Annie's Eats

Provençal Burger

Annie — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:42:21 +0000

I suspect that many who consider themselves foodies may occasionally view holidays as both good and bad. On the one hand, yay for a holiday! Occasions to spend time with people you love, and that nearly always center around food of some kind. However, so many holidays have “classic” foods associated with them, it can leave little room for creativity or experimentation. Ham at Easter, turkey at Thanksgiving, cookies upon cookies at Christmas. And Memorial Day – well, obviously it’s going to involve grilling. Likely hamburgers, hot dogs, or maybe barbecue chicken. Probably potato salad. That’s certainly not to imply that I don’t enjoy some of the classic fare or that I’m too snooty for that stuff (puh-lease…I love me some deviled eggs!) But the classics don’t always get the foodie part of my brain excited.

This burger is my answer for any foodies who feel similarly about the upcoming holiday weekend. You can still get your grill on and satisfy the urge to experiment…or of late, my urge to use goat cheese in nearly every meal. This may not look all that special on the surface, but let me tell you – herbed goat cheese, red onion jam, and basil aioli are involved, and they make this burger ah-mazing. This is my homemade version of a burger from the best burger place in Indy. Their menu has all sorts of interesting, jazzed up burgers. I’ve tried the majority of them and this is by far my favorite. It may sound fancy and complex, but you can make the red onion jam and the aioli in the time it takes your grill to heat up. It’s totally worth the little bit of extra effort required. (Oh and be forewarned – the aioli is addictively good. Make some homemade fries to dip in it and let me know what time I should be over.) I hope you all have an awesome three day weekend! Be safe, have fun, and wear sunscreen!

Recipe: Provençal Burger

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the burgers:
1¼ lbs. ground beef or ground sirloin
2 tbsp. finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

For the red onion jam:
1 tbsp. butter
1 large red onion (or 2 small), thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup red wine (I used pinot noir)

For the aioli:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1 clove garlic
1 large egg
1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. coarse salt
6 tbsp. canola oil
6 tbsp. olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

To assemble:
Hamburger buns, split
Garlic herb goat cheese (about 2 oz.)
Lettuce

Directions:

To make the burgers, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire in a large bowl. Stir or knead together just until evenly mix. Form into four patties about 1 inch thick with an indentation in the center. Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium-high heat.

To make the red onion jam, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions, sugar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened and they begin to brown. Add about half of the red wine to the pan and let cook down, soaking into the onions. Once the wine has been well absorbed, stir in the second half of the wine. Continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until well softened and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20-25 minutes total. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the aioli, combine the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add in the egg, lemon juice and salt and pulse briefly to combine. With the food processor running, add the oils in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until a thick aioli has formed. (This can likely also be done in a blender or with an immersion blender, or even with a whisk and a lot of elbow grease.)

When the grill is heated, cook the patties to your liking, turning once. Remove the finished patties to a plate and let rest briefly. Meanwhile, place the split burger buns on the grill, cut side down, and let toast just briefly until golden brown. Remove from the grill. Spread a layer of the herbed goat cheese on the warmed buns. Assemble the burgers with lettuce, the basil aioli and the red onion jam. Serve immediately.

Source

burger patties from Williams Sonoma, overall concept inspired by Bru Burger Bar

Strawberry Riesling Slushies

Annie — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:30:50 +0000

I could pretend I’m super sophisticated and have extensive, meaningful knowledge about wine but that would be a complete farce. I’d say I’m just a step or two above Michael Scott, really. Some may turn their noses up at Riesling because it is on the sweeter side of whites, it’s all good. More for me! Really though, Riesling is my personal favorite and when I came across the brilliant idea of strawberry Riesling slushies I could only wonder 1) why I hadn’t encountered these sooner and 2) how soon I could conceivably make them. If your ice cream maker is already chilled, these require about five minutes of actual effort and 20-30 minutes of patience (the hard part). And in case you were wondering, they are a nice antidote for a long Monday after which you arrive home to a non-functioning air conditioner. Yes, indeed.

