New Year Baking: Pear, Candied Ginger and Walnut Quick Bread

Posted on January 5, 2014 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

A loaf of bread, a spot of tea and thou…the perfect combo for a damp January day. (The cat fetish was made by fellow potter and friend, Ana Vizzuraga.)

Happy 2014! I hope all of you had a joyful holiday season and rang in the new year with great gusto and style.

We enjoyed a lovely and extended holiday time traveling and visiting with family and friends, returning home just in time to say goodbye to 2013 (with a bit of good riddance, in my book.) Alas, 2013 wouldn’t quite let go of me in that immediately upon my return, I contracted a stomach flu-type bug, which was with me all week. Needless to say, being in the kitchen was pretty far from my mind.

As this first weekend of 2014 rolls past, I’m finally feeling much better and I think I’m ready for a little sweet and light in my cooking…something for my breakfast and dessert pleasure. So what’s in the fridge and cupboard? Pears, walnuts and lots of candied ginger left over from making chai tea mix and chocolate hazelnut and ginger biscotti. Although I love pears, I hardly ever cook with them, usually preferring to eat them raw in salads or with cheese. But of course, they are so transcendent when cooked…the heat enhancing their natural sweetness, releasing their perfume and still retaining a most pleasant texture.

It’s quite hard to sit and wait for this to cool off.

This Pear, Candied Ginger and Walnut Quick Bread was an experiment, and it came out even better than I had hoped. It has a very chunky fruit texture, which worried me a bit when I put it in the oven—wasn’t sure if I’d gone overboard on the pears—but the result is a moist, fruity, crunchy and incredibly flavorful loaf. You get a hint of the ginger and an essence of nutmeg in each bite. The tiny bit of lemon zest brings all the flavors together. I could eat the whole thing in a sitting, that’s how good it is…but I won’t. It is a new year after all, and there are all those pesky resolutions to be considered.

It’s been quite cold here this weekend, and even more so in other parts of the country (and world), which was all the more reason to enjoy a slice of this bread with a nice, hot cup of tea, coffee or cocoa.

Cheers, stay warm (or cool, if you’re in the southern hemisphere) and have a happy day!

Pear, Candied Ginger and Walnut Quick Bread
Makes 1-5″ x 9″ Loaf

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus a bit more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 (generous) teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup milk
2 medium pears, I used a Bosc and a Bartlett, peeled, cored and diced (about 2 full cups)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with butter and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In another larger bowl, beat the sugar and butter together with a hand mixer until well blended, then add the egg and zest and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture and the milk in 3 alternate batches, alternating and beating each ingredient until just combined, do not over mix. Scrape the batter off the beaters, then add the pear, walnuts and ginger, stirring by hand gently until evenly combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan (it will be thick, fairly stiff and lumpy), spread it until it is evenly dispersed in the pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the loaf is shrinking from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to cool on the rack until room temperature. Slice with a sharp serrated bread knife and enjoy plain, or with a tiny bit of sweetened whipped cream if you’re still feeling decadent after the holidays.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Wishing you joyful hearts and happy times during this festive holiday season.

May 2014 be a gentle and peaceful time for you and your loved ones,

a year filled with good health, creativity and abundance.

Merry Christmas! Season’s Greetings! Happy New Year!

Gifts a Go-Go: Homemade Chai Tea Mix and So Much More

Posted on December 10, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Zooming. That’s what it feels like right now. Zooming towards the holiday at record breaking speed. Here’s a little slideshow of what I’ve been doing the last two weeks instead of posting sooner!

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So you see, I really haven’t been ignoring anyone, just kinda busy…honestly. But then, who isn’t? So you deserve a new recipe and here it is.

