Chocolate Chip Muffins (and a giveaway!)

I had planned on writing this post yesterday. But as many of you know, Ryan and I celebrated our 4th anniversary…and the day slipped away from me. We had a lovely evening, complete with artichoke, shrimp and mussel pasta, and a crusty loaf of Italian bread. BUT THEN all hell broke loose. Around 10 pm, I started feeling funny and before I knew it, an evening of love and romance had transformed into a very sick pregnant woman lying on the bathroom floor. After several hours of vomiting, with no respite in sight, we were told to come into the hospital. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor to make sure Lucy wasn’t going to come too soon. Dehydration is not good for pregnant people!

Thankfully, by 5 am, the vomiting had stopped and I was able to drink a glass of Gatorade. Ryan and I are back home, Lucy is content for at least a few more weeks (I hope!) and I’m on the mend. We’re not sure what happened, but my doctor told me to avoid all seafood for the next few weeks. Ryan didn’t get sick from our dinner…and they don’t think it’s a stomach bug. More likely, my body just said, “No way!” to shellfish.

It’s fascinating what our bodies do and do not tolerate. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to learn more about lactose-intolerance, a condition I’ve developed over the course of my pregnancy. I can still eat cheese…but a glass of milk or even a bowl of ice-cream makes my stomach cramp. The folks at Lactaid offered me and others some interesting and valuable information…as well as coupon for a carton of Lactaid. Wouldn’t a glass of milk be perfect with one of these muffins?

Michelle Harrington, a registered dietician, had this to say about lactose and lactose intolerance:

What is Lactose?

Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk and other dairy foods.

Lactose (milk sugar) consists of two simple sugars–glucose and galactose

Lactose MUST be broken down into glucose and galactose by the intestinal enzyme lactase before it can be absorbed by the body

What does it mean to be Lactose Intolerant?

Most people produce the natural enzyme, lactase. The amount of lactase your body produces determines how much lactose your body can break down.

Everyone has different levels of lactose intolerance (I’m only mildly intolerant!)

What is Lactaid?

Lactaid provides the lactase needed to break down lactose (try saying that ten times!)

Lactaid products are 100% real dariy. The only thing different? They add the naturally occurring enzyme to their milks, ice-creams, and cheeses.

Lactaid products can help lactose-intolerant individuals and families digest dairy products without stomach discomfort (yippee!)

After last night’s incident, I know I’m VERY READY to be free of any and all stomach discomfort. I’m eager to try Lactaid with my nightly bowl of cereal because calcium is SO important for growing babies, and there is nothing quite like a glass of full-fat milk. The folks at Lactaid would also like to give one of you a coupon to try their product. If you’d like to be eligible for the giveaway, like Anecdotes and Apple Cores on Facebook and leave me a comment below. I’m so close to 2,000 likes…I’m sure we can get there! The winner will be drawn Monday morning.

And because I know I need something sweet to end the week, here is my go-to muffin recipe (chock-full of mini chocolate chips). I’ve made quite a few muffins over the course of my adult-life, but these are the VERY BEST. If you’re looking for a classic, bakery style muffin, look no further. These rise beautifully, have just the right amount of sweetness, and are moist, moist, moist! You can sub the chocolate chips for other goodies like blueberries or nuts. The sky is the limit!

Chocolate Chip Muffins (the only recipe you’ll ever want or need!)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
10 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups plain full-fat or low-fat yogurt

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (or other add-in of your choice)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two standard muffin tins with paper (this recipe makes about 16-18 big muffins…so you won’t use all the tins).

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl (ideally the bowl of a stand mixer) cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.

Now, alternate between adding dry ingredients and yogurt. Your batter will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips. Using a 1/3 cup measure, divide batter evenly into prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack. Enjoy!

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

I’ve made this pizza dough three times in the past 10 days. Now granted, I am 34 weeks pregnant and craving all things dough and cheese…but truely, this pizza dough is the best I’ve ever worked with…and I’ve tried quite a few recipes over the years. This is what makes this whole wheat pizza recipe special:

1. Initial soak. Instead of combining all ingredients into a mixing bowl, kneading, and then letting the dough rise, this recipe calls for an initial soak. You let 1 cup of flour sit in a watery mixture of yeast and honey for 30 minutes. Then, you add the rest of your flour, salt, olive oil…I don’t understand the chemistry behind this method, but trust me, it works.

2. Vital Wheat Gluten. Do yourself a favor. Buy a box of vital wheat gluten if you plan on baking a lot of whole grain breads. This does wonders! It makes yeast breads rise higher and produces a much less dense dough.

3. White Whole Wheat Flour. King Arthur makes my absolute favorite white whole wheat flour. You still get all the benefits of whole grains but with a much lighter texture than traditional whole wheat.

And the result? A dough that feels like heaven to touch (bakers…you know what I mean…) and a pizza crust that’s flavorful, chewy, and packed with whole-grain goodness. I dare you to try the recipe and not make it again the following week. I plan on making a batch of dough each Sunday until Lucy’s born. I can’t get enough pizza.

