Posts Tagged ‘recipes’
Daily Recipe :: Carrot Cake with Tangy Orange Frosting
We feel like celebrating. It’s almost Mother’s Day (make sure you call your mom!) and we have fantastic events planned this weekend. It looks like this rainy weather might stick around for awhile, so it’s the perfect evening to make a cake. Carrots are still going strong in central Texas, and not only are they perfect for snacking they also make a mean baked good.
This recipe goes one step beyond simple carrot cake with the addition of orange frosting. While a good carrot cake should be able to stand on its own, it’s always nice when you pair it with the perfect frosting. We still have some local citrus, which will be out of season soon, so grab it while you can.
We enjoyed that the author made it slightly healthier by adding goat cheese to the frosting, which is easier to digest than cow’s milk and adds a bit more tang. She also added less sugar and used olive oil instead of butter, which makes for a cake that you feel a little less guilty about eating, right?
Who are we kidding, guilt and delicious (real) food shouldn’t go together.
Happy eating!
Carrot Cake with Tangy Orange Frosting
From: The Kitchn
in.gredients
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
For the frosting:
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- Whole walnuts, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line both with a round of parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using an electric mixer on medium-low, combine the olive oil, buttermilk, sugars, eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. With a spoon, fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.
Divide the batter equally between the two pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then carefully invert them out of the pans, peel off the parchment, and set them right side up to cool completely on the rack.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. With an electric mixer on medium-low, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, orange zest and vanilla. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar until the frosting reaches desired consistency.
To frost the cake, first spread a small dab of icing on the cake plate. Cut narrow strips of parchment or paper and place them in a grid on the cake plate, leaving the center open. They should be close enough together that the cake layer sits on top of the paper with no part of the diameter exposed directly to the plate.
Using a serrated bread knife, carefully carve off the domed top of one of the layers as evenly as possible. Center this first layer on the plate. Using an offset spatula, apply a “crumb coat”: a thin layer of frosting meant to keep the crumbs down. (Refrigerate the layer at this point if the crumbs are coming up.)
Stir the frosting and place about 1/3 of it over the bottom cake layer. Spread the frosting with the spatula until even and smooth. Make sure that the frosting is thicker around the edges.
Place the second layer on top and apply a crumb coat. Refrigerate. Place about half of the remaining frosting around the sides of the cake, working the frosting around the edges. Spread the remaining frosting across the top of the cake, dipping the spatula in warm water and wiping it off between strokes to keep it warm and clean for a smoother finish.
Remove the strips one at a time, pulling it out in a straight line, parallel to the floor. Garnish the cake with walnuts, herbs, flowers and/or birthday candles.
Daily Recipe :: Peach & Strawberry Popsicles
We just got in some local peaches, the first of the season. The joy of eating your first local peach is some sort of magic. Something as exciting as fresh peaches in May deserves a dish where the peaches are the main attraction. True, we paired them with strawberries in this tasty treat, but it you think peaches are delicious alone, try them with ripe strawberries… heavenly. With the weather heating up, popsicles are the perfect snack to have waiting for you. They’re also extremely easy to make, which results in a winning dessert/snack/treat. Happy eating!
Peach & Strawberry Popsicles
From: Weelicious
in.gredients
- 4 small ripe peaches (or 2 big peaches), pitted
- 1 cup strawberries, stems removed
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup almond milk
Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours. Serve!
Meatless Monday Recipe: Earl Grey Almond Yogurt Cake
It’s somewhat dreary outside, so to compensate for that you should spend some time baking. Nothing says cloudy days like brewing a pot of tea, especially when you use that tea in a baked good.
Earl grey tea is known for its distinctive flavor and aroma that comes from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of bergamot orange. Traditionally, it’s a black tea flavored with the citrus although now it can be a blend of any type of tea, including green and rooibos.
This well-known tea is named for an English prime minister, Lord Charles Grey the second, from the 1830s who drank it regularly.
This tea is great to drink alone and is used in baking due to its delicate taste that adds a subtle warmth to your cookies, cakes and breads.
