Girl Meets Kitchen

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Plum Torte

Sometimes life just calls for a torte. For no reason at all, other than to celebrate fresh ingredients that are in season. They seem so fancy, but are truly quite simple to make.

While the weather in Minneapolis has been grey and rainy over the past few days, it’s given my girls and me some time to do crafts inside, snuggle up on the couch together – and of course, bake. I hope they enjoy memories of baking with their mom someday as I do of my own baking experiences with my mom and grandmother.

This torte is a beauty. The plums are such a perfect addition, and the cake is moist and has a bit of zing from the lemon zest. Make one to share with some friends as a chance to bring loved ones together, just because. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 medium sized plums, cut into tenths
1/2 cup (1 stick) organic butter, at room temp
1 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup All Purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
Powder sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the plums into tenths after removing the pit.
In your Kitchen Aid mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 cup sugar together for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you add them. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix.
Add the flour, baking soda and lemon zest and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 9″ springform pan and spread evenly.
Layer the sliced plums atop the batter in any pattern you’d like. Sprinkle the plums with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Bake 45-55 minutes, until the cake lightly browns and a toothpick comes out clean.
After 30 minutes, remove springform and dust generously with powder sugar.

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Peach Sweet Rolls

These rolls…I don’t even know where to begin. These are dedicated to my sweet sister who loves food as much as I do – and agrees to be my taste tester whenever I need one. Today was such a day that I invited her over to lunch so our kids could play, we could rely on one another for some free therapy and a good amount of laughter, and I could cook for everyone. Lunch was good, but these beauties were the star. I also think they were sweeter because of the fellowship we shared before we devoured them.

We each enjoyed one. Then my nephew didn’t eat all of his, and my sister quickly grabbed it and said “I’ll eat it!” Not 30 seconds later, my older did the same, and I shamelessly ate a second as well.

They’re sweet, without being overly sugary; moist and smell exactly how a sweet roll should smell. The peaches are a great addition outside the usual ingredients of a sweet roll. I am beyond excited to share this recipe with you – and hope that you will bake them to share with someone you love to be near as well – be it friend or family. Happy baking!

Ingredients:

For the Dough

1 1/4 cup warm water (be careful it isn’t hot to ensure you don’t kill the yeast)
1/4 cup raw organic honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used California Olive Ranch)
1 packet quick rise yeast
1 egg
4 cups unbleached AP flour, sifted (I used King Arthur)

For the Filling

4-5 small to medium sized peaches, skinned and pureed (yields about 3/4 cup)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp organic butter

For the Icing

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp whole milk (start with 2 tbsp as you want it to be thick, add the 3rd only if needed)

Method:

In your Kitchen Aid mixer, fitted with the hook attachment, add the water, honey, olive oil and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast so that it bubbles or foams.
Add the egg and mix. Sift the 4 cups of flour into the bowl and turn the mixer on to speed 3. Let the hook knead the dough for 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly oil the bottom. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a towel for 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.
After the dough rises, turn the oven on to 350.
Skin, cut and puree the peaches and set aside in a bowl.
Generously flour a clean surface large enough to roll out the dough to a rectangle slightly larger than 10×14. Prior to rolling the dough, punch the center of the dough to remove any air.
After rolling, spread the butter across the dough, followed by half the pureed peaches. Sprinkle the brown sugar atop the peaches.
Begin at one end of the dough and begin rolling horizontally in a fairly tight method. (Note, some of the pureed peaches and brown sugar will ooze out the sides and end as you roll. Save this for topping the rolls!)
Using a sharp knife, cut 1″ sections of the rolled dough and place in a greased 9×12 pan. The recipe yields 12 rolls. Add the remaining peach puree (and any that oozed out) atop the rolls and cover to let rise 15 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes & cover the hot rolls with the icing. Serve immediately or cover and enjoy within 2 days (if they last that long!)

