Cream Tea Scones with Lemon Icing

Around here, snowy winter Sunday mornings are for baking. On these lazy days, it's inevitable that you'll find me whipping up one of a dozen recipes I make over and over again because they are so fast and easy to execute. I am a creature of habit, particularly where baking is concerned, and this is because I've just never felt I had the innate "touch" of a great baker, so familiarity comforts me. With that said, I sure do love tinkering with already excellent recipes to adapt them seasonally and more importantly, to my many cravings. 

King Arthur Baking's Perfect "Cream Tea Scones" 

Would anyone argue that a batch of scones, warm out of the oven, sliced open with a more than generous swipe of salted butter smeared inside, are one of life's great pleasures? The whole family loves them and because they require only one bowl to prep and ingredients you've already got in your pantry, they're an absolute no brainer. King Arthur Baking's Cream Tea Scones is a stellar recipe in the scone genre (there are also butter based scones as well). I've probably made these at least twice a year for 5 years now. They're simple, satisfying, special, and importantly, never dry. 

This morning, for whatever reason, something got into me and my persistent lemon cravings took over, causing me to want to put a little spin on our regular scones. With my favorite lemon brownies in mind, I went ahead and road-tested an ad libbed lemon iced version with half of the dough. The result I had hoped for, a sweet, tangy, slightly salty lemon icing on the same tender scones, only this time inflected with lemon zest, was as I'd hoped, and it definitely scratched my itch for a citrus. For the final flourish, I did not even consider leaving out the salted butter I usually spread inside upon serving - and in doing so, the perfect sweet, salty, zingy breakfast bite was born. Don't hesitate to try King Arthur Baking's fantastic original version, but I've jotted down my new Lemon Iced rendition below. I hope you enjoy it if you try.

Cream Tea Scones with Lemon Icing

Adapted from King Arthur Baking

Serves 12

Ingredients:

3 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

Zest of 1 Lemon

~

1 teaspoon real Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 1/3 to 1 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, plus more for brushing on Scones

For the Lemon Icing:

1/2 to 3/4 Cup Confectioner's Sugar 

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon Heavy Cream + more as needed

1 drop Yellow Food Color (optional)

Pinch of Salt (plus additional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425

Line a baking pan with parchment

Mix Dry Ingredients in a bowl with the Lemon Zest, whisking together until well incorporated.

Measure Heavy Cream into a measuring cup and add the rest of the wet ingredients to that cup. Stir.

Flour a clean surface. 

Slowly pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, mixing with a large fork until a cohesive dough forms.

The dough should be drier, not sticky or wet, but you can add a little extra cream as needed to help it come together. 

Cut the dough into halves and place them onto the floured surface. Pat them into round discs, about 3/4 inch high and 5 or more inches wide. 

Brush both discs with additional Heavy Cream and cut them into six even wedges a piece. Move the wedges onto the baking pan and parchment with ample space in between them.

Place the whole baking pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. 

Once fully chilled, place in the oven to bake 14 - 15 minutes until the edges are becoming a dark golden but not burnt color. 

Pull out the scones. As they cool a bit on a new surface, mix up the Lemon Icing ingredients in a small bowl. If you need a little extra liquid add a few more drops of Heavy Cream. Stir or whisk until very smooth. 

Once the scones have cooled for about 5 minutes, dip their tops in the icing. Optionally sprinkle with another pinch of salt and enjoy! 

Lemon glazed and ready to be plated 

New Family Classic - Salted Maple Blondies

Today, I am very excited to record another irresistible dessert that will undoubtedly make our family rotation. Conceived in a moment of desperation wherein I was craving something chewy, buttery, sweet and salty (what's new?), these Salty Maple Blondies were thrown together with the ingredients we had on hand in a pinch, and with the help of one of my favorite baking resources. More on that below. While Brownies are usually where it's at for me, I have been known to love a good Blondie, and the recipe I will share here is special for a variety of reasons. 

Salted Maple Blondies

Much like our house recipe Brownies, I don't prefer the cake-y variety, so I was thrilled when these came out extra chewy, sweet, and, as I had purposely intended, a little salty. They're also fully customizable (great with nuts or without, perfect with milk or dark chocolate), and they even give off some pretty strong cookie dough vibes, if you're into that kind of thing. Before we start, I have to give a shout to a wonderful resource that I turn to often, the Ovenly Cookbook. It's one of my go to dessert cookbooks and the Blondie Recipe you see today was adapted from their recipe, Ooey Gooey Honey Blondies, which I am sure are also fantastic.  

