The Culinary Enthusiast

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples

2012-01-19T06:49:00.000-05:00

Let's talk about brussel sprouts.

Love them? Dislike them? Intrigued by them?

Once upon a time, I would not have walked near them. Just keeping it real.

Now?

I adore them!

In fact, left to my own devices, I've been known to binge on them. During one said binge, I ate the whole batch. In one evening. Finger food at its finest, peeps.

There is something absolutely beautiful about sprouts that are roasted in olive oil until they are sweet-tender. Add in some crisp bacon and sweet honeycrisp apples, drizzle a bit of aged balsamic vinegar over the whole pan of loveliness, and you've got yourself some pretty irresistible sprouts.

I'm telling you the truth.

You're going to either have to trust me on this or try it yourself. The second option will be much more enjoyable for you. Trust me.

{This "recipe" is simple. Don't get freaked out at the lack of measurements. You will do just fine without them!}

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples
A Karla favorite

1 package of fresh brussel sprouts, ends removed, and halved
generous drizzle of olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 honeycrisp apples, cored, sliced, and cubed
1/2 pound bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

To prepare sprouts, slice off the end of each one, removing any wilted outside leaves. Slice sprout in half; repeat with remaining sprouts. Add to the prepared baking sheet.

Drizzle olive oil over the sprouts, tossing gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast in oven for 20 minutes, tossing sprouts halfway.

Add cubed apples to the baking sheet after 20 minutes and toss gently to incorporate. Continue roasting 10-15 more minutes, until sprouts are fork-tender (undercooked sprouts will retain their bitterness, so roast completely to draw out their sweetness).

Remove from oven, add a generous amount of balsamic (but don't make your sprouts swim!) and top with crumbled bacon.

Serve immediately.

Chicken Taco Bowls

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

What is the prominent role of your slow cooker/crock pot in your kitchen?

Is it the star? Or maybe it plays more of a supporting role? Or maybe is makes more of a cameo appearance?

Mine is more like a cameo role. Sometimes, occasionally it makes an appearance.

I'm not sure why, other than it seems like my crock pot generates meals that seems "mushy" and often overcooked. Maybe I just haven't mastered the technique. My crock pot most often cooks chicken, which usually ends up in another dish, like enchiladas or white chicken chili. It rarely cooks an all-in-one dinner.

Enter this meal. Chicken taco bowls. All cooked together. Served over rice. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Easy AND delicious! This recipe exemplifies what crock pot cooking should be, and I can totally get on board with that!

Chicken Taco Bowls
Adapted from BudgetBytes

4 frozen chicken breasts
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar salsa, your choice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbl. chili powder
1/2 tbl. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve:
rice, prepared according to above link
shredded cheddar cheese
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream

Directions:
Place chicken, corn, black beans, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in crock pot. Place lid on top and cook on low 6-8 hours, until chicken is fork tender.

Remove chicken and shred (I love doing this is the bowl of my Kitchenaid stand mixer with the paddle attachment--so easy!). Place shredded chicken back into crock pot bowl and gently mix to incorporate fully.

Serve over prepared rice, and top with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Banana Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

This muffin recipe comes to you courtesy of a surge of creativity I had recently. The base is my favorite banana muffin, but made even yummier by the addition of a cream cheese center and a cinnamon-sugar streusel topping. Even if you don't normally prefer muffins, you might find yourself really enjoying these as you linger over your morning (or afternoon!) coffee!

Banana Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins
Makes 24 muffins

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the muffin batter:

6 large, very ripe bananas

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup canola oil (or applesauce)

4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbl. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tbl. cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with liners or spray each well with non-stick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until fully combined. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peeled bananas until mashed. Beat in the eggs, sugar, and oil.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients--flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg--and mix on low speed until just blended.

Add 1 tablespoon of muffin batter to each prepared muffin tin. Using a regular spoon, add 1/2-1 spoonful of cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin well. Top with remaining muffin batter, approximately a regular spoonful.

To make streusel, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the cold butter using two forks or a pastry blender until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.

Top each muffin with a spoonful of streusel mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden and they spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a rack to cool and store cooled muffins in an airtight container.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have very little resistance and self-control when it comes to snickerdoodles. Do a quick "snickerdoodle" search on this blog and you will see cupcakes, varieties of the cookie, biscotti, blondies, and now I am going to add muffin to that list. I think that calling such a delight a "muffin" completely legitimizes the consumption of cinnamon and sugar for breakfast. It is a breakfast of champions, in my humble opinion.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sour cream

Rolling Sugar:
1 cup sugar
2 tbl. cinnamon
Mix together.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray each well with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and nutmeg.

Starting and ending with flour mixture, alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to the butter-sugar mixture, scraping down the bowl a couple times. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated evenly.

Using a scoop (I used a tablespoon from my everyday silverware), roll into a ball and drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until it is coated completely. Place into prepared muffin pan. Repeat with remaining batter.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan before removing. Transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely, or serve warm. Store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Vanilla lattes are my absolute, hands-down, "this-is-the-drink-I-always-order-anywhere-possible" favorite beverage. I'm about 15 years running on this one. :) I rarely deviate from my standard vanilla latte, and the times that I have, I ended up wishing that I had just ordered my "regular."

Do you have a favorite like this? Do tell.

When I saw this recipe, there was absolutely no question that I would make them. And there was never any doubt in my mind that I would love them. The question was "When would I make them?" and I wondered if I needed to plan to make them to give away or just resign myself to eating the entire batch single-handedly.

As my luck would have it, I ended up with the best of both worlds. I made them for a gathering, and since I made them mini, there were a lot--and I mean, a lot!--left over. Perfect.

The coffee flavor in these cupcakes really shines through and isn't distracted by any chocolate (you know me and chocolate! I just don't require it!), the crumb is perfectly tender and soft, and the swiss meringue frosting is borderline sinful. I've been calling the mini ones "poppers" and I figure it takes about 4 of them to equal one regular size one. Again, perfect! {I also like to believe that calories are non-existent in the mini ones. Just sayin'.}

*A little sidenote on the yield: for this recipe, which I made as written, I ended up with 48 mini cupcakes and enough batter left over to make 6 regular cupcakes. For all regular size, you will end up with 12-18 cupcakes. I also made the frosting as written, and ended up with some left over as well.

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes
Adapted from Pink Parsley

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee {I used espresso}
1/4 cup + 2 tbl. milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the brewed coffee/espresso and milk.

Starting and ending with the flour, in a few additions alternately add the flour and milk mixture to the mixer, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between 18 cupcake liners, filling each cup about 2/3 to 3/4 full or 2 pans of mini cupcakes.

Bake 18-22 minutes (15 minutes for mini), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped OR 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (or to taste) dissolved into 2 teaspoons boiling water
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine the egg whites and sugar in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer. Place over a pot of simmering water, and heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160 degrees.

Attach the bowl to the mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment). Starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, beat the mixture until the bottom of the bowl cools to room temperature and the egg whites are thick and glossy and form soft peaks.

While mixing, add the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Continue mixing until the frosting comes together. Switch to the paddle attachment and over medium speed, add in the vanilla extract, vanilla bean, coffee mixture, and salt. Beat until well combined and taste and adjust flavorings as necessary.

Frost cupcakes as desired. I used a reusable pastry bag fitted with a mini star tip.

Fruit Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-08T07:36:00.001-05:00

I am sure that many of you will agree that there is something magical about a home that is beautifully decorated for Christmas. The house is usually more de-cluttered than normal (a huge temptation for me to keep Christmas decorations up year-round!! Just kidding--they are all put away before school resumes in January!), the lights twinkle, and all the extra touches that are meaningful to each person give one's home a special feeling during the Christmas season.

Several years ago, I made some of my own Christmas decorations....I'm not really even sure where the idea came from, but I went with it. They are simple and lovely in their simplicity.

I simply placed sliced fruit in a food dehydrator and then poked a hole in the dried fruit to string a ribbon through. I hung it lovingly on my Christmas tree, and voila! Decorations!

I guess when I say "several years ago" it was really like 10 years ago, for the second year that my husband and I were married. Time flies when you're living life!

This year I decided it was time to freshen up my fruit ornaments, and lucky for you, I took pictures along the way so I could share it with you.

{There is no recipe here, so just let your creative juices flow!}

Slice your desired fruit--I used 3 oranges and 4 Macintosh apples--about 1/4 inch thick and place in a food dehydrator. I did mine overnight which was just about the right amount of time. The apples will be soft and the oranges will no longer be juicy.

Make sure you leave a good amount of space between your slices so they dry evenly.

Remove your fruit from your dehydrator and get them ready to string the ribbon through. My original set of ornaments I used strips of cute fabric with frayed edges for a more primitive look.

I redecorated my living room this summer, so this time around I decided to use some ribbon that was a bit shimmery and sparkly as to catch the lights on the tree. However, the ribbon with the silver beads was way too thick to tie in a knot nicely, so I ended up not using that one.

I used a simple process here to poke my ribbon hole. Once the fruit was dried and removed from the dehydrator, I used a small paring knife to cut a small slit in each slice. With the oranges, it was easier to do this between the triangles of fruit flesh where there is a natural divider. Just string your ribbon through and tie a knot on the end!

Here are a couple of the finished pieces, all ready to be hung! I think sometime I would like to make a fruit garland, and of course, the process is the same except you would put two holes in each piece and string them together. Maybe next year that will be my project!

Here is my finished tree! I need to play around with my dSLR camera and figure out how to take a picture with the lights blurred out, but until then, this one will have to do! My Christmas tree is my absolute favorite part of all my Christmas decorations--cranberry garland, sprays of cranberries, rusted ornaments, rustic snowmen and angels, framed pictures of my 4 kids, homemade cinnamon gingerbread ornaments, fruit ornaments, and sometimes I stick cinnamon-scented pine cones in there too! My tree is in my main floor living room, next to my fireplace, which is my favorite place to drink coffee!

Merry Christmas! I would love to know what your favorite Christmas decoration is and if you have any homemade ones that you love!

Triple Layer Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

2011-12-01T07:07:00.000-05:00

I grew up eating a delicious banana cake, homemade by my mom. It was a classic dessert for her to make, which she did often, and she often took it with her as a contribution whenever our family was invited over to someone's home for dinner. It was always a hit.

As an adult, looking back, I realize I have two complaints about her banana cake.

First, she always made it in a metal 9x13 cake pan.

I have decided that I am not fond of metal cake pans for serving cake from. Not fond at all.

Second, she always iced her banana cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

As you might already know, I am not fond of chocolate. Not fond at all.

So, I decided to put on my big girl boots and attempt a classic banana cake for the first time in my adult life. No metal rectangular cake pan and no chocolate.

And while I was at it, I decided to make my cake a triple-layer one.

I might have a bit of a competitive streak in me. Maybe.

I told my mom ahead of time that I was making this cake. She suggested I top it with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Her salivating tastebuds felt rejection, possibly for the first time when it came to banana cake.

It simply couldn't be helped.

When all was said and done, this cake was light, moist, sweetly banana-y (that's a word, right?!), and the frosting on it was killer!

For the best results, you will want to bake this a couple days before you serve it. The banana flavor deepens for a couple days after it is baked, resulting is a cake that is pretty perfect.

Oh, and another thing? Embrace the frosting technique. While a bit odd and a bit unfamiliar (at least to me), this frosting rocks the peels right off those bananas! Know what I mean?

Triple Layer Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting
Source: How to Cook Like Your Grandmother, via Pinterest

For the cake batter:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 crushed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, beaten

Directions:

Combine the sugar and butter and beat on low speed until completely combined.

Add the egg yolks and beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt — and whisk thoroughly. You’ll want the baking soda to be well distributed throughout the flour before adding to the wet ingredients.

Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients (milk), beating each time until it is just incorporated. Start and end with dry.

Now mash the bananas and add them to the batter.

Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl with a whisk, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, but not so much you dry them out.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter, trying not to deflate them too much.

Pour the batter into three greased and floured round pans.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool to room temperature, then frost with the brown sugar buttercream frosting.

To frost, place one cake on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top and place with second cake. (You can be a bit generous on the amount of frosting in between layers--I ended up having frosting left over when I was all done). Repeat frosting, and place third cake on top. Spread a thin crumb layer over the top and sides of cake. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of cake, making small decorative peaks on the top if desired.

Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting

1 cup milk
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)

Directions:
Stir the milk and flour together and mix over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until it thickens. It changes suddenly, so don't walk away. Set aside to cool.

Combine the sugar, butter and vanilla in a mixer; beat on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and you don’t taste the graininess of it any more.

Add the milk mixture to the butter mixture and beat until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to frost on cooled cakes.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese in a Skillet

2011-11-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

I would love to see a show of hands of all the moms out there who have almost completely depended on mac-n-cheese to nourish their thriving little ones! I'm in the same boat with you! While there is something ridiculously classic about that blue box with the yellow powder that masquerades as cheese (I mean, really?!), I really would like my kids to adore a homemade {read: real} version.

This version is pretty doggone close! I love that it is a one-skillet dish--separate pots for water, cheese sauce, and then a casserole dish to bake in is not necessary! Just haul out your biggest skillet and go to town! In about 15 minutes, you will have a yummy, creamy bowl of mac-n-cheese to delight even your pickiest little munchkin!

For those of you who have the luxury of indulging in a bowl of creamy, cheesy mac-n-cheese sans the impatient demands, messes, and spills of little people under the age of 5, this is the perfect comfort food for the cold winter days ahead!

Enjoy!

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese in a Skillet
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

2011-11-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and every year, I try to make myself like the traditional cranberry sauce.

I try really hard.

I usually don't succeed at changing my tastebuds.

That makes me a bit sad.

Cranberries are so festive and even though slightly obligatory, they hold a novelty to me.

Enter this cake.

Chock full of cranberries. Sweetly delicious.

Surprisingly simple.

In the rush of the rest of Thanksgiving Dinner prep, this cake gracefully and easily makes a wonderful addition to any spread.

Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for all of you who take the time to stop by this little site, make a recipe, and leave a comment! Have a wonderful holiday!

~Karla :)

Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter (it will be a really thick layer of butter). In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cranberries in a single layer on top of the sugar mixture.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

Spoon the batter over the cranberries in the pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; invert onto a rimmed platter. Store any leftovers at room temperature.

Caramel Apple Pie

2011-11-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

I'm about to make a grandiose statement and I am giving you fair warning so you will be prepared.

This pie is epic.

Award-winning, even.

(Seriously. I won 2nd place in a pie baking contest. Why not 1st place, you might wonder. Well, let's just say that the first place prize went to a pie that contained Oreos. I think that tastebuds are a bit misguided when they prefer chocolate over caramel, but that is just my humble opinion!)

This pie is a bit over the top, I will admit, but sometimes it is fun to do a little indulging. It's even a bit time-consuming, but well worth it! Let's consider the components, shall we?

Graham cracker crust. Caramel. Pecans. Apples cooked in butter and brown sugar. Cheesecake filling oozing between the slices of apple. Fresh sweetened whipped cream. More caramel.

Yeah....

Indulgent. Award-winning. Perfect.

