Hi!  I just got back from a little adventure in SoCal. Actually, it was a whirlwind four-day band/orchestra field trip that included a trip to Disneyland, a tour of UCLA, and a couple other activities that were quite interesting.

It was great to get away for a bit, but honestly, I’m exhausted. For some reason *, our director planned the schedule in a way that allowed us, AT MOST, eight hours of sleep per night. That’s assuming that we hit the sack the moment we walked back into our hotel rooms and didn’t shower (gross), talk, or complete any homework. Yeah right.  It wasn’t the most relaxing experience. But, nevertheless, SoCal was a blast! I mean, who wouldn’t want to skip two days of school and go to Disneyland?

* Ok. I figured it out! Teens + too much free time = partaayy

Let’s get back to the recipe, which I’ve been putting off for the last month. I told myself I would blog every day during the trip, but that plan went out the window once I realized that our schedule was super packed. (The fact that my computer isn’t allowing me to upload pictures is also a bit of a problem.)

Are you familiar with mochi? Yo’ve probably tasted ice cream mochi before, right? The thin, soft layer covering the ice cream is the mochi part. In general, mochi is a sticky, chewy Japanese rice cake. It’s often sweetened, but during New Year’s we put it in a savory soup. Honestly, mochi is one of those things that you either love or hate. The texture is VERY different than that of pretty much any western food. I honestly can’t think of anything that really compares. That being said, you should try it! Mochi is kind of amazing.

This particular recipe has eggs, two different types of milk, and butter, which make it very rich. You only need a small square, so I would recommend cutting the recipe in half. However, having half a can of evaporated milk hanging around is annoying, so you can bake a full batch and freeze the squares! They defrost beautifully.

Recipe Notes: Dont’ use Trader Joe’s light coconut milk; it tastes perfumy to me.

Mochi Cake

• 1 16 oz box Mochiko rice flour (found in the Asian section of most grocery stores, excluding Trader Joe’s)
• 1 14 oz can light coconut milk (regular is fine too, but really… that’s a lot of fat)
• 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs, beaten well
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.

2) Whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the liquids and stir the mixture with a rubber spatula or wood spoon until it is completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 55 minutes – 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely (it’s a sticky mess to cut if you don’t) and then slice it into small squares.

Enjoy!

Adapted from http://une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com/2009/12/coconut-mochi-cake.html

Life can be so dang unpredictable sometimes; it’s beautiful and completely annoying at the same time. I felt like the world just came hurtling towards me at full speed this week. People were snarky, I was frustrated and a bit more vulnerable than usual, and life was just happening. Due to a higher than normal level of sleep deprivation and fifteen hours of playing the violin, I was a little crazy. I’ll admit it.

It’s days like these that call for food that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Mac ‘n cheese fits the bill. These “bites” should actually be called “muffins”; it’s a more accurate description. But, nonetheless, they are a crowd pleaser. They also take very little brainpower to whip together, which is ideal when life is crazy. I recommend making these for parties are potlucks; they’re perfect appetizers or finger food for little ones!

Happy weekend folks!

P.S. Sorry to the parent I ticked off during an interview. I didn’t mean to make you feel defensive. However, I’m pretty sure you fully intended to make me feel like an incompetant, horrible journalist. It’s funny how you decided to lecture me while I was recording. I don’t appreciate that.  

Mac ‘n Cheese Bites

Crust:
2 cups butter cracker crumbs (such as Ritz)
⅔ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Mac n Cheese:
12 oz. elbow macaroni noodles
2 ½ cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 (5.2 oz.) package Boursin garlic herb cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat) or plain greek yogurt
¼ tsp. salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until it is almost al dente.
2. Lightly grease standard size muffin tins with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together the shredded cheese and cracker crumbs. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix with a fork to combine.  Spoon the crust mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin and press down with the bottom of a glass or a small spoon.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the cold butter, Boursin cheese, and remaining shredded cheddar until roughly combined. Dump in the drained pasta and stir until evenly coated. It may be a bit difficult to get the cheese mixture evenly distributed, but it will come together eventually! Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and sour cream or yogurt in a medium bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the pasta and stir to combine.
4. Divide the macaroni mixture between the prepared muffin wells. Bake until light golden in color, about 20-25 minutes. Let the macaroni bites cool in the muffin pans at least 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and serve warm. They are best served soon after they are baked.

