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Archive for May, 2011

Morels with Roasted Asparagus and Crispy Fried Eggs

Posted in Savory, tagged , , on May 26, 2011| 4 Comments »

Too soon for another asparagus recipe?  Of course not.  Actually this recipe isn’t really about the asparagus, though it is beautiful and works well as an accompaniment to the real star– these gorgeous morel mushrooms.  Like asparagus, morels are now in season in Minnesota.  These rather odd looking mushrooms tend to grow in moist conditions and are often found around dying or dead Elm, Sycamore, and Ash trees.  Old apple orchards are another place to hunt for them.  Morels have an unbelievable, almost indescribable flavor.  As you’d expect, it’s very earthy, but there’s some other unique complexity there as well.  I can’t place it, but it is incredible. The texture is firm and meaty– there’s real substance.

I’ve always wanted to be a mushroom forager, but simply haven’t had the time– yet.  From what I can tell, foraging is both a science (separating the poisonous from the edible) and an art (instinct about where and when to hunt.)  There’s also mystery and secretiveness.  Foragers don’t like to share their hunting grounds.  Exciting!  Though perhaps this is more a reflection of my entertainment standards than anything else.

My husband surprised me with a small bag of morels this week.  He saw some at a Farmer’s Market for a better price than I’d found anywhere else.  Here’s the bad news:  morels are expensive.  Remember that “part science/part art” comment above?  There’s a cost for that.  Even so, you shouldn’t let the price deter you because you won’t need many to make a dish shine.  Their powerful flavor is apparent even in small quantities.  For this dish, I borrowed an idea from my friend Matt, who swears that sauteing them in butter is the best way to enjoy morels.  That’s what I did here, and it turned out beautifully.   This is less a ‘recipe’ and more me just combining three separate ingredients.  With morels, keep in simple in order to focus on the flavor of the mushroom.

The Recipe: Morels with Roasted Asparagus and Crispy Fried Eggs

(Serves 2)

1 bunch thin asparagus (ends trimmed, peeled if necessary)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound  morel mushrooms

4 tablespoons salted butter

2 free-range eggs

Flour, for coating the mushrooms

salt and freshly cracked pepper

To Prepare the Mushrooms:  Cut the mushrooms in half, lengthwise.  Place in a bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of salt.  This will kill any bugs that may be on the mushrooms.  Let them sit for a few hours or overnight.  Rinse with cold water when ready to use and pat dry.  Allow to air dry a bit, if time permits.  (Note:  People are quite divided on the subject of wiping them off with a damp cloth or submerging into water.  Do whatever you want.  This worked for me.)

To Roast the Asparagus:  Pre-heat oven to 400°F.  Place asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile:  In a medium-sized skillet, heat the butter.  Lightly coat the mushrooms in the flour.  Place into the hot butter and saute for around 2 minutes on each side, depending upon the size of your mushrooms.  When finished, remove mushrooms and place on a paper towel.

In the same skillet, using the butter the mushrooms were sauteed in, cook the eggs to your liking.  I prefer mine over-easy.

To assemble: Place the roasted asparagus on a plate and put the egg on the top.  Then sprinkle with the crispy mushrooms.  Finish with salt and pepper, if necessary.  Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy the morels as much as I do.  For other inspirational ideas, check out my friend, Amy’s blog, “Green Your Plate”.  Thanks for stopping by today — have a great weekend!

Laurie

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Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , on May 23, 2011| 5 Comments »

I grew up on a farm in a very rural area of the country.  We had a big grove of trees right behind our house that was perfect for all sorts of adventures– not to mention a few fantastic tree forts.  As a kid, this ‘forest’ was our playground to explore– so long as we were mindful (due to constant warning) of not trampling the wild asparagus.  It grew in bunches right in the middle of the grove, and popped up in late spring.  I recall my parents (as well as my grandmother) ceremoniously harvesting the first asparagus of the year.

I don’t grow my own asparagus, though I wish I did.  Instead, I [im]patiently wait for it to show up at the local farmer’s markets each Spring.  And once it does we tend to go through an “asparagus fest” for the two weeks that its in season. I know, I know, it’s available almost year round at some grocery stores.  I’d rather not buy it unless it’s actually in season though, just as I wait for summer tomatoes and cucumbers to show up locally in July.  It’s just not worth it to buy transported asparagus in the winter– it’s not a winter vegetable, so it doesn’t taste the same.

