Lemon Cake from King Arthur Flour

Lemon Bliss Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Gather your ingredients:

16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup milk
1 T Lemon Paste or lemon extract


Beat together the butter, sugar, and salt, first until combined, then until fluffy and lightened in color.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once all the eggs have been added, and beat briefly to recombine any residue.

Measure the flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Whisk the baking powder into the flour. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three parts alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour.

Mix until everything is well combined; the batter may look a bit rough, but shouldn't have any large lumps.  Stir in lemon paste/lemon extract.

Thoroughly grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, making sure to coat all the pan's nooks and crannies.  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, leveling it.

Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; the juice of about 1 1/2 juicy lemons
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Stir together the lemon juice and sugar. Microwave or heat over a burner briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. You don’t want to cook the lemon juice, so microwave just until very warm, but not uncomfortably hot — less than 1 minute should do it. Set the glaze aside.

Remove the cake from the oven, and carefully run a knife between cake and pan all around the edge. Place the pan upside down on a cooling rack. If the cake drops out of the pan onto the rack, remove the pan. If the cake doesn’t drop onto the rack, let it rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off the cake. But if the cake still feels like it's sticking, give it another 5 minutes upside down, then very gently shake the pan back and forth to loosen and remove it.

Brush the glaze all over the hot cake, both top and sides. Let it sink in, then brush on more glaze, continuing until all the glaze is used up.

Allow the cake to cool completely before icing and serving.
To make the icing:

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix the sugar and salt, then mix in 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, adding just enough additional juice to create a thick glaze, one that's just barely pourable.  Drizzle it artfully over the completely cool cake.

Cold in the office

I am always cold.  In the office I have a sweater, a blanket and fingerless gloves.  But I am still cold.

Here are some items online that I never knew existed.

https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Enrichment-PureRelief-Deluxe-Warmer/dp/B07HS3D14B/ref=as_li_ss_tl?creativeASIN=B07HS3D14B&imprToken=b3veQ7YDsLG0b2aJ110swA&slotNum=10&keywords=heated+slippers&qid=1562086576&s=gateway&sr=8-23&linkCode=w61&tag=usatsyndication-20&linkId=489b35a2bd0b751fe452fe730aef1fa7&language=en_US


https://www.amazon.com/Optical-Heated-Computer-Mouse-Advanced/dp/B07G8QXTTL/ref=as_li_ss_tl?creativeASIN=B07G8QXTTL&imprToken=b3veQ7YDsLG0b2aJ110swA&slotNum=5&keywords=warming+mouse&qid=1561942850&s=gateway&sr=8-4&linkCode=w61&tag=usatsyndication-20&linkId=3383939d36cfe379e16cfa0ca27496eb&language=en_US


https://www.amazon.com/Comfy-Sweatshirt-Comfortable-Originally-Featured/dp/B07DKSY26D/ref=as_li_ss_tl?creativeASIN=B07DKSY26D&imprToken=b3veQ7YDsLG0b2aJ110swA&slotNum=3&keywords=the+comfy&qid=1561942449&s=gateway&sr=8-3&linkCode=w61&tag=usatsyndication-20&linkId=6a5341b4029b702b48ad53dcda3da4a8&language=en_US

https://www.amazon.com/Heated-Rechargeable-Electric-Heating-Cashmere/dp/B0811Y2KPT/ref=asc_df_B0811Y2KPT/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=399039012458&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2902986511871149261&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002060&hvtargid=pla-844307283349&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=85027954219&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=399039012458&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2902986511871149261&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002060&hvtargid=pla-844307283349

https://www.amazon.com/Yinuoday-Fingerless-Heating-Knitting-Washable/dp/B07HKKQ54N/?tag=insider-safetynet-20

Joann Chang's Browned Butter Peanut Rice Krispie Treats

An amazing recipe - makes 24 amazing treats

1 cup unsalted butter
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
2 ten oz bags of regular size marshmallows (not mini)
1 t kosher salt
6 cups rice krispies
2 cups salted roasted peanuts, chopped
Peanut Butter Ganache

Spray a 9 x13 pan with Pam.

