Search Results for: honey ice cream

honey ice cream

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I’m a big fan of sweeteners that are more than just sweet. Sometimes granulated sugar is exactly what you want, when you’re sweetening something subtle, like a snickerdoodle where the sour flavor from cream of tartar is so important, or where you don’t want the sweetener to distract from the main event, like in almost anything chocolate. Other times, it’s fun to let the sweetener itself play the main role, and nothing does that better than honey. Except for maybe maple syrup.

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I’ve built up a bit of a honey collection over the last couple years, from craft fairs, the local natural food store, and my boss’s beekeeping hobby. While I would have loved to use the slightly smoky flavored mesquite honey my boss gave me, it’s still in the waxy honeycomb. Instead, I used up the last of an unlabeled jar I picked up last year at a honey tasting stand.

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Molly said the half cup of honey for a quart of ice cream that the original recipe called for was overpowering, so I went with 6 tablespoons, and it was perfect. The honey flavor doesn’t slap you in the face, but it doesn’t hide either. It’s just the right balance of honey and cream. Next up: maple syrup ice cream.

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One year ago: Chocolate Sorbet
Two years ago: Lemon Curd Tart
Three years ago: Puff Pastry Dough
Four years ago: Soba Salad with Feta and Peas

Printer Friendly Recipe
Honey Ice Cream (adapted slightly from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert via Orangette)

Makes about 1 quart

I’m assuming that scalding the milk has a point, but I don’t know what it is.

My honey was slightly crystallized, which may be why it took a while to dissolve into the milk, but with some vigorous whisking, it did eventually mix in evenly.

½ cup whole milk
6 tablespoons honey
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until it begins to steam and bubbles form around the edge of the pot. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.

2. Whisk the honey and salt into the milk until dissolved. Add the cream. Cover and refrigerate to thoroughly chill, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

3. Churn until it’s at least as thick as soft serve ice cream, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a chilled container; freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

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honey peach ice cream

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It seems lately that ice cream isn’t really my thing. For one thing, it hurts my sensitive teeth. For another, when it comes to making desserts, I really want to use the mixer. And the oven. And butter and flour and leavening. The blender and the stove? Pbbth! That’s for cooking, not baking. Although watching the ice cream slowly change texture while churning is fun.

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But if I’m making ice cream, at least it’s peach ice cream. It’s the only flavor I remember my mom making as a kid, and I always loved it, even though I thought I didn’t like peaches, picky little brat that I was.

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For this ice cream, peaches are softened over low heat with honey, then pureed and made into a custard with egg yolks, sugar, milk and cream. Once the custard is chilled, it’s churned into ice cream, with more peaches, chopped, mixed in at the end.

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Because I had no desire for peach-flavored ice cubes dispersed throughout my ice cream, I stirred some vodka into the chopped peaches and let them set for a few hours. Hopefully the alcohol would soak into the peaches and keep them from freezing completely.

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It sort of worked. Nothing is going to stop ice cream from being cold, of course, but at least the peach bits weren’t ice bits. I personally would have still preferred the ice cream without them, but Dave liked them. The custard part of the ice cream was smooth and soft enough to scoop after spending days in the freezer. It tasted pleasantly peachy, although I’m sure the flavor would be improved by more seasonal specimens than I was able to find. I couldn’t really taste the honey, but since I do like honey quite a bit, I think I’m going to start replacing part of the sugar with honey every time I make peach ice cream.

This ice cream was chosen for Tuesdays with Dorie by Tommi, and she has posted the recipe.

One year ago: Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

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Temporarily or not, the above link doesn’t work for the recipe.  So here it is!

Honey-Peach Ice Cream (from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From my Home to Yours)

4 large ripe peaches
1/4 cup honey
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

1. Chop 2 of the peaches into 1/2 inch chunks and toss them in a small saucepan. Add the honey and bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook until the peaches are soft (about 10 minutes). Scrape the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree. Set aside.

2. Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and sugar together until blended in a heatproof bowl. Drizzle in a bit of the hot milk mixture to temper the eggs (making sure they don’t curdle). Slowly add the rest of the milk mixture. Pour the milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan and heat while stirring until it thickens. Remove from the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and stir in the vanilla and peach puree.

3. Refrigerate the custard until chilled. Scrape into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is churning, dice the remaining 2 peaches and add them just before the ice cream is thickened. When the ice cream is ready, pack into a container and freeze for at least 2 hours until it is firm enough to scoop.

roasted cherry ice cream

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In addition to all the other excitement around here, we found out the day that we closed on our new house that I’m pregnant. I’m so relieved that, at over four months along now, I’m past the stage of being tired all the time. One thing that hasn’t changed throughout this pregnancy? My desire for cold, creamy desserts.

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Ice cream isn’t usually a craving of mine, so it’s been fun to take this opportunity to play with recipes that wouldn’t normally catch my eye. This one seemed worth the extra effort even back when dragging myself off the couch took all of my limited energy. But it certainly has some tedious steps. Even pulling all the stems out of 3½ pounds of cherries takes a while. Then you just throw the chreries in the oven with some sugar, and once they’re soft and squishy, you squeeze the pits out – which is faster than pitting fresh cherries even with a pitter, but still slow.

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But the worst is pushing the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Based on the flecks of solid fruit in the picture on Serious Eats, compared to my smooth un-flecked custard, I believe my strainer is finer-mesh than Stella’s, which could be why straining was such an arduous, frustrating task. Next time I’ll just use my food mill on its finest setting – it’s not nearly as fine as my strainer, but it’ll be good enough, I expect.

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I would say it was worth the effort in the end, because this ice cream is intensely cherry-y. It’s so fruity that it almost tastes more like sherbet than cream-filled ice cream. It was the perfect treat at the end of a work- and toddler-filled day, when I could sit down with a book, a mug of tea, and a scoop of ice cream and then not move for at least an hour.

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Printer Friendly Recipe
Roasted Cherry Ice Cream (rewritten but not adapted from Stella Parks at Serious Eats)

I used the leftover cherry solids in sweet rolls, substituting it for the cinnamon-sugar mixture in this recipe.

To get the amount of strained cherry juice required by the recipe, I had to return the cherry pulp to the saucepan, add water, heat it up, then strain again. And again. And again. Don’t use your finest-mesh strainer for this. I’ll try a food mill on its finest setting next time.

3½ pounds (56 ounces; about 10 cups) whole cherries, washed and stemmed but not pitted
¾ cup (5¼ ounces) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1¾ cups (14 ounces) heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix the cherries and sugar in a 12-inch stainless-steel skillet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are wilted and soft, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then use your fingers to pull the cherries apart and remove the pits. Transfer the cherry pits to a medium saucepan. Transfer the pitted cherries to a food processor bowl. Leave the cherry juice in the skillet.

2. Add the heavy cream to the saucepan with the cherry pits. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to steep.

3. Pulse the cherries in the food processor until minced but not pureed. Transfer them back to the skillet with the juice. Heat the cherries and juice over medium heat; reduce the heat to retain a simmer and cook until jammy, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer (see note). You should have 20 ounces of cherry juice. Discard the cherry solids or reserve for another use (stored in the refrigerator, they can be kept for up to three weeks and used like jam).

4. Strain the cream into the same container as the cherry juice; discard the pits. Stir in the salt and the lemon juice. Chill the mixture until it is 40 degrees, either for several hours in the refrigerator or more quickly by setting the bowl of custard inside a larger bowl filled with ice water.

5. Churn the custard in a prepared ice cream maker until it’s the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, about 25 minutes. Immediately transfer to a chilled container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

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brown rice pudding

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I’ve taken to eating pudding for breakfast. It was Deb’s idea, and it’s a very good one. After all, if we regularly heat one whole grain with milk to make oatmeal, why not do the same with rice? Somehow, oatmeal feels like winter food. Rice pudding seems lighter, more appropriate for warm temperatures and topping with strawberries.

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This might seem obvious at first – you usually eat oatmeal warm and pudding cold. Except so far, I’ve been eating the rice pudding warm, so it’s more like rice porridge I suppose. But if I was organized enough, I think making it the night before and chilling it would not only save time in the morning, but make a great cool breakfast for the 100+ degree days we’ve been having around here.

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Eating dessert for breakfast isn’t anything new – who hasn’t indulged in a slice of leftover cake with their morning coffee? But that isn’t what this is about. By using brown rice instead of white and reducing the sugar, rice pudding is actually full of fiber and protein instead of empty calories. Rice pudding has never been my favorite dessert, but it’s starting to become one of my favorite breakfasts.

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One year ago: Brown Sugar Blueberry Plain Cake
Two years ago: Tender Shortcakes
Three years ago: Cappuccino Muffins
Four years ago: Baba Ghanoush, Falafel, and Hummus

Printer Friendly Recipe
Brown Rice Pudding
(adapted from Joy the Baker)

Serves 4 to 6

This is a basic recipe that you can add all sorts of goodies to, from dried fruit and nuts to spices or a swirl of jam.

If you plan to serve this for dessert instead of breakfast, double both the sugar and the honey.

1 cup brown rice, rinsed
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey
½ vanilla bean, split open (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and salt; reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Drain the rice in a strainer and return it to the pot, off the heat. Cover tightly and let set for 10 minutes.

2. Add the milk, sugar, honey, and vanilla bean to the pot with the rice. (If you’re using vanilla extract, add it just before serving.) Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the milk is reduced and the rice is creamy, about 30 minutes. If you’re using vanilla extract, stir it in now. If you’re planning to eat the pudding warm, serve it now. If you’re planning to eat it cold, transfer it to serving dishes to chill.

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strawberry chocolate ice cream pie

The rest of the country (hemisphere, I suppose) is gearing up for summer. Here in the desert though, we’ve been there for a while. This weekend Dave and I hiked over seven miles in 90 degree weather. It’s a dry heat though! (Actually, the hike wasn’t bad at all – it was either shady or windy the whole time, so although we were hot, we weren’t dying. And the dry heat does make a difference.)


the beginning of homemade chocolate ice cream

Ice cream pie is perfect for the weather we’ve been having. The specific ingredients called for here aren’t perfect for me though. I eat so many bananas as snacks that the idea of adding them to chocolate ice cream for dessert didn’t sound appealing. Strawberries, however, can be added to most any dessert.

