Merry Christmas to me!

This was my Christmas present to myself this year!!  Doesn't everyone deserve to give themselves at least ONE Christmas present.  I have been wanting this for a very long time and FINALLY Amazon.com had them on sale for the ridiculously low price of $59.95 (85% off original price!!).  How could I say NO to this!!  So, with credit card in hand, Santa and I bought this beautiful little machine.  For those of you who are interested, it is still on sale for $63.95!!!  Just tell your husband that Santa told you to buy it!  And it makes WONDERFUL ice cream.

For its "maiden" voyage, I made the most fantastic French Vanilla ice cream.  The recipe is from the Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book.  And it is so easy to make!!  Here are the cast of characters . . .

Milk, heavy whipping cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla - easy enough and you probably have most of that in your kitchen or refrigerator (except the whipping cream).

Here is the recipe:

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.  Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, for about 1 to 2 minutes.

2.  Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, until the sugar is completely blended into the eggs.
3.  Pour in the cream, milk and vanilla into the egg/sugar mixture and whisk to blend.

4.  Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

If you are using the Cuisinart shown above, you will start the machine first and slow add the mixture.  It will take about 25 minutes for it to make the best darn good ice cream you have ever tasted!!

This makes about 1 quart of ice cream.  Trust me, you might want to double this recipe because the ice cream doesn't last very long!

Holiday Baking

I just realized I didn't make any Christmas cookies this year! How strange is that!! No fever, no cough, and not deathly ill. This was just an usual Christmas for our family - we were not all together this year for the first time in 18 year. I did bake my "famous" lemon cakes, but no Christmas cookies. I promise more baking in the next couple of days.

Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake

For those of you who aren't braving the Malls today, here is a fun cake to make.  This is a recipe that I haven't made in years.  I don't know what made me think of it today, but fortunately, I had all the ingredients so I didn't have to make a mad dash to the store.

What makes this cake so fun is how it turns out - it is a pistachio cake with a chocolate center - how cool is that!!  AND it is so easy to make!  Only takes a few minutes to whip up - my favorite type of cake to make!

Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake

Isn't this a pretty looking cake!
Ingredients

1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
1 package Instant Pistachio Pudding
1 c water
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used sunflower oil today because that is all I had)

Grease and flour a bundt pan
Blend all ingredients to moisten, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed with your electric mixer.

Isn't that pretty!!
Pour half of the batter into the floured bundt pan.

Add 3/4 cup Chocolate Syrup (I used Hershey's Chocolate Syrup - YUMMY!) to the remaining batter.  Mix well.
Pour the chocolate batter over the green batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until you insert a toothpick and it comes out dry.  Remove from pan and cool.  Sprinkle cake with confectioner's sugar.

The outside of the cake will be pistachio with a chocolate center!  What a fun cake!  And it tastes so good!  The cake is nice and moist!  I bet this would be good with ice cream.  Oh come on, WHAT won't be good with ice cream!!

Enjoy!

Streusel Pumpkin Muffins - OH MY!!

Oh boy!  Did I ever stumble on a good recipe this time!  This is another recipe from the "famous"  Internet folder.  (For those of you who don't know about the "FAMOUS INTERNET FOLDER" - it is a folder of recipes that I have printed off the Internet over the last several years.  I have no idea where I found the recipes or why I printed them.  But every once in a while, I will get bored and search in the folder and find a fantastic recipe.   Of course, there have been some recipes that get thrown out and never heard from again!)

Back to today's recipe . . . oh my, this is definitely a keeper recipe - perfect for your Thanksgiving breakfast or brunch (for those of you that do "brunch.") 

Streusel Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:


Streusel Topping

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C granulated sugar
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Muffins

1/2 C (1 stick) butter, melted  (I used unsalted butter)
3/4 C pureed pumpkin (or squash, can use canned pumpkin but don’t use pie filling)
1/2 C yogurt or sour cream - I used sour cream because that is what I had on hand
2 large eggs
2 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp each ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F and line muffin tin or grease well.
. For the streusel, combine all ingredients using your fingers until crumbly. Can also use a fork.

. For the muffins, stir together the butter, pumpkin, yogurt/sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl; in a large bowl, sift together remaining ingredients, then stir the medium bowl contents (liquids) into the large bowl.

(Isn't that such a pretty color!!).  Ok, back to the recipe!!  Scoop the dough into muffin tins/papers and top with the streusel topping.

. Bake for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

. Cool on a rack.

Verdict

These are very moist.  I enjoyed them.  Haven't had the other "food critics" (my family) try them yet.  But, this is definitely a keeper recipe.

Enjoy!  And, Happy Thanksgiving!

Baking Day

Another typical dreary Ohio day.  Sometimes in November, we get lucky and will actually see the sun, but mostly we get overcast and sometimes rainy days like today.  Fortunately for me, I have to do a lot of baking so the weather is cooperating and making it a perfect baking day!! 

Today I am making Peanut Butter cookies and my "award-winning" Apple Pie for my husband to take to work.  His fellow employees are having their "Thanksgiving Party" tomorrow and he was told to bring his wife's apple pie.  PLUS earlier this week I baked him Peanut Butter cookies for his lunch (I pack his lunch every day).  Apparently the cookies were a HUGE hit.  I hate to admit it but they are good!  Here is the recipe, they are from the JIF website, though I didn't use JIF peanut butter in the recipe (don't tell them that I used Skippy!!).

Jif's Irresistable Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter (or whatever brand you have handy - but you didn't hear that from me!)
1/2 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening  (I use the butter flavored Crisco)
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the  oven to 375°F.

Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
Add egg. Beat just until blended.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheet.
Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

OK, let's see if anyone knows this answer.  Do you know why peanut butter cookies are always marked with the tines of fork?  Have you EVER seen a peanut butter cookie without the crossed fork imprint?  Well, the answer is to flatten the cookie to make it crisper. A good peanut butter cookie has a crisp edge and is soft in the center.  The flattening  of the dough actually helps to keep the cookie dough together and uniformed. Otherwise, it may just crumble apart while baking.   Also it helps the cookie to bake more evenly, too.

Today's Adventure - German Rye Bread

Beer and sauerkraut - can't get any more German than that!  Well, those are two of the ingredients in this recipe - sounds intriguing doesn't it!  I thought so, too!  The two just go hand in a hand - beer and sauerkraut, makes me want to go out and pet a dachshund! 

