Cherry Crumb Bars

I'll keep this short and sweet. We love a good crumb bar, and since cherries are in season we felt the need to come up with a cherry dessert. Using our favorite crumb bar recipe and simple pantry items, we substituted the blueberries for approximately 4 cups of pitted and quartered cherries for decadent cherry crumb bars. We'll be eating them for breakfast and dessert all week!

Go Shorty, it's ya birthday.

Roasted Red Snapper

I entered my upper 20’s recently and to deflect the thoughts of getting a little older, my fiancé (don’t mind me, I’m still getting used to calling him that) spoiled me rotten with awesome meals.  The first night we stayed in and enjoyed a home cooked meal (we will discuss birthday dinner #2 in our next post). Chuck came up with a dinner that was incredibly tasty, and dare I say, healthy? He prepared a whole roasted red snapper with rice and asparagus sides. For dessert, he baked (from scratch - this is why I'm marrying him) a blueberry cobbler.

Whole Fish With Lime Salsa Verde

Recipe from the NY Times

Serves 4

Ingredients 

2 bunches cilantro (chop 2/3 and leave the rest intact)

2 bunches scallions (thinly sliced, reserve the bottoms)

2 jalapeño peppers (one seeded and finely chopped, the other thinly sliced)

1/4 cup drained capers, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 limes

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large whole fish (or two small fish), approximately 3-4 pounds (we used red snapper)

Directions 

Salsa Verde

For the salsa:

Add chopped cilantro leaves, sliced scallions, chopped jalapeño, capers, garlic, the zest of 1 lime (and its juice), and a 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with black pepper, to taste. Cover and let stand until ready to use.

Pre-roast

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F and line your baking sheet with foil. Pat each fish dry and drizzle with olive oil. Generously season the outside and cavity of the fish with the salt and black pepper. Stuff the inside of the fish with slices from the remaining limes, slices of jalapeño, cilantro sprigs, and scallion bottoms. 

Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of your fish) until the fish flakes when pressed gently with a fork. Serve fish with salsa verde on top or alongside.

Post-roast

Blueberry Cobbler

Recipe from Real Simple 

Serves 4

Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

2 pints blueberries

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F. 

The filling:

Toss the blueberries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Pour mixture into your baking dish(es).

The dough: 

In another bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and the remaining flour and sugar. Blend the pieces of butter into the mixture with your hands, combining until you have a crumb-like consistency. Add heavy cream and mix until the dough forms.

Putting it together: 

Drop mounds of dough over the blueberry mixture (I would recommend at least one mound per person). Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, until the dough mounds are golden and the berries are bubbling (be careful!). For each person, spoon a large bowl of blueberries and top with dough. We also love this with vanilla ice cream.

**Note: Depending on the season, feel free to substitute the blueberry with just about any other berry. This will be our go-to cobbler recipe for the year.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

Hot cocoa with Candy Cane Marshmallows

I enjoy giving the gift of good food during the holidays, but have yet to master the art of canning or planning ahead for that matter. I'm an avid follower of Pinterest and pinned these candy cane marshmallows about three months ago with holiday gifts for coworkers in mind. Well, I did end up making them and they turned out fabulous. Two of these marshmallows can instantly turn a plain hot cocoa into a liquid Thin Mint. I packaged a pair of marshmallows with a packet of cocoa for a single serving warm winter drink.

Cut and dusted with powdered sugar

Candy Cane Marshmallows
Recipe by Martha Stewart
Makes approximately 80 marshmallows

Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
4 cups sugar
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
8 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
4 large egg whites
Red food coloring

Directions
1. Spray 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and coat parchment paper and sides of the pan with spray.

2. Cook sugar, corn syrup, and 1.5 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

3. Once the sugar is is dissolved, you can stop stirring and cook until the mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer (it will boil a bit).

4. While the temperature of the sugar mixture rises, sprinkle gelatin over 1.5 cups water in the top pan of a double boiler and let stand 5 minutes to soften.

5. Set the pan with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved.

6. Remove from the mixture from heat and stir in peppermint extract.

7. Mix into the sugar mixture (from step #2).

8. Beat egg whites (you'll want to pull out your electric mixer for this one) until a stiff peak forms.

9. After a stiff peak forms, gradually add the sugar/gelatin mixture and turn the electric mixer to high speed for approximately 15 minutes.

10. Transfer mixture from the bowl to the previously prepared pan.

11. Drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow and use a toothpick to swirl food coloring throughout the surface of the mixture (see picture below).

12. Lightly dust the top of the mixture with powdered sugar and let it sit on the counter (uncovered) overnight.

13. Cut marshmallows into squares, dusting each side with powdered sugar to prevent marshmallows from sticking to one another. You may also find it helpful to dust the knife with a little powdered sugar.

