Gluten Free Banana Bread

  

   After several attempts at re-creating some baking classics sans gluten I am happy to say that I have finally put something together that tastes just as good as the gluten full version.  I now believe that I have been experimenting with this banana bread recipe for a decade......it's versatile and above is pictured with chocolate chips, below you will see cranberries!  I have also added walnuts in the past for something a little extra special.  Don't get me wrong, with nothing added it is just as good.  Hope you enjoy!

GF Banana Bread 

preheat oven to 365 degrees

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 apple sauce snack pack

1 TBSP butter

4 egg whites

3 ripe medium bananas (or 2 large)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cloves

3 generous spoonfuls of non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups Trader Joe's gluten free flour

1 TBSP xanthum gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

    In a metal bowl cream together the sugars and apple sauce.  Once a smooth texture is formed add in the room temperature butter.  Whip in the egg whites.  Peel the bananas and smash them on a plate with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.  Add smashed bananas to the liquid mixture with yogurt and vanilla and mix well.  On top add the flour, xanthum gum, soda, and salt.  Mix all together until well blended.  Add in cranberries, walnuts, or chocolate chips if desired.  Spoon into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan that is coated with Pam.  Sprinkle turbinado (raw) sugar on top.  Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes - check with a toothpick and make sure it comes clean.  Cool on a wire rack outside of the pan.

Mom's Coffee Cake

Batter:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup margarine
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sour cream or buttermilk (I used light sour cream)

Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar 
2 tbsp cinnamon

 Beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light.  Mix flour, soda, powder into creamed mixture.  Add margarine.  Spread 1/2 batter in greased (I used pam) angel food cake pan, sprinkle 1/2 topping on and then add the remaining batter and finish with topping.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until done (to me this means when a toothpick comes clean).

  Mine is good, but I did make a few changes.  I am thinking that my mom used to use buttermilk instead, the sour cream seemed a little thick - but I would like to try it the other way just to compare the difference.  Also my margarine was in the fridge so I microwaved it and added it in melted.  I think having it at room temperature and mixing it in would have been better.  I also used dark brown sugar, my mom always used light brown sugar....I bet that changed the flavor profile as well....at any rate I hope the recipients enjoy this one!  I thought it was fun that when I cut into the cake it looked like it was smiling at me!

Cranberry Almond Scones

This recipe is adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Baking Book's recipe for Almond-Currant Scones.

4 cups flour
3TBSP granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup cold butter
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
2 TBSP fat free vanilla coffee creamer
almonds and cranberries

  The original recipe also called for currents and buttermilk - not coffee creamer (but what the heck - you use what you got!)  It actually added a nice flavor to the scone...I would do it again. Also the recipe called for the zest of the rind of an orange which I would have used had I had any oranges....they are in season right now so they don't last too long around these parts....
    Add all the dry ingredients together.  Then cut in the butter....I cut it in cubes and then wear rubber gloves while I mix it...it's old fashioned but I don't have the proper equipment to complete such a task.....after all I am not in the masterchef kitchen....although sometimes I pretend I am and when I just throw something together the day before I need to go grocery shopping and you look in the fridge and think how in the heck is this going to happen....and then I think of Tim Gunn and I make it work!   I consider this to be my own version of a mystery box challenge!

  Back to the scones:
   Whisk all of the wet ingredients and then stir into the dry ingredients....add in the almonds and cranberries right away - otherwise the dough will be worked too much and become stiff.....I added what was left in the pantry...I am guess about 3/4 cup of each....if I had more I would have added about 1 cup each....just to have them burst with goodness!  I hand rolled the dough out in 2 squares then cut out triangles..I ended up with 16 all together....sprinkled the top with a little sugar and then baked in a 375 degree oven for a little over 20 minutes....actually I set the time for 20 minutes and then realized they were not quite done....so I got the roast pork ready for the oven....by the time that was done the scones were ready!

 Enjoy!

