Annie’s Eats

Hooray!  My first blogging event!  I have never felt very compelled to participate in a blogging event before, but when Elly created “Eat to the Beat”, I was inspired and knew I had to take part.  I love music, especially while I’m cooking - just ask my husband, I dance around like quite a fool in the kitchen :)  When I first heard of this challenge, my mind was flooded with tons of great ideas and it was difficult to choose just one.  (Hint, hint Elly - let’s do this again!)  I finally settled on “Georgia On My Mind” peach pound cake.  This song is attached to great memories of my best friend and I laying on my bed, belting out the lyrics to this song one summer….don’t ask, we were very weird kids.  Every time I hear it, it puts a smile on my face.  It also worked perfectly because I had this recipe for peach pound cake which I was dying to try.  I love peaches and I’m always excited to bake with them.

This cake turned out amazingly well.  The “crust” created on the outside by dusting the pan with sugar is a nice complement to the incredibly soft, moist cake inside.  The peach flavor comes out very well.  My only change next time may be to add more peaches (I don’t think you can ever have enough!)  This goes perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Peach Pound Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. butter
2 ½ cups sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
½ tsp. salt 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with 2 tbsp. of butter and dust with ¼ cup of sugar; set aside. 

Using an electric mixer, cream together remaining butter and sugar.  Continue beating and add eggs one at a time.  Once fully incorporated, gradually add 2 ¾ cups flour, baking powder, and salt to mixture, beating until fully incorporated. 

Dredge peaches with remaining ¼ cup flour and fold into batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Source: The Fresh Market

January and early February are filled with birthdays amongst my friends and family.  Normally I do a great job - I have homemade cards for them (another hobby of mine) and usually some gift or baked good.  This year I sort of dropped the ball on most of them because I was on some very busy inpatient rotations for school.  I figured “better late then never” was definitely true in this case and decided to do a mass birthday treat effort to make up for my tardiness.  I was inspired by these cute cupcake boxes and decided to fill them with four different types of cupcakes.  Fun to make and a great excuse to use my beloved mechanical pastry bag :)  Not surprisingly, these were a huge hit with all those who received them.  I think these bakery-style boxes really add to the presentation and I would love to do more things like this.

In an effort to not make this entry ridiculously long with 4 cake recipes and 4 frosting recipes, I will simply link to my sources and give any comments I have.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
If there was any favorite of the four cupcake flavors, it was probably these.  Not surprising because this cake is delicious and the frosting is to die for.  Both have been featured on the blog previously but they are definitely worth mentioning a second time.

Source: cake from Annie’s Eats, frosting from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
I think out of the four flavors, these were my favorite.  I was unable to keep myself from eating all the leftovers :)  I had originally planned to do a classic chocolate buttercream, but after spending so much time in the kitchen with my shoulders starting to ache, I decided to go for something easier.  I am SO glad I did.  The frosting is delicious and was incredibly simple.  This will definitely be my go-to chocolate frosting from now on.

Sources: cake from Blonde Ambition in the Kitchen, frosting from Hershey’s

Confetti Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
I am never much of a fan of boxed cake mixes but I know that Funfetti is quite popular.  I do love how much sprinkles can jazz up white cake, so I was thrilled when I found this recipe for homemade Funfetti.  My only complaint was that 2 tbsp. of sprinkles in my cupcakes was not nearly enough to have the right “confetti effect”.  Depending on the size of sprinkles you use, you may want to use more.  Just use your judgement, I’ll definitely use way more next time.  As far as the frosting, it was very tasty but I think I just don’t love meringue as much as regular frosting.  Next time I make these I’ll probably try them with regular vanilla buttercream instead.

Source: Baking Bites

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
I’m not a chocolate-peanut butter fanatic as some people seem to be, but this combination is really good.  The frosting is just perfect - a good peanut butter flavor, but still sweet and not overpowering.  These were very popular as well. 

Sources: cake from Hershey’s, frosting from Ina Garten on Food Network

I have posted at least once before, quite some time ago, about how coffee cake was always a special treat in our house growing up.  It was almost exclusively reserved for visits from my grandparents.  I love that I can now have coffee cake whenever I choose (though it still isn’t that often), and even better, I can make it myself!  This coffee cake is truly delicious and was every bit as good as the versions from my childhood that came from the store.  My family loved it as well and it was quickly devoured :)  I will definitely make this again, and I think when really good fresh strawberries are available again I will make some with a true strawberry layer rather than with jam.

Strawberry Jam Crumb Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
For the crumb topping:
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted 

For the cake:
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
½ cup strawberry jam 

Directions:
In a medium bowl, stir together crumb topping ingredients until combined, then stir in melted butter until damp crumbs are formed and the mixture sticks together into chunks when you squeeze it between your fingers.  Set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 350° and 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Lightly grease and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream together both sugars and butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in vanilla, followed by the eggs, adding them one at a time until mixture is smooth. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to sugar mixture, alternating with sour cream in two or three additions, until well blended.  Spread evenly into prepared pan. 

Stir jam in a small bowl until smooth and drop by spoonfuls onto cake batter.  Gently swirl through with a knife.  Top with crumb mixture, clumping it by squeezing it between your fingers while you work and spreading it into as even a layer as possible. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. 

Source: Baking Bites

This is another staple in our dinner menu rotation.  We love this pasta dish because it is so simple yet delicious.  The red pepper flakes really allow you to control the “kick” of the dish, so add more if you enjoy a bit more spice.  It is excellent as leftovers as well.  I don’t have much else to say about it except that we love it!

Spicy Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients:
1 lb. broccoli
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. pasta, cooked 

Directions:
Cook broccoli in boiling water, 3-5 minutes until just tender.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic.  Cook over medium heat until just golden, about 2 minutes.  Add drained broccoli and red pepper flakes, and cook 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add hot sauce to cooked pasta.  Toss and serve. 

Source: Pasta by Dorling Kindersley

I have had my eye on this tart for months but have  put off making it.  Don’t ask why, I’m just crazy like that.  We had friends over for dinner recently and I decided it was time to give it a try.  We are all very glad I did!  Ben especially, this may be his new favorite dessert I make.  It tasted just as wonderful as I expected from reading the recipe - how can you go wrong with cream cheese, strawberries and chocolate?  My only complaint is that this was a bit awkward to eat due to the layer of chocolate underneath the cream cheese.  It was so hard (even after sitting out for a bit) that eating it with a knife and fork was difficult.  Ben and I found that cutting small slices and just eating them without utensils was easier, and less messy.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces

¼ cup ice water

For the filling:

6 oz. dark chocolate

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. milk or cream

fresh strawberries (approx. 2 pints), sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.  Rub in butter with fingertips (or mix with stand mixer/food processor) until mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand.  Stir in water, adding an additional tablespoon if necessary until dough starts to come together and clumps easily.  Press dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and press into a 9- or 10-inch tart pan.  Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and place a piece of aluminum foil over the pastry.  Fill the foil with pie weights and bake for 12 minutes at 350°.  Remove foil and weights and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool completely before filling.

Melt 4 oz. dark chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  When melted, pour into the pastry crust and spread evenly to coat the bottom with a thin layer of chocolate.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool and firm.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a large bowl until smooth.  Pour into the cooled crust.  Top cream cheese layer with sliced strawberries.  Melt remaining dark chocolate and drizzle over berries.  Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. 

Source: adapted from Baking Bites

Mmmm, good old chicken quesadillas.  These are often my fall-back dish for ordering at a restaurant when nothing else sounds particularly good.  I have had this recipe on my “to try” list for many months and now I’m kicking myself for not trying it immediately.  I think I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations but I should know better - everything from Shawnda’s blog seems to turn out wonderfully!  I am disappointed that the weather here is still so very awful (I think it was about 15 degrees the night I made these).  I am really looking forward to trying them on the grill as she did, I think they will be awesome that way!  Next time I make these I will definitely use more sturdy tortillas.  I used the standard kind I normally use for making enchiladas, tacos, etc. but I need something a bit more heavy duty next time.  Otherwise, these were perfect.  The wet rub gives the chicken a wonderful flavor.  We had three quesadillas for dinner and one left over for lunch the next day.

Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ yellow onion, finely diced
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 large tortillas
olive oil, for brushing
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese 

For the wet rub:
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. fajita seasoning
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lime 

Directions:
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat.  Whisk wet rub ingredients together in a pie plate.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and juices run clear.  Remove from the heat and cut the chicken into small pieces.  Return to the pan and add diced onion.  Sauté until the chicken is fully cooked and onions are tender. 

Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil.  Flip over and top one half of the tortilla with chicken mixture, diced tomatoes and shredded cheese to taste.  Fold the tortilla over and carefully place the folded quesadilla onto the grill pan or skillet.  Cook until heated through and cheese has melted.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  To keep quesadillas warm while the others are still cooking, place in the oven on a baking sheet or other oven safe dish at 200°.  Cut the finished quesadillas into triangles and serve with salsa, sour cream or other toppings of your choice.

Source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

I love my Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.  It has absolutely stunning, beautiful pictures and lots of wonderful recipes that don’t disappoint.  From the moment I got it, I have been dying to try this cake, as it is featured on the back cover and makes me drool almost every time I look at it.  However, the future doctor in me has a hard time making any recipe with nearly 1.5 lbs of butter in it, so I waited and waited for the right opportunity.  January is full of birthdays in our immediate families, with my mother- and father-in-law’s birthdays within nearly a week of my own.  We went down to visit our families and celebrate birthdays, and I saw my chance.  Finally I had a reason to make and taste my dream cake, but I also was able to just leave it at someone else’s house and therefore not feel quite so guilty about the ingredients.  Problem solved.

The cake was just as good as I imagined it to be.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of the inside with the pretty layers, but you can imagine.  I ended up probably only using 1/2-2/3 of the frosting because I just couldn’t bring myself to use it all, but it was delicious regardless.  This cake is wonderfully rich and chocolatey - I would recommend a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk on the side.

Chocolate Buttercream Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp. espresso powder
2 tbsp. milk 

For the frosting:
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
½ cup egg whites (3 extra-large eggs), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch of cream of tartar
½ tsp. salt
1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tsp. water 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter two 8-inch round cake pans.  Line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the paper, and dust the pans with flour, knocking out any excess.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.  On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix the batter only until blended. 

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, remove from the pans, and allow to finish cooling. 

To make the frosting, chop the chocolates and melt in a bowl over simmering water until smooth.  Allow to cool. 

Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk.  Heat the egg whites in the bowl over simmering water until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes.  Whisk on high speed for 5 minutes or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak. 

Add the butter, 1 tbsp. at a time, while beating on medium speed.  Scrape down the bowl, add the chocolate, vanilla, and espresso and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in.  If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool and beat it again. 

To frost the cake, place one cake layer on a serving plate, flat side up.  Frost the top of that layer with buttercream.  Place the second layer on top, also flat side up and frost the top and sides.

Source: adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter, 1999

This weekend I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast but just a few hours later, I was hungry again.  I decided to whip up a batch of these muffins.  I had some very ripe bananas months ago about to go bad, so I mashed them up and froze them in a plastic bag.  I was very happy to have them on hand so I was able to make these on the spur of the moment.  These have a really wonderful banana flavor.  I have made them many times and they always turn out well - that’s the kind of recipe I love

Banana Crumb Muffins
Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted 

For the topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.  Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. 

In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.  

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Source: Allrecipes 

Recently I felt the need for a lighter, healthier dinner after a run of heavier foods.  I think the little baby growing inside me is pushing on my stomach, giving me less room for food :)  Whatever the reason, this dinner was the perfect solution.  Such a very healthy meal but still delicious and filling.  Our store was out of shiitake mushrooms so I just used baby bellas and it was still great.  I have made it before with shiitakes and they are wonderful as well.  Even Ben loved it (and I could tell he wasn’t expecting to like it that much) - haha!

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. water
4 tsp. peanut oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 package fresh snow peas
1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into 1” pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sherry and water. Set aside.

Preheat a wok or deep, heavy fry pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of the peanut oil and carefully tilt and rotate the pan to distribute the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are bright pink but not yet cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Transfer to a plate.

Return the pan to high heat. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tsp. peanut oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and return the shrimp to the pan. Stir-fry until the snow peas are bright green, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the stock and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Briefly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma