The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - Doughnut Plant Marzipan Doughnut

I know I write about the Doughnut Plant a lot, but come on, it is so good.  I love their creative flavors, and since it is fairly close to the new subway stop I take, I can't help but see what they frying up in there.  Because it is the holidays, they are serving up some very special holiday flavors.  I stopped in for their gingerbread doughnuts, and unfortunately they were out, but the counter girl assured me that the marzipan doughnut was the best and her personal favorite.  With her enthusiasm and the doughnut's adorable star-shape, it was hard to say no.  So I took it home, wolfed down a Chipotle burrito, and then dove into this.  And yes, it was delicious.  If you are in New York, go try one for yourself.

If you are thinking about some food-related gift ideas, click here and here.

And if you are looking for some stand-out cookie recipes for the season, click here.

The best Thing I Had in My Mouth - Carrot-Ginger Muffin

You know what the best part about having a friend in pastry school is?  All her extra goodies.  My friend Shari loaded me up with ciabatta bread, olive focaccia, creme anglais, homemade marshmallows, and these carrot-ginger muffins.  These muffins were absolutely to-die-for.  They were so moist, and the texture and flavor were great.  I loved the combination of fresh shreds of carrot, chunks of ginger, and toppings of coconut, oats, and brown sugar.  Seriously, how can you go wrong?  I can't wait for her to graduate and start her own thing.

Squash and Goat Cheese Frittata

My friend made us this delicious Squash and Goat Cheese Frittata (from Martha Stewart's Cooking School) this weekend.  It is the perfect breakfast meal, when you are overloaded with yellow squash and zucchini!  I love how fluffy this frittata came out, I definitely will be making it again.  The squash and zucchini can be replaced with any precooked vegetables you like.

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

I purchased Super Natural Every Day a while ago, but I have only made a few things out of the cookbook.  Hopefully with the start of my CSA, that will all change, because there are a ton of healthy recipes loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables in the Heidi Swanson's new book.  This past weekend I made baked blueberry oatmeal to go along with kale and potato gratin.

Rhubarb Muffins

What better way to start the day than with a homemade muffin - especially these rhubarb ones!  Adapted from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, the sweet, sugary crumble mixed with the tangy rhubarb is the perfect balance.  These are great right out of the oven, but I actually liked them better the next day.

The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - Cranberry-Apricot Scones

The first day after my BluePrint Cleanse, I really thought I was going to stay on the healthy track.  I woke up and had pineapple for breakfast, an apple for a snack, and a salad for lunch.  I was in even on the subway with my friend Anna chatting with her about how now that I can have "bad" things, I have no desire to eat them.  That flew out the window real quick.  Once we got to my place, and I set up a platter of City Bakery treats, homemade scones, and bread with honey and cheese, I had a bit of this and little bit of that, and before I knew it I had sampled a whole cranberry-apricot scone, half of a pretzel croissant, an edge of the coconut and chocolate chip cookies, and bread with cheese and honey.  I was back into the swing of things.  Whoops.  Anyways, the best thing I had in my mouth were the cranberry-apricot scones I made.  This recipe is adapted from the Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook, and they are sooooo easy.  Seriously, I can get these in the oven in under 4 minutes.  It's that easy.

Buttermilk Waffles

If you liked the Clinton St. Baking Company's pancakes I shared with you, then you will probably like these buttermilk waffles too.  The are chewy, fluffy, and have a bit of orange flavor that makes them more special.  Use Clinton Street's pancake recipe (click here for pancake batter recipe), and swap with whole milk for buttermilk, then make the rest of pancake batter as directed.  After the batter is made, lightly fold in 1 more teaspoon of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of orange extract (use finely grated orange zest if you can't find the extract), 1 tablespoon canola oil, and 1 tablespoon clarified butter.  Cook waffles in a ready waffle iron, spraying with nonstick spray between waffles.  Makes 8-10 Belgian, or 14 regular waffles.

To learn how to make clarified butter - Macheesmo has a great tutorial (click here).

Click here to check out my frozen yogurt recipe.  Seriously it is better than Pinkberry's - Yes, it's possible!

Homemade Granola

This past week I have been happily munching on my homemade granola from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook.  I am a bit addicted to it, snacking on it a couple times a day when I get a chance.  I love the crunchy-chewy texture and the pop of dried fruit.  That said, this recipe didn't come without some issues.  The first batch I burned, and it wasn't my fault, I swear.  I have an oven thermometer now, because all the disasters that were happening from the cookbook made me crazy.  I needed one anyway since I left my old one in my old oven in my old apartment.  Anyways, my oven is pretty accurate on the temperature, actually 5 degrees cooler than it claims to be, so I know it is not my fault.  Okay, now that that is off my chest.  Anyways, I made a second batch, which was no big deal because this recipe is a cinch to make, and ended up reducing the baking time to 16 minutes instead of the suggested 20-22.  I think I could have baked it a little longer - like a minute if I wanted it a bit crunchier, but I am really glad I didn't because I love the crunchy-chewy texture.  Next time I am planning to replace the cashews with walnuts, and instead of mixed dried fruit I am going to use just dried apples and prunes.  They were my favorite in the mix.

