Rubato Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto

This blog entry is brought to you by my wonderful fiancee!

This recipe is adapted from one found in How Easy is That? by Ina Garten. It was originally made with Parmesan cheese but I chose to go vegan. They came out quite savory so I'd say the cheese isn't a must.

Ingredients

Pesto

1/4 cup pine nuts

4 large cloves garlic, minced

5 cups fresh basil

1-2 tsps kosher salt (extra to taste)

1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

Other ingredients

12 fresh Roma tomatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Dried oregano

Fine salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degreees F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with olive oil or olive oil spray. Set aside.

Pesto: Place pine nuts, garlic, and a dash of olive oil in a food processor. Run for 15 seconds or until homogenous. Add basil, salt, and pepper and, with food processor running, add remainder of olive oil. Process until pureed.

Tomatoes: Core and slice tomatoes in half widthwise. Place on pan. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread pesto on top of tomatoes. Bake for another 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• Mambo Italiano - Dean Martin
• Santa Lucia - Traditional Italian song

Chopin's Chocolate Cupcakes With Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This delightful recipe comes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in NYC. With their combination of dark chocolate and the light fluffiness of the frosting, I found these cupcakes to be the perfect confection for a wintry day.

Ingredients

cupcakes

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 sticks vegan butter, softened (Earth Balance)

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

4 eggs

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (I recommend the Trader Joe's brand)

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

frosting

2 sticks vegan butter

6 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup soy milk

2 tsps vanilla extract

Directions

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake cups and set aside.

In a small bowl, sift flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and then add to the butter mixture. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture, alternating with the soy milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into the cups until they are about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25. Remove from oven and allow to cool in their tins for about 20 minutes.

Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter, 4 cups of confectioner's sugar, soy milk, and vanilla. Add in the remaining 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and blend until smooth and fluffy. Pipe or spread on to cupcakes and enjoy!

Music Suggestions:

• Piano Concerto No.2: Mvt. II- Chopin
• Arabesque No. 1- Debussy

Concertante Chocolate Plum Torte

This recipe comes from the wonderful food blog, Cannelle et Vanille, a site that is dedicated to healthy yet delicious desserts and other dishes. For those of you who are speculative when it comes to health food and dessert, do not shy away from this recipe. It is absolutely divine! The chocolaty richness of the torte is perfectly balanced by the light sweetness of the plums. A sure taste-bud pleaser.

Ingredients

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegan butter

2 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I used the semisweet Trader Joe's chocolate chips)

1 cup almond flour

1/4 brown rice flour

2 Tbsps cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 black plums, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set atop a sauce pan with a 1/2 cup of water. Turn flame to medium and allow to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Fold in the chocolate mixture. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well to create a thick batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place the plum slices in a fan-like arrangement working from the outside edge going in. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the torte. Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• Consolation No. 3 in D-flat Major: Lento Placido- Franz Liszt
• Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83: III. Andante- Piu adagio- Johannes Brahms

Paganini's Precocious Chocolate Cake

Originally titled Racine's Cake (it is named for the Parisian restaurant from which it comes), this cake is a favorite of David Lebovitz's, one of my favorite cookbook authors. Complex in flavor, yet light in texture, it was only appropriate to dedicate this cake to the violinist and composer Nicolo Paganini for his dark yet playful musical temperament.

Ingredients

cocoa powder

10 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I like to use the Trader Joe's semisweet chocolate chips)

1/2 cup vegan butter

1 Tbsp freshly brewed espresso (or very strong instant coffee, if you want to cheat)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsps sugar

2 Tbsps coca nibs (I used chopped pecans as I did not have cocoa nibs)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan and dust well with cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a large heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate, butter, and espresso. Set the bowl over a saucepan that contains about a 1/2 cup of water. Turn the flame on medium and allow the chocolate and butter to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, combine the six egg yolks with a 1/4 cup of sugar. Blend with a hand mixer until pale in fluffy. In a separate medium sized bowl, blend the six egg whites with a hand mixer just until they begin to hold their shape. Add the remaining 2 Tbsps of sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

