apple streusel coffee cake

(pic via Instagram)

I really super hate grocery shopping, so I seem to always run into the problem of, "I want to bake something, but I am out of ingredients x, y, and z, but dangit, I really want to bake something!" So, when I'm looking for a treat to concoct, I tend to look for recipes where I can easily swap ingredients— or that call for items that I already have on-hand. Recently, I was gifted a few cookbooks (lucky me!) and one of these wonderful new books is a breakfast cookbook called, The Perfect Start To Your Day. My friend who gave this to me knows me very well. My friends can attest that I think breakfast is pretty much the best. Always n' forever. Me + breakfast = true love, etc. So, this cookbook led me to this recipe for Apple Streusel Coffee Cake. I easily adapted the recipe to fit my pantry-deficit needs and here you have it! Awesome breakfast cake in no time! It's a win for us all.

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake, adapted from The Perfect Start To Your Day

10 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup almond meal
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 golden delicious apples, thinly sliced

topping:
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 tablespoon water
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°, grease and line 8" round pound with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and almond meal in a small bowl. Add to butter mixture. Stir in greek yogurt until incorporated. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced apples on top. Spoon remaining batter on top. 

To make the topping, combing the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and incorporate the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the water and pecans and break into lumps. Sprinkle over the cake evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

re-post: peanut butter banana chocolate chip cake

Since I posted about this cake, the last time, I've made a few changes—thanks to my sisters. They made it a bunch, but thought it would work better in a 9x13 pan, and doubling the topping. This is still one of my all-time favorites, and with the new adjustments, it's a dream come true. Such great flavors and textures, all working together to make my tastebuds so, so happy. So, do yours a favor and make this. Make it now.

For the cake:
4 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups chocolate chips

For the topping:
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 square pan. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. Add the eggs and vanilla, and stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon—then add to the banana mixture. Add the peanut butter and when that is combined, add the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and granulated sugar. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, then sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

guest post: Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Fudge Sauce

My lovely sis wrote this post for me, knowing I had a crazy few weeks and wouldn't have time to bake and post something myself...

Banana, peanut butter and chocolate together in any form is the key to Caroline’s heart. Hence, this recipe (for my sweet little sister, in honor of her birthday last week): Peanut butter banana cream pie with fudge sauce. It is by far one of the best B,PB,C combinations out there. Another one I have yet to try: thick-sliced banana bite topped with a spread of peanut butter, then frozen, then dipped in chocolate. Yes? But that’s for another time.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Fudge Sauce
-adapted from Southern Pies, by Nancie McDermott

Pre-baked piecrust for 9-inch pie, cooled.

For Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons milk
3 cups heavy cream, divided
3-4 bananas, sliced
¼ cup granulated sugar

For Fudge Sauce:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

To make the filling:

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and milk. Beat on med-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

In another large bowl, beat 2 cups cream until it thickens and holds firm peaks. Add the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and fold gently to combine evenly into a smooth, thick filling. Add the sliced bananas, mixing gently, and then pour the filling into the baked piecrust. Smooth out the filling, mounding it up into a nice peak in the center of the pie. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

To make the Fudge Sauce:

Combine the half-and-half, sugars, and butter over med-low heat. Cook, stirring often, to melt the butter and dissolve the sugars into a smooth sauce. Add the chocolate chips and stir constantly just until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and cool to room temperature.

**When ready to serve, combine the remaining 1 cup cream with ¼ cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Beat on high speed until the cream holds firm peaks. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chilled pie, and cut into 8 slices; arrange on plate. Drizzle (or pour) fudge sauce over top of each piece of pie.

cinnamon chocolate mousse pie

This last Saturday, I entered a food contest called Füd Feud, in the dessert category. I wanted to re-make this Cinnamon Chocolate Mousse Pie but doctor it up a little bit. So I re-worked the recipe and came up with something I'm REALLY happy with. It's richer, more decadent, and even more legit. So legit, in fact, that it won the Taster's Choice award for the dessert category! I'm so pleased! Thanks to my helpers and tasters and supporters. It was a fun experience! So, if you feel like knocking anyone's socks off anytime soon, maybe try out this recipe. It makes one large pie, or five smaller 5" pies (with some leftover cream, which goes great with strawberries, bee tee dub).

 Finished pie with chocolate shavings.

 Pre-baked shells.

 Yummy, slightly salty meringue.

 The baked meringue, painted with chocolate.

 Some serious chocolate mousse.

 Topped with cream.

All finished up.

 Ready for the contest!

Winnings!

Cinnamon Chocolate Mousse Pie

5 5"-inch pre-baked pie crusts
2 eggs, separated
1/2 t. vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone
1 cup sugar
1 t. cinnamon
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Beat together egg whites, vinegar, and salt until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff. Spread meringue over bottom and up sides of pre-cooked pie shells. Bake in 325° oven for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside and cool. Melt chocolate chips with milk. Lightly beat egg yolks and whisk into chocolate mixture until well blended. Spread 4 T. of chocolate mixture over cooked meringue. Set aside the rest to chill. Beat together heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar and cinnamon until very thick. Divide cream into two portions. Fold one half into the chilled chocolate. Pour this mixture evenly over the chocolate painted pie crusts. Add the rest of the cinnamon cream on top. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

cinnamon toast bread pudding

She did it again!

