My sweetie, Andrew, misses his Mama’s cooking. He regularly gets all glassy eyed, recounting some dish or dessert that his mom used to make. I feed him well but, frankly, I don’t blame the man. His mom, Nancy, is an experienced and gifted southern chef. She was raised in Alabama, and has lived in North Carolina for all her adult life, all the while soaking up the secrets of southern cuisine. Just to give you an example of the utter deliciousness that comes out of this lady’s kitchen: last time I was over at their house for dinner, Nancy made roast pork loin, turnip greens, mashed potatoes, black eyed peas, and cornbread all cooked to perfection. Just thinking about that dinner gets me droolin’.

One of the recurring fond remembrances Andrew has for his mom’s cooking is her baby back ribs. So, while we were home for the holidays, I asked her if I could get that recipe and try to make it myself. She was happy to oblige and she pulled out a well-worn recipe card that had faded to the point of illegibility. As I squinted and strained to read it, she easily recited it to me from across the room while I copied it down.

Let me tell you, this is a recipe you should commit to memory. Andrew and I made these ribs for ourselves and a few friends a while back and they were AAAA-MAZING. To say they were finger-licking good is an understatement. They’re more like scarf-um-down, lick your fingers AND the plate, then drink the sauce when the meat is gone-GOOD. The best part? You’re not even ashamed. The shameful thing would be letting one bit of these ribs go to waste.

So basically… you should give these a try. Plus, they’re easy to make. It’s only a three step process; boil the meat, simmer the sauce, then bake them together. Who knows, maybe this will be the recipe that makes your family and friends get all dreamy for your cooking.

Nancy’s Baby Back Ribs:

Ingredients:

Makes 6-8 Servings

• 4 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 5 1/2 ounces tomato paste

Directions:

1. Cut the ribs into serving sizes, 2-3 bones. Place the ribs into a large pot and submerge in water. Cover with a lid.

2. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, cook for 30 minutes, then drain.

3. While the ribs are boiling, measure the rest of the ingredients into a sauce pan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently. Simmer until the onion is soft.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Transfer the ribs to a baking dish, and pour over the sauce. Cover with a lid or tin foil.

5. Bake for one hour.

Growing up, I ate a lot of banana bread. My mom always kept bananas in the house for us to bring to lunch or have for breakfast.  But the thing is, we hardly ever actually ate them. So come the weekend, we’d have banana bread! I suspect the real reason my mom bought bananas was to make bread with them, and if one of us kids happened to eat one along the way, then great.

Now that I’m all grown up and buying my own food, I do the exact same thing.  I’ve just gotten used to always having bananas on the counter, because I really don’t like them. I try to eat them all, but inevitably one or two get over ripe.  So I throw them in a ziplock bag and freeze them until I have enough for a big batch of banana bread.

Banana bread is an awesomely straightforward breakfast to make on the weekend. When you’re all groggy in the morning you don’t want to make something finicky and complicated. For this recipe you simply mix wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, mix them together, then you throw it in the oven and go back to bed for an hour. Easy peasy.

This recipe is an adaption of a more traditional banana nut bread recipe. I use 2:1 ratio of flour to cornmeal and include dried fruit along with walnuts. The addition of the cornmeal and dried fruits makes this bread more substantial and a little less cake-like. I tend to like hardier breakfast over pastries and this is reflected in this version of banana bread.

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1/4 cup dried coconut (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Mix in the optional nuts and dried fruit at this point.
4.  Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

While I was in Philadelphia over the holidays, I had dinner at a charming pub called Monk’s Cafe that served “Belgium’s national dish” – pots of mussels in savory sauce with fries. The combination of flavors, complemented by a good beer, was inspired.  I had many tasty bites while I was visiting Philly, but I kept thinking about this dish.

Since coming back to Berkeley, I happened upon a recipe for mussels that sounded very similar to dish I had at Monks. Still drooling at the memory of that dinner in Philly, I decided to try it out. I was a little nervous about cooking mussels for the first time, but this dish was surprisingly easy. I’m also happy to report that it’s just a good at as the mussels I had in Philadelphia. I’m generally not a fan of seafood but this recipe is a true exception.

The fries I made to accompany the mussels are probably the easiest at-home fries that you can possibly make. They take a little longer than traditional deep-fried potatoes, but they’re much less messy and a lot healthier.  The trick with these baked fries is the two-step baking process, which replicates the two-step frying process of truly delicious deep-fried fries. The fries are baked at a high temperature to cook and brown them, and then baked for another period at a lower temperature to dry them out because nobody likes soggy fries.

You’ll want the fries and the mussels to finish at the same time. To time everything perfectly, prep everything you’ll need to cook the mussels and when you have about 15 minutes left on the fries, start the pot of mussels.

