Oh, yes.
If you know me, you know that for dessert to be dessert, it must have one key ingredient:
CHOCOLATE.
Pie is great. I like cake, for sure. Cookies are delicious. But if given a choice (unless it's Grandma Landin's pie with sugar on top), I will choose the one with chocolate. Every time. Except for when it's Grandma's pie.
That said, these peanut butter cookies have just been elevated from breakfasty-kind-of-cookie to Dessert-Cookie.
The hubby loves oatmeal cookies.
The son loves peanut butter.
I love chocolate.
These cookies are a win.
And? I didn't even tweak the recipe. Not one bit. And I let Joshie stand next to me on chair the whole time and "help" me. The recipe was that easy. It was our rainy day activity. The blah-day remedy. The "fill up a half hour so my son doesn't fall apart because of teething pain" diversion.
What recipe, you ask?
This one. Half brown sugar, half granulated. Butter. Peanut butter. (or "buttah-buttah," as my son calls it) Vanilla. Flour. Baking soda. Salt. Quick oats. CHOCOLATE CHIPS.
I love when a recipe has all simple, everyday ingredients but turns out so deliciously. Mmmm. Nobody ruin my bliss by telling me about empty calories, processed sugar, blah blah blah. I'll go running tomorrow. No, for real. I will. After I eat another cookie.
Go make these! Now. Go.
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
burger buns
Well, friends, sometimes being short on pennies brings on wonderful things.
I know, you're probably thinking I'm a little off my rocker. I might be. But hang on.
It means that I can only purchase basics, and I have to make do with what I have. It means I have to be more creative and more careful.
And tonight, that meant that I made hamburger buns rather than buying them.
I used this recipe, and believe it or not, I didn't change any of the ingredients. I did let them rise (raise? Where are the grammar police when I need them?) for 30 minutes instead of 10, though.
My tummy was making the strangest sounds, so I had to eat one to make sure they were okay for dinner consumption. The verdict?
So delicious. Soft, nice texture, not too done on the bottom, and oh! delicious with honey. Yes, I slathered honey on one.
And Brad loved them! He said they looked and tasted a lot like the ones he was used to his mom buying - score. In fact, his words as he walked in the kitchen were something to the effect of "Where did you get those rolls? They look like the ones my mom buys." Oh, that made me smile.
I know, you're probably thinking I'm a little off my rocker. I might be. But hang on.
It means that I can only purchase basics, and I have to make do with what I have. It means I have to be more creative and more careful.
And tonight, that meant that I made hamburger buns rather than buying them.
Success!!
I used this recipe, and believe it or not, I didn't change any of the ingredients. I did let them rise (raise? Where are the grammar police when I need them?) for 30 minutes instead of 10, though.
My tummy was making the strangest sounds, so I had to eat one to make sure they were okay for dinner consumption. The verdict?
So delicious. Soft, nice texture, not too done on the bottom, and oh! delicious with honey. Yes, I slathered honey on one.
And Brad loved them! He said they looked and tasted a lot like the ones he was used to his mom buying - score. In fact, his words as he walked in the kitchen were something to the effect of "Where did you get those rolls? They look like the ones my mom buys." Oh, that made me smile.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
fail muffins
Once in a while, I screw up a baking/cooking adventure. I know, it doesn't sound possible, right? Ha!
Yesterday, I was the Master of Multitasking in the Kitchen. I prepared ingredients for crock pot tomato soup, potato and veggie and Polish sausage for last night's dinner, and I made a double batch of zucchini bread. No big deal. Right.
Side note: there are no pictures of this exploit. Imagination is more fun, right?
So, as I chopped up the zucchini and doubled all the ingredients for the recipe, which happens to be hubby's favorite summer treat, I somehow managed to completely skip the sugar. I didn't realize this until after I'd baked 18 muffins and a loaf of bread. I cracked open a perfectly golden muffin, only to find out that it tasted...savory? Cardboard-y? Not even like stuffing or a crouton... just plain old bad. I blame it on pregnancy making me forget the essentials in life: Butter and Sugar.
I cried. Like, all-out wailing for about 30 seconds. The rational half of my brain did eventually take over so that I could put on my sunglasses and drive to pick up hubby, but seriously. This was devastating to me at that moment. How do you even forget the sugar in a baked good? Baked=sweet in my house! What was I thinking?
So I dumped about a cup of sugar into the remaining batter (probably too much sugar), and baked the remaining dozen muffins. I called my mom, who recommended that I try to incorporate the mistake muffins into something savory, perhaps as a stuffing or an addition to meatloaf. I texted my good friend, Sarah, who suggested poking holes in the bread and drizzling simple syrup in to make it all better, and slathering honey on the mistake muffins.
After I had recovered enough to face my kitchen full of dishes and fail muffins, this is what I did: I stabbed the loaf of bread all over with a knife (that was fun), and spread some spreadable honey all over it like icing. It melted down into the bread pretty quickly, so I added more and set it aside. Thanks, Sarah, for the good idea.
On to the muffins. I crumbled them all into a bowl, pulled out the Betty Crocker cookbook, and looked up a recipe for bread pudding. I added the requisite eggs, sugar and milk, putting in half a stick of butter to make up for the fact that I don't have any heavy cream to add. I soaked the bread, poured it in a 13x9" pan, and baked it. It now appears to be an acceptable dessert. And I've gone through a dozen eggs at this point.
The loaf of bread is now pretty tasty, though the texture is a bit strange. The sugar-added muffins turned out a bit crunchy because of how much sugar I added - laughable, but delicious, anyway. At least there are a few muffins that hubby can love!