In large pot, heat butter over low heat.  Add vanilla seeds and heat until butter is melted.  Let is brown.  Watch carefully.

Add marshmallows and salt and while on the low heat stir with a spoon until marshmallows are melted.  Remove pot from heat and add cereal and nuts.  Stir.

Pour into pan.

Then start PB Ganache:  Melt 10 oz of semi sweet chocolate on a double boiler.  Whisk in 1 cup of creamy peanut butter one tablespoon at  time until smooth.  Whisk in salt.  Pour over treats.

Cut into 24 pieces once PB is firmed up.

New Cookbook

Pastry Love by Joanne Chang was released yesterday, and I have already marked off several MUST try recipes including a new challah recipe.

I will keep my community up to date with anything I try in it.

____________________________________________________

Unrelated update:  I still love my Instant Pot. 

Halloween Special: Graveyard Cupcakes

After making your favorite chocolate cupcakes and chocolate frosting, you can dip the cupcake upside down into crushed chocolate cookies wafers.  Then with a frosting tip, write RIP on Keebler chocolate covered graham crackers, and then stick the cookies into the cupcake.

Enjoy.

Maple Pound Cake with Maple Rum Glaze - Recipe from King Arthur Flour

This cake tastes like pancakes or French toast.  It is moist and delicious.

Maple Pound Cake with Maple-Rum Glaze

For the cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons  unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup  maple syrup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon maple flavor,

For the glaze

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup dark rum or water

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-cup bundt-style pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or two and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Mix in the maple syrup.
5. Add half the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream, vanilla, and maple flavor, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition.
6. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a serving plate.
8. While the cake is cooling combine the glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring the glaze to a rapid boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until it thickens to a syrupy consistency. Remove the pan from the heat.
9. Brush the hot glaze over the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
10. 
    

Another great fall cake

King Arthur Flour has the best recipes.

Pumpkin Espresso Cake

I did use Kahlua instead of rum

Another Rugelach Recipe

Rugelach

This weekend I made Chocolate Rugelach!  I combined a dough recipe from our friend, Elyse, with a filling from the Boston Globe from 2017.  This is a big hit with family.  I usually make two recipes of dough and two recipes of filling.

Dough
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter
8 oz cream cheese

Filling

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter, melted and cool but still liquid

Cinnamon and sugar

Combine the flour, butter and cream cheese in food processor.  Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap.  Put in fridge for overnight.

Make the filling by putting the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and mini chips into a food processor and pulse.
Take a cookie sheet, and cover with tin foil and spray with PAM.

Cut the dough ball in half.

Sprinkle 1 piece of dough lightly with flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 12-by-9-inch rectangle, sprinkling the board and pin with flour to prevent sticking as needed.

Turn the dough so one long side is facing you. Brush the dough all over with half the butter. Sprinkle with half the cocoa mixture to within 1-inch of the opposite long side; it will make a generous layer.

Start to roll: Begin at the long end closest to you. Roll the dough into a tight jelly roll, ending with the seam on the bottom. Press the roll gently on the sides with your hands to make it compact. With a long sharp knife, cut the roll into 1-inch pieces and transfer them to the baking sheet, standing them seams down (not on the cut sides). Sprinkle the pieces with half the cinnamon-sugar. Roll, spread with filling, roll up, and cut the remaining dough in the same way.

Bake at 350 (preheat the oven) for 20-25 minutes (watching carefully).

Take off the pieces and cool on a wire rack.

Persian Chickpea Salad

Persian Chickpea Salad

2 15.5 oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 T Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves minced
1/2 t salt
ground pepper
1/2 c chopped cilantro
splash of lime juice

mix all ingredients in one bowl and serve

Ina's Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbed Ricotta

This week my CSA distributed fresh tomatoes, including heirloom.