Apple Pie Muffins....

Being the mad scientist that I am in the kitchen I am always up for something new and interesting.....after making the best banana muffins ever I decided that it was time to experiment with the recipe....at the end of the school year I made apple pies for my AcDec'ers.....the filling was good, but I went overboard with the pastry.....I ended up having extra filling and didn't know what to do with it so I just threw it in a ziploc bag and in the freezer it went....until today!
  I ended up allowing it to thaw and drained off the excess moisture....then I mashed the apple slices up with a potato masher....this was not the easiest thing to do as the masher kept getting filled with too much apple so I had to cut it out....then repeat, and repeat....until I got the consistency I wanted!

  I basically used the same recipe as the banana muffins...except that I used 1/2 the amount of butter and only 1 cup of sugar as appose to 1 1/4 cup.....I just plain ran out.....and figured that with apple pie filling for flavoring that there was at least 1/4 cup of sugar mixed in there....


Apple Pie Muffins
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1  cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
apples for apple pie filling

   Apples for apple pie filling - you can really use any type of apple....I prefer granny smith.....perfect taste, perfect texture....unless of course I am participating in an apple pie baking contest......it's Gravenstein all the way!  All I do is wash, peel, and slice the apples....then add in some lemon juice (do they don't turn brown) and some cinnamon and sugar....

  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!
  
   These particular muffins shall be shared with at the Casa Grande Anglers Inc board meeting tonight....I am going to see what there budget is for next year and whether or not they are still interested in funding opportunities for Casa Grande Wildlife students....I wouldn't be Donna Reed if I didn't bring something from the oven!  Wish me luck!

Lemon Poppyseed Tarte

  I am not sure if I was more excited about using this new nine inch square baking pan, or a little uneasy about the lemon curd filling, or enthralled with the idea that I was about to use my rolling pin!  What is most important is the fact that I felt inspired.....it has been some time since I have posted and to tell you the truth cooked anything of any real substance......for purposes here "substance" shall be defined as something that is blog worthy.....if it's good enough to want to talk about it more....this is what should be happening everyday in my kitchen, everyday in every kitchen....to some extent at least.....I have to admit that I am not all about being a slave to your stove....that should really only happen when you are planning on a significant contribution to a bake sale....but we should want to want to enjoy preparing the fuel that propels us through life.....

  Not so easy I know, as life, gosh darnit, seems to always get in the way and can easily make us feel as though we are left with no time to do what we want to do, let alone plan out and execute an entree, 2 sides, and one heck of a decadent dessert.....everyday.

    Moderation is the key.


OK, now to the dessert....reading my rants and raves are worth it if the end result is tasting this masterpiece.

POPPY SEED PASTRY:

   This of course is not a recipe that I am responsible for....this comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.....if you are anybody who knows anybody who likes to cook then you have seen this before....if you are kitchen savvy chances are it is on a bookshelf somewhere....

  For the pictured piece I doubled the recipe....actually made 2 batches of it....then combined...this is always dangerous with crust.....next time I will most likely use my my great grandmothers crust recipe....it calls for lard not butter.....it is much better! 


LEMON CURD:

 

  Clearly this is from the same Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.....it was so freaking good.....I have to admit that next time I will use this and make individual tarts.....I doubled this recipe as well (all at once)......for the nine inch pan.....I ended up using 5 lemons, thanks to my wonderful neighbors.....they have the best lemons and I am hoping that sharing this dessert with them will encourage them to hand more of their fruit harvest this way!

Enjoy!

My First Cheesecake....

I am not sure why I had the idea in my head that cheesecake was so terribly tricky and difficult to make, perhaps it was from watching too many episodes of the golden girls when I was younger?......or maybe that is where I got an appreciation for the decadent dessert.....after talking to one fine lady in the library Ms. Helen gave me her recipe for cheesecake and mentioned how easy it was.....not too surprised, but she was right!

