If you’re anything like me, as it gets warmer and sunnier out, you want to spend as much time as possible outdoors. This is especially the case for Seattleites, considering we don’t really get to see that big orange ball in the sky all that often. I managed to squeeze in a run around Green Lake this morning before the clouds parted and the rain started coming down. It actually felt positively hot, which is funny considering it’s now 53 and raining sideways as I write this post. But the point is, in Seattle, people will drop everything and literally run outdoors at the slightest hint of sunshine.

On this long holiday weekend, I urge you to grab your friends and family and get outside with an impromptu picnic. Hopefully, some of these fun, sandwich ideas will give you some inspiration for a grab-and-go meal!

This first sandwich (well, technically it’s a wrap) you may recognize if you follow me on Facebook! This Turkey Wrap comes together in a flash, especially if you make the Chipotle-Cilantro Mayo ahead of time. It’s a favorite of one of my dear friends, and you can change up the fillings to suit your tastes. I think this would be delicious pressed in a panini maker with some grilled chicken and sharp cheddar!

Turkey Wraps with Chipotle-Cilantro Mayo

chipotle-cilantro mayo:

• 1 cup mayo
• 1/3  cup chopped cilantro
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 2 small chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped (remove the seeds if you want less heat)
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• salt, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt.

for 1 wrap:

• whole grain tortilla
• chipotle-cilantro mayo (above)
• 3 ounces smoked deli turkey
• red bell pepper slices
• avocado slices
• romaine lettuce

1. Spread the tortilla with the chipotle-cilantro mayo.
2. In the center of the wrap, place the turkey, bell pepper, avocado, and lettuce.
3. Fold one end of the tortilla over the fillings, and tuck and pull tightly. Roll the wrap up, and tuck in the sides. Slice on a diagonal.

What about a breakfast picnic? This is hardly a recipe since it’s so dang simple, and I feel silly including it, but it’s too delicious not to share! The warm toast melts the Nutella into a chocolatey-creamy dream! It’s also delicious with strawberries or bananas.

Nutella with Raspberries

• slice of whole grain bread
• 20-25 raspberries
• 1 1/2-2 tbsp Nutella

1. Toast the bread.
2. Spread Nutella over toast and top with the raspberries, flat-side down.
3. Laugh at the fact that I wrote out a recipe for this.

Roasting your own pepper at home only seems difficult. It’s actually very easy and pretty quick! You can roast them up ahead of time, and store them in a sealer plastic container in your fridge, for an even fast assembly. I also take a major shortcut here and use store-bought pesto instead of making it myself, but if you have some homemade pesto on hand, by all means, use that!

This sandwich is also majorly tasty when heated under the broiler for a few minutes so that the cheese gets all gooey.

Roasted Pepper, Fresh Mozzarella, and Pesto Baguette

• 1 single-serve baguette (I get mine from the Vietnamese restaurant up the street because I adore how crackly they are!)
• 2-3 tbsp pesto
• 8-10 fresh ciliegine mozzarella (these are just bite-sized balls of fresh mozzarella that are even smaller than boccancini)
• 1-3 bell peppers (I like to roast up a bunch so that I have them lying around)

1. To roast the peppers, turn a gas stove onto high. Set the peppers directly onto the stove over the flames. Turn with tongs until blackened on all sides.
2. Place the roasted peppers in a large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for about 10 minutes. Take the peppers out of the bowl and, using a paper towel, gently slide the black skin off of the peppers. Slice the peppers into quarters or eighths depending on the size.
3. Spread both sides of the baguette with the pesto. Place roasted pepper slices on one side of the bread, and the mozzarella on the other. Broil, if desired.

Much like the second recipe, this one is also very simple; however, the flavors are a bit more complex (and I don’t feel quite as dumb for providing a recipe for this one :P). The secret here is really good, really fresh ingredients. You want crisp, clean radishes that lack that “dirty” flavor, freshly-baked  bread, and a really nice Prosciutto di Parma. I would also recommend using a European-style, cultured butter such as Kerrygold, Lurpak, or Plugra, for a richer, more full-flavored taste. Also, I used truffle salt to top this instead of regular salt because I have an obsession with truffles (in the right places), but plain salt would be just fine.

