Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Winter has arrive in NC. We had snow and cold temperatures this weekend, so what better weather for baking cookies? 

Notes: These came out great. I have been loyal to a different cookie recipe for a long time and these may just be my new favorite!

I adapted these from this recipe. I'm a fan of chewy chocolate chip cookies, but these were supposed to be a mix of chewy and crispy. I replaced the shortening in this recipe with butter, in part because I don't have shortening and in part because shortening makes cookies crispier. 

If you use salted butter, just omit the salt from this recipe.

Don't like nuts? Just sub out another cup of chocolate chips. 

The dough was dry after I chilled it, so I ended up balling it up in my hands before putting it on the trays.

The original recipe calls for baking them at 375, but my oven runs hot. I knocked the temperature back for the second batch and that worked better.

Ingredients:

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup pecan pieces

Directions: In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. 

With the mixer on low, add the flour and mix until it's about halfway incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and the pecan pieces and mix until everything is incorporated.

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour and up to 24. 

Heat the oven to 350. Drop the cookies onto two sheet trays, about 2 inches apart. Bake for between 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from the trays and cool the rest of the way on a rack. Enjoy!

Greek Chicken with Tzatziki and Homemade Pita

Long-time readers of this blog will recall that I am an impulse baker. I bake on a whim all the time. You'll recall that I made chicken pot pie risotto earlier this week. I ended up with leftover chicken. I had planned to make some greek-inspired chickpea cakes, but, I decided, chickpeas will keep just fine in their cans. The chicken will not keep as long. So, why not make greek-inspired chicken instead? 

I'm not sure what made me think "pita," but I decided yesterday that I would make them today. That's advanced notice for the impulse baker. I've never made them before, but I will definitely be making them again.

Notes: I tweaked this recipe for the pita and this recipe for the tzatziki sauce.

So, making bread from scratch. It can be intimidating, but that shouldn't stop you. You just need planning and patience. These tasted so fresh and delicious, it was well worth the work!

A lot of the kneading is about feel. When you first start kneading, the bread will feel loose and almost too soft. That's because the gluten hasn't developed yet. Just keep going, sprinkling more flour on the bread and your hands if it starts to stick. As you knead, the gluten will develop and the dough will start to feel springier and denser. 

When you're rolling out the pita, be careful not to sprinkle too much flour on it. Try to flour the rolling pin. I got a little too much flour on mine and it was stuck on there after my pitas were cooked. 

You can see the too much flour here, but also, look at that good puff!

It's likely you will have leftover pita. Don't worry, you can keep them in the fridge. Let them cool completely and put them in a zip top bag, separated by pieces of wax paper. Then you can heat them up for a few minutes in the oven.

English cucumbers work best for the tzatziki sauce because they're seedless and the skin is thinner and less bitter. But, if you don't have them, don't go buy one just for this. Use a regular cucumber, but peel it first. 

I would make the tzatziki first and get it out of the way. If you're doing all this in one go, make sure you have your chicken ingredients all prepped and ready to go before you start rolling and cooking the pita. You'll probably have to cook some pita while you roll out the others (if you're like me and don't have enough counter space for 8 pitas). Start the chicken when you're about halfway through the pitas.

I don't have a picture of the whole assembled pita with the chicken. The pita was kind of the star of the show. It all turned out really well.

Ingredients:

For the pita:

1 packet of yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for the bowl

3 cups of flour plus more for dusting

For tzatziki:

1 cup of greek yogurt

1/2 English cucumber (see notes)

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper for seasoning

For chicken:

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (approx)

1 lemon

3 tablespoons of olive oil

4-5 cloves garlic

3-4 springs of fresh oregano

Diced fresh tomatoes, sliced onion, sliced cucumber for serving

Directions for pita: In a large mixing bowl, mix the water, sugar, and yeast together until the yeast and sugar dissolve (it's OK if there are some little lumps left). Allow it to sit uncovered in a warm spot in your kitchen until it's bubbly and frothy (about 15-20 minutes). 

