Jennifer Lawrence's Banana Coconut Oat Chip Cookies

First things first.

Sorry, movie star-Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence. This cookie isn't named after you.

This cookie is for my dear friend and our son's godmother who just happens to have the same name.

The two Jennifers do have some things in common. Most obviously and superficially, they are both blonde, attractive and some might say, quirky.

Although I loved Actress-Jennifer as Roslyn in American Hustle last year, our Jennifer is special to us in a way that cannot be compared. If regular folks could win Oscars for being themselves, she'd have plenty of those golden statues.

I met Jennifer twelve years ago when I walked into the first class of our Master's-level clinical psychology program at Antioch University. I don't quite remember if I sat down next to her or if she sat next to me but we ended up alongside one another for the remainder of our program as our cohort moved through courses and out into the community toward clinical training, eventually completing our preparation to become therapists.

Training to be a clinician is, not to mince words, grueling. There are things you have to look at inside yourself that you might rather ignore. The coursework isn't always easy. The three-thousand hours of supervision by a licensed clinician before you can even sit for the first of the two exams you need to pass in order to become licensed can seem endless.

Most cases do not match up to those we might have read about in school. They seem more difficult, extreme or ungraspable. If you have someone you can lean on like I did with Jen, it's that much easier.

Both Jennifer and I have now been on the other side of all that for a while now. Though we've taken different paths, with her continuing on as an amazingly empathetic and attuned therapist, I've gone another route which allows me to sit here writing this now. 

Life sometimes serves up problems that can seem insurmountable, moments that taste so bitter or otherwise unpalatable that we try to spit them out as soon as we get a taste. 

If you cook, as I do, you know that it is all about balancing sweet and sour, salty and bitter (and yes, let's not forget umami), with it being not merely cooking or food, but life itself. 

Jennifer's been going through some big transitions and facing challenges that might seem more on the bitter and sour end of things. So, I wanted to make her these cookies to remind her that better, sweeter times lay just ahead. 

There is no wheat gluten in this cookie since Jennifer is gluten-sensitive. It is sweetened only by super-ripe bananas and the addition of chocolate chips. The cookie is free of eggs and is bound together by a bit of coconut flour. Oats and finely shredded, unsweetened coconut give the cookie texture, especially when the ragged edges turn golden. 

The chocolate here has a back story. Last year when my 23-year-old nephew, Matt, flew here for Thanksgiving from Antwerp, his hometown, his suitcase was empty except for chocolate. Which is to say, it was completely full, packed to bursting with chocolate of all sorts - dark and bittersweet, white and milk, milk chocolate with hazelnuts.

Then there was the bag of Callebaut dark chocolate chips in that suitcase. Forget how much it weighed. Let me just say, no wonder there was no room for any clothes. Yes, someone hauling that much chocolate to you from an ocean and continent away is what you call love.

Well, I used some of that Callebaut here. It makes this cookie extra-special, I think. Delicious, just sweet enough, and rich with the little nibbles of chocolate goodness.

Jen, I hope you like these.

Here's to sweeter times ahead. xxoo

Jennifer Lawrence's Banana Oat Chip Cookies

3 large, very ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 Tablespoons coconut oil, just warmed so it’s not solid
2 cups rolled oats*
¼ cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut, shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, placing racks in the top third of oven. Place parchment paper or Silpat liners on cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, mix together the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the oats, coconut flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

You will notice that this dough is a bit looser than most cookie doughs. Squeeze 1-2 teaspoons of dough at a time between your hands and place on a cookie sheet an inch apart. These cookies are best on the smaller side. Alternatively, drop dollops (1-2 teaspoons) of the doughan inch apart, onto your cookie sheets. Bake for about 14 - 18 minutes. I bake these as long as possible to have golden-brown bottoms and tops. In my oven that is about 18 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

*Note: Use rolled oats labeled 'gluten-free' to ensure that they have not been processed in a plant that also processes gluten-containing products.

Recipe adapted from 101cookbooks.com.

Buttermilk Roti: A Flatbread

Back in the day, when I was still in grad school, I never thought much about foods from the Caribbean, although I did notice that the health food stores in Brooklyn, where I lived, seemed to be staffed by many West Indians who were vegetarians.

I also noted that the Jamaican patty place on Flatbush always smelled amazing when I walked by after my work shift at the Grand Army Plaza farmers' market.

For a girl who grew up in Chinatown, West Indian flavors just weren't on the radar.

Then, I met my husband, Marc.

I went home to look at a map after he told me that he was from Guyana. He said it was located in South America but considered part of the West Indies. On the map, Guyana was a small vertical oblong-ish shape east of Venezuela and north of a massive Brazil.

Over time, I got to learn a lot about an open-hearted culture composed of many different other ones. There were East Indians who came to Guyana as indentured servants, slaves brought from Africa.

There were the Arawak and Carib Amerindians who were already there around the time of Columbus. Then of course there were the Dutch and British colonialists.

Oh, wait. You can't forget the wave of Chinese who went there as contract workers in the mid-1800's either.

And we think America is a melting pot!

I find it so interesting for example, when you meet a Guyanese (or any other West Indian, for that matter) like Marc, who might have, say, a British last name because his family adopted it after converting to Christianity from Hinduism.

It’s a culture that also makes for some interesting food, a lot of it influenced by the South Asians who brought their food traditions with them.

One of the most ubiquitous of these is roti. Found from India and Malaysia to Thailand and the West Indies, roti is a type of soft flatbread that is usually unleavened and made from whole grains.

It is cooked on the stove top and in the West Indies, "clapped" immediately after it is removed from the griddle. Brave types use their hands, but those less adventurous (myself included) can use a pair of spatulas or wooden spoons.

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Buttermilk Roti with Khatte Chole (Sour Chickpeas)

Roti is delicious warm and plain, dabbed with some salted butter and most of all when torn into pieces and used to sop up the delicious gravy from a plate of curry, as many Guyanese do.

Marc lives 2,500 miles away from his family (now in Toronto) and even farther than the place he left when he was four years old for the chilly north. It's been so long since he's been there that I think sometimes Guyana seems more like an idea, really, than an actual place to him.

Depending on each person, certain food has the magical ability to shrink time and distance. It can evoke powerful memories and trigger the cravings and longing that make us entirely human.

It seems essential then for us to roll up our sleeves and on occasion, prepare foods that defy the time-space continuum -- foods that make a nearly forgotten place real to us again. As real and solid as Mount Ayanganna and its sandstone tepui. Or the Demarara River, flowing northward from the central rain forests to the Atlantic.

That is why I make roti. 

This version includes buttermilk, which is not typical in a Guyanese roti. I'm not a purist. Just someone who enjoys the slight tang of buttermilk and its tenderizing effects on dough.

West Indian roti also includes leavening (unlike traditional Indian roti), usually in the form of baking powder.

Along with the lengthy rest time, the buttermilk makes for a supple dough that you will find more than willing to work with you.

The cook time itself is very, very short (even shorter if you like your bread less well-done than I do). Other than having to wait for the dough to rest, this all comes together in no time at all.

Make a cut from the center and begin rolling in one direction.

Roll the dough all the way, push the bottom tip in to make it look like a cinnamon bun. Cute.

Buttermilk Roti

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups spelt flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 ½ Tablespoons melted/clarified butter, plus more for cooking
1 cup water (more as needed)
½ cup buttermilk

Instructions
Lightly oil a large bowl.

Mix flours, salt, honey and butter together in large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add buttermilk then water. Bring mixture together with your fingertips or a wooden spoon. Knead in until soft and elastic – about 7 minutes. If needed, add additional water if the dough seems dry and is having trouble coming together. Place dough in oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rest in refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours).

Remove dough from refrigerator. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

Ease the dough out of the bowl. Knead for two minutes until smooth. Cut into eight equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece out to at least five inches in diameter.

From center point of circle, cut dough to one side, reaching to the edge of the circle of dough. Roll the dough from the center cut to form a cone. Using your index finger, push the tip of the cone in. Your dough will now look like the shape of a cinnamon roll. Repeat with remaining pieces.  Cover and allow dough to rest another 15-20 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten each piece of dough, rolling it out to a circle just slightly smaller than your cooking surface. If you feel like it, you can also pick it up and stretch it a bit with your hands (as you would with pizza dough) instead of rolling it out the entire way.

Heat your griddle or pan* and brush with thin layer of melted butter. Place dough on the pan and cook for 45 seconds, brushing the edges of the roti with a bit more butter. Turn and cook on other side for an additional minute.

Remove the cooked roti. Use two wooden spoons to beat it (or “clap” it, as my husband describes it) for about 30 seconds. You want the surface to be ruptured and flaky.  Slather on a bit more of butter if you wish. I always do. Serve warm.  

*Note: The traditional type of pan used for roti-making is called a tawa. I don’t currently have one in my stash of kitchen cookware. If you don’t either, a flat cast-iron griddle works well, as does a large cast-iron skillet.

Tender Currant Scones

Ever since I made butternut squash sage scones for my two-and-a-half-year-old last Fall, he has been obsessed. What's not to love about a bunch of butter, cream, squash, sugar, spices and flour smashed together into a toddler-graspable triangle of deliciousness?

Since that first bite, scones officially became his favorite kind of “cake,” and I've been warned it’s what he expects to appear at his birthday party in October.

While he likes all kinds of scones, the classic British type – cake-like and tender, dotted through with cheerful bits of dried currants – are his favorite. They are a bit more refined than the brash American ones that abound and are genteel enough to accept a dab of butter after being split in half. Or, how about some Devon cream - fresh heavy cream cooked down into a thick, heart-stopping goodness. Try some of that on it, will you?