New Doughnut Plant Location

Last week, I happened to walk down 23rd Street (between 7th and 8th Avenue) where I saw a new Doughnut Plant sign.  After checking their website, it looks like they are opening at the Chelsea Hotel!  I am curious to see what the space is like, and if there will be more room to sit and actually enjoy your doughnut.

Check out the doughnuts I got the last time I was there with my parents at their Lower East Location.  

Blackberry Jam Doughnut.

Carrot Cake Doughnut with cream cheese filling - My dad's favorite.

Click here to check out my Doughnut Plant review.

The Best Thing I Had In My Mouth - Pretzel Croissant

My friend Anna gushed about The City Bakery's Pretzel Croissant like every time I saw her.  So one Saturday morning I went in and got one.  I was completely disappointed, my taste buds were confused - the texture of a croissant, the salty goodness and coloring of a pretzel - what is this!?  Maybe my problem was that I decided to eat the flaky thing while on the street and then while walking through Bed Bath and Beyond, as if that isn't overwhelming enough.  So last week I gave it a second chance.  I was prepared for the confusing prezzant, as I like to call it.  This time I ate sitting down (a more appropriate choice - so the flakes went on my desk, not my clothing), and I truly enjoyed it.  The salty flavor, the buttery flakiness that every delicious croissant must have - I scarfed the sucker down.  It was definitely the best thing I had in my mouth last week.


On another note, Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day everyone!  Below is a clip from The Cosby Show, featuring the family sitting in silence listening to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  It is a special moment, that always leaves me a little teary-eyed. 

Clinton St. Baking Company's Banana And Walnut Pancakes

On Wednesday night, I had breakfast for dinner.  I decided to try Neil's Pancakes with bananas and walnuts from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook.  It was a recipe that I was excited about since my mom has had their blueberry pancakes at Clinton Street and really liked them.  I am buttermilk pancake kind of girl, so I was anxious to see how these compared to Martha Stewart recipe I frequently use.  A major innovation in Neil's recipe was the whipped egg whites, which made the fluffiest pancakes ever.  Below is the recipe, along with Clinton Street's famous maple butter.

Ingredients for Neil's Pancakes with Bananas and Walnuts from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, makes eighteen to twenty 4-inch pancakes:

-4 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon salt
-6 large eggs, separated
-3 cups whole milk
-3/4  cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for the griddle
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 1/2 cups sliced bananas
-1 cup walnuts, chopped
-Cinnamon sugar for dusting
-Maple butter (recipe below)

Begin by sifting all dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar).

And separate your eggs (reserve whites in a medium bowl and place yolks in another bowl).

In another bowl combine yolks, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.  When I placed my melted butter into the cold milk, it congealed.  I ended up reheating the butter.  Has this happened to anyone else?  Whisk the egg mixture into the dry mixture, until it is a combined slightly lumpy batter.

Now whip the egg whites until the reach medium peaks.  Neil says peaks are medium when you put your finger in and they drip over a bit and stand up.

Gently mix half the whipped whites into the batter with a large rubber spatula.  Then gently fold the remaining half into the batter.  This batter should slightly lumpy and have large parts of egg whites not fully incorporated (like icecaps in a foamy ocean).

Heat a griddle - either an electric griddle, stovetop griddle, or big flat pan to 350-375 degrees F.  I used a cast iron skillet on medium-low.  Grease the hot griddle with a teaspoon of butter, or just enough so the pancake doesn't stick.  I added too much butter for my first pancake.  Drop about 1/4 of a cup of batter on the griddle and cook to set.  I watch for dry edges and bubbles forming in the center, about 3 minutes.  Add about 1 teaspoon of walnuts, and 3 slices of banana before turning the pancakes and then flip.  When pancake is golden brown on both sides, remove from skillet.  I place my pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven, on the lowest temperature just to keep them warm while I finish the rest.

Meanwhile prepare your Maple Butter, which is 1 cup real maple syrup (Clinton Street uses Grade B), and 2 sticks (16 tablespoons unsalted butter) cut into cubes.  I forgot to cut mine into cubes - whoops.  Heat maple syrup over medium heat.  Add the cold butter to the warm syrup, whisking in a few cubes at a time until the sauce is smooth and all the butter is incorporated.  Turn off the flame and keep sauce in a warm place.  Never boil the syrup.  It will keep for at least two months in the refrigerator.

Once all of your cakes are done, and your maple butter is ready, garnish with cinnamon sugar, bananas, walnuts, and maple butter.  Confession - I don't like butter that much, so I didn't use the maple butter.  The bananas in the pancakes get nice and caramelized and sweeter, so I don't really miss the added richness.

Last year I made a couple of Rick Bayless's salsas.  Click here to read.

