Tag: I Can Cook That

Spiced Walnut Peach Mini Bundt Cakes or Muffins

Note: I was sent a copy of Muffins (paid link) by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

One of the best perks of being a food blogger is the ability to receive and review cookbooks. Not only are they a great source of inspiration for me and my cooking journey, but they also provide a little peek into other fellow passionate cooks and bakers.

This latest cookbook, Muffins (paid link) by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick, focuses on one of my favorite foods. Muffins are one of my go-to choices for food prepping for the week.

From comforting favorites to spicy surprises, Muffins cookbook includes delicious recipes for more than 70 nourishing breakfast staples, fruity bites for brunch, and savory morsels that go great with soups and salads. The cookbook also includes ingredient substitutions, helpful baking methods, and other useful kitchen tips.

 

As my husband was paging through the cookbook, their recipe for Spicy Peach and Nut Muffins caught his attention. I used that recipe as inspiration to make these Spiced Walnut Peach Mini Bundt Cakes. Mini Bundt Cakes are essentially fancy muffins anyway, don’t you think?

And, if you have no interest in my fake fancy muffins, no worries! I’ve included info below to make these as normal muffins by using a cupcake pan.

Ingredients (makes approximately 12 mini Bundt cakes or 18 cupcake-sized muffins):

Cakes/Muffins:

  • 1 (15 oz) can peaches
  • ~3/4 cup buttermilk (see directions below)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Glaze:

  • 4 tablespoons reserved peach juice
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Continue reading Spiced Walnut Peach Mini Bundt Cakes or Muffins

Sheet Pan Balsamic Fish with Roasted Tomatoes

Seafood is a favorite weekday dinner of mine because it usually takes under 30 minutes to make a seafood dish. This particular recipe for Sheet Pan Balsamic Fish with Roasted Tomatoes has become a staple in our home because of the relatively easy clean up as well – most of the meal is made right in one sheet pan!

I like to serve this over rice or couscous to soak in all of the juices on the sheet pan. This makes 2 hearty servings, with plenty of the tomato mixture to enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 2, multiply as needed):

  • 16 oz cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 5 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 2 white fish fillets (such as cod or halibut)
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
  • 1 cup cooked rice or couscous

Continue reading Sheet Pan Balsamic Fish with Roasted Tomatoes

Pumpkin Snickercrinkles

Note: I was sent a review copy of Fabulous Modern Cookies in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I am well aware that people have strong feelings about pumpkin/fall/cooler weather recipes this early in the year. It technically isn’t even fall for about another week. But I’ve shared pumpkin filled recipes much earlier in the “season” than this so I hope you’ll give me a pass again, especially for these pretty little Pumpkin Snickercrinkles.

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Snickercrinkles, which is a mix of a traditional crinkle cookie and a snickerdoodle, in the recently released cookbook Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats (paid link) by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin.

With bold and fearless suggestions, Taylor and Arguin, scientists turned bakers, explore the deep-in-our-heart love of cookies as well as the philosophy behind them.  Does a cookie always have to be round, sweet, or soft?  Breaking down the essential rules, ingredients, and equipment needed, Fabulous Modern Cookies demystifies the cookie and provides home bakers with fun and unique cookie recipes.
Filled with 100 recipes, Chris and Paul also provide “Cookie Bytes” – short tips, tricks, helpful techniques, and explanations to demystify the science of baking.  The recipes are grouped in chapters like Bar Cookies; Drop Cookies; Rolled Cookies; Filled, Stuffed and Sandwiched Cookies; Savory Cookies and Slice-and-Bake Cookies.
This recipe for Pumpkin Snickercrinkles can be found in the Drop Cookies chapter. Although this recipe is a bit more involved than most drop cookie recipes I’ve made in the past, the result is absolutely worth it!
Ingredients (makes about 3 dozen cookies):
  • 2 1/4 cups flour, divided
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Continue reading Pumpkin Snickercrinkles

Fizzy Bourbon Apple Cider

Note: I was sent a Drinkmate OmniFizz Beverage Carbonator in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I know I’m not alone that once the calendar says September, I start assuming fall weather is right around the corner. And yet, the warm weather always holds on longer than I expect.

