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Why do I follow NY politics? Well, NYC is my favorite place on the planet. I love New Yorkers, I love Jews, & I love a guy that tells it like it is, with a great big pinch of piping hot devastating, dead on humor.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

I try not to be a terribly picky eater, but I confess to having a short list of foods I just don't like.  Off the top of my head, some of the foods on that list include peppers, fennel, quinoa, chickpeas and blue cheese.  I've heard people say that your taste buds/palate change as you get older though, so from time to time I will give things a second (or third or fourth) try to see if my opinion has changed.  Black beans have long been on the list but I really, really want to like them (mainly because I'm such a huge fan of Mexican food and they're often incorporated in dishes I'd otherwise love) so I probably eat them more often than other foods I dislike. 

While I won't say I'm completely sold yet, salads like this make it easier for me to enjoy black beans.  I love fresh corn and ripe tomatoes, and in this black bean salad they are paired with lime, honey and chipotle to create one very flavorful dish.  This black bean salad is easy to throw together and really pretty with its colorful variety of ingredients.  It would be perfect as a lighter side for a summer cookout or even as an appetizer if you served it with chips.  If you want to make it ahead of time you can do that too - just wait to add the avocado until right before you're ready to serve it.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad
adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook (seen first on Heat Oven to 350)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1 tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 scallions, sliced thinly
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 1/2 teaspoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat then add the corn and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently.  Transfer the corn to a large bowl and combine with the beans, tomato and parsley.  

In a small bowl, whisk together the scallions, lime juice, chipotle, honey, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Pour over the salad and gently mix to coat.  Add the avocado, folding gently to incorporate, then season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.  

Margarita Cupcakes

I almost couldn't believe it when I looked through my posts over the last few months and realized the last time I shared cupcakes was all the way back at the end of March.  More than 2 months without a cupcake post, it just didn't seem right.  So when our friends invited us to a barbecue this weekend I offered to bring dessert, and I knew I had to make cupcakes.  Since I always think of Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start to summer, I wanted something fresh and fun to celebrate the season.  As much as I love chocolate, I ruled it out pretty early on.  I kept coming back to boozy desserts, which is sort of ironic given that I rarely drink these days.  These margarita cupcakes just barely beat out a few other contenders (primarily these rum punch cupcakes, how cute are they?).  I bought a giant bag of limes recently and this seemed like the perfect treat to make with them (among many others coming up in the next few weeks!).    



There were only 4 of us at the cookout this weekend (plus a baby, no tequila for him yet) so I halved the recipe below to make just 6 cupcakes.  The cupcakes are full of lime flavor thanks to both lime zest and lime juice.  I chose not to include tequila in the cupcakes themselves; rather, when they emerged from the oven, I brushed their warm tops with tequila to infuse some flavor.  Shawnda topped her version of the cupcakes with a tequila-lime Swiss meringue buttercream, which looked terrific, but since I needed to frost so few cupcakes I chose to go with a no-fuss basic buttercream instead.  The buttercream includes both lime juice and tequila and pairs perfectly with the cupcakes.  Garnished with a lime wedge, lime zest and a sprinkle of salt, these were the perfect ending to our cookout. 



Margarita Cupcakes
adapted slightly from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 limes, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon tequila (for brushing the tops, if desired)

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line muffins tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Mix in the lime zest, juice and vanilla (it may look curdled at this point, don't worry it will come together).  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients (in three additions) alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat just until incorporated.

Divide the batter among the paper liners, filling each about 3/4-full.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and brush the warm cupcakes with tequila.  Let rest for about 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Tequila-Lime Buttercream
adapted from Cook's Illustrated Easy Vanilla Buttercream and Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 - 3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1-2 tablespoons tequila
pinch salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.  With the mixer on low, slowly add 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar a little at a time until completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat in the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of tequila and the salt.  Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Taste the frosting and decide if you want to add the remaining tablespoon of tequila.  If so, beat to incorporate.  If you want a slightly firmer consistency for piping, add the remaining 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar to the frosting.

The frosting can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated.  When you are ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and then beat briefly before piping.

Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream.  Garnish with lime zest or lime wedges, if desired.

Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce

Memorial Day weekend is upon us and though I'm still not sure how it's nearly June already, I'm really looking forward to it!  Especially because our weather forecast looks like this:



It's the perfect weather for a fun cookout with our friends (and their ridiculously adorable baby).  In addition, Shane's already told me he wants to grill a majority of our meals, which is just fine by me as it frees the kitchen up for baking.  I'm thinking grilled pizza tonight and even though I've made this grilled chicken with peach bbq sauce twice in the past week, I have a feeling it'll be on the menu again.