I have a new gift item literally in the “mix” this year. It’s a wonderful smelling and tasting Chai Tea Mix to make and give to friends, or as a great hostess gift. It’s really an easy gift to put together, makes a seasonally colorful mixture and is endlessly customizable to suit your tastes. I’ve used a warming blend of spices that I’m particularly fond of, along with some fresh orange zest and candied ginger. Simply toast your spices, crush them to release their essence and toss with caffeinated or decaf black tea leaves and chopped candied ginger. Or you can try using an herbal tea leaf of your choice—the experimenting is up to you. I like to tie on a pretty little tea ball for brewing, or some tea bags to be filled as desired by the recipient. Here are the steps and recipe, and you can click on any image for a step by step slideshow.

Many spices make for a great Chai Tea Mix.

Candied ginger adds sweet and spice.

I get my bulk spices and tea leaves at the Farmer’s Market.

A pan full of goodness, ready for toasting.

The smell out of the oven is enough to make you want to plant your face in the pans, I’m telling you.

Crush your cinnamon stick separately from the more fragile spices.

It should look like this when you’re done.

Here’s the completed crushed spices mix.

Add the ginger….

then the tea leaves.

Toss to combine and you have your Chai tea mix!

Spoon it into gift jars.

Beauty!

I think I’ll have to test a taste. A spoonful into an empty tea bag.

Ready to roll.

Into the cup it goes…mmm, mmm, good!

Ready for giving.

Chai Tea Mix
Makes 4 pint jars full, about 12 cups of tea per jar

56 green cardamom pods, split in half with sharp knife, use pods and seeds
2 teaspoons whole red peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
4 Tablespoons whole fennel seeds
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole cloves
9 – 5 inch cinnamon sticks
4 teaspoons fresh orange zest, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped candied ginger
2 cups loose leaf black tea, I used English Breakfast

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cardamom pods and seeds, red peppercorns, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange zest into two pie tins or on a cookie sheet, and toast them in the oven until they become fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5-8 minutes. Watch them carefully after 5 minutes. Remove the spices from the oven. Crush the cinnamon stick with a mortar and pestle or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, until you have small bits but not powder, and add to a large mixing bowl. Lightly crush the remaining spices to release their essence either by mortar and pestle or rolling pin…again, you don’t want powder, just smaller pieces. Add the spices to the cinnamon, along with the candied ginger and tea, and mix well to blend. Transfer the tea mix to your jars or decorative bags.

Directions: To brew one cup of tea (and I put these brewing instructions on my tags on the jars), place one heaping tablespoon of the mix into a tea ball or empty tea bag (these can be purchased at cooking specialty stores or online, or you can make them out of coffee filters), and place into a mug. Add 1 cup of boiling water and steep for 5 minutes. Add warm milk (about 1/4 cup or to taste to start) then sweeten with sugar or honey, if desired. Enjoy!

*****

I’ll have some more great gift ideas and new items before the big holiday, at which point I will take a rest for a week to enjoy the season and spend time with family and friends.

In the mean time, please check out these links below to find the recipes for items in the slideshow that I’ve made already, and for more food gift ideas that I’ve made and previously posted on this blog. And be sure to take the time to have a cup of tea, de-stress and enjoy the season.

These are a classic!

Drop Sugar Cookies and

Old Fashioned Ice Box Cookies
are two old tried and true recipes I love.

Then I had to make some of those addictive red pepper and fennel glazed almonds.

Red Pepper and Fennel Glazed Almonds

Chocolate, Hazelnut and Ginger Biscotti
(If I make nothing else, I make these every year and I’d be in the doghouse if I didn’t!)

Retro Cheese Olive Bites
These are great to make ahead and freeze and so are the
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Apricots and Pistachios!

Cranberry Liqueur

Provençal Olives

All dressed up and ready to give!

Walnut Thyme Honey

Ma’amool Cookies

*****

A Cozy Chicken Casserole for a Wintery Day

Posted on November 27, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

This is so hot out of the oven that it's still bubbling! Lovely!

This is not one of those things that photographs well on a plate. Here it is fresh out of the oven…so hot that it’s still bubbling! Lovely.

