Quick, Easy, Delicious Scones!

It's MLK Day and Inauguration Day and for some reason, I felt like making scones this morning... and I'm sure glad I did!  I just googled "easy scone recipe" and this link popped up... this is definitely going into the normal rotation.

I've altered the recipe a little bit since I wanted to use multigrain flour and I didn't have any heavy cream in the fridge, but it turned out so delicious topped with strawberry preserves.

INGREDIENTS
1 ¾ cups flour (I used Trader Joe's multigrain baking mix)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 orange- zested
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into small squares
a pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 400F.

In a mixer, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and orange peel.

Add the cold butter and mix until you get a crumb mixture. Pieces of butter will be corn size and not blended in. This is good.

Add the cream and milk and mix only until it begins to form a dough.

Gather the dough and transfer to a flat surface, bringing together to a solid mass.

Flour lightly and roll to 0.5 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a 2.5 inch round cutter (you can also use a glass) and transfer to a pan. Brush with the remaining milk/cream mixture and dust with some coarse sugar.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

The first signs of autumn have arrived in D.C. and I am in a baking mood!  So I pulled out my Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook and started drooling over recipes.

There are several different no-knead bread recipes you can make from scratch (these recipes are SO easy... all you need is patience to let the dough rise... and I, of all people, know patience is usually the hardest to come by when you want fresh-baked deliciousness right out of the oven).  So you can use the simple master recipe OR the AMAZING, buttery, calorie-packed brioche recipe from the book (What? 8 eggs and 3 sticks of butter??? Mmmm... believe me, it's worth it!)

This is what it looks like when it comes out of the oven...

This is what it looks like when you flip it onto the plate...

And this is what it looks like before you devour your first piece and try not the eat the rest (because you remember all the butter, sugar and eggs!)

The best thing is that the bread recipe makes at least 2 more loaves that you can keep in the fridge for a week or freeze.  I froze my extra dough because I wanted to fit into my pants this winter but I'm definitely making this again... maybe for Christmas when there are more people around to share the calories!

Brioche Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, eggs honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in the flour, using a spoon until all of the flour is incorporated.

Cover (not airtight), and allow to sit at room temperature for about two hours.

Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

INGREDIENTS

The Dough
A cantaloupe sized chunk of dough (about 1.5 lbs)

The Gooey Sticky Caramel Topping
6 tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
30 pecan halves

The Heavenly Sweet Cinnamon Butter Filling
4 tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped and toasted pecans
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

On baking day, cream together the butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Scatter the pecans over the butter-sugar mixture and set aside. (Note: If you have a pan with high sides, that might work best. Otherwise, place a pan (disposable or not) on the rack below your pan to catch the spillage.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1.5 lb piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thick rectangle. As you roll out the dough, use enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface but not so much as to make the dough dry. If the dough is being stubborn, let it sit for 20 minutes, then come back to it with the rolling pin.

Cream together the butter, sugar and spices. Spread evenly over the rolled-out dough and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a log. If the dough is too soft to cut, let it chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. With a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 equal pieces and arrange over the pecans in the prepared, with the “swirled” edge facing upward. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise 1 hour.

Bake buns about 40 minutes or until golden brown and well set in center. While still hot, run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the caramel rolls, and invert immediately onto a serving dish. If you let them sit too long, they will stick to the pan and be difficult to turn out.

Guacamole: Dip + Breakfast Recipes

Last night we brought homemade guacamole to our friend's house for their delicious Mexican-themed dinner party.  Super delicious and super easy with such an abundance of cheap and ripe avocados at the store these days.

This morning, Michael made this potato pancake, guacamole and egg dish with the leftover guacamole... surprisingly delicious!  Food & Wine has done it again.

