Baked & Banana Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting. Photo courtesy of Bon Appetit

My obsession with Baked began when Bon Appetit featured their updated diner desserts in May 2009.

I made their Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie, Caramel-Apple Tartlets with Cinnamon-Rum Ice Cream and Brownie-Bottom Lemon Cheesecake over the course of several months.

I spent nearly an hour one night flipping through their beautiful cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, at Barnes & Noble.

Earlier this month, I visited Baked Charleston during a trip to the Holy City.

So, imagine my delight when I found out that Bon Appetit’s April 2010 issue featured “The Great American Cake,” by the owners of Baked.

Last night, with a near-rotten banana on hand, I had to make the Banana Cupcakes. I don’t usually deviate when baking, but since it was a spur-of the moment thing, I made a few adaptations: Cutting the recipe in half; using 1 egg instead of 1 egg and 1 egg yolk; using plain yogurt in place of sour cream; instead of peanut butter frosting, topping them with peanut butter chips.

They were still delicious! In fact, I would venture to say all the Baked recipes I’ve made at home tasted better than the items I tasted from their actual bakery. Still, I wouldn’t pass up the chance to visit next time I’m in New York or Charleston, S.C.

The overseer

Yesterday morning I realized I was obsessed with my garden. At 8:30 a.m. I put on rain gear and went out in a storm to check my seedlings. As I was walking back inside, I noticed a hooded figure above the fence 2 yards over — it was my neighbor with a green thumb, doing the same thing I had just done.

My garden on 4/25.

My garden the day it was built, 3/20.

What’s in the bed (all purchased as seedlings, except for the beans): Leeks, strawberries, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, burgundy beans, bell pepper, cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, thyme and rosemary.

What’s in the pots (all started from seed): Carrots, oregano, catnip, basil and more tomatoes.

I planted too much — there’s not enough room to transplant everything from the pots into the bed. It’s my first year growing a real garden, so it’s sort of trial and error.

So far, I’m really amazed at the resilience of plants. My garden doesn’t need me — I’m just the overseer.

Caprese pasta with sausage

Yesterday was the first day of the Carolina Beach farmers market. I found two of my favorite things: sausage and cheese.

Sausage and cheese make me happy!

The mozzarella was made by folks in Kure Beach, and the pork was raised in Burgaw. They made a nice dinner.

Caprese pasta with sausage and garlic toast

Caprese pasta with sausage

1/2 lb. sausage

Red wine and balsamic vinegar (optional)

1/2 lb. pasta (Yes, my rigatoni was homemade! But that’s another post.)

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 basil leaves, chiffonade

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella, cubed

Place sausages in high-sided pan. Pour in a little red wine, balsamic vinegar and just enough water to come halfway up the sausages. Bring to boil over medium heat. Sausages will turn brown and plump up when cooked. Flip sausages and turn heat to high to reduce cooking liquid. Once water has dissolved, balsamic and wine will turn into a sticky glaze, and sausages will sear on bottom side. Remove from heat and let cool. Slice sausages into bite-size pieces.

Bring separate pot of water to boil. Add handful of salt, and boil pasta until al dente. Strain pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with sausage, tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and grated Parmesan. Add pasta water if needed.

Spoon pasta onto plates and top with handful of mozzarella cubes.

The McBibb

Hubby thought of the name for these short rib Bibb lettuce wraps. I converted shredded beef left over from a restaurant meal to an Asian-style wrap. The key: Soy sauce, sesame oil and lots of ginger.

The McBibb

I should also note that all of the recipe ingredients (that aren’t Produce Box or leftover items) are things from my pantry. That’s the point of weeknight dinners — cheap and quick! If you don’t have one or two of the ingredients, no worries.

The McBibb

6-8 whole Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

Olive oil

1 leek, sliced and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, minced

Approximately 1 cup shredded cooked beef* (ground beef or pork would work, too)

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

1 inch piece ginger

1 grated carrot

Crispy rice noodles

1 cup rice (I used instant white)

1 cup beef stock*

Rice wine vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add beef and warm through (if using raw, obviously cook completely). Once beef is done, add splash of sesame oil and soy sauce. Grate in half of the ginger. Remove from heat.

For instant rice: Bring beef stock and splash of rice wine vinegar to a boil. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and grate in remaining ginger.

To serve: Put beef and rice on top of Bibb lettuce leaf. Top with grated carrot and crispy rice noodles.

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

Sweet potato leek scramble

No photo for this one, folks! Mornings are hard …

Sweet potato leek scramble

1/4 cup diced sweet potato*

2 tbsp. sliced leeks*

Butter

2 eggs

Salt, pepper

Rub nonstick pan with butter. Saute veggies over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low.

Whisk 2 eggs, salt and pepper. Add to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are almost set. Remove from heat and serve.

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

Sweet potato leek pizza

Sweet potato leek pizza

Sweet potato leek pizza

Pizza dough

Olive oil

1/2 sweet potato, washed and peeled

1 leek, sliced into rounds and rinsed

Salt, pepper

Gruyere cheese* (optional)

Preheat oven, with pizza stone inside, to 500 degrees F.

Thinly slice sweet potato (I used my mandolin.)

On a piece of parchment paper, roll out pizza dough to desired thickness. Brush with olive oil.

Top dough with 1 layer sweet potatoes, then leeks. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and gruyere (if using).

Transfer parchment and pizza to preheated pizza stone (I used the bottom side of a baking sheet to do so). Bake for 10 minutes.

Got leftover veggies? Save ‘em for the next meal …

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Recipe key | Bold ingredient = Produce Box item | Asterisk ingredient* = Leftover item

Eat local

It’s the first week of The Produce Box!

They deliver N.C.-grown produce (and sometimes other products, such as bread) right to my workplace. I split the box with a couple at work, and it costs me $11 per week. That’s $11 well spent, as I will prove in the coming posts …

Bibb lettuce, cabbage, asparagus, strawberries, raw peanuts, leeks and a sweet potato