Cranberry Christmas Cake

The arrival of colorful cranberries in the grocery store is a sure sign that the holidays are near. This lovely winter fruit adds festive flavor for autumn and winter desserts, and is also a delicious accompaniment to poultry and pork. 

This Christmas Cranberry Cake recipe reminds me of my grandmother's cranberry bars, which are a favorite Christmas dessert from my childhood. An after-dinner cup of coffee enjoyed with this cake is now both a luxurious holiday treat and an easy dinner-party dessert. 

The ingredients are very simple, your eggs are as your only leavening, and this cake always comes out moist and tangy sweet.

  

CRANBERRY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Ingredients

3 whole eggs 

1 1/2 cups white sugar 

3/4 cup butter, softened 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

12 oz fresh cranberries

For additional tartness, you may add 1TBS of orange juice concentrate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar for about 6 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted out. (The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe). Add the butter, vanilla, and almond extract then mix for two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined. Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.Spread in a buttered 9x13 pan.  Bake for about 50 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool before cutting into small squares.

Red Pickled Onions

This August my baby boy turned one year old and is now a running, climbing, squealing toddler. For his first birthday we had a Polynesian themed party (his favorite movie is Moana) and because I was making lunch for a lot of friends and family I made Polynesian Pork Tacos with pineapple salsa, cabbage slaw, pickled onions, and avocado. This was the first time I made pickled onions and I was blown away by both how easy and what a delicious addition they were. Since then I’ve pretty much kept them as a condiment in my refrigerator and have put them on all kinds of things. 

My favorite ways to use them so far are on tacos and burgers, and I think they’d be great on sandwiches, salads, nachos, and in burritos. 

Red Pickled Onions

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon honey (you can also use cane sugar)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Slice the onion very thin and place into a 1 pint mason jar. 

Combine all other ingredients into a saucepan and heat while stirring to completely dissolve. Bring to a simmer and then pour hot liquid into the mason jar over onions, making sure all the onions are completely submerged.

Let cool, then refrigerate overnight before serving. Will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. 

Homemade Pasta with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

The summer weather lingered into October this year. This is the first week that I’ve really felt like trading our summer favorites for warm, autumn flavors. My starting point was the desire to roast some butternut squash in olive oil with freshly ground nutmeg. Once I realized I wanted it over pasta the rest felt natural. Creamy goat cheese mixed with parmesan, and the last basil from my summer garden were the perfect toppings.

First of all we need to talk about fresh pasta. It is one of those recipes that I’ve never recovered from. I can’t eat store bought pasta anymore because the freshly homemade kind is so much better. Obviously it is not as easy as opening a box of the dried noodles, but it is more than worth the effort for a special weekend dinner. The catch is having the proper equipment. The Kitchen Aid attachments, consisting of a roller and cutters, for pasta make the process very simple but are really pricey. I haven’t tried it without them, but the general consensus is that you need a roller of some kind to get the pasta dough to the ideal thickness. While you couldn’t exactly make spaghetti without the cutting tool, you could cut the rolled dough into noodles for lasagna or ravioli or fettuccini. 

The pasta recipe I used is from Serious Eats and I highly recommend their recipe and instructions. My good friend, who is a bread wizard of the highest order, gave me some pointers from his experience with this basic recipe for egg noodles. Here are the ones I found to be helpful: 

1. You may substitute 25% semolina flour for a better texture,
2. It is possible to use the kitchen aid mixer with dough hook to knead your pasta dough (I did it) but your dough is more likely to come together without extra liquid when hand kneaded. 
3. The constancy of your dough is important; if it’s too soft it won’t hold together once cut into noodles. Keep adding flour until it’s the consistency of play-dough, as described in the recipe.  Also use plenty of flour when rolling out your dough. 

But even if you aren't ready to take on the adventure of pasta making you should try this delicious autumn recipe with regular pasta. The sweet roasted squash with creamy cheeses and the fresh, spicy flavor basil are really amazing. 

Homemade Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt to taste

Olive oil to coat

Homemade pasta

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

4 oz parmesan cheese, grated

Fresh basil, roughly chopped

Instructions

Peel and cube butternut squash. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, freshly grated nutmeg, then spread over baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes until tender and lightly brown. Keep warm for serving.

