Portuguese Girl Cooks

Healthier Buttermilk Pancakes

2012-05-25T12:27:00.000-04:00

Not having a car this week is making me kind of crazy.

Like, not being able to go to Costco whenever I want kind of crazy.

The kind of crazy that makes you feel like an animal trapped in a cage crazy.

Although, when I do have a car, it generally sits in the garage, and we walk to most places we need to go. Or, we just stay home.

But, not having that option of going anywhere, if you actually want to, is well, annoying.

But on the bright side, I've had plenty of time to enjoy this great weather we have had, and come up with some great recipes to share.

There is always a bright side.

It's no secret that we absolutely love pancakes around our house, and especially my little guy. So when he asked for some pancakes this morning for breakfast I made one of our favourites.

These pancakes are fluffy and moist and have a wonderful heartiness, and nuttiness because of the addition of whole wheat flour and flax. Typically with pancakes, we eat them with honey and I think it's the perfect compliment to these pancakes.

Whole wheat Flax Buttermilk Pancakes
Makes 8 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (65g) whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

1. Preheat griddle or fry pan to medium-high heat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

3. In a large measuring cup, measure buttermilk. Add in egg, applesauce, vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until combined and some lumps remain. Let batter rest for about 5 minutes.

4. Cook pancakes until there are a few bubbles on the surface and the edges are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook for about an additional 2 minutes or until cooked through.

Jessica's Notes:

You can make your own buttermilk by measuring out just shy of 1 cup milk and adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.
To keep pancakes warm, preheat oven to 175 degrees F and keep cooked pancakes in warm oven until ready to serve.

Have a great weekend!!

Enjoy!

Jessica

Spicy Pulled Chicken on Homemade Cheddar Buns

2012-05-24T15:39:00.002-04:00

I just spend a good part of the morning on the phone with the auto repair shop.

A frustrating conversation indeed. They usually are right?

He spoke in circles, never getting to the point, just story after story; negotiation after negotiation. I love a good negotiation; I worked in car sales after all, but this, it was just too much, even for me.

I have no idea what happened. All I know is that I just spent a lot of money.

And I don't feel good about it.

Now enough of my lamenting…

On to the stuff that really matters.

Spicy. Pulled. Chicken. on homemade slider buns. OH. MY. GOSH. So freakin' good.

It seems like I'm always making chicken the same old way, and seeing as though we eat quite a bit of chicken, a new chicken dish is always welcome. And one that is simple, and tastes great is always a bonus. The quasi barbecue sauce takes no time at all to make; stick in your chicken and let it simmer for a while. What you will be left with is super tender chicken that will just fall apart. I foresee this chicken making an appearance at a backyard barbecue this summer, because it can be made ahead of time then warmed prior to serving. Although I didn't try it, I imagine this could also be made in a crockpot. And if I had one, I probably would have used it.

I saw these homemade buns on Shawnda's blog a while back, and ever since than I've been looking for excuses to make them because they were so good! And I think this spicy pulled chicken is the perfect excuse. They are soft, cheesy, easy to make, and freeze extremely well.

I also made a quick little slaw using some red cabbage, greek yogurt, spices, and a hint of fresh lime juice. It was the perfect fresh, crunchy, and cooling topping that this sandwich needed.

Make it. You'll love it!

Spicy Pulled Chicken
Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken:
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon oil (such as olive oil or canola)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped (leave seeds in for more heat)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups tomato puree (I used passata- strained tomatoes)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used frank's)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne peper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the Slaw:
about 2 cups Red or white cabbage sliced very thin, or used pre-cut
about 3 rounded tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of half a lime, about 1 tablespoon

Homemade Cheddar Buns- I omitted the jalepenos, but you can certainly leave them in, and reduced the sugar to 2 tablespoons.

Instructions

For the chicken:

1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalepenos and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato puree, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, cayenne, chilli powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until mixture has thickened slightly. Add in the chicken thighs, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for an hour to an hour and a half, or until chicken is completely cooked and tender.

2. Remove from heat. The chicken should be very tender, and able to be pulled apart with the back of a wooden spoon. Using 2 forks, inside the pot, pull the chicken apart. This is easy and won't take long because it is very tender. Allow the chicken to sit in the sauce for a while to absorb all the flavour, about 1/2 hour or longer. Reheat before serving.

For the slaw:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the greek yogurt, chilli powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add in the shredded cabbage and toss to coat just prior to serving. Serve over the pulled chicken.

Jessica's Notes:

Although I used homemade buns for this, feel free to use any bun you wish.
For the chicken, feel free to adjust the spice level to your taste. You can reduce or increase the hot sauce, jalepenos, and cayenne.
You can use chicken breast instead if you wish, although I think chicken thighs have more flavour and are more tender.
If you make this with a slow cooker come back and let me know how it turns out! :)
This recipe is easily halved or doubled.

Good luck and Enjoy!!

Jessica

Buns adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride.

S'Mores Brownies

2012-05-22T10:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Victoria Day.

Long weekends evoke a serious need in me to make s'mores. This long weekend especially; it was seriously hot and sunny. It was perfect. Just the kind of evenings you want to sit around a fire and make s'mores.

But, I had no fire, and I had no fire pit; so, I did the next best thing. I made s'mores brownies.

Turns out I didn't need the fire. The broiler does a darn good job of setting those puffy white marshmallows on fire. And these brownies turned out to be a good compromise.

These brownies are a chewy and cakey brownie all rolled into one. They have crunchy pieces of graham cracker studded throughout the brownies which gives them amazing texture. And perhaps the best part? The marshmallows. The first time I made them, I added the marshmallows before baking which left them gooey, and flat, but still amazing. This time I added them to the top of the brownies in the last 10 minutes, and broiled them for a few minutes at the very end. Needless to say I forgot them in the oven and they caught on fire. But, they had the exact taste of a fire roasted s'more; crackly, gooey, and amazing. And served warm with some ice cream? Amazing!

S'mores Brownies

Makes 9x13-inch pan

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks/ 8oz) unsalted butter

10 oz (315g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon espresso powder

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups (125g) cake flour

3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

6 to 7 graham crackers, roughly broken

about 12-16 jumbo marshmallows

Instructions:

1. Adjust rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch cake pan with parchment paper, or foil (creating a sling), and grease with butter.

2. Roughly break the graham crackers into bite sized pieces. Not too small or too big. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine chopped chocolate and butter, and stir until completely melted, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Add in both sugars, espresso powder, and whisk to combine. Add in eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add in vanilla extract and salt.

5. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture, and using a spatula, fold into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Add in the graham cracker pieces, and fold into the mixture. Pour into the prepared pan. Place the marshmallows on top of the brownies and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out almost clean.

6. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour on a cooling rack, them remove from pan and transfer to cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. To cut, heat a sharp knife with hot water, and dry before slicing. Repeat.

Jessica's Notes:

I've written the above recipe for baking the brownies with the marshmallows right away, If you prefer what I did above, in the last 10 minutes of baking add the marshmallows and bake. In the last minute of baking turn on broiler and bake for an additional minute. (I forgot about mine and just picked off some of the burnt part, that's why they are white in the middle). Either way they are good.
If you don't have espresso powder feel free to leave it out. Adding it won't make your brownies taste like coffee; it will simply enhance the flavour of the chocolate.
Serve warm with ice cream for a decadent treat.

Good luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Adapted from Home Baked Comfort (Williams-Sonoma)

Pao de Lo (Portuguese Sponge Cake) with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

2012-05-17T16:22:00.001-04:00

When it comes to cake and dessert I can't just leave well enough alone. Take this cake for instance.

Pao de Lo is a traditional Portuguese sponge cake that is traditionally made in a tube pan, and sliced and served in wedges. Or, at least that's how we always ate it. This is a cake my Grandma makes all the time, and so I thought I would make it too, but infuse a little bit of summer, and a little bit of me. And if you know me, you know I love layer cakes.

When I think of summer, I think easy breezy backyard barbecues, and simple no fuss desserts. But when it comes to dessert; I always want them to be beautiful. And this cake? This is my kind of summer dessert; simple, not too fussy, beautiful, and bursting with fresh fruit.