Back to the recipe . . . perfect day in Cincinnati for baking.  Another cold, dreary and rainy Cincinnati day.  Nothing better to do than bake (I guess I could always clean the house - yeah right!). 

I found this recipe on the Cookingbread.com.  Boy, does this website have some really neat bread recipes.   Here is the recipe:

Savory German Rye Bread

Makes 2 loaves

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups flour (I assume all purpose flour - it doesn't say)
1/4 cup cocoa (yep, cocoa - like for hot chocolate!)
3 t caraway seeds
2 t salt
4 t instant yeast
12 oz. can of dark beer (must be DARK beer like an ale - sorry Budweiser won't work here)
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup oil (guessing vegetable oil or olive oil)
1 egg
1 cup sauerkraut, well drained
3 cups light rye flour

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the white flour, cocoa, caraway seeds salt and yeast,  Mix together.
In a sauce pan pour in beer, milk, molasses and oil.  Heat to 110F.  Stir because the oil will float to the top.

Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and add the egg.  Mix for 3 minutes.
Add in drained sauerkraut and enough rye flour to create a stiff dough.   (Here I just added the sauerkraut - at the point, the dough almost looks like brownie mix!)

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl and allow to raise for 1 hour.**
Punch down dough and divide into 2 loaves. 
Shape into round loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet.  I used parchment paper instead greasing the cookie sheet.  It is your choice, either works fine.

Cover with saran wrap and a clean dish towel.  Let rise for 45 minutes.
Heat oven to 375.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.
Cool.

ENJOY!!

**If it is cool or cold in your house, a good place to let your dough rise if you don't have proofing box is in your oven with the oven light on.  Just make sure you remember that you have bread in there and don't turn the oven on to bake something else!


NOTES

Your house will smell like sauerkraut! 

I got good rises out of this bread.  I haven't tried it yet.  Waiting for my husband to come home since I made this bread for him.  He is the "rye bread" lover in our family.

The bread doesn't seem heavy.  Alot of the rye bread recipes I have made turn out like bricks.

Final note - My husband liked the bread.  I didn't.  Too much chocolate taste, no rye tasate.  Not sure I would make it again unless he really wanted.  Maybe I will do it again and eliminate the cocoa.  If you make it, please post your comments on what you thought.

Harvest Bread

I found this recipe on the Cookingbread.com website.  It sounded so good and perfect for this time of year.  What made it sound interesting is that it is made using acorn squash and it is a yeast bread!  I thought to myself I've got to try this bread.  Fortunately my farmer's markets were still open and I knew the perfect place to get good acorn squash!

Harvest Bread

Ingredients:

Squash:
1 to 2 acorn squash
2 t butter
2 t brown sugar
4 T syrup (maple if you have it)

Day before you bake:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 t instant yeast

Day you bake:
2 3/4 cups to 3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup mashed squash (see above)
1 t instant yeast
a dash of salt
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup flax seed meal
2 T flax seeds (I couldn't find flax seeds, so I used sesame seeds instead)

Directions:

Squash
Take your acorn squash and cut in half ( length wise ). Spread butter all around the inside of both halves. Pour equal amounts of brown sugar and maple syrup between both halves. Place the squash into a baking dish and add enough water to fill the dish about 1 to 2 inches. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or till the squash is soft when poking with a fork. After baked, remove the inside of the squash and mash with a fork. Reserve one cup of the mashed squash and eat the rest. ( You can do all this the day before ).

Take the "day before" ingredients and mix together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest on the counter for 12 - 16 hours.

To make bread:
In a large bowl pour out the " day before"  mixture (above). It should have grown and bubbled. Add in the mashed squash, water, salt and instant yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon till the mixture is smooth. Add in the flax meal. Mix until well blended. Add in half the whole wheat flour and mix till smooth (I found it easier to knead with my hands in the bowl than trying to mix with a spoon).  Slowly add the rest of the flour a little at a time, about a heaping tablespoon. When it becomes to hard to mix, pour out onto a flat surface and knead the dough for about 8 minutes. You may need a little more flour, but you want the dough to be a little on the sticky side. After kneading, add a little oil to a large bowl. Place kneaded dough and flip over a few times to lightly coat all sides of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 1/2 hours or till double in bulk. Remove dough from bowl and press to release the gas. Cut into 2 equal parts. Shape into 2 round balls and place onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal ( optional). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour or doubled in bulk. Remove the plastic wrap. Take an egg white and beat till foamy. Brush the tops of the dough with the foam and sprinkle a little flax seeds on top. Score the top of the breads with a sharp knife. Place into a preheated 375 degree oven with a baking stone or on a cookie sheet. Create some steam by placing a cast iron pan on the bottom of the oven the same time that you turn on the oven. Once you place the breads into the oven pour about a cup of boiling water into the hot pan and close the door. Bake for 30 minutes or till when tapped on the bottom of the loaf it sounds hollow.

This recipe makes two small loaves. 

Verdict

I have to say that this is one of the best homemade whole wheat loaves I've had  in a long time!  Definitely a keeper recipe!  Most of the homemade whole wheat breads turn out very hard - made great doorstops!  Interestingly, you don't taste the acorn squash in it.  Don't think you will be disappointed with this bread!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

I am so in the Fall Spirit!!  I don't know where I got the idea for these, but aren't they just so cute!!

OK, I know it is not the greatest picture!!  I am not the world's best photographer.  Let's just say that Vogue Magazine is not knocking down my door begging me to be their next photographer!!

Back to the cookies  . . . this is just your basic sugar cookie recipe with orange colored sugar and mini chocolate chips.  How simple is this and they turn out so cute!  And if you don't have a pumpkin cookie cutter, you are in luck!  Almost every store in the whole nation has pumpkin cookie cutters in every shape, size and price!

Just in case you don't have a good sugar cookie recipe, here is the one I used today.  It is a crowd pleasure, well, it does please the "crowd" that lives in my home.

Sugar Cookies

2/3 cup shortening (I use Crisco Butter Flavor shortening)

2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
4 tsp. milk
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla; add egg –– beat until fluffy
Stir in milk. Sift in dry ingredients
Divide dough in half. Chill at least an hour. Roll on floured surface
Bake greased sheet 375 about 8 minutes
Cool a little before removing from pan. About 2 dozen depending on size of cutters.