We spent the afternoon recently with our terrific neighbor, Heather (of Jagger Photography). She and her husband are masters of telling stories about families and love and capturing exuberant, light-soaked photos full of color happiness - even here in cloudy Washington. Check them out, you'll be happy you did.

Heather took some awesome photos while we baked and gave me lots of helpful pointers about shooting food. Thanks so much, Heather! One caveat I should mention: Heather had to use my camera with the crappy lens. Boo. We still had fun though. Here's what we made!  

Tender Currant Scones

(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.)

Makes 24.

Wet Ingredients Await Their Turn 

Dry Ingredients...Check!

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons baking powder*
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup sugar
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and softened
1 ½ c. dried currants
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 large eggs

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Prep two rimmed baking sheets – line with parchment paper. Pulse flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor until combined (6 to 7 pulses). Add butter until fully incorporated (about 25 pulses). Mixture should look like very fine crumbs with no visible butter.

Whisk milk, half-and-half, and eggs together in another bowl. Set aside 4 tablespoons of this liquid mixture. Add remaining liquid to flour mixture and fold together until almost no dry bits of butter remain. (A rubber spatula is perfect for this step.) Fold in the currants.

Transfer dough to a well-floured counter and gather it into a ball. You will notice that it is quite wet and not shaggy like your typical American-type scone dough.

Do not fret! Soft, wet dough is your friend. 

Please maintain a cool, British calm. This is exactly how to want the dough to look. Flour your hands well. Knead the dough until the surface is smooth and free of cracks. 

Gently knead about 30 times.

Press down gently to form a disk. Flour your rolling pin. Roll your disk out until it is about 1-inch thick. You can roll it out into a very large circle or rectangle, your choice. Just keep the thickness even.Using a floured 2 ½-inch round cutter, stamp out eight rounds at a time. Recoat the cutter with flour if it begins to stick. Push the cutter straight down and don’t twist it when you are pulling it up. Sharp-edged cuts will create taller, more even scones.

Little Scribbler stole a hunk of the dough. Oh well.

Arrange the scones on your prepped sheet.

Here’s a cool thing about this recipe. You can gather whatever scraps are left, roll them out again and stamp out more scones. A second roll does not cause toughness. Don’t re-roll the scraps remaining from the second roll though. These will definitely produce tough little pucks.

Gentle brushing will do. Egg and milk wash gives your finished scones a golden brown sheen.

Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved milk/half-and-half/egg mixture. Turn oven down to 425 degrees and bake the scones until they are risen and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Rotate the sheets halfway between baking for even cooking.

Transfer your scones to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Admire their beauty and resist the urge to shove one into your mouth. Serve scones warm or at room temperature. These are delicious split in half and smeared with butter or clotted cream. 

You may also freeze any leftovers and reheat them for 15 minutes in a 300-degree oven. But I doubt if you will stop at eating just one.

These are for sharing! Bring some over to the neighbors. Or, have a "cake" party with your favorite toddler at home.

Adapted  from Cook’s Illustrated.

Makes 24 scones.

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons baking powder*

1 scant teaspoon sea salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and softened

1 ½ c. dried currants

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

4 large eggs

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Prep two rimmed baking sheets – line with parchment paper. Pulse flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor until combined (6 to 7 pulses). Add butter until fully incorporated (about 25 pulses). Mixture should look like very fine crumbs with no visible butter.

Whisk milk, half-and-half, and eggs together in another bowl. Set aside 4 tablespoons of this liquid mixture. Add remaining liquid to flour mixture and fold together until almost no dry bits of butter remain. (A rubber spatula is perfect for this step.) Fold in the currants.

Transfer dough to a well-floured counter and gather it into a ball. You will notice that it is quite wet and not shaggy like your typical American-type scone dough. Flour your hands well. Knead the dough until the surface is smooth, about 30 times. Press down gently to form a disk. Flour your rolling pin. Roll your disk out until it is about 1-inch thick. You can roll it out into a very large circle or rectangle, your choice. Just keep the thickness even.

Using a floured 2 ½-inch round cutter, stamp out eight rounds at a time. Recoat the cutter with flour if it begins to stick. Push the cutter straight down and don’t twist it when you are pulling it up. Sharp-edged cuts will create taller, more even scones.

Arrange the scones on your prepped sheet.

Gather whatever scraps are left, roll them out again and stamp out more scones. A second roll does not cause toughness. .

Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved milk/half-and-half/egg mixture. Turn oven down to 425 degrees and bake the scones until they are risen and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Rotate the sheets halfway between baking for even cooking.

Transfer your scones to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Admire their beauty and resist the urge to shove one into your mouth. Serve scones warm or at room temperature. These are delicious split in half and smeared with butter or clotted cream. 

You may also freeze any leftovers and reheat them for 15 minutes in a 300-degree oven. 

* I use non-aluminum Rumsford brand – who wants to eat aluminum? Yuck.