Mongolian Beef

I'm pretty sure I could live on Chinese take-out. I never, ever get sick of it, it always sounds good to me! Of course, my favorite dishes are the most unhealthy ones on the menu plus Shane doesn't like the food from my go-to restaurant, so it's super rare that we order out for it. Instead, over the past few years we've been collecting recipes that allow us to make the dishes we love at home. I know exactly what goes in them, I can customize to suit our tastes, and it's usually cheaper - win, win win! And even though it means I have to wash the dishes afterward instead of leaving that task to the folks at the restaurant, I'd still vote for the homemade version every time.



Believe it or not, I didn't add this Mongolian beef to the menu because it's a take-out favorite. In fact, neither of us had ever tried it before. Glancing down the ingredient list though, it was a pretty safe bet we'd be fans. This is probably the fastest and easiest of the take-out recipes I've tried - it definitely comes together more quickly than picking up the phone and waiting for delivery. Actually, now that I've said that, I should confess we never do delivery. No matter what we order, Shane always goes and picks it up. So, this also saves him from having to out out. And it was really, really good - the steak was so tender and the sauce very flavorful. A definite repeat, and a fun new addition to our take-out at home repertoire!

What's your go-to Chinese take-out order? Do you ever make it at home? Do tell, I am ready for my next project :)

Mongolian Beef
slightly adapted from Pink Bites

{Note: You could use flank steak for the recipe instead - skirt steak was just more readily available by me.}

1 lb skirt steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Pat the steak dry then add to a resealable plastic bag. Add the cornstarch to the bag and toss to coat all of the steak evenly. Transfer the steak to a fine mesh strainer and shake off any excess cornstarch. Whisk the water, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes together in a medium bowl to make the sauce and set aside.

Set a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil. When hot, add the ginger and garlic, stirring just until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 2 minutes (it won't thicken up yet, so no worries if yours is thin). Transfer to a bowl.

Increase the heat to high, and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides (this will happen quickly - just a few minutes). Add the sauce back to the pan with the beef and continue cooking until the sauce reaches your desired consistency - the longer you cook it, the thicker it will become. Add the scallions to the pan, stir to incorporate then remove the pan from the heat. Serve the beef over rice and garnish with extra scallions, if desired.

Milk and Cookies Smoothie

Over the past few years I've cut way back on the number of cooking shows I watch, but I have a few favorites I'm not willing to give up just yet. Mad Hungry, Giada at Home, and Kelsey's Essentials are the three I routinely record on my DVR, but I'll admit I don't always watch them in their entirety. Each has a nice intro in which the host lays out the recipes they'll be preparing, and I've gotten into the habit of fast forwarding through any segments featuring a recipe I know I would never make. I used to watch the whole episode because even if a recipe wasn't appealing, I usually picked up a few nifty tips or tricks, but these days I just don't have time. It seems like every time I turn around my DVR is at 99% capacity, so this is the only way I can keep up!



I was flying through a few episodes of Mad Hungry last weekend when I saw the idea for this milk and cookies smoothie. Confession: I don't love milk, and pretty much only have it in cereal or blended into a smoothie. I'm definitely not one to grab a big glass of milk to dunk my cookies, but throw the milk in a blender with my cookies and I'm all over it :)

Despite its name, this smoothie actually isn't super indulgent - aside from the cookies, the ingredient list is pretty comparable to other smoothies I've made: milk, banana, peanut butter and honey. The original recipe called for English tea biscuits but I didn't have any on hand, and the last thing I need is another package of cookies in my pantry, so I subbed something I did have - Biscoff cookies! The smoothie was super thick and creamy, almost like a milkshake in consistency, and I could definitely detect the flavor of the cookies. I was *this* close to substituting Biscoff spread for the peanut butter but chickened out at the last minute, worried it might be too much. I still may try it another time, and if I do, I'll report back!

Milk and Cookies Smoothie
barely adapted from Mad Hungry

1 cup milk
1 cup milk ice cubes (about 7 cubes)
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1/2 cup crushed Biscoff cookies
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey

Combine all of the ingredients in your blender. Blend until smooth. You can add more milk if you want a thinner consistency but I liked it exactly as written. Garnish with cookie crumbs, if desired, and serve.

If you have leftovers, you can stick them in the fridge overnight and give them a quick whir in the blender before serving again.

Serves 3-4

Barbecue Chicken Burgers

At our house we keep a notepad on the fridge, and if one of us uses the last of an item, or notices we're low on something, we write it on the pad immediately. Then at the end of the week when I'm making my shopping list, I check the fridge and add anything from that list to mine. Prior to instituting this fridge list policy, we'd just make a mental note when we ran out of something and try to remember to add it to the grocery list later in the week, but it didn't exactly have a high success rate. I was making second (and third and fourth) trips back to the store in a single week, which was, to put it nicely, not my favorite way to spend my time. I'm almost embarrassed it too us so long to put this plan into place, but better late than never I guess?



Last week when the temperatures climbed into the 80's several days in a row, I was not at all surprised to find that Shane had added "burgers/buns" to the fridge list. When grill weather arrives, there's almost nothing he'd rather eat than the pre-made frozen burgers from BJ's. Seriously, I could serve them for lunch and dinner seven days in a row and I doubt I'd hear a single complaint. By the time I went shopping again, we were back to typical March weather though, so I never bought those burgers for him. Maybe in a few weeks!

Instead, I struck a compromise, picking up a pound of ground chicken to make these barbecue burgers I had flagged. I'm always looking for new variations on a traditional beef (or turkey) burger and these fit the bill. Topped with cheddar cheese, grilled red onions and extra barbecue sauce they're fun and flavorful - we both really enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to being able to grill them outside later this summer, maybe even with the one thing I eliminated from Josie's recipe (only because we didn't have it on hand): pulled pork! How good does that sound?

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
adapted from Pink Parsley

1/4 cup cornmeal
1 scallion, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided (I used this recipe for homemade)
1 lb ground chicken

for serving:
sliced red onion (I cooked mine along with the burgers)
sharp cheddar cheese
toasted burger rolls

Add the cornmeal, scallion, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, kosher salt, pepper, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce to a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Add the ground chicken and use your hands to gently mix the ingredients together until incorporated. Set aside the remaining 3 tablespoons of barbecue for brushing the burgers as they cook.

