I never realized how central a Holiday Pudding could be to the season until I crafted one of my very own. The premise is quite simple: a moistened and sweetened combination of bread, nuts, dried fruits, and a bit of liqueur. The resulting dessert was like placing a star upon a tree: it made the table complete. The pudding is filled with festive flavors of the season, pairing nicely with the texture-laden creamy topping. It was easy to make with quite the elegant finish. Enjoy!!
The holidays just don't seem complete without a batch of stuffing warmly resting on the table. This Cranberry 'n Pork Stuffing includes a significant helping of meat and veggies, a dash of wine and some dried fruit and nuts, inspired by a few holiday specials seen in this year's travels. At several parties I hosted, the stuffing went faster than many of my pastries or desserts! Serve a batch of this delightful dressing with dinner or as an appetizer and have a savory holiday! Enjoy!!
Around the holidays we can all certainly appreciate a smidgen of simplicity. These little Egg Nog Shortbreads are the perfect crowd pleaser, as part of the dessert spread, or even as a tasty introduction to the things to come. Simply combine the ingredients, form, and bake. The egg nog glaze adds just the right seasonal taste for the waiting and (oh so) hungry mouths. This year I featured the handheld morsels next to a familiar bite-sized favorite: Pecan Pie Bars. Enjoy!!
A morning slice of toast with a bit of butter and fresh jam sounds like a great start to a wholesome breakfast. This Good Morning Bun wraps up this notion in a favorable and fluffy new form. The buttery dough softly hugs a dollop of fresh jam with a light dusting of powdered sugar to add a pleasantly sweet finish. As its name suggests, a Good Morning Bun makes a perfect new addition to the breakfast or brunch menu, or as a light snack across the day. Enjoy!!
The time for cake making is past due so I wanted to introduce this aromatically and texturally inviting Buttered Pecan Cake with Rum Buttercream. The yellow cake is independently delicious but delightfully augmented by the surrounding flavors. The pecan filling is reminiscent of pecan pie and the rum buttercream adds a satisfying touch to the layered treat. Anytime is a great excuse for this particular cake so why not make that "anytime" now, adding it to this season's collection of delicious eats. Enjoy!!
Now is the perfect time for comfort brought by the inviting aroma of another home cooked snack. These Apple Crumble Muffins were a creation to support this notion and to use the last of a few apples that were all too ready to be eaten. The muffins have little bursts of moisture from the warmed apple filling swirled into the smooth buttery batter. The crumble topping offers a textural change with the added excitement of cinnamon, pleasing to both the tongue and the eye. Make a batch and warm up to your friends. It's a small hug in a muffin and its time to pass it along! Enjoy!!
These Pecan Pie Bars are a rendering of the the beloved, and delightfully gratuitous, southern pie. The chewy little take on the classic fits lovingly in the palm of your hand and enjoyed perfectly in one, two, or three bites (while reaching for the next)! Believe me, it was difficult to not just eat the batch. Include these in this holiday's eating festivities for a delicious, and quite sharable, morsel of pecan pie. Enjoy!!
Around this time of year, many people dust off the old family recipe book, browse through the familiar favorites, and scrutinize (somewhat hesitantly) which new thing to try. If that sounds like the routine, then let me offer up a Cranberry Cornbread recipe that will satisfy as a ‘new’ addition to the collection. This year, I wanted to create something that combined sweet and savory with a smidgen of spice. The delightful result was a subtly sweetened cornbread with roasted corn and chilies, topped with a dollop of freshly made cranberry sauce. One of my late favorite sides, offering a delicious arrangement of flavor and color that you’ll just have to make to appreciate. Enjoy!!
Pumpkin puree can crowd up the cupboard around this time of year, so let's give it some purpose. How about a warm batch of Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pancakes - protein-rich, fibrous, and filling? This, much like Pumpkin Curry, is something I make for myself around fall. It remains comforting in its own way, and since I prefer not to be wasteful, it has become quite the seasonal staple. Why not give it a go? After all, it's a tempting, but healthy, treat wrapped in a familiar breakfast bow. Enjoy!!
This Spiced Pumpkin Muffin recipe just may be a how-to guide on how to bake the taste of Fall into a muffin! The mix of spices used here have a bit more depth than a store-bought 'pumpkin spice' and provide the autumnal quality often enjoyed in predominantly pumpkin treats. However, if some of the ingredients are not readily available and pumpkin is on the menu, then a generic pumpkin spice blend will do in a pinch. Served warm or cold, these muffins offer the perfect seasonal blend with a morning cup of coffee. Enjoy!!
These Black Bean Brownies, like the majority of my recipes, are the product of several (and sometimes countless) attempts in the kitchen. I could make it easy on myself, look things up, and follow along, but what’s the fun in that?! After a few food fails, this brownie blend provided the familiar flavors, texture and tone even with utilizing flour alternatives: black beans and oat flour! The fittingly fibrous treat was an appreciated endeavor that I had to share. Enjoy!!
Ever wonder how to make those buttery Country Buttermilk Biscuits? Well here is a simple recipe I put together while speaking to one of my more reliable sources: my grandmother. We were talking about her latest rendition of fried green tomatoes and the many uses of buttermilk just happened to come up. Within minutes I was jotting down some ideas and by the end I had a southern staple that I definitely wanted to share. Enjoy!!
If you enjoy a little bit of tang for dessert, or a smidge of citrus, this just may be the recipe you need! As the name suggests, this Key Lime Pie Cheesecake combines two highly favored dishes into one velvety creation. The lime-flavored cheesecake rests upon the ever-enjoyed graham cracker crust and topped with a light but rich lime glaze, subtly outlined by the freshly whipped cream. Complete with a final touch of lime zest, you get the best of both worlds: a creamy classic with southern style. Enjoy!!
"But the crust is the best part!!" Or at least that's what I always say, followed by wishing there was a bit more of it. This Apple Pie with a Shortbread Crust levels out the playing field in the American classic between its filling and its often forgotten friend. The lightly sweetened apples provides the comforting flavor, while the buttery shortbread crust shares the spotlight. For those who simply love pie, give it a try; for those who also love crust, this pie is a must!!
We probably all have that friend who eagerly convinces us to make something super chocolaty. For such a friend I've come up with this moist Chocolaty Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe they'll surely enjoy. Wanna see their biggest smile yet? Make a batch of these, offer them one, and tell them that you have more. I approached the recipe as a moist chocolate cake, delving deeper into its chocolaty depths with bits of milk chocolate throughout bettering the flavor as you eat to its center. Eat them, share them, but most of all enjoy them!!
On yet another cheesecake note, this velvety creation mirrors the sizable New York Cheesecake we've come to eye in many bakery display cases. Unsurprisingly, consuming the entirety of one of these slices rarely goes unappreciated. In this recipe, the sweetness of the Blueberry Jam adds a dollop of fruity flavor to the creamy tones of the cheesecake, resting on a crunchy graham cracker foundation. A personal-sized portion may be next on the menu, but for a dinner party and the impressive presentation, this simple sweet will do the trick! Enjoy!!
You know those fancy breakfasts with the poached eggs covered in a hollandaise sauce made from ingredients you never questioned? Well, with this simple Cilantro Hollandaise those otherwise breakfast classics lose just a little bit of their mystery. Cooked in a double-boiler on a low heat, hollandaise is not as complicated as you may think. How did I use it? Since I don't like to waste ingredients, I cooked the remaining egg whites with shredded chicken seasoned with butter and garlic, and layered them with black beans in a toasted tortilla for a Breakfast Burrito a la Hollandaise. See? I can do "fancy" too. Enjoy!!
