crockpot cheesesteak chicken

Does anyone else feel like Halloween should have already come and gone? My Facebook feed has been full of Halloween costume pics for days now. My Halloween candy bowl has been stocked and tempting me since last Saturday. And Halloween is still not here. Halloween is officially the holiday that just won't quit. Let's get the show on the road already, Halloween. You're overstaying your welcome and I'm hankering for some serious holidays. Give me some Thanksgiving and Christmas already.

On second thought, maybe I'm just bitter. I'm too old for the slutty costume phase and too young to have kids to torture with adorable costumes. What's a girl to do?

I suppose I'll just put on my favorite costume (read: sweatpants and warm socks!) and pass out candy to the lil' trick-or-treaters from the comfort of my own warm and cozy home. Actually, on second thought, I think I may be winning Halloween after all. Now I just need to make these crockpot cheesesteak chicken sandwiches and I'll be golden.

crockpot cheesesteak chicken

ingredients:
2 green peppers, sliced
2 sweet onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 ounces of your favorite beer (1/2 of a bottle)
8 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese
buns, for serving

directions:
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.

In the bottom of your crockpot, layer peppers and onions. Add garlic evenly over top. Place chicken on top and then pour in beer. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. About 15 minutes before serving, completely shred chicken using two forks and toss thoroughly to coat. Keep mixing and tossing to combine the chicken, peppers and onions. Most of the liquid should become absorbed. If you have extra liquid (I did), feel free to pour it off.

Stir in the grated cheese then turn your crockpot to the "warm" setting (or simply turn it off and keep it covered) and cover for 5 minutes. Spoon onto buns and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Source: slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

spiced sweet rolls

Question: You know what's better than a cinnamon roll? Answer: A cinnamon, ginger, clove, black pepper roll. That's right. We're using ALL OF THE SPICES! You get a spice! You get a spice! Everybody gets a spice!

My apologies for the Oprah-esque outburst but I'm slightly jazzy about these pastries, if you couldn't tell.

Sure, from the outside this pan of sweet rolls appears to be your typical, run-of-the-mill cinnamon roll situation. But don't be fooled. These puppies have spices stuffed into every possible nook and cranny. The dough is laced with cinnamon and cloves. The filling is made up of four different spices and studded with candied ginger. And even the icing is infused with cinnamon and cloves.

Think of these as cinnamon rolls on steroids. The kind of recipe that will make your house smell like heaven...if heaven is a spice shop, which is entirely possible.

spiced sweet rolls

for the dough:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups (plus 1/2 cup extra, separated) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (heaping) baking powder
1/2 tsp (scant) baking soda
1 tsp (heaping) salt
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves

for the filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

for the icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
a dash of cinnamon and cloves

directions:
Make the dough: Heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm, approximately 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. (I usually put my dough in the oven, set over a pan of hot water.) After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (The dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

To assemble the rolls, remove dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

Make the filling: Combine the sugar, brown sugar, candied ginger, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. The filling will be slightly moist and crunchy. Set aside.

Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. Pour all of the filling onto the dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed. Lightly press the filling into the dough.

Beginning at the long side farthest from you, roll the dough in a long roll toward you; being careful to keep it tucked tightly. Pinch edge to seal. Cut rolls into 1 to 1 1/2 inch rolls and place into a buttered 9x13" pan or two 9" round pans. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once rolls have risen, drizzle with remaining butter and bake for 25-35 minutes, until rolls are golden at the edges and the filling looks bubbly.

Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar, spices and cream in a small bowl until smooth.

Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle the icing over the rolls. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12-16 rolls

Sources: dough adapted from Pioneer Woman, concept adapted from Joy the Baker

pumpkin blondies

Are you still with me? I've been gone for a hot minute and I'm the sorriest. You know the drill: life is busy...yadda yadda...so many things on my plate...blah blah blah...whatever. It's been a whirlwind of a year but I'm back! And I come bearing blondies that are seasonally appropriate, no less!

Confession: I actually made these last fall. Yes, that's right, I've been sitting on this recipe for no less than one full year. Here's the thing. I made these last fall and they were a huuuuge hit but I didn't necessarily like the photo above so I just put it off posting the recipe thinking I would make them again and take better photos. And then life got crazy and I just never got around to repeating this recipe and then all of a sudden pumpkin season was officially over. Tragic.

So, today, despite the horrid yellow-ish photo above, I offer you pumpkin blondies. I don't expect the picture to pull you in. But here's what should: pumpkin, spices, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, pecans. Need I say more? It's like every cliche fall ingredient jammed into one pan.

