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Basil Pesto

During the Summer and early Fall, there is an abundance of fresh basil and I am unable to walk past the giant bunches at our local farmers market. Basil is an herb I prefer to use fresh rather than dried and I use it often. At the top of the list for ways to use basil is pesto. Garlic, fresh parmesan, olive oil and basil (and pignoli/pine nuts) all the makings of classic Italian flavors and produce a sauce that has endless possibilities for how to enjoy it. Homemade pesto, like many things, is so much better when you make it yourself with fresh, quality ingredients.

If I’m going to make a batch, I double it and then freeze the pesto in ice cube trays so I have one tablespoon portions on hand for months. Once the pesto is frozen, I transfer the cubes to a zip top bag. I drop a couple of cubes into Bolognese for the perfect depth of flavor, on a toasted baguette topped with tomatoes, spread on a panini, drizzled on pizza, tossed with pasta and so on, and so on. A big batch of pesto is the gift that keeps on giving. The food processor does all the work and the most time-consuming part of the process is cleaning the basil, which can be sandy. Most recipes for pesto call for pignoli nuts but if you don’t have any on hand, you can use another nut. Salt is also in the traditional recipe but I don’t put any salt in mine. Since I use it in so many different dishes, I prefer to season once I add the pesto so I can control the amount of salt.

Ingredients

5 cups Fresh, cleaned basil leaves, firmly packed.

¼ cup Pignoli nuts (also known as pine nuts)

5 cloves Garlic

1 cup Freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 ¼ cup Good, extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

In a food processor add the garlic, pignoli nuts, and basil. Mix while drizzling in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cheese. Pulse till combined.

Transfer to ice cube trays and freeze if not using immediately.

Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

I always have buttermilk in my fridge to make homemade ranch dressing, waffles and pancakes. I usually have some left over so I’m always on the hunt for new ways to use it and this recipe is now in the rotation. I’m not a huge dessert fan (I’ll take a piece of pizza over a piece of cake any day. Don’t judge!) but this cake reminds me of the devil’s food cake I loved as a kid. It’s a bit denser (as most pound cakes are) and the slight tang of the buttermilk is a great balance for the richness and chocolate. A dollop of fresh whipped cream on top is the perfect complement for a crowd-pleasing dessert. I used a Bundt pan but I think batter would make two loaves or even a few smaller ones to share.

Ingredients

2 cups Flour

¾ cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened (I use Hershey’s)

1 ½ cups Butter at room temperature

3 cups Sugar

½ tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Salt

1 ¼ cups Buttermilk

5 Eggs, large at room temperature

1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

2 tsp Instant coffee

1/2 cup Chocolate chips, tossed with a teaspoon of flour so they dont sink to the bottom (OPTIONAL)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325.

Into a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Beat the butter with an electric mixer till smooth, then add the sugar and beat till fluffy (about two minutes). Add one egg at a time on low speed. Slowly pour the buttermilk into the egg mixture and then add the vanilla and coffee. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl, and the bottom, to make sure everything has been incorporated. Fold in the flour mixture a little bit at a time. If you really want to bump up the chocolate, you can add 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips at this point. Just be sure to toss them in a little flour to make sure they don’t sink to the bottom.

Pour the batter into greased (I used canola spray but shortening or butter would work well, too) and floured Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes right out of the oven then I use a sharp knife to go along the edged to help alleviate sticking. Once you remove the cake from the pan, let it cool completely before serving.

A dusting of powdered sugar would be lovely and I served each slice with fresh whipped cream. Ice cream would be great, too.

Chicken Veggie Lo Mein

I could eat Asian food every single day. So much variety and lots of options for healthy choices. Over the past few years, I’ve been making more Chinese dishes at home instead of ordering in. Don’t get me wrong, there are some dishes I will never be able to duplicate but this Chicken Veggie Lo Mein is one I will definitely make over and over again. It’s basically a stir fry with noodles so the customization of noodles and veggies is yours to decide. I went with chicken but shrimp or beef would be great, too. And the veggies? I love bok choy and zucchini but when I don’t have those on hand, broccoli works well. I usually prep the chicken and veggies earlier in the day and then when dinner rolls around, everything comes together in about 20 minutes so this is a great weeknight meal.

