I am a little bit of a kitchen gadget geek. Particularly when it comes to gadgets that claim to make things easier. I love my strawberry slicer, my cherry pitter and my onion chopper, but when it comes to the cabinet-space sucking larger gadgets, I tend to think twice. But a few years ago, I finally caved in a bought a simple ice cream maker – just an electric base with a bowl that goes in the freezer, ready for your next batch. And man I am glad I did, particularly in summer, when ice cream is the perfect dessert, and homemade, tailored to your personal taste, is both a special treat and an impressive dish to serve friends. Freezing takes about 30 minutes, and the possibilities are endless for loads of tasty fun. I have never looked back.

This lemon meringue pie version I created for my mom. Lemon meringue pie is her favorite dessert, and I have never quite gotten the pie right. But this version is idiot proof. Crumbled graham crackers, purchased meringue cookies and jarred lemon curd create all the rich, custardy flavor with the tang of lemon in a couldn’t- be-simpler ice cream base.

1 cup whole milk

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy cream

Zest and juice of one medium lemon

1 (12 ounce) jar lemon curd

6- 7 graham cracker sheets

12 small meringue cookies (or 6 large)

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. I use a hand mixer for about 2 minutes to get everything well blended. Whisk in the cream, lemon zest and juice. Pour the cream base into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Meanwhile, break the graham sheets into very small pieces by placing them in a ziptop bag and crushing with your fingers. Some crumbs are fine, but the pieces need to be bite sized. Place the meringue cookies into another bag and pop each one with your fingers to break it up into shards. They will pop apart easily so don’t get carried away.

About half-way through the recommended freezing time for the ice cream, spoon in the lemon curd, a little at a time, so it blends into the ice cream. As the freezing time comes to an end, drop in the graham pieces until mixed in, then the meringue pieces. When everything is mixed in and the ice cream is frozen, scoop it into freezer containers and freeze for several hours or overnight.

So now that summer has well and truly begun, I thought  I would share with you some of my favorite finds for the perfect summer – in and out of the kitchen.  These are just some ideas about personal favorites – no one has asked me to promote any products.

Nothing says summer quite like ice cream, so I highly recommend a simple ice cream maker.  I have this Cuisinart version and think it’s perfect, and not terribly expensive. It’s a lot of fun to invent your own flavors, especially with kids, but if you need a little help, try David Lebovitz’s Perfect Scoop book.  David’s a hoot and he really knows his stuff.  Now that you’ve mastered the ice cream, you’ll want to share it with your friends.  And we all like pretty packaging, right? Sweet Bliss sells great containers you can decorate yourself – and in quantities that make sense.  I love these!  But if baking is more your thing, Bake It  Pretty has amazing decorative cupcake papers and lots more fun items to jazz up your summer celebrations. And to really add personality to the food gifts you share with friends, check out Felix Doolittle’s beautiful Chef’s Medallions and Baker’s Labels, amazing personalized stickers with foodie themes.

Summer also means picnics and outdoor eating, and as I may be all about easy, but I want to be good to the earth too.  These Bambu plates are made from sustainable bamboo, are organic and disposable and look good to boot.  They also make serving pieces and cutlery.  You can get cups, plates and cutlery from Preserve that are made from recycled material and are recyclable.  They come in fun colors as well.  I use them all the time.  And to tote all those picnic supplies, or cut a dashing figure at the farmer’s market, pick up a snazzy oilcloth bag from Beth’s Market Bags.  I carry the large white bag with red graphic apples, and it’s easy to wipe up any spilled milk or leaking berries.

So maybe you are interested in all things food, but don’t want to spend too much time in the hot kitchen.   Some cookbooks are great reads, like Martha Foose’s Screen Doors and Sweet Tea.  You’ll love reading it, but it’s likely to get you in the kitchen as well.  But for just a good read, Julia Stuart’s The Matchmaker of Perigord is full of food and characters and is just delightful.  It’s not as light and charming but The Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris intersperses a haunting tale with the importance of food.  But if you are looking for summer projects, you’ll learn more from Darina Allen’s Forgotten Skills of Cookery than you can imagine. Or gather your epicurean friends around for a game of Foodie Fight trivia. And if you just want escape the heat and have a good laugh, watch the British series Chef with Lenny Henry.

