For this week’s Two Spoonfuls post I’m setting Alton and his chapter on water aside.  Instead, I’m going to share a delicious dessert that Josh and I have been enjoying all summer.  It’s for Roasted Fresh Fruit.  Yeah, I know what you’re thinking:  “Roasted?? What, it’s not hot enough for you in Seattle, Jenn?!?” I know.  We are having record temperatures here in the Northwest.  But that just shows you how good this recipe is – I’m actually willing to turn on the oven in the midst of this heat.  So if I can do it here – then you can certainly make this where you are*!

(*Residents of Death Valley excepted.)

I’m using a modified recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast.  I really like this cookbook.  Normally I don’t mind recipes that have loads of ingredients and take a while to make.  But sometimes you just don’t have half a day to cook, and you just want something good, fast.

There are many recipes on the internet for roasting fruit, and all are open to tweeking by the home cook.  Don’t like peaches?  Then don’t roast them.  Want to see what a pluot tastes like?  Throw it in!  You can modify this basic recipe to include many of your favorite summer fruits.

Here I’ve used: Peaches, Red Plums, Black Plums, Nectarines and Pluots.

(Note:  This is a great recipe for salvaging bruised fruit or fruit that’s gone a little soft.  Don’t throw it out – roast it!)

I use fresh rosemary from our yard.  The recipe calls for 2 sprigs of rosemary.  I take the leaves off of the stems (just run your fingers down the length of the stem from top to bottom and they’ll fall right off) and mix them right into the fruit.

The recipe calls for 2T. unsalted butter and 2-3T. sugar.  The last time I made this recipe I forgot to add the sugar – and Josh said he liked it even better!  So you can play around with how much sweetness you add to this dish, another plus.

Also add 1T. fresh lime juice. Did you know that if you gently roll a lemon or lime against your counter top (press down just a little as you roll), it will give more juice?  I’ve also read that you can microwave lemons and limes briefly and they’ll produce more juice as well.

Mix everything together in a roasting pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the fruit is tender and there is lots of juice in the pan.  I usually give the fruit a stir about half way through.

Let cool for a bit and serve over your favorite frozen yogurt or icecream.

Usually I use 1 of each fruit and that makes just enough for Josh and I.  This time, I made a bigger batch.  I’m going to try keeping it in the fridge and warming it slightly in the microwave for desserts over the weekend.

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Here are some other Roasted Fruit variations:

1.) From Ina

2.) From Rachael Ray

3.) From Giada De Laurentiis

Hope you’re all enjoying the fruits of summer!

Now what’s that other Spoonful been up to?

Jenn : )

I received wonderful presents from friends and family for my birthday this year.

And this amazing package from one of my bestest blogging buddies, Christina.

Thank you Christina, for all the birthday goodness!  : D

A Japanese crafting book (how did she know??), fabric, buttons and Pinky Monkey candies.  Sorry, I won’t be able to show those off.  They didn’t last long enough to make it to the photo shoot!

Eeek!  The cuteness!

And a framed, beaded flower that she made herself!

Christina is a very talented beading artist.  If you check out her blog you’ll see many examples of beading techniques and amazing artwork.  She has taught me so much about this artform and I am proud to have this framed flower to decorate the wall of my new studio space!

Jenn : )

My latest Etsy find:

This beautiful bag from Sinem Inugur.

I just love this fabric print and the gorgeous pop of orange inside.

This bag came to Seattle all the way from Istanbul, Turkey and the craftsmanship is superb.

Sinem has a degree in textile design.

She handpaints some of the fabrics that she uses for her bags.

Like this tote bag:

I also like this shoulder bag:

This messenger bag:

And this lovely grey everyday bag (just in time for Fall!):

Feel like adding something pretty and sophisticated to your look?

Check out *Sinem’s Shop* on Etsy!

Jenn : )

What a way to start the day!

My coolness factor just went up to *11*, folks.

‘Cause guess who just got her own nickname at the local coffee shop?

