Blueberry Tea Cake

I'm back with something sweet to offer my neglected friends.  I took a couple of weeks off to enjoy some summer!  We had lots of fun houseguests, people popping in and out, birthday parties and bonfires...ahhhh, 'twas fun indeed.  I made this cake twice during my time off!  It was so light and fresh tasting, perfect for a summer dessert or afternoon tea.  No one could resist a slice!  It's a simple, homey cake, moist and choc full of fresh blueberries.  It has a hint of lemon and it's slathered with a decadent cream cheese frosting.  Really delightful!

Blueberry Tea Cake
Origin: (slightly adapted) Bill Granger via Leite's Culinaria

Notes:  This cake comes from Aussie chef Bill Granger, who uses terms like "scant" (just short of the prescribed amount) and "heaping" (just a bit more than the prescribed amount), just go with it, his hazy measurements worked for me!  The recipe calls for superfine sugar (not icing sugar), you can easily make your own by placing granulated sugar in a food processor or blender and processing it until finely ground but not powdery.  This recipe yields an uncomplicated 9 x 13, single layer cake.  The cake kept well for at least 4 days, popping leftovers into the fridge when it wasn't being devoured. 

Ingredients:

Cake 

3/4 cup sour cream, heaping 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish 

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar, heaping

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 large eggs 

2 cups fresh blueberries 

3 cups all-purpose flour, scant 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Frosting  

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (1 block) 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

juice from 1/4 lemon 
16 ounces powdered/icing sugar (I used 4-5 cups, I just kept adding sugar until I got the frosting consistency that I wanted)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a  9 x 13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing the excess paper to hang over the edge of the pan.

Combine the sour cream and baking soda in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder, set aside.  Place the blueberries in a separate bowl and toss with a spoonful of the flour mixture, just to coat the berries.


In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy.  Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined.  Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then add the sour cream mixture and beat just until combined.

Add the remaining flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Gently fold the flour-coated blueberries into the batter, being mindful not to overmix. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, either by using the parchment paper as handles or by inverting the cake onto a wire rack and then inverting it again.

When the cake is completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.  

To make the frosting, beat all of the ingredients except the sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the sugar and beat until smooth. Use immediately.

Bloody Mary Tomato Salad

I spotted this recipe on Smitten Kitchen the other day and within 2 hours I was eating it for dinner.  Smitten Kitchen is my all time favorite food blog and I try many of Deb's recipe recommendations.  But when she starts talking Bloody Marys, I move fast.  You see, Bloody Marys are a bit of a thing in my family.  My Nanny loved them, and always added a secret ingredient - pickle juice!  As long as I can remember my Mom has ordered at least one, without fail, every time we dine out.  I adore them anytime, especially with brunch (my Hubby too!).  And my younger sister?  Well, she may have caught the Bloody Mary bug worst of all, ordering doubles every time we are out.  Geez, I guess we all sound like a bunch of lushes...but it's in our blood, it can't be helped.  I always have the classic Bloody Mary ingredients on hand so I sprung into action and recreated this Bloody Mary Tomato Salad.  All of the complex Bloody Mary flavour is there, without the booze of course, and it goes amazingly well with a good steak.

*I have to mention, in Canada, we do not drink Bloody Marys at all.  It's this odd little variation on the Bloody Mary that has become a classic Canadian cocktail and a family favorite...the Caesar!  The ingredients and taste are virtually the same, substituting Clamato juice for Tomato juice...tomato juice with a hint of clam juice!!  It's essentially the same drink, but I guess we Canuks should really call this a Caesar Salad.  Ha!

Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
Origin: Bon Appetit via Smitten Kitchen

Notes:  The original recipe pairs this salad with a nicely seasoned flank steak.  I had 2 bone-in rib steaks in the fridge so I went with those.

Ingredients:

1 cup red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, divided
2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (3 pints or 3-10 ounce containers)
1 cup celery hearts, chopped (light coloured inner stalks and leaves)
1/2 cup brined green olives, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons olive brine
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Place the chopped onion in a large bowl, pour 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar over onions and let them sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (this will temper the onion's bite).  Add tomatoes, celery and olives to the onions.

To make the dressing, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, reserved olive brine, horseradish, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and celery seeds in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify.

Pour the dressing over the tomato salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.  Serves 8-10.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries

I just can't get enough of these gorgeous strawberries!  Gotta get my daily fix...they are like crack to a semi-strict clean eater like me!  Not only do they make a great snack and have countless uses in luscious desserts...they have savoury applications too and they make a bangin' salad.  This is another old favorite that fits seamlessly into our Paleo diet lifestyle.  Sliced strawberries take a little soak in some balsamic vinegar which sweetens and intensifies their flavour.  Then the strawberry magic is tossed with peppery arugula, toasty pecans and a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

 

Arugula Salad with Strawberries

Origin: Martha Stewart

Notes:  We enjoyed this with a simple steak on the BBQ and the 2 of us polished off the salad.  Double the amounts below to feed 4-6 people.  This salad shines extra bright when a part of a breakfast or brunch spread.

Ingredients: 

1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered (I used about a cup, sliced)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 bunches arugula, washed, dried, and trimmed (I used half of a 5oz container of organic baby arugula)

1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, let sit 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon balsamic vinegar with the olive oil and salt and pepper.

To the strawberries, add vinaigrette, arugula, and toasted pecans. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Grilled Vegetables with Walnut & White Bean Puree

I don't know what drew me to this recipe in the first place.  It's not the most inspiring sounding thing, and it's not that pretty (really hard to get a flattering picture).  But it called out to me and I tried it.  Instantly it became one of my favorite meals.  I could eat solely this for dinner (and did last night), and then eat it for lunch the next day (got it in tow), and the day after that (looking forward to it).  It is really satisfying and wholesome.  The grilled vegetables are doused in a garlicky balsamic dressing and then tossed with fresh mint.  Enjoyed with the creamy, nutty, albeit ugly puree, it's a real sensation with me.

Grilled Vegetables with Walnut & White Bean Puree

Origin: Adapted slightly from StoneSoup

Notes: During the long winter months I use a grill pan to grill the vegetables.  It is so easy, especially for the onions as nothing falls through the grill.  I grill the peppers first, then grill the onions, then the zucchini and add each vegetable to the dressing as they are cooked.

Ingredients:

Grilled Vegetables

4 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 4 strips
2 red peppers (or yellow/orange), deseeded and sliced into wide strips
2 red onions, sliced into 3/4 inch rounds (or half moons)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Walnut & White Bean Puree

200g walnuts (I use about 2 cups)
1 400g can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed (I use a 19oz can)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons water, or to taste

pita bread for serving (optional)

To make the vegetables, preheat a BBQ or grill pan. Toss the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. BBQ vegetables over a high heat until each is cooked to your liking. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, garlic and extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl and season with a little salt and pepper.  As each vegetable is cooked add it to the dressing bowl. When all vegetables are cooked, toss gently and allow to stand for a few minutes to soak up the dressing. Toss through the mint leaves.

To make the Walnut & White Bean Puree, process the walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add remaining ingredients except water and continue to whiz until you have a smooth paste. Gradually add water until the puree is smooth and the consistency is to your liking. Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve the grilled vegetables with dollops of the puree and serve with some pita bread (if using).  Serves 4.

Hearty Pancakes

I finally had some time Sunday morning to do a little cooking.  It's been a while since I've had these pancakes, because its been a while since I had a lazy Sunday morning.  I used to make these a lot. They are wonderfully wholesome, sweet and nutty, and yes, hearty like the name says.  Two small pancakes are really satisfying and they need very little accoutrement to make them enjoyable.  Just a tiny bit of maple syrup or a teaspoonful of jam.  I reheat the leftovers in the toaster and enjoy them for breakfast throughout my workweek.  

