The Dutch Baker's Daughter

Sweet Cherry Pound Cake

2013-05-19T16:07:00.000-05:00

I've been coveting a cherry pitter. That's right a cherry pitter. I'd pass it in the gadget aisle at Target and always decided not to put it in the cart, whether because it was just not cherry season or because I didn't want to add to the collection of "must haves" already in the pile (can anyone get out of Target for less than $50?--seriously, you need everything there). Well, I up and done it. I bought myself said cherry pitter. A gadget for no other purpose than to pit cherries.

By golly...I love my cherry pitter.

Of course, I had to put that pitter to good use immediately and let me tell you--it is slick! I shucked the pits out of a whole bag of cherries in a matter of minutes. As a bonus, the kitchen didn't look as if I had just slaughtered a pig! Do you see the little shatter shield on this thing? It works! :)

After Pete and I ate our fill of fresh cherries, I still had quite a huge bowl full. They begged to be made into something (tell me I'm not the only one who hears food chanting to them). I swear I heard them whisper "pound cake". Who am I to refuse such a request?

Sweet Cherry Pound Cake

Printable Recipe

Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

6 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

2 cups chopped, fresh cherries

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; grease and flour a 10” Bundt or tube pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Beginning with the flour mixture, add alternately with the yogurt to the egg mixture. Gently fold in the cherries.

In actuality, I had neither plain nor vanilla Greek yogurt in the house. I threw in a 6 oz container of pineapple yogurt and called it a day. No one was the wiser.

Pour batter into tube pan and distribute evenly. Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto a cake dish and let cool another 30 minutes before glazing.

Please remember to grease and flour your pan...even if it is non-stick. Don't ask me how I know that this is so important....

For the glaze, beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and a tablespoon of milk; add additional milk as necessary. Drizzle over the top of the pound cake.

Woohoo! Sweet Cherry Pound Cake success!

My husband beat me to the next gadget on my list...he had all of the strawberries hulled before I got to them. Wait--what's that I hear? Muffins?

What are your favorite kitchen gadgets?

Baby Elephant Ears...#ImprovChallenge

2013-05-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

Welcome to another edition of Monthly Improv. Hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, the Monthly Improv challenges bloggers to come up with fabulous recipes incorporating two ingredients. This month our ingredients are Cinnamon and Sugar!

I confess to having been largely absent from the blogging scene lately as I have been consumed with another cooking related obsession---entering recipe contests. In actuality, it's really just one contest I've been obsessing about-- the mother of all cooking contests-- the Pillsbury Bake-Off®.
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This year, the Bake-Off® is all about easy. Recipes are limited to only 7 ingredients and 30 minutes or less of prep time. Funny how "easy" becomes an oxymoron when you are trying to come up with the recipe....yikes! Keeping it seven ingredients was hard!

I'll admit it...I don't always make my own pie crust...these are always in my fridge.

Even harder than coming up with 7-ingredient recipes is keeping all of my entries private. I really want to share and get feedback! So, while I have to keep the lid on my actual entries, I can certainly share a few "easy" ideas that came to me while I was using up some ingredients.

Just 5 ingredients for these very easy cookies....

Have you ever had an Elephant Ear? You know, those huge pastries that are flaky and full of pecans, cinnamon and sugar? My dad made the best Elephant Ears! Around here, I see something similar called a Pecan Crispie (good, but not quite there) or I see big deep fried dough versions that aren't the same at all. My inspiration for this month's Improv comes from the Elephant Ears from my youth and from the "easy" recipe concoctions I've been immersed in. Let me present Baby Elephant Ears!

Baby Elephant Ears

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened per package directions

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unroll the pie crust onto the parchment paper. Brush with the melted butter. Combine the sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the crust. Top with the pecans. Roll the crust back up. Cut into 12 slices (if you like a thinner cookie, cut into 18 slices). Use a drinking glass to press each slice into a 2" circle (the end pieces will be smaller). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the sugar is caramelized and the cookies start to brown.

I may have cut them too thick...next time I'll try a thinner cookie.

I initially used too much sugar, but it was all good since I threw the remainder over the tops.

Who knew easy could be so tasty? They went very quickly when I brought them to work, no matter that I thought I could have made some changes. Wouldn't these be fun to make with kids? You could leave out the nuts, make them smaller (or bigger!) and they will still taste good. Plus, there's no wasting of dough...it all bakes up. Another successful Improv!

Now, take a look at what everyone else is making with Cinnamon and Sugar.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

2013-05-01T22:41:00.000-05:00

It is the winter that never ends. Seriously, we have snow in the forecast for the next three days. In May. When the rhubarb should be popping up all over the place. Luckily, I spotted some in the grocery store last weekend and nabbed a few stalks.

Nothing says Spring in the Midwest quite like rhubarb. It's prolific. So when I found it, it was as if I was bringing a little bit of Spring home with me. Sigh. Well, if I can't have a real Spring, at least I can have some really good coffeecake.

I've been wanting to make a crumb cake for awhile. You know the ones--Entenmann's makes one with the really big crumbs on top. Those crumbs are just so yummy. It's a New York thing, apparently. Lucky for me, The New York Times had a recipe for a Rhubarb "Big Crumb" Coffeecake. Perfect. I borrowed the "Big Crumb" part and played around with the rest of the recipe. You will not be disappointed.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Printable Recipe

Rhubarb Filling:

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Crumbs:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup cake flour

Cake:

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; butter and flour a 9" X 13" pan.

In a small bowl, combine the rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt. Fold in the cake flour. Mixture will be thick. Set aside.

The crumb "batter" looks like cookie dough. I added a pinch of cardamom to make it just that much more Minnesotan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream together the brown sugar and butter. Beat in the sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Fold the flour mixture into the sour cream mixture, stirring until just blended.

Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Evenly top the batter with the rhubarb pieces. Break the crumb topping into pea-sized pieces and sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

I actually ran out of cake flour and used all-purpose flour for the cake. While it turned out fine, I think the cake flour would give it a more tender crumb.

Just so you don't think my husband and I ate the whole thing, I brought most of it to work (where I could munch on it throughout the day).

Wow...was this a success! I can't wait to try this with blueberries. Or peaches. Or apples.....

What kind of Crumb Cake would you make?

Profiteroles with Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce and Candied Bacon #Improv

2013-04-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's Improv time and this month we're talking about Eggs and Bacon! Confused? Improv is a monthly challenge hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. Each month we are given two seasonal foods to get creative with and this month we've got Eggs and Bacon. Eggs and Bacon? A piece of ~~cake~~ ...er...pastry. **grin**

Not long ago, I wasn't crazy about the idea of using bacon in any kind of dessert. Mixing meat with sweets just seemed so wrong. Then last June I had the opportunity to try Bacon Ice Cream made by Executive Chef Julian Grainger of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel....it was topped with a Bacon Lollipop (!) and it was fabulous. Still, I was hesitant to try it at home. An Egg and Bacon Improv theme was just the ticket to get me motivated....it was time to try Candied Bacon.

I searched the Internet for the bacon recipe and was most inspired by the one posted by Recipe Girl. Simply mix some brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and coat both sides of the bacon slices. Put an oven safe rack on top of a parchment lined baking sheet; spray it with cooking spray. Arrange the bacon slices on the rack and bake at 350 degrees F. Since I only had thick slices of bacon, I baked mine for just about 30 minutes. Watch it carefully near the end, to make sure the bacon doesn't burn.

Frankly, I had no idea how I was going to use the bacon after I made it...the dessert just evolved after these beauties emerged from the oven.

One of the best "eggy" desserts I can think of are cream puffs. Made from just a little water, butter, flour, and eggs, they are not only easy to make, but they look impressive as well. They can be filled with whipped cream or custard or chocolate mousse. If you fill them with a scoop of ice cream, you get to call them "profiteroles" and you are immediately elevated to the status of fancy schmancy baker. Look at how easy these things are to make:

Simply combine 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of butter (I used unsalted), and a pinch of salt into a medium sized saucepan. Bring it to a boil and add 1 cup of flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Let this cool for 5 minutes.

The hardest part is the workout your arm gets from beating the eggs in....

After the mixture has cooled for 5 minutes, add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture should be smooth and shiny when you are done.

Next, use a cookie scoop to drop the batter onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until they are puffed and browned. Immediately cut a small hole in each one to allow steam to escape.

Aren't they pretty? They freeze well, too...bag up what you don't use and save them for a quick emergency dessert.

When they are cool, just cut the tops off and pluck out some of the insides. Now you have the perfect vessel for the good stuff. You could even make little savory tarts by filling them with chicken...hmmm...pot pies?

Meh, it was Sunday afternoon and I was feeling a bit lazy, so I just filled these with vanilla ice cream. Now I'm thinking that some Sweet Potato Ice Cream might be good.....

At any rate, it still needed a topping, and since bacon and maple are such a good combination, I turned to the Pioneer Woman's Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce. If you haven't made this yet, go do it now. I've used this a bunch of times over apple pie and bread pudding. It is life altering. Btw, one tablespoon of whiskey is plenty--it gives it just the right boozy flavor without overpowering.

Fill your profiteroles with a scoop of ice cream, pour some warm Whiskey Maple Cream Sauce over it, and crumble some of that Candied Bacon on top...that is if you have any left.

Now go see what everyone else is making with Eggs and Bacon.

Saucy Apricot Chicken

2013-04-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you need easy....and fast....and comforting. Here's a quick chicken dish that I learned how to make when I was still in high school for just those times. The original recipe calls for a whole cut-up chicken but, since it's just my husband and me at home and we really only like white meat, I've adjusted. Feel free to use whatever chicken parts float your boat. You could even sub pork chops--I won't tell. I'll bet you could even throw this in a crock pot.....

Saucy Apricot Chicken

1 (10 oz) jar apricot jam

1 small bottle Russian dressing

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the apricot jam, Russian dressing, and soup mix in a medium bowl.

Season the chicken with pepper and brown in a skillet with a little olive oil. Place the chicken in a casserole dish. Pour the apricot sauce over the chicken. Bake, covered, for one hour.

Can you tell this recipe dates back to the '70's?

Browning the chicken first is totally optional...I just don't care for anemic looking food. I don't season it with salt...there's enough in the onion soup mix.

Truthfully, I haven't made this dish in years, but it is a family favorite. Since it was too cold to barbecue, I made a pretend barbecue meal and served Mashed Potato Salad with it. Big brownie points with the hubby.

A Chef Nancy Silverton Cooking Demo and a Signed Cookbook Giveaway! #CulinaryCouncil #Macy's

2013-04-02T23:02:00.001-05:00

Chef Nancy Silverton

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a cooking demonstration at Macy's with Chef Cat Cora. It was so fabulous to have a front row seat to watch (and sample) food being made from such a talented chef. A few months later, Chef Tom Douglas came to town and I learned all about making crab cakes, plus there was a photo op and a signed cookbook to take home. I never thought I would be so lucky to have a third chance to watch and learn from yet another great chef, this time Chef Nancy Silverton. Chef Silverton is the co-founder of La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, owner of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, author of several cookbooks, an acclaimed pastry chef, winner of too many awards to mention (a current James Beard Foundation nominee), and she even cooked with Julia Child! It didn't take me long to request the day off from work and get my name on the list....

The bar at Mozza always includes a seasonal acqua fresca (a sparkling non-alcoholic fruit juice drink). Nick, the bartender, created this drink made with kumquats, cucumber, and basil. Very refreshing!

Macy's Culinary Council is made up of a group of very distinguished chefs from around the country that are dedicated to inspiring you to eat, cook, and enjoy food at home, just like they would make it. Chef Silverton demonstrated two salads for us and ended on a sweet note with a shortbread cookie. Both of the salads had a basic Lemon Vinaigrette as a component, yet each salad was completely different. The first, a hearty Kale Salad, was comprised of marinated anchovies, ricotta salata, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Between the zesting, and the chopping, Chef Silverton inspired us with little hints. One suggestion: Save the best EVOO for drizzling on things--use a good EVOO for the actual recipe.

Chef Silverton bakes the ricotta salata, imparting a beautiful brown color, a bit of a smoky flavor, and a longer shelf life.

Off to the side, the Macy's staff prepared salads for all of us to try.

My sister was a big help, holding all of the food so that I could take pictures....

The next salad, Sweet Gem Lettuce with Bufala Mozzarella, Cucumber, and Yogurt was a little more delicate, so the dressing had the Lemon Vinaigrette with an added yogurt dressing to better coat the tender leaves. Chef Silverton isn't one for garnishes just for garnish sake...she likes them to be a part of the dish, and to have good flavor. This salad was garnished with chive flowers for looks and for flavor.

It turns out that Chef Silveton is not a huge fan of sweet desserts. She does, however, make a fabulous, not too sweet, ending to a meal with her Rosemary Pine-Nut Cookies. A shortbread dough with polenta in the mix is made up ahead of time so that it has plenty of time to chill. Then, a pine nut nougatine is made up. After the cookie dough is rolled and cut into shapes, a bit of the nougatine is put in the center, along with a couple of rosemary sprigs. The result is a really unique, not-to-sweet, cookie.

Macy's Culinary Council went all out for this cooking demonstration with Chef Silverton. As an incentive, if we spent $35 in the home department, we received in return a free copy of Chef Silverton's book, The Mozza Cookbook (a $35 value) and a $10 giftcard. Of course, I found a few things to buy...who doesn't need a new Silpat every now and then? We also had a chance to have Chef Silverton sign our books...Nice!

As a final, nice touch, Macy's gave me an additional signed copy of The Mozza Cookbook to share with one of my readers. I'm going to make it easy for you to enter--simply leave a comment telling me what your favorite Italian dish is. Please use the Rafflecopter gadget to enter--that way you can leave your email address and no one will see it. :)--then leave a comment as you normally would. Rafflecopter will pick the winner for me at random. I will open this giveaway to residents of the USA over 18 years of age. The winner will be chosen on April 10th.

Do you live near a Macy's? I suggest you check to see if a chef from the Culinary Council will be visiting your city. These events are free and make for such a fun day. I can't wait to see who the next chef will be! Oh--and my favorite Italian dish? Pizza! (I plan on trying out the pizza dough recipe in my new cookbook).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

Coconut-Mango Banana Bread

2013-03-25T23:05:00.000-05:00

I have to apologize for taking so long to actually post this recipe. As I continue with my "lifestyle" change, I'm learning to adjust my schedule to fit in some exercise and learn how to make recipes that aren't so empty of nutrition. Again, not to worry, my recipes will never be health food--just a little healthier, or meant to be eaten in moderation.

