Blueberry Swirl Muffins with Lemon-Sugar Topping

I am not a fan of dense, heavy, dry muffins. And since a lot of muffins fall into this category, I've never been a big fan. But when I found this recipe for blueberry muffins in Cook's Illustrated "All-Time Best Recipes" issue, I was hooked. The key is to make a jam and swirl it through the muffins to add blueberry flavor, as opposed to just weighing it down with lots of whole blueberries (though a few of those are important, too).

This has become one of my go-to recipes for morning meetings and gatherings. People seem to really enjoy them. And for me, blueberry and lemon is an idea flavor combination. (See one of my favorite cake recipes.)

Here's how to make them. (Please note this isn't a one-pot recipe...)

BLUEBERRY SWIRL MUFFINS

For the lemon-sugar topping:
Combine 1/3 c. sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest in a bowl and set aside.

For the muffins:
2 c. blueberries
1 1/8 c. + 1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Adjust oven track to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray, line with paper if you wish.

Bring 1 c. blueberries and 1 tsp. sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with a spoon and stirring frequently, until berries and broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup (about 6 mins.). Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature while you making the batter (about 15 mins.).

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 c. sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until thick and homogenous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined, then buttermilk and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining 1 c. blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened (do NOT overmix; dry spots will remain).

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffins cups and mound slightly. Spoon 1 tsp. cooked blueberry jam into the center of each and swirl in a figure-8 motion using a chopstick or skewer. Sprinkle lemon sugar topping evenly over muffins.

Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 17 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Sunday Supper

 

It was a busy Sunday at our house -- in fact, my husband's FitBit recorded more than 30,000 steps. So yeah, it was that kind of day -- even though it was Masters Sunday. Most of the day was consumed with chores and yardwork, with which our son, CJ, was an incredible help. But the busy day of mulching, power raking, laundry, shopping, grass seed spreading, and the like didn't leave behind a lot of time for cooking. So I was glad that my favorite recipe for Italian Sausage and Potato Frittata could come to the rescue. This healthy and satisfying dish comes together quickly and pairs great with a green salad (I added a Cara-Cara orange viniagrette that was light and refreshing on a sweaty day), crusty bread (are there really crustless breads?), and a fruit salad (can you say adorable mini watermelons?). And everyone in our house likes it, so there's that.

If you try this recipe (adapted from Cook's Country 30-Minute Suppers), don't skip the fresh basil. It makes the dish!

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND POTATO FRITTATA

10 large eggs

3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 T. half and half
4 T. minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh-cracked black pepper
1 russet potato, peeled and sliced thinly
6 oz. (about two links) Italian sausage (I used Niman Ranch sweet, but hot also works), casings removed

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450. Whisk eggs, 1/2 c. of the parmesan, half and half, basil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; set aside. Place sliced potato in a microwave safe covered bowl and nuke about 4 mins. (This is part of what makes this meal so fast.)

While potato is cooking, brown sausage in a 10-inch skillet for about 8 mins. over medium high heat, breaking up pieces with a spoon. Stir in potato and reduce heat to medium. Add egg mixture and cook until large curds form but eggs are still very wet, about 3 mins. Shake skillet to distribute eggs, without stirring, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. parmesan on top. Bake until golden brown, about 8 mins.

It was a hearty meal for a busy, egg-lovin' guy.

 

Easter Funday

 

It was a very exciting Easter 2015 for CJ, who loves hunting for eggs, eating copious amounts of sugar, and is apparently not at all scared of people in Easter Bunny costumes (go figure). At age 3 1/2, he pretty much rocked the 0-3 age division of this year's "Eggs Eggs Everywhere" hunt at Western Gateway Park. And by far his favorite Easter basket item was what I affectionately refer to as "mega-chick" -- a really huge wind-up chick that CJ assumes is the "Mommy" of his little wind-up chick. Apparently the concept that chicks are chickens has escaped him to this point.

