What's For Breakfast: Baked Strawberries 'n' Cream Oatmeal

Bored with your morning bowl of oatmeal? Give this baked strawberries 'n' cream oatmeal a try. 

Around our house, come morning time, the resounding refrain is "It's oatmeal or no meal!" After awhile, however, even with the endless toppings options, it can get a little boring.

Enter in this recipe for baked strawberries 'n' cream oatmeal. This breakfast option takes a little more time than the standard bowl of oatmeal (5 minutes versus 35 minutes), but if you have the time, it is so worth it. Plus, you'll have plenty leftover for breakfast the rest of the week, as the baked oatmeal reheats like a dream. 

This baked oatmeal is delicious on its own, or you can add a dollop of Greek yogurt or a drizzle of melted butter or maple syrup before serving, if you're feeling particularly decadent.

I'm so happy to see fresh strawberries in the market again. And they totally make me pine for those tiny delicate and beyond flavorful sweet strawberries we ate last spring at the farmers' market in Campbell, California. If only we could get those berries to grow up here in the Northwoods!

Baked Strawberries 'n' Cream Oatmeal (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut flakes (also called chips)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup organic 1% percent milk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
dash of ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, chopped pecans, coconut flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oat mixture to bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet. Scatter the strawberry slices evenly over top the oat mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, milk, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the melted butter.
4. Pour the milk mixture over top the oat mixture, ensuring that it is covered evenly. Sprinkle with a dash of ground nutmeg.
5. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the oatmeal is set and it is golden in color. Serve immediately.

What's Baking: Angel Food Cupcakes with Strawberries & Whipped Cream

These angel food cupcakes, topped with strawberries and whipped cream, are the quintessential summertime treat. 

 

Organically-grown strawberries have finally reached a price point that my wallet agrees with, and I can't help but buy a pound (or two, or three...) every time I make a grocery run. And while I am perfectly fine with eating them as they are, or quartering several as a topping for a bowl of yogurt, my favorite way to eat strawberries is with a generous slice of angel food cake. 

Mashed strawberries (with a little bit of sugar) and angel food cake was a common summertime dessert in our house when I was growing up. It's so simple, and yet so delicious. And given that a major component of angel food cake is egg whites, it's a relatively healthy dessert as well.

I've made angel food cake before, so I thought I would change things up and make angel food cupcakes. These cupcakes get a delicate burst of citrus flavor from the addition of orange extract and orange zest. If you don't have orange extract on hand, you can substitute vanilla extract, but don't skip the zest. These individual angel food cakes would make a delicious dessert to share at any summertime get-together. 

Angel Food Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)

makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup cake flour 

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon orange extract (or vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

For the strawberry topping:
1 pint strawberried, hulled and quartered
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1. Make the strawberry topping: In a small bowl, combine the quartered strawberries and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Use a potato masher or pastry blender to mash the strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners and spray each lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Add the granulated sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Process until super-fine (powdery) sugar forms, 1-2 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, 1/2 cup of super-fine sugar, and sea salt. Set aside.
5. Add the egg whites to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until frothy and foamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on, slowly add the remaining powdered sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the orange extract and orange zest.
6. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer. Sprinkle about 1/4 of the flour mixture on top of the eggs, and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining flour mixture in three additions, being very careful not to overmix.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the prepped cupcake cups in messy mounds that slightly tower over top the liners. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 14-16 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 3-5 minutes, then remove and set them on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. After the cupcakes have cooled, carefully remove them from their paper liners. Top with freshly whipped cream (recipe below) and the strawberry topping before serving.

(adapted from this Food Network recipe)

Sure, you could use the stuff from the can, but you can't beat (ha!) the taste of freshly whipped cream.

Freshly Whipped Cream

1 cup organic heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
2. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled mixing bowl, and whip at high speed. When cream begins to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

What's For Dessert: Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

I'm still in strawberry mode here, and luckily, a recent sale at our local natural foods store means that I again have a fridge full of pints of organic strawberries. A while ago, I had seen a recipe for roasted balsamic strawberries, and I was instantly intrigued by this combination of sweet and savory flavors. I love a spinach salad topped with strawberries and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing, so I had an idea that I would like how this would taste. And let me tell you, these roasted strawberries do not disappoint!

Roasting the strawberries gives them a deeper, more robust flavor, and really helps to bring out their sweetness. The balsamic vinegar gives them a slightly savory taste, without overpowering their sweetness -- the flavors really do meld together quite well. You could eat these strawberries on their own, or use it as a jam -- I imagine a crostini with ricotta or mascarpone cheese and a dollop of roasted balsamic strawberries would be divine. In addition, these strawberries would make an excellent ice cream topping, used either warm or cold. Later this week I'll share an ice pop recipe that utilizes these yummy strawberries. Spoiler alert: the popsicles are delicious.

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 pound organic strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and cut in half
2 tablespoons raw sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the halved strawberries in a bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine, evenly coating the strawberries in the sugar. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir.
3. Pour the strawberry mixture (and all juices, use a spatula if necessary to scrape out any remaining liquid) into a baking dish. (I used an 11"x7" aluminum pan; use whatever you have on hand, so long as the berries are in a single layer.)
4. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the strawberries have softened.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
6. After the strawberries have cooled, add them (and all the liquid) to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the strawberries are slightly pureed.

