Grandma Ru's Strawberry Freezer Jam

Well, our oven is still not working. I have my dad looking into contact information for a repair guy. I am hoping it can get fixed soon as I really miss my oven. In the meantime, I get to use my mom's kitchen! While I technically didn't bake anything tonight I had to share my first experience making strawberry jam.

I have been thinking for a while that it would be fun to go pick strawberries and make jam. It's that time of year when the strawberries are just perfect. There was no question as to what recipe we would use. My grandma's strawberry freezer jam is the best in the world. There isn't any other jam I prefer. Ryan really likes it too so it's a win-win in the Brown house. Gram uses a recipe she had from buying MCP pectin and it's been a family favorite my whole life.

With Ryan in Brazil I have been looking to plan my days out so that I don't miss him too much (it works, but only a little bit). So I convinced my mom it would be a great idea to do our own batch of jam today. We stopped by my Gram's house for the recipe and then made our way to Remlinger's. We decided early on that we didn't prefer to pick our own. There may be others out there who have a preference but we figured out that the cost of a whole flat wasn't significantly different than U-pick by the pound. Time saved plus we got to stop by a few consignment shops as we made our way home. One quick stop at the grocery store to get the other ingredients and we were on our way (after our afternoon naps of course).

Here's the recipe we used:

3 1/4 cup strawberries (I mushed them with a potato masher)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 bag (or box) pectin

1 cup Karo syrup

4 cups sugar

The berries, lemon juice, and pectin were stirred together and left to rest for a half hour. Once I completed one batch I started the next. We ended up making three batches as we only purchased 3 boxes of pectin. Once the 30 minutes was up I put the whole mixture in a pot on the stove and warmed it ever so slightly as I added in the 4 cups of sugar. This wasn't a step in the recipe directions but came as a recommendation from my Gram. I am glad I listened as it helped dissolve the sugar quickly. 

As I finished this process Gram pointed out that the recipe we followed from her was different than the one we pulled from the box of pectin we purchased. Turns out we bought a different kind than the one she had used in the past. Oops. It was the same brand but still different and the instructions do say to only use the recipe for the kind of pectin you buy. Oops again. Gram left later in the evening very concerned that the jam wouldn't set up properly.

Once the sugar was dissolved I filled the jars we had washed. I used a funnel just so that my risk of spilling was reduced. Yes, this is a possibility with me. I mean, come on, my blog is called Flour on My Apron. Flour, jam, doesn't matter. We filled about 11 jars and still had some strawberries left over which just wasn't acceptable. The solution: Mom whipped up some Bisquick shortcake! A little fresh strawberries mixed with our jam topped with Cool Whip. Great dinner!

The last step is to let the jam sit at room temperature for 24 hours and then put it in the freezer. My mom texted me not too long ago to let me know it looks like the jam is setting up fine so tomorrow evening we'll get to put it away in the freezer to later enjoy throughout the year.

The whole process wasn't very complicated and in the end probably didn't cost me much more than buying store bought jam. Plus it's another family tradition from my Gram that I get to add to my checklist. Can't wait for Ryan to get home so he can see what I made him!

An ovenless baker

It pains me to say that our oven has died. Well, it's not completely dead but out of commission. It started a few weeks ago and the oven would beep and go into setup mode. Then beep and turn off. Then beep and turn on. And so on and so on. Oh goodness, it was certainly annoying. I tried to use the stove top to make dinner and it just about drove me crazy.  I called a maintenance guy but he was booked. With our crazy schedules we didn't get a chance to take a look at it until last week. Ryan pulled the oven out from the counter and found that some of the wires had melted. Praise God we turned it off when we did because we had no idea it was as bad as it was. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if we tried to keep using it.

Thankfully we have almost everything we need to fix it ourselves. One more little piece is on order and should arrive before Ryan leaves for Brazil. Oh, update: Ryan is going to Brazil! It's a study abroad trip for his masters program and he is going to a few World Cup games. I'm really excited for him as neither of us have traveled to South America before. And come to think of it Ryan hasn't traveled internationally on his own (it's always been the two of us together) so it should be a new experience for him.

With him almost ready to leave the urgency is a little heightened to get the oven fixed. In the meantime I have been using our crock pot more. I made up a stew recipe on the fly with ground beef, onion, potatoes, and turkey stock. I threw in a bay leave, salt and pepper, and added a few tablespoons of tomato paste. It turned out pretty well. Reminded me of my shepherd's pie recipe (the shepherd's pie is better) but I was glad to have something to feed my little family of two.

As busy as life can get I actually do miss cooking. And baking. I'm already mentally planning what meal I will cook once the oven is fixed! I also have bananas in the freezer so I can make banana bread (I tried making it a few weeks ago; oven shut itself off halfway through). The plus side is that my kitchen is much cleaner which makes me feel less stress when I get home from work. So, that's something positive to focus on. Maybe since I haven't been thinking of what to cook for dinner I can work on my baking wish list. Pinterest here I come!

Aprons: The Baker's fashion statement, part 2

Since I am getting back to blogging about baking I decide to read through some of my old posts. There were a lot of ideas back there that I completely forgot about. One was my obsession with aprons since, well, an apron is what inspired this blog's name. I think about aprons a little too often. Whenever I'm shopping at Target or any store like that I find myself straying towards the kitchen section to see what aprons they I have.

I realized that there were a few other ideas out there I wanted to share along the lines of themed aprons. One theme I so wanted to go for was geek. Or nerdy. Or just totally awesome. Which works since nerd is so cool right now (thank you to The Big Bang Theory, best TV show ever).

With that said, I bring you my top picks for totally awesome, nerd-tastic, geek-out aprons (again brought to you by etsy.com). Most of these are totally on my wish list. I might need to start a section in my closet for my aprons...

Let's start with the obvious nerd topic for me, Harry Potter. Because I'm just slightly obsessed with the Boy Who Lived. While some may go for something like this, my pick is a little more subtle. This one is super cute, too. But this Polyjuice Potion apron is just so hilarious that I kind of want one.

Keeping with the British theme there is always a Tardis inspired option. Sure, there are some that look more like the Tardis itself. But, come on. Bow tie? Total win.

Of course, when talking nerd you can't leave out Star Wars. That's just wrong. But this apron? Just right. 

And let's not leave out the gamers. A little Link inspiration, anyone? Ok, not really the cutest but there is no doubt there's a Zelda theme going on. 

And for the superhero, comic fans? Well, plenty to chose from. 

Finally I leave you with this epic Hunger Games version. And yes, I kind of want this one, too. Oh, Peeta...

British Baking - Pan au Chocolate Pudding

Pan au chocolate roughly cut and in corningware.

Well, Ryan's birthday was this last weekend. For the last few years I have baked his favorite pie (blackberry) but this year I was ready to try something new. Since I continue to read Nigella Lawson's How to be a Domestic Goddess cookbook just for fun I looked through it again searching for any inspiration. I am glad I did since I stumbled upon something I have had on my baking wish list for some time and it would work perfect for Ryan's birthday: Pan au Chocolate pudding! Ryan loves pan au chocolate so I thought this would be a perfect substitute for the traditional blackberry pie. I also have been wanting to do a British baking series for some time so luckily this recipe worked for both.

As with all Nigella's recipes this one was simple to follow. I need to read up on copyrights to see if there is any issue posting her recipe but I can give you the gist of it anyways. The key ingredient, pan au chocolate, was easy to find. Safeway aways has fresh pan au chocolate. However for this pudding I needed something a little stale. Simple trick- just leave the box open for a night. I tried, of course, to hide the extras since the recipe called for a just a few but with my very observant husband that didn't last too long. That same night I hear him in the pantry, "uh-oh!" Yea, go ahead and have some. The surprise wasn't really ruined, though, and he was happy with his pan au chocolate for breakfast. Funny boy.

It's finished and looks delicious!

Everything else the recipe called for was standard pantry ingredients. Milk, heavy cream, sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. And as usual Nigella makes recommendations for substitutions. Ok, not really substitutions. More like variants on the ingredients. Since I didn't have any heavy cream on hand and didn't want to purchase more of what I would't use or need I switched out the milk and cream for half-and-half. Might not have been the best substitution but I figured I'd give it a go. The egg yolk proved to be not as tricky as I thought. There are so many gadgets out there to separate eggs; they're not really necessary. Just a few passes of the yolk between the broken halves of the shell and I had my yolk and whites separated. First time I really tried that, by the way, so there's hope for those who don't feel so bold to try this. The cream was brought almost to a boil (so glad it didn't curdle) and added to the egg, egg yolk, and sugar (which also didn't curdle). I'm not sure if there was any concern of that happening in this recipe. Nigella didn't mention it. But I made sure to temper the eggs before dumping the whole pot of cream in. Tempering is just adding a little bit of the hot (this time the cream) to the eggs to slowly bring up the temperature without actually making scrambled eggs. Because scrambled eggs and pan au chocolate were just not what I was going for.

