Candy Cane Cookies

Christmas is my favorite baking season. I don't know what it is about this time of year but I love being in my kitchen making wonderful treats with a Christmas movie on the TV. There is something about this whole season that warms my heart.

I have wonderfiul memories baking Christmas cookies with my mom while growing up. We would make sugar cookies decorated with sprinkles, double dipped spritz cookies, and peanut butter bon-bons (my favorite). Once I was married I knew that I wanted to not only keep these fun baking traditions to pass on to my family (I need that bon-bon recipe, Mom!) but I also wanted to come up with favorites of my own; recipes that I pick and will be something that I can share with my kids one day.

One of my new favorites are Candy Cane Cookies. These are so much fun to make, and look impressive too. They are a little labor intensive so I prefer to make these when I have no other baking planned. They are my version from an original recipe from Good Housekeeping. You can their recipe here.

The start of this recipe is a basic cookie dough which can actually be revised to make 12 different cookies (so far I have made two of these versions and they both were really easy. Check them all out online). I made a few artistic changes to my version that I think really makes these cookies shine!

Candy Cane Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:
1 batch Basic Cookie Dough

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Red food coloring

1 or 2 candy canes, crushed (I add a few shakes of red sprinkles to add more color)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Basic Cookie Dough. Divide dough in half. Add peppermint extract and red food coloring to one half. (You can use as little or as much food coloring you want; just depends on how vibrant you want these to be)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in freezer for about ten minutes.

3. Remove dough from plastic wrap. Roll sections of red dough and plain dough and twist them together. Bend one end over to make a cane and place onto cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

4. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack. I sprinkle the cookies as soon as possible with the crushed candy cane to make sure that it sticks.

5. Let cool and enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa!

I love, love, love these cookies! The recipe is so easy and it doesn't take much to make them look amazing. I hope you get a chance to try these and maybe add a new tradition to your Christmas baking.

Happy Holiday Baking!

3 pies in 4 hours

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I realize that I might be a little late in posting this but I wanted to share what I made for Thanksgiving dinner. My task this year was to bring dessert and I had settled on two pumpkin pies and my favorite apple pie. I thought I had found the pumpkin pie recipe I wanted to use a few weeks ago but I wasn't completely happy with what I had so I finally decided on using the recipe from the most obvious source: the recipe from the can of pumpkin!

I used my favorite recipe for the crust (see it here). I left it in the fridge for about 10 to 15 minutes which made it easier to work with. I discovered half way into making the crust that I was out of butter. I could have sworn that I had another four sticks in the fridge but I must bake too often.

Here is the recipe I followed for the pumpkin pie:

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz) Libby's Pure Pumpkin
1 can (15 fl oz) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves in a bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Now, if you want, you can add a fun leaf cut out crust. I made another pie crust, rolled it out, and cut-out several different types of leaves using small leaf cookie cutters. I placed the leaves on a cookie sheet and set it in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Then I beat one egg with about a 1/2 cup of half and half (you can also use heavy cream) and brushed the pie crust with theegg wash. I took the leaves and pressed them onto the crust and then brushed them with the egg wash. I recommend doing this before you add the filling; I dropped a few and did my best to wipe off the filling. It wasn't too horrible but it's easier to do the crust first.

I really enjoyed making these pies and having the chance to get a little more creative with my pie crust. I was also really pleased with how the pumpkin pie tasted. I normally avoid eating pumpkin pie; the custardy texture of most pies just isn't my favorite. But these turned out really great and had a much different texture to them. I am not sure what the technical baking term is for that but I would say that they had more substance.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Next up: Christmas cookies! Can't wait!

Poppy Seed Muffins

I love to bake for Ryan. I may have said this before but it's worth saying again. He is my favorite person to bake for. I love making him things he's asked for or surprising him with something new. And he is a great test subject; he graciously advises when something doesn't work and of course makes sure I know when he loves something. Even when I have epic fails he is always there encouraging me and helping me talk out what changes I want to try next time.

A few days ago Ryan suggested I try making poppy seed muffins. He even found a recipe to try so how could I refuse? He found it online at Betty Crocker. We finally had time last night and while we are still learning to work with each other in the kitchen the muffins were neither burnt or under baked so I consider our endeavour a success. He even came prepared: He had already read through some of the reviews and had ideas on how to make our own changes.

We decided to double the recipe. At some point, one of us added too much baking soda or the other added too much baking powder. Meh, oh well. It happens to me a little more often than I'd like to admit. But, we decided to roll with it. Tip of the day: Roll with it. You never know what awesome discoveries your mistakes will lead you too. And besides, life is too short to cry over spilled milk. Or over-measured baking soda.

The recipe was really simple. We were able to mix it all in a bowl. I enjoyed not needing my stand mixer for this one. We also skipped adding almonds to the top, of which neither of us are fans so it was a legit omission. And since we skipped the almonds we also didn't sprinkle the tops with sugar. I tend to skip that part of a recipe anyways. I'm sure the sugar would add a nice crunch to the topping but it really isn't needed.

