Blueberry Buttermilk Tea Cake

I could write a thesis on the marvels of buttermilk. It may be the holy grail of ingredients. If the recipe calls for buttermilk, you are guaranteed culinary success and satisfied tummies. Lately I've been using so much buttermilk that I've been tempted to use the real deal (right out of a carton). I usually use a powdered butter milk that you mix with water (and my taste buds tell me there can't possibly be a difference), but I've used buttermilk in three recipes this week (Oreo Cake, Snickerdoodle Muffins, and now this one), so I think I can safely assume that my carton of buttermilk won't go to waste.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar (plus additional tablespoon for sprinkling)
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 cups of fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of buttermilk
*2 teaspoons of lemon zest is optional. I didn't have any lemons at 7:30 this fine evening and I decided against making my 2nd grocery trip in one day (unacceptable, the check-out ladies already think I'm a freak for going daily).

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Soften butter in the microwave and cream with sugar. Use a blender.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to blend.
4. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt alternatively with the buttermilk.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries. *GENTLY, blueberries are prone to break and splatter all over your nice batter
6. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with non-stick baking spray and pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle the top of the batter with 1to 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.
8. Pop in the oven for about 35 minutes, probably more like 37 or 40. Mine was a little underdone but still divine.

This cake will melt in your mouth and disappear before you know it! I made it with the intention of eating it Friday and Saturday morning. There may possibly be enough for breakfast tomorrow due to the zealous appreciation of my mom and sisters.

-Cara

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Spice up the summer with some creamy chipotle dressing over a Mexican style salad. This stuff is golden as far as salads go. I realize my last post was also a salad but that just goes to show how salads are the epitome of summer eating in this family. Tonight's dinner was almost a family affair. It took three of us to get this one on the table--not because it's difficult (because it isn't ), rather because we were all hobbling around after an intense all body workout (sitting down isn't an option because it would take a small crane to get us back on our feet). However, enough of the woes of a desperate fitness fraud. Grab your cutting board and start chopping!

Ingredients:

Dressing

2/3 cup light sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobe sauce (look in the Mexican section of the grocery)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (maybe less since cilantro is rather strong)

4 teaspoons fresh lime juice (a little less than 1 medium lime)

Salad

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8 3/4 ounce) can of no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

4 cups of lettuce (shredded or at least in small bites)

2 cups of skinless, bone-less chicken breast, cubed

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of avocados, peeled and diced

1/3 cup of vertically sliced red onion

Directions:

1. Cook chicken in skillet on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of butter.

2. Shred lettuce into large bowl.

3. Add tomatoes, avocados, red onion, black beans, and corn.

4. Begin dressing in separate bowl with sour cream.

5. Add minced chipotle chile, cumin, chili powder, and salt.

6. Squeeze the lime and add correct measurement to dressing.

7. Add freshly chopped cilantro.

8. Toss salad with dressing.

Enjoy la cena!

-Cara

Boston Creme Cupcakes

Today was a busy day in my house with visits from the physical therapist, home health nurse, and two of my voice students. I decided to send them away heavier with a sweet creation I have been craving since winter: Boston Creme Pie. I fell in love with these pastries in Boston a few years back and have been searching for a suitable, less-complicated substitute ever since.


It seems that cupcakes are the answer. No complicated pastry-dough maneuvers here, no ma'am.


I'm enjoying a taste of my beloved Boston here in the mountains of East Tennessee. Here, my friends, it is.

Hello, beautiful.

The trick to these cupcakes is that the pastry cream melts into the sweet yellow cake, making a super-moist, super-creamy glob of deliciousness. It is hard to please me with cakes, and I am hooked.

Here's the recipe (modified from America's Test Kitchen):

Boston Creme Cupcakes

Ingredients:

PASTRY CREAM
1⅓ cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces) sugar
Pinch salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

CUPCAKES
1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

GLAZE
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. FOR THE PASTRY CREAM: Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch until pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

2. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1½ minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 2 hours.

3. FOR THE CUPCAKES: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin.

4. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in the milk and vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light, and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes.

5. Using a greased ⅓-cup measure, portion the batter into each muffin cup (about three-quarters full; do not overfill). Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through baking. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. FOR THE GLAZE: Microwave all of the ingredients together, whisking often, until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the glaze cool, uncovered, until it is thickened but pourable, about 20 minutes.

7. Cut around the inside edge of the top of each cupcake, removing a cone-shaped piece from each cupcake, and fill with 2 tablespoons of pastry cream. Trim and replace the cupcake top and set each cupcake on a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Pour the glaze over the cupcakes, letting it run down the sides. Refrigerate the cupcakes until the glaze has set, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Here's a picture of the cut-off top and the inserted cream. Next, I just popped that top right back over the cream and glazed the cupcake.

Happy baking, y'all!


--Alyssa

Summer Avocado Chicken Salad with Homemade Dinner Rolls

Come summertime 'tis time to put away the hot stew recipes and bring out the summer salads. Summer mornings are perfect for running, horseback riding, or swimming which always puts me in the mood for a light, fresh meal. Make yourself a plate of this delicious concoction and head outside with some iced tea for some good ole fashioned porch-sitting.


Avocado Chicken Salad


Ingredients:
2 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded and pre-cooked)
2 medium avocados, diced1 Tablespoon + 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 1 medium sized lime)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup (or less) finely chopped fresh cilantro (if you've never used cilantro, be warned that it is strong, so better to start off with less than more)
3 Tablespoons Miracle Whip

Directions:

1. Pull the rotisserie chicken off the bone. It will be shredded.

2. Dice the avocados into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze 1 medium sized lime. Toss 1 Tablespoon of the freshly squeezed lime juice with the avocados. Salt to taste.

3. Chop cilantro and green onions. 

4. Put all ingredients into a large bowl.

5. Mix the Miracle Whip into the mixtures and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of lime juice. Be sure to mix it thoroughly, so the dressing is spread nicely throughout.
 
6. Eat now or refrigerate for later.

Homemade Dinner Rolls 
*copied from Martha Stewarts No-Knead Dinner Rolls*

Pre-baking. These rolls are huge.

Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water
2 packages of dry active yeast (1/4 oz. per package)
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons of butter, plus some
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
6 cups of all-purpose flour


Directions:

1. Pour warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, eggs, and salt; whisk to combine. Add flour; mix until incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Brush top of dough with butter; cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, roll dough into a thick log. Cut into 18 equal pieces (halve log, cut each half in thirds, then cut each piece into thirds again).
3. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. One at a time, flatten each piece of dough, then fold edges toward the center, pressing to secure, until a smooth ball forms. Place dough balls in prepared baking pan, smooth side up (you should have 3 rows of 6). Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.)
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove plastic wrap; brush rolls with butter. Bake until golden and rolls sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Pull rolls apart, and serve warm.

Enjoy this summer treat!


-Cara

Perfect BBQ Burgers

As a Southern Jewess, I have to take my barbecue in unconventional ways. No pulled pork platter here, no ma'am. But when the overwhelming smell of Birmingham's finest eateries becomes too much for me, I revert to my favorite barbecue sauce recipe and grill these perfect BBQ hamburgers.

I prefer everything homemade; rather than using store-bought buns, I decided to make my own. I used Mademoiselle Miam's excellent honey wheat roll recipe. Click on the preceding link to access the recipe.

The barbecue sauce recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:


1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground peppercorn

Directions:


Mix ingredients over low heat until combined, stirring occasionally.

I sprinkle my hamburger patties with salt and ground peppercorn and refrigerate them for thirty minutes prior to grilling. While grilling, I thoroughly coat both sides of the patties with barbecue sauce and serve the hamburgers coated in a thin layer of the remaining sauce.

Happy grilling!

--Alyssa

Honey Wheat Rolls

Let's talk about versatility.

I like my bread to be easy, versatile and tasty. These rolls fill each of those roles excellently. They are easy to make, and delicious both as homemade hamburger buns and solo with some cinnamon butter or Nutella as breakfast bread.

The crunchy honey coating creates a perfect contrast to the softness of these rolls.

Honey Wheat Rolls

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups milk, warmed
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey plus 1 tbsp.
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Heat milk in microwave roughly 30 seconds until warm. Sprinkle in yeast and stir to dissolve.

