Butter

Entries Tagged as 'butter'

CHIMICHURRI Ramps Bread with Lemon Thyme Butter

4.25.2013

I came across ramps for the first time at the farmer’s market two weeks ago. The nice man who sold them to me explained that they are a type of mild wild garlic and grow in the early spring. The first recipe I tried was a Lemon Risotto from The Kitchn and I was instantly hooked. I went back the next week and picked up another bundle.

This time around I wanted to create my own recipe. When researching ideas, I came across chimichurri and knew I had to try it. Chimichurri is an Argentina sauce that is usually lathered all over meat. If you’ve ever read ‘The Butcher and The Vegetarian’ than you probably can recall the wonderful ways she described chimichurri. She spoke of it making her dizzy from the fresh flavors and needing more. That was enough for me to know I wanted to try it.

But…my adventures with chimichurri didn’t stop there. After lathering it on anything in sight, I wanted to also cook with it. Traditionally it’s rubbed on meat…which isn’t an option for me so I decided to do something completely different – through it in the loaf of bread I had planned to make anyways! And dayuuum…. not only was it beautiful with streaks of green running through it but the bread was soft and so flavorful that you could eat the whole thing plain. Or make some simple lemon thyme butter to dab on top.

Chimichurri Ramps Bread with Lemon Thyme Butter

Chimichurri:

1 bunch of ramps (about 10 stalks)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 red pepper flakes
dash of pepper

For the bread:

1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesan

For the butter:

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Zest from half of an organic lemon

To make the chimichurri: Rinse the ramps and cut off the roots and any rough tips. Slice into big chunks. Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until a smooth paste forms. Lather all over slices of baguette or roasted veggies or proceed and make delicious bread out of it…

To make the bread: Combine the warm water and yeast in the large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes or until it becomes frothy. Next, add in the flour, salt, and olive oil and mix until combined. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for ten minutes (you can also do this in a stand mixer with a bread attachment – sadly, my mixer gave out on me last month so I’m going old school). Transfer kneaded dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for an hour.

Next, turn the dough out onto floured surface and roll into a rectangle (about 18 by 12 inches). Top with the chimichurri. Roll the long side of the dough towards you and pinch the ends closed (the same way you roll cinnamon into cinnamon rolls). Slice down the middle lengthwise, twist both pieces, and use the two parts to bread the bread by twirling around each other. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 and bake for roughly 25 minutes or until golden on top.

To make the thyme lemon butter: Mash the lemon zest, softened butter, and thyme together. Serve soft or wrap in parchment paper and stick in the fridge until firm.

Berry Brioche Muffins

4.09.2013

I love making bread. On any given rainy Sunday, you will most likely find me in the kitchen kneading up something delicious. Whether it’s beer bread or pumpernickel or cinnamon rolls will all depend on my mood. There is something I find soothing about watching the dough slowly rise. Or kneading the batter with your bare hands. Or feeling like you are conducting a science experiment in your kitchen. Or starting with a huge pile of flour and ending with a crusty ball of deliciousness. Whatever it is, it soothes me and I find myself turning to bread making in moments where I crave relaxation the most.

This is also the reason I often times make the same cinnamon rolls or beer bread. When relaxing, I don’t want to have read through a 3 page recipe four times over. I want to be able to get lost in stirring and pound of my frustration through kneading. I had come across a brioche recipe in a Food Network cookbook a few months back and it was 5 pages long. FIVE. The ingredients list was extensive and there were several randevues with the mixer (sorry but I prefer the old fashion way. This both makes me lazy because I don’t want to clean the mixer and a BA because I knead the dough by hand). It left a bad taste in my mouth and made me write off sweet brioche as too much work.

That was until Pinterest told me last week that I could make brioche in a slow cooker. In a slow cooker, really? How hard could a slow cooker recipe be?! So that triggered lots of brioche research (AKA google searching) and I came across Artisan Bread in Five. It’s a wonderful resource for any breadmaker and lays out some of the best instructions on how to make delicious bread I’ve ever come across. I’ve only gawked at their blog but am very excited to try out some of their cookbooks as well. I can only imagine!

I suggest making the dough the night before so you can just let it rise for an hour in the muffins pan the next day and bake them right up. That will cut down on 2+ hours of rising time.

Berry Brioche Buns

Dough adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1/2 tablespoon salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup honey
2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted
4 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 cup Mixed berries
1/4 sugar

Mix the yeast and warm water in a bowl. Let sit for five minutes or until it starts to foam. Add in the salt, eggs, honey, and butter. Add 4 cups of flour and mix with a spoon until incorporated. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for two hours.

After it has risen, chill the dough so that it is easier to work with. I let mine chill overnight but feel free to just let chill for an hour or so.

Grease a 12 muffin pan and divide the dough evenly between the tins. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press a few berries into each muffin (make sure to really get them in there so they don’t pop out) and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until the brioche is brown on top.

Remove from oven and let cool. Sprinkle with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Basics: Homemade Tomato Sauce

3.07.2013

tomatosauce

I’m not going to lie to you. It’s the last leg of winter and I am feeling as uninspired by food as is heavenly possible. I’m over root vegetables. And citrus cakes. And winter squash curry. At first, I was pretty bummed out by this realization. But in retrospect – it happens and it’s a good learning experience to look for inspiration in more than just pretty produce and cleverly flavored recipe combinations.

So, I am taking this lull as an opportunity to hone in on basics in the kitchen. If you’ve ever owned a food blog then you’ve probably noticed that there are certain standards that are expected of you. You’ve probably been at a gathering or in a kitchen with someone while they were cooking and everyone turned to you for advice. “Oh! Shelly owns a food blog – ask her!”. I mean, yes, I have an unhealthy obsession with food but that does not make me the best cook in the kitchen. Heck. The whole reason I started this blog was to push me to become a better cook.

Sometimes the goals off VV can get lost in the trends of fun flavor pairings and exotic ingredients. So, as mentioned, this is my opportunity to hone in on basics ranging from nut butter to standardizing a soup recipe to making pasta sauce. The Kitchn recently posted a few articles about recipes you should know by heart. Do you have a basic pizza dough recipe you always turn to? Or minestrone recipe? Or a mindless recipe work that you can just whip up without having to read through 3 pages full of instructions? Knowing a few recipes and basic kitchen skills will help you to be confident next time everyone turns to you in the kitchen.