I think these turned out awesome. My mom had given me jumbo baking cups since they didn't fit in her muffin pan. They fit perfectly in mine and with the doubled recipe we had just the right amount of batter to fill each cup. The muffins rose quite a bit and I think that had to do with our overmeasurement but the texture was fine. Ryan said they set up very well today and of course I forgot to pack one in my lunch. I can definitely see why people add lemon to these; the flavor blends so well with the almond and poppy seed. Ryan is a purest and prefers his poppy seed muffins lemon-less. But I do think it will be fun to try different combinations with the recipe. I'll have to let you know how that goes.

I also love that this is another at-home recipe for something we normally purchase. Any time I can bake something versus buying it from store is a huge budget saver for me. I can't wait to make these again. Maybe for a snowy Saturday morning sometime this winter?

Happy Baking!

Thanksgiving baking

Ah, the feast of thanks is upon us. And so is my favorite baking season of the year. This week is my busiest baking week of season and I have it all planned out. Not only will I be baking three pies for Thanksgiving (and of course my family favorite cheesy potatoes) but I will also be spending the weekend heralding in the Christmas season with a cookie baking session. I am so excited!

But first, Thanksgiving pie. My husband and I will be spending Thanksgiving with his family and I will be bringing dessert. Go figure, right? I have chosen to do two different pies this year. I got lucky on the pumpkin pie recipe because it yields two pies. Of course it came from Martha Stewart (I think I need to broaden my recipe sources. Eh, I'll get there). I will also be making my favorite apple pie, Apple Crumb Pie, which I made earlier this year.

I'm actually not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. However, there are some non-traditional options you can try if you're feeling adventurous. For example, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I made a batch of these earlier this month. Ryan had been asking for cookies and my mom chimed in with a request for something chocolatey. I really wanted to try something with pumpkin so this worked for all three of us. The recipe is found here and originally calls for a chocolate drizzle. I wasn't feeling up to the challenge of rigging a double boiler so I just added the chocolate chips right into the batter. A revision that saved time and still tastes good = success!

These turned out a bit more cakey than I like but they seemed to be a hit. I will have to have an experiment in texture one of these days. The trick I believe is in the amount of leavener you use. My domestic goddess mentor, Liz, has some knowledge on this that I have heard before but have not yet fully retained. I feel a lesson on baking soda versus baking powder is due. And I think I might add a little more pumpkin pie spice. I like my pumpkin desserts to have a bit more kick than these turned out to have. So an experiment in spices should be in the works soon, too.

I hope to hear all the great baking stories that I am sure will happen this week. Get in that kitchen, enjoy the time you have, work with your hands, and give thanks for the blessings our wonderful God has given us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

And Happy Baking!

A cook, a baker, and one yummy meal

Earlier this year I made cupcakes for my friend Michelle's birthday. I had mentioned to her that I love baking as much as she loved cooking and we both agreed that sometime in the future we should prepare a wonderful meal together. A few weeks ago our collaboration dreams became a reality. It was so much fun! We spent all day Friday planning and shopping and got together Sunday to prepare our meal.

On our planning day, we brought together recipe books and online links and compared notes on what we liked and didn't like from each recipe. We mixed and match different recipes from various cookbooks, both of us curious to see if our crazy combinations would work. We would have to wait for Sunday and just roll with it. Once our list was finalized we headed out to go shopping. I love shopping with Michelle. We made a great tag team. Plus, she didn't judge me for wanting to stop at Cost Plus World Market (sorry, Husband, I know it's crazy to force you to shop with me in those stores). Actually, it was Michelle's idea so in that way we are perfect for each other.

Our goal for this dinner was to make something simple and very Fall time appropriate but to also play with flavors we have never put together before. Here is what we made:

First Course
Homemade French Bread
Butternut Squash Bisque

Second Course
Roasted Herb Chicken with Hot Toddy Glaze (one of our gamble combinations!)
Apple-Cream and Brie Mashed Potatoes (another one that made us curious)
Broccoli Gremolata
To drink, Spiced Cider from Trader Joe's

Third Course
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

What a meal! I was so excited about this menu. I couldn't wait for Sunday and to get started in the kitchen. I got the table set the day before and did my best to kid-proof the house. That meant all my candles were put up and away. I missed the air freshner which Michelle's youngest tried to eat but her husband caught him in time!

I made the bread and cheesecake in advance on Sunday so that the oven would be available for the chicken. The bread is a recipe Ryan found and it has become a fast favorite in our house. I will have to post about that one later to give it the justice it deserves. The cheesecake was simple and easy to make. I found it in a magazine at Michelle's and then lost the copy I purchased but thankfully I found it online. If anyone has family that loves snickerdoodle cookies this cheesecake is a fun, and delicious, variation.

Michelle arrived later and we got started immediately. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to be in the kitchen with her. There was a flow to our work together. We sort of rotated around each other without really getting in the other's way. Other than the bread and dessert I made earlier we both had a part in every single dish. The smells coming from the kitchen were unbelievable. The only hiccup was the chicken. Once everything was prepared we realized the chicken didn't cook all the way through. Oh, well, cook and learn I guess. We allowed the chicken to fully cook and Ryan did the honors cutting into it. Finally, our meal was ready to enjoy.

The table was beautiful. Michelle brought pumpkin shaped soup bowls and they added the right pop of color to my white servingware. We have had the Habigs over for dinner before when their oldest (Heidi) was about a year old. She is now over two and their baby boy (Hank) is a year and a half. I have never had such a pleasant meal with friends. The kids were a hoot and a half. We talked about everything, from Heidi's love of broccoli to politics to Ryan's internships. Hank entertained us with all the new words he is learning.

