Bruléed Pumpkin Oatmeal

October 10, 2012 by

I have been in full on hibernation mode this week. I know it’s getting cooler and whatnot, but I feel an extreme desire to really hole myself up at home. And there’s sort of a melancholy feeling that’s there, too. One of those “I’m fine.. but” feelings. I’m just not sure where the “but” is coming from, or if it’s really anything at all. Does that ever happen to you? In an effort to stay positive I’ve been lighting candles, wearing fuzzy slippers like it’s my job, listening to comforting music while I work, and making breakfasts like this oatmeal.  This is definitely the kind of breakfast that makes me look forward to waking up the next morning. Steamy oats packed with pumpkin, cinnamon, ground flax, and topped with caramelized brown sugar? Yes, please! I’ll gladly set my alarm for that one.

Bruléed Pumpkin Oatmeal
Makes 3 servings

  • 1 cup rolled or Scottish oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup puréed pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat your broiler.

Bring the milk, water, and salt to a boil. Cook your oats according to the package directions (usually 5-7 minutes).  Once fully cooked, whisk in the butter and pumpkin. Then add in the flaxseed and cinnamon. Whisk well to combine. Separate the oatmeal into three ramekins or oven safe bowls. Divide the brown sugar across the top of the 3 bowls. Place the bowls under your broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes. Watch the oatmeal very closely at this step! Every oven is different and you want to broil it just until the sugar caramelizes. Remove bowls from the oven and serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Dutch Baby Pancake

September 28, 2012 by

Hello from Rome! We are having such a blast and I can’t wait to share all the photos of our trip when we get back. In the mean time though, I have one more very fall recipe for you guys.

Last month, Amanda, the editor of Delighted Magazine, reached out to me for a pumpkin recipe for their fall issue. If you guys aren’t familiar with Delighted, I highly urge you to check it out! It’s an online mag chock full of entertaining ideas, home decor inspiration, and lots of other goodies. When dreaming up pumpkin recipes, I was eager to come up with something for breakfast. My mind immediately went to pancakes- and then a Dutch baby pancake. I love Dutch babies because you take all the flipping and timing out of the pancake process and just make one massive cake. This Dutch baby is filled with pumpkin and topped with a whipped maple butter (drool) and slivered almonds. For the recipe, head over to Delighted and check out their fall issue. Enjoy!

Ps: Pumpkin Pancakes and a Blueberry Dutch Baby

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Breakfast in Bed: Spiced Peach Pancakes

August 4, 2012 by

Happy Saturday! We’re starting a new series today, and are so excited to share it with you. I (Sarah) will now be posting a lovely new breakfast recipe each Saturday morning. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and I like to think that other people, like me, often spend their Saturday mornings lounging in bed, catching up with their favorite blogs. Now, you’ll always have some breakfast inspiration waiting, for when all that blog reading pushes you to the kitchen in search of sustenance.

So, first up are these summery peach pancakes gently spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I am a huge pancake person, but I find that they are generally quite finicky to make at home. I’ve had more than a few flops that turn out as bricks.  How frustrating, as pancake recipes seem so simple! This problem is generally intensified if you like to use whole wheat four, as I do. These pancakes, on the other hand, are light, fluffy, and anything but boring. Using cake flour, along with the whole wheat, seems to lead to a fool-proof recipe.

Although I love pancakes, I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of peaches. Why the peaches, then? Well, Clara and I actually made these together at her apartment, during a recent working session. I was nervous that I would be making things difficult, if I admitted my dislike of the fruit. However, she was, of course, completely understanding, and shared with me her own hatred of bananas. I can confidently say that these are delicious with or without peaches! Is there any food that you happen to dislike, even though it seems like the entire rest of the population loves it? I’d love to hear!

Spiced Peach Pancakes slightly adapted from Une Deux Senses

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup cake flour (or all purpose)
  • 3 T sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tps butter, melted (plus more for pan)
  • 2 ripe peaches, pits removed and cut into thin slices

Preheat a griddle over medium heat. In the meantime, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. Wisk the wet ingredients in medium bowl, and then add all at once to the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. When the griddle is ready, reduce heat to medium-low, grease with butter, and spoon on batter. Lay 5 peach slices onto the top of each pancake, and flip when the top is full of bubbles. Remove when bottoms are golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

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“Homemade” Strawberry Yogurt

June 11, 2012 by

Folks, can we start a countdown? You see, three weeks ago today, Brandon left for a month long travel extravaganza. The month apart seemed a bit daunting but  I can’t say I wasn’t a little excited about having the apartment all to myself. For weeks I’ve been sleeping like a queen in a king bed, subsisting on massive salads for dinner, and blasting all the terrible music I want. It’s been fun. But now, 3 weeks in, I’m done! I am counting down the days til his plane lands on Sunday night and our life can go back to “normal”.

In the mean time, I’ve been thinking up ways to use the leftover roasted strawberry purée that I made for this strawberry ice cream. My favorite way, and perhaps the easiest, is folding it into Greek yogurt. I’ve never really liked the fruit based yogurts you buy in store, the texture always rubs me the wrong way. But I love the effect the strawberry purée has on the yogurt. It’s fresh and smooth and adds just a touch of sweetness without being overwhelming. I layered the strawberry yogurt, plain Greek yogurt, and a few sliced strawberries to make these simple yogurt parfaits. I love the way it makes the light pink hue of the yogurt stand out. You could also add in granola, or make a purée with a variety of other fruits. Peaches and raspberries are up next on my list!

“Homemade” Strawberry Yogurt

Make the strawberry purée. Once chilled, fold a few tablespoons per cup into the the Greek yogurt. The more you add, the darker and sweeter it will be. To make the parfaits, begin by lining the bottom of a glass or mason jar with thinly sliced strawberries.  Fill two ziploc bags with plain and strawberry flavored Greek yogurt. Snip off a small corner of each bag and squeeze the yogurt into the jars, alternating between layers and plain and strawberry yogurt. To finish place a few additional berries on top.

 

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Double Coconut Granola Bars

June 1, 2012 by

Folks, it’s Friday. Thank goodness! Life has literally be all over the place lately- from Toronto last week, to Providence the week before that, and DC the week before that! And though I have one more weekend of travel left, there’s absolutely no work involved. I’m headed to Philly for my best friend’s bridal shower and bachelorette weekend. I’m so looking forward to catching up with old friends, celebrating our bride to be, and just taking a general breather on life. Once I get back I have no travel planned until July! That means lots of quality time at home enjoying summer city. I’m looking forward to exploring new neighborhoods, dining al fresco, and hosting dinner parties on our patio.

In the mean time, I’m doing my best to get back on a regular eating schedule. I don’t make the greatest food choices when I’m on the road, so my few days at home this week have been all about fresh ingredients, clean eating, and healthy snacking. Instead of indulging my sweet tooth with cookies or candy in the afternoon, I’ve been enjoying these homemade granola bars. I’ve shared a version of granola bars on CC before, but the recipe I’m sharing today has quickly become my fave. This version is not baked, which makes for an insanely chewy- not crunchy- granola bar. It also uses coconut oil instead of butter for the binder, so it’s not only vegan but a bit better for you. Lastly, there’s also a nice dose of salt, which provides the perfect balance against the sweet honey. Suffice it to say, these little guys have kept me completely satisfied all week long. I foresee many version of these bars in the weeks to come.

And with that, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! xx

Double Coconut Granola Bars adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Treat this recipe like a canvas- feel free to use whatever nuts, dried fruit, and liquid sweeteners you like.

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup whole almonds
  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/3 cup ground flax seed
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Line at 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the oats and almonds into a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until finely puréed, but be careful not to let it run too long or it will turn to nut butter.  Place the puréed ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the remaining dry ingredients.

Set a small sauce pan to medium heat. Place the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla in the pan and heat until it begins to foam. Once it’s foaming, cook for an additional 15 seconds. Remove the mixture from the heat. Pour it into the dry ingredients and stir well until every ingredient is coats.

Pour the mixture into the pan and press until flat. Chill in the fridge overnight. Cut into bars and serve immediately or store wrapped in wax paper or ziploc bags. Bars will last up to one week in fridge.

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Orange Scented Cream Cheese Pound Cake

May 15, 2012 by

I have a thing for cream cheese. I never tire of it slathered all over a hot toasty bagel or used as the main ingredient in frosting, but what I really love is weaving cream cheese into recipes where you wouldn’t think to put it- like mashed potatoes, Mexican food, and even soup from time to time. So when I saw a recipe for Cream Cheese Pound Cake in Joy’s new cookbook, I knew it would be right up my alley. In a dessert, I think cream cheese begs for a little citrus, so I added in the zest of one Tangelo orange (you could use any type of orange). I loved the addition but you could certainly make it without.

Despite how simple this dessert is, it’s really a gorgeous cake-from the velvety batter to the way it rises and develops a deep brown crust, while still remaining unbelievably moist on the inside. For that reason, I’m going to suggest not putting anything on it. No jam or nutella or whipped cream- this cake deserves to stand on it’s own. It is that good.  Enjoy!

Orange Scented Cream Cheese Pound Cake slightly adapted from the Joy the Baker Cookbook

Makes one 9×5″ loaf

  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs at room temperature

Set your rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 325°. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking power- set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium low speed until soft and pliable. Add in the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy- approximately 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla, stir until blended. Then add in the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until just incorporated. Finish mixing the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared and bake for 30 minutes. After 3o minutes rotate the pan and cook for an additional 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cake can be stored up to 4 days after baking in an air tight container.

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For Your Weekend: Peach & Blueberry Smoothie

May 11, 2012 by

I made this smoothie (and took these pictures) last Sunday when we saw the first sunny skies after what felt like an eternity of grey ones. I decided to snap the photos on our patio since the outdoor light was so gorgeous. These photos also give you a little sneak peak into what my shoots actually look like.  I was at a friend’s apartment earlier this week and someone asked me where I shoot my photos, thinking I had some gorgeous space in my apartment. I wish! It’s usually on a cloth on my living room floor. Admittedly that was getting a little dull, so it’s a nice change of pace to be able to shoot outdoors.

Are you a smoothie drinker? I just started drinking them this winter when I was positively sick of the fruit selection in the store. I don’t eat too many frozen foods, but peach and berry season is so frustratingly short, I’ve really gotten into stocking up on the frozen variety. There’s something about the color of this smoothie that is so refreshing. Now that a new fruit season is right around the corner, I’m looking forward to making some smoothies using actual fresh fruit!

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend! I’m so excited my mom’s coming to town and we get to have a proper celebration! See you next week. xx

Peach & Blueberry Smoothie

Serves 2

  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peaches
  • 6 ice cubs
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup almond or soy milk, or orange juice
  • 1/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 T agave nectar (optional)

Place the first four ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Add in the yogurt and agave nectar if using and blend until just combined. Serve immediately.

 

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Scenes from Easter Sunday

April 11, 2012 by

So as I mentioned on Monday, I headed home this past weekend for the holiday. I always go home for Easter, and even though we don’t really celebrate the holiday in a traditional manner, we always eat really well (naturally).

Every time I’ve gone home in the past few months, my mom has been making these insanely delicious blueberry buttermilk pancakes. I literally can’t get enough of them, they’re truly the best pancakes I’ve ever had. The key is in the buttermilk. It’s important to have really fresh, good quality buttermilk (my mom used this one ). Beyond that, you need to be really liberal with the butter when making these. Along with the butter in the batter, you’ll need several tablespoons to keep the pan generously coated while you’re frying up the cakes. My mom kept a stick right next to the pan, and in between each batch added another 1/2 tablespoon or so to the pan. This makes for a very indulgent pancake so if that scares you away, I urge you to save them for a special occasion and not skimp on the butter!  Aside from that, she eliminates the sugar in the batter. There- that makes them a little better.

