Monday, November 7, 2011

For the Love of Crust


I JUST pulled these out of the oven. Words cannot describe the happiness I am feeling as of this moment. What a way to spend a Monday night. Although my kitchen is cover from head to toe in dirty dishes... I am so incredibly happy. As I transferred the poptarts from baking sheet to cooling rack, one of them fell on the floor...Ohhh no way. Samples anyone?
To say the least, these wonderful creations will be accompanying me to Art class as yet another secret L.I.L.A.C.C mission to spread the word around... Enjoy!
imgoingtobeacook
 Pumpkin Poptarts
For the Crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbs granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbs milk
  • 1 large egg (for brushing the dough)
For the Filling:
  • 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
For the Maple Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 Tbs milk

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt.  Add the cold butter and pulse in 1-second increments until the butter is the size of peas.  The mixture should also hold together when squeezed into a ball.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk.  Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and process to make sure that moisture is introduced to all of the flour mixture.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for a few turns until it really starts to come together.  Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling:

In a medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree and spices.  Whisk in egg, salt and sugar and place in the fridge to rest while you roll out the dough.

On a well floured work surface, press dough into a 3×5-inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.  The dough should be slightly larger than 9×12-inches.  Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a perfect rectangle that is 9-inches tall and 12-inches long.  Using the pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares.  Place dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way.

Brush one set of 9 squares with beaten egg.  This will act as the glue for the top layer of dough.  Spoon about one tablespoon of pie filling into the center of each brushed dough square.  Top with a second piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed.  Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Let tarts rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while the oven preheats.



While the tarts bake, whisk together ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

Let baked tarts rest on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.  Best served within 2 days.

(adapted from imgoingtobeacook(.tumblr.com)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Being the almost-always broke teenager I am, I've found a way to happily pay people back... with cookies!! These cookies are easy to make and so tasty, that they taste like they've just come out of the oven even if you've made them three days ago.

I've been madly making these! So far I've gone through two batches and have paid back my best friend for a ride home, as well as overstuffed the rest of my family at home.... The second batch is going with me to art class tomorrow. :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies 
( From 17andbaking.com )
 Makes about 7 dozen cookies
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls with lightly oiled palms. I used a size 50 cookie scoop to portion the dough, a tablespoon or rounded teaspoon would also work depending on what size you like. Coat each ball in confectioners’ sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets. [Alternatively, try other ingredients like cinnamon-sugar or sprinkles.]
 
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Pour a glass of milk, and enjoy!

Pictures will be posted soon !

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Apple Craze

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tomato garlic sauce, sprinkled with grated gruyere cheese. Paired with Organic Rosemary Curry ground beef with Apples.


Today was my last second day of high school.
You read it right, my last day.
I'll never have to do through another second day of yet another year of high school.
Yaaay!
But, enough about me, I'm here to talk about APPLES.
Fall is coming up right around the corner!

Anyhow, school, waking up early, the beginning of no sleep, stress, and oh yeah, more stress. Yup, senior year is here. This means, no more care-free, lazy days. Which also means, it's time to eat healthy! (Or at least healthier than I've been eating over the summer.) :) Lately after school, for a snack and for dinner I've been turning to apples! They're yummy and wonderful. Here are a few delish recipes I've come up with, which include the most important factor of all; apples. :))

So, first things first,


Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tomato Garlic sauce
Ingredients:

1 box of Whole Wheat Angel hair pasta*
3 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 springs fresh rosemary
1/8 cup grated gruyere cheese
Organic Orange Cherry Tomatoes  (optional - a handful)
Jarred Pasta sauce, I used a blend of Tomato and Garlic*

1. Bring the water to a boil, and add in the pasta
2. Follow the directions on the pasta box for however amount of time you need to cook the pasta. Half way through the time, mix in the olive oil into your boiling / cooking pasta. (The oil keeps the pasta from sticking together)
3. Immediately after adding in the olive oil, put the rosemary leaves into your pasta and boiling water.
4. After the pasta is done cooking, drain, and set it aside in a medium to large bowl.
5. Heat up your pasta sauce. Either by putting it in a pan on the stove, or putting it in the microwave.
6. Mix the sauce in the pasta and set aside.*
7. Sprinkle with gruyere cheese and a couple of slice cherry tomatoes.



*Side-note:
- Boxed pasta and jarred sauce... a little lame, I am aware. Please bear with me. :)
- Also, it would be a good idea to cook the beef and boil the pasta at the same time, if you're someone who likes to save time.

