Mandorlicious

Best Almond Cake

From Cook's Illustrated | January/February 2014

Why this recipe works:

To create an Almond Cake with a great appearance and superior almond flavor, we used finely ground almonds, which had a more pronounced almond flavor than almond paste, which is used in most cake recipes. And to create a light cake with a moist open crumb, we used the protein structure of eggs in place of the denser gluten structure created from using all-purpose flour.

Best Almond Cake

To perfect this elegant European dessert, we deepened its flavor and lightened its texture—and did it all in a food processor.

Serves 8 to 10

If you can’t find blanched sliced almonds, grind slivered almonds for the batter and use unblanched sliced almonds for the topping. Serve plain or with Orange Crème Fraîche (see related content).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons) 3/4 teaspoon almond extract 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. Pulse 1½ cups almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in food processor until almonds are finely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Transfer almond mixture to bowl. 
2. Process eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and almond extract in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With processor running, add melted butter and oil in steady stream, until incorporated. Add almond mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to 5 pulses. Transfer batter to prepared pan. 
3. Using your fingers, combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest in small bowl until fragrant, 5 to 10 seconds. Sprinkle top of cake evenly with remaining 1/3 cup almonds followed by sugar-zest mixture.
4. Bake until center of cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes, rotating pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan. Invert cake onto greased wire rack, discard parchment, and reinvert cake onto second wire rack. Let cake cool, about 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. (Store cake in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

How We Got the Best Almond Flavor—and Cake Texture
For a rich, nutty taste and a consistency that’s not too dense, we toast blanched almonds (we dislike the slight bitterness imparted by skin-on almonds) to deepen their flavor. Then we grind them in the food processor. The ground nuts give the crumb an open, rustic texture.

START WITH BLANCHED ALMONDS

TOAST UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN

GRIND WITH FLOUR, SALT, AND LEAVENERS

Egg Foams: Mixer versus Food Processor
The goal when mixing most cake batters is to incorporate a lot of air into the eggs so that the cake will bake up light and tall, and a mixer is usually the best tool to get the job done. For our Best Almond Cake, however, we wanted a flat, level top; just a moderate rise; and a texture that was neither too fluffy nor too dense. Ditching the mixer in favor of a food processor did the trick. Here’s why: When eggs and sugar are whipped in a mixer, the whisk gently unfolds the protein strands in the eggs while incorporating lots of air, producing a foam with a strong network that holds on to that air. The outcome? A tall, well-risen, domed cake. A food processor, with its high rpm and very sharp blade, similarly unravels the eggs’ protein strands and incorporates air, but it also damages some strands along the way. The result is just what we were after: a flatter, slightly denser cake.

MIXER: Tall and domed.

FOOD PROCESSOR: Perfectly flat.

As I struggle to finish the work before me . . .

 Too Much to Do? Eleven Productivity Hacks that Can Help

from http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/09/living/increase-productivity-at-work/index.html

(Business Insider) -- Starting and maintaining a small business takes an exceptional amount of work, and time is a precious commodity. That's why most successful entrepreneurs have developed a few tricks along the way to increase their productivity and effectiveness.

We asked entrepreneurs across industries to share their favorite productivity hacks, from useful organization apps to clever tricks for cutting down meeting times.

These simple habits have proven to enhance their focus, organization, and happiness, all of which fuel their success:

1. Beth Doane, founder of Raintees, lets all calls go to voicemail.

In 2008, Doane created Raintees, an apparel line that plants a tree in an endangered rainforest for every shirt sold and donates school supplies to a child in need for every tote bag sold.

Leading a growing company requires her full focus. Doane lets all of her non-scheduled calls go to voicemail, or else she would never get anything done, she says.

"I tend to return calls at the end of the day, and if someone really needs to reach me I have my assistant's info on my voicemail and let her decide if it's really an 'important' call."

2. Eric Casaburi, founder and CEO of Retro Fitness, multitasks by combining a "brainless" activity with a "brain-required" activity.

