The sweet-salty combo has long been a favorite of many, many people.  Why do you think peanut butter and chocolate are such a perfect pair?  Yet I’ll admit that when I saw these salted chocolate chunk cookies, I was a bit hesitant.  I suppose my palate is not as sophisticated as some, but I just wasn’t sold on sprinkling salt directly onto my cookies.  But, since the recipe came from one of my favorite blogs, I decided to give it a go.  Plus, it calls for 20 ounces of chocolate, which is pretty convincing all on its own.  First you taste a blast of chocolate, and then the salt crystals melt on your tongue to create a perfectly smooth counterbalance to the sweetness.  Fresh from the oven with a cold glass of milk, these are darn near irresistible.  But as for the leftovers, no worries – just zap them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and you can enjoy that warm, gooey chocolateness all over again.

Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Yield: about 24 cookies
Ingredients:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. fleur de sel (sea salt), plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Combine the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.  (Alternatively, heat in the microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring in between.)  In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.  Beat on medium-high speed until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 4-5 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture, blending until incorporated.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Fold in the remaining chopped chocolate with a spatula.  Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2-3 inches apart (I used my medium-sized dough scoop).

Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are just slightly soft in the center and crackly on top, about 10-12 minutes.  Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and let cool on the baking sheets 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from Martha Stewart Living

Everyone needs a great recipe for banana bread, right?  Most people have one they turn to and mostly, they are good.  But I have to say, Cook’s Illustrated has worked their magic once again and taken this classic quick bread up a few notches.  Of course, as I joked to Ben, they also took the “quick” out of quick bread, but spending the few extra minutes and completing a few extra steps was well worth it in the end.

The unique step here that you won’t find in most banana bread recipes is removing the excess liquid from the bananas.  As I have found in the past with making tzatziki sauce, shredded zucchini, and eggplant parmesan, I find removing excess liquid from produce strangely gratifying.  This instance was no exception.  Bananas have a lot of juice!  I also think it was exactly the thing needed to take this classic from good to perfect.  Most quick breads with fruit, such as banana bread, may have a nice moist texture initially but seem to get almost soggy after a day or two.  This method ensures a perfect texture straight from the oven and every day after – tender, fluffy and moist but not stick-to-your-fingers wet.  For breakfast or an afternoon snack, this banana bread is a winner with us.

Banana Bread
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Ingredients:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
6 large, very ripe bananas (about 2¼ lbs.), peeled
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Lightly spray a loaf pan (about 9 x 5 inches) with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; whisk together and set aside.

Place 5 bananas in a microwave safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and make several slits in the wrap to act as steam vents.  Microwave on high until the bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the bananas to a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl and let drain, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes (you should have ½-¾ cup liquid).

Transfer the reserved banana liquid to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook until reduced to about ¼ cup, 5-10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  In a large bowl, combine the bananas and the reduced banana liquid.  Mash with a potato masher or whisk until fairly smooth.  Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the banana mixture.  Fold together gently, just until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.

Slice the remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch thick slices.  Layer the banana slices along both sides of the top of the batter, leaving a couple of inches in the center to allow an even rise.  Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the assembled loaf.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55-75 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool at least 15 minutes in the pan before removing.  Continue to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, July & August 2010

I am a lucky girl in so many ways.  One of them is that I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are incredibly encouraging of my love for cooking and baking.  (I’m sure this has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the fact that they often reap the benefit of said hobby.)  It also turns out that some of them are pretty talented in the kitchen as well, and I thought it would be fun to all get together and have a baking day with the girlfriends.  Finding one day that worked for four doctors was the biggest obstacle, but once we got past that, we had a blast!

Each of us chose one recipe that we wanted to make and I must say, all the choices were fantastic!  I had everyone send me their recipes in advance so I could have the ingredients and necessary equipment ready for them.  Before they came over, I prepared makeshift stations with the equipment and ingredients that each of us would need.

Julia made chocolate toffee shortbread bars.

Shanon made raspberry mascarpone macarons.

Ashley made crab-filled ravioli.

And I chose these éclairs filled with mocha pastry cream.

Once everyone arrived, I served a simple lunch of fontina mac and cheese, salad, and a fruit, cheese and cracker platter.  We all enjoyed lunch and girl talk, and then we got busy in the kitchen!  I’m sure you can imagine my excitement at having 3(!) KitchenAid mixers working all at once.  This was a super fun day and I’m already looking forward to doing it again when our schedules will allow.  I highly recommend coordinating a baking day with friends – it is quality time to spend together while sharing in an activity that everyone enjoys!

And as for my recipe choice, if you think I have an obsession with pastry cream…you’d be correct.  I’ve been wanting to make these éclairs for a long time and baking day seemed the perfect opportunity to try them.  These totally lived up to my expectations.  I mean, what wouldn’t be great about a pastry filled with a thick, smooth mocha-flavored cream with a chocolate glaze on top?  I wasn’t the only one who loved them.  Ben acted like I had given him the best gift in the world when I let him eat the last one :)

Éclairs with Mocha Pastry Cream
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Yield: 8 éclairs
Ingredients:
For the mocha pastry cream:
1½ cups half-and-half
6 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sugar, divided
Pinch salt
1½ tsp. espresso powder
3 large egg yolks
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the pâte à choux:
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
2 tbsp. whole milk
6 tbsp. water
1½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup (2½ oz.) all-purpose flour

For the glaze:
3 tbsp. half-and-half
2 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (4 oz.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
To make the pastry cream, heat the half-and-half, 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.  Once the mixture is warm, whisk in the espresso powder.  Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds.  Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

When the half-and-half mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds.  Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.  Strain the pastry cream through a  fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.  Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

To make the pâte à choux, whisk the eggs and egg white in a liquid measuring cup.  You should have ½ cup (discard the excess).  Set aside.  Combine the butter, milk, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice.  When it reaches a full boil and the butter is fully melted, remove from the heat and stir in the flour until incorporated and the mixture clears the sides of the pan.  Return the saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, using a smearing motion, until the mixture is slightly shiny, looks like wet sand and tiny beads of fat appear on the bottom of the pan (the mixture should register 175-180˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.

