maple bacon cornbread muffins

I seriously cannot believe that Thanksgiving is THIS WEEK. Weren't we just in summer? All of 2014 has flown by, but this fall feels like a blur! Still, I am really excited for Thanksgiving - it's my favorite holiday, and I'm determined to savor it even though Christmas is edging in and Amazon is already offering Black Friday sales(?!?!).

What's your carb situation at Thanksgiving? I'm all about fluffy dinner rolls, but two carbs are better than one, so this year I tried out these cornbread muffins from my girl Erika. No surprise coming from her, but these. are. amazing. A little sweet, a little smoky, and tender as can be. Cornbread perfection!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! xo

Maple Bacon Cornbread Muffins (just barely adapted from Southern Souffle)

yields 12 muffins

you'll need:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup AP flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a muffin tin and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. In another medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, yogurt, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the bacon and maple syrup.

Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop batter into the muffin tins, filling to about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin for a few minutes. Best served warm!

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little french fudge cakes

It's been SO chilly here in Dallas this past week, and all I want to do is bundle up with Gilmore Girls on Netflix and one (or two) of these little chocolate cakes.

These miniature cakes are absolutely perfect - not too sweet, a bit dense and decadent, and just the right size. These would be ideal for entertaining, too - just whip up the batter, pour it into the baking tin, and keep in the fridge until it's time for dessert. In 20 minutes you'll have fresh, warm chocolate cakes. You'll be a hero!

Little French Fudge Cakes (from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper)
makes 6 cupcakes

you'll need:
one (3.5-4 oz.) bittersweet chocolate bar, broken up into small pieces
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken up
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
half of a 3.5-4 oz. bittersweet chocolate bar, broken up

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup cupcake tin.

Combine the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2-3 minutes at medium-low power.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and yolk, sugar, and salt. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add the butter/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in the extra bittersweet chocolate pieces. Fill the cupcake pan 3/4 full with the batter.

Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack before serving warm.

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ginger pumpkin bread with walnuts

Hi, hi! I promise I'm still alive over here. The fall has continued to be busy, and I'm not in the kitchen or in this space nearly as often as I'd like to be. But I have managed to squeeze in some fall baking! 

While I'm not one to go pumpkin crazy, nothing quite makes the house smell like fall like fresh pumpkin bread in the oven. I whipped up this ginger-spiked loaf this weekend, and it was lovely. Not too sweet, a little spicy, just so right.

Note: this recipe makes 2 loaves of pumpkin bread... nothing wrong with that!

Ginger Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts (adapted from Martha Stewart)

yields 2 loaves

you'll need:

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

2/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, pumpkin, butter, and eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Top with walnuts. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm!

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blueberry cornmeal butter cake

I KNOW. Pumpkin spice everything is already dominating the food world. But I'm still loving the late summer produce that we're getting from our CSA! Let's hang on to summer for one more recipe, yes?

This quick, easy little cake is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or alongside some vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert. It's the perfect sweet-but-not-too-sweet treat. Make this before summer officially ends! Which, despite what Starbucks is telling you, isn't for another week. :)

Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake (from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

makes one 8x8-inch cake

for the cake, you'll need:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries

for the streusel, you'll need:

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and an 8x8 pan with parchment, then coat with butter and flour the bottom and sides.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and lemon zest.

Add a third of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Stir in the sour cream. Stir in another third of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the rest of the flour with the blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberry-flour mixture into the batter.

Spread the batter into your prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients with a fork, then scatter the mixture over the top of the cake.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack before turning out to cool completely. Enjoy!

P.S. Remember these darling tea towels from Sunday Drive Designs? Well, now they're venturing into aprons... and the designs are just too. cute. Check out the Kickstarter campaign to check them out, lend your support, and get the first crack at these adorable aprons!

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glorious cheddar & jalapeno muffins

Happy Labor Day, y'all! Just popping in here briefly today to share this muffins, which would be a perfect last-minute addition to your weekend cookout. They're spicy, super cheesy, come together in no time at all... and seriously delicious!

