Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

As per usual around this time of year, I am totally enamored with pumpkin. I bake with it, I put it in my oatmeal and I generally give it all the love I can.

Many moons ago, Ladyjaypee made some pumpkin bread when I was home for a school break. I couldn't get enough of it. Today, I enlighten you with that pumpkin bread. I halved the recipe as shown below and added chocolate chips because I got an extra large size bag from Costco and feel the need to add them to everything.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
All Recipes

1/2 of a 15-ounce can of pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one large loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for about 50-70 minutes in the preheated oven. Mine took about 70 minutes to completely finish cooking. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

I'm still not over my love for molasses apparently.

This was a great bread and I could definitely taste (and smell) the ginger-bread quality it had. I got through about half of the loaf before it started getting dry, so definitely either wrap it up VERY well in the refrigerator or eat it super speedy!

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
Joy the Baker

1 2/3 cup greek yogurt (Joy says you can use buttermilk as well)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 by 4 or 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Non-stick baking spray works too.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda.

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt (or buttermilk) and molasses.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold to combine. The batter will be slightly thick, but not dry. Spoon batter into prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake loaf for 45 minutes to an hour. You may want to rotate the loaf in the middle of baking.

Remove the loaf from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes in the loaf pan. Run a butter knife along the sides of the pan and carefully invert onto a wire rack.

Loaf will keep, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

You can serve it with cream cheese, jam, butter, nutella, honey, pumpkin butter, almond butter...the options are endless!

Tortillas

I'd never had homemade tortillas before. When my Stepmom mentioned over Christmas that she wanted to make enchiladas but didn't want to have to make the tortillas, I jumped at the opportunity to enjoy her kitchen!

And boy, oh boy, was it ever worth it! And these weren't even difficult to make. You just need some time over the stovetop after you mix the dough. The difference is astounding. Homemade tortillas are so much fluffier and fresher than store-bought!



Homemade Tortillas
Eating, Etc. 

Makes 8 tortillas

1-1/2c all-purpose flour

1/2c whole wheat pastry flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

2tsp of canola oil

3/4c warm milk

1) Mix together the flours, baking powder, salt and oil.

2) Slowly add the warm milk.

3) Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.

4) Knead for 2 minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.

5) Place dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

6) Divide dough into 8 sections & roll them into balls. Place on a plate, not touching each other, and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest or it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)

7) After dough has rested, place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll it out, like you would a pie crust, until it’s thin and about 8” in diameter. Don’t over work the dough. Keep covered until ready to cook.

8) In a dry cast-iron skillet heated on high, cook the tortillas about thirty seconds on each side. They should start to puff a bit when they’re done.

9) Keep cooked tortillas covered, in a paper towel until ready to eat.

Store leftovers in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Favorite Pancakes

Get a load of this: Breakfast is almost eclipsing dinner as my favorite meal of the day. And I credit it to new, fun and healthy options. These pancakes are another in a long line of recent breakfast creations that I have come up with.



They are packed with nothing but good, fueling food for a morning on the run. Since I am frequently on the run from dance classes to running to the gym most mornings, I really do need something good that sticks to my rubs.

Toppings are endless with these, but my favorites are nut butters, pumpkin butter, cranberry sauce, coconut and nuts. Let me know if you come up with other fun toppings!

Also, these pancakes freeze very well. I made them a month or so ago and keep popping them out of the freezer and into the toaster oven for a quick breakfast!



Pancakes
With a Side of Sneakers

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
cinnamon
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk
2 heaping tablespoons Chia seeds
2 heaping tablespoons Ground flax seed
1/4 cup Oat bran
2 heaping tablespoons Wheat germ 

Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk in coconut oil. Stir in yogurt and milk (and pumpkin if you're using it). Cook pancakes a few minutes on each side.

Toppings:
Vanilla Cinnamon Peanut butter
Pumpkin butter
Walnuts

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Creme

I could pretend that this was just a dessert that I made a few days ago to enjoy pre-Christmas. But, the truth is, I am so behind on posting that I made this several days before Thanksgiving. I know, some of you may have gasped, but its all relative.

