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Author Archives: Kerstin - Cake, Batter, and Bowl

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars

July 14, 2011

Every month when the dining hall menu was released during college, my roommates and I circled one day on the calendar. This was a day that was not to be forgotten. This was a day that we quickly scurried to lunch giddy with anticipation. This was a day that was simply all about “the bars” – cookie perfection in the form of layers of a buttery oatmeal crust, chocolate, and caramel.

We loved the bars so much, that no matter the weather, I threw on a huge sweatshirt and stuffed my baggy sleeves with stacks of cookies carefully wrapped up in paper napkins. Yes, I stole as many as of the bars as possible out of the dining hall, and yes, I would definitely do it again given the chance. We hoarded those bars of golden caramel goodness for days and savored each and every bite.

A couple years after I graduated, I stumbled upon the recipe for the bars, which apparently are officially known as Oatmeal Carmelitas. I was beyond incredibly excited that I could have the bars whenever I wanted! For years and years afterwards, I whipped them up anytime I needed to make a dessert to impress. And now, I finally want to honor one of the recipes that inspired my love of baking – this is a decadent chocolate and dulce de leche version of one of my very favorite treats in the whole world. Britt – my favorite partner in crime, this one is for you!

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 13.4-ounce can dulce de leche
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Place flour, oats, brown sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until butter and chocolate are melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Mix melted butter mixture into dry ingredients until crumb forms. Reserve 1/2 cup of crumb mixture. Place remaining crumb mixture in a greased 8×8-inch pan and press down evenly. Bake crust at 350˚F for 10 minutes.

Place dulce de leche and milk in a small bowl and mix well until smooth. Evenly spread dulce de leche over partially baked crust. Top evenly with chocolate chips and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate crumb mixture. Bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour at room temperature and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set. Cut into 16 bars and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition: 309 calories, 13.0g fat, 2.5g fiber, 4.7g protein per bar
Cost: $0.40 per bar

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BBQ Sloppy Joes

July 11, 2011

My mom used to make sloppy joes for us pretty regularly growing up. I have very fond memories of watching her add the ketchup and mustard to the ground beef simmering in a pot on the stove, and then of course of all of us attempting to eat the sandwiches without making a huge mess. I think poor sloppy joes tend to be underappreciated, so I decided to revive this retro favorite with a few delicious twists!

First, instead of flavoring the meat with a traditional tomato base, I simply mixed ground turkey with our favorite BBQ sauce. Then I nestled the juicy meat between caramelized onions and melted sharp cheddar cheese on toasted whole wheat buns. These sloppy joes definitely hit the spot and we may or may not have gobbled up all 4 sandwiches in one sitting…

p.s. The winner of my Shabby Apple apron giveaway was #36 – Jessi from Chef Fresco, congrats!

BBQ Sloppy Joes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split in half and toasted
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil and butter over a medium low heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions, cover pan, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until onions are caramelized.

Meanwhile, place ground turkey in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and break up with a spoon. Cook for 7 minutes or until meat is browned and no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain off any liquid. Stir in BBQ sauce and salt and heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Heat oven broiler. Place bottom half of toasted buns on a large cookie sheet and place one slice of cheese on each and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. To assemble Sloppy Joes, evenly spread meat over each cheese topped bottom bun. Top evenly with caramelized onions and top with top half of toasted buns. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 570 calories, 26.9g fat, 2.4g fiber, 36.2g protein per serving
Cost: $2.05 per serving

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Yuzu Miso Mahi Mahi

July 7, 2011

I recently swooned over a delicious yuzu miso sauce served with one of the tuna rolls at our local sushi joint and decided something similar must be incorporated into my next fish dish – never mind the fact that I didn’t even know what yuzu was or where to find it! Well, it turns out that yuzu is a citrus fruit commonly found in East Asia. I actually managed to find a bottle of the juice during a recent trip to HMart but couldn’t quite bring myself to put it in my cart for $20….so you can imagine my delight when I found the following treasure at Trader Joe’s.

The orange box contains packets of a Yuzu Citrus Tisane Beverage concentrate, which you’re supposed to mix into some water to enjoy – score! I whisked several of the packets together with the other ingredients in the picture – garlic, ginger, dark soy sauce, and miso – and used half the mixture to marinate some mahi mahi fillets and the other half to make a sauce to top them. I served the fish over a lovely bed of oyster mushrooms and baby bok choy, which I learned how to cook properly here. This was a lovely light summer meal, and I’m so glad I spotted that yuzu drink concentrate on the shelf!

Yuzu Miso Mahi Mahi
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Mahi Mahi with Yuzu Miso Sauce:
6 1.1-ounce packets Yuzu Citrus Tisane Beverage from a 11.2-ounce box from Trader Joe’s
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons miso paste
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 9-ounce mahi mahi fillets

Baby Bok Choy:
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
8 ounces oyster mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds baby bok choy, ends trimmed
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions:
To make the mahi mahi fillets, place yuzu beverage, soy sauce, miso, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl and whisk until miso is dissolved. Pour half the mixture (1/2 cup) into a shallow pan with the mahi mahi fillets, coat the fillets well with the marinade on both side, and marinate for 20 minutes to an hour in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the mahi mahi fillets on both sides, about 1 minute on each side. Bake fish for 10 minutes at 350˚F or until cooked through. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the remaining unused yuzu miso mixture in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened and reduced.

To make the baby bok choy, heat 1/2 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat in a large wok. Add mushrooms and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan and add remaining 1 tablespoons canola oil. Place ginger and garlic in the wok and sauté 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add baby bok choy to the wok and mix well. Add chicken broth, cover wok, and steam for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and stir in cooked mushrooms.

To serve, evenly distribute baby bok choy on 4 plates. Top with mahi mahi fillets and sauce. Make 4 servings.

Nutrition: 493 calories, 8.5g fat, 0.7g fiber, 65.5g protein per serving
Cost: $6.55 per serving

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Blueberry Lemon Trifles

July 4, 2011

I’m so happy berries are finally in season! For the past couple of weeks we have just been annihilating as many as possible straight from the container – 2 pounds of blueberries only last a couple days around here. But, I’ve been yearning to use the new mini trifle dishes I scored from the Crate and Barrel outlet store during our trip to Portland, so I finally managed to set some fruit aside to use in these blueberry lemon trifles.

Lemons and blueberries are just made for each other. The trifles contain layers of a creamy lemon custard (well, it’s technically not a custard but it tastes just as indulgent as one – I simply mixed thick Greek yogurt with a bit of lemon curd from Trader Joe’s), a homemade blueberry sauce, fresh blueberries, and chunks of soft sugar cookies full of lemon zest, almond extract, and dried blueberries – SO good! I split an 8×8-inch pan of cookies into just 6 trifles, but if you want a lighter dessert you can certainly use less. These cute little desserts are perfect to enjoy at a summer dinner party because you can make all the components in advance and just assemble them right before serving.

p.s. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for an adorable apron from Shabby Apple!

Blueberry Lemon Trifles
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For Trifle Assembly:
3 cups vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt
6 tablespoons lemon curd
3 cups blueberries

Directions:
To make the cookies, heat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg and almond extract; stir in flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt until soft dough forms. Stir in dried blueberries. Spread dough in bottom of a greased 8×8-inch square pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour, and cut into 64 squares (you’ll have 4 leftover for nibbling!).

To make the blueberry sauce, place blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and berries have broken down. Let cool about 10 minutes and then pulse in a food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds.

To assemble the trifles, whisk yogurt and lemon curd in a large bowl until smooth. Spread a thin layer of yogurt over the bottom of six mini trifle dishes. Top with five squares of cookie, a bit of blueberry sauce and some fresh blueberries. Layer once more the yogurt, five squares of cookie, a bit of blueberry sauce, and some fresh blueberries. Top with remaining yogurt, blueberry sauce, and garnish with fresh blueberries. Makes 6 trifles.

Nutrition: 564 calories, 22.5g fat, 3.8g fiber, 16.0g protein per trifle
Cost: $2.10 per trifle

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Orange Coriander Oat Bran Muffins

June 30, 2011

Guess what I have for you today? Yep, a muffin recipe, which I’ll get to in a second, but also a giveaway for a super cute apron like the one I’m wearing above! I was recently contacted by a rep from Shabby Apple, an online shop best known for their lovely vintage dresses, about reviewing one of their adorable aprons. I jumped at the chance, since a girl can never have too many wardrobe options, and eventually settled on the carrot cake style. I couldn’t be more pleased – it’s super flattering and a gorgeous vibrant pattern. They’re the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen. To enter to win your choice of one of their aprons, see the details at the bottom of this post!

Now, on to the muffins. I couldn’t stop thinking about the flavor combo of orange peel and coriander, which we recently learned is used to spice Allagash White during our brewery tour. I finally decided to mix the two into a yummy batch of muffins, along with white whole wheat flour, oat bran from Trader Joe’s, orange juice, and a bit of oil and molasses. I sweetened the batter with brown sugar and golden raisins and sprinkled a few salted sunflower seeds on top for a bit of crunch. I kind of love that a beer inspired a fairly healthy muffin recipe!

Giveaway details: To enter, just leave a comment on this post letting me know which Shabby Apple apron you’d pick if you win. Entries must be in by Thursday, July 7 at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be picked with random.org and announced shortly thereafter. Sorry, only those living within the continental United States are eligible to win. But, all my readers can use the coupon code “CakeBatterandBowl10off” at checkout until July 30 to receive 10% off your purchase! Also, if you “like” Shabby Apple on their facebook page, you’ll get access to future special promotions and exclusive discounts.

The fine print: Shabby Apple sent me a complimentary apron to review and they are providing an apron for this giveaway, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine.

Orange Coriander Oat Bran Muffins
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup oat bran
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons dark molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons salted sunflower seeds

Directions:
Heat oven to 350˚F. Place oat bran, flour, brown sugar, orange zest, coriander, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix until combined. Place orange juice, canola oil, molasses, and egg in another bowl and whisk well. Pour liquids into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in raisins. Evenly distribute batter into 12 cups of a muffin tin lined with paper cups (each will be 3/4 full). Top evenly with oats and sunflower seeds. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Nutrition: 174 calories, 6.3g fat, 2.3g fiber, 3.3g protein per muffin
Cost: $0.41 per muffin

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Blackened Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Bacon

June 27, 2011

Apolinaras is pretty spoiled in the culinary department. Last weekend I made a bunch of tofu fried rice for my weekday lunches, and also cooked up a separate batch of chicken breasts for him because he likes to loudly proclaim the fried rice is the worst dish I make. Apparently, it’s not spicy enough and of course, he’s biased because it’s vegetarian and he’s not a huge tofu fan. His grumbling always makes me roll my eyes and giggle though – more rice for me to enjoy, right? Is there a dish that you really like but your significant other can’t stand?

I also try to fulfill most of Apolinaras’ dinner requests, since he doesn’t make them very often. One night he told me that he was in the mood for some chicken stuffed with leftover blue cheese and bacon – umm, yes please, what a great idea! I decided to go for a black and blue theme and made a spice rub to coat the outside of the chicken so it was blackened. In addition to the bacon and blue cheese, I also put shallots, garlic, and cream cheese in the stuffing. I loved how the creamy filling provided a yummy built in sauce for the chicken. Hopefully Apolinaras will inspire another tasty dish soon!

Blackened Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Bacon
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped shallots (3-4 large shallots)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 strips turkey bacon, chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 tablespoon ground thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a medium nonstick pan and sauté shallots for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl. Add bacon to the same pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. Place bacon in the same bowl with the shallots. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in cream cheese, blue cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/3-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Place filling evenly lengthwise down each chicken breast, roll up the sides, and secure with toothpicks. Mix thyme, allspice, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with seasoning mix and rub into the chicken.

Heat oven to 350˚F. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick pan and place two chicken breasts in the pan. Use large tongs to rotate the chicken and sear it on all four sides. Place seared chicken breasts seam side up in a large baking pan and repeat with remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and two chicken breasts. Bake at 350˚F for 18 to 22 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Allow to rest 5 minutes, then remove toothpicks, and cut on a bias. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 541 calories, 26.9g fat, 0.0g fiber, 64.4g protein per serving
Cost: $2.00 per serving

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Flank Steak with Red Wine and Tamarind Sauce

June 23, 2011

Ah yes, it’s finally time to share my very first beef recipe! We don’t eat a huge amount of red meat, but every once in awhile a serious craving strikes and I just have to devour a juicy burger or steak. I only recently began cooking steak at home though because I was always a little nervous I would accidently overcook a pricey cut. I finally decided to just dive in and go for it, and I’m so happy I did because I’m feeling much more comfortable now that I’ve had a bit of practice.

We’ve become very enamored with tamarind sauce, which is one of the condiments commonly served with samosas. I thought the flavor would pair well with red wine, so I used the two to marinate a lovely flank steak and then also make a sauce to top it. I cooked our steak under the broiler, but grilling it would also work well. The wine flavor is pretty pronounced, so be sure to use one that you like and not one of those “cooking” wines. This recipe is the perfect way to use up any extra wine you couldn’t quite finish the night before. Of course, you could alternatively open a new bottle and enjoy a couple glasses while you’re whipping up the marinade – such a win-win situation!

Flank Steak with Red Wine and Tamarind Sauce
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Marinade:
1 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup tamarind sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak

Sauce:
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup tamarind sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

Directions:
To make the marinade, place red wine, olive oil, tamarind sauce, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Place steak and marinade in large food-safe plastic bag and make sure marinade evenly coats steak. Close bag, removing as much air as possible, and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning once.

Heat oven broiler. Remove steak from marinade and place steak on rack of broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 10 to 16 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Remove; let stand 5 minutes to rest. Carve steak across the grain into long strips.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing red wine, tamarind sauce, and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes or until thickened and reduced. Spoon sauce over cut steak. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition: 568 calories, 30.7g fat, 1.5g fiber, 35.6g protein per serving
Cost: $3.63 per serving

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Cheesy Mushroom and Leek Crostinis

June 20, 2011

We started our last day of our anniversary trip to Portland by indulging in a few sticky buns and croissants at the Standard Baking Company. Of course, we also filled up a bag with a few loaves of bread to bring home. The sourdough was excellent!

Then we headed off to Allagash Brewery for a tour and tasting, which was one of the highlights of our trip since Apolinaras has become quite the brewer. He’s made seven beers so far, and I’ve requested his next one be like Allagash White, which is a twist on a Belgian wheat beer with notes of coriander and orange peel. It was so refreshing and perfect to enjoy on a hot summer day.

We started with the tasting and enjoyed some generous samples of Allagash White, Black, Tripel, and Curieux. Then we headed in for the tour and got to see the whole facility. Apolinaras even managed to chat with a few of the brewers. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable and we left with a huge box filled with delicious brews!

On our way home to Boston, I realized that we hadn’t had any fried seafood, so I suggested we stop at Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, for what else, fried clams! We ended up splitting The Lillian platter, which also came with onion rings, fries, and slaw. It definitely hit the spot – the breading on the clams was light and you could really taste the freshness of the seafood. We had such a fabulous time on our anniversary trip and I’m already brainstorming about where we should go next year!

Anyway, I used one of the baguettes we purchased from Standard Baking to make these easy crostinis when we got home. I spread goat and pecorino romano cheese onto the toasted baguette slices and then topped them with leeks, mushrooms, and provolone cheese – so good!

Cheesy Mushroom and Leek Crostinis
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices on a bias (I had 30 slices)
3 tablespoons olive oil
24 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
8 ounces sliced provolone cheese, cut to fit the size of the baguette slices

Directions:
Heat oven to 375˚F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer onto several large greased cookie sheets. Brush baguette slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake at 375˚F for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and sauté mushrooms for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl. Remove any extra liquid from the skillet and add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add leeks and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Return mushrooms to the pan and add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Stir in salt.

Mix goat cheese, milk, and pecorino romano cheese in a small bowl until smooth. Spread goat cheese on toasted baguette slices and top evenly with mushroom mixture. Top each slice with a piece of provolone cheese and return to the 375˚F oven for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 15 servings.

Nutrition: 263 calories, 11.9g fat, 1.1g fiber, 12.7g fiber per serving
Cost: $0.97 per serving