Hi guys!! I am in New York sitting in a cushy hotel bed like a stuffed pig. I just chowed down at a French Bistro called Balthazar. As I was sucking some crab legs dry, Pete and my sister Natalie were looking at me like “really?” “do you think maybe you are done now?” Someone pretty much had to bring me a beach towel to clean up after myself. How embarrassing. I was just really, really hungry.

Not that it stopped me because I went on to eat a frisee lardon salad and half Petes cheeseburger and fries. Then I ordered an apple torte. Good thing I packed spanx.

We arrived today and it will be crazy busy for the rest of the week. I am going to do a segment on The Better Show tomorrow very early about Ultimate Party Platters! And I cannot wait to share a ton of tricks and tips on that show. Then tomorrow I am doing the Heritage Radio Show “Hot Grease” and a super fun event at Posman’s in Chelsea Market. I hope if you are a New Yorker that I will see you there!! I am also doing an event at Gracious Home (near Time Warner)on Tuesday evening.

OK, so enough chatter and on to these cookies. These are phenomenol. Believe it or not Pia inspired them. She LOVES the taste of Coffee and she begs for it so often, and so I compromise and give her “coffee milk” (milk with a tablespoon of coffee floating on top). But sometimes she like to sneak a couple of my secret stash of chocolate covered espresso beans. And she happened to be rooting around for them as I was making cookies a few weeks ago. When I went to help her, I knocked out of the pantry a package of raw pistachios- that inspired these. And thank goodness for it!

Please try !

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare sheet pans with silpats or parchment.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar.
Add in the egg and the vanilla and cream until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the dough and combine well.

Add the pistachios and the espresso beans and combine.

Scoop by the rounded tablespoon onto the sheet pans and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool and serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

How good is a hot fluffy biscuit? Ok- pretty amazing. But then slather some butter on it and then top that with a generous amount of raspberry jam. I am pretty much drooling just talking about this.

I have had a bit of a biscuit fixation this year, but noticed that I was really leaning towards the savory the last few times I made them.

And I think I have been missing out. Because these biscuits made with buttermilk and honey are dreamy. I feel like there should be a big hot batch on the table every Saturday morning for the rest of my life.

I am making these for Pia for breakfast tomorrow because they are her favorite, and I am grappling with mom guilt as I get ready to leave for a week. Jeez, is there anything worse than mom guilt? Blech.

My little ones will be well looked after by wonderful grandparents, but still, you know?

And I will be happily making my way through book signings in New York, DC/Arlington and Boston. I can’t wait! Please, please come see me. I have to confess that I have nightmares (only I am awake) that I will just be sitting there by myself and no one will come. Ak! PLEASE come see me!!

BY THE WAY!
TOMORROW I WILL BE SIGNING AT STUHLBERGS (ON QUEEN ANNE) from 10:30-12:30

Ok. Enjoy these biscuits.

To make them, this is what you do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and prepare a sheet pan with a silpat or piece of parchment.
In a small bowl beat the buttermilk, honey and egg together with a fork. In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, and then cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or two forks. When the flour and fat creates a coarse, crumb like texture add the buttermilk, honey–egg mixture. Stir until the flour is just moist. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface, and gently knead the dough until it is soft and somewhat smooth, about 15 times and form into a disc.

Roll out the dough until it is about 1″ thick. Cut the biscuits with a round cutter or juice glass and place on the baking sheet. Rub the milk over the top of the biscuits.

Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes or until just golden. Serve hot.

Never Fear! Thirsty Thursday is here!! A little late, but it is still Thursday, and this glorious cocktail can just go ahead and coast into Friday, which really is the best day for a drink anyways, right?

Blueberry Simple Syrup, golden honey and lemonade are wonderful on their own, or add some ice cold vodka and make it a happy hour your friends and family will delight in!

