South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Are you a Downton Abbey fan?

Antiques Roadshow junkie?

Do you think Bridget Lancaster (America's Test Kitchen) is the best chef ever?

If you answered yes to any of those questions and are local (and truthfully, the entire state of South Dakota is considered local...many of us drive more miles just to have pizza than some other states do in a month), then you are most likely a supporter of South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Hubs and I certainly are. He doesn't miss an episode of Antiques Roadshow (and once left me sitting outside beside the fire pit on a beautiful evening to come inside and watch...even though the DVR was set). We are also anxiously awaiting the next season of Downton Abbey to premiere this fall. Which suitor will Mary choose? What else can happen to poor Edith? Anna and Bates? Oh, my.

And let's face it, aside from Julia Child reminding everyone that with a little practice, anyone can cook, America's Test Kitchen is the best thing since sliced bread. They have even reviewed the knives, and can tell you which one is best for slicing that bread. If there is something that you want to prepare, the Test Kitchen has done it, tested the various methods, and can give you no nonsense and easy to understand science behind that preparation.

It is an understatement to say that I was beyond flattered when approached by SDPB to be included in the Food and Cooking Section of their website. Wow! That is almost like rubbing shoulders with Mark Walburg, having tea with the Dowager Countess of Grantham, or yumming it up with Christopher Kimball. But, there I am! Click on the Food Blog link on the right of the Food and Cooking page, and On My Plate is front and center!

I am honored and excited to be a part of the SDPB website. Their Food and Cooking page also contains links for the food related South Dakota Magazine online content, NPR, and a wide variety of other sources. I urge you to check it out, and while you are there, why not click on the tab to Support SDPB and consider becoming a Friend.

SDPB is a member-supported,community-based, commercial-free public broadcasting service supported by the Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Friends provides the majority of the funding for the programming that you see and hear on television, radio and online. Your contribution is vital to keep SDPB a strong, independent voice, available to all viewers and listeners free of charge.

So...I feel like celebrating. Whose with me? Hip Hip Hooray for SDPB! Let's have cake. How about Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake?

 

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

(adapted from Cooking Light)

Baker's Joy Cooking Spray

1 3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F.
Generously coat bundt pan with cooking spray. (I really can't recommend Baker's Joy enough; I was bundt pan challenged, until I discovered it.)
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Combine flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Combine 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and extracts in a large measuring cup.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternatingly little by little to the sugar mixture until all combined.
Toss the fresh blueberries with just a bit of flour and fold into the batter.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove cake from pan and finish cooling on rack.
Prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, buttermilk, and lemon juice until combined.
Pour over warm cake and cool completely. (Serves 16)

Something Awesome

I should be posting something awesome about Mother's Day, but instead, I am just going to kinda ramble. I think you are all used to that by now, right?

I purchased some gorgeous potted flowers and placed them on my mother-in-law's local grave. I also picked out another greenhouse purchase for my father-in-law's current wife. With my mother buried several hours away,  I have been keeping an eye on the Fern Peony plant that she gave me several years before her death. It has multiplied well this year and is loaded with buds, but our recent cold-raining-hailing-snowing snaps have kept the blooms from showing their beauty. More rain and cooler temperatures are forecast for Mother's Day, but I hope that maybe next week I will be treated with those crimson blossoms that always remind me of Mom.

For the past week, Hubs has been craving the Chocolate Pudding Cake that his mother often made, and tonight, I gave in and prepared it for dessert. He moaned with delight with the first bite of the over-the-top rich, fudgy cake and creamy pudding paired with vanilla bean ice cream. It was pure decadence, and totally trampled any virtuous feelings I may have had after a light supper of roasted (garden picked!) asparagus, lemon pepper halibut, and Spinach Couscous.

I should be sharing that chocolaty recipe, but I don't have any photos that weren't snapped with my phone in the bad night lighting of my kitchen. (Note to self: better lighting is a must when we finally do the kitchen renovation.) Instead, I am going to share a different pudding cake. I believe that Lemon Pudding Cake would be the choice of my mother. She loved her rich and sweet pecan desserts, but I don't believe I ever saw her turn down something bright, tart and citrusy, either.

With just a few ingredients, this light and fluffy cake rises and bakes atop a creamy, pudding-like sauce. Coupled with ice cream or just sprinkled with powdered sugar, you know it is a pure comfort food when it is served with a spoon. I suppose that Lemon Pudding Cake actually is something awesome to share for Mother's Day.

