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Posts Tagged ‘Breakfast’

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , , on May 21, 2013 | 3 Comments »

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Have you made a trip to your local farmer’s market yet this season? I have not, but I can’t wait. Maybe this weekend we’ll make our first trip there. Visiting the farmer’s market definitely makes me think of summer, and I am so looking forward to the summer months filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, days spent at the park and pool, and evenings spent relaxing outdoors. Plus there will be my summer break from teaching. I’m really ready for that, too. It will be nice to have more time to spend with the kids and to just not feel so rushed all of the time.

I wish I had made these muffins with fresh blueberries, but instead I made them with frozen because that’s what I had available. They are delicious either way, but frozen can’t compare to a plump, fresh juicy berry. I love to use Greek yogurt in my muffin batter because it provides a little tang and creaminess and helps keep the muffins moist. These Blueberry Yogurt Muffins have a hint of lemon, and are a treat for breakfast or a light snack.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Printable Recipe

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (11 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (I like 2%)
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1 tsp.)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 tbsp. (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, milk, and lemon juice. Set aside.
  4. In another small bowl, use your fingers to blend the lemon zest with the sugar until fragrant.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and lemon-sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
  6. Add in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yogurt mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. (The batter will be quite thick.) Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the blueberries.
  7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen.

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Apple Vanilla Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Waffles, & Cereals, tagged , , , on April 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Apple Vanilla Pancakes

Yes, I’m sharing another pancake recipe. Can you blame me? Years ago, when I thought pancakes, I thought it meant buying a pancake mix at the store, adding water, and maybe an egg if it was a fancy mix. Now, I keep coming across more and more pancake recipes that I want to try, and these apple vanilla pancakes are my most recent discovery. The pancakes are filled with sweet pieces of apple, and flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. Drizzled with some pure maple syrup, they are totally addicting.

I made a few changes to healthify this recipe. I substituted whole wheat flour for part of the all-purpose, and I’m sure you could use even more whole wheat than I did and still get delicious results. I also added in some ground flaxseed, for extra fiber and omega-3′s. I just love that my family can enjoy pancakes that taste great, and still know that we’re eating a nutritious breakfast.

Apple Vanilla Pancakes

Printable Recipe

Makes about 12 3-inch pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (I like to use 1 or 2 tablespoons less flour, and add in an equal amount of ground flaxseed instead)
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (or seeds from ½ vanilla bean)
  • 1 cup finely chopped apple
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • Cooking spray
  • Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (and flaxseed, if using), whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; whisk to mix well.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the chopped apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined. It’s ok if a few lumps remain. Gently fold in the apple mixture.
  5. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. For each pancake, pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter, cooking a few pancakes at a time, and spraying the pan with cooking spray between batches.
  6. Serve with pure maple syrup.

Source: Adapted from Weelicious: 140 Fast, Fresh, and Easy Recipes.

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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Waffles, & Cereals, tagged , , , , on March 20, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes by Kristine's Kitchen

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you may know that at our house Thursday night is usually breakfast for dinner night. I love breakfast for dinner because, for one, breakfast foods are some of my favorites- pancakes, waffles, eggs, cereal…these are all things I crave. Second, by Thursday night I really need a dinner that is fast and easy to prepare. I make a batch of pancakes or waffles most weekends, pop the leftovers in the freezer, and then when Thursday evening comes around I just defrost them either on the counter or in the microwave and then warm them in the toaster.

I have a number of different pancake recipes that I rotate through, and I like this one because it’s one of the healthiest. I like the texture and flavor that the oats bring to the pancakes, and they also have a hint of cinnamon. These pancakes are not very sweet, but we loved them topped with a little bit of pure maple syrup.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

Printable Recipe

Makes 10-12 pancakes

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, divided
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Place oats in a medium bowl and stir in ¾ cup buttermilk. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. To the bowl with the oat mixture, add the egg, melted butter, brown sugar, and remaining ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk. Stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  4. Heat a griddle or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and spray with cooking spray. Working in batches, pour ¼ cup batter per pancake onto the griddle and cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the other side is golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan with cooking spray between batches.

Source: Gourmet, February 2008, via Epicurious.

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Homemade Greek Yogurt

Posted in Breakfast, DIY, Snacks, tagged , , , , , on February 7, 2013 | 5 Comments »

Homemade Greek Yogurt

I am completely addicted to this homemade greek yogurt. I never would have thought that I would make my own yogurt. When I first came across the idea, I thought it was interesting but not something that I would actually do. The second time I saw a recipe for homemade greek yogurt, though, I thought, I can do that. And you know what? I totally did. And I’ve made this at least once a week every week in the six weeks since then.

Why am I so addicted to this yogurt? There are a few reasons. For one, it tastes amazing. Even my favorite store brand can’t compete with this thick, creamy yogurt. Homemade yogurt is much less sour than store-bought, and while it’s hard for me to eat store-bought without some sort of sweetener, I can eat this plain.

Second, homemade yogurt is much more cost-effective than the stuff you buy in the store. Greek yogurt isn’t cheap, and it’s been nice to save a few dollars each week on our grocery bill. Plus, I feel good knowing I’m saving on the packaging waste that comes with buying yogurt at the store. I try my best to recycle those yogurt containers, but it’s best not to use them in the first place.

It’s so easy to make your own yogurt! All that you’ll need to get started is some milk, a tablespoon of yogurt, and a few kitchen tools that you probably already have: a medium saucepan, an instant-read thermometer, a large glass or ceramic bowl, a fine-mesh sieve, and another large bowl. The active time that you’ll have to invest is really small, especially once you’ve done this a few times and have the process down. The first time I kept checking the temperature of the milk every minute or two, but now I know about how long it will take to heat and cool, so I can wait a while before I start checking.

I’ve included step-by-step photos and directions below, so you can see how easy the process is.  I usually get the yogurt started in the evening after dinner, let it incubate in my warmed oven overnight, and then strain it the next day.  This works for me because then I don’t tie up my oven all day.  Because, you know, I love to bake, right?

Your homemade yogurt will keep for about a week in an airtight container in the fridge, but it never lasts that long around here. I eat this daily, and Julia is always asking for some of “Mommy’s homemade yogurt.” There are so many ways to enjoy this yogurt. It’s delicious left unsweetened and topped with some berries or granola. Sometimes I mix in a tiny bit of honey or vanilla extract (vanilla yogurt!). This yogurt is so incredibly rich and creamy with just a hint of tartness, I feel like I’m eating dessert when I eat it. If you have any interest in making homemade versions of things that you typically buy in the store, I encourage you to give this a try. But be warned, once you start making your own yogurt, it will be very hard to stop. :)

So… let’s make yogurt!

homemade greek yogurt

Pour 8 cups (2 quarts) milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches 180 degrees F. At this temperature, the milk will be steaming and starting to froth, but not yet boiling.  I usually use 2% milk, but you can also use whole, 1%, or skim.

homemade greek yogur

homemade greek yogurt

Pour the milk into a glass or ceramic bowl and let it cool until it is between 110 and 115 degrees F. This is the temperature range needed to activate the yogurt cultures.  (Side note- I really need a new instant-read thermometer!  This one is not in any way instant, and it makes me crazy waiting for it to register the temperature.  I really want this one, but don’t think I can justify spending that much.)

homemade greek yogurt

Then whisk in 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt.

homemade greek yogurt

Cover the bowl with a lid or some plastic wrap and wrap it in a few heavy dish towels.

homemade greek yogurt

Turn the oven on to any temperature, and allow it to preheat for one minute. Shut the oven off, turn on the oven light, and place the towel-wrapped bowl inside. Close the oven door and let the yogurt hang out in the warm oven for 8 to 12 hours. During this incubation time, you want the oven to stay warm (about 110 degrees), so you may want to check every few hours and repeat the one-minute warming cycle if needed. (I usually don’t worry about this because I let my yogurt incubate overnight, and it works just fine.)  My yogurt usually takes about 12 hours.

