What's Baking: Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

I've been on a grapefruit kick lately, and then I had the brilliant idea to bake a grapefruit cake.


Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake || A Less Processed Life

Clearly my citrus obsession is still going strong. And while I love a half-grapefruit in the morning (plain, no sugar needed!), I knew there was more that I could do with my favorite winter fruit.

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake || A Less Processed Life

And then I had the brilliant idea to make a grapefruit cake. Now, I am not the only one who has ever had this idea. While searching the Internet for a recipe to try, I came across this one from Thomas Keller, the famous chef from The French Laundry, Ad Hoc, Per Se ... the list goes on. So, yeah, that seemed like a good place to start. The original recipe calls for the cake to be baked in a loaf pan, but I went a little fancier and baked it in a bundt cake pan, since I was baking it to share with friends.

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake || A Less Processed Life

The cake gets its delicious citrus flavor from the addition of grapefruit zest to the cake batter, a drenching of grapefruit syrup after the cake comes out of the oven, and a drizzle of grapefruit glaze once the cake has cooled. And oh man, is it delicious.

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake || A Less Processed Life

And, while of course this cake makes for an excellent dessert, its citrusy flavor also makes it a great candidate for breakfast. How else are you going to keep the scurvy at bay?

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

For the cake:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup organic 1% milk, at room temperature
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the syrup:
½ cup grapefruit juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tablespoons grapefruit juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch bundt pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Add the sugar and grapefruit zest to the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the back of a spoon to rub together the sugar and zest, releasing the citrus oil. (It is going to start smelling really good in your kitchen!)
4. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and, with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
5. With the mixer running, stream in the milk, followed by the oil, and then the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low speed, and add in the dry ingredients in several batches, beating until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepped bundt pan. Tap a couple of times on the counter to release any air bubbles.
7. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Set the cake pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.
9. While the cake is cooling, make the grapefruit syrup: combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for an additional minute, then remove the pan from the heat.
10. After inverting the cake and removing it from the pan, prick the top of the cake all over with a fork. Brush the cake with the grapefruit syrup. (It will seem like a lot, but just go for it.)
11. Make the glaze: stir the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together in a small bowl. Add more grapefruit juice as necessary to achieve a thick, but pourable consistency. Drizzle or spoon the glaze over top the cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

(adapted from a recipe in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook via The Baker Chick)

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake || A Less Processed Life
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What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Soup

Not sure what to do with that leftover chicken? This slow cooker southwest chicken soup is a tasty way to put those leftovers to use.


Southwest Chicken Soup || A Less Processed LIfe

As I've mentioned before, chicken is on our dinner menu quite often. So, by the end of the week, we typically have all sorts of odds and ends in the fridge. (Doesn't that sound delicious? Don't answer that question.) The great thing about all these leftovers (so long as the chicken wasn't cooked in a super crazy sauce) is that they can all end up in a soup recipe.

Southwest Chicken Soup || A Less Processed LIfe

For my most recent chicken soup adventure, I used leftovers from a dinner of chicken thighs, a roast chicken, and the meaty bits left over from making a batch of chicken broth. This soup recipe would also work quite well with a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, if that's your thing.

Southwest Chicken Soup || A Less Processed LIfe

This soup can be made in the slow cooker, or you can make it in about 30 minutes on the stovetop. I tend to make things in the slow cooker since that means I can put everything together and basically forget about it until it's time to eat. Especially since I recently got a programmable slow cooker which automatically switches to "warm" mode when the cooking period is over. 

I garnished my bowl of soup simply with chopped fresh cilantro, but you can definitely go to town on toppings if you'd like – a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), avocado slices, or crumbled queso fresco would all be delicious options. Note: this soup is a little spicy; if you're sensitive to spiciness, dial down the amount of jalapeño pepper and red pepper flakes. 

Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1/2 medium pepper)
1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups low-sodium (or homemade) chicken broth
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with roasted garlic (and juices)
3 cups pre-cooked shredded chicken
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels
fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add the scallions, chopped red pepper, and jalapeño and sauté until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl of a slow cooker. Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Stir in the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cooked chicken. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
4. Stir in the black beans and frozen corn kernels. Cook on high for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Garnish each serving with fresh cilantro and serve.

