A Small Celebration

Sometimes I don't have time to make a whole birthday cake with frosting and decorations. It's when your birthday falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday that this often happens. We're not close enough to the previous weekend that I could have made the cake ahead of time and I can't quite justify putting my homework off til the next weekend yet. Darn.

So I convince myself that your special day is worth me getting up 25 minutes earlier to bake you a very individual gift. It's a gift that will be consumed quickly, and hopefully, won't be repeated, because next year you'll have the common sense to put your birthday on a Monday like normal people do. But, if you are so unfortunate as to have a second birthday in the middle of the week, I think that this particular cake will not be too much of a hardship to endure twice.

Honestly, it's the perfect amount because you can share with your friend or just eat them both without feeling terribly guilty at all--it's your birthday after all, and no one expects you to share.

Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes

adapted from 

Makes 2.

Originally, this recipe was "baked" in the microwave. I, personally, never use this approach, and since, at the time, I didn't have silicone baking cups, I would have exploded the house using metal tins, I decided to bake them until a toothpick inserted yielded a clean tip.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 ½ teaspoons milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ½ egg (approximately 2 tablespoons), lightly beaten
• Whipped cream, to frost
• Sprinkles, to decorate

Instructions:

1) Whisk flour, brown sugar and spices in a small bowl. Mix in milk, butter and egg. 

2) Divide evenly between two muffin liners, either in a tin or the silicone variety. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. 

3) Check it and then continue cooking if a toothpick inserted comes out with wet batter.

4) Top with whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired.

Easter Eggs-travaganza

Eggs are most certainly on the brain at this time of year. Deviled. In a basket. Boiled. Pink shells. Yellow shells. Green shells.

It inspired me to make a quiche.

Most of my egg dishes are free-handed. I don't bother measuring the proportions of milk and mix-ins.

Crustless Quiche

Times:

1. Prepare vegetables.
2. Cook vegetables.
3. Mix eggs.
4. Arrange quiche.
5. Bake.
6. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2-4 cups mixed vegetables
• 3 egg whites
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Instructions:
1) Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the vegetables until fully cooked. If using onions, garlic, or peppers, start with those and finish with any greens, cooking just until they are wilted.

2) Place the vegetables in the bottom of a casserole dish, probably no larger than 9x9.

3) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat eggs, milk and pepper in a measuring cup and then pour into the casserole dish.

Possible Combinations:

• Greek - feta cheese, spinach, black olives, Greek seasoning
• Medley - carrots, onions, peppers, kale, shredded cheddar, sliced provolone

~~~~~~

Now for one of my cutest creations yet. They were supposed to be bunnies. But they look more like angry cats who have been thrown in the dryer. 

Bunsies {aka Bunny Buns}
from http://williro.tumblr.com/post/44024793991/lillianmaxwell-bunny-bread-2-1-2-to
My friend Erin wanted me to make these. Last year I made Cadbury "deviled" eggs as per her request. 

Times:

1. Heat.
2. Mix.
3. Knead.
4. Rise.
5. Cut and shape.
6. Rise.
7. Bake.
8. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8-ounce container) sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour

Instructions:
1) Put the sour cream, water and butter in a small saucepan and heat, but do not cook. Cool to room temperature then add the remaining ingredients.

2) Place dough into the bowl of a stand mixer or turn out onto the counter if kneading by hand. Knead for approximately 7 minutes until the dough is silky but not overly sticky to the touch. Rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

3) Cut into 16 equal parts. Shape into small ovals. Place on a large baking tray. Cut out the ears with scissors. Poke in eyes with a chopstick. Allow to rest for 20 minutes while preheating oven to 375 degrees.

4) Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

{You can also par cook them for 10 minutes and finish them in the oven when it's 10 minutes out from serving time.}

~~~~~~

Scalloped Potatoes
adapted from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Scalloped-Potatoes-with-Three-Cheeses-102498#ixzz2P8AkEZLu

A mandolin would make this much easier, as I found out. Make sure you allot at least 45 minutes to preparing the potatoes if you don't have one.

