{Double Batch} Kahlua Cookie Sandwiches

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sassed up ice cream sandwiches

sassed up ice cream sandwiches

After what seemed like an eternal winter, spring has FINALLY sprung on the east coast and everyone in New York, including me, is going insane.

It’s 80 degrees right now (which might make me inclined to jump right into summer). Layers are being shed. My peacoat moved from the back of my door to the depths of my closet. Bryant Park is packed during lunchtime. I wore sandals and a sundress to work today. Forty minutes in the sun left my chest and cheeks pink. Because of this, sitting at my desk makes me antsy. This cabin fever screams rooftop barbecues against the setting sun, late night skinny dipping, competitive whiffle ball games on the beach, watermelon-spitting contests into the dunes, boatloads of time with friends and loved ones, and ice cream-laden deserts.

it's springtime in the City

it’s springtime in the City

These cookie sandwiches aren’t the ice cream truck Chipwiches of your childhood. These sophisticated, booze-infused gems taste like mischievous scheming feels — deliciously wrong and incredibly thrilling.

Kahlua Cookie Sandwiches

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup kahlua (frangelico or amaretto would work, too)

1 pint high-quality vanilla ice cream (I love Jeni’s, you can usually find it at Whole Foods!)

Line 3 flat baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Using a handheld electric mixer, KitchenAid, or a whisk, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and mix until smooth. Slowly incorporate flour mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Mix until just incorporated and add the kahlua. Fold in chocolate chips.

The dough will be a bit thinner than normal cookie dough, so refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Using a spoon, scoop out tablespoon-sized mounds of dough and place on the baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes until golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack. Flip half of the cookies over. Scoop about 2-tablespoons of vanilla ice cream on to the flipped halves, then top with a second cookie to make a sandwich. Eat immediately before your cat gets too curious.

curiouser and curiouser (but seriously??)

curiouser and curiouser (but seriously??)

{Double Batch} Cinnamon Rolls

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swirly and cinnamony

swirly and cinnamony

Rejoice, for Lent is OVER!! I can now eat all the sweets I want! Chocolate and ice cream and the box of Samoas I stashed in the garage freezer 40 days ago, oh my!

And now I have a MASSIVE sugar hangover.

To be fair, I wasn’t quite as strict this year as I have been in previous years and slipped up occasionally. Sometimes a girl just needs a milkshake on a Friday afternoon when she was traipsing around New York City with out-of-town coworkers until 4:30am the previous night. Can you blame her?

Usually, I want to break Lent with chocolate — I made an Almond Joy cake for Easter last year and chocolate tiramisu the year before. This year, I made good on my word and ate an entire bag of Reece’s Peanut Butter Eggs before 9am on Easter morning and then proceeded to tackle these cinnamon rolls. Molls is right, these rolls dessert AND breakfast wrapped up in a sweet ball of dough — it’s the best of both worlds!

Cinnamon Rolls (adapted from Joy the Baker)

These rolls take a certain amount of patience to see all the way through because they’re a bit time consuming, but they’re definitely worth it!

for the dough

1 – 1/4-oz package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (approximately 115 degrees F)

1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk, room temperature

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more to grease the pan

for the filling

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons maple syrup

3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the icing

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

In a large bowl, combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 cup warm water. Stir to incorporate and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the sugar to the bowl, along with the milk, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Mix with a whisk until ingredients are combined, then add flour and salt. Using your hands, knead the dough until all ingredients just come together to form a dough.

Add the butter and proceed to knead the dough — it will be come wet and sticky. Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface and knead about 1/3 cup flour into the dough. When dough is mostly smooth (a bit sticky is alright), transfer to a large, greased bowl. Place a damp towel over the bowl and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

While you wait ever so patiently for the dough to rise, make the filling! Combine sugar, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and maple syrup in a large bowl. Set aside.

Grease a 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

When dough has risen, plop dough onto a heavily floured work surface. Add flour one tablespoon at a time until dough is no longer sticky. Place a damp towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes.

Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 10 x 10-inch square. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and pour filling on top of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Lightly press filling into the dough. Lift the edge of the dough closest to you and roll into a tight cylinder. Place roll seam side down and slice into 8 or 10 equal rounds. Place rounds in the greased baking dish, cut side up. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Take rolls out of the fridge, uncover, and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown and sugar is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

While rolls are baking, whisk together powdered sugar and buttermilk until mixture is smooth.

Take cinnamon rolls out of the oven and transfer entire pan to a cooling rack. Brush with melted butter and drizzle with icing. Allow rolls to cool long enough so they won’d burn the insides of your mouth, then devour as quickly as possible.

{Double Batch} Tuscan Kale Salad + Garlic Croutons

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it's glorious, trust me

it’s glorious, trust me

Way back when in the baby days of this blog (December 2010), kale was a complete mystery to me. Since I was living in LA at the time, you’d think I would have been more tuned into this supergreen because of the city’s obsession with green juices. It wasn’t until a few months later when I was a bit more rooted in California that discovered the kale salad at Gjelina and I became completely obsessed.

Kale can be quite unappetizing to the untrained eye, which was part of my initial hesitation. The gnarly texture and dark green, purple, or sometimes black colors can definitely be a turn-off, but hopefully this salad will turn you into a believer. The salad is substantial enough to eat as a full meal and it makes for a great side. I dare you to leave the croutons on the baking sheet until you’re ready to serve them — it’s extremely difficult to do. Just be sure to make this with people who will love you in spite of, or perhaps because of, the crazy garlic breath it will give you.

P.S. As amazing as this salad is, Molly and I will have SWEETS for you next week!!!

Tuscan Kale Salad + Garlic Croutons (kale salad recipe adapted from Shutterbean and Porta, crouton recipe adapted from Shutterbean)

for the salad

1 bunch Tuscan kale

2 radishes

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese

pinch red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

for the croutons

1 loaf ciabatta

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

salt & pepper to taste

Wash kale and trim kale from stalks, discard stalks and chop kale into ribbons. Slice radishes thinly with a sharp knife or mandolin. Place kale and radishes in a large bowl.

Using a heavy knife, mince garlic cloves. If you have a mortar and pestle, it’s fun to break it out to turn the garlic into a paste. Place garlic in a small bowl and add olive oil, lemon, Pecorino, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine ingredients and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Transfer to a small glass bowl or glass. Add olive oil, garlic, dried dill, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper. Slice ciabatta into 1 or 2-inch pieces and place in large bowl. Pour butter and olive oil mixture over bread and toss with a spatula until bread is coated. Transfer on to a rimmed baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally until bread is golden brown.

When croutons have cooled, add them to the bowl with the kale and radishes. Pour dressing over salad and toss to incorporate.  Let salad sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to marry, then serve and enjoy in all its garlicky glory.

crusty ciabatta turned croutons

crusty ciabatta turned croutons

Tropical Pancakes

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tropical pancakes, best served with mug of strong coffee

tropical pancakes, best served with mug of strong coffee

According to the date on the calendar, spring is here. According to the weather report that calls for an inch of wintry mix tomorrow, spring is not, in fact, here. The morning sun is disappointingly deceiving, tricking me into thinking it’s warmer than it actually is and rendering me to curse Mother Nature for delaying the long-awaited spring and Punxsutawney Phil for lying to America.

Since it’s not as warm as I think it should be (perhaps this is a factor of living in LA for two springs — even though I missed the seasons, I forgot the frustration that goes along with waiting for the next one), it makes the rationale for a Lazy Sunday more compelling. I can lounge in bed for longer than I should because I’m home by myself, I can binge on the last eight episodes of Gossip Girl so my sisters won’t spoil the ending, and I can will spring weather to descend upon the east coast with brightly-flavored tropical pancakes.