Tomorrow marks the American Thanksgiving holiday celebration and the real beginning of the big holiday season. It seems like time—which has already flown this year—is speeding up incrementally each moment that passes. Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m feeling the pressure!

But this week I’m taking some time to give thanks and count the many blessings in my life. I give thanks for my supportive family (you know who you are) and friends who have helped us survive this rather traumatic year. Thanks for our home being repaired and secured, and the ability to stay warm and fed during the cold months ahead. And thanks to my loving husband for the 15 years of marriage we will celebrate this Thanksgiving Day!

Our young owl friend in the back yard.

As I sit here writing this post, I hear an owl just outside my window hooting and hunting as dusk falls. We have owls around here most of the year, awesome creatures—beautiful and yet terrifying if you’re the target of their dinner. A family of Red Tail hawks lives a few doors down from us and we see and hear them quite often, too.

And a couple of weeks ago my husband snapped this image of one of three pileated woodpeckers (Woody Woodpecker!) This one hung around in our back yard feeding on bugs in the pines for a while, and you can see the bug in its beak. Though they are loud birds, they are quite shy, so it was really a coupe for him to catch this one with a snap!

All of this rather natural and country living, right here in the deep heart of a metropolitan area. Blessed, I’m tellin’ ya!

I’m in the mood for a little comfort food at the moment to chase away the chilly rain, very high winds and wintery mix we’re having down south, so I made up this little casserole to fit that bill. Maybe this came about because I was thinking of the holiday foods ahead, because it definitely has the chicken and dressing kind of action going on here. But it was actually inspired by my Tarragon Pecan Chicken Salad which seems to be a favorite of Pinterest pinners. The texture of this casserole is wonderfully comforting—nutty, chewy, savory and a teensy bit creamy, with a tiny hit of sweet from the grapes and the tarragon. It ticks off all the boxes, without being a super creamy, fat laden casserole—which I like as well as anyone, but don’t need this time of year! It takes some effort and a few dishes, but it makes a lot and the taste is definitely worthwhile. It also reheats well in the microwave. You can run your cursor over, or click on any image below to read through the process, or to see a larger image slideshow.

Roast your grapes…

Toast your pecans…

and chop them!

Finely dice your shallots and celery.

Beautiful heirloom wild rice, long and short grain brown and heritage rice, bought bulk.

Cooked and steaming hot rice.

Bake your chicken, then tear it into bite sized pieces.

Saute your shallots and celery.

Which later become a cream sauce.

Half your roasted grapes and add them to the rice.

Then add the rest of your ingredients…you’ll need a large bowl.

Transfer the mixture to a very large casserole.

When it’s done it will look like this…love the crispy bits!

To all of those who celebrate, have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Hannukah as well. And I hope everyone has a happy, fun and safe weekend ahead.

Chicken, Wild Rice, Pecan and Roasted Grape Casserole
Makes about 8 servings

2 cups red seedless grapes, washed
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 bone-in and skin on chicken breasts, (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs. with bone)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups long grain and wild rice blend, uncooked
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups low sodium chicken stock, or homemade
1 cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 cup peeled and finely diced shallot (about 4 medium shallots)
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup additional chicken stock (I use rendered juice from cooking the chicken breasts)
1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Lightly grease a large ovenproof casserole (I use enamelware) with olive oil and set aside. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with olive oil. Place the washed grapes on the cookie sheet and toss them in 1 teaspoon of olive oil to coat. Roast the grapes in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until they are shiny and plump. Remove and set aside to cool. Reduce the heat in the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil a glass dish that will comfortably fit the two chicken breasts and place them in it. Drizzle the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over both breasts and sprinkle each with a tiny bit of kosher salt and black pepper. Bake the chicken in the oven for about 35 -45 minutes at 375 degrees F, until done and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes, then uncover and remove the chicken to a plate to cool, reserving any drippings in the pan. When the chicken is cool enough to touch, remove the meat from the bones and tear it into bite sized pieces with your hands, discarding the skin and bones. Set the meat aside.

