my kitchen addiction

A Bun in the Oven… Sweet Strawberry Buns and an Announcement

2012-05-16T20:30:39Z

While I usually just stick to recipes and kitchen tips, I do throw in a few personal stories and anecdotes from time to time. And, today happens to be one of those times where I have some personal news to share.

We’ve got a bun in the oven! And, I’m not just referring to the sweet strawberry buns you see pictured here. My husband and I are expecting our first child in early October, and we couldn’t be more excited! Of course, Yellowdog is excited, as well. She loves babies, and we have a hunch that she’ll be spending a lot of time keeping a close eye (or snout?) on the new addition to the family.

Somehow, we managed to keep things quiet for a while… And, it’s hard to believe we’re getting close to the halfway mark. Everything is going pretty well. After spending much of the first few months feeling sick and having very little appetite (you may have noticed some bland recipes and a lack of comments from me on your blog over the past few months), I have started to feel a bit better. I’m also starting to enjoy being in the kitchen again, which is good news for everyone… Especially my hubby who has had to suffer through whatever I felt like (or didn’t feel like) making for dinner. He’s a trooper.

If you’re worried that this is going to turn into a baby or parenting blog, I can assure you that it won’t. While I’m beyond excited about the new addition to my family, I still plan to keep on blogging about my favorite recipes and kitchen tips. Sure, you may see a recipe or two for kid-friendly food in the future, but it won’t be my focus. After all, I’m really looking forward to eating a nice medium steak and some gorgozola cheese as soon as I’m allowed.

So, now that everyone’s up to date, let’s talk about the other buns in the oven, shall we? I was trying to think of a fun food to make to go along with my big announcement, and somehow my brain came up with these sweet strawberry buns. Basically, they are cinnamon rolls (made with nice buttery dough) minus the cinnamon that have been stuffed with homemade strawberry jam instead. And, in case that wasn’t enough, I also drizzled them with a sweet vanilla glaze. They may not be revolutionary, but they are certainly tasty.(...)

Read the rest of A Bun in the Oven… Sweet Strawberry Buns and an Announcement over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

Creamy Macaroni Salad

2012-05-15T15:42:19Z

Since I’m already on the topic of picnic food this week, I thought I’d share another classic picnic recipe. Monday’s recipe for baked beans was for my hubby… But, this one is for me.

I’m a big fan of creamy pasta salads… I am also kind of picky about my pasta salad. Here in Central PA, you will find a lot of “Amish macaroni salad” at the local grocery stores. Unfortunately, not all Amish macaroni salads are created alike. While some are delicious and creamy with just a touch of sweetness, some of them are far too sweet for my liking. I’m funny about my “regular” food being too sweet (which is one of the reasons I’m not a big fan of baked beans).

Instead of always trying to guess which pasta salads are too sweet and which ones are just right, I have just started making my own. It’s much easier that way. I found a recipe from the Food Network Kitchens that is the right amount of creamy without too much sweet. I’ve adapted the recipe a bit to make a bigger batch (which is helpful if you’re taking it to a picnic or big get together of friends). I’ve also made a few other small changes along the way.

This recipe has been pretty popular with my friends and family, and I hope you’ll like it, too. If you’re not a big fan of onions, you may want to leave out the red onion (or try substituting a milder spring onion instead) since it can flavor the whole salad, especially if it’s left in the fridge overnight. And, of course, if you like your pasta salad a bit sweeter, you could always add more sugar. Just don’t tell me about it!(...)

Read the rest of Creamy Macaroni Salad over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Post tags: Amish macaroni salad, cookout, creamy, easy, macaroni salad, mayonnaise, pasta salad, picnic, simple, sour cream, summer

Baked Beans

2012-05-14T02:12:05Z

My husband loves baked beans. I do not. Somehow, we have survived almost 7 years of marriage in spite of this disagreement. They say opposites attract, right?

I recently found out, however, that our difference of opinion on the subject of baked beans was taking a bit of a toll on my hubby. You see, since I don’t particularly care for baked beans, I never make them. Once I attempted to make them for him (a few years ago), but I was opposed to adding ketchup. I tried to substitute tomato paste (which, for those of you who are wondering, is not the same… not at all). I also cut a few corners. We ended up with chewy, tomato pasty, burnt baked beans. He wasn’t impressed.

