Category Archives: Recipes

Cinnamon Carrot Muffins

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Carrot Cinnamon Muffins are good… like, really good. Not just pretty good or mildly good, but really really really good.

Like, good enough to blog about even though I made them in February. Yes, February. The beginning of February, if you must know. I’m really behind.

Back to the muffin at hand. I had to blog about them. After all, this photo has been sitting on my desktop for months, taunting me.

Yes, genuinely taunting me.

These muffins have a lightly spiced, sweet middle and a slightly crisp, golden brown top. Mmmm, classic muffin love right there.

But why have they been taunting me? After all, that’s a pretty harsh word. Taunt taunt taunt TAUNT… muffins on attack! [Umm, sorry I'm weird.]

Well, first, because they’re like the only way I’ve ever figured out to get Ben to eat extra carrots [besides that baggie I stick everyday in his lunchbox]. And second, because they have the flavor of carrot cake. They’re kind of a lighter, healthier, less sweet version of carrot cake. And lastly, and best of all… no chunkiness! No kinda mushy nuts, no lumpy raisins, no stringy pineapple. Just pure, sweet, spiced carrot goodness. In my opinion, the only time “chunky” with food is good is in regard to applesauce, or Chunky Monkey Ice Cream. [Maybe I do like other "chunky" foods, but I can't think of any so just go with me on this!]

To sum it up: Cinnamon Carrot Muffins are smooth, flavorful, and pretty delicious… that’s all, and here’s the recipe. Bookmark it, print it, or pin it because you’re gonna want to make it! I know I want them again, after staring at their gorgeousness for months on end. :)

Cinnamon Carrot Muffins [from Whole Living, April 2011]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups finely grated carrots [about 4 large carrots]
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons wheat germ
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with paper liners.

Use a food processor to grate carrots, then remove grating attachment. Add oil, buttermilk, and eggs and pulse until fully combined. Add brown sugar and pulse again.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then mix until just combined.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in muffin tin for 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool before serving or storing.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Notes: Alternatively, grate carrots with a box grater and then mix wet ingredients by hand. The food processor is just faster, but not necessary.

SRC: Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

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It’s Secret Recipe Club time again!

Secret Recipe ClubIf you’ve missed past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

For the month of May, I was assigned to Katherine Martinelli, a food writer/blogger currently living in Be’er Sheva, Israel. I was really excited to be assigned her blog, since she made my Pumpkin Granola back for SRC November. I love the international flair of her blog–especially all the fun fresh produce and nuts available at her local market. So many of Katherine’s recipes sound amazing…. I could hardly decide what to make! I mean, Mango Chicken with Coconut Rice? Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies? Homemade Graham Crackers? Yes please times three! I had grand plans to make Homemade Graham Crackers… however, life got in the way. Last week was finals week, and I graduated from my dual master’s program (MA- African Studies, Master of Library Science) on Friday!

Sarah and Ben at her master's graduation, 2012Such a happy day and a great weekend with family! But sadly the craziness of the past few weeks derailed my grand plans. So once again I browsed through the recipes on Katherine’s site and found the most delicious, gorgeous dressing that I have ever laid eyes on… Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette!

salad spread and cilantro-lime vinaigrette I mean, is that not beautiful? Here’s a close up in case you’re not certain.

And not only is this dressing pleasing to the eye with its specks of cilantro, Dijon mustard seeds, and creamy-light goodness… it also tastes fantastic… by the spoonful or on a salad, duh. The sharp flavor of the garlic is mellowed and sweetened by the citrusy tang of the fresh lime juice. It’s the perfect pairing for classic salad components like baby spinach, shaved carrots, chopped tomatoes, and crisp bell peppers. I think it would also be great tossed with pasta or as a marinade for grilled chicken.

So even if you didn’t find this dressing because you were pressed for time like I was, this homemade Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette dressing is a great addition to any salad and to your homemade dressing repertoire. Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette [from Katherine Martinelli]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 large cloves garlic [or 3 smaller cloves], minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, packed

Directions:

Place all items in food processor or blender. Pulse until garlic and cilantro are fully crushed, and everything is well combined. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Yield: 1 cup.

Time: 5 minutes.

Be sure to check out other posts from today’s reveal of the SRC. Have a great day!

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

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I’m not sure what the deal is, but I’ve become pretty much obsessed with soup over the past two years. Before that, I couldn’t really handle it [except for tomato and potato], but now? Sign me just about anytime, anywhere. That’s why I don’t mind so much when we have spring cold spells, like we’ve had here in Indiana lately. I mean, it’s the end of April and it’s 50 degrees out and rainy. No fun… except that it just gives me one more excuse to make soup.

lemon orzo chicken soupAnd this is my new favorite spring soup! It’s tangy yet creamy, filling yet light.  It’s super simple to make, even with the long list of ingredients. Don’t let the inclusion of eggs in a soup scare you–they add a delightful rich, velvety layer of flavor. I used dried herbs and orzo–but use fresh herbs or another small pasta if you want. I can’t wait to make this in the summertime when my balcony herbs are flourishing! They’re still little baby nubs right now. :)

Don’t you just want a bowlful now? I sure do!

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup [from Good Life Eats]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 – 3 large handfuls of fresh babyspinach, chopped [or combination of spinach and kale]

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with black pepper, then add to hot pan. Pour in 2 tablespoons lemon juice; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each dried parsley and thyme. Turn to coat, then cook completely.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in white wine, chicken broth, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil.

Whisk together egg yolks and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. In a slow, trickling stream, carefully pour in 1 cup of hot broth [from pot] to egg mixture, whisking while pouring. Transfer the mixture back to the pot. Add orzo and chicken.

Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover, and cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Before serving, add 1 teaspoon each of parsley, thyme, and sage, then stir in spinach/kale.
Time: 45 minutes.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Royal Berry Coffee Cake

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So, it’s springtime… but not quite berry season yet. Never mind–frozen berries work just fine in this fluffy, light coffee cake that features not just one but two kinds of delicious berries for your enjoyment. Drool! Raspberries and blueberries pair perfectly in this indulgent breakfast-y dessert treat. There’s just something so special about raspberries, huh? I think so, anyway.

slice of royal berry coffee cake on a plate with text reading "royal berry coffee cake" in the backgroundRoyal Berry Coffee Cake was the product of a recent Saturday night baking experiment. Those are the best! I started the tradition in high school when I’d bake at night after getting home from running at a cross country or track meet, watching classic TLC shows like “Trading Spaces.” Sometimes friends would be over baking with me, other times it’d just be me and the pets. Now, it’s me and the kitty… with Ben someplace nearby.

The recipe originally was my mom’s, pulled from a newspaper or newsletter of some sort [the credit goes to a woman from at Purdue... just googled her, apparently she's a chef at at dining hall]. My mom had noted that it was delicious in August 2006, and I am happy to report that it was absolutely phenomenal in April 2012. :) Sweet!

The main change I made to the original recipe was doubling it and baking it in a Bundt pan instead of a 9×13 pan. I did not double the amount of berries [because I wouldn't have had enough otherwise], so feel free to halve the recipe if that works better for you–just bake it for about 30 minutes instead.

slice of royal berry coffee cake on a plateHowever you make it, this springtime cake is sure to satisfy. Each bite of vanilla cake is dotted with berries, and looks impressive when it’s really a cinch to make. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake… the smell is just incredible, and it tastes even better! Make this now!!

What are you baking this spring?

Royal Berry Coffee Cake [adapted from Grace Brutsman, Hillenbrand Hall]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup frozen red raspberries
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions:

Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, then set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together flour and baking powder. Set dry ingredients inside.

Then, cream butter in a stand mixer, incorporating sugar gradually, beating well after each addition until mixture is fluffy and light. Stir in eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute to combine.

Stir vanilla into milk in a measuring cup. Then, alternate adding dry and wet ingredients into bowl of stand mixer, beating well after each addition.

Place half of each type of berry in bottom of prepared pan. Cover with half of cake batter, add rest of berries, and top with remaining batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 65-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cover with foil after about 45 minutes if the cake starts to get dark.

Cool for 15-25 minutes before inverting on cooling rack, loosening edges with plastic knife if necessary.

Time: 85 minutes [10 minutes active].

Yield: 16-20 servings.

Ham & Cheese Baked Pasta

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I meant to share this recipe last week so you had a use for your leftover Easter ham… but alas, school got in the way. As Stephanie Tanner would say, “how rude!” I mean, why should school be more important than blogging? Kidding!

But despite the delay, this pasta is still as awesome as it was two weeks ago when I made it. I glazed the Easter ham this year with a mixture of 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Before brushing on the glaze, I scored the ham in diamond criss-cross pattern and stuck whole cloves in the points. After we feasted on the ham for dinner, I whipped up the leftovers into something just as fabulous.

It’s warm, comfy baked pasta dotted with savory ham, crisp broccoli, and sweet red bell pepper all wrapped up in a gooey, garlicky, cheese sauce that is utterly out of this world. Topped with some crunchy Panko bread crumbs, you’ll have a hard time saying no to seconds [or thirds!].

Hungry? Hope so!

Ham & Cheese Baked Pasta
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 9 ounces uncooked pasta, such as penne or ziti [approximately 3 cups dry]
  • 3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 8 ounces grated Colby cheese
  • heaping 1/2 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced [heaping 1/2 cup]
  • 8 ounces cooked ham, chopped
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta to al dente, adding broccoli during the last minute of cooking. Return pasta and broccoli to pan.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in flour slowly, cooking until bubbly. Then add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in Colby, mustard, and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir until cheese melts, then pour cheese sauce over pasta. Add bell pepper and ham, and mix until combined.

Pour into ungreased 2 quart baking dish, top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Bake, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Time: 45 minutes [20 minutes active].

Yield: 8 servings.