Casaburi founded the first Retro Fitness in 2004 as an affordable gym for fitness buffs of all intensity levels. His franchise now has locations across the country and continues to grow.

He thinks multi-tasking is key for productivity, but only if it combines a mindless task with one that requires focus.

"For example, you could exercise on a treadmill, while taking a conference call (something that I do frequently)," he says. "Yes, you will be winded, but I assure you it won't affect your thinking and communication skills. In fact, there are studies that show the brain neurons fire off at a higher rate while active!"

3. Jamie Wong, founder and CEO of Vayable, schedules three non-work-related activities a week that nothing can interfere with.

Vayable is a San Francisco-based travel firm that connects travelers with locals who serve as tour guides. Its network includes over 600 destinations around the world.

Wong says that she's found schedules and daily plans regularly get broken, so she started keeping three things in her life that she sticks to no matter what. She commits to one activity in each of the categories "Create," "Love," and "Grow." Right now, for example, she's learning how to play songs on her guitar (Create), keeping Thursday and Saturday nights reserved for friends (Love), and taking boxing lessons (Grow).

"I've discovered that few things are more powerful in personal growth than sports," she says. "I block off Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings now for boxing training. Not only is it an amazing workout, but the mental and physical discipline it requires is a great exercise and metaphor for achieving anything outside of my comfort zone... I find that boxing, like many sports, is always a powerful metaphor for life and business, and I am able to draw on its power throughout the week."

4. Doug Quint, co-founder of Big Gay Ice Cream, books his flights based on the availability of WiFi.

Quint and Bryan Petroff started selling gourmet ice cream from a rented truck in the summer of 2009 as a fun side project. Big Gay Ice Cream quickly gained a devoted following throughout New York, and the pair opened up a proper shop in the city in 2011, followed by another the next year. The brand's fanbase continues to expand, and the Daily Beast and USA Today ranked it the best ice cream parlor business in the U.S. last year.

To make the most of his time spent traveling, Quint always makes sure he will have access to a WiFi network.

"There's usually no guarantee at the time of booking that I'll need Internet access — but if I can't sleep and there's work to be done that hinges on connectivity, it seems like a week's worth of work can be done during those hours at 24,000 feet," he says.

5. Kate McKeon, founder of Prepwise and Prepwise Games, utilizes Fancy Hands' assistants-for-hire.

McKeon was a longtime consultant who turned to the education world when she became an instructor at Manhattan GMAT in 2008. In 2012, she founded her own test prep company, Prepwise, for students taking the SAT and GMAT.

As the leader of two small startup teams, McKeon has to take care of a constant stream of tasks. She turned to Fancy Hands' assistant services a year ago and has said it's significantly boosted her productivity.

"In some cases, I have them do preliminary research on market segments so I can make a high-level decision very quickly," she says. "In other cases, I break up a very complicated project into small enough pieces that can be done with a series of tasks. I had them sort through a 15,000 word glossary for wrong words, and it only took two days."

6. Joe Silverman, founder of New York Computer Help, has a rewards system for achieving his goals throughout the day.

Silverman founded New York Computer Help in 2000, and now his team of 25 repairs computers, smartphones, and tablets. He places an emphasis on customer service and personally follows up with as many customers as he can.

When Silverman became his own boss, he wanted to find a way to motivate himself. The answer was a simple reward system — with an emphasis on snacks.

"Complete the blog and get a mini-chocolate," he says as an example. "Call up all customers who would like additional IT services and buy coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Reach my daily sales goal and eat a protein bar. The key for me is to stick to these incentives. If I don't accomplish a goal, well, I don't get the reward."

7. Roger J. Hamilton, founder of the XL Group, categorizes every task as a "project" or a "process" and then strictly manages them.

