Applesauce Muffins

A few weeks or so ago, I came home from one of my favorite activities*, grocery shopping, and discovered that a huge jar of apple sauce that I did not purchase had somehow found its way into my shopping bag. I meant to take it back to the store and explain that apparently someone else did not receive the applesauce they had intended to purchase, but December is busy and I went home for almost 3 weeks. So now that February is here, it just seems silly to go an try to return it... Right? I am not stealing, right?

Anyway, so for now, this large jar of sweetened applesauce that I would have never purchased of my own volition is in my fridge, begging to be used before it begins to grow mold (hence, why I don't purchase even my preferred unsweetened appelsauce). Here is one of my attempts to use it up before it goes bad/is forgotten about.

P.S. Notice how little oil/fat is in these muffins?

*It is only one of my favorite activities when it does NOT include large bulk stores' harsh aesthetics and unhelpful employees who do not speak the same language as me and so cannot help me find anything in the hundreds of rows of primarily processed/manufactured foods. 

^please excuse my health-freak self, it gets a little stressed in certain stores^

Applesauce Muffins
Adapted from Rose Shulman

Yield: 12-15 muffins

170 grams (1 1/2 cups) whole-wheat flour

70 grams (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

45 grams (about 1/4 cup) packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweetened applesauce

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (feel free to add in whatever mix-ins you like: craisins, chocolate chips, etc)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Prepare 12-15 muffin tins/cups with paper liners.

2. Sift together the flours, baking soda, spices and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until the mixture is thick. Beat in the oil, yogurt, and applesauce. Whisk in the flour mixture without overbeating, and fold in the pecans.

4. Evenly divide among 12-15 muffin cups that you prepared with paper liners. Bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then enjoy.

Sweet Potatoes with goat cheese, roasted grapes and drizzled with honey

Ok, so I know I overcooked my steak, but it was so good that I don't even care. Especially 'cus these potatoes are awesome! I kept thinking, "omgosh, this is soooo good" while I was eating these sweet potatoes.

On an uneventful Thursday evening, this definitely made my night a whole lot better. I think it even gave me the motivation to finish my International Trade Policy reading. Anything to get through all of that reading is totally worth it in my book, and if it tastes amazing, all the better.

Please please please make these sweet potatoes. They will beat the pants off your momma's old southern recipe of pecans and brown sugar and marshmallows. Yes. I said it. And I mean it.



Sweet potatoes with goat cheese, roasted grapes, and honey
From How Sweet It Is

4 sweet potatoes

2 cups red, seedless grapes

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil (or another high heat oil)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 ounces goat cheese, divided

2 tablespoons honey + additional for drizzling

pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Poke holes in sweet potato with a fork, then wrap each tightly in aluminum foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes and tender to the touch. Unwrap foil and cut a slit down the middle of each sweet potato. Let sit until cool enough to handle. *However, if you are crunched for time, pierce potatoes with a fork in several places, wrap in moist paper towels, and place in the microwave for 10 minutes on high instead of baking in the oven.*

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Toss grapes with a little oil (high-heat oil) and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then place on nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until grapes begin to burst. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once sweet potatoes are somewhat cool, gently remove the flesh with a spoon, trying to keep the potato intact. Add the sweet potato to a large bowl, then mash with 3 ounces of goat cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper and honey. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired, then scoop flash back into the potato skins. At this point you can re-warm the potatoes (if you let them cool completely) in the oven, then top with remaining goat cheese. Add grapes on top and serve with additional drizzled honey.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake. Eat this!

Oh. My. Gosh. I will never waste a drop of red wine again. I swear. This cake is so good, please stop what you are doing and make it. Now. You will not regret it. The only reason someone would be mad at your for leaving work early is that you ate all of this without sharing.

This cake is moist and the flavor of the wine is pronounced, but blends perfectly with the cocoa. Although it has sugar, it is not overly sweet and you can sense the bitter taste of the cocoa. I tried two recipes for red wine chocolate cakes and this one is the definite winner. I will be making this as soon as I have another bottle of red wine to use up -that shouldn't take long, as I am a light weight and can only drink 1/2 or 1 glass of wine in an evening.

Seriously, the combination of red wine+chocolate almost rivals my love for peanut butter+chocolate+banana. This is dangerous.

Red Wine Chocolate Bundt Cake

Unashamedly taken from Food and Wine

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups red wine

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (10 inch round). In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy (4 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Add the vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine in turns, until just incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out on a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner's sugar and serve with whipped cream.

