Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup

With lots of veggies, brown rice, and shredded chicken this soup makes for a hearty meal that will keep you full and warm you up in the midst of winter.

Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup

2 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped,

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 zucchini, chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

2 quarts chicken broth

1 cup brown rice

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

2 chicken breasts

the zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup basil pesto

1. In a stockpot, over medium high heat, saute the onion, carrots, and red pepper in the butter for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned.  

2. Add garlic, zucchini, sweet potato, broth, rice, pepper, Italian Seasoning- bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

3. Add chicken breasts, cover pot with lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

4. Remove chicken to cutting board and shred with forks, return to the simmering soup.

5. When the rice is fully cooked add the zest and juice of the lemon, peas, and pesto - stir and simmer 5 minutes more.

6. Serve and enjoy.

inspired by The Cozy Apron 

Veggie Cream Cheese

Have you ever had Philadelphia's Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread?  I like its savory flavor as a great option for an onion bagel, to spread on a sandwich, and as a dip for crackers, but for having "vegetable" in its name there's not many veggies in their cream cheese spread.  So I decided to make my own - with lots more vegetables: mine is more like 3 parts veggies to 1 part cream cheese.  It is still spreadable but has a lot more crunch and flavor. Adjust the amount of vegetables to suit your definition of Vegetable Cream Cheese.

Veggie Cream Cheese

2 carrots, peeled and quartered

1/2 red onion, peeled and quartered

1/2 cucumber, seeds scooped out

1/2 green pepper, seeds and membranes removed, quartered

5 radishes, ends removed

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 Tablespoon dried onion flakes (helps absorb liquid the the veggies will release)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Place all vegetables in a food processor fitted with the blade, pulse until finely minced, scraping the sides as necessary (you may need to do this in 2 batches)

2. Scoop minced veggies onto the center of a clean kitchen towel, pull the corners in and twist - over the sink to release water from the veggies, squeeze out at least 1/4 cup liquid.

3.  Add veggies, cream cheese, and remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined.

4. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for a week.

Lemon Bars

In the mood for something with lemon, I considered lemon meringue pie, lemon cream tart, lemon curd, lemon pound cake, but in the end settle for lemon bars.  The crisp buttery crust and the balanced sweet and tart flavors in the filling make for a satisfying lemon experience.

I prefer to bake the lemon bars in 2 square pans rather than a 9x13, the bars bake faster and are easier to remove from the pan so they can be cut and served in even sized pieces.  Form a slight crust up the sides of the pans so that the filling won't overflow and stick to the sides of the pan, again easing in removal of the lemon bars from the pan.

Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
the zest of 2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon Filling
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
the zest of 2 lemons
the juice of 4 lemons

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar


1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 2 - 8" square pans.

2. Stir together crust ingredients until a firm dough forms.  Press into greased pans, forming a 1/2" crust up the sides of the pans.

3. Bake crusts for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Meanwhile whisk together the lemon filling ingredients.

5. When the crusts are par-baked pour the lemon filling evenly over the crusts and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the filling is set.

6.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift the bars out of the pans with a spatula.  Let cool completely.

7. Use a fine mesh strainer to evenly dust powdered sugar over the cooled lemon bars.  Cut bars and store in an air tight container.


adapted from this recipe

Apple Rhubarb Crisp with Lemon and Ginger

My friend Kathy lives about a mile out of town, her and her husband have a beautiful garden along the side of their house that is easily seen from the road.  A large patch of rhubarb sits proudly at the front of this garden.  Kathy was telling me that she heard a knock on her door a few days ago and found a man on her front porch that asked if she would be willing to barter for some of their lovely rhubarb.  Kathy and the stranger bartered a trade of rhubarb for fresh fish.  The guy took his rhubarb and stopped by later to supply the fish he'd promised.

Whether you grow, buy, or barter for your rhubarb this recipe is a great way to use it up.  Ginger and lemon add a familiar, but new spin on the classic crisp.