Divide the chicken mixture into 4 equal portions, and shape each into a patty (mine were about 3/4 to 1-inch thick - the mixture was a little wet, just do the best you can.). Put the burgers on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Set a grill pan over medium to medium-high heat. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put the burgers on the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip the burgers and brush the top (cooked side) with some of the reserved barbecue sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes on the second side then flip once more and brush the other side with the remainder of the reserved sauce. Add the cheese (if using), and allow it to melt. (These cooking times are an estimate - you're looking for a final internal temperature of 165 F - avoid overcooking or the burger will be dry.)

Top the burgers with the onion slices (if using), and serve on toasted rolls.

Makes 4 burgers

Ruby Red Cinnamon Rolls

No matter what form they're in, cinnamon rolls are pretty much my kryptonite. Before I learned to bake, Shane and I would buy the ones that came in the tube and eat them not as breakfast, but as a Sunday afternoon snack while we watched football. It's almost more dangerous now that I can make them myself any time I want. There are always treats sitting around our house, at least for a day until I can send them off to work with one of our parents, or Shane, and as a general rule, it's not hard to resist them. That is so not the case with cinnamon rolls. I am powerless against the aroma of a freshly baked cinnamon roll. It's pure torture walking around Ikea if I happen to be there early in the day :) That fresh from the oven light, fluffy texture - don't even get me started. Needless to say, I only allow myself to make them a few times a year now.



I fell in love with the idea of these cinnamon rolls even before I recently became obsessed with grapefruit. It was one of the first recipes that caught my eye as I flipped through The Homesick Texan cookbook after opening it on Christmas day. I was intrigued by the addition of not only grapefruit zest, but also lots of juice to the dough. While the filling included the traditional cinnamon and sugar combo, there was also grapefruit zest. And to really drive home the point, more grapefruit juice and zest in the icing. I didn't know if I'd like it, but my curiosity won out. Sweet and salty works, why not sweet cinnamon and tart/tangy citrus?

After nearly 3 months of waiting, I finally gave in and made these, and I'm so glad I did. They're not unlike the other cinnamon rolls recipes I've loved - the rolls were really tender, with a gooey filling and sweet icing on top. But there was also a little something extra too. Sometimes when you taste something you can't quite put your finger on it, but you know there's something else, something unexpected in the recipe. That's exactly how I felt upon trying one of these cinnamon rolls. If someone else had baked these, I don't think I'd have guessed that something was the tanginess of the grapefruit. I even managed to restrain myself and only have two before sharing the pan of them with someone else, so I'd say it was a win all around!

Ruby Red Cinnamon Rolls
barely adapted from The Homesick Texan

Dough
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water (about 110 F)
1 1/2 teaspoons Ruby Red grapefruit zest
1/2 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ruby Red grapefruit zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Icing
2 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
2 teaspoons Ruby Red grapefruit zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To make the rolls: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast, water, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, sugar, salt, egg, butter and 1 cup of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until a lump batter comes together. Add the remaining flour and mix (still by hand) until a soft dough comes together - it may be sticky, that's fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook, and attach the bowl. Knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will probably stick to the bottom of the bowl, but should clear the sides as it is kneaded (if necessary, you can add a little more flour). Turn the dough out onto your work surface and shape it into a ball. Place in a bowl that's been sprayed with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and zest together for the filling. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into roughly a 9x13-inch rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the top. With a long side facing you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, pinching the ends to seal. Cut 14 or 15 1-inch slices from the cylinder and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for an hour.

While they're rising, preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. While the rolls are in the oven, make the icing by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, butter, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, vanilla and salt. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, and while the rolls are still warm, spread the icing over them. The rolls are best shortly after they're made, but you can pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds the following day to refresh them.

Ultimate Beef and Bean Chili

\

I learned a valuable lesson about meal planning last week. It's a good idea to check the weather forecast before you get started. Even if it is March in New England, and you're 90% certain you're in for another 7 days of typical 40-50 degree temperatures - double check just to be safe. Otherwise, you may find yourself surprised by a summer-like week with 80 degree weather every day, and a bunch of food in the fridge for meals that are decidedly not summer fare. Like chili. Trust me, you really don't want to turn the oven on for 2-3 hours to make chili when it's that hot out, especially if you're like me and also refuse to turn on the a/c in March.

Luckily, this was really, really good chili :)



This chili recipe was out of our comfort zone in a few respects. First, and probably most importantly, we don't usually do beans in our chili (or at all for that matter), but in a continuing effort to expand our horizons I decided to try this recipe and leave them in. Also, we usually use ground meat in our chili and instead chunks of beef are substituted here. Finally, the recipe calls for using dried chiles to make chili powder from scratch rather than the jar you'd usually buy at the store. It was the first time I've ever set out to find dried chiles and was surprised to come across them at the grocery store where I typically do my shopping. At my store, they were in the produce section, right near the fresh chiles, but I wouldn't have been surprised to find them with the international foods either. (Here's what mine looked like.) There was also beer, molasses and cocoa powder in this recipe, more ingredients that were slightly non-traditional for us.

I expected this recipe to be time consuming to put together, but in the end, it wasn't bad at all. I'm not saying it's ideal for a weeknight, but definitely not an all day affair. Plus, the recipe makes enough chili to feed a small army of people, so you won't have to cook again for days if you don't mind leftovers. Even if you aren't normally a leftovers person, I actually thought this was even better reheated on the second and third days. It's easily my new favorite chili recipe - so full of flavor and just enough heat that I could feel it in the back of my throat. I didn't even mind the beans, which is really saying something! Shane wasn't sold on the beans (it probably wouldn't be a stretch to say he hated them), but he still ate this for dinner two nights in a row based on how good the rest of the dish was. I'm so glad I forged ahead and made this despite the summer weather, it'll be a repeat here for sure when things cool down again :)

Ultimate Beef and Bean Chili
from The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

Two notes:
1. You can substitute 3 1/2 lb of blade steak for the chuck roast, if you prefer.
2. If you'd rather not buy the dried ancho chiles you can substitute 1/2 cup chili powder, but the texture of the chili will be compromised slightly. You can also use 2-4 dried arbol chiles in place of the cayenne pepper - they didn't have those at my store, and I didn't feel like driving around searching.

salt
4 quarts water
8 oz (about 1 1/4 cups) dried pinto peans, rinsed
6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 onions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 small jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons molasses
4 pound chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 12 oz bottle mild lager (we used Sam Adams)

Add 3 tablespoons of salt, water and the beans to a large Dutch oven. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat, cover and set aside for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them well.

With a rack in the lower third of your oven, preheat to 300 F.