No Butter, No Oil, Ginger [Breakfast] Cake

Yes, I know that Christmas is gone and I should probably let go of gingerbread, but I love ginger so much. I just can't do it. Ginger is fantastic for you. I knew it was good for settling upset stomachs from my mom and for seasickness from my friend who was in the Navy, but my roommate (through a cooking magazine) just informed me that it is also good as preventive for muscle-soreness after a workout. And with it's kick, it has to be good for your spunk and livelihood, right?

In other words, ginger is awesome and you should totally make these little cakes for tomorrow's breakfast. You can top them with some vanilla yogurt and banana slices for a balanced meal that will have you ready to tackle in the dreariest of January mornings. Also, for those of you who are still going strong in your New Year/New You resolutions, these cakes are just under 200 calories and have over 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Woot!


Ginger [Breakfast] Cake
Adapted from Healthful Pursuit

2 eggs
1/2 cup raw lemon pudding*
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
2 teaspoons gingerbread spice**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375F and grease or line [6-muffin] muffin tin (or a bigger one with only 6 lined).
Then, in a separate bowl, whisk the first 4 ingredients. Once mixed, stir in dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed throughout. Fold in pecans.
Pour mixture, evenly divided, into the 6 prepared muffin tins.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then enjoy. You can store in the fridge for 4-5 days.

*Lemon pudding (also from Healthful Pursuit): combine 6 pitted medjool dates, 1 pitted avocado, the flesh (the segments) of 2 lemons without pith or skin or seeds, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until well-blended and looks similar to guacamole.

**Gingerbread spice: Mix together 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon allspice, 1 tablespoon allspice, and 1 tablespoon cloves. Use as needed.

Honey Poached Pears

So much like the debate of what is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake, the debate of whether fruit is dessert or not can stir up quite a bit of controversy. I would like to use this post as my way of taking an official position in this long and drawn-out conflict. 

Fruit is dessert. Yes, I said it. Fairly healthy and very yummy. Winter is the perfect time for warm fruit desserts like crisps and hot pies, but poached fruit is one of my favorites. As you may have figured out by now, I love soft, almost mushy, foods. Poached pears mean taking a delicious, soft fruit and infusing it with even more sweet, syrupy flavors and making it just the tiniest bit softer. With the addition of the cool and creamy mascarpone, this is perfect on a cold evening. Feel free to save the sauce to put in hot apple juice or cider, or to mix into warm milk. Honestly, I had the leftover pears and mascarpone for breakfast with a bowl of oatmeal (I mixed the sauce into the oatmeal to sweeten it). I love finding good uses for leftovers.

Also, this would be delicious sprinkled with almond slivers or some granola.

Honey Poached Pears
From Epicurious 

Serves 4 (one pear half each)

2 firm but ripe large Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup water

1/2 cup dry white wine

6 tablespoons honey

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons brandy or dark rum

Toss pears with lemon juice in large bowl. Set aside. Combine 1 cup water, wine and honey in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until honey dissolves. Add pears. Cover mixture with round piece of parchment paper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pears are just tender when pierced, turning when half-way through cooking, about 15 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to large bowl. Boil poaching liquid until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Cool syrup. Pour syrup over pears. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove vanilla bean.

Whisk mascarpone cheese, sugar and brandy in large bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup chilled poaching syrup and whisk until soft peaks form.

Thinly slice each pear half lengthwise, leaving slices attached at stem end. Using metal spatula, transfer pears to plates. Gently press on pears to fan slightly. Spoon some syrup over pears. Spoon mascarpone cream alongside each pear half and serve.

Italian Grits and Egg Breakfast For One

Just in case you didn't know before, I love breakfast. I love Mondays, I love Spring, I love mornings -pretty much anything that has to do with new beginnings, a fresh start, unexplored opportunities. I love to start my day by eating a banana, going to the gym or out to the country for a good workout at 5:30am, then coming home, showering, and taking my time while making myself a nutritious breakfast. Of course, I try to listen to Morning Edition (comes on at 7am here) white I make and eat breakfast. That kind of morning is perfect. I have all the time in the world to enjoy the sunrise and my eat my food slowly. I find that feel fuller and more satisfied when I can take the time to sit and really consider the flavors and qualities of the foods I am putting into my body. Just a thought. 

I hope you are a morning person too, otherwise the above paragraph just might make you want to hurt me... 0=).