All this to say, mistakes happen. They make me cry. Hubby holds me and lets me get his t-shirt all wet with tears, and tells me he loves me even though I'm not perfect, nay, because I'm not perfect. He's pretty wonderful. And then I'm forced to imagine new possibilities, to try new things, to make cavalier efforts, and to accept failure with sweet, sugary success.
Maybe I'll buy another zucchini. Maybe I'll wait until next year.
Yesterday, I was the Master of Multitasking in the Kitchen. I prepared ingredients for crock pot tomato soup, potato and veggie and Polish sausage for last night's dinner, and I made a double batch of zucchini bread. No big deal. Right.
Side note: there are no pictures of this exploit. Imagination is more fun, right?
So, as I chopped up the zucchini and doubled all the ingredients for the recipe, which happens to be hubby's favorite summer treat, I somehow managed to completely skip the sugar. I didn't realize this until after I'd baked 18 muffins and a loaf of bread. I cracked open a perfectly golden muffin, only to find out that it tasted...savory? Cardboard-y? Not even like stuffing or a crouton... just plain old bad. I blame it on pregnancy making me forget the essentials in life: Butter and Sugar.
I cried. Like, all-out wailing for about 30 seconds. The rational half of my brain did eventually take over so that I could put on my sunglasses and drive to pick up hubby, but seriously. This was devastating to me at that moment. How do you even forget the sugar in a baked good? Baked=sweet in my house! What was I thinking?
So I dumped about a cup of sugar into the remaining batter (probably too much sugar), and baked the remaining dozen muffins. I called my mom, who recommended that I try to incorporate the mistake muffins into something savory, perhaps as a stuffing or an addition to meatloaf. I texted my good friend, Sarah, who suggested poking holes in the bread and drizzling simple syrup in to make it all better, and slathering honey on the mistake muffins.
After I had recovered enough to face my kitchen full of dishes and fail muffins, this is what I did: I stabbed the loaf of bread all over with a knife (that was fun), and spread some spreadable honey all over it like icing. It melted down into the bread pretty quickly, so I added more and set it aside. Thanks, Sarah, for the good idea.
On to the muffins. I crumbled them all into a bowl, pulled out the Betty Crocker cookbook, and looked up a recipe for bread pudding. I added the requisite eggs, sugar and milk, putting in half a stick of butter to make up for the fact that I don't have any heavy cream to add. I soaked the bread, poured it in a 13x9" pan, and baked it. It now appears to be an acceptable dessert. And I've gone through a dozen eggs at this point.
The loaf of bread is now pretty tasty, though the texture is a bit strange. The sugar-added muffins turned out a bit crunchy because of how much sugar I added - laughable, but delicious, anyway. At least there are a few muffins that hubby can love!
All this to say, mistakes happen. They make me cry. Hubby holds me and lets me get his t-shirt all wet with tears, and tells me he loves me even though I'm not perfect, nay, because I'm not perfect. He's pretty wonderful. And then I'm forced to imagine new possibilities, to try new things, to make cavalier efforts, and to accept failure with sweet, sugary success.
Maybe I'll buy another zucchini. Maybe I'll wait until next year.
Monday, July 23, 2012
oatmeal cookies
Get to know my hubby a little bit, and you'll find out that the guy loves anything oatmeal or bran. Muffins, cookies, breads, cereal - it's a win in his book!
Last winter, he was asking me to make oatmeal cookies, and I diligently searched for a recipe. I had been getting a subscription to Disney's Family Fun magazine - one of those freebies that I didn't sign up for - and the next issue (March 2012) had a recipe for "A Better Oatmeal Cookie." The recipe is by Bill Collins, a personal chef in Massachusetts, whose blog is here. He looks pretty cool, and that's not just because he's a chai tea drinker. (He even has a recipe for chai!) Unlike other oatmeal cookie recipes, this one has such tiny amounts of sugar and fat - it's mostly oatmeal and raisins. I was skeptical, but tried it anyway. Of course, you know that I can't follow a recipe to a "t."
The first time around, I made these with dried cranberries and dried cherries - yum! They come out like granola cookies, not quite so much like a flat, chewy oatmeal cookie. They're delicious, and gone in no time when hubby's home. And, in my opinion, they almost count as a breakfast food or snack.
This time, I had no butter in the house (WHAT?!), so I substituted vegetable oil for the melted butter in the recipe. It might just be the different oven I used, but they came out more moist than last time! Firm on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.
Another blogger has posted the recipe, but didn't care for it as we do! You have to realize that this is not ye-old-traditional-oatmeal-cookie. Here is the recipe, with my diversions (haha!) beside:
1/2 cup raisins (or dried cherries, dried cranberries, chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sifted flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon (heaping)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (oh, darn. that's what I forgot to buy more of at the grocery today.)
1 egg (I used an XL egg this time)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I guessed, using the lid of the vanilla bottle for a measuring spoon)
1/4 cup butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
3 cups quick oats
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with water, allowing them to soak for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to blend evenly.
Set aside three tablespoons of the water from the bowl of raisins, then drain the raisins, discarding the remaining water.
Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract, melted butter, and reserved raisin water. (If you're using vegetable oil, measure that in a liquid measuring cup first, then beat the egg right into measuring cup with the oil. I used a fork to "whisk." Add vanilla and water to these nicely whisked liquids.)
Make a well in the flour mixture, then pour in the egg mixture and blend well. Add the oats and raisins. The dough will be lumpy.
