Napping with "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009"

I am giddy with excitement as we commence "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009." Nicole and I have been sifting through all the delicious flavor suggestions you sent us and can't wait to get to work. Below you will see a list of the delectable flavors we plan to tackle first. We are going to work on these flavors and post the recipes weekly, over the course of the summer, in no particular order. (Don't panic though, I will continue my regular Tuesday & Thursday posts with recipes as well.)

If you don't see something you would like us to try, there is still time. Simply leave your suggestion in the "comments" section below and we will add it to our pile for consideration. This Festival is meant to be easy and enjoyable, we hope everyone will tune in, have fun, and give us helpful feedback while our ice-cream makers whir away for the next three months. Stay tuned for the first recipe next week. Happy Summer!

Naptime Chef Ice-Cream Festival Flavor Ideas (in no particular order):
Sticky Bun
Gingerbread
Pomegranate Blueberry
Mango Mint
Vanilla with Crunchy Peanut Swirl
Almond with Dark Cherries and Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Butter Almond
Samoa Ice Cream (named after the popular Girl Scout Cookie)
Peach
Peppermint Bark
Orangette (chocolate dipped orange peel flavor)
Persimmon
Lemon Rum
Carrot Cake
Cherry Beer (A Belgian Beer Ice-Cream recipe, can't wait to try it!)
Dorie Greenspan's Vanilla
David Leibovitz's Malted Milk (I think I'll add cocoa nibs)
Chocolate Chunk with Salted Cashews (from the NY Times last summer)
Root Beer Float
Brown Butter with Sea Salt

Napping after a Road Trip: Emergency Meal #5

For our family, Memorial Day marks the beginning of road trip season. As summer begins, and the scenery in New England reaches its peak, my husband and I love nothing more than to strap our daughter into her car seat, buckle our seat belts and hit the open road. With our GPS activated we enjoy smooth scenic trips to visit friends and family, sprinkled with side jaunts to our favorite foodie restaurants along the way. Sometimes, of course, our trips go haywire, like when a highway suddenly shuts down due to fire, or my daughter experiences a rare bout of carsickness. I chalk up these unfortunate moments to being an integral part of the family vacation experience, they are totally unavoidable, but easy to forget. In fact, there is really only one part of our trips that I always remember and unequivocally hate: arriving home. Every time we start unloading the car my travel-induced relaxation wears off and I snap into household mode, thinking about loads of laundry, stacks of mail, and, of course, what to make for dinner.


When we returned from Martha's Vineyard on Monday evening there was very little food in the house. At first I thought I might get away with not cooking until I noted my daughter's pouty expression, she was obviously hungry. So, working quickly, I pulled my go-to recipe binder off the shelf, took stock of my pantry and got to work on an Emergency Meal. During the warmer months I prefer to make lighter meals which is why I chose to make this hearty salad. It is full of fresh peppery arugula, tangy goat cheese and sweet sausage. In lieu of vinaigrette I merely add a cup of cooked pasta with a drizzle of pasta water to melt the cheese, this creates a light dressing that doesn't overpower the delicate greens.

Of all my summer Emergency Meals this one was perfect for cooking on Monday evening. I had all the ingredients on hand and, since there were no difficult cooking techniques involved, it was a cinch for me to quickly pull together while a ravenous toddler whimpered at my feet. To make it, I first boiled the pasta in salted water and heated the chicken sausage in a skillet. The remainder of the ingredients were ready to eat right out of the refrigerator, thus all I had to do was assemble the salad in a big bowl. The entire preparation took less than twenty minutes and yielded a deliciously filling meal, much to the happiness of my hungry family. As I ate my helping I realized that the worst part of coming home from our trip was already over. All I had left to do was the laundry.

Naptime Orecchiette, Sausage and Goat Cheese Salad
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis
3/4 c. orecchiette pasta
2 c. fresh arugula
2 large links chicken sausage, preferbly a sweet flavor like sun-dried tomato
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 T. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to Taste

1. Cook orecchiette in salted water until al dente. RESERVE 1/2 c. of pasta water. Drain, set aside.
2. Cook sausage links in a skillet until fully cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into thin slices.
3. In a large heatproof bowl add sausage slices, arugula, goat cheese and parmesan. Top with warm pasta and reserved pasta water. Working quickly, toss all of the ingredients to melt the cheese and wilt the greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This salad packs a punch, it is full of good protein and is extremely easy to prepare. Also, given that this is a salad, you could add or omit whatever ingredients you would like. I have used regular mixed greens in lieu of arugula, and have used grilled chicken slices instead of sausage. Feel free to make adjustments to suit your own tastes.
Naptime Stopwatch: The longest part about this salad is the pasta, it takes about 12 minutes to cook. While it is boiling I cook the chicken sausage and assemble the ingredients in the bowl. Then, add the pasta and the meal is ready!
Naptime Notes: For my daughter we chop the arugula leaves so they are easy to chew and she adores the orecchiette shaped pasta and sausage slices, they are easy to pick up with her little fingers. My husband and I love this meal because it hits the spot without being overly heavy.