While the chicken is baking, put the rice into a large, heavy saucepan and cover with the six cups chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook until the rice is just al dente and almost all liquid has been absorbed, about 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand covered for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a very large mixing bowl.

In a large, non-stick skillet, melt the 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat, then add the chopped celery and shallots, a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, and sauté until the shallot is becoming transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir, cooking it for about a minute, then slowly add in the milk, then the sour cream, stirring until smooth. Add the drippings from the chicken (or the additional 1/2 cup stock if you prefer), 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and allow the sauce to cook for a minute or two until thickened slightly, stirring, then turn off the heat.

Slice the cooled, roasted grapes in half and add them to the rice in the large mixing bowl. Add the chopped toasted pecans, the chicken and the sauce and stir to combine well. Add the tarragon and 1/2 cup of cheese to the mixture and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed, by adding more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the chicken and rice mixture into the large prepared casserole dish, smoothing the top, and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35-45 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve hot. Great with a salad or roasted green beans.

A is for Apples: A Savory Bread Pudding and an Apple Oat Walnut Bar

Posted on November 14, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Fall isn’t Fall without apple bars, breads, cakes, cookies, crisps, bread puddings, salads and soups!

Do you have seasonal favorite dishes that you like to make? As each year rolls around, I look forward with great anticipation to tasting some favorite dishes once more, and it seems like periodically they are due for a wee makeover. Not that there was anything wrong with them the first time around, but just because I think…’Wow, wouldn’t this be good with this or that added to it?’ Or, ‘What if I tried making that into something else?’ Here are two new dishes, not quite the same as the old dishes—and both involve one of my favorite seasonal ingredients, apples! Continue reading →

Fall Frolic and a Warming Ham, Potato and Cabbage “Chowder”

Posted on November 7, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

On a whim, husband and I decided to take a day trip to the mountains last Saturday for some much needed R&R and a romantic picnic. We hadn’t taken a day for just the two of us to get away and relax since, well, you know the story. This was a restoration of the soul!

And though I think the leaves had just peaked, it was a stunning day in the the North Georgia Mountains, and a day filled with contrasts. There was still lots of beautiful color, and our day started off sunny and in the low 60’s with a gentle cool breeze blowing. You’ve seen my posts before on Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Lake Winfield Scott…both located within a 40 mile or so radius of the Dahlonega area of North Georgia. We started off with a stop at Wolf Mountain Vineyards, then headed to Lake Winfield Scott for our picnic, where we had last been on a lazy summer day in early June. Imagine our surprise as a huge and unpredicted cloud came up, the temperature dropped about 15 to 20 degrees, and it started sleeting on us! We ran back to the car, and headed to Frogtown Cellars, another North Georgia vineyard, about 15 miles away. By the time we arrived there it was sunny again and a bit cooler. Such is the Fall climate of the southern Appalachian mountains! Our last stop was in the little town of Dahlonega itself, sweet but a little touristy.

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We are blessed to be so close to the mountains that one can do all of this easily in a day trip—even this time of year when the days are shorter—and be back home in the city just in time to enjoy a warming, hearty and rich chowder for dinner to take the chill off.

At this point it looks like it’s all cabbage!

But in the end it becomes a luscious and creamy chowder.

The chowder was inspired by a soup that my mom served us on our last visit to see her—a creamy cabbage soup. To be honest, cooked cabbage isn’t one of my most favorite things and the idea of a creamed soup with cabbage doesn’t get my juices flowing, so I was a bit skeptical about this soup until I tasted it…and it was absolutely delicious! It featured lovely chunks of ham, cabbage and other vegetables in a rich cream broth. I procured the recipe from Mom and brought it home…and then promptly lost it somewhere in the house! But I could remember the tastes—the cabbage and ham of course, plus thyme and maybe onion, some celery and carrot. I headed for the store, decided that leeks and potatoes would be a good addition and headed home.

