Peanut Butter and Julie

Fresh Peach Streusel Muffins

Saying that Las Vegas has a few pubs is on par with saying that Oprah has a few bucks.  These taverns are everywhere: every neighborhood, every street, every intersection.  Sometimes there are two on opposite corners of an intersection.  All of these establishments have an identical generic square shape, and they all bear the same bright neon sign on at least two sides: "24 HOUR DINING AND VIDEO POKER."  Some are so bold as to claim that they offer "FINE DINING," but that statement is debatable.  The pubs all have names like "Mugshots", "The Last Call", and "We're Here to Take Your Hard-Earned Cash." 

In an economy where construction in Las Vegas has almost come to a stop, I am amazed to see more and more new pubs open on what seems like a weekly basis.  It is a common occurrence that Eric and I will drive past a building that we could have sworn was not there one week ago.  We will crane our necks, looking for a sign that tells us that a new French bistro or a mom-and-pop breakfast joint is opening up in our neighborhood.  Unfortunately, nine out of ten times we are disappointed.  "Oh good.  Another pub."

I'm not a big fan of smoky pub dining, no matter how "fine" it may be, so when Eric asks me where I want to eat on days when I don't feel like cooking, I always say "Foster's Market."  The problem with this is that Foster's is located some 2500 miles away in Durham, North Carolina. 

Obviously I know that we can't go to Foster's, at least not until we buy the jet (not holding my breath).  My point is that I want to go somewhere like Foster's, a place that does not currently exist here in Las Vegas.  Foster's Market was a very popular combination bakery-cafe-specialty foods store that I practically lived at during grad school.  It is one of those places where you could feel safe ordering just about anything off the menu (providing, for me at least, that there is no mayonnaise involved).  Everything was fresh, seasonal, made from scratch, and oh-so-addictively-yummy.  Thai Chicken Wraps, Blueberry Scones, perfectly-frothed lattes.........sigh, I miss Foster's.

Over the two years that I stalked patronized Foster's, I got to know the owner, Sara Foster, pretty well.  Her self-described "casual cuisine" has been a huge influence on my cooking.  Fortunately, she has three cookbooks, complete with mouthwatering photos that jump off the pages, with which I can attempt to recreate some Foster's favorites.  

While Sara has the benefit of bountiful Carolina produce year-round, we are not quite as lucky in the desert.  So when I found some rare ripe and juicy peaches at the grocery store, I scooped several up.  Some were for eating as they are, but others were set aside for making some of Sara's Sweet Peach Muffins with Walnut Streusel (a muffin is not a muffin without a good streusel.)  I made a few minor changes, but these are pretty close to the ones that got me through some brutal morning study sessions.  Here are a few extra tips for making these simple, sweet muffins:

• I think that these muffins taste best when they are warm, either fresh from the oven or reheated.  No butter necessary!
• Sara Foster uses 1 1/2 cups sour cream in her recipe, but I substituted 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk (because I didn't want to go back to the grocery store.)  In a pinch, you can also substitute full-fat yogurt.
• I also added a little bit of salt to the streusel.
• Because the batter contains only a little bit of butter and no oil, the baked muffins might stick to the paper liners.  To prevent this, mist the insides of the liners with nonstick baking spray prior to filling them with the batter.
• The streusel can be prepared up to one week in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.
• With the exception of very soft fruits, such as bananas or papayas, most fruit can be used in place of the peaches in this recipe.  Try it with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, pears, nectarines, or a combination.

Fresh Peach Streusel Muffins

Makes about 18

For the muffin batter

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon brandy

1 3/4 cups pitted and chopped fresh peaches

For the streusel

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup golden brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.  Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, buttermilk, and brandy until well blended.  Stir in the chopped peaches.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring until just moist and blended.  Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.  The batter should come to just below the rim of the paper liner.

Prepare the streusel:  In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; stir to mix.  Add the butter and mix with clean hands until well blended and crumbly.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the muffin batter, pressing lightly to adhere.  Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes and then serve.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Tomorrow is my birthday.  This year, instead of stepping aside and aging gracefully, I've decided that I am going to shake things up a bit and not turn 35.  I've already asked my mom for permission, and she said that this was O.K.  Actually, she said "Ask your father," but years of being Ken and Sherry's daughter has taught me that this is just part of their good cop-bad cop routine, and "Ask your father" really means "O.K."