Organic Ground Beef with Apples
Ingredients:

1 lb Organic grass-fed (preferably locally grown) Ground Beef
1 tsp Rubbed Sage
2 tsp Garlic Salt
2 tsp Thyme
1 1/2 springs fresh Rosemary
1 tbsp Curry Powder
2 Organic Gala Apples

1. Put your 1 lb of Organic beef in a medium skillet and cook until almost all the meat is no longer pink
2. Add in the Garlic Salt, Rubbed Sage, and Thyme. Make sure they're all mixed into the beefy mixture.
3. Take your Rosemary leaves and Curry Powder and mix those into the meat as well.
4. Cut up both of the apples. Make them bite size pieces.
5. Cook the beef until ALL of its brown, and NO pink remains!
6. Dish up your apple beef dish, alongside with your spaghetti and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Strawberry Fields Forever

Hello everybody! It's been awhile! And I'm sorry for that. I've been enjoying my summer vacation and haven't been in the writing mood! But I have been baking, so no worries on that end. :)

This past Monday, I spent the day on Whidbey Island picking strawberries! I had a blast, but sadly this is the supposedly the last week for good strawberry picking. ): I drove up with a close group of friends and together we picked two flats worth of lucious strawberries, 17 pounds total! Huzzah!



Bell's U-Pick Strawberry Farm


Om nom nom





I've been madly eating strawberries whenever I can. Putting them in whatever I can. Although this recipe isn't something I baked...it isn't really a recipe at all! But it's a delicious way to eat up the strawberries. Enjoy!





Strawberry Nutella Toast
Makes 1 serving

2 slices of whole wheat bread
4 Tablespoons Nutella
8 - 12 ripe Strawberries, tops cut off

1. First off, toast your bread!
2. Put two tbsp nutella on  the bread
3. Divide the strawberries between the two slices and place them on top of the nutella
4. Eat and Enjoy!







It's fairly simple, but nevertheless it's wonderful!
I'll be posting more strawberry infused recipes soon, so stay tuned.



Sunday, March 27, 2011

Pre-Valentines Day Party

Helloooo!
Sorry it's been so long! I'm been a busy busy bee during the past month and a half. Anyways, here are some pictures and recipes from the Valentine's Day celebration.

Photos by © Natalie Jahr-briten
These are my all time favorite cupcakes. Not only are they moist but when you bite into their middle you get a plesent suprise burst of raspberry jam. The frosting is think like buttercream, but light and fluffy all at the same time. I would reccomend these to anyone would loves simple yet unique and chocolatey cupcakes.

Jam Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting  (Makes 12)

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup superfine baker's sugar  granulated is ok as well
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract  I always about 1/2 teaspoons more, it intensifies the flavor
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup raspberry jam    I prefer the jam with seeds, but seedless will work just as well
12 raspberries, for garnish   (optional)


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Combine flour, baking powder, and use 3/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat superfine sugar and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in two parts, alternating with 1/2 cup milk.

2. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in ther center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and 1/3 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, gradually add cocoa mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.

4. Using a paring knife, cut a 1-inch-deep piece from the top of each cupcake (do not discard). Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon of jam and replace cutout pieces. Frost cupcakes and decorate with raspberries and/or sprinkles.


(Adapted from MarthaStewart . com)



 Photos by © Natalie Jahr-briten
Chocolate layer cake with Tangerine buttercream

Another soon-to-be favorite, with a suttle hint of tangerine, this frosting is to die for. As buttercream always is, it was light, fluffy, and incredibly rich and creamy. The cake was tastey and crumbly and just pure yum.

Chocolate Chocolate Cake   (Makes two 9 inch cake layers or 16 cupcakes)

Ingredients
2 ounces chocolate
1/2 cup plus 2 table spoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 whole eggs, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
frosting
10 ounces milk chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) butter, slightly chilled


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ and position rack in the middle of the oven. Grease and lightly flour tow 9 inch cake pans or 16 muffin tins.


2. Make the chocolate and cocoa syrup. Chop the chocolate into 1/2 inch pieces and combine with the cocoa in a medium sized bowl. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and gently whisk half of the hot water into the chopped chocolate. Whisk in the remaining hot water and continue whisking until you have a shiny, thick, smooth chocolate syrup, 2 minutes. Add the vanilla 
extract. Set the syrup aside and allow it to come to room temperature.


3. Cream the butter and incorporate the eggs. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes fluffy and almost white in color, 6-8 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Add the whole eggs one at a time, and continue to beat until they are fully incorporated. Add the egg yolk and beat until the batter looks smooth and glossy, 30 seconds.


4. In a dry bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.


5. With the mixer on slow speed, add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until the flour is just incorporated. Add all the chocolate syrup and continue mixing on slow speed. Add the second half of the dry ingredients and beat until batter is thoroughly combined. Scrap down the sides with a spatula and beat the batter on medium speed for 20 seconds.


6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, evening out the batter with a rubber spatula. Run a pairing knife in a single circular motion through the batter, 1 inch from the edge of the pan. This will help the cake rise evenly (not too sure this worked very well for me, my cakes still domed a little). Bake the cakes until the center set and and a tester comes out clean, approximately 25-30 minutes. If you are making cupcakes, bake them for 20-25 minutes.


7. Allow the cakes to cool on wire racks for about 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around the outer sides of the pan and invert the cakes onto cooling racks. Allow the cake layers to cool to room temperature.


8. To make the frosting, melt chocolate in a double broiler. Remove the bowl from heat. Heat the cream in a small saucepan. Add the hot cream to the melted chocolate, whisking continuously, to make a shiny, smooth ganache. Place the bowl of ganache in the refrigerator, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula every 5 minutes, until the ganche is slightly chilled, around 60˚F.


9. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the slightly chilled ganche together with the salt, powdered sugar, and the slightly chilled butter on medium speed for 4-6 minutes. The icing should hold the lines of a whisk, increase in volume, and become a much lighter shade of brown.


10. Fill and ice the cake. If the cake layers domed a bit too much, use a long serrated knife to trim the peaked tops to even out the tops. Place the bottom layer on a decorative serving plate. Cut a 12-inch long piece of wax paper into 4 equal strips. Place each strip under an edge of the cake to cover the rim of the plate, to prevent it from becoming coated with icing. Using an off set spatula, smear a generous layer of icing over the bottom cake layer, making sure to smear an equal amount of icing around the outer edge of the layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Evenly ice the whole cake with the remaining icing. Once you have smoothed out all the rough edges, remove the wax paper strips from underneath the cake to reveal a spotless serving platter beneath your finished cake.


Serve the cake at room temperature. The cake will keep, covered at room temperature, for 4 days. If it's very hot in your kitchen, store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature.


Adapted from The Sweet Life

Sunday afternoon procrastination

Think back on all those days when you have something, like an assignment, you knew had to be done by the end of the day. But every time you went to work on it, you became distracted... maybe by how dirty the kitchen seemed, then you continued on to clean it and ended up forgetting your entire assignment. Or by the realization that there's been a jar of oil sitting out on the counter for months just waiting to be used for popcorn. Just then, your stomach grumbles, out of hunger or boredom, nobody knows. But you then decide to make that popcorn you've been meaning to make all along because at the moment, it seems to be the perfect time to do it! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my day.

This is the perfect popcorn recipe. It's been so long since I've made popcorn on the stovetop, most days I automatically go to the cupboard, and pop a bag of microwavable popcorn in the microwave thinking nothing about it. When popping popcorn over the stovetop what usually comes to mind is how long it would take, but to my surprise it only took about two minutes to make, and even less time for my family and I to consume.

The rosemary gave it a sophisticated feeling. As though I wasn't eating popcorn, but fancy popcorn, possibly purchased from a modern chic store or restaurant. The dried lavender adds a hint of airy sweetness, almost like you can smell the mild sweetness instead of the tasting it.

Rosemary Popcorn
Fills a very large bowl
about 3-4 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons dried rosemary (use fresh if available)
3/4 cup plain popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers (optional)
Salt

Directions
1. Combine the rosemary, kernels, and olive oil in a closable container, such as a plastic bag, or . tupperware.
2. Shake the container until the popcorn kernels are covered in oil. For best results, let it sit overnight.
3. After the mixture has sat for some time, poor the contents into a pan. Make sure the kernels cover the bottom of the pan. If the mixture isn't enough, add a little more kernels to the pan. (If desired, add in dried lavender flowers)
4. Turn heat on stove to medium high. Look and listen for the first popcorn kernel to pop.
5. Put the lid on the pot and using oven mitts, begin to shake the pan
6. Continue to shake the pan until you no longer hear the kernels popping. Remove pan from heat.
7. Remove the lid and put popcorn into a bowl
8. Salt, and enjoy! :)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

My Saturday morning can be summed up into one word: Buttercream.