Baked Apples

Oh it's the most wonderful time of the year!! I absolutely love the fall/winter, and cold weather puts me in the mood to bake. We had a crazy ice storm a couple weekends ago and we stayed in for 4 days straight just eating. It was glorious. Because of that small setback, my hubs and I had way too many carbs and fatty comfort food (mac n cheese!) and needed a reprieve from it all. Anyhow, I made these lovely baked apples earlier this week as a weeknight dessert, and it was SO FAST to put together. I started with perfectly sweet honeycrisp apples and cut one in half (1 apple =  2 servings). I cored out the 2 halves to create a little crater for the yummy filling. Now, you can use virtually anything that you want but I used walnuts, dried cranberries*, honey, and brown sugar. Stick 'em in the oven at 350 and bake for like 20 minutes (I took them out a little early so they were mostly soft but still had a bite). Next time I'd probably make them softer so it's easier to cut through with a spoon. No need to let them cool, just dig in! If you don't care about fat and calories, top it off with some fresh whipped cream or ice cream! These are so quick to make and can be made in large quantities at once for a show stopping dessert at your next dinner party. You can experiment with different apples and fillings, based on the season.

*I used dried cranberries in apple juice, which are different than your usual packaged cranberries that have been soaked in sugar syrup. The apple juice is MUCH better, believe me!

What's in it:
-honeycrisp apples, walnuts, dried cranberries, raw wildflower honey, light brown sugar

September Feast

September Feast y'all! Better late than never, right? The three ingredients picked were: flank steak, kale, and for dessert, something baked. With this, I went with a mid-rare skirt steak (couldn't get my hands on flank, but close enough!) seasoned with a simple salt, black pepper, and cumin rub, seared on a pan. I incorporated the kale into my version of a chimichurri sauce to enhance the flavor of otherwise blah kale. The end product was one of the best meals my husband and I have eaten (of course, aside from the amazing 3 course post 2nd wedding meal in the Maldives...ask me about it ;) ). I didn't make a side for this because a.) I made it on a very very busy night, and b.) I wanted to showcase my meat cooking skills, which I'm slowly perfecting! I just paired it with a soft pretzel roll.

What's in it: skirt steak, salt, pepper, cumin, cilantro, parsley, kale, coarse sea salt, lemon, EVOO

Dessert! This is really quite simple. Like really simple. Like no brain power involved. Even your engineer husband can make it! Steps: bake a sweet potato, cut lengthwise. take out the potato from the skin and mash together with brown sugar (and a drop of vanilla if you want it sweeter). stick it back in the oven for a few minutes. top with toasted almonds (*these almonds here aren't toasted because I didn't have time). enjoy!
What's in it: sweet potato, almonds, brown sugar, vanilla (if desired)

Brown Butter Cookies

Brown Butter mixture! yummm

Yes folks, I have finally updated over a month later. Things got quite crazy for me, so I didn't do much real cooking or baking. Anyways, yesterday I was feeling rather festive (and was avoiding school work at all costs). The slightly colder weather put me in the sit-indoors-make-cookies-watch-tv mood.
To make brown butter you need to heat butter in a saucepan on medium heat and continuously stir it. You'll notice some brownish black flakes starting to form in it as the butter continues to break down. Once the liquid is completely brown, remove it from the heat, and separate the supernatant (yes, I'm using a science term here...hyperlinked for your benefit). Then let it solidify again before using it. You can make it in large batches and keep it in the fridge for future baking needs. If I wasn't already on a high from leftover halloween candy, I would have eaten them all by myself. Don't judge me.

What's in it:
-flour, baking soda, brown sugar, granulated sugar, browned butter, salt, vanilla extract, baker's chocolate, milk, eggs
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Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

I think I'm only going to be baking things during Ramadan. The only 2 things I miss during the day are water and chocolate/something sweet. Anyways, when the days I actually get up for suhoor (the morning meal), I eat oatmeal. So ever since I first ate some, I've been craving oatmeal cookies. Now I'm eating them all by myself and I don't regret it. I can afford to eat a few cookies at night considering I don't eat during the day...right? Don't judge me. These are delicious. Now, I don't like to toot my own horn, but occasionally I will make something pretty darn good that I have to. Let me tell ya, these cookies...ARE PRETTY DARN GOOD. What I like in an oatmeal cookies is a delicate crisp exterior but an wonderfully soft and chewy interior. I added some fruit and nuts to it to make it seem healthier. When I'm not doing MCAT practice, you can find me watching some type of cooking show. My new favorite obsession is Ramsay's Best Restaurant. Earlier tonight I had milk and cookies while I watched Mister Ramsay. [It's refreshing to see him so nice and encouraging on television.]
Anyways, oatmeal cookies = SUCCESS.
Oh and best part is...they are SUPER easy to make and bake in literally 10 minutes. No joke. A minute more and they'll probably be overdone and harden. So you want to be very careful with timing when making these.

