Popcorn is one of my very favorite snack foods.  I love a lazy evening after the kids are in bed, watching a movie with Ben and a big bowl of popcorn between us.  Unfortunately, Ben does not share my love of popcorn because of its affinity for sticking in your throat, teeth, etc.  As a result I don’t end up making it nearly as often as I would like, and when I do make it, I end up eating most of it by myself (that part is not so bad, I guess).  As soon as Courtney’s visit was official, we began planning what we would bake together.  The only thing she said we absolutely had to make was some kind of French macarons, since she had never made them before.  When I asked her what flavor she wanted to try, she mentioned this salted popcorn macaron with caramel filling.  It combines three of my favorite things into one awesome dessert, so of course I was immediately sold on the idea.

Unfortunately despite all the batches of macarons I’ve made before, our first attempt was a flop.  I’m still not entirely sure what went wrong, but for the second round we used a different base recipe with a few minor changes and had success!  The key to these is to make sure the popcorn you use is nice and salty to balance out the sweetness of the cookie shell and the caramel.   They really do taste just like the popcorn…it’s more than just a garnish!  We opted to add popcorn to all of the macaron shells.  It definitely helped the popcorn flavor come through, but on the other hand it did make filling the cookies a bit messier.  Since they did not have a flat bottom to rest on, they were uneven and some of the caramel dripped out of the sides.  This could be remedied by either making half the shells without popcorn or filling them with something a bit more solid like a caramel buttercream.  However, I don’t think I would change a thing next time I make them.  They were a bit messy, yes, but the flavor was awesome and I found these totally irresistible.

Note: The measurements for the macaron shells are listed by weight.  A kitchen scale is necessary for making macarons.  Attempting to make these by volume measure would likely be a waste of time and ingredients, so volume measurements are not provided.

Salted Popcorn Caramel Macarons
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Yield: about 20-24 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
For the macarons:
110 grams almonds (blanched or slivered)
200 grams confectioners’ sugar
90 grams egg whites, aged at room temperature for 24 hours or 3-5 days in the refrigerator
25 grams granulated sugar
¾ cup buttered and salted popcorn, pulsed or chopped into fine chunks

For the caramel filling:
½ cup sugar
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
¼ cup water
6 tbsp. heavy cream
Pinch of fleur de sel

Directions:
To make the macarons, pulse the almonds and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor until finely ground and well blended.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.  Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until a smooth, shiny meringue with stiff peaks forms.  Add the ground almond mixture to the bowl with the meringue and quickly but gently fold together using a wide rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  You want to achieve a thick batter that ribbons or flows from the spatula when lifted.

Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain wide round tip.  Pipe into small rounds on the prepared baking sheets (each round should be about 1-1½ inches in diameter), spaced about 1 inch apart.  Sprinkle the rounds lightly with the chopped popcorn pieces (leave half plain if you want them to lie flat).  Let sit at room temperature for about an hour to develop a hard shell.

Preheat the oven to 280˚F.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size.  Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before moving the cookies.

To make the caramel filling, combine the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar begins to melt and turn golden at the edges.  Continue cooking, swirling the pan to cover evenly, until the sugar turns golden amber.  Carefully pour the cream down the side of the pan in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly until combined.  Stir in the fleur de sel.  Transfer the caramel to a bowl and let cool.  It will thicken as it cools.

Once the cookies are totally cooled, match them up by size.  Pipe a small dollop of caramel on the flat side of one cookie of each pair.  Sandwich together with the remaining cookie, pushing the caramel to the edges.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: inspired by Eat Show and Tell, macarons adapted from Tartlette, caramel from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Did you just drool a little bit reading the title?  It’s okay, I did that too when I saw this recipe.  I was lying in bed before falling asleep, flipping through an issue of Fine Cooking and the moment I saw this I sat upright and exclaimed, “We have to make these!”  Ben hears these sorts of exclamations frequently but when I read the title out loud, he whole-heartedly agreed.  While Courtney was visiting, I mentioned them to her and we ended up making them for dinner one evening.