Radish & Prosciutto Tartine

• Fresh bread, sliced (even a baguette would work really nicely here)
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma
• Cultured butter
• Truffle salt, or plain salt

1. Spread a thin layer of butter over a slice of bread. Top with a slice of prosciutto.
2. Cover with a layer of radish slices and finish with the salt.

I saved the best for last with this one! This is a really fun take on chicken salad, and I like that it doesn’t use mayo! Before you get excited that that means it’s healthy, just know that the creaminess comes from heavy cream, haha. That being said, there isn’t a whole lot of cream in it. I love the acidity of the balsamic with the sweet strawberries and floral lavender, and the almonds add a tasty crunch. I used a fig balsamic here, and while you don’t have to, I would recommend a fruity balsamic. Arugula and avocado make perfect toppings to turn this chicken salad into a sandwich.

Strawberry-Lavender Balsamic Chicken Salad Sandwiches

recipe adapted from here

dressing:

• 6-8 large strawberries
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup fig balsamic
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and freshly-ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, muddle together the strawberries and the sugar.
2. Whisk in the balsamic and then the oil. Whisk in the cream and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

salad:

• Rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 5 green onions, sliced
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp lavender

1. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat.
2. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

to assemble:

• arugula
• avocado
• whole grain baguette

1. Slice the baguette into 4-6 inch pieces and cut each in half.
2. Spread avocado on half of the baguette, and place arugula on other side.
3. Spoon the chicken salad onto the arugula.
4. Enjoy!

Check out my Facebook page for a Minty Pea Soup recipe that I served with this sandwich for the perfect Spring meal!

Also, check out a few more of my sandwich recipes already here on the blog (click on the photos to see the recipes!):

Tarragon Egg Salad Sandwiches with Homemade Lemon-Chive Mayo

Grilled Pear, Humboldt Fog, and Mint Panini

Moroccan Carrot and Goat Cheese Sandwich with Green Olive Tapenade

Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Sandwiches

I hope you guys enjoyed this sort of hodgepodge post! Please let me know if you would like to see more posts like this (a collection of recipes that don’t exactly deserve their own post) in the future!

It’s Copper River Salmon season, here in Seattle. This is a big thing here in the Pacific Northwest. Why is Copper River Salmon so special?, you’re probably wondering. The fish have to be extra strong and robust to make it down the long (300 mile), rapid-filled Copper River. This means a rich, fatty, extra Omega-3-laden salmon that is widely regarded as one of the tastiest fish in the world!

Copper River Salmon is so tasty on its own that you hardly have to do much to make it taste beyond amazing (just don’t overcook it!). I opted for this simple, light and zippy sauce that really enhanced and brought out the flavors of the salmon. That being said, even if you can’t get your hands on some Copper River Salmon, this Lime Butter Sauce is fantastic on any salmon, fish, or shrimp (and probably even chicken)!

There is just something about being outside, as the weather starts to warm, just grilling that is absolutely therapeutic, even when you’re having serious issues flipping the extra long salmon fillets—yes, I had to use both the spatula and the (gasp!) tongs to get the job done. No, you aren’t supposed to grasp at fish with tongs, but, you do what you have to when you’re trying not to burn really delicious (and really expensive) Copper River Salmon!

Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

recipe from here

serves 4-6

ingredients:

• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
• salt and freshly-ground pepper
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 6 (6-ounce) pieces of center-cut salmon, with skin on
• zest from 1 lime

1. In a blender, puree the garlic with the lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper, until smooth. With the moto running, drizzle in the melted butter and blend until emulsified.
2. Heat your grill to moderate heat, and lightly oil the grill rack.
3. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. Grill on first side for 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill until just cooked through, about 4 to 6 more minutes.
4. Remove fillets from grill and top with desired amount of butter sauce (it should melt over the warm fillets). Sprinkle lime zest over top and serve!

