Blueberry Crumb Cake

Since blueberries are now abundant in grocery stores, I figured it was about time to do some baking once I got bored of eating them by themselves. I began doing some recipe searching on food network and came across this recipe by Ina Garten (aka "The Barefoot Contessa.") Though she may not be the most exciting host to watch on tv, I've always found her recipes to be a success. The cake is a buttery, moist base and has a nice hint of lemon zest along with the blueberries. And, to top it off, a wonderful crunchy streusel- love it! This can serve as either a coffee cake or dessert (depending on the crowd you may be entertaining.) 

Streusel Topping: 

1/4 c. white sugar 

1/4 c. brown sugar 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/3 c. all purpose flour 

1 stick unsalted butter, melted 

1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Cake: 

6 tbs. unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 c. white sugar 

2 eggs 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

1/2 lemon, zested 

2/3 c. sour cream 

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour 

1 tsp. baking powder 

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. kosher salt 

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a springform or cake pan. 
• For streusel, stir together sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small mixing bowl. 
• Add flour and pecans (if using); stir to combine. 
• Add melted butter and stir to combine until pea size crumbles form. Set aside. 
• For the cake, cream softened butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. 
• Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
• Add vanilla, lemon zest and sour cream. Mix to combine. 
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour with powder, soda and salt. 
• Gradually add flour mixture to electric mixer and mix gently to incorporate. 
• Once mixed, fold in blueberries with a spatula. 
• Pour cake mixture into greased pan. Sprinkle streusel over top of cake in an even layer. 
• Bake 45-50 minutes or until the cake's center is set. 

Butternut Squash Tortellini in Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Butternut squash is abundant in the fall. Often times,  you can still find it year round so when you're a hungry, pregnant woman like myself, you can satisfy your latest craving :). The squash- ricotta filling is creamy and slightly sweet and tastes good all on its own. But, top it off with the butter-sage sauce and dried cranberries candied nuts- it becomes an elegant, irresistable dish. Although this recipe can be labor intensive and involves a series of steps, I can assure you- it is soooo worth it! If you have a flexible time table for dinner, try this out and you won't  be sorry! 

Tortellini

1 package wonton wrappers (about 36 count or so)

3-4 c. peeled and cubed butternut squash

3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided 

1/2 tsp. each salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 

2 shallots, roughly chopped 

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 

1, 15oz. container ricotta cheese 

5, small Amaretti Cookies 

Generous pinch ground nutmeg 

Generous pinch ground cinnamon 

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 

Sage Brown Butter Sauce

3/4 c. unsalted butter 

2-3 tbs. fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped 

Dried Cranberries or Cherries

Candied Walnuts or Pecans

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 375 and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
• In a mixing bowl, toss cubed squash with 2 tbs. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. 
•  Pour squash onto baking sheet and roast 25-30 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. 
• Meanwhile, heat a small skillet with remaining 1 tbs. olive oil. 
• Add  shallots and garlic and saute 3-5 minutes or until golden and softened. Remove from heat. 
• In a food processor, pulse amaretti cookies until very crumbly. 
• Add shallots and garlic to food processor along with cubed squash (once cooked through.) Puree mixture until smooth. 
• Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. 
• Add ricotta cheese to food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside. 
• To prepare tortellini, use a cutting board or plate. Place water into a small dish or bowl nearby and a pastry brush. 
• One at a time, remove wonton wrappers from packaging. Brush all four sides of wrapper with water using pastry brush. 
• Place 1 heaping teaspoon of squash filling into the center of each wonton wrapper. 
• Gently, fold the wonton wrapper into a triangle ensuring the edges are sealed and secured (press down with fingers gently as necessary to seal.) 
• Next, dampen the corners of the longest side of the triangle with water and gnetly bring them together, pressing lightly to secure them. 
• Place formed tortellini onto a baking sheet and cover to keep from drying out. 
• Once all tortellini are formed, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• Gently and carefully add tortellini to water and reduce heat to medium high. 
• Carefully using a slotted utensil, stir tortellini as it cookes. Once tortellini float (within 3-5 minutes) they are cooked. Drain carefully and gently. 
• While tortellini cook, prepare sauce if desired. 
• In a medium skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add chopped sage leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 
• Once butter begins to brown, remove from heat and drizzle small spoonfuls over tortellini. 
• Top tortellini with candied nuts and dried berries if desired. 

(Recipe inspired by but with some variation from Giada de Laurentii's "Everyday Pasta" cookbook.) 

Filet Migon in a Port Wine Reduction Sauce

For Karl (my husband's) birthday, we created this fantastic dish for dinner. Fortunately, I was feeling up for creating this masterpiece. Though every individual has their preferences for Filet and how they like to prepare and/or top them, just think of the items in the recipe as suggestions and elaborate as desired when creating this dish on your own. Enjoy!

Filets: 

2 filet mignons 

Garlic Salt 

Fresh Ground Black pepper 

Port Wine Reduction Sauce:

1 1/2 c. low sodium beef broth 

1 c. ruby port wine 

Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Port Caramelized Onions: 

1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp. canola oil 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. brown sugar 

1 lb. (3-4) yellow onions, sliced thin 

1/3 c. ruby port wine 

Blue Cheese Crumbles 

Sauteed Portabella Mushrooms 

• To begin, caramelize onions- these are the most time consuming of the dish. 
• In a large skillet, heat onion and butter together over high heat. 
• Once foam subsides, add salt and sugar; stir into oil/butter mixture. 
• Add onions and stir to coat.Cook  for  5 minutes stirring occasionally or until onions begin to soften and release their moisture. 
• Reduce heat to medium and cook stirring frequently until onions are deeply browned, about 30-35 minutes. 
• Stir port into skillet and cook until liquid is completely absorbed into onions. 
• Remove from heat and set aside. 
• For filets, season with garlic salt and pepper. Heat grill to a high heat for searing initially. 
• While grill heats, bring beef broth and port wine to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. 
• Once boiling, reduce mixture to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. 
• Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Place filets on grill and watch carefully so you don't forget to flip the filets and they don't burn. 
• Once filets are seared on both sides, reduce the heat of the flame on the grill to cook filets gradually to desired level of doneness. 
• If desired, make a batch of garlic mashed potatoes and place a small bed of them onto serving plate. 
• Place filet on top of bed of mashed potatoes. 
• Top filet with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms (if desired) and blue cheese crumbles. 
• Finally, top off with port reduction sauce and serve with desired vegetables. 

Chilled Couscous Salad

After a month- a post is finally up and running! Unfortunately, due to first trimester pregnancy symptoms, I was unable to keep up with the blog. But, now towards the end I am feeling not only better, but hungry! Summer has been making its way into the Chicago land area so it was about time to start posting some cool, refreshing salads that make a great side or snack. 

1 3/4 c. water 

1 1/2 c. Couscous

3 large tomatoes, diced 

1 cucumber, peeled and diced 

1-2 bunches green onions, finely chopped 

1/2 c. or so fresh parsley, roughly chopped 

3 lemons, juiced 

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil 

1/2 tsp. salt 

Fresh ground black pepper to taste 

• In a medium sized pot, bring water to a boil. Add couscous and remove from heat. 
• Cover with lid and allow to sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and place in large mixing bowl. 
• Add chopped vegetables and parsley to bowl with couscous and stir to combine. 
• Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. 
• Chill in refrigerator 3 hours or until ready to serve. 

Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes are a breakfast favorite in our house. Sure you can buy decent pancake mix at the store, but when you make your own, I find they are far tastier and fluffier. Plus, they hardly take any more time to whip together than the boxed mix! 

Helpful Hint:  If you don't have fresh buttermilk (which I often don't) simply add 1 tbs. vinegar or lemon juice to 1 c. milk and sit 5-10 minutes to sour prior to using. Or, you can also use powdered buttermilk which you can find in the baking aisle of your local grocery store. 

1 1/4 c. Buttermilk 

2 tbs. butter, melted

1 egg 

1 c. all purpose flour 

2 tbs. sugar 

2 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt 

Butter or Non-stick cooking spray

• Heat a large, non stick griddle or skillet with butter or non stick cooking spray over medium heat. 
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk with melted butter and egg to combine. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, powder, soda and salt. 
• Once combined, whisk buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. 
• Using a ladle, pour batter onto skillet spacing mounds apart so they do not cook together. 
• Flip once bubbles appear. Remove from pan once bottom is cooked. Serve hot. 

