Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble

I originally bought the fixing for these muffins to participate in the Muffin Monday blogging event. The problem was that I didn't get to make them in time. So i decided to make them Sunday morning for breakfast.

The smell of the coconut baking is amazing. But the best part is getting at the crumble while it is still hot. These muffins didn't last too long as leftovers. They become to moist, maybe due to the pineapples. By the second day of leftover I had to throw them out.

Pineapple Muffins with Coconut Crumble Crumble: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons self-rising flour 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut Muffins: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 can (8oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained 1/2 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups self-rising flour

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom of 12 muffin cups with vegetable spray.

Prepare the crumble: Combine sugar, flour and butter in a bowl. Work the butter into the mixture using a fork. Stir in the coconut and set aside.

Prepare the muffin batter: Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric miser on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy, 30 seconds. Add the egg, pineapple and juice, milk and vanilla and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, 25 strokes. The batter will still be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each prepare muffin cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of crumble topping on each muffin and gently press the topping into the batter.

Bake the muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 180 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cook for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, left them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Profiteroles for World Nutella Day!

I can't remember the first time I had Nutella. I know it wasn't until I was in my mid-20s. I think it might have been at a grocery store as a sample because all I ever knew to do with it was spread it on toast. When Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Shelly from A Home in Rome declared World Nutella Day to be February 6, 2007, they challenged us all to come up with creative ways to eat this wonderful "chocolaty hazelnut spread".


I had never even thought of using Nutella in a recipe. Since I am not the "make my own recipe" kind of gal, I did a search online. I really wanted to make a Nutella and banana sandwich, but I figured I would go with something more challenging and make the sandwich with whatever is left in the jar. Aren't I crafty?

Giada De Laurentiis has several recipes listed on the Food Network site which use hazelnut spread. I settled on making Profiteroles with Ricotta Mascarpone because they looked so elegant. I'm not much of a baker, so if I am going to bake I want to make something really neat.

I was surprised how nicely the Profiteroles turned out. Light and perfect looking. And those came from me? From my little bowl and oven? I do suggest serving these the same day that you cook them. I knew I wouldn't eat all 12 so I made everything the night before and then brought it into work and assembled it there the next day. I had stored the Profiteroles in an air-tight freezer bag but I noticed they had considerable more moisture in them the next day. They seems to have a nicer crispness to them the evening before.

Profiteroles with Ricotta Mascarpone
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, chopped

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Combine the water, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the butter melts. Add the flour and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Cool 5 minutes.

Crack 2 eggs into a measuring cup. Use a wooden spoon to beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time. Spoon 10 or 12 (1 1/2-inch) mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl to blend. Gently brush the egg over the dough mounds (do not drip the egg onto the baking sheet).

Bake the pastries until they are amber brown, about 50 minutes. Allow the pastries to cool completely.

Mix the mascarpone, ricotta, vanilla, and remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until cold. Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off the pastry and set aside. Spoon the mascarpone mixture into the pastries and top with its lid.

Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds until warm. Stir the mixture. Spoon the chocolate-hazelnut sauce atop the pastries. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

#97: A Spoonful of Honey

"The only reason for being a bee is to make honey.
And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."

Winnie the Pooh

Did anyone know that the bees from Africa make honey? When I think of African Bees I think of Killer Bees. One too many late night movies I suppose. Well, I'm glad they do because Zambezi Organic Forest Honey is really something special.

Hidden in a lush forest at the source of the mighty Zambezi River lives a special honeybee that feeds only on flowering trees. Gathered using sustainable methods, our traditional beekeepers help to preserve the forest as well as the bees.

I do not know much about honey and I am certainly no honey connoisseur. I purchase a bottle of honey from the local grocery store from time to time, mostly when it is called for in a recipe. When I have it in the house I sometimes add it to tea. The only reason I bought this special honey is because it is part of my project to taste each item on Food & Wine's 100 Tastes to Try for this year. #97 on the list is African Honey. Zambezie Honey was the recommended honey from Food & Wine.

I used this honey when I made Corn Bread with Scallions. However the honey flavor was not very noticeable in that recipe. So to really try it, I had to be like Winnie the Pooh and just stick my paw in a take a taste. It is so good! Ever since I have been having a finger full each night, straight out of the jar.

Honey has become all the rage lately. It is coming is all sorts of flavors and from all parts of the world. In fact, I just ordered some Lavender Honey from Spain at Tienda.com earlier today. Zambezie honey is made in Africa. I purchased this 16-ounce jar online from Zambezie's website for $9.95.

Zambezie Organic Forest Honey honey has so many things going for it. It's organic so it comes from pure sources. The bees live wild in the forests near the Zambezi River of Africa. Since the bees are in their natural habitat, they do not feed on anything except their natural diet of wild flowers. Their website describes the taste: "You first discern a pleasant woodsy aroma, with hints of toasted caramel. The taste is slightly spicy, with subtle tangs of red currant. The warm amber hue is reminiscent of sunrise over the African forest." Doesn't that just sound delicious? I'm not the only one who thinks so . . . Kate from Kate in the Kitchen also gave it a positive review.

Have any of you tried or heard of any other interesting honey's lately? Also, does anyone have any creative uses for honey?

#15: Salty, Sugary, Crunchy. . . Popcorn!

I knew Aspen Kettle Corn was the first thing I wanted to order when I saw it listed as #15 on Food & Wine Magazine's 100 Tastes to Try in 2007. I love popcorn and it seemed more comfortable and familiar to me than other items on the list. I placed my order on a Sunday evening and received my popcorn the following Thursday. It arrived via U.S. Priority Mail. Their website mentions a two-bag minimum but somehow it allowed me to order only one. I wasn't paying attention, I thought I would get two. I wish I ordered six. Each bag is $6.00 and the shipping to Florida cost $7.50. And it is very, very much worth the price. I could smell it while I was carrying the box into my house and my mouth started watering while I was opening up my other mail.

Be warned if you try this: it is ADDICTING. You will CRAVE this. I couldn't stop eating it when I "tasted" it before dinner. And then I went at it again after dinner. Between those two sittings I ate half the bag. Just me, by myself. Well, my little parrot snuck a few kernels out of the bag and he loved it too. And of course I had to toss a few down to the dogs, but that only totalled about a handful. The rest was all me and I enjoyed every piggy bite of it. This is so good I'm going to be ordering it for my friends as housewarming presents and maybe place a few orders next Christmas.

Kristen over at Dine and Dish is spot on as she describes the back and forth between sweet and salty which you will experience. My first impression was that it reminded me of carmel corn. Very, very light and fresh carmel corn. And then the salt hit me and it reminded me of really good hot air popped popcorn. It is not greasy at all. And there is barely any corn syrup on it, just enough to give a nice, subtle sweetness. So it is still really healthy. There is no nutritional information on the package so I am not positive, but I think it is a pretty safe snack. I'd say it's great for the dieters out there to get a sweet fix in a healthy way, but I know there is no possible way to enforce any type of portion control because it's just too damn good.

So what are you waiting for? Go order some. Now. SOMEONE in your life has to like popcorn (if not you) and you will impress anyone you get this for. I know I'm going to be placing another order very soon.