Brown Butter Soda Bread

Every Saint Patrick's Day, my family has to have Irish Soda Bread. It's tradition, and you can't mess with tradition. I typically bake a large batch in the morning for breakfast, where my family and I eat the bread hot from the oven with salted butter....Mmmm....it's truly to-die-for.  And then that night, we dip the bread in our corned beef and cabbage or stew or whatever Irish dinner we're having. Then, we have the leftovers for breakfast the following morning reheated with butter -- that is...if it makes it that long.

And I am pleased to announce that this is officially my favorite soda bread recipe. Why? Because of the browned butter. 

If you've never browned butter in a recipe before, here is your chance (and if you seriously haven't tried my Brown Butter Cookies, you really haven't lived yet). By browning the butter, you end up with a toasty, rich aroma that tastes so flavorful and savory. The rich flavor compliments the rosemary perfectly, and the whole wheat flour gives the bread an amazing texture. By brushing the top of the bread with olive oil before baking, you end up with wonderfully crisp edges, while the interior stays soft and fluffy.  You also get a delicious burst of sea salt and black pepper with every bite.

This is definitely going to be a staple in my house every Saint Patrick's Day!

*adapted from Epicurious

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional for topping
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• Olive oil, for brushing
• Sea salt

Instructions:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. 

2. Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.

4. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns (the goal is to work it as little as possible -- for a fluffy texture. If you work it too much it will become dense). Divide in half. Shape each half into ball; flatten each into 6-inch round. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Brush tops with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper and sea salt. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep X in top of each dough round.

5. Bake breads until deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Cool breads on rack at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Italian Cream Pancakes

I know I haven't posted in a while...I've been super busy with school work (junior year is killing me), but now it's FINALLY time for Spring Break! I will try my best to post at least one recipe each day because there are so many recipes I've been meaning to post and I know I am super behind. For my first post in a while, I have decided to present to you these incredible, sweet, nutty pancakes topped with a decadent cream cheese glaze. 

Yes, they are just as delicious as they sound. I promise.

If you've never tasted Italian Cream Cake, then you totally need to. Like...immediately. Sooo..you can start with this breakfast recipe! These pancakes seriously taste just like Italian Cream Cake, only hot and in heavenly pancake form, with warm glaze oozing all over them. Coconut, cream cheese frosting, and pecans are the most perfect combination perhaps in the entire world, and they taste scrumptious in this recipe.  Not to mention, [ toasting ] the pecans give the pancakes a wonderful nutty-ness that tastes so warm and comforting.

There were no leftovers when I made these for my family, and I'm sure the same thing will happen for you.

You can find this decadent recipe here. 

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Cinnamon Bread

I wanna start off by saying that I am SO SORRY I haven't posted in so long!  My school started at the end of August and I've been super busy with my crazy schedule.  Buttt.... this recipe is totally worth the wait.  I made this a few weeks ago and I fell in love with the flavors of cinnamon, apples, and chocolate.  I know they sound kind of weird together, but I promise the flavor is really delicious.  I love the nutty flavor as well.  It's such a wonderful bread/cake to make in the fall, and goes great with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream when hot from the oven.  It also tastes divine the next day with a cup of coffee.  What I loved the most about this bread is that it has so many different flavors, textures, and ways to eat it!  My entire family gobbled it up within a day, and I will definitely make it again.  The next time I make it, I will experiment with walnuts, white chocolate chips, and maybe vanilla chips and/or cinnamon chips.  I also may try swirling the topping into the batter, or maybe even swirling in some - - - - wait for it...........Nutella! Yumm!

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I used almonds, but walnuts would be my first choice)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1.5 cups chopped apples

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips (i used semi-sweet, but dark or white would be great too)

Directions:

1.  To make the topping, in a small bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. 3. In a separate large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in apples, nuts, and  chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with topping. 4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Glazed Spice-Cake Donut Muffins

I love spice cake.  I love donuts.  I love muffins.  Why not combine them all?  This recipe does not result in your typical Krispy Kreme, fried donut...although the glaze is quite similar.  The texture is more of a cake donut consistency, with a wonderful, spiced flavor.  They are the perfect thing to have in the morning with a warm, cup of coffee...so comforting, and very suitable for dunking.  They also keep well for a couple days (for best taste, no more than three), and who doesn't love leftovers? Another thing I love about this recipe is that there are so many options on how to prepare the batter.  You can bake them: into mini muffins (just reduce baking time), on parchment paper or greased baking sheet to create muffin top cookies, into one, large pan to create a snack cake/quick bread, in a donut pan, and/or you can frost them with cream cheese icing.  However, I absolutely adore this recipe the way it is - no alterations necessary.  

