I’ve been in a bit of a cooking/baking rut lately. I’m not entirely sure why, though I’m pretty sure it correlates with the spring/summer transition presently taking place. The winter and early spring produce is beginning to dwindle, but the amazing summer bounty has yet to appear in grocery stores. What’s a cook to do? This cook turns to scones to ease the situation.
The idea of making scones from scratch used to terrify me. I blame the fancy teas I went to as a young girl which made scones appear refined and fancy schmancy. When I finally gathered the courage to make my first batch, I was amazed at how utterly simple they are to produce! Scones and I have been on good terms every since.
This past weekend, I decided to try out my first savory scone recipe. I can safely say I’m now obsessed. The combination I experimented with this go around, with great success, was jalapeno and pepper jack. The cheese and the jalapeno add a punch of spice to the scones. Fresh from the oven, oozing cheese, these scones cannot be beat. Served with salsa as a ‘jam’ or alongside a chili, these scones are sure to be devoured. Make them and find out the tastiness that is savory scones.
Jalapeno Pepper Jack Scones
Recipe from Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing the tops of the scones)
- 1/4 pound pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes
- 2 medium jalapenos, some seeds removed, diced small
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Directions:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small saute pan and cook diced jalapenos until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the diced peppers cool and them mix with the diced cheese. Toss mixture in 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside. (The flour will help ensure that the jalapenos and cheese do not sink to the bottom of the scones.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Work in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Some butter pieces will be the size of peas and the flour will be nice and crumbly.
Whisk together 2 eggs and heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, fold together with a fork until almost fully incorporated. Add the jalapeno and cheese mixture to the shaggy dough and work together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Form into a disk about 8 inches around and 2 inches thick. Cut disk into eight wedges and refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking. (Joy has you cut the disc into sixths, but I wanted more petite scones- and I was ultimately happy with that decision.)
When ready to bake, place chilled scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and delicious. These are best served the day they’re made, but reheat nicely in the oven for a few minutes.
Filed under jalapeno pepper jack scones vegetarian breakfast
A few weeks ago, I finally got around to trying farro for the first time. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit hestitant or scared. For some reason, I’m reluctant to delve into new grains. I blame my loyalty to ones I’m already smitten with, such as quinoa. Weird, right?
Well, I’m glad I put my silly fears aside and took a chance with farro, because I absolutely loved it! It’s very similar to brown rice, but it plumps up a bit more when cooked and has a lovely nutty flavor. Overall, farro definitely won me over and I know I’ll be eating it over and over again this summer.
For this initial farro experiment, I wanted to go simple and flavorful. Thus, roasted tomatoes and caramelized onions entered the picture. Then, because fresh parsley makes nearly everything taste better that it adorns, a generous handful of parsley was tossed in for good measure. The resulting dish was super tasty. As per usual, I ate it every day for lunch during the work week, and was just as excited about eating it on Friday as I was on Monday. Now that’s saying something.
Farro with Roasted Tomatoes and Caramelized Onions
Recipe inspired by Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 (or a few good pinches) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (or a good pinch) crushed red chili flakes
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (use Earth balance to make it vegan, or simply use more olive oil)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup farro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Directions:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place cherry tomatoes on a sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and red chili flakes. Bake for 15 minutes, or until some tomatoes have burst and are golden brown and sizzling. Remove from the onion and set aside to cool slightly.
Place olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and toss to coat in fat. Allow onions to cook down for 5 minutes without stirring. Toss after 5 minutes, then allow to cook without being disturbed for another 5 minutes. Add salt and toss. Onions will begin to brown and break down. Remove from the heat momentarily, keep your nose back, and add balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat all of the onions. Return to heat and allow to cook down to a melty onion consistency. Onions will be browned, broken down and delicious.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. When water boils, add a pinch of salt. Add farro and stir. Cook farro until it is softened through and has a light al dente bite to it, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain farro in a strainer, return to pot, and toss with olive oil. Add roasted tomatoes, caramalized onions, and chopped parsley. Toss and serve warm.
Farro salad will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Filed under vegan farro tomatoes onions parsley
Berkeley has been experiencing waves of heat followed by periods of chilly weather. Typical. During the last ‘heat wave’, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to bust out my forgotten ice cream maker and churn out something icy and delicious. I turned to Joy’s new cookbook for inspiration. (Surprise, surpirse.)
While Joy has several tempting ice cream recipes in her new cookbook, her recipe for coconut macaroon ice cream with homemade magic shell (?!) called out to me to be chosen. Naturally, I listened to my inner sugar craving child, and ran to the store to gather the (few) ingredients necessary.
The beauty behind this recipe lies in its simplicity. The vegan base consists purely of coconut milk and sugar. The milk then gets churned in an ice cream maker, with loads of toasted coconut stirred in during the last few churns.
While the ice cream itself is amazing, the real star is the homemade magic shell. Joy truly is a sugar god. By merely combining coconut oil and chocolate together, an instant magic shell is made (coconut oil hardens at room temperature, so when it is poured onto ice cream, an instant shell develops).