Seeking a new way to season an otherwise dull dinner or to amp up an already amazing dish? This Zesty Cilantro Pesto will add a little 'zesty' flare to those savory dishes with a kick of spice and a mouthful of flavor! How did I use it? Heated and drizzled over a homemade batch of chicken ravioli for an absolutely delicious finish! Now it's your turn!*
Do you like chocolate covered almonds? Well, this Almond Cheesecake with Dark Chocolate Ganache is a layered combination for those prone to buying the addictive little snacks. The crust is a blend of almond and graham crackers. The cheesecake is speckled with flecks of chocolate. The ganache is the final layer of richness elevating the treat to its worthy decadence. Though it may be hard to put down, don’t be greedy! This dessert is ideal for sharing. Enjoy!!
When I was a kid the dessert menu often included a Flan somewhere along the list. This Creamy Spanish Flan is a take on that tradition, but modified for those who may prefer a creamier approach. The baked egg custard is a simple recipe with an impressive finish. Best of all, its smooth richness captures the essence of the dish I have tasted so many times before. Enjoy!!
When you notice fruit in its later ripened stage, do you accept its fate or use it as an excuse to create? If you choose the latter, you may end up with some pretty nifty desserts, dishes and sides, even though it may seem an unlikely outcome. Fruit jams or banana bread are only some examples, but Marinara Sauce can be as well. This tasty tomato sauce can be made in advance and used across upcoming individual meals or doubled, tripled, and quadrupled for a pasta night or two. It may not mirror a traditional Italian kitchen, but it is a simple enough recipe to personalize. Enjoy!
A Basic Barbecue Sauce is a lot easier than people think. With more control over the ingredients going in, the easier it is to make adjustments later. Want it smoky? Add smoked chili pepper. Want it sweet? Add honey. It's a flexible combination that you can truly make the way you want. How did I use it? I prepped a BBQ Chicken Lasagna, personal-sized, with this sauce, fresh veggies, and chopped tomatoes, baked into a sweet and spicy mouthful.
Using unfamiliar ingredients to make familiar things is a fascinating aspect of cooking. If it all tastes the same or similar in the end, it can be a great skill to develop (and learn from friends with various dietary restrictions). Several of my gluten-free consuming friends have contacted me about making more gluten-free treats for eatTALK. It's a bit of an unknown area for me, but I am up for the challenge! As one friend reminisced of a Chocolate Chip Cookie, Gluten-Free by way of the chickpea, I was inspired to give it a try. I will continue to develop more, but I hope this one is enjoyable!
"You're one of the few people who can get me to eat carbs." Oh really? Well can't say I blame you. The thing is, when I think over my years I rarely think of things like kale. In fact: I don't. I cook through culinary exploration, influenced greatly by life. An all-purpose Yeast Dough is something my grandmother often prepared to bake some of the tastiest desserts and side dishes imaginable. One recent afternoon, a friend of mine and I set aside a couple of hours to really show what one dough can do: Cinnamon Rolls, Donuts (Cinnamon-Sugar, Almond Glazed, Chocolate Flakes), Donut Holes (Traditional Glazed), Dinner Rolls, and Soft Pretzels. One dough, yet so many uses! Our afternoon of conversation and debating what to do created the activity. Next time you're bored, try making a batch of dough and seeing what you can come up with!!
Discovering delicious designs in the kitchen is part of the excitement in culinary exploration. After several test versions, this Oatmeal Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie became the latest confection perfection: melting-in-the-mouth, caramel-toned, cinnamon-hinting, without an oatmeal overload. I ate one out of the oven. I ate another after it cooled. I ate another for breakfast. I ate another with coffee. I ate…and I ate. These chewy cookies disappeared particularly fast among friends, which is either a credit to the cookie or a mere measure of how hungry my friends can be. Enjoy!!
Tasty treats that are a bit 'lighter' on the waistline? Sure, let's do it! Here are some Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies born from a process very similar to the ever popular macaron (see Espresso Macarons). Perfect for summer, these chilled little cookies pack a powerful flavor without the ever-accompanying guilt. Take a bite, or three. Enjoy!!
