Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins #MuffinMonday

What makes an American American?  Is it the color of your passport, the way you were raised or to be a true American do you have to grow up in the United States?  Can an immigrant arriving in the US become as American as someone who grew up there?  Or can an American living overseas lose their essential American-ness?   When you are raising third-culture kids,  these are the questions you ask yourself.  You want to take advantage of learning about foreign cultures and countries and expand your worldview – and we certainly did that – but you also want your child to have a feeling of belonging somewhere.  From the very minute our first daughter was born, we knew that in all likelihood, she would go off to university in the United States.  After all, we were living in a place where English was not even spoken.   So we started to save for out-of-state tuition – way out of state.

I also began to prepare her in other ways.  I didn’t want her, or her sister when she came along, to be a complete outsider to US customs and culture.  I wanted them to know what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was so I hauled jars of Jif in my suitcase, along with Nestle Quik and Aunt Jemima syrup, and chocolate chips and marshmallows and many other “essentials” of an American childhood.   Barney and Sesame Street videos, every Disney movie every made, cassette tapes of Raffi’s wonderfully silly songs and Tom Chapin singing This Pretty Planet.

 I loved that one – This whole planet is our home, a holy place. 

Our ever-increasing home library of children’s books introduced them to my favorite classics and we made some new favorites together.  When they got old enough, I organized Trick-or-Treat in our little Brazilian neighborhood, culminating in a party with apple-bobbing and cupcakes and sweet punch at our decorated house.  I’ve been known to bring frozen turkey and yams and Karo and pecans on an airplane, to make sure Thanksgiving was right.  We had a potted Norfolk pine as a Christmas tree in a couple of different places, because that was as close as I could get to a real tree, and we hung our stockings from a bookcase (Indonesia) or the staircase (Brazil) or the radiator (Paris) or the piano (KL and Singapore.) 

When it came time for the rite of passage called drivers’ ed, I made sure they were able to take the classes and get their licenses during the summers in the States.  Because I didn’t want them to be the only ones who couldn’t drive when they went off to college.

They are both living in the US now and while I know they feel “outsider” sometimes, because that can’t be helped, it is part and parcel of being a third culture kid.  Despite my best efforts, I know that other third culture kids and expats will always be their true tribe, but I like to think that I eased the transition at least a little bit by passing on some of the traditions I grew up with.  Like baking with peanut butter and chocolate chips.

What traditions are you passing on to your children?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g flour
1/4 cup or 60g sugar
1/4 cup or 50g dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup or 200g creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup or 240ml milk
1/2 cup or 75g roasted peanuts
1/2 cup or 100g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your muffin pan by greasing it or lining it paper muffin cups.

Chop your peanuts roughly and mix them together with your semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Separate about one quarter of the mixture to sprinkle on the muffins before baking.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, two sugars and baking powder.  Make sure to break up the brown sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, butter, eggs and milk.

Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold them together until just mixed.

Fold in the bigger pile of chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Top each muffin cup with a sprinkle of nuts and chips.

Bake in the preheated oven about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for a few minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Tian with Herb Topping

Roasted butternut squash and garlicky kale mixed with cheese and eggs are topped with herby breadcrumbs and baked for a great vegetarian main course or side dish I'm calling Butternut Squash Tian.

I am always on the lookout for vegetarian recipes that make a great side but are also hearty enough to be eaten as a main dish. This recipe, adapted from Faith Durand’s post on TheKitchn can do both quite admirably. I decided to pretty it up from the usual casserole by baking it in a spring-form pan and serving it in slices. And before a load of angry French folk wielding Opinels arrive to object to my use of the word “tian,” (Bienvenue!) may I just say that I had never heard of the word before I saved the recipe almost a year ago, despite living for three years in France.

After a little research, I do now understand that the tian itself is the vessel AND the vegetable gratin that is cooked in it, so my pan choice probably means that this no longer qualifies as a tian. What can I say? It’s still delicious! And pretty! How many casseroles can say that?

This week on Sunday Supper, we are celebrating the arrival of Fall with comforting dishes using seasonal ingredients. Butternut squash is one of my favorites. And so is kale. Make sure you scroll to the bottom of this recipe to see all the other seasonal dishes on offer.