Ingredients

1 lb. Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, thinly sliced

1 Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then slices into half moons

4 Small heads of bok choy, washed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (You can use one large head if you can’t find small heads)

2 cups Fresh bean sprouts

1 can Sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 tbs Canola or vegetable oil

1 tbs Sesame oil

½ c Oyster sauce

1 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tsp Ginger, minced

1 tbs Toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp + 1 tbs Corn starch

1 cup Water

1 pkg (16 oz) Fresh egg noodles. (If you can’t get these in your supermarket, linguini works well too)

Preparation

In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, ½ cup water and tablespoon of corn starch. Mix and set sauce aside.

Place the thinly sliced chicken in a bowl with the sesame oil and teaspoon of corn starch. This will velvetize the chicken and make the texture of the chicken silky and tender. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions, drain, rinse with water (to stop the cooking process) and set aside till the chicken and veggies are done.

In a large skillet on medium heat, add one tablespoon of oil and then cook the chicken till it is cooked through (about four minutes). Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the bok choy and zucchini along with ½ cup of water. Cover and cook till almost all the water has evaporated and the vegetables are fork tender but not overdone (check them along the way). Add the sauce, bean sprouts and water chestnuts to the pan and mix well. You can add some water to the sauce if it is too thick for your taste. Add the chicken (along with the juices from the plate), mixing well to incorporate. Top with sesame seeds.

You could combine the noodles with the chicken and veggies and serve or, you could make individual bowls if you want to control the noodles to chicken/veggie ratio.

Citrus Icebox Pie

Lemon pie, key lime pie, icebox pie, lemon meringue pie; there are so many variations of this pie and I love each and every one of them. Apologies to all you chocoholics but a citrus pie is hands down my favorite dessert and I usually find it very hard to pass-up. The tartness of fresh lemon or lime juice paired with the creamy filling and sweet, cookie crust make this a winning pie and, in my house, a family favorite. Not only is it delicious but it is super easy to make. The filling has only three ingredients (egg yolks, lemon/lime juice and sweetened condensed milk) and the refrigerator does most of the work. I had a bunch of limes that needed to be used in something and while I could have made a big batch of margaritas (which I would have had to drink by myself) I opted for this Lime Icebox Pie. If I had lots of lemons, it would have been a Lemon Icebox Pie!

I first had Lemon Icebox pie at The Bright Star restaurant in Bessemer, Alabama while I was traveling between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa (home of the University of Alabama). The restaurant is a landmark and the Greek style seafood and steaks were a favorite of legendary football coach Bear Bryant. My pie is a slight variation of the one that is on the menu. People were so crazy for the pie they frequently ordered full pies to take home so I knew it was a good before I even tasted it. It did not disappoint.

I like to make my own crust with graham crackers and butter but you can certainly buy pre-made to simplify this even further. In full disclosure, when I went to make the crust, I didn’t have any graham cracker crumbs. My solution was a cereal that is always in our house – Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Same flavor profile and when I calculated the sugar amount, it was actually lower per gram than the sugar I would have used. I put a bunch of cereal in the food processor and pulsed it till I had crumbs. If I put it in front of you along side plain graham crackers, I guarantee you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. And the taste? Delicious! I might just go with Cinnamon Toast Crunch moving forward and skip the graham crackers.

This pie is super easy to make but you do need to plan ahead. It really should set-up in the refrigerator overnight but if you don’t have that much time, at least four hours. This makes one large pie or five smaller ones. You can use a tart pan as well.

Ingredients

Crust

2 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs or Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs (if you use cereal, omit the sugar)

3 tbs Sugar

7 tbs Butter, melted and cooled

Filling

2 14oz cans Sweetened Condensed Milk, chilled

4 Egg yolks

1 ½ cups Lime juice (or lemon juice), freshly squeezed

Preparation

Pre-heat your oven to 300.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs/cereal crumbs with the butter and press into a pie tin or tart pan. I put the crust in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set it.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch for the win when you don’t have graham crackers!

In a bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Once combined, whisk in the lime (or lemon) juice till smooth.

Fill the pie(s) and place in the oven for about 10 minutes till the edges are firm.

Let the pie(s) cool for 15 minutes and then pop them into the refrigerator for at least four hours but preferably overnight.

I serve with fresh whipped cream and a little lime zest grated on top.

The BEST Buttermilk Waffles Ever

My husband and our kids are big fans of waffles. We love having a big breakfast together on Sunday and waffles are frequently requested (bagels seem to have taken the #1 spot over the past year though). This batter is super easy to pull together and with the exception of buttermilk, you probably have everything you need in your cabinet or pantry. But don’t even think about using regular milk since buttermilk is the reason these waffles are over the top. And, if by chance you don’t have a waffle iron (and why wouldn’t you?!) this batter is great for pancakes, too. You could also make extra waffles and freeze them after they have cooled as they reheat well in a toaster oven.