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Please see previous post regarding cheesecake tips prior to beginning this recipe: 

http://thebitchenkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/perfecting-cheescake-10-tips-to-making.html

Graham Cracker Crust: 

2 packages (of 3 in a box) graham crackers

6 tbs. unsalted butter, melted 

6 tbs. white sugar 

Cheesecake Filling: 

4, 8ox. packages cream cheese, softened

1 c. white sugar 

4 eggs, seperated 

1 tbs. pure vanilla extract 

1 c. sour cream 

1/2 c. heavy cream 

6oz. white chocolate, melted 

Fresh Raspberry Sauce Topping: 

1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries 

1/4 c. white sugar 

1/4 c. water 

1 c. seedless raspberry jam 

1 tbs. Grand Marnier liqueur 

Fresh Berries for garnish 

White chocolate shavings for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 and prepare your largest spring form pan as indicated in previous top "10 tips post.
• For crust, in a food processor, combine graham crackers with sugar and pulse until graham crackers are crumbly. 
• Add melted butter and pulse until mixture comes together. 
• Pat crust into the bottom of prepared spring form pan and bake 10-12 minutes or until crust begins to golden. 
• Meanwhile, heat chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat to melt. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and set aside. 
• Once crust is golden, remove crust from oven and set aside. 
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth. 
• Scrape down sides of mixer and add egg yolks one at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Add vanilla extract, sour cream and heavy cream. Mix until smooth. 
• Add melted white chocolate and mix to combine. 

• In a small, separate bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer until fluffy and peaks form. Fold egg whites into cheesecake filling. Pour filling into pan.

• Place spring form pan into roasting pan and fill pan halfway up sides with boiling water (as indicated in previous post.) 

• Bake cheesecake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Once time is up, turn off heat but do not remove cheesecake from oven. Keep cheesecake in oven for another hour but open the oven door and leave it ajar to cool gradually. 

• While cheesecake gradually cools, prepare raspberry sauce.

• In a small saucepan, heat raspberries with sugar and water over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. 

• Once boiling, reduce heat to a low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

• Pour raspberry mixture into a blender or food processor and pulse with jam and liqueuer until smooth. 

• Cool sauce prior to topping cheesecake. 

• Once cheesecake has sat in the oven for an hour with the oven door open, remove cheesecake from "water bath" and place on counter. Cool one more hour. 

• Prior to topping, touch sides of pan and ensure they are cool to the touch. If so....run a knife around the edges of the spring form pan prior to releasing the ring. 

• Using a rubber spatula, spread raspberry sauce over top of cheesecake in an even layer. If desired, spread a ring of fresh berries around the edges of cheesecake as pictured above. 

• Refrigerate cheesecake several hours or preferably overnight. 

• Prior to serving, garnish with white chocolate shavings if desired. 

Perfecting Cheesecake: 10 Tips to making a gourmet masterpiece

A Brief History....

If there is one dessert I can make without fail and triumph over all.... it's cheesecake. Ask anyone who's tried mine- believe me, they'll agree. Growing up, my Nana made the best cheesecake that I ever tasted. However, when she died, I never got her recipe. I was left with no choice but  to try to re-create her legacy through practice and much trial and error. But, as luck would have it, when you're that determined, not only have I re-created what I remember tasting so fondly, I  learned many tricks and tips and how to elaborate on many fun, new cheesecakes outside the New York Original. 

Tips to Perfecting Cheesecake:

1.Prepare your Springform Pan! 
Necessary Supplies: Springform pan, Aluminum Foil, Large Roasting Pan, Tea Kettle (or similar) for boiling water. 


*Before starting anything, wrap your spring form pan on all sides with aluminum foil. Then, you will want to boil a large kettle of water for later prior to baking. 


Help prevent cracking- Butter up your springform pan! 

This is a simple step that makes a world of difference! Simply rub butter all over the bottom and the sides from top to bottom of the springform pan. Why you ask? This steps not only helps ensure your crust won't stick to the bottom of the pan, but it will allow the cheesecake  to release easily from the sides of the pan as it cools and thus prevents cracks from forming. 


2. Always par-bake your cheesecake crust! 
Whether you are using a graham cracker, Oreo, vanilla wafer crust, etc. you always want to par-bake your crust prior to pouring the filling over and baking. As a general rule of thumb, bake the crust  at 350 in a pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes or until it begins lightly golden.  
*On a side note: Crust recipes should be done in a food processor to achieve the best texture. 