Caramel Apple Pie
Adapted from Doughmesstic

Double Batch of Homemade Caramel Sauce

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (take it up a notch and use cinnamon graham crackers!)
3 tbl. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecans

Apple Filling:
5 crisp apples (I used Gala), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
5 tbl. unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cheesecake Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 tbl. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Whipped Cream:
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff peaks form
2 tbl. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup homemade caramel sauce
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a food processor, process 1 package of graham crackers until finely ground. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. In that same bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon to the melted butter and mix well. Press into a 10-inch pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden in color. Remove from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel sauce into pie shell and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate pie shell while making apple filling.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add apples and cook until apples are soft and tender (but not mushy--you don't want applesauce!!) about 15 minutes, stirring often. Cool for 10 minutes before pouring into pie shell.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer (or any other mixing bowl), combine softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined. Pour over apple filling.

Bake for 30 minutes until a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight.

In mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula or a spreader, spread the whipped cream over the top of the chilled pie. Generously drizzle top of whipped cream with caramel sauce and top the edges of the pie with additional chopped pecans if desired. Refrigerate again until ready to serve.

Before serving, let pie stand for about 30 minutes, coming close to room temperature. Slice and serve.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

2011-11-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

I think that caramel--especially homemade caramel--is absolutely the most luscious thing in the whole world. Sweet and buttery, smooth and creamy, it is the perfect add-on to just about anything! Ice cream? Yep. Apples? Yep. Whipped cream? Yep. Popcorn? Yep. Pizza? Well....maybe if it is an apple pizza, but sure! Add it on!! Pie? Absolutely! Stay tuned to see what kind of pie I made with this caramel sauce....

I personally think it is a good idea to make up a batch just to keep in the fridge. A staple, that you keep on hand at all times. Because you know that there will be emergency situations that will require a generous drizzle of this lusciousness. Caramel just makes the world a better place.

Making caramel is easy, but it will require constant supervision on your part. Watch your temperature closely as you are cooking the sugar--for me the sugar started to burn way before it reached the "required" temperature. You need to get the sugar dark enough for the intense caramel flavor to come through, so don't undercook it. Whisking in the warm cream will cause the sugar to bubble furiously, so keep your face away and whisk quickly and continuously while you stream the cream in slowly. If any of the sugar seizes up and hardens, just place your saucepan back over the heat to melt it again, still whisking away! Also, make sure you use heatproof utensils, like a wooden spoon or a heatproof silicon whisk. We're talking about lava-like temperatures of melted sugar! Let it cool a bit before you serve it, so it thickens up.

Homemade Caramel Sauce
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 liquid cup water
1/2 liquid cup heavy cream, heated until warm
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan (at least 5 cup capacity), stir together the sugar, syrup, and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Place your candy thermometer into the pot, making sure that the tip in immersed into the sugar mixture.

Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring completely and allow it to boil undisturbed until it turns a deep amber (380°F.) *See my note above: my sugar started to burn before I got to this temperature, so use your best judgement to determine when the sugar is dark enough and hot enough. Immediately remove it from the heat and slowly and carefully pour the hot cream slowly into the caramel, whisking constantly. It will bubble up furiously.

Use a high-temperature heat-resistant rubber spatula or whisk or wooden spoon to stir the mixture until smooth, scraping up the thicker part that settles on the bottom. If any lumps develop, return the pan to the heat and stir until they dissolve. Stir in the butter. The mixture will be streaky but become uniform after cooling slightly and stirring.

Allow the sauce to cool for 3 minutes. Gently stir in the vanilla extract.

Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; refrigerated, about 3 months. I stored mine in a Mason canning jar. To reheat, simply place in a microwave safe container and heat for about 45-60 seconds. Stir well.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2011-11-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you are new to this site, welcome! If you are wondering which recipe to try first--this is it!!

Seriously.

When you make these, people are going to dub you the "Official Muffin-Maker" of your group...trust me. It will happen, because it happened to me. I was officially "volunteered" to make these for each and every meeting for the rest of my life.

And you know what is amazing about these muffins?

Even if you do make them for the next million weeks in a row, they are impossible to get tired of! Yep. 'Tis true. In fact, I think I am going to go snag one right now and then come back and type the recipe. These cream cheese-filled pumpkin muffins are just a good idea every time!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Source: Annie's Eats

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups canola oil

For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Nutella Mousse

2011-11-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

My husband works second shift. It's a love-hate relationship with that shift. As with all police work, there are pros and cons of each shift and each part of the job. One of the cons for us is that we can't have dinner as a family every night of the week. However, when El Hub is home for dinner, I think I subconsciously go into "celebrate" mode for dinner, even if it is the middle of the week. He was teasing me (in a serious way) the other week that I needed to cut back on my grocery spending and start serving PB&J for dinner a couple times a week.

Of course, I looked at him like he was nuts. I know that he seriously does NOT want to eat PB&J for dinner on his nights off!! He eats less-than-wonderful meals in between calls and tires quickly of fast food on the go, so I feel I have a duty to him to place something wonderful and deliciously homemade in front of him when he has the chance to sit at our table.

This dessert ended up being the perfect balance between simply and celebratory. It was so extremely easy to make and ~~looked~~ tasted so elegant when served (I will highly consider updating this photo when I make this again--soon!). As perfect as this was for a weeknight dessert, I also think that this would be a wonderful holiday dessert served in martini glasses or something "fancy."

Nutella Mousse
Adapted from Sweet Tooth, via Pinterest

1/2 cup Nutella spread
2 tbsp hot water (not boiling)
2 tsp instant espresso

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Chocolate and chopped hazelnuts (optional) for topping

Directions:
Dissolve instant espresso in hot water in a medium sized bowl.

Add the Nutella, beating until smooth.

In a mixer, whip the whipping cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the nutella mixture into the whipped cream until the color is uniform.

Divide mousse into serving glasses. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Chicken Marsala

2011-11-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

I've noticed something as I have looked back over my blog....there are very few dinner posts in the most recent history! Oops. While cupcakes and muffins and sweets are beyond wonderful, sometimes a body needs a good, savory meal!

Quite honestly, for me this is more of a photography problem than a cooking problem. I cook dinner most every night. However, you see, I live in the woods. While beautiful, woods are not nice for streams of natural lighting. So, by the time dinner comes around, the light outside (if there is any this late in the year!) is a very cool blue. Not cool for food.

Enter El Hub. He built me a DIY lightbox. It was very simple really, and the completion of this project (it took all of like 15 minutes to put together!) coincided perfectly with a wonderful, savory meal--chicken marsala!

I think that might still need to make some tweaks to my lighting, but overall, it worked like a charm and I am excited to have it for the upcoming days when it gets dark at like 3 pm (ok, so I exaggerate just a little!!).

And the chicken marsala? Absolutely yummy! After all, what's not to love about chicken and mushrooms, Italian-style?! It took me about an hour from start to finish, but that time also included prepping a salad and making a side dish. Even on a weeknight, the meal was well worth the time invested!

Chicken Marsala
Adapted from The New Best Recipe, by America's Test Kitchen

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half across to make cutlets
1 cup flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbl. olive oil
2 1/2 ounces (about 3 slices) pancetta, diced (*I used some Genoa salami, since it was what I had on hand--pancetta is way better!)
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used Baby Bella mushrooms)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups sweet Marsala wine
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
4 tbl. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 tbl. fresh parsley, minced

Directions:
Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a large, heatproof dinner plate (or baking dish) on rack.

Pat chicken breasts dry. Place the flour in a shallow pie plate. Season both sides of each chicken cutlet with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat both sides of each chicken piece with flour. Shake to remove excess flour and place on a plate; set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet until shimmering. Place the floured cutlets in a single layer in the skillet and cook until golden brown, turning once. Transfer the chicken to the heated plate or baking dish in the oven. Repeat a second time if necessary.

Return the skillet to low heat and add the pancetta. Saute, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits, until the pancetta is crisp and browned, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain.

Add the mushrooms to the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta and cook, stirring constantly until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Off heat and add the Marsala wine. Return to high heat, simmer vigorously, scraping the browned bits front he pan bottom, until the sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes.

Off the heat, add the lemon juice and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Pour mushroom sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2011-11-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

What a fun, fall twist on the classic snickerdoodle--which just happens to be my favorite cookie!! I loved the addition of the pumpkin, giving the cookie a nice orange tint, perfect for adding to a fall harvest party dessert spread. While softer than the classic version, adding ginger and allspice to the coating sugar gave the cookies a nice component of spice and flavor. Since I was taking these cookies to a party, I made them a couple days ahead, and put them in the freezer until the day of the party. They froze and thawed very well, maintaing their "just baked" freshness. All around, win-win!!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Source: RecipeGirl

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Coating Sugar:
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter until fluffy. Add sugars and pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time just until incorporated.

Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix rolling sugar ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tablespoons) or a large spoon to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Use your hands to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and make sure they're coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a glass with a nice, flat bottom to dip in sugar and flatten the balls.

Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutella Fruit Dip

2011-11-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Not being a huge chocolate lover myself, I am not yet completely on the Nutella bandwagon. However, I realize that my lack of chocolate passion is unusual and rare, and many of you are already head over heads with Nutella.

This one's for you!

My son commented that he thought this fruit dip tasted like chocolate pudding, and to my daughter's tastebuds, anything with "pudding" or "sugar" added to the recipe is a solid score for her. And I will admit, a red, juicy, sweet strawberry plunked into this dip was pretty tasty!

With the holidays ~~looming~~ coming up, sometimes its the simple things that make a spread. This dip certainly qualifies! It sounds somewhat fancy and exotic, yet is so simple!

Nutella Fruit Dip

8 oz. Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Nutella

Directions:
Mix together until smooth and combined. Serve with your favorite fresh fruit, pretzels, graham crackers, etc.

Meatball Subs

2011-11-01T07:30:00.000-04:00

I recently posted a mind-blowing homemade meatball recipe....I mean, really mind-blowing. :) Even though my family is a huge pasta-loving one, sometimes it is fun to get a bit creative in ways to eat meatballs.

Enter meatball subs.

Next to pasta, truly the best way to eat Italian meatballs. If you happened to make a double batch of meatballs and kept the remainder in the freezer, this meal comes together in the time it takes to thaw the meatballs (which of course, can be done during the day!) and assemble the sandwiches.

A simple meal, which the kids devoured, and left very little mess for me clean up afterward.

Win-Win.

Meatball Subs
A Karla Recipe

1 loaf of fresh French bread (I made homemade bread shaped into a French loaf)
olive oil
Homemade meatballs in sauce, in a single layer (How full you stuff your sub will determine how many meatballs you use)
1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
handful of fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade style

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

To assemble the subs, slice loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Place open loaf on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the open bread. Layer meatballs in a single layer on bottom half of the loaf, using only enough sauce to keep the meatballs moist. Top with shredded mozzarella and basil. Also, sprinkle cheese over the top half of the loaf.

Place baking sheet in oven and broil, about 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden, and meatballs are heated through. Remove from oven, place top of bread on the meatballs, and slice to serve.

Glazed Donut Muffins

2011-10-29T07:30:00.000-04:00

There are boundless recipes swirling around the internet of homemade donuts. Have any of you tried your hand at them? For some reason, I feel a bit intimidated by the thought of making my own donuts. Maybe my lack of extra "play time" these days in the kitchen is cutting in on my adventurous spirit.

But then, I see this recipe for donut muffins. I can totally do muffins. My kids called them cupcakes. I can totally do cupcakes and anything cupcake-like.

These were yummy. And pretty. And easy. Yep--totally doable!!

Glazed Donut Muffins
Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen (via Pinterest)

4 tbl. unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze

3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, canola oil, and sugars till smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla until just combined. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour until batter is thoroughly combined.

Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.

Bake until muffin tops are a pale golden and springy to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes before glazing.

To make the glaze, In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.

When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. Once hardened, dip a second time and allow to harden.

Peach Freezer Jam

2011-10-27T07:30:00.000-04:00

I realize that I am posting this recipe long after peach season is over....in fact, this year, it seemed like it came and went before I even had the chance to take in peach season. A fact I mourn, actually. I think that I got so busy getting the kid back to school and the fall activities launched that I failed to stop and smell the peaches. Sad.

However, I did take the time to buy several pounds of fresh peaches, most of which ended up in this freezer jam. Now I guess I will enjoy peach season into the winter.

So, I will share it with you and you can pin it, saving it until next year when peaches come back on the scene in all their beauty and juiciness. Ohhh, I can't wait!! However, if you are extremely anxious to bring back the flavors of summer to the doldrums of winter, you can use frozen peaches--just thaw them before making the jam.

Peach Freezer Jam {No Cook}
Recipe adapted from Mrs. Wages

*You will need freezer containers, found in the canning section of most grocery stores

4 cups diced peaches (about 4-5 large peaches), peeled, and 1 cup of them crushed
1 cup sugar
1 packet of Mrs. Wages No Cook Freezer Jam Pectin
3 tbl. lemon juice

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir 4 cups peeled peaches, 1 cup sugar and 3 tbsp lemon juice until well blended. To crush the peaches, I removed about 1 cup from the large bowl and processed it until smooth in my food processor (you could also use a potato masher) and then added the puree back in. Let stand 10 minutes.

Gradually stir contents of Mrs. Wages Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin into the peach mixture. Stir 3 minutes longer. Ladle and store as directed on package.

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

2011-10-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, I gave birth to my last little baby, my little manny, Brecken. I love how he completes our family and how he keeps us all hoppin'. He is so different from the other two, much ornerier and sillier. (Ok, is it just me, or do those two words just look weird when typed out??)

Anyway.

What a blessing my little Brecken is to me....he ~~will be~~ IS the child that will test me and try me in ways that the other two would never think of, yet he is as charming as a cupcake. Charming, I'm telling you. Those big blue eyes and silly grin melt my heart every time.

So, Happy Birthday, little Brecken! I hope that you enjoy your cupcake birthday! These cupcakes were perfectly moist and the flavor combination was amazing!

{Sharing the Birthday Love over at This Chick Cooks!}

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
Cupcakes from The New Best Recipe from America's Test Kitchen
Frosting from Gimme Some Oven

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, vanilla, and almond; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Caramel Buttercream

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (just start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a whisk until completely smooth. The mixture will bubble up and splatter a bit as you add in the cream. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add caramel. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Bread Pudding

2011-09-27T07:39:00.001-04:00

This recipe comes to you courtesy of the "bug" that my mother-in-law put in my ear.

That, and the container of fresh, homemade ricotta cheese that sat in my refrigerator that I couldn't seem to use fast enough. It was literally waiting for a burst of inspiration to hit me.

When she mentioned to me that she had the best blueberry bread pudding recently, the inspiration hit me like a crashing wave. It seemed like a good idea to marry the two. Soft bread, fresh ricotta, a splash of lemon, bursting blueberries, sugar.

Sounded good to me! I could barely wait until the next day to whip this up!

This bread pudding is soft and sweet, moist and warm. Delicious!

