How Did You Cook That

How Did You Cook That

Triple Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache Frosting

by

Triple Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache Frosting

I used to think that homemade chocolate cake came from a boxed mix at the grocery store. If you’re new to cake baking from scratch, gather the ingredients for this Triple Chocolate Cake and let’s go! (If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, make your own. Check out these tips.) You’ll be completely hooked the minute you take a bite of this incredibly delicious chocolate cake.

With a super moist crumb and fudgy, light texture, this triple chocolate cake recipe will certainly become your favorite. Equally delicious are the pillows of fluffy whipped chocolate ganache piled on top. Serve it up, then get ready for showers of compliments.

Triple Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache Frosting
Print Pin

Triple Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Triple Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting. A quick and easy cake recipe with a simple 2-ingredient frosting. It tastes as scrumptious as it looks.
Course Dessert
Keyword Baking, Cake, Frosting
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Springform pan

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 cup plus 1½ Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 7 ounces good quality 70% dark chocolate chopped
  • 1 cup very strong dark coffee, hot
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup good quality organic cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

  • 10 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • 10 ounces heavy whipping cream
  • big pinch of Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter 9-inch round springform pan. Line bottom with a circle of parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan. Set aside.
  • Sift flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.
  • Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix until chocolate is melted and smooth.
  • Stir in sugar and mix by hand until dissolved. Add buttermilk, vanilla and eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients into the the chocolate mixture. The batter will be quite thin at this point.
  • Pour the batter evenly into prepared springform pan and bake for 1 hour, until a cake tester/toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the cake for 30 minutes, then turn remove from pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely. (The top will sink a little in the center and may slightly crack. This is OK.)
  • If your cake top is rounded, sunken or just not quite flat, use a serrated knofe and slice off a thin layer to flatten the top. Save the sliced off portion, crumble it up and sprinkle over the top of the cake for a yummy topping.

Whipped Ganache Frosting

  • Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.
  • Pour cream into a saucepan. Heat on medium until cream is just begins to simmer but not boiling.
  • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, add a pinch of salt and let stand for about 3 minutes.
  • Whisk from the center of the chocolate/cream mixture beginning with small circles and slowly stirring in larger circles until the mixture is smooth.
  • Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for about 1 hour until firm with the consistency of thick peanut butter.
  • Put the ganache in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer) and whip on medium/high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Using a large bladed cake spatula or rubber spatula, spread the ganache over the cake.

Key Lime Cheesecake

by

Key Lime Cheesecake

I’m a huge fan of rich, creamy cheesecake. (My mom’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe is my favorite!) And for some reason it’s always better when she bakes it for me.

This no-bake Key Lime cheesecake is spiked with fresh squeezed lime juice and plenty of zest for a match that was definitely made in heaven.

The lime zest brings an acidity to the crust that offsets its sweetness and highlights its buttery crunch. Whipped cream gives it a melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is hard to resist. It’s lighter in texture than a baked cheesecake with a bright sweet-tangy flavor.

Key Lime cheesecake is such an easy dessert to make. I used Belvita cookies rather than graham crackers for the crust because that’s what I had on hand. The cookies make this crust so crispy and buttery and it doesn’t become soggy. Most people have Belvita in their pantries anyway, so it makes for a pretty simple substitute.

Serve this for lunch or dinner with friends and you won’t have any leftover the next day. (Maybe you should make two.:-)

Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that it blends completely with the fluffy whipped cream.

Key Lime Cheesecake
Print Pin

Key Lime Cheesecake

Easy to make, no-bake key lime cheesecake with plenty of lime juice for a sweet-tart, delectable flavor.
Course Dessert
Keyword Cheesecake, Lime, Pie
Prep Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Spring form pan

Ingredients

Crust

  • 6 packets plain Belvita cookies 24 individual Belvita cookies
  • 8 Tbsp butter melted
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 limes plus extra for garnish zested
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened and at room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold

Instructions

  • Using a food processor, pulse Belvita cookies until they are the texture of dry sand. (If you don't have a food processor, place cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or bottle.)
  • Pour crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter, sugar, lime zest, and salt. Stir until combined and resembling wet sand.
  • Pour mixture into a round 8-inch springform pan. Use a ramekin or flat bottomed glass to press and pack the crumbs into the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
  • In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer), cream together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lime juice until smooth and fluffy at medium speed, about 3 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and continue mixing until the batter increases in volume and becomes thick, forming stiff peaks. When you tilt the bowl, the batter should stay put.
  • Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Serve with lime zest sprinkled on top.