Anyway, here's what I have been eating lately as my "I'm starving and need a 'real' meal right now" breakfast.

Make plain white grits (the instant kind is easiest).

Pour tomato sauce over grits.

Sprinkle with cheese because cheese makes everything better.

Fry an egg and put on top of cheese

(I fry the egg while I wait for the grits to cook).

Sprinkle with your favorite salt-free Italian seasoning (I use Tuscan Sunset from Penzey's).

Italian Grits and Egg Breakfast Bowl 

I'm not supposed to count calories per my nutritionist's instructions, but I kinda figured this one out 'cus it's so dang easy to calculate: less than 350 calories total and pretty much all food groups accounted for -grain=grits, veggie=sauce, calcium=cheese, protein=egg). Feel free to fry up a second egg for more protein though.

1/4 cup instant white grits

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup of your favorite red pasta sauce
1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt-free Italian seasonings

Combine the instant grits and water in a bowl and microwave for 3-4 minutes (in other words, follow the directions on the box for 1/4 cup of dry grits). 

While the grits are in the microwave, crack your egg into a non-stick skillet without breaking the yolk, and cook over medium-low heat until the white is about half-way cooked. put about a tablespoon of water in the pan and cover for 2 minutes or until the white is completely cooked (I do this with a plate, since my small pan has no lid, but be careful, the plate can fall off and will get very hot). Turn off heat and remove lid/plate.

Take the grits out of the microwave and top with pasta sauce and cheese, then take a spatula and place the egg on the very top. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings.

Take a spoon and mash together, or eat nicely in layers, whatever you feel like doing =).

Boston Cream Pie

So this is the dessert I chose to serve for Christmas dinner this past year. Well, my mom asked for it and so I decided to go for it. Although the 3 components (cake, filling, glaze) took a bit more time than I usually put into a recipe, it was definitely worth it. Also, I made the custard 2 days ahead, the cake the day before, and then did the glaze and assembly the morning of. Choosing to do the work over the course of a few days made it seem much less time-consuming.

Sitting here in 18F degree weather under my big feather blanket, wearing a hoodie and sweats and a hat, really makes me wish I was back in 86F degree Florida (where I was on Christmas when I ate this delicious dessert.) This is a great way to end a special dinner and is generally impressive, especially when you tell your guests that it was made entirely from scratch.

Boston Cream Pie

Custard

• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and ¼ cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t curdle or scorch on the bottom.

When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.

Cake (from Bakerella)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 3 cups of sifted self-rising flour (or make some yourself)
• 1 cup of whole milk (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• ½ teaspoon butter flavoring (in the extract section)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour (2) 8 inch cake pans, then prepare about 10 cupcake tins with paper or foil liners because there will be extra batter, or just prepare a 3rd 8 inch cake pan for the extra batter. Have fun with the cupcakes, feel free to make mini boston cream pies like I did.
Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.

Add flour and milk (alternating to creamed mixture), beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla and butter flavoring to mix; until just mixed. Divide batter equally into two, filling about 1/2 full cake pans, then fill whatever you want (extra cake pan, cupcake tins) with the extra batter. Bake and do with the extra batter however/whatever you desire.

Hold each cake pan about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
Cool in pans for 5 – 10 minutes. Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks. I place my cake layers in the freezer to make for easier cutting/leveling.

Glaze *Do not make until custard has chilled and cake layers are cooled/frozen and ready to be assembled, because the pie must be assembled immediately upon making the glaze.

• 1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chip
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.

Assembly

Unwrap plastic wrap from your two cake layers. Place cake layers on a smooth service (I put them on a piece of parchment or wax paper on my counter) with the rounded side up. With the tool of your choice (I use a large serrated bread knife), slice the rounded portion off so that both sides are now completely level. Do this to both cake layers.

Place one of the layers on a cake stand that has a piece of parchment or wax paper cut to the size of the stand, then take custard and heap a generous portion onto the middle of what is now the bottom cake layer. Spread custard out to the sides, making sure to keep the amount of custard equal across the cake -mine was about 1/2 inch thick; you will not use all of the custard, so save the rest for a later use or for mini cream pies if you made cupcakes . Gently place second cake layer on top of custard layer.

*Now you can make the glaze*

Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides, being sure to cover the entire cake. This is why you cut a piece of paper to go underneath the cake, so that it catches the drips. There will be a little leftover, so feel free to use for the mini cream pies, or for dipping fresh fruit, pretzels, marshmallows or whatever else you on hand.