Ingredients

2 cups ricotta (I used a local brand)
2 scallions, minced, white and green parts
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Fleur de sel

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside for up to 30 minutes.

With a small serrated knife, cut the larger tomatoes in wedges through the stem and the smaller tomatoes in half through the stem. Place them in a medium bowl with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

When ready to serve, add the basil to the tomatoes and combine. Pile the ricotta in a large (12-inch) round shallow bowl or oval platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes around the ricotta, discarding any liquid. Drizzle the tomatoes and ricotta with olive oil, sprinkle with the reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.

Another Day - Another Cake - Chocolate Espresso Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze

Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze

Ingredients

For the Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup high quality dark Dutch process cocoa
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved into 3/4 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon  salt

For the Glaze:
4 oz high quality bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1/2" pieces
1-1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon

Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 10-12 cup bundt  pan.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; add cocoa, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the espresso water and remove from heat.

Add the sugar, sour cream, vanilla and eggs to the warmed cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add all at once to the first mixture, whisking until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch and has slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan.

Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Carefully loosen the cake with a knife and invert onto a large plate.

For the Glaze:
Place the chocolate, butter, corn syrup and cinnamon in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Stir the mixture using a rubber spatula until melted and smooth.

Assembly of the Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze:

Pour warm glaze over bundt cake. Keep covered in a cake-keeper at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Bundt Cakes - Light and Moist Maple Bundt Cake

Last month, I met the local rep for NORDIC WARE.  He was impressed by my Sand Castle Cake.  I stopped by the local office and he gave me a new cake pan.  Here is the cake!  I used a simple Betty Crocker Maple Bundt cake recipe.

Ingredients

Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
3/4 cup milk (I used fat free lactose free)
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla (From the Spice House in Evanston, IL)

Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 t cinnamon (From the Spice House in Evanston, IL)
1/2 vanilla (From the Spice House in Evanston, IL)
1/4 cup maple syrup - the real stuff

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup bundt cake pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until pale and creamy.

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, beat maple syrup, milk, eggs and vanilla with whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with egg mixture. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly with spatula.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, beat Glaze ingredients with whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or maple syrup if necessary for desired consistency. Spoon glaze over cooled cake, letting it drip down sides. Let glaze set at least 15 minutes before serving.

Did Someone Say Donuts????

I am not a big fan of donuts.  In fact, we don't go to Dunkin Donuts to buy donuts.  Again, I like a homemade Sufganiot during Chanukah, but not a huge fan of the mainstream donut.

Of course, when traveling, how can you not try local donuts like:

When in Philadelphia, PA we tried Beiler's donuts in Reading Terminal.  Who knew that donuts could be that delicious.

When in Kennebunk, Maine, I tried Satellite Donuts.

Once, I even tried Black Bird Donuts at SOWA.

One day I will try the donuts that my co-worker raves about in Maine, and that I caught on the Food Network, The Holy Donut.

Last week I purchased my first set of donut pans at King Arthur Flour in Vermont!  I made my first dozen last night and they were delicious.


King Arthur Baked Donuts
Makes 12 donuts

• 4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.

2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.

3. Add the eggs, beating to combine.

4. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.

5. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined. The batter will be fairly thick.

6. Spoon the batter into the lightly greased doughnut pans, filling the wells to about 1/4" shy of the rim.

7. Bake the doughnuts for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and wait 5 minutes before turning them out of the pans onto a rack.

8. For cinnamon doughnuts, shake warm doughnuts in a plastic bag with about 1/4 to 1/3 cup cinnamon-sugar. 

Oven Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and Thyme

Last night was the rare night, when it was just Adam and myself for dinner.  I took the opportunity to make a dish that the kids do not like at all.  Neither kid likes mushrooms.  Has been like that since they were inside the womb.

