Patricia @ ButterYum

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Loaded Corn Chowder

When fresh corn is in season, we enjoy it all kinds of ways… cold in Fiesta Corn Salad, charred in Cast Iron Skillet Corn, and of course, added to a big pot of Low Country Boil. Oh, and did I mention I use the cobs to make Corn Stock? Yep, nothing goes to waste in this kitchen… I remove the corn kernels from the cobs, use the cobs to make a flavorful stock, then use the stock to make this amazing Loaded Corn Chowder.

*The corn stock has to be made a head of time. Follow the directions below so you can have it ready before making this recipe.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

corn stripper https://amzn.to/3q4QMsp

knorr chicken bouillon cubes https://amzn.to/3Yaa8Jb

vacuum sealer https://amzn.to/3DvEJHO

vacuum sealer bags https://amzn.to/3Osm99J

zip-top freezer bags https://amzn.to/3QdRL41

Loaded Corn Chowder

makes 8-12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the Corn Stock:

8 corn cobs, kernels removed

3 quarts water

pinch of salt

For the Chowder:

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small strips

1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

3 knorr chicken bouillon cubes

5-6 cups corn kernels (from 8 ears of corn)

2 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (fresh or dried)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (fresh or dried)

Directions

To Make the Corn Stock:

In a 8-quart or larger stock pot, place naked corn cobs, salt, and 3 quarts of water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

Remove corn cobs from stock; discard cobs.

Bring corn stock to a boil and continue boiling until it reduced down to 4 cups of liquid. Use right away or chill for up to 5 days before proceeding to the chowder recipe.

To Make the Chowder:

In a 6-quart or larger stock pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crispy; remove cooked bacon from pan drippings and set aside until needed.

In the same stock pot, cook onions, carrots, and celery in the rendered bacon for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add the reduced corn stock, diced potatoes, corn kernels, bouillon cubes, milk, cream, salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne (if using); heat until just under a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley, chives, and reserved bacon; stir well.

Taste and add more salt if needed. Allow leftovers to cool, then chill in airtight airtight container for up to 5 days. See notes below before you consider freezing.

Notes

Alternate corn stock directions using an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker can be found HERE. Whichever way you choose, reduce the finished corn stock down until it measures 4 cups - use the concentrated stock to make this chowder recipe.

Chowders containing potatoes and dairy don’t freeze well, but you can freeze blanched corn on the cob so you can make this recipe any time of the year. Alternatively, you can cut the corn kernels off the cob and make corn stock with the cobs, then freeze the corn kernels and stock separately until needed. For that matter, you could freeze this chowder before adding the potatoes, milk, or heavy cream (just add them on the day you want to serve the chowder, allowing enough time for the potatoes to simmer long enough to become tender).

To blanch corn on the cob, remove husks and silks. Boil cobs for 7-11 minutes (see suggested times below), then chill in iced water for the same length of time. Place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 year. Personally, I feel vacuum sealed bags offer a bit more protection than zip-top freezer bags.

small cobs - boil for 7 minutes; cool in ice water for 7 minutes.

medium cobs - boil for 9 minutes; cool in ice water for 9 minutes.

large cobs - boil for 11 minutes; cool in ice water for 11 minutes.

recipe adapted from Natasha’s kitchen

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Today's Amazon Prime Day Deals

Check out some of today’s Amazon’Prime Day Deals for the kitchen.

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Cherry Hand Pies

I absolutely love when tart (aka sour) cherries are in season. Not only do they make the most delicious cherry pies, check out that vibrant ruby red color! Wow.

When I visited my local farm stand, I purchased a pound of tart cherries. I didn’t have enough to make a full-blown cherry pie today, so I thought I’d make some hand pies instead. They’re so much fun to make. Let’s do it…

Start with enough pie dough for a single crust. I always use my all-butter pie crust recipe. It’s infinitely better than premade crust, and it’s so easy to make. Check out my step-by-step photos here to make with a food processor and here to make it by hand.

