Homemade Goodness

Graham crackers and milk where one of my favorite snacks as a child. I could eat a whole package myself. Dunking until it was just right, still with a bit of crispness, not too soggy.

My kids haven't really experienced the goodness of graham crackers and milk because most brands are full of hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and bleached flour. I have found a couple of brands that have a good ingredients list, but are totally lacking in flavor.

Why couldn't I make some? So my quest began. I found a recipe in my stash of cookbooks, but the attempt failed miserably. I couldn't be satisfied until I had successfully completed my mission. I scoured the Internet, I found recipes and compared them to the first. Finally I found one I felt looked worthy.

It was my first time visiting Baking Bites.

The graham crackers worked perfectly and tasted better than I'd hoped, with a hint of molasses, honey and cinnamon. And it couldn't be easier, just throw all the ingredients into a food processor. I've since made them many times, sometimes using cookie cutters for fun shapes, but usually I just cut them straight with a pizza cutter and snap them apart when cool. Just like when I was a kid.

*Please follow the link for the recipe, the only thing I did different was to use white whole wheat flour for the total amount of flour instead of a mix of AP and whole wheat.

I'll Bake That!

A piano needed to be tuned at Wren's school. A generous man offered to tune it and would do it for a chocolate cake. Seriously? I'll bake that!

I used my favorite cake book, The Cake Bible. Perfect All American Chocolate Butter Cake and Dark Chocolate Ganache, oh yeah.

How To: The Great Pumpkin Cake

It all starts with two bunt cakes. I made one pumpkin bread and one banana bread.


Cut the bottoms to make a flat surface. You will want to save that part for snacking!


Place one on top of the other and line up the ridges.


After frosting the cake, roll up a paper bag for a stem and carefully fill in the hole with bits of scrap cake. Carefully frost the last bit.


Decorate as you wish! I had great plans to melt chocolate to make cutouts for decorating. You could also use this for a Thanksgiving cake. Use your imagination and get fancy!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe
2 c baked pumpkin or squash or 1-15 oz can
1 c brown sugar, packed
1 c granulated sugar
2/3 c veg. oil
4 eggs
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
2 t ginger
2/3 c water
3 c flour of your choice
1/2 c mini chips


Mix pumpkin, sugars, oil and eggs. Add salt, baking soda, ginger and water. Mix in flour until incorporated. Stir in mini chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour for a bunt pan.


Banana Bread Recipe
6 large bananas
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
2/3 c veg. oil
1 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 c flour of your choice
1/2 c mini chips

Smash bananas. Mix in sugars, eggs and oil. Add vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix in flour until incorporated. Stir in mini chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour for a bunt pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick of butter, softened
1 pkg cream cheese, cold
2 t vanilla
4 c pwd sugar

Beat butter until lightened, add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add food coloring.

Baking Bread: The Short Version

This recipe is seriously fast and easy. I started it at 5:30pm and pulled it out of the oven at 6:45pm. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law when they were visiting in July. It makes a great basic dough that can be used in many ways. I made a loaf, burger buns, and Violet shaped a bunch of rolls.

Here is the recipe as I got it from my sister-in-law.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
5 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1 & 1/2 rounded T of instant yeast
1/2 t salt

Give the dry ingredients a mix

1 & 1/2 T liquid lecithin (found in the health department or at baking stores)
2 c hot water

Mix for 1 minute and check consistency, dough should be sticky. Add flour or water. Knead for 4 minutes. Spray pans, counter and your hands with cooking spray. Cut dough in half and shape into loaves. Cover and let rise for 25 minutes. Cook for 25 minutes, or until bottom is lightly brown.

*For whole wheat flour, knead for 10 minutes instead of 4 and use apple sauce for half of your water.


OK, here's what I did. I tried the recipe the way it was written, using the lecithin, apple sauce and white whole wheat flour. It was very tasty, but a bit sweet. I wanted to try it without the lecithin and apple sauce to see how it came out. Mostly to make it less sweet and also to cut down on the ingredients list. I also switched the sugar to honey. It worked great!

My version:

5 1/4 c white whole wheat flour
1 & 1/2 rounded T instant yeast
1 t sea salt

Mix dry together

1/2 c honey
2 c hot water

Mix together for 1 minute and test constancy, needs to be sticky or else your bread will turn out dry. Knead for 10 minutes making sure dough remains sticky, adding more hot water if necessary. Spray pans, counter and hands with cooking spray, shape and let rise 25 minutes, or until doubled. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

A Day Spent In The Kitchen

I spent most of Sunday in the kitchen.


Baking bread. I'm re-working a recipe and as soon as I've got it right, I'll post it. I'm also going to try making Yeast Free Bread, very interesting.


Making more jam, black berry this time.


And these crumb bars. I used up the black berries and it was delicious!


For dinner we had grilled summer squash. We use a little olive oil, salt and pepper, throw them onto a baking sheet and then put the baking sheet right onto the grill. YUMMY!