Lemon Pudding Cake

(adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

2 large lemons

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1 1/3 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grate 1 tablespoon zest from lemons, then squeeze 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons juice.
Whisk together flour, salt and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, zest and juice.
Add to flour mixture, whisking just until combined.
Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks.
Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until whites have stiff, glossy peaks.
Whisk about one fourth of the whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently.
Pour into a buttered 8x8 baking dish and bake in a hot water bath until puffed and golden, about 45-50 minutes.
Serve warm, or at room temperature. (Serves 6)

Happy Mother's Day!

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana, who?

*are you sighing in exasperation yet?*

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Orange.

Orange, who?

Orange you glad I didn't say, "banana?"

*giggles*

OK. Really.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

ME!

I am back.

So far, 2014 has been a busy year, and I can't believe that I haven't yet shared anything on the blog. As always, so much has happened. So much good food has been consumed. So many recipes have been tried. But, as always, the first thing that gets plucked from my to-do list when things get hectic is blogging. Hopefully, this will bring me back to share for awhile. Let's celebrate. Let's celebrate with cake. Orange Yogurt Cake. Lately, I have been making my own yogurt, and this cake puts it to good use. It is dense and rich, yet bright with the flavor of citrus. Orange you glad I am back On My Plate?

Orange Yogurt Cake

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1/4 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a small saucepan, bring orange juice to a simmer.
Remove from heat and stir in saffron; let stand 10 minutes.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Beat sugar, egg, and egg white with a mixer until thickened.
Add yogurt, beating well. 
Gradually add olive oil and orange juice mixture, beating until well blended.
Add half of the flour mixture to sugar mixture, beat until just blended.
Add remaining flour and combine.
Spoon batter into a 9-inch round cake pan that has been coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350F for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Combine marmalade and liqueur in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat; strain through a fine sieve directly over the cake; discard solids.
Spread marmalade mixture evenly over the top of cake, allowing excess to drizzle down sides of cake.
Garnish with fresh fruit, mint, and grated orange rind. (Serves 12)

South Dakota Magazine Recap

It is time once again for an update of my recent submissions online at South Dakota Magazine.  I have been contributing articles and recipes to their website every couple of weeks for just over a year and have really enjoyed the process.

Some of these recipes may have already appeared On My Plate, but they are tried and true favorites that have really fit into my menus (and I hope yours).

In November, one second grader was spot on when he told me that I would be hungry later because I didn't finish my lunch. If I would have been feasting on an Open-Faced Hot Chicken Sandwich with Mushroom Gravy, nobody would have had to told me twice to clean my plate.

South Dakota Public Radio noticed another story I shared in November about holiday letters. The accompanying recipe for Green Salad with Pomegranate and Mandarin highlights the juicy bits unlike some seasonal greetings.

December brought a revival of a classic craft that while great as Christmas ornaments could be adjusted to any holiday with the proper cookie cutter shape. Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments smell so good that they shouldn't be limited to just the Christmas tree.

Garlic and Lemon Salad Dressing is my stand-by for quick salads and has helped me keep off the 10 pounds that I lost during my tonsillectomy. Tip: It is also a great marinade for chicken.

For about two seconds, I considered brewing my own beer from my Christmas tree, but instead used a really flavorful ale to make Beer Brined Pork Chops with Onions.

I gave my endorsement to silly food holidays and celebrations with Brownie Cherry Cheesecake. It really is a party in your mouth.

My most recent South Dakota Magazine submission promotes the great works of Dakota Dachshund Rescue. Our family expanded with the adoption of two more little wiener dogs, and our waist lines are expanding with Deviled Chili Cheese Dogs.

As I look ahead at recipes and ideas for future articles, I wonder what you would like to see? Have a local delicacy that you think deserves to be shared state-wide? Add your suggestions in the comments, and I will see what I can do.

You're Only As Old As You Feel

We celebrated my father-in-law's 82nd birthday this weekend. While he has dealt with a few health issues in the recent years, the man is still spry and a go-getter. Knee replacements, chronic ear infections, and cataracts are no match for him. 82 years are no big deal.

Conversely, I am thinking that 42 years are too much for me. I managed to pull a muscle in my neck while whisking powdered sugar into the chocolate icing for the birthday cake. I felt 82 years old...and not the spry go-getting kind of 82.

