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Sunday Mornings at My House...

1/24/2016

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   My daughter stopped by yesterday; possibly to see me, but more likely to see the new puppy, Bisous.  She opened the refrigerator door and said, "You need to go to the grocery store.  There's nothing to eat".  I haven't been baking or cooking much this week.  My husband is visiting his father (and I've been busy with Bisous), but that gives me the opportunity to eat the kind of simple meals I love.  My daughter may have thought there was nothing to eat in the house, but I have eggs, vegetables, and fruit.  Perfect...


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     I eat a LOT of eggs, each and every day.  During that horrible stretch of time when we were told to eat eggs sparingly because of cholesterol, I would continue to consume several a day.  It didn't stop me.  Lately, my morning breakfasts are two fried eggs with toast and smashed avocados.  Dinners recently start with salads topped by poached eggs. Sometimes, the salad is followed by a savory tart of vegetables baked in an egg custard.  Like I've always said... If something is topped with an egg, that something is better because of it. 

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     I wish the frittata I made this morning for one person, would have been larger (for 4 possibly?).  I devoured it quickly and right now I would really like some more.  If I had bacon on hand, I probably would have tossed some of that to the mix, also.
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Serves 1 person and can be easily increased

• 1 yam, cut into small cubes
• extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pear, cut into slices
• 1 handful arugula
• fresh ricotta (recipe HERE, or purchased)
• 3 large eggs, lightly whisked


1.  Preheat oven to 375˚F.  Toss the cubed yam in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.  Spread onto a sheet pan and roast in the oven until softened and starting to caramelize.  Remove from oven and reserve.
2.  Drizzle some olive oil onto a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the pear slices and cook, until they begin to soften and caramelize slightly. 
3.  Using an 8-inch skillet (for 1 serving), place over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.  Add about 3/4 cup of the cubed yams.  Stir briefly, then add the arugula.  Toss over the heat until the arugula just starts to wilt.  Turn the burner to low and pour the beaten eggs evenly over the top.  Spoon generous dollops of the fresh ricotta over the eggs. Season with salt and pepper.  Place the pear slices on top and sprinkle with some more of the cubed yams.
4.  Place the skillet on the middle rack of the 375˚ oven and bake until the eggs are just set,  approximately 10 minutes.  NOTE:  If increasing the size of the frittata, additional baking time will be necessary.  Remove from oven and serve hot or at room temperature.





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Salmon and Potato Hash with Poached Eggs

1/13/2015

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     Plan a lazy weekend brunch and make this Salmon and Potato Hash with Poached Eggs!  Whenever I have some leftover salmon, I tend to use it in risotto, but this hash is now the new contender for that piece of fish.  Every ingredient can be prepared ahead, making assembly, the morning of, very easy.


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... an adapted Food & Wine recipe


• 1 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound cooked, skinless salmon fillet, flaked
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 eggs


1.  Place potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil.  Cook until tender.  Drain and let cool briefly.  Peel the potatoes, then cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.
2.  Dice the bacon.  In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, cook the bacon until browned.  Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
3.  Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet. (If not making hash immediately, save bacon fat or substitute olive oil when proceeding with recipe.)  Over moderate heat add the onion and potatoes. Cook, stirring and gently mashing the potatoes occasionally, until the potatoes are beginning to brown in spots.  Add the bacon, salmon, and chives and cook gently until the salmon is heated.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and cover to keep hash warm.
4.  Meanwhile, bring a skillet or sauté pan full of water to a vigorous simmer (start heating the water while potatoes are browning).  Crack eggs into individual bowls and add them to the simmering water.  Poach the eggs until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. (Read how to make poached eggs ahead HERE.)
5.  Divide salmon hash between 4 plates or bowls.  With a slotted spoon, lift eggs from water, drain, and place on top of hash.  Serve immediately.





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Mornings at my house... Fresh Strawberry Scones

4/26/2014

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     I made Fresh Strawberry Scones for breakfast.  We devoured them!  Assembly was a bit of a challenge, but worth it.  This scone pushes the limit on wet and sticky when mixing it up.  Working the strawberries into the dough may test your patience.  With the help of a dough scraper and an occasional dusting of my hands with flour, I eventually had two nice little disks on the baking sheet. 
     I veered from the original recipe at the end.  Instead of mixing up the brown sugar, flour, and butter topping, I brushed my scones with more sour cream and coated the tops with brown and coarse sugar.  Also, the next time I make these, I will cut each disk into eight wedges instead of four.  They will spread during baking and each of my scones ended up being pretty large.  Regardless of how you do it,  these are delicious!


