Category Archives: Entertaining

Glazed Cream Cheese Cake Doughnuts

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 Nothing says love quite like doughnuts. When my sisters and I were little, my dad would very occasionally drive 45 seconds down the street to Dale’s Donuts #9 and have a dozen fresh doughnuts on the table before we ever got out of bed. He did it because he loved us…and maybe because he wanted a doughnut and knew we’d never stop complaining if we didn’t get some, too.

And doughnuts were pivotal in what remains one of the most important relationships in my life, the one with my little sister, Eliot (E3). We always loved each other, but like many siblings, we didn’t really get along for the first sixteen years or so. When I was a senior in high school, she was a freshman, so I drove us both to school everyday. And what did we do with our newfound freedom? Get doughnuts for breakfast, of course! Our little fifteen minute drives were spent chatting about the perfection that is John Cusack and eating chocolate sprinkle twists. We became best friends that year. I know the doughnuts weren’t the reason for it, but they sure didn’t hurt 😜

One of the only things I miss about Texas food (apart from Tex-Mex and great barbecue), is Dale’s Donuts #9. I’ve tried to find a good doughnut shop over the last eight years in NYC, but have been mostly unlucky. The Doughnut Plant is too flashy for me. I don’t need my doughnuts to be gourmet. I really love the 7th Avenue Donut Diner in Park Slope (get the Toasted Coconut Doughnut!), but it’s too far from home to be a viable option. There’s always Dunkin’ Donuts, but their doughnuts just aren’t great. They work in a pinch (and there have been many pinches), but they leave me underwhelmed. So what’s a woman to do? Make them at home! 

You might think I’m insane, but trust me, making your own doughnuts is worth it, if only to say “Hey! I made these doughnuts!” to everyone you meet. The doughnuts I’ve been making lately are cake doughnuts, so they take 90 minutes start-to-finish, instead of the 3+ hours that the yeast-raised variety can take. Yes, you can have shop-quality doughnuts on your table in less than two hours! 

And oh, are they ever good. These cake doughnuts are made with cream cheese, which keeps them extra soft. Sour cream is traditional, but cream cheese is just…cream cheese! It makes these doughnuts so light (something difficult to achieve with fried dough), but still rich enough to taste like the real deal. The dough also has a few tablespoons of softened butter and two eggs plus a yolk, just to keep everything really moist and fluffy.

These doughnuts are made with a combination of flour and cornstarch. As I’ve mentioned so many times, cornstarch lightens flour in cakes and cookies, and it does the same thing here. I made one batch with all all-purpose flour, and they were fine, but too dry and crumbly for me to want to make them again. The cornstarch is the “secret” ingredient in this recipe 😊 Also, add a dash of nutmeg. It’s traditional in doughnuts, and adds a little depth without being front-and-center. And of course, since these are cake doughnuts, they are leavened with baking powder instead of yeast, which makes them come together fairly quickly and easily. 

  Once your dough is made, let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The rest allows for the dry ingredients to become fully saturated and for the proteins in the flour to develop properly. Once half an hour is up, flour a surface and roll out the dough, then use graduated cookie cutters (or a doughnut cutter, if you have one) to cut out doughnuts. I used a set of circles (the larger being 2 inches), and also some cute hearts for Valentine’s Day 💗  

Fry the doughnuts in batches of three or four. These cook in 350F oil, and only take 1-2 minutes per side. Once they start to puff and turn golden, they need to be flipped. They will darken a bit more as they cool. 

 
Once your doughnuts are cooked, whisk up the glaze. Confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and hot tap water ensure that it will set just like the glazes at your favorite doughnut shop! If you are wary of corn syrup, I recommend Lyle’s Golden Syrup as a substitute. Just whisk all the ingredients until smooth. If you want a pink glaze, add a couple of drops of liquid red food coloring. Dip each doughnut individually with your finger or chopsticks before setting it back on the rack to set. If you want to add sprinkles, do it immediately after dipping. The glaze will set after 20 minutes, and then…breakfast time!

This recipe is long and detailed, but trust me when I say that you can make shop-quality doughnuts at home! Soft and cakey with crispy edges, they’re totally irresistible. 

So, this Valentine’s Day (or any day!), invite some of your nearest and dearest for coffee and Glazed Cream Cheese Cake Doughnuts. Have them bring the coffee–you’re frying homemade doughnuts. You’ve done enough.

It’s a great way to let people know you love them 💗🍩 

 Glazed Cream Cheese Cake Doughnuts
glaze barely adapted from Handle the Heat
makes about 21 2-inch doughnuts and doughnut holes

Doughnuts:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Glaze:
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons light corn syrup*
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5-6 tablespoons hot tap water
2-3 drops liquid food coloring, if desired
sprinkles, if desired

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and butter together for two minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in sugar. Add eggs and egg yolk and beat the mixture for five minutes until the volume is increased, and the mixture is thick, frothy, and light yellow.* Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in two installments, stopping frequently to scrape the bowl. Gather dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap, leaving it to rest in the mixing bowl for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set two cooling racks over wax paper.

On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter or graduated cookie cutters to cut doughnuts. Re-roll as necessary. Lay cut doughnuts and doughnut holes on prepared baking sheet.

Pour vegetable oil in a large heavy pot, until it is about 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat oil until it reaches 350F. Add cut doughnuts in batches of three or four. Let fry until golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove cooked doughnuts to prepared racks. Continue frying until all doughnuts have been cooked.

Make the glaze. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together confectioner’s sugar and salt. Add corn syrup, vanilla, hot water, and optional food coloring, and continue whisking until smooth. Dip doughnuts one at a time before placing back on the cooling racks. Add sprinkles immediately after dipping, if desired. Let glaze set for twenty minutes before enjoying. Doughnuts are best eaten the day they are made.

Notes:

1. Lyle’s Golden Syrup may be substituted.
2. Mixture may have a few small lumps.

Puff Pancake {Dutch Baby}

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 When I was growing up, breakfast was always a last thought. More often than not, my little sister and I would be stuffed into the back of a Ford Explorer with a cold un-toasted Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Pop Tart and an apple to inhale while my mom sped down I-30 to get us to school three minutes before classes started. My family and I…we’re just not punctual. We play with fire when it comes to scheduling, much to my dad’s chagrin. We all try really hard to be on time, but we really should invest in hats or t-shirts that say “Sorry I’m late.”

But back to breakfast. When Saturday mornings came around, things were different. E3 and I would wake late and park ourselves (and our trusty miniature schnauzer) in front of the TV, while Mom actually got to read the paper. At some point, she’d ask us what we wanted for breakfast, and the answer was almost always a Dutch Baby pancake, but we always called it a Puff. It’s a much better name, if you ask me. 

Puffs are oven pancakes made with a thin batter and no chemical leavening, very similar to a Yorkshire pudding. The batter is poured into a hot skillet or cast iron pan and then baked until the whole thing rises and puffs from the heat of the oven, hence the name. When it’s removed, it starts to deflate quickly, leaving a light, custard-like pancake in the shape of whatever dish it was baked in. Traditionally, they are served with confectioner’s sugar and a squeeze of lemon, but I prefer maple syrup 😊 

 
The batter takes almost no effort at all. Add some eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender, and blitz until no lumps remain. Then, let it sit at least five minutes so the flour starts to thicken things and the air bubbles dissipate. While it’s resting, melt butter in a heavy pan that’s been heating in a 400F oven. Once the butter is melted and the pan is coated, pour in the batter and put it in the oven. 

 This is important: do NOT open the oven door while the Puff is in the oven. Just don’t do it. That little blast of room temperature air will deflate your pancake and destroy the amazing texture. Instead, set a timer for 19 or 20 minutes and go play with your kids or read the paper or watch an episode of Arrested Development. Just before your timer is going to go off, put on your oven mits. Puffs brown quickly and dramatically (especially around the edges), so they need to be taken out of the oven exactly when the timer dings.

If you have children or breakfast guests, you might think about having them around (but standing at a safe distance from the oven) to see the big, puffy masterpiece come out of the oven. And it will be huge! Like a giant golden brown bubble! But it will also be fleeting. The puff will deflate completely in 90 seconds or less, leaving behind a pancake in the shape of the pan, with crisp-chewy brown edges and a soft, custardy center. Trust me, it’s amazing. 

The puff will only need to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing. Make sure to have your oven mits handy as the pan will still be raging hot. I get four large or six medium servings out of a pancake this size. Top with whatever suits your fancy. If you want to be traditional, go with confectioner’s sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If you’re like me, maple syrup and confectioner’s sugar with a dash of sea salt is the ticket. My mom says puffs are fantastic with yogurt and fruit, but I’ve never actually tried that. I think a drizzle of barely-warmed Nutella and some sliced strawberries would be amazing. However you go about it, this is guaranteed to be a good breakfast.

Puffs are, to this day, my weekend breakfast of choice. The recipe halves and quarters easily, so if you’re the only one home, you can make a personal-sized fancy breakfast, permitting of course that you have a 6-inch pan to make it in. (I’ve written instructions for adjusting the quantity in the note below.) A puff is a great option if you are having a small brunch at home or want to make an impressive breakfast for your valentine. If you observe Shrove Tuesday, a puff would be an out-of-the-ordinary way to celebrate at home, instead of traditional pancakes. But of course, it’s a fantastic breakfast any old Saturday.

Do something nice for yourself this weekend. 

 Puff Pancake {Dutch Baby}
makes 4-6 servings**

4 large eggs
1 cup milk (not skim or fat free)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted)

Toppings:
confectioner’s sugar
lemon wedges
pure maple syrup
berries
yogurt

Place a large ovenproof cast iron or stainless steel pan in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 400F.

In the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender*, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, and salt. Process 30 seconds, or until no lumps remain. Let batter rest five minutes.

Once the oven has reached 400F, remove the hot pan. Add the butter and swirl to coat the pan; there will still be a bit of solid butter. Place pan back in the oven for one minute, until remaining butter has melted and started to bubble. Remove pan from the oven, and pour in batter. Bake 19-20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Do NOT open the oven door during baking.

Let pancake cool 2-5 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately with toppings of choice.

Notes:

1. If you’d like to make a personal-sized puff, use 1 large egg, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, a small pinch of salt, and 1/2 tablespoon butter. I recommend using a 6-inch cast iron pan for this much batter. Follow all instructions as written, changing the baking time to 16 minutes.
2. If you’d like to make a 3-4 serving puff, use 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons butter. Follow all instructions as written, changing the baking time to 18-19 minutes.
3. If you do not have a food processor or blender, you may whisk all of the ingredients together and then push them through a wire mesh sieve to remove any lumps of flour. Let batter rest five minutes before proceeding as written.

Puff Pancake {Dutch Baby}

My Favorite Guacamole

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 Does anything say game day more than chips and dip? Maybe like…wings, but for the purposes of this blog, let’s go with “no.” You simply can’t have game day without chips and dip! I mean, when it comes down to it, everybody’s mostly there for the food, am I right?!

…

I mentioned yesterday that football isn’t my thing, but that won’t discourage me from accepting an invitation for a Super Bowl party. Ohhhh no. I’ve got a strategy.

I’ll come over and make nice during the pre-game show, and then while everyone else is yelling at the TV about first downs and safeties, I’ll be in the back demolishing the guacamole I brought for “everyone.” And by “everyone,” I mean “you may all have two bites and the rest is for me, okay?” 

You see, I make ridiculous guacamole. There’s nothing fancy about it–it’s just some vegetables mashed together–but everywhere I take it, it becomes a hit. My friend, David, insists that I make the best guacamole in the world. I don’t know about the world, but how about the best in the four block span between our apartments?

Maybe just my block?

Just my building? Yeah, that sounds reasonable. Let’s go with that.

So, what makes this recipe such a crowd pleaser? It’s all made to taste. Since vegetables are seasonal, and this entire recipe relies on fresh vegetables, the stellar recipe I made in April can taste very blah come October. So taste, taste, taste. 

