bell & basket

cooking. baking. home.

Kale Blossom and Roasted Carrot Salad

Have you ever seen kale blossoms? They’re gorgeous bright green stalks that look like broccoli rabe, but with amazing yellow flowers. As soon as I laid eyes on them at the farmers market, I knew they were the inspiration for one of today’s Mother’s Day brunch dishes.

I know I always write about our Sunday farmers market in McGolrick Park but it really is an oasis. Once I made my rounds I settled on a goat cheese and mushroom frittata, a roasted kale blossom and carrot salad, sliced tomatoes, toast, and a good ol’ pile of bacon (for those of us non vegetarians). I also bought a jar of za’atar spice blend in olive oil from Sohha, which is so savory and delicious.

And just because I didn’t make my own za’atar doesn’t mean that I don’t want to some day. It’s a blend of sumac, dried thyme, salt and sesame seeds. The sumac is a beautiful spice and has a super distinct almost lemony flavor.

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No Knead Bread (It’s All You’ll Ever Need)

After our honeymoon in France, I came home ready to experiment with making some of the most delicious things we ate during our heavenly weeks away. First on the list was bread.  

This no knead bread recipe has since made our Sundays taste like we’re sitting on the edge of the Mediterranean sea.

We ate croissants every morning and baguettes for lunch. No matter where we were having dinner, it always included a basket of freshly baked bread. Apparently the French government regulates ingredients in a baguette–the French take their bread very seriously.

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Spiced Pear Scones

What’s the most versatile baked good? Something you can eat for breakfast, a tea time snack, with a fall soup or as dessert (if you’re in a pinch)? A pastry just sweet enough to keep you coming back for more… and more… and more. Yup–the almighty scone.

I like to eat these spiced pear scones slathered with butter, with a hot cup of tea and a good book by my side.

They are super moist, have a perfect crumb and don’t go down like a hockey puck (unfortunately I think we’ve all had at least one of those). The creamy, rich base stands up to whatever is mixed in and so far I’ve used cherries, berries and pears. The flakes of frozen disbursed butter cause distinct layers, creating steam pockets as the scones rise in the oven. And all of the mess happens in one bowl, which is often enough to motivate me to get my butt off the couch. 

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