Apple & Special K Granola Muffins

As part of the FoodBuzz Featured Publisher program, I get offers of free product to try. With a few clicks on the mouse, something edible is sent to me in the mail. I'll take it.

I received Special K Low-Fat Granola and Special K Fruit Crisps.

I decided to adapt an Everyday Food recipe and put this granola in a muffin.

The Special K Low-Fat Granola has, I feel, a long list of ingredients and lots of sweeteners which include (in order): Whole grain oats, sugar, corn syrup, oat bran, rice, honey, soluble wheat fiber, modified corn starch, soy grits, molasses, corn flour, natural flavor, salt, acacia gum, soy protein isolate, oat fiber, evaporated cane juice, malt flavoring, high fructose corn syrup...[and vitamins].

I also made a yogurt parfait with blueberries and granola. The cereal provided a nice crunch. I also had it in soy milk and it was yummy. I usually make my own granola (oats, nuts, dried fruit and a touch of maple syrup) so I'm not sure I would buy this product.

The original Everyday Food recipe calls for pears but I subbed shredded apple. I also subbed the low-fat yogurt with non-fat Greek yogurt.

For the topping, I just put straight Special K Granola on top (the recipe has a crumble mixture you can make instead).

The muffin tasted like a Muffin. Not a mini-cake. But a muffin. The granola provided a nice crunch and made the topping very easy to make. By the way, here is my Homemade Granola recipe.

Recipe:
Apple & Special K Granola Muffins
Adapted from the Pear & Granola Muffin by Everyday Food

Click here for the printable recipe

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (I didn't have any wheat flour and used all AP flour. I would like to try it with whole-wheat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used non-fat Greek yogurt because I had it on hand)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granola (I used the Special K Low Fat Granola)
2 cups shredded apple, with skin on (I used Fuji apples)

Topping:
3/4 cup granola
(See the Everyday Food recipe for alternative topping)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or place paper liners in a 12-cup standard muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, and butter. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg mixture to well, and mix in flour mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the granola and shredded apple.
4. Fill each cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle with granola. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FTC Disclosure: I received two products free from Special K. No payment was made for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.

Nutella Bread Pudding for World Nutella Day

Whoo Hoo!
February 5, 2010 is World Nutella Day. Sure, not as exciting as National Bundt Day (hello...what did you expect from me?!), but Nutella Day is fun.

Organized by Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso, they have celebrated World Nutella Day for several years.

I started the morning by making a Nutella French Toast with my homemade Challah bread. Delicious way to start the day!

When I saw that my friend JustJenn developed a recipe for Nutella Bread Pudding, I was there!

And, as yesterday's post details, I made my first Challah bread in my baking course!
Challah + Nutella = Hella yes!

Recipe:
Nutella Bread Pudding - JustJennRecipes

Notes: I used 12 of these absolutely cute mini-ramekins. They are 2.5 ounces and I picked them up at a restaurant supply store. They each hold about 1/2 cup of bread pieces. Jenn's recipe is for 8 regular size ramekins. I only needed half the custard to make my minis.

Happy World Nutella Day!!

New School of Cooking - Pro Baking 1 - Class 7: Artisan Breads

Hallah for my Challah!

I'm taking the Pro Baking 1 series (taught by Chef Carol Cotner Thompson) at the New School of Cooking in Culver City (Los Angeles) this fall/winter. For Class 7, we moved from the sweet stuff to yeast breads!

This class is fantastic. I am leapfrogging over terrifying baking concepts! Today, it was yeast. I love bread (I have a button that says "I Love Carbs"), but don't make it. That is, until I had my class!

We learned all about yeast. The freeze dried yeast you get in the store is quite amazing - pretty indestructible stuff. You should keep it in the freezer, by the way. We learned about making your own starter with organic grapes, water, flour and time (read the La Brea Bakery cookbook for a good explanation and technique)...I won't ever be doing that, but learning about making your own starter from your regional yeast spores in the air is very interesting.

Rosemary Olive Bread

We made a Rustic Country Bread, Rosemary Olive Bread and Challah. We kneaded all the breads by hand. I felt very rustic and pioneer. Hee hee. I can knead bread, but the laundry back then? Holy smokes. I say a little thank you to my washing machine and dryer for saving me a day's worth of labor. Anyway, back to bread making...

