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Dawn’s Cornbread

I recently discovered that the cornbread recipe from a website that I’ve been using for years was gone (the horror!!). Luckily, I was able to determine the old URL and the Wayback Machine was able to get me a snapshot of the page from a few years ago … so now I’m saving it here.

This is what I use to make cornbread to go with chili and in cranberry cornbread stuffing. Delish. Maybe I’ll even take a photo of it someday. It could happen.

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix until combined and bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

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Apple Vanilla Muffins

2014-07-31 21.37.28Last Thursday, before our trip to Granby, I finally got to do some baking in the new kitchen. Baking at our temporary digs was incredibly infrequent and I’d missed it! It was nice to get in a well-functioning kitchen and whip these up for our trip. As a bonus, they are GOOD.

The original recipe came from Chocolate Chocolate and More (the original original recipe came from Busy Moms Recipe Box and was actually Vanilla Pear Muffins). For my purposes, I lightened it up a bit. I decided 4T of butter was plenty for that nice smooth texture and subbed more applesauce for the 1/4 C oil and added a special sprinkle.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch cardamom
pinch cinnamon
pinch salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cup apple sauce
1-2 granny smith apples
vanilla sugar or plain granulated sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Heat oven to 400. Line or grease a 12-muffin tin.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients (flower, baking powder, spices, salt). In a separate bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, melted butter and apple sauce. Combine the egg mixture with the dry mixture, being careful not to over mix.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin. Quarter and finely slice the apples and add 3-4 to the top of each muffin. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 minutes.

2014-07-31 22.05.23I happened to have some vanilla sugar hanging around the house that we bought on some hipster voyage to the spice shop. I figured it would be perfect for sprinkling in this recipe, and so I used that instead of plain granulated sugar. It was very nice and added to the vanilla flavor of these. You can obtain vanilla sugar from a few sources, but you can also make your own by mixing the scrapings of a vanilla bean with about 6 cups of sugar. It’s nice, but I’m also sure it’s not necessary.

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Those Reeces Cookies

ReecesCookiesThis recipe is another payment in the “family cookbook” series. I’ve been collecting recipes for years and I publish and share them on this blog. A few years ago, I started designating some as “family recipes.” To garner this status the recipe must have been cooked by us at least a handful of times and judged to be superior in every way.

My efforts redoubled when a few months ago, my then-five-year-old daughter asked me how she would know how to cook all of her favorite things when she left for home. I was pleased that she asked the question and that even at her age, she has a special connection to cooking with us. It makes me feel like I’m doing my job right, that’s for sure.

These cookies were found on the internets (probably pinterest) and they are something else. They are in most ways a normal chocolate chip cookie, but the batter contains both peanut butter and pudding mix and that seems to make them a bit softer and more tender than your average chocolate chip cookie and very very tasty, especially with milk.

Those Reeces Cookies

adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 C all purpose flour
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 2 lg eggs
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 C Reece’s Pieces candy
  • 1/2 C chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 and prepare two cookie sheets. Original instructions use parchment paper, but I don’t find this necessary. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and pudding mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugars and peanut butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are thoroughly combined after both additions. Add the honey and vanilla extract and scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. On low speed, add the flour and mix to combine. Again, scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add Reece’s Pieces and chocolate chips and mix to combine.

Roll dough 1.5 inch balls and place a couple of inches apart on your cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cookies will be starting to look just a little brown on top, but go ahead and take them out and let them cool on the cookie sheets for a couple of minutes and they will set. You don’t want to over cook them or they can become dry. VERY important!

They are incredibly wonderful with milk. mmmmmm

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Yogurt Cake

I think I might’ve mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, I read a book called Bringing Up Bebe, a comparison of French and American parenting. I really liked the book and enjoyed reading it and I was definitely intrigued by a passage in the book where a French woman was letting her 3 year old bake cupcakes … unassisted. And it hit me that Tabby can really do more than I let her. Granted, I let her do more in the kitchen than most other five-year-olds we know, but she is capable of more. It’s just because I’m a bit afraid of the mess. I’m the mom that makes the kids do playdough outside because I have no interest in cleaning all of those little bits up.

Anyhow, the book goes on to mention that most French children start out making yogurt cake when they’re around three. It is a neat idea because you use yogurt as part of the cake and then measure most of the rest of the ingredients with the empty yogurt containers. So I endeavored to be a bit less crazy and let Tabby and Ben have at it tonight.

Continue reading “Yogurt Cake”

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Lemonade Layer Cake

Matt’s birthday always seems to get lost in the shuffle. It’s not because he’s not incredibly important to me and the kids, but because things are always going on, it seems. Graduations, Mother’s Day, etc. He also doesn’t like to make a big deal about birthdays and generally buys himself whatever he wants during the year and so he’s a pretty hard guy to find a present for.

