Thank you

The ornaments are back in their box, the absence of snowmen and garland has the house looking normal yet sparse and it is not without melancholy that Christmas carols no longer fill the air of the Pierce household.  Christmas has come and gone, and though handing someone a wrapped present at this date is less than ideal, I do have a few deliveries to make to the friends we celebrated with this year.

I started baking Christmas gifts 4 years ago after the birth of my child left a staggering mark on my discretionary income.  Over the years, as I improved at budgeting I also improved with baking and therefore kept the tradition alive.  Whether is a scone with jam, or a simple sweet bread this gift always seems to say exactly what I need it to: thank you for celebrating with us, I appreciate our time together.

I came across this recipe in the December issue of Food & Wine.  Thus far, I have baked 6 separate loaves and still plant to whip up another 3.  With it's sweet glaze and citrus-tasting cake, this is a perfect thank you gift, a hostess gift for New Year's Eve, or just an indulgent breakfast before New Years resolutions take hold.

Lemon-Glazed Citrus-Yogurt
Pound Cake
Recipe By: Food & Wine Magazine, December 2011
I doubled the glaze as it made it just that much more indulgent.


Cake:
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt (I used greek)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Glaze:
3 TB fresh lemon juice
3 TB granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 TB unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter and flour a 9 1/2-by-5 inch glass loaf pan.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk the grapefruit juice and yogurt.  In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar on a medium-high speed until fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and lemon zest.  Beat in the dry and wet ingredients in 3 alternating additions; scrape down the bowl as necessary.  
2. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Tent the cake with foil halfway through the baking to slow the browning.  Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then unmold and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, make the glaze.  In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the lemon juice and granulated sugar at high power for 20 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer 2 TB of the lemon syrup to a bowl and whisk in the confectioners sugar and butter.  Using a pastry brush, brush the lemon syrup all over the cake.  Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the syrup to seep in.  Spread the sugar glaze over the cake and let stand until completely dry, 30 minutes.

This was a popular gift among family and friends.  Hope you enjoy the remaining days of 2011..... any resolutions worth mentioning? 

Christmas Kick-off!

An english muffin smothered with butter and jam.... that was my daily breakfast until the college years whisked me away from that magic refrigerator; the one that was constantly stocked with a package of wolfermans and a jar of smuckers.  Now an adult with my own magic refrigerator, I'm forced into the more sensible breakfast choices.  That is, until the holiday season goes into full swing.  A part-time-work-from-home mom, I look forward to the two week Christmas break every bit as much as the kids.  This is a time for family visits, holiday parties and above all, the enjoyment of decadent recipes that are easily excused 'because it's the holidays.'

A holiday visit with mom and dad is not complete without the Milchovich champagne breakfast: a spread of French Toast, bacon, eggs, ham and of course, mimosas. So, before the break-bound kids run through the door at 3:00, I thought best to enjoy a quiet morning with the husband and a nod to family tradition.  This is your basic French Toast recipe; nothing new nor innovative.  However,  I can offer some handy tips: use day old artisanal bread, half and half over milk and above all, do not rush the cook time.  Cooking French Toast over a medium low heat will ensure a fluffy and fully cooked center.  There is nothing worse than gummy French Toast destroying your morning buzz.

French Toast
Recipe By: Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and
Ethan Becker Joy of Cooking

2/3 cup half and half or milk
4 eggs
2 TB sugar or maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
8 slices bread
bread as needed

1. Warm a griddle or non stick pan over medium low heat.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together the half and half, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. 
2. One at a time, soak the bread in the egg mixture.  Brown one at a time on the prepared pan or griddle. Enjoy!

Of course there are more elaborate breakfasts you could make this Christmas morning, but why not enjoy the basics?  Add some spoon fruit and a mimosa and you have the high class brunch under your own Christmas tree.

Saturdays, Interrupted

There are two things that I despise: going to bed and waking in the morning.  Naturally a night owl, I have not transitioned easily into adulthood where sleeping until noon is no longer possible nor appropriate.  Weekends were a small refuge; Friday nights enjoyed  a bit later with a movie or an extra glass of wine.  Saturday morning zzz's spanned until the youngest made a request for Sesame Street rather than the obnoxious sound of an alarm.  Change is inevitable, and this was no exception.

Whether it's a soccer game, a dance class, playdates or birthday parties Saturday schedules now rival the best of Wednesdays.  The leisurely paced morning has been replaced with to-do list tasks before we take to the city for the afternoon.  I could gripe on this interruption, but these afternoons have been some of the most enjoyable; watching the kids bask in their element and socializing with friends, we seem to take hold of life in a whole new way.   Wanting to save my Drill Sergeant persona for the weekdays, I have found another way to get the family up and at 'em Saturday morning: breakfast. The smell of pancakes, frittata, or the ever popular bacon lures even the sleepiest down to the kitchen.  Also, these large morning meals have the stick to the ribs power to move us through this activity marathon with grace and efficiency. 

In the past, I considered myself a waffle girl, however once I came across this recipe for Cinnamon Polenta Pancakes, I was a convert.  Made with whole grains, these fiber-packed cakes have the protein punch needed for an active morning.  Topped with blueberry spoon fruit and maple syrup, they also have the sweet indulgence that reminds us why we love the weekend.  

Cinnamon Polenta Pancakes
Recipe By: Marisa May
Food and Wine Magazine, December 2009
Serves: 4
Budget Note: I rarely buy buttermilk for baked goods as I never use the entire container before it goes bad.  A tried and true substitute is mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 TB white vinegar.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 TB
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk (see note)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water

1. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the cornmeal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs, olive oil and water.  Whisk the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, leaving small lumps.
2. Set a griddle (or non stick pan) over moderate high heat and spray it with vegetable oil spray.  When the pan is hot, spoon in 1/4 cup mounds of batter and spread to form 4 inch rounds.  Cook the pancakes until the bottoms are browned and bubbles appear on the surface, 2 minutes.  Flip and cook until browned on the bottom, 1-2 minutes longer.  Serve pancakes warm. 

 These are truly unique pancakes and oh-so much better than the mix variety.  Easily assembled, they may even encourage your 4 year old to grab a spoon!

Good Morning Sunshine...

Mornings are not popular in the Pierce household.  The art of getting four people up and out the door can be a chore; making these four non-morning people happy can be insurmountable.  In my attempt to give everyone a bit of morning love without actually having to speak to them, I decided to add homemade breakfasts to our routine.  I needed something portable that could be prepped in advance and relatively healthy.   I first offered muffins; after throwing away a third of the batch each week my morale was low.  We moved on to smoothies; cups left in the car on a 93 degree day do not offer a great aroma in the afternoon.  Like a gift from above I received an email from Martha Stewart.com with a presentation on quick breads.  We have a winner!  These are easy to bake and even easier to transport.  They are also a great way to sneak seasonal fruits and veggies into the morning meals.  This week we enjoyed Strawberry Bread.  Slather a slice of this with cream cheese, pour yourself a go-cup of coffee and morning seems a little less hellish.  

Strawberry Bread
Prep: 10 minutes        Total: 1 Hour 10 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, quartered and mashed with a fork
1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8-by-4 inch loaf pan.  In a small saucepan, bring strawberries to a boil over medium heat.  Cook stirring 1 minute.  Set aside (Note: I failed to cook while stirring on my first attempt of this bread and had a runny mess on my hand.  This step is critical)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; set aside.  With an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture alternately with 1/3 cup water, beginning and ending with flour.  Fold in reserved strawberries.
3. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with foil after 45 minutes if top is getting too dark). Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges; invert onto a rack.  Reinvert; cool completely. 

I always bake a quick bread on Sunday evening.  Not only does it end the weekend with the beautiful smell of freshly baked goods, but I go to bed knowing that breakfast is already served!