Breakfast Killahs: Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits & Poached Eggs with Hollandaise

Boys in aprons are hot. Especially when they're making delicious food for you. That's a true sign of a keeper. Take notes gentlemen and bake your special someone biscuits!

That's right. Biscuits. Not candy and sweets. Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits. They're warm and sinful, with a touch of spice. They can be served with any meal. The chipotle powder is subtle enough to make an impression, not an over statement. The cheese makes them moist on the inside but a slight crisp to the outside. Okay look- these biscuits are awesome.

So far, this is my favorite recipe from the book Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. Thank you for making them Mr. Navix.

My contribution to breakfast was pouched eggs with hollandaise on the side. The hollandaise recipe is very easy- especially with a blender! You literally dump all the ingredients in and hit the "pulverize" button. Eggs topped with an egg based sauce... there's something unsettling about that.

I topped the poached eggs with a few spinach leaves wilted in a spot of warm butter and chopped garlic. Don't go crazy with the trimmings though- that will ruin the beautiful healthy aspect of poached eggs. We also had some apple sausage and Blackberries with Quinoa.

Making poached eggs is easy- here are a few basics that will help your operation go smoothly. If you need more in-depth pictures, check out Smitten's awesome break down.

1. Add a splash of white vinegar to a deep pot of water (you want enough water to submerge the egg easily) to help tighten the egg.
2. Heat water right before the boiling point- when you see all those tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pan.
3. Crack the egg into a cup before dropping into the water, this will help them slide into the pot easier.
4. Stir the water in a circular motion with a spoon so it creates a whirlpool. Drop the egg in the whirlpool- this will keep the egg together.
5. Let the egg do it's thing- it's beyond your power now. Give it about 3 minutes. Gentle poke with a slotted spoon to make sure the egg stays together but isn't a brick- you want the center to stay wet! Remove with slotted spoon.
   

Roll up your sleeves and give it a shot!

And voila! Place the egg on a napkin to dry up if you desire. Don't worry if your first one isn't perfect, it takes a little practice. Slice it open and let all the gooey deliciousness ooze out.


Yes, we are breakfast making killahs....

Very full and happy breakfast making killahs at that!

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits
by Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups grated and tightly packed sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (cold)
1 large egg
Kosher salt for topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pepper, chipotle powder, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and the 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add the butter and, using your hands or the back of a wooden spoon, work the butter into the dough. The mixture should look like coarse sand. Add the cheese and stir to thoroughly incorporate it into the dough.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Use a small ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup to scoop the dough and drop it in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean.

Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack. The biscuits can be served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Blender Hollandaise
by ChelleBelle

1 egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons butter
Black pepper to garnish

Yields 2 servings. Reference ChelleBelle's page for conversions.

In the container of a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds.

Place the butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately.

Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water. Garnish with crushed black pepper.

Bang On Salad With Peanut Dressing!

Isn't it funny how the best things can happen entirely by chance? I usually make recipes that have plenty of reviews and positive feedback. If I'm going to buy groceries and invest time in the kitchen- it better be worth my while. That's logical enough, no?

Unfortunately, a lot of good food is lost in that logic. Just because a recipe comes from a lesser known chef, book, or blog (cough cough)- doesn't mean it's not delicious!

Instead of running to a book or blog, I made this salad on the fly. Sitting on the back porch, reading the ol' Kindle (never used one before- my brain is still trippin by this concept), and taking in the beautiful weather- it would have been a crime to leave. Poked my head in the kitchen quickly and looked around.

There were dried tart cherries for a Chocolate Cherry bread I'm dying to create. Panera was the first to introduce me to this bread and I fell in love. Then they discontinued it. Way go to Panera. A close second is the version from Wegmans. Sublime!

An avocado was hanging out on the counter. A big bag of broccoli and mixed field greens in the fridge. Some left over apple chicken sausage from breakfast a weekend ago.

Sounds like the makings of a random salad to me!

The standard issue dressing is azeite and vinegra (olive oil and vinegar) with some salt/pepper. Not this day! Crossed my fingers and made one from scratch.

Okay. Now I'm not being biased... but this salad combination is effing fantastic. The tart cherries compliment the apple sausage. The avocado smooths the broccoli flavor. And the peanut dressing? Drizzle oh so lightly atop- it's the bow that ties everything together. You don't need much at all because of the smoothness of the avocado and sweetness of the cherries. It's not a lot of ingredients- but each one is full of flavor.

Healthy, light, and full of flavor. Best part is- you determine the serving size! Most of these ingredients you can find at the salad bar at the grocery store or the bulk food section. There's no need to buy a big bag of cherries or a huge thing of salad that's just going to go bad. Grab what you need and bring it home!

Hope you like!

Bang On Salad

Mixed green lettuce
Fresh avocado
Raw broccoli
Chicken Apple Sausage
Dried tart cherries

Mix lettuce with chopped avocado, cherries, and broccoli.

Warm sausage in microwave or on skillet for a minute or two, until fragrant. Toss on top of salad.

Drizzle dressing lightly on top.


Peanut Dressing
adapted from Bobby Flay

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
1-2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoons garlic chili sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

Mix it all together in a cup; add additional soy and honey to taste.

Yogurt Tartletes & Lucky Dog Adoption

As I mentioned last weekend, there was a volunteer opportunity with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. They have an event every month, so if you're interested, take a moment to sign up! This past adoption was held at Dogma Bakery in Shirlington, VA.

I didn't know what to expect.

Then She walked in.

Rainy.

A recent rescue. Timid and shy. Hates car rides. Trembling with uncertainty. Part border collie, part retriever. High maternal instincts (she reminds me of "Fly" from the movie Babe) and dotes on other dogs. I immediately latched on. She is one hell of a cuddle-bug.

Of course, every dog was a character and unique.

The story of 10 year old Jamba broke my heart. Stoic. Distant. She sat in the same spot and watched the gray sky drizzle. Treats made her eyes light up for a fleeting moment. Apparently, her owner called while she was at doggy day care and said he was suffering from depression- he couldn't keep her anymore. He never came back for her- just left her at day care. Her loyalty and devotion makes me tear up. It was like she is waiting for him. I hope they find one another again when he's in a better state of being.

After the event, hiked out to Baltimore for a break dance jam. My brother from another mother had entered and one must always support those they love. It's hard to get all together, so it does the soul good. It was nice to see familiar faces and meet new people. There were some pretty nasty 1v1's! Breakin is the closest thing to flying without wings.

In keeping with this chill mode, I made these Yogurt Tartlets because they're relatively easy and on the healthy end of the spectrum. Overall- they were okay. If you're looking for sweet, fatty joy- you've come to wrong place. This is a much more polished, sophisticated, and natural dessert. The yummy crust has oats. The filling though....

Very subtle ginger... which requires GINGER JUICE. How does one acquire ginger juice? You grate ginger like zesting a lemon, then push the zest through a sieve. It's a bit time consuming. Next time I make this- I'm opting out of the ginger and putting 3 teaspoons of juice or honey to save time. Plus, I didn't think 3 teaspoons was enough to get that ginger taste. Sprinkled some ginger powder in there but it wasn't the same.

Yogurt Tartletes
by 101 Cookbooks

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, coconut oil, or olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons natural cane sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use low-fat here)
1/4 cup maple syrup
zest of one lemon
3 teaspoons fresh ginger juice*
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

crystalized ginger, dried fruit, or fresh fruit/berries for topping

special equipment: 6 small tart (4 inch) pans or 4 small tart (5 inch) pans

Preheat oven to 350F degrees, rack in the middle. In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, and salt. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup and sugar. Now add the flour and oat mixture to the butter and stir well. Cook a couple minutes - just until you get a bit of a toasted smell. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from heat. Divide mixture into six equal portions, and as soon as it is cool enough, quickly press the mixture into (and up the sides) of each of the tart pans using your fingers and/or the base of a glass. Freeze until completely cooled - 5 or 10 minutes.

In the meantime, to make the filling, combine the yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest and ginger juice in a medium mixing bowl. Taste. Add more ginger juice if you like. Now stir in the eggs until well incorporated.

Fill each tart shell with about 1/4 cup of filling, don't worry if you have a bit leftover. Bake for about 20 - 23 minutes. The filling should be set, and no longer jiggly. Remove the tarts and let cool for ten minutes. Now refrigerate for a couple hours, and serve topped with chopped crystallized ginger, fresh fruit, or dried fruit.

*Fresh ginger juice: Grate peeled ginger with a micro-plane grater. Press and squeeze the grated ginger against a fine strainer extracting as much juice as possible.

Heart on My Sleeve: Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with White Mint Chocolate

The angel's halo was slightly crooked. She possessed a stunning natural beauty, though her expression was bored. I watched from across the party, apprehensive to make conversation because pretty girls tend to be mean. A mutual friend introduced us. She stuck out her hand, smiled, and said warmly, "Hi, I'm Heather!" She giggled at my Pikachu ears. We were friends instantly. Halloween 2003.

She is my Richmond lover, rock, bf, and QP. She is one of the two people I tell my story to without edits or censorship. Her honesty and openness makes me turn red; she is a hopeless romantic and eternal optimist. Always with her heart on her sleeve- so I made her a simple cardigan to match. It's a refreshing dynamic.

I made these cupcakes for her moving-away picnic. I will effing miss you girl but it would be a sin to restrain that spirit. Safe travels! You know we'll be in touch! And don't worry, Jake's spirit is with you- he would follow you to the ends of the earth. I love you Heather Boo.

