dutch baby pancake + cherries in lemon sugar + hazelnuts

good morn. (i see you!)
wake up and smell the beans. stick your face up in that bag and get a good whiff.

this thing you see here, this is my baby.
this baby can be your baby, if you want it.

this is the kind of baby that you are allowed to eat.
you know how sharks are supposed to sometimes eat their babies?
it's kind of like that. (this is nothing like that.)

i pitted and halved these perfect summer cherries. i smushed lemon zest into sugar, then tossed in the cherries.

nuts get toasted. today, the small handful of hazelnuts left at the bottom of the bag. the remnants from this cake.
it's one extreme popover, with the perfect balance of custardy and crisp.

my baby rules!

i have a good feeling about today.
i'm halfway into my second cup of coffee, there are flowers on the table, and my hair is not one mass of tangle. i also ate a buttery puffy pancake with fruit on it.

and it's tuesday..so, hell yes.

Dutch Baby Pancake with Sugared Cherries

adapted from orangette

4 tbsp unsalted butter

4 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup half and half

for the topping:

1 1/2 cups cherries, pitted

2 tbsp sugar

zest of a small lemon

handful of toasted hazelnuts

powdered sugar

preheat the oven to 425 F. place the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or divide butter between two 6 inch cast iron skillets OR you can just use a glass baking dish), and slide it into the oven to let the butter melt. 

in a blender or food processor, whir together the eggs, flour, and half and half. 

remove skillet from the oven, the butter should be melted evenly, and pour the batter into the skillets over the butter. slide the skillet back into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. 

in the meantime, make the topping. smash the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips to make a fragrant lemon sugar. toss with the cherries and let them macerate a little. 

remove the puffed pancakes from the oven, and top with the cherries, handful of hazelnuts and then dust with powdered sugar. serve immediately. 

brown sugar rosemary pound cake + lemon cream

i've caught myself summer daydreaming hard lately...thinking of all the things i want and hope to do.

reminding myself to slurp up all the goodness, the brightness and lightness that comes with summer.

take trips. eat popsicles. walk barefoot. the smell of water on asphalt. barbecues every sunday.

and this lemon cream.
i want a summer full of this lemon cream.

it's tart and fresh like lemon curd, but creamier, lighter.

it's my new favorite dessert condiment and i shall slather it on everything i can get away with.

cake, scones, tarts, as a filling in a layer cake...

i declare summer 2012 the summer of lemon cream.

sounds like a pretty lovely summer, amiright?

dessert condiments need cake to ride on. brown sugar rosemary pound cake is dense caramely bliss.

if this humble looking loaf had arms, it would smack be for never giving it the attention it deserves.
because it's delicious.

it takes all of 5 minutes to whip up the batter.
next, chop up rosemary, smell your herby fingertips, then fold those pretty green flecks through the batter.

what is better than a beautiful pound cake?

two beautiful pound cakes. one to eat now and one to freeze and eat later.

this summer of lemon cream is gonna be good.

we'll be sitting on porches, iced tea in a glass, lemon cream on cake, fingers licking our plates clean.

it's everything i can hope for.

Brown Sugar Rosemary Pound Cake

adapted from the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed

5 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 tsp chopped rosemary

preheat oven to 325. grease two loaf pans. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. set aside. in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy. add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl. add the rosemary. add the flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. beat until just combined. divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with a spatula. bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. turn out cakes onto the rack to cool completely

Lemon Cream

adapted from tartine inspired by for me, for you

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

2/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

pinch salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

create a double boiler by placing a steel or glass bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water. over medium heat bring water to a simmer. combine lemon juice, eggs, and sugar and continually whisk until mixture registers 180 degrees F on a thermometer and has thickened, about 10-12 minutes. take off stove, strain through a fine mesh strainer and let cool for a couple minutes. transfer to a blender. cut butter into 1 inch pieces and blend, adding the butter a couple pieces at a time 

beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the lemon cream. 