With a tablespoon or 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place portions of the dough on the cookie sheets, flattening the tops slightly. (I used my hands to portion out dough, squeezed it into a suitably cookie-like shape, and then placed on the parchment. Messier, but effective. And fun.)
Bake the cookies one pan at a time (um, I did both at the same time on two different racks), rotating the pan halfway through (I switched and rotated the pans), until they're golden brown (just barely, at the edges!), for about 16 minutes (14 minutes in my older gas oven without an electronic timer). Allow to cook on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes (or not), then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Eat them all.
I think these would be pretty amazing with, say, slivered almonds mixed in - perhaps 1/4 c. Maybe I'll try that next time. Or - what if I used peanut butter to sub for the butter? Ooh... or Nutella? And what if I added cardamom, and subbed in golden raisins? I think I'll experiment again, soon!
Last winter, he was asking me to make oatmeal cookies, and I diligently searched for a recipe. I had been getting a subscription to Disney's Family Fun magazine - one of those freebies that I didn't sign up for - and the next issue (March 2012) had a recipe for "A Better Oatmeal Cookie." The recipe is by Bill Collins, a personal chef in Massachusetts, whose blog is here. He looks pretty cool, and that's not just because he's a chai tea drinker. (He even has a recipe for chai!) Unlike other oatmeal cookie recipes, this one has such tiny amounts of sugar and fat - it's mostly oatmeal and raisins. I was skeptical, but tried it anyway. Of course, you know that I can't follow a recipe to a "t."
The first time around, I made these with dried cranberries and dried cherries - yum! They come out like granola cookies, not quite so much like a flat, chewy oatmeal cookie. They're delicious, and gone in no time when hubby's home. And, in my opinion, they almost count as a breakfast food or snack.
This time, I had no butter in the house (WHAT?!), so I substituted vegetable oil for the melted butter in the recipe. It might just be the different oven I used, but they came out more moist than last time! Firm on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.
Another blogger has posted the recipe, but didn't care for it as we do! You have to realize that this is not ye-old-traditional-oatmeal-cookie. Here is the recipe, with my diversions (haha!) beside:
1/2 cup raisins (or dried cherries, dried cranberries, chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sifted flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon (heaping)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (oh, darn. that's what I forgot to buy more of at the grocery today.)
1 egg (I used an XL egg this time)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I guessed, using the lid of the vanilla bottle for a measuring spoon)
1/4 cup butter, melted (or vegetable oil)
3 cups quick oats
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with water, allowing them to soak for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to blend evenly.
Set aside three tablespoons of the water from the bowl of raisins, then drain the raisins, discarding the remaining water.
Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract, melted butter, and reserved raisin water. (If you're using vegetable oil, measure that in a liquid measuring cup first, then beat the egg right into measuring cup with the oil. I used a fork to "whisk." Add vanilla and water to these nicely whisked liquids.)
Make a well in the flour mixture, then pour in the egg mixture and blend well. Add the oats and raisins. The dough will be lumpy.
With a tablespoon or 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place portions of the dough on the cookie sheets, flattening the tops slightly. (I used my hands to portion out dough, squeezed it into a suitably cookie-like shape, and then placed on the parchment. Messier, but effective. And fun.)
Bake the cookies one pan at a time (um, I did both at the same time on two different racks), rotating the pan halfway through (I switched and rotated the pans), until they're golden brown (just barely, at the edges!), for about 16 minutes (14 minutes in my older gas oven without an electronic timer). Allow to cook on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes (or not), then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Eat them all.
I think these would be pretty amazing with, say, slivered almonds mixed in - perhaps 1/4 c. Maybe I'll try that next time. Or - what if I used peanut butter to sub for the butter? Ooh... or Nutella? And what if I added cardamom, and subbed in golden raisins? I think I'll experiment again, soon!
 |
| Why only one cookie in the picture? Because the rest are tightly sealed in a plastic zip-top bag. If I take out more than one, more than one will disappear, if you know what I mean! |
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Strawberry Scones
Last night, I was planning to make biscuits to go along with dinner - ham, potatoes, salad for me, broccoli for hubby, and apple sauce. I pulled out my Betty Crocker cookbook for the recipe, but had sudden inspiration.
Chalk it up to pregnancy: the biscuits had to be sweet. With strawberries. I figured I'd add a couple more tablespoons of sugar, and call it a day. But then, I turned the page to the recipe for scones (page 74, Betty Crocker Cookbook, Bridal Edition). Yes! We'll have scones! For dessert, that is.
I set about making the scones recipe, figuring I probably had everything I needed (nope). So here's the recipe, with my changes in parentheses. You know I have a hard time sticking to a recipe!
1 and 3/4 c. all purpose flour
3 T granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
I sifted the dry ingredients together with my new vintage sifter, very much like this one. Did I tell you about that? Mom and I found it at a thrift store for a dollar. Sweet.
Anyway, I then had another moment of inspiration and decided to add the following:
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 t. cinnamon
Betty clearly didn't know that this would make scones taste amazing-er.
Moving on. I then used my pastry blender to cut in the 1/3 c. cold butter, (cut into small pieces). Betty says to stir in the egg, vanilla, and just enough of the heavy cream (or skim milk!) so that the dough leaves the side of the bowl. Here are the quantities she recommends:
1 large egg, beaten (or not... I just cracked it into the mix)
1/2 t. vanilla
4-6 T of heavy whipping cream (um... make that skim milk)
Then, I skipped down to the raspberry variation of scones, and folded in about four large strawberries, cut into rough chunks. It was probably a little more than half a cup of fruit.
