Project Wooden Spoon

A sweet and savory food blog.

Breakfast Quinoa

Breakfast Quinoa

Breakfast Quinoa = Best Discovery in Recent History.

About 6 months ago I joined a local bootcamp program and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I thoroughly enjoy the workouts, the instructors are awesome, and I finally feel strong again. Not to mention that I’m down about 5% body fat. Basically I’m feeling pretty good.

The program has also made me re-evaluate everything I was eating. I always thought that I ate fairly healthy. I practiced the 80/20 rule – 80% healthy and 20% blog material. I’m still sticking to that rule but my idea of “healthy” is changing. The program really pushes for lower carbs, higher healthy fats, and very limited amounts of dairy. I usually do a scrambled egg or two in the morning, cooked in coconut oil. I love them but sometimes you want something different….

Enter breakfast quinoa! It’s easy, satisfying, and high in protein. Plus, you can dress it up anyway you like.

…

Read More »

Savory Bread Pudding with Artichokes and Goat Cheese

Savory Bread Pudding

There’s just something about bread pudding that is super comforting. Sweet or savory, it doesn’t really matter. Bread pudding is one of those great things that you can whip up and use whatever you have in the house. It rarely requires a special trip to the store, just some old bread, eggs, milk, and then whatever you want to dress it up with. I opted for goat cheese and artichokes because the combo is superb AND I happened to have both in the house!

For this recipe I scooped the mixture into extra-large tulip baking liners, creating individual servings. This was a game time decision and they turned out better than I had hoped. How cute would these be for a baby/wedding shower?! I’ll definitely keep this one in my back pocket for upcoming events!

…

Read More »

Cinnamon Twist Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Soooo…. I’ve been on a little bit of a work related hiatus.  I won’t bore you with the details but, man, the last month or so has been out of control busy.  BUT, I’m back. Officially!

And what better way to come back than with some ridiculous cinnamon twist bread.  Let me break it down – this stuff tastes just like a cinnamon roll but with about half the work. AND it looks pretty impressive, right?!  If you want to take the cinnamon rolli-ness to the next level you could easily spread a quick frosting on top.  My taste testers felt fairly strongly that it was perfect stand alone but, let’s be honest, frosting makes everything better.

…

Read More »

Popovers

Popovers

Popovers might be one of the greatest inventions ever.  They’re so easy.  And so good.  When I made these for Easter dinner I questioned my judgment for not making them more often.  When I was fresh out of college I moved to New York City on a bit of a whim.  My obsession with New York started right around the time I was 9 – mostly because my favorite Babysitter’s Club character (Stacey McGill!) was from the Big Apple.  Living there became a goal so I got a job as a live-in nanny for a family on the Upper East Side.  My experience was… interesting.  It was an all around culture shock – West Coast to East Coast, middle class to upper class but, man, did I love those kids.  I was broken hearted when I said goodbye to them.

Anyway, those kids LOVED popovers so much that I made them pretty often.  When you find a crowd pleaser you stick with it.  Now whenever I make them it reminds me of those kiddos and that crazy year of my life. If anything, it made for some pretty good stories…

I’ve always used the Ina Garten popover recipe. It’s pretty much fool proof and makes light, airy, and perfectly chewy/crunchy popovers every time.

…

Read More »

No Knead Bread

No Knead Bread

Oh carbs, how I love thee…

Before we went to Hawaii my sister-in-law and I did a 2-week, no/low carb diet.  I nearly died.  Well, that’s an exaggeration.  BUT, I definitely missed carbs that’s for sure.  It didn’t help that she lost 5 lbs and I gained 1.  I think it was my body’s way of telling me that it NEEDS carbs… Or, at least that’s what I’m going to tell myself.

Baking bread is sort of overwhelming.  I typically shy away from it because, honestly, it seems like too much of a chore when you can get an awesome loaf at a bakery for about $4.00.

Enter baker extraordinaire Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City.  His recipe for no knead bread is, quite frankly, genius. And, SO EASY. Anyone CAN do this.  And everyone SHOULD do this.

