Coconut Macroons! (Gluten Free)

Ever since coming home, I have focused more and more on gluten-free cooking. I have made a gluten-free pizza crust which was surprisingly good, some gluten free Indian foods, and other cool stuff. 

                                       

But for Father's Day, I wanted something that my mother could eat too for dessert...so I though, maybe my chocolate-sprinkle rice krispies treats? No...Maybe some french macroons? Naw, too time intensive, and she'd want me to hang with the family...ah ha! Coconut Macroons...light, beautiful, and not too much sugar. Epic.


They're really not time intensive...so mixing, so cooling, some baking, and you're done. You can jazz them up any way you want, you can pipe some ganache on them after they're cooled, you can dip the bottoms in chocolate like my inspiration did on 17andbaking, or you can dip the tops in chocolate and call it an opposite mountain. 

I opted against that...preferring a plain, simple, presentation. No chocolate, no fuss, no nothing. Also, I was lazy. 

Oh yeah, this is a picture of my dog. Doesn't he look like a Macroon? 


So a Happy Father's Day to y'all, I hope your fathers all had a lovely day!


Coconut Macroons
adapted from 17andbaking.com


3 cups sweetened coconut
0.75 cup egg whites (~4-5 large eggs)
slightly less than 0.25 cups of granulated white sugar
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
0.25 tsp. almond extract


In a medium saucepan mix together the egg whites, the coconut, the sugar. Mix over medium-heat for about 7 minutes, until the mixture goes from liquid-y to kind of pasty but not dry. Take it off the heat and mix into extracts. 


After that, spread it out on the mixture on a sheet pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 


Preheat oven to 300F.


Pull it out, and either scoop it into the a mini-ice cream scooper or spoon it into a 1/4 cup measuring cup for a dome shape. Place each coconut dome on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. 

Put them in the oven and bake for 25 min, or until brown on top. Pull them out, and let them cool on a wire rack. 


After that, you dip them in melted chocolate(6oz. chocolate with 1/2 cup heavy cream over a double boiler), and let them cool in the fridge on parchment paper, or you can serve just as they are...or on top of a tasty scoop of ice cream! Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.


Bon apetit! 

Weiner's Bride: An Example of Sexism in Politics

Mass media storm about a congressman with the unfortunate last name recently: Anthony Weiner. This post is sort-of about him. It's more about his wife. Let me provide some background: 

Huma Abedin graduated from GW University, worked with Hilary Clinton since 1996, and is now one of her deputy chiefs of staff. So she's a pretty big deal. 

I read this article, Weiner Resigns in a Chaotic Final Scene, and a particular quote from the article got me thinking: 

She said Mr. Weiner’s wife was “very smart,” and urged her to ignore any suggestion that she leave her husband. “If she wants to have a marriage and a life,” Ms. Hodja said, Ms. Abedin should consider modeling her behavior on that of her boss, Mrs. Clinton, who famously stood by President Bill Clinton during marital infidelities. 

What bothers me about this quote is the implication that to have a future ("a life"), Abedin must remain with her husband. Does her future career and potential rise in politics (she was named one of the "40 under 40" by Time Magazine) depend on her marriage? Perhaps this is not what Ms. Hodja meant to imply by her words, but it definitely got me thinking.

I've heard from many different people, that Hilary Clinton would not have risen to such prominence had she not remained with Bill Clinton after his infidelity, that it would have reflected poorly if she had divorced. 

Why? It's a personal decision whether she wants to stay with him or not, but why would it matter career-wise? There are many men in politics who have had notable divorces for much less than infidelity and are still prominent figures (Regean? Gingrich anyone?). Why then, is it any different for a woman? 

Sexism, that's why. Politics is still a man's game, and the few women that play must abide by certain rules to stay in. Yes, this is a topic that we all know a lot about...female politicians being regarded for their choice of clothing or hairdos to the exclusion of their political skills. Indeed, there are still too many jokes about a menopausal woman in the oval office being problematic. Perhaps we should revoke the driving licenses of women over 50, for fear they'll have a "menopause moment" and just step on the gas? Don't get me started on the number of 50+ women I have seen with handguns. Men, take cover. 