Next, Betty says to knead the dough and flatten into an 8" circle. I skipped the kneading and just plopped the whole thing down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I sprinkled sugar on top, cut it into eight pieces without separating the pieces, and in the oven it went! About 20 minutes later, we had delicious, hot, strawberry scones. So good! We had ours with a bit of vanilla ice cream - the hubby approved.
Chalk it up to pregnancy: the biscuits had to be sweet. With strawberries. I figured I'd add a couple more tablespoons of sugar, and call it a day. But then, I turned the page to the recipe for scones (page 74, Betty Crocker Cookbook, Bridal Edition). Yes! We'll have scones! For dessert, that is.
I set about making the scones recipe, figuring I probably had everything I needed (nope). So here's the recipe, with my changes in parentheses. You know I have a hard time sticking to a recipe!
1 and 3/4 c. all purpose flour
3 T granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
I sifted the dry ingredients together with my new vintage sifter, very much like this one. Did I tell you about that? Mom and I found it at a thrift store for a dollar. Sweet.
Anyway, I then had another moment of inspiration and decided to add the following:
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 t. cinnamon
Betty clearly didn't know that this would make scones taste amazing-er.
Moving on. I then used my pastry blender to cut in the 1/3 c. cold butter, (cut into small pieces). Betty says to stir in the egg, vanilla, and just enough of the heavy cream (or skim milk!) so that the dough leaves the side of the bowl. Here are the quantities she recommends:
1 large egg, beaten (or not... I just cracked it into the mix)
1/2 t. vanilla
4-6 T of heavy whipping cream (um... make that skim milk)
Then, I skipped down to the raspberry variation of scones, and folded in about four large strawberries, cut into rough chunks. It was probably a little more than half a cup of fruit.
Next, Betty says to knead the dough and flatten into an 8" circle. I skipped the kneading and just plopped the whole thing down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I sprinkled sugar on top, cut it into eight pieces without separating the pieces, and in the oven it went! About 20 minutes later, we had delicious, hot, strawberry scones. So good! We had ours with a bit of vanilla ice cream - the hubby approved.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
improvisation: strawberry shortcakes
The other day, when I had made cookies for our little surprise, I had some leftover cookies that didn't get iced. They were in the freezer for a while, and I took them out last week to make (improvised) strawberry shortcakes!
First, I made some cream cheese frosting, following the Betty Crocker recipe. I mixed up just a little bit - about half the recipe - to use up the 4oz of cream cheese I had in the fridge.
Cookies: ready to go. First, I laid out five relatively flat-bottomed cookies, keeping another five to top them later.
Then, I spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on each cookie. Mmmm!
Next, I topped each cookie with some strawberry slices - pretty.
I love the way my Pyrex mixing bowls look in the background. Happy.
Next, I iced the underside of each of the reserved cookies...
...and made a cookie sandwich for each of the prepared strawberry cookies.
Then, of course, what would shortcake be without a sprinkling of powdered sugar?
They were delicious! Just the right amount of soft cookie, strawberry juice, and tangy cream cheese. Husband approved. :o)
First, I made some cream cheese frosting, following the Betty Crocker recipe. I mixed up just a little bit - about half the recipe - to use up the 4oz of cream cheese I had in the fridge.
Meanwhile, I defrosted some sliced strawberries from last summer's harvest.
Looking tasty!
Monday, February 27, 2012
friendship bread
Yes, the notorious, delicious, friendship bread. Or shall we say, "fiendship" bread? Don't get me wrong: I love my friends. I love to bake. Friendship bread, though, is a little much for me.
Maybe you haven't heard of it. Here's how it works:
Your friend gives you an innocuous looking bag of batter that, over the course of 10 days, you allow to ferment, adding milk, sugar, and flour to increase the amount of batter. On day 10, you divide the batter between four bags, keeping one for yourself, and giving the others away. This batter is called "starter."
This can quickly get out of hand if you're not on top of the baking every 10th day thing.
So, being the resourceful grad student I am, I decided to use all the starter to bake over break. Ta-da!
First, I made the "classic" friendship bread. But you know me - I just can't stick to the printed recipe if I think I can make it better! One of my goals was to use up the batter as quickly as possible, too, so I doubled the recipe. Here's the recipe, with my changes:
my version (original)
Set the oven at 350 degrees F. Grease four (two) loaf pans. Mix 1/4 c. granulated sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon, then dust the pans with half the sugar mixture. Reserve the rest of the sugar mixture.
In a large bowl mix:
6 eggs (3)
1 c. vegetable oil (1 c.- no doubling)
2 c. granulated sugar (1 c.)
4 tsp. cinnamon (2 tsp.)
3 tsp. baking powder (1.5 tsp)
1 tsp. salt (1/2 tsp.)
4 c. flour (2 c.)
no pudding (1 large or 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding)
2 c. starter (1 c.)
Mix well, until no lumps remain. Pour equal amounts of batter into each loaf pan, sprinkling the tops with the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 1 hour, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks. Mine came out a little crunchy on the outside, and I like that. Maybe bake yours at a lower temperature, or for less time, if you don't want the crunch.
On to recipe # 2: Snicker doodles. I found the recipe here and didn't make any changes to it. Helpful hint: be sure to use real butter, and that the butter is soft enough to stir easily if you're going to mix by hand, as I did! I cut the butter into pieces, and then added the sugar and eggs, creaming the mixture. Then, I added the starter and gradually added the flour mixture. So yummy!
