Mini Farm Stand Buttermilk Doughnuts

Not too long ago, I awoke bright and early on a Sunday morning, pulled back my hair, threw in my contacts, and headed to the kitchen to make a batch of doughnuts. The adorable farm stand buttermilk doughnuts pictured in Baked Explorations had been calling out to me for months, and I could withstand their charms no longer.

Sometimes for me, it's more about wanting to make things than wanting to eat them -- as strange as that sounds. Don't get me wrong... I wanted to eat these doughnuts after I made them, but I wanted to make them just to make them and glaze them and decorate them and marvel at their adorableness. I think I coo at mini foods the way some people coo at babies. Hey, we all have our priorities.

Mini Farm Stand Buttermilk Doughnuts (adapted from Baked Explorations)
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Ingredients

Doughnuts
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, slightly browned, and cooled
Vegetable oil for frying

Chocolate Dip
4 ounces Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Vanilla Glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sprinkles

Cinnamon Sugar
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

Preparation

Line one baking sheet with parchment and another with paper towels. (The recipe says to use two layers of paper towels, but we use Viva brand, and one layer of those is sufficient.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream until combined. Then whisk in the melted, cooled butter.

Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour the liquid ingredients into the well. With a rubber spatula fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly dust counter top with flour, and turn the dough out onto it. Sprinkle more flour on top, and pat the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

Using a 2-inch cutter and an apple corer (my trick for being able to make tiny center holes in the mini doughnuts), cut out the doughnuts and doughnut centers.

Arrange the doughnuts and doughnuts holes on the parchment-lined sheet pan.

Re-roll any scraps, and cut out more doughnuts. Transfer those to the sheet pan as well, and then chill the doughnuts in the fridge while you heat the oil.

Fill a deep skillet with oil to form a layer about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium high until it reaches 365 degrees.

While the oil is heating, make the toppings.

Chocolate dip: Place the chocolate chips in a wide, shallow bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth, and then whisk in the butter. Keep warm.

Vanilla glaze: In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, and vanilla paste.

Cinnamon sugar: In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. (I used a Pyrex bowl with a lid, put the sugar and cinnamon inside, covered the bowl, and shook up the mixture until well combined.)

Fry the doughnuts: Once the oil has come up to temperature, fry the doughnuts in batches. Carefully lift them off the baking sheet and place them in the hot oil. Let them brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, and then turn with tongs, and let them brown on the other side, about 1 minute.

Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined sheet pan.

Continue frying the rest of the doughnuts, and then fry the doughnut holes. Keep in mind that the doughnut holes will take much less time.

Once the doughnuts have finished frying (or if you're comfortable with it, while you have batches in the oil), dip them in the chocolate, vanilla glaze, or cinnamon sugar.

Decorate vanilla glazed doughnuts with sprinkles.

The doughnuts are best served right away but will last about a day.

Notes: All of the topping recipes make way too much. I still have a bowl of leftover cinnamon sugar in the pantry. (Of course it's not likely to go to waste.) I wasn't a huge fan of the vanilla glaze, and I think if you decide to leave out one topping, that would be the way to go. The chocolate glaze was amazing and my favorite of the toppings.  Jeff preferred the cinnamon sugar topping.

These doughnuts come out cakey with a nice crunch on the outside (kind of like what I think of as an old-fashioned doughnut). And everyone who tried them could taste the nutmeg in them. I really think it elevated the flavor.

What's your favorite kind of doughnut?

Baked Eggs For One

Sometimes the things I decide to make in my kitchen are inspired by nothing other than a fridge full of odds and ends leftover from other dishes. Recently, I had a treasure trove to work with: onions (red and white), spinach, arugula, red cabbage, tomatoes (well, these were on the counter, not in the fridge), zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, various cheeses, fruits, and more.

I started thinking that I wanted to do something with the tomatoes and spinach, but I didn't want to make a pasta (I'd been eating pasta in different forms for two weeks). An omelette sprang to mind, and then I was off and running thinking of egg dishes. It finally came to me that baked eggs would be perfect with lots of veggies and would make a filling dinner. (Don't you love breakfast for dinner?)