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

For the Glaze:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup confectioners' sugar; sifted

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium muffin pan with cooking spray, or line with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and flour. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and butter in a separate medium bowl until just combined, and stir into the dry ingredients. Do NOT over mix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, about 3/4 of the way full.
3. Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown.  Let rest for at least 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.
4. For glaze, combine melted butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and hot water in a medium bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Ohmygosh.  These were just too good.  This is my new all time favorite pancake recipe ever.  When I say these melt in your mouth, they literally MELT IN YOUR MOUTH.   Your fork will cut through them like butter. They are incredibly soft, fluffy, and full of flavor.  Most basic pancake recipes are pretty tasteless besides the add-ins you put in them, but this batter - even without the blueberries - has a wonderful sweet and salty taste that seriously tastes like not only the the best pancakes you'll ever have, but the best cornbread as well.  If you were to take the cornbread taste of this pancake, and put it into an actual, thicker, baked pan of cornbread, that pan of cornbread would be the bomb!  I served this recipe with my buttermilk syrup (here) and it was absolutely to die for.  My family all agrees that I have to make it again very soon.  Aaaand I'm going to request this on my birthday.  Yup...it's that special.  I adapted it from a Martha Stewart recipe, and my version is one of those rare recipes where I wouldn't change anything about it.


Yield: about 4 servings (about 1 dozen 5- to 6-inch pancakes)


Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cornmeal

• 1/4 cup white sugar, plus 1 tablespoon

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

• 1/4 cup milk 

• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for griddle

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 2 cups (1 pint) blueberries

• 
  

• Garnish: Buttermilk Syrup and/or pure maple syrup

•                 whipped cream (optional)

• 
  

• Instructions:

1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup white sugar, the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter, and egg. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (mixture will be lumpy).
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Toss blueberries with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Brush griddle with melted butter. Spoon batter onto griddle 1/3 cup at a time. Sprinkle with sugared blueberries, about 2 tablespoons per pancake. Cook until edges are set, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, adding more butter to griddle and keeping prepared pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Serve with desired syrup(s) and/or whipped cream.

Buttermilk Pancakes

FINALLY!! My search is officially over for the fluffiest, and most delicious buttermilk pancake recipe EVER.  A bajillion times better than Ihop, boxed mixes, and any other breakfast restaurant. I've tried too many times to make buttermilk pancakes, and they almost always turned out flat, too thick, or lacking flavor...that is...until today.  This morning, I tried (for about the hundredth time) making buttermilk pancakes, and they were absolute perfection.  Super fluffy, lightly sweet, perfect consistency, shaped into perfect circles, cooked perfectly....did I mention these pancakes were perfect?? The secret is fresh buttermilk!  For the best flavor, you have to use fresh buttermilk.  I always combined milk with vinegar or lemon juice to create "sour" milk, since it's a good substitution for buttermilk in most recipes, but this recipe requires fresh buttermilk for best flavor. It's also extremely important that you cook all the batter within 10 minutes of mixing it together, or else the "fluff" factors in the baking soda and baking powder will wear off and the pancakes will turn into crepes (this was one of my main issues with most of my failed buttermilk pancake trials). I served these with my Buttermilk Syrup recipe (here) and my family all agreed this is the best pancake recipe we've ever had.  I (literally) cannot wait to make these again.  This is definitely going to be my default pancake recipe for now on.


Yield: about 2 dozen pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter with a whisk until smooth. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together (it's okay if there are some flour lumps.  They will break open on the griddle and cause more fluffiness). Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

***I suggest not poking the middle of the pancake to check for doneness on the inside, because this will cause the pancake to deflate a little since air is escaping.  For maximum fluffiness, just make lightly brown on both sides and I promise they will be cooked through.

***If adding mix-ins like nuts, chocolate chips, and fruit, then stir into the flour mixture and follow the recipe as stated.

Buttermilk Syrup

This syrup should be illegal.  It's just too good.  If you've never tasted Buttermilk Syrup, then you have got to make this recipe right now.  It's similar to caramel sauce, but has more of a syrupy consistency (as opposed to sticky, thick caramel) and is a little more buttery, more creamy, and slightly less sweet/rich.  The syrup is amazing on breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, dutch babies (here), and french toast.  But it's also great on desserts like ice cream, brownies, and cakes (so good on cheesecake, cakes with fruit, and spice cakes).  While cooking, make sure you put it in a large pot because it will get about five times as big when boiling.  Also make sure that you stir the vanilla in at the very end - after you remove the pot from the heat - or else the vanilla may burn.  Burnt vanilla does not taste good; it makes things very bitter.  Everyone always gobbles this up when I make it.  If you ever have company, this recipe is sure to impress.


Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.  Serve hot.

Blueberry - Coconut - Nut Muffins

Does that picture look yummy or what?  Nutty, sweet and fruity, this muffin bursts with the flavors of the tropics.  The one-two punch of coconut and macadamia nuts in this luxurious muffin will make you think you’re having your morning coffee in > Hawaii <. This recipe was adapted from Eating Well Magazine, and is every bit as delicious as the picture.  I altered it a little based on what I had on hand, and it turned out so amazing.  This was my first time making a really killer blueberry muffin, and I wouldn't change anything about the recipe.  Also, these muffins are surprisingly healthy!  They're made with whole wheat flour, healthy oils, and fresh fruit, so you don't have to feel guilty about eating more than one(: Drizzle them with honey and a dollop of whipped cream for an added touch of sweetness.


