The Big Green Bowl

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

2023-09-26T10:14:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe in the October-November 2023 edition of Country Living Magazine. They looked so pretty with the glaze and chopped pecans on top, I had to try them! They were good... but I made some changes to enhance them.☺The original recipe called for water but did not state how much water (!), so I used 1/4 cup milk based on other muffin recipes I have. Also, I don't like to put spice in my glaze, I prefer it to all be in the muffin, so I made that change. And as always, I write the instructions in my own words and in the way I like to proceed when I bake. These are very quick and easy to whip up. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp pumpkin spice powder

1 cup chopped pecans, plus more for garnish (optional: toast pecans for nuttier flavor!)

Glaze:

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1-2 Tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and pumpkin.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients and stir to combine, then add the pecans.

Using a large ice cream scoop or spoon, fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. You should get an even dozen. Bake until tops are firm to the touch or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. You can eat them now nice and warm, or wait til they are cooled and drizzled with your glaze.

If you choose to glaze them, mix the confectioner's sugar and milk until a good glazing consistency. Use a spoon to drizzle over muffins and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Happy Baking!

Easy Shortbread

2022-10-15T18:14:00.004-07:00

This shortbread recipe may be easy, but the taste is ALL there. In my opinion, it's perfect. It's light and sweet and melts in your mouth. When I get shortbread cravings, I want to be able to whip up a batch and eat it within the hour. This recipe checks all the boxes. So perfect with a cup of afternoon tea.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2 TB granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and salt and beat again until well blended. Sift the flour directly into the butter mixture and STIR until a stiff dough forms.

Spoon the dough evenly into an UNGREASED 9" square baking pan. With your fingertips, press the dough into the pan until compact and even. With a fork, prick the dough all over.

Bake until lightly browned, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a bit, then cut evenly into squares. Let cool completely. Store shortbread in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Happy Baking!

Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek)

2022-05-21T04:19:00.001-07:00

I saw this recipe on Allrecipes.com and just had to try it. I love anything buttery and almondy and if it's easy to make with few ingredients, even better! It turned out so delicious, I know I will be making it frequently for years to come. It makes two 8" cakes so you can bring one to work or give to a friend!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 TB (Tablespoon) almond extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

sliced almonds for the tops

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8" round cake pans (or spray with baking spray).

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Add eggs to the butter mixture, saving about 1 TB to brush over the tops of the cakes.

Stir in the almond extract.

In another small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder with a whisk; stir into the batter by hand. The dough will be stiff.

Spread dough evenly into the two prepared pans (an offset spatula works nicely for this). Brush the tops with the reserved egg and use the spatula to smooth it over, then sprinkle evenly with the sliced almonds.

Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Don't over bake or it will be dry!

Remove from oven and let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then carefully remove to wire racks to cool completely. Cut in wedges to serve.

Happy Baking!

Tripe Chocolate Brownies

2022-04-17T07:30:00.001-07:00

When I want brownies, I normally use Ghirardelli brownie mix. I mean, why mess with perfection? But sometimes I want MORE than a brownie... I need something richer and denser, more like a dessert. That's when I bake these. I was introduced to this recipe by a parent who comes into our school office. She brought us these treats and I HAD to have the recipe. She got it from Cook's Illustrated. As always, I type up recipes here the way I like to bake them and with any changes I've made to the original.

If you love deep, dark, rich chocolate, you will want to make these soon!!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

8 TB (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into large cubes

3 TB cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1-1/4 cups (8-3/4 oz) sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (5 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray an 8" square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. You can line it with parchment paper if you wish, letting the sides hang over so that you can pull the whole thing out of the pan when baked. If you do this, spray again with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium microwave safe bowl, add the semi-sweet and un-sweetened chocolate and the butter. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. It usually requires 3 intervals to completely melt. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt.

Whisk the warm chocolate mixtures into the egg mixture, then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 35-40 minutes until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of crumbs on it. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Cut into squares directly in the pan or if you've used parchment, remove from pan and cut.

Cover and store on counter or in the refrigerator.

Happy Baking!

