Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

We're gearing up for a Fourth of July cookout here, and I'm pretty excited.  I always see crazy patriotic dishes showcased in various cooking and homemaking magazines this time of year - and I must admit, I don't have the patience required for the intense, intricate assembly some of those things require.  Baking my own bread? No problem. But carefully placing rows of berries to form a flag? Please, no!

So I decided to take a more historical twist on patriotism. (I was a history major in undergrad, so I love stuff like this.) Coffee, of course, is deeply ingrained in America's history and has close ties to patriotism.  Aside from that, it's just plain tasty, and can really liven up baked goods.  These cookie bars use a small amount of coffee to really highlight the flavor of the chocolate chips - and because it's just the American thing to do.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I call for whole wheat pastry flour here to try to make these a bit healthier.  You can use all purpose if you prefer. 
Yield: about 16 bars (depending how you cut them)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softenend
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 or so baking pan - whatever your standard brownie pan is.
2. Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Combine remaining ingredients except chocolate chips in a bowl and stir to combine. Slowly add to the wet ingredients, mixing just to combine. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spread the dough into the prepared baking pan, pressing into corners and making sure it's an even thickness.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden.  Let cool, then slice.  Enjoy!

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Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread

The idea of no-knead bread was introduced by Jim Lahey, in this New York Times article a few years ago. All credit for the idea goes to him, of course. I've made variations on this recipe over the course of those years, but I've found I like the simplest version the best. This loaf uses 2/3 whole grain flours and produces a wonderfully crusty, bubbly loaf with extremely minimal effort.

 The idea of no-knead bread is that an extended rising time lets the gluten develop without kneading. You only use a small amount of yeast (otherwise you would have a dough explosion!).  I love this recipe for its hands-off nature. I've discussed bread-making before, and how it really only takes a few minutes of effort, spaced out over time, but this recipe takes that a step further. You mix the ingredients, cover and let rest for 18-24 hours (longer is better).  Punch it down, let it rise another hour or two, then bake. You're hands-on for all of 10 minutes to produce a bakery-quality loaf.

This requires some pre-planning of course - because the rise time is so long, you need to be prepared to wait for your bread. Probably no big deal - but if you want something to make for dinner tonight, this recipe isn't it.  But if you can plan ahead, this recipe is so easy that it's well-worth the extra wait time.

 The other special requirement here is a cast-iron dutch oven. I use this one from Lodge (who makes great cast-iron cookware), but you could use another brand, including an enameled version. If your dutch oven has a plastic handle, remove it before placing it in the oven (it can melt!) - there are metal replacement knobs available for Le Creuset dutch ovens.  If your dutch oven is small, you can bake two smaller loaves; I bake one large loaf in the Lodge oven. If you don't have, and don't want to purchase, a cast iron dutch oven, you can try baking this loaf on a regular old baking sheet - it's likely that it will turn out fine, but the crust will not be the same.

I've written the directions below the way I make this bread, which differ a bit from the original method, but feel free to follow the NYT instructions if you prefer.

Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread
You can use different flours or proportions of flours here if you like - but stick with gluten-containing flours (like wheat) to ensure good texture. And yes, the tiny amount of yeast is really all you need.
Yield: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 cup bread flour
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
Additional flour or cornmeal, for dusting

DIRECTIONS
1. Stir together flours, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center with your fist, then pour in the water. Stir to combine, until a dough forms. If it is too dry, add additional water 1 tbsp at a time. If it is too wet, add additional flour 1 tbsp at a time. This should be a sticky dough.
2. Place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise 18-24 hours. (I place it on top of the fridge.)
3. After the rise, punch down the dough and shape into a round loaf. Place on a baking sheet dusted with flour or cornmeal, cover with a clean dish towel, and let rise 1-2 more hours, until at least doubled in size.
4. Place a covered cast iron dutch oven in your oven (adjust the racks as necessary first).  Heat the oven to 450 degrees, allowing at least 30 minutes to pre-heat. 
5. Carefully uncover the dutch oven, place the dough in the bottom, and re-cover. Bake 30 minutes, until golden brown. (The original recipe says to bake an additional 15-30 minutes uncovered, but I found the loaf was done at 30 minutes. If you like a darker crust, let it go uncovered a bit longer.)  

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Butter and Honey Kamut Muffins

First, BIG NEWS EVERYONE! (Ok, not so much big, but still exciting.) What Grace Cooked is now on Facebook - head over there and "like" the page to keep up with new posts, see photos, and more! 

