Cinco de Mayo Margaritas and Guacamole

May 4, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

Margaritas

Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays.  I always look forward to celebrating it, mostly because I love any excuse to drink Margaritas and eat Mexican food.  And let’s be honest, it’s hard not to have a good time when you’re drinking a Margarita.  Now I might get some flak from the Irish side of my family for saying this, but……….I actually like Cinco de Mayo more than St. Patrick’s Day.  It’s true!  It’s probably because I love me some spicy Mexican food and I’m also one of the random people who actually enjoy drinking tequila – so it’s almost like this holiday was made for me.

My recipe for the perfect Cinco de Mayo includes two things.  The first is a good, strong, homemade Margarita, because let’s face it – it’s not Cinco de Mayo if you don’t drink at least one Margarita.  My other Cinco de Mayo essential is a big bowl of guacamole and tortilla chips.  I seriously cannot get enough guacamole…..it’s a little bit of a problem.  I could probably take down a whole bowl by myself.  Whenever I make it, I end up having to restrain myself and remember to save room for my actual meal.  It doesn’t always work out though.

Like any true Cinco de Mayo enthusiast, I pride myself on making a killer Margarita.  The recipe I use is crazy delicious and a wee bit dangerous……okay a lot bit dangerous if you don’t watch yourself.  I usually warn people before they drink them (they tend to go down easy).  What makes these Margaritas so great is that the recipe is really simple with only a few ingredients.  Just a lot of freshly squeezed lime juice, a little lemon juice, and some tequila and Triple Sec.  That’s it.  Now, I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret.  The surprising source behind my go-to Margarita recipe is none other than Ina Garten……..seriously.  Who knew Barefoot Contessa had it in her?  Turns out the same woman who shows us how to throw lovely outdoor brunches can also make a mean margarita.  I did changer her recipe slightly, but it is still hands-down the best recipe I’ve ever come across.  If you try it, I’m sure you’ll agree.

When it comes to guacamole, I don’t follow an exact recipe.  Guacamole is one of those foods that people seem to have strong opinions about.  Everyone likes it a different way.  Some people are purists and don’t like to add in too much besides a little seasoning.  Other people love to jazz it up with all sorts of mix-ins like diced tomatoes or even cheese.  I fall somewhere in between the two.  I don’t like to add in too much to my guacamole, but I do like it to have a little heat.  My standard guac usually includes avocadoes, diced Jalapeño pepper, chopped shallot, a tiny bit of lime juice, salt, and cilantro (if I remember to buy it!).  The proportions are always different and I add in everything to taste.  If you like your guacamole fairly simple, but with a little bit of a kick this is a great version to try.

Well now you know my favorite way to spend Cinco de Mayo.  I hope you guys have an awesome day and enjoy some good old fashioned Mexican themed fun!

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Latest News and My New Favorite Ingredient

April 13, 2013 By in Uncategorized Tags: , , 2 Comments

The Earnest Baker Logo

It’s amazing to think that it’s been almost three months since I made the decision to start The Earnest Baker.   It’s even harder to believe that I only have a little over six weeks left until the Farmer’s Market starts and I’m officially open for business.  This means I’m in the homestretch now, which is equally exciting and nerve wracking.  I’m excited, because I cannot wait to open and finally be able share all the baked goods I’ve been working on.  At the same time though, it’s nerve wracking because there’s still a good amount I need to get done.

I wanted to share a couple pieces of exciting news with you guys.  You may or may not have noticed the new header on the site.  You may have also noticed the slightly boring (but in my mind super cool) picture at the beginning of this post.  What you’re looking at is the official logo for The Earnest Baker!  I’m really stoked about this development, because it makes everything seem a little more real.  It also means I’m getting business cards and who doesn’t love business cards??  Seriously, business cards are awesome.  I get to say things like, “Here, take my business card” and sound all professional.  I’m probably getting overly excited about this…….I’ll calm myself down now.