Summer isn’t all about food.  I do actually leave the kitchen occasionally.  And when I do, I love to wear these jazzy SwitchFlops with interchangeable straps. And since slaving over a hot stove doesn’t give me a tan, a little bit of Stila one-step bronzer helps create a summer fresh look.  When I do get outside, I add a little Dermologica Solar Defense Booster to my moisturizer for protection.  If travel is on your agenda, this Vera Bradley transparent pouch is TSA approved for your carry-on, and cuter than a Ziploc!  And I would love to be spotted by the pool with one of these adorable canvas totes from Iomoi.  And keep all your travel notes, memories and keepsakes in one of these practical Moleskine city notebooks.

A few years ago, in the hot, hot summer, we had a big storm that knocked out power for over two weeks.  They say it was a wind storm, but we all called it Hurricane Elvis.  As it was summer, many people were away on vacation, had vacations planned, or just left town during the power outage.  But I was a busy little event planner and had a wedding and a private event to plan and execute, so no leaving town for me.  I lived in my hot, hot house with no lights and no air conditioning for the duration.  My parents had two giant trees fall on their house, then breezily left for a planned trip overseas with the parting words “we expect the trees to be gone when we get back.”  So despite the catastrophe, I was a busy little bee.

As it happened, this was the first year I had planted a garden in my newly constructed raised beds.  I had carefully tended my tomato plants, and wouldn’t you know they all produced a bumper crop of gorgeous red tomatoes right during the storm. Now, I can only eat so many raw sliced tomatoes and I had way more than I could ever finish.  Everyone I knew had left town, so there was no one to share them with.  Under other circumstances, I would have made vats and vats of sauce and soup and frozen my bounty for the long winter.  My gas stove worked, but of course I had no refrigeration and it was just too darn hot to slave over the burners.  So the tomatoes wilted on the vine.  After that, I decided planting tomatoes just wasn’t worth it.

But this year, I have re-entered the wannabe gardener world.  My lettuce is magnificent, my radishes a triumph, and I am awaiting the zucchini.  And I have planted tomatoes.  I watch them carefully – one variety plant has already got some little green babies on it, the other plants are flowering.  So barring any natural disasters, I hope to have another grand crop.  But it is not here yet.  So in the meantime, I am using the ripe, red cherry variety for my tomato fix.  I find they are pretty tasty throughout the year, and pretty darn cute too.

Caprese Tart

I use a rectangular tart tin, but a round tin will work just as well. It may take more or less tomatoes.

1 sheet puff pastry, room temperature

45 round cherry tomatoes

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese

2 bunches (about 1 ounce each) fresh basil

2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons pine nuts

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash the tomatoes and pat them dry.  Using a small, sharp paring knife, gently cut out the core of each tomato, scraping the inside lightly to remove seeds.  I find a sturdy ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon helps with this job.  Be carefully not to cut through the flesh or squash the tomato.  You want to create a little cavity for the mozzarella to fit in.  Place each tomato cut side down on a few layers of paper towels to drain for 20 – 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to fit into a removable bottom 10 inch round or an 11 by 7 inch rectangular tin. Gently fit the pastry into the tin, using a small ball of pastry to press the dough into the corners and sides. Poke all over with the tines of fork

In a food processor (I like the mini one for this), pulse one bunch of basil leaves a few times until roughly chopped.  Add the parmesan and pine nuts and pulse a few more times to chop the nuts.  Add the ricotta and egg, a grind of pepper and a pinch of salt and process to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once.  Using a small offset spatula (or the back of a big spoon), spread the filling in an even layer over the bottom of the pastry.  Set aside.

Cut the mozzarella into small cubes to fit in the tomato cavities.  Lightly press on cube of mozzarella into each tomato. If some seeds or juice squish out of the tomatoes, carefully wipe it away.  Place the filled tomatoes in rows in the prepared tart, pressing lightly into the filling. Sprinkle pepper and salt lightly over the tomatoes.

Very gently brush the top of the tart with extra virgin olive oil and place in the oven.  While the tart is baking, cut about 6 of the remaining basil leaves into a chiffonade (Stack the leaves up, roll them like a cigar, then cut very thin ribbons with a sharp knife or scissors).  When the tart has been in the oven 15 minutes, remove it and sprinkle the basil over the top.  Return to the oven and cook a further 15 – 20 minutes until the tomatoes are shriveled and the mozzarella is melted.

Leave to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.  Sprinkle additional basil chiffonade on top if desired.

Serves 6 – 8

Breakfast for Dinner.  Who doesn’t love the thought?  I particularly like a good breakfast for dinner, because I am NOT a morning person, and generally way too lazy to cook a good, hearty, classic breakfast first thing.  I have developed a repertoire of night-before recipes for when the need to cook a morning breakfast arises, but morning is not my best time in the kitchen. So early morning waffles, pancakes, hollandaise sauce for eggs benedict are out. In the morning.  But for dinner, it’s a whole different matter.  You could spend all day working on breakfast. Use every tool in the kitchen.  Pull out waffle irons and griddles. I have several friends who make “breakfast for dinner night” a big occasion for their kids, and they all love it.

So I propose these fluffy, pillow-y corn cakes for your next breakfast for dinner experience.  Of course, you are more than welcome to make these for breakfast in the morning.  In fact, the batter will keep overnight if you whisk it well before frying.  And these would make a real treat for a Sunday brunch.  Add the salty bacon and a drizzle of sweet syrup, and I don’t care what time of day it is, these will make you happy.

Fluffy Corn Cakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup

Crispy bacon and maple are syrup are my favorite way to serve these, but they are also good with butter melting over the top, or with a dollop of sour cream.

2 large eggs

1½ cups buttermilk

Salt and pepper

1 (16-ounce) can cream-style corn

3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

2 Tablespoons yellow corn meal

Canola oil for frying

1 pound thick-sliced bacon, cooked

Maple syrup

Lay out a baking sheet covered in two layers of paper towels and set close to the stove.

In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, heat ¼ inch of canola oil.

While the oil is heating, combine the eggs, buttermilk, salt and pepper and corn and mix together well. Mix together the flour and cornmeal and add to the wet ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.

Test that the oil is hot enough – drop in a little batt, and if it sizzles wildly, you are ready to go.  Drop ¼ cup of batter at a time into the hot oil.  I use a measuring scoop and slowly pour into the oil, swirling into a nice round shape.  Fry 2- 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.  Depending on the size of the skillet, you can do about three at a time.  Remove the cooked cakes to the paper lined baking sheet to drain.

Serve immediately with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

Makes about 18 corn cakes

I’ll admit I don’t know too much about Irish cooking, but I do know the Irish can make incredibly flavorful and satisfying food from simple ingredients, and no one is better with potatoes.  Champ is so deceptively simple; you won’t believe the rich flavor.  Add this to any meal and it’s instantly a simple St. Patrick’s celebration.

Champ

Irish Mashed Potatoes with Green Onions

6 green onions (about 3 ounces)

2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large)

2 cups buttermilk

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

Salt

Melted butter for drizzling

Slice the white, light green and a small bit of the dark green part of the green onions very finely. Save the rest of the dark green part for garnish. Peel the potatoes and slice into chunks.  Place in a large pan and just cover with water.  Add half the sliced green onions.  Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and green onions in a colander, shaking out the water, then return to the pot.  Place a tea towel over the pot, the cover tightly with the lid.  Leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the buttermilk with the remaining green onions and the butter over low heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is warmed through.

Uncover the potatoes and begin mashing.  Pour in the buttermilk mixture and mash until smooth, adding salt to taste.  The mixture will be quite loose.  Scrape the potatoes into a small baking dish, smoothing the top. You can keep the potatoes covered for a few hours at this point, or just move on to the baking.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.  Let rest for 5- 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped green onion tops to serve.

Serves 4

When I was growing up in Memphis, there were really only two fancy, sit-down, white tablecloth, special occasion restaurants.  An old-school, white-jacketed waiter, New Orleans-style place and an elegant Chinese restaurant.  My Dad is a big fan of Chinese food, so it was his choice for special meals.  My brother and I loved the egg drop soup, which had tiny little carrots floating in it cut in the shapes of ducks and bunnies.  The owner told my mom that the chef carved the whole carrot into the shape and thinly sliced the whole into paper-thin floaters.  To this day, as my kitchen obsession grows, my mother frequently asks when I plan to learn to properly carve carrot bunnies.