Add the ancho chiles to a 12-inch skillet. Set over medium to medium-high heat and toast the chiles, stirring often, until they are fragrant, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer them to your food processor and allow to cool briefly. (Set the skillet aside (don't wash it) - you'll use it later.) Add the cayenne (if you like spicy foods, use the whole amount, if not, go with the smaller amount), cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the food processor once the chiles have cooled, and process the mixture until everything is finely ground. With the machine running, slowly pour 1/2 cup of the chicken broth through the feed tube and continue processing until a smooth paste forms (you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice). Transfer the paste to a small bowl.

Add the onions to the food processor (no need to wash it first), and pulse until roughly chopped (about 4 pulses), then add the jalapenos and pulse again until the mixture has the consistency of chunk salsa (about 4 more pulses).

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook for 8-9 minutes, stirring a few times, or until the moisture has evaporated and the veggies have softened. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved chile paste, tomatoes (and their juices) and the molasses. Mix until everything is well combined. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and the beans. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Grab the 12-inch skillet you used earlier to toast the chiles. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Pat the meat dry and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. When the pan is hot, add half of the beef and cook until it is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the chile. Pour half of the bottle of beer into the now empty skillet, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the beer comes to a simmer transfer it to the chili. Repeat this process with the last tablespoon of oil, the rest of the meat and the remaining beer. Stir the chili to combine all of the ingredients, and let it come to a simmer.

Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat and beans are tender. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes then stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: You can make the chili ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I reheated individual portions in the microwave, which worked well. I also set the entire Dutch oven back over low heat and reheated that way, which also worked great.

Coffee-Cocoa Snack Cake

Like so many of you, I have a massive collection of recipes, both savory and sweet, I'd like to try someday. Since I started making weekly meal plans several months ago, I've actually been making decent headway on the savory list. I've been doing less baking than ever, though, so the sweet list just keeps getting longer and longer. Recently I had a free day and decided to spend it in my kitchen knocking out a few of those dessert recipes. In some ways, it wasn't unlike other days devoted to all things butter and sugar - when all was said and done, I had a sink full of dishes and a layer of flour coating my island...



Unfortunately, I hadn't done a great job of selecting recipes, and had a series of "meh" desserts to show for my efforts. They weren't total flops, but nothing worthy of a calorie splurge, and certainly not anything you'll be seeing here any time soon. It used to drive me crazy when recipes didn't live up to expectations, but I'm better about it now. It happens, and I move on. Shane and I made dinner and spent the next few hours on the couch enjoying a Hangover movie marathon :)



The next day, determined to right the ship, I picked another recipe to try. That recipe was this coffee-cocoa snack cake, and it was a total winner. It's a super simple, no-fuss dessert - a moist, fluffy chocolate cake finished with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. What it lacks in elegance, it more than makes up for in taste. You don't even need a mixer to throw it together - one bowl and a wooden spoon and you're good to go. Don't be afraid if you don't like coffee (I don't!) - despite the fact that the word coffee is in the title and that there's quite a bit of it in the cake, it's not a prominent flavor. It really just boosts the chocolatey-ness (probably not a word, but let's go with it) of the cake. You could always throw a little frosting on top of the cake if you wanted to dress it up, but I really don't think it needs it.

Coffee-Cocoa Snack Cake
from Fine Cooking

10 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (7 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups coffee, cooled to warm (I used instant since we don't have a coffee pot)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Line the pan with parchment or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the cake out after baking. Spray the parchment or foil with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to cream them until smooth and light. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue whisking until the batter is smooth and the sugar starts to dissolve, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and salt and whisk to incorporate. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder over the batter then add all of the coffee. Gently whisk the batter until it is smooth and most of the lumps are gone.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Gently shake the pan to spread into an even layer. Bake for 40-42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 minutes, then use the parchment or foil overhang to lift the cake from the pan. Set on the rack and let cool completely (you can also cut and serve when it's still slightly warm). Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Tart

I don't usually buy strawberries this early in the year because even when they look gorgeous, the taste is often hugely disappointing. I've been eating granola and yogurt for breakfast though, and I was desperate for some fruit to mix in, preferably berries. Aside from the strawberries, the blackberries were the only thing that looked good at the store. Unfortunately, I really don't like blackberries and I knew I'd probably regret buying them (because then I'd have to eat them :) ) so I took a chance on the strawberries.



And you know what? They were surprisingly good! In fact, I ended up buying them 2 or 3 weeks in a row. But then my fruit and yogurt ran into some breakfast competition, and the strawberries sat untouched in the fridge. I kind of forgot about them to be honest. When I found them, they were still good, but just barely, so I decided to repurpose them into a baking project. It wasn't difficult to decide what to make - I've been eagerly awaiting strawberry season ever since I bookmarked this strawberry cream cheese crumble tart. It was finally time to give it a shot!



Since my pictures basically make the tart look like a big mountain of crumble topping (not necessarily a bad thing, who doesn't love crumb topping?), let me tell you what else is going on here. The base of the tart is a sugar cookie-like crust with some ground almonds mixed in for texture and flavor. The filling consists of the completely irresistible combination of sweetened cream cheese and juicy strawberries. It's sort of cheesecake-like in flavor, but way easier since it's no bake. And of course it's finished with the almond crumb topping, and lots of it. You can spread the components out over the course of a day (or even a few days) and assemble when you're ready to serve, making this a cinch to whip up.

It's a little bit tricky to cut the perfect slice (the mountain of crumble sort of has a mind of its own...) but you won't care once you try a bite. The crisp crust and buttery crumb topping are the perfect contrast to the juicy berries and fluffy cream cheese filling. I sent most of the tart to work with my mom and it drew rave reviews there too. And while it's good for dessert, I liked it even better for breakfast :)



You can find the recipe on Nick Malgieri's blog here. His instructions are thorough and detailed - I'm pretty sure I couldn't do much better, so I'm not going to retype them here (plus the photo over there is gorgeous, if mine don't convince you to try this, his will!). The only changes I made were to use slightly fewer strawberries - probably closer to 3/4 lb, and, if you can believe it, I didn't use all of the crumb topping. Also, he notes that it's best to assemble this as close to serving as possible as the crust softens after being refrigerated. I didn't notice a huge difference in texture after mine sat in the fridge overnight so you can definitely assemble in advance at least one day.

Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo

Shane and I did the long distance thing for quite a few years while I finished law school. He lived in Boston, and I was down in Nashville (not exactly weekend driving distance), so we didn't see one another all that often during the school year. When one of us did travel to visit the other, we ate out 95% of the time. This was before I learned to cook, macaroni and cheese from a box was a staple of my diet at the time :) I did have a few other meals up my sleeve, though, and one that I made for Shane on one of his visits became a fast favorite. It wasn't exactly gourmet - I cooked pasta, then mixed it with a jar of alfredo sauce and a chicken breast cut into small pieces - but he *loved* that meal. He affectionately referred to it as Tracey pasta, and continued to request it for years to come. I don't often buy jarred sauce anymore, so I can't remember the last time we made that dish. I know Shane would be stoked if it reappeared on the menu someday, though, so I immediately added this homemade alfredo sauce to my plans when I came across the recipe.



This sauce is a lighter variation of Cook's Illustrated's original recipe for fettuccine alfredo. I've never made that recipe, but it calls for a combination of heavy cream and butter as the base of the sauce, and is (to put it lightly) a pretty indulgent meal. This lighter version substitutes a smaller quantity of half and half (thickened with cornstarch) for the heavy cream, and eliminates the butter entirely. I still wouldn't call it a light meal, but it has about half the calories of the original version and over 30 fewer grams of fat so a definite improvement. Plus we've eliminated all the mystery ingredients from the jarred version!

Oh, and the best part? If I hadn't known this was lightened, I never would have guessed. We both absolutely loved the alfredo sauce - it was cheesy and creamy, and coated the pasta beautifully. Try to use fresh pasta for this dish - dried won't hold onto the sauce as well. You don't have to make it, the refrigerated pasta you can buy at the store works great. This dish is definitely at its best when served immediately, which means it's not exactly food blogger friendly. No time for an elaborate set-up here, just throw it on the table and take a quick shot so you can dig in! We'll definitely have this again; next time I'll add chicken for Shane and I know it'll be leaps and bounds better than the Tracey pasta he loved years ago :)

Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo
from The Best Light Recipe

3/4 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
9 oz fresh fettuccine
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated fine (about 1 cup)
ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts (that's 24 cups) of water to a boil. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the boiling water into the bowls you'll be using to serve the pasta and set aside (the boiling water warms the bowls which will help the sauce keep a creamy consistency for as long as possible).

Meanwhile, add 1/2 cup of the half and half, the nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small measuring cup, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup of half and half until smooth. Add to the simmering sauce. Continue simmering, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover.

Add the remaining tablespoon of salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is just al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Set the saucepan back on the stovetop. Turn the heat to medium-low, and whisk in 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Gradually add the Parmesan, whisking constantly to incorporate, until the sauce is smooth. Add the pasta and cook for about 1 minute , or until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta. (If necessary, you can add some of the remaining 1/4 cup pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. I didn't need to.) Season to taste with with black pepper. Working quickly, empty the water from the serving bowls and divide the pasta among them to serve. (This dish is best served immediately, and doesn't reheat well.)

Lemon Chicken

Can we talk about lunch for a minute?

I'd be all for eliminating the idea of lunch altogether and replacing it with second breakfast (brunch, perhaps) or a (really) early first dinner. I almost never have trouble deciding what to make for breakfast or dinner, but, day in and day out, I still struggle to come up with a plan for lunch. The best case scenario is that we have leftovers from the previous night's dinner I can reheat. It's quick and easy, and even if whatever we had wasn't a great candidate for reheating, I much prefer it over the alternative. And that would be 20 minutes spent opening and closing the cabinets and the refrigerator and freezer doors waiting for inspiration to strike. On more days than I'd like to admit I resort to options I wouldn't really be proud to tell you about :)



This lemon chicken would typically fall squarely in the dinner category here, and when I bookmarked the recipe I'd actually intended to add it to our meal plan the following week. Before I could though, I found myself whipping it up for lunch one day when I was particularly hungry and happened to have all of the ingredients on hand. It's super fast and easy to make, and chances are, you probably have everything you need to make it too. The lemony sauce that tops the chicken is bright and fresh, and really flavorful. Served with some asparagus on the side, it made for a really great lunch. Much more satisfying than the popcorn I'd had the previous day...

What are you guys eating for lunch? Help!

Lemon Chicken
adapted from Southern Living (via MyRecipes.com)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 lemon slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place the chicken on a cutting board. Working with one breast at a time, place your hand on top and use a sharp knife to cut the breast in half horizontally, to make two thinner chicken cutlets. (Don't worry if they're not perfectly even, mine never are!) Place each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or skillet to pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off the excess.

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil to the pan. Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any brown bits. Add the lemon slices to the sauce and let sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve (you can garnish with the lemon slices if desired).

Serves 2-4

Triple Chocolate Scones with Peanut Butter Glaze

It's the first day of spring! Is it weird that instead of double checking my calendar to be sure that was the case, I went and looked at the Google doodle? (Random aside: I *love* the doodles, they're seriously fun and the creativity always blows my mind.) This winter has been mild (to say the least), so my longing for spring hasn't been quite as intense as in previous years, but I'm still excited about its arrival. Though with a week of 70-80 F degree weather on tap here, I think we may actually be skipping spring and heading straight for summer... It's funny, Shane and I got married in March five years ago (in an outdoor ceremony nonetheless), and I remember just hoping it wouldn't snow and be brutally cold. We considered ourselves so lucky when we got a sunny day and temps in the 50's - little did we know we could have held out a few years for 75 :)



But anyway, I thought it'd be appropriate to celebrate this day with chocolate for breakfast. Sound good? If you're going to do chocolate for breakfast, I say why not go all the way, so these scones incorporate three kind of chocolate - milk chocolate that's ground into the dough, cocoa powder, and bittersweet chocolate chunks that become melty, gooey pockets of goodness once baked. They sound decadent, and they are, but they're not as sweet as you might expect. Outside of the sugar in the chocolate, there's not much added to the recipe - as the author noted, the scones are "restrained." Of course I remedied that by adding a sweet peanut butter glaze to the top :) These are definitely best right after you bake them, but a quick spin in the microwave will recreate that fresh from the oven texture too!

Triple Chocolate Scones with Peanut Butter Glaze
scones from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri, glaze slightly adapted from Mississippi Kitchen

Scones
3 oz milk chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk (I used whole)

Glaze
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the milk chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar to the bowl of your food processor. (You'll need a fairly big food processor - mine is 14 cups. If yours is smaller, I might switch to a stand mixer after grinding the chocolate.) Pulse until the chocolate is finely ground. Check the consistency of the mixture after every few pulses- overprocessing will cause the chocolate to melt. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to mix completely. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10-12 pulses. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the bowl (don't pulse to incorporate yet). In a measuring cup combine the egg and milk and use a fork to break up the egg and incorporate. Add this mixture to the food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to incorporate in the dough. The dough will not have come together completely yet, that's fine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold it over on itself a few times to bring it together. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape each into a 5-inch disk. Cut each disk into 4 wedges. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. (I froze mine for about 15 minutes here, just to be sure the ingredients were cold and the scones would maintain their shape, but you don't have to.) Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the scones have risen and are slightly firm to the touch on top.