I made these for a work meeting and the guests not only took containers of blondies home with them...they emailed the next morning to tell me how great they were for breakfast with a big mug of coffee. I'd call that a win. :)

pumpkin blondies

ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, with enough to hang over the sides; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to incorporate, making sure the egg has been completely mixed in. Add the pumpkin and again whisk to fully incorporate. Add the flour mixture to the batter and, using a rubber spatula, fold the mixtur until combined and no pockets of flour remain. Fold in the butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips and pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.

Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then use the parchment handles to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Yield: 24 bars

Source: slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

lentil sloppy joes

I don't generally think of myself as a sloppy joe kinda gal. Sloppy joes are basic kid food. They're not refined in any way, shape, or form (after all, the word "sloppy" is in the dang title). They're basic Midwestern fare.

However, I have a major soft spot in my belly for a good sloppy joe. They remind me of my childhood. And, dang it, they're just freaking delicious. Sooo...I offer up the healthified and yuppified*** sloppy joe. All the delicious trashiness of your traditional sloppy joe. BUT with the addition of lentils in place of some of the ground beef. See? Yuppified!

I made these lentil sloppy joes for my dear roommate who had never before tasted a sloppy joe. She was dubious, to put it mildly. However, one bite in and she was on the sloppy joe bandwagon. Another Midwestern delicacy brought to these crazy New Englanders. Along with cheese balls and biscuits & gravy. You're welcome, Rhode Island.

***For those of you who do not know my dear father, "yuppy" is one of his favorite terms of judgment. Replacing ground beef with lentils? Clear yuppy move. Really, most of the things I cook make me a yuppy in my father's eyes. As does my appreciation for blue jeans not purchased at the local Orsheln Farm and Home. But that's another story for another time.

lentil sloppy joes

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper (red or green), finely chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces ground beef
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
American cheese, for topping

Directions:
Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper and 2 Tbsp ketchup and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the lentils, oregano and 4 cups water; bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the lentils are tender and the water is mostly absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the remaining 6 Tbsp ketchup and cook, stirring, until combined. Add the lentil mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill the buns with the lentil mixture and top with cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Source: Food Network

bourbon apple pie cheesecake with pecan streusel

So the BF's birthday was this past Wednesday. It was the first birthday we've celebrated together. Obviously, the pressure was on. (Or at least the pressure that I created in my own head even after the BF said that his birthday wasn't a big deal and that I didn't even need to make him a birthday cake. Yeah, try living a day in my head.) Anyway...so I wanted to make the perfect birthday cake. However, said BF doesn't particularly love sweets and especially not cake. The following conversation ensued:

Me: So if you don't want a cake, what do you want?

BF: I don't need anything. Really.

Me: Unacceptable. (insert rant here about the necessity of birthday cakes and/or birthday desserts until BF is finally beaten into submission regarding the inevitability of me baking him a birthday dessert)

BF: Well, I like apple pie and I like cheesecake.

Me (to myself): Challenge accepted.

Thus, the bourbon apple pie cheesecake was born. It may have a lot of steps. It may have a number of components. But, I was a woman on a mission. And, let me tell you, the mission was a success. Not only was this cheesecake inhaled on his birthday, the BF and his roommates made it breakfast the next day as well. Success.

This cheesecake is a variation on my favorite southern comfort apple pie. I took the best parts from that (the bourbon cooked apples and the pecan crumble topping, obviously) and added a graham cracker crust and a layer of cheesecake. Yes, this cheesecake has a face only a mother could love (just like the pie that inspired it). I can admit it. It wouldn't win a beauty competition. But, dang it, this cheesecake makes up for it. I mean, come on...Bourbon. Apple pie. Cheesecake. And the figurative icing on this non-cake...pecan streusel.

This might be a new birthday tradition.

bourbon apple pie cheesecake with pecan streusel

crust: 
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

pecan streusel:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbsp) chilled unsalted butter

apple filling:
5 to 6 medium-sized tart apples, such as Braeburn, Cortland, or Winesap
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Southern Comfort or other bourbon whiskey
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

cheesecake:
8 oz. (1 pkg) cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

directions:

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs in an even layer over the pan bottom and about half way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden in color. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.

Make the pecan streusel: Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until a rich brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process sugars, cinnamon, salt, and flour for about one minute. Cut butter into small pieces and add to sugar-flour mixture. Pulse 10 to 15 times until mixture is crumbly. Remove from processor and stir in pecans. Refrigerate topping, covered, until ready to use.

Make the apple filling: Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When butter starts to foam, add apples and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle on apples, and stir to combine. Simmer apples over medium-low heat for about 1 minute longer. Remove apples from skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of butter-sugar mixture in skillet as possible. Transfer apples to a baking sheet and arrange in a single layer until ready to use. (If heaped in a pile, they will become soggy.)