Apple Rhubarb Crisp with Lemon and Ginger

Filling:
2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/2" chunks (about 7 cups)
4 apples, cored and chopped into 1/2" chunks (about 4 cups)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon grated ginger (I keep a knob of ginger in my freezer, it stores beautifully and grates better from a frozen state)
the juice of one lemon

Crisp:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
the zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon grated ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13" pan or 12 ramekins/mason jars.

2. Stir all Filling ingredients together and spread evenly into the prepared pan/ramekins/mason jars.

3. Stir together Crisp ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. Sprinkle over Filling.

4. Bake pan for 30-35 minutes (ramekins/mason jars 20-25 minutes) or until Crisp is starting to get golden brown and the Filling is bubbling.

5. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Berry Almond Cream Scones

These scones are a delicious breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert item.  They're simple to pull together and way better than a coffeeshop scone. Dried berries rehydrated in amaretto are used in place of fresh berries, as fresh berries tend to bring too much moisture to the party and can make the scones soggy after a couple hours.

Berry Almond Cream Scones

inspired by this recipe by Ree Drummond

1 cup dried berries (I used a combination of blueberries and tart cherries)

1/2 cup amaretto

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cubed

2 eggs

3/4 cup cream (feel free to substitute milk, but they won't be as delicious)

Glaze:

1/4 cup cream

2 Tablespoons amaretto from soaking berries

2 cups powdered sugar

1. Add dried berries and amaretto to a jar and cover.  Let sit at room temperature to rehydrate for at least 4 hours before using (if you don't have 4 hours - add berries and and amaretto to a saucepan, bring to a boil, immediately remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes.)

2. Drain rehydrated berries, reserving 2 Tablespoons for the glaze.  Save the rest of the liquid for a cocktail.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two baking sheets.

4. Add flours, almond meal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse 5-10 times or until coarse crumbs form.

5.  Add butter crumb mixture to a large bowl.  Add eggs, cream, and drained berries. Stir until a slightly shaggy dough forms.

6. Scoop dough onto a floured surface and form into two circles about 1/2 inch thick.  Use a pizza cutter to slice dough into triangles (8-12 scones per circle depending on whether you are making snack scones or more substantial breakfast scones).

7. Place scones on prepared pans and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Transfer scones to cooling racks over parchment paper to cool completely.

9. Meanwhile make the glaze: whisk the cream, 2 Tablespoons of reserved berry-rehydrating-amaretto, and powdered sugar together.

10. When scones are cooled, drizzle the glaze over the scones.  When the glaze is dry, store in an airtight container.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce over Pasta and Kale

Roasted red peppers are one of those ingredients that I could add to every dish I make, but their delicate flavor is easily overwhelmed by other robust ingredients.  This sauce recipe lets the roasted red pepper flavor shine through.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce over Pasta and Kale
inspired by Quick and Easy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta by Ree Drummond

1 Tablespoon butter
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 jar ( 12 oz. ) roasted red peppers, well drained and roughly chopped
1/2 can ( 14.5 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained (add the leftover half can of tomatoes to chili, lasagna, or scrambled eggs)
1/4 cup white wine
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound pasta (I used whole wheat rigatoni)
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves sliced 1/4" thick

1. In a 2 quart saucepan saute garlic and onion in butter over medium high for 3-4 minutes until onions and garlic are softened and lightly browned.

2. Add sauteed onions and garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, wine, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a blender and puree for 20-30 seconds or until no large chunks remain.

3. Add the sauce back to the saucepan and simmer on medium low for 15-20 minutes or until it thickens slightly.

4. Meanwhile bring a pot of water to a boil, add the pasta.  2 minutes before it is ready add the kale to the water.

5. When the pasta is fully cooked drain the pasta and kale.  Serve the sauce over the pasta and kale.

Banana Waffles

These tender waffles were a perfect brunch for today's rainy Sunday morning.  The bananas are definitely the star of the show but the oats and pecans play supporting roles with grace.  While many waffle recipes include whipped egg whites in the batter, I cannot be bothered to do so - this recipe is simple, quick, and utterly delicious.