Lately, I've become somewhat of a mango fanatic. Seriously, where has this fruit been all of my life? I actually had to look up on the Internet how to slice it up, but it's really not so hard. Check out what the National Mango Board has to say about it:

I may have to find myself one of those mango slicers....

Aren't they beautiful?

At any rate, I decided to add some mango to my last batch of banana bread. Plus, since I bought a can of coconut cream awhile back and I had no idea what to make with it (truth be told, I didn't even have an idea of what kind of consistency it had), I thought coconut might give the bread a tropical feel...quite important here in Minnesota where there is no end in sight to the cold weather.

Sometimes it's all about using what's in the cupboard...

Coconut-Mango Banana Bread
Printable Recipe

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

4 very ripe bananas, slightly mashed

1 can (14 oz) coconut cream

2 eggs

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chopped mango

1 cup finely chopped macadamia nut

1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. F; butter and flour two 9 X 5 X 3 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom; set aside.

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the bananas, coconut cream, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until well blended, about 2 minutes. Spoon the flour mixture into the banana mixture and beat on low speed until just blended. Stir in the chopped mango, macadamia nuts, and coconut.

Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Happy Eating!

Sweet Pea Cupcakes with Carrot Cream Cheese Frosting

2013-03-21T20:17:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that today was the first day of Spring....we actually had a below zero windchill going on in my neck of the woods. Luckily, it doesn't have to be dreary in the kitchen. How about some brightly colored cupcakes to lighten things up?

The third Thursday of each month happens to be an Improv reveal day. Improv is a blogger challenge hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. This month the flavors to work with are Peas and Carrots. Very Springlike, no?

I have to admit to being a little preoccupied with things other than cooking or baking this month, so when Kristen offered up the idea to use baby food--jars of pureed peas and carrots--I latched on to the idea. This has to be one of the quickest ideas I've come up with yet for our Improv challenge...and I feel a bit lazy with my ingredients. Honestly, though, once in a while there comes a need to use convenience foods...as long as they are doctored up a little.

Oh my gosh..it's been way too long since I bought these little jars...

Sweet Pea Cupcakes with Carrot-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 box lemon flavored cake mix
1 jar (1/2 cup) pureed peas (baby food)
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon peel

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons pureed carrots (baby food)
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; line a 24 cup muffin tin with liners.

In a large bowl, blend the cake mix, peas, eggs, buttermilk, and orange peel together until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter among the 24 cupcake liners and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, carrots, vanilla, and orange peel together until smooth. Add enough of the powdered sugar to reach the consistency you like. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cute stuff, if desired.

Don't do what I did and dump the entire jar of carrots in the bowl...duh! I ended up with way too much frosting, and it was so thin I ended up dipping the cupcakes in the bowl to frost them!

My thoughts? This was a lemon cupcake...no indication of peas, which is probably a good thing. I like to think that I made a box mix a little healthier by replacing the peas for the oil. The frosting was good, but there wasn't a huge amount of carrot flavor. I don't think 3 tablespoons of pureed carrot negated the fat and calories in the cream cheese, butter, and sugar, however. The consistency of the cupcake was that of a sponge cake and, all in all, I feel it was a success. Of course, I had to test it all out by eating 3 cupcakes in rapid succession.

Please do yourself a favor and check out what everyone else is making with Peas and Carrots!

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos..#recipesfromtheheart

2013-03-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today we are joining together to help raise awareness for Heart Disease. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic lost her Mom to heart disease when her mother was 47, and Kim was 15. Each year on the day her Mom passed she shares stories and photos of her Mom. This year she joined forces with Jen of Juanita's Cocina, whose life was also touched by heart disease when her Stepfather had a heart attack. Jen's Stepfather is alive and well more than a decade later, and for that, Jen is thankful every day. The ladies got in touch with other bloggers to ask them to share their own stories about how heart disease has touched their lives. So today we share stories and recipes from our hearts to yours, in memory and honor of Momzie, Kim's Mom. We hope you will share your stories with us today as well.

Like Kim, I too lost a parent, my father, to heart disease when I was 15. I like to think that with advances in medicine, he would have had a much better chance of surviving today. Recently, I was told that I had really high cholesterol levels. I realized then, that no matter what kind of advances there have been in medicine, the best chance for avoiding heart disease was going to have to come from myself. So, when Kim asked if I would be interested in being part of her effort to raise awareness for heart disease I did not hesitate to say yes.

I've been modifying my eating habits for several weeks now, but it took awhile for me to really get serious about it. In fact, it was last October that I told my doctor I was intent on dropping some pounds and getting my cholesterol back down to normal levels....of course I had to get through the holidays first. The Cooking Light magazine that I picked up right after my doctor's appointment sat on my nightstand gathering dust. Until now. Holy cow, there are some great recipes in there! I chose my favorite one to share with you today, but I did make some minor changes.

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos (slightly adapted from Cooking Light magazine)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" pieces

3 tablespoons lower sodium soy sauce, divided

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch, divided

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons lightly salted dry roasted peanut, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, diagonally sliced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (or chile paste)

1 large garlic clove, minced

8 (6") corn tortillas

2-3 green onions, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Place the chicken in a large zip-lock plastic bag. Add one tablespoon soy sauce and 1/4 cup corn starch; shake the bag well to coat the chicken.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil, swirling to coat. Add the chicken and saute for 6 minutes, or until done. About 2 minutes before the chicken is done, add the peanuts and the celery to the pan.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, honey, rice vinegar, Sriracha sauce, and garlic. Add to the pan, stirring to coat the chicken and cook for an additional minute.

Heat the tortillas under a broiler, turning after about two minutes, until the tortillas are lightly blistered. Place two tortillas on each of 4 plates; divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Top with the green onions and the bell peppers.

To be honest, I've never made Chinese food before...I didn't know what I was missing.

The hubby gave these a thumbs up!

I saved enough to make one taco for lunch the next day....

Joost Stapelbroek (The Dutch Baker) 1917-1974

Three brothers--all died very young, from heart disease.

Please visit these other fabulous bloggers for more stories and heart healthy recipes:

Spicy Oven Fries by Cravings of a Lunatic

Healthy Snacking with Radish Dip by Juanita's Cocina

Arugula, Walnut Pesto by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Farro, Apple & Pecan Salad by It's Yummilicious

Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado Yogurt Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie

Pasta House Wilted Salad by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

Gooey Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars by The Cooking Actress

Dark Chocolate Covered Walnuts by All Day I Dream About Food

Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce by Chocolate Moosey

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos by The Dutch Baker's Daughter

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon by Curry and Comfort

Apple Walnut Spinach Salad by Magnolia Days

Broiled Salmon Gyros with Cucumber Feta Yogurt Dip by Damn Delicious

Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Make-Ahead Chocolate Oatmeal by Crumb

Hoisin Flounder by Taking on Magazines

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Veggie Nachos by Dine & Dish

Cheesy Quinoa and Asparagus Bake by Hungry Couple

Ahi Tuna Salad by Noshing with the Nolands

Canapes of Apricot, Goat Cheese, Almonds and Rosemary by Cook the Story

Thai Chicken Soup by From Cupcakes to Caviar

Italian Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf by Rachel Cooks

Black Bean Quesadillas by Pastry Chef Online

Sautéed Rataouille with Quinoa by Whipped

Polenta Rounds with Apples and Cheddar by Diethood

Orange-White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cinnamon Rolls

2013-02-24T23:40:00.000-06:00

I hope you'll forgive me for being just a little slow in posting this recipe. It's not that it's not a good one...in fact this is probably the yummiest cinnamon roll I've made. For sure, it's my favorite so far. So, why the hesitation? Frankly, it's because I'm ~~on a diet~~ going through a lifestyle change. Not to worry--I haven't completely abandoned the "good stuff". After all, my motto is "everything in moderation". It's just that I'm still in the beginning stages and, while most of this batch is resting in the freezer, it's a little painful looking at the picture. Please bear with me as I learn the moderation process.

I think orange zest may be one of my favorite flavor additions...this roll is full of it!

Orange-White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cinnamon Rolls

Printable Recipe

Dough:

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
1 egg, slightly beaten

3-3 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into 4-5 pieces
1 (3.5-4 oz) bar premium white chocolate
1/2 cup diced macadamia nuts

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 375 ° F.

Heat the milk, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and orange peel in a small saucepan until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Let cool until temperature is about 110 degrees F (like bathwater warm).

I started early on with the orange flavor by putting some in the warmed milk.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour and the salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine milk mixture with yeast, egg, and 2 cups of the flour mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. (Alternately, just use the dough hook on your mixer and let the mixer knead the dough for about five minutes).

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean damp towel. Allow dough to rise until double, about 1 hour. In the mean time, process the brown sugar, cinnamon, orange peel, and white chocolate in a food processor. Add the cold butter and pulse until incorporated.

Roll out the dough into a 12 X 9 inch rectangle (I like to do this on my Silpat). Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Sprinkle the diced macadamia nuts evenly over the the filling. Roll up the dough from the long side and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and place into a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (or refrigerate overnight).

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and frost while warm.

For frosting, beat the cream cheese and the butter in a medium bowl. Add the orange peel and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar and orange juice, beating to desired consistency.

I've said it before--the frosting is the best part.

Hint: to avoid over-consumption, wrap each cinnamon roll in plastic wrap and freeze. To serve, simply nuke the frozen roll for 30 seconds.

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Artichokes....it's a Hearts and Flours Improv!

2013-02-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

It's time for another monthly Improv and this month--in honor of Valentine's day--our theme is "Hearts and Flours"! For those not in the know, the monthly Improv, hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, is a friendly little competition where we create dishes based on two seasonal ingredients. Truth be told, I took this month's theme a little out of the box. Instead of creating a heart shaped food, I used "hearts" in my food--and made it heart healthy to boot!

Yum...I love artichoke hearts! Unfortunately, I've only ever had them in fatty appetizers or drenched in oil. These are packed in water.

If you haven't deduced from my last post, Healthier Mixed Berry Muffins, I'm trying to drop ~~a lot~~ a little weight and eat a little healthier. That is not to say that I won't continue posting some decadent stuff (I promise--those Orange-White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cinnamon Rolls will be up next), but I've found that a little moderation is in order. Luckily for me, my husband is on the same wavelength so it's easy for me to try out some new things.

One of the things that we discovered is that it's a lot easier for us to make better eating choices when we're at home. That said, it's hard to make dinner for the two of us after working all day. So, believe it or not, this focaccia bread recipe came about because I was tired and in a rush (thank goodness for my KitchenAid mixer!)

Whole Wheat Artichoke Focaccia

Printable Recipe

Dough:

1 cup warm water (like bathwater warm)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fast rising yeast

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

Topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or black pepper)

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and sliced

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Combine the water, sugar, oil and yeast in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to foam.

In the mean time, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour, salt, and seasoning. Add it to the yeast mixture.

Using the dough hook on the stand mixer, knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, if needed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning it once. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm, draft-free area to rise for 30-45 minutes.

Whole wheat flour can make the dough a little dry. Initially, I dumped all of the flour into the mix at once...I had to add a little more water. Luckily, the dough is pretty forgiving and it all turned out fine.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F; spray a 15" X 10" pan with cooking spray.

Gently deflate the dough and press it into the prepared pan. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic powder and the pepper. Evenly top the dough with the sliced artichoke hearts, drained tomatoes, onions,and spinach. Sprinkle the cheese and the Italian seasoning over the top.

I was going to bake this on a pizza stone, but discovered it had broken in half (!). Luckily, using the jelly roll pan made this even easier.

I loved this combination of toppings, but you can get creative here...add some olives, fresh herbs...whatever floats your boat. :)

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Cut into squares--this will make 6 servings at about 300 calories per serving.

I really loved how this turned out! If you aren't familiar with white whole wheat flour, you can read about it on the Whole Grains Council website...it's a great way to add whole grains if you aren't fond of regular whole wheat flour. Feel free to substitute your favorite spices. I used a little cayenne pepper to give it a slight kick, but regular pepper works fine. I'll bet some fresh basil (I didn't have any) would make a nice addition, too.

Don't forget to check out what everyone else is making!

Mixed Berry Muffins...a healthier option

2013-02-10T01:06:00.002-06:00

Well folks, believe it or not, my elliptical has been dusted off and I've officially started exercising at least once a day. Don't get too worked up, though. I'm not switching over to posting diet food...but I did manage to make some muffins a tad bit healthier. I hope you don't mind if I share....

Diets really don't work out very well for me. If I deprive myself, I end up craving things that I wouldn't normally even think about eating That said, I need to make some changes or my health is going to suffer. So what is a food obsessed gal to do? As it turns out, nothing terribly drastic.

I'm thinking that if I trim a few calories here and there, and use some common sense, I should be able to shed a few pounds, no? Let's start with my basic muffin recipe. If you want a the full-calorie version, you can find it here: Strawberries and Cream Muffins Now, here's what I did to change it up:

Mixed Berry Muffins

Printable Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour, divided

1 cup white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 2 tablespoons for topping

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

1 (6 oz) container low-fat Greek yogurt (I used strawberry)

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.; line cupcakes pans with 18 liners.

You may want to spray the liners with a little cooking spray. I found the lower fat muffins stuck to the paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup white whole wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, and orange peel; set aside.

Toss the frozen berries (if the strawberries are huge, cut them into smaller pieces) with the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Mix the yogurt, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the berries and the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed...batter will be lumpy...don't over mix.

Yikes, there are some huge strawberries in there...I cut them into smaller pieces. Keep the fruit frozen so your batter doesn't get all discolored.

With a cookie scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the batter. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Another change I made was to make the muffins smaller...I divided the batter into 18 muffins instead of 12. I also used a little less sugar for the topping.

I had forgotten that I had some dried orange peel from Penzey's in the fridge. I mixed some in with the sugar that I used for the topping...in fact I made a little extra orange-sugar and used some on my oatmeal during the week.

So what do you think? They are smaller, have less fat, and have a little more fiber. The orange peel and the flavored yogurt gives them some good flavor...I really wasn't missing anything. The only other thing I did was to freeze them all---that way I'm not tempted to eat more than one. I just nuke one for about 30 seconds when I take it from the freezer. Feel free to use fresh fruit in your version...the berries here weren't looking very pretty, yet.

Now, just so you don't think I've completely given up all the good stuff, stay tuned for my next post--Orange-White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cinnamon Rolls...all packed neatly in a freezer bag right next to my healthy muffins...

Creamy Tomato Bisque...and a Tuttorosso giveaway!

2013-02-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

Did you know that January is soup month? It makes sense. Here in Minnesota we've had the coldest weather in four years. A nice hot bowl of soup makes the best meal when your tootsies are cold, no? Now it's February and it's still cold..brrrr...I think it's time for another bowl.

One of my favorite soups is tomato, but it wasn't always that way. My mother made tomato soup quite often when I was growing up. It was the real deal, too...no cans involved. Plus, she made sure there were little meatballs floating on top. I preferred a hamburger. Silly, silly me...how I wish I could have a bowl of that perfect soup now.

While I can't have a bowl of my mother's soup, I can and do make my own...even in mid-Winter when the temps are below zero and the tomatoes in the grocery store hard and sour. The secret is in the canned tomato....

Recently, I received a package of Tuttorosso Tomatoes to try. This was a real treat for me, since we can't get Tuttorosso Tomatoes in Minnesota. Luckily, we do have Red Gold Tomatoes and they make the Tuttorosso brand, so I knew they would be good....and they were! They also made an excellent addition to my recipe for Creamy Tomato Bisque. A little later, I will tell you how you might be able to get your own pack of Tuttorosso Tomatoes to try. First, Let me share my recipe....

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes, chopped with juice*
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste

*I subbed the Tuttorosso Peeled Plum Shaped Tomatoes and the Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil

Melt butter in large pot over medium/high heat. Add onions, carrots and green pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Add the flour and continue to sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, basil, tarragon, cayenne pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Remove the bay leaves and, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until almost smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot, add the cream, paprika, curry powder and white pepper; heat the soup until it is hot, but not boiling. Salt to taste.

I topped this bowl with crispy bacon.....

.....but you could put some Grilled Cheese Sliders on top.

This weekend will mark a whole year since I was able to visit Red Gold Tomatoes, so it's fitting that I re-share this recipe with you now. I continue to be impressed with the quality of this product....really--put these tomatoes next to one of the other well-known brands and you will actually see the difference!

Tuttorosso has a recipe contest going on right now (through February 8th). Enter an original Italian recipe that uses Tuttorosso tomatoes to win some cool prizes. The first 4000 to enter will receive a free apron! For more information, read the rules on their Facebook page.

Would you like to give these awesome tomatoes a try? Simply leave a comment telling me all about your favorite tomato recipe. You can "like" The Dutch Baker's Daughter on Facebook and "like" Tuttorosso Tomatoes on Facebook for additional entries. Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget...it's easy...really!!

We will make this giveaway short and sweet....let's start on Friday, February 1, 2013 and end at 12:00 AM on Monday, February 4. I will use Rafflecopter to randomly choose the winner on Monday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Red Gold Tomatoes provided me with a sample and the giveaway. All opinions remain my own. You must be 18 years of age and reside in the USA to enter.

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

2013-01-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

...with Nutmeg-Cream Cheese Frosting!

Can you believe it's time for another Improv Monthly Challenge? Many thanks to Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for hosting this fun event. Each month we are given two ingredients to work our magic with. This month: Bananas and Nutmeg...two of my favorite things!

Of course, another of my favorite things is the cinnamon roll. Last month, I combined Chocolate and Marshmallows and made a Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Roll. How could I top that flavor combination? By turning Bananas and Nutmeg into Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls, silly! Here's how I did it:

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls with Nutmeg-Cream Cheese Frosting

Printable Recipe

Dough:

½ cup milk

¼ cup butter

2 tablespoons sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons yeast

3-3 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into 4-5 pieces

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2-3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 375 ° F.

Put the milk and butter in a measuring cup and microwave for about 45 seconds or until the temperature is 110 ° F. (bathwater warm). If it gets too hot, just let it cool for a few minutes. Pour into the large mixing bowl; stir in the sugar and then the yeast. Let this mixture stand for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam.

Bananas may well be my favorite comfort food....

Add two cups of the flour, the salt, the banana, and the spices to the yeast mixture and beat well. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes (alternately, use the dough hook on a stand mixer).

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean damp towel. Allow dough to rise until double, about 1 hour. In the mean time, process the brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in a food processor until the mixture is well blended and the walnuts are chopped. Add the cold butter and pulse until incorporated.

Roll out the dough into a 12 X 9 inch rectangle (I like to do this on my Silpat). Sprinkle the walnut mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Roll up the dough from the long side and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and place into a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (or refrigerate overnight).

I put my rolls in the fridge overnight...this way I can have warm rolls for breakfast.

Simply take the rolls out of the fridge and let them rise until they are nice and poofy.

Bake rolls at 375 ° F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and frost while warm.

The frosting is the best part....

For frosting, beat the cream cheese and the butter in a medium bowl. Add the nutmeg and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk, beating to desired consistency.

I believe we have a keeper.

Be sure to check out what everyone else is making!

Recipe Highlights of 2012

2012-12-31T01:31:00.000-06:00

Pretzel Buns...the first (and most popular) post of the year.

I don't usually do a recipe roundup, or a review of my year of blogging, but this year has a different feel for me. On a personal level, it has been a year of loss, yet as difficult as that has been for both my husband and me, we've come to realize how lucky we are in many ways. One of the many things that I am grateful for is you--my reader. My hobby, my blog, is so very cathartic for me. From the creating of the recipes, to the process of baking or cooking, to the taking of the pictures, to the posting of the final product, it is a labor of love. To know that there are people that actually get some value from my work is, pardon the pun, icing on the cake.

I hope that you will enjoy reminiscing with me over the past year...maybe you'll even find something new.

Braided Lemon-Sour Cream Bread

Tater Tot Hotdish

Butterscotch Banana Bread

Johnny Marzetti

Tres Leches Cake

Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Thank you, dear readers. May you have a Prosperous, Healthy and Happy New Year!

Savory Sausage Sandwich...a Red Gold Recipe

2012-12-28T01:34:00.000-06:00

Now that the holidays are coming to a close, it is time to start thinking of some regular food. So, while I could probably live on chocolate cinnamon rolls, I thought it best to start adding some quick meals back into my life.

Recently, my favorite canned tomato company, Red Gold Tomatoes, sent me a couple of cans of their crushed tomatoes, along with a recipe for a Savory Sausage Sandwich. I actually made this to bring to my dinner club, for our Christmas get-together...it was so easy to prepare ahead of time!

Savory Sausage Sandwich
Printable Recipe

1 pound Italian Sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (15 oz) cans Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 loaf Italian bread, unsliced, cut horizontally
1 (7.25 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1/2" pieces
8 oz sliced Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook sausage, onion, and garlic until browned; drain well. Add the Red Gold and mushrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Hollow out the bottom half of bread loaf. Spoon meat mixture into hollowed out bread. Arrange cheese over meat and top with red peppers. Replace top of loaf and wrap tightly with foil.

Place on baking sheet and heat for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Cut into 2" slices.

If you make this up ahead of time, warm up the sausage mixture in the microwave before you scoop it onto the bread, or it will take longer than 15 minutes to heat in the oven.

Of course, I took a few liberties--I left out the mushrooms, knowing that some of my friends didn't care for them. I also used some frozen chopped onions, to save time. I imagine some chopped green peppers would make a nice addition, as well.

Oops, my red peppers went on before the cheese. It worked. :)

I used smoked Provolone slices instead of Mozzarella.

Don't you just love the melty cheese?

I actually had enough filling left over to make another sandwich at home, for which my husband was grateful. We ended up taking leftovers to work with us. Rather than making a second sandwich, perhaps next time I'll use the leftover filling to put over pasta. Good idea, no?

Did you know that Tuttorosso Tomatoes are a division of Red Gold? We don't have them yet, in Minnesota, but I did get a sample pack to try. Stay tuned for soup recipe featuring the Tuttorosso brand. There will even be a giveaway! :)

Disclaimer: I was given some Red Gold product to try, along with the recipe. All opinions remain my own.

Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls with Marshmallow Glaze

2012-12-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

"Everything in moderation...including moderation. "---Julia Child

Welcome to the December edition of the Monthly Improv Challenge, hosted by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. This month our theme is Chocolate and Marshmallows. Yes. You heard right. Chocolate and Marshmallows. Now, for those of you who think (like I did) that Chocolate and Marshmallows was a thing all by itself, well you've got another think coming. As I write this, I can only begin to imagine all of the different ways Chocolate and Marshmallows are going to be transformed into deliciousness. Let's start with the deliciousness I made.

Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls with Marshmallow Glaze

Ingredients:

Printable Recipe

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (2.5 oz) package instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 egg, room temperature, slightly beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into 4-5 pieces

1 cup mini-chocolate chips

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

2-3 tablespoons half/half, divided

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat the milk,1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Let cool until temperature is about 110 degrees F (like bathwater warm).

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, salt, and cocoa.

I always let the dough hook do the work for me.

Roll out the dough into a 12X9 inch rectangle (I like to do this on my Silpat). Sprinkle the walnut mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Roll up the dough from the long side and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces and place into a greased 9X13 inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (or refrigerate overnight).

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and glaze while warm.

For the glaze, warm 1-2 tablespoons half/half and whisk into ½ cup marshmallow crème. Drizzle over the warm rolls. If desired, whisk some heated half/half into ½ cup chocolate chips and drizzle the chocolate over the marshmallow topping.

Wow...this marshmallow creme is tasty...I imagine it would be a good sauce for pancakes. :)

I knew these were successful when my husband wouldn't let me take them to work with me.....

Now check out what everyone else is making:

Panera Soups and Bread

2012-12-18T05:41:00.000-06:00

It's been another crazy holiday season, hasn't it? Lately, I've been cramming holiday get-togethers, shopping, work, baking, and more get-togethers all into some seemingly short days. It's not easy packing it all in and still making sure my husband and I get to share a meal together, so I was pretty excited when Daily Buzz Food offered to send me a giftcard in order to try out some of the amazing soups at Panera Bakery-Cafe.

I'm actually no stranger to Panera. It's my restaurant of choice when it comes to grabbing some food on the go. There's nothing fried about the food...it's all freshly made. And the choices! Sandwiches filled with fresh meats and veggies, amazing salads full of crunchy goodness , and soups made just like I would make them at home.

A few weeks ago, Pete and I met up with my daughter and her boyfriend to go see a movie. We all ducked into Panera for a quick bite first. Three of us ordered the Tomato Soup and the "Big Kid" grilled cheese sandwich. First, the soup comes topped with some awesome Asiago cheese croutons floating on the top, but the kicker was the melty grilled cheese sandwich that we all dipped into the soup.

There's bacon in there, too!

Now, with a gift card burning a hole in my pocket, I decided I wanted to try some soup in a bread bowl. It wasn't too hard to convince Pete to make a stop after work---with the weather finally turning blustery, soup sounded like a great idea to him, too. Before I left work, though, I took a look at Panera's website to see what kind of choices they had on the menu that day. Well, not only is there a daily menu, listing all of the soup choices, but there are Soup Stories! One of Panera's chefs gives us insight into the inspiration that goes into the different soups.

I had a mind-set, however. It was going to be the French Onion soup, and I wanted it in a bread bowl. My choice (and Pete's too) did not disappoint.

Seriously? All of the soup goodness soaks into the bread bowl...

We both chose the Barbecue Chicken Salad to go with the soup. Very tasty.

Of course, we couldn't pass up the bakery goods. I chose a beautiful slice of Cinnamon Coffee Cake, that I was too full to eat right away. I'm always bringing the extras home with me. :)

The coffee cake was a nice treat for me at work the next day....

Visit Panera's website to learn more about how Panera sources their food and works with your community to support hunger relief.

National Blogging Day of Remembrance

2012-12-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Eggnog and Cranberry Christmas Braid...and a Giveaway!

2012-12-07T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to day #5 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Christmas Pies and Pastries”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

For the grand finale of our Christmas week, I thought it was fitting that I make a braid for you. Not just any kind of braid---a Christmas Braid! This one is made out of Eggnog and Cranberries. It's a theme with me, I know, yet so perfect for Christmas, methinks. But wait!! There is more! We have a giveaway for you, too! I will explain more about that after I post the recipe. You are going to be so excited (I think I've used more exclamation points in this paragraph than in all of my posts combined...)!! Let's get on with it, shall we?

Eggnog and Cranberry Christmas Braid
Printable Recipe

Sponge

3/4 eggnog, warmed to 110-115 degrees (bathwater warm)

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Dough

all of the sponge

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 1/2 – 5 cups Flour

egg wash for brushing braid*

Cream cheese filling

2/3 cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup eggnog

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup prepared cranberry relish

For such a rich dough we need lots of yeast power...that's why we use a tablespoon (or 2 packets).

For the sponge, combine the eggnog and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sponge, sour cream, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and 4 1/2 cups of the flour. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the mixture until the dough is rough and shaggy. Switch the paddle for the dough hook and knead the dough at medium speed for about 6 minutes, or until smooth, adding additional flour if needed.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free area for 60 to 90 minutes or until about double in size.

While the dough is rising, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, eggnog, and flour. Set aside.

Gently deflate the dough and divide in two. Cover one of the halves with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll the remaining dough into a 10"X15" rectangle (do this over parchment paper or a silpat for easy transfer on to the baking sheet).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture down the center third of the dough. Top with 1/2 cup of the cranberry sauce.

Cut 1" crosswise strips down the sides of the rectangle. Starting from one end, bring one of the dough strips across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side, crisscrossing the dough strips. Continue down the rest of the braid, alternating strips to form the loaf. Repeat the rolling, filling and braiding with the second braid. Set both braids aside, cover lightly, and allow to rise for 45 to 60 minutes. Brush each loaf gently with an egg wash (one egg beaten with a pinch of salt). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting, if desired.

For frosting, combine 2 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 2-3 tablespoons eggnog. Beat until smooth, adding additional eggnog if needed.

Simply Scrumptious.

And now for the giveaway news that I'm sure you have been anxiously awaiting!

Freund Container & Supply has generously donated $100 gift certificates for each #ChristmasWeek blogger to give away! Freund Container & Supply is the largest distributor of glass bottles, containers and wholesale packaging supplies online. Freund offers over 5000 items in stock every day, 98% same day shipping and low-price guarantees. Take a look at Freund’s wide selection of jars, tins, bottles and vials for all your crafting and food related needs!

This giveaway is for one $100 gift certificate to Freund Container & Supply. Gift certificate will expire on March 31, 2013. Gift certificate is a one-time use certificate and must be used in its entirety; any leftover monies on the gift certificate will be forfeited. This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents. However, it should be noted that due to current International shipping rates, any Canadian winners will pay higher shipping costs for orders. The giveaway will run from today, December 7th, 2012, through Wednesday, December 12th, 2012.

Please visit Fruend Container & Supply for inspiration! Then, click on the Rafflecopter login to add your information privately. :)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FreundContainerSupply

Twitter: http://twitter.com/freundcontainer

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/freundcontainer/

Freund Container & Supply is also offering all #ChristmasWeek blog readers 10% off purchases from now through March 31, 2013. Simply enter code JINGLEME10 to receive your discount!

***Disclaimer: This giveaway is being provided by Freund Container & Supply. #ChristmasWeek bloggers have not been compensated as part of this giveaway.***

If you'd like more chances to win a $100 gift certificate from Freund, please make sure you visit today's blog posts from each of the other #ChristmasWeek bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check 'em all out!

Christmas Apple Pie from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Pumpkin Cheesecake Fried Pies from Jen of Juanita's Cocina
Chocolate Angel Pie from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Nutella Swirled Pumpkin Pie from Anuradha of Baker Street
Cheese Danish Pie from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Bakewell Tarts from Isabelle of Crumb
Grasshopper Pie from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Cranberry Fritters from Erin of The Spiffy Cookie
Cinnamon Pecan Crescent Rolls from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Banketstaaf (Dutch Christmas Log) from Heather of Girlichef
Eggnog and Cranberry Christmas Braid from Cathy of The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Raspberry Galette from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls...Day#4 of #Christmas Week

2012-12-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to day #4 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Gingerbread Surprise”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

This time I thought I was being really unique. Certainly, no one has done a Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll...right? Wrong. Better Homes and Gardens beat me to it....but they didn't put Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting on theirs. So there.

The Eggnog Frosting sets these rolls apart, but I did use BHG's idea of garnishing with sugared cranberries...I can't get enough of those things.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

Printable Recipe

Rolls:

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup light molasses

2 tablespoons instant yeast

2 eggs, slightly beaten (room temperature)

3 ½ to 4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

Filling:

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Heat the milk, butter, sugar, and molasses over medium/low heat until the butter begins to melt and the temperature is about 115 degrees F. (bathwater warm). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the yeast into the milk mixture and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, or until it starts to foam.

It's important not to overheat the milk mixture...if it gets too hot, let it cool to "bathwater" warm.

In the mean time, whisk together 3 ½ cups of the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl. Add the eggs and the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and, using the paddle attachment, beat for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is shaggy. Switch the paddle out for the dough hook and continue to knead the dough, adding additional flour as needed, for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

When the dough is a bit shaggy, it's time to switch to the dough hook.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a greased bowl, turning it over once. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about an hour or until double in size.

Yum...look at that molasses-y dough...

Gently deflate the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. While the dough is resting, grease a 13X9 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.

Roll the dough into a 12X8 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough to within an inch of the edges. From the long side, roll up the dough jelly roll style. Cut into 12 even slices and arrange into prepared pan. Allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before frosting. Garnish with sugared cranberries, if desired.

Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons eggnog

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add enough eggnog until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the nutmeg.

I just knew I wasn't done with the sugared cranberries.....

Don't forget to check out all of the other awesome recipes and stay tuned for the grand finale---tomorrow we are having a giveaway!

Ginger Horse Cookies from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Mini Gingerbread Donuts from Jen of Juanita's Cocina
Gingerbread Biscotti from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Drizzle from Anuradha of Baker Street
Gingerbread Donuts with Lemon Glaze from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Mini Holiday Gingerbread Loaves from Isabelle of Crumb
Gingerbread Biscoff Truffles from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Gingerbread Dip from Erin of The Spiffy Cookie
Gingerbread Milkshake from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars from Heather of Girlichef
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls from Cathy of The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Tres Leches Cake...Day #3 of #Christmas Week

2012-12-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to day #3 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Christmas Cakes and Cupcakes”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

One of my favorite cakes of all time is Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake. You know the one--a rich chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, and plenty of toasted pecans. Cafe Latte is located in St. Paul, MN., and I have been lucky enough to have had the original Turtle Cake. To. Die. For. What's really cool, is that everyone can make this Turtle Cake at home, since Cafe Latte shared the recipe with the public several years ago. I'll admit it--it was my favorite cake--until I met Cafe Latte's Tres Leches Cake.....

My favorite cake--until I met the Tres Leches Cake...

Tres Leches Cake, literally "three milks" cake, is just that. A spongy vanilla cake soaked with a mixture of cream and sweetened condensed milk, then topped with whipped cream...it's like eating clouds. Vanilla clouds. Whereas the Turtle cake is dense and rich, the Tres Leches cake is light and....rich. The only problem? There was no recipe. This one was not shared with the public. I was pretty sure the secret was locked in a vault. Oh sure, recipes for Tres Leches cake are everywhere...but not that one. Cafe Latte brilliantly shared the Turtle Cake Recipe, lured me in, tempted me with the Tres Leches Cake, and then kept it a secret. Or so they thought.

The other day, I did another quick search of the Internet for the recipe and there it was! The caption definitely made reference to Cafe Latte, but on closer inspection, the recipe actually came from someone named Joe. Now, whether Joe really had his hands on Cafe Latte's recipe (could Joe, or Joe's wife, be an employee?), I don't know. I do know that whoever wrote down the ingredients must have halved the recipe. It was all good though-- and with a little tweaking--dare I say it?--I made a Cafe Latte Tres Leches Cake!

Tres Leches Cake (inspired by Cafe Latte, adapted from Joe's Email)
Printable Recipe

Cake Layer:

1/4 cup oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

Soaking Liquid:

1/2 of a (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Raspberries or Sugared Cranberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan (using an 8" rather than a 9" pan will make it easier to split in half).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Slowly add the buttermilk, mixing until well blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and cool for at least ten minutes before removing from pan. Carefully, cut the cake in half, horizontally. Place each half sliced side up on a rack to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and the half/half. Slowly pour the liquid over each half of the cake. Cover and chill for several hours.

When ready to assemble the cake, whip the cream until stiff, adding the powdered sugar. Place one of the cake halves on a serving plate, cut side up. Spread whipped cream over the top of the cake layer, and then top with the second cake half. Frost the top and the sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with raspberries or sugared cranberries, if desired.

Can you believe how easy this is? Just whip up the cake in a large bowl....

You can see from the indent that I used one of those pans with the whatchamacallit scrape thing on the bottom. It made getting the cake out in one piece really easy.

Don't the cranberries make it look all holiday-like?

Making the sugared cranberries is a piece of cake. HeHe. Simply bring 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a simmer (make sure the sugar is dissolved, but don't boil...simmer). Place 1-2 cups of fresh cranberries in a bowl. Pour the hot sugar/water over the cranberries. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

When the cranberries are chilled, drain the liquid (save it, if you use simple syrup in your drinks), and roll the cranberries in fine sugar. Let them dry on a cookie sheet for at least one hour.

Store extra cranberries in an airtight container.

Yes, I believe the code has been cracked.

Now take a look at what everyone else is making! :)

Christmas Coconut Cake by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic

Cranberry Coffee Cake by Jen of Juanita's Cocina

Holly Topped White Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Eggnog Pound Cake with Rum Glaze by Anuradha of Baker Street

Christmas in the Tropics Cake by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

Cranberry-Walnut Coffecake by Isabelle of Crumb

Pumpkin Dream Cake by Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Christmas Red Velvet Mug Cake by Erin of The Spiffy Cookie

Reindeer Cupcakes by Ramona of Curry and Comfort

Whiskey Nut Fruitcake by Heather of Girlichef

Tres Leches Cake by Cathy of The Dutch Baker's Daughter

Monkey Bread Cupcakes by Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Minty Brownie Bites....Day #2 of #Christmas Week

2012-12-04T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to day #2 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Peppermint Surprise”.

This one wasn't quite so easy for me, as I'm not a huge peppermint fan. My daughter suggested some peppermint brownies, so I poked around a bit and ran across a recipe from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman. Chocolate Mint Brownie Bites. Oh boy...I might like peppermint after all...

Minty Brownie Bites (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

2 oz unsweetened chocolate
8 whole Andes Chocolate Mints
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate or white chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crushed peppermint bark or candy canes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.; spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.

Place the unsweetened chocolate in a small bowl and microwave until just melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the Andes mints until all melted; set aside.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the chocolate. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling the cups about half full. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for ten minutes before inverting the pan and releasing the brownies.

For the glaze, place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Spoon the chocolate over the tops of the brownies and sprinkle the crushed candy over the tops.

As you can see, I was having a bit of an issue deciding what kind of peppermint treat to make.

When microwaving chocolate, keep an eye on it. Chocolate is too precious to have go up in smoke.

Ree talks about how she over-filled the muffin tin...I did the same thing.

But, they turned out ok....

I decided I really liked the taste of this Peppermint Bark, so I used it to top the brownie bites. Crushed candy canes might have been prettier.

Put a drip pan under the brownies when you pour the glaze on, or you will have a mess.

I experimented with the batter, just a smidge. Here, I topped a mini brownie with a Peppermint Kiss.

Box them up and give them as gifts....

....or just plate them up and enjoy!

Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

Peppermint Marshmallows from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jen of Juanita’s Cocina
Candy Cane Blossoms from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Candy Cane Cocoa in a Jar from Anuradha of Baker Street
Peppermint Brownie Trifle from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Candy Cane Mocha from Isabelle of Crumb
Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
White Chocolate Peppermint Covered Pretzels from Erin of Spiffy Cookie
Candy Cane Milkshake from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Peppermint Fudge from Heather of Girlichef
Minty Brownie Bites from Cathy of The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
Candy Cane Oreo Cheesecake Cookies from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Cherry-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies....Day #1 of #Christmas Week

2012-12-03T05:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Each day we will be celebrating a new holiday baking theme where each blogger makes a dish they love. We hope you enjoy this fabulous event. Tune in each day starting Monday December 3nd and ending Friday December 7th.

Wow--this is the very first time I have committed to writing five (count 'em--five!) blog posts on consecutive days, but isn't holiday food worth it? Not only will you see five days worth of Christmas goodies coming from me, but the sweets will be flowing from eleven other bloggers. Isn't this fun? Now, let's talk about the cookies.....

A few years ago, my friend DeeDee posted one of the prettiest cookies I had ever seen. Full of maraschino cherries, white chocolate, and macadamia nuts, it really stood out as a stellar Christmas cookie. As luck would have it, DeeDee has allowed me to post her recipe to kick off Christmas Week. So, without further ado, let me share with you this spectacular cookie....

Cherry-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies (adapted from DeeDee Pierce)

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ cup chopped macadamia nuts

6 oz good quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries, well drained and chopped

I found a package of macadamia nuts all nicely chopped up for me. If you prefer larger pieces, feel free to chop your own.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment*, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and the almond extracts.

Add the flour, half at a time, to the creamed mixture, stirring just until well-incorporated. The dough will be stiff. Stir in the nuts and the white chocolate, then gently stir in the cherries.

Since my jar of cherries was larger than I needed, I measured out one cup.

Drop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoons on to the lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until they are firmly set, but not browned. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely, before removing from the sheets (if you need to reuse the pan, simply slide off the parchment paper with the cookies, and reline).

*Using a stand mixer is recommended, as the cookie dough is rather stiff.

It's important to cool the cookies on the parchment paper...if you try removing them while they are still warm, they may fall apart. Trust me on this....

There you have it---beautiful cherry cookies! While you can certainly make these year-round (wouldn't that cherry-red color be great for Valentine's day?), I hear that this particular recipe is Santa's favorite. Please leave a few out for the jolly old guy.

Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Cookies and Bars”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

Mice Cookies from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Biscoff Blossoms from Jen of Juanita’s Cocina
Double Chocolate Thumbprints from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Cookie Sticks from Anuradha of Baker Street
Snickerdoodles Snowballs from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Biscotti from Isabelle of Crumb
Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Hot Cocoa Blossoms from Erin of Spiffy Cookie
Jam Thumbprints from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Fudgy Cathedral Cookies from Heather of Girlichef
Cherry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Cathy of The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
Cranberry Sauce Brownies from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Berry Baked Oatmeal

2012-11-30T04:14:00.000-06:00

I was struck with the Pinterest bug again....this time a beautiful picture of oatmeal (!) worked its magic on me. Now, I've always been an oatmeal fan, but beautiful oatmeal? Seriously? Yes--when it's mixed up with fruit and nuts and baked to perfection. This is my new favorite thing, and the kicker? It's healthy!

Toasted walnuts give this dish great flavor and texture.

Before I get to the recipe that I eventually used, let's give a little shout out to the blog that started this new obsession of mine. Thanks go to So, How's It Taste? for the gorgeous picture that turned me on to this idea that apparently started with the Amish (they know how to cook!). I looked around, of course, and found similar baked oatmeal recipes all over the blog-o-sphere, some healthy and some bordering on dessert. I actually tried different versions and found that all of them turned out to be tasty...this is definitely something that can be adapted to your own taste. In the end, I chose the healthier route, in part because a recent visit to my doctor revealed some icky cholesterol levels, but mainly because the taste is in no way compromised by using a healthier version.

Berry Baked Oatmeal

Printable Recipe

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of salt

2 cups skim milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, sliced

1 1/2 cups raspberries or blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.; spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, 1/4 cup of the walnuts, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, or in a large measuring cup, mix together the milk, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla.

Distribute the sliced bananas evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.

Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top of the bananas. Cover the fruit with the oatmeal mixture. Evenly pour the milk mixture over the oats, then tap the dish gently on the counter to distribute the liquid.

Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and berries over the top of the oatmeal. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the mixture is set. Serve warm with a splash of milk, if desired.

As I mentioned, one of the great things about this recipe is how easily adaptable it is. If you want to cut out the sugar, but like the sweetness, simply substitute 1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup for the brown sugar (add it to the liquid mixture instead of to the oats). I've also subbed steel cut oats for the rolled oats--it was fine, but the texture was definitely more chewy. Don't have coconut oil? Use butter or just cut it out completely. I've done both and it's all good.

So, there you have it....baked oatmeal. Fancy enough to serve to your guests, but easy and versatile enough to bake ahead and portion out for your own breakfast during the week. I highly recommend it.