I usually double this recipe.

I ice them with about a cup or two of powdered sugar and carefully add milk to get the consistency of icing that I want.  If I am really lazy that day (and it does happen), I will just open a can of store-bought icing.

Chunky Applesauce

It is a rainy, dreary cold day in Cincinnati.  The type of day that makes you want to curl up in a warm blanket and ignore the world.  BUT if you are a Mom, you can't always do that!  So you look for something to do that will make you feel "warm and fuzzy."  Not that applesauce will make you feel "warm and fuzzy" but it sure will make your house smell good!!

Last weekend, my husband and I took a mini-vacation to Gatlinburg.  When we were leaving, we decided to by-pass Pigeon Forge (traffic is terrible!!).  So we left on Route 321 - beautiful scenic route - highly recommend it!!  Anyway, along the way is a wonderful apple orchard called Carver Apple Farms.  Wonderful people, very nice produce and the prices are equally wonderful!!  Tell them the "Goat Lady" recommended you.  They will say "WHO???"  Well, never mind that!  Anyway, if you are ever in Gatlinburg, do make a point to stop in their farm!

I only bought $30 worth of their apples - wish I had bought more.  They were really great!  So I decided to make homemade applesauce!  This recipe is compiliation of several recipes and is WONDERFUL!

Word of warning . . . this takes a bit of time to make.  So if you are short on time, don't attempt it. You are looking at about a 2 hour commitment!

Ingredients:

7 pounds Apples*

2 cups apple juice or water**

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 T lemon juice

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

Oh my - can't you just smell this simmering on your stove - feeling warm and fuzzy yet??

Now the tedious part - core, peel and chop ALL 7 pounds of apples.  Did you notice the *?  The recipe calls for using Granny Smith apples.  I used a combination of Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious.  Gives a really nice flavor.  Just make sure you are using a "baking" apple.  Now for the ** - I used apple juice, I thought water would be too bland.  I wonder what apple cider would do to this recipe?

OK, back to the recipe.  Once, you have cored, peeled and chopped all 7 pounds of apples and set them aside.  Pour the apple juice or water into a 8 quart pan and mix in the granulated sugar.  Turn on the burner to medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add (carefully as this will splash) the 7 pounds of chopped apples to the apple juice or water/sugar mixture.  Now bring this to a boil, cover the pot and let it boil for about 15 to 20 minutes - until the apples become soft.  Remove the pan from the heat.

Now comes the million dollar question.  Do you want chunky applesauce or smooth?  If you want chunky, get out a potato masher and mash those babies!  If you want smooth, process the apples through a blender or a food mill and return to pot. 

This recipe will make 5 pint jars of applesauce.  At this point, you will want to start warming the water in the pot you use for canning and put your jars and lids in there.

Stir in the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg into the mushed up apples.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes - enjoy the heavenly smell of apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg - feeling warm and fuzzy yet?

Remove the pan containing the applesauce from the heat.  Carefully ladle the sauce into the hot jars.  WARNING - the sauce is VERY hot and it will burn. Trust me, I know!  Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings.  Process the pint jars in water bath for 20 minutes. 

Your family will love you this Winter for the wonderful applesauce!

Challah Bread

Oh my, it seems like it has been such a long time since I have baked bread.  And I miss it.  But it is time to get back to what I love doing!

Challah bread!  This is a wonderful rich bread.   It is also known as the traditional Sabbath bread of the Jewish faith and is sometimes made even more ornately for major celebrations such as weddings and Bar and Bas Mitzvahs.  When it is made properly, it is an appealing loaf, its braided strands are plump and shiny.  If you are really adventuresome, you can try a 6 strand braid!  I haven't quite master that yet!  I stick to either 3 or 4 strands.

BUT, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this wonderful bread.  Challah is not a difficult bread to make.  It doesn't have to ferment like sourdough.  AND you don't have to feed it!  Please hold your applause down. 

This bread makes wonderful French Toast.  So that is why I am making this bread today.  My husband loves French Toast and I haven't made it for him in a long time.  Thus time to make Challah bread!!

The recipe comes from Peter Reinhart's "Crust and Crumb" Book.  This will make 1  large loaf.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup sugar
 2 t instant yeast
2 T unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, beaten
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup milk, room temperature
1/2 cup water, room temperature

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl using a dough hook.  When completely mixed, you can either knead this by hand for 10 to 15 minutes or use the dough hook to mix the dough for 12 minutes - your choice.  I usually do it by hand since I love the feel of this dough.  You can always tell how good the bread is going to be by the feel of the dough and this dough has a great feel to it!

Now you will cover the bowl with saran wrap and a towel and let it rise for an hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured board or countertop.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Place back in the bowl.  Cover again with the saran wrap and towel.  Let it rise again for 1 hour.

After the second rise, you will divide the dough into 3 separate balls and cover each with saran wrap.  Let them rest for 20 minutes.  This helps to relax the gluten. 

For this baking, I will only be doing a 3 strand braid because I don't feel very adventuresome today!  So I will roll each of the balls of dough in a long roll about 8 inches and attach them together as shown below.

You will now braid the 3 strands.  Peter Reinhart does illustrate in his book how to do the more complicated braids if you want a challenge!!

This is how a 3 braided challah turns out.

Place the braid on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it rise for another hour. The bread will be baked in a 375 oven for 35 to 45 minutes.  Halfway through the baking, you will rotate the bread front to back to ensure that you get even browning.  The loaf is done when it is golden brown.

Garlic Pizza Dough

Yesterday, while searching for another file on my computer, I came across this file - Garlic Pizza Dough.  Mmmm, where did this come from??  Pizza sounds good for dinner and I do have to go to the store today so I can pick up the necessary ingredients to make pizza.

The recipe makes two large pizza crusts.  Since there are only 3 of us, I cut the recipe in half.  I also added some fresh chopped oregano to the dough.  The recipe below is the full recipe, not halved.

