Breakfast at Banjos

Tuesdays with Dorie- Parisian Apple Tartlet

2009-06-09T08:11:00.000-06:00

So how in the world is June 9th already upon us? Time is moving so quickly, and I have very little of it this month... free time that is. That said I opted to do this recipe, even tho I knew I wasn't going to be able to make it gluten free. GASP... But knowing that I only will be free to do a couple of the TWD recipes this month, given my schedule, I had to make a go of it.

Jessica, of My Baking Heart, chose this ridiculously easy delicious treat. (*YES, I tried it .. don't judge, ok? 99.999% of the time I am so very disciplined about eating GF. But I had an "opps", as it just smelled so good! I know... someone with Celiacs disease should never eat gluten, luckily I can get away with a small cheat and not have any symptoms. Please don't mention it to my doc.. cool? thanks! ;-) ) I used Jazz apples which baked up wonderfully, perfectly tart and moist, along with the fall back of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry. (again, I am short on time so had to be done). This would be a terrific dish to serve at a dinner party, and even better with some vanilla ice cream. I loved it... Now all I gotta do is figure out how to make puff pastry gf and I will be set. Please visit Jessica's delightful blog for the recipe, you will not be disappointed!

Tuesdays with Dorie- Chipster Topped Brownies

2009-05-26T07:55:00.000-06:00

This week's TWD was chosen by Beth at Supplicious. When I first read the choice I was thinking, wow two of my favorite things together... brownies and cookies! How could this go wrong?? Then I started reading the actual recipe, and realized... holy cow... this is a heart attack in a pan. 3 1/2 sticks of butter, are you kidding me?? good god.. eek!! Forgive me, you know I love my sweets... really I do, but I also would like to keep my arteries in tack... if you know what I mean.

I made my usual substitutes for the flour... 2 part Brown or white rice flour, then 1 part tapioca flour, 1 part potato starch and some added xanthan gum. I also used semi- sweet chips for the cookies.. as it was what I had on hand. I only baked this for 55 minutes, and honestly I think it could have used an additional 15 more. It seemed to be TOO gooey, and undercooked. I can't believe I am about to say this... but this sweet was TOO rich for my taste. GASP!! (I know, try to not fall over.) It was good, but I think I like cookies and brownies separate and not together. However, it was certainly fun to give it a go & I am, of course, looking forward to trying more Dorie recipes in June! :)

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2009-05-20T20:56:00.008-06:00

I have a problem... when I get bored, I bake. Clearly a serious issue... but hey there are worse problems right?! ;-) I have been seeing several different versions of this muffin recipe all over the web, and had to give it a shot. I am a berry addict, and just am digging lemons big time lately. I of course, made this gluten free... with several substitutes ... yogurt instead of milk, egg beaters for eggs, extra lemon zest. These were very yummy, on the denser side for a muffin... but delightful regardless.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour ( I used 1cup brown rice flour, and then split 3/4 with tapioca flour and potato starch.. with 1/2 tsp Xanthan gum)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup Egg beaters (or 2 large eggs)
1/2 cup low fat yogurt ( I used Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with baking spray then set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the blueberries. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, oil, lemon zest and the lemon juice. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until blended; do not over mix. Spoon the batter into the muffin tray then top with additional blueberries and sprinkle raw sugar on each muffin.
Bake for about 20-23 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins stand in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm slathered in butter. Enjoy.

**On a side note & totally "un-muffin" related... I had to post this photo of my basil that is readily growing. Isn't it gorgeous?? I can't tell you how good it smells, it is really taunting me.. I am just going to have to go home, pluck some of those yummy leaves tonight and whip up something delicious! Hooray for summer!

Tuesdays with Dorie- Fresh Mango Bread

2009-05-18T20:36:00.005-06:00

After a month of chocolate packed recipes for Tuesdays with Dorie, this recipe was a very refreshing change! Fresh Mango Bread, chosen by Kelly of Baking with the Boys , was a perfect summer bread. I am a major sucker for fresh fruit and veggies at this time of year, but to be honest... I generally steer away from Mangos simply because they are SUCH a bear to cut. Love the taste, hate the mess.

For my gluten free substitutes, this week I used 1 1/2cups brown rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup potato starch & a very generous teaspoon of xanthan gum. I left out the raisins (not a big fan) and used lemon zest instead of lime. I had to tent the bread after 1/2 an hour... as you can see the edges were already getting overcooked....ACK!! Next time I would add more cinnamon and ginger.... as I think it could have used a bit more spice.

This recipe really was splendid, and my coworkers devoured it in under an hour so I would call that a success. Thanks Kelly for a great choice! Check out her awesome blog... she also posted a lightened up version of the recipe which looks fab!

Cucumber Salad

2009-05-15T11:25:00.004-06:00

This cucumber salad is another new favorite side of mine that I just had to share this morning. (forgive me, I can not for the life of me remember where I found this... from some beautiful blogger out there no doubt.. ) It is super easy and light. Not to mention, fresh veggies and fruit are just some of my favorite things right now...

Salad:
2 large cucumber, 1 peeled & one unpeeled.. cut into chunks
1/3 to 1/2 of a medium red onion, diced fine, to taste
2 large tomatoes- I used some yummy yellow ones.

Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon good tasting olive oil
2 teaspoons light agave nectar, or more to taste
A tiny pinch of sea salt, or to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl combine the cut and sliced cucumbers with the diced onion and tomato.
Whisk the dressing and pour over salad. Gently toss to coat. Cover and chill at least an hour before serving.

Cannellini Bean Mash

2009-05-15T10:40:00.003-06:00

Living gluten free can bring many challenges to ones diet. Among those (at least for me) is getting enough fiber in my diet since I can no longer eat wheat grains. One of my new favorite blogs The Nutrionista is a huge supporter of beans. Now I have never, ever in my life been a bean fan. Aside from a highly embarrassing incident (when I was 15 & working for a catering company) where I tripped and accidentally dumped a vat of baked beans on a very large man in a speedo @ a 4th of July pool party (true story... oy, you can't make this stuff up people) I hadn't had much exposure to them. (no pun intended.. ha)

So with some encouragement from Nutrionista, I jumped in.. gave this recipe a shot and now I am converted! WOAAAAAA.. I have been missing out, this is a fabulous side dish! A very similar consistency to mashed potatoes, but way more nutritious. Packed with protein and fiber, this is definitely one of my new favorite side dishes. It is terrific served hot or cold!

Cannellini Bean Mash
makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients
*2 15oz cans Cannellini Beans
* half an onion, diced
* as much fresh basil as you would like (to taste) chopped
* two cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced
* about 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
* olive oil

Preparation-
* saute the onions in olive oil until they start to become translucent
* add garlic, basil and beans
* cook for about 5-10 minutes, until the beans are tender.
*transfer mixture to a bowl, mash beans and add Parmesan as you mash
* add salt and pepper to taste
*serve... works hot & cold!

Easy Brownies- a quick sugar fix

2009-05-15T09:32:00.000-06:00

Do you ever have those days where sugar just speaks to you? You walk by the donuts in your office & they start calling you "PSST.. yea I'm talking to you.. come over here and eat me.. I have 900 calories and 300 grams of fat, but I taste really good". ha! Opps, um yea maybe that's a personal issue... But lets just say I have been a good girl all week, busted my butt at the gym every day, stuck to my healthy eating and darn it.. I was having a major sugar craving last night. And wouldn't you know, I had seen these on Tastespotting yesterday and happened to have all the ingredients that the recipe called for. It was fate, no? ;)

These brownies were a breeze to make, and very decadent! I made them gluten free of course, and used mini muffin pans. They were the perfect sweet to soothe my inner sugar beast, and comfort me as I cried my way thru the season finale of Greys Anatomy (good grief!!). So the next time you need a quick sugar fix... make these, you won't be sorry. :)

Best Brownies
All Recipes

Brownies:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
1 cup sugar*
2 eggs*
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/4c brown rice flour, 1/8c potato starch, 1/8 tapioca flour & 1/2tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Frosting:
3 tbsp butter, softened*
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan (or 10 cups of a muffin pan). In a large saucepan melt stick of butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Do not over cook. (20 minutes if you are using mini-muffin pans)

To make the frosting: Combine 3 tbsp butter, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Makes 16 brownies in 8 inch square pan or 24 individual brownies in mini muffin pans.

Attitude of Gratitude Award

2009-05-11T16:33:00.008-06:00

Wow, so I have received my first blogging award.. how fun! Thank you Erin, you absolutely made my day last week and brought a huge smile to my face. (Sorry it has taken me so darn'd long to get this posted... my job is getting in the way of my blogging life. Hmph ;-) ) I have completely loved being part of the food blogging world and my adventures with the TWD group. Even in my moments of failure... I have learned so much & learned even more from my fellow bloggers!

