Last year, a restaurant dedicated solely to macaroni and cheese opened nearby. Shawn and I had heard about it months in advance and were so excited to try it. Once it opened, we were almost instantly there with the kids. The premise is genius — take a classic comfort food and make it a bunch of different ways. Serve it in skillets. The restaurant has really taken off and is even expanding into a larger space.

Pretty awesome, right?

Well, eating there has made me rethink mac and cheese. I’ve always been of the creamy cheddar mac and cheese persuasion. But it can be so much more — you can change up the cheeses, do more than one, add toppings, mix-ins and drizzles. And you can bake it (or not). There is so much room for adaptation with basic macaroni and cheese.

This one? I was mulling over it after having a pulled pork macaroni and cheese at that mac and cheese place. So when the Wisconsin Cheese Board contacted me about participating in their annual 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese, I immediately sent this idea over. They loved it as much as I did. Head over there to read my blog post on my mac and cheese philosophy.

Then come back, so you can read a little more about this plate of heaven. It’s okay … I’ll wait.

Now, about this recipe … It’s like a BBQ joint on high.

The silky cheese sauce is laced with a familiar smokiness usually reserved for fall-off-the-bone-tender treats from the smoker. You can thank the Apple Smoked Wisconsin Cheddar and the smoky brisket on top (I used leftover Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Brisket). But it doesn’t stop there … it’s drizzled with sweet honey barbecue sauce and sprinkled with sharp Wisconsin blue cheese.

When you dig in with your fork, you have to stab a bit of the creamy macaroni and a piece of the brisket — preferably one that is laced with barbecue and blue cheese. It’s a total explosion of flavor … kind of like when they shoot off all the confetti at the end of the Super Bowl. (Psst – This would be perfect to make for Super Bowl Sunday.) If you like mac and cheese and brisket, you will adore this. Swear.

Be sure to check out all the mac and cheese posts at 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese. Heaven!

Smoked Cheddar and Blue Cheese Brisket Macaroni and Cheese
serves 8

1 lb macaroni
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground mustard
8 oz freshly grated Wisconsin Apple Smoked Cheddar Cheese
kosher salt, to taste
2 cups leftover beef brisket
¼ cup honey barbecue sauce
4 oz crumbled Wisconsin blue cheese

Cook the macaroni according to package directions.

While the macaroni is cooking, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is smooth and liquid-y. Whisk in the milk and ground mustard. Cook, whisking occasionally, until  well combined and hot.

Whisk in the Apple Smoked Cheddar Cheese until smooth (if necessary, raise the heat on the burner a little to aid the cheese in melting). Taste and season as needed with salt.

Combine the cooked macaroni and the cheese sauce and pour into an ungreased 9×13-inch glass baking pan. Smooth into one layer.

Spread the brisket over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and sprinkle all over with blue cheese.

Set the broiler to high. Slide the macaroni and cheese into the oven placing it about four-inches from the element. Broil for 5-10 minutes until hot and bubbly. The blue cheese should start to lightly brown in places.

Serve immediately.

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Disclosure: I was compensated for the ingredients that went into developing this recipe. All opinions are my own.

I’m mildly obsessed with superfruits, which are basically the health super heroes of the fruit world. They provide so many valuable nutrients like antioxidants and just taste so good too. Really, I can’t get enough of pomegranates, adore blueberries and crave cranberries (which are huge here in New England). Recently, I got to try another superfruit — tart cherries.

Are you familiar with tart cherries? I wasn’t until a big ol’ package of them arrived in my mailbox recently courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute and Kitchen PLAY. But after one sweet-and-sour taste I realized two things: I’ve had them before, and the tangy flavor is slightly addictive. They are available all year in frozen, dried  or juice form. The dried are my fave and make a great addition to salads, cookies and trail mixes. But the frozen ones are delicious too and they can be used in sweet or savory dishes.

So, what about these healthy attributes to the tart cherry? According to the Cherry Marketing Institute, more than 50 studies on tart cherries linked it to anti-inflammatory benefits, arthritis pain reduction and heart health benefits. It might even be helpful for post-workout recovery.

Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon with Rustic Tart Cherry Salsa is a great way to get some tart cherries into your diet (Psst! February is National Cherry Month). For this recipe, I used frozen tart cherries to make a slightly spicy and very zesty salsa that goes so well with the sweet Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon. The contrast of zesty spiciness and sweetness is irresistible. It’s the kind of thing that could lead to licking the plate clean … if no one is looking, of course.

