Please allow me this bright and promising Monday morning to keep it one hundred percent real with you.  While this gluten free cake was buttery, nutty, bright with the flavor of lemon and perfectly sweet, the truth is, it ended up all over my floor.  Well… ok, bits on the floor, chunks on the counter, and pieces in my dirty sink.  Basically, this cake landed everywhere except the cake plate where I wanted it.

I salvaged a few if the larger pieces to mock up a pretty picture for you.  For a few moments I thought I might not even tell you about my cake accident.  But… see, my cake didn’t just land on the floor because I’m clumsy, but because I was taking baking liberties that I shouldn’t have.  Fact.

This cake taught me a small lesson about baking pan choices and cooking times.  It also helped me get my cake dropping out of the way for the next several months.  I only drop a cake every three months or so.  I feels good to be free and clear for a few months to come.

Here’s what you should know about this cake.  The crumb is held together with butter, almond flour and eggs.  While the cake is full of great flavor, it’s a bit crumbly.  To best work with the crumb of this cake, I think it would be best baked in mini loaf pans, or mini bundt pans, or those long and skinny loaf pans (6×2 1/2-inches) if you have them.  Cupcakes also worked out well, baking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges were nice and brown.  Regular sized, larger loaf pans will most likely create a cake that is sunken in the middle.  Bundt pans.. well that’s how I dropped my cake on the floor… no good.

When it comes to baking this beauty, you might be surprised when I say: longer is better.  We’re not looking for a lightly colored American style cake here.  We’re looking for a French brown:  a baked good left to bake until the sides are beautifully dark brown.  I think the longer cooking time will help the crumb stay together better.

I’m thinking my mistakes will help you create a better cake.  Go on… bake away!

Gluten Free Lemon, Almond and Polenta Cake

from Breakfast Lunch Tea, Rose Bakery

Print this recipe!

2 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened plus extra for greasing pans

2 1/4 cups sugar

grated zest of four lemons

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 eggs

5 1/2 cups ground almonds

2 cups polenta

1/2 cup rice or corn flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter eight mini bread tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper, or line 3 cupcake pans with foil cupcake liners.

Measure out the sugar and lemon zest.  With the back of a spoon or a plastic bench knife, rub the lemon zest into the sugar, creating a lemony and fragrant sugar.  Beat the butter and sugar until very light and creamy.  Add the lemon juice and the vanilla extract.  Add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.

Mix together the flour, ground almonds, polenta, rice or corn flour, baking powder and salt and fold into the butter mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for cupcakes) or until a knife inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool the cakes in their tins before taking them out.

Sift some powdered sugar over the cooled cakes for decoration.

I woke up this morning ready to celebrate Friday.  This, despite the fact that I’m convinced that I’m due at least fourteen hours more sleep, and moving past the idea that I deserve a sleep re-do for having fallen asleep with all the light on, teeth unbrushed and (gasp!) bra still on.  I don’t get a do-over, or more sleep… but I do get a Friday, and that’s a little bit of all right with me.

This week, I overheard someone say “Whatever… you know that Thursday is the new Friday.”  Hm… I don’t know where they work, or how they pull that off, but to me “Friday is the same, old Friday”… and sometimes “Saturday is the new Friday” making “Sunday the new weekend”.

Wanting to celebrate Friday as the same, old Friday got me thinking about all the great little moments I had during the week.  You know… the little things- getting a card in the mail from Mom, or finding a crumpled ten dollar bill in your back pocket.

What are the three best things that happened to you this week?   Think on it.  Here’s what I’m workin’ with.

1. I dropped a cake I had just baked on the floor.  We can talk more about that later,  but thought to myself:  ok, well that shouldn’t happen again for another few months.  I’m glad that’s out of the way.  Then I wanted to yell and swear, but there was no one around to hear it, so I didn’t bother.  This restraint for lack of an audience later made me laugh at myself.

2.  I’m sitting here, in this very moment, enjoying a cup of hot tea and a few of my dad’s buttermilk biscuits.  It’s quiet and sunny and just warm enough to not regret my warm covers in the other room.  Quiet simplicity is a week highlight for sure.

3.  I’m going up to Oakland this weekend.  I’m going to wear a dress.  Don’t try to stop me.  Both things are going to happen.

In the meantime, I think you should take these Cinnamon Raisin Pull-Apart Muffins for a spin.

