Buttercream Barbie

Coconut Butter Bars

2012-01-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

These look more difficult to make than they really are. The recipe was from Gourmet Magazine (December 1993). Oh, the 90's. They don't even seem that long ago but the recipe was printed almost 20 years ago! Wow, I sound old... reminiscing about days gone by and I'm only 27! They are a traditional recipe that was once known as "London Bars" although I'm not sure why.
Not only are they easy to make, they are different from other bars, don't require a lot of ingredients, and are delish. They are dense without being tough. They are also versatile. Try them with pecans and milk chocolate or macadamia nuts and dried pineapple.

If you let them sit for at least a day or two, the flavor improves greatly. They are a thinner bar, so if you like a thicker bar, consider using a 9" square baking pan instead of the 9x13" one.

Buttery Coconut Bars
9x13" pan | Gourmet, Dec. 1993

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped blanched almonds
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. reheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup of the flour, and the butter until the mixture is combined well.

2. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, and bake for 10 minutes.

3. Combine the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, the remaining 3 tablespoons flour, the coconut, the almonds, the eggs, the vanilla, and the salt and blend the mixture well. Spread the coconut mixture evenly over the crust and bake the mixture for 20 minutes, or until it is pale golden. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. If time allows, let these stand a day or two before serving in order to let the flavors develop. ***May be made 1 month in advance and kept frozen airtight.

Tia the "Baker" is Engaged!

2012-01-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

I've been sitting on a piece of news for a little while now because this is a baking blog and I don't usually talk about personal stuff here. BUT... I can't keep a secret any longer. I'm too excited and I want to share it with everyone. I am engaged!!! My fiance's last name is Baker. Couldn't be more perfect for a girl like me who has always been a baker at heart.

I adore my amazingly sparkly solitaire engagement ring. Not only because it is GORGEOUS but because it symbolizes the life we have to look forward to and that I have found the kind of love that runs deep into your soul and brings tears of joy to your eyes.

We broke the news on facebook today too and it puts a smile on my face reading all the wonderful comments and seeing all the "likes" from friends and family.

Right now we are looking at a December wedding this year. That leaves us with 10 months of planning! I hope to still keep up with my baking, but with all the busy-ness ahead it might be a challenge. I look forward to being able to share some of the wedding planning here as well as lots of yummy treats (as usual).

xoxo

Easy Faux Petit Fours

2012-01-27T00:20:00.000-08:00

"Petit Fours" literally means "Small Oven". French always makes everything sound fancier and prettier, doesn't it? These classy little cakes are traditionally eaten after a meal, served with coffee or tea. Please excuse the poor quality of the photos as they were taken with my Blackberry. I left my camera in a different purse that day.

The version I'm posting here is a fun, kid-friendly one. It is easy to make and relies on storebought vanilla frosting that you liquify in the microwave and tint with food coloring. Dip your cake cubes in to coat them and you are done! Easy and really really cute. We went all out with the color palette here as you can see.

Easy Faux Petit Fours
Makes 4 dozen cubes

1 recipe Classic Pound Cake <--click for recipe
1 can storebought vanilla frosting (not whipped)
food coloring
toothpicks

1. Cut the cooled pound cake into 1" cubes. Try to cut them as evenly as possible for the prettiest petit fours.

2. Scoop some frosting into a small bowl. Add a couple drops of food coloring and microwave for 15-20 seconds to melt. Stir to combine coloring.

3. Pierce a cake cube with the toothpick and dip it into the frosting to coat fully. Let the excess drip off. Place cubes on a cooling rack for a few hours to let the frosting set fully.

Salty Sweet Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-01-26T01:22:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that Reese's PB Cups have a saltiness to them that harmonizes beautifully with the sweetness of the chocolate coating? I tried to copy that salty-sweet flavor in these cookies by using crushed pretzels. The dough surrounds chunks of milk chocolate in a giant cookie. These turned out to be 4-5" in diameter!

To make them even more decadent and a little bit fancier I suggest dipping them in melted chocolate before serving!

Salty Sweet Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 12

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
1 cup milk chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and peanut butter and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add flour and baking soda and mix until combined. Mix in crushed pretzels and chocolate chunks.

3. Using a large cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Don't over bake!

Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Kung Pao Spaghetti

2012-01-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to do more cooking. I usually do a lot of baking and desserts and not a whole lot of cooking (thank God for fast food and pizza!). Here is my first step towards my resolution!

On our first visit to California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) the first weekend of December, we ordered this delicious pasta dish and I have been meaning to try replicating it ever since. I finally found a copycat recipe on Food.com and it was amazing.Tastes just like the original if not better. It looks like a long ingredient list but it is really easy to make. All you do is throw all the sauce ingredients into a pot and simmer, cook the chicken and pasta then toss it all together. I did omit coating the chicken with the egg white-cornstarch mixture and deep frying it and it tasted great.

CPK’s Kung Pao Spaghetti
Serves 4 | adapted from food.com

Kung Pao Sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons red chili paste with garlic
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or white vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Egg White-Cornstarch Mixture (optional)
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pasta
1 lb spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
10 -15 whole Chinese dried red chili peppers (optional)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/4 cup minced garlic
3 cups green onions, chopped
1. Kung Pao Sauce: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken stock and cornstarch until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

2. Egg White-Cornstarch Mixture: In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to stir together the egg whites, cornstarch, and salt until thoroughly blended; be careful not to beat them into a froth. Set aside.

3. Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat, heat enough olive oil for deep-frying for about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces to the Egg White-Cornstarch Mixture and toss to coat them. Taking care to avoid splattering, add the coated chicken to the pan and cook like a solid pancake until the egg mixture sets; then, using a large spatula, carefully flip the chicken pieces over together and, with a wooden spoon, gently separate the pieces. [NOTE: I didn’t do this step. I just pan-fried the chicken without the egg white/cornstarch mixture].

5. Gently stir the Chinese peppers and roasted peanuts into the pan. As soon as they darken in color, after no more than 1 minute, stir in the garlic and scallions. Once the garlic begins to brown, after no more than 30 seconds, add the Kung Pao Sauce and toss and stir to coat the ingredients.

6. When the pasta is ready, drain it well and, in a large mixing or serving bowl, toss it thoroughly with the sauce.

Copycat Club: January 2012

2012-01-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

I started this Copycat Club in 2010 because I love making restaurant recipes at home and wanted to find others who also enjoyed this. However, as life got busy, I stopped doing the round-ups. Here we are in 2012 and I'm going to try and get this started again. For more info, click on the link just below my banner. Basically, on the 7th day of each month I will post a collection of cloned/copycat recipes submitted to me through the previous month.
Please feel free to email me any copycat blog posts you have this month or any future months. [starrysugar AT hotmail DOT com].

Here are the submissions for this month:

Payday Bars from "Kudos Kitchen" by Renee.

Almond Roca Candy by Tia of "Buttercream Barbie".

Longhorn's Shrimp and Lobster Dip from "MakinCakin" by Michele.

Cracker Barrel Baked Macaroni by Michelle of "Something New is Cooking".

Blueberry Nutrigrain Bars by Tia of "Buttercream Barbie".

Sonic Root Beer Freeze from "Something New is Cooking" by Michelle

Brown Butter Cookies

2012-01-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

This recipe is case in point for why I love old cookbooks and compilations from years gone by. I especially enjoyed this one, published after Conde Nast stopped publishing the magazine (so sad!) The Gourmet Cookie Book (The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941-2009).

Other good compilations are:
The Essential NY Times Cookbook- Classic Recipes for a New Century
Baking Illustrated by Cooks Illustrated
Baking in America - Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the Past 200 Years.

People sometimes tell me it's odd that I "read" cookbooks, but to me, they are like storybooks that I can incorporate into my own life and family memories.

Brown Butter Cookies
Makes 24 | adapted from Gourmet, June 1961

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Walnut halves, to decorate

1. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter on low heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir in sugar and vanilla sugar and remove from heat. Let cool.

2. Combine flour and baking powder and beat in cooled butter mixture to form a smooth dough.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll small balls of dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place dough balls about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each ball of dough down using the tines of a fork. Top with half of a blanched almond or an almond slice.

4. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until edges just start to turn golden. Remove from baking sheet after 1 minutes and let cool on wire racks.

French Macarons - 1 recipe; 4 variations

2012-01-01T23:55:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012!!! May this year bring you much happiness and good times in the kitchen challenging yourself to new recipes and techniques. I spent the day learning to snowboard. This is something I have wanted to do for over 5 years and today I finally did it! I think my arms, legs, butt, shoulders will be sore for the next few days. Judging by the way the year has started, it's going to be a good one.

As for new recipes in the kitchen, macarons intrigue me. Like cupcakes, their popularity seems to have skyrocketed in the past few years. I have always enjoyed Martha Stewart's Recipes and used to watch her home/cooking/gardening show on TV before the whole jail thing happened. After that, she lost a lot of fans but she didn't lose me! I was thrilled when I found out that we had to do a case study on Martha Stewart Omnimedia (MSO) as an assignment for my accounting designation.

This macaron recipe has flavor variations - both for the cookie itself and for the filling. With one batch you can get a variety of cookies that makes it look like you put in so much more work than you actually did!

French Macarons with Flavor Variations
Makes 16 filled macarons | Martha Stewart

1 1/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar
1 cup (4 ounces) finely ground sliced, blanched almonds
6 tablespoons fresh egg whites (from about 3 extra-large eggs)
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Macarons: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar and ground almonds. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites with salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip until stiff glossy peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the confectioners sugar mixture until completely incorporated.

2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8" #4 round tip, and fill with batter. Pipe 1-inch disks onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. The batter will spread a little. Let stand at room temperature until dry, and a soft skin forms on the tops of the macarons and the shiny surface turns dull, about 15 minutes.

3. Bake, with the door of the oven slightly ajar, until the surface of the macarons is completely dry, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet to a wire rack and let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet. Gently peel off the parchment. Their tops are easily crushed, so take care when removing the macarons from the parchment. Use immediately or store in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

4. To fill the macarons: Fill a pastry bag with the filling. Turn macarons so their flat bottoms face up. On half of them, pipe about 1 teaspoon filling. Sandwich these with the remaining macarons, flat-side down, pressing slightly to spread the filling to the edges. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Variations:
*Coffee-flavored macarons: In step 1, add 2 drops brown food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, blend 1/2 cup macaron filling with 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder dissolved in 1/2 teaspoon warm water for the filling.
*Cassis-flavored macarons: In step 1, add 2 drops purple food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, use 1/3 cup good-quality cassis jam for the filling.
*Pistachio-flavored macarons: In step 1, add 2 drops green food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, combine 1/2 cup macaron filling with 1 tablespoon pistachio paste for the filling.

Macaron Filling
Makes filling for 16 macarons

3 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and sugar. Set mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat mixture, whisking often, until it feels warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Transfer bowl to the mixer, and fit with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until mixture is stiff and shiny, 3 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at a time, and continue mixing until butter is thoroughly incorporated. The filling can be kept, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before stirring.

Variation:
*Hazelnut-honey filling: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of macaron filling with 1/3 cup finely ground hazelnuts and 2 tablespoons good-quality honey.

New York Black and White Cookies

2011-12-31T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is my last blog post of 2011! It's amazing how quickly time goes by. I remember starting this blog in 2009, not knowing that it would bring me such joy and friendships. One of the best parts about blogging is the sense of community: Women (and some men) connecting over a love of food and creating in the kitchen. 2011 held some important life events. I bought a condo, turned over a new leaf in my outlook on food/nutrition and best of all, I fell in love.

I'm happy that these cookies are my last post of the year as they symbolize one of my best memories of 2011: My trip to New York. When I think back on that vacation in September, I remember feeling happy, carefree and loved. These cookies are New York Deli classics and have been featured on episodes of Sex and the City and Seinfeld. They are larger than most cookies but they are light rather than dense. They are sometimes called "Halfmoons" or "Amerikaner Cookies" and were said to once have been made out of leftover cake batter.

Makes 12 | Gourmet, February 2002

Cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg

For icings
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1. Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

2. Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.

3. Make icings while cookies chill:Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

4. Ice cookies: Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.

S'mores Brownies

2011-12-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

These brownies are the perfect embodiment of s'mores. A graham cracker crumb base is covered with a layer of brownie batter followed by another layer of graham crumbs then baked. Mini marshmallows get sprinkled on top and broiled then the whole thing gets sprinkled with a covering of chocolate chips. They look fantastic and taste even better. They are chewy, crispy and gooey all at the same time.

My words of advice are to be really watchful during the marshmallow broiling stage. They go from toasty brown to charred black in seconds!

S'mores Brownies
8" Pan | adapted from Marcy Goldman

Bottom Layer:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp butter, melted
Brownie Layer:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt

Top Layer:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Topping:
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 - 2 cups chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8" square pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang with which to lift the brownies.

2. For the bottom layer, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the brownie layer.

3. Brownie layer: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate; stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, flour and salt. Spread the mixture over the bottom layer in the pan.

4. For the top layer, toss the cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the brownie batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until just set. Remove the pan from the oven and preheat the broiler.

5. For the final topping, sprinkle the marshmallows on top of the baked brownies. Place under the broiler for 20-60 seconds, or until the marshmallows start to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with chopped chocolate bars. Let cool fully before cutting into bars.