Enjoy!

Slightly adapted from annieseats.com

You know that James Joyce quote that goes something like, “A man’s mistakes are his portals of discovery”? No? You’ve never heard that one? Me neither… until five minutes ago when I googled “quotes about mistakes”.

Nevertheless, I like this quote’s message and “flow”. It’s artsy yet succinct. Most importantly, it’s accurate; mistakes do lead to amazing discoveries! Take, for example, this ice cream recipe. It was born out of one of my (many) mistakes in the kitchen, or in this case, the freezer section of Trader Joe’s. You see, I don’t like Oreos or any of the knock-off brands of chocolate sandwich cookies. Yet, come December when Trader Joes started rolling out the boxes of Candy Cane Joe Joe’s, I decided that the addition of peppermint to the cream layer of Joe Joe’s would instantly make me LOVE them. I was wrong, of course, so I dumped an entire package of Candy Cane Joe Joe’s into a tupperware and stored it in the freezer for a year.

That didn’t go over too well with my mother, since our entire freezer was already stuffed with bags of frozen fruit, whole wheat muffins, and various other “healthified” baked goods. I had to find a way to get rid of a large tub of cookies, so I decided to chop them up and mix them into homemade vanilla ice cream. BINGO. Best ice cream I’ve ever made.

Everybody likes it, and you should try it. End of story.

Recipe Notes: You can play with the proportion of whole milk to cream and switch it up depending on your tastes. Just make sure you end up with 3 cups of liquid altogether. But, keep in mind that less fat= harder ice cream. That’s where the liquor comes in; it helps keep ice cream soft. Use something mild-flavored, such as vodka.

P.S. No, you do not cook off the alcohol. No, you cannot get drunk off of this ice cream. Unless, of course, you eat the entire quart AND have the ability to get drunk off of 2 tbsp of vodka. You have much bigger issues if this applies to you. Just sayin’.

Peppermint Sandwich Cookie Ice Cream

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp vodka or other mild flavored liquor (optional / don’t be stupid if you’re under 21)
• generous pinch of sea salt
• about 10 Candy Cane Joe Joe’s, chopped into small pieces (adjust according to how much cookie you like in your ice cream)

1) Pour the heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the whole milk, salt, and sugar. Heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Then, remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl of cream. Pour in the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Refrigerate the ice cream mixture until thoroughly chilled (overnight works well).

2) Remove the chilled mixture from the fridge and stir in the vodka if you wish to use it. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is finished churning/freezing, stir in the chopped cookies. Pour the soft ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze until firm, at least four hours.

Done! Easy peasy, right? Enjoy!

Bouchon Bakery is a gift from the heavans. Seriously. Thomas Keller’s cookbook is a magical mix of elegant food pictures and delicious recipes. I would buy the book for the pictures alone… they’re that gorgeous!

Now, let’s talk recipes. They’re semi-life-changing. I made macarons for the first time using Keller’s formula, and I’m hooked! But, the real show stopper is the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. OH. My. GOODNESS. It’s phenomanal. My search for the best/perfect/OMGdelicious oatmeal cookie is officially over. After enduring my fair share of lacy, crispy, lopsided, snowball-ish, flavorless failures, I can officially say that Keller’s recipe produces THE BEST oatmeal raisin cookies. Perfectly chewy, pleasantly spicy, and visually appealing, these treats are mind-blowing. They’re worth making a double-batch to hoard in the freezer. That’s saying a lot, coming from a raisin-hater.

