Just Because

My favorite days to bake are just because days.

I had one of those three days ago. It all started after I returned to the house after a trip to Carrefour.

Oh, Carrefour. Quick aside. Even if I have thusfar survived the almost-one-way-but-not-quite streets of Southern France, my life will still almost assuredly come to an early end somewhere along the jam-packed aisles of Carrefour. Being impaled by a French baguette during a struggle for the pain-du-jour or run clean over by a herd of French people driving grocery carts like they’re on the freeway are equally likely scenarios.

It’s just SO CRAZY. People pushing and shoving, grabbing things, ramming their carts into your back (excusez-moi) and then glaring at you like it’s your fault. I literally think I will kiss the ground the second my ballet flats hit the Target parking lot in the Motherland (that’s Texas, for all you who didn’t know).

But anyways. As I was putting my hard-won groceries away upon my return to the maison, I noticed that we had 4 granny smith apples starting to sour in the bottom of the produce drawer.

Personally, I am not a big fan of granny smith apples, so I wasn’t surprised that they’d been forgotten. But while they’re not the best snack tout seul, everybody knows they’re undeniably the best for baking. It’s like something magical happens in the oven—the tartness melts away, the sugars are drawn out, and those sour apples soften right up to make your baked goods perfectly moist and delicious.

Like this baked good, par example.

For whatever reason, I’ve been craving scones lately. Maybe because I’ve overloaded myself on macaroons and dark chocolate since living in France, and my stomach (and heart) are begging me to switch it up a little.

Who knows? Regardless, these scones answered the call on all counts—taste and health, if you can believe it! I reworked this original recipe, reducing the sugar even further (you don’t need all that), almost doubling the amount of apples called for and amping up the cinnamon, too. Plus, I threw in the cranberries. Just for kicks (and flavor and color).

So, is it a rainy day? Got nothing better to do? Make these scones. Just because.

Ingredients 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of all spice

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces 

1 1/2 cups shredded peeled Granny Smith apple 

1/4 cup dried cranberries

splash apple juice

1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray 

 

For Topping

2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk 

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (I used 1…it was plenty!)

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups and tablespoons; level with a knife. Combine flours, 1/4 cup sugar, and next 6 ingredients (through all spice) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Cut in cold butter with a knife until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Pour the dried cranberries into a bowl. Pour apple juice over the top, until cranberries are just covered with liquid. Microwave for 30 seconds on high. Add thinly sliced apple pieces, stirring to combine. Sprinkle a little additional cinnamon until apples and cranberries are lightly coated.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup milk and vanilla extract. Stir milk mixture and apple mixture into flour mixture until just moist (dough will be slightly sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Divide dough in half; pat each portion into a 6-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut each circle into 5 wedges, cutting into but not through, dough. Brush tops of wedges with 2 tablespoons milk, and sprinkle evenly with 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (use turbinado for extra crunch).

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden. The scones should sound hollow when you tap the center.

Serve warm…with a cup of decaf, of course.

xoxo

French Fiesta

It’s been a busy, let’s-travel-the-world-via-our-taste-buds kinda week in the kitchen.

And really, is there anything better than that? I think that food is such an important element of discovering a culture, so pulling together different dinners this week has practically been like studying or reading a geography book.

Okay, not quite. But still. It’s been so tasty.

I started close to home with a Tex-Mex/Americana sampling. Our menu went a little something like this:

These photos were taken pre-roasting, before the skin blistered and the the garlic and onion pieces melted and all the juices mixed together to become the base of the most heavenly homemade enchilada sauce of all time.

Here’s a little math for you to remember. Tex-Mex enchiladas + French cheese = the best culture smash-up ever. I followed this recipe, more or less. The biggest change I made was adding chicken.

This was supposed to be a black bean salsa, and I was supposed to use a truck-load of cilantro (aka, my favorite herb/spice/, ever). Unfortunately, after circling Carrefour approximately 32 times with my little shopping cart, I still couldn’t find either one. So I went with les haricots rouges, and added a squeeze of lime and a dusting of cumin powder to stand in the gap.