Easy Banana Waffles
inspired by Banana Nut Waffles by Amateur Gourmet

1 cup flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup ground flax seed

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large ripe bananas

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, oats, pecans, flax seed, and soda

2. In a large mixing bowl mash bananas with brown sugar, until bananas are mostly chunk free (the sugar acts as an abrasive, helping you out with breaking down the bananas)

3. Whisk sour cream, milk, oil, and eggs into the banana and sugar mixture.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until moistened.

5. Let batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken up, meanwhile preheat your waffle iron.

6. Scoop waffle batter into the iron and cook according to your waffle iron's instructions and your personal preferences

7.  Enjoy waffles hot out of the iron or let cool and then freeze to enjoy another day.

Yield:  approximately 14 - 4" waffles.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've been eyeing this recipe for a while now: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, I like the use of sour cream rather than the traditional buttermilk.  My only simplification was cutting out the milk and using a whole 16 oz. tub of sour cream in the batter (minus 2 Tablespoons for the frosting).  I ended up with 24 cupcakes and one 8" cake.  The cupcakes turned out really tender with the classic tang and subtle chocolate flavor of Red Velvet cake.

The picture makes the cupcakes look brown, I assure you they are the perfect deep-red color typical of Red Velvet Cake.

Golden Danish Twists

I recently got my first Taste of Home magazine.  I have been reading Taste of Home since I was eight, but have never had my own subscription. My mom had got Taste of Home for a while, and I could always check them out at the library.  When I was in middle school through college a family friend who lived down the street would bring me her copies when she was done with them, which was positively wonderful and incredibly thoughtful--shout out to Angie!!

But now I am getting my own subscription to Taste of Home!! Wahoo!  Thanks to Melissa for getting me a subscription for my birthday!

When pouring through my first issue of Taste of Home I came upon this recipe for Golden Danish Twists and knew I would be baking them. I won't include the recipe here, because I made very few changes (swapped 2 cups of whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose flour, cut the salt down to 1 teaspoon, and added some almond extract to the filling).  Go check the recipe and make them if you have a free afternoon.  They are pretty labor intensive, but utterly fabulous.  Even though there is pumpkin in the dough it imparts little flavor--just gives the dough a beautiful golden color.  While the dough is filled with lemony cream cheese this is not a traditional cream cheese danish, the filling is layered very thinly creating a subtle ribbon of flavor throughout the twists. If you've got the time (3+ hours in and out of the kitchen, perfect for my lazy Sunday afternoon of cleaning, laundry, and starting to watch Doctor Who) this recipe is definitely worth it.

Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Biscuits

You can add parsley to this recipe if you want the full experience, but after I started adding these herbs to this recipe I found myself singing Scarborough Fair.

Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Biscuits

adapted from Delicata Squash and Sage Biscuits from Aube at PBS Kitchen Vignettes

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
5 fresh sage leaves
the leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme, stems removed
the leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary, stems removed
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 egg
3/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons half and half for brushing the biscuits
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
12 sage leaves

1. Preheat oven to 425F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, sage leaves, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves, and butter.  Pulse 5-10 times until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

2. Pour flour/butter mixture into a mixing bowl, add the egg, half and half, and honey, Stir until the flour is just moistened.

3. On a floured surface pat the dough into a 3/4" thick square and cut into 12 biscuits. Place biscuits on prepared tray.  Brush with 2 Tablespoons half and half and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lay one sage leaf on top of each biscuit.

4. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove to a cooling rack or enjoy right out of the oven.

Spiced Pear Cake with Vanilla Glaze

Last weekend I got to spend time with Melissa in Madison.  We didn't realize there was a Badgers game in town, so we quickly found a cute restaurant to have lunch in and escape the crowds of red and white face-painted football fans.  Once things died down we toodled around State Street checking out the free contemporary art museum (which was AMAZING--free art museum?!?  What a treat!) and the cool shops especially the kitchen store.

Before we left Melissa, who works for Taste of Home, loaded me up with old Taste of Home magazines and a cook-book too.  I raced (I mean drove the speed-limit) home to browse the magazines.  I tore out many recipes to add to my recipe binder and started baking with this delightful fall cake.

Spiced Pear Cake with Vanilla Glaze

based on Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake from Taste of Home

2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup sugar

½ cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.  Grease the sides of the pan.

