Yup

Even during the busiest of weeks (which seems to be almost every week lately), L and I always try to make time for special breakfasts on the weekend. It's a time for us to eat, relax, and enjoy some us time. Though we have our go-to breakfast favorites, I try to use these meals as a testing ground for new recipes that I've been wanting to try ... in fact, it really is my experimentation with breakfasts (and specifically my quest to make the perfect pancake for pancake-loving L) that turned me into a cooking fanatic. A few weeks back, I tried out a recipe that I had been eying for well over a year - lemon pancakes. They were a big hit then, and after making them again this weekend, I can say that they are the tastiest pancakes I've ever eaten. And I don't even like pancakes, so the fact that I love these so much should tell you something.

The texture of these delightful little pancakes is simply amazing. It's soft and velvety on the inside, with little hints of crispness along the outer edges. They have just the right balance of tart and sweet ... lemony without being slap-you-in-the-face-lemony. And the smell, oh, the smell. One batch of lemon pancakes, and you're immediately transported to the most perfect summer afternoon. They're that good. I promise.

I've taken the liberty of slimming down the recipe a bit, but you can go all in if you want something really rich by exchanging the light and non-fat ingredients that I've used for their more decadent counterparts. These are so delicate and delicious that they don't even need syrup, but I have made some fresh fruit syrups (like raspberry and blueberry) for L to top them with and didn't hear any complaints. And now, it's time to share the recipe that will have you raiding your neighbors' lemon trees like some kind of crazed lemon junkie.

Lemon Pancakes

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup light or non-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Combine sour cream/yogurt, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, egg, and vanilla in another bowl, mixing well. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing quickly and thoroughly. The batter will be thick and bubbly. Using 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour onto a preheated griddle or pan and allow to cook for approximately 2-3 minutes (until bubbles again to appear and break on the top). Flip using a wide spatula. Allow the underside to cook for 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned. Top with powdered sugar and fruit as desired. Yields approximately 10 pancakes.

Note: Because these pancakes are so delicate, I recommend using a non-stick spray or butter (unless a non-stick pan is being used). It does take a little bit of effort to flip them, so use the widest spatula that you own and loosen the edges as much as possible before attempting to turn them over.

I am in love. Not just cute, sweet puppy love. Like, head-over-heels stupid in love. Gooey Chocolate Pudding, I love you. I love your melty, sticky, chocolatey top. I love the way you smell as you bake. I pretty much love everything about you. Now, this is not an every day kind of dessert ... it's definitely one to save for a special occasion. But oh what a special occasion it will be when you serve up these ooey-gooey delights. My picture doesn't do this one justice - you absolutely must try it yourself.

Gooey Chocolate Pudding

Adapted from Cookshelf: Baking

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2-3/4 ounces white chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease four oven-safe, one-cup glass dishes. Cream together butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Fold into the egg, butter, and sugar mixture. Stir in both varieties of chocolate chips.

Divide the mixture evenly between the four bowls. Lightly grease four squares of aluminum foil and use them to cover the tops of the dishes, pressing around the edges to seal. Place the molds in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour in boiling water until the bowls are halfway submerged. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the dishes comes out clean. Remove the dishes from the water, and set them aside to cool. Turn the puddings out onto individual plates to serve.

Sauce Ingredients

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter

To make the sauce, put the cream, brown sugar, and butter into a small saucepan, and allow to come to a boil over low heat. Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Drizzle the sauce over the puddings after they have been plated.

I like to think of myself as a rather unflappable shopper ... I don't often get suckered in by flashy advertising and sneaky sales tactics. When I'm doing my grocery shopping, I tend to be too busy breaking prices down into cents per ounce to pay attention to over-sized promotional posters and displays. I was, however, not on my A-game when L and I picked up our groceries last week.

It all started off pretty well for us, and we had checked everything off of our list (with only a few extra items having made their way into the cart). But on the way to the checkout, we spotted a giant refrigerator case filled with strawberries and emblazoned with a buy-one-get-one-free offer. I pounced on it like a lion taking down a baby gazelle and had loaded up our cart with two huge containers of strawberries before I even realized what was happening. We finished our business, loaded up the car, and started on our way home. Then it happened. We were sitting at a stop light when L turned to me and said, "you'll have to think of something to do with all of those strawberries." It was a simple enough statement - and very definitely one that was true - but it completely surprised me. I had managed to wander out of the store with enough strawberries to feed a small army, and had absolutely no plan for what to do with them.

After a bit of back-and-forth, we settled on strawberry muffins. These were to be subtly sweet muffins with lots and lots of strawberries and a very tender texture. After consulting a few of my favorite cookbooks, I landed on this easy and effective recipe. And, thanks to a batch or two of these bad boys, I can proudly say that we managed to use up every last strawberry. Woo-hoo!