These Pull Apart Muffins might be a problem.  See, they’re as fun to eat as they are delicious.  They’re basically, a pizza crust recipe, patted down, doused with flour, cinnamon and sugar, then tossed with a buttery brown sugar mixture, cut into chunks and packed lightly into a greased muffin tin.  They bake up into loose muffins made up of doughy, spiced chunks of yummy breakfast goodness.

Cinnamon Raisin Pull Apart Muffins

Print this recipe!

makes about a dozen muffins.

3 cups flour (can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 1 or 2 tablespoons more)
2  tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

handful of golden raisins (optional)

more flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon for dusting

Stir dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into as close to a ball as you can. Dump all clumps and floury bits onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything into a homogeneous ball.

If you are finding this step difficult, one of the best tricks I picked up from my bread-making class is to simply pause. Leave the dough in a lightly-floured spot, put the empty bowl upside-down on top of it and come back in 2 to 5 minutes, at which point you will find the dough a lot more lovable.  The dough should looks like this after the first knead.

Knead it for just a minute or two. Lightly oil the bowl (a spritz of cooking spray perfectly does the trick) where you had mixed it —

one-bowl recipe!-dump the dough in, turn it over so all sides are coated, cover it in plastic wrap and leave it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.  I placed my bowl of wrapped dough in the fridge overnight instead of leaving it out for two hours.

Dump it back on the floured counter (yup, I leave mine messy), and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under that plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.  If you’ve left your dough in the fridge overnight like I did, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, place the covered bowl of dough near the oven, or on a stovetop burner that doesn’t get too hot, bringing the dough to room temperature faster.  After it’s been out of the fridge for about 30 minutes, dump it onto a floured counter, press the air out and knead the dough into a smooth, happy ball.  Return to the down to warm up a bit more, and rise just a bit more, about 30 minutes more.  Your dough should be doubled in size from the previous night.  The dough should look like this after the second knead.  Smooth!

Grease a muffin pan with vegetable shortening and dust it with flour.  Set aside.  On a well floured work surface, dump out the dough.  Press out with your hands until your dough is about 3/4-inch thick.  The shape doesn’t matter so much.  Begin to cut the dough into small chunks.  Mine were just smaller that one inch chunks.  If the dough sticks to your knife, just flour you knife a bit.  Once cut into chunks, sprinkle the pieces with a bit of flour, a handful of granulated sugar and a generous dusting of ground cinnamon.  Toss on the counter top.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, flour, cornstarch, raisins and cinnamon until well combined.  I brought my mixture together with my hands.

Fill the muffin tin to the halfway point with dough chunks, softly packing them in.  Top with about a tablespoon of the sugar mixture, then top with more dough chunks, packing lightly.  Finish with more sugar mixture.  That’s four layers for each muffin.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes, keeping an eye on them after 12 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the edges of each muffin then gently scoop out of the muffin tin.  Enjoy!

On losing, letting go of little sisters, and warm biscuits:

We never talked about this.  I didn’t know how to bring it up.  The 2009 Bloggies.  Remember?  Best New Blog?  So… I sorta…. kinda…. mostly… didn’t win.  The thing is, I really really wanted to win.  I did.  I played it cool though.  On the outside, I pretended to not care either way.  That was a big fat lie.  But the thing about losing… it’s pretty cool actually… it makes me want to be better.  It also makes me unbelievably grateful for all of your smiling faces.  Fact.

I found myself in a frenzy this morning.  My little sister left for a many month long European adventure.  The thought of her being so far away that I can’t easily call her at two in the morning to scream our favorite Mariah Carey song at her sent me into panic mode.  I calmed myself, safe in the knowledge that my sister deserved some life changing adventures and I am due many presents from far away lands upon her return.

Biscuits.  If I were to hand you a warm biscuit with raspberry jam would you: a)  throw it on the ground and shove me on the floor or b) thank me kindly, gobble the biscuit and give me a giant hug?  If your answer involved shoving me on the floor… well, that’s kinda funny, but throwning biscuits on the floor is just plain rude.  Don’t do it.

These Buttermilk Buiscuits… well, they must be blessed by the heavens.  I don’t think there’s any other way to explain just how good they are.  They’re best right out of the oven, steaming hot, doused with butter and jam.

My dad has been making this recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits for our family for, exactly, ever.  Incedentially, my sister has been swiping them of the table for as long as I can remember.  They’re simple family goodness.

