Back to Baking

Have you noticed that it's been a long time since I posted anything about my baking adventures?  I know, it's been sad for me too.  You see, it's been the hottest summer here in Chicago...multiple 90 degree days in a row and that does not make for good baking weather.  (It's also not so awesome for pregnancy)

However, we have finally struck gold in the weather department...mid-70's...perfect for baking.  You can just imagine how happy I was that I could finally open my windows again and get the oven roaring.  The husband also noted the weather change and inquired "It seems like a good day for baking, don't you think?"  Cute!  Of course!  So, off I went and I had the perfect recipe I wanted to try.

The recipe is actually from the May 2012 issue of Bon Appetit.  A little backstory...back in the earlier days of my pregnancy I couldn't stand the sight or smell of most foods.  That sort of put a major dent in reading all of my culinary-related magazine subscriptions.  So, I am a little behind...obviously, still stuck in May.  Anyway, this recipe intrigued me because it just looked so tasty.  Not sure that I agree with the creator's commentary about it being healthier than regular pound cake...but I suppose it is...a tiny bit.

The result?  The cake is yummy.  It's even better when topped with fresh, sliced strawberries.  I did make a few alterations (because you know I can't help myself), but you could follow the recipe as is.  This would also be yummy if made with orange zest or even lime zest.  It actually seems like the possibilities are endless. Plus, it's easy!  Go ahead, save that money you would've spent at Starbucks on their cakes, and make your own!  Bon Appetit!

French Yogurt Cake
from: Bon Appetit, May 2012

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup sugar)

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (I used about 1.5 tablespoons)

3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt (I used 2% fat Greek yogurt)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 6 tablespoons instead of the 8 in a 1/2 cup)

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess.

Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.

Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract; whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend.

Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack; let cool completely. 

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/05/french-yogurt-cake

Dreaming of Cinnamon Rolls

It was all I could think of for two weeks...cinnamon rolls!  The thought of the warm, sticky, cinnamony, yeasty goodness couldn't escape me.  Oh sure, I thought about going to some local bakery to get one, but I stopped myself every time. I kept thinking, "Why should I go buy one when I can make them myself?"  Hind sight is 20/20 here, but at the time, it seemed perfectly logical that I should make my own.  Realistically, I probably would've enjoyed a local bakery's rendition just fine. 

But I was craving a childhood memory.  One of a pull-apart cinnamon roll from my mom's favorite haunt...MCL Cafeteria.  Sure, it's a cafeteria, but boy, do they have good food.  In particular their macaroni and cheese, their green beans, their yeast rolls and of course, their cinnamon roll.  Oh my gosh.  If I had the time and energy, I would've driven myself right down there to get one.

So, for the sake of time and energy (and sanity), I made it my mission to make my own.  Ironically, the April 2012 issue of Bon Appetit happened to feature my craving right smack dab on the cover! 

Bon Appetit's Ultimate Sticky Buns (photo from bonapetit.com)

I mean, look at those things!  How can you NOT want one?

So, I made them...well, not exactly like the ones in the picture.  I wanted a simpler, less calorically destructive version.  It was easy to do.  I made the dough recipe as called for and then just added the cinnamon-suger filling (using only half the butter in the filling).  None of the gooey stuff for me, but still very delicious!

For the recipe, see this link: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/the-ultimate-sticky-buns

The dough

Ready for rollin'

Yum...cinnamon and sugar...and BUTTER!

Not the best rolling job...oh well.

Cute...although slightly imperfect...let's call them "rustic"

Ready for the oven

Oh boy!

Ready for eating!

Judging a Book by it's Cover...Gwyneth Paltrow

Weird title for a blog post, I know.  But here's the deal.  Gwyneth Paltrow recently came out with a cookbook.  Really?  I mean, really?  My first thought was just that.  Why is it that celebrities try do everything?  If you sing in Hollywood, you are amazingly an actor as well.  If you are an actor, you are also a gifted singer/song-writer.  So of course, if you want to write a cookbook, it absolutely makes sense that you do so.

I actually really like G. Paltrow, but when I saw her face on the cover of the June 2011 issue of Bon Appetit, it sort of annoyed me.  There she was, all beautiful and perfect, smiling in her million dollar kitchen.  Alright, so maybe it's just jealousy...ok, it is.  But seriously, this woman better be able to cook or I am going to be even more annoyed.

Because I like her, I decided to give her a chance.  Turns out she may actually know a thing or two about cooking.  From what I know, she learned to cook from her Dad who also shared a passion for food and cooking.  It's hard to knock that.  Sure, the pictures are a wee bit cheesy...no one looks that good cooking in the kitchen...seriously...who wears a skin tight dress to make dinner?  But the food sounded and looked good. 

One recipe caught my eye.  The Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce.  It required very few ingredients, most of which I already had on hand, and I figured this would be the test.  So, I made it and of course, it was delicious.

So, I am sorry G.P. for being so judgemental.  It turns out you are beautiful, talented and handy in the kitchen.  Kudos to you...maybe someday you and I can write a cookbook together!!!

Grilled Chicken With Peach BBQ Sauce
G. Paltrow, Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2011

Ingredients
1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches or 9-10 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts
vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until peaches are very soft and flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Pour peach mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place half the sauce in a medium bowl; add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.

2. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until browned and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Brush on all sides with reserved sauce; grill until glazed and cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Slice crosswise. Serve remaining sauce alongside.

Picture from bonappetit.com

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/06/grilled-chicken-with-peach-bbq-sauce#ixzz1UajxgCUW

Zucchini, the Greek way

May 11, 2011

Yes, believe it or not I am posting a recipe that is not a cookie, cake, pie, or other pastry recipe. I know, I have been on a serious baking binge, but I promise you that my husband and I do not subsist on baked goods alone...although I've often pondered if I could....   

I am always looking for inspiration for our evening meals and came across this recipe in the April 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.  I love zucchini, I really do.  So many people bash it, but in my mind, it is like a nice, blank canvas.  Think about it...you can make quick breads out of it (ever heard of zucchini bread?), you can roast it and you can even make these little zucchini fritters from it!  Amazing.  So versatile...so stop bashing it.  Seriously, it's inexpensive, low in calories, a decent source of Vitamin C, and even provides a little Vitamin A and fiber.  Good job zucchini!

The next time you have a surplus of  zucchini at your house, I recommend trying this recipe.  It is a wee bit time-consuming, but I think it's something fun to try.  I only made two modifications to this one.  First, I added a little bit of salt (about 1/2 a tsp of Kosher salt) to the mix.  The feta provides some salt, but not really enough to highlight all of those fresh herbs.  The other change?  Well, I completely ignored the idea of shallow pan frying as the recipe suggests  Instead, I found that I could easily saute these in a non-stick pan.  Much healthier and not as greasy. 

Good luck and let me know if you like them!

Zucchini Keftedes with Feta and Dill

Bon Appétit | April 2011

by Michael Symon

Yield: Makes 12 servings Ingredients: 1 1/3 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel 1 cup panko (japanese breadcrumbs) 1 large egg, beaten to blend 1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese Canola oil (for frying) Plain whole-milk or reduced-fat Greek-style yogurt (for garnish) Additional chopped fresh dill (for garnish) Preparation: Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.  My zucchini - sweatin' it out  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.  Mint, dill and green onions  All chopped up with some lemon zest Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Pour enough canola oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add patties to skillet. Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels.  (To keep things a bit lighter, I only used about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to lightly sauté these in a non-stick skillet.  No need for all of that extra fat and calories!) Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.



Yum, now it's time to eat them.