A few words of warning: This cake is not for the weak, the dieters, or the chocolate-peanut butter-”liker.” This cake is for the ultimate chocolate-peanut butter lovers.

I made this cake for my dad for his birthday while I was in Florida, and let me just say, it is easily the best cake I have ever made. It is literally like eating a giant, more delicious version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The chocolate cake layers are actually dense brownie, and the peanut butter layers are exactly like the inside of a Reese’s. Standing 5 layers tall and weighing in at something like 10-15 pounds when finished, this is a BIG cake. And yet, it was completely devoured in less than 10 minutes by 15-20 excited diners.

We had my dad’s birthday dinner outside at our neighborhood country club with a bunch of family friends. I brought the cake over and the staff was kind enough to slice and serve it. I gave them the last couple pieces to repay them for their efforts :]

One thing I will say, this cake scared me half to death. I was sure it would fail miserably; however, after seeing how mine turned out, I am fully assured that this is an absolute fool-proof cake. You see, when I greased and floured my cake pans, I seem to have forgotten the whole flouring bit. Was this a problem? Well, if you would consider each of the cake layers breaking into approximately 8 pieces a “problem,” then yes, yes it was. I was freaking out as I attempted to fit and squish the layers back together. I was certain that cutting into the cake would be a crumbly nightmare, but you know what? It was perfect. I have no idea how. The layers looked beautiful when sliced (I wish I had better photos of it sliced, but I barely remembered to take any before it was shoveled into my mouth)!

I also had a slight issue with the frosting, as in the amount the recipe produced was not nearly enough, so I had to make an additional batch. I’ve 1.5x the original recipe for you below to ensure you have enough frosting!

Problems aside (or I should say seeming problems), this cake was phenomenal and a huge hit. My dad loved it. His only complaint? The fact that I gave away his last few slices so that he wasn’t able to enjoy it all over again! (By the way, sparklers are the only acceptable candle choice for a cake like this…duh)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake (Reese’s Cake)

recipe from here

serves 20, easily

ingredients:

cake layers:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

peanut butter layers:

• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

chocolate frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp espresso granules

assembly:

• 12-14 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• dark or semisweet chocolate bar
• gold crystal sugar

cake layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt together the butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add in the sugar and combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Add in the vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt, and combine.
4. Pour the mixture evenly into the three prepared pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

peanut butter layers:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, peanut butter, and butter (mixture will be crumbly). Add in the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes a consistent workable dough (It shouldn’t stick to your fingers or be crumbly).
2. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Grease a 9-inch cake pan. Press 1 portion of the dough into the greased pan and press evenly. TUrn out onto a cookie sheet and repeat with other portion of dough. Freeze the peanut butter layers until solid.

chocolate frosting:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the cocoa, vanilla, and espresso and beat for 2-3 minutes until combined and creamy.

to assemble:

1. Working on your cake stand, thinly frost a brownie layer and top with a peanut butter layer. Repeat with another brownie layer, another peanut butter layer, and the final brownie layer. Thinly frost the entire cake. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Frost a final layer over the entire cake.
   
2. Pipe 9-11 rosettes along the edge of the cake and one in the center. Top each of the outer rosettes with a Reese’s cup turned on its side. Place 4 in the center rosette.
3. Holding the cake over the sink, throw the sprinkles at the sides of the cake. Sprinkle some over the top.
4. With a microplane, grate a bit of the chocolate bar over the top of the cake. Cake can be stored in fridge with a cake dome; allow to sit out for an hour or two before slicing.

This recipe has immediately been added to my favorites list. It’s creamy, warm, sweet, not really all that bad for you (best part!) and all-around comfort food at it’s freakin’ finest. As soon as I saw these potatoes over at How Sweet It Is, I knew I would be making them as soon as humanly possible. I mean, just look at that soft, tangy goat cheese atop the creamy sweet potato filling. Look at how the succulently roast grapes cascade down the side. Look at that incredible oozy waterfall of honey! What’s not to love?