1.5 lbs of mixed mushrooms - shiitake, baby portabello, crimini

4 sprigs of thyme

8 garlic cloves - smashed

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

2 T unsalted butter

1 cup cornmeal

4 oz Parmesan, finely grated

Preheat oven to 325.  Combine mushrooms, thyme and garlic on two large baking sheets (use two so that the mushrooms are in one layer and not two).  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil.  Cook on two upper racks.

Bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat and add butter and salt and whisk.  Bring to a boil and pour into a Pyrex pan (sprayed with Pam) and put into the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove Polenta from oven.

Check mushrooms.  If roasted, turn off oven.

Whisk Polenta and gradually add cheese while whisking.  Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the polenta into four bowls and place 1/4 of the mushrooms on top of the polenta.

Cherry Biscuit Cobbler from Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

Biscuits

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1⅓ cups chilled heavy cream

Filling and Assembly

2 lb. fresh (or frozen) sweet cherries, pitted

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. almond extract

¼ tsp. kosher salt

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

2 Tbsp. raw sugar

Vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream (for serving)

Special Equipment

A 1½"-diameter cookie cutter

Biscuits

Whisk granulated sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl. Add butter and toss to coat. Quickly smash butter into flour mixture with your fingers, working until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea.

Gradually stream cream into bowl, tossing flour mixture constantly with a fork to distribute. Using a flexible bench scraper or a hard plastic spatula, fold dough over and onto itself several times, scraping bottom and sides of the bowl, to bring together into a mass (dough will feel very wet and sticky).

Turn out dough onto a generously floured surface. Pat into a ¾"-thick rectangle or square with floured hands, using bench scraper or spatula to lift up dough and dust underneath with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Dust surface with more flour, then cut dough into 4 equal pieces and stack on top of each other. Dust with flour and press down on stack with a rolling pin to flatten to a workable height. Roll out to ½" thick, dusting with more flour as needed.

Use cutter to punch out biscuits as closely as possible, dipping cutter in flour often. Transfer biscuits to a plate. You should have about 40. Gather up dough scraps, reroll, and punch out more biscuits if needed. Chill until ready to use.

Filling and Assembly

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Mix cherries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt in a large bowl. Scrape filling into a 2-qt. baking dish or 9"-diameter cake pan with 2" sides and press down on it firmly to compact. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Arrange chilled biscuits over filling, fitting snugly so they’re touching with only a few gaps. Brush generously with butter; sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake cobbler 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and continue to bake until biscuits are golden brown and juices are bubbling, 50–65 minutes more. Let cool slightly. Serve cobbler with ice cream.

Do Ahead: Cobbler can be baked 1 day ahead; store tightly covered at room temperature.

Nothing Bundt Cakes - Lemon Cake

This store was in San Diego when we visited many moons again, and I have never forgotten it.  Recently one opened in Newton Highlands!  I still love the Lemon Cake, but I found a similar recipe online here and I thought I would share!

Made it for my co-workers!

Carmelized Garlic Tart by Yotam

Delicious!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces puff pastry
• 3 medium heads garlic (cloves separated and peeled) – the next time I plan on using pre-peeled garlic from the grocery store – 35 of them!
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon rosemary (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon thyme (chopped)
• 4 1/4 ounces goat cheese (soft and creamy)
• 4 1/4 ounces gouda cheese  
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Roll the puff pastry into a circle to line both the bottom and sides of a 11 inch fluted tart tin and line with the pastry. Onto the bottom of the pan, place a large circle of parchment paper and fill with a layer of pie beads (dried beans is a good substitute).

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the pastry for 20 minutes, remove both the beads and paper and bake for another 5 minutes so the pastry is cooked and golden but not over-browned. Remove from the oven and leave to one side.

While the tart is cooking, place the garlic cloves in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 3 minutes then drain through a colander.