bran muffins + sunday scenes

it's spring. and it's nice.
i've been trying to admire all these pretty things around me. like magenta blurs and green beach houses.

i've been embracing spring's finicky weather, with fireplaces when it's cold and open doors when it's hot.

and i've been loving all up on sunday, bigtime.

if there was any day built for taking it easy, for loving the simple things, it's sunday.
stay in pajamas longer, sit on the floor. wear love socks.

sundays are for homely romance, and walks with my two favorite boys.

sundays are for trying not to think of all the crap you need to do.

for drinking bouzy coffee out of giant mugs.

how about appreciating people you don't know. whoever's gate this is here, sir or ma'am, i appreciate you. i took a picture of your gate and now it is on my blog. we're connected.

sundays are definitely about food too... there is certainly no better day to bake muffins. shall i smell up the house with some sweet muffin smells?

yes. always yes.

bran muffins.

bran muffins are homely and perfect like a sunday. i'm not talking about the god awful dry health-food bran muffins. those make me angry.

i'm talking about these ones, these ones that make me grin. and stuff my cheeks like a squirrel.

they are light and a little chewy, punched up with some orange, and softened with buttermilk.
they are homely and perfectly sweet like a sunday.

the leftovers were breakfast this morning, as i longed for more frangelico and another weekend.

Bran Muffins

adapted from Nancy Silverton via David Leibovitz

2 cups wheat bran

1/2 cup dates, pitted

1/2 cup prunes, pitted

1 cup + 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

zest of half an orange

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour ( i used graham flour )

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 350. grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with papers. 

spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes, stirring a couple times so it cooks evenly. let cool. 

while the bran is toasting, heat the dates and prunes with 1/2 cup water. simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. puree the softened dates and prunes in a food processor until smooth. 

in a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk, 1 cup water. then mix in the fruit puree, orange zest, and brown sugar. 

stir in the oil, egg, and egg white. 

mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the wet ingredients. stir until the ingredients are just combined. spoon the batter into the muffin tins, mounding the tops. bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the muffins feel set in the center. 

maple oat scones

if i had a superhuman alter-ego, i think i'd be Maple Syrup Woman. or girl? maple girl, syrup woman?
i don't know, one of those.

maple syrup would be my superhuman fuel. i'd squirt maple syrup in bad people's eyeballs and chuck pancakes at their heads. hard, stale, not delicious pancakes.

i'd add extra maple syrup to nice people's waffles when they weren't looking.

i'd have access to only the strongest maple syrup, the kind that would make robbers stick to floors and walls.

my hair would be slicked back with maple syrup.

oh and my body would also move like spiderman.

if i win the lottery, this cRazy lottery that everyone in california is going nutty over, then i can spend more of my time developing the Maple Syrup Woman's body suit, and building her giant lair in canada.

for now, i'll just stick to admiring the sugar crusted tops of maple bottles,  and pouring it into scones.

these little dudes will warm up your chilly morning, in this slow transition into spring..

whole wheat pastry flour and oats keeps them light and nutty, maple syrup for sweetness, and butter for..butter.
they're a lovely happy medium between indulgent and wholesome.

and the perfect vehicle for that jar of jam you've been saving to open.

i stood at the counter and ate too many to disclose here.

..i mean, i'm obsessed with food and want my dream alter-ego to be maple syrup themed...
obviously i'm going to be immoderate sometimes.