Now this is a non-food related quote, but in the spirit of gratitude I thought I would post it. It is a quote from the movie Benjamin Buttons. About life... how absolutely spectacular it is, how we have so much opportunity to learn from others and that we should make the most of every moment. Now that is something to be truly grateful for!

My nominations, in no particular order:

Lynne @ Honeymuffin- not only is she one of my favorite cousins, but she has a great blog and is just as addicted to sweets as I am.
The Nutrionista- fabulous blog that covers health, nutrition and exercise.
Jessica @ Singleton in the Kitchen- a grad student who finds the time to tempt us with many yummy recipes.
Kim @ Scrumptious Photography- her photos are gorgeous and she keeps it real with always with posting nutrition data.
Linda @ Tender Crumb- always TWD blogger that I love to visit, beautiful photos and great recipes.
Pink Stripes- more beautiful photos and fabulous recipes. Wow there are so many talented bloggers out there!
Teanna @ Spork or Foon- Very fun creative recipes!
Mike @ Good Things About Living out West- a very creative TWD who always wows with his presentation.
Pamela @ Cookies with Boys- fabulous recipes!
Karina's Kitchen-Terrific gluten free and vegan recipes.

Your instructions are:
* put the logo on your blog or post
* nominate at least 10 blogs that show an an attitude of gratitude
* link to your nominees within your post
* comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
* share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award
* tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

I got tagged!

2009-05-11T09:09:00.006-06:00

OK, I I’ve been tagged by Erin @ Gluten Free with a Purpose. Normally I am not into these things, but I am a tired girl this Monday morning at work... and am in full procrastination mode. So why not, right? Plus always fun to learn little snippets about your fellow bloggers. :)

#1 What is your current obsession?-summer salads, food blogs (per usual) and beautiful Spring weather!

#2 Which item of clothing do you wear most often? Well since I have to pull myself somewhat together for work everyday, the first thing I do when I get home in the evenings is put on some flip flops and comfy sweats!

#3- What’s for dinner? HMMM GOOD question! Any suggestions, I am searching for some inspiration today. :)

#4- What are you listening to? My CEO dictate some new marketing materials to our graphic designer in one ear, and in the other ear I have Jackopierce playing. They are a band I adored in college, and I saw them play live on Saturday night. They were terrific & it brought back sooo many fantastic memories of my days in Boulder. Couldn't have loved a time in my life more!

#5- Say something about the one who tagged you: Erin is always pointing out fun new gluten free products!

#6-Favorite vacation spot? Maui is always a favorite of mine, the ocean brings me peace or anyplace new.. I am ALWAYS up for a new adventure!

#7-What are you reading right now? Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist By Michael J Fox. His outlook on life is inspiring!

#8- Four words to describe yourself? fun, loyal, loving and loves to cook and bake! Wait was that more than four words?? Opps... maybe I should say "has trouble with directions" ;-)

#9-Guilty pleasure? LOST! Can't get enough of this damn show...

#10- First Spring thing to do? get out and enjoy life with good friends and family!

Tag, you’re it! I’m tagging Lynne @ Honeymuffin

Beef & Peach Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

2009-05-10T10:19:00.008-06:00

There were several days this week where the weather was just spectacular... 80 degree days, bright clear crisp blue skies that make the sprawling green lawns and budding trees look even greener. AHHHH it was just heavenly, and Spring Fever really kicked into high gear for me. Tis the season where I start "jonesin" for summer salads.

This salad was mentioned by one of my favorite new blogs, The Nutritionista. It is a recipe from Real Simple, and it was obscenely good. So good in fact, that my friend and I devoured it like wild animals. I can't wait to make it again!

I made a few adjustments of my own. It calls for watercress, which I love... but couldn't find the day I made it. So I used bibb lettuce and I also used flank steak instead of Roast Beef (it is leaner and I actually enjoy it more).

Ingredients-

makes 4-6 servings

2 bunches of watercress, thick stems removed (or any type of lettuce you love)

2 cucumbers, roughly chopped

4 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

1 lb of flank steak- grilled to your liking and cubed

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 tsp sugar

kosher salt and pepper

1 small close garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp finely grated ginger

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large shallots

- In a large bowl combine watercress, cucumbers, peaches and beef.

- Pour lime juice into a small bowl and whisk in the sugar & 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved. Add garlic, ginger and 1/4 tsp pepper. Slowly add oil in a steady stream whisking constantly until emulsified. Stir in Shallots.

-Transfer the salad to serving bowl or platter and drizzle vinaigrette over the top.

Mushroom Almond Burgers

2009-04-28T21:19:00.009-06:00

I stumbled upon this recipe in my trusty ole files, and not only did I have a wave of nostalgia, but my stomach actually growled. This is one of my all time favorite recipes! Originally written by a dear family friend. I have very fond memories of dinners at my friends house, during high school and her mom introducing me to my first homemade "veggie burger". I made a number of changes to make it a tad healthier & also out of my need to get more fiber full grains into my gluten free diet. (That is a tough one, but Quinoa is a great one that fits that bill... it is rich in protein and fiber! ) This is a fabulous recipe, uber healthy and light. They even freeze well too... :)

Almond, Mushroom Burgers -

*Adapted from Stephanie's Almond Burger recipe

-makes 10 medium size patties

3 cups cooked Quinoa

2 cups ground almonds

1/4 cup egg beaters

2 tbsp soy sauce

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup grated, low fat- skim mozzarella

1/2 cup rolled oats or instant oatmeal

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup pealed and chopped zucchini

fresh parsley, chopped (I used Basil as it was what I had on hand)

ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa, mushrooms, zucchini, basil and almonds. In a blender or food processor, separately process egg, soy sauce, onion, cheese, oats and pepper. Pour blended mixture over quinoa mix. Shape mixture into patties, and cooked in skillet over medium heat until brown, about 5 minutes per side. (can be cooked in Pam or small amount of olive oil.)

No Bake Daiquiri Cheesecake

2009-04-27T21:13:00.001-06:00

This was one of the recipes I made for the "Easter baking marathon". It is one of my Mom's best kept little secrets, in fact the recipe goes so far back it was actually typed on a typewriter (gasp.. he he). To make it gluten free, I used Pamela's Mini Gingersnaps and they were the perfect substitute. It is very light, and just downright amazing.... this is a family favorite with good reason. Enjoy!:)

No Bake Daiquiri Cheesecake-

*serves 10-12

1 1/4 cups of Graham Cracker Crust (I used GF cookies...)

1/4 cup sugar

6 tbsp melted butter

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup rum -80 Proof

2 tsp grated lime peel

1 tsp grated lemon peel

1/2 cup lime juice

4 beaten egg yolks

4 egg whites

2 8oz packages of cream cheese- cubed & softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup whipping cream

Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar & butter. Remove 2 tbsp crumbs & set aside. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Chill 45 minutes (I put it in the freezer). Meanwhile, in medium saucepan combine gelatin & 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in rum, citrus peels, lime juice and egg yolk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly, till slightly thickened 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Beat in cream cheese till smooth. In separate bowl, beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar beating till peaks are stiff. In another small bowl, whip cream till soft peaks... Fold egg white & whipped cream into gelatin mixture. Turn into crumb lined pan. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on side of the pan. Cover & chill till firm or overnight.

Tuesdays with Dorie- Chocolate Bread Pudding

2009-04-21T20:48:00.000-06:00

This weeks Tuesdays with Dorie was chosen by Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle. To be honest I have never been a bread or rice pudding fan. I think it is a texture issue, we all have our likes and dislikes and pudding (& jello) has never been mine. BUT I have never actually made bread pudding so I thought I would give this week a go.

It was very easy to make, I used gluten free rolls and made a third of the recipe in 2 ramekins. Sadly... this recipe did not change my mind. However, I did enjoy learning how to make it.. the baking process is always enjoyable for me. :) I also could not resist showing off my beautiful Orchid plant. After a wild weekend of weather in Denver.. (some areas got up to 22 inches of snow ..ACK!), spring has finally sprung here. I for one am very excited for some "spring fever" and beautiful weather! :) Despite the fact that this was not a favorite desert, I of course, am looking forward to more TWD adventures.

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

2009-04-15T20:55:00.010-06:00

This weekend during my Easter holiday Bake-a-thon, an old friend appeared to me, one that I nearly had forgotten about. Who you ask?? My bundt pan... he he. See for some weird reason, I LOVE the shape of this pan... It is not like a cookie sheet, you don't use it all the time... but it is one of those that is just so fun to work with. Not to mention the word "bundt" just simply makes me giggle (there is a story behind that one, which I will leave up to your imagination.. but lets just say it comes from when I was a little girl and you can blame my brother... that's all i'm sayin.)

