#APPLEWEEK: Polish Apple Pancakes with Cinnamon Honey Yogurt

It's late October. We've just gone apple picking. We're Polish. What can we logically expect to follow?

If you guessed "duh, glorious apple pancakes in the tradition of your late Polish grandfather", you guessed right. I don't usually like the term "late" as a reference to those who have passed, but it seems appropriate today. If there was one appointment on planet Earth my grandfather's attendance would have been expected, and he was surely late for, it would have been our breakfast table this morning. After making these pancakes, he used to take leftover apple slices and plunk them right in his hot black tea, for an infused brew. He would have been proud of these.

My mother told me something funny today. Apparently at English class when she was young, they taught the phrase "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" as one of the many little tidbits they teach. She said when she was little this was very stupid to her, because of course if you were rich enough to afford an apple every day you wouldn't ever get sick or need a doctor. At the time in Poland (as in many other parts of the world today) all fruit that was to be had was strictly seasonal. Apples only happened in the fall and early winter.

Although we are lucky enough to have apples year round, I try to approach the season when we are able to pick our own with special exuberance. I don't shy away from taking home 60 pounds of apples from the orchard, because it's a challenge and a joy to incorporate them into absolutely everything for a short while--and subsequently, become entirely sick of apples until a nostalgic moment in May when you dip into a mason jar of chunky homemade applesauce; totally pumped for next fall when you can eat apple cake until you throw up again. Lovely!

But honestly, there is nothing quite like frying up a batch of these for a Sunday morning on a crisp autumn day, with memories hanging in the air as dense as the smoky fragrance of cinnamon apples. The traditional pancake recipe is a 1-1-1 type of deal, so it's incredibly easy to make larger or smaller batches. The key to this is slicing the apples up reaaaaaal thin. You could keep them as large thin discs of apple and lay them on top of clean batter, or slice them in half as we did and incorporate them right in. It's all fair game, except never dice them. That's just blasphemy. It's just sick. It's not allowed. Same goes for maple syrup! There better not be a drop of that (delicious) stuff on these. It's just not the European way. All manners of jams, butters, and honey are otherwise permitted.

Mmmm!

To quote The Pioneer Woman: enjoy these, folks.

Polish Apple Pancakes (serves 3)

4 eggs
4 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 large Winesap apple (or any other sweetly tart apple) (peeled or unpeeled)
vegetable oil for frying

Using a standing mixer or electric hand mixer (no lumps allowed), whisk the eggs, flour, milk, and spices until smooth. Slice the apple veeerrrrry thinly, and incorporate the slices into the batter by hand. Pour oil onto the pan and heat on high. Drop ladle-fuls of batter onto the bubbling oil, flipping when firm underneath. Cook until golden. Serve with greek yogurt mixed with additional cinnamon and honey, and other condiments.

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

When your grandmother has a summer birthday, and doesn't like frosting, what do you do? Turning on the oven is a pain. Heavy flavors would make everyone wilt away on the summery spot. It has to be bright and light, like sunshine. Because that's what your grandma is like too, you know?

I was on the hunt for the lightest and brightest layer cake. What says "bright" more than happiness-in-a-jar lemon curd? What says "light" more than whipped cream? What says "meow"? What says "woof"? You have all the answers today, don't you?

Anyway, you may not know this, but hunting for the perfect lemon blueberry layer cake is like, super hard. People want you to choose between filling the layers with blueberry preserves or lemon curd, topping it with fresh blueberries or candied lemon slices, and lemon cake or blueberry cake. As we know, I don't like it when people make me choose between two good things. So, here we have it.
 A blueberry marbled lemon yogurt cake:

 filled with blueberry preserves and lemon curd,

 and topped with lemon whipped cream.

The best of every world. A world of equality. A world of delicious justice.

We'll get back to the cake. But first, a word about my grandmother.

The greatest part of baking is baking for another. My absolute favorite thing is making a cake for someone's birthday, because I aspire to make it encapsulate their personality--a reflection of the season, the harmony of flavors, whether they be sweet simplicity or adventurously complex. To me, this particular grandmother is her sunny disposition well-marbled with the forgiving blend of blueberry, a kick of tangy greek yogurt smoothed over with sweet, zesty cream. Happy Birthday, Grandma Rosemarie! To many more years.