Garlic Pizza Dough

2 pkg. yeast (I use 2 T. of bulk yeast)
2 c  water (90 degrees)
2 T white. sugar
1/2 c oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp. salt
5 1/2 - 6 cups flour
3 cloves crushed garlic

Dissolve yeast in water and add sugar.. wait a few minutes.. add oil and salt and garlic .. add 3 cups flour and mix for about 10 minutes until the dough leaves the sides of the mixer bowl.. add remaining flour and mix with a dough hook or by hand.  NOTE:   the green specks in the dough is chopped up oregano

allow to rise twice in the bowl.. punch down.. (this rises fairly quickly - about a half an hour for each rising)

Spray Pam on 2 baking sheets ..using your fingers press the dough out to edges.. Makes 2 pizzas, cookie sheet size, let rise a bit and top with your favorite toppings (cheese, pepperoni, etc.) .. bake at 425* 20 min..

Since this was a spur of the moment pizza, I cheated and used Ragu Pizza sauce.  Next time, I promise I will find a homemade pizza sauce!!  For the cheese, I used a package of Italian Blend cheese and, obviously, topped it off with pepperoni. 

NOTES

I loved the feel of this dough.  As you all know, I bake bread and love the feel of bread dough.  This dough has a really nice feel to it.  To me, that means it is going to be good!

The garlic in the dough is not overpowering.  You don't come away with garlic breath (whew!!)  Was afraid my husband and I might have to sleep in two separate rooms!

The critics, my husband and son, both loved the pizza.  Said it tasted like what you find in a pizza restaurant.  So this is defnitely a keeper recipe.

Pumpkin Butter

This recipe makes me want to bake a batch of homemade biscuits right NOW!!  It is that good!!  It cries out to be spread on a warm, moist homemade biscuit.  Can't you just see it!  Can't you just smell it!  Ahhh!

If you are adventuresome, you could buy a pie pumpkin, bake it and puree the pumpkin for this butter . . . BUT since I was in a hurry, I dashed to my local grocery store and bought a large can of canned pumpkin (not the pie mix pumpkin).  Besure to make sure you are getting pure pumpkin - you have to check the labels!

Another word of caution . . . this mixture has a tendency to splatter when cooking.  So make sure you are wearing long sleeves AND that there are no little ones around to get hot butter splatters on them.  Trust me . . .  IT BURNS!!

This recipe is from the Blue Ribbon Preserves cookbook by Linda J. Amendt. 

Pumpkin Butter

makes 6 half pint jars

3 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin (see note above)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
4 cups granulated white sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1 3 oz pouch liquid pectin.

In a 8 quart pan, combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.  Mix until smooth and blended.  Gradually stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Add the butter.

Over medium-low heat, stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved (again note above about splatters!!).  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the entire contents of the pectin.  Return to a boil again (watch for splatters!!).  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat.

Ladle the hot butter into hot jars, leaving about 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe the jar rims and threads with clean, damp cloth.  Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings.  Process half pint jars in hot water bath for 10 minutes.  For pint jars, process for 15 minutes.

This is so good - now to find a good biscuit recipe!

Tomatoes and Peppers, Oh my!

This has absolutely nothing to do with baking, so if you are looking for a recipe, I guess you should stop reading.

I am just feeling a little nostaligic.  The weatherman is forecasting a possible frost this weekend which could mean an end to all the wonderful vegetables we have come to enjoy this summer.   As you all probably know that I spend many of my weekends selling at the various local farmers' markets and I have met so many wonderful friends in the farmers that sell there.  This impending frost not only means the end of wonderful produce but also means not seeing my friends again until next Spring.  Yes, there is email and Facebook, but it really is not the same.

Anyway, back to the wonderful produce . . . today as I was making my salad for lunch I was thinking of the produce I used to make my salad.  Lettuce . . . not just ordinary iceberg lettuce, but a variety of oak leaf, a pretty green lettuce moddled with some red in it, and a red ruffled lettuce - oh so pretty.  Peppers - yellow sweet banana peppers, looked so nice in contrast to the lettuce.  White carrots from my garden - yes, I actually grew carrots!!  Tomatoes, my absolutely favorite - roma tomatoes.  I don't know what it is about roma tomatoes, but I can't get enough of them!  And there is so much you can do with romas!!  Oh, don't get me started.  And I topped it all off with my homemade goat cheese.  Couldn't have bought a better salad than this in New York!! (Of course, I have never eaten in New York, so that is really a false claim - it just sounded good!)

While you have the chance, I hope you enjoy the wonderful produce that is still available - you won't regret it!  Go visit a local farmer's market, meet the farmers, and buy the wonderful produce because it won't be around much longer.

Blueberry Cobbler

This isn't exactly what you would consider a "Fall" type baking adventure and blueberries are definitely not in season.  So how on earth did I end up making blueberry cobbler yesterday.  Now that is the million dollar question.  Well, get yourself a cup of coffee and pull up a chair!

My son has been asking me for the last several days to make him a cobbler.  Yesterday, I had to go to the store to pick up a prescription for my husband, so I figured while I was there I would pick up some peaches and the necessary supplies to make peach cobbler.  Everyone makes peach cobbler.  When you think of cobbler, what comes to mind - peaches!!  The two go hand in hand.  Anyway, after picking up the prescription, I head to the produce aisle and there in the middle of all the produce is a HUGE sign that says SALE!!!   BLUEBERRIES HALF PRICE.  Now any red blooded female is NOT going to bypass ANY sale.  So I pick up 4 cartons of blueberries and head on my merry way, completing forgetting about the peaches (until I get home and see the eager face of my son).  So I made a mad dash to the computer, wildly searching the Internet hoping that there is such a creature as blueberry cobbler!  It's a miracle!!  There is!!  And here is the recipe . . .

Blueberry Cobbler

3 cups fresh Blueberries
3 T white sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 t baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (I always use unsalted)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2;  In an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan, mix blueberries, 3 T sugar and orange juice.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
3.  In a medium bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until ingredients are just combined.   Drop the batter by mounded spoonfuls on top of blueberry mixture.  Try to cover as much of the filling as possible.  I took a knife and smooth the batter a round a bit.
4.  Bake in preheated over for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is a golden brown and filling is bubbly.

This is excellent with vanilla ice cream (well, isn't everything excellent with vanilla ice cream!!).  My son is happy that he got his cobbler.  I was a little hesitant about adding the orange juice, it does add a little bit of tartness to the berries, but it is a good tartness, not a overpowering sour tartness.  This is definitely a keeper recipe.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Fudge

Fall officially starts tomorrow.  When I think of Fall, pumpkins and scarecrows come to mind.  I love all the Fall colors - the oranges, browns, yellows and golds - so pretty.  Everywhere you go you see pumpkins.  So in keeping with the spirit of Fall, I have been making "Fall" type recipes. 

