Beer BBQ Chicken with Chive Ranch Dip

June 1st calls for some BBQ!  A gem here with homemade sauce, a Chive Ranch dip, and everything can be made in advance with little effort on the back end.  Food like this serves us well all summer for outings at the beach, camping, etc.  It travels well, and despite being a little messy, it’s a crowd pleaser for kids and grandparents, and everyone in between.  Cornbread recipe will come later too!

The sauce recipe is from Half Baked Harvest, a goldmine of incredible recipes and food inspiration.  My friend Liz introduced me to this site, and I cannot thank her enough!  Anyway – it’s legit.  Beer in the sauce.  BBQ perfection.  

Beer BBQ Chicken with Chive Ranch Dip

Print Recipe
Homemade Beer spiked BBQ sauce, slathered on grilled chicken strips, served with a cool chive ranch dip on the side.
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword barbecue, bbq, chicken, bbq chicken, ranch, grilled chicken
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken breast, sliced into strips for grilling

Beer BBQ Sauce

  • 3/4 cup beer - whatever you like to drink
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup runny honey
  • 3 tsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tsp chili powder
  • 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Chive Ranch Dip

  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Make the BBQ Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients in a small to medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Continue simmer over low heat for at least 15 -20 minutes until slightly thickened. I usually do this a day in advance.

Make the Chive Ranch Dip

  • Stir all ingredients together and keep refridgerated until ready for use.

Grilled BBQ Chicken

  • Slice the chicken breasts into strips and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Set aside
  • Slather a thin coat of the BBQ sauce on the chicken - you want to go light so it doesn't cause a flare up on the grill. I baste the back side of the chicken as I turn it, to boost the flavor without feeding the flames. You can use a grilling or pastry brush to do this. Add one final coat of the sauce when finished cooking - the chicken will absorb a lot of it and concentrate the flavor. Serve the chicken warm or make ahead to eat later - dip with extra BBQ sauce and the ranch on the side.

Notes

This recipe is adapted slightly from Half Baked Harvest - www.halfbakedharvest.com.  Tieghan Girard is a huge source of recipe inspiration for me, and I often find myself going back to her recipes time and time again!
Also - the Chive ranch is a big batch recipe because my family devours this - we use it with veggies, tacos, and even put it on sandwiches.  If you aren't as insanely addicted to ranch, you will likely be fine with a 1/2 portion of the recipe...
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Aperol Spritz

The Iconic Italian aperitif – summer in a glass!

This drink signals summer to me.  Despite the pouring rain and temps in the 40’s here for our Memorial Day weekend, I’m going for this cocktail in celebration of summer, coming, soon… Three ingredients, over ice, tastes like sunshine.  Here’s to making your own!

Aperol Spritz

Print Recipe
The iconic Italian aperitif; prosecco, aperol, and spash of club soda makes the perfect summer cocktail combination.
Course Drinks
Cuisine Italian
Keyword aperol, spritz, cocktail
Servings 2 cocktails

Ingredients

  • 4 oz Aperol
  • 6-8 oz prosecco
  • 2 oz club soda (I prefer pellegrino)
  • 1 orange, sliced for garnish

Instructions

  • Fill two glasses 2/3 full of ice cubes. Into each glass, start with the aperol (2 oz), top with prosecco (3-4 oz), and finish with a splash of pellegrino. Garnish with orange slices. I don't stir the cocktail, leaving the bubbles to do the work!
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Dark Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

These are just really good.  It’s that boring and simple.  I was originally going to crust the ice cream sides with toppings like heath bar and mini chocolate chips and sprinkles, but, it wasn’t necessary.  They are great as they are.  This is because the brownies that encase these magical bites are so flavorful and balanced that anything else would be too much.  Better to have something be simply good on its own, and not need embellishment.  All of this with due credit to Deb Perlman (Smittenkitchen.com) who perfected the brownie recipe – I have tested many and she wins, for two reasons; one, the batter is not too sweet and has a salty edge, and two, it doesn’t turn rock hard when frozen.