This was unbelievable. I do enjoy bread pudding as a whole (my love I think I inherited from my father, along with my sweet tooth. Thanks, Dad), but I'd hazard a guess that even if you don't like bread pudding, you would like this as well. Especially if you like pumpkin.

Do I need to tell you where this recipe came from? Well, in case you missed it, Pioneer Woman was on an episode of showdown with Bobby Flay and this was Bobby's dessert. Of course, I had the episode recorded so Spice and I could be SURE to watch it!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Creme
Bobby Flay, Food Network

Pumpkin Bread:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing


• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves


• 1 1/2 cups sugar


• 1/4 cup vegetable oil


• 8 ounces (scant 1 cup) canned unsweetened pumpkin puree


• 2 large eggs


• 2/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 4 tablespoons softened butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.

Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and water and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.

Once the bread is cool, slice in half lengthwise, and then slice each half into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes on a large baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven until lightly toasted, turning once, about 20 minutes. Let cool.



Bread Pudding:

• 2 cups heavy cream


• 1 cup whole milk


• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped


• 6 large egg yolks


• 1/2 cup granulated sugar


• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup


• 1 cup pureed pumpkin


• 2 tablespoons bourbon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture until combined, remove the vanilla pod, and whisk in the bourbon. Strain the custard into a clean bowl.

Scatter the pumpkin bread cubes in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking glass baking dish. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing down on the bread to totally submerge it in the custard. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up some of the custard.

Place the pan in a larger roasting pan and pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until it comes half way up the sides of the glass dish. Bake until the sides are slightly puffed and the center jiggles slightly, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and water bath and cool on a baking rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Vanilla Bean Creme:

• 2 cups half-and-half


• 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped


• 5 large egg yolks


• 1/3 cup pure cane sugar

Bring the half-and-half and vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until at the pale ribbon stage. Slowly whisk in the hot half-and-half, return the mixture to the pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Strain into a bowl and set over an ice bath. Stir until chilled. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Corn Muffins

Happy Thanksgiving week! I'm looking forward to a week of cooking and baking, and I don't mean just Thanksgiving food! 

These are a great corn muffin base. Nothing fancy, but these come out very tender, slightly crunchy and definitely a good addition to soup or salads. Or just for an afternoon snack! There really is no cap on what you could add to these, either. I've been making them for several weeks to go with my lunches and I started by just adding corn, then tried corn, sausage and cranberries. I loved both ways!



Corn Muffins
Adapted from All-Recipes 

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/8 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk (I use skim)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin (for 6 muffins).

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, oat bran and salt.  Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. 

*I have made these with an addition of 1 cup of frozen corn and with 1/2 cup frozen corn, 1/2 cup chopped cranberries and 1/2 cup browned chicken sausage.

You are NOT ready...

Look at this. I made this. Believe it. This my friends is homemade focaccia bread. I know it has been awhile since I have posted about my bread making adventures, and truth be told it's because I am lazy. These recipes do not only take about 2 days to complete, they also take about 2 hours to type up! So if you really want to know how to make it, I have to refer you back to the best book ever.



Taking this bad boy out of the oven was definitely one of those, 'Wow I did good!' moments. It was lovely and brown and full of olive oil goodness. I made this guy into a gorgeous strata (which I will get to I promise) and a pizza. Plus there was plenty left over for snacking.  I will be making this bread for years to come, it may take 2 days but it is well worth it!



To my lovely WWer's, this bread is a total splurge, 3 measly ounces is a whopping 8 points (its all the oil that goes on top). But if there ever was an excuse to break into your extra weekly points this is it!

Soft Pretzels

I am salivating as I write this about walking past an Auntie Anne's Pretzels in the mall and getting that wonderful yeasty bread and cinnamon sugar smell. These were definitely just the thing to get my fix for that! And a fun Saturday project as well.

I enjoyed making these just as much as I enjoyed eating them. As for the flavors, I'm sure you can come up with a million other ideas! I followed 17 and Baking's cue and did cinnamon and sugar, parmesan cheese, salt, and almond and brown sugar. They all turned out excellent, but I think my favorite was the cinnamon and sugar! Big surprise on that one...