P.S. Happy four-day weekend! Actually, only some of us high-schoolers are off today. Don’t ask me why…. I’m just rollin’ with it. I wouldn’t want to be that kid who accidentally reminds Mr. So-and-So to check the homework that nobody’s completed. Sometimes, the best strategy is to just shut up and be happy. Words of wisdom right there ;)

Recipe Notes: The entire recipe uses grams/ounces. I know it’s annoying, but it really does help with achieving consistent results! Plus, do you really want to measure out 1/2 cup + 3 1/2 tbsp of sugar? I didn’t think so. Also, feel free to add chocolate instead of raisins, but I prefer golden raisins and dried cranberries.

Life-Changing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

yields about 24 medium cookies, or 6 absolutely gigantic cookies (according to the book)

• 144 grams (1 cup + 1 tsp) all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 WW pastry flour)
• 7.7 grams (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 140 grams (1/2 cup + 3 1/2 tbsp lightly packed) dark brown sugar
• 69 grams (1/4 cup + 11/2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 5.5 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 62 grams eggs (about 1 extra-large egg)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 155 grams (2 cups) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (give or take) mixed raisins/dried fruit/chocolate

1) Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Lightly whisk the mixture to evenly distribute the ingredients.

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachement, cream the butter on medium- low speed. It should get to a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add the sugars, and beat for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until just combined. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing for 20 seconds in between on low speed. Pour in the oats and raisins and mix until evenly combined. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

3) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Roll about 2 tbsp of dough into a ball, and space each round evenly on a cookie sheet covered in parchment. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. The centers may seem a bit soft, but they will firm up while they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely.

Prepare for your mind to be blown. Enjoy!

Slightly adapted from Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastian Rouxel

Birthdays are super fun. Just putting that out there. They create perfect opportunities to sing off-key, wear cute clothes, and eat cake and ice cream.

Let’s be real, that last component is kind of the most important. A birthday without cake or ice cream?! That’s a major problem.

I did some major “problem-prevention” this past weekend. You see, it was Aislinn’s 17th birthday, and I was worried that she’d somehow end up without a cake. I couldn’t let that happen. So, I baked these chocolate cupcakes with these two girls.

*Photo creds to Rachel. I know, we are beyond gorgeous. Don’t judge… it was work weekend.

Baking with other people just makes everything more fun! Les Mis songs and junior prom talk were major. Plus, we managed to create cute cupcakes!  Us Blueprint girls can write AND bake… we’re multi-talented.We baked basic chocolate cupcakes and dipped the tops in rich chocolate ganache. (I also threw some leftover batter into a round cake pan and baked an extremely thin, round thing. It was pretty much inedible, but it made a nice canvas for writing “Happy Birthday”.) The original recipe is for layer cakes, but we decided to change it up a bit. Apparently, that cake recipe resulted in QUALITY cupcakes… really flavorful and tender (I actually don’t like layer cakes, so I’m a terrible at judging their quality). They paired nicely with chocolate ganache- sweet and sophisticated. Of course, we had to decorate them too, so Rachel and Clare added little circles of sprinkles. Pink, polka-dotty, and classy… perfect for Aislinn!

There was no singing, and we were all looking attractive in our “work-weekend best”, but we made a nice little party. I think she liked it. Happy 17th, Ash! We <3 ya!

*Sidenote: Aislinn is pronounced “ASHlynn”, not “AYYslinn”. Unless, of course, you’re Freeman or my mother. Then, you pronounce it ”ASSlinn” ;)

Notes: The chocolate ganache will not explode if you use 6.1 oz of chocolate instead of 6 oz. You can thank Clare for this bit of info, since she chopped 0.1 oz more chocolate than I told her to. CLAAARE!!! Also, feel free to bake the batter in two 8 or 9-inch cake pans to make a layer cake! A slathering of buttercream in the middle would be tasty.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 21/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 11/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set cupcake papers into cupcake pans. Set aside.

2) Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl, and whisk in 11/2 cups boiling water until smooth. Set aside.

3) Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and slowly pour in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream. Beat until just combined, and mix in any leftover flour streaks by hand. Fill each cupcake liner a bit more generously than usual- you want the finished cupcakes to be tall and domed. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

• 6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1) Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it’s simmering. Remove from the heat, and pour in the chopped chocolate. Submerge as much of the chocolate in the hot cream as possible, and let it sit for a minute or two. Then, stir the mixture until smooth. If it doesn’t melt fully, briefly return the saucepan to the heat.

2) Dip the top of each cupcake into the warm ganache to create a smooth, uniform finish. At this point, you can apply any sprinkles or decorations that suit your fancy. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Cake from Food Network Magazine and Ganache from savorysweetlife.com

Marshmallows hold a special place in my heart. I LOVE THEM. Seriously, don’t get between me and my “fluffy pillows of love”, as my cousin described them.

Eating marshmallows brings back fond memories of my grandparents who died in a plane crash twelve years ago. Whenever I visited their house, my Nana gave me a ziploc bag of mini marshmallows for snack, accompanied by a bag of senbei (Japanese rice crackers) from Boppa (my grandfather). She always gave me mini marshmallows instead of the regular sized ones my cousins received. I loved that, and it made me feel special.

I hold these memories of marshmallows and senbei close to my heart. They’re some of only a handful that I still have. Unfortunately, because I was only three when they passed, my memories of my grandparents are very limited. However, the ones that I do have are extremely clear. Marshmallows and senbei, along with kissing my grandmother goodbye before she left for work, stand out the most in my mind.

Naturally, when I realized that I can make marshmallows from scratch, I was thrilled! It was a MAJOR moment for me. Still, I’m fully aware that some people think that they’re gross. I understand, especially when we’re talking about the store-bought variety. I’m actually surprised that I like them, since I tend to dislike love-or-hate foods (i.e. celery, bell peppers, cilantro). But, homemade marshmallows are a completely different animal. They’re fluffier, less dry, and much more flavorful. Best of all, you can customize them, and add fun ingrediants! Hellooo, Nutella!

Make them. Right now. I promise they’ll be worth the candy thermometer that you’re going to have to purchase. (I know you probably just thought, “Oh, crap! I have to buy one of those?”)  Don’t be scared of thermometers. They’re lovely tools, as long as they’re not broken. Bottom line? Buy a nice candy thermometer and make marshmallows. Slather a bit of nutella on them too. You’ll be in marshmallow heavan!

These are for you, Nana and Boppa.  

Nutella Marshmallows

3 packets (1/4-ounce each) unflavored gelatin
1 cup (8 ounces) cool water, divided
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup (11 ounces) light corn syrup (light in color, not low calorie)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, (Nutella)
crushed peppermint candies, peppermint oil/other extracts, or espresso powder, all optional
confectioners’ sugar, to sprinkle on top

1) Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine ½ cup of cool water and the gelatin.
2) Combine the remaining ½ cup of cool water, granulated sugar, salt, and corn syrup in a small, deep saucepan. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, or set up your thermometer as needed. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high,stop stirring, and allow the syrup to cook until it reaches 240°F on the candy thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.

3) Turn the electric mixer on low, and slowly pour the hot syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase the mixer speed to high, and whip the hot syrup/gelatin mixture until it is very thick and fluffy, and has cooled to lukewarm. To test the temperature, touch the bottom of the mixer bowl. It should be slightly warm, and but not too hot to the touch. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Near the end of the mixing, add the vanilla or other flavors.  While the marshmallow is whipping, microwave the nutella for ten seconds, or until it is runnier than normal. (If you’re just making regular marshmallows, skip this part)
4) Working quickly, spread half of the marshmallow mixture into the pan.  Spread the nutella evenly over the marshmallow in the pan. Then, top the nutella layer with the remaining marshmallow. Lightly wet your hands with water, and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, and allow the marshmallow to sit overnight.
5) The next day, sprinkle a work surface or large cutting board generously with powdered sugar. Turn the marshmallow out onto the work surface, turning to coat both sides with powdered sugar. Using a greased pizza cutter or knife, slice the marshmallow slab into 1-inch cubes, or a shape of your liking. Coat each piece with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
6) Feel free to dip the cut marshmallows in chocolate and roll them in candy, sprinkles, or other fun ingredients! Plain mallows will last for up to two weeks in a plastic bag. Nutella marshmallows should be eatan within two to three days.