We used Maple Syrup instead of honey and upped the salt content by using salted butter. We keep ours in the fridge so they are always chewy but firm. They also cut cleanly and beautifully when chilled, which is a trick I use on my brownies too. All in all, if you make this one bowl recipe, you're in for salty, sweet and buttery bliss. I prefer them cut in small squares or skinny bars as they are quite rich. Their salted maple character gives me the urge to serve them as a sweet after a country-style brunch with lots of bacon, but that is a story for another day. In short, you should try 'em! 

Salted Maple Blondies

Adapted from the Ovenly Cookbook's Honey Blondies

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Softened Salted Butter (for preparing the pan)

1 Stick + 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter

1 Cup packed Dark Brown Sugar (or, preferably, a 50/50 mix of Light Brown and Dark Brown)

1/4 Cup Vermont or other Pure Maple Syrup

1 Egg at room temperature

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract or, my favorite, Vanilla Bean Paste

1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Milk or Semisweet Dark Chocolate (bars cut into chunks or chips)

1/3 Chopped Raw Pecans or Walnuts (Optional)

Method:

Preheat your over to 350 and line a 8x8 Baking Pan with foil and then grease with salted butter.

In a small pan, melt the butter over a low flame until melted. Allow it to cool. In a big bowl, use a whisk to blend the melted butter, brown sugar(s), maple syrup, egg, salt, and vanilla extract until well blended and without lumps. Now add the flour and mix until incorporated, chocolate chunks, and blend again until they are well distributed, using a spatula.

Spread  the batter into a pan and smooth it out all the way to edges. Sprinkle nuts on top if you so choose. 

Bake for 28-30 minutes until the center has firmed up and the edges are golden brown. Cool and place in the fridge for 2 hours (don't skip this step). Even more preferably you can put it right into the freezer for a half hour before cutting. This will speed the process up and ensure they are the best possible texture.  

Use the foil to lift out of the pan and onto a cutting surface. Cut into bars or 2x2 inch squares. Store in the fridge and serve chilled as you enjoy. 

The Cake of Summer - Ricotta Berry Cake

Our family's official cake of Summer 2020 is all you might expect craving during this most tumultuous time in many of our lives - simple, comforting and, somehow, familiar. Because the pandemic has made shopping more challenging, you'll be happy to discover how customizable this fruit-driven Ricotta Cake is. No matter how I tinker with it, it comes out absolutely beautiful and delicious with whatever berries or stone fruits (such as peaches, nectarines, plums) are available and seasonal. 

Raspberry Ricotta Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream, Photo: NK

Needless to say, I have had some extra time on our hands lately, so I've been able to make this cake a few times now, tweaking the original recipe from Bon Appetit slightly and adding two different flavored Whipped Cream toppings that, at least for me, are a welcome vehicle both for complementary flavors and additional creaminess. The cake is perfectly fine on its own, but I've been known to be a little extra in the kitchen - but only in ways that don't add much labor, of course! One key ingredient sets my cake apart from the original: Vanilla Bean Paste. I use this in nearly everything I bake in place of Real Vanilla Extract (I prefer either Rodelle or Nielsen-Massey brand). The paste has actual Vanilla Bean specs in it and is really packed with flavor and just a bit of additional sweetness. It's a great investment if you bake a lot, but certainly not necessary to have. I feel the same about Vanilla Beans (which I used in one of the Whipped Cream variations below). They are a great thing to have in your pantry and take so many recipes over the top with barely any effort. 

I hope you enjoy giving this easy Ricotta Berry Cake a spin. At 10-15 minutes to prepare, you're sure to be making it all summer. Here's to less crazy times ahead, but until then, stay healthy and safe! xxxooo -Neurotic Kitchen. 

Raspberry Ricotta Cake, Photo: NK

Raspberry Ricotta Cake (+ Peach Strawberry Variation & Whipped Cream Toppings)Ingredients:
Parchment Paper
Round 9 inch cake pan
Nonstick Vegetable Oil Spray (I have also used Olive Oil applied with paper towel and it works just fine)
1 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder 
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt 
3 large Eggs 
1 1/2 cups full fat Ricotta Cheese (I use Galbani brand most often)

1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream (optional, but will make for a moister cake- I recommend doing this if especially if you feel the Ricotta is on the drier side)1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste (or Real Vanilla Extract)
1/2 cup Salted Butter, melted (1 stick)
1.5  cups Fresh Raspberries  (*for Peach + Strawberry Variation add 1 3/4 -2 Cups chopped Strawberries and Peaches plus some for the topping once cake has been poured in the pan)

*See optional Whipped Cream Accompaniments below

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and take your 9 inch round cake pan and line it with Parchment Paper, leaving some overhang. Grease the Parchment with Nonstick Spray or a little oil. 

