Black-Bottom Cupcakes

        This past Sunday I had another fun opportunity to bake up a treat. Next up in these months of birthdays and holidays came my stepmom's birthday, then sister, Brys', 23rd (::news flash:: she's practically the same age as me now. when did this happen?!). The family planned yet another gathering around the table to honor the lives of these women we love. It was decided we would pick up some quality Italian carry-out for the meal (Maggiano's, anyone? Yum.), and for dessert, Susan (a pastry chef-to-be, herself---amazing), declared she would be making her very favorite lemon cake with which I was, of course, on board (There will soon be a post regarding Susan + baking + all I must learn from her.). The question to follow was what sweet Brys would have for her own birthday treat. Everyone should have her own favorite on her own day, I firmly believe. And, for one who bakes, there's nothing more fun than getting to make someone's favorite anything (I take requests! I love requests.). So, I prodded Brys to finally draw out of her a favorite dessert (she's a tricky one! not a huge chocolate lover. not big on fruit in things. are we really related?). Eventually, I was given, "I like cheesecake. Anything cheesecake." Sweet. I can work with that! So, ultimately---to make a not-too-long story yet a bit shorter for your sake---I ended up not being able to make a full-fledged cheesecake (due to time and refrigeration limitations), so I landed on this tasty recipe. I'd seen it here and there with its quirky little name and enticing ingredient list, and finally got around to making it. Essentially, it's a rich chocolate cupcake with a big ole dollop of cheesecake on the top. The cheesecake sinks down a bit during baking and then the whole thing is refrigerated following, leaving you with a moist little goodie sure to please any chocolate and/or cheesecake lover in your life. Brys oo'ed and aw'ed and loved them (even despite her but mild interest in chocolate), and I couldn't help but have a second myself.

{Lovely Brys}


kind.
beautiful.
hilarious.
silly.
generous.
smart.
transparent.
curious.
adventurous.
fun.
loving.
strong.
tender.

...the best little sister i could ask for...happy (early) birthday, baby. :)

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

slightly adapted from smitten kitchen

yields 1 dozen regular cupcakes

ingredients:

for the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese (low fat is ok), room temp

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temp

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

for the cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch processed)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup coffee (or water if you'd prefer. coffee intensifies the chocolate taste.)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a handful of mini-chocolate chips to sprinkle on top just before baking, optional

directions:

1. For filling, beat together cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg, beating until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cups.

3. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined, then whisk in the brown sugar, pressing out the lumps as best you can.

4. In separate small bowl, mix together coffee/water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. 

5. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in, stirring until just incorporated. It's important not to stir too much here. Just until you see no more dry.

6. Pour batter into muffin cups to about 3/4 full, then spoon or pipe filling into center of each until the cups are almost full. (I put my filling in a quart-sized ziplock, then snipped the end off and made a make-shift piping bag. This helps to get the filling best centered.)

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cakes are bouncy when lightly pressed and the cheesecake centers begin to golden on the edges. Let cool in pan then refrigerate until serving. These are best when chilled but will also keep for a couple days out of the fridge in an airtight container.  

Heidi's Wild Rice Casserole

       This weekend was a time to celebrate fathers. I celebrated mine with a casserole. A really great one. Now, rarely will one find me drawing a steamy casserole from my oven. First, they're just not usually my style. Most are dripping with pounds of cheese and butter and mayo (gag. well, you know...those things are clearly tasty [see all previous posts], just in their right proportions.). Second, most serve a family of 8 which, well, doesn't make much sense for little ole me. Turns out, last week I offered myself as the cook for this year's Father's Day lunch. I began to flip through my mental file of entree ideas when, Wait! I realized, I haven't made anything from my new cookbook yet! Gasp. I'd waited far too long. Heidi Swanson. If you read any number of food blogs or the like then you must have heard of her. Adorable name and all, she's an inspirational cook with a natural, seasonal, healthy approach to food. This I love. My sister Courtney gave me her most recent book for my birthday: Super Natural Every Day. It's phenomenal. Chock-full of dreamy photos and beautiful writing, plus a collection of must-make-now recipes. I'm so excited to try them all. I'd bookmarked one from the start...surprisingly, a casserole. A wild rice casserole to be exact. Having heard such respectable things about Heidi (we're totally on a first-name basis), I thought no casserole of hers could possibly be overly cheesed or sour creamed...so I gave it a try and...LOVE. We were all passing our plates over for second and third servings, running fingers along the sides of the bowl to get the last bits (ok, maybe that was just me. oops.). A delicious, hearty winner. I knew Heidi wouldn't disappoint. While this dish does call for its share of cheese and cream, the balance is just right and the wild/brown rice combo lends the perfect healthy bite. Dad loved it. And I've officially added it to my sparse "entree" file. Thanks, Heidi.