The topping is really what drew me to this recipe.  I’m a sucker for anything involving caramelized onions, and using them as a burger topping infused with some bacon and balsamic vinegar is brilliant.  The burger itself is kept simple, just as I like it, with a bit of bacon mixed in to the patties.  Since Gruyere and caramelized(ish) onions are a natural pair, and because I think every burger should be a cheeseburger, I added some when the burgers were finishing up on the grill.  To me this is the perfect time of year for such a meal because it involves flavors you might associate with fall but allows you to take advantage of the dwindling days when it is still warm enough to fire up the grill.  Of course I’m sure these would be wonderful made inside on a grill pan or cast iron pan in the event of a gray and drizzly fall day.  Whether you’re a lover of bacon, burgers, onions, or all three, I’m pretty sure you’ll love these burgers.

And, just because I think it’s pretty great, here’s a shot I took of Andrew “coloring” with Courtney’s iPad.  He loved having her here almost as much as I did.  The morning after she left, the first thing he asked when he woke up was, “Where’s Courtney?”  So cute!

Bacon Burgers with Bacon Onion Balsamic Jam
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Ingredients:
For the topping:
4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup water

For the burgers:
2 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon
1½ lbs. ground beef (85% lean)
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Thinly sliced Gruyere cheese (optional)
4 hamburger buns, split

Directions: 
To make the topping, place a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the bacon until lightly browned but not yet crisp, about 8 minutes.  Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.  Drain all but 2-3 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the skillet.  Add the onion to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, cover the pan and cook for two minutes.  Uncover the pan, add a splash of water and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar, mustard and water.  Return the bacon to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Simmer uncovered until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 2-4 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly.  Cover and refrigerate if making in advance.

To make the burgers, finely mince the bacon.  Add to a bowl with the ground beef, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.  Mix well with a fork until evenly combined.  Divide into four equal portions and form into patties about ¾-1 inch thick.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat.  Grill to desired doneness, about 4-5 minutes per side depending on preference and grill temperature.  When the burgers are almost finished cooking, top with the Gruyere, if using.  Remove the patties to a plate and let rest.  Meanwhile briefly toast the buns on the grill.  Assemble the burgers on the toasted buns and topped with the onion jam.

Source: Fine Cooking

I’ve talked many times before about the wonderful friends I have made through blogging.  We’ve had numerous virtual parties to mark occasions we weren’t able to celebrate together in person.  We email each other several times a day to keep in touch.  A few weeks ago, I could hardly contain my excitement when one of my best blogging girlfriends, Courtney of Cook Like a Champion, was able to come and visit our family for a whole three-day weekend!  We have talked about this for a long time, so it was amazing to make this dream become a reality.  Our visit confirmed what I already knew – this girl is awesome.  She is sweet, kind, smart, thoughtful, and funny.  I feel so lucky that we were finally able to spend time together!  We talked and talked and talked, went out to a couple of my favorite local restaurants, played with the kids, and of course, we cooked and baked together…a lot.  This week we’ll both be blogging about the recipes we made together, starting with these pumpkin doughnuts.

I’m normally not one of those people who goes gaga for doughnuts but for some reason, I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately.  The craving had already set in before Courtney arrived so when she suggested making pumpkin doughnuts, I was stoked.  We perused the internet for recipes and try as we might, we never found a yeasted version that looked worthwhile.  Eventually we opted to try a cake doughnut instead and I can safely say that we were very happy with the results.  We couldn’t decide whether to top them with cinnamon-sugar or a spiced glaze, so we did half and half.  Both were delicious but in the end I think the glaze won out as my personal favorite.  As with most homemade doughnuts, these really are best while fresh, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying them the next day or two.  These will most definitely become a fall tradition in our home.

Pumpkin Doughnuts
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Yield: about 16 doughnuts and doughnut holes
Ingredients:
For the doughnuts:
3½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree

Canola oil or peanut oil, for frying

For the cinnamon-sugar:
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the spiced glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground cloves
2 tbsp. milk

Directions: 
To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl.  Whisk to blend, and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat until well blended.  Stir in the egg, then the egg yolks, and then the vanilla until incorporated.  Combine the buttermilk and pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup and whisk together.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Once the dough is mixed, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or until firm.  (The dough still seemed quite soft so we did an additional 30 minute chill in the freezer.)  