Anyways, I suddenly got a hankering to make some sort of bundt recipe. My dear cousin/friend, Lynne came to my rescue quickly with several MOUTH watering recipes that she had found on Foodgawker. This one in particular jumped out at me, I mean HOW can you possibly go wrong with cinnamon and sugar?? Um yea, this had to be a hit. Not to mention... several bloggers have been testing these on their beautiful blogs and all gave rave reviews. And I am happy to report it was RIDICULOUSLY good. OBSCENELY good!! So good in fact, that it is only 9am.. and I only have one little piece left at my desk at work. It has all been devoured happily by my coworkers... This one will with out question be repeated many times! Of course I made it Gluten free, which you would have never known. I will post the original recipe for you, and my GF adjustments next to it. Please make this asap, I promise you won't be sorry. ;)

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake-
from Dozen Flours

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups White rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup tapioca flour & 1 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature (or 3/4 cup Egg Beaters)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature (I used low fat sour cream and it still was divine!)

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Mix together really well and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 325F. Using a spray product like Pam with Flour , generously spray a 9 inch Bundt pan, being careful to cover all the nooks and crannies, as well as the center tube. (Note: If you don't want to use Pam with Flour, you can just grease the pan with shortening.) Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. You should only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar, but you want to try and evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube. Save the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture and set everything aside.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

4. Beat just the butter on medium speed for one full minute. Add the white sugar and mix for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and blade and add the brown sugar.Mix for 2 minutes until the mixture looks light brown and uniform in color. Add the eggs one at a time, beating each for 1 full minute. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream; beat well.

5. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture over top the cake. Spread the rest of the batter into the pan and sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top. (If you run out of cinnamon sugar, you can mix just 1/4 cup of sugar + 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon together for the top of the cake. It should be more than enough.)

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

**The one thing I would change on this, is adding more of the cinnamon mixture to the center of the cake. I will be doing that the next round. :)

Tuesdays with Dorie- Chocolate Amaretti Torte

2009-04-13T20:51:00.010-06:00

After a weekend of MAD holiday baking.... (cookies for the kidos, bread, home-made ice cream and cheesecake.. phew..) I was just about to skip this weeks Tuesdays with Dorie. I was just exhausted and a bit baked out. Given the fact that this was "promised" to be a 15 minute prep recipe, with using only a food processor... and I happened to be at Starbucks yesterday afternoon with a coworker, saw some Amaretti and figured the baking gods had intervened!

This weeks recipe was chosen by Holly of Phe.mom.enon. This recipe was just as promised, super easy and fast.(it really did only take 15 minutes.. woot woot!) I can see why Dorie says she uses it as a base for hot fudge sundays... as it is very Brownie like. I halved the recipe and used a mini cake pan. I also skipped the glaze.. as I was just too darn'd tired. Regardless, it was delicious... and would be fabulous with some vanilla ice cream! Thanks Holly for a great choice... :)

French Bread- Attempt #1

2009-04-01T08:51:00.007-06:00

My parents are having the whole family over for Easter this year... and when I say "whole" I mean 6 children, and 12 adults (can you say chaos??...but oh so much fun). More than likely there will be a few extra guests too... Out of all those people, only 2 of us eat gluten free and it can often be a bummer. Either we end up missing out on the yummy grub, or we end up cheating and sometimes that can leave one with a bit if a stomach ache... not exactly ideal! So.... I have made it my mission to find a french bread recipe that we can serve to everyone...one that won't be detectable as gluten free.Last night was my first test run, with a recipe I found on RecipeZaar (that got fabulous reviews). I did make a few tiny adjustments to the recipe. I only had regular active yeast on hand, so I heated my oven to 200 degrees, and turned it off when I was ready to let it rise... put the dough in there for an hour covered. It rose pretty well, but I think next time I will let it go 2 hours.This bread tasted just like the real thing, nice crispy crust & light/fluffy texture on the inside. I was very pleased... straight out of the oven it was just divine. Good this morning too! This is definitely in the running to be served at Easter Dinner this year, and will without question be repeated!

Gluten Free French Bread

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour (white)
1 cup tapioca flour
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons egg substitute (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (heated to 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons fast rise yeast (I used active yeast and it worked well)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 egg whites, beaten slightly
1 teaspoon vinegar
melted butter, for brushing (optional)

Directions

-In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, place flours, xanthan gum, salt, and
egg replacer (if used).Blend with mixer on low.
-In a small bowl dissolve the sugar in the water, and add yeast.
-Wait until the mixture foams slightly, then blend into the dry ingredients.
- Add the butter, egg whites, and vinegar.Beat on high for 3 minutes.
-To form loaves, spoon dough onto greased and cornmeal-dusted cookie sheets in two long French-loaf shapes or spoon into special French-bread pans.
- Slash diagonally every few inches.If desired, brush with melted butter.
-Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20 to 25 minutes. *if you use regular active yeast, let rise for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from pan to cool.

** You will be happy to know, my little baker ego is feeling much recovered and better this morning. Happy I pulled my "baker skills" together after the TWD incident yesterday... he he ;-)

Tuesdays with Dorie- Coconut Butter Thins

2009-03-31T09:08:00.007-06:00

WARNING... WARNING... SYSTEM FAILURE ....BAKER FAILURE .... Pamela's Gluten Free FLOUR Mix MASSIVE FAILURE!!!!!

Le sigh is all I'm sayin this morning.... le sigh. My tried and true ready made Gluten free flour mix failed me this week, and it really was my fault. You see I have tried Pamela's before with several cookie recipes, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But when I was mixing the dough for the Coconut Butter Thins for TWD this week, I had a feeling in my gut. It was saying "STEP AWAY FROM THE PAMELA'S CAROLYN"... ha.

What was the result?? Well the dough looked exactly like it was supposed too, but what often happens with Pamela's and cookies is MASSIVE, MASSIVE SPREADAGE. I checked on the cookies at 8 minutes, and what did I have??? ONE GIANT COOKIE... ha ha ha ha ha. I should have taken a picture, I wish I had... that way you all could be having a good laugh with me. (and I did have a really good giggle at myself) Live and learn right???

To see what they REALLY are supposed to look like, please visit Barefoot Kitchenwitch's rockin site. She takes fabulous pictures and will have the recipe for these cookies that everyone is raving about!

** I will be redeeming myself this week. When I bomb a recipe, it hurts my frail little baker ego... so I will have to save myself in some way. he he. I am actually on the hunt for a gluten free french bread recipe for Easter. If you have seen any, send em my way!

Tuesdays with Dorie- Cranberry Crumb Cake

2009-03-24T08:41:00.010-06:00

Oh man, another great Tuesdays with Dorie this week that is going to force me to punish myself at the gym today, and tomorrow and the next day. ;) Sihan great choice this week with the Blueberry Crumb Cake! I decided to switch mine up a bit, I added Cranberries instead of Blueberries.... and baked them in a muffin pan for easy office distribution. The muffin version only required 35 minutes of baking time.For the gluten free flour substitution I used 1 cup sweet white rice flour, 1/2 cup Tapioca flour, 1/2 cup Potato Starch and 1 tsp of Xanthan gum. It worked flawlessly,and had the perfect "crumb cake texture". Although, the crumble sunk into the muffins, you can see it still had a nice layer.The cranberries were just delicious and tangy with a slight hint of lemon, and theses got rave reviews with my coworkers. Already gone! Please visit Sihan's adorable blog for the recipe.

Shepherd's Pie

2009-03-22T20:21:00.007-06:00

My brother and sister in law just had their 3rd baby a few weeks ago... she is just too cute for words, I managed to still some time with her today and holding her was just heaven! Before her birth, my sister in law asked me to make a meal for them to freeze and have on hand. She sent a few recipes my way and requested the Shepherd's Pie. I have not had it before, really wasn't all to sure how it would turn out... and to be honest I was sort of expecting it to be um ..whats the word, oh yea...it is... um yuk. So when I made it yesterday for them, I was sure to save myself a portion to have for dinner tonight. I am now kicking myself that I didn't save more! It was absolutely fabulous... I will, without question, be whipping this one up again.

Shepherd's Pie-

1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, quartered and rinsed
1/2 c. reserved cooking water from potatoes or milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Ground white pepper
*****
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrot, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. beef or vegetable stock
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary, crushed
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
1/2. c frozen peas
2 tbsp butter

Put potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender. Drain and mash, then add 1/2 cup reserved cooking water or milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste and stir/mash until smooth. (I imagine you could also use store-bought mashed potatoes instead of making your own.)
While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until softened. Add meat, cook until thoroughly done. Add flour; cook 2-3 minutes. Add stock, spices and peas. Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Place meat mixture in 9-in pie plate or 8 x 8 baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Cut the 2 T. of butter into small pieces and scatter across the top. Cover and freeze.
Take out of freezer and thaw in refrigerator 24-36 hours before you plan to eat. Preheat the over to 400. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Gluten-free adaption: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of regular flour.
Dairy-free adaption: Use cooking water or unsweetened soy milk for potatoes. Use non-dairy butter in place of regular butter.

