Caramel Apple Bars

If you know me at all you know that I love fall. I get a little too excited about going to the pumpkin patch, eating everything pumpkin I can find (has anyone tried Trader Joe's pumpkin cream cheese?!), stepping in as many leaf piles as I can, and coming up with new ways to use the delicious apples that grow so well in Oregon.

This fall I was the lucky recipient of a Groupon for 10 lbs of apples from a local farm from my dad. I have used the apples to make dehydrated apple rings, applesauce, apple fruit rolls, and pumpkin apple crumb bread. Its been a few weeks and I still had a few of the beautiful granny smith apples left so I decided to try a new recipe.

I absolutely adore apple crisp but I wanted to make something that I could share with friends and family and that didn't need to be eaten right our of the oven. In my search for recipes I came across this recipe for caramel apple bars. It is like a apple crisp, but in bar form. With caramel! GENIUS!

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Hello! Yes, the muffin girl is still alive! I just had a busy month of moving related activities, but I am happy to report that I am all moved in to a lovely 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment with one of my best friends. The apartment complex is very nice, and I love our open kitchen floor plan. I can picture myself baking many wonderful treats there! (Not that I have done much of that yet...).

But I do have a treat that I made about a month ago that I would love to share with you. You may or may not know about my obsession with lavender, but if you do not, than all you need to know is I love eating lavender and experimenting with it in in cooking and baking.

When visiting the Oregon Lavender festival this year I was introduced to Lavender Lemon Shortbread. Oh my! And of course I instantly fell in love.

Banana Crumb Muffins

My idea of a perfect afternoon is one where I don't have class, and have some free time without any of that pressing homework that has to be done now or never. On these afternoons I like to bake. 

I make sure my apartment is perfect and clean, the animals are all happy, candles are lit, and pandora is playing some version of a love song. 

Once everything is beautiful and perfect I begin. I preheat my oven and pull my beloved pink Kitchenaid away from the wall. No matter what I bake I know that this is a time of relaxation and healing. There is nothing better than baking to make a stressful day better. 

There is something simply magical about turning inedible things like flour and raw eggs into an edible little gift that can make anyone smile.

There is also something so reassuring about baking. It reminds me of a quote from the move Julie and Julia. When Julie is asked what she loves she says this, "Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when nothing is sure and when I say nothing, I mean nothing. You can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That's such a comfort."

Gingerbread Men and Women

OK, before you ask, yes I am aware of the fact that it is after Christmas. I had all the intentions in the world about blogging my gingerbread recipe prior to Christmas, but alas, that failed to happen.

I decided the saying "better late than never" applies to blogs too, and am posting this recipe in case anyone would like to bake New Years gingerbread men. And also because by next Christmas-time I will have probably lost track of the photos...

I suppose I should also take this time to explain myself. My last post was on November 10th. I completely agree that this in inexcusable behavior, and blogging once a week (or at LEAST every other week) is one of my New Years resolutions.

Pomegranate Ginger Muffins

Lately I have been getting very excited because Christmas is fast approaching. Although I have been severely tempted I have resisted the urges to secretly listen to Christmas carols or start buying Christmas presents or decorations (OK, maybe I bought a few, but overall I have been very good!). 

If I had to choose a favorite holiday I would pick Christmas. Everything about Christmas makes me smile. Decorating the tree(s), baking special treats, making gingerbread houses, driving around for hours looking at Christmas lights, and of course remembering and reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. 

So much of what I think of when I think of Christmas is food. For most families holidays are centered around food. Food is the biggest form of hospitality. Food is also something that is strongly connected to our memory. When I think of Christmas I can almost taste it. 

Hot chocolate. Candy canes. Gingerbread. Sugar cookies. Pumpkin pie. Ham. Spiced cider. Marshmallows. Peanut brittle. Mandarin oranges. Chocolate covered cherries. The list could go on and on. 

