Category Archives: Breakfast

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with No Artificial Coloring

All-Natural Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

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If there is ever a time for red velvet, friends, that time is right now.

I mean, people go crazy for it all year ’round.  I think because it’s so striking to look at.  All that gorgeous, deep red against pillows of snowy white frosting.  You see it and you just can’t help but want a taste!  Especially around Valentine’s Day…

I’ve wrinkled up my nose about it before though.  Did you know it takes like five bottles of food coloring to get that color?!?  True story.  Loads and loads of artificial coloring.  And that stuff is thought to cause all kinds of problems for little kids, I’m sure you already know.  Kind of ironic that it’s so irresistible to them…

Last Valentine’s Day, I got off my food coloring high horse, sucked it up, and made red velvet macarons.  They were scrumptious (of course), and a big hit (of course), but health-wise, I felt it was a compromise.  When my sister got wind of it, she forwarded me a great Red Velvet cake recipe she had come across, that uses beets instead of artificial coloring!

I’ve made it several times as cupcakes, and it’s just terrific.  The author of the recipe (Sophistimom) has gone to great lengths to ensure that the color is a beautiful, vibrant, ruby red, and the cake itself is so moist and delicious!  The beet flavor is extremely subtle.  Mr. Allie has a deep and passionate hatred for beets, and when I made the cupcakes for the first time, I had him taste one without telling him the secret ingredient.  He loved the cake and had no inkling whatsoever that it contained his most despised ingredient.

I’ve been itching to make whoopie pies for a while now, so, I figured, let’s try putting a spin on Sophistimom‘s genius Red Velvet recipe!

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If you’ve never heard of a whoopie pie, it’s basically like if a cupcake and an oreo got together and had a delicious little hand-held portable-pastry love-child.  A cakey cookie, sandwiched around a sweet and fluffy filling.  Traditionally, the cake is chocolate, but, since it’s Valentine’s Day and all…

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

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These cinnamon rolls…  I just…  I can’t even…

OMG.

They are to die for.  I mean, So. Unbelievably. Delicious.  And, truly, they will kill you a little bit.  They will make your life a little shorter.  But it will be sooooo worth it.

As with so many of my most favoritest things to make, these began with a recipe.  A recipe which I made, over and over, tweaking a little bit each time, until I had THE PERFECT result.  I would like to properly credit the original author, but the thing took up residence as an index card in my recipe box probably fifteen years ago.  I do know this: it came from a cookbook offering make-at-home versions of favorite items from chain restaurants, such as loaded potato skins from TGIFridays, honey-whole wheat pizza dough from California Pizza Kitchen, and cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon.  Hence…

However, I don’t know if it was the author of this cookbook, or the folks over at Cinnabon, but their original recipe was definitely lacking.  They were holding out!  The cinnamon rolls were okay, but… I’m sorry.  Just not gooey enough.  A bit small.  And dry.  Just not the same.  Something was definitely missing.

So, here is what I came up with, and have completely fallen in love with, and will be serving for Mr. Allie’s birthday breakfast this weekend, as well as probably for Valentine’s Day in a few weeks.  And every other occasion thereafter, that warrants homemade cinnamon rolls.  (Is there really any occasion that doesn’t???)

Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

In a recent post, we talked a little bit about baking with yeast, and how it can be intimidating.  Pizza dough is a great way to ease into it, because it’s pretty low maintenance.  Well, if you’ve conquered pizza dough, and are ready to step it up to a new challenge, this recipe is for you.  We’ll be building on the basics, so check out the post in question if you need to brush up.

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Citrus and Salt Cured Salmon

Citrus and Salt Cured Gravlax

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Is everyone enjoying their Christmas/Winter Break?  We had a lovely gathering of close family and good food here at the YinMom YangMom Allie household, with all of our old favorites on the table and some new recipes too.  It was a wonderful time and now we are just winding down with all the cleanup and leftovers…

Today I have a very special post for you, from a very special guest!  He is a tremendously talented and creative food-lover, who happens to also be….