My sis wrote a rad post and made something super delicious and made me feel like I should just hand over the blog to her, cause seriously, I want to make these things and eat them voraciously. Also, remember how she's a writer and I'm not? Now I'm off to go find something with cinnamon and sugar...



My family totally dissed me today.

While on the elliptical this morning I was watching one of my favorite to-exercise-to
shows, Sunny Anderson’s Cooking For Real (don’t ask me why or how watching food
motivates me to exercise in any way), and I was inspired to make this incredible looking
bread pudding and skillet egg dish for dinner. Being an eat-breakfast-whenever-you-feel-
like-it kind of person, I immediately went to the store (after taking a shower) and bought
all the needed ingredients for my breakfast-for-dinner meal.

Little did I know that the husband and three of four kids would golf all afternoon, only to
text me at 8pm with the news that they WENT OUT TO EAT.

First I was angry. But after my first serving of bread pudding, I only felt sorry for them.
See for yourself! Oh, and this is an adaptation of Sunny’s dish, only because I wanted a
more cinnamony crust (more cowbell) and less custard, plus I thought I was feeding six.
Also, Sunny added grapes in her custard…and cooked grapes just seem wrong.

Cinnamon Toast Bread Pudding

Ingredients
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
8 (1-inch) thick slices French bread
5 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
juice from 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
maple syrup, for drizzling
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Microwave for about 15 seconds
to slightly melt butter for easier spreading. Generously butter both sides of French bread
with butter mixture. Toast on a baking sheet in oven about 8 minutes, or until bread turns
golden brown. Set aside. When slightly cool, cut toast on a diagonal into triangles and
arrange in prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, yogurt, orange juice and vanilla. Pour

over bread slices in baking dish. Let rest 10 minutes for bread to absorb some of the egg
mixture, gently pressing down a few times to help absorb. Bake 20-25 minutes until crust
is golden and crispy in parts and custard is set. Remove from the oven, drizzle with maple
syrup and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Adapted from Sunny Anderson on The Food Network.

things i love: killer knives

I've mentioned before how killer awesome my parents are at gifts. I have what I like to call my "dowry" pretty well stocked thanks to their great taste, willingness to buy gifts way in advance (I've had an All-Clad pot and pan set with my name on it since I was about 10 years old) and love of kitchen gadgets. They've been hooking me up with knives more recently, and I got this Shun Classic 8 inch Chef's Knife - Hollow Ground for Christmas. I'm in LOVE with it! Look at the apple slices below. PAPER THIN. This knife is so legit. So, if you are looking for a great knife for yourself or your loved ones, make this happen to your/their life.

key lime pie: guest post by big sis courtney walker

You may have noticed, if you've been reading this blog for very long, that I have a super rad family who is just as obsessed with food as I am. I've gotten many recipes over the years from my sisters and I keep pestering them to do some guest posts for me. Finally, one of them got worn down enough to hook a sister up! Courtney is the writer in the family and even published a novel—it's called On The Fringe and it's amazing! You should definitely read it. So here is her post (the photos were taken by her brother-in-law, Paul Walker—no, not THAT Paul Walker) so, check it out!

(Doesn't it look amazing???)

Caroline, my favorite little sister, has hinted/suggested (no bribing yet) many times over the past year that I do a guest post on her awesome baking blog. I happen to be a writer; though please don’t judge me. Normally I write young adult fiction with a lot of angst and super sticky situations in which only teenagers find themselves—not intros to recipes. Caroline is much better at this, I promise. However, I do love to bake as much as she does, so I thought it couldn’t hurt to help her out—plus, I need to start documenting some of the yummy things I make and eat too fast.

Sunday afternoon is my favorite baking day because after church and a big lunch/ dinner…I either want to nap or bake, depending on my mood. Sometimes both. Yesterday I managed a long nap and then woke up, ready to make whatever pie my kids suggested. Their vote? Key Lime Pie. I couldn’t argue with that —not only do I love it, but it is very quick and easy to make. So, I tweaked a few recipes, taking the best out of each one (which is what Caroline always does, right?). And this was the perfect, scrumptious result. Pictures included!!

Key Lime Pie with Chiffon Whipped Cream

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 325.
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix together and press into regular (not deep-dish) pie pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray just on the bottom. Press onto the sides and bottom of pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

For the filling (this is the easy part):

Preheat oven to 350.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup key lime juice
grated lime zest from 1 lime

Mix above together in a bowl until smooth; pour into baked piecrust. Bake in oven for 8 minutes, or until pinhole bubbles burst the surface of the pie. Don’t over bake. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Place in fridge until ready to serve, even overnight, if needed.

For Chiffon Whipped Cream (prepare this right before serving):

2 egg whites

4 Tablespoons sugar, divided

sprinkle cream of tartar

1 ½ cups cold whipping cream

Whip egg whites until soft, about 2 minutes; then beat in 2 tablespoons sugar and cream of tartar until medium-stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

In separate bowl, beat whipping cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until medium-stiff peaks form (don’t overbeat – just make sure it is stiff but still creamy). Fold egg whites into whipped cream and then spread over cooled pie.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam

I found this recipe last summer, and made it with my good pal, Julia last summer along with another favorite jam, Rhubarb Raspberry Jam. With the recent influx of good strawberries, I decided to have another go at the recipe. It's super easy to make, and the balsamic really brings out the flavor of the strawberries and adds more depth. So, if you find yourself with an extra basket or two of strawberries, I suggest you make this happen!

Easy Balsamic Strawberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped strawberries
1 cup of sugar
2 Tbl. of balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Cook strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a medium pan on med-high heat for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. I usually eye-ball the thickness of the sauce to determine when it is done. When the jam mixture has reduced to the consistency of thick honey or 220 degrees F. remove from heat and allow to cool. 

restaurants i love: mama's plantation

I feel like maybe I should have been born in the South. I love comfort food more than any other kind of food. I've always been in love with mac n' cheese, peach cobbler, cornbread, yams and other Southern fair. My first real experience with Southern Comfort Food was at Folks in Atalanta as a teenager. I couldn't get fried green tomatoes off the brain. When I visited my friend Liz in New York years ago, she knew about my love and took me to Spoonbread in Harlem (funny story, that's where I met my good friend Rachel for the first time, but we didn't become friends until years later—when I first moved to Salt Lake). I've also become a convert to Roscoe's Chicken n' Waffles in LA thanks to Broek and Renée. I have long since lamented the lack of this kind of food here in Utah, and how it seems that I have to globe trot to satiate my cravings, but recently went with some friends to (the new to us) Mama's Plantation in Sandy. I've been back about 4 or 5 times since my first visit in late February. I LOVE this place! I love the catfish, fried okra, yams, and the cornbread is sooo amazing. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots, and recommend it to anyone and everyone. You will be full for like two days afterwards, but it will be a fullness of food, comfort and joy.

(all my photos were taken with my phone in low light, so forgive the excessive use of filters to make up for this)

 delicious cornbread

 amazing fried okra

scrumptious yams

delightful peach cobbler

PS: If this post seems like a name-dropper post, I apologize, I just happen to know super legitimate people and they love food like I do. We can't help it.

dinner rolls with rosemary and flaked fluer de sel

(Sorry this photo is so crappy, but it's hard to take pics when you are busy and stressed while making food for 30 people!)

I made these rolls for another dinner I worked on with my awesome chef friend, Tom Call. He asked me to come up with some yummy and buttery dinner rolls. I went to my Go-To Baking Mentor (my mom) and asked what she would recommend trying. She suggested this recipe from Sarabeth's Bakery cookbook. I'm so glad she did! It looks like a lot of instruction, but it's pretty simple to put together. Plus, I added the rosemary and fluer de sel to try to make them a little more special. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. For the dinner, we made these more of a "tasting size" in little mini muffin tins instead of making them in the two pans like in the recipe below. If you make them that way, I would suggest using a scale and weighing the dough. Each mini roll weighed about 30 grams.

Dinner Rolls with Rosemary and Flaked Fluer de Sel (adapted from Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours)

3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk, divided
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, as needed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, well softened
4 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, divided
1-2 tablespoons flaked fluer de sel

Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup, 105° to 115°F, milk in a small bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens, about 5 minutes, then stir well to dissolve. Pour into the mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup cold milk, the sugar, egg, and yolk, whisk to combine.

Attach the bowl to the mixer and fit with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed, adding 2 cups of the flour and the salt. One tablespoon at a time, beat in the butter, letting each addition become absorbed before adding another. Add another cup of the flour and 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary to make a soft dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.

Using a silicone spatula, scrape the dough into the center of the bowl. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough is supple, about 4 minutes. One tablespoon at a time, add as much of the remaining flour as needed for the dough to become smooth.

Generously butter a medium bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the ball, smooth side down, in the bowl, and turn right side up to lightly coat the ball in butter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Cut the dough into 18 equal portions (if you have a kitchen scale, each portion will weigh 2 ounces.) To shape into balls, one portion at a time, place the dough on an unfloured work surface. Cup one hand over the dough and move your hand in a tight circular motion, letting your palm gently touch the top of the dough. For each pan, arrange 7 balls inside the perimeter of the pan, with 2 balls in the center, spacing the balls equally apart. There will be space between the balls until they proof. Choose a warm spot in the kitchen for the proofing. Cover with a tea towel. Let stand until the rolls look puffy, about 45 minutes.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Remove the tea towel and spray rolls with water, sprinkle with the last two teaspoons of fresh rosemary and lightly sprinkle with flaked fluer de sel. Bake unti the rolls are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans, then separate the rolls from each other and serve hot.

NOTE: If you need to re-heat the rolls, generously sprinkle them with water and put them in a 350°F oven for about 5-10 minutes. Just keep a razor sharp eye on them so that they don't get too golden and dry out.