At this point, it was dinner time, and my dear friend, Nicki, called me. We chatted for an hour, and I abandoned all plans of using the last cup of starter. It was actually rather freeing to toss it in the trash can...
But, now I have (so many) cookies and four loaves of tasty sweet bread! Anyone want to come over for tea?
Maybe you haven't heard of it. Here's how it works:
Your friend gives you an innocuous looking bag of batter that, over the course of 10 days, you allow to ferment, adding milk, sugar, and flour to increase the amount of batter. On day 10, you divide the batter between four bags, keeping one for yourself, and giving the others away. This batter is called "starter."
This can quickly get out of hand if you're not on top of the baking every 10th day thing.
So, being the resourceful grad student I am, I decided to use all the starter to bake over break. Ta-da!
First, I made the "classic" friendship bread. But you know me - I just can't stick to the printed recipe if I think I can make it better! One of my goals was to use up the batter as quickly as possible, too, so I doubled the recipe. Here's the recipe, with my changes:
my version (original)
Set the oven at 350 degrees F. Grease four (two) loaf pans. Mix 1/4 c. granulated sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon, then dust the pans with half the sugar mixture. Reserve the rest of the sugar mixture.
In a large bowl mix:
6 eggs (3)
1 c. vegetable oil (1 c.- no doubling)
2 c. granulated sugar (1 c.)
4 tsp. cinnamon (2 tsp.)
3 tsp. baking powder (1.5 tsp)
1 tsp. salt (1/2 tsp.)
4 c. flour (2 c.)
no pudding (1 large or 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding)
2 c. starter (1 c.)
Mix well, until no lumps remain. Pour equal amounts of batter into each loaf pan, sprinkling the tops with the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 1 hour, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks. Mine came out a little crunchy on the outside, and I like that. Maybe bake yours at a lower temperature, or for less time, if you don't want the crunch.
That was delicious!
On to recipe # 2: Snicker doodles. I found the recipe here and didn't make any changes to it. Helpful hint: be sure to use real butter, and that the butter is soft enough to stir easily if you're going to mix by hand, as I did! I cut the butter into pieces, and then added the sugar and eggs, creaming the mixture. Then, I added the starter and gradually added the flour mixture. So yummy!
At this point, it was dinner time, and my dear friend, Nicki, called me. We chatted for an hour, and I abandoned all plans of using the last cup of starter. It was actually rather freeing to toss it in the trash can...
But, now I have (so many) cookies and four loaves of tasty sweet bread! Anyone want to come over for tea?
Friday, February 10, 2012
a little love
Early last month, I began preparing for The Valentine's Day Card-Making Girls'-Night-In.
It didn't work last year - no one could be there, and admittedly, I started a little too late to find a free night in most ladies' schedules. But this year, it was successful. And so fun!
First, there were cupcakes. They were confetti cupcakes covered in homemade chocolate icing. Linnea tasted and saw that it was good, but then decided that they most certainly needed handmade heart-shaped picks to be complete. True?
True, indeed.
And then there was the trip to the dollar store for conversation heart candies, which found their way onto these sugar cookies:
Here is the point at which I am most grateful for the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix packages. They're so easy. The cookies don't require refrigeration before they can be rolled out, either = genius.
I had fun choosing the candies for each heart to say something creative, as you might imagine.
Here are two of the ladies that joined me for card-making and consumption of copious amounts of chocolate - note the counter full of goodies.
We enjoyed chocolate milk (thanks, Sally!), chocolate coconut cupcakes (delicious, Jamie!), amazing cream cheese sandwich cookies and jelly-filled heart shaped cookies (many thanks to Jennifer), in addition to the two treats I showed you above.
We also had time between bites to create Valentine's Day cards. This was guise under which we got together, and it was quite an effective ruse for the eating of chocolate and the neglecting of homework and the hours of conversation.
See? Productive. And cute! Look at Jennifer's card for her hubby:
And Jamie's for her husband:
Sally left before we could get a group picture. It was, admittedly, rather late at night by this point.
I love how they turned out! Sally brought some really beautiful paper that she made, and I loved adding that to my cards. I did some hand sewing to add an extra special detail to the lace, too.
It didn't work last year - no one could be there, and admittedly, I started a little too late to find a free night in most ladies' schedules. But this year, it was successful. And so fun!
First, there were cupcakes. They were confetti cupcakes covered in homemade chocolate icing. Linnea tasted and saw that it was good, but then decided that they most certainly needed handmade heart-shaped picks to be complete. True?
And then there was the trip to the dollar store for conversation heart candies, which found their way onto these sugar cookies:
Here are two of the ladies that joined me for card-making and consumption of copious amounts of chocolate - note the counter full of goodies.
We also had time between bites to create Valentine's Day cards. This was guise under which we got together, and it was quite an effective ruse for the eating of chocolate and the neglecting of homework and the hours of conversation.
Still silly and sugary sweet.
Here are the cards that I made for my sister, sisters-in-law, MIL, and my mom:
I love how they turned out! Sally brought some really beautiful paper that she made, and I loved adding that to my cards. I did some hand sewing to add an extra special detail to the lace, too.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
A happy story
When a bridal shower was thrown for me at the church where I grew up, my dear hubby was blissfully unaware that men don't usually attend bridal showers. Admittedly, I didn't tell him, because I wanted him there! We both had a great time, and it was clear to everyone that we certainly belong together - we bring out the best in each other, as you can see below!