Napping with a Fanpage and Food Photos

Summer is a particularly photogenic time of year, especially when it is spent on the coastal waters of New England and in the farmlands of upstate New York. Last weekend I took a series of photographs to celebrate Memorial Day on Martha's Vineyard and have uploaded them on The Naptime Chef Facebook Fan Page. I invite you to become a "fan" on the FB fan page and enjoy the photo essay, just click on the above link. Happy Summer!

Napping with a Great Memorial Day Cookout

My favorite way to celebrate the start of summer is with a rockin' family cookout full of great food. In my household we plan many of these summer feasts weeks in advance, making lists of all the drinks and dishes we want to serve, then compiling recipes to form the desired menu. Since our cookouts mostly take place in either Martha's Vineyard or Cooperstown we typically make dishes that are influenced by ingredients from the local area. This way, when we shop at the farm stands and markets in the town we are visiting, we are able to procure the freshest, most delicious ingredients. This year our Memorial Day banquet was one for the books. The weather was sunny and warm, my daughter was beside herself with excitement at the local parade, and the food was perfect.


When we are on the Vineyard the main feature of our cookout is usually some kind of fish. Our whole family adores seafood and, luckily, living on a island means there is always a bounty of locally caught fresh fish available at the markets. This year we opted for swordfish steaks for our cookout, it is a meatier game fish that is packed with flavor and worked well with our menu. One of my favorite parts about preparing fresh seafood is that it requires only the simplest of instructions. For swordfish I employ an old trick my father-in-law taught me, I simply spread a thin coat of mayonnaise on each side of the steak, to seal in the moisture and flavor, then grill it for seven minutes per side. Every single time I use this technique the swordfish turns out perfectly cooked and is moist and flavorful. When I made it this weekend I was able to grill our steaks in fourteen minutes and then tented them for ten minutes so they could rest, leaving my daughter and I plenty of time to collect a few shells on the beach.


Since summer is just beginning I have included my cookout menu from Memorial Day below, maybe it will give you some ideas for your next outdoor event. The dishes I have listed are some personal favorites, they are a cinch to prepare and are completely family friendly. As testimony to this fact, all of us at the table devoured our meals and, embarrassingly enough, had second helpings. No matter though, we were able to work it off after dinner with a big family game of badminton, bringing the perfect end to a great cookout.


Naptime Chef's Memorial Day Cookout 2009 Menu (all homemade)
Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Salad (recipe to be posted in June)
Cous-Cous with Pecans, Cranberries and Blue Cheese (recipe to be posted in June)
Swordfish Steaks
Cole Slaw
Naptime Chef Go-to Brownies, with Vanilla Ice Cream
Wine & Beer


Naptime's Swordfish on the Grill
1. Heat the grill to medium.
2. Spread each side of swordfish with a thin layer of mayonnaise and top with a few good cranks of fresh pepper.
3. Grill each side of the swordfish for seven minutes.
4. Remove the fish from the grill and tent it on a plate with aluminum foil, let it rest for 8-10 minutes.
5. Serve with a slice of lemon, or topped with a dollop of mango chutney.

Naptime's Fish Sandwich (for leftovers)
Sandwich Bun, the softest you can find
Tarter Sauce
Lettuce
Tomato

1. Toast the sandwich bun.
2. Spread the bottom of the bun with a thin layer of tarter sauce. Over that place a crisp leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato.
3. Finally, on top of the tomato place the remaining piece of fish. Top with bun and serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: One of the most simple and delicious ways to prepare seafood is by grilling it. This form of cooking is ideal because it is easy, healthy, and doesn't strip food of it's natural flavor. This swordfish recipe is totally fool-proof, you can't go wrong.
Naptime Stopwatch: Grilling typically takes very little time and is easily accomplished right before dinner needs to be served. Swordfish takes 14 minutes, total, on the grill and more delicate fish will take even less time.
Naptime Reviews: I was surprised to see that my daughter liked the swordfish, it was the first time I'd ever given her game fish. She wolfed it down like any other meal, excited by the new taste and texture on her palate.