Also, this is a recipe easy enough to make for a quick lunch or dinner. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, total … though you could also make it low-effort when you are in a pinch by making the salsa ahead of time. Save leftover salsa for dipping tortilla chips in or enjoying over tacos.

Have you had tart cherries before? Do you like them?

Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed Salmon with Rustic Tart Cherry Salsa
serves 4

Salsa:

1 cup chopped tart cherries (thawed from frozen)
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
salt and pepper, to taste

Salmon:

1 lb salmon fillet, cut into four pieces
1/4 cup tart cherry juice (I used juice from the frozen cherries)
1/4 cup honey

In a medium bowl, stir together the ingredients for the salsa until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment (foil preferred). Rinse the salmon fillets under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Arrange on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cherry juice and honey. Spread half of the mixture over the salmon fillets, reserving the second half.

Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until just about cooked through. Drizzle the second half of the tart cherry-honey mixture over the fillets and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until slightly golden at the edges.

Serve the salmon fillets on a bed of greens with the tart cherry salsa on top. Enjoy!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Cherry Marketing Institute and Kitchen PLAY. I am being compensated for developing this recipe and also for writing this blog post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Also, there is a special giveaway going on at Kitchen PLAY right now. Here are the details:

The Cherry Marketing Institute is also sponsoring a delicious giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate one or more recipes from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win the following prize pack shipped directly to each winner (valued at $100).

- A recipe rock- Sur La Table red measuring cup set- Sur La Table red mixing bowls, set of three- Yaritza apron- 1 lb bag of dried tart cherries
- 1 bottle of tart cherry juice
- branded cherries toteNo purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents only. The deadline is February 29, 2012. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!

Sometimes you need a hands-free dinner. Like when the kids have activities after school that keep you running. Like when you know you’ll be home just in time to sit down to eat. Like when you want to be spontaneous and don’t want to have to cook when you get back.

Whether you love to cook or tolerate it, sometimes you just need dinner to make itself.

Slow cookers are great for that. When the kids and I recently took advantage of an unseasonably warm day to picnic at the beach and take a bike ride, having a meal in the slow cooker was a godsend. It meant that we could take our time, enjoy ourselves and when we arrived home, dinner was waiting.

Are you a slow cooker fan? I didn’t use one for years, but I’ve become a convert — it’s just so easy, convenient and handy to make a good dinner without a good deal of time in the kitchen. Mine makes an appearance two to three times a month. How about you?

If you aren’t using one, I urge you to give it another try. Coming home to a fresh dinner bubbling away in a slow cooker is such a treat.

Also, I wanted to invite you to a fun slow cooker event that I am co-hosting on Thursday with nine other bloggers. It’s virtual cooking class on The Motherhood hosted by Chef George Duran. The topic is Game Day and Slow Cooker Recipes. With the Super Bowl this Sunday, there couldn’t be a better time for it.

What to come? Here are the details:

What: A virtual cooking school class called Game Day and Slow Cooker Recipes. The class is part of the Cooking Connections series on The Motherhood.

When: Thursday, February 2, at 1 p.m. ET.  It will last 30 minutes.

Where: TheMotherhood – here is the link to the page where the class will be held: http://www.themotherhood.com/talk/show?id=62363

About the class: Get ready – and hungry – for Game Day! Cold weather and football puts us in the mood for some tasty slow cooker recipes.  Join us to share your favorites and be inspired by suggestions from others! We will watch a live video demonstration of a slow cooker recipe from website Ready Set Eat while chatting via text.

The class is sponsored by ReadySetEat.com and ConAgra Foods, and it is hosted by TheMotherhood.  You can get and share suggestions for crowd-pleasing halftime recipes during this class and turn to recipe website ReadySetEat.com for more quick and easy meal ideas.

The other nine co-hosts are …

Johanna, Momma Cuisine
John, Stay at Stove Dad
Liz, Thoughts of a Mommy
Melanie, The Coupon Goddess
Migdalia, Latina on a Mission
Robyn, Robyn’s Online World
Shari, Earth Mother Just Means I’m Dusty
Silvia, Mama Latina Tips
Yoly, Cuponeando

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in this virtual cooking class. All opinions expressed are my own.

This might just be my favorite scone recipe ever. It’s everything a good scone should be — subtle, but flavorful. Perfect with coffee or tea. And totally memorable.

Scones unfairly get a bad rap, I think. It’s usually with folks who’ve only had the dry, rock-like version that some stores sell. And really, if that’s the only way you’ve had them, it’s not surprising if you groan and turn away when you see someone writing about them. Those scones are an acquired taste, for sure. But I urge you: give homemade scones a chance.

Homemade scones are different. They have a crusty outside, yes, but that gives way to a soft, tender interior. Scones are definitely best the day they’re made, warm from the oven. But they are good the next day too — especially if you warm them up briefly before serving. But you should know that scones won’t last more than two days (they lose that softness after that) … but then again, scones rarely last more than two days in my house anyway.

When Shawn asked me to make some scones this weekend, I decided to just work with what we had in the fridge — and this recipe was born using flavors we love with a tried and true process. This is a mash-up of my family’s favorite pancake recipe for Blueberry White Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes and a killer recipe for Raspberry White Chocolate Scones that’s another favorite. Tangy buttermilk, sweet white chocolate chips and some delicious tart wild blueberries are like breakfast-craft for me. So good.

These scones are buttery with a nice coarse sugar sprinkled top … You’ll love them. I swear.

I heated up a couple of these for the kids this morning and Will was so excited that the flavors were like his favorite pancake. He’s declared this his new favorite scone. Sweet.

Blueberry White Chocolate Buttermilk Scones
yields 8 scones
adapted from Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp reserved
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
coarse sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then set side.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt (a wire whisk is great for this). Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the 1/4 cup of cold butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Fold in the white chocolate chips and blueberries.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until well-combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir gently from the inside  out until the dry ingredients are all moistened. The dough will be crumbly.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and with floured hands, pat into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Using a pizza wheel, cut into eight triangles. Carefully move from the cutting board to the prepared baking sheet. I use an offset spatula, which is perfect for it.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the tops of the scones with it. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through and just starting to turn golden at the peaks.

Enjoy hot from the oven or let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperate for up to two days.

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Snapshot: Sarah Caron in the Newtown Bee (a profile by our local weekly newspaper)
• How to create the ultimate chili bar for your Super Bowl 2012 party on Chef Mom

With the Super Bowl approaching, I am kind of like a kid anticipating a favorite holiday — Easter or a birthday or something. See, I am from New York and my home team — the Giants — are playing. Super Bowl Sunday will be extra special for me this year as I get to root for a team I’ve had an affinity for since childhood. Of course, there is that little detail that my husband is from Massachusetts and will be rooting against my Giants. But that may make it more fun, actually.

Of course, everyone knows that the Super Bowl isn’t just about the game or the teams. It’s about commercials that may or may not be the talk of the water cooler. And it’s about the food — the delicious game day food.

Have you thought about what you’re making this year? If not (or if you are thinking now), this list will help. I scoured Pinterest, Foodily and my favorite sites to come up with 50 fabulous recipes perfect for your Super Bowl party. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite game day food?

Bites

• Chili Cheese Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Brown Butter Garlic Snack Mix on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Bread on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Hot Spinach Artichoke White Bean Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Italian Gorgonzola Bread on Sweetnicks
• Hot Pretzel Bites on Betty Crocker
• Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Ham on Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Ginger Spice Mixed Nuts on The Perfect Pantry
• Bacon-Wrapped Apple and Sausage Bundles on Recipe Girl
• Roasted Pancetta and Herb Butter Crostini on Family, Friends and Food

Chili

• Autumn Vegetable Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Turkey Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Meat-Lovers Chipotle Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Texas Chili on Soup Addict
• Steak Chili on Food for My Family
• Chili con Carne on The Foodies Kitchen
• White Chicken Chili on Cinnamon Girl Recipes
• Chipotle Sauce Chili with Apple and Black Beans on VeganYumYum
• Cincinnati Chili on Framed Cooks
• Spicy Vegetarian Chili on Joy the Baker

Wings

• Chili Garlic BBQ Sauced Wings on Cheeky Kitchen
• Chili Lime Chicken Wings on Kitchen Wench
• Teriyaki Chicken Wings on White on Rice Couple
• Kimchi Chicken Wings on Men Who Like to Cook
• Cajun Wings on Andrea Meyers
• Gin and Lemon Chicken Wings on Food Republic
• Smoky Sweet Spicy Chicken Wings on Steamy Kitchen
• Barbecued Buffalo Wings on Simply Recipes
• Buffalo Chicken Dip on Closet Cooking
• Skinny Buffalo Wings on Skinny Taste