This Asparagus and Gruyere Tart is so easy it’s almost embarassing to write a blog post about.  The ‘crust’ is made from puffed pastry.  If your not familiar with this little gem, you can either choose to make your own (which can take a little while), or you can buy it ready-made from the grocery store.  This is one of those few times where I recommend buying the pre-made product– it’s in the freezer section, and is generally high-quality and easy to work with.

When preparing the asparagus for the tart, choose medium to thick stalks.  Cut the stalk-ends off, and use a vegetable peeler to peel them about 1/2 way up the stalk.  This will ensure  that the asparagus is tender.  This vegetable pairs so beautifully with the gruyere cheese, while the ridiculously flakey puff pastry is a the perfect canvas to hold it all together. The flavor is incredible.  My husband confessed that he really wasn’t looking forward to this meal– but he ended up loving it.

The Recipe:  Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

(Serves 4)

Flour, for work surface

1 sheet frozen puff pastry  (thaw it according to package instructions)

2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (Emmentaler or Fontina cheese would also work beautifully)

1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus spears (bottoms trimmed and peeled for optimum tenderness)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.  On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 – inch rectangle ( I had a difficult time getting mine to 16 inches — use your best judgement).   Trim uneven edges.  Place pastry on a baking sheet.  With a sharp knife, lightly score the pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle.  Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals.  Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from the oven, and sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese.  Place asparagus in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips.  Brush  with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Bake until spears are tender, 20 – 25 minutes.   Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

Thanks for stopping by Relish It today!  Hope you’re having a great start to your week!

Laurie

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Risotto with Pea Shoots and Smokey Bacon

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , on May 18, 2011| 14 Comments »

Confession time:  I may have a bit of an addiction to cookbooks.  Obviously I cook a lot, so this probably doesn’t sound too out of the ordinary.  Here’s the thing though, even when I acquire a new one (which seems to be happening more and more lately) I’m not satisfied.  I plow through it looking for ideas and admiring the photos, yet almost immediately want another.  This is true, no matter how good the book.  Yup, its an addiction.

There has been chatter lately that with the advent of electronic reading devices, cookbooks may become a thing of the past.  I guess the idea is that the internet (including blogs) and paperless “cookbooks” will make those comforting recipe tomes obsolete.  I disagree.  It seems that as a country, we’re becoming more interested in real, wholesome food.  As people become more comfortable with cooking at home again, I think they’ll return to beautifully written and photographed hard-copy cookbooks.  Sure, being able to find a meal based on ingredients you have on hand by using your computer is nice, but stumbling across a recipe that expands your horizons is what it’s all about.

Anyway…2010 was a stellar year for cookbooks.  Take a look at a few lists here or here.  Today’s recipe comes from one of my favorite new books– Harvest To Heat by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer.  It’s a collaboration of recipes from America’s best chefs, farmers, and artisans.  It is an absolute stunner.

This dish uses pea shoots, which are in-season, locally.  Hopefully, you can get your hands on some of these little gems.  If you can’t, don’t worry.  You can still make it by simply omitting the pea shoots at the end.  Pea shoots are the leaves and tendrils of pea plants.  They are delicate and taste just like peas, but with a bit of a crunch.   Mixing them with salad greens is another way to really enjoy them.  In this dish they are sauteed for just a few seconds and then placed on top of this fantastic risotto.

The risotto itself has a pea puree  swirled into it.  My first thought was to skip making the puree and just add whole peas.  I’m so glad I didn’t.  The puree is lovely and gives the risotto a beautiful soft-green hue.  This dish comes together quickly, so go ahead and put the extra effort in by making the puree.   The herbs add loads of character to what would otherwise be a straight-forward risotto.  The fennel, in particular, really stands out.   The additional acidity of the white wine, countered by the rich flavor of the bacon really brings it together.  It’s creamy, salty, smokey, and fresh– all at once.

The Recipe:  Risotto with Pea Shoots and Bacon

(Serves 6)

2 cups fresh peas (or frozen)

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 left whole and 2 chopped (2 tablespoons)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice

2 cups dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire– though next time I’ll try a less aggresive style.  Perhaps a Pinot Bianco or Pinot Grigio.)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese

1/4 pound bacon or pancetta (about 6 slices), diced

2 cups pea shoots

1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Course salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add the peas and cook for 1 minute.  Drain and cool.  Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree; strain through a mesh strainer and discard and solids.  Set aside.

