5/26/2011 — Alinea

So I’m not really one to post on restaurants, but when you get to experience the #6 restaurant in the world (#1 in North America), standards kind of don’t matter anymore. $460 per person with wine pairings. Sure, why not? :}

5/26/2011 — Alinea, continued

Carrot Cake!

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

1 hour at 350.

Frosting:
- 8 oz. Neufchâtel cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Next time: whole wheat, decrease sugar by 1/4 cup, cut frosting.

Smitten Kitchen’s Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
I wouldn’t exactly call them whole wheat though since they’re only half wheat…

My tweaks to the recipe:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 small apples

Bamboo charcoal brekkie pizza. :}

Yes…I made blue cheese burgers, baby. They were very mild, though. Def could’ve used more cheese.

To make up for a no-turkey Thanksgiving Thursday, I cooked up a feast yesterday! Conditions weren’t exactly ideal (tiny kitchen, crappy oven, lack of pans), but I think I did alright, especially for a first-time turkey. :}

My aunt’s bread machine broke last night after she already had all the junk in the pan, so I offered to do it by hand after she dumped everything back out in a bowl. It was the worst dough I have ever worked with. And it needed a lot more flour than it had. But look at how massively cute it came out lookin’!

Pictures from the Mediterranean night we cooked up last weekend!

On the menu:
- Hummos
- Baba ghanoush
- Tzatziki
- Borani
- Fattoush
- Falafel
- Lamb Kofta
- Spanakopita
- Baklava

Happy Mother’s Day!

White chocolate raspberry cheesecake with an Oreo crust. Scared about the semi-failed water bath, but this turned out pretty well. Not too shabby for cheesecake #2. :}