If you’re looking for a simple, delicious, and impressive chilly treat to serve up to friends this weekend, look no more. This coconut macaroon ice cream fits the bill. The homemade magic shell- that will earn you major bonus points. (Or at least it did for me and my book club.)
Coconut Macaroon Ice Cream
Recipe from Joy the Baker Cookbook
Ingredients:
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
- Scant 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milks and the sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Place milk mixture in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate mixture until cooled completely (I let it chill overnight, though 3-4 hours would probably suffice).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread shredded coconut out in a thin layer on a lined baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Keep an eye on the coconut; remove from the oven and stir as necessary to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and place in a small bowl to cool completely and stop the browning process.
Once the milk mixture has cooled, churn in an ice cream maker according to the manfacturer’s directions. Once the mixture is almost entirely churned, add the toasted coconut and churn until well mixed and the consistency of soft-served ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container and put in the freezer to firm up.
Homemade Magic Shell
Recipe from Joy the Baker Cookbook
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Place 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the chocolate, coconut oil, and salt in a heat-proof bowl and place over, but not touching, the simmering water. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture comes together. Remove the chocolate sauce from the saucepan and pour into a jar. Chocolate shell should be kept at room temperature. If the chocolate shell rehardens, it can be reheated in the microwave for a few seconds, or the closed jar can be run under hot water. (Chocolate shell will last for two weeks at room temperature.)
Filed under vegan coconut ice cream coconut milk sugar coconut oil chocolate
For the most part, I’m a strictly ‘from scratch’ kind of baking girl. That being said, brownies have always been the one exception to this rule. For some reason, the ones from a box have always held a special place in my heart. Maybe it has something to do with the exorbitant amount I used to consume with my sister each time we mixed up a batch.
Since those early baking sessions, I have since delved into the realm of brownies made from scratch. However, every recipe I have tried so far has fallen short of the boxed ones. They either aren’t chocolatey enough or they come out too dry and dense. Basically, there is always something slightly off, making them really not worth the effort of baking in the first place.
Joy the Baker has once again proved me wrong. Her brownie recipe from her new cookbook contains the first brownie recipe that has turned out so well that I have since sworn off buying a boxed mix ever again. These brownies are rich, gooey, and oh so chocolately. The fact that they are topped with chocolate buttercream makes them even moredangerously wonderfully delicious.
Make these brownies. Share these brownies. But be warned, you may find it difficult to part with any of these squares of chocolate decadence.
Chocolate Brownies
Recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook
Brownie Ingredients:
- 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 c dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 2 lg eggs
- 1 lg egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting Ingredients:
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup almond milk (cream, milk, etc.)
- scant 1/4 cup Ovaltine
Directions:
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. In a medium, heatproof bowl, add butter and dark chocolate. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water and allow to melt. Stir to incorporate. Once melted, remove the bowl from the simmering pot. Whisk in brown and granulated sugars. Whisk in eggs, egg yolk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, all at once, to the chocolate mixture. Fold together with a spatula until well-incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting: Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. The butter mixture will be very thick. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar. Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract. As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth. In a measuring glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream, until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
Finally, frost the brownies. Brownies last, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Filed under chocolate brownies buttercream dessert
Remember those dangerously delicious cookie dough balls I showed you earlier this week? Well, those were only the final course of a dinner I made for my friends. The rest of the meal was a bit more…healthy. Though don’t get confused, healthy doesn’t mean boring or bland. There was just a whole lot of vegetables going on versus sugar and butter. It’s all about balance, right??
The main course I served up ended up being a vegan lasagna, inspired greatly by Chloe Coscarelli’s recipe in her new cookbook, Chloe’s Kitchen. I went with a vegan recipe for two reasons: 1. I’m personally trying to incorporate more vegan meals into my daily diet; 2. My friend Jess is also seeking out more lactose free options. We’ve got to take care of ourselves and our friends, right?
This lasagna was pretty easy to pull together, as far as lasagnas go. It’s made up of that wonderful faux ricotta I showed you awhile back, as well as a tomato sauce, zucchini, and lots of fresh spinach. Everything gets layered and then thrown in the oven to get all toasty. The outcome is a hearty, flavorful entree that begs for a second serving.
Vegan Lasagna
Recipe Inspired by Chloe’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 1 batch garden ricotta recipe
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-24 ounce jar marinara sauce (yes, I caved and bought sauce…something I never do, but it sure saved me time!)
- 1 1b. lasagna noodles, cooked
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half moon shapes
- 5 ounces baby spinach, washed
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain and lay noodles out on wax paper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet and saute the zucchini for a few minutes, just to soften it up a bit. Add the marinara sauce, almond milk (or other nondairy milk), brown sugar, and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Arrange 4- I could only fit 3- noodles across the pan. Spread half of the Garden Ricotta over the noodles, using a rubber spatula to aid this process. Layer half of the spinach over the Garden Ricotta. Arrange more noodles on top. Spread another layer of sauce, then more noodles. Top with more sauce, the remaining Garden Ricotta, the remaining spinach, and one more layer of noodles. Top with remaining sauce. (I used 12 noodles in all.)
Cover the baking pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Filed under vegan lasagna tofu basil tomatoes zucchini
