Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs, beaten

2 ⅓ cups mashed overripe bananas

Directions

 Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Step 2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a separate large bowl until smooth. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Step 3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY!

The post Banana Bread appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

            A couple sitting across the table from each other, make their way down the same piece of pasta until their lips meet in the middle. Children sit expectantly as mom and dad fill the table with a warm, hearty, and delicious homemade dinner. The extended family and friends hover around the grill while that one uncle barbeques burgers and brats for everyone. These are the scenes known by everyone that all lead back to what cooking is truly about – food is made with love.

            Here at Kitchen Ink, we think that there is a scene missing from the classics, and we want to share it with you this Valentine’s Day. While cooking a meal for and eating it with others is great, cooking a meal for yourself can be even better. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we are encouraging you to love yourself as much as you would anybody else by cooking a delicious meal for you and you only.

            For those of you finding yourself alone this Valentine’s Day, this one’s for you. Stop by the store on your way home and pick up the following ingredients: dried penne pasta (1 pound), bell peppers (1 cup), zucchini (1 cup), cherry tomatoes (1 cup), scallions (⅓ cup), mixed olives (1 cup), grated parmesan (1 cup), chopped mozzarella balls (1 cup), and basil (1 cup). Tonight, you are going to make a delicious, fresh pasta salad for yourself… but don’t forget the dressing. Grab some red wine vinegar (⅓ cup), some sea salt (½ tsp), black pepper (½ tsp), dried oregano (½ tsp), and some extra-virgin olive oil (½ cup).

            Get home, get comfortable, and get in the kitchen. Connect to your speaker and put your favorite record on. Boil a large pot of salted water. Throw the pasta in for 6 to 10 minutes. In a large bowl mix the dressing and add in all ingredients. Finally, refrigerate until it has cooled. In the meantime, go find a show or movie to watch. Dim the lights, light some candles, and get comfortable. Tonight, is a night for you and you only. You deserve it. Self-love should be a priority, and this Valentine’s Day, you don’t need anybody but yourself. Do something for you.

The post Date Yourself this Valentine’s Day appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

Growing up in Puerto Rico in the early 2000s, I have such fond memories of cooking Bistec Encebollado (steak with onions) with Rice and Beans with my Dad. As ‘70s rock music plays in the background, my Dad and I prepare the ingredients. We always divide the cooking tasks, I take chopping the onions, peppers, pumpkin, and potatoes for the beans while he takes cutting the tenderloin filet for the bistec. As we talk, chop, and sing, the sweet aroma of the boiling beans fills the kitchen air. This is the smell I think of when I miss home when I miss Puerto Rican food, when I miss cooking with my Dad. This smell isn’t possible without a key ingredient – tomato sauce. Tomato sauce is a major ingredient in most Puerto Rican foods, but along with “sofrito” (onions, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, green pepper), it gives the most flavor to beans. This flavor fills you up; it gives a sweet feeling, like you are being hugged and told everything will be okay. This was the first Puerto Rican dish I learned to make, and now it has become my favorite flavor and aroma of home.

Every time I return from college, my Dad and I take a daddy-daughter day to buy the ingredients and cook the dish that reminds me so much of where I come from. Making Bistec Encebollado (steak with onions) with Rice and Beans with my Dad is one of my favorite things to do. It brings us closer. The song Father and Son always comes up at one point while cooking; my Dad is a huge Cat Stevens fan. It is mainly about Cat Stevens advising his son, which is exactly what happens while we cook this dish. Unknowingly, we pour out our feelings and life goals. We talk about our lives in detail while cooking. Don’t get me wrong, we share a lot with each other, but when we cook, we open up the most and share emotions. The food is almost like a buffer; we concentrate so much on cutting the ingredients correctly that we don’t think about what we are talking about. We revisit his childhood, the good and the bad memories; talk about my deceased grandfather, who also loved cooking; and my life at college: my friends, and even boys, which I would otherwise be too embarrassed to talk about with him. Cooking has acted as a medium of communication for years, and I owe much of what I know about my Dad to spending time with him in the kitchen.

The post More Than a Recipe appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

I’ve had ants on a log for as long as I’ve had snack time. Early mornings before school, I would step onto the kitchen stool to help my mom pack my food. After rinsing the long stalks of celery, she would cut them into 2–3-inch bite size pieces, perfect for my little 2nd grade hands to grab and fill with a heaping of extra creamy peanut butter. I would nestle 3-4 raisins into the peanut butter, making sure the ants were in a straight line all the way through. My favorite part was gazing proudly upon my creation packed in neat, tight rows in my favorite pink Tupperware as I licked the leftover peanut butter off my hands and marveled at my artistic talent.

Feeling nostalgic and have 10 minutes to spare? Try this recipe for yourself with ingredients you probably already have on hand! You can also spice it up with blueberry or honey for sweet tooths.

Though it’s been a while since I’ve had a formal snack time, I find myself picking up these same ingredients every time I go to the grocery store. Being able to recreate these recipes in my dorm transports me to my childhood, back when I found great joy in the simple things. Sometimes when I feel burnt out in the kitchen, the nostalgia embedded in these ingredients are all I need to reignite my passion. The pride I felt making my own food returns and suddenly, I’m back to being that kid with her sticky peanut butter fingers and inextinguishable love for cooking.

Ants on a Log

Makes 6 logs

Ingredients:

• 3 celery sticks
• Cream cheese or peanut butter
• 30 raisins or blueberries

Directions:

1. Wash the celery sticks and cut each stick in half.
2. Fill each stick with cream cheese or peanut butter.
3. Place raisins or blueberries on top of the filling on each stick to represent ants.

This recipe is from Hamish the Hedgehog, Cooking Classes.

The post Still My Favorite Snack Ants on a Log by Adeline Kim appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

 ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger, optional

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, optional

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, optional

½ cup canola or other vegetable oil

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 ½ cups grated peeled carrots, 2 to 3 medium carrots

 ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, optional

¼ cup raisins, optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch fine sea salt

1 ½ cups powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed

Pinch ground cinnamon or ground cardamom, optional

¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, optional

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and the nutmeg until well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the oils, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time until well  combined.

4. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Pour the dry ingredients in slowly stirring as added to combine until batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.

5. Fill each muffin cup ¾ full and bake 20 to 25 minutes. The tops of the cupcakes should be springy to the touch.

Make the frosting

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Approx. 2 minutes.
2. Beat in the powdered sugar until fluffy. If you desire thicker frosting add an additional ¼ cup powdered sugar.

   Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to fully cool prior to frosting.

3. Optional – if you want spiced frosting add in ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or cardamon.

The post Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp. vinegar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 ounce red food coloring

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

For Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350ºF. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. Mix together the oil and sugar. Whisk in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, food coloring and eggs.
3. Sift the the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the wet ingredients. Mix until batter forms and is a uniform color.
4. Divide batter between the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat together the butter and cream cheese.
2. Whisk in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the vanilla.
3. Transfer frosting to a piping bag to pipe on the cupcakes.

The post Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

1 1/2 cups apple cider

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk, at room temperature*

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over low heat add the apple cider. Stirring occasionally, simmer the cider until it reduces to about 1/2 cup. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the reduced apple cider, and whisk everything together until smooth and combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
6. Spoon the batter into the donut cavities—for ease, pour batter into a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.
7. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they’re done. Cool donuts for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
8. For apple spice topping – In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then generously in the topping.
9. Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ENJOY!

Recipe from the forthcoming Kitchen Ink book Recipe Road Trip, Cooking Your Way Across the USA on Sale Summer 2023.

The post Apple Cider Donuts appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

The post Carmel Apples appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

10 cups apples (peeled, cored, and sliced) *

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup water**

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter (melted)

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9×13-inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together. Sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over mixture.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Spread evenly over the apple mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

 *Your best option is Granny Smiths because they stand up well to baking and have a nice tart flavor. Other great choices include Gala, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp.

** If you want a thicker mixture cut the water in half.

The post Apple Crisp appeared first on kitchen Ink Publishing.

1 graham cracker

1/2 chocolate candy bar

1 marshmallow

1. Once you have created and lit your fire allow the fire to simmer down so the logs are red hot embers rather than a roaring fire of flames. See Kitchen Ink’s blog on making a campfire. You need to be safe and patient prior to roasting your marshmallow. Please also make sure you are not wearing loose sleeves or clothing that could dangle into the fire and catch flames.
2. Break one long graham cracker in half horizontally to make two squares. Break the chocolate bar to fit one graham cracker square, leaving the other graham cracker square open to use as the top. Set aside.
3. Place a marshmallow on a stick and hold it over the heat, rotating often, until the marshmallow is golden brown, and the inside is gooey.
4. When the marshmallow begins to brown and softens on the stick remove from the fire and place it on top of the chocolate. Top the marshmallow with the second graham cracker square. Squish down for the marshmallow to melt the chocolate. Eat it sandwich style and enjoy!

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