Honestly, I do have neck and shoulder issues. Almost 20 years ago, I had a little incident where I rolled a stock car during a powder puff race. The whiplash was brutal and resulted in a permanent injury that often makes me stiff and achy. If I don't take care of myself, I pay for it...and I paid for it big time this weekend.

But, it was worth it. The double batch of icing cascaded over the from scratch chocolate layer cake and created puddles of richness. It was a perfect cake for the celebration of 82 years, no matter how old it made me feel.

Basic Chocolate Icing

(adapted from Joy of Cooking)

(double recipe to create your own cascades of chocolate for an 8- or 9-inch round layer cake)

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar, more or less
2 tablespoons corn syrup

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heavy pan or double broiler.
Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
Remove from heat and sift the powdered sugar into the chocolate mixture.
Stir to combine.
Add the corn syrup and whisk briskly to create glossy, spreadable icing.

South Dakota Magazine

So...in case you didn't know, I have been contributing semimonthly at South Dakota Magazine for almost a year. However, in poor blogger form, I have neglected the updates here On My Plate.

Let's do a quick catch-up with a rundown of my columns from last summer and so far this fall...

In June, we had The War for the Strawberries with Ace and I trying in vain to protect my precious berries from the squirrels. We did manage to save enough for Strawberry Mousse.

I also waxed poetically about the beautiful corn crops that later were destroyed by the drought. Thankfully, there was still some sweet corn for Fresh Corn and Radish Salad.

July brought my dilemma regarding what to take to the Antiques Roadshow and a Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake.

Later, I cried for cucumbers to be made into Refrigerator Pickles...which led to a friend gifting me with more cucumbers than I knew what to do with in August. I now have refrigerator pickles as well as several other versions canned on my food storage shelves.

Zucchini was loud and proud in August with a rich and creamy Zucchini Alfredo

...AND sweet and delicious Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies making the pages of the South Dakota Magazine website.

I whined about the difficulty of finding some ingredients here on the prairie and shared the recipe for the ever spicy Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Skewers in September.

Maintaining that level of heat with the kick of my Basic Salsa for Canning was easy.

I admitted to not really loving crock pot cooking, but making a concession for Chipotle Pork earlier this month. 

And, just this past week, I started looking ahead to the holidays and meal planning with Green Beans in Mushroom Sauce.




There you have it...a round-up of what I have been sharing through South Dakota Magazine. Hopefully, I can be a bit more faithful with updates in the future.

Antique versus Vintage

If you follow my bi-weekly submissions at South Dakota Magazine, you may have read last month that I had an opportunity to volunteer with the Rapid City taping of the Antiques Roadshow. I got to work behind the scenes of one of my husband's favorite televisions programs, and it was AWESOME. INCREDIBLE. FANTASTIC. Truly. (Just check out the Flickr photos!)

Before that weekend, I was concerned that I didn't have an item that was suitable for appraising. I debated Antique versus Vintage while sharing a Strawberry Rhubarb Cake on the South Dakota Magazine website. Ultimately, I decided not to invade my hoard of vintage junk and just present myself as a ready, willing, and able volunteer.

The night before filming, volunteers gathered to be assigned duties and trained for the specifics of those tasks. (Of course, to ensure our devotion, the brilliant PBS crew made us each feel as if our job was the most important one of the day. haha) My function as a "truss guard" was to protect the camera and filming areas from stray guests. Our minds often search out the shortest path to where we want to be, but that isn't always a path that works for the filming of a television program. I gently nudged a few wanderers back into a suitable direction and gawked mercilessly at the pieces that floated by with anxious visitors. 

Super enthusiastic and interesting people made the day fly by. Over 300 volunteers from all over the state worked side by side at the Rapid City Civic Center with the PBS staff to create an amazing experience not just for the guests, but for all of us. A contagious spirit of joyful expectation filled the air. Everyone truly enjoyed being there, checking out the treasures, and helping to make the day a success. (I need to give out shout-out to Gary Ellenbolt of SDPB, who made my volunteering possible; the ladies from Harding County that took my lonesome soul under their wing; Paul, the best supervisor ever; and Ron, the ever attentive Stage Manager. Thanks for a great and memorable day!)

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. The staff was fabulous. The guests were marvelous. The items that came in for appraisal were fascinating. It really was an unforgettable day of hobnobbing with PBS and excited area collectors.

Would I change anything? Possibly. I might work harder to find one of my personal treasures for appraisal. Visiting with several of the appraisers while they prepped for filming was one of my top experiences of the day. Having a little one-on-one time with them over an object of my affection might have just put me over the moon.

And so, in that vein of thought, I will share another rhubarb cake. This one takes a little more work than the previous cake mix and jello version, but really not much. The cake is dense and rich, and the rhubarb is, of course, tart and refreshing. The one part of this recipe that puzzles me slightly is the crunchy crumb. While the cake is baking, a crumble on top of the batter crisps as it would for a crumb cake. However, after the cake is done and flipped to be a true upside-down cake, those buttery chunks are on the bottom and the top is covered in the fruity rhubarb. I have never had a cake like this before. I honestly loved the blend of textures and flavors, but perhaps you should make it and offer your appraisal.

 

Sour Cream Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

 Topping:

4 tablespoons butter (unsalted), melted

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cake:

12 tablespoons butter (unsalted), room temperature, divided

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and sliced about 1/2-inch thick

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon orange extract

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

For the topping, stir together butter, flour, sugar, and salt until moist and crumbly.

For the cake, butter a 9-inch round springform pan (2 inches deep) and wrap the bottom in foil. (This helps to prevent butter from leaking out during baking and burning in the bottom of the oven.)

Dot the bottom of the pan with 4 tablespoons butter that has been cut into pieces.

Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another small bowl.

Beat remaining 8 tablespoons of butter with 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Add the extract.

Beat in the eggs and sour cream.

Add the flour mixture, beating until smooth.

Again, toss the rhubarb and sugar mixture, and then spread in the pan over the butter pats.

Spread the cake batter evenly over the rhubarb.

Crumble the topping evenly over the batter.

Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. (The rhubarb will be scorching hot when directly out of the oven, but if allowed to cool too long, may stick.)

Run a knife around edge of cake and invert onto plate.

Let cool completely. (Serves 10)

Hop to It

Do you have a dessert for your Easter menu?

No?

If you aren't chocolated out by Cadbury Eggs, I have the perfect solution.

Milk Chocolate Banana IceBox Cake.

Hop to it.

Milk Chocolate Banana IceBox Cake

(from Martha Stewart Magazine)

15 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (I had 2 of those LARGE Hershey Bars with Almonds...which were 16 ounces, but oh well.)

5 large egg yolks

3 cups heavy cream

20 graham crackers

4-5 ripe bananas, sliced 

Garnish: whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.
Place yolks and a pinch of salt in another heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. (simmer, NOT boil)
Slowly pour cream into bowl with yolks, whisking constantly.
Return to saucepan over low heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. (Mixture should not boil.)
Immediately strain through a fine sieve set over chocolate.
Stir until chocolate melts and is smooth. (Whisking works best.)
Refrigerate until thick, about 4 hours.
Line a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap.
Spread 1 cup chocolate mixture evenly into bottom of loaf pan.
Top with a layer of 4 graham crackers, trimmed to fit.
Spread 1/2 cup chocolate over tops, and cover with some bananas.
Spread 1/2 cup chocolate over bananas, and top with a layer of 4 trimmed graham crackers.
Repeat with remaining chocolate, bananas, and graham crackers until the pan is filled.
Finish with graham crackers.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate OVERNIGHT.
Uncover, and turn out onto a serving platter. 
Remove plastic wrap.
Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Cut into slices to serve. (Serves 8 to 10)
**NOTE**I didn't measure my layers of chocolate pudding exactly and didn't need all 20 graham crackers and only had one layer of bananas (about 2 whole bananas). I have presented the ingredients exactly as stated in the magazine, but you may need to alter them if you wing it like I did.

Puppy Love

We celebrated a milestone birthday this week in our house. Ace turned ten on Monday. Yes, Ace is one of our mini dachshunds. Yes, we had a little party. We are awesome like that, you know.

The dinner menu on Sunday night included Chicken Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Cream Gravy, Corn in Butter Sauce, and Buttermilk Biscuits. No, there wasn't anything green on the table. It was a heart attack waiting to happen kind of meal, and almost everyone cleaned their plates...well, except Ace and Sissy. I didn't share the chicken with the pups. They gnawed on Jumbones that night.

For dessert, I focused on Ace's love of peanut butter and baked a Peanut Butter Sheet Cake. The humans at the table had their slices drizzled with Chocolate Glaze for that famous chocolate and peanut butter combination. Since chocolate isn't good for dogs, Ace and his sister, Sissy, devoured their cake without the glaze. Given how quickly their shares disappeared, I don't think that they found it to be a detriment, though.

