bread and baking Archive

Whole Wheat Spinach Banana Muffins

I’ve become one of those moms who hides vegetables in my kid’s food.

I never thought I’d see the day, let alone see it so soon. (Mind you, my daughter is just 15 months old.) Of course I thought my kid was going to happily devour all the homemade organic delights I placed in front of her! She wasn’t going to be one of those picky eaters. Wrong.

Sure, there are days when she’ll happily eat the healthy and wholesome meals I make for her. And then there are the days where she literally won’t try a bite of anything I set in front of her. Those buckwheat soba noodles she devoured last night? Today, she acts offended by their mere existence.

She’ll eat applesauce from a squeeze pouch, but she won’t eat it from a spoon. She likes frozen blueberries, but won’t eat fresh ones. And if I can hide it in a quesadilla, she’ll eat it.

Babies, man. They are so cute. But they are SO crazy.

And that, my friends, is how I found myself blending spinach and bananas into muffins. I’m one of those moms now, and I don’t mind it one bit. If it gets my kid to happily devour vegetables, I’m all for it. (Whatever works, right?!)

There are plenty of other healthy toddler-friendly recipes out there, but I thought I’d share my adaptation of this recipe for spinach banana muffins as they’ve been a big hit in our household. You can toss in other fresh fruits or veggies or substitute other greens (chard, kale, etc) for the spinach. If you want to make a double or triple batch, they also freeze nicely.

These Whole Wheat Spinach Banana Muffins are quick, easy, and are generally well-received by tiny little crazy people. ;)

Spinach Banana Muffins

Yield: 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh spinach
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line or grease a muffin tin.
In a blender or food processor, combine banana, spinach, applesauce, egg, honey, oil, and vanilla. Blend until well combined.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir til just combined. The mixture will be thick and dense. (If too thick, add a bit of water or milk. You will not be able to pour the mix.)
Spoon into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tops of the muffins are beginning to brown and the muffins are set.

Notes

Adapted from Tribe Magazine

http://rosemarried.co/2016/01/26/whole-wheat-spinach-and-banana-muffins/

Baked Eggnog French Toast

HEY YOU GUYS, I WAS ON TELEVISION.

I WAS ON TELEVISION AND I BLATHERED ABOUT BAKED EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST AND IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME.

For the first time in my entire life (that I can recall), I was on TV. I’ve done a lot of random things in my day, but have somehow managed to avoid being on television.

I was asked to appear on More Good Day Oregon as a spokesperson for the Beaverton Farmer’s Market. The show wanted to do a feature on the incredible farm fresh eggnog we have at the Market (from Garry’s Meadow Fresh). She asked if we had any good eggnog recipes, and I suggested my baked eggnog french toast. And here we are.

If you’d like to see the segment, it’s live on the KPTV website. For the show, I chat mostly about the eggnog (it’s made from 100% Jersey cows milk and it’s SO stinkin good) and I also demonstrate how to make the French toast. It’s pretty geeky, but I’m proud!

Or, if you want the recipe for my super decadent baked eggnog french toast, lo0k no further! It’s right here. And it’s decadent and delicious and the easiest holiday breakfast of all time. (Bonus: the french toast can be made a night ahead of time! So all you gotta do is wake up, turn on the oven, and toss the french toast into the oven to bake. Boom.)

Baked Eggnog French Toast

Ingredients

1 loaf challah bread (or other white bread), cut into cubes
4 eggs
2 cups Garry’s Meadow Fresh Egg Nog (or any eggnog that you like!)
1/2 cup whole milk (or cream)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan.
Whisk together the eggs, egg nog, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and spices.
Arrange bread cubes in the pan. Pour custard over the top of the bread, ensuring that all bread is soaked. Add a bit more liquid, if necessary. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (We recommend soaking overnight).
Bake (covered) for 20-25 minutes, or until the custard is set and the bread is beginning to turn golden brown. Serve warm, with maple syrup. It’s especially delicious with a little whipped cream, chopped hazelnuts, and dried cranberries!

http://rosemarried.co/2015/11/18/baked-eggnog-french-toast/

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Roasted Plums and Chai Infused Whipped Cream

When it comes to making biscuits, there are two ways to go about it. There’s the classic Buttermilk Biscuit, and there’s the Sweet Cream Biscuit. Buttermilk biscuits are typically made with buttermilk, and lots (and lots) of butter. Sweet cream biscuits, on the other hand, opt for heavy cream instead of buttermilk and butter. Buttermilk biscuits tend to be a bit lighter and flakier, while sweet cream biscuits are slightly more scone-like. The real selling point of sweet cream biscuits is that they come together in minutes, and are incredibly easy to make. Each biscuit has their merits, and people tend to have very strong opinions when it comes to their preferred type of biscuit.