This “chowder” is my result. I did later find the recipe for the soup, but am quite pleased with my version which is thicker and even heartier with the added potatoes than the original was, and reminds me of a chowder and hence its name. Thanks for the inspiration, Mom! We’ve decided this is a new favorite and I will be making it again this winter for sure. It freezes well, too, which is always a bonus.

Absolutely delicious. You really have to taste it to believe just how good it is!

Ham, Potato and Cabbage Chowder
Makes 8 hearty servings

3 small leeks, cleaned and diced, white and light green parts only (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery diced, about 1 cup
2 medium carrots peeled and diced, about 1 cup
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 medium head of green cabbage, trimmed and shredded
2 medium Idaho potatoes (or Yukon gold), cleaned and diced with skins on (about 3 cups)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk (whole, 2% or lowfat is fine)
1 lb. fully cooked ham, cubed (I used uncured slow cooked), about 3 cups
1 generous Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the leeks, celery and carrot, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they are just tender, about 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth, cabbage and potato to the pot. Bring the vegetables and stock to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until the potatoes are done, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the vegetables are cooking, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over low heat in a large saucepan or skillet with deep sides. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour and stir until well blended and no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and cream to the butter and flour mixture stirring constantly until well blended, then cook the mixture over low heat until it is thickened. When the potatoes are done in the vegetable mixture, add the thickened cream sauce to the large soup pot and stir to combine. Add the ham, the remaining 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, black pepper and thyme, and stir well to combine. Allow everything to heat through and meld together, about 3-5 minutes more on low heat, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then serve in bowls, garnishing with additional thyme sprigs, if desired.

Our Halloween “Punkitty” and the two kitties that inspire are below!

Cinderella really wants to greet the trick or treaters.

Thumbelina really wants them to go away!

*****

A Happy Halloween Treat!

Posted on October 30, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Tomorrow marks the end of October, and at long last we have completed all of the work on the house—no trick! Yesterday, our heating and air systems were professionally cleaned, which resulted in two filters worth of soot and grime pulled from the systems by a huge and very loud industrial strength Hepa Filter machine. We are literally breathing easier around here now, and should have all put right and in its place soon…say, around Christmas!

But for now, it’s time to move on and enjoy one of my favorite holidays. You know it—it’s Halloween.

These hauntingly good little mini cupcakes have been my go-to standard for many a party and birthday event, and they seem very appropriate and timely as a Halloween treat to share with you. The cake itself is a light and moist pale yellow cake with pretty flecks of orange zest. And that hint of that orange flavor is a perfect foil for the deep, dark chocolate ganache frosting. Orange, black and white = Halloween…see? I made these last weekend to take to a “significant decade” birthday party for a friend, and I think they would be the hit of any Halloween party, too.

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Did I hear you say that you need a little something to warm you up before trick or treating? Check out my Spooktacular Beef and Italian Sausage Chili recipe from last year. Make a pot of chili and these mini cupcakes, and let the party begin.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Mini Orange Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
(Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook)
Makes 4 dozen

2 cups flour (not self rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (I stick) softened
1 cup granulated cane sugar or white sugar
1 generous tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest
3 large eggs at room temp
1 teaspoon madagascar bourbon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole milk

24 count mini muffin baking tin(s)
mini muffin paper baking cups (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter your muffin tin(s) and line with one mini muffin paper cup per slot, if using, or lightly flour the tins if not using paper baking cups, tapping out any excess flour.

Sift together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, butter and orange zest together with an electric mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment if using a stand mixer) on medium high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and continue to beat for another 3-5 minutes, until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture and milk alternating in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until the batter is just smooth, do not over mix.