Often times we get so used to the convenience of buying things at the store that we forget about how simple they really are. I was reminded of this when making vegetable stock and again with this pasta sauce. Did you know you can make your own pasta sauce in about the same amount of time it will take to boil that big pot of water and cook your pasta? Crazy! And you can probably make it with ingredients right from your pantry.

So, instead of tackling that daunting step-by-step on how to make your next elaborate meal…why don’t you take an evening to perfect your own tomato sauce recipe that can be replicated over and over again?

[Oh and side note. I've also been taking this time to do a little clean up around VV. I've put some energy into giving VV's Facebook Page a small makeover and started re-doing my 'Recipe' page [which is a loooong ongoing process]. If your into random recipe suggestions, links to weird / funny / encouraging articles, and the occasional puppy pic – then head on over to Facebook and like VV. Okay, that was my oooonly and last plug-in for the day. But…to be fair, I don’t have any annoying advertisements flashing all over my pages so a quick suggestion won’t ruin it. Maybe? Hopefully? Please, don’t leave!.]

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 16 ounce can of whole tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme – dried or fresh)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
red wine , optional

Step one: Chop and prepare your veggies / herbs.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add onions and saute until translucent (about five minutes). Add garlic and saute for another minute.

Step 3: Add wine (if using) and turn heat up to high. Let the wine simmer until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Next, add in the tomatoes and use your [clean hands] to break apart the tomatoes (I like my sauce chunky but it all depends on personal preference). Let simmer under the sauce is thick and has reached your desired consistency.

Serve over pasta, ravioli, gnocci, or on homemade pizza!

Cinnamon Honey Almond Butter

3.05.2013

As I continue the journey with my 2013 resolution of less processed food, I can’t help but continue to be amazed at how easy it is to make staples for your kitchen. From fresh bread to vanilla extract to vegetable broth; all of these staples can be made using only a few ingredients and a bit of patience.

Almond butter, however, may even be the easiest of them all.

I’m pretty much an almond butter addict. Being a vegetarian, I usually let myself have endless amounts of protein rich nuts regardless of the calorie content. I can always seem to justify needing more protein in my diet. So almond butter has become my go-to. If I need a snack before dinner or a sweet dessert, a spoonful of nut butter always does the trick. As is the case for breakfast and even those moments when I’m not hungry but still want to eat (you know what I’m talking about).

However, this stuff is not cheap at the store. And is still, sadly, processed. So why not try making your own?

Honey Cinnamon Almond Butter

2 cups raw almonds
2 teaspoons honey (add up to a tablespoon if you like your butter sweeter)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

First, roast the almonds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and transfer almonds to a baking sheet. Let roast for 10-12 minutes or until they release a nutty aroma. Remove from oven and let cool.

Toss the cooled almonds in a food processor and let the processor run for 10 to 15 minutes. It’s important to be patient because the almonds go through many stages so you may even want to set a timer. In the first 3 minutes, they will form almond meal that you may have to stop the processor for a few times to scrap the sides. After 5-7 minutes a thick paste will form. And then finally at 10-15 a super creamy butter will develop.

Once creamy, add in the honey and cinnamon and pulse for another 30 seconds.

Serve right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for later.

Chickpea Magazine Winter 2013 /// February Recap

2.28.2013

Good afternoon! Before I get to the monthly recap, I wanted to share my excitement with you guys about receiving the new Chickpea Quarterly in the mail yesterday. I have an article on DIY Kitchen Staples (Homemade Vegetable Broth, Vanilla Extract, and Almond Milk) in it. Also, It’s chocked full of vegan recipes, beautiful photography, and oh so much inspiration that I am grinning from ear to ear just looking at it. I thought I was ready for winter to be over but the magazine has re-sparked my cold weather senses. Here are a few highlights (and yes, those are BOURBON CHOCOLATE CAKE POPS pictured below…)

Okay, enough drooling over my favorite magazine – it’s time for a recap! No offense but I am SO glad that February is only 28 days long. With spring on the mind since January 1st, I have been having trouble getting through this month while still feeling present. Instead, my mind has been wondering to beaches, beeragritas, and long bike rides. Here are a few recipes that have helped me kick the winter [mind] wandering..

1. Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese with Gingersnap Crust – Comfort food with a fancy twist. And by fancy, I mean crumbling cookie bits on top of my already insanely indulgent dinner. Not bad…not bad at all…

2. Vegan Stuffed Brunch Biscuits – these were my ‘pride and joy’ of the month. One of those ideas that comes to you at a completely random time and you start to obsess over it until the recipe is executed. Veggie Sausage or Bacon? Scones or Biscuits? Cheddar or Tomato Scones? Southwestern or Indian Tofu Scramble? Mushroom or Pepper Gravy? So many combinations to choose from and the product was an irresistible combination of everything amazing that comes to mind when you think ‘Vegan Breakfast’.

3. Heart Shaped Polenta Crostini with Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese – Three of my favorite things all in one bite. And SO simple to make. How can it get any better than that?

4. Cinnamon Quinoa Granola – New breakfast go to. Chocked full of fiber, protein, and antixidents. The texture from the quinoa bring a whole new level of granola and this stuff keeps me filled all morning long.

Okay, well GOODBYE February and HELLOOOO March. I’m thinking [hoping] March will be filled with more outdoor adventures, road trips, and garden prepping. Yesss!

Song Pairing:

Butterfinger Bites

2.15.2013

I know, I know. Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and how could you possible want more chocolate in your life? Well, I meant to post this ON Valentine’s Day but thing got busy (I’m sure you can relate). These little bites were my V-day gift to Wyatt. We play this little devilish game – we both WANT to eat fresh and organic but have our vices. Mine are those little booty puff popcorn things…do you know what I’m talking about? They have the texture of Styrofoam but are REALLY addicting regardless. Wyatt’s vice? Butterfingers. And like clockwork, every time I polish off a bag of those puffs within 20 minutes, I get that disapproving look from Wyatt. And every time we take a walk to the gas station and he picks up a butterfinger, I have to give my ‘you are going to get THAT?’ comment.

