Banana Foster Brioche Bread Pudding

Happy almost Mardi Gras friends, have I ever got a recipe for you in this Banana Foster Brioche Bread Pudding. While it’s based on a bon appetit recipe, I have made some serious modifications to this Banana Foster Brioche Bread Pudding to make it more user friendly, as well as to make it fit in the pan. I have no clue how the original recipe ever fit this in an 8×8. It’s simply impossible, at least in my house! Maybe the pan they used was a foot deep? And then I don’t know how you’d eat a whole piece of this Banana Foster Brioche Bread Pudding at all, because it’s SUPER rich, which is also probably why it remains one of the best desserts I’ve ever had and on my now and then list. When you cook as often as I do, there aren’t that many dishes that have you coming back, again and again. It’s always onto the next new thing, you know? But this Banana Foster Brioche Bread Pudding is so special, and so satisfying that I remember it each year when the Crawfish Boil rolls around, it’s Mari Gras, or a Cajun emergency pops up, like a very … Continue reading

Thick and Smooth Fall Apple Butter

Thick and Smooth Fall Apple Butter is a delight to eat and a cinch to make. And the best part? Thick and Smooth Fall Apple Butter makes fall last all year long if you decide to preserve it. The apples, plus apple cider give it a very concentrated flavor. The cinnamon and cardamom make the thick spread full of spice and flavor. And the dark brown sugar, which is my personal preference, makes this spread rich and deep in flavor. I love spreading it on warm breads of all sorts but warm croissants are one of my personal favorite uses. I also love it in place of mustard or mayo on a sandwich like my Ladies Lunching Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich. My sister put it on a slice of my Double Almond Pumpkin Bread over Thanksgiving and remarked, this tasted like fall! No matter how you choose to use this Thick and Smooth Fall Apple Butter, you’re going to love it. … Continue reading

Fig Sage Cotija Cornbread

This Fig Sage Cotija Cornbread is an unexpected but delightful combination of savory and sweet loaded with fun textures and flavors and delicious served with soups and stews of all sorts. It’s based on a recipe I read in Food and Wine and I’ve used it as the base for a Cornbread Stuffing on my Mexican Thanksgiving Menu. I’m going to let you in on all of my cornbread tricks and secrets. I like to use a mixture of grinds for the cornmeal to get a little extra texture in the bread (but of course you can use all of one or the other if you don’t want to keep both on hand). If you use all medium, add just a little extra buttermilk to keep it really moist as the more course meal absorbs more moisture from the batter. I also use a regular cake pan for this Fig Sage Cotija Cornbread since a cast-iron skillet is nizoral. It was fun to discover that a cake pan heated really hot and filled with melted butter will nizoral. Pretty cool, right? And that crispy outer texture is one of the many things that sets this Fig Sage Cotija Cornbread apart … Continue reading

Chestnut Sticky Buns

Chestnut Sticky Buns, Barrett? Why are you messing with perfection? It’s a reasonable question, I agree. I have a reasonable answer though. I really love a good sticky bun, I mean, really, who doesn’t? Despite that, I seldom order them out, because, so often they’re disappointing. And once you know how much butter and sugar goes into the darn things, well, one can’t afford to be disappointed. The sticky bun needs to be really fresh, as in made that day, because they dry out so quickly and the dough loses its tenderness and then you have to microwave it to eat it and then you have to wolf it down really quickly or it hardens back up because microwaving is terrible for heating things. True tragedy, I know. So of course, like so many things in life, I decided that if I wanted it done right, I had to do it myself. So I decided I’d learn to make the perfect sticky bun for Christmas Brunch. And then of course, since I was making it myself, I began tweaking the recipes, because if I have to make it myself, then it may as well be exactly how I want it. … Continue reading

Chocolate Chestnut Coffee Cake

‘Tis the season for all things holiday baking, guests popping in and out with little notice, keeping a few extra nice bottles of wine about, and for me this December, all things chestnut, starting with this Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. Over the next few weeks, you’re going to see my fall obsession with chestnuts unfold in the form of soup, sticky buns, and perhaps a salad or two, but we start with this dense and delicious Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. While of course I have way too many cooking items, pans, utensils and appliances in Dirty Laundry Kitchen proper, I do try very hard to limit carefully specialty items that serve few purposes. One of the specialty pans that I can get behind is a mini-loaf pan. It’s the perfect volume for a 9”x5” coffeecake recipe and it produces four mini loaves that I wrap up tight in foil and keep in the freezer for gifts, impromptu brunches, and pop-in guests. They’re also nice for those Sundays when you don’t have guests, but you want something special none-the-less. The only problem with a Sunday of indulgence is that its supposed to end with Sunday; you really don’t want to indulge all week … Continue reading

Cherry Almond Gluten Free Muffins

When you’re visiting two different friends with Celiac disease in a single day, you definitely bake something gluten free, and if you’re going to see them for breakfast, these Cherry Almond Gluten Free Muffins are a great place to start. If you’ve never baked gluten free before, you’re going to love it for a variety of reasons. The best part about baking gluten free, is baking for gluten free friends. Gluten free friends are appreciative of home baked goods in a way that’s hard to explain, especially when your wares are these divine Cherry Almond Gluten Free Muffins. It has something to do with the fact that people rarely do bake gluten free. Once I knew I wanted to make muffins, the rest of the recipe came together easily as I had an extra cup of cherries just waiting for me in the fridge after cherries were defrosted for a sour cherry pie. I assure you that while they’re gluten free, they should really be called “The Bomb Cherry Almond Muffins,” as I fear billing them as gluten free will turn off some bakers who don’t tend to work with different types of flours. But once you start baking with … Continue reading

St. Brie LT

Considering I grew up in a household that prized St. André cheese and fresh from the garden tomato and lettuce BTSs (otherwise know as Summer BLTs) above pretty much all other things epicurean, it was surprising to me when my friend Susan turned me on to the St. Brie L.T., and not the other way around. I mean, I don’t even like mayo and often have experimented with other condiments to sub in for mayo. Perhaps it’s because I settled upon avocado so long ago that I stopped my quest before I set upon adding the brie necessary to make a St. Brie L.T.? I’m not sure. Regardless, I’m happy to share it with you now, even if the addition of brie can’t be attributed to my genius. The name though: St. Brie L.T., that’s all mine. After all, you’ve probably figured out I like a good food pun, and this one has it all, a reference to the ingredients, a play on the traditional name, and the elevation of the perfect sandwich (with bacon!) to divine status… St. Brie LT covers all my food naming preferences. And even if bacon isn’t your thing, vegetarians, this one’s for you. Between … Continue reading

Pantry Tips: Buttermilk in a Pinch

What do you do when you really want Flaky, Buttery, Food Processor Buttermilk Biscuits, but you’re out of buttermilk? Dirty Laundry Kitchen Pantry Tips: Substitution Edition: Buttermilk in a Pinch to the rescue. Correct me if I’m wrong, but buttermilk is one of those weird ingredients that is never around when you need it. I feel like I buy it for a specific purpose and then there’s a ton leftover, so it sits in my fridge a long time until the carton is bulging and I’m very afraid. Then, I throw it away without recycling because I’m unwilling to open it long enough to rinse it out. Or, I get really excited and make a few recipes all at once, only to find out I’m actually short a half a cup. Never fear, this problem is history with this helpful Pantry Tip: Substitution Edition: Buttermilk in a Pinch. 1 cup milk (2% or higher if you’re trying to be very authentic) 1 tablespoon (or a little more) of lemon juice or vinegar Buttermilk was traditionally a by product of liquid that was leftover when cream was churned into butter. The tangy flavor came from lactic acid. Today, the commercial product … Continue reading

Food Processor Buttermilk Biscuits

Did my Updated Southern Menu cause sadness when you learned that Flaky, Buttery, Food Processor Buttermilk Biscuits were off the table by omission? Did you consider running out and grabbing a can of them anyway? If not, then carry on, enjoy the salad and the polenta tarts and pat yourselves on the back for your refined taste. But if you thought something was missing, these Flaky, Buttery, Food Processor Buttermilk Biscuits are for you. Why is “food processor” in the title you ask? Well, if you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably figured out that I don’t like hand cutting pastry dough. And I must say, for the most part, I’ve gotten so good at using a food processor for dough, so my aversion doesn’t cause problems. These Flaky, Buttery, Food Processor Buttermilk Biscuits are another example of a recipe that is best updated by adding technology. The ingredient proportions are based closely on Martha Stewart’s Buttermilk biscuits, but the technique is all mine. Makes 6-8 biscuits if you’re using cutters in the 1 ½ – 2 ¼ inch range. I like smaller sizes for portion control, but if you’re making them for sandwiches, like my Blue Ridge Mountain Benedicts, use … Continue reading

Father’s Day Rosemary Rhubarb Upsidedown Cake

It’s tradition in my family to make a rhubarb pie for Father’s Day but this year I’m changing things up with my Father’s Day Rosemary Rhubarb Upsidedown Cake. Usually the timing of Father’s Day is perfect for the first rhubarb harvest (in Door Country, Wisconsin), which is probably how the tradition started. It doesn’t hurt that rhubarb is my dad’s very favorite, and the man is a dessert connoisseur. My mother has sweetly agreed to make this Father’s Day Rosemary Rhubarb Upsidedown Cake since I won’t be in Wisconsin myself this father’s day. Talk about a good recipe test, right? When I sent it to her, she had lots of questions about the recipe. The first had to do with the fact that this recipe features three kinds of flour, but I promise you, just like I did her, it’s for good reason. The all purpose offers loft, the almond sweetness and moistness, and the corn meal brings a slightly crunchy texture. The corn meal also offers a slightly savory note that is a wonderful partner to the savory rosemary caramel and creates a sort of rustic feel that is perfect in my Father’s Day Rosemary Rhubarb Upsidedown Cake. Because while … Continue reading

House Pizza: Hawaiian

If I ask Marc what he wants for dinner, there are a couple of likely responses: 1. Spaghetti. 2. Shrimp Pineapple Curry. 3. Pizza. When Marc asks for pizza, I know he means our House Pizza: Hawaiian. You may have notice that two of the three involve pineapple. Pineapple is one of the few things on the planet that Marc is undisciplined towards; in fact, I’ve seen him eat a whole pineapple and then of course, feel terrible afterward. Hawaiian Pizza has been Marc’s favorite for as long as I can remember, most likely because of the pineapple? While I like a lot of variety when it comes to pizza toppings, it doesn’t make me sad that Marc always requests Hawaiian because it’s a favorite of mine as well. There’s something about the salty meat and the sweet pineapple that just works, particularly when paired with melted mozzarella; so leftover ham is always good news in our household. I do tend to change things up a bit from your standard Hawaiian pizza because I spice up my crust with chili flakes or jalapeño, but there’s not reason you need to if spicy isn’t your thing. Aside from being generally awesome … Continue reading

Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping

After you’ve got your guests settled in with a Pamplemosa, it’s time to bring out the Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping to keep them happy while the rest of Easter Brunch heats up. This is my go-to coffee cake- sort of. The truth is I’m a kitchen-sinker when it comes to lots of classics, so while this is a good framework for how I make coffeecake, there’s lots of ingredients I substitute in and out based on what’s in the fridge and what’s in season. Yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, even ricotta all work for the sour cream and I sub them in whilly nilly. And I have to admit that every since I made it with ricotta last spring… Oh man. So good. And that’s not all that changes. I make it with different fruit throughout the year, and tweak the spices. Sometime I make blueberry with lemon or orange zest and cardamom. I make fresh peach in the summer, or frozen sour cherries in the winter, but I think best of all, is the when rhubarb is in season. There’s something about the Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping that has my guests begging for the recipe. … Continue reading