This cake is super easy, not many steps or ingredients, just a classic sponge cake. Just to give it a little burst of flavour I added some orange zest and little bit of freshly squeezed orange juice to the batter because I think it compliments the berries so well. I then soaked the bottom layer with some orange liquor, and spread on some of the amazing vanilla bean pastry cream which I lightened with some freshly whipped cream. And O.M.G. It was amazing. Like eat it from the bowl with a spoon amazing. Then some fresh berries, topped it with the second layer, the remaining pastry cream, a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream and more fresh fruit. Bam! You've got yourself an amazing dessert in no time at all.

Did I just say BAM?? Sorry I will try to control myself.

So, if your a little intimidated by layer cakes this is a good place to start. You don't have to worry about perfectly levelled layers, or covering the sides and top with a seamless layer of buttercream, or piping. Just easy and rustic and you you have a gorgeous cake.

Pao de Lo (Portuguese Sponge Cake) with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Makes one 9"cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

6 eggs, at room temperature and separated

1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

zest of 1 orange (optional)

1 tablespoon orange juice (you may use water also)

Orange liquor for soaking sponge, or any liquor, about 1/4 cup

fresh fruit for filling and topping

For the Vanilla bean pastry cream:

2 cups (17 fl.oz) milk (I used whole)

1 vanilla bean scraped and seeded, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (112g) granulated sugar

1 egg

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch

Whipped Cream:

1 1/2 cups (12 fl.oz) heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions:

For the cake:

1. Adjust rack to the middle position, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Alternatively you may use a tube pan, see notes.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl.

4. Using the same bowl (you don't have to wash), beat the egg yolks, sugar, orange zest, and orange juice, on high speed until light and well combined, about 3 to 4 minutes. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. By hand, gently fold in the egg whites until fully combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan.

For the Pastry cream:

1. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil remove from heat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk in half of the milk mixture. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan containing the milk, and place over medium heat, whisking constantly. I find it helpful to use a heatproof spatula around the edges of the pot, where the whisk can't reach so nothing burns, every minute or so. The pastry cream will begin to thicken, keep cooking until it begins to boil. Once it comes to a low boil, continue to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The whole process will take about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap over the surface of the pastry cream, so a crust does not form. Refrigerate until cool to use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I made mine ahead of time to lessen the work load. If using at a later date, it will likely be stiff, so whip using whisk attachment in stand mixer or by hand until smooth and spreadable.

For the whipped cream:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form, about 4 minutes. Be sure not to over mix or it will become grainy.

2. Set aside about 1 cup of the whipped cream. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the pastry cream until well combined.

Assembly:

1. Slice cooled cake in half, and brush or drizzle liquor on the cake. Spread half of the pastry cream on top and layer with fresh fruit. Place the top of the cake on top, and cover with remaining pastry cream. Using the whipped cream you set aside, dollop and lightly spread some on top of the pastry cream. Top with your favourite fresh fruit.

Jessica's Notes:

Cake: you can use any type of citrus zest and juice that you choose, or you may eliminate it all together. Just use 1 tablespoon water instead.
To make this cake in a tube pan, increase the recipe for the cake by 25%
If you don't want to use alcohol to soak the sponge, you can use a simple syrup instead. Bring 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 granulated sugar to a boil and until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely before using. You may also add in flavouring such as vanilla, orange extract, etc, if you wish.
The cake can be made 1 day in advance, simply wrap well with plastic wrap.
Pastry cream can be made up to 4 days in advance
I recommend storing the cake in the refrigerator because of the whipped cream, and found the cake tastes even better the next day after the flavours have a chance to merry.

Good Luck and Enjoy!!

Jessica

Pastry cream adapted from Baking.

Orange-Berry Muffins

2012-05-14T20:36:00.001-04:00

My husband arrived home from work today, takes a swift look around the kitchen for something to shove into his mouth (yes, shove), and quickly discovers these muffins. He takes a look at them, and I already know what he is thinking.

Him: "Are these muffins any good?"

Me: "OMG they are amazing, soooo good!"

Him: "They are whole wheat, I can plainly see."

Me: "No! I used this really amazing special kind of flour, it just makes them look whole wheat." Boldfaced. Lie.

I clearly wasn't getting anything past this whole wheat phobic human. It's super annoying actually, he's got some crazy whole wheat radar or something. Won't give anything a chance. Period. No matter what I do or say.

Well, whatever! More for the rest of us.

I seriously wish you could smell my kitchen this morning when I made these. This batter ~~tasted~~ smelled amazing, and smelled even better after baked.

These are one of the best muffins I have ever had. No doubt about it. There are light, and moist. Have a nice crunchy top, that's made even better with the addition of a little but of coarse sugar. They are not too sweet, but have a wonderful tartness from the berries.

These are perfect for breakfast, a mid afternoon snack, or even brunch.

Make these. Seriously. You won't be sorry.

I'm done saying seriously. Thank you. Goodbye.

Orange-Berry Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (125g) whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup ( 4 1/2 ounces or 150g) granulated sugar

Finely grated orange zest from 1 large orange

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1 heaping cup (about 4 ounces raspberries)

coarse sugar, such as turbinado for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions:

1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add in the vanilla, and mix until well combined. Add in the sour cream and beat on low speed.

4. Add in the dry ingredients and fold in using a spatula. Fold just until evenly combined and moistened. Gently fold in the berries. The batter will be very thick.

5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling nearly full. Sprinkle each with a generous pinch of coarse sugar, if using. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 15 to 17 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack.

Jessica's Notes:

Feel free to use any combination of berries and citrus with this, such as 1/2 blueberries and 1/2 raspberries.
Although I used a combination of whole wheat pastry flour and all purpose, you could use just white flour if preferred, still using the same amount.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Adapted from Home Baked Comfort (Williams-Sonoma).

Overnight Cinnamon Buns

2012-05-10T14:53:00.003-04:00

With Mother's day just around the corner, I thought I would share one of my all time favourite sweets, cinnamon buns. What I love about cinnamon buns is that they are perfect for brunch, an afternoon snack, or anytime of day for that matter. What I particularly love about these cinnamon buns is that they can be made the night before, and baked the next day; leaving lots of time for family and guests.

These cinnamon buns are rich and soft, and complimented by a fluffy frosting with just a hint of cream cheese. Normally I always make a thinner glaze that just pours on and melts into the cinnamon buns, but this time I opted for a fluffy frosting, and I must admit I loved it. In fact, it's very much like the icing that you find on the famous Cinnabon buns. When heated, it melts into the buns and makes them absolutely irresistible.

If you have any fear of working with yeast, please, please, please give these a try. Most sweet rolls/breads require milk to be heated, which can sometimes be tricky when working with yeast, but all ingredients used are at room temperature which takes the guesswork out of it. These are quite easy to make, which will have you wondering why you never made these before, and have your guests thinking you slaved for hours making them. And honestly, there is nothing better than the smell of homemade cinnamon buns fresh out of the oven. Am I right? So go ahead, make these buns for mom, and she will be so grateful.

Overnight Cinnamon Buns

Makes 12 Rolls

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar (2 ounces)

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup (6 fl.oz) buttermilk, room temperature

4 cups (20 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant dry yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Filling:

1 cup packed (8 ounces) light brown sugar

2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

pinch salt

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted

Icing:

2 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (5 1/2 ounces) confectioners sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, melted butter, and buttermilk until well combined.

2. Add in 2 cups of flour, yeast, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is moistened and combined. Switch to dough hook attachment. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the dough. You will want the dough to feel soft, and moist but not sticky. You don't want any dough to be stuck on your finger tips when you pull away. If it is still sticky add more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Knead on low speed another 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. I had to add another 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon to get it to the right consistency. This may differ depending on your house, humidity, etc, so use the guideline above. After kneading the dough should be smooth, elastic.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand for an additional 30 seconds, and shape into a round ball. Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough into the ball and turn to coat in the oil. Cover and let double in size, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

4. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until they are well incorporated. Set aside.

5. Butter a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish, or 2-9 inch round baking pans. Lightly flour your work surface, and turn out dough onto it. Shape the dough into a rectangle. Roll into an 12 by 18-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border along the top edge (farthest from you). Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar filling all over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Gently press the filling into the dough.

