Fresh Tomato Clam Focaccia

 

TALL blonde has always been a bit intimidated by making Focaccia bread, don't ask me why?   I have baked bread many times but Focaccia just seemed so specialized I feared it would become my personal culinary failure.  Then I saw  ATK (America's Test Kitchen) make their version and this is it.

The bread is an ATK recipe, the flavor packed topping is mine.  The dough is very hydrated with 2 cups of cool water and is so soft it doesn't hold its shape.  This is a no-knead dough.  Once mixed allow it to rise, fall and rise again.  This long proofing method reduces the amount of tight gluten molecules and the finished bread is so tender it melts in your mouth. The fresh tomato-clam topping is very flavorful and you won't miss the cheese. Look at that airy fluffy crumb pictured above. I have to thank ATK for this easy, melt in your mouth recipe. My husband and I are not big eaters but we gobbled up the whole pan in one sitting.

There is one draw back, a stand mixer is preferred.  You can mix it yourself but lifting weights at the gym is an easier workout.

Sour Cherry Chocolate Bread

Here is a cheerful bread recipe that mixes a simple savory dough with that classic combination of cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips. This recipe comes from Master Bread Baker Paul Hollywood.  It is his recipe that TallBlonde has adapted the measurements to Imperial instead of metric.  This makes two medium loaves, one for you and one to wrap and gift to a friend during the holiday season.. Serves 8.

Lobster, Baby

 

Lobster cakes

This recipe is luscious,  buttery, delicate yet decadent and very Lobster-y!

I do have a ProTip cheat, wanna know wat it is? You will just have to watch TALLblonde three minute "how-to" videoTALLblonde three minute "how-to" video. And away we go. Serves 4.

3 small uncooked lobster tails, or 8 oz. cooked lobster

1 Tbl. salted butter

1 small shallot, finely diced

1/2 tea. lemon zest

1 Tbl. fresh Italian parsley, finely diced

2 tea. hot sauce

1 egg

Secret cheat

-> Watch this 3-minute HOW-TO You Tube Video (you'll be glad you did)

In April 2026 on the Stephen Colbert Late Show, foodie guest Ina Garten gave her list of store bought grocery items she says is okay to use in the kitchen. Below is one that supports this TALLblonde Lobster Cake recipe:

Stuffing

Garten gives boxed stuffing — a Thanksgiving classic that’s nostalgic for many home cooks — a thumbs up, but notes that she doesn’t prepare it according to package instructions. Instead of making traditional stuffing, she turns it into a different savory side.

Garten explains, “I don’t use stuffing for stuffing. But what I do is make a bread pudding out of it. Take a bag of stuffing — it’s already seasoned, cubed, toasted, and all that’s done — make a custard, pour it over the stuffing, and add mushrooms and Gruyère. Put it in the oven. Nobody even knows there’s a bag of stuffing in there. It’s just a savory bread pudding.”

QUESTION: What do I do with excess stuffing? Easy, roughly spoon 1 inch drops of stuffing onto a cookie sheet and bake at 400-degress until the shaggy edges are browned and crispy.  These are fabulous as a topping to any hot bowl of soup especially chicken noodle.

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Protein: 17.94 g
• Fat: 5.31 g
• Carbohydrates: 13.55 g

TALL Blonde Style

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TALL Blonde Stories - Archive

Orange - Olive Oil Cake

 

In my past culinary experiments, in an effort to add healthy ingredients to my family meals I attempted substituting olive oil for vegetable oil in my loaf cakes such as banana bread.

Cut - Void - Blue Pencil - Delete - Scratch That - Unsuccessful

I had no clue that perhaps olive oil may be heavier than vegetable oil. It pretty much sank to the bottom of the baking pan and stayed there.  The loaf was fully baked and not undercooked but it was not appetizing.

I have played around researching other recipes and came up with this set of ingredients to create a moist and creamy everyday cake, and yes it includes olive oil. This is perfectly eaten on its own as a light morning breakfast pastry, embellished with a slathering of orange icing, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a healthy blanket of sugar macerated fresh ripe strawberries poured over a generous slice. The combination of fresh orange slices and olive oil is a classic dessert in Mediterranean cuisine. My husband born in England carries with him his definitively British appetite for warm "Bird's" <click link> custard poured over cubes of a simple vanilla cake. This sweet treat will replace even your favorite pound cake. Serves 10.

Yummy Bear Claws

 

Almond Bear Claw pastries

Simple to make

Easier than you think

As yummy as your neighborhood bakery

For ease, this recipe is tailored to use Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry Sheets to minimize extra work and portion control.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Serves 8.

Mixed Berry Scones

 

Recipe courtesy Cook's Country

I am married to a Brit and as a Brit he sometimes has terrible judgement in food.  He loves scones and I think they are dry and gaggy like a bad bagel or old pita bread. Until now....

Here is a wonderful recipe for mixed berry scones that is easy and tasty and I can't wait to jump out of bed in the morning just to have one (or two).  This recipe uses frozen berries so they are easy to find year 'round no matter the time of year or region in which you live. makes 8.   NOTE: The fruit must be kept frozen during the making of the dough. Serves 8.