Marshmallow swirled with red food coloring

How to package the product: I found small clear party bags to package the marshmallows in the candy/cake decorating aisle at Michael's Arts and Crafts. Include a packet of hot cocoa and tie the package with a holiday colored ribbon for a simple and inexpensive way to spread holiday cheer (for all to hear).

Daring Bakers October 2011 Challenge: Povitica

The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!

Yes, I'm posting about my October challenge in mid-November. Life got busy, but I still wanted to try baking this sweet bread. Overall, this was quite easy to put together. Between making the dough, waiting for it to rise, and pulling the finished product out of the oven this takes about 2.5 - 3 hours. If you have all day, make it in the morning. Otherwise, I'd plan on making this the day before you plan on eating it. This bread is traditionally served during the holiday season.

Although we used a traditional walnut filling, you could try this with other fruit and cheese fillings.

Povitica with Walnut Filling
Makes 1 loaf


To activate the Yeast:
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons warm water
1½ teaspoons dry yeast


1. In a small bowl stir sugar, flour, and the yeast into warm water and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 5 minutes

Dough:
½ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour, measure first then sift, divided

2. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk up to just below boiling, stirring constantly so that a film does not form on the top of the milk. You want it hot enough to scald you, but not boiling. Allow to cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, mix the scalded milk, sugar, and the salt until combined. Add the beaten eggs, yeast mixture, melted butter, and flour. Blend thoroughly and slowly add remaining flour, mixing well until the dough starts to clean the bowl.

4. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead, gradually adding flour a little at a time, until smooth and does not stick.

5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowls, cover loosely with a layer of plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and let rise an hour and a half in a warm place, until doubled in size.

Quarter Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for one loaf)
1¾ cups walnuts
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 egg yolk, beaten
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

6. While your dough is rising, make the filling. In a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa. Heat the milk and butter to boiling. Pour the liquid over the nut/sugar mixture. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to be spread on the dough.

Topping:

2 tablespoons cold STRONG coffee (optional - I didn't feel like brewing coffee and just used melted butter with sugar)

1½ teaspoons granulated sugar

Melted butter

To Roll and Assemble the Dough:
7. Sprinkle surface with a couple of tablespoons to a handful of flour (use flour sparingly). roll the dough out into a large rectangle with a rolling pin, until it is paper thin. Spoon a bit of melted butter into the dough to allow some additional stretch. Be sure to constantly lift the dough from the surface to keep it from sticking.

8. Spoon filling evenly over dough until covered. Gently roll the dough like a jelly roll. Brush with melted butter/sugar mixture.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and bake for another 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush again with melted butter.

10. Allow the bread to cool completed so that it holds its shape. Once it is cooled, slice and serve.

Treat Your Valentine to Red Velvet Cupcakes

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cupid's favorite day has has arrived once again. Besides spreading the love, it's a great excuse to wear red and pink, eat chocolate, and make some red velvet cupcakes. I must admit, I'm not actually a fan of the red velvet variety of cupcakes. Weird, right? Chuck and the rest of the world seem to like them, so here I am making them for my love on Valentine's Day.

Rosie gave me Buddy Valastro's Cake Boss cookbook for Christmas, and it finally has that look of use: frosting smeared on the pages. I can't help it, I'm a mess when it comes to frosting. Although I can't judge myself, Chuck gives Buddy's classic Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting two thumbs up.

Recipe after the jump!

Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

My parents were fortunate enough to participate in a book signing for successful Boston pastry chef and bakery owner, Joanne Chang, and I was fortunate enough to receive that signed cookbook as a gift (thanks Mom and Dad). Prior to receiving this book, I had seen her on The Food Network and was fascinated by her story. Joanne hadn't planned on being a successful pastry chef and owning her own bakery. She graduated from Harvard with a degree in applied mathematics and economics, before starting her career as a management consultant. After a couple years she decided to change career paths and pursue her love of cooking and baking. Her story is inspiring, and so is her baking.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Latte Cupcakes

Last weekend I offered to bake a birthday dessert for our dear friend Nicole, who turned the ripe age of 25 (Happy Birthday!). I've baked a cake for her the past two years, and decided to finally stray from my usual layered cake dripping in ganache. Cupcakes tend to be easier to manage at parties (no one has to take the job of "cake cutter"), and I stumbled across this awesome Spicy Vanilla Chai Latte cupcakes recipe on the What Megan's Making blog. I figured it's all in the name, so this must be a winning recipe. Us girls love our chai tea lattes at brunch, and these taste just like the real thing. My girlfriends were impressed, and I even got a "these could be sold at Georgetown Cupcakes!" Makes my heart melt. Aren't girlfriends the best?

Considering these cupcakes taste like a latte, I'd suggest bringing them to a late brunch. They also have that "holiday spice and everything nice" thing going for them and would be an impressive dessert to serve at your next Christmas party.

Recipe after the jump!