6. Beginning with the long edge closest to you, begin rolling the dough into a tight roll. You will want to start on one side and continue to the opposite end until you get the roll going. Pinch the seam firmly to seal the dough. Roll the cylinder so that it is seam side down. If the cylinder is not even thickness, very gently squeeze it to create an even thickness. Using a serrated knife, cut the cylinder in half, then the two halves in half, then each 1/4 into thirds. This should yield you 12 even sized rolls. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

7. On baking day, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place into an over that is off. Fill a shallow baking pan 2/3 full with boiling water, and set on a rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise about 30 minutes, so that they look puffy. Remove the rolls and the pan of water.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

9. While the rolls are baking or cooling, make the icing. In a medium bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients and whisk on medium speed until well combined. Increase speed slightly and mix until light and fluffy. Spread over the warm rolls and serve. To reheat rolls, place roll in microwave and heat for about 15 to 20 seconds until soft and warm.

Jessica's Notes:

To bring cold eggs to room temperature quickly: place eggs in a bowl and cover with hot water, allow to sit for about 5 minutes
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make it: measure out 3/4 cup milk, add 1 scant tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, let stand for 5 minutes then mix.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Cinnamon buns slightly from Alton Brown via The Food Network, and icing adapted from The Best Of Top Secret Recipes.

Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos

2012-05-01T10:35:00.000-04:00

I'm not exactly sure why, but this year I'm really excited about Cinco de Mayo. Perhaps it's because it falls on a Saturday, or that I love a good theme party, or perhaps because I have been craving a margarita for days and days.

Let's be honest, it's probably the margaritas.

And with all those margaritas we probably need some food, and what better than some super easy and tasty shredded chicken tacos? These tacos are packed with flavour, healthy, and best of all ready in less than 30 minutes. And after I started writing this post, I realized I even forgot the cheese, but they were so good they didn't even need it. Fill them with whatever you like, just add the chicken; it's delicious!

Thirty minutes is all it takes. Easy as can be.

Then you have lots of time for margaritas.

Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup orange juice (I used to large navel oranges juiced instead)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
salt and pepper
8 to 12 tortillas (depending on size), warmed

Instructions:

1. In a 12'' skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add the minced garlic and chipotles and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Stir in 1/2 cup of cilantro, orange juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover chicken and simmer until the chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes, flip the chicken half way through.

3. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil.

4. Increase heat to medium-high, add the lime juice and cook until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the yellow mustard. Shred the chicken into bite sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro, and toss until everything is well combined and chicken is coated in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on warm tortillas and with toppings of your choice.

Jessica's Notes:

To warm tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen: Best Recipes and Reviews 2011, Magazine.

Vegetable Gardens and Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-04-30T14:01:00.001-04:00

I hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was pretty low key; we celebrated my Dad's birthday, began our vegetable garden, and baked these cookies. This is the first time I have ever planted a vegetable garden, so I am slightly apprehensive about it, mainly because I have a tendency to kill everything that I try to grow (with the exception of a kid). I have a funny feeling that Aiden will not let me kill these plants, because 2 1/2 year olds have a funny way of never letting you forget to do things that interest them. I love the idea of having fresh organic vegetable right in my backyard. I think it's going to be a great little project for Aiden and myself, and he has already had so much fun planting all the seeds.

Seeds plated in a small greenhouse

Growing up we always had fresh homegrown fruits and vegetables available to us every summer. My grandpa had an enormous fruit and vegetable garden in his backyard. He had a very large raised bed garden on one side, and the other side of his yard was filled with fruit trees. Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, onions, apricots, apples, peaches, and cherries were just a few things that he grew. Most summer evenings after a long day of work in the bakery, you could find him in the backyard tending to his garden. It was such a great thing to always have all of this wonderful produce available to us that was local, and we knew exactly how it was grown and produced, it was something he loved to do, and have for his family.

I remember one summer, I really wanted to grow cantaloupe, so he got me some seeds, and I secretly planted them in one of my parents flower gardens. Well, those melons started to grow, and spread, and soon the garden was filled with small little melons and lots of vines. He was absolutely tickled when he saw that, he just loved it.

It's been almost two years since we have had the vegetables that he grew. Although the summer that he passed away he was extremely sick, he still somehow managed to plant his garden full of veggies for his family, and we got to enjoy them even after he had passed. It was such a kind and selfless thing to do for us; and although we knew he was suffering greatly at that time, he never let us know it. It was suh a great gift that he gave us, but it was just the kind of person he was.

I suppose he is the reason I am planting this garden, as a reminder of him, and what he always did for us every year. I want to continue doing something that was important to him, and teach it to my son. We are starting off small, with some tomatoes and cucumbers, until I get the hang of it. Hopefully next year, we will expand to more, but I think this is a good place to start. I know that he would be so happy to see me doing this, and that's why I am going to break my plant killing cycle and properly tend to this garden, so that we can enjoy our vegetables this summer :)

And as for the cookies, they are thin, soft, have a chewy centre, and are slightly crisp around the edges. They have a wonderful malt flavour, and are studded with chocolate chips. These are what I would consider to be the perfect chocolate chip cookie; I love a soft and chewy cookie.

If you anyone has any advice or tips on starting or growing a vegetable garden I would love to hear them!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Jessica

Thin and Chewy Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons malted milk powder*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

3. In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix melted butter, and both sugars until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until well incorporated. Add in the vanilla, then the malted milk powder, and mix until combined.

4. Add in the flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips, and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds.

5. Spoon or scoop the cookie dough onto the lined sheets, leaving 2 to 3 inches apart as the cookies will spread a lot.

6. Bake the cookies for about 8 to 9 minutes, until the edges are brown and the centres are puffy. Let the cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Jessica's Notes:

I have searched high and low and have been unable to find Malted Milk Powder in Canada, so I used plain Ovaltine (no chocolate added, and is whitish). If anyone in Ontario knows where I can find it please let me know :)
I used mini chocolate chips because I think the suit a thin cookie better, but feel free to use whichever type of chocolate chip you prefer.

Good luck and Enjoy!

Jessica

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier.

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2012-04-25T15:17:00.000-04:00

So the thing is, I have been really craving some french onion soup lately. The only problem? No one, I mean, not one person in my family likes soup. Like, if you even try to give it to the my son, he throws his elbows up, and blocks me from any and all attempts to get soup in his mouth. He won't even try it. Period. My husband, he's not much better, he doesn't even consider soup to be a meal. I on the other hand absolutely love soup, and is something we grew up eating, we always had some nice homemade soup on hand.

So what's a girl to do? Make grill cheese of course! The weird part is, this tastes just like french onion soup, but in sandwich form. Beautiful caramelized onions with a hint of boozy goodness, melted gruyere cheese, and fresh, perfectly toasted sourdough come together to make the perfect sandwich. And dare I say better than the soup simply because it takes a lot less time.

Now, off to bake a bunch of birthday cakes!

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin, about 1/4"
3 tablespoons butter softened, plus additional for outsides of bread
3 tablespoons white wine
4.5 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
4 slices bread (I used sourdough)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the sliced onions. Stir until onions have softened and are starting to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread onions in an even layer, cover pot, and reduce heat to low. Stir every 5 or so minutes. Continue until onions are nice and brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes. (this may take longer depending on how many onions you use).

2. Increase heat to medium-high, add the wine to deglaze the pan, and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Once all the liquid has absorbed, about 1-2 minutes, turn off heat.

3. Preheat skillet to medium heat. Butter both sides of bread, lay buttered side down on skillet and cover with 1/4 of cheese, top with half of the caramelized onions, and top with 1/4 more cheese, then buttered bread. Cook until cheese is melted and the outside is golden brown. About 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with second sandwich.

Jessica's Notes:

Feel free to use any combination of cheeses you wish, I used gruyere because it's classic for french onion soup and it's a good melting cheese.
I cooked my sandwiches in a cast iron skillet, and used a heavy cast iron pot on top of the sandwich once I flipped it to speed up the melting process.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Lemon-Blueberry Drizzle Bread

2012-04-24T15:17:00.001-04:00

I know what you're thinking….sigh…another lemon dessert.

I'm a little surprised myself. Where did this sudden love of citrus desserts come from anyway?