Here we are, modeling our new "hats" - err - nesting mixing bowls. This great set of three mixing bowls is by Architec, whose slogan is "live smart." Live smart, indeed. I love the design of these mixing bowls. Here's why:
So, you can imagine my disappointment when I was washing my yellow bowl and the rubber grippy on the bottom just fell out! Sad day.
Here's where Architec gets my vote: their customer service rocks. I called their 800 number, which is listed on their website. I reached a recording, as expected, and customer service was the second option. I expected to be waiting for minutes with nasty hold music, but instead, I heard a dial tone and someone picked up immediately. She was clearly a native English speaker, and introduced herself right away. She listened carefully to me as I told her how much I like these mixing bowls and how disappointed I was that the yellow one had fallen apart. I asked what she might be able to do for me, fully expecting that she'd offer me some sort of coupon or apology. Instead, I was briefly put on hold, for maybe a minute, total, and she was back, offering to send me a replacement... for free! Wow!
Oh! And there wasn't any hold music at all...such a treat for this music student.
So, now I'm awaiting my replacement bowl, with a smile on my face and a mission to seek out more Architec products for my kitchen. You should, too!
- They come in great, bright colors! Mine are yellow (small), lime green (medium), and aqua-blue (large).
- The sizes are generous. The "small" one is actually big enough for a cake mix or 13"x9" brownie mix.
- They're taller than they are wide, making them great for stirring something splashy like a thin pancake batter. They are also round at the bottom, and oblong at the top - a really neat, unusual design.
- They have a grippy rubber bottom, so you can effectively stir one-handed if needed - thinking ahead to the one-day necessary child-on-my-hip-while-making-dinner thing.
- Genius addition? A pour spout. But what makes these unique is that the opposite side is slightly higher, making a great spot to grip as you pour!
- A bonus for me and my tiny hands and wrists: these are sturdy, thick plastic, but they're not too heavy to pour, even when they're full. Love.
So, you can imagine my disappointment when I was washing my yellow bowl and the rubber grippy on the bottom just fell out! Sad day.
Here's where Architec gets my vote: their customer service rocks. I called their 800 number, which is listed on their website. I reached a recording, as expected, and customer service was the second option. I expected to be waiting for minutes with nasty hold music, but instead, I heard a dial tone and someone picked up immediately. She was clearly a native English speaker, and introduced herself right away. She listened carefully to me as I told her how much I like these mixing bowls and how disappointed I was that the yellow one had fallen apart. I asked what she might be able to do for me, fully expecting that she'd offer me some sort of coupon or apology. Instead, I was briefly put on hold, for maybe a minute, total, and she was back, offering to send me a replacement... for free! Wow!
Oh! And there wasn't any hold music at all...such a treat for this music student.
So, now I'm awaiting my replacement bowl, with a smile on my face and a mission to seek out more Architec products for my kitchen. You should, too!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
The new recipe book from Grandma is seeing some more use!
I tried the recipe for "Hershey's Double Chocolate Mini Kisses Cookies." You know me: I just can't stick exactly to the recipe!
Here's the recipe, with my alterations:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
1 c. softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream these ingredients together until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, mix the following dry ingredients together in a separate bowl:
2 c. flour
2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa - I used special dark, of course
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Add gradually to the creamed mixture. The dough will be rather stiff. At this point, my poor vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster was mastered by the stiff dough and gave up, so I had to mix by hand. I'm calling it my lower arm workout for the day!
Next, fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries:
1 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. dried cranberries (Craisins)
The recipe says to add Hershey's mini kisses rather than the chocolate chips, and also requires chopped nuts. I improvised with the chocolate chips and Craisins - excellent.
Next, the recipe said to drop by rounded spoonful onto the cookie sheet. I tried that, and just didn't like how it looked. The dough was stiff enough, so I rolled the dough into 3/4" balls.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool. They say it makes 3 1/2 dozen, but making it my way gave me 6 dozen.
They're a delicious, truly chocolate cookie. The cranberries are just the right addition of tartness, and I love the way the melted chocolate chips add to the cookie. Happy!
I tried the recipe for "Hershey's Double Chocolate Mini Kisses Cookies." You know me: I just can't stick exactly to the recipe!
 |
| Displayed on one of my new floral accent plates from my mother-in-law! |
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
1 c. softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream these ingredients together until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, mix the following dry ingredients together in a separate bowl:
2 c. flour
2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa - I used special dark, of course
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Add gradually to the creamed mixture. The dough will be rather stiff. At this point, my poor vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster was mastered by the stiff dough and gave up, so I had to mix by hand. I'm calling it my lower arm workout for the day!
Next, fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries:
1 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. dried cranberries (Craisins)
The recipe says to add Hershey's mini kisses rather than the chocolate chips, and also requires chopped nuts. I improvised with the chocolate chips and Craisins - excellent.
Next, the recipe said to drop by rounded spoonful onto the cookie sheet. I tried that, and just didn't like how it looked. The dough was stiff enough, so I rolled the dough into 3/4" balls.
 |
| See the cranberry in that one? Mmm! |
They're a delicious, truly chocolate cookie. The cranberries are just the right addition of tartness, and I love the way the melted chocolate chips add to the cookie. Happy!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
confetti cake + fresh pineapple filling + almond frosting
I used a box mix (shh.... no one has to know!) for a confetti cake, using half of the batter for cupcakes (now frozen) and half for a small sheet cake, which you see here.
For the filling,I used some frosting left over from the pineapple cupcakes I made, also adding bits of fresh pineapple.