homemade greek yogurt

You will know the yogurt is done when it looks like yogurt, with some liquid on top. This liquid is called whey and needs to be drained off before you will have thick Greek-style yogurt.

homemade greek yogurt

To do this, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with some cheesecloth or a double layer of paper towels. Scoop the yogurt into the paper-towel lined sieve and cover it with some plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for about 8 hours until the whey has drained off. (You can either discard the whey or use it in place of water when baking bread. It will keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.)

homemade greek yogurt

Scoop the yogurt into a bowl and then stir/whisk until smooth.

homemade greek yogurt

homemade greek yogurt

Scoop the yogurt into a storage container, cover, and store in the refrigerator. Homemade yogurt will keep for about a week.  Look at that, you made yogurt!

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Printable Recipe

Makes about 3-4 cups

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups (2 quarts or ½ gallon) milk (I usually use 2%, but whole, 1%, or fat-free will also work)
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (store-bought that contains live active cultures, or homemade yogurt from a previous batch)

Directions:

  1. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches 180 degrees F. At this temperature, the milk will be steaming and starting to froth, but not yet boiling.
  2. Pour the milk into a bowl and let it cool until it is between 110 and 115 degrees F. This is the temperature range needed to activate the yogurt cultures. Then whisk in the plain yogurt. Cover the bowl with a lid or some plastic wrap and wrap it in a few heavy dish towels.
  3. Turn the oven on to any temperature, and allow it to preheat for one minute. Shut the oven off, turn on the oven light, and place the towel-wrapped bowl inside. Close the oven door and let the yogurt hang out in the warm oven for 8 to 12 hours. During this incubation time, you want the oven to stay warm (about 110 degrees), so you may want to check every few hours and repeat the one-minute warming cycle if needed. (I usually don’t worry about this because I let my yogurt incubate overnight, and it works just fine.)
  4. You will know the yogurt is done when it looks like yogurt, with some liquid on top. This liquid is called whey and needs to be drained off before you will have thick Greek-style yogurt. To do this, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with some cheesecloth or a double layer of paper towels. Scoop the yogurt into the paper-towel lined sieve and cover it with some plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for about 8 hours until the whey has drained off. (You can either discard the whey or use it in place of water when baking bread. It will keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.)
  5. Scoop the yogurt into a storage container, cover, and store in the refrigerator. Homemade yogurt will keep for about a week.

Source: Adapted from Make the Bread, Buy the Butter.

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Oatmeal Muffins with Apple

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , , , on January 31, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Oatmeal Muffins with Apple_6551

Muffins, along with cookies, are one of my favorite things to bake. They’re easy to make and are perfectly portioned little morning snacks. My sister was searching for a healthy oatmeal muffin recipe, but having trouble finding what she wanted. I was excited for the challenge of creating an oatmeal muffin that was not only healthy but also crave-worthy.

I’m very happy with the way these muffins turned out, and my sister loved them too. You might think an oatmeal muffin would be dense or heavy, but these are neither. The muffins have a light texture and are filled with plenty of oats. I used applesauce to help keep the muffins moist, and this also allowed me to get away with only using ¼ cup of butter. I made a few batches of these, some with apple pieces and some without. They were delicious both ways, and would also be great with raspberries or blueberries.

Oatmeal Muffins with Apple

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup peeled apple, cut into ¼-inch pieces

For the Oat Streusel:

  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
  2. Combine oats, applesauce, and milk in a medium bowl and set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the muffins.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix on medium-low speed until well combined; mix in vanilla extract. Add in the oat mixture and mix until combined.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low and add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the apple pieces. Scoop muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way full.
  6. To prepare the oat streusel, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Use your fingers to mix in the butter pieces until they are evenly distributed and the mixture clumps together. Sprinkle topping over the muffins.
  7. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then remove muffins to the wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen original.

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Chocolate Chip Waffles

Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Waffles, & Cereals, tagged , , on January 18, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

chocolate chip waffles

It’s Friday! The weekend is almost here, and you should definitely start thinking about treating yourself to a special breakfast. Waffles for breakfast on a lazy weekend morning are a real treat, but chocolate chip waffles? Chocolate chip waffles will bring a little fun into your morning and make you feel like a kid again. And if you are making these for your kids? You’ll love to see the smiles that appear on their faces when you tell them what’s for breakfast.

The batter for these waffles is quick and easy to whip up, and you can have waffles on your breakfast table in no time. I used mini chocolate chips in my waffles, but you can use regular size too if you want even bigger bursts of chocolate in each bite. Pour yourself a cold glass of milk or hot cup of coffee and sit down to a plate of these chocolate chip waffles. Enjoy!

chocolate chip waffles

Chocolate Chip Waffles

Printable Recipe

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:

  1. Preheat waffle iron.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add in chocolate chips and toss to coat with the flour mixture.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients over dry mixture and stir until just combined. Pour batter into waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Source: adapted from Add a Pinch.

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Blueberry Donut Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , , , , on January 16, 2013 | 2 Comments »

blueberry donut muffins

Good morning! (or afternoon, or evening, as the case may be). Can I interest you in a muffin? How about a blueberry donut muffin? Drizzled with a sweet and tart lemon glaze? I thought so.

I’ve been stumbling upon recipes for donut muffins for a while now, and once I saw these lemon glazed blueberry donut muffins I couldn’t hold out any longer. I needed to find out what a donut muffin tasted like. I baked up a batch of my very own, whisked together the glaze ingredients, and dipped each muffin top into the glaze.

My first thought? These really smell like donuts. I don’t think the taste is all that similar to a donut, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious. Like donuts, these are light and tender on the inside, and both the blueberry and lemon flavors come through nicely. So although these may not satisfy your craving if what you really want is a donut, they are still a blueberry muffin worth making, especially fresh from the oven and dripping with sweet lemon glaze. Yum.

Blueberry Donut Muffins

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. warm water

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugars. Use your fingers to blend together the zest and sugars until fragrant.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the lemon sugar, butter, and canola oil until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
  5. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups nearly to the top.
  6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are pale golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Place the muffin tin on a wire rack to let the muffins cool slightly before glazing.
  7. Meanwhile, mix up the glaze by whisking together all of the glaze ingredients until smooth.
  8. After the muffins have cooled in the pan for 5-10 minutes, dip each muffin top into the glaze and place on the wire rack. Once the glaze has hardened, you can either leave the muffins as they are or dip them a second time.
  9. Serve warm. Muffins will keep at room temperature, wrapped airtight, for about a day.  Stored in the refrigerator, they will keep for a few days.  (I froze some, and even though glazed muffins don’t generally freeze well, these were still delicious defrosted from the freezer.)

Source:  My Baking Addiction.

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Banana-Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, Snacks, tagged , , , , , on January 11, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

banana-apple cinnamon muffins, Kristine's Kitchen

The other day, I found myself with a bunch of ripe bananas in my fruit bowl. I have a number of different ways that I like to use up over-ripe bananas, but really wanted to try something new. I decided to whip up a batch of banana-apple cinnamon muffins, and I’m so glad I did!

These are my new favorite banana muffin. They are moist, full of the flavors of banana and cinnamon, and I just love the pieces of cooked apple that are scattered throughout the muffins. I ate one warm from the oven, and just had to have a second. I couldn’t resist. :)

I’ve made these muffins with both pink lady and granny smith apples, but I’m sure your favorite would work well too. A little Greek yogurt mixed into the batter does amazing things for the flavor and texture of the muffins, but if you don’t have any you could substitute regular plain yogurt or sour cream.

banana-apple cinnamon muffins, Kristine's Kitchen

Have I mentioned that I like to freeze my muffins right after cooling them so they stay fresher longer? Muffins make a perfect grab and go breakfast or snack, so I always try to have a stock of them in my freezer. These banana-apple cinnamon muffins are definitely going to be favored in my muffin baking rotation. I’m already scheming about how to acquire more over-ripe bananas so that I can make another batch.

