Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Bundt Cake

Tis the season of lights and glitter, nogs and noshes, planes and parties.We're also well into the heart of pumpkin season, which means Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the endless stream of celebrations and cards and carols that follow.

Of all my holiday party go-to's, this might be my favorite when it comes to the dessert table. It's flavorful, moist and visually stunning (it's also better the next day, so make it Wednesday evening and you won't have to miss a moment of the parade). Truly the perfect addition to any feast, wherever you find yourself next Thursday.

Bring this showstopper and you'll be invited back next year, guaranteed.

PUMPKIN SPICE BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE with 
BUTTERMILK CREAM CHEESE ICING 
Serves 8 - 16, depending on size of the slices. ;)

Ingredients:

Cake
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional for greasing bundt pan (OR, cheat by using baking spray, which guarantees a more even finish.)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting pan if using butter

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling)

• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs, room temperature 

Icing

• 3 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk (more or less may be needed to reach desired consistency and flavor)

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (more or less may be needed to reach desired consistency and flavor)

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (more or less may be needed to reach desired consistency and flavor)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and all-spice
• Also optional: A dash a bourbon. I just can't help myself.

Directions: 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan (10-inch, nonstick) generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess. NOTE: Presentation is everything. I LOVE our "swirling" Heritage Bundt Pan, given to us as a wedding gift, whose design is based on an old German stoneware mold.  

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clove and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla in a separate bowl.

My idea of a heaping teaspoon.

Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric or stand mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth. 

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. NOTE: This usually finishes up a little early. Check on it around 40 minutes and proceed cautiously from there. 

Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10-15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and re-invert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more. 

NOTE: This cake can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic wrap. It's actually better on day 2, so make it the day before and let it sit overnight. 

Make icing:

Whisk together buttermilk and confectioners sugar until smooth (or use an electric beater). Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and spices if using. Mix until smooth. 

Add more buttermilk, cream cheese, and/or bourbon depending on your desired flavor profile and consistency (I've been recently appreciating how a thicker icing stands up to this cake). 

GOOD OPTION: Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Serve. 

BEST OPTION: Alternatively, cool the cake and store overnight in an airtight container or carefully wrapped. Make the icing and ice the cake on the same day you're planning to serve.

Recipe originally printed in Gourmet, November 2005, published above with my adaptations.

SOFA & Chicken Tortellini Soup

We're still thinking about this past weekend's feasting in Chicago -- gastronomically and visually -- and if the tightness of our jeans is any indicator (yes, still), it was an unequivocal success.

SOFA, the acronym for Sculptural Objects Functional Art + Design, celebrated its 20th year of bringing hundreds of the world's most talented artists in glass, ceramics, mixed media, metalwork, textiles and beyond to Chicago for a weekend of visual gluttony for the art lover. It's an art show I look forward to attending for months, and it was a treat to share again with my parents and the hub (his first!).

A few of my favorites this year:

Speaking of gluttony, we blew into the Windy City just barely in time for dinner last Friday night -- and boy was it worth driving for six hours sans pit stops. Naha is situated on North Clark Street across from Rick Bayless's famed Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, but it by no means sits in Rick's shadow.

The highlight of the meal was undoubtedly the "French Kiss Oysters," fresh off the boat from New Brunswick and adorned with a Chardonnay Vinegar Sorbet, Ham Gelee, Pink Peppercorns and Bronzed Fennel, and bordered on otherworldly paired with bubbly. I was too hungry to take a picture. Ry was equally pleased with his starter, the Gnocchi with Braised Oxtails and Chorizo, “Melted” Sofia Goats' Milk Cheese, garnished with a quail egg. A beautiful preparation of skate wing and appropriately fall-ish sundae of sweet potato ice cream with toasted marshmallow "fluff" and "pecan sandies" rounded out one of the best restaurant meals I'd had since leaving Houston.