Hamilton was born in Hong Kong and is now based in Singapore. He conducts motivational "Fast Forward Your Business" tours around the world each year and owns businesses in publishing, property, financing, event and resort management, and business coaching. He founded the XL Group entrepreneur network in 2002, which has included members like Air Asia founder Tony Fernandez and Nobel Prize winner Muhammed Yunus.

Hamilton wants to spend most of his time growing his business rather than maintaining it. That's why he and his team members categorize every task as either a project or a process, and he then automates or outsources as many processes as possible so that he can focus on growing his brand. Answering emails, for example, is a constant process and one that can easily be handed off to an assistant so that he has more time to take care of high-level decisions.

8. Mona Bijoor, founder of Joor, skips the gym and incorporates exercise into her daily routine.

In 2010, Bijoor started Joor as an online global marketplace for wholesale buying for fashion retailers. It is based in New York City and now has offices in Los Angeles and Milan, Italy.

Bijoor works fitness into her busy days, which start at 6:30 a.m. when her young daughters wake her up.

"I make my girls breakfast and while they are eating I generally do 100 sit ups or 100 push ups," she says. Then she takes the train into the city with her husband. "I get off two subway stops earlier than my normal stop and walk 20 blocks to work so I can log some steps on my Fitbit. This is all the exercise I get during the day, so I take full advantage of NYC being such a great walking city."

9. Bobby Harris, founder and president of BlueGrace Logistics, keeps meetings as short as possible.

BlueGrace Logistics offers transportation, technology, freight, and logistics services to companies. In 2011, it launched a program to sell franchises in all 50 states, and in 2012, Inc. magazine named it the No. 1 logistics and transportation company in the country.

Harris hates meetings because he thinks they waste time, but he knows that sometimes they're necessary. He's found a way to make the most of them.

"Never accept a meeting without a clear agenda and then ask how long they need," he said. "Whatever amount of time is requested cut it in half! For instance, if someone asks for 30 minutes, give them 15. Start and stop your meeting on time, every time."

10. Priscila Barros, founder of Babiekins Magazine, makes sure her desk is always clean.

When Barros was a 22-year-old mom, she decided to start an online fashion magazine for kids. Babiekins took off when Vogue Kids Brasil covered it, and now it's advertised as the leading children's fashion magazine in the U.S.

Barros thinks entrepreneurs should not underestimate the benefits of a clean desk.

"I have made it a habit to put things away and keep folders for different tasks," she says. "And once a task is done, I check it off. It helps my mind keep focused on that 'one thing' to do instead of looking at the long list of must-dos."

11. Carlo Ruggiero, co-founder of Kono Pizza, gets back to work once his family is asleep.

Ruggiero founded Kono Pizza USA as the American branch of the company Italian chef Rossano Boscolo started in 2002. Boscolo has expanded the cone-shaped pizza franchise to 19 countries, and Ruggiero is in charge of locations in New Jersey, North Carolina, and Florida.

Ruggiero goes back to work at night as a way to focus and get extra work done.

"At night when my family is asleep, I work uninterrupted for at least two to three hours," he says. "These few extra hours have been extra productive because I sleep better knowing I've done all I can that day, but more importantly, it decreases my 'to do' list for the next morning."

To see more productivity hacks, visit BusinessInsider.com.

Talkin' 'bout my girls (my girls!)

Bribing someone to make this for me

i'm not a very good baker.

you see the problem here.

Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake

Why this recipe works:

Triple chocolate mousse cake is a truly decadent dessert. Most times, though, the mousse texture is exactly the same from one layer to the next and the flavor is so overpoweringly rich it’s hard to finish more than a few forkfuls. We set out to tweak this showy confection. By finessing one layer at a time, starting with the dark chocolate base and building to the top white chocolate tier, we aimed to create a triple-decker that was incrementally lighter in texture—and richness. For simplicity’s sake, we decided to build the whole dessert, layer by layer, in the same springform pan. For a base layer that had the heft to support the upper two tiers, we chose flourless chocolate cake instead of the typical mousse. Folding egg whites into the batter helped lighten the cake without affecting its structural integrity. For the middle layer, we started with a traditional chocolate mousse, but the texture seemed too heavy when combined with the cake, so we removed the eggs and cut back on the chocolate a bit—this resulted in the lighter, creamier layer we desired. And for the crowning layer to our cake, we made an easy white chocolate mousse by folding whipped cream into melted white chocolate—and to prevent the soft mousse from oozing during slicing, we added a little gelatin to the mix.