Soft Pretzels
From 17 and Baking who adapted from Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen

Pretzels
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil
¼ cup baking soda
1 large egg

Toppings
Sea salt or pretzel salt
Cinnamon and sugar
Grated Parmesan cheese
Brown sugar mixed with water and chopped almonds

Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the dough hook and stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.

On low speed, mix in 1 cup flour until combined. Mix in the salt and four more cups of flour until combined, about 30 seconds, then beat on medium-low speed for 1 ½ minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead in another ½ cup of flour for a minute on low speed. Depending on your dough, you can knead another ½ cup of flour. Knead for 30 seconds, until combined, then transfer to a floured board and knead 10 times until smooth.

Coat the sides and bottom of a large bowl with oil. Transfer the pretzel dough to the bowl, turning it so that all sides of dough are coated with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for an hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two to three baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.

Punch down the dough. Knead it once or twice on a lightly floured surface, then divide into sixteen 2 ½ ounce pieces. Keep the pieces wrapped in plastic so they don’t dry out.

Roll each piece of dough into an 18 inch long strip and twist into a pretzel. Place on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the pretzels rest for 15 minutes.

Fill a large, shallow pot with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Add the baking soda (it’ll foam up) and the last 2 tablespoons of sugar. Reduce to a simmer and poach the pretzels – cook 3 to 4 at a time, a minute on each side. Transfer to the baking sheet with a slotted spoon.

Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water and brush over the poached pretzels. You can sprinkle them with toppings – grated cheese, cinnamon sugar, salt, etc. Bake the pretzels until golden brown, 12-15 minutes, and cool on wire racks. Mine kept for several days in a tupperware.

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut

With a small break in the searing New York heat last week, and a few browning bananas on our counter, I saw the perfect opportunity for some banana bread! It also makes it feel a bit more like fall, which I am so excited for I can't stand it!

This was a great banana bread recipe and I loved the addition of chocolate and coconut! If you enjoy nuts in your bread, you could add toasted almonds and make it a true Almond Joy Banana Bread, but I chose to stick with the chocolate chips and coconut. The original recipe calls for yogurt, but I used sour cream since I already had it in my refrigerator.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Coconut
Adapted from My Baking Addiction

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas mashed well (about 1 1/2 C), mashed
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky.

Gently stir in the mini chocolate chips and coconut. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (the bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

New York, New York

Bagels

Warm and Delicious

Crispy Outside Warm Middle

Get in my Belly!

I hope you all enjoyed my haiku, poetry has never been my strong point. But there really isn't a better way to describe my love for all that is Bagel. Having grown up in New York (upstate still counts people!) I like to consider myself a connoisseur of all things bagel. I love them in every flavor, with every topping, at any time of the day. So when I got to Bagels in BBA I couldn't wait to try them out! I made plain, poppy seed, and get this... Chocolate Chip (at Sugar's request of course).  These do take some time, but I tell you they are worth every second.  So grab the baking soda kids, its time to make yummies...

Bagels

Sponge:

1 tsp instant yeast

18 ounces unbleached bread flour

20 ounces water at room temp

 

Dough:

1/2 tsp instant yeast

17 ounces unbleached bread flour

2 ¾ tsp salt

1 tbsp honey

 

Finishers:

1 tbsp baking soda

cornmeal

 

Day 1: Make sponge; stir yeast and flour in your mixer bowl. Add water and stir until smooth and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 2 hours, it should be very foamy and slightly bigger once done.

In the same bowl add the additional yeast and stir. Add 3 cups of flour, the salt, and honey. Stir on low speed with dough hook until a ball forms, slowly work in the rest (3/4 cup) of flour to stiffen the dough

Mix on medium for 6 minutes until dough is firm but still pliable and smooth, not tacky.

Divide dough into 4.5 ounce balls. Cover with damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment and mist with spray.