On a well-floured work surface, roll or pat out the dough to a ½-inch thick round.  Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour.  Using a 2½ to 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough.  Use a smaller cutter (or a wide pastry tip) to cut a hole out of the center.  Reroll and cut the dough scraps as necessary.

Add oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2-3 inches.  Attach a thermometer to the side of the pan and heat the oil to 365-370˚ F.  Add the rings of dough to the hot oil so that they are in a single layer and not touching.  Fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and doughnuts are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes total.  Use a skimmer/strainer to remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack.  Bring the oil temperature back up to the target range before repeating with the next batch of doughnuts.  Use the same process for the doughnut holes, frying for a shorter time.

To make the cinnamon-sugar, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and whisk to blend.  When the doughnuts are just cool enough to handle, dip half of them in the cinnamon-sugar to coat completely, shaking off the excess.

To make the spiced glaze, combine the powdered sugar and spices in a small bowl.  Add the milk and whisk to combine, until a thick glaze is formed.  If necessary, add a bit more milk to thin the glaze out.  Dip the remaining half of the doughnuts in the glaze.  Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Source: adapted from Pinch My Salt, originally from Bon Appétit

Things have been much busier than I would like lately.  I’ve been stretched very thin, the kids have been sharing illnesses, etc. etc.  Sometimes I feel like I’m ready to pull my hair out.  Those are the times when I head into the kitchen to bake.  Baking helps clear my head and improve my mood almost instantly.  People often ask me how I’m able to bake so much, and phrase the question as though baking is a chore.  What they may not understand is that I love it, it makes me happy and it soothes my soul.  The night I made these pumpkin snickerdoodles, that’s exactly what was going on.  Baking therapy.

When I decided on these particular cookies, I wasn’t thinking much about my choice and was more interested than the process of baking than the end result.  Luckily for all of us the result were these soft and puffy, subtly pumpkin cookies with warm fall spices.  Snickerdoodles aren’t normally in my top tier of irresistible cookies, but I found myself craving them at work and making sure I had one every night after dinner.  One batch makes a lot of cookies but instead of halving it, make the full batch and share them with friends, family, neighbors, whoever.  It’s a nice way to get in your baking therapy and officially welcome fall.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
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Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly.  Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: slightly adapted from Recipe Girl, originally from dlyn

I have murky memories of the first time I ever tried onion rings.  I was a kid, probably seven or eight, and we were at a restaurant that had onion rings on the menu.  I glanced over the name with mainly disgust and a smidgen of curiosity, and moved right along (probably to nachos or pizza).  I can’t remember who I was with, but someone at the table actually ordered this unthinkable dish.  I must have expressed my surprise because they then tried to convince me that onion rings were, in fact, very good.  I think they even said better than French fries.  Come on now, let’s not exaggerate.  Anyway, when our food finally arrived this persuasive devil convinced me to try one (who was this person?!  I wish I could remember).  I grudgingly agreed that they were pretty good, but I would still never choose them over French fries.

Though I still pick French fries over onion rings, I have a husband who loves onion rings and has asked me to make them on numerous occasions.  I pretty much always turn to Cook’s Illustrated when I’m in need of a reliable recipe, and I had bookmarked this one a year ago with Ben in mind.  Now don’t go thinking that just because these are made in the oven, they are a healthified version of onion rings.  They still have plenty of oil and are coated with a potato chip crust…yeah, I told you.  Of course you might feel a little better about the whole thing if you choose to serve them as we did with bean burgers instead of regular hamburgers.  I really liked this method though, and all of us thought the outcome was fantastic.  The onions were cooked through but the coating was crispy and browned, just as it should be.  Even Andrew devoured them without batting an eye (though he eats practically anything I put on his plate, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.)  I doubt I’ll be making them again anytime soon since this is a once-a-year kind of indulgence, but I think we’ll all be looking forward to when that day rolls around again.