Tropical Pancakes

Thanks to my dad who makes the most perfect pancakes in the world, I’ve never used boxed pancake mix — it makes pancakes too fluffy and I think they taste like they came from a cardboard box. Because of that, these measurements are estimated. If the mixture seems too thick (which it might), add more liquid. Too thin, add more flour.

for pancakes

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

for topping

1 cup sweetened coconut, toasted

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced

maple syrup

Place all ingredients except coconut and pineapple in a large bowl. Whisk together until batter is smooth. In a large sauté pan, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, spoon 3 tablespoons of the batter into the hot pan and cook until all of the little bubbles have popped. Flip and cook for another two minutes, until underside is golden brown. Transfer pancakes to a plate and top with toasted coconut, fresh pineapple, and maple syrup. Serve immediately with a pot of strong coffee.

P.S. Do you use the Vine app? It’s a fun way to make and share 6-second snippets of your life, daily activities, and general interests — people have likened it to Instagram but with videos. I was a bit wary of it at first, but I’m enjoying it so far! See my morning of tropical pancake-making here.

{Double Batch} Orzo + Arugula Salad

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a springy salad for your troubles

a springy salad for your troubles

For the third year in a row, I have given up sweets for Lent. For the third year in a row, this 40 days without sweets is TOUGH. For the third year in a row, I know I will feel better at the end of these 40 days only to consume an unhealthy number of Reece’s Peanut Butter Eggs at 7am Easter morning (because Reece’s in egg form are just so much better than the normal peanut butter cups).

By the time Lent comes along every year, I’m usually in need of some kind of detox. Thanksgiving bleeds into Christmas (pies and cookies are abundant), Christmas topples onto New Year’s Eve (my Hungarian family sustains on sugar), there are many birthday celebrations to be had come January (hello, birthday cake), then my birthday (hello, more birthday cake, cake balls, and Momofuku cookies), only to conclude with an indulgent Mardi Gras celebration.

The difficulty with eliminating sweets is defining what exactly ”sweets” encompasses. Does it mean solely desserts? Does candy count? What about breakfast pastries? Are you giving up all (heaven forbid) sweet-tasting things?! For my purposes, desserts, candy, and breakfast pastries count as sweets, but I get my sweet fix from fruit and honey in my afternoon tea.

So as I count down the hours until the Easter Bunny sneaks into our house and leaves a basket full of Fudge Kitchen fudge, peanut butter eggs, and Cadbury goodies outside my bedroom door, all Double Batch posts for the month of March will be salad-related (thanks to the ever-brilliant Molly). This bright pasta salad is a great springy recipe especially when the date says winter SHOULD be over, but it’s still 35 degrees with impending snowstorms every day.

Orzo + Arugula Salad (adapted from Love & Lemons)

vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2-3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (plus a bit more for garnish)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (plus a bit more for garnish)

juice of one lemon

salt & pepper to taste

pinch of red pepper flakes

salad

1 box orzo

1/2 cup pecorino, shredded

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2+ cups arugula

In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for vinaigrette and set aside — you want the flavors to marry before using the dressing.

Cook the orzo in boiling water for about 7-10 minutes until pasta is al dente. Drain almost all pasta water from pot (leaving about 2 tablespoons) and transfer orzo into a large glass bowl. Add cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and pine nuts to the orzo and toss until incorporated. When orzo has cooled a bit, add arugula. Pour dressing over salad a little at a time and toss. Serve with garnishes of shredded cheese, lemon zest, and thyme. Enjoy immediately!

This pasta salad is best if eaten the day it’s made, but will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

garnish with more cheese, lemon, lemon zest, and thyme

garnish with more cheese, lemon, lemon zest, and thyme

 

{Double Batch} No Knead Pizza Dough + Arugula, Grape, and Walnut Flatbread

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pizza of sorts, piled high with goodness

pizza of sorts, piled high with goodness

When I returned to the U.S. following my semester in Rome, I refused to eat Italian food, period. I knew the pasta dishes wouldn’t live up to my favorite cacio e pepe from the no-name, cash-only restaurant up the street from Piazza Navona. Ice cream wasn’t gelato from Old Bridge, coffee wasn’t the cappuccino from Sant’Estauchio. The massive, greasy cheese pizzas from our local pizza places were unappetizing and didn’t have a flavor profile remotely resembling that of the Primavera at PizzaRé, plus I had never really been a huge fan of the New York-type of pizza. I was in a dejected, uninspired food funk for the better part of that summer.

