Treasure Chest

Mussels with Saffron and Mustard Moules Au Safran Et A La Moutrade By Bouchon Make 4 servings Ingredients: 12 Tsp (6 oz) Unsalted Butter 1/2 Cup Minced Shallots 24 cloves Garlic Confit 1 Tsp + 1 tsp Minced Thyme 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1/4 tsp Fresh Ground White Pepper 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard 2 cups Dry White Wine such as Sauvignon Blanc 4 pinches Saffron Threads 4 lbs Small Mussels 1/4 cup + 2 Tsp Minced Italian Parsley Freshly Grounded Black Pepper Method: Melt 12 Tsp or 6oz of unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of minced shallots, 24 cloves of garlic confit, 1 Tsp of thyme, 1/2tsp of salt and a 1/4tsp of white pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add 1/4cup of Dijon Mustard and 2 cups of wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes Add 4 pinches of saffron and cover the pot. Remove from heat. Let the broths steep for at least 5 minutes up to few hours in room

Banana Bread Ingredients: 3 Ripe Bananas Note:  I used  奶蕉 in this recipe.  Any banana will be just fine. 1/2 cup Sugar or substitute with honey 1/2 cup Soft Butter 2 Room Temperature Eggs 1/4 tsp Vanilla 1 Tbsp Milk 1 Tbsp Honey Dry ingredients: 2 cups All-purpose Flour 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Baking powder 1 tsp Baking soda 1 cup chopped walnuts Methods: 1.  Preheat oven at 325F 2.  In a larger mixing bowl, sift and mix all dry ingredients together 3.  In a small mixing bowl, cut banana into pieces and use a potato masher to break them apart into a rough paste; set aside 4.  In a medium mixing bowl, cut soft butter into small pieces and mix well with 1/2 cup of sugar with a spatula or by hand 5.  Combine banana paste with butter sugar mixture 6.  Add one room temperature egg into the bowl and mix well 7.  Add 1/4 tsp of vanilla, 1 Tbsp of milk and 1 Tbsp of honey into mixture and mix well 8.  Add the second room temperature

Ginger Pumpkin Bread By Martha Stewart and Everyday Food Sarah Carey Yield:  2 loafs Unsalted Melted Butter 12 Tsp or 1 1/2 sticks All Purposed Flour 2 1/2 cups Baking Powder 2 tsp Ground Ginger 1 1/2 Tsp Salt 1 tsp Granulated Sugar 1/2 cup Light-Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree  1 can (15 ounces)  (1 3/4 cups) Large Eggs 3 Take butter and eggs out to reach room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter. Grease baking pans with melted butter and dust flour to two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bruschetta Ingredients: 1/2 baguette or crusty long loaf bread, sliced (12 pieces) 2 large cloves of garlic, cracked away from skin EVOO for drizzling 3 small plum tomatoes, halves and seeded 20 fresh basil leaves Coarse salt Directions: Preheat broiler to high Place bread slices on a broiler pan Char bread on each side under hot broiler Rub toasts with cracked garlic and drizzle with oil Chop seeded tomatoes and place in a small bowl Pile basil leaves on top of one another and roll into a log Thinly slice basil into green confetti and loosely combine with tomatoes Add a drizzle of oil and a little coarse salt to the bowl and gently toss tomatoes and basil to coat Pile toasts around the bowl of topping. Place a spoon to scoop topping in bowl and serve