Here’s a few shots from that day. Do you have a favorite pancake recipe? Certainly send it my way if you do!

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Dutch Baby with Vanilla Blueberry Sauce

March 25, 2012 by

My recent cookbook purchases arrived this Friday and I got right to work using them in the kitchen this weekend. I couldn’t resist trying a recipe from the Joy the Baker Cookbook first. Joy’s book is stunning and sweet and everything you could dream it would be. Her recipes are incredible and I love how she wrote an intro for each one that mirrors the language and style of her blog posts. It’s such a treat!

I began with the pancake section of her book and selected her recipe for a Dutch baby. Have you ever made a Dutch baby? Oh my goodness, they’re amazing. A Dutch baby is a big pancake that you bake in a hot skillet in the oven. They puff up into a beautiful golden brown pancake that’s perfect for two or as a sweet side at brunch.  They’re ideal for brunch entertaining because there’s zero flipping involved! Just prep the batter and set it to bake shortly after your guests arrive. Joy’s version featured toasted coconut and bananas, but since I had neither of those on hand I made a simple vanilla infused blueberry sauce. This breakfast served as the perfect Sunday treat; I can’t wait to try all the other recipes in the book!

Dutch Baby with Vanilla Blueberry Sauce inspired by Joy the Baker Cookbook

Serves 2 (makes one 10 inch pancake)
For the Dutch Baby:

  • 2/3 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 3 T unsalted butter

For the Blueberry sauce:

  • 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 T sugar

Make the blueberry sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Set to medium low heat and let simmer for 12-15 minutes until berries have broken down.

Make the Dutch baby: Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the rack in the upper third of the oven. Put a 10 inch cast iron or oven safe skillet on the rack and let warm while you prepare the batter.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar and thick and pale. Whisk in the milk, and then the dry ingredients. Stir well to combine.

Once oven is heated, carefully removed the pan from the oven and place the butter in the pan. Using potholders, swirl the butter around the pan so it’s completely melted. Quickly pour in the batter and put the pan back in the oven. Bake for 15- 18 minutes until browned and puffed. Top with blueberry sauce and serve immediately with powdered sugar or maple syrup.

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Scrambled Egg & Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

February 28, 2012 by

Do you ever get hooked on a dressing? A dressing or sauce you either purchased or made and it’s so delicious, you find yourself putting it on everything? I have a new one. It’s a lighter version of Caesar dressing made with Greek yogurt. I usually despise any “lightened” version of a dressing or sauce, but that feeling completely goes out the window when it comes to Greek yogurt. The tanginess of the yogurt is such a welcome change to the traditional Caesar dressing.

You’re probably thinking, “Caesar dressing? Where’s the salad?” Yes, well, I did make a salad-and I loved it on the salad. But then the leftover dressing made its way onto my newest sandwich obsession, soft scrambled eggs and creamy avocado on hearty 9-grain toast. I loved the flavors of the dressing on the sandwich even more!

And that was the start of it all. Now the possible flavor combinations seem endless. Wouldn’t this be perfect for shrimp cocktail, a fresh crudité, or even as dressing for  a summer slaw? All these visions are really making me crave spring and summer, and all the wonderful in season food that comes with it! March, are you here yet?

Scrambled Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwich
Serves 2

Making the Dressing: The recipe for the dressing was the brilliant work of Ashley. I follow her directions exactly and urge you to do the same. The recipe will make more than you need for the sandwiches, but it keeps really well.

For the sandwich:

  • 4 slices hearty whole wheat bread
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 T butter
  • 2 T milk
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • pepper

Toast the bread. Spread a generous amount of yogurt on one side of the bread, and smash half the avocado into the other side of the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and set aside.

Set a small frying pan to medium low heat.  Melt the butter in the pan. Beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook slowly, gently scraping the eggs off the bottom of the pan until they’re just cooked.

Spoon the eggs onto the bread. Assemble the sandwiches and serve immediately with greens.

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