Chocolate Babka

This is not healthy.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Chocolate Babka

(2 loaves)

According to the internet, there is one standard recipe for chocolate babka with slight variations. It sounds like, a more traditional version uses a chocolate filling that is somewhat like a frosting or glaze. For this version I took inspiration from SmittenKitchen.com - she uses a more crumbly filling (easy to make) which melts beautifully. Also she has the best pictures.

I'm making two small loaves here - less for us to eat - but a lot of recipes you'll find make 3 loaves. If I did it again, I would go for it and make the three loaves. If I'm going to spend 4 hours baking I might as well have a high yield to show for it.

Ingredients

1 pkg yeast
3/4 c. milk (heated)
1 1/2 c. sugar + a few pinches
2 egg
1 egg yolk
3 c. flour + more for rolling/kneading
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 sticks butter
2 1/4 c. chocolate chips (semisweet - I used a combination of semisweet and dark)
1 TBS cream (heavy/light/half and half or whatever you've got)

1. Proof yeast in warm milk with a "few pinches" of sugar.

2. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg and 1 egg yolk with 3/4 c. sugar.

3. Mix proofed yeast into sugar/egg mixture

4. Add 3 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt to stand mixer (or separate bowl if you are going it by hand). Stir to combine. Add egg/yeast mixture. Mix about 10 strokes.

5. Switch to a dough hook if you are using a stand mixer. Add 1 stick softened butter, cubed. Beat with dough hook 7-10 minutes until dough is no longer sticky, but smooth and springy.

6. Spend a minute admiring this beautiful dough.

7. Knead 5-10 times by hand. Place in a greased bowl in a warm place and allow to rise at least 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

8. Meanwhile - chop up chocolate (I cheated and used the food processor which, aside from being incredibly loud, was very a good time saver). Combine chocolate with 3/4 c. sugar and 3/4 stick softened butter. It should look crumbly and delicious.

9. Take your dough and gently push it down in the center. Let it rest several minutes. Divide the dough in half; set aside one. Roll the first out into a rectangle (about 1/8" thick).  **I do realize my dough isn't actually a rectangle - I haven't really perfected that technique.

10. Whisk one egg with 1 TBS cream. Brush along the edges of the dough (this is going to help seal up the roll).

11. Sprinkle chocolate crumble in the center leaving a margin around the edges. Then roll it up!

12. Twist your roll 5-6 times. Use the egg wash to "glue" the two ends together in a kind of ring. Twist this roll into a figure eight. Then twist again to resemble a braid of sorts. Place in a greased bread pan (I found glass works better than metal) lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the second part of dough. Let rise 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

13. Brush with leftover egg wash. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes. Turn heat down to 250˚F and bake another 10 minutes. The exterior should be a deep golden brown. Remove from pan and let sit at least 5 minutes.

Afterword: Ethan proclaimed this was "the best thing he had ever eaten"which is probably the highest rating I've ever received from him.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar-Herb Crust

This recipe is so good. It all started when I really wanted to eat a pot pie... so I bought a few of those Marie Calendars frozen pies that I LOVED when I was a kid. And then I ate one. And I was so disappointed. They are good because they are cheap and all, but I will never be able to eat them again, after making this. Me and Ethan ate nearly the whole pie in one sitting.

  Ingredients

For the Crust...
Crust (If you are really ambitious and have multiple hours to work with, you could make your own!)
1 TBS Italian Seasoning
2 TBS shredded cheddar
flour
For the filling...
1/3 c. butter
1/2 an onion (+ carrots and celery if you have them!)
1/3 c. flour
1 1/4 c. broth
1/2 c. milk
2 c. cooked diced chicken
1 1/2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
salt and pepper
garlic powder

1. Thaw your crust, if it's frozen. Otherwise just leave it on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

2. While you are doing this, cook your diced chicken in a frying pan with just a bit of oil until it is no longer pink. Remove from the pan.

3. In your pan, melt butter completely. Add onions, carrots, and/or celery. Cook 2-3 minutes.

4. Add flours, spoonfuls at a time, mixing completely. It will be thick.

5. Add milk and broth slowly. At this point, it will start resembling pot pie filling.

6.  Add chicken and frozen vegetables. Stir over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until it is thickened. If it seems to watery, add a tad more flour (or cornstarch).

7. At this point, unroll your first pie crust and place in a pie dish, making sure to lay over the edges.

8. Spoon your filling into the dish on top of this first crust. Roll your second crust out onto a floured surface, sprinkle generously with italian seasoning and shredded cheddar cheese. Do your best to squish these into the dough surface, but it is a rather impossible feat, I've decided, so don't worry too much about it.

9. Carefully remove it from the floured surface and place on your pie. Pinch edges to seal and cut a few slits in the top to vent. Even though I vent, every time, I always have some kind of leakage.

10. Place in the oven at 350˚F for 30-40 minutes. 30-40 is a big window, i know. But it depends a lot on your oven. GET TO KNOW YOUR OVEN. I can't stress that enough. Mine is done in about 33-35 minutes, but I have to spin it once or twice so one side doesn't burn. 

**Migrated from http://postgraduatekitchen.blogspot.com

Not-From-A-Can Pumpkin Bread

Not-From-A-Can Pumpkin Bread

Do me a favor and just try this, just once, if you've never cooked a sugar pumpkin before. You won't be disappointed. 

  Ingredients


1 sugar pumpkin (you'll have extra, so get a freezer bag ready)
1 1/2 c. (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar (use more sugar if you want or if you don't have maple syrup)
1/4 c. maple syrup (or honey or whatever other sweeteners you like)
1 tsp baking soda
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. vegetable oil (or some other oil you have or like)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon (adjust if you don't like cinnamon as much as me. I would put cinnamon in everything if I could. Alternatively you could also add allspice, or just use pumpkin pie spice in lieu of the others).
1/2 c. walnuts (optional - i love walnuts but I hardly ever actually put them in anything i bake because they can be such a deal breaker for some).


First things first - roast your pumpkin. This is a lengthy endeavor so you can do it the day before - or a week before! and freeze it. Totally worth it though. Just beware - the beautiful Fall orange color that is a side effect of working with canned pumpkin is lost when working with pumpkin puree. I promise its made up for in taste though.


1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and place it face down in a baking sheet.  Cook for ~45 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft when stuck with a fork (much like cooking a potato). You'll also notice the skin starting to bubble and come away from the meat inside - this is good. It will be easier to scoop.

2. Now to finish your puree you can scoop the insides into a food processor or a blender depending on what you have (or if you don't feel like washing either of those things, just use a potato masher). I suggest straining it through a sieve if you have one so it becomes smooth and less pulpy.


3. Remove 1 c. of puree for your bread and freeze the rest in something freezer-safe. Otherwise freeze everything and wait 'til your up for the task.

4.  Sift your flour, sugar, baking soda and spices together in a small bowl.

5. Mix the rest of your ingredients (not the walnuts, if you've decided to use them) in a larger bowl then add your dry ingredients.

6. Combine ingredients (plus walnuts if you like) well, but don't be overly zealous.

7.  Pour into a well-greased 9x5x3 and bake 45 minutes. Check on it no later than 40 minutes! This is how I found out my oven isn't level, I had burnt on side and undercooked the other. Cook until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

**Migrated from http://postgraduatekitchen.blogspot.com

Veggie Fritters A Million Ways

Veggie Fritters A Million Ways

Ingredients

3 c. broccoli (or whatever - anything not too soft: potatoes, peppers, mushroom, squash, combinations of any of these)

1 egg

1/2 c. flour

1/3 c. parmesan (shaved, if possible)

1 clove smashed garlic

salt + pepper

 1-3 TBS olive oil + vegetable oil

Say you have a lot of broccoli. Or you think you should start dieting so in an effort to eat healthier you BUY a lot of broccoli and then you are like... damn. I have all this broccoli. What ever will I do? And then you get over the idea of eating healthier and break out the cheese and oil and the frying pan. In the end you aren't really any healthier but you can pretend if you want!

1. Take your 3 cups of broccoli (or whatever veggie as long as it's nothing too soft, mushrooms would be great or peppers) and chop it up into chunks. Use the stems too, they are just as good! Just slice or peel the tough outer part off. Steam for 5-6 min. DO NOT OVERCOOK! You'll be so sad.


2. Meanwhile beat 1 egg in a large bowl with 1/2 c. flour, 1/3 c. parmesan (not shaker, if you can help it) 1 clove smashed garlic, salt and pepper. Add broccoli and mash together with a potato masher (not a ricer). Only mash a few times to break down broccoli, you're not making a paste here. (If you've got anything else in the fridge you're looking to get rid of this is a good time to throw it in). Fold the rest of it together.


3. Finally heat a medium skillet with 2-3 TBS olive oil+vegetable oil. Don't jump the gun and put your first one in before the oil is completely heated or you'll have one soggy fritter. Drop 2-3 TBS of batter in the skillet and flatten with whatever you have handy. Heat 2-3 min. flip. Heat 1-2 min. If you're really going to do it, do a test run where you cook only one fritter in the pan before you go pro and try to cook a few at a time.

We had these with a lemon sour cream sauce (super easy - if you only have a little bit of sour cream, just squirt a tbs or so of lemon juice into the container and shake, just don't forget to label it if you're going to put it back in the fridge.. whoops).

**Migrated from http://postgraduatekitchen.blogspot.com

DIY Vanilla Extract

DIY Vanilla Extract - Why spend $8 for imitation vanilla if you could make your own for $2 and that cheap vodka in your freezer?

Ingredients
1 - 2 vanilla beans

1/4-1/3c. vodka (that bottle of Mr. Boston you've hopefully outgrown in your freezer will do just fine)

Open your vanilla bean by slicing it the long way with a sharp blade. Scrape the seeds (the black pasty stuff) out of the been and use for something else. Insert the bean into your jar with your vodka. Let sit 3 weeks at least. Over the 3 weeks the liquid should begin to turn brown and when you open the lid you should smell a strong vanilla scent. The convenience of make-your-own vanilla is not only that you will make a pure vanilla (no added sugars or preservatives) for a smaller price, but you can continue to add more vodka and/or beans to your bottle to replenish your supply. I have so far made two cycles of vanilla and it appears to work just as well as any other vanilla I've ever used.

• The word vanilla comes from the Spanish word "vaina" meaning pod or sheath
• Vanilla pods as we know them are the seeds of orchids from the genus Vanilla originating in Mexico (Mesoamerica).
• Vanilla plants and pods were cultivated by Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people and thought to be introduced to Europe in the 1520s by the Spanish conquestedor Hernan Cortes
• Cultivation in other parts of the world proved difficult due to the symbiotic relationship between the vanilla orchid and its natural pollinator the Melipona bee until 1841 when it was determined that the plants could be hand pollinated.
• Vanilla is second only to saffron in expense due to its intensive production process.
• Most common vanilla is artificial, meaning that it is flavored with vanillin (derived from lignin) instead of from the actual fruit of the plant.

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes - an over-the-top, easy-to-do, perfect dessert for parties, birthdays, holidays, whatever! 

These were a major hit! They are very sweet (consider the oreos) but the small size makes them quite perfect.

Ingredients:

18 oreos (6 crushed or food processed)

2 blocks cream cheese (1/3 less fat if possible)

1/2 c. plain greek yogurt

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

12 muffin cups

1. Place 1 Oreo in the bottom of each muffin cup/liner in a muffin pan
 

A few facts about oreos:

• The Oreo cookie was introduced in 1912 in New York City
• There are over 30 different kinds of Oreo cookies

2. Blend cream cheese, yogurt, and sugar together until well blended and mixture has a nice gloss

3. Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and blend thoroughly

4. Add approximately 1/4 c. of mixture to the top of each oreo. At this point you can opt to put your crushed oreos on top, in the middle or mixed in to the batter. I opted for the middle since I wanted the tops of each cupcake to look like a regular cheesecake.

5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the tops look stiff and crack. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. This is a great make-ahead dish - easy to make the day before and refrigerate overnight.