Salted Nut Roll Bars

2022-01-24T08:46:00.003-08:00

If you like PAYDAY candy bars, you will LOVE this recipe. It's super easy and fun to make with a few ingredients. Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

16 oz dry roasted salted peanuts, divided

4 TB unsalted butter

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

10 oz bag peanut butter chips

4 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add 1/2 the peanuts. Set aside.

3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.

4. Add sweetened condensed milk and stir till completely combined.

5. Add peanut butter chips and continue to stir until melted.

6. Stir in marshmallows and cook til puffy, about a minute or two.

7. Remove from heat and pour on top of peanuts in the baking pan. Spread with spatula.

8. Top with remaining peanuts and press down gently.

9. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

10. Cut into bars and serve.

Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2021-11-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

This Pumpkin Spice Bread is one of the best I've tasted. It's super moist and flavorful. The spices are heated in with the pumpkin puree before the other ingredients are added, which really brings out the cinnamon and clove flavors. Baked in 3 mini loaf pans or one 9" pan, it makes a wonderful gift to bring to a friend!

Ingredients:

1 cup minus 2 TB canned pure pumpkin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cup water

1-3/4 cups brown sugar (light or dark)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1-3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves over medium heat until steamy, then stir continuously until pumpkin is stiff, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in 3/4 cup water, then brown sugar, then oil, then eggs until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients, then fold into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. It will look a little lumpy.

Pour batter into 3 greased mini loaf pans (approx 5"x4"x2") or one 9" pan. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 45 minutes for mini loaves and about 65 minutes for the larger loaf.

Let bread cool in pans a few minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.

Glaze is optional. I prefer it without, but it looks prettier for gifting if you dress it up a bit. Just mix up some powdered sugar and water to desired consistency and spread or drizzle over the top.

Recipe doubles easily and freezes well.

*Recipe from a magazine but I don't remember which one! It's been in my recipe binder for years.

Happy Baking!

Madeleines

2021-06-30T14:21:00.001-07:00

Don't you just love a Madeleine? They are so delicious with your tea or coffee, and they are easier to bake than you might think. It takes very few ingredients and not much time. You do need a Madeleine tin but those are easy to find on the internet or in your local kitchen shop. Let's go!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Grated rind of one lemon

4 oz (1 stick) of unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat sugar and eggs together until thoroughly blended. Add lemon rind and melted butter. Mix to blend. Sift together dry ingredients and add all at once to the egg mixture. Stir just to blend. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

While your batter is resting, generously butter your Madeleine tin. I do not recommend using baking spray. The butter will make the outside of the Madeleines nice and crispy and give them flavor, whereas the spray will make them rubbery.

Pour slowly or spoon the batter into the molds and fill them 3/4 full. Be careful not to overfill them or you won't get those nice little ridges.

Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Do not over-bake them or they will be dry! Carefully remove them from the tin one by one. If you find they are sticking, use an off-set spatula to carefully work your way around and then slowly lift them out. Turn them over to cool on a rack. See the ridges? Good job!

Wipe out the molds, re-butter and fill again if you have leftover batter. My tin makes 12 Madeleines and I had just a tiny bit of batter left, not enough to make more.

Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe from foodnetwork.com

Blueberry Oatmeal Walnut Cake

2021-04-25T12:26:00.004-07:00

We like to eat this delicious cake for breakfast or have it as an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea. It is more like a coffee cake than a dessert cake, but you can certainly have it anytime of day! Buttermilk and oil give it a moist texture and the molasses gives it that rich dark color. This recipe originally calls for cranberries, but I prefer to use blueberries as we usually have them on hand most of the year, either fresh or frozen. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or a dollop of butter. So good!

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats

2 large eggs

1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup dark molasses

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon (separated)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13" pan or spray with PAM for baking.

Spread the oats on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar and oil together until blended. Stir in the buttermilk, molasses and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, toasted oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp cinnamon. Stir to blend. Add dry ingredients to buttermilk mixture and beat for about 1 minute or until smooth. Stir in the blueberries. Spread in the prepared pan. Toss the nuts and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake as it will be dry! Let cool in the pan. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Muffin Variation:

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out mounds of batter into paper lined muffin cups. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 large muffins.