2. Mix flour, butter and salt in a large bowl. Add egg and melted butter. Stir well. Add warm milk and yeast mixture.
3. Knead dough until dough is smooth and tacky, adding small amounts of flour if necessary.
4. Move oil to a well-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl and let rise until doubled in size, approximately 2 hours.
5. Spray a large baking pan with butter spray. Gently deflate dough and divide into nine equal sections. Roll dough into balls and flatten slightly with palm, placing the rounds several inches apart on the greased cookie sheet.
6. Let rise for approximately one hour or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in 2 tablespoons of honey. Brush the tops of each bun with the mixture.
8. Bake for approximately 14 minutes, rotating the pan after 7 minutes in the oven.

--Alyssa

Revolutionary Pepper Jack Pasta

I've heard recently how much creamier pasta cooked in milk can be, but I've been dragging my heels in trying it out. (I was afraid to incur the wrath of Father Joe for using the rest of the milk.) A new yellow gallon of Mayfield milk was awaiting me this morning, however, so I decided that today was the day.

It was worth it.

The pasta is impeccably creamy, and, importantly, this was a ONE PAN pasta. After cooking the noodles in the milk, I simply added the cheese, allowed it to melt, and presto, delicioso. 

I decided to use a spicy cheese (Pepper Jack, my favorite) to balance out the sweetness and creaminess of the pasta. I also added in some salt and ground peppercorns for extra flavor. My mother the protein fiend added some leftover shredded lemon-pepper chicken to her pasta, which she said was surprisingly tasty.

Pepper Jack Pasta

Ingredients

2 cups dry pasta

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground peppercorn to taste

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions

1. Bring heavy cream and milk to simmer (not a boil) in a pan. Add dry pasta and reduce heat.

2. Add salt and peppercorn to pasta mixture and reduce heat. Cook for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is done.

3. Remove from heat and add pepper jack cheese, stirring to mix thoroughly. Serve.

Happy eating!

--Alyssa

Mongolian Beef and Rice

I'm missing my Asian friends. It's true. It's been two weeks since I left Samford (and my favorite Chinese exchange students) for the summer, and the Asian influence in my life has decreased dramatically. But that is a good thing for you, dear readers, for from that heartache was born a Mongolian Beef and Rice recipe that rivals the PF Chang's dish of the same name.

Mongolian Beef & Rice

Ingredients

One ribeye steak

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

3/4 tablespoon minced garlic

1/5 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Directions

1. Slice flank steak into cubes. Pan-sear until brown. (No need to marinate.)

2. Heat vegetable oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce and water over low heat. Add brown sugar. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the sauce to the pan-seared steak and let simmer.

4. Serve over rice.

Happy year of the dragon, y'all.

--Alyssa

Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo

Before I delve into the recipe for this show-stopper, I must offer a quick disclaimer. This recipe is a copycat recipe I created for a dish of the same name served at Red Lobster which, as a non-shellfish-eating Jewess, I discovered last year at a seafood-themed birthday party for an elderly aunt. After tweaking the recipe to perfection, I think that this version is actually tastier than the Red Lobster version.

This is the recipe that Cara and I use as our go-to for gatherings of friends.

I actually used farfalle noodles in lieu of linguini noodles this go-around, but I prefer linguini or egg noodles.

Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo


Ingredients


2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons McCormick cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay garlic & herb seasoning
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
Linguini noodles

Directions


1. Cube chicken and coat well in cajun seasoning, dried basil, lemon pepper seasoning, kosher salt, and garlic & herb seasoning. Marinate for at least 20 minutes.

2. Sautée chicken in a medium saucepan over medium eat in butter until thoroughly cooked.

3. Add heavy cream. Stir well. Reduce heat and let simmer.

4. Add parmesan cheese. Stir well. Let simmer until cheese is melted and sauce thickens.

5. Cook linguini noodles according to package directions. Serve chicken and sauce over cooked noodles.



Happy spicy Tuesday, y'all.

--Alyssa

Snickerdoodle Muffins

These are divine even without the decadence that is chocolate. I made these in January and brought them to college with me. Needless to say, Alyssa and I devoured these in a trice. However, the whirlwind that was spring semester wiped them from my overloaded brain. Until now...

Ingredients 

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 to 1 1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for layering

Directions

1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.

2.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.

3.Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally.

4. Layer sugar/cinnamon mixture and batter alternatively in muffin tin. (Ex. One layer of sugar/cinnamon, one layer of batter, one layer of sugar/cinnamon, one layer of batter, one layer of sugar/cinnamon). Be sure to end with the sugar/cinnamon layer. This makes 12 very large muffins. Or you could make a couple of smaller muffins. Bake them for approximately 20-22 minutes in a 350F oven or until they are golden brown.

Enjoy with a glass of cold milk or maybe even some hot earl grey!

-Cara

Chocolate Buttermilk Oreo Cake

The recipe for this cake was born after a rather intense debate over whether red velvet or chocolate would end up as the cake of choice for my little sister's graduation festivities. I was rooting for the red velvet, but some of the family desired food that wasn't tainted with food dye (I highly doubt the red food dye poses a greater health threat than the rest of the ingredients...). I prepared myself to compromise with a delectable looking Oreo Cake that I had recently pinterested. However, I recently failed miserably with a pinterest recipe for scones (my goal for the summer is to find a magical recipe for scones and clotted cream so I can celebrate afternoon tea), so I was wary about testing another (I'm beginning to believe that some pinteresters are complete liars). The recipe I created incorporates the buttermilk and Oreos into one phenomenal chocolate cake.

Cake Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups unsweetened Dutch cocoa (Ghiradelli)

3 cups cake flour sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

10-15 oreos twisted to separate

15 oreos chopped in half

Icing

1 stick butter melted

2/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

2/3 cup whipping cream

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

dash of vanilla extract

1/4 (or more if desired) cup Oreo cooking crumbs made from reserved Oreo sides

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degress. Butter and flour two round cake pans and set aside. One one layer, place cookie halves cream side up.

2. Sift cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Put butter and sugar into bowl of electric mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy (3 minutes). Mix in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add cocoa mixture in 2 batches, alternating with buttermilk.

4. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake about 35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.

5. While cake layers are cooling, stir melted butter into cocoa for frosting. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating. Add more milk if necessary and stir in vanilla.

6. Meanwhile, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff. Fold in cookie crumbs. 

7. Place the layer with Oreos on a cake plate (Oreos should be on the top). Use the chocolate frosting to  make a dam around the edge of the cake. Pour cream filling in the middle and spread to the dam.

8. Place the second layer on top of the first layer. Frost the tops and sides with chocolate icing. Place halved Oreos around the edge of the cake and sprinkle crumbs on top. 

Voilà! You are finally finished. Enjoy this delectable treat after a long afternoon of baking!

-Cara

Frozen Blueberry Lemonade

Frozen lemonade is the perfect complement to a sunny late-may afternoon. This is indisputable. I usually turn to frozen strawberry lemonade when the sunshine starts to stream, but a mid-afternoon conversation with the other mademoiselle miam stopped me in my tracks. In a moment of divine providence, I passed the Publix frozen fruit aisle as Cara and I were discussing her imminent experimentation with blueberry scone recipes (miam miam!). And that's when I knew.

Frozen BLUEBERRY lemonade.

The contraposition of tangy lemon and sweet summer blueberry is absolutely divine. You just can't beat it. I'll be lusting after this chilly drink all summer.

Oh, yum.

Frozen Blueberry Lemonade

Ingredients

2 cups frozen blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup chilled water

1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Mix sugar, water and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.

2. Blend lemonade with frozen blueberries until smooth.

Happy summer eating!

--Alyssa

Cheesy Blackened Chicken Farfalle Pasta

It's four PM. The birds are chirping, Julieta Venegas is blasting through the kitchen stereo, and I haven't eaten lunch. Upon attempting to make my infamous cajun chicken linguini alfredo, I discover that we are out of both dried basil and linguini noodles. I don my apron and begin the combinations.