Recipe: Strawberry Riesling Slushies

Yield: about 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
1 (750 ml) bottle Riesling, preferably chilled
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, Riesling, sugar and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn until a slushy/icy mixture has formed. Pour into serving glasses, garnish with additional berries if desired, and serve immediately.

*Because I'm sure someone will ask, I haven't tried this without an ice cream maker so I can't say for certain whether that will work. However, I think that if you added maybe 50% more strawberries (to decrease the overall percentage of alcohol, thereby making the mixture more amenable to freezing), and used a granita technique, you would have something pretty darn close. If you try it, let me know!

Source

Bon Appétit

Blackberry Chèvre Salad

Annie — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:30:35 +0000

Did you all have a good weekend? Mine was full to the brim with good things. Lots of fun time with the kids, nice weather for playing outside, a beautiful wedding of a friend of many years, and time cooking with some other great friends. Oh, and there was lots of great food, including this salad. It was definitely a highlight, even amongst all that goodness. So much so that I couldn’t wait even a few days to share it with you.

A few weeks ago I attended a dinner for work and ordered a starter salad similar to this. Rarely if ever is the salad the highlight of my meal, but that evening it was. I have been wanting to recreate it at home ever since, so this weekend I finally made it happen. As much as I loved the restaurant version, this was way better. In fact, this is the new reigning favorite salad in my world – kind of a big deal. The fresh blackberries, blackberry vinaigrette, creamy goat cheese and spiced nuts are each fairly simple elements but they combine to make a pretty extraordinary salad. If you can find honey goat cheese in your store, I highly recommend using it. It’s kind of amazing. I predict more future recipes highlighting this fabulous cheese…oh yes, I do.

Recipe: Blackberry Chèvre Salad

Yield: about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

For the dressing:
6 oz. fresh blackberries, rinsed
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1½ tbsp. honey
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the spiced nuts:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
¾ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

To assemble:
Mixed salad greens
2 oz. honey goat cheese
About 6 oz. fresh blackberries
Thinly sliced vidalia onion

Directions:

To make the dressing, place the berries in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out as much fruit puree as possible while removing the seeds. In a liquid measuring cup or jar, combine the blackberry puree with the vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to use.

To make the spiced nuts, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to heat for about 1 minute, then stir in the chopped nuts. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

To serve, plate portions of salad greens on salad plates. Top with crumbled goat cheese, fresh blackberries, vidalia onion and the spiced nuts as desired. Drizzle lightly with the blackberry vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Vanilla Doughnuts

Annie — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:30:45 +0000

When the first quart of spring strawberries arrived in our produce delivery bin a few weeks ago, Andrew immediately asked if we could bake something with them. I asked what he had in mind and after only a moment’s hesitation, he declared, “Strawberry doughnuts.” This caught me off guard. Doughnuts are a very rare occurrence in our house and the kid has probably had less than three doughnuts in his entire life. Not only that, but I wasn’t sure exactly what a strawberry doughnut entailed…this was clearly a spur of the moment idea for him. Unlike basically anything else he has ever thought of, he actually forgot about this idea. I, however, did not. I just couldn’t get the idea out of my head. Strawberry doughnuts…I pondered and pondered. What would be the best way to go about that?

Homemade doughnuts are so irresistible, I allow myself to make them only once a year as a treat. These most definitely were a product of trial and error, and then even more error on my part, but they were so worth it in the end. We loved everything about the way these turned out and it was tough to limit ourselves to just one. The dough has an overnight rest so they are doable for a brunch treat if you so choose.