Roll the pie dough until it reaches a thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut rectangular shapes that are a bit larger than the cutter you plan to use. Transfer the precut dough to a piece of parchment paper and brush with water. Fill with 2 tablespoons of premade filling.

Top with a second piece of dough and press well to seal. Take care in this step to prevent leaking in the oven.

Use scalloped cutter to make the hand pies nice and neat.

Side Note - If you’d like to freeze the hand pies, this is the time to do it. Just flash-freeze them for a few hours before transferring to an airtight container to store in the freezer for up to 3 months (I like to vacuum seal mine). See my notes below for baking directions for frozen hand pies.

Transfer hand pies to silpat-lined half sheet pan and chill while oven preheats. Just before baking, brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar, and cut vents in top of each hand pie, being careful not to cut through the bottoms.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Oops, you can see I obviously didn’t seal one of the hand pies very well and it leaked all over. Darn, it still tasted good and it was easy to cleanup because of the nonstick silicone liner.

Serve warm or at room temperature. I like to enjoy my hand pies with a dollop of whipped cream, but a scoop of ice cream would be great as well. These hand pies are best served within 24 hour of baking. Check out my notes below for storage tips.

Items used to make this recipe:

pastry cloth https://amznhttps://amzn.to/44ECSf7to/44ECSf7

ball-bearing rolling pin (my new favorite) https://amzn.to/3XMetSI

rectangular cutter https://amzn.to/3JSS2Wf

professional half sheet pan https://https://amzn.to/46FWEZv/46FWEZv

professional silicone baking mat https://amzn.to/3O9Q6LF

turbinado sugar https://amzn.to/3pFQY19

pure almond extract https://amzn.to/43fMr3a

tapioca start/flour https://amzn.to/3O9CZdd

Cherry Hand Pies

makes 8 hand pies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

chilled single all-butter pie crust (food processor recipe here, or make-by-hand recipe here)

1 pound pitted tart cherries, fresh or frozen (aka sour cherries)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or more to taste)

2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour (see notes below)

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 pure almond extract (use the good stuff)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

milk for brushing on crust (see notes below)

turbinado sugar for sprinkling (aka sugar in the raw)

Directions

Place pitted cherries, granulated sugar, tapioca starch/flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Over high heat, cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens; remove from heat and stir in pure almond extract and salt.

Taste the cherry filling and add more sugar if needed; set aside to cool (spread on a sheet pan to speed the process up).

On a floured pastry cloth, roll the chilled pie dough into a 1/8-inch thin layer.

Cut rectangles of pie dough that are a bit larger than the cutter you plan to use.

Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of one rectangle of dough, then brush the edges with water and top with a 2nd dough rectangle; press edges to seal well.

Use scalloped cutter to trim the hand pies into neat shapes and transfer to a silpat-lined half sheet pan; chill hand pies for at least 10 minutes while oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 400F with the rack in the center position.

Brush hand pies with milk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar; cut 3 small slits in the top of each hand pie, being sure not to pierce the bottoms..

Bake center of preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest on pan until cool enough to handle.

Notes

Cherry filling can be made up to 5 days ahead; store refrigerated in an airtight container.

An equal amount of cornstarch can be substituted for the tapioca starch/flour, but cornstarch will break down upon freezing so be sure to use tapioca if you plan to freeze these hand pies.

The crust can be brushed with milk, cream, half-and-half, or a beaten egg mixed with a splash of water.

To freeze unbaked hand pies - Prepare them through step 7 above, then flash freeze for a couple of hours before transferring to an airtight container (I like to vacuum seal them). Keep frozen up to 3 months.

To bake frozen hand pies - Place frozen pies on silpat-lined half sheet pan, brush with milk or half-and-half, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 25-30 minutes.

These hand pies are best served within 24 hours of baking. Leftovers should be stored at room temperature, NOT in an airtight container. Storing in an airtight container will result in the crust losing its crisp, flaky texture.

To make a 9-inch cherry pie, double the crust and cherry filling given in the recipe. The filling for this recipe should not be cooked before baking a pie - just mix the filling ingredients well, pour into crust-lined 9-inch pie plate, cover with strips of pie crust to form a lattice top. Brush crust with milk or half-and-half and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place pie plate on a half sheet pan before baking for 60-75 minutes in a preheated 400F oven. Allow pie to cool before serving.

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Killer Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs

I had a couple of pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the fridge and I started searching for a new way to prepare them. I stumbled upon this recipe and boy am I glad I did. The only change I made was adding sriracha for a little heat. will definitely be making this again and again.

Place all the ingredients in a gallon zip-top bag seal the bag well before massaging all the contents well, then marinate in the fridge anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.

To cook the chicken thighs, just pour the entire contents of the bag into a casserole dish and bake (I like to make sure the most attractive side of each thigh is facing up). So simple and so incredibly delicious.

Killer Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs

makes 2 pounds

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients except for the chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-top bag.

Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing it; massage the bag so all the chicken gets coated with the marinade and rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 450F and place rack in center position.

Prepare a 7x11 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; pour the entire contents of the bag into the baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, basting half way through.

Cook until an internal temperature of 165F is reached.

Note

For a more caramelized finish, place under the broiler for a couple of minutes before serving, but watch it very carefully so it doesn’t burn.

adapted from craving tasty

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Churros

Do you like churros as much as I do? I mean, who doesn’t like crunchy, cinnamon-y, fried dough sticks dipped in chocolate sauce, right? Most people have to wait until they visit a fair or carnival to get them, but they wouldn’t have to wait if they knew how easy they were to make. Let me show you how easy it is to make your own.

Churros are made from Pate a Choux dough, a cooked pastry dough that I’ve shared with you in the past when we’ve made eclairs, cream puffs, and gougeres together.

Allow the cooked churro dough cool until it’s easy to handle before transferring to a large disposable pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Don’t let the dough cool too much - it needs to still be on the warm side in order to squeeze it easily from the pastry bag.

In the photo above I used a Wilton 1M open star tip, but I now prefer to use an Ateco 848 closed start tip. Either will work, but the Ateco closed star tip provides deeper ridges when piping the dough, and the finished churros (pictured at the beginning of this post) look a little nicer after frying.

Pipe the warm churro dough into the hot oil (see recipe below for oil temp). You can make the churros as short or long as you like. Mine are about 4 inches in length - use a knife or scissors to cut the dough into the desired length as it’s squeezed from the pastry bag. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes until they’re golden brown, making sure they don’t stick together.

I like to use a kitchen spider to remove the churros from the oil. Allow the churros to drain a bit before tossing them in cinnamon sugar.

Enjoy them as is or serve them with a quick chocolate dipping sauce, which is my preferred way to enjoy them.

Churros are best eaten right away, but you can keep them in an airtight container for a few days (although they will lose some of their crispness). You can restore some crispness by heating in an air fryer for 2-3 minutes.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

large close star tip (preferred) https://amzn.to/44EHKlt

large open start tip https://amzn.to/44CxwSl

large disposable pastry bag https://amzn.to/3nFfLRK

large kitchen spider https://amzn.to/44DmzjK

Churros with Chocolate Sauce

makes enough for a small crowd

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate sauce:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of table salt

cinnamon sugar:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

churro dough:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 large egg

vegetable oil for frying

Directions

for the chocolate Sauce:

In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, mix together all the ingredients except for the pure vanilla extract and bring to a full rolling boil.

Continue to boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract; allow the mixture to cool before serving (will thicken slightly as it cools).

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon until well mixed; set aside until needed.

For the Churros:

In a 4-quart saucepan oven medium-high heat, combine water, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until it boils.

Immediately add the flour and stir vigorously until all the liquid is absorbed by the flour and a paste forms; continue stirring constantly until the paste dries out and forms a ball that cleans the sides of the pan.