…

Read More »

Lemon & Rosemary Shortbread

Lemon and Rosemary Shortbread

So, here’s the thing… ever since I was little I thought that shortbread was the best cookie out there.  I vividly remember eating my grandmother’s Scottish Shortbread and and thinking, “This shit is good!”.  Well, maybe that’s not exactly what I thought but the sentiment was pretty close.  Watching (and helping) my grandma bake is one of my fondest childhood memories.  She ALWAYS had something baking.  Everyone loved her apple pie but, in my mind, the shortbread that we only got around the holidays was the star.

Now, as an adult, I still have the same enthusiasm for shortbread.  Mostly because there’s nothing wrong with butter, flour, and sugar mixed together but also because it’s really versatile.  This shortbread, in particular, is pretty awesome.  It’s crunchy, and buttery, and savory, and sweet – all at the same time.  These little cookies are fantastic solo but would be fantastic topped with some blue cheese and honey or a slice of triple cream brie. Mmmmmm….

Oh, and they’re super easy.  Enough said.

…

Read More »

Pupcakes for My Favorite Pup

Pupcakes

My sweet little Wrigley (named after Wrigley Field) turned 10 in February.  That’s right, the big 1-0!  I’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old and she has my heart.  I’ve always been a dog lover but she’s pretty much my favorite “person” in the world. Despite her uncanny ability to get on the the table and slyly help herself to whatever she can find – several years ago she ate the blue cheese off of the plated Christmas Eve salads – she’s an unbelievably good dog and I can’t imagine my life without her.

To celebrate Wrigley’s big day (and my furry niece, Eleanor’s, adoption anniversary) I made pupcakes! The adorable little baked doggy treats I’ve seen at various pet boutiques are darling but I’ve always been concerned about the ingredients.  A birthday tummy ache definitely isn’t ideal.

These are super easy, the ingredients are gentle on tummies, and the dogs absolutely loved them!

pupcakes

…

Read More »

Bouchon Bakery’s Banana Muffins

Bouchon's Banana Muffins

If you haven’t been to Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, CA, you’re missing out.  Bouchon, in my humble opinion, is a baker’s mecca.  Everything they make is stunning and oh-so-delicious.  Beyond that, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery cook book is awesome.  It has recipes for everything they sell in the bakery but, more interestingly, there are dozens of notes, tips, and facts about the art of baking.  I received this book 3 years ago as a Christmas gift and I still reference it every couple of weeks.

I’ve been making these muffins for years and they get rave reviews every time.  I haven’t changed the recipe at all because they’re… well… perfect.  Seriously, there is no better recipe for banana muffins out there.  If you follow the recipe exactly you’ll need a kitchen scale so you can weigh all of your ingredients.  I actually prefer this method when I bake but it does take time to adjust to.

…

Read More »

Olive Oil Lemon Cake

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

About a year and a half ago I had the great pleasure of spending two weeks in Italy with my family and best friend.  I’ve travelled quite a bit and Italy swept me off my feet.  We went to Cinque Terre, Florence, and drove a little Fiat through Tuscany – it was inspiring.  One of my favorite things was a cooking class that we took in Cortona.   We planned our menu, tasted our way through the town market, and then spent the day learning to make authentic focaccia, spinach ravioli, pici pasta, stuffed squash blossoms, rice stuffed tomatoes, and lemon olive oil cake (torta di olio oliva e lemoni).

This recipe is proof that the simplicity rules. It’s easy, requires ingredients that you probably have on-hand, and is so rustically beautiful. It’s also tastes amazing. The lemon and olive oil flavors really shine and the drizzle of lemon simple syrup brings everything together.

…

Read More »

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea, and Arugula Salad

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea, and Arugula Salad

In the last month or so this has become one of my go-to meals.  I’ve always been a bit of a meat snob and make every effort to buy local, organic, and humanely raised meat.  More recently, I’ve been trying to turn Meatless Monday into  Meatless Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday so this recipe is ideal.  The chickpeas provide protein (and a crunch!) and the sweet potato helps to fill me up.  Beyond that, it can be enjoyed warm or cold, and is just downright tasty.

…

Read More »