Maple Oat Scones

adapted from 101 cookbooks

~can be made by hand on a work surface or in a bowl, or in a 

food processor. i'll include directions for both~

1/4 cup real, good quality maple syrup

7 tbsp cream, or half and half

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

11 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks

1 egg, lightly beaten

raw sugar for sprinkling

preheat the oven to 400. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

whisk together the maple syrup and cream into a small cup and set aside. combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt  in a bowl. 

if mixing by hand: dump flour mixture out onto a work surface or into a large bowl. cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, bench scraper, or fork, (i like using a bench scraper!) until the mixture resembles little pebbles in the flour. then add the cream and maple syrup mixture, mixing until the dough just comes together, don't overmix!! if the batter is too dry, add a touch more cream a bit at a time - you want it to just hold together. 

if using a food processor: put the flour mixture in the bowl of food processor fitted with blade. cut butter into the flour mixture, pulsing until it resembles little pebbles in the flour (about 20 quick pulses). now add maple syrup and cream mixture, and pulse until the dough just comes together, don't overdo it! add a bit more cream if the dough is too dry, until it just comes together. 

turn dough onto floured surface, knead once or twice to bring the dough together. to cut out scones, arrange the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle or circle. trim the edges and slice into nine squares or triangles. for round scones like you see here, scoop rounds of dough with an ice cream scoop or stamp out rounds with a biscuit cutter. 

arrange on baking sheet. brush them generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. 

bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on the bottoms and tops. 

chocolate cherry skillet bread

hello.
i have a skillet for you.

it's not a skillet of eggs or pasta or bacon.

it's like a skillet of love.

because it's bread. fresh, soft, warm out of the oven bread.

perfumed with buttermilk and cherries and chocolate!
see, it is love.

this bread is too yeasty to be dessert.
but it's sweet and delicate enough that dunking it in soup would be a disgrace.

chunks of dark chocolate and dried cherries are folded into the sticky dough. as it rises in a heated oven, the warmth melts the chocolate and after a few punches and a knead or two, your beautiful dough has streaks of chocolate running through its bready veins.

this bread should be for breakfast, toasted with jam.
and the day after that, killer french toast becomes a priority.

on the flip side, this bread could very well be for dinner, with butter, maybe a chunk of cheese and perhaps a citrus cocktail.

invite a neighbor over. tell them not to get excited about eating salad or beef. 

if they sound bummed, tell them about the chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Skillet Bread

adapted from Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup buttermilk, warmed (110F)

3 large eggs

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/2 cup chopped tart dried cherries

raw sugar, for sprinkling

in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the buttermilk and let stand until foamy. about 10 minutes. add 2 of the eggs, the flour, and the salt and mix on low speed until combined. Add the butter and beat on medium-high speed until the butter is incorporated. fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. the dough will be very sticky. add the chocolate chunks and cherries and knead just long enough to incorporate them into the dough. scrape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles, about 1 1/2 hours. i let the dough rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 and then turned off. 

line two 10 inch cast iron skillets or baking pan of your choice with parchment. dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down. divide the dough in half and form into 2 rounds. while you lightly handle the dough, the slightly melted chocolate will form streaks in the dough. place each mass of dough into the pans, cover with kitchen towels and set aside to rise until puffed, about 1 hour. 

position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. in a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with a splash of water. brush the surface of each dough gently with the egg wash. sprinkle the tops with a little raw sugar and bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. let cool slightly and serve. 

these breads are best served the day they are baked and best eaten warm. 

french toast biscotti

do bugs think that they are pets?

this room is huge and this one bug will not leave me alone...landing on my knee and flying around my space.
don't they know how annoying and gross they are?
don't they know that they're just asking to be smashed with a shoe? i'm not proud, but i'll do it.

i should not be discussing bugs right before i talk about baked goods. it's gross. what's wrong with me. i feel strange.

my decisions right now are definitely questionable. but at least i did one thing right today. french toast flavors.

never ever question french toast. (don't do it you beast.)

maple and cinnamon sugar and buttery pecan biscotti...or french toast biscotti.
call them what you will, they are a fiiine tea accompanier.

i dream of moving to london and having a daily tea time routine. and developing a slight, more intelligent-sounding accent, p'haps?

but, i'm still in city where caffeine runs through it's veins. oh and i need to wake the heck up. so i'll drink tea and act intelligent tomorrow, coffee it is!

fill up my cup. mazeltov! make biscotti. munch biscotti.

you know what to do.

French Toast Biscotti

adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

2-4 tbsp maple syrup

preheat oven to 325. line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. mix flour, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. with an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy. add 1 egg and beat well. add egg yolk, beat well. mix in vanilla and then dry ingredients and pecans.

transfer dough to work surface. divide in half and shape each half into a 9-inch long, 2 inch wide log. transfer logs to baking sheets. beat remaining egg and brush the logs with the egg wash. bake until golden and firm to touch ( dough will spread), about 50 minutes. cool on baking sheets, keep oven on. 

mix 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2 inch wide diagonal slices. place biscotti cut side down onto baking sheets. with a pastry brush, brush each biscotti with maple syrup. then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over each cookie. bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. cool on racks. store in airtight container. 

whole orange poppy seed blueberry cake

i am a girl obsessed.

these obsessions can bring a lot of joy to my life.

they can also take up a lot of space in my brain when i should be thinking about going through the pile of papers on my roomchair and eating more antioxidants.

whatever. bows are more fun than papers.

i am obsessed with these paintings.

i'm obsessed with wood floors.

chips. i luh you. tortilla, pita, chocolate, and now these. my newest chip obsession. they are popcorn in chip form.

i am obsessed with the rain when i'm indoors. 

the splotches on my weird doodle journal. 

and grilled cheese. and fondue. and anything with melted cheese. 

peach and gray and white together! color friends.

i am in complete, heartbroken love with this short film. i have watched it over and over. is that an obsession?

oh while we're talking about movies, i can't stop thinking about this one. personal fave of the year!

also, i used to be obsessed with the first shrek...
um..what? nevermind.

i will forever be totally obsessed with this cookbook and this cookbook

and right now, it's become quite obvious. citrus, i. am. obsessed.

cara cara oranges are light pink, sweet, and beautiful.

and what do we do to things that are sweet and beautiful?

we pulverize them. and make cake disguised as bread.

the whole orange, pith, skin and all is blended up to a thick citrus pulp and folded into the batter.

the flavor is in your face citrus in a YEEEESSSSS way.

and poppyseeds and blueberries are the supporting actors. the show just wouldn't be the same without them.

do you have a citrus stash building up?

might you consider some pulverization and make this loaf?
or what about some orange cinnamon donut muffins?

perhaps you fancy a layer cake? chocolate cake with chai cream cheese filling and orange whipped cream. awesome cake. annoyingly long name.

zest your oranges and make white chocolate chunk cookies with orange zest and nutella!

lemon poppyseed focaccia with goat cheese. bread obsession.

OR just skip all this nonsense and make a big gorgeous cake of cheese. black bottomed orange cranberry cheesecake.

just...get into this citrus ok.

Whole Orange Poppy Seed Blueberry Loaf Cake

adapted from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book

1 whole navel orange, washed well

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 cup blueberries

for syrup:

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

position rack in center of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees. lightly butter and flour a 1 1/2 at loaf pan. using a sharp knife, remove the little green stem from the orange, and cut into 8 pieces. in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the orange pieces (skin and all!) and 1/2 cup of the sugar until pureed, scraping down the sides of the bowl. in a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. stir in the orange pulp. whisk in the melted butter to combine. in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds to combine. sprinkle the dry ingredients over the orange mixture, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just combined. pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. remove to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before unmolding and glazing. 

for the glaze: in a small saucepan, combine juices and sugar and simmer until sugar is dissolved and it reduces down a bit, about 2-3 minutes. using a pastry brush, brush the hot glaze all over the cake while it is still warm. 

once it completely cooled, i finished it by drizzling a simple glaze of lemon juice and confectioners sugar over the top.  

moooiiiist.

blood orange cakes

i spy,
something awesome.


snow?
no. it doesn't do that here. i only can dream about being in the snow right now. 


your baby? nope. it's not your baby.
i'm sure your baby is really awesome, that's just not what i spy.


food? well, yea. 
it's beautious fruit in the dead of winter!


have you seen this citrus invasion? 
i plan on taking full advantage of february's citrus bounty. 

juice. snacktime. salads! CAKE. 


lovely blood orange cakes that you get all for yourselves. this is time to whip out the jumbo muffin pan. 


more cake, bigger muffin top surface area.


a serving is a serving. everyone knows that. amIright?

these cakes here are packages of winter citrus celebration. 


a denser, creamier texture than a muffin. 


heck chyea, bring on the creaminess. (and the buttermilk tang!)


buttermilk. yes! you my main man. 

...also my boyfriend, you are too. 


boyfriend and buttermilk. you guys are the best. 


always there for me to lean on when things get weird tough. 


what? are you still reading this? 


i should stop. 
wrapping these thoughts up is getting tough weird. 


so.. these cakes are wonderful. all in favor of a winter brunch?

Blood Orange Cakes

adapted from dinner with julie

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups sugar

finely grated zest of an orange

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-2 blood oranges, washed and sliced very thin

sugar, for sprinkling

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

3 tbsp sugar

preheat oven to 350. in a large bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. then add vanilla. in a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

add about a third of the flour mixture, beating on low speed until combined. add half the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, and then the last of the flour. 

divide the batter between lined or greased muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full. top each with a slice of orange and a sprinkling of sugar. bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and tops are springy to the touch. 

let cool for about 10 minutes and make glaze: put orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. stir until the sugar melts and you have a hot syrupy glaze. generously brush glaze over cakes as they cool. 

*i used a 1/2 dozen jumbo muffin pan and had enough batter to make some extra regular sized muffins.

apple millet cakes + almond glaze

apple cakes. with millet. the millet adds a beautifully pleasant nutty crunch.

impossibly soft velvety cake with the tiny crunches of millet and the gooey spiced apples.
good good things.

some of the cakes got splattered with an almond glaze. and the rest, left bare with a quick sprinkle of raw sugar.

oh me oh my. this is definitely my kind of thing. apple cakes and me are quite a match.. i've loved every one that's ever crossed my path.

but these ones.
THESE ones, have stolen my heart.

Apple Millet Cakes

adapted from smittenkitchen

*this can be made as a whole cake in a large tube or bundt pan. also feel free to sub 1 cup of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

5-6 apples, i used a mix of honeycrisp and fuji

1 tbsp cinnamon

5 tbsp sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1/2 cup millet, raw

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

raw sugar for sprinkling tops (optional)

preheat oven to 350. grease or line two muffin pans with papers. (or for a full size cake, grease a tube pan). peel, core, and chop apples into chunks. toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside. 

stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and millet in a large mixing bowl. in a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar, and vanilla. mix wet ingredients into the dry, then add eggs, one at a time. scrape down the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated. 

fold about half of the apples into the batter. put spoonfuls of batter into the bottom of the cupcake papers. top with a layer of the cinnamon apples. then top with a second layer of batter. sprinkle the tops with raw sugar.

bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes. 

for the almond glaze: whisk about a cup of confectioners sugar with a little milk and almond extract, until the desired consistency is reached. 

hot malted vanilla with chocolate whipped cream + sour cherry cream scones

it's that time of year.

right now, your drinks should have 3 qualifications:

1. they should be hot.
2. your drinks should not skimp on whipped cream
and 3. all spoons shall be replaced with peppermint sticks.

kapeesh fools?

ok. it's tea time. (with scones!)
except that the tea is replaced with hot malty delight.

hot malted vanilla. with dollops of chocolate whipped cream.

it's like an inverted hot chocolate, where the chocolate and vanilla switched rolls. like in a freaky friday movie. or one with jason bateman.

now as for the scones...they are everything a good scone should be.

it's my favorite cream scone. with some dried sour cherries and chunks of white chocolate.

don't have sour cherries or white chocolate? use dried apricots or blueberries or currants! throw in candied ginger, or toasted almonds, or chocolate covered espresso beans!

OR we can get crazy and add absolutely nothing at all. i relish in the thought of a perfect unadultered cream scone...they are toootally delicious and delicate enough to hold their own with no shmancy add ins.

yesterday was just a sour cherry kind of day. mm. i am quite fond of sour cherries. and butter on a hot scone. and tea time with no tea.

would you be more likely to show up at my door if i invited you for afternoon tea or for afternoon hot malted vanilla with billowy chocolate cream?

yea.

EAT That UP.

Hot Malted Vanilla with Chocolate Whipped Cream

adapted from here

*it's important to use good vanilla here since it is the star of the show. i used tahitian vanilla extract that i love dearly. alternately, you can use the scraped seeds of half a vanilla bean. 

4 cups milk

2/3 cup malted milk powder

1/4 light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

little pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. add the remaining ingredients and whisk until dissolved. remove 1 cup milk mixture and puree in a blender, about 2 minutes. divide the milk in 4 mugs and top with the pureed milk. 

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp good cocoa powder

sift powdered sugar and cocoa. whip cream in a mixer until soft peaks form. add sugar and cocoa mixture and mix til all incorporated. dollop over hot vanilla. 

Cream Scones with Dried Sour Cherries and White Chocolate

base scone recipe from America's Test Kitchen, can be found here

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

1/3 cup dried sour cherries

1/4 cup white chocolate, roughly chopped

1 cup cream

raw sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 425. place flour, baking powder, sugar, zest, and salt in bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. whisk together or pulse six times. 

if making by hand, use a pastry blender or fork to quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few larger butter clumps. stir in cherries and chocolate. if using a food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. add cherries and chocolate and pulse once more. transfer dough to a large bowl.

stir in the cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough forms together. transfer dough and all the dry, floury bits to a floured countertop and knead dough by hand until it comes together in a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. form scones by either pressing the dough into an 8 inch circle cake pan, then turning the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cutting 8 wedges with a knife or bench scraper...Or patting the dough on a floured work surface into a 3/4 inch thick circle, and cutting circles with a biscuit cutter. 

place scone wedges or rounds on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle the tops with raw sugar, and bake until tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. serve warm or at room temperature. 

these scones are best eaten the day they are made. 

honey roasted peanut butter with dark chocolate

peanut butter knives. what a pain.


don't be the person who leaves peanut butter knives in the sink.
cough. boyfriend. they are hard to clean. stop this right now. cough.

i decided to make a peanut butter so scrumptious, knives will be eliminated entirely from the equation.
all we need to know is: jar to spoon to face

say it with me. jar to spoon to face.

maybe i might drop a little on my shirt. maybe i'll have no choice but to lick it off.

if i'm being fancy: honey roasted peanut butter with dark chocolate nibs.
or, call it like it is, we're making chocolate chip peanut butter.

<<and it's wonderful>>

oh my god i can't want to make a pb&j with this.

and dollop onto crusty toast.

AND ladle onto a bowl of oats.

a sweet cuddly breakfast for this cheerful time of year. and it's still pretty good for your bones and brains.
i never want to eat oatmeal without it again.

oh did i mention how easy it is to make? hop to it!

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate

inspired by the edible perspective and her fabulous nut butters

3 cups honey roasted peanuts (recipe below)

1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped 

place peanuts in a food processor. process until smooth and peanut buttery, about 7 minutes. 

the peanut butter will be warm from all the processing, so wait until it comes to room temperature, then stir in the chocolate. keep in jars at room temperature or in the fridge. 

