Recipe: Tastes like Iowa - Cashew Bacon Brittle

Chocolate Covered Bacon made its debut at the Iowa State Fair a couple of years ago and one can't help but be tempted by the salty and sweet combination. Instead of coming up with something chocolaty though, I tried this dessert. A sliver of this Cashew Bacon Brittle would be the perfect partner to some Sweet Corn Ice Cream.

Makes about 1 pound

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) cashew pieces

1/3 to 1/2 cup cooked bacon bits (6 to 8 ounces uncooked bacon)

Grease or butter a large nonstick baking sheet.

In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan, increase the heat to high, and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 290 degrees. Immediately remove from the heat.

Stir in the butter, vanilla, baking soda, cashews and bacon bits. Watch out, the mixture will foam. When the foam subsides, pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet as thinly as possible. Do not use a spatula.

Cool at least 10 minutes before breaking into pieces. Store in a covered container.

Recipe: Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting & Sauce

Buttered Popcorn Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients(makes 24 regular size cupcakes)
11/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup popcorn flour or use all-purpose flour for this amount too
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp is best
1/4 cup pureed cream corn
2 eggs, room temp
2 egg whites, room temp
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup milk *infused with buttered popcorn* (optional)
1/4 cup buttered popcorn for milk
1 cup buttered popcorn for decorating cupcakes

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners
-In a small saucepan, heat milk on medium-low heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges.
-Stir in buttered popcorn and take off the heat to let steep for 10 minutes.
-Strain popcorn out of milk, add vanilla and set aside.
-In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt.
-In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until a pale color and very fluffly in your stand mixer (about 3 minutes)
-On a low speed, add purred creamed corn, and eggs one at a time.
-Alternate adding half the flour mixture, then half the milk mixture in two additions. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix well but don't over beat.
-Pour batter into cupcake liners a little more than three-fourths full.

 -Bake about 15 minutes until cupcakes are golden brown and when gently pressed with fingers, springs back.

 -Set cupcake pan on cooling wrack and let cool a few minutes before transferring them directly on the cooling wrack to cool completely.
-Frost cupcakes with sea salt caramel buttercream, buttered popcorn, and drizzled caramel sauce.

Salted Caramel Buttercream/Sauce-by David Lebovitz
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt-to taste
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 stick salted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1-3 tbs water, room temp

Directions
-In a large heavy duty saucepan over medium to med-low heat, cook sugar without stirring until the sugar near the edges of the pan starts to liquefy.
-Using a wooden spoon, begin gently stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center and delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar may look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going; it will melt completely as it turns amber color.
-Continue to cook until the sugar turns a deep brown color and starts to smoke a little. The darker you can cook the sugar without burning it, the better the final sauce will taste. You will know it's ready when the sugar is the color of a well-worn penny and smells slightly smokey.
-Remove the saucepan from the heat carefully and continue to stir, protecting your hands and arms, pour half the heavy cream-the mixture will bubble up furiously with just enough attitude but nothing you can't handle.
-Stir in the rest of the heavy cream until smooth.
-Stir in 2 tbs butter, vanilla, and salt to taste. Mix well.
-Pour into a heat proof container and set aside to cool for the buttercream frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
-Cream butters and sugar for 4 minutes.

 -On a low speed at first, add powdered sugar-then beat well until very fluffy, adding water a little at a time while mixing. The water will help with air volume.
-Add 2-3 tbs cooled salted caramel and beat another minute.

 -Pipe frosting onto cupcakes or create smooth frosting whip.

Recipe: Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Whipped Mascarpone

Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Whipped Mascarpone

This, as far as I’m concerned, is the real red velvet cake — chocolate, naturally reddened and intensely flavored. For reasons I cannot put my finger on, this feels quintessentially September, fudgy rich chocolate, faintly spiced red wine, diminutive in size and so very quick to make. We are completely obsessed with it already.

Now, the essentials: The wine does not, I repeat, does not, fully bake out. It will taste like there’s wine in there though not in the way that it would leave you tipsy, nevertheless, I will not be using this cake for, say, my toddler’s birthday party, if you get my drift. The cinnamon, chocolate, and red wine play off each other well.


Cake
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (179 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) white granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup (177 ml) red wine, any kind you like 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup + 1 tablespoon (133 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (41 grams) Dutch cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (118 grams) chilled heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment, and either butter and lightly flour the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat well, then the red wine and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, right over your wet ingredients. Mix until 3/4 combined, then fold the rest together with a rubber spatula. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake should be shiny and smooth, like a puddle of chocolate. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 minutes, then flip out of pan and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. This cake keeps well at room temperature or in the fridge. It looks pretty dusted with powdered sugar.
Make the topping: Whip mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla together until soft peaks form — don’t overwhip. Dollop generously on each slice of cake. It can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

Recipe: BLT Panzanella Salad

Summertime always brings back memories of the gorgeous bright red tomatoes my mom's dad, whom we called Papa would bring to us as gifts from his garden.  They were still warm from the sun, and when combined with the salty bacon and crispy lettuce, along with the crumbly white toast (what is it that's so comforting about toasted bread?) and a healthy dollop of mayo, it was like summer on a plate. This is my slightly healthier version.

Serves 4

For the Salad:

1/2 large loaf ciabatta bread, cubed
3 small to medium sized tomatoes, largely diced
3 ounces turkey bacon cubed
3 handfuls arugula roughly chopped

Creamy Lemon Dressing:

1/2  lemon, juiced
zest of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon leftover bacon drippings
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons low-fat or non-fat plain Greek Yogurt
Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350.

2.      In a single layer on a cookie sheet, place cubed bread. Toast in oven until golden and dried through completely.

3.      In a medium sized saute pan, cook bacon until slightly crispy and nicely browned. Remove to paper towels, reserve 1 tsp drippings.

4.      Combine the dijon, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to taste.

5.      Whisk together bacon drippings and olive oil, then add in a slow stream to Dijon mixture.

6.      Once dressing is emulsified, whisk in Greek yogurt until fully incorporated and slightly creamy.

7.      Toss tomatoes, bacon, bread, salt and fresh cracked black pepper with dressing.

8.      Just before serving, toss in arugula. Check for seasoning, serve.

Recipe: Oat Bran Ricotta Hot Cakes

So simple, so good for you, and so delicious. This is an easy, quick breakfast treat you can make any day of the week.

Ingredients for 1 serving:
1 egg white
2 TBSP part-skim(low-fat) or non-fat ricotta
2 TBSP oat bran
Stevia to taste, optional
Cinnamon, optional

1. Put the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. (If you can't find low fat ricotta, use quark or cottage cheese).
2. Cook on medium heat of a non-stick fry pan until bubbles form, then flip and cook the other side.
3. Serve with extra ricotta, some sweetener, a dash of lemon.

Makes 2 small, silver dollar sized pancakes.