Last Call...Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

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It is the weekend after Labor Day, the unofficial start of Fall.  I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in Georgia it is sweltering.  As in 90 degree weather, terribly humid and many an afternoon thunderstorm.  The apples are out in the produce department but, better than that, the berries are on sale, as in three for the price of one.

I know I should be posting about Fall recipes, but who can think of the hearth and apple pie when it's this hot.  These next two weeks are usually bad as far as dressing and cooking is concerned.  I used to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decide what to wear when I lived in New York City. Beige, tan and black, black and tan, but forget white.  Navy? no, too Spring.  Grey was okay. Brown? nah. The next three weeks were a pain to dress.  You never knew what the next day would bring.

It's the same with cooking for the next two weeks.  We are still grilling but late afternoon showers make it iffy.

This coffee cake, like black and tan, is great to have around in this transition period.  Good for brunch, good for tea and a great dessert with coffee.  Madame Mere has been sneaking a piece (a "tiny" little piece) every day for the last week with her espresso right after lunch.   Yes,  you can make this any time of the year with frozen blueberries but it is really not the same.

One day last week, I did my good deed for the week by helping an elderly lady in one of those motorized carts reach for a few baskets of raspberries.  There were six left and she wanted three.  So I picked out the best three and THEN she told me about the special, written in tiny letters over the counter, three for the price of one.  As I stared at the last three baskets after she took off, and I mean took off,  I thought, jeepers three for the price of one? raspberries?! Well obviously I didn't want the discards after selecting the best for the motorized lady but I was consoled to see that the same deal was offered for the blueberry pints.  So that's how this came to be.  That and the recipe I had saved from Maida Heatter, via Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorite food blogs.

This cake is called a crumb cake.  I think of it more along the lines of a coffee cake since it reminds me of my mother and her generation. That is what they used to call this kind of cake which was served after lunch or for breakfast together with the infamous percolated American coffee ( insipid and weak!).  I would serve it instead for tea or as part of a brunch.

 Debbie is absolutely right in all her modifications.  First,  why sift the flour when this promises to be a dense cake; and why coat the blueberries in flour when they won't sink to the bottom in a batter this thick.  Two unnecessary steps out of the way.

Do add the walnuts, it makes for interesting mix of texture.

One of the things Smitten Kitchen commented about was the butteriness of the crumble and resisting the urge to add more flour to make it more crumbly.  If you put it back in the fridge, until ready to use, it will be crumblier and easier to sprinkle.

Another thing I did not do was compensate for not sifting the flour by adding an extra tablespoon. Instead, I used White Lily Flour, one of the wonders and great advantages of living in the South.  If you can't find it just use a fine sieve and forget about sifting.

One of the things I like about this cake, or coffee cake, is the fact that it requires just two bowls and one cake pan.  It gets done in no time and it is better the next day and the day after, meaning you are more than safe making it a day ahead.  I have not tried freezing it as there was none left after four days.  Madame Mere and the lady who takes care of her managed to polish it off in three days, with a tiny bit of help from me, so it doesn't look like I will ever know it it freezes well or not.  I just have a good feeling it will.

So, blueberries are on sale, this is an easy cake, no fuss, no mess, it can be made ahead, freezes well and is delicious to boot. What are you waiting for?!

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the crumble

5 tablespoons (40 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, cold
Pinch of salt

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour (use White Lily if you can)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup, 2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint or 340 to 455 grams fresh blueberries, clean and dry
1/2 cup whole milk,
1/2 cup (55 grams) walnuts, chopped medium fine (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan (with at least 2″ sides) and dust it lightly with flour; line it with a round of parchment paper.'

Prepare the topping by mixing the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt, then cutting the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.  (I suggest you put it in the refrigerator until ready to use.  It is easier to sprinkle on top later)

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combines.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and zest together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture until just combined, followed by 1/2 the milk; repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, finishing with the dry mixture. The batter will be very stiff, but don’t fret.

Fold blueberries into cake batter until evenly distributed. Scoop cake batter into prepared pan and smooth so that it is flat. If using walnuts, scatter them on top. Sprinkle with prepared streusel.

Bake in heated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out batter-free. You can let the cake cool complete in the pan on a rack, or just cool it in the pan for 20 minutes before flipping it out onto a cooling rack, removing the parchment paper lining, and flipping it back onto a plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if using. 

Do ahead: Cake keeps covered with plastic or foil at room temperature for three days. If longer, it might be best to keep it in the fridge. It gets more moist each day and it is better the day after baking.

Adapted from Maida Heatter via Smitten Kitchen
Photos Lindaraxa

Eggs Flamenco!

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If you have noticed that I tend to publish a lot of recipes for eggs, there's a reason for it...I love them, for lunch.

In Europe, as well as most of Latin America, eggs are eaten mostly at lunch and not for breakfast as they do here in the United States.  Mexico and the U. K. are perhaps the only exception I can think of,  unless you are a farmer.  Breakfast is usually a light meal of juice, a small pastry and coffee, strong and lots of it.  Eggs, on the other hand, are served quite frequently for lunch and can be quite elaborate, hot or cold.