Personally, I feel like I need more than one of these. It is Thursday and I feel like my week is just getting started. I have a lot of fun book events in the next few days and then I take off at the crack of dawn on Sunday for my first book tour adventure. And I will be honest, I am scared to death. Hee, hee. I feel like I’m not supposed to admit that- but I am . Well, excited and scared to death ☺

But before I get to all that, I just want to sit out on my deck with my husband and sip one of these while I watch my kids play and breathe in the warm spring air. You can join me (well, virtually) since this will only take you a few minutes to put together.

This is how you do it:

1. Bring everything to a simmer and let cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.

2. Strain the syrup through a chinoise and reserve juice. Discard the blueberries and chill the syrup.

4. To make the drink, combine ice, the syrup, the lemon juice and the vodka in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigourously and then strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

**In case you did not see this, my Shoreline COSCTO book signing has been moved from Friday, May 17th to June 1st. See you there!

Ok. This dish is serious. It’s rich. Really rich. But my goodness is it delicious.

This is my mother-in-law Tula’s recipe. She came over and made this last week and then split it up amongst the boys (have I ever told you that Pete is the oldest of three boys? Tula is a saint).

There is nothing like moms cooking, right? Pete was in heaven with a big old bowl of this stuff. Well, lets not lie. I was in heaven too.

The stories from Pete about when he lived at home and his mom would cook for the boys in high school are legendary. It is actually the stories from his highschool friends that are more accurate, because they had better outside perspective. Our friend Scott said that ifthey would go to Pete’s house for lunch in Highschool, that they would get huge mound of homemade pasta. And then there would be vegetables and an enormous T-bone steak. For each boy. And that was normal. Crazy, huh!? Needless to day that everyone loved to go to Pete’s house.

And this was really made for my brother-in-law, but we mooched some since it was made in our kitchen. And I am soooo glad I did. It was bubbling and simmering all day and our house smelled so good. Our mail lady even said something when she was at our door. It’s just that kind of dish.

I feel like I would normally post a rich braised dish like this in November or February or some other stormy month, but I just couldn’t wait until the fall. You need to have this right now.

Plus- there was basically like a hurricane in Seattle yesterday, so I am going to call it close enough. I hope you enjoy this!

To make Braised Greek Pot Roast and Spaghetti, this is what you do:

Melt the butter and the 2 tbs of oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Salt and Pepper the meat generously. Coat the meat lightly with flour and shake off the excess. Sear the meat on all sides until golden brown. Remove the meat from the heavy pot and set aside.

Add the ¼ cup of olive oil and the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 2 minutes further. Transfer the meat back to the large heavy pot. Add the tomatoes, red wine and 1/3 cup fresh minced parsley
Simmer covered on lowest heat for 3-4 hours or until meat is falling apart. Remove from the heat and let sit about 15 minutes with the top off.

Skim the fat (which will have come to the surface) and discard. Season to taste.
Boil the spaghetti to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before you drain. Melt the 3 Tablespoons of butter to a golden brown. Add the spaghetti and the pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta. Season well with kosher salt and black pepper.

Serve the braised pot roast and sauce over the spaghetti. Garnish with the parmesan and the parsley. Serve Immediately.

I love Pizza so much. So, so much.

And I also love artichokes and peas. And then there are leeks and prosciutto, I mean nothing to turn your back on right?

This pizza combines all of those things with tangy tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella and a thin and crispy crust. It tastes like late Spring and it is SO delicious!

I have a really busy week here. I have a couple book signings (come see me in Bellevue, at the Shoreline COSCTO or Stuhlbergs this week!!) and then I am taking off for the East Coast leg of my book tour (whoo- hoo!!) But I still have to feed my family! And in the name of self preservation, I am looking for easy fixes!

When I am busy I make pizza all the time- like probably once a week because it is so easy (and no one complains when its Pizza night.) The kids almost always go for cheese, mushrooms and olives, but I try to mix things up for Pete and I with something seasonal- like this combo, I feel like it is the perfect weeknight meal with a big green salad.

