What's For Dinner: Grilled Balsamic Chicken

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I just can't help it -- the warm, sunshine-filled weather we experienced this past weekend was just divine! I seriously can't get enough of it -- but I shouldn't get too excited, as this week has highs back down in the 40s in the forecast. And it's not like I haven't lived through long winters before -- the winter season in Laramie was seemingly relentless -- and it was a foregone conclusion that we'd get a big snow dump sometime in mid-April. But I guess two years on the East Coast must have ruined me -- in my mind, trees should be budding and flowers should be blooming. I so totally miss the fresh produce that I could be buying at the local farmers markets in Philly right about now! (I'm pretty sure our too-quick trip to California a couple of weeks ago also didn't help my warm-weather desire.)

Long story short, the lovely weather this weekend called for grilling. Luckily, I had a chicken breast in the fridge that I had been marinating in a balsamic vinaigrette -- so when dinner time rolled around, all I needed to do was prepare a quick salad (aka, take the box o' greens out of the fridge) and hand the marinated chicken breast to D to grill.

Though I intended to cook this chicken a day after I put it in the marinade, we ended up grilling it three days later. And, my, was this chicken full of flavor and tenderness. Served over a bed of greens, this grilled balsamic chicken makes for an excellent light meal for a warm spring (or dare I say, summer) evening.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken (printer-friendly version)
make two servings

2 6-oz organic chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon oregano

1. In a quart-size plastic zippered bag, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, herbes de Provence, and oregano. Liberally salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts then place them in the bag and zipper it closed. Place the bag on a plate and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
2. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling to allow it time to come to room temperature.
3. Grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes (about 4-7 minutes per side), or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the breasts whole or cut the chicken into slices and serve.

What I'm Drinking: A Dark and Stormy

The sun is shining, a warm breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and most importantly, the snow is melting. I think this good news (and the fact that it has been a looooong work week) calls for a cocktail. My favorite local natural foods store had ginger beer on sale, so I picked up a four-pack the other day. A little Internet sleuthing led me to the Dark 'n Stormy, a cocktail that is actually a trademark of Gosling's Rum. Since my version doesn't include Gosling's rum, let's call it a Dark and Stormy, shall we? The dark rum I opted to purchase at the liquor store was Kraken Black Spiced Rum (partially because it was between that and Captain Morgan's and, well, the label/name was pretty awesome. Yeah, I totally judge my liqueur by its cover...). This cocktail is an amalgam of spicy, sour, and sweet flavors, and more importantly, it's just what the doctor order after a hectic work week. Bring on the weekend!

Dark and Stormy (printer-friendly version)
makes one cocktail

ice
6 oz ginger beer (I used Reed's)
2 oz dark rum (I used Kraken Black Spiced Rum)
lime for garnish (if you like, add in a bit of lime juice to taste)

1. Fill a highball (tall) glass with ice. Add the ginger beer, top with the dark rum, and garnish with a lime wedge. Then drink!

What's For Lunch: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

As I type this, the temperature outside is in the mid-40s and the weather forecast for this coming weekend includes temperatures in the 70s. To say I am excited about the approaching warm temperatures would be a serious understatement. Bring on the warmth, I say! It has been a long winter in Northern Wisconsin.

However, even with actual springtime temperatures soon approaching, we aren't quite there yet, and I was in the mood for a warm and comforting soup for lunch today. Since we had some thawed organic chicken breast in the fridge and plenty of wild rice in the pantry, I knew immediately that a chicken and wild rice soup was in order. Like usual, I headed to my friend Google to see what my options might be, and I ended up pinning several options. In the end, I chose to loosely follow a recipe posted by Iowa Girl Eats, since I already had most of the ingredients on hand, and because I can't help myself, I increased the veggie (and mushroom) content.

Though this soup takes less than an hour to put together, it tastes like it has been simmering on the stove all day long. It is hearty and full of flavor -- and the leftovers will provide filling and tasty lunches all week long!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped fine
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 large chicken breast, cut into 2" pieces
3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed
1 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Add the butter and olive oil to a large stock pot. Heat over medium-high heat and stir to combine.
2. Add the shallot, celery, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add in the garlic, thyme, and oregano and saute for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
4. Carefully pour in the chicken broth and increase the heat to high, bringing the broth to a boil.
5. Add in the chicken and poach until fully cooked (no longer pink; internal temperature of 165 degrees), this should take about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of chicken pieces.
6. Once cooked, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and place on a plate or in a bowl to cool. Once cooled, shred into bite-size pieces.
7. Add the wild rice to the soup, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour. Slowly pour the mixture into the soup while stirring the soup. Add the shredded chicken back in and simmer the soup for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired and serve.