There are women in politics that are divorced with little problem, but when it is a scandal there is clear media and constituent pressure on the woman to stand resolutely beside her man. This is unacceptable. No, we must progress farther. Women in politics must be able to choose for themselves and not feel the external pressure to mend relationships based on an outdated ideal of feminine duty. We need more cracks in that glass ceiling. 

So to Mrs. Abedin, I say choose! If you want to stay with your husband and support him, by all means do so, but do not let the sexist expectations of other dictate your actions.

For H- (Black Bean Burgers)

So a while back, T- and I had a friend over for dinner...and I figured I'd try my hand at Homemade Black Bean Burgers. T- and I had started making black beans and keeping them in the fridge for random protein, plus they're tasty to have with anything...tacos, with eggs, etc. 

So I made them, and they turned out really good actually, and she asked me to post the recipe!...that was two months ago. 


Soooo...H-, this is for you. Black Bean Burgers, a la me. 

 Homemade Black Bean Burgers


1 can (16 oz.) black beans, T- and I used home-soaked black beans, so just guesstimate.
0.5 green bell pepper, chopped up
0.5 red onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 egg white
1 tblsp. chili powder
1 tblsp. cumin
0.5 cup italian breadcrumbs 
chili sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Cut up all the veggies, and blend them together. Strain liquid out of the veggies completely. This is the most important step, if you don't strain the liquid out completely, then it will just keep the burgers from holding together. After you strain it, place the veggie mesh on to a paper towel to soak up more water.
In a separate bowl, mush up the black beans with a fork until it's thick and paste-y (there should still be some whole beans). Add in the strained veggies, and stir together. Add in salt and pepper to taste. 


In a small bowl, whisk together egg white, cumin, chili sauce, chili powder. Add that in to the mushed beans, and mix it all together. Mix in the bread crumbs in three parts, making sure that the bean mixture is sticky enough to form into balls, but not too dry. 



Form the mixture into small balls, and pat down into patties. 
You can either bake them at 375 by putting them on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 10 min, or you can grill them on foil, or you can do what I did, and cook them on a saute pan with a bit of olive oil and salt. 

Invitations and Layered Triple Berry Ganache Chocolate Cake

It's getting real. We sent out invitations. They're so beautiful...

How crazy is that? I'm getting married. Luckily I kinda like guy I'm marrying ;-)

Honestly, people keep asking me how it feels. I don't feel different (except for the decision making, but thank god for my mother whose doing most of the foot work and planning). I don't know, I don't think you're supposed to feel different. 

I mean I'm excited about the wedding. It's wonderful to know I'll be bound to someone I love so deeply for life. But I don't think I'll feel different after the wedding, just happier because it'll be for real. Does that make sense?

Someone told me the other day that they were so happy I had found my soul mate.

I find that term unsettling. Soul mate. To me it's a word that connotes perfection. Two people ideally suited for one another, in a way that no one else can can. It rubs me the wrong way. I think that relationships, marriage, etc. take time, effort, and work.

Two people aren't just going to stick together because they're "soul mates" Arguments happen, life happens, you need to want it to work out, not just expect that it's going to.

And I don't think there's just one person you could stay with forever. I think you could make it work with a lot of different people. It seems...odd to believe that there is only one person out there for you. 

I think you can make someone your soul mate. Love, like, affection, respect, trust, passion,  effort, investment, etc. can make someone your version of perfect. That's what I want with T- :-) 

Anyways, speaking of perfect...I made this Layered Triple Berry Ganache Chocolate Cake. A friend of mine invited me to the lake the other weekend, and what other way to thank her than with this beautiful cake. It was surprisingly easy actually...