{lovely sister, brys, accurately demonstrating our ravenous love for this casserole}

{my amazing dad: doctor, painter, motorcycler, triathloner (soon-to-be!), bonsai-er, handyman extraordinaire, and so much more. i love you and am so proud to call you dad. thank you for all you teach me, for all the ways you love and support me. you are loved. happy father's day week!}

{sunflowers. coffee. dark chocolate. card. we love dad.}

Heidi's Wild Rice Casserole

borrowed from Heidi Swanson

serves 6

ingredients:

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon Dijon-style or whole grain mustard

fine-grain sea salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces cremini (aka baby portabello) mushrooms, chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 cups cooked wild rice/brown rice (I used 1.5 cups of each), room temperature

1/3 cup (0.5 ounce) grated Gruyere cheese (I added some parmesan at the end, too)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or thyme (I had the latter on hand and used it)

directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in top third of oven. 

2. Rub medium-large baking dish with olive oil (just under 9x13-inch dish) and set aside.

3. In large bowl, whisk eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. In large skillet over high heat, combine olive oil with a couple pinches salt, stir in the chopped mushrooms and leave sitting for about 3-5 minutes. This allows the water in them to evaporate. 

5. After about 5 minutes, stir mushrooms now and then for a couple more minutes until browned, then add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

6. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute, then remove skillet from heat. 

7. Add cooked rice to skillet and stir until combined.

8. Add rice mixture to cottage cheese mixture, stir until well combined, and spread into prepared dishes.
9. Sprinkle with two-thirds of the grated cheese and cover with foil.
10. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil, then bake for another 20 to 30 minutes until the top is colorful and the edges golden. Sprinkle with tarragon and remaining cheese. Serve!

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Banana Cookies

       Sometimes I want a cookie that makes me feel good about myself. One that's maybe not so sweet, not quite so buttery. Perhaps one that has just a touch of healthy to it? Sometimes. A few weeks back I was bustling around the house, packing and straightening up before heading to the airport, Florida-bound. I cleared the fridge and found myself with one egg and one too-ripe-to-eat-alone banana needing to be consumed. I brainstormed for a moment and landed on this recipe, deciding I would try to mix up a healthier version. This would involve cutting down a bit on the butter, egg, and sugar, and subbing a banana in their stead. I proceeded to bake these up in a flurry, tossed them in a tupperware, and headed out the door. Shortly after, I dove in for a taste and, oh, was so pleasantly surprised at the result. They turned out so yummy. Delighted, I shared them with a few friends on the way to BNA, and gladly toted them along in my carry-on, sneaking a couple every-so-often on the plane. My sisters, likewise, adored them. And my grandparents said they were the best they'd had (can always count on them for a lofty complement). Oaty, nutty, hearty, moist, satisfying without seeming overly indulgent. Everyone needs a cookie like this. I'm in love.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Banana Cookies

yields about 2 dozen cookies

ingredients:

1/4 lb. butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 very ripe banana, mashed

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped and toasted

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy.

3. Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk until incorporated.

4. In smaller bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. 

5. Stir in mashed banana, oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. 

6. Drop by very heaping tablespoons onto parchment-lined sheet and press cookies down a bit with your hand.

7. Bake for 10 minutes or until just a touch golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.

On Salads in Summer. and Two Good Dressings

     Well, it's officially hot as the dickens out there. I try so hard to appreciate summertime weather. I do love a popsicle or watermelon wedge on a warm day. Fresh herbs and bright flowers are a delight to see filling out flower beds. Ice cream on a cone seems ten times more glorious to me when the weather's warm. And a tall glass of iced mint & honey tea is something I do dream of during winter months. But, on the whole, summer drops to quick 4th on the favorite seasons list. I give no complaints for there is good purpose to each season and I can value that. But, I'm just sayin' that my drive to shower has diminished dramatically as its effects don't last 12 seconds out the door. What's the point? (Don't worry, I'm still showering daily.) And my winter scarves and jackets and tall boots look awfully sad and dusty peeking out from my hall closet. Cool weather longings aside, I will embrace the sweat, thankful for a working ac unit and an indoor job, and now talk about another something I like to eat when the sun is blazing in full summer-strength.
       Salads. I love a good green salad. It's a fact. Since I started my job as a night shift nurse 3+ years ago I've brought one nearly every work night for my midnight "lunch." If you have been reading this little blog for any length of time you might have picked up on my love of anything you can personalize to your taste. Salads slip right under that heading with ease. They're versatile as can be which is what keeps me coming back to them. If I'm in the mood for sweet and fruity, a strawberry salad with poppyseed dressing is perfect. If I'd rather a heartier, more protein-rich bowl, I might opt for an avocado salad with a lemon-chive dressing...and on and on...options are endless.
   With summertime rolling in, both with humidity (blargh.) and bustling farmers' markets (hooray!), I find myself thinking all the more of a cool fresh green salad, loaded with good stuff. Let me give you an idea of what mine might include...first thing, a base of leafy greens of any kind (mache is my favorite, or a mix of baby spinach and arugula), fresh seasonal fruits from the market (strawberries, of course, or raspberries, apples [when in their season], grapes, oranges, whatever looks best), some other vegetable additions (edamame, raw broccoli florets, chopped celery, sliced mushrooms, diced onion, sprouts, sliced avocado), dried fruit to add some chew (dried cranberries or cherries are my favs), toasted nuts for protein and crunch (pecans/walnuts/cashews/sliced almonds/pine nuts/sunflower seeds), a cheese to fit the mood (feta and gorgonzola are great with strawberries. grated parmesan with anything. a scoop of goat cheese is fun for a soft cheese option. or maybe cheddar with a black bean or more mexican-inspired salad). Ok, wow, do you get it? I just wrote a novel about a salad. I'm sorry. I can't believe you're still reading. And this isn't really even what this post is about. Ek. Ok, so let's quickly move on to the dressing. Last but not least. Here are two dressings you can make in a flash and are much cheaper than store-bought versions. These are both sweet ones that I love. I'll share some more savory options in a later post. In short, have fun with your salads. Be creative. It's like a work of art--a little o' this, a touch o' that. Make it your own, simple with a couple toppings or crazy and loaded like mine. And stay cool. :)

 Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette

adapted from Cook's Illustrated The Best 30-Minute Recipe

yields about 1 1/4 cups

ingredients:

1/4 cup cranberry or orange juice (or water if you have neither)

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar 

1 shallot, peeled

1 garlic clove, peeled

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

directions:

1. Combine cranberries and juice in microwave-safe bowl, cover with saran wrap, and microwave for 1 minute to rehydrate berries.

2. Blend hot cranberry mix with remaining ingredients--except the oil--in blender for about 15 seconds until shallot and garlic are finely chopped. Add oil and continue to blend for another 15 seconds until emulsified and smooth.

3. Chill in refrigerator and serve. (side note: once in fridge for a while the oil will separate from the other ingredients. in this case just pop the bottle, assuming it's microwave-safe, in the microwave for a few seconds and it will loosen the oils so you can shake it up and serve again.)

Honey Mustard Dressing

slightly modified from Alton Brown's version

yields around 1 ounce

ingredients: 

5 tablespoons honey

3 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard 

(more or less, depending on how mustardy you like your dressing. i like mine a bit on the spicier side.)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Whisk ingredients together until well-combined. Serve over salad or use as a dip.