Pour Southern Comfort into butter-sugar mixture in skillet. Simmer mixture over medium heat until alcohol burns off, at least 5 minutes (sniff mixture at close range; if it burns your nostrils, the vapors are still burning off). Add cream and continue simmering until mixture is quite thick but still pourable, 5 to 10 minutes. Return apples to skillet and stir to coat. Set aside to cool.

Make the cheesecake: Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla and egg until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.

To assemble: Pour apple mixture into graham cracker crust. Spread the cheesecake filling into an even layer over the top of the cooked apples in the crust. Then crumble topping evenly over cheesecake filling. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Source: inspired by Annie's Eats, topping and apples from The Pastry Queen (the best cookbook purchase you'll ever make)

dark chocolate cherry scones

I'm on a baking kick again. I've been making breakfast foods to feed an army. We have muffins and scones like whoa. I take most of the blame. But I also blame the Interwebs for having too many pictures of delicious-looking food. I mean, there are tons of websites devoted to pictures of ridiculously decadent and crave-worthy food. Not the recipes, mind you, just the pictures. People have written articles on this trend. There is even a dang Wikipedia page. That's how you know it's official.  What is this obsession? I just can't. Look. Away.

The nerd inside me wants to over-analyze this trend. Why are we so obsessed with digital pictures of food when we are surrounded by real, tangible, edible food? Would food blogging even be a thing if there were no pictures? Just recipes typed out on a screen? What does it all meeeeannn? (sigh) I've been out of school for too long apparently.

Also, I just realized that I am part of the problem soooo there's that.

Anyway....scones. These scones were the product of a bowl of cherries that were on their last leg in my fridge. And ohmygoodness, these were the best scones I've had in a while. They taste like those chocolate-covered cherries my dad used to get every Christmas. But wrapped in a buttery, flaky scone. I took these over to my BF and his roommates and they were gone like a freight train. Even my BF, who claims to not particularly like sweets, chocolate, or cherries (who is this person?) devoured a scone and a half in one sitting. So I guess that's a win.

Make these while cherries are cheap, lest you fall into the same tragic cherry-buying trap as another girl I know...

dark chocolate cherry scones

ingredients:
3 1/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups cold butter, frozen
1 cup buttermilk plus more for brushing
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
6 ounces dark chocolate chips

for glaze:
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

water, to desired consistency

directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. Take butter from freezer and grate using a cheese grater. Add grated butter to dry ingredients and toss together until mixed. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla, just somewhat combining, then fold in chocolate and cherries. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding a bit more flour if sticky.

Divide in half and pat into two round circles. Brush each dough round with buttermilk. Cut each round into six wedges and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and water to desired consistency. Drizzle glaze on top of scones while warm.

Yield: 12-16 scones

Source: slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

tomato cobbler with blue cheese biscuits

I'm having a hell of a time getting used to life now that the semester is over. Yesterday I started my summer babysitting job and the change in schedule is throwing me all out of whack. I am now officially a nine-to-fiver...well, technically a nine-to-sixer. But I'm not splitting hairs. The point is that I'm not used to the Monday to Friday grind. It's weird.

Some questions for you nine-to-fivers out there: when do you people run errands? Like the kind of errands that can't be done over the weekend like the bank or the post office. I'm so flabbergasted about this seemingly mundane issue. Help!

Another question: How do you maintain the energy to work out and make dinner when you get home? My guess is that my crockpot is going to be getting a lot o' use this summa! As you may have guessed, this recipe is from that fabulous month of freedom I enjoyed between the end of the semester and the beginning of babysitting. Expect lots of quick and easy dishes in the upcoming weeks and months.

I've been told that this dish needs a different name. If the idea of a tomato cobbler freaks you out, just think of it as a tomato pot pie. Like a chicken pot pie minus the chicken. Whatever you call it, though, this was perfect with some heirloom cherry tomatoes I picked up the other day. I served this as a side to these crusty chicken thighs. Summery and filling with a lot of flavor and a little kick. Perfect for a summer time Sunday night dinner...you know, when you've got the time to cook up a storm. :)

tomato cobbler with blue cheese biscuits

for the biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

for the filling:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and coarsely ground black pepper

to make the biscuits:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter. With your fingers, quickly break up the fat into the dry ingredients. Rub the fats into the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Some butter pieces will be the size of small peas, other will be the size of oat flakes. Toss in blue cheese crumbles. Stir to incorporate.

Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture. Add buttermilk all at once. With a fork, quickly bring together the wet and dry ingredients. The dough will be rather shaggy. Dump dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough about 10 times, bringing it together into a disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is assembled.

to make the tomato filling:
Add olive oil and butter to a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook and brown onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 18 to 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute more. Remove pan from heat, add balsamic vinegar and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together clean cherry tomatoes (no need to cut them), flour, and red pepper flakes. Add caramelized onions and toss together until everything is lightly and evenly coated in flour. Season with salt and pepper.

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour the tomato and onion filling into a square 8×8-inch baking dish. Place in the oven and bake tomatoes filling for 25 minutes.

Remove the biscuit dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out biscuit dough into a 3/4 or 1-inch thickness. Use a 1 1/2 to 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Dip the cutter in flour should it get sticky. Remove the partially cooked filling from the oven and carefully place 6 biscuits atop the tomatofilling in the pan. Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reshape and reroll excess biscuit dough to make extra biscuits at another time. (The shaped biscuit dough freezes very well.)

Return warm filling and biscuit dough to oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, and the tomato mixture is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Tomato Cobbler is best served warm.

Yield: 6 servings

Source: slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

blueberry muffin ice cream

Question: what's better than a blueberry muffin? Answer: blueberry muffin ice cream! Duh.

Although the temps here in the Baby State aren't the June temps I'm quite accustomed to, I've still been antsy to use my fancy pants ice cream maker. I've had this thang for over a year now and used it only twice. Craziness. That is all about to change now that it's summatime once again.

Sidenote: can I call weather that has been consistently in the mid-70s summer? New England summers are like mild Midwestern springs. I'm not mad at it. Just an observation. :)

So, anyway, back to ice cream. I baked a batch of blueberry muffins specifically for the purpose of making this ice cream. I have to admit that I was a little dubious about what might happen to the muffins once they were submerged in a container of creamy vanilla ice cream. However, this ice cream is perfection. It's a perfect vanilla base plum full of blueberry muffin goodness.

Now that it's officially ice cream season, I'm thinking this needs to happen immediately. And definitely this. And probably this as well. Oh, and this. Stay tuned for lots of frozen goodness. :)

blueberry muffin ice cream

ingredients:
1 batch of your favorite blueberry muffins
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

directions:
Note: Prepare this recipe the day before you want it so it can freeze overnight! I suggest making a full batch of blueberry muffins even though you may only use four.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese with salt and cinnamon until smooth.

In a large saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract and corn syrup. Bring to a rolling boil. However, keep an eye on the mixture because it will boil over very quickly (trust me on this one).  Allow to boil for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 4 minutes, remove from heat and very slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture, adding 1/3 of it and whisking at a time. Place back over heat and bring to a rolling boil again, this time stirring with a spatula while the mixture just thickens slightly, roughly 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and very slowly pour a small amount into the large bowl that has the cream cheese in it, whisking constantly until smooth. Gradually pour the rest of the mixture into the bowl while whisking to combine. Grab another very large bowl and fill it halfway with ice cubes and cold water. Pour the milk mixture into a one gallon freezer ziplock bag, pushing the air out and sealing it. Place it in the ice bath for 30-45 minutes until cold, adding more ice if needed.

Pour the ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the directions. I used by Cuisinart ice cream maker and churned for approximately 25 minutes. Once done, crumble in four blueberry muffins and fold in with a spatula. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Yield: about one quart 

Source: How Sweet It Is

lemon blueberry poppy seed muffins

Over the course of this past semester I've all but abandoned my baking in favor of finishing my homework, grading, or (even better) some much needed sleep. But a Katy without a steady dose of baked goods is just not the same Katy. I was basically a shell of a woman. But not any more!!!

These muffins are the first thing I've baked in a long long while. But they were definitely worth the wait. These muffins are basically the love child between a blueberry muffin and a lemon poppyseed muffin. Thank goodness those two finally got together.

You should make these muffins for two very important reasons.

1. They are great muffins in their own right. Light, sweet, fruity. Plus there is streusel and anything with streusel is worth eating, right?

2. The recipe I am posting tomorrow calls for approximately four blueberry muffins. Yes, that's right. Blueberry muffins are an ingredient. What is this world even coming to?!?

lemon blueberry poppy seed muffins

ingredients:
7 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

for the topping:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar

directions:
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners and set aside.

To make the muffins: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. It will melt, froth, and begin to crackle. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly. Remove from heat when butter solids become a medium brown color and butter smells slightly nutty. Immediately pour hot butter into a small bowl, or the butter will continue to cook in the hot pan. Allow to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add browned butter and whisk to combine.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir gently to combine. Gently but thoroughly fold in the lemon zest, poppy seeds, and blueberries. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.

To make the topping: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and rub together with clean fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over the muffin batter in cups.

Bake muffins 18 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp and a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muffins will last, at room temperature in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Yield: 12 muffins

Source: Joy the Baker

i'm back!