Oven-Fried Onion Rings
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Ingredients:
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
30 saltine crackers
4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips
2 large yellow onions, sliced into 24 rings (½-inch thick rounds)
6 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions: 
Adjust oven racks to lower- and upper-middle positions.  Preheat the oven to 450˚ F.  Place ¼ cup of the flour in a shallow baking dish.  Beat the egg and buttermilk together in a bowl.  Whisk the remaining flour, cayenne, salt and pepper into the buttermilk mixture.  Combine the saltines and potato chips together in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Place half of the crumb mixture in a second shallow baking dish; reserve the other half.

Working one at a time, dredge each onion ring in flour, shaking off the excess.  Dip the onion rings in the buttermilk mixture, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, and then dredging in the crumb coating, turning to coat evenly.  When the crumb mixture is low, add the reserved crumb mixture to the dish for dredging the remaining onion rings.  Transfer the coated rings to a large plate or platter.

Pour 3 tablespoons of the oil onto each of 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Place the baking sheets in the oven and heat just until smoking, about 8 minutes.  Tilt the heated sheets to coat evenly with the oil.  Lay the onion rings out in a single layer on the oiled baking sheets.  Bake, flipping the onion rings and rotating the pans halfway through baking, until golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes total.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined rack briefly before serving.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Summer Entertaining 2010

Salmon is quickly becoming one of those meals that I turn to when I need something that is quick, easy, and healthy all at the same time.  It cooks quickly and lends itself nicely to many different flavor palettes.  The night I made this I had been planning on a different recipe that we know and love, but I decided to go a different way since we had yet to try an Asian-inspired version.  The sesame seed coating provides both good taste and texture, as well as a nice presentation, and the glaze is the perfect finishing touch.  We all cleaned our plates and Andrew was still asking for more…next time I’ll make extra for my growing boy.  Any dish that is so simple and quick yet nice enough for company is a winner in my book!

Sesame-Crusted Salmon
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Ingredients:
For the glaze:
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. mirin
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp. sugar
1½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. cold water

For the salmon:
1 large egg white
2 tbsp. cornstarch
4 salmon fillets, about 8 oz. each
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil

Directions: 
To make the glaze, combine the soy sauce, mirin, chicken broth, sugar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  In another small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and whisk until smooth.

To make the salmon, combine the egg white and cornstarch in a shallow dish.  Whisk to blend.  Brush the skinless side of each salmon fillet with the egg white mixture.  Place the sesame seeds in a second shallow dish.  Dip the side of the salmon fillets with the egg mixture in the sesame seeds and press gently to coat completely.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, place the salmon in the pan, coated side down, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the sesame seeds are golden brown.  Turn and continue cooking an additional 3 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside.

Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet and lower the heat to medium.  Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue simmering until the sauce has thickened, about 1 minute more.  Serve immediately with the warm salmon fillets.

Source: barely adapted from Cook Like a Champion, originally from Food & Wine

My sweet husband celebrated a birthday a few weeks ago, marking 13 years we have been celebrating birthdays together.  I wish I could say I’d made him 13 birthday cakes but I didn’t discover my love for cooking and baking until about six years ago.  In the past six years I’ve come to be pretty good at predicting what type of cakes Ben prefers.  It’s almost always chocolate and often involves toffee, caramel, or peanuts (or sometimes a combination).  This year I had several ideas for cakes I knew he would love.  I laid out all of the options and I was right – he was pretty excited about every single one of them.  And then I happened upon this cake just a couple of weeks before his birthday.  The moment I saw it, I knew it would be his choice, and as soon as I mentioned it he was decided.