Guacamole is such a personal thing that I can’t even begin to give you a “recipe.” Basically, throw in whatever you like with a squeeze of lime and some salt. Avocados soak that stuff up, and there’s absolutely nothing better than tortilla chips and guacamole. Except queso, of course, but I don’t think the French are ready to go there yet. 

Baby steps!

And finally, the piece de resistance.

Not exactly Tex-Mex, but Americana? Oh, yes! We ate this Oatmeal-Crunch Apple Pie for dessert with whipped topping, for breakfast with coffee, and for a snack with espresso. This pie is so, so good…and surprise! It’s healthy, too. The homemade crust is flaky even though the butter is reduced, the crunchy oatmeal/walnut topping tastes like a decadent strudel, and the scent of baked cinnamon and brown sugar apples wafting through your kitchen smells way more authentic than any Glade plug-in ever could.

Wednesday was Italian night.

I went with a recipe I’ve used before and loved. It’s probably the easiest spaghetti and meatball recipe out there, but your boyfriend’s family will never know it if you make this for them. Rachael Ray is really a goddess when it comes to the whole 30-minute meal thing, and this spaghetti recipe is no exception. It looks good, and it tastes incredible. The sauce is to die for with all the basil and garlic, and the meal pairs perfectly with butter garlic bread and a Caesar salad. Make this for whoever you’re trying to impress with your culinary skills. They’ll never know how easy it is!

And finally, Thursday took us to Greece (more or less). By more or less, I mean the sauce I made for our salmon had Greek yogurt and chopped cucumbers in it, so I feel justified in making the association. I followed this recipe exactly, with two tiny exceptions: I added a little Dijon mustard into the rub for the fish, and threw some sliced tomatoes into the sauce as well. I needed to French-ify it a little, you know?

Okay, so this picture’s from the myrecipes website. But I swear mine looked just like it…

Food is just such an experience here. I went to the market in Italy on Friday and we picked up buckets of handmade stuffed pasta, gorgeous veggies wrapped in brown paper bags, fresh meats, colorful fruits…it’s stunning, and after you cook it, you’re really able to see the connection between the food you’re eating and the place it comes from in the ground.

Do you ever “travel” in the kitchen? What’s your favorite meal to prepare? Share your recipes with me, if you’d like. I’m always looking for things to try!

Headed to northern France for a few days. Back soon, mes amis!

bisous, xox

An All-American Petit Dejeuner

So I decided that since I’ve been in France for two weeks now, it’s time to start working my way into the kitchen.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been loving my (self-appointed) job as a taste-tester of local cuisine. Paper-thin tare tare, delicate arugula salads, toasty french baguettes perfect for sopping up every last drop of the olive oil/balsamic/salt/pepper/lemon vinaigrette that I swear goes with everything…

I mean, I’ll be honest! I think the French have me beat when it comes to dinner. Don’t get me wrong; I still think my enchiladas are amazing [insert personal opinion here], but they’re admittedly complex. They take time to prepare and more time to cook, they require side-dish staples like guacamole/beans/rice, and by the end of the whole ordeal there’s spicy red sauce dripping from every square inch of the kitchen (well, at least from every square inch of my kitchen).

French dinners, on the other hand? For the most part, they’re simple, clean, streamlined, and quick - things I really can’t compete with, at least not on a regular basis. But when it comes to breakfast, I definitely think I have something to bring to the table (pun intended).

I think I mentioned this before, but just in case you missed it…

CULTURE BULLETIN: it is perfectly acceptable to eat what Americans consider to be “dessert” for breakfast in France. (Um, I’m never leaving). But still; one can only eat a fudgy brownie, or a chocolate croissant, or a bar of chocolate between two slices of bread for so long. Crazy right? Mais pour moi, c’est vrai.

Personally, I’m a big fan of fruit in the morning. But the kids are big on pastries and chocolate (and okay, I’m a fan of that, too). So what’s the perfect compromise?

American style pancakes with chocolate & bananas, bien sur!

How I wish I’d had my camera upstairs this morning to capture the joy of a French family sinking their teeth into beautiful, fluffy pancakes made from Bisquick. 

Je t’adore, Betty Crocker.

A quick note: although there’s nothing wrong with Bisquick, usually I like to make my own batter. But in the interest of time, I decided to cheat a little so that I could skip all the measuring and mixing and get to the good stuff - the chocolate and bananas and blueberries.

Since I’ve always really enjoyed wearing the chef’s hat pour le petit dejeuner, I’ve dedicated a little time to researching easy, healthy breakfast ideas. I tend to think that the better you start the day, the better you finish it - and I’m so excited about the possibility of introducing new flavors to my lovely French friends!

Alors, here are a few quick-fixes I’ve recently come across, lovingly compiled and ready to be entered into my recipe collection and yours: 

BYO Pancakes (that’s build your own, if you were wondering)

image via SkinnyTaste

*Note: if you’re using Bisquick (who does that? ahem), obviously you can skip the dry ingredients. Just follow the the instructions on the box, and add in a little vanilla to the better for some oomph, and sprinkle in fillers to your heart’s delight. Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 tablespoon white sugar


• 1 1/4 cups milk


• 1 egg


• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.


2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
   


3. Sprinkle toppings* onto the batter as it begins to brown on the pan. Spoon an additional thin layer of batter until toppings are covered.


4. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
   

No-Fail Topping Combos

1. Chocolate pieces (I like roughly chopped dark chocolate) + bananas (freeze overnight, then slice and put into butter while still frozen. It keeps them from getting too mushy as the pancakes cook!)

2. Raspberries + blueberries + chopped unsalted almonds

3. Bananas + walnuts +1/2 tsp cinnamon

4. Apples + 1 TBS peanut butter + oats

5. Pears + yogurt + honey

Fruit Crunchers

Why am I calling what is traditionally known as a “fruit and granola parfait” a Fruit Cruncher? Because it’s cuter, and therefore, it will taste better.

what a beautiful example. merci, Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

1. Your favorite granola or cereal (I’ve been loving muesli with dried fruit already mixed in)

2. Your favorite yogurt (Greek yogurt is a great protein source, and plain yogurt is perfect with just a drizzle of honey added for flavor)

3. Your favorite fruits (hello raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and bananas)

Directions:

C’est simple: Alternate spooning layers of yogurt, fruit, and granola into a clear glass until it’s full. And enjoy, of course!

Fruit and Cheese, Please

The French love bread, apples, and cheese. This one’s almost too easy!

Ingredients:

• 1 English muffin, split


• 1/2 apple, thinly sliced


• 6 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Place English muffin cut side up in a toasted oven or on a baking sheet under the broiler, and toast until lightly browned.


2. Top each muffin half with half of the apple and half of the cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.

Somethin’ Pumpkin (via SkinnyTaste <—love it!)

Just because France has yet to import Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes (a tragedy, bien sur) doesn’t mean that they’re immune to the fall-flavor craze.

Gina’s pumpkin banana nut bread. heaven on earth? maybe.
 
Ingredients: 

• Pam baking spray


• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour


• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour


• 3/4 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 tsp cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp ground cloves*


• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg*


• 3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed


• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin


• 2 tbsp butter, softened


• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, unpacked


• 1 large egg white


• 1 large egg


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional, 5 pts+ per slice if using)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, egg, bananas, pumpkin and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
Add flour mixture and nuts (if using), then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake on the center rack for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the pan cool at least 20 minutes, bread should be room temperature before slicing.

* according to Gina, 1 tsp of pumpkin spice can be substituted for cloves and nutmeg.

There’s really nothing better than getting your day off to a healthy, easy, and most importantly, a delicious start. That being said…

Bon appetit, mes amis!

xox

Have Stress, Will Cook

and clean. And work out. And walk the dog. And redecorate my room. And…trim the bushes in our front yard?

Yes - these are the things I have been doing to “get through” the last few weeks. Which probably sounds a lot more depressing than is really the case, because as it turns out I actually liked trimming the bushes. I gave them a nice round shape, and my mom even said they looked professional. Honestly, can’t disagree!

Here is the truth of the matter: losing people is hard, and no matter how many ways I find to keep myself busy there just isn’t a way to deal with loss (in a healthy way) that doesn’t involve pain. But I have found out that there are ways to keep moving forward while still keeping old memories alive - because really, would our loved ones want us to wallow? I kind of think not.