Happy Baking!

Shortbread Biscuits

2020-08-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Here's another yummy recipe from my little country cookbook, "Favourite Farmhouse Recipes." It only has three ingredients! One of them is self-raising flour. DO NOT substitute regular flour for this. Self-raising flour contains salt and baking powder, so if you use regular flour your cookies will not puff up. Because of the added salt in the flour, you also want to be sure to use UNsalted butter.

I love shortbread plain, but I decided to add some icing just for fun. I just made a simple water icing. If you want a fancier cookie, you could add food coloring to the icing or add sprinkles or chopped nuts if you like, You could even dip the tops or 1/2 of the cookie in chocolate.

I have converted the weight measurements to measuring cup measurements in case you don't have a scale.

Shortbread Biscuits

Makes ~30 cookies

Ingredients:

6 oz sweet (unsalted) butter (1-1/2 sticks)

2 oz icing sugar (powdered, confectioners) (2/3 cup)

8 oz. self-raising flour, sifted (2 cups)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until very soft and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted flour and mix until combined. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a plain or fluted cutter. Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for ~10 minutes, until pale brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Sprinkle with icing sugar or make a water icing to drizzle or spread on top.

Water Icing:

Mix icing sugar and enough water to make drizzle or spreading consistency. Add water a tiny little bit at a time so it doesn't get too runny too quickly.

Happy Baking!

Orange and Walnut Cake

2020-08-22T15:39:00.005-07:00

I have been obsessed with The Great British Bake Off and have been binge watching all the seasons on Netflix. I admire those bakers, how they weigh everything and make their own jam for their cakes, and all the different meringues... I think it's way more involved than American baking.

I recently found these cute little cookbooks on the internet and bought them, mostly for the illustrations!

I found many recipes I do want to try, and one of them was this cake. I like simple, rustic cakes and this sounded so good. But I had to buy a kitchen scale! It was a little nerve-wracking baking this way, but I did it and the cake turned out great!

I did convert it to American measurements if you'd like to make it and don't have a scale. But if you go buy a scale, it's pretty fun and it opens up a whole world of baking the British way!

Ingredients:

6 oz unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks) softened

Grated rind of one orange

6 oz caster sugar (super fine) (3/4 cup)

2 eggs, separated

10 oz flour (2-1/4 cup)

1 tsp baking powder

2 oz orange marmalade (1/4 cup)

3 oz chopped walnuts (3/4 cup)

6 TB orange juice and water, mixed

WATER ICING

Made with sifted icing sugar (confectioners or powdered sugar) and sufficient water and strained orange juice to give a good coating consistency.
Walnut halves to decorate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour (or use baking spray) a round 8 inch cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, orange rind and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the butter mixture. (It will be crumbly and dry.) Add the marmalade, chopped walnuts and the water/orange juice and combine lightly.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they stand in soft peaks, then fold into the mixture. Batter will be thick!

Spread the batter in the tin. The recipe says bake for 1 hour but mine was done in 45 minutes! Be sure to just check it with your finger tip. If it browns too quickly, cover with foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack. Ice and decorate with the walnut halves.

Happy Baking!

Lemon Honey Mousse

2020-08-13T13:28:00.001-07:00

Back in the early 1980s, when I was a vegetarian, I bought the famous Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. It is full of nutritious and very yummy recipes that I still enjoy making, and this mousse is one of them. If you love your lemon desserts, you'll really enjoy this one. It is light and fluffy and the perfect level of sweet/tart. Ok, maybe on the tart side but I enjoy that! It does take a little time to put together and you need to start it at least 5 hours before you plan to serve it. Such a perfect summer dessert!

Makes 8-10 individual servings

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, separated

3 TB cornstarch

juice from 6 large lemons

grated rind from 2 lemons

6 TBS honey

dash of salt

dash of cream of tarter

1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream

1/4 tsp vanilla or lemon extract (I use lemon)

1 TB honey

Separate the 3 eggs, putting the whites in a large bowl and yolks in a medium sized bowl. Let them stand until they come to room temperature. Lightly beat the yolks with a whisk.

