Baking Serendipity

365: Week Six

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:12:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

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thirty-six: in the ingredient gathering stage. i like to start recipes organized.

thirty-seven: this quinoa is rinsing in my sink. it's about to become breakfast. get excited! ps: recipe to come!

thirty-eight: there are a lot of smoothies and chia seeds in my life these days.

thirty-nine: these eggs baked in bread bowls. it makes a totally appropriate valentine's day brunch...that will get crumbs all over the place if you try to serve it in bed. (real life pro-tip.)

forty: i cut butter into crumb toppings with two butter knives. it's like cutting spaghetti noodles for a small child. or...life without a pastry blender.

forty-one: english muffin. marinara. meatball pieces. mozzarella. hello, friday night simplicity.

forty-two: breakfast on the patio. it was 81 degrees this day!

Peanut Butter-Banana-Marshmallow Fluff Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:50:00 +0000

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Yesterday, I was in the grocery. I was walking down an aisle and thinking, like regular, when I realized...my at ease face was straight up cranky. I wasn't tired of looking at cracked eggs in all the easily accessible cartons. I wasn't blocked into busy aisles. I was just making rude lady faces subconsciously.

I don't like this. I don't like this one bit.

I think I've been overwhelmed...forever. I also think I've maybe been in a funk for three days. It could be longer. Maybe not. It's sometimes hard to pinpoint. What I'm trying to say is...it happens. It's not pretty. You totes don't want to read about it. It's real life...without the sparkles and cupcakes and sugar.

Funks and cranky faces are undoable. I realized this after yoga. (On Youtube. Deal.) And prayer. I don't think God is ever in funks. But He knows all about them.

I also think heaven might include clouds of marshmallow fluff...but that's for a different day.

Quiet time to twist our bodies up and breathe deep and put the big stuff on God...we all need some of this in our days.

It frees us up to think about the little things worth loving. Things like popcorn popped on the stove. Dough streched by floured hands. The time three extra snooze buttons gives you to curl up with the one you love.

Like the drip of coffee echoing in an empty kitchen. A puppy racing to the door when you open it. A phone call with your mom that clears everything up.

Peanut butter. Banana. Marshmallow fluff smoothies. Topped with mini chocolate chips...because you should definitely go there.

These are the things we need bouncing around in our brains.

Peanut Butter-Banana-Marshmallow Fluff Smoothie

1 banana, frozen
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup almond milk
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp marshmallow fluff
1/2 tsp xanthum gum
handful of mini chocolate chips

Peel a banana and cut it into pieces (about the size of an ice cube). Freeze. Place frozen banana, yogurt, almond milk, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff in a blender. Blend on medium-high speed, until smooth. Add xanthum gum and blend just to incorporate. Pour into a serving glass and top with mini chocolate chips.

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:47:00 +0000

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It can't be accidental that Valentine's Day alllllmost kicks off the, there is no football on tv this weekend stretch of the year.

Boys can't think about fantasy leagues and roses, chicken wings and fancy chocolates simultaneously.

Romance is definitely a post Super Bowl thing.

Incidentally, my husband surprised me with flowers, Starbucks and a Costco churro at school yesterday. It proved my theory. And seriously brightened my day. Well played, husband.

It's romance season. Bring it.

Romantic breakfasts involve sleepy eyed people sitting together over coffee. Can you handle this so far?

Good.

Breakfasts (even romantic ones) ought to be deceptively simple. It's an early hour meal. We're starting days here. Let's not make things overly complicated.

Eggs are cracked into a bowl and beaten with just a little cream. Bacon is cooked and crumbled into the bowl. Vegetables are diced and thrown in too. Shredded cheese...because what's breakfast without cheese?

If vegetables aren't a thing you like with your eggs or you prefer sausage to bacon, no bigs! These are just ideas. Do your thing. People will love it.

The egg mixture is poured into a bread bowl (with its center scooped out) and baked.

While it's baking...drink more coffee. Talk about living in a house with a front porch and adirondack chairs. This is basically a breakfast date. These are just the things you discuss.

It's romance.

Until basketball tournaments begin.

PS: If you're not into eggs...these pancakes are shaped like hearts and taste like strawberry shortcake. Get in on it! And, if you just can't make breakfast dates your thing, this lasagna was made for date nights. You're set.

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls

2 bread bowls
4 eggs
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
red onion, diced
green pepper, diced
salt and pepper, to season

Cut the centers out of two bread bowls (be careful to leave at least 1/4" of bread at the bottom) and set aside. In a medium sized mixing bowl, crack eggs. Add cream and whisk to break yolks. Cook bacon and crumble into mixing bowl. Dice vegetables and add as well. Add cheddar cheese, season with salt and pepper and stir gently with whisk. Spoon egg mixture evenly into bread bowls and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Eat with a knife and fork.

365: Week Five

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:08:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

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twenty-nine: valentine's m&m's in the food processor. i still need a use of this cherry flavored madness...beyond overnight oats mix-ins.

thirty: this is my secret to good mood first hour classes. ps: this day i discovered a caffe misto. it's just coffee and steamed milk. kind of like a latte, but not so expensive. high five!

thirty-one: i cleaned my pantry! big deal of the week. this (believe it or not) is what organization looks like (where i live).

thirty-two: good morning, avocado smeared on a toasted english muffin. you're a little blurry, but it's okay. weekdays start slightly before the functioning hour.

thirty-three: yes. there is a gnome on my tv stand.

thirty-four: this happy hour was totes classier than it looks.

thirty-five: marshmallow cream frosting toasting under the broiler. don't act impressed. this was a real life epic fail.

Cinnamon Sugar Rice Krispies

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:19:00 +0000

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I want (in no particular order):

A glass of red wine.

A ridiculously large bowl of popcorn.

(It's Friday night...this is dinner. It's like happy hour in your own home with sweatpants and your DVR. Don't hate.)

The squeaker in the cupcake toy I bought Hunter to break. (Don't tell him. It's a totally malicious dog mama thing to wish for.)

Legs that are magically not winter white. Without the weird smell and streaky situation of bronzing lotions and the cancer of tanning beds. In Phoenix it's already flip flop weather and this is about to be a serious situation.

Someone fantastic to do my laundry and dust my house and tell me I look pretty and dang! Are those fancy cupcakes you're preparing! No, I don't want one. I just want to tell you that you frost like a dream. Where are these people? How do I befriend them?

Self-control. I've been eating rice krispies like a crazy lady. Soon it's going to spoil this popcorn dinner I have planned.

(Just not yet.)

These rice krispies make serious use of brown butter, melted marshmallow and vanilla as glue...you can eat. No bigs.

This nutty-sweet glue sticks together a combination of rice krispies and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is a little bit of a cinnamon sugar overload. Don't fight it.

You should know. When life is stressful, I splurge on childhood cereal to eat with milk and feel better. Things calmed the heck down and I had half a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch left. Not a terrible dilemma after all. Which means...these are totally normal coping mechanisms.

PS: I think you could go straight bonkers and mix whatever cereal you have in cupboard into this. But! The cinnamon sugar brown butter situation might be hard to beat. I kind of want to challenge you to try it. And then share.

Rice Krispie mania. Let's make this a thing.

Cinnamon Sugar Rice Krispies

3 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1/2 cup butter
1 bag marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

Measure Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal into a food processor and pulse until broken into smaller pieces (not crumbs, just smaller). Combine with Rice Krispies cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a large, deep skillet, heat butter over medium heat until it turns a golden brown color. Add marshmallows and reduce heat to low. Stir until marshmallows have melted. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Pour brown butter/marshmallow/vanilla glue into bowl with cereal. Stir gently to coat. Press into a 9x13" pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let sit for at least one hour to sit up before cutting and serving. Store leftover bars in an airtight container.

Blood Orange and Beer Crockpot Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:52:00 +0000

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I grew up under the Cleveland curse.

Between the Browns yucko color scheme (a sometimes underestimated big deal) and hot mess of a record...I decided the NFL was not worth my time.

(Truth. In the first three months I lived in Phoenix, the Cardinals played in the Super Bowl. My dad was a little bit beside himself.)

I'm mostly making excuses for my lack of spirit when it comes to the Super Bowl.

Because realistically, if it wasn't for the commercials and the food and the chance to talk nonsense with girls who care equally as little...I wouldn't even go through the effort of figuring what the heck channel it's on anyway.

I know. I'm totally that girl.

I'm making sandwiches to fix things. It's fairly even trade off.

The chicken in this sandwich is cooked with blood oranges and a light beer in the crockpot until it falls right apart.

PS: I say light to mean color, not the bootleg inexpensive lighter calorie beers. Bud Light isn't really what you want here. Don't let the game commercials fool you. Blue Moon...or something that pairs nicely with orange is the real deal.

You could definitely serve this chicken in hoagie buns. You could definitely serve it as sliders. I think warm with melted cheese tastes likes sandwich heaven. But! Cold, with spinach and a little buttermilk avocado ranch dressing in the bun is pretty dreamy too.

There's options here. I like that.

Blood Orange and Beer Crockpot Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, washed and sliced
2 blood oranges, sliced into rounds
1 bottle beer
1/2 cup orange juice

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot. Slice onion, celery and blood oranges. (The blood oranges don't need peeled! Just toss the ends of the oranges away.) Arrange on top of chicken. Pour beer and orange juice over everything and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with a fork. (It should fall apart easily.) Sandwich up!

If beer and chicken is not your thing...you confuse me. But I've got ideas for you too.

Caramelized French Onion Dip. It's like the cheapo grocery version...but fancier.

Cilantro Avocado Hummus. Bright green colors make me feel like summer. This is totally alright in February.

Pecan, Brown Sugar and Kahlua Baked Brie. For sure.

Pepperoni Monkey Bread. It's pepperonis and cheese instead of cinnamon and sugar. A worthy swap. Promise.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers. Totally a Super Bowl main dish number two. Your plans can handle it. I'm sure of this.

Let's drink a beer and eat. With football in the background.

Except...if wine is more your thing and you think the Super Bowl is prime opportunity for painting your nails...I'd like you to be at my house on Sunday, please.

Cherry Almond Energy Bars

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:37:00 +0000

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This afternoon, on my way home from work, I remembered (for the first time...ever) to map the mileage from yesterday's run on the mile counter. You know the mile counter feature. It has a fancier name, I think, but it's located on the dashboard...area.

I drove almost exactly 0.2 miles when there was a lost chocolate lab running in the street.

