Recipe: Baked Chai Spiced French Toast

It's always easier to wake up in the mornings with some awesomely delicious breakfast! This recipes fits that bill, so check out "Recipe: Baked Chai Spiced French Toast" and make the most of the mornings!

Baked Chai Spiced French Toast

Serves 4

For the Chai Spice Mixture:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

For the French Toast:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup 2% or whole milk
1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar (use less if serving with maple syrup)
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Chai Spice Mixture
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
9 to 10 cups day-old challah bread, chopped into cubes

For the Topping:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Chai Spice Mixture
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and chopped into small pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and cloves for the Chai Spice Mixture. Set aside.

For the french toast, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the Chai Spice Mixture in a medium bowl.

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with the butter and layer the cubed challah inside the pan, gently pressing it down. Briefly re-whisk the liquid ingredients and pour them evenly over the bread, taking care to cover all of the exposed bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or as long as overnight to allow the mixture to absorb into the bread.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients until crumbly.

Uncover the loaf pan and gently press the bread down evenly until the liquid begins seeping up. Spread the topping evenly over the bread. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden and crunchy.

Allow to cool for several minutes and then slice and serve.

(Image credits: Jennifer Farley)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-baked-chai-french-toast-recipes-from-the-kitchn-198717

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10 Small Ways to Improve Your Kitchen in 2014

Here's a late New Year's Resolution for you: improve your kitchen! Check out "10 Small Ways to Improve Your Kitchen in 2014" for some tips on how to get started.

10 Small Ways to Improve Your Kitchen in 2014

1. Label your pantry jars: Faith has written before about the transforming power of a labeler in her pantry, and it's advice well taken! If you don't have a labeler, you could also label jars with washi tape. When the pantry becomes easier to navigate, so does your life in the kitchen.

2. Reorganize your measuring spoons. If you have more than one set of measuring spoons, don't keep them all piled up together in the drawer divider. Instead, give the teaspoons and tablespoons their own little compartment. Those are the measurements you'll probably reach for the most anyway, and this simple update makes it easier to sort the spoons and keep them organized.

3. Oil your cutting boards. Just five minutes a month — that's all it takes to keep your cutting boards in tiptop shape. Considering they're such a major workhorse in the kitchen, it's worth it to take good care of them so they last a long time.

4. Clean your knives properly. Like the cutting boards above, we wouldn't be anywhere without our knives, so it's worth learning the proper way to clean and care for them. Do it a few times, and it'll soon become a habit!

5. Tiny kitchen? Maximize your counter space. On Monday we shared a brilliant little tutorial for cozy burner covers — a great solution if you find yourself frequently frustrated by your lack of adequate countertop space.

How To Build Burner Covers and Double the Counter Space in Your Tiny Kitchen

6. Rethink (and maybe redo) your cookware storage. Pots, pans, cookie sheets...they're essential, but they take up a lot of room. If you're not satisfied with your current storage setup, find a new solution. A few ideas: store stack pans in a wire organizer, use a ceiling pot rack, or hang them in a corner cabinet. And don't forget about organizing your pot lids! My new favorite way to store stainless steel lids is a magnetic knife rack.

7. Light it up! Having gone from a very dim kitchen to now having adequate task lighting, I can tell you the change is revelatory. This update needn't be expensive either. You can install under-cabinet lights or just bring in a swing-arm task lamp if nothing else. I installed two of IKEA's RANARP Clamp Spotlights over the workspace in my kitchen, and I love them. (You can see how they look here.)

8. Don't be a refrigerator bag lady. Old habits die hard, and for me it took awhile to let go of my grocery-bags-in-the-refrigerator storage method. I'm still not perfect, but life in the kitchen is so much better when I open my fridge and see properly washed, prepped, and packaged greens and vegetables. Not only does it help keep my fridge neater, but it also means I'm more likely to eat those goods rather than letting them languish in an opaque plastic bag.

9. Buy a fire extinguisher. If you haven't done this, now is the time! You hope you never have to use it, but you don't ever want to find yourself needing one and not having it available! Make sure to buy one that is suitable for Class B (flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, and oil) or Class K (vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances) fires.

Basket Storage in the Kitchen: Cheap and Pretty Organization!

10. Pick one thing to prettify. You may not have time or resources to do a full-scale Kitchn Cure right now, and that's fine! But January is a great time to do something a little special for your kitchen. Maybe you finally buy a big clock to hang over the door, or a pretty tea towel, or some nice-smelling dish soap. Maybe you move a plant from the living room into the sunny spot by your kitchen window. Whatever it is, take a moment to recommit to your kitchen and cooking life for 2014. It's going to be a good year!

What small changes are you making in your kitchen this year?