Hi there. Two things:

1. I'm so sorry for my long absence. I'm not here to make excuses. It's just been one heck of a whirlwind semester. I have pictures below to prove it.

2. We will now return to your regular posting schedule starting now. Yay!

bean and a blizzard

lunchtime studying

long walks with codydog

bridal shower mimosas

golfing bachelorettes

easter festivities

first sign of summer

back to the beach

finals and late night Oreos

bridesmaids

getaway to new hampshire

books + beers

late nights on vacay

I guess you could say I've been a busy girl this semester. Since I've last blogged, I've finished the final semester of my graduate work, planned and executed a graduate conference, helped host a bridal shower and bachelorette party, played the bridesmaid part again, took a much needed vacation to New Hampshire, and much more.

However, I'm officially back in action. I've got tons of posts waiting to go and lots of scrumptious treats. Let the blogging begin!

blood orange tarts with browned butter crust

I'm having issues lately. Not really issues, so much as my typical clumsiness. And specifically in relation to my morning coffee. Let me vent...

Yesterday I set my alarm extra early to be the bird that gets the worm. Groggily, I stumbled down to the kitchen, cursing my measly five and a half hours of sleep, already anxious about the work to be done that day, and in desperate need of caffeine. As I removed the old filter from the coffee maker, guess what happened? You already know, don't you? Yup, that's right. Dropped it. Wet, nasty grounds everywhere. On the counter. Down onto the tiled floor (and probably still stuck in the grout). Into the gas burners on my stove. All over my daggum sock, even. And there's nothing worse than a wet sock, daggumit. (sigh)

Fast forward to this morning. I love my Tuesday mornings. Nowhere to be. I can sit in my favorite chair, watch the snow fall, and sip my coffee as I read some homework. But, guess what happened? As I reached for my laptop, my daggum elbow knocked the full cup o' joe at my side...all down my white ottoman onto my white carpet and splashed onto my white chair. Moral of the story: maybe start investing in coffee-colored furniture?

And I thought I was doing so good by not getting any blood orange juice on my clothes...

Blood oranges recently started appearing in mass at my grocery store. Confession: I've never had a blood orange, but they're pretty so I bought them. I'm basically ridiculous in that way. But, they were actually pretty tasty in addition to being beautiful and these tarts turned out delicious...although less blood orange-colored than I had anticipated. I had been wanting to make mini tarts in my 4" tart pans for a while now and these are too stinkin' precious.

The crust is a traditional pastry crust, but you could totally do a graham cracker crust too. I might do that next time I make these. The filling is a blood orange curd. I ended up with a cup or two of extra filling to be used for other purposes...stay tuned. And definitely wear an apron (or two) just to be on the safe side! ;)

Blood Orange Tarts with Browned Butter Crust

crust ingredients:
1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

blood orange curd ingredients:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
6 eggs, beaten
2 egg yolks, beaten
zest of 3 blood oranges
1 1/4 cups blood orange juice (about six oranges)
1/4 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Set aside five 4" tart pans.

Make the crust. Put butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter until it develops an amber color and begins to smell nutty. Remove from heat and stir sugar into butter until mostly dissolved.

Put flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in butter and sugar and mix until completely incorporated. Press mixture into the tart pans, working the dough up the sides of the pans and evenly across the bottom. Prick dough with a fork to prevent bubbles.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

While the crust bakes, make the curd. Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and the salt in a bowl. Mix in the eggs, zest, and juice. Place bowl over a pot with gently boiling water. Cook, stirring frequently until the curd has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, approximately 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and then, a few pieces at a time, stir in the butter until it is completely incorporated. Strain curd through a fine mesh strainer.

Pour the curd into the cooked crusts as soon as you take them out of the oven. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the filling has thickened. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Serve chilled.

Yield: five 4" tarts

Source: White on Rice Couple

black-eyed pea dip

I made you dip. Well, technically, I made me dip. And I made my family dip. However, in light of the upcoming SuperBowl, I'm sharing this dip with you. Because SuperBowl is perhaps the last hurrah of the "I'm just gonna have dip for dinner" holiday season and it must be celebrated in all its melty, cheesy glory.

I actually made this dip on New Year's Day because of that ol' black-eyed peas = good luck in the new year wive's tale. I don't want to tell you exactly how much of this dip I ate, but let's just say it was enough to bring me luck for the next five years or so. So I got that going for me...which is nice.

I'm not quite sure whether that old wive's tale has a statute of limitations on when the black eyed peas must be devoured. Like a good luck expiration date. Let's hope these post-New Year's Day black-eyed peas will still have their magical good luck powers. And, if not, maybe you can just send your bad luck to the other team this Sunday. You're welcome!

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients:
1 can (14-ounce) black-eyed peas
¼ whole onion, chopped fine
¼ cups sour cream
8 slices jarred jalapeños
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp salsa
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole. Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Yield: 12 servings

Source: The Pioneer Woman

blackberry sour cream coffee cake

Important announcement: this spring semester marks my final semester of graduate coursework. Yup, that's right. After 21(!) straight years of school (K-doctorate), I've reached the beginning of the end. And, I kinda don't know how to handle it. I'm having a bit of an existential life crisis, I think. What am I if I'm not a student? Where do I go from here??? What does it all mean?!?!?

Okay, not really. I'm actually pretty pumped that the end of homework is in sight. Three and a half months...let the countdown begin! But, then again, the end of coursework also marks the beginning of comprehensive exams and (gasp!) dissertation work. Soooo, maybe I should appreciate these last few months of homework a bit more? Sigh...

Whether it's homework stress or dissertation stress, at least I always have my go to stress reliever...baking. I've been wanting a cast iron skillet for a while now and my darling brother got me one for Christmas this year. I'd bookmarked this coffee cake months ago, in my pre-cast iron skillet life. And, I'll tell you, it was worth the wait. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you could also bake this in an 8x8" pan...or you could take the Katy tactic and wait months until someone gifts you a skillet. But you probably shouldn't wait months to make this. Just sayin....

Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sour cream
12 ounces blackberries

Crumble Topping: 
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan (or cast iron pan) and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Mix in the sour cream. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick. Spread into the prepared pan and top with blackberries, pressing them into the batter slightly.

Make crumble topping: In a mixing bowl, blend together the sugars, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt until well mixed. (I just used my hands, but you could also use a pastry blender or even a mixer.) Crumble the topping on top of the cake; the dough will be a bit sticky so try to get small pieces evenly distributed.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for several minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Note: The original recipe called for one egg. However, I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any eggs so I substituted with 1/4 cup applesauce. You could do either, depending on what you have on hand.

Yield: 1 9-inch cake

Source: slightly adapted The Pastry Affair

pasta ponza

Life has been a whirlwind lately, as usual. I spent the past week in the Big Apple, taking in the sites. The Met. Shopping on 5th Avenue. The Brooklyn Bridge. Authentic New York pizza. Levain Bakery. All of the best parts of New York. The city is really at its prime in the winter. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate NYC any ol' time. But, winter is especially fabulous and romantic.

Plus, if you've ever been to New York during the heat of the summer, you are probably well acquainted with the pungent aroma of the hot garbage that occupies every sidewalk. You are probably also well acquainted with the sticky heat that beats down on the city and bounces up off the sidewalks, broiling everyone in the vicinity. There is no escape. New York in the summertime < New York in the winter.

No matter the season, though, some of the best parts of New York are the food. I may or may not have devoured multiple bagels with copious amounts of lox cream cheese, gigantic slices of pizza, a decadent peanut butter chocolate ice cream sundae at Max Brenner, and a few softball-size cookies from Levain Bakery. There may or may not have also been gyros, deli sandwiches, and cannoli added to that mix. All in all, I'm in desperate need of a cleanse. However, we know how well that worked out last time.

So, in lieu of such drastic measures, I've been adding lots of fresh fruits and veggies to my normally scheduled meals. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes. It starts with four cups of roasted cherry tomatoes and capers. These are poured over hot pasta, topped with a handful of cheese, and mixed. But the end result is much more than a sum of its parts. Somehow tomatoes + pasta + cheese = heaven. Maybe not exactly healthy, but we're taking baby steps here.

Pasta Ponza

Ingredients:
4 cups (24 ounces) red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
1 1/4 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Source: Giada de Laurentiis

man day: the perfect first suit

Welcome to the first installment of my men's fashion posts. I toyed around with inventing a name for this sub-section of my blog. Something reminiscent of Sprinkles & Champagne, but more testosterone-infused. Cufflinks & Bourbon. Pocket squares & Scotch. I dunno. It's a work in progress. Any good ideas? Feel free to share.

Nevertheless, I thought I'd start with the basics. Man Style 101. The perfect first suit. 'Cause guess what, fellas? Many of you are doing it wrong. Sorry to break it to you.

First things first, a first suit should not be black. It shouldn't be brown. It probably shouldn't even be grey. For your first suit? You want navy. Check out the infographic from the Huffington Post below...

navy suit 101

A good navy suit is appropriate for business, not overly dressy, and super versatile. You can pair it with almost anything. For shoes and belt...black, brown, or cognac would all work. For shirt and tie...the sky is the limit. :)

Check out the image below. A classic navy suit done right with cognac accessories. Muy caliente!

navy + cognac

You can wear the pieces together, sure. But the blazer and pants are just as useful as seperates. It's like three outfit options in one.

Navy Blazers:

plaid shirt + sweater vest + bright tie

white dress shirt + suit vest + mono-chromatic tie

khakis  + oxford shirt +  fun tie

Navy Pants:

white dress shirt + red sweater + cognac accessories

bright sweater + casual belt and loafers

Okay fellas, navy or bust!

rugelach sweet rolls

My cinnamon roll streak continues today. My apologies upfront if you are gluten-free, vegan, or just plain sick of pastries. But, guess what? Can't stop, won't stop. I'm just a cinnamon roll fiend. You should know this by now. I'll be baking cinnamon rolls 'til the day I die. That's not a threat, it's a promise.

My love affair with the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll dough has been well documented. But, let me once again sing her praises. I made this batch of dough back in mid-December with the good intentions of baking a pan of Orange Marmalade Rolls for a holiday brunch. However, while the dough was rising, I came down with a wicked 18-hour bug and was confined to my bed. Luckily, I recovered in time to fly home for break. However, this batch o' dough was quickly shoved in the freezer and forgotten about in the hustle.

I took it out upon my return to the Baby State a month later and, lo and behold, it still produced a perfect batch of cinnamon rolls. I'm fairly certain one could do anything to this dough and it would turn out perfectly. It's like a good boyfriend, reliable and trustworthy. You can count on this dough. It will never break your heart. Trust.

These cinnamon rolls here may be the craziest version I've yet attempted. The dough may be taken from Pioneer Woman but the filling inspiration is straight from Smitten Kitchen. This is a variation on rugelach cookies, a traditional Jewish pastry. These cinnamon rolls still have the standard cinnamon sugar and butter on the inside. But they're also stuffed with jam, pecans, and chocolate chips. Add a cream cheese glaze and we're good to go. Gah, good thing my New Year's resolutions didn't include any weight loss!

Rugelach Sweet Rolls

For the Rolls:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups (plus 1/2 cup extra, separated) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (heaping) baking powder
1/2 tsp (scant) baking soda
1 tsp (heaping) salt

For the Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup jam (raspberry and/or apricot are traditional, but I used cherry)
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup finely semisweet chocolate chips

For the Glaze:
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk, approximately

Directions:
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm, approximately 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. (I usually put my dough in the oven, set over a pan of hot water.) After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (The dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

To assemble the rolls, remove dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

Stir together the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon and set it aside. Spread your jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the wider ends. (If your jam is cold from the fridge, you can heat it slightly in a small saucepan or in the microwave, not until bubbling hot but until warm enough to easily spread.) Drizzle melted butter over the jam layer. Sprinkle the jam and butter layer with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then the nuts, and end with the chocolate chips.

Beginning at the long side farthest from you, roll the dough in a long roll toward you; being careful to keep it tucked tightly. Pinch edge to seal. Cut rolls into 1 to 1 1/2 inch rolls and place into a buttered 9x13" pan or two 9" round pans. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 25-35 minutes, until they’re golden at the edges and the filling looks bubbly.

Let the rolls mostly cool on a rack.

Make the glaze, beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together in a bowl with an electric mixture. Drizzle glaze onto warm rolls and devour.

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 12 servings

every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man

It's been pointed out to me that I haven't done a fashion post in a long while. That's true. But here's what...I haven't posted about fashion because nothing has really caught my eye lately. I dunno. I mean, I've done my fair share of shopping lately. But I've mainly been stocking up on the basics: jeans, dress pants, sweaters, cardigans, boots. Nothing shocking or edgy.

In fact, lately all I have really been interested in is...wait for it...men's fashion. Gasp! What? Surely that must be a mistake? But no, it's true. I am fascinated by men's clothing lately. Not in the sense that I want to pull a Diane Keaton and throw on a tie. Just in the sense that I really want to dress a man. Any man. All men. Show me a dude and I'll outfit him. I even made a Pinterest board about it. That's how you know I'm serious about this.

So I thought I might start doing some men's fashion posts? Trends I like, outfit suggestions, shopping advice, etc. Nothing better than a well-dressed man. Am I right? :)

chocolate hazelnut crepe cake

The holidays are officially over. I've said goodbye to my family and all of my friends, I've packed up my belongings once again, and I'm flying back to the Baby State. I still have a couple more weeks until the spring semester begins, but I'll definitely need those weeks to finalize teaching plans and work on the upcoming graduate conference. Today, however, I'm enjoying one last day of mental rest before the planning insanity ensues. I'll be spending that day on a number of planes and camping out in a number of airports, but by 6:30 Eastern time tonight I'll be back to the coast.