ACADIA was Saturday evening's culinary thrill ride, recently awarded their first Michelin star, and is perhaps ambitious enough to one day be mentioned in the same breath as Alinea, the only three star Michelin in Chicago, and another personal favorite, L20, with their two. The decor is sleek, allowing their exceptional plating to be even more stunningly beautiful against the understated surroundings. The flavors were spot on and clever, at times even bordering on brilliant, but the portions were petite and I was ready to tuck into a burger later that evening. All things considered, I'd gladly visit again.

For better or worse, it's back to reality in the great, soon to be white north. This chicken tortellini soup was a much requested hit growing up -- the browned chicken legs and thighs add richness, the stuffed pasta makes it just naughty enough, and the tomato, herbs, and spinach nudges us gently back in the right direction.

A steaming bowl pairs beautifully with crusty bread, a leafy salad, and cholesterol med-- er, a tall pour of red wine. :)

CHICKEN TORTELLINI SOUP
Serves 6 or so

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs, about 2 1/4 lbs. (Confession: I love the legs in this recipe, so opted for two 5-pack packages of legs this time around)
2 TBS. olive oil
2 medium onions, slivered (use a mandolin for 1/8" half-moons)
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 large cloves garlic (at least), minced
1/4 to 1/2 c. white wine, OR chicken broth for deglazing veggies
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
2 c. homemade chicken stock, OR 1 14-ounce can of chicken broth (NOTE: I prefer a little thinner soup, so usually add an extra 1/2 to 1 c. broth)
1 c. dry red white
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 package of cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
3 c. fresh spinach or chard, tough stems discarded, leaves thinly sliced
Parmesan rind (optional)
Garnish with freshly grated Parm, and red pepper flakes for a little heat

Directions:

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, about half at a time, and brown on all sides, removing the pieces to a large plate as they brown.

Pour off all but two tablespoons of the drippings, and add onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until softened but not brown, about 10 minutes. If you notice the veggies cooking too quickly or sticking to the bottom of the pan, deglaze with 1/4 to 1/2 c. broth or white wine. Stir in garlic and saute for an additional minute.

Return the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with the basil, oregano, thyme and sage. Add the tomatoes and their juices, crushing them with your hands before adding to the pot, then add the broth, wine, and tomato sauce. If using a Parmesan rind, add it now. Stir well to combine.

Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer until the chicken is tender and the broth flavorful, 60 to 75 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the tortellini in boiling salted water according to the package's instructions. (NOTE: We always have leftovers, so I cook the tortellini al dente and fold it into the soup when I'm packing the leftovers to go into the fridge). Rinse with cool water, drain and reserve.

After 75 minutes, remove the Parmesan rind and stir the slivered chard or spinach into the hot soup. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Add desired amount of tortellini to shallow, wide bowls and ladle over with the soup, stacking a chicken leg(s) or thigh(s) in the center of the bowl. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes as desired. (I've also finished the dish with a drizzle of balsamic to much success).

LEFTOVERS? If you have leftovers, let soup cool and remove chicken, discarding the bones and adding the meat back into the soup. Fold in the tortellini. This reheats beautifully and will keep in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to four months.

Sprinkles and New Glarus -- the ultimate post-Chicago dessert combination. :)

Our faves: Red Velvet, Carrot Cake, Chocolate with Coconut, Vanilla, Pumpkin, and Salty Caramel.

Curried Carrot Soup with Ginger & Coconut

I'm glad I married a man who's as into Halloween as I am... that is, not so much. To be fair, I've been unduly influenced by a father who won't acknowledge the holiday, and haunted by the memory of an unnamed younger sibling being egged as a child while trick or treating... I was beyond ticked we had to head home early that year. (How's that for a scary glimpse into my childhood?)

That being said, even we couldn't resist getting into the spirit of the evening between the kiddos at the door and feasting on this vividly orange soup, accompanied by a leafy kale salad with roasted pumpkin seeds and fall crostinis loaded with various combinations of roasted beets, sauteed mushrooms, melted leeks, tangy chèvre and gruyère.

Don't wait for Halloween to roll around next year to make this -- it's warming, well spiced, and tastes both exotic and somehow familiar. Pairs well with chilly nights, fireplaces, and an IPA or glass of white wine.