Chill in the fridge until glaze hardens (an hour or so?). I left mine in the fridge for a few hours while we prepared Christmas dinner.

Enjoy!

My ugly, but oh-so-yummy and personal-size mini Boston Cream Pies
made from the leftover batter that I put in cupcake tins. 

Chicken Tikka Masala

Does anyone else feel intimidated when trying a new cuisine? I had never made Indian food before and tried it for the first time on a group of about 10 people. It could have gone horribly wrong, I know. It's the first rule of cooking for a group of people, to not cook a new recipe -I should know better. But thank goodness, this recipe was so easy, it turned out just fine.

Actually, it's a good thing that "fundamental" rule has never actually turned out to be true, because just about every time I cook for a group of people, I cook something new. I don't think I have made the same recipe twice in over a year. It keeps my mouth from getting bored, I guess.

By the way, if any of your are looking for a way to clear your head and help get in touch with your body in an attempt to eat intuitively, I highly suggest trying a bikram yoga class. I just started going last week and really feel much more in tune with my body's nutritional needs afterwards. I suppose clearing your mind, meditating, or doing any mind-body focused activity would help with getting in touch with that kind of thing, but I have found the past few days extremely satisfying when analyzing my emotional, fullness, and hunger levels.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Adapted from Alton Brown

Serves 5-6

• 2 tablespoons garam masala*, divided
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon toasted, ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon toasted, ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger*
• 1 medium serrano chile, seeded and minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked rice for serving

*If you are serving to kids or those who don't like very spicy things, you can halve both or either the amount of garam masala and of the ginger, that way you get the flavor, but not really a "kick"*

Combine 1 tablespoon of the garam masala, 1 teaspoon of the salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper in a 1-gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake the bag to combine. Add the chicken and shake to coat. Add the yogurt to the bag, seal and squish to coat. Refrigerate the bag in a leak proof container for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium-high. Add the onion and remaining teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onion is browned around the edges, 11 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, ginger and chile. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and browned completely, approximately 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of garam masala and stir several times to coat.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have reduced slightly and deepened in color, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the bag, leaving as much yogurt on the meat as possible, and spoon into a large skillet that has been coated with cooking spray or oil over medium heat (you may have to do this in batches to fit all of the chicken in). Cook until the yogurt has slightly charred and the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 3-5 minutes on each side. Add the lamb and coconut milk to the tomato mixture and stir to combine and heat through. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with cilantro, serve over rice.

Resolutions (and a bit about croissants)

So the week leading up to the new year was filled with joy and craziness for me. I made all of Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners by myself and had a wonderful time trying new recipes. Also, two of my dearest friends were married in one of the most meaningful wedding ceremonies I've seen; the ceremony truly represented the couple's commitment to serving God and others through their relationship with each other.

Of course, like any wedding, there was definitely some frantic scrambling (um, try running out to radio shack during the reception so that we could have a sound system for the first dance...). In honor the of the craziness, but totally worth it and completely beautiful, wedding, I am posting a recipe for one of the most talk-about and revered foods, croissants. Most people think you have to be crazy to attempt these (yes, these are the beauties I spoke of the other day when mentioning that I was making something at 3am). You don't have to be crazy though, you just need a bit of patience. This is definitely a 2-3 day process, but it is not terribly hands-on or labor-intensive. Definitely try it. It will be worth saying that you've done it.

It was actually my 2011 New Year's resolution to make croissants from scratch. It only took me until late December to get around to.... it still counts though! I completed my resolution =).

Now, I am too lazy to re-invent the wheel, so I will be pointing you to several online tutorials for croissants and you can choose your favorite. I personally used Peter Reinhart's croissant recipe in Artisan Breads Every Day and highly recommend purchasing it (every recipe I have made from it has turned out extremely well, though make sure to use the weight measurements, not volume.

Alas, if you choose to skip checking Reinhart's book out from your local library or actually purchasing it, these recipes from some blogs will also work:

How Sweet It Is

La Tartine Gourmande

Delicious Days


P.S.
In case you are wondering what my resolution is this year, I believe it will be to make either a leg of lamb or a 7 layer Italian cream cake. I give myself some leeway by saying I will do either one or the other... is that cheating? Also, I intend to go to at least one yoga class a week this year. I went to a bikram yoga class for the first time this morning and didn't pass out, hyperventilate, or die. I'd say this is going to be a good a year. Btw, by the end of 2012, I will have my Master's degree, hopefully!