Zest or grate 2 of your lemons onto a sheet of waxed paper or dish, and juice all six lemons.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, lemon juice, 6 TB honey and the lemon rind. When the mixture is smooth, cook it over low heat, whisking continually, until it starts to thicken (6-10 minutes). Remove from the heat. Beating furiously with the whisk, pour the hot lemon mixture slowly into the egg yolks. This is so that you do not cook the egg! Beat until smooth. Refrigerate.

When the lemon-yolk mixture has cooled and begun to solidify (about 45 minutes), start beating the egg whites with an electric mixture. Add a dash of salt and a dash of cream of tarter. When the whites form stiff (but not dry) peaks, fold them gently but thoroughly into the chilled lemon mixture. Refrigerate it while you prepare the whipped cream.

Make sure the cream, bowl and beaters are cold. Add vanilla or lemon extract and whip on high, drizzling in the 1 TB honey while mixing. When the cream is thick, fold it into the mousse. Spoon the mixture into individual ramekins or pretty dishes and chill for several hours before serving. Top with berries if you wish, or a mint sprig and lemon slice.

Happy Baking!

Fresh Fig Crumb Cake

2020-08-08T19:12:00.004-07:00

Oh my goodness, is this coffee cake DELICIOUS! I couldn't wait to blog about it. It's soft and moist and has a streusel topping! How can you not love a streusel topping?

I found this recipe on a blog called Entertaining with Beth. I did change a few things. Her recipe calls for crystalized ginger, which I don't normally have at home, so I substituted powdered ginger. I'm sure the crystalized ginger takes it to the next level, and if you want to try it, click the link above for the original recipe. Be sure to let me know how you like it!

I reduced the amount of salt in the cake and also the amount of melted butter for the streusel topping. Her recipe says to slice the figs vertically, but I didn't read it properly and sliced mine horizontally. Vertically would definitely be best to make your fig slices go deeper into the cake.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground ginger

5-10 fresh figs, sliced vertically

Streusel:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 TB white sugar

2 TB brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 TB melted butter

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9" springform pan with baking spray.

First make the crumble in a small bowl. Stir together all the dry ingredients and slowly add in enough of the melted butter until it's the right crumble consistency. Stir in the walnuts and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sugars, water and vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cardamom. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk slowly to combine.

Pour batter into the pan. Arrange sliced figs on the top of the cake batter. Top with the streusel and bake cake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. You don't want to over bake it or it will be too dry. If the top gets too brown, cover with foil until done. Let it cool for about 10 minutes then remove the sides of the pan. Carefully remove the cake from the bottom of the pan with a large spatula, and cool on a wire rack. When cool, put your cake on a nice plate or stand and serve warm or cooled with a cup of tea or coffee.

Happy Baking!

Jam Filled Walnut Scones

2020-07-15T09:30:00.001-07:00

These cute little scones are perfect for a light breakfast or afternoon tea. The jam is already included! The addition of a light glaze drizzle adds the finishing touch. Very tasty and pretty!

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make a substitute by putting 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice into your measuring cup and then adding whole milk until it measures 2/3 cup.

Unsalted butter is always best, but you may use salted butter and just omit the 1/4 tsp salt.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt *(omit if using salted butter)
6 TB unsalted butter, chilled*
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup jam
1 cup powdered sugar and milk for glaze (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, walnuts, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter into the mixture bit by bit, and stir between gratings. (Or cut butter into small pieces and cut in with a pastry blender.)

In a small bowl stir together the buttermilk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine. With lightly floured hands, divide the dough into two equal-sized pieces and pat each portion into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. With a sharp knife or pizza roller, cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer the 12 pieces to the prepared baking sheet. Using the point of a sharp knife, make a slit in the top of each scone. Carefully spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into each slit.

Bake 16-19 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. Remove baking sheet and let scones cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or transfer scones to a wire rack to cool a bit more, then drizzle with glaze if desired.

Glaze:
In a small bowl, measure 1 cup powdered sugar. Add milk a little bit at a time until the glaze is a good drizzle consistency.