The peach bbq sauce is super simple, it consists of just five ingredients - peaches, ketchup, lemon juice, garlic and adobo sauce.  I was pretty skeptical of the combination at first; I'd never have thought to marry peaches and ketchup for starters.  I'm glad I was intrigued enough to give it a try though because slathered on chicken and grilled, it was really fantastic and just peach-y enough without being too fruity.  The peaches gave it a hint of sweetness while the adobo sauce added just a touch of heat and the grill imparted the perfect amount of smokiness/char.  The second time I made the sauce, I let it sit in the fridge for a day before marinating the chicken, and I think giving it that extra time for the flavors to meld made it even better.  This sauce even got the Shane seal of approval, though I was careful not to mention the peaches until after he'd cleaned his plate :)



If you're grilling this weekend, this chicken with peach bbq sauce would be a great addition to your menu.  If you're still looking for ideas, here are a few more suggestions:
Homemade Hamburger Rolls
Grilled Herb Shrimp
Lemon, Rosemary and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs
Barbecued Chicken
Lemon, Rosemary Chicken Kebabs
All-American Potato Salad
No Bake Peanut Butter Squares

Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce
from Gwyneth Paltrow via Bon Appetit, June 2011

9-10 oz frozen sliced peaches, thawed and chopped (or 1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches)
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles in adobo)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs)

Add the peaches, ketchup, lemon juice, garlic and adobo sauce to a small saucepan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until the peaches are soft, about 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let cool.  Transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer half of the sauce to a resealable plastic bag.  Add the chicken, seal the bag then use your hands (on the outside of the bag) to coat the chicken with the sauce.  Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 8 hours.  Cover and refrigerate the remaining half of the sauce.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grill racks thoroughly to keep the chicken from sticking.  When hot, grill the chicken until charred in places and almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Brush all sides of the chicken with some of the remaining sauce then continue to grill until cooked through (chicken will register 160-165 F on an instant read thermometer), about 1-2 minutes more per side.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette

Have you ever grilled romaine lettuce?  I hadn't until about a month ago; the thought had never even crossed my mind.  I saw the idea on an episode of Mad Hungry and was immediately intrigued.  The recipe that was made on the show was for a grilled Caesar salad, which I wound up making a few weeks later and absolutely loved - highly recommended.  (It never made the blog, mainly because I've found it nearly impossible to photograph a head of romaine lettuce in a pleasing way.  I'm sure it's possible, but the skill eludes me...)  Anyway, when my issue of Food Network magazine arrived this month I was pretty psyched to see another grilled romaine recipe highlighted.  Even better, it featured three of my favorite things - bacon, red onion and balsamic vinegar.  It's quick, simple and really delicious!  As I mentioned the other day, I'm not a blue cheese fan, so I subbed goat cheese but use whatever works for you.

With Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, and the unofficial start of grilling season as well, I think this salad would be a welcome and unique addition to any cookout.  I don't see any reason you couldn't prep the onions and bacon ahead of time then just throw the lettuce on the grill along with the burger, dogs or whatever else is on your menu.     



Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette
adapted from Food Network Magazine, June 2011

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 heads romaine lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used goat cheese instead)

Preheat grill to medium-high (you could also use an indoor grill pan). 

In a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.  Remove to the plate along with the bacon.  Add the balsamic vinegar  and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the skillet and cook to reduce slightly, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.

Brush the lettuce with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Grill cut-side down for about 2 minutes, or until grill marks are visible or the lettuce is slightly charred.

Place the lettuce cut-side up on a large plate (or platter).  Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar then sprinkle with the cheese, bacon and onion, and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.

Whole Wheat Bagels

Today started out just about as well as possible here.  I woke up to find the sun shining and warm spring temps in air.  We finally (finally, finally!) closed on our refi yesterday after spending what felt like an eternity going through the process of getting there - yay for saving money!  The Bruins play game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight - just ONE win away from the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990.  Oh, and I also had a delicious bagel for breakfast :)  



I made bagels for the first time a little over a year ago and loved them; I had big plans to try other flavors/recipes asap.  With countless other recipes on that to-do list, those plans kept getting pushed off until finally I was inspired by a post over on Kristin's site for these whole wheat bagels.  The recipe looked relatively simple, and I loved that it incorporated white whole wheat flour, whose milder flavor I find much more pleasant in baked goods than traditional whole wheat flour.  Plus, Jeannette agreed to make them with me, which gave me the final push I needed.



Bagel dough tends to be stiffer than most other yeast doughs, and I'm always wary of burning out the motor on my mixer (I've heard horror stories) so I started this dough by hand.  Once I got a sense for the consistency though, I suspected the mixer could handle it so I switched over and didn't have any issues.  The instructions below reflect my use of the mixer but feel free to make the dough by hand too, just be aware you'll probably be kneading for a while.  When it came time to shape the bagels, I abandoned the rope method (roll the dough into a rope & connect the ends to form a circle) I used last time in favor of trying something else.  With the alternate method, you just poke a hole in the center of each piece of dough and stretch it.  I found it much easier and would definitely rely on this technique next time over the rope method.



If you're anything like me, you might not read all the way through recipe before starting so I feel it's my duty to warn you these bagels do need 12-24 hours in the refrigerator before they can be boiled and baked.  That just means that you can make them on Saturday night and on Sunday morning have freshly baked bagels for breakfast!  When toasted, the bagels had a slightly crisp exterior with a soft, chewy interior and pleasant wheat flavor, but nothing harsh or overwhelming.  They freeze well too if you want to stash some away for another time. 