This recipe for a Fizzy Bourbon Apple Cider is the perfect cocktail for these still-warm evenings while still having a decidedly autumnal flavor.

I used Drinkmate’s OmniFizz Beverage Carbonator (paid link), which can carbonate ANY liquid without diluting it, including cocktails!

This pretty little machine does not require electricity, so it is easy to use basically anywhere. Just screw in the CO2 cylinder, add your ingredients, and press down to carbonate!

The carbonation adds a lightness to the cocktail, resulting in a super refreshing apple cider beverage. This is going to become one of your favorite summer-into-fall cocktails!

Ingredients (makes one cocktail):

  • 3/4 cup cold apple cider
  • 1/3 cup Bourbon
  • the juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 (2 ½ inch long) thin slices fresh ginger

Continue reading Fizzy Bourbon Apple Cider

No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

It’s that time of year where there are plenty of barbecues and outdoor gatherings again. Whenever our friends host, I never want to come empty handed so I like to have a bunch of dessert recipes on hand, especially no bake dessert recipes!

This No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake is perfect for summer meet ups – you don’t have to turn on your oven and overheat your own home, and it can be made ahead and served chilled or at room temperature.

The cake is super simple to make. It is layers of graham crackers, whipped cream pudding, and chocolate frosting, mimicking the flavors of a chocolate eclair. If you don’t want to make your own frosting, you can also buy store bought and just use that.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (16 oz box) plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, divided
  • 2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon coffee extract
  • 1 (14.4 oz) box graham crackers

Continue reading No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

Leek and Potato Soup

I know it is quite late in the season for a soup recipe, but I made this Leek and Potato Soup recently and just had to share it. This is a fairly traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup, but the simplicity means you can really make it your own with some tweaks if you wanted.

Leeks are in season late winter to early summer, so this soup is great for those slightly cooler days, or when you’re looking for something simple to make that is ultimate comfort food.

This recipe uses under 10 ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3-4 leeks (depending on their size), sliced
  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh chives, for garnish

Continue reading Leek and Potato Soup

Banana Walnut Bread

I recently came home after a weekend trip to some of the saddest looking bananas I’ve seen in a long time. Which means I spent my Monday making this super delicious Banana Walnut Bread!

This recipe largely uses typical pantry items, so the next time you find yourself with overripe bananas, there is a good chance you will already have everything on hand to make this banana bread — if you don’t have any walnuts, you can substitute another nut or omit them completely.

If kept in a sealed container at room temperature, the bread will last for 4 days so it’s perfect for breakfast for most of the week!

If you want to store it longer, you can also freeze the bread by wrapping it completely in plastic wrap before adding to your freezer.

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium very ripe bananas
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Continue reading Banana Walnut Bread

Chocolate Coconut Cake

I originally made this Chocolate Coconut Cake for my dad for his birthday a few years ago. Since then, my parents request it any chance they get!

The recipe is a chocolate cake that substitutes coconut milk for regular milk in the recipe. It is then topped with a coconut cream frosting and some coconut flakes for extra coconut-y goodness!

Cake:

  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened (or margarine to make dairy free)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Frosting:

  • 4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened (or margarine to make dairy free)
  • 2 16 oz boxes (about 8 cups) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (5.4 oz can) coconut cream

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes

Continue reading Chocolate Coconut Cake

Salmon with Lemon Parsley Pesto

I originally started this blog as a way to learn to cook and to catalog recipes I enjoyed. So, recently, I have been revisiting recipes from early in my blogging journey and remaking them, like this recipe for Salmon with Lemon Parsley Pesto, served with orzo.

This recipe is a slight adaptation from a previous recipe I posted for Salmon Skewers with Lemon-Parsley Pesto.

Ingredients (served 2, multiply as needed):

  • 1 cup orzo
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • the zest and juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 (8-10 oz) salmon fillets
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Salmon with Lemon Parsley Pesto

Walnut Whiskey Cake

Whiskey Cake is something that has shown up to family gatherings since before I can even remember. My mom makes this cake for basically all extended family celebrations, and it has become a favorite of mine. Recently, we were celebrating a friend’s birthday and I thought a Walnut Whiskey Cake would be the perfect birthday cake for him!

My version is a bit different than the one my mom makes, but the general gist is still there. I added some candied walnuts on top because, why not, but feel free to omit them.

