Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries

Until last week I had been on a running injury free streak for almost two years. But all that changed when I tripped while running on a sidewalk. With less than a quarter mile to go before my run was over I went airborne and fell hard. Breaking the fall with my hands saved my face, my knees, and my Lululemons, but as it turned out I broke my left arm. Something I discovered well after I finished the run and had it x-rayed at an immediate care center. In retrospect, the whole incident must have caused me to go into a state of shock because nothing else explains why my doctor-avoiding self decided to go to the hospital. This is one of those injuries I keep reminding myself could have been worse. I could have been in a cast instead of a sling, I could have broken my wrist, or I could have broken both arms. This kind of thinking helps me feel better for about a few milli-seconds everyday. As well as put an end to the pity party I gave myself the day of the fall. My long awaited hiking trip in Colorado will be here in a little more than three weeks. Which gives me some time to figure out how to navigate with one arm as well as how to move this healing process along. While there are no miracle cures out there (yes, I looked), there are a few things one can do to help it along (yes, I searched for some medical advice on the internet)! 

As it turns out, nutrition is one of those things playing a key role in how quickly or slowly broken bones heal. Foods high in Calcium (milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts...) as well as Vitamins D (fish, eggs, and dairy...) and C (tomatoes, oranges, lemons...) will influence bone strength. With their complex carbohydrates and proteins, oatmeal is another one of those foods having a high number of health benefits, including but not limited to, giving your body an energy boost. Being reminded of the therapeutic values of certain foods along with being personally motivated to heal as quickly as humanly possible, was more than enough to compel me to create this seriously delicious Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries. Made with just one hand, this two thumbs up granola may be the one best thing to come from having a broken arm!

Loaded with almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and dried (Door County) cherries, this vanilla and cinnamon flavored granola is crazy good. Maple syrup, honey, and dark (yes, dark) brown sugar deepen the granola's splendidly awesome flavor.  With oat bran and wheat germ added to the old-fashioned oats, this is one of those healthier kinds of granola! 

Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries couldn't be easier to make. Heck, it can even be made using only one arm! In a large bowl, the old-fashioned oats, wheat germ, oat bran, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds are mixed together. After the maple syrup, honey, dark brown sugar and canola oil are brought to a boil, the vanilla, cinnamon, and Kosher salt are added in before this luscious mixture is poured over and mixed into the oat mixture. To give the granola an added crunch (and even more protein) a whisked to soft peaks egg white is folded in. Yes, the secret to a chunky, crunchy granola is an egg white! As the egg white acts as a kind of glue to bind the oats together. Pressing the baked granola down immediately after it comes out of the oven is also key to creating those beautiful clusters of granola.

Baking time for the granola ranges between 45 and 50 minutes. For the first 30 minutes the granola is baked at 250 degrees (F). For the last 20-25 minutes the oven temperature is increased to 300 degrees (F). Once the granola reaches that beautiful lightly golden brown stage it comes out of the oven. After lightly pressing the baked granola down it needs to cool to room temperature before it's broken into chunks. The granola will still feel slightly moist after it bakes. Not to worry, it will dry out and firm up as it cools.

The dried cranberries and dried cherries are added after the granola comes out of the oven. I happen to love those dried fruits but feel free to use whatever combination of dried fruits you love. Or make an over the top version of the Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries by adding in a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips!

There are so many things that take this Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries over the top. From being loaded with nuts, to the added nuttiness coming from the toasted wheat germ and oat bran, to the hint of maple sugar and cinnamon sweetness, it's a hearty, healthy, ambrosian granola. Seriously better than anything you could buy in the store. To say that I am now obsessed with this loaded with healing powers granola would be an understatement. Already I am thinking bags of this uber yummy, oaty, nutty granola will be going into my holiday cookie and candy boxes this year. 

Recipe

Homemade Nutty Granola w/ Dried Cranberries & Cherries

Ingredients

4 cups (360g) old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup (92g) wheat germ 

3/4 cup (80g) oat bran

1/2 cup (72g) sunflower seeds

1/2 cup (113g) whole almonds

1/2 cup ( 58g) pecan halves

1/2 cup (56g) walnut halves

1/4 cup (50g) dark brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

3 ounces (85g) dried cranberries (a little more than 3/4 cup)

3 1/2 ounces (100g) dried cherries  (a little more than 3/4 cup)

1 large egg white, whipped to very, very soft peaks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees (F). Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds. pecans, and walnuts.

3. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, and canola oil. Bring to boil. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and Kosher salt.

4. Pour over the oat mixture. Stir to combine.

5. Add the lightly whipped egg white. Stir to combine.

6. Transfer mixture to baking pan.

7. Bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees (F), tossing the mixture every 15 minutes.

8. Increase oven temperature to 300 degrees (F). Continue baking for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture is lightly golden brown (it may still be slightly moist, but it will dry as it cools).

9. Remove pan from the oven and press the mixture down with your hands. This will help create clumps when you break the cooled granola apart.

10. Top with dried cranberries and cherries. 

11. Let granola cool to room temperature. Break the granola apart into various sizes of clusters (not all of the granola will cluster). Mix the granola with the dried fruit.

12. Store the granola in a tightly sealed storage container or wrap in cellophane bags tied with string/ribbon. Granola will be good for at least 2-3 weeks.

13. Serve granola with milk or yogurt. Top a bowl of ice cream with a handful of granola or just eat it as a snack!

Notes: (1) Use your favorite dried fruit. Use all dried cranberries, all dried cherries, raisins, dried apricots and/or a combination of them. (2) In addition to dried fruit add in semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup) for an even more decadent version. (3) The recipe can easily be doubled. Divide mixture between two large baking pans. If you are lucky enough to have a double oven, put a baking pan of granola in each oven. If you only have a single oven, rotate your two baking trays halfway through the baking process. (4) This recipe was inspired by multiple sources including , but not limited to, this granola recipe on All Recipes and Deb Perelman's Big Cluster Maple Granola recipe from her "Smitten Kitchen" cookbook.

Grilled Peach Salad with Honey Ricotta and Prosciutto

Last Sunday we had our first dinner party with friends in six months. For someone who loves to entertain, who loves bringing people together around good food, those six months felt more like six years. To say that I was excited to finally have some company would be an understatement. When planning the menu I vacillated between making all familiar dishes and taking the risk to include at least one new, untested, untasted recipe. Specifically the recipe for a Grilled Peach Salad I had been wanting to make ever since receiving and drooling over my signed copy of Julien Perry's "Washington Wine and Food: The Cookbook". A gift from some very thoughtful, generous friends who live in the Pacific Northwest. In retrospect, I should have trusted my instincts, taken the risk, and made that salad. Because in all seriousness this may be one of the BEST salads I have ever had in my many decades long life. It wasn't just one of the most swoonworthy salads ever, it was screamworthy. 

So why didn't I make this Grilled Peach Salad? Well, there were two reasons. One of the appetizers served included some Whipped Honey Ricotta and this salad had ricotta as one of its' elements. Two consecutive courses with ricotta sounded like overkill. The second thing giving me pause was the Fresno chile, one of the ingredients in the marinade and dressing. Having never tasted a Fresno chile before I didn't know its' heat level was similar to a jalapeno, although the Fresno chile has a bit more of kick. Or that it had a fruitier, smokier taste, adding more complex flavors to finished dishes. And as good as the description of the recipe sounded "...the caramelized sweetness of grilled peaches providing a clean contrast to the ricotta and Marcona almonds", my spiciness hesitancy and reluctance at experimenting at a long awaited gathering held me back. 

Had I been able to dismiss those things, I genuinely believe everyone at the table would have been blown away by this Grilled Peach Salad. And even forgiven me for serving them a meal with ricotta redundancy.

To get perfectly sized peach wedges, first cut each peach in half. Then cut each peach half in half, then each half in half. Are you with me? By doing this, you will end up with 8 evenly sized wedges from each peach. Note: The recipe for the Grilled Peach Salad with Honey Ricotta and Prosciutto is amenable to adjusting both upward and downward. 

The marinade for the peaches will be used to make the dressing, so be sure not to throw it away after the peaches have marinated for 30 minutes. Note: You can make the marinade several hours ahead, but don't add in the peaches until 30 minutes before you are ready to assemble the salad.

Letting the peaches marinade in a flat bottomed dish helps to ensure they marinate evenly.

Grilling the marinated peaches over high heat slightly caramelizes them as well as amplifies their flavor with the added smokiness. Scallions (or green onions) not only become caramelized when grilled, their onion flavor shifts from a strong raw bite to a more tender, sweeter, subtler onion flavor. 

The only real substantive change made to the inspiration recipe was adding some honey. in addition to the olive oil, to the ricotta. If you can, make your own ricotta (recipe linked below in notes) as it is significantly better than anything store bought. Suggesting slightly increased amounts of the fresh herbs used as well as finishing the salad with some flaky sea salt (versus Kosher salt) were merely subtle changes. But every element, every ingredient in this salad matters. To leave any one of them out would significantly alter it's incredible delectability and savoriness.

Some salads lend themselves to be being served on a platter, but this one is best when individually plated. The extra effort you put into assembling this salad is a small price to pay for the reaction your friends and family will have to its' impressively stunning presentation. But it's the interplay of flavors and textures from each of the salad's intriguing elements that makes it one of the most divine salads to have ever been created. 

Serve the Grilled Peach Salad with Honey Ricotta and Prosciutto with a chilled white wine, preferably one from Washington. 

As much as I like to change my menu whenever friends return here for a meal, I am seriously considering making this Grilled Peach Salad with Honey Ricotta and Prosciutto my signature house salad. At least as long as peaches are in season.

For those of you mourning the loss of going out regularly to dine at your favorite restaurant(s), this salad will definitely help to assuage your longing. Eating at home and being able to comfortably invite a small group of friends for a meal might actually be a silver lining in this ever changing new normal. The  intimacy of a great home cooked meal with friends gathered around your table is unlike anything you might experience in a restaurant. 

With peaches now in season, it could not be a more perfect time to make this magnificent, swoonworthy, sumptuous salad. And, if by chance you needed a reason to invite friends or family over for a meal, this is more than reason enough. Once you taste the flavors in this salad, you will understand why it ranks up there with the BEST salads ever.

Recipe

Grilled Peach Salad with Honey Ricotta and Prosciutto (slight adaptations to Jason Wilson's Grilled Peach Salad with Ricotta and Prosciutto as shared in Julien Perry's "Washington Wine and Food: The Cookbook" )

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons good quality honey

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Sauvignon Blanc

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided 

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped Fresno chile (See notes)

4 large skin on yellow peaches, pitted and cut into wedges (See notes)

1 cup homemade honey ricotta or whole milk store bought ricotta mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey

5-6 scallions

2-3 cups baby arugula

10-12 mint leaves, torn into pieces

5-6 large basil leaves, torn into pieces

8 thin slices of prosciutto

1/2 cup of Marcona Almonds

Flaky sea salt for finishing

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt, black pepper, and chile. Add peaches, mix to coat and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate. Note: The marinade can be made several hours ahead. Cover and keep at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the honeyed ricotta. Mix well until mixture has a slightly creamy texture. 

3. Preheat grill to high heat. Note: Grilling can be done on a grill pan placed on the stove top or on a grill.

4. Remove peaches from the marinade but reserve the marinade!

5. Grill peach wedges for 45-60 seconds on each side or until grill marks on each side. Transfer grilled peaches to a large platter.

6. Grill scallions for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they have grill/char marks. Remove any of the severely charred (blackened) green tops after transferring to a cutting board. Cut charred scallions into large chunks.

7. To the reserved marinade, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and the scallions. Mix to combine to create the dressing.

8. In a large bowl, mix together the arugula, mint, and basil. Toss with only 1-2 Tablespoons of the dressing. You don't want to overdress the greens. 

9. On individual plates, spread about 3 Tablespoons of the ricotta on one side of the plate (do not spread too thin); add a large handful of the arugula/herb mixture; arrange peaches (4-6 wedges per plate); and add 2 rolled pieces of prosciutto. Lightly drizzle with the remaining dressing. Note: You might not use all of it.

10. Sprinkle about 8-10 marcona almonds on top of the salad. Finish with some flaky sea salt.

11. Serve with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or a great Grenache Blanc.

Notes: (1) Recommend removing the seeds of the Fresno chile before finely chopping. (2) Peaches need to be ripe but not too ripe. After cutting each peach in half, cut each half into 4 wedges. Each peach will yield 8 wedges. (3) The recipe for homemade ricotta can be found here. To make the Honey Ricotta for this recipe add only one teaspoon of honey and one Tablespoon of olive oil per cup of ricotta. If not using a homemade ricotta use only a whole ricotta.

Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

A two day loss of power combined with hot, humid weather was almost enough to deter me from baking this past week. In spite of being intrigued by a Peanut Butter Cookie recipe shared by one of my running friends, the planned six mile Saturday morning run along with having our first dinner party (in six months!) with friends, had me thinking it might be weeks before these Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies were created. However, my desire to satisfy my sweet tooth as well as surprise my running friends with a post run treat motivated me to concoct a recipe for what would turn out to be one of those drop the mic, seriously delicious, jumbo sized cookies. 

There are peanut butter cookies and then there are peanut butter cookies. These Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are in a league of their own. Four inches in diameter with a thickness of about a half of an inch, they are everything a scrumptious, satisfying peanut butter cookie should be and then some. Loaded with chocolate chips and topped with flaky sea salt these are the kind of cookies screaming to be paired with a tall glass of ice cold milk. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, these are the cookies you need, you absolutely must have in your life.

Big enough to share with a friend, nibble on for hours, or just inhale in one sitting, this is my new favorite peanut butter cookie! Heck, it's one of my top three favorite cookies!

There are many things giving this cookie its' almost epic-like status, but there are two things in particular worth noting. The first is the use of dark brown, not light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar brings notes of caramel and molasses to a cookie. Resulting in giving it an incredibly robust flavor. Additionally, dark brown sugar (when it interacts with baking soda) increases the rise on the cookie and deepens the cookie's baked color. If there was ever a cookie where light brown and dark brown sugar were not interchangeable, this would be the one. The second notable thing about this recipe is the amount of (more is better!) and kind of chocolate chips (at least 53% cacao) used. Initially I debated about whether to use larger sized chocolate chips or chop up a bar of my favorite dark chocolate. Having now tasted them with chocolate chips, I will reserve chopping chocolate for my favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Using a large (2 1/2 inches in diameter) cookie scoop helps to create fifteen evenly sized and weighted (about 4 1/2 ounces each) balls of cookie dough. Because the dough is a little on the softer side, they definitely need to be chilled (at least four hours) before going into the oven. 

Baking time ranges from 15-17 minute or until golden around the edges and top of the cookie. For a crispier edged cookie, your baking time will skew toward the 17 minute mark. Keeping the cookies on the baking sheet for at least ten minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack helps to crisp up the cookie's exterior even more, yet still keeping their interior slightly soft. 

Deeply flavorful, bakery style beautiful, perfectly textured, and seriously satisfying would be how I would describe these Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. What I am trying to say is that you really, really do need these irresistible giant cookies in your life. And sooner rather than later. I definitely hope you will be as enamored with them as I am!

Recipe

Giant Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 15 giant four inch in diameter cookies 

 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (240g) peanut butter (see Notes)

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

20 ounces (567g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Flaky sea salt for finishing

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and Kosher salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for approximately one minute.

3. Add in the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4-5 minutes).

4. Beat in vanilla. 

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well blended. 

6. Beat in peanut butter.

7. Remove 45 chocolate chips, then mix in the remaining chocolate chips.

8. Add the flour mixture in two additions. Mix until well blended. Do not over beat.

9. Divide dough into 15 equal sized balls (4 1/2 ounces or 127g). Think of them as an oversized golf ball. Place balls of dough on a baking sheet. Press 3 additional chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

11. Place 6 balls of dough on a baking sheet. Press cookies down very slightly (just removing the top dome). Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time.

12. Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.

13. Pour a big glass of milk and enjoy! Then wrap some up and share with friends!

Notes: (1) Use a creamy peanut butter not a natural peanut butter. I used JIF creamy peanut butter.  (2) Using dark brown sugar adds a deep molasses flavor, caramel undertones, a deeper color, and crispness to the cookies. Do not use light brown sugar. (3) I used a 2 1/2 inch in diameter cookie scoop for form the balls of dough.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake

While searching through drawers containing too many recipes to count, I came across the type written recipe for this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake. One I hadn't made in quite some time. Written in my husband's beautiful handwriting were the words "This one is the best!". Those handwritten words jogged my memory. And were enough to remind me it had been more than twenty years since I had last made this cake. You might be wondering if this one was truly the 'best' why would it not be one going into regular rotation around here. Well, there was a period of time when between working full-time and enrolled in a doctoral program I didn't have much of a life. Or rather I should say my baking life went into a state of semi-hibernation. This recipe along with hundreds of others stayed 'lost' in boxes for a very long time. Some would not see the light of day until my life had a better sense of balance to it.  Little did I know when I was making this 'best' Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake way back when on a semi-regular basis that it would take me decades for me to rediscover the illusive concept of balance. 