The second thing I wanted to tell you guys is that The Earnest Baker is now Facebook official (people say that, right?).  The Earnest Baker now has its very own Facebook page that you can check out.  This is pretty cool, because it’s another way to stay connected.  What I love most is that Facebook is a quick way to post updates and it’s also a really easy way to interact with everyone.  I’ll post news and pictures regularly on the page and if you have anything you want to ask, share, or even a special request – please shoot me a comment!  I promise to respond quickly.

Okay, now on to the more fun foodie stuff.  Caramelized White Chocolate and I are having a bit of a love affair.  It is, without a doubt, my new favorite ingredient.  Caramelized White Chocolate is becoming very popular with pastry chefs and for good reason…….it’s insanely delicious.  It’s made by “roasting” white chocolate in the oven at relatively low heat (250°F) and stirring it every 5 to 10 minutes for about 30 minutes to an hour.  Once it’s done, you stir in a good pinch of sea salt.  What you end up with at the end of this process is really quite magical.  It transforms the cloyingly sweet white chocolate we all know into this beautiful roasted, caramelly, salty-sweet liquid.  Just thinking about it makes me want more!

You can use the Caramelized White Chocolate for a variety of purposes.  It’s great on top of ice cream or sandwiched in between two shortbread cookies.  It’s also a great addition to stir into cookie dough or cake batter.  I’ve been playing around with it, so you can expect to see a few baked goods with it this summer!  If you’d like to give it a try (and I highly suggest you do), here are the links to the websites I referenced while making it:

David Lebovitz’s Caramelized White Chocolate Recipe

Food52 Caramelized White Chocolate

The process requires a decent amount attention, so it’s a good thing to do when you have an hour to kill.  I set a timer and dragged it around the house with me to remind me when to stir and check on it.  It’s totally worth it though.  If you end up becoming as addicted to Caramelized White Chocolate as I am, please don’t blame me……blame the chocolate!  Although, it’ll be pretty dang hard to stay mad at that delicious substance for too long.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Protein Bars

April 9, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , , 6 Comments

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

As much as I wish I could eat sweets all day, I understand that it’s probably a good idea to eat something good for me every once in a while.  In my dessert addicted mind, I like to believe that healthy foods will counterbalance all the cakes and cookies I eat.  I mean if I eat a healthy dinner of wild salmon and roasted vegetables that totally negates the giant slice of pound cake I eat after…….right???  Maybe???  Okay, so I know that’s not how it works, but it would be nice if it did.

Eating healthy has been on my mind lately for a couple of reasons.  The first is because I’m testing so many recipes for the business that I’m eating more sweets than I usually do.  I know……I didn’t think that was possible either, but apparently it is and it’s not as fun as I thought it would be.  The other reason I’m on a health-kick is because I recently started training for the Half Marathon I’m running in July.  This will be the sixth Half I’ve run and I’m really hoping to PR, which means I need to train hard and eat right.

My attitude towards food changes a bit when I’m in training.  Instead of just eating whatever is around, I actually put a little thought into what I’m eating and why I’m eating it.  This might sound a little cheesy, but bear with me here……..during training, I look at food as fuel to boost my running performance and to help keep me healthy and fit.  Ughhh…..I can’t believe I just wrote that, but it’s true!  I guess it’s time to admit my other deep, dark nerdy secret.  I love reading about nutrition and how eating certain foods before and after a run can help improve my overall fitness.  I think it’s fascinating to read why the ideal post-long run recovery meal has a carbs to protein ration of 4:1.  And I also think it’s pretty cool to read how tart cherries help to reduce muscle soreness.  What can I say…….I’ve got some nerdish tendencies and I embrace every one of them.

One of my favorite things to make when I’m in training is Homemade Peanut Butter Protein Bars.  I’m always trying to find ways to sneak more protein into my diet (I don’t eat a lot of meat) and these bars are the perfect way to do that.  They’re packed with protein, super filling, can be easily customized and, most importantly, taste crazy good.  Oh and I almost forgot to mention, they’re also Gluten-Free!  I’ve had a lot of requests for GF recipes, so I’m stoked to finally be able to share one.

The recipe for these protein bars originally came from my boyfriend’s Dad.  He found the recipe in Mountain Flyer magazine and instinctively knew it was something Boyfriend and I would love to make.  The original recipe is fantastic, but we tweaked it to make it a little healthier and more to our liking.  We can’t get enough of these bars and make them constantly during the summer.   They’re great as a post-workout snack or to take as fuel for long hikes and bike rides.  They are kind of filling and can easily be eaten as a meal replacement as well. Personally, I love to eat them as a quick healthy breakfast on busy mornings.

I really hope you guys love these protein bars as much as we do.  They can be adapted in a multitude of ways, so feel free to get creative and come up with your absolute perfect combination.  If you’re not a fan of Peanut Butter, use Almond Butter! If you want to add a little extra fiber to the bars, swap out the Rice Puffs for Kamut Puffs (please note Kamut is not GF friendly).  My favorite way to make the bars is with crunchy peanut butter, rice protein powder, dried tart cherries, and toasted pecans.  So get in the kitchen and get crazy and feel good knowing that you’re making something healthy and nutritious!

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Fun Times with Homemade Peeps

March 27, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , , 4 Comments

Peeps Lined Up

Up until a week ago, I didn’t realize you could make Peeps at home.  I don’t know why it took me so long to make this discovery.  I’ve made marshmallow at home before and I know Peeps are made of marshmallows……no idea why I never put two and two together.  Perhaps it’s because Peeps look like they came out of some crazy nuclear experiment, with their bright neon colors and their “you kinda look like a baby chick but you don’t really look like a baby chick” shape.  Making homemade Peeps was never on my radar and this is coming from a girl who wants to recreate everything at home.

Now, you might be wondering, “Why do you want to make Peeps?” or as my Dad put it when I told him what I was up to, “Wouldn’t it just be easier to buy them?”  Well, there’s a very specific reason as to why I want to make Peeps and it can be summed up in one word, Boyfriend.  He is obsessed with Peeps (hopefully he’s cool with me making that public knowledge…..if not….ummmmm…….sorry?).  I’ve never met anyone who loves Peeps as much as he does.  Until dating him, I had no idea they even made Peeps for holidays other than Easter (they make them for every holiday in case you’re curious).  And to answer my Dad’s question – yes it would be a heck of a lot easier to buy them, but it’s way more fun to make them and they taste way better.

I’m not going to lie, making Peeps is a little harder than I thought it would be.  I figured it would be a relatively simple process – make marshmallow, pipe marshmallow into little chicky shapes, then eat.  Making the marshmallow isn’t bad.  In fact, I quite like playing with hot sugar syrup and making candy at home.  The tricky part of this whole making homemade Peeps business is the piping.  These guys can be a wee bit difficult to pipe out.  My first batch had more “bad” chicks than “good” ones.  However, after some practice, I finally got the hang of it and my second batch was much more successful.  They might not look exactly like the store-bought ones, but they look close enough and the taste more than makes up for their appearance.

Close Up Peep

To make my Peeps, I worked off of two different recipes.  I found that the The Los Angeles Times had the best recipe for marshmallow, so I combined that with some very minor tweaks and tips on technique from a recipe on About.com.  I’m pretty pleased with the final result.  With Easter coming up, these are the perfect treat to make and surprise your friends and family with – they’ll probably be pretty impressed as well!

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Things That Make Me Happy in the Kitchen

March 23, 2013 By in Uncategorized Tags: , 4 Comments

Baking Tools

Lately, I’ve been spending the majority of my time baking in the kitchen.  I have a pretty solid routine going and it’s working out well so far.  Over the past week, I realized how attached I am to certain baking tools.  I even noticed that I tend to play favorites in the kitchen.  There are certain items that I rarely use and sometimes wonder why I bought.  Then there are the tools I use every time I bake without fail.  I guess this is pretty normal (or at least I hope it is).  Everyone has their favorite trusty whisk that they’ve had for 10 years and can’t imagine ever parting with……..or is that just me??  Either way, I wanted to share some of my favorite kitchen tools with you guys.