 (adapted from this Iowa Girl Eats recipe)

What I'm Drinking: Strawberry-Rosemary Ginger Ale

It is super-gloomy outside and in addition to the grey clouds, it has been raining most of the day. However, since this rain will help the snow still on the ground (there is literally a two-foot drift still outside our basement door) -- I can't complain too much. And just because it is grey and gloomy outside doesn't mean I can't have a splash of springtime inside.

As a special treat this afternoon, I put together a strawberry-rosemary ginger ale to drink. I'm still on a strawberry kick, and Golden Harvest has been my go-to supplier for inexpensive organic strawberries, which makes me very happy indeed. While my initial thought was to just add some strawberry juice to my ginger ale, I figured I might as well try a little bit harder, and so I made a rosemary simple syrup to infuse an additional fresh herbal flavor into the drink. The resulting iced drink is springtime-pink, refreshing, and full of flavor.

Strawberry-Rosemary Ginger Ale (printer-friendly version)
makes one drink

1 cup strawberries, rinsed and hulled
several ice cubes

12 oz ginger ale (I used Reed's Premium Ginger Brew Ginger Ale)

2 teaspoons rosemary simple syrup (see below for recipe)

fresh rosemary sprig, for garnish

1. Puree the strawberries in a blender until completely liquified.
2. Add the strawberry juice to the bottom of a tall glass.
3. Fill the glass with ice.
4. Top with the ginger ale. Stir in the rosemary syrup.
5. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary and serve.

Rosemary Simple Syrup (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Add the water, sugar, and rosemary to a small sauce pot. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves in the water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat and let the rosemary steep for at least one hour.
2. Pour the syrup into a container with a tight lid, straining out the rosemary. Store in the refrigerator.  

What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken

I made slow cooker BBQ pork chops late last week and ended up saving the leftover barbecue sauce that the pork chops cooked in, as I didn't want it to go to waste. This week I planned to have D cook barbecue chicken on the grill, but since he was stuck in the field all day long, I decided to give slow cooker BBQ chicken a whirl instead. To help keep the chicken moist, I gave the thighs a quick dredge in a flour and spice mixture, then pan-browned them in a skillet. The chicken was then added to the slow cooker, topped with barbecue sauce, and set to cook on low for about six hours. Right before serving, I used two forks to shred the chicken. I served the shredded barbecue chicken over rice, but I think this would make an excellent filling for a sandwich (similar to the pulled pork sandwiches I featured a while back), too.

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
6-8 organic chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups barbecue sauce

1. Add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin to a gallon-sized plastic bag. Add in the chicken thighs, seal the bag, and shake to coat the thighs evenly.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned all all sides, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add enough barbecue sauce to cover the bottom of a 2-quart slow cooker bowl. Add in the chicken and top with enough barbecue sauce to cover.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Serve immediately atop a bed of rice or other grain, or as a sandwich filling.

(adapted from this recipe)

What's For Dinner: Chicken and Orzo Soup

On Sunday, D braved the sleet and snow to cook beer-can chicken on the grill for dinner, so yesterday I used the leftovers to make a chicken orzo soup. Step one was making the chicken stock, which took about four hours. Once the stock was done, the soup itself was a snap to put together. In all, the soup took about 40 minutes, though I lengthened the simmering time and held off on adding in the orzo until D had arrived home from work so that it wouldn't be overcooked. 

In the past I've added egg noodles to my chicken soup, but now that it is springtime, I wanted something a little lighter. Hence, I opted to use orzo (a pasta shaped like rice). The addition of fresh dill at the end of the cooking period gives this chicken-and-vegetable-filled soup a sweet and tangy flavor, helping to lend it a little springtime flair.

Chicken and Orzo Soup (printer-friendly version)

makes 4-6 servings

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 leek (white and light green parts only), finely chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 cup chopped mushroom

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups organic chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups cooked shredded organic chicken

1/4 cup fresh dill

1/2 cup orzo

1. Add the olive oil and butter to the bottom of a medium stock pot and heat over medium-high heat.

2. Add in the carrots, leek, celery, and mushroom. Saute until beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

4. Add in the chicken broth and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-20 minutes.

5. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and add in the dill.
6. Stir in the orzo and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
7. Spoon the soup into bowls and serve immediately.