Challah making! Oh, I faltered with the braid, but it all sorta came together. One side was bigger than the other, but my stomach could not tell the difference.

My Rustic Country Bread. This is super easy. The best part is that you take the risen dough out of the big bowl and just plop it onto a cornmeal covered pan. Yeah, it looks like a bone! :)

I'm not posting the recipes from class but they don't have special powers or ingredients...the class is more about technique. We spent a lot of time feeling different dough textures to determine the difference between dry, middle, and wet doughs. We kneaded our dough and brought it up for the instructor to feel it!

I'm excited because I have plans for my Challah...and it involves World Nutella Day (February 5th)! See the post on Saturday, February 6th. Cheers, Mary

Recaps of the New School of Cooking, Pro Baking 1 course:
Baking Therapy: Going back to school
Class 1: Quick Breads
Class 2: Custards
Class 3: Soufflés & Pate a Choux
Class 4: Tarts, Pie, Crisps and Cobblers
Class 5: Chocolate
Class 6: White Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

Milk Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes - Tuesdays with Dorie

Milk Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Kristin of I’m Right About Everything picked Milk Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes on page 188-189 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

One of my co-workers can't eat nuts so I skipped the nuts. I bypassed the swirl in the middle and just dusted the tops with powdered sugar.

This cake is lovely. The texture is soft, the cake is moist and there is just enough chocolate flavor...but not overwhelming to the senses. I could eat a tray of these.

I used Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate (repackaged high end chocolate from Belgium)

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!

Recipe:
Kristin of I’m Right About Everything has the recipe
Milk Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes on page 188-189 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours

Beautiful Babies and Mommies

Last year, there was something in the water at work. And the result? Lots of babies.

I went to my friend Gwendolyn's house to meet her beautiful baby boy, Sinjin and Shannon's precious baby girl, Katie. Well, there aren't babies anymore, but adorable little people!

Friends from work and library school know these two great librarians so I wanted to share the photos.

Shannon and daughter, Katie (13 months)

My mommy is delicious. Gwendolyn with Sinjin (9 months)

Sinjin. One handsome little man.

Oh yes, my eyes are that blue.

I'm eating the Food Librarian's Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt!

I have great respect for photographers who can take pictures of multiple children at the same time! This group shot did not happen! :)

Thanks for visiting Shannon, Katie, Gwendolyn and Sinjin!
You are all beautiful! (The rest of the photos are here)

Black Kale Chips

I made some new friends today.
The kale chip.
Let me introduce you.
Oh, don't be shy.
They are really nice, easy going, and their hearts are filled with antioxidants.

Look at this beautiful black kale from my local farmer's market!

I've seen kale chips go around the internet and food blogs, and since I'm almost always a late adopter, I finally made these. I first saw them on Esi's blog, Dishing up Delights. And I'm here to help you. Help you by telling you to go to your Farmer's Market this weekend and yes, get on the kale chip bandwagon. This isn't a crazy fad, this is a friendship that can last a lifetime. Just sayin'.

I made mine from black kale but I've seen it made with more common curly kale as well.

Okay, for those Japanese food eaters out there...These chips completely remind me of NORI!! (seaweed used to make sushi) They are light as air and I ate a whole head of kale chips in one evening. Oh yes, I found a new friend. Thanks Esi!!

Here is Esi's Recipe: Dishing up Delights, Kale Chips

Here is how I made them:

Kale Chips
1 bunch of kale
1 T olive oil
Salt

1. Heat over to 350 degrees.
2. Line baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment paper.
3. Wash kale and strip out the center core or stalk. Tear kale into small pieces. Dry the kale with towels or a salad spinner (I skipped this part and they turned out okay)
4. Coat the kale with olive oil and salt. (Esi's recipe has 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar but I didn't add that.)
5. Spread kale into SINGLE layer. This is important. You will probably need to bake several batches.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning once about halfway through. The chips should be dry and light.

Fresh out of the oven. The chips should be light, crisp and dry. You can't use these chips for dip - they are too fragile (or at least mine were). They are just pop-in-your-mouth while watching TV chips.

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake

The other day I asked my friend what food should I wave in front of her in case she falls into a coma. You know, just regular lunch time conversation. Hey, come on, it can happen...look at soap operas!

She instructed me to wave little squares of Scharffen Berger chocolate in front of her.

Dear friends, please take note. Please present the following to me should I have a medical emergency (Treats listed in no particular order):

a. Fresh lemon tartlets
b. Mochi (especially kinako and pink with white beans)
c. Wasabi mashed potato salad from Delica in San Francisco (I also think the powerful smell of wasabi might help wake me too)
d. Carnitas burritos. Hello, wouldn't you wake up for this?
e. Pumpkin bread
f. Kettle Corn (only made a Farmer's Market, not from the store. Dude, I'm in a coma and only want the best :)
g. This Gingerbread Apple-Upside Cake

Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs mentioned this cake to me and she had me at Ginger. I'm all about the Ginger. And Apples. And Cakes without Frosting. And Cakes that are upside down.

I found that Smitten Kitchen adapted the recipe. She cut the molasses and added honey in the cake, and caramelized the sugar for the topping. I just cut the molasses some, but followed her technique for the topping. That change added a really nice caramel flavor to the apples.

After pouring the brown sugar/butter topping on the bottom of the pan, Fuji apples were placed on top.

This has a LOT of batter. The recipe calls for a 10" pan. I baked it in a 9 x 3 inch pan, and I think it would go way up to the top (if not overflow) a 9 x 2 inch pan. So, if you don't have the recommended 10" pan and use a 9 x 2, I wouldn't add all the batter (make a little mini cake to go along with this cake!)

I actually made it twice. The first time I put it into a 10" cast iron skillet, added all the batter and it way, way overflowed. Luckily I had some foil under the skillet!

Because I was using a 9" pan, I had to bake it a lot longer than the recipe...65 minutes.

This cake is delicious! It takes like fall on a plate. I loved the gingerbread cake so much I could just eat that without the apples...but that would be silly because the apples rock it too.

Recipe:
My adaptation - click here for printable recipe
Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm via the New York Times (published: October 27, 2009) and Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake (blog post: Monday, November 23, 2009)

Topping
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan (This is different than NY Times and Smitten Kitchen's versions)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges

Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup molasses (This is less than NY Times version)
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Note: This has a LOT of batter. The recipe calls for a 10" pan. I baked it in a 9 x 3 inch pan, and I think it would go way up to the top (and might overflow) a 9 x 2 inch pan. So, if you don't have the recommended 10" pan and use a 9 x 2, I wouldn't add all the batter (make a little mini cake to go along with this cake!)

Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan (I used a 9" x 3 cake pan). Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring until thick. I forgot to add the salt but Smitten Kitchen says to swirl it in. The New York Times recipe doesn't caramelize the sugar and butter in a pot; I really liked the nice caramel flavor. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel.

Make the batter: Using a mixer with paddle attachment, beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and the sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan. New York Times says to bake for 45 to 50 minutes (in a 10" pan) or until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (It took me 65 minutes in a 9 x 3" pan.) Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter.

NY Times suggests serving warm or cool with very softly whipped cream. (I didn't top it with anything...and it was still delicious!!!)

You may be interested in:
Smitten Kitchen's recipe (adapted from NY Times)
New York Times recipe ("Ginger-Apple Upside-Down Cake" Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm, Published: October 27, 2009)

Cocoa-Nana Bread - Tuesdays with Dorie

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Steph of Obsessed with Baking chose Cocoa-Nana Bread on page 46 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Speaking of Dorie Greenspan, she announced exciting news! Dorie and her son Josh are opening a pop-up store COOKIEBAR! It's in New York from Monday, February 8 until Saturday, February 13. If you are in New York, pick up some cookies for me, okay? ;)

Of course, I made it into a small 6-cup Bundt and a couple mini loaves. If it can fit into a Bundt, I'm going to make it.

I made this as soon as the January recipes were announced, and have no memory of it! This is why I take photos...so I can remember a few things in my life. :) I don't remember it knocking my socks off, so I think I'll stick to regular banana bread or banana bread with chocolate chips if I want some chocolate.

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!

Recipe:
Steph's blog: Obsessed with Baking
Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours, page 46

New School of Cooking - Pro Baking 1 - Class 6: White Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

Classic White Cake with Raspberry and Vanilla Italian Buttercream

I'm taking the Pro Baking 1 series at the New School of Cooking in Culver City (Los Angeles) this fall/winter. For Class 6, we talked cake and frosting!

We made a lovely white cake and I. Made. Italian. Meringue. Buttercream. Did you catch that? I made something I'm way scared of...Italian Meringue Buttercream!

Italian Meringue Buttercream involves heating up a sugar syrup to 235 degrees (soft ball stage) and pouring this into a whirling meringue - being careful not to hit the whisk or the side of the bowl. Pouring this boiling liquid into a KitchenAid is nerve racking, but (whoo hoo!) I did it! I've made Swiss Meringue Buttercream in the past, but this was the first time for the Italian. I'm like the United Nations of Meringue buttercream at this point!

After pouring in the hot sugar syrup mixture into the egg whites, beat until cooled. Then we added a pound of butter...4 sticks of butter. (I think it is self-preservation that I don't care for frosting and usually scrape it off...and save a zillion calories!) The biggest mistake people make is that after the butter is added, the frosting looks curdled and they think it is ruined. However, just keep beating and it will eventually work itself out and become smooth.

We took 40% of the Buttercream and added some of this delicious raspberry fruit puree.

The rest of the buttercream was flavored with vanilla.

We made two 8" white cakes and split them. The raspberry buttercream filled the layers...

...and the vanilla buttercream frosted the outside. The offset spatula is a must for frosting! Instead of a turntable, you can put the cake on a cake pan.

Remember in Class 5 we made Chocolate Cupcakes? Well, with all the leftover cake batter, a couple cakes were made...affectionately known as the "friendship cake"! :) Chef Carol, the instructor, whipped some ganache for the filling (oh. my. god. to. die. for.) and used the vanilla buttercream to demonstrate how to frost a cake. This cake was delicious!!

Whoo hoo! Yummy cake! Dude, I love this class. It is a lot of fun, and I'm gaining a lot of confidence in my baking.

I'm not posting the recipes from class but they don't have special powers or ingredients...the class is more about technique (like I needed adult supervision for my first Italian buttercream! ;) These recipes by Martha Stewart for Italian Meringue Buttercream and White Cake are very similar to what I made in class. Cheers, Mary

Recaps of the New School of Cooking, Pro Baking 1 course:
Baking Therapy: Going back to school
Class 1: Quick Breads
Class 2: Custards
Class 3: Soufflés & Pate a Choux
Class 4: Tarts, Pie, Crisps and Cobblers
Class 5: Chocolate

Mapo / Mabo Tofu with Pea Sprouts

As part of Ten in 10, I'm trying to find easy, delicious and quick dishes. Here is a simple, healthy, vegetarian dish that you can whip up in a second, has no cholesterol, and is spicy yummy.

Mapo Dofu/Doufu/Tofu (Chinese name) or Mabo Tofu (Japanese name) is a spicy Chinese dish that is usually a combo of ground meat (beef or pork), tofu and chili paste. It is commonly served over rice, but I used these very healthy pea sprouts or shoots.

The key is a jar of this Chili Bean Paste (Toban Djan). This Chinese product is made by Lee Kum Kee. I've never used it before but saw it on the shelf of my local Japanese market. It has directions to make Mapo Tofu, and it instantly went into my cart. There are only 5 calories and no fat in a teaspoon.

(Oh yes, I'm all Sandra Lee semi-homemade about this...but I cook for one and don't have time to assemble all the ingredients for the spicy paste......I need time to bake people! :) Please search the web or a cookbook for a proper recipe from scratch and enjoy!)

I picked up Pea Sprouts from the Japanese market. I haven't seen them in other markets, so check out your Asian market if you have one near you. This package was $2.99. (Today I saw fresh pea sprouts at my local farmer's market).

My version Mapo Dofu/Doufu/Tofu (Chinese name) or Mabo Tofu (Japanese name) over Pea Sprouts

You could easily add ground meat to this dish!

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a hot wok or pan and stir fry the washed pea sprouts/shoots until wilted. It will only take a few moments! Transfer to a dish.

Heat another teaspoon of oil in the pan, and add the Chili Bean Paste (to taste). You can add garlic at this point too. Add cut up pieces of firm tofu, some water, and heat through. Serve onto of the pea shoots and enjoy!