wishlist: Chai Tea Jello

Maybe I'll try this one first; I'm much more likely to try something experimental with tea. And I do so love chai... In my head, it tastes like the one from Big Train, which is what my local cafe sells; I wonder if I could make it like a solid Big Train?

From: http://www.bakingaisle.com/2010/04/chai-tea-jello/#more-107

Chai Tea Jello

• 1/2 cup cold water
• 4 packets unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 6 chai teabags
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Thoroughly mix the gelatin with the cold water, and let sit on the counter.

Make the tea - put the tea bags in the boiling water, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. You want very, very strong tea.

Remove the tea bags, and stir the hot tea into the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir.

Pour into an 8-inch square pan, lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. Chill for 4 hours or until set.

wishlist: Coffee Jello

I'm not a huge fan of Jello (I don't like eating things that dogs bark at), but my love of sweetened condensed milk and the fact that these are denser than regular jello might win out in the end.

From:  http://foodlibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/04/national-library-week-day-3-coffee.html

Coffee Jello / Coffee Gelatin
1/2 c cold water
2 cups strong coffee, hot. I used two packages of Starbucks Via. The coffee needs to be strong. This isn't the time for Sanka instant. :)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin

1. Place 1/2 c cold water in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 3 unflavored gelatin packets over the water. Let sit until the gelatin blooms, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the hot coffee and mix until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
4. Stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour into glass pan. Thickness of finished jello depends on the size of the pan. I used a 7 x 11 pan but a 9 x 13 pan will give you thinner pieces and an 8 x 8 pan will give you thicker pieces.

Note: The combo of coffee and sweetened condensed milk is inspired by Vietnamese coffee. You can probably adapt this to use coffee or espresso, cream and sugar (be sure to dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee and gelatin).

link: Italian-Inspired Summer Supper Menu and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Italian-Inspired Summer Supper Menu and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

A whole summer meal from Martha

VAN LEEUWEN ARTISAN ICE CREAM

VAN LEEUWEN ARTISAN ICE CREAM

How can you not love artisan icecream? I need it all.

wishlist: Ruby Press � Snickers Bar

Ruby Press � Snickers Bar

Home-made snickers? I'm there! Click through on this one: you've got to see the pictures.

wishlist: Kalyn's Kitchen: World's Best Tzatziki Sauce Recipe - Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

Kalyn's Kitchen: World's Best Tzatziki Sauce Recipe - Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

We made something very much like this a while ago when we roasted some lamb, and since we had way more than we needed, we ate it on EVERYTHING and it was amazing. I need to make a new batch and just keep in in the fridge: it only gets better with age up to the point when the cukes just go off.

Hmm... shopping list...

Recipe Chimp

Recipe Chimp

A fun recipe search engine where you put in what you have and it tells you what you can make!

current favorite breakfast

Is, simply, fresh strawberries and Stonyfield Farms vanilla yogurt. According to the interwebs, six strawberries is a serving, so I've been chopping six straight from the fridge into a cup of yogurt in a bowl, and it's cool and refreshing, and delicious and perfectly early-summer. We get strawberries in the winter here, but this winter was bad and the local strawberries were bland and white and horrible-- but wherever these are coming from, whether it's local or imported, they're perfect. Ripe all the way through, full of flavor, sweet enough to stand up to yogurt without needing extra sugar, and tart enough to not be cloying.

I wonder if they're still on sale at the store? I'm almost out...

wishlist: honey and riccotta tart

Ricotta and Honey Tart

By Christine Gallary
Honey and lemon zest flavor this tart made of ricotta cheese. A crisp crust and crunchy almond topping sandwich the creamy filling.
Game plan: Drain the ricotta of excess moisture by placing it in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, weigh the cheese down with a heavy object, and refrigerate overnight.
TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins, plus time to drain the cheese
Active Time: 15 mins
Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon loosely packed, finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the filling:
1 pound ricotta cheese, drained overnight (see “Game plan” note above)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup clover honey
1 tablespoon loosely packed, finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
INSTRUCTIONS
For the crust:

1. Place melted butter, sugar, zest, and salt in a large bowl and stir until combined. Add flour and stir just until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute.
2. Evenly arrange small pieces of dough over the bottom of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, press the dough to form an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, flouring the cup or your fingers as needed.
3. Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
5. When the shell is chilled, prick it all over with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown all over, about 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

1. Place drained ricotta, eggs, honey, zest, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Process, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
2. Spread the filling in the warm tart shell and evenly sprinkle almonds over top. Bake until the center is just set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

link: Tea & Cookies: My Summer Secret Weapon: Mugicha

Tea & Cookies: My Summer Secret Weapon: Mugicha

I'm making the first pot of mugicha of the summer. That's how you can be absolutely sure that it's past spring, no matter what the calendar says.

letters to the aether, food edition

Dear Jamie Oliver,

Sure you can ride one of my personal hobbyhorses. You scare those kids about what's in their food all you want.

Love,
Me

Design*Sponge � Blog Archive � behind the bar: lavender lemonade

Design*Sponge � Blog Archive � behind the bar: lavender lemonade

This sounds both chic and delicious, as well as being unusual and therefore totally awesome. Must try.