oat banana bread with bloobs + walnuts

food blog culture has gotten annoying right? i'm ready for the rebellion.

way over the uber styled stuff, not every dish that comes out of your kitchen requires a whole photoshoot with fancy spoons and decor stored in back closets.

real kitchens have shit all over the place.

i'm trying to embrace the messy chaos. as long as the light's good and there aren't bugs crawling in the background, then how bad could the picture be?

i make banana bread over and over again because i always want to eat more.

i know that internet has 2 billion recipes for banana bread, but i don't care. this one is mine and it was goooooood.

a simple banana bread made with buttermilk, some oats, blueberries and walnuts folded in. i topped it with a line of raw sugar and a line of sesame seeds

this loaf was moist business. like, perfection moist. finished in 2 days between 2 people, moist.

Oat Blueberry Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups flour (227g)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup rolled oats

2 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk (80g)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (110g)

1 cup mashed bananas (300-350g)

1 1/4 cup sugar (250g)

1/2-1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4c-1c frozen blueberries

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

preheat oven to 325 degreesF. grease a 9x5" loaf pan. mix dry ingredients in bowl and whisk. mix wet ingredients (eggs - vanilla) in another larger bowl. add dry ingredients to wet and use a spatula to stir just til combined. fold in the blueberries and walnuts. scrape into pan and bake for 1 hr and 10-20 minutes - just start checking after an hour. 

let cool a bit before serving. it will get better after a day. 

ricotta pound cake with cherries

this feels hard.

like that awkward small talk you cannot avoid when you make eye contact with an old high school acquaintance at jamba juice.

except that it's only awkward on my end.

i don't think many of you come by these internet parts anymore, and understandably, i did that annoying thing of dropping off the planet, leaving my poor site lonely and unloved.

i used to be so bothered when a blog i loved to read on the reg suddenly started posting less and less and then ...  gone.

that is such a bummer and i so don't wanna do that.

because i still cherish you, site! you've been here for me in many difficult times, smiley times, and why-can't-i-fucking-sleep-again times.

the truth is i haven't been baking or cooking much of anything. and i know that most of the people who used to stop by this site were in it for the goods, the recipes and gooey close-ups.

this ricotta pound cake is as good of a place to pick up as any.

because i love it and it's a quick mix.

it's got the wet custardy crumb vibe going on, which is something i'm into. and also i have a hardcore thing for things flavored with almond paste or extract. so, i win

if you don't have a cherry pitter, than don't make it with cherries. that'd be too annoying. no fretting though, because it'd be good with a slew of other fruits - any berry, plums, nectarine, apricots..

or make it with no fruit at all

---

Ricotta Pound Cake with Cherries

slightly adapted from Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano

1 1/2 c cake flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 stick butter (6 oz)

1 1/2 c whole-milk ricotta

1 1/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest (or citrus zest)

1 tsp almond extract

cherries, pitted and quartered

preheat oven to 350 degreesF and place rack in center. grease and flour a 9 inch loaf pan. 

in a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand beaters) cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until smooth and light. beat in eggs one at a time, scraping sides of bowl, then add the vanilla and almond extracts. on low speed, beat in dry ingredients til just combined, scraping sides of bowl again. gently fold in the cherries (or whatever fruit) 

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. tap the pan on the counter to knock out some of the air bubbles. put the cake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan for even browning. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degreesF and bake until cake springs back when lightly touched, and the sides have pulled away from the pan a bit, about 25-35 more minutes. 

allow cake to cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 

(the flavor is best the next day!)

bills coconut bread

earlier i woke up at 4. my brain was turning and my heart was racing in that anxious way it does. i knew there was no going back to sleep.

it took me back to my bakery mornings, my waking-up-at-3am-is-normal days.

while the nostalgic thoughts always seem to join in, i must say..it is extremely nice to have a break from that. i was cut off from everything those years.

"want to go out to dinner?"   "what time? anytime past 6 is tough for me..."

