Nutty Monkey

On my way to gift wrap 20 coffee table books for an interior decorating firm (just call me Odd Job Jane) I spotted a juice bar and went in for a breakfast smoothie. I ordered their “Mr. Almond” smoothie which I practically inhaled through a jumbo straw. Naturally, I went home and adapted the recipe for this here blog and gave it my own silly name, Nutty Monkey. I was anti-smoothie for most of my life, but this smoothie has changed my mind.
 

Pan-Seared Peaches with Tarragon Basil Syrup

Seared or grilled peaches is a dish that's been on my summer cooking wish list for years, but sadly I never get around to it. Since I'm writing recipes for a living now, I'm spending a lot more time in the kitchen, testing and experimenting. Last weekend, I finally seared a peach. I took it one step further by making a tarragon and basil infused simple syrup to drizzle on top of the sweet, warm stone fruit. I seared my peaches in a pan with some butter because I didn't feel like setting up the grill just for one lonely peach, but if you prefer to grill your peaches, just brush them with olive oil and sear them on both sides for a few minutes until they develop nice grill marks and are warmed through.

Avocado Fries

The avocado fries at Brooklyn restaurant, El Almacen, were the inspiration for this recipe. I had never had fried avocado before and was under the impression that avocado shouldn't be cooked. But apparently, it should definitely be breaded and fried. I hope my readers don't think that I bread and fry everything. I really don't. I do it just for you guys. Anyway, it's finally spring time and our porch is decorated with big, white, flower-filled planters, a white bench, white Adirondack-style chairs and maybe soon a white umbrella. Our porch might get invited to a P.Diddy party.

Crispy Pan Fried Fennel

I'm not sure why I've never breaded and pan fried fennel before now. Fennel is one of my favorite vegetables, and anything tastes ten times better when covered in bread and fried in oil. Since I'm going on a beach vacation in about nine weeks, I have to hold off on covering foods in bread and frying them in oil. But if your beach vacation has already passed, you should immediately buy a head of fennel and try this recipe, even if you don't like fennel.

 

Late Summer Bruschetta

Working at a food company means that I often get to eat really delectable lunches. A few weeks ago, one of my bosses put together some crusty bread with homemade mayonnaise, heirloom tomatoes and basil while my other boss took pictures of us eating it. Let's hope a picture of me stuffing lunch in my face does not surface. I decided to borrow that combination of flavors for a late summer bruschetta using some heirloom tomatoes from my trip to Long Island this past weekend. 

 

Pickled Grapes

I'm always looking for an unusual, yet simple recipe.  One food blogger that I follow writes a beautiful blog called Not Without Salt.  I like her pro-salt blog title as well as the feeling I get when I read her words and look at her photographs.  I picture her life being one big lush, misty Washington morning with a cup of coffee in a mason jar.  When she posted a recipe for pickled grapes, I flagged it and took the next opportunity to make them, which was a summer dinner party at home.

Flaky Bread or “Pancake Nachos”

When I saw a recipe for Flaky Bread in this month’s Bon Appetit, I added “must make flaky bread” to my calendar last weekend.  I brought said flaky breads to a friend’s birthday party where they were enjoyed by many and dubbed “pancake nachos” by one party goer.  They did go quite well with the salsa verde.
 

Two Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Did you know that you can make pancakes out of just a banana and a few eggs?  I was shocked too.  I’ve been sticking to my fitness routine thanks to all the free exercise videos on Blogilates.com.  Pilates instructor, Cassie Ho has been keeping me motivated and also turning me on to really cool, diet-friendly recipes like this one.  I’ve been making these pancakes before work, because that’s how quick they are to make from start to finish (about 20 minutes from start to clean plate).  They have a slightly sweet banana flavor and they’re super moist on the inside.  With no white flour, you’re getting great protein and potassium that’ll fuel you all morning long.  I was bad today because I had some wine and didn’t do my pilates, but I was busy pulling this post together because I want you to make these two-ingredient pancakes right away.

Sweet and Tart Plum Jam

Making jam is not just a hobby for barefoot women in flower print dresses.  When making jam, I’m reminded of Diane Keaton’s character in Baby Boom, leaving the big city to make apple sauce in the country.  Jamming allows us to bring some country into our urban kitchens.  But if I’m gonna make jam, it has to be easy.  I’m not gonna order a bunch of pectin online or take a canning class.

Swiss Chard and Chanterelle Quesadillas

I can’t believe summer is over.  I know it’s not technically over, but for me, it ends on Labor Day.  When I was in grade school, the bittersweet St. Catherine’s carnival marked the end of summer.  I remember the big creepy clown on the sign who looked as if he was saying “Here, have some fun before I kill summer.”  I always looked forward to a few rides on the Scrambler, a woosh down the large yellow slide and a sticky red candy apple, but I knew that composition books and pencil cases were only days away.  No amount of orange tickets could postpone the inevitable.  Of course, I was always excited to wear my first-day-of-school ensemble; an embroidered flower vest and some corduroy pants, or those coordinated puffy-painted sweatsuits I seemed to have an endless supply of (what’s up with that Mom?).

Fried (Formerly) Green Tomatoes with Sriracha Mayo Dip

Alan’s cousin was a doll to bring me a bag of green tomatoes from the farmers’ market.  She knew about my years long desire to make fried green tomatoes, partly because I had never had them before and partly because I’ve always liked Fried Green Tomatoes, the movie.  Towanda!  “Face it girls.  I’m older and I have more insurance.” I had been keeping my eye out for green tomatoes the last few years but never found any.
  