(inspired by this bon appétit recipe)

What's For Dessert: Simple Strawberry Shortcake

One of my favorite signs of spring is the arrival of fresh strawberries in the marketplace. Up until now, there have been organic strawberries on sale at our local natural foods store -- but at nearly $6/quart, a little too expensive for my taste. Last weekend D and I were in California for my grandmother's 90th birthday, and had the chance to walk through the Sunnyvale farmers market on Saturday morning with my friend Sheri. The amount of fresh produce for sale was overwhelming to my snow-weary eyes. As we walked along, I tasted some of the fresh produce -- I was so in love with the flavor of strawberries for sale that I couldn't resist buying a pint.

{strawberries on sale at the Sunnyvale farmers market}

Fast forward to this past weekend, and while shopping at Golden Harvest I was delighted to find strawberries on sale for less than $2/quart at Golden Harvest. I bought two pints, but I think I may have to go back to buy a flat -- I foresee some jam-making in my future.

In the meantime, I couldn't wait to try out the strawberries. Though not quite as amazing as the ones I tasted in Sunnyvale, to my fresh produce-starved tastebuds they tasted quite delicious. And with a touch of sugar, the strawberries would be the ideal component in a strawberry shortcake recipe. I wanted to make something super simple and didn't want to fuss around with a lot of ingredients. A quick Google search resulted in finding a recipe I could work with; I made a few substitutions based on the ingredients I had on hand, and of course I couldn't help but add in a splash of vanilla, too. For a simple recipe, the shortcake turned out quite well and perfectly complemented the sweetness of the fresh strawberries. Add a healthy dollop of fresh whipped cream on top, and dessert is ready to be served.

Simple Strawberry Shortcake (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups organic half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced and slightly mashed [stir in some sugar if desired]
1 cup fresh whipped cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper (leave excess on either end so that you can use it as handles to remove the shortcake from the pan once baked) and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Stir in the half-and-half and vanilla until just combined.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the shortcake is golden brown.
4. Remove the shortcake from the baking dish and set it on a wire rack to cool.
5. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out a shortcake into your desired shape. Cut the shortcake in half.
5. Top one half of the shortcake with strawberries and whipped cream. Place the remaining shortcake half on top and serve immediately.

(adapted from this Food Network recipe)

What's Baking: Very Seedy Braided Bread

Cooking confession time: Yeast breads intimidate me. There, I said it. And, seriously, I mean it -- what with all that rising and kneading -- yeast breads just seem way too high-maintenance for me. However, after Cassie at back to her roots posted a recipe for a gorgeous-looking braided seed bread, I knew I would have to give it a try. And okay, so maybe my decision to try out this bread recipe was also prodded by the fact that I had recently purchased a ginormous package of whole wheat flour on accident. And the additional fact that I had a bunch of less-than-half-full jars of various seeds and grains in our pantry. Or maybe the fact that I already had the right ingredients on hand was the universe telling me it was about time that I sucked it up and tried my hand at making a yeast bread from scratch.

And, to be honest, it wasn't quite as hard as I thought it'd be. Yes, a yeast bread takes way longer than an simple quick bread (I mean, they're called quick breads for a reason, obvs) -- but all that waiting (and kneading in between) was worth it in the end. The resulting braided loaf of bread is chock-full of seedy and grainy goodness, but it is in no way dense or heavy. The one downside to this recipe is that it makes a ginormous loaf of bread; when I make this next time (and there will be a next time), I'll probably make two small loaves rather than one ginormo loaf.

However, with all that said, I have to admit that I'm not going to switch from making quick breads to solely yeast breads anytime soon. But ... when time allows (say, on a cold, snowy day such as the one we're currently experiencing ... even though, last time I checked we were well into the month of April ... don't get me started on that), I think I'll definitely take the time to bake another yeast bread from scratch.

Very Seedy Braided Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes 1 loaf

2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup uncooked grains (I used a combination of millet, wheat berries, and bulgur)
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 cup dry nonfat milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 cup mixed seeds and grains (I used a combination of oats, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and poppy seeds)

1. In a large bowl, add together the water, oil, flour, grains, rolled oats, salt, honey, dry milk, and yeast. Use a wooden spoon to stir together the dough until it is thoroughly combined.
2. Move the dough to a floured work surface and knead it for 5-7 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
3. Spray a medium-to-large bowl with a generous amount of cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm area (I placed it on the hearth of our fireplace, which had a fire going at the time, since our house is perpetually cold) for about an hour and a half, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough and then place it on a floured work surface. Cut the dough into three evenly-sized pieces. Roll each piece until it forms a log about 24-inches in length.
5. Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush each dough log with the egg wash, sprinkling it with the seed/grain mixture as you go. Repeat on the other side of the log, and continue until each side is completely covered in seeds.
6. Gently squeeze the three logs together at one end. Braid the logs into a triple-stranded bread. Tuck the ends under.
7. Move the braided dough onto a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm area for an additional hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
9. Bake the bread in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is very brown and a skewer inserted into the bread comes out clean.
10. Let cool completely on a wire rack; tightly wrap any leftover bread in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

 (adapted from this back to her roots recipe)

What's For Lunch: Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

I was in the mood for a simple sandwich the other day and got a hankering for an egg salad sandwich. Quite awhile back, Ashley at never homemaker posted a recipe for an avocado egg salad wrap sandwich, and I made a note to myself at the time that I should try it out. Fast forward nearly a year later, and what with it being hardboiled egg season (aka post-Easter), I finally got around to giving the recipe a whirl. Although Ashley includes curry powder in her recipe, I decided I just wanted some simple flavors, so I only seasoned my salad with a little salt and pepper, and in lieu of mayo, I subbed in the plain Greek yogurt I had on hand.

Though it might not be the most amazing sandwich ever made, it is still quite tasty and definitely filling. The addition of avocado bumps up a plain old egg salad to something with a little more panache, and amps up the nutritional content as well. What's not to love about that?

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 sandwiches

2 hardboiled eggs
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced into small cubes
2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
pinch sea salt

pinch freshly ground black pepper

baby spinach leaves [optional]
2 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half

1. In a small bowl, use a fork to roughly chop the hardboiled eggs. Stir in the cubed avocado and Greek yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add a scoop of the avocado egg salad to one half of a ciabatta roll (add some spinach leaves if desired). Serve immediately. [Note: If you have leftovers, the avocado will likely turn brown; you can try to preserve the green color by adding in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, but I'd recommend using the avocado egg salad all at once if possible.]

(adapted from this never homemaker recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Spinach Feta Egg Wrap

Back when we lived in Philly, my Wednesday morning routine involved getting up early for a hot yoga class at the yoga studio around the corner. Following the 6:30a class, after showering back at home, I would head back out on a Starbucks run to pick up my Wednesday-morning treat: a grande nonfat chai latte and a spinach feta breakfast wrap. Perhaps undoing all the good work from the early-morning yoga class, but in my mind, oh-so worth the splurge. 

Now that we live 45 minutes from the nearest Starbucks (le sigh), my chances to enjoy a spinach feta wrap for breakfast are few and far between. However, while perusing one of the food boards I follow (and contribute to) on Pinterest, I spied a recipe for a scrambled egg wrap with spinach, tomato, and feta cheese originally posted on Cookin' Canuck. Immediately, I knew I would have to give the recipe a try.

The recipe does not disappoint, and I think if I took out the extra ingredients (tomatoes, and in my case, some mushrooms, too), I think it would likely taste exactly like my favorite Starbucks breakfast wrap. And let's face it, making it isn't exactly rocket science; it's kind of embarrassing that I haven't tried to make one at home before. Ah well, better late than never. This breakfast wrap is definitely going in my morning meal rotation.

Spinach Feta Egg Wrap (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 servings

2 eggs

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons organic skim milk

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

2 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves, thinly sliced

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon crumbled organic feta cheese

2 whole wheat tortillas 

1. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and skim milk. Set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and saute until tender. Add in the tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cooked until wilted, about 1-2 minutes more.

3. Pour in the eggs, season with salt and pepper,  and cook until they begin to set, then stir to scramble.

4. Warm the tortillas (if necessary), then place on two separate plates.

5. Spoon the egg mixture down the middle of each tortilla, leaving space at the top and bottom. Top the egg mixture with crumbled feta cheese. Fold in the ends of the tortillas and then roll to form a wrap. Cut each wrap down the middle with a knife. Serve immediately.

(adapted from this Cookin' Canuck recipe)

What's For Breakfast: Individual Baked French Toast

I started the week out with a recipe for buttermilk French toast, and since I had some leftover challah on hand, I figured I might as well end the week with another French toast recipe. This baked French toast, served in individual ramekins, would be a great option for brunch, since you put it together the night before. (And, if you'd prefer, you could easily bake this in a casserole dish.)

I used many of the same flavors from the buttermilk French toast I made earlier in the week; however this time around I included a little maple syrup in the custard to add some extra sweetness. While I loved Monday's French toast recipe, this individual French toast recipe truly takes it up a notch. The resulting dish features puffed up bread baked in a rich citrus- and vanilla-infused custard. Yum.

Baked French Toast (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 individual servings

For each French toast portion:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/8 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 loaf challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)

For each serving:
powdered sugar
maple syrup

1. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, and orange juice.
2. Gently stir in the bread cubes until they are evenly coated in the custard mixture. Let the bread-custard mixture sit for about 15 minutes to allow the custard to fully soak in.
3. Lightly butter two 6-ounce ramekins. Spoon the bread-custard mixture into the two ramekins. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the French toast for 20-25 minutes.
5. Top each serving with powdered sugar and pure maple syrup.

 (adapted from this Everyday Occasions recipe)

What's Baking: Coconut Macaroons

I read a lot of blogs, and the latest addition to my Google Reader (clearly I am still in denial of its imminent demise) was The Kitchn. I've referred to this website on multiple occasions, and last week a recipe for "easy coconut macaroons" immediately caught my eye. I have been using more and more coconut in my cooking lately, and I thought it would be fun to try out a new coconut confection recipe. Now, as you can see in the photo above, we are not talking about "macarons" -- the famous French domed meringue cookies, often found in a rainbow of pastel colors. (Now that I think about it, I'm not sure that I've ever actually had a macaron -- hmmm, I think a trip to Paris and Ladurée is in order.) No, the confections I am talking about, though made with a similar egg white and sugar base, instead feature a haystack-like appearance due to the addition of shredded coconut. Though delicious in their own right, these confections are even better with a little (or a lot of) melted chocolate drizzled on top.

Coconut Macaroons (printer-friendly version)
makes 20-24 cookies, depending on size

4 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups shredded coconut

For the chocolate drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is very frothy. (The frothier the better.)
3. Stir in the shredded coconut. Continue stirring until the coconut is evenly moistened.
4. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out 1"-1 1/2" rounded balls onto the prepped baking sheet. Set each coconut ball about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the macaroons are golden brown in color.
6. Carefully place the baked macaroons on a wire rack to cool.
7. After the macaroons have cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over top each confection.
8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

What's For Breakfast: Buttermilk French Toast with a Caramelized Banana Citrus Rum Sauce

Some people impulse-buy packs of gum or candy bars at the grocery store checkout; apparently I am easily wooed by carbs. On Friday, while picking up a few items at our local natural foods store, I couldn't help but add to my shopping basket a loaf of freshly-baked challah bread from the bakery counter (conveniently located next to the check out). I knew in an instant how I would be using the tasty loaf of egg bread -- it would have a starring role in a French toast recipe on Sunday morning. 

I have featured French toast recipes on the blog several times before -- such as this one for sourdough French toast or this one which features brandy and a lemon zest, or this yummy recipe from Alton Brown. I wanted to do something different this time around, and after a quick look in my fridge, I decided it would need to use buttermilk. Apparently using buttermilk isn't an incredibly novel thing to do, as a quick Google search yielded pages of links. I opted to work off this recipe from Sprouted Kitchen for the French toast and I used a Williams-Sonoma recipe for the banana citrus rum sauce. 

And, oh, man, was this French toast good! The caramelized bananas, simmered in a sauce made from brown sugar, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and a teeny bit of rum, completely negated the need for maple syrup. (Although, hey, adding a little (or a lot, no judgement here) of maple syrup on top certainly wouldn't hurt.) In fact, just as we were finishing up our breakfast, one of D's colleagues pulled up with two just-bottled jugs of maple syrup in tow (from trees just tapped this past week) -- its slightly caramelized taste was a delicious addition to a second helping of French toast (good thing I made extra!).

Buttermilk French Toast with a Caramelized Banana Citrus Rum Sauce 

(printer-friendly version)

make 2-3 servings

For the French toast:

2 eggs

3/4 cup low-fat organic buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons raw honey

pinch of ground cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon orange zest

4-6 slices challah or brioche bread (leave the slices out overnight or lightly toast in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes before using)

1. Preheat a griddle to medium high heat. Spray the griddle with cooking spray right before grilling the slices of bread.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

3. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest.

4. Place the slices of bread, two at a time, into the custard mixture. Let the bread sit in the custard for about 1 minute per side. Allow any excess custard to drip off before placing the slices in the hot skillet.

5. Bake for two minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place the cooked toasts on the prepped baking sheet.

6. Repeat the above steps until all the bread slices have been grilled.

7. Bake the French toast in the oven for 10 minutes.

For the caramelized banana citrus rum sauce:

3 bananas, sliced diagonally

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons rum

1. While the French toast is baking in the oven, prep the banana citrus rum sauce.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Add the banana slices and cook each side until browned, 1-2 minutes per side.

4. Sprinkle the bananas with brown sugar and stir until melted.

5. Carefully pour in the orange juice and rum.

6. Simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly, 1-2 minutes.

7. Serve the banana sauce immediately over the just-baked French toast.