Recipe Arsenal | 20something cupcakes

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crème brûlée french toast.

January 16, 2011 — 6 Comments

Do you already have a recipe for french toast casserole that you can’t live without?

Good. Go get it.

Now, throw it away. Delete it from your computer, get rid of that bookmark, or – if you’re still doing it the old-school way with paper or recipe cards – toss it right in the trash. You can live without that recipe. You know why? Because this recipe eats that recipe – for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

When I learned we were doing a Wild Card this Sunday for Project Pastry Queen, I was excited. The chance to go back and pick any of the recipes we’ve missed out on along the way meant this was the perfect time to share this french toast with you. I made it for brunch on Christmas Day, and with one crunchy, creamy, sinfully rich bite, we all quickly realized that this french toast went where no other had gone before. The recipe that Daniel’s mom, Meg, had been using for years was – pun intended – toast, and so was the old Paula Deen version I’d been serving up ever since I found my way into the kitchen just a few short years ago.

You may think you’re eating dessert, and you may be right – I haven’t decided. This french toast-pseudo-bread-pudding tastes good enough to be served as that final sweet bite to end a great meal, yet it’s simply phenomenal when served for a special breakfast or brunch. The crunch of the caramelized sugar topping combined with the sweet, luscious custard in the center makes for what’s guaranteed to be the most perfect french toast you’ve ever tasted. The Challah bread no doubt plays an important role, and I think it would be equally fabulous with a touch of Grand Marnier added to the custard. I love that it can also be made in a springform pan (which you can see when you click the link below), which looks so much prettier than your standard casserole pyrex. And, as is the great part of most french toast casseroles, it can be assembled the night before, making it perfect for entertaining.

Click here for the recipe. Trust. You won’t miss your old recipe one bit.

In Recipe Arsenal, Weekend Brunch breakfast casseroles, french toast, project pastry queen

chicken enchiladas.

December 14, 2010 — 5 Comments

Even though this was my first time making chicken enchiladas, I can assure you – these are the best chicken enchiladas ever.

A bold statement? Yes. But these babies are bold. I like to make bold statements. It makes sense.

On second thought, I’d like to challenge anyone who thinks they have a recipe for the best chicken enchiladas ever. Bring it – there’s plenty of room in the world for multiple versions of the best chicken enchiladas ever. We can even do it at my place. Tonight. I’ve got plenty of tequila…

Because I totally need a delicious vat of enchiladas in my oven right now.

I always thought enchiladas seemed complicated. They’re really not. You’re just making a sauce with some onions, spices, and tomatoes, and cooking your chicken in it. Then, you take your chicken out, let it cool, then shred it. You strain the same sauce you poached the chicken in {brilliant – this is your enchilada sauce!} and combine the leftover onion mixture with the shredded chicken and some cheese for your filling. Fill your tortillas, put them in the dish, bathe them in the sauce and some more cheese, and bake into a glorious perfection.

Easy-peasy. Chicken-and-cheesy.

Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America’s Test Kitchen

1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon canola oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
1 cup extra-sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, for about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part should read about 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and half of the cilantro (leave the rest to garnish at the end). Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.

Pour your enchilada sauce evenly on top of the rolled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let it hang out for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining cilantro, and enjoy.

In Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal cheese, chicken, corn tortillas, mexican recipes

paella: chorizo, chicken, and shrimp.

November 12, 2010 — 3 Comments

Even though I could easily call a pitcher of sangria tapas plate piled high with Manchego and Marcona almonds dinner, there’s nothing quite like finishing it all off with a gorgeous pot of paella.

I had always heard that paella takes an entire day to make, and in authentic fashion, it probably does. Traditionally, paella is also made outdoors, in a special paella pot, and with a special kind of rice. I think it paints a beautiful picture – making this dish outside over a fire with your family all afternoon – but realistically, it’s just not feasible for most of us. I used a Dutch oven – yes, inside my kitchen – and Arborio rice {the rice you use for risotto} and I thought it was perfection. This paella may not be authentic, but I guarantee you it’s doable and delicious.