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Bread Pudding
Adapted from: Food for My Family

1 loaf french or vienna bread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 2-1/2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat the eggs. Mix in sugar and ricotta cheese. Add the lemon zest and juice, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom and beat until evenly combined. Stir in the melted butter.

Add the bread cubes to the milk and egg mixture and stir until all pieces of bread are completely covered. Let sit for 20 minutes. Stir in blueberries and pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until top is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let rest 15-20 minutes before serving.

Mocha Scones

2011-09-22T08:35:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, you must keep trying after a fail.

The end result, which tantalizes your taste buds and promises to be amazing, keeps you going.

Such was the case for me with these scones.

I knew that they would be amazing.

I knew that my intended audience would think them amazing.

I learned that following the recipe's instructions as written and not going off on a culinary adventure of my own making often holds a significant amount of value. {Who knew??!}

So, I scrapped my first batch. It was just too ooey-gooey to bake.

But, I was set on these and highly motivated by the promise of their deliciousness.

"If at first you fail, try again." That's a good motto where coffee-infused baked goods are concerned.

I did a bit better the second time around on following the directions.

And, as expected, these were wonderful. I knew they would be.

Mocha Scones
Source: My Baking Addiction

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup strong coffee, room temperature or cooler
1 large egg

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture. Use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in chocolate chips.

Stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until the dough comes together. Then use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. The dough will be sticky, but it will come together.

Place on a lightly floured work surface. Either pat the dough into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick and use a sharp knife to cut it into 8 triangles. Or pat it into a rectangle, then use a sharp knife to cut 10 even squares. Then cut 10 even squares in half to create 20 smaller triangles.

Place scones on prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 for smaller triangles and 18-22 minutes for larger triangles.

Cool on wire rack. Once scones are cool, prepare the glaze.

Mocha Glaze

1/4 cup strong coffee, room temperature
1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine coffee and confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth. In a glass, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering hot water, melt chocolate until liquid. Whisk melted chocolate into the powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface, place a wire rack over the parchment paper. Place scones on wire rack. Place chocolate glaze in a small zip top bag, use scissors to snip a small piece of the bag off the corner of the bag.

Drizzle chocolate glaze over the scones. Allow glaze to set for about an hour.

Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

2011-09-20T07:30:00.000-04:00

Meatballs and sauce and pasta are classic comfort food.

Looks fancy, looks hard, but in the end, you have a belly full of happiness and the conclusion that making homemade meatballs wasn't as hard as you thought it was going to be.

I have made these meatballs a couple of times now, and I can confidently assure you that these are the best meatballs ever. Ever.

This time around, I decided to make a double batch (the recipe below reflects a single recipe served over pasta) and get at least a couple meals out of them. I also opted to not serve them over pasta right away (I will share with you what I did do with them soon!) The remaining meatballs went partially-cooked into the freezer for a quick and easy future meal!

You're gonna wanna make these....soon. You will be glad you did.

*I don't usually take step-by-step photos...something about messy hands and expensive camera that just doesn't enhance the cooking process for me, but I was feeling a bit adventurous on this particular day....so here ya go! And of course, my finished photo isn't exactly staged in a beautiful way...but sometimes the yumminess trumps the presentation...so, boom.

Assemble your ingredients. And totally make these meatballs in your mixer if you have one. Just don't overmix, or you will end up with weird-looking mush. Trust me on this one. It has happened. And it's not pretty.

Cute little meatballs....I love the fresh parsley in them!

Getting all browned up in the olive oil....seriously love olive oil.

Mostly cooked, draining slightly on a soft bed of paper towels, awaiting the final submersion in the glorious, garlicky tomato sauce, where they will finish cooking though as they simmer. A perfect blend of wonderful flavors.....

Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Meatballs:
3/4 pounds ground beef
3/4 pounds Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 whole eggs
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
splash of milk
1/2 cup olive oil

Sauce:
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white or red wine (optional, but totally worth it!)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
8 whole fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade style
2 pounds spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Directions:
To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Using a tablespoon, roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine, if using. Add salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add meatballs to pot of sauce and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt right before adding the dry pasta. Cook according to package directions, 9-11 minutes, until al dente. Drain in a large colander and return to pot.

Just before serving, stir in basil into the tomato sauce.

Serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

2011-09-17T07:30:00.000-04:00

The cupcake lovin' continues over here at The Culinary Enthusiast.

As my husband says, "Since you're into cupcakes now." Because, there was a time when I wasn't. Really.

I rarely hear him complain though, as he delights in one.

Men.

But seriously. Once you get in a cupcake groove, it's hard to get out. They're just so stinkin' cute, and they're so versatile, and they're so easy to whip together! The only way to deal with the addiction is to feed it. Usually bad advice to offer to addicts, except in the case of cupcakes.

The weather turned cool this past weekend; a perfect Labor Day weekend, in my humble opinion. You know how I feel about fall. The "summer is just the gateway to fall" kind of feeling. As I sat at my kitchen table, door open and crisp breeze blowing in, I suddenly needed to pair that with the smell of cinnamon.

And since I have had these cupcakes pinned for a while now, it was the perfect opportunity in the perfect setting to bake them. I already love chai in hot beverage form, so this variety was just begging me to bake it.

Hubs was impressed with how fast I got them in the oven.

I'll do just about anything for the smell of cinnamon. Just sayin'. And, just for the record, the taste didn't disappoint either.

{These are too yummy not to share! Linking up to Sweets for a Saturday and A Well Seasoned Life.}

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Chai Spice Mix
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Cupcake Batter

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
2 eggs
2 tsp. chai spice mix
1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
2 cups powdered sugar
remainder of the chai spice mix
1 Tbsp. cold milk, if needed to thin out the buttercream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners. This made about 16-18 cupcakes for me.

In a small bowl or plastic bag, combine the chai spice mix ingredients. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla bean paste and beat in one egg at a time. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the chai spice mix. Fold in the flour and buttermilk alternately and stir until combined. Mix together the baking soda and vinegar in a separate bowl, then add it to the batter and mix until combined.

Spoon into prepared cupcake tins until 3/4 full and bake 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Buttercream Directions:
In a stand mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy. On low, mix in the vanilla bean paste and the rest of the chai spice mix. Carefully beat in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time. If the buttercream is too thick add 1-2 tbs of cold milk until the desired consistency is reached. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes with your favorite frosting tip (I used the closed star tip).

Blueberry Crisp

2011-09-15T07:30:00.000-04:00

I remember going blueberry picking as a kid with my mom, sister, and brother. I remember the 5-gallon buckets full of berries that we brought home. I remember ~~gorging~~ eating fresh blueberries to our little kids' heart's content.

Good memory.

A couple of years ago, I took my munchkins berry picking at the same local farm. Only this time, I was the mom, and the drive seemed a lot farther away than it did in my childhood memory. My kids were 6, 2, and baby.

The 6-year-old did surprising well. The 2-year-old, well, she was two. The baby slept in the stroller.

I worked hard at having an upbeat, "this is so much fun" attitude.

However, even as an adult, it wasn't over-the-top fun. It was hot (even in the morning) and it was prickly.

But the berries were wonderful.

All this said, this year, I chose the lazy mom way and ordered blueberries. Fresh and local, but already picked and boxed nicely in 10-pound boxes. I successfully avoided certain whining and fighting (as well as the experience for my kids, granted). Sometimes momma sanity comes at a price.

Of course, they came the night before we left on vacation.

So, into the freezer they went. No gorging on fresh berries for days on end.

But, you know, when you bake those cute little blueberries in a crisp, it doesn't really matter if they were frozen. Crisp is simple and wonderful and with just blueberries in this one, they get the chance to really shine. Best of all, frozen berries lets you enjoy this deliciousness any time of the year!

Yum!

{Because this is so yummy and sharing is nice, I am sharing this over at It's a Keeper Thursday--come on over!}

Blueberry Crisp

Adapted from The Love of Cooking

Filling:

6 cups blueberries, rinsed and lightly dried (frozen blueberries can also be used--skip the rinse)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt

Topping Mixture:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 tbl. unsalted butter, melted

Whipped Cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

2 tbl. sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, oats, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans in a bowl. Add butter and mix together.

In a mixing bowl, toss blueberries, cornstarch, sugar, and pinch of salt together. Transfer the blueberries into a 2-quart baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb mixture.

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

For whipped cream, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste or extract, and sugar on high until stiff peaks form. Serve immediately on top of crisp.

Ricotta Frittata

2011-09-13T07:55:00.000-04:00

Let's face it: leftovers are just, well....leftover.

Not really my favorite.

My mind goes blank when I look in my fridge and find them. I am uninspired by them.

In all reality, my creative self should jump for joy at the prospect of repurposing food. After all, that part of my brain kicks into gear when I garage sale or when I am in my spacious basement craft/creativity studio.

I need to purpose to think creatively about leftovers.

This is my purposeful attempt.

In my fridge, I had a fresh batch of ricotta cheese made from a gallon of milk that had frozen (not on purpose!), some leftover nakey spaghetti noodles, and some homemade basil pesto.

Enter: Google. :) Please, please, tell me I'm not the only one who cooks with her laptop open next to her? Please.

{Oh, and by the way, have you used the Google Food Blog search that is on the right side of this post? I'm telling ya, it is wonderful. Just type in any sort of recipe or ingredient that you are looking for, and Google will search only food blogs and generate for you a phenomenal list of inspiration! I use it all.the.time. Good stuff, that Google!}

Result? A wonderful frittata, full of simple freshness. Quick and easy and extremely satisfying. All in about 10 minutes of prep time, and 15 minutes of bake time. Score.

{Oh, I'm taking this over to the party at Jam Hands and This Chick Cooks!--come join the fun!}

Ricotta Frittata
Adapted from Sunday-Suppers

6 large eggs
1/2 c whole milk
1/2 c fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. basil pesto
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups leftover pasta, any shape, cooked (from 7 ounces dry)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
a small handful fresh basil, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together eggs, milk, ricotta, Parmesan, basil pesto, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked pasta.

Heat a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat bottom and sides of skillet. Pour in egg mixture, and cook until edges are just beginning to set, about 2 minutes.

Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until eggs are completely set, 10 to 12 minutes.

Invert onto a plate, and re-invert onto a serving dish. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Garnish with basil.

Lattice Crust Peach Pie

2011-09-10T04:30:00.000-04:00

We are a mixed family.

Mixed, meaning, El Hub likes chocolate desserts. And I like fruit desserts.

Mixed, meaning I cook, and El Hub eats.

Mixed, meaning, I cook what I like and "force" him to like what I cook.

Mixed, meaning, I expect him to be flexible and me to be happy.

Ok, I'm kidding about that last part.

Kinda.

I can be flexible too....I sort of like chocolate chip cookies and brownies.

Anway, all that to say that one bite into his piece of peach pie, El Hub declared this pie the "best pie he's ever had."

My simple fruit dessert topped his decadent chocolate dessert concoctions that he always orders out. ('Cause I don't make those types of desserts!)

Amazing.

I will admit to this being my first attempt at a lattice crust. It was way simpler than I thought it would be. It was fun.

It is seriously hard to go wrong with fresh, juicy, perfectly ripe peaches. This pie showcases them and lets them soar! The filling is simple, the spices are scantly used, only to enhance the flavor of the peaches.

In a word, it is perfect.

Even my chocolate-loving husband thought so.

Lattice Crust Peach Pie
Adapted from The New Best Recipe, by America's Test Kitchen

Pie Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. sugar
17 Tbl. unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
10 Tbl. ice water

Pie Filling
6-7 medium, ripe peaches (about 7 cups sliced)
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg (use the best quality possible)
pinch of salt
3-5 Tbl. of Minute tapioca, ground fine in a food processor
1 Tbl. water
1 Tbl. sugar

Directions:
To make the pie dough, process the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs. Slowly drizzle the ice water into the food processor while processing, until the dough comes together. Remove from bowl and divide into 2 balls, one larger than the other. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Adjust oven racks to the lowest position and place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack.

Remove the dough from refrigerator. On a floured work surface, roll the larger piece of dough to a 15x11 inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer dough to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. With a pizza wheel or fluted pastry wheel (or a paring knife), trim the long sides of the rectangle to make them straight, then cut the rectangle lengthwise into 8 strips, 15 inches long by 1 1/4 inches wide. Freeze the strips on the baking sheet until firm, about 30 minutes.

Remove the strips of dough from the freezer; if they are too stiff to be workable, let them stand at room temperature until malleable and softened but still very cold. To make the lattice, lay out 4 strips of dough parallel on parchment paper. Fold the first and third strips back, then place a long strip of dough perpendicular slightly to the right side of the center. Unfold the first and third strips over the perpendicular strip, and fold back the second and fourth parallel strips. Add a second perpendicular strip. Now unfold the second and fourth strips. Repeat this process with 2 more perpendicular strips (you will have a total of 8 strips of dough, 4 running in each direction). Freeze the finished lattice until very firm, about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, roll the smaller piece of dough on floured work surface to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie plate by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling it over the pan. Working around the circumference of the pan, ease the dough into the pan "corners" by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand while pressing it into the pan bottom with the other hand. Leave the dough that overhangs the lip of the pie place in place; refrigerate the dough-lined plate while you prepare the peach filling.

Peel the peaches, removing only the skin. Slice each peach off the pit. Toss the peach slices, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and tapioca in a large bowl.

Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and turn the peach filling into the dough-lined pie plate. Remove the lattice from the freezer and slide it over the top of the pie. Trim the lattice strips and crimp the pie edges. Lightly brush the pie crust with water and sprinkle with sugar.

To bake, lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Place the glass pie plate on the hot baking sheet and bake until the crust is set and begins to brown, 20-25 minutes. Rotate the pie and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown and the juices bubble, about 25-30 minutes longer. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving. Any runny filling will set up during this cooling time.

For the most enjoyable dessert experience, top each slice of pie with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

2011-09-08T04:30:00.000-04:00

My fall schedule is in full gear now. Soccer practices, soccer games, leading and participating in Bible studies several times a week, and dance class.....just to name the highlights. That doesn't count laundry, dishes, keeping my newly redecorated house spic-n-span, managing kids and homework.....but you get the idea. I'm busy.

I know that you're busy, too. I mean, seriously, who has loads of time just waiting to be spent?

I've known all summer long that my fall schedule was going to be packed.

And all summer long, the question of what I was going to do about dinnertime was rolling around in my head. Crock pot meals, freezer meals, PB&J are all viable options.

I should have set about putting together a definitive plan and system.

But I didn't.

Until the other day when I decided that I would make a large pot of pizza sauce and portion it in 1/2 pint freezer containers. Of course, along with that I made a double batch of pizza dough to put next to the sauce in the freezer.

Theoretically, homemade pizza is much faster to put together than waiting on the delivery person to bring one to the door. Especially if the dough and the sauce are already made! Toss some pepperoni, sprinkle some cheese, and voila! A quick, weeknight meal!

That's the plan. It's the only one I've got. So, we're rolling with it. Good thing my kiddos like pizza, I guess!

*My pictures are less-than-artistic looking, but I wanted to give you a visual idea of what you will end up with! I ended up with 7 pints of sauce.

I'm sharing this recipe with the nice girls over at It's A Keeper Thursdays--come see what everyone else brought!