Enjoy!

Source: kingarthurflour.com

Happy happy Friday everybody! Hope your week was great!

(Watch out, I’m about to start ranting. If you just want the recipe, scroll down until you hit the next picture.)

Mine was a bucket of fun. It was FINALS week. Oh, yes. Fun times. Honestly, it’s a miracle I made it through with my brain (and grades) still intact. I was what one would call a “hot mess”.

Let’s go back to Wednesday night. Oh wait, my bad! At that point it was 2 am Thursday morning.  I was sitting on a squat blue stool sucking down ridiculous amounts of water and skimming 300 pages of European history… in my bathroom (under the heater).  Now that is living, wouldn’t you say so?

Needless to say, I was stressed out, tired, and very cold. But, that morning, I scored above a 74% (the grade I needed to maintain an A- overall) on my AP Euro final. It was so worth it. SO WORTH IT!

Still, I really don’t understand the point of finals. Can somebody explain it to me please? But, don’t even start with the “they show how much you’ve learned this semester!” thing. I’m sorry, but for the most part, that’s BS (excuse my language). In my opinion, finals show how skilled one is at re-cramming five months’ worth of information into an already-full brain in a single week (or in some cases, a single day). For me, English is an exception to this statement. But for everything else, it’s pretty darn accurate. Maybe I don’t retain information as well as most people. I don’t konw.  Also, finals create the perfect opportunity to determine the minimum hours of sleep one needs in order to function somewhat normally.  Feel free to disagree with me though. We’re all entitled to our own opinions.

To celebrate that finals are over, I think posting a cozy, comforting recipe is appropriate. Cinnamon rolls it is! If you want to make just cinnamon rolls or just dinner rolls, cut the Basic Dough recipe in half and you’ll be good to go! Also, feel free to substitute whole wheat flour for half of the bread flour. It totally cancels out all of the butter and sugar that goes into these babies. Totally.

Happy weekend!

Basic Dough

• 21/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
• ¼ cup warm water
• ¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup honey
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 11/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 ½ cups unbleached bread flour (1 cup of white whole wheat flour can be substituted), plus extra for dusting the work surface

1) Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, add the honey, and sprinkle the yeast over the mixture.  Allow the yeast to proof for five minutes. The yeast should puff up, and look a bit foamy. “Proofing” is a simple method to check if the yeast is still active. There’s nothing worse than fussing over a batch of dough for a few hours, only to discover that the yeast packet is a dud!
2) Pour in the milk, oil and egg. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Stir in the flour one cup at a time, and add the salt.  When the dough comes together into a slightly sticky mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for five to eight minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking, but try to add as little extra as possible. Place the kneaded dough into large lightly oiled bowl, and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow it to rise until doubled in size, around two hours.
3) Punch the dough down, and divide it into two equal portions. (one for dinner rolls, the other for cinnamon rolls).

Dinner Rolls
½ recipe basic dough
Honey Butter Glaze (see recipe below)

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Divide one of the dough portions into eight equal pieces. Form each piece into a round ball, and arrange them in a lightly oiled eight-inch round pan.  Allow the rolls to rise for one hour, or until they have doubled in size.
4) Brush the Honey Butter over the rolls and bake for fifteen to eighteen minutes, until lightly browned.  Allow the rolls to cool for ten minutes in the pan before  turning them out  onto a wire rack.  Brush with more honey butter, if desired.

Ingredients (Honey Butter Glaze)
½ stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 tbsp honey
pinch of salt

1) Brown the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the honey and salt.