(Image credits: Colin Price via Brick + Mortar | A Sweet, Small, and Organized Kitchen)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/10-small-ways-to-improve-your-kitchen-in-2014-198756

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Beyond Cinnamon: 5 Delicious Things to Add to Your Hot Apple Cider

This winter hot and delicious drinks will abound, and hot apple cider is one of our favorites! If you feel the same way, then check out "Beyond Cinnamon: 5 Delicious Things to Add to Your Hot Apple Cider" for some new tastes!

It's that time of year when a hot cup of spiced apple cider is just what we need to warm our hands and bellies, a true comfort against the colder and darker days. Getting bored with just cinnamon in your cider? Try these delicious additions instead!

Hot apple cider is an excellent choice for those times when we want a warm beverage but need to forego the stimulation of coffee, tea or chocolate. While it's traditional to float a cinnamon stick or maybe the occasional clove in the cider to add even more toastiness to the experience, we can also move beyond the tried-and-true into exciting new combinations.

• 5-Spice. My local spice shop makes a whole spice 5-spice blend which is perfect for hot cider. What's nice about the whole spices is that you can adjust the mix (adding more or less of certain spices as you see fit) and also take them out once the mixture has reached the level of spice you want.
• Chili. Float a dried chili de arbol or other spicy chili in your hot cider to add another layer of warmth. A pinch of cayenne or other powdered chili (but not chili powder!) will also do.
• Citrus. To complement the acidity of the apples, add a slice of lemon or a lemon peel. Orange is nice, too. This can also be delicious if used with the chili, above.
• Booze. A little brandy or rum is a nice addition for those moments when youreally need a warming boost.
• Maple Syrup. If you want a sweeter beverage, try a splash of maple syrup.

Do you have a favorite addition to warm apple cider?

(Image credits: Dana Velden)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/beyond-cinnamon-5-delicious-things-to-add-to-your-hot-apple-cider-197324

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Drink Recipe: Cold Brewed Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

Here's an interesting and unusual drink! It's a little wacky, but if you're up for it check out "Drink Recipe: Cold Brewed Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)" below!

Cold Brew Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

Makes 1 quart

1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers (about 1/2 ounce or 15 grams)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup simple syrup
Lime wedges (optional, for serving)

Place the hibiscus and cinnamon stick in a large jar or bowl. Add water. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8 to 12 hours). Add simple syrup to taste. Strain out the solids and serve over ice with a squeeze of lime, if desired.

Store the brewed jamaica covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Recipe Notes

• Look for dried hibiscus flowers (also called flor de jamaica) at natural food stores, Latin markets or online. You can also substitute 4 hibiscus tea bags in place of the loose flowers.
• You can substitute honey, agave or your sweetener of choice in place of the simple syrup. (Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.)
• Other aromatics you can steep in your jamaica: sliced fresh ginger, star anise, orange peel, allspice, or lemongrass.

(Images: Anjali Prasertong)

Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/14AZyg2

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How To Decorate Cookies with Icing: The Easiest, Simplest Method

Your sweet treats will be nearly too pretty to eat when you check out "How To Decorate Cookies with Icing: The Easiest, Simplest Method". Have your friends and family suspecting you actually bought these cookies from the store with these tips!

How to Decorate Cookies with Icing

What You Need

Ingredients1 batch sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, or other cut-out cookies for icing

For the border icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring extract
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons milk or water
Food coloring, optional

For the flood icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring extract
2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons milk or water
Food coloring, optional

EquipmentSmall mixing bowls
Mixing utensils
Squeeze bottles – 1 for the border icing and 1 for each color of flood icing
Small funnel
Parchment paper