MY HUSBAND!

That’s right, friends!  I am so pleased to introduce you to Mr. Allie.

This is one of his favorite recipes to make for a crowd.  It’s one of those old favorites that’s always on the table at our Christmas Eve celebration, but really it’s perfect for a cocktail party at any time of the year.  If you’ve never heard of gravlax, it’s a lot like smoked salmon or lox, only without the smoke!  Everyone is always so impressed that he made it himself!  But it couldn’t be easier…  It’s cured in salt and other aromatics, and, well, why don’t I just let him fill you in:

As a holiday season tradition, I’ve been preparing this favorite for almost 10 years.  It’s perfect for all parties, large or small, and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and a wonderful treat for your New Years Eve party.


Cured Salmon Recipe

Start with your ingredients:

Salmon 1.25 to 2lbs (feeds 15-25 as an appetizer)
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground pepper
2 lemons
2 limes
1 orange
Bunch of dill

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 Line a 1 inch+ deep roasting dish with plastic wrap.  Make sure to double layer.

Mix the salt, sugar and pepper to create your dry rub.  Cut the fruit lengthwise  into very thin slices.

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 Place 1/3 of your dill onto the wrap, this will be your first layer.  Next, strategically align 1/3 of your fruit on top of the dill.  Next, spoon half of the spice rub on top of the first two layers.

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 Now it’s time to lay the salmon, skin side down, on the bed of ingredients.

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 Begin to layer the rest of the ingredients in the same size portions on top of the salmon in reverse order.  Spice rub, fruit slices, then dill.  You should have a few slices of each fruit and some extra dill reserved for garnish.

Now bring in the sides of the short side of the wrap, then the long side, so everything is completely covered.   Remove some more wrap from the roll and begin to overwrap tightly.  A good tip is to remove the wraproll from the box.

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 Place your wrapped ingredients back in the dish and weigh it down in your refrigerator with another pan topped with heavy canned veggies for at least 48 but no more than 72 hours.  You will notice fluid accumulating at the bottom of the dish.  This is normal as the salt is pulling the moisture out of the salmon.  Flip the salmon after 24 hours to ensure even curing.

Remove from refrigerator and wash off the salmon thoroughly under cold water.  Discard other ingredients.

Cut salmon across the grain in paper-thin slices and arrange on a platter.

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 As you can see, I’ve arranged my serving on a plate with remaining fruit slices, a few sprigs of dill, and creme fraiche with citrus zest.

Citrus Gravlax

In years past, I’ve served the gravlax on homemade potato latkes.  This year we were short on time so we used potato chips with sea salt.

Hope you enjoy!!

Thanks, Mr. Allie!

Friends, you absolutely must try this at your next party!  It’s perfect with a chilled glass of champagne.  Maybe for your New Year’s Eve bash!  It’s also really great on thin slices of pumpernickel, with a little chive cream cheese, or on blinis with caviar!

Here is the printable recipe card:

Print
Citrus and Salt Cured Gravlax
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Nordic
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 15-25
 

an easy make-ahead appetizer consisting of fresh salmon cured with salt, herbs, and citrus
Ingredients
  • Salmon 1.25 to 2lbs
  • ½ cup salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 limes
  • 1 orange
  • Bunch of dill

Instructions
  1. Line a 1 inch+ deep roasting dish with plastic wrap. Make sure to double layer.
  2. Mix the salt, sugar and pepper to create your dry rub.
  3. Cut the fruit lengthwise into very thin slices.
  4. Place ⅓ of your dill onto the wrap, this will be your first layer.
  5. Strategically align ⅓ of your fruit on top of the dill.
  6. Spoon half of the spice rub on top of the first two layers.
  7. Lay the salmon, skin side down, on the bed of ingredients.
  8. Layer the rest of the ingredients on top of the salmon in reverse order.
  9. Keep a few slices of each fruit and some extra dill reserved for garnish.
  10. Bring in the sides of the short side of the wrap, then the long side.
  11. Everything should be completely covered.
  12. Remove some more wrap from the roll and begin to overwrap tightly.
  13. A good tip is to remove the wraproll from the box.
  14. Place the salmon back in the dish and weigh down in your refrigerator.
  15. Use another pan with some heavy canned food for extra weight.
  16. Refrigerate for 48 but no more than 72 hours.
  17. You will notice fluid accumulating at the bottom of the dish.
  18. This is normal as the salt is pulling the moisture out of the salmon.
  19. Flip the salmon after 24 hours to ensure even curing.
  20. Remove from refrigerator and wash off the salmon thoroughly under cold water. Discard other ingredients.
  21. Cut salmon across the grain in paper-thin slices and arrange on a platter.
  22. Arrange on a serving plate with remaining fruit slices, a few sprigs of dill.
  23. Serve with potato latkes or potato chips and creme fraiche with citrus zest.

 

Do you have an old standby recipe that your family adores?  What kinds of foods are always on your holiday table?  What are your New Year’s Eve plans this year?  If you’re having a party, would you try this recipe?

We’d love to hear from you!  We <3 your comments!

 

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Cranberry-Orange Baked French Toast Cups

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How are you all making out with the Thanksgiving leftovers?  At our house they are still dwindling down.  We are just getting to the remnants and, to be honest, kinda sick of it.  So I thought I’d share this little preparation for using up the last of your cranberry sauce and rolls, in a really different way!

Cranberry Orange Baked French Toast Cups

Don’t worry if you already gobbled up the last of your cranberry sauce, it literally takes minutes to whip up another batch, and you can maybe even get the cranberries on sale now.

**Like what you’ve read so far?  Click on over to my new baking blog to read the rest of this post!**

diced asian pears

Asian Pear Bundt with Five-Spice Swirl for #BundtAMonth

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When I heard about this #bundtamonth idea, I knew I just had to jump on that bandwagon!  I mean, who doesn’t love a bundt?  So moist and sweet, adaptable to so many different flavors, and they always look so pretty without even needing any adornment!

If you aren’t familiar with #bundtamonth, it’s the genius idea of Anuradha, of Baker Street, and Lora, of Cake Duchess.  They’ve decided to take that whole adaptable bundt thing and run with it.  Every month they come up with a bundt theme and everybody can link up their favoritest bundt recipes for that theme.  Right now they are doing Spicy November, so here’s mine:

**Like what you’ve read so far?  Click on over to my new baking blog to read the rest of this post!**

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Apple Pie Cups with Cinnamon Streusel

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“this is the best thing you’ve ever baked, mommy.”

That is a direct quote.  And I have baked a lot of things.

I think that is all the introduction this recipe needs.

Apple Pie Cups with Cinnamon Streusel
(makes 12)

For the Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
approx. 1/3 cup ice water

A few words about pie crust:

At this time of year I really love having some pie crust hanging around in my fridge.  It keeps in there for weeks (maybe even months?).  Come Fall, I just never know when the pie-baking urge will strike.  And with it already sitting there, all chilled and ready to roll, it’s that much easier to just go for it!  I suggest whipping up a double batch, just so you have some extra at the ready.  This recipe works beautifully for sweet or for savory recipes (chicken pot pie, anyone?).  Which leads me to my next point…

About this pie crust recipe.  It holds a special place in my heart.  For a few reasons.

Number one, it is the best pie crust recipe/method, EVER.  The shortening makes it tender, and the butter makes it flaky.  The folding/rerolling step makes it CAN’T FAIL.

My own pies were always a little bit of a letdown for me, until this recipe came along.  It is everything I ever wanted a homemade pie crust to be.  So, my second reason is, it got me over my fear of pies.

tender-flaky layers!

And third, when I posted my White Peach and Blueberry Pie, using this crust, it was Freshly Pressed on WordPress, gaining our little blog A LOT of attention.  I’m still plugging away at trying to reciprocate all the comments and likes we got.

I owe it all to a beautiful, fun, and sweet blog called BakeAt350, where I first saw the recipe.  (Thank you, Bridget!)  If you’ve never read it, please be sure to go check it out.

To make this magic pie crust, you will begin by placing the flour, salt, and shortening in a large bowl.  Cut the shortening in until the pieces are pea-sized.  Cut the cold butter into thin slices and toss them around in the flour until they are all dusty-coated.  Now dribble in the ice water, about a tablespoon at a time, while stirring the whole mess around.  As soon as it starts to come together into a ball, you are done adding water.  Divide it into two equal portions so it’s easier to work with.

Dust each dough-ball in flour, and roll out to about 1/4″ thick.  Fold it into thirds, like a letter.  Turn it 90 degrees, and fold into thirds again.  Fridge for 30 minutes, or till you’re ready to make pie.

So now that you have a ridiculously long pie crust explanation, and the beginnings of the best thing you’ve ever baked in your fridge, we’ll move on to the filling.

For the Filling:
6 granny smith apples
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice

Peel, core, and cut your apples into 1/2″ pieces.  Toss them with the remaining filling ingredients.

For the Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Just melt the butter in a little bowl and then throw the rest of the ingredients on top.  Mix it up with a fork and you’re good to go!

Roll out the crust and cut big circles.  I used a 4 1/2″ diameter cookie cutter.

Gently press a circle into each well of an ungreased, unlined cupcake pan.

Spoon the filling in…

…and top with the cinnamon streusel.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

These are perfect for a packed lunch!  As are these other recipes from my Lunch Lady Land series:

Homemade Gummy Fruit Snacks and Juicy Jigglers
Healthy (Nut-Free) Reese’s Cups
Corn Dog Muffins
Homemade Pudding Snack Pack

Those flaky layers!  I mean, come on, right?

What is the best thing you’ve ever baked?  Do you make a lot of pies in the fall?  Have you had much luck with your crust?  What do you think of this method I’ve been using?  Leave us a comment!

 

 

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White Peach and Blueberry Pie

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I’m sure I’ve made it pretty obvious, over the last 100 or so posts I’ve written, that I *kinda* like to bake.  And I do it- A LOT.  So, I get a lot of practice.  And because of that, I’ve gotten pretty good at it.  But there has always been this one little baking subcategory that I just haven’t been able to master…

I live in Pennsylvania Dutch country.  For anyone who is not familiar, the Pa Dutch are pie experts.  Mavens!  Magicians…  If you’ve never had the pleasure of sinking a fork into a ground cherry pie, freshly baked by someone’s bitty little nana in her prayer cap, then you really haven’t experienced what pie is meant to be.

I will never live up to the pie standard of someone’s bitty little nana in her prayer cap, but that won’t stop me from trying.

These are some beautiful white peaches we picked up at a roadside stand in New Jersey.

White peaches burst with that same juicy nectar that dribbles down to your elbows, but are a little milder and sweeter than the regular kind.  Less floral-y and more sugar-y.

Few things in New Jersey could be more delicious than white peaches and blueberries in August…

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Coffee Cake with Plums and Walnut Cardamom Streusel

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When I was a little girl, I remember spending many afternoons at our community swimming pool. My mom would always pack her beach bag with everything we’d need for the day: sunscreen, floaties, towels, and plenty of snacks to nibble on. We would lay our beach towels out on the soft grass and slurp on peaches, cherries, nectarines, and plums as the sun warmed our skin. They were so sweet and juicy, and even at five years old I knew that these summer fruits were something special, only to be enjoyed at the peak of their summertime season.