This cake is very dense and rich with an intense peanut butter flavor. Peanut butter lovers will find it to be heaven. The Chocolate Glaze is the icing on the cake, so to speak. I think it enhances the cake well as the flavors dance together with each bite. Peanut Butter Sheet Cake with Chocolate Glaze was the perfect expression of puppy love for Ace's tenth birthday.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

(adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup water

1 cup peanut butter (I used Creamy Jif)

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup peanut butter (again, Creamy Jif was my choice)

6 teaspoons heavy cream

4 cups powdered sugar

Cake:
In a large bowl, mix sugar, baking soda, flour and salt. Set aside.
Combine butter, water and peanut butter in a heavy saucepan and bring to boil.
Pour over flour mixture.
Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix.
Pour into a greased and floured jelly roll pan.
Bake at 400F degrees for 20 minutes.
Frosting:
Bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in saucepan.
Add powdered sugar.
Spread warmed frosting over cooled cake. (Serves 24)

Chocolate Glaze

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons white corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt chocolate with butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup.
Stir in vanilla.
Beat in powdered sugar.
(May add more cream or milk to achieve desired consistency.)
Drizzle over frosted Peanut Butter Sheet Cake to serve.

What Do I Do With? ...part one

The other day, I made a beautiful Fresh Strawberry Pie (basic recipe found at MamaStephF's Blog). My crust was a little deep; therefore, I had to use more strawberries and double the gelatin mixture. I also topped mine with a cream cheese whipped topping to satisfy the cheesecake lover in me. It was a bright taste of spring that I immensely enjoyed sampling before packing it up and sending it to the farm for the guys' lunch.

The few remaining strawberries were sliced up and doused with sugar to be a saucy delight over angel food cake...but there were only a few. I was left with a large portion of leftover cake. This is when I hit up the masses for suggestions to use the extra angel food. A trifle with lemon curd and freshly whipped cream seemed to be the consensus, and luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand to make it happen. I sprinkled blueberries between the layers, just for good measure, and this time, almost half of the layered bowl of dessert was gone before it made it to the farm. I couldn't resist Lemon Blueberry Angel Food Trifle On My Plate.

Lemon Blueberry Angel Food Trifle

(Lemon Curd recipe adapted from goodLife {eats})

Lemon Curd:

1 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 cups sugar

14 egg yolks (for the whites, stay tuned.What Do I Do With?...part two will help you with that)

16 tablespoons butter, portioned into one-tablespoon portions

Whipped Cream:

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

4 teaspoons cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 pint blueberries (more or less...use as many as you prefer)

1 loaf angel food cake (bake your own, or purchased)

Lemon Curd:
In a medium saucepan, combine the juice, zest, and sugar.
Heat over medium heat until simmering.
Turn heat to low.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl until smooth.
Slowly pour half of the citrus mixture into the yolks while vigorously whisking.
Return the amount in the bowl to the saucepan.
Continue to cook over low heat while whisking until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
Cool to room temperature.
Whipped Cream:
After the lemon curd has cooled sufficiently, begin prep for the whipped cream.
Combine gelatin and cold water.
Stir until gelatin is dissolved.
Meanwhile, whip the cream with the powdered sugar until slightly thick.
While slowly beating, add the gelatin to the whipped cream until combined. (This is a stabilizer that will help "hold" the whipped cream for a couple days.)
Whip at high speed until stiff peaks.
Assembling the Trifle:
Slice the angel food cake into 1" slices.
Cut each slice in half. (This gives you pretty white edges to layer in your trifle bowl.)
Arrange slices of cake in a single layer on the bottom of the trifle bowl (cut sides out).
Top with a generous portion of the cooled lemon curd.
Sprinkle blueberries over the curd.
Add another layer of cake.
Spread more lemon curd over the cake.
Scatter more blueberries over the lemon layer.
Repeat as necessary to fill your trifle bowl.
For the final layer, spread the whipped cream over the last layer of lemon curd and blueberries.
Garnish with more blueberries. (Serves 10-12)

Fridge Friday: Episode 18

Was it really January when I last posted a Fridge Friday? O.M.G. I knew I have been slacking, but wow. Someone needs to give me a kick in the pants.