The following list is made up of items that I find indispensable in the kitchen and use on a regular basis.  You might have a lot of these items already, but if you don’t, it doesn’t hurt to check them out.  In an effort to remain impartial, I won’t name specific brands.  We all have our favorites and I wouldn’t want to unfairly promote one over another.  On that note, let’s get cracking on this list!

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What I’m Baking: Scones and Irish Coffee

March 18, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

Scones and Irish Coffee

Back in grad school, two of my close friends and I decided to spend St. Paddy’s Day in Dublin.  Spring break had just started and tickets from London were so insanely cheap that it would have been crazy for us not to take advantage of the opportunity.  When I told people about our trip, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again: “Ohhh St. Paddy’s in Dublin is wild. You have to be careful, are you sure you want to go? It might be sketchy.”  After hearing this a few fifty times or so, I started to believe the hype.  I mean I figured it would be fun, but not as crazy as people were making it out to be.  By the time we arrived in Dublin, I was seriously expecting a green colored Mardi Gras on steroids with leprechauns, Irish accents, and maybe a drunken appearance by Bono or someone else really cool.

My hyped up vision of St. Paddy’s Day was not exactly accurate.  Was it a fun day?  Of course, it was a blast!  Was it the craziest thing I’ve ever been to?  Not so much.  Did I drink my fair share of Guinness?  Yes……yes I did and one was even green.  Did we see a bunch of Swedish dudes perform an impromptu cover of Abba’s “Dancing Girl” complete with the world’s greatest flute solo?  Actually, we did.  Did Bono show up, hand me a pint, and sing a song for me?  No…..stupid Bono crushing my dreams.

Overall, Dublin was a great place to spend St. Paddy’s and it was an experience I’m glad I got to share with two of my closest friends.  My favorite part of the day (minus the amazing unexpected Abba cover band) was starting off the morning with a scone and Irish Coffee at the pub.  I have to admit, at first, I felt a little weird being at a pub for breakfast.  The thought of drinking a heavy stout first thing in the morning did not appeal to me.  However, when I saw I could get a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam as well as an Irish Coffee, I was totally on board.  It was the perfect breakfast to start my St. Paddy’s Day.  I’m not exactly a “morning person,” so the coffee helped wake me up and the scone provided a solid (and delicious) breakfast for a long day of wandering around the Dublin.

Close up Scone

Even though I’m not a big coffee drinker these days, I still like to start my St. Paddy’s off with an Irish Coffee.  And any excuse to make scones I will take.  My favorite scone recipe comes from Sarabeth’s Bakery in New York.  It’s light, moist, and impossibly delicious.  If you can get your hands on some clotted cream, it’d be wrong not to put it on your scone – it really elevates it to the next level of deliciousness.  My favorite Irish Coffee recipe is pretty traditional and really simple.  Just a nice hot cup of coffee with a shot of Jameson, brown sugar to taste, and some unsweetened freshly whipped cream piled on top.  It’s the ultimate breakfast for St. Paddy’s or any day you feel like being a little Irish!

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Update from the Kitchen

March 11, 2013 By in Uncategorized Tags: 2 Comments

Salted Caramel BrowniesThe past couple weeks, I haven’t exactly been great about posting here.  My goal was to add a new post two to three times a week, but lately I’ve gotten a little side-tracked.  However, I have an extremely good reason for this – I promise!  I’ve been busy in the kitchen baking up a storm developing and testing new recipes.  In a way, this benefits all of us.  For me, it means I’m moving forward with my business and starting to nail down the final menu for The Earnest Baker (which is top priority right now).  For you guys, it means lots of awesome products to try in the near future.  It also benefits you if you live close by and enjoy me force feeding you lots of sweets in the name of research.

