There was this place growing up called Muffins, etc. that had the best muffins. It’s probably been at least 15 years since I went there, but I still remember the atmosphere in that place, and the amazing muffins. If I could get a place like that in DC, I would be so incredibly happy. But in the meantime, I guess I just have to make my own muffins. I made these back in July to eat on a drive up to Hamilton for a friend’s wedding. We were going to be in the car for 7 hours each way, so I figured we could use some sustenance. These treats served their purpose quite well.
Author Archives: thepetitecroissant
My Favorite Meal of the Week – Baked Salmon
Salmon is another one of those things I’ve only come to enjoy as an adult. It’s been a battle (even when I started eating white fish, I couldn’t do salmon). But recently, I’ve been wanting to try a salmon dish at home because the last couple times I’ve had it at restaurants, I’ve really enjoyed it. Dave had a recipe from his mom, Carmen, that he really wanted to try on some frozen salmon he’d found at Trader Joe’s, so I decided to be the taste tester so that I could share it on the blog. And I have to say, while I may not have helped, I did supervise and it’s very easy to prepare. We just served ours with some sautéed broccoli.
Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Syrup and Bacon
Yeah that’s right, these have bacon. I am a full hearted supporter of bacon. I also fully support a person’s decision to be a vegetarian, but as long as bacon exists, that’s just not something I could do. But for those of you who don’t like (gasp) or don’t eat bacon, these would also be delicious without the bacon. So go forth and make them, regardless of your level of love for bacon.
My Favorite Meal of the Week – Ceviche
Ceviche is one of those things I’ve only more recently started to like. For a long time, I avoided almost all seafood. This really only ended when my parents took me to Turks and Caicos for Christmas and I realized that if I was going to eat anything on the trip, I really needed to start enjoying fish. So while I was home this summer, I got my dad to make his famous ceviche. And I have to say, I deserve no credit for this recipe. I just simply sat back, photographed the steps, and then ate the amazing food.
Angel Food Cake (GF and Regular)
I have very fond memories of angel food cake from my childhood. This cake is so light and fluffy, and goes so well with so many toppings, which is probably why we ate it at lots of family birthday celebrations. So in honor of my birthday tomorrow, my grandmother’s birthday on Wednesday, and my mom’s birthday next Sunday (yes Septembers were really crazy in our house), I wanted to share these recipes with you all.
While I was home in California this summer, I decided to do a taste test and bake a regular angel food cake, and a gluten free version (my mom has celiac disease). My awesome friend Jenny (who also has a birthday this coming week) helped, and I have to say they were both equally delicious. So if you’re entertaining anyone in the near future who has celiacs, I definitely recommend this cake. And if not, well go ahead and make it for yourself. Just be prepared to go through a carton of egg whites!
My Favorite Meal of the Week – Grilled Veggie Sandwich
When I come home to California in the summer, I feel like all I eat is fresh veggies and fruits. In my parents’ garden alone, I can find tomatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplants, nectarines, plums, peaches, blackberries, and tons of flowers and herbs. And living on the east coast, I definitely feel deprived of all of this fresh produce, so we often try to eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible in one meal. One of my favorite meals at home is grilled veggies on bread with pesto and fresh tomatoes. So before summer ends, I just wanted to share this dish with you. This is one of those that doesn’t really have a recipe. It’s really about doing whatever fresh vegetables you can find at your local market. But here’s a list to give you some ideas.
Ingredients
2 slices of your favorite bread per person (I bought rosemary bread at Whole Foods)
1 cup fresh made pesto
Sliced zucchini, squash, eggplant, onion, pepper, brushed with oil
Sliced tomato to garnish
Sliced cheese, optional
1. Warm bread in oven (if using cheese, go ahead and melt it on the bread). Grill veggies on grill. Make pesto (see here).
2. Top bread with pesto and cheese, cover with as many vegetables as you can, and then top with fresh tomato.
Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
Once strawberries are in season, I usually buy several containers every week. I just can’t get enough. I saw this recipe and knew I had to partake. Buttermilk always does something so amazing to dough, it’s so light and airy. And the strawberries just make it even better. I’m dairy free so I didn’t serve it with anything else, but this would have been amazing with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
My Favorite Meal of the Week – Healthy Curry Chicken Salad
I love a good curry chicken salad. And for the last couple years, I’ve been relying on the pre-made one from Trader Joe’s. But for some reason, the last two times we’ve bought it, I haven’t liked it as much. I think they started putting too much mayo in it. So I decided it was time for me to just start making my own. But because I don’t really like mayo, I decided to use my mom’s healthy version – with hummus instead. I love throwing it on a bed of lettuce or some toasted bread for lunch.
Raspberry Macaroons
So these were actually a special request from my friend Sarah. And since Sarah graciously helped me with the redesign of this blog, I figured I had to make something when she requested it. Plus, I needed to make a dessert while I was home in CA, and since these are gluten free, it was perfect. And oh dear. I am so glad Sarah requested these because they are amazing!! I don’t always love raspberries in desserts, but for some reason they go so well with the coconut! Also, these are so simple, especially if you have a food processor.
My Favorite Meal of the Week – Spicy Cucumber Gazpacho
At a dinner party this summer, our friends made an amazing spicy cucumber gazpacho that I wanted to recreate. I decided it would be the perfect thing to take to jazz in the sculpture garden on a humid Friday night. But as luck would have it, jazz got rained out. But we still really enjoyed this soup. We ate it for dinner with some garlic bread, but you could also serve it as a light summer appetizer.
the petite croissant 