In turn, I just couldn’t bring myself to buy him a butterfinger for V-day. I could just imagine that ‘oh..you got me THIS’ comment when I handed it to him. So I made a Plan B – make my own. I have never really made candy before…mostly because I’m scared of the whole baking with corn syrup. But, after much research, I’ve come to the conclusion that corn syrup is NOT the same thing as high-fructose corn syrup that you find in packaged candy bars and that I will not be turning to the dark side if a put a small amount into a treat.

These little bites turned out wonderful. I mix between a Butterfinger and a Reese’s cup…how could it be bad? You will need a candy thermometer for this because it’s super essential that you get the sugar heated high enough so that it hardens but not so much that it burns. Makes sense? Cool. Let’s get candy-making!

Butterfinger Bites

adapted from Not Without Salt

1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water

1 18 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons milk

Grease a 9×6 pan (I used my bread pan) and set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Turn onto medium-high heat and let cook until the temperature reaches 290 degrees.

While that temperature is rising, place the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a double boiler. Let water simmer under the bowl while the peanut butter creates a creamy, smooth paste.

Remove the sugar mixture from heat AS SOON as it reached 290 and stir in the peanut butter mixture. Pour into prepared pan and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove from fridge and cut into bit side pieces. Heat the chocolate and milk in a double boiler until melted and combined. Dip the butterfinger bites into the chocolate and coat all sides. Transfer to wax paper and repeat with the rest of the bites.

Let cool in the fridge for another 30 minutes. Enjoy cold or let them come to room temperature.

Salted Dark Chocolate & Almond Butter Bites (Vegan)

2.07.2013

These are what I call the ‘I just did my taxes and need some chocolate’ cookies. They were a little ‘guilt free’ reward that was needed after sifting trhough document and papers and receipts and bank statements. It’s a shame really…I went to yoga right before sitting down to do my taxes in hopes that it would leave me in a state of calm. But after all questions after questions about loans / checks / wages…I needed some chocolate.

I decided to go the healthy and lazy (no bake) route with these. A whole lot of protein with a bit of sweet (from the dates) and some natural fats (from the nuts). They are totally indulgent but not in a ‘oh shit, I’m going to have to spend an extra 3 hours on the treadmill’ sort of way. They are rich and gooey but also filling and…dare I say, practical? As a vegetarian, I can pretty much convenience myself that anything with 5+ grams of protein is an acceptable snack / breakfast / lunch / dessert.

Salted Dark Chocolate & Almond Butter Bites (Vegan)

Inspired by The Sprouted Kitchen and Oh, Ladycakes

1 cup nuts (I did 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup almonds)
1 cup dates, pitted (soaked in water for 10+ minutes)
1/2 cup almond butter (or peanut or sunflower or cashew, whatever you are feeling)
1 ounce dark chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Sea Salt, to garnish

Throw everything into a food processor and pulse until a thick dough forms (if its crumbly then add a tiny bit of water). Roll dough into tablespoon size balls and place on waxed paper. Smash the dough balls down slightly with clean fingers or a fork. Sprinkle with sea salt . Stick in the fridge for an hour or enjoy them right away [in their prime gooeyness].

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Peppered Sage Gravy

1.24.2013

Biscuits and Gravy are a pretty re-occurring theme here on VV (see here. And here. And here). It’s not my fault… It’s my boyfriend’s favorite food to ever exist. And it’s pretty much the only way I can get him to help me in the kitchen. He LOVES making the gravy (probably because it means that I won’t get the chance to change it up). However, that gives me authority over the biscuits and an opportunity to experiment on that end.

Each time I choose a different biscuit recipe, I make a goal…last time I was determined to make sky high biscuits that rise for days. This time? I was feeling biscuits that were big (always an essential for biscuits) and moist. Flaky can sometimes lead to dry and I was determined to have none of that. I had recently read that cooking with potatoes help to keep bread moist… and needed to find out for myself. The verdict? OOOOH YEAHHH! Sky high, flaky, and moist?! Absolute heaven!

Oh, and as for the gravy…my boyfriend knows what he likes and refuses to do anything else besides this sage recipe. I’ve posted it on the blog several times (here and here) but he still claims its a hassle to find so I’m going to post it again. It is pretty delicious…and it’s ridiculously easy. Even your kitchen-illiterate boyfriend will be able to handle it.

PS: If you aren’t into sage then you could try out this mushroom or chickpea gravy!

Sweet Potato Biscuits and Peppered Sage Gravy

For the Sweet Potato Biscuits:

1 small sweet potato, cut into small chunks (the smaller they are the faster they will cook)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
8 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk (I made my own)

For the Peppered Sage Gravy:

1/4 cup flour
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cups almond milk (or regular)
4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon butter

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook until you can pierce a fork into them (the amount of time will completely depend on how small you diced the potato…mine took about 15 minutes). Drain and use a fork to mash. Measure out 1/2 cup and reserve the rest for another use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Use your hands or a pastry knife to cut the butter into the dough until a coarse meal has formed. Fold in the mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk (the dough will be very sticky – that is okay).

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about five minutes. Continue to add a little more flour if the dough is sticking. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the biscuits. Transfer to a greased cast iron skillet or pan (make sure the biscuits are close together so they will rise). Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are browned on top. Serve warm.

To make the gravy: Whisk the flour, nutritional yeast, and milk together in a large skillet. Whisk until a smooth consistency and then add in all the spices. Place the skillet over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Next, add in the butter and reduce to medium low. Whisk often until the gravy has reached your desired thickness. Remove from heat and season to taste.

Track of the day:

Homemade Pumpernickel Loaf

1.03.2013

As I mentioned yesterday in my post on Pear, Brie, and Spicy Brown Mustard Grilled Cheese, this is the first time I have ever tackled making homemade pumpernickel bread. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor complexity that went into this bread. Whoever first invented this must have either seriously known what they were doing or was trying to clean out their kitchen cabinet in the form of throwing everything into a loaf of bread. I like to think it may be my second theory.

