Whole Grain Banana Carrot Muffins

I love Saturday mornings. My eyes open early without an alarm and my socked feet carry me out to the kitchen to put on a pot of water, grind the coffee, and take in the morning sunlight that streams through the kitchen windows. Before me stretches a free day full of promise, and I wonder, “What will I get to cook today?”

On a cold February morning such as this, I was inspired by a ripe banana and the desire for something to warm us inside and out. A hearty, barely sweet something with a tender crumb and an oat-y bite, packed with banana and carrot that make it taste at once healthy and indulgent.

It’s somehow not like banana bread or carrot cake but a thing all its own.  Lovely alongside a freshly brewed cup of coffee – served warm, maybe with a bit of butter.

 

Whole Grain Banana Carrot Muffins

printable recipe

Yield 12 muffins.

2 cups peeled and grated carrots
1 large ripe banana (heaping 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup grapeseed or other mild oil
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Notes: Melted coconut oil also works great in this recipe. It imparts a faintly detectable coconut flavor. The muffins are quite forgiving and work well with alternative flours. (They’re great with finely ground oats in place of the flour.)
A cup or so of walnuts (broken or roughly chopped) is also a great addition!

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with muffin papers.

Combine carrots, banana, sugars, oil, and egg in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine. (Or beat with a mixer, but I already had the food processor out for grating the carrots.)

In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the carrot mixture and process or beat until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Serve warm – alone or with butter.

Red, White, and Blue Scones

Just in time for Independence Day, a breakfast (or anytime) treat in patriotic colors.

 

I had my first scone at the campus bakery my freshman year of college.  It was moist and flaky, slightly cakey, and just the right amount of sweet; in other words, love at first bite.  I must have caught them on a good day because I’ve heard several people say that they didn’t like scones (campus bakery variety included) because they always thought they were too dry and crumbly.  Not so with this homemade version.

Even though I had every intention of trying my hand at scone-making, it took me ten years to finally do it!  It turns out that they are easy and quick and can take as little as 30 minutes, start to finish.  Perfect for whipping up on a lazy Saturday (or holiday) morning.

This recipe is fairly flexible and can accommodate a variety of fruit/flavor additions.  I usually prefer my scones with dried cranberries and orange zest, but 4th of July weekend and the abundance of fresh berries at the market called for a little something extra.  The sweetness of the fresh blueberries is a nice compliment to the tart cranberries and the orange zest infuses the entire dough with a hint of citrus.

Red, White, and Blue Scones (Blueberry-Cranberry Scones)
adapted from “Classic Currant Scones” from The Joy of Cooking

Yield 8 scones.

2 cups flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, very cold and cut into ¼-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 heaping teaspoon orange zest (from ½ medium orange)**
½ cup dried cranberries*
¾ cup (4 ounces) fresh blueberries

for topping
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons coarse raw sugar

*I went with a combination of dried and fresh fruit because I didn’t want to create too much extra moisture in the batter.  However, based on my results, I think it would work well to substitute seasonal fresh berries, such as raspberries or (pitted and quartered) cherries, instead of dried cranberries. 
**Lemon zest also works well in place of the orange zest.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until the butter pieces are well coated in flour and about the size of small pebbles. (Do not allow the butter to become fully blended with flour or form a paste.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, and orange zest.

Very carefully fold the blueberries and cranberries into the dry ingredients.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently fold together (using a spatula or wooden spoon) until all the flour is moistened.  Use your hands to gather the dough and press against the sides of the bowl to collect any remaining bits of batter and form a cohesive ball.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8- to 9-inch disk.  Cut into 8 wedges using a bench scraper or butter knife. 

Place scones at least 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet.  Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes until tops are golden and the centers are set. 

Cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and serve warm.  (Or serve at room temperature.)

Grapefruit Sunrise Martini

This is a little concoction I came up with a few years ago when Brian and I were both living in New York.  It was a lazy, around-the-apartment kind of summer day (sans air conditioning, might I add), and we thought we'd have a breakfast martini...just because we could.

