Dinner guests who visit the house often have some form of dietary restriction: carb-, gluten-, grain-, or sugar-free, vegetarian, vegan, flextarian, only white-meat chicken-eater, allergies (shellfish, nuts, dairy), etc. You know what I'm talking about. I understand. Am a selective eater myself. [Ed. note: Run away run away run away do not comment I want to live...]

However, this summer has been about streamlining, making things as easy as possible. This dinner is the perfect solution. Have to give props to the BF, who suggested that kebabs would be a good accompaniment. [Ed. note: I can't help myself. I like good food, ok?]

This is especially effective for a dinner-party menu. Serve your favorite hummus for appetizers, follow up with two entrees: Roasted Harissa Spiced Ratatouille and Chicken Kebabs. The ratatouille will satiate the vegan guest and be a nice side dish for the carnivores. FYI, this dish is gluten free, grain free, Paleo and vegan.

Have been on a harissa kick lately, adding it to shrimp skewers, lamb patties, and roasted Japanese eggplant. Harissa is a spicy aromatic North African chili paste made out of hot chili peppers (which are often smoked), roasted red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and spices like cumin, coriander, caraway and mint. It comes in sauce form or paste, as you can see in photo below. I used a mild harissa sauce for this dish, but next time might opt for the paste, which is spicier and more concentrated. 

Adapted from: Gourmande in the Kitchen
Number of servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, cut in half and again into thick slices (about 2 inches long)
• 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into big chunks
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into big chunks (Japanese eggplant used here, but use whatever you can get)
• ½ red onion cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons/30ml extra olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons harissa paste (harissa sauce used here)
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes. halved
• 2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
• Rice, quinoa, couscous or cauliflower "rice" to serve

​Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 ºF.
2. Place the zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, garlic, salt, pepper, 1 ½ tablespoons of the olive oil, harissa, and coriander in a large bowl and toss to combine. Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet. Place tomatoes with remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl and set aside.
3. Roast vegetables for 15 minutes, remove from oven, add halved cherry tomatoes and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and serve vegetables over whatever starch you desire. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

So this week marked the official return to school and, sniff, a signal that summer is coughing up its last gasp.

Time for dessert!

This sweet-tart, vibrantly colored crumble was a last-minute request for a recent dinner party. Pressed to come up with something quickly, I tried to steer away from more complicated desserts (i.e., no pie crusts to roll out, chill, crimp, blind bake, etc.), or even complicated fruits to steam, peel, or pit (cherries would have made this arduous). The nectarine, plum and raspberry triumvirate immensely simplified the process. No food processor or pastry cutter required. Prior to baking, it literally took ten minutes to prepare. [Ed. note: Damn, woman.]

I decided on a crumble as opposed to a streusel topping [Ed. note: Am so triggered by this I do not know what I should be triggered by], because I felt this particular fruit combo would have been overpowered by a spicy oatmeal and nut topping. Love streusel for apples, pears, blackberries and even blueberries, but this fruit combo needed something simpler, more delicate.

What is the difference between a crumble, crisp and cobbler? A crumble has a shortbread cookie-like topping. A crisp's topping is streusel based, typically made with spiced oatmeal and nuts, and a cobbler has biscuit dough dolloped on top.

​Don't get me started on the Betty, pandowdy, or buckles, grunts and slumps!

PS: A year ago we broke out the Spiralizer for some healthy chicken parmesan with veggie noodles (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/healthy-chicken-parmesan-with-veggie-noodles).

PPS: Channeling the late Anthony Bourdain, things got a little NSFW with this sinful mac and cheese (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/anthony-bourdains-macaroni-and-cheese).

Crumble topping inspired by Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 6-8

Ingredients
​Fruit Filling

• 1 pound nectarines, halved, pitted, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices 
• 1 pound red or purple plums
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla ice cream 

Crumble Topping

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ⅓​ cups all-purpose flour
• Two pinches of salt

Directions
Crumble Topping

1. In a medium size bowl, stir sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and melted butter  together with a fork until crumbs form. Set aside.