Although I typically share an entree recipe on Mondays, today I couldn't wait to share these muffins. They're vegetarian (but not vegan), so I suppose they still fit the bill!

Kamut is the brand name for khorasan wheat, an ancient grain that has been revived in modern times. The story of this wheat is pretty remarkable - it dates to ancient Egypt. Beyond it's interesting history though, kamut boasts a different flavor from standard wheat. It is buttery tasting, rather than the nutty, wheat-y flavor we're used to. And it's supposed to be easier on the digestive system. It also lends a beautiful golden color to baked goods.

That buttery flavor where these muffins get their name. They're not made with a ton of butter, and have just enough honey to make them perfectly sweet, but the buttery taste of kamut takes both of those flavors to a new level. The kamut makes the muffins dense and moist, with none of the dryness sometimes associated with whole grain baked goods. These muffins taste like a total indulgence, but are really a reasonable choice.

I used Bob's Red Mill whole grain kamut flour and kamut hot cereal. I imagine variations on these muffins could be made with a variety of other flours and cereals - I'm thinking whole wheat and oatmeal or spelt and spelt flakes as an option. But the kamut really makes the flavor of these muffins special.

Although you could certainly top these muffins with butter and honey, I think that would be over-kill in this case. They taste wonderfully rich just as they are.

Butter and Honey Kamut Muffins
I use a combination of milk and vinegar here, but you could substitute an equal amount of buttermilk or soured milk if you like. This recipe was inspired by Pharaoh's Muffins, from the kamut cereal package.  
Yield: 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 cup kamut hot cereal
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole grain kamut flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine kamut cereal, milk, and vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with papers, or grease.
3. Stir together butter, honey, and egg until combined. Stir in all remaining ingredients and kamut-milk mixture. Spoon into prepared muffin tin.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

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Applesauce Pecan Bread

Our spring weather has hit a bit of a snag - with temperatures dropping to freezing last night, I had to bring the more delicate plants inside. It's going to be a bit chilly today, but it should warm back up pretty quickly. In anticipation, I'm getting things together for a few more outdoor plantings. Even though I know harvest is a long ways off, each day I grow more eager for harvest time. For now, I have to console myself with baking bread. And that's how this hearty loaf was born. 

This is a quick bread, meaning it's not yeast-raised so there is no rising time. It's sweet, but not overly so, and heavily studded with nuts and raisins. And between whole wheat flour, honey for sweetness, and only a bit of butter, it's not so bad in the health department either.

I like a slice of this bread, warmed for a few seconds in the microwave, with my coffee.  It's dense and not overly moist (like some banana breads can be), so it's fairly sturdy.You can see how many nuts and raisins there are from these pictures - trust me, this bread does not skimp on flavor!

Keep this loaf in the fridge, and it will easily keep a week or more. The aroma of the spices as this bakes are truly heavenly - it's worth making just to fill the house with that smell.

Applesauce Pecan Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 large egg
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine egg, applesauce, butter, and honey in a medium bowl and stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in raisins and pecans.
4. Bake for one hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove bread from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

  

This whole wheat sandwich loaf is our basic, go-to bread recipe. The loaves are dense enough to support a sandwich, but not as dense as all whole-wheat loaves. The bread is lightly sweet and has just the right amount of moisture. It slices well, keeps on the counter without a problem, and toasts perfectly. I like to make this on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, while we're doing various chores and errands that don't keep us away from home for too long. 

Although the process takes a while to complete, with several rises, I don't consider it time-consuming. That's because most of the time it takes is down-time – you need a minute or so of work, then you leave it be for another hour. Easy. And bread making is one of the most rewarding cooking tasks for me, personally. There's something about slicing into a fresh loaf you made with your own hands that is incredibly satisfying. If you have never made bread before, I highly recommend you try it, at least once. If the smell of fresh-baking bread filling your home isn't enough motivation, think of how proud you'll feel after accomplishing this "difficult" task.

 

That's right, I don't think bread making is difficult. Tricky, sure, it can be. Something where experience is important, and practice really makes perfect, certainly. But it's not hard. You CAN do it, and you'll be glad you did.
 

