tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87760065128241100412024-02-19T07:49:58.545-08:00bakkich!Reflections on 'sammiches' and other things.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-77772871714091766202012-06-26T10:40:00.002-07:002012-06-26T10:40:15.720-07:00Banh Minis, Then the REAL ThingI am late to the banh mi table. I had never had one of these tasty-sounding Vietnamese sandwiches, so I scoured the internet for ideas and recipes to make some at home. There were resources galore, and from these my banh "minis" happened...<br />
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Cute, huh? I took the easy route and used ground pork and tweaked a Vietnamese-style meatball recipe.<br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 pound ground pork</li>
<li>1 TBS finely chopped fresh basil</li>
<li>2 garlic cloves, minced</li>
<li>1-2 green onions, finely chopped</li>
<li>1 1/2 TBS roasted chili garlic paste (contained fish sauce & other yummy flavors)</li>
<li>1/2 TBS sugar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
</ul>
Form into small patties & cook on grill or griddle until well-done.<br />
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The minis, from the bottom up: <br />
<ul>
<li>Trader Joe's mini french roll <em>(toasted & rubbed w/garlic clove)</em></li>
<li>mayo mixed w/roasted chili garlic paste</li>
<li>thin sliced English cucumber</li>
<li>cilantro leaves, left whole</li>
<li>Vietnamese-style pork pattie</li>
<li>thin sliced jalapeno</li>
<li>quick-pickled carrots & radish <em>(1/2 c rice wine vinegar + 1/4 c water + 6 TBS sugar, boiled until disolved then poured over julienne veggies)</em> </li>
</ul>
I figured they probably weren't even close to authentic, but they were still quite delicious. <br />
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A couple weeks later I had the opportunity to try a real-deal banh mi sandwich at <a href="http://www.phonomnom.net/" target="_blank">Pho Nom Nom</a> in Rockville, MD. I ordered roast pork, and for a little more than $4 I had proof that while their bread was much lighter, the flavors of my faked sandwich were right on point with the legit one (pictured below)...nailed it! <br />
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Also, Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk is out of this world...it's soooooo creamy and sweet with a nice strong, but smooth, coffee flavor. I'm craving one as I type. And I definitely want to go back and try Nom Nom's pho...the orders around me looked fresh, hot and flavorful.<br />
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So, when you don't have easy access to a restaurant item...do a little research and try to created it yourself!LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-7256460288640415232012-05-23T10:47:00.000-07:002012-05-23T10:47:27.313-07:00The Slider BarronA new food truck on the Montgomery County scene is <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/SBarronThe" target="_blank">The Slider Barron</a>. New, as in a little more than a week old, very exciting! Today's menu offered PB&J and banana sliders, Nutella marshmallow sliders, cheeseburger sliders, grilled chicken sliders, and what I ordered...the spicy Korean pork sliders.<br />
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While I waited for my order, I grabbed a bag of kettlecorn from a vendor in the nearby farmers market. <br />
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Crunchy, buttery, sweet and salty all at the same time...perfect when eaten in the sunshine.<br />
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Sliders come 3 per order, and for the meat ones an order is $8. The tender pork seemed to be marinated in a spicy, but lightly sweet, sriracha or kimchi-ish marinade. The pork was topped with fresh & crunchy pickled diakon and carrot. I think there was some kind of mayo-based sauce on the slider as well, but I couldn't pick out the flavor. I have one mighty big suggestion, and that is to toast the rolls. The bottoms got pretty soggy pretty quick.<br />
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Nonetheless, I devoured 2 of my 3 sliders before I even considered snapping a picture. One lonely slider.<br />
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Being new enterprise, there are a few kinks the Barron needs to iron out like taking names with orders, speed of preparation, toasting the rolls, and handing out napkins with orders, but the service was sweet and friendly and my sliders were super flavorful. I can't wait to see what kind of gourmet sliders are added to the menu, because the Korean pork was a homerun.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-60841199537977138262012-05-17T10:31:00.001-07:002012-05-17T10:31:46.180-07:00Corned Beef King's Classic Reuben, Best Ever!Sammich Shaman...<br>
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...Monarch of Meat...<br>
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...Sovereign Head of Steak...<br>
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...these will only get worse as I keep going.<br>
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I sing praises of the glory that is the <a href="http://cornedbeefking.com/" target="_blank">Corned Beef King</a> food truck! Oh my gosh, where do I even start.<br>