This bread is not for the impatient. It has 2 rising cycles so I recommend whipping this up on the weekend when you are planning to be hanging around the house anyways. Or even if you weren’t planning on hanging out around the house all day maybe this can be your excuse? Don’t want to go visit that weird uncle you’ve been putting off seeing in St. Louis? Tell him you’ve got some bread to make that just can’t wait another weekend. He will…probably not understand but at least you’ll get some amazing bread out of it and your home will smell like a fresh bakery!

(more…)

Searchable Saturday

12.15.2012

A few inspirations from the week…

1. Have you ever wondered how much gingerbread it would take to build a life size gingerbread house? Yeah, me neither. But it’s still kind of fun to read about.

2. Pickled cherries? Talk about a snazzy way to jazz up those Shirley Temples and Tequila Sunrises!

3. Simplest homemade body butter ever. I’d add a little lavender oil for a nice aroma!

4. Young and wanting to start a business? NPR used Bloomington kids as examples in this article…I must have that Bloomington syndrome. The last statistic in the article makes me soooo sad though…

5. Eggnog AND cheesecake?!?! Yes, plz!

6. Awesome tutorial on how to make a super unique mood boards

And now I’m off to pick up our CSA, make some rum balls, and get ready for my Christmas work party tonight. Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread

12.11.2012

We put our tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving but my Christmas spirit didn’t really kick in until I whipped up these cookies. There is something so calming about waking up on a sunny, snowy day and hiding from the cold in your warm kitchen with the lingering smell of butter cookies. We haven’t had any snow yet here but the weather was certainly chilly enough for me to stay inside and bake this past weekend.

We had a few friends over on Sunday night to watch ‘Christmas Vacation’ and I made these cookies to go with it. Nothing like a Christmas comedy and overloading on sugar to get you ready for the holidays! The movie put me in the spirit and I am now ready to Christmas shop, wrap gifts, and drink peppermint lattes. Hmmm… if only my family would tell me what they want already….

Peppermint Dipped Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks of butter (1 cup), divided & at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box of peppermint candy canes, unwrapped and crushed
8 ounces of white chocolate

Start by browning half (one stick) of the butter. Place butter in a small saucepan over low heat and let cook until small brown flakes form. Stir often so the bubbles don’t bubble over the pan or so that it doesn’t burn. Once the butter has browned, immediately pour it into a glass cup and let cool completely.

Beat together the butter (browned and regular) and the brown sugar. Next, add in the flour and salt and continue to beat until a thick ball of dough forms. Wrap dough (with parchment, wax paper, etc) and let chill for at least 30 minutes (this will help keep the dough together).

Once chilled, transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or the top of a round glass to cut out circular shapes. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the cookies in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes while the oven preheats (this will help the cookies keep their shape). Cook cookies for 15 minutes or until they are golden brown around edged. Let cool completely.

Crush the peppermint candy canes anyway you see fit. I put mine in a ziploc bag and went to town using a meat tenderizer (also known as the kitchen hammer!) until they were in tiny pieces.

Melt the white chocolate in either your microwave or over a double boiler. I don’t have a microwave so I used the double boiler method which consisted using one saucepan inside the other and letting water simmer under the first pot while I constantly stirred the white chocolate over it until melted (this was a terrible explanation. If it is your first time using a double boiler, use this as a reference). Once melted, dip half the cookie into the chocolate and then roll in the peppermint chunks. Place on wax paper (this prevents sticking) and repeat with the rest of the cookies. Let cookies chill in fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.

Enjoy with a peppermint latte or some eggnog and baileys!

Cheddar Corn Biscuits

12.05.2012

How has your week been going? Mine has been fine but I know it’s been a little quite around here. I’ve done a bit of traveling this week and have more to go which is a nice change of pace but can also be exhausting. It’s the type of exhausting that makes me want to just curl up on the couch with my leftover chili and watch Veronica Mars (corniest 90s show ever but we are addicted) all night. Sorry VV, you take up too much energy for me right now.

But I promised and I usually like to be a girl of my word. So here I am! And as I promised, here is the buttery and addictive biscuit recipe that complaints that healthy Black Bean & Wheatberry Chili recipe perfectly. If you missed the chili recipe, it’s featured on The Kitchn today so hop on over and check it out!

We even used leftover biscuits to make biscuits and gravy with Wyatt’s favorite Sage Gravy! Mmmmm. And I have a feeling that breakfast sandwiches are in our very VERY near future. Breakfast for dinner? Well hello evening plans!

Cheddar Corn Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup frozen corn (or fresh!)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cubed
1 cup buttermilk (I made my own out of the milk I had on hand)

Grease a baking sheet (it may take 2 sheets depending on how thick you make the biscuits). In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, black pepper, baking powder, and baking soda. Next, add in the butter and use your hands to incorporate the butter into the dough until it resembles a coarse meal.

Next, fold in the cheese, onions, and corn. Finally, add the buttermilk and mix until just combined (don’t over mix or the dough will become tough).

Transfer dough to a slightly floured surface and roll out to about an inch thick (more or less depending on how you like your biscuits) and use a cookie cutter or glass to circle cut outs. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Stick the cookie sheet (with the prepared dough) into the fridge and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Let the biscuits chill while it is preheating because the cold butter will help to make the biscuits flakier.

Bake for about 25 minutes (mine took 30 but my oven ALWAYS takes longer than what a recipe recommends so check often).

Serve warm with soup or gravy or by themselves with a little butter!

Tuko Turns 1 // Homemade Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

11.20.2012

Woah, time has really flown fast since I posted about Tuko turning 6 months. Since then, we’ve moved into a new house, I graduated from college, and Wyatt started a new full time job. Also, I should mention that Tuko has doubled (if not tripled) in size since then. And he just keeps growing!

For his birthday, we got him a cute little American Apparel sweater and made him some homemade dog biscuits. Spoiled little thing.

These dog biscuits are packed full of pumpkin and peanut butter. Peanut butter is his favorite…in fact he thinks it is exclusively his food. I cannot pull the stuff out of the cabinet without him pawing at me to get a spoonful (again, spoiled little thing).