Mega Chick takes no prisoners.

We had a really beautiful morning yesterday in Des Moines, so of course we hit the front yard for an Easter Egg hunt. Since CJ's cousin is barely 1 and doesn't walk yet, he didn't have any competition for our Sunday morning hunt. Needless to say, we're now swimming in candy at our house. Everyone just enjoyed being out in the gorgeous weather and assessing exactly how much mulching we still have to do at our place.

 

 

 

And since my favorite food is brunch (I refuse to be any more specific as I love any and all brunch foods), I was more than excited to cook a meal at our house, including a really simple and yummy raspberry ricotta cake recipe I found in the March issue of Bon Appetit magazine that was the perfect accompaniment to a big meal on a sunny spring morning.

RASPBERRY-RICOTTA CAKE

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c. ricotta
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 c. frozen raspberries, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick spray.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk eggs, ricotta, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth; fold in dry ingredients until just blended. Then fold in butter, followed by 3/4 cup of the raspberries. Scrape batter into prepared pan and scatter remaining 1/4 cup raspberries over the top.

Bake cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, appx. 50-60 mins. Let cool at least 20 mins. before removing from pan. Can be made up to 2 days a head. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Hope everyone had a happy weekend!

Blueberry-Lemon Layer Cake

Last weekend I celebrated my 36th birthday. Which was great and all, but I will also admit that at this point in my life the main highlight of having a birthday is trying new cake recipes. And when you're looking for new cake recipes, there is no need to look any farther than the blog Sally's Baking Addiction, which has never let me down.

What didn't let me down last week was the recipe for Blueberry-Lemon Layer Cake, which was sheer, delicious perfection. It was pretty simple to make and got rave reviews from all who sampled it. Make sure you find the heaviest, juiciest lemons to maximize your "three lemons' worth of zest and juice" flavor punch, and be sure you garnish or decorate with fresh blueberries. Here's how to make:

BLUEBERRY-LEMON LAYER CAKE

For the cake:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temp
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. golden brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1 T. vanilla extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
Zest & juice of 3 medium lemons
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
1 T. all-purpose flour

For the cream cheese frosting:
8 oz. full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temp
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temp
3 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1-2 T. heavy cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and set aside.

Beat butter on high until creamy, about 1 min. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high until creamed, about 2-3 mins. Scrape bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 2 mins. Scrape bowl as needed. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 5 secs., then add the buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove mixer and stir lightly until just combined. Toss the blueberries in 1 T. flour and fold into the batter. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake for about 21-26 mins. or ntil a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine took 23 mins.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 mins. Add sugar, 1 T. cream/milk, vanilla extract, and salt while mixer remains on low. Increase to high speed and beat about 3 mins. Add 1 more T. cream/milk to thin out, if desired.

Stack cake layers and frost between and on top and sides. Frosting recipe makes just enough to do a light coat. Garnish with fresh blueberries. Refrigerate at least 45 mins. before cutting, and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Pink paradise

For many years, our family has celebrated the birth of one boy after another. So we may all be going a little nuts now that my brother and sister-in-law are expecting a baby OMIGOSH GIRL. It was fun this weekend to throw a baby shower for Michelle and pretty much put pink things everywhere.

Fluffy decorations from Nobbies

Served Ivy's Tea Room Chicken Salad with La Mie croissants

North Face pink and purple coat from Marge purchased at Active Endeavors

Orange/raspberry cupcakes. See recipe below.

Dessert was something pink, too. This cupcake is well-received every time I make it, and it's really easy to do. I used to be very anti when it came to making cakes or pancakes from mixes, but over the years I've learned that sometimes the stuff in the box is just right and that you're wasting your time doing it from scratch for the same general result. This recipe uses Betty Crocker white cake mix as its base, and it works really well. I love the combination of orange and raspberry, so this is a great choice in my book.