Daring Bakers October Challenge: Doughnuts

Our October Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. I was really excited when the challenge was announced because I love a good doughnut. She presented a few different recipe options, and I (of course) chose the pumpkin doughnut from Bon Appétit.  October has been a pretty busy month, so I didn't get around to frying up the dough until late last night.  Because it was late, and I was sleepy I misread the temperature and fried my doughnuts 200 degrees under the directed temperature. Oops. Not to worry, the doughnuts turned out just fine, but I'm curious how different the texture would be had I fried them correctly. Also, I'd add a little more of every spice.

Impressive desserts that only take 5 minutes (to purchase)

Have you been asked to bring dessert to your friend's dinner party this weekend?

Are you lacking the time or energy  to bake?
Are you concerned with you food blog writing friends judging your selection? (we don't judge)

Go to Harris Teeter.

We recently asked our friends Alex and Billy to bring dessert to a dinner party. They were arrived at our apartment with boxes of desserts in hand. When we opened the boxes after dinner everything looked gorgeous, and we assumed it was from a fancy bakery in Fairfax County. We were pretty shocked when our friends said these delights were purchased at their local Harris Teeter. Imagine that. These cakes were both impressive and tasty, as evident in the pictures. So next time you're tasked with bringing dessert, don't worry, the bakery at your Harris Teeter is a great option. If you do not live near a Teeter, check out the huge selection of pretty desserts at Whole Foods.

Lizzie's Apple Squares

I was recently asked to make a dessert for a "fall comfort food" themed dinner. I knew wanted to feature apple or pumpkin as the star ingredient. Considering that I've been baking a lot of pumpkin whoopie pies this season, I decided to make my mother's apple squares, a favorite of mine growing up. I had long assumed that it was one of our family recipes, but recently discovered that was not the case. I must give credit to our long time family friends and neighbors' Auntie Lizzie, the woman responsible for these autumn treats. They are perfect served warm out of the oven or chilled (I actually prefer them chilled).

Recipe after the jump!

Daring Baker's September Challenge: Decorative Sugar Cookies

You may recall the pierogis TWSF made for the Daring Cooks August challenge. We like to be well-rounded, and decided to join the Daring Bakers as well. 

September's Challenge: Decorated Sugar Cookies

Mandatory

1. You must make the Basic Sugar Cookie recipe provided. 

2. You must make your cookies with the theme of September, whatever that means to you. 

To me, September means foliage and apples. Growing up in New England, I was spoiled with the best foliage around. If you take a drive up through the mountains of New Hampshire in late September, the roads will be lined with trees full of red and orange leaves. My family and friends went apple picking every September as well, my favorite parts being the hayrides and of course, cider donuts. 

These cookies were pretty easy to make, and would be perfect to bring to holiday/themed parties, or to give out as party favors and gifts.

Report from the field - Key Lime Pie

Hillstone's Key Lime Pie

My good friend and college roommate Matt sent me a picture text over the Labor Day weekend. I don’t usually get picture messages so I was excited to see what my sophisticated NYC buddy would send me at 10pm on a Friday, perhaps a celebrity sighting? a bum with a humorous sign? some sort of mutant crime fighting reptile? What he sent was just as good, a picture of pie. The key lime pie from Hillstone’s in Midtown to be exact.

Matt’s official texted review read as follows ‘It was amazing! Homemade Graham and key lime with Graham sprinkled atop.’

TWSF gets readers from across the globe and we realize that our restaurant reviews may not be that relevant to those living outside the DC metro area. If you are inspired the next time you are out to eat please feel free to take a picture, string together a few words and send it to our emails (if you’re cool enough to have them) or the official TWSF mailbox thatswhatshefed@gmail.com 

Who knows, your review may win a prestigious Internet literary award and propel you to international stardom, at the very least it will give us free content and an easy post. Happy eating.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

If you are trying to watch your weight for bikini weather, this is a great dessert. I actually completely forgot about the recipe until my longtime friend Julie just asked for it. I can't take credit for this picture, and will post Julie's when she makes this dish next weekend.

White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies

Bored of chocolate chip cookies? Try the chocolate chip cookie's doppelgänger, the white chocolate chip chocolate cookie.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Marshmallow Filling

I recently learned that not everyone knows what a whoopie pie is. My Boston friends would be shocked, as we all grew up on the delicious treat. After living in the DC area, I found that many parts of the country, however, do not grow up eating whoopie pies. It really is a shame, considering how amazing they are. Whoopie pies are similar to a cookie/cake sandwich. Typically, they are made with chocolate cake as the “bread”, and white cake frosting for the crème filling. Many varieties of whoopie pies can be made, including these pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmallow filling.

Milk Chocolate Soufflés

We reused our Valentine's Day milk chocolate soufflé recipe with Chuck's parents the other night. They look and sound very impressive, and have a reputation of being difficult to make. However, this is actually a pretty manageable recipe if you are a familiar with baking techniques. I don't recommend this for the first time baker, but give it a try after you bake a couple batches of cookies successfully.