Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

This cake has the best of both worlds, really.  On one hand, it has the genius addition of tart, refreshing and fragrant grapefruit.  On the other hand, it has a rich, moist and dense crumb from the olive oil, which also gives it a little bit of fruity flavor and a subtle peppery kick.  Add a little whole wheat flour and some vanilla and you have quite possibly the perfect summer breakfast cake.  Bright and citrusy, yet comforting, hearty and satisfying.  If you want, serve this with some softly whipped cream, fresh butter or (as I like it) on its own with a glass of tea. Juicy grapefruit + rich olive oil cake = summer breakfast perfection.

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake

serves 8

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 kosher salt

1 large grapefruit, zest and 1/4 cup juice reserved 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a midrange priced version here, nothing too fancy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

On a clean cutting board, combine the sugar and grapefruit zest in one pile.  Using a bench scraper, work the zest into the sugar until completely combined.  Transfer grapefruit sugar to a large bowl.  Add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of grapefruit juice to the bowl and whisk until combined.  Add in the eggs and olive oil and whisk again until combined.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all of the flour is mixed into the wet ingredients.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Do not over bake or the cake will become dry.  Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack.  After 5 minutes, remove cake from pan and allow it to cool to room temperature on the wire rack.  Slice and enjoy. 

Refreshing grapefruit.  Use both the zest and juice to give this cake tons of bright flavor.

Combining the zest with the sugar releases the citrus oils from the zest.  

Fresh eggs about to be whisked into the pale peach-toned batter.

Freshly baked grapefruit cake.

Moist, citrusy and perfect for breakfast.

Introducing...

{Logo art by the lovely and talented Megan Lazaros}

As previously mentioned here, I've always had a teeny, tiny and seemingly unrealistic dream of opening my own bakery.  Clouds of flour in the air, smells of warm cake baked with loads of butter and melted chocolate dripping from wooden spoons.  A girl can dream, right?  Well, life always has a way of surprising us because I will be selling homemade baked goods at two local Minneapolis farmers markets this summer.  On certain weekends, I will have a booth at the Kingfield Farmers Market and on the other weekends I'll be selling at the new Fulton Farmers Market (see dates below).  If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello.  To be honest, I'm feeling quite horrified, nervous and anxious but, most of all, I'm completely elated at the idea of waking up insanely early one weekend day a week and churning out all of my favorite recipes.  It's gonna be hard work, no doubt about it, but I just know it will be the best summer ever.  How did I get so lucky?

Kingfield Farmers Market (Sundays 8:30am - 1pm):  5/22, 5/29, 6/5, 6/19, 6/26, 7/3, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/21, 10/2, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30

Fulton Farmers Market (Saturdays 8:30am - 1pm):  6/11, 7/9, 7/16, 8/6, 8/13, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8

Buttermilk Dressing

With farmers market season quickly approaching, thoughts of ripe, juicy tomatoes have been filling my brain.  This dressing is the perfect pairing. Tangy and herby with a subtle heat from fresh garlic.  Pour it over tomatoes, toss it with arugula or pair it with just about any vegetable you can think of.  The beauty of this recipe is its versatility.  It starts as a buttermilk base that you can add to to make the dressing your own.  Use any fresh herbs you have around the house or in the garden.  Instead of herbs, add crumbled blue cheese and a splash of worcestershire sauce to make a killer blue cheese dressing.  Instead of vinegar, add lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of cayenne for a Mexican inspired version that would pair nicely with avocados.  For a thicker dressing, add a bit more mayonnaise and sour cream until you reach your desired consistency.  For a lighter version, use fat free buttermilk, mayo and sour cream.  The options are endless.  However you make it, this dressing is just the thing to have around when you bring home your first bag of farmers market produce.

Buttermilk Herb Dressing
makes just over 3 cups

3 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 large garlic cloves
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise and vinegar.  Set aside.

Place two garlic cloves on a cutting board, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of kosher salt and finely chop.  Carefully, using the side of the knife, smash the garlic and salt into a paste.  Add garlic paste to the dressing and whisk in.  Add chopped herbs, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Spicy fresh garlic gives this dressing bite and flavor.

Sprinkle garlic cloves with coarse salt, smash, chop and crush into a paste.

Fresh herbs, any combination would be delicious in this dressing.