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into each of the 48 mini muffin tins lined with baking cups, filling each cup about 1/2- 3/4 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one comes out clean. The cakes should stay pale in color, not golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the tins and set on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow them to finish cooling completely on the wire rack before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Makes about 2 cups

3/4 lb. good quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped or in chip form
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat, bringing it to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate, whisking until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool slightly, about 3-5 minutes at room temperature. Take each mini-cupcake and dip the top of the cupcake into the ganache just to the edge of the paper cup, or just to the edge of the dome of the cake. Turn the cupcake a little bit to cover the top well, lift it out of the chocolate and allow it to drip a moment, then place back on the rack to firm up. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes until all are frosted. Allow the cupcakes to sit at room temperature until the ganache firms up, about an hour or so. You can enjoy these now, or they will keep at room temperature for a day, or carefully stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.

You can also decorate them if you please with purchased decorating icing, or make your own very quickly (as I did) combining a tablespoon of softened butter, a cup of powdered sugar, two or three drops of vanilla extract and just enough milk mixed together to make a smooth icing consistency. If you plan to color the icing, do so now. Place the icing in a piping bag with a tip, or into a plastic bag and cut off the very tip of it, then slowly squeeze out the icing to decorate your cupcakes in the desired pattern. I’ve used a person’s initials, spelled out greetings and made patterns. I didn’t make spooky spiderwebs on these because they were for a birthday event, but the shape of these certainly lends itself to that.

Note: Leftover ganache is a wonderful thing! You can store it in the fridge until solid, scoop out balls of it with a melon scoop and mold quickly with your fingertips into truffles, then roll in powdered cocoa or nuts to give as gifts. You can also reheat it slow and low until just liquid again and use it as a sauce for ice cream, berries or cake. Be careful in reheating because if allowed to simmer it will break the cream and you’ll have a chocolate mess!

Our first fire in the newly rebuilt fireplace and chimney…home sweet home!

Breaking the Fast: Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

Posted on October 7, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

A slice of this cake is just the right way to start off your day!

It’s very hard for me to believe that it’s now October. Summer came and went. Fall swept in before we knew it, and now my birthday has come and gone and the leaves are turning and falling.

I’ve always thought that life was like—and indeed I’ve experienced it as—a series of waves. There are the crests, when you are flying so high and all of your neurons are firing…you’re so excited to get up each day and see what life brings. And then there are the troughs, when you’re riding so low you can’t see the horizon anymore.

These crests and troughs can take many forms, and there’s much that can be learned from both of these life phases. Without the one, you can’t fully appreciate the other. It’s important to remember this. It’s what will get you through the tough times.

From the moment that the lightning exploded on the morning of June 26th until now, our lives have been a roller coaster of emotions, health issues, disruptions, delays, frustration and expense. A trough cycle. But at the same time, we were so incredibly blessed that no life was lost, no item couldn’t be replaced. The house and our day to day lives and health could be restored. And, much was learned. Hopefully it’s information I won’t have to utilize again in the future! As far as the house is concerned, we still have carpet to be installed this week, furniture and books to move back into place, our repaired and restored paintings to hang, cleaned rugs to put down and HVAC cleaning at the end of the month. But at long last, we see that light at the end of the tunnel approaching, and if feels good. Very good indeed.

So I think the best way to break this little fast from posting is to start with the dawn of a new day. A happy little cake that’s just the ticket for a morning breakfast treat, a brunch addition, or to have with your tea in the afternoon. This Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping is rich with flavor and texture. The fresh raspberries make a tart, colorful and lively foil for the underlying almond flavored cake and the sweet crunch of the streusel topping. A little hint of lemon zest brightens the flavors and adds some zing, binding the whole together into one delicious bite!

We’ve enjoyed this as a pick me up this week for breakfast, and even for dessert. It will sit for a day at room temperature, and refrigerates well for up to 3 more days. I think you will like it a lot, too.

Thank you all for staying with me during this summer of rather erratic posting and seemingly endless references to our calamity in June. I hope your Fall season has started off well, and may you all be on the “crest” of life right now.

Cheers to happy days, good health and good eating ahead!

Your pulsed oats will look like this in texture.

Spread your raspberries evenly over the batter…

Then sprinkle on the streusel topping.

The finished cake looks like this just out of the oven.

It won’t last long!

Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
Makes 24 slices

Topping:
1/2 cup rolled oats, pulsed in a food processor until they are roughly ground
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake:
2 scant cups granulated cane sugar
12 Tablespoons (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
12 ounces fresh raspberries, washed and very gently patted dry

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and butter an 8 1/2 x 13 inch cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine the pulsed oats, brown sugar cinnamon. Cut the 3 tablespoons of cold butter into the dry mixture, then combine with your hands until it makes a crumbly texture. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and softened butter, beating it with a hand or stand mixer on medium low speed until it is smooth and creamy. Add the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest and almond extract and beat on low speed until well blended and smooth, then add the flour and salt and mix on low until just blended and all the dry ingredients are well moistened and the mixture is just smooth. Don’t over mix. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth it with a knife or spatula to even it out. Sprinkle the fresh raspberries evenly across the top, then sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over that.

Bake in the 350 degree F. oven for 28-30 minutes until the cake is done, slightly golden on top, and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool for an hour, then cut into 24 slices.

Intermission

Posted on September 18, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Hello my readers and friends. I hope you are all doing well.

This is a short note/post to say that try as I might, it’s been impossible to post with any frequency at all while all of this construction and painting is going on here after our lightning disaster earlier this summer. Not to mention we’ve had a few other little emergencies crop up as well. That’s life.

So I’ve decided rather than continue to stress about it, I will just take a little bit longer of a break. We are in the midst of the painting portion as I write this, and next will be new flooring. So hopefully it will just be one more week and I can get back to “normal” and back into my kitchen once more.

I appreciate you bearing with me, and rest assured I will be back from this little intermission.

Meanwhile, I hope you all will take some time to look through my previous posts, and also enjoy visiting some of the fine blogs I follow, listed on the side of my home page. I bet you’ll love each and every one of them.

See you next week!

xoxo,
Betsy

Mock Maque Choux (Gesundheit)

Posted on August 29, 2013 by bitsandbreadcrumbs

Today’s post is literally short and sweet, and just in time for the Labor Day holiday here.

It’s another little recipe for using fresh corn off the cob, one based on a traditional Cajun recipe, but mine took a small departure with the ingredients I had on hand, and hence its name: “Mock” Maque Choux. For one thing, I wanted some of that smoky flavor you get with using sausage or pork in this dish, but I had no sausage. What I did have was chipotles in adobo, and since the adobo sauce has some smoky heat that goes so well with sweet…how about that as a substitute?

In the end, this is a vegetarian version that acts as more of a side dish, but you could easily add some andouille sausage or tasso, or top it with some grilled shrimp to this if you like. Meat or no, it’s a wonderful, sweet, spicy and rich corn preparation, perfect for a holiday grill out or any time.

“Mock” Maque Choux
Makes 6 servings

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ears of fresh corn, husks and silks removed
1/2 of a peeled and finely diced red onion
1 cup of finely diced celery
1 small orange bell pepper (or you can use red or green), seeded and finely diced
1 1/2 Tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilis
2 Tablespoons of finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt A few grinds of fresh black pepper
1 1/2 cups small diced grape tomatoes
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Additional chiffonade of basil leaves for garnish

Cut the kernels of corn off the cob with a sharp knife into a bowl, cutting about 3/4 through each kernel. Take the reserved cobs and scrape the back of your knife down the cob to extract any milk, letting it run into a separate small bowl. Reserve the corn milk.

Melt the butter in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add the corn, onion, celery, bell pepper, adobo sauce, thyme, a couple of grinds of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic, tomatoes, corn milk, 1 tablespoon of fresh basil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, if desired, and a bit more freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a garnish of more fresh basil and enjoy!

Corn milk…not exactly milk, not exactly corn!

First round of veggies and corn.

Add tomatoes, garlic and corn milk.

Add the basil and you’re almost done.

*****

This is our other kitty girl, Cinderella. She is very flighty and hard to snap. She’s pretty disgusted with staying in the basement while the workmen are here.