ORANGE-RASPBERRY CUPCAKES

1 box white cake mix
vegetable oil and egg whites, as directed on package
1 1/3 c. pulp-free bottled orange juice
1 large orange, zested
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c. heavy cream (I like Sheeder Cloverleaf Farms)
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 c. raspberry jam (I used the Overholts' Amish raspberry spread from Kalona, Iowa)
1 container fresh raspberries for garnish (or themed picks, if the occasion permits!)

Bake cake according to package directions, substituting orange juice for water and adding orange zest.

For frosting, combine butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and raspberry jam with a hand mixer. Add water to thin as necessary.

Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with a fresh raspberry or decorative pick.

By all accounts, Baby Girl likes these cupcakes. So, hey: Don't argue with my niece's taste. (I do so love saying the phrase MY NIECE, by the way.) Congratulations, Michelle and David!

Saving them for later

 

It's that time of year: when tomatoes seem to multiply. Or, if you're a Garrison Keillor fan, Tomato Butt season. And while I love fresh tomatoes, I can only eat so many BLTs and caprese salads and almost always let some spoil. But this year I've developed a strategy for using excess charity tomatoes, one that I think will make us happy when winter rolls around: roasted tomato-basil soup that's going in my freezer for a cold day. Seeing whereas I have a Vitamix blender and a basil plant that's been growing on my screen porch, this was super easy to make. And I do love me an easy recipe. Here's how I made the soup:

SEPTEMBER TOMATO-BASIL SOUP

4 lbs. tomatoes, halved horizontally and seeds squeezed out

4-5 T. olive oil
Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper

4 cups water
2 T. minced fresh basil
2 T. sugar

Place tomato halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and pour olive oil over. Season generously with garlic powder, salt, and pepper (or use whole garlic cloves for extra roasty flavor; I just didn't happen to have any on hand). Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes or until tomatoes are mushy and browning on the edges.

Put roasted tomatoes in a stock pot with water and basil. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer over medium heat about 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before pulsing in a blender with 2 T. sugar. Serve warm or transfer to plastic bags to freeze.

 

Here's to soup season being maybe, just maybe, right around the corner.

Strawberry Panzanella

I was recently faced with a new predicament: finding ways to use up fresh produce from my garden. You see, we didn't have any fruits or veggies planted at our old home -- partly because I have a bit of a black thumb, and partly because our yard was so shady that there wasn't much I could grow.

But now I'm in my new home, which came complete with raised garden beds, a potting shed, and an antique water pump. I am feeling wholly incompetent at gardening but also blessed with the bounty that was left behind -- especially our current crop of ripe red strawberries, which I literally didn't touch but just came up in June like they're supposed to.

Don't worry, everyone who is gasping in shock at my incompetence: I ordered The Fruit Gardener's Bible and The Vegetable Gardener's Bible from Amazon and plan to spend the winter studying how to not be a total idiot when it comes to gardening.

Meanwhile, I (a strawberry lover) am having trouble coming up with enough uses for our berry crop; my husband recently discovered he's allergic. So when it came time to bring a dish to a Father's Day potluck, I decided to "think strawberry" and whipped up this "salad." (Who doesn't love a "salad" that's actually a dessert? Hello, "Snickers Salad." Amazeballs.) This dish is simple to make, and it was definitely a hit with my strawberry-friendly family members.

STRAWBERRY PANZANELLA SALAD

1 12" baguette (I like South Union), torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
1 to 2 pints of fresh hulled strawberries, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. honey

Preheat oven to 350. Toss the torn bread in 3-4 T. olive oil and spread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake appx. 20 minutes or until croutons are almost completely golden brown. Allow croutons to cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together appx. 1/4 c. olive oil with the balsamic and honey. In a separate, large bowl, toss together the croutons, strawberries, and goat cheese. Top with dressing. Allow the salad to chill appx. 30 minutes before serving.

Weelicious Ham & Cheese Muffins

I've always loved to cook, but you probably would never describe my style as "kid friendly." Now that I have a toddler, I am constantly on a quest to find breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes our whole family will enjoy. I, a total Pinterest loser, even started a 'board' to collect ideas. One of the recipes I decided to try this weekend was Weelicious' ham and cheese muffins, a great breakfast or snack item that can be kept in the freezer and warmed up for an easy weekday breakfast.

Here's the recipe, slightly modified from the original Weelicious version:

HAM & CHEESE MUFFINS

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. honey
1 c. shredded or chopped cheese (I used American)
1 c. ham, chopped fine

Preheat oven to 350 and grease two muffin tins. Combine the first five dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, maple syrup, and honey to combine, then stir in the buttermilk.

Add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir until just combined. Fold in the ham and cheese, then scoop the batter in to muffin cups (filled about 2/3 of the way) and bake 18-20 mins.

So, what's your favorite kid-friendly recipe?

Mother's Day Brunch

My birthday has always been on or right around Mother's Day, so while it was a special first Mother's Day for my mom in the hospital, she's had to share her day with me ever since. Usually, this sharing came in the form of her cleaning the house, preparing food, and throwing a big party for the family on Mother's Day weekend when she was supposed to be relaxing. Then my brother started dating, and went on to marry, a May 8 baby and the birthday/Mother's Day weekend started turning into birthday/birthday/Mother's Day weekend. But my mom insists that it was never a burden and that it was always a fun weekend for the family to get together and celebrate. It's true: We all had fun. After the Saturday party, the family's men typically got together on Sunday morning and cooked breakfast for everyone. It was great.

Since my parents moved from my childhood home, this tradition has kind of fallen by the wayside. We still celebrate the birthdays (yes, I'm 35 and my mommy still throws me a birthday party), but what to do about Mother's Day is still to be decided. Since we just moved to our new home and I was excited to see just how many people our dining room would accommodate, I volunteered to cook everyone brunch. Yes, I enjoy working in the kitchen. Even on Mother's Day when I am supposed to be relaxing. Apparently it's genetic.

So this morning was great fun -- my aunt and cousin were even here from Illinois. (Another cousin graduated from Iowa State yesterday.) And everyone loved seeing the new house and eating brunch goodies and playing basketball and peek-a-boo with my endlessly fascinated little boy.

I do love moms. There's my mom, who is now an awesome grandma. And my grandmother. And my mother-in-law. In general, moms are the coolest. And they were all here today eating sausage & red pepper strata, ginger sour cream coffee cake, baby carrots, arugula salad, and...oh! I found a great recipe to share with you!

It is a little crazy to try a new recipe for a crowd of 12, but I'm adventurous. Plus, the recipe came from Ina Garten, who can do no wrong. So it was yummy, easy, and a delicious salad/dessert addition to a brunch.

 

FRUIT SALAD WITH LIMONCELLO

7 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1/3 c. good bottled lemon curd
1 T. honey
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 c. sliced strawberries
1 c. raspberries
1 c. blueberries
2 T. sugar
3 T. limoncello liqueur
1 banana, sliced
Fresh mint

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar, and limoncello. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries maceate with the sugar and liqueur. Gently fold the banana into the mixture and sprinkle with mint.

Serve bowls of fruit with a dollop of lemon yogurt on top.

 

Speaking of dollops, here's a dollop of cute for you -- the one who makes me happy on Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Red Pepper Crab Burgers

Having lived in Iowa my whole life, I pretty much know nothing about cooking with seafood. But I love seafood, so I do the best I can. One recipe I like to make that gives me a briny taste of the ocean is made from ingredients that come from a can and a jar: roasted red pepper crab burgers.

I'm really happy that we now have Whole Foods in our community, because I have been happy to pick up some tasty canned crab meat there. The Heron Point brand has great flavor for these burgers.

