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In The Kitchen With Polly!

Please stop by and check out our newest recipes:
Gingerbread Biscotti,
Veganized! Banana Chocolate Chip Coffeecake,
Zucchini Pasta and
Yummy Crock Pot Pizza Sauce!!

You'll be glad you did! Honest!

Thanks!

Strawberry Oatmeal Scones

My daughter Abby insisted I post these.  She said they are delicious.  She's a wonderful girl, but unfortunately suffering from dormfooditis.  Nevertheless, these scones are good, and they do look pretty.  They'd be good with a mother's day cup of tea, don't you think?

Scones are not supposed to be sweet, and not supposed to resemble a muffin, and these don't.  They have the right texture for a true Englsih scone. Next time though, I will put a bit more sugar in them, and a bit less nutmeg.  (I love nutmeg, so I was a bit overgenerous, and the scones ended up with a bit of an unappetizing yellow tinge.)

Here's where I found this recipe...Adapted from Joy the Baker, originally from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan http://homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com/2010/04/strawberry-oatmeal-scones.html

Strawberry Oatmeal Scones

1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup sugar (next time I might use 1/2 cup)
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 T unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Whisk together the egg and buttermilk and set aside. Combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter pieces and cut in with a pastry blender or your hands, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the chopped strawberries. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture comes together in one hairy ball (be careful not to squish too many strawberries). Place the dough on an ungreased baking sheet and pat into a disk about the size of a dinner plate and  1 1/2 inches thick. Cut the dough, like a pie or a pizza, into about 8 or 12 wedges.  Pull wedges apart, so there is about 1 inch between each slice.

At this point scones can be refrigerated to bake later, or frozen to be baked much later.  Place in preheated 400 degree oven  and bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown (25 minutes if frozen--do not defrost before baking). Transfer to a wire rack to cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks for visiting!

Triple Citrus Pepper Pound Cake

This will probably be the last of my citrus posts for awhile. So let's use up the rest of those oranges, lemons and limes so we can move on. Before we close this chapter though, here's a recipe for a citrusy pound cake...with a pepper kick. Not a big kick, more of a love tap, really! The citrus isn't overwhelming either, just another love tap! The pepper kick develops over time. I tasted this cake on day 1, no pepper. Day 2, ohhhh, there's the pepper!

Triple Citrus Pepper Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. lemon zest
1 T. lime zest
1 T. orange zest
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 325 F. and prepare a 9X5 loaf pan. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, black pepper and salt. With an electric mixer, cream the butter with the citrus zests until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat an additional 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl, and mix until blended. On low speed mix the flour mixture in, adding it in 4 additions. After the last addition, mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserts into the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached and the sides of the cake are pulling away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving. The pepper flavor develops over time. Wait 24 hours!

I found this recipe here: http://thespicedlife.blogspot.com/2010/02/triple-citrus-black-pepper-pound-cake.html (Closely adapted from Cake Keeper Cakes, Lauren Chattman)

Thanks for visiting!

Microwave Marmalade

You can make marmalade for breakfast. Yes you can! It's amazing! I have made orange, lemon and lime marmalade with this recipe. It's so QUICK! I am so impressed. I have had better marmalades, but they weren't made in 15 minutes from the citrus in my backyard. This recipe is a winner.

The original recipe was found here
http://www.putsup.com/2010/01/microwave-meyer-lemon-marmalade.html

Notes from original recipe:
Do not double the recipe, the microwave will not like it and you will end up with a giant mess.
Use a high-sided microwaveable container (I used an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup) to microwave the marmalade
After you get the basic technique down, play a bit...add a touch of booze or spice!

Microwave Marmalade
Thinly sliced zest (with no white stuff) from 1 lb of citrus
3/4 lb citrus (all peel, white rind and seeds removed)--tangerines, lemons, limes, oranges or combination
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1-tablespoon rum (optional) (I used Cointreau)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Peel and seed fruit, removing and discarding all the whit pith, and white stringy bits from the outside and down the center of the fruit. Weigh the peeled fruit and removed zest, you'll need 3/4 lb. of pulp and zest. Place zest, pulp and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Puree, making sure all the peel and section skins are reduced to a pulp. Pour pureed mixture into a high-sided microwaveable bowl, adding optional alcohol and nutmeg. Cover tightly with plastic wrap pierced a few times to vent. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir; remove platic wrap and return to microwave for 7 minutes. Remove, stir and check thickness. At this point, depending on the juiciness of your fruit (oranges mainly), return mixture to the microwave for another 2-3 minutes. Marmalade will thicken as it cools. Makes 2 cups. Keep in refrigerator for up to three weeks. Can be frozen for longer storage.

Thanks for visiting!

