delvious

This loaf is the perfect hybrid.  It is carrot-cake-delicious and banana-bread-healthy.  Studded with raisins, nuts and seeds, a slice of this carrot banana bread makes for a substantial breakfast or satiating snack.

Recipe

Although there are quite a few mix ins, this quick bread batter comes together quickly.  Grating carrots in the food processor is a great time saver.  Most importantly, the key to any quick bread is mix the ingredients until they are just combined.  Over mixing the batter will result in a tough loaf.





I sliced myself a piece the moment it was cool enough to come out of the pan.  The bread was moist and pleasantly sweet from the golden raisins.  The next day, I discovered the best way to enjoy a slice of this bread – heated in the toaster oven and slathered with some honey butter.

Carrot Banana Bread

Adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Prep time + Bake time: 15 min + 45 min
Serves 8

Ingredients

1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large ripe banana, mashed
1 1/4 cup grated carrot (about 2 small)
1/3 cup golden raisins, tossed with a 1/2 tsp flour
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 8×4 loaf pan with cooking spray or butter.

2. Whisk together flours, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla, and whisk to mix well.

4.  Add in a third of the dry ingredients at a time, alternating with half of the mashed banana, stirring each time until just combined.  End with the dry ingredients, and be careful not to over mix.

5.  Fold in the grated carrot, raisins and walnuts.  Spoon batter into the greased loaf pan and sprinkle sunflower seeds over the top.

6.  Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before removing the loaf to cool on a wire rack.  Store tightly wrapped in foil.

No Comments | In: Quick bread | tags: banana, carrot, golden raisins, loaf, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, walnuts. | #

As much as I love my daily bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, I think I may have found a new favorite breakfast: polenta.  Topped with fruit and nuts, it’s a filling breakfast that even oatmeal haters will adore.

Recipe

Breakfast polenta is prepared just as you would prepare polenta that is destined for a savory dish, except for the addition of vanilla extract at the end.  Cooking it with a combination of milk and water increases richness; make it even more decadent by using whole milk or by replacing some of the water with milk.  Be sure to stir it frequently to maintain a smooth consistency and avoid burning the bottom.  The longer you let it simmer on the stove, the thicker the porridge will get.





Since I was stirring away at the stove anyway, I decided to get another burner going to make a cinnamon peach compote as a topping for my breakfast.  Compotes are a great way to use up overripe fruit, and frozen fruit will work well too.  Even though I chose a compote, you could put anything on top of this amazing polenta.  The next time I make this (which I can assure you will be soon, maybe tomorrow), I’m thinking I’ll sprinkle my polenta with some toasted pecans, maple syrup, plenty of brown sugar and some sliced peaches.  It’s also tempting to replace the vanilla with almond extract and top the bowl with a few fresh cherries sweetened with a drizzle of honey.  Let me know what other flavor combinations you come up with!





This recipe can easily be halved, but why would you do that when you can enjoy leftovers the next day?

Breakfast Polenta with Peach Compote

Polenta recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Prep time + Cook time = 5 minutes + 30 minutes

Serves 6

Polenta Ingredients

1 cup polenta (not instant)

3 cups water

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Peach Compote Ingredients

2 ripe peaches, chopped

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1.  Stir together the polenta and one cup of water in a small bowl.

2.  Make the compote: Combine peaches, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and reduce heat to medium.  Simmer about 30 minutes, or until compote has broken down to the desired consistency.

3.  Make the polenta: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and the remaining 2 cups of water to a simmer.  Slowly add the polenta and water mixture, whisking to prevent lumps.  Reduce heat to low and stir frequently.  Simmer about 30 minutes, or until polenta has thickened to the desired consistency.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

4.  Serve the polenta topped with the compote and any other toppings such as toasted walnuts, Greek yogurt and more brown sugar to taste.

2 Comments | In: Breakfast | tags: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, polenta, porridge. | #

Yes, there are chocolate cookie crumbs on those flowers.


After I got home from the farmers’ market with my bounty, I vaguely remembered seeing a dessert recipe involving squash blossoms.  I found it buried in my saved recipes and questioned my decision to set aside some extra ricotta and a few of the smaller blossoms, wondering if the slight zucchini flavor would cooperate with honey and chocolate.





I’m glad I went ahead with it, however, since this was unlike any dessert I’ve ever made.  I’d recommend slightly overstuffing each flower, as the best part was the slightly caramelized ricotta that oozed out while baking.  Serve it with some fresh berries that have been macerated with a bit of sugar .

