The Powdered Plum

Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Pasta

2012-01-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is, of course, to attempt to lose some unwanted pounds. So very predictable, I know! Did I say that last year and the year before? Oh, yes. But I'm actually making strides this year to make that happen, and I've been successful so far. One of the (many) life changes that goes along with that is not eating out as much. In conjunction with trying to eat better, I've had to find some curious, round-about craving-quenchers.

I was desperate for a creamy pasta dish last week, but I couldn't find anything a) under 600 calories or b) pescetarian (per my new eating habits since October) until I stumbled upon this in a Christmas gift from my mother. Matt, a reformed picky-eater and a supportive husband missing his carbs, was very excited about this meal, and it's been slipped into our "under 30 minute favorite" card box.

This is fantastic as a quick (cost effective) week-night meal for anyone out there trying to watch their waistband. And, while it's not a decadent alfredo, it should manage to keep your taste-buds happy. I hope you enjoy it!

Recipe Ahead!

Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Pasta
Adapted from Vegetarian: A Collection of Over 100 Essential Recipes by Parragon Publishing

Ingredients

10.5 oz / 300 g. dried gluten-free penne or pasta of your choice
2 Tbsp olive oil
9 oz / 250 g. mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
9 fl oz / 275 ml / scant 1 1/4 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp cream cheese
7 oz / 200 g. frozen spinach leaves
salt and pepper

Serves: 4

In a large pot of lightly salted water, boil your pasta of choice according to the package directions. After pasta is done, drain and reserve 6 fl oz (175 ml) or 3/4 cup of liquid.

While the pasta is boiling, heat the oil in a large (and I do mean "large" - as all the pasta will eventually find its home here), heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, for about 8 - 10 minutes until they start to brown and crisp (if using canned mushrooms, they will deepen in color and begin to curl and crackle but they won't necessarily turn crisp unless they're very well drained/dried). After the mushrooms have reached this point, add in the oregano, stock, and lemon juice. Cook for around 10 - 12 minutes until the sauce is reduced by half. At this point, stir in the cream cheese and spinach and cook over medium-low heat for 3 - 5 minutes.

Add the reserved liquid into the sauce and then add in the (drained) pasta. Toss to coat well in the sauce and heat through. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and any other desired spices. Serve!

~*~*~*~

Nutritional Information (1 serving)
Analyzed using the Spark Recipe Calculator and Point Plus Calculator

Calories: 446

Total Fat: 17g
Total Carbs: 57g
Protein: 18.5g
Fiber: 8g
Estimated WW Value: 12 Points(+)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-12-14T20:21:00.000-08:00

Although it's been a while since my last entry on Powdered Plum, there is one thing food related matter that I always stay in touch with online - and that's youtube cooking channels. It's an addiction. Two of my favorites would be Cooking with Dog and Food Wishes with Chef John. Both channels are endearing and funny, and my husband and I scramble to the computer together whenever there's a new post.Despite my love for them, though, I've never made a recipe from either channel until this past week.

I recently learned that I'm scheduled to graduate in May 2012! For getting married, moving several times, working, etc. I think graduating in five years is quite acceptable, and I'm really excited to be officially done with my undergraduate degree. When I leave the university (at least for the time being), I'll also be walking away from my job at the architectural office on campus, but, currently in our office is the "~~twelve~~ fourteen days of Christmas". For the fourteen days following up to Christmas, each person in our office takes a day and brings in something tasty for everyone else to enjoy.

For my "day" last Thursday I figured I should try something new, and I decided to go with Chef John's Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (since my husband and I had only watched the video about a dozen times the week before). I've made a red velvet cake before, but I've never seen a batter this red. The end product was moist and very chocolatey but not terribly sweet which worked well with the cream cheese frosting (which I had never had on a red velvet cake before). If you need a quick but delicious baked good, this is a good choice.

I'm happy to be starting a regular posting schedule again on Powdered Plum! Thanks for sticking with me during my hiatus! Happy baking!

Recipe ahead!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

From Food Wishes with Chef John

Cupcakes (Yield: about 15 cakes)

1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp softened butter
1 c. white sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp red food coloring

Frosting (Yield: about 2 cups - enough for this cupcake recipe)

1/4 c. softened butter
4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar (or to your taste)

The directions for this recipe are about as simple as they come! For the cupcakes, sift (or whisk) the dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, baking powder) and then add in the wet ingredients with either a whisk or a stand mixer (butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, white vinegar, extract, food coloring). I'm not exactly sure why sugar is considered a "wet" ingredient, but it is for some reason according to Chef John. I went with it and things worked out fine.

You want to make sure everything is incorporated but don't mix more than what you need. Line a muffin (cupcake?) pan with paper cake liners, fill the liners about 3/4ths of the way, and then bake in a 350° oven for around 22 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to cool completely before frosting.

The frosting is as simple as you would expect (even simpler if you're using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment). Beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla and then slowly mix in the powdered sugar. Begin with a cup and move up from there. This frosting can be used immediately or put in the fridge to firm up. I, personally, like the texture of cold frosting, so that's the option I chose. Dust the tops with cocoa powder or serve without! Either way, I think you'll be happy with the result.

For a lighter option, just brush the tops of the cupcakes with a simple glaze and some cocoa powder! I tried it, and I thought it was quite tasty!

~*~*~*~

Nutritional Information
Analyzed using the Spark Recipe Calculator and Point Plus Calculator

1 cupcake (without frosting)
Calories: 136.3
Total Fat: 4.1g
Total Carbs: 22.9g
Protein: 2.6g
Fiber: 0.7g
Estimated WW Value: 3.5 Points(+)

1 cupcake (with frosting)
Calories: 381.4
Total Fat: 13.9g
Total Carbs: 60g
Protein: 5.8g
Fiber: 1.4g
Estimated WW Value: 10.5 Points(+)

Texas Pecan Pie Bars (PPQ)

2011-09-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

I love Pecans. Despite how their price continues to rise in my area, they are, by far, my favorite nut to put into desserts or sprinkle - candied - on salads. So, when my turn came around for Project Pastry Queen, I figured I might as well celebrate that love with some Texas Pecan Pie bars.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures to go along with this post (although the recipe could speak for itself, I suppose), but I hope you'll head over to PPQ headquarters and see what the other ladies made of this challenge.

Texas Pecan Pie Bars

From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

CRUST

- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

- 1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

- 4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 tsp salt

FILLING

- 8 large eggs

- 6 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar

- 1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

- 2 cups pecan halves

To Make the Crust….

1) Preheat the oven to 350[degrees]F, and grease a 12" x 17" baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

2) Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat about 1 minute, until fluffy. Add the flour and salt; mix on low speed until evenly incorporated but still crumbly

3) Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.

4) Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until it has darkened to a deep golden brown. Leave the over at 350[degree}F.

To Make the Filling….

1) Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the bourbon, butter, vanilla, flour, and salt, then the coconut and pecans.

2) Pour the filling over the crust, spreading evenly. Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes (mine took a little longer - about 35 - 40 minutes). Cool thoroughly, at least 30 minutes (once again, mine sat took well over an hour to fully cool and set properly - we ended up sticking it in the fridge for a bit), before cutting into 3-inch squares of diamonds. (Yields about 2 1/2 dozen bars!)

Apple-Smoked Bacon Cheddar Scones

2011-07-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

It’s Wildcard Weekend for Project Pastry Queen! That means we're tasked to go back through the PPQ archives and chose a recipe we missed along the way. I chose to post about the Apple-Smoked Cheddar Scones that were assigned way back in February and hosted by Marianna over at Food Junky (where you can find the recipe).

Truth be told, I've had this post on tap since late February, but I was just a little too late to post it along with the group. I can say confidently, though, that these scones are in my top three favorite Pastry Queen recipes (and probably my husband's #1 on his personal list). They're moist, flavorful, and an incredibly easy thing to grab quickly from the kitchen on your way out to work. I went with the black pepper variation suggested at the end of the recipe, and I was very thankful to have done so.

If you'd like to make your own version of these scones, pop on over to Marianna's post, and please free to check out what the other member's of Project Pastry Queen made of this recipe and their wild card week at PPQ headquarters!

White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel's Buttercream

2011-07-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

This was my week to host Project Pastry Queen! I chose to whip up a three-layer White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel’s Buttercream (because cake is always a good thing).

After a few adjustments, I’m happy with what is sitting proudly in my kitchen. To be totally honest, this was one of the most unusual cakes I’ve ever made. I baked the cake layers early on (Friday night, to be exact) to make sure I would be able to post early this morning - a task I believe I’ve properly failed at 10:00pm this evening. However, in the end, it worked out well enough.

There are a few mishaps and oddities when it comes to this confection. The batter, for one, is a little strange (although it provides a fabulously moist and flavorful cake without that saccharine sweetness some layer cakes lend themselves to). Before you put it in the oven, it’s almost like an angel food cake batter. Very fluffy. Very, very white. It’s really entertaining, and, between you and me, I enjoyed licking the beaters immensely.

The frosting is where I (and, subsequently, my husband) ran into some issues. Truthfully, I can’t recommend this icing. By the end of the day, we had to try three frostings before there was a decent option to top the three layers I finally see before me. The concept of the Jack Daniels frosting is attractive, but I believe the execution leaves something to be desired. Considering the cost of the ingredients (if you don’t keep Jack Daniels on hand it’s almost $5.00 for just a little airline bottle of the stuff) and the massive amount of butter (6 sticks or 1.5 lb of unsalted goodness), I believe there are better frostings out there. Personally, I love butter, but my husband likened the final product to sweet movie-theater popcorn butter. I have to admit it was pretty close, and I, honestly, would prefer something else, as well.

I think it's worth a try if you like very rich, buttery frostings. The whiskey lends it a nice flavor, and it may be worth it to you to give it a go. Although it wasn't my cup of tea, it did come together nicely. If you would like another option, however, this is the buttercream frosting I ended up using. It's my go-to buttercream, and it's never failed me.

Please pop over to the Project Pastry Queen HQ and see what the other members of the group did with this week's assignment! :]

Recipe ahead!