Immediately transfer the mixture to a food processor and process with the feed tube open to cool slightly, 10 seconds.  With the machine running, gradually add the reserved eggs in a steady stream.  When they have been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process 30 seconds more until a smooth, thick, sticky paste forms.

Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.  Fit a pastry bag with a ½-inch plain tip.  Fill the pastry bag with the pâte à choux.  Pipe the paste into eight 5 x 1-inch strips, spaced about 1 inch apart.  Use the bake of a teaspoon dipped in water to even out the shape and smooth the surface.

Bake 15 minutes without opening the oven door, then lower the oven temperature to 375˚ F and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly firm, 8-10 minutes longer.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cut a ¾-inch slit into the side of each éclair to release steam.  Return the pan to the oven, turn off the oven, and prop the oven door open with the handle of a wooden spoon.  Dry the éclairs in the turned-off oven until the centers are just moist and crisp, about 45 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze, place the half-and-half and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, until the mixture just begins to steam.  Whisk together thoroughly, add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until completely smooth.

To assemble the éclairs, add the pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip.  Pipe the pastry cream through the slit in the side of each éclair to fill it completely.  Dip the top of each éclair in the chocolate glaze.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow the glaze to set.  Serve within several hours.

Source: Baking Illustrated

I realized that I mention in quite a few of my posts, “This freezes well.”  I have started to say this so often (especially where scones are concerned!) that you all must think I have a completely packed freezer all the time.  Not true, but I do keep a lot of things I consider to be freezer staples.  I thought I would share a glimpse into my freezer and the items I consider freezer necessities.

First, let me say, I am not a food scientist.  I am not here to tell you how long various items keep in the freezer.  Almost any food can be frozen, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will taste fabulous after being thawed.  I use this website from the USDA on freezing safety all the time as a guideline for how to freeze certain things and how long they will keep well (specifically meat, poultry, seafood, etc.)  It also has great information on thawing.  One important thing I have taken from this site is that if food has been thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze without cooking.  You don’t know how many chicken breasts this little factoid has saved me!

Also, the point of this post is not freezing whole, already prepared meals.  While that certainly can be done and I have done it in the past, I personally prefer fresh cooked meals to things pulled from the freezer.  Instead I try to utilize my freezer as a resource with lots of ingredients and items I use frequently to make preparing all those freshly cooked meals a bit more convenient.

Since learning to bake so many breads, rolls, etc. at home, I have found that most baked goods, especially those with yeast, freeze extremely well.  As long as they are frozen while fresh, they taste practically as good as new when they are thawed and rewarmed in the oven.  For things like hamburger buns, pita, sliced bread and rolls I like to thaw in the microwave for a minute or two on the defrost setting and then warm in the oven.  Other things like pizza dough, puff pastry, tart/pie dough are best thawed in the refrigerator for a day.

• Hamburger buns – After discovering this recipe for homemade hamburger buns, I no longer buy them from the store.  I like to make a double batch and keep them in the freezer for whenever a burger mood strikes.
• Pita bread – I’ve taken to making double batches of pita bread.  We tend to eat through one batch quickly, so I keep the rest in the freezer.  You know, for gyros emergencies.
• Sandwich bread – I have found that most homemade bread freezes very well.  I slice it before freezing so I can pull out just a slice or two at a time as needed.  My favorite is this whole wheat bread.
• Pizza dough – I did a whole post about freezing my favorite pizza dough.  I can hardly live without this stuff in my freezer.  It can make for a very quick dinner of pizza or calzones using whatever toppings/fillings you have on hand.  I never even bother writing a date on these bags because we go through it so quickly.
• Dinner rolls – I love having rolls in the freezer.  They can be quickly pulled out, defrosted and rewarmed in the oven for an additional side to help add bulk to any meal.  This is especially wonderful once fall rolls around and I’m eating soup all the time.  Soup and homemade rolls = yum.
• Puff pastry dough – Once I learned how manageable it is to make my own puff pastry dough, and how much (much!) better it tastes than store-bought, I can’t go back.  I keep a block or two on hand all the time.
• Tart and pie dough – Tart and pie doughs freeze well and can be used after thawing in the refrigerator.   Right now I have a batch of the basil garlic tart dough for the tomato mozzarella tart in my freezer.  I should go use it – yum!
• Scones - I’ve mentioned it countless times, but scones are a freezer staple.  Mix the dough, shape it, and freeze without baking.  Then you can bake directly from the freezer by simply adding a few minutes to the baking time.  You can have fresh from the oven scones whenever you want with minimal effort.

I don’t typically buy a ton of frozen fruits and vegetables simply because I tend to prefer fresh, but here are the items that I usually keep around:

• Pineapple chunks – I like to buy fresh pineapple, cut into chunks and freeze to keep on hand for snacking or smoothies (Andrew and I LOVE smoothies!)  Or of course, piña coladas.
• Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries – To throw into smoothies or use in various fruit desserts and cake fillings.  I don’t use them that often because I prefer fresh berries, but it is nice to have them on hand.
• Edemame – Boiled or steamed until tender and tossed with coarse salt, edemame is a wonderful snack or side dish.
• Pea and carrot mix – I mainly keep this around for shrimp fried rice since it is one of my favorite dinners.
• Cranberries – I hoard them every fall and keep them in the freezer.  Right now I have four bags – guess I should use them up since fall is just around the corner!
• Banana – If your bananas are teetering between overripe and garbage, don’t feel like you have to make banana bread immediately.  You can freeze them!  I like to mash them up, measure the amount, and then freeze in a plastic bag.  I love having this on hand whenever a craving for banana muffins strikes.
• Pumpkin – Similar to banana, you can also freeze pumpkin.  Once I’m in the pumpkin baking groove, I tend to have no trouble going through a can but if it is one of those monster-sized cans of puree, you can freeze it and reuse later.