Hope everyone is enjoying a great holiday!

Glorious Cheddar & Jalapeno Muffins (slightly adapted from Joy the Baker)
yields 12 muffins

you'll need:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup skim milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 pickled jalapeno round for topping
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. Just before the mixture is totally combined, add the cheese. Stir until everything is evenly moistened and distributed.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins. Top each with a jalapeno round and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for just a few minutes; these are best served fresh and warm!

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manchego popovers with truffle salt

There's something so fun about popovers, isn't there? I love the popovers with strawberry butter from Neiman Marcus' Zodiac Room, and the gruyere and black pepper ones from Foreign and Domestic in Austin are out of this world. But making popovers at home is also super easy!

The batter takes all of about 3 minutes to put together, they go in the oven, and in 40 minutes you have giant, gorgeous carb-y goodness. I made these with yummy Manchego cheese, smoked paprika, and a little bit of truffle salt from The Spice House on top. Ridiculous, decadent, delicious. Just what you need for Wednesday!

Manchego Popovers with Truffle Salt
yields 6 popovers

you'll need:
2 cups whole milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups AP flour
Manchego cheese, cut into 6 1/2" cubes, plus more shredded for topping
truffle salt, for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place a popover pan on top of a baking sheet in to pre-heat. Meanwhile, pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until very hot, but not boiling, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and paprika. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the flour and whisk until the batter is fully combined (little lumps are okay).

Remove the pan and baking sheet from the oven and coat with cooking spray. Pour the batter to the top of each of the popover cups (pouring it high will ensure a big beautiful popover). Place a cube of cheese on top of the batter in each cup and sprinkle with truffle salt.

Bake for 40 minutes. Do not open the oven to peek!

Carefully remove the pans and sprinkle each popover with the extra grated cheese. Allow to cool for just a minute or two, then enjoy!

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peach dumplings with bourbon sauce

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th weekend. We're still on our Pacific NW vacation right now and OMGLOVINGIT. I can't wait to tell y'all all about it!

But for now, let's discuss this ah-making, perfectly summery dessert. We wrap a peach in pie dough along with loads of brown sugar. Brush it with an egg for gorgeous brown color. The little dumplings are baked and topped with a creamy, dreamy bourbon sauce right out of the oven. Yes!

These were so good I could barely believe they were real. 

Peach Dumplings with Bourbon Sauce (from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)
makes 6 dumplings

you'll need:
1 pie dough (I used this recipe)
3 large peaches, cut in half and pitted
1/3 cup brown sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and kept cold
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

Roll out the pie crust to a 12x18-inch rectangle, then cut it into six 6-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the freezer to keep them cold while you make the filling.

Mix brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon on top of each peach (in the pit indentation). Dot the top with one of the cold butter pieces. Repeat with all the remaining peach halves.

Now you're ready to assemble the dumplings. Grab the pie dough squares from the freezer. Center each peach half, cut side up, on a pie dough square. Bring the corners up to meet each other over the center. Seal the seams together with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining peaches.

Arrange the dumplings into a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish. Transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the beaten egg over the tops and sides of the dumplings. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until each dumping is beginning to bronze on top.

While the dumplings are baking, make the bourbon sauce by combining the softened butter, sugar, and bourbon in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth.

When the dumplings come out of the oven, dollop each with a heaping spoonful of the bourbon sauce. Serve warm! Life. changed.

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lemon poppy seed blondies

Lately I can't seem to get enough lemon-y, poppy seed-y things. I made this lemon poppy seed cake a few weeks ago and it was just lovely. I also tried making a lemon poppy seed version of this banana ice cream. Yeah, don't do that. It was weird. But these blondies! Totally delicious/not weird at all.

A few things about these blondies... One, there's some white chocolate up in there! Make sure to use a good white chocolate bar and chop it up rather than going for the plastic-tasting chips. It will melt better and taste better - all good things! There's also lemon curd in the mix. You can use prepared lemon curd or make your own. Either way, you'll have these blondies at the end and you will be happy.

I sent these over to Bea for this month's Leftovers Club. Join us next month!

Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies (adapted from Picky Palate)

makes 9 blondies

you'll need:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup white chocolate, chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup lemon curd

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish and set aside.

Microwave butter for 30-45 seconds, until it's melted. Add the chopped white chocolate and let sit for about a minute. Stir until smooth (you may need to put it back in the microwave for 10 or more seconds to melt completely through).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Transfer the butter/chocolate mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs, lemon curd, and poppy seeds and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients all at once and stir until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Allow to cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving. I think these are best chilled!

An InLinkz Link-up

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kalamata olive challah

Now that my summer has almost officially begun, it's time to start thinking about my summer bucket list. I've got a few things planned already - a cooking class with my mama, attempting to learn how to keep all of our plants alive in the Texas heat, organizing for our summer vacation. But, obviously, a huge part of my to-do list involved cooking and baking. Specifically baking -- I want to tackle some things I've never gotten tried before. First up on the list was challah, and I simply couldn't wait for summer to officially begin to go for it!

I used the dough recipe and braiding technique from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. I have to say, this was SO much easier than I had anticipated! The dough is super rich and forgiving, and the braiding is really only two simple steps. Where Deb went with a sweet challah with a delicious fig-orange spread, I decided to veer off into the savory (duh) with kalamata olives, lemon juice, and parmesan. Good call, I must say. I love the sweetness of the dough against the salty olives. Phenomenal!

Challah... let's do this!

Kalamata Olive Challah (dough recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)
yields 1 (big) loaf

for the dough, you'll need:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon honey
2/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for the bowl
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

for the filling, you'll need:
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup grated parmesan
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

also: 1 beaten egg, for wash

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of honey, and water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy and active. Whisk in the remaining honey, olive oil, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add to the bowl with the yeast mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an olive-oil-coated bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Make the filling by pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. The texture should be like a coarse tapenade. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured counter and divide in half. Take one half and roll it out into a large, thin rectangle (or whatever... the shape doesn't really matter!). Spread half of the olive mixture evenly over the dough, leaving at least an inch border. Roll the dough into a long, tight log. Gently stretch the log to about 3 feet long. Divide in half and set aside. Repeat these steps with the other half of the dough. Now you have 4 ropes, each about 18 inches long. Yes? Yes! Let's start braiding.

Arrange two ropes in each direction, perpendicular to each other. Weave them so that one side is over and the other is under where they meet. Take the four legs that come from underneath the center and move them over the leg to the right. Now take the legs that were on the right and jump each over the leg before, this time to the left. Tuck the corners and ends of the ropes under the dough to form a round.

Transfer the dough to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Allow to rise for 1 more hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the dough again with the beaten egg. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and gorgeous! Cool on a rack before serving.

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spring vegetable pot pie

I knowwwww. I've been jumping the gun on summer more than any of us. But, just for now, let's hang on to springtime for a little bit longer... at least long enough to make this?

Yes, I know pot pies are a lot of work. But YES, this is totally worth it. Normally I would say you can use any veggies and this will be great... and that's true. But - all I can say is this combo is FAB. SO good. The cooked radishes taste like new potatoes and balance out everything else perfectly. The asparagus is like woah. It's all just too good.

Comfort food in the springtime... yep indeed!

Double Crust Spring Vegetable Pot Pie

yields one 9-inch pie

you'll need:

2 whole unbaked pie crusts (I used the recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup AP flour

1 1/4 cups vegetable stock

3/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 diced onion

2 minced garlic cloves

1 cup diced asparagus

1 cup diced green beans

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup quartered radishes

1 egg, beaten

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low and add chicken stock. Whisk until there are no more flour bits. Whisk in the milk and heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened. (The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon without sliding right off.) Add salt, pepper, and paprika. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the sauce and stir to combine.

Roll one of the pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface to roughly a 12-inch round. Gently lift the crust and press it into a deep 9-inch pie dish. Place in the fridge while you roll out the second pie crust.

Remove pie dish from the fridge and spoon in the vegetable mixture. Place the second crust over the top, then use your hands to tuck it under the bottom crust to press the two together. Cut 4 or 5 slits in the top of the crust to vent. Brush lightly with the beaten egg and place in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove pie from the fridge and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

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strawberry cornmeal custard cake

Instead of our normal Friday links, I think we should talk about this cake today. Mostly because it's Friday and hopefully you've got a lazy Saturday morning to look forward to tomorrow, which is really the perfect time for this cake.

This lovely little cake is full of the best things. The strawberries take on that sweet roasted flavor. Cornmeal lends a great texture. A vanilla bean adds an extra something special. We finish it with some maple syrup and, if you're feeling extra indulgent, maybe a little powdered sugar on top. Breakfast never looked so pretty or more delicious.

Here's to the weekend and treating ourselves to lazy mornings with cake!

Strawberry Cornmeal Custard Cake (slightly adapted from In the Loop)
yields one 9-inch cake

you'll need:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (plus more for buttering the pan)
3/4 cup oat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod discarded
1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
3/4 cup heavy cream
for serving: maple syrup, powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (or a deep dish pie pan). Place the buttered dish in the oven to warm.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and melted butter. Add the sugar, salt, buttermilk, lemon zest, vinegar, and vanilla bean. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth (do not over mix).

Remove the dish from the oven and place on a large baking sheet. Add the strawberries to the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Pour batter on top.

Slowly pour the heavy cream into the center of the batter. Carefully place the pan into the oven, being careful to keep it still.

Bake 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is just set. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.

Serve with maple syrup. Add some powdered sugar on top to make things extra pretty and indulgent!

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queso fresco, bacon & black pepper biscuits

We're back in familiar territory.

The best things that come out of my kitchen are often happy accidents. I have some spinach and provolone hanging out in the fridge that need to be used up? We'll make bread. Some leftover berries and half a tub of ricotta? Sounds like cake to me.

That's how these biscuits came about. Some leftover bacon from making this pizza. Some queso fresco I had used to top a batch of chilaquiles. These were the makings of the lightest, fluffiest, most flavorful biscuits ever.

Queso Fresco, Bacon & Black Pepper Biscuits

yields 8-10 biscuits

you'll need:

2 cups self-rising flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1 cup cold buttermilk

1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled (mine had chopped jalapenos in it; if you like, add 1 seeded, diced jalapeno for flavor and spice!)

6 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped

1 egg, beaten, for wash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk flour and pepper together in a bowl. Add the butter pieces and work into the mixture with a pastry cutter or your hands until it's crumbly. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Fold in the cheese and bacon.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, pat the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Use a floured biscuit cutter to cut the biscuits, gathering the scraps as needed. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then top with black pepper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until turning golden brown on top. Brush melted butter on top of each biscuits immediately out of the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving warm and falling in love.

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baked banana doughnuts with nutella glaze

Back to the doughnut pan! Since I went pretty basic and classic my first time around making doughnuts, I decided that this was the time to go over the top. It was a good call, I believe.

The cake part of these doughnuts is really great! But with that Nutella glaze on top...woah. The rainbow sprinkles are optional/totally not optional.

Let's make doughnuts again!

Baked Banana Doughnuts with Nutella Glaze (from i am a food blog)

makes 6 doughnuts

you'll need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 banana, mashed

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup Nutella

3 tablespoons heavy cream

sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease your doughnut pan and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, egg, banana, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag (or, if you're like me, a plastic bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe batter into the doughnut pan, filling each one about 3/4 full. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow doughnuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, whisk together the Nutella and heavy cream, adding more heavy cream if necessary to thin it out. Dip the doughnuts into the glaze and top with sprinkles!

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pesto cornbread with garlic scallion butter

I am so excited to share this bread with y'all, not only because it is absolutely delicious, but also because it comes from my friend Stephanie's brand new eCookbook, Quick Bread Love!

If you don't already know Stephanie and the wonders she does with all things carb-y, it's time you did. I love her amazing recipes (from pizza to biscuits to stuffed pretzels, WHAT), but I also admire her warmth and personality that shine through her writing. Her eCookbook was released on Monday, and let me tell y'all, it's a GEM. Recipes like Key Lime Coconut Bread, No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls, Pepperoni Pizza Muffins, Salted Dark Chocolate Pear Scones... are you drooling yet?!

As you can imagine, I had a hard time choosing which recipe to try first. But since I had everything on hand for this cornbread, and it's spring so I'm eating pesto like it's my job, this won me over. And it was heavenly! The garlic scallion butter (a recipe from the bonus mini eCookbook) sends it over the top.

Congrats on a wonderful book, Stephanie!

Pesto Cornbread with Garlic Scallion Butter (from Quick Bread Love)
yields one 8x4-inch loaf + 1/2 cup butter

you'll need:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, oil, pesto and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

To make the butter, mix together softened butter, scallions, and garlic.

Spread the garlic butter on a piece of warm cornbread. Heavenly!

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chai banana cake

Friends! How was your Easter?? We had the best time yesterday celebrating with our families at our house, though I have to admit that I am tiiiiirrrreeeed today.

Okay, you guys, this cake. I'm a sucker for all things chai, and all those yummy spices work so well with the banana. Plus, this cake is ridiculously moist, and truly gets better day by day. That is, if you can resist it long enough...

This can be served with vanilla ice cream for dessert or on its own with a cup of coffee for breakfast. Cake for breakfast!

Chai Banana Cake (from Spoon Fork Bacon)

yields one 8x8 cake

you'll need:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon chai

3 medium over-ripe bananas

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl.

Pour milk and chai into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Discard the used chai, then transfer to a bowl. Add the mashed bananas and mix together.

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and banana mixture and stir until just combined. Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture all at once, and stir until just combined.

Grease an 8x8 baking dish and pour in cake batter.

Bake for 80-90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

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pimento cheese biscuits

The amount of biscuits on this blog might be getting a little excessive. Is that a thing when it comes to biscuits though?

Biscuits are where I end up when I just want to relax in the kitchen. Making them is just soothing to me. It's cheaper than therapy!

These are the perfect biscuits for your Easter table, or to take along for a spring or summer picnic. So dang good. Pimento cheese and buttermilk biscuits were always meant to be friends. I'm so glad I finally introduced them!

Pimento Cheese Biscuits
makes 12-14 biscuits

you'll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 (4 oz.) jar of sliced pimentos, drained and chopped
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to incorporate it until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in the cheese, chives, and pimentos. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead a few times until it holds together. Shape the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use a floured biscuit cutter to cut out the dough and transfer to the baking sheets. (Gather up the scraps to make more biscuits as needed.)

Brush the top of each biscuit with the beaten egg and top with a bit more black pepper. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack before serving warm!

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spinach provolone beer bread

This bread, y'all. It is such good stuff! I know I've talked about how much I love the quick, easy process of making beer bread... but I mean, the fact that I can be eating a warm slice of incredible bread within an hour is just too great.

Boozy, cheesy bread + spinach = health food. MATH.

Spinach Provolone Beer Bread
yields 1 loaf

you'll need:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (12 oz.) can of beer
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach
4 tablespoons melted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch bread pan and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the provolone and spinach. Add the beer and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the melted butter over the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool.

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lemon cream scones

Hi friends! I'm in Fredricksburg right now for a school conference, but I'm super thrilled to have lovely Elizabeth guest posting here today. I adore this girl! Elizabeth blogs over at In the Loop, where she shares recipes, music, and lots of pretty things. She's my soul sister who loves books, Ina, and cheesy jalapeno things as much as I do. And she made you some scones, so... now you adore her too.

Hello there! I'm over the moon that Marie asked me to guest post for her. I'm not going to lie, I was also a little nervous - I have never guest posted before, have a major blog crush on Little Kitchie and also had no idea what I was going to make. I knew I wanted to make something akin to a recipe Marie would post - something elegant, simple, fresh and delicious all at once.

I found exactly what I was looking for in these scones - they're easy to make, taste like spring and would make an excellent debut at your next brunch. The recipe called for roasted strawberries to be placed on top, but I found them absolutely delicious on their own.

Grab your apron, play this album and let's have a spring scone-making session, shall we?

Lemon Cream Scones (adapted from here)
makes 10 scones

ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
finely grated zest of one large lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt for at least 20 seconds, or until lemon zest is scattered throughout.

Using your fingertips, pinch the butter into the flour mixture until most of it is broken down.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, egg yolk, and the whipping cream.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the egg mixture into the well. Carefully incorporate the mixtures together, working from the inside out until it is just combined. Be sure not to overmix.

Gently form the batter into 10 disks and place the scones about 1 inch apart on two lined cookie sheets. Lightly sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until light golden. Cool on a wire rack.

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ham & cheddar pull-apart bread

Oh, y'all. This bread is a thing to behold. I spotted this recipe a few weeks ago on Erika's blog. You know Erika. She made you some pulled pork a while back. 

I was actually in the mood to make some biscuits, which explains why I was perusing this lady's recipe archives. But when I stumbled upon this recipe for savory, cheesy pull-apart bread, it was just begging to be made.

Oh man. This stuff is so good. Like, you'll want people around right when it comes out of the oven so you don't eat the whole thing yourself good. It's tangy, smoky, and just a little bit spicy. It's perfection.

The pull-aparty goodness of this is best when the bread is fresh and warm, but the flavor is maybe even better the next day, when a thick, toasty slice of this will make you feel like all is right in the world.

Ham & Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread (from Southern Souffle)
yields one 9x5 loaf

you'll need:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 1/2 all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped ham

Whisk together the yeast and water in a large bowl. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes, until the yeast is active and foamy. Add olive oil, salt, sugar, and flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place to rise for one hour.

Just before the dough is done, make the filling: mix the melted butter, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cheddar and ham.

Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with butter. On a floured surface, roll dough out to a 12x20 inch rectangle. Brush the mustard mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Slice the dough vertically into 5 strips.

Spread 1/4 of the ham mixture over one strip, then top with the next strip. Repeat this process with the remaining strips. (The last strip will not be topped with the ham mixture.)

Use a sharp knife to cut the bread into 8 segments. Stack each segment in the loaf pan (see above for how it should look in the pan). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Once bread has had its second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until beginning to brown on top. Enjoy, and try to share with others. Or don't. That's okay too.

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ina's baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts

I have no idea why it took me so long to get a doughnut pan, but a few weeks ago I pulled the trigger and impulse bought one
on Amazon (Prime, you make it far too easy). When I came home from school to it waiting on my doorstep, I immediately tore it open, went to the kitchen, and tried this recipe. And it was amazing. Ina, dear, you never fail me!

These doughnuts are crazy easy... like, dangerously easy. You can wake up and be eating doughnuts within half an hour! And they are so dang good, too. I can't wait to try more doughnut recipes, but these will be hard to top.

Ina's Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts (from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof)
makes 6 donuts

for the doughnuts, you'll need:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the topping, you'll need:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray donut pan with baking spray and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Transfer the batter into a large plastic bag and cut the corner (or into a piping bag). Pipe the batter into the doughnut pan, about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then gently pop out the doughnuts onto a wire rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk the cinnamon and sugar together in a medium bowl. Brush the doughnuts with melted butter, then dip them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture on one or both sides. Like most things, these are best served warm and with a hot cup of coffee.

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