Just hours after I baked and delivered slices of this cake to some neighbors severe storms and tornadoes came through. Fortunately there was no serious damage to our house or property, but we were left without power for almost two days. For someone who regularly keeps anywhere from six to eight pounds of butter in the refrigerator, the power loss came with added angst. Just as I remember the last time I made this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake, I will never forget the day I resurrected this recipe.

Many things have changed since I first made this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake. So it seemed only appropriate some changes needed to be made to this cake as well. Instead of baking it in a tube pan, it now seemed to call for being baked in a bundt pan. Call it a beauty make-over. The changes to the recipe itself were minor. The increases to the amount of vanilla, chocolate chips, and Kosher salt used in the cake and the filling were just enough to make a discernible 'good' difference. But replacing the mini chocolate chips with regular sized chocolate chips added a bit of decadence to this cake.

Remember those Tunnel of Fudge cakes? You know the ones using a fudgy icing to create a gooey chocolatey center. Well think of this as a Tunnel of Cheesecake cake. One having an incredibly rich, luscious chocolate chip cheesecake center. 

There had always been a bit of apprehension when I first started baking cakes in a bundt pan. Removing the cake out of the pan too soon or letting it sit in the pan too long sometimes resulted in an unsuccessful cake removal. So let me share the lessons I have learned over the years. Regardless if using a non-stick or cast iron bundt pan there are three things you can do to have a successful (99.9% guaranteed) bundt cake making experience. Generously spraying the pan with vegetable spray, lightly dusting the pan with flour, and letting the baked cake sit only for 12-15 minutes before removing it from the pan will help you bake with confidence!

Simple enough to serve for breakfast or morning/afternoon snack, the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake can make any occasion even more special. 

A light dusting of confectionary sugar is the perfect finishing touch.

With the possible exception of sour cream, this is one of those cakes where you more than likely to have all of the ingredients in your refrigerator and cupboards. Which means more often than not it can be made on a whim, as a last minute dessert, or when you want to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.

From the cake's dense, rich crumb to the creamy cheesecake chocolate center, this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake really is the 'best'. Definitely worth the wait of its' return. Having a freshly baked cake to share and savor in the aftermath of the recent storm here helped make the two days without power a little more tolerable. The timing of this cake's return to my life was perfect.

Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Swirl Cake

 

Ingredients

Filling

8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, slightly softened

1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 1/2 ounces (186g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (See Notes)

Cake

2 cups (230g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 Tablespoons (4 ounces/113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup (8 ounces/229g) sour cream

Confectionary sugar for dusting

Directions

Filling

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy.

2. Add in the egg, Kosher salt, and vanilla. Beat until well blended.

3. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

4. Place the filling in the refrigerator while you make the cake batter.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Liberally spray a 10 cup capacity bundt pan with vegetable oil (See notes) and lightly flour. Set aside.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes).

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are fully incorporated.

5. Beat in vanilla. 

6. Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions. Beating just until no flour streaks show. Note: Adding in the flour helps to smooth out the creaminess of the batter.

7. Add in the sour cream. Beat on low just until blended. Do not over beat.

8. Spoon slightly more than half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly to cover the bottom of the pan.

9. Top with the cream cheese mixture, spreading to cover the batter but with a 1/2 inch of the edge of the pan.

10. Spoon on the remaining batter. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top of the batter.

11. Place bundt pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 55-65 minute, or until the top of the cake spring back when pressed lightly with your finger. Edges of the cake should also start coming away from the edge of the pan. Note: My baking time was 60 minutes.

12. Remove from the oven and place pan on a cooling rack. Let cake sit for 12-15 minutes. 

13. Place a platter or cake stand on top of the bundt pan to remove cake from pan.

14. Allow to cool at least 20-25 minutes before lightly dusting with confectionary sugar.

Notes: (1) I used NordicWare's Heritage Bundt Pan. But any 10 cup capacity bundt pan will work. (2) Use good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips. I used these from Nestle.

Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata

For some reason March feels like it was here a life time ago and summer feels like it is flying by (but not necessary because I am having so much fun). I don't know about you but my concept of time is, for lack of a better word, a bit distorted and a little warped. We are five months into this Pandemic and I have yet to use time to clean out and organize all of my closets, reorganize all of my drawers, create order in my cabinets, declutter shelves, sort all of recipes collected over the too many years to count, or open up the bins containing my summer clothes. I did manage to pack up all of my winter running and everyday clothes. So what have I done with all of this unexpected discretionary time? It's a question I started asking myself this past week. If I reflect back on the number of books read, miles run outdoors, puzzles assembled, new recipes tested, blogs written and posted, cookies baked, packages sent, or meals cooked, I suppose I could make the case I wasn't completely unproductive. And while these were all things that brought some normalcy to an otherwise atypical year, I couldn't help but wonder if I should have been doing more, learning more in the last five months. But what good would come of going down the feeling unproductive 'not enough' rabbit hole? We all know the answer to that question. So I decided it might be more productive (and a better use of time) if I shifted looking at my use of discretionary time from one of things accomplished to perspectives gained.

Given all of the unknowns and paradoxes life has thrown at all of us, being able to maintain some sense of normalcy may be its' own kind of accomplishment. In other words, I should probably give myself gold stars for using all of this time differently to continue doing those things that I love, that bring joy, that energize me. Without the ability to travel to photograph new landscapes, I managed to find some familiar and unfamiliar ones closer to home. In other words, I discovered I didn't need to be hundreds or even thousands of miles from home to use my camera to capture nature's beauty. Without the ability to run with friends or challenge myself in races, I still put on my running shoes and ran. As many, if not more than those pre-Pandemic miles. And I learned three things: there were benefits to running alone, how much I missed listening to music while I ran, and I didn't need to be with others to push myself. Without the ability to share my love of creating gatherings around food, I found new ways of sharing my love of baking and cooking with others. I discovered the amount of joy experienced coming from delivering and/or sending surprise packages of freshly baked cookies, breads, and/or brownies to neighbors and friends was the same as or even a little better than creating a special meal for family and/or friends. It took me awhile but the gold star worthy epiphany finally came! Maintaining a sense of self-worth and practicing self-care was not only how the gift of this time was to be spent, it was probably more important than having perfectly organized cabinets, closets, and drawers. Although that would be nice too. So would a really great recipe for pesto.

Sometime during these past five months one of my friends if there was a recipe for pesto on the blog. Sadly I said there wasn't. Considering this blog has been around for a little more seven years now, it almost seemed unfathomable there wasn't a pesto recipe to be found. Certainly there are no shortage of pesto recipes to get inspiration from. I also happen to love pesto. So why hasn't there been one? Well most of you who follow this blog know I tend not to be a little a this, little of that, a bunch of that kind of cook. As the 'measure everything out' baker in me tends to influence how I cook.

 So when I recently saw a recipe for basil from Smitten Kitchen I knew there was at least one other person out there who also had an affinity for accuracy and a slight aversion to relying on guesswork. Someone else who believed weight measurements matter in a recipe. Especially if you are looking to achieve the same (great) results every time it's made. 

Pesto is derived from the Italian verb 'pestare' which translates to 'to pound, to crush'. Traditionally pesto is made using a mortar and pestle, however, you will find recipes for pestos made by hand simply using a knife, using a food processor, using an immersion blender, using a regular blender, or using a mezzaluna. There are no shortage of opinions on which method creates the best pesto.  According to a recent Food52 article "The Absolute Best Way to Make Pesto: According to So Many Tests" the mortal and pestle method was deemed to be the hands down winner. However, the basil pesto used in this Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes was made in a food processor. And I'm not at all sorry about it. Maybe someday when I get a chance to travel to Italy and taste pesto made the traditional way will I possibly change how pesto is made here. But until then I am going to stick with the food processor method. 

