Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

*are you sighing in exasperation yet?*

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Orange.

Orange, who?

Orange you glad I didn't say, "banana?"

*giggles*

OK. Really.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

ME!

I am back.

So far, 2014 has been a busy year, and I can't believe that I haven't yet shared anything on the blog. As always, so much has happened. So much good food has been consumed. So many recipes have been tried. But, as always, the first thing that gets plucked from my to-do list when things get hectic is blogging. Hopefully, this will bring me back to share for awhile. Let's celebrate. Let's celebrate with cake. Orange Yogurt Cake. Lately, I have been making my own yogurt, and this cake puts it to good use. It is dense and rich, yet bright with the flavor of citrus. Orange you glad I am back On My Plate?

Orange Yogurt Cake

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a small saucepan, bring orange juice to a simmer.
Remove from heat and stir in saffron; let stand 10 minutes.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Beat sugar, egg, and egg white with a mixer until thickened.
Add yogurt, beating well. 
Gradually add olive oil and orange juice mixture, beating until well blended.
Add half of the flour mixture to sugar mixture, beat until just blended.
Add remaining flour and combine.
Spoon batter into a 9-inch round cake pan that has been coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350F for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Combine marmalade and liqueur in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat; strain through a fine sieve directly over the cake; discard solids.
Spread marmalade mixture evenly over the top of cake, allowing excess to drizzle down sides of cake.
Garnish with fresh fruit, mint, and grated orange rind. (Serves 12)

Life is Gran(d)

Twinkly Christmas lights make me happy. Very happy. Giddy, even. It feels like anything is possible and all the troubles melt away when the Christmas lights are sparkling. Life is Grand.

Life is also gran(d) when I have Gran Marnier Truffles to share. Creamy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate with just a hint of a bright, citrusy, orange flavor. Grand little bites that make my taste buds sparkle.

Gran Marnier Truffles

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

1 pound semisweet chocolate (choose a good brand, chocolate chips work, but aren't the best option)

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons Gran Marnier (alternatively, you could use orange extract)

1 tablespoon prepared coffee (not a coffee drinker? pick up a cup to go, or skip it. the coffee does enhance the chocolate flavor, though)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I shouldn't have to remind you to use REAL vanilla, right?)

cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and/or finely chopped nuts (pecans are nice)

Finely chop the chocolate.
In a double boiler with simmering water, combine the chopped chocolate and heavy cream.
Stir frequently until the chocolate is fully melted and combined with the cream.
Add the Gran Marnier, coffee, and vanilla.
Stir to combine thoroughly.
Set aside for about 2 hours at room temperature for chocolate to firm up (or pop into the fridge for a shorter period of time).
(At this point, I have been known to get distracted and forget about the truffles. The chocolate can set in the fridge for a day or so and be brought to room temperature (softened, but still holding it's shape...kind like fudge consistency) when you have time to roll the truffles.)
Prepare the coatings by pouring cocoa (I really like Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate for this.), powdered sugar, and ground nuts (use one or all) into individual shallow bowls.
Spoon small mounds of chocolate from the mix and using your hands roll into balls. (I prefer slightly smaller than walnut, but go big, if you like.)
Roll the chocolate balls into the coating of your choice to cover completely.
Store in refrigerator (will keep for weeks), but serve at room temperature for the full chocolatey-orange flavor. (makes at least 60 truffles)

Not Husband Approved

It occurred to me how often I describe the worthiness of what is On My Plate by telling you how much Hubs liked/loved it and how many servings he ate. Not this time. Hubs didn't sample this recipe at all. I couldn't even guess if he would have liked it. French toast and roasted asparagus are definitely things he would dig into, but Orange Butter Sauce probably would have made him wrinkle up his nose...until his first taste of the lightly citrused cream...maybe? Even after all these years of marriage, he does sometimes surprise me by absolutely loving or hating something that I was sure would force him into the opposite camp.

Today, however, I am all alone and only seeking my own approval. I thought that French Toast with Roasted Asparagus and Orange Butter Sauce would be delicious. I adapted a recipe torn from Martha Stewart Living to use ingredients that I had on hand and was sure that *I* (not Hubs) would enjoy. It was divine and would be a perfect breakfast or brunch for guests, but I can assure you that you don't have to save this enticing meal for guests. Go ahead. Whip it up. You don't need anyone's approval.

