Bananas

Posted by Kathryn @ 2:00 PM

So reading the blog, Pittsburgh Needs Eated, made me seriously hungry for banana baked goods. Since I love to bake, but don't have time on the average evening after work and pottery class, I sat down and chose one of her many banana cake/bread/muffin/ etc recipes to try last Saturday morning. I won't repost the recipe here, but I settled on the Banana Gugelhupf. It was a really nice cake without the spice cake tones so frequently in banana recipes. Don't get me wrong, I like spice cake, but this cake would be wonderful with a chocolate mousse filling. I didn't have a gugelhupf pan and I recently pitched my bundt pan in a fit of anger after the third cake got stuck in it ( it was one of those fancy cathedral shapes... I don't recommend it if you want your bundt in a single ring.) It fits nicely in a large loaf pan but will take a couple extra minutes of cooking. I would have a pic but we couldn't resist cutting into it and then I forgot! I would mention that it should all be eaten within 3 days, or it gets a bit dry. Next time I may try adding a bit more fat or sour cream to help with the staying power.

Moules Craving

Posted by Kathryn @ 9:16 AM

I got home from work, opened the refrigerator trying to plan out our dinner, but I felt entirely uninspired. Then I thought... Hmm mussels would be good. I quickly considered my favorite mussels recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer- Crostini del Mare Makes approximately 25 crostini

• Half a skinny baguette ( i sometimes want the whole thing to sop up the juices
• Tablespoons olive oil, approximately
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus extra to decorate
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds mussels
• 18 ozs Littleneck or Manilla clams
• 1 Tablespoon Vermouth or white wine

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread into slices, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. You need about 25 slices for the amount of chopped seafood topping here. If you want crostini: Using a pastry brush or your fingers, dab the bread, on both sides, with the olive oil and sit these lightly oil-brushed slices on a rack over a roasting pan and bake for about 5-10 minutes, turning once. Otherwise you can just use fresh untoasted slices.

Put the garlic and parsley into a large saucepan with the oil and cook, stirring, over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Pour in the cleaned mussels and clams, turn the heat to high, add the tablespoon of vermouth or wine and put on the lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes, You may want to shake the pan a few times throughout.

If desired, Chop the shellfish flesh finely with a mezzaluna or knife then spread onto the crostini and sprinkle over some more chopped parsley. Eat while still warm.

As you may know mussels on their own are a super easy and quick dinner paired with a nice chunk of fresh baguette. As I am still on the hunt for the best baguette in town and didn't have any mussels around, I decided instead that we would be going out to Point Brugge. For those of you familiar with the limited but good haunts in the Point Breeze neighborhood this news is old hat. But for those of you that haven't had an opportunity to venture to this portion of the city, run don't walk. Point Brugge is a lovely Belgian cafe with a fabulous beer selection, but there is a catch in that it is packed on the average weekday night. I particularly like their sour flemish beers and a nice plate of moules and frites.... It is simply decadent.