I had made baked eggs once before, but just to be sure I wouldn't mess them up, I did a quick Google search for some baking temperature and timing guidelines and landed on Alicia's recipe. I immediately went to her blog for my sought-after guidance. (Side note: Even though Google has a new recipe search filter, I prefer to just Google under the "Everything" filter, so I can still find the sources I really trust. Thankfully, I have a huge network of talented blogger friends to turn to for guidance and inspiration. And I'm happy their recipes are still coming up in a regular Google search.)

Armed with some idea of how to go about making baked eggs, I gathered ingredients. I grabbed the spinach and tomatoes I knew I wanted to use and then added to those some onion, garlic, zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper, grated parmesan, and a couple of eggs. I could tell these were the makings of a fabulous dinner. And apparently, I was craving Italian flavors even if I wasn't in the mood for pasta.

Baked Eggs For One (inspired by The Clean Plate Club)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1/4 cup diced Vidalia onion
1 cup diced zucchini
3 Campari tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1 cup baby spinach
2 eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Toast (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and zucchini to the skillet. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes and garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the spinach on top, cover the pan, and cook until spinach starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir the spinach into the other veggies.

Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a small oven-safe baking dish.

Transfer the veggies to the dish.

Crack the eggs right on top.

Season with salt and pepper, and top with the grated Parmesan.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until eggs are cooked the way you like them, turning halfway through.

Let cool slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with toast, if desired (or, you know, a burger bun, if that's what you have on hand).

If I had to write a chapter in one of those books about eating alone, I could see myself writing about this dish. It was easy to prepare, incorporated a lot of my favorite foods, and absolutely hit the spot.

What do you eat when you eat alone?

Pineapple Chicken Salad

A couple weekends ago Jeff and I went to Wrentham to do a little shopping. On the way there, we realized we hadn't bothered to eat breakfast before leaving the house and we were both hungry. I started thinking about where we could stop to grab a bite to eat when I remembered there's a Cracker Barrel at the entrance to the outlets, and Cracker Barrel serves breakfast all day.

Jeff teases me for liking Cracker Barrel because he thinks it's so not "me." I think because my family used to stop at Cracker Barrels whenever we went on road trips when I was younger, I have a special place for it in my heart. I have fond memories of wandering around the store (well, running to the restrooms first, as this was usually a pit stop on a long road trip) and checking out all the candy, t-shirts, and teddy bears. We'd often grab a bite to eat there before heading back out on the road. The food isn't high-end; it's good, old-fashioned comfort food, and it's consistent and reliable.

While I walked in thinking I wanted breakfast, once we were seated and I opened the menu, a picture of the Grilled Chicken 'n' Strawberry Salad caught my eye, and I immediately decided that's what I wanted to eat. Jeff stuck with the plan and ordered breakfast.

The salad came out as a large bowl of greens and romaine lettuce topped with chicken, canned pineapple, crumbled feta, and sunflower seeds. The strawberries, oddly, were served on the side and just halved and not well-hulled. The salad was supposed to come with country pepper vinaigrette, but they were all out, so I just got Italian.

I loved the idea of the salad and the salad itself was pretty good, but as I was eating it, I just thought that I could make it better, starting with replacing the canned pineapple with fresh.

So the next day, I wrote up a shopping list and gathered ingredients to make my own version of the salad to take for lunch that week. Whenever I make work lunches, I basically buy enough of everything to last me the whole week. With salads, because I don't want them to get soggy, I prep all my ingredients on Sunday, but then I throw together a salad each night or morning before work. The ingredients below are what you'll need for about a week's worth of salads. Use as much or as little of each ingredient as you like to craft your salad. This is meant to be more of a guide than a recipe.