Homemade Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

adapted slightly from A Beautiful Mess

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup oats
1/3 cup orangic peanut butter
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until a thick dough forms. Wrap in foil and refrigerate for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Once the dough has chilled, roll out onto a floured surface (roll the dough to about a 1/2 inch thick) and use cookie cutters to make desired shape. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes or until the treats are golden on top.

Shower your dog with warm treats and then store the rest in an airtight container for up to a week.

Parker House Dinner Rolls

11.19.2012

Morning, Morning! Are you ready for this week? It’s Monday but it feels like it’s Wednesday since most of us (US folks) have Thursday and Friday off. So really…it’s already hump day! Yay!

Anyhow, Wyatt and I hosted a wonderful “Friendsgiving” potluck over the weekend. I was amazed and overwhelmed by all the delicious food that everyone brought! We are already having turkey (well…Wyatt is. I’m holding off for my Tofurkey on Thursday) leftovers and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! I will admit, having a Thanksgiving celebration a week early did kind of throw me off…I woke up Sunday ready to put on my favorite Elvis Christmas vinyl and wanting to put the Christmas tree up.

We made lots and lots and lots of food for the potluck. First up – Parker House Rolls. I’ve heard a lot about these things little bundles of dough – from instagram pictures of people cradling them (kind of weird) to the Joy The Baker podcast last week…seems like these are a MUST for the Thanksgiving table. After much research (thanks, Wikipedia), I discovered that they were first invented in Boston at the Parker House Hotel and traditionally are served folded in half. I went simple with mine (no folding, thanks) and they were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Soft, salty, and begging to be lathered in gravy.

Parker House Rolls

1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed (to about 100 degrees)
2 1/4 teaspoon of active dry yeast
4 cups all purpose flour
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter + 4 more tablespoons (all of it should be melted)
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

In a large mixer with a dough hook, combine the warmed milk and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes so that the yeast can activate and foam. Next, add in the flour, butter, salt, and sugar. Turn mixture on low until everything is combined and then increase speed to medium high. Let mix for about ten minutes or until the dough is very soft.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for one hour (or if making the dough ahead of time – let rise for an hour and then put in the fridge overnight. The next morning, bring dough back to room temperature before continuing with the recipe).

Next, grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and move the dough onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for a minute or until all the extra air is released. Divide the dough into 24 balls and place in the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and Brush rolls with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Brush with remaining butter and a little bit of salt.

Serve warm with gravy or butter or jam or all three!

Pumpkin Swirl Cocoa Brownies

10.05.2012

I was doing so good in September…constantly cooking with fresh produce, little butter, and smaller portions. And the yoga…2…3….4 times a week! It was excellent. But then my fall taste buds kicked in. The first time I gave into the apple crisp because it was my way of welcoming in Fall. But then I made those pumpkin cinnamon rolls…and then the persimmon pudding. And here I am again with ANOTHER sugary, buttery, delicious fall dessert. It’s like my taste buds are saying ‘yeah…that summer eggplant was good…but now it’s time for mounds of sweets disguised as fall.’ Ah well, I own a food blog for goodness sake…can I really beat myself up for cooking [baking] delicious treats? Oh..I’m going to use that excuse more often!

All guilt aside, these brownies are super rad. I LOVE chocolate (Hey, I am a girl…) but these brownies give chocolate a whole new meaning. They aren’t the over dense, gooey bars that force you to slurp down a giant class of soy milk afterwards. They are airy, melt-in-your-mouth, and the pumpkin keeps them from becoming overbearingly sweet. AND they are seasonal so it’s totally acceptable to make them now before it’s not fall anymore! Plus, it’s Friday. Who doesn’t want to treat themselves with a big batch of brownies on their Friday night? Have I convinced you to pull out your baking supplies yet? Come on, seriously, what are you waiting for?

Pumpkin Swirl Cocoa Brownies

Adapted from YumSugar

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup chocolate chips, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of cayenne (optional but highly recommended!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar + 2 Tablespoons
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 by 9 inch square baking pan.

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup chocolate chips and butter over medium-low heat until it is melted and smooth (stir frequently to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer [I know, we are using LOTS of dishes for this one], combine the eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar. Beat until incorporated (about three minutes). Turn mixer down to low, slowly add in the dry ingredients, and then turn back up to medium for another minute.

Divide the batter in half and split it among two bowls. First, add the chocolate mixture into one bowl and add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and oil to the other bowl. Mix each batter until everything is incorporated.

Alternate between the two batters by pouring a combination of both bowls into the prepared baking pan. Use a toothpick to “swirl” the pumpkin into the chocolate and then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Serve warm with ice cream or apple cider.

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

8.31.2012

I can’t believe I managed to forget about these donuts! I made these a few lazy Saturdays ago and even showed a sneak preview picture of them in my Moody Monday post and then never followed through with the recipe! Sheesh, silly me! However, don’t worry because here it is now.

We live down the street from the local donut shop and Wyatt stops there more than I even want to know. I sometimes give in and join him but still felt a bit guilty about it. The whole concept of eating fried something for breakfast never appealed to me; however, as soon as I discovered I could BAKE donuts, I wanted in! All I needed was a donut pan…seems easy enough, right? However, Wyatt promised to get me a donut pan for my Graduation last spring…which never happened. This meant we spent all Summer donutless (his loss!). And then, at last, we ran across some pans while browsing the local Kro-Gucci (not to be confused with our other disgusting Kroger…which happens to be Kro-Ghetto) so I threw them in the cart before Wyatt had an opinion about wanting to buy me them or not.

And so, since TECHNICALLY Wyatt did buy me them (even if he didn’t mean to), I decided to start my donut-making journey with his favorite kind: cake donuts. Cake donuts are pretty awesome because they are just are the best excuse to eat cake for breakfast. I mean if the cake is shaped like a breakfast food….it’s acceptable, right?

I topped my donuts with peanut butter (while they were still warm so the peanut butter melted into a nice, thick glaze) and then lathered them in colorful sprinkles.

