Home from Rome

Hello everyone! Sorry for my absence lately – since getting home from our trip to Italy, life has been busy! We had an amazing time, and besides the beautiful religious aspects of the trip, the next best part was the delicious food! (is that a surprise?) We ate plenty of pizza, pasta, and of course, gelato! I could write for weeks about all that we did, and feel free to ask me about it, but here are some photo highlights to give you a taste of what we saw and ate.

(left to right: Nutella focaccia. Sweet shop in Assisi. Cannoli. Prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula sandwich. Latte and a Nutella croissant. Salami and mozzarella sandwich. Sausage and mushroom pizza. Bakery with HUGE meringues. Fresh focaccia bread from the brick oven.)

(left to right: St. Peter’s Basilica. The Colosseum. St. John Lateran. The Pantheon. Pope Francis! The Spanish Steps. St. Paul Outside the Walls. Trevi fountain. St. Mary Major.)

(left to right: Mezze maniche con chianti, speck e zucchini. Risotto radicchio e speck. Pasta cacio e pepe. Fregnacce con broccoli, speck e pecorino. Fusilli panna, funghi e salsiccia. Pasta carbonara. Pasta bolognese. Risotto ai funghi porcini. Gnocchi alla sorrentina.)

(left to right: In Assisi: St. Francis Basilica. St. Clare Basilica. St. Mary of the Angels. In Pisa: The leaning tower (built as the bell tower for the cathedral!) The beautiful cathedral. The baptistry outside of the cathedral. In Florence and Siena: The cathedral in Florence. The gorgeous dome in the cathedral. The cathedral in Siena.)

(left to right: Strawberry and pistachio gelato. Banana and chocolate combo. Chocolate hazelnut. Dark chocolate. Chocolate rum from San Crispino. Mint chocolate. Kit Kat gelato. Coconut and chocolate combo. Tiramisu gelato – my favorite!)

While we had a great time and would love to visit again, it’s good to be back in Texas and cooking in my own kitchen. Stay tuned for some tasty things coming your way!

Mardi Gras King Cake

I’ve always wanted to attempt making a homemade King Cake for Mardi Gras, and this year, per my husband’s request and my sheer determination, I decided to go for it! I didn’t have a recipe to start, but then I saw that The Catholic Foodie has shared his tried and true recipe with the world. Any new recipe is a little intimidating, but with a little time and attention, this is literally a piece of cake!

This starts as a pretty normal bread recipe, but the hints of lemon and nutmeg really make it something special. I decided to add some pecans and cinnamon to the cream cheese filling to add a little more texture and flavor. As for the icing, you can either make colored icings instead of sprinkles, but just FYI – colored sugars are SO easy to make in whatever color you’re needing. Just put some granulated sugar in a ziploc bag, add a little gel food coloring, and smoosh it together for a while till it’s all incorporated. Voila – cheap and simple colored sugar – fit for a King Cake!

I hope yall had a fun Mardi Gras and are having a blessed Lenten season!

Mardi Gras King Cake

Ingredients:
2 packets of active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup warm milk (about 110 F)
5 large egg yolks, room temperature
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible!)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 plastic king cake baby
5 Tbsp milk, room temperature
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Purple, green, and yellow food coloring or colored sugar

Yield: 1 large cake (about 15-20 servings)

Directions:
For the dough: Combine the yeast and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If you don’t have a stand mixer, don’t worry, you can do the same thing by hand in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and warm milk and beat for one minute at medium-low speed. With the mixer still running, add the egg yolks and beat for another minute. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball (or starts to climb up the dough hook). As with any dough, you may have to add water (a tablespoon at a time) or more flour to get the right results. Remove the dough from the bowl and, using your hands, form it into a smooth ball. Using vegetable or regular olive oil, lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around to coat it on all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours. You want the dough to double in size.

For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, pecans, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Blend using a fork or an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

After the dough has doubled in size: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide. Take the cream cheese filling and spread it out lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough. Flip the top half of the dough over the filling and seal the edges with your fingers, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on a lined baking sheet seam side down. Shape it into a ring and pinch the ends together, doing your best so that there’s no visible seam. Cover the ring with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and set aside in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the cake has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap or towel and brush the surface of the cake with 2 Tbsp of milk. Place cake in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and carefully place the cake on a wire rack so that it can cool completely. When it is completely cooled, insert the plastic baby from the bottom of the cake.

For the icing: In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar, 3 Tbsp of milk and 3 Tbsp of lemon juice. Stir well with a fork or whisk. Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the icing over the cake with a spoon. Sprinkle colored sugars alternately in purple, green, and yellow. Or instead of using colored sugars, before icing, divide the icing into three small bowls and color them with purple, green, and yellow food coloring. Ice the cake, alternating the icing colors. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from The Catholic Foodie

Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts

I was recently gifted a donut pan and couldn’t wait to break it in! For my first go around, I figured I’d use the basic Wilton recipe that came with the pan. But instead of rolling the donuts in butter and cinnamon sugar, I just sprinkled some on before baking them to add a little extra flavor and crunch. (plus why add more calories when you get the same taste?)

These donuts were so delicious, especially when fresh out of the oven. They’re really easy to toss together and would make a nice homemade breakfast when you have friends or family over. I can’t wait to try different varieties and maybe get a mini donut pan too!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Cinnamon Sugar for topping

Yield: 1 dozen donuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Beat until just combined. Spoon batter into the donut pan, until about 2/3 full. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of each donut.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the tops of the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4-5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Source: Slightly adapted from Wilton

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Don’t you just love delicious things that can be whipped up in a jiffy and cost lots less than the store bought option? I sure do! Jason and I love cinnamon butter, especially on toast for breakfast. So when I saw this sweet spiced butter recipe, I figured it was worth a try. Let me tell you, I’m never buying it pre-made again! With just 4 simple household ingredients that you probably have laying around, this is so simple to make. I was thinking it’d be a nice homemade gift too! Anyone want some cinnamon honey butter for Christmas?

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Yield: About 3/4 cup

Directions:
Whip the room temperature butter with whisk attachment for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon and beat until completely combined and very smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl and turn up speed and whip for a minute or two or until really light and fluffy. Put in a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Source: The Hen Basket

Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

This is my second (and more successful) attempt at bread bowls. These had the perfect texture and weren’t too soft like the last ones that quickly sprung a leak. It’s amazing what egg wash can do. The outside was beautifully crisp and firm while the inside stayed nice and soft – so easy to hollow out!

This bread bowl recipe is definitely a keeper and reminds me of Panera’s version that I love so much. I made some green chile soup for my bread bowl (recipe to follow) and some simple chicken noodle for my hubby. And as much as I enjoy eating the bowl itself, I love taking the excess bread innards (that’s a weird term) and dipping them in the soup at the beginning. Good to the last bite!

Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
1/8 cup active dry yeast
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten

Yield: 4 bread bowls

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm water, yeast, honey, and olive oil, quickly mixing with a spoon. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until yeast gets foamy. In a separate bowl, measure out flour and salt.

Add in flour gradually with the mixer on low speed. Knead with the dough hook (I used the two lowest speeds for this) for 10-12 minutes, occasionally pulling the dough off with your hands and placing it back in the bowl. Remove dough from bowl (it will be sticky) and place it on a floured workspace. Knead it a few times by hand, adding a few sprinkles of flour until it’s elastic and no longer super sticky. Oil a bowl with olive oil and place the bread in the bowl, flipping it to coat. Cover and set in a warm place (I set it on top of my oven, turned on) to rise for 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

After 1.5 hours, punch down dough and form into a large round, using more flour if needed to decrease the stickiness again. Cut the round into 4 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Place on a baking sheet, cover and let rise for 20-30 more minutes. Take the dough balls and roll them into tighter balls again, then brush each with beaten egg. Gently score the top of each loaf, then bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden. Let cool completely, then using a serrated knife, cut a round out of the middle and fill with soup!

Source: How Sweet Eats

Apple Cinnamon Crostata

Galette or crostada – that is the question. I’ve seen both words used and often wondered if there’s a real difference between the two foods. It’s basically a potato/potato situation. Both are a flat, rounded, open-faced tart filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients. It just depend on whether you prefer the French or Italian term. I’ll go with Italian.

I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate apple and cinnamon into desserts and this is a delicious and easy option. I added some chopped walnuts on top for some extra texture and flavor. This crust isn’t super flaky like the typical crostata, but is the crust recipe I use for all sorts of pies and treats. (only 3 ingredients!) But next time, I think I’ll try making some homemade puff pastry!

I’m looking forward to playing with different flavors in the future and creating some amazing crostatas. Or galettes. Eh, tomato/tomato.

Apple Crostata

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1/2 cream cheese, softened (4 oz)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened

For the filling:
1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground ginger

3 large granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced

Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. To make the crust, combine all three ingredients in a mixer and combine until totally incorporated and a ball of dough is formed. Roll the dough on a floured surface and shape into an oval.

Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Add the apples and stir to combine and evenly coat. Spoon the apple mixture onto the crust, leaving about 2 inches around the edges. Fold the crust inward and press to seal.

Bake the crostada for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. At this time, sprinkle chopped nuts over the apple mixture if wanted. Bake for at least another 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Slice and serve while warm and top with ice cream or whatever your heart desires!

Source: A Beckster Original

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

I’ve been in a blogging rut lately. No real reason why, but it happened. Maybe I’ve been distracted by life or simply needed a little break, but I’m been determined to bounce back. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for over a year now and can’t explain the ridiculous wait. But friends, this glorious food was totally worth it.

Yes, you do have to set aside the time to make the dough and work through the rising process, but it’s a perfect project for your next free day at home. Trust me, your efforts will be rewarded in the form of a fresh, warm, cinnamon sugar treat made from scratch.

The bread basically tastes like a flat cinnamon roll – which tickled my fancy, because I love cinnamon rolls but am not a fan of loads of icing. Plus, the cinnamon and sugar that seeps to the bottom of the pan turns into a sticky caramel-like substance. What a nice surprise!

For a visual step by step, you should definitely check out Joy’s original blog post. Basically, once the dough has risen the first time, just roll out the dough on a floured surface and smother it with browned butter (aka: deliciousness) and tons of cinnamon sugar. Then cut it into strips, stack, and cut into sweet little squares. Pile them into your greased pan and bake until it’s golden brown and your house smells like a bakery. Remove, enjoy, and share if you want!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
3  cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 envelope)
1/2 tsp salt
2 ounces unsalted butter (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)

Yield: One 9x5x3 inch loaf

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large,  greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch  loaf pan.  Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar.  Seriously?  Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven (on a baking sheet to prevent anything baking over and making a mess) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.   Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto  a clean board.  Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the  upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.  Serve warm with coffee or tea.

I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also we wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Source: The fabulous Joy the Baker

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

The combo of lemon and poppy seed is such a classic and delicious flavor – one that I don’t bake with often enough! When I saw this recipe, I knew it’d be a definite keeper! They’re best while still warm and can be spread with a little butter or lemon curd, or maybe next time, I’ll make a lemony glaze to drizzle on top – yum!

These scones are so easy to make and are a perfect breakfast food that could be made ahead for a group or quickly tossed together for a last minute breakfast treat. Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 lemon, zested
1 Tbsp poppy seed
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk

Yield: 8 scones

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix until butter is evenly distributed.

Stir in the lemon zest, poppy seed, egg, and milk until just mixed and a dough forms. If the dough is dry, add a little more milk until soft.

Sprinkle a clean surface with flour and place the dough on it. Gently roll or pat the dough into a 9 inch flat circle and cut into 8 triangles. Carefully transfer the triangles into a scone pan or onto a lined baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 15-16 minutes or until golden brown. Let them stand for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve while warm and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from Betty Crocker’s Entertaining Basics

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Tortillas are one of those things that after making them from scratch, the store bought variety just aren’t the same. Yes, it takes a little time and effort, but if you have both of those, I’d definitely go for it!

I used this recipe with the brisket tacos from the last post, but halved the recipe and made them half the size to give them a bite-sized feel. You can use these for regular tacos or fajitas, breakfast burritos, or just heated with some butter as a simple snack. (Am I the only one who does that?) Not only do they taste great and fresh, but you can really impress folks with your tortilla-making skills at your next fiesta!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Ingredients: 
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 heaping tsp salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (or shortening)
3/4 to 1 cup water

Yield: 12 tortillas

Directions:
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Pulse the mixture until the mixture is crumbly, about 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the food processor running, add the water in a slow steady stream until the dough just forms a cohesive ball. Knead for 30 seconds more, until the dough is tacky. If the bowl is too sticky, add a bit more flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit more water.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working with one dough ball at a time and keeping the others covered, pat the ball into a disc. Dust dough lightly with flour and roll it into a very thin circle, 8 inches in diameter, with a rolling pin.

Carefully transfer the shaped tortilla to the heated skillet and cook each side for 10-20 seconds, just until bubbles form and are lightly browned. (Do not overcook or the tortillas will be too stiff) Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls, lowering the heat as needing to prevent burning. Store in an airtight bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze.

Source: Annie’s Eats - she gives step by step photos too!

Polish Babka

Babka is a Polish bread that’s traditionally made for Easter. I saw a recipe for it and was intrigued – I love learning about food traditions from other countries. Apparently “babka” is Polish for “grandmother”. It’s named so because the shape is reminiscent of a grandmother’s skirt, especially if you serve the slices fanned out in a circle. Cute, right?

This is a super simple recipe and while it is a yeast dough, there isn’t any kneading required. Just mix the ingredients together, let it rise the proper amount of time, bake it, and boom – you have a delicious treat. The texture is nice and is on the border between bread and cake. My variation left out the usual raisins and dried fruit, at least this time. Even without the addition it’s so good and has just enough sweetness where it could be used as a dessert or an addition to breakfast or brunch.

The rum syrup that’s added right after baking gives the babka a nice extra oomph. But if you decide to add the rum glaze, this grandma isn’t very kid friendly anymore! You can always make it milder with apple juice or milk, or leave out the glaze altogether, but the grown up version we ate had some definite rum action going on.

Happy Easter season to all of you!

Polish Babka

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Heaping 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) softened butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Rum Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp rum (or apple juice)

Rum Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp rum (or apple juice)
Splash of milk

Yield: 1 cake (approx 12-16 servings)

Directions:
Place everything for the bread in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until cohesive. Increase your mixer’s speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add the fruit, beating gently just to combine. (optional)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest/rise for 60 minutes; it won’t appear to do much. Scoop the batter into a greased bundt pan. Cover the pan, and let the dough rest/rise for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the babka for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190 degrees F.

While the babka is baking, prepare the rum syrup. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil, swirling the liquid in the pan, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Remove the babka from the oven. Poke it all over gently with a toothpick or fork and slowly pour the syrup over the babka’s surface. When the syrup is fully absorbed (about 20 minutes or so), carefully loosen the babka’s edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

To make the glaze, mix all of the ingredients together, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over completely cool babka. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Source: King Arthur Flour