Kouign Amann

This past week, Bon Appetit put out a step-by-step slideshow for making kouign amann. Sucker that I am, I decided to try it this weekend. They were calling for rain Saturday so perfect day for baking right?

Ingredients: very simple, flour, yeast, salt, tons of sugar and a gazillion pounds of european or european style butter (ex. Kerrygold) unsalted.

Its the method that's the kicker. You have to read through the steps several times so you won't miss anything. Read the current step again before doing it.

I felt like I was on Amazing Race: you have to roll that dough with butter before it melts or else it will just seep through the dough. 

I had to be patient: it's a lot of waiting for the dough to chill and be firm enough to be handled and to make sure that butter is solid.

I was getting an upper body workout in as well: rolling that chilled, firm dough was hard! 

Baked the pastries this morning and wow my house just smells like buttah! They looked really good. When I cracked one open, I could see layers but I think it's not layered enough and denser than what it should be. I overworked that dough I think and wasn't quick enough that some of the butter melted and went into the   dough. Butter should stay solid, enclosed in the layered dough for it to give the pastry the flaky, layered, airy texture. Not quite a croissant but not as dense as a bread. Overall though, not bad for a first attempt. 

Next time: will use salted butter, will knead by hand (I used a stand mixer for this one, dough hook), will pound the butter block instead of whipping it with sugar, and will use pastry rings instead of muffin pans.

Here's the link to the BA feature: http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/slideshow/step-by-step-kouign-amann/?slide=1

Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Knock Off

Love CF's brown bread and I found a recipe before and tried it but I didn't really like the result plus it used food color. I found another one that worked better. This is based on rae gun rambling's recipe (http://raegunwear.blogspot.de/2012/04/knock-off-cheesecake-factory-bread.html?m=1). 

I altered the measurements a bit and tweaked some of the procedure, based on my own baking experience. Sooo yummy, especially when eaten warm and with butta! 

Ingredients

3/4 cup warm coffee, temp between 100-110 deg F

1-1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tbs sugar

1/2 tbs cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbs oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Egg wash

Oats for topping

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm coffee. Add the sugar and let stand for 10 min.

2. Add the cocoa, salt, oil, and molasses to the yeast mixture. 

3. Add half the flours and using the hook attachment, start kneading. Add the rest of the flour while kneading (speed #4 on mixer) until the dough comes off the side of the bowl. Add more flour as needed. 

4. Transfer the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let stand to rise until doubled (about 1-2 hours). 5. If weather is cold, place inside the oven to keep warm. 

6. Once risen, divide the dough into 4 and shape into rolls. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle oats on top. 

7. Let stand to rise about 30 min to 1 hour. 

8. Place inside the oven and set the temp to 350. Once it reaches the temp, turn on timer to 25 min. 

9. After the 25 min, check if done by knocking on the rolls. If it sounds hollow, it is done. If not done, add 5 more min or until done and has nice dark brown color.

10. Let cool on wire rack.

Makes 4 rolls

WanderGirl Morning Glory Muffins

I've made the Pioneer Woman's My Mom's Muffins several times now and found it to be a good, healthy go-to breakfast. This week though, I decided to mix it up. I've seen recipes for Morning Glory Muffins around the web and they seem delish but I wanted to still use Ree Drummond's recipe and I didn't have/didn't care for apples in my muffins. Thus, the WanderGirl Morning Glory Muffins!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tbs ground golden flaxseed
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 3/4 cup soy milk + 3/4 tsp white vinegar)
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup molasses
extra buttermilk for thinning, if necessary

Makes 12 muffins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 375F. Grease muffin pan with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, ground golden flaxseed, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, shredded carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Stir together until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, egg, applesauce and molasses.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until it just barely comes together. Batter should be wet and sticky; if needed, add a tablespoon of buttermilk at a time until desired consistency is reached.
5. Fill the muffin cups and bake for 20-23 minutes, or until golden brown. 
6. Serve with butter and jelly or cream cheese. 
7. Enjoy!

One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living and Apron Strings Blog. This is the one pot pasta. I deviated a bit and used whole wheat linguine. There were some concerns whether WW would not have enough starch to thicken the pasta. Took a bit of tweaking but it worked!

Ingredients:
6 oz whole wheat linguine
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 white onion, sliced into thin strips
1/2 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
4 small squirts of tomato paste (about 1 tbs)
3-4 basil leaves, sliced
2-3 sprigs of fresh oregano (or you can use dried oregano, 1 tsp)
2-3 sprigs (fresh marjoram, optional)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp parsley flakes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tbs dry white wine
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese
fresh parsley

Serves 2-3



1. Place pasta, garlic, onion, tomatoes, fresh herbs (if you're using dried, sprinkle it just before starting cook) in a large saute pan (or any pan with a high straight side, ensure that pasta will be submerged in the liquid).

2. Pour the broth and white wine.

3. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes (and the dried herbs if using) and drizzle the top with olive oil.

4. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Stir with tongs once in a while to make sure all the ingredients are mixed together and that pasta does not stick together.

5. Since WW pasta does not have that much starch, the sauce will not thicken as much if you leave the pan covered so after simmering for 2-3 minutes, slide the cover off a bit to let the liquid evaporate slowly. Make sure that you have enough liquid to cook the pasta.