I haven't had this drink in quite some time because, sadly, I haven't kept limoncello stocked in our kitchen.  I was reminded of it last night when Brian tweeted the recipe in response to a request for creative cocktails.

Our impending trip to Europe(!) has me thinking about limoncello a lot.  I have to resist buying it every time I'm in a liquor store.  I'm holding out for the local stuff, for which there is a nice roomy space reserved in my return suitcase.  This will be the first cocktail on my list when we return, and I'll post a picture then.  In the mean time, enjoy!


The Grapefruit Sunrise Martini
printable recipe

2 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, from 1/2 medium grapefruit
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. limoncello
ice
honey

Combine the first four ingredients in a shaker and shake to thoroughly blend and chill.  Serve in a martini glass rimmed with honey.

basil-grapefruit sorbet

Enough already with the frozen desserts, right?  It’s mid-September!  Maybe it’s my natural inclination to cling to the final days of summer, but I’m on a frozen dessert kick lately…That and I had a few grapefruit that had been in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks and didn’t seem to be going anywhere unless I took action!

 

 

Basil-Grapefruit Sorbet

printable recipe

 

4 medium grapefruit
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
10 basil leaves
2 tablespoons (citrus) vodka

 

Scrub the grapefruit thoroughly.  Remove zest and set aside.

 

In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar.   Bring to boil and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear.  Stir in basil leaves and 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest. 

After about 10 seconds, turn off heat and allow basil and zest to steep in syrup until ready to use (at least 10 minutes).

 

Halve grapefruit and juice.  This should yield about 1 ½ cups of juice. 

 

Add simple syrup and vodka to grapefruit juice in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Pass the mixture through a find mesh strainer to remove any solids. 

 

Allow mixture to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Or chill in salted ice bath:  fill a large bowl about 1/3 full with ice.  Add about 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Set medium bowl containing sorbet mixture in larger bowl and stir occasionally until mixture is cold (about 10 to 15 minutes). 

Pour chilled mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

 

The final product will probably still be a bit soft.  For a firmer texture, allow sorbet to freeze in freezer for at least 8 hours. (I found that the basil flavor was more pronounced after resting, as well.)  For a firmer texture immediately, use half the amount of vodka in the recipe.

 

And since you’ve been working so hard….

 

Use a little extra basil-grapefruit simple syrup to make yourself a drink!

 

Basil-Grapefruit Cocktail

printable recipe

 

3 basil leaves
2 tablespoons basil-grapefruit simple syrup (strained)
1 ½ oz. (citrus) vodka

splash of grapefruit juice 
club soda
ice

In the bottom of an old-fashioned glass, muddle basil leaves.  Add simple syrup, vodka, and ice.  Top with club soda (several good splashes or to taste).  Stir.  Garnish with a grapefruit twist or slice and a sprig of basil, if desired.

sweet treat

It’s my new favorite thing to eat by the spoonful, straight from the container.

It’s cold, sweet, and refreshing.

 

I can finish the whole thing myself, and I don’t feel the least bit guilty eating it for breakfast, after work, before bed, or any time at all.

 

a “local melon” from last week’s produce box

(And I didn’t actually eat the whole thing alone.)

Grilled Peaches and Cream

A couple of Kuhn Orchard’s fresh peaches and a bit of leftover cream turned into a refreshing and light summer dessert – the perfect ending to our market-fresh dinner.

Grilled Peaches and Cream
printable recipe

Serves 4.

4 peaches
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon
hazelnut or vegetable oil

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. 

Slice each peach in half and remove the pit.  Then slice each half again, into two round disks.  Brush both sides of the peach slices with a small amount of oil.  (I used hazelnut oil, but vegetable oil will work just as well.)

Beat the cream on high speed until it begins to thicken.  Add sugar and continue to beat on high until soft peaks form.  Stir in vanilla extract and a few pinches of cinnamon.

Grill the peaches on medium high heat until they are tender and well-marked (about 2-3 minutes per side). 

Remove peaches from grill (4 slices per plate) and immediately sprinkle with several good pinches of sugar.  Top with whipped cream and garnish with a few more pinches of cinnamon.

 

sugared berries

For the second weekend in a row, I had the opportunity to work on a wedding cake, albeit in a much smaller capacity this time.  My task was to prepare blueberries and blackberries for the top of the cake by brushing them with a very thin coating of egg white and covering them with sugar.  It was a perfectly lovely way to spend a Saturday morning.

The finished result (baked and decorated by the bride’s sister) was inspirational.  The simplicity and rustic beauty of fresh berries were perfect for this springtime wedding.

I am looking forward to giving it a try myself.

Read more about the weekend here.

Strawberry Cupcakes

For her 30th birthday party last week, a  friend requested that every guest bring a cupcake as the price of admission: an excellent excuse to dust off the old cupcake tin and bake a few--something I haven't done in ages.    I wanted to make something fun, and pink seemed like the perfect color for the occasion.  (Apparently, my instincts were right on).

Pink made me think of fresh strawberries, which were already on my mind because the 14th and U Farmers' Market had featured an early crop of strawberries that morning (only for the early-birds, though).  I settled for frozen strawberries and a recipe from Sprinkles Cupcakes, which had been featured on Martha Stewart and appeared in my search for "fresh strawberry cupcake recipe."

Overall, they turned out very well.  The cake itself left a little to be desired.  The cupcakes had a lovely, soft pink hue, but the strawberry flavor was a little too subtle and the crumb was a little too coarse (almost like cornbread) and just the slightest bit too dry.  I may be able to account for the dryness in the fact that I only had 2% milk, rather than the whole milk called for, but with so much butter in the recipe already, I don’t see how a few grams of milk-fat could make that much of a difference.  I am curious to know whether using 2 whole eggs (rather than one whole and 2 whites) and using cake flour (rather than all-purpose) would improve the texture.  Next time, I also plan to experiment with ways to boost the strawberry flavor -- without using anything artificial.  My first thought was dried strawberries  because the flavor is concentrated and they wouldn’t require adjusting the liquids in the recipe.  However, I think an even better way may be to use twice as much strawberry puree, but cook it down by about half, so that it is the same volume as that required in the original recipe.

The frosting was the cupcakes’ saving grace--rich and creamy with wonderfully bright, fresh strawberry flavor (although next time I may try using a bit less butter).  The recipe made more than enough for 12 cupcakes.  I ended up using all of it, but found that the cupcakes may have been better with about 1/3 less frosting.  (And I rarely ever think there’s such a thing as too much frosting.)

All that being said, the cupcakes were a hit, both with Brian and with the birthday girl, and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to make (and eat) them again!

The recipes are certainly worth a try…

 

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients
Makes 1 dozen

2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

 

Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting

 Ingredients
Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Concord Grape Streusel

What do we do with extra concord grapes that are going to go bad if we don’t eat them soon?

Bake them, of course…

Concord Grape Streusel
printable recipe

for the filling:
2 cups concord grapes, washed and de-stemmed
2 Tbsp flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of salt

for the streusel:
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the skins from the grapes by pinching the end opposite the stem.  Set skins aside.

 

In a small saucepan, bring grape pulp to a boil.  Cook for about 3 minutes, until the pulp is soft.  While it is still hot, press pulp through a fine mesh sieve with a spatula (or run through a food mill) to remove the seeds.

 

 

In a medium bowl, combine pulp with grape skins,  sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt.  Set aside.

 

For the streusel, combine the first three ingredients.  Then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until it is evenly distributed.

 

 

Press a little more than half the streusel into the bottom of a small baking dish. (Mine was a 9in x 6in oval.)

Pour filling over the crust and sprinkle remaining streusel  evenly over the top.

 

 

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and topping is melted.

 

We had it warm immediately and then at room temperature the next morning with coffee.  It was great both ways.  We didn’t have any at the time, but I’m sure vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would go beautifully.