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This mobile sammichery run by 2 super cool dudes comes within blocks of my office every Thursday, and at 9:30 on this particular Thursday morning my stomach began to growl at the thought of biting through buttery toasted rye to a delectable filling of tender corned beef, sauerkraut with the right amount of tang, creamy & sweet dressing, and a little swiss/provolone to hold it all together. After my 10-day no animal product challenge, the King's Classic Reuben was all I could think of. <br>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2012/05/corned-beef-kings-classic-reuben-best.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-41347197641386439262012-05-07T05:01:00.001-07:002012-05-07T06:11:13.901-07:00Cinco de Crab-o<div>
I met with a couple gals at <a href="http://www.bobrooks.com/" target="_blank">Bo Brooks</a> in Canton for some crabs this past Saturday. </div>
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I loved the waterfront location, and the menu was huge. After being seated on the patio at a brown paper covered table, we ordered a few appetizers to share. Warning, their onion rings (O Rings) are the size of donuts...we missed the key word "colossal" on the menu. I prefer onion rings with much less batter, these required a knife & fork and could have been a meal on their own.</div>
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</div><a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2012/05/cinco-de-crab-o.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-80538550272224102862012-05-05T05:26:00.000-07:002012-05-05T05:30:04.046-07:00Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Today In Baltimore...how fun does this sound? It's free for spectators!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.kineticbaltimore.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.kineticbaltimore.com</span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px;">"Kinetic Sculptures are amphibious, human powered works of art custom built for the race. Each May, the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px;"> </span><a href="http://www.avam.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px;">American Visionary Art Museum</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px;"> </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px;">(AVAM) hosts the East Coast Kinetic Sculpture Race Championship on the shore of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in central Maryland. The eight-hour race covers 15 miles—mostly on pavement, but also including a trip into the Chesapeake Bay and through mud and sand."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The AVAM is an incredible place...I love the "shiny happy thing" tree outside (and all the other blinged-out things around the place), and their gift shop has wacky and unique things. If you haven't been yet, it's totally worth a trip. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I have yet to try out their restaurant, <a href="http://www.mrrainsfunhouse.com/" target="_blank">Mr. Rain's Fun House</a>, which looks like quite a place.</span>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-43950620830382575872012-05-03T11:54:00.003-07:002012-05-03T11:54:52.316-07:00Kiwi DoodadCheck out this nifty little kiwi-eating tool that came in a package of kiwi fruit! One end is a knife to slice your kiwi in half.<br />
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The other end is a little spoon to scoop out the juicy, tangy kiwi flesh.<br />
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Cute, right? And dishwasher safe! <br />
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I recycled the kiwi box before I realized how awesome this little tool was, so I don't remember which farm or producer packages it...but I bought it at the <a href="http://www.giantfood.com/our_stores/locator/store_details.htm?storeNumber=0300&storeType=GROCERY&groceryStoreMiles=10&gasStationMiles=10" target="_blank">Columbia Palace Giant</a> on Centre Park Drive and it was one of those clear plastic shell packages with about 10 pieces of fruit in it. Don't even think about stealing one of these from the package without buying the kiwi!<br />LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-64761766986051421042012-05-03T08:37:00.000-07:002012-05-03T08:37:38.075-07:00Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Wednesday is Prince spaghetti day, at least in the Greater Boston area. Does the rest of the country know about this? This commercial is a classic to anyone who grew up in the area.</div>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2012/05/wednesday-is-prince-spaghetti-day.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-66086644151759316162012-05-02T11:56:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:20:48.187-07:00The Duese, Part DeuxBakkich has been on hiatus. Long hiatus. We've been doing fun things like studying, muster drilling & chainsaw operating, oooh yes.<br>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2012/05/duese-part-deux.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-15633393361414336762011-08-01T16:32:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:21:09.075-07:00Bakk in the Day 2<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Bakkich’s are of no more exotic descent than Scandinavian and Eastern European, but Mom Bakkich had a flair for out-of-the-ordinary meals. We grew up on dinners of keema (an Indian spiced ground meat/tofu & veggie dish), Asian glass-noodle & fish soup, home-made hot & sour soup, and things of the sort. (Dad Bakkich stuck with the classics when it was his turn to cook; eggplant parmesan, American chop-suey, smothered pork chops and New England style fish chowder.) Mom also experimented often with vegetarian substitutes, the most memorable being textured vegetable protein sneakily substituted into my favorite meatball dish. I’m still scarred from the shock of biting into what I thought was ground beef and am wary of any meatball Mom serves to this day. I’m not bitter, I swear. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My favorite dish, bakk in the day and to THIS day, is Mom’s Tabouli. I have loved it my entire life. This is my comfort food. Can you imagine a kid in the mid-80’s craving bulgur wheat? It's a cookout staple. People request, nay, demand it. </span><br>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/08/bakk-in-day-2.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-74620672940281866612011-07-31T15:24:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:21:27.044-07:00Mac & Cheese and Green Tea Lemon Olive Oil CakeIn addition to sammiches, us Bakkiches LOVE macaroni & cheese. Ben Bakkich probably ate it every day from ages 4-14. (Just kidding, Ben, but close.)<br>