Another interesting thing to know about paella is that the Spaniards did not make complicated versions at all. They typically chose to focus on one or two ingredients, in terms of vegetables and meats, and left it at that. It’s a totally American thing to throw everything into the pot. Who would have thought?

I went the American way because I simply couldn’t decide on one meat or type of vegetable, and I absolutely loved the result. You can feel free to adapt this recipe given what your preferences are – that’s what I did. Or simply use whatever veggies you have in your fridge. Daniel loves his peas, and I love my mushrooms, so I focused on those. This dish may not be a weeknight fix, but I can guarantee you it’s the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Just don’t forget your sangria and tapas. You may even consider an afternoon siesta.

Paella with Shrimp, Chicken, and Chorizo

Adapted from The Dabble via Saveur Magazine

30 threads saffron, crushed (a scant 1⁄2 teaspoon)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
10 large or 15 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 ounces dry-cured Spanish chorizo, cut into small coins
Kosher salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
4 dried chilis, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 dried bay leaves
3 medium tomatoes, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
7 cups chicken broth
2 1⁄2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia or bomba {I used Arborio}
8 ounces fresh or frozen peas
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons dry white wine
4 scallions, chopped
Fresh parsely, optional

*A note about the chilis: You can find these in the spice section at your local grocery store. They come wrapped in cellophane, and they’re rather large. To crush them, I used my food processor. If you can’t find them or would rather go without, feel free.

Place the saffron and 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl – let sit for 15 minutes. This will color and flavor the dish better. Season the chicken and shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large paella pan, large shallow skillet, or a Dutch oven {that’s what I used} over medium heat. Add the chicken, shrimp, and chorizo. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Take the shrimp out early so that they do not overcook – just let them lightly brown on the outside.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving meats in the pan. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, chilis, paprika, turmeric, cumin, garlic, bay leaves, and cook, stirring often, until onions soften, about 8 minutes. Add reserved saffron mixture (with water), wine, and broth, season with salt; bring to a boil over high heat. If you have time, reduce to a simmer for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour. The longer this sofrito simmers, the richer the flavor in the end. Go enjoy another glass of sangria.

Sprinkle in rice, distribute evenly, add the peas, green olives. Cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 10–12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add reserved shrimp; cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed the liquid and is al dente (firm but not hard), 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove pan from the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Try to fish out the bay leaves. Toss with the chopped scallions and parsley and serve.

In Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal chicken, chorizo, mushrooms, paella, peas, shrimp, spanish

pumpkin bread with pecan streusel topping.

October 24, 2010 — 7 Comments

I had you at pecan streusel topping, didn’t I?

I think it’s safe to say that this pumpkin bread deserves a spot in the Recipe Arsenal. Everyone needs a great recipe for pumpkin bread, and for me – this is it.

On its own, I think the pumpkin bread would already be a winner. It’s perfectly moist, and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. But then, you add the pecan streusel topping, and that’s where my heart is truly won over. You’ve already seen here that I tend to prefer any typical baked good with a streusel topping, and this pumpkin bread is no exception. As you bite into it, you get that extra explosion of cinnamon flavor and crunchiness on top, which have also made their way throughout the bread itself by way of toasted pecans {and lots of pumpkin pie spice, which I used in place of the mixture from the recipe} in the batter.

The recipe itself makes quite a bit of bread: either two big loaves, or 36 muffins. For me, it was one loaf and 18 muffins, because I don’t want to decide which I like better.

I want them both. I want muffins because they’re adorable, and they arrive ready-to-eat in perfect little individual portions. I want bread because this is pumpkin bread we’re talking about, isn’t it? Fall baking just wouldn’t be complete without it.

Head over to Joelen’s blog for the full recipe, and see how the other Project Pastry Queen members fared here!

In Recipe Arsenal, Sweets + Treats, Weekend Brunch baked goods + pastries, fall recipes, pecans, project pastry queen, pumpkin, streusel

{my first} roast chicken.

