Week 9 - Pumpkin Cranberry Bars

I made these last week and they were a big hit at work - they are technically the week 9 cookies but I was having problems posting on my blog last week so I didn't get them up in time.

1 cup (100 grams) pecans (toasted)
2 cups (270 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (225 grams) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups (150 grams) dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 C. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the pumpkin puree, then slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated. Once mixed add the cranberries and pecans until combined.

Pour into a greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Apple Pie

I am taking a class at George Brown with my mom - it's Baking Art 101, and it is a prerequiste for my Professional Cake Decorating Certificate. We even have to wear a full chef uniform. The class is a lot of fun - I get to hang out with my mom and bake - what could be better?

This week we made Apple pie, the crust was incredible. Unfortunately the recipe below is in grams as we use a digital scale for measuring in class.

Pie crust:
375g pastry flour
250g shortening
175ml cold water
7.5g salt
15g brown sugar

Rub flour and shortening together until they form irregular pea sized crumbs. Add salt, sugar and water and mix until just incorporated. Put on floured surface, divide the dough into 2 halfs (one slightly larger for the bottom crust). Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for minimum four hours (overnight is ideal).

Filling:
6 apples
lemon juice
250g sugar
25g cornstarch
cinnamon
30g butter

Peel, core and slice the apples, then sprinkle them with lemon juice to keep them from going brown. Mix the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon and pour over apple mixture and mix until they're coated.

Grease and flour the pie plate, roll out the top and bottom crusts. Place the bottom crust in the pan, fill with the apple mixture. Break up the butter and place on top of the apples. You need to eggwash the crust of the pie to create the seal between the top and bottom layers. Eggwash is made of an egg, salt to break up the egg and cold water mixed together. Place the top crust on and trim any excess dough from the edges. You need to crimp the crust together to make the seal - you can either use a fork to press down on the edges, or you can pinch the two crusts together as I did. Then you need to eggwash the top of the pie, and cut vents in the top to let steam escape.

Bake at 220C for 40-45.

My pie is on the left, and my mom's is on the right...

Week 8 - Pecan Toffee Bars

Not as good as some of the other toffee bars I have made. My favorite toffee bar recipe calls for Skor bits in the bar itself, this did not call for any. I modified the recipe by toasting the pecans (who wants untoasted pecans) and adding skor bits as a topping.

1 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups flour

1 cup toasted chopped pecans

6 aero bars

skor bits (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13 pan.

Beat the butter, mix in the brown sugar and salt until combined. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add the flour mix and combine. Spread evenly in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Once the pan comes out of the oven immediately place the chocolate bars on top and let them melt. Once melted spread the chocolate evenly over the crust - sprinkle on the pecans and toffee bits. Let cool then cut up into bars.

Week 7 - Fudge Brownies

I am not sure I agree that bars should be included in the cookies category. The 52 cookie recipes the Aussies gave me includes an entire section of bars - so I guess I have to go along with it. This recipe is really good, normally I am not a fan of brownies as they are often dry - but these are most and chewy which I love.

1/2 cup butter

4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

icing sugar for dusting after

In a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter together. Meanwhile beat the eggs and sugar for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is a thick, pale yellow.

Once the chocolate-butter mixture has melted add it and the vanilla to the eggs/sugar and mix just until all the streaks of chocolate disappear.

Fold in the flour mixture. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. Just before serving dust with icing sugar.

Week 6 - Chocolate Butter Spritz

This was the second time I have ever used my cookie press and I have to admit it is a lot of fun. It can be a little frustrating at times - I had problems making my dough stick to the pan (be sure to use an UNgreased baking sheet for these cookies). I let my brother Finlay and friend Allison pick the shapes of the cookies. These were delicious, the cocoa wasn't overpowering giving the cookies a subtle chocolate-butter flavour.

1 cup butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/3 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Beat the butter, add the icing sugar, brown sugar and cocoa and mix until combined. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and milk. Add the flour and combine.

Place the dough in a cookie press and press it through. Cookies should be about 1 inch apart. If you do not have a cookies press you can form rounded teaspoons of the dough instead.

Orange Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Bread

I made four loaves of this bread yesterday - each recipe yields 2 loafs. The orange juice is a nice addition as it cuts the sweetness of the chocolate - the first batch I made I used 1 tbsp orange zest instead of the OJ and it worked just as well.

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cup grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp orange juice (with pulp)

1 cup chocolate chips

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Start by beating the eggs until fluffy, then add the sugar until combined. Then add the oil, zucchini, vanilla and OJ. Then sift together and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter between 2 greased loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes.

Week 5 - Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe has always been the William Sonoma one. It's a classic recipe, and the cookies are delicious. But these cookies are definitely a little different - they are really soft, and the addition of oats gives them an interesting texture. I used a combination of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips (but that was because I actually didn't have enough of either). But they were really good.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 F. Beat the butter, add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Then beat in the eggs, honey and vanilla. Add the flour - once mixed add the rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Drop tsp sized balls onto a baking sheet and cook for 12 minutes.

Week 4 - Trail Mix Cookies

Real food is good and all - but I still really like cookies. So last night I made the cookies for week four - trail mix cookies. You can do a million variations of these by switching the ingredients in your trail mix. Mine had a lot of nuts - but next time I will probably add some coconut, and of course there is always the option to add some chocolate chips. These are probably the healthiest cookies I will make all year...

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp allspice

2 eggs

3 mashed bananas

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups flour

1.5 cups rolled oats

2.5 cups trail mix

Preheat the over to 375 F.

Beat the butter, add the sugar (brown and granulated), baking soda, baking powder and allspice and beat all the ingredients together until combined.

Beat in the eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla. Then add the flour. Once the mixture is combined add the rolled oats and trail mix.

Drop tsp sized cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes until golden brown.

Occassionally, Ash we all need real food!

So I have been really really bad about writing on this blog! My life became a little too busy and my kitchen space became incredibly small. So, I've been cooking almost never and baking even less. Because I haven't been baking I have no real recipes to add. I have done something else, though.

The other day i took part in a recipe exchange. You send out an email like this:

You have been invited to be a part of a recipe exchange. Please send a recipe to the person whose name is in number 1 position below (even if you don't know them) and it should be preferably one that is quick, easy and without rare ingredients. Actually, the one you know in your head and can type quickly and send right now is best. Then, copy this letter into a new e-mail; move my name to the number 1 position and put your name in the number 2 position. Only mine and your name should show when you send your e-mail. Send to 20 friends. If you cannot do this within 5 days, let me know so it will be fair to those participating. You should receive 36 recipes. It's fun to see where they come from!! Seldom does anyone drop out because we can all use new recipes.
The turnaround is fast because only 2 names are on the list.

1. mclean.robbins@gmail.com
2. k_libby@hotmail.com
   

Then you wait for all the recipes to role in. So, I'm going to add a few of these delicious recipes as they come. I apologize that they aren't baked goods and I promise my next post will involve some sort of fanciful confection.

Quick & Easy Lasagna

Ingredients

12 oz of ground beef (Italian/pork sausage)

1-2 boxes of preboiled lasagna noodles (box says no boiling required)

2 jars of pasta sauce (my favorite is Prego: Italian Sausage/Garden Combination)

1 beaten egg

1 (15oz) of ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Brown meat, drain. Stir in pasta sauce (save 1 cup)

• Add extra spices such as basil, pepper (if desirable)

2. For filling, combine egg, ricotta & 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

3. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce over bottom of 2-quart rectangular baking dish.

4. Layer noodles at bottom of dish. Spread with half of filling. Layer noodles again. Spread with meat. Layer noodles on top. Top with remaining sauce & mozzarella cheese. (vise visa - filling first, meat second)

5. Bake at 375 for 30 - 35 minutes.

Using the pre-boiled noodles & pasta sauce saves you time :)

AND

Lentil soup (or drain the broth and then it is just lentils)

1/2 package of lentils (flat brow almost bean things)
2? cartons of chicken stock (low sodium)
2-3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1-2 carrots
1 medium onion
1 package of frozen spinach
Italian seasonings
salt (maybe)
pepper
1-3 tomatoes
optional (nice Swiss cheese or balsamic vinegar)
cooked brown rice


1) put the spinach on the counter to part way defrost, sort the lentils (pour a small amount on a plate to see if there are any rocks, etc) rinse the good lentils

2) heat some olive oil in the pan and saute the garlic and onion.

3) Peel and dice the carrot(s) add to the onion/garlic once it is about 1/2 way cooked (this is not precise)

4) once the onions are clear and the carrots have cooked about 1/2 way, Add the chicken stock and the lentils (stock should be about 1 inch above the lentil... maybe add some water)

5) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. let cook about 20 minutes... Add the spinach. (hidden veggies)

6) simmer some more. Add Italian seasoning maybe 2 tbs?

7) Salt and pepper to taste.

8) lentil are done when they are soft. Be sure to stir while cooking because otherwise they will cook at different times. 5 minutes before it is done add the fresh diced tomato.

9) Serve as a soup with brown rice or drain it for more of a side dish. Add just a bit of cheese and a dash of balsamic vinegar if you want..

YUM, easy, good for you.

Week 3 - Orange Coconut Macaroons

I don't know how I feel about these. They are not very pretty as they sort of got runny while baking. I think they look burnt but according to people at work they are caramelized. Interesting take on the classic macaroon but not sure I would repeat this recipe.

3 cups shredded coconut

1 can condensed milk

zest of 1 orange

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

Mixed ingredients together in a bowl. Dropped tsp sized balls on a parchment covered baking sheet. Baked for 10 minutes at 350 F until they became a golden brown.

Week 2 - Hazelnut Meringues

Ok, so my confession is I substituted this weeks cookies recipe. It was supposed to be these almond cookies - but I kinda hate almond cookies. Or at least I really dislike almond extract. So I decided to make meringues instead (partially due to the fact that I did not have any butter). Anyways, they are delicious! Enjoy!

3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup hazelnuts - toasted, skinned and crushed

Beat egg whites and vanilla until frothy. Beat on high speed and slowly add the flour mixture. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form (4 min). Fold in 3/4 cup hazelnuts.

Drop teaspoon sized drops on a baking sheet and top with remaining nuts.

Bake at 275 degree (F) for 30 min - let cool in the oven (temp off, door slightly ajar) for another 20-30 min. Let cool on a tray for another hour.

Snickerdoodles (best cookie name ever)

Best cookie name ever = really good melt in your mouth cinnamon-toast inspired cookies! These are delicious!

Cinnamon-sugar mix - 2 tbsp sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat butter, sugar egg and vanilla. Add flour mix. Roll dough into teaspoon sized balls. Roll the dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mix until coated. Bake 9 min at 400F degree.

Week 1 - Chocolate-Praline Cookies

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and two of my good friends Angie and Elle gave me a box of cookies recipes. The box contained 52 cookie recipes to be exact - enough for a new cookie recipe every week. So this has become my new goal. This week I made recipe #1 - chocolate praline cookies. They are pretty good, not my favorite but they look quite nice. Enjoy!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1.5 cup flour

1 cup toasted pecans

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I mixed the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and baking powder together until blended. I added the flour and then the toasted nuts. I formed 2 inch round balls and baked for exactly 9 minutes.

Once the cookies were cool I melted the chocolate and shortening together in a saucepan and then drizzled the chocolate over the cookies.

Thanks for the pressie Aussies - I love it!

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

I was a little unsure how the chocolate would taste with the shortbread, but the results were surprisingly good. I really like these cookies. I made them small because they are really rich... really good...

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Combine the flour and cornstarch then add to the mixture. Blend until its a creamy consistency then add the chocolate chips being careful not to over mix. Form into balls and bake for about 18 min.

Lemon Alligator Cupcakes

I am in love with my alligator mould. I personally think it is so much fun. I have only used it once before and that was to make my "See you later alligator" baked good for my roomates farwell party... And that alligator got some damn good reviews.

So I decided it was time to bring the mould out again.

Cupcakes
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 superfine sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
freshly grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the butter, eggs, lemon rind, sugar and milk and mix together. Spoon the batter out and cook for 16 min.

Lemon Buttercream Icing
6 tbsp softened butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

While the cupcakes are cooling mix the butter, icing sugar and lemon together - then ice away...

Peanut Butter Cookies

I made these for my brother on the weekend. I think this is a great recipe. Its from William Sonoma and the cookies are so soft and crumbly.

½ cup melted unsalted butter

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1.5 cups plain flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

In a large bowl add the melted butter, brown and granulated sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla extract and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. In another bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With a whisk, whisk the ingredients together. Add the flour to the butter mixture and mix together. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours.Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two baking trays. Using dampened hands shape the dough into small (1-inch) balls. Place on the baking sheets, and either slightly press down with your finger tips, or press the top down with a fork. Bake until the bottoms are golden brown (12-15min).

Easy Lemon Bars

I love lemon bars - especially this recipe which has the easiest crust ever!!!!


So I took 1/2 cup of butter and placed it in the bottom of a 9" cake pan. I preheated the oven to 350 and put the pan with the butter in it into the oven to melt (approx 5 minutes). Once the butter had melted I added a cup of flour and 1/2 cup icing sugar directly into the cake pan and mixed it together. I pressed the dough into the bottom of the pan and put it back into the oven for 15 minutes until the crust was a golden brown.


While it was baking I mixed the filling. I took 1 cup of sugar and 2 eggs and beat the mixture together. I then added 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 baking powder, zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. I mixed this all together, then poured it over the hot crust. Put the entire pan back in the oven and baked it for another 20 min.


When the top of the bars were golden brown I took them out of the oven and let them cool. Before serving I dusted the top of the bars with icing sugar.

So good!

Lemon Bars Crust
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup icing sugar

Lemon Bars Filling
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Coconut Macaroons

So I came home with the plan of taking a picture of these cookies because I had left a whole bunch of them at home... and my brother ate them. So no image of these cookies.

But, I preheated the oven to 350 and lined a tray with my silpat.

1 package shredded coconut
1/2 can condensed milk
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Mixed it all together and baked until it was golden brown - about 18 minutes. Would probably cook for 16 minutes next time, the tray closest to the top of the oven got a little crunchy.

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe. Mainly because you don't expect the cream cheese flavour when eating a cupcake. My brother ate one without knowing what ingredients were in it and thought it tasted weird. But when I told people at work that it was a cheesecake cupcake they really enjoyed it. Its funny how knowing what your eating or rather not knowing, can change your opinion of it.

Ok, so I started by preheating the oven to 350 degrees, and lining a muffin tin.

Cream cheese topping:
1 package - 250 grams - cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 vanilla extract

I beat the cream cheese until it was smooth and then added the sugar, egg and vanilla. I beat the mixture until it was creamy and smooth.

Chocolate cupcake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

I sifted together the dry ingredients. I mixed the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar together. I then made a whole in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly poured my wet mixture in, stirring until it was smooth.

I then divided the chocolate mixture into my muffin tins - probably about 15 muffins. And then topped each of the cupcakes with the cream cheese mixture.

I baked it for about 20 minutes.

Cooking

If we are going to cook, let's actually do it. I really liked this post and I wanted to share it:

Don't Be Fooled by Some Celebrity Chefs

Photo credit: Brad Barlet/Getty Images

My daughter was angered by an article in the Globe and Mail today, and suggested I write a post about it. It was about the Canadian launch of Gordon Ramsay's new cookbook entitled Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food (2008, Key Porter Books).

According to the article, what makes the food so fast is this: You open a jar of "gourmet" sauce and pour it on whatever you are cooking, or you buy already roasted meat to put on top of your pasta. It seems is the in thing to do for readers of Nigella Lawsons' Nigella Express (2007, Hyperion) and Martha Stewart Living's Great Food Fast (2007, Clarkson Potter). Apparently, so says the article, "people will think you fussed and fussed." Well, I think people can tell a processed food over homemade anytime.

I can tell you I have made lots of easy, fast recipes that my guests have thought I fussed over, without opening a jar of sauce or buying ready-made ingredients. I remember years ago, when I was hosting a barbeque, and I was making chicken satay, I sent my husband off to the grocery store for ingredients. When he had trouble finding something, he asked a clerk who pointed to a jar of satay sauce and said, just buy that. He said he could, but it was pointless because I'd never serve it. He was right. That isn't to say I don't used canned items. I do, but I've used canned tomatoes when they are out of season, and canned beans and the like, just not ready-made food.

There are a number of things at issue here:

1. We have become so enamoured of celebrity chefs on television, and the difficult menus that they seem to effortlessly pull off while we watch their shows, that cooking seems scary and challenging. It's not.

2. We are being encouraged to consume products that are expensive, highly processed, and filled with chemical additives that we don't need or want in our diet. Read Michael Pollan.

3. As I pointed out in my post about eating out for my birthday, chefs use much more salt and fat than anyone needs. So do bottled sauces. Your food can still taste great without that.

Don't be fooled into thinking that you can't put an easy, quick meal on the table without resorting to pouring something ready-made out of a jar.

Smashie Bars

I created my own kind of chocolate bar last night - Smashie bars.

Smashie Bars
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2c up peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3-3.5 cups marshmellow
1/2 cups toffee bits
1 cup peanuts
3 cups vanilla rice krispies

Put the corn syrup, honey, cocoa, PB and brown sugar into a saucepan and heated it until it all melted and almost came to a boil. Then I added in the marshmellows and stirred until it was all mixed together. In the meantime I put the peanuts, toffee bits and rice krispies in a bowl. I then poured the mixture from the saucepan over the dry mixture and mixed it all together. I then pressed the mixture into a greased 8x8 square cake pan and let it cool slightly. While it was cooling I melted chocolate chips and poured it over the top of the bars covering completely.

Left it to cool overnight and cut into bars.

Ok - so here is the consensus on the bars. I like the bars but they could do without the peanuts. People like them with and without - but I think they would be better without... but chocolate and nuts - people always enjoy!

Happy Easter!

Scrumptious Peach Cobbler

I may be a little too Northern for Peach Cobbler but I love it anyway. Here is my favorite recipe, taken from Gourmet, and modified.

Active time: 20 min. Start to finish: 45 min.

6 large peaches, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For biscuit topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/4 cup of oats
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preparation

Cook peaches:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a 2-qt. nonreactive baking dish and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes.

Make topping while peaches bake:
Stir together flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Bake in middle of oven until topping is golden, about 25 minutes. (Topping will spread as it bakes.)

Baked Pears

Sometimes I want to bake something that still might be a little bit healthy for me, so I created this recipe. You can make it singularly or simply multiply the recipe for as many pears as you need.

Ingredients
1 Pear
1 lemon, halved
1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2cups sugar
the zest of 2 navel oranges
twocinnamon sticks
1/4 cup Grande Marnier

Directions
Peel the pears, leaving the stems intac. Drop into a bowl of cold water with the lemon juice

In a saucepan combine the wine, 1 cup water, the sugar, the zest, the cinnamon sticks, and the liqueur, bring the liquid to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes.

Arrange the pears, drained, on their sides in a baking dish and pour the syrup over them.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake the pears in the middle of a preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, turn the pears over gently, and replace the foil.

Bake the pears for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until they are tender.

Let the pears cool, transfer them carefully to a deep serving dish, and ladle the cooking syrup with the zest over them.

Chill the pears, covered, overnight and serve them with some of the syrup.

Butterscotch Coconut Cookies

Last night I made butterscotch coconut cookies. They are pretty good but I had some problems with the dough. The recipe calls for you to mix all the dough together then add the coconut and butterscotch chips. I always mix in chips by hand - I feel that it gets a better distribution throughout the mix then using the mixer. But last night when I added the final two ingredients I could not get the dough to mix with them. I ended up having to put it back on the mixer stand and beat the chips and coconut in. I thought that would be the end of my difficulties but I was wrong. Now that the chips and coconut were finally integrated the dough wouldn't stick together. I ended up having to press the balls the same way you would try and create a snowball from snow that doesn't want to stick. Not a huge fan of the difficulty in forming these cookies, but all in all they tasted pretty good.

1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
11/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 sugar
1/2 packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a mixing stand cream the butter, then add the granulated and brown sugars mixing until no longer gritty. Add the egg and vanilla and mix together.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low. Then add the coconut and butterscotch. Form into 1 inch balls and bake for about 15 minutes.

Hello Dolly

I don't know what is in a typical Hello Dolly - but I made up my own recipe the other day, and everyone at work loved them. People at work are starting to make requests - I have been told that Date Squares would be nice, and the Hello Dolly's are a result of a co-workers love of coconut!

Hello Dollys
1 box of graham crackers crushed
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups coconut
1 can condensed milk
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces

I mixed the crushed graham crackers, butter and sugar together and pressed them into the bottom of a 10 x 15 glass pan. I then put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until the crust was firm. I let it cool for about 10 minutes.

I then covered the crust with the pecans, followed by the chocolate chips and then poured the condensed milk over the top. This was followed by a generous sprinkling of coconut. I then put the whole pan back in the oven for about 15 minutes until the coconut was a golden brown colour and nicely toasted.

Let the bars cool for an hour and then cut them up into bars - they were fantastic!

Oatmeal Scotchies

This recipe is delicious. I ate so much cookie batter that I only cooked 33 cookies- oops!

Plus, a woman in my office called me an angel and that the cookies were heavenly.

Ingredients

3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. white flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. quick oats

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and Vanilla, continue to mix. Add flour (white and wheat), soda and spices to the same bowl. Stir in oats and morsels.

Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes.

Let cool slightly on sheet before allowing to cool on cookie rack!

Whole Wheat Bread

I haven't posted in awhile because I forgot how to log-in- thankfully Ash saved me and I now am able to post! Ash is pretty much my hero and she is also my pseudo-Mom. Really I would forget to put on clothes if not for her.

So I made this easy and delicious bread last week- it was so good that my friend almost cried out in delight. He did cry out later but that may have been from more than just the bread :P

Whole Wheat Bread

1 c. milk

¼ c sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 package yeast

2 c. whole wheat flour

4 c. white flour

Preheat oven to 375

Bring ½ cup water to boil; mix with milk, salt, sugar in a large bowl. Let cool.

In separate container mix ½ warm water with yeast, let stand.

Add yeast to wheat flour and two cups white flour to liquids. Beat thoroughly, turn onto floured board, add enough flour that the dough is not sticky. Kneed dough for 5 minutes, let stand for 10.

Place dough is a mixing bowl and cover with a warm towel until double in bulk. Knead dough again and divide into two halves.

Grease loaf pan and place dough in pans. Let dough rise until double in bulk again.

Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool and then take out of loaf pans. Enjoy!

Colourful Cupcakes

I made cupcakes for a meeting I had yesterday. They were birthday cake cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing. I used the birthday cake recipe from the William Sonoma cake book. It is the first recipe in the book and I just cut the baking time to make it suitable for cupcakes. Instead of 20-25 min, I did 15-20 min.


The cake recipe isn't very hard. Your typical flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, etc. The icing on the otherhand was an undertaking!


The first problem with my icing started when I was baking the cake itself. Buttercream requires, among other things - a lot of butter. I turned on my oven to preheat it, and didn't really notice that I had left my bag of groceries (which contained the butter) on top of the stove. I started making my batter, when I thought I smelt burning plastic. I looked over at my stove and my grocery bag had metled onto my element. When I grabbed the bag to take it off the stove, the brand new box of butter poured down my arm and onto my stove. All 4 sticks of butter had FULLY MELTED!!!! The box of butter was filled with liquid and needless to say I had to go buy more.

Vanilla Buttercream is delicious. However be prepared for a time commitement. You end up having to clean your mixing bowl a number of time. I love the William Sonoma recipe but it is a lot of prep - there are easier buttercream recipes online.

Vanilla Buttercream recipe: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=297642B6-04BE-414A-99E9969C9EE672D0

Birthday Cake recipe: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=C53C4D51%2D9BF8%2D44A3%2D9CC6FB1D44BC485B

Despite all my icing woes they turned out great and my meeting was successful! I think all the coloured sprinkles on top helped! More soon...

Choco-Krispies

Even in pain I find myself baking...

Wanted to make a quick treat that took zero time to make and very little time standing up (had a little bit of an accident on my vacation and hurt my back).

3 cups of rice krispies
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Melted the chocolate, peanut butter, honey and vanilla together in a double boiler. Combined with the rice kripies, let it chill and cut into bars...

Took max 15 min... and was sooo good.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

So I know that I promised to make cupcakes but like Ash's challah bread, I simply didn't have time. I did, however, have time to make the best cookies I have ever made in my life which is saying a lot because I've made a lot of cookies.

I meant to take pictures but they were eaten before I had time to find the camera! However, they are a stunning deep rich chocolate cookie and they taste like brownies!

Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

9.7 ounces very nice chocolate (99% unsweetened chocolate) (Melt 6 ounces and use remainder to cut into small chunks)

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

In a double boiler, melt the butter and 6 ounces of the chocolate over simmering water. Stir occasionally until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, mix together eggs, sugar, coffee and vanilla by hand fast for ten minutes. Stop when mixture looks thick.

Slowly add the warm butter and chocolate mixture and mix at a reduced speed.

Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate chunks.

Drop onto lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes turning halfway through completely around. Be sure not to over bake.

Makes about 24 2-3 inch chewy cookies. Can keep two days at room temperature or 1 month if frozen.

I can't way to see Ash- I promise we will create something unbelievable. Stay tuned!

Lemon Loaf

I know I still owe you Challa, but the reality is I just have not had the time I have needed to dedicate to my bread project. But along the same bread lines I made a lemon loaf - it was really enjoyable. And it got a lot of good reviews from my friends...

You don't actually use any lemon juice in the loaf itself, you use the rind instead. The juice is just used for the glaze on top.

To make the loaf I mixed together butter and sugar, added in two beaten eggs, milk and vanilla. Then I mixed in the rind of one lemon, and the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking powder). I put the batter into a greased bread pan and put it into the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Once the cake was done I took it out and let it cool. While it was cooling I mixed together in a suacepan over heat the juice of one lemon and 1/4 cup sugar. I poured this over the cooled load to make a glaze and volia! Lemon Loaf!

Kristina and I are going to be together soon which means for once we will be able to blog about the creations we make together! More soon!

-Ash

I'm going to make a perfect cupcake!

I have a secret hidden desire. I toss it around from time to time and I always end up never quite attempting the impossible: I want to make the best cupcakes in the world. I want them to be light and fluffy, but not dry. I want them to balloon up but not spill over the edge and I want to decorate them with the most perfect frosting and the most beautiful design. In short, I want cupcakes that are better than you could ever find at a grocery store, better than at the bakery.

For me a cupcake is the perfect dessert. It is essentially- a one person present. You don’t have to share it with anyone. You get gobs of frosting and each one can be made unique to a person’s individual preferences. A cupcake is perfect.

As such, while Ashleigh attempts to bake beautiful breads, I’m going on a month long quest to make the perfect cupcake.

I’m going to start with this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/232944. (The woman after all wrote a whole book on the topic!)

Yet, I also ran across, these interesting other recipes:

Mini Paris Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Mint

The Perfect Cupcake

Let us know if you try any of these and they are worth testing out during my cupcake quest!

Egg Bread - Challa

I am going to make Egg Bread this weekend. I am very excited - my roomate picked up yeast for me yesterday.

I have been looking for recipes online, and I have two I am going to work from. I tend not to follow directions to a T (which I know is the golden rule of baking). But baking is also about gut feelings - if it looks done, smells done, it probably is done.

The first recipe I found is here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/73831

I love the idea of adding sesame seeds and I am definately going to do that.

The second recipe I am going to work from I found here:
http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--2114/challah-bread.asp

I am not planning on using bread flour, so I will probably just refer to this recipe.

Very excited for the task I am about to undertake. I will take pics throughout the process and post them here... more soon...

Bread - my task ahead

Bread seems daunting...

I don't know why but the thought of kneeding bread, letting it rise, punching it down. It just seems like there are a lot of steps I could screw up on. That being said - its not going to stop me. I think bread is my new mission in the world of baking.

I will keep you posted on how it goes...

Caramel Almond Squares

The other night I wanted to bake something. So, as usual I looked in my cuboard to scope out what ingredients I had to work with. Then I picked up four cookbooks and started scanning through.

I decided to make caramel almond squares. They seemed really simple and I had all the ingredients... of course all they needed was sliced almonds, brown sugar, butter and graham crackers.

Melted the butter in a saucepan, added the brown sugar and stirred until it was a caramel colour and even consistancy. (This recipe was from one of my favorite cookbooks "Best Summer Weekends Cookbook".) Then I added the almonds to the pan, took it off the heat and stirred it all together. This was then poured over the layer of graham crackers I had put on the bottom of my jelly roll pan. Threw it in the oven for 7 min, and took it out.

Once out of the oven I left them to cool. Things were going great - they were a beautiful golden brown colour - I was planning on bringing the bars into work the next day... That was until I went to cut the bars. I was tired and decided to rush the process a little. The bars were not cool and when I went to cut them all the caramel topping came with the knife.

Now I have a great tasting pile of topping at one end. I managed to save half the tray and keep it looking pretty - but half was ruined. Need to figure out a more efficent way to cut caramel...

Going to find a recipe to make tonight...