What I'm Reading Today

I’ve got a serious sweet tooth today.  Hostess cupcakes, nut-stuffed phyllo pastries, and coffee cake muffins…oh my!

Andrew Scrivani/The New York Times

By now the news of the possible Hostess bankruptcy is common knowledge.  No harm done, in my opinion-I can’t think of the last time I craved a Twinkie or Hostess Cupcake (although I still remember the deep seeded envy I had for Bobby F. in elementary school as he was the kid who always had a Ding Dong in his lunch).  Jennifer Steinhauer, in the NY Times, took matters into her own hands to create homemade versions of these snacks, along with her version of Oreos and Fritos.  Truth be told, her versions were generally not nutritional upgrades but, at least you know what’s going in there. If you want to try them out yourself:  Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Filling, Homemade Twinkies, Fauxreos, and Homemade Fritos.

Bob Chamberlin/The Los Angeles Times

Tonight at sundown, Jews around the world will celebrate Purim.  I remember the holiday as a kid because it meant lots of food, family, and fun (then again, so did all the other Jewish holidays).  In today’s LA Times, Faye Levy explores the idea of a vegan menu, looking at some evidence that says this was how the holiday may have originally been celebrated.  While the vegan menu may not sound too exciting, I think these nut filled phyllo pastries, called Haman’s Fingers, would be a treat after any meal.  Ground pine nuts, walnuts, and almonds and mixed with cinnamon and sugar for an almost baklava-like filling, less the honey.  I’d use butter instead of the vegan alternatives (margarine or oil) and I also like the idea of a little drizzle of honey right at the end.  Try these after your next Mediterranean meal, Purim or not.

Bakeshop, Portland. The Oregonian

Let’s be honest, most breakfast muffins are really cupcakes in disguise.  If you’ve ever made them yourself you know a batch of blueberry muffins are loaded with sugar and butter.   If you want to try to make your breakfast treats a little less guilt-ridden, today’s Oregonian can help.  This recipe, for Blueberry Coffeecake Crumble Muffins, substitutes yogurt for sour cream, keeping the muffins moist but losing some of the fat.  They also have whole grain rye flour, in addition to all purpose flour, pumping up the nutritional value and adding a nice, nutty flavor.  There’s still butter and sugar, don’t mistake this for health food, but they are certainly better than the versions you might grab at the coffee shop.

Happy Reading and Happy Cooking.