(The cake ended up being a bit too dense for my taste. This may be because I am also very dense and completely forgot the oil--although its crumb was tight enough for me to assume that even with the oil it wouldn't be a very tender cake. All other elements were spot on perfect! In the future I will attempt the marbling technique with a different cake recipe, hopefully without sacrificing the yogurt.)

Blueberry Marbled Lemon Yogurt Cake (adapted from JustPutzing)

1-1/2 cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tbsp. blueberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two round cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Fold vegetable oil gently into batter. Set aside 1 cup of the batter and blend the blueberry preserves in well. Divide the lemon batter evenly between the two cake pans. Drop teaspoons of the blueberry batter on top, using a skewer to swirl it throughout in short strokes without mixing it in. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until knife in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for cooling.
Filling: Once cooled, spread lemon curd on top of one of the cakes. Drop dollops of blueberry preserves around the rim, placing the remaining cake on top.

Lemon Whipped Cream

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat to soft peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk before using.)

Mixed Berry Flag Pie

Now, I realize how incredibly belated this is. Which is why it will serve as a double post! That makes it okay, right? If we're being honest, what makes it okay is the fact that there is virtually no one, except for a few wayward googlers, who frequents this blog who is not also FB friends with me. This pie was posted on Independence Day itself in my mobile uploads, so you all already know about it, and there are no surprises for you here. Including the fact that I was late in posting this.

Just in case you were wondering, holidays are a huge deal to my baker self. Think of all the festive possibilities! For the 4th, the list is practically endless. Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and fresh blueberries, a yellow cake with a whipped cream and fresh berry flag on top, cakes with flags INSIDE THEM, blueberry cheesecake with strawberry sauce, etc. you get the idea.

I decided there was nothing more classic than an American pie. Especially after reading this wonderful article I learned that American butter is actually the optimal pie-crust butter! Who knew, that after all of this time of feeling unsurmountable shame for not opening that boastfully gold wrapped Kerrygold (the color of the bougie-foodie medal) butter and instead miserably unfolding the clear Costco butter waxpaper, I was in the right all along! No longer shall I endure countless food blogs telling me "the Irish grass-fed butter is what makes it" and I will stand by my ultra-pasteurized mostly-water American butter. Because it's the American way. Amen.

I then asked myself, why must I be forced to forgo the pinnacle of July 4th baked goods: the berry flag? I then decided that nobody can tell me what I can't have. This is also the American way. Amen.

In the perfect fashion of American-dream-onized good ol' capitalist greed, I proudly cut my shabby butter into bleached flour and made a lumpy crust flag atop my mixed berry flag. To represent diversity, of course.

The result was perfectly delicious--flaky, golden crust that was neither too crumbly or too gooey, and a perfectly gelled but retainfully (new word) robust berry filling. I should add that in my experience with pie crusts (a long, pain-filled history) an all-butter crust is the way to go. Your two main choices when it comes to making a pie is flour vs. cornstarch for the filling, and butter vs. shortening for the crust. My only complaint would be that the filling was a bit too sweet for my taste. Unless you don't enjoy the slight tartness of blackberries against the creamy sweetness of vanilla ice cream as I do, adhere to reduced-sugar adaptation I've kindly implemented for you below. If not, an extra half-cup of sugar should do that cavity trick right up for you. Happy 4th! Or 13th! Whatever!

Mixed Berry Pie

One double-crust all-butter pie crust (I used this recipe.)
2 bags frozen mixed berries, thawed (or 6 cups of mixed berries)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar (more if you feel like it)
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp. butter

Preheat the oven to 425. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Add the thawed berries and toss the coat thoroughly. Turn into pastry-lined pie dish and dot with butter. Cover with top crust (or flag cutouts), seal and flute. Bake for 35-45 minutes until juice bubbles out of the slits and the crust is a golden brown. If the crust begins to brown prematurely, cover with tin foil. Serve with ice cream.