Layered Triple Berry Ganache Chocolate Cake

Adapted from 17andbaking

Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2.5 cups sugar

0.75 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened)

2 tbsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sour cream

1.5 cups water

2 tbspn. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs room temp.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt)

Whisk in the sour cream and canola oil until smooth. Beat in the water slowly, in three intervals. Add in the vanilla and the vinegar and mix well (the batter should turn a little lighter, because of the reaction betwene the baking soda and vinegar. This is what gives the cake extra fluff!)

Then beat in each egg separately, mixing well after each addition.  

Line two cake pans with parchment paper and butter the bottom and sides. Dust the inside with cocoa powder. If you don't, it'll be difficult to get the cake out, and they might break. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, and tap them to get out any air bubbles. 

Put them in the oven for 30 min.

Berry Ganache Frosting 

15 oz. dark chocolate 

1.5 cup frozen berries (raspberries, strawberries, I used mixed berries, and it was great!)

Raspberry Ganache (below)

8 oz. butter, room temperature (2 sticks) 

Put a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water to make a double boiler! Put the chocolate and butter into the bowl, and whisk occasionally as it melts. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl (that's too hot!) 

While that's going, put the frozen berries into a bowl and microwave them for a minute. Mash them together with a fork after that. Then put them in the microwave for another minute, take them out and mash them again. Do this again until they're soft. 

Then strain the juice off the berries...the juice is what you'll add to the ganache! Reserve the berries to add between the layers of the cake. 

When the chocolate and butter have melted and been combined, slowly add in the warm berry juice.


Taste it, if it's not sweet enough for you, you can sift in some powdered sugar. Make sure you sift...otherwise you'll get clumps!


Take it off the simmering water and let it cool until its spreadable. Don't stick it in the freezer...it'll mess with the texture. But you can cool it to room temp. then stick it in the fridge for a while!


Putting the Cake Together
After the cakes come out of the fridge, make sure they cool for about 15 minutes. After that, run a knife around the edges to loosen them. And pop them out of the pan. 


Then...stick them in the freezer for 10 min. Honestly, this will help when you're icing it. 


Get a plate ready with parchment paper on it. The parchment paper will make it so you don't get frosting all over your plate.


When they come out of the freezer, put the first layer down on your plate. Level the cake with a knife. Spread a layer of ganache on the bottom layer, then spread the layer of reserved berries (the ones that we strained the juice out of), on top, then another layer of ganache.

Stick the next layer on top. Then take your frosting spatula (or knife), and spread ganache on top. Cover the top completely. To get the sides, covered...put some ganache on the edge of the top layer, then push it down, and spread. Don't worry about it looking pretty first, after you're done icing everything, you can make it smooth by running your spatula around it. 

You can top it off with fresh berries! I chose raspberries...they worked beautifully! You can also make it pretty by dusting with a little powdered sugar.

And viola! A beautiful cake!

Chocolate Sprinkle Rice Krispies

My city is surprisingly green. When you think Texas, you think cowboy hats, boots, and Clint Eastwood. We have most of those things (sans Mr. Eastwood), but there are parts of this diverse state that are totally green, and my area is one of them. It's lush, while being hot, humid and muggy. 


Which is exactly how it's been this weekend. 100, and humid as hell's bath houses. I don't mind though, I've finally caved and turned on the AC--bill be damned! So it's a cool 84 in my house, which is surprisingly cool compared to the outside temperature. 


Gone are the days of sitting on the back porch, coffee in hand, wondering when the flowers would bloom. Instead, we have lovely sun flowers starting to bloom, gorgeous morning glories winding up our trellis, and random weeds peeking up out of the ground and blooming. But we also have unbearable heat that forces me to remain indoors and enjoy their beauty with my ice water. 

Anyways, now that the AC has made its way into our lives, I've gotten more hungry. You ever notice that? The cooler it is in the house, the hungrier you are? If it's hot, all you want to eat is ice and three pieces of lettuce (no dressing. too hot for dressing.) Yeah. That doesn't work for me. It's sends me into a pit of food-despair: wanting the taste in my mouth, but not the weight in my stomach (a weight compounded somehow by the humidity). 