Copycat Almond Roca

2011-12-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

It was Christmas Eve and my boyfriend and I we were in Fred Meyer picking up some stuff to make dinner when we decided to make some Almond Roca. He usually makes it with his mom, so he called her up and got the super easy recipe, picked up the ingredients and off we went. Note: This is his first time cooking for me and it was delicious!

I have made toffee before and have vivid memories of it sticking to the pan. I was very skeptical when he said we don't have to grease the pan, but he was right! The almonds are used to line the pan and the toffee gets poured over top of the almonds. When it comes time to break into pieces and serve, it peels right off the pan.

Copycat Almond Roca
Makes 24 - 1" Pieces

1 cup butter
1 cups sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup sliced almonds
1 – 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread almonds out in an even layer in a rimmed baking sheet. You do not need to grease the pan. The almonds should cover the pan fully. Toast in preheated oven until golden brown. Watch carefully as they can burn quickly.

2. Over Medium heat, melt butter in a large pot. Add water and sugar to pot and cook until the mixture becomes the color of a brown paper bag (approximately 290 degrees). Stir constantly with a wooden spoon (mixture will rise and bubble). Remove from heat and pour evenly over toasted almonds. You will not be able to cover all the almonds but that’s OK as the uncovered almonds will be crumbled on top of the chocolate layer later.

3. Let the toffee set for just a few minutes, then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and let them melt from the heat of the toffee. Once softened, use a rubber spatula to spread out the melted chocolate chips to form an even layer on top of the toffee.

4. Around the edges of the toffee there will be almonds that are not covered in toffee. Take these and crumble them on top of the chocolate while it is still warm. Set aside and allow candy to cool completely and chocolate to harden before breaking apart and serving.

Tuesdays with Dorie comes to an end

2011-12-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

I just had to share this link to an article in the Washington Post featuring the Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) group that I have been a part of since I first started blogging two years ago. It is sad to close the chapter and say goodbye to what has been a wonderful baking experience through the book "Baking" by Dorie Greenspan. Read the article here: TWD Comes to an End - Washington Post, December 26, 2011.

Fortunately, in February 2012 there will be a new group starting into another book, "Baking with Julia", written by Dorie. To join the group and for more info, visit Tuesdays with Dorie.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

2011-12-27T13:56:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas filled with sugar and delicious baking. I am pretty sure everyone has either made these or eaten these cookies at some point in their lives. Easy, pretty and always welcome at any gathering. If you happen to be someone who has not tried one, NOW IS THE TIME! Especially since holiday chocolates are now 50% off everywhere. Buy yourself a bag of Reese's mini PB cups and get to baking! I have a hard time resisting post-holiday chocolate sales, so while my boyfriend was at work I spent the day at the mall.

Depending on how peanut-buttery I want them, I use either peanut butter cookie dough, shortbread cookie dough or sugar cookie dough. The recipe below is for PB dough. Now I'm going to decide what to make us for dinner. Yum!!!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Makes 40

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 mini chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, salt and baking soda.

2.Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.

3.Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

BEST EVER Gingerbread Cookies

2011-12-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

This is really and truly the best gingerbread cookie recipe you will find. You simply MUST try it. Go. Now. Bake gingerbread! I have used it for over 10 years and it is a no-fail every time. It gets rave reviews and my best friend asks me to make her a batch every year. If you are making a house with the dough, I recommend tripling the recipe so you have enough.

The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, which is a huge time saver over the holidays. It rolls out with ease and with minimal flouring of surfaces needed. The cookies are sturdy enough to use for a gingerbread house but delicious enough that you want to eat them. Unlike those cardboard-tasting gingerbread house kits - these cookies fill your home with the spicy aroma of Christmas. What I like best about these cookies is that they are on the soft side. With cloves, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, they are bursting with flavor.

Gingerbread houses are such a fun family activity for all ages. We usually do our house on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Morning itself. I let Zach decorate the whole back wall of the house without any assistance and I must say, it turned out great!!! He says that the chocolate balls on the top of the house are supposed to be "reindeer poop". Merry Christmas everyone and have a great holiday season with your loved ones.

Best Ever Gingerbread Cookies
Makes 2 dozen

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

Copycat Blueberry Nutrigrain Bars

2011-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

I am a lover of blueberries when when they are sandwiched between delicious buttery base and sweet crumbly topping like in this bar. Funny how I prefer banana bread to fresh bananas and that I love blueberries in pies and pastries but not so much when they are freshly picked.

These bars taste like the Nutrigrain Bars you can get from the grocery store. They freeze well and are perfect for breakfasts, afternoon snacks or even dessert when served with ice cream! I imagine you could use jam or other fruits for fillings and make your own clone of a Nutrigrain Bar in your favorite flavor.

Copycat Blueberry Nutrigrain Bars
9 x 13" pan

1 cup white sugar1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
4 cups blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries and zest (if using). Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Butterscotch Blondies with Peanut Pretzel Caramel

2011-12-20T07:25:00.000-08:00

There are two camps of people: vanilla people and chocolate people. I am most definitely a vanilla person. I prefer white chocolate over dark, angel food over devil's food cake, vanilla bean ice cream over double fudge and of course BLONDIES over brownies.

I made these blondies for an office cookie exchange. I can't say enough how wonderful cookie exchanges are. You get a whole array of cookies for the effort of making only one. Plus, you get to sample your friends' favorites and find new favorites of your own. Thanks to all the ladies I exchanged cookies with this year!

This recipe came from the December 2011 issue of Bon Appétit. It has a nice salty-sweet flavor from the pretzels contrasted against the homemade caramel. The blondie beneath the topping is chewy and filled with brown sugary goodness. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a jelly roll pan below to make 72 - 1" x 2" bars.

Butterscotch Blondies with Peanut Pretzel Caramel
9 x 13 pan | Bon Appétit, Dec/11

Blondie
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teapsoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut-pretzel caramel
4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups thin twisted pretzels, coarsely crushed

1. Blondie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1" overhang on long sides of pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Stir butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned bits form at bottom of pan, 7–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients; beat until smooth (batter will be thick). Using an offset or regular spatula, evenly spread batter in prepared pan.

2. Bake blondie until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 20–25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

3. Peanut-pretzel caramel: Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is deep amber, 12–15 minutes. Add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute longer. Add butter; stir until blended. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth. Stir in peanuts and pretzels. Pour over cooled blondie. Chill until cool, about 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Chill for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cocoa-Nana Swirled Bread

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

For this week's TWD rewind, I made this bread because I had two overripe bananas in my freezer waiting to be turned into something delicious. (However, next time I will use 3 bananas or add some milk or yogurt because it wasn't quite as moist as I like it).

I chose to do a marbled version of this chocolate banana bread because it's prettier and because I was skeptical of the cocoa-banana combo. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. It tasted wonderful. The cocoa part isn't overpowering and it actually complements the banana part wonderfully. Because I made quite a few adaptations to the recipe, I have included it below with my changes. The original is on page 46 of Dorie's book: Baking.

Coco-Nana Swirled Bread
1 loaf | Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 2 cups flour, salt, baking soda and powder.
2. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, mixing well after each then add bananas, vanilla and buttermilk. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
3. Scoop 1/2 the batter into a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to one bowl of batter. Add 1/2 cup of flour to the other bowl and mix each by hand just to incorporate. Do not over mix.
4. Scoop batter into greased 9x5 inch pan, alternating spoons of white and chocolate batter. Run a thin knife through the batter in the pan a few times to marble. Bake for 60-75 minutes rotating halfway through (you may need to cover with foil if browning too quickly).

Oreo Truffle Bites

2011-12-13T16:52:00.000-08:00

We have just over 2 weeks to go until Christmas! This weekend coming up is the last shopping weekend. I am starting to panic about all the stuff I still have to do. I have not baked a single Christmas cookie this year, nor have we done a gingerbread house. I feel guilty about slacking - never before have I left it to this late - but somehow this year feels busier than before.

It's a good thing these adorable Oreo bites are so simple and non-time-consuming. I love how cute they are too. I made them with my 4-year old. He had a blast crushing the cookies with a rolling pin in a Zip-lock bag. You can create a million different varieties by using different cookies instead of Oreos. I also like Nutter Butters! For a more festive touch of color you could use colored melting wafers for dipping instead of chocolate.

Oreo Truffle Bites
Makes approximately 42

1 (16 ounce) pkg Oreo Cookies
1 (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
8 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
8 oz white chocolate or white almond bark, melted
Sprinkles, Nuts, Etc. (for decorating)

1. Remove 9 of the cookies from the package. You will not need these. Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs (in food processor or in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin). Place crumbs in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1" in diameter.

2. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. Do some in white and some in the dark chocolate. Decorate as you wish, with sprinkles or roll in chopped nuts or drizzled with the opposite chocolate color. Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.

3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store covered in refrigerator.

Junior's Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

2011-12-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

This tall cake cannot be described any other way besides "statuesque". It stands a stunning 5" high - crowned with rosettes of piped whipped cream. It consists of a strawberry cheesecake layer sandwiched between two fluffy sponge cakes. It is not too sweet and very impressive in both appearance and taste.

I made this cake for Thanksgiving, since we are not big fans of pumpkin pie. It was so refreshing and light that it didn't weigh us down even after a huge meal! My sister's boyfriend doesn't usually like cheesecake but he went back for seconds of this one. I can't say enough to recommend this recipe.

Don't be deterred by the seemingly long and labor intensive recipe. While it does have a lot of steps, they are all easy. Essentially you are making 2 sponge cakes, 1 cheesecake and whipping some cream and slicing strawberries then assembling. It can be broken up over a few days. I made the cheesecake first (this can be made ahead and frozen) then the sponge cake. I whipped the cream just before assembling it on the same day it was served. Below is a picture of the first layer of cake, cream and strawberries, before the cheesecake layer gets put on.

The recipe comes from Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook. It is one of their "Too Tall" recipes - aptly named as these are indeed skyscraping cakes!

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake
tall 9" cake | Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook

Cheesecake layer:
10 oz (1 cup) frozen whole strawberries, thawed and drained well
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp cornstarch
3 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

For the sponge cake (2 layers):
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 extra large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp pure lemon extract
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ tsp cream of tartar

to assemble and frost:
2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 tbsp unflavored granulated gelatin
3 tbsp cold water
1 quart heavy or whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan and two 9 inch round layer cake pans. Wrap the outside of the springform (but not the cake pans) with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Very important: line the bottom of all three pans with parchment or waxed paper (do not let the paper come up the sides).

2. Pulse the thawed strawberries in your food processor until smooth (you need 3/4 cup of puree). Stir in the 1 tsp of cornstarch and set aside. It will thicken slightly as it stands.

3. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a few times. Beat in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it’s completely blended. Be careful not to overmix! Fold in the strawberry puree.

4. Gently spoon the batter into the springform, then place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is set, about 1 ¼ hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer the tin to a wire rack, and let cool in the pan for 2 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, about 4 hours. Then freeze overnight until ready to assemble the cake.

5. While the cheesecake is cooling, make the sponge cake layers. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees and that the water bath has been removed. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. While the mixer is still running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick, light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no white flecks are visible. Blend in the melted butter.

6. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium size bowl and, using clean, dry beaters, beat the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then add the remaining whites. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks-they’ll disappear during baking. Divide the batter evenly between the two layer cake pans and bake until golden (not wet or sticky) and the center springs back when lightly pressed, about 12 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack and gently peel off the paper liners. Let cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until ready to assemble the cake.

7. on the day you plan to assemble the cake, hull 1 quart of the strawberries, then cut them into 1/2 inch pieces (you need 2 cups). Reserve the remaining berries for decorating the cake.

8. Make the frosting. Place the gelatin in a heatproof measuring cup, stir in the cold water, and let stand until it swells and thickens. Cook in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds or over a pan of simmering water for about 1 minute, until clear and completely melted. In a medium size bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer on high until it thickens and soft peaks just begin to form. With the mixer still running, add the sugar and beat just until the cream stands up in peaks (don’t overmix or the cream will curdle). Beat in the vanilla. Add the melted gelatin all at once and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Refrigerate the cream for at least 30 minutes (preferably no longer than 1 hour) in two bowls: 2 cups in a small bowl for piping decorations on the top of the cake and the remainder in a second larger bowl for frosting the cake. Meanwhile, remove the frozen strawberry cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

9. Place one layer of the sponge cake, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread evenly with a thin layer of whipped cream frosting from the large bowl and half of the strawberry pieces. Release and remove the ring of the springform, then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Peel away the paper liner and place top side down on top of the frosted bottom layer. Press the cheesecake down gently, just enough so the two layers stick together but not enough for the filling to come out the sides. Top the cheesecake layer with some more whipped cream from the large bowl, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining strawberry pieces. Top with the second cake layer of sponge cake, top side up. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the whipped cream in the large bowl.

10. To decorate, hull the remaining quart of berries and halve them, from top to tip. Place a ring of berries around the bottom edge of the cake, tip ends up. Using 5 or 6 berry halves, make a star in the center of the cake, pointing the tips of the berries away from the center. Fit a pastry bag with a medium closed star tip or medium open star tip and fill the cream from the small bowl. Pipe shells or rosettes around the top edge of the cake and make a large rosette on top of the strawberry pieces.

11. Refrigerate the cake until serving time (it takes at least 2 hours to allow the cheesecake to thaw enough to slice easily. Use a sharp straight edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover and leftover cake and refrigerate.

TWD: Sour Cream Pumpkin Tartlets

2011-11-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

TWD this week is brought to us by Judy of Judy’s Gross Eats, who chose Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie/Tarts. For a higher pastry to filling ratio, I made them into tartlets using mini muffin tins. The recipe is found on page 324 of Dorie's book or on Judy's blog under today's date.

I thought they were the perfect choice and I would make them any time of the year - not just at thanksgiving! I'm not usually a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but with this much flaky pastry surrounding it I thought they were delicious.

Best Ever Rugelach

2011-11-26T12:59:00.000-08:00

I shopped for 24 hours straight this Black Friday. From 10PM Thursday on! My feet are killing me and I slept in til noon today, but it was without a doubt worth it. An LED TV, camera, Soda Stream soda-maker and much much more. I am glad we brought these cookies to munch on through the day, because ya know, there just isn't time to sit down and eat. You might miss the deals!

These classic little crescent shaped cookies are so versatile and fun to make. You can fill them with whatever you like, so feel free to make up your own fillings and find your own favorite. My 4 year old helped me sprinkle on fillings and roll them up. His favorites were the jam-filled ones - no nuts.

Of all the rugelach I've tried, this one is definitely one of the best. It produces a tender, flaky pastry that is incredibly easy to work with and freezes well. The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Marcy Goldman of betterbaking.com. I have both of her books, A Passion for Baking and The New Best of Betterbaking.com and have bookmarked many of the pages with my favorite recipes. I believe she is Canadian!

Baked rugelach are best kept between layers of wax paper and loosely covered with aluminum foil (the object is to keep the pastries dry; do not store under a cake dome or closed container). The rich dough freezes well for up to 4 months. Freeze unbaked rugelach on a baking sheet until they are firm, then transfer to heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage freezer bags. There is no need to defrost before baking.

Best Ever Rugelach
Makes 48 | "A Passion for Baking"

Dough:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups sour cream
4 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface

Filling:
1 1/3 cups raspberry jam
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups finely chopped nuts (optional)

1. For the dough: Combine the melted butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, sour cream and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until a ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll in a bit of additional flour, as necessary, to make a soft but manageable dough. Divide into 4 portions, press each into a flattened disk and wrap in wax paper. Place them in a large resealable plastic food storage bag; seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Filling: Roll out each portion of dough into a 12" circle on a well-floured work surface. Smear on the jam, covering the surface of the dough, and then evenly sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, if using. Use a pastry or pizza wheel to cut the dough into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge snugly and place on the lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastries are nicely browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Upside-Down Cake

2011-11-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! Tomorrow I'm heading down South for my first US Thanksgiving with my boyfriend's family. Then right after dinner I will start chugging coffee in preparation for the all-night Black Friday shopping extravaganza!

This recipe was made using some cherries I had frozen from the summer. However, I bet it would be great with cranberries as a tribute to the fall harvest. I never have a problem with using frozen berries instead of fresh. Sometimes, especially with blueberries, I prefer the frozen ones because they don't squish and bleed when you are mixing them into the batter.

I love the rustic look of upside-down cakes and the thrill that you get when you flip it onto a serving dish. Will it stick? Will the fruit have baked evenly? Will it be pretty? I'm pretty happy with how this cake turned out - especially served with fresh whipped cream.

Cherry Upside-Down Cake
8" Cake | adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 lbs sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted, and halved
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup almond paste (not marzipan), crumbled
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degreest F. Butter an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 tablespoons butter with ¼ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Arrange apricot halves, cut sides down, in pan. Fit cherries into any gaps between apricots. Pack down the fruit slightly with your hands; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat remaining6 tablespoons butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add almond paste and ¾ cup sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolks, and beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined, and set aside.In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold a third of egg-white mixture into the batter with a spatula. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.

3. Spread batter over fruit, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-70 mins. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Run a knife or small offset spatula around the edges to loosen, and invert cake onto a serving plate to cool completely. Cake can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

2011-11-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the strange looking colors in these photos. They were taken with my boyfriend's camera and I'm not used to the settings and color balance. I'm so glad that Black Friday is coming up in a couple of days. I always take that Friday off (I took it off way back in January in anticipation of this event). Sometimes I think it's more about the chase than the actual sales. Do I really need that $3 toaster? Probably not, but it is sure a lot of fun, not to mention an adrenaline rush, battling it out on the Target salesfloor.

If you are going to stand in shopping line-ups I recommend bringing one of these muffins with you. These muffins are made from a cinnamon coffee cake recipe with a bunch of chocolate chips thrown into the batter then baked in muffin tins. The hint of cinnamon plays well with the chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins
Makes 12 | adapted from NY Times

Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups sour cream

Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins.

2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, beating well. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add chocolate chips to flour mixture. Add the flour mixture alternately with sour cream.

3. Scoop into prepared muffin tins. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nuts and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cherry Cheese Pie

2011-11-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Cherry Cheese Pie
9" Pie | adapted from Eagle Brand

I have a soft spot for brand name recipes like those from Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Campbell's and Eagle Brand that are intended to get you to use more of their products. They are usually convenient, use common pantry ingredients and are fast and easy to prepare.

This dessert starts out with either a graham cracker crust or a baked pie crust. The filling is no-bake. The recipe comes from Eagle Brand and uses sweetened condensed milk of course. They describe this pie as: "Introduced in the 1950's as "Cherry-O Cheese Pie, this unbelievably easy and creamy refrigerator pie can be dressed up for company, or brought to the table for an after dinner treat." 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 - 9" baked pie shell or graham cracker crust
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling, chilled

1. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.

2. Put a thin layer of cherry filling into the crust, then pour all the cheesecake filling over the cherries into the crust. Chill 4 hours or until set. Top with cherry pie filling [or fresh fruit] before serving. Store in refrigerator.

TWD: Bittersweet Brownies

2011-11-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

This Dorie recipe was chosen by Leslie of Lethally Delicious Blog. We enjoyed them - good texture, good rich flavor. Sometimes all the fancy treats in the world just can't beat a good brownie.

Apple Cranberry Muffins

2011-11-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting much lately because my camera was stolen from my car last week. It is not so much the camera that I am sad about losing but rather the memory card with all my halloween photos and a whole bunch of baking photos. As my boyfriend said, "If you are going to steal a camera, at least leave the memory card!" So true... *sigh*... all those lost memories.

At least I had this photo downloaded to my computer before the camera got stolen. This is a great, easy recipe that features the delicious flavors of fall. Recipe is a "back of the box" recipe from Robinhood Flour. It has 2 of my favorite fall ingredients: apples and cranberries. Both bring just the right amount of tartness to these light and delightful muffins. I made them without the crumble topping and they were great. I can only imagine how much better the muffin tops would have been WITH the topping.

Apple Cranberry Muffins
makes 12 | adapted from Robinhood Flour

Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
3 tbsp rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted

Muffin
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled apples, diced
1/4 cup cranberries - fresh or dried

1. Combine all topping ingredients. Mix well. (Optional. I omitted the topping to save some fat and calories. They were great even without the topping!)

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or grease muffin tins.

3. Combine flour, brown sugar and baking soda in large bowl. Combine egg, yogurt and oil in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients stirring just until moistened. Stir in apples and cranberries. Fill muffin cups with batter. Sprinkle with topping.

4. Bake for approx 25 minutes, or until tops are firm to touch.

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake

2011-11-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

The recipe for this cake comes from the RSVP section (copycat restaurant recipes) of Bon Appétit Magazine. It has an appealing crunch from the cornmeal.

It isn't the prettiest cake, but for what it lacks in looks it makes up in taste. Because of how moist it is, it keeps well without drying out and is wonderful heated and served with ice cream on top.

Blueberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake
10" Round | Bon Appetit

3/4 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and center a rack in the oven.

2. Stir 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, brown sugar, and vinegar together in a 10” ovenproof skillet with 2” tall sides. Mix over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, around 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, toss in the berries, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) butter in an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beat until combined. Add half the flour mixture, then half the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining milk, beating until just combined after each addition.

4. In a clean, dry bowl with clean, dry beaters (or a whisk) beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar until the whites are stiff but not dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the cornmeal batter, then fold the remaining whites with a rubber spatula in 3 additions. Spread the batter over the cherries in the skillet, covering them completely.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet for 5 minutes, then run the spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Set a large plate over the skillet and firmly flip the two together. Leave the upside-down skillet on top of the plate for 5 minutes so that the cake and cherries completely separate from the pan. Lift off the skillet and let the cake cool for 45 minutes before cutting.

Blueberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake
10" Cake | Bon Appetit

3/4 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and center a rack in the oven.

2. Stir 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, brown sugar, and vinegar together in a 10” ovenproof skillet with 2” tall sides. Mix over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, around 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, toss in the berries, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) butter in an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beat until combined. Add half the flour mixture, then half the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining milk, beating until just combined after each addition.

4. In a clean, dry bowl with clean, dry beaters (or a whisk) beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar until the whites are stiff but not dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the cornmeal batter, then fold the remaining whites with a rubber spatula in 3 additions. Spread the batter over the cherries in the skillet, covering them completely.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet for 5 minutes, then run the spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Set a large plate over the skillet and firmly flip the two together. Leave the upside-down skillet on top of the plate for 5 minutes so that the cake and cherries completely separate from the pan. Lift off the skillet and let the cake cool for 45 minutes before cutting.

Savory Breakfast Scones

2011-11-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

It's hard to belive it is November already. For me, it really starts to feel like the holidays the day right after Halloween. From there on out it's full steam ahead to Christmas!

Here's a great breakfast/brunch or anytime scone to get you going through the cold weather. These scones are filled with bacon, cheddar and green onions. A great addition to serve with soup and round out a meal. Tender and flaky on the inside, they don't even need butter. I like mine hot but not too crispy, so if there are leftovers, I microwave one for 20 seconds and it's just perfect.

Savory Breakfast Scones
Makes 10 | adapted from 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter, very cold
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into 1" pieces
3/4 - 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (heavy cream can be used for half of the buttermilk)
1 large egg + 2 tsp water (for egg wash)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl on low speed. With mixer running, gradually add cubes of butter until the mixture is crumbly and studded with flour - butter bits about the size of small peas. Add grated cheese and mix just until blended.

3. Add green onions, bacon and 3/4 cup of the buttermilk to flour and cheese mixture. Mix with wooden spoon until all ingredients are incorporated. If dough is too dry to hold together, use remaining buttermilk, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough can be formed into a ball. Stir as lightly and as little as possible for a lighter-textured scone. Remove dough from bowl and place it on a lightly floured flat surface. Pat dough into a ball. Using a well-floured rolling pin, flatten dough into a circle about 8" wide x 1/2" inch thick. Cut dough into 10 equal wedges.

4. Whisk egg and water to combine. Brush each wedge with egg wash. Place scones on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer sticky in the middle.

Spiced Applesauce Cake (Low Fat)

2011-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I'm quite disappointed that I didn't get around to doing ANY "Halloween Baking" this year... not even a batch of classic witch's finger shortbread cookies. I guess this just means that I have an excuse to do lots more baking AFTER Halloween. I like to chop up the mini chocolate bars and throw them into cookie batter instead of using chocolate chips.

In anticipation for all the UNhealthy baking I will be doing after halloween, this week I made a healthy, fall-inspired quickbread. This fragrant, spicy, wholesome loaf is a warm welcome to the rainy, cold fall weather. With only 2 tablespoons of butter, this is one of the healthier things you could bake this season. Of course, it is not as buttery as a full-fat cake, so don't bake this loaf expecting that kind of a texture. That being said, it is totally, without a doubt worth making and it definitely does not skimp on flavor. So moist and so snackable. Don't pass this recipe up!

For a touch more sweetness and indulgence, try adding a brown sugar streusel on top or serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Spiced Applesauce Loaf (Low Fat)
1 loaf | adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 small apple, diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add to applesauce mixture; mix well. Stir in the walnuts and diced apples and raisins (if using).

2. Pour into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

White Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

2011-10-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

I made this cheesecake for my mother's birthday. It was inspired by some marbled white chocolate covered espresso beans from Everett, WA. Courtesy of my thoughtful boyfriend. He lives across the border and I only get to see him on weekends. Anyone who knows me knows how much I like sugar and how much I adore grocery shopping in the States. I'm in awe of the variety and pricing of everything compared to Canada. So, when my sweetie visits me in Canada he always brings me something sweet and this past weekend it was these chocolate espresso beans.

This cake has melted white chocolate mixed right into the filling and a swirl of espresso to accent both taste and appearance. It's not to sweet and the chopped nuts suspended throughout provide a nice textural contrast to the creamy cheesecake.

White Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake
9" cake | adapted from George Greary

1 1/4 cups vanilla/graham cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

3 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cookie crumbs and butter and press into a greased 9" spring form pan.

2. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, salt and sugar until very smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Pour in melted chocolate and continue beating. Fold in chopped nuts with a rubber spatula.

3. Pour filling over prepared crust, reserving 1 cup of the mixture. In a small bowl dissolve the instant coffee granules in the 1 tbsp cream. Add this coffee mixture to the reserved filling mixture and stir to combine. Drop by the tablespoonfuls over filling in the spring form pan. Marble gently with a knife.

4. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking until top is light brown and centre has a slight jiggle. 45-55 mins. Cool in pan on wire rack for at least 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Maple Pecan Pound Cake

2011-10-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Despite its name "pound cake", this loaf is not heavy in the least. It cuts cleanly into beautiful, mouth-watering slices.

This is the perfect embodiment of fall flavors. The batter is infused with pure maple syrup and the flavors are heightened with maple extract both in the batter and in the glaze. Do not skip the glaze – it takes the cake from being great to AMAZING. It is the kind of glaze with an ever so faint crust on top that yields easily and melts on your tongue like the maple cream filling you find in some filled chocolates. Toasting the nuts is also an invaluable step to maximize flavor.

I bring baking to work at least once a week and I had several co-workers comment that this was one of their favorites. Another hit from "Cake Keeper Cakes" by Lauren Chattman. This is one gem of a book and this is one hell of a cake.

Maple Pecan Pound Cake
1 loaf | Cake Keeper Cakes

CAKE
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp maple extact
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
14 tbsps (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsps pure maple syrup
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsps heavy cream
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tsps fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp maple extract

1. Cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan and dust with flour.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the eggs, maple extract and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat.

3. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer on med-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes; stir in the maple syrup until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to med-low; pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream; mix until incorporated.

4. Decrease mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture, 1/2 at a time; after the last addition, mix for 30 seconds. Stir in pecans. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

5. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

6. Glaze: combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl; whisk until smooth. Move the whisk back and forth across the cake, drizzling it over the top and letting it drip down the sides. Let stand until the glaze sets, about 1 hour. Store at room temperature.

TWD: Caramel Apple Cake for Fall

2011-10-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

I am ashamed to admit that I have never tasted a fig in my entire life. This statement still holds true today. I used apples in mine as I am sure a lot of other TWD-ers did as well.

One day I will get around to baking with this with figs, but for now this was a delicious alternative.

Today's recipe was chosen by Alvarosa of Cookie Rookie. The recipe will be found in Dorie's book "Baking" or on today's date on Ursula's blog.

Parmesan Pesto Rolls

2011-10-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

You know the huge $7.99 jar of pesto they sell at Costco, the one by the fresh pasta, right beside the produce ~~freezer~~ fridge, well I always buy that jar and end up throwing out half of it because it goes bad before I can use it all up. Well, these rolls are an answer to that problem or to any leftover pesto conundrum. On a side note, does anyone else put on their winter coat before stepping into that produce fridge? I mentally prepare myself, listing the things I need to run (literally, run) and grab from there because it is so cold.

These soft, light, faintly sweet rolls are the perfect vehicle for all that lovely savory pesto filling. It is just a little something different - a little twist on a standard dinner roll. They are so tasty on their own and make a great lunchbox alternative to pizza pretzels.

You could also serve these instead of garlic bread with your next pasta meal.

Parmesan Pesto Rolls
12 rolls | adapted from savorysweetlife.com

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg (room temperature), slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups bread flour (more if needed)
2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast (1 sachet)
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Place water, milk, egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour on top of all the liquid mixture sprinkling yeast on top. Using the dough hook, knead until dough is smooth and elastic adding additional flour as needed just so the dough pulls away from the edges. The less flour you use the better for softer rolls. Remember, you can always knead in extra flour later if needed after the first rise.

2. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a wet towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour in a warm area.

3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll into a 10 x 14 inch rectangle. Spread surface evenly with pesto and sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Roll dough into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal slices and place them in a greased muffin tin, cut side up. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin cups and serve warm.

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

2011-10-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. God. These brownies are the epitome of decadence. First you start with a dense, chewy, fudgy brownie base. Next you layer on a tangy, creamy, layer of cheesecake. Then you drop dollops of brownie batter on top of the cheesecake, run a knife through it to marble and bake for what will seem like the longest half hour of your life.

To test your patience further, these taste best fully cooled. I like them best after they have been in the fridge overnight s the flavors have a chance to meld together and the cheesecake filling has a chance to set. These are as pretty to look at as they are to eat.

Cheesecake Brownies
9" square pan | adapted from Ready for Dessert

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces (115g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (70g) flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips

8 ounces (200g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons (75g) sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line a 9" square pan with foil, making sure it goes up all four sides. Use two sheets if necessary. Mist with non-stick spray or grease lightly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in the 2/3 cup (130g) sugar, then the eggs.

3. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then the vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

4. In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, 5 tablespoons (75g) of sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Distribute the cream cheese mixture in eight dollops across the top of the brownie mixture, then take a dull knife or spatula and swirl the cream cheese mixture with the chocolate batter.

6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set. Let cool, then lift out the foil and peel it away. Cut the brownies into squares.

Storage: These will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days. They also freeze well.

Copycat Junior's Blueberry Muffins

2011-10-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

The best part of my New York trip was going on a sort of bakery scavenger hunt. I looked up a list of bakeries and we hunted them down. My dear boyfriend is so patient with me. We went to Amy's Bread, Sarabeth's Bakery, Magnolia, and Junior's Cheesecake among others. It was a foodie's dream come true. These muffins I baked for breakfast also serve as a souvenir of our trip. berries didn't end up all at the bottom like with so many other recipes. These were light and fluffy with moist insides and a crunchy top. Perfect.

Simply amazing when eaten warm (with butter if you are feeling decadent). Just like Junior's awesome cheesecakes, these blueberry muffins are definitely memorable. Hot OR cold. With mashed berries in the batter, strewn through the muffin AND sprinkled on top, these are definitely meant for blueberry lovers. What I loved best is that the

Note: The recipe calls for fresh, not frozen, blueberries, but I made this with thawed blueberries successfully. I also added a tablespoon of lemon zest and it really added to the flavor. Definitely use muffin liners to get them out easily. Greasing the pan just won't cut it for these moist muffins.

Junior's Cheesecake Copycat Blueberry Muffins
6 jumbo or 12 regular | adapted from Junior's Cookbook

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest (optional, my addition)
2 extra large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups fresh blueberries (not frozen)
1/2 cup milk

1. Divide berries into three different batches: 2/3 cup portion for mashing, then divide the remaining berries into two equal portions- one portion for folding into the batter, and the remainder for dropping on top.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 6 jumbo muffins tins or 12 regular size muffin tins well.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Continue to beat until creamy and light yellow. Mix in vanilla and mashed berries until well combined. Lower speed to medium. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three portions each. Beat batter until just combined, about 1 more minute.

5. Gently fold in one of the portions of whole berries. Fill muffing tins almost all the way full. Drop the remaining portion of whole berries individually atop the muffin batter.

6. Bake about 10 minutes, then reduce oven temp to 375 degrees F and continue baking until golden brown and set in the center, about 15 minutes.

Mini White Chocolate Macadamia Cheesecakes

2011-10-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

These adorable mini cheesecakes are a twist on my favorite cookie: white chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts. Instead of a graham cracker crust, these are made with a vanilla wafer crust. Creamy white chocolate chunks and richly flavored macadamias are suspended in the cheesecake batter. Because the white chocolate camouflages itself amid the filling, it is a sweet and unexpected surprise when one takes a fork-ful and finds delicious chunks, like hidden treasures, inside the cake.

For me, it's all about the cuteness factor for these cheesecakes. However, you could make one large (8" round) cake from this recipe. To make them even prettier, you could use chocolate curls instead of chunks for decoration. I got lazy and opted for the chunks. For tips on making chocolate curls and other decorations, check out Chocolate Garnish Basics from Better Homes and Gardens.

Mini White Chocolate Macadamia Cheesecakes
approx 6 minis | inspired by The Cheesecake Factory

1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

2 pkg (8oz each) cream cheese
3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 tbsp flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

2 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts
White chocolate chunks

1. Crust: Mix vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into six 3" mini springform pans or lined large muffin tins. Set aside. You may end up with more or less cheesecakes depending on the size of your tins.

2. Filling: Note that all ingredients should be at room temperature before you begin. Remember to scrape down bowl occasionally. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.

3. When eggs have been mixed into the cream cheese add flour and vanilla. Add the sour cream last and beat well, then fold in white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Pour filling over the crust in the prepared mini pans. Bake until almost set. Approx 35-50 minutes. Cool fully to room temperature then refrigerate overnight before garnishing and serving.

4. Serving: Unmold each cheesecake then arrange chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chunks on top. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.

Orange Pecan Sour Cream Pound Cake

2011-10-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

This is one flavorful pound cake. The edges are brown and crisp and melt in your mouth while the rest of the loaf is moist and tender. This recipe (adapted from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book) produces a tall loaf with bold orange flavor studded with plump, toasted pecans. It holds its shape so well that it can easily be cut into thin slices. Weird fact: I like to cut my food into tiny pieces before eating it, so this made me happy.

The original recipe was for a lemon walnut sour cream pound cake, but I subbed in orange zest and juice for the lemon and pecans for the walnuts. I'm sure the original is equally yummy!

Orange Pecan Sour Cream Pound Cake
adapted from Sweet Melissa Baking Book | 1 loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Glaze:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

2. Cream butter, shortening, sugar and zest until well combined and fluffy. Add juice and extracts to combine. Then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

3. Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream. Fold in walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top.

4. Bake for 75-90 minutes or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack.

5. Make glaze: Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and summer for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by half. Brush hot glaze on warm, unmolded cake. Brush again 10 minutes later. Cool fully before slicing.

TWD: (Not So) Basic Biscuits

2011-10-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Today's TWD was chosen by Jennifer of Cooking for Comfort blog. I have made these before following the recipe to a T, so this time I opted to jazz them up a bit. I added chopped red peppers, cheddar cheese, green onions and a dash of chipotle powder. They were so good on their own, but made into ham and cheese sandwiches, they were even more amazing!

Find this recipe in Dorie's book ork on Jennifer's blog (link above).

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

2011-10-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

Much like an Italian cheesecake, these creamy, sweet-tart muffins were like a burst of sunshine. They are a great way to use up extra ricotta you may have from making lasagna. That's the reason I was led to these muffins in the first place - searching for a recipe that would help me use up my ricotta.

I was happily surprised to find that these were light, fluffy and sweet without being too sweet.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins
Makes 12 | Giada de Laurentiis

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tbsp
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking liners. In large bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In medium bowl, with whisk mix together ricotta, milk, melted butter, eggs and lemon zest. Make well in center of flour mixture and pour in ricotta mixture; stir until just moistened.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin-pan cups. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over muffins. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.

TWD: Apple Nut Muffin Cake

2011-10-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick by Katrina of Baking and Boys blog. Katrina is an amazing cook and her site is full of wonderful recipes. She is also a sweetheart blogger who I have "known" for a few years now through TWD. Thanks for this yummy pick Katrina!!! Find the recipe for this cake on her blog.

So, I got back from my NY vacation two days ago and I am so sad to be back. Just like with any vacation, it is hard coming back to all the pressures of reality. The even harder part was saying goodbye to my boyfriend. We usually only see each other on the weekends because he lives in the USA and I am in Canada, so the 9 days of vacation was the most time we had ever spent together. Leaving him and knowing that we will have to go back to weekend visits was so hard.

I was planning on making this bread last night but he surprised me and came up to visit after work! I didn't end up baking last night, but luckily I had made this cake a few weeks prior - even before it was chosen for TWD. I added a streak of streusel through the middle and omitted the raisins and nuts. It was well enjoyed and a definite "will make again" for me.

Sour Cream Walnut Banana Bread

2011-10-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

This tender banana bread keeps resists drying out as it gets its moisture from sour cream and mashed bananas. It is perfect for making ahead and freezing. I let the loaf cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then invert the pan and let the loaf finish cooling fully out of the pan on the cooling rack. Once completely cooled, cut into 1" thick slices, wrap individually in plastic wrap then place in a container and freeze. This way, they are pre-portioned and easy to thaw only as much as you need.

Don't skip dusting the pans with cinnamon sugar. The caramelized sugar gives the crust such a nice little crunch that it's worth the extra step. I have successfully substituted full fat yogurt for the sour cream, but full fat sour cream is my first choice. Omit the walnuts if you like. I usually add them but I ran out this time. I find that they add a nice textural contrast throughout the bread.

Sour Cream Banana Bread
Makes 2 loaves

3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5" loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour or more if needed, until a toothpick tests clean.

Dulce de Leche Pecan Tarts

2011-09-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

I love the time between back to school and Christmas. Even though the weather sucks and the sun disappears way too early, I still embrace this season. Leading up towards Christmas the festive feeling in the air becomes thicker and everything looks more magical strewn with lights and covered in frost. People gather together to celebrate and embrace family and friends. This year I am excited to be celebrating two Thanksgivings - Canadian AND American!

With fall just around the corner, this recipe was perfect to celebrate the close of September. With the addition of chocolate and dulce de leche, it is a decadent twist on traditional pecan pie. The recipe comes from Gourmet Magazine. The only change I made is to bake these in small tart pans instead of as a large pie. Note: You may need to make pastry for a double-crust pie if you are making tarts, because the ratio of crust to filling will be higher for tarts.

Dulce de Leche Pecan Pie
9" Pie | adapted from Gourmet, October 2009

Pastry dough for single-crust pie
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar2 large eggs
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate (6 oz), melted
1 1/4 cups pecans (5 oz), chopped, plus whole pecans for garnish
1/4 cup dulce de leche

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp edge.

2. Whisk together corn syrup, sugar, eggs, flour, butter, vanilla, and salt until combined. Stir in melted chocolate and pecans and pour into pie shell.

3. If dulce de leche is very thick, thin with 2 to 3 teaspoon water. Pour dulce de leche over top of pie and swirl with a fork (swirl will not be visible in baked pie). Arrange whole pecans on top. Bake until top is puffed but slightly wobbly in center, about 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 2 hours.

Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

2011-09-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

This is an easy and fast recipe for peanut butter cookies. They start with a yellow cake mix (but if you are feeling adventurous, you might want to try devil's food cake mix!). They are chewy, especially if you take care to underbake them. My favorite parts were the caramellized, slightly crisp edges that surrounded the chewy centres of the cookies.

These come from a really cute little book called "101 things to do with a cake mix". Amazon users rate this as 4 1/2 stars! With recipes for brownies, cookies, bundt cakes, etc. you will never use the recipe on the back of the box again.

Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies
adapted from 101 Things to do with a Cake Mix

1 package (18.5 oz) yellow cake mix
1 cup peanut butter (either creamy or chunky)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add peanut butter, oil, eggs, and water. Mix until well blended.

2. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly using a fork dipped in water if desired.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cookies set on cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before carefully removing from the cookie sheet to cool on wire racks.

Orange Spice Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

2011-09-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no TWD today as I am in New York. Instead, I am posting these muffins I made the week before I left.

This banana bread is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and has orange zest strewn through the batter. Beneath its shiny, crispy, caramellized crust is a moist and tender muffin bursting with flavor. It is a refreshing change from the classic recipe without being too deviant. While baking this bread your home will be filled with an amazingly fragrant aroma and if you are like me, you will be hovering around the oven waiting for it to be done so you can have a taste.

Orange Spice Whole Wheat Banana Bread
6 muffins | adapted from Baking Illustrated

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp orange zest
3 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional - I left them out)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 6-9 cups of a muffin tin (depending on the size of your muffin tin).

2. Combine flours, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and zest.

3. In a large separate bowl combine banans, sour cream, eggs, butter and vanilla. Whisk together until fully combined.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared muffin pan and bake for approx 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cappuccino Cheesecake Muffins

2011-09-22T05:20:00.000-07:00

These muffins have a light hint of coffee flavor. They are a muffin-cheesecake hybrid. The base is a muffin/quickbread type mixture that gets topped with a cheesecake type topping. The whole thing bakes up into a batch of beautiful, elegantly domed muffins. Toasted, ground walnuts add a lot of flavor to this recipe but I think hazelnuts would also be fabulous! C'mon... what could be better than an excuse to eat cheesecake for breakfast?

Note: Don't over bake these or else the cheese filling becomes tough. Just as when you make a cheesecake, let them cool in the pans to set fully after removing from the oven. If you prefer a stronger coffee flavor I would increase the amount of instant coffee granules in the recipe.

Cappuccino Cheesecake Muffins
12 large muffins | adapted from Marcy Goldman, "A Passion for Baking"

Topping
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Muffin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup ground walnuts
Cocoa or cinnamon, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve large (not standard sized) muffin tins with liners (I highly recommend using liners rather than greasing the pans, because of the cheesecake layer on these muffins). Spread out liners to cover bottoms of pans.

2. Topping: Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Batter: Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat together eggs, vanilla and coffee granules. Add to the butter mixture and blend well. Combine all remaining dry ingredients. Add too butter mixture alternating with buttermilk. Mix until just combined into a thick but soft batter.

4. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pans. Top each evenly with the cream cheese topping. Bake until topping is set, 30-40 minutes. Cool fully before serving. Store in fridge. Dust with cocoa or cinnamon just before serving if desired.

Rustic Free-Form Apple Tart

2011-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have a soft-spot for free-form tarts. Their imperfections make them homely, welcoming and unpretentious. This galette recipe comes from Alice Waters. The apple peels and cores are used to flavor a glaze that gets brushed on top of the tart.

Rustic Free-Form Apple Tart
9" Tart | Alice Waters

Dough:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut in 1/2" pieces
3 1/2 tablespoons chilled water

Filling:
2 pounds tart, firm apples, peeled and sliced (save peels and cores)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 tablespoons sugar

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar

1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Blend in a mixer until dough resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining butter; mix until biggest pieces look like large peas.

2. Drizzle in water, stir, then add more, until dough just holds together. Toss with hands, letting it fall through fingers, until it’s ropy with some dry patches. If dry patches predominate, add another tablespoon water. Keep tossing until you can roll dough into a ball. Flatten into a 4" disk; refrigerate. After at least 30 minutes, remove; let soften so it’s malleable but still cold. Smooth cracks at edges. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Dust excess flour from both sides with a dry pastry brush.

3. Place dough in a lightly greased 9-inch round tart pan, or simply on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you wish to go free-form, or galette-style with it. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

4. Overlap apples on dough in a ring 2 inches from edge if going galette-style, or up to the sides if using the tart pan. Continue inward until you reach the center. Fold any dough hanging over pan back onto itself; crimp edges at 1-inch intervals. Brush melted butter over apples and onto dough edge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over dough edge and the other 3 tablespoons over apples.

5. Bake in center of oven until apples are soft, with browned edges, and crust has caramelized to a dark golden brown (about 45 minutes), making sure to rotate tart every 15 minutes. Make Glaze: Put reserved peels and cores in a large saucepan, along with sugar. Pour in just enough water to cover; simmer for 25 minutes. Strain.

6. Remove tart from oven, and slide off parchment onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes. Brush glaze over tart, slice, and serve.

TWD: Salt and Pepper Cocoa Shortbread

2011-09-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today it is my turn to host TWD! As we near the end of the book I was lucky enough to be chosen to pick a SECOND time. I am a huge fan of salt and pepper (and all condiments, come to think of it!). I usually sprinkle so much pepper on my bagel and cream cheese that you can't even see the cream cheese. No exaggerating.

These cookies really intrigued me and I'm happy to report that they were well received. Most people could not even distinguish the presence of the pepper, so it was really more like cocoa shortbread with a little "je ne sais quoi". I also dunked mine in a bowl of sugar before baking to give them a sugar-coated finish. To all the other Tuesdays with Dorie Bakers, thank you for taking the pepper challenge and baking along with me this week. This week is a bit of blur for me as my boyfriend and I count down to our long-awaited New York trip (leaving in 4 days!!!)

Salt and Pepper Cocoa Shortbread
"Baking" by Dorie Greenspan

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the flour and cocoa together in a bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer beat the butter until smooth and add in the sugar, continue to beat until they incorporate. Add the yolk, salt, pepper and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add the flour and cocoa mixture in a few separate additions. Mix until combined.

Turn the dough out onto your workspace and divide the dough in half. You want to roll 2 six inch logs, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Once the dough has chilled cut the logs into 1/2 inch rounds (you will end up with 24 cookies) bake for 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree until firm. Let them cool a minute on the hot trays before moving to cooling racks.

Perfect Pound Cake

2011-09-14T04:44:00.000-07:00

This golden, statuesque pound cake is tender and moist. The crisp, caramellized crust hides a fine grained cake with a slightly firm texture that results from the use of cake flour. Delicious plain or served with lemon curd. It also freezes extremely well and takes well to flavoring with different extracts and lemon or orange zest. The recipe is from the classic book by Rose Levy Berenbaum - The Cake Bible. It is not as heavy on the eggs and butter as many other pound cake recipes yet just as delicious. The recipe below is for a loaf cake but I doubled the recipe and baked it in a tube pan.

Perfect Pound Cake
8 x 5" loaf | The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

13 tbsp butter
3 tablespoons milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
13 tablespoons, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl lightly combine the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.

3. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. The batter will be almost a 1/2" from the top of a 4-cup loaf pan. (If pan is smaller, use excess batter for cupcakes.)

5. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with buttered foil after 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning. The cake should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and invert it onto a greased wire rack. If baked in a loaf pan, to keep the bottom from splitting, reinvert so that the top is up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

2011-09-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying a peaceful morning at my boyfriend's parents place in Port Angeles, WA. This is my first time visiting his parents here. They have a cozy and welcoming home in a beautiful setting. It is such a nice change from the city. When you stand outside and no one is talking all you hear is nature. No cars, no traffic, no humming electronics. I feel like I have been pulled in a million directions lately, so this weekend away is just what I needed to distract me from the stressfulness of September when everything gears back up after the summer.

I made these muffins one morning last week when my mind was racing and I woke up at 3AM. Baking always grounds me and brings my focus together. These muffins are deeply chocolate flavored with chocolate chips strewn throughout the batter. They are moist and taste even better the next day. Their richness comes from the ricotta - a low fat cheese - so you get the moistness without adding a whole lot of fat. To me, the ricotta flavor is not obvious, but it definitely adds that little something more to the recipe. I think they would be great with white chocolate chips next time.

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins
Makes 12-16 | adapted from Food.com

1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 16 muffin pans with paper liners.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and cooled and melted butter, mixing well. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined and then fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over mix.

4. Divide the batter amongst the muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Pudding Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

The secret ingredient that makes (and keeps) these cookies chewy is the instant pudding mix. I recommend using butterscotch for the caramel undertones and deepened flavor. I used mini m & m's in these cookies and made them bitesized for my son to bring for snack in his lunchbox.

Pudding Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 24

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 cups butter, softened
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant butterscotch (or vanilla) pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract (yes, tablespoon)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Edges should be golden brown.

Fat Witch's Cherry Oatmeal Bars

2011-09-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

Where did the summer go? Has Labor day really come and gone already? Seems like July and August went by in the blink of an eye. Every weekend has been so fun and activity-filled that I have not noticed the time passing. Time to pack away the ice-cream maker and start looking towards autumn-inspired baked goods.

This is my son's last year in preschool before he goes to Kindergarten. He wants so much to go to school like the big kids. Letting him help me in the kitchen and help pack his own lunch makes him feel more grown-up. We had fun making these one-bowl bar cookies together. They are like overstuffed oatmeal cookies. Not quite as oat-y as granola bars but contain many of the same ingredients: oats, dried cherries, coconut. These will be a welcome treat for back-to-school or breakfast on the run.

Fat Witch's Cherry Oatmeal Bars
Makes 9" Pan | adapted from Fat Witch Brownies Cookbook

3/4 cup + 1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried coconut
1/3 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9" pan.

2.Melt butter and stir in vanilla. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl then add melted butter. Stir to combine fully.

3. Press into greased pan and bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and edges start to pull away from the pan.

Bagel Chips

2011-08-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

What a great way to use up bagels! These were inspired by Stacey's Bagel Chips or NY Deli Bagel Chips. I like the fact that they can be made with any kind of bagel and seasoning mixture. The ones here are blueberry bagels and cinnamon/sugar. They are shatteringly crisp and will satisfy a any cravings for crunch that you may have.

Try serving them with this super addictive Caramel Cheesecake Dip (this dip is also amazing with apples).

Bagel Chips

Bagels
Butter, softened
Cinnamon & Sugar (for sweet)
OR Garlic Powder & Herbs (for savory)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Slice bagels thinly. Melt butter and combine with either cinnamon sugar or garlic and herb. Brush bagels lightly with butter and place on large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake, rotating and turning bagel chips with tongs every 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Store airtight.

TWD: Cornmeal Strawberry Bread

2011-08-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

This week's recipe was chosen by Caitlin of the Engineer Baker blog. She is such a sweetheart. I have been following her blog for over a year now and I love her posts. She is super smart too!!!

For today's recipe, I used strawberries, which have a high water content, so I added a touch more flour to compensate. I was not expecting much from this bread (cornmeal is not a favorite ingredient of mine) but it was quite pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks Caitlin for an unexpected hit! You can find the recipe in Dorie's book "Baking" or on Caitlin's blog for today's date.

Honey Whole Wheat Sunflower Bread

2011-08-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when life is stressful, hectic and overwhelming I like to go back to simpler things in life like kneading bread dough and making something wholesome and practical, such as this loaf of sandwich bread. The powdery flour beneath my hands as I work the dough into a smooth, silky ball. The sensation grounds me and my efforts are rewarded by a beautiful, perfectly domed loaf of bread. Delicious, soft, amazing.

This sunflower-seed studded bread is approx 60% whole wheat. It is very easy to handle and almost all the mixing is done in a stand mixer. Not dense or heavy in the least. With its golden-brown crust and light texture, this bread goes is good anytime but impossible to stay away from when it is fresh from the oven.

The recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen's HEALTHY Family Cookbook. I own all three in this series (Family Cookbook, Family Baking Book and Healthy Family Cookbook and they are all invaluable sources of reliable recipes for any occasion.

Honey Whole Wheat Sunflower Bread
1 loaf | adapted from ATK

1 cup warm whole milk (about 110 degrees)
1/3 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons honey
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup salted sunflower seeds

1. Mix flours and the salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix the milk, water, butter, honey, and yeast in a liquid measuring cup. Turn the machine to low and slowly add the liquid. When the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and satiny, stopping the machine two or three times to scrape dough from hook, if necessary, about 10 minutes. (After 5 minutes of kneading, if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time and up to 1/4 cup total, until the dough is no longer sticky.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form as mooth, round ball, about 15 seconds.

2. Place the dough in a very lightly oiled large bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat lightly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size, 40 to 50 minutes.

3. Roll dough into a rectangle 1" thick. With the long side facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Pinch it closed. Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9 x 5" loaf pan and press it gently so it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover and set aside in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20-30 minutes.

4. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle from the short end just above the pan rim into the center of the loaf read 190 degrees, 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for a few minutes then remove the bread from the pan and cool fully on wire rack.

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2011-08-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Light and flaky and so good with soup or made into elegant little tea sandwiches or even just plain. Red Lobster's popular little biscuits have inspired many variations of this copycat recipe floating around the internet. I have tried a couple of them but this version is my favorite. I am not usually one to use pre-made mixes, but I really like the results you get from the Bisquick. I have heard that Red Lobster uses butter flavored shortening. I have also heard of other people using Mrs. Dash in these biscuits instead of the garlic powder/parsley. Try them once then make them your own.