We buy almost all of our meat and poultry from the local butcher shop.  I like to call ahead and place large orders so we can have enough to feed us for a few weeks.  For the items that I portion out and freeze individually like chicken breasts, I write the date and quantity on the bag so I know how much I have and how long it should keep.  The things we most often have on hand in this part of our freezer are:

• Chicken breasts – The majority of our protein comes from chicken breasts, so I order a lot and portion them into individual bags with one or two pieces each.  This makes it easy to thaw the exact amount we will need for each meal.
• Ground turkey - I use ground turkey in chili, creamy taco mac, and turkey meatloaf, as well as turkey burgers (the mixed and shaped patties of these burgers can be wrapped and frozen as well.)
• Ground beef - Usually frozen in 1 lb. portions since that is what most recipes call for.
• Pork tenderloin – There are so many wonderful recipes for pork tenderloin.  It is a great freezer staple to have on hand because it lends itself to simple preparation and easy entertaining.
• Shrimp – Other than shrimp, I don’t tend to freeze much in the way of seafood because I prefer to buy it fresh and use it quickly.
• Bacon – I never use more than a few pieces of bacon at a time, so we freeze the extra and use as needed.

• Pizza sauce – Sort of a miscellaneous item that doesn’t exactly fit in one of the other categories, I tend to keep a batch of pizza sauce frozen for a last minute pizza for dinner, or for dipping pizza bites!

Since I bake so often, there aren’t tons of sweets that I keep in my freezer on a regular basis.  These are the two exceptions.

And finally, the bowl of my ice cream maker lives in the bottom of my freezer because you never know when the need to make ice cream will strike.  But in this house, we do know that it strikes often.

So, there you go!  A little glimpse into my freezer.  I hope it was helpful.  The freezer can be a really wonderful kitchen tool if you use it to your advantage.

After our family fell quickly in love with the ham and cheese sliders we served at Andrew’s birthday party, I have come to realize what a quick and versatile meal sliders can be.  Turkey pesto sandwiches have long been a favorite of mine, and I have served them at bridal showers and other get-togethers in the form of finger sandwiches.  Here I changed my old favorite up just a bit by putting them on a slider bun, adding provolone cheese and baking briefly.  These make a great party food, but are an equally fabulous quick and easy dinner.  If I have a busy day, I certainly breathe a sigh of relief knowing Ben can have these ready to pop in the oven when I walk in the door.  You can easily adjust the quantity for however many you need to serve.  Oh, and these are great warmed up as left overs!

Turkey Pesto Sliders
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Ingredients:
6 slider buns
6 slices of turkey deli meat
6 slices of provolone cheese
3 tbsp. pesto
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat.  Split the slider buns and lay a folded slice of turkey on the bottom half of each bun.  Layer each with a slice of provolone.  In a small bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix until blended.  Spread a thin layer of the pesto mayonnaise on the inner side of the top half of each bun.  Replace the top bun over the cheese to assemble the sandwiches.  Brush the tops of the buns lightly with melted butter.  Bake 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sandwiches are warmed through.

Source: Annie original

It’s that time of year when most of the kiddos and educators have already returned to school.  This has a big impact on my family as literally everyone in my immediate family works in education.  Ben is a teacher, my dad is a principal, my mom was a kindergarten teacher, and both of my brothers are soon-to-be elementary school teachers (how cute is that?!)  Some people look forward to the start of school (I was always one of those kids) and some people dread it.  No matter which camp they are in, I have a feeling almost anyone would enjoy these cookies.

I made these cookies for the staff of an elementary school on their first working day back, and I hope they helped ease the pain just a little.  These would make a lovely treat for any educator or student for that matter.  Want to make them yourself?  Just follow my royal icing tutorial and favorite sugar cookie recipe to create your own!

These fruit crumb bars may just be one of my very favorite desserts.  You see, I’ve now made them with blueberries (delicious), freshly picked raspberries (amazing) and now with ripe, juicy peaches.  Every variation has been a delight.  I already have several fall-inspired variations in mind.  This particular variation reminded me of a perfect, portable version of peach pie.

They are easy as can be, and are obviously easily adapted to many different types of fruit.  I had these peaches in my kitchen and I really think they had about 5 minutes left before they would have been too ripe to use for anything except water balloons, so I decided to whip these up.  All the other ingredients are pantry staples so if you have the fruit on hand, you are ready to go.  I love that the same mixture used for the base also serves as the crumb topping.  I think it’s true of all the versions, but with peach in particular, these are really best served the same day they are made.  The fruit is very juicy and the crust portion will get soggy if left to sit much longer than a day.  I’m sure your friends and family will think it quite the travesty that you need help finishing them off.

Peach Crumb Bars
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
1½ cups sugar, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
Zest of half a lemon
16 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1 large egg
5 cups peeled, chopped peaches (about 5 peaches)
5 tsp. cornstarch
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Grease a 9 x 13″ pan; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and flour.  Mix in the salt and the lemon zest, and stir together with a fork.  Cut in the butter and egg with a pastry blender until the largest chunks are about pea-sized.  The mixture should be crumbly without much loose flour.  Spread about half of the dough mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared pan and press down firmly to form the bottom crust.