I’d love for my kids to have those same kinds of delicious memories.  This summer we’ve kept our fruit basket brim-full of all those yummy stone fruits (and more!) for munching out of hand, but I’ve also enjoyed baking them into lots of delicious dishes.  Here’s a little recap of some of YinMom YangMom’s best summer stone fruit recipes, just click the pic and it’ll take you right to the post/recipe:

Stone Fruit White Sangria

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone and Crushed Biscoff

Incividual Cherry Cobblers In A Jar

Apricot Almond Clafoutis

…and, to round out the stone-fruit-a-palooza, this fabulous recipe for Plum Coffee Cake with Spiced Walnut Streudel!

This will make your whole house smell sweet and warm and delicious for days!

I took a few different recipes and modified them to make my most perfectly delicious coffee cake.  This one is great for a Sunday brunch, or if you’re having another mom over for a play date, you can sit at your kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a warm slice of this cake, and gab, while the kiddies play (or, fight, as is usually more accurate in my house!).

Coffee Cake with Plums and Spiced Walnut Streudel
(adapted from the following: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Plum-Streusel-Coffeecake-13137, http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-plum-cak-30243, and http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/plum-coffee-cake-brown-sugar-cardamom-streusel.aspx)

For the Streudel:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
contents of about 4 cardamom pods, ground in a mortar and pestle, or about 1/8 teaspoon pre-ground cardamom
1/2 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

If you are not familiar with cardamom, it’s a really interesting warm spice.  It comes in these little pods:

…which you just crush a bit, and inside are the aromatic seeds.  Discard the papery husk and grind the contents.

Cardamom is used a lot in savory Indian dishes, but aso as a sweet spice in Nordic desserts.  If you like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, or ginger, you will probably also like cardamom.  You can order it from my shop: whole cardamom pods, or ground cardamom.

Throw all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix ‘em up with a fork!  Easy!  This is my new favorite way to make streusel.

Put the streusel aside, if you can tear your nose away from the intoxicating aromas, and get going on the cake.

For the Cake:
6 plums, pitted and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
several scratches of fresh nutmeg, ground on a microplane, or
1/8 teaspoon pre-ground nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Begin by beating the butter and sugar together until really light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat to fluff again.

Now add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla and mix.

Stir in the nutmeg, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to combine.

Pour half the cake batter into a greased 8″ round cake pan.  Top with half the plums.

Now spread the rest of the batter over the plums and tumble the remaining plums on top.  Sprinkle on the streusel and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.

What a special way to start a late summer morning!

Here is a printable 4″x6″ recipe card for you:  Plum Coffee Cake with Walnut Cardamom Streusel Recipe Card

I really hope you make this cake!  It’s so comforting and delish and I put a lot of love into it!

What’s your favorite thing to bake with summer fruit?  Leave us a comment and tell us all about it!  We love exchanging recipes with our friends…

And be sure to let me know how you like this one!

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Cherry Cobbler In A Jar

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Hey, go grab your sunglasses and your purse, I’m gonna take you for a little ride today! That’s right, just hop up on this here bandwagon, don’t worry I’ll give you a boost…

Ya, we are a little late to the party, but no worries!  Food in a jar is cool like that.  I gave it a headsup and it said it’d wait for us…

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Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell. Apricot Almond Clafoutis Recipe

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I’ll start this post with a disclaimer:  Clafoutis is not meant to be a breakfast food.  That being said, I may or may not have been really hungry this morning, and kinda getting bored with my usual breakfast of protein bar and/or green smoothie, and, well, I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination…

If you aren’t familiar with clafoutis, I’d like to introduce you to your new best friend.  It is a French dessert (don’t be scared it’s super easy), usually made with cherries, (which makes it perfect for summer!) but easily adapted with just about any kind of fruit.  It comes together in minutes with just a few ingredients, and it’s kinda like a puffy custard or maybe you’d say a creamy pancake.

I absolutely adore cherries and I’ve made clafoutis with them before, but today I just didn’t feel like wrestling with the pits.  However, the decision has now officially been finalized; I will be purchasing one of these babies:

Oxo Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter (1109580)
OXO Cherry & Olive Pitter

Clafoutis = klah-foo-TEE.  In case you were wondering about that.

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