FARRO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CRANBERRY-CINNAMON DRESSING

Posted in Rice and Grains, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I adapted this recipe from a salad version published a few years ago by Jessica, from howsweeteats. Absolutely delicious, it will be part of our rotation for sure from now on. I urge you to give it a try.

FARRO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CRANBERRY-CINNAMON DRESSING
(slightly modified from Jessica’s howsweeteats)

for the grain and squash component:
2 cups cooked farro
3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
1 cup whole pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup dried cranberries
feta cheese to taste, crumbled
chopped fresh parsley, to taste

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons cranberry juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoona Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until slightly caramelized and fork tender. While the squash is roasting, cook the farro, or you can cook that hours in advance and warm up before assembling the dish.

Toast the pecans on a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in the maple syrup. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, as the maple syrup sizzles. Spread the pecans on a sheet of parchment paper until ready to use.

Make the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, juice, honey, mustard, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Reserve.

Place the farro in a large bowl. Toss in the roasted butternut squash cubes, the dried cranberries, feta cheese and pecans. Drizzle on a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and mix it all well. Taste the farro and adjust seasoning, if needed. Drizzle in more of the vinaigrette, top with the fresh parsley.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I fell in love with this recipe from the first bite and felt quite sad when I had the last one. Which, by the way, happened next day, when I polished what was left for my lunch, with a tasty fried egg on top.

Everything works, all flavors mingle together in harmony, the chew of the farro, the crunch of the pecans, the absolutely delicious dressing. Speaking of it, the dressing will be awesome on many types of salads also. This recipe is a total winner!

ONE YEAR AGO: Pasta with Shrimp in Cashew Cream Sauce

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28Dec2024

GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

I am a bit surprised that I never blogged on this particular recipe, adapted over the years from several sources, including a version from Phil’s family. It uses a small amount of baking soda, that makes the cookie puff a little bit but not spread too much. My current favorite version includes ground star anise, I am kind of smitten by its flavor.

GINGERBREAD CUTOUT COOKIES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

375g flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cardamoon
1/2 tsp ground star anise
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (170g)
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg

Mix flour, baking soda and spices in a large bowl. Reserve.

To a mixer, add butter at room temperature and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add molasses, mix until incorporated. Add egg and mix. Add the flour mixture in two steps, mixing at low speed.

Place dough in fridge for 1 hour to overnight. Roll out, cut shapes, bake preferably from frozen for 10 min, at 350F.

Decorate if desired, when at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I love the smell of these cookies while baking and also as they sit later at room temperature. The star anise is a fantastic addition, a tip I got a few years ago from Haniela.

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8Sep2024

CARAMEL SANDWICH COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

Today I share three versions of Caramel Sandwich Cookies. The first recipe (top left) is my default (Chocolate Chipotle Cookies that you can find here). The second version (bottom right) was made using Sweetapolita Bakebook recipe for Dark Chocolate Cutout Cookies which I won’t share due to copyright issues. At any rate, as written the recipe is a bit too strong for my taste, I would advise using less dark cocoa powder particularly if you are baking for kids. The lighter cookie (bottom left) is Cinnamon Orange, and the recipe is below.

CINNAMON-ORANGE SUGAR COOKIE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup butter (226 g), at room temperature
1 cup sugar (200g)
zest of half a large orange
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 tsp orange bakery emulsion or orange extract of your choice
575 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Heat the oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt, and set aside. Mix the sugar with the zest rubbing it well to release the oils. Cream the butter with the flavored sugar, just until smooth and combined. Add the agave nectar and continue mixing for a minute or so.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs and orange emulsion. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix at low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture on low-speed, until it forms a dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl, cut in two pieces and wrap them in plastic. Refrigerate for one hour, then roll, cut shapes and bake in 350 F oven until golden at the edges, depending on the size of the cookies, 10 to 15 minutes. For these cookies, I used a patterned rolling pin.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Rolling pin available at etsy (click here)

For both chocolate cookies, I used a stamp to create the design on the top portion of the cookie. One of them is available here, the other I could not find any longer, had it for many years.

I have tried two different recipes for caramel filling, but the second one was far better in terms of texture and flavor. You can find it here. I made half the recipe published in the site.

The caramel filling complements quite well both the chocolate and the orange cookies, very versatile, and it has the perfect texture to bite into. I think that embossed rolling pins and springerle-type stamps are a very nice way to embellish sandwich cookies.

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11Jul2020

BISCOITINHOS DE CANELA

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

Free Portuguese lesson today on the blog: biscoitinhos de canela means little cinnamon cookies. The word “biscoito” means cookie (or biscuit if you are in the UK) and the addition of “inho” to the word immediately implies they are small. And in this case, I believe also very cute. The recipe comes from Miuda’s bilingual blog (Russian and Portuguese), Verdade de Sabor. She is a professional baker with magical hands and a unique sense of style and elegance. I never miss her posts.
.
(say it like a native,

BISCOITINHOS DE CANELA
(from Verdade de Sabor)

170 g butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)
40g eggs
a pinch of salt
80g powdered sugar
170g of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
gold dust and lemon extract for decoration (optional)

Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until it is white and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat. Sift the flour separately with the baking powder, cinnamon and salt and gradually add to the butter mixture. The dough will be thick, but still soft and flexible.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and fill small silicone molds. Hit the form on the table a few times to fill all the empty spaces. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours (or longer if desired).

Heat the oven to 350F. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Remove the frozen pieces from the molds and distribute on the baking sheet. Immediately place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a rack.

Mix golden dust with lemon extract, and using a brush, paint the cookies to accentuate the design.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Do you really need a mold to make those? Well, the cookie batter is soft, so if you want to do a more traditional roll out and cut, you would have to adjust and add more flour, which will change slightly their texture. Just keep that in mind. Miuda finished them with a coating of caramelized gold chocolate, covering just half of each “biscoitinho” but I did not want to risk the chocolate melting when I wrapped them, so I opted for a simple brushing with gold dust. They are really delicious. As to the molds, I see myself using variations of this recipe, adding some cocoa next time, because I love the look the molds gave. The rectangular shape is nice but in the end I was pretty smitten by the slightly smaller, round one. The ones I used can be found here and they were sold in a set with those two together.

The cookies would be a nice addition to an afternoon tea party, if you are into that sort of thing. And don’t forget, you can have a party for you alone. Pamper yourself. You deserve it!

Miuda, thank you for another great recipe, I always look forward to your beautiful productions!

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13Oct2015

APPLE CINNAMON OATMEAL CAKE

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts by sallybr

Not too long ago I mentioned that apples and cinnamon make a perfect match. If you need any formal proof for the statement, look no further, this is it. Absolutely perfect for the season, this cake keeps the apples in chunks that get deliciously sweet and soft during baking. It reminded me a bit of a famous cake by Dorie Greenspan. But this version includes oats for a slightly more substantial cake. Let’s say it walks through a rustic path I am quite fond of. Complex flavors, delicious topping… The recipe comes from Pastry Studio, a blog I visit all the time and cook from regularly. As usual, Gayle’s bench notes are perfect guidelines to highlight what is important when preparing the cake, as well as her rationale while designing the recipe. A nice lesson in baking is what I always find when I stop by her site.

Apple Oatmeal Cake

APPLE CINNAMON OATMEAL CAKE
(from Pastry Studio)

for the streusel:
1/3 cup (1 5/8 oz) flour
1/3 cup (1 oz) old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch allspice
2 oz (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 grams) molasses

for the cake:
2 medium (about 13 oz) apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz) flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch nutmeg
1 cup (3 oz) old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup (6 oz) apple juice
1/2 cup (4 oz) canola oil
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup (4 oz) milk at room temperature

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9” square cake pan and line with parchment, leaving a short overhang on two sides.

To prepare the streusel, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar and spices. Cut the cold butter into 1/4” pieces and add. Toss until coated with the dry ingredients and drizzle the molasses. Using your fingers or a fork, press the butter pieces until they break off into smaller pieces and the mixture clumps together and is crumbly with large and small chunks. Chill until ready to use.

Peel, core and cut the apples into small cubes. You should have about 2 cups. Toss the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Set aside. Combine the oats and apple juice and set aside for about 5 minutes.

In another bowl, whisk the oil, both sugars and eggs until thoroughly blended. Add in the vanilla and oat and apple juice mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with half the milk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until there are no dry streaks of flour. Fold in the chopped apples. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 34 – 36 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the cake. Gently lift it out of the pan using the parchment overhang to assist. Using a platter, flip the cake over and peel off the parchment. Use another plate or platter to flip the cake right side up.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Reading Gayle’s bench notes you can tell she worked hard to perfect this cake. The batter is much more liquid than most cakes I’ve ever made, and it smells amazing as it bakes. The aroma seems to only get better as the cake sits and cools. Which brings me to the only tricky part of this recipe. Keeping the cake intact for 24 hours. Not easy. At some point Phil said if I did not cut it he would take matters into his own teeth and bite it. I was unmoved. Defended the cake as if my life depended on it. And it was worth it, because it is a cake that profits from a little time to itself, 24 hours left to evolve into its maximal deliciousness.