 

Here's how you make them:

RED PEPPER CRAB BURGERS

For the dressing:

1/4 c. mayo

2 thinly sliced green onions
2 T. minced jarred roasted red pepper
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. ketchup

1 T. chili sauce

1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

For the burgers:

1 egg

1/4 c. mayo
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. ketchup
1 tsp. chili sauce
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 T. minced jarred roasted red pepper
1 thinly sliced green onion
1 lb. crabmeat
1 3/4 c. panko

2 T. butter

2 T. vegetable oil

ciabatta rolls & romaine lettuce leaves

Mix egg, green onion, mayo, lemon juice, ketchup, chili sauce, salt, and roasted red pepper in a medium bowl, then gently mix in crabmeat and 3/4 c. panko. Sprinkle remaining 1 c. panko on a rimmed baking sheet. Form burgers into 1/4 c. patties and press into crumbs to coat. Leave burgers on baking sheet, cover and chill at least 1 hour.

While the burgers chill, make the dressing by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute burgers until brown on both sides. Serve on buttered, grilled open-faced ciabatta buns with a lettuce leaf and dressing spooned over the top.

Mini Apple-Blueberry Crisp

So this week is Valentine's Day -- a holiday of which I never used to be a huge fan but have softened to a bit over the years. (I still think spending $100 on a dozen roses that cost $29.99 the other 364 days of the year is ridiculous, however, and I stand by that statement.)

For a variety of reasons, the husband and I will not be going on any Valentine's Day dates at fancy restaurants this year. But food is one of the handful of ways I know to express love, so I am celebrating the holiday by spending as much time as I can planning at-home meals that I know will put a smile on my man's face. Yesterday I went to the office and worked late, so we ate Papa Murphy's heart-shaped pepperoni pizza. (Hey, it worked. Everyone loves pizza.) Tonight it was baby back pork ribs with barbecue sauce, followed by a tasty dessert inspired by Ben's love for Dutch apple pie.

I made this with honeycrisp apples and blueberries, but lots of fruit combinations would work -- peach and raspberry, pear and blackberry, etc. Whatever you and/or your significant other like!

It's a pretty simple dish and can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge, so yay.

MINI APPLE-BLUEBERRY CRISPS

For the topping:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, diced

For the fruit:
2-3 honeycrisp apples (or peaches, etc., etc.)
1 1/2 c. blueberries (or any kind of fresh berry)
1/4 c. + 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. + 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Appx. 2 tsp. grated lemon zest

Cut apples into large bite-sized pieces, discarding core and seeds, and place in a heavy saucepan with 1/4 c. sugar, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and 1/2 c. water. Bring to boil over medium heat; once water begins boiling, cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove apples immediately from heat, drain, and rinse in cold water. (Note: Process is the same for pears. However, if substituting peaches or a softer fruit, simply poach the whole fruit in water for 1-2 minutes, dunk in cold water, and cut into pieces after poaching.)

Transfer apples to bowl and toss with berries, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and 2 tsp. lemon zest. Spoon fruit into four ramekins so that ramekins are nearly full but not overflowing.

Meanwhile, put all topping ingredients into a food processor on the dough setting or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is just beginning to become doughy but is still crumbly. Cover the top of each ramekin with topping.

Place ramekins on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake 40 mins. at 400 degrees. Serve with French vanilla ice cream.

Banana Cake

So far in 2013, I've been making an effort not to throw away so much food from the refrigerator -- i.e., buy an ingredient for a recipe, only use a certain amount of the ingredient, let the ingredient waste away in the fridge for two or more weeks, and eventually toss it out. Lately, I've been taking a look at what I have and trying to come up with recipes that will use the stuff up, for goodness' sake.

In that spirit, I was looking for a yummy dessert to fix yesterday for our NFC/AFC championship watch pizza party when I stumbled upon the leftover buttermilk from my buttermilk spice cake and some browning bananas. The solution came to me quickly: banana cake. My grandmother's recipe, this is an easy and delicious family favorite. You don't even need a mixer to make it -- just a wooden spoon.