The Spaniards are quite good when it comes to making eggs (think Spanish Omelette) and can be counted on for a few variations of baked eggs.  Here is perhaps the most famous and my favorite, with or without the potatoes. For the recipe...

Crunchy Banana Muffins For The Hydrangea Society Tour In Atlanta

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Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I am meeting my friend Sandra Jonas of Recreating Eden for the annual  AHS 2012 Garden Tour  featuring many beautiful hydrangea-filled gardens here in Atlanta.  Sandra and I have been virtual friends for over a year but it seems every time we tried to meet,  one of us had an illness in the family.    Finally, tomorrow looks like a go and frankly, I can't wait to meet this wonderful lady.  As we are meeting fairly early in the day, and there seems to be quite a few gardens to tour, I am bringing along some muffins for a mid morning snack.

Banana muffins always seem to come up when there are a few of them over ripening in the kitchen.  I don't know where these came from.  Maybe a product of house guests from last weekend.  But they aint going to waste...not in this house.

If you like banana bread or muffins, these are a must...simply to die for!

Sunday Brunch...Baked Eggs Florentine

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This is one of the easiest egg dishes to prepare and one of the most sublime.  Contrary to what you may be served these days, the traditional recipe for Eggs Florentine does not include English muffins or Hollandaise Sauce.  The classic Uova alla Fiorentina, a specialty of Florence, are lightly poached eggs served on a bed of spinach, which has been first boiled and sauteed in butter, and baked in a buttered dish. Mornay sauce is poured over it then it is sprinkled with grated cheese and bread crumbs and baked in the oven.

I was inspired to post this recipe while reading one of the best books ever written on Italian food, The Food of Italy by Waverly Root. Mr. Root, considered one of the major writers on cuisine in his time, passed away in 1982.  During his life he was a foreign correspondent in Europe for fifty years,  representing the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Time and UPI.  He also contributed regularly to the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune and Gourmet Magazine. 

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Italian cuisine and indispensable for those wishing to capture the subtleties of the Italian palate in his or her kitchen. You will also learn many interesting things such as...the origins of petit pois!  Referred to all over the word by their French name, these tiny tender peas, piselli novelli,  came to France from Genoa in 1660 as a present for Louis XIV.  They took the country by storm and the rest, as they say, is history.  I didn't know that, did you?

I haven't had real Eggs Florentine in a long time and reading about it brought memories of lunch at my grandmother's house in Havana in the fifties.  Her mother was French and she loved all things baked and gratinee in the oven.  One of these days I will post the carrot gratin served chez elle as I remember.

The only thing that you have to be careful in this recipe are the eggs.  Make sure you don't over cook them or you will end up with hard boiled eggs on top of spinach.  Lightly poach them in water with a drop of vinegar for no more than 4 minutes and set them aside to cool.  You want them runny and remember they will continue to cook later in the oven when you pour the warm sauce and broil them.

Now, this recipe serves two or four, depending how you want to serve them.  Instead of ramekins I use the baking dish on the photo and place two instead of one egg in each dish.  I feel it's the least one can eat if serving as a main dish for lunch or brunch.  The recipe is very adaptable though and you can increase the ingredients proportionately if you wish to serve more people. Buon appetito!

Ingredients

•  4 tbsp butter 
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1½ cups whole milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 lb (450g) fresh spinach, well rinsed but not dried
• 4 hot poached eggs
• 1 TB breadcrumbs
• 4 slices buttered toast, to serve

Special Equipment:

• 4 flameproof serving dishes*

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and let bubble for 1 minute. Gradually beat in the milk. Cook, whisking often, until boiling and thickened. Season with salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Whisk egg yolks and cream together, then whisk into the sauce. Stir in ¾ cup of the Gruyére. Keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes, until softened. Add the rinsed spinach, cover, and cook about 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Drain well.

3. Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Divide the spinach among four (or 2) flameproof ramekins. Using a slotted spoon, place a poached egg  (or 2) in each ramekin, then top with the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyére. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden.  Alternatively, you can bake in a very hot oven, 450 degrees, for 2 to 4 minutes.  Serve right away*, with the toast. 

*don't let the finished dish sit or the eggs will continue to cook and you will end up with...you guessed it, hard boiled eggs!


Photo © 2008 Dorling Kindersley

From Georgia With Love...Tarte A L'Oignon

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Nothing gives me more pleasure than to satisfy a friend's request.  Within reason, that is.

Last week while my blogger friend Paul Gervais de Bédée was enjoying himself in Sardinia and St. Tropez, I got an unusual request from him.  Did I have a recipe for a tarte a l'oignon? Mais non, but  I was sure that  with a little research and some practice on my part I could come up with a good one, if not the best one. 

