Comfort food. Peanut butter and jelly. Same thing, right? For many, the PB&J combo is classic to their childhood. Me, I like those things, just not in a sandwich together. (I know, I’m weird.)
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 In a dessert, however? Now you have my full attention. 

The PB&J Tart comes to us from the Food Network’s Sweet cookbook, the source of the Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies we featured a few weeks ago. Allow me to cut to the chase when I say WINNER! The tart is a little different and a lot delicious. Find the recipe here.

My Cooking Notes:

• More jelly/jam – up to 2X as much.
• Work to even out the crust between bottom and sides. Mine was a bit thin in the middle of the tart and super-thick at the sides.
• Be extra-thorough when greasing the tart pan. I use baking spray AND a knob of butter. You won't regret the overkill when your tart easily slips out of the pan after it has cooled. 
• I always use a baking sheet underneath a pie, tart or cake pan. It’s much easier to grab and maneuver when you’re wearing oven mitts. 

​Everyone who has sampled this tart agrees that although the texture is a bit dense like a shortbread cookie in the thick parts of the crust, the flavors are excellent. Have a glass of milk or a cup of coffee to go with and now you’ve got the start of a new classic treat. 

Today's pandemic tune of the day addresses the critical issue of PPE (personal protective equipment). 
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As we've stated before, we like cooking with all kinds of music in the background. But a jazz soundtrack is our preference for dining. Here's a fun one featuring the instrumental tracks from various Peanuts television cartoons. 
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What is more comforting than homemade buttermilk biscuits hot out of the oven? Not much. And if we all couldn’t use a bit more comfort in our lives right now, then I don’t know what. 

Dear Partner decided to tackle biscuits for the first time in her baking career/hobby a few days ago. As any practiced baker knows, biscuits are simple to make but easy to mess up. For example, every recipe cautions against over-handling the dough. Okay, but … how to know the right amount of handling? Trial and error. 

​I’m happy to report 99% success.

The one percent penalty is because two of the biscuits are bizarrely large.

Still tasty, but perhaps steroid-enhanced, I don’t want to start any rumors, just sayin’.

The recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction, a reliable source to address your cravings for baked goods. Split open, toasted, and slathered with butter – these babies are a meal unto themselves. Yum! 

Today’s song while cooking has less to do with COVID-19 and more to do with the temptation to mind other people’s business more than our own. It’s a real catchy tune and good advice to boot.
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For the jazzy dinnertime playlist, how about a little Country Jazz? The musician behind the playlist, George Barnes, was a master of country swing whose heyday was the 1950s and 60s. It’s good, twangy fun and I’m a fan. Please enjoy. 

I am not a recipe developer, just a home cook trying new recipes and tweaking old favorites. I will always credit sources and note where I’ve made changes. Photos are my own; you can tell I’m a work in progress. Showing you the steps along the way is what sets us apart from the bazillion +1 other food blogs. That and the bitchin’ playlist that comes with each post. Let’s get to it. ​

Where did I sample Thai style curry for the first time? Not sure, but probably a storefront restaurant in Chicago. Friends, it blew my mind and I’ve been a curry-hound ever since. This is big time comfort food for me. 

Making curry at home seemed daunting. I just assumed that the flavors, ingredients, and nuances of dishes from such a different culture than my own would be beyond my capacity. And that is probably true if aiming for authenticity. But I finally gave it a try, with plenty of American style shortcuts, and now it’s on regular meal rotation at my house. 

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​Carlsbad Cravings provided the base recipe and I improvised from there.

My favorite way to cook! 

The biggest shortcut is curry paste from a jar. You can still zhuzh it up with authentic ingredients such as kaffir leaves, if available, but it’s not absolutely necessary.

Another shortcut is using the veggies that you have on hand rather than making a trip to the store – especially during these pandemic days. I used snow peas cut into slivers, green beans, and carrots although the recipe called for peppers and zucchini. Turned out perfectly fine. 

My changes:

• Pre-cooked the chicken and added it back into the mix later, after the vegetables.
• Doubled the amount of curry paste and grated ginger.
• Veggie swap, as noted above. 

In conclusion, Thai Chicken Curry takes me to my happy place. Maybe yours too? Find the recipe here. 

