Small in size, big on taste—Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Modestly sized Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with a maple cinnamon cream cheese icing pack big flavor. Recipe below.

WHEN IT COMES TO BAKING, MY VERY FAVORITE BLOG IS SALLY’S BAKING, a great site for bakers at every skill level. Want to make mille-feuille, or baked Alaska, or a checkerboard cake? Sally’s got you. Want to make cornbread, or dinner rolls, or pizza dough? She’s got you. She’s also got you if you are completely inexperienced and baking-curious. She and her team explain everything with a friendly clarity and precision and her site, in operation since 2011, is chock full of excellent recipes. I never fail to learn a lot, and all her recipes taste just great. Case in point? These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Continue reading “Small in size, big on taste—Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls” →

Celebrating National Scone Day

SO, MAY 30 IS NATIONAL SCONE DAY. There being only so many days in the year, it is also National Creativity Day and National Mint Julep Day. But you know us, we’re happy to celebrate scones. Continue reading “Celebrating National Scone Day” →

Making the most of Passover with two matzoh treats

BECAUSE PASSOVER IS UPON US (sundown April 12 through April 20), you’ll find that matzoh is readily available in many stores. For us, that means it’s time for two of our favorite recipes, matzoh brei and matzoh crack. Continue reading “Making the most of Passover with two matzoh treats” →

Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy that will fool your favorite carnivore

Mushrooms and spices used in sausage making give this vegetarian version of a Southern diner breakfast staple a convincingly meaty flavor.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY ARE PERHAPS THE ICONIC SOUTHERN BREAKFAST FOOD. More specifically, biscuits and some kind of meaty gravy made with either pork sausage or rendered fat from fried ham or even lard, if no meat is available. Sounds dodgy, tastes delicious. Continue reading “Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy that will fool your favorite carnivore” →

Two great ways to use extra matzoh (or reasons to buy extra)

PASSOVER IS UPON US (sundown April 22 through April 30) and that means matzoh is readily available in many stores. For us, that means it’s time for two of our favorite recipes, matzoh crack and matzoh brei. Continue reading “Two great ways to use extra matzoh (or reasons to buy extra)” →

Season’s greetings—and Ricotta Pancakes with Sautéed Pears—to you

OUR CHRISTMAS PLANS ARE STILL BEING SORTED OUT. We know it will involve some overnight guests, but exactly when (and for that matter, how many) is still TBD. We do know that it will involve some holiday and post-holiday breakfasts. And that reminds me of these light, lovely ricotta pancakes that Marion has wowed guests with on more than one Thanksgiving weekend. They sound perfect for Christmas too, I think.

Happy holidays to you and yours, and have a happy, healthy new year.

Don’t call them bite-sized: down-sized scones are a perfectly sized treat

WE MADE A LOT OF SCONES LAST WEEKEND. Like many scone recipes, the ones here at Blue Kitchen make eight scones. But honestly, when we make them that size, we often eat part of one, then come back later to finish it. So lately, we’ve been downsizing our scones, getting a dozen from the same batch of dough. The smaller scones are perfect for a breakfast treat, dessert or afternoon snack. Continue reading “Don’t call them bite-sized: down-sized scones are a perfectly sized treat” →

Matzoh Brei for breakfast, Matzoh Crack for dessert

With Passover here, matzoh is in your supermarket. Here are two delightful, unexpected ways to enjoy it.

ALONG WITH SHOWERS AND FLOWERS, SPRING BRINGS HOLIDAY EXCUSES TO EAT WELL. Ramadan, which we covered last week with Middle Eastern Labneh Sandwiches, Easter with its various food traditions, and our personal favorite, Passover. With our family scattered, we don’t always manage the full holiday dinner, but we do indulge in a pair of treats made with matzoh. Continue reading “Matzoh Brei for breakfast, Matzoh Crack for dessert” →

Amish soul food from a Top Chef semi-finalist: Johnnycakes and Apple Butter

Johnnycakes and apple butter create a delicious breakfast that straddles traditional Southern and Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Recipes below.

LIKE MANY CHEFS, CHRIS SCOTT DEVELOPED HIS LOVE FOR COOKING IN HIS GRANDMOTHER’S KITCHEN. And like many Black Americans, his life has been shaped by migration. After the Civil War, his great grandfather left the South and moved to work in a steel factory in “the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country,” as Scott puts it. So when Scott learned to cook at his grandmother’s side, he picked up traditional Black Southern recipes, of course, but also those of the family’s adopted home, Amish country. Continue reading “Amish soul food from a Top Chef semi-finalist: Johnnycakes and Apple Butter” →

Buttery, airy, slightly tart: Blackberry Lime Scones

Blackberries and lime juice and zest offer a nice tangy balance to these buttery, airy scones. Recipe below.

SO SCONES HAVE APPARENTLY BECOME A THING FOR ME. I like making them and we both love eating them, so I find myself looking for different kinds to make. Our daughter Claire and her boyfriend visited over Thanksgiving and—over our apple cheddar scones, appropriately enough—they mentioned some blackberry lime scones they can no longer get (the place has gone out of business, sadly). Let’s just say some synapses fired. Continue reading “Buttery, airy, slightly tart: Blackberry Lime Scones” →