Recipes from The Improvisational Cook by Sally Schneider

Baked Fries:

• 2-3 large baking potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste

Savory Mussel Stew:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• pinch of hot pepper flakes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 Tbs. butter

I found it quite good to pull the mussels out of the shell and let them soak in the broth. Don’t forget to enjoy this meal with good beer!

Hello, Everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas!

Personally, I’m glad to be on the other side.  Now that Christmas is over, I can actually relax and enjoy being home with my parents and sisters. We always do way too much on Christmas day. We visit both sides of the family, friends, and try to squeeze in a little immediate family time as well. I’m sure many of you do a similar holiday run around. Having many people that love you, and want to see you is certainly not something to complain about. However, it does make for a busy day. I can only see it getting even more complicated in the future, as my sisters and I get married, and eventually have kids… But let’s not to worry about that now.

This recipe is one I’ve been sitting on for a couple of weeks. I made an adorable little apple crisp for my sweetie and I right before I left for the holidays. It was the perfect amount for two people. It was an amazing not-too-heavy dessert. I actually debated about whether or not to post yet another dessert recipe after all the holiday indulgences. Since I already did the drawings, I figured why not?  I’ll start posting healthy recipes in the new year.

Sometimes, I feel self-conscience about my posts because they’re pretty revealing as to what my diet has been like. If you’ve noticed my recent posts have been all pies and desserts, it’s because that’s exactly what I’ve been eating. Again, I’ll start eating and posting healthier meals after the holidays, really I promise. Until then, ease into your New Year’s resolution of eating better with this slightly lighter treat. Enjoy!

Love,

Heather Diane

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour (for filling)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for topping)
• 3 tablespoons  packed brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2. Place the sliced apples in a 8×4 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 3 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

ANNNND, now it’s almost Christmas. How the heck did that happen!? I know the theme of my last few posts have been “WHOA, whoa, whoa! Where did the time go!?!” But that’s really how I feel!  It’s been a good year and I’m trying to relax and enjoy my holiday travels but I can’t help but feel a little flustered.

I just arrived to my hometown of Jacksonville, North Carolina after visiting friends in Philadelphia and Raleigh.  It’s been a great trip so far and I feel grateful to be able to spend this time with friends and family. At this point I realize I’m not going to get much done for the rest of month, so I’m trying to plan for next year.  In the new year, I’m hoping to manage my time more carefully, so I can accomplish more and not feel like time is my enemy.  I’m even going to try this new thing, where I wake up early.

Anyways, I know I’m not the only one who finds the end of the year stressful. For those of you who need some serious comfort food, try this chicken pot pie recipe. It’s warm, flavorful, and really hits the spot on a chilly night.

I hope everyone who is traveling has a safe and lovely trip. To all my fellow end-of-year stress puppies, hang in there and have some pie.

love,
Heather Diane

Crust:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup warm water

Filling:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup french green beans, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk

Assembling the Pie:

1. Select a pie dish about 2 inches deep and 10 inches wide.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the the larger portion of the dough. Place it into the bottom of the dish and shape it so it comes up and over the sides of the dish.
3. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over.
4. Roll out the second portion of dough and place it over the filling, so that it meets the edge of the dish. Shape and trim the dough as needed.
5. Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal.
6. Puncture the center of the dough with an one inch X
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

We are officially in the throes of the holiday season and I simply can’t believe it. Illustrated Bites is almost one year old and 2011 is nearly over. As someone who is trying to get an illustration career off the ground while juggling two part time job  and trying to maintain a healthy work/life balance, this blazing passage of time is giving me a bit of a panic attack. I just wish I didn’t need to sleep!  Not to worry though, things seem to slowly be coming together, and I’m learning patience and celebrating small steps forward.

This last month of 2011 will be an exciting one.  I’m looking forward to some big changes in 2012. One exciting change is that my lovely and talented sister, Christina, just moved here for a new job at Chronicle Books.  We’re from North Carolina and for the past two and a half years, I’ve been living in the Bay Area while the rest of my family was still in NC. Now that my sister is here, San Francisco is going to feel a lot more like home.

If you’ve happened to notice that I haven’t posted in a few weeks, it’s because I’ve been busy spending the evenings catching up with my little sister. Oh yeah, Thanksgiving happened too. Just because there hasn’t been a new post in awhile doesn’t mean I haven’t been cooking. Just the opposite really; I’ve been cooking so much I haven’t had time to illustrate and write about it! Christina is quite the cook herself and we’ve whipped up many tasty dinners and desserts over the past 2 weeks.

One of my favorite things we made so far is apple pie. It’s a simple and seasonal dessert that was quick to make once we spread the work between the two of us. I made the crust and Christina handled the filling. Get a pint of vanilla ice cream and you’re in for a serious treat.