To make the glaze: Combine the peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Whisking frequently, cook until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and combined, then gradually add the milk until you reach a thick, but pourable, consistency for glazing. Drizzle over the scones and allow to set.

{The scones are best shortly after they're baked. You can also freeze them either before baking or after (freeze without the glaze). If before, flash freeze them on a baking sheet and then tightly wrap in plastic before freezing. Bake straight from the freezer, just adding a few minutes to the total baking time. If you freeze after baking, let the scones cool then wrap in plastic before popping them in the freezer. Defrost and reheat in a 375 oven for about 5 minutes before serving.}

Makes 12 scones

Skillet Lasagna

A few years ago I made lasagna for the first time (it was a slightly modified version of this recipe from The Pioneer Woman), and in doing so, I created a monster. A lasagna monster that is, and his name is Shane :) He didn't remember ever having had lasagna prior to that, and he fell in love with the dish immediately. For the longest time I couldn't solicit his opinion on dinner for the coming week without the word lasagna appearing somewhere in the answer.

Don't get me wrong, he wasn't the only one who enjoyed that lasagna, but the recipe made so much food we'd be eating the leftovers for days and days (and days!), and eventually I needed a break. It's also one of those recipes that leaves you with a big stack of dirty dishes in the sink, and I think we can all agree that washing dishes is the pits. Seriously, does anyone actually enjoy that task? But anyway, the result has been that over time I've almost completely stopped making lasagna, and frankly, I feel a little bit guilty about it. Nothing like getting someone hooked on a dish and then deciding you were completely over it...



A compromise was in order, and in this skillet lasagna I've found it. This is a lasagna made entirely in one pan, in less than an hour - a total win-win in my book! And, as if that wasn't reason enough to love this meal, it also yields a manageable amount of food. We had it for dinner one night, and I think I ate the leftovers for lunch for a few days afterward. This is the third or fourth recipe I've tried that called for cooking the pasta directly in the same pan with the other ingredients, and though I was skeptical at first, I've grown quite fond of the technique. Shane and I both agreed this freeform lasagna has all the flavor of a traditional lasagna - you won't miss a thing!

And just for fun, because I know it'll make him smile, a few photos of Shane from his half marathon yesterday. He scored a new PR finishing in 1:37:29 - another great stepping stone to his goal of qualifying for the Boston marathon in the next year or two! He's also training to compete in his first Ironman later this summer (he's done the 70.3, but never the full) - it's going to be a busy year here. All of this training may also help to explain that incredible metabolism I referenced the other day :)





Skillet Lasagna
barely adapted from Cook's Country's Skillet Suppers

A few notes on this one:
- The recipe calls for meatloaf mix, but feel free to use any ground meat you like - they'll all work.
- You can use regular or no-boil lasagna noodles. If you go with the regular, they'll have a very slight bite to them.
- A nonstick pan was suggested, but I don't have a cover for mine, so I used my regular stainless steel pan and didn't have any issues. Just be sure to stir occasionally as the pasta cooks so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal)
10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Add the diced tomatoes along with their juice to a 1 quart (4 cup) measuring cup. Add enough water to bring the volume to 1 quart total.

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the onion and the salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the meat, using a wooden spoon to break it apart. Cook until the meat is browned.

Add the broken noodles to the pan, but do not stir - just let them sit on top of the onion/meat mixture. Pour the tomato/water mixture and the tomato sauce over the noodles (again, don't stir). Cover the pan and bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, now stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender (about 20 minutes).

Turn off the heat under the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop the ricotta by heaping spoonfuls onto the top of the lasagna (don't stir to incorporate), then cover and let stand for about 5 minutes to allow the cheese to soften. Remove the cover and sprinkle with the basil and remaining Parmesan, then serve.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This was one of those recipes I flagged the minute I saw it but then didn't get around to making for a while. That's not terribly uncommon; in fact, it happens all the time around here. Usually it's because I temporarily forget about the recipe, but not this one. On the contrary, this was forefront in my mind every time I decided to bake.






But I kept procrastinating because I assumed this recipe was going to be a project. It's a bad habit of mine to judge the complexity of a recipe based on its length. Had I actually read through the instructions rather than simply scanning them, I would have realized they were long because they were thorough and not because there was anything complicated about this process. I also would have noted that although the recipe is time consuming, most of that time was hands off, thanks to multiple rise times for the dough.



Needless to say, upon trying this bread I was totally kicking myself for having put it off so long. Please don't wait as long as I did to try this - it's easily my new favorite recipe for cinnamon raisin bread. The thing that makes it superior is a unique method for shaping the loaves that ensures you don't get those really annoying gaping holes where the filling meets the bread. Those drive me crazy, they always make it difficult to toast the bread without it trying to fall apart near the gaps. This loaf has a soft, but tight crumb with lots of sweet cinnamon sugar filling, and easily passed the toast test. The recipe makes two loaves so you can stash one in your freezer for another day. And I guarantee when they're both gone you'll be back in the kitchen asap making more. I know I was :)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
from Cook's Illustrated

Dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 3/4 cups (20 2/3 oz) bread flour
3/4 cup (2 3/4 oz) nonfat dry milk powder
1/3 cup (2 1/3 oz) sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) warm water (about 110 F)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) raisins

Filling
1 cup (4 oz) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten with pinch of salt (for egg wash)

To make the dough: Cut the butter into 32 small cubes. Add to a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the flour then set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk the remaining flour, milk powder, sugar, and yeast together. Add the water and egg, then use the dough hook to mix on medium-low speed until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil.