We fell in love with the combination of almond, yogurt and earl grey in this recipe as it leaves you with a moist cake (or bread) that is perfect served warm on this cloudy afternoon.
Happy eating!
Earl Grey Almond Yogurt Cake
From: Butter My Up Brooklyn
in.gredients
- .21 ounces of earl grey tea
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8×4 loaf pan, line with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.
In a small saucepan combine the milk and tea leaves and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until the milk is warm and the tea begins to steep. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the oil, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until the oil and yogurt have combined. Stir in the milk and tea leaves. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, whisking briefly to break the yolks, then add to the yogurt mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well using several quick strokes. Be careful not to over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Daily Recipe: Nut Butter Parsnip Fries
Things got stormy here in Austin, TX yesterday. With over two inches of rain falling in a few hours, our parking lot turned into a pool and our garden got a very long shower. It was a pretty wonderful storm. What can we say? We’re fans of the rain.
It was the kind of weather that makes staying in sound like the best option and what better way to spend your time than in the kitchen? We just got in some parsnips from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, which are the perfect rainy day food.
If you’re unfamiliar with parsnips, picture a root vegetable that looks like a carrot, just paler with a stronger flavor. They’re a good source of vitamin C and vitamin B, which helps keep your digestive system, skin and nerves healthy and functioning. Back in Roman times parsnips were believed to be an aphrodisiac, and while this might not be true, they’re still worth eating.
We liked this recipe because it’s easy, unique (almond butter fries?!) and the parsnips are the star. Happy eating!
Nut Butter Crusted Parsnip Fries
From: Oh She Glows
- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into thin fry-like strips
- 3 Tbsp nut butter (2 Tbsp peanut butter and 1 Tbsp almond butter)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Peel and cut parsnips into fry-like strips. In a medium bowl, mix together the nut butters, olive oil and salt. Take parsnips and toss in a bowl with your hands until fully coated. Line up on baking pan and cook at 400F for 30-50 minutes, until crisp.
Enjoy!
Daily Recipe: Cabbage Rolls
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with cabbage. Either you avoid it at the store because you’re wary, or a recipe will call for two cups of chopped cabbage, and you’ll be left with half a head and no idea what to do with it. We’re here to help. This recipe is a tasty option for a quick dinner idea, and will fill the salt craving that can hit around dinner time.
The original recipe calls for ground pork, but you can do ground chicken, turkey or make your own tofu scramble if you’re a vegan or vegetarian. With the powerful flavors of garlic and ginger, this dish takes on Asian flavors and using the cabbage leaves instead of rice paper will save on calories and add some nutritional value to your dinner.
These rolls would also make good appetizers at a dinner party, and who doesn’t love good finger food? Happy eating!
Cabbage Rolls
From: The Daily Green
in.gredients
- 8 cabbage leaves
- 1/2 pound ground chicken, turkey, pork or tofu
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 Tbsp chopped ginger, about 1 inch pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1/2 tsp tamari
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Set up a steamer, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Separate the eight cabbage leaves. Trim the thick stem from each leaf. Stem the leaves for 5 minutes or just until they are pliable. Cool them under cold water and set aside. Combine your protein of choice, carrot, onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and noodles or rice. Mix well to blend.
Lay each cabbage leaf out onto a work surface. Spoon three Tbsp of the filling onto each leaf. Divide any remaining filling evenly between the leaves. To roll, fold one end of the cabbage leaf over the filling. Fold in each side then roll into a log shape. Place the cabbage rolls on a plate and chill before cooking. This recipe may be made up to one day ahead to this point.
To cook the cabbage rolls, place them in a steamer set over, not in, boiling water. Steam them for 15 minutes to thoroughly cook them. Serve them with a soy dipping sauce.
Daily Recipe: Coconut-Ginger Kale
We have our red russian kale on sale (who doesn’t love a good vegetable rhyme?) So we wanted to offer up a simple recipe where kale is the star.