French Toast with Roasted Asparagus and Orange Butter Sauce

Orange Butter Sauce:

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup heavy cream

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon orange zest

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Asparagus:

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

French Toast:

4 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 slices hearty bread (I used Honey-Wheat, but brioche, sour dough, or your favorite would work.)

Orange Butter Sauce:
Bring wine, orange juice and shallots to a boil in a large sauce pan.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes.
Whisk in cream, cook and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low.
Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking after each addition.
Strain into a heatproof bowl (to remove shallots).
Add orange zest; season with salt and pepper.
Keep warm.
Asparagus:
Preheat the oven to 475.
Toss asparagus with oil on a baking sheet.
Season with salt and pepper.
Roast until golden, about 8 minutes.
French Toast:
Whisk together eggs, cream, zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and add bread.
Soak 2 minutes per side.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling.
Add the bread and cook on 1 side until golden brown.
Flip and cook other side until golden brown.
Serving:
Top each slice of French toast with asparagus and drizzle with orange butter sauce.
Serve additional sauce on the side. (Serves 4)

Classics

A few years ago, a friend and I built an Adirondack chair for my patio. I scoured the internet for free patterns, printed a couple, chose one, bought the materials, and on one very, very hot and windy Saturday trekked to her house to build it. When I got there, she inspected the plans and concluded that I would be happier with a style other than the one for which I had specifically purchased the lumber. Sure. Why not? We charged ahead.

The temps were well over 100 degrees that day and the wind was so strong that we had to close the garage door to keep the saw dust from blowing around and blinding us. It was like a sauna, but we were not daunted as we sweat over each board, and cut, and screw, and nail. The basic construction was simple and with the help of my husband's collection of DeWalt tools, the chair took shape pretty quickly...until we hit a snag.

Remember that I had purchased the lumber for one chair, but we had decided to make another? Well, when it came time to cut the boards for the back of the chair, we didn't have enough of the right size of lumber. This didn't stop my friend. We marched into her house, passed her husband sleeping in the recliner, and into her bedroom. There, I watched with my mouth open as she pushed her bed away from the wall, grabbed a section of baseboard, and ripped it from the wall. Seriously. I could barely suppress my giggles as we tiptoed back to the garage carrying this "reclaimed" piece of lumber. Her husband woke up briefly and asked what we were doing. Her reply: "We just grabbed this from the bedroom." Seriously.

The rest of the construction was pretty uneventful, and that evening, when my husband joined us, we grilled dinner and took turns trying out the new chair. I loved it. I couldn't wait to build more. But, things and stuff and life got in the way and we didn't find time to expand our furniture building. I purchased additional Adirondack chairs from L.L. Bean and World Market to fill my patio. Our lone custom chair creation was sanded and painted a couple of times in a couple of different shades. A few winters, it stayed on the patio when other furniture went to storage...so that I would have somewhere other than just the steps to sit during random nice days. It was loved, but neglected. And, now this classic beauty is showing it's age. One side is starting to rot.

I am faced with the dilemma of what to do with my beloved, classic, hand-built-from-reclaimed-lumber Adirondack chair. Do I attempt to take it apart and replace the damaged wood? Do I give it another coat of paint and hope for the best? Do I convert it to some kind of planter for my flowers? Do I just give in and burn it in the firepit? What would you do with a classic?

I faced that question last weekend, too. Hubs sent a text and asked if I wanted to go out to dinner with friends. On the high of a freshly mowed lawn and flowers blossoming on the patio, I suggested that they come over to our house for a simple cookout. Awesome. Plans made. Then I panicked. People coming over in just a few hours? Yikes. What to make?

I settled on grilling burgers and hotdogs, slices of watermelon, a "pizza" salad with pasta, veggies, pepperoni, mozzarella, and Italian dressing, baked beans, and Frog Eye Salad. Two little girls would be in the mix, and I had hoped they would like the sweet pasta salad made with Acini di Pepe. (I was wrong, but oh well. haha) As I trolled the internet for an exact recipe, the first ones that came up were the classic versions with homemade vanilla pudding requiring eggs and all. Even though I had made this several times before, I was feeling a bit frazzled for time and decided to go with a short-cut instead of the classic. A recipe using instant vanilla pudding grabbed my attention. I messed with the classic Frog Eye Salad and came away with something that was still every bit as good...at least if you want to take the opinion of my Hubs. He had 2 large helpings...as if that is anything but classic for him. :-)