Dad’s Buttermilk Biscuits

Print this recipe!

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening, cold and cut into cubes

1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.  Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  In another bowl, combine egg and milk and beat lightly with a fork.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times.  Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2×2-inch squares.  Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps.    Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

I like you.

No..,  I’m being completely serious here.  I totally like you.  I think you’re great.  You know when you sometimes steal the covers and fart in your sleep?   That’s cool with me.  Maybe that happens to all of us.

Yes.  You.  I like exactly who you are.

I’d like to make each and every one of you breakfast.  This weekend.  You and me.  Let’s do it!  The only little snafu is that, I can’t be everywhere, making everyone breakfast.  I’m going to need your help.

Will you make yourself breakfast on my behalf?  Sure, it might sound a little silly, but I’ve got my serious face on right now.  If you’ve been around these blogparts for more than a minute that you probably know that I love… I seriously looooove breakfast.

See, I love breakfast and I totally like you.  I thought that maybe… in this really cool way… you could find a recipe here on Joy the Baker, make it for yourself for breakfast this weekend… and maybe that way just feel a hint of exactly how rad I think you are.

Can we do this together?

Jump on over and drool through some of my favorite breakfast recipes.  Pick one.  Make it for yourself this weekend.  Share it with friends.  Share it with husbands and families.  Make the wife breakfast!  Make yourself feel good with a little weekend breakfast, and you’ll experience a just a bit of how good you all make me feel every day.

Carrot Cake Pancakes.  Say you will.

Chocolate Chocolate Banana Bread.  Say you might.

Maybe you’re thinking Creme Fraiche Quiche.

Or Cheddar Paprika Biscuits with fried eggs.

How about Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Pancakes?

This Mocha Coffee Coffee Cake is so good.

Muffins?  Maybe Low Fat Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins!

Milk Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes might just be the perfect weekend food.  For serious.

Or simply go for Cranberry Orange Almond Oatmeal.

Enjoy breakfast and don’t be afraid to let me know just how great it made you feel!

Everyday requires a little adventure, wouldn’t you agree?

Some days (say… yesterday for me) that adventure can be as simple as taking a new route home from work (and getting lost driving through the canyons).

Other days, that adventure might mean moving to France for three months  (not my adventure, but bon voyage dear Carsen!).

Maybe sometime during this bright and brisk week, your adventure will involve these Chai Spiced Pancakes.  I dunno about you, but there’s something about a steaming plate of pancakes makes me feel like I’m living the good life.  And chai spice?  Well, let’s just agree to calling that a mild pancake adventure.

Whatever adventure means to do, I say go and do!  Big or small.  France or pancakes.  Treat yourself to a little adventure this week…. and forever.  Foreva, eva, eva?  Yes.

In other exciting, non pancake related news, the 2009 Bloggies are announced this afternoon.  You might want to hop on over there and check out the big winners.  Remember waaaaay back a month ago when I was nominated for Best New Blog?  Yea… well.  Win or no win, being nominated has been the most awesome kick in the pants.  Thanks for making that happen for me.  Really.  Thanks!

Wait!!  There’s more!  Here’s a super secret tip!  You might want to find yourself back here this time tomorrow for a super awesome giveaway.  I’m just sayin’…

Pancakes.  Sweet.  Slightly spiced.  Otherwise perfect.  Do it.

Chai Spiced Buttermilk Pancakes

Print this recipe!

2 eggs

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground ginnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

healthy pinch of ground cloves

scant 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns (or a dash of freshly ground black pepper)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup brewed black chai tea

4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

½ teaspoons vanilla extract

oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

Step 1: In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, chai tea, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Let batter set for a few minutes.

Step 2: Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil (I used grapeseed oil) to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, when the drops start to dance its hot enough.

Step 3: Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.  Maple syrup… that’s nice!

I used to keep a dream dictionary by my bed.  Fact.  I thought that I could wake up from a vivid dream all about pansies and weasels, broken clocks and cotton candy to thumb through a book and answer all off those deep subconscious questions.

It never worked.  I was lucky enough if I’d remember the dream, and luckier still if I had the wakefulness to actually reach for a dictionary first thing in the morning.

My dreams are trying to tell me something, I just leave it up to my sly and cunning brains to figure it out or leave it a mystery.