Kale belongs to the cabbage family, characterized by headless, leafy greens. It’s a cool weather crop, which means down here in Texas it flourishes in the winter. Kale has been popular since ancient Greek and Roman times and has become a beloved super food.
This leafy green is an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin C. Kale can do no wrong.
When preparing kale, remove the tough stems and separate the wilted leaves from the healthy ones. You can eat kale in salads (massaging the kale leaves with oil and lemon juice will tenderize them), saute the leaves or throw some in your morning smoothie.
Or in this case, saute it with ginger and garlic and serve it on the side of your next dinner. Happy eating!
Coconut-Ginger Kale
From: Season with Spice
- 1 bunch of kale- stems removed and then leaves cut crosswise in 1 inch ribbons
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tsp tamari
- ground white pepper- season to taste
- sesame seeds
Add shredded coconut into a large frying pan and toast over low heat until the coconut turns lightly brown. Remove the heat, and put toasted coconut into a small bowl.
Wipe the same pan clean, and then reheat the pan. Add in sesame oil, minced garlic and ginger, and saute over medium heat until fragrant.
Toss in the kale by batches and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to wilt. Add in tamari and stir to combine and continue to cook for another minute. The kale should be tender, not mushy. Then quickly season with ground white pepper and toss in remaining grated ginger. Remove from heat, and garnish with sesame seeds and toasted coconut. Serve immediately.
Daily Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Grilled Cheese
Sometimes all you need is a good sandwich. And when you have beautiful heirloom tomatoes, it’s time for an epic good grilled cheese. This recipe is simple and features a whole bunch of local products that, when combined, are drool-inducing.
We found a pretty hilarious article on Reclaiming Provincial regarding the anatomy of a really good grilled cheese. According to the article, there’s no room for oil. You must butter the light, mild-flavored bread and make cheese the main star. The author recommends adding in a dollop of creamy spread- mustard, sour cream, plain yogurt, or in our case, pesto- with the grated cheese, which will get you an even distribution of cheese and prevent the grated cheese from flying all over the place.
Who knew there was such a science to grilled cheese?
We’re making mozzarella and goat cheese the star of this sandwich, as we believe this is a fool-proof combination. When you combine these cheeses with local heirloom tomatoes and pesto and then grill it on an Easy Tiger ciabatta, you’ve got yourself a perfect meal.
Happy eating!
Heirloom Tomato Grilled Cheese
- 2 slices of Easy Tiger ciabatta
- 2-3 Tbsp pesto
- 2 slices mozzarella
- 2-3 slices of heirloom tomato
- handful of spinach, chopped
- 2 Tbsp goat cheese, crumbled
- Butter
Spread about 1 Tbsp of pesto onto each slice of bread. Grate your mozzarella, mix in another Tbsp of pesto with the grated cheese. On one slice of bread, add the grated cheese, crumbled goat cheese, spinach, tomato and top it with the second slice of bread.
Heat 1 Tbsp of butter in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add the sandwich to the butter and cook until the bread is golden brown. Press down on the sandwich lightly, then flip the sandwich over and cook until the second side is golden brown.
Daily Recipe: Braised Broccoli with Orange and Parmesan
It’s pretty obvious that we love vegetables. Romanesco cauliflower makes us swoon, and fresh local produce arriving at the store is like christmas and a birthday party, rolled into one. Spring is just around the corner, which in Austin means a plethora of new produce. Until those spring crops start rolling in, we have kale, carrots, beets, cauliflower and broccoli to rely on.
This recipe combines the deliciousness of broccoli with the brightness of fresh squeezed orange juice. This dish calls for crushed tomatoes, which may have you reaching for the canned variety. Did you know that homemade crushed tomatoes are easy to make? That way you can stick with your locally grown tomatoes, and reduce your waste by not having that extra can to recycle.
All you have to do is cut the tomato in half, take a grater, and using the bigger, rougher side, place the tomato face down and grate. All you will have left is the skin, and you’ll have a nice big bowl of crushed tomatoes. You have now successfully crushed your own tomatoes, job well done. This recipe calls for 14 ounces of crushed tomatoes, which means you’ll need slightly less than 2 cups of fresh tomatoes.