I adapted this recipe from Joy of Cooking, in the interest of full disclosure. Their original recipe, as written, did not work at all for me (it was extremely dry!!!), and so I adapted it to suit my tastes (and to actually make bread, rather than a dry, floury mess). Their recipes usually work for me, and although this one did not, I like my adapted version a lot. So I suppose it all works out in the end.

 

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
This recipe uses part whole wheat flour and part white flour to keep the texture of the bread lighter. It is ideal for slicing for sandwiches or toast and keeps well on the counter.
Yield: 2 9x5 inch loaves

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ tbsp active dry yeast (2 packets, or 4 ½ tsp)
1 – 1 ¼ cup warm water
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 tbsp salt
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
3-4 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine 1 cup water and yeast in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer, if you plan to use it for making the dough). Set aside.
2. Combine milk, butter, maple syrup (or honey) and salt in a measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute, stir well, then microwave about 20 seconds longer, until the butter is just melted and the liquid is warm (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit). Stir into the yeast mixture.
3. Stir in the two cups of whole wheat flour to the liquids, then add 3 cups of the bread flour. Continue working the dough until the flour is absorbed. You want the dough dry enough that it does not stick to your hands or the bowl, but wet enough that it sticks to itself and incorporates all of the flour. At some point, you’ll need to switch to your hands to work the flour into the dough. If the dough has not reached this consistency, add either more flour (if too wet) or water (if too dry) one tablespoon at a time, to achieve the correct consistency. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
4. Place the dough in a large oiled mixing bowl, flipping once (so both sides get some oil on them) and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour, until approximately doubled in size. (The top of the refrigerator is a great place to let dough rise.)
5. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and let it rise another hour (in the same bowl, still covered with plastic wrap).
6. After the second rise, punch down the dough again, and divide it in two. Spray two 9x5 inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Take one half of the dough and flatten it into a rectangle with your hands. Tightly roll it along the long side (so you get a long and skinny roll, not a short and fat roll), and tuck then ends under to form a little loaf shape. Place in the pan, spray or brush the top with a bit of oil, and repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover the loaves with a clean dish towel, and let rise until doubled again, 20-45 minutes.
7. While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (425 if using glass or dark metal pans). 8. When the dough has doubled, place the pans in the oven (uncovered). Bake 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees (325 if using glass or dark metal pans) and bake 25-30 minutes longer. The crust should be golden brown, and the loaves sound hollow when tapped when the bread is done baking.

9. Remove the pans from the oven, and remove the loaves from the pans. Place the loaves on wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container (I use gallon-size baggies). You can freeze a loaf, sliced or unsliced, to keep fresh if you won’t go through them very quickly.
 

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Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite baking experiments is taking a recipe I love, and adding a new twist. Just some thing small, but designed to have a noticeable impact.  It livens up old standards, and sometimes becomes a new favorite in its own right. This is one of those cases - the orange flavor in the cookies makes them truly addictive.

I start with this chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe, from Alton Brown's Good Eats: The Early Years, and make one simple change: I add the zest of 2 oranges with the wet ingredients. That's it! I seem to be adding some kind of citrus zest to everything I make these past few months, so this was a natural extension of that trend. Orange and chocolate are flavors that go together very well. 

If you use that particular recipe, a few tips: I make these cookies smaller than the recipe does, using about 1 1/2 tbsp of dough per cookie. They bake in about 10 minutes, but keep a close eye on them because they go from not-quite-done to very brown in a flash. I only bake one tray at a time.  If your oven bakes unevenly (like ours does, the back bakes faster), be sure to rotate the tray at some point during baking.

I like to freeze these, and eat them straight from the freezer, so they're crunchy. Nick likes how they stay chewy even after they cool. In any case, they don't last long!

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Blood Orange Sugar Cookies

Simple sugar cookies make a perfect afternoon treat. They seem to compliment everything, from coffee to ice cream. (Well, everything important, anyways.) This recipe is a slight twist on the traditional, adding the flavor of a blood orange to the cookie. The cookies are delicate and more crispy than chewy. I like to make these fairly small - I prefer large cookies for more hearty-flavored varieties, like cowboy cookies.

I had hoped the bright pink orange juice would lend some color to the cookies, but it did not. You could use whatever kind of orange you like here, but be sure it is a sweet, good-tasting orange. I like cara caras best.  You could also do a lemon or lime variation on the cookie.

These cookies disappeared fast - they are hard to resist!

