Simple yeast bread - Get some!

If you grew up in suburban America like I did, you might have missed out on something that most Europeans take for granted:  delicious yeast breads.  Sure, Wonder Bread has its positive qualities (err... it's cheap?), but before I had my eyes opened to the magic that is Bread (with a capital B) it was all I really knew.

We deserve better, America!  Instead of walking two blocks to find yet another Starbucks, wouldn't it be magical to stumble upon a bakery?  Perhaps one that has delicious, soft-pretzels on display?  Or donuts?  Or chocolate cake?  Or... I could get lost in the memories of Austria's Konditoreien and Bäckereien.  And yes, there are German words for bakeries that specialize in sweet treats (Konditorei) and yeast treats (Bäckerei).  EVEN THE WORDS SHOW WHAT WE ARE MISSING.

Anyway, I went on this tirade simply to let you know how easy it is to remedy this problem, and you don't even have to shell out the big bucks (Chicago has plenty of bakeries, but simple yeast breads can go for $5 to $7 dollars, and I wouldn't even pay that when I had a job).

Here's a recipe that is super easy to make and super difficult to screw up.  Give it a try, and let me know how it turned out!

Hong Kong Milk Tea/Bubble Tea, Almost

I went to the University of Michigan for my undergrad, and it was there that I was introduced to one of the most magical drinks on the face of the planet:  Bubble Tea.  And thankfully, I again live in a city with a large Asian population and a formidable Chinatown.  Of course, Chicago's Chinatown can't rival that of New York or San Francisco, but we still have plenty of places where a thirsty gal can find a nice, cold boba. 

The hitch to this plan, besides the sugar in the drinks, is the fact that I don't have a job.  And therefore, I don't have any money to waste on anything, not even the nectar of the gods.  So the bf and I have been working on perfecting the recipe as cheaply as possible and with items that an average person could find at the grocery store.  No, scratch that, we're working on using items that an average person might actually have in their kitchen cabinet.  We haven't perfected the recipe yet, but we've found a way to at least sate our thirst until the next trip to Chinatown for dim sum.

The ingredients are quite simple:  black tea, sugar, and tapioca bubbles.  The first two are easy enough to find, but the bubbles you'll probably have to hunt for in an Asian market (or order online).  Shoot.  I got all the way through this post and realized that some people may want a better description than the one I provided.  Look, the main ingredients are black tea, sugar, milk and chewy bubbles.  It's pretty much a superior form of Southern sweet tea.  OKAY?

Popovers: My new favorite breakfast treat

I had never heard of popovers until my BFF Bonnie received a popover tin for Christmas a year or so ago from her mom.

"What is a popover tin and why do you need it?" I asked.
"To make popovers," Bonnie replied.
"Oh.  What is a popover?"

Anyway, this conversation probably never happened, but the following facts are, indeed, true.
1.  Bonnie received a weird tin for Christmas.
2.  I had no idea what the tin was used for.
3.  I had never heard of popovers.

Bonnie and I ended up making the popovers, so I eventually learned what they were and observed the queer popover tin.  The popover itself is a baked egg bread that puffs up when you cook it and "pops over" the side of the tin.  The tin itself consists of six deep cups that force the dough to grow up and up until it "popped" over.  We baked the popovers, and it was fun, but I dismissed the concept of this strange food because I didn't have a popover tin, I didn't want a popover tin, and I wasn't really that impressed by the "popover" itself.

Then, I came across a recipe for popovers in a vegetarian cookbook I've been trying to get myself to use (The Vegetarian Family Cookbook).  The author told me that I did not need this one-trick-pony popover pan, but that I could instead rely on my old friend, the muffin tin.  I tried her recipe, and though delicious, I was saddened to see that instead of "popping," the popovers "plopped."

But, surprise, surprise, America's Test Kitchen came through for me again.  I like their approach to recipes because they use a sort of scientific trial-and-error to perfect their recipes.  Awesome.

I baked up a batch this morning, and I think I can consider myself a convert!  If you like toast and jam, consider this a classier, more adult version of your old favorite.

Light and Fluffy Pizza Dough (Pizza Bianca, a la America's Test Kitchen)

With growing concerns over my expanding waistline, I have tried to cool down the fervor of my baking.  I'm saving all of that for when my family comes to visit me here in Chicago over Easter weekend!  Get ready guys, I also plan on wowing you with some sweet home fries (see Smitten Kitchen), fluffy pancakes, delicious french toast and homemade bread.  I haven't found my favorite recipes for the latter foods yet, but I have time, so don't worry.

Oh, right.  My darling sister Heather requested that I offer some healthy alternatives.  Why?  Because she is a fatty trapped in a skinny girl's body.  Her cholesterol rivals that of a 400-pound man who feeds primarily off of Peeps and steak.  So, I'll do what I can, sister, but I make no promises.  I got the good genes...

Anyway, how's everyone feel about pizza?  Like it?  Good.  Now what about the crust?  Ehhh.  Every crust recipe I've made until now has produced a heavy, generally bland bread.  Some are better than others, but I don't want a crust that tastes like hard bread.  I want a crust that contributes to the pizza experience.  Maybe a fluffy one like Jet's Pizza??

GOT IT!

This recipe does not require a ton of ingredients, but it is rather labor intensive.  If you're planning on making this for dinner and it's 5:30 PM, you're probably going to be hungry until at least 8:00. 

Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies! NOM-TASTIC!

I have been lusting after the Pillow Cookies I saw on Bakerella's blog for a week already. And though I should have probably worked on homework or applied to part-time jobs, I knew the time had come to try making some of my own!

Look how lovely they turned out!


IN YOUR FACE DELICIOUS. And it's really much simpler than it looks. Just bake a box of brownies, and whip up a batch of peanut butter cookies. Cut a piece of brownie, scoop a spoonful of peanut butter cookie batter, and excavate a hole that will fit the brownie ball. Also... while you're reading this, I'd like you to take a guess who took which pictures. Me or my amateur photographer BF...

First Entry: Cinnamon Sugar Pull-apart Bread

Hello friends!

I've had a lot of time on my hands for the past few weeks. After three and a half blissful years working at my environmental consulting job, I finally bit the bullet and left corporate America. I'm working my way through the final two classes required for my Masters in Education at DePaul University here in Chicago, and I'm pumped to start my new life.

So. Why the blog? Well, after working 40+ hours/week and attending classes 6 hours/week, I now have a paltry 7 hours of classes/week. Period. That leaves a lot of free time for homework, observing teachers' classrooms... but more realistically, watching horrible TV (I just weaned myself off of The Secret Life of the American Teenager), cleaning the condo, and, you guessed it, cooking. Hopefully a blog will encourage me to keep track of the delicious things I've cooked and baked and any modifications I may have made to the recipe.

Another reason why I've turned to cooking and happily embraced the 1950s ideal of a housewife is the fact that my honey has been completely supportive of my awkward transition from corporate drone to future middle school teacher. I try to cook things that he and I will both like, and the recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread on Joy the Baker's blog fit the bill perfectly! You'll find my version of the recipe (which includes the same ingredients but slightly lazier instructions) below!