On any given day, the very most delicious thing in my freezer isn’t ice cream or popsicles or casseroles wrapped for the future- it’s biscuits. For a few years now, I’ve been pre-baking and bagging up baked flaky biscuits to reheat at a moment’s notice, and my family absolutely loves it. I’ve probably said this before, but secretly, I hope that freezer stash becomes one of those things my kids fondly remember- Mama and her Ziplocs full of biscuits. Today, I’m sharing a biscuit that is new in our rotation, honey spelt biscuits, as well as more about the exciting news I shared with you all last week: my book!

So, if you missed it last week, be sure to go back and read all about my exciting news. My very first book has been in the works for years now, and, after what has seemed like an eternity, it’s nearly here. This coming fall, my book, Her Daily Bread, will hit shelves, and my hope is that its pages full of stories, encouragement, and (you guessed it!) recipes will nourish your heart and belly as much as it has mine. The book is a 365-day devotional for women that will consider how various areas of our lives (think marriage, motherhood, womanhood, friendship, work, personal growth, hospitality, and, of course, FOOD!) are connected to our hearts and relationship with God. Via silly anecdotes, personal stories, and memories from years past, I’ll share some of my own experiences and thoughts in hopes that it will prompt you to reflect on your own.

Her Daily Bread contains a year’s worth of entries, 52 of which are recipes. While this site focuses mainly on sweet and baked goods, the book contains a smattering of recipes I grew up on and have become near and dear to my heart. You’ll read about my favorite lemony chicken salad, the sun-dried tomato quiche that reminds me of my sister, and the coffee cake my Mimi makes every Christmas morning. I’ll share some simple staples too, like my favorite shallot vinaigrette, my go-to grilled chicken marinade, and the quinoa salad I use to get my kids to eat lots of veggies. For those of you that come here strictly for the sweets- don’t fret. There’s loads of desserts and breakfast baked goods too, including the best Dutch apple pie I’ve ever eaten and the one-bowl freezer cookie dough that has taken up residence in my home. Nothing’s too fancy or advanced; this book is all about the easy favorites I enjoy in my own home.

I’m looking forward to spilling more on the book in the coming weeks, but for now, I wanted to say thank you for all of the encouragement and love I’ve received so far. This has been such a rewarding and growing time for me, and it feels good to have people come alongside in support. THANK YOU. Truly. So without further ado, let’s get on to the main event here: honey spelt biscuits.

These honey spelt biscuits were my attempt at expanding the tastebuds of the little people in my life. They’re well accustomed to the buttery white flour biscuits that I’ve been making for years, but these, naturally sweetened with honey and prepared with hearty spelt flour, are a different animal. There’s more texture, nuanced flavor, and loads of opportunity here: biscuits with jam, biscuits as a bread offering for supper, or even served plain and crispy, straight from the oven.

We make these honey spelt biscuits the same as all my other favorites. The dry ingredients are stirred together before ice-cold butter is stirred in. Milk and honey are added next and the dough is gently stirred until it comes together into a shaggy, tacky mixture. Pat the dough out into a rectangle and cut into three same-sized pieces. Stack them one on top of the other and repeat the layering process twice more. This helps to give us those flaky layers we all love. Once layered, pat the mixture out and use a small biscuit cutter to trim out rounds of dough. After a quick bake in a hot oven, the biscuits are golden and ready to be slathered with honey butter. YUM.

Give these honey spelt biscuits a shot sometime this week. They’re a yummy way to include some new flours into your baking, and if my kids like them, you just might too. Happy Sunday to you all, and happy baking!

If you like these honey spelt biscuits you should try:

Honey Nut Biscuits
Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Maple Oatmeal Biscuits
Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits

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Potato Pancakes are savory crispy little cakes of goodness. You are going to love this fun way to prepare potatoes!

These incredible pancakes go with so many things. Make these potato pancakes as a side dish to remember and serve with Chicken, Salmon or Steak, delicious!

Easy Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes come by many names. They are also known as German kartoffelpuffer, and Latkes. These are a cross between a french fry and mashed potato. The potato is processed with the onion so you get incredible flavor throughout the entire pancake. Frying it in pancake shape also gives you more surface area to create that crisp golden crust we all love to bite into.

