When Is a Cookie Not a Cookie?

You have a cookie, you decide to grind it into a cream (think peanut butter), and then you spread it onto bread and eat it.  Sounds a little odd, doesn't it?  Over the past couple of months, I had been coming across mentions of this Biscoff spread on other food blogs.  Yes, it piqued my curiosity.  Lotus Bakeries (those crazy Belgians!) took their Biscoff cookie, speculoos, and turned it into a creamy spread.  They certainly don't have a monopoly on speculoos, but they did take it that extra step.  I filed this bit of information in my brain and went along my merry way.

Fast-forward to a couple of weeks ago.  It's a glorious Saturday afternoon, I'm on the errand run and while my focus should be heading to Petco to find sustenance for the felines, I take a detour into Cost Plus (Hey, I can't help that they're right next to each other!).  This is dangerous territory for me as it is one of my favourite stores.  I am a kid in a candy store here, with their soaps, kitchen gadgets, fancy notebooks, and most importantly, their food and drink section.  They carry foods from all over the world and have a great wine and beer section.  I used to not be able to get out of a Cost Plus without spending at least $50, but I've reined myself in considerably over the past couple of years.  So I'm innocently walking down the aisles in the food section, looking at imported pastas, olives, cookies, and jams...and guess what I spot?  Yes, Biscoff spread.  I snatched that baby up and didn't even debate on whether it was a necessity or indulgence.  I had to try it.  I am also happy to report that I got out of the store only spending $13.00.  Biscoff spread, Italian dry salame, and violet gum...that's a good haul!

No time was wasted once I got home and took a spoon to that jar of Biscoff.  It doesn't look any different than peanut butter, but the taste, well, that is something else.  Caramelly with brown sugar, overtones of ginger and cinnamon...I get it!  I also had to stop myself from eating it by the spoonfuls.  Biscoff on the no-knead bread I'm obsessed with baking??  Wow.  Limiting myself to one slice?  Not easy.  I screwed the lid back on and hid it away before I really ate the whole jar in one sitting.  But it has not been out of my mind.  I really wanted to bake with it.  I had seen recipes for Biscoff cupcakes, frostings, and cakes.  It was earlier this week while at work that I thought 'banana' and 'Biscoff!'

Well, you know what happened on my day off.  Yes, Biscoff and Banana cookies.  I ate four.  I took most of them into work the next day because I would easily eat all of them myself.  They were gone in no time thanks to my co-workers.  Know what I had for breakfast today?  Yep, cookies.  I will unabashedly tell you that I love these cookies.  They are a very cakey cookie.  Soft and dense with a nice balance of caramelly brown sugar and banana.  With a cup of strong coffee they are fantastic.  I don't see it as a tea cookie, but I guess it could be.  I love tea, but to me it's dainty.  This is not a dainty cookie, it's a hearty cookie.

Seek out Biscoff.  I also found out that Trader Joe's makes a version called 'Cookie Butter.'  I will be looking into that too.  Lotus Bakeries makes it easy to purchase online, as does Amazon.com.

Banana Biscoff Cookies
(Adapted from King Arthur Flour's Basic Drop Cookie)
Makes about 2 dozen 2-inch cookies


1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Biscoff spread
1 medium ripe banana


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugars, salt, vanilla, baking soda, and baking powder until creamy.  Add the egg and mix until fluffy.  Add flour, Biscoff, and banana (break up with fingers).  Mix until batter is well-combined and smooth.  Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inch apart.   Bake for 14-16 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.  

The Note Swap

I love food.  I love art.  How cool is it to have the opportunity to bring the two together in a medium that has to fit in an envelope?  That's the objective of the Art House Co-op's 'The Note Swap.'  Art that fits in an envelope.  Thanks to my friend, Greg, who posted a link to the Note Swap on his Facebook page, I decided to check it out and signed up for it.

You should also check out Greg's artwork.  He does incredible mixed media and collage work.  Find him at Greg Ephemera Trout.  I know my life is richer with him (and his art) in it.

I have become a vintage cookbook collector.  Remember, more than three of anything becomes a collection.  Don't ask me how many vintage cookbooks I've amassed over the past couple of years.  I especially love the ones from the 1950's and 60's.  The graphics and photos are great, as are some of the foods.  I like seeing how tastes have changed over the years, and to see what a hostess could have made for a cocktail party or Christmas dinner.  Some recipes stand up over time, others not so much.  French Endive Salad, yes...Turkey-Tomato Aspic Ring...doubtful.  I sometimes make note cards from the cookbooks, especially those that are in less than decent shape from time.  This is what my contribution for The Note Swap came to be:

My love of stag imagery included, I can only wonder if the lucky recipient of the Indian Tapioca Pudding recipe will actually attempt to make it.  Hmmmm...'Indian meal.'

Stop by for coffee later...the Luncheon Cake will be ready.

A Fitting Name

If I could, I would spend more hours of the day than not cooking and baking away in my kitchen.  I do spend a  lot of time in the kitchen, much more than gets a blog post of the results.  I figure you're not going to want to see everything that I eat, especially since I can eat almost the same things every day.  I don't want to bore you, and I like to share the things that are new to me.

But yesterday I had leftovers for dinner.  I know, I know...there is very little exciting about leftovers, you're thinking.  And I am inclined to agree with you, but it wasn't about being exciting.  It was about a suitable name. You know that I am hoping to have a food-based business up and running sometime in the future.  (The future defined as later this year.)  The name is Semplice Gourmet...'semplice' is Italian for 'simple,' and it really does define how I feel about cooking.  Not boring, but good, simple, and delicious.  I am not one for fancy foods, or eating at 3-star Michelin rated restaurants.  Mind you, had someone offered me a trip to Spain and a seat at El Bulli, I would not have turned it down, but I am the kind of person who loves a good old-school Italian restaurant and likes to seek out a secret neighbourhood diner where they have a killer patty melt.

So I made some lentils the other day.  Do you have any idea what one cup of dried lentils produces?  A whole lot of cooked lentils.  Lentils for days and days and days...on top of a spinach salad, with sauteed mushrooms on top of polenta, and what turned into a very simple dinner the other night:  with orzo, zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers and a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella.  Even the vegetables were leftover from the previous night's  dinner.

Semplice...if only everything in life was just as easy.

Feeling (Un)kneaded

Every now and then I believe that a little indulgence is good for you.  It doesn't have to be big or expensive.  A chocolate bar (with no guilt attached), a new lipstick, or a latte from Starbucks.  I bought myself a little indulgence.  A 14-lb indulgence in the shape of a cast iron Dutch oven.  I know I mentioned it in a previous post and I'm sorry, but I'm still excited about it.  I can make so much in it:  soup, chili, stews, roast chicken, and the primary reason I bought it...bread.

I was having breakfast at a friend's last year and she brought out a homemade ciabatta that was outstanding.  I asked her about it, and she told me how easy it was...no knead, bake it in a Dutch oven and there you go!  So, from that day on, acquiring a Dutch oven was in my plans.  I also checked into the no-knead bread baking and discovered Jim Lahey.  This is where I discovered how easy baking bread can be.  Past attempts have been okay, but this...is fantastic.  You mix the ingredients in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and for at least 12 hours, let the yeast do its work.  It doesn't get easier than this.  I was so thrilled with the first attempt that I have two bowls sitting on the stove now, rising away, that will be bread by this evening.

May I make a suggestion?  Dig out the Dutch oven that you haven't used in ages, say 'thank you' to Jim Lahey, and bake bread.   Don't wait for it to cool and don't forget the butter, plenty of butter.

Click here for the link to Jim Lahey's recipe.

From a sticky, gooey, yeasty mess...

...to deliciousness.

Soup for You

It's taken until March for Los Angeles to get a decent dose of Winter; a couple of good rain storms where the Los Angeles River is more than just a narrow channel of concrete, the surface streets become white-tipped rushing waters, and there's a rare rumble of thunder and flash of lightning.  Those are the days best spent inside, in comfy clothes, rain pelting against the windows, and soup simmering on the stove.

Thanks to an overabundance of onions in the Italian Pantry and a flip through Mollie Katzen's Recipes:  Soups cookbook, it was easy to find a recipe worth trying.  When I first saw my plethora of onions, I was going to make French Onion soup, but the Swiss Cheese and Onion recipe in Katzen's book was really appealing.  There was a small issue though...I didn't have any Swiss cheese (or sherry, for that matter), but I did have horseradish (extra hot!), which was the ingredient that tipped the scales in favour of this recipe.  I could do without the sherry.   But I did have vermouth.  A touch of alcohol is a touch of alcohol, right?  After a search of the refrigerator's contents, I came up with Provolone and Mozzarella.  The soup would take an Italian spin (surprise, surprise!).

This also gave me the opportunity to break in the cast iron Dutch oven I finally bought for myself.  I could kick myself for waiting this long to get one, but I'll be using it frequently now.  Wait until you see the results of bread baking in it!  Okay...back to the soup.  It's a quick soup, coming together in less than an hour.  As I said before, the horseradish really adds a smoky depth and a wee bite.  I added a little more than the required teaspoon because:  1.  I love horseradish and 2.  I like a little bite in my food.  You can add more, less, or not at all, but I think you would be doing yourself a disservice if you left it out altogether.  Provolone and Mozzarella mellowed out the taste, and I will be making it again with Swiss, but it's good to know that the substitution doesn't lessen the deliciousness.

Onion Soup
(Adapted from 'Swiss Cheese and Onion Soup' by Mollie Katzen)
Makes 6-8 servings


2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, sliced thin
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
1-3 tablespoons flour
2 cups water
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 1/2 cups warmed milk
1 1/2 cups mozzarella and/or Provolone cheese (grated)
pepper, to taste




Melt the butter in your pot.  Add onions, garlic, salt, and mustard.  Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft (8-10 minutes).  Sprinkle in the flour by the tablespoon, stirring constantly.  The more flour used, the thicker the soup.  Mix well.   


