Sweet Wild Rice and Coconut Pudding

A classic...with a twitch of a twist! 

What you'll need:

• 1 cup wild sweet rice
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup shaved almonds

Directions: In a medium saucepan combine the rice and water. Simmer uncovered for just about an eternity. When you get fed up (after about an hour and half) you can turn up the heat to help you along. Once the mixture has become mostly softened rice with a liquid base, add the sugar and continue to simmer until it becomes saucy. Once it becomes paste-like and delicious-smelling, take off the heat and add shaved almonds (either into the mixture or as a garnish). Add coconut milk and serve hot.

Zucchini Coconut Curry Soup

I know, I know, I've been on a bit of a zucchini kick tonight, but Trader Joes just happens to sell too many in one package and wasting simply isn't an option: delicious soup, however, is.

What you'll need:

• 4 medium zucs
• 2 tablespoons or so of fresh basil
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon curry paste or a few tablespoons of curry paste (I use red curry)
• 1 can of coconut milk (14 oz)
• A tad bit of salt and pepper

Directions: Puree the zucs, basil, and half cup of broth in a food processor. Put on stove to simmer and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Add extra curry paste at the end if it's too smooth or add more coconut milk if it's too spicy. Easy!

Plethora of goodies stuffed zucchini

Zucchinis seem to either be sickeningly abundant or impossible to find this time of year. If you happen to fall fortunate to the former, this is a delicious and healthy little dinner time snack.

What you'll need:

• 3 medium zucchinis
• half an union
• 1 cup frozen veggies (carrots, peas, and corn work wonders)
• Some salt
• Pepper (if you're not me, of course)
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup (or more, if you (like me) feel the need to substitute your allergies for your obsessions)) grated cheese

Directions: Cut the zucs in half length wise and pit out the centers. Keep the zuc-gunk for the filling. Put the rice on the stove over medium heat in the broth. Simmer until broth mostly evaporates. Preheat the oven to 350 and then pop the zucz in the oven for about 10 minutes. In that time, dice the onions and throw them in a saucepan with the zucchini innards--and a touch of oil. Once the onions soften, add the frozen veggies. Combine that mixture with the rice and topple it into the semi-baked zucchini halves. Throw some cheese on top and toss 'em back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or so until they are to your liking.

Sun-Dried Tomato Rolls

In my attempt to follow some simple directions on a recipe I found online, my dough decided that it would not cooperate with me. Somehow, however, by magic, these turned out quite lovely. Maybe tomatoes are just always on my side, carbs always taste good no matter how much you try to butcher them, or yeast needing to rise is a myth. Whatever the case may be, these are simple and delicious little dumplings of tomatoey goodness.

What you'll need:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (1 packet) or 2 1/2 teaspoons (if you want to follow directions and make life unnecessarily hard on yourself)
• Some delicious granules of salt 
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup (or more, if you're tomato-crazed like me) sun-dried tomatoes

Directions: combine flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir them up together until blended. Add beaten eggs, warm milk, and butter. Stir until a dough forms.  Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes and set aside to rise for about an hour or so. (If you are bread-rising-incompetent like me and it refuses to restructure itself no matter how long you leave it out, don't worry, it will still taste delicious!). Knead the tomatoes into the dough and make into balls (about 6-8) and set on a greased baking sheet. Allow to rise again (which may not happen, silly yeast...) for about half an hour and then bake at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

*note: after careful experimentation it has come to by attention that it works best if the tomatoes are hidden inside the dough--if not, they may burn a tad bit.

Down and dirty overnight coffee cake

This cake is simple to make, but extremely delicious to eat. Its a perfect breakfast and yet perfect for a late night snack...

 2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar; packed

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup of sour cream

2/3 cup of butter; melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup of pecans (optional)

Combine first 5 ingredients, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 1 tsp of cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, sour cream, butter and eggs. Blend on low until moistened and then increase to medium speed for at least 3 minutes. Add the batter to a greased and floured 13 x 9 baking pan. Sprinkle the other half a cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon and pecans on the top of the batter. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Morning- Preheat over to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Stick toothpick or in my case a knife to see if it is done, then ENJOY!