During my time at home, I did plenty of baking but this cake was by far the most memorable. My brothers birthday happens to fall three days after Christmas so I'm always home for his big day. This year, I handed him my new Smitten Kitchen cookbook (which I love!) and instructed him to pick any dessert he'd like. Of course, like a typical little brother, he picked the most complex and time-consuming recipe in the book. (sigh) But, being the fabulous sister I am, I made that danged thang. And it was awesome.

You might scroll down and see that epically-long recipe and want to click away immediately. But, I urge you to then scroll back up and look at these pictures. Just look at all those crepes, layered with pastry cream, smothered with chocolate ganache. How can you say no? You can't.

Bonus: this cake tastes just like Nutella. Just. Like. Nutella. So there's that.

Here's some real talk. Yes, this cake is time-consuming. I wouldn't want to make this cake on the regular. But it's an awesome special occasion cake. It makes an impact, no doubt. So, the secret to making this cake manageable? Break down the steps over a couple days. When I made this cake, I made the crepe batter and the pastry cream the night before. Then, the next morning, I tackled crepe-making and assembled the cake. Then, that evening before serving, I quickly made the ganache, poured it on the cake, and added the hazelnuts. Viola! Done. (phew)

Now back to the real world...

Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake

Crepes:
9 Tbps unsalted butter (for both crepes and pastry cream)
2 1/3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

Cooking spray for skillet

Hazelnut Pastry Cream:
1 1/3 cups hazelnuts (for both pastry cream and topping)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsp hazelnut liqueur (I used Frangelico)
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/3 cups whole milk
7 Tbsp sugar
5 large egg yolks
5 Tbsp cornstarch
Butter reserved from crepes above

Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz. (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp hazelnut liqueur

Make Crepe Batter:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it's melted, reduce heat to medium-low. The butter will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir butter frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you go. Once the butter is brown and nutty-smelling, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl. Let cool to lukewarm.

In a blender, combine milk, eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and 6 Tbsp cooled browned butter. (I didn't have a blender, so I combined all ingredients in a bowl and whisked until combined.) Cover finished mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or up to 2 days.

Toast/Skin Hazelnuts:
Preheat oven to 350 and spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, rolling around halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. 

If your hazelnuts still have their skins, rub nuts between your palms to remove skins, and discard. Mine, however, were skin-free. Feel free to ignore this step if that's the case.

Make Hazelnut Pastry Cream:
In a food processor, grind 1 cup of nuts (set the other 1/3 cup aside for topping the cake), confectioners' sugar, liqueur, and salt together. Keep running the machine as hazelnuts grind from a coarse chop to a powder and eventually into damp-looking crumbs that combine in small clumps. Do not over mix, or you'll make a hazelnut butter!

In a saucepan, combine the hazelnut paste, milk, and sugar over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring a bit so it doesn't scorch. In a medium bowl, whisk together yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly stream small spoonfuls of the hot milk into the egg yolk bowl while whisking. Repeat this a few times until egg yolk mixture is hot. Now, go in reverse, slowly stirring warm egg yolk mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan, whisking constantly, until the two are combined. Continue whisking while you bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2 minutes; the mixture should thicken upon boiling, to a loose pudding consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved 3 Tbsp browned butter from the crepe batter recipe. 

Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap on top of custard, and refrigerate until set, at least a couple hours. 

Make Crepes:

Preheat a medium (9-10 inch) non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium-high heat. Once it's heated, brush pan with butter or spray with  non-stick spray. (I repeated this approximately every three crepes to keep the pan super non-stick.)

Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet and quickly tilt pan until batter evenly coats the bottom and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom is golden and top is set (1-2 minutes). Carefully flip and cook on other side for 5-10 additional seconds to set. (It may take a few crepes to get the hang of this process. Mine really started looking good around crepe three. And that's fine, there is plenty of batter.)

Transfer finished crepes to a paper towel-covered plate and stack; they won't stick together. (I found that the batter actually made close to 20 crepes, but you'll only need 16 or 17 for this recipe, as the pastry cream only makes so much.)

Assemble Cake:
Lay first crepe on your cake plate or stand. Spread with 1/4 cup pastry cream. Repeat with remaining crepes until you're out of pastry cream. Chill in the fridge until you're ready for the ganache.

Make Ganache:
Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and liqueur to a simmer in a small saucepan and pour over chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth.

To Finish:

Remove cake from fridge, pour ganache on top and gently push some off the sides, so there are a few drips on the edges. Decorate the top of the cake with remaining hazelnuts. Set cake in fridge until the chocolate is set.

FINALLY, serve!

Yield: 12 servings

Source: Smitten Kitchen cookbook