These donuts are ridiculously easy to make so I would just suggest waking up 15 minutes before your boyfriend/girlfriend/hubby/puppy, getting the coffee making going, and starting on these. They will be ready in less than 20 minutes so you’ll have the whole rest of the morning to be lazy and eat warm donuts. These go perfectly with a big mug of hot coffee and a Saturday morning movie.

Baked Chocolate Cake Donuts

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (made my own with this recipe)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a donut pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. In another small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and butter.

Make a well in the center of the dried ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in the middle. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated.

Evenly pour the batter into the pans. Cook for 10 minutes or until baked all the way through.

Enjoy with peanut butter and sprinkles or powdered sugar or a glaze or by themselves! Seeeeeee….how easy was that?

Tuko Loves the Internet (and the Internet Loves Him)

6.20.2012

There are a few things I wanted to talk about today so I will be forgoing a recipe for this post (Sorry everyone who was excited about Breakfast Pizza Part 2 – will have to wait until tomorrow!).

Anyhow, I wanted to point out that Tuko is getting some love on Best Bully Stick s today! It’s an all natural dog biscuit company so hop on over to check it out adorable pictures of Tuko and healthy treats for your puppies!

Also, while we are on the topic of fun links, I learned so much this morning while breezing through my blog roll that I had to share a few a few things with you!

1. Have you seen the updated Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 for what to buy organic vs what to buy conventional? I find it super useful because, although I would love to, I just can not afford to buy organic everything so this is a great guide for deciding what is worth spending a little extra cash on.

2. Joy The Baker did a super informative post yesterday on why we use unsalted butter for baking.

3. A great tip from the kitchn on using onions in salads:

Soaking onions in ice water for 10 or 15 minutes mellows out the flavor to take that sharp edge, and accompanying aftertaste, out of the picture. It’s a trick restaurants use, and you can achieve the same results, too.

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday and see you tomorrow for part 2 of Breakfast Pizzas!

Mixed Berry Grunts

3.24.2012

I don’t know what the proper name of this dish is called; I’ve heard grunts or dumplings or just plain old stove top cobbler. Whatever it is, it’s amazing. I looooove cobblers but when I discovered that I could make a version that has doughy dumplings drenched in fruity sugar…I was sold. I made a vegan version last summer which you can find here.

It’s like we skipped most of winter and now we are skipping spring and heading straight for summer. This is totally throwing my body off and the summer vibe is making my body crave fruity desserts. But it’s not fruit season yet (is it still March?) and my blueberry bush has just started blooming so what’s a girl to do? Well, I marched (in the form of walking my puppy) right to the store and picked out the freshest berries I could find. The pickens’ were slim with lots of impersonator fruits that we all know have traveled thousands of miles and were picked weeks ago but I did manage to find a batch of delicious looking strawberries and a batch of blackberries (sorry Kroger, I don’t like my blueberries shriveled and decrepit).

Don’t hesitate to make this vegan by substituting Almond/Soy milk for the milk, sugar cane for the sugar, and Earth Balance instead of butter!

Mixed Berry Grunts

1 pint of strawberries (about 2 cups)
2 cups Blackberries (or blueberries or raspberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large saucepan, combine the fruit, sugar and lemon juice. Let sit for about ten minutes so that a sugar starts to form. Next, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and stir it often.

While waiting for the mixture to simmer, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Next, melt the butter into milk in a tiny saucepan. Add the warm mixture to the dry ingredients and stir into a thick dough.

Scoop heaping tablespoons full of the mixture into the simmering fruit to make dumplings. Then cover with a lid and let simmer for another 20 minutes.

The dumplings should double in size and the fruit should be drenched in a syrup. Serve warm with yummy ice cream on a sticky [March] summer [spring] evening!

Baked Mac n’ Cheese

3.03.2012

I’m going to take a break from posting about our Seattle/Portland trip and post a recipe. This recipe was inspired by our Seattle trip since we picked up some yummy homemade pasta at Pike’s Place last weekend.The large stand we bought it from was totally overwhelming with dozens of flavors of homemade pasta laying out for you to choose from. They had everything ranging from chocolate pasta to southwestern pasta (aka some pieces tasted like corn, some like peppers, etc)- check out all the flavors here. We ended up purchasing the ‘Chive Garlic Sea Shells’ because Wyatt was sold on it the minute the guy said it worked great with homemade macaroni and cheese.

And to be completely honest, the guy was totally right. This bake was beyond perfect on a chilling Friday night. The mounds of gooey cheese paired perfectly with the garlic and chive flavor of the pasta. Not to mention, the crusty top made for a perfect crunch in every bite. It’s so funny because I always forget to make simple things like homemade mac n cheese since I’m always looking to try something new but it’s these comfort foods that always turn out the best. I realize that you can buy Kraft at the grocery store for 1.50 but this recipe is so spectacular that I feel a little guilty even giving it the same name as the boxed version.

Baked Mac N’ Cheese

Adapted from Simply Scratch

8 ounces of noodles (traditionally it would be elbow but we used shells)
1/4 cup onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup colby jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top

First, prepare the pasta according to it’s packaged directions. Preheat oven to 400.

Next, in a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onions and saute until translucent (about five minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add in the flour and stir for one more minute. Turn heat up to medium-high and add in the cream and milk. Let the mixture come to a simmer and then turn it back down to medium. Add in the cream cheese, cheddar, colby, dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and then remove from heat.

Add in the noodles and stir until everything is well combined. Pour into the remekins (I only had 2 little remekins so I also used a little baking dish for the extra) and cook for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Let cool because this baby is hoooooot. And then munch down along with a small salad or french bread.

Pierogies with Roasted Tomatoes and Artichokes

2.23.2012

I should start off by apologizing for the lack of recipe posts this week but lots of other exciting things have been going on around here (don’t worry! I have not lost sight of what this blog is really about- I promise)! I am currently working on a button for some blogs that will be sponsoring VV for March and the new addition of the magazine ‘Remedy Quarterly’ will be featuring an article about VV (more details about these things later this month). But as of right now, Wyatt and I are leaving for Seattle/Portland tomorrow morning and I have been crazily prepping for that all week (plus the new puppy takes up 99% of my free time these days). Anyways, a much needed vacation is in order and I hope to get lots of pictures to be posting throughout the weekend (I am most excited to visit Julie Hasson- the author of ‘Vegan Diner’s food truck Native Bowl and to visit the diner from Twin Peaks for some pie///coffee!!) So, if any of you have suggestion for places to stop in Seattle/Portland let me know ASAP!