What is your easiest weeknight meal??

To make this Artichoke, Leek, Prosciutto and Pea Pizza, this is what you do:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Boil the peas for 1 minutes and then drain and plunge into the ice water. Drain and set aside.

Roll out the room temperature dough and transfer to an oiled sheet pan.

Bake the crust for about 7 minutes until turning golden. Pull out of the oven.

Meanwhile mix together the tomato sauce, oregano, garlic and basil in a small bowl.
Spread the tomato sauce over the par baked pizza crust. Add the leeks and the artichoke hearts.

Then add the mozzarella and the prosciutto and sprinkle the peas over the top of the pizza.

Drizzle the pizza with olive oil and bake another 7 minutes until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese has melted. Slice and serve immediately.

I am writing this while I lounge in bed. Post making brunch and pre making some dinner. I am also simultaneously pulling all of the stuffed animal hair out of my nice hair brush. While the grown ups ate quiche today, the kids played beauty parlor with my hair brush, makeup brushes and hair spray and their stuffed dogs. Kinda Gross.

Haha, its another “Happy Mothers Day!!” I hope that you are cooking less than me and reading more magazines than me ladies!

But in the interest of more “resting” time, (code for watching more New Girl On Demand) I have a quick and easy cookie recipe for you. This is one that I have been making for the kids lately (well, and also me too!) because it is nut free (so they can actually take it to school) and totally delicious. Coconut Blueberry Cookies. Perfect. Please try!!

One more brunch recipe to try and help you out for the mountains of brunches happening. Chive and Brie Frittata. SO help me. This had everyone in my house drooling and wandering into the kitchen to see what was happening.

Inspired by the copious amounts of fresh chives growing like weeds out in my garden. Like so many chives, I barely can keep up. And the best part? The beautiful little purple blossoms at the top. I have received so many emails over the last few years asking about the little purple flowers I top the savory food with at this time of year (and through most of the summer) so for nayone wondering who has never written me- they are chive blossoms.

Before you roll your eyes and think that you must have some huge garden to grow these, fear not!! Chives grow like weeds. And I bet that they would grow most anywhere, and last all of the non-freezing months. Mine don’t die until November and start to come back in late February. I never have to buy more than the first few plants I bought 6 years ago. They spread and stay hearty. I love them.

In the past I have waxed poetic about chives here and here. Watch out cause I feel a chive spell coming on.

In the mean time, here is a glorious chive and brie frittata. I have made this several times lately (much to my own delight!) and this time (for the photos I mean) I actually used Cambozola Cheese. So not technically Brie, but with that same soft consistency, and then it is streaked with blue- it is wonderful. (They sell it at Costco and Trader Joes- so it is not as exotic as it sounds)

I also love the drama of the chives on top laid out in a circle. Certainly company worthy.

To make this Fritatta, this is what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a hot oven proof skillet over low heat.

Whip the eggs until light and fluffy and pour the eggs into the skillet.

Dot the eggs with chunks of the cambozola.

Lay the chives around the top (I did mine in a circle and sprinkled the shive blossoms around the edges)

Cook until the bottom and sides are just set up, about 5-6 minutes over low heat.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs are set up and fluffy, this should be about 15-20 minutes minutes.

Let cool slightly and then cut into wedges and serve. (I sprinkled some additional chive blossoms on for color!)

I wanted to share a really beautiful and delicious “Thirsty Thursday” drink with you in honor of Mothers Day. (Do you feel me really milking mother’s day this year? I am just trying to make sure that no one forgets!) It’s also my sister’s Birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!) and it feels like she should have some kind of pretty post on her special day…

So here it is, A Raspberry Rose Spritzer. This could be equally wonderful with or without alcohol.

I made it here with sparkling Chardonnay Grape JUICE (from Trader Joes), but I happen to know that it is wonderful with Champagne. Wouldn’t these make the most beautiful brunch drinks?!