"we could do something chill like go to a movie, it's at 7." "hmm..no."

being hungover working in a hot kitchen is the worst

...Why did you do that again!? i yell and bitch at myself

do you know what a hangover looks like when its 3am? it looks like still drunk.

hungover poaching pretzels in a large pot of boiling lye water. jesus

i remember when i started i didn't know what lye was. i was told, "remember that scene in fight club when poured on the hand and his hand just started melting fucking off? that was lye. always wear gloves."

ANYWAY. i knew i wasn't gonna sleep. and in what seemed like the quickest and easiest decision i've made in awhile, flipped on the light, put on shoes, and went on a run.

wouldn't it be the best world if you could sleepwalk-excercise? wake up at 7 as usual, and have had already spent 45 minutes on the elliptical.

and you'd also showered before you got back into your bed?

and you ate fried eggs with buttered toast every morning.

yes, it would be the best.

i made coconut bread one evening. and the next morning i sliced it thick and toasted it and ate it with salted butter and had it for breakfast instead of eggs.

and did it again the next morning.

you know the loaves that call themselves bread but are really a soft/lighter/cakey texture? this is not that.

this is coconut Bread, deliciously sweetened. heavier and sturdy. i want it hot and toasty and a little crisp on the edges and able to spread dabs of butter on each little piece i pull off.

bread is for toasting. not cake. i don't want my loaf cake toasted.

i want my cake moiiiist.

the butter amplifies the greatness of bread and the bread amplifies the greatness of butter. i'm not surprised at all that this bread is so famous.

the time i took this picture i was eating it with leftover salty caramel.

---

Coconut Bread

from bill granger, recipe posted everywhere

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups (315g) ap flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp (10g) baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup (200g) sugar

5 ounces (140g) sweetened flaked coconut (about 1 1/2 cups)

6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted and browned

heat oven 350 degreesF. in a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. 

in a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add sugar and coconut, and stir to mix. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture, then stir in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. add butter, and stir until just smooth - be careful not to over mix. 

butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan or coat with nonstick spray. spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before turning it out onto a cooling rack. 

serve in thick slices, toasted, with salted butter. yay, all is right in the world before your slice is finished. 

peach shortcake. maple bacon scone

hay! there's peaches and bacon happening

truth be told, i'm so completely over/never really was into the bacon-in-everything trend.

is it cool and funky that there's bacon in this dessert? sure.

does the addition of bacon really enhance the dish and make it better than it was without it? probably not.

i've felt strongly enough about the bacon-in-dessert deal that i almost feel the need to defend myself here.

that said, A. it was father's day and B. a bacon biscuit is different. the bacon is a focal point.

it's savory and a little smokey and sweet. and it's so tasty that you would of course want to eat it all the time... savory or sweet, it doesn't matter, you want that biscuit.

so that's when it became shortcake.

and let me tell you, this shortcake was workin' it.

sweet peaches and fresh cream and a warm maple bacon biscuit...i realize this is kind of a how-can-you-go-wrong situation..

- unless your biscuits are dry and dense because you didn't cut in the butter properly. So..

---

Maple Bacon Biscuit/Scone

adapted from Zoe Nathan

1 lb bacon, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

3 1/2 cups flour

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup, divided

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk

fleur de sel

cook bacon in a pan til cooked, but not super crispy. pour through strainer and reserve the bacon fat. scatter the bacon pieces on paper towels to absorb more of the fat. whisk the dries in a bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  scatter butter pieces over the dries and cut in with a pastry cutter or fork, (or do it on a cutting board/flat surface with a bench  scraper.) once it's shaggy and the clumps are about the size of peas, stir in the bacon. then 1/4 cup + 2tbsp maple syrup, then the buttermilk . stir/fold until it just comes together into a shaggy biscuit dough. don't overwork! 

press out to 1 1/2 inch thickness, cut using 2 inch round or square biscuit cutter (or cookie cutter) and freeze until thoroughly chilled, 10 minutes. 

preheat the oven to 350 degreesF. take your bowl of reserved bacon fat and generously brush tops of each biscuit with the fat.  sprinkle with fleur de sel and bake til they just begin to brown, about 25 minutes. remove from oven and quickly drizzle 1 tsp maple syrup on each biscuit, brush over so the syrup is distributed over the surface, and place back in the oven for 3 minutes. 

let cool. 