Microwave Lemon Curd (aka Lemon Loveliness)

Lemon Curd: (n) a wonderful treat cursed with an unfortunate name.  Don't be put off.  Lemon Curd is not curdled and there are no curds (nor whey).  So why the unfortunate name?  I just don't know.  Never mind, though, Lemon Curd is lovely; it's sort of a lemon jam. There's nothing better at the end of the day (or the beginning of the day, or the middle of the day for that matter) than a slice of hot toast with lemon curd, a cup of hot tea on the side, with feet up and something nice on the telly. Oh, yes there is, two slices of hot toast with lemon curd!  I picked 6 large lemons off of my neighbors tree this afternoon and whipped this up in the microwave. Enjoy Lemon Curd on your toast all week. Next weekend put some Lemon Curd in the middle of a layer cake, cupcakes, or cookies AND, I will post a recipe for a Pavlova with lemon curd and blueberries to finish off your batch. Leftover lemon curd will keep in the refrigerator for approximately three weeks.

I was reminded of this microwave recipe when I visited a few food blogs recently; 2 Stews and La Table de Nana.

Microwave Lemon Curd

1 cup sugar
3 whole eggs
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 or 7 large lemons)
zest of 3 lemons (I used a microplane)
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a microwave safe bowl whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth. Sir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter.  Microwave for one minute, stir, microwave for another minute, stir.  Do this until the lemon curd is think enough to coat the back of a spoon.  This will take 5 - 7 minutes.  At this point can pour into small sterile jars to give as gifts, or cool, then cover and refrigerate for your family to use.  Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Thanks for visiting! Enjoy your Lemon Loveliness with your feet up, a cup of tea, and a good book.

Crumbly Topped Banana Muffins

I bought a bag of over-ripe bananas about a week ago. They weren't that ripe at the time. I was going to make banana cream pie with them, but then all the kids left and there was no one here to eat banana cream pie, except me, and I am having a hard enough time fitting into my pants as it is. Then banana bag ripped and rapidly blackening bananas cascaded over my counter space. There was nothing to do but start baking. I started on banana muffins last night, two kinds. These crumbly topped ones are delicious, and they are still moist and yummy the morning-after. In fact, they are so good that I just dropped off half a dozen at my doctor's office... I've got my fingers crossed that there will be a rapid return on my investment...

Crumbly Topped Banana Muffins

For Muffin
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups of mashed banana (that was only 3 of the ones on my counter...)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup veg. or canola oil or melted butter

For Topping
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 10 muffins cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl mix together mashed bananas, sugar, egg, and oil or melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture. Do not beat, stir just until flour is moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups. In another bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir and mash with a fork until small crumbles form. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the batter in the muffin cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.

Yes, you should definitely make these. Thanks for stopping by!

Bacon Asparagus Rolls

I found this recipe on the Internet this morning. I ran out to buy some asparagus to try it...then hemmed and hawed about posting the link, the recipe, and my pictures. I wasn't sure the recipe was "all that", so I kept tasting and trying to figure it out. Post? Don't post? Bacon and Asparagus? Is that going to be a hit? Is this a GREAT recipe? Taste, think, taste some more, mmm, one more taste, maybe, let me try that again. It slowly dawned on me, I was positively addicted to these. I was guilty of over thinking the post!
This recipe is from Anamaris on her blog "Chef it Yourself".

Bacon Asparagus Rolls

For each roll you'll need:
1 slice of thick bacon (I used applewood smoked)
4 asparagus spears

Trim the bottom of the asparagus spears so all four are of equal length. Peel the lower part of the stem, optional, but no one is going to want to bite into a stringy piece of asparagus--use a potato peeler. Roll, yes, roll (with a rolling pin) the slice of bacon until it is at 50% - 75% longer than it was before you started. Gather the four asparagus spears together. Starting at the tip end, tightly wrap the bacon around all four spears. Season generously with freshly grated black pepper. Place bundle in frying pan. Cook over medium high heat, turning often, until bacon is well browned and crisp, and the asparagus is cooked. (See picture below.) Remove bundle from the pan, and slice into bite-sized pieces.(See picture above) Discard any bottom stems not covered with bacon. Each bundle will result in 3 or 4 bite-sized sushi-like pieces. Serve warm, but good at room temperature, too.

Thanks for being a fan,

Polly

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffeecake

This is a kids' favorite, so perhaps I should call it a snack cake rather than a coffeecake. Anyway, I made one this morning, and it was gone in flash. Whatever you call it, it's baked in a 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan, which is supposed to yield 9 servings, but I am not sure we had nine pieces cut out of it this morning. This is a fun cake, enjoyed by most (all?), very moist, and requires no special ingredient other than ripe bananas and a few chocolate chips.

