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Breads

Sour Cream-Banana Bread

Buttermilk-Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Generously grease a 9-inch loaf pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in sugar until combined. Next beat in banana, eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry mixture to the butter mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in walnuts. Spoon into prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly.

Bake uncovered for 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

http://bakedchicago.com/sour-cream-banana-bread/

Breakfast

Glazed Apple Cinnamon Pecan Oatmeal Muffins

Glazed Apple Cinnamon Pecan Oatmeal Muffins

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients

For Muffins:
1 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Grease two standard muffin tins or line with paper cups.

In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over oatmeal. Stir to moisten and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir wet mixture into the flour mixture, just until combined.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill each about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers come out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for five minutes, then remove from pans.

Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk to form a glaze. Drizzle over muffins and serve.

http://bakedchicago.com/oatmeal-muffins/

Soups, Salads & Sides

Bacon-Corn Chowder

Bacon-Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 cups whole milk, warmed
4 cups water
22 ounces whole kernel corn
16 ounces cream of chicken soup
15 ounces cream-style corn
4 ounces cheddar cheese dip
1/8 cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

In large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings. Crumble bacon after cooled and set aside.

In large pot, combine reserved bacon drippings and butter over medium heat until butter has melted. Stir in flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in onion and bell pepper, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Stir constantly.

Using a blender and working in batches, combine vegetables and milk. Blend until smooth and return to large pot.

Add the bacon, water, corn, chicken soup, corn, cheese dip, hot sauce, bouillon, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

http://bakedchicago.com/bacon-corn-chowder/

Soups, Salads & Sides

Ginger-Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ginger-Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a lip (like a jelly roll pan) with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, mix the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper, until evenly coated. Pour them onto the prepared baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes, or until crisp on the outside.

Remove from oven and set aside. In small bowl, mix melted butter, syrup and ginger. Drizzle mixture over Brussels sprouts and return to oven for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

http://bakedchicago.com/ginger-maple-roasted-brussels-sprouts/

Desserts

Cinnamon Gelato

Cinnamon Gelato

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan, combine milk and cream and cook over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally so skin does not form. The mixture should come to a light simmer; DO NOT let it boil.

Meanwhile in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl, whisk together the yolks and sugar until smooth. Temper the yolks by slowly pouring in the milk/cream mixture in a steady stream. Be sure to whisk continuously.

Return the mixture to the saucepan over a low heat. Cook until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon and DO NOT bring the mixture to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a new bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, stirring about every 5 minutes. Once completely cooled, stir in the cinnamon and vanilla slowly. Store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

When the custard has chilled, pour the mixture into a container of an electric ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer gelato to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

http://bakedchicago.com/cinnamon-gelato/

Breakfast

Double Chocolate-Buttermilk Muffins

Double Chocolate-Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 ounces dark chocolate chunks
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together, in a large bowl, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry mixture, just until blended. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin pan, filling each paper liner no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 1 dozen.

http://bakedchicago.com/double-chocolate-buttermilk-muffins/

Breakfast

Toasted Oat & Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Toasted Oat & Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

Toasted Oat & Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spread oats in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Coat 9-inch spring-form baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Reserve 1/4 cup oats and set aside. Place remaining oats in food processor. Process until finely ground. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with whisk.

Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in large bowl. Beat with mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternatively with cream cheese. Begin and end with flour mixture. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Spread evenly.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with pastry blender until well blended. Sprinkle evenly on top of batter.

Bake for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Top should be golden and cake should start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pan for 10 minute before removing. Yields 10 servings.

http://bakedchicago.com/cream-cheese-coffee-cake/

 

Soups, Salads & Sides

Wild Rice with Edamame & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

slow cooker wild rice with edamame

My immediately family is quite large. When we get together over the holidays, it’s like a yule tide flash mob has descended on Grandma’s house! Feeding this army can be a challenge, but we manage by dividing and conquering the holiday menu.

Grandma makes the turkey and dressing. My sister-in-law makes the desserts. My sister makes cheesy potatoes  with help from my nieces. My brothers and I make assorted menu items to complete the smorgasbord. This year, I wanted to make a wild rice dish because my dad, who died in 1995, loved having wild rice at the holidays. Wild rice can take quite a while to cook, so it’s perfect for the slow cooker, which is great for transporting a hot dish on a road trip to Grandma’s.

I almost put bacon in this recipe, but because I was traveling with the dish I decided to go with Italian sausage instead. Bacon would have been great, but you wouldn’t want to put it in the dish until 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve. Otherwise it would lose it crunchiness. I’ve also tried versions of this recipe with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, but I find in general that vegetable broth has such a subtle flavor that it doesn’t hold up against the earthiness of wild rice. So a chicken (or turkey) broth is a better option.

For me the star ingredients are the edamame (possibly my favorite vegetable – after potatoes, of course!) and the sun-dried tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes pack a lot of flavor and it adds a nice counter-punch to the wild rice.  This recipe makes at least 16 servings (I was feeding an army, remember), so if you have a smaller group just halve the recipe for your brood.

Wild Rice with Edamame and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups uncooked blend of wild rice, brown rice and red rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
42 ounces chicken broth
16 ounces edamame, shelled
16 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Instructions

In a medium skillet, brown the Italian sausage and break into chunks. Cook thoroughly and remove from heat.

In a 6-quart slow cooker, mix all the ingredients. Stir to incorporate, then cover and cook on high heat for about 1 hour. Stir again. Set heat to low and cook for another 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

http://bakedchicago.com/wild-rice-with-edamame-and-sun-dried-tomatoes/

Desserts

Cappuccino Brownies

Eat your coffee! These cappuccino brownies are rich, dark and flavorful. And don’t worry if you don’t have instant espresso powder in your pantry; you can substitute instant coffee powder instead – preferably a dark roast.

Cappuccino Brownies

 

cappuccino brownies

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 16

cappuccino brownies

These cappuccino brownies are rich, dark and flavorful. And don't worry if you don’t have instant espresso powder in your pantry; you can substitute instant coffee powder instead – preferably a dark roast.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
4 eggs
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325° F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x9-inch square baking pan with butter or shortening. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter over very low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, espresso powder and vanilla. Add the eggs after the mixture has slightly cooled.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. Stir until just combined and then fold in the dark chocolate chips.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 cappuccino brownies.

http://bakedchicago.com/cappuccino-brownies-recipe/

Desserts

Toffee Shortbread Brownies

toffee

Toffee Shortbread Brownies

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening.

In medium bowl, stir together 1 cup flour and dark brown sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in toffee bits. Press into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together sugar, 3/4 cup flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, vanilla and remaining 1/3 cup butter (melted). Beat until smooth. Stir in dark chocolate chunks.

After removing baking pan from oven, carefully spread the brownie filling batter over the shortbread crust.

Bake for 40 minutes more. Let brownies cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 toffee shortbread brownies.

 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup and 1/3 cup butter, divided
1/4 cup toffee bits
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1 cup and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

 

Number of servings: 16

Cooking time: 48 minutes

 

Desserts

German Chocolate Brownies

german chocolate brownies

German Chocolate Brownies

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Lightly grease bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter or shortening.

In medium saucepan, stir dark chocolate and 3/4 cup butter over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1 cup of sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and salt. Gradually add in flour, stirring just until combined. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let brownies cool completely, about 1 hour.

Prepare frosting by combining evaporated milk, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolk and 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, pecans and coconut. While frosting is still warm, spread on brownies. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 brownies.

Brownie Points: Evaporated milk is milk that’s been cooked down to allow water content to evaporate. The concentrate is canned, and the result is heavier, creamier milk with a slightly toasted or caramelized flavor. If you don’t have evaporated milk in the pantry, make your own! To produce 1 cup of evaporated milk, simmer 2 1/4 cups of regular milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reduces to 1 cup.

 

Ingredients:

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup and 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk, divided
3/4 cup plus 4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

 

Number of servings: 16

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Desserts

Malted Brownies

malted brownies

This recipe for malted brownies is a fun way to use a favorite childhood candy: malted milk balls. For a mess-free way to crush malted milk balls, place them in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Whack the freezer bag a few times with a rolling pin. Then push the rolling pin over the top of the bag, back and forth, until you have the desired consistency. It’s also a great stress reliever!

Malted Brownies

Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Lightly grease the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or shortening, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir the semisweet chocolate and butter over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder and malted milk balls. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together until thick and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Mix to combine. Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture, just until combined.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows to make 32 malted brownies.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, cut into small chunks
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup malted milk powder
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup malted milk balls, crushed
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

 

Number of servings: 32

Cooking time: 30 minutes