Kraut Kuggas: German Cabbage Rolls

Last week I was craving a food from my childhood. But don't be fooled this is not your typical kids' fare. This food has been central in my family for generations. This meal was not just food of my childhood, but was food of my mother's childhood, my grandmother's childhood and even further back than that.

My mother is almost 100% German and grew up with a very traditional German grandma. She didn't drive, she never had a job, and she cooked everything from scratch...and I mean everything! Her homemade breads, pastas and desserts were so delicious that I still hear about them from my mother to this day.

One of her most popular meals was her famous Kraut Kuggas. Now, I don't expect you to know what these are because, in truth, I googled it and found no references on the internet! I grew up my whole life thinking Kraut Kuggas were a traditional German food that every German woman knew how to prepare for her family... I even looked for them while I was traveling in Germany!

Nonetheless, this is a traditional German food in my family, and that is good enough for me (plus they are delicious!)

Kraut Kuggas are white rolls that have been stuffed with ground beef, cooked cabbage, and onions prior to baking. From the outside they look like a large roll but when you cut them open they are full of hot meat filling! If you are short on time--or don't enjoy the wonder that is homemade bread--you can use a frozen dough for these. Enjoy!

Kraut Kuggas

Recipe of my Great Aunt Dorothy Markell
(Thanks to Leann Hollett for getting it to me!)

1 batch of white bread dough (I use the white bread from Joy of Cooking)
1 medium head cabbage
2 medium onion
1 1/2 lbs hamburger
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable Oil

Core head of cabbage, the cut it into half. Slice each half into 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices lengthwise, stack, then cut two or three more slices across so that it is a little bigger than what you would use for coleslaw. Do the same with the onion. Remember, you are putting this into something the size of a dinner roll.

Sweat the onion and the cabbage in a large pot on medium till it is soft but not mushy. DO NOT ADD OIL OR SEASONING TO THIS PROCESS!! This makes it watery.

Once the vegetables are cooked, set aside and cool to room temperature.

Fry hamburger in a frying pan to the consistency of taco meat. Do not add oil or seasonings to this process either. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

Once meat and veggies are cool to room temperature, add the meat to the veggies. Add 1 Tbs Pepper and 1 Tbs salt, then keep adding to taste. (1-2 Tbs each). A lot of pepper is a good thing. Stir ingredients together.

Ball dough to the size of a golf ball and pat out onto a smooth, clean and un-floured surface to approximately the size of a saucer. Make sure your hands are clean and dry during this process. Do not flour your hands. keep a paper towel handy to wipe your hands on. Once the dough is saucer sized, cup the flattened dough in the palm of one hand while with the other hand, use a soup spoon, scoop the mixture from the pot into the center of the dough circle in your hand. Carefully pinch each side together until it is all closed. You can smooth out the pinches a little with your finger.

Using a 1 inch deep large baking sheet, put 2-3 tablespoons of oil in the center. Coat each side of the Kraut Kuggas in the oil and place evenly onto the pan allowing 1-2 inches space between each Kraut Kugga. Add more oil if needed. Let rise 30 minutes.

Bake the risen Kraut Kuggas for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. When done they should be golden brown.

Lavender Lemon Bars

As you may already know from my previous Lavender Festival post, I am enamored with culinary lavender. This fixation started a few months back and has been since consuming my thoughts and my cooking.

I  even convinced the owner of the cupcake bakery where I work to put a lavender cupcake on the menu this month. It is called purple passion (which is a good title my lavender obsession) and is VERY lavender-y. Yum!

After falling in love with lavender lemonade I decided to experiment with what I thought would be the perfect cookie bar: a lavender lemon bar.

The lemon bar recipe I used is one of my all-time favorite recipes so I knew it would be a delicious cookie to add lavender to. I refused to use the ever-helpful tool that is google to see if there is a recipe for these bars and instead did it the old fashioned way: trail and error.

And, let me tell you, at first, there was error. But in the end I think I created a heavenly lemon bar with a hint of fragrant, floral, and absolutely wonderful lavender.

I hope you enjoy this simple and delicious recipe!

Lavender Lemon Bars

Adapted from Good Housekeeping Baking

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cold butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces
2 large lemons
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers plus more for garnish 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Make lavender sugar: Combine sugar and 2 tbsp dried lavender in an airtight container and let sit for at least two days, preferably more.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13" by 9" metal or glass baking pan wit foil, extending it over the short ends. Lightly grease foil.

In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle dough evenly into prepared pan. With floured hand, pat dough firmly into bottom. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, from lemons, grate 1 teaspoon and squeeze 1/3 cup juice. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored,  about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add lemon peel and juice, lavender sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining 3 tablespoons flour, and beat until blended, scraping bowl occasionally.

Pour lemon filling over warm crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until filing is just set and golden around edges. Transfer pan to wire rack. Sift remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar over warm filling. Take a small handful of dried lavender flowers and rub them lightly in your hands to release their fragrant oils; sprinkle evenly over bars. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

When cool transfer foil to cutting board. Cut lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 12 pieces. Makes 36 bars.

Monogram Sugar Cookies

I was a little frightened when my foods teacher informed me that she passed on my name and e-mail address to a student who needed cookies catered for an upcoming event. My teacher did not have the time for this, and knew that it would be something I would enjoy. Truthfully, I didn't have the time either, but since when has that stopped me from doing anything?

The reason I was frightened was because this student was asking for 200 cookies. 200!? That is a lot of cookies! In the past I have made cookies and cupcakes for parties. But these were parties I was hosting and where no more than 50 guests were invited. This was in a totally different league! People who I didn't know would be eating and critiquing these cookies. And I would be paid for them. Needless to say, they had to be good!

The cookies would be served at an art show opening at my college. I was asked to make cookies in the shapes of the first letter of the artist's first names, with green icing. There would be eight different artists with five different letters for their first names: R, J, T, K and D.

I devoted an entire Sunday to the production of my 200 monogram cookies. The previous week I picked out my recipes, shopped for my supplies and borrowed a few cookie sheets. Sunday morning I woke up at 9AM ready to go! I had all my ingredients mis en place (french for "everything in its place"). I started on my first batch, hoping my trusty Kitchenaid would be up for the challenge with me...

10 hours later I finished.

I made 8 batches of Ethel's sugar cookies, a very tasty and reliable sugar cookie recipe--and I used every last bit of dough! In the past I have used a traditional royal icing recipe that calls for meringue powder, but wanting to save money I used a cookie icing recipe from the bakery where I work that calls for light corn syrup in place of the expensive meringue powder. It worked just as well as royal icing, and is now the recipe I am always going use for cookies! The icing recipe calls for almond extract which gave the cookies a wonderful flavor that sometimes is lacking in "plain" sugar cookies.

Even though it took ten hours, I had no reason to be afraid. I have been training for this "gig" my whole life. I have baked and iced hundred of cookies over the course of my lifetime and I learned that doing 200 at once is no impossible feat! I am just glad I was able to use my parents kitchen and large dining room table!

I have heard from several students that my cookies were a hit at the art opening and that every last cookie was eaten. My first individual catering experience was very positive and I hope to get another opportunity to push my baking limits again!

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening (part butter)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring or 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and flavoring and mix until creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Chill dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. 
Roll out on lightly floured board and bake for 8-12 minutes depending on size and thickness.


*I used half butter and half shortening for a cookie that was yummy, but still easy to work with.  

 

Cookie Icing

 From AllRecipes.com

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

*This recipe makes a VERY small amount of icing. Approx less than 1/2 cup. I ended up doing 15x this recipe to frost 200 cookies. 
**Instructions on how to use icing, including flooding techniques, can be found here.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

You wouldn't believe what I would do for a good picture. I used to be relatively shy, especially about taking pictures at awkward moments (which seems to be most of the time, unless you are a tourist). But since becoming a blogger I have become a lot more comfortable being that weird girl with the camera who is taking pictures of everything she--and her friends--eat. 