Hearty Pancakes

Origin: Adapted from CookingLight Magazine

Notes: You can add raisins or some chopped fruit to the pancake batter (add at the same time as the walnuts).  Feel free to switch up the nuts if walnuts aren't your thing.

Ingredients: 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup uncooked farina (Cream of Wheat)

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk or unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup applesauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

coconut oil or butter for frying

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped 

maple syrup or jam for serving

Lightly spoon the flours into measuring cups and level with a knife.  Whisk together flours, farina, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla, applesauce, and egg until well blended.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir until well combined.  Let batter stand 5 minutes.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Melt a small amount of coconut oil, enough to coat the pan, and pour spoonfuls of batter into hot pan (about 2-3 tablespoons each).  Sprinkle each pancake with 1-2 teaspoons walnuts.  Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look browned. Carefully turn pancakes over, and cook 1-2 minutes more, or until bottoms are lightly browned.  Repeat procedure with remaining batter and walnuts.

Makes about 15 small pancakes.  Serve with syrup or jam. 

 

walnut studded underbelly

extras waiting to be toasted

Nutella Scones

These are good my friends.  Really good.  Lovely, crumbly scone texture, bites of crunchy hazelnuts with a pure Nutella ribbon running through them - and of course a little on top too.  This recipe came from one of my newest cookbook obsessions, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented.  This is the second fabulous baking cookbook from authors, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito who are owners of a famous Brooklyn Bakery called Baked.  They provide a fresh, hip, kinda retro take on baked goods with spectacular results.  This recipe was the first (of many) that called out to me.  Must. Make. Nutella. Scones. Right. Away.  I made 2 batches of these, I baked 4 scones right away to taste, and flash froze the rest of the dough to bake at a later time (see note below).

Nutella Scones
Origin: Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented

Notes:
On Freezing:  Scones freeze beautifully.  Freeze individual portions of uncooked dough by placing the uncooked scones, in a single layer, spaced apart, on a baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour.  Once frozen they can be packaged together and wrapped well for longer term freezing.  When ready to bake your scones, place frozen scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the original baking time.
On Baking:  The key to producing good scones is to work with cold ingredients and to not handle the dough too much.  Read over the recipe until you are sure of what you are doing and then work through the recipe quickly.  As soon as the dough comes together, stop kneading.
On Ingredients:  Good quality, dark cocoa powder adds huge flavour to your baked goods. Try seeking out a decadent brand such as Valrhona or Callebaut at a specialty food shop.

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the center position.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together until combined.  Add the pieces of butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender (my preferred method) to work the butter into the flour until you have pea sized pieces of butter and the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a separate bowl mix together the egg and cream.  Slowly pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until it starts to come together.  Turn dough out onto a clean surface and add the hazelnuts, briefly knead the mixture so that the hazelnuts are mixed throughout and the dough comes together.  Flatten the dough into a rectangle about 6 x 12 inches.  Spread 1/4 cup of Nutella in a "X" pattern across the dough.  Roll the dough up into a cylinder, turn it on it's end and flatten in into a disc about 1 3/4 inches thick.  Do not overwork the dough.

Cut the disc of dough into 6 or 8 wedges (I cut them even smaller for a brunch) and place them on to the prepared baking sheet.  Bake the scones for 18-20 minutes (15-18 minutes if smaller and 20-22 minutes if frozen), rotate the baking sheet halfway through.  The scones are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Do not overbake.

Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool completely.  Place the baking sheet with the parchment on it, underneath the cooling rack for the next step.

Heat remaining Nutella in a small saucepan until pourable.  Use a spoon (or two spoons) to pour/drip the Nutella in a zig zag pattern across the top of the scones.  Alternatively, place the Nutella in a small resealable plastic bag and warm in the microwave for 10-20 seconds (watch it carefully), then snip a small whole in the corner of the bag and squeeze Nutella onto the scones.

These are best eaten the day they are baked, but they will still taste good the next day if they are wrapped up overnight.  See freezing note above to save scones for a later date.