Homemade Pizza Sauce
A Karla Original

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced small

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cans (28 oz. each) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, diced small
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, diced small
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 Tbl. sugar, optional, if sauce is overly tomato-y

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven, drizzle olive oil to cover the bottom of pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened and transparent, stirring frequently. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and quickly stir to incorporate into the onions. Cook for about 1 minute, then quickly add both cans of crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Stir.

Simmer over medium heat until fragrant and slightly thickened. Whisk in the tomato paste and cook for a couple minutes longer. Add basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Do a quick taste test and add sugar if necessary.

Off heat and remove pan to a cooling rack. Allow sauce to cool significantly before transferring it to freezer containers. I recommend using 1/2 pint or pint size containers. Label containers with "pizza sauce" and the date and freeze until ready to use.

When ready to use, thaw to room temperature, then prepare pizza as normal!

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-09-06T04:30:00.000-04:00

I must have you know that this is the recipe that inspired me to buy a food processor.

I saw my desperate need (!) for one after I drove over to my parents' house to borrow theirs in order to make bread crumbs.

I figured that if I were going to make eggplant Parmesan on a semi-regular basis, a 3-mile drive each time around just wasn't going to cut it.

It took me a couple months to work up the courage to ask El Hub if I could spend the money on one. When I finally posed the question, his answer was a quick, "Sure."

I had gathered courage for nothing.

No matter. Purchasing a food processor was one of the best cooking decisions I've ever made.

And eggplant Parmesan is one of the best ways to eat eggplant.

Seriously. The crispy coating. The garlic. The basil. The sauce. Melty cheese.

If you don't like eggplant, you barely know that you're even eating it. Sidenote: this recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, so cue up your favorite album on your iPod and have fun with it!

For El Hub, he declared this was about the only way he can eat it. Drama.

I am sharing this recipe over at Jam Hands--and you're invited to the party as well!

Eggplant Parmesan
Adapted from Annie's Eats

For the eggplant:
1 lb. globe eggplant, cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick rounds
1½ tsp. kosher salt

a loaf of French bread bread, torn into chunks (the staler the bread, the better)

3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
3 tbsp. vegetable oil

For the tomato sauce:
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about ¼ cup)
Fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish

Directions:

Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 425˚ F.

To prepare the eggplant, toss the eggplant slices with the kosher salt in a large bowl until combined. Transfer the salted eggplant to a colander and set the colander over the now empty bowl. Let stand until the eggplant releases at least 1 tablespoon liquid, 30-45 minutes. Spread the eggplant slices on a triple thickness of paper towels (or layers of clean kitchen towels); cover with another triple thickness of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to remove as much liquid as possible. Wipe off any excess salt.

Pulse the bread in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 15 1-second pulses), making about 3 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a pie plate and mix in the flour, cheese, salt, and pepper; set aside. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor.

Beat the eggs in a second pie plate. Dip eggplant slices in the eggs, letting the excess run off. Coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture. Set the breaded slices on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining eggplant until all the slices are breaded.

Remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven. Add the vegetable oil to the sheet and tilt to coat evenly. Place the breaded eggplant slices on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until the eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes and flipping the slices after 20 minutes. Do not turn off the oven after the slices are baked.

While the eggplant is baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Process about half of the diced tomatoes in the food processor until almost smooth, about 5 seconds. Heat the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the processed tomatoes and the remaining diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened at reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the dish, spread ½ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, overlapping the slices to fit. Spread with another ½ cup of the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant and dot with the remaining sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and the cheese is browned, 13-15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, scatter the basil over the top, and serve.

Apple Butter

2011-09-03T04:30:00.000-04:00

We made it!

Through the hot and torturous summer, that is.

Seriously, I endure summer just to get to fall.

Fall sings to my soul in a way no other song resonates.

The crisp air. The bright, vibrant colors. The smell of burning leaves. The cooling breeze. Being able to wear jeans (l.o.v.e. jeans....can't believe I had a season in life where I never wore them. What was I thinking??!) and boots. Lower humidity means I have more frequent "better hair" days.

Of course, the aroma of cinnamon-y apples is a definite bonus.

There is something about fall that makes me feel....happy. Content.

And I just love apples.

This recipe for me goes back to 2005 when I was hugely pregnant with my second baby and my BFF and I decided that we would buy 4 bushes of apples and make apple butter and applesauce. As if that wasn't enough, we planned on canning it. Our maiden voyage of canning.

It was a long day.

But I cherish those memories with her, canning the apple butter that had cooked overnight in several crockpots around my kitchen. Peeling, cooking, milling, canning millions of apples. Eating delivery pizza together as families. Seeing the multitude of quarts of applesauce and pints of apple butter. Absolutely satisfying.

So, 3 cheers to fall....in an apple butter style celebration!!

Apple Butter
Adapted from Allrecipes, from Terri

5 1/2 pounds of apples, peeled and cored (Macintosh apples make the best apple butter; this time around I used Paula Red)
3-4 cups sugar, depending on tartness and desired sweetness
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

*makes about 4 pints (I have found that every pound makes approximately 1 pint)

Directions:
Place prepared apples in a slow cooker (crock pot). Add sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 8 hours, until mixture is thickened and browned. Stir occasionally. If you want your apple butter to have a very smooth consistency, process in a food processor to remove any chunks of apple. In my photo above, I skipped this step.

To can apple butter: sterilize canning jars in a hot dishwasher (I often will run a rinse cycle and dry...the jars need to be hot).

Fill a large stock pot with hot water, and heat over high heat. In an additional saucepan, heat clean lids inside metal rims to boiling.

Fill hot jars with hot apple butter and wipe the rim of the jar with a dry washcloth. Using tongs, remove a lid and rim from the saucepan of boiling water and fit it securely on jar. Repeat with remaining apple butter.

Place all the jars (as many as will fit at a time) in the stock pot with hot water. Water needs to be about an inch over the tops of the jars. Bring water to a boil for 20 minutes. Using rubber coated canning tongs, remove the jars from the water bath to a cooling rack. The metal lids should start "pinging," letting you know that the lids have sealed.

Cool jars completely before storing in the pantry.

For more on canning procedures, Google your county's Extension Office.

Banana Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Streusel

2011-09-01T07:30:00.001-04:00

I had a dilemma.

The fruit flies were having a field day with my ripe bananas sitting on the counter.

{totally disgusting--can't stand those little suckers}.

I've tried all the tricks, but they just weren't having the various cups of vinegar I had set out especially for them.

Enter the solution: bake the bananas. In something.

Text El Hub and present him with a couple choices.

One choice is a Karla-choice. The other has chocolate.

El Hub chooses the chocolate choice.

Typical. Predictable. Lovable? Hmmm....

The Karla-twist on this is to add enough cinnamon to the streusel to mask those chocolate chips, while still letting them sing in El Hub's mouth.

It's a tricky balance, but someone has to do it, I suppose.

The result: one of the best, most flavorful, and moist coffee cakes I've ever had. Ever.

Simply delicious!

Banana Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Streusel

Adapted from Buns in my Oven

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons plain yogurt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8×8 inch baking dish.

Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oats in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.

Beat sugar, butter, and egg in a large bowl until fluffy. Mix in mashed bananas and yogurt. Add flour mixture and blend well.

Spread half of batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until toothipick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes and serve.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bloomin' Bread

2011-08-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

Do you ever have recipes that you have earmarked to try, only to keep pushing them back for one reason or another?

Same here.

Pinterest is helping, in the sense that I know exactly where I need to go look for said earmarked recipes. (Do you Pinterest yet?? Hmmmm.....it's lovely fun!)

Surprisingly, this was one such recipe. For reasons still unknown to myself, I'm not sure why. I knew that this would be beyond yummy. I mean, seriously, bacon, cheese, fresh tomatoes, Ranch, bread? What's not to love, right? I knew it would be easy and quick to pull together. I knew that the kids would chow down.

Oh, I remember what it was! Something to do with a dinner-time soccer practice and my sisters's invitation to eat dinner at my parents' house.

Yeah, free food still trumps easy food.

This would be a great appetizer, but since it is kind of a fun and glorified version of BLT sandwiches, I say it passes as a main dish as well. Yum!

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Crack Bread
Adapted from Plain Chicken

1 unsliced loaf of French bread
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. bacon, cooked crispy, cooled, and crumbled
1 tomato, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions (like a crosshatch pattern). Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place loaf on a large sheet of foil.

Place cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Top with the diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread.

Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Unwrap and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Transfer loaf (still wrapped in foil!) to a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Basil Pesto

2011-08-25T08:48:00.001-04:00

I adore basil.

El Hub likes it.

The kids can hardly tolerate it.

Let's take a guess who's going to win in this culinary predicament?

Yep. Me. Hands down.

But for as much as I love basil, can you believe I've never made my own pesto?

Until now. Mark it down.

This year in my little herb garden on my deck, I planted 4 basil plants. Last year's single plant didn't afford the opportunity to make homemade pesto.

With that in mind, I knew I needed more basil this year.

Such a good decision! Fresh basil is tender and sweet, with a slightly minty taste. Its fragrance alone is starting to represent "summer" to me.

Making pesto is a great way to use a large quantity of fresh basil, because unfortunately, there is no good way to preserve its freshness for the doldrums of winter that is still ahead. Major bummer.

Pesto can be used in a variety of creative ways--as a sauce for pasta, as a spread over toasted bread, mixed with mayo for a wonderfully delightful sandwich condiment, and whatever other ways your tastebuds can think up! My picture below is a thick slice of french bread, toasted, spread generously with pesto, and topped with a thick slice of heirloom tomato. Pretty much summer at its freshest!

Basil Pesto
Adapted from The New Best Recipe by America's Test Kitchen

1/4 cup pecans (classic pesto uses pine nuts, but you can substitute almonds or walnuts. Pecans are what I had on hand.)
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 tbl. fresh parsley leaves
7 tbl. olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Toast the nuts in a small heavy skillet over medium low heat, stirring frequently until just golden and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a small plate.

Add the garlic cloves to the empty skillet. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let garlic cool, then peel.

Combine the basil and parsley leaves in a large zip bag. Pound the bag with the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised (while this will make you sad to "ruin" such pretty leaves, bruising the leaves helps release the herbs' flavors).

Place pecans, garlic, basil and parsley leaves oil and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping when necessary to scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Salt again to taste, if necessary.

Refrigerate.

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Tart

2011-08-23T08:08:00.000-04:00

This tart was a wonderful way to use some of the fresh vegetables coming in from the garden! It was delightfully messy and wonderfully satisfying to the taste. I have some more eggplant coming in and am thinking about trying a couple new things with it, but if all else fails, this is a great meal to come back to!

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Tart
Inspired by eCurry

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed to room temperature
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise in 1/2-inch slices, both ends removed and discarded
1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise in 1/2-inch slices, both ends removed and discarded
2 large tomatoes, sliced thick
salt
5-6 slices of hard salami
1 cup of hummus (recipe below)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
5-6 fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade style

Oil for basting:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbl. white wine vinegar
1 sprig of fresh oregano, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk together until emulsified; brush veggies with oil mixture before grilling.

Hummus:
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini
3 tbl. lemon juice
2 tbl. olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Blend together in food processor or blender until smooth.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat grill to medium high heat.

Bake thawed puff pastry for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Keep oven on.

Slice zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. Place eggplant slices on a double layer of paper towels and salt each slice. Let liquid sweat out, about 20 minutes. Place all veggies on a platter and brush generously with oil.

Transfer salami slices, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes to hot grill, oiled side down. Cook 5-6 minutes, allowing dark grill marks to appear. Turn each slice over, and brush uncooked side with remaining oil. Salami will cook quickly; remove to platter or cutting board when finished.

When vegetables are finished cooking on both sides and are soft and tender, remove from grill and transfer to a cutting board. Cut zucchini slices and eggplant slices on the diagonal into strips. Coarsely crumble salami slices.

To assemble tart: spread 1 cup of hummus on baked pastry. Top with shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese. Top with grilled vegetables and salami. Place in oven until heated through and cheese is melted.

To serve, garnish with fresh basil.

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread

2011-08-20T08:12:00.000-04:00

There is something amazingly homey about baking.

Doesn't matter if it is cookies, muffins, pies, bread....for me, baking epitomizes all things domestic, calm, cozy, and cheery. There is something priceless about the aroma of a baked good wafting through my kitchen, spreading its warmth to all who enter.

I love that feeling.

It is especially heightened as fall approaches. That season sings to my soul like no other--but, more about that another time.

I love how my kitchen is the hub of my home--and while it is often the junkiest catch-all of all the rooms in my home combined, I love how the scents and tastes of yummy food draws my family (and friends, sometimes!) in.

All that to say, warm, freshly baked nutella banana bread is no exception. Warm, sweet, comforting, inviting. And that's just the smell!
So, go ahead. Turn your kitchen into a warm and cozy place to gather.

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread
Source: Sugar Plum

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Nutella

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together banana, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy and well combined - about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs until well combined - about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide 1/2 of of the batter into a medium bowl; stir in Nutella until combined.

Alternate spoonfuls of batter into loaf pan until all of the batter is used up. Swirl batter gently with a knife (not too much!). Bake 1 hour or until well risen, deep golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into bread comes out with moist crumbs attached.

Chai Snickerdoodles

2011-08-18T08:18:00.000-04:00

I sort of went on a cookie fast this summer. I'm not sure why.

I'm sure you can imagine the delight of a child, who after a summer of being told, "No, I don't have a cookie to give you as a treat" was finally told, "If you eat all your dinner, you can have a cookie."

Oh, the squeals! There was pure excitement, followed quickly by a rapid clapping of hands!

The delight pretty much bubbled up in me too!

These cookies hold true to a regular snickerdoodle--crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The addition of the the extra spices only gives this cookie a deeper flavor. These cookies only lasted a couple of days in my kitchen.

Simply satisfying.

Maybe a cookie fast isn't such a great idea, after all. Cookies are good for your soul.

Chai Snickerdoodles
Adapted from My Madison Bistro

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream sugar and butter on medium speed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until mixed.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until just combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as needed.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the spices

Form dough into 1 ¼ inch balls and roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes; cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before removing to wire rack to thoroughly cool.

Summer Peach Berry Crisp

2011-08-16T07:30:00.002-04:00

I can't believe that I'm down to my "last" day of summer....my dude goes back to school tomorrow. It seems like yesterday that he was a cute little pre-schooler; now he's the "upper" classman at his K-3 elementary school! Time sure has flown by!

So, hurrah to summer! We've had a blast! We've done a lot of cool things, accomplished a lot of projects (read: redo practically every room in my entire house since spring break!), swam in the ocean and played at the beach.

We've eaten a lot of watermelon and ice cream cones, and enjoyed summer's bounty of sweet juicy fruits, this berry crisp included. So, while I greatly anticipate fall and its bushel of wonderfulness, I've enjoyed the tastes and scents of summer!

What about you? What is your favorite memory from Summer 2011?

Summer Peach Berry Crisp
Source: Karla and her sister, Linzy

2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1 1/2 containers of strawberries, hulled and halved (about 3 cups)
1 cup fresh blackberries
3 peaches, peeled, sliced, and diced into large chunks
2 cups blueberries (I used frozen)
1/2 cup sugar (more if your fruit is tart)
3 tbl. cornstarch

Streusel topping
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Whipped Cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbl. sugar
1 tbl. vanilla

Whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place prepared fruit in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add to fruit and gently toss to coat fruit with sugar mixture. Pour fruit into a 9x13 baking dish.

In another glass bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, oats, and salt with a fork. Add melted butter and stir gently to incorporate until dry ingredients are moist. Add streusel topping to the fruit.

Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes until fruit is bubbling and topping is lightly golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

Watermelon Smoothies

2011-08-13T07:30:00.001-04:00

I am convinced that I don't make smoothies enough.

That needs to change.

Simple, refreshing, healthy.

This is me, attempting to start something new.

Change is good for me.

So are smoothies!

Watermelon Smoothies

3 cups watermelon chunks
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 banana
1/4 cup lime juice
ice cubes, amount will vary

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Avocado and Corn Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

2011-08-11T07:30:00.011-04:00

The summer produce is really starting to roll in now. My parents are so generous to share my dad's garden bounty with me and my mom has made sure that I don't run out of fresh cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, and tomatoes. To say that all this yummy garden freshness is a nice cushion for my grocery budget is an understatement, to say the least!

However, with all this fresh produce, I have to sort of be on my "kitchen game" in order to use it all at its peak! This salad certainly didn't disappoint! It was simple to toss together and really highlighted all the fresh vegetables.

Avocado and Corn Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
Inspired by and largely adapted from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

3 ears of corn, cooked and kernels cut off
1 avocado, peeled and diced in large chunks
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in large chunks
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 English cucumber (I peeled, halved, and sliced mine)

Add to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbl. roasted garlic infused red wine vinegar
1 tbl. lime juice
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all of the above ingredients in a small glass measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as you desire.

When ready to serve the salad, add the dressing and gently toss.

Cherry Berry Cobbler

2011-08-09T07:30:00.002-04:00

I just love fruit desserts. I'm pretty much in fruit heaven this summer, with all the ripe berries that are in season.

One thing I've come to appreciate since I've become a home cook is a good shortcake biscuit.

You know, like on cobbler.

The biscuit topping is not too soft, not too hard. Not too sweet, but just sweet enough. The firm crumb of the biscuit perfectly complements the juice of the fruit beneath it. A light dusting of sugar on top finishes it off exquisitely.

Cherry Berry Cobbler
Adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2011

filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbl. cornstarch
2 cups fresh cherries, stemmed, pitted, and halved (I used Bing)
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 cups blueberries (I used frozen, unthawed)

dough
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tbl. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 5 slices
1/2 cup cold milk, plus a bit more for brushing
extra sugar for sprinkling
vanilla ice cream, to serve a la mode

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and position rack in the middle.

Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl; add berries and toss to coat.

Transfer berries to a 9x13 baking dish or a 2-quart casserole dish (make sure it is about 2 inches deep or else your fruit will bubble over!)

For the dough, place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add chilled butter sliced and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Slowly pour in milk, pulsing until dough comes together.

Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a floured work surface. Gently knead 5-6 times, then roll out into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 pieces.

Arrange biscuits over fruit filling, and brush tops lightly with milk. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake uncovered until fruit is bubbly and biscuits are golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving; serve with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Cobbler is best when served the same day it is made. It can be made up to 3 hours in advance.

Buttermilk Berry Breakfast Cake

2011-08-06T09:06:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you all, but I am loving the berries this summer! My head is literally spinning with ideas for how to use all this lusciousness to its fullest. Bake it, cook with it, make it into jam, toss some into salad--the possibilities are endless!!

However, this is the problem I am running into.

I simply can't have a dozen desserts floating around my kitchen on any given weekday.

Just can't.

So the challenge has been to use my fruit at its peak ripeness, but just not all on the same day.

Challenge, I'm telling you. It's been hard.

But this cake....not exactly the breakfast of champions, but oh, so wonderful! The berries are juicy and tender....the crumb light and fluffy. The fruit makes it moist enough that it passes for a coffee cake.

It is a lovely thing to eat on a sunny summer morning.

Buttermilk Berry Breakfast Cake

Adapted from Alexandra Cooks

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
zest from 1 large lemon
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour plus 1/4 cup
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 cup blueberries
½ cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries and strawberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries and strawberries.

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Eggplant Sticks

2011-08-04T07:30:00.001-04:00

Eggplant is one of those vegetables that I am dying to love. El Hub is totally not a fan.

So, what's a girl to do when her dad plants eggplant plants just for her in his garden?

Simple.

Fry it.

Yep.

I have no shame about this. We decided that this is the way (so far!) that we like it best.

And I'm okay with the fact that cooking it in canola oil probably negated whatever nutrients I am trying to gain by eating eggplant.

Sometimes, life just needs to be about compromise.

Fried Eggplant Sticks
A Karla Original

1-2 eggplant (I just used the typical garden-variety kind)
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper to taste
canola oil, for frying
kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Peel the purple skin off of the eggplant. To cut eggplant into matchstick slices, slice lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise in half. With halves stacked on top of each other, slice across in half, making 4 quarters. Cut into matchstick strips; repeat with other eggplant if using two. Set aside briefly.

In a square container or breading station pans, gently whisk together egg and milk to make an egg wash. In another container, mix together with a fork the flour, cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.

A handful at a time, dip the eggplant sticks into the egg wash, then lightly coat with flour mixture. Place on a wax-paper lined plate; repeat with remaining eggplant until all are coated and breaded. Discard any remaining egg mixture and flour mixture.

In an electric skillet, heat a generous amount of oil. Add eggplant sticks and cook in a single layer until breading is golden brown. Remove from oil using a slotted spatula; transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Repeat, adding more oil as needed, until all eggplant sticks are cooked.

Sprinkle kosher salt over eggplant sticks to taste. Serve with marinara sauce.

Cherry Peach Galette

2011-08-02T07:30:00.002-04:00

Have you ever made a kitchen tool purchase that completely changed the way you approached a particular food or cooking technique?

I have made several.

My Cuisinart food processor, for one. I told my husband that all the cooking I had done prior to buying that beautiful workhorse sitting on my counter was pure rubbish. (And I just bought it last year).

Rubbish.

You think I exaggerate.

A cherry pitter is another such purchase. Which I just made a couple days ago.

This little handheld tool has completely opened up the world of summer cherries to me. Prior to the homecoming of this cute little contraption, cherries were for popping in my mouth and trying to eat the fruit around the seed while trying not to swallow said seed before I could not-so-gracefully spit it into the trash can.

No longer. That little dandy just shoots the seeds right out! Amazing! Now, I can bake yummy desserts with cherries in easy bliss. And since I have a couple pounds of them in my fridge right now, I will be baking. And of course, I will be sharing. Meanwhile...a galette.

Cherry Peach Galette

Adapted from FoodMayhem

pastry:
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup ice water
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

filling:
2 ripe peaches, peeled, sliced, and pitted)
12 bing cherries, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
water for brushing
additional sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

In a liquid measuring cup, stir together sour cream and water until combined. Set aside.

In the workbowl of a food processor, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Add in butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Slowing add in sour cream mixture, pulsing only until dough comes together. Remove from bowl, divide in half, form into a disc, and wrap each half in a sheet of wax paper. Chill in refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight.

When dough has been chilled, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a generously floured work surface, roll one of the discs of dough into an 11-inch circle. Carefully transfer dough to parchment paper lined baking sheet (some of the dough needs to hang over the edge so you have room on the baking sheet for the second disc).

Peel and slice 1 peach and add to the center of rolled dough. Add half of the cherries, pitted and halved. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and cut 1 tablespoon of butter into small pieces over the fruit. Loosely fold the edge of the dough over the fruit, leaving the center open.

Repeat with remaining disc of dough, peach, and 6 cherries.

Lightly brush each galette with water and sprinkle the outside of the dough with sugar.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until pastry is golden brown and fruit mixture is bubbly. Slice galettes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cornbread Sticks

2011-07-30T07:30:00.012-04:00

I have to tell you how excited I am! I finally found a vintage cast iron cornbread pan!

Let me tell you the backstory.

My mom used to have one. I know this because I remember how much she hated it. Personally, as a kid, I thought it was a lot of fun to eat cornbread that was shaped like an ear of corn. I couldn't understand her emotional reaction to a pan. But, I was a kid, and I moved on and didn't think that much more about it.

Until I became an adult. A cooking, make-most-things-from-scratch adult. And suddenly, the urge to bake cornbread sticks hit me.

So, I call my mother-in-law, who lives right behind me. Like, "I can see your house from my kitchen" behind me. In exchange for borrowing her equipment and ingredients on pretty frequent occasions, I often rescue her and my father-in-law from TV dinners. It's a good setup.

But, she didn't have one of these cast iron pans that I desperately wanted to borrow. She used to. But, no longer.

My mom lives 3 miles away from me, which is barely any distance at all, unless you want to borrow her pan and you wanted it in the oven 5 minutes ago. But I call anyway, for next time.

She didn't have hers anymore either.

What in the world is going on with my mothers???

Now, I refuse to make a special trip to Cracker Barrel to buy one of these pans, and furthermore, I refuse to spend 30 bucks on one. Pass.

But the culinary stars aligned on my recent vacation to the Outer Banks. My sister-in-law and I left the napping children behind with the napping mother-in-law at the beach house and went thrift store shopping. (And are there culinary stars?? Hmmmm....)

Totally my new kind of vacation souvenir shopping. Totally.

And what was laying there on the bottom shelf immediately when I walked in the door?

A cast iron cornbread stick pan. Vintage. $8.95.

No lie.

My heart started racing and my palms began sweating with excitement. It would come home with me.

Wondering about the actual recipe, are you? Oh, yes. Wonderful. Delicious. Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside. Just like a cornbread stick baked in a vintage cast iron pan should taste like.

Cornbread Sticks
Slightly adapted from Leite's Culinaria

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon oil (I used olive, but prefer the lighter flavor of canola)
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fine-grind stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (add 1/2 tbl. of white vinegar to regular milk as a substitute)
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Position the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425ºF.

In a small heatproof bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to coat each corn stick pan well generously with the butter. Place the corn stick pan in the oven to heat while you mix the batter. (Adding the batter to a heated pan will prevent the cornbread from sticking).

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the buttermilk, egg, and the oil and use a large spoon to stir the batter slowly (I used my stand mixer), just until the ingredients are combined. Batter might be a bit lumpy if stirring by hand.

Remove the corn stick pan from the oven and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the batter into each well. The batter should fill the well to the rim.

Bake the corn sticks until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and tops are lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Let the corn sticks cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes (but no longer than that).

Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges of the corn sticks and carefully transfer the sticks from the pan to the rack. Serve warm.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

2011-07-28T07:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, El Hub!

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday meal (celebrated a couple days after his birthday), he predictably chose pasta and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I had visions of all the various flavor combinations of cupcakes I've "pinned" to try (yes, I've joined Pinterest--completely addicting!) But he wanted to keep it simple.

Actually, it was a challenge for me to find a good-sounding chocolate cake since I'm really not a good judge of chocolate. However, I have been known to eat my fair share of the boxed versions of devil's food cake, so when I found this recipe, I stopped looking. Making a cake from scratch is no harder than making cupcakes from scratch, and I found myself not really relying on the recipe for the order of ingredients, but using it just for the measurements. I guess all my "practicing" is starting to pay off! I have never officially made ganache before, and I was a bit skeptical of adding the liquid to the chocolate (usually that results in my chocolate seizing up, which in turn results in a culinary temper tantrum, if you know what I mean!). But this worked! Score!

So, Happy Birthday, dear hubby! I love you bunches!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Adapted from David Lebovitz

9 tbl. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. good quality cinnamon
1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup strong coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray two 9″ x 2″ cake pans and dust with flour.

Sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Scrap down sides of bowl as needed.

Mix together the coffee, vanilla extract and milk. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, the add the coffee mixture. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Ganache Frosting:
10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
Place a heatproof glass bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Add the chopped chocolate and milk and heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Off heat; remove bowl from pan and whisk in sliced butter until completely melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

For the Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form and cream looks creamy.

To Frost Cake:
Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cakes; turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Place one cake onto desired cake plate (for serving) and top with a good amount of frosting. Layer an even amount of whipped cream over the ganache. Place second cake on top and spread icing over top and sides of cake. Accent top of cake with any leftover whipped cream, if desired. Cover with a cake dome until ready to serve.

Cake is best when served the same day it is baked, but will keep nicely at room temperature under a cake dome.

Italian Zucchini Boats

2011-07-26T08:02:00.002-04:00

Thank goodness for summer-fresh zucchini! Last year, my dad's garden didn't really produce the expected bounty, which in turn meant that I didn't cook all the inspiring zucchini dishes that I had wanted to. However, already this season, he has set out a roadside wagon full of his garden's harvest, with many more zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers still coming on.

One word: Yippee!

While we were gone on vacation to the Outer Banks last week, my mom did some quick grocery shopping for me and stocked my cereal shelf in my pantry and put some fresh milk in my fridge. She also brought over some zucchini and other garden-fresh lovelies. She was so thoughtful, and it has been nice to not have to rush off to the grocery store before bags are unpacked and laundry is washed.

So, yesterday, when I was at the pool with the kids, I began to contemplate what to make for dinner. It was only natural to start with zucchini. Which led me to suggest to my 8-year-old zucchini boats (he loves them!). Suddenly, Italian zucchini boats floated across my imagination; my tastebuds concurred.

It was fun to pull this together, using only what I had in the house. I had planned on using tomato paste, but alas, I had none. I can't believe that I forgot to add garlic, but the addition of the tomato pesto made up for it.

Not only is this blog post for you because I love to share, but it is also for me, because I am pretty sure I am making these again...soon!

Italian Zucchini Boats
A Karla Original

1 large zucchini,
olive oil, for drizzling
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground beef, browned, crumbled, and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 of an onion, diced
2 tbl. prepared sun-dried tomato pesto (found in the pasta sauce section of your grocery)
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbl. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 generous cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbl. shredded Parmesan cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade style

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Slice zucchini lengthwise in half, discarding ends. Using a spoon, scoop out seeds, forming a channel down the length of the zucchini. Place on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season lightly with kosher salt. Turned oiled zucchini open side down on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from oven to fill.

Meanwhile, lightly drizzle some olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef and cook over medium heat until browned; crumble. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Drain off excess liquid. Return to heat and add diced tomatoes, onion and pesto. Cook until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and parsley. Mix together then off the heat.

Turn over zucchini, open side facing up. Using a spoon, scoop ground beef filling generously into the cooked zucchini. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove and garnish with sliced basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

2011-07-22T23:50:00.000-04:00

I think I've had an epiphany.

I actually am pretty sure.

This leads me to have to make a confession. To you. But most of all, to myself.

I am addictively {is that even a word?!} in love with cupcakes.