Whole Wheat Bagels
adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour (via The Kitchen Sink Recipes)

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups warm water (about 110 F)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon diastatic malt powder (optional) (I omitted)
3 cups (12 3/4 oz) bread flour
3 cups (12 3/4 oz) white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt

In a large measuring cup, dissolve the yeast in the water and add both sugars and the malt (if using).  Add 1 cup of the bread flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook then pour the yeast mixture over the flour and let sit for 10 minutes.  Add all of the white whole wheat flour to the mixer bowl and beat to incorporate.  With the mixer on low, add the salt, then the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need all of the bread flour, depending on conditions in your kitchen).  Continue kneading on low speed until the dough is really smooth, satiny and springy, about 10 minutes.  Cover the dough with a damp towel, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces - I used my scale to weigh the dough and then figure out how big each piece should be, but you can definitely eyeball it.  Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball and then use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle.  Gently stretch the dough until the hole is about 2 inches big.  Place the bagel on a baking sheet that's been dusted with cornmeal.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.  Cover the baking sheet lightly with plastic and let the bagels rise for 30 minutes.  Secure the plastic around the edges of the pan so the bagels won't dry out then put the baking sheet in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

When you're ready to bake, remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.  While the bagels are resting, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and preheat oven to 450 F.

Add two or three bagels at a time to the boiling water (depending on the size of your pot) and cook for about 1 minute, or until they've risen to the top.  Remove and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Once you've boiled all of the bagels, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they're brown and their internal temperature registers at least 180 F on an instant-read thermometer.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 12 bagels

TWD: Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie was selected by Patricia from Life with a Whisk: oatmeal nutmeg scones.  Ever since I discovered that I could buy fresh nutmeg (and pretty inexpensively too!) and grate it myself I've been sort of obsessed with it.  It reminds me of fall baking when it's often accompanied by cinnamon, ginger or allspice, but it shows up in savory recipes, especially those with white sauces like mac and cheese, from time to time as well.  I have a little mini grater I use only for nutmeg, though I haven't figured out an effective way to precisely measure the fine powder as I grate so I almost always eyeball it.



My favorite thing about scones is that they're easy for me to share.  I make the dough and freeze the scones unbaked then pass along to my recipients without the usual rush rush of getting baked goods out of the house within a day or two before they're stale.  Plus, the recipients can bake them up and enjoy the scones at their best warm from the oven.  I halved this recipe and cut the dough into 4 moderately-sized scones.  My baking time (even straight from the freezer) was a few minutes less than Dorie's suggestion so you'll want to keep an eye on these.  I topped my scones with a maple glaze, which worked nicely with the oatmeal and nutmeg and also added a little extra sweetness I thought these needed.  I gladly traded Shane's dad a freshly baked scone for some scallops that had just come off of one of Shane's uncles fishing boats a few days ago.  Yum!!

Many thanks to Patricia for hosting this week.  She'll share the recipe on her site today (I'll update with a link when she does) or you can find it on page 30 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I've been doing a lot of baking lately with my friend Jeannette.  Jeannette lives in Texas, and I've never met her in "real life," but I still consider her a great friend and I always have a blast chatting with her via Twitter as we mess around in our respective kitchens.  Usually when we decide to bake something together, we go back and forth for a while trying to come up with a recipe we're both interested in and for which we both have all of the ingredients in our pantries.  There was none of that with these cheesecake chocolate chip cookie bars; we were both immediately on the same page about how good they sounded - maybe not terribly surprising, could you really go wrong with cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies in one dessert?  The bars are made with ingredients you're likely to have on hand most of the time too, which makes them especially dangerous.       



This dessert is essentially a chocolate chip cookie bar with a layer of cheesecake in the middle, and it's just as tasty as it sounds.  The bars are a little tricky to assemble, but in a really fun way.  Half of the cookie dough is pressed into the bottom of the pan, the cheesecake mixture is poured over the top and then the remaining cookie dough is shaped into discs and scattered over the cheesecake (I explained this more fully below and included a photo that should help).  In the oven, the cookie dough spreads and puffs, covering most of the cheesecake, leaving just enough visible to give the top a bit of a marbled look.  The bars are stored in the fridge and they're deliciously chewy when chilled.  Another fun baking project for Jeanette and I, and though she hasn't posted hers yet, I think she was just as big a fan as me.     

Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
from Heat Oven to 350 (who adapted from King Arthur Flour and Jill)

{I know some people don't like to use shortening and I do plan to try this recipe using all butter at some point - I'll update this post with my results after I do.}

Cookie Dough
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake
8 oz (1 block) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, both sugars, vanilla and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Beat in the egg until well combined.  With the mixer on low, add the baking soda and flour and beat just until incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Press half of the dough into an even layer over the bottom of the prepared pan (I found it easiest to use my fingers to do that).  Set aside the other half of the dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the sugar, egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. (I rinsed the bowl of my stand mixer & used it here but you could also do this with a hand mixer in another bowl if you'd rather.)

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cookie dough layer in the bottom of the pan and spread to the edges.  Use the second half of the cookie dough (that you set aside earlier) to top the cream cheese.  The easiest way to do that is to grab pieces and flatten them into discs between your hands then place them around the cream cheese layer.  You don't have to cover the cream cheese layer completely (you can see what mine looked like here).

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is brown and cooked through (the bars will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan slightly).  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature then store in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Buckle

I am beyond excited that summer produce season will be upon us before long.  Cherries, peaches, watermelon, corn, tomatoes, eggplant...I could go on and on talking about the fruits and veggies I'm looking forward to eating over the next few months.  Above all else though, summer berries - specifically blueberries, strawberries and raspberries (in that order) - are my favorite.  Sweet and juicy, and at their peak, requiring nothing more than a simple wash before they can be enjoyed.  This year I want to head to local farms and pick a ton, stashing as many as possible in my freezer for the long winter months.  Blueberry picking season doesn't start until July here, but I've been seeing Florida berries in our stores for the past few weeks and haven't been able to resist picking up a few pints.  They were so good I ate many of them as is, but I did save a single pint for baking.