Gluten Free Bagels

2009-03-21T16:00:00.011-06:00

Last weekend I took my first cooking class ever! It was a class on Gluten Free Bread. I had been looking forward to it, and I had a wicked cold all weekend long and was pretty miserable... but when Sunday afternoon rolled around, you bet I was going to drag myself to this class! (You see, I really have never had great success with making my own GF bread. It always has turned out TOO dense, or never fully risen.. blah blah blah.) Anyways, it I got a few great recipes from this class, so it was worth it!

This bagel recipe was unbelievably easy!! Who knew bagels were such a breeze to make? They stay fresh for about 4 days, but I just pop mine straight into the freezer. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone, the texture is terrific and not heavy at all. I made mine with sesame, poppy seeds and did a cinnamon sugar version.

*tip- to speed up the rising process, I heat my oven to 200 degrees, then turned the heat off... and put my bagels in the warm oven to rise. It worked great!

Gluten Free Bagels-

by Katy from Generous Servings

Ingredients-

1c warm water (105-110 degrees)

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp active dry yeast

Cornmeal for sprinkling

1c brown rice flour

1c sorghum flour

2/3c tapioca starch

2/3c potato starch

2/3c cornstarch

1/4c ground flax meal

1/4c almond meal

1 tbsp Xanthan gum

1 tsp guar gum

3 tsp salt, divided

2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp sugar divided

1/4c shortening (or unsalted butter) melted in 1/2c Hot water

4 egg whites

1. Combine warm water, 1 tsp of sugar and yeast. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, until foamy.

2.Grease one or two flat cookie sheets. Sprinkle cornmeal on them.

3. Place the flours, starches, meals, gums, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 tbsp sugar into bowl of stand mixer. Using the dough hook (or paddle works well too), mix the dry ingredients together just until blended.

4.Add the shortening (melted in hot water) to the dry ingredients and mix again for about 15 seconds.

5. Add the egg whites and mix until blended.

6. Add the warm yeast-water mixture and blend until well mixed. This should take about 3 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky. There is a good chance you will need to add some extra potato starch to the mixture, 1 tbsp at a time.

7. Rub some shortening or oil your hands. Take a ping pong size ball of dough out of the mixing bowl (use a scoop for consistency) and roll into a ball, then press it between your two hands to make it flatter, and finally insert your pointer finger into the middle of it to make a hole in the center of the bagel.

8. Place the bagel on the greased cookie sheet, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes.

9 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large stockpot of water with teaspoon of sugar and 1 tsp of salt to boil.

10. Quickly slip 2 to 4 bagels in the boiling water, depending on how many will fit. After 30 seconds, flip them over. Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on rack to cool. Repeat with remaining bagels.

11. Return bagels to the cookie sheet and add any toppings you might like. (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, herbs, salt, cheese etc)

12. Place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and place bagels on cooling rack.

Tuesdays with Dorie- French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze

2009-03-16T19:31:00.011-06:00

What a great choice this week of the French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze, by Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction. This cake was a breeze to put together, and just delicious! I decided to depart from my regular gluten free flour mix ,Pamela's, and try some other grains to convert this cake. (I know gettin crazy, huh? ha!) I substituted 1/2 cup sweet white rice flour, 1/4 cup potato starch & 1/4 tapioca flour (as well as 1 tsp of Xanthan gum) for all purpose flour.

It worked like a charm, and had the perfect consistency of regular cake! I was thrilled... Because I made mini- loafs it only needed to be baked for 35 minutes. I had my doubts about using the lemon marmalade, but it was very tasty. This cake would be a terrific addition to a brunch....and will most definitely be repeat. Thanks, Liliana for a wonderful choice! For the recipe please visit Liliana's site.

A late Tuesday with Dorie- Caramel Crunch Bars

2009-02-25T20:16:00.016-07:00

Opps I am a bit late on TWD this week, but hey I have had a pretty legitimate excuse!! I have been here for the past week. Just got home on the red eye yesterday....

We had spent some time at the beach, & we did some of this..

Saw so many of these... and they are just as majestic & magical in person as you would expect.

And just had a wonderful vacation & it goes went way to quickly... Sigh, back to the grind today. But just had to share a few pictures with my TWD entry, to explain why I am so late. Hopefully you can forgive my error. ;) I made the Caramel Crunch Bars before I left. They were just wonderful! Once again I used Pamela's GF Flour Mix and it worked like a charm. Great choice!

I even wrapped them up as gifts for some girlfriends I was meeting for brunch that morning. They were a hit! This is a recipe worth repeating.. please see Whitney's great site. :)

Double Blueberry Crisp Bars

2009-02-11T19:14:00.012-07:00

Every year for Christmas my Mom puts together "stockings/goodie bags" for her girls. She always puts the most creative things in it.... This year it contained The Wine Lover's Desert Cookbook... How well my Mom knows me.. Wine & desert together?? Hellooo 2 of my favorite things! This is the first recipe I have sampled from the book and it did not disappoint. It was delicious and relatively healthy (as far as deserts go). I used gluten free oats and Pamela's GF baking mix...It would be a fabulous served warm with Vanilla bean ice cream for desert, or as I served it this morning at work.. as a yummy breakfast/brunch treat.

Double Blueberry Crisp Bars

*The Wine Lover's Desert Cookbook

1 pint (2 cups) Fresh Blueberries

1 cup dried Blueberries

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 granulated sugar

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup all purpose flour (I used Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat the oven to 350F & position the rack near the center. In medium sauce pan, stir together the fresh & dried blueberries, juice and granulated sugar until sugar dissolves. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the fresh blueberries give off their juices and the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 8 minutes. (the filling will thicken considerably as it bakes).

In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Add oil & milk, stirring until the ingredients are evenly moistened. Use your hands (dampened with water, if needed) to press about one third of the mixture into the bottom of an unbuttered 8 x 8 inch pan in a solid compact layer. Pour and spread blueberry mixture evenly over the bottom crust, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over he filling and gently press into place. Don't worry if some blueberries peek through. Bake until the top is golden brown 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool the bars at least 30 minutes for easiest cutting. Cut into 5 equal strips in one direction, then 3 in the other to make 15 bars. Serve warm or at room, or store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week.

Tuesdays with Dorie- World Peace Cookies

2009-02-02T19:36:00.011-07:00

Hello February, woa is it really possible we are here already?? Where does the time go?? Too fast I say!! To kick off this months Tuesdays with Dorie, Jessica of Cookbookhabit chose World Peace Cookies. (please see Jessica's blog for the recipe or see page 138 in the book) Traditionally I have never been a fan of chocolate cookies. Now don't get me wrong... I heart chocolate just as much as the next girl, but chocolate cookies have never really "spoken" to me. So when I saw this recipe, of course my first thought was that I might not be a fan. But boy was I wrong!These cookies really were just divine. They were the perfect combination of salty and sweet! And they had a "shortbread' ish" texture which was a nice surprise. The recipe was simple to put together, instead of chocolate chips... I chopped up some semi sweet baking squares I had left over from my holiday baking. I also substituted gluten free (Pamela's mix) flour for all purpose, & was happy to see that was an easy switch. The World Peace Cookies were an absolute hit with everyone I gave them away too (of course I had to get them out of my house asap, for fear of having to add 20 more workouts to my week if I ate them all, ha).... This one is a keeper, and without a doubt will be repeated! Great choice, Jessica!

Tuesdays with Dorie- Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread

2009-01-26T21:00:00.008-07:00

I can honestly say I am not sure I have ever tried real gingerbread. Cookies of course, but not the real thing! Lucky for me Heather from Sherry Trifle, chose it for this weeks TWD recipe. I made a few adjustments for my gingerbread, only out of necessity.. as I just didn't have the right ingredients. (it was 17 degrees on Sunday.. and my lazy self was not up to braving the cold for a trip to the store.)
Never the less I think this recipe turned out great! I used semi- sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet, I also used Pamela's Gluten Free Flour Mix... & I could not find buttermilk at my Albertsons. (Have I mentioned I hate my neighborhood Albertsons? Everything is overpriced, their produce is never good and they don't have a wide variety of product... Opps sorry for my tangent... I'll be quiet now.) Anyways, I looked up "Substitute for Buttermilk" and it I found several sites that suggested 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 cup milk, allowing it to sit for a few minutes.

My gingerbread sank a bit in the center, no doubt because of the Gluten Free switch. Despite that, it was just delicious.. and something I may never have tried on my own. Once again, another fun week with TWD... thanks Heather for the great choice.

* PS- Next week... "World Peace Cookies", I already made them and they were divine!!

Chili and 17 degree weather...

2009-01-25T19:32:00.011-07:00

Ahhhh winter has reared it's ugly head, in Denver today, with a high of 17 degrees! Brrrrrrrr.. (Last week we were so spoiled with 60 degree weather, and I loved it!) So it seemed like a perfect day for chili! I am not sure who I originally got the recipe from...I think my cousin Kara or my sister in law, but regardless I believe it is a weight watchers recipe. It is super simple, hearty and just the right amount of spice. It is great straight off the stove, and freezes well. :) I topped mine off with a few crumbles of white cheddar. It was the perfect way to end a very wintery day.

Chili

3 14oz cans of crushed tomatoes

4 tbsp of olive oil

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 red pepper

1 red onion

3/4 lb of lean ground beef ( or turkey)

1 tbsp flour (I used GF flour)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp cocoa

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3/4 of can of chic peas (I left these out... just wasn't feeling them tonight)

Brown meat in skillet. Chop onion & peppers. Add olive oil to large pot, heat up and add onions. Cook till softened and translucent. Add peppers, cook until soft. Add tomatoes, beef, spices, flour, and vinegar. Stir till well mixed and bring to boil, cover and turn to simmer for 45 minutes. Enjoy. :)

Cream Cheese Brownies

2009-01-15T09:15:00.008-07:00

This recipe was inspired (and found) by of one of my friends/coworkers. She has been having a cream cheese brownie craving for sometime... and she sent me this recipe, from the Joy of Baking on Monday. She wasn't having the best of days, her husbands company closed its' doors that morning...and they became one of the millions of families feeling the affects of our troubled economy. Needless to say, the girl REALLY deserved some home-made brownies... and who am I to refuse!!
This is a very easy recipe and literally came together in about 10 minutes. The only change I made was I used a Pamela's Gluten Free baking mix instead of all purpose flour. Thankfully the conversion was a success, and they were just as the recipes described.. very fudgy, rich and delectable!!Cream Cheese Brownies-
*Joy of Baking- Medrich, Alice. 'Cookies and Brownies'. Warner Books, Inc. New York: 1999.

Makes about 16 - 2 inch squares.

Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour ( I used Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Layer-
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a stainless steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon or spatula) after each addition. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about one minute). Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Place the remainder of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Then in the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process until creamy and smooth. Spread the cream cheese filling over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without mixing them.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours). Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. These brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Tuesdays With Dorie- Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins

2009-01-12T20:09:00.012-07:00

This weeks recipe was chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake (whose site I adore btw), Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins. As my first TWD of the year, this couldn't have been more appropriate for me.... as I love muffins.... corn, berry, chocolate muffins.. you name it.

Dorie certainly did not disappoint with this recipe. I did, however, make a few adjustments of my own for this recipe.. The first was using Pamela's Gluten Free Flour mix rather than All Purpose Flour and I left out the cilantro... as it is the one spice that makes me cringe...not a fan.

I know so many of the TWD bakers made this to serve with a Chili recipe.. and it really would be the perfect addition! I however, was not feeling Chili on Sunday... but instead paired it with "breakfast for dinner"... an omelet. :) Thanks Rebecca for this great choice, I will surely be repeating it... and was thrilled the GF conversion was a success.

Happy New Year- Christmas Cookie Recap

2009-01-07T20:25:00.014-07:00

Happy 2009!! I for one, am VERY excited for this year and all the great things it will bring... I know it is going to be a great one. Sorry for my long absence. I was a very lucky girl this year, as Santa brought me a shinny new laptop for Christmas!! I absolutely love it... but did not have a USB cord for my camera to retrieve my photos. (hence the blog break). Last night I finally broke down & stole a cord ..opps I mean borrowed one from my Dad..and am finally back in action. :)

Since I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I would recap two of my favorite cookies from this years Holiday Cookie Batch.

The first is my Grandma's Ginger Snaps. Oh my goodness are these painfully good. Just looking back at the recipe and photos, makes me want to whip up a batch asap. (It also makes a ridiculous amount of cookies... you could probably squeeze about 60 out of this recipe)

The second recipe is from a dear family friend's cook book. Christmas Oatmeal Cookies... a lovely oatmeal cookie, with a candy cane twist.

Grandma's Gingersnaps

3/4 c vegetable shortening (I didn't have any, so I substituted butter & it worked great)

1 c sugar

1/4 c molasses

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together sugar and shortening (or butter). Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger & baking soda. Then add to sugar mixture, gradually. Roll into small balls, then roll in sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes (1o for softer cookies, 15 for crispier cookies) on greased cookie sheet.

Christmas Oatmeal Cookies- by Stephanie T.

1 c butter softened

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 c quick rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 crushed candy canes

* Sugar for dipping

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg & beat well. Combine flour, soda & cinnamon in seperate bowl. Blend into butter mixture. Stir in oats & vanilla. Chill dough for 1 hour or more. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease several cookie sheets & drop dough by rounded teaspoons. Grease the bottom of a small glass, dip in sugar and press gently on each cookie..flattening it to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Re-sugar glass for each cookie. Top with crushed candy canes (about 1 tsp per cookie) and press in lightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy.

OH, one more fabulous thing... My cousin Honeymuffin highly recommended a Molton Chocolate Cake recipe, on her blog, from Bon Appetit. I made it for Christmas Dinner... WOW is all I can say. Please make this recipe.. it is super easy for dinner parties and it truly was a huge hit. I unfortunately did not take any photos, but here is the recipe. Also please see Lynne's post for her photos and her terrific blog.

Molten Chocolate Cakes (adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2001)
Makes 6.

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 TBS unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450.

Butter or spray six ¾ cup (6 oz.) ramekins. Stir chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Whisk in sugar, then chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter equally among ramekins.(only fill 3/4 of the way full) **Can be made ahead! Just cover and chill.

Bake cakes 11 minutes – sides will be set, but center may remain soft-looking. Might take a few minutes longer for refrigerated batter.

Tuesdays with Dorie- Buttery Jam Cookies

2008-12-16T09:31:00.005-07:00

This weeks TWD, was chosen by Heather of Randomosity and the Girl. The cookie madness continues with her choice of Buttery Jam Cookies. It is a really simple and easy recipe to make. Dorie's instructions call for apricot jam, however I used Raspberry (as it was what was in my fridge). I did pull them out of the oven after a few minutes, to flatten them out a bit.
These were an interesting "cookie", in fact I'm thinking these are more like biscuits rather than cookies. They have a "cakey" texture, and the jam flavor was very mild. I can see them being served with afternoon tea. :) I personally, am a "crispy cookie" girl..... so most likely this recipe will not be repeated. But that said, I always enjoy making a new recipe regardless of the outcome.

Hazelnut Brownies

2008-12-12T09:05:00.007-07:00

This is hands down, one of the best brownie recipes I have ever made. If you love chocolate, you will love this. I also happen to love the Hazelnut flavor. There is not much more to say about this one, other than it Rocks!! :) *This is recipe is gluten free, however you can substitute all purpose flour.

Wheat Free Hazelnut Brownies
*recipe originally from Karina's Kitchen

5 ounces dark chocolate with hazelnuts
4 oz unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
2 large eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 rounded cup hazelnuts, processed into a fine meal
1/4 cup white or brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (regular will do – use slightly less)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup extra semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with non-stick foil or parchment

Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in microwave or in a bowl set over simmering water.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg-sugar mixture a little at a time and beat well.

In a bowl, combine the nut meal, rice flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed. Add the vanilla, beat another half a minute or so. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the lined pan.

Bake on center rack for 33 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. Don’t overcook.

Cool on a wire rack; and remove the brownies from the pan by gripping the foil edges. Chill before cutting.

Makes 9-12 servings.

Tuesdays with Dorie- Grandma's All-Ocassion Sugar Cookies

2008-12-09T09:29:00.010-07:00

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies this month! The first three recipes, this month, for TWD are cookie recipes... "Tis the season". This weeks recipe was chosen by Urlike, of Kuchenlatein. (For the recipe click here.) These yummy little sugar cookies, were fairly simple to make. I made a little Lemon Glaze (powdered sugar and lemon juice) to ice the cookies and added some sprinkles.

I hate to admit it, but it was one of those weeks where I was in a rush to get these done, and did not put too much creativity into them.. oppssss, sorry! (I also know, that I will be decorating these cookies.. Christmas style, with my nieces and nephews later month.. so I am saving myself for that.. ha ha)

The dough, I found, was a bit tough to work with.. so sticky and mine was nearly impossible to cut. But really they were worth it! A great little sugar cookie.. buttery, flaky and light... I would definitely repeat it. But next time, I will be taking a cue from my cousin Lynne, and doing the slice and bake. Thanks Urlike.. great choice!

Oatmeal Cookies

2008-12-04T09:36:00.016-07:00

The past few days (at home) my cable, Internet and phone have all been out due to my lovely friend Comcast (GRRR). Normally this would not phase me if I had a good book to dive into, but alas I am almost done with Breaking Dawn (the last in the Twilight series. Which by the way I loved and eh hem, am reading for the 2nd time.. ssshhh don't tell anyone, K?? I know, don't say it, I have issues... but in my defense, the movie made me do it! he he I started to re-read Twilight again ....it had been so long I could not remember the details of it & wanted to compare it to the movie ... then I got sucked in again!).

So what is a girl to do when she is home, has no book and no TV to entertain her??? BAKE of course! I spent my "procrastination" time at work yesterday, searching for something to entertain me & bake for the evening. Of course there was so much to choose from, but because I had these ingredients on hand I decided to give these Oatmeal Cookies a spin. I found the recipe on Smitten Kitchen, who's site I absolutely love.... fantastic recipes and gorgeous photos. The original recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.I adapted the recipe & made the cookies Gluten Free (using Pamela's GF Flour Mix & Gluten Free Oats) but will post both versions. They were just lovely, light and crispy.. just as I prefer Oatmeal Cookies. (I am so not a fan of really heavy/cakey ones). Next time I would add some cinnamon, as I think it might just give it an extra kick.... Regardless, they were just delicious and probably the best oatmeal cookie I have made to date....

Crispy Salted Oatmeal Cookies
yields 24 cookies
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

1 cup all-purpose flour (for GF version, use 1c Pamela's Mix)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder (do not add BP, if using Pamela's)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (only 1/4 tsp for Pamela's)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (Bobs Red Mill makes awesome GF Oats..)
1 c Chocolate Chips (I just added this on the fly, the recipe did not call for it)
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for sprinkling on top)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about ¾-inch thickness.

4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie

5. Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Linzer Sables- Tuesdays with Dorie

2008-12-02T09:08:00.009-07:00

This weeks Tuesdays with Dorie was chosen by Dennis, of Living the Life... Linzer Sables. I, of course, had never made these yummy little cookies & was excited to try out something new. The recipe calls to use pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts in the dough. I choose Hazelnuts as I have a big bag of them on hand, and I just love the flavor.This was a very easy recipe to put together. I rolled mine out, and put it in the freezer for 45 minutes... and got to work. I found that I had to work very quickly as the warmer the dough got, the harder it was to work with. I decided to try two different fillings... Raspberry Jam & Nutella. They were just delicious... in fact, I had to get them out of my house immediately for fear of devouring them all!!

Tuesdays with Dorie- Thanksgiving Twofer Pie

2008-11-25T08:58:00.005-07:00

This time of year is always busy, and I only was able to squeeze in 2 of the Tuesdays with Doire this month. I completed the first one & have been holding out for this weeks recipe chosen by Vibi of La casserole Carree. I was pretty excited when I heard that the pie was a combo of my two favorites.. Pumpkin Pie and Pecan. My Grandmothers Pecan Pie is an absolute favorite in my family... I look forward to it always. As well, my mothers Pumpkin chiffon pie.. it is so light and fluffy. Yum. I figured, how could this possibly go wrong??

I hate to say it, but I did not like this pie at all... the only appropriate word that comes to my mind is "ICK". I was so bummed. (perhaps it was baker's error on my part, although I did follow the recipe to a T. or maybe I am just a plain old traditionalist when it comes to pies?? ) As I was explaining to my cousin Lynne, who also is a member of TWD, the pumpkin part was somewhat flavorless (maybe needed more spices??). I also was not crazy about the taste of the two mixtures together. Oh well, with 100's of recipes in Dorie's book... it is nearly impossible to win them all. It happens... regardless I am looking forward to the next adventure in TWD. No doubt it will turn out better!

Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites

2008-11-21T09:26:00.008-07:00

This year for Thanksgiving, we are going to my sister's... a usual holiday in my family, lots of people and kidos running around. I think 14 people?? Honestly, I lose count.. but the more the merrier! One of my "assignments" this year is to do an appetizer. So, I have been on the hunt for something new to try. Don't get me wrong, I love the usuals that we do... baked brie, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, crab stuffed mushrooms.... to name a few. But sometimes it is nice to change it up a bit, ya know?

I found this recipe Caramelized Onion-Apple Bites, and gave it a test run last night. It was wonderful....(I did make a few adjustments, like leaving out the salt. It doesn't need it) Aside from the fact that it was delicious, I love it that the onion/apple topping can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time (big bonus at this busy time of year). This one is a keeper...
Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 pound yellow onions, thinly sliced
* 2 Granny Smith or other tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted just before use
* 3 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Preparation
1. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add apples and stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until onions are medium brown, about 30 minutes. Stir in pepper and salt to taste. Set aside and let cool, about 10 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap puff pastry sheet. Cut sheet into 16 squares, then halve those squares diagonally to make 32 triangles. Arrange them, not touching, on a baking sheet.

3. Place a spoonful of cooled onion-apple mixture on each triangle. Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and minced thyme. Bake until puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

*These savory hors d'oeuvres can be assembled in advance—ideal for relaxed entertaining. Prep and Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours. Notes: The onion-apple topping can be made up to 2 days ahead. The triangles can be prepared, covered, and chilled the morning of a party, then popped into the oven when guests arrive. They can also be frozen, wrapped well, for up to 3 months (do not defrost before baking).

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2008-11-17T10:21:00.018-07:00

Coffee cake has always been a favorite in my family, as well as crumb cake. It is tradition, that we serve it while opening presents on Christmas morning... before we make our big breakfast. Between my sibling's families there are 5 kiddos (soon to be 6) that demand we get down to business, ie. opening gifts, before we cook breakfast (who can blame them!! ). I am always looking for great coffee cake recipes... (often times we are lazy and buy Entenmann's .. which by the way is damn good!)

This is a classic recipe using sour cream & it is from a dear family friend... Last night I was feeling up for a challenge and decided to see if I could succeed making it gluten free. It turned out wonderfully! I was very pleased... you never would have known it was GF (which is not always easy to achieve). I am posting the original recipe, with my gluten free adjustments next to it. *if you use Pamelas GF baking mix.. please remember that you must adjust the baking powder & baking soda measurements. The leavening in Pamela's is equivalent to 1 tsp baking powder & 1/4 tsp baking soda per cup.

Cake
1/2 c butter
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs or 1/2 c egg substitute
1 cup light sour cream
1 1/2c flour (I used Pamela's Gluten Free Baking mix)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (do not add)
1 tsp baking soda (5/8 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla

Filling/Topping

1/2 c Brown Sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking dish (or tube pan)... I used a 9'"x 13". In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar. Beat in egg substitute. Add sour cream & mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder & baking soda. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, mixing well. Add vanilla. To prepare the topping, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Place half of the batter in baking dish & sprinkle with half the topping. Repeat. Cut through the batter several times with knife. Bake 45-50 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

2008-11-10T13:41:00.020-07:00

A few years ago my dear friend, Trish, gave me this recipe for pumpkin cake (I think she had gotten it from a parent of one of her students). She just raved about how incredible it was, and insisted I make it... and oh my goodness am I glad I did. This is a "To Die For" recipe. Since then I have made it countless times and always get amazing reviews.. Today some of the reactions were "soooooooo good, OMG, amazing and someone even said they were orgasmic". Clearly this one is a keeper! *This recipe is just wonderful as cake or cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cake-
makes 24 cupcakes or 1 cake using (2 square or round pans)

Ingredients
cake
4 eggs or equivalent of egg substitute
2 c sugar
1 c oil
1 medium (15oz) can of pure pumpkin
2 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp (heaping) cinnamon

Frosting-
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon.. set aside. In another bowl combine egg, sugar and oil. Beat till smooth, add pumpkin. Add in flour mixture in 3 parts. For cupcakes, bake for 20 minutes or until springy. For cake, bake in pan at 350 for 40-45 minutes. I would recommend two square pans or one big cake pan. If you do 2 small square do 350 for 35 minutes and regular cake pan for 40 minutes. Let it cool completely before you frost. For the frosting combine cream cheese, vanilla and butter.. cream together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar... "ice" away and enjoy!

Turkey-Veggie Meatballs

2008-11-08T19:04:00.013-07:00

It is that time of year where I start to crave comfort food. Unfortunately, there is that annoying part of my brain that is still determined to TRY to keep it light and healthy. Hmph.. (I wish she would just keep quiet some days. I am kidding..well sorta ;) ) At any rate, I had some ground turkey in my fridge that needed to be used. I went to my trusty friend Cooking Light , and the Turkey-Veggie Meatball recipe popped up. It had very good reviews, but a few said that they were a bit dry. So I switched up the recipe a bit... and they were just terrific. (they freeze well too) * My photos aren't my favorite, please forgive the raw meat one.. but i wanted to show what they looked like.Turkey Veggie Meatballs -
makes 30 -serving size 5

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I used Gluten Free Breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded skim/low fat mozzarella
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup coarsely shredded carrot
1/4 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 c. egg substitute
1 tbsp minced garlic
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 228 (29% from fat) Fat: 7.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 1.8g,poly 1.4g) Protein: 30.3g Carbohydrate: 8.5g Fiber: 0.8g Cholesterol: 71mg Iron: 2.5mg Sodium: 399mg Calcium: 166mg

Tuesdays with Dorie- Rugelach

2008-11-04T09:58:00.030-07:00

One of the things that I just love about baking and/or cooking is creating something new, the process of putting it together and the outcome. It is like a science experiment for me, sometimes it is a great success and sometimes it explodes into disaster. Regardless the result, I just get a kick out of it... so entering a new challenge is incredibly fun for me. This week's recipe was chosen by Grace.... Rugelach. I personally don't think I have ever had this treat, so I had no idea what to expect... perfect!

When I made the dough it came together really quickly.. in fact I was a bit concerned that I "overworked it", as Dorie warns, so I let it chill over night. I switched up the recipe a bit... as I generally am not a fan of cookies with jam or Currants/raisins. Instead for my filling, I used Maple Pumpkin Butter, mini chocolate chips, toasted pecans(chopped finely) and of course cinnamon sugar.

My dough rolled out very easily... but man was it sticky. Thankfully I had fair warning from my cousin Lynne who had made the recipe the night before. *Use lots of flour on your rolling pin and wax paper to make it easier. I decided to go the "pinwheel" route for the sake of ease...

After putting it all together, I let it chill for an hour as it had gotten very soft thru the process. I then, sliced the rolls in 1/4 inch pieces and covered them in cinnamon sugar... skipping the "basting" that Dorie's recipe called for.I have to say, the result was fantastic! The perfect "fallish" combination for me... and they have all but disappeared in the kitchen at my office. My co-workers loved them. Thank you so much Grace for choosing this recipe, which I most likely would have never tried. These will surely go into my cookie "rotation". For the recipe, please visit Grace's wonderful site.

Lemoncakes

2008-10-28T13:51:00.010-06:00

I am a pretty laid back girl, but the one thing that really bugs me is when I "bomb" a recipe. Even tho there were many other bakers with issues on the last TWD, I was still not happy with the fact that it didn't turn out. And darn it, I don't like to be defeated! So as I was browsing FoodGawker yesterday (at work.. yes I know I really was working hard....oppps) I stumbled upon something that looked yummy, and I wanted to try. Just so happens I had all the ingredients on hand, and I was bored last night. So I halved the recipe and got my needed success. These lemon cakes were light, very moist and just delightful. The lemon glaze was mouth watering. I actually made them Gluten Free (by using Pamelas GF Baking Mix). *It dawned on me that this is a very similar recipe to the "Glazed Lemon Buttermilk Cake" cake I made last Easter out of "The Best of Cooking Light 9". A great recipe by the way, and was a huge hit. I served it with Raspberry Sorbet.

At any rate.. here is the recipe. Was a great little treat ( I made them as minis). Sorry I didn't take too many pictures. But thought it was worth sharing & phew... I feel better now. :) Many thanks to Emily for the recipe & inspiration. Check out her site... It is great!

Glazed Lemon Cakes
From Everyday Food: Great Food Fast from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour (I used Pamela's GF Mix)
2 tsp. baking powder (if using Pamelas only add 1/2 tsp of BP)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 tbsp. of lemon juice for the glaze
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs ( I used egg substitute)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray cooking spray on muffin tin, or use paper cups.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Set aside.
With an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture.
Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then cool completely on a wire rack. Mix confectioners sugar and 3tbsp of lemon juice for glaze.. pour over muffins. Wait 30 minutes for glaze to settle before serving.

TWD- Chocolate-Chocolate Cupakes

2008-10-28T10:12:00.011-06:00

This weeks "Tuesdays with Dorie" recipe was chosen by Clara from Iheartfood4thought. She went with Dorie's Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes. When I saw the choice I was pretty excited, as I really do heart cupcakes (as you may have already guessed). I followed the recipe to the"T", the batter was uber yummy, and I decided to go the mini route (by the way.. Clara requested a Halloween theme).I hate admitting it, but I was entirely disappointed in the cupcakes. They were incredibly dry... I didn't even bake them for the fully allotted time. Thankfully, I read thru the other bakers comments & a large majority had the same issue. Phew... at least I know it was not a complete bakers error on my part.. because that would upset me. ;) I think the error could have been in 2 parts. 1. I have found using butter in cake/cupcakes recipes sometimes results in dryness. Next time I would probably use oil instead... or add some yogurt to moisten it up??? 2. I did not weigh the flour, I just used my trusty measuring cup instead... I have been reading a lot lately that it is very important to weigh the flour instead. Lesson learned!The glaze however was great, and fun to work with. I used the "dipping" method, which was fun, to ice them. Sadly these little babies did not make it into my office. I have a reputation to uphold here (ha!) they went to (as my cousin Lynne calls it) the little cupcake heaven in the sky.. aka. the trashcan (gasp!) . Check out some of the other TWD bakers results here...

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry

2008-10-22T09:16:00.015-06:00

This was a great little recipe I tried last night from Cooking Light. It was very simple, quick to make... I halved the recipe and served it over 1/4 cup of rice. It was incredibly tasty and definitely will be repeated. Also loved the calorie count... 220 calories per serving??? Hooray! *Cooking Light also suggests that this could be used with chicken or steak, too. Shrimp & Broccoli Stir Fry - Cooking Light Jan. 2008
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil ( I used regular sesame oil, as it was what I had on hand)
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
* 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
* 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups small broccoli florets
* 1 cup vertically sliced onion

Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Information
Calories:v 220 (27% from fat) Fat: 6.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.9g) Protein: 26.2g Carbohydrate: 11.8g Fiber: 2.8g
Cholesterol: 172mg Iron: 3.6mg Sodium: 577mg Calcium: 105mg

Sprinkles Cupcake Mix from Williams Sonoma

2008-10-21T09:15:00.017-06:00

In 1980 the musical "Barnum" debuted on Broadway, it was a fabulous show and was based on the infamous P.T Barnum. The song that is playing in my head this morning is from "Barnum", "There Is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute" (forgive me... I have Broadway on the brain as I saw two shows in NYC last week ). And yes, indeed I am a sucker ...argh! Darn you Williams Sonoma...I saw this Sprinkles Cupcake Mix and got suckered in.I have heard such rave reviews about "Sprinkles" cupcakes and have been simply dying to try them. Unfortunately, a visit to CA is not in my near future, so this is as close as I will get. The canister comes with the "cupcake mix" that you add eggs, butter and milk too... as well as instructions for the icing.
The cupcake itself was wonderful. Very moist and rich with that famous Madagascar bourbon vanilla taste that "Sprinkles" boasts about. However, I was incredibly disappointed in the icing. I am a big fan of creamy, melt in your mouth icing... sadly this was a bit thicker and just not to my liking. I have no doubt that real thing is way better. After all was just the take home mix, and my guess was there was some "user error" on my part. ;)

*on a side note... I did walk by a Magnolia Bakery in NYC last week. Of course I had to stop. That was just the opposite experience. Their cupcakes were dry and nothing really to write home about. But their icing, oh my ...was out of this world. If only I could have combined the sprinkles cake and the Magnolia icing, I would have been in heaven!

Lenox Almond Biscotti- Tuesdays with Dorie

2008-10-14T10:26:00.011-06:00

I am thrilled to be joining this amazing group of bakers... Tuesdays with Dorie. What a fun way to get a "baking education" and have an excuse to experiment with recipes from Dorie Greenspan's book. This week the recipe was chosen by Canela & Comino, "Lenox Almond Biscotti". I have never made biscotti before & I must admit I was a tad intimidated. But was happily surprised that it was a fairly simple process, and the results were delicious. For my first TWD, I stuck to the basics with using just Almonds (oh and I did add cinnamon too). I noticed that I had to bake mine a bit longer than the recipe called for (which I saw was the case in many other bakers notes). There is a very special lady in my life who just adores Biscotti and loves to keep them on hand for visitors...my 96 year old grandmother, Mary. So of course I took the entire batch to her on Sunday morning. I am very happy to report that they got rave reviews. She took them to dinner and served them to her table mates. The ladies just loved them.. and apparently they had quite the discussion on what the ingredients were. Mary insisted cornmeal was one, and her table mates protested. Way to go Gram, you really know your stuff! all in all my first TWD was a success.... can't wait for the next one.

Halloween Cookies

2008-10-12T14:52:00.009-06:00

Last week I was killing some time over lunch by browsing one of my favorite stores, Crate and Barrel. I was busy trying to restrain myself from spending money, when I saw this fun Halloween Cookie Cutter Set. Did I mention it was on sale? Ohhh, I just couldn't resist!

It just so happens that one of my favorite holiday traditions, with my family, is decorating Christmas cookies. Since I can remember my Mom has been making this "rolled" cookie recipe with us kids... and now the grandkids. It is such a terrific recipe and so easy. So I called my sister, made a date with her and the munchkins.. then invited us over to my parents for the afternoon for a little "pre" Halloween fun!