What's in it:
-flour, baking soda, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, rolled oats, cranberries, sliced almonds

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Soooo....I lied. I thought I wouldn't be making anything this month, but that didn't last long. These seemingly daunting delectables are actually quite delicate delights. A lot of sugar does go into making these, but it's 95% light brown sugar if that makes you feel any better. I made these while fasting, so I didn't get to taste anything. I do feel there needs to be more chocolate in the brownie, and I need to mix the cookie dough a tad bit more. I kinda made these haphazardly because I was delirious from lack of food. However, some people who had the honor to eat them thought they were delish! So yay! There is something about the brownie that makes you want more. The brownie part is very airy and much lighter than you'd expect. And the cookie dough part isn't overwhelmingly sweet. You can eat more because it's not heavy...but your hips will probably hate you later on.

[On another note, some of you have asked why I don't put up actual recipes on here. Well, to be honest, I don't usually follow recipes myself. I'll adapt from recipes I find, but I don't do precise measurements and I'm constantly modifying what I make. Also, for you foodies out there, I want this to be a portal for you so that you can take something from here and make it on your own. The best way to learn to cook is by experimenting and guessing. That's the only way you'll build the intuition you need in order to create something successful. ]

What's in it:
-Brownie: semi-sweet baking chocolate, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, butter
-Cookie dough: butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, flour, chocolate chips

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Nutella Crepes

 Crepes are wonderlous (wonderful + fabulous). They are delimptious (delicious + scrumptious). But most importantly, they are AWESOME. I finally decided to make crepes of my own, but of course it took me a while to experiment to get the right consistency. I, of course, had to make nutella crepes, because that's a staple. You can't have crepes without nutella. That's just...wrong. Anyways, I definitely had this one before making and eating the savoury crepe in the post above this. Who say's you can't have dessert before dinner?

The crepes should come off clean and easily when flipping them. Cooking spray is your friend.

                       They should be almost perfect circles.










What's in it:
-Crepe: flour, butter, salt, eggs, milk, water
-Filling: nutella, powdered sugar

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Lemon Bars

Again, I really shouldn't be posting 2 entries in one day. Brain no worky work right now. Anyhow, my intent was to make lemon squares...but they turned into bars. This wasn't entirely bad, and I accidentally came across a lighter alternative to full lemon squares. The recipe I normally have used for the past couple years yields 2 sheets of lemon squares, but I accidentally put it all in one, and realized there wasn't enough room to pour in the filling on top of the crust. Therefore, the crust to filling ratio was 2:1, which created a more crispy surface rather than the normal almost gelatinous texture of a full lemon square. The taste and flavors were still spot on, though. Success.

What's in it:
-crust: flour, butter, powdered sugar
-filling: eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, flour, lemon juice, lemon extract

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Caramelized Watermelon

     Caramel. Yum. Watermelon. Yum. Caremelized watermelon? That sounds weird. I know you're thinking that. Well, stop, and open your mind to the brilliance that is heat and sugars. I decided to go out on a real limb here and display a gourmet dessert that probably wouldn't cross your mind, but would definitely make Gordon Ramsay proud. It's summertime, so that means I've been indulging in one too many cooking shows on television (MasterChef, Food Network Star, and Hell's Kitchen, which is starting soon!). I see. Then I do. And voila! You get daily posts to read on this blog. (Let's hope I keep this up). I'm surprised I'm even doing any cooking and blogging, considering I have the MCAT looming over my head. But this is how I unwind and get my mind off microbiology, ochem, and physics (blech). However, the nerd in me then goes back and learns the science behind what I create. Despite how much I don't want to admit it, I love science. Anyhow, back to the important thing. Watermelon you say! Confounded! Believe it, folks. I first searched my leftover watermelon half for the perfect area to cut a small steak. Then I tested a piece in the pan. I seared all sides, making sure to lock in the water but create a layer of caramelized crust. Let me tell ya, seared watermelon doesn't smell good. So I went on to fix this stinky creation. I decided not to add extra sugar to the watermelon, as it's already abundant in natural sugars. However, I thought, what would make this smell better? Without much hesitation, I excitedly whispered, cinnamon! (Yes, living alone has forced me to begin whispering to myself...) I cut out another perfect steak of watermelon, and sprinkled on a conservative amount of beautiful, powdery cinnamon. I carefully placed it on the hot pan and seared that sucker to perfection. You could hear the slow sizzle and smell the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon...I was ecstatic! I had just owned several biology passages in my MCAT practice, so I was definitely on a high. A quick couple minutes later, the watermelon piece looked perfect--each side locked and loaded with caramel. The consistency of heated watermelon is similar to that of a poached pear--soft and full of warm flavor. It's such a light yet powerful dessert and entirely too easy to make. Also, I know you're thinking it looks like ahi tuna...I definitely thought the same. I believe my next caramelization feat will involve oranges.