Fruit Filling

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 ºF.
2. Combine nectarines, plums, raspberries, sugar, and tapioca in large bowl; toss to blend.
3. Transfer mixture to a 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit.
4. Bake until fruit mixture is bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 40-50 minutes.
5. NOTE: the crumble topping will brown before the fruit is finished baking. Once it reaches the brown color that you want (this might take 25-30 minutes), take a piece of foil and lay it very loosely over the crumble.
6. Cool 30 minutes.
7. Serve at room temperature [Ed. note: Oh boy the return of ROOM TEMPERATURE] with vanilla ice cream.

Give me nothing but eggplants and tomatoes until summer ends! This meal embodies everything I love about summer produce. Minimal prep and cooking, with exploding flavors. The BF loved it with saffron rice as a complimentary side dish.

Today, we honor both our mom's birthdays (his was the 3rd, mine the 4th), and this weekend we celebrate Marlowe's recovery from cancer surgery. Life is good.

Adapted from: Feasting at Home
Number of Servings: 2-3
​
Ingredients
Gremolata (Zesty Italian Herb Sauce)

• 1 cup packed Italian Parsley (small stems are fine)
• 1–2 garlic cloves
• Zest of one small lemon, plus 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (Meyer Lemon is good)
• ½ cup olive oil
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper, more to taste
• Pinch chile flakes (optional)

Eggplant

• 1 large or 2 medium/large eggplants, sliced into ½-¾ inch thick slices (see notes)
• Olive oil, salt and pepper for grilling
• 3–4 tablespoons Gremolata
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Drizzle olive oil
• Crumbled goat or feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended)

Directions
Gremolata (Zesty Italian Herb Sauce)

1. Place parsley, garlic and zest in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
2. Add oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Pulse again, until uniformly combined but not too smooth.
3. Add chili flakes for a touch of heat, if you like.
4. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

​Eggplant

1. Preheat grill to medium-high (stovetop grill pan was used here. You can also roast them.
2. Slice eggplant into ½-inch thick slices. (If sensitive to bitterness, salt both sides and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with water and pat dry.)
3. Brush both sides with olive oil (and salt if not previously) and grill each side for 4 minutes, or until good grill marks appear. Stack in a baking dish or bowl and wrap up tightly in foil so they cook all the way through and become translucent.
4. Toss tomatoes with a pinch of salt, fresh herbs (if you like), and a little drizzle of olive oil.
5. Lay eggplant steaks down on a serving platter. Spoon a little gremolata over each one. Top with the tomatoes.
6. Add crumbled goat or feta, if desired. 

NOTES:

• Gremolata: If you don't have a food processor, you can chop everything very finely and place into a bowl.
• I usually serve ½ of one whole eggplant per person, 2-3 slices.
• Alternatively, you can roast the eggplant steaks, although grilling gives them lovely flavor. To roast, prepare the same way, brushed with oil and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, in a 425 °F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and golden. 

She's back.

All apologies. It's been a while. There's a great excuse, though.

I traveled with my sister Julie to Bangkok, Thailand for two weeks to help my teacher/acting-coach big brother John move back to the States. Arduously busy, yes (this was not your typical move), and somewhat bittersweet for him, as he had lived and worked there for twenty years.

While there, my sister and I lived off the street food along the daily one-mile walk from our hotel to my brother's apartment. Breakfast consisted of a single, perfectly delectable marinated pork-strip skewer. A late lunch or dinner was a shared salad-in-a-bag, or fresh steamed corn, stripped off the cob to eat easily while walking. Such a beautiful country, I will certainly return someday with the BF. [Ed. note: I shall hold you to this.]