Banana-Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup peeled apple, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 medium apple)

 Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, yogurt, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the mashed banana. With the mixer on medium-low speed, mix in the banana mixture until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in apple pieces.
  5. Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake 15-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen original.

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Pecan-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Orange Glaze

Posted in Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , on January 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

pecan sour cream coffee cake

Are you one to make New Year’s resolutions? I like to look at the new year as an opportunity to reflect on goals that I have for myself, rather than making strict resolutions. This year, when I think about what I’d like to accomplish, the theme is consistency. I’d like to consistently exercise at least 3 (well preferably 5 but I’m trying to be realistic :) ) times each week. I’d like to be more consistent with devoting time to this blog and posting regularly. Most importantly, I want to remember to enjoy each day, because although the individual moments of the day have their ups and downs, we need to cherish the time we spend with family and friends.

What do I not plan to do once 2013 is here? Stop baking delicious treats, because consistency also means balance and enjoying a little something sweet each day. This pecan-sour cream coffee cake was a great way to ring in the new year with something sweet. The pecans are toasted, finely ground, and then mixed into both the cake batter and a streusel layer throughout the middle of the cake. An orange glaze adds just the right touch of sweetness to finish off the coffee cake.

pecan sour cream coffee cake

Pecan-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Orange Glaze

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients:

For the streusel:

  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted, cooled, and ground fine*

For the cake:

  • 16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted, cooled, and ground fine

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Zest of one orange
  • 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:

  1. Make the streusel: Combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Make the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with cooking spray or grease with softened butter.
  3. Whisk the eggs, sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.
  4. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pecans until combined. Add the butter pieces and half of the egg mixture and carefully beat on low speed until the mixture begins to come together, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining egg mixture, and beat on medium speed until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl again as needed).
  5. Pour 5 cups of the batter into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth the surface. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter and then cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly.
  6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 50-60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  7. Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest, and orange juice together in a medium bowl. Using a fork or small whisk, drizzle the glaze over the cake. Enjoy!

*Note: You’ll also need 1/2 cup toasted, cooled, finely ground pecans for the cake batter. Be sure to toast them and grind them all at once to save time. A food processor works well for grinding the pecans; grind them until they are sandy and fine, but do not overprocess or they will form a paste and clump together.

**Make ahead note: The unglazed cake can be cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw the cake, still wrapped, at room temperature, then remove the plastic wrap and glaze.

Source: Slightly adapted from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen, 2007.

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Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Waffles, & Cereals, tagged , on November 28, 2012 | 1 Comment »

I have been searching for the best buttermilk pancake recipe for some time now, so that I would have a recipe that I could depend on for amazing pancakes, and so that I could share that recipe with you. Many of the recipes I came across yielded good pancakes, but none were so good that I was ready to stop my search. I should have known to look to Cook’s Illustrated for the best pancakes, since so many of my other favorite recipes come from them.

These pancakes cook up fluffy and have the delicious flavor you expect from a great buttermilk pancake. I’ve made this recipe using sour cream and subbing in Greek yogurt. The pancakes were great both times, but I think they were the best when I used the sour cream.  Not enough so that I would buy sour cream especially for this recipe if I already had yogurt on hand, though.

The next time you have a pancake craving, whip up a batch of these buttermilk pancakes. I think you’ll agree that they deserve their title of “the best,” and they just might make those pancake cravings appear more often.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Printable Recipe

Makes about 16 pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (you can substitute Greek yogurt)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

  1. If you aren’t going to serve the pancakes until you’ve cooked them all, preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and set it inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk gently until just combined. The batter will be lumpy and a few streaks of flour are ok; overmixing will prevent the pancakes from being as tender. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan, a few pancakes at a time. Cook on the first side until the edges are set and bubbles form on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown and cooked through. (If not serving immediately, transfer cooked pancakes to the rack and pan in the oven.) Repeat with remaining batter, spraying with cooking spray in between batches.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

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