Happy Birthday, Mom!

This post is dedicated to my lovely and wonderful mother!

I still owe you for all of my tantrums in grocery stores as a toddler, locking myself in the bathroom at my own birthday party, and for supporting my ever-changing hobbies, from fencing to the bass guitar. And so much more. A batch of biscuits or scones will never truly represent my appreciation for you, but that won't stop me from trying!

I love you, Mom!

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Fig Scones
adapted from the wonderful 101 Cookbooks
Makes 12 scones

1 cup GF buckwheat flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 stick unsalted butter, ice cold
1 1/4 cup half and half

I used Trader Joe's Fig Butter for the filling, because it was in my parents fridge and I haven't seen fresh figs around in a while. But if you have access to them, here's 101 Cookbooks recipe for a delicious fig butter!

Like a fig newton. But gluten-free. And more awesome.

Whisk together flours, starch, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or your fingers. Cut until the chunks are no bigger than a pea. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream into the dry/butter mix. Fold until the dough just comes together.

Dust a surface with brown rice flour and plop your dough down on it. Dough will be sticky, so flour your hands or get them wet and press the dough into a rough rectangle. Then, flour a rolling pin and roll your dough into and 8 inch by 14 in slab, about 3/4 inch in thickness. Spread fig butter over the entire surface of the slab.

Now, begin rolling the 14 inch side of the dough. If the dough sticks to the surface, try dipping a spatula in flour and gently separating the dough from the counter. Tightly roll the dough until it is a long log. Cut in half with a large knife and transfer the two logs to a baking sheet, cover in plastic wrap, then chill for at least half an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Take the chilled logs and cut each one into six wheels, using a sharp knife. Place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet, at least an inch and a half apart.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Best eaten warm from the oven!

Scandalous.

Molasses Cornmeal Pancakes

Mmmm... pancakes.

Not entirely sure why this photo is so blurry, but I suppose it's appropriate because these pancakes are buttery little clouds of fluffy goodness.

So, I am once again back at my parents house in Omaha! While I was at work yesterday morning I was able to rearrange a shift, so I'll be here until Thursday morning. 

I didn't think I would make it home this break with work, so I was pretty relieved when I crossed the Nebraska state line (that's a pretty weird statement, huh?). Now I'll be able to be here for my Mom's birthday and my family will still be coming up on Saturday for Christmas! Good week.

I crashed pretty early last night, so this morning I decided to make some pancakes for my brothers before the went to school. Notice there's no natural light in that picture? That's because the sun wasn't up yet.

Best sister ever? 

Now I'm sprawled out on the couch and Louie's taking a little pudgy puppy snooze on my legs. 

I think I'll do the same. 

Gluten-Free Molasses Cornmeal Pancakes

adapted from Joy the Baker

makes 7-10 medium sized pancakes

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 tapioca starch

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk (more if the batter is too thick)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 heaping tablespoon dark molasses

1/2 cup cornmeal

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl with a spout. 

In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, vanilla, molasses, and butter.

Stir wet ingredients into dry. Add cornmeal. Mix until it just comes together (might be a little lumpy).

Pour onto a skillet over medium heat, wait for bubbles, flip!

Enjoy!

Kale Pesto Pasta

Ah, how I love Sunday.

I would like to mention that my breakfast routine has improved significantly, thanks to a food blog I stumbled upon some time ago.

I never skip breakfast. Ever. Despite being quite disoriented, I usually eat something within five minutes of rolling out of bed, hair half in and half out of a bun, sleepy eyes and all. Since I require food instantly, my breakfast rarely consists of anything more than cereal, oatmeal, or some baked good that I have laying around.

Thanks to The Edible Perspective's microwave bakes, breakfast is now my favorite part of the day. I posted a quick pumpkin cornbread from their site sometime ago, but there are so many more delicious recipes. You can make bread! In your microwave! Takes five minutes altogether!

Madness. Wonderful madness.

This was lunch:

101 Cookbooks' Winter Pasta

Casper insisted on being in the shot since the kale really brings out his eyes.

Spent a good four hours at Starbucks this morning working on a new project.

Change is coming and I'm ridiculously excited!

Earl Grey Scones with Lavender Glaze

Is that a pretentious spelling of the color gray? Grey? Gray? Grey poupon sounds pretentious.

Oh well. You don't have to eat these with your pinkies out. 

I'm looking to recruit some people for specific winter break funtivities. Such as:

1. Seeing movies with me and sneaking pumpkin granola into the theater

2. Building a gingerbread creation that is so revolutionary it will be displayed at the Guggenheim. 

3. Dragging my butt to the gym/yoga classes.

Interested? You will be compensated with unlimited baked goods. Like these scones!

Lavender seemed appropriate this evening. 

Earl Grey Scones with Lavender Glaze

Makes 8 scones

inspired by Celiac Teen

Back in the day when I was a Starbucks barista, I used to open up the earl grey tea canister and feel an instant sensation of relaxation from the aromatic floral notes. Earl grey isn't my favorite black tea, but you can't beat the divine smell.

I was on my game tonight. 

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup white rice flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 standard size earl grey tea bag (whole leaf is ideal)

pinch of kosher salt

1/3 cup half and half

1/3 cup steeped earl grey tea

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons butter, cold

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, starch, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, baking soda. Open up tea packets and sprinkle into the dry mix, rubbing it between your fingers so you open up the floral scent. Set aside

Whisk together half and half, steeped earl grey tea, egg, and vanilla. Set in the fridge until ready to use.

Cutter butter into dry mix until no chunks are bigger than pea-sized. Using a rubber spatula, fold milk/tea mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold until dough just comes together. 

Dough will be moist and fluffy, so I find the best way to form the scones is to pat the dough into a flat 8 inch disk on prepared parchment paper or a silpat, then score the dough into 8 triangles. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until surface is golden brown. Remove, allow to cool for at least five minutes, then cut scones (not on your silpat!) and transfer to a cooling rack.

Lavender Glaze

Combine powdered sugar and milk until you reach a desired texture. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of culinary lavender, depending on how floraly you'd like it (not everyone is down with loads of lavender).

Drizzle over scones after they've cooled completely. 

Have yourself a little tea party with a full spread. Talk in an awful british accent. Go crazy.

Eep.

I'm sitting in one of my favorite nooks at Dunn Bros, trying to figure out if I wore this exact same outfit yesterday. 

I need some sleep. 

Between finals, work, and training for Mexico, I'm running on empty. But, as of today, I am free! And I'll be leaving for Cuernavaca in less than three weeks (eep). That is, if I'm willing to expose my atrocious passport photo to another human being... 

Everyone knows it's "one...two...three...*flash*" not "one...two...*flash*"

Unfortunate.

Earlier this afternoon I decided to try out a different sandwich bread recipe. I'm jonesing to make a panini with my new grill pan. I've come across this recipe several times from other bloggers. It's supposed to yield great results, but it never made it into Otis the oven. 

I just don't like soy flour. Or any other bean flour, for that matter. At least I've established that.

Usually I would try to make something else, but all I wanted to do was pour myself a bowl of cereal and watch the cooking channel.

Sorry, folks. Here's a picture of the eggs that went into the unbaked bread. 

A new year is upon us, and The Blue Table is about to undergo some serious changes.

I hope you're all as excited as I am!

Chicken, Mushroom, and Leek Soup

One paper down, one to go!

Good thing, too. Casper has been extra needy due to our lack of quality snuggling time.

"Less paper writing, more ear scratching. Chop chop."

I made this soup over the weekend. Haven't had a chance to photograph is yet, but it's pretty delicious!

Chicken, Mushroom, and Leek Soup

adapted from this recipe

Serves 6

2 pounds of cooked chicken, torn

3-4 cups chicken broth (homemade is the best!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, both white and green parts, cleaned and chopped

2 ribs celery, sliced thin

10 ounces fresh mushrooms of any variety

1 apple, peeled and cubed (I would say this is optional, I wasn't feelin' it)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup half and half

1 tablespoon cornstarch (more if needed)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and celery. Sauté for about five minutes. Add mushrooms. Cook until all veggies are tender. Add broth and apple cider vinegar. Cook for 30-45 minutes on a low simmer. Whisk together cornstarch and half and half. Pour into soup and stir until thickened. Add chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot! 

Derp?

My brain is officially fried. More fried than the apple fritters at my work.

How am I going to produce two more papers?

I bet this banana bread will come to the rescue...

Yes, I did just post this recipe last week. But, I came home from my exams to two brown speckled bananas hanging out on my counter. Plus, a couple that lives down the hall told me I make the floor smell amazing! That was all I needed.

I want to marry this banana bread.

Or you know, make a pact about how if we're both single at the age of forty we'll move in together, have a civil union, and adopt a kid. 

And name it Lavender. 

I decided to dedicate tonight to a little relaxation. Yet, I chose to watch a movie with Winona Ryder in it? Why would I do that to myself? 

Oh well, my attention was mostly consumed by a food blog I stumbled upon. How have I not discovered this woman before? I basically want to be a gluten-free version of her! Check it out.