Blood Orange Sugar Cookies
Really, you can use any variety of orange you like here. But blood oranges would be perfect for themed parties (twilight, true blood, nosferatu...no judgment). 
Yield: about 3 dozen small cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Zest of one orange
3 tbsp fresh-squeezed orange juice
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups white-whole wheat or all purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpats, and set aside.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients, except flour, until well blended.
3. Stir in flour until just blended.
4. Drop about 2 tsp of dough 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

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Pumpkin Focaccia

We've had some crazy weather mood-swings the past few weeks - from single digits to a few days in the mid-50s, the weather can't seem to decide what it wants to be. The nice thing is that this means any ice that forms doesn't stick around for more than a few days. Oddly, however, my cooking can't decide if it's winter or spring. Winter means hearty, warm, comforting meals. Spring means fresh, herb-y creations. I suppose every season needs some good baking though, because that's about the only thing I've gotten creative with recently.

It seems like everything I've posted the past few weeks is bread. Or baking. No real entrees! Our meals have been fairly simple, with lots of leftovers, and repeats of things I've already posted. Like bagels. Or this potato salad.  Grilled fish. You get the idea. I'm planning to try a few new, more creative ideas this weekend - so here's hoping I'll have some real meals to show you soon. In the meantime, enjoy the baked goodness!

The pumpkin here doesn't really lend much flavor to the bread; I added it for moisture and softness. It makes the bread a beautiful golden color. The flavor is much more from the herbs and pumpkin seeds, which give a hearty, substantial feeling to this bread.

Like I mentioned before, you can always just use more rosemary in place of the lavender. Or use whatever herbs you like best. I imagine some fresh basil would be a delicious addition.

Pumpkin Focaccia
This hearty flat bread is ideal for dunking in soups.
Yield: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS
2 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups white-whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp lavender
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp instant yeast
1 - 1 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS
1. Crush rosemary and lavender in a mortar and pestle (or, in a bowl, using the back of a spoon).  Combine flours, salt, crushed herbs, seeds, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the water and pumpkin puree. Stir until all the flour is incorporated, adding extra water 1 tbsp at a time if the dough is too dry. (You may need to switch from a spoon to your hands at some point.)
2. Knead the dough for 5 minutes or so, on a clean surface, until it is smooth and elastic. Add some flour to the surface if your dough is sticking too much.
3. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and flip once (so the dough gets a light coating of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for an hour or so, until the dough has approximately doubled in size.
4. Divide the dough into two pieces, and shape each into a flat bread about 1/4 inch thick using your hands. I made two oval-shaped loaves, so they would fit on my round pizza stone side-by-side. Place the doughs onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, and brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until puffed, about 25 minutes.
5. While the dough rises, place your pizza stone in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
6. When the dough is done rising, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and carefully transfer the dough to the hot pizza stone. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool loaves on a wire rack.

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Rosemary Lavender Cornbread

This is the cornbread we took to the potluck over the weekend. It's not a huge departure from traditional cornbread, but rather a subtle variation that makes it extra delicious.You get a slightly sweet, very flavorful cornbread that's perfect alongside whatever soup or chili you dream up. Or drizzle with some honey and eat it for dessert!

Rosemary and lavender are very complimentary herbs, lending a sweetly herbal/floral note to the bread. They smell amazing when you crush them together.  Trust me, the whole effort of making this bread is justified by that smell.

I used a mortar and pestle to crush my herbs, as pictured above, but you can use the back of a spoon in a bowl with curved sides to crush the herbs, or just leave them whole. You don't want them reduced to a powder, but you want to avoid huge pieces. I imagine fresh lavender and rosemary would be amazing here, if you have them.

If you don't have/can't find/don't want to buy lavender, you can substitute an equal amount of rosemary - it should still be quite tasty.

Rosemary Lavender Skillet Cornbread
The herbs add a subtle sweet and floral note to this classic bread. 
Yield: 1 12-inch skillet sized loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp rosemary, crushed
1 tsp lavender, crushed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 12-inch cast iron, oven-safe skillet.
2. Crush the herbs in a mortar and pestle (or use the back of a spoon in a bowl) until slightly crushed and very fragrant. 
3. Combine flours, salt, baking powder, and herbs in a large bowl, and mix together. Make a well in the center, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spoon or spatula, so the batter reaches the edges of the pan.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing or removing from pan.

We enjoyed this with corn chowder, and I've been snacking on pieces straight from the fridge.