Wipe the saucepan dry then add the cloves and olive oil and fry on a high heat for 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, water and bring to a boil.  Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes add the sugar, rosemary, chopped thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt and continue to cook on a medium heat for 10 additional minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the garlic cloves are coated in a dark caramel syrup. Set 

To assemble the tart: break the cheeses into pieces and scatter in the tart and spoon over the garlic and any syrup. 

Whisk together the eggs, creams, ½ teaspoon salt and some black pepper in a bowl. Pour over the garlic and cheeses making sure that you can still see the garlic and cheese on the surface.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the tart filling has set and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little then take out of tart and serve warm. 

Serve with a fresh green salad

Jordan Marsh Style Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh preferred
1/4 cup sugar, for topping

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
 Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin; or line the tin with papers, and grease the papers.

I used my new Mother's Day gift https://silpat.com/collections/silpat-perfect-baking-molds/products/classic-muffin-mould

In a medium-sized bowl or mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined.Scrape the bottom.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and beating well after each addition.

Beat in the baking powder, salt, and vanilla.

Add the flour alternately with the milk, beating gently just to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Add the whole berries to the batter, stirring just to combine and distribute.

Scoop the batter by the heaping 1/4-cupful into the prepared muffin pan; a muffin scoop works well here.
Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon granulated sugar atop each muffin, if desired.

Bake the muffins for about 25-30 minutes, until they're light golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

Remove the muffins from the oven, loosen their edges from the pan, and after about 5 minutes transfer them to a rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Mother's Day Gifts

My husband knows me so very well, and he knows that if he buys me a kitchen gadget, I will love it, use it and he will benefit.

He learned that early on in our relationship, when he purchased a bread machine for me, before we were engaged.  I have been through several bread machines, but that was the first kitchen gadget he got for me.  I use the machine at least weekly, if not twice a week.  Our kids have grown up on homemade challah, homemade cinnamon raisin bread and other types of bread.

Other machines that he has purchased for me:

Ice Cream Maker (win win)

Smart Oven with AirFryer - yum.  Air Fried Zucchini is delicious as is Air Fried Flounder

Immersion Blender - making soups is so much easier

This Mother's Day he continued the amazing trend with:

https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/attachments/sifter-and-scale-attachment.html

I haven't used it yet, but thinking this weekend could be the weekend. 

https://silpat.com/collections/silpat-perfect-baking-molds/products/classic-muffin-mould

Thinking blueberry muffins are in our future.

If you have either of these gadgets please let me know how you like them!

Cucumber and Onion Salad

An easy salad to make any time of year, but it is kosher for Passover!

3-4 thin cucumbers (peeled)
1 medium Vidalia onion
2-3 T fresh dill (you can substitute in 1 teaspoon of dry dill if needed)
1 T sugar
2 T olive oil
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c white wine vinegar

Slice the cucumbers paper thin and put in bowl.

Slice the onion as thin as possible and add to bowl.

Sprinkle with sugar and leave out for 30-60 minutes.  Add olive oil and vinegars and stir.

Temple Emanuel Challah Bake - RECIPE

Some people have asked me for the recipe.

1 package of instant yeast
1/3 c sugar
1 cup warm water
1 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 egg
3 1/4 c of bread flour

In a bowl combine yeast, water and sugar.  Let sit for five minutes so yeast blooms.

Mix oil and egg together in a separate bowl.

Pout flour on top of yeast mixture and add the salt.  Use a wooden spoon to mix.  The dough will be sticky.  When it comes together start to knead in the bowl for about five minutes, adding a touch of extra flour if needed.

Cover dough with cloth and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

Turn onto a lightly floured board.  * Divide your dough into three balls and roll into equal length snakes/ropes.  Cover a sheet pan with tin foil and spray with Pam.  Braid the dough.  Let rise for another 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F

Brush an egg wash on the top (one egg with 1 T of water mixed together), and top with poppy seeds (or another topping, such as Everything Bagel).

Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack and enjoy.