I knew somewhere in my college educated brain that my dog was locked in his crate, locked in our house. And that dogs don't get out of crates and open doors to the outside world independently. Also, Hunter has too much of a thing for the floor scraps of my messy cooking, peanut butter and strewing random squeaky toys all over a house I'd like to keep clean to run away. At least this is what I told myself over and over in the 0.2 mile drive home.

He was there. Safe. Tail wagging. Sloppy kiss giving. Total mama's boy puppy.

I only tell you this story to prove that it's Monday. And I'm already losing it.

Proof number two. I am seriously contemplating making seventeen s'mores in the microwave and eating them for dinner. I think I'll have the technique down somewhere around twelve. Five perfect s'mores is entirely worth the mishap taste-testing.

(Seventeen is a total exaggeration. I think.)

I'd definitely call proof number three my evening plans of watching The Bachelor. But, if there's wine involved, it's simply a good entertainment choice. No wine? I'd second guess those reality television plans. It's just not a good idea.

I have serious plans to keep this week simple from here on out.

I think I'll overwear a side bun and pearls. It's the professional way to say, I just don't know about this week. It might be controlling me.

I think I'll eat pancakes for breakfast...and dinner. Maybe in the same day even. It's still a little early to tell.

One thing I will definitely be all about is homemade energy bars.

These feel like health. They require exactly a food processor, a pan, a spatula and a freezer in the world of kitchen appliance gadgets. (High five, simplicity.)

They have a tart little punch from the cherries that kind of gives me the courage to say, bring it, week.

But this s'more/wine/Bachelor situation is kind of appealing too.

Cherry Almond Energy Bars
recipe adapted from Shutterbean

1/2 cup almonds
1 cup dried cherries
2/3 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp agave syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp salt

Place almonds in a food processor and process until nuts are evenly chopped. (You don't want a powder, but you also don't want giant chunks either. Just use your brain power. You'll be fine. Promise.) Remove chopped nuts from processor and set aside. Place cherries in the food processor and process for 2-3 minutes to finely chop. (If your cherries start to stick together in one big ball of sticky dried fruit, you can stop.) Add oats, agave, coconut oil and chia seeds and process until combined. Add the chopped almonds and pulse until well-combined.

Line the bottom of an 8" pan with parchment paper and press mixture evenly into pan. Cover and freeze for one hour. Upon removing from freezer, chop into rectangular shaped bars. (You may need to cut off the edges to make them look pretty.) Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

365: Week Four

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:30:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

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twenty-two: green monster smoothie with chia seeds. i think bright colors taste best.

twenty-three: simple weeknight dinner. veggie fried rice, chicken sausage and cheesy garlic pita.

twenty-four: deep dish pizza (from homemade dough). get on it.

twenty-five: skinny slices of cucumber and lemon makes my water taste less like...water. i drink so much more this way! (it's a grown-up thing to be excited about, i'm pretty sure.)

twenty-six: hunter eats peanut butter like a champ. i love his crazy dog tongue!

twenty-seven: i made energy bars with almonds and dried cherries. no bigs. (recipe to come!)

twenty-eight: saturday morning breakfast. (i live for slow, simple mornings.)

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies (and other things to love)

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:24:00 +0000

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Beans in brownies. It's a thing...I was ridiculously skeptical about.

Black beans I'm okay with. In places like burritos and even soup. I can totally do black beans in soup! I'm an outside the box thinker. But black beans in brownies? I questioned. And questioned.

Beans in brownies might be trying to call me out on bad habits and guilty pleasures. Like the toothbrush buried in my Halloween loot. An update on the presidential election smack in the middle of the Bachelor. These things...interrupting my otherwise peaceful nonsense. Totally beans in brownies.

I thought this. I thought this a lot and I was wrong.

Black beans pureed and paired with a triple chocolate situation make dang good brownies.

The beans sneak in a smidge of extra protein and fiber, but the chocolate is total center stage here. And! I topped this with sea salt and walnuts...mostly because this lady did exactly that. I baked these. I licked the bowl. I tricked my husband and friends into eating them. They were impressed. I was impressed.

Beans in brownies. Get on this.

Here is where the recipe lives.

And! Because it's Friday...here is a list of my other favorite things to love.

Here is my favorite work-out motivation idea. Ever!

I'm thinking a little about going vegan for Lent. Here is what I would exist on. (Ok. Some of this too.)

Here is what will kill the vegan plan. Big time.

Here is Valentine's Day inspiration to love.

Here is the dress I could never afford but seriously want to wear to the one fancy occasion on my calendar...chaperoning prom.

Happy Friday! What are your favorites?

Homemade (Deep Dish) Pizza Dough

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:40:00 +0000

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This week...this week is bonkers-town crazy in my world.

There are business competitions to judge. (On a Saturday.) Eighth graders to woo into high school life. (Class of 2016 t-shirts are involved. I am old.old.old.) More small group Bible study. (Love.) And still secret 2012 resolutions to unleash. (They definitely do not involve running shoes...and neither does this week.) Stay tuned. I'm a terrible secret keeper.

In the midst of a hectic schedule I need reliable fall backs. The favorites that never get old.

You know, the safety and security of tenth grade Abercrombie khakis. Because they're perfectly broken in, and feel like cheating on dress pants while still looking mostly professional.

Caramel macchiatos. Old school favorite. Purchased in the drive-thru. Because these are the weeks when my travel mug leaks coffee down the front of me and I rely on the Tide-to-go sticks in the purses of senior girls. (Real life.)

Pizza dinners. Serious deep dish pizza has the comfort food fix-all ability of macaroni and cheese. And the fancy factor of...ummmm, I'm not even sure I make fancy dinners. But pizza can be all sorts of fancy when made in a cast iron skillet and flecked with the whole grain look of wheat flour. Fancy and safe. I need this.

Making your own pizza dough is totally doable in busy weeks. It takes a little time, but it's mostly for uninvolved dough rising and is entirely worthwhile. Time well spent in busy weeks sometimes feels elusive and precious. Do you know this? Or is my schedule giving you crazy talk?

Right.

Pizza dough. Time well spent.

Take a deep breath. Hug someone you love. Knead some dough. It's therapy.

Homemade (Deep Dish) Pizza Dough

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup water (110 degrees Farenheit)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours, yeast and salt. Mix to incorporate well. Measure and heat water. (You can measure water directly from the tap. It should feel hot to the touch, but not warm enough that you can't keep your hand in it.) With mixer on low speed, add water and olive oil. Mix (using a dough hook) for 9 minutes. Within 1-2 minutes, the dough should form a loose ball. (If this isn't happening, and the dough is too wet, add more flour. If it's too dry, add a splash more water. With either adaptation, use minimal flour/water and give it a few minutes to absorb before reassessing.)

Form dough into a smooth ball. Place on a dinner plate sprayed with non-stick spray, spray the top of the dough and cover with saran wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator. Let rise in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 2-3 days.

After dough has risen, press and stretch into form. (You may want to do this on a slightly floured surface.) Transfer to a deep dish skillet and follow these instructions to build a Chicago style pizza.

Option B: Use this dough for thin crust pizza and use the remainder for breadsticks.

Dark Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Blood Orange Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:04:00 +0000

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In high school, it's entirely possible that I held a part-time job just to shop at Abercrombie. College savings clearly were less important than expensive prep school clothes.

If I could go back and teach my sixteen year old self a lesson...seriously.

Except, I'm fairly certain that the teenage girl who shops at Abercrombie becomes the twenty-something lady who tries (mostly) hard to spend only a reasonable amount of money at Anthropologie and JCrew...but at the end of the day, just has a thing for pretty things (that are slightlllly out of her budget. oops).

Blood oranges are pretty things. They're a fancy fruit for people who know what's up. For people who paint their nails and buy lipstick...but totally understand the power of a good pair of sweatpants.

Blood oranges and dark chocolate chips are tart and bitter tastes in all the good ways. Entirely sophisticated and slightly grown-up. But my favorite is just the fact that they look pretty.

Sometimes, I need a shallow breakfast. For my self-esteem and my tastebuds. Get on this.

Dark chocolate chips stud thick, fluffy pancakes.

I know...can pancakes be thick and fluffy? Yes. And yes. This is the good life.

Blood oranges are segmented, squished and heated with a hint of sugar, water and cornstarch to form a slightly thick sauce with chunks of orange and a bright red color. This tops the pancakes to make a breakfast that's all sorts of attractive.

Fancy and pretty and full of nice tastes. I like this way to start a day.

Dark Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add egg and milk and stir just to combine. Fold in dark chocolate chips. Spoon batter onto a greased griddle or large skillet. Flip when the edges begin to dry, cooking evenly on both sides. Serve warm, stacked and topped with blood orange sauce.

Blood Orange Sauce

2 blood oranges, peeled and segmented
4 tbsp water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch

Peel and segment oranges. Place in a small saucepan and add water, sugar and corn starch. Using a potato smasher, smash oranges and combine with other ingredients. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and stir occasionally, allowing sauce to thicken. (This will happen in about the time it takes you to prepare the pancakes.)

365: Week Three

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:40:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

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fifteen: new measuring cups. simple and pretty...and so not fitting in the overflowing gadget drawer. oops.

sixteen: bacon juuuust might be the secret to waking up happy on mondays.

seventeen: dark chocolate almonds. rockstar food. (or something.) ps: these ground up into dark chocolate blueberry almond butter. real life.

eighteen: blood oranges were all over my life this week.

nineteen: i snuck out of school for lunch with my husband at paradise bakery on this day. by snuck i definitely mean got nervous about asking permission.

twenty: i'm becoming an egg snob. and whisks...um. i'm not super picky about those.

twenty-one: stale baguettes make dreamy french toast dippers. i'm fairly certain that every saturday morning should involve maple syrup.

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Almond Butter

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:38:00 +0000

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I know...this isn't really a recipe.

It's more a mess of what's in my kitchen ground up in my food processor. (Sort of. I was prepared to eat a little more than almonds and blueberries in this day.)

In reality, if I actually needed to get out of the kitchen, drive to the grocery store (not Starbucks), mop the floor and brush the dog...this would be the kind of thing I'd create quickly and be pretty dang impressed with.

Let's be real. This is simple. And too often we are busy people with almost empty cupboards. We all need simple.

So! Fancypants dark chocolate almonds are processed with a hint of chocolate olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a quick handful of blueberries into almond butter.

It sounds like a big deal. It totally is. We're making health food. Homemade. In a heavy duty kitchen appliance. Let's not downplay this.

This almond butter is a dream paired with apples. But, you could also spread it on any sort of bread product or dollop it in oatmeal...if that's your sort of thing.

One small pro-tip: Making almond butter in small food processors is tricky. The motors need lots of breaks...or they overheat and you're left with crushed almonds and a broken food processor. The big daddy food processor is safest.

Let's not break things and over-complicate an otherwise simple snack.

PS: We're halfway to the weekend. Would you tell it to hurry itself up already? Thanks.

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Almond Butter

1 cup Emerald cocoa roast dark chocolate almonds
1 tbsp chocolate olive oil (or any oil would work)
1/4 cup blueberries
pinch of sea salt

Grind almonds and olive oil in a food processor until a somewhat smooth butter begins to form. Add blueberries and sea salt and continue to process until the mixture forms a small ball. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Blossoms

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:09:00 +0000

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I sneak out of bed to make sure the door is locked more times than I should admit.

I have a real life predator...disguised as a chocolate lab sleeping at the foot of my bed. But when it comes to nighttime safety, I feel like I should do my part anyway.

I make to-do lists like a crazy lady. They're in my planner. On my iPod. Magentized to my fridge. I sometimes interrupt phone conversations to update them. I'm sorry, people I put on hold. It's real life. Things can't be forgotten.

I watch that chocolate lab of mine breathe when he's sleeping. Juuuust to double check. When I have children...check in on me. I'll be in a to-do list making, child sleep watching through the baby monitor funk. I can see it now.

I tell you all this so you know...I'm a worrier.

I try to conceal it with crazy, I don't care, curly hair and a messy kitchen. But deep down, I'm concerned about things. I think about this crazy life...and what I need to do that makes sense and leaves my mark on it.

I get nervous meeting people. I'm joining a small group at church whose sole purpose is to figure out how to live and love like Jesus. Simple, accepting business. It meets on Thursdays. Annnnd, I'm already thinking about what to wear. And what to say. And how to download the Bible app offline version so I fit in with technology. (PS: I have an iPod. And a phone that can call and text. The end.)

I can't leave well enough alone.

But sometimes it pays off.

In the midst of my is the puppy alive, why is my kitchen a disaster again and can I convince these people I'm not entirely awkward worries, I've created a cookie situation...that gives me a minute to forget about it all.

This cookie! This cookie is my favorite Christmas cookie...turned cookies and cream with a hint of cheesecake. It's a post-holiday version. You can accept this. I'm certain of it.

It starts with a basic sugar cookie. No frills. But then, cream cheese is added to the dough. And the dough balls are rolled in crushed Oreo cookies. No second guessing.

They bake into fluffy pillows of Oreo cheesecake cookie. And a cookies and cream kiss is placed in the center.

Don't know about these things? Don't worry.

I bought these Hershey's kisses at Christmas-time at Target. But! I saw them in the candy aisle...exactly yesterday. So you're totally good. There's no need to stress about the existence of these. Just get yourself to Target.

They're there...waiting for you...to put off your to-do lists and worries and press into cookies.

It's real life. Take a break. You deserve it.

Trust me.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Blossoms
sugar cookie recipe adapted from June

1 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar
2 egg yolks and 1 egg white
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp milk
2/3 tsp salt
3 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 sleeve Oreo cookies, crushed
42 cookies and cream Hershey's kisses (via Target)

Mix ingredients in order (except Oreo cookies and Hershey's kisses). Chill dough in refrigerator for one hour. Shape dough into small balls and roll in Oreo cookie crumbs. (I used my food processor to crush the cookies into a fine crumb.) Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8 minutes. Gently push a cookies and cream kiss into the center of each cookie immediately after removing from oven. (Be careful not to push the kiss all the way through the cookie.) Let cool slightly before transferring to wire rack.

365: Week Two

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:31:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

eight: sunday morning pancakes. (lemon poppyseed)

nine: cookies and cream hershey kisses. get on this.

ten: i should be more embarrassed that there's pizza grease in my mark on the internet...but i'm mostly just strangely proud of hunter's proximity to the pizza and the fact that he isn't eating it. i dunno.

eleven: sugar cookie dough. simple happiness.

twelve: frozen yogurt splurge. (thanks, instagram and ipod.)

thirteen: pomegranate dissection. (i wish you didn't happen on a red cutting board.)

fourteen: saturday night. mini pizza on pita bread and a glass of pinot grigio. there's close to zero lighting in my living room. real life.

My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:39:00 +0000

Oh, hello, three day weekend.

You are full of serious opportunity. I like this about you.

I could sort the mail. Mop the floor. Pull the weeds. You know...responsible things.

Or! Or, I could wear my house sweater a lot, drink wine and watch The Bachelor.

There are totally options here.

Um...house sweaters. Please tell me you have one. Mine is grey and wool and it cinches with a belt that is lost somewhere in my closet. It's long. It has a hood. It's from abercrombie. The lower case store version...for kids. I shouldn't even say things like this on the Internet.

It's probably best not to be seen in my house sweater. It's the finishing touch to a totally unkempt me outfit.

But it smells like the perfume of the store it lived in before I bought it...too many years ago.

And, it makes me want to drink extra coffee. Make cookies and eat way too much of the dough. Spread my life memories on the floor, hope the dog doesn't walk all over them and get my best moments organized attractively. These are three day weekend activities.

So house sweater it is. All lazy, irresponsible messes, I'm blaming straight on this outfit choice.

Will you get in on this with me? I think some time in your weekend should be spent reflecting on big days. Wedding days. Dog adoption days. Birthdays. The days you spend with family and friends and feel love everywhere.

Little days! These are a big deal too. These are the days you think nothing is really happening...but in the minutes and hours of these days, you're becoming you. Don't overlook these days because your hair was a mess for the camera and your biggest accomplishment was packing vegetables in your lunch. Unless you're wearing your house sweater. Then...maybe it's okay to just skip it.

Put your important things in a scrapbook. It's kind of for you. It's definitely to make sure that everyone who comes after you knows about life in your world. Preserve it.

My Memories is helping with the preservation and the sharing and cutting down on the mess. Their digital scrapbooking software is a dream. It's rated #1 by Amazon...because it's easy to use and offers vibrant, fun graphics to spice up things like scrapbooks and calendars and cards. There's fancy backgrounds, embellishment options and pretty fonts. Essentials.

I'm making a Hunter scrapbook. Because I might be a little into this dog of mine. It's fine.

I'm also giving away one copy of the My Memories Suite software. It's downloadable and simple to get started on right away. To enter, leave a comment here telling me what big and little moments you want to save up for the future. Then, checkout the digital paper packs and layouts that will jazz it up. Enter by midnight on Sunday, January 15 and I'll announce a winner first thing Monday morning. Then...one full day of scrapbooking for you lucky person.

Extra entries can be obtained by following Baking Serendipity on Facebook or Twitter. Just leave a separate comment letting me know you do so.

And! If you want to start right now with a $10 discount on both the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon to be used at the MyMemories.com store, simply enter the promo code STMMMS45669 at checkout.

Long weekend. Comfy, lazy day clothes. Zero scrapbooking mess. Boom.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:51:00 +0000

In the afternoon I go for a run with Hunter (that's the dog in my life).

It looks a little more like jog, sprint, sudden stop, sniff, sprint and get tangled up in some random sidewalk obstacle...than it does run.

I go for these embarrassing runs that convince the better part of the neighborhood I can't control the eighty pound beast at the end of my leash for a number of fairly valid reasons.

one. There's sunshine and 75 degrees in my January. I can't stare out a window at that all day and not want to run outside.

two. I have a crazy brain.

three. After our running situation, when I'm in the shower and my arms are allllmost too sore from Hunter tugging at the leash to wash my hair, this dog of mine sprawls out across the bath mat and scooches up right against the shower wall. Then, he snuggles in my lap all night. It's a best friend thing. I'm a total pushover for cuddle inducing activities.

(Also...I have a crazy brain.)

four. There are new year's resolution makers at the gym. They don't know how to turn on the treadmill, return the weights to the appropriate spot or put in headphones and stop yelling random gossip to the person walking next to them. I'm a January gym avoider. Except in serious stress bad day situations. Like yesterday.

Yesterday I broke the no-gym January trend. And discovered that my gym is running a January incentive program. The more you work out there, the more times you're entered to win things like televisions and cash.

I don't know how much cash. Or what kind of tv. But I'm a serious responder to external motivation. And now I'm having an internal battle...crazy dog run or random prize earning?

(Did I mention I have a crazy brain? Right.)

I need a little time to reflect on work-out plans, on stickers and incentives and puppy snuggles. There's a lot to think over in my exercise world.

Pancakes may or may not be my serious thinking fuel. Served with warm maple syrup and a milky cup of coffee...I can solve big-time issues with this kind of breakfast.

These pancakes taste like lemon poppyseed muffins...but also pancakes. It's a hybrid love thing. Meyer lemon zest and juice makes them citrusy and poppyseeds have just an itty bitty crunch in the middle. They make me want to take a deep breath and figure life out.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup milk
zest and juice of two meyer lemons
1 tbsp poppyseeds

Zest meyer lemons into a small bowl and set aside. In a separate, larger bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add egg, milk and meyer lemon juice and stir just to combine. Fold in lemon zest and poppyseeds. Spoon batter onto a hot, greased griddle or large skillet. Flip when the edges begin to dry, cooking evenly on both sides. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.

Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:08:00 +0000

I made you a simple pasta sauce.

It's green. Seriously green. I'm all about this.

It's vegan. Except I accidentally snuck in some freshly grated parmesan cheese because it was in the fridge being a temptress and I don't know much else to do with pasta but get parmesan cheese involved. If you can skip this, you're hardcore...and I like your style.

Even with the cheese, this is healthy eats disguised. It's a new year's resolution keeper, but it's subtle about it. And I don't know about you, but I need a little subtlety in my life already.

The bills in my mailbox are demanding. The weeds in my flower garden are nearing embarrassing. And the fact that my Christmas tree is only partially disassembled makes me feel a smidge like a mess of a housewife.

Life is back to bonkers. Let's just be real about it.

I need simplicity and escape wherever I can find it. This is maybe why I'm watching The Bachelor...despite the fact that Ben's best quality is his ability to make wine. I mostly spend two hours of my week wishing he'd cut his hair. All in the name of escape nonsense. This is hard work. Really.

Simple pasta sauce is all sorts of a better alternative. Even when it's green and seems suspiciously like guacamole.

(It's not! Trust.) The avocado makes this sauce creamy. The garlic and lemon juice and black pepper give it a little punch. It coats whole wheat pasta perfectly...and somehow makes up for everything that's not crossed off on my to-do list. (Except watching The Bachelor on Hulu.)

Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
the juice of half a lemon
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 handful spinach
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried basil
whole wheat pasta
a sprinkling of parmesan cheese (if you choose)

Blend minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, avocado and spinach using an immersion blender until smooth. Season with black pepper and basil and blend once more to combine. Dollop atop cooked pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Stir to coat evenly.

365: Week One

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

a food related photo everyday until 2013.

one: champagne fancied up with raspberries at midnight.

two: healthy afternoon snack. let's do this, new year.

three: cheerios. banana slices. frozen raspberries. vanilla almond milk. (in a dollar store bowl courtesy of the bachelor pad.)

four: healthy groceries. pretty shoes. life essentials.

five: creamy avocado pasta sauce made with the immersion blender. (recipe to come!)

six: chocolate peppermint smoothie. and episode one of the bachelor. thank you, hulu.

seven: red wine and backyard bonfire. hello, saturday night.

Chicken, Red Pepper and Spinach Alfredo Lasanga

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:27:00 +0000

In December, my life was scheduled full of holiday parties.

And now...I sort of want an excuse to wear pretty shoes and leave lipstick on a wine glass.

I want to paint my nails, do my hair and buy something that sparkles.

I need a date night. Soon.

My guess is you have room in your January for date night too. It's a fairly fantastic calendar situation.

Let's be clear here. Date nights with husbands and wives and boyfriends and girlfriends are equal parts cliche and fantastic.

But! Date night could mean girls night. It could be a couples party. It could be you and old episodes of The OC...if Google searching tv shows you watched in college is your happy thing. No one's here to judge.

I'm a fan of every option...but think you seriously need to consider scheduling date night to be a night in.

It makes a little mess. It's okay. You can handle it.

There's benefits to dinner in. At home means you control the ingredients, the portions, the leftovers. You can sit at the table as long as you want...without the guilty feeling. And you save money. If none of this relates to your new year's resolutions, I just don't know what to do with you.

Clean your house. (I need an excuse sometimes.) Buy your favorite bottle of wine. Make fancy lasagna with alfredo sauce. It impresses people. And don't be afraid to wear lipstick for goodness sake. Just because you're at home doesn't mean you can't look like a lady.

Chicken, Red Pepper and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 box lasagna noodles (I like the no boil for simplicity.)
2 jars alfredo sauce (or make your own!)
2 large handfuls fresh spinach, destemmed
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cook and shred chicken breasts. (They can be boiled, baked or set to cook in the morning in the crockpot.) Combine chicken with diced red pepper and minced garlic in a small bowl. Spray the bottom of a baking dish with a nonstick spray. (I used a square Le Creuset pan.) Spread a thin layer of alfredo sauce. Layer noodles, followed by additional sauce, ricotta cheese, chicken/red pepper/garlic, spinach leaves, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Repeat layers until you've filled the dish, ending with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover dish and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly.

PS: Using reduced fat cheeses and alfredo sauce here doesn't cut flavor.one.little.bit. High five.

Pecan, Brown Sugar and Kahlua Baked Brie

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:33:00 +0000

In my world normal looks like a 5:30 alarm clock.

A 6:00 walk with the dog.

A 6:30 timer starting the coffee pot...when I have my life together the night before and preset the coffee. (Brewing hot water with no coffee beans has maybe happened here. It's normal too. Just not a good start to the day.)

Normal is sad puppy dog eyes when I walk out the door. And turning back for one more scratch behind the ears.

Tardy slips. Bathroom passes. Plagiarized papers. More text messages sent in one class period than I can even imagine. Totes normal.

Afternoon normal means an hour at the gym. Another walk with the dog. A pile of dinner dishes I try to stack perfectly in the sink so they can't be seen from a distance...and promptly forget about.

Today was back to normal.

Except day one of (not Christmas break) reality doesn't feel normal.

Which is why wine and cheese for dinner is one hundred percent justifiably necessary. Zero arguments. Zero judgments. Just slightly boozy brie and a glass of wine.

I'll do the dishes tomorrow. If I've readjusted to normal by then.

Pecan Brown Sugar and Kahlua Baked Brie

1/4 cup pecan, chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp kahlua
1 (14 ounce) round brie

Chop pecans and combine with brown sugar in a small bowl. Place brie in the center of an oven safe pie plate and top with pecan/brown sugar mixture. Drizzle with kahlua. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, being careful not to melt the brie down entirely. Serve warm, with sliced apples, sliced pears or crackers.

Cranberry, Spinach and Goat Cheese Turkey Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:54:00 +0000

2012. You're two days old.

I've eaten two oranges. To balance out the champagne and frozen yogurt. And because a citrus smelling house seems clean. Without the nuisance of dust rags and vacuum cleaners.

I've trekked up and down two hills. Two times. It's a morning walk thing. Just me and the puppy and the sunrise. This is the way to live.

I've drank two cups of coffee. (They were large mugs. Otherwise this pair thing just wouldn't work with caffeine.)

I ordered a photo calendar. It features the puppy...doing his crazy thing. I ignored the alarm clock. I breakfasted with the husband at a diner. He wore his pilot uniform. I felt pretty. And blessed. And loved.