Remove from the heat and allow the paste to cool for about 5 minutes before vigorously stirring in the egg until fully incorporated.

When the dough is cool enough to handle comfortably, transfer to a large disposable piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip (preferred) or a large open star tip.

In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375F.

Squeeze churro dough into the hot oil, cutting the dough with a knife or scissors into desired lengths; leave plenty of room for the churros to fry without being crowded.

Cook churros for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Remove churros from hot oil using a kitchen spider.

Drain for a few minutes on paper towels before tossing in cinnamon sugar.

Serve immediately; see notes below for directions on how to handle leftovers.

Notes

Make the chocolate sauce first, as it needs to cool and thicken before serving.

Make the cinnamon sugar second so it’s ready when the churros are done frying.

Make the churros last and serve right away or within a couple of hours.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; recrisp in an air fryer for 2-3 minutes.

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London Fog Latte

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve enjoyed my hot tea “light and sweet”. Who knew I was drinking a designer beverage my whole life? Here my standard recipe is dressed up a bit with frothed milk and a touch of vanilla. Some versions dress it up even more by including a few dried lavender buds. Either way, it’s a perfect afternoon treat.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

earl grey tea https://amzn.to/3ip7Epz

glass mugs https://amzn.to/3FfMEdP

electric hot or cold milk frother https://amzn.to/3VnrjoA

manual milk frother https://amzn.to/3EU1uWa

pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3iiIZmr

optional dry lavender buds https://amzn.to/3VooQKv

London Fog Latte

makes 1 serving

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 earl grey tea bag

5 ounces water

5 ounces milk, frothed (see notes below)

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

sweetener of choice

optional: dried lavender buds

Directions

Bring water to a boil; remove from heat.

Pour water in mug and steep tea bag for 5 minutes; discard tea bag

Froth milk; add to brewed tea along with pure vanilla extract.

Sweeten to taste and enjoy.

Notes

Feel free to use your favorite dairy or nondairy milk.

Use hot or cold milk - your choice.

If you don’t have a milk brother, you can use a personal blender, immersion blender, or shake in a jar with a tight fitting lid for 30-60 seconds (being sure there’s a lot of air in the jar).

Vanilla syrup can be used in place of the vanilla extract and sweetener of choice.

Earl Grey tea is traditional, but English Breakfast is another favorite of mine. Use whatever tea you love.

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My favorite loaf pan manufacturer just started making a skinny Cocktail Loaf Pan that I’ve been searching for for years. Cocktail bread is traditionally rye or pumpernickel, but I like to use this pan for quick breads. One pan will make a long skinny loaf fo quick bread that would normally fit in a 9x5 loaf pan. I absolutely love serving smaller slices - perfect portion control. Here’s a recipe for chocolate chip banana bread with a touch of cinnamon and cardamom. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

3x14-inch tea or cocktail loaf pan https://amzn.to/3XW6CBV

pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ELpRVX

mini chocolate chips https://amzn.to/3ENvMtu

ground cardamom https://amzn.to/3ENvFy4

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

makes one 3x14-inch cocktail loaf pan (or one 9x5 loaf pan)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon fine table salt

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet), plus more for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F with rack in lower third of oven.

Prepare a tea or cocktail loaf pan (3x14-inch) with nonstick baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, pure vanilla extract; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat both sugars and butter together until light and creamy, several minues.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 20 second after each addition.

Beat in the mashed banana mixture.

Add the flour mixture just until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

Remove bowl from stand mixer and stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand (scrape side of bowl in the process).

Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips if desired (looks great after baked).

Bake on lower rack for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely before serving. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

If you don’t have a 3x14-inch tea/cocktail loaf pan, a 9x5-inch loaf pan can be substituted (increase baking time to 65-75 minutes).

Alternately, batter can be mixed with a handheld mixer.

The batter for a double recipe will fit in a 5-quart stand mixer.

This banana bread is very heavy and can break in half when turning out of the pan. To avoid this, be sure loaf is completely supported by a cooling rack when unmolding. Don’t be tempted to unmold loaf into your hand like you might do with a standard sized loaf.

Although the photos above show these pans wrapped with insulated baking strips, I I’ve concluded doing so unnecessary for this recipe.

adapted from allrecipes

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Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

Do you struggle with finding ways to turn leftovers into something new? Struggle no more! Now that you have this potato pancake recipe in your back pocket, you might find yourself intentionally making extra mashed potatoes just so you have an excuse to make them.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

makes 4 potato pancakes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup well-seasoned mashed potatoes (see note below)

1 large egg

1 sliced scallion (white and green parts)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 - 1/2 cup all purpose flour

salt and pepper as needed

vegetable oil for shallow pan frying

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine mashed potatoes, egg, sliced scallion, shredded cheddar, and enough flour so that you can form the mixture into 4 patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

Brown each potato pancake in oil until crisp and brown, 3-5 minutes per side.

Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving immediately.

Note

Be sure the mashed potatoes you use are seasoned well - use any recipe you like, or try my Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes or my Lumpy Spuds.

adapted from acre homestead

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Homemade Vanilla Sugar

The holiday baking season isn’t too far away so it’s a good time to replenish your supplies. One ingredient I like to keep on hand is vanilla sugar. You can purchase vanilla sugar, but it’s more cost effective (and I think more flavorful) to make it yourself. Every time I have a spent vanilla bean leftover after making a recipe, I rinse the bean and allow it to dry, then place it in my vanilla sugar jar. As I use the vanilla-infused sugar, I simply replenish with more sugar. Some of the beans in my jar have been there for more than 20 years! Just keep adding more beans and sugar for an endless supply that just keeps getting better and better.

Happy Baking!

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Paul Hollywood's Brownies

I recently read Dorie Greenspan’s review of a brownie recipe from Paul Hollywood’s new cookbook Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics. Dorie raved about the brownies which contain three kinds of chocolate (milk, semisweet, and bittersweet). The brownies also contain cacao nibs (aka cocoa nibs), dried bits of unsweetened cacao beans. I trust Dorie implicitly and was intrigued when she explained how the nibs added an edgily pure chocolate flavor and retained their crunchy texture throughout the baking process. I totally agree and really loved the way the finished brownies looked with the little nib flecks sprinkled about.

This recipe is somewhat flexible. I didn’t have any milk chocolate in the house so I replaced it with more semisweet chocolate and the brownies were just fine. These relatively thin brownies are deeply chocolate in flavor, dense and fudgy in texture, and they have that shiny, crackly top that everyone loves. I can’t stay away from them!

Fun fact - the brownie batter is much darker in color than the finished brownies are so you have to wait until the brownies are baked to see the beautiful color contrast of the dark nibs against the shiny, crackly tops. I think they’re Stunning!

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

cacao nibs (aka cocoa nibs) https://amzn.to/3MrhX7n

pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3rQIaTv

9x13 professional cake pan https://amzn.to/3SZGrXQ

flat parchments sheets https://amzn.to/3g5D571

Baker’s Joy baking spray https://amzn.to/3TzCB7Z

Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics by Paul Hollywood https://amzn.to/3VpMzKu

Paul Hollywood’s Brownies

makes a 9x13 cake pan

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate, chopped

16 tablespoons (225g) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

3 large eggs (150g), room temperature

1 cups plus 2 tablespoons (225g) superfine sugar (see notes below)

2/3 cup (75g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

Line a 9x13-inch commercial cake pan with a parchment paper sling. Use a baking spray (like Baker’s Joy) to coat any part of the pan that isn’t covered with parchment paper.

In a glass or metal bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally (see notes below); remove the bowl from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and very light in color. Alternatively, beat using a hand mixer for about 8 minutes.

Turn off mixer and add the cooled chocolate mixture; beat on low speed just until combined (a few streaks may remain).

Turn off mixer and add flour mixture and pure vanilla extract; beat on low speed until most of the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in the milk and bittersweet chocolate chips by hand; being sure all dry ingredient are incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer; sprinkle the cacao nibs evenly over the surface of the batter.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean (a crumb or two is fine). You many need to check in a couple of spots if you hit a pocket of melted chocolate.

Remove pan from oven and allow brownies to cool completely in the pan.

Remove brownies by lifting the sling straight out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Store leftovers between layers of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container.

Notes

If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can substitute an equal amoujnt of granulated sugar.

For brownies, I suggest you use a professional quality metal cake pan. If you choose to use a glass, stoneware, or ceramic pan, lower your oven temp by 25F.

In Step 2: I lined my pan with a sling of flat parchment paper. Flat parchment sheets are much easier to handle than rolled parchment. I spray the pan with a little nonstick cooking spray before adding the parchment sling - the spray will “glue” the parchment in place, yet remain easy to remove after baking. Any exposed pan edges that are not covered with parchment should be sprayed with nonstick baking spray (this is my favorite).

In Step 3: When melting the butter and semisweet chocolate together, be sure the water is barely simmering and don’t let the bottom of the glass or metal bowl touch the water in the saucepan below.

This recipe calls for 3 kinds of chocolate - milk, semisweet, and bittersweet. I didn’t have any milk chocolate so I replaced it with additional semisweet and was very happy with the results.

When folding the chocolate chips into the batter, I used two different chip sizes and really liked the texture each brought to the finished brownies. Half of the chips were mini and the other half were a flat discs (about the size of 2-3 standard chocolate chips).

Paul uses a hand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar in this recipe for 8 minutes! Dorie recommends the much faster method of using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment - there’s a reason why I’m such a Dorie fan!

Crispy brownie edges are my favorite, true or false? True!

adapted from Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics by Paul Hollywood

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Soft and Chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies

A family member recently requested sugar cookies. It had been a long time since I enjoyed a good sugar cookie so I was happy to oblige. This recipe produces sugar cookies that are very soft, very chewy, and full of wonderful vanilla flavor. Since the cookies are so tender, it’s probably no surprise that the dough is not suitable for rolling and cutting with cookie cutters. Instead, use a #50 cookie scoop to portion equally-sized dollops of this lovely dough.

Items used to make this recipe:

pure vanilla extract (be sure to use the good stuff)

FLAT parchment paper sheets

#50 cookie scoop

commercial grade half sheet pans

Soft and Chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies

makes 24 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

less than 1 egg (you’ll need 30 grams or 1 tablespoon) *see notes below

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

extra granulated sugar for coating the dough

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F, place the oven rack in the center position, and line two half sheet pans with parchment paper or silpat liners (see notes below).

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together for 3 full minutes on high speed; stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer, but increase the creaming time to 5 minutes.

Turn mixer on medium speed and add egg and pure vanilla extract until fully emulsified (no traces of egg remain).

Turn mixer on low and add flour mixture just until no traces of dry flour remain.

Use a #50 scoop to portion the dough; roll each portion into a ball and coat with granulated sugar.

Place dough balls on lined sheet pans (12 per pan); use a glass (see notes below) to press dough balls to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake one sheet pan at a time for 9-11 minutes; remove as soon as the edges are set and they start to turn a slight golden color.

Allow cookies to cool complete on sheet pan before transferring to an airtight container. Store at room temperature.

Notes

For best results, bake only one sheet pan at a time.

For this particular recipe, parchment paper gives slightly better results than silpat liners, but either will work (see photo below)..

To measure egg, break into a cup or bowl and beat to combine the whites and yolks completely, then measure the amount needed for this recipe. Save the rest in an airtight container for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Do not place cookie dough on hot or warm cookie sheets. Wait for the sheets to cool completely before using.

If the cookie dough is too soft to handle, chill it for a few minutes before rolling.

When pressing the dough, use a plastic cup or a glass wrapped with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can dip your glass in additional granulated sugar between presses.

Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges are set and start to turn the slightest golden color; allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from sheet pan.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

If your cookies spread too much during baking, chill pressed cookie dough for 10 minutes before baking.

If using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, increase the time you cream the butter and sugar together to 5 minutes.

adapted from A Spicy Perspective

Both cookies pictured above started off as exactly the same size ball of cookie dough. The cookie on the left was baked on a silpat liner (silicone), while the cookie on the right was baked on parchment paper.

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Cherry Pit Simple Syrup

I recently made a batch Very Cherry Gelato, which means I found myself with a bunch of leftover cherry pits. I could have thrown them away, but instead, I steeped them in a sugar water solution to make delicious Cherry Pit Simple Syrup. Add it to sparking water or your favorite spirit for a refreshing beverage. It’s great drizzled on ice cream too.

Items used to make this recipe:

cherry pitter https://amzn.to/3T63z7x

pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3QX7GRn

Cherry Pit Simple Syrup

makes about 1 cup

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup cherry pits (from about 1 pound of fresh cherries)

1 cup cold water

1 cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place cherry pits, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10.minutes.

Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Strain pits and store syrup in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Note

Cherries contain amygdalin which naturally occurs in the seeds and pits of many fruits. Cooking amygdalin renders it harmless, but you should avoid causing, chopping, or chewing the cherry pits when making this recipe.

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Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice

Cilantro lime rice is an excellent served along Mexican-inspired and Asian-inspired meals. Make a large batch and follow my directions below (see Notes) to freeze in small portions for a quick side dish on a busy weeknight.

Items used to make this recipe:

basmati rice https://amzn.to/3cambTk

citrus squeezer https://amzn.to/3pzqNWi

microplane zester https://amzn.to/3CnkJYn

Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice

makes about 5 cups

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 1/4 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

zest of 1 lime

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Directions

In a 3-quart or larger saucepan with a tight fitting lid, cook the dry rice in half of the butter until toasted.

Add the garlic and continue stirring for 30-60 seconds until fragrant; immediately stir in water, salt, and lime zest.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.

Remove cover and stir in lime juice,

Stir in remaining butter until melted, followed by cilantro leaves.

Note

Leftover rice can be frozen in an airtight container. To serve, microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.

adapted from SimplyRecipes

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Corn Stock

When you remove corn kernels from the cob, don’t throw the cobs away - they retain a ton of flavor and can easily be used to make delicious corn stock. Stash your tasty corn stock in the freezer and use it anytime you want to add a subtle sweetness to recipes. Think of using it the next time you make corn chowder, pancakes, sweet bread, corn muffins, polenta, etc…. use your imagination and be creative.

Items used to make this recipe:

corn stripper https://amzn.to/3wfQpuP

instant pot https://amzn.to/3PA33LW

slow cooker https://amzn.to/3K33Ggb

Corn Stock

makes 1.5 to 2 quarts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

12 corn cogs

3 quarts cold water

pinch salt

Directions

Instant Pot:

Place cobs in instant pot, breaking in half to fit if necessary.

Cover with water and add salt.

Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.

Strain and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Stovetop:

In an 8-quart or larger stockpot, place cobs, water, and salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.

Strain and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Slow Cooker:

In an 8-quart slow cooker, add cobs, water, and salt.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Strain and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

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Risotto alla Milanese

The rich and creamy texture of risotto is one of the world’s most loved culinary creations. This specific risotto, alla Milanese, was developed in the early 1800s and one taste is all you need to know why it’s still popular today, over 200 years later. The beautiful golden color comes from saffron adds an intoxicating flavor. Serve it along side Osso Buco for an Italian meal you will not soon forget!

Items used to make this recipe:

3 1/2 quart dutch oven https://amzn.to/3ORulOj

real deal parmigiano-reggiano cheese

arborio rice https://amzn.to/3OyiXXd

saffron threads https://amzn.to/3QG6u5K

Risotto alla Milanese

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups low or no-sodium chicken stock (try my homemade)

1/2 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely minced onion (yellow or white)

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine (or additional chicken stock)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (use the good stuff)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small saucepan, simmer the chicken stock and saffron together; keep warm until needed.

