creamy cauliflower soup with beet chips

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2 leeks, including 2 inches of green, roots trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 celery rib, with extra leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (more if necessary)
Juice of half a lemon
1 head cauliflower, cored and broken into florets
1 cup half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1. Cut leeks in half lengthwise. Wash to remove dirt. Pat dry and thinly slice crosswise.

2. Heat the oil with the butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Wilt the leeks and celery with leaves until softened, 10 minutes; add garlic during the last 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the curry powder and ginger, and cook over very low heat to permeate the vegetables, 1 minute.

4. Add the broth, lemon juice, and cauliflower florets. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the cauliflower is very tender, 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

5. Purée in a food processor until very smooth, adding half-and-half through the feed tube. Add extra broth for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

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crispy beet chips

  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.peel the beets, then slice as thin as possible, trying to get all the slices about the same size so that they will cook evenly. Lay the beet slices on the prepared pan, close together but not overlapping, and spray lightly with the olive oil and drizzle with the salt. Bake 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired crispness. DO NOT BURN! (dude, burnt beets are nasty).

grapefruit pound cake

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Adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely grated grapefruit zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

 for the glaze:
1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Position the rack in the middle.
2. Butter a 10-inch tube pan or a 10-cup bundt pan and lightly dust with powdered sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand-mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat sugar, butter and cream cheese, on high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the bottom of the bowl between additions. Beat in oil, zest, and vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between the two and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake and cool completely before glazing.
5. Place juice in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until reduce to about 3 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Stir in powdered sugar and remaining salt. Drizzle over cake.

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  enjoy!

sugar cookies with pomegranate butter cream

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adapted from The Craft of Baking

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, or a shy quarter-cup of chips, melted (optional)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, salt and vanilla on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Scrape sides, add egg, and beat until thoroughly incorporated.  Reduce speed to low, and add flour in three installments, beating until just combined between additions.
If making both flavors, remove half the plain dough to wax paper, pat into a 1/2" disc, and wrap.  Add melted chocolate to remaining dough in the bowl, and beat briefly on low speed, just to combine.  Remove, then pat and wrap, as above.  Chill both discs at least one hour, or up to 5 days.  (Dough may also be frozen, well-wrapped, up to 1 month.)
Preheat oven to 350º.  Line two baking sheets with parchment.  On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll vanilla dough out to a thickness of 1/4", rotating dough a few times as you roll, and running under the whole with an offset (or standard) spatula, once it's flat.  Cut the dough into desired shapes, and transfer to baking sheets.  Because these spread very little, they can be placed close together, 1/2" apart or so.  Bake 17-20 minutes, depending on cookie size, rotating trays (front to back, top to bottom) halfway through for even baking.  Cookies are done when tops are golden, edges approaching caramel, and surface sheen is gone.  If baking mixed sizes (i.e. large hearts and small cut-out centers), remove tiny cookies a few minutes before the large.  Remove cookies to rack, to cool.

Repeat with chocolate dough, if using.

Pomegranate Butter cream
1/2 cup (1 cube) salted butter, slightly softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3-6 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
4-7 drops red food coloring (optional)
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, and fit with the paddle attachment.  Beat on lowest speed, 1 minute, to incorporate powdered sugar.  Raise speed to medium, and continue beating 3-4 minutes, until butter cream is creamy and light.
When cookies are completely cool, sandwich with pomegranate butter cream.  

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enjoy!

chocolate sandwich cookies with orange filling

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1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal or polenta
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 orange, zested

Orange Filling: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 orange, zested
Pinch salt
 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the Chocolate Cookies, in a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. In another medium bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal or polenta, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir to combine using a wooden spoon. Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a 1-inch high round. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Roll out the dough to between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick. Use a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Bake on a heavy baking sheet for 15 minutes. Place the baking sheets on a wire rack to cool cookies.

Meanwhile, to make the Orange Filling, combine the butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, and salt in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to cream the ingredients together.

To assemble the cookie sandwiches, place about 1 teaspoon of the Orange Filling on a cookie. Top with another cookie and press the cookies together. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

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enjoy!