Dark Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Print Recipe
Homemade dark chocolate fudge brownies, baked thin and chewy, layered thick with ice cream between. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, dark chocolate, brownie, ice cream, ice cream sandwich
Servings 16 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 3 oz Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup AP flour
  • 2-3 cups softened ice cream, for filling

Instructions

  • To make the brownie layers, line two greased 8x8 baking pans with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large glass bowl, combine the butter and chopped chocolate, and heat for 1 minute on high heat in the microwave. Stir the chocolate into the melted butter to dissolve any solid pieces, and reheat at 15 second intervals as needed to finish melting. Add the sugar while the chocolate butter mixture is hot to dissolve the granules.
  • When the mixture has cooled a bit, add the two eggs, vanilla, salt, and finally the flour. The mixture will be thick and rich, but don't overmix.
  • Divide the batter between the two pans evenly. Bake on a middle rack for exactly 12 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cool the brownie layers in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
  • When the brownies have cooled, scoop the softened ice cream (I used oreo cookie, and Just Sprinkles) on top of what will be the bottom layer, to your desired thickness. Top with the other brownie layer, compacting gently with the empty brownie pan on top to make sure pressure is even. I continue to use the parchment paper beneath and on top to ensure things aren't sticking. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the massive layered brownie sandwich to a cutting board, and cut into four slices each way, resulting in a total of 16 delicious nuggets! Top with melted hot fudge sauce (to come later), roll in sprinkles or mini chocolate chips - whatever you like. They are also insanely good as is...
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Nancy’s Chopped Salad

The Iconic Nancy Silverton Chopped Salad; simple ingredients exceeding all expectations for salad, as a meal and the star of any table.

Nancy’s Chopped Salad stands alone in fame above all salads, in my opinion.  Lauded by superior food critics and chefs all around, this recipe has been a favorite for a full decade; accolades including The Washington Post, Food and Wine, Sweet Greens (that carried the salad on its menu coast to coast), and countless sites that credit this salad for breaking the mold.  Truth.  

More truth?  My kids didn’t love the original – despite several attempts, I had to adapt it to make it work for all of us.  The tomatoes – they go on at the end after a couple have eaten already.  The chickpeas – gone.  The lettuce – I split the difference by reducing the radicchio and upgrading the iceberg to romaine to make up for all of those other losses.  In the end, it’s a great salad that mimics the great vibe of Nancy’s “famous” chopped – I hope you love it!

Nancy's Chopped Salad

Print Recipe
Nancy Silverton's iconic chopped salad - tastes like an old school italian sub, but better. This salad is rejoiced from coast to coast, for good reason.
Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword nancy silverton, salad, italian sub, chopped salad

Ingredients

Oregano Dressing

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-2 Tbsp Oregano I use 1.5 Tbsp, the original recipe calls for 2
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Salad and Assembly

  • 1 head organic romaine lettuce, shredded into thin ribbons
  • 1/2 head radicchio, cored and thinly shredded
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
  • 1/4 lb provolone cheese, thick cut from deli (1/2 inch)
  • 1/4 lb hard salami, thick cut from the deli (1/2 inch)
  • 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini
  • dried oregano & kosher salt for garnish

Instructions

Oregano Dressing

  • Chop the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and smash into a rough paste with the back of a chef's knife to make ingredients blend into the liquid more smoothly. Put the paste into a jelly jar, and add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil, and shake to combine. Let the ingredients marinate for at least 30 minutes on the counter at room temp.

Salad and Assembly

  • Finely chop the Romaine lettuce into fine ribbons, along with the radicchio and set aside.
  • Separate the red onion layers, and smash to flatten so you can chop into fine slices to match the other ingredients. Throw the red onion into a bowl and cover with cold water for at least 10 minutes; this will soften the bite of the onion.
  • Finely chop the provolone and salami into thin matchsticks. Toss all the lettuce, radicchio, provolone, salami, and drained red onion into a large salad bowl. Add the pepperoncini and dress to your liking. Note - you will have a good amount leftover dressing, which will keep for a week in the fridge.
  • Finish the salad with extra dried oregano, salt and ground pepper to taste.
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Southern Fried Chicken Thighs with Hot Honey and Siracha Mayo

Shake Shack style fried boneless chicken thighs with two simple sauces to make it better than ever!