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Apple Oat Scones

As much as I love to bake, that love is tempered by the amount my jeans will stretch. So I'm always looking for a way to healthy-up a baking recipe - reducing the sugar and butter, and making sure there's lots of nutrition packed in. Granted, my holiday baking doesn't reflect this at all, because I think christmas cookies just need to be the real deal. But most of the time, a few simple tweaks can make a recipe both tasty and healthy enough to eat every day.

Some of my favorite tricks are substituting part or all whole-grain flours for white flour, reducing sugar by 25% or so, or replacing sugar with honey or maple syrup, swapping butter or oil for applesauce or pumpkin puree. Adding some form of nuts and/or fruit both adds flavor and nutrition content. And in short order, I can have a whole new recipe. Occasionally, a few too many swaps will turn the recipe into something unrecognizable. But other times, the recipe is a definite keeper, like these scones.

Enjoy these for breakfast or as a snack. They're best if you warm them for a few seconds in the microwave. Top them with butter and honey if you like, but I enjoy them just as they are. 

Apple Oat Scones
These are slightly sweet, with a fantastic nutty flavor from the grains. To make oat flour, process oatmeal in a food processor until you reach a flour-like consistency. 
Yield: 16 scones

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups oat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c sliced almonds
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup milk or almond milk, plus additional for brushing.

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine flours, baking powder, salt,  and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter in using a pastry cutter or a fork, until the mixture is slightly crumbly. Stir in the almonds and apple.
2. In a second bowl, combine maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup milk. Stir to combine, then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture comes together. It will be fairly dry, but be sure all of the flour is incorporated.
3. On a baking sheet lined with parchment, scoop out about 1/4 cup dough at a time, and shape each into a slightly flattened disc. Brush the top with milk, and transfer the sheet to the freezer. (Note: you can put all the scones on the same sheet for this step, then separate them for baking). 
4. Freeze for about 20 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
5. Remove the scones from the freezer (divide between two trays if needed, leave about 2" between each scone), and bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes on the sheet, then remove to a wire rack. Enjoy warm. 

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Banana Walnut Pick-Me-Up Muffins

I was feeling a bit stressed over the terrible quality of the photo with my curry post, particularly because I think the recipe is both delicious and practical, and I'd like people to consider making it. I made a promise to myself to try to take better photos. Now, I'm not a food photography blog, but I do like pretty pictures of food.

I made these muffins at night but decided to wait until the next morning to photograph them so I could use natural light. Because we have no windows in the kitchen, I decided to photograph these out on the porch. Of course, when I woke up, the wind chill was -4. I braved the elements, and captured a few shots I really like. I hope you enjoy them!

I feel like these photos do justice to the absolute deliciousness of the muffins. The toasted walnut flavor combines with the hint of coffee to take basic banana to a whole new level. There is enough butter that it lends a rich flavor to the whole muffin, but these are not greasy at all. With whole wheat, healthy fat from the walnuts, and an extra touch of protein from Greek yogurt, these muffins are sure to keep you moving all morning.

To toast the walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir often, and keep an eye on them because they will burn easily. Use your nose to tell you when they are done (they will smell delicious!). You could also use pecans in place of the walnuts.

Also, if you have espresso powder, use that in place of the instant coffee. While I think that instant coffee prepared as a beverage is generally vile, I find it lends a good flavor to shakes/smoothies and baked goods, and is an acceptable substitute for the more expensive and difficult to find espresso powder.

If you don't have white-whole wheat flour, you can try substituting equal parts all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I found my flour at Trader Joe's. 

Banana Walnut Pick-Me-Up Muffins
These muffins were inspired by Super Natural Cooking's Espresso Banana Muffins.
Yield: 12-18 muffins, depending on size.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white-whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tbsp instant coffee
6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Or, to make mini muffins, spray the mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, coffee, and a little more than half of the walnuts in a bowl.
3. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and vanilla, then add the yogurt and mashed bananas.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until just combined. Do not over-stir!
5.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. To make 12 muffins, you need to fill the tins all the way to the top. I filled to the top of my muffin papers (which were slightly shorter than my pan), and had enough batter leftover for 8 mini muffins. Alternatively, fill each tin about 2/3 full, and make 18 muffins. Sprinkle the top of the muffins with remaining walnuts.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown. For mini muffins, bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Despite chilly temperatures, my new workout program is going well, leaving me hungry for plenty of these muffins. Here's hoping for no more single-digit (or negative!) temps or wind chills - this Nebraska wind is serious stuff.