So we’re now at 34 weeks, and I thought I’d share how we’re all doing as the big day looms closer.

Cravings: Pizza, bagels with cheese, bacon, tortilla chips, and coconut cake

Fears: Ryan and I want a natural childbirth, but I’ve definitely been feeling a bit more intimidated about laboring without pain medication. Maybe I’ve just been watching too many birth videos, but I worry that I won’t be able to handle the intensity of transition and pushing. Thankfully, we have a GREAT doula, and I know she’ll help me talk through some of these fears.

Exercise: Margot (our pup) and I still walk 2-3 miles each day. I’m moving slower now, so I listen to Terry Gross a bit longer on my IPOD, but we’re making it out everyday. I’m also doing squats whenever I think about it, which means Ryan finds me awkwardly moving up and down as I brush my teeth.

Nursery: Lucille Amelia’s nursery is almost complete! We still need to hang up a few pictures, and my mom is painting my great-grandmother’s rocker…but it definitely looks like her room, and I can’t wait to share it with you in a few more weeks!

Health: We had an appointment with my OB today and all looks well. Lucille is in the 56 percentile, and my OB thinks she’ll be around 7.5 or 8 lbs if we get to 40 weeks. My blood pressure is right on track. And even though Lucy is already 5 lbs, I’ve only gained a total of 16. Here’s to hoping to a healthy and happy 6 more weeks!

Ryan: My sweet husband has been nothing but love to me. He comes home from work and showers us both with affection. He sings to Lucy, talks to Lucy, and plays with Lucy (she kicks him, he nudges her back). I can already tell they’re going to be close. She has him wrapped around her finger already. And tomorrow we celebrate 4 years of marriage. I’ve never loved him more.

So here’s to hump day and really good pizza. I hope everyone is well and warm.

Best Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (100°F to 115°F)
2 tablespoons honey
3 1/2-3 3/4 cups King Arthur 100% Organic White Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Stir together the yeast, water, honey, and 1 cup of the flour in a large mixing bowl, in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in the bucket of a bread machine. Cover the mixture and let it stand for 30 minutes; it’ll be very soupy.

Add 2 cups of the remaining flour, the vital wheat gluten, and the salt to the yeast mixture, along with the olive oil and sesame seeds. Mix and knead the dough-by hand, mixer, or bread machine-for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to make a smooth elastic dough. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for at least 2 hours, or until it’s doubled in size. At this point, you can make a traditional pizza or even a calzone. You’ll want to divide the dough into two pizzas or at least six calzones. Bake in a preheated 425 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Cannoli Tarts

I did not grow up eating Italian food. Crepes with spinach and roasted chicken? Yes. Stuffed shells with a homemade marinara sauce? No. And to be honest, I didn’t find Italian food that appealing. For a long time, I much prefered a crusty loaf of homemade bread over a bowl of pasta.

Ryan, however, did grow up eating Italian food, and his love for the ubiquitous cuisine has slowly rubbed off on me. We’re celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary on Thursday night, and what are we making? Pasta with shrimp and mussels. I credit my growing affection for Italian food to both Ryan…and a few Italian restaurants I’ve had the privilege of eating at over the last few years. Because good Italian food can make anyone a convert. And I’m not talking about the Olive Garden.

One of the many classic Italian dishes my husband loves is the cannoli. A deep fried pastry shell stuffed with ricotta cheese and a drizzle of chocolate. Most anyone can get behind a dessert like this. Unfortunately, a good cannoli can be hard to find. Either the shell is soggy, the cheese isn’t fresh, or the chocolate tastes stale. There’s nothing sadder than biting into a bad cannoli (well, that’s not necessarily true, but it is still sad).

I wanted to make Ryan a cannoli this weekend, but didn’t feel too eager to get out my frying pan and set off the smoke detector again. So I did what I do best: I made a tart. And these cannoli tarts are just as delicious as the best cannoli you’ll find in New York City (again, this might be a stretch…but really, they’re still very very good). I used a mini cupcake pan to make the tarts, but a standard muffin pan would work just as well. The filling is made with a combination of ricotta and mascarpone cheese. By adding mascarpone the filling becomes even creamier and richer. And for chocolate? Well, I just sprinkled a few chocolate chips on the top of each little tart. Pretty tasty.

So enjoy the recipe. And in honor of the cannoli’s color scheme, here are a few of my favorite black and white picks for little girls.

Cannoli Tarts

Yields 15-20 mini tarts

1 package refrigerated pie crust (or make your own favorite double-crust recipe)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk)

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup chocolate chips

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, the mascarpone cheese, the powdered sugar, and the vanilla extract. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to chill for at least 2-3 hours (to be honest, I wasn’t that patient…they still turned out fine! But the filling will appear thicker the longer it chills).

Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be slightly thinner than if you were making a standard pie. Sprinkle dough with cinnamon and granulated sugar. Lightly roll rolling pin across the surface to press the cinnamon sugar into the dough. Using a 2.5 or 3 inch cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut out circles and press pastry into mini muffin tins, making mini pastry cups. Once complete, allow these cups to chill for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake chilled tart shells for 10-15 minutes, or until just lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Use a spoon or a piping bag to fill each cooled pastry cup with the filling mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and serve immediately.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Blueberry Clafouti

As you know, we had a small scare last week. Or, more accurately, I had a small scare last week (Ryan remained valiant through it all). When we went in for our biweekly check-up at the OB, she mentioned that my stomach hadn’t grown since she’d last seen me. She scheduled an ultrasound to make sure that our Lucy was still growing, receiving nutrients from the placenta. She tried to assure me that likely everything was just fine. But I didn’t (and still don’t) like the word “likely.”

Ryan and I had a difficult time conceiving. We were in the office of a fertility specialist when we found out we were pregnant. My first twelve weeks were touch-and-go. My progesterone levels dropped around 8 weeks, causing me to bleed and sending us to the ER. When we finally made it to the second trimester, I felt such relief and gratefulness. When we saw Lucy at our anatomical scan in January, I cried. The ultrasound tech told us again and again, “She’s just perfect.”

So when I thought there might be something wrong, when I feared my body had stopped doing what it was supposed to do, I panicked. Thankfully, I had my stellar husband, a few good friends, and my sweet mom to reassure me: everything’s going to be alright.

And yesterday morning, we confirmed just that: everything with Lucy is fine.

Not only is she still growing, but she’s a few days ahead of schedule, weighing almost 5 lbs. She’s nestled down into my pelvis (ready to go into the world!) and she’s still keeping her hands close to her sweet face. Wonderful reassurance. Just what I needed to carry us through these last weeks.

And so after we got the good news, I came home and baked these pretty blueberry clafoutis (isn’t this the best word to say aloud?). Clafoutis are a simple, rustic french dessert that showcase seasonal fruit. The batter is decidedly eggy, which makes it ideal for brunch or dessert. If you know how to use a bowl and a whisk, you can make a clafouti. Easy and beautiful and delicious, they’re a must-make this Spring and summer.

Blueberry Clafouti

*From King Arthur Flour

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup White Whole Wheat Flour

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, or a 9-inch pie pan at least 1 1/2 inches deep. Place the blueberries in the pan. Note: I used three mini spring foam pans. If you use a spring foam pan, be sure to place a cookie sheet underneath as the batter will seep out.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, and sugar. Whisk in the flour, stirring till most of the lumps are gone. Pour the batter over the fruit.

Bake the clafouti for 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven, and serve it in wedges, warm or at room temperature. A dab of whipped cream is entirely appropriate. Yield: 8 servings.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Lemon Berry Bars

May first brings snow to Colorado. Margot and I walked around our neighborhood this morning. I bundled myself in the only coat that fits (a dirty white one) and stuffed my curls into a blue hat. As the snow fell, it melted almost immediately upon contact with the still warm concrete, and I thought about how fitting the weather felt to me.

Lucille Amelia is due in June. We are now in May. So this, conceivably, is our last month without a child. Her arrival feels so imminent on some days and then so distant on others. Just like snow falling on the first day of May, there are daily occurrences that make me feel as if Lucille (and summer) are months and months away. I wake up in the morning to myself and Ryan. We make our breakfasts quickly and quietly. We sit together, basking in what I can still only call love, before Ryan leaves for work and I leave to take Margot on a walk. How will a baby fit in this? And yet, I know she will. She’ll transform us, change us, grow us, until we can’t think about life without her. So many miracles occur from conception onward.

I don’t really mind snow in May. I think it serves as an apt reminder that we have very little control. The weather doesn’t listen to our arbitrary calenders (and I imagine that baby Lucille won’t listen to the due date we’ve set for her either). Both of these rebellions are okay, good even.

What I will do is celebrate spring regardless of what the temperature reads outside. These lemon berry bars are one way to accomplish my goal. I’ve loved lemon bars since I was in high school. My best friend’s mom would make them on special occasions, and I found myself capable of eating nearly half the pan. These lemon bars come from my favorite recipe (with a slight berry twist). Unlike some, these bars set beautifully. You don’t have to worry about the lemon custard making a mess when you cut your pan into squares. They held up well enough for my niece’s lunchbox, and even after sitting in the refrigerator for three days, these bars taste just as good as they did Sunday afternoon.

Intense lemon flavor is balanced by the sweetness of berries. I used raspberry jam in this batch, but strawberry jam would taste just as lovely. There’s room for adaptation.

Lemon Berry Bars

For the crust:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour

1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.For the crust: cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. While crust is baking, make filling. The crust must be hot when filling is poured.

For the filling: whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, raspberry jam, and flour. Pour over the hot crust and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.Cut into squares and enjoy!