Coconut Curry

I do occasionally eat real food.  One wouldn't know it by looking at the past few postings on here, but it's not all breads, donuts, muffins, and brownies around here...although, that wouldn't be so bad.  Would it?  

When I do manage to cook some real food, I often make meatless dishes.  Why?  I have no idea.  It's probably because I love pasta and rice so much.  Or because meatless dishes are normally just so quick and easy to make.  This 5 Ingredient Coconut Curry was easy to make, delicious, and reheated well as leftovers.

5 Ingredient Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk (I used light coconut milk.)

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2 small heads of broccoli, broken into florets

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

optional: minced garlic or onion (I used both.)

Directions:

1.  Saute broccoli (and garlic and onion) in oil over medium heat for a few minutes.  Add coconut milk.  Simmer for 5-8 minutes, until broccoli is tender-crisp.

2.  Add the curry paste to the pan.  Whisk until it combines with coconut milk.  Add the chickpeas.

3.  Bring to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture.  Boil for a minute.  Reduce heat and let cool slightly.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Source:  Pinch of Yum

Fall?

I was planning to save this recipe and post it once fall arrived, but I woke up this morning to what felt like fall.  It was cloudy and gray outside, and there was a gorgeous breeze coming in my open windows.  I had a difficult time dragging myself from the warmth of my bed to the coffee pot...but the coffee finally won me over.

This chai pumpkin loaf is perfect for fall or for days that feel like fall.  It will definitely be a hit.  I shared some with my mom's co-workers and a friend, and received comments like "How did it get so moist?" (I'm just talented) and "I LOVE PUMPKIN BREAD!!!" (Well, good).  

Chai Pumpkin Loaf

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup chai tea concentrate

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.  

2.  Blend all ingredients in a large bowl using an electric mixer.

3.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4.  Cool for 20 minutes before removing loaf from pan.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Adventures in Cooking

The Mystery that is Buttermilk

I will never in my life understand buttermilk.  It smells so horrendous!  

Regular milk smells bad enough.  Funny story...I used to make my roommate in college check the milk to make sure it hadn't gone bad because I swear I wouldn't notice since milk smells terrible anyway (thanks, Dani!).  

Buttermilk smells even worse than regular milk!  How on earth does it make such delicious baked goods?  No, seriously...how does that happen?  'Cause these muffins are really darn yummy.  They're not an overly sweet muffin, but they have a gorgeous muffin-y shape and a perfectly soft middle.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2.  Whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, canola oil, egg, and vanilla extract.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4.  Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Fold until just combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

5.  Fill muffin cups with batter and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are golden.

7.  Cool slightly in pan before removing to a wire rack.

Source: Munchin with Munchkin

Musings about summer

Being a teacher is awesome, and it's partly due to this spectacular thing called "summer vacation."  I am thoroughly enjoying my summer vacation.  Here are a few things I love about it:

1.  Making pancakes on a Monday morning just because I can.  Mmm...

2.  Watching endless hours of Criminal Minds (I'm completely paranoid now and am convinced serial killers are everywhere) and Parks and Recreation (I've never laughed so hard in my life).

3.  Naps.  Lots and lots of naps.

4.  Coffee.  Lots and lots of coffee.

5.  Asking myself or other people, "What day is it?," at least three times a day.  

6.  Winning my mom's co-workers over by bringing them baked goods four times in the last two weeks.  They love me.

7.  Having bananas around my place long enough to make banana bread out of them.

8.  Fresh fruit.

9.  Combining #7 and #8 to make this delicious bread.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups oatmeal

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites

1 cup raspberries, smashed

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

2.  Make oat flour by processing the oatmeal in a food processor or blender until it resembles flour.  Measure out 2 cups of the oat flour and whisk together with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat the mashed bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs for 1-2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.  Add in flour mixture and beat just until combined.

4.  Fold in the smashed raspberries and dark chocolate chips.  

5.  Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

Source:  Ambitious Kitchen

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Happy August!  I thought I would start out the month with a pumpkin recipe.  Yeah, I know it's August 2nd, not October 2nd.  Yeah, I know pumpkin season doesn't start for at least another month.

  One of my biggest struggles has always been living in the moment.  I can't do it.  I'm always thinking ahead to what comes next.  I'm working on it though.

You can blame this instance of thinking too far ahead on my best friend.  A few weeks ago she started talking about drinking chai and baking with pumpkin and all things fall-y.  Then she sent me a picture of these donuts.  So, of course, I had to ask for the recipe.  And, clearly, I couldn't resist making them...in the middle of the summer.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Ingredients:

Donuts -

1-3/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

Coating - 

1/2 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

1-2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a donut pan.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.  Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, pumpkin, and milk.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

4.  Using a pastry bag (or just a plastic baggie), fill the donut cups with batter until they are fairly full.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until donuts spring back when touched.  Allow donuts to cool slightly on a wire rack.

5.  Combine cinnamon and sugar in one bowl, and melt butter in a separate bowl.  While donuts are still warm, dip them in the melted butter, and then coat them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Source:  Blue-Eyed Bakers

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #4

I did it!  I managed to blog about all four brownie recipes in four days.  That's quite the accomplishment.  Go me.  I should bake brownies in celebration.

After Jill's baby shower, I made sure to take home one of each kind of brownie that I baked so that I could try all of them.  I saved this recipe for the last post because it was the last brownie I tasted out of the four. 

For some odd reason, I have incredible self control when it comes to sweets (it's possible I still have chocolate from last Christmas in my cupboard).  This particular brownie was still in my fridge a week after the shower.  Poor, lonely brownie.  Had I known how good it would be, I wouldn't have let it sit there that long.  Yum.

  

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling -

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownies -

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup raspberry jam, divided

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.  Line pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

2.  Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract for about one minute or until combined.  Set aside.

3.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

4.  In a separate bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together.  Stir until smooth.  Whisk in 1/4 cup raspberry jam.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

5.  Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture.  Stir until combined.

6.  Whisk in the flour mixture just until combined.

7.  Heat the remaining 1/4 cup raspberry jam in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.

8.  Spread half of the brownie batter into the pan.  Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter.  Drop spoonfuls of the jam over the cream cheese.  Use a knife to swirl the jam through the cream cheese filling.  Spread the remaining brownie batter over the filling.

9.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached.  Cool brownies on a wire rack.

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen 

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #3

Remember how I said that me and peanut butter are tight?  Well, Jill and Nutella are the same way.  So, of course, I had to make her these yummy brownies.

Nutella Pretzel Brownies

Ingredients:

Crust - 

1-1/2 cups pretzels

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Brownies -

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Extra Nutella for frosting the brownies

Extra pretzels for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

2.  Place pretzels in food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces.  Add brown sugar and pulse to combine.  Add butter and pulse until combined again.

3.  Press the pretzel mixture into the pan.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and crust is firm.

4.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then remove from the heat.  Whisk in the sugar.

5.  Add the eggs.  Whisk until combined after adding each egg.  Stir in the vanilla.

6.  Whisk in the dry ingredients.  Pour batter over crust.

7.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it.  Allow brownies to cool.

8.  Frost brownies with extra Nutella and sprinkle with crushed pretzels.

Source: Bakingdom