In the same way, my body was trying to send me a message early this morning.  I hadn’t been awake and in the world for more than an hour when I found myself standing at work in the restaurant saying exactly this, completely unsolicited:

I want potato salad.  I want potato salad exactly now.  Potato salad sound SO good.  I want pounds and pounds of potatoes in my belly right this second!

How’s that for a craving!?

I know what you’re thinking.  But Joooooy!  You didn’t make potato salad.  What’s all this cabbage business!?

Well,  my body and I have figured out that when I have a crazy potato attack, my body really just needs a comfy sweater, a cup of tea with loads of honey, and a good long hug.  It’s not about the potato, it’s about comfort and warmth.

See it’s just like that dream I had the other night about my teeth falling out.  It’s not about my poor teeth, maybe it’s just my brain telling me that I should talk to that girl at work who says mean things to me, I should tell her how I feel instead of simply ignoring her everyday.

um…..  does that make sense?

With that, I bring you Spicy Sweet Cabbage Salad.

It’s everything I wanted from the world, without the heavy potatoes.  I save the potatoes for a time when I know I won’t completely gorge myself.  This salad has got spice, sweetness, and a salty crunch.  Throw on some tuna and its like  healthy, expensive spa food.  Super pleasing!

Sweet and Spicy Cabbage Salad

adapted from Bon Appetit

Print this recipe!

2 lbs shredded cabbage

3 medium carrots, grated

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped scallions

1 3/4 teaspoons fine grain salt

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (I grated mine on the fine side of a bod grater)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Best canned tuna you can find

Toss together cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, scallions and salt in a large bowl .  Let stand until cabbage is slightly wilted, about 5 minutes.

Bring vinegar, sugar, grated ginger and red pepper flakes to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  Pour over cabbage mixture.  Toss to coat.  Top with canned tuna and lightly sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

I’m a flake.

Ok… maybe that’s a little harsh.

I flaked on plans I made last Friday night, and I felt guilty until exactly this morning.

See… (I’ll try keep this short) I was supposed to go to see a friend’s play on Friday night.  You know,  it’s just one of those things you do.  Friend.  Theater.  You just go see it.

I was on the list.  The play was showing walking distance from my house.  I had no other plans.  The weather was gorgeous.  Really… I’d have to be a complete jerkface to not show up, right?  Well I didn’t, and here’s why…

I threw on my favorite jeans.  I was wearing my cute jacket and scarf.  I walked myself over to the theater feeling pretty good about the world.  That’s when I saw it:  a crowd of strangers.  I froze.  All the charm and clever wit that I might have possessed simply drained out of my system.  I suppose that happens to the best of us sometimes.  In my case, rather than facing my spontaneous fear of strangers, I turned myself right around and walked back home.

On the way home I concocted an elaborate lie to tell my friend the next time I saw him.  It was full of stress, drama, lost time and regret.  I stopped myself.  Literally.  In the middle of my street.

Why lie?  Why not keep it simple?  Why not express a little vulnerability?  Why not just say I couldn’t handle strangerdanger that particular night?

That’s just what I did.  Next time I say my friend, I simply apologized, looked him directly in the eye and told him what a ‘fraidycat I was.  It felt like one of those simply, human moments when you just lay it all out there for better or worse.

Life is complicated enough.  Why disguise your vulnerabilities with lies?  And why disguise your potatoes with a bunch of nonsense?

There are few things in the world more simple and honest that a potato.

These Oven Baked Fries with Herbes de Provence are a lovely way to celebrate simplicity.  Herbes de Provence is a spice mixture that usually contains thyme, rosemary, basil, bay leaf, marjoram and lavender.  It’s gentle and kind, and a classy touch to these oven potatoes.

Crunchy Oven Baked Fries with Herbes de Provence

inspired by Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes

Print this recipe!

serves 3 or 4 (about a potato per person)

3 or 4 medium sized Russet potatoes, rinsed and dried (you can peel them if you like)

2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil plus 1 teaspoon (or olive oil if you have it on hand)

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

1/2 – 1 teaspoon sea salt (depending on how salty you like your fries)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour 1 teaspoon of oil on baking sheet and spread around with a paper towel, greasing the sheet before you add the potatoes.

Slice cleaned potatoes lengthwise into 1/3″ thick slices, then slice those slices into smaller potato strips.  Place on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of oil.  Toss the potatoes in the oil to coat.  Place in oven for 25- 35 minutes, removing the tray every 10 minutes to toss and stir the potatoes, then returning to the oven.  Cook until browned and irresistable.