Napping with Cookies, Again

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Last week I wrote an article for the Cookie Magazine food blog and am excited to share it with you all. It can be found here, and is all about "quesadillas redefined." I hope you all have an excellent holiday, and perhaps find this useful when you are standing at the the grill. Also, I hope you all have your subscription cards ready for Cookie, the best parenting magazine ever! (Ps - I hope you like the photograph with the article, too - I took at our dining room table.)

Napping in the Rhubarb Patch

I was raised by two gardening fanatics. From a very early age I can remember my parent's spending hours rambling about our backyard pruning roses, staking peonies and scattering organic fertilizer in the ferns. When I was young I really didn't care much about their gardening activities, preferring instead to play on the swing-set next to the lilac tree. But now that I am older, and am feeding a family of my own, I have become more interested in their favorite pastime. When we visit my parent's nowadays my daughter and I spend time in their garden, walking between the flowers and vegetables pointing at curiosities like bumble bees and hummingbirds. Together we carefully clip flowers for the vases in the dining room and harvest sun-ripened heirloom tomatoes and peas for dinner. These seemingly mundane activities are fascinating for both of us, we simply stand in awe of the tasty delicacies that can be harvested in our own backyard. Naturally, as a result, after these trips I return to our apartment fantasizing about my dream garden. In my imagination I have already determined that I will grow zucchini, peas, carrots, tomatoes, sweet onions and eggplant. But, above all, I will grow my favorite, rhubarb.


My parent's have always had an enormous rhubarb patch in their garden. When we were young my mother made delicious baked goods from the fresh stalks almost weekly, priming our palates for a lifelong love of the vegetable. Our family's favorite was rhubarb fool, but we also adored her rhubarb crisp, rhubarb preserves, and, of course, strawberry-rhubarb pie. Luckily for me, a few years ago my mother gave me these recipes, along with her helpful notes in the margins. Since then I have made them all dozens of times, yet, despite my impressive cache of rhubarb recipes, I am always on the hunt for more.


My friend, and fellow rhubarb-addict, Barbara knew my history and guessed correctly that I would like this recipe for Rhubarb Almond Cake. It is has a delicious flavor, is child-friendly and takes a very short time to prepare. In fact, the preparation is so efficient that yesterday I Naptime Chef-ed the batter in just 5 minutes(!), leaving me the remaining two hours of my daughter's naptime to tackle other projects. I love this cake because the delicate almond flavor couples so nicely with the sweet-tart rhubarb. It has a tender, moist crumb and is perfect for pairing with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, or, even better, fresh whipped cream. The best part is that this recipe is so flexible it defies seasonality. When rhubarb is not in season (or if you plain don't like it), you can substitute almost any chopped fresh fruit you want. In the past I have used apples, cranberries, blueberries, peaches, plums and blackberries. It is virtually fool-proof, you can't go wrong as long as you make sure the fruit isn't too watery, so it doesn't dilute the batter. Luckily for me I'll be heading back home soon to cut some more rhubarb from my parent's garden. I can hardly wait to get my hands on it, and to grow my own as well.

Naptime's Simple Rhubarb Almond Cake
-adapted from Barbara's recipe and Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
1 c. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 t. pure almond extract
1 1/4 c. chopped rhubarb in 1-inch chunks or smaller (or any other fruit)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter and flour 9-inch cake pan.
3. Scatter fruit evenly on the bottom of the pan and set aside.
4. Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl until fully combined.
5. Pour batter over fruit in the cake pan and sprinkle top lightly with sugar, this will make a nice crust.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: I don't know if there is a simpler cake in the whole world. It is delicious everytime, no matter what fruit you use. It is also a great way to use up fruit that you have in your kitchen, nobody will protest when it is put into a cake!
Naptime Stopwatch: The batter of this cake takes about 5 minutes to prepare and about 40 minutes to bake. It is very efficient to make and requires only the easiest of stirring.
Naptime Reviews: My daughter loves this cake and can't get enough of it. Everyone I have served it to loves it as well, it perfect for a summer luncheon menu, or at a cookout.

Napping in My Mother's Kitchen

Growing up one of my favorite activities was baking with my mother. Together we would bake everything ranging from cookies and brownies, to scones and cranberry muffins. We mostly preferred to bake for our own enjoyment, though, on occasion, we were persuaded to bake en masse, once producing over 600 molasses cookies for my babysitter's wedding. Under Mom's expert tutelage I learned all of the important lessons about baking including the difference between baking soda and baking powder, the importance of sifting flour, and how to remove cookies from the oven at just the right time. I adored our hours together mixing batter with the old KitchenAid, watching it rise in the oven - almost magically - to become a moist, delicious treat. In those days learning how to bake at my mother's knee was one of the most fun activities I could imagine, and, frankly, it still is.


Last week I took my daughter to visit my parent's (her doting grandparents) in Cooperstown for a few days. I was excited to get there, I couldn't wait to load up on spring vegetables at my favorite farm stands and clip fragrant purple lilacs from the trees in my parent's garden. But, above all, I couldn't wait to get home and bake in my mother's kitchen. When I arrived she had already prepared a pyrex glass filled with two cups of grated organic zucchini along with two greased loaf pans. From the set-up of equipment on the counter it was obvious she wanted me to make our family's favorite zucchini bread. And, naturally, I got started the minute my daughter went down for her nap.


Since my parent's have lived in their house since I was eight, navigating the kitchen for this baking quest was not a problem. I pulled the mixing bowls off the same shelf where they have been kept for over twenty years, fetched the cinnamon from the spice rack next to Dad's canning supplies and tossed the egg shells in the long-established backyard compost heap. The rhythm of sifting, stirring and pouring on the rainy afternoon in my childhood home was warm and familiar, a feeling of comfort for me that is almost unmatched anywhere else. As with most baked goods, preparing the bread while my daughter napped was a cinch. Mixing the batter was simply a matter of carefully adding the ingredients and making sure they were fully combined before pouring it into the loaf pans. While I followed the recipe I was reminded of one of my mother's favorite calorie-reducing baking techniques and substituted applesauce for some of the vegetable oil. I know that to some this sounds unusual, but please don't fret, having tasted zucchini bread that has been baked with the full amount of oil I can honestly say that the applesauce version is better. It is more flavorful and moist, but is considerably less greasy and doesn't leave any residue on my fingers.

(The view from mom's kitchen)

The bread baked for almost an hour in the oven and, once I removed it, I exercised an amazing amount of willpower, letting it cool completely until the evening. Then, finally, after clearing my family's dishes from the dinner table - a habit held over from my grade school days when it was one of my most dredded chores - I cut pieces from a loaf for dessert. As I watched my daughter enjoy her first slice, eyes wide with delight at the tasty treat, I got excited realizing that the day will soon come when we can bake together. She will bake at my knee, learn the rhythm and language of our own family kitchen, and I will teach her everything I know about baking, too.

Naptime Chef Favorite Zucchini Bread (or Zucchini muffins)
an old favorite recipe from Mom
2 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1 t. coarse salt
3 1/2 t. cinnamon
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. plain applesauce (not low-fat)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. freshly grated zucchini
2 t. pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 (two) 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. OR, one 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl stir together eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Make sure it is fully combined.
4. Carefully pour flour mixture into egg mixture, stirring until completely combined.
5. Pour entire mixture into loaf pans, making sure there is an even amount of batter in each. OR, if making muffins, fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
6. For Zucchini Bread bake for 40 minutes. OR, for muffins bake for 20 minutes.
7. You will know when the bread or muffins are down when the centers are set and spring back when they are lightly touched.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This is a simple and delicious zucchini bread recipe that also works well as muffins. The applesauce cuts calories too, making it a more healthy alternative to cookies. It is the most delicious when made with fresh, local zucchini, for which the season begins shortly. Plus, these loaves freeze beautifully, so you can put one in the freezer for later.
Naptime Stopwatch: The batter preparation takes about 10 minutes and the baking time is about 40-45 minutes. The entire project can be completed during naptime, and there is minimal clean up.
Naptime Reviews: I make this recipe more as bread than muffins, but either are great. Since there are no nuts in them they are great for children, I have never met a child that doesn't love a nice slice of zucchini bread for dessert!

Napping with the Heart of an Artichoke

By all accounts my grandmother Harriet was a remarkable woman. She could recite the Lord's prayer in her sleep, crochet a baby blanket with one hand, and play poker for hours on end. She also wholeheartedly embraced her community, delivering meals to housebound elderly from the trunk of her Ford Thunderbird, regularly being issued speeding tickets along her route. In short, she was a woman of contradictions and we loved her for it. Many people attributed her near-century of volunteer activity and good health to "solid genes" and a healthy joie de vivre, but I am pretty sure her secret was eating artichokes.


Artichokes are often referred to as the "nutritional powerhouse" of vegetables and, given Harriet's long life, I wonder if she was on to something. She preferred artichokes over every other vegetable, consuming one daily and serving them to us whenever we visited. She favored eating them boiled until soft, except in the warm weather when we all wanted relief from hot foods. In the summer Harriet would dream up new ways to serve us her favorite veggie, often incorporating them into green salads, serving them cold alongside grilled chicken and adding them to quiches. Her imagination served her well and all of her meals were delicious, but, above all, my favorite was her "famous" artichoke heart pasta salad. Unfortunately, though she made this salad for me dozens of times, she never wrote down the recipe, so last summer I had to rely on my memories to write a new one.


My goal in recreating this dish was to make a salad that replicated hers in both texture and flavor, and was able to last in the fridge without getting gummy. I tried a few different combination's of pasta shapes and vinegars until, at the end of last summer, I managed to create a flavor medley that evoked the memories of my grandmother's version. The taste of my final recipe differs slightly from the original. It maintains the core flavors of artichoke hearts and sweet tomatoes wrapped in a tangy vinaigrette, but I revised her formula by adding toasted pine nuts for crunch, as well as some lemon juice to crank up the flavor. I also chose to use orzo instead of fusilli because I find that orzo is less starchy and holds up better when chilled. Since completing this Naptime Chef recipe challenge I have made this salad at least a dozen times. In doing so I discovered that, in addition being great to serve my family, it is a tasty side dish to serve at luncheons and makes a nice addition to any buffet table. Everyone who has eaten it raves about the taste, including my husband and daughter. I have to admit, I was initially surprised that my daughter liked artichoke hearts, until I realized I hadn't considered her artichoke-obsessed lineage. I mean, after all, she is Harriet's great-granddaughter, and that explains it all.

Naptime Orzo with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes - inspired by my grandmother
1 1/2 c. orzo
4 T. pine nuts, toasted
1 10oz. package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/3 c. olive oil
4 T. red-wine vinegar
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Zest of one lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Cook orzo in a pot of salted boiling water accordingy to package directions.
2. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar and lemon zest in a bowl, set aside.
3. Toast the pine nuts, be careful not to let them burn.
4. Halve the cherry tomatoes and set aside in a separate bowl.
5. Take the thawed artichoke hearts and cut them into quarters. You can add as many, or as little, of the artichoke hearts to the salad as you like to suit your tastes.
6. Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and put in a large bowl.
7. First, add the artichoke hearts and pine nuts and mix it around. Then, add the tomatoes and give the salad another few stirs.
8. Pour over the vinaigrette and gently mix it in until fully incorporated.
9. Finally, add the lemon juice and mix it into the salad.
10. Add salt & pepper to taste. Can be served warm or cold.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: Like all good salads this recipe is flexible, you could add more, or less, of any ingredient you choose. I have also toyed with the idea of adding roasted cherry tomatoes to see if I would enjoy a richer tomato flavor. I plan to try this over the summer and will let you know.
Naptime Stopwatch: This salad takes about 35-40 minutes to prepare from start to finish. It is the perfect dish to prepare during naptime, this allows the pasta to cool before you serve it for dinner. Naptime Reviews: My whole family adores this salad, especially my daughter and husband. I have also served it at luncheons to great reviews, it travels well and is a great accompaniment to any buffet.

Napping with "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009"

I am thrilled to announce "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009." In the spirit of working in-depth with one of our favorite foods, this summer my friend Nicole and I will be feverishly developing new ice-cream recipes which I will post weekly, from June through August, in addition to my regular posts.

If anyone has delicious ice-cream recipes or flavor suggestions please let me know, they are more than welcome! I can't guarantee that we will be able to make or develop every flavor you send in, but we will try our best. Please put all suggestions in the "comments" below and we will get started straight away!

Stay tuned for the first recipe from "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009," coming in June...

Napping with "The Naptime Chef Great Brownie Festival of 2009"

Spoiler Alert: Stay tuned tomorrow when I will be revealing the details of The Naptime Chef's exciting extracurricular summer project, "The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival of 2009."