In a 3 1/2-quart or larger dutch oven, saute onions and olive oil together with a pinch of salt and pepper until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes; add the arborio rice and stir to combine.

Add white wine and stir until absorbed, then add 1 ladle of the saffron-infused chicken stock and stir until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring until it’s mostly absorbed before adding more. This will take about 20 minutes or so.

When the rice is almost completely cooked, stir in the butter until melted, then stir in the grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

Carefully taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use caution when adding salt while cooking this recipe. Parmigiano-reggiano is very salty so that’s why I specify low or no-sodium chicken stock and unsalted butter. Better to be careful - you can always add salt, after you stir in the cheese, if needed.

The flavor of this risotto relies heavily on the quality of saffron and parmigiano-reggiano used. The creamy texture of this risotto relies heavily on using arborio rice. It pays to get the best quality you can.

adapted from Laura in the Kitchen

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Strawberry Clafoutis

Clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-tee) is a crustless French tart filled with a sweet vanilla custard-like base and fruit, typically cherries, but the recipe works with a variety of fruits. Today’s version features the most delicious fresh strawberries that I found at a local farm stand. Whatever fruit you choose, be sure its flavor is amazing.

You may also be interested in seeing my Cherry Clafoutis, Peach Clafoutis, and Blueberry Clafoutis.

I wish you could smell these berries!

I wish you could taste these berries!

The clafoutis puffs up as it bakes, but it deflates soon after removing it from the oven - this is normal. Clafoutis can be served slightly warm, cold, or at room temperature. Personally, I prefer room temperature. If serving cold or at room temperature, you may wish to dust it with confectioner’s sugar.

Cuts like button!

Items used to make this recipe:

pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3QoVxWe

my favorite trimming knife https://amzn.to/39vrISZ

Strawberry Clafoutis

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, hulled and cut into bite-size pieces

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine table salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

Generously coat the inside of a 3-quart stoneware or ceramic baking dish with the softened butter, followed by the sugar; tap out excess sugar.

In a blender, make the custard mixture by combining the eggs, half and half, sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt on low speed until fully incorporated.

Place prepared fruit in baking dish and pour the custard over the fruit.

Bake in center of oven for 50-60 minutes until the evenly puffed and golden around the edges.

Remove from oven and cool before serving slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Note - The clafoutis will deflate shortly after removing it from the oven. This is to be expected.

Chill leftovers in an airtight container.

Note

A 3-quart baking dish is typically a standard 9x13 size. Alternatively, a 10-inch square baking dish can be used, or any dish that holds a 12-cup volume.

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Instant Pot Beef Brisket

So you have a 5-pound beef brisket, but you don’t have a minimum of 5 hours to cook it? No problem. Pull out your instant pot and follow the recipe below; that brisket will be fall-apart-tender in just 2 hours. You’re welcome.

Instant Pot Beef Brisket

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

5 pound beef brisket, excess fat removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup beef broth

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

(optional) barbecue sauce for serving

Dry Rub:

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon fine table salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried mustard powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Mix ingredients for the dry rub together and coat all sides of the brisket (see note below); set aside until needed.

In the insert of a 6-quart or larger instant pot, use the saute setting to heat the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant (30-60 seconds); disable the saute setting and add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Place the brisket into the insert and be sure to add any additional dry rub that didn’t stick to the roast.

Seal the instant pot and use the manual or high pressure setting to cook the roast for 90 minutes.

Allow the pressure to release for at least 10 minutes before releasing the excess pressure.

Slice roast against the grain and serve with the juices from the roast or drizzle with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Notes

If you have extra time, you can coat the roast with the dry rub the night before and chill until you’re ready to cook it.

If you need to cut your brisket in half to fit in the instant pot, stand the halves up and place them next to each other rather than stacking them on top of each other.

adapted from Your Home Based Mom