3. Soften your cream cheese completely!

Your cream cheese needs to soften to the point that you can slide your finger through it easily. If necessary, microwave it in segments to soften but allow to cool prior to mixing. if your cream cheese is not softened completely, you will end up with lumpy batter and an inconsistent texture. 
*On a side note:  Philedalphia cream cheese is the best to use in regards to taste and texture. 


4. Separate your eggs!
It is a hidden secret that cheesecake recipes often don't indicate, but separating your eggs makes a big difference in cheesecake texture. Often, they can become heavy and dense- this may be due to other reasons beyond eggs, but, if you add just yolks to the mixture and then whip your egg whites separately and fold them in the batter towards the end, you can almost guarantee a lighter, fluffier end result. 
*On a side note: A general rule of thumb is: 1 egg/1, 8oz. cream cheese


5. Place foil wrapped springform pan into a "water bath."
Once crust is complete, then place springformpan into a roasting pan. Using your boiling water, pour water halfway up sides of pan. This "water bath" will continue steaming and maintain consistent temperatures and moisture for the cheesecake as it bakes. 


6. Do not under or over bake cheesecake! 
As a general rule of thumb,  any size cheesecake should bake no more than an hour-1 hour and 10 minutes. After the hour, the edges should be cooked but the center of the cheesecake should still move slightly when tapped. 


7. Do not remove cheesecake from oven after baking time!
Leave the cheesecake in the oven and turn off the heat after the baking time is up. Open the oven door so that it is slightly ajar and allow the cheesecake to cool gradually in its water bath for another hour. Why? When you remove the cheesecake from the oven too quickly, the drastic temperature changes can cause the cheesecake "stress" by cooling it too quickly and causes cracking to occur. 


8. Leave the cheesecake out to cool completely prior to refrigeration!
After the cheesecake has set in the oven with the door ajar for an hour; remove the cheesecake from the oven and its water bath. Set it on the counter by itself for another hour to cool at room temperature. After the hour, touch the sides of the spring form to ensure it has cooled completely. If it still feels warm to the touch, leave it cool longer- there is no rush to refrigerate it. 


9. Run a knife around the edges of pan prior to removing ring!
Once completely cook,  run a butter knife around the edges prior to releasing the ring of the spring form pan can help prevent cracking. 


10. If somehow you still get cracks in your cheesecake....
Decorate the cooled cheesecake with a chocolate sauce, fresh fruit sauce, chocolate shavings, etc. and no one will know the difference! 

Tortellini in Tomato Mascarpone Sauce

If you're like me, your freezer tends to get jammed pack with food. Of course it's all food to serve specific purposes overtime, but then you forget about it and it somehow falls to the back and risks freezer burn. Somewhere along the way I bought a package of tortellini and when I discovered it, I wanted to get a little creative and find a way to use it.  It was a weeknight and I wanted to whip something together quickly without making another run to the grocery store. Fortunately, I had some extra ingredients left from pizza and cheesecake making, so I threw it together and created this not so pretty, but tasty dish! 

1, 16oz. package Fresh or Frozen favorite Tortellini

Sauce:

1, 24oz. jar favorite marinara sauce 

1, 14.5 can petite diced tomatoes, drained 

4oz. Mascarpone cheese

small handful fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese or 1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced

• Preheat oven to 400 and grease a large baking pan with non stick cooking spray. 
• In a large pot of salted water, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain. 
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together favorite marinara sauce with Mascarpone cheese to incorporate. 
• Once mixed, stir in drained, diced tomatoes and basil leaves. 
• Pour cooked tortellini into bowl with sauce and toss gently to coat. 
• Pour coated tortellini into baking pan. 
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top of tortellini in an even layer. 
• Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over top in an even layer or if using fresh mozzarella, lay slices over top to cover. 
• Bake 20-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browning around edges. 
• 
  

Inspired by but with variation from Giada de Laurentii's "Everyday Pasta" cookbook.

Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds

The other night, I wanted to create an easy vegetable side dish to help compliment my main dish; not overpower it. This dish was able to accomplish just that.  Nothing too fancy or complicated- just good, clean flavor. Although this recipe is done in the oven, you could also cook it in the skillet and saute the green beans until they cook through. However, you have to do a little more work on your part to keep an eye on them and stir regularly. 

