The Cultural Dish

Daring Bakers: Quick Bread

2012-02-27T07:00:00.003-05:00

The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

I was making a beef stew while perusing the internet and reading what the new challenge would be for the month. Once I saw that it was quick bread I was so excited! I was looking to throw together something simple and quick that could accompany the beef stew, and knew that I had found what I needed!

For the beef stew I just made the basic quick bread recipe, which was so delicious! It definitely had a little sweetness to it too that I loved. I also made the lemon bread since David loves anything lemon! Lisa gave some great recipes and many different variations. Basically, you can build off of the basic recipe and add anything you want - sweet or savory!

Ingredients:
Makes one 9x5 loaf
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup buttermilk or soured milk*
-1 large egg
-1/4 cup mild or non-flavored oil, like canola
-1 teaspoon flavored extract, such as vanilla or almond (I tried vanilla first)

For the Glaze:
-1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
-1-2 teaspoons milk

*To make soured milk, combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes.

Directions:

Preheat oven to moderate 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4. Grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 centimeter) loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper cut to fit the length and width of the pan, with enough overhang to allow easy removal after baking. Grease the top sheet of parchment.

In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.

Lightly whisk (butter)milk, egg, oil, and extract to combine. Pour into well and stir until just mixed into a batter. The batter will be lumpy and may still show a few streaks of flour.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before slicing. Drizzle with glaze, if desired.

For the glaze: Slowly whisk confectioners’ (icing) sugar and half of the milk, adding more milk as needed to thin the glaze to the desired consistency.

Lather up with some butter and enjoy!

For other great quick bread recipes from Lisa, try these out:

Meyer Lemon Loaf

Makes two 8” x 5” (20 x 13 cm) loaves
Adapted from Recipe Girl’s Meyer Lemon Loaf

Ingredients

LOAF:
2 2/3 cups (640 ml) (375 gm/13¼ oz) all-purpose (plain)unbleached flour
¾ teaspoon (3¾ ml) (3¾ gm) baking powder
zest of 3 Meyer lemons (regular old lemons will work just fine)
2 cups (480 ml) (450 gm/16 oz) white granulated sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (180 ml) sour cream or creme fraiche, at room temperature
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rum (can omit – I did!)
1½ tablespoons (22½ ml) fresh Meyer lemon juice (again, regular lemons can be used)
pinch of salt
9 tablespoons (135 ml) (125 gm/4½ oz/1 stick + 1 tablespoon) butter, melted and cooled

SIMPLE SYRUP:
½ cup (120 ml) (115 gm/4 oz) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) water
Juice from 1 medium Meyer Lemon (or regular lemon)

Directions:

Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4. Butter and flour two 8” x 5” (20 x 13 cm) loaf pans.
Sift together flour and baking powder; set aside.
Place sugar, lemon zest, and eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until the mixture is a light lemon color and thickened a bit. This can also be done with a mixer. Whisk in sour cream, then salt, then rum (if using) and lemon juice.
Gently whisk in the flour in four parts, then whisk in the butter in three parts. You’ll have a thick, pourable batter flecked with lemon zest.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
While the loaves are baking, prepare simple syrup. Boil together sugar and water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
Turn the loaves out of their pans onto a cooling rack and brush liberally with the lemon syrup, repeat brushing as you feel necessary. Let cool.

Pumpkin Bread with Maple Cream Cheese Filling

Makes three 8”x 4” (20 x 10 cm) loaves
Adapted from Dana Ramsey’s recipe

Ingredients

FILLING
2 (225 gm/8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (60 ml) (55 gm/2 oz) white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk (can use whole, 1%, 2% or skim.. can even splurge and use cream!)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) maple extract* or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup

BREAD
3 cups (720 ml) 675 gm/24 oz)white granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup (420 ml) (425 gm/15 oz) (pumpkin purée (or 1 can (15 oz) solid-packed pumpkin – NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup (240 ml) light- or non-flavored oil, like canola
1 cup (240 ml) water
4 large eggs
4 cup (960 ml) (560 gm/19¾ oz) all-purpose, unbleached flour
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (10 gm/1/3 oz) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) baking powder
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (4 gm) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (1 gm) ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1¼ ml) (½ gm) ground cloves (I omitted this)
1/2 cup (120 ml) (115 gm/4 oz) chopped pecans (Optional)
1/2 cup (120 ml) (115 gm/4 oz) chopped walnuts (Optional)
1 cup (240 ml) (100 gm/3½ oz) currants or raisins (Optional)

*Note: I would never ask anyone to buy an ingredient that isn’t 100% necessary for a recipe, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND buying maple extract. You get a much better maple flavor than using maple syrup. But this bread would be delicious regardless of which maple option you used.. trust me.

Directions:

Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4. Spray three 8”×4″ (20 x 10 cm) loaf pans with cooking spray.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg and milk in a small bowl until creamy, add your maple extract or syrup and blend. Set aside for now.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. In another large bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
Now gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet. Stir in the nuts and/or dried fruit if using.
Pour half of the batter into three flour-greased 8" x 4" (20 x 10 cm) loaf pans.
Spoon the filling over the batter. Use a spatula to spread it out carefully.
Add the remaining batter making sure you completely cover the filling.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans before removing the bread to a wire rack to cool completely. Store your bread in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap.

Green Onion, Cheddar & Asiago Beer Batter Bread

Makes one 9” x 5” (23 x 13 cm) loaf
Adapted from Recipe Girl’s Cheddar Chive Beer Batter Bread

Ingredients
1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil
1 cup (240 ml) (100 gm/3½ oz) sliced green (spring) onion
3 cups (720 ml) (420 gm/15 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour
3 tablespoons (45 ml) (45 gm/1½ oz) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (10 gm) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
1 cup (240 ml) (115 gm/4 oz) grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup (120 ml) (2 oz) grated Asiago cheese
One (12 fl oz/355 ml) (about 1½ cups) bottle beer (such as amber ale)
¼ cup (60 ml) (55 gm/2 oz) butter, melted and divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F/190°C/gas mark 5. Spray 9”×5″ (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onion and sauté 3-4 minutes or until tender. Cool to room temperature.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Add onion, cheeses, and beer. Stir just until moist.
Spoon batter into prepared pan. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake for 35 minutes; brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake an additional 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:

Loaves can be kept wrapped tightly on the counter or in the fridge for approximately 5 to 7 days. Loaves last 6 months if wrapped tightly and kept air tight in the freezer.

News...

2012-02-16T09:12:00.001-05:00

Okay, I've been bad... really bad...

I have not posted in over a month! And I have not even been able to see many other posts recently either :(

But I swear I have a reason. Well, several reasons. Although it is no excuse, my full-time graduate program has officially gotten the best of me. I am going to try and post at least a couple of times a month, but until I graduate in May, I will not be able to be as active :(

In addition to the craziness of school.... I have some very very good new.....

I GOT ENGAGED!!!

My beautiful Tiffany setting - he has good taste! :)

Back in the day pic...

Yes, David proposed! As a result I have found myself in a sea of wedding madness. I did not realize how much planning these things involved! Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be marrying my best friend, but my god is it expensive! And of course, both David and I have HUGE families and our guest list is already well over 150. So basically, 150 guests = $$$$$.

As I said, although I will be very crazy this semester finishing up grad school and planning the big day, I promise to try and get back in the swing of things. And if I don't, I give you all permission to yell at me! ;)

Foodbuzz 24x24: Seasonal Sips

2012-01-02T08:07:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Hopefully you have all cured your hangovers by now and are beginning the New Year in style :). I wanted to make sure that I ended 2011 with a bang, so I was so excited when Foodbuzz selected me for this month's 24x24. Granted, I would have had this party regardless, but it was great to know that I could share it with all of you!