Honey Roasted Peanuts

(recipe makes 1 lb of peanuts)

1 lb raw peanuts

1/3 cup honey

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp sea salt, divided

pinch of cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray, and preheat oven to 325. melt butter and honey together over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave. stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and 1 tsp sea salt. add the honey mixture to the peanuts in a bowl and stir until all the peanuts are coated. pour them onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. 

bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to ensure even roasting. once they are golden brown, remove from oven and stir again to distribute honey. after a minute, sprinkle the sugar and remaining 1tsp sea salt on top and stir again to coat. cool to room temperature. 

citrus banana smoothie

things are on the mend. i drove my car successfully AND exchanged money for goods at the market.
i'm a human again!

to celebrate being able to do stuff for myself, i made myself this citrus banana smoothie.

and now an ode to afternoon snack time... to be interpreted in either poem or song form.

afternoon snack time is the best time.
i will sit and make smoothies and be in temporary pajama pants.
oh afternoon snack time, you are the only time for me.
he he!
ha ha!
afternoon snack time, never leave my side.
because then i won't get to slurp smoothies.
smoothies that are like creamsicles.
and that would be a terrible loss.
laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. la!

fin.

Citrus Banana Smoothie

*these are roughly the measurements i used. feel free to taste and tweak recipe to your liking

about 1 cup fresh squeezed 

orange juice, (i used the juice of 2 oranges)

1/4 tsp orange zest

1 banana

1/2 cup greek yogurt, (i used chobani vanilla greek yogurt)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp ground flaxseed

2 tsp honey

1/2 cup ice

place all the ingredients in a blender. blend up. enjoy!

pumpkin butter coffee cake

good morning and happy day!

hugs and stuffing to all of you. (yes!)

so far, thanksgiving is exactly what thanksgiving should be. the parade is on in the background, the kitchen is swarming with good smells.

your stretch pants are ready for you. are you ready for them? (YES)

this is a day to enjoy. put your arm around the person next to you. even if it's your awkward neighbor. today is about love dammit. and stopping to realize all the wonderful things we have.. like cake and each other. 

cake, you say?

yes cake. cake for thanksgiving breakfast. duh. it's the ultimate celebration-of-the-season cake. 

getting a cute pumpkin, turning a pumpkin into butter, butter into a coffee cake. 

i'm thankful for this day and this extra long weekend, for warm happy feelings.

i'm thankful for extra crispy stuffing and drunk parents. 

i'm thankful that i can take my vitamins in gummy bear form. 

i'm thankful for streusel on everything. 

i'm thankful for you. because i think you are wonderful and could just kiss you. 

i hope your days are full of delicious delicious love. 

happy thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Butter Coffee Cake

adapted from here and here

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1/2-3/4 cup pumpkin butter (recipe follows)

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

streusel:

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

 1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup pecans, chopped

preheat the oven to 350

for the streusel: combine the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans in a bowl. stir in the melted butter and then the flour. mix well and set aside. 

for the cake: cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. lightly beat eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, then add to the butter mixture. whisk together dry ingredients, then add to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. 

in a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. 

to assemble: butter a 9 inch baking pan (can be square, circular, or 2 qt baking dish). spread half the cake batter into the bottom of the pan. spread pumpkin butter in an even layer over the batter and then sprinkle the brown cinnamon sugar over the pumpkin butter. dollop the rest of the cake batter over, and spread evenly with a knife. then crumble the streusel over the top and bake for 45-60 minutes (depending on pan size), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Butter

3 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup apple juice, unsweetened

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp allspice

stir all ingredients into a medium pot over medium heat. let the mixture reduce on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. cool and transfer to sterilized jars. will last for about a month in the refrigerator. 

orange cinnamon glazed donut muffins

as much as i would love to sit down and ramble on about how i've been having freaky dreams (thank you Almodovar) or why my legs aren't shaved (thank you lazy arms)...i simply am not going to do that.

thanksgiving is in a couple days and my brains feel crazy. running around, getting things done, not getting things done that I need to be getting done, getting parking tickets because crazy brains forget about the meter, running on caffeine-y things, pretzels, and cookie dough instead of good old fashioned rem cycles.