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Chewy Triple Ginger Cookies

One last cookie recipe before Christmas. We're finishing up the last bits of baking, wrapping, and other preparation before hitting the road home!

These are a twist on the classic ginger snap, where I tried to really highlight the ginger, rather than making a "spice" cookie. Also, unlike ginger snaps, these are soft and chewy cookies - as much as I've always loved ginger snaps, I always kind of felt like I might chip a tooth eating them. If you want crispy ginger cookies, use white sugar instead of brown, and all purpose flour instead of bread flour. I used honey instead of the classic molasses to let the ginger shine through more; feel free to use up to 1/4 cup molasses instead of honey for a more classic flavor.

To make these "triple" ginger, I used three kinds of ginger: ground ginger, candied ginger, and ginger syrup. The candied ginger and ginger syrup are both the product of the same recipe.

Candied Ginger and Ginger Syrup
Make leftover ginger syrup into ginger ale by combining three tbsp syrup with seltzer and ice cubes in a pint glass; stir.
Yield: about 1-1/2 cups candied ginger, about 1 1/2 cups ginger syrup

INGREDIENTS
8 oz fresh ginger root (a piece about the size of my hand), peeled and cut to a 1/4 inch dice
2 cups sugar, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups water

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine ginger, 2 cups sugar, and water in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until sugar mostly dissolves. Simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, until the ginger is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Spread 1/4 cup sugar on a rimmed cookie sheet. Remove ginger from syrup with a slotted spoon, and toss with sugar. Let this sit out until dry, probably overnight. This is your candied ginger. Store in an airtight container.
3. If the ginger syrup is not thick enough, you can let it simmer for a few more minutes; remember it will thicken more as it cools. Pour syrup through a mesh strainer into your storage container - a  mason/ball jar works great. Store in the fridge.

Chewy Triple Ginger Cookies
These cookies will stay soft and chewy. If you don't have ginger syrup, you can substitute more honey, but you might need a bit more ground ginger. 
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ginger syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
Zest of one orange
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 cup minced candied ginger
Optional toppings: white chocolate, festive sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in ginger syrup, honey, egg, and orange zest.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir in the candied ginger.
4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the sheet. Flatten the cookies with your hand; these do not spread very much. Leave about an inch between cookies.
5. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cool, drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle.

Enjoy!

Sweet Wine Cookies

 

This recipe is based on one from my second-favorite bakery in Columbus, Ohio - Pistacia Vera. (For the record, my first favorite is, and will always be, The Goodie Shoppe.)  The owner of the bakery gave the recipe for these cookies to the local newspaper. I was dying to make them at home - I'd had them from the bakery before, but they're a seasonal item.  Plus, I live about a thousand miles away from this bakery, so the ability to make these at home is a huge win in my book.

I made a few changes to the recipe. First, the recipe calls for marasla wine, which is a type of sweet Italian fortified wine. I just used some Malbec that we had leftover from the wedding - I think any "big" red wine would work. You want something with a lot of good fruity flavor, and you definitely want it to be something you'd drink by the glass. I don't think sweet versus dry matters too much here - my wine was pretty dry. If you think your wine is too dry, you can always add a pinch more sugar.

Second, the recipe calls for anise extract. While some people love the stuff, and it is certainly more traditional, my family doesn't care for it very much. What they do love is vanilla, so I used that instead. If your family loves anise, or almond extract, feel free to try those.

Finally, I changed up the method. I found the original recipe a bit fussy, and I thought I could just do this all in the bowl of my stand mixer. The cookies turned out great.

I can't say enough about how delicious these are - delicately sophisticated, yet easy to love - the flavor combination is both complex and well-balanced. I promise you'll love them.