These cupcakes are simple and delicious. All you have to do is melt, mix, and stir things! Just make sure you give the topping the two hours it needs to chill in the fridge (or sneak it into the freezer to speed things up). They're essentially mini flourless cakes which translates to thick richness- hence the souffle part. They rise a little bit in the oven then sink down- don't worry- they're supposed to do that. There's no flour supporting the structure. Pure, unadulterated chocolate.

Topping these lovely cupcakes is white chocolate mixed with peppermint extract. It's not frosting, it's not really ganache either. The cool part is when you blend it a little bit and it begins to thicken up. I thought this was a very neat way to create a topping.

These cupcakes got punished. I actually doubled the recipe because it yields about 9 cupcakes. I came out with about 20 cupcakes. The awkward number is kinda nice- sometimes you don't need 12 cupcakes.

Best served warm to keep the gooey part of the souffle, but I made these a day before and people still loved them. Imagine them fresh out of the oven, a small serving of vanilla icecream on top instead of the white chocolate in the summer time? I can't wait!

Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes
from Smitten Kitchen

6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) (86 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) espresso or instant coffee powder
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons (97 grams) sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

White Chocolate Mint Cream

2 ounces (56 grams) white chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

Prep the white chocolate topping. Place the white chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk well. Add the peppermint extract and whisk again. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream. Chill until very cold, about two hours.

Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9 standard-size (3-ounce) muffin cups with paper liners. Stir chocolate, butter and espresso powder together in heavy medium saucepan over low heat mostly melted, then remove from the heat and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth. (I like to put the butter underneath the chocolate in the pan, so that it protects the chocolate from the direct heat.) Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Using an electric hand mixer, beat egg yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Briefly beat lukewarm chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract, into yolk mixture.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and all of the salt, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each three-fourths of the way.

Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry to the touch (some may crack, embrace it) and a tester inserted into the centers comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack, where the cupcakes will almost immediately start to fall. It will be all the better to put your mint cream on them.

Finish your masterpiece: Beat mint white chocolate cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Remove cupcakes from pan, arrange on a platter. Fill each sunken top with a healthy dollop of white chocolate mint cream. Top with shaved dark chocolate, if you’re feeling fancy.

Banana, Quinoa, and Toasted Coconut Muffin Tops

Soothing rain. Pushes you back down. Under the sheets. To a calm, mellow morning. Wait, soothing rain is meant for Sundays! Time to get up! It's Saturrrdayyyyyyy!!!

Okay, Saturdays aren't what they used to be. I feel bad for this generation- they got robbed in terms of Saturday morning cartoons. Teenage mutant ninja turtles? Anybody? Yah, it's not worth the kids these days to wake up mad early and eat sugar loaded cereal if there's nothing to distract them from their poor parents.

Today I'm volunteering with a a doggie adoption in Shirlington, VA: Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. Come through, adopt a gentle soul. Don't be surprised if a 4 legged friend follows me home. If you know more volunteer opportunities, especially with animals, hit me up!

Here's a recipe I made up on the fly the other day. They were inspired from a banana cookie recipe I saw online. These are not cookies. They're like eating muffin tops! I added quinoa to add texture and flavor. First time baking with the stuff and I really love the dimension it adds. You don't have to use it, but there was some around the house. These muffin tops are great for breakfast and full of banana/coconut flavor! Sprinkle a little confectioners sugar or drizzle honey for sweetness. I liked them as they were!

Oh crap, it's already 11AM! Gotta goooo! Just wanted to throw some loves out there! Hugs and cookies for all! Have a great weekend everyone!

Banana, Quinoa, and Toasted Coconut Muffin Tops

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 bananas, peeled and mashed
2 eggs
1/4 cup toasted quinoa
1 cup toasted coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant vanilla pudding mix (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast coconut and quinoa in a medium skillet till slightly browned and fragrant. Put to the side.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Add brown sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and banana. Combine flour, toasted coconut, quinoa, baking soda, salt, and instant vanilla pudding (optional); blend thoroughly.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

Macaron Massacre

Do you ever get loopy when you're tired? Not cranky nor sleepy- kind of like being tipsy. Drunk tired. Things are a little funnier and imagery sparks. That's me right now. Dance practice starts at 9PM. I should leave by 11 but that never happens. The groove has kicked in, you're awake, and all warmed up. We go all out till 1130. Adrenaline pumping... and it doesn't come back down till about 2am. It's worth it.

The joy of being drunk tired is being more susceptible to your own imagination. Throw in some beautiful music, and it's like dumping gasoline all over the fire. Today's tracks:

Mateo- Get To Know Me (check out his new mixtape)
Apsci- Robosex (patience, let the beat drop)
Nicolay- Saturday Night
Panacea- Walk In the Park
Jodeci- Come & Talk To Me Remix (love yelling/singing in the shower)

Disclaimer: just because you have headphones on, engrossed in your own little world-- the rest of the world can still hear you. Especially when singing a song like "I Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg" by TLC. Nice and loud. On the metro. And some guy giggles when he hears you. *RED FACE*

That being said. Macarons.

As with the rhubarb, this seems to be a foodie trend. They're small cookies, the key ingredients being almond mead/flour and a meringue base. Buttercream, fruit jam, or ganache are used to hold it together. The trademark is the "feet" the macaron sits atop. There's a technique to making these lil devils and a million suggestions on how to make the perfect macaron. I've seen posts, but it didn't do it for me.

Until I saw Sparkles Kitchen and my eyes lit up. Her macarons are perfect and adorable. I had to know! Ordered a batch out of sheer curiosity. The black sesame macaron made me swoon. Thank you Karen for the inspiration. That's a very precious gift to give- even if you didn't mean to.

Round 1: BOMBED

I mean look at them. Really. What the fcuk is that? HOW did that HAPPEN? My God. Hang up the apron now. I'm so sorry Macaron, I don't blame the recipe- this was a human error.

Round 2: BOMBED

Switched it up and used David Lebovitz's recipe. He is my guy- can't go wrong here, right? Alas, sorrow and heart ache.

Round 3: SUCCESS

Wouldn't you know it... they came out just right! Maybe they needed a minute to settle? Either way... Soft and airy but with this oh so slight chewiness. You can't help but pop them in your mouth.

It's clear to see why people become obsessed with the macaron. It's a worthwhile challenge and craft to be mastered.

Note: Use whatever you want to hold them together. See David's recipe below for a simple ganache. I was sick of the kitchen and simply used nutella!

French Chocolate Macaron
by David Lebovitz

Makes about fifteen cookies

1 cup (100 gr) powdered sugar
½ cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)
3 tablespoons (25 gr) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (65 gr) granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder and cocoa so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor since almond meal that you buy isn’t quite fine enough.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.

Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.

Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

Once they have cooled, add a little nutella and seal together.

Shower Nom Nom Recap

There was a moment where I was scared for people's lives in the kitchen. My brother had called casually to say he was on his way to the restaurant for lunch. Lunch? Already? What time is it? That's when Olga realized it was noon and not all the food was ready for the 1pm baby shower. Uh oh.

This woman is such a G, she kept cooking even with a burned hand from the bbq. Susana was wrestling to put ointment on her but couldn't hold her back. Bruised, bandaged and yelling at people.... lunch was on the table by 1. Food is an extension of love in this family. It's her only daughter's baby shower- ohhhh you could taste the love. Paella, roast beef, potatoes, salad, bread... my goodness.

I played it safe and stuck with desserts made in the safety of my kitchen: cupcakes, cake donuts, cake pops, monkey bread (per request), and blueberry lemonade.

Since women are pickers by nature, I kept the cupcakes as minis. The Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream frosting (frosting with Ovaltine mixed in? heck yah!) were topped with gum paste flowers from Sweet Perfections. No one believed the flowers were edible because of how pretty, dainty, and delicate they looked. Terra was super nice and threw in a few extra flowers in case they broke in the mail. Not a single one was broken! Thanks so much Terra!

Plus, found this cupcake stand for $10 at the Home Goods store. Added a few flowers and ribbon I stumbled upon at Michael's to go with the blue theme.

With the left over batter from one sheet of cupcakes, I made mini chocolate donuts with a coffee flavored glaze. The glaze was simply confectioners sugar with a splash of milk and some coffee extract. These were a gamble- I never made cake donuts but this recipe worked out amazing! Phew! Highly recommend.

The cake pops were made from boxed lemon cake (shush you hardcore foodies) mixed with 1 regular (16 ounce) package of cream cheese. Next time, I'm going to use lemon frosting instead. Wasn't feeling the cream cheese and lemon combination. For the coating, add a few splashes of blue food coloring to some white chocolate bark and melt over double boiler. Yes, they looked cute but they were a pain in the butt in terms of time.

To help wash down the sweetness, a lil more sweetness: blueberry lemonade. This was again, a part of the blue themed effort. It definitely wasn't blue though. You lied to me blueberries!! Simply take the delicious raspberry lemonade recipe and switch out the fruit portion. I halved the sugar.

Last but not least, the beloved monkey bread. This thing has become an epidemic in my family. Everyone LOVES it. Yes- it's time consuming because the bread has to rise twice but it's worth it. People are mystified by this sweet bread.

I topped the bread with these mesmerizing mini pinwheels from Aubrey. I'm enchanted by these pinwheels and have them in vases throughout the house. They're dreamy. I was even more tickled she used one of my pictures for her etsy! Thanks so much Aubrey!

Mission, complete! Now just waiting for summer to kick in for all the family bdays! Ah geez : )