Frog Eye Salad

(adapted from Food.com)

1 1/3 cups acini di pepe pasta (uncooked)
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (reserving 1/4 cup juice)
1 3/4 cups milk
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 (12 ounce) cans mandarin orange sections, drained
3 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup flake coconut (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Add the pasta and cook 8-11 minutes (or according to package directions).
Rinse with cold water to cool pasta.
Drain well.
In large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, and pudding mix for 2 minutes.
Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, but preferably over night. (Serves 12)

Revisions

I have been considering a revision of this blog. I think that the format could use some polishing. Perhaps a 3-column design that doesn't require scrolling to China to see the end of the recipe index? We will have to see. I have spent a little time browsing templates, but nothing has jumped at me...yet. I think that a revision for On My Plate might be a good project for the new year. 

Other revisions in my life include reworking breakfast. Broiled Grapefruit has been around f.o.r.e.v.e.r. Sliced in half, sprinkled with brown sugar, broiled until browned and juicy, and even garnished with a maraschino cherry, this warm, citrus delight is a classic. The problem for me is getting the darn fruit out of the rind. I know the serrated edges of grapefruit spoons are supposed to easily scoop the juicy bits out and into my hungry mouth, but it isn't so easy for a klutz like me. And the rind gets HOT under the broiler. *ouch*

Enter Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar. It takes a little more prep and dirties a ramekin, but in my book, the enjoyment of easily appreciating the decadence of the bursting flavors of the heated fruit makes up for the extra work. No revision necessary for Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar On My Plate.

Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar

2 medium red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned

2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 cup fresh pineapple, chunked

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat broiler.

In a medium bowl, combine fruit.

Transfer to 4 oven-safe ramekins.

Combine softened butter with brown sugar; sprinkle on fruit.

Broil 5 to 6 minutes until sugar is melted and bubbly. (Serves 4)

Odds and Ends

One lonesome button, a lighter, a nail file, a small allen wrench, a tiny light bulb from the Christmas lights, an expired credit card, and a AA battery are rolling around in the corner of my desk drawer were odds and ends come to rest. In a Mason jar on top of the dryer, I have a collection of nuts and bolts, screws, springs, fuses, coins, an old pocket knife, and even a few business cards that have made their way through the laundry but have no real home. The console of my car has tins of Altoids cinnamon gum, lipbalm, a granola bar, change from McDonald's, a rock, and the charger for the cell phone I had before my current one. Odds and ends collect everywhere, if we let them.

One morning, someone woke up to find a few strawberries, an orange, some grapes, and an avocado staring at them. They were inspired to throw together a quick salad, season with salt and pepper, and post the recipe online. I am grateful. It is beyond delicious. The contrast of the crisp flavors of the fruits and the creamy avocado is brilliant. Of course, I am happy when odds and ends become Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad On My Plate.

Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad

1 medium navel orange
6 strawberries
12 green seedless grapes
1 avocado
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Peel and segment the orange, slice the strawberries, grapes and avocado.
Toss together.
Season with salt and top with fresh ground black pepper. (Serves 2)

Chilling Out

We haven't even hit the stride of real summer, yet. Temperatures haven't even reached the 100s. But, already I am looking for ways to cool down. Hubby just adjusts the thermostat on the A/C until my limbs are icicles, but I prefer to chill myself from the inside out. I like something light and refreshing to hopefully savor on the patio, if the sun isn't too unyielding. I don't mind a little extra heat if my soul can be revived with a cold treat.

Last summer, I discovered cold soups. I had heard of them, read about them, but never sampled them until a simple recipe jumped to my attention. I wondered why with our often never ending 100+ temps of July and August, I hadn't tried them before. Cool, refreshing, light, simple; all of those adjectives that are heaven when the sun beats relentlessly down and the air is heavy with humidity are the perfect description for a Chilled Orange and Tomato Soup. I know that a bowl or two of this will be On My Plate again this summer as I attempt to find relief from the heat.

Chilled Orange and Tomato Soup

2 cups orange juice, strained of pulp (fresh is best)
2 cups low-sodium tomato juice (not V-8)
½ cup white wine
juice of ½ large lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
white pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Blend all but parsley together.
Chill for several hours.
Prior to serving, place in blender and whip for several minutes. Soup will be frothy.
Serve with a sprinkle of parsley. (Serves 6)