I like my dressing thin so that it can thinly coat delicate lettuce, but make yours as thick and creamy as you desire.

Bring on the fresh vegetables.

Yogurt with Pistachios and Rose Water Honey

Mother's Day is fast approaching and I won't be able to be with my Mom this year.  Mom is one of those women that people are just drawn to.  She has impeccable taste and enviable style.  Her laugh is infectious, her presence is filled with energy and when she looks at you, there is love in her eyes. I aspire to be like her and am proud to say that we already share a number of unmistakable traits: we both twirl our hair when we're driving, we both love Champagne and we both dramatically sigh when we're stressed.  We can make each other laugh uncontrollably and, without fail, we make each other cry whenever we say goodbye.  I miss my Mom everyday.  She lives in Connecticut and I live in Minnesota, a bit too far away.  So, in honor of my Mom, I made a dessert that I know she would love. Tangy Greek yogurt topped with pistachios and honey.  A few drops of rose water in the honey subtly perfumes this dessert, in a really good way. The fragrant rose blends with the sweet honey, nuts and yogurt to create the most delicious, almost calming, dessert.  Creamy and rich but not too sweet.  Happy Mother's Day, Momma.  I love you.

Yogurt with Pistachios and Rose Water Scented Honey
Serves 2

3 Tbsp honey

1-2 drops of rose water extract (found at most specialty food stores)
17 oz of thick, Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped


In a small bowl, stir together the honey and rose water until combined.  Divide the yogurt between two small serving bowls and sprinkle each with the chopped pistachios.  Finish with a drizzle of the rose water honey and serve.

Cool, tangy, crunchy, sweet and faintly smelling of roses.  

Vibrantly green and so delicious, pistachios give this dish flavor and crunch.

A drizzle of rose scented honey is the perfect finish to this simple dessert.

I know this dessert would make my Mom very happy.

Quinoa Salad

Every once in awhile it's so nice to come home at the end of the day, scan the pantry and whip up a perfectly delicious meal from the things you already have.  In our house, this throw together meal usually formulates into a spicy curry dish, simple pasta or grain and vegetable salad. On this particular evening I took a peek at our reserves and discovered asparagus, fresh peas, feta and quinoa.  Grain and vegetable salad it was.  No meat in sight so I added some leftover red lentils for protein.  I threw together a citrusy and spicy lemon and mustard vinaigrette, cooked the quinoa and sauteed the vegetables.  A quick toss with some fresh parsley and crumbled feta and dinner was done.  Fast, easy and filling.  Sometimes it is so satisfying to create your own sporadic recipes from the things you already have on hand.

Quinoa Salad

(serves 4 or 2 with leftovers for lunch the next day)

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed with cool water and drained

1 Tbsp butter

olive oil

1/2 shallot sliced thinly

handful of fresh asparagus, sliced on the bias

1/2 fresh peas (frozen would also work)

1/4 cup lentils, cooked

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped 

juice from half a lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

kosher salt 

freshly cracked black pepper

In a large sauce pot bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Allow to rest while you cook the vegetables.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, add the shallots and cook until wilted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the asparagus, peas and a pinch of salt and stir.  Saute the vegetables until just warmed through, not more than 4-5 minutes.  You still want the vegetables to retain their bright green color and crispness so don't overcook.  Add the cooked quinoa and lentils to the saute pan and stir together.  Transfer the salad to a large bowl and set aside while you prepare the vinaigrette.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and dijon mustard with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.  Simultaneously whisk the mixture and pour in a slow, steady stream of olive oil until the dressing emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Pour half of the dressing over the salad and add the parsley and feta.  Toss to combine and add more dressing if needed.  Serve slightly warm, at room temperature or cold.  

Fresh, sweet peas add a bursting of spring flavor to this salad.

Baby asparagus and shallots ready for a saute.

Bright green vegetables tossed lightly in wilted shallot, butter and oil.  

The perfect spur-of-the-moment dinner.

Comfort Loves

Sometimes you just want to eat something utterly comforting.  For me, that time is pretty much all day, every day. Lately, I've been doing a good job of indulging my cravings for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a sweet late-night snack. Whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bars, fresh berries, dark chocolate cake and richly decadent breakfast sandwiches.  All are delicious, all have been served on heavy rotation in our house and all are my idea of comforting.