What's in it:
-watermelon, cinnamon

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate are soulmates, lovers, best friends. Jelly was just an affair peanut butter had, but he came to his senses finally. These are inspired by Reeses cups, which are by far the most delicious things ever (after Twix of course). I love anything that is remotely related to Reeses: pieces, cereal, mini cups, big cups, and now, these bars. They are quite fun to make and easy too, except there's a process to it that cannot be cut short. The total time it took from start to clean up (including washing the dishes) was approx. 45 minutes. I kind of guesstimated with this recipe. Since there's no baking involved, everything can be eaten the way it is, which makes it easier to taste along the way. I used honey graham crackers instead of original for a little more flavor to the base. The peanut butter to chocolate ratio, in my opinion, is near perfect. I think I'll up the chocolate next time by using a darker, richer chocolate. I used 50% Lindt cacao on this one. This may seem pretty dark to many of you, but I added Nutella to it, so the hazelnut took away from the bitterness a bit, but may have toned it down too much. I used the Nutella not for flavor, but for texture purposes. It makes the final melted product much more creamy and smooth. Anyhow, the key is to melt the chocolate with Nutella in a double boiler and not in the microwave bootleg style. (science alert!: The microwave gives it too much direct heat, which causes the milk to separate from the chocolate, making it much less smoother.) Anyhow, use a double boiler and you'll be much happier in the end. And by double boiler I mean, don't go buy one, that's dumb...use the bowl over the pot method. Take a saucepan and fill it with about 1/2 an inch of water. Turn the heat to low and simmer the water. Put a steel bowl on top, making sure the bottom doesn't touch the water. Voila! Double boiler. Overall, I am happy with the way these turned out.

What's in it:
-honey graham crackers, peanut butter, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, chocolate, Nutella

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Mini Nutella Cupcakes

I'm a bad person, I know. I've fallen behind on making things and posting them. Well, that's not entirely true. I've been making stuff, but just not photographing it because it's been in a hurry. I made these lovely delights earlier this evening. I always try to make things during the day so I have optimal lighting for photographing the final product, but I got busy then finished these right as the sun was setting, hence the subtle yellows in the pictures. Anyhow, this idea came to me yesterday, and so I played around with it for a bit. I kind of made the recipe up and experimented to see how they'd turn out. Not bad. I'll probably add more cream cheese to make them a bit more moist. Otherwise, the balance of the hazelnut chocolate is perfect. My sister kept saying it needs more chocolate flavor, but that's not what I was going for. (She's also a sugar addict...). They are light in flavor and texture, and can be enjoyed by my dad as well (who thinks brownies are too sweet). The best thing is that it uses minimal ingredients...so anyone who has an arm or can borrow an arm to mix a couple things has the ability to make this. UT folks, you'll probably be seeing a lot of these in the future (because they're soooo easy to make, and cheap too).

What's in it:
-flour, Nutella, egg, cream cheese, powdered sugar

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Pumpkin Spice Cake

First, I don't know why I don't have a better picture of this cake. Seriously. I make it at least 74368912379324 times during the months of November and December. I found this one...from Thanksgiving I believe. It's still in the bundt pan...fail. I'll probably be making it sometime this week and will take a better, more appetizing picture of it and replace this one. Anyways, back to the cake itself. This is my world famous (and by world I mean the Houston/Katy/Sugarland area) pumpkin spice cake. I made it for the first time several years ago...can't remember when honestly. Anyhow, needless to say it was a hit. I started making it for Eid, Thanksgiving, the winter holidays in general, for Saadia's cravings, etc etc. The cake is delicate and smooth, yet lasting and powerful. It has a slight scent of ginger infused into it, which I achieve by grinding fresh ginger root with a mortar and pestle and adding it to the batter. It's a wonderful companion to coffee or chai, or just alone topped with a spoonful of whipped cream. Oh, and you can't just have one slice. Trust me.

What's in it:
-yellow cake flour mixture, eggs, oil, pumpkin, cream cheese, ginger, cinnamon, chocolate chips

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Toffee Brownies

Toffee + chocolate = DELISH. That is all. The dark chocolate of the brownie contrasts wonderfully with the light milk chocolate and crunchy toffee bits interspersed throughout the delicate 2 x 2 square. Each bite is more surprising than the last; and when it's all gone, you long for more. Unfortunately, I cannot say exactly what goes into making this delicious dessert, because it's a safely guarded secret passed on to me from another avid baker. However, I can say this: if you don't like toffee, you'll probably change your mind once you've had these.

Almond Biscotti

This is an old picture, but I decided to start this thing off with it. I plan on making 'em real soon anyways. These take a while to make; it's a process, but totally worth it. They don't last long in my house, especially with my dad. He says it's the perfect addition to his cup of chai. I've never made a bad batch, which is AWESOME. I mean, it's pretty difficult to mess up biscotti, not to toot my own horn or anything. But you have to literally forget them in the oven to mess them up. Who does that? If you forget that something in your house is running over 350 degrees F, then you probably shouldn't be able to have a house anyways. Just sayin'.


What's in it:
-flour, sugar, butter, salt, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, chopped almonds