What's Baking: Angel Food Cake

Given a recent sale on organic strawberries at Golden Harvest, I of course couldn't resist buying a few packages, and found that I suddenly had a large berry supply in my fridge and couldn't eat them fast enough. The solution? Bake an angel food cake! I last baked an angel food cake back in April while still in Philadelphia, so it was time to give it a whirl here in Northern Wisconsin. Our old stove is a bit temperamental (it heats to about 100 degrees over the temperature it's set to), but I think I've figured out it's quirks. (An oven thermometer is key!) I followed the recipe I used last time for the most part, but since I had the hard stuff on hand, I substituted in Amaretto liqueur for the almond extract. I also upped the portions of vanilla and Amaretto to bring out a little more flavor. The resulting cake was light, dare I say, moist, and overall delicious. Now, if only I could master getting it out of the pan without completely destroying the top of the cake! Guess I'll just have to bake another one.

Angel Food Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes eight servings

1 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 large egg whites, room temperature (or 2 1/4 cups of pre-packaged egg whites)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the blade attachment to the bowl of a food processor. Pour in the sugar. Process for two minutes, or until the sugar is super-fine. Pour the sugar into a bowl and set aside.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Pour the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at medium-high speed until the egg whites are frothy.
5. Add in the cream of tarter and beat until soft peaks form. This should take several minutes.
6. Once soft peaks form, gradually beat in the super-fine sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. This should take about three to five minutes.
7. Once stiff peaks form, beat in the vanilla extract and amaretto liqueur.
8. Carefully transfer the whipped egg white mixture into a large shallow bowl.
9. Sift in the flour mixture in several batches. Gently fold in the flour mixture between each addition.
10. Once the flour is incorporated, carefully spoon the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Use a knife to cut through the batter to remove any air bubbles. Use a spatula to even out the top of the batter.
11. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched.
12. Invert the pan on a wire rack and let cool for one hour.
13. After an hour, use a knife to cut around the edge and center cone of the cake pan. Gently shake the remove the cake. Use a knife to remove the bottom of the pan from the top of the cake.
14. To make a strawberry dessert, top with mashed fresh strawberries and a healthy dollop of freshly whipped cream (see recipe below). Serve immediately.

Amaretto Whipped Cream

makes about 4 healthy servings

1/2 cup organic heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

1. Chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

2. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled mixing bowl, and whip at high speed. When cream begins to thicken, add the sugar and amaretto.

3. Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

4. Use immediately.

What's For Dessert: Strawberries and Cream Puffs

I picked up a quart of organic strawberries at the market yesterday, and as I was trying to figure out what to do with them, the idea to bake up a batch of cream puffs crossed my mind. It seemed like a fancier option than making shortcakes (which I've done before, anyway), so . . . cream puffs it was! They were actually quite easy to make, though they seemed to de-puff slightly once I pulled them out of the oven. Regardless of their puff level, they were still quite tasty, and a great combination with some freshly whipped cream and of course, the fresh strawberries, which inspired it all.

Strawberries and Cream Puffs (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 cream puffs

1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lavender vanilla bean sugar [optional]
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 quart organic strawberries, hulled, quartered, and mashed
2 cups whipped cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a Silpat on a baking sheet and set aside. (Alternately, lightly grease the baking sheet with cooking spray.)
2. Add the water, butter, salt, and lavender vanilla bean sugar [optional] to a medium sauce pot.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to combine the ingredients.
4. Once the mixture begins to boil, add in the flour and stir vigorously. Continue stirring until the dough forms into a ball.
5. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the eggs one a time, stirring with a wooden spoon in between additions to fully integrate each egg into the dough.
7. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto the prepped baking sheet.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown and dry to the touch.
9. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
10. To make the strawberry cream puffs, prepare a batch of whipped cream.
11. Cut the tops off of the cream puffs, and remove the dough from the center of the puff.
12. Fill the puffs with a small scoop of fresh mashed strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream, and another small scoop of mashed strawberries. Replace the top of the puff. Sift powdered sugar over the top if desired and serve.

What's For Dinner: Grass-Fed Sirloin Steak Salad

The other night when we were at Brick, one of the evening's specials was a salad with strawberries, goat cheese, and almonds. I opted to order something else, but the salad stayed on my mind. Tonight I put D in charge of cooking up a grass-fed sirloin steak, while I set to making a salad. Like its inspiration, the salad included spring mix greens, sliced almonds, goat cheese, and quartered strawberries. The salad was topped with thinly-sliced steak and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Was the salad as tasty as I imagined it would be? Absolutely.

What's For Dessert: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

I decided to make a fun (and ridiculously easy) treat for Valentine's Day. Really, it's a bit of a no-brainer -- melt some chocolate, dip strawberries in it, then chill until set. Simple, but elegant.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries (printer-friendly version)

makes 8 servings

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted (I used 365 Everyday Value chips, Whole Foods' house brand)

8 organic strawberries, rinsed and dried

1. Line a flat plate with wax paper.

2. Fill a small sauce pot with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil.

3. Place a heat-resistant bowl on top of the sauce pot The bottom of the bowl should not hit the water.

4. Place the chocolate chips into the bowl.

5. Stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth.

6. Grab a strawberry by its leaves and dip it into the melted chocolate. Twist to cover completely. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Place on the wax paper-covered plate.

7. Repeat step five until all strawberries have been covered in chocolate.

8. Place the strawberries in the fridge and let cool until chocolate sets.

9. Share with your valentine, or eat 'em yourself. (Note: allowing the chocolate-covered strawberries to chill longer than an hour can cause condensation to form on the chocolate.)