Wrap the whole parsley sprigs, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and fennel seeds tightly in cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine.

Heat the broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat to a simmer.  Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the bouquet of herbs, the onions, and the garlic.  Cook until the onions and garlic are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat evenly with the onion mixture.  Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is almost completely absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, then add the warm broth 1 cup at a time, stirring the rice constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding additional broth.  Continue to add broth, stirring until the rice is almost cooked through, about 20 minutes.  ( Note: you may not need to use all of the broth.)

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon or pancetta until crisp, 5-8 minutes.  Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then transfer to a small plate and set aside.  Wipe out the skillet and heat 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat; add the pea shoots and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.  Set aside.

When the rice is just cooked through, remove the bouquet of herbs,  then add the pea puree, chopped parsley, chives, and Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle the risotto into soup bowls.  Top each bowl with the crisp bacon or pancetta and pea shoots.  Enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Harvest to Heat Cookbook

Thanks for stopping by!  I love your feedback, so feel free to leave a comment.  Have a fabulous weekend!

Laurie

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Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Sticky Ginger Crumble

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , on May 16, 2011| 5 Comments »

I’ve had a wonderful few weeks here in St. Paul.  Yes, I’ll admit it has been a bit too rainy and cold for my taste, but there have been beautiful days as well.  As for those rainy days, well, they green the grass and allow the flowers and trees to bloom.  I’ve been wandering around the neighborhood with my children, taking in Spring while they shake off the effects of a Winter spent indoors.  Getting back outside is magical.

Once the weather turns for the better, I start counting the days until various fruits and vegetables ripen.  Rhubarb is one of the first, and its also one of my favorites.  As a child, I never understood why anyone would ever put rhubarb in anything.  I had tasted it raw, as many children have, and was less than impressed.  Bitter, sour, overly-tough celery. Yum.  Now I love baking with it, and love the tartness that it adds to any dessert– especially those that are quite sweet.

Rhubarb goes great in many desserts (rhubarb-strawberry pie, anyone?), but I really love it in that simplest of inventions– the fruit crumble.  Cut up some ripe, delicious fruit, mix it with a bit of sugar, then make a crumb topping and bake.  Done.  It’s the perfect stress-free dessert to throw together and enjoy with friends.  It’s very difficult to mess up a crumble– no matter what it’ll be delicious.

The original recipe called for just rhubarb.  I’m sure it would be fantastic if you use just the one ingredient, but I didn’t have enough so I improvised.  Instead, I replaced half the recipe with fresh organic strawberries.  It ended up with that perfect balance of sweet and tartness.

The Recipe:  Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Sticky Ginger Crumble

2  3/4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks

5 cups strawberries, cut into large chunks

2/3 cup brown sugar

Zest and juice of 2 small blood oranges (or 1 regular orange)

1 scant cup of whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

2 pieces of fresh ginger, pealed and chopped

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.  Put the rhubarb half of the sugar (1/3 cup) into a sauce pan.  Add the orange juice and zest, put lid on top, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.  Remove the lid and simmer for a couple more minutes, until the rhubarb has softened slightly.  Remove from heat and add the strawberries.  Pour into an ovenproof baking dish and spread out evenly.

To make the crumble topping, use your fingers to lightly rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in the oats, walnuts, the rest of the sugar (1/3 cup),  and the ginger.  (If you like, you can make the crumble topping in the food processor.  Just add the flour, butter, sugar,  and ginger and pulse a few times.  Then add the oats and walnuts and pulse for a few seconds more.)  Sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb and bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the crumble is golden.

Source:  Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie At Home Cookbook

Thanks again for stopping by for a visit!  Would love to hear if you are making any of the recipes and how they are turning out for you.  Hope you have a great start to the week!