May be stored in airtight container. These scones also freeze well.

Recipe from "Simply Scones" by Leslie Weiner and Barbara Albright

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Bourbon Cake

2020-03-29T16:08:00.002-07:00

If you like rich and dense chocolate cake, you'll really enjoy this recipe. I have this recipe clipping saved from a Family Circle magazine dated 9/17/2002. It's super easy to make, you don't even need a mixer! It's made in a pan on the stove. The original recipe calls for instant espresso powder, but I substituted strong coffee for a portion of the water.

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)

1 cup water

1/2 cup strong coffee

1/3 cup bourbon whiskey

1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

1-3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:

2 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar

2 TB light corn syrup

3 to 4 TB milk

1 square semisweet chocolate, melted (optional). You can use chocolate chips too.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan (or use PAM spray for baking).

In medium size bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In a medium saucepan, combine water, coffee, bourbon, and butter. Over medium heat, stir mixture just until butter melts. Remove from heat. Whisk in granulated sugar. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Gradually whisk in flour mixture until combined. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not over bake or it will be dry. Let the cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan and let cool completely. You will glaze the cake while it's still on the wire rack.

To make the glaze, sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Add corn syrup and enough milk to make a smooth glaze, not runny. Spoon or pour the glaze over the cake and let it run over the sides. You can use an off-set spatula to help cover the cake completely if you like. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the cake, if desired. Use two spatulas to lift the cake onto a clean plate. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!!

Buttermilk Cake with Cider Icing

2019-10-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

I recently bought one of those little recipe books that they place by the check-out stand at the grocery store. I'm a sucker for those little books. I still have some from the 1970s and '80s 😊 This one is a Taste of Home collection called "Fall Baking." I love Taste of Home so I knew it had to be good! A photo of this cake was on the cover and it caught my eye for sure.

So I made this today and it is DELICIOUS! Easy to make too. You do have to go buy some buttermilk. REAL buttermilk (not milk with vinegar added) After all, the cake features this ingredient! You need cream cheese and apple juice or cider as well.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2-1/3 cups sugar

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs, room temp

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Icing:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4-1/2 cup apple juice or cider

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube cake pan, or use PAM or Baker's Joy.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. The batter will be thick. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 45-50 min. until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may need to cover the top with a piece of foil (arch it up to keep it off the batter) about 15 minutes before it's done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing.

When ready to ice, mix cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar. Add cider bit by bit until it reaches a pour-able consistency. I had to use the whole 1/2 cup. Pour in a ring around the top and let the icing flow over the sides. Sprinkle with some nutmeg if desired. This actually really adds to the flavor!

Happy Baking!

Fig Pistachio Scones

2019-08-31T06:24:00.001-07:00

I've been scrambling to use up all my figs! I've made jam, scones and cookies and even dehydrated a bunch in my new dehydrator. I have a bread recipe I want to try too.

Once again I consulted my trusty Simply Scones cookbook and sure enough, there was a fig scone recipe. Who could resist the addition of pistachios? If you don't have pistachios, slivered almonds or walnuts would be lovely as well.

This recipe makes about 6 scones.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup flour

3 TB brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled

1 large egg

2 TB milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup shelled pistachio nuts

1/3 cup chopped trimmed figs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a cheese grater, grate the cheese into the flour mixture and stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (Or cut butter in with a pastry blender.)

In a small bowl, stir together the egg, milk and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky. Stir in the nuts and figs until evenly distributed.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3" between scones. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

2019-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

There are many recipes on the internet for Peach Cobbler, but I always stick with my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (from 1976) for this dessert. If you're looking for a good old-fashioned basic Peach Cobbler recipe, this is it. Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Have an 8" round or square pan ready. You do not need to grease it.

Biscuit Topping:

1 cup flour
2 TB sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or grate it in with a cheese grater) and stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the milk and egg in a small bowl, then add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just to moisten. Set aside.