Make Ahead Tip: Store, individually wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30-45 seconds.

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup sweetened coconut; 

2 tbsp plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided; 

2 tbsp plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided; 

5 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts (or any other nuts of your preference), divided;

2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil, divided; 

1 cup whole-wheat flour; 

1 tsp baking powder; 

1/4 tsp baking soda; 

1/8 tsp salt; 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 

1 large egg; 

1 large egg white; 

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk (regular is fine too); 

2 tbsp butter, melted; 

1/2 tsp coconut or vanilla extract (I used vanilla, but I wish I had coconut!!); 

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (make sure they're not wet, or they will sink to the bottom)

Garnish/toppings: honey, butter, and/or whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine coconut, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut (or vanilla) extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts; stir just to combine. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and gently press into the batter.

4. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.

5.  Serve warm with desired toppings.

Irish Soda Bread

Yield: 1 small loaf


Irish soda bread hasn't always been a favorite food of mine.   It would always be at an Irish pub restaurant down the street from our house, but I always thought it was too dry, crumbled apart easily, and flavorless.  So...because I'm Irish...and because my parents love Irish soda bread...and because I wanted to learn to like the type of bread...I decided to try making it myself.  I found a basic recipe off Allrecipes.com, and I altered it based on the reviews, and I ended up baking a wonderful loaf of bread!  It's much, much, much better than the soda bread from the Irish pub I had.  This loaf is moist, soft, doesn't crumble apart, and has just the right amount of flavor.  Because of the light flavor, it pairs well with any meal.  It has a hearty texture and is absolutely amazing when eaten hot out of the oven with softened, salted butter.  My favorite way to eat it was toasted with salted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar for breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Cornmeal, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Let stand 10 minutes, or until curdled.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, rosemary, oregano, salt and baking soda. Stir in the curdled milk mixture just until smooth.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan and sprinkle with desired amount of cornmeal.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust feels firm to the touch. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Do those pictures look yummy or what?  Well, the pictures are nothing compared to the taste of this heavenly banana cake.  My friend and I made this a few days ago for a party at school, and it turned out fabulous!  A ton of people tried it, and everyone was "mmmm"ing like crazy and telling me how delicious it was.  I had never made banana cake before - just banana bread - but I'm definitely gonna make it again soon.  This cake was unique because it was cooked at a very low temperature of 275 degrees (as opposed to the usual 350) and then after it was cooked, it was immediately put into --- get this --- the freezer.  Weird, right?? The reason for this is so that the cake cooks evenly in the oven, with a soft outer crust and tender interior. Also, to prevent it from cooking any more when you pull it out, it's put directly into the freezer...making the result extremely soft, fluffy, and incredibly moist.  Putting it in the freezer also allowed it to be frosted and ready to be eaten in no time;  My friend and I were eating our first slice just two hours after stepping into the kitchen. And it looked absolutely beautiful with the cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped nuts!  Perfect for any occasion.  I can't wait to make more banana cakes in the future.  With this perfect cake base, the flavors you could combine with it are endless...chocolate chip, peanut butter, nutella, peanut butter and nutella, chocolate marble, peanut butter chip, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chip, caramel/praline, strawberry, coconut...I could go on forever.  Try this recipe...you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 1/8 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
•  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

Guinness® Bread

    

 

In honors of Saint Patrick's Day last weekend, I wanted to make some beer recipes. I don't know why, but I absolutely love the flavor of alcohol in foods.  Like chocolate bourbon balls?  Oh my gosh...those are my favorite.  And for those of you that don't know...alcohol burns off when you cook it, just giving the food an incredible flavor. But I came across this recipe from allrecipes.com, and it looked super easy, so I decided to make it for breakfast on Saint Patty's Day.  I was extremely impressed.  This bread is so perfect...not to mention healthy!  It's made with whole wheat flour and rolled oats, and is very low fat.   It reminds me of the brown bread you get at the Cheesecake Factory, only this has a slightly different flavor from the beer and it's way more moist and a lot better!  And that's saying so much because I absolutely adore that brown bread at the Cheesecake Factory.  This is amazing served warm with >butter<.  I had it for breakfast with butter, honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon...sooo good.  However, it would be perfect any time of the day, like as a side for lunch, dinner, soups, etc.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup regular rolled oats, plus additional
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Guinness® beer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2. Mix together the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, stir together the butter, vanilla, buttermilk, and Guinness® beer. Pour the flour mixture into the beer mixture, and gently stir until well blended. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, and sprinkle with additional oats if desired.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Turn the oven off, open the door, and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the oven before turning out onto a wire rack.