Royal Cheesecake:

CRUST
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP granulated sugar

FILLING
- 3 8oz packages of cream cheese
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING
- 1 can cherry pie filling

Blend first three ingredients together; press firmly against bottom of spring form pan.....I was so excited to be using my spring form pan for the first time....I have had one for years, but feared making cheesecake so there is has sat in my cupboard, then packaged for the trip to California over 3 years ago, and finally after kicking some dust off of it it has been christened with royal cheesecake!

Blend filling ingredients using an electric mixer....this takes several minutes.....doing this is a great test to determine the quality of your hand mixer....mine is not so great as it took some elbow grease as well to get all the lumps out......but then again what do you expect for a mixer that was purchased some seven years ago for the whopping price of $9.99......who am I to complain....it works......although I have to admit I was secretly hoping that it would burn out and "force" me into an upgrade.....all in due time!

Pour filling into crust and bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes.....I baked mine for 40 minutes and probably could have taken it out about 5 - 7  minutes earlier.....next time I experiment!  Chill thoroughly and garnish edge with pie filling.....

I of course had to slice off a sliver.....it was delicious, rich, and totally worth every bite!  I wrapped it up and put the remaining cake in the freezer....I am thinking next time company comes over I am set! As you can see the crust was a little crumbly....I am thinking this is due to the fact that I couldn't wait until it was cooled thoroughly to slice into it!

~Enjoy!

Cinnamon Spice Muffins...

As you will quickly notice these are very similar to the banana nut muffins.....just slightly altered for those you are not too wild about bananas.....

When preparing the apples cut them into small 1 inch cubes and simmer in a pan with the apple sauce, lemon juice and spices....it will smell so darn good....almost like apple pie.....but not quite.....


After the apples are soft I mashed them with a potato masher to get an even consistency, then added them to the rest of the muffin batter.  Which can easily be mixed while the apples are simmering....dry ingredients first, then get the eggs, sugar, and milk together....let the apple mixture cool before you add it to the rest of the wet ingredients, the last thing you want to do is end up with in omelet in the middle of one of the muffins.....mix all together and spoon into greased muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.  If you read the banana nut blog then you are well aware of the walnut/sugar mixture that I used as a topping to get a nice crunchy muffin top....I had some left over so I used that on these ones as well....I think it worked!

~Enjoy!

Cinnamon Spice Muffins
5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
5 in season apples (I used Gala - this time)
5 cap fulls of lemon juice
2 snack packs of apple sauce
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar

Banana Nut Muffins.....

  These are by far the biggest muffins I have ever made.  I am not sure why they rose so much?!?  I also had a lot of fun with this recipe as I was making it up as I went along.  I started with my recipe for banana bread.....as I had 5 much too ripe bananas sitting on my counter and was not in the mood to just peel and freeze.....perhaps because I already have a bag a frozen bananas in my freezer.....I didn't want to crowd them out!
  I also looked at a recipe for big beautiful muffins that was given to me by a friend of the Reed family from America's Test Kitchen....anything I have made from there has always turned out.....but I was looking for more of a risk.....so I peeked at the recipes but did not follow either of them!

As I was experimenting I was looking at the ratios in each recipe, which one calls for more of this....and none of that........do I beat the eggs first or just add them to the batter?  baking soda or baking powder as a leavening agent.....too much moisture, too little moisture....I felt like I literally was playing a game of 20 questions with myself the whole time.....but I think it worked!

Banana Nut Muffins
5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
5 over ripe bananas (small)
2 snack packs of apple sauce
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts

First take all the dry ingredients and mix together in a big bowl.....with all these spices it will smell so darn good.  I chose the spices after literally opening too many jars in the spice cupboard and sniffing away, trying to figure out what might work well together!  Then in a smaller bowl thoroughly mix together the wet ingredients and the sugar.  Then make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly mix in the wet ingredients.  This does take a bit of elbow grease, I would not use an electric mixer.....also keep mixing before adding more milk....when I was mixing it I thought for sure it would be way too dry....this is not the case, just keep mixing.  Just when you think you are finished mixing, add the walnuts and stir until they are evenly distributed!