Perfect with vanilla bean ice cream.

Once mixed the whole lot was poured over the pan au chocolate and left to set for about 10 minutes. Then, into the oven at 325 and baked for about 25 minutes. Well, the recipe says 25 minutes or until the pudding is softly set. Since Ryan and I aren't fans of runny pudding I baked it for about 35 minutes.

In the end, this turned out better than I hoped. Ryan loved it. It was easy and super quick. And it smelled fantastic! I am tempted to add just a hint of cinnamon next time to really take this over the edge of amazing. Who says the Brits don't know how to cook. This one is definitely a new fave.

Happy birthday, Ryan! I am so thankful for you and so happy to celebrate you on the last birthday of your twenties. Here's to many more birthdays and hopefully many more desserts to enjoy!

Time Flies

Wow, I can't believe it's been over a year since I posted anything. What a year it has been in both life and my baking adventure. Here are some highlights. 

We bought a house! We started looking February last year and closed Memorial Day weekend. It has been such a joy to make a home with Ryan. It's my favorite thing to do and my favorite place to be. We are still figuring out where to put things and deciding on things like curtains and area rugs. And I love our kitchen! We have dreams of reconfiguring the pantry and a few hall cupboards just to make everything fit just right. But I love standing in my kitchen cooking dinner and being home. 

I haven't baked in my kitchen as much as I would have liked to. It feels like life just sort of happened and baking wasn't a part of it. I did find time to make my favorite banana bread a few times (there's even a loaf in the oven as I write this). I did learn a few lessons this past year that I should have informed you of as soon as they happened because some were gems. The best: do not leave a pie on the stove when you take it out of the oven. Because when your spouse helps you when you're busy, takes the pie out of the oven and leaves it on the stove and then you come home and heat some water for tea you might just turn on the burner the pie was left on. And then it will explode. And you will run into the kitchen with bare feet to turn the burner off and, well, it's just not good. And this was all on the night before Thanksgiving!

Lesson definitely learned. Luckily I had some pumpkin ginger bundt on hand to contribute to the family meal. This fact slightly eased my pain, physical and emotional, but I couldn't help crying "this was going to be my best pie ever!" Oh, well. I'll just have to try again next year. 

I hope to continue baking and sharing my stories with you and that you find inspiration yourself to get in your kitchen and create something delicious!

My own recipe - Apple Crumble

For several months now I have toyed with the idea of creating my own recipe. I desperately want to create my own recipe for a cake but I still want to do some research on leaveners and proportions of ingredients. It really is fascinating to study; the chemistry and the combination of ingredients can make or break your recipe. But until I complete all the reading I want to do I decided to give a go at something a little more attainable: my own apple crumble.

When I normally make an apple crumble I use a store bought topping that I just add butter to and it's good to go. I absolutely love the way it all turns out so my goal is to improve upon that recipe and make it my own. So, I really just started with a list of the ingredients I wanted to use and just went for it. The only thing I did was to look on the box for where to start with ingredients and I made up the measurements. Here is what I came up with in my first attempt:

Kara's Apple Crumble, Version 1
1 cup oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
3 tbs flour
1 tbs cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
1 pinch of salt
4 large apples (I used 2 Fuji and 2 Gala. I had thought I was buying Honeycrisp instead of Gala at the store, but I picked from the wrong stack. I prefer the Fuji and will return to using just those in the future.)

I preheated the oven to 375 degrees. I then mixed all the dry ingredients together. I melted the butter and added it into the dry ingredients. I peeled and sliced all the apples and layered them in an oven friendly dish (I love, love, love my Denby dishes!). I topped off the apples with the crumble mixture and popped it all in the oven for 50 minutes.

The cook time was perfect; the apples were just soft enough and the crumble topping browned. Ryan graciously particpated in my first official taste test. Verdict: Meh.

I definitely overdid the oats. There were just too many and they overpowered the whole dish. I loved the small hint of cinnamon so I think I am happy with how much is in the recipe. I'm not sure where to go after this but I might just completely flip my measurements and do 1/3 cup oats and more of the flour and sugar. Who knows if it will work; that's part of the adventure! I would love to hear from people if they decide to try Version 1 and hear how they would change it. Can't wait to see how Version 2 turns out!

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!