To shape take each ball and poke your thumb through the center. Gently stretch dough, by rotating your thumb to widen the hole to about 2.5 inchs in diamiter. Place the shaped pieces on the pans, l mist with spray, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes. After this time place in fridge overnight.

 

Day 2: Preheat over to 500 depgrees with two racks set in the middle. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and then add baking soda have your slotted spoon nearby.

Remove bagels from fridge and drop 2 or 3 (dpending on the size of your pan) into the boiling water (they should float within 10 seconds). After 2 minutes flip bagels and boil for an additional 2 minutes on the other side. While the bagels are boils sprinkle your parchment with cornmeal, use a good amount these bad boys love to stick. Remove bagels from water and place on the sheet (this would be the time to top if you want to ).

 

Once all bagels are boiled place pans in the oven and bake for 7 minutes, then rotate pans 180 degrees and switch racks. After rotation lower oven to 450 and continue baking for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Let bagels cool for 15 minutes and serve

 

Doughnuts and a Blizzard

Woo hoo hoo hoo! Did we get some snow yesterday or what?! It looked to me like it ended up being about 12 inches in Queens. And everyone on my way to work this morning was shoveling. Suckers!


I, luckily, don't have to shovel because I don't own my apartment. That's why I get to call the shovelers "suckers". Also, just because I'm nice!

I trecked my way into work yesterday for a full hour before they closed our office. Que suerte!

I got the chance to get out to the park by my apartment and take some pictures. There were some people out tubing, sledding and building snowmen.



My favorite though, was the people who were out for a run.

Let me repeat myself: OUT. FOR. A. RUN. IN A BLIZZARD! Are you nuts?? I wanted to slap them and shove a doughnut down their throats.

Anyways, after I trudged myself home from work, I found it to be an excellent opportunity to make doughnuts. That pesky Pioneer Woman put it into my head earlier this week. It's not my fault.

I definitely can't explain the doughnuts any better than she can, so you can go there to see the step by step tutorial she put together. What a kewl gal.

But before you click over, emmerse yourself in the deliciousness:


And oh boy oh boy! Were these dudes delicious! I was pretty proud of my success, but I didn't even realize how proud I was allowed to be until these disappeared a full .2 seconds after I set them out at work. Such a fun project for a snow day!

Greek Celebration Bread : Christopsomos

Week two of the Bread Bakers Challenge came and went without a hitch. After checking out the ingredient list I was prepared for a super sweet bread, but the finished product was mild and slightly cakey. What is wonderful about this bread is its versatility. You can switch out any of the dried fruits, or try another citrus base. I would love to try this again with dried cherries and pecans!

Although this one was not my favorite Sugar ate almost the entire loaf, literally! All that remained after two days were tiny slivers of the ends.

If you want to try this recipe as is, I would recommend adding orange extract rather than juice, to increase the sweetness a little.

Christopomos

7 ounces of poolish (receipe follows)

16 ounces unbleached bread flour

1 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tsp minced orange zest

1 tsp almond extract

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/4 cup of honey

1/4 cup of olive oil

3/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup golden raisens

1/2 cup crasins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Glaze:

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp orange juice

Poolish: (makes 11.5 ounces)

1.25 cups unbleach bread flour

3/4 cups of water, room temp

1/8 tsp instant yeast

Day 1, make the poolish:

Stir together ingredients in the bowl of your mixer until flour is hydrated (it should look like a really thinck pancake batter). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for ¾ hours. Put in the fridge overnight.

Day 2, make the dough:

Remove poolish from fridge and let come to room temperature

Mix together poolish, flour, salt, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Mix on low until dough forms a ball then increase speed to medium and kneed for 5 minutes, add in the raisns, crasins, and walnuts, kneed for 5 more minutes on medium speed. The dough should be tacky and supple.

Transfer dough to a slightly oiled bowl, roll to cover in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let ferment for 90 minutes, dough should double in size.

Divide dough into two pieces, one should be double the size of the other. Shape the larger piece into a ball and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchement, mist the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let proof for 90 minutes, dough ball should double in size again. Place the smaller piece of dough in a plastic bag and let chill in the fridge.

Preheat overn to 350 degrees with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

After the 90 minute proof time, take the small piece out of the fridge, divide in two, and roll each into a 10 inch strand. Drape each piece over the ball creating an X. You can get fancy here and create a little design with the ends. I split each end with a pastry scraper and coiled them around the base of the bread.

Bake for 20 minutes then rotate back 180 degrees and continue baking for another 20 minutes. It should be golden brown and register about 190 internal temp. Glaze the bread as soon as it comes out of the oven.

To make the glaze:

Combine the water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Add honey and juice, and cook lightly.

Cool bread 1 hour before slicing

Blueberry Muffins

I got so much for Christmas this year that it was simply impossible to pack it all in my suitcase back to NY. So the parental units and I packed whatever I couldn't fit (my Martha Stewart Cupcake and Cookie books, a cookie decorating book, 2 cookie sheets and The New Best Recipe Cookbook, among other things). I know, I'm a fairly spoiled young lady =) Get over it!

When the mailman came to deliver this nice, large, pretty heavy box, no one was home (such my luck). And, of course, the Post Service here in NY will not try to redeliver. Unfortunately I live 10 blocks away from the post office, which happens to be right next to the subway station, but is always closed when I get home. One morning a few weeks ago, I decided my arms were ready for some fun and decided to get said box.

Now, I am not a weak person, but as the post office woman laughed at me as I struggled out of the door, I realized the next 15 minutes were going to be brutal on my poor arms. With a hurt foot, I figured my arms could use a little workout. I got a full 2 blocks before I had to set my precious gifts down and take a breather.

I finally managed to lug the big box back to my apartment. And don't worry, even though my arms were sore for about 2 days afterwards, the contents of the box made up for it! And if I hadn't done said box lifting, I wouldn't have been able to share these really awesome blueberry muffins with my co-workers.

Blueberry Muffins

The New Best Recipe Cookbook

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/4 cups sour cream (I used greek yogurt)

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the egg in a second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogeneous, about 30 seconds; add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream (or greek yogurt) in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream (or yogurt) mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25-30 seconds (small spots of flour may remain, and the batter will be thick. Do not overmix).

Using a large spoon, divide the batter among the greased muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

While the muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. After the baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, working one at a time, dip the top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set the muffins upright on a wire rack.

Did You Miss Me?

Greetings Foodies!

It has been quite sometime since I have graced this blog with my presence. And in my absence I am appalled at what has been done. Sugar, my darling roomie, has given you dessert after dessert, sure her chocolates, cupcakes, and cookies are delicious (I should know, I get to eat them all!) But I know first hand the perils of so many sweets, the dreaded Sugar Crash and the resulting withdrawals. I can see you now withering on the floor screaming for someone to give you just one more cookie, but it never is just one more, is it?

But don't worry I am here now and promise to help the best way I know how, with carbs.

For Christmas this year my parents got me The Bread Baker's Apprentice, and I have decided to work my way through this book one recipe a week and share what I have learned with all of you. Now keep in mind that some of these recipes are involved and many of them have steps that you have to do hours if not days before. But I promise you the results will be worth it.

Week 1 - Anadama Bread

I love this bread and it makes the best toast! This recipe makes 3 loaves and they do freeze well so I would recommend just doing the whole batch so you always have some yummy bread on hand.

Soaker:

6 ounces of course ground cornmeal aka polenta

8 ounces/ 1 cup of water

Dough:

20.25 ounces/ 4.5 cups of unbleached bread flour

2 teaspoons of instant yeast

8 ounces of water

1.5 teaspoon of salt

4 ounces of molasses

1 ounce of shortening

cornmeal for dusting

Day Before:

Make soaker by mixing cornmeal and water, cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight at room temp

Make Dough:

Stir together 2 cups flour, yeast, soaker and water in mixer bowl. Cover with towel and ferment for 1 hour, until the mix begins to bubble.

Add remaining 2.5 cups of flour, salt, molasses, and shortening on low speed with paddle attachment, until all ingredients form a ball. Add water if necessary to make a soft, slightly sticky mass. Knead on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer dough, rolling it around to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature fro 90 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

Remove dough from bowl and divide into 3 parts of 16 ounces. Shape the dough into loaves and place into slightly oiled bread pans (8.5 by 4.5 pans) Mist the top with cooking spray and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

Proof at room temperature fro 90 minutes or until loaves crest about pans.

Preheat oven to 350 with over rack in the middle shelf. Place bread pans on a sheet pan and remove plastic wrap. Mist tops of loaves with water and sprinkle cornmeal on top.

Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan and bake another 20/30 minutes until loaves are golden brown, and register at least 185 to 190 in center. Makes a hallow sound when thumped on the bottom.

Remove from pans immediately and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.

Golden Corral Rolls

LadyJayPee at Eating, Etc. made these wheat rolls several years ago and since then, I have been obsessed. They will always be a part of my holiday table from now on.

Despite that fact that these rolls have to rise twice, they are easy to make and you just have to mix them, sit them down and forget about them, shape them into balls, let them chill some more and then bake! Easy as pie!

Unfortunately, my rolls didn't rise the second time very much, but they still baked up nice and pretty and delicious.

Golden Corral Rolls
Eating, Etc.

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup milk, just to scalding hot (do not simmer or boil)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4- 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let sit for about 5 minutes until mixture foams up.

Heat milk in microwave or in small saucepan on stove top.

Add sugar, butter and salt to hot milk and stir until butter is melted. Cool to 105-110 degrees F. Pour milk mixture into bowl of stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and egg and mix together.

Mix in all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour and vital wheat gluten, beating to form a soft dough. Knead with mixer for 5 minutes, adding extra flour if needed.

Place dough in warm oiled or buttered bowl, turning greased side up. Cover with parchment paper and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 75-90 minutes.

Punch dough down and hand-knead for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into round rolls. Place them, not touching in greased 13 by 9 inch pan. Cover with parchment paper and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30-45 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Brush tops of rolls with melted butter.

Fall Pumpkin Bread

Still trying to get rid of applesauce....

Do you need any? Send me your address and I will mail you some. Just kidding!

I love sweet breads. Especially pumpkin bread. There is something about it that just shoots me over the moon! My Stepmom probably makes the best pumpkin bread I have ever had, and I am always trying to replicate it, but to no avail. This bread was good, but there weren't any fireworks. I did like the cranberries and apples in it, but I think I prefer my pumpkin bread unadulterated. Nonetheless, good flavor, pretty moist, definitely enjoyed a few slices for myself!

Fall Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from Good Things Catered

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 can (or 7.5 oz) pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. applesauce
1/4 c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium apple (I like granny smith) peeled, cored, and diced
1 c. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9x5 loaf pan.
In large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and whisk to combine. In another large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla and stir to combine well.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just barely blended. Fold in apples, cranberries and pecans.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. BRemove from pan and let cool on wire rack completely (makes the slices much more clean.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

Yes, more attempts to rid myself of the applesauce that is taking over the refrigerator.

Awhile ago, Spice bought a new muffin pan because I only had a 6 muffin one. She bought one of those silicone ones...which I am beginning to loath! I find the darned little guy frustrating! He is so absurdly flexible for a baking pan and bends way too easily for my tastes. I find that muffins and cupcakes don't cook very well in it either, requiring much more time than usual to bake. He is also extremely difficult to clean! I can't get him to be stable enough to scrub and just get so frustrated! Grrr...point being, I don't recommend silicone baking products. If they work for you, I give you major brownie points (brownies...mmmm).

Despite my frustrations, I am happy to say that these muffins are delicious! MUCH better the next day and I added a bit of a streusel topping just to make me happier! Because it's all about me, after all =)


Whole Wheat Pumpkin-Applesauce Muffins
All Recipes

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line the cups with paper muffin liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.

Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, oil, applesauce, pumpkin, buttermilk and beaten eggs and mix until well blended. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin pan.