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Our favorite recipe comes from one of my dear friends, who makes it for her husband all the time. It's basic, it's perfect. I start any variation of the dish with a slightly tweaked Craig's Mac & Cheese.<br>
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Craig's Mac & Cheese<br>
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<ul>
<li>2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked to package directions</li>
<li>3 TBS margarine</li>
<li>3 TBS flour</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups milk</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp powdered mustard (my tweak)</li>
<li>1/8 tsp ground black pepper</li>
<li>dash cayenne (my tweak)</li>
<li>1/2 lb American cheese</li>
<li>4 slices buttered toast, diced OR bread crumbs mixed w/melted butter/margarine</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/07/mac-cheese-and-green-tea-lemon-olive.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-71607691684161922232011-07-09T11:48:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:22:32.110-07:00Oh SammichI had a Friday evening outing to <a href="http://www.victoriagastropub.com/">Victoria Gastro Pub</a> in Columbia, MD with my husband and a couple co-workers plus significant other. I thought about their lobster grilled cheese and duck fat fries all week! The dinnertime lighting was dim, and I was using my cell phone camera, so I didn't get a great picture of the yummy sammich. Here it is anyway, and I'm sorry.<br>
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Buttery bread, tender Maine lobster & a brie fondue. So decadent, so good. Absolutely worthy of the sammich title. Before I even ordered my sammich I sampled buttermilk fried chicken pick-up sticks, duck fat fries, and goat cheese & herb stuffed fried squash blossoms. Not exactly a light meal, but so stinkin' good. I enjoyed a flight of Spanish wines plus a glass of Tempranillo, the wine in the flight I liked best. </div>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/07/oh-sammich.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-59759915695256907042011-07-07T17:05:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:23:19.306-07:00Oh Yes, I Did<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />My Favorite Brownie Recipe<br />
<ul>
<li>5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces</li>
<li>2 tablespoons cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 cup granulated white sugar </li>
<li>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li>
<li>3 large eggs </li>
<li>3/4 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt </li>
</ul>
<br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the rack in thecenter of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) an 8 inch square pan.<br />
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Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or large bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water). Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar . Next, whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time,beating well after each addition. Finally, stir in the flour, and salt.<br />
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Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little batter and a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-17402093724112043722011-07-07T14:38:00.000-07:002012-05-03T11:34:17.533-07:00Market FreshMy 2nd weekly East Columbia Library farmers' market visit yielded some good stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX3mJ6UrAqw3canm6gf5BcxdqStkxW_mfqjUcHJZzoQppcr4n2fC4tjtLetWN-AtKmIQzOKddBHjn0pQj8L-c_8UsF93LS2pxpdVFd0aA8hyLPLw1faLfm3eT_lCtqJo8Cg0POVMfXeM/s1600/IMG_20110707_171230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX3mJ6UrAqw3canm6gf5BcxdqStkxW_mfqjUcHJZzoQppcr4n2fC4tjtLetWN-AtKmIQzOKddBHjn0pQj8L-c_8UsF93LS2pxpdVFd0aA8hyLPLw1faLfm3eT_lCtqJo8Cg0POVMfXeM/s400/IMG_20110707_171230.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This week:<br />
<ul>
<li>cucumbers</li>
<li>peaches</li>
<li>sweet cherries</li>
<li>kale</li>
<li><a href="http://thecosmicbean.easystorecreator.com/" target="_blank">Cosmic Bean</a> coffee</li>
</ul>
I think kale chips will be on the menu tonight!<br />
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Also, I may or may not be currently baking a batch of from-scratch brownies.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-31318617507970894552011-07-06T13:57:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:24:12.524-07:00Loaf Win!I turned out a much better loaf of artisan bread today than I did over the weekend. It will take some refining, but I think I have the basics down. Not bad, huh?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWw03vSmlhCV3pTlyMHX1X4u3hly7bP0wUrD5M1bftoYTr2FKNySnGZgAkb44hCs-1AEPEg6p4chpo9WamDrZGzaSX1uScmwxSs28FJRkS9IVQvhRM3pmyOQT21IX5INM8ZgLMu5UDGe8/s1600/IMG_20110706_084722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWw03vSmlhCV3pTlyMHX1X4u3hly7bP0wUrD5M1bftoYTr2FKNySnGZgAkb44hCs-1AEPEg6p4chpo9WamDrZGzaSX1uScmwxSs28FJRkS9IVQvhRM3pmyOQT21IX5INM8ZgLMu5UDGe8/s400/IMG_20110706_084722.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the recipe I used, for a no-knead artisan bread, from <a href="http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/">Artisan Bread in Five Minutes</a>:<br />
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Makes 4 loaves.<br />
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3 cups lukewarm water<br />
1 1/2 TBS granulated yeast<br />
1 1/2 TBS Kosher salt<br />
6 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour<br />
<br />Mix water, yeast & salt in a large mixing bowl or re-sealable plastic container. Mix in the flour until uniform.<br />
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Cover container (not airtight, so with a towel or a lid with a hole) and let the dough rise at room temp for about 2 hours until it collapses. You can use some of the dough to make bread at this point. Refrigerate any unused dough; it will keep in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.<br />
<br />To bake, allow the portion of dough to rise 40 minutes. Heat the oven to 450, with a baking stone or something made of cast iron in it to preheat. Dust the dough with flour & make slashes in the top. On a rack below the stone/cast iron put a dish of water, this will make the right amount of steamto bake a perfect loaf. Put the dough on the stone or cast iron and bake 30 minutes until the crust is brown & firm to the touch.<br />
<br />Cool loaf completely on a wire rack before slicing.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-563133434909943282011-07-05T07:15:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:25:22.157-07:00Sour Cherry 'Cobbler'<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because no one should ever go food shopping on an empty stomach, I ate this mangled excuse for a star-shaped donut. But it was tasty, and festive! </span><br>
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<br><span style="font-family: inherit;">I failed at an artisan bread attempt, so I hope to try again this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either my yeast was wonky (the date was fine) or my husband distracting me with a trip to the mall had something to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did, however, have one success…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember these beauties?</span></div>
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</div><a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/07/sour-cherry-cobbler.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-34398419201013283472011-07-01T06:37:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:25:46.771-07:00Super Fresh!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Yesterday I swung by the East Columbia Library farmers' market on my way home from work and picked up a few things:<br />
<ul>
<li>a beautiful salad greens mix</li>
<li>tomatoes, variety named "4th of July"</li>
<li>mini cukes</li>
<li>sour cherries</li>
</ul>
It's the simple things, like super fresh produce, that make me happy. I made a lovely salad with the veggies to go with dinner last night, and I'm planning to bake something yummy with the cherries. A cobbler maybe? Stay tuned. <br />
<br />(Also on my mind, no-knead artisan bread...which I bet will make fantastic sammiches!)LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-23428522384039639002011-06-30T09:33:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:26:21.725-07:00Congrats, Ben Bakkich!I'm putting on my proud-big-sister hat, and announcing that Ben Bakkich is a recent high school graduate, and will be heading to the exciting world of college in the fall!! You're an amazing individual, Benno, and I see great things in your future.<br />
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For you, a little tea bag wisdom....<br />
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<br />...oh, and thanks for teaching me to throw knives that one time.<br />
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<br /><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><strong>I LOVE YOU!!!!</strong></span>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-60219366433043544692011-06-28T12:19:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:27:00.138-07:00Veg OutNow that graduation & birthday season is over in my family, and I am back to eating normal food after extraction of 4 wisdom teeth, it's time I start visiting the farmers' markets for some super fresh produce! Yum!<br />
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After working (and of course living) in Columbia nearly 5 years, my office moved to Rockville 2 months ago. Last summer I had this nice little routine going on Thursdays where I would leave the office and hit the East Columbia Library farmers' market on my way home. Now that I'm more or less used to the Columbia/Rockville commute, I need to strategize my produce plan.<br />
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Leaving Rockville at 3:30 (the end of my work day) gives me plenty of time to hit any market I want...now, which to choose. I go right past the East Columbia Library still...but I'm feeling wild and may try something new. The <a href="http://www.mda.state.md.us/md_products/farmers_market_dir.php#howard">Maryland Department of Agriculture</a> has a decent listing for Howard County, though you never know until you go.<br />