This morning, April 15th, I woke up to snow. Yep. Snow. It had rained and misted most of the day yesterday, and when I finally drifted off to sleep last night, it was sleeting and the ground was white. 6-8 inches of heavy, wet stuff greeted me this morning, and it is still coming down (who knows what the final snowfall total will be). The wind is trying to whip it around, but thankfully this moisture-loaded stuff isn't really into playing the full on blizzard scene. With the saturated ground from the recent rains, the slop underneath is ugly enough without minimizing our visibility and drifting.

So...since I won't be readying my herb garden for something to keep those now-buried-under-snow chives company, I decide that I should do a Fridge Friday.

What jumps out at me? I thought about grabbing a tube of those refrigerator biscuits and making another batch of Banana Monkey Bread. I whipped that up on Sunday by modifying a recipe I found at another blog, Pinch of Yum. Hubs and I gobbled it up with big glasses of Burbach Dairy chocolate milk for a huge sugar rush. It was delish. But right now, my gaze is drifting to left of those biscuits on the middle shelf. The blueberries caught my eye.

Hubs has a benefit for the local Volunteer Fire Department tomorrow. The guys will be frying chicken and serving it up with baked beans and potato salad. The wives of the crew are providing desserts. Hubs requested something with blueberries, and I picked up 2 big boxes. At this point, I really have no clue what I am going to bake up for the chicken dinner, but some Blueberry Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting that I created last summer from a Bon Appetit recipe sound good...so does Blueberry-Lime Pound Cake (that ended up on the floor last time I made it...that is a fateful tale)...and Lemon-Blueberry Zucchini Cake....and there is always the Blueberry Cream Cheese Bar Experiment that I haven't yet perfected... Damn. Too many choices.What blueberry option would YOU like On YOUR Plate?

EDIT: As I post this, I get a call that the Fire Department Benefit will be postponed until April 30th. Weather has forced the school's prom to be delayed until tomorrow (I bet that there are a lot of unhappy kids right now, but...what do you do?). This means that the facility for the chicken fry will be needed on Saturday for the prom banquet. Schedule juggling due to winter weather conditions isn't fun...and, I still have to decided what to do with those blueberries... Cupcake, anyone?

Blueberry Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting

(adapted from Bon Appetit)

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, frozen for 4 hours
Frosting:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (or more) whole milk
1 cup chilled fresh blueberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Sift flour and next 4 ingredients into large bowl.
Whisk melted butter and oil in medium bowl.
Add eggs; whisk to blend.
Whisk in buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, and peel.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just to blend.
Stir in frozen blueberries.
Divide batter among liners.Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes.
Transfer cupcakes to racks; cool.
For Frosting:
Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl.
Add 4 teaspoons milk.
Using electric mixer, beat until well blended and fluffy, adding more milk by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 4 minutes.
Spread frosting over top of cupcakes.
Garnish cupcakes with chilled berries, and mint sprigs, if desired.
(Can be made 4 hours ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Heat Wave

After temperatures that dipped well below zero with wind chills that were even colder, we are now seeing the thermometers soar up into the 30s. It feels downright balmy outdoors. Add a little sunshine and I feel as if we should be looking for tulips pushing up through the snow drifts. But, alas. It isn't spring, yet. We still have a few months of dancing with Old Man Winter before the grass begins to green. 

That doesn't mean that I can't bake up a dessert that seems almost summer-ish in order to celebrate the beautiful days. (Oh hush. I know that I.Am.Not.A.Baker.) I had shredded some of the abundance of zucchini from my garden this summer and froze in 2 and 3 cup packages. It is so easy to defrost and toss into a Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake. The blog where I found this recipe suggested peeling the zucchini to hide the vegetable from unsuspecting eyes. I don't. I heart the green flecks combining with the bursts of juicy blueberries. Color and texture make this cake as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. Yum. I can wait a little bit for spring, if Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake is On My Plate.

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake

(from Creations by Kara and Real Mom Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups zucchini, shredded

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

zest of 1 lemon

2 cups blueberries

Icing:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

dash salt

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325.
Cream together sugar, eggs, oil, and lemon extract.
Stir in the zucchini.
Gradually add dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Add lemon zest.
Fold in the blueberries gently.
Pour into a well greased and floured Bundt cake pan. (Am I the only one that HATES to wash bundt pans?)
Bake for about 65-70 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to sit in pan for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack.
Cool completely and frost with lemon cream cheese frosting.
Icing:
Beat butter and cream cheese till smooth.
Add powdered sugar, salt, zest, and enough lemon juice to make a spreadable consistency.
Pour over cooled cake and serve.