Anyways, back to food. And more importantly, this recipe. Making homemade pierogies is a tradition my Ma and I have had for years and one of the best parts making them is being able to freeze half the batch to enjoy months later. We whipped up a batch back in December (Look: Here) and I found some hiding in the back of my freezer the other day. There is something about these cheesy dumplings that mixes perfectly with any veggies. I chose roasted tomatoes here because they become so soft that they almost turn into a sauce and burst with flavors all over your pasta. So delicious and very easy to prepare!

For the Roasted Tomatoes

1 pint of cherry tomatoes
whole garlic cloves (as many or as little as you’d prefer), peeled
Dash of balsamic
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Salt/Pepper

For everything else:

15 pierogies (or ravioli)
1 small container of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
Salt/Pepper
Parmesan

Start by roasting the tomatoes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the cherry tomatoes and garlic in a small bowl. Mix them with the brown sugar, balsamic, sage, olive oil,and salt/pepper. Then place on the baking sheet and roast at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes. Check periodically and stir around.

While that is cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook the ravoli/pierogies according the the package directions. Drain the dumplings.

The last part is to saute everything together so this time could vary depending on how well cooked you like them. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Next, add the pierogies, roasted tomatoes/garlic mixturee, and artichoke hearts. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until the pierogies have browned on both sides. Season with Salt and Pepper and sprinkle with parmesan.

Munch down and share with your puppy/kitty/boy.

And since it’s a delicious dinner, you’ll probably eat a little too much of it and feel really full after…so dance off that slumber with some tunes like this one:

Oatmeal Molasses Rolls

1.26.2012

I just want to start out by apologizing. I realize that I have talked about bread excessively lately and I can’t help it. I’ve been on a major bread making kick lately…but this one doesnt involve the breadmaker so everyone can be included! Yay!

Anyways, this week has kicked my ass. Between switching to working full days, having classes from 9 to 9 on my days off, my boyfriend’s birthday (which was yesterday and was a success. Cake-recipe-post soon), and tonight I have to go to Indianapolis to support my boyfriend’s band…I have had noooo time for cooking or grocery shopping or sleeping. BUT this blog is not here for me to complain so I love my life and am hoping to do some major catch up with it this weekend. New header is currently in the making and lots of recipes will be made this weekend as well!

Okay.. these oatmeal molasses rolls. I made them expecting a sort of dessert roll (you know. buttery, cinnamon roll-esk) but they were really just savory dinner rolls with the slightest hint of molasses sweet. And damn, they were amazing. Soft, melt in your mouth and full of flavor. I would recommend serving them as a side to a pasta dish or even meat (if you swing that way) or soup. I served them with a yummy bowl of Annie’s Chickenless noodle soup and it was perfect.

Oh also, make these on the weekend or super ahead of time. Since they don’t involve the bread machine, there is a lot of rising time (on two separate occasions) so prep the dough the night before or start in the AM so you can check back on the dough through out the day. I adapted this recipe from Food52 which is a plethora of bread recipes so browse it sometime if you are as dough loving as me. And I promise promise promise they will be worth the extra effort!

Oatmeal Molasses Rolls

1 packet of yeast (or about 2 teaspoons)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup rolled oats
3 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 sticks of butter +2 tablespoons of butter (to brush on top of rolls)

Phase ONE: Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl with the warm water. Set aside so that it can react and bubble and do it’s thing.

Heat the milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once the milk has warmed up slightly, add the butter and stir until it has melted completely. Remove from heat and add in the brown sugar, oats, molasses, and salt. Stir until well combined then set aside to cool to luke warm temperatures.

Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl. Once cooled, add the milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Slowly add the flour until it creates a large ball and all the ingredients stick together. If it’s too sticky then add a tiny bit more flour. Place the dough in a greased bowl and roll it around until the ball is greased on all side. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

Wait. wait. Go play with kitty. Take your puppy for a walk. wait. read some of your favorite blogs. wait.

Phase TWO: Divide the dough into 12 balls and place in a greased, 9 inch pan. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and coat the tops of the buns with it. Sprinkle with some extra rolled outs and then cover with a towel. Let rise (again, I know. I know.) for another two hours in a warm place.

Wait more. Read a book. Watch some Anthony Bourdain. wait more.

Phase THREE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve warm with butter and honey.

Simple Butter Sage Sauce

1.19.2012

Sorry for my site being down all day but I hope it gave you a chance to check out what this new “policy” could mean for the internet and how it could affect us bloggers personally. If you missed it, here is a link to learn more about the SOPA Strike.

On a happier note, there are lots of changes going on around the site these days! New layout, color schemes, and picture links. I’ve only started to scratch the surface with what I’d like to accomplish so here are some future goals for the site:

updated header
~~new background~~
picture category links
a ‘links’ page
and many many more aesthetically pleasing tweaks!

I must say, I started this…renovation (if you will) at a bad time for school is back in session (last semester ever, wooohooo!) and I just got promoted at label (also WOOOHOO) so I am becoming busy busy busy again but I am hoping this will be a great creative outlet to come home to in the evenings.

As for food, I have something very very simple for you today! It’s just a quick three ingredient sauce that can be lathered on anything (and everything). I have the sauce pictures (below) with some butternut squash ravioli but feel free to pair this guy with vegetables or any pasta or whatever you can get your hands on. The earthy flavor of the sage really complements sweet well so I’d recommend pairing it with some sort of winter squash or sweet potatoes (although what does my word mean? Go experiment!)

Simple Buttered Sage Sauce

4 Tablespoons butter
6 sage leaves, chopped
half of a lemon, squeezed

Add butter to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until all the butter has melted and has turned slightly brown. Once browned, remove from heat and immediatel add the sage leaves. Wait for the temperature to cool (or else the acidity of the lemon will make the butter sizzle and you could burn yourself! My boyfriend discovered this first hand…no good, you dufus!). Then add the lemon juice and turn the mixture until everything is well combined.