Prepare pasta according to Serious Eats recipe, drain well then return to pan. Add half of the goat cheese and all of the parmesan cheese a little at a time, gently tossing and stirring to combine and melt. To serve place a nest of hot, cheesy pasta of desired size on a plate and top with roasted butternut squash, crumbled goat cheese, and a generous amount of roughly chopped fresh basil.

Experiments in Healthier Baking and a Recipe for Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

During the month of July my husband and I decided to attempt a diet. It's the first time we've really ever done this, usually we just trying to cut back on indulgences when we noticed the extra pounds creeping on, but we both felt ready for more of a change. So we settled on the currently-trendy Keto Diet, threw away all the carbs in our household, and embarked. 

Overall, I'd call this a success story. We have both lost around ten pounds, but never really felt the energy surge or brain clarity promised by those effusive fans of the diet, and we both experienced strange side effects (like insomnia?! Also Keto Flu was no joke). We planned to do it for a month, but I stopped after three weeks and Brad has continued on for five so far. My breastmilk supply was suffering from the reduced calorie intake, though it came right back when I started eating more calories in the form of fruits and oatmeal, and also I just missed all the amazing summer fruit too much to go on. 

I have been eating more of a Paleo style diet in the last couple of weeks, but I've missed baking. Since I'm not trying to limit myself to a totally gluten or sugar free lifestyle, I decided to make some muffins using as few refined ingredients as possible. These muffins have banana as the main sweetener but a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup would add just a little extra sweetness if your tastebuds haven't been recently so starved of sugar that things like milk and plain oatmeal taste sweet to you. (I may not be in the best position to taste-test dessert recipes right now.. )

Basically this little recipe is really easy to adapt to your personal taste and diet preferences. Lots of options!

BLUEBERRY BANANA OATMEAL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 very ripe bananas, mashed (approx 1 cup mashed banana)

1/4 cup milk of choice

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whole wheat flour, or unbleached white wheat flour 

1 heaping cup of oats 

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Optional: 1 or 2 TBS honey or maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F and fill muffin pan with parchment liners.

Combine coconut oil and sweetener in stand mixer and blend with paddle attachment. 

Add eggs, then mashed banana, milk, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.

Combine baking soda, flour, and oats, then mix into wet ingredients just until combined. 

Toss in blueberries and stir gently. 

Pour batter into muffin liners and bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and place on a cooling rack. (Or on your countertop, like I did.)

Lemon-Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Lemon—Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

These scones are wonderful when served with cream and homemade lemon curd. I have also substituted coconut oil for butter and coconut milk for buttermilk and had great results for a vegan and dairy-free option.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup grass-fed butter, or coconut oil

7/8 — 1 cup buttermilk or coconut milk

zest of 1 lemon

fresh blueberries

optional lemon glaze

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

juice from 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking, powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.

Cut butter into small cubes or scoop coconut oil into flour mixture and crumble with fingers or a pastry cutter until it resembles a rough, sandy texture. Add lesser amount of buttermilk or coconut milk and gently stir until it just starts to come together. Only add extra if necessary. 

Add blue berries and gently press into the dough to avoid bursting them and staining the dough purple. Turn onto a baking sheet and with floured hands gently bring the dough into a disc shape about 1.5 inches thick. Press extra blueberries into the top of the dough, if desired. 

Cut the dough into 6 or 8 wedges and gently spread them 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

For glaze: mix confectioners sugar and squeeze in lemon juice, stirring, until desired consistency is achieved. Pour over partially cooled scones and serve.

Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd

This lemon curd is wonderful served with whipped or clotted cream on warm, lemon-blueberry scones. 

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS Meyer lemon zest

3 eggs

3/4 cup — 1 cup sugar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

6 TBS coconut oil or grass-fed butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Zest and juice the lemons.

Whisk eggs with sugar and lemon zest together in a medium saucepan. Cook slowly over low to medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened.

Stir in the lemon juice and coconut oil or butter, a bit at a time, and continue stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens and is just beginning to bubble, but don’t let it boil. (This should happen about 170ºF.) 

Remove from heat and strain through a sieve to remove lemon zest and any egg lumps. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Simple Tortillas

The creation of bread is prehistoric and its influence on culture and even language surpasses any other food. There is certainly an art to baking leavened bread, and the process of kneading, rising, and baking is time consuming. It's no wonder that so many cultures have also developed flatbreads like tortillas, naan, and pita to wrap around meats and vegetables and soak up flavorful sauces. 