Along with some delicious turkey burgers topped with divine market tomatoes.

La la la la Lemon

I have been craving lemony things lately. So when I saw a recipe for Creamy Lemon Squares in this months issue of EveryDay Food, I was all over it.

I love lemon squares, but I can be pretty critical about them. Too sweet? Not lemony enough? Crust too soggy or too hard?

Not only was this recipe simple, they were delicious. The crust was wonderful, a perfect texture and so tasty that it could stand up on its own. The filling calls for sweetened condensed milk (hence the name creamy lemon squares) and lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Perfectly rich and lemony.

Creamy Lemon Squares

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1 c all-purpose flour
4 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)

Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom of 8-inch square pan with parchment paper (I did this, but will try w/o next time).

Make crust: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix on low just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2" up sides of prepared pan; prick all over with fork. Bake until lightly golden, 15-20 min.

Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust; return to oven and bake until filling is set, 25-30 min. Cool completely in pan. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days. Cut into 16 squares and dust with powdered sugar.

What I've Been Eating For Breaky

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp!



The kids don't really like it, so that means there is plenty left over.
I used this recipe for the filling and then used my own crisp topping recipe because I like an oatmeal crisp, especially if I'm going to be eating it for breakfast.



Crisp Topping

1 1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 c flour of your choice
1 1/2 c rolled oats
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c cold butter

Mix dry together and then cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal. I just use my fingers. Sprinkle on top, don't pack it down or else you will never be able to cut into it!

Makes enough for one pie or make 1 and 1/2 recipe for a 9"x13" pan.

Cupcake Caddy

*Check this out! Someone else loves her cupcake carrier too!

I'm always excited to use my cupcake caddy, since it means I'm making cupcakes and I heart cupcakes.



This caddy holds 24 cupcakes and is made by ChefMate. The bottom is actually a cupcake pan, so it is dual purpose.



I found out that you need to be careful about how high you frost.



This thing is pretty handy. I imagine that I might need two of them when Wren starts kindergarten next year though, do they still have you make cupcakes for birthday's?

These cupcakes were my go to chocolate cupcake recipe with an extra little surprise of homemade caramel in the center. YUM!

A Little Cookie For The Weekend

I love everything coconut, especially macaroons. This recipe comes from the April 2008 issue of Every Day Food and was super simple and delicious. The aroma wafting through the house took me to a warm tropical island. I'm so ready for summer!

I couldn't help myself from picking off the crispy bits of coconut that stuck to the parchment paper and nibbling them. And I do recommend using parchment paper with these ones, they are sticky! The apricot lent a subtle fruitiness that I enjoyed. Although if you left it out, it would still be a great macaroon. I imagine that bits of dark chocolate mixed in would make these extra divine.

Coconut-Apricot Macaroons

3 large egg whites
1/2 c sugar
3/4 t pure almond extract (optional)
1/4 t salt
14 oz sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 c soft dried apricots, coarsely chopped (3 oz)

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, almond extract and salt until frothy. Add coconut and apricots; mix to combine.

Using your hands, shape mixture into mounds, equal to about 2 Tablespoons; place 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet (macaroons will not spread).

Bake until golden brown, 35-40 min (my oven may be off, but mine only took 25 min total), rotating half way through. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Makes about 20.

*Rebecca, you gotta make these!

Endulging The Craving: Carrot Cupcakes

I just needed to make them, Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Wren saw me peeling the carrots and was intrigued. What was I doing? Why was I doing that? Could he do it too? I set him up with some carrots and the peeler and he diligently sat and peeled. "Look mom! I can do it! I'm getting all the parts!" I really wish I could post all the pictures I took. It's amazing how he was sitting in one spot, completing his task, but not actually sitting still!

He actually wanted to peel the whole bag, but then decided that he would eat one of the carrots he so carefully worked on.

As I was putting together the food processor, I discovered that the piece that attaches the shredding blades was no where to be found! So I ended up grating them all by hand with my handy little grater from IKEA. It was quite meditative, actually. I sat and pondered life, my mind wandering. I remembered Diane from CraftyPod commenting that she is a "total process-crafter" and at the time I didn't quite get what she was talking about. But it was starting to make sense to me. I'm all about the process when it comes to cooking and baking. I love to knead bread with my hands, make chicken stock from scratch, I don't mind grating carrots by hand on occasion. The rhythm becomes my mantra clearing my mind of all worries, at least for the moment. Then the task is completed and life rushes back in.

The cupcakes did hit the spot. They were moist and not overwhelmingly sweet. I wont feel bad at all eating some for breakfast tomorrow.

Ode to Winter Squash

Winter squash, how many ways do I love thee? Last night it was in lasagna. Oh, so delicious.

I just threw a layer of mashed up butternut squash in the middle of my lasagna and baked as usual. Lasagna is such a wonderful winter meal that can be done so many ways.

And I'm always making up a batch of 'Pumpkin' Bread, made with basically any orange flesh squash I have on hand. I played around with the recipe and this one is my family's favorite. The only spice used is powdered ginger, which brings out the squash nicely instead of covering it up.

Sally's Winter Squash Bread

2 c squash purée

1 c granulated sugar

1 c brown sugar

4 eggs

2/3 c oil

2/3 c water

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

2 t powdered ginger

3 c white whole wheat flour (or any flour of your choice)

Mix squash and sugars together in a large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in oil, water, salt, baking soda and ginger until combined well. Mix in flour just until combined. Bake at 350 in greased bread or muffin pans. Bread takes about 45 min and muffins range from 15-20 min. Bread will also brown much more on top than muffins will. Enjoy!

I don't think I will have enough squash left in my freezer to last through the summer. That's a funny thought, freezing winter vegetables to last you until they are in season again! Winter is almost over, thank goodness, but I sure will miss eating winter squash.

I Heart Cupcakes

I was browsing the Martha Stewart site looking for this chocolate cupcake recipe so I could make some for my sister's birthday. I have made these before and think they are the perfect chocolate cupcake; rich, moist, dense, delicious. Many of the comments mentioned there was too much cocoa and thought they were inedible. I was compelled to leave a comment about how much I liked this recipe. To do so on Martha's site you have to sign up and I was so bent on leaving my comment, I ended up becoming a memeber and signing up for a bunch of emails and newsletters. I know, I'm a sucker.

The recipe calls for sourcream which produces a very dense batter. Using a cookie scoop to fill the pan made the process a lot easier and also helped to fill each cup evenly. The cupcakes baked flat, lending a nice surface for frosting. As they cooled, they shrunk up and the liners started falling off. I hadn't used liners for the mini cupcakes, so I just removed them all and called it good.

The white frosting accompanying this recipe is very basic; butter, powdered sugar, milk. I considered putting in some vanilla, but decided to try it as it was written. I really like how it looks stark white against the dark chocolate brown, and vanilla would have produced a cream color.

My kids usually just go for the frosting and leave the bare cupcake behind, but there was nothing left this time. These cupcakes are so good, I ended up making them a couple of days later to bring to our good friend Lane's birthday celebration. This time, I was short on sour cream and ended up using half butter milk. They had the same flavor, just a touch lighter in texture, and didn't shrink up as much when cooling, bonus!

The Great Brownie Search recipe #1

I love brownies, and I'm on a mission to find the best recipes out there. I must clarify that I'm actually looking for the best recipes using cocoa powder. I don't have the patience at this point to be melting chocolate when you can use cocoa powder and get great results. Some would even argue that cocoa powder makes a better brownie because using butter to replace the lack of cocoa butter from the chocolate mixed with the granulated sugar creates a soft center and a crusty top.



There are a lot of recipes boasting 'best' or even 'best ever'. Today I am trying King Arther's The Best Fudge Brownies Ever recipe that is featured on the back of their unbleached flour bag. I looked on the recipe page and they have quite a few listing for brownies, but this one is not in their data base. So you must go out and purchase a bag of flour to get the recipe.



On with the review. I have the pan in the oven as I'm writting, at 350 for 28-30 minutes. As far as time and temp go, the temp is standard, but I'm a little skeptical that these will actually be done in 28-30 minutes. In my experience, brownies have usually taken more time than called for and this time frame is on the short side at that.


not everybody likes nuts


This recipe calls for a 9"x13" pan, where most brownies recipes call for a 8"x8". Bigger yeild, that's good. When comparing the ingredients, the amounts of butter, eggs and cocoa powder all seemed to be comparable to other recipes, if not a little more. But the amount of flour called for was a little higher than what I'm familiar with. So the question will be if the ratio of butter, sugar, egg, cocoa to flour makes for a delicious fudgy texture, or as the recipe boasts, the best fudge brownies ever. Or if they will end up being too cakey.

After all was said and done, the brownies ended up taking about 37 minutes, not too bad. Brownies are best if you let them cool a bit, this is always hard for me because I'm usually ready to eat them right out of the oven. I'm taking these to share with friends though, so they will have ample time to cool and set which will make for easy cutting.

These brownies had a thin crust on the top, but nothing very crunchy. I'm assuming this has to do with the step in the recipe where it has you cook the melted butter and sugar a touch more after stirring them together which says will yeild a shiny top crust. The texture was chewy, not cakey, but not fudgy. It was moist, not too sweet, but also not rich enough for my taste. All in all, a good brownie, but I'd say not the best fudge brownie ever. I really like a rich fudgy brownie, one that packs a large punch where you can't eat more than one or two or else it's an overload of chocolatey richness. This brownie was a little too easy to eat, I found that I wasn't satisfied eating just one or two and had to stop myself at three and four! So, it was tasty, but my search is still on.