Serves 12 to 16 

This recipe requires a springform pan at least 3 inches high. It is imperative that each layer is made in sequential order. Cool the base completely before topping it with the middle layer. We recommend Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar for the base and middle layers; our other recommended brand of chocolate, Callebaut Intense Dark L-60-40NV, may be used, but it will produce drier, slightly less sweet results. Our preferred brand of white chocolate is Guittard Choc-Au-Lait White Chips. For best results, chill the mixer bowl before whipping the heavy cream. The entire cake can be made through step 8 and refrigerated up to a day in advance; leave it out at room temperature for up to 45 minutes before releasing it from the cake pan and serving. For neater slices, use a cheese wire or dip your knife in hot water before cutting each slice.

Ingredients

Bottom Layer
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan 

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note) 

3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

4 large eggs, separated 

pinch table salt 

1/3 cup packed (about 2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps 

 

Middle Layer 

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed 

5 tablespoons hot water 

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (see note) 

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream 

1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1/8 teaspoon table salt 

 

Top Layer
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin 

1 tablespoon water 

6 ounces white chocolate chips (see note) 

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream 

Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for serving, optional (see note)

Preparation

1. FOR THE BOTTOM LAYER: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 91/2-inch springform pan. Melt butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool mixture slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and egg yolks; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add half of brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute longer, scraping down sides halfway through. Using whisk, fold one-third of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Carefully transfer batter to prepared springform pan, gently smoothing top with offset spatula.
3. Bake until cake has risen, is firm around edges, and center has just set but is still soft (center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (Cake will collapse as it cools.) Do not remove cake from pan. 
4. FOR THE MIDDLE LAYER: Combine cocoa powder and hot water in small bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.
5. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.
6. Whisk cocoa powder mixture into melted chocolate until smooth. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into springform pan over cooled cake and gently tap pan on counter 3 times to remove any large air bubbles; gently smooth top with offset spatula. Wipe inside edge of pan with damp cloth to remove any drips. Refrigerate cake at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer. 
7. FOR THE TOP LAYER: In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in medium bowl. Bring ½ cup cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly).
8. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining cup cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds. Using whisk, fold one-third of whipped cream into white chocolate mixture to lighten. Using rubber spatula, fold remaining whipped cream into white chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon white chocolate mousse into pan over middle layer. Smooth top with offset spatula. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours. 
9. TO SERVE: If using, garnish top of cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa. Run thin knife between cake and side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Run cleaned knife along outside of cake to smooth sides. Cut into slices and serve.

Step-by-Step
Triple-Decker Construction
Our Triple-Chocolate-Mousse Cake is assembled in one pan and features progressively lighter layers.

BOTTOM LAYER
A modified flourless chocolate cake made with whipped egg whites, egg yolks, butter, dark chocolate, and sugar provides a sturdy—but not dense—base. The cake collapses as it cools.

MIDDLE LAYER
The layer's silky yet sliceable consistency is similar to regular mousse in texture, with flavor from dark chocolate and cocoa powder.

TOP LAYER
Made with whipped cream and white chocolate, this layer is the lightest in flavor and texture. The addition of a little gelatin helps to make the topping sliceable.

Step-by-Step
Slicing Soft Cake
To create perfectly smooth slices of soft desserts, the best tool is not a knife. It's a cheese wire—the minimal surface area produces less drag for cleaner, neater slices. If you don't have a cheese wire, dental floss will work almost as well.

1. Hold the handles and pull the wire taut. Using your thumbs to apply even pressure, slice down through the cake. Wipe the wire clean with a dry towel.

2. Make a second cut, perpendicular to the first. Continue to make cuts around the circumference.

Technique
Making Chocolate Curls
Wispy chocolate curls are an easy way to decorate desserts.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel curls off of a large block of milk or dark chocolate. (Large blocks of chocolate make nicer shavings than thin bars of chocolate.)

Why I married an Italian

dooooood. quite possibly my favorite dish growing up.

Turkey Tetrazzini Pasta

Why It Works
Microwaving or reheating leftover turkey in the oven often dries it out. To keep the meat moist for our Turkey Tetrazzini Pasta, we placed slices of leftover turkey in a steamer basket set in a pot of simmering water, then covered the pot and checked it every few minutes. The turkey heated quickly and stayed juicy. We used leftover Thanksgiving turkey here, but at other times of the year we found we could substitute the meat of one rotisserie chicken.

Serves 4 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin Salt and pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 pound spaghetti 3 cups cooked turkey meat, cut into bited-sized pieces (see tip above) 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Preparation

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cream and sherry and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan. Cover and keep warm.
2. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, drain pasta, and return to pot. Add mushroom sauce, turkey, and peas, and ½ cup reserved pasta water to pot and toss to combine, adding additional reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Self-delusion is delicious

though, TRUTH: i'd eat the fack out of that cake.

Crisp, tangy, light

Brussels Sprout Salad with Cheddar, Hazelnuts, and Apple

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

Instead of roasted Brussels sprouts, we wanted a light, bright, raw preparation that was just as delicious. Shredding the Brussels sprouts super-thin is key, and letting them sit in the dressing for at least 30 minutes softens them fully and seasons them deeply. To flavor the salad, we chose a simple lemon vinaigrette, rounded out with shallot and mustard. Sweet fruit, crunchy nuts, and creamy cheese are the finishing touches.

Serves 8 

Slice the sprouts as thin as possible. Shred the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

1 small shallot, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

Salt and pepper 

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and sliced very thin 

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) 

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped

Instructions

1. Whisk lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until incorporated. Toss Brussels sprouts with vinaigrette, and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
2. Fold in cheddar, apple, and hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

How to Slice Brussels Sprouts
You can use the slicing disk of your food processor or slice the sprouts with a chef’s knife. Follow these steps to do the latter safely and quickly.

1. Trim: Trim the stem end of each sprout and then cut each sprout in half through the cut end.

2. Slice: With the flat surface on the cutting board, thinly slice each half.

It's great pumpkin bread, Charlie Brown

Pumpkin Bread

From America's Test Kitchen 

Why this recipe works:

Canned pumpkin puree often lends a raw, metallic flavor to pumpkin bread. We cook down the puree to eliminate those off-putting flavors. Instead of dirtying more dishes, we mix the quick bread right in the pot, adding cream cheese and buttermilk for their tangy flavor. A quick-to-assemble topping adds texture and keeps the loaf from getting soggy the next day.

Makes 2 loaves 

The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes early.

Ingredients

Topping  

5 tablespoons packed (2 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar  

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour  

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened  

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Bread2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour  
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg  
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves  
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar  
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar  
1/2 cup vegetable oil  
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces  
4 large eggs  
1/4 cup buttermilk  
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine 
 

Instructions 

1. For the topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside. 
2. For the bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
3. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove breads from pans and let cool for at least 1½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muffin top

Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

One hundred percent whole-wheat muffins can often be dense, squat sinkers that nobody wants to eat. Our goal was to fix that problem. After combining two leaveners and incorporating ingredients with high amounts of moisture (buttermilk, eggs, and blueberries) and a mix of melted butter and oil with 100 percent whole-wheat flour, we were ecstatic to find our blueberry muffins as tender as they are. After a sprinkle of streusel on the top of the muffin, we now had a tender, slightly sweet whole-wheat muffin with that signature nutty, whole-wheat flavor.