* If you can't wait till morning to eat the cake just go right ahead and bake it then (as directed)

Brie en Croute du Figue

Have you ever developed a relationship with food that left you careless for all other worldly possessions; left simply in a state of culinary ecstasy? That's what happened to my friend and I as soon as our latest experiment touched our lips. We took one bite, looked at each other, and sank deep into the couch, unable to move for at least 10 minutes--basking in pure seduction. That is my Brie en Croute du Figue.

What you'll need:

• 8oz brie cheese wheel
• 1 puff pastry sheet
• Fig spread
• 1 egg
• French baguette
• Apples (granny smith and fuji work perfectly)
• Blackberries (optional)

Directions: Preheat over to 400 degrees. Follow instructions for use on pastry sheet. Once thawed, add an ample amount of fig spread to the middle of the pastry sheet. Spread in a circle the same size of the wheel of brie, then place the brie on top of the fig spread. Fold the sides of the pastry sheet up around the brie and pinch shut. Pull away any extra dough and set aside for decoration. Beat the egg and lather on top of the punched dough. Turn the brie over and place on baking sheet. Use the extra dough to make any design you deem appropriate. Once the decoration is applied, use more of the beaten egg to coat the whole wheel. Place in the oven (fig side on top) and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before eating. Cut up the french bread and apples (and blackberries) for dipping. Cut a wedge out of the brie wheel to allow the mixture to seep out...and enjoy (and you will!)

Serves 4-6 (or in my case, 2)

Lavender Lemonade

A bit late in the season but always a classic summer refresher. If you can find fresh lavender, this is the perfect summer drink (excellent with vodka...but not if you're on the mormon side of things...)

What you'll need:

• 1/3 cup fresh lavender
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 quart of lemonade (store bought or homemade)

Directions: Cut up and mush all the lavender so that all the juices start oozing out. Combine that in a medium sauce pan with the water and sugar to boil. Once boiling reduce heat and allow to simmer until the mixture becomes syrup-like (about 10 minutea). Strain the lavender out of the syrup and allow to cool completely (about an hour in the fridge). Pour desired amount (by richness and sweetness) into a glass of lemonade, add a sprig of lavender for decoration and enjoy!

*note: it's better to make your own lemonade because it won't be as sweet at a store bought kind. The lavender syrup adds a lot of sweetness so you want the lemonade base to be more bitter and lemony.

Artsy Eggers

Eggs are such a staple in diets across the world, but frying them up, scrambling them, and hard boiling them can get a bit boring...so we added a little twist. The concocktion can be done a couple different ways (just ask the two of us: Tiffany prefers peppers and Sara loves her tomatoes). So take the recipe in stride and play with it as you please.

What you'll need:

• 1 large tomato or bell pepper
• 4 medium eggs
• 12 sprigs of fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Cut the tomato or bell pepper into 1/4 inch slices and scrap/blot out any seeds and moisture. Place in frying pan over medium-low heat and add crack an egg into the center. Allow to cook through until there is a slight layer of eggy film on top. Add the basil and make sure it sticks, then flip the egg over to cook the other side. Add salt and pepper to taste and wallah! Artsy eggers!

Serves 4.

Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles

Don't let the name fool you, this is incredibly easy to make!

What you'll need:

• 1 bag of strawberry milkshake oreos
• 8oz block of cream cheese
• 1 bag each of milk or dark (whichever you prefer) and white chocolate morsels

Directions:  Set aside 4 or 5 oreos for later use. Crush the remaining oreos in a food processor until well mixed. Add the cream cheese and mix until blended, but still a tad lumpy. In two double broilers melt the two bags of chocolate separately. Roll the oreo-cream cheese into balls (about an inch in diameter) and place on parchment paper. One by one roll the balls into the melted chocolate in whatever designs you choose. Crumble remaining oreos on top of freshly dipped truffles as a topping. Allow the truffles to cool at room temperature until the chocolate coating has hardened (about an hour). Eat immediately, refrigerate, or freeze.

*note: the chocolate will melt very easily so make sure to keep cool before eating.

Pairing: because of their rich taste and delicate texture, they go very well with a nice cup of light black tea. Black rose, earl grey, and red chai's are perfect. If you're alcoholically inclined, a nice pinot noir would also serve very nicely for an after dinner treat.

Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles: Messy...but disgustingly delicious!