Recipe: Strawberry Vanilla Doughnuts

Yield: about 10 doughnuts

Ingredients:

For the doughnuts:
2½ tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. coarse salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
7 tbsp. butter, at room temperature, cut into large chunks

For the filling:
1 quart strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

To finish:
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup vanilla sugar*

Directions:

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast with the milk and whisk briefly to dissolve. Add in the flour, sugar, salt, and eggs. Continue mixing on low speed 2-3 minutes more. Add in the butter a piece at a time, waiting until each is mostly incorporated before adding another. Continue kneading about 5-6 minutes more. If necessary, add extra flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough is cohesive but still slightly sticky.

Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and spray lightly with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and refrigerate overnight (at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours).

Lightly flour a baking sheet, and generously flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and gently pat or roll out to a slab about ½-¾ inch-thick. Use a 3 to 3½-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out rounds of the dough. Transfer dough rounds to the prepared baking sheet, rerolling and recutting dough scraps as needed. Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, make the strawberry jam filling. Coarsely chop the berries (use the food processor or blender, if you wish.) Transfer the chopped berries to a large skillet with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the jam is thickened and bubbles cover the surface, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool well before using.

When you are ready to finish the doughnuts, fill a large saucepan or pot with canola oil to a depth of 3 inches. Clip a thermometer to the side and heat the oil to 350˚ F. Meanwhile, line a cooling rack with paper towels. When the oil has reached the appropriate temperature add doughnuts to the oil in the pan in a single layer so that they are not crowded. Fry, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 4-5 minutes total.

Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer the finished doughnuts to the cooling rack. Place the vanilla sugar in a shallow plate or dish. After a few minutes of cooling, evenly coat all sides of the doughnuts in the vanilla sugar, shaking away the excess. Repeat the frying process until all doughnuts are cooked.

Transfer the strawberry filling to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Gently poke the pastry bag into each doughnut and squeeze a few tablespoons of filling into each. Serve fresh.

*If you don't have vanilla sugar, no worries. Just use regular sugar. It will still taste fab. To make vanilla sugar, add spent vanilla pods to an airtight container of sugar and let stand at least 2 days. That's it!

Source

doughnuts and filling slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake Bars

Annie — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:30:58 +0000

Cheesecake has long been one of my very favorite desserts. That rich and creamy filling atop a buttery graham cracker crust. Mmm, mmm good. Add caramel and toffee into the mix and we’ve definitely entered into the realm of irresistible. Let’s be honest – caramel sauce can give most any dessert an instant upgrade. Ben doesn’t have nearly the sweet tooth that I do, but he does have a weakness for toffee and for caramel. Combining the two in a single dessert probably had him wondering why I might be trying to butter him up.

This is a time when cheesecake bars are superior to a traditional cheesecake, because they make portion control so much easier to manage. One square has just enough to satisfy without feeling guilty. Even better, bars are so much easier to share! Pass them off to family, friends, neighbors… I’d be willing to bet that if you do decide to share, you’ll get requests for the recipe.

Recipe: Caramel Toffee Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar
½ cup toffee bits

For the filling:
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 cup caramel sauce

For topping:
Additional caramel sauce, for drizzling
About ½ cup toffee bits

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Toss with a fork until evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the toffee bits in an even layer over the graham cracker mixture. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, but maintain the oven temperature.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the sugar. Blend in the egg, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the caramel sauce. Pour the mixture over the crust in an even layer.

Return the pan to the oven and bake just until set, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the cheesecake and sprinkle with additional toffee bits. Slice into squares with a large kitchen knife. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Annie — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:30:12 +0000

Despite my best efforts, I fell into some sort of weird breakfast rut the past month or so. Nothing has sounded particularly good to me…I think in part due to the change in the weather. So many of the dishes I loved through winter are less appealing now. That coupled with having about two minutes available for eating breakfast each morning has led to an awful lot of smoothies and sad banana toasts. Oatmeal has become a favorite of mine in the past few years but I wanted a new spin on it. This carrot cake oatmeal was the answer.

Okay, obviously it isn’t exactly carrot cake. I mean, it’s still oatmeal. But it’s darn good oatmeal. The carrot, coconut and raisins pack a nice dose of natural sweetness so very little additional sugar is needed. This recipe will definitely come in handy for all those times that I have random bags of carrots sitting neglected in the veggie drawers. Enjoy!

Recipe: Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 cup low-fat milk*
1 tbsp. unsalted butter*
1 cup steel-cut oats
¼ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
½ cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup raisins
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

Directions:

Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the oats and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir the toasted oats into the simmering liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the mixture is very thick, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the salt, brown sugar, carrot, coconut, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the oatmeal is creamy, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*To make this vegan/dairy free, use coconut milk and coconut oil in place of the milk and butter.

** This recipe can be made in advance and reheated before serving. When reheating, stir in an additional splash of milk to help loosen the cooled oats.

Source

adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook, inspired by Kitchen Simplicity

Roasted Salmon Sandwich with Garlic Chive Aioli

Annie — Wed, 08 May 2013 08:30:49 +0000

Not too long ago, I mentioned my mini love affair with Taste Café in Broad Ripple. Well, it really hasn’t subsided. I meet up with friends, or coax coworkers to venture outside of a one mile radius for lunch, and whenever I do, we end up at Taste. The menu is extensive and they always have tons of great specials, but ever since trying their roasted salmon sandwich, it has been tough for me to order anything else. It’s just so good.

Recreating a homemade version of this remedied several issues at once. I can once more feel free to order other things on the menu besides the salmon sandwich, since I can enjoy this sandwich from home. Also, maybe (just maybe), I won’t feel this borderline obsessive pull to visit the restaurant in the first place. (If they had a location closer to my house however, all bets would be off for sure.) And finally, my little man loves salmon and asks for it weekly. This dinner is his ultimate and we don’t often stray from it because it’s just so simple, but this sandwich was happily Andrew approved and devoured. I made a garlic chive aioli in part because my chive plant is going crazy, and it was a really nice addition. Be sure to use a soft bread such as focaccia since, as with most fish, the salmon is fairly tender and flakes easily under pressure.

Recipe: Roasted Salmon Sandwich with Garlic Chive Aioli

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

4-5 (4 oz.) pieces salmon, about ¾-inch thick*
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

For the aioli:*
1 large egg yolk
4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
6 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2-3 tbsp. minced fresh chives
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

To serve:
Focaccia sandwich rolls
Romaine or bibb lettuce leaves
Thinly sliced red onion
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced tomato

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon pieces skin side down on the foil. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-16 minutes, or until the internal temperature just registers 160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the aioli. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk with the lemon juice and whisk lightly. Begin to drizzle in the olive and canola oils in a steady stream, whisking constantly and quickly to create an emulsion. Continue whisking until the mixture is significantly thickened and spreadable. Blend in the salt, garlic and chives. Season with pepper to taste and adjust other seasonings as necessary.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of the aioli on the inside of the focaccia. Layer with the lettuce leaves. Use a spatula to separate the salmon from the skin on the foil, and place the salmon on the sandwiches. Top with layers of red onion, tomato and cucumber. Sandwich together and serve

A note about the salmon:
The thickness of salmon fillets can vary quite a bit. An optimal thickness for this is about ¾-inch. If you have a piece that is super thick (1½ or so inches), split it in half horizontally so that you end up with two pieces of the desired thickness.

A few notes about the aioli:
This calls for a raw egg yolk. If you are not comfortable with this or have a medical concern related to consuming raw egg, buy pasteurized eggs.
Though I used chives, any number of herbs could be great here. Dill is a natural pairing with salmon and would be excellent. Experiment with what you have available.
I have seen methods for making aioli using food processors, blenders, and immersion blenders. I just used a whisk and elbow grease but those methods may work just as well.

Mother’s Day Love

Annie — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:30:36 +0000

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I thought I’d give you all a little reminder as well as a few suggestions of things you to make for your mom. It goes without saying that I often express my love through the preparing of food for my family and friends, and I have no doubt that if my mom were still here today, I would absolutely be planning a spectacular meal to share with her. Also, if your mom has passed or isn’t present in your life and your dad or someone else has done double duty as a result, consider honoring them on Mother’s Day as well. The role of a mother is a big one, no matter who is filling it.

This baked French toast is a perfect option for French toast lovers. It has all that great flavor and texture but is made the night before so all you need to do is pop it in the oven in the morning. Easy peasy, pretty, and delicious!

I don’t remember a lot about what foods my mom loved, but I do remember that she loved scones and she made them on Christmas morning. I wish I could make these blueberry scones for her. They are tender, buttery, and the hint of lemon zest is a really nice finishing note. Don’t tell any of the other scones, but I really think these are my favorite.

Make them for breakfast or even for dessert, but I do suggest you make them. These chocolate swirl buns are out of this world.

Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, my family knows that this breakfast panini with herb butter is my ultimate. It’s the thing guaranteed to put a smile on my face. If your mom is a fan of breakfast sandwiches, this will make her day.

Moving right along to lunch, these garlicky shrimp and avocado open-faced sandwiches are a great option. Light, quick and easy but still incredibly tasty.

Greek pita pizzas are a great choice for a lunch that is light, yet full of flavor. I’ll take one, please!

Grilled cheese is pretty much my all-time favorite lunch, and this spinach artichoke version would be a fantastic Mother’s Day treat in my book.

If you are looking for a dinner that is easy but impressive, look no further than caramelized scallops. This is my absolute favorite way to prepare scallops and it requires pretty minimal effort.

Lasagna-stuffed portabellos are a simpler version of a classic comfort food and I love them for that.

Cinco de Mayo may have been this past weekend, but in our house Mexican food is always the right answer. These chicken enchiladas are one of my favorite special occasion/celebration dinners, and I would love to have them on Mother’s Day.

Lastly, a pasta dish that is always welcome on my table, pasta alla vodka. Classics like this never go out of style.

Of course, if your mom has a sweet tooth, I have too many options too really begin to narrow it down. Here are just a few of my favorite suggestions.

Oh, tunnel of fudge cake, you chocolate lover’s dream. How can I resist that gorgeous chocolate glaze and gooey chocolate center? Oh yeah, I can’t.

Raspberry chiffon pie is pretty, pink, and a lovely choice for spring.

Tiramisu cupcakes. Just do it.

Homemade rocky road ice cream could be a fun thing to make together with mom, or just a really delicious surprise.

Churros

Annie — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:30:46 +0000

It may be cliché, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make churros in time for Cince de Mayo. Over the past year or so, I’ve become slightly enamored with them thanks to the fantastic churros at XOCO, one of Rick Bayless’ restaurants in Chicago. Really, fantastic isn’t an adequate word to describe them. They deserve their own superlative. A simple piece of fried dough coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture and dipped in ice cream or chocolate sauce. Holy moly, they are deserving of the hype. When we are in Chicago, we always make time for XOCO, even if we’re only there for less than 24 hours. I was excited at the prospect of making these at home, and I was also curious to know whether they would be difficult.

As it turns out, these are actually easier than most other doughnut-like things. The batter is mixed and since it isn’t yeasted, it’s pretty much ready to be used right away. Piping the dough into the hot oil was a bit of a guessing game as to how the shapes would turn out, but I was able to make pretty consistent U shapes without too much trouble. I almost never make fried things at home but these were worth it.

Have you ever made churros? Or if you have at least eaten them, what do you like to dip them in? I think the vanilla ice cream is totally the way to go, but Ben likes the chocolate sauce. I know some people dip them in hot chocolate, which also sounds pretty great. I hope you all enjoy some amazing Mexican food this weekend. I know I will!

Recipe: Churros

Yield: about 8-10 (depending on size)

Ingredients:

For the churros:
4½ tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup water
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch coarse salt
1 cup flour
3 large eggs, beaten
Canola oil, for frying

To coat:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean (optional)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the chocolate dipping sauce:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. butter, at room temperature

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and transfer to a food processor (a stand mixer would also work.) Add in the flour. With the feed tube open to vent steam, pulse (or mix) briefly to incorporate the flour. While continuing to mix, gradually pour in the eggs in a slow, steady stream until fully incorporated and the mixture is just smooth.

Heat a large pot of canola oil (at least 2-3 inches deep) to 375˚ F. While the oil is heating, transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with decorative tip. When the oil has reached the desired temperature, pipe lengths of the batter into the oil, using scissors to snip each length off into the pot. Keep the churros only in a single layer and avoid crowding them. Fry, flipping once, until light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted skimmer and transfer to a rack lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter. Be sure the oil returns to 375˚ F before adding a new batch.

In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the sugar and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean pod. Massage together until the vanilla bean is evenly distributed in the sugar. Stir in the cinnamon. Dredge the cooked churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, shaking off the excess.

To make the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, and let stand 2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Whisk in the butter until fully incorporated. Reheat as necessary to keep liquid for dipping.

Source

slightly adapted from Mowielicious

april {in an instagram}

Annie — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:30:39 +0000

1. At the beginning of the month, we took a family road trip to Atlanta to visit my brother and his fiancee, as well as my friend Josie! We couldn’t resist a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, and I loved this pic of Caroline with the jellies!
2. I posted a picture of this banana toast on my annieseats Instagram feed and one follower gave the best caption EVER: “Sad banana is sad.” Can you see the frowny banana seeds? HA! I crack up every time I think of this now.
3. SO glad it’s time for evening walks around the neighborhood again.
4. Now that Caroline has gotten big enough, she loves walking hand in hand with me when we go places. And it melts my heart pretty much the entire time. I love walking with my girl.
5. She also knows how to get down with some Trader’s Point mac and cheese. Enthusiastic eater, for sure!
6. My guy may be growing up, but he still likes to cuddle. I can’t resist that sweet face!
7. Pretty spring magnolia at my childhood home.
8. I’ve always adored these pretty little violets that carpet our yard at home. They look so beautiful in the spring time.
9. I baked these tuxedo cookies for a couple’s 25th wedding anniversary and absolutely loved how they turned out. Thanks Sweet Sugar Belle for the fantastic idea!
10. I was able to attend a family picnic field trip with Andrew’s class and oh my gosh, we had so much fun! I’ll never be too old for parachute. Never.
11. He loved smelling the pretty daffodils on campus.
12. One day I missed my homemade morning coffee and decided on an afternoon pick-me-up from Starbucks. The barista added a little flair to the name on my cup to make it what I’m pretty sure is the best caption ever on an iced coffee. (Get it?)
13. Still crushin’ on ranunculus.
14. Silly goose.
15. The kids had spirit week at school and one day was “When I Grow Up”. That day Andrew felt like being a “builder guy” and Caroline had no clue what we were talking about, so she was a chef.
16. The poor girl caught a stomach bug and missed a couple days of school. One evening when I came home this was all she wanted to do and cuddled with me for two hours straight! I don’t like her being sick, but I loved every minute of this.
17. Happy to see me after work while she was still home sick. Most enthusiastic greeting ever!
18. I reused a shoebox, some wrapping paper and toilet paper rolls to make this marker holder for the kids. Fun way to reuse from Pinterest, and Andrew has been loving the heck out of this!
19. My good friend Gail recommended this book to me, and as a fellow knitter I couldn’t resist. It’s our current favorite bedtime story. So precious.
20. There are no words for how happy I am that this is our dinnertime view again. Warm weather FTW!

Most of these images are from my personal (private) Instagram account. You can follow my public stream here: user annieseats.