The truth is I really have to give a big shout out to all my friends.  I’m sure they’re getting a little tired of eating tons of sweets while I stare at them and ask ridiculously nitpicky questions like, “Are the Salted Caramel Brownies too salty?”  There’s been an absurd amount of baked goods in the house lately and I hate letting any go to waste.  Fortunately, I have a great group of friends to pawn them off on.  My boyfriend and I would probably be 20 pounds heavier if we ate everything I’ve been making.  I really can’t blame him when he told me the other day he couldn’t eat any more brownies.  I feel the same way……..it’s a sad day when eating baked goods starts to feel like a chore.

My time in the kitchen has had its fair share of ups and downs.  I’ve had some moments of brilliance (Chocolate Malted Brownies come to mind) and I’ve had some not so brilliant moments (low-fat vegan gingersnaps were not my finest idea).  I’ve also had some recipes that drove me insane trying to perfect (I’m looking at you Salted Caramel Brownies).  The best part of all this is that I realized how happy I am.  The other day, while working on yet another batch of salted caramel, I noticed I had a huge goofy smile on my face.  It took me a little by surprise, but I guess it shouldn’t have.  Baking always makes me incredibly happy and realizing that this is what I do for work now felt absolutely amazing.  Maybe this means I should have made the decision to start my own business a long time ago.  Maybe it’s a sign that I made the right choice and am finally where I’m supposed to be in my life.  No matter what, it’s a great feeling and I’m going to ride it as long as I can.

What I’m Baking: Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

March 6, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , 3 Comments

 Close Up Biscuit

When I think of comfort food, one of the first things I think of is biscuits.  No matter what time of day or what the weather is like outside, there is nothing more comforting than a warm, flaky biscuit fresh out of the oven.  Yesterday was kind of gloomy out, so I wanted a hot, delicious dinner to brighten my spirits.  I also wanted to bake something a little more savory since I’ve been baking a lot of sweets lately (I’m on sugar overload right now).  I debated making cornbread and turkey chili, but that seemed time consuming and I wanted something quick and simple.   That’s when I realized the perfect quick meal – Cheddar Cheese Biscuits and Tomato Soup.  I mean what’s more comforting than homemade cheesy biscuits and a big bowl of soup?

For some reason, a lot of people are wary of making biscuits at home.  They think it will be time consuming or that there are too many variables that could go wrong during the baking process.  The truth is biscuits are surprisingly quick and easy to make and certain styles of biscuits are almost foolproof.  Cream biscuits are a great example.  This style of biscuit uses cream in place of butter, so you don’t have to worry about cutting the butter into the flour.  Another perk is that this dough actually benefits from kneading and handling it a little more than you normally would.  They’re also super fast to make.  I’m talking like maybe 10 minutes of actual work time.

Fortunately, my favorite recipe for Cheddar Cheese Biscuits happens to be a cream based biscuit.  They are light, fluffy, and deliciously cheesy.  I love cheese (perhaps a little too much), so I up the cheese factor in these by sprinkling a little on the tops of each biscuit before baking.  These biscuits are very adaptable, so feel free to play around and use whatever cheese you like best.  You could also add in a tablespoon of minced chives if you have them on hand.

These biscuits are best straight out of the oven.  My favorite way to eat them is with a big bowl of tomato soup.  There is something about the combination of cheese and tomato that I just find so comforting.  If you’re not a tomato fan (and surprisingly I know a few), these biscuits would be great with pretty much anything.  Cause let’s face it, when you combine cheese and biscuits you really can’t go wrong.

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What I’m Baking: Cornmeal Pancakes

February 28, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , 2 Comments

Pancakes w Butter

There’s a part of me that thinks I must have been an old Southern lady in a past life.  Despite growing up in Miami where Cuban food is the more typical comfort food, I have a deep and profound love for all Southern food.  I could eat grits with every meal.  Fried chicken and waffles is, in my opinion, the greatest food combination ever invented.  Just the thought of biscuits makes me happy and I’m obsessed with all things cornmeal.  I mean seriously obsessed.  I truly believe that cornmeal makes everything better.  Waffles?  Add some cornmeal!  Biscuits?  Make them cornmeal!  Shortbread?  Sure why not, throw some cornmeal in there!  Chocolate pudding?  Ummmmm…….maybe don’t add cornmeal to that one, but you get my point.