CURRIED CARROT SOUP WITH GINGER & COCONUT 
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

1 TBS. coriander seeds
2 TBS. vegetable oil
1/4 c. minced shallot
1/4 c. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 TBS. Madras curry powder (Some like it HOT: Hot Madras curry powder packs a punch, so for some heat at the back of your throat, use 3/4 tsp. Hot Madras & 3/4 tsp. Madras)
1 TBS. Asian chile sauce
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp. anchovy paste
2 kaffir lime leaves, OR the zest of 1 large lime
Kosher salt
2 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 c. low-sodium chicken, OR vegetable broth
3/4 c. fresh carrot juice (100% carrot juice can also be found at your local grocery)
1 TBS. light brown sugar
One 14-ounce can coconut milk, OR 1/2 can of coconut cream
1 TBS. fresh lime juice
Freshly ground white pepper
Chopped cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Directions:

In a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. (Don't have them in the pantry? Don't stress. Skip this step, and add 1 TBS. ground coriander to the next step).

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the toasted seeds (or ground coriander), shallot, ginger, curry powder, chile sauce, garlic, anchovy paste, and lime leaves. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until fragrant and the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add the carrots, broth, carrot juice and sugar. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, carefully puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Strain pureed soup through a medium sieve and return to sauce pan. (Easier: Have a second pan ready for the pureed soup batches, fitted with the sieve).

Once pureed and strained of solids, stir in the coconut milk or cream and lime juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Season soup with salt and white pepper as needed. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (and our new sous-chef)

Pumpkins cravings inevitably strike right around the time temperatures begin to dip in the late summer evenings, but I do my darndest to hold off on indulging until the first official day of fall. Call me crazy, but with holiday decorations making their appearance earlier each year (has anyone ever actually verified this?), it just feels like the right thing to do.

Although my grandma's "black book pumpkin bread" is traditionally the first pumpkin dish out of the kitchen, these cute-to-boot whoopies were too much fun to resist. Also, have I mentioned there's bourbon in them? (I wonder if grandma ever adds a splash of bourbon to her bread for good measure...)

While we're on the subject of cuteness, fall, and pumpkins... foodie friends, meet our newest sous-chef, Gunslinger. A tip of the ten-gallon hat to our recent time in Texas, this little lady's white whiskered 'stache and notable swagger (an under-developed patella, I'm told) said to us that she was born to be our sweet Gunny.

Welcome fall! Welcome Gunny-bee! Now let's make some whoopies! :)

Did mom mention how much I LOVE to eat, too?! 

PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES 
Makes approximately 16 Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Whoopie Cakes: 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. (heaping) freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Turbinado sugar, for garnishing

Filling: 
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 TBS. unsalted butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 TBS. bourbon (or more to taste), OR 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Candied Pecans:
1/2 c. candied pecans or walnuts, found at your local gourmet market

Or to make your own Candied Pecans: 
2 TBS. packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 TBS. water
1/2 c. pecans

Official taste tester of batches 1, 2 & 3.

Making the Whoopie Cakes:

Preheat oven to 350, with rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl.

Whisk together the sugar, oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until well combined. Gently stir in the flour mixture until combined.

Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop (WORTH THE INVESTMENT! Available at your local kitchen store, they're good for so much more than ice cream), drop a scant scoop's worth of batter onto the prepared sheets, 2" apart.

Bake for 12-16 minutes, until springy to the touch. (14 minutes was the sweet spot for my oven). Transfer to a cookie rack to cool completely.

Form and bake the remaining batter on the second lined baking sheet. You should end up with approximately 32 cookie cakes, depending on how patient you or your official taste tester is to try them. *AHEM*

These cookie cakes can be made one day ahead, and kept on cooling racks or room-temperature baking sheets, covered with a kitchen towel.

Making Candied Pecans:

Feeling ambitious? If you're making your own candied pecans, leave the oven on, and line another baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir together the sugar, salt, and 1/2 TBS. water in a small saucepan over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil, and then immediately add the pecans.