This recipe is all over the internet – it first came to my attention via Ina, of course, in Cook Like a Pro, where she credits the Shake Shack for their amazing Fried Chicken recipe. I tweaked this one a bit by increasing some spice, and chose chicken thighs over breast meat.  Some inspiration also came from Shubie’s in Marblehead, MA, where they always have delicious fried chicken thighs in the prepared food case.  Thanks Shubie’s!

The original recipe calls for splitting small chicken breasts in half, so the size of chicken thighs is perfect – no cutting required.  Per usual, I made a huge batch of this, because fried chicken is the best leftover food in the fridge.  My family prefers this made into sandwiches with a brioche bun, but I like it as is – with the hot honey drizzle and sriracha mayo to dip. 

The chicken needs to marinate in a buttermilk dressing for several hours, which later becomes part of the batter.  I added onion powder to the spice blend with the flour, and upped the level of spice all around.  

Southern Fried Chicken Thighs with Hot Honey and Siracha Mayo

Print Recipe
Tender, juicy, perfectly crisp chicken thighs with the tastiest sauce for a spicy kick!
Course dinner, Lunch, sandwich
Cuisine American
Keyword fried chicken, chicken thighs
Prep Time 6 hours
Servings 10 people

Ingredients

Chicken for Marinating

  • 3 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
  • 4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 jalepeno, split in half lengthwise
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp ground black pepper

Breading Mixture

  • 5 cups AP flour
  • 6 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1.5 Tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1.5 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp cayenne powder
  • 2 tsp celery salt
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 2 quarts canola oil, for frying

Hot Honey

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tsp siracha sauce
  • 2 tsp tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Siracha Mayo

  • 1/2 cup good quality mayo
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp siracha

Instructions

  • Trim the chicken thighs of any excess skin or fat, and place in a large dish for marinating (I use a 9 x 12 baking dish).
  • Stir together the buttermilk, split jalepeno, sliced shallot, smashed garlic, salt and pepper, and pour over the chicken and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but up to overnight.
  • When ready to cook, heat the canola oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat to a temperature of 350 degrees, using a cooking themometer that is accurate. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees, and ready a sheet pan with a wire rack set inside.
  • In a large shallow dish, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour through onion powder) for the batter, using a wire whisk to stir. Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade, dredge through the flour mixture, then repeat with another dip into the buttermilk marinade, and the flour again - this double dip is what gives the flaky crust such an incredible texture. Carefully lower no more than three pieces of chicken into the hot oil at a time, cooking for five minutes total, flipping once through. When done, place on the sheet pan and sprinkle with kosher salt.. Keep warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the chicken and make the sauces (below).
  • To serve, enjoy the chicken warm, room temerature, or even cold, drizzled with the hot honey and dipped into the siracha mayo. This also clearly makes a fabulous sandwhich!

Hot Honey Sauce

  • Stir the honey, siracha, tabasco, and paprika together in a small jar.

Siracha Mayo

  • Combine the mayo, honey, siracha, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl.

Notes

I find it's easier to double dip back into the buttermilk if I remove all of the chicken to another bowl before dredging, leaving the marinade for double dipping on its own.  
Also, because the chicken cooks so quickly, I try to use my timer on my iPhone so I can see when I hit the half way point for flipping, and make sure I don't over cook it!
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Feeding Teams!

Finding our way back to team dinners and gatherings with friends – this recipe is foolproof (from Ina herself), economical, fits most dietary needs, and makes teenagers happy! Baked Potatoes with Chive Yogurt Sauce – classic and timeless. Welcome back to the spotlight!

Our kids enjoy playing sports, and it’s been a while since we have seen everyone gather together for a team dinner.  We knew exactly what to make when this crew joined us – classic baked potatoes for a crowd.  A Barefoot Contessa recipe that is on repeat in our home, served up with yogurt chive sauce, a big Caesar salad and homemade ice cream sandwiches (recipes coming soon!).  The best part is, if you have a large cooler, you have a warming oven to make this ahead!

The chive yogurt sauce is key here – a slightly healthier take on sour cream that brings a thick consistency with the tang of greek yogurt.  Plenty of salt and pepper and fresh chives round it out – this makes a great dip for cut veggies and pita chips as a snack or appetizer too.