I was probably twelve or thirteen before any other Chinese restaurant opened, and we ate there a lot.  Sesame Chicken, Egg Drop Soup, Fried Wontons, Lemon Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Mu Shu Pork.  The standard fare in this area, on the menus of the many subsequent Chinese restaurants to open.  When I went off to college in Connecticut, my friends and I ordered Chinese food from the local, college-friendly delivery joint.  This group of folks were all from the New England and they took over the ordering, choosing their standard choice of dishes.  When we laid it all out on the floor of the dorm room, I was flummoxed.  Everyone was digging in heartily and I didn’t recognize some of the dishes.  Sure beef and broccoli was there, but I’d never seen cold sesame noodles (now one of my favorites) or dumplings before.  It had never occurred to me that ethnic food could be regional not just in its country of origin but in its transplanted incarnation as well. 

Dumplings have made their way onto Chinese menus in Memphis as totally standard fare now.  My nieces are big fans.  It never crossed my mind that dumplings were something you might make at home until I stumbled across a magazine article about the process.  I didn’t save the article, but it stuck with me for weeks until I just had to try it for myself.  I use packaged dumpling wrappers and make a flavorful filling.  I like to make a big batch and freeze them to pull out and cook when I’m in the mood.  I have to say, I am rather impressed with myself for this accomplishment.

Chinese Dumplings

1 pound ground pork

1 medium carrot finely grated

4 green onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns (optional)

1 package wonton or dumpling wrappers

Place all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Your clean hands are the best tool for this.

I find it easiest here to set up a little assembly line. Place a small bowl of water in easy reach. Lay some of the wonton wrappers out on the counter, and place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.  Wet your finger with water and run it around the edge of the wrapper.  Fold the wrapper over the filling and press the edges together, pressing any air bubbles out and sealing completely.  Keep going until you have used up all the filling. You should end up with 35 – 40 dumplings.

Place the folded dumplings on a baking sheet or plates lined with waxed paper.  Place the dumplings in the freezer until solid, at least an hour, then transfer to a plastic freezer bag or container.  I like to divide into portions of six or seven dumplings in individual bags.

There are several ways to prepare these dumplings: 

For fried dumplings: Thaw the dumplings in the fridge. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the dumplings until crispy and golden. Remove the dumplings to a paper towel lined plate to drain and serve with soy or ponzu sauce to dip.

For pan-fried dumplings:  Thaw the dumplings or cook from frozen.  For each 6 – 7 dumplings, bring 1 ½ cups of chicken broth and one tablespoon of oil to a boil.  Add the dumplings and continue to cook until the broth has evaporated.  The dumplings will cook and brown on the bottom in the residual oil.

Makes 35- 40 dumplings

I love clementines.  They are the perfect, bright refreshing little sunshine snack.  They are so portable, you can just carry one around all day until you need a pick-me-up.  But I also find clementines annoying, largely because around here they are sold almost exclusively in five to seven pound bags.  I cannot eat five pounds of clementines before they start to shrivel and loose their juice.  So I am sometimes reluctant to buy them, because I know I will end up with uneaten fruit sitting forlornly on my counter.

This lovely bread is one of my excess clementine solutions.  It’s incredibly easy to whip up in the food processor and results in a sweet, citrus-y treat perfect for breakfast, tea or a great snack.  This recipe started its life as away to use tangerines, but I have found this clementine incarnation the most practical.

Sticky Clementine Quick Bread

This moist sticky bread will stay delicious for three days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.  It can also be frozen for up to a month.  Try making it in smaller loaf pans, even individual sizes, and share with your friends.

For the Quick Bread:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon clementine zest, from two to four clementines, depending on size

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons self-rising flour

Pinch of salt

4 Tablespoons milk

For the Glaze:

4 Tablespoons clementine juice, from two to four clementines, depending on size

½ cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray.

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  The butter must be soft and at room temperature.  If needed, microwave on half power in 15 second intervals until soft. Blend until the ingredients are just combined and smooth, about 1 – 2 minutes.  Do not over process.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, then tap the pans on the counter to spread out the batter.  Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes.  A tester inserted in each loaf should come out clean.

