Pistachio Macarons & Mother's Day

Pistachio Macarons 

Pistachio Macarons by Robert Giglio. 

·       1 cup confectioners sugar

·       1/4 cup almond flour – ground almonds

·       ¾ manually shelled pistachios

·       2 large egg whites, room temperature

·       1/8 tsp cream of tartar

·       1/4 cup sugar – ground for 20 seconds in a food processor

Fill a measuring cup ¼ of the way up with almond pieces.  Now fill the remaining ¾ cup with pistachios — there should be a total 1 cup of nuts. Grind this mixture into a flour-like powder in your food processor. Mix in confectioners sugar using the food processor, until pistachio flour and confectioners sugar are combined.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Add superfine sugar on low. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, 6-8 minutes. Fold flour mixture over whites, until mixture is “smooth and shiny.”

Transfer batter to a pastry bag pipe 3/4-inch dots 1 inch apart on parchment*-lined baking sheets. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes – on a cool space. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.

**I say parchment paper because I had some trial and error my first time making macarons. I used aluminum foil. Don’t do that. I also used the pan with grease. Definitely, don’t do that. BE SURE TO LINE WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. And make small dots of batter.  The dough spreads which makes the patties too flat. Small dots are your friend.

Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If sticking to paper, transfer sheet to cool surface. Allow them to sit and firm up for 15 minutes on the cool surface.

Find like size macarons and sandwich them with filling.

For the filling … 

-       Remaining pistachios in bag, about 3T

-       1 stick butter, room temperature

-       4 oz almond bark or white chocolate

-       1T arak or almond extract

-       1.5 cups confectioners sugar

Grind the pistachios in processor. Pour in bowl with butter, arak and confectioners sugar. Melt bark or chocolate and immediately beat with other ingredients. 

Because this is my first crack at macarons, I used Martha's recipe as a guide for baking instructions. 

Mother's Day 

This Mother's Day was different for many reasons. It was, most importantly, our first Mother's Day without Oma. And the first Mother's Day where my mom travelled to us — as I recently moved to DC.  

We celebrated by catching a couple of shows in town, including Showboat at the Kennedy Center. We all had a lot of fun. But after my mom left, I think we all missed Oma.

I had to think about last year's Mother's Day when I cooked a brunch at my mother's house for Oma, my mom, my Dad's mom (Gammie) and me.  We had a nice time, though neither Oma or Gammie were quite their old selves.  I started my oral history project that day, interviewing Gammie and kicking off the next year of my life. 

I started thinking about this last year and all of its change and fondly remembering the past.  I decided to keep thinking of Oma when I can, which is a huge part of this blog and why I decided to make pistachio macarons.  Oma simply was crazy about pistachios — I also threw in a little arak for good measure. 

Oma home from the hospital with her first baby, my aunt. 

Strawberry Jalapeño Cupcakes with Buttercream Lime Frosting ... What the what?!

My sister hosted a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday. So, I decided to put on my chef's sombrero and whip up some festive cupcakes.  I came up with a strawberry jalapeño recipe that is simply amazing! They are sweet but pack a little punch with the candied jalapeños and the lime frosting compliments the heat perfectly. 

For the Strawberry Jalapeño Cupcakes ... 

·       3/4 cup strawberries

·       1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

·       1 teaspoon baking powder

·       1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

·       1/4 cup milk, room temperature

·       1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·       1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

·       1 cup sugar

·       1 large egg and 2 large egg whites, room temperature

·       candied jalapeños*

Before we get started.  Here is how I candied the jalapeños …

-       12 slices of jalapeños from a jar

-       Pinch of salt

-       3T vinegar

-       ¼ cup sugar

Bring sugar, salt and vinegar to a boil. 

Add jalapeño and simmer for six minutes. 

AFTER THE STRAWBERRY IS PUREED, puree the candied jalapeños.

Set aside.

OK now back to the batter …

Puree strawberries.  Then, pour them in a bowl milk and vanilla, set aside.  

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

Cream butter and sugar, slowly add in eggs.

Slowly blend in milk mixture. Then dry ingredients.

Before totally mixed, blend in candied jalapeños.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 in lined cupcake pan. 

Allow to cool and add icing. 

For the Buttercream Lime Icing ... 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened  

3 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt – I may have sprinkled a tad more, to taste

1 tablespoon flavoring extract (Arak; but since it is scarce almond can work)

3.5 T lime juice

Mix it up. (If too runny, add more sugar. If too thick, add a splash of milk.)

Decorate! I topped mine with lime and strawberry slices. 

Nachos that ROCK & Nacho apostrophe "S"

Nachos that Rock

Because they have layers ... 


My mom is a geologist, studying the layers of the Earth and rocks, so I thought it was only appropriate to give the nachos we make from her FAMOUS Mexican dip a geological name ... that rocks!

Here's how to make the dip that has been a party staple at all spring and summer family and neighborhood functions for as long as I can remember ... Just in time for Cinco de Mayo!

Just add chips to the dip and you have nachos ... 

Ingredients:
Layer 1 
15 or 19 ounce can of non-fat vegetarian refried beans
Layer 2
15 or 19 ounce can of non-fat vegetarian refried  black beans
Layer 3
Black bean dip *** [See recipe below]
Layer 4
1 jar 16 ounce mild salsa
Layer 5
1 tub 16 ounce non- fat sour cream
Layer 6
1-2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese blend [Or Mexican Blend] 
Olive oil to grease pan
Optional: diced green chiles

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease w/olive oil a large baking pan.  Layers 1 to5: Spread each layer in pan. Layer 6: sprinkle cheese on top until completely covered. Press down gently into sour cream layer. Optional: sprinkle mild, diced green chiles over cheese. Bake 350 (down from 375) degrees 20 minutes. Can broil to brown cheese.

***Black Bean Dip

1  can 19-ounce or 15-ounce black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup finely crumbled or shredded jack cheese

1/2 cup prepared salsa, spicy

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat beans until bubbly. Remove from heat and mash thoroughly. Sprinkle cheese over beans and blend into warm beans. Stir in garlic, cumin and chili powder until blended with bean mash. Add lime juice, salsa, and cilantro. Blend thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold. 

Nacho with an apostrophe "S"

Did you know nachos were named after a guy named Nacho?

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya had a restaurant called El Moderno, in Piedras Negras — just across the border from Eagle Pass, TX.  Here at El Moderno, Nacho invented Nacho's Special, or fried chips, with melted cheese and jalapeño ... Nacho's. 

Today the apostrophe has been dropped, but the dish is as popular as ever.  So next time your at a ball game or enjoying nachos as a late night snack, remember the man who started it all, Nacho Anaya. 

For more info on Señor Anaya, click here.  

Sweet Potato Dog Food & Dogs REALLY Don't Understand Moving ...

Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Food 

Ingredients:

One Sweet Potato

2 TBS peanut butter 

2 TBS flour

Punch holes in sweet potato.  

Microwave for six minutes. 

Cut in half and scoop out soft sweet potato.

Stir in peanut butter. 

Heat in oven at 200 for 5 minutes. 

Mix ingredients again.  

Serve. 

Rasco approves.

Dogs Don't Understand Moving

The first few days we were here, I am pretty sure Rasco thought he was going to die.  He was always on edge and frankly just sad. Every new city sound startled him and when I left he acted abandoned.  But after a week he — and maybe me too — has finally adjusted.  

I was reminded of this awesome Hyberbole and a Half post about dogs moving throughout the first stressful week and I suggest any dog lover read it too. 

But I think we both are starting to adjust and even enjoy our new surroundings.  But more to come on that soon!