Baked Zucchini Blossoms with Honey Ricotta

Inspired by Waldy Malouf

Prep time + Bake time: 10 minutes + 15 minutes

Serves 3

Ingredients

3 tbsp freshly made ricotta

1 1/2 tbsp honey

Generous pinch of cinnamon

Tiny pinch of nutmeg

1 egg white, beaten

3 medium zucchini blossoms, rinsed with stamens removed

1/3 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

2.  In a small bowl, combine ricotta and honey.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.

3.  Add about half of the beaten egg white  to the ricotta mixture.  (Use immediately, or refrigerate until you are ready to stuff the blossoms.)

3.  Carefully spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each blossom.  Gently twist the ends closed and place side by side on the prepared baking sheet.

4.  Brush the remaining egg white over the stuffed blossoms, and sprinkle the chocolate cookie crumbs on top.

5.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve warm.

Breakfast Idea: Honey Ricotta Cornbread

I have a penchant for leftovers in any form, so I tupperwared the remaining spoonful of honey ricotta and put it in the fridge hoping I would find a good use for it later on.  The next morning I preheated the oven to 375F, grabbed a piece of leftover cornbread, slathered it with the ricotta mixture, baked it about 10 minutes until the top was tinted golden brown, and dolloped it with some homemade cherry jam.  It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in awhile.  Even if squash blossoms for dessert lacks appeal, don’t hesitate to make a batch of the filling.

No Comments | In: Dessert | tags: honey, ricotta, zucchini blossoms. | #

Have you ever tried a zucchini blossom before?  Delicately flavored and conveniently stuffable, they are often brimming with a cheesy filling, lightly battered and deep fried.   As much as I love deep fried anything, I decided to skip the mess and tried baking a lighter version of the typical preparation.

Recipe

A Saturday farmers’ market trip yielded these just-picked squash blossoms, fragrant basil and some amazing freshly made ricotta.  (Once you’ve had fresh ricotta, you will not be able to go back to the kind you would find next to the cream cheese at the grocery store.)

The hardest part of this recipe is finding the right high-quality ingredients.  Once you’ve got them, all that is left to do is chop some basil, crush some garlic, crack an egg, and stir in some Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and ground pepper.  I carefully spooned the filling into the blossoms, twisted the tops shut and sprinkled them with breadcrumbs.  After 20 minutes in the oven, the filling will firm up a bit and the breadcrumbs will get toasty.  It’s delicious, and no one has to know this impressive looking appetizer only took 15 minutes to prepare.

Baked Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Basil Ricotta

A Delvious original recipe

Prep time + Bake time: 15 minutes + 20 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

3/4 cup fresh ricotta

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 egg, beaten

6 large zucchini blossoms, rinsed with stamens removed

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a sheet tray with non-stick cooking spray or butter.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, basil, garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.  Once you are satisfied with the taste of the filling, stir in the beaten egg.  (If you are making the filling ahead of time, refrigerate until you are ready to bake the blossoms.)

4.  Carefully spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the filling into each blossom.  Gently twist the tops closed and place them side by side on the prepared baking sheet.

5.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly on top of the stuffed blossoms.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted.  Serve warm.

3 Comments | In: Appetizer | tags: basil, breadcrumbs, garlic, ricotta, zucchini blossoms. | #

I’ve been on a rhubarb kick lately.  Rhubarb coffeecake and rhubarb cobbler have both graced my kitchen in the past week.  However, it’s this amazing Rhubarb Strawberry Cardamom Cobbler-Pie that I’ve chosen to share with you.  It is quite a mouthful for a recipe name, but (pun intended) the pie itself makes for a VERY delicious mouthful!  Go bake this hybrid of a dessert asap.

Recipe

Rhubarb’s red stalks are sour and crunchy when raw, but break down into a tangy compote when heated with sugar.  The natural sweetness of strawberries make them a classic partner for rhubarb.  To jazz up the filling a bit, I added a pinch of cardamom and a sprinkling of cinnamon.  I also reduced the sugar by a third because (1) my strawberries were pretty sweet but mainly (2) I ran out of white sugar after getting the first cup into the filling.