Ingredients

For the tian:

About 4lb or 1.9kg whole butternut squash

Olive oil for roasting

1/2 cup or 100g short-grain or arborio rice

1 3/4 oz or 50g freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese

7 oz or 200g smoked cheese

2 large cloves garlic

5-6 large stems curly kale

3 large eggs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the herb topping:

1 cup or 80g dried bread crumbs

1 big handful flat leaf parsley, leaves only

Leaves from 3 to 4 sprigs of thyme and/or rosemary (I used some of each.)

1 3/4 oz or 50g freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and prepare your eventual baking pan or casserole dish by greasing it liberally. If you have an actual earthenware tian , more power to you! (My spring-form pan was 8 in or 20cm in diameter and about 3 in or 7 1/2cm deep.)

Peel the butternut squash, scrape the seeds out, and cut it into chunks.

Pile the squash up in a large roasting pan (not the one you’ve already prepared for baking the finished dish!) and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Toss the squash around a little so that it is well coated with the oil and then spread the chunks out into one layer. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt.

Roast for about one hour in your hot oven or until the butternut squash is fork tender and the edges have gone golden. You'll want to stir it around about half way through.

While the squash is roasting, boil your rice in salted water with a drizzle of olive oil, just as you would pasta. Keep a close eye on it. Since Arborio rice has such a high starch content, it tends to want to boil up and over. When the rice is just cooked - test a grain or two occasionally – drain the water out and set the rice aside to cool.

Grate all of your cheeses and make sure to divide the Grana Padano pile in half, some for the tian, some for the herb topping.

Meanwhile, remove the stems from your kale and chop it into small bits.

Mince your garlic then sauté it in a little olive oil being careful not to let it color. Add in the chopped kale and a sprinkle of sea salt. Cook, covered, until the kale is completely wilted. Set aside to cool.

To make your breadcrumb topping, add all of the dry ingredients to your food processor and process until it is completely uniform.

Add in the two tablespoons of olive oil and process again. Depending on the type of baking dish you use, you may have leftover topping. Store this in a bag in the freezer. It can be used for topping baked fish, much like in this delicious Bill Granger recipe .

When the squash is roasted, remove it from the oven and turn the oven down to 350°F or 180°C. Mash the squash with a potato masher and set it aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk your eggs and then add in the butternut squash. Mix well.

Now add in the rest all of your tian ingredients: The wilted, garlicky kale, the cooked rice, all of the smoked cheese and the other half of the Grana Padano cheese that wasn’t used in the topping. Give the whole lot a good couple of grinds of fresh black pepper and then mix well.

Spoon the mixture into your prepared baking pan and smooth it out.

Top liberally with the herby breadcrumbs. As mentioned before, you can bake this in a larger casserole, in which case, you’ll probably use all of the breadcrumbs. For my smaller, deeper pan, I ended up using just about half. Pat the herb topping down so it doesn’t fall off later when serving.

Bake for one-hour, covering the top with foil part way through if the breadcrumb topping is getting too browned. Check that it is cooked through by putting a knife in and leaving it there for about 30 seconds. The knife should be very hot to the touch when it is removed. If you are using a shallower casserole dish, this may not take the full hour.

To remove from the spring-form pan, allow the tian to cool for a few minutes and then run a knife around the sides before releasing the catch.

Run a knife under the tian to loosen it from the base.

Slide to a serving plate, cut into slices and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to our Sunday Supper host this week, Soni from Soni's Food. We got news just yesterday that her family has suffered a major loss with the unexpected passing of her father. If you are so inclined, please keep them in your prayers.

Amazing Breakfasts, Brunches, and Breads

• Apple Spice Muffinsfrom Pixie Dust Kitchen
• Apple Spice Waffles from Treats and Trinkets
• Cinnamon Apple Crepes from Juanita’s Cocina
• Maple Apple Bread from The Foodie Army Wife
• Mini Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Mini Pumpkin Pancake Kebobs from The Urban Mrs.
• Pumpkin Ale Pretzel Buns from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
• Skinny Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze from The Messy Baker