Simply Delightful Strawberry Muffins

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread Cook Book

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (note: using 1/3 cup makes for a slightly sweet muffin - use 1/2 cup if you prefer something sweeter, or if your berries are tart)
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups diced strawberries
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir together all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Blend together egg, oil, and milk; add all at once to dry mixture. Stir until just moistened, then stir in strawberries. Fill muffin liners or greased pan with batter (approximately 3/4 full per cup). Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

As I shared in a couple of previous posts, L's official birthday cake request this year was for a peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting. He's a sucker for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (and pretty much anything else that has the whole peanut-butter-and-chocolate-thing going on), so I wanted to do my best to recreate that in cake for for him. He was also adamant that it be a bundt cake. Clearly, he had a vision. I was picturing this dreamy little two-layer number, but since he was the birthday boy, I decided to play along. I'm so glad I did, because the way the cake looked with a thick layer of chocolate glaze drizzled all over was enough to make me weak in the knees.

Velvety Peanut Butter Cake with Semisweet Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book and Joy of Cooking

Cake Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup natural, unsalted peanut butter
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add softened butter, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Add eggs and beat on medium speed for an additional two minutes. Pour batter into a prepared bundt pan (greased and dusted lightly with flour), spreading as necessary.

Bake approximately 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before turning out onto a cake stand or serving platter. Refrigerate before applying glaze.

Glaze Ingredients

• 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup water
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Place chocolate and water into a microwave-safe dish and heat in 10 second increments until the chocolate begins to melt. Add salt and cinnamon, stirring thoroughly. Begin adding butter, two or three pieces at a time, and stirring until the butter is melted. Repeat until all butter has been added and mixture is smooth and glossy. Continue stirring until the mixture is just slightly warm. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and slowly pour the glaze over the top. Use spoon as necessary to guide drips down the sides of the cake.

The same night that I whipped up my "A Very Bunting Birthday Card," L and I finished off the last of this ridiculously fantastic bundt cake I made earlier in the week along with our evening coffee. It was a pretty simple devil's food cake - no icing or special fillings or anything like that - with a healthy sprinkling of chocolate chips throughout. It had a moist and dense interior surrounded by a delightfully-chewy outer crust, and was perfectly sweet without being overwhelming. It was the kind of cake that dreams are made of ... at least, the kind of dreams that I have. I wonder what Freud would have to say about that.

I found the base recipe in an old Betty Crocker cookbook that had been handed down by my Grandma to my Mom, who then passed it along it me. I love it because it's filled with really classic recipes that never go out of style, and everything is done with such flair. It's all about presentation and fancy dinner parties and the 1950s way of living ... it's fabulous! Every dish that is shown is being served on an ornate platter on a table that has actually been decorated to correspond with the theme of the meal by a hostess in a poofy party dress. And if that weren't enough, tucked randomly between the pages are dozens of recipes that my Grandma clipped from newspapers and magazines of the era. In many cases she left full pages intact, so I get to enjoy the vintage refrigerator and vacuum ads that were shown alongside in all of their original glory. Seeing as it was published in 1950, there aren't many vegetarian-friendly recipes featured within (with the exception of the baked goods and desserts, of course), but I absolutely adore using this cookbook and will find pretty much any excuse I can to pull it out.

But enough about the book, let's get to the cake!

Devil's Food Bundt Cake

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa, divided
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2/3 cup cocoa, and cinnamon. Add softened butter and slightly over half of the water and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Add eggs and remaining water and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for an additional two minutes. Coat the chocolate chips in remaining cocoa powder. Stir chocolate chips into batter by hand. Pour batter into a prepared bundt pan (greased and dusted lightly with cocoa powder), spreading as necessary.

Bake approximately 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before turning out onto a cake stand or serving platter.

Though I had hoped to spend part of my Sunday painting, I ended up baking, wrapping, and packaging the entire day away. I had planned to send a few friends and loved ones some homemade treats along with their holiday gifts (in addition to the goodie boxes I had in mind for my coworkers), but I didn't really think much about how much baking that would actually require. Not that I'd ever complain about having lots of baking to do ... in fact, I seek out reasons to do more baking than is needed for my household of two.

I started off by making some chocolate-covered pretzels. These weren't just any pretzels, mind you ... these were my very favorite honey wheat pretzels. I'll be the first to admit that I have very little experience with dipping things in chocolate (though I have lots of experience with eating things that have been dipped in chocolate), but these were actually super easy and turned out perfectly. Mmmm ... chocolate and salt.

I also whipped up a quadruple batch of L's favorite banana bread, made with roasted bananas and a cinnamon-sugar crust. I just don't do bananas, but L assured me that this was a particularly fantastic batch. And trust me, he takes his job as my official taste tester very seriously.