BANANA CAKE

For the cake:
2 large or 3 small bananas, smashed
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. buttermilk

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
Milk

Smash bananas in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 c. shortening and 1 1/2 c. sugar with a wooden spoon. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and cream thoroughly. Add dry ingredients alternately with bananas and mix well.

Spoon batter into two round cake pans or a 9x13 pan, greased and floured. Bake 30-35 mins. at 350. Cool on rack and frost with cream cheese frosting.

To make frosting, mix cream cheese and butter thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then work in vanilla and powdered sugar. Add a little milk until the frosting is the desired consistency for spreading.

Buttermilk Spice Cake

When I was growing up, my mother was a Junior Leaguer -- something I thought was super awesome. As an adult my Junior League bubble was burst just a little bit when I realized that the chapter with which my mom was involved was way more awesome than most. She lobbied on Capitol Hill and raised tons of money for worthy causes as opposed to just getting together for margarita night and trashy novel discussion (not that there's anything wrong with that). But one of the ways her chapter raised funds was through publishing a number of cookbooks. And to this day, my Junior League cookbooks are some of my favorite sources for recipe ideas -- including a favorite fall/winter go-to recipe: buttermilk spice cake.

While it's not the prettiest cake you'll ever see, it's a great, simple recipe that will please lovers of carrot cake and/or molasses cookies with an extra kick of spice and the smoothness of buttermilk. And it's great with a cup of coffee and maybe some vanilla ice cream.

BUTTERMILK SPICE CAKE

For the cake:
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs

For the frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. whole milk
3/4 c. sifted confectioners' sugar

To make the cake: Mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk and butter and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat an additional 2 minutes.

Spoon the batter into two greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the brown sugar and cook until bubbly. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly and add the milk. Beat until smooth. Add enough confectioners' sugar to make desired consistency and mix well. Spread the frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake.

Mac attack

December Death Storm is apparently headed our way tomorrow, so I recommend we all start eating heavily. Nothing says "snowed in" quite like a hot, hearty, and not-too-healthy meal; when it comes to comfort food, I happen to love my recipe for macaroni and cheese. It's decadent and delicious. Because if you're going to eat macaroni and cheese for dinner, you might as well go all out. And when I say "all out," I'm talking bacon here.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH PANCETTA

5 T. butter, divided
4 oz. thinly sliced good pancetta (I like Iowa's own La Quercia), torn/chopped
1/2 a yellow onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 c. whole milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. grated parmesan/romano cheese
1 c. Velveeta
8 oz. marscapone
1 c. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 c. chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1 lb. elbow macaroni

Melt 1/2 T. butter in a medium skillet over mid-high heat. Add pancetta and saute about 6 mins. Add onion, followed by crushed red pepper and garlic. Stir constantly, cooking until onions begin to brown. Add 2 1/2 T. butter, allow it to melt, and then stir in flour. Whisk in milk and simmer.

Pour pan contents into bowl and whisk in cheeses. Return pan to heat and melt 2 T. butter, scraping the bottom of the pan as the butter melts. Add bread crumbs and cook until dark but not burnt. Turn off heat and add parsley, stirring frequently to create topping.

Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 13x9 baking dish. Cook pasta and drain well. Mix cooked pasta and cheese sauce in the baking dish, stirring to coat pasta completely with sauce. Sprinkle crumb/parsley mixture on top and bake 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Smoky, cheesy, and yum. Enjoy!

Cranberry & Red Pepper Jelly

Every year, I look forward to the November issue of Bon Appetit magazine and all the awesome Thanksgiving recipe ideas it includes. But since I'm not the main Turkey Day chef, there's only so much I can experiment with. Last year I found myself drawn to the recipe for cranberry & red pepper jelly -- which was advertised as being the perfect topping for leftover turkey sandwiches. I tried it, and it's delicious. So this year I have whipped up another batch in anticipation of leftovers.

CRANBERRY & RED PEPPER JELLY

3 red bell peppers, chopped
2 red chiles, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. liquid pectin
3 c. cranberries

Wash, sterilize, and prepare jars.

Combine peppers, chiles, sugar, flakes, and salt in a heavy pot over medium heat. Bring to simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in pectin and lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer gently 10 minutes.

Stir in cranberries and simmer gently until they burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer hot jelly to hot jar, let cool, and cover. This jelly will keep up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

To a Tea

I'm certainly not the girliest girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love a good tea room. Especially during the holidays, some of my fondest memories are gathering with friends for lunching and shopping at places like Perry's Thymes Remembered Tea Room or Ivy's Tea Room/Shoppes on Grand in Ames -- both of which, sadly, are now closed. I found myself thinking about these places when I was invited to a potluck luncheon this week, so I decided to dust off THE Ivy's Tea Room chicken salad recipe and bring that as my contribution. The key ingredients are specialty items -- Cherchies champagne mustard and Lem'n Dill seasoning. And since Ivy's is now closed, I'm sure they don't mind me sharing their famous chicken salad recipe here.

IVY'S FAMOUS CHICKEN SALAD

4 c. cooked and chopped chicken
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. sweet pickle relish
2 T. Cherchies Lem'n Dill Seasoning
1 c. Miracle Whip
1/3 c. Cherchies champagne mustard
 Black pepper

Combine all ingredients and serve on crackers, lettuce leaves, or tea rolls.

Top, if desired, with vidalia onion salad dressing.

Sausage & Red Pepper Strata

 

I have mixed feelings about 11 a.m. football kickoffs. I love them for road games -- for obvious reasons. For home games, they're a little early for me to be up and at 'em preparing tailgate food and packing the car -- but I absolutely love a good breakfast tailgate. Breakfast tailgate may be my favorite meal ever. This morning we feasted on such treats as cinnamon roll cake, hot cider, baked egg cups, coffee cake, mixed berries, and one of my all-time favorite breakfast dishes: sausage & red pepper strata.

I recently bought a new recipe book, because I think one periodically needs to do such things to stay organized and to remember what's good to cook. I'm using it as a chance to be VERY discriminating about what gets included: I'm only keeping recipes I absolutely love. And the way it is organized -- into breakfast, lunch, and dinner , which at first I wasn't sure about -- has been a helpful way for me to think about meal preparation. Now if I can just figure out what to do with all my dessert recipes.

The sausage & red pepper strata was the first recipe I entered into the breakfast section, because I have to say it is simply perfect and needs no tweaking. If you are a vegetarian, though, I wouldn't hesitate to swap out the sausage for some sliced, sauteed mushrooms. In fact, I've been wanting to try such a version myself. But this morning's crowd was meat-friendly, so here's how I made it:

SAUSAGE & RED PEPPER STRATA

6 large eggs
2 1/2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. grated romano
2 T. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sliced green onions
1 lb. Italian sausage (I just use the Johnsonville mild or sweet)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. loaf French or Italian bread (If you're in the Des Moines area, I highly recommend using South Union Italian baguette)
1 c. loosely packed feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2 baking dish and set aside. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, romano, oregano, salt, and green onions in a large bowl and set aside.

Place sausage and chopped red pepper on opposite sides of a skillet and saute over high heat until sausage is cooked through. 

Arrange half the bread slices in the prepared dish. Pour half the egg mixture and half the sausage and red pepper over; sprinkle with feta. Repeat process with a second layer.

Let stand at least 20 minutes, pressing down on top to submerge bread. (I often make this dish the night before and let it spend the night in the fridge before baking in the morning -- it works just great.)

Bake until puffed and brown, appx. 1 hour.

Our reviews of the game were not very positive (the good guys lost to No. 12 Oklahoma, 35-20), but the reviews of the tailgate were. It was a nice November morning to spend in the parking lot eating and drinking with wonderful people like my friend, Sarah.

Cheers to tailgating!