It was an amazing meal, both in food and company. Of course, picture taking was for the most part forgotten. We were enjoying ourselves too much! I will definitely share some of our recipes in the future since many that we tried are being added to my favorites list.

I hope everyone enjoys this time year, gathering together and giving thanks for the blessings God has given us. I am so blessed to have a friend who loves to cook and who I love to cook with. Thank you, Michelle, for hanging out with me, for being so easy to talk to, and for cooking with me.

Happy Baking!

Easy Batter Cobbler

Well, my search continues for pumpkin recipes and I have found a few that I am excited to try. I am going through each one to make sure that I not only have or can easily get all the ingredients but also that the recipe doesn't ask for anything outside my skill level. So, a few weekends ago (while I was still doing my research), I felt like the weather called for baking and I answered with an easy batter cobbler.

I have made this recipe many times over the past few years but never shared it here. It was a lucky find on allrecipes.com. It is called Easy Batter Fruit Cobbler and it is, as the name says, really easy and very versatile. The ingredients are always in my pantry, with special thanks to my grandma who makes sure that I can an extra can of home preserved peaches so that I can make this whenever I like. The recipe really can used with any fruit but I prefer peaches. Ryan's favorite is blackberry which is a delicious (and cheaper if you pick them yourself) option. I really want to see what this is like with bananas, like a variation on bananas foster. You can use any fruit that suits your fancy which means you can make this at any time of year with whatever is in season!

One of the coolest elements of this recipe is that a half stick of butter is added to the pie pan and melted in the oven as it pre-heats. Once melted, the batter is poured in the middle of the plate and the butter creates this amazing thin crust. I next add the fruit around the whole plate. When using peaches, I like to sprinkle the batter with a little nutmeg. Cinnamon is my spice of choice when using blackberries but both work well together.

The whole thing takes about 50 minutes to bake. The clean up is so easy (you don't need an electric mixer). Once golden and bubbly, it's ready! We love this Tillamook's Vanilla Bean ice cream. Serve and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Back to baking

Wow, I can't believe I spent the whole Summer season not blogging! That's not to say I didn't bake at all; I baked like crazy this summer. Chocolate chip cookies, almond cake, many, many loafs of banana bread, and a successful experiment in transforming my Pumkpin Ginger Bundt into a bread loaf.

But, now that we have come to Fall (and the start of my favorite three months of the year), I feel like it is time to get back on the blog. It is my goal this Fall to experiment as much as I can with one ingredient (Almost Iron Chef style but not as intense). The ingredient of choice for this season: Pumpkin! Ah, I am so excited!

To introduce our home to the start of Fall I made what I think is my absolute favorite thing I have ever baked: Pumpkin Ginger Bundt. The desire to bake came to me late in the evening a weekend ago and so I followed my whim and whipped this up. The only issue this time was that I was still in search of a great vanilla glaze. My secondary goal this Fall was to find a vanilla glaze recipe worthy to be paired with my favorite cake and I think Martha Stewart once again came through with a winning recipe (see it here). The trick: sifting the powdered sugar. Whodda thunk?! The texture was ten times better than any other glaze recipe I have tried.

This brings me to my second trick: let the cake cool completely before adding any glaze or icing! I figure that this is a standard Baking 101 tip but I could hardly resist taking a slice once the cake was out of the oven (and I challenge anyone to resist this cake once you smell it). The glaze was not pretty but the whole thing tasted oh-so-good! I can't wait to make this again when I have time to let it completely cool.

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of Fall. Stayed tuned for my adventures with pumpkin!

Happy Baking!

Nutella Mug Cake

Well, it has been too long. I haven't blogged much lately but that does not mean I haven't been baking! I am currently on a banana bread kick. I've made banana bread about three times in the last month or so. I can't help it, it just tastes too good. What I do like is that I have had the chance to make this a few times and get the recipe perfected. I've added one cup of chocolate chips - Amazing addition. Ryan is a big fan. I feel like I have this one down, which is a good feeling. Often I just experiment so it's great to have a solid recipe in my baking arsenal.

One new thing I was able to try was sent to me by a co-worker. She sent me a recipe for Nutella Mug Cake and I was surprised at how simple it was. All the ingredients are mixed together in a coffee mug and then microwaved. I was slightly skeptic at first but I found this so easy and delicious that I actually want to cut this post short and go make some right now. So yummy!

I am not sure where she found it but I am glad it is now in my recipe book. She also sent me the day of her birthday with the recipe; I took the hint. I tried it at home first over the weekend. I felt like it had too much Nutella (I know, not possible right?) so the next time I added just a little less. I've made my adjustment in the recipe below. I am also really tempted to add chocolate chips to this just to give it that little bit of gooeyness.

Nutella Mug Cake


Ingredients
4 tablespoons self rising flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in a large coffee mug. I mean, really large. It definitely rises a lot so use a big mug. Whisk together until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

This yields a very large portion. I could barely eat half of it when I made it at home. For my next go at it I am going to try dividing the recipe in two and putting it in ramekins. Something simple, quick, and delicious. I like those kinds of recipes!

Happy Baking!

Impossibly Easy Cheesburger Pie

I'm not always one to use box mixes. I have really been trying to make as many things from scratch as I can. However, there are those days where I just don't have the time. All I want to do is get dinner done, and done fast. That is why I love Bisquick. Oh, yes, Bisquick is so much more than a pancake mix.

My mom was inspired years ago to try a recipe she found on the Bisquick box, Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie . It has become a favorite and one that I turn to every once in a while. Of course, my mother had to make some adjustments in order to cater to the more picky family members. I won't say who but I will say that I feel so blessed to be married to a man who loves melted cheese.

The title of the recipe doesn't lie - it really is that easy (fancy shamncy, all typed out recipe below). Ground beef, onion, salt, cheese, and the standard bisquick mix (the dry mix plus milk and eggs). Cook one pound of lean ground beef in a skillet. Add a small onion (chopped) and cook till softened. For the salt, I use smoked sea salt. I found it a Trader Joe's. I also use it on my roasted red potatoes. One word - amazing!

The ground beef and onions go in a pie plate, topped with a cup of shredded cheese. The Bisquick mix is poured over it and then off to the oven to bake! My husband and I like to top ours with sour cream. I think my mom likes barbecue sauce. You could even try ketchup!

There is great potential to experiment with variations of this recipe. Peppers and sausage give you a more brunch type option. Why not give it a try and let me know how it turns out? Google Bisquick easy pie for more ideas!



Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie
from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt (I used smoked salt and just eyeballed the amount.)

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup Bisquick mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes until beef is brown and onions are soft. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate and sprinkle with cheese.
3. In a small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Top with your favorite condiment or leave it plain and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

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Gadgets and Tools - Measuring Cups and Spoons Part 2

Earlier this year I posted about measuring cups and spoons. It was dream (yes, really, my dream) to find a set that included non-standard amounts. Well, folks, I have finally found it!

While on a road trip to Oregon, my husband graciously conceded to an outlet store shopping trip. While there I found a great kitchen supply store. I wandered and day dreamed as I always do in those stores. I made my way to the gadgets section and after staring at foldable funnels for a while and wondering if I would ever need one, a large box caught my eye. I was this close to freaking out inside the store. It was a 19 piece measuring set that included all the unique measuring sizes. 2/3 cups, 1 1/2 cups, 2 cups! There were even little spoons for a smidge, a pinch, and a dash. So cute. The kicker was that they even matched the color scheme in my kitchen. Sealed the deal.

The set is made by Progressive. I find their stuff at all the usual places, Bed Bath and Beyond or Fred Meyer. But I have yet to find something as awesome as this. Here is a link to their website if you want to more information. The picture is from their website.

I also got ramekins and a new pie plate on sale. With my plans to make pies more often this has come in handy. Best. Shopping Trip. Ever.

Having a second set, especially one with unusual sizes, has totally changed the way I bake. I am so beyond excited about this!

Happy Baking!

Pie for Ryan!

Ryan is taking the GRE tomorrow. In honor of the start to his new adventure, I made his favorite: blackberry pie!

I used the crust and filling recipe from when I made this for his birthday. This time around I used less sugar for the topping. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of sugar but I actually used less than a 1/2 tsp. I also sprinkled the top with cinnamon. I still need to perfect my crimping method, but I'll get there. I do love the little star vent I made on this one!

Good luck, husband! So proud of you!

Mom's Meatloaf

Most of my posts have been about dessert baking. Well, not everything that goes into the oven is for dessert. One of my favorite things to bake is meatloaf. There are very few other things as easy and as quick as this recipe. Plus, I love the fact that it comes from the 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook. The flavors have stood the test of time in my family. I grew up with this recipe and it has now become a part of my dinner repertoire. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

All of the ingredients are things I normally stock in my pantry so I find this to be something that is really easy to whip up if I feel like it. I find it best to start with fresh ground beef. I often buy ground beef and freeze it but last night I bought some from the grocery store and it was just so much easier. I also use Panko breadcrumbs. I haven't experimented much with different breadcrumbs but Panko has treated me pretty well.

There are several different spices in this recipe. You can see the suggested measurements below. I prefer to add a 1/2 tsp instead of just a 1/4 tsp of each spice. I really want to play around with different measurements and maybe different spices at some point but I like this recipe so much I have yet to experiment with it.

My favorite side dishes to this meatloaf are mashed potatoes (made with light sour cream and butter. Yum!) and green beans. And of course, a nice tall glass of milk. I sure do love my comfort food! 

Mom's Meatloaf

1969 Betty Crocker Cookbook 

(with Kara's notes)

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I use Panko)

2/3 cup milk (skim milk offers a healthier option)

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp minced onion (something I always have in my pantry!)

1/2 tsp salt (I am tempted to try my smoked sea salt next time. Got it at Trader Joe's and it's amazing!)

1/2 to 1/2 tsp of each:

Black pepper

Dry mustard

Celery salt

Garlic salt (I love using a 1/2 tsp of each. You can always revise the measurements depending on what flavors you want to go for and even play around with adding other spices.)

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

ketchup for "glaze"

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. (getting your hands dirty is so much fun! Be sure to wash well with soap afterwards. Raw beef - eww.)

Shape into loaf in shallow pan. (I also line my pan with tin foil. Makes for a super easy clean up. Spray with a cooking spray to keep the meatloaf from sticking to the foil.)

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread with ketchup. (I always eyeball this.)

Return loaf to oven and bake for an additional 45 minutes to an hour.

Happy Baking!

Cupcakes for my friend

Today was my friend Michelle's birthday and I surprised her by bringing mini versions of my marshmallow cupcakes to choir rehearsal. It was so much fun to love on my friend. She gets crazy about cooking like I do about baking. She has great ideas about creative and healthy cooking. I am ashamed to say that I have yet to tap into that awesomeness but I sense a collaboration in our future.

Michelle, you are a dear friend, a great mom, and a loving wife. I am so thankful for you. I love that we can talk all evening (much to your husband's chagrin. We get through practice eventually, right?!) about anything and everything from clothes to God's grace to baby food and back to what it means to be a Godly wife. The deep stuff, the simple stuff, and everything in between. Thank you for your friendship, your encouragement, and your wisdom. I can't wait to cook and bake with you! Happy birthday!

Baking Craze

Last week I was on a baking spree. And. I. Loved. It. I got to try several new recipes (one was for strawberry sorbet, which wasn't really baking but it turned out amazing and I can't wait to add shortbread cookies!). I think I was most excited about keeping my kitchen clean every night but by Friday that momentum was lost. Oh well.

One of the recipes I finally tried was Martha Stewart's Banana Bread. This was my first attempt at banana bread. It turned out great. I feel like banana bread is a key recipe in any home baker's arsenal. It is a great option for when you leave bananas too long and you don't want to throw them out.

The recipe I used was really easy to follow and the bread smelled amazing while baking in the oven. I liked that the banana flavor wasn't overpowering but still present.  I made sure that the bananas were really well mashed; I didn't want any banana chunks in my bread. There really isn't anything wrong with that, I just don't prefer it. I took a bit to work and it was gone super fast!

Next time I want to try adding either chocolate chips or a cream cheese frosting. Ryan drizzled chocolate syrup over his slice which was really yummy. But I also like the idea of adding a creamy frosting on top. It's fun to daydream about how to change recipes to make them something special.

I had great feedback from my taste testing of the Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes that I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the baby shower. I added just little bit more cocoa powder, maybe less than a tablespoon. I also added 2/3 cups chocolate chips. I might be able to add a bit more next time but my goal was to make the cupcake nice and chocolately, not chunky. The marshmallow topping was easier the second time around. I also added pieces of cinnamon graham crackers as decoration. And by chance I found blue cupcake liners while grocery shopping and they were perfect for a baby boy shower.

Now that I have the cake part more to my liking I really want to experiment with a marshmallow frosting. There are a few recipes out there that I want to try. The trick will be getting a kitchen torch so I can toast the edges. Anyone who knows me will be quite concerned and let me just say right now: Yes, there is a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and yes I will read the directions thoroughly before attempting any baking with a kitchen torch.

It was a great week of baking and I have so much more that I am planning for the blog. Stay tuned for some great baking interviews and advice from some of the amazing women in my life.

Happy Baking!

Trial runs = success!

I don't always have the time to do trial runs. I often find myself either just experimenting for fun whenever I have an open schedule or rushing to complete something in time for wherever I'm going (like when I didn't have time to complete the lemon bars before a bridal shower. See my adventure here.).

Well, this Saturday I get to celebrate the coming of a special baby boy and his beautiful mother. I was honored with the request to make a dessert. I researched online for various recipes and spent several lunch breaks absorbed in cupcake and baby shower websites. I had thought of doing something with blue frosting but the idea of everyone walking around with blue mouths wasn't very appetizing. I finally decided on toasted marshmallow cupcakes from Martha Stewart. What boy doesn't love s'mores! (Ok, even though he's not here yet I figured we could honor his "boyness" by having these s'mores cupcakes) I had everything but the marshmallows in my pantry so I figured it would be an easy recipe to try!

I was so excited when I went home last night that I decided to do a trial run for the first time. I cleaned the kitchen and got dinner ready. I was so surprised to find myself energized for an evening of baking. The ingredients were easy to mix and the instructions easy to follow. The only tricky part was to make sure the marshmallows stayed on the cupcakes when I put them back in the oven to broil the tops. Once I got that figured out it was a cinch! The cupcakes turned out beautifully.

I brought the cupcakes to work for a taste test and they got rave reviews. I think I have some adjustments to make for Saturday but all in all I am very happy with the results. I can't wait to experiment more with this recipe and have something special like this in my repertoire.

Happy Baking!

What's in season

Spring is finally here! I am so excited to start baking new things. My goal this year is to focus on what is in season and bake with those ingredients. I have found several websites that are very helpful.

Epicurious has a great interactive map that shows you what is in season in your state during a certain month (I wasn't able to find anything on year-round produce). This is really helpful for cooking, as well. At this site you can find a description and definition as well as tips on how to pick out what produce is best. They also have a list of recipes and cooking and storing tips. The site is very easy to navigate. I also love their phone app for searching for recipes (thank you for the tip, Cherri Seese!). The app home page was recently updated to show Spring and Easter dishes.

Fruits and Veggies More Matters is another great site for researching what is in season. They also have a list of year-round produce. The site includes tips how to select and how to store produce but they also have great nutritional information on each item. The website has a lot more information and tools that I would encourage you to check out (I'm looking forward to digging further into the Healthy Meal Planning Guide!).

I love Martha Stewart's Seasonal Produce Recipe Guide. There is a short intro to the produce item, how to select and store, etc. And then it jumps right into recipes. There are so many to get inspired by (there are 40 recipes alone for rhubarb!).

These are just a few sites that have caught my eye. With their inspiration I have lots on the baking to-do list this week. I can't wait to share what happens!

Is it Spring yet?

As the month of March starts to wind down my mind starts to shift towards Spring and towards the lighter side of baking. Lemon flavors, whipped toppings, coconut and yummy fruit pies. Well, with the weather we've been having you would never know the first day of Spring is just days away!

Maybe a little Spring baking will help bring the sunshine. I've started a list of all the new recipes I want to try. I love trying new recipes. I have so much fun learning something new and finding new flavors. I even find myself enjoying reading through recipes. It might seem a little boring or daunting but I totally recommend you read through the entire recipe well ahead of time. First, read through the ingredients to make sure you have everything in your pantry. Make a shopping list for anything you don't have. Sometimes I make my list while at work and I don't always remember that I already bought a certain ingredient and I end up with more than I need. It's not always a problem but make sure you aren't wasting ingredients because you buy too much.

Next, read all of the instructions thoroughly. Sometimes I end up not having the tools required and therefore I either have to add those to my shopping list or I have to pass on the recipe completely. You also want to make sure you have enough time to complete the recipe. For some recipes, the dough has to sit in the fridge overnight. If I have a specific event that I am baking for I usually pick something that will fit in between the time I have available to bake.

There also may be instructions in the recipe that you don't understand what it means. I Google any terms I don't know. If there is a technique I am not familiar with I read up on that, too. If after reading you're still not sure you might just have to pick a different recipe.

Enjoy the coming of Spring! I'll be posting my new recipe adventures here soon.

Happy Baking!

3/14 - Pi day!

I made an apple pie for Pi day! I like making my pies a little different each time. This time around I just rolled the edges of the crust over after making a fork edge and it made the pie look more farmhouse rustic. I liked this version! Plus, it tasted amazing. The filling is the same that I use for Martha Stewart's Apple Crumb Pie, minus the raisins, and the crust is, of course, my favorite pie crust recipe.

Each time I make this I toss the sliced apples in a bowl with the sugar. In the end I think this makes the filling a little too juicy but sometimes that's fun to have. I use Fuji apples which, in my opinion, make the best tasting pie. I rolled the crust a bit thinner which I didn't mind too much but I think I'm going to go back to a slightly thicker bottom crust. The design in the top crust was made with a steak knife. You can probably use a butter knife. I just made little slots in the shape of a sun burst. (Tip: Always have something in the top that allows the steam to be released.) I baked this at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Turned out great!

I brought this to share with our bible study. It is so much fun to talk baking and to learn and to enjoy sharing something made with love. I get to hear great baking advice and funny baking stories from all the ladies in our bible study. I hope to post some of their wonderful lessons here soon. I am so blessed to have great women in our group.

Here's to celebrating Pi Day and the geekiest baking day of the year! Next year, maybe I'll try this!

Happy Birthday, Ryan

My husband's birthday was this last Thursday. Each year since we got married I bake him something special. Last year was a mad dash to the grocery store for a vanilla cake mix. I have nothing against box cakes, but this time around I wanted to do something a little more from scratch. This year I decided to use one of his favorite dessert ingredients: blackberries! I had thought of doing a recipe from the Domestic Goddess but I didn't have all the ingredients. Option two, a blackberry pie!

The recipe called for a 1/4 cup of sugar on the top crust. I only used about two tablespoons, maybe less. It gave the top crust a nice caramelized crunch. I don't really prefer that for pies but it gave me an idea on a few desserts to experiment on. In the end, it was really yummy and a great success for my first blackberry pie!

(My pie crust recipe comes from Martha Stewart. It is amazing! Find the link on my Recipes page!)

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Cookbook Review 2

The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook
by Dinah Bucholz

Yes, you read that correctly, there is such a thing as a Harry Potter cookbook. First, let me start off by stating that the cookbook is not authorized by J.K. Rowling or Warner Bros. Entertainment hence the "unofficial" in the title. Ok, disclaimers aside, here we go...

I received this cookbook as a Christmas present from my in-laws. I absolutely love everything Harry Potter and I quickly proceeded to read through the entire thing. The book is compromised of ten chapters, each relating to a different topic or place in the Harry Potter books. There are receipts for Aunt Petunia's pudding, treats from Diagon Alley, a chapter on all the breakfast food Harry, Ron, and Hermione ate while at school, favorite dishes from all the school feasts, Harry's favorite Treacle Tart, and of course a whole chapter dedicated to Harry's favorite cook, Mrs. Weasley.

Each recipe begins with where it is found in the books. Sometimes there are even great historical facts on where the recipe came from or why it has a funny name. A few recipes include ingredients that you can't get in the US (blood sausage anyone?) but most have ingredients easy to find and more than not often stocked in your pantry.

The first thing I made was the Cornish Pasties. The instructions weren't too complicated; it just took a long time. I recommend making the dough a day early if you have the time. I don't think we ate until eight o'clock in the evening when I first made these but they were so worth it. The picture below is from my first attempt.

My second favorite is the Meat and Potato Pies which I shared with you earlier this year.

There are so many others I really want to try, not because they are from Harry Potter, but because they are also just so British. I plan on trying the Mince Pies come this Christmas. And what Sunday roast would be complete without Yorkshire Pudding? I will be sure to share all my Harry Potter baking adventures with you and maybe you can experience some of the magic yourself!

Cheers! And Happy Baking!

Aprons: The Baker's fashion statement

I figured with a blog title "flour on my apron" that I had better actually post something about aprons. Hey, if people can write about fashion and talk about shoes, coats, blouses, jeans, accessories, why not talk about aprons?

As silly as it sounds, I love my apron. I chose a more hostess style apron with ruffles. I love that it looks like I'm wearing a dress instead of a "working" garment. The colors are bright and some of my favorite ones to wear.

There are so many choices when it comes to aprons. You can chose something simple with clean lines or something more detailed and ruffled, full length or half length, something with color or something neutral. Here are some of my favorites (from etsy.com, of course!)

I love this half apron. The colors are so vibrant and there's something about the Celtic-inspired floral print I love. You can find the listing here.

Or for the color weary, a white ruffle half apron. I love how it almost looks like a tutu!

As simple as this apron is I love how clean and crisp it looks. The pleating is adorable and the bright green stitching is a fun surprise!

I love this one because it reminds me of my grandma. Enough said.

This is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, I love every single one of this store's aprons!

I j'adore the French farm chic of this half apron (Actually, all their stuff is cute, too)!

Or if any of my previous picks are just too much for you, there is this simple, yet still adorable, option!

There are still unbelievably so many more aprons to choose from. Oh, and don't worry, I am definitely going to have themed apron posts, too!

Happy Baking!

Gadgets & Tools - Measuring Cups & Spoons

It may seem silly to give advice on measuring cups and spoons but I have some. When my husband and I created our wedding registry we pretty much selected one of each thing or maybe at the most two of each. For example, we selected only two kitchen towels. We ended up with around seven or so and at first I didn't know what to do with so many. Now I am so thankful to have so many on hand! I've realized you can never have too many kitchen towels.

At first I only thought I would need one set of cups and spoons. I quickly found out I was wrong. I would highly recommend that any baker have at a minimum two sets. Having two sets saves a lot of time and hassle. My grandma gifted me another set of spoons and I love them. I think they are an older set of hers and they have uncommon measuring sizes, which is awesome. Nowadays, both the cups and spoons come in standard sizes. I often find this frustrating. My wonderful husband has been looking for unique size cups for me. We finally found some at Williams-Sonoma. They included a 3/4 cup which I really need. We held off on buying them at the time. Of course, when I now go onto their website I can longer find the cups. Second piece of advice: If you find something you need or desire for kitchen, don't waste time and buy it!

I also probably don't have to mention how much fun it can be to shop for cups and spoons. There are a lot of fun sets out there that can add quirky character to your kitchen. All of mine are Martha Stewart red. I love the way they look next to my pewter gray stand mixer.

Happy Baking!

Tea at the Empress

This last weekend I was treated to a short vacay to Victoria. It was my Christmas present from my mom. We were joined by two friends, Cherri Seese and her daughter Sydney. The highlight of the trip was tea at the Empress. It was an awesome time and I just had to share with you the treats we enjoyed. This is why I want to learn more and maybe one day become a pastry chef!

Baking with Love - Celebrating a family matriarch

This last weekend our family had the pleasure of celebrating my grandma Ru's 85th birthday. Her only wish was for the whole family to be there and we did not let her down. It was a great night of chatting, laughing, and eating desserts.

That's thing about this family - we love our desserts. Most specifically, we love apple pie. That might be an understatement. Apple pie is essential to any family event. I first learned how to make apple pie from my grandma. A few years ago she helped me make one as a birthday present for my dad. He, too, loves apple pie. One of the biggest compliments he ever gave me was that he like my pie. We have such high standards so this was a big deal!

I have yet to master my grandma's recipe. I don't even think I have it in my recipe book. I have been trying other recipes that I have found online or in cookbooks. The pie I made for Gram was a combination of three different recipes. I wanted to make mini apple pies but I didn't have circle cutter in the right size. So, my pie became a pleated crumble topping apple pie.

But one of these days I'm going to make sure I have my grandma's recipe. Traditions are what make a family a family. And when it's a baking tradition, well, that's something extra special.

Savory Baking - Meat and Potato Pies

I love baking desserts and sweet treats but I also love baking savory dishes. Earlier this week I thought I would try to make something with the extra onion and chuck steak I had on hand. After perusing my Harry Potter cookbook (yes, I have one, and yes, I will post a review sometime!), I decided to try making meat and potato pies. The recipe was really similar to the Cornish Pasty recipe (from the same book) so I knew it wouldn't be too complicated. I cut the cooking time in half, though, since I didn't really have three hours to prepare dinner. I think the long cook time for this is to allow all the flavors come through. All ingredients go into a skillet and I tried to let them simmer as long as I could.

The dough was a simple pastry dough. I mixed it up and let it chill while I cooked the filling. Once ready, I rolled it out to make my little pie crusts. I didn't have a large enough cookie cutter to make the bottom crust so I actually used the lid to my flour container. It worked perfect! I sprayed my muffin pan with Pam, added the bottom crusts, filled the crust with the meat filling, and added a top crust. A little brush of egg wash and the pies were ready to bake.

These smelled so amazing as they baked. Both Ryan and I were really excited for dinner. I think these turned out amazingly. Surprisingly, I found them to be a bit easier to make then Cornish Pasties. I will have to check the freezer for more chuck steak because I can't wait to make these again!

Gadgets and Tools - Stand Mixers

I thought it would be fun to have a segment on baking gadgets and tools. My first installment is on my favorite kitchen tool - Stand Mixers! Other than my own hands I have found my stand mixer to be my most valuable tool. Every baker should have one. Not only are they super functional but they come in so many different colors that they become like an accessory for your kitchen. Having not known where we would be living after we got married, I picked out a sleek pewter grey color. I love that it's neutral and can fit into any decor I may decide to do later.

I interviewed one of my co-workers on what she likes about her mixer. Shayla has either the 4.5 or 5 quart KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer in white. She loves that the bowl size is perfect for her household (her and two roomies) and that it is small enough to not take up too much room in the dishwasher. In comparison, I have the 6 quart KitchenAid Bowl-lift Stand Mixer. Since I love to bake loads and loads this bowl size is perfect. I can easily make a double batch of almost anything. Shayla laughed that hers would not be able to handle that; there would flour everywhere if she tried to make a double batch in her bowl. I, in turn, thought that was funny since I have flour everywhere no matter the bowl size.

Another positive on the smaller mixer is that it can easily fit on the countertop. Shayla's sits nicely under her cupboards and she doesn't have to haul it out of the pantry every time she wants to use it. You will find me, on the other hand, bending from me knees and hoisting the mixer onto the counter. However, I love the larger size because I can easily make double batches (which is a requirement sometimes. If I don't make a double batch of gingerbread cookies my husband will eat all of them with none to share with others!).

I hope these tips are helpful, if not entertaining to read. Picking out the right stand mixer for your household and baking style is really important and will make a big difference on your own baking adventure.

Happy Baking!

Baking with Friends - Cinnamon Swirl Cake

This weekend I had the pleasure of hanging out with my friend Honor. We had an awesome Pho dinner (if you have yet to try it, you need to. Best. Thing. Ever.) and then we spent the rest of the evening baking. I was really excited because I wanted to try a new recipe and plus it is always fun to bake with a friend. This is another recipe I found on allrecipes.com. It is a cinnamon swirl cake. Honor helped by chopping the pecans. The recipe called for walnuts but I already had some pecans in the pantry.

I love this girl because she is as picky about how to chop nuts as I am. We both like to get the pecans finely chopped. Neither of us like chunks in our desserts (we're two peas, Honor and I) plus I feel like the finer chopped nuts bring out more flavor. It really makes a difference!

The batter is a really simple cake batter. I was excited to try the swirl part. The trick is to layer half the batter in the form, add the cinnamon layer, and then add the rest of the batter. Well, Honor and I figured we added about half of the batter only to find that towards the end we probably added three quarters of the batter. So we thought we would just see how it turned out. After baking, the cake smelled amazing. The cinnamon and pecans added such a comforting smell to the kitchen that it felt like Christmas. We sliced the cake to see how it turned out and it looked beautiful!

I was so happy with the final product except for one thing: since we added too much batter before the cinnamon layer I would be cutting off most the cinnamon if I leveled the bottom of the bundt! Oh well, it still tasted great.

I was glad to share the fruit of our labors with Honor's family. I did end up taking a little bit home. I knew my husband would love this and I just had to share with him, too!

Thank you, Honor, for a fun night of baking!

Lemon Bars and Peanut Butter Cookies

After my amazing flop (see here) I decided to try something else for the bridal shower I was attending. In semi-panic I found two new recipes to try, both from allrecipes.com. I made sure to read over all the ingredients and purchase anything that I would need before hand. I have found myself going back to the grocery too many times once I start a recipe so I am slowly learning from my mistakes!

The first recipe I tried was called the Best Lemon Bars recipe. This called for the juice from two fresh lemons so I bought a reamer and lemons for the first time. The rest was so simple: a butter, sugar, and flour crust with a sugar, flour, and lemon filling. These tasted great and looked amazing!

Once baked I moved on to my second recipe: Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever. Again, another super simple recipe. Some turned out crispier than others, but once I get the baking time right on these I think these will be great. I am still not a huge fan of peanut butter cookies, however, my Domestic Goddess mentor, Liz Boone, did mention that sometimes it's great to make something you don't like because you won't be tempted to eat too much of it!

The best part about baking both these recipes for the shower was the prep time just before leaving the house. I, of course, baked all morning and rushed to get ready but the lemon bars were not yet cut and plated. So as I turbo charged through putting on my make-up my mom and grandma so politely prepared the bars and plated them for me. It was oh so very kind of them!

Thank you, Mom and Grandma, for helping this little unprepared baker!