To make on the stovetop, replace the skillet in step one with a medium stock pot. After sautéing the vegetables, add the rest of the ingredients through the shredded chicken to the stock pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the black beans and corn kernels and simmer until warmed through, 5-10 minutes.




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What's For Dinner: Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup || A Less Processed Life

Four days until Spring and it's currently snowing outside. And that's after a lovely weekend with temperatures in the mid-60s! Gotta love living in the Northwoods. 

Cauliflower Soup || A Less Processed Life

So, yeah, it's definitely still soup weather around this parts, and this hearty cauliflower soup will hit the spot on a cold, snowy day.

Cauliflower Soup || A Less Processed Life

Although there isn't an ounce of cream in this recipe, the resulting soup is velvety in texture and rich in flavor. The addition of cauliflower florets fried in brown butter along with a generous brown butter drizzle and scattering of freshly chopped chives gives this soup an elegant flair – making it just as appropriate for a dinner party as it is for a simple weeknight dinner.

Cauliflower Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 to 6 servings

1 head cauliflower
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and rinsed thoroughly
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
4 1/2 - 5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
additional salt and pepper to taste

1. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and trim off the end of the stem. Use a paring knife to cut around the core to remove it. Cut the core into thin slices and set aside. Cut a heaping 1 cup of 1/2-inch florets from the head of the cauliflower and set aside. Cut the remaining cauliflower into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the leek, onion, and salt and cook until the leek and onion are softened and just golden in color, about 7 minutes.
3. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add 4 1/2 cups water, the thinly sliced core, and half of the sliced cauliflower. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining cauliflower and return the mixture to a simmer. (Add more water if necessary to ensure the cauliflower is covered in liquid.) Continue to cook until the cauliflower is tender and easily crumbles, about 20 minutes longer.
4. While the soup is simmering, melt 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved florets and cook, stirring frequently, until the florets are golden brown. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl. Toss the florets with vinegar and season to taste with salt. Continue cooking the butter until it browns. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl and reserve for garnishing.
5. Carefully process the soup in a blender until smooth, about 45 seconds. (Do this in two batches if necessary so as to not overfill the blender. Also, cover the opening at the top of the blender with a towel to allow steam to escape.) Return the pureed soup to the stock pot and return to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve, garnishing individual bowls with browned florets, a drizzle of brown butter, and freshly chopped chives.

(lightly adapted from this America's Test Kitchen recipe)
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What's Baking: Florentines

Florentine Cookies || A Less Processed Life

Last week, after a long hiatus, my Book Club reconvened. Although, we call it "Fight Club," because we're edgy like that. "The first rule of Book Club is: You do not talk about Book Club."

Florentine Cookies || A Less Processed Life

We're not sticklers for actually reading the book selections (although of course it is highly recommended), but if you do come to book club, the only rule (well, aside from that First Rule), is that you can't be mad about spoilers. Fair enough.

Florentine Cookies || A Less Processed Life

This month's selection was Heat by Bill Buford, a book with the tagline "An amateur's adventures as kitchen slave, line cook, pasta-maker, and apprentice to a Dante-quoting butcher in Tuscany."

Florentine Cookies || A Less Processed Life

Truth be told, I started to read the book last year (way before it was a Book Club selection) and, for whatever reason, never quite made it to the end. (And I should have, as it's a great tale about the author's times working in the kitchen of Mario Batali's Babbo restaurant in New York City and travel to Italy to learn to make handmade pasta and how to properly butcher meat.) So, I totally cheated and listened to the audiobook. And the abridged audio book at that (5 hrs versus 12 hrs was a no-brainer, plus the abridged version was read by the author.) 

Inspired by Buford's trips to Italy, I decided to bake up a batch of florentine cookies to share at Book Club. (Our host made Love Letters ravioli and maple and mascarpone cheesecakes from Batali's Babbo cookbook, both of which were amazing.) 

These elegant florentine cookies are delicious. I think they work nicely both as-is and with a coating of semisweet chocolate on the bottom. (Truthfully, I found the slathering of melted chocolate on super-delicate cookies a bit, er, tedious. There may have been a few broken cookies involved. So, be careful! and patient! when you get to that step.)

