Tag: Spring

Asparagus, Bread, Breakfast, Citrus, Comfort Food, Lemon, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Asparagus Smashed Egg Toast

by thebusyspatulaLeave a Comment on Asparagus Smashed Egg Toast

Spring is here! …And with it, all the pollen. It might be the new neighborhood that we moved to, but the allergies are out of control. Tissue boxes are everywhere and I had my first dose of non-drowsy allergy medicine that made me foggy headed all day. So I’m soldiering on, no pills, just eye drops and nasal spray to keep the itching away. 

As much as I am suffering, springtime also brings fresher produce and we can finally move on from the comforting and hearty roasts and stews that kept our bodies and bellies warm over this winter. Asparagus is a welcome change and it stays crisp and fresh if you blanch it! (Blanch = quick cook in boiling water). It’s also super cheap this time of the year, and as I am a sucker for deals, I tend to over buy good looking, affordable produce. So what to do with all the asparagus? Make asparagus toast!

We happened to have some roasted garlic hummus in the fridge from our attempt to have healthier snacks, (dieting is going terribly btw) and it made the perfect canvas for the asparagus and the soft boiled egg. Then it’s topped with Hollandaise sauce which is made in the microwave (I know, I didn’t know it could be done either), and is the perfect velvety, rich and tangy touch to the healthy toast. Spring is served. 

Asparagus Smashed Egg Toast
Makes 2 toasts

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread, toasted (I used Ezekiel Bread)
garlic hummus (whichever brand or hummus you like)
8-10 stalks of asparagus, pending on thickness
extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
quick microwave hollandaise sauce (recipe below)
parsley, for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set it aside.
  2. Trim your asparagus about 1-2 inches from the bottom, removing the tough ends.
  3. Boil a pot of water and bring it to a simmer, add your asparagus for about 1-2 minutes until crisp-tender.
  4. Remove asparagus and place into the ice water until cool.
  5. Rub extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of salt on the asparagus and set aside.
  6. Bring the same pot of water to boil and once it does, lower the heat to a bare simmer and submerge your eggs carefully into the water with a spoon.
  7. Cook the eggs for 7 minutes and move into an ice bath.
  8. Once cool enough to handle, crack and peel eggs.
  9. On your toasted bread, spread garlic hummus. Remember to spread it to the edges.
  10. Neatly arrange your cooked asparagus in a diagonal, giving it a push to secure it to the hummus.
  11. Place an egg on each toast, and smash it with a fork.
  12. Drizzle on the hollandaise sauce.
  13. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, if desired and garnish with parsley

Quick Microwave Hollandaise

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 egg yolks (from a large egg)
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp. milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice (start with 1 tablespoon and add more later if needed), milk and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a microwave safe bowl.
  2. Drizzle in the melted butter while whisking the egg yolk mixture until smooth.
  3. Microwave the sauce in 15 second intervals for one minute, whisking in between every interval until the sauce is hot and thick.
  4. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired.

fashion, Weekday Update

Weekday Update // Oatmeal Dressing

by thebusyspatulaLeave a Comment on Weekday Update // Oatmeal Dressing
Oatmeal Dressing
  1. Mango Pocket Knit Cardigan in Medium Brown – A cozy topper for this finicky spring weather.
  2. H&M V-Neck Blouse in Light Beige – An airy, lightweight blouse that’ll camouflage the Covid-19 food baby.
  3. Significant Other Sabine Gathered Jersey Top in Neutral – Artfully gathered and twisted for a hint of skin when paired with a high-waisted  bottom.
  4. Wilfred Dancer Dress in Stockings Beige – Ballet  inspired shape that encourages free dancing in your living room.
  5. BLANKNYC Madison Jeans in Off White – A truly neutral jean that’ll easily pair with any top.
  6. Hermes Oasis Sandal in Blanc – An timeless Hermes style with a walkable heel to give you a little lift.
  7. Bottega Venetta Mini Pouch in Nude 20 – I’m really into the modern minimalist look and it has an optional shoulder strap.
beauty, fashion, Weekday Update

Weekday Update // Pretty Spring Things

by thebusyspatulaLeave a Comment on Weekday Update // Pretty Spring Things

Hi! Just sharing some cute spring finds that make me think of warmer weather. I don’t know about you, but I miss going to the movies, eating brunch, and generally walking outside without worry. Hang in there! Please keep up the social distancing, because the more stringent we are now, the faster we can flatten the curve.

  1. Self Portrait Lace Panel Midi Dress in White – This white lace dress has the most gorgeous mix of textures.
  2. Zara Faux Leather Biker Jacket in Light Mauve – A closet staple in a fun spring color which makes it the perfect transition piece.
  3. Wilfred Twirl Skirt in Camille – Permission to twirl, spin, swish, sashay all you want in this dramatic a-line skirt.
  4. H&M Hooded Jacket in Powder Pink – For when you’re social distancing and jogging outside with your playlist as your companion.
  5. Colourpop Sweet Talk Eyeshadow Palette – I purchased this coral hued palette a year ago and still use it almost daily!
  6. Self Portrait Grosgrain Layered Lace Maxi Dress in Mint – The perfect mint dress.
  7. Wilfred Odyssey Dress in White – Major early 00’s vibe here with the smocked bodice, but updated with a sexy slit and a waist defining silhouette

Continue reading “Weekday Update // Pretty Spring Things” →

Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Easter, Fruit, Holidays, Lemon, Uncategorized, Vanilla

Giant Peeps Doughnut Cake (Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut Cake)

by thebusyspatula2 Comments on Giant Peeps Doughnut Cake (Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut Cake)

