Paczki

For me, Heaven on Earth is frying a ball of dough and then stuffing it with pastry cream. So I naturally fell in love with these traditional Polish doughnuts when I came across them on Nikki’s site a couple of years ago. They’re often made around Lent, to use up all the rich things hanging around the house – stuff like butter or lard, sugar, and eggs.

I wanted to make them for Fat Tuesday last year, but never got around to it. This year I did, and I know that it will be a tradition from here on out in our house. The dough is tender, yet denser than a traditional doughnut. A bit of vodka is added to the dough, which evaporates during cooking, but prevents too much oil from being absorbed into the dough during frying. They’re then filled with a rich pastry cream or fruit filling, and dusted with a bit of powdered sugar before serving.

They’re best eaten the day that they’re made, so don’t dilly-dally in enjoying them. Take some into work to share with your co-workers, or to a Mardi Gras party. Just don’t let them go to waste! This recipe makes about 25 doughnuts, which is plenty to enjoy and plenty to spread the love too. A great weekend project!

Source: adapted from Epicurious and All Recipes via Seeded At The Table

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

A dairy opened in our little town. They’ve always been there actually, but just not open to the public. I can’t count how many times I’ve driven by, and contemplated stopping by with a milk jug to find out what the dilly was. So, when I saw a sign pop up over the winter, saying that they were opening to the public in the spring – well, let’s just say I was beyond excited.

Homemade ice cream, cream-top milk, homemade cheeses and breads. Everything is beyond wonderful! The cows are right there on the premises, and the boys love eating their ice cream on the patio by the pastures. We’ve been several times already, and are always looking forward to our next trip. It’s  on the way home when I take the “back road” to pick up our crop share – so I always try to swing by and pick up some fresh milk. The milk is so rich and creamy, and sweet. With milk of this caliber, I felt horrible mixing in store-bought syrup that’s chock-full of corn syrup and fakeness. Then I remembered Annie’s post on a homemade version, and went right to work making it. It took all but about 5 minutes, and the results were pretty much bananas.

This syrup is thick, rich, and indulgent. I can never go back to the brown bottle again! This will be a staple in my refrigerator from now on. Perfect stirred into milk, over ice cream, drizzled over pretty much any dessert. A keeper for sure!

Blueberry Doughnut MuffinsWhen I saw these muffins, I was pretty sure they were going to be a hit. I love blueberries, I love doughnuts, and I love muffins – win, win, win. What sets these muffins apart from the standard blueberry variety and into the realm of doughnuthood is that the “muffin top” is dunked in a dreamy glaze.  It made a regular, ordinary muffin a little more special. And, it really helped to seal moisture into the muffin. These guys were just as good on the third day as they were on the first!

We have muffins and yogurt often in our home for a quick breakfast before everyone gets off to work or school for the day. They’re so easy to grab and run out the door with, which is another reason to love them. So, I’m always happy to have another recipe to add to my repertoire. And I’ll definitely be making this one again. Looking forward to trying it with different fruits – I’m sure strawberry would be phenomenal too!

Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

I think Biscuits & Gravy is one of the most comforting of comfort foods. It’s one of the first dishes I started making for breakfast, and even dinner, when first learning to cook. Even when making biscuits from scratch, it’s a meal that comes together quickly. Using simple ingredients, to boot. That seems to be a common thread among my favorite comfort foods.

I always make this for breakfast on those Sunday mornings when the last thing I feel like doing is making breakfast, due to one too many margaritas the night before. And it always makes things right with the world, and my stomach. In the past, I always used canned biscuits, and there’s no shame in that. But, if you have a little bit of time – try making them from scratch. This is a fabulous recipe that I’ve made time and time again, and they always turn out perfect. And, you’ll be beaming with pride – I promise!

I wish I could have made these for Jon this morning for breakfast. With the 49ers loss, he could have used this kind of breakfast to start his day. This one is sure to lift a man’s spirits. But, it was a great game and I say we should still hold up our heads high. Next year, boys! Hopefully a nice steak dinner tonight will help to ease his pain. Now, to see Maryland get painted purple. Congrats to the family in Baltimore!