Pineapple Chicken Salad (inspired by Cracker Barrel)

Ingredients

1 5-ounce package Olivia's Organics 50/50 Blend
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut in small chunks
2 chicken breasts, flattened, grilled, and cubed
1 16-ounce package strawberries, hulled and sliced (I like to slice the strawberries fresh each day)
1 6-ounce container crumbled feta
Sunflower seeds

Honey vinaigrette (adapted from Ad Hoc at Home)
Combine 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small measuring cup. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar and 1 1/2 tablespoons honey. While whisking constantly, drizzle the oils into the vinegar-honey mixture. (Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.)

Preparation

Start with some greens.

Top the greens with some pineapple.

Scatter some chicken over the greens and pineapple.

Top with strawberry slices.

Sprinkle feta over everything.

Toss some sunflower seeds on top.

Just before serving, drizzle some of the honey vinaigrette over the salad. If transporting the salad to work, bring some dressing in a separate container.

I enjoyed my homemade version more than the Cracker Barrel version. Something about having that fresh pineapple in there really livened up the salad. And I'm starting to realize I might be a little obsessed with using Thomas Keller's honey vinaigrette in any salads with lots of fruit.

How do you plan out lunches for the work week?

Aragosta Bar + Bistro, Fairmont Battery Wharf

Last Wednesday, Boston finally got some gorgeous, warm weather, and it was the perfect night to sit out on the terrace at Aragosta Bar + Bistro, one of Boston's newest waterfront dining spots. Aragosta features contemporary Italian cuisine, including hand-made pastas, and uses New England seafood and local ingredients. I was so excited to check it out during Aragosta's complimentary blogger party.

Photo courtesy of Tiny Urban Kitchen. Thanks, Jen!
Michelle, Daisy, me, Athena, Jen

After a seemingly never-ending eight hours at work, I met Daisy in the North End, and we strolled over to Fairmont Battery Wharf together in the warm sunshine. We arrived at Aragosta to find Meghan, Michelle and her fiance, Elizabeth, and Rachel already lounging on the comfy couches with super-plush pillows and sipping cocktails.

Michelle explained the two cocktails to us, and without wasting any time, Daisy and I joined our friends on the couches and selected our drinks. The two choices were the Moscow Mule and the Yellow Pepper Limoncello Sour. I opted to try the Moscow Mule, a mixture of Grey Goose vodka, fresh ginger, lime juice, and club soda, first.

The fresh ginger taste was noticeable, and I absolutely loved this drink. It is the perfect patio beverage. I later tried the Yellow Pepper Limoncello Sour, which was also good, but I preferred the Moscow Mule. The Limoncello drink really does taste like yellow peppers, so if that's a flavor you like, I definitely recommend trying the refreshing cocktail.

On a nearby table was a spread of bread, hot cherry peppers, and a hand-crafted selection of salumi and caponata. (We soon realized this table was the hotspot of the night as waiters and waitresses would continuously pop out of the restaurant and place something new there.)

Hand Crafted Selection of Salumi, Caponata, Hot Cherry Peppers, Crusty Bread

I nibbled on bread and prosciutto and caught up with old friends as well as made new ones. Lindsey and Jon from Beantown Eats, Che from Knight at the Restaurant, and Angela from Cloud of Chaos were among the new bloggers I met during the event.

The interior of the bread was soft and light, and the outside was audibly crunchy. It was perfect with a little olive oil. And of course, one can't ever really go wrong with salty prosciutto.

One of what I have no hesitations calling the best items of the night came out next: duckfat truffle fries.

These were hot and crispy with just the right amount of salt and served with aioli on the side. I could have polished off a whole cone by myself. (I'm sure everyone else was happy I shared though.) These fries are enough to get me back to Aragosta again.

As we happily snacked on fries, food just kept constantly appearing, and every time something new came out, like the good bloggers that we are, we all jumped up and took pictures and then brought plates of whatever was presented back to our tables to enjoy.

Lobster & Truffle Crostini, White Bean Puree

If I just had this and the fries, I would have left perfectly content. I wouldn't have thought to pair a lightly dressed, chunky lobster salad with a white bean puree, but it just works. And of course, the truffle flavor is an added bonus to this dish.

Sautéed Calamari Salad, Baby Arugula, San Marzano Tomato, Balsamic

I rarely eat calamari in a form other than fried, so I found this preparation very interesting and obviously lighter. The vibrant San Marzano tomatoes seemed to bring the whole dish together for me.

Braised Veal & Pancetta Meatballs, Soft Polenta, Arugula

Another stellar dish, the veal and pancetta meatball quickly won me over, even though I had no idea what kind of meat it consisted of when I tried it. Bites of the firm meatball paired well in flavor and texture with the soft, creamy polenta.

Lobster Bisque

I was a little disappointed to see that the lobster bisque didn't have any chunks of lobster in it, but what it lacks in chunky texture, it more than makes up for in flavor. The smooth bisque is almost a little sweet and pleasantly "lobster-y."

Truffle Rigatoni, Warm Goat Cheese Fondue

I know I shouldn't say this, but I almost think the truffle rigatoni is a little too cheesy. It teeters right on the edge with its incredible goat cheese fondue. I love cheese and appreciated a few small bites of the rigatoni, but I doubt I could make it through an entire entree portion.

At this point we took a brief breather, and Meghan, Daisy, and I all ordered the Settanta Cinque, described as an Italian version of a French 75 (one of my favorite cocktails) and consisting of Aperol, lemon juice, and prosecco.

This was another refreshing beverage perfect for a warm evening. It's not overly sweet because of the Aperol and is nicely balanced with the lemon juice and prosecco. As we sipped our cocktails, we continued to eat...

Pappardelle Bolognese, Veal Cheek & Ox Tail Ragu, Porcini Powder

I think I can bestow favorite dish honors on this pappardelle bolognese. I love wide, flat pasta noodles, so this hand-made pasta was just perfect for me and the ragu was so tender, and if you can't tell, there's a little chunk of brie in that bowl too. I look forward to heading back to order the entree version of this. I've already been raving about it to Jeff too because I know he would love it as well.

Orecchiette, Broccoli Rabe, Pancetta, Capers, Preserved Lemon

The orecchiette was another great pasta dish with lots of fantastic salty, briny flavor plus bright acidity from the preserved lemon.

Gnocchi, Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Rosemary Citrus Jus, Asparagus

Perfect pillowy gnocchi -- that's about all that needs to be said about this dish. If you love gnocchi, it's a must-try.

We also had lobster ravioli with roasted cauliflower, but I somehow missed a photo op for that dish. It was as amazing as the rest of the pasta dishes.

Seared Tuna, Roasted Fennel, Marcona Almonds, Golden Raisin Puree

The seared tuna took us away from pasta dishes and back into lighter territory. I thought the Marcona almonds were an interesting pairing and loved the crunchy texture with the soft tuna.

PT Farms Pork Chop, Fontina, Pancetta, Algre Dolce Peppers

While the pork and Fontina was an interesting dish and I really liked the pork, the Fontina was a little strong for my liking.

Many of the dishes above are actually served as entrees, so we just got small samples to try, but if you head to Aragosta, you'll be getting a full-size portion. (I don't want anyone looking at the menu and thinking the lamb and gnocchi looks awfully tiny for $22.)

And finally, the parade of dishes dwindled down, and we all realized we were happily full. We decided to switch to prosecco toward the end of the evening, just in time for dessert.

Photo courtesy of Fun and Fearless in Beantown. Thanks, Michelle!
Michelle, Meghan, Daisy, and me

Chef David Daniels brought out dessert, and we got to chat with him for a few minutes about the restaurant, the food, and his culinary inspiration: his mother.

Mascarpone Ice Cream With A Muscat Pie

The dessert was very interesting, and we all kept trying to figure out the flavor of the ice cream. We found it familiar but couldn't place it, and suddenly it made sense when we found out it was mascarpone ice cream.

I'll leave you with just one last picture: the gorgeous view from Aragosta's back patio. I already can't wait to go back.

Thank you so much to Chef Daniels for the fabulous food, to Suzanne Wenz for putting together such a great event, to all the wait staff for putting up with all of our picture taking and for graciously explaining each dish to us, and to Daisy -- who invited me to be her plus-one.

What is your favorite spot for outdoor dining?