From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Heaven help us all. This weekend, I've been experimenting with roasted grapes and used them in both sweet and savory dishes. My favorite application was their use as an accompaniment to a roast pork, but I also came up with recipes for muffins and scones where the grapes are used in place of berries or nuts. Roasting the grapes heightens their sweetness and changes their texture. I really think you'll like them roasted. The first of my experiments was for the muffins I'm sharing with you tonight. Italians make cakes that use grapes and olive oil as ingredients. Those recipes were the inspiration for these muffins which are child-simple to prepare. They have a moist crumb, but the sprinkling of sugar they receive before going into the oven, gives the crust a crunch that plays nicely against their moist interiors. These muffins are not overly sweet and they are great to serve for breakfast or at a coffee or tea. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the muffins are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can't imagine ham without cheese or peanut butter without jelly. Some foods are just made for each other. In our house, chili falls into that category. I can't remember the last time I made a chili without serving cornbread on the side. I know you already have a recipe for cornbread, but I hope you are adventurous enough to give this loaded cornbread from the Culinary Institute a try. The only hard and fast rule for making cornbread is not to overmix it. I have one other to share with you. When you add ingredients to a standard cornbread it will require more time to cook. Make sure your bread is done before you take it from the oven. I have never had great luck keeping cornbread because it stales so quickly. When I have leftovers, I cube and freeze the cornbread and use it as the base for stuffing pork chops or chicken. Do give this recipe a try. I know you will like the cornbread. Here is how it's made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, this has become my go-to recipe for zucchini muffins. I've made these hearty gems for over 20 years now, and if you glance through the ingredient list, you'll see why my children use to call them "kitchen sink" muffins. Not, mind you, for their scrumptious taste, but because I put everything but the kitchen sink into the batter. I know you will like them. While they are a bit heavier than the usual breakfast muffin, they are moist and delicious and also keep well. That's important when a recipe makes 18 muffins. The recipe is simple enough for young cooks to prepare and if you use a box grater to shred the zucchini, they can be made without special equipment. I spray the paper liners to keep the muffins intact when the liners are peeled back for eating. It's not necessary, but it does make for nicer looking offering. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This will be the last of the zucchini bread recipes for this year. I may still have a muffin or two up my sleeve, but I promise there will be no more bread. I wanted to feature this recipe because of its pedigree. It comes from the Culinary Institute of America and the orange zest used in their version adds a nice twist to an otherwise plain bread. Once again, we have a quick bread that can be made without special equipment. If you have two bowls and a spoon, you can have warm zucchini bread on the table in about an hour. The bread has a faint orange flavor and a lovely crumb. The zucchini assures it will be moist when first made, as well as later if the bread is frozen and thawed. The loaf is nearly effortless to make and it is a great way to use up your garden squash. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the Orange Zucchini Bread is made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's that time of year. Zucchini is being passed from neighbor to neighbor and there is a good chance you'll end up with a surplus of it on your kitchen counter if there are vegetable gardens and friendly gardeners in your area. I have a hopper full of recipes for zucchini, but when I was gifted with two large specimens, I decided to look for new ways to prepare them. I found this recipe on What's Cooking America and it sounded so good that I simply had to give it a try. I keep cranberries in the freezer, so I actually had everything I needed to make this colorful bread on hand. This is an extremely easy bread to make and it can be made by anyone who has two bowls and a wooden spoon. I think those of you who give this recipe a try, will like the tart play of the cranberries and sugar in this sweet bread. The zucchini keeps it moist and the bread can be stored at room temperature for several days if it is well wrap. It will freeze for up to a month before it starts to dry out. I really like this simple quick bread and I think you will, too. Here is how it's made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These homely scones will have those who love the oatmeal variety begging for more. These certainly are the best I've ever had. I found the recipe on the Cookie Madness blog where the original recipe was attributed to Cook's Illustrated. Despite their pedigree, the scones are simple to make and they are especially good keepers, staying moist for several days. They are rich, sweet and buttery, and, it goes without saying, they are a perfect accompaniment to an English afternoon tea. I used cinnamon chips at the request of the Silver Fox, but I must admit I like them just as well when made with raisins. If you do not have a food processor, a pastry cutter can be used to work the butter into the flour. It will take a little longer, but it will do the job. I do hope you'll give this simple recipe a try. I know you will love the scones. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves donuts. His preference, of course, is deep fried, filled and glazed. We are both past the age when fried dunkers grace our table, but I do occasionally backpedal and make cake donuts for him. I thought they'd be nice addition to our breakfast on Father's Day. I use Ina Garten's recipe, but I cut ingredients in half to make sure we don't overindulge. I also add some crumbs to the topping mix to improve the appearance of the donuts. Ina's recipe is simple, very doable and delicious. I think your family will enjoy them. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe, sans the white chocolate chips, first appeared in Molly Wizenberg's book A Homemade Life. It's had a great run on the internet, but for one reason, I never actually made the scones. Several weeks ago, I saw a version of it on Pinterest and I decided it was time to make, rather than drool over them. I have a weakness for all types of scones and I assume the world shares my passion. I usually tote them to morning meetings, and because I make them so often, I've become a self-proclaimed expert at their construction. These, with the addition of white chocolate, sounded unbearably delicious. I had one small problem, however. While I can buy squares or wafers, but I've never seen white chocolate in chip, much less miniature chip, form. I solved the problem by taking my chef's knife to a couple of squares of what was available and fashioned small chips of my own. And while I was creating miniatures, I also decided to make petite scones. For the past several years, I've seen the calorie conscious cut single pastries into smaller portions for their plates, so I decided to eliminate the middle man and help them by making my scones pint sized to begin with. I know you will like these. The combination of lemon and candied ginger is one of those matches made in heaven. It is further enhanced by the addition of white chocolate to the mix. The scones have a lovely crumb and when they are served still warm, paradise comes suddenly near. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These simple muffins will make a wonderful addition to your breakfast or brunch table. They can be made without special equipment and if you have a large bowl and a wooden spoon you can serve your family fresh strawberry muffins within 30 minutes. Early strawberries are already available in supermarkets, but they lack the flavor of those that are harvested in June. These muffins are a perfect way to use early berries. The chocolate chips are a nice, but not necessary addition. I think you are going to love the muffins. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of those wonderfully simple recipes that produce great results. It comes from Becky Broberg and it is for one of the sweet breads she serves with breakfast at The Blue Goose Inn. There are no tricks to its assembly and the combination of chocolate and bananas is one that is liked by almost everyone. Like all banana breads, this one is a great keeper, and if it is well-wrapped it can be stored for up to 5 days. I like to make small loaf version of quick breads for bake sales and this is the next one I'll be sending off. I know you will like this loaf. Here is how it's made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must have something in common with the cat that curiosity killed. I found this recipe of the Whole Foods site over a year ago, and while it was not the kind of recipe I'm usually drawn to, it chipped at my curiosity until I could no longer resist the temptation to try it. Having done so, I'd classify this as a snack cake that can double as a coffee cake. It is perfect for a breakfast or brunch when you want to serve something out of the ordinary. It is barely sweet and uses enough carrots to qualify as a vegetable side dish. The cake is moist and dense, but its flavor is completely unlike that of a standard carrot cake. The predominant flavors here are the carrots and vanilla. This is not a cake for the masses, but I suspect it will be enjoyed by folks who like cornbread or plain biscuits for breakfast. It certainly is easy to make and I suspect that a few of you will be curious enough to give it a try. It's a nice cake. Here is how it's made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...All you need to make these moist and crunchy gems are a couple of bowls and a wooden spoon. I'm on a banana kick this week and this is the first recipe I want to share with you. Actually, I have to share it with you. The bananas sitting on top of my refrigerator are ripe and perfuming the house with their unique odor. We have reached that unmistakable "use it or lose it" kitchen moment that cooks have come to know too well. The recipe is a slight riff of one that appears on Allrecipes. The next time I make these muffins, and there will be a next time, I'll cut back on the amount of ingredients used to make the streusel. I think the current quantities produce to much of a good thing, but if you like your treats super sweet, you might want to stick to the original proportions. While these disappeared quickly from my table, the bananas keep these muffins moist and edible for several days when they are stored in airtight containers. There is nothing here not to like, so give the recipe a try. Here is how these easy muffins are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you enjoy soda bread I think you'll enjoy these muffins. They are easy to make and quite tasty, despite their rough appearance. While I've done hundreds of coffees and more than my share of cocktail parties, I have never done a tea. I've been told by those who have and do, that these are a nice addition to a tea table. I suspect they will not have universal appeal because they are barely sweet and their appearance will keep most from choosing them if more attractive selections are available. Rest assured, they are great when served warm with butter, clotted cream or a really fruity jam or jelly. Like larger soda breads, these rolls stale quickly, so you should plan to serve them the day they are made. It is hard to go wrong when making these muffins. They come together quickly and I think you will enjoy the hint of orange and caraway that is added to what is otherwise a basic dough for soda bread. The muffins can be made with just a bowl and wooden spoon, so this is a good recipe to keep in mind when working in a kitchen that has no modern amenities. I do hope you will give them a try. Here is how they are made.
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had to be out of the house for an early meeting this morning. I was asked to bring something for the refreshment table and I decided to prepare this quick bread. Blueberries have arrived in our markets, and while they lack the sweetness of those that will come later in the season, I couldn't resist making this loaf cake. The bread tastes like blueberry muffins, but its easier to make because there is no need to prepare or clean muffin pans. I'm not at my best at 8 in the morning, so any shortcuts that will make the start of the day less painless are always taken here. While I used fresh berries to make this loaf, I have often use frozen berries and they have little effect on the quality of the finished cake. My one caution is to make sure the cake is done before you take it from the oven, especially if you are using frozen berries. Their chill can add to cooking time. The bread can be made without special equipment so it is natural for beginning cooks or those who are working in inadequate summer kitchens. There is nothing not to like here, so, I hope you will give the recipe a try. Here is how the cake is made.