The subject of baked beans came up again a few weeks ago at Easter dinner at my parents’ house. Somehow, my hubby and my dad started discussing the foods that they love but rarely get to eat. And, of course, baked beans were at the top of the list. My mom, who quickly ran to the pantry, found a can of baked beans and added them to our Easter basket so my hubby didn’t have to “suffer” without his baked beans. I felt bad, and promised to learn to make them.

About a week later, I attempted my first batch of baked beans… With ketchup. I made them in my slow cooker, but I underestimated how long it would take for the beans to cook. The beans were also somewhat watery, even though the flavor was pretty good. My hubby ate them… And they were better than my first attempt, but they still weren’t good.

So, last weekend, when we were having a picnic at our house, I decided I would make one more attempt at baked beans. This time, I was smart enough to make sure the beans were cooked and tender before I added them to the slow cooker. It was a success. Even my hubby approved. They passed his baked beans test.

I can’t promise that these are the best baked beans you’ll ever taste. But, they made my hubby happy. And, that’s what marriage is all about, right?(...)

Read the rest of Baked Beans over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

Friday Favorites – Episode 132

2012-05-11T02:05:42Z

All week, I’ve been talking about recipes that would be great for Mother’s Day. After all, there should be at least one day a year that moms don’t have to worry about making dinner (or lunch or breakfast!). So, with that in mind, here are a few more recipes that I think your mother will enjoy. They might not be the most traditional fare for the Mother’s Day, but I think they’ll be a hit!(...)

Read the rest of Friday Favorites – Episode 132 over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Post tags: blueberry, cake, lemon, milk, Mother's Day, pancakes, pineapple, pizza, ricotta, salsa, tarte flambee, tequila, tres leches cake

Mixed Berry Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

2012-05-14T16:00:58Z

Today I am going to continue with the Mother’s Day theme… I’ve got another great recipe that your mom is sure to love, along with a giveaway that I think she’ll enjoy, as well!

I was given the opportunity to test out this lovely Baker’s Set from Le Creuset… It includes a nice big 10-inch pie plate, a pie bird, a French trivet, and an oven mitt. And, they all came in a lovely shade of cherry – my favorite! So, it seemed only natural that I should bake a pie!

This was the first time I tried baking with a pie bird, so I was excited to try it out. Have you ever tried one? It helps to direct the moisture away from the bottom of the pie, so that you have a nice flakey crust. And, it helps to keep the filling from bubbling out over the pie. Plus, the little red bird in the center of the pie just looks cute!

It’s still a bit early in the season for fresh fruit, so I used some frozen fruit for my pie. That’s the beauty of stocking your freezer… You can bake with your favorite fruits all year long! And, if your freezer isn’t already stocked, you’ll be able to find good quality (even organic!) frozen fruit at your local grocery store.

For this pie, I opted to use a mixture of frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. To go with the mixed berries, I also decided to make a whole wheat pie crust using whole wheat pastry flour. I thought the whole wheat flour would pair nicely with the berries, and I was happy with how it turned out! I served the pie with some vanilla ice cream, so I didn’t add a lot of sugar to the filling. You can certainly increase the amount of sugar in the filling if you prefer a sweeter pie (and, I added a note about that in the recipe!). (...)

Read the rest of Mixed Berry Pie with Whole Wheat Crust over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 64 comments | Post tags: Baker's Set, berries, blackberry, blueberry, Le Creuset, pie, pie bird, pie crust, pie dish, pie dough, raspberry, strawberry, whole grain, whole wheat

Pecan Sticky Buns

2012-05-07T01:48:16Z

Mother’s Day is just around the corner… So, if you haven’t started thinking about something special to do for your mom on Sunday, I’d recommend doing it now. Don’t say I didn’t remind you!

Making breakfast for your mom is a popular option… And, who wouldn’t love being pampered with a special breakfast? Whether you make her breakfast in bed or have a fun sit down breakfast with the family, it’s sure to be a hit!

Yellowdog probably won’t be making breakfast for me, and it’s probably better that way. I don’t really want to eat dog food, and I can only imagine the mess in the kitchen if she was attempting to make eggs. But, because I love to bake (and I have a much better record when it comes to cracking eggs), I’m always looking for something special to make for breakfast. As I was thinking about Mother’s Day, these Pecan Sticky Buns from Red Star Yeast caught my eye. They go great with a cup of coffee… And, you can also add eggs or fresh fruit for a more complete breakfast for your mom!

