Getting back on track...

I know it's been forever and a day since I've posted one of these. I'm a little ashamed. And I apologize wholeheartedly. I can offer excuses...blah blah, work, blah, sister's wedding, Christmas, so on and so forth. But honestly, I just haven't given it much thought. But I'm through with that! I'm back and my goal is to try and post something every week. Feel free to yell at me if I fall behind :) the motivation will help. So Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you all are enjoying your holiday. Here is a fun little treat that I made for my work people a few days ago. If you like meringues, you absolutely must make these. They melt in your mouth and the peppermint is a delightful and unexpected twist on a traditional meringue. In the future, I plan on doing a few variations of this recipe. It's super easy as long as you have a mixer. I used a pastry bag and a star tip to make mine, but you can cut the corner of a ziploc and do essentially the same thing.

It takes them a couple of hours to bake but I promise the result is worth it. BEWARE humidity. It doesn't ruin them, but we had the windows open and they got very sticky when they were cooling. I just popped them back into a warm oven for a few minutes and they crisped right back up. Then I dumped them immediately into a ziploc bag and suck the air out with a straw. Overcautious maybe, but they didn't get sticky!

Also, in the magazine, they were cute pink and white swirled. I tried their recommendation to get the desired swirl, but mostly they just turned out solid pink. Still cute.

Happy Holidays!

Peppermint Meringues
Makes about 60 small ones

Ingredients
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 drops red food coloring

Preheat the oven to 200 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites and salt on medium high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer, until white and foamy, about 1 minute. With the mixer on, add the 1/3 cup sugar in three parts, beating for 2 minutes in between, and 2 minutes after you add the last batch, until stiff peaks form. You should be able to take the whisk, dip it into the meringue, and turn it upside-down. The meringue should stay standing fairly straight up. Add the powdered sugar and peppermint and vanilla extracts. The meringue might soften up a little bit. Don't get scared. Mine did too.

Dot the food coloring on the surface, without stirring. Spoon into plastic bag or pastry bag with 1/2 inch tip. Pipe into 1-inch mounds on parchment paper, about an inch apart. Mine were closer together than this. They don't spread at all.

Bake for 2 1/2 hours, until meringues are dry. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature. If they get sticky while cooling, I popped mine back into my barely-warm oven for a minute then put them right into a container.

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

Enjoy!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Breathe deeply. Can you smell it? Step outside. Can you feel it? That crispness in the air. The coolness of a breeze on your skin. The smokiness of an evening fire. And the sweet aroma of cinnamon that brings such warmth to a kitchen this time of year. Welcome. It's finally here. Fall. My favorite time of year. Granted, to those of us that live in Florida, fall is more a state of mind than an actual experience but it still works for me! After suffering through what seemed like an endless summer of record breaking temperatures and extreme humidity, this mild reprieve from sweating is certainly welcome.

 

Among the other benefits, PUMPKINS! Seriously...could they be any better? As decorations, as a fun craft experience, as food, pumpkins bring me such enjoyment. Though I will go so far as to say pumpkins in savory dishes are simply not for me. Maybe I haven't found a good recipe yet. Maybe I just think pumpkin belongs in desserts. Regardless, I will spend the next couple of months trying to share some of my favorite pumpkin recipes with you.

To start off, Pilgrim Pumpkin Bars. A delicious layer of pumpkin spice cake, topped with a delightful amount of cream cheese frosting. A couple of things to note before you dash off to make this...you know you want to :) I baked these in a 13x9 inch pan. Too small. Not only did I add at least 20 minutes to the cooking time, but I kept having to check them and turn the oven down so the outside didn't brown too quickly. And I sort of ruined the title. Mine was more like Pilgrim Pumpkin Cake. Too thick to fall into the bars category. Which is a shame, because it did make it more difficult to eat. I had to use a fork...and what fun is that? So that said, use a larger pan...or maybe two batches in a small square pan? Also, for the frosting, I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese. I personally like it. I don't find that it changes the taste and it makes it easier for me to justify a bigger piece! Plus it is a little softer so it makes a nice, creamy frosting.

 

So onward I say! With a nip in the air (hopefully) and a spring in your step, trot to your kitchen and whip these puppies up! Your first taste of fall will be as sweet as the first time you got to open your windows to let in the fresh air!