INGREDIENTS
2 medium ripe avocados
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
About 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Fresh hot green chile to taste (I like 1 serrano or ½ to 1 jalapeño), finely chopped
1/4 small white onion, finely chopped
1/2 medium tomato, chopped into 1/4-inch dice

Cut the avocados in half, running your knife around the pit from stem to blossom end and back up again. Twist the halves in opposite directions to free the pits and pull the halves apart. Dislodge the pits, then scoop out the avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Mash the avocado with a large fork or potato masher. Stir in the garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus any other sets of ingredients you've chosen. If your list includes the white onion, rinse it first under cold water, then shake well to rid it of excess moisture, before adding to the avocado. (This reduces the risk of having onion flavor overwhelm the guacamole.) Taste and season with additional salt if appropriate. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate—preferably not more than a few hours.

BREAKFAST...
Shred two medium-large (10 to 12 ounces total) red-skin potatoes; squeeze out excess moisture between your hands. Heat a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium and lightly coat with oil. Form 4 small potato pancakes, sprinkle with salt and press flat with a spatula. When browned on one side, flip and brown the other side. Smear with the simplest guacamole, top each with a poached egg and sprinkle with salt, black pepper and cilantro.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt

I have a confession to make... I did not actually bake this.

Okay, now that my conscience is clear, I will say that I did find the recipe and it turned out so delicious that I WILL make it in the near future and therefore, I find it necessary to put this amazing recipe on the blog.

This recipe is from the Food Librarian and part of her "I Like Big Bundts" series... who doesn't love that?  And my favorite baker/pilates instructor/personal trainer/friend Jennifer actually made this delicious bundt for her loft-warming party to kick off her new studio, Physique Loft in Adams Morgan!  Yay!

All the loft-warming dishes were made with natural, organic ingredients so she used organic pumpkin puree instead of Libby's and organic butter, eggs, sour cream... you get the point.  Also, we ran out of time and did not make the glaze.  I'm sure the glaze is delicious but it was just perfect with a light sprinkle of organic powdered sugar.

Moist.  Not too sweet.  Delicious.  My new fall favorite.

STREUSEL INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons butter

Cut butter into the sugar and spices until crumbly.

CAKE INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 large eggs, room temp
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
8 oz or 1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prep 12-cup Bundt pan (I use Pam with Flour spray).
2. Make streusel and set aside.
3. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes with the paddle attachment).
5. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl.
6. Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla.
7. With mixer on low, add in flour mixture until just combined.
8. Spoon half batter into pan.
9. Top with streusel mixture. Don't let streusel hit the sides of the pan.
10. Top with the rest of the batter.
11. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (depending on your oven) until toothpick or skewer comes out clean. Mine took 55 minutes.
12. Cool for 30 minutes in pan, then depan and cool completely.
13. Top with glaze of powdered sugar and orange juice (can also use milk or cream).

Little Fruit Bites

I made Stuffed Pear in Puff Pastry the other night and had leftover puff pastry that I didn't want to go to waste.  So I thought, why don't I put a little spoonful of jam and fold the puff in half?

Trader Joe's fig butter and mango butter worked deliciously and wasn't too sweet (but I'm sure any jam would work) or even apple butter!  Perfect for autumn!

Just pop them in the toaster oven at 350 degrees and make sure it gets just a little golden brown (about 10-15 mins).  Yum.  Easy dessert, snack, or breakfast!

Easy Monkey Bread Muffins

I've always had a little sweet spot of monkey bread but it's always seemed so messy when baked in a loaf or in a bundt pan.  So when I saw this recipe on Two Peas and their Pod, I had to try it out.  Here's my version of the recipe with a couple tweaks:

INGREDIENTS

3 cans of refrigerated biscuits (I used the Safeway Jumbo biscuits)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Cut the biscuits in quarters and roll the dough into little balls.
3. Combine the cinnamon, sugar and optional chopped pecans. Roll the balls in the mixture.
4. Place four balls in one muffin cup. Fill the pan.
5. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a small pot on the stove. Stir until melted and bubbly.
6. Pour the gooey sauce over the muffins.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on oven... mine took about 15 mins)
8. Cool for a minute in pan. Remove muffins from pan and enjoy the pretty little muffin!
Makes 24 muffins

Forget about your diet momentarily... you're going to want to make this for breakfast next weekend...