Do you smell that? Do you? Banana Walnut Cookies will fill the house with the comforting aroma of a freshly baked banana bread, a parallel to a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven. Inspired from the many banana breads I've eaten over the years, I put together this cookie treat. It offers portability along with a crunchy/soft combination and the essence of a banana walnut bread. Fresh out of the oven, with a morning cup of coffee, or a bite along the route to work, eat it when you want it and take comfort in its taste. Hope you Enjoy!!
Talking food isn't a novel concept between my grandmother and I. In fact, a lot of my more southern-rooted cuisine was influenced by her tasty recipes in my earlier years. In a recent conversation, her description of a cake combining bananas, pineapple, and nuts left me curious. Days later, I received her Hummingbird Cake recipe by post, initiating a change of plans in my weekend baking endeavors. Sorry, no cupcakes or cookies this weekend; instead we'll venture into this crumbly, sweet and nutty treat inspired by a person who enjoyed baking far before I ever did. Enjoy!
"Where did you go?" I sometimes hear from around the kitchen corner. There I would be, standing in front of my kitchen counter with a floured mixing bowl, padding together little balls of dough. "What is that?" Often guests get hungry, but too polite to say so. Not being of the bagged chips and handheld munching crowd, I tend to make a snack or two when the ingredients work. Homemade Flour Tortillas were a staple in my home for an appetizer, meal, or a simple side. Incredibily delicious and simple to make...what's not to love?!
Keeping up with the cookie theme, I wanted to make both a classic Chocolate Chip and its not-so-distant relative: the Chocolate Chocolate Chip. The two seem to go hand-in-hand when I consider that one is merely a modified version of the other. Think of the 'brownie' versus 'blondie' conundrum - what IS either? When it really gets down to it: one tastes like the 'choclified' version of the other. So... now it's time to impress your friends by making one classic batch of cookies that much sexier with this 2-in-1 recipe combo!
After I "choclified" a batch of my friend's boxed birthday cupcakes - yes, boxed, per a very specific request - I was left with about a cup and a half of homemade vanilla buttercream frosting. Inspired, I went to work in the kitchen playing around with sweet potatoes and oat flour as wheat flour alternatives. After a few iterations, I was finally satisfied with my eggless and flour-less (with wheat anyway) peanut butter cookie. Utilizing the remaining buttercream, I sandwiched the frosting between cookie shells to create a rather addictive Peanut Butter Whoopie Pie. Sure, it took some tinkering, testing, and tasting, but the chewy and crunchy cookie was quickly a success. Enjoy!!
Though I was an absolute fan of the Cinnamon Roll Cake, it need not be made in the same manner every time. In the more traditional approach, Cinnamon Rolls can be satisfying freshly baked and eaten, or frozen and stored for a rainy day (or when the inevitable craving strikes). Individual portions make the saving, waiting, and sharing a bit easier than having a double-layer cake you may find yourself eating the majority of...or am I the only one? However the cinnamon roll is crafted, both versions of this recipe are easy favorites if they aren't already household staples!
Ingredients
Servings: 10 large rolls
Prep Time: ~2hrs 30min
Dough
1/4 Cup of Water, lukewarm
2 Packages of Active Dry Yeast, rapid rise
1 1/2 Cup Nonfat Milk, lukewarm
3/4 Cup Butter, unsalted, melted
2/3 Cup Sugar, granulated
2 Tsp Salt
4-5 Cups Flour, All-Purpose
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/3 Cup Butter, melted
Glaze
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (or Grand Marnier)
2-3 Tbsp Milk, Nonfat
Dough: Pour the water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit for five minutes. Gently, using a whisk, mix the milk, butter, remaining sugar, and salt until smooth. Stir in the flour, one cup at a time, until a semi-tacky dough forms. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour onto a clean surface and knead dough until it is elastic and no longer sticky (may take up to 1 cup). Place the dough into a lightly oiled medium-sized bowl, and evenly coat the dough with the oil. Cover the bowl and set aside until the dough doubles in size (~2 1/2 hours).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Note - If the dough is difficult to cut (i.e. it flattens out when slicing), place in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden slightly before cutting the remaining pieces.