September 29, 2010 — 4 Comments

Perhaps I should change the name of this post to my last roast chicken.

Because I truly don’t know if I’ll ever bring myself to make another. I’m sure there are other delicious roast chickens out there – probably plenty, as most roast chickens are inherently delicious – but it can’t possibly get any better than this.

To start, there’s bacon.

See? That bacon cooks right on top of the whole party, injecting both the potatoes and the chicken with flavor.

Yes, it’s a party. Perfectly moist, juicy, and flavorful chicken + bacon + lemon-rosemary potatoes + roasted garlic = PARTY. Oh yes, that’s right – there’s roasted garlic. Can you see it in the first photo, rubbed all over the chicken? I.die. for roasted garlic.

But let’s get back to the bacon. Because after all is said and done, we’re going to take that bacon, and crumble it all over our potatoes. Our potatoes that have first par-boiled with lemon and garlic, and then roasted until perfection – covered in chicken juices, bacon drippings, and tons of fresh rosemary.

These potatoes are hands down the best I’ve ever had. I usually like to leave the skin on, because it makes me feel like I’m being healthy, you know – get more fiber, feel less guilty about eating half the pan. I put that {semi-ridiculous} theory aside here, and cooked them exactly the way Jamie told me to – and that’s what YOU must do. You really must. Because these potatoes are *so* unbelievably crispy, flavorful, and out-of-this world delish – you won’t be able to stop eating them.

Which actually may be a reason not to make them, depending on how you look at it.

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Rosemary, and Bacon Potatoes

Recipe via Jamie Oliver

4½ lb free-range organic chicken
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4½ lbs potatoes, peeled
1 large lemon
1 whole bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
Handful of fresh thyme
Olive oil
Handful of fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
8 slices of bacon

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do this as early as you can, and cover and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. You should do this with any meat – it makes it more flavorful.

Preheat your oven to 375ºF, and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cut the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces, put them into the water with the whole lemon and the garlic cloves, and cook for 12 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 1 minute {I like to place a clean kitchen towel over top – steaming ensures crispy potatoes}, then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot, roughing them up a little bit. This will make your potatoes perfectly crispy and delicious.

While the lemon is still hot, carefully stab it about 10 times. Take the chicken out of the fridge, pat dry with paper towels, and rub generously with olive oil. Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon, and the thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Some lovely fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with the rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the middle of the potatoes and put the chicken back in, or if you have a pan with a tray like I do, you can place the chicken back on the rack. Place the bacon over the chicken and cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden.

Remove the bacon from the chicken and crumble it up over the potatoes. Then remove the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken, squeeze all the garlic flesh out of the skin, mush it up and smear it all over the chicken, discard the lemon and rosemary and carve the chicken at the table.

“Heaven!” Jamie says, and I couldn’t agree more.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal bacon, chicken, everything's better roasted, lemon, potatoes, rosemary

the ultimate {crunchy} pork chop.

August 24, 2010 — 4 Comments

I figure now’s as good a time as any to tell you about the most delicious pork chops ever to exist.

Seriously. That good.

We’re talking crunch. Not just your average crunch, though. There’s nothing average about this crunch. This is the kind of crunch that can only be achieved through homemade bread crumbs. But, not your average homemade breadcrumbs.

These are the kind of breadcrumbs you toast first. In the oven, on a baking sheet. With oil. And shallots. And garlic.

Still not convinced? Let me just tell you – something magic happens when you toast breadcrumbs before using them. After baking them into a deep golden brown loveliness, you toss them with Parmesan. And thyme. And parsley.

I know I’ve got you now.

I think the other key step in achieving the ultimate crunch is how they’re baked: on a wire rack placed over your baking sheet. This allows the underneath of the chop to feel the same love from the oven as the top.

