Snacks

Caramel Apple Granola

As I’ve grown more conscious of my food choices as an adult, I’ve become more and more aware of my carb-centric diet.  I just love my sugar and starches—what can I say?

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Yet, the more I’ve realized this shift in my eating, the more I’ve been trying to make sure I get those other things by body needs—especially protein.  I honestly don’t cook meat that often (maybe once a week, much to my husband’s chagrin) so it often falls on dairy products and legumes to round out my diet.

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I eat yogurt practically every day, so I always make sure I have some sort of granola on hand as a mix-in.  I love the texture contrast granola adds, and it’s fun to make my own flavors since I find store bought granola to either be too expensive (I love you Bear Naked, I really do, but $4 for a little thing of granola, come on! Or filled with unwanted ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils—hey store brand.)

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So I make my own.  As you’ve probably noticed from the “snacks” part of my recipe index.  The particular version is AWESOME!  The binding agent for the granola is caramel sauce, and the warm spices and dried apples (plus cinnamon chips if you have them on hand)  make this granola a treat that’s great as a snack on its own as well.  I think I already need to make another batch…

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One Year Ago: Cornmeal Apple Bread

Caramel Apple Granola

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: About 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup dried apples, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • ½ cup cinnamon chips, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, almonds, spices, salt, and chopped dried apples. Set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Let the sugar boil over medium high heat, without stirring, until sugar reaches a golden amber color. Be careful not too let it get too dark, or the caramel may taste bitter or burnt. Remove from heat and immediately add the butter, stirring until smooth.
  4. Quickly pour the caramel over the oat mixture and stir to coat evenly. You need to do this very quickly or the caramel will start to cool and harden, making it very difficult to distribute throughout the oat mixture.
  5. Spread granola evenly onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 or so minutes, stirring occasionally, until the granola is golden in color. Towards the end of the baking time, keep a close eye on it to make sure the granola doesn’t darken too much. If it does, remove from the oven, even if the 15 mins isn’t finished. Let cool to room temperature before serving or storing. Break the granola up into chunks, add in chopped pieces of cinnamon chips if using and store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.
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Adapted from Pastry Affair

Cakes Cookies

Very Vanilla Madeleines

In all my dryer anger/frustration, I totally forgot to tell you all about my Mother’s Day present.  Here it is, along with the lounging bunny that “supposedly” sent it to me.  Happy Hop Day!

Amazing Chocolate Covered Strawberries! Thanks bunny!

 

Bunny legs

 When I  first started this little blog, I had very little by way of kitchen wares.  I had just moved into my first apartment after college, and most of my baking pans/kitchen tools were hand-me-downs from my mom or left by college roommates , but I made it work.  Then I got engaged, and fell into the trap of adding a bunch of random cookware to my registry, instead of items we could really use, like pretty curtain rods, flannel sheets, or a lifetime supply of paper towels.


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Instead, I saw pretty patterns and designs, and the mouse just moved on its own, I swear.  And so I came to own a madeleine pan.  The delicate ridges of the seashell-shaped cookie-cakes just called to me.  So here I am, about 8 months later, actually using the darn thing.  ‘Bout time.

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Since I had never made madeleines before, and didn’t really know what to expect, I went with something simple-the classic, elegant vanilla bean.  These little cakes are just a tad crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside and bursting with vanilla flavor.

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I was worried Luke wouldn’t like them (he’s more of a chocolate/peanut butter than little French cakes kind of guy) but after one bite, he declared half of them to be his.  Which is honestly a good thing, considering madeleines are best eaten the day they’re made!

One Year Ago: White Chocolate Cherry Scones

Very Vanilla Madeleines

Prep Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Yield: 12 madeleines

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or vanilla sugar if you can find it)
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and give them a shake to incorporate them slightly. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar and vanilla beans and mix together with a fork to combine the flavors.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the sugar mixture and the eggs until pale and thick, about 5-8 minutes. (You can also use a stand/hand mixer, and it will take less time.) Add in the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Fold the melted butter into the mixture, then the flour.
  3. Cover the batter with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and refrigerate batter for 2 hours.
  4. Towards the end of the fridge time, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease a madeleine pan; set aside.
  5. Fill the cavaties of the madeleine pan with the chilled batter until almost full. (You might have to spread the batter out a bit with a spatula so that it covers the entire mold.) Bake until the centers are puffed and edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Madeleines are best the day they are made, but may be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or you can freeze them for up to a month. Just defrost and enjoy! I enjoyed them with hot green tea!
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Barely adapted from Completely Delicious

Pudding/Custard

Cookie Dough Creme Brulee

I need a serious, mind-consuming, all-I-can-focus-on-at-once-is-eating-this dessert, kind of dessert.  Sorry for all the hyphens.  But, this weekend something rather bad happened and I need something to take my mind off of it.

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I threw a load of laundry into the washer Saturday morning, thinking it would be a weekend day, like any other.  As the washer finished and I loaded the clothes into the dryer.  I started the machine, and by the increased noise level realized that the exhaust vent was no longer connected properly.  How did that happen, you ask?  You remember my little Izzy montage from last Hop Day, the one where she was obsessed with getting behind the washer?  Well, I shifted the dryer to keep that from happening, and I guess I shifted it a little too much.  So I tried to shift it back.  And the top detached.  Then the top of the front panel.  Um…oops.

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Also, it turns out the appliances were put into the laundry room before the door frame was set, so the dryer is too big to fit through the door.  Thanks previous owners.  Now we either have to call a carpenter to get the door frame removed/widened before we can get a new dryer, or hope that this problem is somehow repairable.  I know I shouldn’t complain, it’s just a dryer, and when I lived in Taiwan we had no dryer and it was 120% humidity every day and my clothes took a week to dry, but still.  I just like clean laundry…

So, yeah, I definitely need like 6 of these crème brulees, like, right now.

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They may seem like your average bruleed custard, but underneath the classic shell is an under layer of cookie dough.  Oh man.  It’s as amazing as it sounds.

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Just what I need to get me through this trying time.  Happy Monday!

One Year Ago: Noodles with Peanut Sauce & Chicken

Cookie Dough Creme Brulee

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Yield: Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

  • FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:
  • ¼ cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 Tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • FOR THE CUSTARD:
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • turbinado or granulated sugar for brulee-ing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 cups of water to boil, this will be used as a water bath for the brûlée.
  2. In a medium bowl beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in the milk and vanilla, and stir to combine. Carefully add the flour and salt, stirring until fully incorporated. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Spread thin layer of the dough on the bottom of each brulee dish/ramekin, and set aside. You may have extra, who doesn’t love eggless cookie dough (nom).
  3. Next, make the custard. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it starts to steam and bubbles have formed along the edges, but do not let it boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until light in color. Carefully pour in the warmed cream into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously until well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, and skim off any excess foam from the mixture. Pour the custard into the ramekins, covering the cookie dough.
  4. In a deep baking pan (I used a 9x13” Pyrex) arrange the ramekins, making sure they are not packed in too tightly. Carefully pour enough of the boiling water into the baking pan so it fills to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until the custard is almost set. The centers should be a little jiggly. Remove pan from the oven and set on a wire rack, then remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool at room temperature. After they cool to room temperature, transfer them to the fridge and refrigerate for at least2 hours.
  5. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge, and sprinkle a generous spoonful of turbinado or granulated sugar evenly over the custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar by moving it evenly over the sugar. Torch until the sugar is melted and serve immediately.
  6. Note: I found that letting the custards warm back up a little by sitting at room temperature for about 30 mins-1 hour before serving made for a better presentation. This way, the cookie dough has time to soften, so when you eat the brulee, there isn’t a layer of cold cookie dough underneath.
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Adapted from Confessions of a Recipe Junkie

Breads Breakfast

Chocolate Ricotta Stuffed Doughnuts

Apparently, I’m getting something for Mother’s Day this year.  Luke let slip that he might be testing out a Mother’s Day gift on me, and labeling it from our furry little child.  I’m excited.  I do a lot for this little bunny-like running to two different pet stores during school hours because the first didn’t have the right kind of food.  Then, when I was loading my haul into my trunk, there was an enormous black spider that escaped when I swatted at it with my keys and fled into the trunk from the outside….I deserve a little something for the effort.

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But for those of you thinking of things to get actual Moms, first I’ll share what I got mine.  I’ve been rather obsessed with the idea of terrariums this year, and after waiting for the right occasion, I finally got one for my mom to put in the new house she and my stepdad are moving into at the end of the month.  I ordered it from Etsy, if you were wondering, they have the best stuff.

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I’d bake her something too, but she’s over 100 miles away, and is a baker herself, so I’ll let the terrarium do its thing.  Meanwhile, let’s make doughnuts.  Because everybody loves doughnuts—especially homemade doughnuts with chocolate ricotta filling.  Dusted with powdered sugar.  Aka heaven in doughnut form.