I searched my cookbooks and magazines extensively before deciding to go with this blueberry buckle.  I've made plenty of crisps and crumbles, but never a buckle, which is basically a blueberry coffee cake with a streusel topping.  The thing I love most about this cake is that the blueberries are the star - it's not cake with a few blueberries, it's blueberries with cake to provide support and structure.  This blueberry buckle was great for breakfast, but top it with a scoop of ice cream and it's an amazing dessert too!

I only had 2 cups of blueberries so I halved the recipe below and baked the cake in my 6-inch pan.  The baking time was just a few minutes shorter than the suggestion for the full-size cake.



Blueberry Buckle
from Cook's Illustrated

Streusel
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, softened

Cake
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (4 3/4 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 cups fresh blueberries (about 20 oz)

To make the streusel: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, both sugar, cinnamon and salt on low to combine and break up any brown sugar lumps.  With the mixer still on low, add the butter and beat until it is completely incorporated into the dry ingredients, about 2-3 minutes - the mixture will resemble wet sand.  Transfer the streusel to another bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch round pan with a round of parchment, then spray the parchment and the pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together then set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just about incorporated.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish stirring - the batter will be very thick.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan; spread in an even layer.  To top with the streusel - pick up a handful of streusel and squeeze to form a clump.  Break this large clump into smaller pieces and sprinkle over the batter.  Continue until you've used all of the streusel.  Bake for about 55 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool for 15-20 minutes.  Run a thin knife around the edges of the cake then invert it onto the rack.  Remove the parchment then turn the cake streusel side up and let cool on the wire rack.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I've been on a major pizza kick lately. The kind of obsessed where I can find just about any excuse for a pizza night. The Bruins are on? Can't have hockey night without pizza. Friday or Saturday? Weekends practically require pizza. A rainy, chilly week late in May? Totally calls for comfort food. We've been making so much pizza that at this point we're a well-oiled machine with an efficient system in place for making the dough, topping the pizzas and getting them in and out of the oven.  If I've thought ahead, made the dough in advance and stashed it in the freezer, homemade pizza is a really easy weeknight meal, and way cheaper than ordering it from a local shop.  As long as we have mozzarella on hand (which is the case about 90% of the time), we'll use that along with whatever other toppings we can rustle up from our fridge and pantry. 





A few days ago I grilled several chicken breasts with the intention of using a portion to top my salad for lunch that day and saving the rest for lunches later in the week.  I had one salad but then I fell in love with the idea of using the leftovers to make buffalo chicken pizza instead.  I searched and searched until I found a recipe that was exactly what I pictured in my mind - a base of tangy ranch-like sauce topped with shredded chicken (coated with hot sauce), cheese and sweet red onions.  With each component I made, I got more excited about this pizza, and when it finally emerged from the oven, I gave serious thought to skipping the photos and just digging in.  I'm really glad I did take a few shots though so I could share it; I even bumped it ahead of a few other posts I had planned so I could tell you about it before the weekend.  This is probably among my favorite pizzas I've ever made - everything just works together to create a really flavorful and not overly spicy result.   

I barely adapted this recipe from the awesome Bridget over at The Way the Cookie Crumbles.  Mainly, I omitted the blue cheese, which we aren't big fans of, and compensated with extra mozzarella.  I made the buffalo and white sauces in advance and refrigerated them, leaving only the assembly for the last minute.  Also, I doubled this recipe & made two 12-inch pizzas. 



Buffalo Chicken Pizza
barely adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

1 lb pizza dough, stretched to a 12-inch round (I haven't blogged a recent favorite, but this one is in heavy rotation too)

Buffalo Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

White Sauce
1 tablespoon plain yogurt (I used nonfat Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
pinch of sugar
pinch of garlic powder

1 large (or 2 small) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup red onion, diced

At least 30 minutes before you plan to bake the pizza, preheat oven to 500 F.  Set a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven.

To make the buffalo sauce, add the butter to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat.  Cook until melted, then mix in the hot sauce, brown sugar and cider vinegar.  Add the shredded chicken and toss to coat with the sauce.

To make the white sauce, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, garlic powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl to combine.  Set aside.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured pizza peel, if you have one.  (We don't, so I always use parchment paper.)  Spread the white sauce in a thin, even layer over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.  Top with the chicken, then the mozzarella and finally the red onion.   Bake on the preheated pizza stone (or the back of a baking sheet if you don't have one) for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling and browned.  Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake

When I was growing up there was a restaurant chain called Newport Creamery that had several locations throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including a store in my hometown.  Though they were open all day serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, I'm pretty sure the ice cream and shakes were the big draw.  Their shakes were called Awful Awfuls, which at the time I didn't think much of, but strikes me as a really bizarre name now.  I'm not entirely sure where the name originated but their slogan was "Awful big, awful good," and boy were they - the chocolate mint was always my favorite.  The restaurant was just down the street from my high school and many of my friends worked there, so it became a bit of a hangout, which means I drank more than my fair share of Awful Awfuls.