White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel’s ButtercreamFrom The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

CAKE
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk

ICING
- 3 large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp Jack Daniel’s whiskey

To Make The Cake…
Place one baking rack one-third from the bottom of the oven and the second two-thirds from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 350° F. To ensure the cakes release easily from the pan, I recommend buttering the pan, placing a circle of parchment paper over top of the buttered pan, and then buttering the parchment paper and sides of the pan.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg whites and vanilla and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Add about half of the buttermilk and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Continue adding dry and wet ingredients alternately, scraping the bowl down and beating until incorporated after each addition. End with the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick and glossy (and a bit like marshmallow fluff, if you ask me).

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Set two layers on one rack and the third on the other. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out (at least mostly) clean and the tops are flat and browned. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one may be done at a different time.

Set the cake pans on racks to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and cool completely before frosting. At this point the cakes with be tightly wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and frozen up to 3 weeks.

To Make the Jack Daniel’s Buttercream…
Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs and yolks in a large bowl on high speed about 5 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar; simmer until it reaches the soft-ball stage, registering between 234° and 240°F on a candy thermometer. Immediately transfer the syrup to a large heatproof liquid measuring cup. In a slow, thin stream, add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture, mixing on low speed the entire time. Increase the speed to medium and beat about 7 minutes, until the syrup has cooled (the bowl should be barely warm to the touch). Add the butter, half a stick at a time, beating on medium speed about 20 seconds after each addition. Once all of the butter has been added, beat on medium speed until the frosting thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and whiskey.

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread a thick blanket of frosting on top. Add the second layer and spread thickly with frosting. Add the third layer and cover the top and sides of the cake with an even layer of frosting. Covered, the cake with keep for 2 days at room temperature. (Yields 12 to 14 servings.)

Hill Country Peach Cobbler

2011-06-20T19:25:00.001-07:00

I was (and still am) so excited for this week’s Project Pastry Queen recipe. I love cobbler, but I so rarely have a reason to make it. I consider it a very summery, potluck-ish type of dish. SO delicious, sweet, gooey, wonderful.. it seems silly to make it for just my husband and I. But, for the sake of the group, I suppose we’ll just have the burden of eating the whole thing.

This recipe is ridiculously simple and has an amazing outcome. It’s probably the best cobbler that’s come out of my kitchen, and I’m definitely looking forward to making it again.

If you’d like to make a cobbler of your very own, pop over to Josie’s blog for the recipe, and, also, feel free to check out what the other ladies of the group whipped up over at PPQ headquarters.

.

Cookies N' Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

2011-06-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time surfing for recipes online. The folder I keep these links in has grown to an almost ridiculous size. Many times, I’ll save sites with recipes I never actually plan on making simply for inspiration (or because I like looking at pretty pictures). Every once in a while, though, I will roll across something that makes me throw down what I’m doing and say “well, I know what I’m doing tonight!” This is one such recipe.

Brownies were a staple in my family. Probably one of the most (if not the most) frequent desserts made in my mother’s kitchen were caramel brownies. Gooey. Chocolatey. Dense. They shaped the way I like most of my desserts. Truth be told, though, it’s hard to find a really good brownie – homemade or not. They’re either dry and dense or fluffy like cake, which is all well and good, but it’s not what I crave when I think of the word.

These brownies, however, are perfect. They are knock-your-socks-off moist and with a depth of flavor that’s hard to find in something semi-homemade. I encourage you to try them out. You won’t be disappointed.

Recipe Ahead!

Cookies N’ Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies
Adapted from Kevin & Amanda

• 1 box Brownie Mix (preferably of the “Moist” or “Fudge” variety)
• Eggs & Oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
• 1 heaping half cup (6 oz) of Cookies & Cream ice cream
• ¼ cup Hot Fudge Topping (chilled or room temp)
• Double-Stuf Oreos (13 - 15 for an 8"x8" pan)

Preheat oven to the temperature suggested on the back of your brownie mix. Spray a 8”x8” baking dish generously with cooking/baking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed but do not add the recommended amount of water. Then, add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir until well-combined.

Pour half of the brownie batter into the bottom of the baking dish, layer with Oreos (I used thirteen and was able to fill all the available space by breaking one of the cookies as shown in the picture), and, finally, top the Oreos with the remaining batter. Bake brownies for 40 – 50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box. Be careful not to over-bake for best texture.

Caramel-Filled Brownies

2011-04-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm going to go ahead and say it: these brownies are not particularly pretty until totally frozen (and they take a little more effort to assemble than your average chocolate bar cookies). In fact, even though it's my week for Project Pastry Queen (and this was, indeed, the recipe I chose), I debated whether or not to post pictures until tomorrow simply for aesthetic reasons (as impatient husbands with brownie-shaped holes in their stomaches do not allow for total brownie cooling periods). BUT these brownies are very tasty. If you're not too worried about how evenly a square you can get out of the pan within a few hours, you should give them a try! They're definitely a crowd pleasurer!

Please go check out what the other members of PPQ did with this week's recipe at our main entry! Next week, Buttermilk Pecan Pie is on the menu! ♥

Recipe Ahead!