Fan the pear slices in a circle around the bottom of the pan, filling in the middle and any gaps, to make an even layer. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, yogurt, molasses, egg, and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and slowly whisk in until no lumps remain.  Pour over the pears and spread to the sides of the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack then run a knife around the edges of the pan and flip it onto a plate.  Peel off the parchment paper. 

Vanilla Glaze

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla 
¾ cup powdered sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and drizzle over the cake.

Today's baking adventure

I saw this recipe for Spiral Apple Bread with Caramel Apple Glaze on Pinterest this morning and knew I had to make it.  I pretty much just followed the recipe only substituting a little whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose flour, adding lemon zest, and some peaches to what was already written--so I won't write the recipe down here.

It is basically a simple bread dough rolled out, cut into strips and wound around slices of apples (and peaches, in my case) and baked.  The recipe calls for a cinnamon sugar topping to sprinkle on the bread after it is baked, I omitted it, and found the glaze added enough sweetness. This dessert is so beautiful, I wish I had guests over to serve it to.

Go check out Michael at Inspired by Charm for awesome recipes, cool DIY projects, and entertaining ideas.  This is my new favorite blog.

Farmers Market Pot Pie

I love the farmers market, you can read me wax poetic about it here.  This morning I bought a lot of beautiful produce, and among the mix was rainbow chard.  Now I love chard, but I usually do the same thing with it over and over: braise it with onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and a little strawberry jam.  Delicious? Yes, but starting to get a little boring.  So I consulted my favorite food blogs and fount this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and boy was I smitten.  Ree had just posted a recipe for pot pies, so I was already in the mood for a pot pie (just as we are on the verge of, what could possibly, be the hottest week of the summer, and all I want to make is classic winter comfort food).

While I love pot pies, I'm not a huge fan how sometimes the pie crust on top of the pie gets soggy as it bakes, I want a crisp and crunchy accompaniment to the warm and bubbly stew--so I decided to separate the two parts: serve a stew with puff pastry on the side.

Farmers Market Pot Pie Stew with Thyme Puff Pastry Triangles

Inspired by Pot Pies from The Pioneer Woman
Heavily based on Pancetta, White Bean, and Chard Pot Pie from Smitten Kitchen

Stew:
3 oz. pancetta, diced
1 Leek, just the light green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
The kernels from 2 ears of corn, about 1 1/2 cups
1 bunch rainbow chard, sliced, about 1 cup, packed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1, 15oz., can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half

Thyme Triangles:
1, 14 oz, box frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Stew:

1. In an 8 quart pot over medium high heat, cook the pancetta until golden brown.  Remove from the pancetta to a small bowl and save for later.  
2. Add the leeks, garlic, carrot, and red onion to the pan and saute until lightly browned. 
3. Stir in the corn, chard, pepper, thyme, italian seasoning, beans, and wine.  Simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 5 minutes.  
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the flour into about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.  
5. Add the flour/broth slurry, remaining chicken broth, half and half, and the reserved cooked pancetta to the pot, stirring constantly until thickened. Gently simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.  Taste for seasoning: add salt if needed, and possibly a sprinkle of sugar if the rainbow chard is excessively bitter.  

Thyme Triangles:

1. Lay out the puff pastry on a cutting board and brush with half and half.  
2. Sprinkle with thyme and black pepper.  
3. Cut into 16 triangles  and place on a greased baking sheet.  
4. Bake on 425F for 8-10 minutes until they start to turn golden brown.

Mini Lime Swirl Cheesecakes

Cheesecake: a wonderful dessert-rich, creamy, and decadent.  I really like cheesecake, but usually 4 bites into a slice I am overwhelmed by the dense texture.  So when I saw Key Lime Swirl Cheesecake Bars I knew I had to try it--the bright and zesty flavor of the lime cuts through the richness of the cheesecake so I can definitely eat more than 4 bites.

