Homemade Bagels

I'm obsessed with Bagels.  If I didn't think/ know that by eating too many bagels I would start looking like a bagel myself, I might eat them for every meal.  I'm not sure if its the actual bagel or the oh so appealing cream cheese factor, but I can't get enough. 
I'm not talking about Noah's Bagels.  While they get the job done, I am really not a fan of their squishy, airy texture.  Bagels are supposed to be dense and chewy; and when they are, everything is right in the world. 
I think if I lived in New York I might gain 10 lbs.  I'd likely eat a whole wheat everything every day!!!
Anyway, I've been wanting to make homemade bagels due to my love of them, and it finally happened!
Here's the steps:
Broil, Boil, and Bake!  Catchy!
First you make your dough and knead it. 

Bagels are actually pretty simple, but they do take some time.  Because of the yeast in the dough, the dough takes time to rise.

Then the bagels will need to be formed, and then they need to proof again. 

After all that, it's Broil....

Boil...

and Bake!

I made half whole wheat bagels and half plain bagels. 

I minced some garlic and put it atop a couple of the bagels just for kicks.

 

 

They came out to be a great texture.  I wasn't really sure how the recipe would turn out because I'd never made bagels before.  But yes! They were dense and chewy and perfect. They were a bit crisp/crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside.  As I describe them I am dreaming about eating them again.... sigh.

Plus they gave me an excuse to eat as much cream cheese as possible!  Breakfast time!! 

I got the recipe from All Recipes, and made half with AP Flour and half with AP Whole Wheat Flour.

'Tis the Season?

It's October!  That means changing leaves, boots, scarves, pumpkin spice lattes, and blustery days, right?  Well apparently not this year!  Los Angeles is having a hell of an Indian Summer.  It was 100 degrees yesterday! What?!  I'm all about hot weather, but I'm not all about LA not being able to make up it's mind about what type of weather to have.  Sometimes it decides to dabble in the clouds and rain, and then it gets finicky and reverts right back to old faithful, stronger than ever before.  Well I'll tell you one thing,  Los Angeles can keep the leaves green, take my boots away, but I refuse to let go of pumpkin in October!

Pumpkin baking and pumpkin flavored things are definitely a highlight of the fall months.  I'll admit, I'm a pumpkinphile and will likely be swayed by anything that is pumpkin flavored.  It's like a disease.  But don't worry, I stocked up already with 4 cans of pumpkin, 2 cartons of pumpkin cream cheese, and a canister of pumpkin coffee! I literally went out and bought pumpkin on October 1st.  Before going in to Trader Joe's I told Cole, "Get ready, because I'm going to go bat shit crazy."  And I did.

I love how pumpkin and all of its accompanying spices make the house smell.  And look at that orange color!  This October, I've already made Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies!

 

The Cream Cheese Bars I sort of devised on my own, swirling in two layers of a pumpkin cream cheese mixture.  I think it helped make them extra soft and creamy!

The cookies are probably the most popular pumpkin cookies.  My roommates and I in college used to devour Pumkin Chocolate Chip cookies whenever it was the season for them!

 

This time I made three different types.  Some with mini chocolate chips, some with oatmeal and mini chocolate chips, and some with oatmeal, mini chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips!  I like oatmeal in them to give them more texture.  Next time I think I'll do butterscotch chips or milk chocolate chips.  Que rico!

Happy Fall!

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

I have come to believe that quiche is maybe one of the most versatile meals.  It is definitely acceptable to be eaten at all times throughout the day.  I've had a history of eating the wrong things for breakfast (i.e. brownie sundaes, grilled cheese, apple pie a la mode,  all served by my mother), but quiche is perfect first thing in the morning!  Not only that, it definitely makes a good lunch and can even be eaten for dinner accompanied by a salad.  It includes healthy protein and can be really low in calories depending on what you put in it.  I decided to go the healthy route, as opposed to my usual baked goodies. Even so, my spinach and mushroom quiche came to be a perfect go-to throughout the week.  I even made a whole wheat crust to keep up with the whole healthy scheme I had going on... aren't you proud??

 

 First I made my crust.

Then I sauteed my onions, mushrooms, and wilted the spinach.