Today I am going to make Pumpkin Fudge.  Trust me - this is good!!!  You will probably need to run to the store for the ingredients though.

Pumpkin Fudge

2 T butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not the pie mix)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1.  line a 9 x 9 inch pan with almunium foil
2.  In a medium size sauce pan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stiring occasionally with a spoon.
3.  Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon.  Bring back to a boil.  Stir in marshmellow creme and butter.  Bring to a rolling boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.
4.  Remove from heat.  Add white chocolate chips and vanilla.  Stir until creamy and all chips are melted.  Pour into prepared pan.  Cool.  Enjoy!!

Creating your own starter

If you have been following this blog, you will remember, probably about a year ago, that we created a starter using pineapple juice (and, hopefully, it is still alive, well and kicking!).   If not, do not despair!!  Help is here!  Here is another way to create your own sourdough starter.  This is from my good friend, Old Camp Cook's website.  Creating your own sourdough starter is so easy.  Basically all you need is flour and water (and a jar, of course, to put the flour and water in!).

(for those that can't tell, that is a wooden spoon in the jar!).

Here is the recipe to create your own starter:

1.  In a clean jar (I always use a quart size mason jar), place two tablespoons of flour (I am using plain ole all purpose flour here). Add one tablespoon of Spring water.
2.  Stir well. Cover either with a lid with several tiny holes punched in it or with a closely woven cloth (cheesecloth). You want some air to get to your starter, but not bugs. Fruit flies seem to like developing starter really well
3.At 12 hour intervals, you need to feed the starter.  This means you will take 1 teaspoon of starter (throw away the rest - I know this seems wasteful!), feed it 4 teaspoons of flour and 3 teaspoons of Spring water.  Mix this all together in your jar and cover again with your lid or cloth
4.  After about 4 days of this schedule, you should see bubbling action. That means your starter is alive and well. Continue this schedule for about 7 days to ensure that your starter is really alive and kicking!.

See!  Wasn't that easy!  Now go get your jars!

Sourdough Starters!

Even though it is not "officially" Fall yet, I am so in the mood for baking.  So I got a couple of my favorite sourdough starters out of the refrigerator and started feeding them yesterday.  Hopefully, they survived the summer living at the back of my refrigerator!  I love some of the names of the starters - Joshua (I am guessing someone name Joshua created it - this is my most favorite starter!), Family Jewels (hmmm - wonder how that name came about!!), Naples - obviously an Italian starter, Okie is from my good friend Old Camp Cook who lives in Oklahoma.

The starters that I am trying to revive are Joshua and Naples.  So far Joshua is showing signs of life (yeah!!).  I will probably bring my sourdough rye starter out next week.  If Naples doesn't respond, I will throw most of it away except for a tablespoon or two and start from scratch to see if I can revive it.  This is a good example why you should always make "back-ups" of your favorite starters.  I have done this with Joshua.

To Create a Back-up Starter

What you want to do is create a dry starter that you can revive at any time.  You will need parchment paper which you can get at any grocery store or Walmart.  Line a cookie sheet with the parchment paper.  Take about 1/4 cup of starter and dump that on the parchment paper.  Add a little bit of water to the starter to make it slightly runny and smear it all over the parchment paper.  Now put this somewhere to let it dry for the next couple of days.  When it has completely dried, I crumble this up into a blender and pulverize it into a powder.  Put it into a baggie with a label - now you have a back up.  I keep this in my refrigeator so I know where to find it.

To Revive Your Dry Starter

Put one teaspoon of the dry starter in a clean container. Add 4 teaspoons of flour* and 3 teaspoons of  water. I have always used tap water without any problems.  Some believe that you should use Spring Water that you buy in the store.  Your choice.  Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a jar lid with a whole punched in the top.

You will "feed" your starter at 12 hour intervals which means you will take a teaspoon of the starter from the jar and throw away the rest.  I know this seems wasteful.  Add 4 teaspoons of flour* and 3 teaspoons of water to the teaspoon of starter in the jar.

*I use all purpose flour for this.

Do not throw the excess starter down the drain - this is like paste.  I just put it in a baggie and throw in the trash.  Saves on plumbing bills!

Continue doing this until the starter is nice and bubbly, then you can start building up to the quantity you need for your recipe.(i.e, you don't need to throw away the excess starter).

Amish Friendship Bread Starter Revisited

For those of you that followed the thread on the Amish (Herman) Starter . , , you can freeze the starter at any time.  Just take one cup of the starter, get a freezer baggie (label it so you know what it is months from now), pour the one cup of starter into it, and place in the freezer.

When you want to make the bread again.  Just take the baggie out, let it thaw out and start with day one of the instructions by feeding it one cup of flour, one cup of sugar and one cup of milk - easy enough!

Peachy Keen!

Peachy keen, indeed!!  Peaches everywhere!  If you love fresh peaches as I do, now is the time to get them.  At least in Ohio, the peach crop seems to be doing well.  The berry crop didn't do so well.  I think our record breaking rains really took its toll on the berries.  BUT, so far, it looks like the peaches didn't seem to mind. 

This is what I did yesterday with the peaches that I bought!

Peach Jam

Isn't that pretty!  I always love how the peach jam turns out and it is so easy to make!  The hard part is removing the skins and chopping up the peaches.

To remove the skin of the peach, just gently drop the peach in boiling water (be careful not to splash any of the water on your skin - it burns! trust me, I know!!).  After a few moments, pick up the peach with a pair of tongs and put it in ice cold water for a couple of minutes.  The skin should peel off fairly easily.  If it doesn't, repeat the above steps again. 

Here's the recipe . . .

Before I start the recipe, I always put my jars and lids in my hot water bath canner which is usually boiling by now to sterilize them.

Peach Jam -  makes 6 half pint jars

4 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches

2 T lemon juice

5 cups sugar

1 box fruit pectin (Sure Jell or something similar)

Place the chopped peaches and lemon juice in a large enough sauce pan.  Measure out exact amount of sugar in separate bowl.

Stir 1 box of fruit pectin into chopped peaches and add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming.

Bring to a full boil.  Add sugar quickly.  Stir to dissolve and return to a full boil.  Boil for exactly one minute.  Remove from heat, skim off any foam.

Fill the jars, secure tops and lids.  Process in hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.

After I made the jam, I still had plenty of peaches left (I bought a huge box of peaches) - major dilemma - what to do with all these peaches??  Hmmmm  Then it hit me . . . PEACH ICE CREAM - OH MY!   I knew there was a reason I bought the Ben and Jerry Ice Cream recipe book!!!

The recipe says you don't have to peel the peaches, but I know my finicky son, so I thought I better.  Here's the recipe - this is from the Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book. 

2 cups chopped peaches (doesn't have to be peeled)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 T lemon juice

2 large eggs

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup milk

Mix the peaches, 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

After 2 hours, remove the bowl from the refrigerator.  Remove the peaches (place in another bowl) and drain the juice into another bowl.  Put the peaches back in the refrigerator.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (never really knew what that meant - my eggs never look light and fluffy!!) - just whisk them for1 to 2 minutes.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar a little at a time until it is completely blended.  Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.  Add the peach juice and blend.

Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and follow the directions for operating the ice cream maker.

After the ice cream stiffens, add the peaches and process the ice cream for another 5 minutes. 

ENJOY!!!  This makes about a quart of ice cream.

My family gobbled this up.  I will probably have to make more today.

Congo Brownies

I have no clue where the name for these brownies came from.  Certainly brings up images of Africa and you would think these would have some wild, exotic taste.  Sorry to disappoint you, but they are basically just chocolate chip brownies.  BUT, what chocolate chip brownies!!  These have to be the BEST chocolate chip brownies you will ever have tasted!

I believe I got this recipe from the Bakerella website.  Her recipe calls for using the regular chocolate chips.  I use the mini chocolate chips.  My family likes my version better.  Try them both ways - make a batch using the regular chocolate chips and another using the mini and see which one you prefer - it doesn't affect the taste at all.  For a variation, substitute either the butterscotch or peanut butter chips - YUM!!

The recipe states that you need to hand mix this.  I have never used my Kitchen Aid mixer for it.  Can't see how that would make any difference.  Someday I will throw caution to the wind and make the brownies with a mixer and see what happens!  Anyway, here is the recipe . . .

Congo Brownies
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened (I always use unsalted!)
1 lb. light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips (See note above!)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together. - (I always use a fork, helps to mash eveything together better).

Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.

Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake.

Enjoy!!  Really good with a scoop of ice cream!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter - Day 10

If you have been following along with the Amish Friendship Bread, we are now at Day10 - YEAH!  No more squishing baggies.  The days of "hard work" have finally come to an end and you can finally enjoy the "fruits" of your labor.  Today we bake!!

First, you will feed your baggie or container once last time and then divide it up into four cups.  One to use today to make bread, one cup for you to start feeding again for your self and the two remaining to give to friends.

Here is the orginial recipe that comes with your starter:

Amish Frienship Bread
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour

I usually sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of my loaves and I also add chopped and peeled apples - makes a wonderful breakfast bread.

VARIATIONS:
Another variation that works out wonderfully is Lemon Poppy Seed muffins.  Use 2 small packages of lemon instant pudding and add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds (eliminate the vanilla pudding, cinnamon and the nuts).  I bake these in a very small muffin pan for about 20 - 25 minutes.

Another variation . . . Instead of using two loaf pans,  bake it in a bundt pan. Instead of the vanilla pudding, use chocolate instant pudding, and add pecans, chocolate chips and coconut.

For Banana bread, substitute banana cream pudding and a mashed banana.

The possibilities are endless.  Try a couple of these variations or experiment with your own concoctions to see what you can come up with.  I've also found some other recipes using the starter for other things besides the bread.  Stay tuned for more adventures!

Container Gardening

Now what has this got to do with baking, you ask??  Alot, I answer!   About the only thing that is doing really well in my gardens this year seems to be my herbs.  And it is so nice to be able to scurry out to my gardens (you don't walk out there in this heat - you scurry really fast!) and be able to pick a bunch of fresh herbs to be used in whatever you are cooking or baking.  The great thing about growing herbs and vegetables is that you don't have to live on a huge farm to do this.  Almost all of these can be grown in containers (or pots) - so those of you living in apartments or with small yards - have no fear - you, too, can enjoy the fruits of your own labor!!

I found this wonderful book at the library and, eventually, went out and bought my own copy.  It is called The Boutiful Container written by McGee and Stuckey.  Everything you ever wanted to know about container gardening and it also has some great recipes, too.  And, no, I do not get any kick backs for endorsing this book - don't know the ladies that wrote it - just think it is a neat book.

Anyway, what made me think about gardening, etc.  I recently read an article about a pizza restaurant I believe that is located in New York somewhere that had a really great idea.  Right next to the restaurant, the owner is growing a garden loaded with all sorts of tomatoes, onions, every type of pepper imaginable, etc.  When someone wants to order a pizza, they go out to the garden and pick what they want on the pizza, what a great idea is that!!  Talk about using local products!  How much more local can that be!  Of course, that would only work during the warm months.  What a neat idea, though!

Back to the container gardening . . . can you imagine using fresh herbs in your baking and cooking?  You would be surprised at the difference!  Give it try - start out with one of your favorite herbs like basil or oregano and maybe a pepper plant and see how that works out.  If you can't find anything in the stores, you can always order seeds on-line.

Have fun and enjoy your new gardening adaventure (oh my, do I see a new blog??)

A New Adventure - Amish Friendship Bread or Herman Starter

I am sure at one time in your life a friend or acquaintance has given you a baggie filled with a nondistinquishable substance in it with a piece of paper attached and told you this is used to make Amish Friendship Bread (sort of a bread chain letter).  You are supposed to do nothing for 4 days except squish the baggie, feed on day 5 and continue squishing the baggie until day 10.  Then you follow the recipe attached and you make Amish Friendship Bread.  And you have enough extra dough to give to your friends so they, too, can squish and make Amish Friendship Bread.  Sound familiar?  Little did you know that what you were really doing is making sourdough bread - SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!  What that dough is really known as is Herman Starter.

Just in case you never did receive such a baggie, here is the recipe to create the "Amish Friendship Bread" starter or Herman starter.  In this recipe they use a plastic container, you can use a baggie if you prefer.  Also, you use a wooden spoon, do not use metal!!!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter (aka Herman Starter)

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes.
In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.