Maple Ginger Chicken and Asparagus

by

Maple Ginger Chicken and Asparagus

As I write this recipe I am “sheltering-in-place” in my home in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. It’s a life changing experience, to be sure with cooking becoming an all new adventure. I no longer rely on recipes to create the perfect meal. I am simply creating meals from staples I piece together from the limited options in my pantry.

My business involves cooking on a regular basis, but I’m surprised to find myself, some days, exhausted by the prospect of cooking yet another meal for two at home. With snacks and mid-morning smoothies I am often preparing up to 5 meals a day.

This recipe is one of those dinners that I tossed in a pot from what was remaining in the fridge and spice rack. It is versatile as heck. I made mine with the remainder of a rotisserie chicken that had already become two meals. (After this dinner the bones and remaining bits of meat on them became a hearty chicken broth.) I’m becoming a regular “Frugal Gourmet”.

Adapt this recipe as you are able. Swap the asparagus for broccoli, the chicken for salmon, the rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar or even some white wine. Experiment a little and enjoy the result.

Maple Ginger Chicken and Asparagus
Print Pin

Maple Ginger Chicken with Asparagus

A light sweet-tangy chicken with fresh green vegetables.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Keyword Asparagus, Chicken
Prep Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces. Use only the top 2 inches of asparagus
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 Tbsp for browning chicken
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • ⅛ Chinese 5 Spice
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger minced
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a small bowl make a glaze mixing the olive oil, sesame oil, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic cloves, ginger, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds and 5 Spice. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the asparagus and stir for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is lightly brown and the asparagus is bright.
  • Turn heat down to medium low and pour glaze mixture over the top. Stir together and cook for about 4 minutes until the glaze becomes thicker and slightly sticky.
  • Serve over noodles, rice or on its own with a green salad or juicy fruit.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

by

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Who doesn’t love a fully loaded baked potato with butter, bacon, sour cream, onions, and, and and? Try a different take and flip the script on all that buttery goodness. Toss all those toppings into a pot and make a crave-worthy soup instead. Serve it with a crunchy piece of bread and a tall glass of beer to satisfy that spuds craving in no time flat.

A note on potatoes: These delicious little tubers are grown in the ground. As in, UNDER the earth. For that reason, potatoes in the field are subject to high levels of pesticides and environmental toxins. Because of this, I highly recommend spending the extra money on certified organic potatoes for all of your potato cooking endeavors.

For potatoes that hold up best in soup, try fingerling, Yukon Gold or long white potatoes. Idahos or russets are definitely not great for soups. They are high in starch and low in moisture and have a mealy texture. 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Print Pin

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This simple and delicious potato soup recipe can be made in just one pot!  Loaded with bacon, sour cream and all that potato goodness. Add this one to your list of go-to comfort food recipes.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Keyword Potatoes, Soup
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 2 pounds Fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 1 bunch scallions (about 6-8) thinly sliced with white parts separated from green
  • 1 small shallot minced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 6 cups whole milk
  • ¾ cup sour cream plus more for serving
  • ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese plus more for serving
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • 2-3 tsp Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove cooked bacon and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate.
  • Using the same pot with bacon fat remaining in the bottom, saute the white parts of the scallions (reserving the green parts for topping), shallots and the 4 cloves of minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat till just golden brown, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently so that the garlic does not burn. (To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon and saute vegetables in 3 Tbsp butter.)
  • Add the diced potatoes, milk, onion powder and Kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  • Once potatoes are tender, remove from heat and briefly pulse mixture in batches in a blender or food processor. (Remember to keep the lid slightly opened on blender to avoid steam building up inside the blender cup.) You can also do this entire process right in the pot with a potato masher, if you prefer.
  • Stir in the sour cream, ¼ of the bacon (reserving the rest for topping) and cheddar cheese. Stir until combined.
  • Serve in bowls topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and chopped scallion greens.

