#eastcoast

[synthtv]

Obsidian: East & West Coast Semi-Modular Analog Synth

Obsidian: East & West Coast Semi-Modular Analog Synth

[chefilona]

No Fuss Fancy Blueberry Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Baking. For some people, it's a word that immediately sparks excitement. For others, it comes with a long list of excuses.

"It's way too complicated." "It's way too precise." "I'll leave that to the professionals."

I hear these comments all the time whenever I mention I've been baking. And while I'll happily admit that making croissants from scratch isn't exactly a beginner's weekend project, I also think baking has earned a reputation for being far more intimidating than it deserves.

The truth is, some of the very best baking is wonderfully simple.

It also doesn't have to be expensive. A homemade loaf often costs far less than a boxed mix or a bakery treat, and the reward is something made with real ingredients, your own two hands, and a kitchen that smells absolutely incredible.

One of the biggest myths I hear is that you need a cupboard full of fancy equipment before you can bake successfully. You really don't. Think about the elaborate pastries and beautiful cakes created centuries ago in the kitchens of Queen Victoria or Catherine de' Medici. Those bakers certainly weren't relying on stand mixers or specialty gadgets.

A couple of bowls, a sturdy spoon or spatula, and a little elbow grease are often all you need.

That's exactly why I love this blueberry loaf.

There's no creaming butter. No whipping egg whites. No complicated techniques or intimidating steps. Simply whisk the wet ingredients together in one bowl and combine the dry ingredients in another. Pour the wet into the dry and gently stir until everything just comes together.

That's it.

Pour half of the batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan, scatter the blueberries evenly over top, then cover them with the remaining batter. Into the oven it goes.

While the loaf cools, stir together a quick lemon glaze with icing sugar, fresh lemon zest, and a splash of milk. Drizzle it generously over the top and let it set if you can wait that long.

Every confident baker starts somewhere, and it usually isn't with laminated pastry or towering layer cakes. It starts with simple recipes like this one that remind you baking doesn't have to be perfect to be delicious.

If you've been looking for a sign to build a little baking confidence, this blueberry loaf is it.

No-Fuss Fancy Blueberry Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Chef Ilona Daniel

Makes: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)

Ingredients

For the Blueberry Loaf

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

¾ cup milk or lactose-free milk (whole or 2% both work well)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 generous cup fresh blueberries or 1 cup frozen blueberries

For the Lemon Glaze

1½ cups icing sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons milk or lactose-free milk

Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. This helps the loaf lift out easily after baking.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spoon or fork until everything is just mixed together. A few small lumps are okay.

Don't overmix! Mixing too much can make the loaf tough instead of soft.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the batter.

Cover the blueberries with the rest of the batter and gently spread it so the berries are covered.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Let the loaf cool completely before adding the glaze.

Lemon Glaze

Put the icing sugar into a medium bowl. If it has lumps, sift it first.

Add 2 tablespoons of milk and stir. Add a little more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is smooth and easy to drizzle.

Stir in the lemon zest.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf. Let it set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Chef's Tip: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work well. If you're using frozen berries, don't thaw them first. Add them straight from the freezer to help keep your batter from turning purple.

[chefilona]

COUSCOUS TABOULE

Chef Ilona Daniel revisits the sweet, sour and smoky, herb-rich flavours of Beirutsi-Armenian cooking and invites you to a place where we can share in the rebirth of our growing season, the resilience of family, food and memory.

My father’s Beirutsi-Armenian cuisine was one of the first languages I understood fluently without ever speaking it. Beirutsi-Armenian cuisine sits at the crossroads of history and adaptation. Armenian families arrived in Beirut carrying culinary memories, preserved spices, stories of village ovens, the muscle memory of grinding spices while they found themselves in a new culinary ecosystem replete with the iconic freshness the Levantine pantry is known for. What emerged wasn’t a hybrid as much as a continuation; a living kitchen, shaped by resilience, pride and region.

Tabbouleh was always a treat in my house as it was a time-intensive process to prepare it the traditional way. I have minimized the arduous chopping and mincing to cut down on the prep time; making it much easier to celebrate the freshness that is found in the couscous version of the iconic salad. In my home, our tabbouleh had more grain than parsley which differs from some of the versions you’ve likely had, but I want to share with you the style of salad that is part of my personal food story.

Couscous Tabbouleh Serves: 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes 2 cups no salt added vegetable broth ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 ½ cups couscous 1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces, (save some cucumber slices for garnish) 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced 2 cups flat lead parsley, chopped 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Method: In a saucepan combine the broth, ¼ cup of the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the oil and bring the mixture to a boil and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and let it cool in the pan. In a very large bowl stir together the cucumber, the tomato, the green onions, the remaining 1/3 cup oil, the remaining ¼ cup lemon juice, and salt to taste and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Stir in the couscous, the parsley, and the mint leaves; chill it covered for 1 hour. The salad may be made a day in advance. Serve the salad garnished with additional mint sprigs, parsley, cucumber, and lemon.

[shisuanmeitang]

box turtles and wineberries

[courtneyjwilliams]

[dananickerson]

Sunset at one of our favorite places

[my-asianewstoday-blog]

Australia Approves New Gas Field Near Twelve Apostles To Boost Supply To East Coast http://dlvr.it/TSQW6j

[dananickerson]

It's been a minute since we have been to Campobello Island. I think we're over due. A photo of one of our favorite lighthouses