Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Carbonara

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Carbonara

A roasted cauliflower and mushroom pasta in a creamy egg and bacon sauce seasoned with plenty of fresh cracked pepper.

ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces fettuccine (or pasta of choice)
• 4 ounces pancetta, diced or 4 ounces bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• plenty of fresh cracked black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 
  

directions

1. Toss the cauliflower and mushrooms in the oil, salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 400F oven until they start to caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, mixing half way through.
2. Start cooking the pasta as directed on the package.
3. Cook the pancetta in a pan, pour off all but a tablespoon of the grease from the pan, add the garlic, cook for 30 second and turn off the heat.
4. Mix the egg, cheese, pepper and salt and parsley in a bowl.
5. Drain the cooked pasta reserving some of the water.
6. Mix the pasta, egg mixture, cauliflower and mushrooms into the pan with the pancetta, adding reserved pasta water as needed.

Note: To speed things up, about 20 minutes into roasting the cauliflower and mushrooms, get your pot of water for the pasta on the stove and start bringing it to a boil.
Option: Replace the parmigiano reggiano with pecorino romano.

White Pizza w/Spinach & Bacon

ingredients:

dough
1 1/8 cups warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

pizza
6 slices thick-cut bacon
8 ounces fresh spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated provolone cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmagiano-reggiano cheese

directions:

dough
In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas - this specific dough will yield one pizza large enough to feed about 3-4 people) and place on a baking sheet or pizza peel. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Sometimes I use a pizza stone and heat my oven to 450 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. If you're just using a baking sheet, follow the directions below for baking and set to 375 degrees.)

pizza
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook just until the fat has rendered - you don't want the bacon too crispy because it will cook more in the oven. Remove the bacon from the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and the garlic, stirring well. Cook until the spinach is wilted.

Brush the pizza dough with the olive oil. Cover it with scoops of the ricotta cheese, then evenly spread the remaining cheeses over top. Add on the spinach and the bacon. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese and crust is golden and bubbly.

Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

Yield: Makes over 4½ cups; enough to fill and frost two 9-inch layer cakes or three 8-inch layer cakes.

Rich, double chocolate, light and fluffy and all-natural, this dreamy chocolate cheesecake-like buttercream frosting has a slight tang from the cream cheese and is flavored and sweetened just right. Also, it pipes beautifully. Truly, a baker and dessert lover’s dream come true!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened (or 1 stick salted & 1 stick unsalted)
• 1 (8-ounce/226 grams) package cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®, softened
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®
• ¾ cup (60 grams) sifted HERSHEY'S® Special Dark® Cocoa, or your favorite
• ¾ cup (4.5 ounces/127.5 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, such as Guittard® Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, melted and cooled slightly
• 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners’ sugar, spooned in cup, leveled off & sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) heavy cream, optional for desired consistency

Preparation

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add cream cheese and vanilla; beat until fully incorporated. Add cocoa and mix until well blended. Add melted chocolate and beat until fully incorporated. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.

Gradually add 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed (stir), until well combined. Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth while scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes.

If desired, beat in the amount of heavy cream to reach the ideal consistency for filling, frosting, icing and piping. Before frosting cake layers, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.

Notes

Tips:

If not using immediately, the buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature before beating smooth again.

If using the buttercream to pipe details, be sure to use chilled hands when handling pastry bag as warm hands can melt the buttercream.

To Melt Chocolate Chips in Microwave: Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl on medium power (50%) for 2 minutes or on high power for 20 second intervals to prevent scorching. Chips should not be completely melted. Stir until chips are completely melted and smooth.

To Melt Chocolate Chips on the Stovetop: Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Stir constantly until smooth.