But this was too good not to share, and when I bake, I bake to share. What's the point of making something good and keeping it all to yourself.

With all the snow(??), rain, and overall dreary weather the last couple days you need this bright and cheerful bread.

It's not just some plain old bread with some lemons and stuff. It's studded with blueberries, meyer lemon zest, brushed with a warm lemon syrup, and finally drizzled with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. See, told you it was good. It's super moist and all around wonderful.

Plus, it's super easy and fast to make. The hardest part, is waiting for it to cool so you can eat it.

Lemon-Blueberry Drizzle Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz/235g) all purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon for blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or slightly less table salt)
1/2 cup (4oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (6oz/ 185g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (4fl oz/125ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (4oz/125g) fresh blueberries

For the Syrup:
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used meyer lemons)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Glaze:
1/2 cup (2oz/60g) confectioners sugar
about 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and adjust rack to the middle position. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, until each one is incorporated. Add in the milk and vanilla extract, and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.

4. In a small bowl, toss clean blueberries with the 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

5. Bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. (this will depend on the size of your loaf pan). Allow bread to cool in pan for a few minutes then turn onto cooling rack.

6. While the bread is baking, make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan, measure lemon juice and sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

7. Using a skewer, poke the top of the bread all over. Don't be shy, you want all the syrup to go into the cake so it will be nice and moist. Brush the bread generously with the lemon syrup. Allow the bread to cool completely, about 2 to 3 hours.

8. To make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix the confectioners sugar and lemon juice, and whisk to combine. When bread is completely cool, drizzle the top with the glaze.

Jessica's Notes:

If blueberries aren't in season, or you simply don't like them, you can make lemon poppy seed bread instead. Replace the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds. Bake as directed.
I used meyer lemons for this but feel free to use regular lemons.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Slightly adapted from Home Baked Comfort (Williams-Sonoma): Featuring Mouthwatering Recipes and Tales of the Sweet Life with Favorites from Bakers Across the Country

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting

2012-04-23T11:12:00.000-04:00

It's been a rough couple weeks around here and things are finally starting to get back to normal. Saying goodbye (even for a short while) is never easy, especially if you're this little guy and you have grown accustomed to having someone around since the day you were born. But luckily this is more of a see you later rather than goodbye, and a year will pass in a flash.

We needed a bit of sunshine, something bright and cheerful this week, and what better way to inject a little sunshine and happiness into your life than a bright citrus cupcake. Meyer lemon cupcakes with meyer lemon curd filling and a special cream cheese frosting with lemon curd in it to be exact.

Truthfully, if I had the choice of a chocolate cupcake or a lemon cupcake I would most certainly almost always choose the chocolate, but after having this cupcake it really reminded me of how much I love citrus desserts. They are light, fresh, and oh so bright. Ask me again; it may be a tough choice.

After several attempts, I finally made the perfect lemon cupcake. It's light, moist, has a beautiful crumb, and a bright citrus flavour that shines through because of the fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. The lemon curd, well it's just plain delicious. And the cream cheese frosting, oh the cream cheese frosting, not your average cream cheese frosting. It is made really special with the addition of some fresh lemon zest and lemon curd! I know! It's wonderful and amazing and I dare you not to eat it all. It really makes for a special frosting. And I know what you're thing, dang that's a lot of lemon! But, it's not, just pure citrus goodness. So if you want to inject a little sunshine into your life, make these!

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24 cupcakes, or 2 layer 9'' cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons)

8 tablespoons (1 stick or 4oz) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature

6 egg whites

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

Meyer Lemon Curd

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

1 cup granulated sugar

Grated lemon zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 5 meyer lemons, about 3/4 cup

4 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 butter (1/2 stick or 2oz) cut into 4 pieces

Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioners sugar

16 oz (2 bricks) cream cheese

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon curd

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin trays with cupcake liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large measuring cup, measure the buttermilk, lemon juice, and add the egg whites. Mix to throughly combine. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar and grated lemon zest. Using your fingers, rub the sugar and lemon zest together until moist and fragrant. Add the butter, and using whisk or paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light.

5. Add in one third of flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add in half of the buttermilk mixture and mix until combined. Add in half of the remaining flour mixture, mix, then add in the remaining buttermilk mixture, mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat at medium speed for about 30 seconds until well combined.

6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full, and bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely and using a small sharp knife cut a small cone shape and fill with lemon curd (optional). Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Lemon Curd:

1. In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and grated lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until sugar is fragrant. Add in the eggs, and butter and stir to combine everything. Over medium-low heat whisk the mixture constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes. Mixture will thicken as it cools.

2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a container with a lid, or a bowl with a piece of saran wrap pressed on the top of the lemon curd. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Storage: Keep refrigerated and covered for up to 7 days.

For the Frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2. Add in the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, until well blended, about 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the bowl after every other addition. Add in the salt and grated lemon zest. Whip the icing on high speed for about 1 minutes to make it light and fluffy. Add in the chilled lemon curd and mix until blended.

3. Use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Jessica's Notes:

I find these cupcakes are best served the day that they are made.
I used meyer lemons for all components, but you can certainly use regular lemons (it will just be more tangy)
While I never recommend putting cake in the refrigerator, I actually liked these from the fridge.

Good Luck & Enjoy!!

Jessica

Cupcakes heavily adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours and Frosting adapted from Cooks Illustrated; Holiday Baking 2010.

Georgetown Cupcake's Red Velvet Cupcake

2012-04-18T06:32:00.000-04:00

So the thing is, I'm about two and a half months late posting this recipe, or nine and a half months early, depending on how you look at it. Punctuality has never been my strong suit. I had the best of intentions, but it just never happened. This recipe for red velvet cupcakes comes from The Cupcake Diaries, from the sisters who own Georgetown Cupcake and the stars of the TLC show DC Cupcakes. The book features a variety of their popular recipes as well as their memories thus far.

In all honesty, I'm always a bit skeptical of the recipes that come from books from famous bakeries. Do they really share the recipes that they use day in and day out?? Please, someone tell me I'm not the only one who shares this sentiment.

After a little bit of research, I found that red velvet cupcakes appear to be their most popular cupcake, so I started there. I have never had a cupcake from their bakery so I have no idea how this compares to the version they sell. I prepared the recipe exactly by the book, just so I knew what I was working with. I found the recipe to be slightly dry in comparison to the red velvet recipe that I normally use (will share soon), and I felt as though it could really have benefited from the use of buttermilk versus the whole milk that the recipe called for. I did however like the colour that their recipe produced as well as the amount of cocoa powder that they used. I then decided to make them again, but this time swapping buttermilk for the whole milk, and I think that really improved them significantly.

For the icing, I opted to use my favourite cream cheese icing recipe from Cook's illustrated because it always turns out perfectly and it's really quick and easy to make. Its light and fluffy, has the perfect amount of sweetness, and best of all holds its shape.

So now you too can make Georgetown Cupcakes Red Velvet cupcake at home.

Red Velvet Cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake

Makes about 24 Cupcakes

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

4 tablespoons liquid food colour, preferably no taste food colour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 teaspoons natural cocoa powder, sifted

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Cream Cheese Icing

Makes enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes or one 2 layer 9'' cake

16 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioners sugar

16 ounces cream cheese (2 bars), cold and cut into 8 pieces

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffins tins with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Set aside.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and the sugar together and cream on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

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

5. In a small bowl, whisk the food colouring, cocoa powder, and vanilla together until throughly combined and no lumps remain. Very slowly add to the mixer, and mix at low speed until well combined.

6. Add in one third of the flour mixture, mix until combined, then add in one third of the buttermilk, Mix until combined and repeat, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

7. In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the vinegar. Mix well and add to the batter. Mix until just incorporated, about 10 seconds.

8. Scoop batter into the muffin tin, filling them two-thirds full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost when completely cool.

For the icing:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and confectioners sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2. Add in the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, until well blended, about 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the bowl after every other addition. Add in the salt and vanilla extract. Whip the icing on high speed for about 1 minutes to make it light and fluffy.

3. Use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Jessica's Notes:

you can interchange whole milk for the buttermilk if you prefer, the recipe will remain the same

Good Luck and Enjoy!!

Jessica

Cupcakes adapted from The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes and Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake and frosting from Cooks Illustrated; Holiday Baking 2010

Meyer Lemon Curd

2012-04-14T22:22:00.003-04:00

It is true what they say; the simplest things are often the best. Such is the case with the meyer lemon curd. It is made up of only 4 ingredients; sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and butter, but those 4 simple ingredients come together to create something truly magical. The simplicity of this sauce truly lets the beauty of the meyer lemons shine through. And they are a thing of beauty indeed.

This was my first time ever making something with meyer lemons, mainly due to the fact that they are only available for a short period each year, and in my neck of the woods they are a little hard to come by. I purchased a bag of them earlier this year at the peak of citrus season, but in all honesty my indecision got the better of me and they sat on my counter until it was time to throw them out. I just couldn't decide what to make, and wasting those expensive little gems on something mediocre was not an option. Shame on me. So when I saw them again this week at the grocery store I knew I had to redeem myself; I didn't make the same mistake twice. This lemon curd was indeed the right decision. Sweet but tart, and oh so wonderfully creamy, its like a burst of sunshine in your mouth. It is so wonderfully delicious that you will find yourself eating it with a spoon, take it from me. Or if you have a little bit more will power hang on to it, so you can make what I have coming up next!

Meyer Lemon Curd

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

1 cup granulated sugar

Grated lemon zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 5 meyer lemons, about 3/4 cup

4 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 butter (1/2 stick or 2oz) cut into 4 pieces

Directions:

2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a container with a lid, or a bowl with a piece of saran wrap pressed on the top of the lemon curd. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Storage: Keep refrigerated and covered for up to 7 days.

Jessica's Notes:

This makes a wonderful filling for cakes or cupcakes
Spread this on toast, pancakes, etc
Don't have meyer lemons? You can substitute regular lemons in the recipe, however it will takes less lemons as they are generally bigger.

Good luck and Enjoy!

Jessica

Heavily adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

2012-04-13T07:26:00.002-04:00

Is it weird that I wake up in the morning trying to think of things to put salted caramel on? You do that too right? That's what I thought. This coffee cake is my latest salted caramel creation. I mean who doesn't love bananas, a streusel topping, and a large drizzle of salted caramel? Oh and I may have stuck some chocolate chips in there so that my husband would eat this, and I wouldn't be forced to eat the entire cake.
Because while I like chocolate, I pretty much hate chocolate chips. Take a chocolate chip cookie for example, I'll take the cookie minus the chocolate chips. My mom is the same, therefore it must be hereditary.

I've been making this cake for quite a long time, like, when I still lived at home long. Back then it was a bit on the boring side, just a chocolate chip cake with a sprinkling of brown sugar cinnamon topping, albeit still very tasty. Slowly I have modified it to include a streusel topping, because, let's be honest, everything tastes better with a streusel topping. And yesterday was the day I thought to put salted caramel on it. Now there's a coffee cake.

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake with Salted Caramel

Makes 1 large 13 x 9 cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4-5)

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Streusel Topping

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 2oz) softened unsalted butter, cut up into small cubes

Salted Caramel

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

1 cup (225g) granulated sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, preferably fleur-de-sel

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Streusel Topping

1. In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Using a fork or whisk, mix to combine and break up any brown sugar. Add the softened butter, and using your fingers, work it into the flour mixture until completely distributed and small clumps have formed. Set aside.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl mash bananas.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, and beat until fully combined. Add in the vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.

5. Add in half the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add in half of yogurt and mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and yogurt. Fold in chocolate chips if using.

6. Spread cake batter evenly in pan. Evenly sprinkle the top with the streusel topping. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7. While the cake is baking, make the salted caramel.

8. Once finished baking, let the cake cool for about 10 minutes. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Drizzle the top of the cake with as much salted caramel as you like, roughly about 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

Salted Caramel

1. Using a medium saucepan, spread the sugar in an even layer over the bottom.

2. Measure the heavy cream and set aside.

3. Heat the sugar over medium-low heat. When the sugar begins to bubble and liquify around the edges, use a heatproof spatula to push the sugar towards the centre of the pot. Continue to stir gently until all the sugar has melted. Once the caramel reaches a deep amber colour, immediately remove the pot from the heat.

4. Carefully and slowly pour in half of the heavy cream while whisking (the mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until incorporated, and then stir in the remaining cream. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the salt.

5. If any hard sugar has formed, stir the caramel over very low heat until the hardened pieces have melted and you have a smooth sauce.

6. Store remaining caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Sauce can be reheated if necessary in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Jessica's Notes:

I've substituted half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour, because when banana's are involved no one will ever notice, but you can use just all purpose flour
This cake is great on its own without all the fancy toppings, so feel free to omit the streusel or the salted caramel or both.
You will have left over salted caramel, keep in the fridge and use it on everything. You can thank me later.

Good Luck and Enjoy!!

Jessica

Salted caramel adapted from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz.

Scratch Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2012-04-09T13:40:00.000-04:00

This morning I woke up with a need to make biscuits, which for me is kinda weird because I've never made them, and rarely eat them. I started looking through a few recipe books and plain biscuits just weren't cutting it. I figured I would jazz them up with some cheddar cheese, and then a lightbulb went off and I thought of cheddar bay biscuits. You know them, those really yummy little biscuits you get at that chain seafood restaurant. I've never met a person who said they hated them, they are just too good.

I've made these once before, using a recipe that included a boxed biscuit mix, but I found them a bit on the salty side, and a little too dense. So I set off to make a scratch version that was light, fluffy, and flavourful, and rivalled the Red Lobster version. The flavour of these are spot on, and dare I say even better? They are fluffy, cheesy, moist, and have a nice garlic flavour. The best part is that they come together in a snap. Now you can enjoy these biscuits anytime at home!

Scratch Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Makes 16 biscuits

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 1/2 oz)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Garlic Topping
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or through garlic press
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position, and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and garlic powder until combined. Add in the cubed butter and using your fingers, rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add in the shredded cheese and mix to combine. Add in the buttermilk and mix until combined.

3. Using a 1/4 measuring spoon, scoop the biscuit mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes, and them remove and brush with butter mixture, and then bake for an additional 5 minutes until the tops are puffed and golden brown. Allow biscuits to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Serve at room temperature or while slightly warm.

Butter Topping

1. In a small saucepan, combine butter and minced garlic, heat on medium heat until the butter is melted and garlic is fragrant about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the garlic powder and dried parsley, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Storage: Can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Good luck and enjoy!

Jessica

Basic biscuit recipe adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen, 2011

Portuguese Easter Bread- Folar de Pascoa

2012-04-05T12:20:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy to finally be sharing a portuguese recipe with you! I often find it difficult to share recipes of portuguese desserts that I grew up with because I have so many memories of them. These memories always include my grandpa, and most times it brings me to tears just thinking of him. However, I also know that it would bring him so much joy to know that I am attempting to make and share all of the things that he made for so many decades, and brought so much happiness to others. So my goal from this point forward is to make and share all of the things that he made, that I loved so much, and share them here.

This Easter bread is one of the things that I grew up with and love; it holds a very special place in my heart. Growing up I have very fond memories of going to my grandparents bakery and watching my grandpa make this bread. Their bakery was filled with hundreds of these beautiful easter loaves, among many other Easter treats. I remember he would always give each of us a small individual bread that was our own. I always enjoyed eating this bread for breakfast with a little bit of salted butter spread on it. This bread was always part of Easter for my family.

Last year, I tried to make this bread without much success, so this year I knew I had to make it, and I was not giving up until I had something that was perfect. The first thing I did was get on the phone with my grandma and find out if she had my grandpa's recipe. She didn't, as he made things without recipes, and in huge quantities, but she did give me a few clues. He used water, not milk as so many sweet bread recipes called for. Eggs, butter, lemon extract. I remember it having such a distinctive golden colour, and I was so shocked to find out that he put in a bit of food colour to enhance the yellow colour from the eggs. I'm telling you, I was so shocked! It was the one thing I was trying to achieve and never could! I opted to leave the food colouring out however.

So after quite a few tries, I finally got a recipe that I was happy with, albeit not exactly like his, it's pretty close. I can't wait to share this bread with my family this year, and I know he would be so proud knowing that this tradition will carry on in our family!

Folar de Pascoa- Portuguese Easter Bread

Makes 1 large bread, or 2 medium

1 cup (250ml) warm water, divided

1 tablespoon (11g) active dry yeast

3/4 cup (170g) plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

750g (about 5 1/2 cups) all purpose flour (may need additional while kneading, about 1/4 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4oz or 114g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Egg Wash

1 large egg beaten

1/2 tablespoon water

Hard Boiled Eggs

4 Large eggs

Skin of 2 onions

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 warm water. Lightly sprinkle 1 tablespoon dry yeast over the mixture. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, and cubed butter. Mix on low speed to combine. Add in the eggs, sugar, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, lemon extract, and yeast mixture. Mix on low speed to combine. Mixture will be slightly wet. Switch to dough hook. Mix on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. You may need to add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time during mixing if the dough feels too wet. You want to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, and tacky but not sticky.

3. Coat a large bowl with vegetable oil. Shape dough into a ball, put into the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draught free area (I put into my oven with light turned on), for about 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

3. Meanwhile, bring 4 eggs (brown or white), salt, and peel of 2 yellow onions to a boil in a medium saucepan. The onion skin acts as a natural way to colour the white eggs brown, or enhance a brown egg. Once boiling turn off heat and allow eggs to sit for about 10 minutes. Remove eggs from water, and reserve.

5. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If using a baking stone, put in oven to preheat, or brush an upside down baking sheet with butter or oil. Reserve a small amount of dough, about 1/2 cup, to make cross decoration. Knead the remaining dough a few times to get the air out. Shape into a circle and gently press the unpeeled hardboiled eggs into the dough. Create 2 long, flat pieces of dough to place over the eggs. Place the dough strips over the eggs and press the ends into the round dough to create a cross.

6. Brush the entire top of the dough with the egg wash.

7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and there is a hollow sound when tapped. Set aside to cool.

Storage: 3 days wrapped at room temperature, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Jessica

Double Chocolate-Toffee Brownie Cookies

2012-03-06T15:33:00.002-05:00

I may just have to go out on a limb here and say, these may be the best cookies I have ever made. I know that's a big statement, but they were really that good, and the whole family agreed. I actually had no expectations for these cookies; I just knew I wanted to bake, but had something relatively easy in mind. After flipping through a few recipe books I settled on these.

While chocolate cookies are never my go to, there was something about the word brownie in the title that made me give them a try. I tend to steer away from chocolate cookies, as most that I have tried are just too chocolatey, too dry, or plainly don't look appealing. But these cookies have changed my mind, and they may just be my new favourite cookie.

These cookies are basically a brownie in cookie form; soft, chewy, fudgy, and dense. They even have that beautiful and shiny crinkly top that is present on the best brownies. The addition of toffee in the cookie provides a great contrast to the chocolate and adds little caramel bursts throughout the cookie. Although they have a lot of chocolate in them, they aren't overwhelmingly chocolatey, just the perfect amount. I also love that they are not overly sweet and don't have a ton of butter in them like most cookies. These brownie cookies will absolutely be my new go to cookie!

Double Chocolate- Toffee Brownie Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped and divided (I used Callebaut callets instead)

6 tablespoons ( 3 ounces) unsalted butter

1 cup (225g) sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (95g) sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

about 3/4 cup skor toffee bits, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. *I found the cookies turned out better on parchment than on the Silpat.

2. Over a double boiler of simmering water, melt 8 ounces chocolate, and the butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside and let cool about 5 minutes.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and the chocolate mixture on medium speed, for about 3 minutes, until well combined. Scraped down the sides of the bowl, add eggs, and mix until mixture is smooth and completely combined. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the remaining 4 ounces chocolate and toffee bits.

4. Shape 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into balls and place them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with a few additional toffee bits on top of dough ball. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are just set, and centres are a bit soft, about 9 to 11 minutes. Transfer the parchment and cookies to a wire each to cool completely.

Make Ahead: Dough can be shaped into balls and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 weeks. To freeze- freeze on baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag.

Storage: Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Enjoy!!

Jessica

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Perfect Oven Fries with Homemade Ketchup

2012-02-28T16:11:00.000-05:00

Can I be honest? I love gadgets. I mean I really love gadgets. I've loved them for as long as I can remember. My earliest gadget memory was this Starfrit apple peeler. I have no idea how I acquired it, all I remember is that it didn't really do a good job of peeling the apples; it constantly missed large spots of skin, mainly due to the fact that an apple is so rarely perfectly round. It didn't matter though, I insisted on using it even when my mom insisted that I didn't. t think I made more apple pies that season than I care to remember. The thing that I think is most appealing about gadgets is the overwhelming belief that they will somehow make the task easier, and quicker; while most times doing the exact opposite. Over the last few years I've really tried to curb my gadget buying in an attempt to stop the overflow of appliances, and gadgets that are now taking over my draws and cupboards, but when the opportunity presented itself to buy a mandolin in order to make potatoes au gratin, I couldn't say no. I needed it- after all, there was no way to cut potatoes that thin by hand.

You may be asking yourself what gadgets have to do with french fries? Lots. Once I purchased a mandolin it changed everything about how I made oven fries. They now turn out perfectly every time. They key is having evenly cut potatoes; all the same size to ensure even cooking. While you most definitely don't need a mandolin, I just personally found it impossible to cut potatoes evenly, thus producing unevenly cooked fries. The second thing that I found to cooking great oven fries…parchment paper. I'm not sure why I never thought of it before- so simple right? I would always get fries that stuck to the bottom of the sheet pan, would rip and crumble while flipping or removing from the pan. The parchment allows them to still brown, but not stick. And lastly, a blast of heat from the broiler at the end gives the fries a nice brown and crisp exterior while maintaining a nice, soft creamy interior.

And the ketchup. It's tangy and sweet, and tastes way better than the stuff from a squeeze bottle. Instead of using white vinegar for the ketchup I opted to use a combination of apple cider vinegar (which is sweeter), and red wine vinegar. The addition of onion and fresh garlic give it a wonderful flavour, and make it a perfect accompaniment to these fries.

Perfect Oven Fries with Homemade Ketchup

Ketchup yields about 2 cups, 2-3 servings fries

Fries

1 pound russet (baking) potatoes, scrubbed, about 2

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling after cooking

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoons dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

**sometimes I add a little cayenne for a little spice

Notes: I cut the above fries into 1/4" sticks, you can cut them at 1/2" as well, just adjust baking time accordingly.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and adjust rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Scrub and dry potatoes well. Cut potatoes into even 1/4" or 1/2" sticks. In a bowl, or on the parchment paper, drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and the salt, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper. Toss with your hands to evenly coat the fries. Spread the fries evenly on the baking sheet.

3. Bake for about 20 -25 minutes, flipping half way through. Turn the broiler on and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle a little more salt.

Homemade Ketchup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably unsalted san martzano or italian

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, over medium- high heat, heat the olive oil, add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add both vinegars, sugar, salt, and mustard. Bring to a boil. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium low. Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced by about half, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree in food processor, blender, or with immersion blender (my choice), until smooth.

Storage: Can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Enjoy!!

Jessica

Ketchup adapted from TLC; Kitchen Boss

Butterscotch Pudding and Brownie Parfaits

2012-02-20T16:16:00.001-05:00

It feels like I haven't blogged in ages! In all honesty, I'm not sure why it's been so long. I've been in the kitchen as always, but nothing truly spectacular has come of it. Everything has been sort of mediocre, and I strive to share things that I think are excellent and worthy of sharing. This last week and a half I realized how much I love to blog and what joy it brings to my life. I feel as though I have a sense of purpose; when sometimes it feels like I have none at all. It absolutely makes my day when you like something as much as I do. Your wonderful comments bring me so much happiness and make me want to keep going!

I have a real love of custard based desserts, there is just something so good about the smooth creaminess of puddings. That, combined with the fact that they are so easy to make, always make them my go to dessert. And it turns out you love them too! The salted caramel puddings that I made a while back were a huge hit. So I decided to try out some butterscotch pudding, which I had never made before. And if I dare, these were just as good if not better than the salted caramel puddings.