Apple Pie Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch salt
• pinch cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 5-6 macintosh apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin
• 2 tbs. butter
• milk for brushing crust

Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 16 tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 6 tbs. ice water

1. First, prepare the crust. In a food processor combine the flour, salt, and sugar and pulse for a few seconds. Next, add the pieces of butter and combine until the flour resembles coarse corn meal.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add 6 tbs. of ice water to the mixture and combine with a spatula.
3. Use your hand to create a ball of dough.  Divide it in half, and flatten each half into a disk.  Wrap the disks in plastic and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
4.  Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples and place them in a mixing bowl.
5. Add both kinds of sugar, the spices, and salt. Stir to throughly coat the apple slices.
6. Set the apple filling aside while you roll out the crust.  Remove the dough from the freezer, unwrap one of the disks, and place it on a floured surface. Roll the dough out until it is large enough to cover your pie dish. To check, turn the pie dish upside down and place it on the dough. There should be about 2-3 inches of extra dough sticking out from the edge of the pie dish. Transfer the dough to the pie dish by folding it in half twice. This makes it easier to lift. Place it in the dish and unfold.  
7. Once the bottom crust is pressed into the dish, pour in the apple filling. Dot the filling with two tbs. of butter.
8. Roll out the top crust, and fold it in the same way to transfer to cover the top of the pie.
9. Pinch together the top and bottom crust and cut away any excess dough. You can decorate the edge of the crust with a fork if you like.
10. Cut a few slits in the dough that radiate out from the center of the pie. These slits act as vents and allow steam to escape.
11. You can add decoration to the crust by cutting out shapes from the excess dough and pressing them into the top crust. I added a few heart shapes to my pie.
12. Brush the top of the dough with milk and sprinkle with brown sugar. Refrigerate while you pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
13. Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake an additional 40-50 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown.
14. Cool before serving. Enjoy!

It’s been a pumpkin bonanza at the Berkeley Bowl for last few weeks. The entire front entrance has been crowded with huge boxes of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. They even have a few giant pumpkins on display. I’ve been LOVING it, there is something really festive about that many pumpkins in one place. It puts me in an perfect autumn-y mood.

Every time I walk by the pumpkin display, I can’t help but pick up one of the baby pumpkins. I go to the Berkeley Bowl at least four times a week  (I live around the corner) so quite a few pumpkins have come home with me lately. Some of them are busy being adorable on my kitchen table but I’ve tried to cook the majority of the pumpkins that I’ve bought. Pumpkins are awesome because they easily lend themselves to either sweet or savory dishes. This is my second pumpkin recipe post, after writing about pumpkin pie a few weeks ago.  This time around I would like to share my recipe for savory pumpkin quiche.

This recipe for pumpkin quiche is my own rendition of a dish served by Gregoire Restaurant that I picked up while I worked there.  It is basically an egg quiche inside the hollow of a small pumpkin. When you eat it, you get a little scoop of the egg and a little scoop of the squash. Sounds delicious, right?

Pumpkin Quiche Ingredients:

• 3 baby pumpkins
• 5-6 eggs
• about 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms
• 1/2 onion
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• day-old bread

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F and clean the pumpkins. Slice each baby pumpkin in half, through it’s equator, and scoop out the seeds. Cut the stem off the top half of the pumpkin so that it can lay flat.

Step Two: Fill the bottom of a cookie sheet or baking dish with water. You don’t need much, just enough to cover the entire bottom. Place the pumpkins upside down in the dish and steam them in the oven for 15 minutes.

Step Three: While the pumpkins are steaming in the oven, sauté the mushrooms and onions in one tablespoon of olive oil for about five minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Step Four: After you remove the pumpkins from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Flip the pumpkins over and place the sautéed mushrooms and onions in the bottom of the the pumpkin cavity. Slice the day old bread into small cubes and place them into the cavity along with the mushrooms and onions.

Step Five: Whisk the eggs and cream together along with the salt and pepper. Use 2 teaspoons of cream for every egg. You’ll have to use your judgement for how much custard you’ll need. If your pumpkins have a larger cavity, you’ll need more. If you’re using smaller pumpkins, you’ll need less. Pour enough custard into the pumpkin cavity to cover the bread, mushrooms, and onions.

Step Six: Brush the edges of the pumpkin flesh with olive oil and bake for 20-30 minutes. When the egg is set, the quiche is done!

This is one of my favorite fall dishes, I hope you have a chance to give it a try. Pumpkin quiche makes an excellent side dish for Thanksgiving, as well. In the past, I’ve made it with larger pumpkins that get passed around the table and you just take a scoop out for your plate.  If mushrooms and onions aren’t your thing, you can use any filling that you want. I’ve made sweet pumpkin quiche with cranberries and walnuts and a little brown sugar in the custard, and it turned out well. This is a good dish to improvise and experiment with and really make it your own.

Before I go, I just wanted to share with you the finished product of the cover for the Mauitime I mentioned in my Pumpkin Pie post. You can check it out on my website heatherdiane.com. It was a fun and successful collaboration with Justin “Scrappers” Morrison. I hope you have the chance to check it out! Have a great week, everyone!

Love,

Heather Diane