Purple Mashed Potatoes + My Cooking Challenge

Cooking has never come naturally to me. Cooking to me can sometimes seem intimidating and overwhelming so I typically will stick with making things I know and can't mess up like pasta or my lunch go to of turkey bacon and eggs with tortillas. I want to start being a little more adventurous with my cooking skills and learn to be more confident with the dishes I serve. So I have decided to try cooking every dish in The Forest Feast by Erin Gleason. Consider her my Julia Child...

My boyfriend gave me her book for Christmas and I have made just one thing so far (Rosemary Roasted Nuts) and it came out really well, I think! As I am deathly allergic to nuts, I left him to be the judge! The book is AMAZING! It is so colorful and beautifully photographed, I could look at it every day. The book has great fresh recipes that are simple to make and great for someone that is trying to develop their cooking abilities. So here goes my attempt at cooking...

:INGREDIENTS:

6 purple potatoes*

1/2 C greek yogurt 

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tspn garlic powder

salt and pepper

* I couldn't find regular sized purple potatoes and as I was leaving Mariano's I found a display with a variety of fingerling potatoes. So I stood there rummaging through the basket and picking out just the purple ones. Just a tip incase you can't find larger ones!

:RECIPE:

1. Boil 6 purple potatoes for 15-20 minutes(until tender).

2. Peel the potatoes. 

3. Combine in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mash until smooth.

4. Garnish with greek yogurt and chopped scallions and ENJOY! 

The recipe was incredibly easy to follow an they came out beautifully! 

Old Fashion Donuts + My Plate Obsession

I am not quite sure where my affinity for beautifully crafted plates originated but perhaps it all started when I was growing up. Ever since I can remember my mom has always had colorful and delicate plates hanging in our kitchen. Her collection from around the world creates a wonderful aesthetic and always keeps me eyes wandering around the walls. 

Anthropologie is a store I will cautiously visit because I literally would buy everything in this store. I recently discovered a collection of Calligrapher Canape Plates with 26 unique and delicately water colored paintings and I was lucky enough to receive them as christmas and birthday gifts this year! I am looking forward to seeing this collection grown and finally getting to use them!

To say I like donuts is a complete understatement because if I had the opportunity I would gladly eat a dozen of them with absolutely no shame! Not to mention if I'm ever in the city before 12 pm I will always make it a point to try and go to either Donut Vault(if I have cash) or Do-Rite-Donut. So now I thought it was my turn to have a go at making these sinful treats!

:INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
Canola oil(for frying)

3 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 1/2 tspn corn syrup
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 tspn lemon extract(or vanilla)
1/3 cup hot water

:DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl sift together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg.

2. In a mixer beat the eggs and sugar together. Then add the egg yolks until well blended. 

3. Add the dry ingredients AND the sour cream alternating between the two. Start with the dry ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for an hour. 

4. On a floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Then using a donut cutter, cut out as many donuts as you can, rolling out the dough a few time with the scraps. 

5. Pour about 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy pan or deep fryer and heat it to 325 degrees. Then toss in 2-3 at a time and cook about 2 minutes on each side. Then lay on paper towel to soak up the excess grease. 

6. For the glaze whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon extract, hot water, corn syrup and salt together until smooth. Then dip the donuts in the glaze and let it sit on the rack for about 10 minutes. 

7. ENJOY!!!!!