I am such a devoted lover of brownies, that, I swear, if someone sewed a brownie on a flag I would hang it on my front porch and, hand on my heart, pledge allegiance to it every morning. Last week my kitchen turned into a one-person brownie factory. I am not entirely sure what prompted my out-of-control brownie baking, but once I started, I could not stop. What began as one batch with simple peanut butter swirl, quickly became several batches with variations on swirl flavors, toppings and baking chocolates. In fact, halfway through the week my husband branded this baking crusade "The Naptime Chef Great Brownie Festival of 2009," gently insinuating I had crossed the line from leisurely baking to serious brownie production. By the end of the week I had made at least five different brownie flavors, three of which were delicious, and one of which was just so-so. Thankfully, I sent the vast majority of the completed batches to my husband's office (much to the appreciation of his colleagues), sparing me the prospect of spending the entire summer wearing a muu-muu. I did, however, taste test everything before it left the house and am excited to share my favorite results with you.


Brownies are perfect for Naptime Chef-ing on many levels. The ingredients are simple, the batter is very easy to prepare and the baking time is less than an hour. Last week's baking endeavor began when, using my favorite recipe for moist chocolate brownies, I swirled in some peanut butter. I love this combination because the brownies end up tasting like rich chocolate peanut butter cups, one of my favorite desserts. Inspired by this decadent treat I decided there was no time like the present to experiment with additional swirls like cream cheese and marmalade, flavors I had been meaning to try for a long time. The marmalade swirl idea originated with a recent Giada at Home episode where she swirls in raspberry jam with her brownies. Since I am a huge fan of the choco-orange flavor combination I figured I would add orange marmalade to see if I could recreate the flavor of a chocolate dipped orange peel, while adding slivered almonds for extra texture. The result was nothing short of heavenly, a moist chewy brownie imbued with a light orange flavor and a sweet nutty crunch.


I will spare you the details of the last two brownie experiments, let's just say they weren't up to snuff. I promise to share them with you eventually though, once I have worked on perfecting them. In the mean time, here are last week's "Festival" highlights for you all to enjoy. Rest assured, there are many more brownie flavor variations I adore (mint icing! caramel layers!) but I had to draw the line at some point. Perhaps, when my brownie cravings get the better of me again, I will commence "The Great Brownie Festival of 2010", but, until then, this is a great start.

Naptime's Go-To Brownies - adapted from a basic Gourmet recipe at least six years ago...
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 T. cocoa powder
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt butter and chocolate together. I use the microwave, heating it in short intervals so the butter doesn't explode. Mix together until fully combined. Cool slightly.
3. Beat together eggs, vanilla, sugar and cocoa powder in a mixer until combined. Add chocolate mixer, beat until just combined.
4. Finally, add flour, baking powder and salt to the chocolate mixture and mix until the batter is totally incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl to make sure it all comes together.
5. Pour batter into butter 13x9 baking pan. Choose desired "Swirl Recipe" (see below), add to batter.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until knife inserted in the batter comes out clean.

OR If you want to use prepared Brownie Mix do the following:
*Buy a Brownie Mix for a 13x9 pan (usually this is called "Family Size").
*Prepare the batter using the "Cakey Brownie" option, this will hold up to the swirls better than the Fudge-like option.

Cream Cheese Swirl:
6 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
3 T. sugar
1 large egg yolk at room temperature
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. vanilla extract
*Combine ingredients in a bowl and beat until combined and softened. Drop in spoonfuls on top of batter, swirl into batter with a knife, making a decorative pattern.

Peanut Butter Swirl - adapted from Martha Stewart
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 c. confectioner sugar
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 t. coarse salt
1 t. vanilla extract
*Combine ingredients in a bowl and beat until combined. Drop in spoonfuls on top of batter, swirl into batter with a knife, making a decorative pattern.

Orange Marmalade Swirl - (or, use any flavor jam you'd prefer) - adapted from Giada At Home
2/3 c. orange marmalade, heated until pourable
3/4 c. slivered almonds
*Heat jam until pourable, swirl it into brownie batter. Top with slivered almonds.

Napping on Pizza Night

Pizza night is an institution in most households and ours is no different. It is well known that serving pizza for dinner is often the path of least resistance amongst children, and every parent appreciates at least one mealtime per week that is completely free of protest. Pizza night has changed drastically from the days of my childhood when my father would pick up a fresh, greasy pie from the pizzeria down the street. Today, most parents wisely choose to forgo caloric laden pizzas from local and national chains in favor of fresh, healthier pies made in their own homes. Recipes for homemade pizza are widely available, and, with the development of the oven-friendly pizza stone, the coveted pizzeria slice can be replicated in anyone's kitchen. In fact, it is now a widely practiced family activity to make homemade pizzas together with your children, a form of quality time that I fully endorse.