I made an almond buttercream frosting, and topped it with red sugar (Cake Mate) and little hearts (Wilton). To make the heart shape in the middle, I traced a cookie cutter onto parchment paper, and then placed it in the middle of the cake while I sprinkled red sugar heavily around the outside of the heart. I then removed the parchment paper to add the heart sprinkles in the middle.
It was delicious!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Tropical Pineapple Cupcakes
My sister-in-law is here with me, and we made cupcakes! No surprise there...
I referenced a new cookbook from my MIL: "Scrumptious Cupcakes: For the Perfect Indulgence"
2 slices canned pineapple in natural juice
1 T pineapple juice
6 T butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 c. superfine sugar
2/3 c. self-rising flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put paper liners in a muffin tin.
Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Finely chop the pineapple slices. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg. Add the flour and fold into the mixture. Fold in the chopped pineapple and pineapple juice. Spoon the batter into the paper liners.
At this point, I also chopped up and added maraschino cherries to the batter in each cup. My batter didn't go as far as the recipe said - I only had enough for 11 smallish cupcakes. Strange?
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and springy. Cool completely.
The recipe says to use a lemon cream cheese frosting - which sounds delicious - but I had no cream cheese. Instead, I made an orange butter cream!
5 T butter, softened
3-4 T orange juice
3 c. powdered sugar
Mix ingredients...and put on cupcakes!
And then I chopped more pineapple for garnish on the cupcakes! Can't wait to eat them...
I referenced a new cookbook from my MIL: "Scrumptious Cupcakes: For the Perfect Indulgence"
We decided on Tropical Pineapple Cupcakes:
1 T pineapple juice
6 T butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 c. superfine sugar
2/3 c. self-rising flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put paper liners in a muffin tin.
Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Finely chop the pineapple slices. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg. Add the flour and fold into the mixture. Fold in the chopped pineapple and pineapple juice. Spoon the batter into the paper liners.
At this point, I also chopped up and added maraschino cherries to the batter in each cup. My batter didn't go as far as the recipe said - I only had enough for 11 smallish cupcakes. Strange?
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and springy. Cool completely.
The recipe says to use a lemon cream cheese frosting - which sounds delicious - but I had no cream cheese. Instead, I made an orange butter cream!
5 T butter, softened
3-4 T orange juice
3 c. powdered sugar
Mix ingredients...and put on cupcakes!
And then I chopped more pineapple for garnish on the cupcakes! Can't wait to eat them...
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
cocoa crinkle cookies
I can hardly contain the chocolaty deliciousness! My Grandma and Grandpa gave me a Hershey's chocolate cookbook for Christmas, and I've flagged some recipes to try. First on the list: Rich Cocoa Crinkle Cookies. Observe:
Oooh, ahhhh....
I am pretty sure this is a new go-to cookie. It might rank justabove below chocolate chip cookies (mmmm!!!). At any rate, it's a new personal favorite!
Here's the recipe from my new cookbook:
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Hershey's Cocoa (I used Special Dark)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar
1. Combine granulated sugar and oil in large bowl; add cocoa, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to cocoa mixture, beating well.
2. Cover; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle; at least 6 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (commentary: 1 inch is decidedly too large, in my book. However....); roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled. Cool slightly (2 minutes, here). Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
The recipe says it makes about 6 dozen, but I only came up with about 5.5 dozen, and with making the cookies smaller than suggested. I promise I only ateone two. So far, that is.
And how do they taste? A little like brownies! Slightly gooey, crunchy around the edges, so richly chocolate. A total success.
Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!
I am pretty sure this is a new go-to cookie. It might rank just
Here's the recipe from my new cookbook:
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Hershey's Cocoa (I used Special Dark)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar
1. Combine granulated sugar and oil in large bowl; add cocoa, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to cocoa mixture, beating well.
2. Cover; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle; at least 6 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (commentary: 1 inch is decidedly too large, in my book. However....); roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled. Cool slightly (2 minutes, here). Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
The recipe says it makes about 6 dozen, but I only came up with about 5.5 dozen, and with making the cookies smaller than suggested. I promise I only ate
And how do they taste? A little like brownies! Slightly gooey, crunchy around the edges, so richly chocolate. A total success.
Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
an hour of super
Last night, I arrived at my house at 5:25pm with a plan: make dinner and go back to school for rehearsal. And the plan actually happened as planned.
This is an account of the hour of super.
I fed the cats and petted them as I walked in. I allowed myself time to actually use the bathroom (it had been a busy day), and then to the kitchen I went. First, I put water on to boil for making rice. I squished a clove of garlic into the water with my garlic press. I preheated my oven to 400 and took the chicken drumsticks out of the fridge. I greased my glass 8"x8" pan and arranged the chicken in it - all to one side. I cut up half an onion and arranged those on top of the chicken. I found the whole carrots and sliced them lengthwise into sticks, and they went on the opposite side. Lesson in quick cooking: use pre-made sauces.
I pulled out the Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, and smothered the chicken and onions in it. Next, I got out the creamy Caesar dressing and drizzled the carrots with it. I topped those with some Italian bread crumbs and put the whole pan into the oven.
Then, I turned around to my boiling pot of water and added brown rice.
Here comes the most super of parts.
I realized that there were two overripe bananas on the counter, and I was immediately inspired to make banana bread. Well, muffins. Out came the Betty Crocker cookbook, and I began. Oil, reduced amount of milk, eggs - wait, there are no eggs in this house because I'm a grad student who doesn't have time to shop for groceries. Literally. No. Time.