Brown Butter Banana Yogurt Chocolate Chip Blondies

I took a poetry workshop this semester. I did it because I've been writing poetry since, like, 4th grade. Really terrible poetry, obviously. But since my mom believes in me and all that gushy stuff, she really pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and do it for real. And let me tell you, it has been an amazing experience. Every Tuesday morning has been completely anxiety-ridden (because I have to read aloud to the class!) but it's been absolutely worth it. I have grown so much as a writer and person.

We had an end of the year little party for our last class, so I decided to bake, obviously.

I know what you're thinking. What the heck is 'yogurt' doing in that title? Yogurt doesn't go in blondies! It doesn't go with brown butter! Well, maybe conventionally not. And maybe I won't intentionally do it again. But I promise it worked, was gooey and well-liked by all. So there. (Also I may or may not have come up with this recipe solely because I didn't have eggs and needed to bake something.)

Anyway, it's the end of the year! That's right, I'm (almost) officially done with my freshman year. It's our version of finals week right now, also known as 'conference week' because we have super long research papers instead of finals. Except me, because I also have a final exam in Human Rights Law. Wooooo.

(Have you noticed I always do recipes with bananas when I'm stressed? Or maybe it's just because bananas are easy to acquire at college and college is a place of stress. Mash mash mash it out.)

Brown Butter Banana Yogurt Chocolate Chip Blondies
8 tbs. unsalted butter, melted and browned
1 banana
1 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
6 oz. full-fat yogurt (I used coconut)
1/2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup, plus 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
⅔ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 8-by-8-inch square brownie pan. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the unsalted butter. Simmer until brown and nutty, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly before using. In a large bowl, mash the banana. Whisk in the brown sugar and oil until smooth. Add the slightly cooled brown butter, whisk to combine. Whisk in yogurt and vanilla extract until incorporated. Stir in flour and salt until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Transfer the mixture to the prepared brownie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Apple Cinnamon Banana Oat Breakfast Bread (non-fat, low-sugar, vegan)

My don (academic advisor) had a heart attack over winter break. Don't worry, he's fine now. We had a substitute during that time, and she was very intelligent and well-versed, albeit a very dry lecturer and lacking that certain quality my don has that just brings every class and conference over the top. Really, he's brilliant. I can't even express how excited I was for his return after spring break. Then, tragedy struck, and I was actually in the hospital for a bad case of extremely painful gastroenteritis. I will spare you the details and just say that I missed my first conference and class, so I was EXTRA pumped. So excited that I decided to bake him something, knowing that he probably is eating only boring and tasteless things in whatever post-cardiac arrest regimen he's on. It had to be very low-cholesterol and with things I had on hand. So I decided to make this breakfast bread. I call it "breakfast" bread because that excuses its low-sweetness.

 Additionally, I made that Healthy Subs/Adds post and I figured I should, I don't know, act on it. So I baked this bread, wrapped it up all cute, and headed out to my conference. I even endured the blistering sun as I trekked across the non-shaded parking lot that might as well be the Sahara. I stepped into my oven-for-my-feet velvet flats, ignoring the bite in my heel, because I was finally going to have conference with my don!

And then, tragedy struck. I had forgotten that we had changed the time for my conference from 2:30 to 12. I now sat, frizzed out and with blistered heels, on the stoop outside of his office, holding this bread.

I'll just give it to him tomorrow. But hey, enjoy this recipe! It's super healthy and super fast. Not sweet or light or anything, but very dense and moist and absolutely perfect heated up in the microwave and drizzled with honey for breakfast.

Apple Cinnamon Banana Oat Bread (adapted from Taste of Home)

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 oz. applesauce

1 tbsp. milk (almond milk for vegan)

1/2 cup chopped peeled tart apple

1 mashed ripe banana

Honey for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, combine all the wet ingredients (banana, apple, applesauce, vanilla extract, milk) and in another bowl sift flour, and add other dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into a greased loaf pan (decorate with apple slices if desired) and bake for 30-40 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Torta di Ricotta e Ciliegie e Caldarroste: Ricotta Tart with Bing Cherries and Roasted Chestnuts

My mom and her friends have these cooking parties. They're really cute, actually. They take a cookbook (typically one from the "Savoring" Williams-Sonoma series) that centers on a particular region and each volunteer to make 2-3 recipes each. And basically then they all get together and make them at the same time, while getting drunk on the corresponding recommended pairing liquors. It's a great time.

Despite the progressiveness of these empowered cooking women, they are pretty staunch conservatives when it comes to following the recipes. Which isn't really my style, ja feel? Sorry not sorry for that reference. Anyway, the original ricotta tart calls for raisins, but I definitely wanted to top it with roasted chestnuts, and dried cherries complement that much nicer. I think this tart would have been extra special if I had whipped up a simple syrup with grappa and coated the chestnuts in it for a nice, boozy glaze and if I had soaked the cherries in red wine instead of water. However, my friend can't consume anything with alcohol for religious reasons, and since this is a mostly college-based baking blog, I'd assume most don't have grappa. And grain alcohol just wouldn't be classy, now would it?

Some notes about this lovely tart: be sure not to over bake, or else the ricotta will be drier. Take heed of how sticky the pastry dough gets because of the sugar--do not skip the refrigeration step, and be sure to roll out the dough between plastic wrap or else it will seriously stick to the countertop.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Savoring Tuscany "Torta di Ricotta":

PASTRY:

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/3 cup sugar

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/8 tsp. salt

1 whole egg, plus 1 egg yolk

FILLING:

1/3 cup dried bing cherries

1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. cake flour

1 tsp. grated lemon zest.

1 tsp. vanilla extract

(optional) red wine

GARNISH:

1 cup roasted chestnuts (chopped or whole, depending on preference)

Sifted cocoa powder

To make the pastry, in a large bowl, mound the flour and make a well in the center. Add the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt to the well. In a small bowl using a fork, beat the whole egg and egg yolk, and then pour into the well. Lightly beat the mixture in the well with the fork, then slowly incorporate the flour in a circular motion until well mixed and a rough dough has formed. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough briefly in the bowl until it forms a large ball.

Flatten the ball into a thick disk, place in a heavy-duty lock-top plastic bag (I wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap), and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat an oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Begin to make the filling by placing the dried cherries in a small bowl with warm water (or red wine) to cover. Let soak for 20 minutes-1 hour, then drain.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the ricotta, eggs, and sugar until the mixture is evenly blended.

Sift the flour into the bowl. Add the drained cherries, lemon zest, and vanilla to the bowl. Stir to mix well. Set the filling aside.

Place the refrigerated dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, and roll out the dough into an 11-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Peel off one of the top sheet of plastic wrap, and carry the rolled out dough to the prepared pan, flipping it over so the uncovered side is down. Pressing it into the bottom and sides, peel off the second (now top) layer of plastic wrap.

Pour the ricotta mixture into the lined pan. Trim the edges of the dough, then crimp lightly to form an attractive rim around the filling.

Bake until the top of the cake is a soft yellow and not quite set in the center, 30-45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

Release the sides of the pan and use a long metal spatula to transfer the tart to a serving plate. Garnish with chestnuts and sift cocoa powder on top. Serve at room temperature with grappa.

BOOZY VARIATION: Coat the roasted chestnuts in a grappa syrup and soak the cherries in red wine.

Healthy Subs and Adds

In my experience, using healthy ingredients in lieu of their caloric cousins is always appreciated . . . unless you can really taste it. "This tastes healthy" never seems to be a compliment.

As someone who is both well known for being a bougie connoisseur of quality ingredients/taste and relatively health-conscious, I am here to give a list of the things that make my double life easier. You'll never even know. Or, you'll know and others won't know. If you didn't' realize that cooking/baking is the same as being in a spy thriller, it is.

1. Fat Substitutions
Oil and butter are great. Especially butter. Basically, anything you put 2 sticks of butter in is guaranteed to be awesome, but also guaranteed cardiac arrest, and this is actually a huge dilemma in my life I've contemplated for a long time. My priorities are clear (*cough* butter) but I figure there's a way to be a lithe Parisian MPDG baker vs. Paula Deen and this is how it's done.
-Avocado
-Banana
-Greek yogurt
I am certain there are more, but I haven't tested them out yet.
**Some notes about these: avocado is dense and fatty and wonderful, but has a distinctive taste that needs to be masked. It's best used in chocolate cake or the like, because the deep chocolate flavor balances it out. Greek yogurt is absolutely wonderful and less finicky. Keep in mind you can use the different flavors available to complement the flavor of whatever you're baking (Lemon flavored Chobani for lemon muffins, etc.)

2. Moistness
I know, I said it. I know, it's a gross word. Just deal for a second.
Nobody wants dry and crumbly things. While fat substitutions will nip this in the bud usually, these additives won't compensate for oil and butter but when added (even to traditional butter and eggs recipes) will really make it dense and  . . .moist.
-Beets
-Shredded zucchini
-Black beans
-Applesauce (and flavored applesauce!)
 Beets add a wonderful richness to chocolate cake, shredded zucchini will completely shrivel up in baking and just lend moisture to any flavor cake (no taste detectable, ever), and black beans make brownies incredibly fudgy.

3. Creaminess
-Egg whites
-Cauliflower*
-Butternut squash*
-Pumpkin*
-Nutritional yeast*
-Silken tofu
Whip egg whites into oatmeal to make it super creamy, and pureeing silken tofu with melted dark chocolate is protein-packed low-calorie chocolate mousse. Awesome? Awesome.
*For savory dishes (especially pasta! see: Healthy Fettucine Alfredo, Ricotta Gnocchi with Pumpkin Velvet Sauce, and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.)

4. Sweetness
-Stevia
-Agave nectar
-Honey
-Medjool dates
-Bananas
Artificial sweeteners are really shit for you, but stevia and agave are all natural and don't taste like sugar-coated plastic. Honey has tons of health benefits and is less calories than sugar. Medjool dates are seriously the best--pulsed in the food processor and then added to anything as a binder and sweetener (especially great for raw crusts).

5. Starches
-Spaghetti squash*
-Nuts
-Kale*
-Chickpeas(*)
Pulse nuts and Medjool dates in the food processor (instead of graham crackers or Oreos) and press into a baking dish and it's a nutty, sweet crust to any filling. Pureed chickpeas are great in cookies or dips--the flavor becomes a completely blank canvas to whatever you want to impose on it.
*For savory dishes (Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce, Kale Chips, Roasted Chickpeas.)

And there you go. The newest Bond film: This Tastes Good, What's In It?

Daniel Craig is invited to my kitchen.

Chocolate Cake with Maple Salted Caramel Filling and Cinnamon Honey Buttercream

It was my suitemate Mac's birthday the other day.

My other suitemate Nicole was insistent upon "Bitches Love Cake" being written on it, and we have my remarkably even gel icing font to thank for its actualization. Mac, you're welcome. Mac has an obsession with all things cinnamon (and all the related tastes--honey, caramel, ginger, chai, etc.) but like any girl, what's a birthday cake without a hint of chocolate? So I decided to make a chocolate cake. I used strong coffee instead of the standard boiling water for more depth in flavor. I then decided to fill the layers with salted caramel, and got the brilliant idea to use maple granulated sugar instead of the standard brown sugar. One thing led to another and raw honey and cinnamon were being swirled into buttercream, and a masterpiece was born.

This is pretty much the most caloric thing I've ever baked, and it tastes almost identical to Ben & Jerry's Cinnamon Buns (plus chocolate). It's really good.

I really enjoy taking the flavors that are special to the people I'm baking for and making something creative out of it. Satisfying, you know?

Chocolate Cake:

Butter for greasing pans

All-purpose flour: 1 3/4 cups + dusting

Sugar: 2 cups

Cocoa powder: 3/4 cups

Baking soda: 2 tsp

Baking powder: 1 tsp

Salt: 1 tsp

Buttermilk: 1 cup shaken (I used a 3/4 greek yogurt to 1/4 milk substitute)

Vegetable oil: 1/2 cup

Eggs: 2

Pure vanilla extract: 1 tsp

Freshly brewed hot coffee: 1 cup

Method: Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 round cake pans. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients: eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry, and incorporate until no dry flour is showing--then add hot coffee and mix evenly. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until toothpick comes out cleanly.

Maple Salted Caramel Sauce (adapted):

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup maple granulated sugar, packed (I used Trader Joe's brand)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Himalayan pink sea salt (or just sea salt)

Method: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together butter, sugar, cream, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 6 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in vanilla (be careful, it might bubble up) and cook one more minute (don't skip this, or else the alcohol in the vanilla will be very strong). Pour caramel into jar and refrigerate until ready to use--when spreading the caramel between the cake layers, sprinkle on some sea salt before setting the layers.

Honey Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting (adapted):

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2-1 tsp cinnamon (depending on your preference)

2 tbsp raw honey (makes for a creamier consistency--standard honey can be substituted)

2 sticks butter, room temperature (1 cup)

Method: Whip it all together until light and fluffy!

Dark Chocolate Chip Maple Pecan Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! Perhaps you (should you exist) thought you had wrangled yourself out of the obligatory Thanksgiving post since I already posted a pumpkin pie recipe, but you would be wrong. Thanksgiving is about MULTIPLE pies. And multiple friends.
This Thanksgiving, I brought home two friends from college---one of whom (An) has been responsible for all of the photos on this lovely blog. They had never had a classic American Thanksgiving, and since they both live far away, I took the opportunity to appease my mother’s overactive maternal instinct and give them the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving experience by bringing them home for break. We had an amazing time. Seriously. Of course I was always grateful for what I had, but it really brings about a new sense of appreciation to see so many aspects of your home that have become trivialized to you through the bright eyes of an enthusiastic guest. The comforts of a charming old home, the warmth of a small town, and the affection of a mother all become magnified under the lens of presentation. It emphasized what Thanksgiving really is all about.

And, of course, I baked. That’s how I show my gratitude for all that I have---brown sugar gel with toasted nuts in a pie crust. Next to my grandmother’s legendary apple pie and my perfect gingersnap pumpkin pie rested this new staple---Dark Chocolate Chip Maple Pecan Pie. I was planning on adding “bourbon” to the name, but Asmahan is Muslim and can’t consume anything with alcohol in it. It was delicious on its own. I noticed most recipes were EITHER maple or chocolate pecan, but that seemed pretty dumb to me---why not both? And this pie was AMAZING. So good; my grandmother asked me for the recipe. That NEVER happens.

Pie Crust: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 cup shortening

 1/4 cup water

Method: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. 

Dark Chocolate Chip Maple Pecan Pie Filling:

1 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup light brown sugar 

3 eggs 

3 tbsp. butter, melted

 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

 1 tsp. salt 

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips 

Method: Preheat oven to 425 F. Whisk eggs, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, melted butter, and salt together in a bowl. Combine pecans and bittersweet chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 F for ~30 minutes, until set.

Perfect Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

I’m in this play right now. 4-hour rehearsals on top of hours of homework on top of independent character work has its downside, sure, but in a super cliché sense the creative satisfaction makes it all worthwhile. But one of the things that really make rehearsals awesome are the cookies our assistant director Abby makes. Just so you can have a tiny sense of how good these cookies are: she uses special-ordered feves (none of that semisweet Nestle chips shit), sprinkles large flaked sea salt on top, and the edges are crisp and the centers buttery and gooey. It’s basically a party/orgy in my mouth. Sorry for that image.

Now, I know I’m a decent baker. But I don’t special order feves, and hey, sometimes I use all white sugar because I’m out of brown sugar. And that’s okay (say it with me). Actually, the only reason that’s okay is because the people who eat my baking (read: indiscriminate, starving college freshmen) are 110% appreciative and loving, even if I’m kind of out of eggs and use an on-the-go pack of applesauce instead. They love me/my cookies anyway, even when they’re objectively not the world’s most perfect (like Abby’s are). So on this turkey week, I am giving thanks to them (my suitemates) by sending them each home with a pumpkin pie. This is coincidentally the same pie my roommate took a bite of and her eyes rolled back into her head, because it was “so goddamn good”. The gingersnap crust adds the perfect bit of spiced crunch to the creamy filling. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Gingersnap Crust:

 1 cup crushed gingersnaps

 4 tbsp. melted butter 

Method: Stir together and press into the pie dish. 

Pumpkin Pie Filling: (EAGLE BRAND® recipe)

 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

 1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

 2 large eggs

 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Cup Banana Cake

I’ve had a rough week. It’s been a week of emotional curveballs, theatre surprises, family drama, Hurricane Sandy aftermath, an article I handed in late, and lots. And lots. Of essays.

Not to dump all of my shit on you or anything (like I did to my suitemates two hours ago), or else I’d have to make it up to you with a gooey peanut butter cup banana cake (like I did for my suitemates twenty minutes ago). Sometimes you make decisions you don’t really know will lead to the result they end up leading to, and for that you have to just have a little angry freshman-year-music session, forgive yourself, and make something with a definitively certain result. There’s such great security in baking. Unless you’re like me and measure things half-assed and make substitutions that really aren’t okay---except don’t substitute anything in this banana cake, because it’s sort of perfect the way it is.

As a self-defined stress baker, I have learned that using very ripe bananas is a wonderful culinary decision, and not such a great emotional one. It’s way too easy to mash. No pent-up frustration induced force necessary.

Enjoy! (Photography credits to An Uong.)

  Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread by Ambitious Kitchen:

(adaptations include Angsty Freshman Year Music and a dash of morose)

 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

 ½ tsp baking soda

 1 tsp baking powder

 ½ tsp salt

 ¼ cup of softened butter

 ¾ cup of sugar

 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed 

2 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla

 1/2 cup of milk

 ¼ cup of fat free vanilla yogurt

 1 ¼ cup chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

 1/3 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups for topping

 Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and mashed banana together until very creamy about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until well combined. Add flour, yogurt and milk alternatively until well combined. Gently fold in 1 ¼ cup of chopped peanut butter cups. Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of chopped peanut butter cups over the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick comes out almost clean in center. Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove from pan gently and transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cakes

As a college dorm baker, I’ve learned that each ingredient in everything I bake has some kind of back-story. Since I am in fact in a dorm kitchen, it’s not exactly the most well-stocked and high-tech of places. I buy a big bag of flour and sugar and 4 sticks of butter when I make the trek to Stop & Shop, but other than that, every other ingredient that’s in my recipes is something someone’s mom randomly dropped off or something bought blindly with excess meal money from the downstairs food place.

One of my roommates is Greek, and brought back the most incredible olive oil from Greece. Another one of my suitemates loves grapefruit, so we had these gorgeous Pomelos sitting on top of the fridge and staring at me. (Kudos to both for lending these/everything to me.) Additionally, every recipe is an adventure of convenience. For example: this very recipe began as a desire to meticulously follow a recipe for an orange olive oil cake. Maybe I’d incorporate some dried cranberries? Soon, disaster struck---the two oranges we had were completely dehydrated. And then, a revelation! Of grapefruit and the pistachios I’ve been hoarding, which I painstakingly shelled and smashed with a ladle for your benefit, Internet. You’re welcome.

And then, deliciousness ensued. These grapefruit olive oil cakes were moist, but not too dense---bright and citrusy, but brought down to Earth with rich olive oil and salty pistachios. Don’t worry about only having roasted & salted pistachios on hand. Any will work, but these added real depth when combined with the brown sugar. Happy adventure baking! (Credits to my suitemate An Uong for her incredible photography. Amen.)

Credits to my suitemate (as always) An Uong for her incredible photography. Amen.

  Adapted from Melissa D’Arabian’s Orange Olive Oil Cake--makes roughly a dozen standard muffins)

Cooking spray

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

 3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs 

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice, zest, and pulp of ½ a grapefruit (double for a more grapefruit-y taste---simply add more flour)

 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Brown sugar and pistachios for topping 

 Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a muffin pan. Mix together the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until blended and light. Drizzle in the olive oil and vanilla and mix until light and smooth. Add the grapefruit juice, pulp, and zest and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt in another medium bowl. Add the flour mixture half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix on low just to incorporate. Pour into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with chopped pistachios and brown sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and serve.