 

Andrea and Michele

Pilgrim Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin

1 cup oil

4 eggs

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

6 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a large rectangular baking dish (preferably larger than 9x13)

Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl. Stir. Add oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Mix until combined. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Once cooled, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a medium sized bowl. Add the powdered sugar slowly and mix until creamy. Spread on top of the cooled cake. Cut into bars and serve.

The Tastes of Childhood

Of all the senses humans possess, it's said that the sense of smell is most closely related to memory retrieval. For anyone  who has ever smelled the delicious aroma of chocolate chip cookies baking, and has been thrown back to their childhood, back to a simpler time when cookies cured all worries, you understand this peculiar sensation. For me, food smells in particular allow me to embrace floods of wonderful memories that bring me back to my childhood. These ginger cookies smell and taste like the Christmases of my younger years. They are a version of the classic gingerbread, only updated to make them more sophisticated, and thus more enjoyable all year long.


Mom recently expressed an interest in candying her own ginger. For those of you who have bought candied ginger before, you know it can get kind of pricey, ranging from about $5-7 for an 8 oz jar. With this recipe, it becomes monumentally cheaper. At first glance, it may seem intimidating to make, but it's actually fairly simple. You only need a kitchen scale. Since this cookie recipe calls for a lot of candied ginger, it is far cheaper to just make it yourself. We store our leftover ginger in a jar in the fridge, in order to extend its life. We recommend chopping the ginger up fairly finely before adding it to the dough, so nobody chomps into a giant chunk of ginger, which can be a little overwhelming for the tastebuds.


These cookies are our substitute for traditional molasses cookies. They retain the classic flavors found in molasses cookies, but punch up the volume. They don't stay fresh for more than a couple of days, however they freeze extremely well. We always leave out a few, freeze the rest, and use them as needed.


Enjoy!

Ultimate Ginger Cookies
Makes 16


Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger
Granulated sugar, for rolling cookies


Preheat the oven to 350 and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.


Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together in a large bowl and give the mixture a quick stir. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes using the paddle attachment. Switch to low speed and add the egg, beating for 1 minute. Keep the mixer on low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Turn mixer to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until just combined.


Scoop the dough and roll each cookie into a 1 3/4 inch ball. Flatten slightly with your hands. Dip each side of the cookie into the granulated sugar and place on the pan. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies should be crackled on the top and soft on the inside. Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to completely cool.


Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook

I Like My People Nutty, but Not My Brownies

All my life, I have been considered odd. Out of all my family members, I’m the only one who doesn’t like ketchup. And though over the years my tastes have changed, (I now eat a lot more vegetables than I used to) I still despise that slimy red condiment. When it comes down to it, I hate all condiments. Relish, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles. All of them rank on my “I will never voluntarily eat these” list. That’s right. I eat my burgers plain- with only a nice slab of cheese.

Running along the same line, I hate nuts in most of my foods. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the value of nuts by themselves. I could sit down and eat an entire bag of pistachios. I love almonds on my salad. I can eat cashews by the handful. But for heaven’s sake, don’t put nuts in my cookies. Keep them away from my brownies. And most importantly, NEVER make me eat chunky peanut butter. There is just something about the texture of nuts in a nice chewy dessert that I find truly upsetting. Because of my weird hatred of nut-filled recipes, most of the things you see on this blog will be nuts-optional. You may want to add them. I, however, will probably not.

Some might think my taste is boring. I entirely disagree. I like to consider myself a food purist. My strongest desire is for all ingredients in a dish to enhance, rather than detract from, the other flavors of the dish. When I eat a burger, I expect it to taste like meat. I don’t want it to taste like some strange tomatoey concoction. When I eat a sandwich, or a burrito from Chipotle (my favorite!), I want it to taste like the main ingredients. This is primarily the reason I don’t even like to order lettuce in subs or burritos. It detracts and it makes me sad. I believe brownies should taste like a chocolate explosion, and chocolate chip cookies should taste like buttery, sugary, chocolatey goodness. Not walnuts. Thus…no nuts.

That being said, I will give in and say that there are certain foods that are honestly better with the addition of nuts. This coffee cake is one of them. This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember. And I’ve eaten it so many times, I’ve probably tried it with any nut you can think of, as well as minus the nuts. Pecans are unquestionably the best. Walnuts probably run a close second. But, as I have a longstanding grudge against walnuts, odds are I would avoid them. But in this particular cake, the nuts add a certain necessary crunchiness to the streusel crumble. So if you leave them out, you’ll be missing out.

Since it is one of my favorite flavors from my childhood, I hope you enjoy it!

-Andrea

Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts work best)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a pan with a tube in the center. 

Blend together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and mix well. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and stir until just blended.

In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts for the topping.

Pour half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle half the topping over the batter. Add the rest of the batter. Top with the remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 45 minutes. 

A Simple Crowd-Pleaser

This pizza has become a favorite of the family's. It is delicious! But also a littler rich. In order to lighten it up, use half and half or even milk, and thicken it with a roux. My daughter has successfully used skim milk. Just double the amount of butter and flour and simply follow the directions.

P.S. You can grill your own chicken or buy it already cooked.

Enjoy!

-Michele

Chicken Alfredo Pizza
Serves 4

Ingredients
3/4 lb chicken breast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter (use 4 if using milk)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon flour, plus more to roll out dough
1 cup heavy cream (or half and half or milk)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 16 oz ball of store bought pizza dough (or you can make your own)
2 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375. If using a pizza stone, place in oven to preheat while preparing sauce. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in grill pan and cook until no longer pink. Set on cutting board to cool. Dice.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add garlic and red pepper and cook a few minutes until garlic is fragrant, but not browned. Add flour and cook, stirring, for a minute. Whisk in cream, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thickened. (When I use milk, I wait a minute before reducing the heat. It may also take an extra couple of minutes to thicken.) Add Parmesan and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Flour a work surface and roll out the dough until about 13 inches in diameter. (We make it into a rectangle since that is the shape of our pizza stone and most baking sheets.) Place on a baking sheet, or onto the preheated pizza stone. Spoon the sauce onto the dough and spread. Top with spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and mozzarella. Brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden.

Recipe adapted from The Neelys

It's Sinfully Delicious

Over the past few years, it has become common practice for my friends and family to give me something related to cooking and baking for every major holiday and celebration. The compilation of all of my gifts for the last 5 years is divided something like 95 percent cooking things, 5 percent other. Though this may not be some people's first option for gifts, I couldn't be happier. There is honestly very little that my kitchen lacks and since this is my passion, I am tickled. Though I do still need a nice dutch oven...


I recently graduated with my bachelor's degree. Naturally, I received a multitude of wonderful presents. Among them was a set of cookbooks given to me by my boss of 4 years. All are written by the Diva of Desserts, Rose Levy Beranbaum. The first recipe that caught my eye was a Brownie Tart with Ganache Puddles. For me, the title alone was enough to induce drooling. And let me tell you, the finished product does not disappoint. 


All things considered, this dessert is not for the faint-hearted. If you are a mere "liker" of chocolate, steer clear of this dish. This brownie is extremely rich. Although the original recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, I used semisweet because I was afraid it would be too much. Plus, I was serving it to other people and not everyone is as devoted to chocolate as I am. Next time, I'm going for the bittersweet. After all, when I eat something chocolate, I want to feel like I'm drowning in melted chocolatey goodness :)


I hope you love it as much as I do!

Brownie Tart with Ganache Puddles
Serves 8 (but it can probably be stretched to serve 10 or 12. Seriously, it's really rich)


Ingredients


1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (I left these out...not a huge nut fan)
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used about 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips)
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup + 3 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup flour
Pinch of salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (about 1/3 cup of chocolate chips)
1/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature


Directions
Preheat the oven to 325. Grease the bottom of a tart pan with a removable bottom, line with parchment, and grease the parchment as well.


Place the pecans (if you use them) on a cookie sheet. Toast them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until slightly browned. Cool. 


Melt the butter and 3 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally. Beat the cocoa, then the sugar, into the chocolate and butter mixture until fully incorporated. If doing by hand, use a whisk. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the cream cheese until only small pieces remain. Add the flour and salt and mix until just moistened. Add the nuts if using. 


Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet to catch any leaking. Spread the batter in the pan and smooth the top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the side comes out clean. 


While the brownie is in the oven, make the ganache by melting the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and stir until it is smooth and dark. If the cream was too cold and the mixture is not smooth, place back over the water and stir until uniform. 


When the brownie  is removed from the oven, poke holes at 1-inch intervals all across the tart, poking all the way to the bottom. Using a small spoon or a plastic baggy with a hole cut in one corner (I used a pastry bag), fill the holes with ganache until slightly rounded on top. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. The puddles will sink as the tart cools, and you can add more ganache to even it out. (Don't do like I did and pour the rest of the ganache into your mouth. You'll need it once the tart cools. Oops!)


Recipe from The Pie and Pastry Bible. 


Enjoy!


-Andrea

Easy Italian

If you like pesto, I have a great recipe for fresh pesto that can be used on toasted crusty bread to make bruschetta or even on pasta to make a delicious and easy meal. It also freezes extremely well. Buying a basil plant is a cheaper alternative to buying packaged basil. The plant will yield many cups of basil over time and it is quite easy to grow indoors or out. Just make sure it gets plenty of water if you keep it outdoors in the heat. And I personally find it very satisfying to pick it fresh myself!

Fresh Pesto

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

4 cups fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and oil and pulse until it forms a paste. Add the cheese and salt and pepper, to taste, and pulse until smooth. 

Recipe adapted from Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar

To make pesto pasta, cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water. Top with pesto. Use the reserved water to thin out the pesto until a sauce forms. 

To make our family's bruschetta, slice a baguette into one-inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 until lightly toasted. You can flip the bread over halfway through to make sure both sides brown. Remove from the oven and spread with pesto. Top with fresh chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. Put back in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve hot. 

I know my family really enjoys both the pasta and bruschetta made with this pesto. I hope yours will too!

-Michele

Sometimes its worth spending the time...

Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. For people with jobs, kids, and all manner of other responsibilities, tackling everything with the same amount of energy simply isn’t possible. Often times when this happens, cooking is the thing that gets pushed aside. My mom will be the first person to admit that she didn’t used to spend a lot of time cooking meals. But when raising four children and holding a job, dealing with pets, and covering all other responsibilities that came with keeping a house over our heads, time was scarce. As we grew up and moved out of the house, she began to have more time to experiment with different recipes. Now, she’s cooking up something new and delicious every time I go home.

Lately, I’ve been finding that even though I may have the time to put together extravagant meals, I really don’t have the energy. Most nights, I’ll come home and my sister and I will throw together something quick: rice, pasta, chicken. Some days though, I just really feel like creating a fancy meal. The next time I do however, I will be making these amazing lasagna rolls.

My mom made them as a Father’s Day treat for my step-dad, and needless to say, the whole family loved them. They were fairly time intensive, but that being said, most of the cooking process does not require active participation.

When searching for recipes, don’t necessarily be put off by meals with long cooking times. This one, for example, lists its cooking time as 3.5 hours. But really, the amount of time you’ll actually spend cooking it is maybe 30 minutes. Some of the best recipes for busy people have really extensive cooking times because you can prepare part or all of the meal, and let it cook for several hours. Not only does this allow you to accomplish things while the meal is cooking, but it makes your house smell delicious!

So make these lasagna rolls! They make a really nice presentation when guests come over too. They look super fancy. And the flavor is amazing. You can top with any jar of marinara sauce, but my mom likes to make this one. It’s simple and delicious.

So good luck! And buon appetito!

Short Rib Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients

Ribs:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1 onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cups red wine, such as pinot noir

2 cups beef broth

Filling:

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups Parmesan, grated (6 ounces)

1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)

1 (10-ounce) packet frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess liquid

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

12 lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)

Butter, for greasing baking dish

1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Olive oil, for drizzling

 

Ribs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Season the ribs with the salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and cook each side about 4 minutes, until browned. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add onions, garlic, and rosemary to the pot and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom.  Add the beef broth and put the ribs back in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the ribs and set aside until they are cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Discard cooking liquid and bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into 2 inch pieces. You should get about 2 1/4 cups of meat.

Filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low. Add cheeses and whisk until sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and add spinach, basil, and garlic. Place the shredded meat in a medium bowl and add the cream mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of pepper. Mix until combined. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup (depending on how large you want them) of the filling mixture evenly along each noodle. Roll and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all the noodles and filling to make 12 lasagna rolls. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. 


Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

The Genius of Traditions

It has become a Christmas Eve tradition in my family to create a buffet of our favorite snacky-type junk foods. Among the spread, we have spinach dip with pumpernickel bread as a dipper, pigs in a blanket made with little cocktail sausages, a homemade dip for tortilla chips that has been a staple in mom’s repertoire for as long as I can remember, and various incredible desserts.

Recently, my family was celebrating my little sister’s birthday with a combination birthday/farewell dinner (since she was heading out of town for a few weeks.) It was my sister’s brilliant brainstorm that we recreate our buffet mid-year, in order to celebrate her birthday. I wholeheartedly approved the idea, since it meant I wouldn't have to wait another six months to consume some of my favorite foods. As a replacement to the typical chocolate or vanilla birthday cake, my mom made one of my personal favorite things: Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes.

In my opinion, there are certain things in life that can bring pleasure simply by existing. For me, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter comprises the first choice among my guilty pleasures. Whether it’s eating a peanut butter cup, or creating a dessert based on these tiny confections, my love runs deep and it runs true.  So naturally, when I discovered this recipe several years ago, it quickly became one of my favorite desserts. If you have a favorite chocolate cake recipe, feel free to use it. The cake recipe included with these cupcakes, while tasty, isn’t necessarily my first choice. On one hand, I like this cake because it’s not too sweet, which balances the sweetness of the frosting nicely. On the other hand, they tend to be a little crumbly.

Regardless of what type of cake you make, they will be incredible, especially for all you peanut butter lovers. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes 14-16

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoon brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Peter Pan or Skippy)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 and line muffin tins with paper liners. 

Fit your electric mixer with paddle attachment. In the bowl, cream together the butter and two kinds of sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Lower speed to medium and add eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and mix well. 


In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. With the mixture on low speed, add the buttermilk and flour mixtures alternately, starting with the buttermilk, and ending with the flour. Mix until just blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure everything is incorporated. 


Fill the liners with the batter. One rounded standard ice cream scoop is a good way to measure. Bake on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely.


To make the frosting, mix the confectioner's sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium-low speed. Scrape down the bowl as you mix. Add the cream and beat on high until light and smooth. Frost cupcakes. 


Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home. 

Why is it that a mom's cooking always tastes better?

I consider myself to be a very proficient cook. I'm excellent at following a recipe and it's rare that I make something I'm totally dissatisfied with. That being said, my food simply can't compete with mom's. I don't know what it is. Don't get me wrong...my food is still tasty. But sometimes it just seems like it's missing a tiny something special. Maybe I don't enjoy my food as much when I actually make it. Maybe using a gas stove adds something extra. I honestly think my mom is just magical. 


Since I believe that to be the case, she's going to take you through this recipe. And I hope yours turns out to be as delicious as hers. Anytime I'm home I snag a handful to munch on and this morning I had it as a cereal. Delicious! On a side note, I did make this the other day and it came out pretty well. Two things I want to add to her dialog: 1) I don't recommend using a roasted nut. I did this since it was what I had on hand, and it added a tad too much salt. Or at least if you do use an already salted nut, leave out some of the other salt. 2) When you take it out of the oven, it will be nicely golden, but it won't be crispy right away. As it cools, it becomes more crunchy. So don't panic and overcook it. You can always toss it back in after it has cooled some to brown up the bottom. 


That's all from me. Here is my mother's first post!


Here is a recipe for homemade granola that I have tried a few times. I have done it with different nuts: sliced almonds, walnuts, and pecans, or a combination. Whatever you have on hand will do fine. I have substituted the dried cranberries with dried tropical fruit or dried mixed berries, which included raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. All were great!


I keep mine in a big glass jar on the kitchen counter. It's good as a snack or a topping on yogurt, as well as a cereal with milk. ENJOY!

Homemade Granola


Ingredients


2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or other fruit)
1 cup sliced almonds (or other nuts)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 325. Line a 9-inch square baking sheet with foil. Allow the foil to extend over the sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.


Combine the oats, cranberries, almonds, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. 


Combine the butter, sugar, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter melts and the mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.


Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture, stirring until well coated. Pour into prepared baking sheet and press down evenly using a rubber spatula. 


Bake until top is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Using the foil, lift out of pan and transfer to a rack to cool. Once cooled, place on a work surface. Crumble into pieces. Store in an airtight container. 

Recipe adapted from Food Network

The Start of Something Good...

I hope. I've had an interesting time trying to create this blog. I believe myself to be fairly technology savvy. I've taken a lot of computer courses, and being my age, I spend the majority of my time logged onto some sort of electronic device. All things considered, it has taken me a ridiculous amount of time to get this thing up and running. Probably because I'm a mild perfectionist and I want to make sure it resembles a blog I would want to read. My mom will be participating in most of the other postings, but unfortunately, she wasn't around when I made these. Since I live away from home now, we'll have to figure out a way to coordinate pictures and such. So stay tuned for her posts! 


For the first post, I made David Lebovitz's Lemon-Glazed Madeleines. I got a madeleine pan for Christmas and have yet to use it. I've been searching for my inaugural recipe and I stumbled across this one and thought it sounded delightful. The end result was absolutely delicious and it is definitely something I'll make again. You'll need to read his post for all of the details, but essentially, there is a baking powder or no baking powder dilemma going on. Since he called for it in his recipe, I included it. Next time I make them, I might leave it out though. They were extremely puffy and sort of sat awkwardly on a plate. Though texture-wise, the madeleines were beautifully fluffy on the inside. 

Also, I edited the glaze recipe. First off, it only made enough to coat half of the madeleines, and secondly, it was too thin and ended up being absorbed sort of like a sugar syrup by my first batch. 


That being said, I love them. They are buttery and fluffy and the lemon juice in the glaze helps cut the sweetness. The result is a slightly tart yet perfectly sweet treat. I ate three while I was waiting for the glaze to dry :) 


My biggest helpful hint for successfully making this recipe is to butter and flour the pan, even if it is nonstick. I actually used one of each type of pan and ironically, my madeleines stuck more to the nonstick pan. Also, if you use nonstick, be sure to turn your oven down 15 or so degrees. Otherwise, you'll end up with cakes that are burned on the bottom and undercooked on top. The coating on these pans gets hotter in the oven than uncoated metals. And be sure to apply this rule to other types of nonstick pans as well, especially cookie sheets! I'm personally a fan of uncoated pans, but mom prefers the nonstick variety. Both work equally well but whichever type you prefer, always remember to alter the temperature appropriately.


My last piece of advice is to clean up the kitchen as you go. For all of my 22 years, I still haven't learned to follow this suggestion. Every time I cook, I end up with a pile of dishes in the sink and it takes away from the experience. For this recipe, I recommend tidying while the batter is chilling. I, however, did not. So if you'll excuse me, I have some cleaning to do!

Lemon-Glazed Madeleines
Makes 24


Ingredients:
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup (130g) granulated sugar

rounded 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup (175g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
zest of one small lemon
9 tablespoons (120g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus additional melted butter for preparing the molds

1 1/2 cup (150g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons water

Brush the madeleine molds with melted butter. Sprinkle with flour and shake to coat evenly. Tap off any excess and put in the fridge or freezer. 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whip the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt. (I used the whisk attachment) Whip for about 5 minutes until thickened and frothy. 

Combine the flour and baking powder if using. Spoon into a sifter and sift into the bowl with the egg and sugar mixture, folding it in as you sift. 

Mix the lemon zest with the cooled butter. Fold into the rest, a few spoonfuls at a time. Once the last of the butter is just folded in, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to 12.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (around 405 is using nonstick). Spoon batter into each of the indentations, estimating about 3/4 full. Do not spread the batter. Bake 8-9 minutes until they are just set when you poke them. 

While they are baking, mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small bowl. Once the madeleines are done, flip them out onto a cooling rack. I had a little trouble with this part, so I just ran a knife gently around the edges. Once they have cooled some (mine were barely warm), dip them in the glaze and place back on cooling rack, scallop side up. 

Glazed madeleines are best left uncovered, or loosely wrapped. They can be kept in a covered container up to three days. David does not recommend freezing them because the glaze will melt. 

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz.