Feta, Basil and Roasted Red Pepper Muffins

I have a confession to make.

I am a total carbaholic.   Is that a word?  Well, sure it is.  It can be defined as this:

carb·a·hol·ic

noun

-A person addicted to carbs and all delicious things containing them, i.e. bread, pasta, muffins, etc.

Okay, okay...so maybe it's not THAT bad, but I sure do love homemade breads and other carb-y delights.  These muffins are a great fix for those cravings.  I crave carbs even more, now that Brad and I are training for the Rumpshaker 5K in March (which we are so excited about!).  At least, it makes me feel better to blame it on all that running on the treadmill!  :-)

These muffins are fabulously savory...a pleasant surprise from the usually sweet muffins that we are all used to.  Instead of biting into bits of fruit or sugar, these muffins surprise you with cheesy pockets of Greek feta and flavorful bits of roasted red bell pepper.  Throw some herbs into the mix, and you have yourself one delicious muffin.
  

The only change that I had to make was the substitution of dried thyme, instead of using fresh basil.  I would have preferred using the basil, but fresh, g00d-looking basil can be hard to find this time of year.  The dried thyme did add a nice little punch of flavor, though.

 These muffins are also very versatile.  I served them alongside a dinner of salmon, but they'd be equally perfect at breakfast with a few slices of bacon and some scrambled eggs.
  

Bon Appetit, my friends! 
 

Feta, Basil, & Roasted Red Pepper Muffins

Source:  The Art & Soul of Baking

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) jarred roasted red bell pepper, patted dry and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil
• 1 large egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and position an oven rack in the center.  Lightly coat the muffin tin with melted butter, oil, or high-heat canola-oil spray.  

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the feta cheese, roasted bell pepper, and chopped basil.  Set aside. Pour the buttermilk into the measuring cup.  Add the olive oil and the egg and whisk together until well blended.  

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well and stir gently with a spatula.  Mix only until there are no more streaks of flour or pools of liquid and the batter looks fairly smooth.  A few small lumps scattered throughout are fine - they will disappear during baking.  Gently fold in the feta cheese mixture until evenly distributed in the batter.

4. Use the large ice cream scoop or 2 soup spoons to divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops feel firm and a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean.  Transfer the muffin tin to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. 

5. Gently run a thin knife or spatula around each muffin to free it from the pan, lift out the muffins, and transfer them to a rack to finish cooling (careful, these are tender while hot). Serve warm or store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for 1 month. Reheat room temperature muffins in oven at 375 for about 8 minutes or in microwave. 

Absolutely Sinful Cinnamon Rolls - 2011!

Before baking...look at those pecan pieces...Yum!

What a wonderful, wonderful holiday season it's been around our home!  I can't believe that 2011 is coming to a close.  It's been an awesome year, and we are excited to see what 2012 will bring!

If you've been following this blog for a while, you may know that homemade Cinnamon Rolls are one of our holiday traditions on Christmas Day.  The Pioneer Woman's recipe is BY FAR the best!  In fact, I've blogged about these rolls every year since 2009.  The maple and coffee glaze really sends these cinnamon rolls over the top...After all, I called them "Absolutely Sinful Cinnamon Rolls" for a reason!

I tried something a little different this year...I added finely chopped pecans before rolling them up, which was incredible.  I have a feeling that pecans will be a regular addition in the future.

You can find the recipe and posts from previous years HERE. 

This recipe rocks because you can put the cinnamon rolls together on Christmas Eve, pop them in the fridge for their final "rising" overnight, and then bake them on Christmas morning.  That makes Christmas morning breakfast a breeze, because who wants to be stuck in the kitchen??  Plus, I'm convinced that the smell of these babies baking in the oven is quite possibly the most scrumptious smell in the entire world.

I hope that you and yours have a SAFE, WONDERFUL, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bon Appetit, my friends!  :)

Before baking...

Maple and Coffee Glaze...Oh my!

The Pioneer Woman's Buttermilk Biscuits + Tips!

If you're a Southern gal like me, you've probably passed your fair share of buttermilk biscuits around the dinner table.  It's hard to beat those buttery, delicious layers that are accompanied so perfectly by your favorite fruit preserves, fresh honey or jam.  

I've made homemade buttermilk biscuits several times with pretty good results, but they don't always come out the way I want.  THESE from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook were particularly yummy.   I do have to say that this recipe from Ree Drummond was excellent, and it was fun to watch them rise in the oven!


Here are a few tips for making delicious buttermilk biscuits:
1.  Don't overwork your dough, because it will make the biscuits tough.
2.  Cut straight down with the biscuit cutter...don't turn it as you cut, because that will seal the biscuits and prevent a high rise.  Also, use a sharp biscuit cutter!
3.  Keep your butter as cold as possible, and again...don't overmix!  When the biscuits are put into the oven, the cold butter will create steam and help those babies rise high!  Also, you may even want to pop your mixing bowl into the freezer for a few minutes before starting.
4.  Excess flour on the tops and bottoms may make the biscuits seem dry.  Be sure and brush it off before baking.
5.  You can use either a food processor or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour.  I've used both methods, and they work pretty good.  I used a pastry cutter on this particular recipe.
6.  Flours with less protein will yield a lighter, fluffier biscuit.  A lot of folks here in the South swear by White Lily brand flour.  It has a low % of protein and is perfect for buttermilk biscuits.
So, just remember:
Less Protein = Better for biscuits and other quick breads
Higher Protein = Better for yeast breads


Bon Appetit!

Buttermilk Biscuits

Source:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold butter (5 1/3 tablespoons), cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. In large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir together. Add the shortening and cold butter pieces. With pastry blender, cut the shortening and butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Pour in the buttermilk and mix gently with fork until just combined. The biscuit dough will be sticky,  not overly dry or crumbly.

4. Lightly flour a clean surface. Turn the dough out of the bowl and roll to a 3/4″ thickness. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes until golden brown.  Do not underbake, or the biscuits will be doughy.

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

***I have a new obsession...It comes in the form of a crunchy cookie that when dipped in coffee becomes one of the most decadent bits of deliciousness that I could imagine.  What is this, you say?  Biscotti, of course!! 

I posted a recipe for Dreamy Coconut Biscotti  back a few weeks ago, that really was the stuff that dreams are made of...haha.  I wanted to try another biscotti recipe, and this one for Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti sounded amazing for two reasons:

#1.  I recently purchased a big bag of the most beautiful whole hazelnuts that I needed just the right recipe for.

#2.  Chocolate - That's the best reason I can think of to make anything!

In one bite of this heavenly biscotti, you might get equal parts crunchy goodness from the hazelnuts, and equal parts gooey goodness from the chocolate morsels.  Like any good biscotti, they are incredibly crunchy on their own, but when dipped into your favorite coffee, they become the perfect consistency.  They have the most fantastic hazelnutty flavor, too.

I found this recipe over at Fresh From the Oven.  She took Martha Stewart's recipe and made a few of her own changes.  The only change that I made was in the size of the biscotti cookies.  Instead of three smaller logs, I made one larger one.  Because of this, I did have to bake mine a good bit longer to make sure that they were baked all the way through.

Be careful...You might just become biscotti-obsessed too if you make these!!

Bon Appetit!!***

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
adapted and modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups(about 8 ounces) blanched hazelnuts
2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 eggwhite for glaze (optional), at room temperature
Sanding sugar (or granulated)for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa,baking soda,salt, 2 cups of chocolate morsels and hazelnuts, until chocolate chunks and hazelnuts are the size of peas. *if you don't have a food processor, coarsely chop the nuts and chocolate and sieve the flour.

In a bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture. When it's well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

Martha Stewart's proper way:
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape each pieces into an 18 inch log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, gently press the logs to flatten slighlt. Brush egg wash over logs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.

OR

Mandy's lazy not messy way:
Using the spatula as a guide, drop the dough by spoonful into a 2.5-inches wide and 18-inches long log directly onto the parchment paper. Slightly flatten it to 1/2-inch thick. Leave 2 inches space between logs.*** Brush eggwash over logs. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until logs are just firm to the touch, 20-24 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti log on the diagonal, into 1/4-inch thick, or if you like, 3/4-inch thick (which is more durable to be send off as care package.

Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down on the rack.Bake until biscottis are firm to the touch and completely dry. 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove pans from the oven;Let biscottis cool completely on the rack. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I keep them in the freezer when I don't feel like sharing with others. They can be kept there for months.