Peach Shortcake:

slice some peaches and/or nectarines. toss them in a bowl with a tbsp or two of sugar and a tiny squeeze of lemon

whip 1 cup of heavy cream with 1/4 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it) and 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract - whip til soft peaks, i prefer really soft, loose cream. 

to assemble: slice a still-warm biscuit in half, it should almost split apart "on the biscuit grain"-if you will - 

place the biscuit bottom on a plate. top with a big dollop of cream, a handful of peaches and cap it off with the top biscuit. 

voila. 

blackberry focaccia

hotdamn!

that bread is attractive!

the result is different from a typical focaccia, as if the powdered sugar didn't lead your brains to realize. the crumb is soft and much more compact.

there's less holiness going on.

right out of the oven is truly the only way to eat this bread. the crust is crunch heaven, the crumb is warm and soft, the berries have melted into the crumb..a nice shower of powdered sugar and you're in business.

immediate business.

do not wait to eat.

if you need to wait til later today to eat it, don't make this. make chocolate cake

ok so straight out of the oven, this blackberry focaccia equals a really nice experience.

next day? no, stop.

it'd be nice on a brunch table. it'd be cool with tea.

i had it before dinner and forced everyone around me to eat it..it's at its most delicious peak, obviously i must force it on you.

---

Blackberry Focaccia

adapted from Nigel Slater's Ripe

3 1/4 cups (450g) 

bread flour 

7g (about 2 tsp) instant yeast

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

8 oz blackberries

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp demerara sugar (raw sugar)

confectioners' sugar for dusting

put the flour in a large bowl, add the yeast, sea salt, and then the sugar and warm water. mix with a wooden spoon. turn the dough out onto a generously floured board and knead lightly for 5 minutes or so

(this can also be done in a kitchen aid fitted with a dough hook.) 

once the dough feels elastic and "alive", put it into an olive oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and leave it to proof somewhere warm. it will take about an hour to double in size. once it has, punch it down to knock some of the air out. tip it into an oiled shallow baking pan about 12 inches in diameter or a rimmed baking sheet. gently knead half the blackberries into the dough, scattering the remaining ones on top. cover the dough once more and return it to a warm place to rise. 

preheat the oven to 425 degreesF. once the dough has expanded to almost twice its size, drizzle over olive oil, scatter with the sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes until well-risen, golden brown, and crisp on top. it should feel springy when pressed. leave to cool slightly before dusting with confectioners' sugar. cut into thick wedges and eat while it is still warm. it will not keep for more than a few hours. 

winter shortcake

looky here! it's a winter shortcake.
what constitutes a winter shortcake? there are 3 components. winter fruit, a heartier cozier biscuit, and cream.

these are whole wheat brown butter biscuits.
remember that new flour mill in town, Grist and Toll? i snagged a bag of their 'Sonora' whole grain pastry flour and used it to make these here biscuits.
(so light. so delicate. so nutty.)

they are good all on their own. eat one for breakfast with butter and an espresso. 

then later slice one in half, slice up some fruits, make the damn shortcake, eat the damn shortcake. 

it's pretty much a dessert hamburger that you eat with a fork.

See? Strawberry is not the sole dictator of the shortcake universe. 

Whole Wheat Brown Butter Biscuits

adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups whole wheat grain flour or white whole wheat flour

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup (4 oz) chilled brown butter

3/4 cup heavy cream (or buttermilk)

1 egg yolk (save white to brush the tops)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

(optional: 1/4-1/2 cup dried fruit, candied ginger, etc)

sugar for topping

mix the dry ingredients in a bowl or the bowl of a food processor. cut in the butter with a pastry blender, bench scrapers (my favorite), a few pulses of the food processor, or even a fork. whisk together cream, egg yolk, and vanilla. stir into the dry mixture until a dough forms. transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead in the dried fruit if using). 

pat the dough into a disk about 1 1./2 inches thick. stamp out circles with a biscuit cutter, or cut into squares. transfer circles to a parchment lined baking sheet. refrigerate for 15 minutes (or put it in the freezer for 5 minutes). preheat the oven to 375 degreesF. brush the tops with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on the tops. 

bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. 