Smoked Salmon Scramble

 

I wish you could be here to smell the aroma of the smoked salmon and taste the creamy, delicate, buttery egg curds. A simple recipe, can be made in 10 minutes. perfect for morning breakfast when serving overnight guests or a great brunch with a pink champagne. Click open to view time lapse easy to follow video.

Fruity Chewy Granola

 

Granola is a very personal thing. Everyone has their personal idea of the "perfect" granola mix. This recipe is super easy. There is a basic process to follow and flavor balance is up to you. Below is the basic oats preparation, dried fruits, nuts are added after baking to prevent burning in the oven.

Hawaii's Dole Whip

 

Aloha.

If you have ever visited the Hawaiian Islands, you know about Dole Whip.  This is the smoothest, creamiest refreshingly ice coldest cup of nirvana you have ever tasted.  Disney (who owns the Dole company) has released the recipe for you to now make it at home.

After a few attempts of my own I have tweaked the recipe to make it my own.

Shirley Temple's Crab Cakes

Last night I was watching a 1-hour documentary from NBC News Bay Area series "Revelations". It is an ongoing beautifully scripted series on the various histories of California's Bay Area successful industries, celebrities, geography, tragedies, and historical news events.  Sports to earthquakes to wine and much more are covered.  As a real Homer, born and raised here I have watched every episode in the series even on topics of little interest to me such as surfing and every time I watch I learn something wonderful.

The most recent airing told the story of how the Bay Area contributed to the space race and the formation of NASA Ames Research facility.  BUT- as I Iove to cook a tiny little story appeared about Shirley Temple-Black's well guarded recipe for wonderful crab cakes, and here we go with Ms. Temple-Black's recipe in her own hand:

CREPES by Sur La Table

                                          

                                       

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for crêpe pan
• 1 cup (4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Quiche, TALLBlonde Way

The classic Quiche Lorraine uses ham.

In TALLBlonde's homestead bacon is used because, well, it's bacon!  We also choose here to purchase a ready made pie crust. If you wish to be a purist and make your own from scratch, knock yourself out but I will caution it is the filling that makes the dish. If however one makes a fruit or sweet pie then I will gladly make my own crust.  Not a total Neanderthal. Ever make one using only pulverized nuts, sugar and butter?  It's the best and gluten free.

French Mayonnaise

Homemade mayonnaise is fabulous as a summer condiment on cold poached fish or ham, even vegetables. This is a French classic for artichoke leaves or asparagus spears.  This mayo is not only cream but has a nice mildly acidic zing.

Cheese Treat

We used to call these "Cheese Treats" from a Mexican restaurant located in downtown San Jose next to Woolworth's on 2nd Street. Two flour tortillas with tomato salsa and a gooey melty cheese fried on a hot cooktop. Pictured with buffalo chicken added.

Crispy, Toasty, Chewy, Hot, Spicy, Melty, MM-mm Goodness.

Beverages

Food has always been the way to someone's heart.

A cocktail in hand with a great meal can only make it better.

Click Recipes Below 

Caviar & Champagne Eggs

TALL Blonde calls these caviar and champagne eggs because it pairs beautifully with Champagne for brunch.

Asparagus Cheese Prosciutto

This is a very special asparagus dish served chilled with home-made mayonnaise on a hot summer night. It is light, tangy, refreshing and super easy to make.

Never made mayonnaise from scratch?  My quick YouTube video below will show you how in only 4 minutes.

Pain Au Chocolat

I have been binge watching The Great British Baking Show recently, and I have always been too chicken to try to make my own puff pastry. This is the stuff that French Croissants are made.  I make a pretty mean Beef Wellington which is frequently part of Christmas dinner or some lucky dinner guests during the rest of the year and sometimes my husband's birthday. This Australian (not English) recipe uses a buttery delicate puff pastry wrapped around roast of filet mignon with a nutty Madeira sauce. I always thought why would I ever make my own when the store bought is just as fabulous?! Maybe this was my way of justifying not putting in the effort--until today.

Below is the recipe I used from the King Arthur Flour company, but added a small square of Hershey's Milk Chocolate square and shaped the  baseball-sized packages into squares instead of rolling the dough into croissant triangles.

American Popovers

Breakfast in bed, especially with homemade freshly baked goodies is a beautiful thing. Here is a recipe for American Popovers. It is redundant for me to call them American but I always believed Popovers to be English. They are an American version of English Yorkshire Pudding made from an eggy batter. Whereas Yorkshire Pudding is cooked stovetop in a shallow pan, popovers instead are baked in muffin tins or a specially designed pan with straight sided cups. Popovers may be served as a sweet delight for breakfast or teatime with jam and butter, or as a savory accompaniment to an evening meal such as a hearty beef stew.  I make mine for breakfast, eaten warm from the oven with my own strawberry butter*

Marbled Eggs

These lightly perfumed hard boiled eggs have no season, they are great any time of the year. It's not just for Easter. I like the irony of serving a group of them for brunch in a large marble Mortar for a stone on stone effect.