Today we offer sincere best wishes to our readers. Please stay healthy and aim to claim the same as musicians John Scofield and John Mayer -- I Don’t Need No Doctor. Give a listen to the coronavirus song o' the day and then tell me you’re not groovin' in the kitchen right now. 
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As you know, we enjoy a jazzy accompaniment to dinner. Today's playlist comes from Jeff Curry, an American jazz bassist now based in Tokyo. Hope you like it!
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I am not a recipe developer, just a home cook trying new recipes and tweaking old favorites. I will always credit sources and note where I’ve made changes. Photos are my own; you can tell I’m a work in progress. Showing you the steps along the way is what sets us apart from the bazillion +1 other food blogs. That and the bitchin’ playlist that comes with each post. Let’s get to it. 

Since we’ve begun cooking under quarantine, I find I’m grabbing whatever fresh veggies I can find at the market and determining the treatment later. We had an extremely good outcome with these zucchini boats stuffed with black beans, roasted potato, corn, cheese, and flavored with chipotle in adobo. 

I’ve tried stuffed zucchini before with ‘meh’ results, usually a watery interior and just so-so flavor. Not this time, thanks to the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, found in their cookbook titled Best American Side Dishes. They don't typically post recipes online, but this is a close approximation.  

The key is to pre-roast the zucchini upside-down on a baking sheet until seared but not all the way cooked. Another tip is the inclusion of roasted potato which adds bulk and flavor to the filling. 

We served the Mexican-style stuffed zucchini as a side dish with orange-chipotle pork tenderloin. (We blogged about that previously, check it out here.) It is tasty and hearty enough to stand on its own as a meatless main dish. Olé! 

The Coronavirus song of the day explains what happens when temperatures run high, sung by Miss Peggy Lee. 

And for your dinnertime listening pleasure, we present the musical stylings of Juan Garcia Esquivel, a Mexican bandleader whose lounge-y, jazzy music came to be linked with 1960s mod culture. Not sure what I mean? Well, in some circles his art is known as Space Age Bachelor Pad music. For me, a little Esquivel goes a long way. Give a listen and see what you think. 

It began with an apple. A whole mess of apples, in fact. What to make with them all?
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Note: When shopping/cooking under quarantine, always buy the big bag. The item might not be available next time.

Dear Partner voted immediately and enthusiastically for apple cake, a childhood favorite that her family made in a single layer like a snack cake, loaded with cinnamon.

Sadly, we found no apple cake listed among the handwritten recipe cards tucked into a worn metal box. We asked Cousin Leah, an excellent baker in her own right, for her apple cake recipe and she kindly pointed us to the Smitten Kitchen version. That Leah is a pretty smart cookie. Oops, I mean cake.  

So whose mom is it in the title? The mom in question belongs to Deb Perelman, a very popular cookbook author and food blogger. We are big fans of both the Smitten Kitchen blog and this recipe in particular – serious wow. 

The recipe comes together easily – foregoing an electric mixer, you do need some arm and hand strength for this one. It calls for a tube pan, although I’m sure you can use something else, if necessary, and just adjust the baking time. It bakes forever. Mine took a good 30 minutes past the recipe time. That’s okay, be patient. And then be patient again, as the cake must cool completely before de-panning it. That’s a lot of anticipation brewing before you get to sink your fork into a slice, but believe me, it’s worth it. 

Two layers of melting apples, a lovely texture, a bottom crust that takes on a shortbread-like quality, and loads of cinnamon. Oh yes, this is the real deal. Even though it does not align with the childhood memories, this is a mighty fine apple cake that belongs in your repertoire. 

Now how do you like them apples? Find the recipe from Smitten Kitchen here. 

Today’s COVID-19 song celebrates our homes, where we spend 99.9% of our time under self-quarantine. For many fortunate souls, home is a cozy, comfortable place where there’s always a decent chance someone has made cake. (Note: This song talks about ‘our house usually has a crowd’ – bad for social distancing, but we’ll allow the artistic license.)
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For a jazzy interlude while you enjoy some delicious cake, please lend an ear to Mr. Charlie Parker.
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A few years (decades) back there was a group of young musicians, British ne’er-do-wells, The Shifting Pebbles, maybe? They had that one good tune, you know the one. “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find, you get what you need.”