On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. (or squish baggie)
Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Days 6 thru 9; stir only. (again you can squish baggie)

Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe.
Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with Day 2).


Here is the basic recipe that comes along with the Amish Friendship Bread starter:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour

NOTE:  I always sprinkle the tops of the loaves with cinnamon sugar - adds a lot to the bread! 

This bread is wonderful for breakfast!!

I thought it would be interesting to explore the Herman Starter a bit and look at what you can do with it besides the Amish Friendship bread.

So if you are going to follow along on this adventure.  Today is Day 1 - we will combine the packet of yeast with the 1/4 cup of warm water (let that sit for about 10 minutes).  Mix the dry ingredients (one cup each  sugar and the flour).  After 10 minutes, you will slowly add the milk and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.  Cover them or close the baggie - keep at room temperature.  Days 2 through 4 you will stir or squeeze the baggie.

Have fun!

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

 If you love oatmeal raisin cookies, you will definitely love these muffins!  This is another recipe from the famous Internet file.  I am sure everyone has such a file - you know you see a recipe that looks good on the Internet, so you print it off with the intention of someday making it, so you put the printed copy in a folder and the folder gets bigger and bigger month by month.  Miraclously you actually do try some of the recipes!  Some turn out really good and, well, some not so good.  Oh well.  I digress . . .

This is definitely a crowd pleaser!!  Here's the recipe . . .

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats (I used Quaker Brand Oatmeal)
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tbsp melted butter (I always use unsalted butter)
¾ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup golden raisins (you can use regular raisin if you don't have the golden ones)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together. Set aside.

2. Combine oats and buttermilk; let stand for 30 minutes.

3.Stir in eggs. Add brown sugar, butter, and flour mixture. Stir until just combine. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in raisins.

4.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes about 12.muffins.

These are so good, especially warm from the oven with butter - YUM!!  Enjoy!

Eating and buying local

In my "real" life, I am a goat farmer and I spend my weekends selling at farmer's markets.  My closest friends are farmers.  The great thing about working at farmer's markets is that I have access to really great produce and products.  I really miss that during the winter.

Back in 2005,  Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon began a one-year experiment in local eating which started the whole "locavore" movement.  Not that I really buy into all these "fad" movements, but this one I think is worth following.  If you are not familiar with the locavore or 100 mile diet - basically it means you should only buy and eat food that is grown or raised in a 100 mile radius of where you live.  The advantages of this diet is that you not only support the people raising and growing your food, but you know exactly how your food is being grown (and most farmers welcome the opportunity to show off their farms).

In my case with working at the farmer's market, I know all the farmers and there are certain farmers that I will always buy from and some I won't.  It concerns me lately that there has been so many product recalls in the grocery stores because of tainted products - last year the egg scare (thank you, that did wonders for my egg sales!), the problems with e-coli and packaged spinach and the list goes on and on.  BUT you don't hear that happening with any of the local small farmers.  Gee, I wonder why?  It is because the local guy ALSO feeds his produce to his family.  So do you think he is going to do anything to harm his family?

I will get off my soapbox now.  I know this had absolutely nothing to do with baking, but I did want to put in a plug for our local farmers who are working so hard to bring the best products to your table.  If you get a chance, go to your local farmer's market, get to know the farmers and buy their products.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

You should smell my house when these are baking!  Oh my does it smell good here!!  What a perfect combination - apples and cinnamon - life is good!  The perfect comfort food (of course, next to chocolate!).

I am going to make these today.  You will need baking apples.  Ok, what are baking apples?  Aren't all apples created equal?  No, some apples just aren't made for baking - they get mushy and just don't hold up to the heat.  Most people will use Granny Smiths, but for a nice blend of flavors, add a mixture of apples.  Some examples of  baking apples are Jonathans, Jonagold, Fugi, Braeburns, Pink Lady, Pippin and Rome Beauty. 

The recipe . . .

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup finely chopped peeled and cored apples
3 t cinnamon, divided
3/4 c + 2 T brown sugar, divided
3 T butter (I always use unsalted)
2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t ground cloves, divided
1 egg
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 c evaporated milk

Directions

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Mix apples, 1 t cinnamon, 2 T brown sugar and butter in small sauce pan.
Heat until butter melts, then cover and steam on low heat for 2 minutes.
Sift together flour, baking powder, 1/4 t ground cloves and 1 t cinnamon.
Stir 1/2 c brown sugar into flour mixture
Beat egg, oil and evaporated milk until well blended.
Add to flour mixture and mix until moist - you don't want to mix these too much.  For a really good muffin, DO NOT OVERMIX!!  It will make it tough!
Fold in apples
Fill greased muffin tins (or tins with cupcake liners) 3/4 full.
Combine remaining 1/4 c brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon, 1/4 t ground cloves.  Sprinkle over tops of muffins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

These are so good that it is hard to wait for them to cool down!  Enjoy!

In search of the perfect pizza!

I just realized that I haven't written in over two months.  No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth.  My market season began with a vengenance and I haven't had much time to do any "experimental" baking.  Hopefully, that will change and I can find some time to squeeze in an hour or two of baking.

The sad news is that our local grocery store is closing.  It is one of the smaller chains.  I am going to miss that store.  I ordered a lot of my flour and other ingredients from them.  Many of the store personnel know me by name.  It was always pleasant to walk in and have someone yell "Hey Diane! How's Bob doing?"  They also make pretty good pizza.  The only other pizza available in town is Snappy's.  Now I am not knocking all Snappy's.  I am sure they are an excellent franchise.  The one in our town makes lousy pizza - sorry guys, but it is true.  The crust tastes like cardboard!!  Even our dogs won't eat it!!

So now it looks like it is up to me if we want pizza!  Of course, we could always buy frozen.  Those are always good if you are really desperate!  But, there is nothing like a freshly made pizza.  Peter Reinhardt, a famous breadmaker, wrote a book called American Pie - it is all about his search for the perfect pizza.  Has a bunch of interesting recipes.  Check it out at the local library - good book!!   I borrow it all the time.  Maybe one of these days, I will actually buy a copy!

Anyway, my search for the perfect pizza starts with a recipe from my good old buddy, Old Camp Cook.  He sent me this recipe for homemade pizza dough several years ago.  It is an easy recipe to make.  I've also seen a recipe for a sourdough pizza dough - will definitely have to check that one out!