If this still isn’t enough to entice you, maybe you should think about trying this wilted spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. All you do is fry up some bacon, cook some shallots in your bacon grease, and whisk in some balsamic at the end. Toss that up with your spinach and bacon, and all will be well.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, via Smitten Kitchen

This recipe was developed using natural pork, but enhanced pork (injected with a salt solution) will work as well. If using enhanced pork, eliminate the brining in step 1. The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

Table salt
4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

In Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal homemade breadcrumbs, pork, smitten kitchen obsessed, warm bacon vinaigrette, wilted spinach salad, worth the effort

spaghetti + meatballs.

June 21, 2010 — 4 Comments

Is there a better comfort food than spaghetti and meatballs?

For me, maybe mac ‘n cheese tops it. But not according to my bestest friend in the world, Jess – she doesn’t eat most types of cheese, only Parmesan and mozzarella. For her, meatballs are where it’s at.

I can’t argue. I’ll take a good meatball over a lot of things.

So for her birthday this year, a menu of all of her favorite things was definitely in order. We started with a simple Caprese salad of fresh mozzarella and beefsteak tomatoes, drizzled with good balsamic and olive oil and some fresh basil from our {balcony} garden.

This is another one of Jess’ absolute favorite things. She is a person you can count on to order meatballs and/or Caprese salad anytime they’re on the menu – she’s cute like that.

And when it comes to dessert, it’s chocolate-covered anything – strawberries, pretzels, extra points for a caramel apple. She also happens to love anything involving turtle candy – you know, the classic chocolate, caramel, and pecan combo. So, I ended up making her a turtle ice cream pie.

{You’ll have to stay tuned for that recipe}

Back to our luscious little meatballs. I’ve made meatballs you bake in the oven, and meatballs you pan-fry. These meatballs are browned in the pan first, and then they finish simmering in the {super-fast and easy} tomato sauce for about a half hour. It’s a good method – they come out perfectly moist, and the veal/pork/beef combo gives them incredible flavor. But, really – did you expect anything less coming from Ina?

Real Meatballs + Spaghetti

Adapted from Ina Garten

1/2 pound ground veal {if you can’t find this at the store, use 1 1/4 pounds beef and 3/4 pound pork instead – or whatever gets you to 2 pounds total}
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs {4 slices, crusts removed, into the food processor and blended into crumbs}
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

The sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. And don’t worry if they come out looking a little flat on some sides – that’s what happened to me. I promise – they’re still quite presentable and very delish. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

{Along with your favorite red wine, of course}

In Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal caprese, comfort food, easy appetizers, ina garten, meatballs, pasta, red wine, tomato sauce

sour cream coffee cake.

June 15, 2010 — 8 Comments

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for.

The double streusel, maple-glazed, and ridiculously moist sour cream coffee cake has arrived.

This is an important moment, because a good coffee cake is one of those things we should all have in our recipe arsenal. It’s the kind of thing that will improve any brunch or breakfast situation immediately, yet it can be equally enjoyed as a dessert. Or a meal. Yes, I would probably eat this for dinner if I could.

Even though I own most of Ina’s cookbooks, I always like to check out the recipes on the Food Network so I can read a few of the comments. This is one of the best things you can do as a new cook – or cook of any skill level, really. It allows you to learn about issues people had or tweaks they made to improve the recipe.

In this case, it allowed me to improve the recipe. Several recommendations to double the streusel? Yes, please.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Adapted from Ina Garten

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature {I use SmartBalance}
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour {or mixture of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, see below}
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the {doubled-down} streusel:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted {or SmartBalance} butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup {No Aunt Jemima here, it has to be the good stuff}

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan with Pam for Baking – or, take it old-school and grease and flour.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Since I never have cake flour on hand, I make it myself using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Just replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch, for each cup you need. Sift together a few times – I usually go for 5; the more you sift, the closer to cake flour it becomes. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. No over-mixing allowed! Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Or, pulse in your food processor until you get there. Mix in the walnuts.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with half the streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Be careful not to add too much water – I think I did, because it ran down the cake pretty quickly. I would have liked it to be a little thicker, so more would have sat on the cake as opposed to the dish. Either way, you can’t go wrong – just grab a spoon and drizzle it over the top, and prepare yourself for sour cream coffee cake heaven.