Now, as many of you know I have been back in grad school, so when I finished for the semester, I was pretty upset that I could not relax and have a drink because I got so sick! After 2 weeks, I am finally better, so all the more reason to drink up! However, I did not just want to have wine, beer, and champagne. I decided that I wanted to create drinks that represent the holiday season and the coming of a new year. But don't get the wrong idea... we of course still went through wine and beer too, which probably explains my headache. At least it's a good headache - the remnants of an amazing night! Plus, I made some waffles this morning to make my tummy feel better :).

So without further ado, here are my Seasonal Sips....

The Maple Butter Kiss Martini (courtesy of the Food Network)

This Martini is so delicious and easy to make! The flavors are amazing and encompass the flavors of the season in a glass! This was definitely my go to drink last night!

Ingredients:
-Ice
-1.5 oz vodka
-1/2 oz butterscotch schnapps
-1/4 oz maple syrup
-1 oz half and half
-Dash of nutmeg

Directions:
Pour all ingredients, except for the nutmeg, into a martini shaker. Shake vigorously and pour into martini glass. Sprinkle the top with a dash of nutmeg and drink up!

Glühwein (recipe courtesy of the German Kitchen)

David and I were so excited to get our hands on this wine this year! It is so delicious and filled with flavor that you do not even realize you are drinking wine! This is a traditional German drink that is served around the holiday season, and it is best served warm. They usually sell a limited amount of this wine in liquor stores (so I of course stocked up), but you can also make it at home.

Ingredients:
-1 bottle of red wine
-3/4 cup water
-3/4 cup sugar
-10 whole cloves
-1 cinnamon stick
-1 orange

Directions:
If you are able to get your hands on a bottle of Glühwein at the store, then all you have to do is pour it into a pot and heat it up - just do not boil it.

If making it at home, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Squeeze the orange juice into the pan and then add in the orange peel. Continue to cook until the mixture begins to thicken like syrup. Then, pour in the wine and stir. Make sure to not boil the mixture after this. Remove the orange peels and serve.

Sgroppino

This is a traditional Italian cocktail that is so easy and delicious! I decided to add this to the lineup of drinks because not only does it use prosecco, but also the lemon flavor reminds me of spring and summer weather and hopefully the happiness to come in 2012! Now, I have made this drink so many times but I have never actually used a recipe or measured the ingredients, but this is about what I do:

Ingredients:
-Lemon sorbet
-Prosecco
-About 1 to 1.5 ounces of vodka

Directions:
In a champagne flute, put in one or two scoops of lemon sorbet. Pour in about 1 - 1.5 ounces vodka, and then top off with the prosecco. Make sure to pour the prosecco slowly as it will fizz up on you.

Mo's Cup (or David's "2012er")

The "Mo's Cup" or "2012er" as I like to call it, was a concoction of David's. It is not really anything too spectacular in terms of creativity, but when you've had a few you get excited! :) This drink came about a couple of months ago when David and I were trying to make mojito's, but did not have all of the ingredients. We both love mojito's so much though so we were trying to think of ways to flavor it up a bit. David looked over and saw that we had some Pimm's Cup kicking around, so, one thing led to another, and "Mo's Cup" was born!

Ingredients:
-Mojito Mix or Mojito Recipe
-1.5 ounces Pimm's Cup
-Ice

Directions:
In a glass, pour the mojito mixture (or make the mojito) and ice. Top off with Pimm's Cup, stir, and enjoy!

And finally, New Year's Eve just is not the same without some good old Champagne!

Now although we did a lot of drinking, I of course made sure to serve plenty of picky foods/appetizers so that I didn't have any sick people on my hands! Even though the cocktails are the focus of this post, I had to share my two favorite side foods from last night. They are so extremely easy and delicious that I just had to share them since they are great for anyone who needs an appetizer but does not want to waste a lot of time.

Veggie Bites

Ingredients:
-1 package crescent rolls
-Cream cheese
-Broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper, chopped

Directions:
Keeping the crescent rolls attached, roll them all out flat into a rectangle. Bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes at 350, or until golden. Allow to cool.

Once the bread has cooled, spread a layer of cream cheese over the top of the crescent roll rectangle. Then, sprinkle the bits of carrot, broccoli, and red pepper, evenly over the cream cheese. Cut into squares and serve.

S'Mores Bites

Ingredients:
-Ready made graham cracker crusts in the mini tart pans
-1 bag chocolate chips, melted
-Marshmallow crème

Directions:
Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared graham cracker crusts and allow to cool. Place the marshmallow crème in a bag to pipe out (optional) on top the chocolate. Place under a broiler or use a kitchen torch to brown the marshmallow.

I hope enjoyed my seasonal sips and I wish you all a happy and healthy 2012!

A Look Back

2011-12-31T11:22:00.000-05:00

I am finally getting over this cold that I have had for the past few weeks! It is about time since I was planning on having some fun tonight sick or healthy! Before I get my game face on though, I wanted to reflect back on the past year. For me, 2011 was a very important year because I finally felt like I found my place in the world so to speak. I began graduate school and was soon able to learn how to utilize my strengths and interests and put them into a career - study abroad. I absolutely love working in a study abroad office and helping other students experience the things that I have seen and been through while abroad. That is definitely a wonderful feeling!

As for blogging, I realized this past year how much I enjoy it! When I initially started this blog I did not think much about it and did not take it too seriously. However, I have "met" so many wonderful people and have learned so many new cooking and baking techniques! I've even learned to improve my photography a little bit. Unfortunately, I only had a point and shoot camera so there was only so much I could do. Fortunately though, Santa (or my wonderful boyfriend, David) answered my letters and brought me a BRAND NEW CAMERA FOR CHRISTMAS!!! I finally have a real camera to use!! Now the trick is going to be learning how to use the thing! :)

Now, I have never really been one to make New Year's resolutions, but for 2012, I do hope to continue to blog even more, learn how to properly use my camera, and to do the things that are important to me, such as learning French! As a Christmas gift to myself I purchased Rosetta Stone so we'll see how that goes.... With that being said, I just wanted to share some of my personal favorite posts from the past year. Although not all of them may have been fan favorites, I really enjoyed making and eating them!

January 2011 - Crème Brûlée

February 2011 - Traditional Irish Soda Bread

March 2011 - Coconut Madeleine's

April 2011 - Bahama Mama!

May 2011 - Blueberry Pie

June 2011 - Horchata

July 2011 - Butterbeer

August 2011 - Rhubarb Crumble with Creme Anglaise

September 2011 - Heath Bar Toffee Dip

October 2011 - Pumpkin Waffles

November 2011 - Pasta e Fagioli

December 2011 - Pizzelle

I hope you all enjoyed these posts as much as I did, and I wish you all a wonderful and happy New Year! I'll see you in 2012 and will hopefully be able to work my new camera by then!! :)

Pizzelle

2011-12-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

I have been on vacation now for just over a week, and I have been sick for just over a week. Great way to spend the holidays huh!? I had so many great recipes planned for this week, but since I have not really left my couch I will not be able to post them in time for Christmas. However, I still wanted to make sure that I made something to share with everyone before the busy weekend - enter Pizzelle.

Pizzelle are a traditional Italian waffle cookie and are so simple to make! If you do not have a pizzelle maker you should definitely invest in one! One batch makes around 40 pizzelle and they make wonderful gifts too! Every year I always make a couple of batches and include them in gifts for friends and family.

Pizzelle

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
-3/4 cup sugar
-3 eggs
-1 1/2 teaspoons anise extract
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 3/4 cups flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-Pinch of salt
-Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Note: If you want to make Chocolate Pizzelle, exclude the anise extract and substitute 1/4 cup of the flour for cocoa powder.

Directions:
Plug in Pizzelle maker and allow to preheat. The light will click off once it is ready.

Pizzelle Maker from Villaware

Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs, anise, and vanilla extracts. Then, sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Once all of the ingredients are fully combined, drop about a teaspoon of batter in the center of the mold (after a couple of tries you can gage about how much batter to drop in because it really does not need much), close the pizzelle oven and allow to cook for about 1 minute. The pizzelle maker I own has a light that clicks off when it is done. If yours does not do this then check them after 45 seconds.

When the pizzelle are done they will be soft. Remove from the pizzelle maker and place on a paper towel. The pizzelle will firm up immediately. Break off any edges from the batter spilling over if needed.

Dust with powdered sugar if you would like, and eat up and enjoy!

Homemade Eggnog and Biscotti

2011-12-15T07:00:00.004-05:00

For this months improv challenge, Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker assigned us eggnog and cranberries. I tossed around the idea of making an upside down eggnog cake with cranberries, or eggnog cookies with cranberries, but then I thought, rather then making one item with both ingredients, I can make two! Hence, the homemade eggnog and biscotti with dried cranberries!

Believe it or not, I have never actually been a fan of eggnog itself. For some reason I could never stomach the drink. However, I decided that I would try to make it on my own this year and see if I could enjoy the drink for once! Thanks to Alton Brown's recipe from Food Network, I think I may actually love eggnog now. That's right, not like, but love!

Homemade Eggnog with Biscotti

Ingredients:

-4 egg yolks
-1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
-2 cups whole milk
-1 cup heavy cream
-2 to 3 ounces bourbon and/or brandy (optional)
-1 teaspoon nutmeg
-4 egg yolks

Directions:
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add in the milk, cream, alcohol if using, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to form soft peaks. Add in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

Gently fold the egg whites into the liquid mixture. Chill in the refrigerator (or in the freezer for a few minutes) and serve cold.

Sip, slurp, and enjoy!

For the homemade biscotti recipe, click here.

FB Cookie Swap: Raspberry Ribbons!

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is such a wonderful time of year. There is Christmas music playing everywhere (no matter how sick of it you get, you know you love it!), chilly weather, warm holiday drinks, crazy shopping lines, family parties, and best of all, cookies!! There is no doubt that this time of year is the ultimate time for all sorts of cookies to be made...and I always love seeing the overhead bill after holiday baking! :)

This year, aside from baking for my friends and family, I was lucky enough to participate in the first Food Blogger Cookie Swap thanks to Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen! This was such a wonderful experience and I am so thankful that these two wonderful women put together this event. Each food blogger who signed up was given three different people to send a dozen cookies to so that each blogger sent out cookies as well as received 3-dozen cookies (the three I received are down below).

When I signed up to participate in the cookie swap, I was torn as to what cookie to make. I went back and forth between a few different recipes, but decided to go with my raspberry ribbons! They are always a hit at parties and disappear quite quickly, so I hoped that the food bloggers I sent them to would feel the same way!

Raspberry Ribbons

For the Dough:
-2 sticks (1 cup) butter, unsalted
-1/2 cup confectionary sugar
-1 large egg yolk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 1/2 cups flour

Filling:
-About a 1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Topping:
-1/2 cup confectionary sugar
-2 teaspoons lemon juice
-2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:
Prepare the dough by beating the butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Then add in flour until just blended. Mold the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, remove from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. I usually take a little bit of dough off of each piece to form a fifth chunk of dough.

Roll each piece of dough into a rope about a foot long. Place ropes on a baking pan and using your thumb or finger, press down on the rope to form a crease all the way down the center of each rope.

Bake the dough for 10 minutes and remove from the oven. The cavity that you created will have puffed up a bit, but use it as a guide to fill in with the raspberry preserves. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn a light brown. In my oven they usually take 7 minutes.

Once ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. In a bowl, mix together the confectionary sugar, lemon juice, and milk (or cream) until combined. Drizzle over the top of the cookies and allow to set for a few minutes. Once the topping has set, cut about 1-inch cookies at a 45-degree angle.

I'm warning you, these babies melt in your mouth and are so easy to consume! Enjoy!

And for the cookies I devoured...

The cookies I received were from Becky of The Cereal Baker, Sylvia of Frolic Through Life, and Callye of Sweet Sugar Belle!

Becky baked a delicious eggnog cookie with bits of candied bacon! So satisfying and comforting!

Sylvia baked a delicious batch of peanut butter blossoms and the kisses were the ones with caramel in them! Delicious surprise! :)

Finally, Callye baked these amazingly beautiful spice cookies. I still cannot get over her detail in the decorations!

Thanks again for the wonderful cookies!

Sweet and Spicy Chili

2011-12-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

First I want to apologize for not being as consistent these past couple of weeks, but it has been finals week and I am almost halfway through my Masters program! An alcoholic drink recipe will definitely be coming soon in order to celebrate! Until then though, I wanted to share this easy sweet and spicy chili recipe that makes a delicious and filling meal! I love making this chili because it is not super spicy (even though I know some people prefer more spice) and it is so simple to make, which is definitely great for me when I am trying to bang out last minute papers and projects!

Sweet and Spicy Chili

Ingredients:
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 green bell pepper, chopped
-1 teaspoon minced garlic
-2 pounds ground beef
-2 19 ounce cans of dark red kidney beans, strained and rinsed
-1 cup beef broth
-1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
-1 12 ounce bottle heinz chili sauce
-1/2 tablespoon cumin
-1 teaspoon chili powder (add more for more spice)
-Extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and pepper
-Sour cream and shredded cheese (optional for topping)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan heat a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoons worth) and saute the onions and green peppers. Add in the ground beef and shake just a little salt and pepper. Cook the beef for a few minutes until it is mostly browned. Then, add all the rest of the ingredients including the cumin and chili powder. Make sure before you add the beans though that you strain and rinse them.

Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce hit and allow to cook for at least another 45 minutes to an hour. Serve warm in a bowl and add a dollop of sour cream or even some shredded cheese! Enjoy!

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Hazelnuts

2011-12-01T19:30:00.001-05:00

This week, Jenny from Savour the Senses was kind enough to have me guest post on her blog! I always get a little nervous when guest posting because I know that it is an honor to do so, and I just don't want to disappoint! Hopefully you all enjoy my post on Jenny's blog and be sure to check out her site! Below is a little sneak peak....

Chocolate Ganache Tart with Hazelnuts

Remember to check out Jenny's blog and get the recipe to this tart here! Thanks again Jenny!

Pasta e Fagioli

2011-11-29T14:18:00.000-05:00

Since I have been doing a lot of baking lately for the holidays, I decided it was time to post a non-sugar high recipe! Pasta e Fagioli, more commonly known as pasta and beans, is a simple, hearty, and delicious dish that just oozes with feelings of comfort. This meal is basically my version of American Chop Suey and is perfect on those chilly winter nights.

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients:

-1 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1 medium onion, chopped

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-Between 1 and 2 pounds ground beef

-1 28 oz can of ground and peeled "kitchen ready" tomatoes

-1 14 oz can chicken broth

-1 15.5 oz can shelled beans

-Salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, and basil to taste (I usually do a couple shakes of each)

-1 box elbow macaroni or penne pasta

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add in the ground beef and let cook for a few more minutes. Pour in the can of kitchen ready tomatoes and chicken stock. Cover and bring sauce to a boil. Once boiling, remove cover, reduce heat, and cook for an additional 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans in during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, prepare the pasta. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a sprinkle of salt to the water. Stir in the macaroni and cook until tender (or however you prefer your pasta), about 8-10 minutes. Once both the pasta and the sauce are done, strain the pasta and add to the sauce mixture. Stir until the macaroni is fully mixed into the sauce.

To serve, load a pile of pasta on your plate, top with parsley for some added color, and dig in! Enjoy!

Daring Bakers: Sans Rival

2011-11-27T12:36:00.000-05:00

Catherine of Munchie Musings was our November Daring Bakers' host and she challenged us to make a traditional Filipino dessert - the delicious Sans Rival cake! And for those of us who wanted to try an additional Filipino dessert, Catherine also gave us a bonus recipe for Bibingka which comes from her friend Jun of Jun-blog.

I was so excited to try out this months Daring Bakers Challenge since I had never heard of these Filipino desserts before! Catherine had given us the option of making a chocolate Sans Rival, but I decided to not add in the chocolate and try the traditional version first since I had never had it before. Although this is not the type of dessert that I normally go after, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it! The cashews gave it a really nice flavor and the frosting was very smooth. It reminded me of a Pavlova but with a delicious nut taste and sweet, dreamy, buttercream! The only thing that made me hesitant though, was the amount of butter that is used in the frosting. Even though it tasted good, I'm just not sure my body would like me very much if I made this a lot!

Sans Rival

Ingredients:
-10 large egg whites at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon cream of tartar
-2 cups (1 cup chopped and 1 cup more finely ground) toasted cashews
-1/4 cup cocoa powder (optional for chocolate version)

French Buttercream:
-5 egg yolks
-1 cup sugar
-1/4 cup water
-1 1/4 cup (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
-Optional flavoring: 2 oz. unsweetened melted bakers chocolate, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract, or any other flavoring you prefer.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare four 9-inch pans by greasing them and adding parchment paper to them. Set aside.

In a bowl, whip the egg whites until they become frothy. Add in the cream of tartar and continue to beat. Gradually (1 to 2 tablespoons at a time) add in the sugar and continue to beat until all of the sugar is incorporated and the egg whites are shiny and form stiff peaks.

Fold in the 1 cup of finely ground cashews and divide the meringue into the 4 pans equally. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown (mine were done after about 23 minutes). While the meringues are still warm, remove them from the pans and parchment paper because the paper can be more difficult to remove once cooled.

When the meringues are fully cooled, line them up on top of one another to trim the edges evenly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the French buttercream. Beat the egg yolks until they thicken and double in volume.

Heat the sugar and water until the mixture reaches 235 degrees F (or thread stage). Keeping the mixer on high, slowly pour in the sugar mixture to the egg yolks. Be sure to continuously beat so that the egg yolks do not cook and be careful not to burn yourself as well. I had to make Dave come and help me during this stage (he held the mixer while I poured the sugar in).

Once the sugar mixture is completely incorporated, continue beating on high speed for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture has reached room temperature. Then, keeping the mixer on high, beat in the butter one tablespoon at a time until all of the butter in mixed in. Add in the flavoring of your choice and let set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

To assemble, place a meringue layer down on a plate or cake board and spread a thin layer of buttercream on top. Add a second meringue layer on top of that and repeat until all of the layers are stacked and lightly frosted. Finish by frosting the sides and top of the cake and by adding the rest of the chopped cashews around the sides for decoration.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2011-11-17T07:00:00.003-05:00

I recently joined a new monthly event called the Improv Challenge, where there are two ingredients given, and you must create a recipe using those two ingredients. Apparently this event had been around for a little while, but for some unknown reason, it stopped. Thankfully, Kristin of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker has decided to continue on the tradition of the Improv Challenge, and this month, the two ingredients were pumpkin and cream cheese!

Once I saw the two ingredients, I knew exactly what I was going to make - Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with a cream cheese filling! As you all know, I am in love with anything pumpkin, so this challenge was a great excuse to make another pumpkin dessert to fill up on!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

There are two different fillings, one with cream cheese and one with marshmallow cream. Both are equally delicious so I am sharing both with you!

Ingredients:

-3 cups flour

-1 teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon baking powder

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-2 tablespoons cinnamon

-1 tablespoon ground ginger

-1 tablespoon ground cloves

-1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg

-2 cups light brown sugar

-1 cup vegetable oil

-3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled

-2 large eggs

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

-1 12 oz container cream cheese, softened

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-2 to 3 cups confectionary sugar

Optional: Add 1 teaspoon maple extract for even more of a fall flavor

Marshmallow Cream Filling:

-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

-1 7oz jar Marshmallow cream

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-2 to 3 cups confectionary sugar

-Milk as needed to make more spreadable

Optional: Add 1 teaspoon maple extract and a pinch of ginger

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet or whoopie pie pan if you have one and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and oil until well combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree. Add the eggs and vanilla until combined. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until all ingredients are well mixed.

Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to drop mounds of batter on a cookie sheet (or fill cavities of your whoopie pie pan). Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pies comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling of your choice. Mix together the butter, cream cheese (or marshmallow), vanilla (or maple extract), and ginger (if using). Slowly stir in the confectionary sugar a little at a time until it reaches a more firm, yet spreadable consistency. For the marshmallow filling you may need to add a tablespoon of milk to make it easier to work with.

To fill the pies, pipe a dollop of filling on the flat side of the pie and sandwich with another pie. Continue with all remaining pies.

Pour a large class of milk, sink your teeth in, and enjoy!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-14T16:19:00.003-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, Food Network is getting the entire food community together to celebrate a Virtual Thanksgiving, called The Communal Table, on Wednesday, November 16 at noon EST.

Since there are so many wonderful Thanksgiving recipes out there, I was really torn on what to make. An array of pies, casseroles, and dips crossed my mind, but I wanted to make something different. Now I know what you are all thinking, cranberry sauce is by no means different, but for me it is! Every year I slave over the oven making so many homemade dishes and pies (which will be posted soon I promise) that I never lave myself enough time to make some of the more simpler Thanksgiving dishes, like cranberry sauce. I usually just take advantage of the fact that I can run out to the store and buy the canned stuff!

Sadly, cranberry sauce is just one of those side dishes that tend to get overlooked. Therefore, since it really is so simple to make, I decided to share my homemade sauce with everyone and hope that you will set aside the 12 minutes that it takes to make this sauce! Yes, it really is that quick and the taste is heavenly! There are really only three basic ingredients that you need to make a homemade cranberry sauce, but the spices and flavorings are just for an additional boost!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup water

-1 12 oz. bag fresh whole cranberries

-1 cinnamon stick

-1 orange zested and juiced or a splash of orange liqueur (optional)

-Pinch of nutmeg and allspice (optional)

Directions:

In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil. Then, turn down the heat to a simmer and add the cinnamon stick and spices if using. Allow the cranberries to simmer for about 10 minutes. Many of the cranberries will pop, but it is okay if some remain whole.

Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest and juice and/or orange liqueur (which is what I prefer using). Remove the cinnamon stick if you used one, and pour the sauce in a bowl or serving dish to cool. Allow to cool completely before serving so that the sauce has time to thicken.

Eat up and enjoy!

For more great Thanksgiving recipes, visit Food Networks blog at FN Dish and check out these other great recipes as well:

Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads:
Sweet Life Bake: Pumpkin Margarita
Easy Peasy Organic: Thanksgiving Ginger Cocktail
Dishin and Dishes: Butternut Squash Bruschetta With Sage Pesto
Mooshu Jenne: Green Salad
Two Peas and Their Pod: Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Salad
Jones is Hungry: Roasted Vegetable Salad
Purple Cook: Pasta and Bean Stew With Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe
From My Corner of Saratoga: Curried Pumpkin Soup

Mains:
CIA Dropout: Turkey and Stuffles Roulades With Squash Mash
FN Dish: Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey
My Angel's Allergies: Cranberry-Glazed Cornish Hens

Sides:
Cafe Terra Blog: Cranberry Pumpkin Stuffing
Virtually Homemade: Twice-Baked Cheddar and Chive Potatoes
Easy Eats Magazine: Sausage and Dried Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing
The Sensitive Epicure: Oyster Dressing and Gravy
Daily*Dishin: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes Supreme
What's Gaby Cooking: Rustic Herb Skillet Stuffing
Family Fresh Cooking: Coconut Brown-Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Silvana's Kitchen: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Mushroom-Rye Stuffing
The Cultural Dish: Cranberry Sauce

Desserts:
I Am Baker: Pumpkin Cake
Heather Christo: Pumpkin Vanilla Ice Cream Pie
And Love It Too: Pumpkin Custard (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Haute Apple Pie Girls: Double Pumpkin Mini Pies With Candied Pecans
Ladles and Jelly Spoons: Not Your Same Old Pumpkin Pie
Daydreamer Desserts: Cuban Diplomatic Pudding
Thursday Night Dinner: Red Wine Chocolate Cake
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Caramel Apple Pie

Privateer Rum Distillery

2011-11-07T11:58:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, thanks to PMG Public Relations, Dave and I were invited to a private tour and tasting of the Privateer Rum Distillery in Ipswich, MA. Being a fan of all things rum, I was definitely excited to learn that Privateer's distillery was only about a 30-minute drive from my home! Now who would not love that!?

Aside from my love of anything rum, the owners of Privateer stole my heart prior to me even meeting them. How did they accomplish this? Well, they apparently love history just as much as I do! Once I saw the name and logo I knew there had to be a historical story behind it, and there is! Privateers during the American Revolution were both patriots and entrepreneurs, and Andrew Cabot was one of the most successful. To read more about Andrew Cabot and his rum, click here.

I know not everyone is as much as a fan of history as I am, so rather than bore you with more stories, I'll get back to the rum! Although it is not too common to sip on straight rum, I really appreciated how the distillers allowed us to try other rums to then compare them to Privateer (see photos below). Now, I still prefer adding rum to a drink rather than having it straight, but let me tell you, the difference in taste was astounding! I could barely get the other rums back, but the Privateer rum was so smooth and went back so gently. I did not get the typical burn in the throat that the other rums normally give, and the natural flavors that came out in the rum, specifically the anise, I absolutely loved!

Since we were so impressed with just how smooth the rum was, we of course had to sample all of the different cocktails that they were serving up! The picture below is hard to make out, but the Great Pumpkin and the William Tell were my top two favorite drinks! They just perfectly captured fall in a glass!

While we were sipping on our delicious cocktails, we were able to walk around, learn about the factory, and mingle with other great Boston area bloggers.

Oh, and did I mention the food!? Two wonderful ladies served us during our visit and the food items included: Cherrystone clams, clam chowder, lobster rolls, and Italian sausages. Dave and I could not get enough of the mini lobster rolls - they were so delicious!

The absolute best part though, was dessert! They served us apple-caramel cider doughnuts that they warmed on a grill, which brought out the flavors so beautifully! Then, they topped the doughnuts off with a maple whipped cream! Lets just say that I ate way to many of them and had to force myself to go on a 4-mile run the following day!

David enjoying doughnut number 3!

For more information on Privateer Rum, visit there website here: http://www.privateerrum.com/main.php

For more information on where to buy/find Privateer rum, visit here: http://www.privateerrum.com/find_us.php

Thanks again to the wonderful people at Privateer Rum for allowing us to mingle with you for a day! It was a truly wonderful experience and I am officially a Privateer girl! I cannot wait to start concocting my own drinks with your product!

Foodbuzz 24x24: A Journey Back to Colonial New England

2011-10-30T11:05:00.002-04:00

First off, let me start by saying how excited I am to be participating in this month's Foodbuzz 24x24! It was my first time participating in this event so I hope you all enjoy this post as much as I enjoyed making these historical goods!

As many of you know, I am a history buff. I am also a travel buff. So what does one do with these two loves? Well, ever since I graduated undergrad and began my graduate work, I have been trying to figure that out myself! Thankfully, I think I have finally found what I want to do with my life - work in a study abroad office! I have been working as a study abroad advisor for a few months now and I love every minute of it! One of the perks of my job is that I am also able to interact with the international students who attend our school. As a result, I have met so many wonderful and interesting students!

So what does my love of studying abroad and working with international students have to do with this post??? Well, all of our international students bring so much culture and knew knowledge about the world to our office. However, the students are constantly saying how they want to learn more about American culture and understand our way of life. So, I decided that I wanted them to experience the authentic tastes of New England. And this is where my love of history came into play...

Now begins your journey back to Colonial New England!

Johnnycakes (aka Journey Cakes)

Johnnycakes (or Journey Cakes because they were often taken as food to eat on long journeys) were a type of cornmeal flatbread that was an American staple. The johnnycake is great served with maple syrup and butter, so I made maple butter! Just combine 1 stick of butter with 1/4 cup maple syrup. Mix well and then refrigerate until the butter sets. I promise you, it is delicious!

Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown bread is a dark, and slightly sweet bread made with wheat and rye flowers and molasses. This is pretty quick bread to make since there is no rising involved like other breads. Once the batter is combined, you pour into a greased coffee can or cylinder shape pan, cover it, and steam it in the oven for 2 hours. This bread also goes great with the maple butter!

Boston Baked Beans

Boston is not called Beantown for nothing!

This was actually my first time baking beans as opposed to cooking them in a crock-pot, and they came out just as delicious! The pilgrims initially learned to prepare these beans from the Native Americans, and they added molasses to sweeten them and bacon or pork to add a little salt flavor.

Indian Pudding

When the colonists first arrived, they tried to recreate many of their homeland dishes. However, the colonists did not yet have many of the same ingredients that they were used to having, but they did have an abundance of cornmeal thanks to the Indians. As a result, the traditional Hasty Pudding from England (made with wheat flour) turned into Indian Pudding made with the Indian cornmeal. This pudding was traditionally served warm as a dessert but can also be served cold in the morning for breakfast.

And now, I have saved the best for last....

Joe Froggers & Hot Buttered Rum

Joe Froggers have become my new favorite cookie! I had never actually had them until this past summer when I was in Marblehead, MA, at the Landing restaurant because that is where the cookie originated. The cookies were created and baked by the one black couple living in Marblehead, MA. The couple, known as Old Black Joe and Aunt Crese, lived in a tavern on Gingerbread Hill. The cookies were named after Old Black Joe and the Frogger comes from the fact that they lived near a pond with several frogs always croaking. Since these cookies can last for weeks without going stale, fisherman would take barrels of these cookies on their journeys.

As I am sure you have noticed, many of these recipes require either molasses and/or cornmeal. Many of the dishes served in colonial times were made from these ingredients since they were in abundance. It is also the reason why rum was so popular! That is why I suggest serving these foods, especially the Joe Froggers, with a glass of Hot Buttered Rum!

Hot Buttered Rum recipe (makes 2):

-2 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar

-2 teaspoons butter

-Pinch of salt

-Pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves

-4 oz. dark rum (2 oz. per glass)

-Boiling water

In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, and spices. Refrigerate until firm. Once ready, divide the mixture in half and place in the bottom of each glass. Pour in 2 oz of rum per glass and top off with boiling water.

For the recipe and more information on Joe Froggers, click here.

For colonial recipes like the ones above and more, click here.

I hope you all enjoyed this colonial adventure as much the students and I did!

Daring Bakers: Povitica

2011-10-27T06:52:00.002-04:00

The Daring Baker's October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

I have to admit, I was somewhat nervous going into this challenge because it was my first ever Daring Baker's challenge!! When I first saw the recipe I thought to myself, "great, the month I decide to join is when they have something I have never even heard of!" However, when I saw the photos and the recipe it sounded so delicious looked so interesting, I knew I had to give it a go! And let me tell you, I am so glad that I did - so thank you Jenni for choosing this recipe!

There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but it really is not that difficult to make and it is well worth the effort! There are a few different fillings that are common for the Povitica - apple/cinnamon, apricot preserves, and a sweet cheese - but I wanted to try the traditional English Walnut filling first since I had never had Povitica before. And let me tell you, it was heaven! I definitely suggest trying this original recipe first before getting creative with other flavors and fillings.

Povitica

Ingredients (Makes one loaf. See below for original recipe that makes 4 loaves)

To activate the yeast:

-1/2 teaspoon sugar

-1/4 teaspoon all-purpose flour

-2 tablespoons warm water

-1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Dough:

-1/2 cup whole milk

-3 tablespoons sugar

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-1 large egg, beaten

-1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

-2 cups all-purpose flour, measured and then sifted

Filling:

-1 3/4 cup ground English Walnuts

-1/4 cup whole milk

-1/4 cup unsalted butter

-1 large egg yolk, beaten

-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/2 cup sugar

-1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

-2 tablespoons cold, strong, coffee

-1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

-Unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

First, activate the yeast. In a small bowl, stir the sugar, flour, yeast and warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.

For the dough, in a medium saucepan scald the milk making sure to stir constantly. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, sugar, and salt until combined. Whisk in the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and flour (add the flour a little at a time because you may need more or you may need less).

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and then place a kitchen towel on top. Set aside in a warm place and let the dough rise for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the milk and butter until boiling. While the milk and butter heats up, in a large bowl, mix together the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa. Once the milk and butter mixture has come to a boil, pour it over the nut and sugar mixture. Stirring constantly, add in the eggs and vanilla. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to use. If it thickens up too much when you go to use it, you can add a small amount of warm milk to loosen it up again (I let the mixture stand for almost an hour though and it was fine).

Once the dough is ready, make sure to have a clean surface or sheet or cloth to work on. Since I did not have a sheet or cloth to use I just wiped down my counter thoroughly and sprinkled it with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface and roll out with a rolling pin, adding flour as needed. Roll the dough out until it is very thin and measures 10-12 inches in diameter. Try to make it more rectangular shaped. Lightly brush a little melted butter on top of the dough and continue rolling the dough out until it starts to become somewhat transparent. As you work, make sure to continually pick up your dough around the edges to help it stretch out and to make sure that it is not sticking to the counter.

Spoon the walnut filling evenly over the dough until covered. Very carefully, lift the edge of the dough (if using a cloth you can lift the cloth to help you lift up your dough) and gently roll it like you would a jellyroll.

Once the dough is rolled up into a rope, gently lift it and place it into a greased loaf pan in the shape of a "U," with the ends meeting in the middle. You want to coil the dough around itself so as to give it its characteristic shape when sliced.

(These pictures are courtesy of Jenni, because my dough was actually not long enough so I did not like how the photos came out. These ones give a much better picture of how to place the dough into the pan)

For the topping, mix together the coffee and sugar (if you do not want this then you can just use an egg wash). Brush the top of the loaf with the coffee and sugar mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

When ready, remove the plastic wrap and place the loaf pan in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lightly brush the top of the loaf with a little more butter (you do not have to if you prefer not to), and lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Cook for 45 minutes at this temperature, but make sure to check it after 30 minutes. If the top of the loaf begins to brown too soon you can cover it with tin foil.

Once ready, remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes. Make sure to leave the loaf in the pan during this time so that the loaf can hold its shape. You can remove the loaf from the pan once it has completely cooled to room temperature. It is recommended that you turn the loaf upside down and slice it with a serrated knife, but I did not have any issues when slicing it right side up.

Since this was my first time ever having this I was unsure of what to expect, but HOLY CRAP! I am definitely going to be making this again soon for the upcoming holiday season. It reminded me of a breakfast pastry but also of an after dinner treat. It really can be enjoyed during any time of the day, but I loved sitting back and devouring a slice with my cup of coffee!

Enjoy!

Storage:

There are several options for storing (and eating) your four loaves of Povitica:

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 1 week at room temperature.

• The Povitica will keep fresh for 2 weeks if refrigerated.

• The Povitica can be frozen for up to three months when wrapped a layer of wax paper followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It is recommended to not freeze Povitica with cream cheese fillings as it doesn’t hold up to being thawed really well – it crumbles.

Ingredients for 4 loaves:

To activate the Yeast:
2 Teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
½ Cup (120ml) Warm Water
2 Tablespoons (30ml/14 gm/½ oz/2 sachets) Dry Yeast

Dough:
2 Cups (480ml) Whole Milk
¾ Cup (180 ml/170gm/6 oz) Sugar
3 Teaspoons (15 ml/18 gm/2/3 oz) Table Salt
4 Large Eggs
½ Cup (120ml/115 gm/one stick/4 oz) Unsalted Butter, melted
8 cups (1.92 l/1.12 kg/39½ oz/2½ lb) All-Purpose Flour, measure first then sift, divided

Walnut Filling:
7 Cups (1.68 l/1.12 kg/2.5 lbs) Ground English Walnuts
1 Cup (240ml) Whole Milk
1 Cup (240ml/225 gm/2 sticks/8 oz) Unsalted Butter
2 Whole Eggs, Beaten
1 Teaspoon (5ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups (480ml/450 gm/16 oz) Sugar
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/4 gm) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon (5 ml/3 gm) Cinnamon

Topping:
½ Cup (120 ml) Cold STRONG Coffee
2 Tablespoons (30 ml/28 gm/1 oz) Granulated Sugar
Melted Butter

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-10-24T13:40:00.002-04:00

I have been dying to make these babies all season long! Breakfast is my favorite meal and I always like to go all out on the weekends when I actually have time to make a decent meal! I have been pouring over pumpkin waffle recipes for some time now and I think I have finally found the perfect one. This recipe comes from the Pumpkin Waffles Blog and it truly is the perfect seasonal breakfast.

Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup light brown sugar
-3 tablespoons corn starch
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-2 teaspoon ginger
-1/4 teaspoon cloves
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-2 large eggs, separated
-1 cup whole milk
-1 cup canned pumpkin
-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
*Please Note: I have made this recipe twice. The first time I made it word for word from this recipe and the second time, instead of using all of the spices, I just put in 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Both recipes came out scrumptious! It just depends if you like more or less spice.

Directions:
Turn on and heat up your waffle maker to desired setting.

In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cornstarch. Then, whisk in the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (save the egg whites), milk, and pumpkin. Slowly pour in the butter and whisk continuously as you do so. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, beat your egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the egg whites until they are completely mixed in. Using a large serving spoon, scoop the batter onto the waffle iron (every waffle maker is different, but for mine I use about 1 - 1 1/2 cups worth of batter per waffle). Cook per the manufacturer's instructions. Most waffles take about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but mine is a cheaper one and take a little longer. You may have to play around with it a bit until you get the cooking time and temperature that work best.

Allow the waffles to cool for a couple of minutes on a wire rack and serve immediately or freeze for later use. I like to serve my pumpkin waffles with butter, walnuts, and syrup! Enjoy!

For more delicious pumpkin recipes, check out these following posts on FN Dish as part of Food Network's fall fest!