Stir in the olive oil, salt, and flour. The dough should start out looking sort of rough and shaggy. If it's really sticky and wet, sprinkle in some more flour. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together and starts to look a little smoother. Then turn it out on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and springs back when you poke it. Wipe out the dough bowl with a paper towel and coat bowl with olive oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise until it's doubled in size, about an hour.

When the dough has risen, deflate it and shape it back into a ball. Turn it out on a floured surface and divide it into 8 pieces. Let them sit under a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes. Roll the pieces out into circles, about 8 inches or so in diameter (see notes).

Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. To check and see if it's hot, flick a drop or two of water in the pan. If it beads up and sizzles immediately, you skillet is hot. Drizzle the pan with olive oil and wipe the excess away. Put a pita circle in the pan. It will start to puff and bubble after about 45 seconds. Flip it over with a big spatula (you should see some little brown spots on the side that was touching the pan). Cook for about another minute. Put your finished pita on baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel. Cover the finished pita with a towel while you make the rest. 

Directions for tzatziki: Grate the cucumber on the small holes of the box grater into a strainer lined with a paper towels or cheese cloth. Squeeze the water out and leave in the strainer. 

Add the yogurt, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a small mixing bowl. Grate the garlic with a microplane or zester straight into the bowl. Add in the cucumber and stir well to combine everything. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Directions for chicken: Mince garlic and oregano. Zest the lemon and cut it in half. Heat a skillet on medium and add olive oil. Add garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes. Add oregano and lemon zest and cook for another minute or two. Squeeze half the lemon into the oil mixture and then add the chicken. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the chicken is heated and some of the liquid in the pan evaporates. Turn off the heat and finish by squeezing the other half of the lemon over the chicken.

To serve: Speak some tzatziki sauce on one of the pitas. Top with chicken and add whatever toppings you like. Enjoy!

Single Layer Pumpkin Cake

You didn't think I'd forget the pumpkin recipes for fall, did you? Of course not! I'm looking around for pumpkin desserts that aren't the typical ones you see. I'll let you know if I find any others.

Notes: I was planning to top this cake with some white chocolate ganache, but I messed up the chocolate to cream ratio and it came out too thin. *sigh* Further proof that frosting and I have a troubled relationship. I ended up pouring it over the cake anyway, but I won't include it here.

You could top this cake in a number of different ways. Some powdered sugar would be great, or you can make some frosting if you feel enterprising.

If you don't have cake flour, you can use all purpose. I think the crumb is nice with the cake flour.

This recipe makes one single layer round cake. I cut mine into squares to make it easier to eat.

Ingredients (modified from Martha Stewart):
1 2/3 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk, warmed
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs

Directions: Heat the oven to 350

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until it's fluffy. Add in the eggs and beat until combined. Add in the milk and the pumpkin and mix until combined.

Add in the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until just combined.

Oil or butter a 9 inch round cake tin. Pour in the batter and bake for about 50 minutes until a tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then carefully remove to a cooling rack. Cool about 10 more minutes. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Lime and White Chocolate Bars

Do you love the flavor of key lime pie, but not the work it takes to make one? Well, have I got a solution for you. These bars are a great alternative.

Notes: I made these to take to a cook out earlier this summer. I think they're a great summer dessert. They're also a little different---not the same old cookie or brownie.

I modified this recipe only slightly. I have no key limes. I've only seen them in my grocery store a handful of times. Maybe they make a huge difference, but if they do, I can't taste it.

The first time I made these, I drizzled melted white chocolate over them. It was good, but frankly the white chocolate chips are much easier and just as delicious.

Here's a good tip for getting lots of juice out of your lime: roll it on the counter and press down on it with your palm while you roll. It should yield more juice that way.

When you zest the lime, you can use a microplane. Try to make sure you just take off the green part and not the white part underneath (it's bitter).

