G is for "Gobs"

Grandmothers teach us all sorts of lessons about how to behave, how to play, and how to learn.  My paternal grandmother taught me how to enjoy the little things in life.  She made me appreciative for things like warm buttery toast, a corn maze, a hand-written note, and the great potential in a deck of cards.  She modeled humility and selflessness.  She valued friendship and love over any material object and showed us how to put family first.  She could put together an expansive Thanksgiving feast for twenty while laughing away in the kitchen.  And let me just add that if canning were an Olympic sport, she'd have a lot of gold medals.  For the homemade bread, the potato salad, the savory venison sandwich spread, and the myriad of desserts, I must get my hands on her recipe box!          

Sadly, my beloved Grandma passed away after a serious stroke during the last week in August.  She spent her last five years in a wheel chair at a nursing home, but she didn't let these obstacles hold her back.  She was the president of the residents committee, visited with loved ones daily, wrote letters regularly, and remained eternally optimistic.  She was a strong, admirable woman and lived a happy, fulfilling life.  

I've cried all over my keyboard just typing these two paragraphs because I can barely begin to explain how much I will miss my Grandma.  I can, however, bake.  Sometimes when words escape me, my mind is racing, and my emotions are running rampant, I find it very comforting to spend a while in the kitchen.  

This week I made one of my Grandma's most famous desserts: gobs.  You may know them better as whoopie pies, but to me and my cousins, they will always be gobs.  Grandma made these treats for us every summer and stored them in the chilly coal bin in the basement.  My brother and I would emerge from the basement with a gob in our grasp and Grandma would pour us big glasses of milk.  We ate those sticky sandwiches while sitting next to her on the glider out on the front porch.  It was unforgettable.      

   

Grandma Diehl's Gobs

1 c. cocoa

1/2 c. hot water

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together all the ingredients in a mixer.  Grease cookie sheets and drop mixture in equally sized blobs.  Take the back of a spoon, dipped in hot water, and smooth each clump out.  Bake 7-9 minutes at 350 F.  Cool the gob pieces and ice with white frosting or vanilla ice cream to make little chocolate sandwiches.  You can sprinkle a bit of salt on top of them if you like.  Freezes well.  Makes about 30 gobs.

Grandma's Vanilla Icing

2 c. confectioner's sugar

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

milk

Mix together in a mixer with enough milk to make a consistency like cake frosting.  Add milk 1 Tbsp. at a time.          

P is for Peanut Butter Cookies

Although summer seems the perfect time for desserts like ice cream, sorbet, peach pie, popsicles, and berry cobblers, I tend to make a lot of cookies.  Maybe it's because they're so portable.  I can toss a few in a bag and bring them along for a picnic or a boat ride.  No refrigeration required.  In fact, if the chocolate chips have melted a little in the summer heat, the cookies will be better!  Maybe I make a lot of cookies because they're a small dessert.  You can pop one as a snack, crumble them over ice cream, or dunk them in milk for the full experience.  

Maybe it's because everyone loves cookies.  My father-in-law adores cookies.  I would go so far as to say that cookies are his achilles heel.  He gave this recipe his stamp of approval, so I know they're good enough to recommend to you.  Enjoy!  

For this recipe, I used unsweetened peanut butter from Whole Foods- the freshly ground variety that tastes dramatically different to those expecting Jif or Peter Pan.  It made the cookies taste a little less sweet but still positively delicious.

Peanut Butter Cookies

from Williams-Sonoma Baking

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

In a mixer on medium speed, beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla.  Sift together in a medium bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Once the peanut butter mixture is creamy and light, slowly add the dry ingredients, blending on low speed.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray.  Use a cookie dough scoop or a tablespoon to measure out the dough in equal quantities and then roll the dough with dampened hands into 1-inch balls.  Place the balls on prepared baking sheets.  Use a fork dipped in flour to lightly press each dough ball and flatten slightly.  Bake the cookies 12-15 minutes and let them cool briefly on the pans.  Use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. 

B is for Blue Cheese Apple Wraps

Every girl's got her summer go-to recipes for quick lunches and simple dinners.  During the hottest months in Virginia, I love pasta salads, microwaved corn on the cob, grilled pizzas loaded up with veggies, giant bowls of watermelon, fresh salads, and lots and lots of seafood.  Summer food is awesome.  

Today I'd like to share with you a recipe that's a smidge more complicated than a sandwich, but worth the extra ten minutes.  Everyone I've ever served these wraps to has absolutely loved them.  The apples give it the perfect crunch.  The cranberries give it a punchy kick.  The cheese spread makes it so creamy and decadent that you'll want to serve these for lunch, appetizers, tailgates, and showers.  Prepare to fall in love with a wrap! 

Blue Cheese Apple Wraps

adapted from Southern Living

• 1 (8 oz) container light spreadable cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 (4 oz) package crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced 
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves

Stir together cream cheese, milk, garlic and onion powders.   Stir in crumbled blue cheese, pecans, and cranberries. Spread about 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture evenly over each tortilla. Top each tortilla evenly with apple slices and spinach. Roll up, and secure with wooden picks.  Keep chilled until ready to serve.  

   

V is for Vacation

You'll have to forgive me for not being a more diligent, reliable blogger this summer.  I pack as many vacations as I possibly can into every summer break and I relish the opportunity to travel, relax, and recharge.  Have you ever heard about the three main reasons to teach?  June, July, and August!  I've got more reasons than these for teaching, but having summers off from work is very high on my list of pros.

What I haven't been doing much of this summer is cooking.  I just don't cook the same way (or in the same quantity) when I'm staying at someone else's home.  Obviously.  I haven't been idle, though!  This blog post is long and thorough with a dazzling array of pictures to help you understand what I've been getting into this summer.      

To start the summer break, I spent a week in California wine country with Peter's family.  In addition to a family reunion in Alexander Valley, we also visited wineries, rode cable cars in San Francisco, ate oysters at Hog Island, played croquet, did a beer tasting at Lagunitas brewery, ate at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, and walked on the beach at Point Reyes National Park.  While in San Francisco, we visited a friend from UVA Law and enjoyed a visit to Golden Gate Park and St. Francis Yacht Club.  What an incredible way to start the summer!  

Along the walk to Coit Tower in San Francisco

Cable car! 

Golden Gate Bridge

A windy walk at Point Reyes National Park

Hog Island Oyster Company

We shucked 50 oysters for $35

Jeff, Peter, me, and Lindsay
Post picnic laziness at Hog Island

Sampling beer at Lagunitas Brewery

Lagunitas brew

The boys, waiting for us to assemble picnic supplies at the Country Market

Daniel, Lindsay, Jeff, and Peter
Wine tasting at Lambert Bridge 

Fancy tasting room at Ferrari-Carano

At a family reunion event...and I swear this cigar was Peter's.  

Silver Oak Winery only bottles Cabernet Sauvignon and each year is
surprisingly different because of weather conditions

Peter loved the breadsticks at wine tastings

Jordan, a gorgeous winery in Sonoma

Ferrari-Carano had stunning Italian-style gardens and landscaping 

Family Photo in the wine library at Silver Oak

Lindsay and Jeff
We enjoyed a snazzy wine and cheese pairing at Jordan. 

Ladies in the family, enjoying wine and cheese at Jordan

A blooming artichoke from the garden at Alexander Valley Vineyards

Alexander Valley Vineyards (AVV)

Me and Peter at a family reunion event at AVV

The menfolk (Peter, his father, and grandfather) doing a tasting at AVV

This is where the magic happens at AVV

Another family photo, in the yard of our gorgeous rental property

Potato croquettes with smoked salmon at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa

We tried sardines with hummus at CIA Greystone

Peter and Christi from UVA Law at the Conservatory of
Flowers in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park

The incredible Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco

Watching wind surfers near the Golden Gate Bridge

We got drinks with Christi at St. Francis Yacht Club, overlooking Alcatraz

I'm lucky to have married into a family with a lake house at Smith Mountain Lake because I've spent several weeks there this summer and it's absolutely one of my favorite places.  Being only two hours from Charlottesville, SML is a convenient getaway.  I love to lounge on the dock with a drink and read thrift store paperbacks and decorating magazines.  I throw tennis balls into the water for Holly (the best fetcher in the world) and laugh about her not-so-graceful dock diving techniques.  I cruise around the lake on the jet ski and take friends tubing and kayaking. I've even worked on my water skiing skills!

Steph in her awesome new sunglasses

Lindsay, my sister-in-law

Peter caught a carp from the dock

Me and Holly, floating around the cove

Holly and her friend, Kahlua, ready to fetch!

Friends!

Jess and Nicci share a picnic on the boat

Jess and Nicci tubing

Nicci and Jesse kayaking

Peter and I took a trip to Pennsylvania for my family reunion at Shawnee State Park.  It's a potluck picnic where about 100 of my relatives gather annually to catch up and reintroduce ourselves.  This year, I took along key lime squares and I was quite nervous about presenting a new dessert to a crowd that has its time-tested favorites.  I heard a little girl with a crumby mouthful say, "It's like a lime brownie!"  While I wouldn't describe it that way at all, my tropical treat was one of the first things to disappear!  Success!

Pat and Julie- a few of many cousins at the reunion

My cousin Kelly and me on our walk around the lake

Shawnee State Park in Pennsylvania

Peter walking around the lake with us

Uncle Bob and Steven, setting up the grill

My "lime brownies," AKA key lime squares

My brother, Ryan, turned 30 this summer and we headed to Richmond to celebrate with him.  I fixed a meal of crab cakes with mango cucumber relish and coconut rice (just like I made for my own birthday!).  I also baked a blueberry cobbler which we served hot and bubbly with my dad's homemade peach ice cream.  Talk about delicious!  Ryan loves bowling, so our family went out together to knock down some pins.  I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with some cousins and spend the day laughing.     

By brother Ryan, who just turned 30!

My cousin Brooke got a strike and put us all to shame.

Peter has excellent form, but Brooke still beat him!

The AC was broken at the bowling alley, so all the girls in the family were
sipping out of one giant pitcher of ice water to stay cool.  Ignore those cups.

Ryan and my dad

My cousins with Peter

My mother, Grandmother, and Aunt at the bowling alley

Peter and I went to Arlington to visit some friends from law school and go to my sister-in-law's surprise birthday party.  Lindsay was absolutely surprised when she came home from work to find 40 people in her backyard, enjoying an enormous pot of paella.  I made red velvet cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting for the party and only one was leftover at the end of the night.  We saw the Washington Nationals play the Colorado Rockies and swam in a rooftop pool overlooking the Washington Monument and the Capitol.  We ate delicious enchiladas at Rio Grande and saw the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, eating his own Mexican feast just a few tables away.  Secret Service employees were seated at the table beside him, wearing sunglasses at night and scoping out the scene.  I'm glad that going out for enchiladas isn't such a big deal in my life.  

Lindsay with her surprise paella dinner and a gorgeous beet salad

Friends: Sean and Shawna

Jeff and Lindsay's fun neighbors, Colleen and Matt

A catered backyard paella party!

My Peter

Happy Birthday, Lindsay!

Jeff and Lindsay
(ps. I made that mini red velvet cake)

Lindsay's sister, Erin, enjoying one of my cupcakes

Law School friends at the Washington Nationals game

Me and Melissa with Screech

Dinner at Rio Grande in Arlington with UVA Law friends (and John Boehner)

To wrap up my summer, I'm headed back to Smith Mountain Lake and then Peter and I are driving down to Kiawah, South Carolina for a week at the beach with my old roommate and dear friend, Steph.  I'm savoring my final days of freedom before school begins, but I'm also starting to think about my new class.  I've been writing welcome postcards to mail to my new students and the idea of a fresh group of kids gets me pretty excited about going back.  This will be my fourth year of teaching, but I always get really nervous just before I meet my new cuties.  Once those adorable 8 year-olds walk into the room, my teaching personality kicks in and it all feels natural. At this moment though, I feel anxious about what needs to be done and how the school year will go.  I can distract myself with a baking project!  I've been asked to make cake pops for my friend Julia's wedding this August and I want to perfect the cake balls before I present them at her dessert reception.  She wants them to be dipped in peachy colored candy melts to coordinate with her color scheme, and I've been trying to get the color just right.  Wish me luck!

I dipped chocolate cake balls in white chocolate and then dyed the white chocolate a peachy color...which appears an unusual orange in these photos.

The chocolate shows through the coating too much, so I'll probably make
a batch of white cake balls for the wedding.

At her dessert reception, Julia wants to present the cake pops
 in little muffin cups on pretty trays.