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                                           adapted recipe from the Kitchn
FOR THE SCONES
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup roughly chopped strawberries

FOR THE TOPPING:
THE WAY THE KITCHN DID IT...
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
OR, DO AS I DID...
• Instead of the topping, above, I brushed each disk of dough with sour cream, then sprinkled generously with brown and coarse sugar.

• I always use a food processor to make my scones, but they can be mixed up in a bowl and the butter cut in by hand.

1.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas.  Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the sour cream and mix gently to combine.
2.  When almost all of the flour has been incorporated, turn the dough out onto a work surface. It's o.k. if there is still some loose flour.  You can work it in while adding the strawberries.  This is where I dusted my hands liberally with flour and used a dough scraper.  Pat the dough into a triangle.  Sprinkle half of the strawberries over the dough and using the dough scraper, or a metal spatula, fold the dough over onto itself and flatten again into a rectangle.  Sprinkle the remaining strawberries over the top and repeat the folding process.
Fold it once or twice more to work in the strawberries, being as gentle as possible. If any strawberries fall out, press them into the top.
3.  Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper.  Flatten the dough into one large disk about 1-inch thick, or divide the dough in half and make two smaller disks (this is where you will have to again use floured hands).  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour (or cover and chill overnight).
4. 
A half hour before baking, heat the oven to 400°F. If you want to use the topping in the original recipe from the Kitchn, combine the flour and brown sugar, and then work in the butter using a fork until it becomes a smooth paste.  Remove the scones from the refrigerator and sprinkle with the topping.  If you want to do as I did, just brush the scones with sour cream and sprinkle generously with brown and coarse sugar.  Using a pizza wheel, or a very sharp knife, slice each disk into 8 equal-size wedges.  Separate the wedges as much as possible to avoid touching while baking.  Bake scones for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Scones are best eaten the day they are made.



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Sunday Mornings at My House... poached eggs with sweet pepper piperade

3/2/2014

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     Enjoying a lazy Sunday morning with poached eggs and sweet bell peppers on our late morning menu.  My husband just returned from visiting family in the  southwest and the colors of our breakfast remind him of the sunsets in the national parks he hiked throughout.  And I have to agree with him that anything this colorful has to be good for you!

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oached Eggs with Sweet Pepper Piperade

                       • recipe from Williams-Sonoma TASTE •

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 each red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 large eggs
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion just begins to soften. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and a little more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are nearly tender, 6-8 minutes longer.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of the vinegar plus the sugar and continue cooking for another 30 to 45 seconds. Cover to keep warm.
2.  Fill a sauté pan halfway with cold water. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar plus 1 teaspoon of salt.  Place the pan over medium heat. When the water reaches a simmer, break the eggs, one at a time, into a cup and slip each one gently into the water. Cook for a total of 3 to 5 minutes, cooked to your liking, and sliding a metal spatula under the eggs after a minute or so. ( I use the spatula to keep the whites close to the yolks.)  While the eggs are cooking, divide the bell pepper mixture evenly between 4 plates.
3.  Using a perforated spoon, remove eggs from water and hold a dishtowel underneath the spoon briefly to absorb excess moisture. Gently place the eggs on top of the bell peppers.
                                                          
4.  Sprinkle the eggs with a little additional pepper and garnish with chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.

SERVES 4



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breakfast at my house... Berry Yogurt Cake

7/21/2013

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      Could there be anything better than a phone call from a friend, announcing she has too many freshly-picked, locally-grown strawberries -- then asking if I'd like to have some?  We'd barely finished talking before I was knocking at her front door (with my hands out).  And after a week of using the strawberries in this and that, I ended the week using the last of those sweet berries in a Berry Yogurt Cake.
     This past week has been a whirlwind.  One daughter closed on a house (and I have been helping in the move and painting of rooms), my best friend from my hometown of Amana, Iowa, visited for several days, and later today my other daughter returns from a two month study abroad program in Paris. (She doesn't want to come home...  I understand.)  I didn't sleep at all last night.  I kept looking at the clock, figuring the time in France, and wondering where she was in her trek to Charles de Gaulle and her flight home. 

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     Needless to say, I am not thinking very clearly today... but I wanted to share this nice, little, berry-filled cake with you.  I found the recipe online at Stacey Snacks and have now made it twice.  If you like my recipes, you'll also like what Stacey makes in her kitchen!  We think alike.