Well, I’d like to draw a parallel between that always on-point rocker for the ages from the 1969 Rolling Stones Let it Bleed album and the subject of this blog post, my recent batch of red bell pepper soup.  
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Not that I have lofty ambitions or anything.

While searching the internet for intriguing soup recipes, this one from Taste of Home caught my eye. It checks the boxes for A) Healthy, B) Not the same old thing, and C) Huge sale on red peppers at the grocery. 

Life during the COVID-19 era means we learn to plan menus around what’s fresh, available, and won’t break the bank. 

Back to the soup and the song. I wanted this soup to be a knockout, a revelation. I wanted to have a why-didn’t-I-try-this-sooner experience. 
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But listen to Mick. Sometimes what you want is elusive.

This is a very good soup - a Go-With Soup but not a Destination Soup, if you know what I mean.

​Perfect alongside a sandwich at lunchtime, maybe a sassy replacement for good old tomato soup. (Both are loaded with vitamin C!)
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Sometimes you get what you need. 

My Changes: On the advice of the original recipe’s reviewers, I roasted the peppers in advance, then skinned and seeded them. This adds at least an hour but can be done in advance. If you have the luxury of time, do this. If not, I’m sure it’s just fine as written. 

I used brown rice and probably should have cooked it a bit longer before considering it done enough to use the immersion blender. I expected the rice to ‘melt’ into the pureed soup but instead had tiny rice flecks in the mix. Not awful but not ideal either. 

We tried an experiment with tonight’s fish dinner.

Simply roasted fish plated on top of a small ladle of red bell pepper soup – simply delicious!

So you see, this Go-With soup is a multi-tasker. I like that in a soup! 

​Find the recipe from Taste of Home here.

Today’s cooking song can only be the subject of the post. Take it away, Mick and the boys!
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For our jazzy dinnertime playlist I am delighted to share a Joe Pass album from 1966 titled The Stones Jazz. I had no idea this even existed – decent covers of hits from the early Stones catalog – but am happy it’s in my life now. Enjoy. 
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I am not a recipe developer, just a home cook trying new recipes and tweaking old favorites. I will always credit sources and note where I’ve made changes. Photos are my own; you can tell I’m a work in progress. Showing you the steps along the way is what sets us apart from the bazillion +1 other food blogs. That and the bitchin’ playlist that comes with each post. Let’s get to it.

Cooking under quarantine has turned my process upside down. Agility in the kitchen is a must as I learn to build a menu and/or recipe around what’s on hand, not just what I desire. No unnecessary trips to the store, that’s the new normal. 

Today’s comfort food winner is the result of an excess of lemons and a burning need for more cookies. I love lemon in baked goods, but the flavor rarely goes far or deep enough to suit my taste. This recipe from Lauren’s Latest makes a great foundation for a few little twists to oomph up all that luscious lemon. 

Cooking notes:

• Triple the amount of lemon zest
• Add ½ - 1 tsp. lemon extract when the juice goes in
• Chill the dough after mixing and before rolling into balls

Next time I might try swapping regular granulated sugar for the confectioners sugar at the end, with additional lemon zest mixed in. 
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​Find the full recipe here. 

The neighbors enjoyed the lemon cookies as much as we did. Everyone comments on the crispy outer edges with soft centers. The secret is to take the pans out of the oven about a minute sooner than you think you should, when the edges are juuust golden. 

Today’s COVID-19 song offers a reminder that although we practice social distancing, we are still connected. So many people have stepped up in their communities with true compassion to assist those who need a hand during these incredibly tough times. Of the many musical gifts given to us by Bill Withers, who passed away just a few days ago, this simple tune may be the greatest. 

Please enjoy this jazzy-funky little playlist from Lemon City Trio while you savor your lemon treats. 
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I am not a recipe developer, just a home cook trying new recipes and tweaking old favorites. I will always credit sources and note where I’ve made changes. Photos are my own; you can tell I’m a work in progress. Showing you the steps along the way is what sets us apart from the bazillion +1 other food blogs. That and the bitchin’ playlist that comes with each post. Let’s get to it.

Soul food is comfort food, rich and satisfying with multi-layered flavors made in a kitchen that smells like heaven itself. If you’re in a rush, the food won’t taste right. So get comfortable, put on some music, and grab a fresh apron. You’re going to be here for a while. 