What's Gaby Cooking: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
The Cultural Dish: Pumpkin Waffles
Cooking With Elise: Pumpkin Chip Scones
And Love It Too: Creamy Pumpkin Fruit Dip
CIA Dropout: Pumpkin Panna Cotta With Gingerbread
Haute Apple Pie Girls: Pumpkin Bread Parfait
I Am Mommy: Pumpkin Pancakes
Dishin and Dishes: Maple Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Virtually Homemade: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins With Pumpkin Seed Streusel
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pumpkin Pizza
Daydreamer Desserts: Pumpkin Fattigman
From My Corner of Saratoga: Baking Pie In The Pumpkin
FN Dish: The Ultimate Pumpkin Soup
Cooking Channel: Pumpkin Risotto
The Sensitive Epicure: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Molasses Marshmallows
Daily*Dishin: Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake
ZaikaZabardast: Pumpkin Jalebi

Mooshu Jenne: Pumpkin Nutella Bread
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Loaf

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

2011-10-17T12:57:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not, as in love with pumpkin as I am, I do not like pumpkin pie. I still make it every year because I know my family loves it, but I could just never get into it! I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin pasties, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin waffles, and everything else pumpkin... but not pumpkin pie! Weird huh? One thing I do love though (and this definitely makes no sense), is Pumpkin Pie Fudge!

As odd as it may be that I do not like the single most traditional, pumpkin treat of the season, I promise that for pie lovers and for non-pie lovers, this fudge is fantastic! It has the perfect pumpkin flavor with a hint of fall spices and it melts in your mouth the minute you consume it. It is also really easy to make!

Pumpkin Pie Fudge (Adapted from several sources)

Ingredients:
-2 cups granulated sugar
-1 cup light brown sugar (I've used dark too)
-3/4 cup butter
-2/3 cup condensed milk
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin
-1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (for less spice kick just use one teaspoon)
-1 package white chocolate chips
-1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow crème
-1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Butter a 9x13 baking pan (I have used an 8x8 as well to get larger pieces) and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugars, butter, condensed milk, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. Heat until all the ingredients are combined and begin to boil. Stirring constantly, allow the mixture to boil for about 10 minutes or until is reaches 234 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in the white chocolate chips, marshmallow crème, nuts (if using), and vanilla until all ingredients are fully combined and the chips are melted. Immediately pour the fudge into your prepared baking dish and let sit on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to cool and store in your refrigerator.

Cut the fudge into squares and enjoy the pieces as they melt in your mouth! Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup - Revisited

2011-10-11T07:52:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year where I actually start to like soup again! Despite the abnormally warm weather New England has been having this week, I have still been in the mood for fall soups. Last year, I made a butternut squash soup and served it in pumpkin bowls. The soup was such a hit that I decided I needed to make it again this year.

I changed up the recipe a little bit this time around because I like to update things every now and then. To view the recipe, click here. Please try not to be too judgmental about the photos in the post. It has been a year now and I like to think I have improved a bit! Although believe it or not, I am still using the same point and shoot camera. I have made a promise though that I will buy a better camera for myself this Christmas!

Butternut Squash Soup

(You can even serve this soup in Pumpkin Bowls)

Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Pasties

2011-10-05T14:51:00.002-04:00

As promised, I am bringing you all another tasty pumpkin recipe for fall. It just so happens that this fall recipe is also an adaptation of an English treat that is mentioned in the Harry Potter books (no, I am still not over Harry being gone).

The idea of making Pumpkin Pasties originated from the famous Cornish Pasty. The Cornish Pasty is traditionally filled with beef, potatoes, turnip, onions, and salt and pepper. The ingredients are encased in rolled out dough and baked until golden brown. Making these delightful pasties is on my to-do list, but first, I shall enjoy the pumpkin version!

Pumpkin Pasties

Ingredients:

-1 cup canned pumpkin

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

-1 prepared pie crust

-1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

-Sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Roll out the prepared dough on a cookie sheet and cut into circles using a 4 or 5-inch round cutter. In the middle of each circle place a scoop of the pumpkin mixture (about 1 to 1 tablespoons).

Fold the dough over the filling to seal and use the end of a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Cut little tiny slits on the tops to make vents. Brush each pasty with the egg wash and sprinkle a little sugar on top if you would like.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until browned. These pasties can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or as an after dinner treat!

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Martini

2011-10-03T17:29:00.007-04:00

It's that time of year when the weather gets cooler and warm items like soups, chili's, and warm drinks become popular again. I absolutely love making hot apple cider this time of year, but this time around, I decided to change it up a bit. The Cidertini served at the White Mountain Cider Co. in North Conway, NH is what inspired me to make this drink. Once I tasted their delicious cocktail, I knew I had to recreate it. If any of you are ever near North Conway, you must eat here! Reservations are strongly suggested (Dave and I were lucky and got the last reservation at 9pm). But trust me when I say that this restaurant is well worth the wait!

Now I of course could not recreate the Cidertini perfectly, because the White Mountain Cider Co. makes their own cider fresh and even uses a reduction in this cocktail, but I did come pretty close!

Apple Cider Martini

Ingredients:
-3 to 4 ounces Apple Cider (if you want it a little stronger, use closer to 3 ounces)
-1.5 ounces AppleJack Liquor
-1 ounce orange curacao
-Splash of lemon juice
-Cinnamon-sugar mix for rim (optional)
-Apple peel to garnish (optional)

Directions:
Take two martini glasses and moisten the rims of the glasses with either water, simple syrup, and/or alcohol. I just used simple syrup so that the cinnamon-sugar mixture would stick to the edge. Make sure the cinnamon-sugar mixture is on a plate or bowl that is larger than the glasses so that you can tip the glasses upside down and dip them into the mixture.

Once you have your beautifully coated martini glasses, fill a martini shaker with ice, and add in the applejack, orange curacao, cider, and splash of lemon juice. Shake well. Pour out into the martini glasses, garnish with an apple slice or peel. Enjoy!

For more great recipes using apples, check out FN Dish, Food Network's Blog where there will be loads of fall recipes! You can also check out these recipes from fellow bloggers:

CIA Dropout: Apple-Roasted Duck
Cooking Channel: Add Apples to Your Salad
The Cultural Dish: Apple Cider Martini
And Love It Too: Fried Apples (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free and Vegan)
From My Corner of Saratoga: Easy Skillet Apple Pie (A Southern Living Recipe Reviewed)
Haute Apple Pie: Baked Apple Pancake
Virtually Vegan Mama: Slow Cooker Apple Date Butter
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Apple Pancakes
What's Gaby Cooking: Apple Cake
FN Dish: Savory Apple Recipes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Apple and Caramelized Onion Soup
The Sensitive Epicure: Pan Fried Apple Rings (Gluten-Free)
Glory Foods: Caramel Apple Upside Down Cupcakes
Daily*Dishin: Apple, Bacon, Feta Salad With Maple Vinaigrette
Dishin & Dishes: Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Cooking With Elise: Wholegrain Apple Oat Pancakes

Homemade Pumpkin Bread

2011-09-26T19:31:00.000-04:00

There is just nothing like waking up to a clear blue sky, the feel of a cool, crisp, breeze, and the smells of leaves and orchards. Fall really is the most wonderful time of year! The weather is perfect and the smells are so pleasing. But the absolute best part about the fall are the flavors that accompany it! From apples to cider and the delicious butternut squash, the foods of fall are beyond satisfying. I have been working up such a craving for fall foods that I figured I would start the season off right with homemade pumpkin bread! I absolutely adore anything with pumpkin in it so I promise to bring you vast amounts of pumpkin recipes this season. In fact, you may get sick of all the pumpkin recipes I will be bringing to the table! :)

Homemade Pumpkin Bread (One loaf with walnuts and the other without)

Ingredients:
-2/3 cup shortening
-2 1/2 cups flour
-1 2/3 cup sugar
-1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
-1 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon cloves
-1/2 teaspoon allspice
-2/3 cup milk
-2 eggs
-1 15oz can pumpkin
-Walnuts or pecans for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, soften the shortening. Add in all of the dry ingredients and stir. Pour in the milk. Once the milk is mixed in, beat in the eggs. Add in the pumpkin into all ingredients are well combined.

In a greased loaf pan, pour the batter in about 3/4 of the way. Sprinkle the nuts on top if using (I had enough batter to make one regular sized loaf and then a little extra to make a baby sized loaf, so I sprinkled nuts on top of that one and left the other without). Place in the oven and bake 50-60 minutes or until the center of the bread no longer jiggles when shaken and it bounces back slightly when touched.

Serve warm for breakfast, lunch, or after dinner treat! I like to eat it for breakfast with a hot cup of pumpkin spice coffee! Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-09-21T11:19:00.002-04:00

School has started up again and between my two internships and classes, things are crazy! Since I do not have much time to relax, when I do find a few moments for myself I want to enjoy them... aka I stuff myself with desserts and drinks!

Since I had some time to bake this week, I knew that I had to try out this peanut butter cookie recipe from a cookie book I received one Christmas. I absolutely love anything with peanut butter! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert. And I usually just eat it right off the spoon! I recently became addicted to chunky peanut butter too, so I knew that these cookies were meant for me to make!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted
-1 cup packed light brown sugar
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup crunchy peanut butter
-2 large eggs
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1 cup salted, dry roasted peanuts or Reese's Pieces peanut butter chips (optional - I used the chips instead of peanuts and loved it! Depending on your mood, I would try out both ;))

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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

In a separate bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add in the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (a couple of minutes). Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated. Mix in the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time until fully combined. Once the batter is well combined, stir in the peanuts or Reese's Pieces chips (if using).

Using a cookie scoop or generous spoonful, roll the dough into 2-inch balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment 2 inches apart from one another. Press each cookie dough ball down with a dinner fork to create a crisscross design. If the fork sticks to the dough you can dip it in cold water before pressing it down onto the dough.

Bake until the cookies puff up and the edges are slightly browned (9-11) minutes, and make sure to rotate the pan halfway through. Be mindful that the cookies will not look fully baked when done, so do not overcook them. Let them cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you are like me though, you will not be able to wait and will just start pounding them down!

Serve with a glass of milk, coffee, or tea, and enjoy!

Now before I forget, I want to thank Samantha from Ferraro Kitchen for passing along the Versatile Blogger Award to me! She is new to the blogging community and a young college student so I can definitely relate to her! Samantha has a wonderful blog so if you have not checked it out, be sure to do so here. Thanks again so much Samantha!

As with many other awards, I shall not only thank Samantha over and over for passing this along to me, but I also must share 7 random facts with all of you and pass the award on to some of my favorite bloggers out there!

So here it goes...

1.) I am a graduate student (which most of you know), but I am studying higher education and interning in the study abroad office, which I absolutely love!

2.) I have a secret crush on Elijah Wood even though he is not your typical leading man and I am pretty sure he may be shorter than me :/

3.) I have recently become obsessed with goat cheese. In fact, I am going to be posting a goat cheese mousse recipe soon!

4.) I am a huge history buff and especially love European and British history and will read any book dealing with British history.

5.) I have never ever had a malasada before but I crave them constantly! I saw a photo of them and have wanted them ever since!

6.) I have still not accepted that Harry Potter is over and have re-read the books several times and you should all be expecting to still see more potter related posts to come! Someone has to keep it alive, right??? ;)

7.) I used to dream about moving to Egypt when I was younger and living life as a historian similar to Rachel Weisz's character in the first mummy. Although I am still fascinated by Egyptian history I doubt I will be taking on a leading role and fighting mummies any time soon.

Now to pass along the award, here is a list of food blogs that I love and food blogs that I have recently discovered and love:

1.) Kate @ Diethood

2.) Parsley @ The Deep Dish

3.) From Arepas to Zwetschgen

4.) Lizzy @ That Skinny Chick can Bake

5.) Chef Dennis @ Ask Chef Dennis

6.) Manu @ Manus Menu

7.) The Culinary Lens

8.) Mardi @ Eat, Live, Travel, Write

9.) Kaitlin @ I Can Cook That

10.) Cassie @ Bake Your Day

11.) Tiffany @ Como Water

12.) Tracey @ Tracey's Culinary Adventures

13.) Hester @ Alchemy in the Kitchen

14.) Sabrina @ Eat, Drink, and be Merry

15.) Kita @ Pass the Sushi

Welcome to Hoboken!

2011-09-12T14:56:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I was lucky enough to take a trip down to Hoboken, NJ to visit Carlo's Bakery... aka the home of the Cake Boss! I was so excited and could not believe I was actually there!

Thankfully, there was NO LINE! So many people on yelp warned against 2-hour waits and average pastry; however, I must disagree! I'm sure on weekend mornings there is a mad rush of customers waiting for the bakery to open, but if you just wait to go a little later on in the day, then you will have a much better experience! We went at 5pm on a Friday, walked right in, and were only joined by about 4 other groups of people. Thank god!

This is how "packed" it was! Love not having to wait!

Similar to a deli, when you walk into the bakery you are given a ticket with a number, and when your number is called you are served by one person who will grab whatever you need! Since it was not crowded we were severed right away, but I can imagine on weekend mornings it might be a bit more hectic with this method.

Since we drove 4 hours to get to Carlo's, we decided to stock up! This is what I ordered:

-2 pounds assorted Italian butter cookies

-2 each of every kind of biscotti

-3 cannoli

-2 lobster tails

-2 pasticiotti

-1 scrumptious m&m cookie

The butter cookies are always a favorite of mine so I greatly enjoyed pigging out on those! The biscotti were also very delicious. In fact, I'd say that Carlo's biscotti are in my top 5! The m&m cookie my boyfriend woofed down because he is a fan of anything cookie, and I was the same way with the lobster tails!

I apologize for the crappy photo, but I just could not get a good shot in the car ride home and I could not wait to eat it!

The absolute best item we bought though, was the cannoli! Holy crap is all I have to say when thinking about how amazing those cannoli were! I am extremely picky when it comes to the ricotta filling and have had my share of cannoli, but I can honestly say that this was the best cannoli I have ever had! Buddy uses impastata ricotta for his filling, which is a high quality, smooth, ricotta that has been drained of almost all of its liquid. Therefore, not only is the ricotta extremely smooth, but it also does not make the shell soggy! I highly recommend purchasing as many cannoli as possible from Carlo's!

The only item that was disappointing was the pasticiotti. They just were not that great and did not have much filling inside of them. Overall, for $47 total, all of the cookies and pastry we got were definitely worth the trip down. Plus, we can now say that we have been to the bakery on TV! :)

Heath Bar Toffee Dip with Apples

2011-09-06T14:05:00.003-04:00

Although the summer cookout season has come to a close, the fall party and holiday dinners are just beginning! Whenever I have friends and family over I love having a multitude of various appetizers and snacks to satisfy everyone's tastes. Of course, making several different appetizers can be quite a task in itself, and that is only the first course! This heath bar toffee dip though is very simple to make and can be prepared ahead of time. It is always a crowd pleaser and a great way to use up apples from the fall picking season.

Heath Bar Toffee Dip with Apples

Ingredients:

-5 to 10 granny smith apples (depending on party size use more or less)

-1 can pineapple juice

-1 12 oz container of cream cheese, softened

-3/4 cup brown sugar

-1/2 cup powdered sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-3/4 cup heath bar toffee bits

Directions:

Rinse and slice apples (no need to peel them) and place in a bowl. Pour the pineapple juice over them, cover, and refrigerate overnight. This gives the apples a delicious flavor and prevents them from browning (do not use lemon juice because although lemon juice prevents browning, for the purpose of this recipe the flavor would be too strong and very different).

For the dip, blend together the powdered sugar, brown sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla in a bowl. Fold in the toffee bits. Cover the dip and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 to 2 hours.

When ready to serve, strain the apples and place on a plat around the dip. Dunk the apples right in and enjoy! You may even end up taking plain spoonfuls of the dip... I sure do at least!

Thanks to my aunt for always having this recipe at her house growing up and passing it along to me!