Ingredients:
1 heaping cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one lime (about a full teaspoon)
Juice of one lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions: Heat oven to 350.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Whisk it together with the brown sugar (or mix with the paddle attachment of your stand mixer). Stir in the egg, vanilla, and lime juice.

Stir in the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, and zest) until the batter just comes together. The fold in the white chocolate chips.

Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with foil and grease the foil. Pour the batter in and bake for approximately 20 minutes until a test comes out clean and the center looks dry.

Cool for about 5 minutes (or to room temperature). Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Red Velvet Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Scott's birthday was last weekend, so that means I got to make a birthday cake! The birthday boy requested red velvet cake. I was happy to oblige.

Notes: This was the first time I've ever made red velvet cake. I've been cooking for almost 10 years now and there is still so much I have to make.

People mistakenly think that the fuss about red velvet cake is the red color. False. It's really the fine crumb and the unique combo of buttermilk and cocoa powder. You could leave the food coloring out completely if you wanted to and it would still be worth making.

I followed this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction almost to a T, so I won't retype it here. It came out great.

If I had to make some changes, I would replace the vegetable oil with another stick of butter. I also used a combo of red food coloring and blue food coloring to make a dark red. I also used a lot less of it, so my cake had a more subtle red color.

I decorated mine with mini chocolate chips. I only needed about 1/3 of a cup.

It's a lot of work, but it's worth it to have made-from-scratch red velvet cake!

Double Chocolate Coffee Cookies

Do you need a reason to make cookies? Of course not.

Notes: I love coffee desserts, so these are cookies after my own heart. Everything about them is delicious.

If you like your cookies sweeter, you could use regular chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.

Some nuts in here would be great, too, if you're so inclined. Just add a 1/2 cup of your favorite when you add the chocolate chips.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coffee grounds
1/2 cup prepared coffee
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg

Directions:

Melt butter in the microwave. In a stand mixer, add butter and both sugars and mix on medium speed until well combined. Turn the mixer to low. Pour in coffee and add egg. Add in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, coffee grounds, and salt). Mix until just combined. Gentely fold in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.

Heat oven to 350. Scoop large tablespoons of dough onto two parchment or foil lined cookie sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the outsides look dry.

Enjoy--with milk or coffee!

Peach Vanilla Scones

Summer is a bounty of produce, especially fruit. And when you have lots of fruit you make fruit scones!

Notes: I used a muffin tin to make uniform-sized scones. They look a little like muffins for that reason. If you want the traditional triangles, you can pat the dough into a cake pan and then cut it. Or you could just make drop scones. They're all delicious. 

When you're putting the dough into the muffin tin, pat it down so that it's flat. The dough is sticky, so you might need to run your hand under the faucet first. Wet fingers won't stick to the dough as much. 

If you're using Greek yogurt, you can replace the 1/4 cup of extra yogurt with 1/4 cup of milk. Greek yogurt doesn't have as much liquid as regular yogurt and you need that liquid to get the dough to mix well. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons cold butter

1 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1 small peach (will end up to be 1/2 cup small dice)

1 tablespoon vanilla 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Peel and finely dice the peach. It should give you about a 1/2 cup of diced peaches.  

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Cube the cold butter and blend into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers. The butter should be the size of small peas. 

Add in the peaches and toss them to coat. Add in the yogurt and vanilla. Stir with your hands until the dough just comes together. Pinch off small handful and pat them down into the cups of the muffin tin. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Enjoy!

Chocolate Scones

Last winter was terrible. This winter has been better, but February has been pretty bad. The only good thing is that being stuck in the house with ice and snow has led to baking.

Notes: No picture for these (I forgot). They weren't as sweet as I was expecting, so I rewrote the recipe including a little powdered sugar to make them sweeter.

You can either make these as drop scones by rolling them into little balls and dropping them on the baking sheet. You can also make them triangle scones using a cake pan. Or you could use around cookie cutter. I included the directions for triangle scones and the round ones.