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                                recipe from Stacey Snacks AND the Kitchn
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of one lemon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup plain (or honey) Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 1 1/2 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.  Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.
3.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. 
4.  Place the sugar and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.  Using your fingers, rub the moist lemon zest into the sugar (it will smell like lemon candy ;-)  Add the butter, and using an electric mixer (or a strong arm), beat at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
5.  Beat in the vanilla and egg, then add the yogurt and mix well.  Beat in half of the flour mixture until just combined.  Add the milk and mix, then add the last of the flour mixture; stir until just combined.
6.  Spread the batter evenly into the cake pan or skillet.  Scatter the berries over the top and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
7.  Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8.  Serve the cake either warm from the oven or at room temperature.



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BREAKFAST... vanilla cloverleaf sweet rolls 

1/20/2013

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     I am going to tell you something that you may not know -- I am happiest when I'm in my kitchen baking. You're not surprised to hear that, you say -- I do, after all, have a blog called Passions to Pastry.  But I loved baking, or at least the concept of a bakery, at a very young age; before I even knew how to bake.  I remember when I was about seven years old, searching our property and my aunt's next door, for the perfect "retail outlet".  This would be a huge, hollow tree with a large hole in the trunk.  I would stock my pies, tarts, cakes, and cookies inside the tree and sell to hungry customers through the walk-up window (i.e. hole).  I can still remember my total and utter disappointment at not being able to find anything that met my specifications.  To this day, if I ran across the perfect tree, I would probably entertain serious thoughts of setting up shop. 
     I've never told my husband about this either, but I don't think he'd be the least bit surprised.  He's always asking me (with great trepidation) what's going on inside my little head.
(Oh... he knows me well, and also knows from experience that he will be roped into becoming an accomplice to any plans I have brewing.)
  
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     Today I was able to spend an entire, happy day in my kitchen baking.  These are buttery, brioche-like rolls infused with vanilla (take note of the tiny black specks of vanilla seeds in the yeast dough above).  Spread with the easily-made fresh strawberry jam, they are quite a treat.

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     Before baking, the yeast rolls are brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar.  I used strawberry sugar, purchased at G. Detou on my last trip to Paris, but coarse or pearl sugar would be suitable substitutes. 

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       Vanilla Cloverleaf Sweet Rolls with Strawberry Jam
                          adapted from bon appétit | April 2012

THE DOUGH:
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour,  * plus additional if needed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon melted
ASSEMBLY:
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 2 to 3 tablespoons coarse or pearl sugar
• Strawberry jam (recipe follows)

1.  Heat milk in a saucepan on top of the stove, or in the microwave in a 2-cup, heat-proof container until warm (110˚ - 115˚).  Add 1 tablespoon sugar and the yeast.  Whisk to blend.  Let set for about 5 minutes, until foamy.  Add the eggs and whisk to combine. 
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and salt.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the flour.  Pour in the milk mixture and stir briefly to combine.  Add the 1/2 cup softened butter, one piece at a time, mixing well after each addition.  When all of the butter has been incorporated, mix on medium-speed for 1 minute.  Increase the speed to medium-high and mix/knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and shiny.  * My dough was extremely sticky, probably due to my large eggs being VERY large.  I used an additional 3 tablespoons flour, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough was not as wet, but still soft, and was no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.

3.  Brush a large bowl with a portion of the 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and place the dough in the bowl.  Brush the top of the dough with the remaining butter and cover with plastic wrap.
4.  Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free location for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until double in size. (If you would like to make the dough one day ahead, prepare through step 3 then refrigerate.  When your are ready to proceed, remove from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm, draft-free location for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until double in size.)
5.  Using the additional 1 tablespoon melted butter, brush the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.  Punch down the dough and divide in half.  On a lightly-floured work surface, roll half of the dough into a 12-inch log (cover remaining dough with plastic wrap).  Divide the rolled log into 6 equal pieces.  Take one piece and divide into 3 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a small ball by cupping your hand over the piece of dough and rolling it against the work surface.  When you have 3 small balls, place them together in a muffin cup.  Repeat with the remaining 5 pieces and then the remaining log. 
6.  Cover the muffin pan loosely with a large piece of plastic wrap (I brush some butter onto the plastic to prevent sticking) and place the pan in a warm, draft-free location.  Allow the dough to rest for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough rises slightly more than 1/2-inch above the rim of the muffin pan.