In another bowl, stir together the remaining sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and nutmeg.  Gently mix in the peaches with a rubber spatula until combined.  Sprinkle the fruit mixture evenly over the crust.  (Note: Because my peaches were overly ripe, they were floating in a bowl of juice.  I used a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to the baking dish, discarding most of the excess juice, to prevent the crust from getting soggy.)  Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the peaches.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Whoopie pies are cute as can be and make a wonderful few-bite dessert.  You know what makes them even better?  Filling them with my favorite (rich, smooth, beloved) vanilla pastry cream.  There isn’t much I can resist when this pastry cream is involved and these sweet little treats are no exception.  I first saw the idea for Boston cream whoopie pies on a blog ages ago.  While the picture looked appealing, the recipe was a somewhat odd vegan version that called for all sorts of ingredients I don’t keep on hand and didn’t sound as good as they looked.  I have been hemming and hawing over the idea ever since, trying to think of the best way to accomplish these when wouldn’t you know, a different version popped up in another blog and took care of it for me.  Problem solved!  A vanilla cake cookie topped with ganache and filled with pastry cream – perfect.

These are just as easy as any other whoopie pie, though it is best to make the pastry cream one day in advance so everything will be ready to assemble once the cookies are baked.  One of my favorite things about this recipe?  You’ll have left over pastry cream for…you know, eating with a spoon.  (Shhh, don’t tell.)

Boston Cream Whoopie Pies
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Yield: about 32 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
For the pastry cream:
2 cups half-and-half
½ cup sugar, divided
Pinch salt
5 large egg yolks
3 tbsp. cornstarch
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the cookies:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ cup milk

For the ganache:
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup heavy cream

Directions:
To make the pastry cream, heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.  Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds.  Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

When the half-and-half mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds.  Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.  Strain the pastry cream through a  fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.  Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Fit a pastry bag with a wide round tip (I used Ateco 809).  Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk to combine.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the bowl, alternating with with the milk, and beating each addition just until incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the piping bag.  Pipe 1½-2 inch circles onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing an inch or two apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are set (they should not brown.)  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with any remaining batter as necessary.

Once all the cookies have cooled, match them up in pairs by size.  To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate into a small heatproof bowl.  Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in small circular motions until the chocolate is completely blended and the ganache is smooth.  Dip the rounded side of one cookie of each pair into the ganache and coat with an even layer.  Return to the cooling rack, flat side down, and let the ganache set before proceeding.

Transfer the pastry cream another piping bag fitted with a smaller plain round tip.  Pipe a dollop of pastry cream onto the flat side of the plain cookie of each pair.  Press the flat side of the other cookie to the pastry cream, sandwiching the two together.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Source: adapted from Cate’s World Kitchen, originally from King Arthur Flour and The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard; pastry cream from Baking Illustrated

A couple of months ago I posted about the Dr. Seuss-themed party I threw for my little man’s second birthday.  In that post, I included pictures of a cupcake tower I constructed for the event.  Then I posted about the wedding cake I made and included a picture of the cupcake towers at the reception.  I have had many requests for instructions on how to make a cupcake tower since these posts appeared.  I apologize for the delay in sharing but I wanted to be sure I had a method that really worked well before sharing it with others.

Let me say right off the bat that this method is simply a rough guideline.  You can adapt this any way you would like to have more tiers, different sizes, different colors of ribbon and paper, etc.  Now I feel happy with my method so here you go – let’s make a cupcake tower!

First, let’s talk about what we need:

• Something wide and fairly low to act as a base – I use a few styrofoam discs
• Soup cans to act as supports between the layers – I chose the ones that I think may have been in my pantry since college :) (You can also use styrofoam cylinders as seen in the top left corner, but I prefer the cans for a sturdier end result)
• Cardboard cake circles, two of each size – I used 12, 10 and 8-inch circles for a three-tiered tower
• Card stock, for covering the top of each tier (optional), the base and dividing pillars (You could also use fabric or ribbon to cover the base and pillars.)
• Hot glue gun
• Ribbon for edging the tiers
• Ruler
• Paper cutter (optional – just a ruler and pen is sufficient)
• Pen
• Scissors
• About 30 minutes of your time (or 45 if you take pictures along the way :) )

First, I prepare the base by hot gluing the styrofoam discs together in an even column.

I glue together both cardboard circles of the same size, unfinished sides inward…

To end up with a double layer.

Repeat with the remaining sizes until all the cardboard circles are doubled up.

I trace around each of the cardboard circles onto the card stock that will cover them and cut out the corresponding circle.

Hot glue the card stock circle onto the cardboard circle to cover it and give it a finished look.  (I have also cut around the edges of these circles with decorative scissors to create a scalloped border, adding another detail to the overall look.)

Three pretty covered circles :)

Now I use additional card stock to cover the soup cans that will act as the pillars.  I mark the length of the can and cut a strip on the paper cutter.

Use the hot glue gun to secure the card stock as a tight band around the soup can.  Repeat for the other can.

Do the same for the base.  The glue can be very hot – too hot to touch – so I use a ruler to press the card stock tightly to the surface until the glue has set.

You should have two covered pillars and a base.

Now that all the pieces are put together, we’re ready to assemble the tower.  I’m sure there is some more accurate way to be sure that the base and pillars are perfectly centered, but I don’t have time or patience to worry about that.  For me, it’s more of a Gestalt and I use a few hatch marks in the region of the center to give some guidance.

One thing to keep in mind while assembling all the components is to keep the seams of the card stock covering the base, pillars, and the seams of the ribbon all in the same direction so that they can be the “back” of the tower and stay out of sight, giving it a more finished appearance.

So, hot glue the base in the center of the bottom tier (be sure to glue on the bottom, uncovered side of the cardboard circle).

Then, glue a soup can pillar in the center of that circle.  Again, I just use an eyeball approach to center it and make sure it is balanced.

Glue the next cardboard circle on top of the pillar, making sure to keep the finished side up.  (Since the lid of the soup can is not an even surface, you need to glue around the edges to ensure that the can has firm contact with the cardboard circle.)