Outstanding Soups, Starters and Sides

• Bacon, Corn and Shrimp Chowder from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Butternut Squash Tian with Herb Topping from Food Lust People Love
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup from Alida’s Kitchen
• Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula from Shockingly Delicious
• Parmesan Polenta from That Skinny Chick can Bake
• Pumpkin Tomato Sauce with Andouille Sausage from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Comforting Main Dishes

• Autumn Risotto with Chicken & Cranberries from Momma’s Meals
• Bacon Spinach Pasta from Magnolia Days
• Butternut Squash and Lentil Pot Pie from Curious Cuisiniere
• Chicken, Spinach, and Gnocchi Soup from Cookin’ Mimi
• Chili from Casa De Crews
• Creole Shrimp & Cheddar Basil Grits Cake from The Roxx Box
• Mini Meatball and Goat Cheese Risotto from MarocMama
• Mushroom and Sorrel Lasagne from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Onion Tart {Zwiebelkuchen} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Penne with Spicy Pumpkin and Sausage Sauce from Webicurean
• Roasted Fig & Pancetta Pasta Carbonara from Nik Snacks
• Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili from Neighborfood
• Spicy Korean Monkfish Stew (Agu Jjim) from kimchi MOM
• Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Alfredo Sauce from Family Foodie
• Vegan Mushroom Pie from Killer Bunnies Inc
• White Pizza with Kale and Meatballs from The Hand That Rocks the Ladle

Decadent Desserts:

• {Gluten-Free} Pumpkin Swirl Pecan Crumb Cake from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Apple Cider Five Spice Caramels from girlichef
• Apple Fig and Pomegranate Crisp from Take a Bite Out of Boca
• Buttery Bourbon Ice Cream from NinjaBaking
• Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Yams/Sweet Potatoes) from La Cocina de Leslie
• Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Pizza from Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apples from Pies and Plots
• Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake from Big Bear’s Wife
• Funnel Cakes from The Texan New Yorker
• Hot Apple Pizza from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Italian Apple Torta from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Maple Syrup Pumpkin Bars from What Smells So Good?
• Pear Almond Graham Cracker Tart from Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Pumpkin Bourbon Pie with Walnut Crumble from Gotta Get Baked
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies from In The Kitchen With KP
• Pumpkin Marshmallows from Home Cooking Memories
• Salted Caramel Apple Crisp Bars from Table for Seven
• Savory & Sweet Coconut Cream Salted Caramel Apples from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Walnut-Stuffed Baked Apples from Foxes Loves Lemons

Tasty Drinks:

• Pumpkin Juice – Harry Potter Style from The Dinner-Mom
• The Best Wines for Fall Foods from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Pin this Butternut Squash Tian! 

Garlicky Collard Greens

I come originally from what I considered the home of collard greens, by which I mean the southern US.  But I didn’t start to really like them until we lived in Brazil and I discovered another country that cooks collards even more than we do!  Couve, as it is called there, is a constant accompaniment to the traditional daily staples of beans and rice.   I mean, seriously!  Every day!  After almost six years there, collards became a regular side dish on our family menu as well.  The other night I made a small bowl just for my daughter and me, to serve alongside a potato galette.  I thought I’d share it here because I cut the collard greens as I learned to in Brazil.   My grandmother was most intrigued when I showed her many years ago and I thought it might be a new way for you too.

Ingredients
Big bunch of collard greens (10-12 big leaves)
2-3 cloves garlic
Olive oil
1 stock cube or flakey sea salt to taste
Black pepper
Cayenne

Method
Using a sharp pointy knife, cut along each side of the stems of the greens and remove them.

Lay the leaves one on top of the other and roll them up as tightly as you can manage.

Start at one end of the roll and cut it into very thin strips.

Toss the strips gently to separate them.

Rinse the strips in some running water and set aside.

Mince your garlic.  In a large pan, gently fry the garlic in a drizzle of olive oil, being careful not to let it brown.  Add in the stock cube and let it dissolve.

Add in the damp collard greens.  Sprinkle with salt (if using instead of the stock cube) and the two peppers.  Pop the lid on the pot and cook for about five to seven minutes.   Your collards are done!

Like any green, they cook down to a fraction of their original size so plan on doubling or tripling – or more – if you have lots of folks to feed.

Enjoy!  Do you eat a lot of collard greens too?  I'd love to hear where you are from, if you do!