(And not even a bad nickname, either!)

I’m offically “OGHazel” now, peeps.

(That stands for “Original Hazelnut”, for those of you who don’t speak “the lingo”.)

Don’t worry.

I’ll still talk to you guys.

When I’m not signing autographs,

or windsurfing with movie stars.

Jenn ; )

This week Alton and I are tackling the exciting world of water!!!

Did that sound enthusiastic?  Believe it or not – Alton really does get excited about the process of cooking with water: Boiling, Poaching, Simmering, Blanching and Steaming; all get thoroughly discussed in chapter 5 of  I’m Just Here For The Food.  For this week’s cook-along with Alton, I decided to skip over Boiling (we’ve all boiled something, haven’t we?) and instead, delved into the technique of Poaching.  I have poached chicken many times.  It seems that every cook has their own steps for poaching, and basically they all work.  I like poaching chicken because I am completely in control of what is added to it.  I can toss in a little salt, to heighten the flavor, or leave it out for the ultimate in healthy protein.

Alton fancies his chicken up a bit by adding white wine, peppercorns and bay leaves.

I have to say – this was the most moist poached chicken I’ve ever made.

The recipe is super easy and yields alot of chicken.

*This would be especially good to make on a chilly afternoon,

as the chicken poaches away for over an hour and warms your kitchen nicely.

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But then the question remains:

What do I do with all this delicious chicken I just poached?

Well, in his book Alton gives several suggestions.

The one I followed was to simmer the chicken in my favorite barbecue sauce.  Very simple.  I bought some whole wheat rolls, a jar of pickle spears, our favorite chips and wa-la! A fun summertime dinner that Josh and I both loved.

I still have chicken left over, so I’ll be trying some of Alton’s other suggestions in the next couple days.

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Alton defines Poaching as:

“Cooking food gently in liquid that has been heated until the surface just begins to quiver”

(or, just below a simmer.)

Alton’s steps for perfect poaching:

1. Start with liquid at a boil (this will kill surface bacteria).

2. Drop water temperature to final desired temperature of the meat (that way, the food never overcooks).

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Fun facts about water from Alton’s book:

Distilled Water: is pure H2O.  Everything else has been removed.

Natural Sparkling Water: is naturally carbonated spring water or spring water that has gone flat and been recarbonated.

Club Soda, Seltzer, Soda Water: are all classified as soft drinks, not bottled water: they are essentially tap water that’s been manipulated by man.

Bottled Water that says “Purified Water” or “Drinking Water”: is water that’s come from a municipal source (the tap).

“Glacial Water”: must by law come from a glacier.

“Naturally Sparkling Water”: must come from a spring, with bubbles.

Hard Water: is water that has absorbed CO2 (becoming acidic), then comes into contact with minerals.

Soft Water: is water that is relatively free of dissolved solids.

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Poaching a whole chicken is a healthy, economical way to feed your family.  You don’t have to use a bottle of wine, you can poach using chicken stock and water, or even just salted water.  The resulting pulled chicken meat can be served over greens or made into chicken salad.

Now, lets see what’s going on over in Ginny’s Kitchen.

Jenn : )

Yesterday was my birthday.

We’ve been so busy around here that I’m

having my birthday cupcake and opening cards/presents today.

Right after I took this photo I made a wish and blew out the candle.

My birthday wish: that the renovations on our house will keep moving along quickly, that a day will come when Josh and I aren’t sleeping in our diningroom, that another day will come when we not only won’t have all of our things piled up in the livingroom – but also our friend Peter’s things too (how the heck did that happen?!?), that my clothes dryer isn’t really dead – that it’s just taken a short siesta, that the moths that somehow hatched out of the pretty wreath I bought for the kitchen will someday die off or just go away….. oh, yeah, and world peace.

I know that’s more than one request.

I really need the birthday gods to send me alittle something extra this year.

Happy Birthday to all my fellow summer babies!

Best,

Jenn : )