For a variation, you can add chopped oregano or minced garlic to the dough.

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
3.5 cups flour
1 cup warm water (between 95 and 115 degrees F)
2 Tablespoons yeast.
2 Tablespoons honey
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:
1.  Pour warm water into a bowl. The water should be very warm, but comfortable. Too hot and it will kill the yeast. Add the honey and the salt. Mix on low until well blended. Add the yeast and mix some more.

2.  Let this rest for about 5 minutes.

3.  Add 1 (one) cup of flour and the olive oil and mix until well blended. Add the rest of the flour and mix well.

4.  The dough should turn into a ball. If the dough does not ball up because it’s too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding flour and water as needed to get the right consistency will assure you a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.

5.  Once the dough is balled up. Place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocer bag or a cover bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise. (I spray the inside of a gallon Ziploc bag with Pam and put the dough in the bag to rise.)

6.  After about 45 minutes, the dough should have about doubled in size. Punch it down. Let it rise for another hour or so. The dough is now ready to be used.

7.  Form the dough into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide. Using both hands, on on top of the other, press from the center outwards to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight of the dough to stretch it.

8. Once the dough is about ½ inch thick all the way around, use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about ¼ inch thick. I also sometimes just put the dough on the pizza sheet and push/pull it out to the right size without using the rolling pin.   Use a fork to puncture holes all over the dough. This helps keep the dough from “blooming” and also makes little pits for olive oil which I lightly spread all over the dough.

9.  Transfer the dough to a pizza peel sprinkled with corn meal or place on a lightly greased cookie or pizza pan.

10/  Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400 F. oven until the crust is light brown. Keep the sauce and toppings back from the edges about a half an inch and you will get a bit of a puffy edge crust.

11.  I use minimal sauce and toppings since I love the flavor of this dough. Bake usually between 4 and 7 minutes. I watch the edges of the crust carefully.

Today I Bake

Do you ever have one of those days (or weeks) where you feel everything in your life is out of control?  Well, it has been one of those weeks for me.  So today I bake.  With baking, you know that if you follow a set of instructions and mix some ingredients together, you usually get a delicious end product (or the dogs get a delicious end product!).  Normalcy!!  Add 2 + 2 and you get 4!  So today I bake.

I got out the "famous" Internet folder filled with previous printed recipes from who knows where and I found a recipe titled Rosemary Italian Bread.  Glancing over the list of ingredients - good - I have everything I need (no frantic dash to the grocery store) and the instructions were easy enough.  So a new baking adventure begins.

The recipe uses weights versus measurements - I bought a nice little kitchen scale on Amazon.  I've also seem them at Target - I would imagine you can find them at Walmart.  They are not very expensive - $20 to $30.

Rosemary Italtian Bread

Ingredients

Biga
3 ounces Bread Flour
3 ounces Warm Water
1/4 tsp dry yeast

Mix together in a bowl, cover the bowl with saran wrap, a clean dish towel and leave the bowl on the counter for 4 hours.

Dough

In addition to the Biga:

1 1/2 tsp yeast
8 1/4 ounces Warm Water
30 ounces Bread Flour
8 1/4 ounces Cool Water
4 tsp Fresh chopped Rosemary (if using dry rosemary, use only 2 tsp)
4 T milk

1.  Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
2.  Put the flour in the bowl of a large mixer. 
3.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, the cool water and the biga.
4.  Mix for a minute or two, until it starts to come together.
5.  Cover the bowl with the dough with saran wrap and dish towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
6.  Uncover the bowl and mix the dough for 8 minutes.
7.  Add the rosemary and milk and mix for 5 minutes.
8.  Put the dough in a light oiled large bowl.  The dough will expand rapdily, so be sure to use a very large bowl.  Place the dough in the bowl and coat to cover the dough.  Cover the bowl.
9.  Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours, then fold the dough.
10.  Cover the dough again and let it rise for 30 minutes.
11.  Put the dough on the counter nad divided it into two parts.  Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then shape each peace into an oblong loaf with tapered ends (sort of looks like a football!)
12.  Place the dough on parchment paper, cover with a towel and let rise for 50 minutes.
13.  Heat the over to 425F.  Place baking stones or tiles in the oven.
14.  Bake using steam (i.e., but a boiler pan in the bottom of the oven filled with boiling water) for 30 minutes.  Then turn the loaves and continue baking until are brown.  The total baking time should be about 40 to 50 minutes.
15.  Cool on a rack for at least 1/2 hour.

Wild Violet Jelly

Ok, I know this isn't exactly a baking "adventure" - more of a "canning" adventure - but it was so much fun that I had to share. 

We have tons of wild violets in our yard and I remember seeing some where a recipe for Wild Violet Jelly.  So after "surfing the 'net", I came up with this recipe - it is sort of a compilation of all the recipes I found.  This is a GREAT activity if you have little kids!  Just make sure you tell them which purple flowers to pick!!

You will need 4 cups of violet blossoms - just the blossoms - not the stems.  It took me alittle over an hour to pick 4 cups and, yes, you will have a smurf finger or two (don't worry, it washes off with just soap and water!).  I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet light scent that violets put off.  Never thought that violets would have any type of scent - learn something new everyday!

Put your 4 cups of violet blossoms in a pan, pour 4 cups of boiling water over the blossoms and cover your pan.  Let that steep for overnight.  Basically, you are making "violet tea."

Now to make the violet jelly.  Here is the recipe.  Makes 5 half pints.

3 1/2 cups violet tea (discard blossoms - if you don't have enough tea, just add some tap water)
1 package (1 3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin (i.e., Sure Jel or something similar)
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
4 cups sugar

1.  Put the 3 1/2 cups violet tea in a sauce pan, stir in the pectin and lemon juice - the liquid will turn a real pretty violet/pinkish color.
2.  Bring this to a rolling boil while stirring constantly.
3.  Add sugar.
4.  Continue stirring to dissolve sugar and bring to a rolling boil - boil for one minute.
5.  Remove the pan from heat.  Skim off any foam.  Carefully ladle hot liquid into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving about 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe the rims and adjust lids.  Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water canner.

NOTE:  This takes about a day for the jelly to gel, so don't be discourage if it seems to soft.  Just let it sit and don't bother it. 

This is a really good jelly.  Even my "McDonald's Addict" teenager son liked it (and that says a lot!).