Sugar-Free Panna Cotta

With autumn in full swing and sugary, baked goodies coming out of the oven, it's nice to have something a little lighter to kick the sweet tooth. Of course, you can make this recipe with real sugar; but why not make it skinny! It's not a secret that I love panna cotta, so I wanted to find a way to serve it with an autumn twist!

You will need:
2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup half&half
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. Splenda
1 envelope unflavored gelatin

To start:
1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the gelatin into 1/4 cup of the milk.
2. Add the remaining milk, half&half, vanilla and Splenda to a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the cooked cream into the dissolved gelatin and stir. Be careful not to stir too hard to avoid creating bubbles.
4. Next pour the mixture into 4 ramekins. If you plan on turning them out, you'll need to lightly grease the ramekins (I suggest coconut oil.) I used a mini leaf and pumpkin mold by Wilton to make mine!
5. Cover the panna cotta and refrigerate over night.

I drizzled honey over these and served them with plum tarts and baked crusted apples! Its was the perfect way to get into the autumn spirit! These are fun for a brunch or dessert, but they're only good covered for about a 1-2 days after made- so eat em' up!

Happy cooking!

Sunshine Sweet Potatoes for Two

Growing up, I never liked sweet potatoes. The other day, a friend gave us a sack full of organic sweet potatoes from his farm, and I thought it was high time I learned to like 'em! I cooked them the way I cook regular potatoes and turnips-- with onions and eggs! At first, this may sound like a strange combination, but they compliment each other nicely.

For potatoes, you will need:

2 large sweet potatoes

4 tbsp. olive oil

1/2  tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. white pepper (black works too!)

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. garlic powder 

1/2 white onion

For the eggs, you will need:

2 large eggs

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 pinches Mediterranean spices

To start:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. 

2. Wash and chop the sweet potatoes into small chunks, and put them aside in a bowl. Dice the white onion and put it with sweet potatoes. Toss them together with 4 tbsp. of olive oil.

3. Next, the spices (salt, pepper, sage, & garlic powder) need to be tossed in. You may want to combine them together first, to get sufficient coverage. 

4. Pour the potatoes and onions into a pan (I used my skillet,) and use a rubber spatula to get all the spice and oil out of the bowl. 

5. Bake for 25 minutes. Halfway through, shuffle the potatoes and onions around in the pan and turn them over. Be sure that the potatoes are crispy!

6. Fry the eggs during the last 5 or 6 minutes of the potatoes baking. The way I like to fry egg is by letting a tablespoon of olive oil get hot in my pan. Then I crack the egg into the hot oil and sprinkle a pinch of Mediterranean seasonings while the egg is still uncooked. Just leave the egg on the heat to cook through. Move the pan around so the whites are fully cooked. 

7. Divide the potato mixture in half into two bowls, and put an egg on top of each.

I've done this with and without the onions, and it's great either way! The runny egg yolk compliments the sweet potatoes so well! It's a great, southern breakfast dish to enjoy on a chilly autumn morning!

Happy cooking!

Plum Tarts

In case it's not obvious by now, I absolutely love plums paired with short butter crust! This recipe is the perfect thing to ring in the autumn weather! Making pastries can be tricky, but I think you'll find this recipe to be fairly simple!

For the crust:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 stick softened butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2-3 tbsp. cold water

For the tarts:
24 plum slices (any color is fine! I used red)
12 tsp. brown sugar (roughly)
1 egg
Brown butter frosting OPTIONAL

To Start:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/3 cup brown sugar.  Cut the butter in using a pastry cutter or large fork. The mixture should be crumbly and clumpy. Add the cold water and knead dough. (If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. If the dough is too wet add a bit more flour.)
3.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1 inch thick.  Use a medium sized drinking glass to cut out 8 pastries. Carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Spread a small amount of brown sugar across the surface of the dough circles.Use the rest of the dough to cut 8 more circles out and place them on top of the other ones on the baking sheet.
4. Make an egg wash by whisking an egg and 2 tsp. of water together and lightly brush the pastries with it. Spread a small amount of brown sugar on top of this layer of pastry.
5. Place 3 plum slices to each pastry, pressing them in slightly.
6. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the pastry is crusty and no longer soft.
7. Allow to cool completely before drizzling with brown butter frosting and serving.

These are so tasty! You can get away with no frosting, but I think it really compliments the tartness of the plum. It had a warm flavor which just reminded me of autumn in the best way. You'll be happy you made them!

Happy baking!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love oatmeal raisin cookies and always forget how easy they are to make! This recipe calls all for ingredients you're likely to have in you're kitchen! There's nothing worse than having a craving for something but none of the groceries you need to make it.

You will need:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (softened)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 large egg
1 & 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats
2/3 cup raisins

To start:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F and line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and baking powder and continue to mix.
3. Fold the flour into the wet mixture 1/3 cup at a time. Add the oats and raisins making sure they are evenly distributed in the dough.
4. Drop twelve 2 & 1/2 inch dough balls onto your lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes and allow to cool completely before serving.

Yields - 1&1/2 - 2 dozen cookies

I've been told by so many people that they love these cookies! The cinnamon and nutmeg really make them perfect. This is the ideal recipe to tuck in your back pocket for when autumn rolls around and you're needing something that tastes like fall! I like to pair these with chai tea lattes or coffee. I'm craving cold weather and sweaters just by thinking about these cookies! They're thick and warm and have have all the important qualities an oatmeal raisin cookie should have! I hope you enjoyed this recipe and enjoy these cookies!

Happy Baking!

Whole Wheat Plum Galette

I love this recipe! The short butter crust and plums compliment each other so well! I especially like it because it uses little artificial sweetener. It's beautiful and there are different variations you can try!

You will need:

For the crust-
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. softened butter
2 tbsp. cold water

For the filling-
2 black plums sliced (30-33 slices)
2(ish) tbsp. honey
1 tsp. brown sugar

To start:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix the flour, brown sugar and salt together. Cut the butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or fork. Add the water and the mixture should come together.
3. Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment or silicone baking mat. It should be about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Arrange the plum slices on the dough leaving about 1&1/2 - 2 inches of dough on the edges.
5. Drizzle the plums with honey and fold the edges of the dough over them. This part can be tricky so take it slow. The dough should overlap and fold a bit which is normal.
6. Sprinkle the top with a teaspoon of brown sugar. I also sprinkled salt over mine and it was great.
7. bake for 25 minutes or until dough has become crunchy.
8. Allow to cool and cut it like a pizza to serve.

These are great for breakfast or to have with sweet tea and lemonade! They're simple, tasty, and healthy: a triple threat! I love them and I hope you do too!

Happy Baking!

Yogurt Panna Cotta

I had always only seen or heard about panna cotta, but never tasted or made it! If you want to treat yourself without turning on the oven in the summer heat, panna cotta is a nice cool desert you should consider. Panna cotta is Italian for "cooked cream" and is basically just that!  This recipe uses yogurt, but it is not traditionally made with it.

You will need:
1. (approximately) 10.6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
2. 1/2 cup half and half
3. 3/4 milk
4. 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
5. 1/3 cup granulated sugar
6. 2 tsp. vanilla extract

To start:
1. Dissolve the gelatin into 1/4 of the milk and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rest of the milk, half and half, sugar, and vanilla on medium heat. Do not let the mixture boil or simmer. Only leave it on the heat 10 minutes before adding the yogurt.
3. Keep the pan on the heat until the yogurt is fully mixed into the milk.
4. Take the pan off of the heat and add the gelatin mixture, stirring for for about two minutes.
5. If you want to turn the panna cotta out of the containers after it's set, you'll want to (very) lightly grease them. Separate the mixture into three containers and cover. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until set like Jell-O.
NOTE: It is important that are no potent foods in your fridge or the panna cotta may absorb the smell.

You can top panna cotta with virtually anything! I used lemon curd and blueberries. I served it as a part of breakfast with a blueberry Dutch baby pancake and my sisters loved it! When someone as picky as my older sister liked this recipe I knew it was a success! I hope you enjoy making this delicious treat and keep cool for the rest of the summer. 

Happy cooking!

Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake

I love baking in my skillet! I've recently discovered Dutch baby pancakes and have been itching to make one. I chose to use blueberries in mine, but you can improvise other berries or just omit the berries altogether. This dish is neat because as it bakes, the edges rise up and fall like a pizza crust! Dutch babies are nice for brunch or breakfast with friends and an easy option for early mornings.

You make these in a cast iron skillet, but a round baking dish will suffice.

You will need:
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup fresh blueberries (Frozen can be substituted)
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
OPTIONAL : Powdered sugar for dusting

To begin:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 400F.
2. Put the butter in the skillet and put the skillet in the oven while it's heating (2-3 minutes  or until butter is melted.) Remove the skillet and make sure the butter covers the bottom of the pan completely.
3. Evenly distribute the berries in the bottom of the skillet an set it aside for the moment.
4. In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, and sugar. Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon in the mixture if so desired.
5. Pour the mixture over the blueberries in the skillet. If the berries get shuffled around in the pan, just use a spoon to redistribute them.
6. Bake the pancake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Allow it to cool a bit before dusting it with powdered sugar.

I really love Dutch babies and I think you will too! They have a warm flavour and fill your house with a lovely aroma. The variations of Dutch baby pancakes are endless, so it's fun to be creative with them! I served mine with fresh lemon curd and panna cotta (recipe soon to be posted!) I hope you enjoy this recipe and fall in love with Dutch baby pancakes. 

Happy Baking!

Fresh Lemon Curd

Love lemons as much I do? Wanna put them on everything you make? Whip up a batch of lemon curd and pour it on all your citrus-lacking food! It's fairly easy to make, as long as you remember patience is  the key.

You will need:
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp. butter (softened)
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1  1/2 tsp. vanilla

To start:
1. Put the lemon zest and sugar in a food processor together and finely mince them together. You may need to stop the processor and shuffle the mixture around to avoid clumpy lemon-sugar.
2. Next, thoroughly  cream together the butter, vanilla, egg & yolks, and lemon-sugar.
3. Now, stir the lemon juice into the creamy mixture. It won't want to combine and will look curdled, but this is normal.
4. Pour the mixture into a medium sauce pan and turn your stove to low heat. Constantly stir the pot until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
5. Next, turn up the heat to medium. Continue to stir as it thickens. Once it has thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Pour the curd into a jar or container and allow to cool completely before putting a lid on it or serving it.

After making fresh lemon curd for the first time, I've realized it's very important to make this on a regular basis. I used it with panna cotta and a blueberry Dutch baby pancake (recipes to be posted soon!), but you could use it for practically anything! It would be good in crepes or to serve with scones. Many people like to use lemon curd to top blueberry pies! If you love lemons, you don't really need a reason to make this! Just whip up a batch to keep in your fridge for whenever you get a citrus craving! I hope you found this recipe to be helpful and delicious!

Happy Cooking!

Whole Wheat Bread

There's just something so satisfying about making your own bread! This is great bread to have with jam and tea or coffee. It's perfect for serving with breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! Wrap it in pretty paper, tie it off with a bow and you've got a nice gift for a friend!

You will need:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour (plus some for sprinkling)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. non-fat dried milk
2 cups + 2 Tbsp. warm water
OPTIONAL
1 egg
salt

To start:
1. In the bowl of your standing mixer dissolve the brown sugar into the oil and water. Sprinkle the yeast onto the surface of the liquid. Once the yeast is also dissolved, add the dried milk.
2. Using your standing mixer fitted with the bread hooks, mix the flour into the liquid. one cup at a time.
3. Once thoroughly mixed, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. The dough may be sticky, so you'll want to flour your hands as well.
4. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a room-temperature, draft free place. (an unheated oven works well for this.) Let the dough rise for two hours (or until doubled in size.)
5. After the two hours, pre-heat your oven to 375 F. Grease two 8x4" loaf pans or line them with parchment.
6. Punch the dough down to size. Make sure you flour your hands because the dough is apt to be sticky. Separate the dough into two even portions and place them both in the pans. If the dough is not sreading to edges of the pan, use your hands to spread it out. OPTIONAL- Beat an egg and wash the dough with it. Salt the top of your dough and slash it.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yeilds 2 loaves.

Happy cooking!