Pour over everything. Then eat everything you’ve lathered it with.

Perfect. Amazing, Beautiful. Am I right?

Homemade Pierogies

1.06.2012

My family is German…both sets of my Grandparents are German and their parent’s are German and so on. But for some reason, my mother and I make this Polish tradition every year. I’m not sure how it started but homemade, fresh pierogies are so amazing that we make sure to take time to whip these up during the holidays. I’m a student who has two jobs so I can’t say that I get home very much but when I go, I do make sure to make time for these guys.

We’ve tackled this recipe for so many years that we are able to whip several dozen of these out in less than two hours but you should plan on spending a few hours on this recipe (or do half the recipe and only make a few dozen which should just take over an hour). We always make the 4 dozen and freeze most of them for a later date.

Every August, a nearby town hosts ‘Pierogi Fest’ which is exactly what it sounds: a weekend long food festival dedicated to these tasty dumplings. They have dumplings filled with cheese, sauerkraut, veggies, blueberries, raspberries, and so on. Basically, it’s amazing. And is probably what originally inspired us so many years ago to start making these things.

I suggest you saute them in some olive oil with some onions and peppers. Or in butter with Swiss cheese and shallots. So the next time you have a relaxing, rainy (or snowy) Saturday, take the afternoon to make these with a friend or your Ma or your boyfriend. Whip up some mimosas, turn that vinyl player on, and enjoy the cooking process.

Homemade Pierogies

Dough:

6 cups flour
2 Tablespoons salt
1 cup milk
3/4 cup butter
2 eggs

Filling:

8 medium russet potatoes
1 cup sharp cheddar
3 garlic cloves, minced

Start by preparing the filling. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and peel and chop the potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Boil the potatoes until they are soft and a fork can easily pierce them. Drain and then mash the potatoes with a masher or hand mixer until smooth. Then fold in the cheddar and garlic until they are well incorporated. Set aside to cool while you prepare the dough.

Now it’s time to prep the dough! Doing it in two batches, add all dough ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well combined.

If the dough is super sticky, add a bit more flour and if it’s too crumbly, add more milk.

Next, you are going to roll the dough on a floured surface. We take chunks of the dough (just like my Ma is doing in the picture below) and roll it in parts but feel free to do whatever works best for you. Also, you can definetely use a rolling pin to roll out the dough but we’ve discovered the amazing cooking secrets of the pasta maker. If you do use a pasta maker, I recommend keeping it on the 7 setting and just running it through two times to achieve a smooth texture.

Resist the cute begging dog (with the ridiculous joker collar. Poor guy- what are my parent’s thinking?)

Next, place the dough on a pierogi mold which looks like this:

Fill the pierogies with a tablespoon each of the filling and then place another thin layer of dough on top of the filling and roll a rolling pin over to seal the dumplings.

Repeat with the rest of the filling/dough. Should make around 4 dozen pierogies. Bring a large pot to a boil with salted water. Drop the dumpling in the water for about 3 minutes or until they are floating in the water.

Enjoyed boiled or saute them in butter with onions and bell peppers. Feel free to freeze a couple dozen of them for later use. And don’t forget to share with that begging puppy.

Corn Pancakes

12.30.2011

As a stocking stuffer, I received a GIANT tub of Michigan maple syrup which, could not have come at a better time with my two week vacation following the holidays. I love maple syrup because it’s used in a lot of vegan cooking but of course, it’s also great with breakfast. So this maple syrup has inspired many of my recent breakfasts.

And I came across this idea of corn pancakes because I recently saw some polenta pancakes on the Food Network (I Know, TV is lame but sometime it’s a good distraction from homework). Anyways, this led me to search out polenta pancake ideas and I came across lots of corn pancakes (to be specific, this recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen). At first, I was weirded out by the idea of making corn patties and then lathering them in maple syrup but damn. I am converted. The salt and sweet combination gets me every time.

Corn Pancakes

1 cup frozen corn
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
dash of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons butter, divided

First, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the corn for about 5 minutes or until it begins to slightly brown. Set corn aside and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Reuse the skillet in a bit for the pancakes.

Mix the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, corn and sugar in bowl. In another large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet ingredients to the batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until everything is well incorporated.

Reheat that skillet over medium heat and grease the pan with butter. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to spoon the batter onto the skillet. Let them cook until bubbles form on top of the batter (about two to three minutes) and then flip on the other side for a minute or two. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Lather with additional dollops of butter and loads of maple syrup.

Get back into bed and munch down while enjoying a big mug of french press coffee and enjoying rerun episode of ‘Unsolved Mysteries’.

Hazelnut Shortbread with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

12.21.2011

I am now into day three of my holiday vacation and it’s about time I made some Christmas sweets already! I’m the type of person who will eat anything that is coated in chocolate so I turned to my boyfriend for inspiration on where to start. This recipe is a perfect hybrid between a traditional recipe (shortbread) and something modern/unusual (baking with hazelnut).

I found hazelnut in the bulk section of my local co-op so I’d suggest you should start there if you are having troubles finding it. Plus, buying in bulk is the best invention ever so that you can buy the exact amount you need and don’t have half a bag of hazelnut laying around with no use.

Anyways, this shortbread turned out fantastic with an unbeatable texture. Dry, flaky cookie with warm, melted chocolate drizzled on top. Mmmmm. Perfect for that holiday potluck you got talked into going to or to help you get through the family get-togethers.

*Side note:Veganize this recipe by substituting the butter with earth balance and the chocolate with vegan chocolate chips. Mmmmmm

Hazelnut Shortbread with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

(Adapted from BakerStreet)

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks of butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped hazelnut (+more for topping, if you’d like)
4 oz dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl, blend the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Then mix in the dry ingrdients to the butter/sugar fixture. Fold in the hazelnuts.

Spread dough (it may be alittle dry but that’s okay) onto a 9×9 pan. Cook for 25-27 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments (stir between each 3o seconds) until fully melted. Sprinkle the shortbread with remaining hazelnut and melted chocolate.

Munch down with coffee or milk.