Back home, I have been craving any food that reminds me of the Thai street food: fresh, bright, flavorful and healthy. This herby green avocado sauce is super easy to prepare and literally works with anything. To wit, use it as:

• a vegetable dip
• sandwich spread
• spread with grilled fish or shrimp
• condiment for fried, soft boiled or poached eggs
• drizzle for a wrap or burrito bowl
• dressing for roasted vegetables or meat
• of course, something heavenly to slather on toast

Adapted from: Alexandra's Kitchen
Number of servings: ¾ cup

Ingredients

• 1 bunch (about 3 cups, 3 ounces) fresh parsley, cilantro, arugula or a mix, roughly chopped (I used mostly cilantro and a small amount of arugula)
• 1 small bunch chives (about 1 ounce), roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon or lime (about 2 tablespoons), plus more to taste
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup avocado
• ¾ ​teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Add the greens (stems and all), chives, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, avocado, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor.
2. Pulse until broken down — add water by the tablespoon as needed to thin and get the blade whirring. Scrape down and pulse again until the sauce is broken down and easy to dollop with a spoon. Taste.
3. Adjust taste as needed with more lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust consistency with more water or olive oil by the tablespoon.

Grilled pork skewers. Breakfast of champions.

Fresh salad in a bag. Lunch...sometimes dinner.

Fresh guava slices on Silom Road (the best Lebanese food I've ever had was from the Silom district).

My Darling restaurant on Khao San Road.

Thai BBQ with my brother John and sisters, Julie, Tai, Pantene and Momay.

Missed these two! Thank you for holding down the fort!

"More people will come if they think we have punch and pie!"
~ Eric Theodore Cartman

Twenty-one years ago, four crudely animated foul-mouthed boys began their seemingly endless journey through grade school in the quaint, cozy mountain town of South Park. Through alien abductions, soul-singing chefs, cannabis-drenched towels, and commentary covering all possible levels of political incorrectness, one thing has been perpetually certain: Eric Cartman loves pie. Loves all desserts, actually.

Growing up, my siblings and I would ask my Mom, "Can we have dessert?" Her reply would often be, "Yes, you can have a piece of fruit." As if channeling Cartman, we would all bellow in unison, "But Mom, fruit is not a dessert."

Honestly, in this form, it really is.

Whenever I bake a pie, especially a blackberry pie, I recall the mother of my best childhood friend (Mrs. C). A master pie maker. She taught me how to make a pie from scratch.

We picked wild blackberries from her daughter's back yard. The berries were so plump, we filled the huge plastic bucket within 15 minutes. Of all the priceless baking tips Mrs. C gave, I'm most thankful for her method of thickening a pie filling with tapioca flour (a.k.a. tapioca starch) instead of cornstarch or all-purpose flour. Tapioca flour makes the filling bright and clear, whereas cornstarch or A.P. flour can give the filling a cloudy look and chalky taste.

This recipe is adapted from Julia Frey's blog Vikalinka. Besides some general streamlining, my changes include adding a bit of cinnamon to the filling, upping the amount of blackberries, and subbing tapioca flour in place of A.P. flour. I love her idea of topping the pie with honeyed creme fraiche (a favorite that really complements the blackberries well).

One note, if you're lucky enough to have wild blackberries in your backyard, use them (and I'm envious). If not, store bought will do just fine. If you're short on time, you can also use your favorite store-bought pie crust. Just don't forget the honeyed creme fraiche. More people will come if they think you have honeyed creme fraiche.

Adapted from: Vikalinka
Number of servings; 8

Ingredients
Blackberry Filling

• 5-6 cups fresh blackberries
• ½-¾​ cup sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are; I use less since I prefer a less-sweet pie)
• 3-4 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch (use 3 tablespoons if making the pie with wild-picked berries, 4 tablespoons if making with store-bought very ripe berries)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg for the eggwash

Pie Crust

• 3 cups flour
• ¾  tespoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sour cream

Honeyed Creme Fraiche

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup creme fraiche

Directions
Blackberry Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
2. In a large bowl combine fresh blackberries with sugar, tapioca flour and lemon zest by lightly tossing them taking care not to mash blackberries. Let sit while preparing the pie crusts.

Pie Crust

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Add the butter using a pastry blender, cut it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add sour cream and work it into the mixture with your hands until it comes together.
3. Knead briefly, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out ⅔ of the pie crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. It should be large enough so the sides hang over the edges of the plate. 
5. Drape the rolled out pastry on the rolling pin and carefully transfer it into the pie plate. Chill in fridge while rolling out the top crust.
6. Fill pie crust with blackberry filling.
7. Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the pie with it.
8. Pinch sides of the pie and brush the top with lightly beaten egg. Cut slits in the pie and sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.
9. Place pie on baking sheet to catch any juices that might bubble out while it's cooking. Bake in  preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden. At this point, check it. If it's getting too dark, place a piece of aluminum foil over outer edge of pie and continue baking for 15-20 more minutes, until crust has browned and filling is bubbly. (It must be visibly bubbling or it won't set properly.)
10. Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Cool completely before serving.
11. Swirl honey into creme fraiche and serve with pie.

Today we're going to get saucy. [Ed. note: OH YEAH.] Not that kind of saucy. Simmer down, BF.

What is coulis? A coulis is a sauce made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits. I personally prefer a very smooth sauce, so I strain it after blending. You don't need to do this. Notice the top photo with scallops, I strained that sauce. The bottom photo with halibut I did not. Notice the difference in texture. It's delicious either way.

​Around this time of year many of my friends have an abundance of bell peppers in their gardens. So much so, they're giving them away as fast as they can.

This Moveable-Feast-original yellow bell pepper coulis is one of my favorite dishes to make because it's easy to prepare, healthy (fat free) and very versatile. I can make a big batch at the beginning of the week (it keeps well in the fridge for days) and use it for three or four different meals, throughout. The sauce works well as a base for chicken, shrimp, scallops, halibut, any fish, pork, black bean cakes, mushroom meatballs, crispy tofu, anything. You can even serve it as soup.
​
Made the halibut meal (below) for the BF and he loved it. Made the scallop meal (above) as a special dinner for a friend celebrating her recent Life Coach certification, and her mother. Whether the meal was for two (former) or four (latter), the process was simple.

The zucchini roses might seem a bit labor intensive, but honestly they're not, and they add a distinctive flair to the dish. Enjoy this one while the bell peppers are still in season!

​Number of servings: 4

Ingredients
Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
• 1 ¼ cup chicken broth (may use vegetable broth to keep sauce vegetarian)

Zucchini Roses

• 3 green zucchini
• 3 yellow zucchini

Scallops

• 16 large sea scallops (I used Trader Joe's frozen)
• 4 tablespoons butter (clarified if possible)

Garnish

• Microgreens, parsley, basil or fresh herb of your choice (pea shoots were used here)
• 6 ounces blackberries, cut in half

Directions
Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis

1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and fry the bell pepper and onion until they begin to soften. Add orange juice and broth and cook until very soft.
2. Place bell pepper mixture into blender and blend until very smooth (2-3 minutes). At this point you can leave as is or place in a seive and strain into a bowl. I like my sauces very smooth, so I strained mine, but you don't have to.
3. Season to taste with salt and serve warm, room temperature, or cold. NOTE: you can make this up to 3 days ahead of time.

Zucchini Roses

1. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly peel zucchini on each side, and stop when you see seeds. Do not use the first slice, that much skin does not bend as well.
2. Place 5-6 slices on a microwaveable plate and nuke for about 15-20 seconds. You want it pliable enough to roll. Everyone's microwave is different power, so I recommend testing one slice at 15 seconds; if it rolls easily and ends stick together it's good, otherwise nuke in increments of 5 seconds.
3. Microwave one batch (1 plate) and then roll. Roll some tightly and others loosely for a varied look. Make sure the end sticks to the zucchini, too. Continue until you finish all the zucchini.
4. Place in fridge or set aside on counter until you finish the scallops.

Caramelized Scallops

1. Dry scallops well. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Heat half of the clarified butter in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke. (You may be tempted to use nonstick pan, but a stainless steel pan will produce a more caramelized exterior.)
3. Sprinkle scallops lightly with salt and add to pan, without crowding. (Cook scallops in two pans or in two batches; if they touch, they will steam rather than caramelize.)
4. Without moving the scallops, cook until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, about 3 to 3 ½ minutes. Turn scallops and caramelize the second side.

 ​​Assembly

1. Spoon yellow bell pepper coulis onto plate. Place fish, meat or vegetarian option on top of coulis. Arrange zucchini roses and blackberries around your protein. Garnish with microgreens or fresh herbs.

NOTE: I have cooked a batch of Trader Joe's frozen scallops (defrosted), and fresh scallops from my favorite excellent local fish monger, and everyone liked Trader Joe's the best​.

"Life is short. Take the trip. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake."
- Unknown
​
​Today is mamala's birthday, and as with my BF-mom's birthday, we gather here today to celebrate their collective sweet tooth.

Mamala passionately loved root beer floats and "black cows" (made with Coke instead of root beer), quintessential summer treats. Are they as nostalgic for you as they are for me? If so, what was your first memory of them? (Feel free to comment below!)

​Even though I was lucky enough to grow up with an A&W in my hometown (it's still there), growing up we didn't frequent it too often. Mamala made her own floats at home, and oh how I loved watching her make them. One scoop of vanilla ice cream in a frosted glass. Root beer poured just so. The carbonation would foam up instantly, but never overflowed. She had the touch. I also remember she used a long, slender soda spoon to give it a slight stir.

I made it home for almost all of her birthdays, but one year it wasn't possible and the BF and I Fed Exed these root beer float cupcakes (frosting in a separate container, ice cream not included) to my sister and mom. They were delighted, and a little surprised, to discover what was in the box.

My first attempt at this was as a full-sized bundt cake, as was originally written in one of my favorite cookbooks, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Polafito. When I spied the cupcake version on the Smitten Kitchen blog, knew I had to make it for mamala. I added the root beer fudge frosting.

If you don't have time to make individual cupcakes, make it into a bundt, frost it and serve ice cream on the side. Either way, you won't be sorry.

Adapted from: Matt Lewis and Renato Polafito, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and Smitten Kitchen (cupcakes)
Number of servings: 22 cupcakes or one (10-inch) bundt cake

Ingredients
Cupcakes

• 2 cups root beer (do NOT use diet root beer). Or, as suggested in Baked, if you can find root beer schnapps, replace ½ cup of that instead of root beer for more pronounced flavor.
• 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs

Root Beer Fudge Frosting

• 2 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), melted and cooled slightly
•  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼  cup root beer
• ⅔ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Toppings

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (Or canned real whipped cream like Reddi-wip to save time. Gasp! I know.)
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pint of vanilla ice cream (you’ll have some leftover, you’re welcome)
• Maraschino cherries (optional)

Directions
Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Line 22 cupcake cups with paper liners.
3. In a small saucepan, heat root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Fold the liquid and flour mixtures together in the large bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy, this is okay. If you overbeat it, it will get tough.
5. Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ to ¾ full (a ¼ cup scoop or measuring cup filled mine perfectly) and bake cupcakes, rotating trays back-to-front and top-to-bottom halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Transfer from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Root Beer Fudge Frosting

1. Put ingredients into a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until frosting is shiny and smooth.
2. Place frosting in a piping bag.

Assemble Cupcakes

1. Whip heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. You can do this with an electric mixer. Place whipped cream in a piping bag, if desired.
2. Use knife tip to cut a small cone out of the top-center of each cupcake; feel free to snack on these, I won’t tell. [Ed. note: I'm considering it.]
3. With the frosting piping bag, swirl a small amount around rim of each cupcake (don't cover the small hole you carved out).
4. Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, nest a scoop of ice cream in each indent. Surround ice cream with dollops of whipped cream. Top with a cherry, if using.
5. To keep cupcakes in a holding pattern while you assemble remaining ones, you can put them in the freezer, but try to do so for no more than 5 minutes or the whipped cream will harden.
6. Eat immediately. [Ed. note: This is not a drill.]

NOTES:

• You can make this easy on yourself and bake in a 10-inch Bundt pan. Butter and dust pan with flour, knock out excess flour. Pour batter into bundt and bake for 35-40 minutes at 325 °F. Transfer from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen sides of cake from pan and turn it out onto rack. Use a spatula to spread fudge frosting over the crown of the bundt in a thick layer. Let frosting set before serving, with ice cream on the side.
• Tastes best to let the cupcakes/bundt sit overnight to let the root beer flavor intensify.​
• If 22 cupcakes are too much, you can easily halve the recipe down to 11 cupcakes. Don't halve the frosting though.

PS: One year ago...
www.moveablefeast.me/blog/lush-chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-malt-frosting

Marionberries have a short season. July to be precise. The plump, Oregon-borne morsels are the cabernet of blackberries, with a tart-yet-sweet flavor that's somewhere between raspberries and blackberries.

NPR states, "The marionberry, a cross between Chehalem and Olallie blackberries, was bred at Oregon State University as part of a berry-developing partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture that dates back to the early 1900s. It's named for Marion County in the Willamette Valley, where most of the field trials took place." 

[Ed. note: To be clear, this has nothing to do with the late-D.C.-Mayor Marion S. Barry, who in 1990 was caught in an FBI sting smoking crack. Man, this blog suddenly got dark, didn't it? All apologies, we now return you to your regular programming.] 

The original recipe calls for raspberries, but I chose marionberries as an homage to my home state. Feel free to use raspberries, blackberries or even boysenberries. I have been lucky enough to find fresh marionberries, but have used frozen too and it's delicious.

An incredibly moist, unassuming everyday cake that is perfect for breakfast, tea or a light dessert. Works well with ice cream or softly whipped cream, but it needs no accoutrement Well, maybe a cup of coffee!

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, March 2015 and Orangette
Number of servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick  unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh or frozen marionberries, divided

​
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan (you can use a springform or regular cake pan), and press a round of parchment paper into the bottom.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, ricotta, and vanilla until smooth. Gently stir mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended.
4. Fold in the butter, followed by ¾ cup of the berries, taking care not to crush them. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it evenly, and scatter remaining berries on top.
5. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Do not overbake.
6. Let cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding. Cool completely before serving.

"Chocolate doesn't ask silly questions, chocolate understands."
-author unknown

You don't see too many chocolate desserts in the summer. Usually it's all about summer fruit pies, tarts, crostatas, cobblers, crisps, ice cream, sorbets. Nothing against them, all delicious, but my soul still craves chocolate. So this is an attempt at the best of both worlds. Even the BF loves it and he's not exactly fond of mixing fruit with cake. [Ed. note: As The Offspring once eloquently opined, gotta keep 'em separated. (I'm just kidding, this is really good.)]

​The best part of this dessert is that it's the best hack of the summer.

I make every single meal for my clients and family from scratch. Every day. But once in awhile, especially in the summer heat, it's nice to make things a little easier for the BF and me. Here you can be versatile, feel free to use your favorite boxed brownie mix (Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies "Extra Thick and Fudgy" was used here) or a time-tested from-scratch recipe. You can make homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip, I won't tell. Like another berry better than strawberries? Go for it.

For years, I had prepared this dessert with homemade brownies and fresh whipped cream. Then one night a friend came over for an impromptu dinner. I was short on time, knew the guest couldn't eat dairy, and hates coconut milk. So out came the boxed brownie mix (no butter) and Cool Whip (no cream), and it was awesome. She loved it.