Whipped Cream: 1 cup heavy cream + 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar + small splash of vanilla 

beat til soft peaks

Fruits: 

blood orange/any citrus segments

blackberries

kumquat, sliced thinly

To Assemble: slice a biscuit through. place bottom half on plate. top with a few nice dollops of the cream. top that with a mix of your fruits. top it the whole thing with the other half of the biscuit. 

merry christmas + cranberry cream scone breakfast

merry christmas to you!

i hope you are snuggly warm with mugs of hot spiked liquids and listening to vince guaraldi trio and spooning with your favorite person at the same time.

on this lovely day, i'll be wearing the same thing for the 3rd day in a row because my bag has been lost by the airlines.

again.

i'm thinking i must have done a terrible thing at the airport in a past life. 

these cranberry cream scones would be a joy to have on Christmas morning.

they're so good that eating one might make me momentarily forget that i might be wearing this same stupid dress for another 6 days.

they are my most favorite basic cream scone. with some sliced sugared cranberries, some orange zest. 

as they sat out to cool, i brushed the tops with maple syrup. not necessary by any means, but, c'mon.

Cranberry Cream Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

bit of orange zest

5 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup fresh cranberries, halved (i used leftover sugared cranberries)

maple syrup (optional), for brushing

preheat oven to 400. place flour, baking powder, sugar, zest, and salt in bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. whisk together or pulse six times. 

if making by hand, use a pastry blender or fork to quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few larger butter clumps. if using a food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. transfer dough to a large bowl. add in cranberries and toss to distribute. 

stir in the cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough just forms together. transfer dough and all the dry, floury bits to a floured countertop and knead dough a bit by hand until it comes together in a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds.  pat the dough on a floured work surface into a 3/4 inch thick circle, and cut circles out with a biscuit cutter. 

place scone rounds on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle the tops with white or raw sugar, and bake until tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. serve warm or at room temperature. 

brush tops with some maple syrup. 

scrambled eggs and beer bread

carby complaints:
"i don't want to wait for yeast to activate and proof for hours."
"i don't want to have to drive to the store to get bread."

Beer Bread. it's nearly instant gratification.
every ingredient is pretty much always on hand and it takes 5 minutes to mix up. 1 hour later and i have a tall crusty loaf and a house perfumed with breadiness.

the eggs turn it into a meal, and voila! temporary self-satisfaction.

 carbohydrates, you assholes.

Beer Bread

adapted from here

*this is a savory bread with a sweet beery flavor. don't let the 1/2 cup of sugar deter you. 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

12 ounces beer

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 375 degreesF. grease a loaf pan. in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. add the beer and mix well. dump into the loaf pan, and drizzle the melted butter over the top. bake for 55 min-1 hour. 

let cool. 

lemon yogurt muffins

there once was a muffin demon. it was terrible and had poor posture.

but these muffins here are far from demons. they are cheerful and light. they are the friendly kind, easily compatible with butters and jams of all sorts.

---

Lemon Yogurt Muffins

from the breakfast book by marion cunningham

makes 12 muffins

*tips to make those big top muffins that everyone wants..fill those suckers up to the top with batter. also baking at a higher heat for the first few minutes will make the tops burst up quickly. hooray muffin tops. 

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp honey

2 large eggs

1 tbsp lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 cup plain yogurt

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

pearl sugar for topping (totally optional)

lemon syrup:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp water

preheat oven to 415 degreesF. combine the dry ingredients in a bowl - flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. in another bowl combine the sugar, honey, eggs, zest, extract, yogurt, and melted butter. whisk until combined well. dump the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined..don't over mix. Don't!

fill muffin tins, either greased or lined with papers, to almost the top. sprinkle with pearl sugar if using. 

bake for 5 minutes at 415 degreesF and then drop the oven down to 350 degreesF and finish baking, about 10 more minutes. 