The last goodie on my list was a batch of cookies. I wanted to do something simple in terms of flavor but with a lot of visual appeal. Oh, and there had to be a note of chocolate somewhere in there, as requested by my Grammy. Here's what I came up with.

Chocolate & Vanilla Bean Pinwheel Cookies

Adapted from 365 Great Cookies & Brownies

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 or 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add the flour mixture and blend well. Divide dough in half in 2 bowls. Add melted chocolate to one half; add 1 teaspoon vanilla and seeds from vanilla bean to the other half. Mix well. Cover each bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until firm.

Roll out each piece of dough between 2 pieces of wax paper into 8 x 12-inch rectangles. Place 1 rectangle on top of the other and roll from the long side to create a 12-inch roll. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange approximately 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with turbinado sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Today's the day for me to share the results of my weekend sewing! Or ... so I thought it would be. As it turns out, it has taken me a little longer than expected to wrap up my project. I spent the bulk of my day pressing and clipping and gathering, and I'm getting close. But I'm not quite close enough to post any photographic evidence of my efforts, so you'll just have to take my word for it (for now).

The good news is that L requested a special breakfast goodie this weekend, which meant that I had to adapt one of our favorite coffee cake recipes - with fabulous results. Since I had made Pumpkin Clouds last week, we still had quite a lot of leftover pumpkin in our fridge that was just begging to be whipped into something. And that something turned out to be a pumpkin coffee cake. It has just the right amount of pumpkin-y goodness without venturing completely into pumpkin bread territory. Besides, I'm a sucker for anything with a streusel topping, so this one is automatically a winner for me.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon; set aside. Place granulated sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine sour cream, pumpkin, and vanilla, and add to mixture. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, grated nutmeg, and cloves, blending well with a wisk. Gradually add flour to sugar mixture, and beat well until combined. Spread half of the batter into a greased, 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle half of the walnut streusel mixture over batter. Spread remaining batter over streusel and top with the rest of the streusel mixture.

Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

I'm starting to think that Greek yogurt is what dreams are made of. It's super healthy (and is a great source of protein - which is something I look for, being a vegetarian and all) and it's really tasty. I love pairing nonfat Greek yogurt with fruit, cinnamon, honey, granola ... the list goes on and on. I've used it in recipes ranging from spicy Indian curries to carrot cake, and it always adds just the right amount of creaminess without bogging my meals down with loads of fat. In a nutshell, it's basically perfect in every way. But I've found a way to make it perfect-er.

So, what makes Greek yogurt even more awesome than it already is? Making it yourself, that's what! Making yogurt appeals to my former-biology-major-and-chemistry-enthusiast side, since it's all about precision and cleanliness. But it gets my creative-in-the-kitchen side all hot and bothered too, because there's something quite sexy in a culinary sense about cooking something that most people find intimidating (even though it's actually very easy).

Here's how I make my yogurt, along with a few helpful tidbits I've learned along the way. I've already screwed up a couple of batches, which means that you don't have to!

Note: I use a yogurt maker, but I've seen a number of blogs that share methods for making yogurt without one. If you eat a lot of yogurt, you may want to consider investing in one ... They're only about 30 bucks and they maintain a really uniform, constant temperature, which makes the yogurt cultures very, very, very happy.

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the glass jars that will hold your yogurt, as well as the measuring cup, pan, and other tools that will be used. This step is very important, because any contamination could prevent your yogurt cultures from growing properly.
2. Measure the appropriate amount of milk based on the capacity of your yogurt maker. The model I used makes seven six-ounce jars per batch, so I start with 42 ounces of milk.
3. Pour the milk into your pan, and place it over medium heat. Whisk frequently until the milk reaches 188 degrees. The constant movement helps to prevent any skin from forming (and, trust me, even a small clump of skin will turn into a minor disaster after 12 hours of cooking).
4. Remove your pan from the heat, and allow to cool to 109 degrees. I like to give it a stir every few minutes as it cools to help keep the skin issue in check.
5. Place 6 ounces of good quality yogurt into a large pitcher. This will act as your base from which your yogurt culture will grow. Note: My 42-ounce batch uses 6 ounces of yogurt, but I've seen recipes that call for everything from two tablespoons to a full cup. You may have to play with this measurement a bit to see what works for you.
6. Add the cooled milk to the yogurt in the pitcher, and whisk until combined.
7. Pour mixture into your jars, and place the uncovered jars into your yogurt maker.
8. Allow to cook until the desired consistency is reached - approximately 8-12 hours. A lower fat content in your milk generally makes for a longer cooking time, but you can tailor your cooking length based on how thick you like your yogurt (shorter cooking time equals thinner yogurt and vice versa).
9. Place lids onto your jars and put them into the fridge to cool. Enjoy within a week.

Now, don't you feel more cultured just reading that? Cultured ... yogurt ... cultured ... ya, I took it there.