I eventually got over my bad self and learned to tolerate, if not enjoy, Italian food in the States. I soon discovered some restaurants — both Italian and not — who did pastas quite well, but finding pizza akin to that in Rome was more difficult. It was a crust issue — the crust was too thin, too thick, burnt, not flavorful enough. So I took it upon myself to brace my inexperience with yeast and experiment with pizza doughs recipes until I found a crust that could be thin-ish on the bottom with some puffiness to it.

Fear not, ye fearers of yeasted bread, for this is a simple recipe that delivers great results. I’m certain I don’t make pizza exactly like the Italians because I doubt they’d be keen on grapes on their pizza, but this dough comes close to nailing it.

No-Knead Pizza Dough + Grape, Arugula, and Walnut Flatbread (dough recipe adapted from Jim Lahey, via Shutterbean)

I made this dough into a flatbread of sorts — it makes for a great appetizer and is a staple in the Taylor Family party repertoire. Definitely play with your favorite combination of ingredients! Molly made a more traditional pizza — check it out!

1 1/3 cups warm water

3 3/4 cups bread flour (all-purpose flour works, too)

2 1/4 teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast

3/4 teaspoons salt

2/3 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

splash balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

1 package spreadable garlic & herb cheese (I used Boursin)

2 cups arugula

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup red grapes, sliced

Measure 1/3 cup of warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water, add a pinch of sugar and stir. Let stand for five minutes – yeast should rise and become foamy.

In a bowl, stir together flour, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and 1 additional cup of water, stir with a spatula until mixture comes together in a dough. Place a warm, damp dishcloth over the bowl and put bowl in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours.

After the 2 hours, remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface and cut in half. You can freeze one half for use later. Oil a rimmed baking sheet and stretch dough to the edges — the dough might be finicky and spring back, but be patient and keep working at it. If the dough rips, just pinch it back together.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook down, stirring occasionally. When onions are translucent and begin to brown, add splash of balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a few cranks of pepper. Stir a few more times and remove from heat.

Bake pizza dough for 12-15 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer crust to a cutting board.

Using a spatula, spread garlic & herb cheese evenly across the crust. Layer arugula, walnuts, grapes, and caramelized onions atop the crust and slice flatbread into rectangles. Serve and enjoy immediately.

{Double Batch} Spicy Herbed Garlic Bread

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DSC_0257

A haiku for you, entitled This Bread:

Spicy, garlicky -

Yeasted breads are quite the art,

Mastery is tough.

A few years ago when we were slated host New Year’s Eve in New Jersey, my mom called her Hungarian aunt to walk her through how to make a proper kalács — a large, braided loaf of bread that must be on the table. Ica dictated the following instructions:

“You need about a cup, cup-and-a-half of flour. A whole egg and maybe a yolk. A little bit of yeast in some warm milk that’s not too hot and not too cold. Throw some sugar in there, let rise until risen. Bake in a hot oven until done.”

So, that’s the recipe we have to work with. Each holiday season, we inevitably make two or three loaves of kalács with varying degrees of the required ingredients in an attempt to perfect the recipe. And though it’s not exactly the same as Ica’s, we still make some damn good bread. I imagine if I spent the 70-something years of my existence on this earth making a loaf of bread a day so the process was fully engrained in my muscle memory, I wouldn’t see the need for precise measurements, either.

Yeasted breads are difficult to command and I did not quite inherit my my mom and Ica’s skill set when it comes to kalács or any other recipe involving yeast. To develop this yeast-handling practice in the name of cooking, Molly and I decided to try our hand at this garlicky herb bread from our BFF Joy. I ended up making two different versions of this bread: one with Italian flour and a dough hook, the other with all-purpose flour and by hand. As soon as I put the ingredients together in the mixer with the dough hook, I knew the bread was going to be too tough, so I tried to handle the latter loaf a bit less. In the end, both loaves were beautifully studded with red and green specks and deliciously aromatic — you could hardly taste the difference between the two. This bread is best eaten the day it’s made with a big pot of veggie chili and a Super Bowl game.