I’ve discovered that one of the ways I feel the most connected to happy memories of my grandmother is through cooking. We shared a love of creating in the kitchen, and lately I’ve found myself pulling out our old tin baking pans even more often than usual. Every time I dig through her old recipe box and read through her instructions, it’s like she’s still able to teach me something. I’ve also found out how much fun it is to invent my own recipes or put a new twist on something I’ve made before - an ingenue spirit that I know helped my grandmother to become the most famous cook in Tyler, Texas (if not the world).

So, if you’ve lost someone you love or just plain lost your mind due to work, summer school, a break-up or other natural disaster, try giving one of these recipes a shot. You won’t regret it!

We’ll start easy with semi-homemade, Southern style red velvet cupcakes.

Buy a box of red velvet cake mix from the grocery store (trust me, it’s just as good as the real-deal and so much easier). I like Duncan Hines extra moist, and judging by how fast these cupcakes went once I pulled them from the oven, I’m guessing my family does, too. Up the “fancy” and the homemade flavor by making the icing from scratch. Here’s the recipe I follow:

The Best Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounce package low-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup + additional (by taste) sifted confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and softened butter (I put the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to help the two mix easier). Mix in vanilla, then gradually stir in confectioners sugar. Blend with electric mixer, whipping until well-blended and light.

Tip: if you don’t have an icing bag, here’s an easy way to make your own! Transfer frosting into large plastic ziplock. Release air and close. Cut a corner of the bag diagonally with scissors, working all of the icing to that end of the bag. Squeeze desired amount onto each cupcake, swirling slightly. Perfection!

Now for a medium-level recipe I tried recently and LOVED - lemony-blueberry muffins! Sooo good (almost too good) with a cup of coffee in the morning. Or night. Or as a snack…

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins: (from the Food Network pantry)

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh (I like fresh)

Preheat oven to 350, and grease muffin tins. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and milk. Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Carefully stir in blueberries. Divide batter among muffin tins.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp. butter, and 1 to 2 tsp. lemon zest (the grated rind of a lemon). Sprinkle mixture on top of muffin to create a warm streusel topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

And now for the most difficult - but potentially the most rewarding - recipe that I’ve concocted as of late: THE chicken enchiladas of all chicken enchiladas. I found this healthy recipe in it’s original form on food.com, then altered it with the help of my best friend to up the flavor even more. The result?

Karley and Morgan’s YUM-azing Chicken Enchiladas: (an all-out Mexican fiesta)

The Sauce

1 cup of baby roma tomatoes, halved

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

half medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 chopped/seeded jalapeno

handful of cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of your favorite salsa

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil spray. Place tomatoes, onions, and garlic on sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until union and garlic are golden and tomato juices have started to run. Remove vegetables from tray, transfer to a blender or food processor. Mix all dry spices in a bowl until well combined, then transfer to the food processor. Add jalapeno, cilantro, salsa, and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

Other Ingredients:

whole wheat tortillas

green chili sauce, store bought or prepared (we used Las Palmas from the international foods section)

2 cups pre-cooked rotisserie chicken

1/2 cup fat-free cheddar cheese

1/2 cup fat-free mixed Mexican blend cheese

Pull apart rotisserie chicken into finally shredded pieces, removing and tossing skin/bones. Should produce about two cups of chicken. Coat chicken with prepared sauce, turning with spoon until well-covered. Once coated, stir in 1/2 cup fat-free cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup fat-free Mexican blend cheese.

Turn oven temperature down to 350. Pour half of green chili sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture into each whole wheat tortilla. Roll tortillas and place seam-side down into the sauce-coated baking dish. Cover tortillas with additional sauce, topping with a layer of shredded cheese. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until sauce bubbles.

Tip: saffron rice (find it on the international food aisle) and black beans complement these enchiladas perfectly, and a dollop of homemade guacamole makes the whole thing taste like a dream.

I promise, you’ll feel better after you pull something you’ve created out of the oven. And if you don’t feel de-stressed enough after an afternoon of baking, there’s always yoga. Or trimming the bushes.

xxoo