Nachos

• Shredded Chicken and Black Bean Nachos on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Fajita Style Vegetarian Nachos on Apron Strings
• Ball Park Jalapeno Nachos on Pham Fatale
• Baked Potato Nachos on How Sweet It Is
• Cinnamon “Nachos” with Fresh Fruit Salsa on The Family Dinner
• Greek Nachos on Macheesmo
• Beef Fajita Nachos on The Pioneer Woman
• Quick Chicken Enchiladas Nachos on Real Mom Kitchen
• Buffalo Chicken Nachos on The Girl Who Ate Everything
• Guacamole Loaded Nachos on Aggie’s Kitchen

Pizza

• Puffy Prosciutto and Tomato Pizza on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Chicken Bacon Pizza on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Portobello Pizzas with Bruschetta on Dinner with Julie
• Chipotle Black Bean Pizza on In Good Taste
• Potato Leek Pizza on Tartelette
• Mexican Pizza with Corn, Tomatillos, and Chipotle Chiles on Dana Treat
• Shaved Asparagus Pizza on Smitten Kitchen
• Three Cheese Pizza on Sacramento Street
• Zucchini Sausage Pizza on Eats Well With Others
• Pizza Breadsticks on Tablespoon

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Sarah’s Cucina Bella is now on PunchFork!
• Barbecue Chicken Salad on Tablespoon
• Spicy Sriracha Potato Leek Soup on Betty Crocker

Football photo credit: jeltovski from morguefile.com

When I was making my bed recently, I noticed how the morning sunlight was streaming through the windows onto my bed. It fell in lines of light and shadow, coming through the bed frame and the window. The beauty caught my eye — It seemed to be begging to be photographed. So, I quickly whipped up breakfast and took a few shots.

I don’t often have breakfast in bed (though I love it) and I don’t often have a bagel and lox for breakfast (though I love that too). But there was leftover lox and bagels in the kitchen and I had to use them. It would be wrong not to.

It’s a special treat to have breakfast in bed — especially if it’s accompanied by a good book and some fluffy pillows behind you. Simple acts like this can lift our spirits and kick off our days with a spot of joy. That’s a good thing. If you haven’t had your breakfast in bed lately, perhaps it’s time. It’s totally worth it for the mind-body balance thing.

Are you a breakfast in bed fan?

Eat. Live. Be. Reboot

When I decided to give up all dieting recently, I didn’t really know how it would work. Would I be frustrated? Would it be easy? Would I stick to it? One week later, and I have a few first impressions to share:

• After a lifetime of dieting, it’s hard not to do a mental count of calories, points or whatever.
• It’s freeing not to do that count.
• Being absolutely ok to eat as many fruits and veggies as I want is amazing. I had a bowl of roasted Brussels sprouts for lunch yesterday. They were divine.
• Since I am not stressing about food, I have more brain room to think about exercise.
• I am working on fitting in exercise wherever I can — including going to the second floor bathroom at work just for the exercise.
• It’s easy to fall in love with a diet that relies heavily on fruits, veggies and whole grains.
• Taking it one day at a time works.

I really haven’t weighed myself yet and I probably won’t for awhile. But my belly feels way less bloated and I am enjoying eating thoroughly. Both are important. So far, this new road to healthfulness is working for me.

Be sure to check out Joanne‘s, Patsy‘s and Cate‘s blogs for more Eat. Live. Be. Reboot discussions.

This morning felt like a baking kind of morning. I have a dozen recipes bookmarked to make from various cookbooks, but when I saw one for Oatmeal Macaroons in the 1936 tome The New England Cookbook, I was intrigued. These little babies are free of flour and butter and just sounded so interesting. Together with Paige, I whipped up a batch this morning.

Did I mention that they were super easy? We mixed up the cookie dough and had them baking in about 10 minutes. So simple.

These aren’t like your standard macaroons, which are little mounds of coconut heaven. No, these fall somewhere between that macaroon you’re familiar with and the French macaron, which is a billowy meringue cookie. It has the macaron’s light, airy and sweetness and a lightened version of the macaroon’s texture. They are great alone as a little sweet treat or spread with a little jam. They’re also perfect for a little afterschool treat.

Don’t forget the milk.