Caramel-Filled Brownies
From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

• 1 1/2 c. pecans
• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
• 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Coarsely chop the nuts.

2) Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving several inches hanging over the short ends of the pan. Grease the foil with butter or cooking spray. Be sure to grease the sides of the foil-covered pan thoroughly, or the caramel layer in the middle of the brownies with stick.

3) Combine the butter and chocolate in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan set over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. (Do not leave the chocolate mixture unattended for long or it may burn, and you'll have to throw it out and start over.) Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla mixing until thick and glossy. This will take 1 to 2 minutes of vigorous mixing with a wire whisk ([Rebecca Rather's] implement of choice) or about 1 minute using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment set on medium-high speed. Whisk or stir in the flour and salt.

4) Transfer half the batter (about 2 1/2 c.) to the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the brownies cool about 20 minutes.

5) Stir the caramels and cream in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in half the pecans. Immediately spread the caramel mixture over the brownies (if you let it sit, it will get hard and difficult to spread).

6) Pour the remaining brownie batter evenly over the caramel mixture and spread gently to cover (do not pour it in a clump, or it will be difficult to spread over the hot caramel without mixing up the layers).

7) Sprinkle the chocolate chips and remaining pecans on top of the brownie layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool the brownies completely in the pan (for quicker cooling, set the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes).

8) Grab the foil edges and lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut them into squares. If individually wrapped in plastic wrap, the brownies will keep for 1 week at room temperature or for 1 month in the freezer.

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For those interested: this post is featured in the "Sweets for Saturday" post over at Sweet as Sugar Cookies". Feel free to check it out and see what other sweets have been baked up this past week.

Strawberry Ricotta Cake

2011-04-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure where my love of ricotta originated. My mother's side of the family is Italian, but, while we did have it in some dishes when I was little, I never really grew to love it until I was in my late teens. I like the texture it lends to dishes and the taste it gives to sauces and pasta. I've never had it in a dessert, though (outside of the rogue cannoli).

So I was quite pleased to see that Amanda over at Fake Ginger chose this week's assignment and recipe: Strawberry Ricotta Cake.

My husband was a little apprehensive (but willing) when it came to this recipe, so we ended up keeping half of the angel food cake plain - which meant that I assembled slices on a made-to-order basis. I think this may have taken away from the over all flare of the dish, but it definitely didn't diminish how delicious it was!
I, honestly, can't foresee this dish traveling well, as it tends to be a little tipsy and not quite as stable as your everyday cake, but it would be fantastic for a luncheon at home (or if you're like us and only make one big dessert a week to nibble off of until the following Sunday).

If you'd like to see the recipe to make this yourself, please journey over to Amanda's post. And if you'd like to see what the rest of us made of the dish, take a peep over at the PPQ Group Post.

Happy Baking!

Chicken Satay with Yogurt-Cucumber Dipping Sauce

2011-02-20T15:46:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled to announce that The Powdered Plum is hosting this week’s Project Pastry Queen challenge! So far during my time being a member with PPQ, I have sampled and tried several recipes for baked goods - which have been mostly wonderful. It would make sense that we would have mostly sweeter treats coming out of a book called The Pastry Queen. That being said, when my turn came around, I was really excited to try one of Rebecca Rather’s savory recipes. So I picked several out, laid the options in front of my husband, and Matt chose this recipe. And it was a good choice!

As with every recipe, we made some changes to suit our tastes. A short little fact about me is that I absolutely abhor the smell of cilantro, so, unless it’s a special occassion involving Matt (who could literally sit with a bowl of cilantro under his nose all day) it generally gets left out of recipes. But the major change we made was the amount. We only made a third of the recipe (what with there only being two of us). But, as a result, I can safely claim that this recipe reduces very well. So, if you can’t eat six whole chicken breasts worth of satay by yourself (or, like me, don’t want to admit to yourself you can), you should feel safe only making just as much as you need.

Another funny thing about apartment living.. no outdoor grill! But it actually worked quite well on ye olde George Foreman! I would really recommend using an outside grill, if you have it, though. I think the smokey flavor would really compliment the final product. Still, they were delicious, all the same.

Overall, although a wee bit time-consuming, this makes for an excellent, flavorful meal! I encourage you to try it! I’m so excited to host my first challenge for this amazing group, and I hope you’ll pop over to the group post on Project Pastry Queen to see the other bloggers in action!

Recipe Ahead!

Chicken Satay with Yogurt-Cucumber Dipping Sauce
From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

You Will Need…
Wooden skewers
Three medium-large bowls
Cooking spray
A grill (of some form)
Measuring cups and spoons
Cheesecloth or coffee filters
Colander

Dipping Sauce
1 (32 oz.) container full-fat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, preferably organic
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Curry Paste
10 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and diced
3 Tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
1/2 small red onion, cut into small dice
3 Tbsp curry powder
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 large stalk fresh lemongrass, crushed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Zest and juice of 2 limes, preferably organic
3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Chicken Skewers
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

To Make the Dipping Sauce
Line a colander with fine cheesecloth or coffee filters. Set the colander over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the colander and drain at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. The yogurt is ready when it is almost as thick as cream cheese.

Discard the liquid that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and juice (salt, and pepper to taste). Whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Make the Curry Paste
Combine the garlic, jalapeno, serranos, ginger, onion, curry powder, cumin, lemongrass, lime zest, and juice, and olive oil in a large bowl.

To Prepare the Chicken
Cut the chicken into 1-inch strips. Stir the chicken strips into the curry paste, making sure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours. Submerge the wooden skewers in water and soak at least 30 minutes.

Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers. At this point, you can cook the chicken immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight. Coat the grill with cooking spray and preheat to medium. Grill the skewers for 3 to 5 minutes per side. Or preheat the broiler and broil the skewers about 3 inches away from the heat source for approximately the same length of time.

Serve the skewers hot or at room temperature, alongside bowls of the dipping sauce.

PPQ: Fresh Ginger-Pear Quick Bread

2011-02-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

I have always liked creative assignments. I'm not sure if that goes against the basic principles of art or not, but it's something I really enjoy. This is a large part of why I joined Project Pastry Queen. I really love the weekly assignments, and, outside of one recipe, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with the recipes from The Pastry Queen.

That being said, I had never made bread before this week. And I, certainly, had never considered "pear bread" a viable option of where to start. I mean, I like pears. But I didn't think the texture would translate well, and they don't have an especially strong flavor so I didn't think anything positive would really be garnered by trying to incorporate them into the finished product.
But this recipe and this bread is fantastic. The ginger really lets the pear flavor shine, and using the chunks of pear, rather than just a puree, is really the way to go.

I made two loaves at once. One for my visiting parents and grandma (and Matt and my dear co-worker, Caroline) and one for our upstairs neighbors/friends. And it seems like when you're chopping it all up you're going to be using WAY too much pear. But just go with it. The finished product is moist and flavorful - with a pleasant zing from the ginger and a subtle sweetness from the fruit. Everyone who had some (at least from what I was told) really loved it.

So I hope you try it soon! Although I'm now two weeks late to really participate in the actual assignment, I really wanted to try this. And it was the first thing baked in our new oven! But, even though I'm late, in the spirit of the project, I want to give credit where it's due. This recipe was chosen for our group by Aliza of Baker By Night. Please hop over to her blog for the recipe and enjoy your baking exploits! If you've never made bread before (like me!) this is a great place to start.

My new homebase

2011-02-07T07:17:00.001-08:00

My dear readers~
I have to apologize, yet again, for my absence. I know I don't have a huge following, but I should still be remaining active. And I'm so sorry that hasn't been the case. But I'm incredibly happy to announce that, finally, we have moved!
And, due to the hard work and help of my mother - who is a "take no prisoners" organizer and cleaner, I have a nice, spacious kitchen to work in with better lighting and counter-space.

I am in love with our new apartment. It is so much bigger than where we were before. It feels more like somewhere you could call "home", and it's somewhere we could stay for quite some time.

I've already used the oven to make the Ginger Pear Bread that was due a couple weeks ago for me on Project Pastry Queen. Even though it's late, I'm excited to post about my experiences with it. It was really very good. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. Another win by Rebecca Rather. So be expecting that post up tonight or tomorrow. I hope you'll try it and enjoy it as much as my friends and family did.

And, for anyone who is interested (as I always am to know such things), you can click the image above (or this link) to see the notes on Flickr regarding where things are in my kitchen. And, if anyone is interested, there are pictures of the apartment its entirety on Flickr that I put up for my best friend down in Georgia.

I had some initial concerns, but I'm so glad we moved. I'm so glad everything worked out and fell into place for this to happen.

And I'm really looking forward to posting more and talking with you all soon. In the meantime, happy baking!

xoxo
B

PPQ: Grasshopper Pie

2011-01-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

This week's Project Pastry Queen challenge was a Wildcard! We were to pick anything that we had missed previously and make a post. I was really happy for this week, because I had all the ingredients for Grasshopper Pie ready and I missed the opportunity! So thankfully, I was able to jump on board the second time around.

Back in December, this was Tara's selection, and it was, indeed, a very good one. If you enjoy the texture of marshmallows and sweet mint, you should like this. I encourage you to look over on her blog for the recipe. It's pretty simple to make, and it's really quite delicious.

As many of you know, my husband and I are in the process of moving. We're really excited to start over fresh (even if it's only a few blocks away), but we'll fiercely miss our current apartment. It was the first place we called "home" as a married couple. Once we move, though, I'll be posting pictures of the kitchen, and, thankfully, I'll finally be back to a regular posting schedule on all my blogs.

Happy baking!
xoxo
B

PPQ: Sugar Saucers

2011-01-02T21:45:00.001-08:00

Hello, Friends! I apologize for my long absence. I have no other excuse than that life became incredibly busy towards the end of the semester and around the holidays. And, on the side of vanity, I'm unable to find the battery charger for my DSLR. What a silly reason to avoid posting! So, I've gotten over that, switched to my old camera in the meantime, and I am back and looking forward to new projects and challenges for this next year!

This particular post is an introduction to my involvement in Project Pastry Queen! As life permits, there should be a new post every Sunday involving one of the fantastic recipes from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather. This week's recipe is hosted by Katy, and, for her selection, she chose the, aptly named, Sugar Saucers.

Now, I can't take credit for the baking of these sugary disks, sadly. My husband did all the manual labor in order to treat me at the end of a long, draining day. But they are fantastic and deliciously simple to make (the least complicated sugar cookie recipe I've ever seen). Admittedly, I can never wait until they're properly cooled. But they're fantastic 20-seconds out of the oven! And I'm sure they'll be great tomorrow, too (assuming they last).
I recommend making these on the thicker side since large, thin sugar cookies tend to be a wee too crunchy (in my personal opinion). But then again, if you like that sort of thing: these will be perfect.

Grab a glass of milk and enjoy! And, if you're curious for the recipe, please visit Katy's blog!

All the best and happiest of New Years!
xoxo
B

Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

2010-10-14T16:49:00.001-07:00

There is nothing like a moist, delicious double-layer cake slathered in buttercream frosting. But, if you're anything like me, you don't have time to make anything like that on an everyday basis. I work. I go to college. I have familial obligations. I need to cook. I need to clean. I'm lucky to have friends as busy as I am or I doubt anyone would put up with my schedule.

That being said, I think it's very important to have something special in the house to come home to as often as possible. I'm not sure why.. I guess it makes a chaotic home feel more at peace to me. So that's why, now-a-days, I really like "quick" cakes and cookies. Don't get me wrong. I will always prefer an "all-day" cake or meal, but sometimes those "busy day" cakes (as my mother calls them) can be just as awesome after a full week of work.

Stumble Upon has become one of my greatest friends during late-night downtime. You can find the most amazing food blogs and sites. And that's exactly how I found this gem. And I do mean gem.

This is absolutely the quickest cake you could possibly make. All together, I spent, maybe, about 10 minutes in the kitchen. And it's a really good cake. It's true that it's semi-homemade (I used "Moist Supreme" mix from Pillsbury, for those who are wondering), which I'm not usually a huge fan of, but it doesn't taste like it. And it's only two ingredients! How can you pass that up?

It's a fantastic, fast cake for Fall. And you might as well try it! More than likely, you already have everything you need in the pantry.

Recipe Ahead!

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze
Adapted from Noble Pig

You Will Need…
A large bowl
A small bowl
Cooking (or baking) spray
An electric mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
9" x 13" glass (or metal) casserole dish
A rubber spatula
A fork
+
1 Yellow Cake Mix (I suggest using a "moist" mix - like Pillsbury)
1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp apple cider
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

I've made a couple changes from the original recipe to suit our tastes (and our available equipment), but how it comes together is the same.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and emptying the contents of the boxed cake mix and the pumpkin puree into a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until well mixed. This cake batter will be quite thick, but it will come together nicely.

Scrape batter into a greased 9" x 13" glass pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. It's important to not over bake this cake. (Do not overbake!) This cake's beauty is in the texture - so bake until a toothpick comes out clean and no longer.
Once out of the oven, let the cake cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then you can either leave it in the pan (what we do) or you can turn it out onto a platter for a nicer presentation.

Now for the thing that makes this cake really delicious: Make the glaze!
Combine the powdered sugar, apple cider, and pumpkin pie spice with a fork in a small bowl. The glaze should, ultimately, be thick but easily poured. Pour 3/4 of the glaze over the top of the cake while it's still warm and keep 1/4 off to the side to pour over individual slices when served. If you're like me, you like cake cold. But this cake's great warm - so dive right in! :]

Chocolate Meringues

2010-09-24T19:25:00.001-07:00

There are very few desserts in life that I would personally consider "acquired tastes". I mean.. it's still sugar, yes? And sugar is good in just about anything. But, as it would turn out, meringues are definitely an acquired taste for a lot of people.

Back when my best friend and I still lived in the same state, we would go through food "phases" together. I distinctly remember her introducing me to brussels sprouts - a food I never thought I'd like but now love - and tilapia (which I don't particularly care for now.. but, boy, did we eat a lot of it!). And I remember sharing with her the deliciousness of banana popsicles. One time in particular we were studying for a test together; the rule was : you get a question wrong? You eat a pepper. A ridiculous, painfully hot pepper. And what do you think the only cure for such an insane pepper burn is? Banana Popsicles. (By the way, we both aced that test.)

But meringues were something we both seemed to fall in love with at the same time. I believe her mother was the one to buy the first box. And, oh, I don't even think I can fathom how many boxes we have gone through since that fateful day. We would stay up all night eating Kroger meringues and Kraft mac n' cheese while playing Final Fantasy VIII or the Sims (or Metropolismania, later down the line). Those were wonderful, indulgent times.

Since she moved, I've had few occasions to eat meringues. I don't know many people who would bother to buy a box of them, and I feel silly buying a whole box for myself. But homemade meringues.. That's something people will try! Who the heck makes meringues?
You do! And they're super easy to make (as long as you don't mind getting a little messy). If you like meringues like I do, it's definitely worth giving it a whirl - that first crunch is amazing.

Recipe Ahead!

Chocolate Meringues
Adapted from Food Network

You Will Need…
A large bowl
An electric mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
A thin rubber spatula
Parchment paper
Piping bag and tips
+
3 eggs whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c. superfine (castor) sugar*
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa, sifted (preferably Dutch process)

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. With an electric mixer (or a standing mixer), beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they're frothy. Add superfine sugar* and cream of tartar one tablespoon at a time on low speed. Beat on medium speed until the egg whites are stiff and shiny. (You shouldn't be able to feel the sugar granules in the egg whites.) Reduce speed to low and add vanilla and cocoa (gradually) until smoothly combined.

With a thin rubber spatula, put the egg white mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Slowly pipe 2-inch meringue "kisses" on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (try to keep them about one to two inches apart), making sure all "gaps" are filled. Bake in the middle of the oven for 2 hours. After two hours, turn oven off and leave meringues in oven (with the door cracked) until the meringues are completely dry (which strongly depends on the humidity in your kitchen : in my case it took an hour. In others, you may have to leave them overnight).
Voila! You've created meringues! <3

*Note : Don't have superfine sugar? That's not a problem! Just take regular granulated sugar and give it a whirl in a food processor.. Keep it going for a minute or two and allow the sugar "dust" to settle. When you open it, you'll have superfine sugar for all your meringue-making needs!

Sweet & Spicy Candied Pecans

2010-08-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

A quick treat update!

These pecans are easy. So easy, it's almost a crime not to share the (very simple) secret of them. All you need for them is 20 minutes, some simple ingredients (that you probably already have laying around), and some pecans.

I recently used these to garnish a broccoli salad for my husband's birthday. But, truthfully, after we dumped the whole lot into the mix.. we silently mourned. Yes, they were a delicious accoutrement to the sweet, tangy flavors of the salad. But we just weren't done munching on them. Poor decision making on our part.
Next time we'll make a double batch.

Recipe Ahead!

Sweet & Spicy Pecans
Adapted from Bon Appetit

You will need...
Non-stick vegetable spray
medium mixing bowl
a fork
wax paper
baking sheet (I would use one that is resistant to scratches or one that you're not particularly concerned with)
cooling rack
+
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1.5 cups pecan pieces

Preheat your oven to 325°F, and spray your baking sheet with non-stick spray. Then combine the corn syrup, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and stir to blend. Gently stir in pecans.
Place a large sheet of wax paper over top of a cooling rack. Bake pecans for 5 minutes. Using a fork, stir pecans to completely coat with melted spice mixture (no worries; the mixture will be like liquid and extremely easy to work with).
Continue baking (about 10 minutes) until pecans are golden and mixture is bubbling.
Quickly (and gently - as they will crack and break if you're not careful) transfer pecans to wax paper/cooling rack and separate them with fork.
These can be made three days ahead of time as long as they are stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Pro-Tip : After this sticky (and delicious) process, you will have a very sad and sugary baking sheet. Put a few drops of anti-bacterial dish washing soap around the pan and then let soak in hot water in the sink or set on level surface on the counter filled with the same soap and hot water (dependent on what sort of pan you've used). If you're like me (sadly lacking a dishwasher), this will save you a lot of extra elbow grease (and water). And, if you do have a dishwasher, it will save you the frustration of a clean load of dishes.. oh, except your still-sugary baking sheet.

Fancy Broccoli Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

2010-08-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

As much as I like vegetables, they commonly get stiffed in my kitchen. Matt's not one to really enjoy salads. And, honestly, his severe dedication to french baguettes (or just any crisp crusted bread-like delight) always sounds so much more interesting than my attempt to throw a red pepper into the meal. And I can't be blamed for partaking - I'm just trying to make my husband happy.

I've always loved broccoli salad. The color. The taste. It's a food that is entirely based on combining contrary flavors -which, personally, I love. Some of my favorite food memories are of going to Kroger, twenty dollar bill in hand, with my best friend and buying everything we could afford from the deli (and then going home and eating it allll..). Some were less successful ventures then others, but I remember fine times in my friend's basement, playing video games, with a bite of broccoli salad on my fork.

This recipe has been somewhat inspired by a Paula Dean's broccoli slaw, at least in the sense of "this-is-where-the-idea-was-born," but then I sort of ventured out on my own. As such, it's completely to my tastes, but you should add different dried fruits or cheeses depending on your tastes. Personally, though, I love the blue cheese in this (and I usually don't like blue cheese all that much), and the pecans are perfect.

Sadly, this salad was not for my husband's (somewhat finicky) palate. However, this is one time I consider leftovers a welcome addition to our fridge.

Recipe Ahead!

Fancy Broccoli Salad

You will need...
1 small bowl
1 whisk
1 large mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
a sharp knife
+
2 heads of broccoli (trimmed)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 cup [Sweet & Spicy Pecans]

Buttermilk Dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (white) sugar
4 tbsp finely chopped shallot

I would suggest making your dressing first. To do this, you will combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and chopped shallots in a small bowl. Whisk together and you're done! Pour that into the bottom of the large mixing bowl.
Then, chop up your broccoli! Personally, I remove most the stem and then I cut the floweretes into "just-smaller-than-bite-sized" pieces, with small chunks of stem thrown in for texture. Put that into your large mixing bowl on top of your dressing, along with your dried cranberries and blue cheese crumbles.
If you're planning on using plain nuts (which would taste just fine), go ahead and throw those into the mix, as well. But, if you'll be spicing your nuts, you'll probably want to keep them separate to keep the "candied" outside crisp. (Just put a handful on the top when serving.)

This recipe should yield about 7 cups of salad. And, if properly refrigerated, would probably last for up to a week.
I hope you enjoy!

Welcome! Have some cake..

2010-08-05T20:42:00.001-07:00

Hello! And welcome to the Powdered Plum!
Thank you for joining my small corner of the internet.

This is a blog about good food, beauty, friends, photography, and passion. Mostly, you'll find recipes here.. but there's a good chance you mind stumble upon product reviews or beauty tutorials. It's, really, whatever I feel best expresses a mood for the day or what I feel other people might benefit from..

But, I won't bore you with a long introduction. Let's get on to the first recipe!

I stumbled upon this dessert while I was planning a birthday party for my dear friend Kayla. It was her twenty-first birthday, to be specific, and I wanted to do something really special for her. Kayla has a penchant for anything to do with Marie Antoinette and France. So we had a fancy-dress cocktail party with all sorts of French dishes. (I will probably feature several of them as time goes by..)

The dessert that evening was a Chocolate Molten Lava Cake.
Since that day, I have made this dessert about four or five times - it's an easy, quick dessert for entertaining friends. It provides lots of that "wow" factor with minimal effort. (And it's an easy way to get people together.)

This particular time I made it, my husband (Matt), my friend (Tk), and my other friend (Katie) were my very willing victims.

The funny thing about individual ramekins (and small chocolate cakes) is just how much more welcoming they seem. I think people really appreciate feeling that they were thought of in some way when things are being made. That, while your hands were busy with measuring cups and mixers, you thought "I will need exactly x-amount of ramekins with x-amount of scoops in each bowl so that everyone has a fair share." I know, at least, I always feel really special when something is made personal in small amounts.

There's nothing quite like a cool apartment full of friends with the smell of chocolate in the air.

Next time I make it, I'll be sure to post some pictures of the final product. But, in the meantime, here is the recipe.
I hope you enjoy it; I can almost guarantee it'll bring a smile to your guests' faces.

Recipe Ahead!

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Adapted from Moelleux au chocolat, via Easy French Food (2008-2010)

The original recipe is excellent and probably a bit more traditional (if such a thing can be considered traditional) than my own variation. But I've made some changes that better suit my on tastes. The great thing about food is that you can and should change things to make them fit your needs. So take everything with a (sometimes literal) grain of salt.. figure out what works best for you! :)

You will need...
6 small ramekins
a double boiler (or glass bowl and a deep saucepan)
water
a pastry brush
+
4 oz. dark, sweet cooking chocolate
4 oz. good-quality milk chocolate
8 oz. butter, plus a little extra (about 1 tbsp) to brush the ramekins
6 eggs (room temperature is best)
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Place the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and butter in the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl over top of a deep saucepan) and melt over simmering water. Stir until smooth (make sure to keep the bottom of the double boiler/bowl moving to keep the chocolate from burning). After everything is blended (and your kitchen smells fantastic and chocolatey), set chocolate/butter mixture aside to cool.

Using a pastry brush, thoroughly coat the insides of (six) small baking dishes with remaining melted butter (about 1 tbsp).

Beat the eggs with sugar until it is lightly colored and airy (about 1.5 - 2 minutes). Add chocolate and butter mixture to the butter and sugar and beat together. Then add the flour (in small portions) until it's all well-blended.

Pour batter into the serving dishes (I like to take a 1/4 cup and measure out the amount into each dish - I find it easier than pouring if you're using a bowl without some sort of spout) and bake for 12+ minutes at 350°F. How long you bake it will depend on how much of a crust you like to have around the outside and, honestly, what the weather is like in your area. Sometimes it cooks 12 minutes.. One time I cooked it for 22 minutes with the same results! Do what works for you. But I would start out with 11 to 12 minutes as a starting point. When you remove them from the oven, the cakes should have distinct crusts, but it should still be liquid in the center when the crust is pierced. The amount of time you leave it in the oven will mostly only affect the surrounding crust (apart from the gooey center).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then, run a knife around the outside edge of the cups, then turn out onto individual plates. Although, personally, I prefer to grab an oven mitt and eat it straight from the ramekin. :]

Makes 6 servings.

(These keep well for a couple days, and, if you want to prepare them ahead of time, you can cover them with plastic wrap before baking and keep them in the fridge for a couple hours until you need them.)

This first post is dedicated to my husband, Matt, who is turning 23 tomorrow.
Thank you for sharing your life with me, kiddo. You're such a joy to be around. So encouraging and silly.
I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I hope you have an amazingly happy and stress-free birthday.