Filling:

Peeled and sliced peaches (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 TB cornstarch
1/4 tsp Mace (or Nutmeg)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1TB lemon juice
1 TB butter

Combine cornstarch, Mace, brown sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook and stir on medium high heat, until thickened. Add the peaches, lemon juice and butter. Cook till peaches are hot, about 5 minutes.

Pour filling into baking dish. Immediately spoon on the biscuit topper in 6 or 7 mounds. Bake for 20-25 minutes or til golden brown. Do not under-bake or it will be mushy. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Enjoy!

Fig Thumbprint Cookies

2019-08-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

We have a little fig tree and I try to eat as many as possible, just raw. Love 'em! But this year I wanted to find some recipes to use them in as well.

My Sicilian Nana used to make a traditional cookie called a Cuccidade, with sweet dough and a fig filling. They are SO good but a LOT of work, and they call for dried figs, not fresh. I will blog about those another time!

I found this thumbprint cookie on Allrecipes.com, one of my favorite recipe sites. I made a few changes and added the icing which I think really elevates the cookie.

These are not overly sweet cookies, they are more in the tradition of Italian cookies, made to dip or drink with your coffee. I love them and they received good reviews from my taste-testers!

INGREDIENTS:

Fig Filling:
1 cup chopped fresh figs (4 or 5 large figs)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Cookie:
2-2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
Enough milk to make drizzle consistency

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Filling: Put figs, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Mixture should be slightly thinner than jam. Add more honey if necessary.

Cookie Dough: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat eggs in one at a time, until combined. Stir in vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture until well blended.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on a non-stick cooking sheet. Make thumbprints into the balls with your finger or with a measuring teaspoon (dip in flour so it won't stick). Spoon ~1 tsp filling into each thumbprint.

Bake in preheated oven about 10-11 minutes. Don't let them get brown, they will be too crispy! They are meant to be soft cookies. Cool a few minutes and remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with the icing.

Enjoy!

Plum Almond Scones

2019-07-23T19:04:00.002-07:00

My plum tree is overflowing, so I've been looking for ways to use them up, besides feeding them to the chickens. 🐔 I made jam for the first time and it turned out great! Then this morning I went to my trusty Simply Scones cookbook to see if there was a recipe for Plum Scones. There was... I made them.... and they turned out delicious! My son came over for breakfast and he agreed. These scones are not too sweet and the addition of toasted slivered almonds takes them to the top. I decided to make a simple powdered sugar and milk icing for added sweetness and appeal. You can ice them or not, your choice. Enjoy!!

Plum Almond Scones
Makes ~12 scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)
6 TB unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 large egg
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped plums (2-4 firm fresh plums)
1/2 cup slivered or sliced blanched almonds, toasted*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. (Omit salt if using salted butter.) Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients and stir until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, egg and vanilla. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped plums and almonds until evenly distributed.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between scones. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.

Remove from baking sheet and serve warm, or cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Make a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk to drizzle over the top if desired. Sliced almonds look really nice sprinkled on the top too.

*To toast almonds, place in a non-stick pan over medium heat on the stove and stir until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

2019-01-20T09:27:00.002-08:00

I am so excited, I have finally found the perfect Snickerdoodle recipe! I've been searching and searching and every recipe I've tried so far has come up short. The cookies are either too flat or too sweet or too crunchy. Well, I finally found the recipe I've been looking for on Allrecipes.com. There are several recipes there but this one wins the prize!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

2-3/4 cups flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 TB white sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon, mixed together

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.

In a smaller bowl whisk together flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt. And to the creamed mixture and beat well.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, roll dough into 1" balls. Roll balls into cinnamon sugar mixture and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 3" apart. Bake for 8-10 min. Remove from oven and let cool about a minute before removing to cooling rack.

Happy Baking!

Meringues

2018-12-10T20:04:00.001-08:00

This simple Meringue recipe was given to me by a friend several years ago. It makes a nice addition to any Christmas cookie tray!

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Cream of Tarter
3/4 cup sugar
drop of red or green food coloring
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites, salt and Cream of Tarter until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar while beating until stiff peaks form. Add food coloring. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by teaspoon onto the papered cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack. Store in a sealed container.

Do Not Double This Recipe

Happy Baking!