While this dish makes an excellent meal all on its own (trust me, I’ve made this as a gourmet lunch for one, more than a time or two), it also makes an unbelievably beautiful side dish to complement a tasty salad or some grilled chicken. You could even split the potatoes in half for smaller side portions.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Roasted Grapes

recipe from here

adjusted to serve 2

ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 cup red, seedless grapes
• 1/2 tsp canola oil
• salt and freshly-ground pepper
• 2 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1 tbsp honey + more for drizzilng
• pinch of cinnamon and freshly-grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, then wrap with aluminum foil. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
2. Unwrap the potatoes and cut a slit down the middle of each, allow to cool while you roast the grapes.
3. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. In a bowl, toss together the grapes and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour onto a nonstick baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the grapes begin to burst.
4. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the flesh with a spoon, keeping the skin intact.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet potatoes flesh, half of the goat cheese, 1 tablespoon of honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between the two potato skins. The potatoes can be rewarmed in the oven at this point.
6. Top each with half of the remaining goat cheese, half of the grapes, and a drizzle of honey.

And I will leave you with this beautiful picture from Mikey’s and my first experience on the Seattle Great Wheel last weekend (we have had record-breakingly gorgeous weather lately):

I hope everyone had a wonderful Cinco de Mayo! It was absolutely beautiful this weekend, in Seattle (we’re talking 85 and sunny here, people!), making it the perfect weather for hanging out outside with good friends and good food. At this time of year, it’s the simplest food that is the best. You don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen while all your friends are soaking up the sunshine! This recipe is relatively painless to make, and can even be prepared ahead of time (prepare the puff pastry and roast the tomatoes and then allow to sit at rom temperature for up to 8 hours), ensuring that you get just as many rays of sun as your pals :]

These tartlets are a perfect one-bite, warm weather appetizer. The crisp, buttery puff pastry base is slathered with silky smooth ricotta (thanks to a quick puree in the food processor), and topped with beautifully roasted and juicy, herbed cherry tomatoes. The key to this dish is proper seasoning—make sure you salt this dish well if you really want the flavors to sing. Taste and adjust seasoning every step of the way!

I served these little mouthfuls at an hors d’oeuvre party, and they were thoroughly enjoyed. While the recipe may make 60 pieces, it’s not exactly difficult to pop a dozen of ‘em on your own, so I wouldn’t recommend making any less.

Tomato Tartlets

recipe slightly adapted from here

makes 5 dozen

ingredients:

• 1/2 lb all-butter puff pastry
• all-purpose flour, for rolling
• 30 cherry tomatoes (roughly 1 lb), halved crosswise
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leave + more for garnish
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 lb fresh ricotta

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 9 1/2 inch x 17 1/2 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, trim the rectangle to 9 x 17 inches. Transfer to the baking sheet and poke all over with a fork. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and another baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes, until golden. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper and bake for an additional 10 minutes until dark golden and dry. Transfer to a rack to cool.
3. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake in the top third of the preheated oven for 15 minutes until slightly softened; let cool.
4. In a food processor, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ricotta and puree until creamy. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5. Spread the ricotta mixture over the puff pastry. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in 5 rows of 12. Sprinkle with fresh thyme. Using a long, sharp knife, cut the pastry between the tomatoes into 60 squares. Serve immediately.

While I was home in Florida, I went to a really spectacular restaurant called Selva Grill, which serves New Latin-style food I had heard of it, but I somehow had never made it there. When we were trying to pick out a place to go for Rebecca’s birthday (see the cake I made her here), I suggested Selva. It was, honestly, the best meal I have had at a restaurant in the state of Florida…and I have eaten at many a restaurant there ;)

Now, I apologize for the photo quality as I only had my iPhone to capture pictures in the dimly lit restaurant (side note: I’m working on getting a new camera that is portable, but takes quality pictures in low light!). Normally, I wouldn’t ever think of posting photos s grainy and terrible, but the food was that good.

It was pretty amusing for my family, who is unused to going out to restaurants with someone who has to photograph all of their food, to deal with a pretty typical “dining with Rachael the food blogger” event. I was running around the table yelling at everyone to not touch their food until I had taken a picture of it, haha.

First, we were served some tasty rolls with truffle butter:

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a pretty strong love affair with truffles (when not overused), so this was a pretty perfect start to the meal.

For appetizers, we ordered two ceviches, since that’s what they are pretty much known for.

Selva Wild Ceviche: Ceviche of fresh seasonal white Fish with fresh lime, onion, cilantro, Cusco corn & roasted camotes:

This one was okay, but it was actually the most underwhelming thing I had all night. It was overwhelmingly acidic, to the point that no other flavors could really be picked out. The Cusco corn was a really fun texture, though!

Pulpo al Olivo: Slices of Octopus, Peruvian black olive puree, salsa criolla, avocado & toasted bread:

This ceviche was the exact opposite of the other one—perfectly balanced in flavor, and just all around incredibly impressive! The creamy avocado proved an outstanding counterpoint to the briny olive puree, and the octopus was the perfect texture—not tough or chewy, just tender.

Because everyone in my family is not a huge ceviche fan (uhhh… what?), we also ordered Selva’s Crab Cake: Jumbo lump Blue Crab Cake with avocado aioli & corn salsa:

It was definitely a tasty crab cake, but it didn’t totally blow me away (my mother and brother would disagree and think it was the best crab cake, ever).

For dinner,  I ordered Selva’s  Famous Skirt Steak: Skirt Steak over sweet plantains, beet relish with selva’s chimichurri:

SO. FREAKING. AMAZING. This was easily the best skirt steak, of my life. It was sweet, spicy, perfectly acidic, and all-around fantastic. The plantains were soft, and almost candy-like. The fresh herbs and red onion on top were an excellent counterpoint to the tender steak and bright red, sweet sauce.

I also photographed everyone else’s meals (and sampled them all—all were exceedingly tasty).

My brother, Thomas, ordered the Traditional NY Strip: New York Strip, truffle parmesan fries & port demi:

It was excellent, but the thick-cut truffle fries were exceptionally amazing!

My dad got the Whole Fried Snapper: Whole fried Snapper, Cuban style black beans and rice & lime ginger sauce:

It was quite the presentation with the entire fish on the plate. It was also really delicious.

My mom ordered a special. I can’t recall exactly what it was, but I believe it was a snapper or grouper served with grilled prawns, a corn custard, and thick-cut yucca fries:

I was a big fan of the yucca, and the fish was cooked perfectly.

Rebecca ordered the Atun a la Parilla: Grilled Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna, pomegranate vinaigrette, jicama salsa, served with wok style vegetables:

The tuna was seared beautifully, but I found the real star to be the wok vegetables!

For dessert, we ordered the Pot of Mousse: Bittersweet and white chocolate mousses, dark chocolate “pot” cappuccino tartufo chocolate:

The bittersweet and white chocolate mousses were layered inside of a dark chocolate cup. The mousses were amazingly smooth and silky. We all loved it, but Thomas was especially a fan.

We also got the Selva Sundae: Coconut gelato & guava sorbet with slow roasted rum pineapple:

Oh gosh, this was totally right up my alley. I am a big fan of tropical flavors, so this was pretty much dessert perfection to me. Also, the  ”spoon” was a cookie!

They also brought out a special, birthday Pot of Mousse for Rebecca:

It was a phenomenal dinner! If you ever find yourself in downtown Sarasota, Florida, I would highly recommend Selva!

Don’t Miss:

• Pulpo al Olivo
• Selva’s  Famous Skirt Steak
• Truffle Parmesan Fries
• Selva Sundae

I served these Lamb Pizzettes at the Christmas Murder Mystery Party that I catered in early December. I did the catering, and I also played a suspect in the case—Lorenzo Giueni, the chef (who happens to look exactly like me but with a poorly drawn on mustache…):

It was a ton of fun, and the food was very well received (I’ll be sharing a few more of the recipes that I served at the party in the future). I chose to serve a bunch of little hors d’oeuvres for dinner since I was feeding over 40 people. These little lamb bites were the perfect party finger food. The flavors were warm and comforting. The nutty pine nuts, spicy lamb mixture, and piquant chile oil are countered by the cooling yogurt and fresh mint. You also get a whole mouthful of textures, from the crisp pita and warm ground meat, to the creamy, cool yogurt. It’s the perfect bite!