Times:

1. Prepare potatoes.
2. Layer.
3. Bake.
4. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly
• Black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup half and half

Instructions:

1) Measure and mix cheeses in a 2-cup measure. Arrange half of potatoes in a prepared 9x13-inch glass baking pan. Sprinkle with half of cheese mixture, pepper and flour.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour milk over potatoes (milk will not cover potatoes completely). Layer with remaining cheese.

3) Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover dish. Bake uncovered until potatoes are tender and cheese is deep golden brown, about 40 minutes longer. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before serving.

{Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Cover and rewarm in 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.}

One a Penny

I figured if any day was a good day to try out making sweet buns. It is the day before Good Friday, when hot cross buns are most appropriate. And it's the first evening of my spring break. Finally. 

Hot Cross Buns

from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hot-Cross-Buns-363471

You really could use any dried fruit you please, if it's approximately the size of a raisin (or a little smaller), but golden raisins do brown nicely in the oven when they're on the outside of the bun. Don't worry too much about the type of yeast (I only keep one type around), just  make sure that it's something in the at-least-slightly-faster-than-regular category.

Times:

1. Make dough.
2. Knead dough.
3. Rise.
4. Shape into buns.
5. Rise.
6. Bake.
7. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons quick-rise yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt, scant
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, heaping
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice, heaping
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, heaping
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk, warmed
• 1/2 cup water, warmed
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened and coarsely cubed
• Zest of 1/2 an orange
• 2/3 golden raisins

Instructions: 

1) Mix together flours, yeast, salt, sugar, and spice. Pour in the warmed liquids. Using the dough hook on a stand mixer, combine gently. Add the butter and egg (it will be sticky), continuing to mix. Finally, add the raisins and zest. Knead until completely smooth, around 5 minutes.

2) Allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough. Divide into 16 pieces for small buns, 12 for medium and 8 for large. Shape into balls and places on a floured counter or cutting board. Give them another 30 minutes to rise (they should be puffy, but probably won't double in size). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3) Place buns on sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and crisp on the outside.

~~~~~~

I tried to make crosses on the top before they baked as the original instructions wanted me to, and you're welcome to do that, but they didn't turn out nearly bright enough to make much of a difference on the surface. Perhaps it would have worked better had I been willing to dirty a piping bag or use a disposable ziplock instead of dribbling the mixture on top with a spoon. In any case, they will be beautiful with or without the cross, which makes them more universally accepted on more occasions--so what could be better?

But if you're dead set on the traditional look, some white icing would do the trick. The most important thing here is that you don't make it too thin--it has to strongly adhere to the bread in order for it not to slip down the sides too much. King Arthur Flour seems to have a simple recipe for the icing beneath its hot cross buns recipe. Disclaimer: I haven't tried it - I'm perfectly content with my creations, and since they're for breakfast, I don't want a sugar overload. Most of the time. 

It's a Marshmallow World in the Winter

Who would've thought North Carolina would get some actual snow? Well we did, and it was enough to delay school. After a photogenic walk in the winter wonderland, I decided to make pancakes to cheer my brother, who was put out at the lack of school cancellation. 

And they weren't just any pancakes. There was something special about them. Something distinctly seasonal, something winter. They were eggnog pancakes. Yes, when I saw that they were still selling Silk (soy milk) eggnog at Harris teeter, I had to snatch it. It is my way of prolonging the all-too-brief holidays.

Eggnog Pancakes

adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup eggnog (or soy substitute)
• 1 scant tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1) Stir together wet ingredients. 

2) Mound the dry ingredients on top, mixing in the baking powder as best you can before incorporating into the wet.

3) Mix until most of the lumps disappear, being careful not to overbeat.

4) Cook on a hot skillet until dry around the edges and small bubbles appear in the center. Flip and continue cooking until browned. 

5) Serve with whipped cream, if you're feeling decadent.

~~~~~~

While they were cooking, Marcus took the opportunity to make some honey candy. Very simple, very sweet. Just pour honey onto a patch of clean snow and allow to harden slightly before scraping it out with your fingers. It's painful after a while as your fingers slowly become frozen, but that's probably a good thing: it'll keep you from eating the whole jar.