Given the choice between being home and not being home… I’m the girl that always chooses home.

Brooklyn is amazing.  San Francisco is delicious.  Baltimore is bonkers.  Home is my heart.  Home is where I keep my jar of Sharpie markers, my clean white sheets with the familiar smell, and my giant mankitten.

Home is also where I keep my fry thermometer and bowl of apples.

Home will come soon… until then, I still have some new sights to put my eyes on.  Until then… please enjoy these fried apple things I made.

Imagine what onion rings would taste like if they were made out of apples instead of onions… and then topped with sugar.

Totally easy to imagine, mostly because it’s done and done right here.

I never seem to have much luck with an apple corer.  God made apple all wonky and crooked.  The core never goes straight down.  I use a small, 1-inch circular biscuit cutter to chop the core out of apples.

See there?  I just popped the holes out!

The beginning of apple doughnuts!

This is a double battered creation.  The first batter is a milky cinnamon sugar batter.  This lays the base for the second batter… crispy panko bread crumbs.

The milk batter adds sugar, spice and flavor, the panko bread crumbs keep the doughnuts crispy.  Also… anything double battered is inherently awesome.

They look just like onion rings, but they’re dessert!

Ps.  I also consider onion rings to be dessert… but maybe that’s just me.

I love to sprinkle these fried apples with powdered sugar, and serve hot out of the fryer.  The batter is spiced and crunchy, the apple inside is tender with just a hint of crunch.  They’re cooked but still maintain a bit of crunch.

Note:  It’s past midnight… and I’ve lost my mind raiding my chocolate drawer.

Second Note:  I have a chocolate drawer… it’s an occupational perk and hazard.

Third Note:  I used to have a chocolate drawer.  Just wrappers now.

Fourth Note:  Why does Kim Kardashian insist on making such a joke of her life?  It must be the money.  Right?  It’s gotta be the money.

… and now!  SALAD.

I know what you want.

It’s not Brussels Sprouts.

I know what you want… because what you want is what I want.

You want chocolate.  I know this because I’m eating chocolate, kinda right now.

Seriously though…  we have to play it cool.  We have to sit at the table until we finish our vegetables.

There’s salted caramel in our future.  There’s fried things.  There’s cocktails.  There’s all the buttery things you would expect from me.

Eyes on the prize.  Let’s just hush up and eat our pretty salad.

If we’re going to eat a salad, I insist that it be pretty and jeweled.

This is fennel.  It’s licorice crunch.

Sexy, jeweled, murder fruit.

Pomegranates are gorgeous… and they stain EVERYTHING.

Thinly sliced apples and slivered almonds.

YEA!  In a salad!

All of this goodness gets tossed with shaved, raw Brussels sprouts.  This salad was inspired by Cube restaurant in Los Angeles.  I think this preparation of Fall Brussels sprouts is divine, fresh, and super healthy.

I tossed this salad with fresh lemon juice, good olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Very simple.

Perhaps you want to try a Poppy Seed Vinaigrette, or a Green Goddess Dressing.

Eat up.  Prepare yourself for the caramel and cheesecake that’s about to happen here.

Apple Pomegranate Brussels Sprout Salad

makes 4 small or 2 large portions

inspired by Cube restaurant in Los Angeles

Print this Recipe!

about 1 pound of Brussels sprouts (I used about 20 sprouts)

1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

1 small fennel bulb, sliced very thin

1 Fuji apple, sliced thin

handful of toasted slivered almonds

salt and pepper

lemon and olive oil

Rinse brussels sprouts of any dirt or grime.  Place on a cutting board horizontally, and slice thinny, creating little brussels sprout rounds and ribbons.  Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Wearing an apron, deseed pomegranate and gather about 1/2 cup of seeds.  Add to the brussels sprout bowl.

Add thinly sliced fennel and apple, as well as the slivered almonds.  Toss together using hands.  Add the juice of 1 lemon, a good drizzle of olive oil, and a healthy pinch of salt and coarsely ground pepper.  Toss together, let rest for about 20 minutes in the fridge so the lemon can slightly soften the sprouts.