while those bake, make lemon syrup. combine the lemon juice, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and boil until the sugar dissolves. when the muffins finish baking, poke a few holes in each muffin with a toothpick or fork and brush the lemon syrup all over the tops of each muffin. let cool.

oatmeal buttermilk bread

oaty bread, oaty bread, what are they feeding you?
(yeast!)

oaty bread, oaty bread, it's not your fault.

i need a sandwich. really.
i need toast with butter. i need toast with green... avocado, clearly.


i truly in my life have never experienced such spastic eating habits. i miss eating meals.
real, sit down, shut up, meal time.
FOOD!
SAVORY FOOD.

you see, this new restaurant is opening.
the new restaurant. the one that i'll also be responsible to bake and pastry for.
that new restaurant is opening now, like yesterday.

so to say that things have kicked into overdrive would be.. completely accurate.
i fake faint onto my work station at least thrice a day. and i drink a. Lot of supposed energy boosting beverages.
not red bull though, no. it tastes like a hangover.

one morning off, i took the time to mix yeast with water and flour and oats, and to use my buttermilk stash for something other than cake.
it proved to be highly worth it. if anything but for the smell alone.

the dough, stubbly from the oats, is a bit on the sticky side. this is good.


excuse me while i bury my face in fat toast.

Oat Buttermilk Bread

adapted from Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman

1 lb 10 oz bread flour

6 oz whole wheat flour (i used half whole wheat half spelt)

5.3 oz rolled oats

2 cups warm water

1 cup buttermilk

2.4 oz (3 tbsp) honey

2.4 oz (5 1/2 tbsp) canola or sunflower oil

0.7 oz (3 1/2 tsp) salt

0.18 oz (1 1/2 tsp) instant dry yeast

in your mixer's bowl, combine the oats with the 2 cups of water and let soak for 30 minutes. 

add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together with the paddle attachment until they come together as a sticky mass. switch to the dough hook and knead for about 10 minutes. the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom. if it is still too sticky to handle, add a few tablespoons of extra flour. continue to knead for a minute or two with floured hands, then shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let sit at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. 

after the dough has doubled, divide it in half and shape into two loaves. 

to shape: on a lightly floured surface gently press dough into a wide rectangle. fold both sides into the center, then working from the top roll up and gently pinch seam together. repeat with the other dough. place seam side down into greased loaf pans cover loosely with plastic wrap or light dish towels and allow to rise in a warm dry place about 1 1/2-2 hours, they should be domed about an inch or two out of the pans. 

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. brush the top of the loaves with water or egg wash, sprinkle with oats, place inside the oven and drop the oven temperature to 350 degreesF. bake for about 20 minutes and then rotate in the oven. bake for another 25-30 minutes until tops are browned and loaves sound hollow when knocked on the bottom. 

allow loaves to cool completely on a wire rack. 

challah french toast. stuffed with ricotta

i want my baby back baby back baby back
i want my baby back baby back baby back

chiiiiliiis. baby back toast.

challah is a sweet eggy bread like brioche. it is braided so fine. it is meant for french toast, you know.

two slices challah are sandwiched with barely sweet ricotta cheese.
it is plunged into french toast custard dip...eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla.
it meets the hot griddle. it sizzles and oozes good morning smells.

maple syrup bath to follow.

Ricotta Stuffed Challah French Toast

2 slices challah

2 eggs

splash of milk, about 1/4 cup

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup ricotta

1-2 tsp sugar

oil or butter for griddle

maple syrup

mix the sugar into the ricotta. spread onto one slice of challah and top with the other. whisk up the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a wide bowl. let challah soak well in the custard on both sides while you head a griddle over medium heat and grease with oil or butter. when pan is hot add stuffed challah and cook undisturbed for a few minutes until golden. flip and cook on the other side til golden. serve immediately with maple syrup. 

almond poppy seed loaf

i didn't make any new years resolutions, i never seem to. 

february resolutions sound less intimidating

shall i february resolute? 

my february resolutions are for things like, eat at son of a gun, walk more, perfect some kind of carrot muffin, stop thinking so much about what other people are doing..

onward to baking!

there are things i bake because they're fun to make.

there are things i bake because i want to try new things.