And repeat once more until all the pieces are in place.

Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to edge each of the tiers.

Hot glue along the edge of the cardboard circle and press on the ribbon, being careful to keep the top edge even with the surface.  (You do not need to glue along the entire perimeter, just small dabs every few inches or so is fine.)  If your ribbon is somewhat translucent, you may want to consider doing a second layer so that it has a more opaque appearance.  I only used one layer here but I have used double layers in the past depending on the look I am going for.

Repeat with the middle tier, and then the top until…

You have a finished cupcake tower!  And then of course all you need to do is…

Fill it with delicious cupcakes!

You know who I just love to pieces?  Jack Johnson.  Without a doubt, he is one of my top three favorite artists.  He makes up 8.5% of my iTunes library.  And in my top three favorite Jack Johnson songs, Banana Pancakes for sure!  My sweet Ben bought me tickets to see Jack Johnson in concert last month as an anniversary gift, and we had a truly wonderful time.  Perfect weather in an outdoor venue, mellow environment, and great people watching.  (Also, we had a fabulous sushi dinner before the concert – a truly perfect evening!)  If you are a fan and you have never seen him in concert, I highly recommend it!

Anyway, the day after the concert I just couldn’t resist making banana pancakes for breakfast.  Cliche?  Maybe, but also delicious.  I’ve got to give Jack credit because before hearing that song, I had never even heard of banana pancakes, let alone tasted them.  Now this recipe has been a favorite in our household for several years.  These are easy as can be and would be great for a fun weekend project with the kiddos.  Even though Andrew isn’t quite old enough to help yet, he definitely did his part in eating them.

Banana Pancakes
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Yield: about 8 pancakes
Ingredients:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing the pan
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 small ripe banana, mashed
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Additional banana slices, for serving
Maple syrup, whipped cream, etc. for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200˚ F.  Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl; set aside to cool slightly.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; whisk together to combine.  In a another bowl, combine the mashed banana, milk, eggs and vanilla and whisk to blend.  Add the melted butter and the banana mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix gently with a rubber spatula until just blended (the batter will be slightly lumpy).

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Grease lightly with butter.  Drop the batter in 1/3 cup portions onto the heated cooking surface.  Cook until a few bubbles form in the top surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully flip the pancake over and cook on the remaining side until golden brown, 1-2 minutes more.  Transfer finished pancakes to a plate in the warm oven while you use the remaining batter, re-greasing the pan as needed.  Serve warm with maple syrup and sliced bananas as desired.

Source: Williams Sonoma

I’ve been meaning to try pistachio cupcakes for a long time, but well, my list of cupcakes to try is just very, very long.  Pistachio is certainly a delicious flavor but it is not as indulgent and compelling as some of the other flavors.  These cupcakes have been passed over time and time again for something more…exciting.  Recently a reader requested a recipe for pistachio cake and finally I got the push I needed to try these cupcakes.  My family, friends, and myself are now thankful that I got that push because these were a major hit with everyone as a sweet ending to a get together this weekend.

The pistachio flavor is just right thanks to the multiple inclusions of pistachio in the recipe.  First, pistachios are ground into a powder and incorporated into the batter.  Then coarsely chopped pistachios are mixed in to the batter before baking.  Finally, you can top with additional pistachios for garnish (and you should – so pretty!)  The cake itself is exactly what I was hoping for – tender with good pistachio flavor, and just slightly dense, but in a good way.  This is at least in part due to the fact that the recipe includes no chemical leaveners.  These would surely be wonderful topped with a pistachio buttercream but personally I just can’t pass up the combination of pistachio and dark chocolate so I opted for a thin layer of ganache.  My most important piece of advice with this recipe: buy pre-peeled pistachios.  I have bought them before at Trader Joes, but unfortunately my regular store does not carry them.  If you don’t believe me, believe the blister on my thumb.

PS – Stay tuned for instructions on how to make your own cupcake tower later this week!

Pistachio Cupcakes
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Yield: 16-18 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. shelled pistachios, divided
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. coarse salt (I used fleur de sel)

For the ganache:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Additional pistachios, for garnish

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Place ½ cup of the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until finely ground.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, cream cheese and ground pistachios.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Gradually mix in the sugar on medium-low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low, add the flour and salt, and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Coarsely chop the remaining pistachios and evenly fold into the batter with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each about three quarters full.  Bake, rotating halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Let cool in the pan a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.  Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in small circular motions until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy.  Whisk in the butter until completely incorporated.

Dip the top of each cooled cupcake into the ganache to create a thin, even layer.  (I like to let the ganache cool and thicken just slightly before dipping the cupcakes.)  Sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios, if desired.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

I may be from Indiana, but it’s not often that I eat what would probably be considered classic midwestern fare.  Recently I decided to make an exception, splurge, and make a classic Sunday dinner for some friends.  With fresh sweet corn on the cob, green beans, fried chicken and buttermilk chive biscuits, this was quite a fantastic Sunday meal.  And of course, the perfect ending – chocolate sheet cake.  Ben loved this dinner so much that he declared I could make it all over again later this month for his birthday dinner.

I really loved all the components of the meal, but I think these biscuits were my favorite part.  Warm, tender and flaky buttermilk biscuits are very hard to resist, especially with the flavor of fresh chives added to the mix.  These are great for entertaining because the dough can be mixed, shaped and frozen in advance, and then they can be baked directly from the freezer by simply adding a few minutes to the baking time.  My only mistake was not making a larger quantity.  I certainly won’t do that again!

Buttermilk Chive Biscuits
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Yield: 12 biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1½ tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk (optional)
Scant 1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup snipped fresh chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together to blend.  Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest butter pieces are the size of peas.  (This can also be done in a food processor or stand mixer.)