While the loaves are cooking, whisk together the juice from the clementines and the confectioner’s sugar until smooth.

When the loaf is cooked, run a knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen from the pan. Poke the top of the loaf several times with the skewer.  Drizzle the glaze over the loaf.  Do this slowly so the glaze absorbs into the loaves.  When the glaze is absorbed remove the loaf to a rack or a piece of waxed paper to finish cooling.

Let the loaf cool completely before serving.

Makes one loaf

This is an extra post this week, because to be honest, I am quite pleased with myself.  My recipe for Pastitsio is a finalist in the wonderful website Food52 contest for Best Baked Pasta dish.  When I saw the contest theme, I immediately remembered how much I enjoy this dish.  This Greek lamb casserole is as comforting and homey as any cheesy, meaty baked pasta, but with a unique twist of lamb, red wine, herbs and salty feta.  Served with a Greek salad and some crusty bread, this is a meal out of the ordinary with a familiar feel. 

Food52 is an amazing site to read and search for recipes.  They are holding weekly recipe contests with different themes and will publish a cookbook at the end of the project.  I know you’ll enjoy the site, maybe you’ll submit your own recipe.  And while your there, consider voting for The Runaway Spoon’s Pastitsio.

Pastitsio

Greek-Style Lamb Casserole

This can be made in one big family style casserole, or two smaller sizes.  Take one to a friend and have one for dinner.

1 pound dried penne or ziti pasta

1 Tablespoon butter

2 pounds ground lamb

2 medium onions, diced

1/2 cup red wine

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sumac (optional)

1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

2 cups water

6 ounces crumbled feta

For the cheese sauce:

6 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve.  Stir in the butter to prevent sticking.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the lamb until no longer pink, breaking it into pieces, about 8 minutes.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a colander and shake well to drain the fat.  Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, oregano, (sumac and mint if using) and 2 cups of water.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside to cool.

For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  In a slow steady stream, whisk in the milk until there are no lumps.  Cook, whisking often, until the mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 – 7 minutes.  Stir in the cayenne and the Parmesan.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the pasta to the lamb mixture and stir to combine.  Toss in the feta and combine. Spoon the mixture into a greased 9  x13 inch baking dish, or two 8 by 8 inch pans.   Spread the cheese sauce over the pasta mixture, smoothing the top with a spoon. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven then allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

This will keep assembled up to one day in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. To freeze, cool completely and wrap tightly in foil.  Thaw completely and reheat.

I am a born and raised Memphis girl, so I could not let this day pass without a mention.  January 8 is Elvis’s birthday, and this year he would have been 75. And when you grow up in Memphis, Elvis sort of permeates the atmosphere.

Here in Memphis, Elvis is generally commemorated more on the anniversary of his death, on August 16, than on his birthday. I am not sure why this is the case, but every year in August, Elvis fans from around the world converge on Memphis for Elvis Week, the culmination of which is the Candlelight Vigil. Fans of Elvis and fans of Elvis fans stand outside the gates of Graceland on Elvis Presley Boulevard for the Vigil, waiting their turn to file pass the gravesite.  My friends and I marked this for many years, either by attending the Vigil itself, a true sight to behold, or having our own party.  The location of the tribute party rotated around various backyards, and one memorable year it was held on a used car lot. 

I had my 25^th birthday party at Graceland, the party in the admission plaza across the street, with tours of the mansion.  In a perfect piece of timing, mine was the first party right before the kitchen was opened to the public, so we had a very early tour.  It is straight out of its day, pure 1970’s, with an early version of a microwave oven. When Elvis lived there, it ran all day and all night, with shifts of cooks.  Elvis was a night owl, but anytime he was awake, he wanted food available – and lots of it.

Elvis was an eater.  True, he may not have had the most adventurous palate, but he liked his food.  He preferred good, classic Southern dishes, like meatloaf, pork chops or country fried steak.  Hamburgers were his favorite food, and he was particularly fond of a Memphis classic, the hamburger with pimento cheese. He was not much of a one for vegetables, and he liked his food delivered to the table already cut up for him.  And he had a TV in the dining room, so he never had to miss his shows.   Graceland now has audio guides, but in the wonderful days of live people leading tours of the house, much time was spent pointing out the unobstructed view of the TV and the Noritake china Priscilla picked out in the blue, gold and smoked mirror lined dining room.