When my toddler makes pizza with me I let her place the mozzarella on top of the sauce. She usually plops down a few slices and then looses interest, preferring to lick the sauce off the crust with her finger. No matter though, when she is older I am sure she will join me for longer periods of time until she can do the whole thing herself. To kick off our family pizza nights these days I start with our favorite whole-wheat rosemary pizza dough. This recipe was given to me by my friend Kristina, mother of adorable Sophia, who is a very accomplished cook.

I loved this dough from the first time I made it because it bakes into a beautiful crispy crust, and the whole-wheat flour with dried rosemary makes it simultaneously fragrant, healthful and flavorful. The dough is a cinch to prepare, even the most novice dough-maker will not have any trouble. I find it easy to make right before I want to cook the pizza, since it only needs to rest for a scant 10 minutes. However, if you want to prepare it during naptime, just leave the final dough resting, covered, in a bowl on the counter top for the afternoon. When you are ready to roll it out for dinner punch it down and give it a few more kneads, then bring out the rolling pin. Once it is stretched nice and thin, layer it with your favorite toppings and pop it in the oven.


When it comes to topping our pizzas there is practically no limit to what we will try. I love to use all sorts of different vegetables, cheese and meats, and recommend that you explore your favorites with your family. In fact, if you have a favorite topping combination please let me know, I am always looking for new ideas. My husband threw out our pizza stone during a move last year because he thought it looked dirty (it was, in fact, seasoned), so I have had to resort to baking our pizzas in my jelly roll pan. I find that the pan works almost as well as the stone, though I do intend to replace the stone at some point this summer. If you are lucky enough to have an outdoor pizza oven or a grill, (unlike us city dwellers), by all means bake your pizza with those devices, the crust will probably get even crispier then it does in the oven. In any event, no matter when your family pizza night falls, I wish you crispy crust, melted cheese and lots of family fun.

Naptime Whole-Wheat Rosemary Pizza Dough - inspired by my friend Kristina
1 packet yeast (.25 oz) - make sure it is not expired!
1/4 t. sugar
3/4 c. warm water, (no hotter than 110degrees, so as not to kill the yeast)
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. coarse salt
2 t. dry rosemary leaves
4 oz. Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce (or your preferred pizza sauce of choice)

Topping Ideas: Grated cheese, sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, prosciutto strips, mushrooms, sausage slices, fresh basil, roasted eggplant, pepperoni, caramelized onions, grilled peppers, bbq chicken, arugula - and just about anything else you can think of!
What are your favorite toppings?

1. Preheat oven to 450. Empty yeast packet into a small glass bowl. Add sugar and warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the yeast should be activated, and the water will be absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add the flours, salt and rosemary and combine.
3. Once the yeast mixture has absorbed the water, combine the flour mixture with the yeast.
4. Knead the dough with your hands and a dough scraper on a well-floured surface for about five minutes, making sure everything is full incorporated. As you knead it, keep sprinkling flour on the surface to make sure it doesn't get too sticky.
5. Coat the rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the dough out until it is round to fit on the pizza stone, or rectangular to fit on the pan.
6. If you are using a pizza stone sprinkle it with some cornstarch to prevent the dough from sticking. Or, if you are using a 12x18 jelly roll pan, sprinkle a few drops of olive oil on the pan, brush it around, then dust it with flour.
7. Transfer the dough to the stone or pan, taking care not to tear it.
8. Spread the dough with sauce and toppings.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or more, until the crust turns golden brown and crispy.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: Pizza is infinitely flexible when it comes to flavors. It is also easy to keep healthful, just be careful with the cheese and add lots of vegetables, the kids will love it.
Naptime Stopwatch: I can usually have this meal on the table, from start to finish, in about 45 minutes. It takes longer if people are helping me top the pizza, so allow time for that if the kids are working with you.
Naptime Reviews: Everyone in my family loves pizza night, I have even made this when the grandparents are visiting. There is no limit to the possibilities, and never anyone who will turn it down!