As for me, I’ve always favored the buttermilk biscuit. They’re buttery, pillowy, flaky, and perfect. To be fair, however, I’d never really given the sweet cream biscuit a chance. I’ve always defaulted to making biscuits with butter, and I’d never even attempted to make sweet cream biscuits.

Until now, that is.

A few weeks ago, I bought a whole bunch of Italian Prune Plums at the farmer’s market. (If you’ve not tried Italian Prune Plums, they are so incredibly delicious. And they are currently in season! Go get em!) Anyway, I got home with my giant bag of plums and realized I didn’t exactly know what to do with all my plums. So, I starting perusing the interwebs for ideas, and I stumbled upon my friend Michelle’s recipe for Sweet Cream Biscuits with Earl Grey Whipped Cream and Plum Jam. I was intrigued and delighted by the recipe, and knew I needed to make my own version.

So, I started by baking a batch of sweet cream biscuits. (I had to know what all the fuss was about, after all. Turns out, they’re totally awesome.) Since I was working with fresh plums (as opposed to plum jam), I had the idea to roast the plums with a bit of brown sugar and olive oil. Lastly, I didn’t have any Earl Grey tea, but I did have a tin of loose leaf Masala Chai Tea. Bingo. And that’s how this dessert was born.

Please note, this dessert is best eaten fresh! Biscuits are a type of quick bread, and they generally don’t keep well. Biscuits really are best the day they are baked, but they’re ok the next day if warmed or toasted. In general, however, I recommend you make this recipe the day you plan on eating it. (The plums and whipped cream, however, keep nicely in the fridge and are delicious for breakfast the next day…)

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Roasted Plums and Chai Infused Whipped Cream

Serving Size: Makes 8-10 biscuits

Ingredients

For the Sweet Cream Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, chilled
For the Chai Spiced Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons loose-leaf Chai tea
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
For the Roasted Plums:
Several ripe Italian prune plums (8-10)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Instructions

To make the Chai whipped cream: In a small bowl or jar, combine 1 cup of whipping cream with the loose leaf Chai tea. Gently stir together and cover the container, and allow to steep in the fridge for 1 hour or more.
After the whipped cream has steeped for an hour, strain out the tea leaves (using a mesh sieve or cheesecloth). Pour the cream into a medium sized bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and add the powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer (or stand mixer), beat the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
To roast the plums: Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and halve the plums, removing the pits. Toss plum halves with olive oil and brown sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until plums are browning and releasing their juices. Remove from oven and set aside until use.
To make the Sweet Cream Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined. Pour one cup of the cream over the dry ingredients, using a fork (or your hands) to gently mix the ingredients together. If the mixture is too dry, add more cream, one spoonful at a time, until the dough is soft and moist. Using your hands, gently knead the dough until it just comes together. (Be careful not to overknead!)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly pat the dough into a disc with your hands, until it is 1/2″ thick. (Once again, be sure not overwork the dough!)
Using a biscuit cutter (or juice glass!), cut out the biscuit circles. Be sure to cut the biscuits close together, and get as many as you can from this round. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Gather the remaining scraps together and gently pat into another 1/2″ disc and cut out another batch of biscuits. (Note: only repeat this process once. Toss any remaining scraps, as dough will be too overworked at this point.)
Once you’ve cut out all your biscuits and placed them on baking sheets, brush the tops of the biscuits with cream. (Optional: you can also sprinkle a bit of sugar atop each biscuit, which I think looks rather pretty.) Bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are fluffy and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Hummingbird High

http://rosemarried.co/2014/10/07/sweet-cream-biscuits-roasted-plums-chai-infused-whipped-cream/

Buckwheat Zucchini Muffins

I recently received a copy of Erin Scott’s new cookbook, “Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious & Honest Recipes from a {Gluten-Free} Omnivore“. I’m not gonna lie, I was a little hesitant about the book at first glance. For starters, I love gluten. I have no known gluten allergies or intolerances (pizza is my favorite food group!), thus, I have no need for a gluten-free cookbook. Secondly, the word “yummy” just bugs me. It conjures up images of Rachael Ray and overly perky Food Network hosts, and I just don’t like it.