Lamb Pizzettes

recipe from here

makes 5 dozen pizzettes (I doubled this for the party)

ingredients:

• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 green onions, sliced finely
• 1 ½ tsp chile oil + more for drizzling
• 30 mini 2 inch pitas, separated into 2 rounds each
• 1 lb ground lamb
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange the pitas, cut-side up on the sheets and brush each with olive oil. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and crisp.
2. Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until lightly golden.
3. In a large bowl, combine half of the mint, the green onion, cumin, cinnamon, toasted pine nuts, egg, large pinch of salt, and freshly ground pepper. Add in the lamb and knead until evenly combined.
4. Spread each pita with a rounded teaspoon of the meat mixture. Bake for roughly 8 minutes, until lamb is cooked through.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt with the chile oil and ½ of the mint. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Top each pizzette with a small dollop of the mixture and garnish with a drop of chile oil.

These are also a grey make-ahead dish. Bake the pizzettes up to 8 hours ahead. Store the yogurt mixture in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat the pizzettes at 250 degrees until warm and top with the yogurt mixture.

As I write this blog post, I am currently (approximately) 30,000 feet somewhere over the U.S. on my way back to Seattle. Leaving home—my true, original home that is—is always bittersweet. I’m excited to get back to the city to see Mikey and all of my friends, but it’s difficult leaving my family, especially these days when I want so badly to be there for my sister.  Lucky for me, I’ll get to see them all again in August for a wedding :)!

My siblings and myself.

For now though, I’m feeling a bit melancholic. And what do I do when I’m down or stressed? Bake. You can bet that I will be in my kitchen this weekend throwing around some flour and sugar! Hopefully, whatever I come up with will be as sweet as these bars.

I actually made these bars a few months back as part of a contest entry, which, by the way, I won! They are an adaptation of these Lemon Bars. I didn’t post them right away because they are sweet; I mean really sweet. They walk the line between “sweet” and “too sweet.” But, you know what? Sometimes I want something really freakin’ sweet!

Mikey actually loved these, and didn’t find them to be near as sweet as I did. They only get better and better with age, too. 3-5 days out they are probably at their peak deliciousness!

My favorite part about these bars is the crust. It’s basically a pine-nut rosemary shortbread very similar to these cookies I’ve made in the past. It’s salty-sweet with a clean, herbaceous kick from the rosemary. The filling is almost orange creamsicle-esque. It’s very creamy and luscious. Unlike lemon bars, these don’t have that zippy tartness; however, you could easily add that in by adding a touch of citric acid to the filling mix.

I plan on making these again (this weekend perhaps?) switching the rosemary for tarragon, and the orange for grapefruit.

Pine-Nut Orange Bars

For the crust:

• 1 cup pine nuts
• leaves from 2-3 sprigs rosemary
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 oz. butter

For the filling:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup orange juice
• zest from two oranges
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• small pinch citric acid (optional)
• confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, and rosemary; process until the mixture is almost a paste.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the pine nut mixture, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and salt and beat until just combined. Spread into a 9x13x2 baking dish. 
4. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes until very lightly browned. Let cool on a rack. Meanwhile, make the filling.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, flour, salt, and citric acid (if using).
6. Pour over the crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until filling is set.
   
7. Allow to cool to room temperature. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and slice!

I recently uncovered a few old recipes and photos that I had intended, years ago, to share on this blog, but they somehow got lost in a computer shuffle or two, and found themselves hidden away on the confines of my hard-drive. This would be one of those recipes. While my beginner photography and food styling skills may not have captured exactly how appetizing this dip is (Rachael, why did you choose a clear bowl?), I assure that it is pretty dang addictive to anyone who loves Mediterranean flavors.