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Makes 12 | adapted from Food.com

2 1/2 cups bisquick baking mix
1 cup cheddar cheese; finely grated
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine Bisquick with cheddar cheese, milk, 2 tablespoons of butter that has been melted in the microwave, and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl. Mix until well-combined.

3. Drop approximately 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Combine 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, parsley flakes and salt. Brush this mixture over the tops of each unbaked biscuit.

5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake

2011-08-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

No oven necessary! This tangy no-bake cheesecake is elegant and light. The perfect summer dessert. It tastes like creamsicle popsicles from my childhood. Those used to be my all-time favorite ice-cream truck treat, which this cake takes its inspiration from.

This is an awesome time saver as you can make it ahead and store it in the freezer several days before you want to serve it. It is deliciously refreshing served straight from the freezer but you can also thaw for 20-30 minutes for a softer cake if you like.

No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
9" round | adapted from Foodie with Family

20 cream filled vanilla cookies (like Golden Oreos)
1 stick butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
Zest and juice from 1 orange
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1. In a food processor, pulse cookies until they are crumbs. Add butter and pulse until combined. Spray 9-inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray. Press crumb mixture into tart pan, pressing down firmly to pack down. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add orange juice and zest and continue to mix until evenly blended. Add heavy cream and mix until slightly thickened. Scrape down the sides, add sugar and vanilla and mix on high until thick.

3. Spread evenly over prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Can be served frozen or thawed for 20-30 minutes before served.

TWD: Golden Brioche Orange Cream Buns

2011-08-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Margie of Tea and Scones chose Golden Brioche Loaves on pages 48-50 of Baking by Dorie Greenspan.

I adore brioche and Dorie's recipe is one of my favorites.

Lately I have been addicted to baking with orange, so I filled these with an orange-cream cheese filling that made these buns so moist and fluffy. The cream cheese baked up into the buns, leaving a hint of orange taste with a slight tang of cream cheese. They had a subtle sweetness, not as powerful and decadent as a cinnamon bun. It was just right for a breakfast treat and so pretty with the flecks of orange throughout.

Orange Cream Filling
Cooks Illustrated

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 tbsp flour

Combine all ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Store in refrigerator until ready to fill the buns.

Mango Peach Pie

2011-08-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

This peach pie from Paula Deen is one of my favorites. This time around I gave it a tropical twist from the addition of mangoes. The pie looks deceptively like a regular peach pie but you get a nice surprise when you take a bite and find the unexpected hint of mango flavor.

The July 2008 Cooks Illustrated has an interesting bit of info on avoiding mealy, grainy peaches. Apparently, temperatures at or below 40 degrees F can destroy the activity of certain enzymes in the peach that normally break down pectin in its cell walls during the ripening process. If these enzymes are deactivated before the fruit is ripe, the pectin will remain intact and the peach will have a mealy texture. Take home message: Don’t refrigerate your peaches unless you’re sure they’re ripe.

Peach Mango Pie
9" pie | adapted from Paula Deen

3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and thickly sliced (can substitute frozen)
3 cups mango (approx. 3 mangoes)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 prepared pastry for a 9” double crust pie
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll one half of the pie dough out to fit the bottom of your pie pan, allowing a 1” over hang and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. In a large sauce pan, add peaches, lemon juice, sugar and flour and stir until coated. Bring fruit mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until fruit is just slightly tender. Remove pan from heat. Stir in almond extract, nutmeg and three tablespoons butter. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Remove pie pan from refrigerator and fill with the cooled mixture. Dot the top of the fruit with the pieces of the remaining two tablespoons butter. Roll out the second crust and decorate the top of the pie with a lattice top or any way you like. Decoratively crimp the edges.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the top of your pie with the egg wash. Bake for 10 minutes then lower heat to 350 degrees F for an additional 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbly.

Sugar Cookie Streusel Bars

2011-08-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

These bars start out with a sugar cookie mix. They are so quick and easy to throw together. I am not usually one to use cookie mixes since cookies are so easy to make from scratch. I made these one morning when I was at my boyfriend's house. I was in a baking mood and he didn't have any baking stuff beyond a package of cookie mix and some jam. My bf likes to sleep in while I'm used to getting up at 6:30 AM! Total time: 35 mins including baking. Total dishes used : 1 bowl, 1 wooden spoon.

They turned out looking really pretty and tasted deceivingly homemade. The sweet jam layer added a burst of color as it peeked out from between the sturdy cookie base and crumbly topping. One of my bf's friends said it reminded him of a fruit pizza.

Sugar Cookie Streusel Bars
8-9" square pan

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (or any fruit jam)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom of 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, flour, almond extract and egg until dough forms. Press half of dough into bottom of pan; bake 15 minutes. Spread jam over base. Crumble remaining dough over jam.

3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 5 rows by 5 rows.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

2011-08-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

These bars are definitely worth the few extra steps it takes to put together. The creamy cheesecake contrasts with the tender cookie dough all held together by a crumbly graham crust. This recipe was adapted from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook. It is a delicious combination of the yummiest, classic flavors - graham cracker crust, chocolate chip cookie and New York cheesecake.

I don't think it would be possible to pack more goodness into a bar, but for a finishing touch or to dress these up a bit you could drizzle melted chocolate on top. This idea of mixing cheesecake with cookie dough opens up a whole new world of combinations for me: Peanut butter cookie cheesecake bars? Snickerdoodle cheesecake bars? Blondie Cheesecake? mmmm...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
9" pan | adapted from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookkbook

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9″ square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Make sure you mix it well so that the crust isn't too crumbly. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides.

3. Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough. You will cover most of the cheesecake batter.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

TWD: Tropical Crumble

2011-08-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Gaye of Laws of the Kitchen chose Tropical Crumble on pages 418-419.

I omitted the banana and added some peaches and served this with some strawberry and vanilla ice cream. It was a nice change from the standard apple crumble.

TWD: Carrot Spice Muffins (Loaf)

2011-08-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

This week's pick was by Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs. She chose Carrot Spice Muffins on page 14. I made a loaf and did about half carrot and half zucchini. It was a delicately flavored 'healthy' loaf.

I've missed a couple of weeks of Tuesdays with Dorie because it is summer and because I have not really had an oven the past month and a half as I'm still undergoing renovations. My brand new stainless steel appliances are scheduled to be delivered this Friday! Yes, this Friday!!! I have been waiting for this day for so long. I wasn't planning on replacing them (to save costs) but my dear, sweet, generous mother offered to buy them for me as a housewarming gift! I have been baking in her oven the past couple of months. Hopefully by this time next week I will be in my own kitchen, using my new oven.

Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-08-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies will make your kitchen smell like the most amazing place on earth. Toasted walnuts and generous chunks of chocolate held together with a soft, banana flavored batter. This is like chocolate chip banana bread in cookie form. So far I have yet to be let down by a recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies. The banana in these cookies keeps them soft for longer than the average cookie. Since they have fruit, nuts, rolled oats and whole wheat flour, they are probably slightly healthier than your average cookie too!

Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies
3 dozen | Martha Stewart's Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together both flours, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.

2. Mix butter and sugars with an electric mixer till light and fluffy, then add egg and vanilla and combine. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate and walnuts.

3. Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

Peanut Butter Waffles

2011-08-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Happy August 1st!!! A new month, a new slate, a new start. I love that feeling.

If you like peanut butter, you will love these waffles. The recipe comes from the May 2011 Everyday Food magazine. I really like this little novel-sized magazine. It features simple recipes, bright pictures and good everyday cooking tips. Nothing fancy, just real life cooking.

The recipe featured here produces waffles the way they should be: fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside, but with an unexpected flavor twist from the peanut butter. I suggest serving them with butter and jam for a breakfast reminiscent of the childhood sandwich favorite. They also make great afternoon snacks. Serve them with ice cream and hot fudge sauce for dessert. I served these with more peanut butter on top and some sliced strawberries this time. So many options... best to try them all!

Peanut Butter Waffles
Makes 6-8 | Everyday Food, May 2011

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup butter, melted, plus more for brushing waffle iron
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs

Heat waffle iron and preheat oven to 275 degrees; set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a blender, blend butter and peanut butter until smooth, 1 minute. Add buttermilk and eggs and blend until combined, 1 minute. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until batter is combined.

Brush waffle iron with butter and pour in 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Close iron and cook until waffles are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. Serve with bananas or other fruit, whipped cream and maple syrup.

Blueberry Muffins from Amy's Bread

2011-07-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

These muffins were just the way muffins should be: moist, bursting with berry flavor and crowned with high, domed tops. The batter is just the right consistency to hold the blueberries suspended evenly throughout the muffin and just the right sweetness to complement the berries. The recipe is from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread.

Amy's Bread is a bakery in Manhattan and one of the many I plan on visiting when I visit New York at the end of September! Yup, this girl is going to the big apple for a week! I'm so excited to try all these restaurants and bakeries that I have only read about or watched as they were featured on the Food Network. If anyone knows of any "must visit" places, I'd love to hear about them!

Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12 | The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread

3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 2/3 cups blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups.

2. Combine flour, sugar, powder and salt in a bowl.

3. Whisk together melted butter, eggs, milk and zest in a separate bowl. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and gently fold in berries. Fill muffin tins.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Strawberry Cheesecake Tart

2011-07-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

A sugar cookie crust is filled with a tangy-sweet no-bake cheesecake filling and topped generously with strawberries. I can't think of a better summer dessert! You only need to turn your oven on to bake the crust, but if you're in one of those areas experiencing a heat wave or it's just too hot to think of using the oven, you could even skip this step if you use a graham cracker crust or crushed vanilla wafer crust.

It is best served the same day it is made, although you can make the dough and filling in advance and/or bake the crust in advance and fill the tart the day it will be served.

For the beautiful topping, the strawberry slices are layered on top, starting with from the outside edge and working inwards. This tart definitely has a "wow factor" when you serve it. The layering of the strawberries looks more complicated than it really is.

Strawberry Cheesecake Tart
9" tart | adapted from Nick Malgieri and Allrecipes.com

Crust (Nick Malgieri)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into 6 pieces
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cold water

Filling (Allrecipes.com)
1 stick (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
2 pints strawberries, sliced

Glaze
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1 tbsp water

Crust:
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 3-4 times to mix. Add the butter and pulse 10-12 times to mix the butter in finely. Add the egg and water and pulse repeatedly until the dough forms a ball.

2. Invert the bowl to a lightly floured work surface and carefully remove the blade. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate dough 1 hour or up to 3 days.

3. Line a 9" fluted tart pan with the dough and prick all over with a fork to avoid bubbling or fill with pie weights. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-20 minutes or until light golden brown and fully baked. Cool fully.

Filling:
1. Beat together cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and zest until smooth and lump-free. Spread evenly over cooled crust and arrange sliced strawberries on top in a decorative pattern.

Glaze:
1. Heat together jam and water. Brush over the strawberries. Refrigerate until serving time.

Apple Walnut Cake from Amy's Bread

2011-07-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from a cookbook called The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread. Apples and walnuts are perfect partners and this recipe shows them off wonderfully. It is one of those homely, unpretentious, down to earth yummy cakes that reminds you of home. It is just the kind of comforting cake I need right now as I am 3 weeks into my home renovations and utterly sick of being surrounded by construction dust, debris and tools. If all goes well, I will have only 2 weeks left of this and I can hardly wait! Once this is all done I will be back to baking more frequently. I've really missed it.

Recipe tips: The corn oil gives this cake a slightly more buttery flavor but canola oil will work just fine. If you don't have a food processor, use a grater to grate the apples. Just be warned that grated apples will release more moisture than those pulsed in the food processor.

Apple Walnut Cake
9x13" pan | adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread

2 1/2 large apples
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn oil or canola oil
2 large eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tbsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven ot 350 degrees F. Spray/line a 9x13" pan.

2. Cut apples into chunks and process in food processor for a few seconds until chopped but not mushy. Toss with dried cranberries/cherries and walnuts.

3. Whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla until well combined. In a separate, larger bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Add oil mixture to flour mixture and stir gently with wooden spoon until almost combined - there will still be flour visible. Fold in apple mixture until evenly distributed. Batter will become softer and easier to handle. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

TWD: Mini Cream Scones

2011-07-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Lynne of Cafe LynnyLu chose Cream scones on page 27 of Dorie's book.Scones are a favorite baked good around here. I threw in some chopped apricots and cranberries and a handful of chopped walnuts. I also made them bite-sized. Built in portion control = you can eat 3 minis for the calorie price of 1 large! They were no more than 1 1/2 inches along their longest edge. Simply perfect tea time treats.

Find the recipe HERE on Lynne's blog.

Dried Apple Rings

2011-07-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

These can be made either in the oven (recipe below) or in a food dehydrator (follow manufacturer's instructions). They are a healthy snack and a wonderful way to use up extra apples. Sometimes I sprinkle some cinnamon on the rings before baking. It makes your house smell amazing! My son likes snacking on them and taking them to school.

Another way to use these dried apples is to chop them up and add use them in baked goods. Because they are drier than fresh apples, you can use them in cookies without worrying about the cookies getting soggy. I also find that they work well in muffins. My ultimate favorite use for these is in cinnamon buns. Rather than using raisins, throw a cup of chopped dried apples into your cinnamon bun filling mixture and voila - apple cinnamon buns!

Dried Apple Rings
Reader's Digest

4 apples
2 cups cold water
2 tbsp lamon juice

1. Peel and core the apples. Slice the apples into rings, about 1/4-inch thick.

2. To keep the apple rings from browning, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the apple rings, making sure each apple ring gets coated with the water-lemon mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well; pat apple rings dry with paper towels.

3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 wire racks with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the apple rings in a single layer on the wire racks, making sure rings do not touch or overlap. Set each rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reverse positions of the baking sheets in the oven, moving the baking sheet from the top oven rack to the bottom oven rack and vice versa. Bake for 15 minutes more. Turn off the oven. Let the apple rings dry in the oven, with the door closed, for 3 hours. Remove from oven. Store airtight.

Cornflake Candy Bars

2011-07-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

Chewy, crispy, crunchy base topped with a thin layer of chocolate and crowned with pillowy marshmallows. The peanut butter flavor is subtle but excellent.

The special ingredient here is cornflakes for crunch. No need to turn your oven on for these, so feel free to make them even on a hot and sunny day. Just pop them in the fridge to set the chocolate at the end.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cup corn flakes
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

In medium pot mix sugar, brown sugar and syrup over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Take off the heat and add peanut butter. Stir well. Measure the corn flakes into a large bowl.

Add the sugar mixture and mix. Press firmly into a 9" x 13" greased pan. Melt chips in double boiler and pour over the pressed mixture. Sprinkle evenly with mini marshmallows and press down gently to adhere to the chocolate.

TWD: Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake

2011-07-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

This week's TWD pick - a decadent chocolate chunk muffin (which I made into a coffee cake) - was by Bridget of The Way the Cookie Crumbles blog. It is found on page 18 of Dorie's book or on Bridget's blog.

I opted to omit the melted chocolate and cocoa powder from the recipe and to just stir in the chocolate chunks instead. I like chocolate but am not a big fan of double chocolate. On another note, I also noticed that more often than not I end up baking muffins in cake pans. I find the clean-up faster since you only have to clean 1 pan versus 12 little muffin tins. I also find that the coffee cakes are more moist than the muffins, which is an added bonus. We really enjoyed this week's recipe. Any excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast is a good one!

TWD: Chocolate Sour Cream Cake Cookies

2011-06-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

This week's recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) was chosen by Spike of Spike Bakes.

Dorie calls these more handmade then handsome and she is right. There's nothing overly attractive about them and truthfully they do look pretty plain compared to iced sugar cookies or statuesque chocolate-dipped biscotti. But people keep reaching for another once they've tried one. I think part of their appeal is in their simplicity.

Truth be told I have never been totally sold on the cake cookie. Straddling both worlds, they are trying too hard to please and never quite excelling in either. But these ones, these sour cream chocolate cake cookies are good!

Graham Cracker Bars

2011-06-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

This chewy, chocolatey bar is so easy and so fast because it uses purchased Graham crackers. Buy the graham cracker crumbs if you want to save yourself the work of crushing them. I don't mind crushing them myself. It takes seconds in the food processor or take out your frustrations by putting the crackers in a ziplock bag and pounding them with a rolling pin.

I don't have words to describe the amazingly medley of flavors bound together by rich, caramelly sweetened condensed milk. Even if you don't like coconut (I am not usually a coconut fan), I still strongly recommend these bars.

I had such an awesome weekend. As I type this the sun is setting and making me sad that it's Sunday night, meaning that Monday is just around the corner. I tried riding a tandem bike for the first time around Stanley Park. I also slept in my new condo for the first time on Saturday night. Life is good. So are these bars.

Graham Cracker Bars
8" pan | adapted from allrecipes.com

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups flaked coconut
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 oz. milk chocolate chunks
3 oz. white chocolate chunks

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8" square baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and coconut. Pour in the condensed milk and melted margarine, mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven or until baked through. Chill and cut into squares.

TWD: Apricot Nut Bread

2011-06-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today's TWD recipe was chosen by Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet. Recipe can be found at her blog HERE or on page 228 of Baking by Dorie Greenspan.

I'm not a fan of dates so I used chopped, dried apricots and baked this in a cake pan with a sprinkling of streusel topping instead of a loaf pan. It turned out kind of like a coffee cake. Yum!

Blueberry Bran Cake

2011-06-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

This cake recipe tastes just like a blueberry bran muffin. It was adapted from a recipe by Anna Olson of Food Network Canada. This easy quickbread starts out with 2 cups of bran cereal (raisin bran or plain). It was perfect for father's day breakfast.

Blueberry Bran Muffin
9x13" pan | Anna Olson

2 cups raisin bran cereal
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2.Toss cereal with sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.

3.In a separate bowl, whisk oil, egg and buttermilk. Add buttermilk mixture to cereal mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in blueberries and spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Bites

2011-06-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

These rolls start out with regular plain pizza dough (homemade or storebought) and get filled with a delicious mixture of crispy, crumbled bacon, and then sprinkled with tex-mex cheese (or use a mixture of sharp cheddar and jalapeno jack cheeses).

They can be made bigger for a portable meal or smaller for irresistable appies. Nobody can resist these tasty littflavor-packed bite-sized treats. Cheese, bread and bacon. What's not to love?

Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Bites
Makes 14

1 lb pizza dough, homemade or storebought
2 Jalapeno Peppers, halved, seeded, blanched, and sliced1 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Mixed Dried Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Basil)
3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
1/2 cup Tex-Mex Shredded Cheese Blend

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Press down the dough on a lightly flour surface. Then pull and stretch the dough into a rectangular shape.

3. Spread the oil onto the dough, and gently press it into 14 x 8 inch rectangle. Then sprinkle some sea salt, mixed herbs, bacon, black pepper, and scatter the cheese, and Jalapeno peppers on top.

4. Roll up the dough as tightly as you can. Pinch both ends, and slice the log into 3/4 to 1-inch rounds. Place the rolls on the baking sheet, cut side up, and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, and light golden brown in color.

TWD: Chocolate Biscotti

2011-06-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes chose Chocolate Biscotti on page 144. Am I the only one who doesn't like dunking cookies in coffee/tea/milk? I prefer my cookies undipped. Even when they are really hard ones like biscotti.

I used hot chocolate mix instead of cocoa powder because I was out of cocoa. Oops. That's why they are a lighter shade of brown rather than the deep, rich brown you would expect them to be. I had to cut down on the sugar a little because the hot chocolate mix had added sugar already. We enjoyed them and I would make them again with cocoa as originally called for.

Wonderbread White Bread Copycat

2011-06-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Fluffy, super-soft and slightly sweet. This Wonderbread clone is perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches or toasted with butter and jam.

It must be a nostalgia thing, but every now and I again I love a slice of white Wonderbread despite all the wonderful artisnal breads I have been exposed to and the fancy breads I have baked in my own kitchen.

Wonderbread White Bread Clone
Makes 1 loaf

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 tbsp melted cooled butter
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter for brushing the top

1. Whisk together the yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Allow to sit for 15 mins. Stir in melted butter.

2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, potato flakes, powdered milk, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture using dough hook. Add more flour if needed. Dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom. Try not to add too much flour.

3. Knead dough by hand a few times and place in greased bowl, covered, to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. After rising, gently deflate and turn out onto a floured surface to knead and shape into a loaf (roll it out into a rectangle and roll it up starting at the short end). Place the roll in a buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let rise until approximately 1-2" above the rim of the pan, 30-40 mins. Brush top with melted butter.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 15 mins before rising is complete. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until thermometer reads 190.

Copycat Club: June 2011

2011-06-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

This month's Copycat club was full of sweets:

Leite's Culinaria made Twinkies:

Chaya of Bizzy B. Bakes blog made Cheesecake Factory's Cheesecake:

The Talking Spoon Blog made Panera's Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich:

I made Veselka's Banana Crunch Muffins:

Suzette Cooks Blog made Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Thanks everyone!

TWD: Blueberry Brown Sugar Muffins

2011-06-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Cindy of Everyday Insanity. This Bueberry-Brown Sugar Plain Cake had delicious caramelly undertones. It baked up beautifully in muffin form. Just remember to grease and flour the heck out of your muffin tins.

The berries sunk a little bit more than I would have liked but the muffins were still a hit.

Check out her blog for the recipe or pick up a copy of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake

2011-06-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

This moist, dense Bundt tastes like a Terry's chocolate orange. It is a wonderful picnic cake with a tight crumb similar to that of a pound cake but not heavy in the least.

This recipe comes from Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook by Ina Garten. The combination of tart, citrusy orange with sweet chocolate is a winning combination. Because I was taking this out with me instead of serving it at home, I opted out of the ganache. It was still amazing.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
10-inch Bundt | Barefoot Contessa

For the cake
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest (4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups good semisweet chocolate chunks

For the syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

For the ganache
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.

3. Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Toss the chocolate chunks with 2 tablespoons flour and add to the batter. Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cake from the pan, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

5. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

2011-06-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

White chocolate and raspberries are a wonderful combination of flavours. The sweetness of the creamy chocolate contrasted against the tangy raspberries is divine especially when they are eaten warm and the chocolate is slightly melty.

This scone recipe is quick and easy to make. The trick is not to over-mix them in order to keep them flaky rather than rubbery. The sprite has enough sugar so that you don't need to add much to the dough. the carbonation also keeps the scones light and airy. Note: do not use diet soda.

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones
Makes 10

3 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup raspberries
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sprite/7up (not diet)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl sift the flour, baking power and salt.

2. Add the cream and sprite. Mix through until almost together then add the raspberries and white chocolate. Fold in gently. The mix should be slightly lumpy, not perfectly smooth.

3. Roll out dough and cut into 10-12 wedges. Place on a baking tray. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Marmalade Crumb Bars

2011-05-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

These bars are packed with sweet orange flavor from the orange juice concentrate, zest and marmalade mixed right into the batter. Chewy and crumbly all at once. I would like to try making these with different jams or marmalades next time. I bet a strawberry jam would be pretty with a little hint of pink in the batter.

Marmalade Crumb Bars
9 x 13 inch pan | 400 Sensational Cookies

Topping:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup butter

Bars
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp orange zest
2/3 cup orange marmalade

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Topping: Whisk together flour, sugar adn zest then cut in butter until evenly combined and resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

3. Bars: Whish together flour, powder, soda and salt. In a separate bowl cream butter, sugar, powdered sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Beat in concentrate and zest. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until just blended then stir in marmalade. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Crumble topping over batter.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in baking pan.

Strawberry Marble Cheesecake

2011-05-27T01:23:00.000-07:00

Pretty swirls of pink run through this mousse-like cheesecake. It is lighter and fluffier than most cheesecakes, making it a perfect spring dessert. This makes use of the fresh strawberries available this time of year. However, feel free to use frozen berries (thaw and drain excess water first) or raspberries or blueberries or a mixture.

The only change I would recommend to the recipe is that rather than dropping the strawberry topping all on top before swirling it in, I would alternate the layers between cheesecake, pureed berries, cheesecake, berries, for a better distribution of strawberry throughout.

Strawberry Marble Cheesecake
9" Cake | adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter2 cups cottage cheese, well drained
1/4 cup flour
2 cups (16 ounces) light cream cheese, well softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 cup strawberries
1 teaspoon water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine graham crackers with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter. Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Place cottage cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Beat in cottage cheese and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan.

3. Combine strawberries and water in a blender, and process until smooth. Swirl strawberry mixture into cheese mixture using the tip of a knife. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (do not remove cheesecake from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around the outside edge. Cool to room temperature then cover and chill fully - overnight is best.

Homemade Pita Chips

2011-05-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to make my own pita chips after trying Stacy's Pita Chips - Simply Naked. They are simple and clean tasting and I could scarf down a whole bag just plain, no dip needed. They are that good. I love the satisfying crunch you get when you bite into one of these. The Neely's of the Food Network

Pita Chips
adapted from The Neely's

3 pitas (I used whole wheat)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed (optional)
freshly ground sea salt

Preheat heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using scissors, trim around the perimeter of the pitas then pull the 2 circles apart. Cut each circle into 8 wedges (you will have 48 wedges in total). Pour olive oil into a bowl and add garlic, salt. Brush pita chips olive oil mixture.

Arrange pita chips on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating and tossing midway through baking time.

TWD: Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Scones

2011-05-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

Patricia from Life With a Whisk chose Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones on page 30. Check out her blog or Dorie Greenspan's book for the recipe. It's a recipe that is easy, quick and good to have in your baking repertoire.

I opted for cinnamon instead of nutmeg and added some raisins, making these taste a little like oatmeal raisin cookies. I like the texture of the oatmeal in these delicious scones - a little coarser and crumblier than regular scones. They remind me of oaty, scottish scones.

I made a baked goods platter for a staff meeting. These were one of the items on the platter along with super-chewy chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon buns, walnut banana bread, raspberry bars and marmalade crumb bars (recipes to come).

Veselka Cafe's Banana Crunch Muffins

2011-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

If you like muffins with a crunchy, crispy top then these muffins from Veselka of East Village, New York, fit the bill! The recipes includes a streusel for the topping but I baked them up without and loved them all the same. I find streusels a little messy and they also decrease the portability of a muffin.

New York Magazine describes Veselka Restaurant as, "Blessed with 24-hour service and a perfect location for feeding the East Village's après-club crowds, Veselka has become the stop for late-night diners." New York is such a foodie's dream. If I visited, I wouldn't even know where to begin my taste tour. Maybe one day I will get a chance to visit. In the meantime, cookbooks like this one are a good start.