The best part of this recipe is it is made with cake mix and instant vanilla pudding mix, making this cake both super easy to make and incredibly moist! Using a Bundt pan makes this cake look like it took you all day to make, but the hardest part of this recipe is patiently waiting for the glaze to soak into the cake before removing it from the Bundt pan.

Walnut Whiskey Cake Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
  • 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 2 oz whiskey or bourbon

Glaze:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) whiskey or bourbon
  • the juice of 1/2 orange
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Candied Walnuts:

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Continue reading Walnut Whiskey Cake

Pistachio Panna Cotta

One of my favorite things about having a blog is the opportunity to try new recipes and learn new cooking methods. I have never made Panna Cotta before, but it seems to be a relatively simple dessert to make.

Panna Cotta, which means “cooked cream” in Italian, is an Italian dessert traditionally made with sweetened cream and gelatin. Because of the gelatin, it maintains the shape of whatever vessel it is in.

It would have probably made sense to try to make a class panna cotta first, but my husband and I love all things pistachio, so I decided to try to make a Pistachio Panna Cotta as a treat for us!

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz shelled roasted and salted pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • chopped pistachios, for garnish

Continue reading Pistachio Panna Cotta

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Fudge

Now that I know how darn easy it is to make homemade fudge, I like experimenting and making my own at home when the mood strikes me. This recipe for Homemade Chocolate Peanut Fudge uses just 5 ingredients and can be made with ingredients you might already have in your home!

I used peanuts in the below recipe, but really any nut you enjoy can be substituted in (walnuts would be the more traditional choice).

Ingredients:

  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
  • 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup roasted salted peanuts

Continue reading Homemade Chocolate Peanut Fudge

Herb Rice with Peas Prosciutto and Ricotta

Warmer weather is nearly here, and we can all use more recipes that won’t heat up the whole house. This recipe for Herb Rice with Peas Prosciutto and Ricotta is largely a no-cook recipe – you only have to make the rice!

Ideally, you can use day old rice so there is no stove use at all, but I personally have a hard time thinking a day ahead for a meal, so I wrote the recipe below to be made all in the same day. Feel free to make the rice the night before, refrigerate, and assemble everything the night you plan on having this for dinner for a quick and easy make ahead meal.

I adapted this recipe slightly from a New York Times Cooking recipe from Emily Nunn.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10 oz) bag frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • the zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 a red onion, halved
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups white rice
  • salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
  • ~5 fresh chives
  • 3-4 oz fresh ricotta
  • 18 slices prosciutto (omit to make vegetarian)
  • black pepper, to taste

Continue reading Herb Rice with Peas Prosciutto and Ricotta

Tiramisu Cake

I am about to share with you my new favorite cake. Not only does this Tiramisu Cake taste amazing, but it is actually just a more spiffed up cake from a box!

I made this cake originally to celebrate my mom’s birthday, and everyone loved it so much, I decided to share it here too (my husband wasn’t upset at all to have this cake show up in our house again either!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 package white cake mix (I used a Super Moist French Vanilla Cake Mix)
  • 1 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled, divided
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
  • 2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur (like Kahlua)

Filling:

  • 1 (8 oz) container mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur (like Kahlua)

Frosting:

  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 1 (8 oz) container mascarpone cheese
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur (like Kahlua)
  • pinch of salt

For Garnish:

  • unsweetened cocoa powder
  • semisweet chocolate bar

Continue reading Tiramisu Cake

Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad

Remember my insane beet purchase? I have finally cooked through ALL of the beets I bought! My last beet-filled meal was this Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Walnuts, and boy, did I end my beet week on a high note. I had made a larger version (this recipe multiplied by 3) for my godson’s baptism and got rave reviews so I wanted to share it here as well, and luckily it finished off my remaining beet supply!

Roasting the beets takes a bit of time, but past that, this comes together really quickly. You can certainly buy pre-cooked beets to make this a quick recipe, I won’t tell.

 

Ingredients:

Salad (serves 4):

  • 4 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • salt, to taste
  • 4 cups baby kale
  • 1/2 cup microgreens
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (omit to make dairy-free/vegan)

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link) or grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Continue reading Beet Kale and Goat Cheese Salad

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