Place the egg and egg yolk in a liquid measuring cup.  Add enough buttermilk to measure a full 1 cup.  Whisk in the snipped chives.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix together gently just until the dough comes together and all the dry ingredients are absorbed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a disc that is ½-inch thick.  Use a well-floured 3-inch round biscuit cutter and cut out dough rounds.  Place finished rounds on the prepared baking sheets.  Gently re-roll the excess dough and cut out additional biscuits.  Bake until golden brown and fluffy, about 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

When I told you of my growing obsession with cheesecake, I wasn’t kidding.  And it turns out, you weren’t either.  The response I get with almost any post about cheesecake is overwhelming – seems you all love it too!  I’ve been really digging the lemon-blueberry flavor combination this summer and I decided to try it out in the form of a cheesecake bar.  I searched around for a recipe but none really struck me so I decided to create my own.  Thankfully these were everything I had hoped for – light and creamy lemony cheesecake with sweet, juicy blueberries and my favorite graham cracker crust.  I brought the leftovers in to work and they were gone by the end of the day.  I’ll take that as a good sign :)

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. sugar
8 tbsp. butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature.
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pint fresh blueberries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil.  Lightly grease the foil.  In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.  Toss with a fork until well blended and all the crumbs are moistened.  Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool and maintain the oven temperature while you prepare the filling.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.  Add in the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla extract, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Fold in the blueberries gently with a spatula until evenly incorporated.  Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust and gently spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.

Bake for 35 minutes or until just set and the center no longer jiggles when the pan is tapped.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.

Source: Annie original

Why, oh why,  have I waited this long to try panzanella?  In case you are unfamiliar, panzanella is bread salad that has Italian origins.  It’s a very adaptable meal that is easily altered based on the ingredients you have around and what your taste buds fancy.  I have seen lots of variations and they all sound pretty great but none had compelled enough to actually try it.  When I saw this Greek version, it went onto the next week’s menu immediately.  I have to say it more than exceeded my expectations.  I wouldn’t exactly call it healthy since it is, after all, a bread salad and it uses a good deal of olive oil.  However, it is a really great way to get a lot of vegetables into a meal.  Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion and olives – plus feta cheese!  Yum yum.  I thought this would be a meal that I really liked and Ben was indifferent to, but he was equally impressed.  It does make a large quantity but I am so glad we didn’t halve it.  I had it as leftovers for lunch and even though the bread was a bit soggy the second day, it still tasted fantastic.  Now I’m super motivated to try more variations of panzanella.  Bring it on!

Greek Panzanella
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Ingredients:
For the salad:
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 cups French bread cubes (1 inch)
Kosher salt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ red onion, sliced thin
6 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2.5 oz. can sliced black olives, drained (kalamatas would also be good if you like that sort of thing)

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:
To prepare the salad, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.  Remove from the heat.

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl.  To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.  Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.  Add the feta, olives, and bread cubes.  Mix together lightly.  Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors blend (if you can wait that long!)

Source: barely adapted from Smells Like Home, originally from Ina Garten

We tend to eat very, very healthy breakfasts during the week.  Both because, well, healthy stuff is good for you and in my case, because I wake up ungodly early and have little time to do much of anything before running out the door.  As a result, by the time the weekend rolls around I’m dying for something a little more exciting in the breakfast department.  I decided at the spur of the moment to make this on a Sunday morning and I happened to have everything on hand.  Basically all I did was make a regular (healthy) batch of oatmeal and then top the servings with all this delicious (unhealthy) candy, and browned it with my kitchen torch.  We all looooved it.  It’s a fun and easy breakfast treat for special mornings.  I used quick-cooking oats because I had more of those but you could certainly use old-fashioned and prepare to your liking.  Just be sure to avoid making the oatmeal itself overly sweet because believe me, the topping will make up for it.

Also, coincidentally yesterday was National S’mores Day.  So, I may be a day late but I think this is a great way to celebrate!

S’mores Oatmeal
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Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the oatmeal:
1 cup water
1½ cups milk
2 cups quick-cooking oats
3 tbsp. brown sugar
Drizzle of honey
Pinch of salt
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon

For topping:
½ cup mini marshmallows
1-2 graham crackers, cut or crumbled into medium pieces
2 oz. milk chocolate, divided into segments or coarsely chopped

Directions:
To make the oatmeal, combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Stir in the oats and cook about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  (If desired, cook 1 minute longer to help evaporate excess liquid depending on how thick you like your oatmeal.)

Divide the oatmeal between individual heatproof serving dishes.  Evenly cover the tops of the oatmeal with mini marshmallows.  Garnish with graham cracker pieces and milk chocolate segments.  Use a kitchen torch to brown the marshmallows and slightly melt the chocolate.  (You can also do this under the broiler with a very watchful eye, though I do not recommend it.  Every time I attempt this, I ruin what I was making.)  Serve immediately.

Source: Annie original (inspired by all the s’mores treats around the interwebs)

It seems fish tacos are quite a popular dish.  I see them all over the blogosphere and on lots of restaurant menus, but for a long time they just sounded kind of gross to me.  I think part of it was my childhood fear of seafood rearing its head – growing up in Indiana and being served lots of things that should definitely not be called seafood, I think the fear was justified.  Now that I know where to get fresh, good quality seafood, I keep experimenting with things and do my best to keep an open mind.  Well let me just say this dinner wowed us both.  Actually, it wowed us all – Andrew included.  He ate more than one plate of deconstructed taco!

And, this is another one of those dinners that is a triple threat – it is quick, easy, and healthy!  I came home from a long, rough work day and despite my exhaustion and less than stellar mood, these came together in no time.  In fact, they completely turned my mood around (well, the margarita probably played a part in that as well.)  You marinate the fish briefly and while it is doing its thing, you can prep all the toppings and the sauce.  I used halibut for these because it is my favorite type of white fish but you could also use tilapia or cod (or some other variety of white fish I am less familiar with).  Try these soon for a healthy, colorful delicious meal.