These would be great with some raspberry jam or some Nutella!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup whole milk

Directions: Heat oven to 350

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt and milk.

Cut butter into small squares and add to the dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it's the size of small peas. 

Add in the yogurt and milk and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.

To make triangle scones, pat the dough into a (buttered) 9-inch cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

For round scones, pat the dough out onto a floured surface. Using a floured biscuit cutter (or old aluminum can or small glass) cut rounds out of the dough and place on a baking sheet. Gather the scraps into a ball and pat it down again. Cut out more rounds. Repeat until you don't have any dough left. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Allow them to cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!

Cobbled-together Chocolate Chip Cookies

Friday night I decided I wanted chocolate chip cookies. I had not planned to make them, but I did indeed have chocolate chips in the house, so at that point it was just a matter of forming the cookie base. I was running low on several things, so none of my standard cookie recipes were going to work. So, I did what any good impulse baker would do: I improvised.

Notes: Much to my surprise, I didn't ruin these. Lately, I've some how been screwing up my normal cookie recipes. Too much butter, I think. I am also notorious for screwing up oatmeal cookies of any sort, so the fact that I put oats in these was inviting disaster. But the combination of flour, oats, and refrigeration worked.

These cookies have a nice nutty flavor thanks to the oats and the peanut butter. They are also chewy thanks to the oats and brown sugar. They have a mild sweetness as well, so if you're trying to cut down on sugar, these are for you.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
2 heaping tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt the butter in the microwave and pour it into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the brown sugar and beat on medium for a few minutes until well-combined. Put the mixer on low and add in the egg, applesauce, and peanut butter. The mixture will look curdled, but that's normal.

Stir in the flour, oats, and baking soda until just combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.

Heat the oven to 350. Spoon tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto two cookie sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy your cobbled-together cookies!

Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bites

I've wanted to make my own granola bars for a long time, but I haven't found a recipe I really like. I don't like crunchy granola bars. A lot of the recipes for chewy granola bars contain more sugar than I'd like. Granola bars aren't supposed to be cookies.

Well, I stumbled upon a recipe for a healthier oatmeal cookie that actually looked better than some of the granola bar recipes I've seen. Flourless oatmeal chocolate chop bites were born.

Notes: I don't know that these are gluten free, only because I don't know if my oats are gluten free. And is peanut butter gluten free? I have no clue. But I know these are flourless, if that helps!

These taste like a combination of banana bread and an oatmeal cookie. A plus in my book!

These will be easier to mix if the ingredients are at room temperature. If your peanut butter is a little stiff, zap it in the microwave for a few second so it loosens up. I used natural peanut butter here; the oil makes it easier to stir.

If you'd like to keep these egg-free, you could either use another tablespoon of peanut butter or a couple more bananas.

You could use raisins or any other dried fruit instead of chocolate chips.

These cookies don't expand or spread very much when you bake them, so if you want them flatter, be sure to smoosh them a little with your spoon when you put them on the baking sheet.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled or old fashioned oats
1 ripe banana
1 egg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
2 heaping tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and mash the banana. Add in the vanilla, the peanut butter, and the applesauce. Stir to combine (it won't be perfectly smooth).

Add in oats, pumpkin pie spice, and chocolate chips. Stir until well mixed and the dough starts to feel like cookie dough.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350. Put tablespoonfuls of dough on a parchment or foiled lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Store in an airtight container and separate the layers with wax paper. Enjoy!

Apple Gingerbread with Vanilla Glaze

Classes are ending this week (thank goodness!) and I promised my upper level seminar snacks on the last day. I decided I wanted to bake and I had some apples left in the fridge that needed using up. Apple spice cake? Apple muffins? 

I wanted something holiday-related, so I went back through some of my bookmarked recipes. I found a recipe for pear gingerbread. Aha! Apple gingerbread it is. 