I've probably only been to Newport Creamery once or twice since graduating from high school (there isn't a location where Shane and I live now, which as much as I hate to admit it, is probably a good thing) and I definitely miss the occasional Awful Awful.  I always chose an Awful Awful over a bowl of ice cream back then, but now I rarely, if ever, find myself ordering a milkshake when we go to our local ice cream shop.  Maybe I was spoiled and nothing compares now :)  In any case, occasionally I'll make milkshakes at home instead, mainly when I come across a flavor that particularly resonates with me (or if I find one I think Shane will love).

I flagged this toasted marshmallow milkshake recipe a while ago and now that the weather is finally starting to warm up (this rainy, chilly week notwithstanding), I gave it a go.  I halved the recipe & made it one afternoon for myself - I loved it so much I immediately made a second one.  It really does taste exactly like a toasted marshmallow!  I'm not a patient person so when toasting marshmallows I always set mine on fire and blow them out, which I think was beneficial here.  As Joy mentioned, the charred bits really give the shake a lot of flavor.  I used the flame on my gas stove to toast the marshmallows when I made the shake for myself but when I subsequently made the recipe again for Shane, I used my kitchen torch.  Both ways worked fine (the torch gave me more control, but took longer) though you could probably also use your broiler if you don't have a gas stove or a kitchen torch.  Whichever method works for you, I just urge you to try this shake if you're a toasted marshmallow fan - you won't be disappointed.



Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake
from Joy the Baker (who adapted it from The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn)

10 marshmallows (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
1 (heaping) cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Skewer the marshmallows then toast them - you can do that using the flame on your gas stove, with a small kitchen torch or under the broiler in your oven.  If you use the broiler, keep a close eye on the marshmallows.  Let the toasted marshmallows cool briefly.

In your blender, combine the toasted marshmallows, ice cream, milk and vanilla extract.  Blend until combined.  You can adjust the consistency by adding ice cream (to thicken) or milk (to thin).  Serve garnished with extra toasted marshmallows.

Cheesy Chili Mac

One of the things that makes me happiest these days is spending time in my kitchen cooking meals for our little family of two and baking treats that we'll indulge in as well as share with others.  I love reading cookbooks and magazines or browsing food blogs for inspiration and then heading into the kitchen with an idea and the ability to make it happen.  Whether I'm chopping veggies, stirring a sauce, whipping up a batter in my mixer or kneeling in front of the oven peeking in to watch cupcakes rise, it's all good.  It wasn't that long ago I woke up every morning dreading yet another long day at a job that made me completely miserable and left little time for outside interests, so I'm especially grateful that my current situation allows me to spend so much time doing something I feel passionate about. 



As much as I love being in my kitchen, during the week I usually just want to get a quick dinner on the table, and preferably one that doesn't involve 3 pans, 2 cutting boards, 4 measuring cups and 2 knives because if there's one thing I'm not a big fan of, it's washing dishes.  Many of my favorite weeknight meals are one-pot recipes so I was instantly drawn to an issue of Cook's Country magazine I found recently containing quick and easy meals made in just one skillet.  This cheesy chili mac was the first recipe I tried, mainly because I had all of the ingredients on hand already.  Well, technically I didn't have ground beef as the recipe suggested, but that doesn't really count since I always substitute ground turkey anyway. 

The recipe was a cinch to throw together though I did have a moment of "is this really going to work?" as I cooked the pasta.  A combination of water and tomato sauce are added to the skillet and the elbow macaroni is cooked directly in that liquid.  It absorbs the liquid, creating a thick sauce and Shane and I both agreed the texture of the pasta didn't suffer as a result of this unusual method of preparation.  I do want to note that the dish is barely spicy so if you like more heat you'll probably want to think about adding red pepper flakes or hot sauce.  We both enjoyed this meal, and in fact, Shane even raved after reheating the leftovers the next night.  I am definitely looking forward to trying many more dishes from this magazine and hopefully adding some new one pot dinners to our rotation! 



Cheesy Chili Mac
adapted from Cook's Country via Skillet Suppers

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups water
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
8 oz (about 2 cups) elbow macaroni
1 1/2 -2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Set a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the oil.  Heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the ground turkey and cook until it is no longer pink.

Stir the water and tomato sauce into the ground turkey mixture in the pan.  Add the pasta and stir to combine.  Cover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.  Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking.  Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a vigorous simmer.  (My pasta took about 12-13 minutes to cook through.  The sauce will be thick by the time your pasta finishes.)

Turn off the heat under the pan and add 1 cup of the cheese.  Stir to incorporate/melt then season the dish to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle remaining cheese (1/2 - 1 cup depending on how cheesy you want your dish) over the top and cover the pan again.  Let stand for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.   

Ultimate Cinnamon Buns

In my opinion, if you're going to eat an indulgent breakfast, you can't do much better than freshly baked cinnamon buns.  Rich, tender dough baked until golden brown with a sweet, gooey brown sugar and cinnamon filling and, as if that weren't decadent enough, a thick cream cheese glaze to top it all off.  I've rarely been disappointed by a cinnamon bun recipe (and I've tried quite a few) and these were no exception.  A few months ago I saw this recipe on an episode of Cook's Country and made a mental note to try them the next time we were entertaining.  That occasion happened to be our Mother's Day brunch, and it worked out perfectly.  You can do all of the prep the day before and let the rolls proof overnight in the fridge.  The following morning just bake and top with the glaze before guests arrive.  I love that it leaves me plenty of time for all of the other tasks I always seem to put off until the last minute when entertaining.



