Soft Flour Tortillas

I have now past the point of no return. I have finally found the perfect homemade tortilla recipe, I will never buy tortillas from the grocery store again. For the past year or two I have been wanting to be able to find a good tortilla recipe. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a package of flour tortillas? If not, let me warn you now, it's not a pretty sight. Knowing that fantastically fresh and delicious tortillas can be made with just 5 ingredients (one of which is water), it disturbs me when I see the list of 20+ ingredients on the packages at the store, most of which I can hardly pronounce. This recipe makes it possible to never again pick up one of those packages of chemicals again. 

Ever since I found this recipe a few months ago, I've probably made it at least once, if not twice a week, ever since. It is just so good and easy. There are so many things you can fill tortillas will; some of my favorite ideas are eggs and cheese, sweet potato black bean, hummus and veggies, not to mention the basic seasoned ground beef with cheese, sour cream and salsa. I really think you can put anything at all in a tortilla, and it seems to always taste good! So grab your rolling pin and get to work, be creative, and have some fun! 

Soft Flour Tortilla

From 

King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus additional as needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup lard (traditional); or butter, shortening, or vegetable oil
• 7/8 to 1 cup hot tap water (about 110°F to 120°F)

Directions

To make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard (or butter, shortening or oil). Use your fingers or a pastry blender to work the fat into the flour until it disappears (I used vegetable oil which didn't completely disappear, but left small lumps of fat; this didn't seem to have any effect on the finished product so don't worry). Coating most of the flour with fat inhibits gluten formation, making the tortillas easier to roll out.

Pour in the lesser amount of hot water, and stir briskly with a fork or whisk to bring the dough together into a shaggy mass. Stir in additional water as needed to bring the dough together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly, just until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is very sticky, gradually add a bit more flour.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Round the pieces into balls, flatten slightly, and allow them to rest, covered, for about 30 minutes. If you wish, coat each ball lightly in oil before covering; this ensures the dough doesn't dry out.

While the dough rests, preheat an ungreased cast iron griddle or skillet over medium high heat, about 400°F.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into a round about 8" in diameter. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Fry the tortilla in the ungreased pan for about 30 seconds on each side. Wrap the tortilla in a clean cloth when it comes off the griddle, to keep it pliable. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

In high school I worked in food service at a retirement home, serving food to the residents, as well as prepping for meals and cleaning up. Certain foods will forever be linked in my mind to this experience, one of them being cinnamon toast. Cinnamon toast was a resident favorite for breakfast, and to this day, every time I smell the toasting of cinnamon bread it brings me back to those days. 

This recipe produces bread that is far superior to that served in the retirement home, but it still gives off that same wonderful sugary-cinnamony smell as it toasts up to golden perfection in the toaster. Smeared with some butter and sprinkled with a little more cinnamon, because why not, this bread is a wonderful way to start the day. 

The only problem I had with this bread was while it was baking. Partway through I smelled some burning and realized that some of the sugar had leaked out of the bread and had fallen to the floor of the oven where it was burning. Not the best smell. A few moments later, this blob of burning sugar then burst into flames! It wasn't too bad, and quickly died out, but I just want to warn you that this could happen. It's probably a good idea to put a baking sheet (lined with foil for easy clean up) under the loaf pan while it is baking. I also recommend covering this bread with foil halfway through, or even earlier, to prevent it from getting too brown. But however it comes out, it makes great cinnamon toast!

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Adapted From Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 17 ounces (3¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons coarse salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup warm milk 

For the filling:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Give a quick mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Add in the egg, butter, and warm milk and again mix briefly, until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with the dough hook (or by hand) on low speed until the dough is mostly smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat into a round. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and fold the top third down, like a business-letter. Then fold the right and left sides into the center in thirds, forming a rectangle. Press down to seal. Return to the bowl, cover and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Generously butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. To make the filling, combine the sugar, cinnamon and water in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. 

Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush lightly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving a thin border around the edges. Fold in the edges of the long sides of the dough about 1 inch.