6. Constant checking is what I did to make sure the liquid evaporates and yet have enough to cook the pasta.

7. After about 9-10 minutes or when the pasta is cooked al dente, and you still have more liquid than you want, you may turn up the heat a bit to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency. '

8. Season to taste.

9. Finish with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

10. Enjoy!
 

Reese's Peanut Butter cups Biscotti

I originally wanted to make hazelnut biscotti and had the recipe all ready when I found the recipe for cappuccino biscotti at www.joyofbaking.com. I like this one better because it didn't call for butter and only used 1 egg. Set out my ingredients and found I only had a fourth of a cup of chocolate chips left instead of the 1/2 cup needed. Digging in my pantry, I saw I still had some Reese's. why not right? Decided to call these Peanut butter biscotti instead as the PB taste was really distinct and oh so good! I cut the salt to less than 1/4 tsp because the Reese's cups were salty enough.

Ingredients:
3/4 cups hazelnuts, toasted, peeled
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee, cooled
1 tbs low fat milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
A little less than 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup Reese's peanut butter cups, roughly chopped

Directions:
1. Toast hazelnuts in oven at 350F for about 12 minutes, wrap in clean towel, let stand for a couple of minutes then rub briskly to remove skin, chop roughly
2. Leave oven at 350F
3. Whisk together espresso, milk, egg and vanilla
4. In a stand mixer, using paddle attachment, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Add the coffee/egg mixture and mix until it forms dough
6. Add the chocolate chips, PB bits, and hazelnuts gradually until incorporated
7. Dump dough on a lightly floured surface and cut sough into 2 equal pieces
8. Roll each pc into a log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter
9. Place logs on a large baking sheet lined with parchment, about 3 inches apart
10. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until firm to the touch
11. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for about 10 min
12. Reduce oven temp to 300F
13. On a cutting board, slice the log about 3/4 inch lengthwise on the diagonal. Each log would yield about 12 pcs
14. Place the pieces back on the backing sheet, cut side down and bake for about 7 min.
15. Turn the biscotti and bake for another 7 min. If you want crispier biscotti, bake for about 9-10 min on each side
16. Place biscotti on wire rack to cool
17. Store in airtight container

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Raspberry Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting

I got this again, from Pinterest (don't you just love that site??!!), and I wouldn't change a thing! First made this for my friend Angela's birthday and its been one of my favorite cupcake recipes since then. Click here for the original post! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup + 2 tbs sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1-1/4 tsp vanilla

2 to 2-1/2 tsp liquid red food color (depends on how red you want them to be, don't go beyond 3 tsp or you'll only taste the food coloring)

 

For the frosting: 

1/3 cup fresh raspberries, keep in refrigerator until you are ready to make the frosting

1 package cream cheese, soften to room temperature

1 tub (7 oz) marshmallow creme

1.  Preheat oven to 350F

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt

3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4-5 minutes on medium speed

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time

5. Mix in the sour cream, milk, vanilla and the food color

6. Slowly mix in your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients just until all are incorporated, do not over mix

7. Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 of the way

8. Bake at 350F for about 18 min, check for doneness, bake for a couple more minutes if you see that they are not done at 18min

9. While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting

10. Roughly chop raspberries, you still want the pieces to be visible in the frosting but small enough to pass through the tips of the pastry bag

11. Blend the cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth and creamy

12. Add in the raspberries with a fork

13. Place the frosting in the refrigerator to firm it up

14. Once the cupcakes are done, take them out of the oven and let cool for a few minutes

15. Frost the cupcakes with either a pastry bag with any shape of tip you want or fill a quart size zip lock back with frosting, cut one corner just big enough to pass the chunk of raspberries

16. Top each cupcake with a raspberry

 

 

Chicken Spinach Bake

Easy recipe, it's even like a pantry pasta bake. Pinned this on Pinterest a few months ago but only got to try it in the last few weeks. The first time I made this, I had to substitute adding a little bit more onions and some dried chives to make up for not having onion and chive cream cheese on hand (only had plain). This time, I had some onion and chive cream cheese but didn't want to use the whole tub. Then, I had some leftover sour cream from making cupcakes, so in they go! I must say it's even yummier the second time around LOL!

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked rigatoni (1/2 box of rigatoni, I use Barilla, usually 16 oz per box)
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (recipe calls for chicken breasts but if you have boneless thighs, those would really be yummy too!)
3/4 tub (8 oz container) of onion and chive cream cheese (low fat)
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed (usually 1 box)
1 can italian style diced tomatoes (14 oz, usually named diced tomatoes with basil and oregano)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 cups shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese (divided in 2)

1.  Preheat oven to 375F
2. Cook rigatoni according to package directions for al dente (approx 12 min, you want it to still have that bite, it will cook more once the we place the whole thing in the oven)
3. Spread the oil on th bottom of an 11x7 baking dish or an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish
4. Place the onion and mushrooms in a single layer in the baking dish and bake for about 15 min or until onions are transluscent and the mushrooms slightly cooked (don't let the mushrooms shrink too much!)
5. Take out the dish out of the oven and if you see that some liquid from the mushrooms have come out, just blot them with a paper towel
6. Place the onions and mushrooms in a large bowl
7. Drain the thawed spinach well by pressing between paper towels or a clean dish cloth. Wring it out to get the water out
8. Stir in the cooked rigatoni, chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, and tomatoes into the onion and mushrooms. Add some salt and pepper (I like a lot of black pepper so add more if you want to. You can even add some red pepper flakes for that extra bite). Add in half of the cheese and mix it in gently a few times
9. Spoon mixture into the baking dish (yes, same one you used for the onion and mushrooms)
10. Cover with foil and bake at 375F for about 30 min
11. Remove the foil and bake for 15 min more or until bubbly and top is golden brown. Be careful not to burn the cheese
12. Enjoy!

Makes 6-8 servings