Banana Crunch Muffins
Makes 12 large | Veselka Cookbook

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tbsp rolled oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Batter:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large bananas, sliced
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Topping: Place all ingredients in a small bowl and cut in butter until resembles small pebbles. Chill while preparing batter or make ahead, cover and refrigerate for future use.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line a 12 cup large muffin pan. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl combine flour, powder and salt.

3. Add 1/3 flour mixture to butter and eggs and beat until smooth then add 1/3 buttermilk and mix. Continue to alternate until all flour and buttermilk have been incorporated. Gently fold in bananas and walnuts. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling to 3/4 full. You may need a few extra muffin cups for extra batter.

4. Bake approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling completely. Store airtight.

TWD: Honey Cornmeal Biscuits

2011-05-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

First off, I want to apologize for not commenting much on everyone's TWD posts the past few weeks. I have not been baking as much as I like either because I have been really busy with buying an apartment and the long list of associated things to do with homebuying! I am no longer a "property virgin"!

This week, Lindsay from A Little Something Sweet chose Maple Cornmeal Biscuits on page 24 of Baking: From My Home to Yours. I used honey instead of maple syrup and was very pleased with the results. They were sweet, tender and overall pretty darn addictive. Mine turned out more cakey and muffin-like than biscuit-like in texture but they were still delicious.

Roasted Vegetable Rolls

2011-05-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

The home inspection went great yesterday! The place is in "above average" condition and there were only 2 very minor things to be fixed. Now my next project will be to focus on getting the flooring changed from carpet to engineered hardwood and from linoleum to tile. The nice thing is that I'm still living at home right now so I don't have to rush to move in. I can take my time with the renovations and then move in once everything is done.

This veggie-packed bread recipe comes from an old (2001 or 2002) Cooking Light Magazine summer edition. It is a wonderful way to trick your kids into eating veggies and an inventive way to use up leftover roasted vegetables. You can maximize your time by roasting the vegetables while the dough rises. You can make this ahead of time and set the whole thing in the fridge after slicing the rolls so they are ready to be popped into the oven and baked fresh just before dinner.

Roasted Vegetable Rolls
Makes 15 | Cooking Light

1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope instant yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 - 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp parmesan
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup light mayo
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped garlic

1. Heat milk and sugar together in small saucepan or in microwave until mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees). Whisk in yeast and egg and set aside. Combine 4 cups of flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle and mix at lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add liquid mixture in steady stream; mix until flour is moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer still running, slowly begin to add 8 tablespoons softened butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated into dough. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough is thoroughly combined and scrappy, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough at medium speed until smooth but still sticky, about 6 minutes, adding flour in 1 tablespoon increments, if necessary for dough to clear sides of bowl. Scrape dough out of mixing bowl and onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand until very smooth and soft, but no longer sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to very lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Filling: Combine all the vegetables in a 9 x 13 pan and toss with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minures or until vegetables are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Toss with parmesan. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Combine mayo and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

5. Once dough has doubled, press down and roll out into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread evenly with mayo mixture and sprinkle with cheeses, reserving 1/4 cup cheese for later. Roll the dough up into a log and slice into 15 equal sized rolls. Set rolls in a lightly greased pan, leaving a bit of room between for rising. Let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. When rolls are almost fully risen, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

Spiced Orange Cranberry Snacking Cake

2011-05-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I am no longer a "first time home buyer". I bought a condo and am heading out right now to the building inspection. If all goes well I will remove subjects on May 20th (this Friday) and the house will be mine on June 22! It's all happening so quickly. I feel like this is a new chapter for me and my son. It will be more financial burden on me and more work for me not having my mom around to help out with Zach but this is something I have to do. My mom was so mad at me the weekend I put in an offer she didn't speak to me all weekend. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to her since I've been looking since November 2010! I think she's warmed to the idea now.

I've been swept up with house buying stuff, so I haven't been baking as much and might not be baking as much over the next few months. For busy times like this, here's a recipe that's really quick, really easy and really delicious. Perfect for picnics or bake sales and lunchboxes when you don't want to deal with messy frostings or streusels. It's like a zippier version of an orange cranberry muffin, baked in cake form. The dash of cloves give it an interesting flavor but if you're baking for kids or don't like cloves feel free to substitute with cinnamon or omit them altogether.

This book by Lauren Chattman: Cake Keeper Cakes is a real winner. Right now it's only $6.46 on Amazon.com! I bought it when it first came out and so I paid much more than that, but it's been totally worth it. I like this book so much that it even has its own tag in my blog. Check out the tag in my side-bar for more recipes from the book.

Spiced Orange Cranberry Snacking Cake
8" cake | Cake Keeper Cakes

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8" square pan. Combine flour, powder, soda, cloves and salt.

2. Cream together butter, sugar and zest. Add vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl combine sour cream and orange juice.

3. Add flour and sour cream mixture alternately, starting with the flour. Do not over mix. Fold in cranberries and dump batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting.

TWD: Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

2011-05-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

Peggy I from Pantry Revisited chose today's TWD recipe. No prunes nor raisins nor ground up nuts in my version here. Just a pure and simple pairing of brown sugar and granny smiths. The only change I made was to substitute 1/2 cup strong black coffee for 1/2 cup of the buttermilk. This added another layer of flavor and depth and interest.

Dorie says this is better if kept overnight, tightly wrapped so the flavors can ripen. Ours didn't last long enough for that to happen so I'll just have to take her word for it. Check out Peggy's Blog or The Book for the recipe.

Light New York Cheesecake

2011-05-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

My family loves cheesecake. Especially New York Cheesecake. However, my dad dislikes "low fat" baking. I made this cake for his birthday without telling him it was a "light" version. He loved it! I knew this recipe was a hit when he went back for seconds.

Most New York Cheesecakes call for 4 or 5 bricks of cream cheese whereas this one from Cooking Light only uses 2. Best of all, you can't even tell the difference. It is creamy, dense and everything a full-fat version should be. By using pureed cottage cheese (I used 2%) as a substitute for some of the cream cheese, you get the classic texture and tang but without the fat. Feel free to use low-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream in this recipe.

This recipe makes a tall - 3 inch - cake. Make sure your pan is deep enough to accommodate the filling. Alternately, use a 10" springform for a wider, shorter cake.

***Tip: Storing Cheesecake*** Put a paper towel between the cheesecake and the plastic wrap when storing the cheesecake in the fridge. This will absorb the condensation that forms on the plastic wrap, thus keeping your cheesecake top dry with no beads of moisture on top.

Light New York Cheesecake1 - 9" cake | adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

4 cups 2% cottage cheese
2 cups sugar
Two 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. To prepare crust, combine graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of a 9" springform pan with 3" sides. Note: If you don't have a pan with 3" sides, use a 10" springform instead.

2. To prepare filling, strain the cottage cheese well to remove excess liquid. Place strained cottage cheese in food processor; process until smooth.

3. Place 2 cups sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add 1/4 cup flour, sour cream, and remaining ingredients to cream cheese mixture; beat well. Add cottage cheese, stirring until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

4. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

TWD: Basic Marbled Bundt CAke

2011-05-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

TWD this week was a simple, wholesome marbled cake. I doubled the recipe and made it in a Bundt pan. Yum! Thanks for the easy, rewarding, loved-by-all pick by Carol of The Bake More Blog. Her site will have the recipe under today's date.

Sour Cream Lemon Squares

2011-04-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

These squares are tangy and sweet, smooth and crisp all at the same time. 3 layers of lemony bliss. The top layer is a silky sour cream topping. Beneath that is a classically tart citrusy filling atop a tender, flaky shortbread crust. These beauties are well worth the effort - and trust me, it's not that much effort.

They are one of the prettier squares out there. Perfect for pot-lucks. I don't know many people who don't like a good lemon square. Taste of Home may not be as "gourmet" as Bon Appétit or as fun as the Food Network Magazine, but I still enjoy it, especially since it is only $13 for a year's subscription! I'm a self-proclaimed magazine junkie... I think I almost need a whole room to house my food magazines. If anybody has any good tips for magazine storage and organization, please let me know, I will be forever grateful.

Sour Cream Lemon Squares
9"x13" pan | Taste of Home Dec/Jan 2000

BASE:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

FILLING:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon baking powder

TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, and lemon and orange peel. Add butter; cover and process until mixture forms a ball. Pat into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until set and the edges are lightly browned.

2. In a large bowl,combine all the filling ingredients. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

3. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Spread over hot filling. Bake 7-9 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight and cut into bars just before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

TWD: Cornmeal Shortbread

2011-04-25T00:11:00.000-07:00

This recipe was chosen by Valerie of Une Gamine dans la Cuisine. Valerie is a sweet blogger and her TWD choice was a hit at our house. Super crunchy and super tasty. Thanks for this great pick - a slight twist on a classic cookie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

2011-04-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe is another winner from Cake Keeper Cakes. Today is a lazy day - starting with me waking up at 2:00 PM. I feel a little guilty admitting to sleeping away more than half the day, but it truly felt AMAZING! I didn't even realize how exhausted and sleep deprived my body has been.

When I woke up, I felt like making something simple and comforting. This twist on a lunchbox staple - the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie - was just the thing. For ultimate moistness, wholesome rolled oats are soaked in boiling water before being added to the batter. Note: Remember to build in extra time to let the oat and hot water mixture cool fully.

In my opinion, the best thing about this cake is the golden brown crispy top that gives way to the moist, fluffy cake and decadent chunks of melty, gooey chocolate chips. It's the best of both worlds - cake and cookie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake
8" square pan | Cake Keeper Cakes

1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts/pecans

1. Place oats and boiling water in a bowl. Stir and let stand until cool. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8" square pan. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix to combine. Add cooled oats and mix, then add flour mixture. Do not over mix.

3. Fold in chocolate chips. Dump batter into the baking pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 mintes before inverting and removing from pan.

Sponge Toffee Candy

2011-04-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

This recipe is for a special childhood treat that is like the inside of a Cadbury's Crunchie candy bar. [I wonder if those only sold in Canada?] It is light as air and tinged with honey flavor. Dipped in chocolate or plain, this was yummy as well as fun to make.

Words of caution: Make sure you are strong enough to lift the pot and its contents. I used a heavy dutch oven to make this and when it came time to dump it into the pan, I found myself struggling with the pot - filled with scorching hot sugar - because it was so heavy. Thankfully, I manoevered it without any injury, but next time I would definitely use a second pair of hands to help with this step.

Sponge Toffee Candy or Seafoam Candy

1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda, finely sifted
chocolate, for coating (optional)

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water, and using a wooden spoon, stir constantly over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.

2. Put candy thermometer into the mixture to monitor temperature, increase the heat and boil mixture to exactly 270 degrees F (132C).3. Reduce heat to as low as possible and maintain the temperature 270F for exactly 15 minutes.

4. It is very important that the temperature of the mixture does not fluctuate; if the temperature begins to rise, remove the pan from heat occasionally to reduce the heat.

5. After the temperature has been maintained for 15 minutes, remove the pan from heat, take out the thermometer, and allow the bubbles to subside.

6. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in finely sifted baking soda.7. Immediately and quickly pour the mixture into a large oiled baking dish.

8. (Please note, important: the pouring step requires strength and you'll be handling extremely hot liquids; if you're not strong and agile enough you might want to leave that step to a strong and able assistant.) When candy has completely cooled, remove from pan and break into pieces and dip into chocolate if desired.

TWD: Tourtely Apple Tart

2011-04-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Jeanette of The Whimsical Cupcake chose A Tourtely Apple Tart on pages 306 and 307.

I made mine without the top crust and it was lovely. I like the rustic feel of this tart, even though I made it in a fluted tart pan. I used a mixture of gala and fuji apples.

I'm all about texture and the nuts definitely added great textural dimension to the juicy apples. Thanks for a yummy pick this week Jeanette!

Caramelized Apple Banana Bread

2011-04-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Banana bread is to quickbreads as chocolate chip cookies is to cookies. There can never be too many banana bread recipes or variations on the old classic. So, here is yet another one to try when you have a bunch of overripe bananas in your fruit bowl.

This recipe comes from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book. What makes it unique is the caramelized apples that are folded into the batter just before baking. It does require a few more steps than regular banana bread does, but it is worth it.

The bread is filled with undertones of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I love the textural contrast between bread and fruit. The tender pieces of apple are like gems strewn throughout the loaf. The high fruit content also keeps this loaf moist. It stores well for several days.

Caramelized Apple Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf | Sweet Melissa Baking Book

For the apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the banana bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups very ripe mashed bananas (2 to 3)

1. Before you start: Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly butter and flour a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan. 2. To make the apples: Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and heat until bubbling. Add the apples and cinnamon and sauté until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

3. To make the banana bread: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the orange juice mixture, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each flour addition. Stir in the mashed bananas until combined. Then stir in the reserved apples.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool further. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

2011-04-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

When I mixed up this dough, it looked really sticky and I was concerned that it would not firm up enough to roll out. Well, fight the urge to add more flour!!! A couple of hours in the fridge and it was perfect for rolling out and cutting into shapes. For quicker cookies you could easily refrigerate in logs then do a slice 'n bake cookie.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
Makes 24 | Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 (18.25 oz) cake mix (yellow or butter is my fave)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Dump all ingredients into a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Drop by tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around edges.