eat Archives | Page 11 of 12 | butter loves company

pea, fennel and leek soup

March 18, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

A recipe for a light, healthy, pea, fennel and leek soup. Fennel adds a subtle anise flavor to the sweet leek and pea puree; completed with sharp, salty, shaved Parmesan.

Sometimes it scares me how similar my mom and I think: I buy lots of fennel on Saturday, and she has the family over for a fennel filled, porchetta on Sunday (wrapped in prosciutto, no less). The bright green, feathered tips of the fennel—the fronds—were generously rolled into the meat, like cinnamon in cinnamon buns. While I like fennel, the thought of making another heavily fennel flavored dish seemed like it could be overload for one week. I needed to use my fennel in a more subtle way (call me a fennel-phobe, I can take it).

What resulted was an adaptation of the Fennel, Lettuce, and Pea soup recipe from Giada de Laurentiis’ Feel Good Food. I had no lettuce, so I subbed with leftover leeks that didn’t make it into my boyfriend’s St. Patrick’s Day boiled dinner. To keep the fennel light in the soup, I omitted the fennel seeds she had called for, instead adding a bay leaf for flavor during the cook time. The result was a creamy, nourishing soup with a gorgeous sea foam green color. You’ll love this recipe if you’re looking for a friendly introduction to this licorice-flavored vegetable. The bright, sweet pea soup balances the anise flavor enough to please both sides of the fennel divide; the lovers and the skeptics. Of course, feel free to add another ½ or full fennel bulb if you’re entertaining a group of fennel fans.

pea, fennel and leek soup

Recipe Type: soup

Author: adapted slightly from Giada de Laurentiis, Feel Good Food

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

A recipe for a light, healthy, pea, fennel and leek soup. Fennel adds a subtle anise flavor to the sweet leek and pea puree; completed with sharp, salty, shaved Parmesan.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small shallots, diced
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into ¼ inch slices
One 10-ounce package frozen petite peas (about 2 ¼ cups)
2 cups low-salt chicken broth, plus extra, as needed
1 bay leaf
shredded parmesan, for garnishing (optional, only, not really)
fennel fronds, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and fennel. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the leeks and continue to cook until all the vegetables are almost tender, another 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in the peas, broth, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the saucepan and discard.
Using a blender, or immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If using a standing blender, take the saucepan off of the heat for 5 minutes and then blend just 1 cup at a time. Pour the soup back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Thin out the soup by adding 1 tablespoon of extra broth at a time, if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and a pinch of fennel fronds.

blueberry and cheese danish braid

March 13, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

A sophisticated braid of flaky, buttery, lightly sweet dough filled with juicy blueberries and creamy cheese filling, speckled with vanilla beans and a little lemon zest.

I distinctly remember eating a certain almond Danish when I was studying in Italy (a certain one, but certainly not just once). The top was sprinkled generously with sweet, white dots of sugar along with slivered almonds.

If you’ve been to Europe, or to a European bakery, you may’ve noticed the pastries frequently have thick white sugar dotting their tops, a Scandinavian tradition, or so I conclude from my research. Each time I ate Danish in Europe, I noticed those sugar pearls and wondered if bakeries in the U.S. used this as well. I’m sure some had, and presumably more now, but I liked to believe that this sugar was somehow magical and only existed in the sweet back rooms of European bakeries. Isn’t it funny how you notice the tiniest nuisances of another culture when traveling? Often, things go overlooked in your own home; until you return with fresh eyes (like how large a jar of peanut butter or a jug of milk looks in the U.S. versus those you may find in Florence, Italy).

Unbelievably, it took me almost five years to buy this sugar when I got back to the U.S., after I discovered it wasn’t so mystical after all. The reason being, I had never considered making the Danishes, croissants, or other yeast-dough pastries they adorn, at home. I was intimidated and thought it’d be too time consuming or too frustrating or something only those who have attended pastry school could tackle.

I was so wrong—and I now kick myself for not having attempted sooner. Oh, the breakfasts I could have had in college!

