Breakfast Bars by Nigella Lawson

(Part of a weekly series by a group of bloggers, featuring Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers in Food - see end of post for list of bloggers participating & their blogs)

At #44 on the list of 50 Women Game Changers in Food, Nigella Lawson doesn't really need an introduction. Her name and fame speak for her. She's the reason why everyone wants to be a 'domestic goddess' and sensual cooking took on a whole new meaning. That alluring smile of hers can draw the attention of even the blindest bat. Even if one's not really interested in cooking, you can stare mindlessly at the gorgeous face gliding across the kitchen, ruffling through her pantry to show us interesting bits of knick-knacks hidden inside and cooking up food we can all relate to. And that's what I love about Nigella. There's no fancy moves, fancy techniques or juggling a million bowls in the air...even the way she cuts her vegetables is just like anyone would. It's her charisma and inviting persona that charms her way into your life.

Source: Food Network

Nigella's built quite the empire out of her love for cooking, despite the lack of any professional training. The words of her late husband, John Diamond, speak volumes and ring so true - "How proud I am of you and what you have become. The great thing about us is that we have made us who we are."

Nigella holds a Degree in Medieval and Modern Languages from Oxford and that led to an admirable career in journalism. Not happy being a full-time executive, she quit and started freelance writing, working on articles and columns for the likes of The Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Vogue, The Times Magazine, Gourmet and Bon Appetit. She was inspired to write her first cookbook, How to Eat, when she saw a dinner party host reduced to tears with a dessert mishap. That was followed by her widely popular cookbook, How to be a Domestic Goddess, that won her the title of Author of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2001. She went on to host her own cooking show, Nigella Bites and write many more cookbooks that would become people favorites.

Choco-Cranberry Beer Bread

Things have been a little quiet in the Beetle's kitchen. I've been making peace with my sacrifice of meat for Lent. I'm not a big meat person like my husband, who, by the way, effortlessly gives up meat every Lent. I don't crave meat normally whereas my husband NEEDS meat with every meal. The day I cook a vegetarian meal, the first question he'll ask is, "where the meat at?", regardless of how delicious the dishes may be. For him, a meal is not complete without meat.

Majority of my cooking is based on what my husband would like to eat because left on my own, I'll survive on instant noodles or takeout for every meal. So, I thought giving up meat would be easy, given that (a) I don't crave meat and (b) I wouldn't really feel like cooking meat just for myself. But, ever since Lent began, my eyes have been involuntarily hunting for meat. I have to literally fly past the meat section at the grocery store because I look like a kid standing at the candy store with no money from mom to get candy. It doesn't help when I'm reading my favorite blogs and you have irresistible pictures of chicken, steak, beef or the 5-letter B-word (my favorite). Yeah, even saying it makes me cringe with temptation.

Every day I stand with the fridge door open, hoping the contents in the vegetable drawer will talk to me and tell me what delicious dish I can put them in so I won't miss meat. The ungrateful things aren't really helping, so I grabbed the bottles of beer that had been pushed to the back of the fridge and hunted for a beer bread recipe.

I'm not fond of beer and the husband drinks beer depending on what his mood dictates. So, these bottles had been sitting inside for quite a while. Now, I'm aware of what people say about not cooking with ingredients you don't care about, but, I couldn't care less about that right now. My good friend, Alton Brown, had this lovely video on how to make Beer bread and I got down to business. 

While Alton made a cheese and dill beer bread, I switched up the flavor components and decided to throw in cranberries and chocolate. I needed the chocolate to appease my meat cravings. One thing I would note about Alton's video and recipe are that he uses one whole 12 fl oz bottle of beer, but, to get the texture from his recipe video, I had to leave a few sips behind. Otherwise, it got soggy. So, watch out for that. You want a gooey texture and not a smooth, flowy texture.

I wasn't stopping at the beer bread because I was pulling the big guns out for this one. I remember watching Bobby Flay demonstrate an orange-honey butter on The Worst Cooks in America. I decided to make a cranberry-honey butter to go with my bread. Best. Decision. Ever. I can eat the cranberry-honey butter all by itself, if I wasn't reminded of the fact that it is still butter! Sigh

The combination of the cranberry-honey butter and the bread is amazing, to say the least. You could also overload on chocolate and toast your bread a bit before slathering with some chocolate sauce. *SLURP* Pure yum!

Choco Cranberry Beer Bread (adapted from Alton Brown's Beer Bread recipe)

Ingredients and instructions

• Nonstick spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 12 ounces cold beer, ale or stout
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, optional

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with the nonstick spray and set aside.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cranberries and stir in the beer just to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the sunflower seeds, if using.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cranberry Honey Butter (adapted from Bobby Flay's version on The Worst Cooks of America)

Ingredients and instructions

• 1 cup cranberry juice, ready-made or home-made*
• 3/4 stick butter, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch salt

Place cranberry juice in a small non-reactive saucepan over high heat and reduce to 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons. Place butter in a bowl and add the cranberry syrup, honey, and salt; mix until combined. Scoop into a large ramekin, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

*Home-made Cranberry Juice

If you're feeling all adventurous and have your kitchen mojo on, make your own cranberry juice as well. Mind you, I've just learnt that cranberries in their fresh state or on their own are very sour and bitter. So, constitute the right amount of sugar according to your taste. I like mine sweeter than bitter so I added more sugar. Taste as you go.

Ingredients and instructions:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

In a soup kettle, bring water and cranberries to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until berries begin to pop.

Strain through a fine strainer, pressing mixture with a spoon; discard berries. Return cranberry juice to the pan. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and orange juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Remove from the heat. Cool. Transfer to a pitcher; cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 1 cup.

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Baileys Cream Sauce

I'm sure all of us have been to restaurants/cafes or any other eating joint where you've ordered something so heavenly that you want to come home and figure out how to make that dish. It happens to me quite often, though by the time I'm stuffed like a python and get into the car, all thoughts of recreating that meal have been replaced by "I'm going to pass out with the amount of food I've eaten". 

But, a couple of months back, the husband and I ate at this little bar/restaurant that served a dessert that I'd give my heart and soul for. On the menu, it was a simple bread pudding with blueberries and Baileys cream sauce. On the plate, it was one spoon after the other of pure bliss. If I could, I would've literally licked the plate clean (guilty confession: I do this at home with desserts but, I don't care!). I didn't want to ruin my chances of going back there for more bites of this bliss, though, so I ate as ladylike as I could. 

That dessert has not left my mind till this day! I knew I'd never get to make a dish as delicious as that unless I wrestled the secrets out of the chef but, I sure as hell was going to try! So, this is my attempt at recreating the dessert that stole my heart and maybe, just MAYBE, found a bigger place in my heart than my husband. Bon Appetit!

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Baileys Cream Sauce

Ingredients and instructions:

For the bread pudding (adapted from Giada Di Laurentiis' recipe on Food Network)

• Butter, for greasing
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup maple syrup, plus extra for serving
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 (1-inch thick) slices (8 ounces) day-old challah or sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups (12 ounces) fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained blueberries
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Handful of chopped pecans

For the sauce (adapted from Betty Crocker)

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream

Make the bread pudding: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest. Add the bread cubes and mix until coated. Stir in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining cinnamon, sugar and pecans. Sprinkle over the egg mixture in an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set.

Make the sauce: In 1-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat; do not allow to simmer. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Mix water and 1 egg in small bowl; stir into butter until blended. Stir in 1 cup sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in Baileys. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Slice your bread pudding onto a plate and top with Baileys cream sauce.

Cinnamon Apple Buns

Lately, I've noticed that I buy fruits, vegetables or meat that I have no idea what to do with but, get them anyway to try something different. Case in point, 3 granny smith apples that were sitting in my fruit basket wondering when I'm going to use them. The first thing I thought of was Apple Pie. But, I wanted to do something different since I've already made apple pie/crumble before. And that's where inspiration struck - how about I just re-purpose the basic elements of apple pie (crust and filling) in a different manner, at least to me. I thought of rolling the crust with stewed apples, just like you would with cinnamon buns. I know this is not a novel idea, but this is how I went about it. I got the bun dough recipe from Food Network and made the filling on my own. Bon Appétit!

Cinnamon Apple Buns
Ingredients:
For the dough - 
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the apple filling -

- 3 granny smith or cooking apples

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

For the glaze -

- 1 cup powdered/confectioners' sugar

- 1 tablespoon milk

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Directions:

Make the dough (adapted from Food Network's almost famous cinnamon buns): Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100 (since I don't have a food thermometer, I just heated it up till it was medium warm though I could've made it a little more hot). Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don't stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)

Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.

Roll out the dough in a rectangle (horizontal) which is about a 1/4-inch thick. Spread your filling, leaving an inch on the long side away from you. Brush that one inch strip with water. Start rolling from the long side close to you, outwards, till you get to the end brushed with water. Seal the water-brushed end to the roll. Cut in 1-inch slices. 

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; place the buns cut-side down in the pan, leaving space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 40 minutes (Yes, it rises again! and also during baking). Preheat the oven to 325degF.

Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes or longer so the filling stays intact. 

Make the filling (best time is when the dough is rising): Peel apples, core and chop into 1/2-inch thin pieces. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat. Add the apples and brown sugar. Let it cook till apples start getting tender, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg powder. Let it cool.

Make the glaze: Mix all the ingredients together till you get a consistency that allows you to drizzle. You can add more sugar to thicken or milk to loosen depending on the consistency you like. Drizzle or spread on the buns and enjoy!

Pumpkin souffle bake

(Archived from Nuts & Sprinkles)

The season of fall is beautiful here. The pretty image of different shades of red, orange and brown leaves on trees and roads makes you ALMOST forget the chill in the air. Yes, winter is almost here and my bones are already creaking!

The time is perfect to try some pumpkin recipes. Great timing also with Halloween that just went by. This is a recipe I saw on a Paula Deen show on Food Network. I read a comment about her somewhere - it said that Paula can never cook a dish without a couple of sticks of butter. It is so true! Every dish of hers has to have either mounds or smaller dollops of butter. That's why I try to minimize the number of dishes I try from her collection. But, when I saw this dish on her show, I had to try it, come what may! So, enjoy and forget counting your calorie intake for just a day...or two *wink*. Bon Appétit!

Ingredients:

For the pie -

• ¾ cup flour 
• 3/4 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I made my own spice mix with ground cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice) 
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoon Butter 
• 4 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites (add only the yolks first and beat the egg whites separately and fold in gently at the end) 
• ¾ cup buttermilk 
• 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup pumpkin puree 

For the garnish -

• 1/2 cup pecan halves 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start with preparing the garnish. Melt the butter on a medium flame. Add the brown sugar. When the brown sugar starts to melt, add the pecan halves and cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off flame and set aside.

Mix the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt in a bowl and keep aside.



In another bowl, melt the butter. Add the egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla extract and whisk till combined well. Slowly add the flour mixture. Mix in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites separately until it becomes fluffy with soft peaks and gently fold into the pumpkin batter.

Grease and flour your baking dish. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and top with the pecan garnish. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes. Let it cool for a couple of minutes before digging in.

Dust powdered sugar on top and you can also serve it with maple syrup.