Glaze - After the rolls have cooled, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the rolls. If the rolls are warm, the heat will allow the glaze to drip into a sheer finish. If the rolls are cool to room temperature, the glaze will remain thick and white. Sprinkle with nuts before or after, slice up and serve, or eat straight from the pan!
Nutrition Info (1 cinnamon roll):
Calories 461, Total Fat: 15.9g, Sat. Fat: 10.1g, Cholesterol: 42.6mg, Sodium: 352.4mg, Carb: 72.5g, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugars: 35.5g, Protein: 6g
As I ate my way through Soft-Baked Pretzel deliciousness, I remembered a picture a friend sent me from San Francisco: a savory muffin with a soft-boiled egg inside. Well, that was new (to me). Though I may enjoy myself a pretzel every now and then, I remembered that a pretzel roll served with a poached egg was always so much more. Surely it was no surprise that combining all of the above would result in one of my favorite new baked treats: a Pretzel Egg Bun. The salty and soft pretzel wrapped warmly around the egg, pairing naturally into this twosome. Now if only I could find such a bread in my local bakeries. Until then, here is my interpretation of a breakfast treat you can't help but eat! Enjoy!
When I think of bread, I often (and unfortunately) forget the Soft-Baked Pretzel. On another culinary adventure, I made a batch of bread dough, altered it some, and tested a few options. Lessons learned? If you fry it, no need to 'bathe' it. The fry was favorable to balls of dough, but less so in the formed pretzel attempt. If you bake it, 'bathe' it. To achieve the brown layer, an alkaline bath is integral in yielding something pretzel-like in appearance and taste. No bath results in salted bread: great for breadsticks, but a pretzel fail. As one could hope for, these savory-skewed Soft-Baked Pretzels paired deliciously with old-fashioned or stoneground mustard. Enjoy!
What exactly IS pudding cake? I have seen it scrolled along the face of cake boxes, taunting me with the image of a rather yellow and 'moist' cake. From what I understand: pudding is folded into the mixture to moisten its outcome with the subtlest of texture differences. I can do this. Rather, I WILL do this. I put together my version of a Pudding Cake, using the moisture from the pudding to the cake's advantage, and topped it off with a layer of Blueberry Jam I made as it baked. The cake remained incredibly moist out of the oven (success!) and I served it warm with a bit of chilled pudding alongside. Enjoy!
When I was a child living abroad, there was a distinct buttery flavor that became synonymous with tea time. This Shortbread treat became such a staple that even as an adult I desire its buttery taste with tea, coffee, or any other warm beverage. The ingredients are simple. The recipe is easy. The little butter biscuits smell incredible in and out of the oven. With a much-loved flavor leaning in its favor, the tasty morsels offer little reason to not give a go.
Thought the reign of pumpkin was over? Well it may be, but if you're anything like me, your pantry will retain some of the season's prime ingredients. This Pumpkin Curry with Chicken is an ensemble I started throwing together with little attention after a long day: I started it up, set a timer, and walked away. By the time I came back this protein-laden dish was a simmering golden-orange work of art, just begging for a side of naan or brown rice to soak up the flavors. Enjoy!
Well it's the new year - a time where you may want to simplify what goes into the body - and this could be a great higher protein snack before planning the next cheat meal. It's a simple concept and more of a shortcut than a recipe, but a Giant-sized Stuffed Meatball is certainly a meal in itself or a great addition to one (stuffed meatball hoagie, open-faced stuffed meatball sandwich, or classic spaghetti with stuffed meatballs?!). However it is served up, this is an easy recipe to put together before the day is started and pop in the oven after the day is done!
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