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Watermelon Margarita

Summer is by far my favorite season and I relish every waking moment of it. My husband has coined this summer: “The Summer of Julia.” We are huge Seinfeld fans, and I’ve been able to do things this summer I’ve been wanting to do for years. Dreams only become a reality when you make them happen, and we are following that truth wholeheartedly this year!

This delicious summer needs a drink to go with it:: and this one is pretty spectacular. It’s refreshing and simple, with nothing added to ruin the flavors as they were designed to be enjoyed. I have always been a fan of margaritas, but only when the ingredients are pure {meaning sans sour or anything overly sugary.}

This recipe highlights the peak of watermelon season and yields about 4 drinks. Enjoy it with your friends on the front porch or poolside on a sunny day! Cheers!

Ingredients:

2 cups of watermelon, puréed in a food processor
The juice of 3 limes, plus a few wedges for garnish
Tequila, choose your favorite – I like a Blanco.
Triple sec
Salt for the glass rim (optional)

Method:

Purée the watermelon until smooth in the food processor. Squeeze the limes into the watermelon juice.
Fill a low ball glass with ice and measure out 1.5 oz of your favorite tequila. Add .5 oz of triple sec, then pour the watermelon & lime juice over the tequila and triple sec until the cup is full.
Stir, garnish with lime and a watermelon wedge and enjoy!

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Peach Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

I love fresh Farmer’s Market finds – especially when I come across seasonal items that I know will be at the peak of flavor. I found some strawberry rhubarb last week at a local mid-week market and wanted to highlight the fresh flavors in something quick and easy for our fun-filled summer mornings. I’ve also been trying (when possible) to cut out refined sugars in my baking and substituting more natural options via either raw honey or pure maple syrup.

These muffins are moist and bursting with flavors. They are a little more dense than a normal muffin, but the flavors are spot on without the refined sugars. The natural sugar in the peaches and rhubarb only add to these in the most wonderful way.

I have some pretty cute taste testers; truly my kids are good eaters. I believe it’s because I expose them to a large variety of foods and teach them to keep an open mind to trying new things. They both love fruits and vegetables; but let’s be honest…there are still moments of finicky eating or aversion to the idea of a new item. So when these muffins were devoured in multiples over the span of 15 minutes, I knew I had a good recipe that didn’t compromise in the flavor department.

This recipe would also work well in a loaf pan instead of muffins. Change out the fruits if you want! I added blueberries on the second batch in addition to the peaches and rhubarb. Enjoy this delicious summer, friends! Love from my kitchen to yours!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) of organic, grass fed butter at room temperature
1/2 cup natural, no sugar added applesauce
1 cup grade A, organic pure maple syrup
3/4 cup organic whole milk
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 organic eggs
1.5 cups unbleached All Purpose flour (I used King Arthur)
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
6 stalks of strawberry rhubarb, diced (or regular rhubarb is fine!)
2 medium sized peaches, diced

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325. Fill muffin tins with liners and set aside.
In your Kitchen-Aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, applesauce, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract and eggs together until well combined.
Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the diced rhubarb and peaches and fill muffin liners to 3/4 to the top of the liners.
Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Yields approximately 20 muffins.

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Summer Rhubarb Bread

Summer.

It deserves its own sentence. It’s sweet, delicious & exudes happiness. If this bread was in the dictionary, it would be listed under summer! Rhubarb is in its prime in Minnesota right now and I grabbed some at my local farmers market last weekend with this recipe in mind.

Rhubarb transports me back to summers of my childhood when time stood still and the days were full of climbing trees, dirt biking and playing kick the can until the moon was out. My grandma had rhubarb and let us eat it raw – then cooked up delicious recipes that let this fantastic fruit boast its beauty. It’s almost as if rhubarb is a time machine for me, so you can imagine my delight when this recipe came out darn near perfect the first time.

As many of you are aware, I’m always attempting to provide my family with the purest ingredients. This means trying to cut out refined sugar where I can. There is a place in my kitchen for sugar, but this made me think twice when using it, knowing I could utilize another ingredient (albeit still sugar!) that’s more natural.

In the place of the sugar, I substituted the same amount of 100% organic pure maple syrup. I used grade A medium amber as the darker you go, the more intense the maple flavor it delivers. I also love that this brand can be found at Target and boasts a non-GMO label. Pure maple syrups boast a number of antioxidants as well and has about 1/6th less the amount of sugars – but again, this is still a source of sugar, and everything in moderation.

Bake this with summer in mind, and enjoy any time of day. You won’t miss the refined sugars and it will make you reminiscent of your youth if you grew up anything like I did.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature organic butter from grass fed cows
1 cup Grade A organic maple syrup (I used Simply Balance brand)
2 organic cage free eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp organic whole milk
1 cup organic, all natural (no sugar added) applesauce
2 cups unbleached AP flour (I used King Arthur)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 bunch (approximately 4-5 long stalks) of fresh ripe rhubarb

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325. Butter and flour a loaf pan and set aside.
Clean rhubarb and divide in half. Dice half the stalks and halve and leave the remainder of the stalks to be the size of 6″ long to top the loaf.
In a Kitchen-Aid mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and maple syrup for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the milk, vanilla extract and applesauce.
Slowly mix in the flour, cinnamon and baking powder, then gently fold in the diced rhubarb. Pour into the greased pan, then top the bread with the length-wise rhubarb and gently press down the rhubarb into the top of the bread.
Bake for 55-70 minutes, depending on the oven until a tester comes out clean from the center. Let cool and serve, or store for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Vegetable Lo Mein – Gluten Free

I distinctly remember trying Lo Mein for the first time. It was from a takeout restaurant in my hometown in a tiny strip mall a few doors down from my mom’s business. It was everything you want Lo Mein to be:: greasy, garlicky, and loaded with flavors I’ll never forget. The place is still in business and quite frankly one of the better take out venues I’ve had for Chinese food.

Skip ahead a few {20} years and I’ve grown so much more cognitive of what I’m eating and what’s in our food – much more what I’m putting into my young beautiful girls’ bodies. By no means is it a perfect system; there are days where they have a box of organic macaroni and cheese (which is likely no better but eases my mom guilt ever so slightly…) but overall, I feel better knowing from where my food is coming and the quality of the ingredients.

Lo Mein is a complete comfort food for me – but this is a way I feel way less guilty indulging. And can we please talk about how ridiculously easy this dish is? Seriously folks, dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes! Feel good about it. You’re a super human juggling 30 things every day – dinner should be simple and fun. Not to mention delicious. Enjoy and tweak according to your preferences. Like it spicy? Sauté the jalapenos with the veggies. I have delicate palates in the house so I top my Lo Mein with the raw jalapenos at the end. Use vegetables that are seasonal and favorites. Add your favorite meat if you want to add some protein. The sky is the limit.

Ingredients:

1 cup grape seed oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1.5 tbsp. garlic powder
1.5 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1.5 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup of the pasta water reserved from cooking the noodles
1 red pepper, yellow pepper and orange pepper thinly sliced
3 large carrots peeled and sliced to match the size of the peppers
10 green onions chopped into 2″ pieces
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish roughly chopped
12 oz. brown rice noodles

Method:

In a stockpot atop your cooktop, bring water to a boil.
Meanwhile, wash and slice your vegetables.
In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil and sauté the vegetables over medium heat until cooked and slightly crunchy.
Boil the rice noodles 4-6 minutes and drain. During this process, add the oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and onion powder, garlic salt, minced garlic and 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water into a large measuring cup and stir to combine.
Turn the heat to low and add the drained noodles to the vegetable sauté pan. Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Add the chopped cilantro and gently toss together the ingredients.
Serve immediately and top with cilantro and jalapenos. Enjoy!