Although the kitchen was covered in flour and making two types of dough was ambitious, I was definitely rewarded for my hard work – this pie is awesome both visually and taste-wise.  It came out of the oven with bright red filling bubbling around the browned sugary biscuits and a golden crust.  The cardamom was a bit potent when I snuck a taste of the filling as it cooled, but it mellowed by the time I had a full slice a few hours later.  The all-butter pie crust may not be very flaky, but it tastes like a buttery croissant.  As with any cobbler, I love the soggy underside of the biscuits that have soaked up glorious rhubarb-strawberry juices.





Despite day-old crust, I was impressed with my slice on Day 2 because the flavors in the filling had time to mingle.  I’d recommend this pie slightly warmed or at room temperature (and it goes with out saying it should be topped with a scoop of ice cream), but since it’s pretty gooey it’s best to keep it refrigerated if you have any leftovers.

Rhubarb Strawberry Cardamom Cobbler-Pie

Adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures via The Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Prep Time + Bake Time: 75 min + 75 min

Serves 8

Printable recipe

Pie Crust Ingredients

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp white sugar

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

6-8 tbsp ice water

Biscuit Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

2 tbsp unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream, chilled

2 tbsp turbinado sugar

Filling Ingredients

2 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes

2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup white sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1.  Make the pie crust dough in a food processor:  Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter cubes and pulse several times until butter is the size of large peas.  Add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse to combine.  The dough should just hold together when you squeeze it in your hand.  If it is too dry, add up to two more tablespoons of water as necessary.

2.  Rest the pie crust dough:  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat it together in one piece and flatten into a round disk.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3.  Roll the pie crust dough:  Once the dough is chilled, return the unwrapped disk to a lightly floured surface.  Flouring the dough as necessary, roll it into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.  Transfer it to a 9 inch pie plate and crimp the edges as desired.  Cover, and return the dish to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

4.  Make the biscuit dough in a food processor:  While the pie crust dough is refrigerating, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest to a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter cubes and pulse until evenly distributed.  Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and pulse until the dough holds together.

5.  Prepare the biscuits: Turn the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat together and press into a round shape that is 1/2 inch thick.  Using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 7 biscuits (which will involve reshaping the scraps from the first round).  Place the biscuits on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and cover.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

6.  Preheat the oven: Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

7.  Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and spices.  Mix gently.

8.  Assemble the cobbler-pie: Remove the pie crust and biscuits from the refrigerator.  Pour the fruit filling into the chilled, unbaked pie crust and place the biscuits evenly around the top of the filling.  Brush the biscuits with the remaining tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.

9.  Bake the cobbler-pie: Place the pie on the foil lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and thick.  Check the underside of the biscuits to make sure it looks like a steamed dumpling rather than raw dough.  Remove the pie to a wire rack to cool to room temperature and enjoy!

Makeshift pie and biscuit kitchen equipment

This was definitely an intensive recipe, but don’t be alarmed if you lack some of the equipment.  I do have a food processor, but you can achieve the same result with a fork, your fingers and a bit of muscle.  Here are some equipment substitutes I did use, however:

• If you don’t have a rolling pin, try wrapping a wine bottle (or any other large round bottle) with some plastic wrap to roll out the dough.
• It’s probably even more unlikely you have a biscuit cutter, let alone a a 2 1/2 inch one.  Instead, use the rim of a wine glass to gently cut your biscuit dough.

No Comments | In: Fruit, Pie | tags: cardamom, cinnamon, cobbler, cornstarch, Pie, rhubarb, strawberry. | #

I was a bit skeptical about getting my daily dose of fruit from this savory pork, pear and mushroom ragu, but anything is worth making once.  And as it turned out, this pasta is certainly worth making twice.

Recipe

Ground pork is way underrated.  Did you realize that it is like (lower fat) sausage?  Just be sure to get it nicely browned at the start of the recipe, and I promise you will be happy with the results.  If meat isn’t your thing, though, omit the pork and use veggie stock.  I’m sure the pasta will still be delicious.


This recipe is also very flexible – I used extra mushrooms and thyme just because I had extra.  I also decided to add a beurre manié (equal parts flour and butter kneaded together) because I wanted to make the sauce richer.  Alternatively, try adding some of the starchy pasta cooking water to thicken it up at the end.


Alright, I know you just want to know how it tasted.  Since the sauce had simmered for an hour on the stove, all of the flavors melded together nicely.  The pears lent a subtle sweetness but had broken down such that my delvious dinner victims were surprised to learn that they were even on the ingredient list.  The nutty shaved parmigiano on top was perfect (but then, isn’t it always?).

Pork, Pear & Mushroom Ragu

Adapted from Serious Eats
Prep time + Cook time = 5 minutes + 60 minutes
Serves 6
Printable recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb ground pork

2 large shallots, finely chopped

1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, quartered

2 medium pears, diced small

4 large garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 cup dry sherry

6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons flour

1 lb short pasta

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook until browned and crispy (about 8 minutes), breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon.  Add the shallots and sauté until softened (about 3 minutes).

2.  Add the rest of the olive oil and the mushrooms to the pan and sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown and soften (about 8 minutes).  Stir in the pear and garlic, and cook a few minutes until softening (about 3 minutes).

3.  Pour in the sherry and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan as the liquid sizzles.  Let the sherry reduce until nearly evaporated.  Add the thyme, broth and vinegar and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

4.  To thicken the sauce, mix together the flour and the butter forms a paste.  Stir into the sauce, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

5.  While the ragu simmers, cook pasta according to the package directions.  Strain the pasta and add to the pan of ragu, allowing it to soak in the sauce for several minutes.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6.  Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh thyme leaves.

1 Comment | In: Fruit, Pasta, Pork | tags: ground pork, mushrooms, pear, shallots, thyme. | #

I’m going to take you on a short tour of some of the delvious treats I’ve enjoyed around the Mission in San Francisco.  Sit back, enjoy, and don’t forget wipe the drool off your chin at the end of the post.

Dynamo Donuts

As you walk down 24th Street, it’s easy to get distracted by colorful produce markets and burrito shops.  If you can keep your blinders on long enough to make it to the brown awning at 2760 24th, you will be rewarded with the perfect snack.  Dynamo Donuts offers a handful of their flavors each day, ranging from delvious Lemon Thyme and Saffron Chocolate to unusual yet mouthwatering flavors like Banana de Leche and Caramel de Sel.


Fortunately, I knew which donut I would be ordering before I was faced with the daily menu: the Maple Glazed Bacon Apple.  My friend chose a Coconut, and we walked back to a small park to enjoy the sunshine.  Texturewise, my Maple Bacon was light and soft with the crunch of the glaze and the bacon.  Tastewise, it was salty sweet perfection as with my peanut butter bacon cookies.

Humphry Slocombe

Next on my “to-eat” list was a cone from Humphry Slocombe, conveniently a few blocks away from Dynamo.  We got in long line, knowing the wait would be worthwhile.





Once we finally made it to the front of the line and got a clear look at the day’s flavors (click here for a full list of their flavors), the staff generously tolerated my sample requests:

• Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee – I started with this non-delvious flavor because I cannot resist Vietnamese coffee and Blue Bottle makes darn good coffee.  Incredibly tasty.
• McEvoy Olive Oil - I’ve heard good things about olive oil gelato so I’ve been curious to give it a try.  Its smooth and fruity flavor was addicting enough that a scoop nearly ended up in my bowl.
• Salt and Pepper – Since I was here for delvious reasons, I obviously had to get a taste of the peppercorn-flecked white ice cream.  The salt hit me pretty hard at first, but the flavor mellowed out to a subtly spicy sweetness that was quite pleasant.  While it was infinitely better than I could have imagined, I couldn’t have polished off a whole scoop.

I was hoping to try the famous Boccalone Prosciutto ice cream to keep with the bacon theme, but it wasn’t an option that day.  The Boccalone Lard Caramels were in stock so I picked one of those up instead.





After a few agonizing moments of decision-making, I decided on two of Humphry Slocombe’s most well-known flavors – Secret Breakfast (bourbon with cornflakes) and Jesus Juice (red wine and coke sorbet).  The bourbon in the Secret Breakfast was potent but creamy, and my mouth waters when I think about the candied cornflakes embedded within it.  It was getting to be a hot day, so the refreshing Jesus Juice hit the spot.  Wine and coke are the ingredients in a popular Spanish drink called Kalimoxto, which really should be more common in the United States.


The Boccalone caramel was not as porky as I was expecting but the bacon-y flavor was definitely present in the soft buttery brown sugary candy.





I got to snag a few more tastes from my friends’ ice creams.  I highly recommend the Balsamic Caramel and Peanut Butter Curry flavors as well.





Even though I was stuffed with sweets, I was sad to see the bottom of my bowl.  I will be standing in that Humphry Slocombe line again soon.  Very soon.


Does anyone have any great restaurant/cafe/bakery/etc suggestions for future Delvious reports?