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These are yeasted doughnuts (not donuts?), so there is rise time involved, as well as some shaping, and some gentle kneading, but the results…well let’s just say Mom might forget about that time you forgot to call on her birthday, or borrowed her favorite dress and spilled coffee all down the front.  These are those kind of doughnuts.

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You can’t tell me you don’t want to face plant into that goodness.

One Year Ago: Fruit Filled Lemon Cupcakes

Chocolate Ricotta Stuffed Doughnuts

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: Makes about 12-16 donuts

Ingredients

  • FOR THE DOUGHNUTS:
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tsp sugar, divided use
  • 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk, warmed, plus extra for brushing
  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. In a small measuring cup, mix together the yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Set it aside until bubbly, about 5-8 minutes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg and the milk, and stir until everything comes together and a dough-like mixture forms, about 3-5 minutes. The dough will be sticky, and more similar to thick batter than bread dough—that’s ok.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it doubles its size, about 1-1 ½ hours. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside.
  4. Make sure your work surface is well floured, then scrape the dough out of the bowl and let it spread across the surface.
  5. Carefully pat the dough out into a large rectangle about ¾” thick. Be very careful not to handle to dough too roughly, or you will deflate the dough and make chewier, less fluffy doughnuts. Flour a biscuit cutter and cut rounds out of the dough, using a spatula to help you transfer the rounds onto the prepared baking tray. Re-spread the dough as necessary so you can use it up. Cover the cut outs with a kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour.
  6. During this time, make the filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well incorporated. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the donuts with milk and bake until lightly brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
  8. Prepare a piping bag fitted with a long round cake decorating tip. Make a small incision into each donut with a paring knife, and feel free to cut a little deeper to create a pocket for the filling. Place the chocolate ricotta spread into the piping bag (or Ziploc bag with one corner snipped off) and pipe it into the donuts. Lightly dust with some powder sugar before serving, and enjoy!
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Doughnut adapted from Jo Cooks

Meaty Mains Soup

Hearty Beef Stew

Happy Hop Day!  This Wednesday I decided to share with you the chronicles of Izzy the Rabbit and the Washing Machine.  This rabbit is obsessed with trying to go behind the washer, and I just can’t understand why.  All that’s back there is dust, lint and an ant trap–not really what I’d consider bunny heaven.  Yet, every day without fail, I’ll realize I have no idea where she is, and find her sheepishly running out of the laundry room when I call her name.  So one day I followed her and watched…with my iPhone handy.

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The process in action


Rabbit brains…seriously so strange.  Almost as strange as me posting about beef stew in May.  Well, hear me out people.  At work, some teachers complained about the faculty room being too hot, and now, the A/C is on all the time.  Like, all the time, full blast.  Not only is it ridiculously wasteful, it always creates a very sad working environment.  Multiple people have brought blankets in, it’s bad.

As a result, I’ve been craving warm foods at home. Even if I’m warm enough to not actually need them by the time I get there.

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I’ve always wanted to make my own beef stew, it seems so homey and stick-to-your-ribs good, so when I saw a post on The Kitchn about how to make homemade beef stew, I knew that the time had come.

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I was really pleased with the way the stew turned out, except for one aspect.  The stew meat I used was more heavily marbled than I would have liked, so the stew came out a little greasier than what I might have liked, though I still ate and enjoyed it.  Make sure your beef is marbled to your liking, because the slow cooking method used in the recipe (which is awesome and makes the beef fall-apart tender and amazing) will also leach all the fat into the broth.

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So after some chill time and some serious sieve work on my part, this stew was fantastic.  I definitely think it’s going to work its way into my winter meal rotation next year.

This post is part of the monthly link up party Our Growing Edge!

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 This event aims to connect food bloggers and inspire us to try new things. This month is hosted by Sonya at And More Food.

