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Recently in The New York Times Cooking app and several times in my Facebook feed, a recipe appeared  by Yossy Arefi for Chocolate Doughnut Muffins. I finally gave in and purchased the ingredients to make them. I figured my husband and I would try them, then give the rest to our grandchildren. The best thing about these doughnuts is they don’t require a doughnut pan or deep frying, just a 12-cup muffin pan. As I was mainly making these for my granddaughters as a school snack, I used mini muffin pans for the perfect two bite snack.
 
For the recipe you’ll need unsalted butter, eggs, granulated sugar, sour cream, vegetable or canola oil, freshly grated nutmeg, kosher salt, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, all-purpose flour and ground cinnamon.

This was an easy recipe to prepare and perhaps tastier than what you can buy in the store. The eggs and granulated sugar are whisked together. Next, the sour cream, butter, oil, nutmeg and salt are whisked in until combined. (In reviewing the comments by other cooks, a few mentioned being turned off by the nutmeg in the recipe. I reduced the nutmeg to 1 teaspoon). This is followed by the addition of cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder, which are then folded into the wet ingredients. Using a dough scoop, I was able to make 30 mini-cupcakes. I set my timer for 15 minutes, but they needed a few minutes more before the toothpick came out with a few crumbs attached. They’re cooled for five minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack. While they were baking I made half a recipe of the cinnamon sugar coating and melted the butter that was brushed on while the cupcakes were still warm. The cupcakes are then tossed in the sugar mixture.
 
Now for the taste test, my husband liked them, but would have preferred them without the cinnamon sugar coating. My son thought they needed more salt and would prefer vanilla extract for flavoring  instead of nutmeg. My daughter-in-law liked them just as is. The real critics, my six-year-old and three-year-old granddaughters get their share tomorrow. I’ll report back.
 
Last week, Atlantic Offshore Fishery in Point Pleasant, NJ ran a seafood special on sea scallops for $19.99/lb. I can’t resist a great sale so I purchased a pound before the sale was over. I found a recipe by Melissa Clark on The New York Times Cooking webpage for Creamy Pan-Roasted Scallops with Fresh Tomatoes.
 
Besides scallops and tomatoes, you’ll also need unsalted butter, shallots or red onions, celery seeds, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, dry white vermouth, dry white wine or clam juice, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, fresh chives for garnish, and chopped celery leaves or parsley.
 
This recipe took approximately 40 minutes to prepare. It begins by preparing the sauce which is made of shallots, celery seed and tomatoes. The mixture is cooked until jammy then followed by the vermouth. The mixture is reduced by a third; then the Worcestershire and cream are added and simmered until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. While the sauce simmers, season the scallops with salt and pepper. Once the sauce is thickened, the scallops are added and cooked just until opaque, anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes, depending on their size. Lastly, the chives and celery, or parsley, leaves are added. I served the scallops over orzo.
 
Oh my, what a delicious dinner! The sauce was flavorful, the consistency was silky and perfect for the scallops and  moistened the orzo. My husband and I loved this dish; I just have to remember to make it again…ha-ha!

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Chocolate Doughnut Muffins
By Yossy Arefi
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
Published March 21, 2024
 
Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
 
Ingredients
½ cup plus 4 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
2 large eggs
1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
1 cup/220 grams sour cream
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1½ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
  1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus a pinch
½cup/45 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
 
Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees with a rack set in the center. Generously butter a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar and whisk until well combined.
3. Add the sour cream, ½ cup/113 grams butter, the oil, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt; whisk until well combined.
4. Whisk in the cocoa powder, followed by the baking powder and the baking soda. Then use a flexible spatula to fold in the flour by gently scooping up some batter from the bottom and folding it over the flour on the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat until just incorporated.
5. Divide the mixture among the 12 wells and bake until the muffins are puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 23 minutes.
6. In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a rack. Working with one warm muffin at a time, brush it with some remaining melted butter then toss in the cinnamon sugar; repeat with remaining muffins.
8. Serve immediately. Store any extras in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. (The sugar will gradually melt into the muffins as they sit, but you can reroll the muffins in cinnamon sugar, if desired.)

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Creamy Pan-Roasted Scallops with Fresh Tomatoes
“Sea Scallops Farmed in Maine Aren’t Just Sustainable, They’re Helping Their Habitat,” By Melissa Clark
 
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup thinly sliced shallots or red onion
Pinch of celery seeds
Salt and black pepper
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
⅔  cup dry white vermouth, dry white wine or clam juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1cup heavy cream
2 pounds sea scallops, patted dry
½ cup chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
½ cup chopped celery leaves or parsley leaves, or a combination, plus more for garnish
 
Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the butter, letting it melt. Add shallots, celery seeds and a pinch each salt and pepper, and cook until the shallots are tender and opaque, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until jammy, 9 to 13 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in vermouth. Cook until about a third of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire and cream, and simmer, reducing heat if needed and stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Season scallops with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Cook, uncovered, until scallops are just cooked through and opaque, 3 to 6 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops. Stir in chives and celery leaves. Serve immediately, garnished with more chives and celery leaves.

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