Giant Peeps Doughnut CakeThis Lent season I gave up online shopping. I used to think that online shopping was for people who were too lazy to go to the mall and try on clothing, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve seen the light. With a click of a button, you can see what is available to you in your size instead of rifling through all the different sizes in the stores. What I really like is that the clothes come looking pristine and new (even though I’m pretty sure someone else has tried it on before me). You know what I mean though right? You go through piles of clothing in a store trying to find that perfect dress on sale and when you find it, it has a lipstick or deodorant mark on it and sometimes, a strange stain that may or may not come out in the wash. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the mall and I believe that retail therapy is sometimes best done in stores. It’s just that now I’m in love with two forms of shopping.
Giant Peeps Doughnut CakeWhat I’ve learned is that online shopping is really hard to avoid. It follows you through email, social media, and even through paper catalogs. I’ve become so used to the thrill of finding a “good” deal that many times I perused through websites just to see what was available without the intention of buying anything. And then when I found something really great, it was very hard for me to not purchase it. Like an alcoholic that goes into a liquor store just to see what is available, I was just torturing myself for no reason.
Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut CakeWhy even go through it if it was so difficult? Because it gave me time to reflect on my lifestyle, and on my faith. At the times where I caught myself window shopping (online), I would close the window and spend some time in prayer and meditation. I’ve come to appreciate the things I already have in my life and realize the abundance of needs that are already met despite the lack of the perfect lace up suede flats. I am so thankful and am writing this with an overwhelmingly grateful heart.
Giant Peeps Doughnut CakeMeyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut CakeWhen Easter rolls around, seasonal bunny, egg and chick themed candy appear and I think Peeps is the most iconic Easter candy of them all. I know they come in different shapes and colors, (they even have peeps flavored milk these days) but I think the OG is the yellow chick peep. Super bright in color with a squishy marshmallow interior, it makes me feel like it should be lemon flavored. This is where I got my inspiration from.  As for the doughnut shape, well anything doughnut is superior to plain cake. No?
Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut CakeMeyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut CakeI happened to have a giant doughnut cake pan set from Williams Sonoma, which they don’t sell anymore but this cake can be made with two 8” cake pans if desired. Or, you can carve a hole in the middle and make yourself a makeshift doughnut cake too.
Giant Peeps Doughnut CakeMeyer lemons are popping up everywhere this season, so this cake is filled with all things lemon. It’s a lemon cake, filled with lemon curd and topped with a lemon glaze. As for the marshmallow component, it’s filled with my favorite marshmallow frosting and also topped with a toasted marshmallow frosting that when you put the chicks in, the browned top kind of looks like a nest. I decorated mine with a few Cadbury min eggs (the best chocolate egg candy IMHO) to give that nest feel a little more oomph.  Seasonal in flavor and themed, it’s the perfect baking project for this weekend. 🙂
Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut CakeHere are other Easter themed blog posts from the past:

Easy Peanut Butter Eggs
Easter Bunny Surprise Cake
White Chocolate Tiramisu Eggs
Bunny Cake Pops

Giant Peeps Doughnut Cake (Meyer Lemon Marshmallow Doughnut Cake)

You will need:

1 batch of meyer lemon cake (recipe below)
1 batch meyer lemon curd (recipe below)
1 batch meyer lemon glaze (recipe below)
1 batch marshmallow frosting (recipe below)
Cadbury mini eggs
yellow marshmallow chick Peeps

Instructions:

  1. Carve a small ditch around each half of the doughnut cake, making a tunnel for the filling.
  2. On the bottom half of the doughnut, fill the cavity with the lemon curd.
  3. On the top half of the doughnut, fill the cavity with marshmallow frosting.
  4. Sandwich the bottom and half together and set the cake on top of a wire cooling rack and pour the lemon glaze over the top, letting it dribble down the sides.
  5. Fill a piping bag with a large open star frosting tip (the one with a lot of teeth, not the one with 5 teeth) with the rest of the frosting.
  6. Make a swirl pattern all over the top of the cake.
  7. Use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallow frosting.
  8. Place a marshmallow Peep all around the cake.
  9. Decorate the empty spaces with the mini eggs.

Meyer Lemon Doughnut Cake

Ingredients:

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 ¾ c. granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
¼ c. grated meyer lemon zest (3-4 meyer lemons)
3 c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
¼ c. meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
¾ c. buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Grease and flour the two doughnut pans. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. (The cake pan I used is discontinued but this product is similar.)
  2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
  5. Add eggs one at a time until blended and then the zest.
  6. Add the flour and buttermilk mixture alternatively to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, smoothing the tops.
  8. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  9. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

2 tsp. meyer lemon zest
½ c. meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ c. sugar
2 large eggs
pinch of salt
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

Instructions:

  1. Simmer about an inch of water in a small pot.
  2. In a medium metal mixing bowl, whisk together the zest, juice, sugar, eggs and salt.
  3. Add the butter to the mixing bowl and set the bowl over the pot of simmering water and whisk mixture continuously until mixture thickens and reaches 160˚F, about 5 minutes.
  4. Strain the curd through a fine meshed sieve and refrigerate to thicken completely.

Meyer Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

2 c. confectioners’ sugar
¼ c. meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Instructions:

  1. Whisk together sugar and meyer lemon juice until smooth.

Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients:

3 large egg whites
¾ c. sugar
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Simmer about an inch of water in a small pot.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar.
  3. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved, 3-4 minutes.
  4. Transfer the bowl to the standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until white glossy, stiff peaks form.
  5. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Meyer lemon cake and glaze recipe adapted from Ina Garten.
Meyer lemon curd adapted from Epicurious.
Marshmallow frosting adapted from Martha Stewart.