Remove from heat and spread onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the coating is bubbling and golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Cool completely on the pan, set on a rack. Once cooled, coarsely chop the pecans. The pecans can be made up to three days ahead and kept, unchopped, in an airtight container at room temperature.

Making the Filling:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and bourbon (mmmmm..... have some ice and a glass nearby?), and mix on low speed until combined and smooth.

Chill the filling enough to hold its shape before assembling the whoopie pies, ideally 30 minutes to 1 hour. The filling can be made a day ahead, covered, and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembling the Whoopie Pies:

You've made it! All that work is about to pay off in a very tasty way.

Simply spread 1 heaping TBS. or one 1-ounce ice cream scoop's worth of filling on to the flat side of a whoopie cake, and top with another cake.

Once they're assembled, chill for 30 minutes if necessary to firm up the filling, and then gently press the chopped pecans along the edges of the filling. Garnish the tops with turbinado sugar for texture and to help prevent sticky fingers!

These are darling presented on a cake stand, but look gorgeous garnished with whole candied pecans or walnuts on a large platter. Enjoy!


Recipe adapted from Gourmet Live (November, 2011). 

"Choose-your-own-Adventure" Tomato Sauce

Did anyone else love those "choose-your-own-adventure" book series growing up?  This tomato sauce never fails to reminds me of the concept -- and never disappoints. Start with the first chapter and then let your inner chef guide you to a unique and satisfying conclusion each and every time.

TOMATO SAUCE 

"Chapter 1" Ingredients:

3 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and cored
5 TBS. EVOO
2 tsp. garlic, minced
Salt & pepper

Inspiration for your culinary adventure:

• 1/2 onion, finely diced + 1 carrot, finely diced + 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 1/2 TBS. fresh herb(s) -- parsley, basil, thyme, and/or oregano
• 1 TBS. tomato paste (to punch-up the tomatoey flavor)
• A few glugs of wine, red or white
• Red pepper flakes
• Leftover protein from last night's dinner? I had a 1/2 lb. of roasted pork shoulder + 1 c. pork au jus that I incorporated when I most recently made the sauce. Shredded chicken, sausage, tofu and beef would all be great.
• Fresh peas + prosciutto (see Fine Cooking reference at end of article for instructions)
• Dried porcini mushrooms (see Fine Cooking reference at end of article for instructions)
• Assorted roasted veggies, diced and folded in
• Cannellini beans or chickpeas, gently added at the end

Directions:

First things first -- prep the tomatoes. Tomato skins aren't good eats in sauces, so taking a little time to remove the skin is well worth the effort. Peeling them by hand is slippery, time-consuming and difficult, so blanching really is the way to go.

Convinced? Good. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl 3/4 full with ice water. Score the bottoms of the tomatoes.

To score the tomato, just make a small X through the skin on the bottom of each tomato.

When your water is boiling, gently add the tomatoes (in manageable batches) for about 20 seconds each.

Remove with a slotted spoon and put directly into the ice bath.

Drain, and then gently peel the cooled tomatoes (so easy, right?!). Quarter the tomatoes, removing the tough core, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pan, add the EVOO. If using a diced, fresh vegetable (onion, carrot, celery), add to pan and cook until softened and golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt to the pan, along with any herbs, tomato paste, roasted veggies, au jus, and wine you're using. Simmer for 40 - 70 minute, stirring occasionally.

As you near the end of your sauce's cooking time, add the (already cooked!) protein or beans to incorporate and warm. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Enjoy over your favorite pasta.


Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking's Fresh Tomato Sauce. Need a bigger batch? Find the increased proportions here. 

Perfect Sunday Morning Oatmeal Muffins

Oops.

I'd just tried the batter of the oatmeal muffin recipe I'd been tinkering with between sips of my first cup of coffee, when I suddenly realized I had something special. What I didn't have were the pictures I generally snap on my ancient iPhone when working through a recipe I think might be worth sharing. Alas... may all life's problems be so small.

First snapshot of the morning. Oh well.

I'm not sure what's with the baking recently -- I usually leave it to the pros, like BonBonerie, my mad-scientist/baking genius little sister, or opt to skip it entirely citing caloric reasons. (You don't believe that, do you?)

Instead of over-analyzing, let's just call this the perfect Sunday morning muffin. It smells like oats and vanilla and cinnamon and love. It's light and a little cakey, comforting somehow when the house is quiet (someone's still curled up in bed & someone else has been at work since dawn), and chases away any reminders that Monday is just around the corner.

PERFECT SUNDAY MORNING OATMEAL MUFFINS
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 c. McCann's quick cooking rolled oats, OR 1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. buttermilk, well shaken
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. (1/2 of a stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. pecans, roughly chopped (NOTE: If you're a fan of dried fruits, a handful of dried cranberries would work beautifully, too)
Turbinado sugar, or other coarse sugar (I had bourbon vanilla sugar in the pantry -- perfecto!)

Rule #1: Don't disturb the cat.
Rule #2: Please refer to Rule #1.

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine oats, buttermilk, and vanilla. If using old-fashion rolled oats, let mixture soak for 1 hour. If using quick cooking rolled oats, 15 minutes should do the trick.

Preheat the oven to 375, and prepare your baking tin with liners, or by greasing each individual cup.

Add the beaten egg, sugar, butter and oil to the oat mixture, and stir to combine.

In another bowl, sift together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to the oat mixture, stirring just to combine. Gently fold in the chopped pecans, being careful not to overstir.

Divide batter evenly into the 12 muffin tins and sprinkle the top of each muffin with the coarse sugar.

Bake until golden -- about 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cook in the tin for 7-10 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and enjoy paired with the Sunday paper, thick-cut bacon, scrambled eggs and coffee.

Zucchini Cornbread

Farmers are a little edgy this time of year... Have you noticed, too?  There's too many (to pick), too much (to sell), and too little (time) for all that's going bonanza on the vines, giving summer one last go of it before the cooler temperatures settle in.

For example, I was given a pound of zucchini during my most recent trip to the farmers market, despite trying to purchase this particular vendor's rainbow chard. But there it was... that telltale late-summer look of desperation. I graciously thanked him and quickly moved out of the way of the next victim customer in line.

There's countless ways to prepare them -- sautéed, roasted, layered in gratins, marinated and grilled, baked, julienned, and stuffed -- but after a month or two of enjoying the summer squash bounty, it takes a little creativity to keep it interesting.

This whole wheat zucchini cornbread was surprisingly moist and slightly nutty thanks to the browned butter. It's not overly sweet, so was nice with honey (or my latest foodie obsession, the completely indulgent Velvet Bee's Honey Butter) and still savory enough to pair well as-is with that night's chicken fricassee. (It's worth noting that both the flavor & texture were better on day 2 & 3.)

Just one more option for you to consider while the harvest is at its peak. Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI CORNBREAD 
Makes one loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more to grease pan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. buttermilk
10 oz. zucchini (1 large zucchini, or several small zucchini; I used both zucchini and summer squash)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. sugar, heaping (NOTE: The recipe originally calls for 1/2 c. sugar. If you like your cornbread a little sweeter, don't reduce the sugar as I have here). 
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 c. medium-grind cornmeal

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Melt 1/2 c. butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until butter solids at bottom of the pan turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Scrape butter into a medium bowl and set aside to cool. Once cooled, whisk in the beaten eggs and buttermilk.

Trim the zucchini ends, and thinly slice five 1/8" round pieces to reserve for garnish.

Coarsely grate the zucchini, and add to the bowl with the butter mixture. Stir to combine.

Sift both flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Whisk in the salt and cornmeal.

Add the zucchini mixture to the bowl of flours, and fold gently to blend. (Do not over-stir! The mixture will be thick). Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Garnish with the reserved zucchini slices down the middle of the pan in a single layer.

Bake the bread until golden and a tester comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, and then remove bread from pan to cool completely on a wire rack. From my kitchen to yours...

Recipe adapted from Zucchini Cornbread, Bon Appetit (2011).