I let the batter sit in the fridge overnight.  I am beginning to do this more and more, not sure if it makes a difference, it was just how my schedule worked out that day.

I baked these for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  I first sprayed the pan with Pam (no sticking whatsoever)....the muffins actually kind of popped out of the pan.  They are packed with moisture and have a fine crust on the muffin top....of course the best part.....before placing them in the oven I smashed up some walnuts mixed with sugar and sprinkled on top of the batter....adding sugar to the muffins before baking always adds a nice crust on the top of the muffin!  Adding nuts was another new experiment!

Thinking about further experimentation by using apples and not bananas.....until next time!

Baking for the masses.....

6 batches of cookies, 5 batches of brownies, and 4 loaves of lemony goodness.....this is what has transpired after the administrative team at my school asked my to bake my whatnot off for this month's staff meeting.  I have to admit that this is not the first time that I have baked for the fabulous staff at school, but it was the first time I was asked to! 

The loaf that is lemony is the same recipe that is already posted on the blog so scroll down to get it for yourself.....I did make all 4 batches at the same time, in separate bowls of course and found that leaving the batter in the fridge while you are waiting for the loaf pan doesn't really change the end result....so this is good for when multiple loaves of lemony goodness are needed at once!  Just make sure you get all the seeds out!

 "Brownies" are also the same recipe that is already on the blog.....I went for the circular pan this time and of course ended up using more of the see's candy bars....I also used some milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips in order to get a mixture of chocolate flavors.....or it was all that I had!  In case you are interested you can still get your own see's milk chocolate candy bar for only $2.00......by supporting either the AcDec'ers......I suggest eating these chewy, chocolaty, fudge things with some hot coffee.....

Last but not least I went for some cookies.....the infamous chewy oatmeal ones......although a similar recipe for these is already on my other blog I changed things up a little bit and further experimented with this recipe.....so here she goes.....

This time I added a bit more molasses and substituted white sugar for brown sugar.....I really think it worked out well as adding more molasses increases the chewy factor but does not change the flavor too much.....for the cafe mocha AKA coffee and swirl chocolate chip cookies I added a pinch of cardamom!  I ended up rolling the dough in balls after I let it sit in the fridge overnight.  Not sure why but letting cookie dough rest is always best!

Hope you have enjoyed these sweet treats!

p.s. stay tuned for more!

Lemon Loaf & Fudge Brownie Bites....

I still cannot believe that I am even considering letting these two recipes out....they are not Donna Reed Originals....these puppies come from my great grandmother Agnes Bole....her daughter, my nanny Louise MacKay decided to re-write all of her mothers recipes in one place....the cursive is simply luxurious, I wish more students wrote in cursive....at any rate, great grandmother passed it down to her daughter and she passed it down to me....I am oh so grateful that I have this iconic representative of the kitchens of my maternal heritage....the other day when making a lemon loaf....it smelled so delicious, I wondered if this was the same smell that my great grandmother smelled when she would use the same recipe.......I wondered what her oven looked like, her kitchen floor.....she lived on a farm, so it's not completely unrealistic to think that she may indeed have even churned the butter herself...I also wondered what kind of shoes she was wearing....and most importantly.......I wonder what her apron looked like.....

Lemon Loaf
6 tbsp butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice

Cream butter and sugar together.  Beat in eggs and milk.  Add rind of lemon and mix thoroughly.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and blend into batter.  Spray a loaf pan with pam.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees......never put batter in a cold oven......bake for about an hour.  Mix together 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of sugar, pour over hot loaf.  This glaze crystallizes into the sweetest crust which is a subtle accompaniment to a dense lemony loaf.  Enjoy!