Is there a recipe for banana muffins without eggs? (I wondered this to myself, going over to my laptop.) There is!! I found it here. I'll also post for you what I did, because, as you know, I don't follow directions very well in recipes.
Banana Muffins Without Milk or Eggs (amazing, I know!)
1/2 c. shortening (I used Crisco)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
2 smashed overripe bananas
1/3 c. chocolate chips (I used Nestle's dark chocolate chips)
First, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the vanilla. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. The dough will be rather stiff at this point. Add the smashed bananas - it should look better now! Spoon into prepared muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Watch carefully.
The muffins came out dense, moist, and fabulous. I discovered that parchment paper can be used to sub for paper cupcake liners - effective.
Also, my dinner was done in sufficient time for me to eat it. Win.
And I was on time for rehearsal.
Feeling (momentarily) super.
This is an account of the hour of super.
I fed the cats and petted them as I walked in. I allowed myself time to actually use the bathroom (it had been a busy day), and then to the kitchen I went. First, I put water on to boil for making rice. I squished a clove of garlic into the water with my garlic press. I preheated my oven to 400 and took the chicken drumsticks out of the fridge. I greased my glass 8"x8" pan and arranged the chicken in it - all to one side. I cut up half an onion and arranged those on top of the chicken. I found the whole carrots and sliced them lengthwise into sticks, and they went on the opposite side. Lesson in quick cooking: use pre-made sauces.
I pulled out the Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, and smothered the chicken and onions in it. Next, I got out the creamy Caesar dressing and drizzled the carrots with it. I topped those with some Italian bread crumbs and put the whole pan into the oven.
Then, I turned around to my boiling pot of water and added brown rice.
Here comes the most super of parts.
I realized that there were two overripe bananas on the counter, and I was immediately inspired to make banana bread. Well, muffins. Out came the Betty Crocker cookbook, and I began. Oil, reduced amount of milk, eggs - wait, there are no eggs in this house because I'm a grad student who doesn't have time to shop for groceries. Literally. No. Time.
Is there a recipe for banana muffins without eggs? (I wondered this to myself, going over to my laptop.) There is!! I found it here. I'll also post for you what I did, because, as you know, I don't follow directions very well in recipes.
Banana Muffins Without Milk or Eggs (amazing, I know!)
1/2 c. shortening (I used Crisco)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
2 smashed overripe bananas
1/3 c. chocolate chips (I used Nestle's dark chocolate chips)
First, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the vanilla. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. The dough will be rather stiff at this point. Add the smashed bananas - it should look better now! Spoon into prepared muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Watch carefully.
The muffins came out dense, moist, and fabulous. I discovered that parchment paper can be used to sub for paper cupcake liners - effective.
Also, my dinner was done in sufficient time for me to eat it. Win.
And I was on time for rehearsal.
Feeling (momentarily) super.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
September, in summary.
I've been taking photos for the past month, I promise! Here's a quick catch-up for you:
Banana cream pie from scratch - turned out deliciously!! The custard was delicious.
A whole big kettle full of apple sauce from the apples we picked up in our yard - mmm!
And an apple-blueberry pie for good measure. The cute little star cut-outs in the crust are from an antique cookie cutter that I picked up for 75 cents at an antique store.
I've been loving my Pyrex mixing bowls, and just got a medium-large light yellow one, courtesy of my mom. I now have one of each size - large yellow, medium-large light yellow, medium red, small blue. Yay!
Here is my first ever attempt at meringues - they look great, here...
...and here. They also tasted yummy. However, they were sooo sticky! They didn't get crispy enough. I'll try again, another day.
September has also included so much busyness at grad school, various conducting opportunities, weekend travel, football, poetry-writing, reading, not enough knitting, and time with the handsome husband. That's September, in summary!
Banana cream pie from scratch - turned out deliciously!! The custard was delicious.
A whole big kettle full of apple sauce from the apples we picked up in our yard - mmm!
And an apple-blueberry pie for good measure. The cute little star cut-outs in the crust are from an antique cookie cutter that I picked up for 75 cents at an antique store.
I've been loving my Pyrex mixing bowls, and just got a medium-large light yellow one, courtesy of my mom. I now have one of each size - large yellow, medium-large light yellow, medium red, small blue. Yay!
Here is my first ever attempt at meringues - they look great, here...
...and here. They also tasted yummy. However, they were sooo sticky! They didn't get crispy enough. I'll try again, another day.September has also included so much busyness at grad school, various conducting opportunities, weekend travel, football, poetry-writing, reading, not enough knitting, and time with the handsome husband. That's September, in summary!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Blubarb pie
As I drove home from church on Sunday, I made up my mind to stop at one of the local farm stands to buy blueberries. 'Tis the season, you know.
I pulled over at the first one I saw, and opened the cooler, which sat atop an old horse-drawn cart. Four soggy quarts of blueberries awaited, but I was not swayed! I bought one and brought it home, rounding corners very carefully so that I wouldn't spill. Success!
There were two rather ripe bananas on the counter, so banana blueberry bread ensued. Next, blueberry rhubarb pie! Delicious.
I love summer.
I pulled over at the first one I saw, and opened the cooler, which sat atop an old horse-drawn cart. Four soggy quarts of blueberries awaited, but I was not swayed! I bought one and brought it home, rounding corners very carefully so that I wouldn't spill. Success!
There were two rather ripe bananas on the counter, so banana blueberry bread ensued. Next, blueberry rhubarb pie! Delicious.
I love summer.
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