Serve in generous portions.  Top with more pomegranates if you’re feeling fancy.  I’m always feeling fancy.[/printab

Bananas should always be bread.  It’s just what’s right.  Like how grapes should always be wine… or jelly.  I can’t handle eating a plain banana.  I have to drown… completely drown it in peanut butter, or wrap it in white bread and drench it in honey.  I just can’t handle it.

I’ll tell you what I can handle.  Sweet, warm banana bread.  With strawberries.  With peanut butter.  With oatmeal.  With mango.  Whatever you do, don’t stop.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Banana Bread I made this and ate a major amount… and I didn’t even feel bad.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread As good as you think it sounds.

Strawberry Banana Bread And there’s browned butter.  I know.  I just won’t quit.

Vegan Mango Banana Bread Double fruit!

Vegan Pineapple Coconut Banana Bread A lot of words.  A lot of awesome.

Rot some bananas and get your body bakin’!

Ps.  I’m making kale chips today.

My goodness.  This world has these seasons planned out just perfectly.  Amidst super rain, chilly wind and grey skies, we get blood oranges, tangerines and grapefruit!

Big, bright, cheek puckering citrus is perfect for winter breakfast.  I know… it happened this morning.

I’d also like to thank the good world for creating coffee and hot cocoa and whole milk… and putting them all in my coffee cup this morning.

Just swell.

You have to treat your citrus right for this breakfast.  That means peeling and segmenting.  Do you know how to do this?

Cut the bottom and the top off of the citrus, exposing the flesh.  Run a pairing knife down the sides of the citrus, peeling off the skin and white pith.  At a slight angle, slice in between the white lines of the citrus, creating clean little grapefruit flesh slices.

It takes time, but is totally worth the effort.

See all the brown specks in the blue bowl?  That’s the browned butter.  Ooooh goodness.  So delicious.  It’s rich and nutty and a wonderful balance to the  bright citrus.

These are my new favorite winter pancakes.  Such a treat to my heart.

ps.  If you’re as obsessed with citrus as I am, you might also enjoy this Super Citrus Smoothie.

I’m not allowed to be vegan because:

I sometimes carry a pound of butter around in my purse.

I stir fry my tofu in bacon fat.

I seriously consider grating cheese on my pillow before I go to bed at night.

(ok… not really.  that’s just weird.)

I think heavy cream should be awarded its own national holiday.  I’d like that day off work too… sweet, thanks.

If a stranger handed me an egg.  I’d eat it.  I would.

Just because I’m not allowed to be vegan doesn’t mean that I can’t make a stellar vegan dessert from time to time.

This cobbler is such a delight… I’ll tell you what!

I made the whole recipe without measuring a thing.  Not one thing!  I looked at the recipe, read it through, then estimated the amounts.  A little of this.  A little of that… and BINGO!  Success!

I encourage you to do the same thing.  This recipe is loose enough for such brazen actions.

This vegan cobbler is simple and delicious.

Seasonal peaches and berries are baked with a bit of spice and loads of oat and maple topping.

Feel free to use any combination of summer fruit that excites you.

I made six mini cobblers, but you might want to bake up a9-inch square pan.  Don’t be shy.

Beautiful and simple summer food.  With cinnamon.  Do this.

And the bubbled over berry goodness?  Be still my heart.

These are my Mom’s hands.  They’re two parts lady lumber jack, one part awesome raiser of children, and three parts amazing gardener.  That’s six parts total.  Arbitrary… I know.

I love Mom hands… they tend to have super knowledge.

I taught my mamabear how to make Apricot Crostatas.  Pie dough.  Egg wash.  Wait.  Not so much egg wash.  Fruit.  Fold.  That’s basically how to lesson went.

What.  Back up.  What the heck is a Crostata?  I’m glad you asked.  Crostatas are like free form fruit pies… pies without the limitations of a pie tin.  I like to make a mini version of a crostata because… I’m greedy and I don’t like to share.  Also… eating six mini crostatas is easier on the guilt brain that eating and entire  regular sized crostata.  Been there.  Done it.  Whateves.

Come on… let’s bake fruit things.

Let’s start with pie dough.  Please don’t freak out.  It’s just butter and flour and water… you can totally do this.