Spicy Herbed Garlic Bread (adapted from Joy the Baker)

1 cup warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

pinch of sugar

4 ounces unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

4 cups flour (bread flour would be best, but I used all-purpose flour here)

1 teaspoon cracked ground pepper

2 teaspoons salt

olive oil, coarse salt, and chili flakes for top

Grease a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.

Measure one cup of warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water, add a pinch of sugar and stir. Let stand for five minutes – yeast should rise and become foamy. If this doesn’t happen, pitch the yeast and start fresh. Set yeast aside.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add herbs, chili and garlic. Set aside.

Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture and butter mixture into the center. Using your hands, work the flour into the liquids until a shaggy dough is formed. Once dough comes together, knead a few times until it becomes a smooth sphere. Place the dough in the medium mixing bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place bowl in a warm place and allow dough to rise for approximately one hour.

Once dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Take dough out of the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface for about two minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a large dutch oven. Place dough in the pot and use a large knife to make two deep slashes. Pour another 3 tablespoons of oil on top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and some extra chili flakes.

Cover pot with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees F, remove lid, and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Allow bread to cool down a bit before slicing of chunks and dousing them with fresh olive oil.

golden, herb-studded loaf

Nutty Maple Cinnamon Granola

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bowl of goodness

bowl of granola-y goodness

If you’ve ever attended a party hosted by the Taylors — birthdays, New Year’s Eve, Christmas, Memorial Day – you know my household is big on tradition for parties. These annual gatherings have come to be designed around the food that will be served over the course of the dinner or weekend, so it’s only natural we have a bevy of go-to recipes for these events. Mama’s chicken wings, daddy’s potato salad, blondies, brownies, guacamole, and homemade tortilla chips all must make an appearance or someone will have a meltdown. Despite the time we spend reading and researching and testing new recipes, we rarely deviate from our standard menu. (We have been making the same kinds of Christmas cookies for about 2o years. I rest my case.). On the other hand, when one one of my family members initially discovers a new recipe that’s meant for a family meal during the week, we tend to obsess make it every day until it has been perfected into oblivion. I recently introduced my family to this kale salad – it will turn any leafy green skeptic into a believer.

A few months ago, my mom started making granola every other day until she came up with a recipe that suited her flavor profile, and was promptly added to our party arsenal. That’s the great and fun thing about this homemade granola — it can be adapted to your exact likes and dislikes. The recipe below, abound with chunks of nuts, a subtly sweet coconut flavor, rich tones of maple, and an unexpected bite from salt, has become my personal favorite version.

If you’re allergic to nuts, eliminate them completely and toss in a handful of each dark and white chocolate chips when it has cooled — I recently made that version for a group of 12-year-old girls and they loved it. Dried cherries and a splash of almond extract add a more sophisticated element, and makes a perfect host gift for anyone. No matter your preferred combination, your kitchen will smell absolutely divine .

Nutty Maple Cinnamon Granola

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

splash of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons flax seeds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lightly spray two edged, glass dishes with cooking spray and set aside.

Place oats, almonds, pecans, walnuts, unsweetened coconut, olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula until mixture is glistening from oil. If it looks too dry, alternate oil and maple syrup one teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition until granola looks wet but is not drenched. Add flax seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, toss to fully incorporate.

Divide granola between the two glass dishes and spread it out evenly. Bake at 275 degrees for 50-60 minutes, tossing every 15-20 minutes.  The finished granola will be fragrant and a deep golden color. Let cool completely before enjoying.

{Double Batch} Vanilla-Bourbon Apple Cider

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November through January is a hugely sensory time of year for me. It’s a time of year when every lingering scent or passing breeze comes with some sort of  memory, whether it’s that of minestrone on Halloween or the blinding snow from the Blizzard of ’96. Since I lived in Los Angeles for the 2010 and 2011 holiday seasons, I found myself constantly cursing the palm tress and sunshine and Santa Anas for the lack of snow and sweater weather. In an effort to channel my east coast roots last year, I bought a bottle of bourbon to add to hot apple cider for a dinner party in hopes that I could bring a bit of the east coast to LA. It worked — the entire house smelled deliciously of the east coast holidays.

