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Blueberry Coffee Cake

What I love the most about this recipe is the resulting size. You don’t need a pound of butter, sugar and a giant bundt pan. I shared this with my best friend Jen and her sweet grandmother – and there were only a few crumbly slices left after gossip and coffee.

I used a smaller spring form pan so the ratio of crumbly topping to cake was vast. I like lots of streusel topping. Use a loaf pan, brownie pan – whatever you’ve got.

INGREDIENTS

For the streusel topping:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
  • 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Sponge cake batter:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 x 8 inch square pan or small spring form pan.

For the streusel topping: Mix together the flour, sugar and ground cinnamon. Cut the butter into small pieces and mix it in with a fork. This mixture will resemble coarse crumbs. If the mixture is not dry enough, add in more flour. And then set aside.

For the cake: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar until light yellow and creamy with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat with hand mixer. Mix in the flour and milk in alternate steps. (flour – milk – flour – milk).

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the blueberries on top of the batter. Top it off with the streusel.

Bake for 50 minutes. When a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean – it’s ready.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

New Years Eve a few years back I decided to have a small get together. I had big platters of roasted vegetables and red pepper dip to spread on baguettes. The next day I threw the leftovers into a pot and made soup. It was fantastic and has been added to the “keepers” pile.

Roasting any vegetable brings out the sweetness and richness of a vegetable and is my favorite method for cooking vegetables (try brussel sprouts!). This soup is a pot full of health (yes, even with the bacon and cream). Vegetarian, low fat, low calorie, tons of vitamins (see nutrition info below). Most importantly it is very satisfying and flavorful. I like to top mine with a little sour cream or shredded parmesan (or both).

For you eaters who want the meat‚ add some kielbasa.

Nutrition Information (Serving Size 1.5 cups): Calories: 134, Fat: 6.8g, Carb: 15g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 5g

INGREDIENTS

  • Bacon, 2 slices cut into lardons
  • Yellow Onion, 1 medium diced
  • Olive Oil
  • Cauliflower, 1 head chopped into large pieces
  • Broccoli, 1 bag or 2 heads cut into florets
  • Baby carrots, small bag
  • Zucchini, 3 sliced lengthwise
  • Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
  • Roasted garlic, 3 cloves
  • Tomato Paste, 6 tablespoons
  • Chicken Stock, 6 cups
  • Bay leaves, 3 whole
  • Thyme, 4 sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried
  • Half and Half, 1/4 – 1/2 cup
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

*Use any combination of vegetables you have on hand. I’ve used asparagus and bell peppers in the past.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

On large sheet pans toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20-30 minutes. The tender vegetables may take a shorter amount of time so keep your eye on them. Remove from oven and set aside.

Preheat large soup pot over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. olive oil and bacon and cook until bacon is brown and crispy. Remove bacon to drain on paper towel and set aside.
Add onion to pot and saute until translucent.

While onion is sauteing, puree 1/2 of the roasted vegetables in a food processor until very fine. Add to onion mixture. Pulse the remaining vegetables in the food processor into larger chunks. Add to the pot with the roasted garlic. Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper to the vegetable mix and cook until tomato paste is brown. Add chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme and stir to combine.

Cook for 20 minutes** on low heat. Add the half and half and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with parmesan toast on top of soup.

** This can be cooked up to an hour‚ but more stock may need to be added.

Cannelloni

Making this dish is a very nostalgic process for me. The smell of it baking takes me right back to my mom’s kitchen.

This was never a weeknight dish but rather a very special Sunday dinner. Last year it was our big Christmas Eve meal and I wouldn’t be upset if we adopted it as an annual tradition. But with 3 daughters who love to cook, my parents are forced to be guinea pigs to our ever evolving holiday menus.

Making this dish is a process, but so worth every effort in the end. So go to the trouble and make a double batch (it freezes beautifully). To make is easier, the filling and the Salsa Di Pomodori can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Saute the beef & spinach filling. Set aside until ready to prepare the rolls. If making ahead don’t add eggs until ready to use.

Classic Besciamella sauce. Should be made right before you are ready to prepare the rolls.

Salsa Di Pomodori (red sauce). This can be made up to 2 days ahead. It’s best when cooked at least 2 hours.

Roll a tablespoon of filling for each roll and line up snuggly in a 9×13 pan.

Top the rolls with the bechamel sauce first.

Then cover with the red sauce and try not to mix the sauces. Top with parmesan cheese. They can be frozen at this point.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. If made ahead, bring to room temperature before baking (about an hour).

INGREDIENTS

Meat filling:

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 1 10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 pound ground round
  • 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • salt and pepper

Heat oil, add onion and garlic and saute until limp but not brown. Add ground round and brown. Drain off fat. Add spinach and cook until moisture is gone. Remove from heat and add, cheese, cream, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper.

Salsa Di Pomodori (red sauce)

  • 2 tablespons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 28 ounce can whole Italian style tomatoes, crushed by hand (I prefer Cento brand)
  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • pepper, to taste

Heat oil, saute onions, garlic, add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, partially covered. May need to add water if it gets to thick.

Besciamella

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Melt butter, add flour, cook stirring constantly. Pour in milk and add cream slowly and add cream slowly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thick. Add salt and set aside.

DIRECTIONS

To sssemble:

Cook lasagna noodles according to box. Drain, rinse and lay on towel. Let cool slightly and cut each noodle in half.

Pour a thin layer of salsa di pomodori into baking dish. Fill each 1/2 lasagna noodle with 1 tablespoon of meat filling. Roll over and place seam side down in baking dish. Lay side to side in one layer. Spoon cream sauce on top then salsa di pomodori over that. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 375 until bubbly. let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Seared Tuna with Gremolata and Cannellini Beans

Simple, no fuss food can be a little fancy too. The brightness of the gremolata is a perfect accent for tuna. This was a quick weeknight meal to throw together but would be quite a showstopper for special company.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 x 1/2 pound tuna steaks (about 1/2 -3/4 inch thick)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
  • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of water
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 clove of garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped flat leaves parsley
  • 2 tablespoon of capers in brine (drained and finely chopped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the bean salad:

  • 1 red bell pepper – seeded and quartered
  • 1 can Cannellini beans – rinsed and drained
  • 3 fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

For the bean salad – combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix. Toss with beans. Set aside at room temperature.

Preheat a griddle pan until smoking hot then reduce the heat to medium-high.

In a medium size bowl, whisk the oil with the water until thick and creamy. Whisk in the lemon juice with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, capers, chillies and parsley.

Lightly brush the tuna steaks and bell peppers with the spicy dressing and cook on the preheated griddle pan for 2 minutes on each side (for medium rare tuna).

To serve, fill the grilled peppers with the bean salad. Place the tuna on the place and drizzle over the gremolata dressing.

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