Laurie

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Steamed Mussels with Chorizo, Ramps, and Smoked Paprika

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , , on May 12, 2011| 8 Comments »

I have been craving steamed mussels for a few weeks now.  The culprit was a visit to our favorite gastropub a month or two ago, where we shared steamed mussels with sliced chorizo sausage and had a few local craft beers.  It was a good night.  I love seafood, but don’t get a chance to eat it as much as I’d like here in the Upper Midwest.  A week later, as if to taunt me, the most recent issue of ‘Fine Cooking’ had a steamed-mussel recipe that looked similar to what I’d recently loved while out on the town.  Then I saw another variation on this theme on her blog.  Obviously this was a sign, so I headed down to Coastal Seafoods to buy some shellfish.

No, this is not a “local” dish.  I wish it were.  But fresh walleye is about as close to local seafood as I’m going to get in Minnesota, and this dish definitely won’t work with fish.  Now, back to the mussels.  I can’t believe I don’t make these more often!  They turn an ordinary middle-of-the-week dinner into an exciting and new meal.  Did I mention that they’re incredibly easy to make?  That they taste amazing?  That they’re relatively inexpensive?  How about this:  the whole process– start to finish– takes less than 30 minutes.

The mussels flavor is best described as a “briny goodness.”  The chorizo adds a little spice and contrasting texture.  I chose ground chorizo specifically because of this textural variation– and because we have a local (Yay!) brand that competes for the best I’ve ever tasted.  You can certainly use a Spanish-style, rather than ground, chorizo if you’d like.  Just slice it up 3/8 -inch thick.   The ramps (see here for a discussion on ramps), garlic, and smoked paprika combine nicely with the chorizo.  The dish is completed with a a small amount of white wine.  I made this with a Spanish Albariño– it’ll never lead you astray when matching with seafood.  The dish tastes spicy and divine.  Serve it with the garlicky croutons, pour a glass of that delicious wine, and settle in on the patio for the night.

The Recipe:  Steamed Mussels with Chorizo, Ramps, and Smoked Paprika

Serves 2, generously

3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, 2 minced and 2 thinly sliced

1/2 bunch of ramps, chopped  (white and green parts, only)

1 cup dry white wine,  an Albariño worked nicely (though I’m intrigued by how a minerally wine, like a Sancerre or even Chablis would change the flavor)

1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1/2 pound ground chorizo

1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1 baguette, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Microgreens (for garnish, optional)

Combine the olive oil and the 2 cloves of minced garlic in a small bowl and set aside.

Position an oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high.

In a 6-quart Dutch oven, brown the chorizo until fully cooked.  There should be a bit of oil leftover from the chorizo in the pan, if not add a couple tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the garlic and ramps and saute along with the chorizo for just a few minutes, until soft.  Add the smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds longer.  Add the wine and thyme and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the mussels, coating them with the sauce mixture.  Cover and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until the mussels have opened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush them with the garlic oil, dividing the bits of garlic evenly among the slices.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then broil, rotating the baking sheet as needed, until evenly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.  Make as many as you like.

Discard any mussels that have not opened.  Serve the mussels with the sauce, croutons, and microgreens.  Enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

Make sure to come out and support the National Food Blogger Bake Sale on Saturday.  Proceeds to support Share Our Strength.  Our local gathering in Minneapolis/ St. Paul is at the Midtown Global Market –920 East Lake St. Minneapolis.  The hours are 11:00am – 4:00 pm.  Check to see if your city is having one.

Thanks again for stopping by– I appreciate all of your kind comments.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Laurie

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Ramp Pesto

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , on May 8, 2011| 10 Comments »

Spring is here!  I know, I know– it was official a while back.  But, it’s really official now because ramps have arrived! I look forward to ramp season every year– so much so that my husband eventually ridicules how often I mention “ramps.”  Unfortunately, they’re not available for long, which forces me to fit as many ramp recipes as I can into a brief amount of time.

For the uninitiated, a ramp is actually a wild leek.  Their flavor most closely resembles a cross between a green onion and garlic.  While this makes them versatile, I really love allowing their unique flavor to take center stage.  This pesto does just that.  The wonderful garlic notes from the ramps blend well with the parsley and parmesan without overpowering them.  And ramps and eggs are a heavenly match, whether scrambled (with chopped ramps) or poached, as in this version of Eggs Benedict.

There are many ways to get the most out of this pesto.  It’s a fantastic sauce for pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan, add it as a topping to a rich risotto, or spread some on a toasted baguette with roasted tomatoes.  As the ramp season is so short, you can make extra pesto and freeze it– it keeps well.  Then, when tomatoes peak later this summer, you can bring some out and really get the best of this combination.  I can’t wait!

The Recipe:  Ramp Pesto

1/2 cup toasted walnuts pieces

1 cup Italian parsley (packed, then loosely chopped)

1 bunch ramps, (white and red parts only), chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

red pepper flakes, to taste

Begin by toasting the walnuts in a small frying pan for a couple of minutes until they become aromatic.  Stirring and being very careful not to burn them.   They don’t need to be fully toasted, just enough to bring out their nutty flavor.  Remove from pan, and set aside.

Next, in a small food processor, combine the ramps, parsley, walnuts, parmesan, red pepper flakes, and a sprinkle of salt and cracked black pepper.  Pulse the mixture for a few seconds until it is somewhat mixed.  Turn the food processor on and slowly stream the olive oil through the liquid hole on top of the lid.  When the pesto looks homogeneous, after a minute or two, turn off the machine and  adjust seasonings, if necessary.  The pesto will keep covered in the refrigerator for around 3 days.  Enjoy!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Thanks for stopping by!

Laurie

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Maple Walnut Pear Cake

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , on May 2, 2011| 6 Comments »

I live in Minnesota, where the maple trees are now being tapped.  Yes, its a bit of poetic dreaming, but this makes me long for a little country home with my very own maple trees, big red barn, and sprawling garden.  I conveniently ignore the “back-breaking labor” part of that dream.  While I don’t get to live the bucolic life here in the middle of the city, I’m fortunate enough to have access to the local, delicious maple syrup from nearby (not to mention a few fantastic farmers markets).

I love maple syrup, though this wasn’t always true.  The fact is, for most of my childhood I’d never had the real thing.  I detested the overly-thick, sugary mess that most restaurants labled “maple syrup.”  At home, we usually had a berry syrup, as getting real maple in rural North Dakota wasn’t an option at the time.  Once I finally had a taste, I was hooked.  I couldn’t believe that it was nothing like the gloppy corn syrup-based knock-offs I had been exposed to.  It was thin– delicate almost– and just sweet enough.

A friend recently told me about a fantastic cake recipe by David Lebovitz— one of my favorite accomplished chefs.  This maple walnut pear cake is perfect for this time of year.  It’s one of those desserts that’s simple to throw together and toss into the oven, yet the result is so much more than an ordinary cake.  The flavor-combination is beautiful.  The maple syrup, walnut, and pear build off of one another, while the cinnamon binds them all together.  This is a moist cake that gets better with each passing day.  I think I even prefer it on the second day when the glaze really gets a chance to soak in.  But seriously,who’s going to wait that long for a piece?  Try it– you’ll love it.  And for goodness sakes, don’t forget the whipped cream!

The Recipe: Maple Walnut Pear Cake 

Topping:

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

3 ripe Bosc pears (I used D’Anjou and they worked fine), peeled, quartered, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the topping:  Combine the maple syrup and 1/4 cup dark or light brown sugar in a 9-inch cake pan or a cast-iron skillet.  Set the pan directly over the heat on the stovetop until it begins to bubble; simmer gently for 1 minute, stirring often.  Remove pan from heat.

Sprinkle walnuts evenly over maple mixture in the pan, then arrange the pear slices over the walnuts.  A pinwheel pattern works perfectly.

Make the cake:  In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt).  In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or by hand, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.  Gradually mix in half of the flour mixture, then stir in the milk, then add the remaining flour mixture.  Mix just until combined.

Scrape the batter over the pears in the pan and carefully smooth into an even layer.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes in the pan.

Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan.  Invert a serving plate, or cake stand, over the pan, and carefully invert cake onto it.  Gently lift the pan off of the cake and arrange any walnuts that may have gone astray.

(Note:  Apples can easily be substituted for the pears in this cake.)

Source:  David Lebovitz’s: Ready for Dessert

One last note…Food Bloggers across the country are uniting on May 14 to help fight childhood hunger.  In Minneapolis/St. Paul the bake sale will be held at 920 East Lake St. Mpls, MN 55407 — in the Midtown Global Market.  The hours of the sale are 11:00am-4:00 pm.  I hope you come out and support this important cause.

Hope you are all well and enjoying a bit of spring!  As always, I appreciate your comments!

Thanks for stopping by,

Laurie

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