Plush Coconut Cake

I made this for Brian's birthday because he likes coconut and we celebrated his birthday during band practice this year. Happy birthday, friend :D

Notes:

• I decorated my cake with toasted coconut, crushed pistachios, and candied violets.

Verdict: I loved the texture (definitely plush, maybe a tiny bit oily but in a good way) and that it was not especially sweet. The crushed nuts added a nice little bit of saltiness to offset the sweet icing. It was also really easy to make. I would definitely make it again, especially if I had a can of coconut milk on hand and wanted a cake on short notice.

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RECIPE: Plush Coconut Cake (Smitten Kitchen)

Candied Violets

I have been wanting to candy violets for a few years now, and this year was the year I finally tried it.

Notes:

• Pick your violets as soon as you notice them opening; this will give the best flavor.
• I picked mine from my backyard -- I don't use pesticides on my lawn so I knew they'd be safe to eat.
  
• I had both purple and white violets. The flavor was similar between them, but I think the purple ones are prettier.
• I made superfine sugar by grinding regular granulated sugar in my mortar and pestle until it was a finer texture.
• Make sure you paint every surface of the flower with the egg white.
• Keeping the stem on the flowers while working with them will make it easier to paint them and cover them in sugar.
• I used them to decorate a cake!
  

Verdict: They were very pretty and turned out how they were supposed to, though I was really skeptical that they'd fully dry. The flavor was really delicate (to the point where I could barely taste it) and I think it is because my flowers may not have been especially fresh -- they may have been open for a couple of days before I picked them. I would consider making these again for a fancy event.

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RECIPE: Candied Violets (In Jennie's Kitchen)

Pasta with Ricotta and Vegetables

What do you do with a large surplus of ricotta? Make this! It's a super quick pasta dish and really versatile. 

Notes:

• Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables to put in this instead of snap peas. Even better with some cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes in there too if you have them.
  
• I've used other pasta shapes with success (penne, campanelle, fusilli).
  

Verdict: I think I made this 3 or 4 times within 2 weeks. It is a good, quick, reasonably healthy meal to keep in the regular rotation.

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RECIPE: Bowties with Sugar Snaps, Lemon, and Ricotta (Smitten Kitchen)

Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

This sounded really good to me when it scrolled by, so I gave it a try!

Notes:

• Since the recipe is not very precise about how much of each ingredient to use I weighed mine out.
• 110 g carrot (95 g fully peeled/prepared)
  
• 17 g shallot (I would use even less next time, more like 10-12 g fully prepared)
  
• 15 g ginger
  

Verdict: I really liked it! I may use less shallot next time but I would definitely make it again. It's a fresh, bright tasting, and colorful addition to a salad.

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RECIPE: Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Crispy Rice and Egg Bowl with Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette

Another recipe I saw a picture of, thought it looked and sounded really good, and realized I had everything I needed to make it so I got right on it.

Notes:

• I used brown rice instead of white and shredded cabbage instead of cucumber because it's what I had on hand.
  

Verdict: Absolutely wonderful. The ginger scallion sauce reminds me of a condiment at a restaurant I have been sorely missing. I would love to make this again the next time I find myself with fresh ginger.

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RECIPE: Crispy Rice and Egg Bowl with Ginger-Scallion Vinaigrette (Smitten Kitchen)

Asparagus Galette

When Smitten Kitchen announced this springtime variant of the winter squash galette I love so much, I had to give it a try. The asparagus smelled faintly of green tea while I chopped it, which was weird but nice.

Notes:

• I used Artigiano Classico cheese because it was in my fridge already and it has a similar texture and flavor (slightly sweet and nutty) to the types suggested in the recipe.
• My bunch of asparagus yielded about 3.5 cups after trimming and chopping.
• I skipped the egg wash on the crust because I was lazy.
  

Verdict: I liked it a lot! It's kind of labor intensive (about an hour of active work) but worth it. I was a little skeptical of the lemon in the asparagus but I think it was just the right amount.

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RECIPE: Spring Asparagus Galette (Smitten Kitchen)

Oatmeal Pancakes

Once I was finished with college in the late 2000s and finally had a significant amount of time to pursue my hobbies, I got heavily into cooking. I don't remember how I got there but I found the blog Orangette, Molly Wizenberg, and her book A Homemade Life. It introduced me to several staple recipes, including this one for oatmeal pancakes. I liked it so much I made them for my parents once, and it has now become a favorite among my whole family. I liked pancakes as a kid (especially chocolate chip pancakes!) but didn't really make them once I got out on my own because I didn't think they were very healthy. The oatmeal in these satisfies my need for pancakes to be more healthy and it honestly makes them taste way better too. Paired with real maple syrup and some fruit on the side (and maybe some bacon or a sausage link or two), they're one of my favorite breakfasts.

Notes:

• I usually make it with half the butter it calls for, and my mom has left it out entirely before with no ill effects cooking-wise, though it might taste a little different.
• I usually have milk but not buttermilk on hand, and it's easy to make a substitute (1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup, mix and let stand for 10 min to thicken slightly). I have also thinned out Greek yogurt with water in a pinch. My mom has made it with buttermilk powder + water.

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RECIPE: Oatmeal Pancakes (Orangette)