Add the vermouth, water, and horseradish.  Stir and cook for 5 more minutes.  Add the milk and cheese, stirring as the cheese melts into the liquid.  


Let simmer for a few minutes more, adding pepper to taste.  

I followed Mollie's suggestion and served the soup sprinkled with a dash of paprika and homemade croutons.  A swirl of crème fraîche would be lovely too.

And yes....soup reminds me of 'Seinfeld.'

Fifteen Layers High

There's this little website called Pinterest that I am mildly obsessed with, meaning I don't have to visit the site every day, but more times than not, I will.  Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board.  It's a genius idea because I'm always bookmarking sites, whether they be recipes, blogs, photos, articles, or what have you.  In the past I've lost a huge amount of those bookmarks when I've upgraded browsers.  Now in one spot, off my hard drive, all my books marks can be saved!  Categorised!  It also satifies the voyeur in me because you share your boards with other people and can look at their boards!  It can be a huge source of inspiration.  If you're curious want to check out Pinterest or my boards, find me here.

To prove how inspiration struck, I found a pin for a crêpe cake.  That's right, a cake made with crêpes.  I love crêpes.  They're easy, they can be made sweet or savoury, and you can fill them pretty much with whatever you like.  I've had a great book on crêpes that I've referred to a number of times over the years.  Called (what else?!) 'Crêpes:  Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Home Cook,' it gives so many options you'll have loads of ideas for weeks.  The recipe for basic crêpes is so easy, along with all the variations they include.  But back to the cake.  Layer upon layer of buttery batter goodness.  This is not something to eat if you're trying to lose a couple of pounds this week.  If you're ready to indulge, I highly suggest it.  You don't need a crêpe pan or griddle (though it would be easier).  I use my 10-inch skillet, and while it does take a little maneuvering to slip the spatula under the edge to flip them, you'll find a rhythm that works for you with practice.

Make this if you're having friends over for dinner.  It's so pretty when you slice it.  I layered the crêpes with a mixed berry purée.  Next time (because there will be a next time), I'm going the chocolate or nutella route.

Sweet Crêpes
(Adapted from the 'Dessert Crêpes' recipe from 'Crêpes' by Lou Seibert Pappas) 
makes 14-16 10-inch crêpes


2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Faretti biscotti liqueur (brandy, amaretto, bourbon, etc) [optional]
2 tablespoons butter, melted (plus more for coating the pan)


In a small bowl, sift the flour and sugar, set aside.  In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs, then add milk, water, vanilla extract, liqueur, and melted butter.  When all the liquid ingredients are combined, gradually add the flour and mix until incorporated.  Refrigerate the batter for at least an hour before use.  If the batter separates when chilling, mix again before making crêpes.


Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, and coat the pan with a thin layer of butter.  Pour slightly less than 1/4 cup of batter into the hot skillet.  Thin is key here!  Cook until the edges start to curl and brown, about a minute.  Flip and cook other side until lightly browned.  Lay on plate to cool.  Layer wax paper or parchment between crêpes.


Mixed Berry Purée


1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup sugar


In a blender, combine berries and sugar and purée.  Add water by the tablespoon if needed.  Adjust sugar to taste.  Blend until smooth.


To build cake:


Lay crêpe on plate and spread a thin layer of berry purée on top.  Repeat until all the crêpes have been used.  Sift confectioners sugar on top.

Frittered Away

fritter [frit - er]*

1. verb to squander or disperse piecemeal; waste little by little

2. noun a small cake of batter, sometimes containing corn, fruit, clams, or some other ingredient, fried in deep fat or sauteed

I will admit to being guilty of frittering away many days by spending a lot of time online, roaming from one blog to another, and scouring recipes for hours on end.  I will also happily admit to making small cakes of batter fried in deep fat or sauteed.

Ever since I had that amazing bowl of cauliflower soup at Breadbar in Century City a couple of months ago, I buy a lot of cauliflower.  I've made cauliflower soup a few times since, and have roasted cauliflower with fennel to top polenta.  So once again, I found myself with a head of cauliflower in the fridge along with a large knotty celery root.  I knew the mellow flavours of both would work together and knew I could punch it up with curry, which has turned into one of my favourite spices.  Seriously...cauliflower soup with a drizzle of curry oil makes me swoon.

Curry Cauliflower-Celeriac Fritters
(makes 12-14 fritters)


3 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups shredded celery root
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
olive oil for frying


Steam cauliflower and celery to soften, about 3 minutes.  Rinse lightly with to cool vegetables.  In a medium bowl, mix egg with 1/4 cup of the flour.  Gradually add the cauliflower and celeriac, mixing with your hands to mash vegetables and work ingredients.  Add curry powder, salt, and garlic powder.  Continue to add flour until all the elements come together.  It will be sticky and a little messy.  


In a skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Form fritters in your hand or drop by the heaping tablespoon into the skillet and flatter with fork.  Fry each side until golden brown and drain excess oil on papertowel lined plate.  Add more olive oil by the tablespoon as needed.  

I topped them with a generous dollop of fat free Greek yogurt.

*definition courtesy of Dictionary.com