Remove from the oven and immediatley add salt and Herbes de Provence.  Toss and serve.

Life is all about balance, right?  Balance and beans.  Ok… maybe not that last part.

While I’ll be the first person in line to pick at those brownies fresh out of the oven, I also know that I have to fill my belly with foods that make my body feel strong.  Because I think food is just downright dreamy, I like to take the time to make something special for my body.  Why?  I figure if my body is happy, then my brain is pretty stoked and my heart feels pretty rad… and that trickles out to every part of my life.

Can I tell you a secret?  I gave up working out for the new year.  That’s right… I gave it up completely.  I had absolutely no interest at all in even glancing at my running shoes.  About two months in, I went to slip on my favorite jeans.  Um…  they were tight… and they hadn’t just come out of the dryer.  What did I expect?  Seriously…

Well, I’m back at it.  I’m taking my running shoes out for a spin every once in a while, and my body is all smiles.  Incedentially, my body also wants to celebrate its new found activity with French fries… but that’s a whole other battle we can talk about later.

This Borlotti Stew over Creamy Polenta feels exactly as good as getting out of the shower after a long run and sliding under the electric blanket for the night.  It’s one big bowl of good-for-you comfort.

It’s a small way to celebrate real food being really good for you.  I dunno… I think there’s something really special, and necessary about taking care of your body with a whole, happy meal.

Borlotti Beans in Tomato Sauce with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Print this recipe!

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium fennel bulb trimmed and chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 teaspoons fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

salt

1 small carrot peeled and shredded

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes or plum tomatoes

pepper

3 cups cooked and drained Borlotti beans (more about how to soak and cook those suckers here)

For Parmesan Polenta

1 cup polenta

3 cups cold water

2 cups whole milk  (if you don’t want to use whole, just use whatever you have on hand)

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small, heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter.  Add onions, fennel, garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano and red pepper flakes, plus a pinch of salt and pepper.  Saute for 10 minutes.

Add shredded carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes more.

Add tomatoes and stir to break up.  Add another pinch of salt.

Reduce heat to super low (a very very low simmer) and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to separate from oil, about 2 hours.  I cooked my tomatoes for about an hour and a half before I couldn’t wait any longer and dove in.

Add the rest of the oregano, plus more salt and pepper to taste.  Add Borlotti beans and stir to combine.

Now make the Polenta

Place 1 cup of dried polenta in a medium sized bowl.  Top with one cup cold water.  Set aside.

In a medium sized sauce pan bring 2 cups of whole milk and remaining 2 cups of water to a boil.  Once boiling, add salt.  Slowly whisk the polenta and water mixture into the boiling milk mixture.  Turn flame down to medium low.  The time the polenta takes to cook will depend on weather you’re using fine grain or course polenta.  My fine grain polenta took just minutes to thicken.  However long it takes, stir occasionally until you’re reached a desired thickness.

Turn of flame and add grated parmesan cheese.  Stir to incorporate.

Serve Borlotti with tomato sauce over warm polenta and top with extra Parmesan if you’re feelin’ frisky.

Yes, I still love cupcakes.

Yes, I’ve been thinking about oatmeal cookies all week.

Yes,  I think pancakes should have a daily requirment like fruits and vegetables.

All of these things are true, yet here I am… and all I have to offer you is a pile of dried beans.

Do you feel wronged?  A little?  Be honest.

Let me explain.  These beans are special.  These beans have character, color and integrity.  These beans were inspiration enough for me to sit down and actually consider cooking dried beans at home.

See, I’m convinced that food has a story to tell and a story to create.  I want to know where my food comes from, so I’m always aspiring to find new foods from people who care about it as much as I do.

I don’t want to settle, but I also don’t want to spend a fortune on some fancypants ingredient that I won’t even have the tools to cook.  That’s just silly, right?

Well… these beans… they just made me swoon.  They’re beautiful.  And!  And!  I can cook them at home.  And if I can cook them at home, you can too.

Can I share my beans with you?  Will you indulge me?

These beautifully brown striped and plump heirloom beans are from Rancho Gordo in Napa Valley.  Steve Sando and his family of growers care about beautiful beans.  More importantly, they care about making these beans as approachable as possible.  They actually want you to cook and enjoy them.

I chose Borlotti beans for my inaugural cooking.  They’re a bean typically associated with the Piedmont region of Italy, but also have strong roots in Colombia.  They’re a fat brown bean that cook up super meaty, earthy and delicious.