When I go in search of the ultimate recipe for something I haven't made before, I like to start with an authentic source.  Obviously, Julia Child was the first name that came to mind but knowing her recipes, I knew hers was going to be long and involved.  The next name on the list was Patricia Wells who, amongst others, had written a cookbook on bistro cooking.  Not good enough.  She's really more Provencal.  I wanted  a typical tart recipe from the region that made it famous, in this case Alsace.  And then a coupe de foudre... André Soltner!

 For those of you not familiar with M. Solter, he was the former owner and chef of the four-star restaurant Lutéce in New York City.  For many years, long before Daniel and even Le Cirque came around, Lutéce was considered by many to be the best French restaurant in Manhattan.    This recipe,  traditional cafe fare in Alsace where he was born,  was shared by him in his book  The Lutéce Cookbook.   A copy of it, now out of print,  resided until recently in my mother's bookshelves but,  unbeknownst to her, it had mysteriously slipped into my suitcase the last time I visited.

At about the same time as all this was going on, I was looking for a recipe for the vegetable bounty now appearing in my friend Sandra Jonas' potager.  Just last weekend the onions had started making their appearance.  Sweet onions, no less.  So the ones I borrowed for my tart are from her Georgia vegetable garden, via my Georgia kitchen to Paul's table in Lucca, Italy.  From Georgia with love, dear friend....a french tarte a l'oignon!

Just as I predicted, the tarte was sublime.  When one has cooked as long as I have, one can tell just by reading the recipe.  

M. Soltner recommends blind baking the tart's crust, a process in which the crust is baked, then filled, then baked again to help keep the crust firm and crisp.  I strongly encourage you to do this.  There is nothing worse than slicing a tart and finding that the bottom crust has disappeared.  I made the dough the night before, stored it in the refrigerator overnight and rolled it out the next morning.  It handled beautifully.  I guess I am getting better at working with dough now that  I've started making pizza at home.

If you don't have pie weights for blind baking the crust, you can use dried beans, rice, or clean, round pebbles.

Don't rush the onions.  Cook them on low until they begin to caramelize.  It might take as long as 20 minutes.  That is really the part that takes the longest but it is well worth the effort.  While the onions are cooking, open a bottle of a chilled French rosé  and start slicing some fresh tomatoes for a salad.  Life could be worse.




It looks like a lot of onions





...but it's not once they are cooked



Andre Soltner's Tarte A L'Oignon

Ingredients
Serves 6

* 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for tart pan

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/2 cup ice water

* 1 1/2 pounds onions, about 2 large) finely sliced.  I used Vidalia onions.

* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

* 1/2 cup heavy cream

* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

* 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Butter a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom; set aside.

2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled butter, and combine with fingers or a pastry blender until it has the texture of coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup ice water, and stir just until a dough forms. Form into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch-thick round. Fit dough into prepared tart pan; trim excess. Line with a parchment paper round, and fill with pie weights. Chill for 15 minutes. Transfer to oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven, and set aside.

4. In a large skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly browned and softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. In a small bowl, combine beaten egg, cream, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in onions.




Ready to go in the oven


6. Sprinkle baked tart shell with cheese. Spread onion mixture evenly over cheese. Bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

All you need to serve with the tarte is sliced tomatoes with  good olive oil, fresh basil  and Balsamic vinegar.  Paul should have no problem coming up with that!

I know some of you have had problems leaving comments.  Here's two solutions.  1.  Sign in as anonymous and sign your name at bottom 2.  When signing in as Google account, uncheck the box that says "stay signed in". That should help.

All photos Lindaraxa

A Simple Menu For Mother's Day... Tropical Fruit, Shrimp And Avocado Salad

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If you are a mother, a grandmother and a daughter...guess what? You still have to entertain up!  Sorry girls, you all know this is true.  No matter what, if you have a mother, you still have to entertain her.  So what I do is simple.  Choose a menu where I can make most things the day before; have everyone up for brunch, feed them, and take off the rest of the day.  That way I don't feel too cheated out of a free ride.  

With my mother, I don't even have to ask.  For her it's always shrimp; so when I saw this salad,  that was it.  This and quiche, something new she has been asking for recently,  is a simple menu and can be prepared ahead.  A no fuss dessert and I'm off the hook!

Florida mangoes are not out yet but the Dominican Republic ones that are coming in are quite good, if you buy them at a good store.  Pineapple and papaya can be bought already cut up in the supermarket.  If you make the salad ahead, don't add the avocados until right before you serve it.  Shrimp can be grilled the night before and saved in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before you add to the rest of the salad.

I have played around quite a bit with this recipe, reducing some amounts but leaving all the ingredients.  In this case, I want more shrimp and less fruit, but you can adapt the range to your liking.

The quiche can be made the day before and the Affogato, well, that just takes a minute to prepare. 

Mother's Day Menu

Bloody Mary's

Julia's Quiche Lorraine

Tropical Fruit, Shrimp and Avocado Salad (Follows)

Chocolate Gelato Affogato

Tropical Fruit,  Shrimp and Avocado Salad

 YIELD: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 pineapple, diced

1 large ripe papaya, diced

1 ripe mango, diced

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 roasted yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 -2 poblano chiles, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 -2 jalapeño peppers, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry wine vinegar

30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 ripe avocados, cut into wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine onions, pineapple, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine olive oil and vinegar; toss with fruit mixture.  (Adapt fruit mix, peppers and dressing to your liking)

Grill shrimp 3 minutes on each side or until opaque, and immediately toss into the salad. Gently stir in avocado. Season to taste with black pepper.

Adapted from Coastal Living
Photo Karri Hosborg 

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Shirred Eggs with Cream And Smoked Salmon - Oeuf Cocotte A la Creme Et Au Saumon

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This is the perfect egg dish for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  No fuss, no mess and delish!

I prefer Norwegian salmon since it has less salt, but Scottish is fine also.


For 4 servings


Ingredients

- 4 large slices of Norwegian smoked salmon

- 8 eggs

- 200 ml (3/4 cup) cream

- 15 g (1 Tbsp.) butter

- 1 TB finely chopped chives

- 1 red pepper

- 1 green pepper

- salt and pepper


Directions

1.Line each individual ramekin with one large slice of smoked salmon, or two smaller slices laid crosswise.

2.Seed and finely dice the peppers and sauté them in butter for 2 minutes.

3.Preheat the oven to180° C (350° F).

4.Wash and drain the chives and dry in a cloth. Chop finely and mix into the cream.

5.Divide the cream among the ramekins, season with pepper and break 2 eggs into each ramekin. Sprinkle on the diced peppers and season with ground pepper. Salt lightly because the smoked salmon is already salted.

6.Fold the ends of the smoked salmon over the eggs.

7.Place the ramekins, uncovered, on a rack in the center of the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks still runny.

8.Serve the eggs in the ramekins with toast fingers.


From Saveurs du Monde

Winter Entertaining...Sunday Brunch In the City

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About two weeks ago Heather Clawson who publishes the immensely popular blog Habitually Chic mentioned in her blog that one of her New Year's resolutions was to have more brunches.  That got me thinking...

One of the things I enjoyed the most when I was living in the city was meeting up with friends on Sunday to have brunch at Luke's or anywhere else where I could get Eggs Benedict and a Bloody Mary.  To me, Sundays were all about the New York Times, the crossword puzzle, brunch afterwards and a good long nap.   Sometimes I would forgo my idyllic afternoon and invite friends for a casual Sunday dinner.

 
If you have lived in New York, you know weekends are all about casual clothes and casual dining.  Try visiting a neighborhood restaurant during the weekend and you will see the same people you saw all dressed up during the week in a most casual yet stylish attire.  People who live and work in town look forward to relaxing on the weekend and what they want is to dress down, walk the dog and rest up for the week ahead.  Going out for Sunday brunch is a popular diversion for New Yorkers but if you want to get in at your favorite restaurant or neighborhood cafe you better get there early.  You will find most places jammed packed!

So what could be simpler and more appreciated than offering friends an alternative to a restaurant brunch by entertaining them informally in the comfort of your home? It beats hosting a cocktail party or sit-down dinner, and it's a lovely and casual way to catch up with friends and family members.  Just make sure you set a civilized hour...like noon!

Now if you live in relatively small quarters, set up a buffet style table and let everyone serve themselves.  Do make sure you have enough seating though for all your guests. Even if you are lucky enough to have a separate dining room, you can use this type of arrangement to make things casual and more enjoyable. This is what makes New York city parties so much fun..

Everything in this brunch menu can at least be started the night before. The strata and the french toast just need to bake in the morning.  The fruit parfaits, Bloody Mary mix, salmon and accompaniments can also be prepared the day before, placed in the fridge wrapped with foil,  and brought out just before the guests arrive.  If you want to add muffins and scones, this is something you can buy ready made.  There is such a wonderful selection to choose from if you live in a major city such as New York. 

Now just because this is an informal party doesn't mean that you can't take out the silver,  crystal or the nice china.  That is what makes it extra special, even if you serve a simple menu.  It's done in English country houses all the time so why shouldn't you?

So Heather, here's to your New Year's resolution...you can cross it off the list!

SUNDAY BRUNCH

The Perfect Bloody Mary

Mimosas

Smoked Salmon

mini bagels, cream cheese, capers, lemon, chopped red onions

Papaya, Berries And Yogurt Parfaits

Ham And Cheese Strata

Baked French Toast

Coffee, Tea

 Make sure you check out the country brunch in My Kitchen By The Lake!


Photos:  (top)  Elegant Entertaining,  Henrietta Spencer Churchill
and Google

Papaya Berry Yogurt Parfaits

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Is there a more elegant, healthier or simpler way to start your day?