Notes: Me and glaze? We're not friends. I've never been good at getting the consistency right. This recipe as it was originally written did not work: the glaze was too dry. I upped the amounts and that worked better. If there's one thing I've figured out, it's that glaze is not an exact science. I heated a little bit more milk than I needed and just fiddled with the amounts until I got it right. 

I used my stand mixer to make the glaze and it worked great. You don't need to use it; you just need some elbow grease and a whisk.

Mixing the apple pieces into the flour will help them not sink to the bottom of the batter, so be sure not to skip that step.

The gingerbread is fluffy and sticky and delicious! If you're bored with other holiday desserts, give this one a try. It would be perfect for a holiday potluck because you can make it well in advance.  

Ingredients:

For gingerbread (adapted from this recipe):

2 cups flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons fresh ginger

1 cup milk

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup molasses 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 eggs

2 apples

For vanilla glaze (adapted from this recipe):

1 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons milk

Pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Heat the oven to 350 and butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Peel and chop apples into small pieces (mine were a little smaller than 1/2 an inch). Mix the apples into the dry ingredients. 

In another bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Add in oil, milk, vanilla, and molasses. Stir to combine. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until well-combined (don't over mix). Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until a tester comes out clean. 

Let cool completely and then cut into small squares. Put wax paper under a cooling rack and transfer the squares to the rack. 

To make the glaze, add sugar, salt, and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir together. Melt the butter and add it to the bowl. Heat the milk for a few seconds in the microwave and pour it in the bowl while the mixer stirs. The glaze should be thick, but you should be able to drizzle it. If it seems too thick, add a little more milk. If it seems too thin, add a little more sugar. 

Using a whisk or a fork, drizzle the glaze over the gingerbread. Allow it to set for about 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Ham, Havarti, and Chive Drop Scones

Can you tell that I'm on a scones kick recently?

Our Thanksgiving didn't quite go as planned. We were supposed to go to West Virginia to visit some friends, but the day before we were supposed to leave, I got sick. It was the worst head cold I've had in a good long time, so I spent most of the holiday on the couch watching the first season of Twin Peaks with Scott (he hadn't seen it before).

I felt better by Sunday, so we decided to do our Thanksgiving dinner then. I made meatballs (our tradition), bacon brown sugar roasted brussel sprouts, and regular old Stovetop stuffing. For breakfast, I made some new scones.

Notes: I loved these, but Scott was less crazy about them. He thought the chives were a bit overpowering (what does *he* know!? ;-)). If you have a picky eater in your house, you might want to use a little less.

I used sour cream to make these and it was a bit difficult to mix them because the sour cream was thick and cold (of course you need it cold). You might want to use a little milk to thin it out.

I divide these between two baking sheets because I like them the size of biscuits. If you like yours bigger, just make bigger handfuls.

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup shredded havarti cheese
1/2 bunch of chives
6 tablespoons of cold butter
4-5 slices of deli ham
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons of milk (more if needed)

Directions: Heat the oven to 350.

Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

Mince the chives and chop the ham into small pieces.

Cube the butter and add it to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers. The butter should be the size of small peas.

Add the ham, cheese, and chives. Add the sour cream and milk and mix with your hand until it forms a soft sticky dough.

Drop small handfuls of dough on to a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

Cheddar Cilantro Drop Scones

The colder weather is beginning to arrive, so it's time to break out the cold weather comfort food.

I was having some friends over for lunch and I made a big batch of chili. I got sour cream, cilantro, and cheddar cheese for chili toppings. I ended up with some leftover cheese and cilantro. I wasn't sure what to do with them, but then it occurred to me I could bake them into some savory scones. I had originally planned to make cornbread with the chili, but why not try something different?

Notes: I made drop scones because I wanted round ones, but I didn't want to bother patting the dough out and cutting them with a biscuit cutter. They're rough-looking, but of course that's the point! 

I don't think the cheddar cheese is particularly overpowering in these, so if you're not a huge fan of strong cheeses, don't worry. It will taste more savory than anything else. 

If you don't dig cilantro, you can easily replace it with chives or parsley. 

This batch made about 9 healthy-sized scones. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro. 

Directions: Heat the oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add in the butter and work it into the dry mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers. The butter should be the size of small peas when you're done. 

Add the cheese and cilantro and mix to combine. Pour in the buttermilk or yogurt and mix with your hands until it becomes a soft sticky dough. 

Drop handfuls of dough onto the baking sheets (try to form them into balls as best you can---the dough will be very sticky) leaving at least two inches between each ball. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or move to a cooling rack and then serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Scones

It's fall break for us! Scott and I are off on a second honeymoon and I could not be more excited. But before we go, we're doing our best to use up the food we have in the house. I had about a cup of yogurt left and a rather sad looking apple. As luck would have it, I saw a recipe for apple scones from Runner's World. Even if we don't finish them before our trip, we can just pack them in a bag and have a snack for the plane.

Notes: Scones that you buy at the store or the coffee shop are hit-or-miss if you ask me. Most of them are really dry and crumbly or dense. These are light and fluffy and fresh. The key to fluffy scones is to not overwork the dough. Don't mix it too much before you transfer it to the cake pan.

Speaking of the cake pan, this is a great trick! I usually cut my scones like biscuits and make them round, but this recipe gives you the triangle shape.

The dough it really sticky, so when you pat it into the cake pan, run your hands under some lukewarm water first.

We're charging the camera battery for the trip, so I don't have a photo for you. Trust me--they are beautiful!

Ingredients (adapted from this recipe):
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 apple

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

Peel and dice the apple. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and baking powder.

Dice the butter and cut it into the flour mixture using either a pastry blender or your fingers. The butter should end up the size of small peas.

Add the yogurt and vanilla to the butter-flour mixture. Stir with your hands until just combined into a soft dough ball.

Move the dough into the cake pan and gently pat it evenly into the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cut into triangles (yields 8 triangles).

Serve and enjoy the flavors of fall!

Yellow Layer Birthday Cake

It's Scott's birthday today! I love making birthday cakes for him, so I try to do something special every year. He wanted a yellow cake with white icing this year, so I was happy to oblige.

Notes: Baking layer cakes from scratch takes time, but it's mostly prep and waiting. The actual work isn't much greater than making a cake from a box.

If you're using Greek yogurt, you'll need to thin it out with milk. Instead of using a full cup, use 2/3 of a cup and mix it with 1/3 cup of milk.

I'm not into leveling and all that. It's a homemade cake! It's going to look a little rustic. but I do want to get creative with the decorations. I used an outline of a fleur-de-lis that I printed out. I laid it on top of the cake after I frosted it. Then I shook sprinkles all over the cake and CAREFULLY peeled off the paper. It's like a reverse stencil! I thought it came out well.

You can easily make the layers of the cake a day or two in advance. Just let them cool, wrap them in plastic, and pop them in the fridge until you're ready to frost and decorate.

Ingredients (adapted from this recipe):
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup regular sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups plain yogurt
Double batch of white chocolate butter cream

Directions: Heat oven to 350

Make sure the eggs, yogurt, and butter are at room temperature. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together in the large bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and add the eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla and yogurt. The mixture will look lumpy and curdled, but that's normal.

Add the flour in batches and mix until just combined. Divide the batter into two cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and tester comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the in the pan for about 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on cooling racks.

When the cakes are completely cool, frost with the white chocolate butter cream. Decorate to your liking!

Serve to your favorite birthday person and enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I confess: I am not a big fan of frosting.

I know there are some people who will eat frosting straight from the bowl and never mind the cake, but I'm pretty much the opposite. Give me a delicious cake and who needs all that gloppy, sugary nonsense on the top? Maybe a little powdered sugar, but otherwise why mess with perfection?