Mini Lime Swirl Cheesecakes
based on this recipe from Sweet 2 Eat Baking

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons of butter, melted

Lime Curd
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
zest (about 2 packed teaspoons) and juice (about 1/3 cup) of 2 limes
3-5 drops of green food coloring, if desired

Cheesecake
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust: Stir together crumbs, sugar, and butter until the crumbs are moistened.  Equally distribute crumbs between 18 muffin tins with paper or foil liners.  Firmly press crumbs into an even crust layer.  Set aside.

Lime Curd: In a medium stainless steel sauce pan (it's fine to use a non-stick pan--just use a rubber spatula to stir, not a metal whisk or you'll risk scratching off the non-stick coating) whisk together butter, sugar, and flour.  Add eggs and whisk until smooth.  Add zest and juice, and food coloring-if desired for a more vibrant color, whisk to combine.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture thickens.  Pour lime curd into a shallow pan and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap to the surface of the lime curd to prevent a skin from forming.  Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

Cheesecake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and flour together until smooth.  Add one egg, mix on low until incorporated. Add the second egg and the vanilla and mix on  low until incorporated.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl, mix again until smooth.

Remove 1 cup of cheesecake batter to a small mixing bowl, stir in 1/2 cup lime curd.

Scoop remaining cheesecake batter evenly between the muffin tins, using a spoon spread cheesecake batter to the walls of the paper or foil liners, so no crust is visible.  Evenly distribute  cheesecake/lime curd batter in small scoops over the cheesecake layer.  At 1 heaping teaspoon of lime curd on top of the cheesecake/lime curd batter layer (there will be about 1/2 cup of lime curd leftover--spread it on toast or stir it into plain yogurt).  Use a toothpick to swirl the 3 layers, and level the surface of each mini cheesecake so they cook evenly.

Bake on 325F for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned on the edges.  Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until serving.

Honey Chai Snack Mix

Tonight at Lutheran Campus Ministry we are having a game night.  I love playing games, so I already have mine packed up and ready to bring along: Yahtzee, Racko, The Game of Life, and Clue.  While the games are the focus of the evening, no game night is complete with out snacks: something you can munch on while you formulate your next move in Clue or decide on your career path in The Game of Life.

While I love the classic savory Chex Mix I'm in the mood for something sweeter.  This recipe is a great way to use up the almost empty boxes of cereal in your cupboard.  I used a combination of Honey Grahams, Honey Nut Cherrios, bran flakes, and rolled oats.  If I had Chex I would definitely have used them, because Chex is a standard part of snack mixes. You can use whatever cereals you have on hand, or replace up to about 1/2 cup of the cereal with walnuts, almonds, or any nuts.  If you want to add dried fruit, I would suggest adding it to the snack mix after cooling because dried fruit tends to get even dryer and too hard to chew when baked.

Honey Chai Snack Mix
based on Chai Crunch from Pillsbury

1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
6 cups cereal

Preheat oven to 300F and grease a jellyroll pan.  In a large bowl whisk together butter, honey, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and extracts.  Pour in cereal and mix until well coated.  Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, or until the cereal is deeply golden.  Pour onto a large sheet of parchment paper and spread out to cool, when cool store in an air tight container.

Bananas Foster Muffins

I love Bananas Foster.  There is something about slices of ripe bananas in a brown sugar butter sauce over vanilla bean ice cream that just makes perfect sense.  Yum.  If you want the history and original recipe check out Brennans, the New Orleans restaurant where Bananas Foster was born.  

When the bananas on my counter start to turn black I'm always looking for a recipe to use them up that isn't just run-of-the-mill banana bread.  This recipe makes it socially acceptable to eat Bananas Foster all day long--just in the form of a muffin (rum and all).

Bananas Foster Muffins
based on Caramelized Banana Bread
from The Chef Next Door

You may ask: "Is a crumble topping really necessary?" Look at
the toasty oats and almonds in the crumble on these muffins--
does that answer your question?

Muffins:
1/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 medium ripe bananas, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

Crumble Topping:
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin.  In a medium skillet or sauce pan melt butter with brown sugar, add sliced bananas and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes, stirring often, until bananas are considerably softened.  Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk together milk, rum, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate bowl stir oatmeal, flour and baking soda together.  When the bananas are cool whisk them into the milk mixture, breaking down the bananas as much as you see fit.  Stir in the dry ingredients just until moistened.  Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Crumble Topping: Add butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, and almonds to the bowl of stand mixer (or use a hand mixer--I like to use a mixer to make this crumble because it breaks down the sliced almonds into beautiful fragments that get really toasty when baked) and mix for about 30 seconds on medium speed until the ingredients are combined and the almonds are somewhat broken down.

