Pistachio Honey Cake with Berries and Cream

My assignment this past Wednesday was dessert. I love when I have to make dessert because I get to experiment with stuff that I would not normally make, except for a holiday celebration.

Every day is a celebration of sorts, don’t you think?

In homage to my Ireland trip, I wanted to make something with a bit of green… pistachios! So, I embarked on a hunt for a recipe using this shelled jewel and found a perfect contender in the April 2012 edition of Better Homes and Gardens.

The cake, Pistachio Honey Cake with Berries and Cream, was in an article called “Honey Do!” that featured using honey in recipes, so the pistachios are the best friend in this recipe while honey is the leading lady. This best friend/leading lady notion is from one of my favorite movies ever – The Holiday – Arthur, a retired Hollywood script writer, says to his visiting and broken hearted neighbor, Iris, “Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.” To which Iris replies, “You're so right, Arthur. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for god's sake!”

Enough movie therapy.

The various flavors – sweet, crunchy, creamy, tart – blend so nicely in this cake that is subtle and satisfying and sure to become a new go-to favorite!

“To measure honey, coat the measuring cup or spoon with nonstick spray. The honey will slide right out.” BH&G, April 2012

Pistachio Honey Cake with Berries and Cream

Ingredients
For the cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
¼ cup of pistachio nuts, ground (set some aside to sprinkle on the served cake)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened (I used Irish cream butter!)
¾ cup of honey
2 eggs
½ cup milk
2 Tablespoons orange juice

For the topping
½ cup mascarpone cheese, chilled or cream cheese softened
1 cup of whipping cream
2 Tablespoons of honey
1 pint of strawberries, sliced (raspberries would be nice too)

Directions
1. Preheat oven 325°. Butter a 9x1 ½ inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, ground pistachios, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add ½ cup of honey, beat for 3 minutes, until fluffy. Slowly beat in eggs, one at a time. Add ¾ of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add milk and the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove cake from pan.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat the remaining honey and orange juice, whisking to combine. Poke holes in cake with a toothpick and brush the honey/OJ mixture on top.

5. For the topping, whip the mascarpone cheese for 30 seconds, add cream and 2 Tbsp. of honey and beat to form soft mounds. Refrigerate.

6. When ready to serve the cake, spoon some cream topping on each cake slice, sprinkle some pistachios, drizzle some honey and top with a sliced strawberry.

Perfection.

Button Bag

You know those little plastic bags that the "Extra Buttons" come in when you buy new stuff? Well, save them and put jewelry in them to keep your necklaces, bracelets and earrings from getting all tangled together when you travel!

How handy-dandy is that!?

Umbrian Lentils

We had dinner at Architect’s house on Wednesday and she made lentils…not just any lentils but lentils from Umbria, Italy.

They were delicious.

I was lucky enough to bring a doggie bag home.

The lentils that Architect used are grown by the Emilio Family of Umbria and are coveted throughout Italy for their outstanding color, texture, and flavor. The family keeps the crops small so the demand for these little beauties often surpasses the supply!

Lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber and are considered lucky in Italy, so they are a very popular dish for New Year's celebrations!

Umbrian Lentils
1 package of Bartolini Umbrian Lentils (these are available on-lin)
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2-3 carrots, sliced
¼ cup of parsley, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 cups of chicken stock
10-15 sage leaves

Rinse the lentils then place them in water (just enough to cover them) and boil for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the onions, celery and carrots in the olive oil. Add some of the water from the lentils for flavor. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, chicken stock and the lentils. Boil on medium until the lentils are tender.

While the lentils are cooking, sauté the sage leaves in some olive oil (to coat the pan) and a tablespoon of butter until they are a bit crispy. When the lentils are done, serve in a bowl, top with a few sage leaves, a dollop of sour cream and Parmesan cheese.

It was my turn to make dessert…stay tuned!

St. Patrick's Day Cheddar Biscuits

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

I made these little lovlies for our weekly dinner gathering and they were a big hit! The savory of the herbs, creaminess of the cheese and zip of the mustard all combine nicely in this twist on a more traditional biscuit recipe.

I get a daily recipe update from Kraft Foods and I save those that are interesting....this made the "save as" list!

I don't think I mentioned that I am crossing the pond once again and heading to Ireland next week with my sister, brother and sister-in-law...a cast of characters indeed and we will have a blast!

Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients
2 1/4 cup of baking mix (I used Bisquick)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp of fresh herbs (I used thyme and parsley because I had them on hand)
1/4 cup of sour cream
2 Tbsp of dijon mustard (I will use a little less next time)
1/3 cup of milk
1 egg, beaten
Fresh parsley leaves for embellishment

Directions
Heat oven to 425°.

Combine baking mix, cheese and herbs in a large bowl.

Mix sour cream and mustard in a small bowl and gradually stir in milk. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just moistened.

Place some baking mix on a dry surface and on your hands (to keep the dough from sticking) and plop the dough down, knead 10 times. Pat into a 1/2" thick circle.

Cut with a 2" biscuit cutter dusted with baking mix (I used a small glass) and then place the biscuits 2 inches apart on a baking sheet (I used my trusty and well-seasoned Pampered Chef stone). Brush lightly with the egg mixture, top each with a parsley leave, and brush again with the egg mixture. The egg gives each a beautiful sheen.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Farro with Asparagus and Eggs

We had dinner at Foodie's house on Tuesday instead of Wednesday this week because of a scheduling conflict. Regardless, it was delicious. She made Farro with sauteed asparagus topped with a fried egg. Now, you may be thinking "what a strange combination!" but the harmony of flavors -- the nuttiness of the farro, the succulent crunchiness of the asparagus and the wholesomeness of the egg -- meet on the palate for a panoply of sensory delight!

Farro is similar to barley and is prepared by cooking the grain in liquid - water or stock - until soft. It is often eaten as a side dish or tossed into soups or salads, but Foodie sauteed onions, mushrooms and celeriac...that is not a typo. Celeriac is a root vegetable that is a cousin to carrots, parsnips and anise. It's creamy meat is a hearty alternative to potatoes with a taste that's a cross between a carrot and parsley.

Sounds like it would perfect in a pot roast too, but, I have to say, it certainly is not the Cinderella of vegetables!

Farro with Asparagus and Fried Egg

Cook the farro as directed. Saute onions, mushrooms and celery root (celeriac). Add (all to taste) herbs de provence, hot pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss vegetables and farro together and add a small amount of goat and Parmesan cheeses. Add a few handfuls of baby spinach for color

Place in a casserole dish and bake to melt cheeses and warm, 350° for about 20-25 minutes. Foodie used the casserole she made in pottery class....isn't it a beauty?!

In the meantime, sauté some asparagus, fry an egg and when the farro is warm assemble at the dish by placing a cup or so of farro on a plate, top with a few spears of asparagus and the egg and serve!

We also had a mixed greens and pear salad served in the lovely traveling salad bowl and ice cream topped with hazelnut liqueur and hazelnuts for dessert.

Photo of celeriac bulb from Google images.