Remove the plastic from the bowl and add the salt. Mix on medium-low until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 7-15 minutes. It will just barely clear the sides of the bowl (it's stickier than most dough I've made, so don't be concerned if that's the case - don't add more flour). With the mixer still running, add the butter - a few pieces at a time - and continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes longer. Again, it might be wet and sticky, don't add flour. Add the raisins and mix just until incorporated. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer the dough to that bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dough over itself by gently lifting from the bottom and folding the edge of the dough toward the middle. Turn the bowl 90 degrees (1/4 turn) and repeat. Do this 6 more times, for a total of 8 folds. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the middle rack of your oven. Pour about 3 cups of the boiling water into a loaf or cake pan and place in the bottom of your oven. Close oven and let the dough rise for 45 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the oven. Use the rubber spatula to gently press down on the dough to deflate. Again make 8 folds repeating the process used above. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and return to the oven. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 45 more minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Spray two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one half, press it into a 6 x 11-inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, fold the sides in over one another (like a business letter) to form a rough 3 x 11-inch rectangle. Starting on the short side, roll the dough up and away from you into a ball. Adding more flour to the work surface as necessary, roll the ball into a 7 x 18-inch rectangle (my dough was fairly elastic and kept shrinking back, but keep working it and it'll eventually relax). Using a spray bottle, lightly spray the dough with water. Sprinkle half of filling mixture evenly over dough, leaving about a 1/4-inch border on the sides (the long sides) and 3/4-inch border on top and bottom (the short sides). Spray the filling lightly with water. With a short side facing you, roll the dough away from you into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seam of the loaf closed, as well as the ends. Dust the loaf lightly with flour and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Working with 1 loaf at a time, cut the loaf in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. Rotate the halves so the cut sides face up. Stretch each piece lengthwise until it is about 14 inches long. Pinch the ends of the two pieces together then cross the piece on the left over the one on the right. Keeping the cut sides up, repeat until the pieces are tightly twisted. Pinch the ends together then transfer to one of the prepared loaf pans, cut sides up. Press any exposed raisins gently down into the dough. Repeat this process to form a second loaf.

Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap and move them to the oven. Let rise for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven along with the pan of water on the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 F. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for another 45 minutes, or until almost doubled in size (they should rise about 1 inch over the top of the pan).

Brush the loaves with the egg wash. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the crust is brown, then reduce the oven to 325 F, tent the loaves with aluminum foil, and continue baking until the loaves register 200 F on an instant read thermometer (about 15-25 minutes longer, though I had to go even a little longer on the loaf I baked in a glass Pyrex pan).

Remove the pans to a wire rack and let the loaves cool for 5 minutes, then turn them out and let them cool completely (about 2 hours) before slicing. Store the bread at room temperature well wrapped for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Shrimp Burgers

I've been trying to lighten things up at our house a bit lately. We ate a lot of comfort food-type meals this winter, and my pants definitely aren't fitting as well as I'd like :) Shane has the world's fastest metabolism, so he can pretty much eat whatever he wants without gaining an ounce, but I don't have that same good fortune. I'm not interested in cooking two separate meals for dinner, though, so I'm working to find healthier recipes we both enjoy.

These shrimp burgers definitely fall into that category. They're sort of reminiscent of crab cakes, but I think the shrimp flavor is stronger in these than the crab usually is in crab cakes. It probably goes without saying, but if you don't like shrimp, these burgers aren't for you. There isn't a ton of filler, so the shrimp shines. I've had issues in the past with crab cakes that were fragile and fell apart while cooking, but these held their shape perfectly. They develop a crispy, golden crust in the pan too, which made them feel decadent. The leftovers even reheated fairly well for lunch the next day - total bonus!



I was tempted to serve these without rolls in an effort to really keep this meal light, but neither Shane nor I was excited about the prospect. In our house, a burger needs a roll! So, instead, I adapted my very favorite homemade burger roll to incorporate some whole grains. I substituted whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose and they were just as delicious as usual. If I'm going to bake with whole grains, I always use white whole wheat flour - I much prefer its milder flavor over traditional whole wheat. I know it doesn't sound as healthy, but it has ALL the same nutritional benefits (you can read more here) of traditional whole wheat without that bitter taste I often notice. It's totally made me a whole wheat convert! :)

Shrimp Burgers
from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

1 slice high quality whole wheat sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 lb extra large shrimp (raw, not precooked, I used the 26-30/lb size), peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons mayonnaise (the original recipe called for light mayo, so you can use that if you have it)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil

Add the bread to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Transfer to a measuring cup - you should have about 3/4 cup of crumbs. Wipe the bowl of the food processor out, then add the shrimp. Carefully pulse just until you have a mixture of finely minced and coarsely chopped pieces, about 7 pulses. Add the breadcrumbs and shrimp to a large bowl but do not mix yet.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne together until well combined. Pour this mixture over the shrimp and breadcrumbs, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together.

Transfer the shrimp mixture onto a small baking sheet. Divide the mixture into 4 portions, and loosely pack each into a 1-inch thick burger. You want to be gentle here - don't try to pick up the mixture and shape it the way you might with a traditional burger. Cover the burgers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Set a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When it shimmers, carefully transfer the burgers to the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings.

Makes 4 burgers

Chocolate Cupcakes with Rainbow Buttercream

I'm a holiday person. I love them, even the silly ones like Valentine's Day. There's really only one glaring exception, and by now you've probably figured it out given the lack of any posting about St Patrick's Day this week. I don't dislike St Patrick's Day, I just can't seem to get excited about it the way I do other holidays. As in years past, the extent of our celebration will be the corned beef and cabbage I'll make for dinner this weekend. It's one of Shane's favorite meals all year, I'm pretty sure he'd happily eat corned beef every night if I served it :)



I know not everyone shares my feelings, though, so I wanted to give you at least one recipe that would be fun if you are celebrating St Patrick's Day this weekend. Not surprisingly, I chose to go the dessert route. I've already blogged a few of the more traditional Guinness stout recipes you usually see this time of year, so those were out. I've never made any rainbow treats, however, and every time I see them, I marvel at how cool they look. What better time of year to make them than St Patty's Day, with that whole pot of gold at the end of the rainbow tale?



I couldn't love this rainbow colored frosting more if I tried - it's one of those things that's really simple to do, but has such a wow factor no one would ever know! Notice I said simple, but not fast. This definitely requires a little bit of patience and time. In essence, you are painting stripes of color into a pastry bag which then tint the frosting as it is piped. I did six colors of the rainbow, but this would work with any combination of colors so it's easily customizable for other holidays or celebrations. And yes, I'm already dreaming of the next one I want to make :)

Rather than go with an old favorite, I tried a new chocolate cupcake recipe for the base here. The texture of these cupcakes was absolutely perfect - light and fluffy, but not too crumbly. The chocolate flavor was not quite as strong as I'd have liked, but I'd definitely make this recipe again. I used my go-to vanilla buttercream for the rainbow frosting. It's super simple to throw together, and has a great consistency for piping.

If you're looking for more St Patrick's Day ideas, here are a few other treats from the archives:

Chocolate Stout Cake
Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
American-Style Irish Soda Bread with Raisins and Caraway Seeds

Chocolate Cupcakes with Rainbow Buttercream
cupcakes from Food and Wine, frosting from Cook's Illustrated, rainbow idea from Chica and Jo

Cupcakes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) confectioners' sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Add the butter, oil and water to a medium saucepan. Set over low heat and, swirling the pan occasionally, melt the butter completely.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together into a large heatproof bowl. Pour the melted butter mixture over the top of the dry ingredients, and using a hand mixer, beat on low speed just until everything is incorporated. Beat in the egg until smooth, and then the buttermilk and vanilla. Run a rubber spatula along the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Divide the batter among the liners in the muffin pan, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Beat the butter on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until smooth, about 20-30 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and beat on low speed just until the sugar is incorporated (so it won't fly all over you), then raise the speed to medium and continue beating until the butter and sugar are well combined, about 1 minute total. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the vanilla and heavy cream. Beat on medium until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 4 minutes, or until the buttercream is light and fluffy.

To color the frosting: You'll need gel food coloring (not the liquid ones, they won't work). I used rainbow colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple - but you could do this with up to 6 colors in any variety you want. Fit a pastry bag with a decorative tip (I used a small star one) and set it in a tall glass. Paint stripes, about 1/2-inch thick, on the inside of the pastry bag. You want to leave some space in between each of the colors. The stripes should start down at the tip and extend up about 3-4 inches. Fill the pastry bag with the buttercream, then pipe until the frosting starts to display the colors of the stripes you painted (it'll come out white at first, just keep squeezing the bag). Then you're ready to begin piping onto your cupcakes in your preferred design. {Note: don't try to refill the bag when you run out of frosting, you'll need to start all over again, painting new stripes into a new bag.}





You can find more information on this process and photos here.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Boston Cream Whoopie Pies

Happy Pi Day! I don't know if I've ever told you guys what a huge math nerd I was (am?) but it's true. Before I went to law school, I graduated with a degree in engineering, so math and science are sort of my thing. Shane's too, for that matter - he's also an engineer! So it only makes sense that I'd be excited to celebrate Pi Day, especially since I actually remembered a day in advance this year. Usually it's not until I start seeing everyone's posts pop up in my Google Reader that I remember it's March 14, but I'm a little more on the ball this year.



The only problem? As much as I like eating pie (blueberry and apple are my favorite), I'm still not a huge fan of making it. I thought about what I could make instead of a traditional pie that would still be appropriate, and I kept coming back to whoopie pies. With the word pie in the name, I decided that technically they still fall within the rules. Right? Ok, good :)



I've had a recipe for Boston cream pie bookmarked for a while, but haven't had an occasion to make it, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to use a few components of that recipe to make these Boston cream whoopie pies. Vanilla cookies filled with a rich pastry cream and topped with a smooth chocolate glaze - a perfect handheld version of Boston cream pie! These do require a bit of advanced planning, as the pastry cream needs at least a few hours to set up in the fridge before assembly. I've failed at pastry cream more times than I care to tell you, but this recipe yielded success for me finally, yay! Before sending these whoopie pies off to work with Shane, I topped them with a few sprinkles in the name of celebration - happy Pi Day everyone :)

Boston Cream Whoopie Pies
cookies from Annie's Eats (who adapted from King Arthur Flour), pastry cream and glaze from Cook's Illustrated

Pastry Cream
1 cup half-and-half
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into two pieces
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (I used whole)

Glaze
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional)

To make the pastry cream: Add the half and half to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook until the the half and half comes to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until smooth, then add the flour and whisk to incorporate completely. When the half and half reaches a simmer, remove the pan from the heat, and, whisking constantly, slowly drizzle it into the yolk mixture. Add the now warmed yolk mixture back to the saucepan.

Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, still whisking constantly, until bubbles burst on the surface of the mixture (this took about 4-5 minutes total for me). Turn off the heat under the pan, and whisk in the butter and vanilla until completely incorporated. Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Spray a piece of parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray, then press the parchment against the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24, before using.

To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and egg white and beat until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once. Mix in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, and the milk in 1, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated (the batter will be fairly thick).

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe the batter into about 1 1/2-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-2 inches between the cookies. (Note: I tried to make a few cookies using a cookie scoop to portion the batter instead of piping, and they came out really jagged so while I won't say don't do it, I advise against it.) Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed (they won't take on much color). Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze: Add the cream to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then add the chocolate and corn syrup (if using - the syrup just makes the glaze a bit more shiny, but you don't need it.) Let stand for about 1 minute, then gently whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set the mixture aside to thicken slightly, until the consistency is right for spreading - about 5-10 minutes.

To assemble: Match the cookies in pairs by size. Spread the top (the rounded side) of one cookie in each pair with a little bit of the glaze. Let the glaze set (you can transfer the cookies to the fridge to speed this up). Transfer the pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of pastry cream onto the flat side of the other cookie in each pair. Top with the glazed cookie and press lightly to push the pastry cream to the edges.

Makes about 24 sandwich cookies (you will probably have a little extra pastry cream)

Glazed Grapefruit Cake

A little over a week ago, I shared the very first grapefruit recipe on this site. To quickly recap, prior to trying those cookies I was firmly in the hater camp when it came to grapefruit. And though I loved the cookies, I didn't really think I'd be developing a serious addiction to grapefruit anytime soon. I even chuckled when Shawnda commented that the cookies were the "grapefruit gateway" and that I'd soon be hooked. No way, not me.

Or so I thought. How wrong I was.

I always grab a few lemons or limes when I'm grocery shopping - you know, just in case I want to bake something. But over the past 2 weeks, I've walked right past them, stopping instead to load my cart with grapefruit. I've scoured my cookbooks and the internet for every grapefruit recipe I could find, and have been working my way through them one by one. Let's just call it making up for lost time.



I baked this grapefruit cake without any real expectations, but I wound up loving it so much I kept it all for myself. I was completely selfish, breaking my own rule of sending anything I bake to the office with Shane, my mom or Shane's dad. It's not a fancy layer cake, but this humble loaf packs a 1-2 punch - perfect texture and just enough grapefruit flavor to let you know it's there. I've justified it for breakfast a few times, but it's also great as an afternoon snack or late night treat.

I'm sharing this recipe as part of my friend Di's blog event celebrating all things citrus. You can check out the other recipes or link up one of your own here!

