Saturday, February 25, 2012

Rewind: Christmas Day Breakfast

This year I got to make all of Christmas dinner. This might not sound quite so exciting to some people, but I was really happy. We always do a big multi-family Christmas Eve event, and this year it was just my parents, myself, and my brother for Christmas dinner, so I figured it was the perfect time to try cooking it all.

Our family always starts with stockings and then breakfast once we've opened them. My brother and I have gorgeous stockings that my mom adds buttons to every year (yes, still). This year my brother and I decided that it was about time our parents got stockings too. They loved them!

I'd found Shutterbean's recipe for spiced orange popovers recently, and remembered that I'd found a cast iron popover pan last time I was at my Grandma's. I figured it was the perfect brunch item to make.



They're popping! So exciting to watch this happen.

Here's the recipe:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk (and def use whole--I read up on this and the fat in the milk apparently helps the consistency or something)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (I usually do a little less)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or a pinch. I can never be bothered to measure salt)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil*

*Note: I have a popover pan with eleven cups...yeah I dunno. I guess it's a normal thing. We tried to figure this out. Anyway, I put about a 1/4 t of oil in each and it worked perfectly.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Blend the eggs, milk, flour, melted butter, salt and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

2. While the batter is resting, measure 1/4 t of oil into each cup (or more if you have the bigger 8-cup pans). After the batter has rested for 20 minutes, put the pan in the oven to heat the oil for 10 minutes.

3. After the pan has been heating for 10 min and the batter resting for 1/2 an hour, pour the batter straight into the hot pan, dividing between the cups.

4. Bake for 20 minutes (don’t open the oven door) until golden brown on top. Turn out on a rack and let cool. They're really steamy inside so be wary.


For the orange cinnamon clove sugar topping:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

This made more than I needed but I wasn't complaining. It's amazing.

1. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest in a small bowl.

2. Brush each popover all over with the 1/4 cup of melted butter, then roll it around in the sugar mixture. Apparently they're especially awesome with coffee.



Friday, February 24, 2012

Rewind: Christmas Eve


Yes, I'm behind. But these recipes are worth it!

Last year, I received a massive hardbound copy of Bon Appetit Desserts. It is wonderful...it is also dangerous because everything in it looks amazing.


My parents hosted my dad's Christmas party and my way of "helping out" was to make desserts. Actually, I lied. Not desserts, but sweet appetizers since we weren't serving dinner and thus could not serve dessert (which implies dinner)...sure, Dad.

I made a double recipe of truffles, not realizing how much I'd made. They came in handy though, since we gave them to neighbors, took them to parties, and brought them to Christmas Eve.

Chocolate-Honey-Lime Truffles
*Note: I do not really like fruit with chocolate. I love both individually, but see no need to combine them. This recipe is an exception. Also, we have a lime tree in our backyard and can never use up the limes quickly enough, so I'm always on the lookout for new lime recipes.

-1 1/2 t lime zest, divided
-2/3 c sugar
-1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
-15 oz bittersweet or semi sweet choc (I used a combo and did my best to get close to 15 oz because that's just tricky)
-1 c heavy whipping cream
-1/4 fresh lime (I added a bit more to really punch up the flavor)
-1/4 c honey
-6 T butter at room temp

1. Finely chop 1 t lime zest and combine with sugar in a bowl, mushing with fingers until combined and moist. Add cocoa and spread on baking sheet. Let dry at room temp 1 day. *Note: I didn't do this. I made it first and then made the truffles and it was fine. Also it made way more than I needed.

2. Put chocolate in a bowl. Put remaining lime zest and cream in a pan and bring just to a boil on medium heat. Cover and set aside 10 min. Uncover and return to a boil, then pour warm mixture over chocolate, let stand 30ish seconds, and whisk til chocolate is smooth.

3. In a small pan combine honey and lime juice. Stir over low heat til honey melts/everything's warm.

4. Stir honey/lime juice into chocolate mixture. Add butter a few T at a time, stirring until the ganache is smooth. You may not use all of the butter.

5. Cover until firm. *Note: It says "at least 4 hours or overnight" and I found 5 hours to not be enough so start this early.

6. Line some baking sheets w aluminum foil and scoop the ganache into lil balls, returning it to the freezer when it gets too warm. *Note: I used a small spoon and my hands. It was ridiculously messy, but at least I got the size and shape I wanted

7. Chill/freeze for about an hour and then roll in the lime zest mixture and eat all of them.

Chive-Lime Sweet Potatoes

Happy New Year!

Yes, it's Feb already and I'm so behind on this. Luckily, even though I haven't been blogging, I have been cooking.

Here's the first of a barrage of posts:

Chive-Lime Sweet Potatoes!

This is so easy and unexpectedly delicious.


Zest a lime, chop some chives, boil agave+lime juice, roast potatoes, mix. The end!


"Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime Syrup and Chives" discovered on the wide, wonderful world of Epicurious and slightly tweaked:


  • 3 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 T agave
  • 1 T fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 t lime zest
  • 2 T finely chopped fresh chives
  • oil to coat potatoes

  • 1. Preheat oven to 450°F and spread potatoes out in a casserole dish (or more pans as needed), sprinkle with salt n pepper, and oil to lightly coat.

    2. Roast for 15-30 min, depending on your oven. They should be tender when poked with a fork.

    3. While the potatoes cook, bring water, agave, and lime juice to a boil in a little saucepan, then simmer until reduced to a few Ts (3-5 min).

    4. Toss the the potatoes w the sauce, add the lime zest, and finish with the chives!