Simple Streusel

Streusel is really simple to make and easy to keep on hand!

 

This recipe yields enough for about 12 muffins. I make this in a large batch (multiplied the recipe by 6 in a kitchen converter) and keep it in the freezer.

 

 

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

 

1. Combine these ingredients in a small bowl using a fork or rubber spatula.
2. It will resemble coarse, wet sand.
3. Use it to top muffins, coffee cake, etc.
4. Freeze leftover in a Ziplock bag.

I used this streusel to top my cranberry peach muffins

 

 

Cranberry Peach Muffins

Have I mentioned how much I love Autumn? I went to the grocery store and I noticed that the cranberries have been released! Tis the season! I love to hoard cranberries throughout the fall and winter. I usually keep a bunch in the freezer. I use cranberries in my baking and my smoothies. I often task myself with coming up with new ways to use them. I bought cranberries and peaches. I sat around considering what I would do with the combination. I thought maybe a pie. Maybe clafoutis. Maybe a tart. I knew I was kidding myself; these were meant to be muffins. I topped most of these with streusel and that really set these babies off.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

 

2 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup half and half, room temperature

½ tsp vanilla

 

2 peaches, chopped

1 ½ – 2 cups of fresh cranberries

 

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   • I know this seems high but we will be lowering the temperature. Science and stuff. This process will help you get a ‘taller’ muffin. Who doesn’t love muffin tops? Ask Elaine Benes.
2. Butter and flour a cupcake tin, shake out excess flour.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine dry ingredients.
   • You can do this by hand using a whisk and rubber spatula. My kiddo just really enjoys using the stand mixer so we used the stand mixer.
4. In a small bowl, combine liquid ingredients.
5. Using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low. Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
6. You do not want to overmix. The batter may have lumps and that is perfectly okay.
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the fruit
8. Spoon the batter into the tin, to the top.
   • Optional: top with streusel
9. Bake at 425 for 5-6 minutes
10. Lower temperature to 350 degrees. DO NOT FORGET THIS STEP.
11. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins pass the toothpick test.
12. Allow them to cool in the tin before removing.
13. These are best day of but can be stored in airtight Tupperware in the fridge.

 

© 2017 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

It is my favorite season of the year. Time for boots, scarves, pumpkin spice everything and hearty, comfort food. I decided to whip up a soup this Sunday. I am hosting my nana and my aunt and I figured comfort food would be the way to go. This was my first time working with gnocchi and in true form I chose to make them myself instead of buying them from the store. Fortunately, it was not a tragedy. This soup is super flavorful and pretty damn easy to make! Feel free to use store bought gnocchi! I am not Ina Garten. Use what you want or what you got!

Ingredients:

 

Large Onion

Celery

Carrots

4-5 cloves of garlic

Chicken

3 cups of half and half

1 ½ containers of low sodium chicken stock (32oz)

Kosher salt

Thyme

Rosemary

Three handfuls of fresh spinach

Splash of fish sauce

Splash of Worcestershire

6 tbsp unsalted butter

½ cup of flour

 

1. Prepare your chicken as you prefer. I chose to roast three bone in chicken breasts at 400 degrees. I shredded the meat. Feel free to use your preferred cut of chicken or even a rotisserie chicken.
2. Over medium heat, sautee your carrots, celery and onions until they’re softened. Towards the end add the garlic. Remove from the heat.
3. Melt the butter and add the flour to create a roux.
4. Add the half and half, stirring constantly.
5. Add the chicken broth.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, this will thicken.
7. Season to taste. I used thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic and a couple of splashes of Worcestershire and fish sauce to deepen the savory flavor.
8. If cooking: Remove your chicken, allow it to cool. Chop or shred. Add this to the soup.
9. Taste and adjust your seasonings.
10. Add gnocchi
11. Add your spinach and allow it to wilt.
12. Allow this to simmer
13. Top with chopped tomato

 

© 2017 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

My First Potato Gnocchi

I’ve been watching cooking shows and competitions five-ever. There are three things that I have simply never attempted because I imagined Gordon Ramsay looming over my kitchen and judging every step. Beef Wellington. Risotto. Gnocchi.

 

Today, I bit the bullet and decided to attempt gnocchi. I, however, do not own a food mill or potato ricer. I love kitchen gadgets but I have to rationalize its use. I can’t convince myself to buy gadgets that I’ll use once a year, hence, no ricer or mill. I hit the Googles to find out if it was possible to achieve this without those tools. Apparently, there is. I was skeptical but I figured I’d give it a shot.

 

2 lbs potatoes

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp kosher salt

Flour

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pierce your potatoes with a fork and spread on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender.
4. Allow to cool
5. Peel the potatoes
6. Using a ricer, food mill or grater (large holes) break down your potatoes
7. Add salt and egg
8. Add flour a little bit at a time; you do not want to over flour.
9. Using a wooden spoon, your hands or a silicon spatula combine the dough. It should not stick to your hands.
10. Flour your surface and knead your dough for 2-3 minutes.
11. Cover with a towel as you work
12. Cut a portion of the dough ball and roll into a snake, about 1/2” in diameter
13. Cut little pillows
14. I am no expert. I used YouTube to find out how to roll the dough on fork tines. You can try this or just leave them as pillows
15. If you’re going to cook them right away, one option is to cook them as you would pasta. Much like fresh pasta, these will float to the top. Once they float, allow them to cook for about a minute before draining.
16. If you’re going to freeze them, flour a cookie sheet and spread the gnocchi there. Allow them to freeze then store them in a ziplock bag.

 

Who knew gnocchi wasn’t that scary after all?