So, then, when I finally opened the book, I was pleasantly surprised. The book is brimming with beautiful photographs and creative recipes. And while the book is written from a gluten-free perspective, it certainly has recipes that appeal to all types of diets.

While there were a lot of standouts in the book – such as Black Rice Pudding, Savory Custards with Wild Nettles, Mussels with Rosé, Leeks, and Mustard – but I decided to start with her simple and lovely recipe for Buckwheat Zucchini Muffins.

The recipe stood out to me, as it’s such a unique twist on a typical zucchini muffin. Made with buckwheat flour, coconut oil, honey, and molasses, these muffins pack a flavorful punch. They’re a great way to use up extra zucchini, and they are officially my new favorite summer snack.

Yummy Supper’s version of the recipe uses a combination of oat flour and buckwheat flour, and is gluten free. I didn’t have any oat flour on hand, so I substituted all purpose flour. Thus, my version of this recipe contains gluten. However, the recipe is easily adaptable depending on your dietary restrictions!

Buckwheat Zucchini Muffins

Serving Size: Makes 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients

2/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour (Can sub oat flour if GF)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 heaping tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups shredded zucchini, strained or patted dry with a towel
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts

Instructions

First, combine the honey and coconut oil in a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat until oil and honey are melted. Stir to combine and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the honey and coconut oil mixture. Whisk in molasses and vanilla. With a spatula, stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the zucchini (and nuts, if using).
Pour your batter into the lined muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

http://rosemarried.co/2014/09/05/buckwheat-zucchini-muffins/

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

I feel like I’ve been living under a rock for a few months. Pregnancy doesn’t seem to be terribly conducive to productivity, and it certainly isn’t conducive to food blogging. I just feel so tired all the time. I’ve had zero energy and cooking has lost some of it’s appeal. Honestly, for awhile there, I didn’t want to eat anything except for cereal, grapes, and toast. Such is life during the first trimester.

But, I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again. Real food (meaning: something other than grapes and toast) actually sounds good. I’ve started cooking again. It feels good to be back.

In my opinion, a good piece of coffee cake is one of life’s simple pleasures. Coffee cake isn’t particularly pretty or inventive, but it’s just so good. I’ve made this recipe a number of times, and it never fails. The cake is so moist and flavorful, layered with chunks of tangy rhubarb on the bottom and giant spiced buttery crumbs on top.

If there was anything that was going to lure me back into the kitchen, it was this recipe. It’s just that good.

RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

For the cake:
1/2 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/4″ chunks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1 large egg, plus one large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter (room temperature), cut into 8 pieces.

For the crumb topping:
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 baking pan.

2. In a small bowl, toss chopped rhubarb with 1/4 cup of sugar, corn starch, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Set aside.

3. To make the crumb topping, whisk together the sugars, spices, salt, and melted butter in a large bowl. Mix until smooth. Next, stir in the flour with a spatula or wooden spoon. (The mixture will resemble a solid dough.) Press the dough firmly in the bottom of the bowl, and set aside.

4. To make the cake filling, stir together the yogurt (or sour cream), egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter pieces and a spoonful of yogurt into the mixture, and mix on medium speed until moistened. Increase the speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the yogurt in two batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Scrape most of the batter into the prepared pan (reserving about 1/2 a cup). Spoon the rhubarb over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the rhubarb. (Don’t worry if it doesn’t evenly cover the rhubarb, it can just be scattered dollops of batter!)

6. Using your fingers, break the topping mixture into big crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the cake. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake

Tomorrow morning, I will wake up long before the sun comes up and I will drag my sleepy self to the airport. Clad in borrowed snow boots and a down coat, I’ll board a plane to Minneapolis.

It was -26 in Minneapolis earlier this week. I can’t even imagine what that kind of cold feels like, honestly. I certainly don’t have the clothing for such temperatures. I’ve cobbled together a borrowed wardrobe of snow clothing and I’m hoping for the best. I may just hole up in the Mall of America for the week. (I can subsist on Cinnabon and roller coasters!)

It should go without saying that Minnesota in March is not my dream vacation. But, my middle sister now lives in Minneapolis and she’s turning the big 3-0 this week. She insisted that she had to have both of her sisters with her on her 30th, and so we agreed to make the trek to the frigid Midwest.

Since there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of sunshine in my immediate future, I decided to make my own sunshine in the kitchen. One of the best things about winter is the abundance of citrus. Even on the darkest and gloomiest of days, the mere scent of citrus brightens my spirits.

This cake is the perfect remedy for wintertime blues. It’s decidedly simple, and the Meyer lemons truly shine through the batter. If you need a little sunshine in your life, I suggest you give this cake a try.

Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
3 large cage-free eggs
1 tablespoon grated Meyer lemon zest (approximately 2 Meyer lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Next, fold the vegetable oil into the batter until it is combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, in a small pan, combine 1 tablespoon of sugar, the remaining lemon juice, and the vanilla bean seeds. Heat over med-low, until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. Remove from heat.
When the cake is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Remove from pan and place on a baking rack. Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to soak in. Allow to cool before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

http://rosemarried.co/2014/03/04/meyer-lemon-yogurt-cake/

Apple & Thyme Custard Tart

A couple of weeks ago, I went apple picking in Hood River with my friend Adriana.

Long before we picked our buckets apples, we had grand plans for them. Adriana wanted to try her hand at apple butter for the first time. I was determined to make a simple and unsweetened rustic applesauce. There would be cakes and pies and galettes galore.

When I got home, I realized that I had picked a never-ending supply of apples. I successfully made (and canned) a batch of unsweetened chunky applesauce (and it was delicious). I made rosemary apple butter. I made butternut squash and apple soup (twice!).

After all of that, I still had apples.

I knew what I had to do with the rest of the apples — they needed to be baked into delicious treats — but I was a little hesitant. Truth be told, I’m a little terrified of baking desserts. It’s not that I don’t like dessert. On the contrary, I really, really like dessert. I just didn’t do a whole lot of baking in my younger years. You see, my sisters are the bakers in my family. I’m the cook. (I make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and they make all the pies. It’s tradition.)

All of that to say, I’m a little bit rusty in the baking department. It had been awhile since I’d made a proper tart dough, and I was a little bit nervous for how it would turn out. Thankfully, it turned out beautifully. It’s such a simple tart, and it really highlights the beauty of perfectly ripe apples. It’s simple, seasonal, and it might be my new favorite dessert. I’m not so sure what I was afraid of, but I’m glad I rolled up my sleeves and dove into a little seasonal baking.

I should do this more often.

Apple & Thyme Custard Tart

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients

TART FILLING:
4 crisp apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
***********************************************
TART DOUGH:
1 cup powdered sugar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 egg

Instructions

In a small bowl, sift together the powdered sugar, flour, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the egg and dry ingredients, and beat until the mixture comes together as an evenly formed mass. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be made one day ahead of time.)
Once the dough is chilled, roll dough into a thin circle (slightly larger than your tart pan). Working quickly, line the tart pan with the dough. Trim off any excess dough that hangs over the edges. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times.
Toss apple slices with lemon juice, nutmeg, and half of the thyme. Working from the outside toward the center, lay the apple slices in the tart shell in a circular pattern, overlapping them slightly.
Gently whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, and vanilla, until just combined. Pour the custard mixture over the apple slices. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme over the custard and apples.
Bake tart at 375 F until the crust is golden and center is set, 30 to 40 minutes. (Note: if you find your crust is browning too quickly, cover the tart with aluminum foil for the duration of baking.) Allow the tart to cool before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Joanne Chen’s recipe on Gothamist.com

http://rosemarried.co/2013/10/25/apple-thyme-custard-tart/