Bourbon Balls

2018-12-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog about one of our family's favorite holiday treats! I guess I can blame it on lack of planning because you actually have to make these around mid November in order to eat them by mid December. They're like fruit cake in that they need to age for several weeks before they taste their best. Besides that, they are super simple to make, requiring very few ingredients. Try them, you'll love them!

This recipe was given to me by a family friend back in the 1970's.

Bourbon Balls

2 boxes Vanilla Wafers
1 12-oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 TB corn syrup
1/2 - 3/4 cup Bourbon
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Prep: Spread a large sheet of wax paper on your work surface to place rolled balls as you are working. Pour some powdered sugar into a small dish for rolling the balls in.

In food processor, grind vanilla wafers until finely ground. Pour crumbs in a large bowl. Stir in powdered sugar.

In microwave, melt chocolate chips 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until smooth. Add corn syrup to the melted chocolate, then pour into the vanilla wafer crumbs and mix together. Add 1/2 cup Bourbon and mix, adding more until mixture is soft but firm enough to shape into 1 inch balls. It should be the consistency of playdough. I like to use my hands to combine everything together. The mixture dries out very quickly so you have to work fast. Better yet, enlist someone to help you!

Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on the wax paper. Add more Bourbon as you work if necessary. You should get approximately 90 Bourbon Balls. Let them dry on the wax paper for an hour or so then place in a tin or air-tight container until you are ready to eat them. Wait at least 2 weeks, preferably 3, before serving!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2018-09-16T18:49:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Two Peas and Their Pod. This cake is moist and flavorful, and the cream cheese glaze puts it over the top! It's easy and fun to whip up on a beautiful fall day when you are craving something pumpkin!

You can follow the above link to the original recipe, or print it up here if you like. I organized my directions a little differently, in the order I prefer to do things.

Cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 TB milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 10" bundt pan with Bakers Joy or other non-stick cooking spray for baking. Do not use an Olive Oil based spray.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the canned pumpkin. Beat well after each addition.

Pour batter into the bundt pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Check the cake at about 40 minutes; if it's getting too brown, tent it with foil until done. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack. When cake is cool, transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with the glaze.

Glaze:
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and 1 TB of milk. If it's too thick to drizzle, add more milk.

Cover and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Happy Baking!

No-Bake Deliciousness

2018-07-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

When it's too hot to bake but you are craving home-made sweets, these quick and easy desserts will cure your sweet tooth!

Want something creamy? These three desserts will satisfy! Rich and creamy Cheesecake Mousse, colorful and light Blueberry Fool, and refreshing Banana Pudding Parfaits.

Cheesecake Mousse

Blueberry Fool

Banana Pudding Parfaits

These Chocolate Oat Bars are super EASY and TASTY. I make these anytime of the year!

No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Rocky Road Candy and Cookie Dough Fudge whip up quickly and are good anytime of year.

Rocky Road Candy

Cookie Dough Fudge

Craving pie? Refreshing Lime Pie and Black Raspberry Cream Pie are both good choices.

Refreshing Lime Pie

Black Raspberry Cream Pie

Finally, these No Bake Pretzel Bars from My Biscuits are Burning are always a big hit. (See the link for the original photo.)

Oatmeal Carrot Raisin Bars

2017-04-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

I almost didn't blog about these because they aren't that attractive and it was really hard to get a good photo! I took about twenty and this was the ONLY one even close to being good. However, they are very yummy and I really wanted to share the recipe with you all.

I got this recipe from a friend years ago when our kids were in preschool together. It was the only treat she would bake for her kids because she felt it was somewhat healthy. I guess she thought the veggies, fruit, oats and nuts made up for the cup of butter and almost 2 cups of sugar. I agree! LOL!

Oatmeal Carrot Raisin Bars

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

2-2/3 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked

1 cup raisins

1 cup shredded carrots, loosely packed

½ - 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preaheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients; mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients then spread dough in an ungreased 13x9” pan. Bake ~22 minutes until golden brown. Don't over-bake or they will be dry! Cool completely then cut into squares.

Happy Baking!