One of my favorite cornmeal dishes is Cornmeal Pancakes.  They are my go-to weekend breakfast, especially if people are in-town visiting or coming over for breakfast.  These pancakes are huge crowd pleasers.  I’m telling you people – it’s the cornmeal!  It’s magical stuff.  I went through a lot of recipes before finding the perfect one.  You would think that a great Cornmeal Pancake recipe would be easy to find, but I’m oddly picky about my pancakes.  Every recipe I found seemed to have some kind of problem.  The pancakes were either too thin or they weren’t cornmealey enough or they were too sweet.  I was about to give up hope until one day, while looking at The LA Times online, there it was…….the absolute perfect Cornmeal Pancake recipe.

This recipe is everything I could ever want in a pancake.  They’re thick, fluffy, and delicious with just the right amount of cornmeal.  Another testament to the greatness of this recipe is that I only made one very slight tweak to it.  I like my pancakes to be really cornmealey (shocker – I know), so I use half regular cornmeal and half coarsely ground cornmeal.  The coarse cornmeal adds a little bit of crunch to the texture and makes for a really great hearty pancake.  Pancake batter is one of those things that gets better the longer it rests.  The best thing is to make it the night before and let it rest in the fridge overnight.  I rarely have enough forethought to do that, but even just setting it aside for 30 minutes will make a difference.

These pancakes are phenomenal with a little butter and some maple syrup.  If you really want to up the awesome factor, fry up some turkey sausage to go on the side.  You really can’t get a much better breakfast than that!

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What I’m Baking: Oatmeal Raisin Biscoff Cookies

February 24, 2013 By in What I'm Baking Tags: , , , , , 10 Comments

Oatmeal Raisin Biscoff Cookies

I had a few requests for the Biscoff Cookie recipe I mentioned in Monday’s post, so I figured I would go ahead and share it with you guys.  The original cookie I made was a Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Biscoff, but after tasting them I decided I wanted to make them into a more classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.  I thought it would be a better flavor combination and, personally, I prefer raisins over chocolate chips in my oatmeal cookies.  I didn’t have any raisins on Monday hence the chocolate chips.  I tweaked the original recipe ever so slightly by adding in more Biscoff (because in my world you can never have too much Biscoff) and replaced the chocolate chips with rum soaked raisins and toasted walnuts.  After tasting the newly revamped cookie, I can tell you it’s even better than the original.  This one will definitely be going on The Earnest Baker menu.

A couple notes about the recipe.  Soaking the raisins in rum is an optional step, but if you have the time I highly suggest doing this.  It plumps up the raisins and makes them juicy and boozy and delicious.  Don’t worry, the cookies won’t taste like rum, but it will add a really lovely subtle note to the raisins and guarantees you won’t have dried out raisins in your cookies.  Toasting the walnuts is also an optional step, but I’m a firm believer in toasting nuts.  It brings out their flavor and it’s an easy touch that makes people feel like you went that extra mile (even though it’s ridiculously simple).  If you want to see the difference toasting makes, try toasting some nuts and comparing them to raw ones.  It will make you a believer.

My technique to make cookies is a little different.  In fact, I do some things that some people will specificially tell you not to do.  I’ve always made my cookies this way though and it’s how I get the exact texture and chewiness I like.  Oddly enough, when I got the Milk Bar cookbook I discovered Christina Tosi makes her cookies the same way.  I’ll go into detail about the technique in the recipe and have provided lots of pictures this time (yaay!).  Hope you guys enjoy the cookies as much as I do! I’ve already eaten two while writing this and am eyeing up a third……I’m writing them off as fuel for my 5 miler today (that makes it okay – right???).

I’m trying a new recipe style that goes into more details and provides more helpful tips and tricks.  Let me know what you guys think about it!

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