I was inspired by the gardening I did this last weekend. Um, I might have to add that our garden was SORELY neglected. It has majorly been getting the short end of the stick on our priority list. But the fact that we have had a full week of beautiful weather in Seattle inspired us to get out and take some action. Pete pressure washed for like 100 hours. ( Don’t even get me started about the mess that made or the fact that he didn’t move his car and now it is buried under a pile of rocks and mud. ) And Pia and Coco and I did all of the transplanting and the new planting, and the seeds and pruning. Including the pruning of the most beautiful pale pink climbing rose that grows around my kitchen window. It smells like rose and lemon and sugar and it is the prettiest thing ever (the variety is “Cecile Brunner” if you need a fast growing gorgeous climbing rose).

Do you have a favorite variety of Rose in your garden?

So I was trying to think what I could do with these little blossoms, and ta-da!! Raspberry Rose Spritzer Inspiration!

I hope you love it.

To make this Raspberry Rose Spritzer, this is what you do:

In a small saucepan, boil together the water, sugar and raspberries for 3-4 minutes.

Pour through a fine strainer and discard the solids. Let the raspberry simple syrup cool.

When the simple syrup has cooled, put 1 tablespoon of the syrup in a glass and add a few drops of the rose water. Top with chilled champagne or sparkling grape juice and garnish with a rose petal if desired.

*Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer

-Jimena Pena-Garza

Submitted on 2013/04/29 at 7:43 am
I make a killer Apple cake. Cake, not pie. So yum. Gooey oatmeal rasin ookies are a close second. I need to be more brave and try new sweets (a tangerine mixer would put me over that ‘legit baker’ threshold)
P.S. Already following you on Facebook, and Pinterest. CROSSING MY FINGERS SO HARD!!

*Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

1)
-jessica w
Submitted on 2013/05/01 at 10:24 am
I LOVE chicken salad sandwiches on all types of breads!

2)
-SALLY Tews
Submitted on 2013/05/06 at 12:08 pm
good pulled pork with slaw.

*Cuisinart Food Processor

-Kim W
Submitted on 2013/05/05 at 8:37 pm
Favorite pizza topping~spinach, feta cheese, red onion and kalamata olives. Yum!

*Ninja Blender:

-Jessica L.

Submitted on 2013/05/02 at 7:45 am
I love any strong cocktail with a good whiskey in it

OMG. I am so tired. today is short and sweet, (just like my little girls!) that ok? thanks for the boring pass! Luckily the scones at hand are not boring at all. They happen to be short and sweet (literally) and also glorious.

On that note, lets talk Mothers Day Breakfast.

What are you making? Triple Coconut Cinnamon Rolls or Caramelized Banana Sticky Buns? Coconut, Banana or Blueberry Scones? Snickerdoodle Muffins or Berrylicious Smoothies? Maybe French Toast with Raspberry Sauce, Peanut Butter and Jelly Donuts or Frittata? (more breakfast ideas HERE)

Not sure yet? Maybe it is Strawberry Cream Scones…

They are rather wonderful and full of spring flavors and pink to boot. If I were your mother. I would love them. (for other things I would love, look HERE!)

To make these Strawberry Cream Scones, this is what you do:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Pulse in the cold butter until crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the egg and cream. Pulse in the cream mixture until you have a smooth, wet dough.
Transfer to a floured surface and lightly form into a disc.

Cut the disc into wedges or cut out circles with a cookie cutter.

Gently slice each scone through the center with a floured knife.

Put a few slice of the sliced strawberry in the center.

Replace the top on the scone and lightly pinch the sides closed.

Brush the tablespoon of cream on the tops of the scones.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

Take the scones out of the oven and set them aside to cool slightly while you make the strawberry glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the strawberry, powdered sugar and cream until you have a smooth glaze.

Pour 1 tablespoon of glaze over the top of each scone. Let set up and serve warm.