BANANA CUPCAKES WITH HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Posted in Cake by sallybr

These cupcakes are like little bursts of sunshine on a plate… apart from a marbled buttercream, I added compound chocolate discs made by spreading the melted product over transfer sheets (click here for my favorite source), allowing to set and cutting small circles with a cookie cutter.

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
(adapted from several sources)

makes 16 cupcakes

2 cups ( 260g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups (350g) mashed bananas
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup ( 100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup ( 60g) sour cream at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside. Cream the butter and both sugars together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Beat in the mashed banana. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk until combined.

Spoon the batter into the liners to no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

2 + ½ cups (300g) confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients until smooth.Divide in two portions, leave one white, and yellow food coloring to the other half. Add both batters side by side into a piping bag fitted with a tip 1M to add a swirl to the top of each cupcake. Stick a little decoration if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have not tried the cupcakes but got very nice reviews once I donated them. The chocolate decor is a nice touch, but of course, can be omitted to make life easier. I usually make the discs every time I use chocolate transfer sheets to make chocolate-covered Oreos, so I simply save them in a little plastic container at room temperature.

ONE YEAR AGO: Air-Fryer Chicken Skewers

TWO YEARS AGO: Almond-Cranberry Sandwich Cookies

THREE YEARS AGO: Brazilian Candy, Surpresa de Uva

FOUR YEARS AGO: Red Quinoa “Tabbouleh”

FIVE YEARS AGO: Cucumber Salad with Yogurt-Harissa Dressing

SIX YEARS AGO: Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Hickory-Smoked Beef Tenderloin

EIGHT YEAR AGO: Spaghetti Squash, Revisited

NINE YEARS AGO: Stir-fried Chicken and Cabbage in Spicy Almond Sauce

TEN YEARS AGO: Fifteen Years!

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Light Brioche Burger Buns

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Blues

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Headed to Hawaii

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba’

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Hidden Treasure

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Avocado Three Ways

2Aug2025

TWO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE RECIPES

Posted in Incredibly simple, Salads, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

The first one is truly simple because you actually make the potatoes a day or two before, but the recipe itself qualified to be in this folder when I first published it in 2023. Check it out here. I always make one or two extra potatoes so that I have leftovers. Because, how could you resist these?

Simply grab the leftover roasted potatoes from the fridge, and cut in slices that should not be too thin, not overly thick, as they will warm up exclusively on the skillet. Add olive oil to the pan, once it is really hot, add the slices and brown them on both sides. Add a little more salt to serve. They will be super creamy inside and get that superb crust all over. Addictive, I tell you.

The second one was featured recently in the New York Times with a lot of praise by the readers. It seemed a bit odd, very few ingredients, kind of monochromatic. But we were both quite impressed by the flavor and texture. I share with you my version, which is slightly modified from the original one. A bit of olive oil and dill were brought to play.

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALAD
(modified from The New York Times)

1 large English cucumber
Kosher salt
2 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
drizzle of olive oil
fresh or dried dill to taste
red pepper flakes for serving, to taste

Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips and trim ends. Halve lengthwise and slice thin. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt all over the slices. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skins, then cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Shake the cucumbers in the colander to get rid of any excess moisture, rinse briefly then transfer to the bowl with the avocado. Drizze olive oil, and add dill. Mix well but gently, the avocado should start getting creamy and cover all the slices of cucumber. That is a good thing. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

ONE YEAR AGO: Fitness Post, 21day Fix

TWO YEARS AGO: Going Beyond Guacamole

THREE YEARS AGO: A Trio of Superstars

FOUR YEARS AGO: Turkey Meatloaf

FIVE YEARS AGO: Prue Leith’s Smoked Salmon and Beetroot Blinis

SIX YEARS AGO: Mandioca Frita 101

SEVEN YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Raspberry Dome Cake

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Pickled Red Onions

TEN YEARS AGO: Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Mini-Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Grated Tomato Sauce

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: A Taste of Yellow to Honor Barbara

FOURTEN YEARS AGO: Gratin of Beefsteak Tomatoes

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Tour de France Final Stage: PARIS

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Snickerdoodles with a Twist

28Jul2025

SOURDOUGH FEAST

Posted in Breads by sallybr

A few ideas for decorating your sourdough bread, no matter the recipe. My default favorite is this one.

RAZOR BLADE + SCISSORS + CHOPSTICKS

I love how you can mix different methods to score the surface. The steps for this one are shown below. I use a string to mark the four quadrants, the straight lines and leaf pattern are made with a razor blade. Scissors come to made the cuts on the crossed lines, and finally chopsticks make small holes to finish the decoration.

It is simple and effective….

Another version relying on razor blade + scissors…

The scoring is quite straightforward, following the steps in the diagram below…

.

STAR SHAPE + LEAVES

For this one only a razor blade was used, after marking the different sections with a string.
Steps are shown below.

STENCIL + AIR-BRUSHING

I had a little problem with the air-brushing. The stencil was small and some of the edges of the bread were hit with a little spray of red. Something to keep in mind if you use this method, make sure to protect the surface before applying color. You can see the problem more clearly before baking.

LACE DESIGN

After proofing the bread overnight in the fridge, I inverted it and placed a lace fabric on top, showered with tapioca flour, made a central slit and baked it.

SIMPLE SLITS

Super simple design, not even dusted with flour, just cut some slits all over the surface and bake….

I hope you enjoyed this little series, and found something to inspire your next sourdough baking adventure!

ONE YEAR AGO: Cake Pucks, my New Adventure

TWO YEARS AGO: Rolled Buttercream

THREE YEARS AGO: Miso-Ginger Turkey Meatballs with Cabbage “Noodles”

FOUR YEARS AGO: Smoked Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Salsa

FIVE YEARS AGO: Corn Fritters

SIX YEARS AGO: Minnie Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Mexican Meatloaf

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Mimi’s Sticky Chicken, a Call from my Past

NINE YEARS AGO: Perfect Soy-Grilled Steak

TEN YEARS AGO: The Devil’s Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Heart of Palm Salad Skewers

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Potluck Frittata and Lavoisier

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Home-made Corn Tortillas

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Peanut Sauce

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Brigadeiros: A Brazilian Party!

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Lemony Asparagus

23Jul2025

A TRIO OF BROWNIES

Posted in Cake by sallybr

I cannot pick a favorite. Ok, one is not technically a brownie, but a blondie. Tomatoes, tomahtoes… They are all delicious, luscious, satisfying, rich, borderline decadent.

BISCOFF BLONDIES

If you are a lover of Biscoff cookies, these will bring a huge smile to your face. The recipe comes from thebiteofthebakes.com but for some reason it is unavailable, so I will cut and paste it from the file I had previously saved. I linked to the main site, but for some reason it won’t work in Safari, only in Chrome.

BISCOFF BLONDIES
(from biteofthebakes)

170g butter
170g white chocolate
110g brown sugar
110g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
30ml heavy cream
250g all-purpose flour
25g cornstarch
200g chocolate chips
150g chopped Biscoff cookies
200g Biscoff spread

Heat your oven to 350F. Line a 9×11″ rectangular baking dish with baking paper.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt together unsalted butter and white chocolate. Melt in short bursts stirring well each time until smooth. In a large bowl or stand mixer add your melted chocolate, butter and sugar and mix until combined.

Add the eggs, egg yolk and double cream and stir until combined, then add the flour, cornstarch, fold gently. Add the chocolate chips and Biscoff pieces. Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin and swirl on some melted biscoff spread and top with more biscoff biscuits.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Once baked, let the blondies cool completely in the pan, then place the blondie (still in the tin) in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

RED VELVET OREO BROWNIES

RED VELVET OREO BROWNIES
(from cakemehometonight)

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp red gel food coloring
½ tsp white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups roughly chopped Oreo cookies
8 Oreo cookies

Heat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9×9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and cover with parchment paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter and brown sugar. Microwave for 90 seconds until the butter is melted, and then whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, eggs, and egg yolk. Use an electric hand mixer to whip the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and pale. While mixing on low speed, slowly drizzle in the brown sugar mixture to temper the egg mixture. Add in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, red gel food coloring, and white vinegar and mix until well combined.

Add in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Fold in the roughly chopped Oreo cookies.

Pour the red velvet brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add additional broken Oreo cookies to the top of the brownie batter. Bake the brownies for 24-26 minutes until set. An inserted toothpick in the center of the brownies should come out with moist crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the brownies to room temperature. Cut the brownies into 16 squares.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

S’MORES BROWNIES

S’MORES BROWNIES
(from Eric Kim, by New York Times)

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
135 grams honey graham crackers (about 9 whole crackers)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
113 grams semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
½ cup (100 grams) packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
170 grams marshmallows

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch square metal baking pan with ½ tablespoon of the butter. Line the pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang to make it easier to remove the brownies after baking. Use another 1/2 tablespoon of butter to grease the paper.

Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking them as needed to fit, then crush the rest of the crackers over and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons butter and chocolate gently in the microwave at 50% power. Stir in the brown sugar and salt, then let the mixture cool slightly until the bowl is no longer hot to the touch. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then continue whisking until smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter over the graham crackers lining the pan.

Top the brownie batter with the marshmallows in a single layer and bake until the top is toasted and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the brownie comes out smudged with a little chocolate, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate in the pan until ready to serve.

To serve, lift the brownie out of the pan and slice into squares or bars. Enjoy chilled, or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I hope you try one or two or all of these recipes, because they are absolutely wonderful,
I guarantee it!

ONE YEAR AGO: A Typical Dinner at The Bewitching Kitchen

TWO YEARS AGO: Rolled Buttercream

THREE YEARS AGO: Miso-Ginger Turkey Meatballs with Cabbage “Noodles”

FOUR YEARS AGO: Smoked Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Salsa

FIVE YEARS AGO: Corn Fritters

SIX YEARS AGO: Minnie Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Mexican Meatloaf

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Mimi’s Sticky Chicken, a Call from my Past

NINE YEARS AGO: Perfect Soy-Grilled Steak

TEN YEARS AGO: The Devil’s Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Heart of Palm Salad Skewers

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Potluck Frittata and Lavoisier

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Home-made Corn Tortillas

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Peanut Sauce

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Brigadeiros: A Brazilian Party!

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Lemony Asparagus

18Jul2025

SALMON AND BABY BOK CHOY OVER SUSHI RICE

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

I am often inspired by Molly Yeh and her fun show Girl Meets Farm on FoodTV Network. This is dinner in a single pan, filling and nutritious. I made the salmon in two different ways, as the husband prefers a simpler seasoning for his fish. See the comments for what I would change next time.

SALMON AND BABY BOK CHOY OVER SUSHI RICE
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe)

1 + 1/2 cups sushi rice
4 small heads of baby bok choy, halved
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 limes, zested and halved
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning the salmon
2 + 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons light miso paste
2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
4 skinless center cut salmon fillets
Sriracha, for drizzling

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the rice in a fine strainer and rinse until the water runs clear. Drain well and spread in a braiser. Lay the bok choy in an even layer over top. Drizzle with the neutral oil, sesame oil, ginger, lime zest, and salt. Drizzle the water into the braiser. Bring to a boil.

Cover tightly with a lid and bake for 15 minutes.

While the rice and bok choy bakes, stir together the miso and Japanese mayonnaise. Season the salmon lightly with salt and brush with the miso sauce.
After 15 minutes, carefully uncover the braiser and lay the salmon pieces over the rice and bok choy. Cover again and continue to bake until the rice is tender and the salmon is just cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Uncover the braiser and broil on the top rack just until the top of the salmon is nicely glazed, about 1 minute. Squeeze the halved lime over top. Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: First things first, I really loved the Japanese mayo-based topping for the filets. It is salty, a tad sweet, super flavorful. But the husband was happier with the more austere version I made for him, just olive oil, lemon juice, salt and Herbes de Provence. Do what suits you best. The rice was perfectly cooked using the timing suggested by Molly. Now, comes the full disclosure: the bok-choy disappointed us. It turned mushy and not at all the type of veggie we enjoy as a side dish. It is a nice idea to have everything in a single pan, but next time I will keep just the rice and salmon, and cook whatever veggie separately. Sautéed, air-fried, roasted. Anything to give it better texture.