IF you have a bread machine, put all the ingredients in the machine, and set to DOUGH.  It will mix and rise.  Once you have dough, you can turn your dough onto a board and divide your dough into three balls and follow the recipe above where the * is.

Air Fryer Haddock

Testing out my new air fryer and made fish in it on Saturday.  I prepared my usual batter of and egg wash and then panko.  Super easy.

Then I preheated my air fryer to 330 and cooked the fish! for 15 minutes, with a flip halfway through.  Crispy outside.  Moist inside.  House didn't smell like oil.

Biscotti

My co-worker was recently telling me that she is in a biscotti mood, and she has made several different recipes from Pinterest.  Got me thinking that I haven't made biscotti in a while!

Classic Almond Biscotti - makes about 24

1 cup whole almonds with skins
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 t baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 35 degrees.

Spread the almonds on a large baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 7 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Cover baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with Pam.  When almonds cool, course chip them.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk.

Beat two eggs and the egg yolks together in a small bowl with the vanilla.  Pour over the flour and use the fork to combine.  Knead the dough and then add the almonds and continue to knead.  Place the dough on a lightly floured board and divide in half.  Shape each half into a flat log about 12 inches long and three inches across.  Place the logs on the baking sheet.

Beat the remaining egg and brush the logs with the beaten egg.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and reduce the heat to 325.  Cut the logs on the diagonal into one inch wide slices.

Put biscotti, cut side down and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Temple Emanuel Challah Bake

On Sunday, February 10, I was able to participate in a wonderful event at Temple Emanuel in Newton, MA.  200 people participated in the largest TE Community Challah Bake in recent history.  Each participant made their own challah.

Each participant received a crisp new blue Temple Emanuel Challah Bake Apron, along with a recipe place-mat and bowl.  At each assigned spot, there were pre-measured containers that contained flour, sugar, salt, water, an egg and oil.  We were lead by community members each step of the way.  We said blessings together.  After you put on your apron, you were ready to place the water, yeast and salt into your bowl and mix it.  After waiting five minutes, you were instructed to place half the flour, the oil and the egg into the bowl and mix it.  Then mix in the remaining flour.  We were then instructed to kneed the dough.  Then we put a napkin over the bowl and let the challah dough rest for 30 minutes while we:

talked with community members; or
snacked over fruit; or
tasted challah from local bakeries; or
practiced braiding at a braiding station; or
gave tzedakah; or
picked our toppings for our challah; or
played games with the kid focused DJ.

After the dough rose, we learned how to braid the dough.  Then we sprayed our baking pan with cooking spray and transferred our beautiful dough to the pan and covered it.  The cover included baking

Once we arrived home, we preheated the oven, applied an egg wash, applied our toppings and baked each beautiful loaf.  The house smelled AMAZING.

There were parents with kids.  There were tables of teenagers making challah together.  There were tables of women making challah.  There were grandparents with grandchildren making challah.  And the recipe is easy enough to replicate at home.

A very successful community challah bake doesn't happen without community volunteers or a leader.  Our leader, Terri Schwartz Russell thought of everything, and I know I can't wait to do it again.

Delicious and Creamy Vegetarian Polenta adapted from Ina Garten

Last night we had friends for dinner and I made the kids a baked mac and cheese casserole, which meant I was free to cook something else for the grown ups, which I did.  A while ago, I made Ina's Creamy Parmesan Polenta, which I have adapted to make vegetarian.

Serves 6 to 7

6 cups vegetable stock
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of Bob's Red Mill medium grind cornmeal (however I used 2 cups of the Quaker cornmeal found in the baking aisle)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 T crème fraiche (usually found in the cheese section and not the dairy case)
3 T unsalted butter, diced

Combine the stock and the garlic in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and very slowly add the cornmeal whisking as you pour to make sure that there are no lumps.  As is thickens, switch to a plastic or wooden spoon, and add 1 T of salt and some pepper.  Simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.  Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese, crème fraiche and butter.  Serve hot with roasted vegetables.