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Any favorites out there?<br />
<br /><em>(I've been dying to try a CSA program, but I've dropped the ball 3 years running.)</em><br />
<br />Produce-related, check out this handy-dandy banana holder my best friend gave me! Hey, why not, right?<br />
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<br />Also, unrelated except that they use veggies, I terribly miss Bon Fresco for the occasional lunchtime sammich.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-79405488162659061882011-06-28T05:33:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:27:27.035-07:00Worth the Wait<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the Lobster Roll from <a href="http://www.bobsclamhut.com/home.htm">Bob's Clam Hut</a> in Kittery, ME. <br />
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It is divine. <br />
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I get to have it once, or if I'm lucky twice, a year.<br />
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It is always worth the wait.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-44606989408813235462011-05-31T07:48:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:27:58.969-07:00Bakk in the DayThe other day I was thinking about food I used to really like, and for one reason or another haven't eaten for a while. Certain things have lost the nostalgia, for sure. Here's one thing I ate "Bakk in the Day".<br>
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At 16 years old I was working in a clothing store after school & on weekends. The 2 closest options for food in the strip mall were Burger King (an extremely sketchy guy named Alan worked there, so I tried to steer clear) and Boston Market. Almost every day I'd take my break & walk next door to Boston Market for a Rotisserie Chicken Carver sandwich. I thought they were the greatest thing! I must have eaten about a hundred.<br>
<br>I decided to try one over the weekend, and see if I still think it's da bomb. In short, it is decidedly not.<br>
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<em>"Rotisserie Chicken Carver: Rotisserie chicken with dijon mayo, cheddar, tomatoes and greens on a white or multi-grain roll."</em><br>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/05/bakk-in-day.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-88677756387942339952011-04-15T09:21:00.000-07:002012-05-03T06:28:35.356-07:00Oh So FrescoBon Fresco never disappoints! I just got this for lunch....<br>
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<a href="http://bakkich.blogspot.com/2011/04/oh-so-fresco.html#more">Read more »</a>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-30713478600553902942011-04-12T13:24:00.000-07:002011-04-12T13:24:02.153-07:00A Maniacal GoalI really really really REALLY want to do one of these...let the training begin!<br />
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<a href="http://www.ruggedmaniac.com/">Rugged Maniac 5K</a><br />
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Ben, you in? ;-)LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-83962070565740037192011-04-12T09:09:00.000-07:002011-04-12T13:25:04.169-07:00Mamma Mia...here I go again...!What is it with me and baking cookies lately? I'm not really a 'sweets' person.<br />
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While grocery shopping (NOT with cookies in mind) I was hit with the sudden urge to make some type of s'mores cookie. So I scooped up the ingredients, pulled up Mamma Mia on the DVR (great background music for baking!) and got to work.<br />
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<strong>My S'mores Cookies </strong><br />
<div class="ingredients"><ul><li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/2 cup</span> (1 stick) <span itemprop="name">butter or margarine</span>, softened </li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">3/8 cup</span> <span itemprop="name">granulated sugar</span> </li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">3/8 cup</span> packed <span itemprop="name">light brown sugar</span> </li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/2 teaspoon</span> <span itemprop="name">vanilla extract</span> </li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 </span><span itemprop="name">egg</span></li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1-1/8 cups</span> <span itemprop="name">all-purpose flour</span> </li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/2 teaspoon</span> <span itemprop="name">baking soda</span> </li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/4 teaspoon</span> <span itemprop="name">salt</span> </li>
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 cup</span> <span itemprop="name">Milk Chocolate Chips</span> </li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">4 crushed graham crackers </li>
<li class="odd" itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient">mini marshmallows</li>
</ul></div><div class="clear"></div><div class="directions" itemprop="instructions"><ol class="instructions"></li>
</ol></div><div class="directions">Heat oven to 375°F.<br />
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<label></label>Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add egg; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and crushed graham crackers. </div><div class="directions"><br />
</div><div class="directions">Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and form it around 3 mini marshmallows. Roll into a ball, then place on an parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Keep cookies 2 inches apart.</div><div class="directions"><br />