Seasoned with just a bit of salt and pepper really lets these potato pancakes shine. The inside is super tender and perfectly cooked, and the outside crunchy and golden. Using a food processor makes these super easy to whip together. It creates a smooth even texture throughout the pancake that you will absolutely love. You have to try these, they are so scrumptious!

Ingredients for Savory Potato Pancakes

Look for firm potatoes free from any root shoots, cuts, bruises  or dark spots. I used a yellow onion but for a mellower taste you can use a sweet onion too.

• Potatoes: I used russets, they have less starch so won’t be gummy
• Onion: Coarsely chopped.
• Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature.
• Flour: All purpose or unbleached will work good.
• Salt and Pepper: Add more or less to taste.
• Oil: Use a good frying oil, canola or peanut.

Let’s Make Potato Pancakes!

Using a food processor makes creating these potato pancakes a breeze. And only using enough oil to fry them in, and not submerge them, keeps them from being too oily.

1. Potatoes: Start by peeling and grating your potatoes
2. Processor: In a food processor add the potatoes and onion. Pulse until desired consistency.
3. Drain: Remove from food processor and drain out excess liquid in a strainer.
4. Combine: Add back to the processor along with the eggs, flour, salt and pepper until combined.
5. Fry: heat a skillet to medium high heat with about 2-3 Tablespoons of oil. Drop ¼ cup of the pancakes into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Tips for the Best Potato Pancakes

Truly these are really easy. The hardest part is making sure the potato mixture is good and drained. You don’t want mushy potato pancakes. The drier the mixture the crispier the potato pancakes will be. And trying to overcompensate moisture with too much flour, make them taste like flour, could make them gummy and are not what you want.

• Strainer: Use a fine mesh strainer. Use a wide spatula to gently push on the potato mixture to push out the liquid.
• Dish Towel/ Cheesecloth: Transfer the potato and onion mixture to a dish towel or cheesecloth and squeeze the rest of the water out. You won’t regret the extra work.
• Get the Pan Hot: Before you fry the potato pancakes, make sure your oil and pan are good and hot. Use a high smoke oil such as vegetable oil, canola and avocado oil. You can add some butter to the oil for flavor if you want.
• Russets Are Best:  You don’t potatoes with a high starch content. This makes russets the most ideal for this recipe.
• It’s Turning Brown: Don’t worry if they turn a bit brown as you are working with them. Similar to apples as soon as the flesh is oxidized it will begin to turn. It will not affect the taste, but don’t let it sit too long. Work quickly having everything ready before you start to grate.

Variations for Classic Potato Pancakes

The classic potato and onion flavor is delicate and well balanced. You can certainly play with the flavors adding spices and herbs.

• Spices: If you want to put a spin on the potato pancakes add different spices according to your taste. Try chili powder, garlic powder, turmeric, basil, oregano, parsley, chives or Italian Seasoning. 
• Top it: Skip the extras in the pancakes and add flavor to the top. Traditional toppings include sour cream or applesauce. You can top them ketchup, fry sauce, BBQ sauce, Yum Yum Sauce, Ranch or leave them plain.
• When to Have Them: These potato pancakes make a great appetizer, side dish or even breakfast side dish. I say make them whenever the craving strikes.

How to Serve Perfect Potato Pancakes

Besides having them as a side or appetizer you can use these tasty pancakes to sandwich incredible fillings. Think eggs, bacon, sausage, hamburger or chicken. It would be a fun spin on these yummy pancakes.

How to Store Pancakes

• Storage: Potato pancakes will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you can keep them single file. Cover tightly. These can also be frozen. Once they have cooled completely flash freeze on a sheet pan loosely covered with plastic wrap for about 3 hours. Remove and place in a freezer safe container or freezer bag. They can be kept for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Thaw overnight or on the counter the same day you’ll be using them. Place them on a sheet pan and crisp and warm them in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. As always these taste best fresh from the pan!

More Potato Recipes

Potatoes are one of the best comfort foods. Rich in nutrition and so versatile, potatoes are absolutely scrumptious. They can be baked, mashed, boiled, grilled and fried. Add them to soups, casseroles, side dishes and appetizers. Potato starch is used in breads to make them moist and flavorful, and can even be used in desserts with success.  Potatoes come in all sorts of colors and varieties. They can be the main attraction on the table or nice side, either way they should grace our tables regularly. Here are a few favorites to try!

• Crispy Garlic Sweet Potato Fries
• Easy Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy
• The Best Funeral Potatoes
• Garlic Butter Herb Steak Bites with Potatoes

Make these Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs for your next special hot cocoa treat!

It’s the new craze– making Hot Chocolate Bombs (otherwise known as Hot Cocoa Bombs). This is a fun way to make hot chocolate. Hot Chocolate Bombs are filled with hot cocoa mix and marshmallows. And in this Mint Hot Chocolate version, Peppermint Patties are added in as well to create a minty and delicious hot chocolate!

Ingredients and Equipment needed:

• One set of 2-cavity silicone molds used for hot chocolate bombs
• Pastry brush
• milk chocolate
• hot cocoa powder (like Swiss Miss)
• miniature marshmallows
• miniature York Peppermint Patties
• milk

How to make Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs:

Melt the chocolate. Brush chocolate into the silicone molds, and freeze to set. Brush two layers to make it thick and sturdy. Once they are cold and solid, remove them from the freezer and pop the molds onto a work surface.

Fill each half with hot cocoa mix, a couple of mini Peppermint Patties and a few mini marshmallows. 

Heat a plate with hot water or place in the microwave for a short time. Place the second chocolate mold (cut-side-down) on the warmed plate to melt it a little. Then you can put the edge-melted mold on top of the filled mold and seal. Use your fingers to rub the two together, grabbing a little melted chocolate to glue the mint hot chocolate bombs together, if needed.

Use the leftover melted chocolate to drizzle decoratively on top. Add chopped mints. Let the Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs sit until the chocolate is set on top. Or place into the refrigerator until set. 

Store the Hot Cocoa Bombs in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to use. They should stay good for a week or so. You can also put the sealed container in the refrigerator.

Hot to make hot chocolate with a Hot Cocoa Bomb:

Add hot milk in a mug. Drop a (room temperature) hot chocolate bomb into the cup and let the hot milk melt the bomb. It will open up, and the marshmallows will float to the surface. Use a spoon to stir. You’ll want to stir until the chocolate and peppermint patties have a chance to melt. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Add a few more Peppermint Patties on top!

If you love Peppermint Patties, you might also like to try my Peppermint Brownies.

The post Mint Hot Chocolate Bombs appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

The abundance of homegrown citrus this time of year in Los Angeles is a peak reason I love being a Californian. You see front yard Meyer lemon trees groaning with yellow orbs. Pomelos and grapefruits frame driveways, and trees impossibly heavy with oranges regularly warrant a double-take. Being surround with this much citrus is happy-making. Especially if you can get your hands on it. And did I ever. My dad’s neighbors generously dropped off a huge crate of Meyers, mandarins, oranges, and Eureka lemons the other day – a legit “bend with your knees” box. So here I am jotting down the ways I’ve been using it, saving it, and the citrus recipes I’ve been making all week.

A Week in Citrus

I thought I’d start by talking through everything I’ve done with citrus in the past week. It has been a mix! I’ll include recipes down below for the pastes and syrups.

• Kosho: I started a batch of Meyer lemon kosho. Kosho is traditionally a spicy, fermented Japanese Yuzu paste, but because lemons are more plentiful here, I tend to use them.
• Citrus Peel Pastes: I also blended Meyer lemon, Eureka, and orange peels into a number of quick (unfermented) pastes, and froze them in single use quantities. I’ll write up the recipes down below. I use them to season and boost everything! From pastas and soups to rice bowls and roasted vegetable tacos.
• Most of the mandarins were simply peeled and popped into mouths, but a few have made it into my favorite citrus salad (I’ll highlight that down below).
• Meyer Lemon & Rose Geranium No-heat Syrup: I love the intensity of no-heat syrups, and made a thick, intensely flavored Meyer lemon syrup by massaging lots of lemon peel with sugar and rose geranium leaves.
• Orange No-heat Syrup: Same process as the lemon syrup, but kept it to orange peel here. See the recipe below.
• Citrus Ice Cubes: After peeling citrus and making pastes or syrups, all of the juice was frozen in ice cube trays for future use in drinks, granitas, soups, etc.

My Favorite Citrus Salad

I love this salad. It has a mix of citrus segments, peanuts, red onions, a few saffron threads and almond extract along with good olive oil. The recipe is in Super Natural Simple which will be out next month. There’s more information (and so many good soups & salads) here.

How To Efficiently Peel Citrus

Ok, let’s talk about peeling citrus. There was a lot of it going on this week. Peeling citrus isn’t a quick task. Know that going in, and you’ll enjoy the process much more. I basically have three moves (see below). 1. Start with clean, dry citrus, and slice citrus from top to bottom in wide slabs. 2. Trim all the bitter pith away. To do this, keep the peel flat agains the cutting board, and trim away from yourself. 3. Scrape any remaining pith from peel with the dull or “flip-side” of a knife.

What about the Juice?

Lots of peel means lots of juice. Sometimes we just drink it, or use it over the coming days. But, if you freeze the juice in ice cube trays you end up with easy to thaw portions for use in dressing, granitas, soups, curries – basically any place where you can imagine a sunny citrus boost!

So Many Ways To Use Citrus Peel Pastes

Citrus peel pastes are fragrant flavor blasts. You can make them as simple or complex as you want. I tend to keep mine pretty straightforward, but love the addition of garlic – quite a lot of it. You might add spice blends, mix citruses, you could use other oils in place of olive oil, etc. Here’s how I put them to use after making them:

Orange & Garlic Citrus Paste (recipe below) is super garlicky and was amazing combined with a healthy amount of cayenne pepper, water, and coconut milk to make a beautiful broth for soba noodles – season with more salt to taste to make it just right. I also put a dollop on my lunchtime chana masala and loved the way it brightened everything up. It was also incredibly good dolloped on top of a bowl of this Fire Broth Noodle Soup. And lastly, I used it as a finishing accent on roasted vegetable tacos (cauliflower & mushroom) on homemade corn tortillas. Orange & Garlic Citrus Paste is pictured below.

Meyer Lemon & Garlic Citrus Paste (recipe below) was perfect tossed with a bowl of pan-fried golden artichoke hearts. The next day I tossed a generous amount  of the citrus paste with hot noodles, extra olive oil, pasta water, lots of scallions, a bit of torn mozzarella, herbs and broccoli – so good! And it was the perfect slather across the top of a simple buckwheat and gruyere crepe the other night. 

No-Heat Citrus Peel Syrups

Heating fruit changes the flavor profile. As I mentioned up above,  I love the intensity, and uncooked clarity that rings through citrus peel syrups. Made by patiently massaging citrus peels with sugar and leaving to macerate, you strain and end up with an intense, full-bodied syrup to use in countless ways. A favorite this week was an easy drinking dark rum cocktail made with a splash of orange syrup, a shot of dark rum, shaken with tons of ice and topped off with pampelmousse La Croix, and a kiss of lime juice.

Cookbooks Focused on Citrus Recipes

Citri – I love this little 60-ish page cookbook zine by Loria Stern. I’ve encountered Loria and her beautiful creations a number of times since moving to Los Angeles (thanks to Jessica & Joanna), and she made sure I had Citri at the perfect time – peak citrus season. It’s a love letter to citrus with 25 bright and brilliant recipes.
 

Also, have a look at Citrus : Sweet and Savory Sun-Kissed Recipes by Valerie Aikman-Smith and Victoria Pearson, Pucker: A Cookbook for Citrus Lovers by Gwendolyn Richards, and also Citrus: 150 Recipes Celebrating the Sweet and the Sour by Catherine Phipps. 

More Citrus Recipes from the Archives

There are a lot of citrus-centric recipes in the 101 archives, and I’ll put them in the related searches below, but these two recipes have been exceptionally popular over the years. A few years back, I also linked out to a bunch of great winter citrus recipes here.

Candied Citrus Lollipops: Two-ingredient magic. Plump, juicy, citrus segments coated in thin, crunchy, sugar shells. They’re the perfect, delightful sweet treat.

A Spectrum of Citrus Salts: Citrus salts made from all sorts of winter citrus zest – clementines, wild lime, Meyer lemon, kalamansi oranges, and mandarinquats. Couldn’t be simpler.

Let me know your favorite ultra citrus centric recipes and resources. And in the meantime, I hope you find a bit of inspiration here, especially with the citrus peel pastes. Enjoy! -h

Continue reading Sunny Citrus Recipes + How to Use Lots of Citrus on 101 Cookbooks

This week many of us are coming up on the anniversary of all sorts of things we had little idea would define the year ahead. I remember saying things like “these masks are really expensive but they’re all that’s available, should I buy them?” (yes, Deb, and also some flour) and “they can’t cancel school, can they?” and “we can still plan a summer vacation because things should normalize by then, right?” and I’m sure I’m not alone in these one year-ago reminders throwing me for a big emo loop. It’s also been delightfully almost spring-like in NYC after a consistently wintery winter and I haven’t been able to stay inside, inventing as many reasons as I can come up with for taking walks, which is bad for productivity but doing wonders to counteract all of those heavy moods. At the end of one yesterday, I swung by the grocery store to get ingredients for crisp black bean tacos and because I cannot make this up, you must believe me: a bird pooped on me in the store. Is it still luck if it happens while you’re inspecting cabbages, hoping to find an apartment-sized one?

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One word: Elotes. Well actually, to be more precise, two words: VEGAN elotes. Why there aren’t more, or any in Austin proper, is beyond me. Here, in the land of tacos and herbivores, why can’t I just get a simple cup full of dairy-free yet creamy, cheesy corn? Is that really asking so much?

Happily, Barrio Verde is now on the scene, answering that call and allowing me to be lazier than ever. I ordered delivery for my first taste, but threw in some more substantial food too, pretending that would make the order a more reasonable request.

Chihuahuas, IE, Tex-Mex hush puppies made with peppers, poblanos, onions, and corn are lovely little fried masa nuggets, served with a kicking avocado sauce and sweet yellow sauce that is unlisted but reminds me of huancaina. They’re simple, soft and strangely addictive.

Inspired by the classic Cubano sandwich, the Wynwood torta takes herbaceous, zesty mojo sauce and slathers it all over jackfruit, pairing it with glazed sweet potato and gooey vegan cheese. This is a riot of bold flavors wrapped up in a crisp, grilled bun. Smoky, tangy, spicy, savory; I’ve never encountered anything quite like it before, and I absolutely loved the experience.

Oh, and those elotes, the main subject of my affection? They’re everything I wanted and more. Not just corn in a cup, these kernels are roasted, blistered and blackened, smothered with crema, and showered with a crunchy, spicy topping. I would like to swim in a pool full of these elotes, and because I can’t actually swim, I wouldn’t mind drowning in them either.

No doubt about it, I’ll back for the elotes, but I’ll stay for the sandwiches.

The post Bar None appeared first on BitterSweet.

Beef Stew with Red Wine is a nice, hearty stew with a rich and thick gravy. It has great flavor, and it has been a family favorite for dinner.

This is a simple recipe to make (originally from Bon Appetit magazine), but it does require some tending to and simmering time. So choose a late afternoon or evening to make this beef stew with red wine where you can be hanging around the kitchen. I suggest making it on a chilly day where you can warm up the kitchen cooking this on the stovetop. Put on your favorite movie and enjoy the scent of stew cooking on the stove!

Ingredients needed:

• olive oil
• beef chuck roast
• onions
• cabernet sauvignon
• canned diced tomatoes
• hoisin sauce
• bay leaves
• carrots
• cornstarch
• fresh parsley

How to make Beef Stew with Red Wine:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the beef on all sides. Add more oil and then onions. Cook the onions until browned. Add 1 cup of the wine, tomatoes, hoisin sauce and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add another cup of wine and the carrots. Simmer longer. Add the cornstarch mixture, and discard the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh parsley. The sauce for this stew turns out thick and rich and wonderful. And with all of that slow cooking, the beef turns out super tender.

I love to serve this Beef Stew with Red Wine with a generous scoop of horseradish mashed potatoes. As far as veggies go, a simple green salad and some garlic bread make this the perfect dinner. A good, red wine makes this meal complete!

What’s the best red wine to use for cooking beef stew?

Specific flavor notes are lost in the cooking process, so it’s not necessary to use an expensive red wine for cooking stew. I recommend using a medium-priced cabernet sauvignon. You can also use a pinot noir or Merlot. Consider getting two bottles of the same wine so you can cook with one and drink the other with your stew. If you have any leftover wine, use it for making red wine truffles or red wine mushrooms.

Can you substitute the red wine for something else?

Red wine helps give this stew its wonderful, rich flavor. If you don’t like to cook with alcohol, you can substitute beef stock for the red wine.

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