In a large bowl, whisk the Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, and Salt. 

Now, whisk the Eggs, Ricotta, Heavy Cream (if using) and Vanilla Bean Paste or extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold this mixture into dry ingredients just until blended. Now fold in melted Butter, followed by * 1 1/4 Cup Raspberries, taking care not to crush berries. Scrape the batter into prepared pan and scatter remaining 1/4 Cup Raspberries over top. (*or 1 3/4- 2 cups fruit for the Strawberry Peach Variation)

Bake cake until it is golden brown in color and and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 minutes in most ovens. Let cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding. Serve with a dollop of the optional Whipped Cream Toppings below!! 

NOTE: The Cake itself can also be made two days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature. The Whipped Cream can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge several days. 

Strawberry Peach Variation with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Photo: NK

Lemon Whipped Cream (Recommended for Raspberry Cake)

(From Bon Appetit Magazine)1 cup heavy whipping cream 
2 tablespoons sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice

*Beat all ingredients in a bowl until stiff peaks form

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream (Recommended for Strawberry or Peach Strawberry Cake)
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Real Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
1 Vanilla Bean, scraped out, bean set aside for another use (optional) 

*Beat all ingredients in a bowl until stiff peaks form

Strawberry Peach Variation, Photo: NK 

How To: Classic Italian American Cheese & Salumi Platter

Want to kick off a fabulous party? There's no better way to get the conversation going than by bringing your hungry guests together around a smashing cheese (and sometimes meat) platter. As the conventional wisdom goes, such a plate need not be complicated to create and there's no need to include more than just a few high quality components for it to be successful. While these are both absolutely TRUE statements, there is still something to be said for the buzz and mouthwatering visual you can create with a decadently abundant Cheese & Salumi plate that overflows with flavors, colors, and textures.

Classic Italian American Cheese & Salumi Board

Italian Americans, having forged what I will lovingly call a new branch of their ancestral brand built around culinary extravagance ("abbondanza,"as they would say), are the force behind what many of us think of when we picture an over the top cheese and meat board. With this in mind, I glossed over years of other delightful themed cheese plates I've created (from French, to Spanish, to those inspired by the American South), and tapped into my Brooklyn Italian roots to bring you this classic Italian (American) Cheese & Salumi Platter. The how to continues below. Do check out some of our other themed platters here: French Cheese and Charcuterie Plate / Southern Cheese Plate with the works! / Thanksgiving Cheese Board.

It's never too early to get ready for the next party or holiday. 
**For more great tips on how create a winning Antipasti for a crowd, CLICK HERE. **

Classic Italian American Cheese & Salumi Platter
Serves 8 Adults

Ingredients:
3-4 Italian Cheeses (Clockwise from top of photo: sliced Ubriaco or similar (drunken goat cheese with purple rind), cubed Provolone (bold, salty and tangy- choose Provolone Dolce for a milder flavor), Marinated Mozzarella Balls (recipe follows - you'll need 10-12 small bite sized bocconcini balls), and Piave Vecchio (mild, snackable Italian Cheeese, a kid favorite too)

1 hard Italian Salami, sliced thin (we like many varieties from Olli Salumeria brand)

3/4 Lb to 1Lb Imported Prosciutto di Parma or San Daniele (choose the best you can afford), there are also many good domestic Prosciuttos as well

Mixed Olives (suggested: Castelvetrano variety in green, Kalamata/Nicoise  or Oil Cured in black) 

Radicchio Leaves (pictured with Provolone cubes nestled in them)

Fresh Oregano Sprigs (pictured as garnish and used in Marinated Artichokes) 

Italian Parsley (pictured as garnish and used with Mozzarella balls)

Halved Breadsticks
Carr's Water Crackers
Good Italian or French Bread, sliced thinly

Orange Fig Preserve - we like Dalmatia Brand 
Satsuma Mandarin Orange (ideally with stem and leaf) 
Olive Oil About a 1/2 to 3/4 Cup
1-2 Lemons 
1/2 head Garlic 
Salt
Pepper 

10-12 Small Balls of Mozzarella (Bocconcini)
1 Jar Roasted Red Peppers
1 14 Ounce Can Artichoke Hearts -Marinated Artichoke recipe follows (or buy ready marinated) 