Beginning with one of the short ends, roll the dough up into a tight spiral log, gently pressing as you go. Pinch the seam shut, and place the loaf seam side-down in the prepared baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise until the dough rises just above the edge of the pan, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425˚ F. When the loaf has risen, brush the top of the loaf lightly with the remaining beaten egg. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the loaf is golden brown, about 45 minutes. If the surface seems to be browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Almond Paste Cake

I've said it many times, but I'll say it again, I love cake. There is a cake for any and every occasion. It amazes me how many people tell me that they don't really like cake. I think they just haven't been eating the right ones. There are so many different options: a towering triple layered birthday cake, a simple French yogurt cakes, bundt cakes, breakfast cakes, peach cakes, sour cherry coffee cakes and  cupcakes, just to name a few! How can you say you don't like cake when there are so many different options to choose from? 

Well, if you're still unconvinced, here is another cake to try and change your mind. This is one of my favorite cakes. Not only is it super rich and buttery, but it is full of delicious almond flavor. Half a pound of almond paste goes directly into this cake, and if that's not enough for you, don't forget to add the almond extract too. I love anything almond flavored and this cake delivers. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a simple finish, or add a dollop of whipped cream and some berries for a something special. However you eat it you won't be disappointed. 

I think of this cake as an almond pound cake. It has a fine, dense crumb, and is buttery and rich with two sticks of butter and 6 eggs to go along with the half a pound of almond paste. The instructions call for it to be made in a food processor which is always how I've done it. They do say you can use a stand mixer if you don't have a food processor, but I've never tried that. I'm sure it would work just fine though. If anyone tries it, let me know how it goes!

Almond Paste Cake

From 

David Lebovitz

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups (265g) sugar
• 8 ounces (225g) almond paste
• 3/4, plus 1/4 cup (140g total) flour
• 1 cup (8 ounces, 225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Grease a 9x2-inch cake or spring form pan with butter (the cake rises quite a bit, so make sure your pan is tall enough), dust it with flour and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup (35g) of flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (105g) of flour, baking powder, and salt.

Once the almond paste is completely broken up, add the cubes of butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition. (You may wish to open the machine and scrape the sides down to make sure the eggs are getting fully incorporated.)

After you add all the eggs, the mixture may look curdled. Don’t worry; it’ll come back together after the next step.

Add half the flour mixture and pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing the machine until the drying ingredients are just incorporated, but do not overmix. (You can also transfer the batter to a bowl and mix the dry ingredients in, which ensures the dry ingredients get incorporated evenly and you don’t overbeat it.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 45-60 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center.

Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp or serrated knife around the perimeter, loosing the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, tap the cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper, and set on a cake plate until ready to serve.

Note

: This cake is best made in the food processor, but if using a stand mixture, use the paddle attachment and let the mixer run until the almond paste is finely broken up. 

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

This past Christmas, my sister Lara and I received a couple of wonderful cookbooks. I got Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi which I had first checked out from the library and loved. Lara got Sarabeth's Bakery by Sarabeth Levine which she has been eyeing for some time now, and finally owns. We dug into Sarabeth's Bakery first. It was so difficult trying to decide what to make. Everything sounds so good and looks beautiful. We finally decided on our first recipe, these perfect pumpkin muffins. 

These muffins are pretty close to perfect. They came out of the oven looking absolutely gorgeous. Tall and domed as every muffin should be. Even with an entire can of pumpkin puree, these muffins actually aren't overly pumpkin-y. They are actually quite mild, and not overly sweet, exactly what I need on some days. But if you're feeling a little extra indulgent, I think a handful or two of mini chocolate chips would be an excellent addition, that's what I'm going to try next!

In the cookbook, it says this recipe will yield 12-14 muffins. Well, I got 24 out of it. They weren't huge, but they were the perfect size for me. I didn't have to bake them as long either, so if you make them smaller make sure to keep an eye on them so they don't over-bake. 

Like I above, these muffins aren't overly sweet, they are definitely muffins, not cupcakes, which is how I like it. The batter is super thick which helps them bake up beautifully domed and craggily. In fact, after they were baked I could still see where each individual scoop of batter was placed in the muffin tins, the batter is that thick. So if you want beautifully domed muffins, make sure not to smooth out the batter after you fill the tins, keep the scoops nice and rounded (this is where a cookie scoop comes in handy) because this is how they will bake up.