I find this recipe is perfect for crowds with differing dietary needs – it’s vegetarian, gluten free, and if you expand your toppings you can satisfy meat eaters with chopped bacon,  sautéed ground beef, or even buffalo chicken and cheese.  It fills everyone up, and is a nice change from the typical pasta and pizza dinners we often use for crowds of athletes.  I think baked potatoes deserve to be back in the spotlight – 80’s style.

Note that the recipe below is meant to feed 20 hungry teenagers – you should scale back for a family dinner – or not?  They make great leftovers!

Baked Potatoes with Chive Yogurt Sauce

Print Recipe
Old school baked russets with a sour cream and yogurt topping, flecked with chives, salt and pepper - a classic that deserves to be back in the spotlight!
Course Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked potato, potato, sour cream, chives
Servings 20 people

Ingredients

  • 15 lbs Russet Potatoes
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 24 oz Sour Cream
  • 24 oz Plain greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 Tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees, placing two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the space.
  • Scrub the potatoes clean and allow to dry fully. Pierce each potato several times with a fork to prevent explosions, and help with even heating. Place the potatoes on two 1/2 sheet baking pans, allowing for a little space between the potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil between the two pans, rubbing to coat the poatatoes evenly all around. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt. This seems like a lot, and while it doesn't permeate the potatoes, it creates a flavorful crust on the skins.
  • Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes register 210 degrees. Let them rest, covered loosely with foil until ready to use. (See note about keeping warm for longer periods of time below!)
  • While the potatoes are cooking, combine the yogurt, sour cream, salt, pepper, and chives - chill until ready to eat.
  • Dollop each potato generously with the chive sauce - enjoy!

Notes

This is an incredibly easy recipe to multiply or scale back - the cooking times are all the same.  If you need to cook the potatoes well in advance, you can use a large cooler (hard pack not a soft cooler) to keep them warm.  This works for all kinds of foods - consider for Thanksgiving with side dishes!  Simply fill the lower third of the cooler with hot water for 15 minutes, empty the cooler and dry fully, then load the potatoes and close the lid.  Instant warming oven!  Will keep for an hour or two as needed.  
Recipe credit - This is a classic Barefoot Contessa Recipe - CGBC (Cooking Goddess, Barefoot Contessa).  It has become our go-to team dinners for the kids sports gatherings. Thanks INA!
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Best Batch Granola

Starting the weekend with a batch recipe that is worth its weight in gold, or champagne…or chocolate. This is my lifeline. Mornings in our house are not smooth, despite what I strive for as a mom. Chaos ensues, rushing happens, and with this recipe I can always feel nourished (and healthy) with literally three minutes to eat – this is never not in my cabinet. NEVER.

I love real granola.  It means I can eat a healthy breakfast with zero effort every day, and it has become one of my favorite food items to gift to friends.  This stems from years ago when I was sick and my good friend, Jean, brought me a fresh pressed carrot juice and a container of this granola.  I think the two items alone healed me more than the antibiotics (it was pneumonia).  Food wasn’t appealing when I wasn’t feeling well, and this nourished me.  When I felt better, I asked her for the recipe and what she shared surprised me.  She told me it was a “No-nut granola” recipe from Bon Appetite.  It made me laugh because half of this is nuts.  She made it work with her own changes.  The original recipe has a lot of dried fruit, and she replaced it with nuts.  This is a great morph, so thanks Jean, and BA!  I have tweaked it a bit with extra coconut.  I. Love. Coconut..

There are loads of granola recipes, and this one is inherently simple and full of real ingredients that work well together to make a greater sum of all parts. That’s the magic with granola – it must be perfectly balanced (not too sweet, a little bit salty) but basic ingredients can complement one another in simple harmony. I like dried cranberries in my granola, but omitting them from the recipe makes this much more suited for storage over a few weeks.  I add them when desired, alternating between fresh and dried fruit depending on what is on hand.  If the cranberries were combined at the outset, they would turn hard – nobody wants that.  

