Today is a day when practically everyone in London needs a slice of cake. Why? Because of the Tube strike. For most people, the commute today is longer and more crowded (which also means hotter and sweatier). This was my first strike experience. Last year I was unemployed and it didn’t bother me and last month I had the day off. I left super early to ensure I wasn’t late for work, and in fact, I was an hour early. However, it did take me an hour longer than usual to get here. See, it’s tough. We all need a slice of cake.

If I’m honest, I think the perfect cake to soothe commute related stress is this chocolate lava cake I wrote about a few years ago. It’s the perfect cake because it’s unhealthy, indulgent, and incredibly easy to make. However, this cake is a close second because I think it’s the perfect cake to have for breakfast. And I’m a huge advocate of cake for breakfast. This cake will give you a sugar burst to pep up your morning, it’s not to terribly unhealthy, and then you could have another slice when you get home at the end of the day. 

I think any cake is good for breakfast, but let me sing the praises of this specific cake. First, it has peaches so that right there practically makes it a health food. Before making this cake I had been thinking a lot about baking with peaches. When peaches are good, oh man are they good. When I eat a nice peach it makes me feel like a kid again because the juice dribbles everywhere but the taste is warm and sweet like sunshine. I decided on an upside down cake because then the peach’s natural beauty could be on display (where as in a pie it’s hidden).

Second, this cake is good for breakfast because it’s sweet enough to feel like a treat and give you a pick-me-up, but it’s not so sickly sweet you want to brush your teeth right after. Third, this cake is low in calories. A lot of people eat muffins for breakfast and many of those store bought muffins are basically cakes masquerading as a filling breakfast food. For example, some Starbucks muffins have over 400 calories per muffin! So why not cut out the faking and actually have a real delicious cake for breakfast. This cake, if you cut this cake in 8 slices, each piece has less than 250 calories per serving. Second, it’s made with some whole grain flour, Greek yogurt, and of course peaches so there is actually a bit of nutritional value in this cake. See, the perfect breakfast cake.

It’s also a good anytime cake. (I mean what cake isn’t a good anytime cake). I made this last weekend before heading to my friend’s for board game night and it went over well. This cake is sweet enough that it feels like dessert but you don’t have to feel guilty. And of course, the best part of the cake is the delicious peaches. They add a slight crunch and a bright juiciness. It’s wonderful. The overall taste is the right balance of wholesome and sweet. And for a day like today with a tough commute, I think we could all use that combo of a treat that’s not so bad for you. So go ahead, have some cake London. We deserve it.

Messy level: I think all cakes are three spoon recipes. You need two bowls, you have to measure so much, and of course I spill flour everywhere. Also this batter is really thick so it’s not pourable. You basically have to slap it down on top of the peaches and then smooth is with a knife (or your fingers if you’re like me). A bit messy, but worth it. Cake is always worth it.

Peach Upside Down Cake

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Serves: 8 slices

Ingredients

• 2 small-medium peaches, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided (plus extra not-melted for greasing)
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon whisky
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup plain fat-free yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Grease a 8" cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease that.
3. In a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons of butter, the brown sugar, and the whisky. Dip the slices of peaches into this sugar mixture.
4. Line the bottom of your prepared pan with the dipped peaches. Arrange the peaches in pretty concentric circles.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, both flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
6. In another bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk, yogurt, 3 tablespoons of butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredient. Fold together until just combined. It will be a thick batter.
8. Spoon the batter over the peaches. Smooth out the batter with a knife or your finger.
9. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until browned and a toothpick put in the center comes out mostly clean.
10. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for one minute.
11. Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake to loosen it. Then carefully invert the cake and remove the pan.
12. Cut, serve, enjoy!

3.3.3077

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I love having a big breakfast on weekend mornings. When I was a kid my dad used to make pancakes, waffles, or omelets. It was a nice treat and felt like the ceremonial start to the weekend. Ryan and I try to do the same thing here and we sometimes make poached eggs, French toast and we were even on a short lived kick of making pancakes. And then I decided I wanted something different. I wanted something savory. I wanted something that would be ready all at once, instead of pancakes that are ready one by one. And then after a craving for Mexican food, I decided we should have a Tex-Mex breakfast casserole. 

Now, you might be thinking Tex-Mex for breakfast?! But I promise you, it’s a good idea. I mean, hello huevos rancheros are delicious.  And if I’m being really honest, I was inspired by the fast food restaurant Qdoba. Years ago when I worked at Ford’s Theatre I sometimes had to work on the weekends, and sometimes on those weekends I treated myself to a breakfast burrito from Qdoba. Not the healthiest way to start your day, but it was certainly delicious. Those burritos could have all kinds of things like beans, potatoes, cheese, cheese sauce…swoon. It was a really yummy and really hearty way to start the day. So I thought to myself, can I put all of that together in one casserole, that’s easy to make, and will give us a lot of servings?

I set to work, and the answer is yes, it’s totally possible and very tasty. What’s great about this casserole too is that it’s a protein power house filled with sausage, beans, and eggs. Eat a slice of this and you will be full and satisfied until well passed lunch. I actually took it to lunch a few times and I think it helped me blast through the mid-afternoon funk. You know that I mean, it’s 3pm and you’re snacky and want something sweet and/or caffeinated? We’ve all been there. But this, this is so filling and stating, you won’t need that unhealthy snack.

Anyway, this casserole is also great for serving to a big group for brunch. First, it’s good for a group because you’re making a big tray and everyone can be served together. But second, and possibly most important, you can make a lot of this ahead of time. All you have to do is make the filling the night before and set it in your baking pan. Then that morning, make the seasoned egg mixture, pour it over the filling, do some last bits of assembly, and then bake. How great is that?! Your friends will come over, you’ll be calm and organized,  like “oh yeah, I’m a hosting goddess I have it all together.” Because by making it ahead there won’t be a pile of dishes, or any stress, or any mess.

I used a recipe from Macheesmo as the base and then jacked it up with a lot of other ingredients and stuff.  However, Macheesmo had the idea for cutting up tortillas and letting them crisp on top. This idea is perfection and I wish I had made more. Ryan and I kept stealing pieces from other slices because the texture was so good and perfect for scooping up fallen pieces.  If you have extra tortillas cut them up and bake them along with the casserole. You will not regret it.

Messy level: Mildly messy. You will need one skillet to pre-cook some of the filling, you’ll need a bowl to beat the eggs, and you’ll need the pan to bake everything in. And of course there’s some amount of chopping and measuring to be done. So, there will be a fair amount of dishes but there will also be a ton of delicious food at the end so… win/win I think.

Tex-Mex Breakfast Casserole

 

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Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 big red skinned potato (or 2-3 smaller ones), peeled and cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 pound package of chorizo or your favorite breakfast sausage
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 400g/14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 large corn tortillas (use more or less to fit your taste and flour tortillas work too)
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften.
3. Add the potatoes to the onion. Cook until the potatoes are browned on each side and softer on the exterior, 5-10 minutes. Don't worry though, you're not cooking them all the way through at this step.
4. Put the onions and potatoes into a large bowl and set aside.
5. Wipe out the skillet and put it back on the stove.
6. Remove the sausage meat from the casings. Add the meat to the skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the sausage is cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as you go. This should take 5-10 minutes.
7. Once the sausage is cooked, pat it with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Transfer the cooked sausage to the bowl with the potatoes and onions. If you have it, use a slotted spoon to make the transfer so you aren't getting so much grease in the bowl.
8. Add the red and green bell peppers, jalapeno, and black beans to the bowl with the potato and sausage. Stir until everything is all mixed up together.
9. Cut up your tortillas into thumb sized strips. Sprinkle about half of them on the bottom of a 9x13" pan.
10. Pour the sausage-potato filling on top of the tortillas. Use your hands or a spoon to spread the filling out and make sure it's evenly coating the pan.
11. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic, and cumin. Add salt and pepper if your desire.
12. Pour the egg mixture over the filling. Feel free to tilt your pan back and forth a bit to make sure everything is evenly covered by the egg mixture.
13. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top of the egg mixture.
14. Sprinkle the remainder of the tortilla slices over the top of the cheese.
15. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The eggs should be just set and the tortialls will be crispy.

3.3.3077

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Last week, while Charlotte and Craig were still here, the three of us went to have breakfast at Duck & Waffle. I had heard of this place before from friends, Time Out, and the Londoner and had badly wanted to try it. The restaurant is on the 40th floor of Heron Tower, it’s open 24/7, and bookings at normal hours are hard to come by. I was drawn by the promise of great views and good food, and luckily Charlotte and Craig were game to be dragged out of bed for a 7:15am breakfast reservation. 

Truthfully, I was really excited, but also I was really nervous. I was making my friends get out of bed super early – while they were on vacation – to go to a possibly over-hyped restaurant. Thankfully, the whole experience was superb. At 7:15am, the place had a number of other diners but wasn’t full so the vibe was relaxed (ideal at such an early hour). It was also perfect because we got a spacious table in the corner by the windows so we had full views of London. I imagine at peak times getting a table in the middle of the room would be heart breaking. But, from where we were sitting we saw the Thames, Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, trains passing, and people commuting. I almost felt bad for those people 40 stories below. They were commuting to work, while I was having a lovely cappuccino in the sky with friends.

And look how gorgeous that cappuccino was! While you’re looking at the photo, tell me, what do you think about taking pictures of your food when you’re at a restaurant? I know some people hate it, but I’m cool with it (clearly, I do it all the time). I do acknowledge that taking too many pictures of your food is annoying, distracting, and can keep you from truly enjoying your food and the company you are with. I get it. It can be done wrong. But done in moderation (2-3 snaps per dish?), it’s ok by me. In fact, I have three good reasons for why I take restaurant food photos.

First, sometimes your food looks beautiful and it’s nice to appreciate the skill and effort that someone took to provide you with something so lovely. I mean, look at that cappuccino. It’s perfection, the milk is amazing, and it makes dining out feel more special than getting a takeaway cup from a coffee shop. And that leads me to my second reason: sometimes dining out is a special experience. Sure, you might go out because you don’t feel like cooking –  but sometimes you go out to celebrate an occasion, to feel fancy, and to experience something new. When you go on vacation you take pictures of the places and things you saw because it’s a special experience. Why should food be any different? My restaurant food photos are souvenirs the help me evoke sensory memories of the nice times with friends and the new foods that surprised and delighted.  And the third reason for restaurant food photos is that sometimes I love a place and I want other people to be inspired, be hungry, and try it. When I love a restaurant or a food, I want everyone to go there and have as lovely as a time as I did.

Which brings me back to my lovely time at Duck & Waffle. All three of us ordered the signature Duck ‘n’ Waffle (pictured above next to the cappuccino). We felt compelled to try the namesake dish, but Craig and I didn’t read the menu too well. He didn’t realize there would be a duck leg, I didn’t realize there would be a duck egg, and Charlotte just rolled her eyes at us being silly and asleep. It came with a mustard maple syrup, which sounds scary but was divine. It was a hint of sweetness and little tangs of mustardy heat. It was a gorgeous accent to the duck and waffles and was in no way overpowering. I really feel it helped unite all the pieces of the meal. In addition to savory, we were also drawn to the sweet waffle offerings. The three of us decided to share the bananas brûlée (above) – which was a waffle with a banana, homemade nutella, and ice cream. It was decadent and I was a little in love with the crusted brûléed sugar on the banana. I want to make this at home.

We ended our meal with a little walk around the restaurant to take in the views one more time. Before the fog rolled in Craig showed where we could just make out buildings in Greenwich. We admired the crazy orange tree in the lobby, the chandelier made of bottles, the gorgeous blue floor tiles, and the well stocked bar. It was a wonderful breakfast, and we still had the whole day ahead of us for touring. As we got into the elevator and whizzed back down to the street, I was really happy with our trip to Duck & Waffle. Everything, the food, the decor, the views were just as good as I had heard it would be. I loved it, and I would go back again, and even buy the cookbook so I could have more delicious food at home – and this time I wouldn’t have to eat at 7:15 am. 

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On Saturday, Ryan planned for us to go to Hampton Court Palace. This was Henry VIII’s home. What you might not know about me is that I’m crazy about Tudor history. I have read so many books, both fiction and non-fiction. I was obsessed with the Tudors TV show. I had TWO mugs that when you put hot water in them, Henry’s wives would disappear. I love Tudor history so I was really excited for this trip. I was buzzing with excitement. I was the kind of excited children get when you take them to Disney. For all I have read about Henry VIII, I never thought about going to see his palaces or anywhere else related to him. So Ryan planning all this, was fulfilling a dream I didn’t even know I had. It was amazing.  He won some major husband points. Anyway, let me nerd out a ton so I can tell you about my greatest day.

We get there and we’re in line to buy tickets, and I convince Ryan that we should become members. We get free admission to Hampton Court and five other places! One visit to Hampton Court and the Tower of London (which I haven’t done yet but am DYING to) covers the cost of the membership. So now we’re members and I’m so flipping exciting because now I can go back whenever I want. We walk in and I’m overwhelmed with things to look at. We started in the kitchens where costumed interpreters were actually cooking meals. One guys was making a crown out of marzipan and gold foil! He was saying you can actually ground up lapis lazuli into fine powder and put it on the crown, but that it doesn’t taste very good. We saw huge casks for wine and ale and a gigantic fire place. It was so amazing.

We then went out to the main courtyard to meet up with a costumed interpreter for a mini tour. The main court has a fountain that ran with wine! WINE. How cool is that? We met our guide, Jane Seymour’s father (before he was father-in-law to the king), and he took us to meet the king himself! I took one picture and it has half a guy’s head in it but oh well. We listened to that for awhile, then peeled off from the tour to look around for ourselves. Ryan and I picked up the audio guide, which was well worth it! The guide is told with lots of voices, from curators, historians, and costumed interpreters. The screen on the device also shows images and videos, which was a really cool touch. Not only did the guide tell us about the history, but it also told about the conservation of the palace and its contents.

We used the audio guide to tour Henry’s apartments. I was blown away by the great hall. There were amazing tapestries and huge stained glass windows. The room was arranged with long tables and on the table cloths were printed period appropriate etiquette tips. Over the course of the tour we saw where he married Catherine Parr, where Katherine Howard screamed for her freedom, and where Henry went to church. In one hallway there was a painting of Henry with his children and the deceased Jane Seymour. I have read so much about that painting that when I saw it, I audibly gasped.

After that, we toured the gardens, which were truly spectacular. There were immaculately trimmed trees, bright flowers, and beautiful fountains. I can’t adequately describe the love, attention, and beauty that is evident in the gardens so you’ll just have to look at my pictures to understand. Also, I took a creeper photo of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour’s father strolling through the gardens. Is it possible to be star struck by a long dead monarch? If so, I totally was. I loved the trip and left with a souvenir kitchen towel. It’s completely tacky with pictures of Henry VIII and all his wives. I don’t care that it’s tacky. I love it.

Sunday, it was drizzly and we were tired from our long day trip, so we stayed in. I made breakfast and then we went out to the pub later to watch the Arsenal game. I decided to make this breakfast because I thought it looked cool – and that’s really the only reason to make this. It does look cool, but basically it’s toast and eggs. So unless you’re showing off, save yourself the effort and make a regular breakfast. If you’re looking to get mildly fancy, then this is the recipe for you. It’s yummy and satisfying and a nice Sunday brunch treat.

Ingredients:

butter

bread (as many slices as eggs you want to make)

eggs (as many as slices of bread)

salt & pepper (to season)

Directions:

1. Use a glass, or a circular cookie cutter, to cut a hole out of the center of the bread. Set the circle aside.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. If you’re making more than one slice of bread, you may need to lower the heat between batches so you don’t burn the bread.

3. Melt the butter in the skillet. When it’s melted, add the slice of bread. Let it cook until it is just getting golden brown. For the first slice this may take 5 minutes or more, for later slices when the pan is hot, it can take 1-2 minutes.

4. When the bread is getting golden, crack the egg into the bread’s hole. I cracked the egg in a glass first then poured it in the skillet.

5. Let the egg cook until the egg white is set enough that you can get a spatula under it. You can flip it after 1 minute if you want a runny yolk, or you can wait longer.

6. Flip the egg and bread. Cook for 1 minute, more if you want the yolk mostly cooked through.

7. Remove from the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Use the bread’s circle to sop up extra yolk.

8. If you’re making more than one, be sure to butter the skillet between times.

Messy level:  Two spoons. The first one I flipped I splattered egg white all over the pan. After that I was more careful and let it cook longer. Other than that, there was no mess!

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And she’d look at me, in the smug way parents do when they know better, and she’d say, “yeah, I said the same thing to my mom when I was a kid.”

But then, the other day I had a craving for that very sandwich.

It’s definitely a sign of getting older when you realize you’re like your parents. I mean I’m not exactly like my parents but it’s sort of weird to notice the habits I have because of them. Both my brother and I hoard napkins in the glove compartment of our cars just like our father does. Because you just never know when you’ll need a ton of napkins while driving.  And I see my parents sometimes in the way I say a word, or the way my brother makes a gesture. As I’m saying something or doing something, I get this wave over me of, “whoa, that’s Mom.” or “whoa, that’s Papa.”

Photo by Marcella Treybig Photography

It’s not a bad thing, it’s just surprising to realize. And in fact, it’s comforting knowing I have my family with me even when they are far away. And I’m lucky to be like my parents, and especially like my mom. She’s freaking awesome. She recently won Scientist of the Year from HENAAC, which is super impressive and cool. And in general, she’s always been so loving and energetic and encouraging of everything I do. The picture I’ve posted of her is from my wedding. It’s my favorite.

Now, I’m sure my mom would rather I honor her with a splashier recipe, because she makes excellent apple pie and also a chocolate chip cheesecake. But this is the recipe that is just my mom’s and no one else’s.

Mom’s sandwich is well-known between Papa, Eric, and me because of the unusual combination of ingredients – cinnamon raisin bread, raspberry jam, and cheddar cheese. Yes, I know it sounds off-putting, but somehow it works. Toasted bread provides a light crunch, the jam is sweet and tangy, and the cheese is sharp and creamy. Surprisingly, the flavors meld together and it becomes a very satisfying breakfast. When I told Ryan about it, he wrinkled his nose a bit and gave me a look that said, “are you sure that tastes good?” And I can’t blame him for thinking that.

So it’s tradition. My grandmother weirded out my mom, my mom weirded out me, and I intend to weird out future generations, who will then ultimately crave the sandwich themselves.

Ingredients:

2 slices cinnamon raisin toast

Raspberry Jam

Sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Toast the bread to your liking. (I like a light toast, and also my bread was too tall for the toaster).

2. Slather one side of each piece of bread with the raspberry jam. Put on as much or as little jam as you like.

3. Cut big hunks of cheese and put them on top of the jam on one of the slices of bread. My mom recommends using huge hunks of cheese. Don’t skimp on this step!

4. Put the other piece of bread on top, jam side down. Cut in half. Eat it and be surprised.

Messy level:

This is the least messy thing I’ve ever posted about.  At least I think so. You can make this in 3 minutes and clean up so easily. It’s awesome and filling, and that’s sometimes hard to do at breakfast time.

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My mom recently read an article on how people in their 20’s and early 30’s don’t know how to cook. She also sent me this article, which just hurt my brain. How could anyone, even if it is just 11% of people, think that eggs come from wheat? My mom suggested that I could use my blog as a place to teach young people how to cook. And it’s a good idea, I’m twenty-something and I make my living teaching and explaining things to people.

My college friends and me cooking up a storm!

But I didn’t really believe that it was true, so I decided to talk to my friends. I felt sure that my friends knew how to cook. My college friends and I used to do a cooking blog together. And I was sure I had either eaten something, or seen my friends eat something, that they themselves had made. So imagine my surprise when some of my friends did say they didn’t know how to cook!

However, it sort of seems to me, they think they don’t know how to cook, because what it means to cook means different things to different people. People said cooking was something more than putting prepared ingredients together. It’s making the inedible, edible. It usually means using heat. For some people it was knowing how to improvise and go off from the recipe. And it’s putting largely raw/basic/unprocessed ingredient together so that the finished product is better than the individual parts. It’s not a super clear definition; because is a sandwich from a panini press cooking? Is making a salad cooking? Opinions were mixed, but what’s obvious is that cooking is on a spectrum. I mean, I would say I know how to cook, but I haven’t been doing it for very long and I’m no celebrity chef. I know how to do many things, but I don’t know how to cook everything! Ultimately, what it means to cook is varied. For my friends who say they can’t cook, I hope this is encouraging and might make you feel like you can cook. Or, at the very least, maybe I can help you find some recipes you’re comfortable with.

I’d also like to say, that in considering this topic, I went a little overboard. I asked my friends a bunch of questions, I sought out articles, I thought about this all the time, and I wrote pages and pages of single-spaced commentary. I was getting consumed with the ideas of why people didn’t cook, regardless of their cooking ability. But I felt like I was getting crazy and somehow moving off track. What I want from this blog, is to have a place to share what I’m cooking. I want to share my learning experiences. I don’t know everything and I’m trying to challenge myself to make good meals, and to try to cook things that I only ever thought I’d buy at the grocery store.

This funny guy is from Microsoft Word Clip Art

And that’s when I realized I should definitely take my mom’s advice and make an effort to share some great recipes. I want novice cooks to have some recipes where they can learn and challenge themselves. I get excited with myself when I make something new and  it tastes good. I’d like to help other people have that feeling. So, I’m going to mark beginner recipes at the start of a post using this funny picture of a chef. He looks like he’s marching boldly forward into new cooking terrain. And that’s what I’m trying to do with this blog, and I hope it’s what you’ll do if you want to learn to cook. And I think recipes that are good for new cooks are those that have some combination of the following:

1. Ingredients you probably already have in the house

2. That have simple techniques, but also might push you to learn new skills

3. That take less than an hour to make

4. Are so darn delicious that you just gotta get out of your comfort zone and try it.

Today’s recipe, has 1, 2, and 3. I mean, it’s also delicious but it’s not likely to be hugely out of your comfort zone. Something I think would be a good #4 is the post I did on Pad Thai Inspired Noodles.

Also, before we get on to the recipe, I wanted to share the reasons why I cook. These reasons make me happy and maybe something will resonate with you.

My reasons:

1. Makes me feel healthy – Being healthy means a lot of different things. I don’t always cook nutritious and low-calorie foods, because I love sweets and cheese. Cooking makes me feel healthy because the number of ingredients in prepared foods makes me nervous. I like knowing what’s in my meals.
2. Cost – I get to have yummy leftovers for lunch and so don’t have to go out to eat all the time.
3. Spending time with my Family – I grew up every night eating home cooked dinners with my family. Yes, we could have had the same experience over pizza but there’s something special about cooking. My parents would experiment and try new dishes and see how it played with the family. And cooking at home builds anticipation! There’s bubbling sounds of soups and the yummy smell of baking cookies. There’s also the less good sound of a shrieking fire alarm and the smell of a smoky kitchen. But even when it goes a little wrong, it’s funny later and makes for a good memory.
4. I like shopping – I can’t afford to go out and buy dresses, shoes, and purses every week. It’s bad for my finances and a little excessive. But food, I can buy all the time. And I have fun browsing the farmer’s market and the grocery store, choosing the most beautiful red strawberries, the smoothest olive oil, or the crunchiest granola.
5. Productive Leisure Time – I like watching TV, playing video games, and starring off into space but I also like spending my time doing something useful. I like that I get to be creative, to challenge myself, and to make a beautiful and tasty finished product.

Teeniest strainer with a quarter for scale. Photo Credit: Charlotte. THANKS!

Now I’m done philosophizing on cooking, so let’s get to the recipe. Quiche always makes me think of my parents because the first time they saw the word they thought it was pronounced “kwee-chee.” It’s really pronounced key-sh. If you’re not familiar with kwee-chee, it’s a dish usually associated with the French. It often has a pastry crust (although this recipe is crust-less) and the inner filling is made with eggs and milk or cheese. Basically, it’s like a pie with eggs. And it’s something that you can pretty much eat at any meal. I think this recipe is good for beginners because it has ingredients that are probably already in your house. Also, if you’re feeling brave there is opportunity to improvise and make the recipe your own. Now, my friend did most of the cooking for this recipe, and I was the sous-chef. My job was to blanch the asparagus and use the world’s teeniest strainer. I didn’t take too many pictures because I was the assistant. My bad.

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus, chopped

1  12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 large eggs, beaten

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

If you’re feeling adventurous: In this recipe you can substitute asparagus and mushrooms for other ingredients. Think of the things you prefer in an omelette. Ham? Bell peppers? Do it! Just stick to 2 1/2 cups or less of your fillings. Also, if you prefer mozzarella, you can use that instead of Cheddar!

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan. Use cooking spray or butter

3. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes. Blanching means that you’re putting the vegetable in boiling water for a very short time. What this does is to cook it just a bit before the “main” cooking. It’s usually done with a firm vegetable, like asparagus. This is also something you do to clean the vegetables, so if you’re thinking of freezing veggies, you should blanch them first.

4. Drain asparagus and set aside.

5. Whisk evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl until well mixed

6. Stir in cheese, asparagus, and mushrooms

7. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with the egg mixture. Stir the mixture after every few cups. This is to make sure the veggies and cheese don’t sink to the bottom. You can see that we filled more than 2/3 full. I recommend you stick to 2/3.

8. Bake for 25 minutes. It could be more or less time depending. You will know it’s done when it’s lightly brown on top and if you stick a toothpick in the center it will come out clean. It is NOT done if it looks wet or jiggly in the middle. Because we super filled the cups, most of them overflowed and looked like muffins. Some just cooked straight up in the air, and had a nice shape. Regardless of what they looked like in the pan, they all deflated a little when we took them out of the oven. So, it might look weird in the oven, but it will look like an nice little egg biscuit at the end.

9. Let them cool for 10 minutes.

10. Use a knife and run it around the edge of the quiches. This is to loosen the quiche from the pan. Sorry I don’t have a picture of it out of the pan. But aren’t they pretty anyway?

11. Serve and eat!

Messy Factor:

Low. The biggest mess we had was when I used the teeniest strainer to strain the asparagus. And that was barely messy because all I did was drop asparagus into a bigger bowl. This recipe requires very few dishes and the quiches pop out of the muffin tin really easily. Even when they overflowed in the oven, the quiche shrank down to size, making very little mess.

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I found this recipe for orange cranberry muffins on food.com, but I decided to take a risk and change it a bit. First, I used dried cranberries instead of fresh. Second, I decided to put in some fresh orange bits in the muffin. I got this idea from a blood orange cake recipe I made once from Smitten Kitchen. I liked the warm and juiciness of the cooked oranges so I thought I’d try it. But, I was nervous because baking is a science and I was wondering if the juice from the orange ruining the muffin. It all worked out well and it tastes good, so yay for experimenting! I only put in about 3/4 of an orange, because I kept eating pieces, so I think a full orange could work.

Anyway, making this recipe is pretty easy and it’s so quick! The only prep work is chopping the cranberries and zesting the orange. I realized that my mandoline slicer has a grating blade, which makes it so easy to zest! Also, for as much as I bake, flour is NOT my friend. Every time I use flour it gets all over everything in my kitchen, as evidenced by the picture below which shows flour all over the sink and the pots and pains that were drying.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (I used orange flavored ones)

1 egg

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 orange, chopped into tiny pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda

3. In a small bowl beat egg, orange juice, oil, and zest

4. Add cranberries and liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients

5. Stir until just moistened

6. Put mixture into greased muffin cups (or use paper liners). Fill about 3/4 full

7. Bake 15-20 minutes until browned on top

Messy Level: I’ll give this two spoons because I find it hard to neatly get the batter into the muffin pans. Also, because of flour. I always get flour everywhere.

The post Orange Cranberry Muffin appeared first on Cooking is Messy.

I decided to start this blog a week before my thesis was due so there hasn’t been a lot of time for cooking. But I was so excited, I wanted to make something, so I decided to on this recipe for blueberry baked oatmeal. It’s so delicious and easy. It was the perfect meal for last weekend.  I went to New York  last weekend to work on my thesis and turn it in. (YAY!) This recipe fed me for two straight days, it was warm, delicious and the perfect brain food. 

In general, I really don’t like oatmeal. It’s lumpy and has a weird texture. The first time my future mother-in-law made it I was nervous because, as I said, I don’t like oatmeal. But this recipe is delicious! Baked it becomes a like a bready/cake and its filling and wonderful. Also making it feels like preparing a fancy weekend breakfast – but it’s so fast to make it could be made any time.

I love this recipe with blueberries because they get warm and gooey. My mother-in-law also recommends sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin. I think this would be good with anything that you’d put in a pie, like chocolate chips, strawberries, apples and cinnamon, or brown sugar on top to make a crunchy sweet coating.  Just have fun with it!

Messy level: One spoon. This is so flipping clean and straightforward. Mix everything in a bowl, poor into your backing dish. Boom, you’re done.

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sugar (use up to 1 cup if you like it sweeter)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups quick oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pint blueberries (or other fruit you like)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Grease an 8x8 pan with butter.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and eggs.
4. Then add the oatmeal, baking powder, salt, and milk.
5. Fold in the blueberries.
6. Stir all ingredients until well mixed.
7. Put the mixture into the pan. Use a spoon to evenly flatten and pack in the oatmeal mixture.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until slightly browned on the edges.

3.5.3226

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