But I always like to do SOMETHING to mark the day, even if it ends up just being a promise to spend time together in a couple of days. This year, we had a nice steak dinner planned and I thought he might like a birthday cake for dessert. Matt is very big into lemon desserts, so I found a recipe I’d pinned a while back called lemonade cake. It was lemony, light and sounded fairly doable for a weeknight. It’s also a cooking light recipe, coming in at 322 calories for 1 of 16 slices.

I grabbed the couple ingredients I lacked (a lemon, some lemonade concentrate, cream cheese and buttermilk) on the way home for work and whipped it up in pretty good time. The hardest part was getting the butter, cream cheese and lemonade concentrate softened. My west-facing front porch in the afternoon was the perfect spot to leave everything for 5 minutes and they were quite well softened.

Lemonade Cake

adapted from Cooking Light

cake:

  • 1 1/3 C sugar
  • 6 T butter, softened
  • 1 T grated lemon rind
  • 3 T thawed lemonade concentrate
  • 2 t vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1 1/4 C fat-free buttermilk
  • Cooking spray

frosting:

  • 2 T butter, softened
  • 2 t grated lemon rind
  • 2 t thawed lemonade concentrate
  • 1/2 t vanilla extract
  • 8 oz low fat cream cheese
  • 3 1/2 C powdered sugar

To make the cake: Heat oven to 350°. Pam two 9-inch round cake pans. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place sugar, butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture and beat well after each addition.

Divide batter between prepared pans and sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place 2 T butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, vanilla extract and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, up to 3 1/2 C until desired sweetness and beat at low speed just until blended. Chill 1 hour. Frost cake as desired and serve immediately. Happy b’day to Matty!

Nannersp
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Asparagus Tart and Cookbook Indecision

So after I decided that the original cookbook I’d selected for this month wouldn’t work, I decided to move on to Jaime’s Dinners, which I’d originally slated for next month. I started going through it and while I found some recipes that I want to try, the vast majority are heavier, BRITISH foods (err … duh) more suited for chilly winter months.

So I ended up giving up on it  and I’ve switched (AGAIN) to Great Food Fast, which is a compendium of recipes from my all-time-favorite food magazine, Everyday Food. I’ve already tackled two recipes from the book since making the decision and I am really glad I chose it. They are tasty, healthy, fast and easy. The book is divided up by seasons which I love because that’s how I cook and everything I selected from this week was from the Spring section.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • flour for rolling surface
  • 1 lb of fresh asparagus
  • 5.5 oz grueyere cheese, grated
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400. Roll puff pastry into 10×16″ rectangle. Fold in 1/2 inch on each side and pierce surface with a fork. Transfer to baking sheet and bake 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Top crust with grueyere. Trim asparagus to width of crust and place on top in neat rows, alternating which side the tops point to. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake 10-15 minutes more until asparagus is tender. Cut into segments and serve immediately to general applause.

Since we are all asparagus fans, this was an immediate hit in our house. We have another sheet of puff pastry (two to a box) and some more asparagus and Tabby has already requested we make it again. Similar to the chalupas, this is a good jumping-off point for lots of other flavor combinations on top of puff pastry. I can see there being lots of possibilities here!

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Halfway Cookies

I knew when I pinned this recipe for Halfway Cookies that I would have to try it. I almost overlooked it on Friday when we were trying to figure out a dessert when we were having my family to dinner but I noticed it at the last moment and I am SO SO glad I did. It is by far one of the best desserts I’ve ever tried … a little salty in with the sweet, a delightful crunch with the meringue and very much like a chocolate chip cookie in other ways. WONDERFUL. I am sure I will be making these regularly for a long time to come.

Halfway Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°. Cut two pieces of aluminum foil and fold them to match the width of the pan. Criss cross them each direction of the pan so that the bars will be easily lifted out. Spray aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl. In a mixer, cream together the butter, the granulated sugar and just 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until it looks like smooth frosting. Separate the eggs, reserving the whites. Mix the yolks into the butter-sugar mixture one at a time until they are completely absorbed, then mix in the water and vanilla. With the mixer at a low speed, add the flour mixture and beat gently until all the flour has been absorbed and the dough looks crumbly.

Press the cookie dough gently into the pan with your hands, making sure the surface is even. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough and press them slightly into the dough. This will help keep them from moving when you add the meringue.

Using a mixer with a clean bowl and a whisk attachment, start whisking the egg whites. Gradually increase speed to medium-high. When the egg whites are very frothy and look like loose foam, start adding the remaining cup of brown sugar a little at a time. Continue increasing speed to the highest setting. When all the sugar has been added, continue whipping the meringue until it it comes to soft peaks. It should look like “glossy, soft-serve ice cream.”

