What's been going on in our kitchen lately...

I haven't been posting as often recently, but I've still been cooking quite a bit! I thought a link round-up might be a fun way to give you an idea of what's been happening in our kitchen. 

 Some things we've enjoyed:

This blueberry skillet cake - it's quite healthy, vegan, and tastes like a blueberry muffin. I used whole wheat pastry flour and fresh blueberries (I skipped the cornstarch). We'll definitely make this again.

Grilled corn.  No link for this one - we just brush the shucked ears in some butter and throw them on the grill. We've also been grilling just about every other vegetable that comes through our kitchen.

This soy and maple glazed tempeh - I cook it in a skillet, but it can also be prepared on the grill. I used a pinch of smoked paprika instead of cayenne.

Honey curry hummus - the recipe I mentioned in this post. I hadn't made it in a while, but I'm glad I did!

This maple cinnamon almond butter, a perennial favorite. 

I finally made my own sourdough starter, and I've been working on some sourdough breads and buns. I'm not a huge sourdough fan, but Nick loves it and assures me it is delicious. 

 Homemade Challah - this is one of my favorite breads.  I just use the Joy of Cooking recipe, and it turns out great.

I've also been making some broiled tofu, stir-fries, and other simple dishes. Summer isn't the season to spend piles of time in the kitchen, so we're enjoying simple, fresh things for the most part. 

What have you been enjoying lately? 

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

We're gearing up for a Fourth of July cookout here, and I'm pretty excited.  I always see crazy patriotic dishes showcased in various cooking and homemaking magazines this time of year - and I must admit, I don't have the patience required for the intense, intricate assembly some of those things require.  Baking my own bread? No problem. But carefully placing rows of berries to form a flag? Please, no!

So I decided to take a more historical twist on patriotism. (I was a history major in undergrad, so I love stuff like this.) Coffee, of course, is deeply ingrained in America's history and has close ties to patriotism.  Aside from that, it's just plain tasty, and can really liven up baked goods.  These cookie bars use a small amount of coffee to really highlight the flavor of the chocolate chips - and because it's just the American thing to do.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I call for whole wheat pastry flour here to try to make these a bit healthier.  You can use all purpose if you prefer. 
Yield: about 16 bars (depending how you cut them)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softenend
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 or so baking pan - whatever your standard brownie pan is.
2. Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Combine remaining ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl and stir to combine. Slowly add to the wet ingredients, mixing just to combine. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spread the dough into the prepared baking pan, pressing into corners and making sure it's an even thickness.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden.  Let cool, then slice.  Enjoy!

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