The proof? Two different cupcake recipes in the same weekend.

{Gasp!} 'Tis true...

One for a party, and one just because I just wanted to have a particular flavor of cupcakes. But I wanted to make a different flavor for the party.

So, on the same weekend, back-to-back days, I made both kinds. And I ate both kinds. I have zero guilt and zero shame. Both varieties were delicious.

But these cupcakes....well, not only are the beautiful, but they are fabulous. Nice and compact crumb, light and airy texture, sweet at the front of your mouth and tart at the back. Wonderful....

El Hub thinks that cupcakes are a lot of work (as if he even helps make them, gimme a break!). I have come to the firm conclusion that they are fun. And delicious. And cute. Way cuter than cake.

Allow me to share with you some cupcake love.... Mmmmmm.......

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
Source: goodLife {eats}

2 1/4 c cake flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c milk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 c sugar
zest of 3 limes
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure lemon extract

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lime zest in a mixer bowl and mix until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment beat at medium speed for 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.

Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is mixed well, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Continue mixing for 2 minutes.

Divide the batter between 18-24 cupcakes, filling each about 1/2 full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch. Transfer the cupcakes cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes. Frost and decorate after fully cooled.

Cherry Frosting

3 3/4 cups confectioner’s’ sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 Tbs maraschino cherry juice
red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

Combine the confectioner’s’ sugar, butter and maraschino cherry juice in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth. Add more maraschino cherry juice as needed to achieve desired texture. Add red food coloring if desired.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Garnish with lime slices and maraschino cherries, if desired. (As usual, I used a 1M tip on my frosting bag).

Citrus Chicken and Pepper Kebabs

2011-07-21T07:30:00.003-04:00

There is something intrinsically "summer" about kebabs. What is it? I'm not sure I've figured it out. Meat and veggies on a stick just shout fun, summer food that is as tantalizing to the tastebuds as it is nourishing to the stomach. I used to think kebabs were a bit fussy....I figured it was way easier to slap chicken strips on the the grill and not mess with the skewers. And in a way, I still think that. But kebabs are fun. No doubt about it. They can stretch a couple pieces of meat to feed a family, yet, there is something absolutely addicting about them that you better make sure you prep more than enough. Ah, the irony....

Anyway.

These kebabs are fabulously fresh and the chicken is perfectly tender. Win-win.

Citrus Chicken and Pepper Kebabs

Source: goodLife {eats}

juice and zest of 1 lime
juice of 2 lemons (and the zest of 1)
juice of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (I used sweet mint from my deck garden!)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, excess fat trimmed off
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow or orange bell pepper

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, combine the lime juice, lime zest, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and mint. Whisk to combine.

Cut chicken breast into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Toss the chicken in the marinade and marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Meanwhile, if using bamboo skewers for the kebabs, soak them in water for at least an hour to avoid burning during grilling. Otherwise, use metal skewers.

Cut the peppers into large chunks, about 1 1/2 to 2 inch wedges. Assemble the kebabs by skewering the peppers together, and the chicken together. I have found that, while the veggies and meat combined looks beautiful, it is much more practical to skewer them separately to cook them each according to their doneness.

Grill over high heat for 3-5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Chicken is done when juices run clear and a thermometer reaches 165 degrees F. Rotate skewers of chicken and peppers often to cook evenly.

Remove kebabs from grill and let rest for 3-5 minutes on a plate gently tented with foil.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

2011-07-19T07:30:00.000-04:00

I saw this recipe on a blog and I was intrigued by it. I bookmarked it and one night, came back to it. I am not a huge watermelon fan, but this summer so far, they have been fairly inexpensive at the grocery store and my kids have been devouring it, so I keep buying it. However, I am completely open to trying new things with watermelon and grilling it intrigued me.

I want you to know that I debated posting this--I can't honestly say that I loved it. However, I am still intrigued enough by it to try it again, only differently. I wasn't going to post it, but then I kept seeing variations on several blogs, so I figured I would jump on this bandwagon. I will share with you how I did it, so that the "recipe" matches the photo, but I will tell you that next time I will completely omit the salt and instead lightly drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the grilled fruit. I might even use a sweeter cheese like soft goat cheese instead of the tangy feta. I'm still in favor of the mint, seeing as I have a whole pot of it in my little herb garden on my deck. (By the way, how many of you out there salt your watermelon or cantaloupe? My dear little late grandma did it all the time at the lake when I was a kid--it is something that I've never really caught onto, but I love the memory it brings of my grandma just the same!).

Here's a challenge: when you make this, either as is or tweaked and adapted, leave a comment telling the rest of us what you did, how you liked it, and how you might change it up the next go-around. Thanks! :)

Grilled Watermelon Salad
Source: Giusto Gusto

{there are no real measurements here....just eyeball it according to your preference}

several slices of watermelon, rinds removed, cut into triangles
olive oil
feta cheese
fresh mint leaves, cut chiffonade-style
salt, optional (I would omit)

Directions:
Heat the grill over high heat. Let the grill get nice and hot. Place watermelon slices on hot grill and let it get a good sear before turning. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Turn once, and grill a couple more minutes, until you have nice dark grill marks on the fruit. Remove to a serving platter with a rim (the melon is going to release a lot of juice).

Once on the serving platter, top with salt, feta, and mint leaves. The fruit will release its juices, and pooling on the platter. It will almost take on a balsamic-like flavor. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Boy Bait

2011-07-16T07:30:00.002-04:00

I may have mentioned it before, but my little daughter is a sugar-freak. I mean, she and sugar literally gravitate toward each other. Always have. Sometimes using sugar as a bribe works to get her to eat at least a couple bites of her dinner. Sometimes, she hears "treat" and forgets about her dinner altogether and becomes fixated upon dessert. However, as she is growing up, she sometimes motivates herself....she will eat all her dinner with no word about dessert in hopes that there is dessert at the end when she presents an empty plate. Here's the problem: I don't always have a dessert for every dinner. Fail. OR I have a dessert, but it is set aside and earmarked for a different purpose (like taking somewhere). Epic fail. She doesn't understand how a perfectly good dessert sitting on the counter is inaccessible to her when she has eaten all her "eats." Poor girl.

Such is the story behind this dessert. At least, that is my version of the story. The original version went something like a couple of girls, a baking contest, and a cake so delicious that it lured the boys in. Hence, Blueberry Boy Bait. One bite will do it. Caught....hook, line, and sinker.

I took this to my church as a contribution to a funeral dinner that the church held after the burial. It was fun to tell the story behind it. Afterward, one of the men came up to me and told me he was the bait. The cake hooked him. Too funny!!

This is more like a coffeecake than a dessert cake, but since I needed to provide a dessert, I decided to forgo the 9x13 baking dish is lieu of two round cake pans. I still had a significant amount of blueberry cream cheese frosting left over from the mind-blowing lemon cupcakes. As I was explaining to my son Bennett my adaptations, he exclaimed, "Oh, like a layer cake, Mom?!" I'm not gonna lie....my heart did a little pitter-patter that my son knows what a layer cake is and how it is different from other cakes!

Blueberry Boy Bait
Source: Smitten Kitchen

2 cups plus 1 tsp. flour
1 tbl. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen, un-defrosted)

Frosting HERE, optional

Topping
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9x13 baking pan (I used 2 8-inch round cake pans).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated and scraping down the bowl. Reduce speed, and alternately add flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Toss blueberries with teaspoon of flour and coat evenly. With a spatuala, fold in blueberries and spread batter into prepared pan.

In a zip baggie, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Scatter remaining blueberries over the top of the batter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 45-50 minutes, until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean and dry. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out cake onto a serving platter topping side up. (you can even just leave the cake in the pan if you prefer!) If you're making a layer cake like I did, let cool completely. Pipe frosting onto the top of one of the rounds and place the second round on top. Simply decorate the top with any remaining frosting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

{for the frosting, I used the leftover frosting from these cupcakes}

Baked Ziti

2011-07-14T07:30:00.001-04:00

I must have you know: my family is huge on pasta. Maybe you knew that already. Maybe not. El Hub and I have always been fans of pasta. Even to this day, my mom makes a big ol' pot of spaghetti for my birthday. Every year. It's been a tradition for *ahem* 29 years. I jump at just about every chance to make pasta myself--in fact, sometimes I have to restrain myself in my weekly menus to not serve it all.the.time.

Let's talk about this ziti.

One word, said in a cutesy sing-song voice: ah-may-zing! La, la, la, la....

The method for this pasta is not quite authentic, but it works splendidly. The cream in the cheese sauce is magical and of course, fresh tomato sauce is a sure win. I used hot Italian sausage which imparts the perfect balance of spice and zing. Be sure to be generous with the fresh basil. My sugar-freak daughter was so proud of herself for "chowing down" on this meal....yet another win. This recipe makes a ton of pasta, so it is a great choice to serve to company. Or, enjoy it leftover!

Baked Ziti

Adapted slightly from Annie's Eats

2 cups cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
salt
1 lb. ziti or penne pasta
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp. sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F.

Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add in the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes (don't boil). Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta to a large 9×13″ baking dish and spread the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Fried Zucchini

2011-07-12T08:17:00.001-04:00

Seriously, this is my absolute favorite way to eat zucchini, and my kids love it as well. You know, the kind of zucchini that overflows out of summer gardens to the point of having no idea what to do with it all? The kind where there is only so much zucchini bread that you can bake and fill your freezer with? I mean, winter in Indiana lasts a long time, but seriously not long enough to each all that zucchini bread that is stashed away.

So, if you can even imagine me saying to take a break from baking, fry some of that garden zucchini yumminess up. Don't worry too much about the fried part; just enjoy some of summer's bounty in one of the best forms!

Fried Zucchini
a growing up summer staple, from my dad :)

1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 eggs
2 tbl. milk
canola oil, for cooking
additional Parmesan cheese and salt to taste for serving

Directions:
Wash and slice zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds, discarding both ends.

In a medium container, shorter than taller, gently combine flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Set aside.

In another medium container, lightly whisk together the eggs and milk.

In an electric skillet, heat oil, generously covering the bottom of the skillet.

To prepare zucchini, dip each slice into egg/milk mixture, then coat both sides evenly in flour mixture. Transfer to a wax-paper lined plate in single layers, until all zucchini slices are breaded. (At this point, you can refrigerate until ready to cook).

Cook several at a time in a single layer in hot oil. Once the bottom is browned, turn and continue cooking until the other side is nicely browned as well. Repeat with remaining slices. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to serve. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and salt sprinkled over each slice.

Stuffed Strawberries

2011-07-09T07:30:00.003-04:00

Can I just say it? (It's been a while, really....)

Oh. My. Goodness.

Seriously, this is one of the best ways to eat fresh strawberries. I love the flavor that the mascarpone cheese adds to the whipped cream, and who couldn't use a few more recipes with cardamom (after all, if you're like me, you bought this expensive spice for one recipe, so the hunt is perpetually on for more ways to use it!).

Let's back up to the mascarpone cheese.

Have you made it homemade yet? You need to. Pronto.

For these strawberries. You might find yourself eternally grateful....maybe to me, or maybe just to the fact that you made them. You are going to love them!

Stuffed Strawberries
Source: Pink Parsley

1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed, halved, and slightly hulled
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tbl. sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom
cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions:
Prepare strawberries. Rinse them in a colander and let excess water drain. Halve them from top to bottom, leaving the stem for decoration. Slightly hull each half, creating a well in each strawberry half.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, sugar, and cardamom until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip for piping (or you could place whipped cream in a zip baggie and snip the corner off--that's what I did!). Fill each strawberry half generously with whipped cream. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon if desired.

Serve fairly soon after piping.

Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

2011-07-07T07:30:00.001-04:00

Last summer, I bought a cast iron skillet at Marshall's/TJ Maxx for $12. Good deal. Now, if I could only report that I have gotten my money's worth out of it by the frequency of use I give it. But alas, I think that there is a part of my cast iron skillet that intimidates me. I don't know why....maybe I'm just not sure what all I can make in it. I know....I know....I need to get over it! Well, maybe baking a chocolate chip cookie in it will help me overcome my cast iron fear....

This cookie reminds me of a chocolate chip pan cookie monster dessert at the local restaurant where El Hub and I met in 1999 on a blind double date....he's always game for a big, gooey, chocolatey dessert!

Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
Source: Martha Stewart

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) mixed milk- and semisweet-chocolate chips
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering bottom of pan. Bake until edges are brown and top is golden, 35-40 minutes. Don't overbake; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into wedges. (This is really yummy with vanilla ice cream served on top!)

Oven Baked French Fries

2011-07-05T09:16:00.001-04:00

I make these so often, I can't hardly believe I haven't shared the recipe with you. I roast vegetables often, and potatoes are no exception. I have tried several "french fry" recipes which require soaking, coating in egg whites, and various other techniques designed to create that illustrious soft center and crispy outside. Quite honestly, I think the simpler the approach, the better. I personally haven't had great luck with all those fancy methods and much prefer this way over all the ones I've tried. Take it from this fanatical french fry fan--these are amazing in their simplicity!

For your own customization, I am just going to list the ingredients (but not quantity--make however much or little you want!) and the simple procedure. Then you can go to town! :)

Oven Baked French Fries

baking potatoes (I have used russet, white, red--pretty much whatever I have in my pantry!)
olive oil
kosher salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Scrub potatoes clean and cut lengthwise in half. Cut each half in half again. Lay flat on cutting surface, and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Repeat with remaining potatoes.

Transfer fries to prepared baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt, to taste.

Bake for 45-60 minutes until fries are golden brown and crispy. (Sometimes, I will even finish them up on a low broil to crisp them up!). Lightly turn halfway through baking with a spatuala.

Serve hot.

Lemon Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-07-02T08:20:00.003-04:00

Ever since jumping on the ever-popular cupcake bandwagon, I am amazed at how many flavor combinations exist out there. Not being a huge fan of fancy decorating (like making Hello Kitty decorated cupcakes--nah!), I am willing to settle on an outstanding flavor. When I first saw these cupcakes, I was impressed with how pretty they were. I definitely am more of a fruit dessert kind of girl (as opposed to chocolate) and I loved the idea of using fresh (or frozen) blueberries in the frosting. And since blueberry season reaches its peak very soon, the timing of these cupcakes is spot-on!

For the record, even though I've made several stellar, life-changing, mind blowing cupcakes (think espresso buttercream!), I think that these cupcakes jumped to the top of my favorites list with the first bite.

Lemon Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Largely adapted from Une Gamin dans la Cuisine

Cupcake Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
the juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F, and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, beating for about one minute per egg. Scape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add the almond extract, zest and juice, mix well.

On low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just incorporated.

Fill each liner almost to the top with batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cupcakes to rest for 10 minutes before removing. Cool completely before frosting.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries (I used frozen)
1 stick of unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
8 oz of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon of pure almond extract

Directions:
Place the blueberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed.

In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 5 minutes.

Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar. After all the powdered sugar is added, beat until well-combined.

Add the almond extreact and 4 tablespoons of the blueberry puree. Mix until just blended. If the consistency looks too thin, add a bit more confectioners sugar. The frosting should be thick and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use (refrigeration will also help it thicken).