I guess I have to thank my 2011 AcDec'ers for this blog posting as they are the ones in which I was baking for.  Tonight was the first round of debates and I wanted to set the bar high so I baked some of my best in anticipation of their debating skills being of the highest quality.....I am looking forward to more debates and perhaps this shall be a new ritual where I bake for AcDec'ers and blog about it!  It has been some time since I have been on here, so thank you twenty-eleven AcDec'ers for inspiring me yet again.....

Brownies
I guess this technically is not exactly my great grandmothers recipe as you will find out I did slightly alter the recipe to fit my own personal agenda!

1/2 margarine
8 tbsp chocolate chips
1 see's milk chocolate candy bar
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

You want to start by melting the margarine and chocolates together on low in a small pan.  Yes you must use see's milk chocolate candy bars, this is really what makes them so dang tasty.....and as an added bonus by purchasing your see's milk chocolate candy bar you will be supporting the 27th year of academic excellence!

While the chocolate is melting mix the sugar, vanilla and eggs together.  Once chocolate has reached a silky smooth consistency (this can take anywhere from 15 - 20 minutes....it is not something you want to rush....I suggest listening to Billie Holiday whilst you are stirring the melting chocolate.....) once the chocolate magic mixture is ready to go add it to the sugar mixture.  Mix well.  Add flour and salt.  Blend well.  You will end up baking this in a 350 degree oven as well.....what makes these two recipes match so nicely is that you can have a batch of each going at the same time.  Yesterday I made 2 loaves of bread and 3 rounds of brownies.....for the brownies I made two batches in the mini-muffin tin (worked out nicely for the masses) the last batch was put in a circular pan all in one shot.  Trust me when it comes to mass baking and maximizing of time, the mini-muffin tin should not be your weapon of choice......Below are the infamous 3rd patch in which my husband will be taking to work......

Enjoy!

p.s. 15 minutes for mini-muffin tin
p.p.s. 33 minutes for circular tin

Mountain o' Meatballs...

Mike gets credit for discovering this recipe, although he has never made it, so I guess I get the credit this time.  This recipe makes 4.5 dozen meatballs!  It's simple enough, just one of those things that is rather time consuming and does take a little bit of patience as there is a lot of "resting" time for the meat.....I took advantage of this and simultaneously made a pizza!  With homemade crust of course, the best sauce at Safeway, some spinach, shredded mozzarella, and sliced onions.  Oh wait....back to the balls.....

I started by taking 2 packages of ground turkey (I buy them when they are at their cheapest 2 for $5) and I package of ground pork (this was just under $3)....here's what gives it all the delicious layers of flavors..
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, & salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric


  Two eggs work as a great binding agent.  I find it best to mix this up with your hands, which would make them smell awful nasty.....raw turkey and pork smell......I prefer to wear rubber gloves when I am working with meat in this manner....I also end up rolling them like a cookie after I scoop out a serving size, after letting the meat rest for an hour in the refrigerator.....I lightly grease a pan with extra virgin olive oil and when hot add meatballs.  When browned on one side, flip....this works well using two forks.....then continue cooking.....I usually let them get about 80% cooked and then take them off the heat.  The meat will continue to cook after it is off the heat.  I only go to 80% because I end up packing these up in ziploc bags and freezing them....then I take them out and defrost and warm in the oven.....I bet you were wondering when the baking part was coming in, after all this is a blog about baking! ......they are great in pasta, and topped with BBQ sauce is good too!  They really are the most versatile meatball I have had the pleasure of making....so go ahead and be creative with them......

Enjoy!

Banana Bread Avec Chocolate......

 
  If ever there were a recipe that has been worked and re-worked again, this would be it.  I think the first time I started playing around with a recipe, especially a baking recipe was with banana bread.  I have to say that I have finally settled on this recipe, but let's face it it is bound to change yet again.......but for this mornings envelope stuffing it shall remain in its current form!