i'm starting to emulate a squirrel. and i need to be tranquilized.

no tranquilizer guns in sight. so i must take the next best thing, a few deep breaths and donuts in the form of muffins.

when behaving like a maniac, one should not be messing around with sizzling hot oil. but maniacs should get to eat donuts too.

donut muffins. they will be baked, glazed, admired, and then feasted upon.

no need to twiddle your thumbs as you wait for dough to rise. this will be instant success!

first. bake up some soft, lightly spiced muffins that taste like donuts. tilt them on their sides to let them cool down.

whisk up some beautiful glaze with orange zest and juice, butter, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and a touch of cream.

dunk their puffed tops in glaze. let dry. repeat.

how about some minis? like donut holes!!

glaze double dippage! uhuh, toooootally.

Orange Cinnamon Glazed Donut Muffins

adapted from my baking addiction

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

for glaze:

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 1/2 - 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

zest of 1/2 an orange

2-3 tbsp fresh orange juice
1-2 tbsp heavy cream

preheat oven to 425. lightly grease a standard muffin tin, or line with papers. (I had enough batter for 12 regular size muffins and about 6 minis). in a medium sized bowl, cream butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth. add the eggs, beating to combine. stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. stir the flour into the butter mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. mix til just combined. spoon batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full. bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes until they're pale golden brown and a cake taster inserted in the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean. flop them on their sides in the muffin pan to cool. 
prepare the glaze: in a medium bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, zest, juice, and cream. add more sugar and orange juice until you get your desired consistency. whisk til smooth. 
when the muffins are cool, dip the crown into the glaze and set on a wire rack to dry. if you want to go for double dippage of glaze (DO IT), dip them again and let dry. serve warm or cool. they are best on the day they are made. 

almond milk + raspberry almond milk smoothie

is your fireplace pretty hot and toasty? 

maybe your fireplace is making you a little too hot.. and a creamy, icy thing sounds awesome. 

no eggs going on this morning. no english muffins or anything drenched in maple syrup. 

somedays i just feel like drinking my breakfast. 

shall we make almond milk?

yes. we shall. 

it's dreamy delicious. i was never so good about drinking milk. i can inhale it with granola. i will always accept a milkshake with open arms. but sitting down to drink a big glass of milk...um, no, i'll politely decline.

UNTIL i learned the joyousness of nut milks. i could drink goblets and goblets.

first we shall soak the almonds in water overnight. in the morning they will be bigger and plumper and totally good-looking.

2. blend those dudes up with some water into a milky white cloud.

then squeeze all the pulp through some cheesecloth. and there, we totally just did that. we made our own milk. that was satisfying. today is already a success and i'm still in sweatpants.

and don't get too overly excited and gulp down all of it right away. put it in your oatmeal. stir it in your coffee. make a white russian with it. or make a bomb diggity smoothie.

Almond Milk

makes about 3 cups

*you can make thicker or thinner almond milk by using more or less water. also i just put a dash of vanilla and no sweetener and it was delicious. also, you can blanch the almonds beforehand to remove their skins...i didn't care to fuss over that one. 

1 cup raw almonds

3 cups water

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

maple syrup or agave (optional)

place the almonds in a bowl and cover with plenty of water. let soak overnight. 

the next day, drain the almonds and place into a blender or food processor. add 1 cup of water and a pinch of sea salt and blend into a paste. add the last 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. 

line a large sieve, set over a bowl, with a couple pieces of cheesecloth. pour the mixture into it (i did this in two batches) and pull the sides up, not letting any pulp escape. pinch the corners together and squeeze as much milk as you can from the pulp. sweeten it with vanilla and/or agave if you'd like. 

bam. you just made milk. drink it right away or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Raspberry Mango Almond Smoothie

adapted from the goop detox

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup mango, chopped and frozen

1/4 cup raspberries

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (i like bioChem vanilla "greens and whey" powder)

put everything in a blender and then blend it.