Well, I finally found a frosting recipe that even made me want to lick the bowl. White chocolate buttercream. It's just the right level of sweetness for me and it enhanced the flavor rather than detracted from it. And it just might be the easiest frosting I've ever made.

Notes: You have no doubt heard that you shouldn't try to make things like frosting and ganache with chocolate chips because they have shelf stabilizers in them. I've heard that too, but I'm here to tell you that whatever voodoo happens in the melting and cooling process here, the frosting came out great.

You have to plan ahead for this one since the white chocolate/butter mixture has to sit in the fridge overnight. The good news is melting the two together is so easy, you could do it in your PJs right before you go to bed.

I was able to frost about 14 cupcakes with this batch of frosting.

As for the cupcakes, you might want to dust the cherries with a little flour or cocoa powder before you put them in the batter. They'll sink to the bottom because the batter is thin.

Ingredients for Frosting (adapted from this recipe):
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) butter

Directions: Melt the butter and chips together in a small saucepan on medium. Stir frequently until everything is completely melted. Cool for 15 minutes. The butter will separate from the chips, but that's OK.

Put the sauce pan in the fridge overnight. When you're ready to make the frosting, pull the pan out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead of time.

When the frosting is at room temperature, beat in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Spread on cakes or cupcakes.

Ingredients for Cupcakes (adapted from this recipe):
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup prepared coffee, cooled
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped fresh cherries

Directions: Heat the oven to 350.

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and sugar) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the wet ingredients (coffee, oil, vinegar, and vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and stir gently until just combined. Fold in the cherries.

Spoon into a paper-lined or greased cupcake pan. Bake fro 18-20 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Frost with white chocolate buttercream and enjoy!

Peach Muffins

The amount of produce in my fridge is getting a little out of hand. I brought so much home from the store today that it took up the whole counter after I washed it all.

But it's summer time! There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables in season---how can you resist?

Case in point: fresh peaches. I walked by a whole pile of them at the store and the impulse baker took over. Peach muffins for everyone!

Notes: These are delicious. They aren't too sweet, which makes me happy. If you want a little extra sweetness, I would add about 1/2 cup of honey.

Be sure to dice your peaches very small. You want them to cook all the way while they're in the muffins.

This recipe made about 16 muffins for me, so you might want to have two muffin tins ready. If you have to do them in batches, just put the batter in the fridge for a little bit. Make sure to take it out about 10 minutes before you bake it.

Make sure all the ingredients are close to room temperature to make sure they mix well.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla or peach liquor
1 egg
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 fresh peaches

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350. Remove the egg, butter, yogurt, milk from the fridge and set aside. Peel and cut the peaches into a small dice.

Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon to a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, add melted butter and sugar and whisk until mostly smooth like a very thick molasses. Beat the egg and whisk it in. Add milk, yogurt, and vanilla and whisk everything together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches and stir just to combine. Gently fold in the the diced peaches.

Spoon the batter into a paper-lined or greased muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are a light golden brown.

Enjoy the fruits of summer (in a muffin)!

Party Planning + Black and White Baby Shower Cupcakes

A few months ago, I hosted my sister's baby shower. Alexander (born in March) is the first grandchild in both my family and her husband's family. Naturally, we had to have a party. Since I love cooking, I offered to make the food for lunch rather than have it catered.

Cooking and entertaining can be stressful, but planning makes all the difference. Here are some tips to help you get everything done:

1. No Surprises: The most important thing to do is make something (a) that you already know how to make and (b) that you won't have to spend a ton of time putting together on the day of the party. Never made a bleu cheese souffle? Your sister's baby shower is not the time to try it. Ideally, you want to pick a recipe that you've tested and that's been well-received. The meal doesn't have to be fancy; it just has to taste good. Particularly for baby showers, people get hung up on making food that's delicate and intricate like fancy hors d'oeuvres. I understand why: they look impressive. But you're creating WAY more work for yourself if the whole menu is like that. Fancy hors d'oeuvres are labor and time-intensive. Plus, people like real food. Have you ever actually felt full from eating finger sandwiches? Unlikely. People will be happy with something tasty, so go with what you know and what works.