7.  Preheat the oven to 375˚F.  Brush the tops of the rolls with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar.  Place the muffin tin on the center rack of the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rolls are puffed and golden brown.  Transfer to a rack to cool.  Serve with the Strawberry Jam (recipe below).
     The rolls may be baked, cooled completely, and stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to one month; thaw at room temperature and reheat in a preheated 350˚F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.


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STRAWBERRY JAM
• 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, halved, cored, and coarsely grated
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1.  Combine strawberries, grated apple, and sugar in a 2-quart sauté pan.  Cook over medium-low heat, crushing the strawberries with the back of a spoon, until sugar is melted.  Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens; about 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and let cool.  Strawberry Jam can be kept jarred and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.



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Cheese & Sausage-Stuffed French Toast

1/12/2013

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     We're finally having some bone-chilling, cold weather.  Finally.  Friday I actually saw a mailman going door-to-door with his satchel, delivering mail in shorts.  This is Minnesota, for goodness sakes!  It should be cold in January...  The weather finally turned this morning and making Cheese & Sausage-Stuffed French Toast was the perfect way to spend a lazy (cold) morning.
     It will take a little longer, but Chicken, Apple & Fresh Sage Sausage Patties are a healthy alternative to Brown-and-Serve-Sausages in this recipe.
  Either way, this stuffed French toast will make a great breakfast or brunch.

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     Cheese & Sausage-Stuffed French Toast

• 1 8-ounce package brown-and-serve sausages or Chicken, Apple & Fresh Sage
   Sausage Patties (recipe here)
• 8-ounch loaf French or Italian bread
• 6 slices Muenster or Provolone cheese
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Butter
• Warm pure maple syrup
• assorted fresh fruit
1.  Prepare brown-and-serve sausages, or make Chicken, Apple & Fresh Sage Sausage Patties
2.  Cut six 1 1/2-inch-thick slices from the bread.  Halve each slice with a serrated knife, stopping before you have sliced all the way through the piece of bread.  The slice should be hinged.  Open the pocket and fill with a piece of cheese and sausages.  I found I needed 1 1/2 of the chicken & apple sausage patties to fill each bread slice. 
3.  In a large shallow dish, beat the eggs, milk, and salt until blended.  Place the filled bread slices in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides of the bread.
4.  In a large (cast iron) skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter.  Cook the stuffed bread until golden brown on both sides.  Add more butter if needed.
5.  Remove French Toast from the pan and plate.  Drizzle with warm maple syrup and serve with fresh fruit.



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The Wedding... and Sunday Morning at My House

11/6/2012

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                                                   Delight Photography

     It's over.  The months of planning and anticipation.  Finished.  The wedding was beautiful!  Many of you mentioned you'd like to see photos.  My camera was banned by my family.  I'm not quite sure why.  Some photos on this page are from the photographer, a few from cell phones, and once back home for the morning-after-breakfast, finally my camera.

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                                                   Delight Photography


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     One of our top requirements for this wedding, was that the food be exceptional.  I think we accomplished that -- Heavy hors d'oeuvres at the reception from Fabulous Catering.  Our wall-of-cakes from James Beard nominee Michelle Gayer's Salty Tart.  We (I mean, I) went a little crazy, ordering 11 cakes.  But with varieties like Pear with Burnt Caramel, Chocolate Mocha, Apple Spice, Lemon Curd, Surly Chocolate, to name a few, plus the tiered vanilla wedding cake with passion fruit curd filling and vanilla bean buttercream frosting, how could we not?
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     No... your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Those are pigs on top of the wedding cake.

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         Bagged Homemade Marshmallow guest favors made by the Mother-of-the-Bride (a.k.a. me).

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     I am thrilled that I took my own advice, and made the Sunday morning breakfast for 30+ easy. 


                            •     •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    • 
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• bagels (purchased) with flavored cream cheeses (made by me)
• chocolate and almond croissants (from a fabulous Vietnamese bakery in St. Paul)
• smoked salmon with red onion, tomatoes, and capers
• fresh fruit
• Daniel Boulud's Fresh Fruit Punch
• Mimosas
• Starbuck's coffee


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                                      Flavored Cream Cheeses

BACON-GREEN ONION:
• 2 bunches green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon whole milk
• 8 slices bacon, diced, and cooked until crisp
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine onions, milk, and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Stir in the bacon and salt and pepper.  Refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before serving.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE:
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until smooth.  Refrigerate.  Remove 30 minutes before serving.

CINNAMON SUGAR CREAM CHEESE:
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• sugar, to taste
• cinnamon, to taste
This one, the amounts are up to you.  Blend all together in the bowl of a food processor.

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                                  Daniel Boulud's FRESH FRUIT PUNCH
                          The New York Times Magazine | November 1, 1987

• 3 cups freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups finely diced very ripe pineapple flesh
• 1 1/2 cups finely diced ripe bananas
• 4 tablespoons grenadine
• 4 tablespoons sugar
1.  Combine the ingredients in a blender.  Blend as thoroughly as possible.  This can be done in batches.
2.  Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the mixture, as blended, through the strainer and into the bowl.  Press the solids to remove as much liquid as possible.  Discard the solids and refrigerate the liquid until cold.  This recipe serves 8-10.  I doubled the recipe and served the punch with champagne for mimosas!

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                                Yes, she was at the party... in her dress.


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CHUNKY APPLE LOAF... for breakfast

10/1/2012

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     I've spent the past two days in my kitchen with an enormous bag of Braeburn apples.  I made applesauce, followed by this Chunky Apple Loaf Cake that calls for applesauce and chunks of diced apples.  It's a dense loaf, and I tweaked the recipe slightly by baking it at a higher temperature to avoid an underdone center.
I also eliminated the sugar syrup that is drizzled over the loaf when pulled from the oven, opting instead for a good sprinkling of turbinado sugar. 

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                     We've been eating the Chunky Apple Loaf for breakfast!

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                           adapted recipe from Whole Living | September 2010

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of ground allspice
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 6 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 large apples
• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar

PREHEAT OVEN to 375˚
1.  Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour.
2.  In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
3.  In another bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar for several minutes until well-blended.  Add the molasses and beat until incorporated.  Add one egg at a time, plus vanilla, beating well after the addition of each egg.

4.  On low speed, slowly add half of flour mixture to the butter.  When it is almost incorporated, beat in the applesauce, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients just until combined.  Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces.  Fold the apples into the batter.
5.  Transfer the batter to the buttered and floured loaf pan.  Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar.
6.  Bake the apple loaf for 55 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚.  Cover the top of the apple loaf with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the apple loaf and inverting to unmold.  Cool completely on a cooling rack. 
  +  The Chunky Apple Loaf can be eaten immediately after cooling, but will slice better on the second day.



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MORNINGS at MY HOUSE... peach & cherry breakfast cake

8/26/2012

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     I have been without my espresso machine twice this summer.  The first time it was for two weeks.  The machine needed a new solenoid valve which had to be ordered.  I was too cheap to have the new valve air-expressed to the repair shop.  I will never be too cheap again.  I was miserable.  I can no longer drink coffee.  I attribute that to the high amount of acid that is typically in a drip coffee.  During the slow brewing process more of the acidic parts of the coffee bean are released than with an espresso where hot water is quickly forced through a fine grind.
     When I bought my Pasquini over four years ago, I was told that it's like an Italian sports car and would need the occasional tune-up.  After the repairs earlier this summer, I figured I was good-to-go for at least a couple of years -- not the case.  Last week, I again took my Pasquini to the shop.  When I turned the machine on, it immediately shut off.  After several attempts I gave up, assuming it needed a new switch -- not at all.  The repair shop had my machine for over a week, turning it on daily and finding nothing wrong.  I brought it back home and hold my breath every morning when I flip the switch.  So far all is good, but I have a feeling it's just a matter of time before it's back in the shop.


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     I made the Peach & Cherry Breakfast Cake to serve this morning alongside my sacred cappuccino! 


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• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for buttering the cake pan
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Slightly less than 1 cup, plus 2 additional tablespoons, granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh peach slices and halved sweet cherries, approximately 2 cups total
1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Butter a 9-inch cake pan.  I brushed melted butter over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom and 2-inch sides.
2.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the 6 tablespoons butter with the slightly less than 1 cup of sugar; beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until just combined.  Gradually pour in the dry ingredients and beat just until the mixture is smooth.  Do not over-beat.
3.  Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and stud the surface with the peach slices and halved cherries.  Sprinkle the fruit with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.  I used a very coarse strawberry-flavored sugar I purchased in Paris.  You can either use granulated sugar, or coarse turbinado sugar.
4.  Place the cake on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325˚F, and continue to bake for an additional 50 minutes, or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a rack before unmolding.
5.  Serve slices of the cake with sweetened whipped* cream and a cherry.
* I added strawberry sugar to my whipping cream.  Flavored Monin Sirop would be a good substitution.
                       • a Martha Stewart recipe adapted by Call Me Cupcake •


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