Cookie Cutter Cookies
makes 2 dozen (roughly)
Ingredients
1 C Butter (sweetened butter- unsalted)
2/3 c sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Cream sugar and butter till smooth. Add vanilla. Beat in Egg. Combine and add flour, salt. Chill dough 3-4 hrs before rolling. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Bake 8-10 minutes or until slightly colored. Let cool and decorate!

*Cookie Artwork by Jackson, Mckenzie and Austin

Butternut Squash Risotto

2008-10-08T19:59:00.000-06:00

Last night, while watching the debate, I read thru some old cook books that I hadn't used in years. (I know... gasp.... I was not 100% focused on the debate.. sshhh don't tell... Oh well you can't blame a girl for multi-tasking.) Butternut Squash is one of my favorite fall produce, in fact I bought one at the store yesterday, & what great timing as I found this recipe in Williams-Sonoma "Vegetarian for All Seasons". I thought I would give it a whirl. It was very easy, hearty and enjoyable. :) I used Arborio Rice, and quartered the recipe.

Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 lb Butternut Squash
7 1/2 - 8 cups Vegetable Stock
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (I cheated and used dried)
1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c extra virgin Olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice

The original recipe calls for baking the Squash, but I was a hungry girl just home from work...so I hit the microwave. Slice Squash in half, wrap halves in plastic and cook for 6-8 minutes (individually) until tender.
Pour stock in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low so that it barely simmers.
Scoop out pulp from cooled squash halves & place in food processor with 1/4 c of stock. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan & add parsley & nutmeg. Cover to keep warm, adding a little stock if the puree dries out.
In Saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion & saute until softened. Add rice, stir to coat with oil, & cook until the edges are translucent (3-4 minutes). Add a ladelful of simmering stock, & continue to stir constantly over heat. When stock is almost fully absorbed, add another ladelful. Stir steadily to keep rice from sticking & continue to add more stock, as soon as each ladelful is absorbed. The risotto is done when the rice is tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the squash puree and season with salt and pepper.
Divide remaining Puree among individual plates. Spoon risotto into ramekin, packing it tightly. Unmold the risotto on top of the squash Puree.

Chai Blueberry Muffins

2008-10-07T19:56:00.002-06:00

I adore muffins... and have a passion for ALL berries. Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Boysenberries... you name it. ( In fact I hate to admit it, but I have felt a little heart sore that berry season has ended. I was in heaven all summer.) When I saw this post on Chai-Berry Muffins... I was on a mission to make them Gluten Free. I have been in desperate need for a "go to Gluten Free Muffin", and I am happy to say VICTORY is FINALLY mine!

I played with this recipe many times. The first time I made it with regular all purpose flour, and I tested them... they of course were wonderful. Light, Fluffy and the "Chai" flavor adds a lovely fall touch.

Pamela's makes a terrific Gluten Free Baking Mix. It does already contain Baking Powder and Soda (1tsp baking powder & 1/4 tsp baking soda per cup) I made the appropriate adjustments & was so thrilled to have success! (the first time I tried this mix, I didn't realize I needed to adjust the ingredients.... and BOY was that a disaster! Oops)

I am going to post Elle's recipe with my adjustments (in green).. so that you can use the recipe either way you would like. They really are wonderful.... I served them to my Gluten eating family and they all loved them.

*note- I could not find Chai Spice at the store. However, you can mix 50% Chinese Five Spice & 50% Cardamom to get the Chai Flavor in a pinch.

Chai-berry Muffins-
makes 12

2 cups flour (2 cups Pamela's)
2 tsp baking powder (no baking powder added)
1 tsp baking soda (1/2 tsp baking soda)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chai spice blend (3/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice & 3/4 tsp Cardamom)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Danon Light and Fit Vanilla)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint blueberries
3/4 cup chopped pecans (I left the nuts out..)

Heat the oven to 350°. Grease a 12 muffin tin.
In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
To a larger bowl, add the oil, yogurt, sugar and vanilla, mix well with a hand mixer or by hand.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine a bit.
Grab a rubber spatula and fold in the berries and nuts.
Fill the muffin tins--an ice cream scoop makes for more evenly sized muffins, and it's much neater than a spoon.
Bake for about 25 minutes and check. They should be golden brown and a tester should come out clean.
Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes or so, then run a knife around the muffins, and turn them out on the
rack to cool.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-02T20:30:00.000-06:00

Imagine my delight when my co-worker Sherea, brought me pumpkin fresh from her garden! Oh I just knew that it would be delicious and could not wait to bake with it.

I stumbled upon many recipes, of course, for pumpkin bread. But I found one from Bon Appétit that looked like it was a hit (it had a ton of positive reviews). One of the things that grabbed my attention was it was described as "cake like" and "sweet", 2 of my favorite combinations.

I halved the recipe.. using only 8oz. of Sherea's incredible Pumpkin! Thankfully I have 8 more ounces left to bake with. :)

This is a great recipe and certainly lived up to its rave reviews!

Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Bon Appétit November 1995
Vern Bertagna: West Frankfort, Illinois
Servings: Makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs (I used egg beaters)

1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Butterfinger Blondies

2008-09-30T14:28:00.000-06:00

A friend & coworker asked me to bake something for her Chorus's bake sale. (they are raising $ for a trip to Hawaii where the will be competing nationally) Of course I jumped at the excuse to try out a new recipe! (how could I say no.. )

So as I was in search of something "evil" to bake I stumbled upon "Recipe Girls" Butterfinger Blondies. The were incredibly easy to make, and VERY Decadent! They got rave reviews in my office, and to be honest.. I was so happy to have them out of my hands for fear of eating too many!

Butterfinger Blondies
from Recipe Girl

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 regular-sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour or line a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, combine butter and brown sugar for about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
5. Stir in flour mixture and 2 cups of crushed butterfingers.
6. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining crushed butterfinger bars over top of batter.
7. Bake 30- 35 minutes, or until the bars are a bit firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Honeycrisp Apples

2008-09-24T16:29:00.000-06:00

Honeycrisp apples are so delicious right now! I picked up a few at Whole Foods this week, and oh my they were tasty. If you like apples, please pick some of these up!

Santa Margherita

2008-09-24T15:21:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorites. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is fresh, crisp and wonderfully refreshing. A friend just asked me to meet up for happy hour, and I found this flashing threw my mind. Perfect for this gorgeous fall day... Too bad I already committed to a spin class this evening! Oh well, I do see a glass of Santa Margherita in my future this weekend. ;)

Dorie's Corniest Corn Muffins

2008-09-24T10:09:00.000-06:00

My cousin Lynne recently introduced me to Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From My Home to Yours". What a fabulous book.... So many delectable recipes I can not wait to dig into! Lynne in fact is now participating in the Tuesdays with Dorie Baking group. What a great idea & a fun excuse to bake. I may have to hop on board to one of these days... Anyways I bought the book this weekend and was ready to dig in. I chose her first recipe "Corniest Corn Muffins" and they were just lovely. I followed the recipe almost to the "T" and they were very light, fluffy and enjoyable. Below is Dorie's Recipe......

Corniest Corn Muffins Adapted from Baking From My Home To Yours

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
6 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons corn oil (I only had Canola oil on hand..so used that instead)
1 large egg ( I used egg Beaters)
1 large egg yolk
1 cup corn kernels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you’d like), fresh, frozen or canned (in which case they should be drained and patted dry)

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter or spray the 12 muffin molds in a regular-size muffin tin, or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.

Working in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In a large glass measuring cup with a spout or in another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and yolk. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the corn kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin molds.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Pull the pan from the oven and carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and onto a rack to cool.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-09-23T16:00:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorite easy recipes. It takes about 15 minutes total, including bake time... and they are very tasty! I had the urge to bake (shocking I know) on Sunday night, whipped these up... had one (ok maybe a couple) and brought the rest into work on Monday. A co-worker popped by my desk mid morning and said "the devil makes you bake!". HA! Well thank you, I will take that as a compliment.

Flourless PB cookies
One cup creamy peanut butter (I use the reduced fat kind)
One cup white sugar
One teaspoon baking powder
1/4c egg beaters (or 1 egg)

Preheat the oven to 350° Line cookie sheet with wax paper. Fill small bowl with some extra sugar, set aside. Mix ingredients together. This can be tough with the PB so just use a whisk or spatula. Once the batter is smooth, use a teaspoon to scoop batter out.. roll into small ball and then roll in sugar. Place on wax paper. Bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then move to cooling wrack... and Voila! They even taste great in the cold... and are a perfect treat to make with kids.

I dream of ....

2008-09-23T15:29:00.000-06:00

This KitchenAid mixer. The Williams Sonoma website says KitchenAid is an "American Icon". You can say that twice and mean it! I have been coveting these mixers for years, and I can't lie.. my heart does flutter a bit when I pass one in the store. I think one of these days I will have to start saving for one... Or Christmas gift perhaps? I would love you forever!