Spiced Broccoli and Cheddar Cake

I sit here, writing this post and I am sure my Hubby is downstairs devouring what's left of this broccoli cake.  I haven't seen him in a while and it's just too quiet down there.  I don't blame him though.  It is the perfect snack.  Hauntingly spicy, savory cake, studded with cheddar and perfectly cooked broccoli.  It would great as a part of a brunch or lunch menu too.

Spiced Broccoli and Cheddar Cake
Inspired by the NY Times article about French Cakes Sales


Notes:  Make sure to leave a couple of inches on your broccoli stalks.  You want to tuck the broccoli into the batter and have it go throughout.  The cake is best the day it is baked but try it toasted if it has dried out a bit by day two or three.


Ingredients: 


1 3/4 cups cake and pastry flour (can use all-purpose)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cup of broccoli florets


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper.

Whisk eggs, milk and olive oil in a separate bowl.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.  Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  Transfer the batter to prepared pan.  Insert broccoli stems (florets on top)  into the batter,  pushing them towards the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted (into the cakey parts) comes out clean.  Cool for 5 to 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the cake to release it and turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack.  Once cooled for at lest 30 minutes, cut into slices with a serrated knife.  Slices can be cut in half for appetizers.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 1 loaf.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

How can frozen hot chocolate better than the original?  I've always been a sucker for frozen, blended, icy drinks...even the right texture of plain ol' crushed ice does it for me.  But this goes beyond.  It's so rich and creamy and chocolaty.  Chocolate, blended drink nirvana.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
From Fine Cooking August 2010


Notes:  The author suggests adding a 1/4 cup of chocolate or coffee liqueur to the mix.  I say CHEERS to that!  Without the booze its a great treat for kids too.


Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
kosher salt
2 cups ice cubes
3 tbsp bittersweet or semisweet chocolate shavings
(made with a vegetable peeler)


Blend the milk, cream, cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in the blender until well combined and the sugar is dissolved.  Add the ice and bend until slushy.  Transfer to glasses, top with the chocolate shavings, and serve immediately with spoons.

Summer Fruit Muffins with Pistachio Crunch

My dearly loved in-laws are coming home today from a very long, very far away summer vacation.  Lucky them right?!  But I'm sure the journey home was both long and disheartening.  They deserve a great snack to nibble on when they arrive home.  These muffins are a divine way to use the season's best fruit.

Summer Fruit Muffins with Pistachio Crunch
From: Two Dishes: Mother and Daughter: Two Cooks,Two Lifestyles, Two Takes
  

Notes: These muffins freeze really well if you happen to have the will power to put some away for later.  Spend at least the recommended time creaming the butter and sugar - you will see a difference in the appearance and texture of the mixture.  I find this makes a big difference in the final product.  Also, use paper liners as instructed, I didn't have any this time around, and they definitely hold their shape better with them.

Ingredients:

Topping
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4 cubes

Muffins  
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup diced strawberries, 1/4 inch dice
1 cup diced nectarines, 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios


For the topping combine the flour, sugar, pistachios and butter in a small bowl.  Pinch the ingredients between your fingers until large, moist clumps form.  Refrigerate the topping while you make the muffin batter.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 large (1/2 cup) muffin cups with paper liners.


For the muffins, combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  I like to use a hand-held mixer on low for about 10 seconds (turning it any higher will cause a flour explosion).


In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with the mixer on high for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high for 2 minutes.


Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and beat on low until just combined, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.  Add the milk and beat on low until just combined.  With a spatula, fold in the strawberries, nectarines and pistachios.


Spoon the batter into the muffin pan.  Top the muffins with the reserved topping mixture, pressing it gently into the batter.


Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins are slightly golden and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean.  Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 large muffins.

Salmon and a Seedy Summer Salad

No, no, no...don't go!  I know, salmon...cutting edge right?  But see?!  I'm trying to tempt you with this salad photo.  I hope you stick around for the salmon too though...it's seriously good.  Only primo recipes here people. 
This salmon recipe is super healthy and blissfully tasty. With a beautiful summer salad along side, I could and should eat like this everyday.

Roasted Salmon with Cucumber Sour Cream
From Bon Appetit, April 2003

Notes: This dish is so good for you. The healthy fats in the salmon speak for themselves, and the sauce...oh the sauce...it's chock full of greens. The sour cream is the only added fat in this dish...I use a lower fat sour cream when I am serving this just to my Hubby and I.

Ingredients:

Salmon
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
6 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin
 

Mix wine, orange juice, and soy sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place salmon, flesh side down, in dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Shake excess marinade off salmon. Transfer salmon to baking sheet, skin side down. Roast until fish is opaque in center, about 14 minutes. Sprinkle salmon with salt. 


Transfer to plates. Top with dollops of Cucumber Sour Cream.

Cucumber Sour Cream
1 cup (packed) baby spinach leaves
1 cup (packed) arugula leaves
1/2 shallot
3/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber

Finely chop spinach, arugula, and shallot in processor. Add sour cream and mustard; process just until blended. Transfer to medium bowl. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) 


Stir cucumber into sour cream mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Seedy Summer Salad

Notes: One of my favorite salads, nutty seeds, creamy avocado, tangy feta, sweet tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Use whatever mix of seeds you have available and the ripest juiciest tomatoes you can find.

Ingredients: 

Salad
1/2 cup mixed seeds, sunflower, pepitas and sesame
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
a couple of handfuls of baby arugula
6 small, sweet tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup of feta cheese, cubed
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

Place the seed mixture in a pan over medium heat and watch them closely for about 5 minutes, tossing frequently, making sure they don't burn. The seeds should be lightly browned and fragrant.

In a bowl, mix the lettuces, tomatoes, feta and most of the seeds. Toss with enough Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette to lightly coat the lettuces. Top the salad with the avocado and remaining seeds and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette.

Simple Balsamic Dressing

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


Whisk together balsamic vinegar, dijon, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar mixture, whisking constantly to emulsify.

Serves 4

Go-to Dinner: Mexican Lasagna

Second post and I'm giving you a picture I took with my iphone. I am in the process of upgrading my camera so I can offer you pictures that back up the wonderful food I want to tell you about...It is my duty, I must do it justice.
So yesterday was busy. Hectic really. When life is demanding, and I don't have time to be inspired or creative, I go to my "go-to" dinners. I know they are going to taste great, they are full of nutritious ingredients, they are quick and I can make them with my eyes closed.
This recipe is just so easy. It is really tasty and looking down at the rich green sauce makes me feel virtuous.


Mexican Lasagna
Adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food

Notes: I have made this recipe so many times and I know that I have improved it with my modifications (sorry Martha). So below is my adapted version. You can use whatever salsa you like. I've used fresh salsa, bottled, restaurant salsa, green sauce, it all works. Just pick one you love.

Ingedients:

1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and some tender stalks are fine)
1 bunch scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
a little olive oil for greasing your baking dish
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I use whole grain)
1 can (15.5 ounces) refried beans
1 can (19 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups prepared salsa (mild or medium)
3 cups pepper Jack cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until chopped and combined.

Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with olive oil. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap slightly). Spread half of refried beans over tortillas. Layer with half of black beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese.

Bake until it is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown. 30-40 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream and additional salsa.

Serves 6