Glazed Grapefruit Cake
from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller

{Note: I skipped the syrup, and thought the result was great (and not at all dry) without it, but I imagine it probably ups the grapefruit flavor. I've included it in the recipe below - you can't go wrong either way.}

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Syrup
1 cup grapefruit juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar

Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grapefruit juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl with the sugar mixture and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and the whisk leaves a trail. With the mixer running, add the milk, then the oil and finally the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spray a small paring knife with nonstick cooking spray, then run the knife lengthwise down the center of the batter, about 1/2-inch deep. (This helps the cake develop an even crack down the center as it bakes.) Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup: Combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then continue to simmer for 1 minute.

When you remove the cake from the oven, transfer to a wire rack (still in the loaf pan). Immediately use a skewer to poke deep holes into the cake (about 3/4-inch apart). Brush the cake with the syrup, pausing as necessary to allow it to soak in. Keep brushing the cake until you've used all of the syrup.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes after you've brushed it with the syrup, then turn it out onto the cooling rack. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, stir the confectioners' sugar and grapefruit juice together until the glaze is smooth - it should be thick but with a pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cake allowing the glaze to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set before serving. Well wrapped, the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 days.

Lighter General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's chicken has been my go-to Chinese take-out order for as long as I can remember. Though I generally like to embrace variety and try new things, this is a definite exception. I don't think I'll ever get sick of my General Tso's chicken. A few years ago I was pretty psyched to discover a homemade version of this take-out favorite, and that recipe quickly became a favorite around here. As I mentioned recently, we don't repeat recipes often, but every single time I find myself with extra chicken on hand, that's the recipe I immediately want to make. Although I'm sure it's about 100 times healthier than the take-out version, there's still quite a bit of sugar in that recipe, so in reality, we don't have it all that often.



I couldn't help myself when recently I stumbled upon this new variation on General Tso's chicken. It had to go on our menu for the next week. This recipe is similar to our old favorite in that the chicken is cut into small cubes, dredged and cooked in a bit of oil on the stove top, but where our old recipe used just cornstarch, this one combines cornstarch and egg whites. I thought the addition of the egg whites made for a slightly thicker crust on the chicken. There is some brown sugar in the sauce here, but less than the other variation, and this one doesn't have ketchup or hoisin sauce either, which also helps to reduce the total amount of sugar in the dish.



Ok, so probably healthier - check. But would we like it? The recipe had received rave reviews on Martha Stewart's site, so I had high hopes, and fortunately, I wasn't let down. The chicken had a nice crust, and the sauce was really flavorful. I would probably suggest doubling the sauce if you want extra to drizzle over your rice, but otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing. I liked the addition of the snow peas - I'm pretty sure it's the first time I've ever made them at home, but it won't be the last. Shane, on the other hand, was freaked out by the snow peas so this dish was at a psychological disadvantage for him from the start. That said, he still devoured the generous serving on his plate (minus any peas), and when I asked if he'd want it again, he said yes. I love that we now have two homemade variations on General Tso's chicken at our disposal - who needs take-out? :)

Lighter General Tso's Chicken
barely adapted from Martha Stewart

1/4 cup cornstarch, divided
1/2 cup cold water
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 lb snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and the cold water together until smooth. Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes and whisk to combine. Stir in the peas and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, salt, and pepper until well combined. Add the chicken pieces, and toss to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and once shimmering, add half of the chicken from the egg white mixture (be sure to shake the excess off). Cook the chicken until golden on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Add the remaining oil to the pan and repeat with the other half of the chicken.

Reduce the heat under the pan then add the snow pea mixture to the now empty skillet. Cover the pan and cook until the peas are tender and the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken (and any juices on the plate) back to the skillet. Toss to coat with the sauce and, if necessary, finish cooking the chicken through. Serve the chicken on a bed of rice, if desired.

Peanut Butter S'mores Brownies

I am not a very patient person, and it's come back to bite me more than a few times lately. When a recipe tells you to let something "cool completely," you probably shouldn't view it as an optional suggestion, but that's exactly what I've done on not one or two occasions, but three or four (or more)... You'd think I might have learned by now, but you'd be wrong :) When I see a pan of brownies on the counter, waiting 2+ hours to sample one is just plain torture. So, yes, I cut into these before they were completely cool, and as a result, the edges are kind of jagged and nowhere near as neat as the perfectionist in me would like them to be. You can avoid the same fate if you have more patience than me, but I'll warn you now - it's not easy when the smell of chocolate, peanut butter and toasted marshmallows is wafting through your kitchen! The good news is that regardless of how your brownies look, they'll still taste pretty fantastic.



This batch of brownies resulted from my inability to make a decision about whether I wanted s'mores or something with peanut butter. I realized I didn't have to choose, I could have both! What I came up with satisfied all of my cravings and was probably better than either variation alone would have been. At the base of the brownies is a graham cracker crust. The crust is topped with a rich chocolate brownie, which was dolloped and swirled with lots of peanut butter before baking. When the brownies emerge from the oven, they're sprinkled with a layer of mini marshmallows that are then toasted to golden perfection (or burnt, if you get a little overzealous with the kitchen torch, as I did). They're gooey and rich, but not so rich I wasn't tempted to go back for seconds. I sent them to the office with Shane to save myself the trouble of trying to resist. If you've ever swapped peanut butter cups for the chocolate bar in your campfire s'mores, these brownies will be right up your alley :)

Peanut Butter S'mores Brownies
adapted from The Cook's Country Cookbook

Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 whole graham crackers)
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Brownies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)

Topping
2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposing sides so you can lift the brownies out afterward.

To make the crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl - stir with a fork to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the top, then mix until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer to the prepared pan and use your fingertips to press the crumbs into an even layer over the bottom of the pan (it will be a fairly thin layer). Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool as you prepare the brownie batter.

To make the brownies: Add the butter and chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between each, until both the chocolate and butter are completely melted, and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a second medium bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the sugar/eggs, and whisk to combine. Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into the batter, mixing only until the flour is just incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the baking pan and gently spread into an even layer on top of the graham cracker crust. Drop small dollops of the peanut butter over the batter. Carefully use the tip of a knife to swirl the peanut butter and brownie batter together - you don't want to go too deep with the knife or you'll disturb the crust. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Remove the pan to a wire rack and set the oven to broil.

Top the brownies with the mini marshmallows. Return them to the oven and broil just until the marshmallows have puffed and browned slightly, about 1-2 minutes. (You could also do this with your kitchen torch if you prefer.) Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Use the foil handles to lift the brownies out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares for serving - you can spray your knife with nonstick cooking spray to keep the marshmallows from sticking to it.