Boston Beans and Rice

Dear Turkey,

Being a country girl, I haven't been to Boston since 2005. But if this is how beans and rice rolls there, then lucky them. I adapted this recipe from The Moosewood, and I'm guessing they called it "Boston" because the molasses makes it taste like baked beans, but way more interesting.

I was really excited by this recipe because I am always trying to expand my bean repertoire. These beans don't have anything spicy (although that can be remedied at time of eating by some Garlic Tabasco Sauce), but they do have mustard and tamari. And if that's not salty enough, you can serve them with rice pilaf from a box like I did.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Scones

Dear Turkey,

Surely by now you are wondering why I haven't posted a recipe for chocolate chocolate chip scones before. I was asking myself that very question the other day.

These scones are inspired by those excellent Moosewood ones. However, the chocolate chips make them a bit more moist and cake-y, and the hot oven temperature makes my house smell like a chocolate factory (and, yeah, I have heard that the smell at Hershey Park is fake, but it still smelled amazing when I was 10).

Easter Bread

Dear Turkey,

I read this weird article about Easter Bread. As a Gastronomic Jew, I am aware that Easter Bread is a thing. And, just like Cadbury Eggs, it is a thing that I needed to get into.

This bread is really a quick bread masquerading as a yeast bread. Or is it the other way around? Either way, it's really easy to make, hard to screw up, and can serve as breakfast or dessert. Or breakfast dessert. Which is also a thing. If you're me.

Rice Cooker Cake

Dear Turkey,

I'm always intrigued by those lists online of all the stuff that you can make in a rice cooker. My rice cooker doesn't have any of those fancy buttons or programs or times, but it still knows when whatever I'm cooking is done. Even a cake.

This is basically a wacky cake. It's vegan, and it's delicious. I like how the rice cooker cooked it really slowly and evenly, and I will definitely rock this in the summer when it's too hot to turn on the oven.

Halvah

Dear Turkey,

You just made falafels. You have half a jar of tahini sitting around. And a whole jar of honey that someone gave you from her bees. Time to make halvah.

I have always loved halvah. I used to buy a big block of it at Zabar's and eat the whole thing. I figured it was a magical delicacy that can only be made in a factory (like daifuku mochi, but that's another story). Thanks to the internet, I have been educated. Halvah is really easy to make. You get to use the thermometer, so that's fun, and it sets up in the fridge.