With your fingers break up the cold (frozen, even) fat chunks into the flour and sugar mixture.  Don’t be shy… really get in there.  You’ll get to about this point in the dough making process…

That wasn’t so bad, now was it?  Now we need to add the cold cold cold water.

Theme?  Everything has to be cold here.  Ok.. not the flour, salt and sugar… but everything else.  The cold will keep the fat from completely incorporating into the dough.  You want little buttery fat pockets.  That’s what makes pie crust so freakin’ flaky.

Add cold water to the butter and flour mixture.  Work it together with a fork until all of the ingredients have been moistened.

Moistened is a weird word.

Dump the dough, in a shaggy mess, onto the counter.  Work it together with your hands.  Once it forms a rough ball, smash it slightly with the heal of your hand… just cause it feels good… and because you’re the boss of the dough.  So there.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

This is important… it allows the gluten to relax, the fat to re-chill and the moisture to mellow into the dough.

These are pretty.  These apricots are sexy.  Slice them up and they’re ready for crostatas.  Feel free to use fresh raspberries or blueberries.  Blackberries are rad.  Avoid strawberries and bananas…  no good.. moisture issues.

Pits.  It’s only natural.

Once the dough is properly chilled, divide it into eight or sixteen pieces.  Depending on whether or not you doubled the recipe.

Roll the dough pieces out into circles.  Not perfect circles.  Kinda-sorta circles is good enough.

We’re going to use egg wash two times in this whole situation.  Before we add the fruit, and just before the crostatas go in the oven.  Egg wash is a beaten egg with a splash of milk.  Sweet.

Brush the dough circle lightly with egg wash.

Ok… that’s a little heavy handed with the wash… but it’s ok.

Pile on the sliced apricots.  I think we used about 4 to 6 apricot wedges per crostata.

Carefully fold the dough up and around the fruit.  The egg wash will help the dough stick to itself.

Pile the crostatas onto a baking sheet and chill for an hour before baking.  Do note… this isn’t how we bake the crostatas.  We’ll put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper  and spread them out more.  It’ll work out better that way.

I love birthdays.

There’s cake.  There’s fire.  There are smiles and joy.

Birthdays also allow for the possibility of fork candles.  Pretty brilliant.  Pretty genius.  Pretty Fred and friends.

This is Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake batter.  It’s studded with blueberries, just because.

Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake bakes up beautifully golden with a dense crumb and alluring sweet vanilla flavor.  Plus blueberries… obviously.

Vanilla Whipped Buttercream.  Sorta like eating a spoonful of sweet butter.  Sorta like the best thing on earth.

Berries gosh dang it.

Berries on frosting on cake.  This is getting good.

And then I whipped the rest of the cake together in a flash.  Completely forgetting to take step by step photos.

Want to know how to frost a cake?  I put together a tutorial a few years back.

I like this part.

I really like this part.

I especially like the part where I get to snag a slice of berry cake.  Holy yumtown.

I’ve learned a handful of things the twenty eight years I’ve been in the world.  Really just a handful of things… the rest I’m just making up as I go along.

One of the things I’ve learned:  serving someone a segmented grapefruit for breakfast has got to be one of the most loving things you can do.  It’s right up there with turning down the sheets or drawing someone a bath.  Real life romance.

I know… I know… it’s just a grapefruit, but if you’ve ever segmented a grapefruit for someone other than yourself than you know… it’s love.  No joke.

I don’t want to be chained to my measuring cups and teaspoons every time I step into my kitchen.

Sometime I just want to add some dashes and sprinkles… you know?  This recipe is not so much a recipe as it is suggestion.

Have you ever had a broiled grapefruit?  It’s like grapefruit creme brulee.  The brown sugar melts and browns beautifully and the flesh warms slightly.  Super simple and super delicious.

So… I definitely ate this warm and straight out of the pan.

On the Lamb threw a Speakeasy last night… complete with Bathtub Gin and Juice, Pork and Wild Boar Sliders and Cherry Bourbon Ice Cream. There was bourbon and scoundrels as far as the eye could see. Before we get down and dirty with my new favorite ice cream flavor, here’s a peek at what setting up a roarin’ Speakeasy looks like.