What you need:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 unsweetened apple sauce (snack pack size)
4 egg whites
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
chocolate chips

I myself prefer to start by blending the sugars together in a metal bowl, then mix in the apple sauce.  After briefly beating the egg whites with the vanilla in a separate bowl, add to the sugar mixture.  Then come the bananas - peel and place on a large plate.  Sprinkle some cinnamon on the bananas before smashing them with a fork.  This is a secret if you notice there is no mention of cinnamon in the recipe itself.....when bananas have reached a smooth consistency or you have gotten your daily frustrations out by beating the bananas, add to the batter.  Also at this time you can add the milk.  Mix thoroughly.  Then add all the dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips and stir, stir, stir.  I suggest using a spatula for the last few stirs as flour is bound to get trapped under all that beautiful banana bread batter.....then add the chocolate chips. The amount is your call, you can even leave them out, or add crushed nuts and more spices....this recipe is forgiving and was made to be played around with a little.....so go ahead and have some fun!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1.23 hours or until a toothpick comes clean.  Enjoy!

SuperQuiz Cookies Perfected....

These cookies were originally inspired by a lunch time meeting for the 2011 Team One AcDec'ers.....as we continue to prepare for the state competition I have decided to alter them again....this batch will be enjoyed by team one as well as a group of educators who will be donating their time to provide feedback with speeches and interviews....here's hoping they are a hit!

SuperQuiz Cookies 
2 cups butter (at room temperature)
1.5 cups white sugar
1.5 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP molasses
3 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
chocolate chips (as many as desired)

   First you want to start by creaming the butter and sugars together.  Then you want to beat in the 4 eggs and vanilla.....the better quality the vanilla the better quality the cookie.....then add the molasses in and mix thoroughly.  Add in all dry ingredients at once (flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  Mix well...the best thing to use a wooden spoon....it will take some time so be prepared to get a little elbow grease going!  Then finally add in the chocolate chips.  I always like to let the dough rest overnight before baking.....cool batter bakes better.....Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Enjoy with a glass of milk!

Baking for my fav peeps...

...or at least 9 of them as we are having a SQ lunch tomorrow!  I can not imagine a better way to spend a Friday lunch at school.....for real....I am this geeky.....


After a long thought out process I believe I have finally found my thesis....interestingly enough now that I have figured it out, it seems like it was already there, staring me down....

So, taking the advice from my Dad I had decided to bake some cookies and think about it....well that's exactly what I did and now I would like to introduce you the SuperQuiz Cookie...



First you want to get 2 cups of margarine warmed up to room temperature, then you add the sugar....oh so glorious sugar....1.5 cups of white and 1.5 cups of brown.....these are some serious calorie kicking cookies.....once creamed together add 4 eggs, 2 tsp of vanilla...and because I was making these cookies for my team one twenty-eleven AcDec'ers I used the vanilla in the glass jar.....if that isn't love I don't know what is.....also add in, here it is the secret to chewiness....2 TBSP of molasses...it really is a secret softener...I often use it in muffins when I go for the health nut variety and cut out all eggs and fat.....good thing because it all ends up in these darn cookies.....mix well......a fork will still do a good job for mixing.....then add the dry ingredients (3 cups of white flour, 2 cups of whole wheat flour....didn't see that one coming did you....1 tsp b.powder and 1.5 tsp of b.soda, 1 tsp salt).....keep mixing until the dough reaches a smooth slightly difficult to stir consistency......then add in the chocolate chips....I went for milk chocolate....be creative.....cranberry and white chocolate chips would work well.....or some nuts.....even adding cocoa powder would make some wicked cookies.....

Thanks for reading!

Baking for the AcDec'ers.....

....muffins seemed like a handy little snack for tonight's meeting.  This will be the last class where everyone will be there the entire time.....this marks the transition to mission: get ready for state!

I decided to go with chocolate chip (see pictured above) and some blueberry banana muffins.....we will see how they are rated.....