Cinnamon Rolls
½ recipe Basic Dough
Cinnamon Sugar Filling (See recipe below)
Cream Cheese Icing (optional; see recipe below)

1) Roll the second portion of dough out into a 12×12-inch square.  It’s okay if it’s not a perfect square, but it should be about a ¼ inch thick.  Brush with browned butter, and sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon mixture.
2) Carefully roll the dough up into a log, and slice the log into eight equal sections. Dental floss is the best tool for slicing! Cut off a string of floss that is about a foot long. Slip the floss underneath the log at the place where you want to cut. Lift the floss ends up around the dough, cross them, and pull. Arrange the rolls into a n oiled nine-inch round pan.  Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise for 1 hour. Then, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the rolls, cover the pan tightly with a second piece of plastic wrap, and refrigerate them overnight.
3) The next morning, allow the rolls to sit on the counter for 30 mins.  They should look like they’ve taken a deep breath.  Near the end of the 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake the rolls for fifteen to eighteen minutes, or until golden brown.
4) Smear the baked rolls with the cream cheese icing. These are best served warm, the same day as they are baked.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling
½ stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt

1) Brown the butter in a small saucepan.  Set aside,
2) In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt .

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp heavy cream
½ confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
pinch of salt

1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until softened. Add in the remaining ingredients, and beat on low speed until combined. At this point, it’s okay if the icing is still lumpy. Turn the mixer up to high speed, and beat until the icing is smooth and lump-free. Transfer the icing to a small bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Phew! That’s it! Can you believe it?!

Enjoy!

My nails are currently doused in a generous coating of sparkly bluish-purplish nail polish. Even better? I’m rocking the one finger different color thing (ring fingernails are silver). BOOM.

This is a completely un-Meganish look. To be honest, this entire week has been quite un-Meganish. I had another Euro group presentation on Thursday. Nothing out of the ordinary…except one of the video clips we filmed  included me exclaiming a somewhat sexually explicit phrase. It was in our textbook. Don’t judge me.

I also conducted three hours of interviews for my next story. (Read: “I have three hours of interviews to transcribe.”) I currently have about 1/6 of the interviews transcribed. Plus, next week is finals week. Partaaay!

Besides permanently tarnishing my reputation and creating 5+ hours of homework for myself, I did something else even more exciting! Last Wednesday, I emailed Joy the Baker and Tracy Shutterbean with a plea for Valentine’s Day recipe ideas (for my school newspaper, of course). They read my question and gave me an awesome suggestion on their podcast!! Heart-shaped dipped rice krispie treats (soaked in bourbon) anyone?

I was so excited I almost died. Listening to the podcast at 5:15 am Thursday morning totally brightened my day and brought my stress levels down considerably. It made up for the fact that I was awake at 5:15 am prepping for my humiliating presentation. Thank you for the adorable recipe suggestion, Joy and Tracy! I’m super excited to try it out today!

Anyway, speaking of journalism and Shutterbean, this Pumpkin Cake is my new favorite fall-flavored treat. It’s simple, elegant, and a breeze to throw together. I actually baked and served it over a month ago, but I still remember our EIC (editor-in-chief)’s reaction when she took a bite. Priceless.

Recipe Tips: Want to health-it-up a bit? Substitute half the ap flour for ww pastry flour. I didn’t make the caramalized walnuts, but you can find the instructions for that on Tracy’s blog. The nuts in the pictures are raw pecan halves. You can bake the cake a day in advance, wrap it in plastic wrap, and frost it the next day. Yum!

Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Icing

• 1 stick unsalted butter, plus a bit more for the pan
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup warm milk

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Spray the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter and flour the cake pan (including the parchment-lined bottom). Set aside.

2) Sift the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and the eggs, beating until fully combined. Pour in the milk and pumpkin puree. Beat until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the reserved flour mixture by hand, until just combined.

4) Spread the batter into the pan with a spatula. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Then, unmold the cake and allow it to cool completely. Slather on the icing! Mmmm.

Browned-Butter Icing

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp milk, cream, or half-and-half

1) In a small saucepan, brown the butter. Pour the browned-butter into a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining ingrediants. The icing should be spreadable, and slightly runny. Use immediately.

Enjoy!

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart via Shutterbean.com