1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed and cleaned 

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil 

2 large shallots, roughly chopped 

Salt and Fresh ground black pepper to taste 

1/2 c. sliced, toasted almonds

• Preheat oven to 425 and grease an 8x8 pan with non stick cooking spray. 
• In a medium bowl, toss green beans with everything but almonds. 
• Pour mixture into greased baking pan and bake 15-20 minutes or until green beans are tender and shallots are softened. 
• Toss with sliced, toasted almonds prior to serving. 

Mixed Berry Shortcakes

With the recent abundance of fresh berries in the Chicago Land area and the unusually warm spring weather, I wanted to take advantage of both aspects while on my spring break. I decided to whip together Strawberry Shortcakes- a summer favorite. But, since I like to put little spins on comfort foods, I add a variety of berries to my shortcakes (for color and flair) and put lemon zest in my shortcake recipe- gasp! Though these aspects can easily be omitted, you may want to try it out for size- you may be pleasantly surprised. 

Shortcakes 

2 c. all purpose flour 

1 tbs. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/4 c. white sugar (plus more for later)

1 lemon, zested 

8 tbs. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 

2/3 c. half and half or heavy cream (plus more for later)

Berry Mixture 

1 lb. fresh strawberries-washed, dried and hulled

2 tbs. white sugar (or more if desired)

1/2 pint fresh, clean blueberries (if desired) 

1/2 pint fresh, clean raspberries (if desired) 

Whipped Cream Mixture

1 c. heavy whipping cream 

2 tbs. white sugar 

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

•  Preheat oven to 350 and spray a large cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray. 
• For shortcakes, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest to combine. 
• Using a pastry blender, mix in cubed, chilled butter until mixture is crumbly. 
• Make a well in the center of the mixture and add half and half. Stir to combine. 
• Once dough is moist and incorporated, turn onto a floured surface. 
• Using hands or a rolling pan, pat/roll dough into a circle or rectangle. 
• Using a biscuit cutter or simply a glass or mug, cut dough out into circles. 
• Place each circle spaced apart evenly on prepared cookie sheet. 
• Bake shortcakes for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly golden brown. Cool. 
• Combine strawberries with desired amount of sugar in a bowl and set aside for 30-60 minutes to macerate (softens the berries and release their juices.) 
• For the whip cream mixture, place beaters and preferably a glass or stainless steel bowl into your freezer for 10-20 minutes prior to whipping cream. 
• Once beaters and bowl are thoroughly chilled, beat whip cream on medium high speed to form stiff peaks. 
• Fold in sugar and vanilla extract and chill until ready to serve. 
• When ready to serve shortcakes, for the berry mixture, use a potato masher and gently  mash strawberries just to break up slightly and release any further juices. 
• Stir in other berries if desired. 
• Split each shortcake in half.  Top each half with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a heaping spoonful of berries. 
• Sandwich together halves of shortcake and serve. 

Asiago Scalloped Potatoes

The restaurant where my husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner was where we fell in love with cheesy scalloped potatoes (we were fortunately already in love with each other.) I was never that big a fan of scalloped potatoes because whenever I had eaten them they were under or over cooked or just plain bland. Fortunately, I have been determined to create a better and tastier scalloped potato recipe. This particular recipe has you cook the potatoes on the stovetop to tenderize them prior to baking them. In comparison to just baking the potatoes, the stovetop component makes a big difference. Another key is to keep the potato slices thickness consistent. You can do this by using a food processor or mandoline slicer. 

2 tbs. unsalted butter 

1 medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp. coarse salt 

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper 

2 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 1/8" thick)

1 c. low sodium chicken broth 

1 c. heavy cream 

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 c. shredded Asiago cheese 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease an 8x8 pan with non stick cooking spray. 
• Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium high heat. 
• Add onion and cook stirring occasionally to soften (4-5 minutes.) 
• Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant. 
• Add sliced potatoes, chicken broth, cream and Parmesan cheese. Bring a to simmer. 
• Cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender when pierced with knife, about 10 minutes.  
• Transfer mixture to baking dish and sprinkle top evenly with shredded Asiago cheese. 
• Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. 
• Cool slightly prior to serving. 

Recipe inspired by but with variations from "Cook's Illustrated" March 2003 magazine edition.