Generously sprinkle the muffins with crumble topping and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.  Remove immediately to a cooling rack, when cooled store for up to 5 days in an air tight container.

Yields 1 dozen muffins

Fudgy Walnut Pie

At every Culinary Science Club meeting we have a drawing for prizes that our awesome advisor, Erica, finds.  Sometimes the drawings are for cookbooks and sometimes for small kitchen items like cookie cutters or fun dish towels.  This is the best way to end a club meeting.  We finish all the important business about fundraisers, cooking competitions, etc. then do a drawing for awesome kitchen stuff.

I have been lucky enough to win a few times (probably due to the special Grinde Slip Folding Technique, perfected by my mother.  Just write your name on the slip for the drawing, then employ the Technique (sorry, I can't reveal the specific paper folds found in the Technique; if you want it bad enough you'll have to marry into the family) and you are guaranteed 1 win for every 10 drawings you employ the Technique.). ANYWAY, one time at Culinary Science Club I won a recipe box filled with recipes from Jello, Kraft, Cool-Whip, and many other brand name products.  I've made a few recipes out of this collection, but the Fudgy Walnut Pie has been  my favorite so far.  The buttery graham cracker crust is the perfect counter point to the smooth and sweet filling.  If eaten while warm (who has the patience to wait until it is cooled and refrigerated?)  this pie has the texture of an underbaked brownie, if you let it cool and then get cold in the fridge it has more like a dense cheesecake texture: either way, this pie is delicious.

Fudgy Walnut Pie
based on this recipe from Kraft

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened baker's chocolate, chopped
1 cup (6 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1/4 cup toffee bits, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the crust, stir together crumbs, sugar, and butter press into a 9 inch pie pan.

For the filling, cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute on medium speed.  Add 1 egg at a time, mixing it in then scraping the bowl after each addition.  Melt the unsweetened and semisweet chocolate then slowly pour into the butter, sugar, and eggs, while the mixer is on low.  Add the flour and all but 1 tablespoon, each, of the walnuts and toffee bits.  Stir until smooth and pour into the crust.  Smooth the top with a spatula, then sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of walnuts and toffee bits.  Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the center of the pie is set and the crust is starting to brown.  Let cool completely then refrigerate.

Brie Apple Tarts

Last week I bought a wheel of brie and intended to eat it with crackers and grapes like normal, but then I happened upon this recipe while browsing through my pins on Pinterest.  I pinned that recipe a year ago and still had not made it (that statement holds true for too many recipes and crafts on my pinboards) until today.   

I modified the recipe slightly, adding a little veggie cream cheese and thyme to pump up the mild flavors of brie and apples.  I really love this recipe because it finds the perfect balance of sweet and savory, all wrapped up in the buttery crunch of puff pastry.

They smelled so good coming out of the oven I didn't even try to get a good picture.  This is just evidence that there were tarts.  We ate them in 5 minutes flat.  

Brie Apple Tarts

based on Individual Brie and Apple Tarts by BlogHungry

1 (17.3 oz) package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

2 oz. vegetable cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

8 oz. wheel of brie, cut into 16 wedges

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Unfold the sheets of puff pastry on a large cutting board and cut each sheet into 4 equal sized squares.  Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese equally over each of the 8 squares, making sure to leave an inch un-cream-cheesed around the edges so you can wrap it up.  Sprinkle the thyme over cream cheese, cover with apple slices.  Place two slices of brie over the apples and sprinkle equally with brown sugar.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg and brush the un-cream-cheesed 1" edges with the egg.  Fold 2 opposite corners of each square over the brie and egg wash the tops.  Place tarts on a greased baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops and edges are golden brown.  Serve hot, drizzled with honey.