Somewhere in a parallel universe, I’m the badass girl who shocks her date by ordering top-shelf bourbon, straight, at the bar and enjoying every sweet sip while enthralled in conversation with that hunky, slightly scruffy man in a well-tailored suit. In reality, bourbon suits me as a grown-up nightcap, complementing a robust cider spiced with vanilla and cinnamon…and Molly agrees.

Bourbon Vanilla Apple Cider

(The bourbon in this recipe can be completely optional — the cider is undoubtedly just as good without it!)

Serves 4

4 cups apple cider

1/4 cup water

2 whole cinnamon sticks

1 whole vanilla bean, split down the center

freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of salt

3/4 cup bourbon

apples, sliced

Put apple cider, water, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean (seeds and pod), nutmeg, and salt in a medium-size pot. Simmer over medium heat until cider becomes fragrant. Take cider off heat an top off with bourbon. Pour cider into mugs and garnish with sliced apple. Best consumed in front of a roaring fire with a good book and a beautifully dressed man fluffy cat at your feet.

bourbon and cider and Oatmeal, oh my

bourbon and cider and Oatmeal, oh my

{Double Batch} Mushroom and Onion Scones

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beautiful, marbleized scones

beautiful, marbleized scones

Breakfast is undoubtedly the most versatile and underestimated meal of the day.

Think about it! Pancakes, waffles, french toast, sandwiches, grits, fruits, meat — you’re likely to satisfy  both a sweet and savory craving in that one meal. Plus, you could eat any of those things at any point in the day. Who doesn’t love tapping into their inner child to have pancakes for dinner? The same can’t be said for filet mignon for breakfast (though, my sister routinely eats cold pizza for breakfast, so to each his or her own). If I had more time in the morning before work, I might spend it trying to perfect the art of egg-poaching to recreate an amazing bruschetta dish from Cora’s Coffee Shoppe in Santa Monica. Or I’d have my dad make his famous pancakes for me every morning.

Cora's bruschetta / Daddy's pancakes

Cora’s bruschetta / Daddy’s pancakes

The only time I don’t want a massive breakfast of eggs drowning in hollandaise (I don’t care what Bourdain says about it) or round discs of bread smothered in syrup is when we’re on vacation in Nantucket. Breakfast on that island consists of lattes from the bean and cherry scones from the local bake shop every single morning. Scones are my one pastry vice because they’re not overly sweet and sugary, even if I do have an insatiable sweet tooth.

Until Molly and I came upon this recipe, savory scones had never crossed my mind. Now that I have made these mushroom & onion scones a few times, they have now become a staple in my repertoire. Enjoy them plain with a pad of butter, toasted with a slice of cheese, or on either side of a fried egg to make a mean egg sandwich.

Mushroom and Onion Scones (Adapted from Joy the Baker)

Makes 12-14 scones

1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced (I used a combination of baby bella and cremini)

1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 sweet onion

1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold and cut into cubes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

1 egg for egg wash

Over medium heat in a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add mushrooms to pan and saute, stirring periodically until browned. Add salt and pepper, remove mushrooms from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pan. Add the onions and cook down until onions become caramelized. Add mushrooms to the pan, followed by balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Put aside to cool and be patient– the mushrooms and onions need to be completely cooled before they’re added to the dough.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, beat egg and buttermilk together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, sift dry ingredients — flour, sugar, baking powder, basking soda, and salt. Add butter and shortening and mix together until the butter and shortening resemble small pebbles. Add egg and milk mixture to dry ingredients, bringing ingredients together to form a soft dough. Add mushrooms and onions to dough until evenly incorporated.

Place dough on floured countertop and knead approximately 15 times. Form dough into a round about 1-inch thick and cut dough into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or upside-down drinking glass. Repeat with excess dough until everything is used. Place scones on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and top with coarse sea salt. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Scones are best right out of the oven!

violà!

violà!