Coconut Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I know, I know coconut oil is trendy. We're supposed to put it in our hair now, on our skin, clean our teeth with it, and blend it into our coffee. Coconut oil has become such a health and beauty hack that I wonder if people remember that you can cook with it too?

I'll admit that I kind of forgot that I could, with a giant tub of the stuff sitting in my pantry long enough that I had to google if it goes bad (I think I'm ok). The truth is, I can't subscribe to using coconut oil for everything, because coconut is a flavor and smell that I really feel like has a place and time (and that place is not my shower). But when I want it, I want it, and when I'm pairing it with lime, mint, and starchy vegetables, then I really want it.

These roasted potatoes have kind of a tropical vibe going on, which I think gives your plate a nice mid-winter vacation.  They get roasted in virgin coconut oil and sugar to the point that you are sure they are way overdone (they're not), then sprinkled with lime and mint and tossed into a zesty, mint-flecked heap of goodness, all kissed with the slightest hint of coconut.

(I get that that last part sounds like an ad for sunscreen, but I'm ok with that.)

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Coconut Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Adapted from Melissa Clark

• 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes 
• 1 1/2 tbs virgin coconut oil (not refined)
• 2 tsp coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• mint, chopped, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with the coconut oil, sugar and salt. Bake 1 hour, until darkened and softened, stirring and tossing occasionally.
2. Garnish with lime zest and juice, scatter with mint and serve hot.

Charred Scallion & Kimchi Quesadillas

Happy Friday! 

Well, happy for you, probably. Right now I’m most likely thousands of feet above the Pacific sobbing into my third glass of wine because San Francisco and the end of my vacation are getting closer by the minute. Ugh.

But in happier things, let’s talk about quesadillas! I know you may be thinking that kimchi and cheese sound like a strange combo to sandwich in a tortilla, or to put together at all, but trust me on this, ok? I’m not going to steer you wrong.

Do you ever end up with a jar of kimchi in you fridge that you know you should finish but that also just seems to kind of languish there, uneaten? I’ve been there so many times, even though I love kimchi! Sometimes you just don’t have a plan for finishing things.

But I have a plan for your kimchi! In the spirit of cleaning out the fridge, we take our kimchi, some scallions (I always have a bunch in my fridge because most recipes only call for one or two), and some cheese and tortillas (I give you permission to buy these). Put them together in a way that is so simple you barely need a recipe.

Grill or sauté your scallions until they are nice and charred. Chop them up with some kimchi. Grate some cheese, something melty is good, and if it’s smoked that will be a nice compliment to the scallions. Pile it all between tortillas and cook until crispy and melted. Slice, eat, repeat.

The charred scallions and spicy kimchi bring a punch of flavor to these quesadillas, and adding cheese to anything never really hurt. The result is melty, creamy, crunchy, and delicious, and bonus, you have two fewer ingredients rotting in the fridge. Yay!

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Charred Scallion & Kimchi Quesadillas

This is really less a recipe than a general guide. Use your best judgement for the amounts of kimchi and cheese based on your preferences. You do you.

• kimchi (storebought or homemade)
• grated, good melting cheese of your choice (I used a mix of jack and smoked gouda)
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces
• vegetable oil
• flour tortillas

1. Chop kimchi and grate desired amount of cheese and set aside.
2. Heat a cast iron or other heavy skillet to high heat and add a little bit of vegetable oil. Add the scallions and cook, stirring infrequently, until charred and soft. Transfer to a bowl until needed.
3. Lay a tortilla on a the hot cooking surface, and sprinkle with fillings as desired, making sure to get a good amount of everything. Top with another tortilla, and cook, flipping halfway through, until tortilla is browned and cheese is melted (alternatively, you can fill half of one tortilla and flip it over itself, to form a smaller quesadilla).
4. Transfer quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into wedges, then serve hot.

Pink Champagne Cake

Happy 3 years Tea and Fog! I was so excited I took myself to Japan to celebrate! 

No, that's mostly just coincidence, but it's a nice idea!

At the moment I’m writing this from the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo, which makes me feel very professional. Strange, I never do any work en route when I travel for my job! Perhaps they should send me to Japan, where the WiFi so far on public transit has been excellent.

But right now I want to talk about this cake, because oh.my.goodness. is it good! It’s a pink champagne cake, it all its retro glory. I’ve only ever seen it before at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, where they dye the frosting to more of a neon shade of pink (I opted for more of an off-millennial pink). I didn’t try theirs but now I think I might need to take a road trip. 

Because, don’t let the vintage vibe dissuade you. Fluffy cake gets stacked with a matching, blush-hued buttercream frosting sweet enough to curl your teeth, but the whole sugar rush is tempered by the zing of a dry, pink champagne mixed into both cake and frosting. 

I’ve made this recipe twice so far and it has been perfect every time. My friend Mike told me it was the best cake he’s had in 10 years, which I would take full credit for except I didn’t even tweak the recipe except to halve it (and even the small version is a lot of cake for just me). But I will take points for execution!

It’s perfect for all happy occasions, when you are probably already going to pop a bottle of champagne. Here, you can just add some to the cake and then drink the rest! I made it to celebrate three  years of blogging (because I love celebrating these anniversaries with champagne), but also for New Year’s, and I have plans to adapt it for a fun take on a mimosa for my friend’s bridal shower (shh, don’t tell her). I would also fully endorse just making it for any non-occasion too, it is that good, and since you make the most simple of frostings, it comes together in no time. Fancy decor optional, this cake really sells itself. 

So, I wish I could say I have some big feelings about three years of this blogging thing, but mostly I just feel kind of perplexed, because seriously, where are the years going?? I also have the continual thought that I should be less insane about this whole thing, but…eh. Probably not gonna happen at this point unless someone deletes the list of recipe ideas from my phone. 

NOBODY DO THAT.

But if you are reading, thank you! I love all the forwards, feedback, and advice! 

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Pink Champagne Cake

Adapted from Anne Byrn

For the cake:

• 1 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/2 tbs baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brut rose champagne, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• pink gel food coloring

For the buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, plus up to 1 cup more if needed
• 2-2 1/2 tbs pink champagne (brut rose)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• pink gel food coloring

1. Make the cake layers: Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two, 6-inch cake pans.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the egg whites, champagne, vanilla and oil and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter for 3-4 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and the egg white mixture, alternating, starting and ending with the dry mix. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Stir in a small amount of pink food coloring to get desired color. Divide the batter between pans.
5. Bake, 20-25 minutes, until cakes are just beginning to pull back from the sides of the pans. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool 30 minutes, or until completely cooled.
6. Make the frosting: beat the butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 3 cups powdered sugar, champagne and vanilla and beat to combine. If needed, add more powdered sugar to make the frosting thicken and become more spreadable. Add desired amount of pink food coloring  and beat frosting to fluffy, 30 seconds on medium-high. 
7. Assemble cake: Level tops of cake layers. Stack layers, spread with a thin layer of frosting between them, and decorate cake with remaining frosting and any extra decorations as desired.