White Fish Tacos
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For the fish:
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 tbsp. minced cilantro
¼ tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 lb. white fish (halibut, cod, tilapia, etc.)
Salt

Ingredients:

For the cilantro cream sauce:
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. cilantro, minced
6 oz. nonfat greek yogurt (sour cream is fine too)
1 clove garlic, minced
Pepper, to taste

For serving:
Cherry tomatoes, quartered
Green onions, chopped
Red cabbage, shredded
(Or whatever sounds good to you!)
6-inch flour tortillas

Directions:
Combine the lime juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, cilantro, cumin, and garlic in a pie plate or shallow dish.  Whisk together until well blended.  Place the fish in the mixture, turning to coat.  Let marinate 15-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the cilantro cream sauce.  Combine the lime juice, cilantro, greek yogurt, garlic and pepper in a small bowl.  Mix until well blended.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Place the fish in the pan and cook without disturbing, 3 minutes.  Flip the fish and cook on the second side 2-3 minutes more.  Remove to a plate, season with salt as desired, and let rest for a few minutes.  Shred the fish into bite-sized pieces with two forks.

Assemble tacos on flour tortillas with shredded fish, cilantro cream sauce and toppings as desired.

Source: adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Baking as often as I do, it’s a bit surprising I haven’t tried brioche before.  Especially considering I bought these little brioche molds back in February… Finally I decided enough was enough, it was time to try my hand at it!  Brioche is a very tender and airy yeast bread that is also rich in flavor thanks to the amount of butter in the dough.  It is heavenly.  I baked mine in these molds but you can also make it as a regular loaf which I will try next time because I think it will make a rockin’ breakfast sandwich.

I’m not going to lie, this dough is on the very sticky side so I wouldn’t recommend it for beginning bread makers.  It needs to be this way to have the delicate texture.  In fact it was so sticky that I had planned on taking step-by-step photos of the shaping process but my hands were far too messy to touch the camera.  Next time I’ll have to set up the tripod!  This recipe calls for pastry flour which is not available in my grocery store, so I used Google to find that you can use a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour to achieve something similar.  Brioche is a delicious bread that can be the center of a morning meal or a nice accompaniment to other breakfast delights.

Brioche
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Yield: 20 petite brioches or 2 9 x 5-inch loaves (obviously, I reduced the recipe for my needs)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup warm water (105-110˚ F)
1 tbsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
9 oz. (1½ cups) bread flour, divided
5 oz. (¾ cups) pastry flour
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces (plus more for brushing pans)
4 large eggs, cold
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. nonfat dry milk
1 tsp. salt
1 large egg white, beaten

Directions:
To make the dough, combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 ounces of the bread flour in a medium bowl; stir until well blended.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk and bubbles appear on the surface, about 1 hour.

Combine the remaining 7 ounces of bread flour and the pastry flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add the butter, eggs, sugar, and dry milk; beat on low speed until well blended, about 5 minutes.  Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and continue beating on low speed for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle in the salt and continue to mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes more.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; immediately place in the freezer for 30 minutes (this prevents the dough from rising too quickly).  Remove the dough from the freezer and punch the dough down in the bowl.  Fold the sides into the center, then invert the dough so the dough is smooth side up.  Re-cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 hours or overnight.

Butter 20 small brioche molds; set aside.  Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces, about 1½ ounces each (my molds are larger and were filled better by 2½-3 ounces).  Working with a few pieces at a time (keeping the rest in the refrigerator), divide each piece into two, one being twice the size of the other.

On a lightly floured surface, form the larger piece into a round ball.  Press your thumb into the center to form a deep well and then rotate to widen the hole.  Shape the smaller piece into a teardrop.  Press the tip of the teardrop gently into the bottom of the hole.  Place into a prepared mold.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

Drape the filled molds with a piece of well-oiled plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place until fully doubled in bulk (1-3 hours).  Meanwhile, preheat the oven 375˚ F.

Just before baking, brush the dough gently with the beaten egg.  Place the molds on rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until a deep golden brown, 8-12 minutes.  Immediately remove from the molds and let cool on a wire rack.

(To make 9 x 5-inch loaves, butter two loaf pans.  Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces (2 ounces each).  Shape each piece into a ball.  Place 8 balls in each prepared pan in a 4 x 2 formation.  Cover loosely with well oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1-3 hours.  Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Just before baking, brush with the beaten egg.  Bake loaves until they sound hollow when the bottoms are tapped, about 40 minutes.  Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.)

Source: Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

I’ve been over and over my deep, undying love for cheesecake, and also my reluctance to make a full size one because I will undoubtedly eat it all myself.  Recently I’ve been experimenting with various ways to have cheesecake in individual, more portable portions that make it slightly easier to prevent the gobbling situation – mainly because it is so easy to give away and share with others.  These raspberry cheesecake cupcakes were a natural choice for me, a lover of both cheesecake and cupcakes (and raspberries!)

I didn’t make any major changes to this recipe.  However, a water bath is suggested to prevent the cakes from cracking. I didn’t have a pan big enough to create a bath for a cupcake pan.  I skipped it all together and it worked out fine.  My cakes didn’t crack or sink, so I think a water bath is unnecessary.

The raspberry marbling on the top is beautiful and adds a pop of color with a touch of raspberry flavor.  I made these sweet treats for a get together with friends and once they were set out on the table, they did not last long.  Most people who had one quickly had another – so I guess maybe these aren’t completely immune to overindulging.  But two of these is still healthier than a whole full size cake, right?  And you’re unlikely to get more than two because they will all have disappeared before you have the chance.