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. I used a 1M tip.

Makes 12-15 cupcakes

Caprese Crostini

2011-06-30T08:45:00.000-04:00

What is it about appetizers that makes you want to gorge yourself with them before you sit down to the main course, only to find yourself way too stuffed to eat another bite? This is precisely the reason why I rarely serve appetizers in my kitchen, aside from a major holiday meal. These crostini are certainly no exception. I had pure motives behind making them (i.e. give the kids a quick munch while I continued to make multiple dishes for dinner that I had never made before--yep, I'm a dork like that). Of course, the kids didn't even eat any of these, which left them available and vulnerable to me....munching while cooking is the perfect pastime! I loved the freshness of the tomatoes and basil (the basil came from my very own deck potted herb garden!! Woo-hoo!) and of course, summer is when tomatoes are at their finest. I'm pretty sure that this crostini recipe will be making at least a couple more appearances this summer.

Caprese Crostini
A Karla original

1 loaf crusty French bread
olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1-2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
a handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons (chiffonade)
salt and pepper to taste
a drizzle of olive oil

Directions:
Heat oven to low broil.

Slice bread on the bias, about 1/4 inch thick. Pour some olive oil into a small bowl and brush onto bread slices with pastry brush and arrange on a baking sheet, oiled side down. Brush tops of slices with additional oil. Toast in oven approximately 5 minutes, until bread is lightly golden. Remove from oven.

Using the side of a knife blade, smash the garlic cloves, opening them up out of the skins. Rub the garlic cloves on one side of the toasted bread. Top with mozzarella cheese and place back in oven until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Remove to serving platter.

To slice basil leaves chiffonade-style, lay the leaves flat on top of each other. Roll the leaves length-wise and, starting at one end, slice your knife across the roll to the other end. Lightly loosen the ribbons.

Place tomato slices on each crostini and scatter the basil over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired to taste. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

2011-06-28T07:30:00.001-04:00

Some of you who read my status updates on Facebook think that I spend all my time in my kitchen, baking and cooking. Some days, that is true. :) I am an "all or nothin'" kind of gal....I either bake everything I can think of all in the same day, or I don't lift a single spoon all day long.

These cookies are my attempt at a healthy balance.

You see, as I was perusing my Google reader and the newest posts from the blogs on the sidebar of this blog, I came across not one, but two!, cookie recipes that were screaming to me, "Make me first!" "Make me now!" And since it was a stormy, rainy morning, I gave in. Caved to the sugar urge. But, caved in moderation. I only made one recipe. However, I will make the other one soon. Just not today.

I kinda think that deserves congratulations. Or at least a couple of cookies before lunch. I'm good with either. This morning's baking escapade proves that I can indeed bake in moderation.

As a sidenote, I love how my little Delancey brought her mixer to the kitchen to help me bake these cookies. Unfortunately, even after a fresh set of batteries, her mixer wouldn't work. I'm referring her on to the KitchenAid store..... But she was such a nice helper, and actually helpful! She's such a mini-me....love her to pieces!

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Source: Pennies on a Platter

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix until blended. Stir in the oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2011-06-25T08:32:00.000-04:00

What is your favorite summer fruit? For me, it is red raspberries. Growing up, we had a ton of raspberry bushes that ran the width of our garage. I hated going out each summer evening to help pick them, and didn't realize until I was an adult how absolutely lucky I had been as a kid to have such a wealth of berries at my disposal. I just can't bring myself to buy them in the grocery store for the outrageous amount at which they are priced when I know that once upon a time, I had them for free.

However, I digress. We need to talk about strawberries.

Summer strawberries run a very close second to raspberries for me. It seems like early on in the summer, I can't get enough of them! I get so excited when at last, I finally see them for 99 cents a pound at the grocery! I stock up, and dream in strawberries. For the past couple of years, I have made strawberry jam that is cooked, and then use a hot water bath to can the jam. In a burst of genius inspiration, I decided this year to cut my workload by about 75% and make freezer jam. This is a no-cook method yielding an entirely different tasting jam, but it is delicious nonetheless! The strawberry flavor remains fresh and the color is bright and cheery!

I used my Cuisinart food processor and KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment to make this jam. You can absolutely make this by hand; you will need a potato masher and a wooden spoon.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

4 lbs. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 cups sugar
2 packages of no-cook freezer jam pectin (dry)

Directions:
Rinse the strawberries in a large colander and drain. Hull the stems off the berries and slice in half. Place berries in a large bowl or in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the cutting blade (or mash them with a potato masher until the consistency is smooth). Pulse berries until it is a smooth puree. Transfer to the work bowl of a stand mixer (or another large bowl).

Add the sugar and the dry pectin and stir for 3 minutes. Transfer jam to plastic freezer containers using a ladle. Place lids on containers and let sit in containers for 30 minutes to thicken, then store in the freezer. Jam will keep well up to a year (though I have had success with mine keeping a bit longer than a year) and in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

For me, 4 pounds of strawberries made 6 pints of jam.

Strawberry Orange Scones

2011-06-23T09:16:00.001-04:00

My sister asked me the other day if I wanted to go sugar-free with her this summer. I promptly answered, "No!" In my mind, I had already baked these scones and the thought of having to purposely miss out on them grieved my tastebuds. Scones are such a simple breakfast treat and I really love that they typically have less sugar than their muffin cousins. To me, that's a win. These scones are just sweet enough and light and airy enough to make you wish that you had made a double batch. Which I did. I have no guilt. Actually, I froze the second batch--scones are perfect to make ahead and bake straight from the freezer. When that lovely friend comes over or you find yourself suddenly craving a warm, tender scone, you will be well-prepared!

Strawberry Orange Scones
Adapted from Annie's Eats

1 large egg
¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
½ cup heavy cream (or milk)
zest of 1 orange
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and citrus zest until blended; set aside.

Clean and chop strawberries; let dry on a tri-fold stack of paper towels. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour. Slowing pour in the yogurt mixture and pulse until dough comes together. Transfer dough to a well-floured dry surface. (Of course, you can do this without a food processor--just use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter and a wooden spoon to incorporate the yogurt mixture).

Divide the dough into rough thirds. Press a third of the chopped strawberries onto one section of dough. Top with another third of dough; press another third of berries into it. Repeat with remaining dough and berries. Gently form the stack of dough into a ball, folding the dough over itself a couple of times to incorporate the strawberries into the dough. Press the dough into a flat round, about 1-inch thick. Press in any crumbs around the perimeter. Using a sharp knife, a pizza cutter, or a pastry cutter (which is what I used), cut the dough into 8 wedges.

Transfer scone wedges to parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar and bake for 15-17 minutes, until tops of the scones are lightly golden in color. Serve immediately while warm.

Stuffed Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Italian Sausage

2011-06-21T09:05:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you. Hopefully, by this time, you've made a round of focaccia for yourself and have fallen deeply and madly in love with it. If not, maybe this stuffed version will be the last bit of inspiration you need to grab your bag of flour and jar of yeast! You're going to love this! The aroma of freshly rising yeast dough and the soft, supple texture of the finished dough is like a little retreat....a retreat, you know, from the screaming kids in the background that are fighting over the the millions of pieces of Polly Pockets (as if there aren't enough of those little shoes to go around!), or from the little baby-man who is getting into all sorts of mischief....but I digress. If I didn't know how amazing the baked result would be, I would totally be tempted to just eat the dough. But, exercising some self-control and patience to wait for this to bake will be totally worth it with the first bite.

Stuffed Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Italian Sausage
Inspired by The Italian Dish but this recipe is my own creation

*You will need 2 springform pans

1 recipe of focaccia
olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
2 tbl. fresh parsley, chopped
3 large onions, peeled and sliced into rings, then halved
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup white wine (to deglaze the pan)
a large handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tbl. water
kosher salt for sprinkling

Directions:
Prepare focaccia according to the directions, up to the end of the first rise. Spray the bottoms and sides of the springform pans with nonstick spray.

In a large skillet, drizzle some olive oil over the bottom and add the Italian sausage and brown over medium heat. Crumble and cook until no longer pink. Add the chopped parsley. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Move to the refrigerator until the focaccia is ready to assemble.

While sausage is cooking, peel 3 onions and sliced into thin rounds. In the same skillet, add more olive oil and add the onions. Over medium heat, gently toss the onions and cook until they are softened and caramel-colored. Stir onions frequently to prevent them from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. If the pan gets too dry, add a small splash of water. Onions will caramelize best when cooked slowly. Add the garlic to the onions and cook until garlic is softened. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze it. Scrape up any remaining brown bits from the sausage and incorporate them into the onions (amazing flavor!). Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

When focaccia has finished its first rise, punch down the dough to release trapped gases and remove from the bowl. Gently shape into a large round, adding a bit of flour to remove any stickiness. Cut the round of dough into 4 equal pieces. One at a time, shape each piece of dough into a flat disc. Place one disc into each springform pan on the bottm, making sure the disc is large enough to cover the bottom of pan.

To assemble the stuffed focaccia, add half of the Italian sausage to the bottom disc of dough. Add half of the caramelized onions on top of sausage.

To slice basil leaves into ribbons, lay the leaves flat on top of each other, and roll lengthwise. Starting at one end of the roll, slice through the leaves, making ribbons.

Add the basil ribbons to the top of the onions. Sprinkle each pan with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining discs of focaccia dough, taking care to cover the stuffing. Cover with a thin, lintless towel and place back into warm oven for the second rise.

After the dough has completed the second rise (about 45 minutes), remove pans from warm oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and water until emulsified. Using your fingertips, dimple the top of the dough, making small wells. Brush the emulsified oil mixture over the top of the dough, filling the wells. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt.

Bake for 15 minutes, until tops are slightly golden.

To serve, remove the sides of the springform pans and slice into wedges.

Cherry Almond Granola Bars

2011-06-18T09:13:00.002-04:00

Since I have mastered the fine art of making delicious granola, my next objective was to make granola bars. You know, the kind that aren't loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and aren't so hard that they will break a tooth. That kind. The good kind.

These are close to what I am going for. I personally think I gave them a couple minutes too long in the oven, so next time I will watch the baking time a bit closer. However, I think that they will make the perfect snack for at the pool (yippee! It is pool season again!!)

Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Adapted from Ina Garten, Food Network

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

While oat mixture is toasting in the oven, place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute. Off heat.

When oats are done toasting, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ. Pour sauce over oats and stir to combine. Add the cherries and raisins and stir to combine.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Place parchment paper back on rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for 1-2 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Strawberries and Cream Risotto

2011-06-16T07:09:00.000-04:00

I've made risotto before, and I love it. I love its creaminess and it doesn't bother me in the least to have to constantly stir it for thirty minutes. The end result is delightful! I was completely sold on this recipe the first time I saw it--I guess the daring part of me was completely open to a somewhat sweet, somewhat savory version of risotto. Now, to be clear, this isn't really dessert. It is more savory than sweet. I served it as a side to caramelized onion and Italian sausage stuffed focaccia, and the balance of the sweet and creamy to the garlicky and salty was perfectly fantastic! I seriously can't wait until I make this again!

Strawberries and Cream Risotto
Source: Sugarcrafter

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into chunks
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup white cooking wine
1 cup chicken broth (I always make my broth from a boullion cube. 1 cube to 1 cup of water.)
2 cups water
1/4 cup heavy cream
Additional chopped strawberries, for garnish

Directions:
In a small glass measuring cup, microwave the boullion cube in 1 cup of water for 3 minutes. Stir to completely dissolve boullion. Add broth to a larger mixing cup and add the 2 cups of water.

In a Dutch oven (I used my enamel covered cast iron one), melt the butter over medium heat, and then add in the onion. Cook until softened.

Add in the strawberries, and cook until they soften as well, a couple minutes. Stir frequently so they don't stick to the bottom.

Add the rice, and then cook 1-2 minutes. Pour in the wine. Again, stir frequently so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom. Once the wine is absorbed, begin adding the chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Once the broth has been absorbed, add another 1/2 cup, stir frequently until liquid is absorbed. Continue this process until all the broth has been used. This should take no less than 30 minutes.

Once broth is gone, and the risotto is creamy, off the heat and stir in the cream. Incorporate well. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with additional chopped strawberries. Serve warm.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

2011-06-15T08:46:00.000-04:00

I know, right? The title alone is enough to make you want to drop whatever you are doing and make these, pronto. And you should. Trust me when I tell you that these are amazing! Pair one of these with a tall glass of cold milk (or in my case, a cup of hot coffee!) and you are good to go! Not only are they amazingly delicious, but they are quick and easy to make! If you're more into the cheesecake part of these bars than the cookie dough part, just double the cheesecake mixture--that's what I'm doing next time!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Source: My Baking Addiction

For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
For the Cheesecake Filling:
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined. Mix in the flour on low speed, until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated.

Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust. Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps, using all the dough and covering the cheesecake filling.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Lift the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired size and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Focaccia

2011-06-11T07:30:00.001-04:00

Some of you will remember the early days of this blog....exclusive Italian cooking, as I attempted to cook my way through an 600+ page Italian cookbook. (You might think I was doomed from the start!) Anyway....I hung in there for several months until I decided that I was missing enchiladas and hamburgers. However, when I want to make something authentically Italian, I still turn to Marcella Hazan's cookbook. One of my absolute favorite, most requested-by-my-family, turns-out-perfect-every-time recipes in the book is focaccia. Focaccia is a yeasted Italian flat bread, full to the brim with the flavors of olive oil and salt. It is absolutely delicious all by itself, but in the past I have topped it with caramelized onions and fresh thyme. Next time I make it, I'm planning on "stuffing" it, with onions and spicy sausage. Yummmm.....

(This does take a bit of time to make, but I promise you it is well-worth the time! That fresh-baked, yeasty aroma is heavenly!)

Focaccia
Source: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan

2 tsp. active dry yeast (I always use instant yeast)
2 cups lukewarm water, 110-115 degrees, divided
6 1/2 cups flour, divided
2 tbl. olive oil
1 tbl. kosher salt
a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tbl. water; 1 tsp. kosher salt (for the topping)

Directions:
(I do all the work of this bread in my Kitchenaid stand mixer).

Dissolve the yeast by stirring it into 1/2 cup of the lukewarm water; let it stand about 10 minutes until slightly foamy.

Combine the yeast water and 1 cup of the flour in a bowl, using the dough hook, mixing it thoroughly. Add the 2 tbl. of olive oil, 1 tbl. of salt, 3/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 2 3/4 cup of the remaining flour. Mix thoroughly until dough feels soft and compact, no longer sticky. Add the remaining 2 3/4 cup flour and 3/4 cup water and mix thoroughly. If dough seems too wet, add a slight amount of flour; if it seems too dry and crumbly, add a slight amount of water, just enough to help it come together. (The specific humidity of your kitchen will affect this). Continue using the dough hook to knead the dough for 10 minutes on the lowest speed. Dough should then be smooth and supple. Remove from bowl and shape it gently into a round shape.

Spray a large bowl lightly with cooking spray or spread it with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling the dough lightly in the oil. Cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise, approximately for 1 1/2 hours. (I use my oven for this; preheat to 170 degrees, then off the heat and place the bowl in the oven).

After the time has elapsed, punch down the dough and spread it out on a round baking stone or a rectangular baking sheet. Cover the entire stone or pan with the dough to a depth of 1/4-inch. Cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

After the second rise is done, dimple the top of the dough with your fingertips, making small, shallow wells. Beat the mixture of olive oil, water, and salt until it is emulsified and not separating. Quickly, using a soft pastry brush, spread it over the dimpled dough all the way to the edges. (The oil will pool in the wells). Sprinkle additional kosher salt over the oiled dough.

Place stone or pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Check after 15 minutes. Rotate stone or pan if necessary. Continue baking an additional 7-8 minutes. Remove and transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve focaccia warm or at room temperature; best if served the same day. Cut into strips or wedges using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Reheat any leftovers in a 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes the following day.

Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole

2011-06-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

As a disclaimer before I begin writing this headnote, let me be clear: this is not health food. Just because its name suggests breakfast food, I am in no way advocating that you feed your kiddos this very sweet "breakfast" food before you send them off to school. :) I'm not even going to suggest that it would make a healthy dinner. Sometimes it is fun to change up the normal breakfast or dinner routine just a bit. Make it a bit special. Kids work hard at being kids (sometimes too hard, if you know what I mean!) and they deserve a fun, homemade treat once in awhile.

However, I will suggest to you that it is delicious. Caramel sauce and apples added to already delicious French Toast? Um, yes, please! So, my encouragement to you is to just savor the moment. Enjoy this. You can go back to healthy granola-topped yogurt tomorrow morning.

Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole
A Karla Original

1 loaf of bread (I used this whole wheat bread), torn or cut into 1-inch cubes)
4 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
For Caramel Sauce:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup butter
1 tbl. cornstarch
1 tbl. cold water
10 eggs
1 cup milk

Directions:
Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, water, heavy cream, cinnamon, ground cloves, and butter. Whisk to combine and bring to a low boil. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and cold water in a separate bowl, stirring with a spoon until smooth. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to caramel sauce, and whisk until sauce is slightly thickened. Set aside.

In a large bowl (I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer), whisk together the 10 eggs and the cup of milk. Set aside.

Add 1/2 of the cubed bread to the prepared baking dish. Add the chopped apples. Pour a bit of the caramel sauce over the apples. Top with the remaining cubed bread. Pour egg mixture over the entire dish and top with a bit more caramel sauce (reserve some sauce for serving). Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, put the baking dish into the oven while the oven preheats to 375-degrees. (Don't put a cold dish directly into the heated oven--your glass or stoneware will crack). Or you can remove the baking dish from the refrigerator about an hour before you preheat your oven and let it come to room temperature before baking.

Bake for 45 minutes, until egg is set and the top is slightly golden. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, until top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over the top.

Oven Baked Pork Fried Rice

2011-06-07T07:45:00.000-04:00

You're intrigued by the title of this recipe, aren't you? I can tell. This is a love child born out of a craving and one lone leftover pork chop (anyone else out there who can't stand re-heated meat?!) So, instead, I put two and two together, and voila! Oven baked pork fried rice. You will love me for this recipe. This is a perfect accompaniment to egg rolls....oooh, I wish I had the ingredients on hand to make those. (Homemade egg rolls are da-bomb!) I will work on that and get back to you.... :)

Oven Baked Pork Fried Rice
Inspiration and Sources: Here and hugely adapted from here

For the rice:
2 tbl. butter
1 cup white rice
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups water

For the pork fried part:
1/2 tbl. sesame oil
1/2 tbl. olive oil
1 boneless pork chop (use leftover if possible), sliced thin
1/2 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 small carrots, peeled, diced, and parcooked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 1/2 tbl. soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; add the rice and toast lightly, until rice is opaque in color. Add the 1 cup of water; bring to a boil and transfer to a 2-quart glass casserole dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

Peel and dice carrots; add to a microwave-safe bowl, add some water to cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a small colander, add frozen peas and rinse under cold water until thawed. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat both oils over medium heat. If using an uncooked pork chop, see above link for cooking directions. If using leftover pork chop, continue with the following directions. Add the onion, garlic, and ground ginger to skillet and saute until onion is tender. Add sliced pork chop and saute for a couple minutes. Add the soy sauce, carrots, and peas. Stir to combine.

With a wooden spoon, push aside pork and vegetable mixture in the skillet. Add the beaten egg and scramble, seasoning the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once egg is scrambled, incorporate it with the pork and vegetables.

By now, your oven time should be going off. Add the remaining water to the rice, and then add the pork fried mixture. Re-cover, and continue baking 30 more minutes. When finished, fluff rice and pork fried mixture to combine. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Tiramisu

2011-06-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

If you follow this blog on Facebook (which you totally should!), you will remember my multiple status updates on my tiramisu adventure. Well, today, I excitedly share the recipe to you!

In my search for an authentic tiramisu recipe, I kept finding tiramisu-flavored recipes. Now, I am totally excited to make tiramisu cupcakes, but I knew that I needed to experience the original tiramisu before I played around with knock-off recipes. Let me just say, that even though it took me a couple of days to make all the components of this dessert, I am so glad that I did!! This dessert has several different steps that are made to make the whipped cream layer. Don't let that intimidate you; each step is easy.

And as for why I have never had this amazing dessert, I can honestly say I have no idea. But on the same token, I am fairly certain that no popular chain restaurant version of this holds a candle to the homemade version! I mean, seriously, what's not to love? Coffee, pastry cream, whipped cream, soft and tender cookies? This is totally my kind of dessert! I can't wait to make this again!

In the recipe, I will list for you the components and ingredients and then in the directions, I will walk you though the process for each component. Follow the links for the mascarpone cheese and the ladyfingers {savoiardi cookies}. I found that this project was less overwhelming when I broke it down into a couple days: one day, make the mascarpone cheese. Another day, make the zabaglione and the pastry cream. (All three of these components need adequate chill time). Finally, on yet another day, make the cookies and assemble the tiramisu. Let chill overnight and serve up to 3 days later.

Tiramisu
Adapted from: Sugarcrafter

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
36-39 ladyfingers {savoiardi cookies}
zabaglione
2 egg yolks
3 tbl. sugar
1/4 cup coffee (leftover from the morning is perfect!)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
vanilla pastry cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbl. flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Coffee Mixture
2 cups brewed coffee, cooled (leftover is perfect)
1 tsp. rum

Directions:
Make the mascarpone cheese according to directions and let chill overnight.

For the Zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. Mix together the egg yolks, sugar, coffee, and vanilla extract in a glass, heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan with water in the bottom and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens to the consistency of a custard. Let cool to room temp then transfer to an airtight container and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Add in the egg yolk and half the milk and whisk together until smooth. Add the remaining milk gradually and whisk until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Pour the pastry cream over a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove any lumps. Transfer pastry cream to an airtight container and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare cookies and let cool.

For the Whipped Cream:
Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and hold.

To Assemble:
In a glass mixing cup, stir together 2 cups of coffee and 1 tsp. rum. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to remove lumps and make creamy. Stir in the chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Fold this mixture into the whipped cream.

Divide the cookies into groups of three. Quickly, dip the cookies into the coffee mixture. Lay soaked cookies (about 13) on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish, placing them side-by-side in a single row. Spread a third of the whipped cream mixture over the cookies. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with the whipped cream.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

About 30-45 minutes before serving, place dish in the freezer to firm up the dessert, making it easier to cut and dish. Garnish with shredded chocolate, cocoa powder, or cute little chocolate curls.

Serve within 3 days or freeze until ready to serve.

Ladyfingers {Savoiardi Cookies}

2011-06-02T07:30:00.003-04:00

After making homemade mascarpone cheese in my tiramisu endeavor, the next homemade step was to make the ladyfinger cookies. I wish I could pronounce the Italian name for these cookies {savoiardi} because I much prefer that word to "ladyfingers." "Ladyfingers" is just a bit creepy to me....but, anyway. They are essential to the final dessert of tiramisu, I must make them in spite of their English name!

*Now, for the winner of the America's Test Kitchen cookbook giveaway....Thanks to all of you who left a comment the other day! Ok, drumroll, please....

#9!!!! (Thanks to Random.org for generating the number!)
Jennifer Bailey said, My sister in law sent me the link to your ricotta cheese, but I think I will probably make the peanut butter granola first!""

Congratulations! Jennifer, email me at: theculinaryenthusiast (at) hotmail (dot) com so I can mail your new cookbook to you!
Hugs, Karla :)

Ladyfingers {Savoiardi Cookies}
Source: Sugarcrafter

*You will need a pastry bag and a open circle tip to pipe the cookies

3 eggs, separated
6 tbl. sugar
3/4 cup cake flour (to make cake flour: 1 cup of all-purpose flour - 2 tbl. of flour + 2 tbl. cornstarch. whisk together to aerate. Remove 1/4 cup for the specified amount.)
6 tbl. powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff again.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks together and fold them into the egg white mixture with a spatula. Pour the prepared cake flour over the mixture and fold it in gently. Transfer batter to the pastry bag.

Pipe the batter onto parchment paper, making cookies 5 inches long. Leave about one inch between cookies. Sprinkle about half the powdered sugar onto the cookies; wait 5 minutes then sprinkle the remaining 3 tbl. on them.

Bake 10-15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 39 cookies. (This is the perfect amount for the tiramisu recipe).

Homemade Mascarpone Cheese

2011-05-31T07:57:00.000-04:00

After last summer's cheesemaking successes (homemade ricotta and homemade mozzarella), I knew that I wanted to attempt more varieties. Next on my official cheesemaking list was mascarpone. Mascarpone is an Italian soft cheese; the American equivalent is cream cheese. The process for this cheese is different from the other two, but just as easy. I got the idea of making tiramisu in my head, even though I've never had tiramisu. Finally, after all my Bible study responsibilites were over for the summer, I set about making mascarpone cheese with the larger goal of making tiramisu. (More on the tiramisu in a future post!).

Making this cheese is so easy, and I am looking forward to making it more often this summer to be used in different recipes!

Homemade Mascarpone Cheese
The recipe is standard, but I got this one from Baking Obsession

*You will need a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer and some cheesecloth

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbl. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Using a double boiler, heat 1-2 inches of water in a small saucepan. Place a heatproof glass bowl in the pan, but not touching the water. Pour the cream into the bowl and heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until temperature of cream in 190 degrees. (I'll be honest and tell you that my temperature got stuck at 160 degrees. I then had to transfer the cream to another saucepan and finish heating it over direct heat. If this happens to you, watch those remaining 30 degrees carefully! It will heat fast over direct heat).

Add the lemon juice and continue stirring over the heat, until the cream curdles. Unlike ricotta or mozzarella, large curds will not appear. The cream will just thicken and will coat the wooden spoon.

Remove from heat and let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Line a sieve with 4 layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the cream mixture over the cheesecloth. Let it cool completely, then cover the entire sieve and bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the firm cheese from the sieve and place in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. I discarded the whey, but you could use it in place of the liquid in any baking recipe. When ready to use the cheese, stir it with a spoon to make it creamy.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

2011-05-28T08:11:00.000-04:00

I recently did a very impromtu kitchen redo in my kitchen. This room wasn't scheduled to be remodeled for at least a couple more years, but when I get something in my head to do, I want it done yesterday. So, basically, my kitchen has been shut down for the past couple of weeks, save for a few satisfying dinners here and there. My husband finally finished the backsplash behind my built-in stove top yesterday, and ironically, that completion coincided with a sudden craving for banana cupcakes. Hmmm....

A quick internet search landed me at Martha Stewart's site, so 3 Cheers to a beautifully remodeled kitchen! Hip, hip, hooray! Consider these cupcakes celebratory! Yum!

(Oh, what's that? Oh, you want to see BEFORE & AFTER pictures of my kitchen?? Of course!)


Before. Dark green paint under the chair rail, and a cute border.


AFTER. I repainted a buffet cabinet black, painted the walls (Pittsburgh Paints, "Palm Oasis," available exclusively at Menards), hung some new white shelves that are now home to simple white dishes, painted my french doors black, did a board and batten over the green paint, and did a simple faux backsplash behind my stovetop in oil rubbed bronze.

And now, for the cupcakes!!! Enjoy! Thanks for celebrating with me!

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting
Source: Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Honey Cinnamon Frosting

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

New Blog Design AND a Cookbook Giveaway!

2011-05-26T15:00:00.002-04:00

Dearest Blog Readers,

What do you think about the new look?!

You have been so nice to stick around with me through all the blog re-designs this past year. I think I lost count of how many there have been since about the 6th one....*sigh* You see, I get a whim in my head, either a color or a cupcake, a polka dot or a stripe, and I sit and sit and sit until I've browsed though 50 pages of a Google search, only to still turn up empty. *Another sigh* I tend to blog-stalk like nobody's business (that's what happens when your brain is on overdrive all day long and your husband works second shift, leaving you with alone time in the evening after the kiddos go to bed. Doggone it if you're too tired to do anything productive after 8 pm!), so I've seen a million blog designs which have helped me know what I like and don't like on a cooking blog. All my previous makeovers have been in an effort to appease my visual appetite without spending a dime on a blog design.

What I really love about this one (and my hope is that you love it too!) is that it is clean and fresh looking, allowing the pictures and recipes to really take center-stage. My goal was to create a very open feel to it, making it easy to navigate through all the elements in the sidebars. I've been dreaming of a whisk and a spoon image for awhile now...

All that, dear blog reader, to say is that I plan on keeping this one for a while. You'll be happy to know that I now feel emotionally ready to write millions of blog posts a day (well, not really, but one could hope, right?!....) :)

I would {love} for each of you to become a FOLLOWER or SUBSCRIBE through an RSS feed (don't you just like that cute little coffee mug?). One click on each link on the right will let you do both! Of course, don't forget to LIKE The Culinary Enthusiast on FACEBOOK to get blog post updates and keep connected kitchen-to-kitchen, so to speak.

Looking foward to many more culinary adventures, good eats, and yummy treats with you! Love ya!

Hugs,
Karla

P.S.
Since I missed my blogoversary back in March, let's get together for a little cookbook giveaway, shall we?

Full-Flavored, FAST (30 minutes or less!) recipes by America's Test Kitchen. My favorites are: Grilled Chicken with Panzanella Salad, Salmon with Asparagus and Chive Butter, and Chipotle Grilled Pork Tacos.

Here's How to Play, any combination of the following 4 ways:

Become a Follower, and leave a comment saying that are are one of us now.
Subscribe to this blog through an RSS feed, and leave a comment about that.
LIKE on Facebook, and leave some comment love about that.
Tell what your favorite The Culinary Enthusiast recipe is, and leave some comment love about that.

You can do one, two, three, or all four....just make sure you leave a separate comment for each one. Comments close on Tuesday night, May 31, at midnight. Winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Thursday, June 2. GOOD LUCK!

This giveaway is now closed!

{If you're not the winner, but want to have this wonderful cookbook anyway, you can order from my Amazon Kitchen Store).