there are things i bake because it's my job and i have to.

and then there are the things i make because that's just all i want to eat.

the minute that i start thinking about almond poppyseed anything, i get unnatural food tunnel vision. it's all i want and all i need.

this issue directly relates to costco and my youth.

my mom was a fiend for costco and their muffins. the almond poppyseed was my everything.

i'd call dibs on the whole row. i'd scrape the muffin paper with my teeth.

little did my scrawny middle school self know that she would one day grow up to be a baker and spend a good chunk of life obsessing over making a breakfast bread as good as costco.

it needs to be perfectly moist and very speckly.

it must taste as good as almond extract smells, and live up to all my childhood flavor memories.

i think i did it.

---

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf

adapted from the girl who ate everything

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup almond meal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp poppy seeds

1 1/8 cups vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

preheat the oven to 350. line two 8-9 inch loaf pans with parchment and grease (i used a long 16 inch loaf pan). combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. in another large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, extracts, and melted butter, mix well. add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. scrape into prepared pan/pans and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. 

for glaze:

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsalted butter

pour all ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. pour glaze over warm bread. 

buttermilk chive biscuits + black pepper brown butter

one day out of the week there will be no bacon, and no cheddar.

but there can still be biscuits.

sometimes, i just need the biscuits all to myself.

one of the good parts about making 300 biscuits a day is that making a normal home-sized batch feels like the quickest easiest thing.

biscuit making is all about the method.

mix up dry. cut in butter. fold in just enough buttermilk for a dough to come together.

there is no need for buttermilk measuring.

chive biscuits, plain and simple, a nice change of biscuit pace.

black pepper brown butter is just brown butter stirred with a little honey, salt, and lots of coarse black pepper.

hella good

Buttermilk Chive Biscuits + Black Pepper Brown Butter

adapted from bon appetit

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped chives

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

buttermilk, about 1-1 1/4 cups

preheat oven to 400 degreesF. combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt and mix together well. mix in chives. using one or two bench scrapers, a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry mix until it resembles a coarse meal and butter chunks are around the size of a hazelnut. create a well in the center of the dry mix and pour in  buttermilk. stir until dough just comes together and is evenly moistened. either pat into a disk, about 1 1/2 inches tall and stamp out rounds using a biscuit cutter, or simply scoop 1/4 cups of dough onto a baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. brush with a little buttermilk and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. cool slightly and serve. 

Black Pepper Brown Butter

from

Keys to the Kitchen

by Aida Mollenkamp. do you have this book? you should have this book

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. cook swirling the pan to ensure it cooks evenly, until the butter turns a nut brown color, about 5 minutes. immediately remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the honey, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool to room temperature. 

almond citrus pancakes + happy new year!

oh hey.

so this is it.

the holiday season came on strong, slapped us in the face, and now it's all over.

there are zero sticks of butter in the house. there's a lot of ribbon. i'm getting maple syrup on my keyboard. help.

but hey, happy new year.

not to get all mo on you, but i'm feeling good about this year so far.

i'm pressing my wet hair on my face and it feels good, i'm in my couchspot, i'm eating pancakes with my hands, i'm making lists.

so alright 2013, looking good, no complaints about you thus far.

almond orange pancakes. they bring morning happiness.

i also made a wintery mix of some tunes on repeat lately. i love every one.

let's make this year good. let's be a little less hard on ourselves. let's appreciate the things we have a little more. let's try to love harder. let's jump in the ocean in our clothes. and let's remember it all.

so happy new year my leetle darlings, whether you come here often or have just stumbled here now, thank you and i love you. may this year be the best of the best.

[only one she's all that reference has been embedded in this post.]

Almond Orange Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

pinch salt

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

juice of 1-2 oranges, a scant 1/4 cup

zest of 2 oranges

1/2 tsp almond emulsion or extract

toasted almonds

combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. in another bowl combine the egg, buttermilk, butter, orange juice, zest, and almond extract. add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk to combine. small lumps are totally ok. 

heat a griddle over medium-low heat. melt a little butter to grease pan. cook til nice and golden, about 2 minutes on each side. serve right away with powdered sugar toasted almonds and maple syrup. 

brown butter blueberry cranberry muffins

honey, you baked!

baked what?

baked muffins.

muffins for americuh. red white and blue. and brown butter.

the best most crummy and delicious muffins can be made right now, if you get up off your bed and out of child's pose.
you need things from the pantry like flour and baking powder, things from the fridge like milk and butter. and things from the freezer like frozen blueberries.

i'm gonna have to advise you to lick this batter. brown butter is one of the great wonders of the food world, you know.

is that not the prettiest crumb?
the baking nerdiness is reaching new heights with sentences like that.

the batter yielded me 11 muffins. all the muffins shouldn't have to sacrifice just so you can have one extra muffin.

mad respect.

Brown Butter Blueberry Cranberry Muffins

adapted from this wonder

7 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup fresh cranberries

for the topping:
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp sugar

preheat the oven to 375 degreesF. 
melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat while keeping an eye on it, melt and cook down the butter until it starts crackling and little brown bits appear. butter will begin to brown and brown quickly so keep a close eye on it and pull it off heat as soon as the butter is evenly browned. careful to burn! set aside to cool a bit. 
whisk milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. add brown butter and stir to combine. 
whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. add milk and butter mixture all at once and stir gently to combine. gently fold in the cranberries and blueberries. 
to make the topping, combine the butter flour and sugar in a small bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly. 
divide the batter among muffin cups ( i got 11 muffins). sprinkle topping over the tops. 
bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. cool in pan set on a rack for a few minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature. 

pumpkin pancakes, mornings to savor

pre-pancakes: early morn drop-boyfriend-off-at-the-airport deal.
during pancakes: pumpkin, spices. couch. 2nd coffee.
only concerns: mess i left in the kitchen, will there be enough maple syrup? why is my amazon book still not here?
after-pancakes: the post-pancake nap.

mornings like this have become things to look forward to.

Pumpkin Pancakes

from martha stewart

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

pinch of ground nutmeg and cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

sift the flour, sugar, baking power, spices, and salt together in a bowl. in another bowl, beat the pumpkin, egg, milk, and butter. fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to incorporate. heat a griddle pan and grease with a pat of butter. scoop about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and cook about 3 minutes each side. 

serve with maple syrup. 

apple quinoa bread

i overslept.
my alarm was set to 5 pm not am, and i overslept.
i woke up 18 minutes after the minute i was supposed to be at work, on my feet, lookin alive, making dough.

the feeling of being late to work gives me crazy anxiety. i hate being late.

my family was always late to everything. i was always uptight about it.
i was the kid in the backseat of the car, frustrated and ready to go,  honking the horn obnoxiously. then i'd get yelled at.

i got to work in record time, from the minute i jolted awake to walking in the restaurant doors..12 minutes.

i probably could have taken an extra minute to grab an apple or my ever important sharpie.
but the thought of being any later was too much to bear for my late-phobic brain.

so no coffee, no breakfast, no morning zone out time.
the day was clearly thrown off. and the energy was at a 2 for the rest of the morning.

the day perked up with a fat tall venti whatever latte, and then i got back to turning pretty apples into hundreds of sweet, paper thin apple chips.

and then scooping biscuits, obviously.

i made this apple quinoa bread because i had slightly overcooked some quinoa and felt guilty throwing it away.

so, very lightly sweet breakfast bread. it would be completely vegan if i didn't smash a tablespoon of butter into the oat topping.
and quinoa is protein (aww yeah). so protein bread. i'd rather grab protein bread than a protein bar. if i'm not running too late to think about food.

it's dense and super moist.
my sincerest apologies for throwing around the word moist so much.
i'm just trying to describe things accurately.

Apple Quinoa Bread

adapted from anja's food for thought

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 large apple, peeled and grated

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

small handful toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

small handful of golden raisins (optional)

1/4 cup rolled oats

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil to keep it dairy-free)

preheat oven to 350 degreesF. grease or line an 8inch loaf pan with parchment paper. in a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. in another bowl, mix the grated apple, oil, quinoa, and vanilla. in a third small bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping - the oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter or oil and set aside. add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir til just combined. fold in the nuts and/or raisins if using. scrape into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the oat topping to cover the batter. bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

vanilla rum banana bread + kaffir lime glaze

wilco @ hollywood bowl. raincoat crisps. wine.
achey hands, fingers acting double jointed. one hopeful morning.
homeland, dexter.
vanilla rum banana bread. coffee x4.
2001: a space odysee.
dead computer. getting angry, punching a pillow, more than a little pouting.

what do you do when your computer is dead and you don't have a new one yet...and you have a blog?

i don't know.
i appear to be borrowing someone's computer, loving up on instagram, and making banana bread to comfort my soul.

i got my hands on some finger limes for the first time, and they are crazy cool. i couldn't help but to squeeze some of the crunchy little lime beads into the glaze.

Vanilla Rum Banana Bread with Kaffir Lime Glaze

adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp dark rum

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3

kaffir lime

finger lime (optional but fun)

confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350. sift or whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for a few minutes. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. add the vanilla, rum, sour cream, and mashed banana. then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. scrape into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes. 

simply mix lime juice with confectioners sugar until it becomes a smooth glaze and desired consistency is achieved. pour over the cooling bread. 

plum topped zucchini muffins

i will take one summer fruit and one summer vegetable, and turn them into sweet breakfast.

i should, after all, be overloading myself with summer produce..because hello end of august, hey end of summer (swhaat!?), you always sneak up fast.

sweet breakfasts. can't stop won't stop.
and muffins, they're the cutest.

i want them in the morning, i want them in the evening. and that's the problem, because i'm an annoying muffin eater to everyone else but me.

i'll ruin the tops of your muffins in no time. and when i say ruin, i mean eat off.
i know it's the selfish thing to do, i'm sorry for acting selfish. i'm sorry for ruining your box of muffins by nibbling the tops off every last one.

i've truly pissed some people off, and i totally understand, people love the muffins. i love the muffins. and everyone is well aware that the top is by far the best.
i'm going to need to make more muffins.

soft zucchini-flecked muffins, lightly spiced, topped with streusel, and plums. and then more streusel.

they have big delicious tops.

..no you are.

Plum Topped Zucchini Muffins

adapted from america's test kitchen

2 zucchini (1 lb), ends trimmed

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

2-3 plums, thinly sliced

streusel:

2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

dash of cinnamon and salt

preheat oven to 375. line muffin pan with papers or spray with nonstick cooking spray. shred the zucchini on a box grater and then squeeze the water out with paper towels. whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. in another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. 

next make the streusel by simply combining all the ingredients together in a small bowl til clumpy and crumbly. 

gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture with the zucchini and walnuts. 

evenly divide the batter into the muffin tins. top each with a bit of streusel, then layer 2 plum slices on each. top with a bit more streusel and bake for about 20 minutes. 

makes about 14 muffins. 

peanut butter banana bacon & honey: a sandwich

check one. check one.

peanut butter. check.

honey. check.

banananananannanas. (bananas with tons of nanas!) check.

and le bacon. check two, check three.

smash it between soft crusty bread.

i like everything about this sandwich mic sesh.

did i just make this for snack? yes, do it.

it is my darling wonderful boyfriend guy's birthday today, a quarter century!

this person is very into movies, coconut things, and the weather.
he is pretend reading the grapes of wrath, he loves coffee, he paces around the room like a madman when he's on the phone.

this person and i had our first conversation when i was 16.
this person can lick his elbo.

And he loves the weather. i said that already. it's because this dude is reALly into the weather and earthquakes and atmospheric things. it's nerdy and cute.

sometimes i leave him weather doodles.

he would like this sandwich.
he didn't have any of this sandwich. because i only made one. and it was for myself.

but if he wanted one, i would make him one. because i am nice, and because it is his birthday, and because i love him.

Peanut Butter Banana Bacon + Honey Sandwich 

adapted from youth

peanut butter

banana, sliced

honey

bacon, 1-2 slices  crisped

crusty bread, toasted

layer and smash together in sandwich fashion. 

s