CARROT CAKE W/ BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

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CARROT CAKEWITH BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

Cake

1 pound carrots, finely grated

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. canola oil

1/3 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Frosting

2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)

16 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

dash of sea salt

3-4 c. powdered sugar

Garnish

1/4 c. shredded coconut, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cake. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 9" round cake pans with parchment paper. Whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. (To grate carrots, use grater, VitaMix, or foor processor.)
2. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
3. Distribute batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely before icing. To remove cake from pan, loosen edges with an offset spatula and discard parchment paper.
4. Frosting. Place one stick of butter in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until butter is browned, about 5 minutes. Pour into small bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes to cool.
5. Once cooled, cream together browned butter, regular butter, and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt. Mix.
6. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix well between each addition. After 3 cups, taste to see if additional sugar is necessary.
7. Assembly. Place bottom layer of cake on cake stand, leveling the top if necessary. Add a layer of icing. Place second layer on top, leveling if necessary. Dirty ice the cake. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill. Finish icing the rest of the cake using an offset spatula. Using the back of a spoon, drag circles in the top of the cake for the swirl effect.
8. Garnish. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired.
9. Refrigerate. Serve cake at room temperature.

Moist & Delicious Coffee Cake

Coffee cake is one of my favorite things to have around the house.

Main batter:

11⁄2 sticks butter, at room temperature

11⁄4 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

2 oz crème fraîche

21⁄4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Filling:

1⁄2 cup  sugar

1⁄2 cup flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1.Preheat oven to 375°F. 2.Prepare the main batter. Beat the butter and sugar together until frothy. 3.Beat the eggs into the batter one by one. 4.Mix in the crème fraîche. 5.In a separate bowl, combine the flour and the baking powder, then sift this into the main batter mixture. 6.For the cake’s dark layer, use your fingers to mix all the ingredients together in a clean bowl by pinching and rubbing them together until thoroughly combined. 7.Then pour around half of the main batter into a cake pan that holds around 6 cups.8.Spoon the dark layer mixture over this. Then add the rest of the batter on top. 9.Bake the cake on the bottom rack of the oven for 45–60 minutes. 10.Let it cool for around 15 minutes before flipping the cake pan over onto a serving dish. 11. Let the cake cool completely before removing the cake pan.

Cranberry Almond Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

for the coffee cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature (I used unsalted butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

for the streusel topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature (I used unsalted butter and no salt)

confectioner's sugar for dusting

Create the Cranberry Almond Streusel Coffee Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.

Butter a 9" springform pan. (See Carol's notes.)

Cream butter and sugar until light.

Add eggs, one at a time, and stir together well.

Mix in vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream.

Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

In a small bowl toss the cranberries with the 3 tablespoons sugar, and fold into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan.

In a medium bowl, work together the sugar, flour and butter until crumbly, and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake until golden brown, approximately 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a rack for approximately 30 minutes and remove the springform side.

Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container.

Carol's notes:

The original recipe called for a 9" round cake pan; however, this is not large enough if the pan only has 2" sides.  I used a 9" springform pan, which has slightly higher sides, so it just made it.  If you use a 9" round cake pan, be sure it has 3" sides.  Otherwise, it would be best to use an 11" coffee cake pan,  10" angel food pan, or a 10" round cake pan, which will better fit the coffee cake ingredients.  Adjust the cooking time accordingly, and carefully remove from the pan after cooling on rack for approximately 30 minutes.

If the edges rise above the sides of the pan and the streusel begins to brown too much before the cake is completely baked, cover the edges with foil.

Lemon Greek Easter Cookies {Koularakia}

Lemon Greek Easter Cookies {Koularakia}

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup shortening
• 2 whole lemons, zested,
• Juice from two lemons
• 5 cups flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoon milk
• ¼ cup Domino sugar for sprinkling

  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening until creamy. Add eggs and sugar. Continue to beat on medium until mixture is light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice. Carefully add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Batter will be thick.
3. Work with small pieces of dough at a time; roll dough into strips about 5 inches long and ½ inch thick. Make a “u” with dough strip, cross one side over the other and twist into a twisted rope shape. Arrange cookies on a lined baking sheet. Brush cookies with milk and sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
4. Makes 6 dozen