Tag Archives: mini

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Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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Hey, Tuesday! I hope everyone that had a long weekend here in the US had a great time. We went impromptu car shopping on Saturday (our beloved, old car kicked the bucket and refused to budge) and Sean left for a business trip Sunday. It was a busier,  more emotional weekend than anticipated with the dying of the car and the need to find something in a single day. Which, in retrospect felt like a HUGE, overwhelming deal at the time, but now that things are back in order that huge deal has become NBD (I know, first world probs ya’ll).

I made these pancakes on Sunday as a little Hurray/Farewell, I think they helped AND I think that these are maybe my favorite pancakes ever. Sean always requests chocolate chip pancakes, they are his fave, and since we’re big fans of the classic orange-chocolate combo, I added the zest and juice of an orange for good measure. This pancake recipe is a breezey wet+dry situation and, with the addition of chocolate and orange, they are the kind of special that’s made easy. The pancakes cook up fluffy and tender and perfect. The decadent mix-ins make them irresistible even without syrup and butter, but there’s no judgement if you want a little extra sweetness. Sometimes you need it, ya know?

Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes

adapted from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys 

Make about 20, 3-inch pancakes

I add the juice from the orange to the milk–much like I would to make a buttermilk replacement with lemon and milk in a recipe. The acid from the orange may curdle the milk a bit, but that’s totally fine, go with it. If there isn’t enough orange juice to make 1/4 cup add store-bought orange juice to make up the difference or when mixing with the milk, add a bit more milk to make 1 1/4 cup total of liquid. I like mini chips in my pancakes because they suspend in the batter and are less likely to burn on the bottom of the pan. 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

generous 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup orange juice (squeezed from the zested orange)

1 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

vegetable oil, for brushing the pan

maple syrup and butter, for serving

Preheat the oven to 200˚F, place an oven safe dish on the middle rack.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Toss in the chips and coat lightly with the flour mixture. Set aside. In a large measuring cup whisk together the orange zest, juice, and milk. Whisk in the egg and vanilla, to combine well. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the milk mixture into the center of the well. Add the butter and fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined–there may be a few small lumps, that’s okay. Do not overmix! or your pancakes will turn out chewy. Allow the batter to rest 5-10 minutes.

Heat a skillet (I use nonstick) or griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the surface of the skillet with oil and pour in a scant 1/4 cup of batter, cook until bubbles begin to form all over the surface of the batter and the bottom is medium, golden brown. Flip the pancake and cook an additional minute or until the middles of the pancake are cooked through. Place the cooked pancake on the warmed plate in the oven. Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve warm with butter and syrup.

 

 

 

 

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Eggnog Streusel Muffins

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Hello, December!

The holidays are in full swing over here, as this is my ever-fave time of the year. One of my favorite holiday flavors is Eggnog. The thing is…I’m not so much into drinking it. In a latte? Totally. In ice cream, hell-to-the-yes. Cookie, cakes, etc…yup.

Even though eggnog is basically melted ice cream–drinking it is just too much for me. The viscosity gets to me every time. I love to add eggnog to a baked good–like these super soft cookies or this pretty cake. It replaces the dairy in many recipes like a dream. The richness and subtle nutmeg spice is perfect for holiday baking. I threw these muffins together, using my favorite recipe as the starting point, over the weekend. The muffin is tender and fragrant with eggnog flavor. The streusel has hints of nutmeg and the sugary crunch is perfection in top of the tender muffin. They come together quickly and are perfect with a cup of coffee on grey-sky mornings.

Eggnog Streusel Muffins

adapted from this recipe. 

Makes 8 standard or 24 mini muffins.

1 cup all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons eggnog

3 Tablespoons browned butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel:

2 Tablespoons browned butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

tiny pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350*f and line your desired muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Brown the butter for the muffins and streusel. Melt 5 Tablespoons of butter in a small pan. Heat over medium until the butter becomes foamy, continue heating–swirling or stirring the butter–until the milk solids become dark golden brown and fragrantly nutty. Remove from heat and divide accordingly into two bowls. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix the streusel together by combining the 2 Tablespoons of browned butter with the flour, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Set in refrigerator until ready to use.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg.