Dreamy Coconut Biscotti

***For me, there aren't many flavors more decadent and yummy than coconut.  At the same time, it can transport you to a sunny beach in the south pacific or bring back memories of your grandmother's coconut macaroons.  Wherever you are, one thing is certain - this Coconut Biscotti could be said to have magical coconutty powers.  

We celebrated my wonderful hubby's birthday just a few days ago, and he requested a Dark Chocolate-Coffee Cake for his big day.  I had just the cake in mind - There's a chocolate cake recipe that I've used countless times, making a few changes here and there until it's just right.  You can see the recipe HERE.  For Brad's cake, I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, and can I just say - WOW!  Everyone really loved this cake.  It was delish!

Earlier in the day, I surprised Brad with his own little personal heart-shaped birthday cake, which I made with the extra cake batter.

 Here's a quick pic I was able to get of the inside of the cake, before it was devoured. ;-)

Now, I wanted to think of something special to make that would go along with Brad's cake.  After some debate and brain-storming, I had a plan...Biscotti!  For one thing, biscotti and coffee go together like rock and roll, salt and pepper, shake and bake...well, you get my point.  Because the cake had coconut flavoring baked into it, I knew that Coconut Biscotti just might be the perfect thing!  In the end, it paired beautifully with the coffee and coconut flavors of the cake.  Picture this - A decadent slice of dark chocolate coconutty cake, a heaping spoon-full of creamy vanilla ice cream over the top, and a steaming cup of coffee and coconut biscotti on the side.  This folks, was the yummy dessert that we enjoyed on Brad's birthday.  Perfection!

Make this Coconut Biscotti soon...You'll be convinced of it's magical powers in no time!  Like all biscotti, it's best dipped into a hot cup of your favorite coffee, which makes it just the right consistency.  You could also dip half of each biscotti into melted chocolate.  In fact, that was my original plan, but Brad loved it just the way it was. 


Bon Appetit!!***

Coconut Biscotti

Source:  Adapted from Cooking Light magazine, April 2005

¾  teaspoon  baking powder

¼  teaspoon  salt

¼  teaspoon  baking soda

⅛  teaspoon  grated whole nutmeg

¾  cup  sugar

1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

2  large eggs

1  cup  flaked sweetened coconut

1 ½  cups  all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Place sugar, vanilla, coconut extract and eggs in a large bowl;  beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until thick.  Add flour mixture and flaked coconut, stirring to combine (dough will be very sticky).   Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface and knead lightly 7 or 8 times.  Shape the dough into a 15 x 3-inch log and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone liner.  Pat the log to 1-inch thickness and bake at 300° for 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack.

Move roll to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 20 (1/2-inch-thick) slices.  Return the slices to the baking sheet, standing them upright (not on either side as this allows both sides to be baked at the same time and does not require turning half way through baking).  Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake 20 minutes - note that the cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool.  Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

***So, I know that this post is a little late, but I wanted to share some photos from this Christmas with you all.  I still cannot believe that 2010 is coming to a close.  It seems like this year just flew by so fast.  

I also want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very blessed and prosperous 2011!!  May this year be the best one yet!***

For the past 3 years, we've made it an annual tradition to make THESE CINNAMON ROLLS from scratch.  You may remember my previous posts about these incredible treats.  They are so amazingly delicious, that they should be illegal!  My mom-in-law talks about them all year long, so I look forward to baking them up for everyone.  The Pioneer Woman's recipe makes 6 - 7 aluminum tins full of ooey, gooey, incredibly sinful cinnamon rolls, so make a batch for all of your friends and family! 

We had a lot of fun making them this year on Christmas Eve!

 

I think that Brad had the most fun, though! Hehe

Pouring the Maple-Coffee glaze...oh my...

 It's important to move the tin around, to make sure the glaze soaks into every little crevice!

 Here they are folks, the most delicious cinnamon rolls on the planet!

The makings of Peppermint Bark...Melting the chocolate in a double boiler...

The Peppermint Bark was a big hit!

Chocolate covered pretzels have always been one of my favorites...they are my weakness!  This platter of goodies didn't last very long.

We had our own little Christmas miracle in Alabama this year...SNOW!  Look at what we woke up to on Christmas morning...It was beautiful.

The pups played and played with their new toys and treats that Santa brought.  ;-)

My adorable little niece, Dakota, had a blast on Christmas day!

My other little cute-as-a-button niece, Amber, does the funniest little thing...she does "The Look."  Here's a video...

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Maple and Pecans

***When I saw this recipe in the November 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine, I tore it out immediately.  It sounded like the perfect addition to our Thanksgiving table.  The recipe calls for 100% maple syrup and chopped pecans to be added directly to the biscuit dough.  Can biscuits possibly get much more scrumptious than that??  I think NOT!

These biscuits have a sweet and nutty taste, and because of their small size I bet you won't be able to eat just one of them.  I did substitute regular AP flour, instead of using the gluten-free flour that the recipe mentions.  I had already been to the grocery store and wasn't really excited about going yet again before Thanksgiving.  I couldn't really tell a difference...the biscuits still tasted great.  However, I later found a note on the Bon Appetit website that recommends reducing the baking powder to 2 teaspoons if you use AP flour.  Maybe when I make these again tomorrow, I will try this suggestion and see if it makes them any better.

Happy Thanksgiving and Bon Appetit!!!***

Ingredients:

• 1 large red-skinned sweet potato (yam; about 1 1/4 pounds), pierced with fork
• 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour plus additional
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

• Ingredient Info

  For the gluten-free sweet potato biscuits, we used King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour. The mix of white rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch gave us tender, delicious results ($8 for a 24-ounce box at kingarthurflour.com).

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment. Microwave potato until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Halve; scoop out 1 cup flesh. Cool. Blend 1 1/3 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Add butter; pulse to coarse meal. Add potato, buttermilk, and syrup; process to blend. Add nuts; pulse to blend.
• Sprinkle dough with flour. Pat into 81/2-inch square. Cut into 16 biscuits. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread - Southern Living

***There seriously aren't very many things that smell better than Banana Nut Bread baking in the oven.   Don't you agree?  This recipe for Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread from Southern Living magazine was one of the very first recipes that I added to this blog...back in November 2007!  In fact, I came across it when I worked for the magazine as a Marketing Intern.  Back then, I didn't have a photo for every recipe, and the blog post was simply the recipe and nothing else.  Because this is my go-to recipe for Banana Nut Bread (and because it is so amazing!), I thought that it deserved a little more attention. 

This is quite honestly some of the best Banana Nut Bread that I've ever had.  An entire 8oz. package of cream cheese is added right to the batter, along with 4 mashed bananas.  The cream cheese adds so much to this recipe, with an incredibly moist texture being the main component.  Plus, the roasted pecans are the perfect addition.  Roasting the nuts brings out their natural oils and adds SO much flavor...Don't skip this step!  To roast them, simply place the pecans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted.  I usually add a sprinkling of pecans over the top of the batter before baking.  Another trick is to leave a few small chunks of banana...I don't mash them up completely. 

Another great thing about this recipe?  It makes TWO loaves, so you can put one in the freezer for later or give it away to someone very lucky!

Bon Appetit!***

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread
***Makes 2 loaves***

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanillla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loafpans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. (I found that after one hour, my banana bread wasn't completely cooked through.  I ended up baking it for an extra 10-15 minutes.) Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Source: Southern Living magazine

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread...Not Your Mama's Recipe!

***Here in the south, cornbread is a staple...and this recipe from Ina Garten spices things up a bit...literally! 

If you're tired of the same ole', boring cornbread recipe, then you should give this one a try.  With the addition of cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos, this isn't your mama's cornbread!  Ina gets it perfect here...Your tastebuds will be greeted by cheesy-goodness right from the first bite.  And just when you think it's safe, your tongue is slapped around a bit by a chunk of jalapeno!

Brad was a huge fan of this cornbread...it is the perfect mix of spicyness and comfort food.  Make this recipe tonight...You'll definitely spice things up!

Bon Appetit!***

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Source:  Barefoot Contessa at Home, by Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers


Directions:
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.


Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Foolproof Popovers

***Melissa d'Arabian's recipe for "Foolproof Popovers" is just that...foolproof!  These rolls are SO easy, that you won't believe it!  With the help of a blender, these come together in a flash.  On top of that, they puff up while baking and make a really cool presentation.  They puff up so tall, that you'll start to wonder if they're going to topple over.

One great trick that Melissa mentions during her TV show, Ten Dollar Dinners, is her "No Peek Rule."  Once the popovers go into the oven, DO NOT open the oven door until they are done.  That initial burst of steam from pre-heating the muffin tin helps them rise even taller.  You certainly don't want that steam and heat to escape from the oven too soon.