One Year Ago: Applesauce Pancakes

Hearty Beef Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 pounds stew meat (chuck roast)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 pound cooking potatoes (I used red bliss), cubed
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Trim your stew meat into small cubes, about 1-2” thick and long. Be sure to cut away any unwanted fat. Set a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, work in batches to sear the beef on all sides. Add a single layer of beef cubes to the pan, sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Let the beef cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes, until the undersides develop a dark brown crust and come away easily from the pan. Toss and continue searing on all sides, another 4-5 minutes. Transfer the seared meat to a clean plate and continue searing the remaining meat. Add a few drops of extra oil between batches if the pan looks dry (mine was never dry). Transfer cooked meat to the plate containing the rest of the meat.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and warm about a tsp of olive oil. Add the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are softened and translucent and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and one Tbsp of the Worcestershire sauce, and stir to coat.
  3. Next, sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Stir until the flour is no longer visible and the veggies look slightly mushy from the flour coating. Raise the heat back up to medium-high and pour in the wine. It will bubble and steam, but don’t worry. Using a plastic scraper or spatula (so you don’t hurt your pot if it’s not nonstick) scrape the sticky fond from the bottom of the pan, letting the wine will help it dissolve. Continue scraping and stirring until the wine has reduced and thicken slightly, about 3-5 mins.
  4. Return the meat to the pan and add the broth. Add in the thyme and bay leaf and stir to combine. Bring the stew to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure the stew stays at a very low simmer, you don’t want it to be bubbling to much.
  5. Add the potatoes and carrots to the stew. Cover the pot again and continue cooking for another 45-60 minutes. When done, the meat should be tender enough to flake apart with a fork and the potatoes should be pierced easily with a fork. If not, re-cover and cook in additional 15 minute increments until cooked.
  6. Stir the frozen peas into the stew. Add the remaining tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a splash of red wine. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and add extra salt, pepper, or other seasonings if necessary. The stew can be served right away, refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to three months.
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Adapted from The Kitchn

Cakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Over the weekend, we celebrated Luke’s birthday twice.  In the first celebration, we met in the city after work and went to Moooo, a steakhouse in central Boston.   The steak was good, and they had the most amazing Kobe beef dumplings.  (Sorry for the lack of dinner photos, I’m still getting used to having a camera on my phone, and still building the confidence to shamelessly take photos of my food in restaurants.)

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Saturday evening we went out for sushi with Luke’s parents, which I enjoyed immensely, since I can’t even remember the last time I had it.  After sushi, I presented Luke with his birthday cake and he blew out his candles after Izzy and I sang Happy Birthday to him.

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Last year I made Luke a banana layer cake with white chocolate mousse filling and cream cheese frosting.  This year, however, he went a different route.  He had been somewhat obsessed with the Cheesecake Factory in the few weeks before his birthday, so I think that’s what influenced his choice.

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Not that I’m complaining.  The last time we went, I ended up eating both my piece of cheesecake and finishing his.  So I’m definitely a cheesecake-loving girl.  This particular beauty is a chocolate cheesecake with an Oreo crust, topped with peanut butter mousse, then more chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups.  Pretty much the peanut butter/chocolate lover’s dream in cheesecake form.

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Hopefully thoughts of cheesecake will have you in a good mood on this Monday, I know I can’t wait to get home and have another slice!

One Year Ago: Coconut Tres Leches Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: Makes about 12-16 servings

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CRUST:
  • 10 oz Oreo sandwich cookies
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 oz dark chocolate, (I used 60%) roughly chopped
  • FOR THE MOUSSE:
  • 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
  • 1 Tbsp cold water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. First, make the crust. In a food processor, crush the Oreos into fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter and stir to combine. Grease a 9” springform pan and press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides (about 1 ½” high). Wrap the sides of the pan with aluminum foil and set aside while you prepare the cheesecake.
  2. For the cheesecake: Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl using 30-second intervals. Make sure to stir after each interval. Set aside and let cool. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat until well blended and no lumps remain. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring to combine after each addition, then add the vanilla and mix to combine. Finally, add in the cooled chocolate and continue mixing until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
  3. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center is almost set. Don’t worry if the top cracks, since we’re covering it with mousse. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge. While the cake is cooling, prepare the mousse.
  4. Dissolve the gelatin in the water in a small bowl and let stand as you make the custard. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, cook the cream until it bubbles around the edges. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks slowly while whisking vigorously. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan of cream and stir to combine. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and the gelatin mixture. Pour the custard into a wide bowl let it cool for 15-20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes. Pour the mixture on top of the cheesecake and smooth to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and drizzle with melted chocolate/chopped peanut butter cups. Slice, serve and enjoy!
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Adapted from Willow Bird Baking

Breakfast

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

The faculty room at my school gets the most intense afternoon sunlight.  My computer screen is pretty much impossible to look at after 3 pm.

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Because of this light, some teachers complained about being too hot, so the HVAC people came, and now the AC is on.  All the time.  Like at 6:30 am when there is barely any sun and no heat.  And since today’s high temperature is 59, I’m not too excited to be at work today.  Especially since I’m wearing a nice dress (and hate leggings and tights) because after school lets out I’m meeting my husband in the city for dinner. It was his birthday yesterday, and we’ll be celebrating both today (privately) and tomorrow (with his family).  I haven’t made his cake yet (thanks day job), but rest assured it’ll be made this weekend and up on the blog next week.

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In the meantime, how about feasting your eyeballs on this luscious loaf of springtime joy.  Yes, I know it’s a little early in the season for blueberries, but this citrus-berry combination can’t be beat.  There’s lemon zest in the dough of this quick bread, and once it’s done baking, it’s bathed in a lemon syrup.  It’s totally lemon-y, totally fresh and totally needs to make an appearance in your kitchen.

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One Year Ago: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Meringues

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Yield: Makes about 8-10 servings

Ingredients

  • FOR THE BREAD:
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
  • FOR THE SYRUP:
  • 4 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 4 Tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x5” loaf pan; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar and massage until the sugar is aromatic.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the lemon sugar and butter until it is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract and stir to combine. In alternating additions, add the dry ingredients and milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. (I did 3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 of the milk.)
  4. In the same bowl the lemon sugar was in, toss the blueberries with 1 tsp of all-purpose flour. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, the scrape the batter into prepared loaf pan.
  5. Bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 30 minutes then invert onto the cooling rack.
  6. While the bread is baking, make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan, combine lemon juice and sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
  7. Using a skewer or chopstick, poke the top of the cooled bread all over. (I did this while it was still in the pan.) Brush the bread generously with the lemon syrup, letting the bread absorb the syrup before adding more. Let the bread to cool completely, then slice and serve.
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Adapted from Portuguese Girl Cooks

Bar Desserts

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Happy Hop Day!  I’ll be at school forever today thanks to our final round of parent-teacher-student conferences, so I could use this little piece of cute-spiration.  Also, I posted another bunny video on Bashful Bao’s facebook page!  I highly recommend you check it out, it’s pretty darn adorable.

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The Sun Bun strikes again!

As I mentioned in my last post, this past weekend has been the first that has felt like spring, temperature-wise.  On the second floor of our house however, things were beginning to feel more like summer, and we were getting worried.

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Why was it so freaking hot on the second floor?!?  And then we realized (after I asked Luke where our second electric fan was) the insulating cover over the attic stairs was still in place…oops.  I guess it was keeping all that rising hot air firmly on the second floor instead of letting it dissipate.  In my defense, and it’s not such a good one since I had a similar type of attic growing up, I’ve never been in charge of removing the attic insulating cover.

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So while the second floor was a sauna, I decided to cool things down (yes, I’m still in cold weather mode for dinners, but am so ready for summertime desserts) and made cheesecake bars.  Yes, they do require oven time, but nothing beats that first bite into a luscious, chocolate, cookie dough laced piece of cheesecake.

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That also happens to be laced with mini peanut butter cups.  I was worried that the multiple layers would be too complex for my taste buds to properly sort out, but thankfully this was not the case.  It all melded together beautifully into one heck of a cheesecake bar.

One Year Ago: Beef Stroganoff

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: About 10-12 servings

Ingredients

  • FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH LAYER:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips + 1/2 cup for topping
  • 1 cup mini peanut butter cups or roughly chopped larger pb cups
  • FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Grease an 8x8” baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. First make the cookie dough layer. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and set aside to cool. Add in the brown sugar and mix to combine. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add in flour and fold to combine. Finally, add in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips and fold to combine evenly. Set aside while you make the cheesecake layer.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
  4. Press 3/4 of cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Place the peanut butter cups on top of cookie dough in rows. Pour cheesecake mixture over top and spread so it covers the cookie dough evenly. Crumble the remaining cookie dough and sprinkle on top of cheesecake layer, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over top.
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven set on wire rack to cool. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer to the fridge to let the bars cool completely, then slice and serve! Store extras in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Adapted from Baker’s Royale

Meaty Mains

Shepherd’s Pie with Harissa Mashed Potatoes

This weekend it actually felt like spring.  I did my Sunday housework in shorts and a tank top, while spying this little beauty of a shadow up in a corner.

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I also knew spring had officially arrived earlier this week, thanks to the resurgence of arachnid activity in the house.  I’m really not a helpless little girl when it comes to disposing of the creepy crawlies, I’m just not good at it.  So, I tend to let Luke take point on all matters involving bug removal.

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Case in point, one morning I was in the bathroom just after getting up (so it’s like 5:15 am) and there’s a spider crawling up the wall, right next to the bathroom mirror.  Luke’s still asleep, and I felt guilty waking him up, so I took a stab at killing the thing myself.  It ended with a bottle of Windex crashing on the bathroom floor and a box of tissues in the toilet.  Like, in the toilet, not on top-in the water bowl part.  Yeah, so, I guess the universe is telling me to let my husband take care of those types of things from now on.  Fine by me.

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Anyway, the bugs and the weather might be in spring-time mode, but I don’t think I’m quite there yet in the kitchen.  I’m still excited about soups and stews and other such meals best served hot.

 

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This was my first attempt at making shepherd’s pie, though I’ve always enjoyed the concept.  A layer of creamy mashed potatoes over a meat/vegetable filling, it’s basically pot pie with mashed potatoes (which is good for me, since I’m not into pie crust).  I added harissa, a North African spice paste to the mashed potatoes for a little extra kick.  If you can’t find harissa, maybe try a little curry paste or just go for the classic (salt & pepper).  Any way you flavor it, this dish comes together with relative ease, and totally impresses dinner guests.

One Year Ago: German Chocolate Tarts

Shepherd’s Pie with Harissa Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • FOR THE HARISSA MASHED POTATOES:
  • 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes (make sure they’re Russets)
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1/4 cup harissa
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE MEAT FILLING:
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 scallions, minced
  • 4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 pound ground meat (I used turkey)
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into a 1” dice or so. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. (While the potatoes are cooking, you can start making the filling, see instructions below.) Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and add the butter, milk, and harissa, and continue mashing until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and set the saucepan aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Add the olive oil into a large skillet and set over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots, onions, and mushrooms and sauté just until the onions begin to take on color and the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and scallions and stir to combine. Add your ground meat, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, broth, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly in a 9” square baking dish and top with the potatoes, making sure to spread in to the edges to create a seal. Bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
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Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen

Breakfast Donuts/muffins/scones

Almond Apricot Scones

Let’s talk about breakfast.  Aside from these awesome biscotti (which lasted barely a few days under my sticky, hungry fingers) I haven’t posted about breakfasty things all that much this month.

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Which is odd for me, since I eat second breakfast.  Yes, I’m pretty much a hobbit when it comes to my eating habits.  I eat every few hours (it’s a must as a teacher, as my  fuse shortens remarkably the hungrier I get) so I often (read: every school day) eat second breakfast just before my first class.

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So having quality, portable breakfast goodies every week is kind of important to me.  I love donuts and muffins drenched in glaze, gooey cinnamon buns oozing with filling as much as the next girl, but eating them at 7:30 am while trying to finish grading a stack of 8th graders’ homework is a little tricky.

That’s where the biscotti and scones come in.  They’re compact, easy to carry around in my school bag, and they also happen to be fantastically delicious.  Especially when almond paste is involved.  I recently had a conversation with a good friend about how we both despise whole almonds, but will eat any kind (and in vast quantities) of baked goods flavored with almond paste or almond extract.

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Yeah, ok, so I’m weird, but these scones are pretty darn tasty.  Apricots and almond paste might not an intuitive combination, but the slightly chewy fruit chunks and the small bits of almond paste scattered through these scones meld together wonderfully.

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You’ll have to make them yourself to see what I mean ;)

One Year Ago: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Almond Apricot Scones

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Yield: Makes 8 large scones

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 ½ ounces almond paste, crumbled
  • ¼ cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ½ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 1 large egg, whisked for egg wash
  • turbinado sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the almond paste and butter, and mash the mixture together with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Add the dried apricots and almonds and toss carefully until dispersed.
  3. In a medium bowl, or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk, cream and almond extract. Add this to the dry ingredients in 3-4 additions, stirring to combine after each addition. Once all of the liquid ingredients have been added, and the wet and dry ingredients are mostly combined, finish combining the ingredients by kneading it together with your hands and form it into a ball of dough.
  4. Shape the dough into an 8” disc about 1” thick on the prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer for an hour. (Don’t skip this step.)
  5. During the last 15 mins of the chill, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the chilled scone dough from the freezer and slice the disc into 8 equal-ish wedges. Separate the wedges slightly, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if desired.
  6. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until the scones are just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan for about 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftover scones in an air tight container for up to a week.
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Adapted from Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

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