Makes 12 Muffins 

Do not overmix the batter. You can substitute frozen (unthawed) blueberries for fresh in this recipe.

Ingredients

Streusel

3 tablespoons granulated sugar  

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar  

3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour  

Pinch salt  

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Muffins3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) whole-wheat flour  
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar  
2 large eggs  
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted  
1/4 cup vegetable oil  
1 1/4 cups buttermilk 
  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract  
7 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 cups) blueberries 
 

Instructions

1. For the streusel: Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-size pieces throughout; set aside.
2. For the muffins: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin, including top, generously with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk sugar, eggs, melted butter, and oil together in separate bowl until combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined.
3. Stir sugar mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in blueberries until incorporated. Using heaping 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (cups will be filled to rim); sprinkle muffin tops evenly with streusel.
4. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool 5 minutes longer. Serve.

Don’t Make this Mistake: Heavy and Dense Muffins
You can’t simply swap whole-wheat flour into a regular muffin recipe and expect it to work. But if you know the science behind baking and account for the variables, you can make great blueberry muffins using 100 percent whole-wheat flour.

The wrong whole-wheat muffin . . . Makes for a fine doorstop . . . but bad eating.

Breakfast fit for a rancher

Huevos Rancheros

From Cook's Country

Why this recipe works:

This spicy dish of eggs, charred chiles, and tortillas makes for an eye-opening breakfast but is often hard to put together for four people. For maximum flavor with little effort, we roasted diced tomatoes with brown sugar, lime juice, green chiles, chili powder, and garlic that we bloomed in oil in the microwave. We spread that flavorful mixture in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, made divots in the mixture to hold our eggs (eight divots in all), sprinkled cheese over the divots, added our eggs, and baked the eggs for about 15 minutes, until just set. Topped with avocado, scallion, and cilantro and served with warm corn tortillas, huevos rancheros will get your day started with a bang.

Serves 4 

Use a heavyweight rimmed baking sheet; flimsy sheets will warp. Our winning sheet is the Wear-Ever Half Size Heavy Duty Sheet Pan (13 gauge) by Vollrath. Serve with refried beans and hot sauce.

Ingredients

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped canned green chiles 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons chili powder 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin Salt and pepper 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (1 cup) 8 large eggs 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and diced 3 scallions, sliced thin 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

 

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain tomatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing with rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve 1 3/4 cups tomato juice and discard remainder. Whisk sugar and lime juice into reserved tomato juice and set aside.
2. In separate bowl, combine onion, chiles, oil, chili powder, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and drained tomatoes. Transfer tomato mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread in even layer to edges of sheet. Roast until charred in spots, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring and redistributing into even layer halfway through baking. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
3. Transfer roasted tomato mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and stir in tomato juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then spread into even layer. Sprinkle pepper Jack over tomato mixture. Using spoon, hollow out 8 holes in tomato mixture in 2 rows. Crack 1 egg into each hole. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
4. Bake until whites are just beginning to set but still have some movement when dish is shaken, 13 to 16 minutes. Transfer dish to wire rack, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes. Spoon avocado over top, then sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas. 

 

TO MAKE AHEAD: The sauce can be made 24 hours in advance. Microwave until hot, about 2 minutes (stirring halfway), before transferring to baking dish and proceeding with recipe.

 

Roast the Vegetables; Bake the Eggs

To evoke the charred flavors in traditional huevos rancheros, we roast vegetables in a hot oven before layering them into a baking dish with cheese sprinkled over. Cracking eggs into wells in the mixture allows us to bake eight servings at once—no more standing at the stove frying egg after egg for an impatient crowd.

Piping loaves of meats on blustery days

Turkey Meatloaf

so, i threw this together last night after reading several meatloaf recipes online (largely using ina garten's for flavor profile). all amounts approximated.

4 hearty servings

somebody else's rando turkey meatloaf, but mine looked pretty similar, though cut into a wedge, not a slice.

Ingredients
1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
< 1/4 of an onion, chopped (i used purple, but i think yellow would be even better)
c. 1+ t garlic powder
c. 1+ t onion powder
large pinch dried thyme (fresh would kill)
salt (the more mustard/soy/worcestershire/spices you have, the less salt you'll need; play it by ear)
freshly ground pepper
1 T dijon mustard (i sometimes use stone-ground)
soy sauce (worcestershire would be even better, i think)
1/4+ c ketchup, divided
1 egg, whisked
c. 1 c bread crumbs (i had plain, but i think italian would be fun)
1ish t extra-virgin olive oil 

Additional Optional Add-Ins
chopped olive tapenade–type thing (i just happened to have this on hand and thought it was really fun; by no means necessary; or try other savory spreads here. how about pickled veg? chopped artichoke spread?)
chopped fresh parsley (this is the husband's suggestion, and i agree it would be killer)
large-dice hard-boiled egg (also his addition, which i think is brilliant. growing up i knew a family that used to bake whole hard-boiled eggs into their meatloaf, which i think is amazing. and would make for a killer '50s-era-looking cross-section, no? i will do this one day.)
ooked, chopped -- so it's not stringy to the bite -- well-seasoned (key!) spinach (be sure all the extra water is squeezed out, or it will eff with your loaf, man)


Preparation

1. preheat the oven to 325^F.
2. in a large mixing bowl, gently combine the turkey, chopped onion, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, maybe 1ish t salt, as many cracks of pepper as appeal, dijon mustard, a few good glugs of soy sauce, 2ish T ketchup, and whisked egg. (if you are adding in additional ingredients -- like the suggested tapenade, fresh parsley, and hard-boiled egg -- now's your cue.) 
3. once the mixture is just barely combined, with a fair distribution of the ingredients, mix in the bread crumbs, using an easy hand. you don't want to overwork the mixture. combine until it feels solid enough to hold together without becoming tough or dry feeling. you may need to add additional bread crumbs 'til you get the right feel (see notes about wet vs. dry ingredients below). just experiment.
4. oil the bottom of a square 8" x 8" cake pan (or really any oven-safe vessel that will give your meat goodness room to breathe -- i say this because if you use the traditional loaf pan i can't be sure how the temp and times will change). place the meat mixture into it, patting it into an even circle (or, really, whatever damned shape you fancy). spread another 2ish T ketchup on the top of the loaf.
5. bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes. you want the meat to hold together nicely without any pink remaining, but you don't want to overcook, or it will become dry and tough. i don't have a meat thermometer and so just cut the whole thing in half when i suspected it was done to check it; imperfect but effective.
6. serve with something super nummy like mashed potatoes and a simple salad. note that this loaf is tasty hot out of the oven, at room temperature, or even cold (especially in a sandwich). vee obliging, this turkey meatloaf.

A Word On Breadcrumbs
the more dry ingredients you have -- any grated cheeses, chopped eggs, abundant spices and herbs, etc. -- the less breadcrumb you'll need; the more wet ingredients -- soy/worcestershire, mustard, egg, etc. -- the more breadcrumb you'll need.

Sweetest

Mrs. Cochran's Perfect Pecan Pie, Courtesy of Sweetie-licious

Note: To make this a chocolate pecan pie, add 1/2ish cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to bottom of pie before pouring in filling? Yes? Dark chocolate? Other? —dj

Ingredients
3 eggs
½ C. sugar
½ C. dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
¾ C. dark corn syrup
1 Tbsp. flour
1 C. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. brandy
2 C. pecan, chopped or whole

Eggnog ice cream, to serve
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugars, butter, corn syrup, flour, and cream. Stir in the vanilla, brandy, and pecans. Pour into an unbaked frozen pie shell. 
2. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool.  Serve with eggnog ice cream . . . and enjoy!