To Prepare & Serve:

Make the Marinated Artichokes (method follows) 8 hours ahead of the night before.
Use your imagination on this one but basically you add 1/3 cup of Olive Oil to a small pan. Warm over medium-low heat and add 3-4 crushed Garlic Cloves, cooking until they become slightly golden. Add about a half a lemon, sliced, then a few sprigs of herbs such as Oregano or Fresh Marjoram. Turn off the heat and squeeze the rest of the Lemon's juice into the Olive Oil. Season with Salt and Pepper (and Crushed Red Pepper if you like).  Pour oil and all its contents over artichokes in a non-reactive container (glass) and let marinate 8 hours or overnight, tossing a few times along the way. Remove the Lemons and Herb Sprigs before serving.

Slice the jarred Red Peppers into bit sized pieces. Toss them with one to two cloves of thinly sliced Garlic. 

Toss the Mozzarella balls with some Olive Oil and a few pinches finely chopped Italian Parsley. Season with a little Salt and Pepper.

Cube and slice the various Cheeses as described above. I nestled the Provolone cubes in bright red Radicchio leaves (use 1 or 2 to form a cup)

Arrange all the other components as pictured. I like to use an oval or round wood board and a series of small bowls to hold the composed items (Mozzarella, Peppers, Artichokes). Enjoy!! 

Holiday House Recipe - Our Favorite Pignoli Cookie

After many years of baking, testing, and refinement (AKA: eating them non stop each Christmas), I’m ready to share our family's favorite Pignoli Cookie recipe. These are, to my mind, the best holiday cookie of all time. They are good year round and versatile enough to serve from breakfast (they are the ultimate coffee cookie) straight through to dessert. 

As if that weren't enough,  they are naturally Gluten Free and Dairy Free. Pignoli are truly cookies for us all. With so many great things going for them, the fact that they can also be prepped in minutes have solidified their top spot in my holiday (and every day) cookie pantheon. Before we go on to reveal the house recipe, I must give my thanks to genius chef, Lidia Bastianich, for the original recipe. I've made hers many times over the years, and while it is delicious, I have found that we prefer ours much less sweet. 

We use only half the sugar of the original, but the ratio is very flexible and can adjust to your personal taste. If you want them sweeter, you can add a little more sugar, but I’d suggest stopping at 3/4 cup. Also, our cookies have evolved to include a dusting of confectioner's sugar once finished. This extra layer of sugar is the perfect counterbalance to the lightly sweet and almond-y chewiness of the cookie interior, complemented by the firmly textured, savory and toasty pine nut flavor. These cookies also make the perfect host/hostess gift. The batches you give don't have to be huge (a dozen is quite nice in fact) because they happen to be so satisfying that you really only need one or two (but don’t feel bad if you can’t stop). Pignoli Cookies also last a few weeks frozen in an airtight container.They freeze well too! Recipe follows below.

Our Favorite Pignoli Cookies
Makes 25-30 

Ingredients: 
14 ounces of Almond Paste - I prefer to use one tube of Odense Brand plus One Box of Solo Brand (you’ll need to remove one ounce as solo comes in 8 Oz boxes). 
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 large Egg Whites 
Finely grated zest of one big Orange 
1.5 cups whole Pine Nuts
A few Tablespoons of Confectioner’s Sugar for dusting 

Equipment:
2 to 3 medium to large Baking Sheets lined with Parchment Paper

Method: 
Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle. Crumble almond paste into the work bowl of your food processor fitted with a whisk and process until you get fine crumbs. Add sugar gradually as you continue to process. Once you’ve added all the sugar, add the egg whites and orange zest. Spread the pine nuts on a plate. Form the dough into 1 inch sized balls (about 2 Tablespoons) by rolling them with your palms. Having your hands just slightly damp is helpful in doing this. Then roll the balls in the pine nuts and place them on the baking sheets with a little space in between. (Photos below). 

Bake until the pine nuts become slightly golden but not burnt (I watch them very carefully at the end) about 14-15 minutes.  The cookie will appear very, very soft but will firm once you let them cool on baking sheet and then transfer to a plate or rack. Once cooled, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar!