Refrigerator Clean-Out: Beef Stew

I hate wasting things. It really bothers me when I throw out things in the refrigerator because they've gone bad. What was my plan for this when I bought it? Obviously it got away from me. So I've put together a few meals that can... absorb some of the things that I want to get out of the fridge. Soups are particularly good for this kind of thing, especially beef stew.

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/01/sunday-night-stew/. I like her because she doesn't skimp on the cream/butter/eggs/fat in some attempt at pretentious health cooking. She makes mashed potatoes with cream cheese.

What I loved about the original recipe is that it's served over mashed potatoes instead of cooking the potatoes in the stew. I was, admittedly, unsure about the use of tomato paste but after having tried it, I'm not sure I would ever go without it again in a stew like this. The tomato+beer+mushroom combination makes a very deep and flavorful stew.  

Ingredients

1 TBS olive oil

1 TBS butter 

Stew beef - I used about 1 lb, but you could use more if you are A. feeding more than 2 people or B. like a very beefy stew

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBS tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

1/2 tsp sugar

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1/2 - 3/4 c. beer

salt and pepper

1 shake red pepper flakes

2 shakes garlic powder

2 shakes parsley flakes

1 small turnip, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

I opted for a slow cook version of the recipe, which i'm not sure is any less work. But you can make it ahead of time, at least, so by the time you're hungry there is very little left to do.

1. Melt butter and olive oil in deep skillet (or dutch oven if you are opting to not use your crock pot). Heat over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Place your stew beef in the pan and sear until brown. I bought a package of stew meat at the grocery store, which was awfully convenient. I did chop it up a bit so the pieces were a bit more bite sized.

2. Once the meat has browned, take it out of the pan, leaving all the juices behind. Set aside. Lower heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are soft (2-3 minutes). Add tomato paste. Stir. Add beef stock and sugar. Stir until smooth. Bring to a boil and then remove to crock pot (or not). At this point, whether on the stove or in the crock pot, add your meat, worcestershire, beer and any other ingredients. Cook on low heat until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened (2-3 hours in the crockpot or 25-30 minutes on the stove top).

3. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups

I love peanut butter - but only the kind from the jar. Peanut butter cereal, peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter pop-tarts, they're not for me. A Reese's here and there is alright. But even reese's don't have anything on homemade peanut butter cups. Only problem? They are rather labor intensive, so set aside a few hours if your going to commit to the project.

Makes 36 mini Peanut Butter Cups

1 bag chocolate chips - spring for non-generic - something without palm oil for better melting like Ghirardelli

1 c. peanut butter

4 TBS butter, melted

1/2 c. + more powdered/confectioner's sugar

1/2 c. chex cereal, crushed (or whatever - you could use other kinds of cereal, graham crackers, rice krispies)

mini silicone baking cups or mini muffin pan (or you can make fewer regular sized in muffin cups or a muffin pan)

I got two new toys I was excited to try out: mini silicone baking cups and a bread proofer. If that's not a recipe for peanut butter cups I don't know what is. Now, you don't actually need either of those to make these but it did make my experience easier.  The silicone cups make it easy to get your peanut butter cups out of the mold since they peel right off. Although I would suggest them highly for this purpose, I've read mixed reviews on doing actual baking with them.

Melt/warm your peanut butter and butter together, stir until smooth. Add crushed cereal and powdered sugar to your desired thickness.

Scoop ~ 1 1/2 tsp of peanut butter mixture and press into round discs. Refrigerate.

Melt chocolate. This is where the bread proofer comes in, for me - because I royally suck at melting chocolate by the traditional method and we don't own a microwave (much to Ethan's dismay). Its slow (about 45 minutes), but atleast I know for certain that I won't end up with an unusable, brown ball of concrete.

Once your chocolate has melted, coat the bottoms and sides of your baking cups with melted chocolate using the back of a spoon or pastry brush. Drop a single peanut butter disc into your cup and cover with more melted chocolate.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes until chocolate sets and cups are easily peeled away from chocolate.

You may have to do several batches, which is why this can be time consuming. I only have 12 silicone cups, so I have to do 3 cycles of melting and cooling to make 3 dozen cups.