---

Life is all about trying new things, and that is never more obvious than in food. There are so many things that I thought I didn’t like as a kid, and it was either because one time I had something with a similar ingredient I didn’t like, or the simple fact that I thought things sounded gross before ever trying them (sour cream, cottage cheese, I’m looking at you!)

But, as you grow older and try new things or re-visit something that didn’t give you the best experience, you find you really enjoy them!

This week’s column is all about things I didn’t like as a kid that I have grown to love as an adult.

+ + + +

A few weeks ago, I shared a lemon poppyseed sheetcake recipe. But, when I was young, that was the ONLY lemon flavoring my mom could get me to eat. I didn’t like it in anything else, and not even in other sweets.

But, about a decade ago, my mother-in-law had me try her lemon blueberry bread, and I was hooked. She made me realize what I had been missing avoiding the citrus-y flavors of lemon.

LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest of 3 lemons, plus 5 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/8 tsp. yellow liquid food coloring (about 4 drops; optional)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 8 ounces)

2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside.

Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl and, using clean hands, rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils and flavors. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, ½ cup oil, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and food coloring (if using) until smooth.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. In another medium bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and set aside. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spoon or small offset spatula. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, covering with foil to prevent excess browning after 40 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then place a wire cooling rack over the pan and flip to remove the bread. Place the bread right-side up and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, butter, and remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a thick, but pourable consistency is achieved.

Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf, allowing it to drip down all sides. Let sit for 30 minutes to set before slicing and serving.

+ + + +

If someone would’ve offered me sour cream coffee cake when I was young, I might have heaved right there. Of course, I didn’t know everything that it was but I would just hear sour cream and coffee and just assume it was going to be disgusting. Turns out, it’s not!

SOUR CREAM 

COFFEE CAKE

For the Streusel:

1 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. kosher salt 

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-in. pieces

For the Cake:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

Nonstick baking spray, for the pan

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

For the streusel: In a medium bowl, stir together the almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, pinch the mixture together until the butter is evenly incorporated and the streusel begins to clump together. Chill until ready to use. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Lightly grease a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. 

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream and beating until combined after each addition. 

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with half of the streusel. Repeat the layers with the remaining batter and streusel. 

Bake the cake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes, tenting with foil after 40 minutes if needed to prevent excess browning. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool streusel-side up, or serve warm.

+ + + +

I love pasta and didn’t even know there were things similar to cottage cheese in lasagna and the like. But, there is one recipe in particular that I’ve used that actually calls for cottage cheese, and it’s an elevated take on spaghetti, so if you have the time to try it, I highly suggest it!

                                   

MILLION DOLLAR SPAGHETTI

Meat Sauce

3 Tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 lb. spicy breakfast sausage

1 lb. ground chuck

1/4 cup tomato paste

32 oz. marinara sauce (about 4 c.)

Cheese Layer

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature 

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese, at room temperature 

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (about 2 oz.)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 large egg, at room temperature 

Spaghetti Layers

1 lb. spaghetti, cooked according to the package instructions

1/2 cup jar pesto 

2 cups grated mozzarella (about 8 oz.)  

Crusty bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, bell pepper, onion, and rosemary and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and chuck and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it turns a deep red, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Let cook on low to heat through.

For the cheese layer: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan, basil, salt, and egg. Stir together well. Set aside.

For the spaghetti layers: In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti with the pesto. Place half the spaghetti in an even layer in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cheese mixture evenly over the pasta. Add the remaining spaghetti in an even layer. Top with the meat sauce, leaving a ½-inch border so you can see the spaghetti around the edges. 

Sprinkle the meat sauce with mozzarella, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbling and golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Let the spaghetti cool for 5 minutes. Top with basil and serve with crusty bread on the side.

TFD: "When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'"

---