Should I share these recipes?

Sweet Tooth Satisfied.....with sugar free?!?

....how can that be?


Just came up with another great way to "use" the sugar-free brownies that I bake and freeze.....I use the mini-muffin tin so they are bite size brownies....and this time I added a little bit of coffee for that extra zip!  I think it worked out rather well....what I did was take 3 of the mini-cafe mocha brownies and cut them in half....arranged them like pedals on a flower in one of the creme brulee ramekins and finished it off with a dollop of sugar-free strawberry jam....it is rather decadent and yet not 1/2 of my daily caloric intake.....OK now its time to work....woohoo!

A New Tool!

      Yes....a zester it is!  I have never used one before and after getting a gift certificate from Williams Sonoma for all of the holiday purchasing from their fine establishment I figured I should go after something I have always wanted.  I have this wonderful recipe for lemon loaf, it actually comes from a secret cookbook that was given to me by my Nanny (maternal grandmother).....it is a collection of all of her mother's recipes that she complied and wrote out for her....what a treasure, the cursive is a work of art!  Everything I have made from it, which I have to admit is a small fraction, has been simply sublime.  Perhaps you will read more about it in the near future as I continue my baking expedition.  Today's lemon loaf is going to the science department meeting that I have been asked to be a part of (woohoo).....See, I am the kind of person who shows my appreciation and care for others through food.  Nothing beats the love that goes into something that is baked.  It really is magical how a few ingredients, a properly chilled bowl for beating eggs, and a little heat can make a warm moist almost too lemony loaf....my favorite part is the glaze that goes on top.  As I pulled the loaf from the oven I drizzled on a mixture of lemon juice and sugar, it soaks into the hot loaf and cools to a fine sweet crust.....yum. 

   About the new tool......I was rather pleased to wake up this morning coffee in hand, apron tied, and zester locked and loaded....then I tried to zest an over-ripe lemon.....much to my disappointment it did not work at all....I am not sure what type of lemon it was but the rind was rather thin, lesson learned - don't ask others to pick out lemons for you - it was a nice gesture by the other but unfortunately it brought me back to slicing the rind then filleting off the white portion that has no flavor.....what I wanted to get from the zester was the perfectly curled miniature strands of nothing but lemony goodness that unleashes bursts of citrus smell with each stroke. 

  So not everything turned out the way I wanted it to....does it ever?  Heck no, and I know that many more severe disasters await as I continue to challenge myself and my culinary skills....I am thinking about no longer buying bread....only baking it.....

..until next time ;) 

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

So here they are....the first success I have had with baking yeast bread.  I was so nervous when it was baking and both of the times it had to rise.  I admit I rather enjoyed the opportunity to punch the dough after it has risen to twice its size!  Adding the whole wheat flour was a variation included in the recipe, thank goodness because as we all know baking is a science....I found that it allowed for a nuttier flavor.  The dinner rolls are rather dense, yet full of air and nothing beats butter as the perfect thing to put on these steaming rolls after pulling them apart....

 I am thinking that they will end up being great for left overs, imagine the possibilities to use to make a sandwich, or to dip in the stew that the other is making.....at any rate I am looking forward to further experimentation and discussion with myself about it!

Cracking the Egg...

   So here we are off in never-never land again as I attempt to communicate my love for cooking.  After experimenting with the Dollar Menu I realized how much I loved just talking about one of my loves....cooking frugally.  At this point in time it is just too time consuming and I feel as though I would rather try these blogging waters out without the restrictions.....so it's just for the love of it!
   Later today I will attempt to make some dinner rolls.  I love to cook, I love to bake, and I love to experiment in the kitchen, but I have to admit the daunting task of bread is something I have always shied away from.  So I have decided to start simple, with dinner rolls from the Better Homes and Garden's cookbook.  Hopefully this will give me the courage to finally attempt the baguette recipe that was given to me by a student who rocks!