There are so many ways to enjoy these waffles:

Traditional. Butter and syrup are the classic toppings (my husband’s favorite).
Nutella or Peanut Butter. I spread Nutella on one half, add sliced bananas and then fold. It was a great breakfast to eat in the car on the way to school.
Fresh berries. On top or in the batter works. If you add them to the batter, make sure you clean the waffle iron after as the sugar will caramelize. A little powdered sugar on top is the perfect way to finish these.
Bacon. Yes, bacon! I cook the bacon first and crumble it into the batter. Topped with syrup it’s a dead ringer for a McGriddle®.
Cheese. If you are a fan of chicken and waffles (and who isn’t?) you could add some shredded cheddar cheese to the batter which would pair great with fried chicken.

Ingredients

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

3 tbs Sugar

2 tsp Baking powder

¼ tsp Salt

3 cups Buttermilk

2 Eggs, large

4 tbs Melted and cooled butter

Preparation

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and eggs, mixing well.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture.

Mix until just combined and then add the melted butter.

The batter will be lumpy and I always let it sit for 10 minutes before I use it.

If you don’t use all the batter (and I rarely do) it keeps in the refrigerator for a few days. Just make sure to mix it before you use it.

Follow the directions for your waffle iron.

Roasted Garlic Bread

Is there anything better with an Italian meal than garlic bread? Frankly, this garlic bread is a bit more sophisticated than your average garlic bread so I would even serve this for friends at a dinner party. Roasting the garlic brings out the sweet, nutty flavor and eliminates the strong, overpowering flavor from raw garlic. Slathered on a loaf of Italian bread and toasted under the broiler is the traditional version but this mixture of roasted garlic, parmesan, etc. would be a great spread with sliced bread too. Either way, it’s worth making!

Step 1: Cut the tops off two heads of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Wrap them in foil and bake in the oven at 350 until soft and golden, about an hour.

Step 2: While the garlic cooks, in a bowl mix 2 tbs. grated parmesan cheese, 2 tbs. mayo, 2 tbs. parsley and 2/3s stick of butter (room temp).

Step 3: Once the garlic is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes and then squeeze the garlic cloves out of the casing into the other ingredients.

Step 4: Slice a loaf of Italian bread in half from end to end and top with the mixture. Place on a cookie sheet under the broiler till golden and toasted. (I usually put the sheet on the lower part of the oven to make sure the bread doesn’t cook too quickly).

Enjoy!

Peachy Keen Cake

Mid-August is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, ripe Summer peaches. They are worth waiting for and once they are here – like so many other Summer fruits and vegetables – I try to come up with lots of ways to use them. I’m trying to expand my baking repertoire (honestly, I’m not much of a baker) and I couldn’t walk past the basket of fresh peaches at the @summitfarmersmarket. Peach cobbler, crisps, pies and crostatas are all great but I’ve been in a cake mood so I set out to find the perfect cake recipe. I found one in the America’s Test Kitchen’s 20^th Anniversary Cookbook but I made a few edits (the first was not including peach schnapps – my peaches were so fresh, they didn’t need any enhancements!). There were a few more steps than other recipes but they are worth it. Peaches give off lots of liquid and this recipe helps eliminate a potentially soggy bottom. I use fresh peaches but you could probably do this with frozen though I would defrost them first to help cut down on the added liquid.

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs Fresh peaches (peeled, pitted and cut in half)

4 tsp Fresh lemon juice

¾ cup Sugar

1 cup Flour

1 ¼ tsp Baking powder

¾ tsp Salt

½ cup Light brown sugar, packed

2 Eggs, large

8 tbs Melted and cooled butter

¼ cup Sour cream

3 tbs Super fine flour (Wondra is one of my secret weapons!)

1/3 cup Raw sugar

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 425.

Cut some of the peach halves into wedges (about 24), toss them in 2 tsp lemon juice and 3 tbs sugar – set aside. Dice the rest of the peaches into large chunks and mix the chunks with the remaining 2 tsp of lemon juice and 2 tbs of sugar. Place the diced peaches in a strainer for 5 minutes and reserve the liquid. Line a cookie sheet with foil and parchment paper and spread the diced peaches in a single layer. Place in the oven for 20 minutes to extract additional juices. Remove from the pan and let the peaches cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Combine the brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar, and eggs in a bowl till mixed. Add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing well. Slowly add the melted and cooled butter. Combine well with the flour mixture but don’t overmix.