This salad is a great light lunch option and would also make a nice side to any dinner you’ve got planned. Happy eating!
Braised Broccoli with Orange and Parmesan
From: 101 Cookbooks
in.gredients
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes (2 cups fresh tomatoes)
- 1 head of broccoli, florets and stalks trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 tsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shavings
- 2 Tbsp toasted sliced almonds
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat combine the orange juice and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and stir in the broccoli. Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes, then cook until the broccoli is just tender and bright green, a couple of minutes. Do your best to avoid overcooking the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with cheese and almonds before serving.
Daily Recipe: Lemon and Dried Blueberry Scones
There’s something magical about a baked good.
Perhaps it’s the fact that you can pass something so sweet off as breakfast. Whatever the case, we love a good pastry. Seeing as we have dried blueberries on sale this week, we figured it made sense to feature a recipe using this dried fruit.
Don’t let the size of these guys fool you, they are a calorie-dense food, with a 1/3 cup providing 130 calories. This makes them a good snack for athletes, as they provide a lot of energy in a small amount of food.
Need any other reasons to fall in love with this berry? Here are some fun facts to seal the deal. July is national blueberry month because it’s the peak of the harvest season. These little berries contain more antioxidants than most other fruits and vegetables and recent studies have shown they may help prevent damage caused by cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Minnesota and New Jersey fell deeply in love with this berry. So much so that Minnesota claimed the blueberry muffin as its official state muffin (Texas’ is a corn and pepper muffin, if you were wondering) and New Jersey claimed the berry as its official state fruit.
There’s a lot to love about blueberries. Come pick up some dried blueberries and try them out in this sure-to-please scone recipe. Happy eating!
Lemon and Dried Blueberry Muffin
From Epi Curious
in.gredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups dried blueberries
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp homemade buttermilk (1 cup+ 1 Tbsp milk and 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
First you’ll want to make your buttermilk. To do this, take your 1 Tbsp lemon juice and put it in a measuring cup. Add your 1 cup+1 Tbsp milk and lets stand for five minutes, and you will have buttermilk!
Next, position rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub chilled butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Add dried blueberries and toss to coat. Mix 1 cups buttermilk and lemon zest in a measuring cup. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and stir until dough beings to form (some of the flour will not be incorporated). Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and gather the dough together.
Knead dough briefly, about 5 turns. Diving dough in half. Form each dough half into a ball and flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk. Cut each disk into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to a prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining 1 Tbsp of buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Daily Recipe: Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate covered strawberries. They really are the perfect treat for any occasion, but they’ve become associated with this day of love, so here’s a recipe on how to make your very own.
In case you don’t already know, we have a whole bunch of last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts in the store, if you remembered that you probably should bring your sweetie something wonderful. We have a great selection of local chocolate from Chocosutra, The Chocolate Makers Studio and Dr. Sue’s Chocolate. We also have beautifully printed local cards from Studio Slo Mo and scarves from Little Minnow Designs. Or if you’re feeling like giving your sweetheart a basket of vegetables, we’ve got you covered.
If you’re looking for something to do, stop by the store tonight for our game night. We’ll be kicking off the festivities at 7 pm, with free cupcakes from Princess and Moose’s Sister Bakery, happy hour all night, and lots of awesome board games.
Enjoy this day of love. Whether you’ve got a special someone or not, take some time today to thank the people in your life that you do love. Give your mom and dad a call. Hug your best friend. Kiss your cat or dog on the head and thank them for their endless love.
Happy eating, and happy loving!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Recipe: The Food Network
in.gredients
- 6 oz chocolate chips (semisweet or dark)
- 3 ounces white chocolate (optional)
- 1 pounds strawberries, washed and dried very well
Put the semisweet or dark chocolate and white chocolate into 2 separate heat proof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple of inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth.
Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