I grated some smoked gouda.

Then scrambled up 2 eggs and 2 egg whites.  I added some salt and pepper and some nutmeg just for kicks.  In the crust goes the veggies, then the cheese, then the eggs!  Then it's baked until the middle is set.

Then enjoy during any time of the day!

Berry Tarts

 In class last week we made pies and tarts.  Pie crust and tart crust require the same techniques to come out successful.  I think class has cured my woes with pie crust.  Pie crust and I previously had issues.  Our relationship was not healthy.  In fact, my failed new year's resolution this year was to make a pie a month because I had such trouble with my Thanksgiving pies last year! My mom can roll out a good pie crust probably in 5 minutes flat.  Making a great pie is probably one of the top qualities I hope to achieve in my lifetime.  How great would it be to be known like, "Oh! She makes a mean apple pie!"

Anyway, those pictures from class are to come... but I did have leftover tart dough from class that I had to figure out what to do with within the week. Coincidentally, I also received a large tart pan for my birthday last week.  It seems like these Berry Tarts were meant to be!  I think tarts may be the most beautiful desserts.  You can put anything in them you wish, which usually makes them so vibrant in color.  And for some reason tarts seem a whole lot fancier than pies. Like they should be eaten with tiny utensils and enjoyed with a cup o' tea.

The first step was to make the pastry cream.  This is basically like a thick vanilla pudding.  I used a real vanilla bean!  The pastry cream should refrigerate for about 6+ hours.  If you are short on time, 1 or 2 will do, but it's best to let it chill overnight.

Then time to roll out the dough!  Your dough should be cold, it'll be easier to work with. 

 Then press the dough into your tart pans, with the crust a little thicker at the top so it won't break when you cut it.  Poke it with a fork so it doesn't puff up too much and put in pie weights (or rice or beans) so it doesn't shrink.  Cook the dough for about 7 minutes with weights and 7 minutes without  (you can include an egg wash in the second step if you wish).

Let your crusts cool.  Then fill them with your chilled pastry cream, about halfway up. Rinse your berries and slice them to your preference.  Line the pastry cream with berries, in any manner you wish!

See! Fancy!!
They were so beautiful I was squealing throughout the process.  My neighbors likely think I'm crazy.

For added shine and to keep the fruit moist and fresh, I coated my tarts with an orange marmalade syrup (also fancy).  

Eat up!  

They were delicious!  I wish berry season wasn't ending so soon. They make such pretty treats!

I'll post the recipe later today!

Mom! Look what we made in class!

Because I've been wasting... ahem... making the most out of my time today with endless pictures of food porn, I thought I'd share some of my own. 

Here are some photos of one of my recent classes: Chocolate Souffles and Eclairs!  Fancy, huh?

 I liked it in a little mug. It's cute and it has a handle for when things get crazy!

Or traditionally in a ramekin. Also nice.

 Molten Center!! We dropped frozen balls of ganache in these so they melted in the oven.

Mmmm.  Souffles have a bad rep, but they are actually pretty easy to make.  The thing that makes them tricky is that they will begin to fall if they are not served to someone within two minutes.  So eat up! And fast!!

Look at my pretty little Pâte à Choux! Pâte à Choux is the dough you use for things like cream puffs and eclairs.  We made eclairs.  See the pastry cream poking out? 

Then we dipped them in Cocoa Glaze and Choclate Ganache. 

The Cocoa Glaze stays shiny when it dries.  It's made with cocoa and powdered sugar. 

The chocolate ganache dries dull, but is made with real chocolate and heavy cream. The two taste different, mostly because the ganache has actual chocolate in it.  Ganache covered eclairs are also probably going to be more expensive at a bakery.

I like the ganache.  I eat it with my pinky up. 

A Meal at Home

Welcome to my life at my parent's house during labor day weekend. 

 The spread.

 BBQ'd veggies, scalloped potatoes, and my Dad's special BBQ ribs

 Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad (my contribution)

 Say What??!!!  These ribs have turned a vegetarian into a vegetarian that also eats ribs when he so chooses.  True story.

Raspberries in an Anthropologie fruit basket!

Fresh Peach and Raspberry Cobbler

Jealous???

Thanks Mom and Dad!