A Speakeasy requires a guest list, a password at the door, and a cash box for cashmoney.

The menu.  Stellar.

I think every good Speakeasy should have the option to play Spin the Bottle… don’t you?

As the night progressed, we would come to know these strawberry flavored marshmallows very well.

Silly games for a party full of strangers.

We are the ladies of On the Lamb and we require pretty dresses.

We had streamers on the ceiling.  No… these streamers did not hang themselves.  We hung them.  Every one.

Ever go snooping in a medicine cabinet?  Yea…. me too.  We have candy in our medicine cabinet.  Everybody wins.

Brioche buns for the pork and veal sliders.  Shut up.  So good!

We run a tight ship.  Our night was all planned out.

And before we got the hungry grumpies from all our prep work, Rachel made us lunch.  Bless her soul.

The Speakeasy was a raging success.  Pictures of the evening will be up shortly.  I was running around with food and cocktails, not my camera.  Thank you to everyone who shared their evening with us.  You people made our gathering amazing!  Y’all know how to bring the fun!  Thank you for your support and your thirst and your appetites.

If you’d like to know more about On the Lamb and be on the mailing list for our upcoming events, check out onthelambfb.com.  Oh!  Daily Candy likes us too.. RAD!

Now let’s get down to business.  We have some ice cream to talk about… just about the best ice cream ever!  Bourbon soaked cherries in a gorgeous vanilla ice cream.  Take a few days to soak dried cherries in bourbon.  They’re amazing in desserts, in cocktails, in your face… you can’t go wrong.

This ice cream base is Alton Brown’s recipe.  I love that it is devoid of eggs.  Sometimes ice cream bases with egg yolks get a little too… eggy for me.  In this recipe, the cream is heated to 170 degrees F, then cooled overnight and churned the next day.  It works out wonderfully!  The bourbon in this recipe really works to keep the ice cream pretty soft even when it’s in the freezer.  Dreamy.  Do it.

Persimmon Pudding, from tree to table.

Step One:  Find a neighbor with a gorgeous, almost cartoon like persimmon tree.  Ask your Mom to help you pick persimmons… Mom always likes to help.

Step Two:  Entice neighbor and Mamabear with the promise of fresh baked persimmon pudding if you’re granted access to their persimmon tree.

Step Three:  Try this phrase, “Hey Neighbor!  I think you’re just swell.  Can I borrow a ladder?  That’s one tall tree.  Sweet… thanks.”

Step Four:  If you decide to sneak a peek into the other neighbor’s yard while you’re up on that ladder picking persimmons… maybe you’ll want to be more subtle than my mother.  I’m just sayin…

Step Five:  Pick the ripest, softest persimmons.  Way to be, Mom!

Step Six:  Carefully place super ripe persimmons in bag to cart off home, thanking your neighbors Dan and Libby for their ladder and their abundant tree.

Step Seven:  If you don’t happen to have a neighbor with a persimmon tree, I’m betting that the local farmer’s market will have some gorgeous Hachiya persimmons for you this time of year…. and you won’t need a ladder.

Step Eight:  Call your favorite Aunt from Indiana and ask her to promptly send you all of the persimmon recipes she owns… that will be a lot.  Seriously.  Thanks Judy!

Let’s very quickly clear up any confusion you might have about persimmons.  There are probably two types of persimmons that you might run in your search for the fruit this autumn.  Fuyu persimmons are the squat little darlings that you can eat when they are hard.  Hachiya persimmons are the more bulbous fruit that are best enjoyed super right and super soft.  Hachiya persimmons are lovely for baking as they are super sweet… like eating nectar… dreamy.

Now… let’s talk about ‘Simmon Puddin’.  When you think of Persimmon Pudding think of sweet and super moist bread pudding meets spice cake.  If you can… close your eyes and think about a dessert that you grandmother might make in October 1976 if you lived in Indiana… now, you might not like this dessert as much as you like your grandmother’s chocolate cake, but you liked that she served her Persimmon Pudding with super melty vanilla ice cream… which made everything ok.   There you go…. that’s Persimmon Pudding.