Grease and flour a springform pan. Add half the batter and scatter the cooled peache chunks over the batter, lightly pressing them into the batter. Sprinkle the super fine flour over the peaches and top with the remaining batter making sure to cover the peaches.

Arrange the peach wedges on top in a circle making sure to fill the center as well. Sprinkle the entire top generously with the raw sugar and bake, rotating the pan once, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (about an hour). Once you remove the cake from the oven, run a sharp knife around the edges and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing the outer ring. Let the cake cool completely for a few hours before serving.

I served slices with whipped cream but vanilla ice cream would be great, too.

Blueberry Crumble

It’s always a great day when the first crumble of the season goes into the oven. Yes, I could (and do) make fruit crumbles during the year but there is something about the fresh fruit of the Summer that makes baking so special. Pies, muffins, crumbles – I love baking them all and thankfully my family loves eating them. My favorite crumble ingredient is in the topping – oats. They really give the topping great texture and more depth than just sugar, butter and flour. Beyond the fruit, it’s the star of the show.

Speaking of fruit, I use this same recipe regardless of the fruit with some minor additions. The topping is always the same but when I make a peach (or cherry) crumble, I omit the lemon and add ½ tsp of almond extract and apples get ½ tsp of cinnamon. This is such a versatile recipe and the perfect dessert for a pot luck, picnic or if you are bringing something to a friend. It can be served warm or room temperature and I’ve frequently made it a few hours before I bring it somewhere and it’s perfect by the time we are ready to enjoy it. Ice cream or whipped cream are never a bad addition but this crumble is great alone too.

Ingredients

Filling

4 c Blueberries (preferably fresh but frozen is fine)

½ c Sugar

3 tbs Corn starch

2 tbs Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Zest from one lemon

Crumb Topping

1/3 c Brown sugar, firmly packed

¾ c Flour

¾ c Sugar

1 c Old fashioned oats (not instant) (I use Quaker)

½ tsp Salt

1 stick Butter cut into piece, room temperature

Preparation

Pre-heat your oven to 350.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the filling, set aside.

In a separate bowl for the crumb topping, combine the brown sugar, flour, sugar, oats and salt. Add the butter and mix till combined and the topping holds together. I use my hands rather than a mixer but you could use a stand mixer with the paddle if you like.

Pour the filling into a casserole dish at least two inches deep. Crumble the topping all over the filling. I grab a handful of the topping, squeeze it together and then break it up which produces large and small pieces which is what you want.

Place on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet (depending on your casserole dish, the filling may bubble over the sides could make a mess).

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbling.

Good Morning Cinnamon Buns

There is something about starting a Saturday or Sunday with a great cup of coffee and a sweet treat. Now I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth (I would always go for a piece of pizza vs. a piece of cake) but everyone else in the family does. What I am a fan of is pulling a weekend breakfast together quickly so I can actually sit and enjoy it with everyone. Making traditional cinnamon buns with a yeast dough, could take hours before they make it to the table, which basically means I have to get up hours earlier than everyone else rolls out of bed. There has to be a better way.

One of the products I always have on hand is puff pastry and for good reason. There are so many ways to use it from turnovers, pot pies, cheese sticks, appetizers, streusel and on and on. I prefer Pepperidge Farm and each box has two sheets of frozen puff pastry which defrosts in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter in less than an hour. These cinnamon buns came together in about 15 minutes and were in the oven for 30, a doable amount of time for me on the weekend. By the time these are almost done and the house smells like a bakery, everyone starts to stir looking for breakfast. I prefer straight forward cinnamon buns (and my kids do, too) but my husband loves pecan rolls so I put some pecans in some of the muffin cups and I have to admit, they were delish.

Keep in mind these are best eaten right out of the oven. They will be super-hot but if they sit for more than a few minutes, the sugar will solidify. These are great as is but if you’re an icing fan, you can whip some up in less than a minute.

Ingredients

1 pkg Puff pastry (two sheets), defrosted in the refrigerator overnight (I love Pepperidge Farm)

6 tbs Butter (I use salted butter)

1¼ c Brown sugar

¼ c Pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)

2 tbs Cinnamon

Preparation

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Cut four tablespoons of the butter into 12 pats and place one in each of the 12 cups of a regular sized muffin pan. (I use a silicone muffin pan – click here for the link. ) Add one tablespoon of brown sugar and if you want pecan buns, then add one teaspoon of pecans. Set aside. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter.

Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper. With a rolling pin and without pressure, roll the sheet to smooth out the seams. Brush the entire sheet (covering all edges) with melted butter, top with one tablespoon cinnamon and finally, ¼ cup brown sugar.

Carefully roll the sheet by tucking the edge closest to you and rolling with two hands to keep it tight.

Pinch the edges to close. Cut the roll in half and then cut each half into three pieces. Place each piece in the muffin tin, pressing down gently. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Place the muffin tin on a cookie sheet (to help make sure it remains flat in the oven) and then bake for 35 – 35 minutes or until the tops are brown and the filling is bubbling.

Once you remove the muffin pan from the oven, place a large platter on top and carefully invert to release each cinnamon bun. If there is filling remaining in the tin, remove it quickly before the sugar solidifies. Serve immediately but be careful as they will be hot.

(Note: If you like icing on your cinnamon/pecan buns, combine ¼ c powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon milk and adjust with more milk or sugar till you get the consistency you want.)

Chicken and Saffron Rice

One pan meals are my go-to these days. I love being able to take a pan or skillet from the oven or stove and put it right on the table for dinner. This dish is a stepchild to Arroz con pollo, a traditional Latin chicken and rice dish with peppers, peas, etc. My family can be a bit picky so this is a simplified, but no-less delicious, chicken and rice. After a quick sear on the chicken (who doesn’t love crispy chicken skin!?) the rice and chicken finish cooking together in the oven. The secret ingredient that takes this dish to the next level is saffron. It may be a little pricey but even a tiny bit packs great flavor so it goes a long way. Until I met a dear friend who is Persian, saffron wasn’t something I used regularly. After enjoying her cooking and learning from her, I’ve found a number of ways to use it. Oh, and my 14-year-old loves rice with saffron (actually I think he likes hers better than mine but that’s another story!). The saffron comes in threads but I learned that the way to get the most flavor is to crush it or grind it into a powder.

This meal is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It came together in less than an hour once all the ingredients were assembled. (Having all the ingredients chopped, measured and ready is critical to making sure you don’t miss a step or forget an ingredient. The French call it mise en place which translates to setting up and I can’t stress how helpful it is.) Since this dish cooks in the oven, I especially loved how the edges of the rice got a little crispy which added some texture. I sauteed some broccoli with garlic and served that alongside the chicken and rice.

Ingredients

6 Chicken thighs, bone in (you could use boneless but I fine these have more flavor)

½ c Diced shallots (you can use an onion if you don’t have a shallot)

1/8 tsp Saffron, crushed or ground

1 tsp Grated garlic (on a microplane)

2 tbs White wine (I like a dry wine like Pinot Grigio)

1 ¾ c Basmati rice

3 ½ c Chicken stock

1 tbs Olive oil

1 tsp Seasoned salt

½ tsp Salt, kosher

¼ tsp Freshly ground pepper

Parsley for garnish

Preparation

Pre-heat your oven to 400.

In a small bowl, combine the saffron with two tablespoons of stock and mix to help dissolve it. Set aside.

Pat the chicken thighs on both sides with a paper towel to make sure they are dry otherwise you won’t get a good sear on them. Sprinkle both sides with seasoned salt. In a wide, oven safe non-stick skillet (I love my Cuisinart casserole with glass cover), heat the olive oil and then brown the chicken, skin side down till golden brown. Flip the chicken and sear on the non-skin side till brown. You might have to do two batches so you can avoid crowding the pan. Once the chicken is browned on both sides, remove from the pan and place on a plate.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of the rendered fat and cook the shallot on medium to low heat until it is translucent, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute to combine.

Add the wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan, cooking for another minute.

Add the rice and mix with the shallot and garlic till coated and starting to toast. Add the stock and mix well. Add the saffron mixture and combine. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Carefully place the chicken (and the juices from the plate) in the pan on top of the rice, being careful not to completely immerse the chicken or you will waste the great crust you have.

Place the pan in the oven, uncovered, and cook until the stock has been absorbed, about 20 – 25 minutes (depending on your oven and pan). Check it after about 10 minutes. You can add more stock if you need to or move the rice around to check if the stock has been absorbed.

Once the rice is cooked and the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 you can enjoy!