The best trick I have with this, after years of making it, is to use coconut oil spray on the pan, fill it to the brim, and let the granola cool completely on the pan, (for up to 24 hours) to create the clusters that everyone loves.  It’s the opposite of roasting vegetables where everything needs space to create the desired consistency – this one is a big batch of one pan deliciousness!

Best Batch Granola

Print Recipe
Wholesome, perfect granola - you will never need another recipe. Balanced, and delicious.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword granola, nuts, oats

Ingredients

  • 3 cups organic rolled oats , not quick cooking
  • 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup pepitas
  • 1 cup sunflower or sesame seeds
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a very large mixing bowl, toss the granola ingredients through the salt, until well combined.
  • In a glass bowl or pitcher, combine the coconut oil and maple syrup, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir until coated. Pour the granola onto a 1/2 sheet pan, coated with cooking spray (I use coconut oil spray here). The sheet pan will be full, but not overflowing. This will allow for even cooking and clusters to form.
  • Cook on middle rack for 22-25 minutes, until the edges are toasted and the entire pan is golden. Leave the sheet pan to cool on a safe surface until completely at room temperature.
  • When fully cooled, break into clusters and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

It's important to let the granola cool on the pans fully so that it forms clusters and clumps, which are the best part for snacking.  Also - all the ingredients are open for substitution - 2 cups of nuts (any kind) and 2 cups of seeds (any kind) are the only things to consider.  If you don't like coconut (sorry if you don't, your loss) you can just add another cup 0f nut/seed mix.  
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Palomarita

The classic margarita with the simple twist of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice that balances the sweetness and gives a great pink color to this perfect year-round cocktail.

Most cocktails don’t appeal to me, either because they are too sweet, or too strong.  However, I have a handful of favorites, and this is top of the list.  The perfect combination of the margarita and the Paloma – a little bit of both, balancing the classic with the refreshing addition of grapefruit juice.  Only real fresh squeezed juice here – it’s worth the effort.  It’s also one festive drink that truly works year round.  The grapefruit juice addition makes me feel it’s winter appropriate, and clearly we eat Mexican food all the time, so we must have this to go along!  Cheers!

Palomarita

Print Recipe
The classic margarita with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice is the perfect combination with a tart bite and all the elements of the original we all love.
Course Drinks
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword margarita, paloma, cocktail, summer, cinco de mayo, drink
Servings 2 cocktails

Ingredients

  • 4 oz white tequila
  • 2 oz cointreau
  • 2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
  • splash of club soda
  • lime wedges, ice, and salt for the rim if desired

Instructions

  • Prepare the glasses. If you want a salted rim, rub a cut lime on the edge of the glass, and dip into a small plate with kosher salt. For a spicy twist, add some chili powder to the salt on the plate. Pour ice into the glasses after salted.
  • Fill a lidded container (I use a large mason jar) with the tequila, cointreau, lime and grapefruit juices, and a handful of ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds, then pour into two prepared cocktail glasses.
  • Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with lime wedges and a dusting of chili powder if desired.
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Naked Coconut Carrot Cake

My spin on carrot cake removes the raisins, nuts and pineapple, instead favoring toasty coconut and loads of flavor from brown sugar and freshly grated carrots. Traditional cream cheese frosting layers the naked cake with a shower of extra coconut to top it off. Delish!

Carrot cake is often a source of heated debate in the culinary world.  People have strong opinions and sincerely defend their stance on what goes into the cake, and how they like it.  I skew off the norm on this one, skipping over many of the traditional ingredients, including nuts, raisins, and pineapple.  In place of this, I use a ton of shredded coconut.  Using only brown sugar deepens the hint of spice that balances the sweetness of the rich cream cheese frosting.  Having tested the recipe on some devout carrot cake fans in our family, I think we have a winner!

Ingredients above on the left are for the cake, and on the right is the frosting.  I’ve made loads of carrot cakes, and had some fails, almost always due to the fact that the carrots sank and deflated the cake.  It is crucial to freshly grate your own carrots (never buy pre-shredded for baking) using a small grate size, and toss them in cornstarch before incorporating into the batter.