Fold the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate mixture and then fold in the egg white mixture. Mix gently until there are no streaks left. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the cocoa nibs (or pecans) on top. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• Violin Concerto No. 1 in D, Op. 6- Nicolo Paganini
• 24 Caprices for Violin, Op. 1: No. 24 in A Minor- Nicolo Paganini

Presto Peanut Butter Banana Bread

This delicious recipe was featured on the cover of the October 2010 issue of Cooking Light. Very easy to make, this breakfast treat will not let you down.

Ingredients

Bread

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana

1/3 cup Tofutti sour cream

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsps vegan butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cups oat bran (or ground flaxseed)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp allspice

2 Tbsps dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Glaze

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp soy milk

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

Bread: In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients with a hand mixer. Add the sugar and brown sugar and mix well. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the next 5 ingredients. Add this mixture to the banana mixture in the large bowl. Stir until just blended. Add in the chopped peanuts. Pour the batter in to the the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the banana bread from the pan and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Glaze: In a small bowl combine all 3 ingredients. Whisk well and drizzle over top of the bread to glaze it. Enjoy!

Music Suggestions:

• On the Sunny Side of the Street- Ella Fitzgerald
• Banana Pancakes- Jack Johnson

Musical Maple Bundt Cake

If fall had a flavor, this bundt cake would be it. Not too heavy or dry, it makes for the perfect dessert or scrumptious breakfast.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2 tsps baking powder

2 tsps baking soda

2 tsps ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup

1 1/3 cups water

2/3 cup canola oil

2 Tbsps vanilla extract

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

2 tsps maple extract

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan and set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, maple extract, and 1 1/3 cups of water. Stir in flour mixture until well blended.

Pour batter into the bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before turning over the pan to allow to unmold onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• Autumn in New York- Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
• A Foggy Day- Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Arpeggiated Apple Pie

This apple pie recipe has to be one of the most unusual and most delicious ones I have ever come across. A lover of animal crackers, I was intrigued by the incorporation of this kid-friendly classic.

Ingredients

filling

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsps instant tapioca

2 Tsps cinnamon

3 Tbsps fresh lemon juice

crust

1 1/2 cups animal crackers

3 1/2 flour

1 stick vegan butter (Earth Balance)

1 stick vegan shortening (Earth Balance)

6 Tbsps ice water

Glaze

3/4 cup reserved apple juice (from filling)

2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp vegan butter

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a pie dish and set aside.

Filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar and salt. Set aside for about 30 minutes to allow the apples to release their juices. Collect 3/4 cup of the apple juice and set aside for glaze.

After you remove your apple juice, toss the apples with the cinnamon, tapioca, and lemon juice.

Crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, 1 stick of butter, and 1 stick of shortening. Process until a coarse meal has formed. Gradually add in the ice water until the dough has formed. Remove dough, divide into two halves and set aside. Using the food processor again, crush the animal crackers and sugar until they become a powdery consistency. Dust your work surface with the animal cracker mixture and roll out your first slab of dough on top of it. Place the rolled out dough in the prepared pie dish. Poke holes in the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork. Pour the apple filling into the pie dish on top of the crust. Re-dust your work surface with the animal crackers and roll out the other half of the dough to create the top crust. Place the dough on top of the pie filling, trim and seal the edges. Cut vents into the top of the pie to allow for heat to escape. Bake for about 1 hour or until the pie is golden brown.

Glaze: Simmer the reserved apple juice over medium heat until it has reduced to about 1/4 its amount. Remove form heat and stir in lemon juice and butter. Whisk in confectioner's sugar and brush the glaze on top of the pie once it has come out of the oven. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving (the cooling process will allow for the glaze to set). Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• I'll Fly Away- O Brother, Where Art Thou?: The Kossoy Sisters
• Big Rock Candy Mountain- Harry McClintock