2. Plan ahead: For my sister's baby shower, I had a four-page printed list of everything I would need, including things like cutlery and napkins. It was sorted by menu item (i.e., main dish, salad, dessert). I finalized the list weeks in advance. When I went to the store to do the shopping, I walked around with the list and a pen, crossing things off and making notes. You can't expect yourself to just remember and think of everything a day or two before. Start your list early, revise it, add to it slowly, and remember to take it with you to the store!

3. Prep ahead: One of the reasons I picked the menu I picked for my sister's shower was because I knew there were lots of things I could do in advance. I made lasagna (one meat, one veggie). The whole day before the shower, I spent cooking and doing prep work. For example, I browned the ground beef, seasoned the ricotta cheese, and sliced the mozzarella. I used plastic food storage containers with screw-top lids (for safe transport) to hold all the prepped ingredients. The rule goes like this: The less you have to do on party day, the better! You want to enjoy the party you're hosting, not spend the whole day stuck in the kitchen. Anything you can prep ahead of time, do it!

4. Get help: Nobody says that you have to do absolutely everything yourself. A friend of mine who was coming to the shower called me up and asked if she could bring something. I said, sure, how about an appetizer? That's one less thing I have to do. Another friend asked how she could help the day of. I asked her to put one of the salads together. If someone offers to help you, take them up on it. Also, if you're making the main dish, why not get a store-bought dessert or appetizer? There's no rule that says you can't let people help you or take some help from the store. Party planning can be stressful, there's no need to make it harder for yourself than it has to be.

Enough advice! How about some cupcakes? I followed this recipe, but changed a few things.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup prepared coffee (just use some leftover from that morning)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Nutella (frosting)
White chocolate chips (decoration)

Directions: Heat the oven to 350. Line your muffin tin with cupcake liner or spray with cooking spray.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add all the wet ingredients to it. Blend until smooth. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes.

When the cupcakes are cooled completely, spread Nutella on top as frosting (NOTE: don't refrigerate these. The Nutella will harden). Sprinkle with white chocolate chips. If you're making these for a party, make them the day before!

Enjoy your party!

King Cake

See this beautiful creation? It is a king cake. A king cake is a traditional dessert made and eaten during the Mardi Gras season. When Scott and I lived in Louisiana, we would get one (or two) every year. They are just so delicious.

I have wanted to make my own from scratch for a long time and I decided this year was the year. I planned to make it for the Super Bowl and I set aside a whole day for baking. And what you see above is the result.

The recipe I used was an older one originally posted in the Times Picayune. You can find it here. I won't bother retyping it, since I didn't change a thing. There's a "cheat" at the end of the article using pre-made refrigerated crescent dough. But try the from-scratch version first. It's just more fun!

The only thing I did differently was the decorations. Instead of using food coloring, I found colored sugar and just sprinkled it on the icing.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

If you haven't read this piece from McSweeny's, you are missing out. The first time I read it, I laughed so hard I cried.

At this point, I try to keep canned pumpkin in the house at all times in case the urge to bake strikes. I was planning to make some more muffins, but Scott requested bread. Pumpkin bread, you say? Happy to oblige!

Notes: I adapted this recipe only slightly. If you're not a big fan of cloves, I'd knock it back to a 1/4 teaspoon. You can really taste them. I don't mind, so I left it as is. If you wanted a more pumpkin pie flavor, add in some ground ginger.

Make this when you're planning to have company over. Your house will smell amazing.

This bread is chewy and delicious and everything fall should be.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions: Heat the oven 325.

Grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add in the butter and pumpkin. Mix with a spoon until just combined.

Pour the ingredients in the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, remove from loaf pan and transfer to a rack. Serve and enjoy!