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from:

Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours

Ingredients

• Softened unsalted butter, for the pan
• 3 2/3 cups pastry flour, sifted (I used about 17 ounces all purpose flour with a few tablespoons cornstarch)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 1/3 cups superfine sugar (I used 10 ounces granulated sugar that I processed in my NutriBullet)
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• One 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Brush the insides of 12 to 14 muffin cups with softened butter, then brush the top of the pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together into a medium bowl. Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until creamy, about I minute. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating, scraping the sides of the bowl often with a silicone spatula, until the mixture is very light in color and texture, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs. Reduce the mixture speed to low. Beat in the pumpkin; the mixture may look curdled. In thirds, beat in the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, and mix until smooth. 

Using a 2½ inch-diameter ice-cream scoop, portion the batter, rounded side up, into the prepared cups. 

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a wire tester inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes more.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely.

Bakers Note: If you use generous scoops of batter, the yield will be 12 muffins. For smaller muffins, use 7 muffin cups in each of 2 muffin pans. Distribute the batter in a random pattern (not in rows) in each pan so the muffins bake evenly. 

Clementine Brown Rice Salad with Edamame and Cranberries

In the winter I can sometimes find it difficult to come up with a good, fresh salad that incorporates seasonal ingredients. It's not like summer when all it takes are a few garden fresh tomatoes and a handful of basal to call it good. But, although it takes a little more thought in the winter, beautiful salads made with in season produce can be done. Take this salad for instance, it uses a lot of things that you may just have stored in your cupboard or freezer; dried cranberries, edamame, brown rice, and slivered almonds. Add to this some fresh, sweet and juicy clementines, a few thinly sliced green onions and some feta cheese and you have the perfect combination for a hearty winter salad, great as a flavorful side or a light main coarse, whichever you prefer. Either way you won't be disappointed.

The combination of all the different ingredients in this salad are just perfect. Sweetness from the clementines, tartness from the cranberries, crunch from the almonds and creaminess from the edamame. It is also a beautiful salad, full of all the different colors. The clementine juice and honey in the dressing give it just the right amount of sweetness mixed with the acidity from the lemon juice and vinegar. I really do love this salad. The perfect way to add freshness to those gloomy winter days. 

Clementine Brown Rice Salad with Edamame and Cranberries

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 cup brown rice*
• 1 cup frozen, shelled edamame beans
• 4 clementines
• 3 green onions
• 1 cup of sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

For the Dressing

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed clementine juice
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions*. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. (Brown rice can also be prepared a day ahead and stored in the fridge until needed.) 

Fill a small pot with two inches of water. Bring to a boil, add edamame and cook for about 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. 

Peal clementines, tear into segments and place in a large bowl. Thinly slice the green onion and add to the bowl. Add in the brown rice, edamame, toasted almonds and cranberries. Mix all together. 

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Mix it until everything is well incorporated. Add in the feta cheese and give it another  mix.

*Check out 

this

 post for my all time favorite, super easy method for making brown rice that turns out perfectly every time!

Cranberry Orange Biscotti

One of my absolute favorite times of the day is coffee time. I try my very best to make sure I get to enjoy a cup of something warm and comforting at least once during the day. This is especially important right now when the temperature is barely making it into the teens, and just looking outside makes me cold. While I have no problem just drinking a lone cup of coffee, sometimes it seems like I just need a little bite of something to go with it. Biscotti are one of the best ways to satisfy this sweet craving. I stumbled across this cranberry orange biscotti recipe earlier this winter and decided that it sounded perfect for the cold, snowy days ahead. I was right, the tartness of the cranberries pairs perfectly with the creamy sweetness of the white chocolate and the bright freshness of the orange. I wouldn't change a thing in this winter treat. 

If you've never made biscotti before, I highly recommend it. It really isn't difficult at all, and they are just so cute when you're finished. It seems like every recipe bakes up a little differently, some spread a lot during the first bake, while some don't spread at all. And after the first bake, before cutting up the individual cookies, it always looks so strange and I wonder how it will turn out. But it always does, and I'm never disappointed. 

Cranberry-Orange Biscotti
From Tutti Dolci
Ingredients
Cookie

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 1/2 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp brandy
• 3 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Topping

• 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions
Combine sugar, butter, orange zest, orange juice, and brandy in a large bowl, stirring until smooth. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until incorporated; fold in cranberries. Cover dough and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using moistened hands, shape dough into 2 (10-by-4-inch) loaves on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 22 minutes or until pale golden. Transfer loaves to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut loaves into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices cut side down on baking sheet; bake 9 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for 9 minutes more or until golden. Cool completely on wire racks.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until glossy and smooth. Use a fork to drizzle chocolate over biscotti and top with cranberries; chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set chocolate. Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to a week.

Banket: A New Favorite

Growing up in West Michigan in a family that is very proud of their Dutch heritage means that I grew up eating my fair share of Dutch goodies; boterkoek, Jan Hagels, oliebollen and windmill cookies to name a few. They're all delicious, but in my opinion there is nothing better than a stick of homemade banket, especially during the holidays. I've shared a banket recipe on the site before which was very good, but I was never completely satisfied with it, especially with the filling. I don't like my banket filling to be too dry, and while the previous recipe was delicious, the filling was just too dry for my taste, I wanted something else. 

This Christmas I decided to go on a search to see if I could find the banket recipe I've been hoping for. There are not the many banket recipes out there, so it took a bit of searching, but I finally came up with a recipe from The Lilypad Cottage that looked like it could be the one. It came together pretty easily so I was very hopeful when I put the first batch into the oven. I have to say, they turned out just about perfectly. Exactly what I was hoping for. A light, and flaky buttery crust wrapped around the perfect almond paste filling. I think I found it!

This recipe is a two day affair, or a long one day affair. The dough and filling need to chill up pretty firm before you use them. Another thing I love about banket is that it is so easy to freeze. I just shape it up and pop the unbaked rolls into the freezer for a few hours. Then I wrap them in plastic and keep in a bag in the freezer until I need them. You don't even have to thaw before baking. Just unwrap, place on a cookie sheet and bake from frozen. They might take a few extra minutes from frozen but other than that you can't even tell. Super easy!

Banket
Adapted from The Lily Pad Cottage
Ingredients
Dough

• 4 cups flour

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 pound cold butter, cut into small pieces

• scant 1 cup cold water

Filling

• 1 pound of almond paste

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

To Finish

• 1-2 Egg yolks

Directions
For the dough, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the pieces of cold butter and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (you can also use two forks or even your fingers, but work fast, you don't want the butter to get too warm) until the butter is about pea sized. Make a well in the middle and add cold water, mix until a shaggy dough is formed, don’t over mix. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

For the filling, break up almond paste in a bowl. Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day cut divide both the dough and the filling into 8 equal portions, use a scale if you have it.

Take one piece of dough and roll out into a long, thin rectangle, approximately 13x4 inches. Place one piece of filling on the rolled out dough, spreading it along the length of dough, a little closer to one side, forming an even line. Roll up the long way, folding the ends under. Pinch together slightly so the filling doesn’t ooze out.

Dock the rolls with a fork, brush with egg yolks.

At this point you can stick the pans in your freezer until the Banket is frozen hard. Then you can wrap them up and bake off as needed.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes (I do about 30 minutes when baking from frozen) until golden brown. Let cool before slicing into 1-2 inch pieces, enjoy!

Peppermint-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Who doesn't love shortbread? It's just butter and sugar held together with some flour, how can you go wrong? Any excuse to eat butter is okay with me! I was at my favorite bakery a few weeks ago and they had bags of peppermint shortbread for sale. The cookies were calling to me, but I knew I could make the same thing at home so I resisted and went home to search the internet for a recipe. I found the perfect recipe in multiple places online. It originally called for espresso powder, so I just replaced that with some peppermint extract and my peppermint shortbread craving was satisfied. Combining the buttery goodness of shortbread with some chocolate, and then throwing in a little peppermint extract results in the perfect cookie. 

One of my favorite parts of this recipe was the method for rolling out the shortbread. When you first make the dough you throw it into a gallon size plastic bag and then roll it out to an even thickness right inside the bag. After a couple hours in the fridge all you have to do is cut the dough out of the bag and cut the cookies into whatever size and shape you want. Transfer to cookie sheet and bake. Super easy!

Peppermint-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Adapted From 

Use Real Butter

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature

• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and peppermint extracts, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into little squares or rectangles. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.