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffeecake

3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 T. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 T. buttermilk (could sub yogurt or even sour cream or milk with 1 tsp. vinegar added)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour, or spray with Pam, a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. In a small bowl stir together chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in egg and beat until combined. Stir in mashed banana and buttermilk. Stir in flour mixture and combine well. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Top with half of the chocolate chip mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and remaining topping. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Serve warm.

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly

Lemon-Poppy Seed Bread

"Bread" isn't quite the right word for this. Yes, the batter is baked in loaf pans, but it has a finer texture than a quick bread, it's really more of a cake, a cake that doesn't need frosting. I like the strong lemon flavor of this bread and the slight crunch and the appealing look of the poppy seeds. I served cubes of this bread to dip in the chocolate fondue, but was also very pleased to have it on hand to serve to a friend who stopped by for a cup of tea and some girl-talk. The rest of the bread was devoured for breakfast. The loaves stayed moist for as long as it took us to eat (about 4 days). If you have a lemon tree, or a neighbor with a lemon tree, you'll be pleased to know this bread is made with three large lemons. I usually bake 4 mini loaves (because I have a wonderful 4 loaf pan), but the original recipe specified baking in 2 9 x 5 loaf pans (one for you and one for the neighbor with the lemon tree). If desired extra loaves can be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to a month.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

3 large lemons (you'll need the zest and the juice)
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar (divided use)
4 eggs at room temperature
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (or buttermilk or sour milk)
1/4 cup sour cream (can substitute yogurt)
3 T. poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans, or 4 mini loaf pans by buttering and flouring or by spraying with Pam for Baking. Finely grate the zest from the lemons. You'll need 3 T. Squeeze the lemons for their juice. You'll need 1/2 cup plus 1T. Set the lemon juice aside. With an electric mixer cream the butter with 2 cups of the sugar and all the lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flour, salt and baking powder together in another bowl, and the milk and the sour cream or yogurt in a third bowl. Add the eggs into the butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low. Beat in one-third of flour mixture, then one-half of milk mixture, then one-third of flour, then one-half of milk mixture, then one-third of flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Gently stir in poppy seeds and one tablespoon of the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Evenly divide batter between prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 60 minutes (45 minutes for mini-loaves). While loaves are baking, combine reserved 1/2 cup lemon juice with remaining 1/2 cup sugar, stirring until combined. Remove pan from oven and immediately brush top with lemon mixture. Let loaves cool in rack in pans for 15 minutes, then removed from pans. Pierce loaves all over one side with long skewer, brush with lemon mixture. Repeat on all sides, and top and bottom, until all lemon mixture has been used. Cool loaves completely. Wrap in waxed paper and store in airtight container at room temperature.

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly

Double Decker Pear Banana Bread

The bread is smiling! Did you ever think of mashing overripe pears, mixing them with mashed overripe bananas, and then stirring them into a spiced quick bread batter?  Me neither...until a Spiced Banana Pear Bread recipe popped up on Laura's Best Recipes, originally posted on banana-bread.biz.  I took the posted recipe..., then thought I could make it better by adding the "double decker" layer from the pumpkin bread I posted last month.  Well..., easier said than done, but I finally did it!  I love the banana-pear taste, still banana, but milder.  The quality of the pears does affect the flavor of the bread.  The best loaf I made was with very overripe Royal Rivera pears, the least flavorful was made with canned pears. Now don't go expecting a cheesecake experience from the cream cheese layer, it's pleasant, but it's main purpose is to keep the bread moist (and it's fun to look at, too).  This bread needs to be refrigerated overnight (in a perfect world) before slicing, so plan ahead.

Double Decker Pear Banana Bread

For Batter
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup peeled, mashed overripe pears (canned pears can be used...if there are no more fresh pears left on the planet)
3/4 cup peeled, mashed overripe banana
1/4 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla) or sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
Optional, for decoration
thinly sliced pear slices
brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (spray with Pam, or spread with butter and flour...I like to add a double layer of parchment paper on the bottom, too).  With an electric mixture beat butter and white sugar together until creamy (about 3 minutes) then stir in brown sugar and beat for another 2 minutes or so. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well blended.  Add vanilla, pears, bananas, yogurt or sour cream and mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.  Stir into batter and mix until just combined.  Pour 1/2 of batter into the bottom of pan.  Pour filling layer over,if desired.  Pour rest of batter over the filling layer.  If you have an extra pear, decorate top of loaf with very thin slices and sprinkle with 1 tsp brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Let loaf cool on rack.  Wrap cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store overnight in refrigerator before slicing.

For Filling (optional)

4 oz. softened cream cheese
3 T. sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
3 T. minced crystallized ginger or 1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. self-raising flour

Soften cream cheese in MW.  Stir in sugar, sour cream, egg, and  minced crystallized ginger or vanilla. mix well. Stir in flour. Use as directed above.

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly

Bavarian Coffeecake

I remember getting my first bread machine and the thrill of finally being able to make edible yeast bread.  For awhile there I was making a loaf or two a week. I made all kinds of crazy concoctions, and most of them I liked. The "delay timer" enabled us to wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread and come home to freshly made pizza dough.  I was so enamored of the bread machine that I bought one for my Mom and sister for Christmas one year (they weren't so enamored-ODD!). My daughter Abby has grown up with homemade bread, pizza crust, foccacia, and coffeecakes.  This  year she asked for a bread machine for Christmas.  My mother gave her one--and no, it wasn't the one I had given her years ago (although hers is still in mint-dare I say unused?-condition.) One of my favorite bread machine cookbooks, and the source for this recipe, is "Bread Machine Magic" published in 1992. My paperback copy has been used so much it no longer has a cover or spine and has to be held together with a rubber band.  This coffeecake is delicious...sugary, cinnamonny, and creamy...all the best parts of a cinnamon roll without the extra work and the extra pound of butter. (Recipe makes 1 1/2 lbs dough)

Bavarian Coffeecake

3/4 cup of approx 1/2 water and 1/2 milk or buttermilk
1 egg
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy cream

Place water/milk mixture, egg, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in pan of a bread machine. Press "dough" setting and "start".  Remove dough from bread machine when machine beeps and place in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.  Pat the dough to fit.  Cover pan with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled (usually 45 - 60 minutes).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With two fingers punch deep holes all over dough.  Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough (and into the indentations).  Drizzle cream over top and into indentations (you may decide to punch a few more holes at this point).  Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and serve warm. Eat quickly.  This coffeecake looses most of its magic after a few hours.

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly

Spicy Glazed Bacon

It's sweet, it's salty, it's spicy....we're talking some serious yumminess here. Take a good quality, thick-sliced bacon, sprinkle it with light brown sugar, cayenne and black pepper, bake until sizzling hot, crispy and sticky...ohmyYYY. My friend Jamie said, "It was like candy in bacon form. I thought I was dreamin' ...."

Spicy Glazed Bacon

8 slices thick-sliced good quality bacon (I use the Applewood smoked bacon from Costco)
3 T. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more, I use a heaping 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp black pepper (or more)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay bacon on a rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. While bacon is baking, mix brown sugar with cayenne and black pepper. Make sure peppers are evenly distributed in the brown sugar. Remove bacon from oven. Sprinkle each slice with 2 tsp of the brown sugar/peppers mix. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn bacon over, sprinkle with any leftover sugar mixture (if desired) and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until crisp. Watch bacon carefully--the bacon can quickly overheat and burn. Cooking times are all approximate...the thickness of your bacon will make a big difference in the cooking times...use your best judgment and keep your eye on it for the last few minutes.

This recipe was adapted from a one published in "The 150 Best American Recipes"

Thank you for being a fan,
Polly

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Everyone seems to have a favorite Blueberry Muffin recipe. I did too, a different one...until I started making these. It's the cup of oats and the "just hidden in there" lemon hint that sets these Blueberry Muffins above all the other Blueberry Muffins out there. I just made a batch this morning, I know what I am talking about! Ahhh...coffee, muffin, rain...on a Monday Holiday.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup fresh blueberries, mixed with 1 T. flour (I have used frozen blueberries with no adverse effects)
1 cup flour
1 cup oats (old fashioned is the best)
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup canola oil (or ¼ cup oil and ¼ cup applesauce)
1 large egg
1 T. lemon--or vanilla--extract (yep, 1 T. of lemon extract...and yet the lemon flavor is not overly pronounced)
½ cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

Optional sugar or raw sugar, and additional 1-2 T. raw oats to top the muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In first (smallest) bowl, mix blueberries with 1 T flour and set aside. In second (next smallest) bowl, soak oats in buttermilk. In third (and largest) bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In fourth (second largest bowl) bowl, mix oil and egg until well combined, add lemon or vanilla extract, and then pour in oats and buttermilk. Stir to combine, then add in white and brown sugars. Pour the oat mixture into the flour mixture and stir just to moisten. Gently fold in flour coated blueberries. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with sugar and raw oats. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

My friend Adele did a nutritional analysis on this muffin. Result...not too bad, as far as muffin goes. In fact, compares favorably with muffins in the "healthy" category.
and here's the nutritional analysis (based on using applesauce for half the oil)

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving Calories 177 Calories from Fat 51

% Daily Value Based on a 2000 calorie diet
Total Fat 5.7g 9%
Saturated Fat 0.9g 4%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 179mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 28.1g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g 6%
Sugars 14.2g
Protein 3.4g
Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 2% Calcium 6% • Iron 6%

Thanks for being a fan,
Polly