Oh, except maybe not one that’s going to be stored in the freezer like this. Sliced strawberries between the crust and the ice cream turned into ice cubes in the freezer; I should have given them a dip in vodka before freezing them to keep them from freezing so solidly. Other than that, what’s not to love about this dessert? I don’t need to tell you that chocolate ice cream and strawberries are a tempting combination – especially when it’s a hundred degrees out.

Spike chose this recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie, and she has the recipe posted.

One year ago: Chipster-Topped Brownies
Two years ago: Pecan-Honey Sticky Buns

2012 goals

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I basked in the glory of not being required to bake anything on a schedule for about two weeks, and then I got bored. What can I say? I like to set goals.

The key is to find goals that push without demanding too much. I need enough structure to keep me accountable, but not so much that I feel resentful. I hope I’ve found that balance.

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What I’ve decided to do is choose 24 dishes – 12 cooked and 12 baked – that have been marinating in the back of my brain for too long. These are recipes that I thought “YES!!! I want to make that, and as soon as possible”, when I first saw them, but then something has gotten in the way, time and again, sometimes for years. How many times am I going to think to myself that I should try making a dish at home before I just finally do it?

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Not all of the recipes are difficult. Not all of them are even new to me; I’ve made versions of some of these dishes before, but haven’t found a recipe I think is The One. In some cases, I have specific recipes chosen; in others, only an ingredient or flavor.

I’ve assigned the dishes to months so I pace myself. (I’m not much of a procrastinator in projects like this; I would do the opposite and stress myself out by trying to finish them all by March.) And sometime, anytime, during that month, I’ll blog about those two recipes.

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And that’s it. Two recipes per month, chosen by me, of dishes I’ve always wanted to make. How hard can this be?

Here’s the schedule:
January – asian lettuce wraps and black bean avocado brownies
February – ranch dressing and peanut butter butterscotch fudgy crisp rice sandwich bars
March – mozzarella and whole wheat chocolate chip cookies
April – dolmades and gougeres
May – mustard and focaccia
June – barbecued ribs and gelato
July – paella and honey ice cream
August – general tso’s chicken and creamsicle whoopie pies
September – tomato mozzarella tart with basil crust and pop-tarts
October – quinoa fritters and macarons
November – meatloaf and something chai-flavored
December – something with miso and gingerbread cookies

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Recipes

Recipes made for Tuesdays with Dorie and the Daring Bakers are listed here.

drinks
blood orange cosmopolitans
cranberry apple brandy
grapefruit margaritas
grenadine
hot chocolate mix
hot mulled cider
mai tai
orgeat
peach-riesling sangria
strawberry daiquiris
sven-tiki
tonga punch
vodka gimlet
watermelon agua fresca

appetizers and dips
asian peanut dip
baba ghanoush
bacon-wrapped stuffed dates
baked reuben dip
bruschetta with chickpea puree
butternut squash and pancetta phyllo cigars
cheddar shortbread
crostini topped with ricotta and braised zucchini
deviled eggs with tuna
dolmades
falafel
flatbreads with honey, sea salt, and thyme
glazed pecans
goat cheese, pesto, and sun-dried tomato terrine
goat cheese-stuffed mini peppers
greek yogurt dill dip
herbed lima bean hummus
honey yogurt dip
parmesan bacon crackers
pesto goat cheese spread
phyllo triangles with crawfish filling and with mushroom filling
potstickers
prosciutto-wrapped neufchâtel-stuffed jalapenos
queso
ranch dressing
ricotta
roasted garlic balsamic white bean dip
roasted onion and bacon dip
rosemary, gruyere, and sea salt crisps
seven-layer dip
shrimp and avocado ceviche
shrimp canapés à la suede
smoked salmon mousse
stuffed squash blossoms
sun-dried tomato dip
sun-dried tomato jam
stuffed mushrooms with sun-dried tomatoes

soup
asian-style chicken noodle soup
basic lentil soup
butternut squash soup with spiced creme fraiche
chickpea rosemary soup
creamy mushroom soup
crockpot chicken broth
curry coconut chickpea soup
gazpacho
hearty lentil soup
hot and sour soup
mushroom farro soup
pappa al pomodoro
pasta e fagioli
roasted cauliflower soup with feta
roasted tomato soup
roasted vegetable bean soup
shrimp tortilla soup
spanish chickpea and spinach stew
thai-style chicken soup
tomato soup with chicken meatballs
tortellini soup with carrots, peas, and leeks
white chicken chili

salads
antipasti salad
arugula salad with prosciutto, figs, walnuts, and parmesan
asparagus arugula salad with cannellini beans and balsamic vinegar
asparagus, bacon, and egg salad
bacon ranch salad with salmon
basic coleslaw
brussels sprouts and kale salad with pecorino and almonds
caesar salad
carrot avocado salad
chanterelle salad with speck and poached eggs
cherry tomato salad
chopped salad
creamy buttermilk coleslaw
farmers market salad with spiced goat cheese rounds
green bean salad with anchovies and peperoncini
green goddess salad
grilled corn salad
grilled potato salad with watercress
kale caesar salad
kale salad with currants, pine nuts, and parmesan
kale salad with garlic vinaigrette
lentil salad with butternut squash and goat cheese
mediterranean chopped salad
mediterranean pepper salad
mediterranean salmon salad
pickled coleslaw
poached eggs with arugula and polenta fingers
roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette
salad with herbed baked goat cheese
salad with pancetta, peperoncini, and parmesan
shrimp and crab avocado salad
summer chopped salad with feta
tofu croutons

poultry
barbecue turkey meatballs with cheddar corn quinoa
buffalo chicken pizza
burritos
chicken artichoke pesto calzones
chicken curry
chicken empanadas
chicken fajitas
chicken gyros
chicken mushroom spinach lasagna
chicken parmesan
chicken spiedies
chicken tikka masala
chicken with forty cloves of garlic
crispy baked chicken strips
crockpot beans and rice
fresh pasta with braised quail
general tso’s chicken
green chile chicken enchiladas
green chile chicken tacos
jamaican jerk chicken
lighter chicken and dumplings
paella
roasted chicken thighs with root vegetables
roasted chicken with caramelized shallots
salted herbed roast turkey
skillet turkey meatballs with lemony rice
spice-rubbed picnic chicken
turkey burgers
turkey porchetta

beef and lamb
argentinian hot dogs
beef barbacoa
beef in barolo
beef satay with spicy mango dip
beer-marinated flank steak
boeuf bourguignon (julia child)
bolognese hot dogs
bolognese sauce (comparison of 3 recipes)
braised beef short ribs in tomato sauce
brisket and brie tacos
crepe manicotti with ragu and bechamel
fig-glazed burgers with onion jam
goat cheese and braised lamb shank ravioli
herbed lamb chops with pinot noir sauce
home corned beef
kofta
lahmahjoon (armenian lamb pizza
lamb stew
lasagne bolognese
lemon lamb meatballs
manchego cheese and garlic hot dogs
meatball-stuffed zucchini
meatier meatloaf
muffuletta hot dogs
pan-seared steak with red wine pan sauce
pasta with tiny meatball sauce
philly cheesesteaks
pizza with lamb meatballs, caramelized onions, and parsley
pot roast
pot roast pappardelle
prosciutto lamb burgers
short rib and dried porcini lasagne
shredded beef tacos
spaghetti and meatballs
steak au poivre
steak sandwiches
stuffed butterflied leg of lamb
thai-grilled beef salad
turkey ricotta meatloaf
wine-braised beef
yogurt-marinated lamb kebabs

pork
asian lettuce wraps
bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin medallions
banh mi
barbecued pulled pork
barbecued spareribs
carne adovada
crockpot pulled pork
franks and beans
garlic-mustard glazed skewers
herb roasted pork loin
honey ginger pork tenderloin
korean pork medallions with asian slaw
mushroom prosciutto lasagna
pasta with broccoli, sausage, and roasted red peppers
pigs in a blanket
pizza with brussels sprouts, bacon, and goat cheese
pizza with caramelized onions and fennel
pizza with figs, prosciutto, gorgonzola, balsamic and arugula
pizza with prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, and goat cheese
pizza with ricotta, caramelized onions, and prosciutto
pork chops loco moco
pork tenderloin with rhubarb sauce
potstickers
red beans and rice
sausage and spinach stuffed shells
sausage apple hash
sichuan green beans
stromboli
sweet potato mezzalune with sausage-ricotta filling
swiss chard, mushroom, sausage lasagna
tacos al pastor

seafood
bacon-wrapped scallops with port reduction
beer-battered fish
broiled salmon with marmalade-mustard glaze
california roll burgers
chipotle shrimp
crab towers with avocado and gazpacho salsas
crawfish, roasted tomato, and farmers cheese pizza
crispy bagel roll
fish tacos
grilled salmon with blueberry barbecue sauce
grilled shrimp and tomatillo enchilada casserole
jalapeno-baked fish with roasted tomatoes and potatoes
kung pao shrimp
mussels fra diavolo
pad thai
panko-crusted salmon
pan-seared halibut in white wine sauce with green beans and tomato-scallion relish
pan-seared shrimp with tomatoes and avocado
pasta puttanesca
pasta with salmon in pesto cream sauce
pepper-crusted salmon with wasabi dipping sauce
pissaladiere
poached salmon pasta salad
pomegranate-glazed salmon
quinoa puttanesca
quinoa with salmon, feta, and dill
salmon cakes
salmon clubs with avocado butter
salmon tacos with avocado-tomatillo slaw
scampi fra diavolo
seafood lasagna
shrimp and andouille over green chile cheese grits
shrimp and feta macaroni and cheese
shrimp burgers
shrimp ricotta ravioli
smoked salmon kale carbonara
soba bowls with tea-poached salmon and roasted broccoli
summer rolls
sushi bowls
sushi rolls
vietnamese shrimp and quinoa salad

vegetarian
african pineapple peanut stew
artichoke ravioli
baked ziti
black bean burgers
black bean quinoa salad with tomatillo salsa
black bean-roasted squash-goat cheese enchiladas
black bean squash burritos
braised white beans with zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes
brown rice with black beans and cilantro
butternut squash and goat cheese ravioli with sage browned butter
butternut squash macaroni and cheese
carrot ricotta ravioli
cauliflower cheese pie with grated potato crust
cherry tomato cobbler with gruyere biscuits
chickpea and butternut squash salad
creamy brussels sprouts and mushroom lasagna
creamy taco mac
crockpot beans and rice
eggplant rollatini
farro and pine nut salad
fettuccine alfredo
ginger fried rice
green chile rellenos
green pea ravioli in lemon broth
grits, cheese, and onion souffles
lentil goat cheese burgers
lentil marinara
lentil tacos
macaroni and cheese
marinated roasted tofu
masa pancakes with chipotle salsa and poached eggs
pasta with asparagus and goat cheese
pasta with baked ricotta and sweet tomato sauce
pasta with broccoli, chickpeas, and garlic
pasta with brussels sprouts and pine nuts
pasta with cauliflower, walnuts, and ricotta salata
pasta with meyer lemon, creme fraiche, and parmesan
pasta with no-cook tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella
pasta with roasted red pepper sauce
pasta with tomatoes, swiss chard, and goat cheese
pasta with zucchini cream sauce
penne alla vodka
pesto
pizza bianca with goat cheese and greens
pizza with zucchini, goat cheese, and lemon
poblanos stuffed with black beans and cheese
potato tomato tart
pumpkin apple pizza
pumpkin goat cheese ravioli
quinoa black bean burrito bowls
quinoa patties
quinoa tabbouleh
quinoa with roasted brussels sprouts, pine nuts, and parmesan
red beans and rice
red kidney bean curry
rice noodle salad with peanut dressing
ricotta spinach tofu ravioli
roasted red pepper pasta salad with peas and beans
shitake mushroom and lentil asian tacos
soba salad with feta and peas
spicy mexican beans and rice
spinach artichoke pizza
spinach feta pine nut tart
squash kale pizza
spinach mushroom lasagna (slow cooker)
stovetop macaroni and cheese
taco pasta salad
toasted vegetable subs
tofu mu shu
tomato and four cheese lasagne
tomato mozzarella tart with basil crust
tuscan-style couscous salad
twice-baked potatoes with broccoli, cheddar, and scallions
vegetable curry
vegetable lasagna
vegetarian chili
vegetarian lasagna
wheat berries with caramelized onions, lentils, and feta
white bean avocado sandwich
whole wheat pasta with greens, beans, tomatoes, and garlic chips

side dishes
aligot (french mashed potatoes)
barbecue cowboy beans
braised artichokes with creamy dipping sauce
braised potatoes
brown rice
brussels sprouts braised in cream
butternut squash risotto
cauliflower cheese pie with grated potato crust
cauliflower with mustard lemon butter
cranberry grappa jelly
cranberry sauce with port and dried figs
fresh pasta
garlic-roasted mushrooms
gratin dauphinois
green chile mayonnaise
grilled artichokes
grilled potato and vegetable salad
hashed brussels sprouts
herb-roasted onions
marinated mushroom salad
mashed potatoes
mashed potatoes with kale
mashed potatoes with root vegetables
mulled wine cranberry sauce
pan-roasted asparagus
potato galette
pumpkin risotto
red pepper risotto
rice and peas
risotto with peas
risotto with swiss chard
roasted baby artichokes
roasted brussels sprouts
roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash with bacon porter dressing
roasted carrots
roasted kale
roasted root vegetable stuffing
sautéed cabbage with hot sauce
sautéed shredded zucchini
sichuan green beans
slaw tartare
soft and sexy grits
spinach feta pine nut tart
summer vegetable gratin
twice-baked potato cups with caramelized shallots
twice-baked potatoes
yukon gold and sweet potato gratin
white wine gravy

savory breakfasts
bacon egg toast cups
bacon mushroom breakfast skillet
baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms
breakfast strata with sausage, mushrooms, and monterey jack
corned beef hash
country egg scramble
croque-madame
eggs in tomato sauce
egg sandwiches with goat cheese, scallions, and prosciutto
fried egg and sausage ciabbata breakfast pizzas
fried eggs with garlic yogurt sauce
gallitos
green chile huevos rancheros
hash browns with sauteed vegetables and poached eggs
migas
sausage and red pepper hash
scotch eggs
spinach, artichoke, and red pepper strata
steak and egg green chile hash
sweet corn hash
sweet potato hash
yogurt hollandaise

sweet breakfasts
apple pancakes with cinnamon butter
baked french toast
banana and peanut butter stuffed french toast
banana-nutella crepes
banana-walnut pancakes
basic pancakes
brandied berry crepes
carrot cake pancakes
cornmeal pancakes with cherry compote
dried fruit compote
fruit bruschetta
german apple pancake
lemon pancakes with blueberry syrup
lemon poppy seed waffles
multigrain pancakes with apple, cranberry and pecan topping
pumpkin oatmeal brulee
protein waffles
pumpkin pancakes
steel-cut oatmeal with maple sauteed apples
yeasted waffles

yeast bread
100% whole wheat sandwich bread
adapting bread recipes with whole wheat
anadama bread
bagels
caramel apple cinnamon rolls
cinnamon rolls
challah
country crust bread
country-style sourdough bread
crescent rolls
croissants (martha stewart – fresh yeast)
croissants (martha stewart – instant yeast)
croissants (tartine)
croissants (tartine bread)
danishes – pear almond and lemon ricotta
deli-style rye bread
english muffins
european-style hearth bread
focaccia
grilled pita
kaiser rolls
no-knead bread
olive oil bread
pain a l’ancienne
pain ordinaire
pigs in a blanket
pita
pizza
pizza dough (slow-ferment)
pull-apart stuffing knots
pumpkin cinnamon rolls
pumpkin yeast bread
rustic bread (comparison of 3 recipes)
sandwich rolls
sandwich thins
semolina bread
sopaipillas
sourdough bagels
spinach bread
stuffed sandwich rolls
tartine country bread
whole wheat bagels
whole wheat brioche
whole wheat challah

quick breads
apple cider doughnuts
apple muffins
banana coconut muffins
banana peanut butter muffins
blueberry muffins (comparison of 3 recipes)
bran muffins
brown soda bread
buttermilk scones
cheddar puffs with green onions
corn tortillas
cranberry orange muffins
cranberry orange scones
double coconut muffins
flaky biscuits
fresh strawberry scones
goat cheese scallion muffins
gougères
grapefruit honey scones
lemon ginger scones
lemon poppy seed muffins
lemon ricotta strawberry muffins
maple oatmeal scones
moo shu pancakes
oatmeal pancakes
oatmeal raisin muffins
peanut butter and jelly muffins
raspberry ricotta scones
rhubarb crumb coffee cake
rhubarb muffins
puff pastry dough
pumpkin ginger muffins
pumpkin scones
quick baking powder pizza dough
raspberry lemon petits fours
rhubarb scones
ultimate banana bread
whole wheat almond bread
zucchini bread

cookies
almond biscotti
banana caramel whoopie pies
belgian brownie bites
black bean avocado brownies
blackberry pie bars
blueberry and cream cookies
blueberry lemon date bars
brown sugar cookies
brownies (comparison of 4 recipes)
butterscotch peanut butter chocolate rice krispy treats
caramel apple cheesecake bars
chai snickerdoodles
cheddar shortbread
cheesecake thumbprint cookies
cinnamon macarons with apple buttercream
chocolate chip cookies (comparison of 4 recipes)
chocolate chip cookies (another comparison of 4 recipes)
chocolate chip cookies (Cook’s Illustrated’s Perfect)
chocolate chip cookie experiments
chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies with dried cherries and pecans
chocolate sandwich cookies
chocolate sugar cookies
cocoa nib peanut butter bites
confetti cookies
cranberry swirl shortbread
cream cheese brownies
cream cheese chocolate chip cookies
cream cheese spritz
deep dark chocolate cookies
devil’s food cookie butter sandwiches
double/triple chocolate cookies
gingerbread cookies
glazed lemon cookies
green tea macarons
hazelnut dried cherry biscotti
key lime bars
lemon bars (comparison of 3 recipes)
lemon cream cheese bars
lemon ricotta cookies
lemon squares
lime meltaways
maple nutmeg cookies
mocha biscotti
noir bars
orange-oatmeal-currant cookies
orange vanilla creamsicle whoopie pies
oreo cheesecake cookies
palmiers
parmesan bacon crackers
pumpkin biscotti
pumpkin oatmeal cookies
raspberry bars
raspberry cream cheese brownies
red velvet whoopie pies
roll-out sugar cookies (comparison of 4 recipes)
salted brown butter rice crispy treats
slice and bake brown sugar cookies
s’mores bars
strawberry crinkle cookies
strawberry white chocolate brownies
triple chocolate espresso brownies
snickerdoodles
walnut cinnamon slices
wheatmeal shortbread cookies
white chocolate macadamia nut cookies
whole wheat biscotti with pistachios, apricots, chocolate, and lavender
whole wheat chocolate chip cookies

cake and frosting
almond lemon cream cheese coffee cake
amaretto cheesecake
apple cake
applesauce snack cake
banana cake with cream cheese frosting
banana cream pie cupcakes
bittersweet chocolate and pear cake
blackberry cake with raspberry filling and cream cheese frosting
bourbon pound cake
bourbon pumpkin cheesecake
brown butter peach shortbread
buche de noel
candy corn cheesecake
cappuccino fudge cheesecake
cheesecake (comparison of 3 recipes)
cheesecake squares with sour cream topping
chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes
chocolate frosting (comparison of 3 recipes)
chocolate oreo blackberry cake
chocolate port wine cake
chocolate stout cake
cinnamon zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting
classic pound cake
coconut cake
confetti cake
cream cheese pound cake
dulce de leche cupcakes
eggnog cupcakes
gingerbread cake
goat cheese almond strawberry cheesecake
guinness chocolate cupcakes with irish cream buttercream
hershey’s perfectly chocolate chocolate cake
kentucky butter cake
key lime cheesecake
lemon cake with lemon curd filling
lemon cheesecake
lemon meringue cake
lemon pound cake
maple walnut cupcakes
margarita cupcakes
mixed berry buttermilk bundt cake
old-fashioned chocolate layer cake
pumpkin chocolate chip bars
pumpkin cupcakes (comparison of 3 recipes)
raspberry-swirled cheesecake cupcakes
red velvet cake (comparison of 5 recipes)
rhubarb snack cake
rhubarb sour cream pound cake
spiced layer cake
strawberry and chocolate cupcakes
strawberry buttercream
strawberry buttermilk cake
strawberry cake (comparison of 2 recipes)
strawberry champagne cupcakes
strawberry cheesecake
strawberry cream cake
strawberry lemonade bars
strawberry shortcake cupcakes
sweet potato cake
tiramisu
triple chocolate cupcakes (comparison of 2 recipes)
vanilla bean cupcakes
vanilla icing/buttercream (comparison of 4 recipes)
white cake (comparison of 3 recipes)
white cake (another comparison of 3 recipes)
yellow cake (comparison of 3 recipes)

pies and tarts
apple brandy hand pies
apple-cranberry pie
apple galette
apple slab pie
apple tart
banana cream pie (bon appetit)
banana cream pie (cook’s country)
banana cream pie (tartine)
berry jam and chocolate mousse tart
bittersweet chocolate pumpkin tart
blackberry plum streusel pie
blueberry pie
chocolate cream pie
chocolate hazelnut tarte soleil
coconut cream pie (tom douglas)
coconut cream tart
cranberry almond crostata
easy foolproof pie dough
lavender almond peach tart
lemon curd tart
marbled pumpkin cheesecake tart
passion fruit meringue tart
peach raspberry galette
pumpkin pie
strawberry balsamic slab pie
strawberry cream pie
strawberry poptarts
strawberry rhubarb pie
summer berry pie

fruit desserts
clafoutis
cranberry nut dessert
strawberry rhubarb crisp bars

custard, pudding, ice cream
beer ice cream
blackberry swirl ice cream
bourbon ice cream
brown rice pudding
chocolate mousse (comparison of 3 recipes)
coffee gelato
creme caramel/flan
green tea crème brûlée
honey ice cream
maple pots de creme
mango cream puffs
meyer lemon semifreddo
prosecco raspberry gelee
rice pudding
strawberry daiquiri ice cream
strawberry lemon sorbet
stuffed mascarpone strawberries
tapioca pudding (comparison of 3 recipes)
vanilla ice cream

candy
buckeyes
candied orange peel
chocolate friands
chocolate truffles
pumpkin seed brittle
salted chocolate caramels
vanilla bean caramels
white chocolate lemon truffles

decorated sugar cookies
christmas star wars characters
radiation symbols and suits
star wars characters
wedding cakes

miscellaneous
homemade mustard
roasted rhubarb jam

caramel apple cheesecake bars

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Fall in upstate New York, where I went to graduate school, was amazing. Even my drive through town to work was gorgeous, passing hillsides of brightly colored trees. I lived a couple blocks away from a cider mill, and Dave and I made a point to go there every year for cider, doughnuts, and squash so oddly shaped they looked deformed. It was my favorite place to buy apples too; some, like Empire and Cortland, even named for the area.

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The only problem was that fall came too soon, at least for this lover of summer. It seemed like it had hardly warmed up after the long freezing winter before it started getting chilly again. For this reason, I had a strict rule of no fall-inspired foods until October – no pumpkin, no candy corn, no apples.

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It’s kind of the opposite here in southern New Mexico. I’m tired of being hot and welcome the chill we’re getting in the mornings and evenings. I’m not quite ready for pumpkin – things need to cool off a bit more, so I probably will wait until October. But apples are just right.

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These apples are piled on top of a cookie crust and a cheesecake layer, then topped with streusel and caramel. I saw the recipe on a blog and was aghast at how rich it was until I traced it back to its original source, Paula Deen. This is my first time making one of her recipes, but my understanding it that it’s par for the course.

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In this case, it definitely works. I’ll add another apple next time, because the apples were pretty balanced with the other components, and I want them to stand out more. But having those other components come forward is not a bad thing, because each one was so good. Somehow, the combination of everything didn’t make these overpoweringly sweet or unpleasantly rich.  Really, these were a perfect fall treat.

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Printer Friendly Recipe
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel (adapted from the Food Network via Closet Cooking; caramel sauce from Smitten Kitchen)

There are a lot of steps, but none of them are hard.

If you like to line your pans with a double layer of aluminum foil for bar cookies for easy removal, this recipe is a good candidate for that. I prefer not to, and the first bar I removed crumbled. The remainder were easy enough to get clean slices of with a spatula.

Streusel:
1 cup (7 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup (4.8 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
½ cup quick cooking oats

Apples:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
¼ cup (1.75 ounces) sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon lemon juice
pinch salt

Cookie base:
2 cups (9.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup (3.5 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Cream cheese layer:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
pinch salt
½ cup (3.5 ounces) sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel sauce:
½ cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubes
⅛-¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
⅓ cup heavy cream

1. Adjust a rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan generously with cooking spray.

2. For the streusel: Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade; pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture is crumbly. Add the oats and pulse just to combine. Transfer to a bowl and chill. Do not wash the processor bowl.

3. For the apples: In a medium bowl, mix everything. Set aside.

4. For the cookie base: Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the food processor bowl; pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes.

5. For the cream cheese layer: While the cookie base is baking, beat the cream cheese and salt with a mixer on medium-low speed, until softened. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, one a time, mixing just until combined. Mix in the vanilla extract.

6. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the warm crust. Spread the apples over the cream cheese batter, then top with the streusel, breaking it until ¼- to ½-inch chunks. Bake until the top is browned and the cream cheese filling is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

7. For the caramel sauce: Add the sugar, water, and corn syrup to a 2-quart saucepan. Cover and heat over medium-high heat until simmering, then remove the cover and let simmer until the mixture is honey-colored, swirling the pan occasionally at first and more often as the sugar browns. Add the butter, which will foam violently, and stir to combine. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and heavy cream. Once the mixture cools slightly, taste and add more salt if necessary. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before topping the bars. (Caramel can be made up to a week in advance.)

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brisket and brie tacos

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My stubbornness knows no bounds or logic, as was evident in the cooking of this brisket. First, I refused to buy Dr. Pepper to use as a braising liquid. Dave and I don’t drink soda, and I’m not really into the whole high fructose corn syrup thing, so I didn’t want to buy a bottle only to use a fraction of it. Beer and honey would provide all the acidity and sweetness the brisket needed.

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I’m also not all that into the crockpot. I like it for certain things, particularly broth, but if I’m home anyway, usually I like the firmer texture and added browning of braising meats in the oven. This has always worked great for pot roast and stews, but I’m not sure it was the best method for much leaner brisket, which can more easily dry out.

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Not that I have any complaints though. Topping the tacos with brie certainly solves any potential problems the low fat content of the meat might have introduced. With a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce, stretchy Monterey jack cheese, and slices of creamy avocado, these tacos had plenty going on, despite or because of my stubborn changes.

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One year ago: Pizza with Prosciutto, Goat Cheese, and Roasted Tomatoes
Two years ago: Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream
Three years ago: Chicken Fajitas
Four years ago: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Five years ago: Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake

Printer Friendly Recipe
Brie and Brisket Tacos (adapted from Rebecca Rather’s Pastry Queen via Confections of a Foodie Bride)

Serves 4, with leftover brisket

No one seems to brown brisket. I don’t know why that is, but I browned mine.

Brisket:
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 (3-pound) brisket
salt
ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 (12-ounce) medium-dark beer
2 tablespoons honey

Raspberry chipotle barbecue sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
½ cup ketchup
1 chipotle chile in adobe sauce, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Toppings:
12 corn tortillas, warmed
4 ounces brie, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) Monterey jack cheese

1. For the brisket: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the meat dry, season it generously with salt, pepper, and the chili powder. Transfer the brisket to the Dutch oven and cook, without moving, for about 3 minutes, until deeply browned. Flip and brown the second side. Transfer the meat to a plate. Discard any fat in the pan (but leave the cooked-on brown bits).

2. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the beer into the pot, scraping up the sticky brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir in the honey, then add the meat. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, turning every hour or so.

3. For the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil until it runs like water when the pan is tilted. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, chile, lemon juice, raspberries, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Puree, either with an immersion blender in the saucepan or by transferring the sauce to a blender.

4. When the brisket is tender, either slice it or shred it, leaving behind large chunks of fat. Layer brisket, sauce, brie, and Monterey jack cheese in the tortillas (plus Hatch green chile and avocado if you can’t imagine tacos with them). Serve immediately.

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manchego cheese and garlic hot dogs

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Maybe I shouldn’t play favorites between four fun and delicious hot dog recipes, but this one had roasted garlic, so…it’s my favorite.

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One thing I found through making four types of hot dogs in four days was that most hot dogs benefit from being topped with something vinegary to cut through the fat of the meat. Mustard and pickle relish are the traditional choices. In this recipe, it’s sherry vinegar, mixed into a relish of roasted garlic and roasted red peppers.

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Roasted garlic is always sweet and creamy and delicious, and a hot dog was just as good as a vehicle for serving it as my other favorite – plain rustic bread. It’s no wonder this ended up my favorite of the hot dogs from our Hot Dog Week. The roasted garlic made it a shoo-in.

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One year ago: Pasta with Salmon in Pesto Cream Sauce
Two years ago: Chocolate Frosting (comparison of 3 recipes)
Three years ago: Bacon-Wrapped Goat Cheese and Almond-Stuffed Dates
Four years ago: Honey Yogurt Dip
Five years ago: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Printer Friendly Recipe
Manchego Cheese and Garlic Hot Dogs (adapted from Bon Appétit via Annie’s Eats)

Makes 6 hot dogs

Relish:
2 large heads of garlic, top ½-inch cut off
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ cup diced drained roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Coarse kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Hot dogs:
6 grilled hot dog buns
6 grilled all-beef hot dogs
2 ounces Manchego cheese, grated

1. For the relish: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place each head of garlic, cut side up, in the center of a square of foil; drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of oil; enclose the garlic in the foil. Place the packets on the oven rack; roast until the garlic is tender, about 45 minutes. Open the packets; cool 15 minutes.

2. Squeeze the garlic cloves into a small bowl; mash. Mix in 3 teaspoons oil, the red peppers, and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and sherry vinegar.

3. For the hot dogs: Arrange the buns on plates. Top each with a grilled hot dog, then cheese and garlic relish. Serve immediately.

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