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 containers (5.3 ounces each) plain nonfat Greek yogurt

5 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches)

1 papaya (1 pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 package (6 ounces) fresh blackberries

1 package (6 ounces) fresh raspberries

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish

1/2 cup granola


Directions


1.In a small bowl combine yogurt, 3 tablespoons honey, and zest; set aside.

2.Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the ginger (no need to peel) into a small bowl. Squeeze ginger through a fine-meshed sieve or strainer placed over a medium bowl to get a total of 1 tablespoon ginger juice. Discard pulp. To the bowl with the juice, add remaining 2 tablespoons honey and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Add papaya, blackberries, and raspberries and toss gently to coat.

3.To serve: Spoon half the fruit and juices among six 8-ounce tall glasses. Sprinkle chopped mint over the fruit. Top with half the yogurt mixture and half the granola. Layer with the remaining fruit, yogurt, and granola. Garnish with mint sprigs.

.

Source: Martha Stewart.com

Baked French Toast...An Easy Solution When Serving a Crowd!

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Hot and sweet, baked to a golden crisp, and dripping with syrup, you’ll find not a single thing  missing.  A great idea when serving a crowd!


Ingredients

1 (13- to 14-inch-long) loaf of soft-crust supermarket Italian bread

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 2/3 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons sugar

Accompaniment: pure maple syrup


Preparation

Cut 12 (1-inch-thick) diagonal slices from bread, reserving ends for another use.

Generously butter 1 side of each slice and arrange slices, buttered sides up, in 1 layer in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit if necessary.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well, then pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed all of custard, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, depending on bread.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bring mixture to room temperature and sprinkle bread with sugar.

Bake, uncovered, in middle of oven until bread is puffed and top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: If you missed it, check out the recent recipe posted on the Williams Sonoma site for savory pancakes.



Source:  Epicurious

Cranberry Almond Streusel Cake

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This recipe comes from the Holiday issue of Sweet Paul Magazine,  an online 90 page food, crafts and lifestyle magazine filled to the rim with great recipes, fun crafts, interesting people and much more.  It is based on Paul Howe's wildly successful blog Sweet Paul.

I am surprised to say I love this cyber magazine.  The recipes are fantastic, down to earth and very doable.  The photography is stunning.  If this is the future of online magazines, bring it on!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 stick salted butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 Cups sour cream
2 cups french cranberries
3 TB sugar

Topping

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 sticks salted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the flour and baking powder

Butter a 9 inch square or round pan

Cream butter and sugar until light.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

Add the two extracts and sour cream.

Add the flour and baking powder mix.

Coat the cranberries with sugar in a separate bowl and incorporate into mix by hand

Pour mix into cake pan

Make the streussel, work together sugar, flour and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the cake.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and and dust with powder sugar

I have condensed the directions from the actual recipe on the magazine, but you get the point!

Ham, Gruyere And Spinach Bread Pudding

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Ingredients

Custard:

4 large egg whites

4 large eggs

1 cup Half and Half

Seasonings:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Bread & filling:

4 cups Italian or French  bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (crusts removed if desired)

5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)

1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers

1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)

Topping:

3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-7-inch glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.

To prepare custard: Whisk egg whites, eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Add mustard, pepper and rosemary: whisk to combine.

Toss bread, spinach, roasted red peppers and ham in a large bowl. Add the custard and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.

Bake until the custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

To wilt greens, rinse greens thoroughly in cool water. Transfer them to a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in the wrap. Microwave on high until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the greens before adding them to the recipe.

Oh, and dont' forget to check 10 Recipes for Leftover Ham!

Recipe adapted from EatingWell.com

6 Steps to Perfect Eggs Benedict - Demystifying Hollandaise Sauce

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Okay, listen and listen carefully, I'm going to give you some tips for making the perfect hollandaise sauce.  Before I list them, I'm going to tell you the why which,  if you are like me, will help you remember all these steps without having to memorize them.  In hollandaise sauce, the butter cooks the eggs, thus, give them a head start by leaving them out of the refrigerator until they come to room temperature!  Also, make sure you bring the butter to a bubbling boil for it is the cooking agent for the eggs.

Servings 2

Ingredients

7 eggs (4 whole, 3 yolks)
1 8 oz. bar of butter
1 TB fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
black pepper
salt
2 English Muffins split
4 slices Canadian Bacon

Procedure

Lay out all your ingredients.  Split the muffins and set them in the toaster oven ready to cook.  Brown the Canadian bacon in tsp of butter and set aside.  Butter an egg poacher and crack 4 eggs into it.  Make the hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce

Take the eggs out of fridge about 4 hrs. before you cook them.  Separate 3 yolks from white.  Add yolks to blender.  Melt 1 bar of butter in a skillet, add about 1/4 tsp cayenne, salt and pepper and cook until bubbly on medium heat.  When the butter is about ready to come to a boil, start your blender on high and blend the egg yolks for at least 30 seconds.  Slowly pour the bubbling butter into the eggs in a steady drip  and squeeze 1 TB of the lemon juice. Stop! you are done!!! Pour into a glass bowl and keep warm on top of the stove. Taste it, if it needs more salt,  pepper or lemon juice, add and stir with a spoon.

