With that said, I made the most baked cake in my kitchen in the last two months! I’m suprised my husband is not sick of it yet!  Well maybe he is!  This is one of my favorite cake recipes, its a mixture of crumble cake with a soft and airy texture!  The added bonus is the aroma of the spices that fills the whole house, making it feel warm and very holiday like.

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE
adapted from Ina Gartens: Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)*see instructions below
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions:

Ahhh…I hate wireless internet connections.  I had everything typed out and now I have start all over again! I must learn to save!  So, where was I???

Sunday after I spent practically 4 hours in the kitchen cooking and baking.  4 hours I know right,  honestly I really did not realize how much time had passed, till I saw the sun shine around 5-6 in the afternoon.  It had been raining the whole day.  I tested out a few dishes and baked with a few different ingredients, I will share I promise.

I’ve been meaning to bake something for my co-workers in the office, they have been so kind to me lately.  I wanted to show them how much I appreciate their kindness.  I searched the web for a nice lemon cupcake recipe found a few but nothing hit the spot.  So, I took the matter into my own hands and created a simple, quick recipe that turned out great.  I hope my co-workers enjoy it as much as we did.  A little kindness, goes a long way!

LEMON CUPCAKES
                     (Recipe adapted from combination of several recipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Duncan Heins yellow cake mix
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
• 3 lemons zested
• 3 oz of cream cheese – cut in squars

Preparation:

1. Preheat your own to 350 degrees. Aling 2 muffin pans (12 cups) with cupcake paper liner and set a side.
2. For the cake: in a medium sized mixing bowl, add in sour cream, eggs, corn starch, sugar, water, vegetable oil and mix with a hand held blender or in a stand mixer.
3. Once all the wet ingredients are mixed well, add in the yellow cake mix at a low speed first then at medium speed. Make sure the cake mix is incorporated in with the wet ingredients throughly.
4. Using a zester, zest the lemons directly into the batter and fold in with a spatula.
5. Spoon the cupcake batter into paper liners until 2/3 full.  (I used my 1/4 cup metal measuring spoon to spoon the batter into the paper liners.) Makes 24 cups.
6. Dice the cream cheese into 24 bite sizes pieces and place them on top of each of the cupcake batters.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I opted out of frosting the cupcakes because not everyone enjoys a frosted upcake.  Also, wanted the mess of frosting while carrying the cupcakes into the office. Who would want to eat a de-frosted cupcake now?

Friday evening, I was surfing a few of my favorite cooking site to try out a new recipe for Saturday morning breakfast.  I came across this delicious and irrestible looking Russian leeks and cheese bread recipe on Chuck’s & Angela’s the Knead for Bread and knew I hit home.

The mouth watering pictures and the idea of using leeks and a variety of cheeses in the same recipe, had me at the title.  Unfortunately, I did not have the time to stop by the the vegetable store to purchase the leeks as the recipe called for, instead I improvised and used defrosted chopped spinach and substitute the sour cream with Labne, just to add that Middle Eastern (ME Flavaa!!!) flavor.  I must say the out come was just as delicious and really unexpected. Seriously, the taste was out of this world!!  Just ask my husband, he is not a big bread eater, but he devoured each & every slice he ate.  I love our Saturday morning breakfast, they always turn out to be interesting and with way too much food.  I can’t help it, I sort of just over board with the table setting.  What do you enjoy at your breakfast table?

RUSSIAN BREAD WITH SPINACH & CHEESE
                                      Recipe adapted from The Knead for Bread

Ingredients
          For the original recipe click here.
          Note: Original posting has step by step guidelines on how to make the dough and filling.

Dough:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups of sour cream (I used 1 container of Victor’s Labne)
• 1/4 cup of cornmeal (for baking only)

Egg wash:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of milk or water if you prefer

Filling:

• 3 oz of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of goat cheese (I used sheeps feta cheese)
• 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon of salted butter
• 2 cups of chopped spinach
• 1 medium onion chopped
• salt & black pepper for seasoning

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add in the chopped onions and saute until translucent.  In the mean time, squeeze off the access water from the defrosted spinach and added to the onion mixture along with the salt and black pepper (as per your taste) and saute for a few another 2 minutes.  Set aside.
3. Place the three cheeses into a bowl and add in the cooked spinach and onions.  Mix till the spinach is well blended with the cheeses and is smooth.  Set aside as you begin to prepare your dough.
4. Sift the 3 cups of flour into a large bowl and add in the salt, baking soda & baking powder.  Mix together with a wooden spoon, until the ingredients are well mixed.  Make a well in the center and add in your sour cream or labne.  Mix using the wooden spoon until it is just mixed.  Don’t worry if it does not look like dough.
5. Now, switch to your hand and mix the dough, until it starts to comes together.  Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin into knead the dough.  About 5-8 minutes.  The dough will come together just continue to knead, until it becomes smooth.
6. Once the dough becomes smooth, allow it to rest for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle a little flour onto a flat surface and roll out the dough to a 14 inch circle.  Don’t worry if the sides are not perfect.
7. Now, add the spinach and cheese mixture into the center of the circle.  Spread out the mixture to a 7 inch circle.
8. Prepare your egg wash.  Add egg yolk with table spoon of milk and mix well.
9. Now, fold over one side of the dough to cover the cheese mixture.  Brush off the excess flour with pastry brush and brush on the egg wash.
10. Fold over the next side and brush on the egg wash.  Continue to do this till all sides are folded over and you have create a square.  Brush the top with the egg wash.
11. Line a baking pan, with parchment paper and sprinkle the with the cornmeal.
12. Place the dough carefully onto your baking pan and place it into your preheat oven and bake for 35 minutes.  The top should become a nice golden brown.  Give it a few more minutes if it needs that.
13. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.  Slice and serve warm.
14. Enjoy! 

Note: Could be made a day in advance, cover with plastic and refrigerate. Warm up before serving.

Don’t worry thinking the dough looks to thick and won’t cook.
Believe me it cooks all the way through.