Naked Coconut Carrot Cake

Print Recipe
No nuts, no raisins, all the carrot cake flavors with loads of toasty coconut and epic cream cheese frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, coconut, cake
Servings 16 people

Ingredients

  • 3 cups AP flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice or ground cloves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt I use Morton's
  • 1.5 cups Canola Oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk any fat content works, but I prefer full
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots use a small to medium grate size
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch to toss with the carrots before stirring
  • 1.5 cups shredded coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese in blocks, not tubs - room temp
  • 1/2 cup butter room temp
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 8 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream or full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut for topping the cake

Instructions

Coconut Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three cake pans with butter and parchment paper to line the bottom.
  • In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt), whisking thoroughly and using a sifter if needed.
  • Using a stand mixer, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to make the batter. Toss the grated carrots with the cornstarch (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pans in the batter), and fold into the mixed batter. Add the coconut at the end, and pour evenly into the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 25 mins for 3 cake pans, slightly longer for 2. The cakes should be set in the middle, but be careful to not overbake. Remove from the pans soon to stop the cooking process - cool on a wire rack until ready to frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting, and finishing that cake!

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter with vanilla, then slowly add the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, until well blended. Add the cream, and whip until desired consistency is reached.
  • Place one cake piece down on the cake platter, and top with a generous amount of frosting - this is a "naked cake" with no frosting on the sides, so go heavy on the layers. Add the next cake piece, and repeat until you have three layers with lots of frosting on the top - a little can overhang. Top the cake with the shredded coconut and leave at room temp or chill until ready to DIG IN!

Notes

I like a three layer naked cake, but this recipe would work for a fully frosted two layer cake as well.  
The cornstarch step with the carrots is key, but you can also use regular AP flour if you don't have cornstarch.  
This recipe was based on testing using a combination of about 17 different versions, including Martha Stewart, Half Baked Harvest, Barefoot Contessa and Cooks Illustrated.  
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Maine Lobster Rolls

There’s something about being from Maine that makes you feel slightly superior in a few areas of food – this is one of them.   Tasty lobster is allowed to be the star with only the best ingredients folded into a brioche bun – simplicity rules when you have lobster as the main ingredient.  These are easy and can be made ahead earlier in the day.

Lobster was a big part of my childhood in Maine – we spent our summers at Ocean Point, where my family celebrated all the milestones (graduations, Labor Day, birthdays, etc.) by having a lobster bake on the rocks in front of our house.  I will definitely do a post on this later!  Ironically, I hated lobster until I went to college.  I would eat the potatoes, the sausage, the corn, and pretty much everything else out of that lobster bake – but not the lobster.  Things have changed. I’m happy to say that my love of lobster is big, and nothing beats a good lobster roll.  The best part is this is a year round treat (we have them for dinner on Christmas Eve!) that never disappoints, and always feels special.  Last weekend, I saw my parents in person for the first time in 8 months, and this was the perfect meal for that day!  Thanks for bringing the fresh lobster meat from Maine, Mom & Dad!!

The ingredients I find essential are the usual suspects – celery and mayonnaise, along with fresh lemon juice and capers, chives, salt and pepper.  If you can find Kewpie mayo, it’s a worthy splurge for the fancy lobster.  I order it on amazon – it’s a Japanese spread that is used by chefs all over the world, touted for it’s tangy flavor.

Maine Lobster Rolls

Print Recipe
Lumps of fresh lobster meat bathed in mayo with lemon juice and capers - letting simple ingredients shine in the classic coastal lunch treat.
Course Lunch, Main Course, sandwich
Cuisine American
Keyword brioche, lobster, rolls, sandwich
Servings 6
Cost Yikes! Don't ask.

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs fresh cooked lobster meat
  • 1/2 cup mayo Kewpie Mayo is great here
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 Tbsp drained capers
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives plus more for topping
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Chop the lobster meat to your liking - I like to leave some pieces bigger than others. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, celery, lemon juice, capers, chives, celery salt and salt and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Add the lobster meat and toss to coat in the mayonnaise mixture. At this point you can set this in the fridge until you are ready to eat - I find the flavors develop after sitting for about 30 minutes.
  • Divide the mixture between 6 split brioche rolls - top with more chives. Enjoy!

Notes

Don't make more than 6 hours in advance as the acid from the lemon juice will start to break down the lobster meat.  
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