Sweet Wine Cookies
Although the directions here are given for using a stand mixer, you could easily make these by hand - just use a whisk for the first part, then switch to a large wooden spoon. For the chocolate, I just ran my knife through some chocolate chips a few times - you want the varied size pieces from shavings to chunks to get a good distribution of chocolate flavor.
Yield: about 30 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra for dusting
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup red wine - use one that you'd drink by the glass
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With the whisk attachment on the stand mixer, lightly beat the egg. Add the sugar, and continue beating until the mixture becomes lighter and color and slightly fluffy. Zest the lemon and the orange directly over the bowl.
2. Add vanilla, canola oil, and wine, and whisk until combined.
3. Switch to your paddle attachment (or spoon). In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and baking powder, and stir together. Add the flour mixture, stirring until the dough is just combined. Stir in the chocolate.
4. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Put a little bit of sugar in a bowl. Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll the ball around in the sugar to coat, then place on the baking sheet. These won't spread too much during baking, so leave an inch or so between cookies.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to show signs of browning. (My cookies took 20 minutes.) Remove to wire racks to cool.

Suggestion for leftover citrus: slice and enjoy in still or sparkling water.

Suggestion for leftover wine: I think you can figure this out yourself.

As easy as...macaroons?

Macaroons were not something I ever expected to be able to make at home, and I certainly didn't expect that they'd be quite this easy. That said, this recipe requires a decent amount of attention to detail, and baking experience will make it easier to follow. But I promise, you can make these too - I'm not some kind of culinary wizard.  And you efforts will be deliciously rewarding!

Vanilla Macaroons
This is a basic recipe for macaroons, with a few flavor suggestions below. Feel free to experiment with other extracts and spices to make different flavors. I used both Bob's Red Mill almond flour (made from blanched almonds, so there are no almond skins in the flour) and Trader Joe's almond meal (which has almond skins left on). Both worked equally well. Additionally, you can make your own almond flour by processing almonds in a food processor until a flour-like consistency is reached (but don't over process, or you'll end up with almond butter!).
Makes about 40 cookies, enough for 20 completed macaroons

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 c almond meal (see notes)
3 egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
dash salt
4 tbsp granulated sugar

To fill: about 1 cup butter cream frosting (recipe below), or Nutella.

For Chocolate Macaroons, reduce vanilla to 1/2 tsp, and add 2 tbsp cocoa powder with the nut mixture.
For Cinnamon Macaroons, add 2 tsp cinnamon with the nut mixture.

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine powdered sugar and almond meal in a bowl. Whisk together with cocoa powder or cinnamon, if using.
2. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a hand-mixer, beat egg whites with vanilla and salt on medium speed until foamy.
3. Add the granulated sugar 1 tbsp at a time, while continuing to beat. Continue beating until soft peaks form (the tips of the peaks should curl).
4. Stir the nut mixture into the egg whites. Don't over-stir, but don't under-stir either (see note below).
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat-type liners (This is a MUST!). Using a 2 tsp or 1 tbsp measuring spoon, drop level measures of mixture onto the sheets, leaving about an inch between the cookies. Alternatively, you can use a small cookie dough scoop. Or use a piping bag to pipe 1 1/2 inch circles (I tried this method, and found it sticky and frustrating).
6. Let rest for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until set. Set cookie sheets on wire racks. Let cookies cool completely before removing from sheets.
8. Spread filling on one cookie, and top with a second cookie. Keep refrigerated, especially if using butter cream filling.

About stirring: A few stirs makes a big difference. While you don't want to over-stir, make sure you stir enough - the mixture should flatten/spread slightly when placed on the cookie sheet. You want cookies that look more like the ones on the left than the ones on the right: (the difference  is about 10 seconds of stirring [well, and they're different flavors])

Cookies waiting to be filled:

Cookies waiting to be eaten: (I didn't make them wait long)

Butter Cream Frosting

This recipe is based on a Swiss-style butter cream. (There are also French, Italian, and American styles, if you're curious.) It combines recipes from Joy of Cooking and Good Eats 2.  You will need a quick-read thermometer to make sure your egg whites are safely cooked. 

Yield: about 3 cups.

INGREDIENTS

4 egg whites

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp water

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or extract of choice)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into about 1 tsp chunks (that's 24 pieces per stick)

DIRECTIONS

1. Using either a double boiler, or a metal mixing bowl placed over a pot of water (be sure it fits so that the bottom does not touch the water), bring about 1 inch of water to simmer in the lower vessel. In the top vessel/bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar. Over the water, whisk constantly until the mixture becomes foamy and reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. My set up was stable enough to whisk with one hand and hold the thermometer with the other, but use caution. 

2. Carefully (your bowl will be hot!) transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Add vanilla. Beat on high speed until the mixture cools, thickens and increases in volume, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Continuing to beat at medium speed, add the butter one piece at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. (My recipe notes that this process should take about 6 minutes, and I found that accurate). The mixture may appear to curdle (this happened during the second stick for me), but continue anyways - it should come together. 

4. Once all of the butter is incorporated, increase mixer speed to high and beat for another minute until the butter cream is smooth. 

5. Use immediately, and store all frosted items in the fridge. Lick the bowl.

Note that you may be able to store the frosting in the fridge, and use it again later by returning it to room temp, but when I tried to do this the frosting "broke" - i.e. the liquids and solids separated, rendering it useless.

Enjoy!

Bagels

Why bagels? Because they're delicious. And they're even more delicious when they're freshly baked. Seriously, try keeping your paws off of these for the whole cooling period after they bake - I dare you!

So what's the difference between baking bagels and baking normal bread? Bagels are boiled before they're baked - that's why the exterior is chewier than regular bread. I remember going to a bagel shop when I was younger - it had a window where you could watch them make the bagels. There was a giant cauldron of boiling water that they dropped the bagels into briefly before putting them in the oven. Their oven was probably my favorite part: the bagels went onto shelves that slowly rotated, so that after a few times around the oven they were ready to be removed. It was like a Ferris wheel of baked goodness!

My oven, of course, is not fancy like that. And you don't need any fancy equipment to make bagels - your hands, a pot of boiling water, and an oven are really all you need. Now, the procedure for making the bagels may seem involved, but none of the steps are difficult, and there is a lot of down time while the bagels rest (or bake).

You really have to use bread flour for this recipe. It has a higher protein (gluten) content than regular all-purpose flour, which is essential to bread (and bagel) making.

Whole Wheat Bagels
These are fully customizable - you could add nuts, or raisins and cinnamon, or whatever you please. You can add toppings to your bagels by dipping the top on a plate of your chosen topping immediately after boiling. Below this recipe I've given directions for an alternative I really enjoyed. These bagels are a little bigger than most store-bought, but still fit well in the toaster.
Yield: 8 bagels

INGREDIENTS
2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole-wheat bread flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c flax meal (ground flax seeds)
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups warm water

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all of the ingredients except the water in a bowl. Mix well. Make a well in the center and add 1 1/4 cups of the water. Stir (or just use your hands) until all of the flour is incorporated. Add the additional water if you need it to incorporate all the flour. If the water is still not enough, add more 1 tbsp at a time until you have a stiff, not sticky, but not overly dry dough.
2. Knead the dough on a clean surface for 5 to 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticking too much, lightly flour your surface.
3. Divide the dough into eight pieces (I use a sharp knife to cut it), and roll each into a ball. Leave a little space between each ball (they'll puff up). Let rest, covered with a towel, for about 15 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into bagels. This can be done a number of ways, but the best way I've found is to make a hole in the ball with my thumb, then use my thumb and fingers on one hand to lightly squeeze the dough into shape, rotating the dough around my thumb. Let rest again, covered with a towel, for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Using a slotted spoon or spider, place a few bagels at a time into the water (I fit three at a time) and boil for one minute per side. Remove to paper towels (or the towel you used to cover them while they rested).
6. Lightly oil a baking sheet, and arrange the bagels on it. It's okay if they are very close together, they don't expand much during baking.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Tap the top to check if they're done - they should sound hollow when fully baked. (Note: all the recipes I read called for the bagels to be flipped halfway through. Feel free to do this, but I found it unnecessary - both the top and bottom browned well without flipping.)
8. Remove bagels to a rack and let cool about 20 minutes (good luck!). 

Italian Herb and Cheese Bagels
This is a variation on the Whole Wheat Bagels recipe above.

INGREDIENTS
Use the same ingredients as above, but:
Reduce: sugar to 1 tbsp
Add:
2 tsp italian seasoning (dried herbs)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (divided)

DIRECTIONS
Follow the directions above, but:
1. Add the italian seasoning and 1/2 cup of cheese to the dry ingredients.
...
6. After boiling but before baking, top each bagel with about 1 tbsp cheese.

I've been enjoying these bagels topped with cheese and a fried egg. I store them in the fridge to increase the shelf life, but you could also freeze them. I would slice them first, so you can stick them straight into the toaster to thaw. (I've done battle with un-sliced frozen bagels before - not fun.)


Stay tuned - later this week I'll be posting about my first (and, amazingly, successful) attempt at making real French macaroons.