Ready for the oven

The final dusting

The Dessert You Didn't Know You Needed - Lemon Brownies

My love of lemon is well documented on this blog (take a look here, here, and here) so it was only natural that in my quest for the perfect dessert fix, I stumbled on yet another lemon sweet to add to my repertoire. If you're like most people, you might find the idea of a Lemon Brownie quite out of the box. Nevertheless, these didn't seem all that odd to me, because years ago I had discovered and enjoyed a similar recipe - Paula Deen's unexpectedly delicious recipe for orange brownies. And by discovered I mean I shamelessly ate far more than my fair share when a coworker brought them to the office. While my opinion of Paula has seen better days, her brownies (they are tangy, chewy, and orangey-just like a brownie but without the chocolate), made me a believer. 

Lemon Brownies, Photo: Neurotic Kitchen 

So what makes today's recipe more Lemon Brownie than the ubiquitous lemon bar? It's all about the texture - these will not be cake-like. What emerges from your oven will be chewy and fudgey, which is, in fact, just the way I like my chocolate brownies. The result is a bitesized confection that is tart but sweet, and overall, a hugely satisfying little sunny bite. For me, the lemon brownie is the epitome of an easy and elegant handheld dessert. Rest assured, the kids will like them too! 

We'll get to the recipe soon, but first, some tips:

Bring butter fully to room temperature.
Do not overmix batter.
Do not overbake batter. It's done when you see just the slightest golden color at the very corners of the pan. Not more than 25 minutes in most ovens - you'll want to keep an eye on it. 

Lemon Brownies
Recipe very lightly adapted from Wicked Good Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine Sea Salt 
2/3 Cup Salted Butter (equal to 11 Tablespoons) + a bit extra for greasing the pan
2 Large Eggs + 1 Large Egg White
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest 
2 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

Glaze Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Sifted Confectioner's Sugar
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2.5 teaspoons Lemon Zest
+ one drop of yellow food color (completely optional)
+ flakey Sea Salt (also optional)

Equipment:
Parchment Paper
Glass or metal pan (9x9)

Method:
Place rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. 
Grease the baking pan with butter and place parchment into the pan, leaving an overhang so you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan once they've cooled. 

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a whisk in a large bowl and mixing by hand), stir together flour, sugar, and salt until well incorporated. Add butter and mix until well combined. Do NOT beat at high speed or over mix. In a small bowl whisk the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice together. Scrape edges of the bowl and pour the contents into the flour batter bowl, stirring with a whisk (or electric mixer) until the batter well blended and smooth. Once again, do not over-beat (note: this is precisely why I like to make this recipe by hand, just be sure ingredients are well-incorporated). 

With a rubber spatula, scrape batter into the baking pan and smooth the top. Place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Do not overbake. You will see slightly golden edges beginning to appear. The middle will be semi-firm but not hard. 

Let the brownies fully cool and then gently lift them out of the pan by the parchment overhand, supporting the bottom as well. 

Make the glaze by combining the confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest and whisk vigorously until smooth and glossy. You have two options with the glaze - you can either pour it onto the uncut brownies and cut them once it has hardened, or you can cut the brownies into small bitesized bars and separate them on a plate. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze onto each until almost totally covered. This is my preference. In either scenario you can optionally sprinkle the tiniest bit of flakey sea salt on to of the icing as it hardens. If your lemon zest is not bright yellow, you can add a drop of yellow food color to the glaze before adding it.

These brownies can be stored up to five days in fridge if you place them in an airtight container. They also freeze nicely! 

Mardi Gras in Minutes - Cajun Shrimp & Grits with Chard

Sorry it's taken so long for me to do a new post. Life's gotten extra busy -- I'm sure you can relate. Though I'm committed to adding more content here on my very first love, Neurotic Kitchen, you can always find frequent updates on our everyday meals and exploits over on instagram. Today's dish, an easy Mardi Gras meal that comes together in just 20 minutes (if you get pre-cleaned shrimp), originated over on instagram! I so enjoyed making and eating it, I knew it had to be recorded here for my archives. 

Check out the details below and I promise it won't be so long until I post again! 

Cajun Shrimp & Grits with Chard, Photo: NK

Cajun Shrimp & Grits with Chard
Serves 3-4
Timing: can be made in 20 minutes with pre-cleaned shrimp

Ingredients:
1 Cup Quick Grits
1 Lb medium sized wild Shrimp, peeled, pre-cleaned, tails on or off 
Cajun Spice Blend (double recipe below)
1 Bunch Rainbow or Red Swiss Chard
2 Pats Butter
Canola or Grapeseed Oil for cooking Shrimp
Cheddar Cheese, for grating, optional
Hot Sauce of your choice

Method:
Mix Cajun Spice Blend (do ahead if possible). Recipe follows below. 
Wash and dry Chard, cut the leaves into 2 inch ribbons and the stems into half-inch lengths (do ahead if possible)
Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Season on both sides with Cajun Spice Blend.

Start your Quick Grits according to the package instructions (boil water and add the grits) and while you are doing so, add 2 tablespoons of oil in a separate skillet and cook your shrimp, a few minutes per side, until fully pink and golden from the spices - the inside should be opaque but not dry. When shrimp are done set aside. In the same skillet, add a few tablespoons of water and toss in the chard over medium high heat. Let it wilt in the pan, stirring a few times (3-4 minutes). Add some butter to the Grits and loosen with water if needed.

To serve, spoon some Grits into each bowl, add grated cheddar if you like. Top with shrimp and chard, plus hot sauce of your liking. Enjoy!   


Cajun Spice Blend
Yield: Enough for 8 servings of shrimp

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
Optional crushed red pepper (will be quite hot with it)  

Method: 
Mix! Can be made ahead. 

Italian Grill - Spicy Shrimp Skewers

Today I'd like you to check out one of my favorite recipes this summer -- Spicy Calabrian Shrimp Skewers. You may already know I'm a sucker for Calabrian chili, so when I find it in a jar anywhere I always stock up in order to have it on hand. I make Giada De Laurentiis' incredibly easy dish with large shrimp (about 16-20 count per pound). The recipe consists of a simple marinade which you let sit on the shrimp a few hours (4 is perfect). I then portion out the shrimp (4 per person alongside another protein is a good amount), and skewer them through the tail and opposite end of the shrimp. Using two skewers is a little trick I learned to prevent them from spinning on the stake, making them easier to flip. 

Remember to soak the wooden skewers for at least an hour beforehand to prevent them from burning. Grill these just a few minutes per side until they are opaque and cooked through. Serve the shrimp kebabs alongside any other fish (or meat for surf and turf) atop lightly dressed greens or herbs -- so easy!

Spicy Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Calamari on the side, Photo: NK

***To check out the Spicy Calabrian Shrimp recipe, click HERE.  

Marinated Chicken on the Grill with Zesty Drizzling Oil

I always say I am not the world's biggest chicken fan but my family remains unconvinced. They say that for someone who claims not to like it, I sure make it a lot (a bit of an overstatement, if you ask me). The truth is, it's not that I really dislike chicken, it's that so much chicken out there is underwhelming, mediocre, and sometimes, awful. While I generally see chicken as a vehicle for other flavors, I will grant that when it's perfectly cooked perfectly, it doesn't need all that much enhancement. My rules for chicken are simple - bone in and skin on. With those two starting points, you're already ahead of the game. 

Marinated Chicken on the Grill with Zesty Drizzling Oil, Photo: NK 

The zesty marinade and drizzling oil that I will share with you today is perfect for chicken on the bone. The basic marinade paired with a bright and tangy dressing for serving come together to make a chicken dish that manages to be super juicy and flavorful, without taking away from understated greatness of well-cooked chicken. I like to use a mix of drums and thighs but you can select any combination of chicken pieces, including breast. 

After the marinade is prepared, I throw the chicken in a large gallon Ziploc and pour it in so it can sit in the fridge 4 hours or so. Jiggle the bag here and there to distribute the flavor. You can now make the drizzling oil ahead. Once grilled (or cooked), plate the chicken and drizzle it over each piece, reserving some for any guests that would like a little extra.

Zesty Grilled Chicken Marinade

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Olive Oil 

Small Sweet Pepper

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt 

1 small Hot Red Chile (or Jalapeno), roughly chopped 

1 large Lemon, (zested and zest set aside) cut in half, another large Lemon, cut in half for grilling 

1 tablespoon White Wine or White Vinegar

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (squeezed from one of the Lemon Halves)

Handful of chopped Parsley 

Method: 

Combine all ingredients and pour over chicken in a plastic bag or sealed container. Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours, turning occasionally. Bring to room temperature, scrape away the marinade from the chicken pieces and grill. Grill the second lemon cut sides down on the grill alongside the chicken (towards the end of the cook time) for a pretty, utilitarian garnish. To serve, plate the chicken and drizzle with the infused oil over it (recipe follows below). Scatter torn parsley around the platter and finish with the lemon halves. 

Infused Drizzling Oil

Enough for 4 Servings 

Ingredients: 

1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Tablespoons finely minced mini Sweet Peppers (two or more colors if possible) 

Finely minced Hot Chile to taste (1/2 teaspoon is a good start) 

3 Garlic Cloves, 2 whole and crushed, 1 clove minced finely and set aside

2 teaspoons Lemon Zest 

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon White Wine or White Vinegar

Handful Curly Parsley, torn 

Salt to taste

Method:
Warm the Olive Oil over a low flame with 2 whole cloves crushed garlic until the garlic starts to become slightly golden and fragrant, but not burnt. Remove the whole cloves and discard. Add the hot chile, sweet peppers, lemon zest and 1 clove minced fresh garlic. Warm for another minute or two and turn off the flam. Add the lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Cool the drizzling oil and then and add salt to taste. Reserve until chicken is cooked and drizzle over each piece.  Enjoy! 

Instant Classic - Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

Alison Roman's recipe for Shortbread Chocolate Chunk Cookies went indisputably viral after a feature in the New York Times excerpted her controversial musings on America's favorite cookie:

“I’ve always found chocolate chip cookies to be deeply flawed (to know this about me explains a lot),” she writes. “Too sweet, too soft, or with too much chocolate, there’s a lot of room for improvement, if you ask me. But no one asked me, and rather than do a complete overhaul on the most iconic cookie known to man, I took all my favorite parts and invented something else entirely." 

Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies, Photo: NK

Featured in her absolutely indispensable cookbook, "Dining In," this recipe has everything I look for in a go-to dessert. This is probably why myself and practically every food blogger in the country tried them all at once. These cookies are really easy to make and almost impossible to mess up. They include very few ingredients, none of which are exotic. Since attempting them for the first time two months ago, I've made them four times since! I love that there is no tricky rolling or cutting of notoriously fickle shortbread dough. The other thing I love about shortbread? No egg. I am somehow always out of egg when I get the urge to bake.  

Roman's original recipe is proportioned to yield a generous quantity of rich, crumbly and buttery cookies, and the dough rolls store well in the freezer or fridge until you are ready to bake -- this means fresh cookies any time. I don't recommend halving the recipe, but you may want to make them in two rounds, even a day or so apart. Freshly sliced and baked. What could be better? Because really, they are delicious, oh, are they delicious. 

These cookies are also elegant. I was trying to explain this to my husband today, badly perhaps, as he remained unconvinced; there's something about them that is more adult than your average chocolate chip - probably the shortbread component that sets them apart. I feel as if they could stand up to a wine pairing, or look elegant served alongside fancy hors d'oeuvres. Their sparkly, sugared edges lend a sophistication to these chocolate chips that transcends the ubiquity of their genre.

One tip - once I slice and salt these, I try and put them back into the fridge for ten or so minutes to re-chill. The one time I did not they came out flatter (but still delicious). 

So there you have it, Alison Roman's masterpiece. I changed nothing in the recipe except I did use large granule sugar in the raw rather than Demerara, because it's what I had on hand. Enjoy and my hat's off to the creator of this positively essential recipe, one I know will be in my rotation for life - follow the link HERE or HERE to view it.

Easy & Elegant - Milk Poached Chicken With Rosemary Garlic Oil

I don't make Chicken too often but when I do, I reliably revert to a few can't miss recipes. When it's not decadent Roasted Chicken with Orange Tarragon Butter or Ina Garten's Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic, Mimi Thorisson's Milky Chicken is a fantastic choice, in fact, I can still remember the day I first read her beautiful blog. 

Milk Poached Chicken, Photo: NK 

I've probably made this recipe at least four times and it has never disappointed, but last night's dinner was especially flavorful. I was able to achieve a beautifully browned and crispy skin thanks to a quick infused oil I created. I basted the skin with it in the last fifteen minutes of cooking. I've included steps on how you do it below. For the Milk Poached Chicken Recipe and notes on our first time making it, click HERE. You won't be sorry. 

Rosemary and Garlic Infused Olive Oil

Bastes 1 Chicken

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil  

2 Large Cloves of Garlic, lightly crushed

4 Sprigs Rosemary (or similar herb of your choice)

2 Tablespoons Butter (optional but recommended) 

Salt and Pepper 

Method:

Warm Olive Oil over medium heat. Add Garlic and Rosemary. Cook until Garlic begins to get some color then lower the flame all the way. Allow to cook another 5-7 minutes (make sure Garlic doesn't burn). Turn off the flame and stir in 2 Tablespoons Butter. Add a sprinkle of Salt and some Pepper. You can use the oil for all different applications but it is especially good poured over a Roast Chicken in the last 15 minutes of cooking to achieve an extra crispy and flavorful skin. Enjoy! 

Baking Inspiration - Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Creams

Though I greatly prefer cooking to baking, I've been on a bit of a baking tear lately. Specifically, I've seriously been enjoying making (and eating!) shortbread. I can't believe that I just never knew it was so easy! Butter, sugar, flour, and there you have it. Practically instant. One bowl. No egg. You don't have to feel guilty about eating the dough! Though you'll spend a bit of time chilling the dough and cutting it out, shortbread is kind of idiot-proof, which is how I like my baking. Once I got the basic method down, I decided to experiment - a lot. 

Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies filled with tangy Lemon Buttercream, Photo: NK

Meanwhile, it happens to be Girl Scout cookie season and around the time I placed my order with my usual supplier, a good friend of mine mentioned she was on the hunt for Lemonades. I'd never heard of them because apparently they aren't sold in our geographic area, but when she described them - shortbread with tangy lemon icing - they sounded pretty darn good to me. Lemon, after all, is one of my all time favorite flavors, and eating buttercream, well, it's probably one of my main guilty pleasures in the dessert realm. 

My next project was clear. 

After a couple of tasty tries creating plain lemon shortbread cookies, I went one step further and created a lemony buttercream to go with them. While both the cookie and and the buttercream are easy to make, I will warn you that sandwich cookies are fairly labor intensive from a quantity perspective because you need to make 40 cookies to get just 20 sandwiches. And trust me, you'll eat them fast! Nevertheless, these were delicious, and to maximize the yield, I actually ended up icing some of them open-faced so that I could get more cookies out of the batch. Once that was done, I stored them in the freezer with parchment between the layers. If you do so, be sure to detach the cookies before they unfreeze so the buttercream stays intact. I can't wait to share these with my friend and I hope you enjoy them too!! 

Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Yield - About 40 cookies or 20 Sandwich Cookies 

Ingredients:
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter room temperature
1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar
4 teaspoons packed finally grated Lemon Peel
1 teaspoon Lemon Extract 
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice 
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Coconut Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar (optional) 
Generous pinch Kosher Salt
1Tablespoon Sparkling Sugar or other large grain granulated (or regular white sugar is fine)


Lemon Buttercream (Recipe Below)

Equipment: Small Round Cookie Cutter (Oreo sized), Rolling Pin, Saran Wrap and Parchment Paper

Cook's Note: If you use this dough recipe for larger cookies you'll likely have to bake them more like 15-16 minutes

Method:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a mixer beat the Butter and Confectioners Sugar until smooth and a little fluffy. Beat in Lemon Peel and Lemon Extract. Add Flour and Salt and mix until just blended. Beat in the optional Coconut Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar (this gives a pretty speckle to the cookies which creates some visual interest). 

Move dough to large piece of saran wrap and form into a disk. Place another piece of saran wrap over the disk and roll it out to about a quarter inch thickness. Slide dough sheet with saran wrap still on it onto a baking sheet and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30-40 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 and remove the dough from the fridge. Remove the top layer of saran and cut out circles with a cookie cutter making them as close together as possible. Lift the bottom layer of saran and cut out cookies off the baking sheet. Carefully peel each circle off and transfer back onto the parchment covered baking sheet - they won't spread much but you should leave an inch of space in between if possible.  Sprinkle with Sparkling Sugar and return baking sheet to fridge to chill 10 minutes.

Reserve the dough scraps and re-roll them, repeating the same process, to make as many other cookies as you can. 

Place in the middle rack of the oven and cook 11 minutes until the edges are turning just slightly golden and you can smell the shortbread. 

Allow to fully cool without disturbing. Cookies will be very delicate. 
Once cool you can ice the cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream (recipe is below). 
***Be sure the Buttercream is room temperature when you ice the cookies so it spreads on gently and you don't break the cookie. 

Once you've iced the bottom cookie add the top cookie and gently press together. Chill again in the fridge to fuse everything together. Serve at room temperature! 

Lemon Buttercream
Yield: Approximately 1.5 Cups, enough to ice 20 sandwich cookies with more to spare

Ingredients:
1 stick Salted Butter, softened
3 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract 
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest (a few pinches, optional)
3-4 Drops Yellow Food Coloring (optional) 


Method:

Blend the first two ingredients on medium speed until fluffy and fully incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend. 

You can store several days in the fridge but to ice the cupcakes you must allow the buttercream to come to room temperature.