Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a day and Kale Chips

I've read about this no-knead/5 minutes a day bread for a long time and I decided that I finally had to do it. I love bread- my aunt had a bread machine and I remember when we visited her one summer we had fresh bread. It was my first time eating fresh bread and I remember how it tasted just completely different from sandwich bread, which was what I thought of when I thought of bread . My dad also made mantou one summer, a lot of mantous. It's a really easy steamed bread- my next purchase will have to be a steamer so I can make a green onion twisted mantou bread and taro mantou! Ah my favorite! There's nothing like fresh bread. This recipe is from the original source, trust. I'm still working on some quirks and variations I've found online (like no-knead pizza dough!).



My first few batches were strangely undercooked on the inside, but had a great crackley crust. This was so much better than my first attempt at making baguettes and I feel more confident about my bread baking abilities. I've made probably 2 dozen small boules using this recipe. I bake at a slight lower temperature and make really small loaves, just a bit bigger than a dinner roll- it's the only way to fully cook them. It might be my wonky oven though. I'm not sure if this is better than a regular bread recipe- I haven't made enough to really know, but it's nice to have a chunk of dough in the fridge ready to be made into delicious bread.


This next recipe is for kale chips, which was also extensively covered in the blogosphere. The only other time I've had kale is in Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. This dish is easy- just wash and dry the kale, rip off the leaves, toss in olive oil and salt and then bake. They come out light and crispy.... not quite potato chips, the texture is different. But if you're trying to wean yourself off chips and onto a healthier crunchy snack, then this is perfect for you.

Tomato Soup and Butternut Squash soup

It's cold and rainy again in Los Angeles and it's perfect soup season. First is a Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup from America's Test Kitchen- I really need to start subscribing instead of buying issues at Whole Foods. So much research and testing goes into each recipe! This one uses a bizarre method- you use white bread to make the soup "creamy." You can easily substitute a vegetable broth to make it vegetarian. I didn't even know I liked tomato soup because the previous ones I've had tasted like Campbell's tomato soup which is disgusting.

Unfortunately I don't have pictures because this is the week that I left my camera at my parents house and no one was around with a decent camera phone. ): Instead enjoy this picture of a pesto + tomato grilled (american) cheese. Just take my word that this soup is ammaazzzinnngggg.

I've typed the recipe up below:

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Serves 6 to 8
Note: You can use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For a smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step 2.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain (avoiding the bay leaf). Stir in the sugar and bread; bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

2. Transfer half of the soup to a blender. Add 1 tablespoon more oil and process until the soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining soup and remaining 1 table spoon of oil rinse out the Dutch oven and return the soup to the pot. Stir in the chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return the soup to a boil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with additional oil.



The second soup recipe is for a Roasted Butternut Squash soup. This was my first time cooking a squash. I had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be really good- I would eat it plain after roasting it. It becomes really sweet and the edges are caramelized. I always thought squash were mushy and plain.

This has few ingredients so it's easy to make, just cook and blend. I added crispy slices of potatoes and some Tabasco for some extra heat!

Look how orange this is!

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake

Surprise, a healthy delicious chocolate cake! I skipped their glaze and made a ganache of heavy whipping cream and dark chocolate (2:1 ratio). Delicious. It's a very dense cake and it stayed relatively moist over the next 3-4 days.


This is the first time I've used cayenne pepper and I underestimated exactly how spicy it was going to be. Holy crap. Good thing I followed directions and used only the suggested amount. It was a very interesting cake, sweet and spicy.