Turning Into a Pumpkin

It is late and I am about ready to turn into a pumpkin, but after reading about Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle over at Jeanne Eats World (Go ahead. Click over there. Did you see it? Don't those layers sound absolutely delicious?), I can't get my own Pumpkin Gingerbread with Warm Caramel Sauce out of my mind. I came to the blog to refresh my memory of the ingredients and discovered that I HADN'T POSTED THE RECIPE. Sacrilege. It is too good not to share.

This, just like Cranberry Dessert Cake with Warm Butter Sauce, was snagged from one of those little Pillsbury cookbooks sold at the checkout stands of the grocery store. I think it might have even been the cover photo. (Theirs was perfectly topped with a scoop of ice cream because, unlike me, they used special "food photo techniques" to keep it from sliding off.) The photo and recipe were oh so tempting, and I just couldn't resist. Pumpkin Gingerbread with Warm Caramel Sauce quickly became one of my fall and winter staples. It is truly old-fashioned, comfort-food dessert at its finest.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cloves

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine flour and sugar.
Mix in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
In a 9-inch square baking pan, place 1 3/4 cups of the mixture and press evenly along the bottom to form a crust.
Add pecans, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves to crumb mixture and stir well.
Add buttermilk, molasses, pumpkin, and egg.
Pour batter on top of the crust in the baking pan.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Warm Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.
Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup.
Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil, and cook for 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.
Gradually add cream and return to a boil.
Remove from heat.

To serve, top each serving with scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon sauce over warm gingerbread. (Serves 9-12)

Gooey. Pumpkin. Butter. Cake.

Gooey.

Pumpkin.

 

Butter Cake.

Need I say more?

Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake 

(adapted from The FoodNetwork)

1 package yellow cake mix

1 egg

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (NOT pie filling)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 tablespoons butter with an electric mixer. 

Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 10 or 12-inch spring-form pan. 

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.

Add the remaining eggs, vanilla, and remaining butter, and beat together. 

Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. 

Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 50-55 minutes. (I place the spring-form pan on a sheet pan just in case of leakage.)

Make sure not to overbake as the center should be, of course, gooey. (It is a Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake, right?) 

Serve with whipped cream (fresh is best). (Serves 8-12)

Lick The Platter Clean

An apple a day...wouldn't be enough for an Applesauce Spice Cake with Buttermilk Syrup. I used three peeled and grated apples AND a cup of chunky applesauce to make this lick-the-platter-clean, delicious, fall dessert.

The original recipe only called for two apples, but I had three in the bowl on the table and tossed in the additional one "just because." The extra little pieces of apple disbursed through the batter creating moist pockets of superb. fruity goodness in the cinnamony cake. Yum.

But, as yummy as the spicy cake is, it is the syrup that had my guests wanting to lick the plate when I served this dessert after a simple meal on Halloween. You KNOW a recipe is a hit when someone swirls their fork around to make sure that they get every last drop of the caramel-like Buttermilk Syrup. I was ready to avert my eyes and look away if the plate raised up from the table to meet the eager tongue, but good manners reigned strong...mostly.

Why don't you bake an Applesauce Spice Cake with Buttermilk Syrup for yourself and see if you can stand not to lick the plate? I don't think that I can resist it On My Plate.

Applesauce Spice Cake with Buttermilk Syrup

(recommended by Elle's New England Kitchen and You Know What You Oughta To Do... and adapted from My Muffin Thursday)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce

3 apples, peeled, cored, and grated
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons nutmeg (I always use fresh grated nutmeg & grate right into the batter...never sure if I have the right measure, or not.)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream softened butter and sugar. 
Mix in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. 
Stir in applesauce and apples until combined.
Sift in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. 
Stir until all dry ingredients are moist. 
Don't over mix. 
Pour into a prepared 9" x 13" baking dish.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Serve with buttermilk syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

  

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large pot (Really LARGE...when the buttermilk and baking soda heat together, the foam is insane. Pick your largest pot and go buy one bigger to make the sauce...or clean up boiled over foamy sugar off your stove. You have been warned.), combine butter, buttermilk, corn syrup, sugar, and baking soda.
Stir and bring to a boil. 
Boil 7 minutes, stirring constantly. (This is when the foam really gets out of control.)
Remove pan from heat. 
Allow foam to subside, then stir in vanilla. 
Serve warm.