Blueberry Bagels

 

July marks one of my favorite food seasons of the year. Some people love fall (myself included) for the pumpkin, spice, and comfort food. (Or Pumpkin Spice Lattes, which embodies all three of those traits!) But for me, no time of year beats blueberry season! For the next few weeks it is seemingly all blueberries, all the time around here.  Now granted, this recipe has dried blueberries, but they’re no less amazing than their fresh counterparts when paired with my absolute favorite bagel recipe. Combine this with a pumpkin spice latte and you have my favorite breakfast!

Blueberry Bagels
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makes 12 large bagels or 24 minis

Ingredients:
For the Sponge
1 teaspoon instant yeast
4 cups unbleached bread (or high-gluten) flour
2 1/2 cups water, at room temperature

For the Dough
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
3 3/4 cups unbleached bread (or high-gluten) flour
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dark malt syrup (or honey, or brown sugar)
1 1/2 cups dried blueberries, rinsed

To finish
1 tablespoon baking soda
cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting

Directions:
To make the sponge
In a medium mixing bowl combine the yeast and flour. Stir in the water until the mixture is well saturated. It will look like thick pancake batter. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. The sponge will be very bubbly and about double in size.

To make the dough
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sponge and the yeast. Add in the 3 cups of the flour, salt, malt syrup and blueberries. Gradually add the remaining flour until well-combined.

Continue to knead the dough, either in the mixer or by hand on a lightly floured surface, for about 10 minutes. The dough will be very firm and stiff, but satiny and smooth.

Divide the dough 4 1/2 ounce pieces, or 12 even pieces. Roll into balls and cover with a damp towel. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and mist lightly spray oil. Place the rolls on the pans about 2 inches apart and cover with plastic wrap. Shape the rolls into bagels by poking a hole in the center and gently rolling the bagel to about 2 inches in diameter.  Let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

To check if the bagels are ready to rest in the refrigerator, fill a small bowl with water and drop one of the bagels into the water. If the bagel does not float within 10 seconds, pat dry and place back onto the pan and replace the plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for another 10 minutes and re-test with the float method.

Once the bagels are ready for retarding, place the plastic wrap covered pans into the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to bake the bagels pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees with the oven racks in the center settings.  Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in the baking soda. The water will fizz quite a lot so be careful!

Sprinkle parchment-lined pans with cornmeal to prevent bagel sticking.

Gently drop bagels, one at a time, into the boiling water, leaving enough space for them to expand a bit. After 1 minute (or 2 if you like chewy bagels) turn them over and let boil another minute (or two for chewier bagels). Remove the bagels from the water with a slotted spoon and place onto the parchment. Once all of the bagels are boiled, place the pans in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the pans 180 degrees, switching shelves, and bake for 5 more minutes or until the bagels are lightly golden.

Place on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Source: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Chicken Sausage Jambalaya

It’s winter in Michigan. Meaning that (barring the last week or two) it’s cold and snowy. After what feels like months of winter (and the resulting months of minor colds) we’ve been looking for some serious comfort food. I came across a recipe for jambalaya and after making just a few adjustments here and there, came up with what you see here. It was exactly what we needed to pull ourselves out of this cold winter funk. Better still, it comes together in just about a half an hour, making it an easy weeknight dinner. 

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 package andouille chicken sausage
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 large stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 small jalapeno, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups basmati rice

Directions:
Sauté the chicken sausage in a large Dutch oven until cooked through. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery, oil and bay leaves and sauté until tender and slightly golden. Stir in the salt, basil, oregano, thyme, jalapeno, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.

Pour the can of tomatoes, chicken broth and rice and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Remove bay leaves and discard, and serve.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Spiced Pork Chops with Butternut Squash

 

Like virtually every other family in existence, from time to time we get stuck in a big dinner rut. Tacos, pasta, chicken, lather, rinse, repeat. So recently I decided that it was time to break the streak and make something new and different for dinner. I pulled out cookbooks and cooking magazine and started to label recipes that looked good. I surprised even myself by marking and eventually selecting this recipe as the winning newcomer to the dinner repertoire. You see, pork, and pork chops especially, have never been my favorite thing. Bad pork chops are just sooo bad. Dry, flavorless and just plain gross. Turns out, that’s only when they’re overcooked with a stinky recipe (light bulb, right?). These came out perfectly. So flavorful and juicy and lovely and the sweet butternut squash combined with the cinnamon and cloves just screamed fall.

Spiced Pork Chops with Butternut Squash
Serves 4

printable recipe

Ingredients:
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Directions:
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops evenly with pumpkin pie spice, black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Sauté the pork in the skillet for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Meanwhile, poke several holes in the butternut squash with a fork and cook in the microwave for 1 minute, then using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the inside and seeds and discard. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes.

Re-coat the skillet with cooking spray and add the squash, cooking covered for 7 minutes. Add onion to the pan and sauté the squash and onions for 5 minutes. Pour the water into the pan, scrapping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt and chopped mint.

Serve pork with squash spooned on top.

Source: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals

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Healthy(er) Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to you, since we’re a house with 2 young children, to hear that we eat our fair share of mac & cheese around here. It’s tasty, it’s quick…but not super healthy most of the time. So, when I came across this recipe for a healthier version of our beloved favorite I couldn’t wait to try it. Now, I’m not usually down for the whole “sneak the veggies in so the kids don’t notice” thing. So I didn’t. I did big chopped hunks of cauliflower along with the pasta and served it. And it was a hit! There was even a request for larger cauliflower chunks next time. (Granted, that came from Brian, but still. A win is a win!) This is now the reigning M&C recipe in the house.

Won’t Make Your Jeans Snug Macaroni & Cheese with Cauliflower
serves 6 (HUGE servings)
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Ingredients:
12 oz. whole grain elbow macaroni
1 large head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. During the last 3 minutes of cooking add the chopped cauliflower and drain.

In a food processor or small bowl combine the bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Set aside.

In an oven-proof pot or Dutch oven on the stove top heat the last tablespoon of oil. Sauté the onion until it is tender. Add in 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, cheese, sour cream, milk, and mustard and combine. Stir in the pasta and cauliflower.

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the macaroni and bake, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Source: Carrots ‘N’ Cake

Spinach and Tomato Orzotto

I have had this idea in the back of my mind for a long time now to print and frame or mount a few of my favorite food photos to hang above my dining room table. I have it all laid out in my head but I hadn’t gotten any further than that. Then, to my great fortune, a few weeks ago the kind folks at Easy Canvas Prints offered to send me one of my photos canvas mounted! I, of course, jumped at the chance!

The canvas came out perfect. It was super-easy and quick to upload my photo to their site and place the order, and it arrived just a few days later. I love it so much I am already trying to decide on what other food photos to pick to place around it!

Now, onto this orzotto. I’ve also had the idea for this in my head for quite some time. I love risotto. I love orzo. So every time I made one or the other I kept wondering what would come of it if I combined the two ideas. Cooking the pasta in a similar style to cooking risotto, I made it up as I went along and was thrilled when it turned out better than I had expected. Simple, easy, delicious. You can’t beat that.

Spinach and Tomato Orzotto
printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups orzo pasta
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth, warmed
2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, diced
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon herbs de province
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a small sauce pan over low heat warm the chicken broth. Keep warm.

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, then sauté the shallot until it is translucent. Add the garlic to the pan and cook one minute further.

Add the orzo to the pan and stir to coat the pasta, then pour the wine into the pan and stir to deglaze. Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, then add 3/4 cup of the broth. Continue to add the broth 3/4 cup at a time, letting most of the liquid absorb between each addition, until the pasta is slightly softer than al dente, adding the spinach to the pan with the last liquid addition.

Add the tomatoes and herbs de province and cook for one minute further. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan. Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan to serve.

Source: A Laura’s Recipe Collection Original

Blueberry Buttercream Cupcakes

A few weeks months ago my baby turned 2. As we were planning her birthday party I sat on the couch with her and flipped through recipes for cupcakes, trying to pick one or two to make. She climbed into my lap as I leafed from page to page, then suddenly jumped and squealed “BLUEBERRIES!”. If a girl could actually scream in all caps, this would have been one of those times. She loves blueberries. LOVES blueberries. As in we have to actually police the amount she eats of them because otherwise she will eat herself sick. (That was not a fun day.)

So, being that blueberries are basically her favorite thing everEverEVER I decided to make my faithful vanilla cupcake recipe, add blueberries, and concoct blueberry buttercream. The resulting cupcake was just what I was looking for. The vanilla cupcake was just light enough to let the sweet, tart blueberries really shine.

 

Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
yields 12 cupcakes
printable recipe

Blueberry Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
zest of 1 medium lemon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. Prepare a muffin pan with liners and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine between each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

With the mix speed on low add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour the milk into the bowl and beat to combine, then mix in the remaining flour.

Using a rubber spatula gently fold the blueberries into the batter, then scoop evenly between the muffin cups.

Bake for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1/4 cup blueberry puree (about 1 cup fresh blueberries)
2-3 Tablespoons blueberry juice, yielded from blueberry puree
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
pinch of salt
5-6 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter until smooth.

Add the blueberry puree, juice, vanilla, lemon and salt into the bowl and beat until well combined.

Slowly add the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy.

Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Sources: Vanilla Cupcake recipe adapted from my Raspberry-filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes, originally from The Novice Chef , Blueberry Buttercream from Baking With Basil

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

Leave it to me to take a relatively healthy concept like a chicken burger and do this to it. And in advance, you’re welcome!

By a long shot the most-viewed recipe on here is Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Parmesan Sauce. And rightly so. It’s one of my favorite dinners. Relatively easy to put together and delicious. The highlight of the recipe? The sauce. Sure, the chicken itself is great. But the sauce. Oh the sauce. It, in my opinion, is the food symbol for all that is good in the world. Trust me on this one.

So a few months ago, while making chicken burgers I had the idea of adding the sauce to the burger. A few days later this gem was born. The flavor of chicken cordon bleu with half the prep work involved. I love when I can have dinner prepped and cooked in 20 minutes. I love even more when I have an excuse to use heavy cream and cheese.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers & Creamy Parmesan Sauce
printable recipe
Serves 4

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 lb. thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
burger buns for serving

Directions:
In a large bowl mix together the ground chicken, ham, cheese, thyme and garlic. Gradually add the bread crumbs until the mixture is well-combined.

Shape into four patties. If the mixture is sticking to your hands rinse your hands under cold water between each patty.

Cook on a grill, a pan or broiler until no longer pink in the center.

Source: An original Laura’s Recipe Collection creation

Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/2-3/4 C half-and-half or heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup white wine
salt & pepper
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, then sauté the garlic for a minute or two. Add in the and continue to simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

Whisk together the half-and-half with the cornstarch. Slowly pour into the sauce pan and mix until it is smooth and thickened.

Add the cheese, salt and pepper to the sauce pan and cook until melted.

Drizzle the sauce over the breasts just before serving.

Originally posted under Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Parmesan Sauce, Source: Mary Ellen’s Cooking Creations