In a large measuring cup whisk together the egg, eggnog, 3 Tablespoons of the cooled browned butter, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until just combined. Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups, divide streusel evenly over the tops of each muffin and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean–about 13-15 minutes for minis and 16-20 for standard muffins. I would check them both after the earliest suggested time and go from there. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

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Pint-Size Chicken ‘n’ Waffles

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There are certain things that always get me flavor-wise: sweet + savory, bonus points for spicy, lots of crunchy texture, a little novelty and a little fun. Make it mini, and I am sold!

These Pint-Size Chicken ‘n’ Waffles, from Tiny Food Party by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park of the blog Spoon Fork Bacon, are everything mentioned above, in a perfect, pint-size bite. Chicken and waffles is a totally novel dish, a little kitschy, yet totally delicious. Maybe, somehow, this poultry+breakfast item craze has escaped you. Maybe it’s a little too weird and the idea of breaking into a chicken-leg-on-top-of-a-waffle-drizzled-in-syrup seems a touch cumbersome, then I urge you to make your first foray into the world of chicken and waffles a miniature one.

I have made chicken and waffles at home before, and ordered plenty in restaurants, but Sean and I both agree, these are definitely the best ones. Not just because of the recipe–I mean, I used a frozen mini-waffle here–because, it makes the most sense. It’s a two-bite miracle; no wrangling of chicken bones or dinner utensils required. I swapped the honey butter suggested in the recipe for a mix of honey and tabasco sauce. The honey brings floral sweetness, while the tabasco brings tangy-vinegar heat, and pairs up perfectly with the crunchy-savory chicken and waffle.

I made these for a fun lunch on an easy weekend, but I’m thinking they would be really fun for a game-day spread or any festive gathering…I mean, who can resist? It’s a tiny, crunchy, sweet-savory, Pint-Size Chicken ‘N’ Waffle Wonder!

Pint-Size Chicken ‘n’ Waffles

Makes about 30

Recipe from Tiny Food Party by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park

You could purchase a tiny-waffle-maker, I nearly did but stopped myself from becoming a single-use-appliance hoarder. I still kinda-sorta-really want that dang waffle maker, but my will is maintaining some integrity and, for now, frozen mini-waffles work perfectly. Below I have included the suggested honey butter, as well as the spicy-honey sitch that I favor. Do both, do either, or make your own thing. Happy Tiny Food Party-ing! 

10 chicken tenders, cut into 3 equal pieces (or a couple boneless chicken breasts, 2-3 depending on size)

2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups vegetable oil

30 mini waffles, or regular waffles cut into 30, 1-inch pieces

Honey Butter:

4 Tablespoons softened butter

2 1/2 Tablespoons honey

Whisk until combined.

Spicy Honey:

3 Tablespoons honey

several dashes Tabasco sauce

Whisk until combined, add as little or as much Tabasco as you like.

Place the chicken in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover, refrigerate, and soak the chicken in the buttermilk for several hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375*F. Place waffles on a baking sheet and toast for 12-15 minutes.

In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, remove chicken from buttermiilk, dredge through flour mix, shake off excess , and carefully place chicken pieces in hot oil, cooking about 5 minutes per side or until golden, crunchy, and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

Spread honey butter onto waffles, if using, and place 1 chicken piece on each waffle. Drizzle with spicy or plain honey and serve warm.

 

 

 

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Corn Dog Pops

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If you know anything about me by now, you may have gathered that when it comes to holidays…I’m in it for the food!

Summer holidays are the best excuse to indulge in carnival fare and other American favorites–dogs, brats, burgers, and ribs are all king. With Independence Day just days away, I’ve had hot dogs on the brain. Enter the corn dog, a true-blue American creation born of state fair ingenuity.

Did I just imply that corn dogs are ingenious? Yeah, I totes did…because it’s a HOT DOG dipped in CORN BATTER and FRIED to golden, crisp perfection. It doesn’t get more deliciously indulgent than that–and not indulgent in that gratuitous way deep fried butter or candy bars are–but, in that way that lounging all day pool or lakeside, sipping cool beverages, and eating summer foods is.

Corn dogs always felt too daunting and so cumbersome to make at home. I always left it to the state fair and carnival professionals with deep fryers and gallons of hot oil. Then, one day it clicked…make them into a more manageable pop! Hot dogs are cut into thirds, skewered, dredged in cornstarch, and then dipped into a corn-y batter before being fried. You only need about 3 inches of oil in a medium saucepan. Gallons of oil and stress levels are spared, and you’re rewarded with a deliciously festive treat that would be welcome at any summertime fête.

Corn Dog Pops

Adapted from Alton Brown and A Cozy Kitchen

I used skewers cut in half for these pops, just snip off the pointy end with shears so no one gets spiked mid-chomp. You will have extra batter that can be used to coat other bits you feel like frying, we used it to deep fry some pickled jalapeno slices.

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 package (8 links) hot dogs, cut into thirds

bamboo skewers trimmed and cut in half

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 cob corn, grated on a box grater

1/4 cup grated onion

1 large egg, beaten

2 teaspoons honey

1 cup buttermilk

Roll hot dog pieces in a light coating of cornstarch and skewer. Set aside.

In a medium, high sided sauce pan, heat 3-4 inches of oil to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels for draining.

In a large, deep bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cayenne. In a large measuring cup, mix together corn, onion, egg, buttermilk, and honey. Add to the dry mixture and stir to combine. Dip cornstarch coated hot dogs in batter and fry in batches–4-6 pops at a time–until coating is deep, golden brown. Remove from hot oil and drain on paper towel lined pan. Enjoy warm with desired condiments.

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Recipe: Blueberry Hand Pies

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It’s been a fickle few days in my kitchen. I just can’t decide what to make/bake and when I finally land on something, I get too crazy with it. There were exploding pies, bits of yolk in custard, and tough crust. Le sigh. But! It ended well, my brain stopped being crazy and I went with a classic, in a smaller, hand-hold-able package.

These pies have a flaky, tender, buttery crust, and a syrupy, lightly spiced, blueberry filling. I opted to make these into little hand pies since I never seem to be able to slice a whole pie with any luck…and, individual pies are fun. You get yours, I get mine, and maybe we split another? Instead of the standard whipped cream, I softened a few ounces of goat cheese, mixed with a little honey, and folded it into unsweetened whipped cream. The goat cheese cream has a delicate flavor–slight tang, lush creaminess, sweet honey–it’s really good and pairs so nicely with the jammy pies.

Blueberry Hand Pies

Makes about 16 round, double crust, hand pies. 

Crust from Martha Stewart

for the crust I used White Lily brand, a soft wheat flour, if you don’t have it in your area All-Purpose is totally fine. I have made many crusts using All-Purpose flour with excellent results. 

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 sticks (8ounces) unsalted butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

egg wash and cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Filling:

1 pint blueberries, rinsed

juice of 1/2 lemon

4-6 tablespoons vanilla sugar OR plain sugar plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 scant tablespoon cornstarch

a tiny pinch of cinnamon

Goat Cheese Cream:

2 ounces very soft goat cheese

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

for the crust:

Cut butter into cubes and freeze while you gather the remaining ingredients.

Fill a glass measurer with a few ice cubes and 1/2 cup water.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fngers or pastry blender, blend cold butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs–leaving some pea-sized chunks of butter in the mix. A few tablespoons at a time, begin incorporating the ice water–how much depends on how humid it is where you live–just until the crumbs begin to come together when pressed. Turn out dough, knead 1 or 2 times just to combine, divide dough, press into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

for filling and baking:

Preheat oven to 400*F. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Make an egg wash with 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk. Make cinnamon sugar, combining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Set both aside.

In a large bowl, combine blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Toss to combine.

On a clean, smooth surface dusted with flour, roll out 1 disc of dough at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator, to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut rounds of dough using a biscuit cutter–try to get an even number as each pie will require a top and bottom crust. Spoon a small amount of filling into the center of a crust round, brush the edges with egg wash, top with another round, crimp the edges with a fork, brush the top with more wash, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and cut a vent in the top–repeat with remaining dough and filling and place on baking sheet with about 1 inch of space between each pie. Bake for 20 minutes until the bottoms and tops are golden brown, cool on a wire rack.

