer, I went for the real deal - my favorite Belgian pale ale, Leffe Blonde, a great Belgian Abbey beer.

Belgian Beef Carbonnade
2 T unsalted butter (can be replaced with olive oil if you prefer)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs lean stew beef, cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste
3 T all purpose flour
2 bottles of Leffe Blonde Belgian Pale Ale
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
5 thyme sprigs
2 cups baby carrots
1 cup peas

In a large Dutch Oven, melt 1 T of butter with 1 T of olive oil until it sizzles. Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Cook for about two minutes.  Transfer the meat to a large plate and add the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the pale ale and bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Add the chicken stock and thyme and return the meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the Dutch Oven and simmer on low heat until the meat is tender - it took me about an hour.  Add the baby carrots and simmer for 15 minutes. Then, add the peas and simmer for an addition five minutes until the peas are cooked (but not faded in color) and the carrots are tender.  This was delicious and exactly how I hoped.  I can't wait to eat this dish with some steak frites in Brussels!

Sasha's Kitchen: Belgian Beef Carbonnade

Sasha's Kitchen: Summer Plum Salad

For the last week, it has been unbearably hot in New York.  I haven't felt like cooking much after taking the subway home from work in 103 degree heat. It's just too hot to turn on the oven and cook.  However, it's just the right temperature for making a summer salad.  I like to make these salads after picking up some delicious summer fruit at the Union Square farmers market, which is near my office. This time I picked up some yellow Japanese plums, called Shiro plums, a wonderful sweet Japanese plum. They are quite tiny, so I picked up a handful for incorporation into a salad with my favorite nuts (hazelnuts), mixed greens and crumbled goat cheese.  The mix of the sweet and the tart flavor of the plums is great in a summer salad like this. If you don't have access to Shiro plums or want to try out another fruit, I have also made this salad with apricots (which are actually my favorite fruit for this salad), nectarines and peaches - basically all of the stone fruits.  I also can do this salad with strawberries and it's  a great salad, too.  However, if you are going to make the salad with strawberries, I recommend blending some of the fresh farmers' market strawberries right into the salad dressing along with a small amount of dijon mustard to make it nice, creamy and pink.

Sasha's Summer Stone Fruit Salad
Handfull of sliced Shino plums, or a couple of sliced apricots, peaches or nectarines
Organic mixed greens
Chopped Hazelnuts
Crumbled goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar & canola oil for the dressing

Sasha's Kitchen: Summer Plum Salad

Sasha's Kitchen: Fourth of July Themed Coffee Cupcakes

For the fourth of July, I decided to make some red white and blue decorated cupcakes.  I wanted to try out the cappuccino cupcake recipe from Julie Hasson's Book 125 Best Cupcakes, so rather than creating red white and blue frosting, I made the cappuccino cupcakes with coffee frosting and then decorated the cupcakes with some red white and blue decorations made out of fondant (flags, starts, and my red/white/blue Obama cupcakes - so apparently my cupcakes got a little bit political).  Hope everyone had a great fourth of July weekend.  We also made my traditional fourth of July treat - my blueberry pie.

Cappuccino Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream (adapted from Julie Hasson's recipes) (makes 12)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp finely ground coffee
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp warm water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup nonfat sour cream

Frosting:
2 sticks butter (so yeah, this is where those calories come!)
2 cups confectioner's sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp instant coffee (i added about 2 tsp)
1 tsp hot coffee
1 tsp Kahlua or other coffee flavored liqueur

In a small bowl mix the flour, ground coffee, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, combine the instant coffee and warm water.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar and oil.  Add the instant coffee mixture and vanilla.  Alternatively mix in the sour cream and flour mixture and beat until smooth.  I chose not to add in any chocolate chips as were called for in the recipe I used.

I filled 12 lined cupcake molds in a silicon cupcake tray.  Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and frosting like.  Add the coffee, vanilla and Kahlua to get the desired flavor.  Yum!

Sasha's Kitchen: Fourth of July Themed Coffee Cupcakes