Orange Hazelnut Biscotti
I briefly mentioned that my oven broke this summer. We got a new one. It's fantastic. I love it. It works like a charm! Would you believe that I spent close to three days figuring out what it's maiden baking voyage would be!?! I will now share with you the recipe that popped my oven's cherry. Hazelnut biscotti!
As a child, I never really understood the appeal of biscotti. Through kid goggles, they were an icky grownup "treat." I'd watch my dad dip a ridiculous amount of biscotti in a short class of Vin Santo and wanted to gag. I always thought dipping a cookie into something that wasn't milk was weird, but now as a grown up I totally get it. These biscotti don't need to be dipped in ANYTHING. They have TONS of flavor on their own. A nice cappuccino or some milky tea would be a good companion---but that's it. Notes of orange, spicy anise undertones & crunchy toasted hazelnuts will assault you with each bite. They're delightful!
So yeah- I'm a grown up and I love biscotti. I'm always surprised at how easy they are to make. Some people think that because they are baked twice, it means more work in the kitchen. It's really not that bad!! I find cutting up the baked "logs" to be quite therapeutic (WEIRDO alert). It's really nice to see a huge batch of cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet that have no risk of melting & sticking to each other. To me, that is worth any "extra" effort. Another upside- they last in an air tight container for a few weeks. They taste soo good that you might not have any around that long enough to find out...
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Blueberry Pie
I made this pie for my dad because:
1. It was his 64th birthday.
2. He loves blueberry pie.
3. I love him!
4. I wanted to impress my family with homemade pie crust. (And did!)
Oh! This pie!! There were times I felt like giving up because the dough was being a bit obnoxious when I was rolling it out. Parts of it crumbled and I felt like all I was doing was piecing it together. I mostly blame the temperature outside mixed with my lack of patience. It also didn't help that I drank a bunch of wine the night before with my family and didn't sleep well. With a glass of red wine and a long deep sigh, I finished what I started. There's nothing that says I love you more than a homemade blueberry pie. Right? We devoured this fantastic lemon scented blueberry pie. My dad was proud, and we had such a wonderful evening!
Happy Birthday Dad! And thank you to Martha Stewart. This recipe worked out fabulously!
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Sandi’s Blackberry Crumb Cake
This cake disappeared from my kitchen counter in less than 24 hours. I'm not ashamed because I've already faced the fact that I have no intention of putting a bathing suit on this summer. Fat juicy blackberries suspended in a moist cake loaded with a pecan crumb topping. What could be better? Now that breakfast is covered, what's for lunch?
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Raspberry Linzer Cheese Danishes
I am rushing to get this post out to you because I want to give you enough time to gather the ingredients for your breakfast tomorrow! Pay attention. These danishes are AMAZING. Crispy flaky outside meets chewy gooey inside. Raspberry jam, marzipan & cream cheese unite to give your taste buds a happy dance! You will be amazed that you made these! You will also realize how much these trump the tired old store bought fruit/cheese danishes you are used to eating. Just wait until you taste one that's still warm! Prepare to be thoroughly impressed!
You shouldn't worry about folding the puff pastry. I was nervous that they were going be totally ugly because I made quite a mess in the process. I went through like 3 different styles of folding the dough on the first batch to see which one worked best. They all did. The combo of the toasted almonds and the sugar drizzle on top will mask any imperfections. And if they are still not perfect, one bite will tame that O.C.D. beast you have inside you. When I say YOU, I really mean ME. The end.
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Brown Sugar Berry Cobbler
I made this recipe on Father's day primarily because I know my dad loves blueberries and is not a huge fan of super sweet desserts. I also knew that it would be a good medium for his whipped cream loving tendencies! Although he spends most of his time denying it, he does like dessert. When I see him indulge, it makes me sooo happy; I could scream! He loved this Brown Sugar Berry Cobbler and so did the rest of the fam! We had a very few leftovers after the 5 of us were served, and no whipped cream was left in sight! Strong work, Dad!
I should note that I was able to whip up this recipe, take pictures, carry on a conversation with my mom in the kitchen, and put away dishes during the whole process. If that doesn't give you an idea of how easy it is, then I don't know what will! This recipe also has a lot of room for improvisation. Because I didn't have enough of the blueberries & blackberries for the original recipe, I added 4 yellow peaches to the mix. It added a nice texture to the end result. A perfect summer dessert, for sure! Let's get our cobbler on!
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Buckwheat Belgium Waffles
I love waffles. There's just something so satisfying about pouring batter into a waffle iron and watching a waffle magically appear. They are so much easier than pancakes, in my opinion. I get too impatient with pancakes. I either flip them prematurely or not soon enough. A waffle iron keeps me stress free and that something I appreciate when I'm not fully caffeinated in the morning. This recipe for Buckwheat Belgium waffles comes from a street vendor called Moxie Rx in Portland, Oregon. They were featured in the March '09 issue of Sunset magazine, who thankfully shared the recipe with us. The waffles are incredibly light and perfectly crisp! I could easily eat 3 in one sitting because they are so airy and delicate! The buckwheat isn't a very dominant flavor, so if that scares you, don't fret! It just adds a hint of nuttiness to the waffle and doesn't make it seem like a health food.
You need to make the batter 24 hours before you make the waffles, so plan on that! If you want a sweet waffle, you're supposed to put the batter in the fridge overnight (which is what I did). If you want a more sourdoughy waffle, you let the batter sit on your kitchen counter overnight. I topped our waffles with cinnamon sugar, bananas, Greek yogurt & a really fast blueberry sauce. If that sounds like too much for you, they are just as great on their own with some butter & the cinnamon sugar. Trust me.
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Oatmeal Raisin Bars
Have a craving for oatmeal raisin cookies but feeling too lazy to whip out a batch of cookies? These oatmeal raisin bars will do the trick! This recipe produces a dense bar that is perfect as a breakfast treat! Who says oatmeal cookies aren't OK for breakfast? Fool those crazy people with these bars! Eat one or two or three...and get away with it cuz they totally aren't cookies! They're bars! Got a BBQ to go to? Bring these! They'll hold up well in the heat!
Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter
You need to make these NOW.
Make them for dinner if you have to! They are fantastic! And that orange maple butter is OFF THE HOOK! You will seriously find every excuse to eat the leftovers all week long. And please do, because the recipe makes a good amount! I'll totally kick your ass if any goes to waste! So how are the pancakes? Scrumptious! They taste like a cross between breakfast polenta, a blueberry muffin, and a pancake with a fancy high noon tea vibe (thanks to that butter!) Every now and then you get a little crunch from the cornmeal. It pleases me and I bet you will be pleased too. By the way--your taste buds called and they said their sick of plain old regular pancakes. Throw them a bone and make them something new and different! Do it!
Come on! Look at that BUTTER!!!