Layers of dark and tender chocolate cake are sandwiched with caramel Swiss meringue buttercream.  The whole thing is covered with a silky smooth dark chocolate frosting that is out of this world, and the cake is finished off with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.  As rich as this all sounds, I think we were expecting it to be just too much, but it was actually just right.  Indulgent, certainly, but not in a make-you-feel-sick kind of way.  The quantities I used resulted in cake layers just a tad taller than I would have wanted, and consequently a towering cake.  I have corrected this in the version below to make what I think would be a better sized cake.  However, if you want a super tall cake, go ahead and increase the amount of cake batter by 25%.  We thought all the components of this cake were great, but it seemed everyone’s favorite part was the dark chocolate frosting.  It is really fantastic, and I’m sure I’ll be making it again and again.  Without a doubt, the very best bite was the corner of the slice with lots of the frosting and the sprinkle of salt.  In fact, next time I might even consider serving each slice with an additional small sprinkle of salt so the sweet-salty balance is enjoyed with every bite.  No cake could ever come close to showing Ben just how much he means to me and to our family, but if it helps make his birthday a little bit sweeter then I guess it’s a pretty good start :)

(A quick side note – thanks to my wonderful husband and biggest fan for volunteering his birthday cake for food styling and glamour shots :)  Normally I don’t slice or shoot birthday cakes before party time but Ben is always very encouraging in all matters relating to the blog, and wanted to be sure this cake got the proper treatment.  Thanks, honey.)

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake
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Ingredients:
For the cake:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2¼ cups sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2¼ tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. brewed coffee*
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the filling:
1 cup sugar, divided
¼ cup water
¼ cup heavy cream
Generous pinch of sea salt, such as fleur de sel
4 large egg whites
1½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the frosting:
12 oz. good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ cup very hot water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt

Fleur de sel, for finishing

*Note – Coffee is used as a flavor enhancer in many chocolate cake recipes.  Even if you are not a fan of coffee, don’t be afraid of this – it’s still chocolate cake, and you don’t taste the coffee.

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease and flour the edges of 3 8-inch baking pans, shaking out the excess.  Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix on low speed to blend.  Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk, coffee, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl and mix on low speed until well blended and completely incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool in the pans about 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.  Remove the parchment paper.

To make the caramel buttercream filling, place ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan.  Mix in the water.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Stop stirring and let the caramel cook, gently swirling from time to time, until it is a deep amber color (test a drop on a white plate or bowl if necessary), watching it carefully to avoid burning.  Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and then the salt.  Set aside and let cool.

Combine the egg whites and the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.  (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer - don’t worry, it will come together!)  Blend in the cooled caramel until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

To make the frosting, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Set aside and let cool to room temperature.  In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and water and stir until smooth.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated.  Blend in the cocoa powder-water mixture until smooth.

To assemble the cake, level the cake layers if necessary.  Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter.  Top with half of the caramel buttercream and smooth in a thick, even layer.  Place a second cake layer on top and smooth the remaining caramel buttercream over that.  Place the final cake layer on top.  Cover the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting and smooth with an offset spatula.  If desired, use additional frosting to pipe decorative accents on the cake.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Before serving, sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Source: adapted from Sweetapolita, filling and frosting originally from Martha Stewart

Tomato cobbler with gruyere biscuits.  Does that not sound like one of the greatest food ideas ever?  Because it is.  The concept of a savory cobbler had never really occurred to me before, but the moment I saw this one, I had two instantaneous thoughts.  First, why had I never thought of a savory cobbler?  And second, I absolutely had to rearrange our menu so we could try it immediately.  It does require a bit more time than most people have on a weeknight, but it makes an excellent weekend meal.  It also makes quite a lot of food.  I was tempted to halve it but in the end I was very glad I made a full batch because the leftovers were great.  I think this is an ideal dish to help bridge the time between summer and fall with the late garden tomato harvests and slightly cooler temperatures leaving us yearning for comfort food.

I was a bit wary that all the juices from the tomatoes would result in soggy biscuits floating in a sea of liquid.  That was not the case.  For one thing, the use of cherry or grape tomatoes is ideal because the skins help keep all the yummy juices inside.  Also, flour is included as a thickener and ends up almost making something akin to a roux when mixed with the caramelized onions.  Oh, did I not mention those yet?  Yeah, as if it weren’t already good enough, caramelized onions are involved.  I’ll just stop talking now so you can go rearrange your menu, gather the ingredients, and make this at the earliest opportunity.

Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Biscuits
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Ingredients:
For the filling:
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme
3 lbs. cherry or grape tomatoes
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1½ tsp. coarse salt
Pinch of black pepper

For the biscuit topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup grated gruyere cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
1½ cups heavy cream

Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked down and caramelized, about 20-25 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  To make the biscuit topping, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is crumbly and small clumps form.  Mix in the cheese.  Stir in the cream with a fork until a sticky dough forms and the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Transfer the tomato mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Using a large ice cream scoop or a ¼-cup measure, drop clumps of the biscuit dough evenly over the tomato mixture.  Sprinkle the top with additional grated cheese.  Bake until the tomatoes are bubbling and the biscuits are golden, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart Living July 2011 via Pink Parsley Catering

I feel like I’ve been holding out on you guys.  It hasn’t been intentional, but I’ve been making this baked oatmeal over and over for the past few months and I can’t believe I haven’t shared it with you yet.  My feelings regarding oatmeal have made a complete about face in the past year or so.  Before, I thought it was bland and pretty much only liked it if it was mixed into a cookie.  Then I learned to use mix-ins or toppings to jazz it up a bit.  Not long after, I was introduced to steel cut oats and I started eating oatmeal almost weekly.  Previously I had tried a few recipes for baked oatmeal but none of them were much to write home about.  That is until I tried this version.

Three reasons why I love this recipe and you will too: 1. It is quick and easy to prep, 2. It’s healthy, 3. It is very easily adapted to suit whatever fruits are in season and what you have on hand.  I have made it so far with the original combination of bananas and blueberries as well as peaches with raspberries, nectarines with blackberries, and most recently with apples and cranberries.  The natural sweetness of the fruit as well as a bit of maple syrup is all this really needs to be a tasty and satisfying breakfast, and it reheats well as leftovers on subsequent days.  I do add an extra sprinkle of cinnamon sugar to the apple and cranberry version to offset the tartness of the berries.  You can also use different types of nuts depending on what you have around or what you prefer.  I’m thinking a summer version with cherries, apricots and almonds could be pretty great.  This has become a staple in our breakfast menu and as you can see here, it is a hit with the boy as well :)

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit
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Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.  Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson via The Curvy Carrot

Shanon and I were back in the virtual kitchen together again last month, and you can thank her for choosing these little bars of awesomeness.  I’ve been all about sweet-salty dessert combos lately.  There’s just something about that peculiar flavor balance that keeps people wanting just one more bite.  If you haven’t tried it yet because you think salt on a dessert is weird, don’t worry I totally get it.  I felt that way too.  For a long time, I’d see desserts that looked gorgeous but for the generous sprinkle of salt on top.  I gave them the side-eye.  Last fall, I tried these cookies on a whim and everything changed.  Now I’m a convert and I have learned to appreciate the role of salt in giving a dessert that extra something.

Chocolate and caramel are made for each other, and even skeptics know that salted caramel is the bomb so it stands to reason that a salted caramel chocolate shortbread bar would be awesome…and it is.  I’ve seen recipes such as this likened to Twix bars before but we didn’t really think they tasted like Twix at all.  Don’t get me wrong, I looove Twix, but these are maybe a more sophisticated version of the same flavor palette.  The caramel layer is a bit soft and gooey, and we found we liked them best from the freezer.  You will definitely want to freeze some because the recipe makes enough to feed a small army.  But you wouldn’t really want to halve it, because that would just be silly, right?  If you enjoy the sweet-salty dessert combo, be sure to stay tuned because I have several more planned in the next month or so and I can’t wait to share them with you!

This recipe seems to be the hot new thing lately.  I’ve seen it on blog after blog after blog.  Now that I’ve made it I can tell you, I think the hype is well deserved.  I flipped right past this in Bon Appétit while dog-earring lots of other pages, surely thinking, “Chicken with pan sauce.  What else is new?”  It’s a good thing this was popping up everywhere because being such a simple and unassuming dish, I might have otherwise missed it.  But this, my friends, is not to be missed.

It’s a basic chicken with pan sauce but this particular combination of ingredients elevates it to a new level.  I’ve been doing a lot with roasted tomatoes lately (more recipes coming your way) and the pan sear these tomatoes similarly brings out the natural sweetness in the tomatoes.  The seasoned butter and a splash of wine or broth help round out the sauce to make a meal that’s the no-leftovers kind of good. This has become a fast favorite in our house.  In fact, Andrew loves it so much that one night after an unexpectedly long work day we went out to grab carry out sandwiches and when we told him we were getting dinner, he asked excitedly, “Chicken with tomatoes and rice?!”  So cute.  I like to serve this with garlic rice pilaf and broccolette, but it would pair well with many side options.  Next time you need a fabulous meal fast, this dish has got you covered.

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce
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Ingredients:
For the chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and halved (4 halves total)
Salt and pepper
¾ cup flour

For the sauce:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tsp. fresh oregano, minced
½ tsp. sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12 oz.)
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions: 
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, oregano, and paprika.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the oregano butter with the olive oil.  Place the chicken breast halves in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining butter mixture to the pan.  Crush the tomatoes slightly to release their juices and continue stirring until the butter is melted.  Add the wine or broth to the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits.  Cook for a minute more until well blended.

Slice the chicken, transfer to serving plates, and top with the pan sauce.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Source: adapted from Cook Like a Champion, originally from Bon Appétit, July 2011

You know how sometimes a recipe comes out of nowhere and totally wows you?  This dinner did that for me.  I had it on the menu for weeks and kept pushing it back for one reason or another, always making excuses.  One evening after a busy and exhausting day full of baking, our dinner options were limited to either this dish or paying for a decidedly less healthy carry out meal.  I decided to power through and make dinner…except it really didn’t require much powering through, because it came together in minutes.  I was pleasantly surprised by the extremely simple prep and even more pleased with the end result.  I repeatedly exclaimed, “I can’t believe how good this is!” with nearly every bite.  We made these on the grill but you can just as easily bake them in the oven, so do whatever is most convenient for you.  I’m so glad we got around to trying this meal because it is now firmly planted in my repertoire of quick, easy and delicious meals.

Halibut with Chipotle Compound Butter in Foil Packets
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Ingredients:
4 skinless white fish fillets (such as halibut), 6-8 oz. each
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, divided
1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups corn kernels
½ red onion, diced
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, divided

Directions: 
Heat a grill to medium-high heat.  (Alternatively, preheat the oven to 425˚ F.)

Pat the fish dry with paper towels.  Season the fillets with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, combine the butter, half of the chipotles, the orange zest, half of the garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.  Stir with a fork until well blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the fillets.

In a medium bowl combine the remaining chipotles, the orange juice, the remaining garlic, the beans, corn, onion, scallions, and half of the cilantro.  Add in ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.  Mix well to combine.  Lay four 14-inch squares of foil out on a work surface.  Divide the bean mixture evenly between the pieces of foil, placing it over the lower half of each piece.  Top each mound of the bean mixture with a fillet.  Fold the foil over the fish and fold up the edges to seal the packets.

Place the packets on the grill, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fish registers 160˚ F.  (You can poke the probe of a thermometer directly through the foil rather than opening the packets.)  Alternatively, bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes just until the fish is cooked through.

Open the packets carefully to avoid contact with the steam and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.  Serve warm.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen The Best Simple Recipes via Pink Parsley Catering

Oh yes, it’s here…fall is upon us.  Okay, I know in many places it may still be (way) too hot for sweatshirts and football hasn’t really started yet, but for many people Labor Day weekend and the arrival of pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks marks the unofficial start of the season.  Last year a reader emailed me to ask if I would develop a pumpkin spice latte cupcake and I immediately loved the idea.  Unfortunately that was right near the end of the fall transitioning to winter and seasonal beverages were transitioning to peppermint mochas.  Since the timing wasn’t quite right I jotted down the idea and went right along with my holiday baking.  But the idea has been lurking, never forgotten, just waiting for the season to come around again.

The past couple of weeks I have worked on tweaking the recipe to get it just right, and this version fits the bill.  I started with a basic pumpkin cupcake but dialed down the spices and added in some espresso powder.  After baking, the cupcakes are brushed with coffee to further enhance that flavor.  Then they are finished off with lightly sweetened whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of caramel a la the fancy barista-constructed drinks we know and love.  Try them, enjoy them, and welcome fall with open arms.

Last week I shared turtle brownies that I made in honor of my mom.  My inspiration for the treats I chose to donate to her hospice was to make things that were hybrids of her favorite desserts and my own tastes.  I knew one pan of brownies wasn’t going to be enough for all of the hospice workers, and I wanted to provide an alternative in the event that someone might not like chocolate (!)  Aside from turtle sundaes, etc. one of Mom’s other favorite desserts was lemon bars.  I have never liked lemon bars since they usually involve lemon curd, but when I saw this recipe I thought they might be the exception to change my mind.

So I made them.  And let me just say right up front, I was extremely skeptical.  The raspberry-lemon layer before baking is very liquidy – verging on juice.  I honestly did not expect these to turn out at all, and while they were baking, I was making plans to cut the brownies into small pieces so that there would be enough to go around.  But then magically, these worked.  I chilled them, sliced them, and finally I tasted one.  The best way I can think of to express my feelings about these bars is this: I liked them more than the brownies.  If you put both of them in front of me, this is the one I would choose.  The topping is sweet, tart, smooth and almost juicy all at the same time.  I loved the one I did get to sample and I already can’t wait to make them again.  If you are a fan of raspberries, lemons, or both, make these and prepare to fall in love.

Raspberry Lemonade Bars
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Yield: about 24-30 bars*
Ingredients:
For the crust:
2¼ sticks (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt

For the raspberry lemon layer:
3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. lemon zest
¼ tsp. salt
3 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
6 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with a slightly reduced baking time. 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour and salt just until incorporated.  Add the dough to the prepared baking pan.  Press into an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Remove from the oven, maintaining the temperature.

While the crust is baking, make the top layer.  Combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend.  Add the raspberries to a fine mesh sieve and press through, mashing with a spatula, to extract as much juice and pulp as possible, straining out the seeds.  Add the egg whites and eggs to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk well to blend.  Whisk in the raspberry puree and lemon juice until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the crust and bake until the center is just set and not longer jiggles when gently shaken, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.  Cover and chill well in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours.  When ready to serve, use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan.  Place on a cutting board and slice into bars.  Dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Source: slightly adapted from Sophistimom

As you know well, I make a lot of cut out cookies.  This means I have a LOT of cookie cutters.  (Not as many as some people who do this exclusively, but plenty to keep me busy.)  Recently, I wanted to make a batch of cookies and I went into the pantry to find myself staring at this.

All of my cookie cutters were crammed into this single container (where they used to fit easily, I might add).  You can see them balancing precariously on top and overflowing off to the sides.  Every time I needed a cookie cutter, I had to get out the whole thing and spread everything out to find what I was looking for.  If I attempted to carefully pull one out, they fell all over the floor causing much frustration and a few choice words.  Enough was enough.

I decided I needed easier access and more organization.  This empty space on the wall got me thinking…

So, I measured the empty wall space.  Then I headed over to the hardware store and had them cut a piece of pegboard to fit the space.  I also purchased peg board hooks.

I spread out all of my cutters and organized them as much as possible by category.  Christmas, Halloween, sports related, etc. etc.

I placed the hooks in the pegboard, hung up the board, and then hung the cutters.  This solution has been great so far.  I’ve been able to grab whatever cutter I need quickly with no problem.  I know this small board won’t hold my entire collection as it continues to expand, but I’ll probably make another board to keep in a different storage area in the future.  Just thought I’d share in case it might be useful to anyone!