My original idea for this pudding was just to have the pudding topped with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped Skor chocolate, but then I realized I had some brownies in the freezer that I had made a few weeks back and thought it would be perfect layered in between the pudding. I started off with a layer of the butterscotch pudding, a layer of freshly whipped cream, some Skor bits, the soft and chewy brownies, and then did it all over again. The texture was amazing, soft and creamy from the pudding and whipped cream, crunch from the skor bits, and soft and chewy from the brownies. Absolute perfection. And the butterscotch pudding- it's amazing. It's made with a combination of cornstarch and egg yolks. The egg yorks add a richness that you won't get with cornstarch alone. I never thought I would like butterscotch pudding, but I love it more than chocolate now. It's rich and creamy and it's just a little boozy which is always good in my books! I was actually surprised to discover that butterscotch pudding is actually made with butter and scotch! Who would have thought!

This dessert is simple enough for a weeknight dessert, but also wonderful for a party! I opted for individual parfaits but you could always make it in a trifle bowl as well.

*Note: I opted for homemade brownies for this recipe, but to keep it simple you could use your favourite box mix or store bought brownie bites.

Butterscotch Pudding and Brownie Parfaits

Makes 6, 7oz Parfaits

For the pudding:

3 cups half and half, divided

2 large egg yolks

1/3 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons scotch

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Brownies:

I used a few of these brownies chopped up- but feel free to use your favourite recipe or store bought.

Topping (and middle layer): 1 chocolate covered english toffee bar crushed, such as skor or heath

Directions:

1. Whisk 1 cup half and half, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a large bowl until well blended and the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of half and half, brown sugar, and salt. Over medium-high heat mix until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes just to a boil. Remove from heat, and gradually mix the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Pour back into the same saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and boils, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in the butter, scotch and Vanilla.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk whipping cream and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form.

4. To assemble: Divide half the pudding among 6 cups or ramekins, spoon or pipe half the whipped cream over. Sprinkle with half of the crushed toffee bar. Chop brownies into small/bite sized pieces and make a layer over the whipped cream. Top with the remaining pudding and whipped cream. Top with a piece of brownie and sprinkle with the remaining crushed toffee bar.

* Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Pudding adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two

2012-02-09T16:44:00.000-05:00

With Valentines day just around the corner, I thought I'd share one of my favourite chocolate desserts; chocolate lava cakes. Because when I think of Valentines day, I think chocolate. Rich, dark, and gooey chocolate. I love making these because they are not only delicious, but they are super quick and easy to make. The batter can be made in about in about 10 minutes, with only 6 ingredients that you probably already have on hand. These make the ideal dessert for a weeknight Valentines day.

I love this recipe because while most recipes for lava cakes make 6 plus cakes, this one only makes two, which is perfect for you and your sweetheart. Top it with a little powdered sugar and some fruit and you have an amazing dessert that has a rich chocolate flavour, perfect level of sweetness, and a gooey centre.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two

Makes 2

Cocoa powder and butter for ramekins

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used callebaut dark chocolate callets)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

pinch salt

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6 ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder.

2. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl, and microwave on high, for 1 to 3 minutes in 30 second intervals until melted. At each interval stir chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla into melted chocolate.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, whip the egg on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip the egg for an additional 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated sugar and salt, continue to whip the egg until it is very thick, and pale yellow, about 7 minutes longer.

4. Scrape the egg mixture over the chocolate mixture, then sift the flour over the top. Gently fold the mixture together with a rubber spatula, until just incorporated and no streaks remain.

5. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins, smooth the tops, and remove any batter from the sides. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheets and bake the cakes neil they have puffed about 1/2 inch above the rim of the ramekin, and they jiggle slightly in the centre, about 10 minutes.

6. To un-mould: Run a small knife carefully around the edges of the cakes. Gently invert each ramekin onto the individual serving plate and let sit until the cakes release themselves, about 1 minute. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Jessica

From The Best of Americas Test Kitchen; Best Recipes and Reviews 2011

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

2012-01-30T15:31:00.000-05:00

Because it's Monday.

Because it's Bachelor night (please tell me I'm not the only one).

Because I had a traumatic weekend; sort of.

I made us soup.

Not just any soup, but soup with sweet potatoes, carrots, lentils, and curry. Curry is good, actually curry is great. Curry just about makes anything food better.

Soup makes things better, soup is comforting.

So you're probably wondering about the traumatic event. Okay, so I'm probably being a tad dramatic. We got haircuts. More importantly, Aiden got a haircut. His first haircut, that's 2 whole years of beautiful blond curly locks. The hair, I love the hair. It was time. People were commenting on how beautiful my little girl's hair is, and how cute she is. Umm, she is a he. Thanks. That kind of stuff can scar a kid. So, we cut it. Not all of it, but some.

I almost cried. Almost.

I know what your thinking, it's just hair, get a grip.

Okay, so 2 days later, it's growing on me. The thing is, it makes him look like a kid. The grown up kind that get haircuts. He's growing up. I have to move on.

As for the soup, it's a basic soup kicked up a notch. I make this soup all the time, but this time I added a few things that made it worthy of your attention. Did you know lentils have tons of protein? Honestly, this is my first time cooking lentils and I sort of love them. I added one of my favourite spices; curry. It adds such a wonderful flavour to soups, and I always love pairing curry with cayenne, they work perfectly together. The addition of fresh lemon juice at the end adds a wonderful freshness to this soup. Give this soup a try, and see for yourself.

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped, about 1 cup

1 cup chopped carrot, about 2 large

3 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato, about 1 1/2 lbs

2 cloves garlic

1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/2 heaping tablespoon curry powder

1 cup dry red lentils

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream, half and half, or coconut milk

about 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan (at least 5 qt) over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped carrot and sweet potato. Mix to coat with the olive oil and cook for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally. Add in the garlic, cayenne powder, and curry powder, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the lentils and mix until they are all coated, about 1 minute.

2. Add in the stock, and reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are tender and the lentils are cooked (exploded). Remove from heat and puree with immersion blender, or puree in blender in batches.

3. Once it is all pureed, add in the cream and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the fresh lemon juice. Serve.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Banana Chocolate Pancakes

2012-01-26T15:01:00.000-05:00

Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes…I love pancakes. It's inherited I think, because Aiden loves pancakes too. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes we even have pancakes for lunch. Our go to recipe is usually these, but sometimes we like to spice things up a little, and I started thinking; why not chocolate pancakes? I'm not talking chocolate chips, but chocolate batter! Chocolate just makes everything better. I threw in some bananas and whole wheat flour (because no one will ever know) , and wow these were some good pancakes. Moist, light, and fluffy. Everything I like in a pancake.

I opted to drizzle with a little bit of honey instead of maple syrup, and I think that was the perfect accompaniment to these pancakes. And good news; they were definitely toddler approved!

Banana Chocolate Pancakes

Makes about 10 pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can sub for whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 bananas, mashed (mine were small)

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

2. In a small bowl, mash bananas. Add in the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and vegetable oil, and mix until well combined.

3. Pour the liquid ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. You want the mixture to still have some lumps.

4. Allow the batter to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. I found this makes for lighter and fluffier pancakes.

5. Cook pancakes until there are bubbles on the surface and the edges are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional minute.

**To keep pancakes warm while cooking, preheat oven to 175 degrees and place cooked pancakes on a cookie sheet or plate.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Peanut Butter and Dulce de Leche Buttercream

2012-01-24T15:38:00.000-05:00

I've been a little under the weather the last few days, and it seems as though I'm not the only one. So today I finally had a little more energy, and that obviously means that it's time to get back into the kitchen and start baking! And because I picked up a whoopie pie recipe book on the weekend, I think it's only fitting that I start off the week with a whoopie pie.
Me and my little helper baked up the cookies this morning (which are good on their own by the way :)), and then I hemmed and hawed the rest of the morning as to what filling to make. I had a few in mind, and then when I saw on twitter that it was National Peanut Butter day, it was an obvious choice that peanut butter had to be incorporated into the buttercream. But, this is no ordinary peanut butter buttercream, it's light and fluffy and has dulce de leche in it! I mean, who doesn't love dulce de leche? I absolutely love the combination of peanut butter and dulce de leche, it's like they were meant to be.
This is a great simple cookie, it is soft and chocolatey, and the perfect backdrop to so many different flavoured fillings. The buttercream is light and fluffy, has a nice peanut butter flavour that's not overwhelming, and has the caramel undertones from the dulce de leche. Not only is this buttercream great on these whoopie pies, but perfect on cupcakes too!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche Buttercream
Makes about 10-12 sandwich cookies, depending on size

Cookies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoon plain yogurt or sour cream
3 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and adjust oven rack to middle position. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and then vanilla extract. Add in half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add in the yogurt and milk, and mix until just combined. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until throughly combined.
4. Spoon or pipe the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2-3 inches apart as the cookies will spread. Bake, one sheet at a time, for about 10-12 minutes, until the cookies have risen and they are just firm to the touch. (They make take a little bit longer depending on how large you make them, but check by firmness). Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Buttercream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dulce de leche
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter together until light, and well incorporated, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add in the confectioners sugar, and beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add in the salt and dulce de leche, and beat until well combined. Add in the heavy cream and whip on high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Assembly
1. Spread or pipe the buttercream filling on the flat side of half the cookies, and top with a cookie about the same size.

Store in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Cookie adapted from Whoopie Pies by Angela Drake and buttercream portuguesegirlcooks original.

Warm Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Mocha Fudge Sauce

2012-01-18T15:08:00.002-05:00

It's not very often that my husband asks me to make a specific dessert, so when he asked for this how could I say no? (Plus, it was the perfect opportunity for me to use these cute little cast iron skillets :) ) Well, he didn't specifically ask for a brown butter cookie, or homemade vanilla bean ice cream, or even the mocha fudge sauce. What he specifically wanted was for me to make the molten lava cookie like Red Lobster. I'm quite certain that the only reason he likes going to Red Lobster is for the dessert. Well now I can make this at home, only better. My original concept for the cookie included a molten centre, however, after the first batch made in a ramekin, we agreed that it was just too sweet with the chocolate centre, so for this batch I chose to remove the molten centre, and I think that created a more balanced dessert.

I decided I would take a basic chocolate chip cookie and kick it up a notch, with the addition of brown butter, which gives the cookie an amazing nutty flavour, without actually adding any nuts. Definitely can't go go wrong with adding brown butter to anything! Then I made some vanilla bean ice cream, because everything is better with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. And the part that really pulls it all together is the mocha fudge sauce. Oh yes, that's right, fresh espresso in the fudge sauce, now that is good. The espresso in the fudge sauce compliments and enhances the chocolate flavour in the cookie and in the sauce. Now this is one good dessert that's perfect for your Valentine!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream and Mocha Fudge Sauce

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 4-8 servings (depending on the vessels used), or 16 Cookies

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare ramekins or vessels.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda together and set aside.

3. Melt 10 tablespoons butter in an uncoated skillet over medium high heat, for about 2 minutes. Continue to cook while swirling the pan constantly, until the butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty smell, and little brown bits have formed in the bottom of the pan, about 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat, and using a heatproof spatula, transfer the butter to a large bowl. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into the hot butter until completely melted.

3. Whisk, both sugars, salt, and vanilla into the bowl with the butter until fully incorporated. Add the whole egg and yolk and whisk until the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes, then whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat the 3 minute rest and 30 seconds of whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, and ensure no more flour pockets remain.

4. Divide the dough evenly amongst the ramekins, and press lightly to make sure it is even. The baking times will vary depending on the size of vessel you use. You want the cookie to be slightly brown around the edges and puffy in the centre, just like when making a cookie. This will give you a soft cookie. I found that about 15 minutes was perfect, but suggest checking after about 10.

Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream

Makes about 1 quart (1 litre)

1 cup (250ml) whole milk

3/4 cup (150g) sugar

2 cups (500ml) heavy cream

pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

6 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Warm milk,sugar, 1 cup of the heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the hot milk, and add in the vanilla bean pod. Remove from the heat, and cover. Let the mixture steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream into a large bowl with a strainer set on top and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until fully combined. Slowly, while whisking constantly, pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

4. Heat the egg yolk mixture over medium heat, and stir constantly with a heatproof spatula. Heat until the mixture has thickened, coats the spatula, and has reached about 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

5. Pour the custard through the strainer into the cream. Add the vanilla extract and the the vanilla bean pod. Place the bowl over an ice bath and mix until mixture has cooled. Chill mixture throughly in the refrigerator. Once the mixture is cold, remove the vanilla bean pod, and freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

Mocha Fudge Sauce

Makes 1 Cup (you can halve this recipe, or make it all and save for other things)

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

1/3 cup (80ml) light corn syrup

1/2 cup (125ml) freshly brewed espresso

6 tablespoons (50g) unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk the sugar, corn syrup, espresso and cocoa powder together in a small saucepan. Whisk the mixture constantly over medium heat, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges at it comes to a low boil. Once it comes to a low boil, whisk constantly for 1 minute more.

2. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator until very cold before using, preferably overnight.

Storage: the fudge sauce can be stored up to 2 weeks, covered, in the refrigerator.

Note: If you prefer a plain fudge sauce, substitute water for the espresso.

Let the cookie rest a few minutes out of the over before scooping on the ice cream so that it doesn't melt too quickly. Best served warm.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Brown butter cookies from The Best of America's Test Kitchen, 2010. Ice Cream and Fudge sauce barely adapted from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz.

Salted Caramel Pudding

2012-01-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

My love affair with salted caramel continues. Why stop at cupcakes, truffles, or even salted caramel sauce, when you can have these cute little salted caramel pudding cups. This is not your basic pudding; it's kicked up a notch with a chocolate cookie base, salted caramel pudding, a layer of salted caramel, and finished off with some fresh whipped cream, and a little sprinkle of the cookie crumbs. Call it a caramel pudding parfait. And believe it or not, it's not actually that sweet. The sweetness primarily comes from the layer of caramel on top.

There seems to be a real growing trend towards using salt and pepper in pastry, and when I received the September issue of Bon Appetit, it was showcased this trend beautifully with a wide variety of pastry infused with salt and pepper. But this pudding immediately caught my eye, and had been in the back of my mind ever since. To be honest, I'm surprised that it took me so long, but I'm glad I finally made it because it was definitely worth it.

The only thing I would change about these next time is to make a larger layer of the pudding itself. I think it would balance out everything a little bit better. If you're looking to keep things a little bit simpler, you can eliminate the chocolate layer all together and just stick with the pudding, caramel, and whip cream; it will be pure perfection.

Notes: My recommendation for this pudding is to assemble before serving as you want the cookie layer at the bottom to remain crisp, as I found the next day it was a bit soggy and I enjoyed the difference in textures. However, the pudding can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated.

Salted Caramel Pudding
Makes 8 Servings (large) or 12- 14 small

Cookie Crust
1 cup finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Salted Caramel Pudding
3 cups whole milk, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup water
5 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons dark rum (I substituted for brandy)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Salted Caramel Sauce- 1/2 Recipe

Whipped Cream
about 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions:

Cookie Crust:
1. Mix cookie crumbs, salt, and butter in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the cookie mixture for garnish. Press 2 tablespoons (for large or half for a small cup) of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of mason jars or cups. Set aside.

Pudding:
1. In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 1/2 cups of milk until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg yolks on medium speed for about 3 minutes. (you can do this by hand but I just find it easier in a mixer)
4. To make the caramel, stir the brown sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat, and cook without stirring until an instant read thermometer reads
210 - 220 degrees. Remove from heat.
5. With stand mixer at low speed, gradually whisk in the hot milk, then the cornstarch mixture into the eggs. Slowly whisk in the caramel. Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat, until the mixture thickens and a thermometer registers 175 degrees, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in the butter, rum, and salt. Pour through a sieve if necessary.
6. Pour 1/2 cup budino over crust in each cup. Cover and chill for 4 to 5 hours.

Salted Caramel Sauce- Click link for recipe and directions.

Whipped Cream
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy whipping cream and sugar on high until soft peaks form.

Assembly:
Spoon 2 tablespoons slightly cooled salted caramel sauce over pudding and top with lightly whipped cream. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, September 2011