Beer Baked Onion Rings

You reach for a fried onion ring at a bar or a late night diner.  Your eyes are drawn to the perfectly tubular golden crusts.  You grab a ring off the pile, drag it through a heap of ketchup and take a bite.  As you pull the remainder of the ring away from your teeth, the scalding hot onion fails to break and the entire slippery snake slides out of the perfect crust and slaps your chin.  Now you’re left with a fried crust, a slimy string of onion and a burnt chin.  After a few helpings, you’re sick from grease overload. 

Homemade Almond Milk

A few months ago I discovered OMilk, a brand of almond milk made right here in Brooklyn without gums, preservatives or stabilizers.  I’ve had commercial almond milks and they’re whatever, but OMilk was so good, I quickly developed an addiction to it.  I would go out of my way to the few stores that sell it and fill my bag with those milky white bottles of cold creamy joy.  Now that I know what a cinch it is to make at home, I can have fresh almond milk without even leaving the house (except to buy almonds).  

Eggy Popovers

It was ladies’ night at Buttermilk Channel on an ass-whipping cold Monday night in early February.  The six of us sipped on assorted cocktails while discussing first bought homes and career changes over kale salads and fresh pickles.  Out of the blue, a complimentary plate piled with golden pillows of dough was placed on the table.  ‘Looks like popovers’ I thought.  I tore one open delicately as if I were untying a bow from the neck of a mouse.  Warm steam blossomed from the dough almost visibly, but I think that was a hallucination.  They were soft, light and hollow with a hint of honey and sea salt; they had the fluffiness of a pancake but the eggy quality of a crepe.
 

Eggplant Caponata

I opened the door to our apartment on Thursday night, Valentine’s night, to find fresh flowers, pumping music, and Alan in an apron behind a stack of cookbooks, making a huge dinner of Meatball Shop’s spicy pork meatballs with parmesan cream sauce and a huge side of Dumont’s Mac and Cheese.  My long day of working in a stuffy office and riding on screeching trains immediately rolled off my hunched back as he poured me a fresh glass of Prosecco.  I watched him submerge a bunch of fresh thyme into a pot of cream and helped him form tennis balls of ground pork which we tucked into a baking dish.  As dinner browned up in the oven, I discovered a package on the sideboard from my sister in LA;  it was a birthday gift of a hilarious card, a copy of Us Weekly (my favorite trashy magazine) and a gift card to one of my favorite clothing stores.  Yes, folks, it’s my birthday this week and I’ve been celebrating with many cooking adventures.

Manchego Stuffed Devils on Horseback

I was Miss America. I was a witch.  I was a Hershey's Kiss, a princess, a fire queen, a dead bride.  I was Marie Antoinette three times.  I was a punk, I was Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider and a 1920's silent film actress.  This year I'm dressing up as my middle name, Marie, for a Middle Name Halloween party we're hosting at our apartment.  I thought about wearing my Marie Antoinette costume for a fourth time.  After all, I watched my mom slave over a sewing machine for hours constructing that perfect ball gown at my request many years ago.  But because it might be tricky to maneuver around the apartment in a gown the size of a camping tent, I decided to dress up as a random Marie from the 1980s, big hair, fake nails and tons of makeup.  As for party snacks, I plan on making these spooky looking Manchego cheese stuffed “Devils on Horseback” which are chewy hot dates oozing with cheese and wrapped in crunchy bacon.  They're salty, sweet and cheesy.  They're easy to make and will fly off the plate at your Halloween bash.
 

Marinated Roasted Red Pepper

One afternoon during the recording of my album, “The Low”, my musician pals Rob and Brian and I sat down to share the jam packed Italian sandwiches that I had made before the session.  Those hefty hoagies had neat layers of prosciutto, mozzarella, seared zucchini, Marinated Roasted Red Peppers, basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil on logs of crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside French bread.

Fresh Peach Salsa

I just returned from Los Angeles where I visited my sister and took in the sights, sounds and calories of the sunny, palm filled city.  Our very first stop was In and Out Burger, LA's famous fast food burger joint, where I housed a Double Meat Animal Style.  Dinner that night was Rigatoni with sausage, English peas and ricotta at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz...

Marinated Olives and Celery

It’s a shame that so many people dislike olives.  I love all kinds.  I love the mild, pitted black olives that I would fit on each of my fingers when I was little, plucking each salty one off with my teeth.  I love the plump, firm green ones that I would devour at my aunt’s house at every holiday dinner.  I love the oily, pebble-sized assorted colored ones served in delicate white ceramic dishes at wine bars.  I also love the intense saltiness of Kalamata olives tossed with hot pasta and broccoli rabe.  Olives are salty, bitter, juicy and addictive. 

Frozen Yogurt Honey Buttons

The inspiration for these gorgeous frozen buttons came from One Good Thing by Jillee and Shutterbean.  I knew I had to try them immediately and, just as quickly, put my own spin on them and share them with you.  I brainstormed for a bit and decided that piping the yogurt into little cup shapes and filling them with honey would be a tasty idea!  These buttons are super cold but they start melting into creaminess within seconds with the honey adding a burst of extra gooey sweetness.  They’re so simple to churn out and perfect for these ninety something degree days!   Little kiddies will probably go nuts over them too…