Whole wheat chocolate chip bars.  Adapted from a recipe in one of my favorite new cookbooks, Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce.  Whole wheat flour and deep, dark chocolate.  Not only does the use of whole wheat flour make these bars healthier, it also gives them a earthy, nutty, toasted grain flavor that I crave at least once a week.  The perfect weeknight, post-dinner dessert fix.

A simple bowl of berries.  Drench them in cream for breakfast, macerate with lemon juice and sugar to serve with shortcakes  or eat them as is.  For me, they have been a sweet and juicy reminder that summer is almost here.

Dark and rich chocolate cake.  A thick, triangular slice and a tall glass of milk.  The perfect after school (or  after work) snack.  This particular version was adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe and I used piping hot coffee instead of water in the cake batter.  

A warm biscuit, split and slathered with fresh parsley butter.  Melted white cheddar.  Crispy bacon and a softly fried egg.   Lately, this sandwich is on my mind the minute I wake up every Saturday morning.

Carrot and Feta Salad

Spring has arrived and not a moment too soon. The snow has melted, the sun sets later each evening and we've wiped the dust off the charcoal grill. Life is good. A cold salad of roasted carrots and feta cheese is the perfect side dish to any backyard barbeque. Honestly, I make this salad year round, but it seems particularly appropriate for spring. Carrots, lightly sprinkled with smokey cumin and roasted until sweet and caramelized. Toss them with crumbled, salty feta and bright fresh parsley. This simple salad is a delicious way to enjoy the first days of spring.

Carrot and Feta Salad
Serves 4

2 lbs carrots
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbed feta cheese
Small handful of fresh, flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Peel carrots and then cut them into thick slices, on the bias.  Transfer carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil.  Sprinkle with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.  Sprinkle on the cumin.  With clean hands, toss the carrots in the oil and spices until evenly coated.  Roast carrots for 25 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.

Remove carrots from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.  Toss with feta and chopped parsley. Eat at room temperature or cold.

Sweet carrots.

Ready for roasting.  

Spring is here.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Baking the perfect biscuit is something that has alluded me.  For the longest time I could never seem to get them just right.  I tried buttermilk, I tried cream.  I tried countless types of flour. Nothing was working.  They all turned out too thin, too tough, too cakey or too crumbly.  I dreamed of tall, rich biscuit breakfast sandwiches piled high with cheese, bacon and egg.  Sweet shortcake biscuits loaded with fresh strawberries and hand-whipped cream.  I'd begun to believe that the ideal flaky, buttery and puffed biscuit was something I just couldn't create.  Thankfully my hope was restored on a recent trip to NYC.  We were staying with friends in Brooklyn and on our last morning we woke up and walked to their Carroll Gardens neighborhood restaurant, Prime Meats.  I ordered the buttermilk biscuit with egg and cheese.  It was perfect. Tall, buttery, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  I ate half and took half with me to nibble on during our flight home.  Recharged in my quest to make myself a batch of glorious golden biscuits, I came home and tried one last time to get them right.  I guess all I needed was a little inspiration.

Buttermilk Biscuits
makes 6-7 medium sized biscuits
(adapted from this recipe)

1 1/4 cups cake flour (I like Swans Down brand)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 stick of cold butter + 2 Tbsp for brushing
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Cut the 1/2 stick of cold butter into small chunks, transfer it to a bowl and place in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the cold butter to the dry mixture and using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles course bread crumbs. This may take as long as 5 minutes.  Add the cold buttermilk to the flour butter mixture and mix with your hands until the dough comes together into a ball. Sprinkle some flour onto your workspace and knead the dough 2-3 times or just until the dough has come together.  Flatten and mold the dough with your hands until it is approximately 1 inch thick. Using a small round cutter, cut out the biscuits. Be sure not to twist the cutter, only press the cutter down into the dough.  Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging the biscuits tightly together.  (This will help them rise). Place pan in the refrigerator and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the 2 Tbsp of butter in a small bowl.  Once the 10 minutes is up, brush the biscuit tops with butter.  Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden and cooked all the way through.  Transfer biscuits to a wire rack and allow to cool a few minutes before eating.

Be sure to keep working the butter into the flour until it resembles course bread crumbs.  

After cutting the biscuits, snuggle them up on the baking sheet and brush with melted butter.  

Golden, flaky buttery biscuits.

Spread with jam, make a sandwich or eat them plain.  These are perfect in any form.

Brown Butter Madeleines

Usually, it's the simplest treats that I enjoy the most.  Nondescript little seashell shaped cakes. When you bite into one of these petite, French cakes you can't help but close your eyes and smile. They are that good. You'll want to eat the batter with a spoon.  A big spoon.  But try to wait until they are baked because they get even better. Custardy, rich  golden and nutty.  Flecked with vanilla bean seeds.  They are at once light and dense.  Dunk them in your coffee or, better yet, do like Proust and dunk them in your tea.  It is easy to understand why he made such a fuss over these sweet little cakes.

Brown Butter Madeleines
makes 2 dozen
(adapted from this recipe)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter + more for greasing the pan
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/8 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
the seeds from one vanilla bean (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
3/4 cup flour + more for dusting the pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the middle position.  Generously butter a madeleine pan and then dust with flour.  Set pan aside.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Continue to cook the butter until it turns brown and smells fragrant and nutty, approximately 25 minutes.  Keep a close eye on the butter as it can burn quickly.  Turn off the heat and pour the butter through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Allow the strained butter to sit and cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat the eggs and salt on high speed until they become quite thick and frothy, about 5 minutes.  With the mixer still on high, slowly add in the sugar.  Continue to beat for another 2 minutes.  Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the vanilla seeds or extract, using a rubber spatula.  Gently sprinkle in the flour and fold that into the mixture. Pour in the cooled butter and fold that into the mixture, being sure to incorporate everything evenly.

Transfer the batter to a liquid measuring cup and pour the batter into each madeleine mold, being sure not to over-fill.  (Molds should be about 2/3 full).  Bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove warm cakes from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack, scalloped side up. Carefully, re-butter and flour the pan and bake the second batch.

Normal sized madeleine pans hold 12 cakes.  Find your pan at a baking supply store or online.  

Fresh vanilla seed gives these treats amazing flavor.  Slice the bean in half and then run the blade of your knife down the middle to scrape out all of the seeds.  

Some people like them glazed or dusted with sugar but I like them just the way they are.

Soba Noodle Soup

Sometimes you just need to enjoy something, well, brothy.  A healthy, light, brothy soup.  Just to feel better.  Whether I'm feeling under the weather or just in need of a light meal, a restorative and comfortable bowl of steaming hot soup always hits the spot.  A few ingredients and some store bought broth can turn an often times bland dish into a nourishing and delicious meal.  A riff on Vietnamese pho, this soup is flavored with star anise, ginger, lemongrass and cinnamon.  Shiitake mushrooms give the soup a rich meaty flavor, while the buckwheat soba noodles add an addictive nuttiness.  Spicy, healthy, feel-good food.  A bowl of hot soup always makes things better.

Soba Noodle Soup
serves 4

3-4 oz soba noodles
6 cups store-bought vegetable broth
4-5 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
4 lemongrass stalks, tough ends removed
1 two-inch knob of ginger, cut in half
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 pint of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 hot pepper (preferable thai) thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
lime wedges for serving
cheese cloth
kitchen twine

In a medium to large sauce pot, boil water for cooking the soba.  Once boiling, add the soba and cook for 4 minutes.  Drain noodles into a colinder and rinse 2-3 times with cold water.  Set aside and allow to drain.

Add the broth to a soup pot or large dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Carefully bruise the lemongrass stalks by pounding them with a meat tenderizer or using the flat side of a chopping knife and pounding it with the heel of your hand. You will notice that this releases the juice from the stalks.  Lay out your cheese cloth (you'll only need about a 6x6 inch square) and place your lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon stick and ginger on top.  Wrap the cheese cloth around the spices to form a bundle and tie tightly at the top with kitchen twine.  Place the bundle into the broth, along with the chopped shallot and garlic, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes (the longer it simmers, the more flavor you get). Turn the heat back up to high, add the soy sauce, sliced hot pepper and sliced shitakes and allow to boil for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat off, add the cooked noodles and serve with lime and fresh cilantro.

Note:  This soup is even better heated up the next day.

Earthy shiitake mushrooms give this soup an almost meaty flavor.

Soba noodles, packed with buckweat flour.  Nutty, filling and  healthy.

It's amazing what a few flavorings can do for this soup.

Feel-good food at its best.