Author Archives: Rachel Pollard

About Rachel Pollard

RACHEL POLLARD: Charlottesville Hometown? Dream town? Hometown: Arlington, Virginia. Dream town: Provence, France Who inspires you? My family, my friends, my students. Best advice ever received? "Ask a question."- My dad Anything else you'd like to confess. I was Cherry Blossom Princess representing the Georgia State Society meeting the Japanese Ambassador.

hummus 1

Make Your Own Hummus! So Much Better for your Mouth and Wallet

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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Hummus is so much better from scratch. The texture and tastes get lost in store bought tubs. Once you spend the $5 on tahini (sesame paste), which lasts forever, the rest is super cheap. With only 5 ingredients, anyone can make this fresh, tasty and simple dip. Enjoy with veggies, pita chips, or with a spoon :) .  Serves about 6.

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil (more if needed)
1.5 tbsp tahini paste
1 red pepper

Preheat oven to 500F
Place red pepper on a baking sheet and place in the oven
After ten minutes, rotate pepper

Cook for another ten minutes
Remove from oven and wrap with foil for ten minutes or until cool

Meanwhile combine garlic, chickpeas, tahini, and oil in a blender
When pepper is cool, peel skin and remove top with seeds
Slice into about 5 slices
*Warning: the pepper will be juicy so cut it over a sink or a plate
Add to blender
Puree for about one minute or until desired consistency

 

raspberry 4

Y&P is Berry Excited to try Blackberry and Raspberry Crumble!

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Reported by Rachel Pollard

A berry delicious dessert made with farmers market berries.  Feel free to change type as needed. The berries will bubble and the scone-like top gets nice a crumbly texture. Enjoy! Serves 8.

 

*this is a refurbished Martha Stewart Recipe

Ingredients
*For inside
2.5 cups raspberries/blackberries
1 tbsp cornstarch (or 2 tbsp flour if you cant find cornstarch)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
squeezed juice from one half lemon
*For top
1 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
sprinkle of salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 375 F
In a glass baking dish combine inside ingredients
To create the top, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt
Add in butter, mix with fingers or mixer
Then add in cream
Roll out into a thin sheet and cut into squares, you will have extra dough to freeze and use later
(to freeze, I wrap tightly in plastic wrap)
Place dough on top of berry mixture
Cook for about an hour
Until top is starting to brown and berries are bubbling!
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Recipe: Kumquat on a Baguette

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Reported and Photographed by Rachel Pollard

I enjoyed an awesome cooking class at Williams-Sonoma on Sunday that featured dishes involving citrus. I learned all about different citrus; when it’s in season (now), how to cut it and zest it, and where different varieties come from. This is a little appetizer that will WOW your guests! More to come with citrus. 

Ingredients

Serves 20

1 baguette, sliced into twenty pieces

20 kumquats, diced with seeds removed (you eat the outside too!)

1 container of chevre OR homemade ricotta

-Ina Garten has a great recipe in her new cookbook

1 bunch thyme, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

On a baking sheet, sprinkle sliced bread with olive oil on each side

Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until crispy

Meanwhile mix thyme and chevre

When the bread has cooked for one minute, top with cheese and sprinkle with kumquat

 

 

 

 

 

chocolate and coffee fudge

Recipe: Coffee and Chocolate Fudge

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Reported and Photographed by Rachel Pollard

Here is a really yum fudge recipe that was quick, easy and requires only a few ingredients. Feel free to add nuts!

Ingredients:
1 14oz. can condensed milk*
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, room temperature or semi-melted
2 tbsp ground coffee
* Fun Fact: condensed milk is simply milk that has had the water removed and replaced with sugar.
Directions:
In a pot, boil about 1.5 inches of water (differs depending on the pot size).
In a large glass bowl combine the first five ingredients.
Place ingredient bowl over water pot and reduce to a medium flame.
Allow the items to melt from the steam. This should take about 8 minutes of constant stirring.
Meanwhile, butter a square pan then line it with parchment paper, large enough to have some sticking out of the pan (you want the parchment paper to go  over the whole pan so you can lift the fudge out later).
When fudge is melted, pour it into the pan and sprinkle with coffee grounds.
Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove from pan by lifting the parchment.
Enjoy!
Note: In the pictures I sprinkled salt on top as well. This can be a tasty addition for those who enjoy a kick of salt with their chocolate!
brussel

Recipe: White Wine Brussel Sprouts

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Reported and Photographed by: Rachel Pollard
Some people love them and some people hate them (those people have never cooked them the right way). This recipe is adapted and changed from another recipe. I usually roast brussel sprouts in the oven, this was much easier and very tender. Serves 4 as a side
Ingredients
1 lb brussels sprouts
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
Trim sprouts(pulling dirty leaves off) and halve lengthwise

Directions
In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat
Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes
Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer)
Cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid)
Cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

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Recipe: Apple Cider Muffins

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Reported and Photographed by: Rachel Pollard

Apple cider and apple cider donuts are two of my favorite fall treats. These muffins have now been added to the list! 
Ingredients
3 tbsp egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 +1/3 cup pasteurized apple cider (I used a bit less)
1/3 cup sugar
7 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. + 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F

Either grease or put cupcake holders into 12 cupcake wells (I used mini cupcake holders but still used big wells)
In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar
Add egg and beat
Mix in a small bowl 1/2 c. flour, powder, cinnamon and salt
Add half of this mixture to the creamed butter
Once mixed, add half of the cider
After beating, add the remaining 1/3 c. flour
Finally add remaining cider
Fill the cups 3/4 of the way full
Bake for 20-25 minutes
Half way through, sprinkle some brown sugar over each muffin

Makes about 14 mini muffins

cookierach

Recipe: Peanut Butter Blossoms

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Reported and Photographed by: Rachel Pollard

Peanut Butter Blossoms are a mixture of chocolate, peanut butter and cookie goodness! Great for Halloween, but also for a yummy Thanksgiving treat!  

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup organic peanut butter (creamy)
1 large organic egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Toppings:
granulated sugar to drizzle on top (about 4 tbsp)
24 pieces of chocolate*
* dark and milk chocolate bars are used here, but kisses can be used as well
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Combine sugars, butter and peanut butter in a large bowl
Beat at a medium speed (until light or fluffy)
Add egg, vanilla and salt
Beat until well mixed
Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl
Add flour and baking soda in four batches to mixture
The bowl will be sticky so scrape often
Shape dough into balls and sprinkle with granulated sugar
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden
Remove from oven and press chocolate into cookies