Example: I am at my favorite coffee shop in Salem, French Press with my friend Nicole. We come inside and order our coffee and food. It is at this time that I realize: "Oh no! I forgot my camera in the car." Now, this is completely unacceptable because I was hoping to write a blog review about my favorite coffee and crepe shop in the near future. Luckily, I had not parked far away, but when I turned to look outside I realized the weather had turned from sunny to a hailstorm in the minute it took me to order a bagel with cream cheese and a decaf white mocha (welcome to springtime in Oregon!).  

Most sane people would have stayed inside and waited out the hailstorm. But not me! Lucky for you, I am a devoted blogger, and a little hail (ok, it was a LOT of hail) was not going to get in the way of a good picture. I proceeded to dash outside in the hail and wind through the parking lot--and after almost getting hit by a car--made it to my car and my camera. 

Once I got back inside the cozy coffee shop I looked like a drowned rat. Not to mention a little insane. I just hoped that the cute barista didn't notice my crazy hair. But alas, I was carrying my camera, and finally got the great pictures!  Moral of the story: only truly devoted bloggers (aka. me!) will risk their lives and the welfare of their hair for a good picture.

This cupcake recipe is one of my favorite recipes! The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is probably my greatest weakness of all time, and these cupcakes are the perfect example of that. The cake itself is so chocolate-y that it resembles a brownie. And the frosting is simply divine! 

With a little more time these cupcakes could be even more attractive. I made them when I was at a friend's house so I didn't have my usual "cupcake kit" full of all the supplies I feel are essential in making cupcakes. But regardless, these cupcakes were still cute and tasted as good as ever!

Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing

From Barefoot Contessa at Home

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and two sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, coca, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternatively in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure its completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (one rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with peanut butter icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

For the icing: 
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup cream peanut butter (Ina uses skippy)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

French Apple Tart, a rainy day dessert...or is it?

It's a rainy day in Portland.

To escape the wet cold I jumped into one of my favorite coffee shops in downtown, Cafe Cello on SW Yamhill. Inside, I find myself drinking my usual drink, a decaf white chocolate mocha, listening to classical music, and wishing it was summer.

OK, I may be a little premature in dreaming of summer, but I wish it were a least a bit warmer. After all, I am on Spring Break. Is it too much to ask for a little sunshine while I have a whole week off of school for the purpose of sunbathing and enjoying "spring"? I guess I shouldn't be complaining since I spent the first half of my spring break in Yakima (the "Palm Springs of Washington") where is it sunny 300 days a year. As expected, we did have beautiful weather in Yakima, and on top of that I ate a lot of great food (that blog post is coming soon!).

Ironically, when I was in sunny Yakima, where it was about 70 degrees, my friend Lydia and I baked a dessert that would be perfect on a rainy Portland day like this. After searching through four Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (she is my favorite!) I decided on this French Apple Tart.

It seems the best baking usually occurs late at night, and this french apple tart was no exception. We started it at about 8pm and didn't finish it until a few members of Lydia's family had already retired to bed. We choose to make the pastry dough from scratch, which required an hour of refrigeration. But to save time--and maybe get it done at, say, 10pm--we could have purchased prepared pastry dough at any grocery store.

Granny Smith apples are the best for baking, however we used apples that we had on hand, Fuji apples. Even though Fuji is never "recommended" for baking, this tart still turned out delicious! Other apples that are recommended for baking are: Cameo, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Rome.

Although I find myself craving this comforting apple tart on a stormy day like this, it was still delicious after a warm day in Washington. In my opinion, and I don't think many would argue, apple desserts can be served any time of the year. We ate this delectable tart right out of the oven served with vanilla ice, but it could also be served room temperature at a summer barbecue or picnic. This french apple tart is the perfect dessert, rain or shine!

French Apple Tart

From Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics Cookbook

For the Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
½ cup ice water

For the Apples
4 Granny Smith apples
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small-diced
½ cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

For the pastry, place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 x 14 inches. Using a ruler and small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife an a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in ¼-inch-thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full ½ cup sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.