In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, raw sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Top each muffin with streusel mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes (unless you have a lame silicone muffin pan and then its more like 25 to 30 minutes). Cool the muffin pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan to cool completely.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Weekend two of Candide down...one more to go! Whoopie!

What better way to get myself through another weekend at the theater than Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones?! I really can't think of one (obviously, or else I would have made it)!

Confession: I went to the grocery store last week and, upon seeing a fully stocked shelf of pumpkin puree, I bought 4 cans of the stuff! What?! They are just hanging out in my pantry just waiting to be made into deliciousness! Obsessed? Never.

These scones were brilliant. Great pumpkin flavor without being overwhelming. I added mini chocolate chips, which were a great choice because they didn't detract from the pumpkin, but added that bit of sweetness!


Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones
Adashofsass.com

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fat free milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, grated
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray.

Stir together the pumpkin, milk, vanilla and one egg until combined. Place bowl in refrigerator until ready to be used.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Stir in the spices.

Using your fingers (or a pastry cutter if you have one), work the grated butter into the dry ingredients until it becomes a crumbly, sandy mixture.

Add the cold, wet ingredients to the mixture and stir until combined.

Add the mini chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Gather the dough into a round ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Lightly press down on dough to make a disc. Using a knife, cut into 8 triangles (like a pizza). Place on baking sheet.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Brush onto each scone and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 17 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Banana Bread

Stop reading if you are squeamish about bugs (that means YOU, Spice...I mean it! Don't read this!). Why I am putting this story on a food blog, I have no idea...

So last night, I'm coming home from rehearsal, step into my apartment and turn on the light. Scurrying right across the floor is a gigantic cockroach. I definitely do not like bugs. Spice, however, may take the cake with this one (luckily she wasn't home). The only other time we have seen a cockroach in our apartment was at the beginning of the summer and it happened to be in Spice's room. I'm sitting on the couch minding my own business (its probably about 11:30pm) when Spice screams, runs out of her room, starts hyperventilating and bursts into tears. We tried to find the cockroach in her room, but couldn't. Spice was determined to take EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE out of her room to find the little bugger. Long story short, we woke up all our neighbors and our land lady's son had to come kill it for us. Side note: This was cyber cockroach. He flew, hit walls and literally wouldn't die despite multiple wacks with shoes and a pool of bug spray.

Anyways...so last night, upon seeing the cockroach, I knew I would have to kill it before Spice came home or we would have another freak out. Luckily, this was a normal (by normal I mean he didn't fly) cockroach and I attacked him with bug spray and a broom and he was gone within 15 minutes. And when I say bug spray I literally mean there were pools of bug spray all around our apartment. After the killing, I washed up and even swiffered the floors, but it still smelled like bug spray and chemicals.

Out of sheer brilliance, I made some banana bread to make the apartment smell better. Only I would think to bake instead of spraying air freshener.

I found this recipe in the latest issue of Cooking Light and it turned out GREAT! I made a few changes which I wrote below. The bread stayed very moist and had a great crispy crust after cooling. Despite reading about cockroaches for several minutes, I think you should make this banana bread this weekend.

Banana Bread
Cooking Light

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 medium bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (through baking soda) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine banana and next 4 ingredients (through oil) in a small bowl. Add banana mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon the batter into a 9 by5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and ten minutes. Cool for ten minutes in a pan on a wire rack and remove from pan.

Baked Pumpkin Bread

I freaking LOVE pumpkin. Around this time, I try to make everything I can with it. I decided to start the season off basic...with pumpkin bread. I have a recipe in my arsenal for a pretty awesome pumpkin bread, but I decided to try something different and found a recipe on All Recipes for a little bit healthier pumpkin bread. I took it one step further and used half whole wheat pastry flour.

It turned out really well! But I've had better...nonetheless, it was a great start for a healthier pumpkin bread. I guess having eaten about half of it on my own already in just a couple of days, goes to show either my complete lack of self control or a rather delicious pumpkin bread!

Baked Pumpkin Bread
AllRecipes.com

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix in the pumpkin, browl sugar, buttermilk, egg and butter until well blended. Pour into a 9 by 5 inch greased loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.