This is one of those dishes that appeared out of my boredom like an angel of light and will repeatedly appear on my kitchen table. I'm a sucker for cheesy pastas, and this dish is a great, less-spicy alternative to the show-stopping cajun linguini.

Blackened Chicken Farfalle Pasta

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

Farfalle noodles

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic & herb seasoning (I use Old Bay brand)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground peppercorn

shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cube chicken and coat well in olive oil, paprika, cajun seasoning, cumin, thyme, garlic & herb seasoning, salt and ground peppercorn. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, but preferably overnight.

2. Sautee chicken in spice mixture over medium heat until blackened.

3. Add heavy cream. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes, adding shredded parmesan to taste.

4. Cook farfalle noodles according to package directions. Serve blackened chicken and sauce over cooked noodles.

Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes and Cinnamon-Sugar Butter

It was one of those mornings when I reached for the Bisquick and realized that the expiration date was September 2011 (ouch to my womanhood). It was also one of those mornings when I had a fresh batch of cinnamon-sugar butter seductively watching me from the refrigerator. It is natural that a pancake recipe was born.

And these aren't just any pancakes. These are buttermilk pancakes. As much as I detest buttermilk in its natural form, as the basis for pancakes it is, as my Indian friend would say, "dee cat's me-wow." 

(And if, like me, you don't have buttermilk on hand, here's an easy and effective buttermilk substitute: mix together one cup of milk and one teaspoon of lemon juice and let the mixture sit for five minutes.)

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ cup sugar

1 ¼ cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

pinch of salt

Directions

1. Beat egg and mix thoroughly with buttermilk. Add all dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
2. Cook on a griddle over low to medium heat until thoroughly done. 

Now, although I'm sure these pancakes would taste excellent coated in plain butter and maple syrup, I don't think you can beat slathering them in the wonder of cinnamon-sugar butter. Here's my recipe:

Cinnamon-Sugar Butter

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Melt butter.

2. Combine butter, confectioner's sugar and cinnamon thoroughly.

3. Refrigerate.

Happy eating!

--Alyssa

Baked Nutella French Toast

My mother loves French Toast. I love Nutella. I thought that an overnight French Toast concoction involving Nutella would be an excellent way to kick off a glorious summer of cooking at home.

Overnight Nutella French Toast

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup honey

1 loaf day-old challah, sliced (roughly 10 slices)

Nutella to taste

2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

1. Whisk together eggs, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
2. Drizzle ½ cup maple syrup and ¼ cup honey in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.
3. Slather challah slices generously with Nutella, making “sandwiches” with each set of two slices of challah bread.
4. Dip each “sandwich” fully into the egg and cream mixture. Then line up the “sandwiches” in the baking pan.
5. Pour the remainder of the egg and cream mixture into the baking pan.
6. Refrigerate overnight, tightly covered.
7. Bake at 365 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
   
   
   Happy baking!
   
   
   --Alyssa

Chipotle Honey Chicken Salad

Late May means home for the summer. And you know what that means -- I have fourteen glorious weeks to cook whatever the Sam Hill I want to cook and my parents have fourteen glorious weeks of non-takeout dinners.

This summer is going to look a little bit healthier than the last. I'm breaking out the lettuce.

Chipotle Honey Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon Chipotle seasoning

¾ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag. Marinate chicken breasts in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
2. Using a grilling pan, grill chicken over low heat until thoroughly cooked.

As you can see, I sliced the chicken thinly and served it over a salad of home-grown lettuce, chopped pecans and raspberry vinaigrette.

The deceitfully delicious-looking cheese biscuits in the picture were an attempt to replicate the infamous cheese biscuits at Jim & Nick's Barbecue in Birmingham, AL, which I discovered shortly before leaving Alabama for the summer. These biscuits are so good that my dinner table (which included me, two American friends, a professor from Spain and three Chinese exchange students) devoured SEVEN BASKETS. That, my friends, constitutes an entire basket of cheese biscuits per individual. One Chinese student, who will remain unnamed, was so enamored with the biscuits that after a waitress failed to promptly refill our basket, exclaimed, "Hey! Sweetheart! More teese bistets!"

These biscuits were way too dense, but look forward to a successful version of the recipe-- it WILL be found.

--Alyssa