Florentines (printer-friendly version)
makes 30 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (or all-purpose gluten-free flour)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup almond flour (made from blanched almonds)
2 tablespoons organic 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon finely grated blood orange zest
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add in the sugar, flour, and salt and whisk to combine. Continue whisking until the butter fully incorporates into the batter, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the almond flour and milk, and continue to cook until smooth and slightly thickened.
3. Remove the sauce pot from the heat and stir in the almond extract and orange zest. Let the batter cool for 10 minutes.
4. Drop the batter in rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepped baking sheet, leaving about three inches between cookies. (I cooked 6 cookies per batch.)
5. Bake the cookies for 5-7 minutes (rotating the baking sheet half-way through), or until the cookies turn golden brown around the edges. 
6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until they set, about 3 minutes. Use a thin spatula to carefully remove the cookies from the baking sheet and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter.
7. After the cookies have completely cooled, use an offset spatula to spread a layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of each cookie. (Be careful! And patient! The cookies are very delicate.) Let sit or refrigerate until the chocolate has completely set. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. 

(lightly adapted from this love and olive oil recipe)
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What's Baking: Blackberry Crumble Donuts

Is it a donut or coffeecake? Does it really matter? However you classify them, these blackberry crumble donuts are delicious. 

Blackberry Crumble Donuts || A Less Processed Life

There was a big sale on blackberries at the market, and I couldn't help but pick up a few pints. Spring is definitely in the air -- we're supposed to reach 64 degrees on Saturday. (I might just have to break out my shorts, translucent wintry skin and all!) 

Blackberry Crumble Donuts || A Less Processed Life

So in celebration of warmer days to come, I baked a batch of these berrylicious blackberry crumble donut. They're basically a hybrid of my blueberry donuts and cinnamon swirl coffee cake donuts.

Blackberry Crumble Donuts || A Less Processed Life

Oh man, these donuts are good. I am a sucker for a baked good stuffed full of fresh berries, and these donuts deliver. And you can't go wrong with a sweet cinnamon crumble on top. Which, truth be told, makes it a little difficult to remove them from the pan, but the extra effort (and patience) is totally worth it.

Blackberry Crumble Donuts || A Less Processed Life


These donuts are best eaten the day they are baked or within a couple of days of baking. Looking for something sweet to share at your next brunch? This is the perfect recipe to try.


Blackberry Crumble Donuts (printer-friendly version)
makes six donuts

For the crumble:
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

For the donuts:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat organic buttermilk
1/4 cup organic 1% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, slightly cooled
1 cup fresh blackberries, chopped into pea-sized pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a donut pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Make the crumble: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbles form. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir in the coconut oil.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.
6. Fold in the blackberries.
7. Carefully spoon the batter into the prepped donut pan. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when touched.
8. Remove the donut pan from the oven and let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the donuts from the pan–running a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the donut molds should help set them free. Let cool on a wire rack.
9. Donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Donuts are best eaten within two days.
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What's For Dinner: Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup || A Less Processed Life

It appears that we have gone straight from bone-chilling temps to springtime up here in the Northwoods. And, though I'm excited by the prospect of spring (and flowers! and green grass! and leaves on trees!), it is kind of putting a damper on our sugaring hopes this season. D and I tapped 50 maple trees on Saturday–ok, well, I helped with, like, five of the pails–but we haven't seen much sap flowing.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup || A Less Processed Life

Ideal sugaring conditions are temperatures above freezing during the day and below freezing during the night, which causes a pressure differential that allows the sap to flow. And, well, we kind of jumped to daytime highs in the 50s and lows in the upper 30s, which are far from ideal conditions.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup || A Less Processed Life

So, this year might be a bust, as I kind of doubt we'll get a long stretch of cold weather in. It seems like springtime conditions may be here to stay. Well, you live and you learn, and we'll be prepped for next year, when hopefully, we'll have better luck with the sugaring season.

While D was washing all our pails and tapping most of the trees, I was in the kitchen making a hearty soup for lunch. I saw this recipe for Wild Rice and Mushroom soup on a recent episode of America's Test Kitchen. Since we have a giant bag of local wild rice (that we harvested with some friends) in the pantry, I'm always looking for new wild rice recipes to try, and this soup sounded amazing.

This soup is not one of those 30-minute meals, although you could make the wild rice in advance. However, all of your effort will be greatly rewarded. The resulting soup is creamy, filling, and complex in flavor. The addition of lemon zest and fresh chives at the end gives it a fresh and bright flavor like no other wild rice soup I've tasted. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

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

For the wild rice:
4 cups water
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup wild rice

For the soup:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup dry sherry
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, ground fine in a spice grinder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup organic half-and-half
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium oven-proof sauce pot, combine together the water, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and baking powder and bring to a boil over hight heat. Add the wild rice and return to a boil. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for 35-50 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
3. Carefully strain the rice through a fine-mesh sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup, retaining the cooking liquid. Add water to the cooking liquid to reach a total of 3 cups. Discard the thyme, bay leaf, and garlic clove from the rice and set aside.
4. Add the butter to a Dutch oven and melt over high heat. Add the mushrooms, minced garlic, and chopped onion, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned, and a dark fond has developed on the bottom of the Dutch oven, 13-15 minutes.
5. Pour in the dry sherry and stir to scrape up the browned bits. Cook until almost completely dry, 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in the vegetable broth, reserved cooking liquid from the rice, soy sauce, and ground shiitake mushrooms. Cover, and reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup and stir. Cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked rice, half-and-half, chives, and lemon zest. Cover, and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

(lightly adapted from this America's Test Kitchen recipe)
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What I'm Drinking: Northwoods Brown Derby

Northwoods Brown Derby Cocktail || A Less Processed Life

Is it just me, or has this been the longest week ever? I am so ready for the weekend, particularly since we are going to tap our maple trees this weekend for the first time ever. (In what may be the shortest sugaring season ever given the sudden rise in temps that are expected in the upcoming week.)

Northwoods Brown Derby Cocktail || A Less Processed Life

Meanwhile, even though spring may be in the air, my love for wintertime citrus abounds. For today's toast to the weekend, I'll be drinking a brown derby, a classic cocktail named for the famous hat-shaped diner in Hollywood. Though the original version is sweetened with honey syrup, I used maple syrup instead, which gives the cocktail a more complex smoky sweetness. (Plus, maple syrup abounds up here in the Northwoods.) Have a great weekend!

Northwoods Brown Derby (printer-friendly version)
makes two cocktails

2 ounces Bourbon
2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce maple syrup
1/2 ounce warm water

1. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 
2. Shake and strain into two coupe glasses. 


Northwoods Brown Derby Cocktail || A Less Processed Life
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What's Baking: Blood Orange Coconut Bread

Blood Orange Coconut Bread || A Less Processed Life

The one thing that helps me make it through the long winter (aside from cozy sweaters and warm blankets) is all the citrus fruit that floods the local market. Grapefruits, clementines, tangelos, multiple types of oranges ... if it's sweet and citrusy, send it my way.

Blood Orange Coconut Bread || A Less Processed Life

Recently blood oranges were on sale and I couldn't help but pick up a few. In years' past blood oranges have made their way into recipes for old-fashioned cocktails, bundt cake, salad, salad dressing, and poppy seed muffins. Hmm, apparently I really like blood oranges!

Blood Orange Coconut Bread || A Less Processed Life

This time around I used the juice and zest from a blood orange in this healthy coconut quick bread. Because it uses a small amount of oil, it is not the most moist quick bread I've ever baked, but I think that could be resolved with a generous swipe of your favorite butter. The citrus flavor really shines in this bread and is complemented by the tropical flavor of the coconut. 

Blood Orange Coconut Bread || A Less Processed Life

Is it as good as being at the beach? Ummm, maybe not. But it's a rather budget-friendly, and tastebud-tantalizing substitute.

Blood Orange Coconut Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes one 8-inch loaf

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons fresh blood orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 large egg
1/4 cup 1% organic milk
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract [optional]
1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
2-3 teaspoons coarse raw sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-by-4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, orange zest, baking soda, salt, and shredded coconut.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, coconut oil, and egg. Then stir in the milk, yogurt, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange extract (if using).
4. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. 

Blood Orange Coconut Bread || A Less Processed Life

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