Re-Post: Easiest Banana Bread Ever

This is a re-post of the easiest and best banana bread recipe from our old super-slow blog.  My competitive dancer, piano recital performing, active sorority member, always volunteering cousin SOMEHOW finds time to also keep her grades up at UC San Diego AND bake for her friends during finals.  I don't know how these kids do it these days!

So this recipe re-post is dedicated to my super woman cousin :) 

INGREDIENTS (you probably have most in your kitchen already)
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (I like using our favorite Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix)
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (or more if you’re a chocoholic like Michael)
1/3 cup toasted, sliced almonds OR walnut pieces (optional)

DIRECTIONS (No Mixer Required!!)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and put on your apron
2. With a fork, mash up the bananas in a big mixing bowl
3. Then melt butter in a cup in the microwave and mix into the mashed bananas
4. Now mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla
5. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in
6. Add the flour last and mix just until it’s all blended
7. Fold in chocolate chips, almonds, or walnuts
8. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan and bake for 1 hour (or you could line muffin cups and poor mixture into 18 cups)
9. Bake until toothpick comes out clean (about 1 hour for loaf pan or 30 mins. for muffins)
10. Cool on rack for a while so it’s easier to flip out of the pan
11. Flip the bread out of the pan, slice, eat some while it’s still warm, bring some into work to share (or not), and never waste over-ripe bananas again!

3 Ingredient Homemade Biscuits

Is there anything better than warm biscuits on Saturday morning?  I dare say not much!

So here's my super simple, 5 minute prep, 10 minute bake recipe... you have no excuse not to have warm, delicious biscuits on a cold, winter morning.

(The one thing you will need is a biscuit cutter but they're cheap and will last you forever so go out and get one if you don't already have one... or a couple)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix (and a little more for sprinkling on work surface)
2/3 cup milk
3 tbsp oil

Now just follow the instructions on the side of the Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix box!  (I've added my supplemental directions in parentheses)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Stir together all the ingredients until moistened (I use a fork).  Turn dough out onto a floured board (I use my counter) and knead 8-10 times.  Roll or pat out 1/2 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter dipped in flour (I like using the small biscuit cutter but any size works).  Place on ungreased baking sheet (and melt a couple tbsp of butter in a mug in the microwave and brush it onto the unbaked biscuits before they go into the oven).  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  (I also brush with some more butter when they're hot out of the oven... it's the simple pleasures in life, right?)

And that's it!  Then top with local honey or homemade fig jam (or slather with gravy like they do it down South).  Mmmmm...

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones

My co-worker Liana made these scones a few months ago and I wasn't sure if I would like them.  Well, I was wrong.  Strawberry and Rosemary compliment each other surprisingly well!  They are really good and perfect to serve at brunch (or a BYOCraft party).

Instead of a heart cookie cutter, I just used a biscuit cutter because that's all I had.  It worked fine but it would be fun to get cute cookie cutters and try this recipe again.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Special equipment: a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter

DIRECTIONS
For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor (see below for hand-mixing instructions), pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Cook's Note: The dough can also be made by hand by stirring together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough.

Easy Sausage and Egg Casserole

This has been my go-to recipe for while now.  I'm looking at my stained printout from epicurious.com dated 2/12/2004 and think of all the brunches where I've served this casserole.  And it was (again) a hit at my BYOCraft party today.

You can make the meat portion of this recipe the night before so it's great for parties because you just stir up the egg mixture an hour before everyone comes over, pour it in the casserole dish, and throw it in the oven.  That easy!  It's a pretty heavy dish so leftovers can be eaten for dinner with a green salad and it's still super delicious.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sauté sausage in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of fork into small pieces, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons parsley; stir 1 minute. Spread sausage mixture in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, half and half, whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and salt in large bowl to blend well. Pour egg mixture over sausage mixture in dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley over. Bake until top of casserole is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.