I mentioned not long ago that I wasn’t a big fan of fruit and meat, etc. combos but it seems I’m coming around.  This dish totally blew me away.  Honestly, I was expecting this to be so-so for me, and maybe something Ben said he liked to be polite.  But no, we both devoured it.  And so did Andrew!  Even better, it’s incredibly simple to prepare, quick, and healthy to boot.  How can you say no to a meal like that?  I think this would be great for entertaining because it is easy, certainly unique and the bright colors make for a beautiful presentation.

Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
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Ingredients:
For the salsa:
2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, white and green portions, sliced thin
1 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzle of honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz. each)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
To make the salsa, combine the strawberries, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.  Mix well to blend, then cover and refrigerate while you prepare the salmon.

Preheat the broiler.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the salmon fillets on the foil.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over each fillet, and season with salt and pepper.  Broil about 6-8 inches away from heat source (in my oven, this is upper middle rack).  Cook about 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of the fillets, checking for doneness.  Transfer the salmon to serving plates and top with strawberry salsa.  Serve warm.

Source: barely adapted from Good Things Catered

These chocolate chip scones have long been a favorite in our household, but they got buried deep in the archives with a ugly photo.  I love them both because they are delicious (I mean, hello, they are chocolate chip scones!) but also because I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand.  This means I can whip up a fantastic breakfast or brunch treat in next to no time.  Just as with any scones, only bake as many as you need at a time and freeze the rest of the dough after shaping.  You can bake straight from the freezer and have a sweet treat fresh from the oven with practically no effort required.

Chocolate Chip Scones
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Ingredients:
1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips (I prefer dark chocolate chips)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Additional sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; stir to combine.  Toss in the chocolate chips and stir to blend.  Add the heavy cream to the flour mixture, stirring just until a dough forms and the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Knead the dough very briefly with well floured hands to ensure even mixing.

Using a large dough scoop (or a large spoon), drop rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar (if using).  Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Hershey’s

On the first day of summer I did a post featuring some of my favorite summer recipes that were not to be missed.  Well, I decided to another midway through the season for a few reasons.  One, the first post was very well received.  Two, I seem to have overlooked a few favorites the first time around.  And three, I’ve made some great summer food so far this year and I wanted to highlight it once more to make sure you try these recipes before summer slips away!

If you’re so lucky as to be in an area with freshly caught shrimp, these steamed shrimp are a must try.  They take only a few minutes to prepare.  Served with spicy cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and crusty bread, they make for a perfect casual summer meal.

I’ve tried these crumb bars with blueberries and raspberries, and intend to try many more variations still.  No matter what fruit filling I use, I find them completely irresistible.

Since we moved into a new house within the last year, we haven’t really had the opportunity to get a vegetable garden going this year.  Hopefully next summer we will!  I know soon will be the time when everyone has zucchinis coming out their ears, and these stuffed zucchini boats are a great way to make use of them.

Please don’t let summer pass by without trying these piña coladas!  So simple, cool and refreshing.  Close your eyes and pretend you’re on vacation – or even better, make them when you are on vacation!

This is my first year making pizza on the grill, and I am sorry to not have discovered it sooner.  It truly takes pizza to a whole new level.  Take advantage while grilling weather is still here and experiment with any of your favorite toppings.

Last time I was at the store, blackberries were something like $1 per container.  That’s a great deal, and perfect incentive to try this blackberry tart with honey mascarpone filling.  Fruit tarts are ideal summer desserts and this one is no exception.

Burgers on the grill are a summer staple, and these teriyaki burgers with mango pineapple salsa are bursting with fresh flavors and color.  Serve them at your next BBQ for a fun and unique spin on a classic dish.

Peach season is in full swing and this peach cobbler will forever be my favorite peach dessert.  The fruit is sweet, ripe and juicy and the biscuit topping is the perfect compliment.

Soup isn’t typically at the top of any list of summer foods, but if you have an abundance of fresh corn (especially if you live in Indiana like me!) try this grilled corn and chipotle soup.  I love the contrast between the sweet corn and the slow burn of the heat from the chipotles.

Even though I focus on mainly fruit desserts throughout the summer, my heart still belongs to chocolate.  And chocolate definitely earns its rightful place on summer tables in the form of this chocolate espresso semifreddo.   I think it speaks for itself, no?

We’ve been making the most of our summer with lots of trips to the pool, visits to the zoo, and eating lots of homemade ice cream.  We also initiated Andrew with his first trip to Jiffy Treet, a local ice cream joint in our hometown and a staple well known to IU grads and Bloomington townies.  Now it’s about time for us to start our biweekly (or more) trips to the nearby orchard.  What have you been up to this summer?

There are lots of reasons to like this dinner.  For one, it is pretty healthy, providing both lean protein and vegetables in one low fat dish.  Also, it uses ingredients that you are likely have on hand most of the time so as long as you have a package of mushrooms, you should be good to go.  The end result is a dish that is delicious, elegant, and appears as though you spent far more time on it than you actually did.  It’s also great as leftovers.

Chicken and Artichokes in a White Wine Sauce
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Ingredients:
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. herbes de provence (or a combination of other dried herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, thyme)
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (2 chicken breasts total)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Minced fresh parsley, for serving

Directions:
In a pie plate or shallow dish, combine the flour, dried herbs, salt and pepper and stir with a fork to blend.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture.  Using tongs, coat the chicken breast halves in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.  Remove the chicken to a plate; cover and keep warm.

Add the butter to the pan and warm until melted.  Add the mushrooms and artichokes to the pan and cook until most of the liquid is released from the mushrooms and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the white wine, chicken broth, and reserved tablespoon of flour; whisk until smooth.  Add the mixture to the skillet, cooking until it is warm and slightly thickened.  Return the chicken to the pan to warm through and cover with sauce.  Serve the chicken with sauce spooned over the top, and garnish with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley as desired.

Source: adapted from Proceed With Caution, originally from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition