Dec 31 Madeira cake attempt #1

So I bought the wrong flour, I bought whole wheat all purpose flour, but the result still turned out alright.

Chocolate Peanut butter cookies attempt #1

Ingredients
4 1/2oz unsalted butter
3/4 cup lightly packed soft brown sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/3 cup AP flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4cup unsweetened cocoa powder


Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line baking trays with baking paper.  Using electric beaters, beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and creamy.  Add the egg a little at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.  Add the peanut butter and beat until combined.

2)  Using a metal spoon, add the flour, baking soda and cocoa powder and mix to a soft dough.  Roll level tablespoons of the mixture into balls.  Place the dough balls on the prepared trays and flatten with a fork in criss cross pattern.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Leave the biscuits to cool for 5 min before transferring to wire racks.  Allow the biscuits to cool completely.

Gingerbread trial run

Okay, so I lack a gingerbread cookie cutter but I think the taste is right. Texture-wise these are not snaps, they are chewy. No molasses required.
RECIPE Link

Ingredients

1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.

Mercato Dec 19/09

*Recent photos from October 2010*
Bruschetta in 3 varieties.

All I have to say is Rabbit is delicious!

Pan di Spanga (again!)


Mercato on 4th St SW

The best restaurant in Mission. Come here with a group because these dishes were made for sharing. Restaurant and bar style, the bar benches actually face an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs prepare and plate your food.

Love the decor.

 Baby octopus on a bed of fresh herbs

Isn't he cute? I should have given him a name.

Gnocchi with lamb, mushrooms and fresh parm.

Bistecca: basically a huge medium rare steak with herbs, lemon juice, and rock salt. Best. Steak. Ever.

Funghi! Most delicious mushrooms I have ever had.

Pan Di Spagna with fresh blueberries and blackberries

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Bolero Dec 18, 2009

Bolero (not a famous piece by Ravel, but rather a Brazillian BBQ house), located above Open Sesame. I have officially been to all the restaurants in this compound.

Again, I was too busy eating to take photos of the skewers.

Creme Brulee trio: ginger, plain, coconut

 

BBQ Pineapple

Collard Greens, roasted bell pepper, yellow zucchini

Cheese buns with dipping sauce for the meat.

Traffic light totem pole

Beautiful interior. Salad bar and from the distance: many many many Skewers.

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Baked Ziti (Macaroni actually) First attempt

I remember Sophia Petrillo talk about making baked ziti. I figured hey why not give it a try. I follow Chef Keith Snow's instructions except I used dried herbs and macaroni, so really I shouldn't call it Ziti, it's Baked Macaroni.

My next attempt might be Rose's Chipped beef!