Oatmeal Coconut Macaroons
yields 24 cookies
recipe from The New England Cookbook, 1936

1 large egg white
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut (sweetened)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg white and salt. With the whisk attachment, beat until stiff peaks form. With the mixer running on medium speed add the sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.

Fold in the oats, coconut and vanilla extract. Drop by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between lumps.

Bake for 11-13 minutes until slightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.

This dish is uncomplicated. It’s simple — just a few basic ingredients prepared without fuss. It’s a dish that proves that good food doesn’t require a lot of steps, ingredients or time.

Really, it doesn’t. Food can be amazing just by preparing it in a different way than you are used to. Tired of boiled? Try steamed. Tired of raw? Try sauteed. Or roast! Roasting is a perfect way to switch up your vegetable routine without getting fussy.

This dish has a naturally sweet flavor with ribbons of savory and salty running through it. Roasting each of these vegetables alone — butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and onions — draws out an inherent sweetness. They’re delicious. But roast them together — and with the magical ingredients of olive oil, salt and pepper — and they become this trifecta of sweet-savory goodness. This is the dish you make when you want to have an uncomplicated comforting dinner.

Serve this over brown rice, which brings a light nuttiness to the flavor as well.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Onions

serves 4

2 cups diced butternut squash (about 3/4-inch dice)

2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 white onion, peeled, quartered and sliced thin

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with either nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, Brussels sprouts, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender and the sprouts are lightly browned.

To serve: This makes a great side dish. It’s also perfect served over rice as a main dish. Sprinkle with finishing salt just before serving.

Enjoy!

Coffee cake is one of those things. It’s comforting and familiar and perfect for breakfast. This one, made from a recipe from the 1930s, has a dense crumb and an irresistible buttery cinnamon sugar topping.

No, it’s not that impossibly fluffy and almost-dessert-sweet coffee cake from the grocery store. But it doesn’t want to be. It’s a totally different coffee cake — one that stands up to the fork without squishing into oblivion and that can be eaten by hand without crumbling all over. And it’s really great with a hot, steaming cup of coffee.

It is coffee cake after all.

Making this, I wasn’t sure if the vintage sensibilities would make it a winner for us. But it was. Hugely.

I whipped it up for a brunch with friends last weekend where the cake quickly vanished. Seriously, not a trace was left behind. Good sign, right? And it was so good that I baked another just for our family.

Back to the brunch for a second. Though I adore brunch, I don’t have people over (or go out) for it nearly enough. So I was thrilled to have a little one at my house. The brunch menu was simple — bagels and lox with all the fixings, scrambled eggs, berry and pineapple fruit salad and this coffee cake. In the course of conversation, I shared that this was a vintage recipe — something dug out of my great collection of early 20th century cookery books, pamphlets and recipe cards.

This recipe comes from the third edition of All About Home Baking, published in 1936 (the original was published in 1933) by the General Foods Corporation, a now-defunct company whose products (Calumut baking powder, Post cereals, Maxwell House Coffee and General Foods International Coffees, to name a few) live on. I bought this hardcover book off eBay a while back.

My friend asked about my interest in vintage recipes, which really got me thinking about why I have been so into pre-1960s cookery. I made this conscious decision to reclaim lost cooking techniques because I feel like as the reliance on prepared, prepackage and shortcut based cooking has grown, we’ve lost some of the skill and technique that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used in the kitchen. To them, making a quick coffee cake for breakfast or brunch or whatever was just that. It was simple, uncomplicated and easy.

And when I find a winner — like this coffee cake — I love to share it.

All told, this recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake takes about 30 minutes to make — maybe 40, if you include the cooling time. And most of that time is totally hands off (making the dough for the cake takes maybe 5 minutes). Be warned, instead of a batter this really makes a crumbly dough. Don’t worry if it doesn’t form a ball — you just need all the ingredients to have come together before you press it into a pan with floured hands.

And don’t change a thing about the buttery cinnamon-sugar topping. It’s the best part. (Aren’t topping always the best part?)

You can do this. Dust off that cake pan this weekend and give it a try.

Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake
recipe from All About Home Baking, 1936
serves 8

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk

Topping:

1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch cake pan all over the inside with a little butter.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until light and frothy.

Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir well until all combined. The dough will be somewhat stiff, but keep stirring until everything is incorporated.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Using floured hands, gently pat it down into one even layer.