In Recipe Arsenal, Weekend Brunch baked goods + pastries, how to make cake flour, i heart breakfast, ina garten, sour cream, streusel

blueberry streusel muffins.

May 3, 2010 — 2 Comments

I have an idea. Let’s all pretend that it’s still the weekend and we’re all at home laying in bed, eating delicious blueberry streusel muffins fresh out of the oven.

Muffins are the perfect thing to bake on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Baking something in the morning just makes breakfast feel more special, and if I’m doing a brunch with guests – well, in that case, baking something is a must. I adore blueberries, and the addition of lemon zest adds the perfect lightness and freshness to the batter – you won’t even taste it. But the real shining star of these muffins is the streusel topping, of course. I mean, what wouldn’t streusel topping make even better? I even used some whole-wheat flour, just to increase the health-factor a bit, and you couldn’t tell at all – they were pure perfection.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

From Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 20 muffins

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour {I replaced 1 cup of flour with whole-wheat}
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar {I ran out of sugar and replaced 1 cup with brown sugar}
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk, shaken
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries {I used frozen, and let them defrost for about 20 minutes}

For the streusel topping:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and blend with your hands. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with at fork, mixing just until blended. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Don’t overmix! With a standard (2 1/4 inch) ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cups, filling them almost full.

For the topping, place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the butter is in very small pieces. Pour into a bowl and rub with your fingers until crumbly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the streusel on top of each muffin. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Pair with a deliciously hot fresh-brewed pot of coffee, and enjoy.

In Recipe Arsenal, Weekend Brunch baked goods + pastries, barefoot contessa back to basics, blueberries, buttermilk, comfort food, i heart breakfast, ina garten, whole wheat

sunday morning pancakes.

March 14, 2010 — 2 Comments

Laying in bed this morning listening to Daniel mutter something about wanting bagels but not wanting to go get them, I think in my head that a nice carb-heavy breakfast sounds good to me, too. But – as I haven’t really cooked all weekend (minus an easy omelet yesterday, which I will post about soon as everyone should know how to make a perfect one) – I decide that pancakes are in order.

Off to Smitten Kitchen I go. I am freakishly obsessed with this AMAZING food blog (often one of the first places I go to make a recipe – I want to make pretty much *everything* she posts about). I am already thinking of these sour-cream pancakes I remember her writing about, but I don’t have any sour cream in the fridge so that’s out. I search for pancakes, and end up going with this post she did on buttermilk blueberry pancakes. (Bonus points: now I can get rid of that leftover buttermilk from last week’s cupcakes.)

Best Buttermilk Pancakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Original Classics Cookbook

Yield: Depending on how big you make them, you could get anywhere from 9-16 pancakes.

2 cups all-purpose flour (if you want to go whole wheat, just replace 1 cup with whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups buttermilk (I only had about 2 cups buttermilk, so I subbed regular milk for the rest)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon extra for brushing griddle (or you can use Pam)

1-2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen and thawed (optional – and I only used a cup, so I made half blueberry and half regular)

1. Preheat an electric griddle to 375°F, or place a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Lightly mix the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter (you can just use the microwave), in a separate bowl. Now whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. You want small to medium lumps – this is the secret to a light and fluffy PERFECT pancake!

2. Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush a little butter onto the griddle, or Pam it up.

3. Using a 4-oz. ladle (about 1/2 cup for a 6-inch pancake, use a little less if you like them smaller), pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart – they do spread a bit as they cook, but if you overcrowd, no biggie – just separate them with your spatula before you flip). If you’re going blueberry, add them here, while the pancakes are already starting to cook. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over (I like to make sure they’re nice and golden underneath). If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

4. Repeat with the remaining batter. You can keep the finished pancakes on a heat-proof plate in the oven at 175°F. Serve warm.

Because it’s more fun than bagels again.

{Especially when you’re *way* too far from New York, and Einstein’s is about as good as it gets}