**Note: I like to keep one baking sheet of pies in the freezer while the other bakes. This ensures maximum crust-flaking.

for goat cheese cream:

In large bowl, whip cream to medium peaks. In another bowl, mix goat cheese with honey until combined. Mix in about 1/4 of the whipped cream, to lighten the consistency of the cheese. Fold in the remaining cream. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with warm or room temperature pies.

 

 

 

 

 

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Recipe: Little Banana Cream Pies

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I don’t know about you, but Banana Cream Pie speaks diner fare to me. The kind of diner fare that you share with a milk-shake or that cocoa that comes out of a machine, best enjoyed after consuming a monster of a cheeseburger or something smothered in gravy…or chili and cheese.

Diner heaven.

Anyway, my house isn’t a diner (dang!), I didn’t enjoy these post burger eating, but I did share one with my husband every night for the last 4 nights.

And every night, it was pretty much diner heaven, sans greasy spoons and gut-busting gravy lakes. It was more of a couch-eating, Project Runway-followed-by-The-Daily-Show, hot-tea, then a nap (also known as bedtime), kind of deal. All of which is almost as good as diner heaven…if not even better.

Better how? Better, because there’s salted caramel all up on top of this and, get ready for this, browned butter in that vanilla pudding.

Yeah, man.

Browned butter + vanilla bean + bananas + salty caramel + pie = better than diner heaven.

Believe it.

Little Banana Cream Pies

You could make this in a regular ol’ 9inch pie tin instead of little tart pans. If you go the tart pan route, this makes enough pudding for 4 little pies plus an extra cup for you to eat…which you will totally want to do.

For the shells:

1/2 recipe of Martha Stewart’s pate brisee (I always make this dough for my pies, you can use whatever recipe you like).

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll out chilled pie dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out rounds of dough about 1inch larger than tart pans (I used an inverted cereal bowl) and place dough rounds into pans. Place squares of parchment larger than tart pans onto top of dough and fill with pie weights (I use dried beans or rice). Blind bake shells in center of the oven for about 15 minutes until shells are completely baked and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the pudding:

adapted from an earlier banana cream tart recipe, which was adapted from Baking from My Home to Yours. If you have an immersion blender, use it for this. I love my immersion blender…LOVE IT. Otherwise, you can pulse the finished pudding in a food processor or regular blender at the end.

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeded

6 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons of butter

In a small skillet heat butter over medium-low until milk solids turn golden brown and fragrant. Be sure to watch this so it doesn’t go from browned to burned. Scrape browned butter into a small ramekin and set aside.

In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan heat milk with vanilla bean seeds and pod, until it just begins to bubble around the edges. Cover and turn of the heat. Allow vanilla to steep in the milk for 15 minutes.

Remove vanilla pod (I rinse mine well and add it to my jar of homemade vanilla extract {vanilla beans + vodka + time}) and bring the vanilla milk to a low boil.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, half of the sugar, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until thick and it gains some volume. Beat in the heavy cream. Beat in the cornstarch mixture until completely combined. Slowly begin to beat in the hot vanilla milk, to temper. Once all of the milk it incorporated scrape the custard back into the saucepan and heat over medium-low, whisking constantly until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Remove pan from heat (at this point you can press the mixture through a sieve if you’d like) and using your immersion blender, blend in the browned butter. Continue to blend for another 30-60 seconds, this makes the pudding have a lighter texture. Either use/eat immediately or chill, covered with plastic touching the surface.

To assemble:

1-2 bananas, sliced

3/4 cup whipped cream

1/4 cup salted caramel sauce (at the end of the link)

Spoon a thin layer of pudding on the bottom of each tart shell, arrange sliced bananas in a single layer and top with more pudding, spreading the pudding to the edges of the shells. Spoon whipped cream over the top, all the way to the edges of the shells. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve immediately or cover with plastic and chill.