Not only is this feta salsa excellent served up with some toasted pita triangles, it makes a really tasty topping for fish or shrimp. I like using a creamier kind of feta in this dip so that it stays on your pita chips better when you’re dipping, but a drier, heartier feta might be better if you are using this as a seafood topping.

Feta Salsa

recipe from the talented Closet Cooking

serves 2-3 appetizer portions

ingredients:

• 1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, sliced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1.  Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl; refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Now, this has nothing to do with this dip, but I wanted to share Rebecca’s new kitten, Lucy, with you all (and really, who doesn’t like baby animals?). She’s a little, feisty one!

Before I left for Florida to visit my family, I was able to participate in Seattle’s Restaurant Week. Restaurant Week is basically a week where tons of local restaurants agree to offer a three-course lunch for $15, and a three-course dinner for $28. Mikey and I try to go to at least one restaurant every time it happens because it is a great way to sample a bunch of dishes, and try out at a new restaurant. Lucky for us, our good friends Helen and Kai are pretty big foodies, as well, and suggested we go before I left. We decided on Tilth because it is a restaurant that both Helen and I have been dying to try for years.

Tilth’s executive chef, Maria Hines, has received numerous accolades for her food, including a James Beard award, New York Times mentions, and a win against Iron Chef Morimoto on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Her laurels alone are impressive, but even more so is that Tilth uses only certified-organic and wild ingredients to prepare dishes. And yet, despite all of this, I somehow never got around to eating at Tilth until just recently. Let me just say that I am sorry that I waited so long.

Tilth, itself, is located inside a building that was once a house. There is a cozy dining porch in the front. Then, you walk inside to a skinny foyer area that has been outfitted with thin, ledge tables and high, bar-style chairs; right in the middle is the host stand.

We were greeted almost immediately, but it was a bit busy so we had to wait a few minutes to be seated for our reserved table—not a big deal at all as we spent the time chatting. The inside of the restaurant is quite small with lots of tables packed in, in the best, coziest way. The lighting is soft and warm, and the wooden tables are set with simple place settings. The Restaurant Week menu came with four options each for appetizers, entrees, and dessert. Since there were four of us, we decided to order one of each so that we could try everything.

The first thing we were presented with was an amuse-bouche of a butternut squash soup with pickled something-or-another on top that I can no longer recall:

It was a tasty, slightly sweet, creamy mouthful that certainly left me excited for the food to come.

We were also served some amazingly soft bread with butter and flaky salt that I probably could have eaten a loaf of, given the opportunity.

Our appetizers included:

Smoked Yogurt Flan: pickled green garlic, mustard green, lemon charcoal

This was highly anticipated by Helen and me, but it fell kind of flat. The mustard greens were excellent, but the flan itself just tasted exactly like it sounds…like smoked yogurt. It certainly wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t very interesting or exciting.

Spinach Salad: green goddess, spring radish, blue cheese

Reading about this salad beforehand, I wasn’t really at all intrigued; however, this was a super delicious salad! It had the best radishes, ever, in it! They were crisp, fresh, and not at all bitter or “dirty” tasting.

Carnaroli Risotto: pecorino, wild mushroom, english pea

This risotto was a favorite among everyone, and I think Mikey even said that it was his favorite dish of the entire evening! It was creamy and rich with a zip of freshness from the peas and fresh basil.

Chilled Pea Soup: crème fraiché, espresso gingerbread, pea shoot

The cold soup was my favorite of the appetizers. I missed my photo opportunity before the soup was poured into the bowl, but on the bottom were the pea shoots and crumbled gingerbread espresso. The crunchy, deeply, rich gingerbread was an excellent textural and flavor contrast to the creamy, cool pea soup. To me, it was a perfect Spring dish!

Next came the entrees:

Carlton Farms Pork Rib: polenta, kohlrabi, rhubarb sauce

The pork was my second-favorite entree. The ribs were succulent and sweet against the earthy greens and slightly sour rhubarb. The polenta cake at the bottom was a perfect vehicle to sop up all of the flavors.