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.</div><div class="directions"><br />
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</div><div class="directions">These were SO stinkin' good. Crispy cookie, melty chocolate chips, chewy marshmallow center. I halved my original recipe, and I probably shouldn't have. I only got to eat like 3 cookies...I brought 1/2 a dozen to my friend, and my husband inhaled the rest. <br />
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Must make again soon!</div>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-36116835265433498512011-04-07T07:21:00.000-07:002011-04-07T07:21:08.246-07:00Impromptu Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwG9LXBqXiFUSCcHicQCnSFHxCcMcs_DjmPsWQosOF45ofxj9ZZKoVGaxUPsWfne_KuaEDGhD4fpiPVaCzFDmtAwbpCeJN8zKr_kbx3mUoVYlxoHMuwzogDX7m1tzowQT8FRnK-YFMVU/s1600/IMG_20110406_210355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwG9LXBqXiFUSCcHicQCnSFHxCcMcs_DjmPsWQosOF45ofxj9ZZKoVGaxUPsWfne_KuaEDGhD4fpiPVaCzFDmtAwbpCeJN8zKr_kbx3mUoVYlxoHMuwzogDX7m1tzowQT8FRnK-YFMVU/s400/IMG_20110406_210355.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Last night I felt like making cookies, so I scrounged through my pantry and here's what I came up with. They turned out a little flat, but still chewy and delicious! Sorry for the poor photo quality, this is the result of flourescent lighting in a windowless kitchen using a cell phone camera at 9:30 pm.<br />
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<ul><li>1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened </li>
<li>1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce</li>
<li>1/2 cup brown sugar, packed </li>
<li>1/4 cup granulated sugar </li>
<li>1 egg </li>
<li>1 tsp pure vanilla extract </li>
<li>1/2 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 cup oat flour</li>
<li>1/4 cup almond meal</li>
<li>1 TBS flax seed meal </li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking soda </li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking powder </li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt </li>
<li>3/4 cup rolled oats </li>
<li>1/2 cup dried blueberries</li>
</ul><div> </div><div>Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. </div><div> </div><div>With a mixer, cream together the butter, applesauce and the two sugars until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. </div><div> </div><div>In a second bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flours, meals, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Add this mixture to the butter and sugar and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix. </div><div> </div><div><em>(Right about here I got a phone call from my best friend in Germany, so cookie prep halted for about an hour. I wonder if this is why they turned out flat?) </em></div><div> </div><div>Stir in the oats and blueberries until just until combined. Using a tablespoon scoop or a spoon, place dough in mounds on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. </div><div> </div><div>Bake one sheet at a time for 15 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.</div><div> </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ8BzFiqPA1EIu-86-5O1U4lgw2HXUqZ76Gl4vaaoyUUWBRqzEbs-GXx-BPZuyzrZ86AvV8zZ81_QDhLm7WmZXPQfVmpHpX_OEmrXBRbslEjdt6HmtFsdDmgWpD2trjIeriBJj-EhvwA/s1600/IMG_20110406_210442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ8BzFiqPA1EIu-86-5O1U4lgw2HXUqZ76Gl4vaaoyUUWBRqzEbs-GXx-BPZuyzrZ86AvV8zZ81_QDhLm7WmZXPQfVmpHpX_OEmrXBRbslEjdt6HmtFsdDmgWpD2trjIeriBJj-EhvwA/s400/IMG_20110406_210442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776006512824110041.post-27597551664090722502011-04-06T13:25:00.000-07:002011-04-07T07:05:57.370-07:00PenanceBless us, bloggers, for we have sinned. It has been 6 weeks since our last post.<br />
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So what happened?<br />
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1. Ben & I ventured to Colorado Springs for a week. The only chance we had at sammich-ing was a brief stop at a <a href="http://www.jimmyjohns.com/">Jimmy John's</a>. Very good, but lacking the full-fleged sammich-ness. The rest of our time was spent somehow surviving 16+ hour days wearing perma-smiles and dodging cuckoo co-workers. We had one day of peace to see <a href="http://www.cograilway.com/">Pike's Peak</a> & <a href="http://www.gardenofgods.com/home/index.cfm?flash=1">Garden of the Gods</a> before flying home and dying...but not before almost missing our flight...long story. Silver lining? Heck yes, we got to stay at <a href="http://www.broadmoor.com/">The Broadmoor</a>!<br />
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(Explanation needed? We were running a convention for the association by which I am employed.) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Midway up Pike's Peak...we didn't get to go all the way</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden of the Gods</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Broadmoor...this picture does the property zero justice</td></tr>
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2. St. Patrick's Day yielded zero corned beef leftovers...hence the lack of sammiches.<br />
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3. I've immersed myself in yoga to offset the ridiculousness at work. It's the worst...anyone hiring?<br />
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4. Oh, and Ben has a hernia.<br />
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Off to say an Our Father and five Hail Mary's.LeanneBakkichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874408612028814207noreply@blogger.com0