You too can make Danish at home. Specifically—if you follow this recipe, which I selfishly think you’ll love—you can make a Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid. It’s not hard, though does require a little preparation to give the yeast time to rise in the refrigerator after the dough is mixed.

So, decide when you want to eat the pastry and plan to make the dough the day or night before. You could also make the fillings ahead and keep refrigerated. Promise me you won’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, I wrote it out to make it as easy as possible! You can try filling the Danish Braid with lots of flavor combinations if you aren’t fond of blueberries and creamy cheese (I believe the other word for that is crazy . . . kidding!). Please try it with whatever you like best: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, nutella, pastry cream, lemon curd, etc.

Whether or not you have pearl sugar on hand, the Danish experience will still be magical!

After dough is initially chilled overnight, you can begin shaping it to create the flaky layers that will be the danish.

after the roll and fold stage, you can already see the layers built into the danish!

roll out the dough after its second ‘chill’

cut out top outside corners and small triangles on bottom. This will serve to frame the filling.

cut slanting lines down each side. These will be crossed over the filling to create the braid.

fill the danish dough. Mine was a tad too runny, but turned out completely fine!

Brush with egg wash and drizzle with sugar and almonds, if desired.

magical sugar

enjoy with or without glaze!

*Apologies for the format of this recipe versus previous recipes. I felt it would be easier to read written out this way because there are multiple components.

Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid
Adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas via Baking with Julia, Ina Garten

Makes 2 long braids; about 6-8 servings each. If you’d like to make just one braid, cut the dough in half after the roll and fold stage and freeze up to one month.

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: At least 8 hours (including chilling time)

For the pastry:

¼ cup warm water (between 105-115 degrees F)
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup milk, at room temperature (I used 2%, but any milk fat level will work.)
1 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon pearl sugar (optional)
3-4 teaspoons cold heavy cream, for glaze (optional)
½ cup confectioners sugar, for glaze (optional)

For the Blueberry Filling

2 cups fresh blueberries (other berries can be substituted here)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste, or extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

Instructions:

Prepare the dough: Pour the water into a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let both soften for two minutes. Add the milk, egg, sugar, and salt and whisk together. Set aside. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cut the butter into ¼ – ½ inch thick slices and drop them onto the flour. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until the butter is cut into pieces that are about ½ inch in diameter, but not any smaller than that. If in doubt, stop when the pieces are larger. It’s better that way, than to over mix. Empty the butter flour mixture into the bowl with the yeast and, using a rubber spatula, gentle turn the mixture over, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Be cautious not to over mix. You’ll want to see pieces of butter throughout the dough – this will ensure it is flaky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 4 days).

Roll the dough: After the dough has chilled overnight, lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough onto it. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a square about 16 inches on each side (the dough might be sticky, so keep the flour close and cover the rolling pin as needed. You can also cover the dough and chill it again if it becomes too soft to roll). Fold the dough into the middle in thirds, like a business letter that you’re going to put in an envelope. Turn it so that the closed fold is to your left. Roll the dough out again, this time into a long narrow rectangle, about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the rectangle in thirds again, turn it so the closed fold is to your left, and roll into a 20 inch square. Fold the square in thirds, like a business letter, so that you have a rectangle. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the dough in thirds again, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days. If not using after 2 days, the dough can be frozen at this point for 1 month, thawing overnight in a refrigerator before use.)

Prepare the Blueberry filling: Stir the berries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice and cornstarch and cook 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully cooled.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Keep away from anyone who likes cream cheese or you might find some missing.

Shape the dough: After the dough has chilled from rolling and folding, lightly flour a work surface and roll the chilled dough into a rectangle 10 inches wide and 16 inches long (eyeball it). Lift onto a sheet of parchment paper and position the dough so the lengthy side is perpendicular to you. Cut the two top corners off the dough at an angle slanting downward and cut two small triangles out of the bottom of the dough. This will frame the space in the middle third of the dough for the filling, see image above. Using a sharp knife cut 10-12 slanting lines down each side, angling the cuts downward, not crossing over the space you framed for the filling, see image above.

Fill and Braid the dough: Spread some of the blueberry filling down the length of the dough (there will be juice leftover. Use the chunky portion. Spoon the cream cheese filling in a narrow line down the center of the blueberry filling. Fold the strips of the pastry into the center over the filling, alternating folding from the left side and the right side until you’ve reached the bottom. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar, if using. Allow the Danish to sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven.

Baking the Braid: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slide the braid, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating once or twice during baking. Transfer the pastry to a cooling rack and prepare the glaze, if using. To prepare the glaze, stir the cream into the confectioners sugar in a small bowl, adding just enough until it produces a smooth, shiny glaze. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the glaze over the pastry. Serve the pastry warm, or at room temperature.

homemade irish cream (baileys)

March 8, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I promise you’ll be shocked at how quickly you can have a glass of homemade Irish Cream on your coffee table. This creamy, vanilla treat with just enough of a whiskey bite is perfect over a few ice cubes or splashed into coffee. St. Patrick’s Day being right around the corner, you can mix up a batch of this and clink glasses with all your Irish friends (hint: Me! Me! Even if making homemade Irish Cream is the closest thing to Irish I’ll ever be…).

Since I first realized I could make Irish Cream at home, I’ve bottled some for the boys in my life to accompany Christmas gifts, I’ve made a batch for a ski weekend with friends (where it was likened to sipping an adult vanilla milkshake), and I’ve had some leftover each time to keep in the refrigerator for a cold winter’s night (liquid dessert!).

Once you get the ingredients, sipping on a glass of homemade Bailey’s is just five minutes and a blender away. How fun is that?

Sláinte!

homemade irish cream (baileys)

Recipe Type: Drinks

Author: adapted from brown eyed baker

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: about 34oz

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup heavy cream
1 ¾ cups Irish Whiskey (such as Jameson’s)
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon instant coffee or instant espresso
¼ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Feel free to taste and adjust flavor to your liking.
Transfer to tightly sealed containers and refrigerate. Shake well before enjoying! (Will keep for up to 2 months – I am basing mine off of the heavy cream expiration)

brown and wild rice with mushrooms and brussel sprouts

March 1, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Prepare yourself. My cuisinerd level is about to rise.

I recently came to the realization that I read cookbooks like most people read novels. I’ll grab a cookbook and read it cover to cover in one sitting, hanging onto every word, every ingredient, every step of every recipe—from the prologue to the epilogue. But, give me the latest New York Times best selling novel? I’ll make it ¾ of the way through, and that’s if I think it’s really good. I’d never make it in a traditional book club. When it came to talk about the last few chapters, I would suddenly have to fake receive a phone call and sneak out the back door.

My latest read was earlier this week after I made the Asian Quinoa Salad. The health bug bit me and I picked up the latest from Giada de Laurentiis, Feel Good Food. After a few pages, I knew this would be a staple on my cookbook shelf for all times when I’m craving something light and healthy that doesn’t taste like birdseed.

Giada developed this Brown and Wild Rice with Brussel Sprouts recipe as a vegetarian, gluten free stuffing for a Thanksgiving meal, but says she started making it more regularly after loving the nutty combination of the brown and wild rice. Because I love mushrooms and brussel sprouts so much, I up’d the amount I added of each (reflected in the below recipe). This would make a nice side dish at a dinner party, or an easy weekday lunch or dinner.

brown and wild rice with mushrooms and brussel sprouts

Recipe Type: dinner, vegetarian, side

Author: adapted from Giada de Laurentiis Feed Good Food

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you would like to keep the dish vegetarian)
¼ cup water
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
¾ cup short-grain brown rice
¾ cup wild rice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 large portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups brussel sprouts, sliced in half if small and quarters if large
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Instructions

For the rice: In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the broth, ¼ cup water, and the thyme to a boil. Add the brown rice and wild rice. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat and simmer until the rice is tender but still chewy, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
For the vegetables: Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the brussel sprouts and cook until tender, about 5-8 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to the saucepan of cooked rice. Add hazelnuts if desired. Toss until all the ingredients are mixed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

asian quinoa salad

February 24, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

No matter how much rest and relaxation I get over a weekend, when Monday comes, I feel like I always have a tough time kicking it into gear. I wonder if there has been any scientific research done on the physical affects of Mondays?

I knew I’d feel like a slug bug today after a weekend that consisted of lots of heavy, not the best for me, food (think fried chicken, tacos, movie theater popcorn, lots of homemade marshmallows). My body was craving something fresh and crisp in a serious way.

To pick me up, dinner tonight was this tasty Asian Quinoa Salad filled with crunchy veggies—a light, fresh, meat-free salad that won’t leave you bored after a few bites.

I’ll definitely be making it again to keep in the fridge for lunches throughout a busy week. I can also see myself making it as a side dish at a party because it meets a range of dietary guidelines; it’s vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free (if made with tamari rather than soy sauce).

The “it” girl of 2013: Quinoa!

asian quinoa salad

Recipe Type: salad

Author: adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped in thin strips
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded or diced cucumber
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (dried will work fine too)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the cabbage, edamame, red pepper, carrots, cucumber, and almonds. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, green onions, sesame seeds, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

chocolate pecan torte with strawberry buttercream

February 19, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I was talking to my mom a couple weeks ago and told her I was about to make aunt Olga’s cake—a layered torte that my chocolate-loving aunt frequently brings to family events. It’s one of those cakes that shouts celebration; so decadent that just a sliver will do – alongside other holiday desserts, of course.

In this case, it was a Tuesday and the only thing Greg and I were celebrating was finishing the second season of Breaking Bad. My mom knows more than anyone that when I get a project in my head, I’m often set on executing it immediately. Luckily, on this specific Tuesday, she reminded me there was a perfect reason to wait to make this cake (much to Greg’s chagrin). My aunts were hosting a dinner just a week later to celebrate the many January and February birthdays in the family.

This cake deserved so much more than to sit on our apartment counter. It was party worthy.

If you like brownies, even a little bit, you’ll love this recipe.

The flourless chocolate cake is rich with lots of finely ground pecans added to the batter for texture. The layers can be made up to two days ahead and will stay moist in the refrigerator. Once assembled, they are separated by a fresh strawberry buttercream, a welcome balance to the fudge layers (the buttercream can also be made ahead).

Finally, the entire cake is covered in a smooth chocolate ganache for prettiness. I can promise you it stays good for days after it’s made, as we’ve been nibbling on our doggie bag slices since the party.

**Unrelated note: I created an Instagram account for the site. If you have any interest in seeing some recipe previews or outtakes from my food adventures, you can follow @butterlc!

chocolate pecan torte with strawberry buttercream

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: adapted from Bon Appetit, November 1985

Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients

——-For the Cake:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoons salt
12 ounces good chocolate melted
3 1/2 cups pecan halves, very finely ground
——-For the Strawberry Buttercream (makes about 2 ½ cups):
2 1/2 sticks of butter, softened slightly
2 cups powdered sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup pureed strawberries
3 Tablespoons strawberry preserves
——-For the Chocolate Ganache:
1 ¼ cup semisweet chocolate roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips, chilled, for covering cake sides (optional)

Instructions

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 375. Butter three 9 inch round cake pans, line with parchment and butter parchment. Cream the butter until light, add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, add vanilla and salt. Using rubber spatula, stir in chocolate and then pecans. Divide batter among the pans and bake until toothpick comes out fudgey but not wet, about 22 minutes. Top may crack. Cool for 5 minutes in pan, run knife around edge, invert onto rack and cool completely. May be done 2 days ahead, Wrap each layer in plastic and refrigerate.
Make the Buttercream: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, then pureed berries and preserves. Cover tightly and refrigerate until set. May be made two days ahead. Let soften at room temp until spreadable.
Make the Ganache (wait to make this until you assemble the rest of the cake): Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. (Can also heat the cream and butter in the microwave.) Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand, without stirring, for a few minutes. Stir gently (as you do not want to incorporate air into the ganache) with a spoon or whisk until smooth.
To Assemble: Arrange one cake layer bottom side up on a platter. Spread 1 cup strawberry buttercream over layer, Repeat with next layer and buttercream, ending with cake bottom side up. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Pour ganache over center of cake, smooth out from the center allowing it to drip over the sides. Smooth with a pastry spatula or knife. If using, gently press handfuls of the cold mini chocolate chips against the ganache on the sides of the cake. Can be arranged one day ahead and refrigerated. Let stand at room temp for one hour before serving.

slow cooker carnitas

February 17, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Attention all San Diego-ers (San Dieg-ites? San Diego-ans?): Greg and I just booked a trip out there in a few weeks as a reprieve from this wretched winter. As it will be my first time there, I’m now taking any and all suggestions on “must do, eat, or see” activities. Please feel free to leave them as comments here.

It’s my understanding that I’ll be eating lots of tacos and burritos in Southern California, and while Boston has a few good spots for these things, I am excited to eat bucket loads of local avocados and authentic Mexican fare (Anna’s Taqueria, please forgive me if I’m unfaithful).

To prep my palatte, I recently tried my hand at homemade carnitas. Thanks to a slow-cooker, it couldn’t have been easier. I used a recipe from food blog Pinch of Yum. It was a great one for the first time around and, like most recipes, lends itself to personal tailoring for future rounds. A little more spice here, a little less citrus there. Serve with your favorite taco accompaniments.

slow cooker carnitas

Recipe Type: Main

Author: pinch of yum

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 10 mins

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

4–5 lbs. pork shoulder
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce (optional)
juice of 2 limes
½ cup orange juice
12 ounces beer
½ cup salsa

Instructions

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Roughly chop the garlic and place into the slow cooker, rubbing onto the meat as you do.
Sprinkle the meat with salt, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne. Rub seasonings onto the pork.
Add lime juice, orange juice, beer, and salsa. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or 4 hours on high).
Shred meat with two forks directly in the slow cooker (or take out, shred, and replace in sauce). It should fall apart easily.
Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the shredded meat on the cooking sheet and pour a few spoonfuls of sauce over the top. Broil for 5–10 minutes or until you get browned edges on the pork.
Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings.

rice krispie treat hearts

February 6, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I was looking for a quick Valentine’s recipe that required minimal work, few ingredients, and little fuss (just like relationships *winkwink*). Inspired by Rice Krispie wreaths my mom and I make every year during the holidays, I took to the cereal aisle and conjured up these festive Rice Krispie Treat hearts. You can’t help but feel like a happy little kid with one of these bright pink hearts in hand—it’s like an instant smile booster!

Requiring just one dish, two if you add the white chocolate drizzle, this recipe is easy on us manual dishwashers. It’s also easy on the wallet; leaving you with more cash to spend on Valentine’s gifts for your significant other—or on shoes, chocolate, wine, jewels, clothes…

I got a little heavy handed with the food coloring, resulting in a somewhat radioactive iridescence on my treats. Luckily, my excessive pink did not affect the crispy, gooey flavor one bit. I adjusted the proportions in the below recipe, but to be safe you may want to add the coloring in increments.

Often times the warm Rice Krispie Treats are poured into a sheet pan and then cut out into squares or shapes once cooled. I prefer to mold these by had to avoid the rough, half-cut Krispies on the edges from cookie cutters. Do whatever you prefer! You could even try this with another cereal to mix it up.

rice krispie treat hearts

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: butter love company

Prep time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: About 16 Hearts

Ingredients

1 10 oz. bag of marshmallows
3 tablespoons of butter
1/4 teaspoon pink or red food coloring (more if you are using liquid food coloring)
6 cups of Rice Krispie cereal or equivalent
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup white chocolate or white chocolate chips (for drizzling, optional)

Instructions

Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring (add more if desired).
Add coconut and crisped Rice Krispies. Stir until well coated.
Using 1/4-cup measuring cup or your hands, scoop the mixture into balls onto the waxed paper covered cookie sheets. With your hands, shape the balls into hearts (you may have to wet your fingertips with water or butter if it is too sticky to mold). If drizzling with white chocolate, heat the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave until it is thin enough to drizzle with a fork over the hearts.

chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

February 4, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Do you ever find yourself in a bakery staring at the picturesque cookies and asking yourself “how on earth do they get these darn cookies to look so darn good?”

No? Oh.

Well … I do. (Another thing to add to the nerd list.)

A year or so ago, I discovered a few secrets to making those thick, chewy, bakery-worthy cookies I had spent so many years drooling over (not literally, thank goodness). I’m excited to say that one of those secrets is incredibly easy. Incredibly easy if you have enough patience to chill the cookie dough before baking it. That’s it! Chill the dough! This helps prevent the cookies from spreading because the butter, which was softened for the mixing process, will re-solidify. Many argue chilling also enhances the flavor of the cookie for a number of super scientific reasons I have yet to completely understand. Regardless, I agree.

If you are a fan of thick, chewy, bakery style cookies, you will love this Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. They are just begging to be eaten; every little bit of cinnamon spice, old-fashioned oats, pecans, and two kinds of raisins just scream, “EAT ME!”

If you don’t like raisins, you can absolutely substitute them for chocolate chips.

Promise me you’ll chill the dough? At least half of it?

chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Butter Loves Company

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 12-16 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins (1/2 cup each golden and dark raisins or a full cup of one type)
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
Stir this into the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Stir in the oats, raisins and nuts, if using.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you are patient.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1 to 1 ½ inch balls of chilled cookie dough and arrange on the cookie sheet leaving two inches between each ball (If the dough is really cold, you can flatten the dough balls ever so slightly so they come out less thick).
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden. The center may look slightly undercooked. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the warm baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

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lemon poppy seed muffins

February 1, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

I’ve been loving lemons lately (and apparently alliteration also!). I’ve been fully stocked on lemonade for the past month and I keep finding myself ordering treats with lemon zest. I’ve never been the biggest lemon baked good fan, so this has left me baffled. People go bananas over things like lemon squares or lemon meringue pie and, while I really, really want to love them, I usually take a bite and immediately make one or more of these faces.

Before this lemon longing (:wink:) fades, I needed to put a lemon recipe in the books. Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins seemed practical to enjoy on an early Saturday morning.

There are two awesome parts of making these. Or, two things I get excited about that will just make you think I’m a nerd.

The first is rubbing the sugar and lemon zest together in step two to release the lemon essence that comes from the peel. The sugary citrus scent is like refreshing aromatherapy.
The second is when you add the poppy seeds to the batter. You pour in just two tablespoons, which may not seem like much. After one swoop with the spatula, thousands of tiny seeds infiltrate the batter ready to add little pops to the final product.

If you really like lemon, you can add the lemon icing. I also think they are just as nice without. These are best when eaten the day of baking, if possible.

mix the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingers. The sweet citrus scent will instantly make you feel refreshed.

Prepare the dry and wet ingredients and mix the wet with the dry.

My favorite part. Stir in the poppy seeds!

Poppy seed speckled batter ready for the pan.

Pop them in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

drizzle cooled muffins with lemon icing (optional)

Enjoy!

lemon poppy seed muffins

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Dorie Greenspan

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted in a bowl and cooled
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup confectioners sugar (for icing)
2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for icing)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a standard 12 hole muffin pan with paper cups or, alternatively, butter/grease a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon is strong.
Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with a rubber spatula, gently, but quickly, stir to blend. Be careful not to over-mix. It is ok if the batter is a little lumpy.
Stir in the poppy seeds. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool the muffins completely before icing.
To make the icing, put the confectioners sugar in a small bowl and add the lemon juice slowly until it forms an icing thin enough to drizzle from the tip of a spoon or fork. Drizzle over the tops of the muffins.

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