Kitchen Goddess

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

suziryder — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:16:44 -0800

Yesterday, I had a crummy, stressful day at work. It was one of those days when the higher-ups are freaking out about an impossible deadline at the end of the week, getting everyone else all stirred up and anxious, only to find out later that the deadline is actually two weeks away. It was frustrating and tiring. My cure? Baking, of course.
My husband had an even worse day, not coming home until 9:30pm (we usually leave work around 5). He had asked me over the weekend that my next baking project be a coffee cake, so I wanted to surprise him with a fabulous coffee cake when he finally got home. I knew just the right one: Michelle of Brown Eyed Baker blogged about an amazing coffee cake from Ina Garten a while back, and I'd been waiting for a chance to make it.

My hubby is a big fan of streusel topping, so I knew this cake would make him happy. Not only does it have piles of cinnamon-y, nutty streusel on top, and a layer on streusel in the middle, it's topped off with a maple glaze. Seriously. How does it get any better than that?
I was surprised that the recipe calls for cake flour rather than all purpose, and that you sift it too. I guess I'm used to dense coffee cakes with a texture more like pound cake. The light texture, the slight tang from the sour cream, the cinnamon-y struesel and the yummy maple glaze definitely make this a coffee cake with "the volume turned up," as Ina likes to say. It's awesome when it's still slightly warm, too.
Oh, and when hubs came home from work, the first thing he did was exclaim about how yummy the house smelled.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Source: Barefoot Contessa by way of Brown Eyed Baker)
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 1½ cups granulated sugar 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1¼ cups sour cream 2½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt
For the streusel:
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed ½ cup all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces ¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional
For the glaze:
½ cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

How to Prep a Butternut Squash

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:50:09 -0800

Recently, I praised butternut squash for its mild sweetness and versatility - but I was surprised when so many of you said you'd never prepared one before, or find it hard to work with. Since it'd be a bummer to miss out on this Fall vegetable at home (unless you can afford $400 for an automated butternut squash peeler!), I thought I'd help you out with instructions on how to prep it yourself. Here's a step-by-step lesson.

View Slideshow ›

Have you ever prepped a butternut squash before?

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:48:45 -0800

Making Bread

notinthemood — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:28:24 -0800

I made a loaf of rosemary focaccia today and unfortunately am a little disappointed. It's a bit too dense and rose too much while baking. It's still good, just not awesome. I think I added too much flour. The recipe said to add flour until the dough was no longer sticky, but I ended up adding at least an extra 1/4 cup of flour. Things might have turned out differently if my hands weren't covered with sticky dough! I'd advise anyone else to spray a little Pam on her hands before kneading the dough. This was my first crack at baking bread so I'd like to know if anyone has any bread advice... tips and tricks to making bread turn out as it should?

Cranberry Ginger Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:51:17 -0800

Adapted from The Ultimate Ice Cream Book

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound fresh cranberries (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 cup water
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Place the cranberries, sugar, wine, water, ginger, and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a simmer.
Continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the cranberries pop and begin to soften. Remove from the heat and allow the cranberry mixture to cool slightly.
Puree in a blender. Use caution if the mixture is still warm and do it in smaller batches. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.
Stir the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished, sorbet will be soft but ready to eat.
For firmer sorbet, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

Makes 1 quart.

Pretty Pronto Peanut Butter Cookies

D-Lee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:23:33 -0800

Mom

INGREDIENTS

1 (11 ounce) package pie crust mix
1 C peanut butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1 pckg chocolate stars (Brach's Chocolate Stars is what I use)
3 Tbsp water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pie crust mix, brown sugar and peanut butter. Slowly add the water, one tbsp at a time, while mixing gently.
Roll between clean palms into 3/4 inch balls.
Place onto a cookie sheet and use fork to flatten - then add smaller ball (half size) on top and make small indent into top with thumb. This is where the chocolate star will sit when done baking.
Bake for 9-11 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool slightly 3-5 min - and add chocolate star to dent on top before serving.

Hamburger Rice Soup

D-Lee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:47:44 -0800

Unknown. Passed down in my family generation to generation.

Soup's on!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef
2 (14.5) oz cans diced tomatoes
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 cup uncoooked white rice
1 onion - chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste
6 cups water

**In lieu of carrots use celery if you are not a carrot fan. And I add a dash of celery seed or celery salt in mine, but don't tell mom.

**If you are vegetarian, skip the ground beef and add some chopped tofu and/or artichoke hearts.

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat in a large sauce pan, saute the ground beef until browned.
Drain excess fat
Add the tomatoes *with* liquid, potatoes, onion, carrots, salt, rice, black pepper and water.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour and serve.

**This is delicious after being in the refridg overnight and reheated the next day as the soup's flavors marry overnight.

Powderhorn Potatoes

b1uebunn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:09:49 -0800

Everyone will tell you they have a hashbrown casserole, they have some cheesy potatoes, they’ve got some Campbell’s soup slop recipe. Read my lips: They are full of sh*t.

It’s these, baby. These are potatoes so good you’ll think about them as you fall asleep at night.

Ingredients:

- 10 medium baking potatoes
- 1/2 c butter
- 2 c sour cream
- 1/4 c green onions (or as many as you want–I cut up like three stalks)
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
- salt
- pepper

Directions:

The night before, bake potatoes at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Take them out of the oven and store in the fridge overnight.

The next morning, peel the potatoes and grate them into a very large bowl. Combine butter, sour cream, green onions, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix very well. There is so much, you might need to get your *very clean* hands in there to mix. Remember to remove your rings.

Transfer well mixed ingredients to a casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until slightly browned on top.

That’s the other great thing about this dish; it’s for any meal! It makes a great breakfast/brunch dish, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to most dinners. My mom even makes them for Thanksgiving, and I’m told they’re awesome with gravy.

Soup-tastic Adventures: ugh.

Calster — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:55:01 -0800

That's the sound I make when I don't feel well. Ugh. And I sneeze a lot.

Yes, the germs from the kiddos may have finally caught up with me. I left work early today, and I've been sleeping all day. We'll see if I make it in tomorrow. I'm sure it's nothing serious, just a run-of-the-mill sinus infection, but I'm still worn out and feeling "ugh."

I had the perfect soup picked out for this week too. Minestrone. I was going to start with some veal stock--homemade, of course--add some carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and turnips, with little tiny macaroni noodles and some nice crusty bread, and maybe some Parmesan grated on top. Ahh well. Toast is delicious too, right?

Creamed Corn

LisaK — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:50:47 -0800

Growing up my mom would make home made creamed corn on holidays or special occasions. She would cut the tips of the fresh corn then scrape the remainder into a bowl. Just to get a bowl full for a meal, she would have to use about 30 ears of corn. It was a LOT of work.

A few years ago, wanting to eat the corn but not wanting to do all the work, I came up with an easier way. I served it at Thanksgiving and both of my sisters were impressed. It was pretty close to the real thing.

I apologize in advance for these bad directions.

1 large bag or 2 small bags of frozen corn - thawed (I have never seen a name brand in a large bag, so I buy the store brand)
1 small carton of heavy cream - I think it's a half pint
Half & Half - I buy the quart size just so I have enough
1/2 stick real butter
salt to taste

I have always eyed the ingredients so I will do my best to explain.

Put thawed corn into a food processor and blend until chopped. It's okay if some of the kernels are still whole. I have a small processor so I do this in batches to make sure it gets chopped up.

My mom always cooked her recipe in a cast iron skillet, so that is what I use too. After the corn is chopped, I put it into the skillet. I pour the small carton of heavy cream in, the butter, then I pour the half & half until it almost touches the top of the skillet and salt. Bring to a boil, then cook uncovered on low until the liquid is cooked down. Stir occasionally. This takes about an hour. Taste it and add more salt if needed.

I don't have any pictures but I took a picture of the skillet I use so you can get an idea of how much this makes and how much half and half to use.

It didn't look that dirty in person!