This recipe for sticky buns is easier than I expected. I’ve made a few different recipes in the past, and this is one of the easier recipes I’ve tried. It reminds me a lot of my grandmother’s roll recipe, which I often use as a base for cinnamon rolls. The dough comes together quickly and easily, and it can be made with a stand mixer, hand mixer, or even by hand, so no fancy equipment is necessary.(...)

Read the rest of Pecan Sticky Buns over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 14 comments | Post tags: active dry yeast, bread, breakfast, brunch, caramel, cinnamon, homemade, Mother's Day, pecan, Red Star Yeast, sticky buns, yeast

Friday Favorites – Episode 131

2012-05-03T20:53:15Z

Over the past few months, it’s been a lot of fun having some friends step in to share their Friday Favorites. I’ve enjoyed discovering new sites and learning a bit more about some of my blogging friends… And, I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to write a Friday Favorites guest post!

This week, I thought I’d get back to writing about my favorites again… I’ve come across quite a few great recipes, and I just had to share them with all of you. Of course, if you are still interested in writing a Friday Favorites guest post, let me know… I could be convinced to take another week or two off!(...)

Read the rest of Friday Favorites – Episode 131 over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Post tags: arugula, Balsamic vinegar, bread, crock pot, mozzarella, mushrooms, pesto, pita bread, prosciutto, sloppy joes, slow cooker, stuffed mushrooms, walnut, yeast

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Banana Bread

2012-05-02T14:48:02Z

Every week I try to guess whether or not I should buy bananas at the store. You would think I’d have it figured out by now, but the banana eating habits in my household are not as predictible as you might think. Some weeks, I’ll buy a large bunch of bananas, with plans to do some baking with the inevitable leftovers that will be turning brown on the counter in a few days. Those weeks, the bananas get gobbled up long before I ever have a chance to bake anything. Other times, a few lonely bananas will sit on the counter forever without any interest in being eaten whatsoever. I can’t figure it out.

Last week, I bought bananas to bake some banana bread for a bake sale I was helping out with over the weekend. I also planned on a few bananas being eaten. Silly me! I never got around to baking the banana bread because I was busy with lots of other goodies for the sale… And none of the extra bananas got eaten over the weekend. By Monday morning, I was left with a big pile of too-ripe-to-eat bananas sitting on my counter.

So, after spending the majority of last week (and the weekend) baking and helping out with a bake sale, I did the first thing that came to mind. I decided to whip up a batch of banana bread to use those overly ripe bananas.(...)

Read the rest of Whole Wheat Buttermilk Banana Bread over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

Challenge: Cookies, Brownies, and Bar Cookies (Kitchen Bootcamp May)

2012-05-01T20:39:27Z

May is here… Can you believe it? The last few months have just flown by, and I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it’s May already.

Of course, the fact that May is here means that it’s time to announce a new Kitchen Bootcamp challenge… And, it also means that it’s time to introduce the new Kitchen Bootcamp book – The New Best Recipe (from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine)!

The New Best Recipe is a great resource for recipe development, and I think it will be a good guide for the monthly challenges. The format is quite different from The Professional Chef, but I think you’ll find that it’s a nice change. Along with very well tested recipes for many popular dishes, the book is full of insights that will not only help you to prepare the recipes in the book but expand your horizons to adapt and develop new recipes. With each recipe, there is a history of the various versions of the recipe that were tested in the process of finding the best recipe. By finding out what worked and what didn’t, you’ll learn to understand how the various ingredients interact in a dish, which is key for improving your skills in the kitchen!

(...)

Read the rest of Challenge: Cookies, Brownies, and Bar Cookies (Kitchen Bootcamp May) over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

Kitchen Bootcamp Roundup – Grilling, Broiling, Roasting, and Baking

2012-04-30T15:20:22Z

This month’s Kitchen Bootcamp challenge turned out to be a great one… And, it was a great way to finish up our challenges using The Professional Chef as our guide. In May, we’ll be moving on to a new book (The New Best Recipe)… But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet. You won’t want to miss out on these great recipes for grilling, broiling, roasting, and baking meats (and veggies!).(...)

Read the rest of Kitchen Bootcamp Roundup – Grilling, Broiling, Roasting, and Baking over at My Kitchen Addiction™.

© Jennifer Schall for my kitchen addiction, 2009-2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Post tags: #KitchenBootcamp, baking, broiling, burger, chicken, grilling, ham, hamburger, Kitchen Bootcamp, potatoes, roasting