First let’s talk about how to cook these suckers, and tomorrow we’ll talk about how to incorporate them into an unforgettable dinner.

Good food is worth the time.  Beans are no exception.  Come on….  we can totally do this.

Cooking Dried Beans in the Rancho Gordo Manner

There is not one single method of cooking beans.  The most basic method is to simmer the pot until the beans are soft.  Soaking can speed up the process, and vegetables or stock will make them more flavorful.  It’s really that simple!

Check beans for small debris and rinse in cool, fresh water.  Cover beans with two inches of water and soak for 4-6 hours.  In a large pot, saute finely chopped onions, celery, carrot and garlic (or any combination you prefer) in olive oil until soft.  Add beans and water, and make sure beans are covered by at least one inch of water.  Bring to a hard boil for five minutes and then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Once soft, add salt.  Beans can take from one to three hours to cook.  Slow and low is always best.

Crockpot Method

Saute half a chopped onion in about one tablespoon of olive oil.  Place in a crock pot followed by the cleansed and soaked beans.  Cover with water (about one part beans to three or four parts water).  Turn heat to “High” and give the contents a stir.  Do this is the morning and your beans will be done by the late afternoon.

Pressure Cooker Method

Check with manufacturer for the exact method for your model, but generally you want to cook under pressure for 20 minute, release, and then cook open on the stovetop for another 20 minutes.  Now that’s speedy!

More Fun Bean Facts

Don’t add acids like tomatoes or vinegar or sugars until the beans are just tender.  Acids can toughen the cooking beans.

You can replace some of the cooking water with beer or stock.

Bay leaves are nice… so are ham bones or smoked turkey legs.

In general, fresh, heirloom beans need little help.

And…  here’s a preview of what we’re making.  Tomatoes, Parmesan, polenta, fennel…. Goooooood!

My Mom used to crawl in the bed at night, after a long day of being a mail carrier, a wife and mother and exclaim “Best part of the day!” just before she drifted off to sleep.  To her,  it seemed like there was no greater reward that peaceful rest at the end of the day.

As a kid, I had a hard time relating to my Mom’s Ode to Bedtime.  I was sure that I could have, at the very least, squeezed one more episode of The Cosby Show into my night.  Nope.  Bedtime was bedtime, not because there were overly strict bedtime rules, but because my Mom was just dog tired.

Nowadays I feel like I have a better understanding of my Mom’s nighttime sentiments.  My head hits the pillow after a long day and I’m asleep before I can even turn the bedside lamp off… and I don’t even have little kids yet!

You were right Momma.  Sometimes crawling under the covers is the best part of the day.

Other times, quiche is the best part of the day.  True.

In exciting, not sleepy or quiche related news:  my Mom, after over 30 years of delivering mail, retires from the Post Office… today!  Holy heck Mom!  Way to go!  Thanks for working hard for the family all those years.   I couldn’t be happier for you.  I hope you find a new “best part of the day”.  For reals, I love you Mom!

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  Moms are important.  I have a good one.

Speaking of good.  Um… I should warn you about this quiche.  It’s not good.  It’s so crazy great you might hurt yourself!  Truly.  Between the puff pastry, bacon, creme fraiche and Gruyere, this quiche just about made me cry.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Creme Fraiche Quiche

The Gourmet Cookbook

Print this recipe!

3/4 pound bacon (12 slices) cut crosswise into 3/4-inch wide pieces

1 sheet frozen puff pastry ( from a 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed (I love Dufour puff pastry)

6 large eggs

2 (10-ounce) containers creme fraiche (2 1/4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup coursely grated Gruyere (about 4 ounces)

Put a baking sheet on a middle rack and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch square.  Because pastry sheets are in a squares, it is easier to roll it into a larger square and then trim it into a round.  Fit pastry into pie pan and trim the pastry so that just about 1/4-inch of puff pastry hangs over the sides.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until well combined, then whisk in creme fraiche, salt and nutmeg until just smooth.  Pour filling through a fine-mesh strainer into pastry shell.  Sprinkle bacon evenly over filling and top with Gruyere.

Bake quiche on heated baking sheet until center is set (it should not jiggle when shaken), 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Quiche will puff up while in he oven and sink a bit once it’s out and cooled.  Transfer to rack to cool to warm or room temperature.