Cheeky Chocolate Cheesecake

Lately my favorite Youtube channel is Sorted Food.  It is a group of British 20-Somethings who get together and make simple and interesting recipes.  The guys were all University friends, and one of them is a chef.  The chef picks the recipe and keeps the other guys on task as they prepare the recipes.  They are funny and thoughtful, the videos are short and to the point, and the recipes are interesting and multicultural.

One of my favorite recipes is the Cheeky Chocolate Cheesecake.  It is a simple refrigerator cheesecake made with a lot of chocolate and Bailey's Irish Cream.  I converted the recipe from milliliters and grams to cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons and took a few liberties with the recipe.  Also I don't know what Maltesers are, so I used Whoppers.

Cheeky Chocolate Cheesecake
based on Cheeky Chocolate Cheesecake by Sorted Food

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 oz milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup Whoppers, roughly chopped

For the crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.  Press into a 9" pie pan.

For the filling: Whip cream cheese with sugar until fluffy, while the mixer is still on low slowly pour in Bailey's and vanilla until combined.  Melt the chocolate chips with the butter and then fold into the cream cheese mixture.  Pour into the prepared crust and top with Whoppers.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Bran Muffins

My family has few formal traditions.  How we celebrate birthdays and holidays varies a lot.  There is one weird Grinde Family Tradition that has been a constant in my life: Bran muffins on Christmas morning.  I have no idea how this started, probably by happenstance one year and it just stuck.  You see every December my mother spends most of her evenings in the kitchen making chex mix, cookies, fudge, whiskey caramels, and Irish Cream to distribute to our neighbors, friends, and her co-workers.  The other thing she makes is bran muffing batter and puts it in quart mason jars, attaches a label with baking directions and puts them in the fridge until she delivers them.  She always keeps one jar for us, and opens it on Christmas morning, spoons in into muffin tins and bakes in while we open gifts: a homemade breakfast while avoiding having to get up extra early to prepare something.

Everyone's seen those muffin mix dry ingredients layered in jars, where you have to add an egg, some oil and water.  Those are great, they are beautiful and a very practical gift but my mom likes to give away muffin batter so people don't have to add anything, just bake it.  She got this idea from the Colo United Methodist 1983's Cookbook, my maternal grandmother's sister's church (we all know that church cookbooks are the best cookbooks).  The recipe for Bran Muffins states that the muffin batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.  My mom has stored the muffins for up to a month before that batter starts to get weird, so I wouldn't recommend keeping it for more than 4 weeks. 

This has perplexed me (as well as Melissa : I sent her this recipe and she wondered the same thing) because the recipe's leavening comes only from baking soda, which would react immediately with the acidic buttermilk to create carbon dioxide.  So if I was just reading this recipe (and not have seen it create beautifully raised muffins after a month in the fridge a hundred times)  I would think you would need to put it in the oven right away to not lose the carbon dioxide. The recipe does specify that after removing the batter from the fridge you should NOT STIR it, just spoon it from the jar into the pans and bake.  This must be the secret to not dislodging too many pockets of carbon dioxide and getting perfect muffins every time.

No matter why the tradition was started or the magic of how the muffins work: they are delicious.  The muffins are always tender and moist, perfect right out of the oven with butter and jam.  On Christmas morning or any day these muffins never disappoint.

Bran Muffins

from Colo United Methodist 1983 Cookbook, p.57

2 cups boiling water

2 cups Kellog's All Bran (Bran Buds)

1 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 quart buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons baking soda

5 cups flour

4 cups Kellogg's All Bran (Original)

Pour hot water over Bran Buds and let sit for 5 minutes.  In a large mixing bowl (use the biggest one you have; this makes a lot of muffins) cream together shortening and sugar; mix in eggs, milk, and the soaked bran buds.  Stir in salt, baking soda, flour, and All Bran until the dry ingredients are all moistened.   Spoon batter into quart mason jars or large tupperware containers (this recipe will fill 4 quart mason jars + plus about 1 cup of leftover batter) and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

When ready to bake do not stir the batter, just spoon into greased muffin tins and bake on 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Just for clarification (there are so many bran cereals out there) these are the cereals you are looking for to make this recipe: