Zucchini Roses

I have a confession to make. I’m a guy that watches British fashion vloggers. Well … my wife does, and I’m just there for the gardening bits. One of the vloggers she follows recently posted a video making Courgette Roses. (“Courgettes” are what Brits call zucchini and summer squash. They have some weird names for veggies. Aubergine? Really?) Anyway, I found a version of the recipe with the temperatures and measurements converted to US units. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (about 8 ounces)

• All-purpose flour, for rolling out dough

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 1 small summer squash (about 6 ounces), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally

• 1 small zucchini (about 6 ounces), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally

• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the puff pastry out to a 12-inch square on a floured work surface.

2. Brush lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the cheese, thyme and lemon zest.

3. Cut into 6 even strips.

4. Shingle alternating yellow and green slices of squash and zucchini along the length of each strip of dough making sure to leave half the dough strip uncovered and allowing the green and yellow skins to hang over one edge slightly.

5. Fold the uncovered dough over the squash and pinch together at the two ends.

6. Starting at one end, roll each strip into a spiral.

7. Lightly press the rolled tarts into a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray.

8. Bake until the crusts are browned and crisp on the bottom, the top is dry and crisp and the squash is tender and browned on the edges, about 40 minutes.

9. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Pull Apart Easter Blossom Bread

A rich eggy dough is twisted into pretty flowers, then filled with jam in this decadent Easter bread. Be sure to look at the pictures for how it is formed. Lemon curd is an option to replace the jam.

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed (divided)

• 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast

• ½ cup white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 1 ¾ cups milk

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon water

• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Step 1

  In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the yeast, white sugar, and salt. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter with the milk until the mixture is warm, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Gradually whisk about 1/3 of the butter-milk mixture into the beaten eggs, then return the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Stir the lemon zest into the liquid ingredients (set aside lemon juice for later). Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined.

• Step 2

  Add enough flour to make a soft dough; turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn the dough around to cover surface lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

• Step 3

  Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a round ball. On a floured surface, roll out a ball into a 12-inch circle. Place a drinking glass, face down, into the center of the circle to prevent cutting the dough too far into the center. Cut the dough with a knife, from the edge of the dough circle to the rim of the glass, into quarters. Cut each quarter into 5 narrow wedge-shaped strips. (Center of the dough is uncut.) Remove the drinking glass. There are 20 narrow wedge-shaped strips surrounding the uncut center of the dough.

• Step 4

  Pick up two adjacent strips, and twist them together about 4 times; pinch the ends of the two pieces together at the top. Gently coil to form a rough flower shape. Arrange the round into the middle of the circle, where the drinking glass was.

• Step 5

  Pick up two more adjacent strips, and twist and pinch them as before; coil them into a rough round, and arrange the new petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with remaining 16 strips, twisting and pinching them in twos, coiling and arranging them into 8 more petals around the center rosette. Finished bread has 9 petals surrounding the center round. Repeat steps with the second ball of dough to make two breads.

• Step 6

  Grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Place the shaped breads onto the prepared baking sheet, reshaping them into rounds if needed; cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place into a warm spot to rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

• Step 7

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the egg yolk with water in a small bowl, and brush the mixture over both the breads.

• Step 8

  Bake in the preheated oven until the breads have turned golden brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

• Step 9

  Use your fingers to gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal, and fill each with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Mix the reserved lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a bowl to form a glaze; drizzle the glaze in thin lines all over both the breads. Allow glaze to set. To serve, pull the petals apart.

Butter Swim Biscuits

These biscuits are literally swimming in butter prior to baking, hence the name. No need to butter them since they are buttery and fluffy. Perfect for breakfast or for dinner.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 4 teaspoons white sugar 

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 ¾ cups buttermilk

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

• Step 2

  Place butter in an 8x8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir butter and keep microwaving at 20-second intervals until butter is fully melted.

• Step 3

  Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a bowl. Add buttermilk and stir until combined. Pour over melted butter and spread over the melted butter. Use a bench scraper to cut dough into 9 equal pieces.

• Step 4

  Bake in the preheated oven until biscuit tops start to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

I know, you're probably thinking, “Oh no! Another banana bread recipe!” But this one is a little different: the sour cream makes this one so moist it melts in your mouth. The flavor is just wonderful! This one is great for gift giving and holidays. Loaves freeze well.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup butter

• 3 cups white sugar

• 3 eggs

• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 teaspoons baking soda

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans.

2. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

4. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar.

5. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.

6. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Autumn Spiced Butternut Squash Bread

This is a good way to use butternut squash. It has the aroma and flavors of a pumpkin bread. A great bread for Thanksgiving time.

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups white sugar

• 2/3 cup shortening

• 2 cups pureed cooked butternut squash

• 4 eggs

• 2/3 cup water

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

2. Beat sugar and shortening together in a bowl until fluffy. Stir butternut squash, eggs, and water into sugar mixture.

3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in another bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Add nuts and raisins; stir until batter is just blended. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Buttermilk Cornbread

I’m usually not a fan of cornbread. More often than not, to me cornbread has the appeal of a dry sponge. However, this recipe has become one of the few cornbread recipes I like. I have two requirements for cornbread. It needs to be sweet and moist.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2/3 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.

2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.