Start the muffins and cook the eggs.  Do not poach past 4 minutes.  Eggs continue to cook after you take them out and the hot hollandaise sauce will help the process along.

When the muffins are done (do not overtoast), lay two halves on a plate, cover with the Canadian bacon slices and the poached eggs.  Pour Hollandaisse sauce over the top and eat immediately

So remember...

1. Take eggs out of refrigerator so they have time to come to room temperature
2. Have all your ingredients ready to go BEFORE you start the recipe!
3. Make sure you bring the butter to a bubbling boil
4. Blend the yolks on high for at least 30 seconds before you start adding the melted butter
5. Underpoach your eggs so you don't end up with hard boiled eggs
6. Be ready to sit down at the table the minute those eggs come out of the pan!

Oh yes, and don't forget the Bloody Marys!

Saturday Night on the Grill...The Forgotten Shish Kebabs

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This has to be one of my favorite meals on the grill. So simple to make and yet nowadays, you hardly hear of anyone making shish kebabs. The trick is to buy good meat and assemble your own, not buy the stuff that comes already assembled at the grocery store.

The best cut of beef for shish kebabs is sirloin steak. After that, it's up to you, but I prefer mine with onions, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and bacon. The latter is the secret to the wonderful flavor. You can also add zucchini rounds and use half green and half red peppers marinade them for about an hour or longer and you are in business. There are so many good easy dishes like this to prepare, particularly if you have a grill, that I simply don't understand why people don't eat at home more often. It beats a pizza or takeout any day, including cost and waiting time. Just make sure you make enough for leftover Fajitas or Sirloin Hash with soft boiled eggs...two great meals for a lazy Sunday with the Perfect Bloody Mary.


Serves 4



Ingredients


1 large Sirloin steak cut in 1 1/2 in. cubes (figure on 4 cubes of meat per skewer)

2 tomatoes cut in quarters (2 quarters in each skewer)

2 onions cut in quarters (2 quarters in each skewer)

1 green pepper cut in 8 pieces (2 pieces in each skewer)

8 mushroom caps

4 slices of bacon each cut in half and rolled



Marinade


1/2 cup olive oil

3 TB red wine vinegar

1 TB worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Mc. Cormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning

salt

pepper


Preparation

Cut steak and vegetables in 1 1/2 in cubes. Cut each slice of bacon in half and roll. Alternate meat and vegetables on skewers making sure you stagger the bacon so that each skewer has 2 bacon rolls in addition to meat and vegetables. Marinade for at least 1 hour. Light your grill and wait till it registers to about 450 degrees. Grill kebabs 6 minutes on each side, pouring the marinade when you turn for the final 6 minutes of cooking. Remove from the grill, let rest 5 minutes and serve with white rice.


Wine suggestions
Serve with a hearty Cabernet from California or an Australian Shiraz


Leftovers...Shish Kebabs Fajitas For Lunch

I always try to make at least an extra skewer or two so I can have enough leftovers to make fajitas next day. I also chop extra onions, tomatoes and peppers and bunch them up on one skewer to grill together with the shish kebabs and use them the next day on fajitas or hash.

Place a flour tortilla in the microwave for 20 seconds so its softens. Slice the meat and together with the leftover vegetables place in the middle of the tortilla. Grate some Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese on top and add a few drops of Tabasco Sauce or some sliced jalapenos. Microwave for 20 seconds or until the cheese melts. Add a dollop of sour cream, fold and enjoy!

Leftovers...Sirloin Hash and Soft Boiled Eggs for Brunch

If you want to make hash the next day, all you need to do is add some potatoes to the leftover meat, onion, peppers and tomatoes. First peel and cut the potatoes in cubes. Dice the green peppers and onions. Melt some oil in a frying pan , add one clove of garlic, sautee for a couple of minutes, remove, add the potatoes and cook covered until they are almost done . Mash them a little in the pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Add a little heavy cream and press down into a thick pancake.. Cook until crisp, flip to the other side and cook until done. Remove to a platter. Top with soft boiled eggs.

Say You Are Sorry With Blueberry Muffins..Thank You, Jordan Marsh

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Whenever I want to get back in my Mother's good graces, I cook her something she really likes. I know... what is a woman like me, a mother and grandmother, doing coddling up to her mother at my age? Well, if you have to ask the question, you don't know about mothers, particularly Cuban mothers.

The art of the guilt trip is something that is practiced and perfected and passed on from mother to daughter and from generation to generation. I have never mastered the skill... believe me, I have always wanted to.... it works sooo well...but I guess I'm just missing THE gene. Or maybe I hated it so much over the years I refused to work "the magic" on my daughter. As a matter of fact, often without realizing it, SHE works it on Me. I guess the gene can skip a generation.

Primarily "the guilt trip" only works on girls...boys get off scott free, they just get handled by Dad, and dads are not guilt trip oriented since they don't have the gene either. Sometimes, they too can be the recipients of the "guilt trip"! (How do you think Mom got all her jewelry!) If you think Jewish mothers have a monopoly on this art, and it IS an art, don't bet on it until you meet a Cuban mother, particularly a Catholic one..

Anyway, today I did something that got me "the guilt trip", big time. I must admit I deserved it...maybe just a little...so on the way home all I could think of was how to do damage control.. and then I remembered the blueberries in the refrigerator and her favorite muffins, Jordan Marsh's Blueberry Muffins.

For those of you too young to remember, Jordan Marsh and Burdine's were THE department stores here in Miami. Two or three times a year in the 1950s we came to Miami to shop and load up on goodies to take back home to Havana. Both of these stores had really nice restaurants, but Jordan Marsh was famous for its blueberry muffins.

Jordan Marsh was a Boston-based department store founded in 1841 by Eben Jordan and Benjamin L. Marsh. With the rise of retail conglomerates, Jordan Marsh became part of Allied Stores (1931) and then Federated Department Stores (1988), a move that renamed all stores, including the flagship store in Boston, Macy's. The Jordan Marsh flagship store was home to the legendary Enchanted Village, an elaborate holiday display which, at times, spanned an entire floor of the store in addition to its windows. Perhaps even more legendary were Jordan Marsh's bakeries. Infamous, however, were the blueberry muffins. A December 2004 Boston Globe article put it best: "For decades, any decent downtown shopping trip ended at Jordan Marsh, where the promise of a sugar-crusted blueberry muffin could make annoying children angelic."

The store closed a while back but the recipe has been passed around from generation to generation, just like "the guilt trip". Bingo!...that must have been what reminded me of it... It is my Mother's favorite muffin recipe and one that makes her smile, forgive and, hopefully, forget!
(don't bet on the latter...)



Ingredients:

- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 pint (2 cups) blueberries
Pinch of salt


Instructions:


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin tin

Cream together shortening, and sugar.

Add baking powder and eggs and mix well.

Add flour, milk and vanilla, mix well. Add a pinch of salt.

Add blueberries - mash 1/4 a little before you add and the rest add whole

Wait 10 min., and mix again (you get bigger muffins this way)*

Fill the muffin cups to the top of the pan.

Sprinkle some sugar on top of each muffin.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Drop the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Cool and remove from pan.



*this is my trick, not JM's
Last time I made 3/15/17 I baked at 450 for 10 minutes and 30 minutes at 350. If you like a crunchier top, this is it!

Huevos al Plato...Baked Eggs

Pin It This is a simple version of Huevos a la Madrilena. My mother has been serving them at home ever since I can remember. I like it for a simple lunch any day, but if you want to dress them up for brunch on Sunday or a small lunch party, serve with a green salad, a baguette and the Perfect Bloody Mary. You can make Arun's Quick Cake for Tough Times for dessert , which I recommend you make the day before, and serve with vanilla ice cream. The whole lunch should take you less than 30 minutes to prepare. A very economical and simple meal that will delight everyone, particularly ladies.

For 2

Preheat oven to 400 Cooking time: 10 Minutes

4 large eggs
4 TB Le Sueur's petit pois (small early peas)
4 TB chopped ham or prosciutto
2 TB Heinz Catsup
Salt and Black Pepper
Butter for greasing molds.

Grease two gratin dishes with butter. Break two eggs in each. Add 2 TB petit pois to each serving, together with the ham or prosciutto. Squirt about 1 TB catsup over each plate and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-11 mins. Remember, the eggs will continue to cook once you take them out of the oven, so make sure you under cook them a little so they don't become hard boiled. Everyone should be at the table and ready to eat before you serve them.

Mother's Day Brunch Menu

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Remember the time when your kids were still little but old enough to cook you breakfast in bed for Mother's Day? I sure do. The first thing you'd hear from the kitchen was, "It's my turn, it's my turn...Move! let ME do it...Daddy!!!" Finally, after what seemed like a week, the breakfast tray would appear,loaded up with heart shaped pancakes, a rose in a bud vase, and lots of "I love you, Mom"... "You're the best mommy in the whole wide world" cards. (Years later, the breakfast tray disappeared and you got cards with "Mom Rocks!!" or " 'Yo Dude, Happy Mother's Day!). Even though at the time I found the whole experience excruciating, what with having to sit in bed and hear my kitchen turned upside down, now I kind of miss it. It now falls on me to do the honors for my Mom and my aunts since my children live in another state and have families of their own. The way I get around it is to have a brunch where I can prepare a warm main dish the day before, together with easy to prepare or store bought side dishes. It is probably the only time of the year where I do as little as possible, so I can have some time to relax. With brunch, everybody is gone by 2:00p.m and the rest of the day is yours. Besides, brunch is also an inexpensive way to entertain or celebrate an event. In this case, you get extra brownie points from the Moms for hosting the day.

Tips

At this time of the year, it's beautiful to have things outside. If you have a yard, a porch, a deck or a balcony, set things out there. Easy to clean up afterwards too. Mimosas are easy and inexpensive drinks to have and appropriate at that time of the day. Those who don't want to get happy, can always have just the juice. Don't knock yourself out or your wallet getting a "good" Champagne. Go for something less expensive... nobody will be able to tell the difference, and they'll get the headache, not you. If you make them with freshly squeezed orange juice, you'll hit a homerun.

The fruit bowl can be anything you like, or better yet, what's good, available and on sale. Melons are great at this time of the year, both cantaloupe and honeydew; strawberries have good prices; grapes and blueberries add color. Those are my choices because they are easy to serve and look the part. Do the melon balls and clean the strawberries the night before, and early that morning, mix in the rest. Add a little Grand Marnier or orange juice, a couple of Tbs. of sugar and lots of mint. Serve in a pretty bowl and you have another dish.

Get some smoked salmon at Costco and serve with different bagels, cream cheese, red onions, capers and lemon. If you have kids at the party switch to a ham which will leave you plenty of leftovers and there's a recipe on the blog. You can make it the day before or you can go to Honey Baked Ham and buy one. Do bake some biscuits!

For your table centerpiece, get some African violets for $2.99 at your local markets, or splurge on some tulips, but get lots of them. That's it! Bring on the Moms!

Mother's Day Brunch Menu

Mimosas
Seasonal Fruit Bowl
Spinach and Pancetta Strata
Smoked Salmon, with Cream Cheese, Red Onions and Capers
Onion, Pumpernickel & Plain Bagels
OR
Baked Ham and Biscuits
Coffee & Chocolate Mints

Spinach and Pancetta Strata

Strata in Italian means layers. I made this for my granddaughter's christening brunch and everybody loved it. Take out of fridge about an hour before you cook or it will take forever in the oven.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed Italian bread, from a 1-pound loaf
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
3 cups whole milk
10 large eggs

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.

Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.

Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata. Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

The Best Home Biscuits

Pin It Whether you are having a brunch or just doing something nice for your mother, these are great and easy to make. Make sure you use White Lily flour for best results.

Ingredients

2 Cup White Lily Flour*
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Sugar
1 Cup cold Buttermilk
8 TB. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat Oven to 475

Combine solids, combine wets and blend.Using 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter into oven tray (Spray tray with Pam) Brush with melted butter and bake 12-14 min.

Note

White Lily flour is the best flour to make biscuits. Not all flours are created equal. Southern bleached all-purpose flours are made from the soft winter wheat that grows well in the warmer southern climate while northern all-purpose flours are made from the hard spring wheats that grow in the colder climate. Strains of soft winter wheat have less protein than the hard spring wheat and therefore southern all-purpose flours are better-suited for quick breads such as biscuits, cakes and muffins. For an in-depth and well researched article on biscuits, go to the following blog You can also find an even quicker recipe for biscuits in back of the White Lily Self-Rising Four package. No excuses!

Mimosas

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The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia on the origins of Mimosas

Mimosa IBA Official Cocktail

Type: Wine cocktail
Primary alcohol: Champagne
Served stirred
Standard garnish grenadine, cherries
Standard drinkware Champagne flute
IBA specified ingredients† three parts champagne
two parts orange juice

Preparation Ensure both ingredients are well chilled, then mix together into the glass. Serve cold.
A Mimosa is a cocktail-like drink composed of three parts champagne or other sparkling wine and two parts thoroughly chilled orange juice. It is traditionally served in a tall champagne flute with a morning brunch or to guests at weddings.

The origins of the mimosa are somewhat murky. Allegedly, the drink was invented at the Paris Ritz in 1925, although it bears a striking similarity to another cocktail, the Buck's Fizz, which was introduced in England in 1921, and named after the club in which it was first served. The Buck's Fizz is also traditionally made with champagne and orange juice, although grenadine is sometimes added as well. The name introduced in 1925 comes from the flowers of the mimosa plant, which are yellow and appear slightly frothy from a distance. In Britain, the mixture of orange juice and champagne is still referred to as a Buck's Fizz, while the term mimosa is used in the United States and in most of Europe.

While most bartenders agree that the mimosa should be served in a chilled champagne flute, the exact proportions of the drink are often debated. Some recipes call for a measurement of three parts champagne to one part orange juice, while others prefer a half and half ratio. Both ingredients should be chilled, and some bartenders also serve the drink over ice. Others hotly contest the use of ice, arguing that it dilutes the drink unfavorably. Mimosas are usually served without a garnish, although a twist of orange peel might be considered appropriate.

While a mimosa is traditionally served with champagne, sparkling wines can also be used. For guests who do not wish to consume alcohol, sparkling waters such as Perrier are also acceptable, although you may wish to use coded glasses so that inadvertent consumption of the wrong drink is avoided. In either case, the drink should still be served in a champagne flute so that the bubbles will last longer.