It also held up better in the warm weather than homemade and did not wilt or weep in the fridge.  The BF and I had leftovers for a few days and there wasn't a single crumb left.

Hope you enjoy this one over a very Happy Fourth of July! Not only is it our nation's birthday, but it's also our rescue lab Marlowe's fifth. [Ed. note: She doesn't look a day over four.]

And as a final note, it is also a year since I started this blog, the one-year blogaversary, and I want to sincerely thank you for reading. Feel free to reach out to me here, or on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (links above).

Cheers!

Flashback to blog #1: ​www.moveablefeast.me/blog/crispy-salmon-with-strawberry-salsa

Number of Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix (Duncan Hines Dark Chocoalte Fudge "Extra Thick and Fudgy" Brownie Mix was used here)
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cup water
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup prepared whipped cream (homemade or use Cool Whip for a non-dairy option)
• ½ pint strawberries, hulled, halved and quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on the brownie mix box. Lightly butter an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pan. Cut out a round piece of parchment and place in bottom of pan. Lightly butter top of parchment (I use a pastry brush).
2. Using an electric mixer, combine brownie mix, egg, water, and oil.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the box instructions. I baked mine between 31-33 minutes. Do not overbake. 
4. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then turn out of the pan. Peel off the parchment.
5. Put brownie cake on a serving platter.
6. Fold the sour cream into the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture on top of the brownie cake and top with berries. Alternatively, top with Cool Whip.
7. Slice and serve with additional berries and whipped cream if desired.

Born on the Fourth of July. Happy Fifth Birthday Marlowe!

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."
- L.M. Montgomery

Although well past high school and bright college days, still have that feeling in June that I'm playing hooky, and am compelled to commemorate the begining of September with "school shopping." 

I was 11 years old when Alice Cooper's "Schools Out" was released. My older teenage brother played it loudly and incessently. [Ed. note: Is there any other way?] He also had an enormous Alice poster above his bed, the infamous one with Vince Furnier wrapped in a boa. Later. he would con my Momala into allowing him to go to a concert by taking my then eight-year-old sister, basically convincing her that Cooper was a folk singer. [Ed. note: GENIUS.] Never fails, June comes around and I can't get the "School's Out" lyrics out of my head.

My BF and I live across the street from a 4th-8th grade school, in the house he grew up in. [Ed. note: La Entrada, class of '83, represent.] Many of the neighborhood kids are graduating and will be in high school come September. Bittersweet, for me. Time is going by at warp speed and summer will be over before we know it.

These salmon kebabs, I make them every summer. It's beyond me that I never thought about threading meat or fish with two skewers instead of one (see picture). A game changer. The kebabs will not flip and spin every time you turn them. Bonus, most of you will probably already have all the necessary spices in your pantry.

We try to eat salmon as often as possible, and these kebabs are exceptionally flavorful and easy to make. Clients love them, and they're fast to prepare from start to finish (great for weeknight dinners). If you use your oven broiler,  like me, we're talking five minutes.

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, June 2013
Number of servings; 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (dried oregano was used here)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ pounds skinless salmon fillet (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 lemons, very thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 16 bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour (or metal skewers, which were used here)

Directions

1. Prepare grill for medium heat or use oven broiler, as was done here.
2. Mix oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl to combine; set spice mixture aside.
3. Beginning and ending with salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon slices onto 8 pairs of parallel skewers to make eight kebabs total.
4. Brush with oil and season with reserved spice mixture. (If broiling, place skewers on foiled lined baking sheet).
5. Grill, turning occasionally, until fish is opaque throughout, about 5–8 minutes. If broiling, place salmon under broiler, as close to element as possible. Broil about 5 minutes on one side. No need to turn.

Well, we got no class
And we got no principals
We ain't got no intelligence
We can't even think of a word that rhymes
~ Alice Cooper