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Maple Glazed Jalapeño Bacon

We often joke in my family that it’s a prerequisite to love bacon. While we are only half serious, my family’s love for bacon is serious business. Bacon is love – there’s a reason Emeril’s saying “Pork Fat Rules” became popular! It’s an instant pick me up to any bad day and there isn’t a dish out there of which can’t be improved by a few strips of quality bacon.

On a Tuesday evening whilst the littles were enjoying the gorgeous spring weather outside, the beginnings of dinner was coming together in my kitchen. I decided to take BLT’s to another level, and I’m beyond crazy about the results. This bacon:: it’s more addicting than candy. It’s also insanely simple and utilizes items you’re bound to already have on hand in your kitchen.

Good food should be simple. Tailor this recipe per your liking heat wise. These are spicy! I’m a part of the some like it hot club. Omit the jalapeños to make them milder, or for a sweet bacon, simply use the maple syrup. Please use the real deal, though! None of the Aunt Jemima stuff. {sorry, Aunt Jemima: we are simply seeking some pure food, no offense!}

Ingredients:

1 lb all natural thick cut Hickory smoked nitrate/nitrite free bacon
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, dark Amber
2 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Method:

Preheat oven to 400. Lay out the bacon strips on a cooking sheet spaced so each piece doesn’t touch. Generously brush each piece of bacon with the maple syrup.
Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and place 2-3 slices of jalapeños atop each piece of bacon.
Bake 20-30 minutes or until done per your liking. Eat alone or on a BLT.

Bon Apetit, friends!

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Savory Tomato & Onion Galette

This dish proves that good food doesn’t need to be complicated. Dinner time at our house often looks chaotic from an outsider’s perspective, so the last thing I need is complicated recipes to add to the chaos. We have an almost 4 year old running in one direction, an almost 1 year old crawling in another; meanwhile my husband and I are merely attempting to love on both of them while catching up over our day and put some quality and delicious food on the table.

With an onset of warmer weather, fresh produce is making its way into our local markets again. I love the idea and option to buy local ingredients, not only to support local, but it always seems to taste so much better.

A Galette is such a simple and beautiful way to highlight fresh produce – be it sweet or savory. I went savory this time to utilize some fresh tomatoes and onions we had on hand. I also had some fresh herbs that I knew would only add to the goodness, including sage and chives. These are definitely two of my favorite herbs, and such an easy way to infuse flavor into a dish without loading it down with sodium. Change up the vegetables per your liking! The joy of cooking is to make it personal.

This Galette bursts with flavor, and despite my husband’s skeptical look while I was assembling all the components, it provided me with a satisfactory look of “Yes, you were so right,” after his first bite.

The recipe yields one 7-8″ galette, enough to serve 4 as either a hearty side dish or a lighter dinner.

Ingredients:

For the Galette:

1 cup all purpose, unbleached flour (I used King Arthur)
1 tsp. pink salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tbsp. minced chives (fresh)
2 tsp. minced sage leaves (fresh, not dried)
6 tbsp. cold butter, cubed
Between 1/4-1/2 cup ice cold water

For the Filling:

1 vine ripened tomato, sliced into 5 half inch slices
1 red onion, sliced thinly
4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
6-8 yellow cherry tomatoes (optional), halved
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling atop the assembled gallette
1/2 tsp. pink salt

Method:

Measure out the water and add a few ice cubes to ensure the water remains cold. Mince the chives and sage and set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, minced chives and sage. Stir to combine.
Add the cubed, ice cold butter and combine with a fork or pastry knife until the butter is combined and smaller than pea sized balls.
Add 1/4 the ice water (sans ice) and mix the dough with your hands until the dough just comes together. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together, but do not overmix!
Wrap the ball of dough in a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the onions and tomatoes.
In a large pan, preheat the 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil on the cooktop and caramelize the onions (seasoned with the 1/2 tsp. salt) over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pull the dough out of the fridge (or freezer) and use your hands to pat down into an even round shape. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to form a 10″ circle. Gently transfer the dough onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Place the caramelized onions in the center of the gallette, leaving a 1.5-2″ perimeter of dough. Next, assemble the cheese atop the onions and the tomatoes atop the cheese, much like assembling a pizza.
Finally, gently fold up the sides of the gallette over the tomatoes, pinching the creases together as you go until the gallette is completed.
Drizzle very lightly with extra virgin olive oil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Remove and enjoy immediately.

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Citrus Infusion Cocktail

I recently picked up a large amount of Kumquats at the store and they were bursting with tartness and vibrance. It was almost like an entree to the spring, sunshine and the warmer weather we’ve finally been enjoying in a tiny little orange package. They pack a punch that’s so lovely and unexpected, and in my opinion, completely under utilized!

On a sunny afternoon over this past weekend, our oldest was playing outside, the youngest taking a late nap and I was prepping dinner. My husband asked me to make us a refreshing drink and enjoy each other’s company for a 5 minute mini date. These are the moments I cherish; those unexpected moments to connect and chat amidst the beautiful every day moments of Bubble Guppies and diaper changes.

I almost immediately grabbed the Kumquats and the idea formed of a refreshing, citrusy drink that almost tastes like summer. It’s perfect for a sunshine filled day – or any weather for that matter to sweeten a moment with a loved one

This recipe yields enough for 2 drinks. Cheers to you, my friends! And a special cheers to the one my heart loves.

Ingredients:

1 cup kumquats, washed
The juice of 3 blood oranges
The juice of 1/2 lemon, plus a slice for each drink to garnish
A splash of sparkling water for each drink (optional – I used Lemon LaCroix)
2 oz of your favorite vodka

Method:

In a food processor or similar (I used a magic bullet), process the Kumquats until fully puréed. The purée will be pithy.
Over a large measuring cup or small bowl, strain the purée through a fine sieve to extract the juices of the Kunquats. While you can eat the whole kumquat, it’s best for this drink to remove the pith and seeds by straining out the liquid. It provides a concentrated flavor without the grit in the drink.
Into the same measuring cup or bowl, add the juice of the blood oranges and half lemon. Stir to combine. It makes a gorgeous red/orange color and smells like you’ve been sucker punched by a citrus grove.
Fill two cups with ice and divide the vodka amongst the two. I used 8 oz low ball glasses filled with ice to the rim.
Pour the citrus mixture over the vodka, leaving a little room to splash sparkling water atop each drink. Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge. Cheers!

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Posted on November 4, 2015 by Julia

Bloody Mary

Occasionally, I enjoy a good Bloody Mary. A few spots in Minneapolis have really nailed my preference in flavor town. A recent jaunt to Smack Shack with some good company (Find Laurie at Relishing It!) made me want to create a recipe of my own for those once in a while Bloody cravings.

I found a juice at a local co-op that was free of anything unnatural or fillers, so that was my base. If time allowed, I would make my own vegetable juice – but that would require me to finally purchase that juicer I’ve had my eyes on for a while as well. So until then:: here is the ultimate simple, delicious and spicy mix for you. I like spicy – so in the future, I will add more habanero sauce. This is just a hint above “Minnesota Spicy” (that means it has a kick to it, but nothing that will offend the faint of heart.)

Enjoy friends, and thanks for stopping by!

Ingredients:

32 oz bottle of Organic Very Veggie Juice (I used R.W. Knudsen, but find any blend you prefer.)
8 oz. water
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1.5 tsp. celery salt, plus more for the glass rims if you prefer
1/2 tsp. cayennne pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flake
1 tbsp. Chile Habanero Hot Sauce (or your preferred hot sauce)

Method:

Add all ingredients to a large pitcher and stir to combine.
Let sit for 24 for the flavors to combine.
Pour over vodka and enjoy at your leisure! The mix will keep for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. Cheers!