Peach Buttermilk Coffee Cake

>> Thursday, August 11, 2011


When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to make it. I had leftover buttermilk in the fridge, fresh Texas peaches on my counter and all the other non-name worthy ingredients in the pantry. It was meant to be! The recipe for the coffee cake is fantastic and you could easily switch up the fruit for whatever is in season. I loved it with peaches though - and I think I may put even more peaches in next time. The bad news is that the recipe has 19 (19!!!) tablespoons of butter, which I didn't realize until I halfway through making it. So for all those calories, it better be good! If you're looking for a little lighter coffee cake recipe, this Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is another one of my favorites.


The recipe I used (linked below) tops the cake with a glaze, which I omitted on accident. But I think it would have been a good addition since the cake wasn't super sweet on its own. And it's already a terribly unhealthy recipe, may as well make it even worse for you. Go big or go home, right?!?

Peach Buttermilk Coffee Cake
recipe from Baking with Lisa

for the topping and filling:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the cake:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
2-3 peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (you can use frozen in a pinch)

For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Mixture will be crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (or use nonstick spray) a 9-inch springform pan. If you have parchment paper, line the bottom of the pan for easy cake removal.

For the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions.

Scrape half the batter into the prepared pan and level it with a spoon. Sprinkle half of the crumb topping evenly over the batter. Arrange the peach slices in a circular pattern over the crumb topping, overlapping slightly. Spoon the remaining batter on top of the peaches. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes, then remove the side of the pan and cool completely.

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding a little more cream if necessary. Drizzle or pipe over the cooled cake.


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Tomato Ravioli Soup

>> Wednesday, August 10, 2011


I know, I know, soup in the middle of August in Texas?!? I'm not sure why this recipe looked so good to me, especially with the oppressive 100+ degree weather we're having, but I decided to go ahead and make the soup. It was so good! I had two bowls last night at dinner! As I was eating my soup, I couldn't help but think of who I could tell about this great (and easy!) soup. The broth is lovely and I'd suggest serving the soup with a good crusty bread so you can sop up every last little bit of that broth. Delicious! This soup tastes like you've been slaving in the kitchen all day, but of course you haven't been, since it's ready in just about half an hour. Loved it!


Tomato Ravioli Soup
adapted from Taste of Home

9 oz refrigerated tortellini or ravioli
1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed tomato soup (use low sodium if you can find it)
1 can (14-15 oz) diced tomatoes with basil and oregano, drained
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1/2 bunch of fresh spinach, leaves only
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish
fresh basil, julienned, for garnish
store bought seasoned croutons, for garnish

Cook ravioli or tortellini according to package directions. Set aside.

Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray. Cook zucchini over medium heat until just barely golden and softened slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, cook together, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Add zucchini when it has finished cooking. Stir together and add parmesan cheese. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add cooked ravioli/tortellini and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Take soup off heat and add spinach. Stir to cover spinach with soup to allow the spinach to wilt. Ladle into bowls and top with more parmesan cheese, basil and croutons.

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Meal Plan - August 8th thru August 14th

>> Monday, August 8, 2011

Last week I really didn't cook very many of the meals I had planned because I just threw the menu together without much thought. Generally, if I'm not very excited about the menu, I won't follow it or feel much incentive to cook - which usually means we eat out or we eat frozen pizza. So this week I put a little more effort into our meal planning so that the blog (and our pocketbook!) doesn't suffer. Only one recipe post last week was just embarrassing! In my defense, Finley went to one day of preschool before she got a rash all over her tummy and back. So I didn't exactly get all that free time last week that I thought I would. Crossing my fingers Finley makes it all three days this week!


Also, just about all of my recipe ideas came via Pinterest this week. If you aren't on Pinterest yet, you should totally check it out!

Dinners:





Other Recipes:


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Marinated Cheese Trio

>> Tuesday, August 2, 2011


This has been a favorite appetizer amongst my friends for over a decade when Candace's dad first made it for us. Since then, it has made regular appearances at our get togethers, and every time it gets rave reviews. (Because we've been serving it for so long, I'm not sure where the recipe originated, but I think I've made enough tweaks over the years to call it my own!) I'm actually surprised that I haven't added it to this blog before now. I made it twice this weekend - once for a birthday party and once for a potluck dinner. At the potluck, the host announced that he wasn't even going to eat dinner because all he wanted to eat was the marinated cheese!


When you're making this recipe, here are a few helpful tips to make the preparation much easier. Buy cheese that is roughly the same size (width and length), so that when you slice the cheese, the slices will be identical in size. Slicing the cream cheese is by far the hardest part of the recipe. To make it easier, freeze the cream cheese for 15-30 minutes before slicing it. Also, I'd suggest using unwaxed dental floss instead of a knife to cut it. This dish is great if the cheese has had some time to soak up the marinade - which means you can make it ahead of time! Gotta love that!

Marinated Cheese Trio
a Baking & Eggs original

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz monterey pepper jack cheese
crackers, for serving (I like to use Wheat Thins)

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, parsley, cilantro, green onions, pimentos, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

You'll slice the three cheeses in the same manner. To start, slice the cheese in half lengthwise. Then slice the cheese into thin slices widthwise. Once you've sliced all three cheeses, arrange them in an alternating pattern (cheddar, jack, cream cheese, etc.). Spoon marinade over the top and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It's best to serve it within 24 hours of making it.

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Meal Plan - August 1st thru August 6th

>> Monday, August 1, 2011

I have all sorts of projects around the home to tackle this week. Why, you ask? Because Finley starts montessori school this week and I will actually have large chunks of free time! It's kind of bittersweet to realize that my baby is growing up, but I'm also looking forward to some free time. Unfortunately I'm probably not going to be spending my free time cooking in the kitchen much this week. I'm prioritizing some organization that needs to happen in the master bedroom, Finley's room and the kitchen. Hopefully next week I'll have some more gourmet Julia Child-inspired menus planned...but no promises!


Dinners:
Tacos, Guacamole, Fresh Fruit





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