Brush the top of the coffee cake with melted butter. Then, stir together the sugar, flour and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle all over the top of the coffee cake.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Let cool for five minutes in the pan. Then, gently loosen the sides with a butter knife. Turn out onto a plate and then turn back onto a serving plate.

Enjoy!

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Easy Thai Red Curry Cauliflower and Garbanzo Beans on Tablespoon
• Follow me on Pinterest

Books are a true joy of mine. I love the ones that make me curl up with a blanket, a big glass of water and a plate of veggies and dip for a long dive into a different world. That’s why I have been happy to review a few books through BlogHer lately.

The Underside of Joy by Seré Prince Halversonis the newest BlogHer Book Club book selection. It’s a fictional story about a family living in a California town called Elbow. Joe, the dad, runs the family grocery in town and the family lives in his grandparent’s home — the one they built — where they have chickens and an amazing garden. Their life is happy and joyful and seemingly perfect. Their mommy is Ella. Though she’s actually their stepmom, she loves them as fully and deeply as if they were her own kids. But in fast motion everything changes. Joe is suddenly killed by an act of nature, leaving Ella and the kids reeling. Meanwhile Ella discovers that the family business  is in deep trouble just as the children’s birth mother returns and wants to reestablish herself as their mama.

Did you get all that? It’s a complicated and messy story — much like real life. And just when it seems that everything is okay, twists and turns and unexpected discoveries keep things changing.

When I first started reading this book, I couldn’t get into the first pages. They just seemed like a jumble of words on a page that didn’t come together into a story for me. So I took a long break from reading it and then returned to it. When I started again — from page 1 — I fell madly in love with the family and their struggles. I found myself as conflicted as Ella as she faced myriad challenges, disappointments and glimpses of hope.

Though my first impressions of this book were less than favorable, I think it was me — not the book. This is a story that requires you to be ready and willing to soak in the words and visualize the story. It’s a story that needs you to be a devoted and attentive reader. And it’s one that draws you to read slowly and deliberately over a few days.

Be sure to check out the discussions about The Underside of Joy on the BlogHer Book Club page.

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Eat. Live. Be. Reboot

Eleven. That’s how old I was the first time I dieted. I wasn’t overweight or in need of shedding a lot of pounds — I just wanted to try it. It seemed so grown up — something that my mom and grandmother did but I couldn’t until they finally said ok. My diet, the infamous cabbage soup one, lasted about two days. That was all I needed. I loved the diet (fruits! veggies! veggie soup!) and the results too.

I can’t begin to count how many diets I have been on since then. As I got older and had something to lose, I did the low-cal thing, the low-fat thing, the low-carb thing and the drink-a-ton-of-water thing. All worked at the time, until I stopped and the weight returned. It was frustrating. And just a month ago, I got ready to do the Weight Watchers thing again but I had such a hard time starting that I just hadn’t gotten beyond a day or two.

Then I read Why Women Need Fat and everything changed. The ideas in the book struck a cord with me. No, they did more than that — they made me rethink my eating and dieting habits altogether. I’ve long wondered why it seemed so much easier for my family in the early 20th century to stay lean and trim — and looking at how diets and weights changed together totally opened my eyes. I’m ready for that huge lifestyle realignment.

So, it’s official: I’m done with dieting. I am done with counting calories or points or anything else. I am done with nonfat milk. I am done with worrying about butter and olive oil and cheese. Instead, I am going to eat and cook like my great-grandparents did. I’m going to go crazy on fruits and veggies. I’m going to keep enjoying my whole grains and bake when we want a sweet something. I’m going to butter my bread and love it without feeling a tinge of guilt.

Some things won’t change. I don’t eat a lot of red meat because of my asthma. I’ll be sticking with what works. But I will eat more Omega-3s — that means more salmon, flax and other goodies. I’m excited to see where this leads — these lean, natural eating habits. I know I won’t suddenly be thin again, but I am hoping that in the coming months, these changes will mean a leaner, lighter, more energetic me.

I’m excited.

Be sure to check in with Cate, Joanne and Patsy — the ELB girls — to see what they are up to this week. And if you want to join our Eat. Live. Be. group, leave a message on the ELB Facebook page.

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More from Sarah W. Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella

• Slow Cooker Meatball Soup on Tablespoon
• Slow Cooker Brisket Tacos on Betty Crocker

Disclosure: I am being compensated for review on The Underside of Joy by BlogHer. All opinions expressed are my own.