Napping in Green Stalks

Spring cleaning began late this year. The warm weather arrived in the northeast later than planned, leaving me with less time to get through my spring chore list. You see, spring is a critical season for me, without it I would never be prepared for the arrival of summer. When the thermometer finally creeps north of sixty degrees it is like someone zaps me with a defibrillator. Every morning the early sunlight and fresh breezes blast me out of bed, sending me racing through my day, to-do lists in hand, preparing for the hot summer ahead. In the past week I have tackled my important seasonal chores like swapping winter sweaters for summer blouses, cleaning the winter grime off our windows and removing the fleece foot muff from my daughter's stroller. It is not unusual that, while I am sprucing up my household, I take time to spruce up my recipes as well. After all it is not just my closets that need spring cleaning, my kitchen does, too.


One of my favorite ways to liven up spring menus is by adding lots of fresh greens obtained at our local farmer's market or gourmet food store. Last week, while I was shopping, I encountered my very first bundle of local asparagus. It was pencil thin, bright green and begging for me to take it home. Naturally, I was thrilled that one of my favorite vegetables was finally available again and promptly added it to my basket. Now, just so everyone knows, I wasn't always good at preparing asparagus. My first few attempts at replicating my mother's blanched asparagus with herbed butter were disastrous. I boiled the asparagus until it was as limp as a spaghetti noodle, dunked it in ice water to no effect and essentially served myself a tasteless, murky green vegetable. The good news, however, is that over time my techniques have much improved and my asparagus preparation, though simple, is delicious. So, to kick off the asparagus season this year, I decided to start with a recipe I had saved to celebrate the occasion.


I originally encountered the idea for this recipe when reading Cooking for Mr. Latte, by Amanda Hesser. I loved the idea of a citrus vinaigrette contrasting the flavors of the peppery arugula. I have made this salad a few times in the past ten days and it has gotten better and better each time. I have even experimented with a few substitutions, adding lemon juice instead of orange juice to the dressing, and adding cherry tomatoes for additional color and flavor. Every experiment has yielded excellent results, proving that this recipe is quite flexible. The best part is that most of it can be prepared during naptime. Simply cook the asparagus, cut it into one inch pieces and let it cool. Then, prepare the vinaigrette and leave it, covered, in the fridge. At dinner time you merely have to assemble the salad by putting the ingredients together in a bowl and giving it a good toss, a procedure you could probably do in your sleep. We found that each bite of this salad contains many layers of flavors along with a satisfying crunch from the asparagus shoots. Yesterday, after finishing our last helping, my husband remarked that this is his favorite spring salad yet. I was, of course, thrilled to hear this and will definitely be adding this salad to my to-do list tomorrow.

Naptime Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette - adapted from Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser
3/4 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed
2 large handfuls arugula
Juice of 1 orange (I used a sweet mineola) OR Juice of 1 lemon for a more tart taste
1 t. red wine vinegar
1 T. whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Salt & Pepper to taste
Ideas for Additions if you want: 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/2 c. toasted pine nuts; feta cheese instead of goat cheese.

1. Cook asparagus in a pot of boiling water, seasoned with salt, for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain the water and run the asparagus under cold tap water to stop cooking.
2. Dry the asparagus completely on a kitchen towel, then slice into one inch pieces and combine in a bowl with the arugula.
3. In a small bowl whisk together citrus juice, vinegar, mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until fully combined.
4. Pour vinaigrette over the asparagus and arugula, toss to coat.
5. Top salad with crumbled goat cheese and serve.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: This recipe is a great way to enjoy green vegetables in a new form. Like any salad, you can add or subtract what you would like. I would recommend adding the tomatoes if you like them, they added an additional flavor that we enjoyed.
Naptime Stopwatch: This salad is a cinch to prepare. It took about 20 minutes to prepare all of the ingredients during naptime, then about 2 minutes to combine at dinner time.
Naptime Reviews: My daughter has not yet developed a taste for asparagus, but that is OK with me. I think she will learn to like it in the next few years. In the mean time, my husband and I plan to eat this quite often this summer!

Napping with Cookie

Even before I was pregnant I subscribed to Cookie Magazine. It was not because I was yearning for children so badly, it was that I loved the articles and cool fashion advice. I also liked the food pages, even though the recipes were meant for "family cooking" I would make many of the dishes for just the two of us! Of course, now that there are three of us I enjoy Cookie even more. The content is fresh, the writing is hip and the advice is pitch perfect, giving me everything I need to know about how to complete my image of the fun urban mommy. You can imagine my gratitude when, after being a loyal reader for many years, I discovered that Cookie likes me, too. So much so that they put a little tidbit about Tuesday's post on their blog today (click here). On that note, thanks to everyone for their support of this website so far - let's raise a glass of wine to a great start and many more Cookie's to come.