While exact measurements matter, ingredients matter just as much, if not more. Freshly grated versus store bought grated cheese is always the best option. And as far as parmesan cheeses go, well nothing compares to the flavor of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pine nuts (pignoli) are the traditional nuts used in pesto, although you will find recipes using walnuts, pistachios, or almonds. This recipe uses pine nuts toasted in the oven until they are lightly golden. I may not be a mortar-pestle purist, but when it comes to which nuts to use in pesto well I am a bit of a pine nut stickler. As far as olive oils go, just use one a good one. 

The recipe for the pesto makes enough to perfectly coat one pound of pasta. I used fettuccine but you could easily use linguine or any other sculpted shaped pastas designed to hold sauce. (See notes)

Roasted cherry tomatoes and burrata take an ordinary bowl of Basil Pesto Pasta and make it extraordinary.  More than just adding some color, they bring two layers of absolutely incredible flavor.

Some additional freshly grated cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a garnish of fresh herbs are the ultimate wow factor, taste bursting finishing touches to this Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata. Throw in some thick slices of a baguette and bottle of wine and no one sitting around the table will want to leave.

The use of fresh seasonal ingredients and a simple (great) recipe make this Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata the perfect weeknight, weekend, or dinner party worthy meal. Keep it vegetarian or serve with some grilled shrimp, roasted/grilled chicken, or a grilled ribeye or flank steak. There are no limits to the number of serving variations to this dish. With an abundance of fresh basil now available at the Framer's Markets, grocery stores, or if you are lucky from the gardens of your friends make this pesto dish at least once before basil season comes to an end!  Or at least make this bursting with flavor, better than store bought, gold star worthy pesto! You have waited long enough for it! 

Recipe

Basil Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Burrata (heavily inspired by the Pasta with Pesto Genovese recipe from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes slightly more than 1 cup of pesto, enough to coat one pound of cooked pasta.

Ingredients

Pesto

2 ounces (55g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

1/4 cup (35g) Pine Nuts, toasted (see notes)

4 cups (3 ounces/85) fresh basil, including stems

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 garlic cloves

Optional: 1-2 sprigs of fresh parsley

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

11 ounces (311g) cherry tomatoes on stems, if possible but not a deal breaker

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Burrata, preferably 4 two-ounce balls (8 ounces/225g)

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for finishing and serving

1 pound (454g) Fettuccine No.15 (See Notes)

Directions

Pesto

1. In the bowl of a large food processor, add in the garlic. Pulse several times or until the garlic is roughly chopped.

2. Add the toasted pine nuts, pulsing several times until they are chopped small but not a paste is created.

3. Add in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and basil (and fresh parsley if using).  Process until the basil leaves are finely chopped.

4. With the machine running, slowly add in the olive oil.

5. Add in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and one teaspoon of kosher salt. Pulse just to combine. Taste to determine if you need additional salt. For a creamier pesto, add 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

1. Place tomatoes in a roasting dish or small pan. Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper.

2. Roast tomatoes at 400 degrees (F) for approximately 20 minutes or until they begin to blister. Reserve drippings.

Assembly

1. Make the fettuccine until al dente (or to your preferred desired state of doneness). Drain (reserve at least one cup of pasta water) and transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add 3/4 of the pesto and mix until the pasta is coated. Add more until the pasta is sauced to your liking (I used all of the pesto). For a slightly creamier pasta not making the tomatoes add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water).

3. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

4. Top with Roasted Tomatoes, burrata, and a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Garnish with fresh herbs. Optional but a really good idea: Either drizzle with another 1 or 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or drizzle with the reserved olive oil from the Roasted Tomatoes.

5. Serve with some additional freshly grated cheese and some olive oil on the side.

Notes: (1) To toast pine nuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spread pine nuts on a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 4-6 minutes, tossing at least once during the short toasting process. (2) I used this pasta from Rummo, but use your favorite. For a Genovese style Basil Pesto Pasta use a Casarecce or any other pasta sculpted with curved hollows to hold the sauce. (3) If doubling the amount of pesto, make in two batches. (4) Instead of using the pesto to make a pasta dish, use on a Peach-Tomato Salad or one your favorite crostini! (5) The use of parsley is optional although some say it helps the pesto to keep its' bright green color when its' first made. (6) The pine nuts from Trader Joe's are the most reasonably priced ones!

Indiana Dune National Lakeshore (July 2020)