23 March 2011

White Bread


I've toyed around with the idea of homemade bread several times.  I love baking, especially from scratch, but bread is another creature all together.  What with the kneading and the rising, there are so just too many ways I could mess up.  Plus its such a lengthy process!  I'm not home long enough to mix dough, knead, let rise a few hours, knead some more, shape the bread, let rise again, bake, cool, blah, blah, blah...


Enter the recipe that inspired this post!  All this headache with trying to bake homemade bread, and I still try every once in a while.  But just last week, there was a batter-based bread on smitten kitchen.  There is still a bit of waiting involved, but no kneading and very little chance of overworking the flour.  This recipe was for sally lunn bread, which had a much debated history.  From what I've been able to figure out, this bread is named for either a French Protestant cake called "soleil lune" or a type of bun made by a baker in England.  Plus, the bread on her site included a fantastic-looking honey butter spread.  How could I resist honey butter spread?


22 March 2011

Spicy Tuna


The other night, I was in the mood for sushi.  Shocker, I know, since I am always in the mood for sushi.  But I didn't really feel like going out for dinner (plus I still haven't found good cheap sushi around here).  So I decided to try out a spin on a recipe I saw in last month's Fitness magazine.  The article was about healthier versions of popular take-out dishes.  One of the feature recipes was their take on a spicy tuna roll.  


The reason spicy tuna rolls made their "naughty list" was because of the white rice and mayo typically found in the rolls.  This version skipped the rice and used a low fat mayo.  Technically, this wasn't sushi or sashimi, as the tuna was seared, but it certainly filled the same flavor profile and satisfied my sushi craving.  And it was quick, easy, and healthy.  

17 March 2011

Vacation + Zucchini Fritters



I apologize for being totally absent for the last week and a half.  I went on a much needed vacation over spring break last week (Raleigh and Atlanta!) and have had midterms to deal with.  Atlanta was a great break from school and work, but the trip was over way too quickly.  I had some of the best food I've ever eaten on the trip as well... Top Chef contestants Kevin Gillespie and Richard Blais both run restaurants in Atlanta, and we were able to eat at both.