Simply Delicious Guacamole

by

Simply Delicious Guacamole

When I was a kid, growing up in Southern California, my best friend lived on an avocado ranch. During the day we would climb the trees to escape her head-butting pet goats. At night we would sleep in a tree house that her dad had built up in the high branches. A few times a year her dad would deliver a harvest of avocados, piled in the bed of a trailer, to the local Mexican restaurant in town. We would hide under the mounds of avocados as he drove to the restaurant. Then we would jump out, laughing crazily, as soon as he would stop in the parking lot of the place.

Easy Guacamole
Print Pin

Deliciously Easy Guacamole

Simple 6 ingredient guacamole recipe. Made with basic panty ingredients you probably already have available in your kitchen.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Plant-based
Keyword Avocado, Condiment
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 medium large ripe avocados firmly ripe but not too soft
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 - 4 Tbsp green taco sauce Pico Pica or La Victoria
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • This recipe is a simple base for basic guacamole. Add to it as many ingredients that you like. Fresh diced red onion, fresh cilantro, jalapeno peppers...whatever floats your boat, toss it in there.
  • Remove pit from avocado and scoop the fruit out into a medium bowl.
  • Add all the ingredients to avocado and mash together. NOTE: It is important to use green taco sauce or salsa because red sauces will give your guacamole a kind of unappetizing brown color. Use the green, trust me.
  • Do not over mash. There's nothing better that fat chunks of avocado to load onto your chip, plus your dip won't break down and become watery if it's chunky.
  • Serve in tacos, scooped up with tortilla chips, on scrambled eggs.

Beef Bourguignon

by

For years I’ve been making an adapted hybrid Boeuf Bourguignon from Julia Child’s, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Ina Garten’s recipe from Barefoot In Paris. This hearty French beef stew is the ultimate comfort food. It is easy to make and requires simple, commonly available ingredients.

Beef Bourguignon is not a quick, weeknight dinner, however. You’ll be spending a little extra time working over the cutting board and stock pot. Be sure to buy yourself a second bottle of Pinot Noir to drink while you’re cooking. The time spent in the kitchen is worth every minute.

Beef Bourguignon is made all over the world and home cooks experiment with all sorts of variations. It is an extremely adaptable recipe but this version stays pretty true to the processes and ingredients from Julia and Ina.

Serve it alongside a fresh green salad and crunchy French bread. And of course, a fine bottle of Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Print Pin

Beef Bourguignon

Beef bourguignon is a beef stew braised in red wine and beef stock. This recipe is loaded with carrots, onions, garlic, pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword Beef, Soup, Vegetables
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2½ pounds chuck beef, stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes, salted overnight and patted dry
  • 8 oz dry cured applewood smoked bacon
  • 1 pound carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 medium yellow onions cut in half and sliced
  • 1 pound white button or brown mushrooms
  • 1 pound pearl onions fresh or frozen
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • ⅓ cup Cognac
  • 1 bottle pinot noir (or other good dry red wine)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 3 Tbsp butter

Instructions

  • NOTE: For especially tender and flavorful beef bites, generously salt all sides of the cubes of beef and set, covered, on a plate in the refrigerator overnight. Pat cubes dry just before browning in dutch oven.
  • Prepare the pearl onions:
    Saute in a skillet with 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Allow onions to become soft and translucent on the inside and brown and fragrant on the outside. (About 10-15 minutes) Remove from skillet and allow to cool. Once cooled, pinch fresh onions to pop them out of their skins and set aside. (Frozen onions already have the skins removed)
  • In a large dutch oven saute the bacon over medium heat in 1 Tbsp olive oil until browned but not too crispy. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  • Pat beef dry with a paper towel; sear in batches in the hot oil/bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove to the plate with the bacon.
  • In the dutch oven, sauté the carrots and sliced onions with remaining fat from meats until softened, (about 3 minutes). Drain off any excess fat. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.
  • Return the bacon and beef back into the pot; season with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook for 4-5 minutes to brown.
  • Add the pearl onions, wine and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered. Then add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer on the stove for about 5 minutes.
    Cover then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling apart.
  • During the last 15 minutes of simmering time, prepare the mushrooms: 
    Heat the remaining butter in a medium-sized skillet. When the foam subsides, add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and briefly cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, while tossing mushrooms occasionally to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Add the garlic browned mushrooms to the pot. Let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to combine.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes or French bread or simply on its own in a bowl alongside a crisp salad.

Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

by

Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I baked up a pan of this cinnamon sour cream coffee cake on a rainy afternoon when I wanted…needed a sweet bite to nosh with my afternoon coffee. This cake is perfect for a quick afternoon baking sesh but it’s also ideal for brunch or an after-dinner treat.

Think of this cake as crumb cake meets quick bread. It’s a tender, not-too-sweet version of that little golden cinnamon cake that’s in the bakery case at Starbucks. This coffee cake is MUCH better and it’s always in stock. The cinnamon crumb topping is sprinkled inside and over the top, so it’s loaded with flavor and spice. There is  more than a cup of sour cream in this cake which makes it perfectly tender and moist. This cake will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. In my kitchen, it was gone before it had even completely cooled.

Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Print Pin

Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Make this tender and easy cinnamon sour cream coffee cake. Topped with pecans and cinnamon and blended with sour cream for a super moist, delicious cake.
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword Cake, Coffee, Sweet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

Coffee Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1¼ cups sour cream at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup salted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon & Pecan Crumb Topping

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar very lighted packed
  • 1½ cup pecan pieces chopped or crushed with rolling pin
  • 2 Tbsp butter VERY soft
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp cardamom

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
    Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside for later.
    In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk; set aside.
  • In a small bowl toss together the brown sugar, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, pecans, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cardamom and melted butter. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk. Set aside.
  • In a mixer beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
    Add the eggs one at a time, fully mixing before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla.
    Mix on medium-low, and add one-third of the flour mixture. Combine well, then add half of the sour cream. Alternate dry ingredients and sour cream blending well between each, adding another one-third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining sour cream, and finally the last portion of the flour mixture. Batter will be quite thick.
  • Spoon about half of the batter into the prepared baking dish.
    Then sprinkle half of the set aside cinnamon pecan mixture evenly over the batter.
    Drop the remaining cake batter in dollops over the cinnamon pecan mixture and carefully spread to cover.
    Sprinkle remaining cinnamon pecan mixture on top of the cake batter.
  • Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out without any wet cake batter.
    Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool before slicing and serving.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

by

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

I love roasted cauliflower florets. Especially when they come out of the oven with those golden brown caramelized edges. I could pop a hundred of those little guys into my mouth in one sitting. Yum!

I also love spice. The more I cook, the more I seem to love the heat. So combining two favorite flavors to make one delicious snack seemed like a no-brainer.

There are hundreds of recipes out there for Buffalo cauliflower. Seem cauliflower is all the rage these days. This recipe is pretty darn delicious and insanely simple so it’s easy to throw together last minute when everybody is on their way over for Game Day.

This snack is totally plant based; not your typical Buffalo chicken wing thing or a tofu substitute. Just an honest to goodness spicy baked treat. And it only calls for 5 simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now.

So, grab a knife and a baking dish and let’s do this!

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Print Pin

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword plant based, Vegetarian
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head, cauliflower
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • ⅓ cup hot sauce Cholula, Frank's RedHot or Crystal
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 475°
  • Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets. (Compost leaves and stem or save then for later to make homemade vegetable broth)
  • Place florets on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  • Arrange florets in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes.
  • While florets are baking, combine butter, fresh garlic cloves and hot sauce in a small sauce pan. Melt ingredients together over medium low heat and set aside.
  • After 15 minutes remove cauliflower from the oven and toss with the melted butter and hot sauce mixture. Still very well to completely coat the cauliflower.
  • Roast in the oven for another 15 minutes until edges are crisp.
  • Serve hot out of the oven just as it is or with blue cheese dressing as a dip on the side.

Favorite Avocado Recipes

by

Avocado. Guacamole. Toast

Avocados make just about anything taste great, from toast to tacos to smoothies. Smash avocados onto toast, stir em up in a bowl of chunky guacamole, or fry them for veggie tacos. 

In case you didn’t already know the good stuff; avocados are a really healthy food choice. One medium avocado has 170 calories, 18 vitamins and minerals and is super rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat – good fat! Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by helping increase the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, K and E. You gotta love that.

Here is my favorite guacamole recipe. Plus a couple of tips for how I sneak this rich creamy fruit into every day recipes.

Easy Guacamole
Easy Guacamole
Print Pin

Deliciously Easy Guacamole

Simple 6 ingredient guacamole recipe. Made with basic panty ingredients you probably already have available in your kitchen.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Plant-based
Keyword Avocado, Condiment
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 medium large ripe avocados firmly ripe but not too soft
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 - 4 Tbsp green taco sauce Pico Pica or La Victoria
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • This recipe is a simple base for basic guacamole. Add to it as many ingredients that you like. Fresh diced red onion, fresh cilantro, jalapeno peppers...whatever floats your boat, toss it in there.
  • Remove pit from avocado and scoop the fruit out into a medium bowl.
  • Add all the ingredients to avocado and mash together. NOTE: It is important to use green taco sauce or salsa because red sauces will give your guacamole a kind of unappetizing brown color. Use the green, trust me.
  • Do not over mash. There's nothing better that fat chunks of avocado to load onto your chip, plus your dip won't break down and become watery if it's chunky.
  • Serve in tacos, scooped up with tortilla chips, on scrambled eggs.

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

by

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

Chipotle chiles in adobo, fresh jalapeno peppers and sharp cheddar cheese combine to shine in this savory, slightly sweet, cornbread. Pair it with a pot of  homemade pork and beans or a platter of BBQ ribs and corn on the cob.

If you’re not a fan of chipotle, leave them out, up the amount of jalapeno and add a pinch more sugar. The recipe is totally adaptable to just about anything you want to toss into the batter. Fresh corn kernals? Yep. Diced red onion? For sure. Cilantro & cumin? I think I’ll try that. 

Adjust the recipe to your personal tastes. And maybe make a second batch to freeze for later. You’ll be glad you did.

The trick I learned when first making cornbread is to have a very light hand in mixing.  Be sure to only stir ingredients until they are just combined. There is no need to beat the lumps to death. Just leave em in and you’ll have a lighter, airy cornbread or muffin.

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread
Print Pin

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread. Make it in a baking dish, loaf pan or muffin pan.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Keyword Baking, Cornbread
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 8 x 8 glass baking dish or muffin pan

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups medium ground cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅙ cup organic granulated sugar
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 Tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp fresh jalapeno pepper seeded and minced plus extra thin sliced rounds for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp chiles in adobo seeded and minced
  • 1½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • extra butter fo greasing the pan
  • honey and whipped butter, for serving

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°. Generously grease the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 glass baking dish or cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt.
  • In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly for a few minutes. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, eggs. Add the melted butter and the minced chipotle chiles.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until almost combined but with some lumps. Fold in the Cheddar and scallions, and stir slightly until just combined.
  • Spoon the batter in 1/4-cup portions into the prepared muffin pan or pour into greased 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Top each muffin with a jalapeño slice for garnish, and bake until the tops are golden and the muffins are cooked through, about 18 minutes. If baking cornbread, allow to bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, with butter and honey.