Start with ripe avocados. They should have a little give when you press the skin lightly with your fingers. If they are super squishy, back away–the insides are probably black and watery. Gross. So grab three ripe avocados. Pit them and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Then dice half a small onion and add that too. You may use red or white here, but red tends to have a stronger flavor. If raw onion isn’t your favorite thing, go for the white variety. Me though? I like raw onion on everything.

Next, dice up a couple of fresh jalapeños. If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and ribs with a spoon. Then, dice it up. Regardless of how spicy you like your guacamole, it’s a good idea to taste a tiny piece of the jalapeño before adding it to the bowl. If it’s crazy-burn-your-tongue-off hot, maybe only add one full pepper. If it’s mild, go ahead and add two. The batch pictured has two whole large jalapeños, one with seeds and ribs, one without. Oh, and a quick reminder to always wash your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers. And for the love of everything, don’t touch your face! I made that mistake in 2011, and it took an hour to stop burning 😁

Don’t be like me. 

 Anyway, mince up some garlic and add it to the bowl. I like two whole cloves, but if you’re sensitive to raw garlic, only add one. Squeeze in the juice of a lime and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then, grab a potato masher or a fork and mash the living daylights out of everything until it’s to your desired consistency. Fold in some chopped cilantro and taste and adjust. Need more heat? Add more jalapeño! Need more lime? Squeeze another one! Not salty enough? I usually end up adding an additional 1/4 teaspoon, keeping in mind that the chips are salty too. Then put it in a cute bowl and serve it with tortilla chips. 

I know many people like their guacamole with diced tomatoes. I do too, but the February tomatoes I saw at the market yesterday were just too sad to use. If you find some that look good, by all means, use them! I recommend using two or three medium tomatoes that have been seeded. Just dice them the same size as the onion and jalapeños.

So, this weekend, make this guacamole and bring it to your Super Bowl party. It may not be the best in the whole world, but it’ll be the best at your get-together 😊 

Need more game day food? Check out my Artichoke Dip, Restaurant-Style Salsa, and Double Chocolate Fritos Cookies!

Classic Guacamole
makes about four cups

3 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 small red or white onion, diced small
1-2 jalapeños, diced small (ribs and seeds removed, optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste.
1/4-1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
tortilla chips, for serving

In a large bowl, combine avocados, diced onion and jalapeño, minced garlic, lime juice, and salt. Use a potato masher or fork to thoroughly mash all ingredients together. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold in cilantro. Transfer guacamole to a serving bowl, and serve immediately with tortilla chips. 

Whipped Cream in a Jar {Entertaining Tip}

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Sometimes, you just don’t need a ton of whipped cream. Maybe you live alone, or your significant other isn’t much for sweets, or you just don’t want the leftovers tempting you from the fridge. I find myself in the second predicament all. the. time. With all the pie and cookies and cake in our apartment, there are loads of things that would be perfect with a heaping spoonful of whipped cream, but Henry just isn’t into it. And while I love whipped cream, there is no need for me to have a huge mixing bowl of the stuff on hand. A want, sure, but not a need. So instead of breaking out my electric mixer and whipping up far more than I need, I just shake it up.

  
All you need for a small amount of whipped cream are:

-heavy cream
-a teaspoon or tablespoon of granulated sugar (or none, it depends on your preferences)
-a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
-a mason jar

 
Just fill the mason jar anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the way full, and add your sugar and vanilla. Don’t fill the jar any more than 1/3 of the way, or your cream will take eternity to whip, if it whips at all. Once your ingredients are in the jar, screw on the lid. Then shake the living daylights out of it. Listen to the jar–at first you’ll just hear liquid sloshing around, but as the cream starts to take in air, that sloshing will become more of a soft thud. Once the sloshing sound fades, open the jar every so often to check on the status of your cream. It’s ready when the jar can be held sideways and no cream threatens to dribble out. This usually takes me about five minutes of shaking. If you’re not sure if your cream is whipped enough, you can also take a spoonful out and see if it’s to your desired texture.
  
Don’t over-whip! If you shake the jar too much, the cream will bypass the whipped stage and start to become butter. You’ll know this has happened if your whipped cream looks grainy. I love butter (duh), but I don’t want it on top of my pie.

I know many people have large Thanksgiving gatherings where whipping cream in a jar simply isn’t practical, but if your dinner will only have a handful of guests, this is a good way to go. Plus, in a casual setting, serving things out of mason jars is totally adorable. When I bring desserts for dinner parties, it’s not uncommon for me to show up with a jar of cream–it’s way better than the stuff in a can. And plus, it makes you look so crafty.,Also, if you have little helpers that need a job this Turkey Day, put the ingredients in a tupperware with a screw top and let them shake away. Kids love helping in the kitchen, especially when it’s something they know is delicious.

If you have leftover whipped cream, just screw the lid back on the jar and stick it in the fridge. The cream will start to liquefy again as it sits in there, so just give it a little shake when you go back for more.

One last thing–whipped cream is great, but you need something to put it on! I wrote three new pie recipes this month that would be great additions to any Thanksgiving dinner. You just have to have pie on Thanksgiving! It’s the right thing to do. Between my Pumpkin, Black Bottom Pear & Almond, and Cranberry Apple Pies, it’ll be a tough (and delicious) decision determining which one to try! If you do try any of them, or my Cream Cheese Pie Dough, let me know in the comments!

  

Artichoke Dip

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 My family is weird when it comes to Thanksgiving. We have almost no traditions, food or otherwise. We just have never established any of those things.

We’ve tried. Oh, we’ve tried. We have hosted the big family Thanksgiving. We’ve gone to my aunt’s house for dinner. We’ve traveled (England was a highlight). We spent five or six years skiing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, our home away from home. My older sister has hosted a big dinner at her home in Austin, where she serves lamb rather than turkey. All of those Thanksgivings were fun, but none have created long-lasting traditions. Now that my sisters and I are adults, getting together for Turkey Day has become nearly impossible. With significant others, work, and living in different places, it’s hard for all of us to get together, so we usually just try for Christmas. Case in point: this year my older sister is hosting her lamb dinner in Austin, my parents and little sister are going to Marfa (because why not?), and Henry and I are going upstate to spend the holiday with his family. I’m not sure we’ll ever have a traditional Thanksgiving together again, but that’s okay as long as we have good cell phone service and my mom’s Artichoke Dip. 
 
This dip is so, so good. It comes from a handwritten card in my mom’s holiday recipe box–a card so stained that you know the recipe has to be good. Hot, cheesy, creamy goodness that’s perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips and crackers. Plus, it’s so easy, it’s ridiculous. Stir together four ingredients, spread it in a small casserole dish, top with cheese and paprika, and bake until brown and bubbly. That’s it. Easy. It’s great for holidays and parties, and can be made up to two days in advance. You can either mix everything and bake when you’re ready to serve, or bake it, refrigerate, and reheat in the microwave. It’s totally perfect for those hectic holiday afternoons when you’re just trying to get something on the table. I have taken this Artichoke Dip to many Thanksgivings and holiday parties over the years, and people always go crazy for it. Be prepared: you will be bombarded with requests for this recipe.

Ten years ago, when my mom put me to work making this recipe for our holiday parties, I had no idea that it would become my tradition. I didn’t know that I would soon have it committed to memory, or that I would take it to Thanksgivings all over the northeast. Some people have holiday food memories with pie or cookies or Great Grandma’s stuffing, but for me it’s this dip. Making this puts me back in my mom’s Texas kitchen, at least for a second. That’s a good enough tradition for me.

 
Artichoke Dip
recipe from my mom’s holiday recipe box
makes one small casserole dish or pie plate

1 14oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 4oz can chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
paprika, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a small casserole dish or pie plate. Set aside.

Chop artichoke hearts into small pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl. Add green chilies, Parmesan cheese, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Let cool five minutes before serving with tortilla chips or crackers.

Note:


Artichoke Dip can be made up to two days in advance. You can mix together the mayonnaise, artichoke hearts, chopped green chilies, and cheese, and refrigerate, and then bake immediately before serving. Alternatively, after baking, let the dip cool to room temperature for an hour. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, reheat in the microwave.