Obviously, if I still need to ask my mom for permission, then I am nowhere near ready to turn 35, right?  As an alternative, I was considering pulling a Benjamin Button and turning 33.  I could also go the less-difficult-but-just-as-acceptable Groundhog Day route and stay 34.  Either way, I wouldn't have to suffer through my annual 2 1/2 months of cougar status, until Eric catches up with me on November 7 (during this period he takes great pleasure in reminding me of my advanced age on a daily basis.) 

It's not that I feel old.  I even still get carded on occasion--providing the room is extremely dark and the bartender is legally blind.  I'm just not done with being 34 yet.  This year seemed to fly by in an exceptionally speedy manner, and I didn't quite accomplish all of my goals, some of which are ridiculously lofty with an achievement factor of nearly zero percent.  Oh well, I guess I'll need to transfer 'Become best friends with Gwen Stefani' over to next year's list. 

Despite the fact that I'm not rolling out the red carpet for 35, I'm more than willing to make the sacrifice and open a few presents, all in the name of tradition of course.  That's just the kind of person I am.  And if you haven't gotten me anything yet, I promise that I won't hold it against you if your gift arrives a few days late.  Like I said, I'm a trooper.

Birthdays are one of the few days each year when people tend to allow themselves to eat whatever they desire, and I'm certainly no exception.  For the majority of the other 364 days, my diet consists largely of carrots, hummus, butternut squash soup, Crystal Lite lemonade, and Golden Spoon frozen yogurt, so you can only imagine how ready I am for a steak and ice cream (not together, of course.)

If I could eat one food for the rest of my life and not worry about gaining an ounce, that food would be ice cream, so that is what I always have for dessert on my birthday.  Not just any ice cream.  I'm not a fan of Ben & Jerry's or Cold Stone-esque varietals.  I find that their butterfat content is much too high, and they are a little too  creamy.  No, the best store-bought ice cream to me is the brand that I grew up with: Breyer's.  Preferably mint chocolate chip, coffee, or strawberry with the real strawberry chunks.  Homemade ice cream is another good alternative, because I can control the ingredients, usually mixing a bit of whole milk in with the cream.

This strawberry ice cream is not only close in taste and texture to the Breyer's variety, but it is oh-so-easy to make.  This is a no-cook recipe that doesn't contain any eggs, so it is not custardy, and it takes only minutes to mix together.  Although it is spectacular on its own, I decided to turn it into homemade ice cream sandwiches, using blondie-like layers on either end.  Happy Birthday to me indeed!  Here are a few extra tips for making these summery strawberry sandwiches:

• The ice cream sandwiches, before cutting, can be prepared up to one week in advance and frozen in the pan.  Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and then in foil.
• Instead of making square-shaped sandwiches, you can also use cookie cutters to make hearts, circles, etc.  This will yield fewer sandwiches and waste a bit of the sandwich layers, but you can always use those for snacking!
• The strawberry ice cream will keep for up to 1 1/2 weeks, in an air-tight container, in the freezer.
• Before assembling the sandwiches, allow the ice cream to soften at room temperature. 

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes about 9

For the Strawberry Ice Cream

1 pound fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, coarsely mash the strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, and salt using a potato masher or a fork.  Let the mixture stand, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add the cream, milk, and vanilla to the bowl and stir to thoroughly blend.  Cover the bowl and chill until very cold, 3 hours.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker.  Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer to firm up.

For the Sandwich Layers

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.  Butter two 9-inch square baking pans and line them with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang.  Butter the foil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.  Add the egg, egg yolk, and the vanilla.  At low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing to combine.

Divide the batter between the 2 pans and spread into thin, even layers.  Bake until the layers are golden brown, but still soft, 10-12 minutes.  Cool the layers in the pans for about 30 minutes.

Assemble the sandwiches:  Spoon the ice cream over 1 of the cooled sandwich layers (as thick as you want the sandwiches to be), and spread it evenly using an offset spatula.  Invert the second sandwich layer over the ice cream, pressing it gently to form an even sandwich.  Wrap the baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board, lifting by the foil overhang.  Cut into squares and serve.

Whole Grain English Muffins

I clearly remember the last time that I got the recommended full eight hours of sleep.  It was in October, 2000, and Eric and I were in Edinburgh, Scotland.  No, I'm not kidding.  It has been that long. I had just finished my first term at business school, during which time I probably slept a total of eight hours and lost about 12 pounds from stress (The Business School Diet!  Learn how impossible statistics problems and constant cold calling can have you back into your skinny jeans in just 6 weeks!) 

Since we were full-time students, we didn't have much money for the purpose of travel, but we had found a really good deal on a Virgin Atlantic flight to Heathrow, and Eric's friend was doing a semester of Law School in London, so we had a cheap place to stay.  Cheap, but crowded.  I never was able to figure out exactly how many people were living in that flat, but it seemed like every time that I walked down the hall I saw someone new.  They were probably wondering if I lived there too.  Thankfully, we left before anyone asked us for rent. 

So, between the red-eye flight from Washington D.C., when a toddler decided to use the space in front of us as his own personal jungle gym, and the flat, where someone was always up watching the snooker on the telly, I wasn't catching many much-needed z's.  Unfortunately, this meant that I stumbled my first few days through foggy London in an equally foggy trance.  I know that we saw some wonderful, historic landmarks.  I'm certain of this.  I just don't remember any of them. 

On our fourth day, realizing that the drizzle had no intention of stopping and that London was not the best place for those on a budget, we decided to take a train up to Edinburgh, Scotland.  Armed with my trusty DK travel guide, we selected lodging.  We also picked the train station that was least  compatible with our lodging, hiking halfway across town with our bags in tow (any hope of being mistaken for a local was long gone at this point.)  We finally checked in during the late afternoon.  The best thing about our room was that it had these really thick drapes that blocked out any light from the outside.  After an early supper, the last thing that I remember before falling asleep is Eric being completely engrossed in the snooker match on T.V.  Snooker seemed like it was always on T.V. in the U.K., no matter where we were. 

The next morning, I almost didn't believe my eyes when I awoke to a clock that said 11 a.m.  Wait.  Do they tell time differently in Scotland?  Is 11 really, like 6 or something?  There's no way that I slept for 15 hours.  Turns out, I did.  And I felt great.  Who would've thought that I needed to travel all the way to Scotland to get a good night's sleep?  

After my sleeping marathon, I was famished, and I really wanted a big Scottish breakfast.  That is, I wanted a big Scottish breakfast Julie-style: hold the haggis and black pudding, and bring on the stuff that I sort of recognize.  Even though the hotel was finishing up breakfast service, I think that I looked desperate and hungry enough for them to take pity on us.  To be honest, they could have probably served us Spaghetti-os, and I would have thought that it was the best meal ever, but we really did have a delicious, and hearty meal (those Scots love their carbs.)  One of the breads that we were served was just like the English muffins that I had been eating for years, complete with nooks and crannies, but it was denser, made with oats, seeds, and wheat.  I could tell that they were freshly made and toasted on the griddle.  Mmmmmmmm.  I could have easily put away half a dozen, smeared with creamy butter and preserves.  And I might have.  I don't recall.

Flipping through a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living, I found an English muffin recipe that resembled the ones that we had in Edinburgh.  Not only did it remind me that I need to go back to Edinburgh, because I am due for another good night's sleep, but it reminded me how much I loved those muffins.  As always, I made a few changes to Martha's recipe, but I was still happy with the results.  Eric used them for English muffin pizzas last night and declared that they "tasted much better than normal English muffins."  If that's not an endorsement, then I don't know what is.  Here are a few extra tips for making these marvelous multigrain muffins:

• The muffins can be stored at room temperature, sealed in plastic bags, for up to two days, or you can freeze them, tightly wrapped, for up to two weeks.
• You can easily play around with the flavors of these muffins.  Add some coarsely chopped raising or cranberries to the dough, or mix in some cinnamon.  You could also add some chopped nuts or seeds.
• Wheat germ may be substituted for wheat bran.  The caraway seeds may be omitted or replaced with another type of seed.
• For the rising process, I find that placing the bowl in a warm oven creates an ideal environment.  Heat the oven for just a few minutes and then turn it off just before placing the bowl inside.

Whole Grain English Muffins

Makes about 12

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce package)

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup wheat bran

2 tablespoons flax seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 cup well shaken buttermilk

Oil for coating the bowl

Cornmeal

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, honey, butter, and warm water; stir to mix.  Allow the yeast mixture to rest for 5 minutes or until it is foamy. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, whole wheat flour, oats, wheat bran, flax seeds, salt, and caraway seeds.  Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the yeast mixer and mix on low speed until combined.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Lightly oil the inner surface of a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place, and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle the parchment with cornmeal.  Roll the dough out into a 1/2-inch thick circle.  Using a 2 1/2 or 3-inch round cutter, cut out circles of the dough and place them on the baking sheets, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart.  Re-roll dough scraps and cut out more circles.  Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and allow the circles to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes, until puffy.

Heat a large dry skillet over low heat.  Working in batches, cook the rounds of dough until they are golden brown and dry, about 7 minutes per side.  Let the muffins cool, and then split and toast.