3 Comments | In: Ice cream, Restaurants | tags: Bacon, donuts, dynamo donuts, Humphry Slocombe, Ice cream. | #

I took a few of these delvious cupcakes to the San Francisco National Food Bloggers’ Bake Sale weekend before last, where contributions from about 20 local food bloggers brought in $1,650 in donations for Share Our Strength (!!!).





The bake sale was held outside of Omnivore Books in San Francisco, which is perhaps the most awesome place ever.  An hour flew by as I thumbed through cookbooks on every imaginable topic including local cuisines (I wanted a mammoth New Orleans cookbook like no other) and vintage publications that looked well-loved by 1950s housewives.  I’m glad I had left my wallet in the car, or my credit card bill could have gotten ugly.





The highlight of the day was walking outside of the bookstore to see an adorable old man in a beret leaving the bake sale, carrying one of my cupcakes.  I really wanted to take a picture, but that might have been a little creepy so I refrained (barely).

Recipe

You’re probably wondering how I can ramble on about this bake sale when I clearly need to explain these tomato soup spice cupcakes. Contrary to what you might think, they were delicious.






Generous quantities of allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg were baked into a Campbell’s tomato soup laced batter.  Since I made these cupcakes the night before the bake sale, I used oil in place of butter because I figured that would guarantee a nice moist cake in the morning.






The red-tinged cakes tasted somewhat like pumpkin bread or carrot cake.  The sweet but slightly tangy cream cheese frosting was the perfect compliment, and I highly recommend topping each with some toasted walnuts.  The tomato was barely detectable, if at all – I doubt anyone would have guessed there was a delvious mystery ingredient had I not disclosed it on the packaging.

Tomato Soup Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Mike’s Blog via Nancie McDermott’s Southern Cakes

Prep time + Bake time = 15 minutes + 20 minutes

Makes 20 cupcakes

Printable recipe

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

One 10 3/4 oz can condensed Campbell’s Cream of Tomato soup

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup water

Frosting Ingredients

One 8 0z block of cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Walnuts for garnish, toasted (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

2.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to a large bowl.  Stir with a fork to combine well.

3.  Add tomato soup, oil, eggs and water to the bowl.  Using a whisk or mixer on low speed, beat the ingredients into a smooth batter.  Scrape down the sides with a spatula occasionally.

4.  Distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

6.  Once the cupcakes are cooled, add the cream cheese and butter to a standing mixer (or a large bowl and use a hand mixer).  Beat until evenly combined.  Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition.  Once desired consistency is reached, beat in vanilla extract.

7.  Frost cupcakes.  Garnish with toasted walnuts if desired.

1 Comment | In: Cake | tags: allspice, bake sale, cinnamon, cloves, cream cheese, nutmeg, Tomato soup. | #

As I mentioned in my first post, bacon is constantly popping up in desserts these days.  I know I’m a bit behind on the trend, but I have finally tried it for myself.


I knew I wanted to make my first (and potentially last) bacon dessert in cookie form – easy to transport and share.  I wavered between a standard chocolate chip dough with some chocolate-covered bacon stirred in, but ultimately decided to go with a simple peanut butter cookie studded with crispy bacon bits.





My verdict?  Totally delvious.  I’ve heard peanut butter is good on a bacon cheeseburger, and now I’m officially convinced that would work.

Recipe

The hardest thing about this recipe (or any recipe postponing the immediate consumption of bacon) is resisting that hot bacon right out of the frying pan. Once you’ve made it that far, the recipe is nearly done.  I used half creamy peanut butter and half crunchy since I am without a doubt a crunchy PB lover.  I followed Joy the Baker‘s suggestion to roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar, only because why wouldn’t you?





Out of the oven, it was kind of impossible not to inhale the cookies.  Rest assured, however, that these cookies will stay nice and chewy for a few days.  As for the taste: peanut butter and bacon are both assertive flavors, so neither was overpowered by the other.  The bacon contributes a nice balance of saltiness with a bit of that wonderful applewood smoked flavor from the bacon I used.  Of course if you pick out a bacon bit in a tiny bite it’s still going to taste like meat, so enjoy as you would any other cookie for the overall effect.


I felt a little insecure about leaving bacon at room temperature, so I recommend refrigerating the leftovers (should any make it past Day 1) and bringing them to room temp before polishing them off.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Prep time + Bake time: 20 minutes + 10 minutes

Makes 24 cookies

Printable recipe

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter (creamy, crunchy or combination)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

6 slices of thick-cut bacon

Directions

1.  In a skillet over medium high heat, fry bacon until cooked through and crispy.  Let cool on paper towels.  Dice into small pieces, and set aside.

2.  Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine peanut butter and sugars for about 2 minutes until well combined.  Add egg and baking soda, and mix for 2 more minutes.  Fold in the bacon with a spatula.  Refrigerate dough for an hour or until firm.

3.  Preheat oven to 350F and grease baking sheet with butter.

4.  Roll dough into  walnut sized balls and roll them in extra white sugar.  Once they’re on the baking sheet, create the criss-cross pattern using the tines of a fork.

5.  Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

My cookies may have been flat, but there was a way to make good on the situation.

As you have noticed from the pictures, my cookies went from about 1-inch-diameter dough balls to 4-inch-diameter cookie discs.  My speculations:

• I used JIF rather than natural peanut butter which probably contains more oil.
• The dough spent a lot of time in the stand mixer, so it was definitely at room temperature.  Hence, I recommend refrigerating the dough before baking.

Staring dejectedly at my delicious but ugly cookies, I realized that they had amazing potential as components for an ice cream cookie sandwich.  I used plain ol’ vanilla bean, but I suspect some caramel ice cream would have been stellar.  If you don’t mind some melty ice cream, eat these sandwiches immediately.  If you want a less messy treat, you can pop them in the freezer to firm the ice cream up a bit.


For vegetarians wanting to simulate the PB bacon cookie experience, make the peanut butter cookies sans bacon and light a few bacon scented candles.  Or not.

6 Comments | In: Cookies | tags: Bacon, Peanut Butter. | #

When I was in Granada, Spain, with my sister last year, we went olive oil tasting.  As we sipped several varieties by the teaspoon, I was surprised how intensely flavored olive oil can be on its own.  Some were fruity, and some were so peppery in the back of our throats that we were coughing.  Remembering this experience, I’ve been dubious about olive oil cakes since canola and vegetable oils are nearly flavorless.  Given my love of moist oil-based cakes, however, I decided to give olive oil its chance.


In addition to the cup of heart-healthy EVOO, this cake calls for some zucchini – i.e. a serving of vegetables!  This dessert is obviously health food, and certainly delvious.

Recipe

A one-bowl recipe, I highly recommend this incredible cake.  A stand mixer will make things things easier, but a hand mixer will accomplish the same goal.  Time saver: I used a food processor to get the zucchini grated more quickly.  Even though the shreds weren’t perfect, it’s faster than doing it by hand with a box grater.





Out of the oven, I thought the cake looked a bit dry.  I drizzled the lemony icing and (not so patiently) waited for it to cool.  As I eyed my plated slice, it still looked like it was going to taste a notch better than cardboard.   Luckily appearances can be deceiving – the cake was moist with a tender crumb.  The olive oil and zucchini were undetectable, overpowered by the cinnamon, toasted walnuts and the perfect amount of sweet lemon glaze.





About a quarter of the cake was left after dessert was served, which I wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and left at room temperature.  As with most oil-based cakes, it was even BETTER on Day 2!  The last slice was still tasty on Day 3.  On Day 4, I was just sad it was gone.

Olive Oil Zucchini Cake with Lemon Icing

Adapted from Amateur Gourmet via Gina DePalma

Prep time + Bake time = 15 min + 50 min

Serves 10-12

Printable recipe

Cake Ingredients

1 cup walnut pieces

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)

Icing Ingredients

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in the center of the oven.  Grease a 10 cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and dust lightly with flour.

2.  Place the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them until they are golden brown and aromatic (12-14 minutes).  Cool the walnuts completely, then finely chop them in the food processor and set aside.

3.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside.

4.  In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes), then add vanilla extract.  Beat in the dry ingredients all at once on low speed until they are thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Switch the mixer to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.  Add the zucchini and walnuts and beat on low speed until they are completely incorporated, again scraping down the sides of the bowl.

5.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

6.  Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake time to ensure even browning, until the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

7.  While the cake is baking, prepare the icing.  In a medium bowl, whisking together the lemon juice and granulated sugar, then whisk in the powdered sugar until the icing is completely smooth.

8.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack.  Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake (or brush it onto the cake using a pastry brush).  Allow the cake to cool and the icing to harden.

9.  Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap, keeps well up to 2 days.

5 Comments | In: Cake | tags: lemon, Olive oil, Zucchini. | #