Beans and greens are typically served as sides with a big family meal, alongside fried chicken or ham, mac and cheese, biscuits, and sweet potato pie that Auntie brings for dessert. I could happily make a meal from the collard greens and black-eyed peas (kissed with bacon and spices) alone. 

If you grew up eating soul food, you surely do not need my recipes. Family tradition has already dictated how you will prepare your meal. But if you’re coming at it like I did – ​with love for the flavors but no heritage of Southern cooking – these recipes will serve you well. 

The collard greens recipe (flavored with big chunks of smoked turkey meat) comes from Divas Can Cook, and the black-eyed peas are from the Neelys, a Food Network cooking couple renowned for their barbecue and soul food sensations. My thanks to all, these are great recipes. 

For the beans: You can use different beans (ex. pinto or Navy beans) but I enjoy the distinct earthiness of black-eyed peas.

​Soak the dried peas/beans overnight, rinsing and refreshing the soaking water a few times, then proceed with the recipe, it’s pretty straightforward, although I opted to omit the pork shoulder. The beans are plenty flavorful with just thick-cut bacon.

​The original recipe makes an important point about mashing some peas against the side of the pan after they’re nice and soft, then stirring them back into the mix.

I love the resulting texture – creamy but still chock full of firm but tender whole peas. Oh yum!

Find the recipe here. 

For the greens: My advice is to buy fresh collard greens and trim the leaves yourself, removing the tough stems, rather than buying packages of pre-cut greens which include the stems. The recipe calls for a nice amount of red pepper flakes. A-Ok in my book, but adjust as needed to suit your taste buds. Find the recipe here. 

Good food requires good music, both while cooking and during the savoring. Today the late, great soul singer Marvin Gaye takes the mic to ask the pandemic-related question on most everyone’s mind -- What’s Going On? He was speaking out against the Vietnam War but I wonder if any parallels could be made to our current situation? Hmm. Give a listen. 

For your dining pleasure, may I present a throwback playlist – keep throwin’, we’re going way back to the 1940s – ​featuring Erskine Hawkins, a jazzman and bandleader from Alabama who almost certainly ate his fair share of beans and greens back in the day. 

I am not a recipe developer, just a home cook trying new recipes and tweaking old favorites. I will always credit sources and note where I’ve made changes. Photos are my own; you can tell I’m a work in progress. Showing you the steps along the way is what sets us apart from the bazillion +1 other food blogs. That and the bitchin’ playlist that comes with each post. Let’s get to it.

Even though we are self-distancing these days it is important to keep social connections strong.

• A video chat with friends,
• Eye contact and a friendly wave while passing folks during our brief forays outdoors (from a safe 6-foot distance, of course).

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Sometimes food is the vehicle for those connections.

• Neighbors fetching groceries for those who cannot go outside,
• Meals safely provided to those who have lost work or would otherwise go hungry. 

At home we’re still making comfort food, this time it’s cookies -- four times in the past three weeks and no sign of stopping. The only thing saving my waistline is the knowledge that the neighbors like sweets too. Sharing is caring, as they say, and that’s what we’ve done, sending care packs to our pals.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies were a recent endeavor by special request.

The recipe comes from Food Network Magazine, specifically their cookbook titled Sweet.

Find the recipe here. 

These require a little more fuss and bother than, say, a batch of oatmeal cookies but very worthwhile when one set of neighbors calls them ‘dangerously good’ and the other household admits to bingeing theirs in one sitting. As to Dear Partner, the original requester, her mouth was full but I heard yum-yum noises as she smiled and patted her tummy. 

(We've blogged this sweet treat before, in 2016. Click here for all the baking details plus loads more photos. These are just a select few from the most recent bake-a-thon.)

The Food Network Magazine's recipe may be found here. 

Did I hear someone say "How about some music while we bake and snack,"? Okay, can do. Today's ditty inspired by the Corona virus (cuz if we can't laugh we'll cry) will get you moving. A patriarch of the New Orleans music scene, the late, great Art Neville has somethin' good for what ails you. 

Rock 'n roll is great for cooking, but you know I prefer a jazzier tone while eating. To accompany our cookies, please enjoy a playlist from Mr. Chet BAKER. (Get it?! I know you do.) 

​What's your favorite kind of cookie? Tell us in the Comments.