The inside of these popovers is creamy, just like Melissa describes.  They're light and airy, too....sort of hard to describe!  Strawberry jam made the perfect addition to ours.  After 35 minutes, my popovers were perfectly browned.  Try these today...You've probably already got all of the ingredients that you need on-hand!

Bon Appetit!***


Foolproof Popovers
Source:  Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian


Ingredients:
3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 eggs
1 cup milk, warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave (should be lukewarm to warm)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions:
Special equipment: muffin tin


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Using a pastry brush, coat 8 muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and put the tin in the oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the eggs in a blender until light yellow. Add the warmed milk and blend. Add the flour, salt and remaining melted butter, and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the warmed muffin tin and return it to the oven to bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Homemade Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

***If you've ever had the good fortune to eat a warm Krispy Kreme doughnut right off of the conveyor belt, you know that they are purely heaven-sent.  However, there isn't always a Krispy Kreme right down the street or at your disposal, so this recipe will help satisfy your doughnut craving! 

A co-worker of mine shared this recipe with me last week, and I couldn't wait to try it!  These doughnuts are very easy to make...The hardest part is simply waiting for the dough to rise.  After frying the first few doughnuts, you may want to cut into them just to make sure they're cooked all the way through.  I don't have a candy thermometer, so I had to guess at the right temperature.  The first few were a tiny bit under-cooked in the middle, so they had to go back into the hot tub!

I only made half of this recipe, because I certainly didn't need the full 48 doughnuts hanging out in the kitchen!  While these do taste A LOT like the real thing, no homemade doughnut can replace the original!  Without a doubt, you'll LOVE these!

Bon Appetit!***

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Recipe Adapted From:  http://www.recipezaar.com/Krispy-Kreme-Doughnuts-63746

Ingredients:

Doughnuts:
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs (beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
7 cups sifted flour

Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold water

Directions:
Mix together ingredients for glaze.  Set aside.

Melt butter in hot milk, add 1 tsp sugar and salt. Allow to cool.  Pour milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat in yeast, nutmeg, eggs, remaining sugar, and 3 cups flour.

Add rest of flour (dough will be sticky).

With the dough hook attachment, knead for 5 minutes.  Cover bowl with a kitchen towel, and set it in a warm, dry room.  Allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Roll out dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, cut into shapes.

Do not re-roll dough, then allow to rise for 30-45 minutes.

Heat oil to 365° and fry 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until brown. Toss in the doughnut holes first, let those cook, and then proceed to cooking the doughnuts.

Let them cool on a paper towel.  This will help get the glaze to stick.

Dip in warm glaze.  Enjoy!

Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Biscuits

As a Southern girl born and raised in Alabama, I naturally gravitated straight to the Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. Actually, it was the first recipe I tried out of this awesome cookbook. Everyone...I repeat, Everyone...needs a great Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in their arsenal...whether you are Southern, or not!

These particular biscuits are perfectly buttery, comforting, and scrumptious! They go wonderfully with jam, of course. Thomas Keller also recommends serving them with a sprinkling of fleur de sel or as a strawberry shortcake biscuit for dessert.

I have to warn you, though...These are NOT in any form or fashion diet biscuits...Hah. After all, what great biscuits are, right? These do have a lot of butter in them, but they wouldn't be the same without it.

Be careful not to overwork your dough. That will make your biscuits tough. Also, be sure to press the dough cutter straight down, without turning the cutter. If you turn it while cutting, your biscuits may not rise as high.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 cubes and chilled
1-1/2 cups buttermilk + 1 to 2 tbsp for brushing
2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In bowl of food processor, combine two flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse several times to blend. Add the chilled butter and pulse several times, until the pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Don't overprocess or let dough come together.

Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Pour in 1-1/2 cups buttermilk. Stir and lift mixture with wooden spoon, gently working flour into buttermilk. Dough should begin to come together but not form solid mass or biscuits may be tough.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat into 3/4-inch rectangle, about 9 inches by 13 inches.

Using 2-1/2-inch round cutter (or bottom of glass), cut out biscuits. If the cutter sticks to the dough, dip the cutter in flour before cutting. The dough trimmings can be gently pushed together, patted out and cut one more time; do not overwork the dough.

Place biscuits, 1-inch apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until a rich golden brown. As soon as you remove the biscuits from the oven, brush with melted butter. Serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits.