Cross Post- Avocado Gougères

Original post HERE

Gougères are one of my most favorite things to make. They are delicious and take virtually no effort. They are spicy cheese biscuits that, if you cook them like I do, are super moist and melty. They're great.

Anyway, since my vegan days, I have heard that you can substitute butter for avocado in baking recipes. Today I actually tried it.

I made two notable changes here- I used whole wheat flour (which I don't think I like as much as regular all-purpose for this recipe) and, of course, the avocado. The results are not as pretty-looking as the ORIGINAL, but they are definitely healthier!

Avocado Gougères

Ingredients1/2 cup warm water 
1/2 medium avocado, well mashed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Combine water, avocado, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix.
3. Dump the flour in all at once and stir quickly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Add one egg and beat again until incorporated.
5. Once fully incorporated and smooth, add the other egg and mix again.
6. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese and mix.
7. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Use a spoon to make whatever sized balls you want. I usually get about ten, but I like 'em big.
9. Top each with a pinch of the remaining cheese.
10. Bake for 10 minutes at 425; then reduce heat to 375 and bake another 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Cross Post- Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Originally posted HERE.

Now, I have never been a very adventurous chef. I recently moved to California, though, and now I have access to farmer's markets within walking distance. Plus, I'm living alone, sans roommate, for the first time in my life, which means I can make whatever I want and no one can complain that we've had pasta for the fourth time that week. HAHA.

This has all made me feel a little more experimental.

One of my friends alerted me to the fact that one can make pizza crust using cauliflower. I took a gander at the ORIGINAL RECIPE HERE and it seemed pretty doable.

HOLY CRAP.

THIS IS DELICIOUS.

Plus it holds together super well! You can definitely pick it up and eat with your hands without any difficulty.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mince the cauliflower as finely as you have the patience for (it should kinda look like rice).
2. Place it in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 8 minutes or until cooked.
3. Dump the cauliflower into a clean dish towel (or several) and squeeze as much moisture out as you can. VERY IMPORTANT, otherwise the crust will stick to the parchment!
4. Mix the cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, oregano, salt, and pepper, and press the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 450F oven until lightly golden brown- about 20 minutes.

As it happens, my microwave timer is broken, so my crust ended up being a little burned. It isn't supposed to be as dark as it is in the photo. Sigh.

I topped my crust with the rest of the mozzarella I had, fresh chopped basil, and cayenne pepper. I baked it for another ten-ish minutes, and it came out GREAT.

SERVINGS

Enough for one famished twenty-three-year-old lady.

I EXIST

I SWEAR I DO.

I MOVED.

I went from Atlanta to San Francisco in January. And now I'm here. In California. After over fifteen years of being away from my home, I'm here.

It's like a part of my soul is back. I am whole, no missing pieces. I am home.

I rent an attic studio in a house built in the twenties. The owners are a very nice elderly couple who live downstairs. I feel very much like a starving artist. Sorta. Minus the starving part. There's a Safeway less than a mile away.

I HAVE FRIENDS.

I don't even know how to explain Catfacts so I'm not even going to bother trying.

Hi, guys.

I HAD A JOB. BRIEFLY.

I don't like liars. You call me in for an interview for your nonprofit. You imply both on the website and during the call that it's for an office job. During the interview, you tell me I will actually be canvassing door to door.

Um. Okay. Will I have a partner to walk around with? Yes? Okay, that's okay.

Orientation day!

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WILL BE ALONE IN A STRANGE NEIGHBORHOOD AT NIGHT WITH NO IDEA WHERE ANY ONE ELSE IS????

I lasted a whole day and a half. Go me.

I STILL NEED A JOB.

Help. Writing? Arts? SECRETARY? I'm up for anything that doesn't involve direct communication with customers.

AND LASTLY-

I AM ENGAGED! :D

Peter and I became officially official in January, having been unofficially official since the ball. He and I have dated on and off for the last three years, and he proposed (for the third time) last month. Date is set for November 2nd, 2014.

AND THAT'S MY LIFE. WOO.

(Also I went to Japan and it was awesome)