Instructions

1. Clear some counterspace: Iced cookies need at least 24 hours to dry, so clear a good amount of counterspace or tablespace where you can ice the cookies and leave them undisturbed. Cover the counter with parchment paper.
2. Arrange cookies for icing: Allow fresh-baked cookies to cool completely, then arrange all your cookies over the parchment paper. You might find it helpful to leave a small workspace clear in front of you where you can move each cookie as you’re working on it.
3. Prepare the border icing: Mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk or water for the border icing using a spoon or a fork. It should be quite thick, and if you drizzle a little from your spoon, the ribbon should hold for a few second before melting back into the icing. This border icing should be just thick enough to pour easily. If desired, add food coloring to this border icing now.
4. Transfer the border icing to a squeeze bottle: Insert the funnel in the mouth of one of the squeeze bottles. Spoon some of the border icing into the funnel and let it drip into the bottle. Since this icing is so thick, it can be difficult to get it to drop into the bottle — you can squeeze the bottle to suction the icing and start it flowing. If it still won’t start flowing, add more milk or water one teaspoon at a time until just barely thin enough to pour (be careful of adding too much or else the border icing will pool instead of maintaining a border). Once flowing, it can still take a few minutes for all the icing to funnel into the bottle. Prepare your flood icing while you wait.
5. Prepare flood icing: Mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 1/2 tablespoons of milk or water for the flood icing using a fork or a spoon. This icing should still be fairly thick, but it should drizzle easily and a bit of drizzled icing should sink immediately back into the icing. If desired add food coloring to the flood icing now.
6. Transfer the flood icing to a squeeze bottle: Clean your funnel and insert it into a clean squeeze bottle. Pour the border icing into the bottle; this icing should be thin enough to funnel easily into the bottle. If necessary, add milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time until a thin, pourable consistency is reached.
7. Prepare as many batches of flood icing as needed to decorate your cookies.
8. Draw the borders around the cookies with border icing: Begin with the border icing and trace the outline of each cookie with icing. Hold the bottle vertical with the tip of the bottle slightly above the cookie. Squeeze gently and with consistent pressure so the border is the same width all the way around. Think of this border icing like drawing lines with a pen. If desired, you can draw inside the cookie — thicker lines are better than thin lines for separating areas of flooded icing.
9. Allow border icing to dry slightly: The border icing doesn't need to be completely dry, but the next step (flooding the cookies with icing) works better if the borders are at least dry to the touch. If you draw the borders on all your cookies before moving onto flooding, the first cookies will be dry enough to start flooding once you finish drawing the borders.
10. Flood the interior of the cookie with flood icing: Using a bottle of the flood icing, begin filling the interior of the cookie with icing. Use the nose of the bottle to push the icing into the corners and against edges. Think of this flood icing like using a paintbrush.
11. Allow the cookies to dry: Leave the cookies undisturbed for at least 24 hours to fully dry. Depending on the thickness of your icing and the layers on the cookie, it may take longer. When the cookies are dry, the surface of the cookies will be completely smooth, dry, and resistant to nicks or smudges.
12. Store the dried cookies: Once dry, you can stack the cookies between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

Recipe Notes

• The icing will keep for several days in the squeeze bottles. It’s best to store unused icing in the fridge and let it warm to room temperature before using.
• Since the icing keeps well, you can spread your cookie decorating over the course of a day or several days. I often create a station in my kitchen and ice a few cookies at a time over a day or two.
• To make marbleized icing, flood the entire cookie with icing, then drop dots or draw a squiggle line over the top with a contrasting color. Run a toothpick through the contrast icing to "marbleize." For more details, check out this post: How to Create a Marbled Effect When Decorating Cookies.

(Image credits: Emma Christensen)



Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-decorate-cookies-with-icing-the-easiest-simplest-method-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-198240

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Vanilla Bean Hot Buttered Rum & Apricot and Almond Torrone Morbido

Winter weather got you down? Check out these hot and sweet recipes! "Vanilla Bean Hot Buttered Rum & Apricot and Almond Torrone Morbido" will a smile on your face and a bounce in your step!

Brie, tomato, and red onion grilled cheese; mini quiches with caramelized pears and gorgonzola; and vanilla bean hot buttered rum in today's Delicious Links.

• Mini Quiches Caramelized Pears and Gorgonzola - The Law Student's Wife

• Vanilla Bean Hot Buttered Rum - Heart Beet Kitchen

• Apricot and Almond Torrone Morbido - Strawberry Plum

• Brie, Tomato, & Red Onion Grilled Cheese - Foxes Love Lemons

(Image credits: Heart Beet Kitchen, Strawberry Plum, The Law Student's Wife, Foxes Love Lemons )



Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/vanilla-bean-hot-buttered-rum-apricot-and-almond-torrone-delicious-links-197963

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Homemade Gift Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Figs with Sea Salt

Chocolate, Figs, Sea-Salt, Homemade? Those all sound like great words! This recipe can be for a special occasion or even as a holiday gift! Check out "Homemade Gift Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Figs with Sea Salt"!

Chocolate Dipped Figs with Sea Salt

Makes 12 figs

3.5-oz chocolate bar (70% dark was used here)
12 dried figs
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Break or cut the chocolate bar into pieces and melt over a water bath. Gently mold each fig back into its natural shape if it's been tightly packaged.

Holding by the stem, dip each fig in melted chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt while the chocolate is still liquid. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden completely before packaging.

Figs will keep at room temperature for several weeks.

Recipe Notes

• I used a chocolate bar from Kansas City's Christopher Elbow for these. Consider using a local source for one ingredient in edible gifts to give them a real sense of place, especially for out-of-town recipients.
• For packaging, try using a clean, unused cardboard egg carton (such as these). Cut a twelve-egg carton into two-by-two squares to insert into gift boxes. This creates a little well for each fig and keeps them evenly spaced. I covered mine in unbleached parchment paper before inserting into fabric-covered gift boxes.

(Image credits: Regina Yunghans)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chocolate-dipped-figs-with-sea-salt-recipes-from-the-kitchn-197718

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