These rolls are called "ultimate" and I have to think it refers mostly to their size.  The recipe suggested dividing the dough into 8 rolls, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.  I went with 12 and still thought they were enormous!  These are also probably the most calorie-rich cinnamon rolls I've ever baked (a special occasion dish for sure) so making them a tad smaller assuaged the guilt a bit.  No huge surprise, we loved them - they're beyond tender and I could have eaten the glaze with a spoon it was so delicious.  I squeezed all 12 rolls into a 13x9 pan but I would probably use 2 pans next time instead.  Things got pretty tight with 12 and I think the rolls in the center suffered slightly - they were still on the gooey side when the other rolls were baked to perfection.  Shane and I had no problem sharing the gooey bits, but I wouldn't have wanted to serve them to company.       



Ultimate Cinnamon Buns
slightly adapted from Cook's Country

Dough
3/4 cup warm whole milk (about 110 F)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

Filling
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Glaze
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 200 F.  When the oven reaches temp, turn it off.  Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess to hang over edges.  Spray the foil with cooking spray.  (You may want to split the rolls up into 2 pans if you divide the dough into 12 pieces versus 8.)

Combine the milk and yeast in a measuring cup; whisk to dissolve the yeast.  Add the eggs to the measuring cup and whisk to incorporate.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Mix briefly to combine.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the milk mixture to the bowl in a steady stream then continue mixing until a rough dough comes together.  Increase the speed to medium-low and add the butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated.  Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl.  (If the dough is still wet and sticky after 10 minutes, add flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.)  Turn the dough out onto your work surface and shape into a smooth ball.  Transfer the dough to a large bowl that's been sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the warm oven.  Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

To make the filling: Whisk the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl.  Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and roll into an 18-inch square.  Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.  Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and press gently.  Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the end to seal.  Cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces (or 8 if you want really, really big rolls) and transfer the pieces to the prepared pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  (Alternatively, before letting the cut rolls rise, transfer the pan to the fridge for up to 24 hours.  When you are ready to bake the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for an hour before proceeding with the recipe below.)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.  Meanwhile, make the glaze by whisking the cream cheese, milk, vanilla and confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and top the rolls with 1/2 cup of the glaze.  Let cool for 30 minutes then top with remaining glaze (optional) and serve.

Caramel-Filled Brownies

I go through phases with desserts and lately I've been all about caramel.  Not too long ago that's something you probably wouldn't have heard me say; I feared making caramel and rarely had good results.  It still doesn't always turn out on the first try for me, but I'm more confident in the process and actually think it's pretty fun.  After I made these salted caramel cheesecake bars recently, I had a ton of leftover caramel in my fridge and started digging through my bookmarked recipes for ways to use it up.  Without realizing it, I'd saved these brownies from 3 different blogs so it only made sense to give them a try.



There are a few additional steps involved in making this recipe compared to traditional brownies.  The brownie batter itself is pretty standard, but instead of baking it all at once, half is added to the pan and baked, then once it cools briefly, the caramel is poured on top and then covered with the remaining half of the brownie batter.  Here's the thing - the recipe actually call for melting down store-bought caramel candies with heavy cream for the caramel layer.  I decided to try subbing my leftover salted caramel sauce instead and while the brownies were tasty, they were sort of a mess.  It was nearly impossible to spread the brownie batter over the sauce so instead those two layers were essentially swirled together.  It took much longer for the brownies to bake and the caramel bubbled out the sides quite a bit and left me trying to chisel the brownies out of the pan.



I'm rarely motivated to make a dessert recipe twice, nevermind twice in the same week, but these were good and since I happened to find some caramel candies (I used these) hiding in my pantry, I tried them again in hopes of achieving a distinct, visible caramel layer.  The results were better in every way - they were easier to assemble, they baked perfectly and visually, they were a million times more appetizing.  These are insanely rich - the brownie is fudgy and chocolatey with an ooey gooey layer of caramel in the middle (though I swear they aren't as messy as they appear in the photo).  If I made them again I'd add salt to the caramel layer for that sweet/salty combo but otherwise wouldn't change a thing.

Caramel-Filled Brownies
adapted from The Pastry Queen, by Rebecca Rather

{There were pecans in this recipe (they were added to the caramel layer as well as sprinkled on top) which I omitted since we don't love nuts but you could add them for a turtle brownie effect.  I also halved the recipe and baked it in an 8x8 baking dish - I used the same baking times as are listed below for the full recipe.}

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a 13x9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the brownies out.  Spray thoroughly with cooking spray.

Place the butter and bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth.  Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and glossy.  Stir in the flour and salt with a rubber spatula, mixing just until combined.

Transfer half of the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread in an even layer.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.  Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, add the caramels and heavy cream to a medium saucepan and set over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted and smooth.  Immediately pour the caramel over the brownies and spread evenly.  (If you finish melting the caramels before the brownies have cooled for 20 minutes, just set the pan over very low heat to keep warm.  Otherwise, the caramel will harden and be difficult to spread.)  Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer and spread to cover.  (My brownie batter was thick so I microwaved it for 1 minute to make it more fluid.)   Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the brownies.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely in the pan.  Run a thin knife along the sides of the pan to loosen any caramel that might be stuck, then use the foil to lift the brownies from the pan and cut into squares for serving.

Lemon Bundt Cake

Sorry it's been so quiet around here the past few days.  Blogger ran into some issues which made it impossible for me to publish new posts.  If you've tried to comment over the past 2 days and have run into any problems, I apologize - that was likely also a result of the Blogger outage.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things will return to normal now and we can get back to the important stuff - the food :)



Back in early March, when I'd had just about all the snowy, cold winter weather I could take, I bought a giant bag of bright, cheery lemons and started baking.  I shared these lemon bars soon after and within that post promised to tell you about a lemon cake I'd made recently as well.  For whatever reason I never got around to writing that post and had completely forgotten about it until I discovered the photos in my Flickr account the other day.  This isn't the first time I've told that story about a recipe I made and it probably won't be the last.  One of these days I'll learn the lesson about organization in all of this and find a few spare hours to do something about it.  For now I'm just glad to finally tell you about this cake, which I absolutely loved.

If you're a lemon lover, this cake won't disappoint.  It's packed with more lemon flavor than any cake I've ever made and the texture is perfectly tender.  Plus, it's not very labor intensive; since it's a bundt you don't even have to frost it - you could simply eat it plain or dust it with a bit of powdered sugar.  I like the way a glaze drips down the sides of a bundt so I almost always make one where it's an option but this cake won't suffer if you skip it.  I halved the recipe below and baked my bundt in a 6-cup pan with no problem.  I think I ate two slices within the first day after I made it and wound up calling a friend to see if I could share the rest with her since it was proving to be so difficult to resist!



It's probably worth noting that Cook's Illustrated called this a "light" recipe.  That's not why I made it and I wouldn't have pegged it as a light dessert after tasting it, but it's an added bonus.  There's still half a stick of butter and 1/4 cup of oil in this recipe but compared to the 2 1/4 sticks of butter in the standard lemon bundt on their site, it's a definite improvement.

Lemon Bundt Cake
from Cook's Illustrated

3 cups (12 oz) cake flour
2 cups (14 oz) sugar
1/4 cup lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch cream of tartar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon

Lemon Glaze
1 cup (4 oz) confectioners' sugar
5 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 F with a rack in the lower third.  Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour (or grease with butter and lightly coat with flour).

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and the zest.  Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant.  Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl containing the sugar/zest mixture and whisk to combine everything.  In a large measuring cup, whisk the milk, egg yolks, oil, butter and vanilla.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar then increase the speed to medium-high.   With the mixer running, add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until the whites are shiny and form stiff peaks.

Add the milk mixture and lemon juice to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.   Add one third of the egg whites to the bowl and stir to combine (to lighten the batter) then add the remaining egg whites and gently fold to incorporate (try not to deflate the whites).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.   Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes then turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze: Whisk everything together in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the cake letting it run down the sides. Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes.

Homemade Hamburger Rolls

Sometimes I wonder if Shane misses the pre-food blogging days when we used to just cook our food and eat it.  Now, every time I make a new recipe for dinner, Shane asks "you're going to put this on your blog, right?"  Often, the answer is a resounding yes.  I'm excited about the dish and can't wait to share, even if that means delaying dinner for a few minutes so I can set up and try to achieve a good shot.  The only problem is that I'm still very much a novice photographer so sometimes I take 50 pictures before I get one I like.  As you might imagine, dinner isn't terribly warm by that point.  The solution is usually for us just to eat dinner while it's hot and save leftovers that I can photograph later.  Leftovers weren't an option when I made these burgers, but Shane convinced me to take a few pictures anyway.  In the interest of saving time, I threw them on a plate on the deck railing next to the grill, snapped a pic and called it a day.  Not something I would normally do, but I'm trying to learn to be ok with shortcuts sometimes...a warm, juicy burger is worth it :)    

This is probably only the second time I've made homemade hamburger rolls so I haven't tried a ton of recipes, but frankly, I'm not sure I need to.  These were just about perfect.  They're sturdy enough for burgers yet still soft and light with just a touch of sweetness.  I joked on Twitter yesterday that I was too lazy to go to the store to buy hamburger rolls for dinner, so instead I was going to make them and that's just what I did.  These were so easy I really do think they took less effort than getting in the car and driving to the store.  Lightly toasted on the grill, they were leaps and bounds better than anything I could have bought anyway.

Homemade Hamburger Rolls
from King Arthur Flour

(I made this recipe using my stand mixer so those are the instructions I'm including but you could absolutely do this by hand or in a bread machine if you wanted.)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
3/4 - 1 cup warm water (about 110 F)

Topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the butter, egg, flour, sugar, salt, yeast and 3/4 cup of the water.  Mix on low speed until a rough dough comes together.  Continue kneading on low speed until the dough is soft and smooth, about 5-7 minutes.  You may need to add some of the remaining 1/4 cup of water if the weather is particularly dry where you are.  There shouldn't be dry bits of flour in the bottom of the bowl; if there are, slowly add a little bit of water at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but clings to the bottom. 

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.  Add the dough to the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently press to deflate.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (or 8 if you want really large rolls).  Shape each piece into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Flatten the ball into a disk about 3 inches in diameter.  Repeat with all of the dough then cover and let the rolls rise for about an hour, or until they are noticeably puffy.  

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 F.  Once they've risen, brush the tops of the rolls with half of the melted butter.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden in color.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining butter.  Let cool.

Makes 12 rolls

Chocolate Chip Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie was selected by Peggy of Pantry Revisited: brown sugar bundt cake.  Dorie's version included fruit (pears and prunes) as well as ground nuts in lieu of additional all-purpose flour and that probably would have sounded lovely to me in the fall.  Here in May, though, I wanted something more basic and something I could count on Shane to help me eat.  I decided to turn the cake into one big chocolate chip cookie.  No nuts and no fruit here - instead, I added a heaping handful of chocolate chips.  I halved the recipe and baked it in a 6-cup bundt pan for about 30-32 minutes.

 

My favorite chocolate chip cookies are soft and cakey and honestly, I'm all about the dough/cookie portion.  Just one or two chocolate chips per cookie would be totally fine with me.  A slice of this cake was pretty much the chocolate chip cookie of my dreams.  The cake is incredibly tender and fluffy, sweet but not too sweet, with the perfect ratio of cake to chips.  Like the best cookies, I couldn't stop eating the dough and once the cake was baked, I couldn't walk through my kitchen without sneaking a bite.  I left it in the spot last night before I went to bed so Shane would bring it to work today but when I woke up, it was still on the counter.  I'm in trouble; I might have to hide it from myself today.  My one minor complaint about the cake - a lot of the chips sank to the bottom of the batter, so next time I'd try tossing them with a little bit of the flour mixture before adding them. 



Many thanks to Peggy for hosting this week!  You can find the recipe for the bundt cake on her blog or on page 179 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Bacon, Leek and Cheddar Mini Quiches

As we have for several years now, Shane and I hosted a Mother's Day brunch yesterday for our families. It's one of the few times each year that we entertain and it gives us a chance to celebrate our moms and thank them for all that they do. I've heard so many people say that it's smart to have tried and true recipes you can turn to when entertaining, but I can never resist the urge to attempt something new. And by something, I mean the entire menu.  I'm a pretty high-stress person by nature so there's a fair amount of anxiety involved in not knowing whether the dishes are going to turn out until about 5 minutes before company arrives, but in the end, it usually works out.  So far, anyway.



(I'd convinced myself there was no need to iron the tablecloth, but I'm ready to admit I was wrong after seeing this photo.)

I resolved to choose recipes that could be prepped ahead of time for this year's brunch so that was the first selling point for these bacon, leek and cheddar mini quiches.  They're perfect for entertaining because they can be completely assembled and frozen for up to a month, then baked directly from the freezer when you need them.  The second selling point?  Bacon.  Our Mother's Day brunch is one of the two times a year we eat bacon (Thanksgiving morning being the other) so I'm happy to include it in a few dishes if possible.  It's really easy to leave the bacon out of some of the quiches too, if you happen to be serving vegetarians.  Simply mix up the filling, adding only the leeks and cheese and reserving the bacon until you've assembled as many non-bacon quiches as you intend to make.  Then you can add it and fill the remaining quiches.  I also reserved a few pieces of bacon to sprinkle on the tops of those with bacon in the filling so there wouldn't be any doubts about which were vegetarian and which weren't.



Instead of pie crust, which I think is more traditional for quiche, these minis are wrapped in puff pastry.  The assembly is a bit tedious, but goes pretty quickly once you get in the groove.  Also worth noting: there's no need to make the edges look pretty when you line the muffin tins with the puff pastry.  As long as the pastry extends to the top of the well, you'll be fine.  I snapped a quick shot to show you how messy mine were, and honestly, I don't think you could tell at all once the quiches were baked.



The mini quiches were a hit at brunch; even Shane enjoyed them, which is saying something since I didn't omit the leeks from his.  I loved the way they baked up - both the pastry and the filling puff in the oven and turn golden in color.  Everything is cuter in mini form in my book, and I think their size makes these quiches perfect finger food.  They'd be great appetizers for any party, not just brunch.



Bacon, Leek and Cheddar Mini Quiches
from Fine Cooking

3/4 lb bacon, cut into medium dice
3 cups medium-diced leeks, washed and drained (about 3 leeks, white and light green parts only)
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 cup (4 oz) grated extra-sharp Cheddar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1.1-lb packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (homemade puff pastry would work too)

Set a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.  Drain the bacon fat from the pan, reserving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.  Return the pan to medium heat and add the leeks.  Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, then set aside to allow the leeks to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, add the half and half, cheese, eggs, egg yolks, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg to a medium bowl.  Use a fork to break up the eggs and yolks and mix the ingredients.  Add the bacon and leeks (both of which should be cooled) and toss to distribute evenly.  Set the filling aside.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray your mini muffin pans with cooking spray.

Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the sheet into a rectangle approximately 10x18 inches big. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles from the sheet of puff pastry. Fit each round into one well of the prepared mini muffin pan, making sure that the dough extends to the top of well. Fill each well with about 1 tablespoon of filling (it's fine to fill it just about to the top). Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling puffs and the crust is golden brown. Remove the quiches from the pans and serve.

Alternatively, you can prep the quiches ahead of time and freeze them (for up to a month). After assembling them, pop the mini muffin pans in your freezer for a few hours, until the quiches are set, then transfer them to resealable freezer bags. When you are ready to bake, transfer the frozen quiches from the bags to the mini muffin pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes.

Makes approximately 4 dozen mini quiches