So my first real AC recipe: rice krispies treats. But not just any! Chocolate sprinkle rice krispies treats. That's right, when I do RKs, I do 'em classy-like. 


This is a super easy dessert, and great if you need to take something quick, easy, and homemade into work. It really lakes very little time, but looks pretty. I got the idea when I was in Central Market, and saw these AWESOME RK treats with all kinds of treats on top, like nuts, sprinkles, marshmallows, etc. Anyways...enjoy! 


Chocolate Sprinkle Rice Krispies Treats 
Adapted from Kellogg's Rice Krispie's Recipe
4 cups mini-marshmallows (plain white, 1 pack) 
6 cups rice krispies
3 tbsp. butter
Extra butter to butter a pan
3 oz. chocolate (bittersweet, chopped) 
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Rainbow Sprinkles (or any other topping you want)


Cover a 9 x 13 in. pan with foil, and butter the foil pretty well (this stuff sticks).


Then in a medium saucepan or sautepan, melt the butter on low heat. Then add in the marshmellows. Keep in on medium-low heat and mix occasionally while the marshmallows melt. 


Meanwhile, in a large bowl, pour out 6 cups of rice krispies. After the marshmallows are melted, add it to the bowl. Mix well. Press this mixture into the pan evenly. Put it in the fridge for 20 min. 


Then in a medium saucepan, bring some water to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl on top to create a double-boiler. Put in the chocolate and the heavy cream, and stir while the chocolate melts. When the chocolate has melted, remove bowl from the water and allow it to cool. 


While this is happening, pull out the RK treats from the fridge, and cut them into squares (as big as you'd like). 


When the chocolate has cooled a little, you can do two things: 


1. Dip the RK treats into the chocolate and sprinkle with the topping 


OR


2. Spoon the chocolate on with a teaspoon and then spread the topping. 


I did a little bit of both, and had more luck with the spooning chocolate, but hey, whatever works best for you. After you're done, refrigerate until chocolate has hardened and you're set! 

Home Births

Home Births are Uncommon But on the Rise

Summary: Though still relatively uncommon, there has been a rise in the number of home births among non-Hispanic white women. The only other ethnic group that showed a slight increase was Asian and Pacific Islanders. 


My Thoughts: 


Birthing is a very personal and private event, and the mother and family have every right to decide how they want to give birth: C-section, epidural, natural birth, etc. I have no qualms with any of these. 


However I do take issue with home births. 


I see the benefits--you're in a familiar environment and your baby comes into the world in a place of love and happiness, not a place that is oddly colored and welcomes both births, deaths, and the inputting of colostomy bags. I have heard some people argue that home births are more the way things should be, as in, "that's how they used to do it back in the day." Others have argued (as the article says) that they prefer home births because they do not feel the pressure to have a C-section or have any other form of intervention into their process. 


This is true--the number of unplanned, not necessary C-sections is not insignificant, and that has been attributed, by some, to doctors pressuring their patients into getting C-sections after very long births (40 hours...ugh). 


While I'm pretty sure that whenever I have a baby (in the far distant future when robots have defeated us humans) I'd want to have a natural birth--I am 100% sure I want it to be in a hospital for one main reason: 


Emergencies. While a lot of births are uncomplicated, you never know what might happen and if you'll need a crash C-section to save you or your baby, or need a neonatal ICU (intensive care unit). Sometimes you can tell before you give birth if its going to be complicated, but you have invested time, effort, energy, and most importantly love into this child, and why take the risk? If something happens, you don't want to be driving to the hospital and being checked in, you want to already be in the hospital with an individual that has the training to deal with complications. 


The article also says one of the reasons that home births are on the rise among non-Hispanic white women is than they don't the pressure of unnecessary C-sections or other interventions. In regards to that, I have the following thoughts: 


1. Many members of this category have an OB/GYN that they are visiting during their pregnancy that will be their birthing doctor. Make it clear to her that you do not want a C-section unless there is a major emergency (child or mother's life in danger). Though you will have to sign a C-section waiver form ahead of time, if you have made it clear to your OB/GYN verbally several times, then unnecessary C-sections are probably less likely


2. In order to ensure that you do not get unnecessary drugs or a C-section, it is important to study and learn about what is supposed to happen during a birth. What drugs are you supposed to have? What drugs are optional? What procedures are optional and necessary? Basically--be an active patient. 


3. Last, but definitely the most important, have an advocate. All patients, whenever they're in the hospital, should have an advocate there for them to let doctors, nurses, and every other health professional on the floor know that someone is there for them. Whether its the father, your mother, your father, your partner, your best friend, or whoever, make a advocate out of someone. Talk to them, tell them what you want out of your child-birth experience. That way during the birthing process there is someone in the room, besides yourself, that can stand up an say what you want. 


All three of the above are not possible for everyone, however I do think they're possible for many. 


Again, birthing is a very personal and private process, but these are my reasons for wanting to have a hospital birth. I think it can still be a wonderful, natural experience in the hospital, I'll just have to be pushy about what I want and what I expect. 


I don't know--maybe I'm naive? 

Presenting: The wonderful, the awesome, the S-! (and a stuffed pepper)

This is a first for the Clumsy Cook Blog, but please welcome a guest writer: me! I just wanted to share that being friends with M- is an exercise in recognizing and coming to terms with your own laziness. M- and I have many similarities. We were both science majors, lived on the same hallway for 4 years, graduated from Wellesley, are finishing our first year as TFA teachers, applying to medical school. But here is one area where we are very different: last night for dinner, I alternated handfuls of pretzels with handfuls of chocolate chips. M- made organic chard gratin, whatever that is. 

I said goodbye to my 130 kiddos on Wednesday, suffered through the two extra days of paperwork that amounts to letting the door hit hard-working teachers on their way out, and then fell into bed. And then I woke up and... had no idea what to do. It has been at least five years since I had this dilemma. It was Saturday and I had nothing pressing to begin the hard work of procrastinating on! So I took inspiration from M- and actually ate something today other than Lean Cuisine 2-minute microwavable pizza (which, all things considered, is actually impressively yummy). My frozen-food lifestyle thrown aside, here is my first attempt to give the Clumsy Cook a run for her money.

Too lazy to go to the grocery store, I raided the pantry, and came up with the ingredients to make a spice cake. Now, I grew up in the country, and it was an implicit rule that every food had its own time of year. Spice cake is quite obviously a fall food, so forgive my lapse in proper seasonal etiquette. My spice cabinet needed organizing. Short story short, a simple spice cake with blackberry jam between the layers, frosted with cream cheese frosting and with embellished with fanciful raisin patterns is both a good way to clean out the cupboards and to create something delish-ish.

The leveled pieces of cake became a masterpiece in their own right when stuck together with cream cheese frosting and jam swirled together for a wonderfully simplistic, rustic look.

Ok, so truth be told, my sweet tooth leaves my stomach caring very little for actual food. My sophomore year of college, I had a stomach thingy that left me with a doctor-endorsed diet of ice cream for dinner, and no one heard much complaining from me on that matter (right, M-?). I will concede, though, that a regular, healthy dinner is necessary for good mental health. 

Even so, these early summer days on the river in Muggy Memphis leave you in a weird hungry/un-hungry state, and drained. Listen up: here is the cure. I'm calling it "Summer Stuffing", but feel free to make up your own, much cooler and descriptive name. 

Summer Stuffing

Recipe (2 servings)

1/2 cucumber, diced

1 bell pepper

1 vine tomato, diced

2 ears corn, cooked, cut, and chilled

small handful of walnuts, chopped medium-fine

small handful of left-over chicken, shredded, if you are so carnivorously inclined (Mita Note: Or fake chicken..."Chikin")

1 tsp. olive oil

dash salt, pepper to taste

a slice or two of fresh lime

several leaves of fresh basil