Spread the meringue down the middle of the pan. It is really sticky and pretty hard to work with. Use a spatula to gently spread the meringue from the middle to the edges. When you get it too thin it disturbs the chocolate chips, so be careful. I think it might be worth it to add another egg white and maybe a bit more brown sugar to make just a little more meringue.

Cover pan with parchment paper to prevent scorching and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the edges look toasted and are pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely, lift out and cut into bars.

Ooh, ahh, drool and ENJOY. With milk, if you please! The recipe says you can replace the chocolate chip layer with lots of other things like butterscotch chips, jam, dried fruit, maybe coconut??

Nannersp
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Banana Cupcakes

For Tabby’s birthday dessert she wanted Dirt Dessert. With all of the processed this and that, it is not something I would normally condone, but what the heck? You only turn five once, so that is what we made. But she also got to bring a treat to school to share with her friends during snack time, so I gently steered her toward a couple of dessert choices from Moosewood Simple suppers. Of the options available, she chose Banana Cupcakes. That broke my heart. Err … not.

These cupcakes are some of the best I’ve ever had. They are quite a bit like banana bread and very moist. They would be excellent without the frosting, but we added just a touch for presentation’s sake and it didn’t detract either. The kids in Tabby’s class were raving fans as well, I’m told. Continue reading “Banana Cupcakes”

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Blueberry Buttermilk Muffin Cake

This weekend, post Zone, during the midst of our snowstorm, we had a very nice family breakfast. We don’t do leisurely breakfasts very often. Weekdays the kids are at their sitters, I’m at the office and Matt … I’m not sure Matt even eats breakfast most days. But on Saturday, we had no place to be at any certain time. So while Matt shoveled the walk and the kids played outside (again), I made Blueberry Buttermilk Muffin Cake (original recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen). It came out super light and fluffy and browned on top and everyone absolutely loved it. We ate it with a side of bacon and some yogurt and of course, tea.

I picked up these darling little teacups for the kids at Fishs Eddy while we were in NYC. I think they’re technically espresso cups or something, but they make great little people teacups. I love the charming NYC skyline pattern and they’re a really fun souvenir. The size is great for the kiddos because even if they get spilled, the amount of liquid they hold is pretty small.

So we ate breakfast. We talked about our trip to NYC and Ben talked at length about what a funny movie Home Alone is and how Kevin smacks the burglars with paint cans, etc. Of course I only understood about half of what he said. That makes it all that much better.

Ingredients

  • ½ C butter, at room temperature
  • 2 t lemon zest or more
  • 3/4 C + 3 T sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 2 C flour
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1 t coarse salt
  • 2 C fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 C buttermilk

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Cream together butter and all but one tablespoon sugar. Add egg, lemon zest and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Meanwhile, sift together 1 3/4 C flour, salt and baking powder together. Toss remaining 1/4 C flour with blueberries. In alternating batches, add buttermilk and flour to sugar/butter mixture. Gently fold in blueberries.

Lightly grease a 9×9 (or 8×8) square pan) and spread batter in. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

This was wonderful warm from the oven and just as yummy cold the next day.

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Make-Them-Your-Own Muffins

One of the simplest weeknight dinners I make is a pan of scrambled eggs. I season/flavor them with whatever’s on hand: cream cheese and some dill, smoked salmon, leftover bacon, salsa, spinach and feta, ham and swiss and mushrooms. They are always a hit with the kids.

And whenever I do that I like to have some sort of lightly sweet baked good to go along with the meal. Sometimes it’s two-bite cinnamon rolls from Costco or just toast with jam, but likely as not, I make homemade muffins. I have used tons of recipes, but these are my go-to muffins that are perfect for using up any fresh fruit that’s getting past its prime or the tail-end of a frozen bag of fruit.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (you can do all one type if you like)
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/3 C natural applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • ~ 1/3 C milk
  • 1 T oil
  • 1 cup chopped fruit or a bit more if you’ve got it
  • spices to compliment your fruit

Note about fruit/spices: this is a great recipe for doing your favorite or using what you have. I’ve done blueberries with just a little vanilla extract, blueberries with some lemon zest and peaches with cinnamon, allspice and cloves. I think these would be wonderful with apples and/or raisins and cinnamon or anything else you fancy.

Directions

Heat your oven to 400. Place liners in a muffin pan – this recipe seems to make between 10 and 15 muffins depending on how much fruit you use and how generous you are when putting batter in the muffin tins.

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a 1 cup measuring cup, add the applesauce, oil and egg. Add enough milk to go to the 1 cup line and stir. Pour this into your dry ingredients along with any spices you’re using and stir until combined, but do not over-mix. Carefully fold in your chopped fruit.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. I like to do 2/3 to 3/4 full though the original recipe calls for filling them to the top! Bake for 18-25 minutes or until just browning on top.