Perhaps the most enduring Elvis food legend is the peanut butter and banana sandwich, a treat created by his mother, always his favorite cook. He could eat these butter-fried gutbusters day or night, any number of them at one sitting.  Today, in the Graceland gift shops, you can buy refrigerator magnets, potholders and recipe cards printed with a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich recipe.  A few years ago, the fine folks at Reese’s created a limited Elvis addition banana and peanut butter cup, a surprisingly good invention.

Elvis clearly pre-dates the cupcake craze, and frankly I don’t imagine he’d think much of these.  Food in miniature was certainly not his style.  He could eat a whole cake by himself, not just a slice or two.  But I think it’s worth celebrating the birthday of the King by, in Elvis’s own words, “taking care of business” with a nostalgic twist.

The King’s Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 medium ripe bananas

Frosting:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 to 6 Tablespoons milk (you may need a bit more)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine thoroughly.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Using a fork, mash the bananas until smooth, then add to the batter, stirring to combine.

Scoop the batter into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 6 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, cream the peanut butter in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the sugar and vanilla.  Add enough milk during mixing to create a smooth, spreadable consistency,

When the cupcakes are cool, frost and enjoy!

Makes 18 cupcakes

This cake can also be made as a cake in a 13 x 9 inch pan. With no frosting, this makes an excellent breakfast treat.

Peppermint is the one flavor that transforms itself at the holidays.  Some of the traditional tastes, eggnog, fruitcake, even gingerbread, hardly make an appearance at any other time of the year.  But not peppermint. I eat peppermint candy all year.  The little hidey-hole in the arm on the door of my car is always filled with peppermints pilfered from bowls at restaurants and shops around town. I love peppermint ice cream in summer.  But somehow, around Christmas, peppermint seems so utterly of the season.  There are starlight mints stacked up on store shelves, even the major candy companies go wild with peppermint bark, candy cane kisses and peppermint hard candies in every shape and color.  The standard, plain candy suddenly becomes a classic symbol of the season when December begins.

So I try to incorporate peppermint in my holiday baking as much as I can, before it is once again relegated to the car door.  This is the perfect holiday recipe, because it is easy to make, with spectacular results.  And you can leave these little cakes simple and plainly adorned, or really go to town on decorating. Crushed up candy canes, mini mints, edible glitter.  I found the little round mints pictured above at the dollar store.

I very, very rarely made any kind of angel food cake from scratch, until I discovered liquid real egg whites for sale at the grocery.  Remove the step of separating loads of eggs and finding a use for the yolks, and angel cake and cupcakes are a breeze to make.

Peppermint Angels

This recipe makes a little more batter than needed for 12 cupcakes – about 1 cupcakes worth.  Feel free to make that extra cupcake, but I don’t usually bother.

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups liquid egg whites

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Few drops of red food coloring

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking liners.

Sift together the sugar, flour and salt and set aside.  In the large bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed to very low and gradually sprinkle in the sugar mixture.  When it has all been added, stop the mixer and fold by hand with a spatula to incorporate all the ingredients.  Gently fold in the peppermint extract.

Using a large spoon, spoon about half of the batter evenly among the prepared baking cups. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the remaining batter in the bowl and very gently fold it through to get an even pink tint.  Spoon the remaining batter over on top of the white in the baking cups, filling each cup to the top.  There will be more batter than needed.  Using a thin-bladed knife, gently swirl the batter in each cup.

Bake the cupcakes for 12 – 15 minutes until the tops are firm and a tester inserted in the center of a large cake comes out clean.  Remove the pan form the oven, and immediately use a small knife to loosen the tops of the cupcakes from the pan.  Turn the cupcakes quickly out onto a wire rack, then immediately return to the pan to cool.  Set the pan on the wire rack for cooling.  This step prevents the cooled cupcakes from sticking to the pan, which would make them impossible to remove.

When the cupcakes are cooled, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Spread the glaze over the cooled cupcakes and leave to set.  If you want to add any decorations, do so while the glaze is still soft, then leave to set.

Makes 12 cupcakes