 Roasted Penn Cove Manila Clams: chorizo, cilantro, cauliflower

Now, I am not a huge fan of shellfish (aside from crab, lobster, scallops, and sometimes prawns/shrimp), so I didn’t actually have a clam, but I did have the chorizo/cilantro/watercress?/cauliflower mixture, and it was phenomenal. Roasted cauliflower is one of my favorite things ever, so it’s hard to go wrong there. Everyone else did say that the clams themselves were quite tasty, though!

Smoked Heirloom Bean Cassoulet: foraged mushroom, brioche, oven dried tomato

This was my absolute favorite dish of the night! It was sooooo freaking tasty! It was the ultimate umami dish. The brioche breadcrumbs on the top were truffled, which married beautifully with the mushrooms. The beans were creamy and rich against the sweet, tangy, chewy (and slightly juicy) oven-roasted tomatoes. It was pure bliss for me. My sweet dining companions allowed me to down a large portion of this dish all on my own, and I am still grateful for that :P

Washington Chicken Confit: fregola, arugula, apricot glaze

While this dish was good enough, much like the yogurt appetizer, it wasn’t very exciting.The apricot glaze was so sweet that the dish became too one-note. It overpowered the could-have-been spicy arugula and the nutty fregola (a pasta similar to Israeli couscous in shape and texture). The chicken was perfectly juicy and cooked well, but it just didn’t “wow” us.

We also went ahead and ordered two sides from the regular menu, because we were really going all out:

Lacinato Kale: spicy saba, olive oil, garlic

Anson Mills Hush Puppy: honey, sea salt, chive

Kale is one of my very favorite foods, so I was al over that like white on rice. It was as good as sautéed kale can be, and I probably ate about half of it myself!

The hush puppies were ammmmazing! They were crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle, and tasted like the most delicious, grainy cornbread, sweetened with a drizzling of honey that pooled at the bottom of the crock—perfect for dipping.

As you all may have noticed in the past, I seem to be an especially harsh critic on desserts, and I usually find that places with excellent savory fare tend to have less-than-stellar sweets. However, that was so not the case here. Our desserts included (along with a great cup of coffee):

Maple Crème Brulée: candied tarragon, bacon shortbread, maple sugar

This was the dessert that I liked second best. The crème brulée was silky and rich, and perfectly smooth. The bacon shortbread was delicious, but it was wayyyy too tiny. Not only too tiny due to the fact that we were sharing it 4-ways, but tiny for one person, even. It was actually kind of silly.

Carrot Cake: pickled golden raisin, walnut, cream cheese

I liked this dessert, but I didn’t find the cake itself to be anything too special. I also though the frosting to cake ratio was off; there could have been more cream cheese frosting, for sure. It probably would have done better as a mini layer cake or cupcake, as opposed to a mini bundt. The pickled raisins were super delicious, though. They were sweet, but also slightly tangy.

Theo Chocolate Pudding: rhubarb, pistachio, shaved chocolate

This was probably the most disappointing dish of the night. The pudding had a very odd texture. You would hope and expect it to be smooth and creamy, but instead it was pretty darn grainy. It also was rather bitter, and not quite sweet enough for my liking. It wasn’t terrible, by any means, but I didn’t go back for more after my second bite.

Grapefruit Panna Cotta: mint, citrus reduction, candied ginger

To me, this was the perfect dessert: light, refreshing, creamy, and zippy from the grapefruit. It was the ideal end to a big, rich meal. That being said, I could have pretty easily eaten two full serving of it after all of the food I had just eaten. It was *that* good.

All in all, the service was amazing, the food was amazing, and the company was amazing. Along with our bill, we were served a few cocoa-dusted almonds, and two coupons for $25 off our next $50 visit (score!). Before we had even walked out, Helen and I began planning our next brunch date out on their front porch! Our Tilth experience was the absolute best it could have been, and yet, it didn’t end after we left. Later that night (we’re talking like midnight here, people) Helen and I received an email from the General Manager thanking us for coming in and for our comments on the comment card. If that isn’t above and beyond, I don’t know what is!

(By the way, it incredibly hard to get good, in-focus, well-lit photos in a very dark restaurant, so I apologize!)