Also, I grilled! It was seriously close to 80 degrees...and my leftover cranberries needed to be in something more healthy than holiday. It was time to move on.

These things folded into turkey burgers:

(plus goat cheese.)

Pattied. Grilled. Served on toasted english muffins with red wine.

I rocked this grilling thing.

(I secretly wished for snow.)

I'm all about you 2012. I'm totally all about you.

Cranberry, Spinach and Goat Cheese Turkey Burgers

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 handfuls spinach, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh cranberries, halved
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to season

In a large bowl, combine turkey with chopped spinach, diced red onion, halved cranberries and goat cheese crumbles. Add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and incorporate add-ins to meat evenly. (You may need to use your hands.) Form patties. (Medium sized patties will yield six burgers.) Grill over medium heat, flipping to cook evenly on both sides. Serve on toasted english muffins.

all in one day.

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:48:00 +0000

snow on the holly bush.

skinny jeans. uggs. a scarf. cleveland.

i try to pack light. it's tricky.

i was the last person to board this flight. standby is big-time stressful in my world.

window seat view.

do not ever leave me again. understand?

morning walk. las vegas suburbs.

dogs rock at forgiveness.

Pomegranate Cranberry Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:35:00 +0000

This morning I all but drove to Dunkin Donuts in my pajamas for a cup of coffee.

I didn't want to brew it at home...or give up the coffee in my comfy clothes, slow wake-up kind of morning.

It might be my only venture out of the house today. I'm calling this a fantastic day already...and turning on the gas fireplace.right.now.

This is the week between Christmas and New Year's style. It's slow, but caffeinated. Full of family dinners, almost stale cookies, halfway attempts at making New Year's Eve plans and reflecting on 2011. Embrace it.

Without this week, I'd never be motivated to go to the gym. Eat more vegetables. Drink more water. Live a balanced life. Trick people into believing I can be a grown up.

Resolutions would not be made...let alone attempted...for approximately three days...without this week. It's kind of a big deal.

I think I'm ready to say, Bring it 2012, I have big plans for you, now.

Plans bigger than vegetables. Plans bigger than gym memberships. Whole life changing plans. They're sort of secret...for now.

But you can know this: These plans are big enough that I can't decide if I should tell 2012 to hurry the heck up or take a big step backward. It's a tad overwhelming.

So instead...I'm trusting God more this year. I'm letting go of more and having more faith. I'm trying so super hard to admit that I'm not in control. It's tricky stuff. I'm working on it.

Also, I'm going to figure out the secret to a balanced life. It might be yoga and prayer. But I'll keep you posted.

And! I'm taking a food related picture every.single.day. You'll see these. All 365 of them. Please say nice things. It's a self-esteem thing.

Get ready 2012. We're almost in the future.

PS: Banana bread with pomegranate seeds and cranberries was definitely all you wanted to know about. Right?

Dang it.

Let's discuss this quick bread. It's made healthy and moist with greek yogurt. Small January victory. Then, cranberries and the seeds of pomegranates are folded into the batter. These were the most attractive things I had in my fridge...so I put them in the bread. If we're being honest here.

The cranberries give the bread a friendly little tart punch. And the pomegranate seeds! Just a little bit of crunch. Trust this. It's about owning your banana bread. Or something.

If you read this far...I basically love you. Let's be friends in 2012 too.

Pomegranate Cranberry Banana Bread
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups ripe, mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (the seeds of about half a pomegranate)
1/4 cup fresh cranberries

Remove seeds from pomegranate and set aside. Then, to prepare bread, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yogurt, vanilla and mashed banana. Add flours, baking soda and salt and mix well. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds and cranberries. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

PS: I have a thing for banana bread. Proof?

Caramel Pecan Banana Bread.
Peanut Butter Banana Bread.
Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins. (It's bread batter spooned into muffin tins. It still counts.)

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

noreply@blogger.com (baking.serendipity) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:11:00 +0000

Last I checked, it was twenty four degrees outside.

Twenty. Four.

I'm moving between the one smaaall sliver of sunshine on the living room floor and the fireplace. I'm wearing a scarf. Indoors. If this turned into a scarf and three sweatshirts by evening, no one would be surprised.

I'd like to know how people incorporate sparkly tops and stilettos into their New Year's Eves when it's twenty-four degrees and icy. For real.

You're classy people.

I feel like you know this secret. Like you've bought attractive evening wear and made plans. Big plans.

Let's be clear here. I'm defining big plans as any place where chocolate and wine is an acceptable pairing. If that's at your house and sweatpants are involved...we should probably just smush our big plans together. If that's a place that involves pretty things like shoes and sequins...I might be overwhelmed and slightly envious. Maybe.

I think the only way to make the simplicity of a one bowl chocolate cake better is to add red wine. Enough that it might cook out the alcohol in the oven, but no one's entirely sure, so it's best to call it adults only. But not so much that there's not wine left for a drink. While baking.

This is a good situation.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake
recipe from Smitten Kitchen

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
3/4 cup red wine
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup and 1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add sugars and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about three minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat well; then add the red wine and vanilla. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon right over your ingredients. Beat on medium speed until about 3/4 combined, then stir with a rubber spatula. Spread batter in a 9" round pan, sprayed with cooking spray, and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then flip and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately or cover to store.