While even flatbread recipes can vary widely in their complexity, this tortilla recipe keeps it about as simple as possible making it perfect for both weeknight dinners or for feeding a lot of people. (When I served tacos at my husband’s birthday party I had the tortilla dough ready to go and just tossed tortillas on the griddle as needed so they were hot and fresh and delicious.)

Having hot, homemade tortillas makes ordinary, weekly taco night seem like a special treat every time. My absolute favorite way to eat them is chicken or shrimp with guacamole and mango salsa. But there is nothing like an empty tortilla to encourage creativity! 

This recipe is directly from King Arthur Flour, which by the way is a fantastic resource for bread recipes of all kinds. I highly recommend checking them out.

SIMPLE TORTILLAS 

(easily serves 4-8 people)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour, plus additional as needed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup lard (traditional); or grass-fed butter

7/8 to 1 cup hot tap water (about 110°F to 120°F)

Instructions

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the lard or butter. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to work the fat into the flour until it disappears. (Coating most of the flour with fat inhibits gluten formation, making the tortillas easier to roll out.)

Pour in the lesser amount of hot water and stir briskly with a fork. Add water as needed to bring dough together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, just until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is very sticky, gradually add a bit more flour.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces for large burrito size tortillas, or 16 for small street-taco size tortillas. Round the pieces into balls, flatten slightly, and allow them to rest, covered, for about 30 minutes.

While the dough rests, preheat an ungreased cast iron griddle or skillet over medium high heat, about 400°F.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into a round. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Fry the tortilla in the ungreased pan until the first side is done and starts to develop brown, cooked spots. Flip, and cook the other side briefly. 

Wrap the tortillas in a clean cloth as they come off the griddle, to keep it pliable. Overcooking tortillas will result in hard, crispy tortillas so cooking quickly on higher heat will yield better results than cooking at low heat.

Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Every now and then I find myself yearning for the simple luxury that only French food can provide. There is wonderful variety in what can be achieved with staples like wine, cream, and fresh herbs. In this case they are combined with a sharp, grainy mustard, while the wine and cream provide contrasting sweetness and tarragon some complexity. This quintessentially French combination of flavors makes a highly versatile sauce to compliment almost any meat.

For me, this sauce is all about the mustard and the delicious, locally-made Ozark Stout Ale Mustard that I came across is just perfect. Just be sure to choose a flavorful, course-ground mustard for your sauce. Compared to many similar recipes, mine is heavy on the mustard and light on the cream. I definitely recommend adapting the proportions of this simple sauce recipe to your personal taste.

Serving suggestions and notes: This recipe goes all out with instructions for a whole, roasted chicken; however, sautéed or roasted chicken breasts or thighs would be a satisfactory substitute with a quicker cook time. I recommend serving with fingerling potatoes and green peas or a green salad. Or, for the less carb-conscious, make your sauce heavier on the cream and serve chicken over rice or buttered noodles with lots of parsley.

Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Ingredients

1 whole free-range chicken, approx 4-5 lbs

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme, ground to powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 TBS salt, divided

2 TBS butter, softened

3 TBS fat drippings from roasting chicken

1/3 cup course-ground mustard

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Rinse chicken in running water, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.  Place chicken in roasting pan or dutch oven.

 I used a dutch oven without the lid and found that this worked really well. I oiled the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and then, after cooking, scraped the browned chicken bits off the bottom and saved them with the drippings for my sauce.

Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp salt, pepper, thyme,  and minced garlic , and rub inside and out. Cover with softened butter, and finally sprinkle the remaining salt all over the chicken for a crispy, flavorful skin. Truss the chicken with kitchen twine and place it in your roasting dish. Cook for around 1.5 hours, or when the internal temp reaches 165° F.

Once the chicken is done, remove from pan and set to rest on a serving plate or wooden cutting board. Collect drippings (and browned bits if using a dutch oven), and begin your sauce.

 Pour white wine into a hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, until reduced by half. Reduce heat and whisk in mustard, cream, tarragon, and chicken drippings. Cook for 2 minutes until mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Carve chicken and serve with sauce.