May 29, 2009

tuna and beans


June is almost here! That means the end of school, and the start of summer. For some reason, I haven't really been able to grasp the idea of it yet- maybe because the weather keeps being so lousy, or the fact that my neighborhood grocery store has yet to stock up on peaches (which remind me oh so much of what seems to be the never-arriving pie season). To top it off, I'm still getting as much, if not more work from my teachers than I had earlier this year. In spite of these, what I consider, devastations, my spirit has yet to be downtrodden. I've already placed my order for my first ever subscription of Cook's Illustrated magazine, and the new issue should be coming in time for the warm weather! Oh, the anticipation!

And how could I forget? I visited my grandmother last weekend and -gasp!- I received my very own Le Creuset pot! She decided she didn't use it as much as I would- though I've only used it once in the past two weeks. It was quite an important decision, though, deciding what meal to "christen" it with (I resolved that any use of a Le Creuset deserved such consideration, even though it had technically been "christened" before. I saw no reason to recognize this).

As I'm still waiting for the seasonal fruits and veggies to be available, I have to rely on the classics. My dad has been making this tuna and beans dish for years- it's incredibly simple, but full of flavor- plus, it can be made year-round. First, I chopped about 2 medium cloves of garlic, and sauteed them in a small/medium saucepot just for a minute. Then, I added a 15oz can of chopped tomatoes (you could use about 2 large, fresh tomatoes instead), and a can of chickpeas, and let this simmer for about 10 minutes. Then, a can of good tuna in olive oil goes in (I used Genova- you want to drain some of the oil, but not a lot), and it cooks with the beans just until hot. Voila, it's ready! You can always add some salt, pepper, or (fresh) basil if desired.

May 4, 2009

pignoli cookies



Wow, so much time has gone by and I haven't had time to make a single post, sorry! Spring break passed way too quickly, and the months have just seemed to fly by. During which, I went to the Hamptons for a week. Some of my favorite parts of the Hamptons, like the  little shacks with delicious corn on the cob, and the tons of people, make it a fun scene. Plus, Levain Bakery has a shop in the Hamptons. Oh! I can't even begin to explain my enthusiasm for little orchards and fruit stands along the side of winding roads. Unfortunately, I came a week too early. A week. If only I waited a few more days, I would have left a few pounds heavier, full of cookie, and other summery treats. Ok, so I admit I hit the Manhattan bakery right on my way home, but it's not the same! 
Anyway, summer will be here soon- pie season! I can't wait. School has been keeping me so incredibly busy now that it's the second half of the year, and I haven't even been able to cook many new things nowadays- I'm working on it! A couple weeks back I made these cookies for my Italian class and they were delicious! They have a great unique nutty flavor from the almond paste, and with the pine nuts, it's unbeatable.