Potato Pancakes

This past Friday night, I decided I was going to make potato pancakes and caramelized apple sauce from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook.  At 10:30 I had a burned pot of apple sauce (which I tried to convince myself otherwise that is was not burnt) and some delicious potato pancakes.  The recipe says "serves 4," but for a potato-lover it really serves 2.  I have no self-control when it comes to fried potatoes.  NONE.  Overall, I thought the potato pancake recipe was great, but there are few tweaks here in there thought I thought could make it more successful (which I included in the recipe).

Ingredients for Potato Pancakes from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, serves 4 (2 to 3 pancakes per person):

-4 Idaho potatoes
-Juice of half a lemon
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup finely minced or grated onion (about half a medium onion
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (sorry I only have black)
-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (you can substitute matzo meal)
-1/4 to 1/2 cup canola oil

To begin, peel the potatoes and place them in a cold bowl of water.

In a large bowl, squeeze in half the juice of a lemon.  Then in the same bowl, using a box grater, grate potatoes using the medium or largest holes (I used the largest).  Mix the lemon juice and potatoes by hand to prevent browning.

Okay, get another medium bowl - here comes the messy part.  Using your hands squeeze the liquid from the potatoes into the new bowl, and reserve the liquid.  I think this would work fine if I was Neil from Clinton Street, but I am Weakling Sam, so next time I am going to place my potatoes in a clean dish towel (NOT terry cloth) and gently twist my potatoes so all the liquid comes out.  I do this whenever I make Martha Stewart's potato pancake.  Click here to see what I am talking about.  You can also place your potatoes in a salad spinner and spin off the liquid - an Alton Brown trick.  Its not to say that I didn't squeeze out liquid, but by the time I started frying my pancakes, I noticed a lot of liquid started to seep out from the mixture.  I just didn't squeeze out enough, and I think these other methods could prevent that.

In a clean bowl, mix the potatoes, eggs, onion, salt, pepper, and flour, until all combined.  Discard the top layer of your reserved potato liquid and you will find potato sludge - er I mean starch at the bottom.  It is actually pretty cool because the starch is pretty thick and solid, it almost felt like fresh coconut.  Add this to the potato mixture and mix with your hands or spoon.  The starch is what actually makes your pancakes crisp.

In a large saute pan, heat oil to just below boiling point (this is just below medium high on my stove).  Form four 2-inch pancakes and saute them four at a time.  You can flatten the pancakes with your spatula if you want them thinner.  Mine were about 1/2 inch to start and were flattened a bit in the pan.  Once a pancake is golden and is partially cooked in the middle, the pancake  is ready to be turned.  When flipping the pancake, tilt the pan away from you so no oil splatters on you.  Lower the heat to prevent burning and cook the other side until golden brown, another 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the pancakes from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve pancakes warm or at room temperature.  If you want to reheat the pancakes, place them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven at 350 degrees F for up to ten minutes until they recrisp, but be careful - they dry out easily.

Below is my apple sauce disaster, but more on that later.  I am going to try it again this weekend :)

Mexican Scrambled Egg Tacos

Last night I made these delicious scrambled egg tacos for dinner.  They are so simple to make, you are done in 30 minutes - promise.  The recipe is from Rick Bayless's Mexican Everyday (my favorite).  Rick's original recipe calls for 1 pound of ripe tomatoes, but when one is in the dead of winter I go for the can of fire-roasted tomatoes when I can find them.  And yes, I left out the cilantro because I hate it, but please add it if you like.

Ingredients for Mexican Scrambled Egg Tacos, adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Everyday, serves 4:

-3 garlic cloves, peeled
-Fresh hot chiles, 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno (I used jalapeno), stemmed, seeded (if you want), and each cut into 3 or 4 pieces
-1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, olive oil, or fresh pork lard or bacon  or chorizo drippings (I used olive oil)
-1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes, or one 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
-8 eggs
-Salt
-1/2 to 2/3 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro
-1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from skin, and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
-12 warm corn tortillas, store-bought, click here for heating instructions
-3/4 cup roasted tomatillo salsa (click here for recipe), or bottled salsa or hot sauce for serving


Begin by dropping chiles and garlic cloves, one piece at a time into a food processor.  Let each piece get finely chopped before adding the next.  Then add the onion, and pulse into the pieces are no larger than 1/4 inch.

Heat oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat.  Add the chile-onion mixture, and stir regularly, until starting to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes, or can of tomatoes (including juice) and cook.  Stir frequently, until all of the tomato liquid evaporates and oil separates out again, about 4 minutes with fresh tomatoes, 8-10 for canned tomatoes.

While tomatoes are cooking, crack the eggs in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt and beat with a fork until eggs are roughly blended.  Chop avocado up and heat tortillas.

Pour eggs into skillet with tomatoes.  At first I thought this looked wrong and gross, but eventually the eggs cook up.  Slowly stir, scraping up the cooked eggs from the bottom of the skillet until the eggs are as done as you like.  I cook mine until everything looks almost dry.

Scoop eggs into two stacked tortillas, sprinkle with avocado, hot sauce, and cilantro.  Enjoy hot!