Let's go Dutch Baby

I can't believe I haven't made one of these in over a year. I remedied that and made them twice in one week. Had to make a few this morning to share with my dad who came out to watch the kids play softball/baseball this weekend. He had never had one and he gobbled it right up, which puts a huge smile on my face cause my dad tends to lean on the picky side of things.  YAY ME!!

I can't decide what I enjoy more, the taste or the show??? It's hard to resist peeking in the oven to

watch these things puff up in crazy formations, but if I really had to pick it's most definitely the taste..

I top them with the traditional lemon squeeze and powdered sugar...Simply yummy

If you haven't tried one yet..you must! The whole experience is simply

marvelous...

And if you need a pretty decent recipe this is the one that I used..

                                                                     Dutch Baby

Craving Chocolate?

I made these....

                                                             Saucepan Fudge Drops

                                                             1 cup all-purpose flour

                                                            1/4 teaspoon baking soda

                                                                1/8 teaspoon salt

                                                         5 tablespoons unsalted butter

                                                  1/3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder

                                                          1/2 cup granulated sugar

                                              1/3 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed

                                                       1/3 cup buttermilk or yogurt

                                                         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350 F and place racks in the upper and lower
thirds of the oven.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment
paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl, and
set aside.  Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt. 
Once the butter is melted and sizzling, remove from heat and whisk in cocoa
until smooth.  Add both sugars and stir until blended - the mixture will be
stiff and sandy at this point. Stir in yogurt or buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the dry
ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Scoop rounded tablespoons of
dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake the
cookies until they look dry on top and are cracked all over, but are still
slightly soft when pressed, about 10-12 minutes. Rotate baking sheets from top
to bottom and front to back about half way through to ensure even baking.  Slide
the parchment, cookies and all onto racks to cool.

Via

Sharemykitchen

Apparently from this  

Book

That I must get my hands on.

Seriously quick to make and the texture is insane.

Crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle.

Not something you get often with thin cookies like this.

Only problem is they are all gone now.

The kids loved them too...

Cookies and Coasters

Due to the whole "trying to lose weight" thing. I have not been doing much baking lately. Of course I can only hold out for so long. So I made some toffee crackle cookies because they are too good to pass up.

Try them out......

Toffee Crackle Cookies

prep: 25 minutes Bake: 20 minutes per batch Oven: 300〫

1 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup AP flour

1 cup chocolate covered toffee pieces

granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300〫. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 minutes. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in toffee pieces.

Shape dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dip bottom of a glass into granulated sugar and flatten each ball to about 1/4" thickness.

Bake about 20 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

 

 

 

 

So clearly as a distraction to keep my hands busy so that I did not eat them all before the kids came home from school I decided to crochet up some more coasters.

I love this pattern I found awhile back on ravelry.

Shell Coasters

This is my second time making them and no doubt will not be my last.

Really is a sweet pattern..

 

I have a new stash of cotton itching to be used so I am off to make a potholder or two.

Hope you are having a lovely day!!!

Sunday Morning Cakes...

My kiddos are super cereal fans.  But they would never turn down some  homemade pancakes, especially when we are out of milk.

So as I woke to the sounds of bickering over the last 1/2 cup of milk left, I knew I had better get busy and figure out something to make that would fix the breakfast problem.

Pancakes it was.

Pretty much one of those throw together what you got and hope it works mornings.

And you know what they weren't half bad, if I do say so myself. I mean the kids had seconds and even though they were not the greatest for my diet I inhaled a few myself. So fast in fact that I gave myself a short bout of hiccups..Goodness me...

So if you are like me and enjoy the moist floppy pancakes over the thick on the dryer side type then these are for you.

And if you have never tried them with my favorite topping (powdered sugar) do pass up the syrup and give it a shot. They are that moist, promise...

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2  cups buttermilk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbs unsalted butter

Heat griddle to 375 degrees.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.

Add egg, buttermilk, whipping cream, vanilla, and butter using a whisk.

Using a ladle, pour pancake batter, 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly crisped around edges,  flip over. Cook until golden on bottom.

So yum!

Midnight Snacking

Yesterday I made some yummy sugar cookies. I stashed a few away for my sweet tooth attacks and let the kids munch down the rest. Of course none of them stood a chance, because nothing beats a classic sugar cookie recipe...

Sugar Cookie Recipe

•¾ cups Butter

•1 cup White Sugar

•2 whole Eggs

•1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

•2-½ cups All-purpose Flour

•¼ teaspoons Cream Of Tartar

•1 teaspoon Baking Powder

•½ teaspoons Salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine room temp butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and combine.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add dry ingredients into wet  until fully incorporated.

wrap dough in saran wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Even better overnight.


When ready, generously flour a flat surface and roll out the dough. Pull out those fun cookie cutters and have at it...Or as I am sure we all do....Let the kids have at it!


Bake at 325-350 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes. 

See now aren't you glad you didn't eat all the cookie dough :P

The case of my cookie monster

With cupboards vacant of quality snacking food and hungry kiddos in need of munchies for our weekend movie night I decided to make a bunch of  "scrap" cookies. We've all been there right? Throw whatever you have available together, and bake something quick.

So toasted pecan brown sugar cookies were made...

After they cooled I plopped them down on the table, Ready and waiting for a bunch of hands to grab them up. But I saw only one set of hands.....

And I couldn't help but grab the camera sit back and enjoy my very own cookie monster.

After he sampled almost every cookie he laid them back down on the plate and was back doing his own thing. Leaving the half eaten leftovers for the others...If he knew the expression I am sure he would have said "to slow Joe"

A few more outtakes here

Back to the cookies......If you want to make your very own cookie monster worthy treats here is the quick recipe...

1\2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

pecans "toasted" ( I used about 3/4 of a bag I had sitting around)

mix shortening and butter for 30 seconds, then add brown sugar, baking soda and salt, beat until combined. Add egg and vanilla beat til combined then add flour. Finally add toasted pecans and mix-in.

Chilled for 30 mins to an hour then  drop in rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet then bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until edges are firm and slightly golden.

Leave on table and wait for your very own cookie monster to arrive, just make sure to stash a few away for yourself :)

And they're gone.

I made these sugar donut muffins last night for the kids to have something to munch on when they woke  up

            (Which isn't til early afternoon now that they are summer break).

And boy did they take me seriously when I said they could have them for breakfast.  Because they are gone, down the hatch, adios, C-Ya later.

If you ever want to feel appreciated for simple baking you can borrow my kids they will eat them up so fast you can't help but feel like you have the golden touch.

I will definitely have to make these more often. It doesn't get any easier then this and the result is super yummy moist cupcakes with the spirit of a sugar donut. (My fave)

 

These cookies....

Are good enough to distract me ( a little ) from the fact that today is my DUE DATE and I am obviously still sitting here waiting....

I am not sure how I even came across this recipe, it's amazing what turns up when you are just browsing around late at night...Anywho if you remember I made these for Ayden's class the other day and they were a huge hit. Actually we had a few extra and after eating one Scott tried to sneak more out of the container already packed for Ayden. Good thing I knew better....Could you imagine how upset the kids at school would have been who missed out because of him...Big stinker...

Ok back to the cookie, really I am not a Chocolate Chip Cookie fan but I could eat a dozen of these very easily...And to top it off they are pretty straight forward to make....So yes I am making more of these tonight to chow down and drown my misery :P.....

Oh you might want the link to the recipe huh??? Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Accomplished

Not only did I serve the kids up some scrumptious made from scratch pancakes for breakfast this morning.

I finished up my sisters "toasty" gloves for her birthday..(which of course was yesterday)
Despite a few loose spots I think I did pretty darn good..

All in a days work..

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls....

Here is my fuel for the morning...Gotta get away with it while I still can huh???



I went searching for some fun things to bake this week. (not that I don't have enough ideas) but I came across this bread machine recipe for Cinnamon rolls that are strikingly similar to Cinnabon's cinnamon rolls. They are soooo good. I just finished baking them and they are ooey gooey perfection. You can find the recipe here...Cinnabon buns. In the past I have made a few batches of cinnamon rolls with my machine and haven't really been too pleased but this one is a winner. I will definetly be making these again and again...YUM!!!!

Yes I ate both....OOOOPS!!!

And here are a few of the washcloths I have been working on..The pattern is super simple and relaxing..This morning while letting the breadmachine make my dough I listened to Christmas music and knitted away while the house was still quiet. :)

PATTERN




Now off to see what I can get my hands into next..Hope everyone is having a great start to the Christmas Week...

Oh the Ooey gooeyness!!

Not sure what has gotten into me lately. I have surely been struck with the baking bug, and I think my family likes it that way. Last night I decided to find the best brownie recipe, and oh did I ever.

I don't even know how to describe these things. Except that you will want to eat them for breakfast they are so goooood..:) "No I didn't....ok maybe a bite "

Look at this simple unsuspecting brownie...Not much for shape I tell ya, but she makes up for it in taste..Just watch......


Oh yeah baby, what did I tell ya, Ooey Gooey...


And the money shot!!!!



Wanna make some????

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows


Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Grease an 8 inch square pan or line with foil.
3 In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved.
4 Add sugar and mix well.
5 Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
6 Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix).
7 Fold in Marshmallows
8 Spread in pan and bake for approximately 28 minutes.
9 DO NOT OVER-BAKE -- The marshmallows will make you think they are not done. The batter is cooked but the gooeyness will remain because of all those yummy marshmallows...
10 Cool completely before cutting into squares HAHA, did I say squares??? I mean big globs of messy stickyness....

Creepy Teeth how-to

They are pretty self explanatory but just in case your curious....The teeth are mini marshmallows and I used creamy peanut butter to keep them in position..

Just slice an apple add peanut butter, line up marshmallows then top with another peanut buttered apple :)

Pumpkin bread recipe

Finally gave in and used my bread maker...Seriously why do I not use it more???? Decided since I am anxious for Fall to get here that I would get in the spirit a little early and make some Pumpkin Bread...YUM I am loving it!!! And by the look of the pic you can tell someone else is too :P




Here is the recipe with a few alterations. Original can be found here

Ingredients
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups+3 tbs of Cake flour or
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

IMPORTANT: This is a Quick Bread, the cycle of your machine should clearly say QUICK BREAD. If the cycle says anything else, such as Express, then this recipe will not work since it does not contain yeast, and is designed for the QUICK BREAD cycle.
Place all ingredients in your breadmaker pan following manufacturer's recommended order.

Select Quick Bread cycle only. Wait like 5 minutes into cycle, open lid and scrape down sides and bottom of the pan, close lid and let the cycle finish.

Wait for it to cool down before you slice it, of course, if you can wait :).

Banana blow your mind....

Holy Cow!! I found this recipe, "if you want to call it that" on this BLOG And just tried it out this afternoon..Love it!!! In her post she just says to take frozen banana in your food processor and let it run for 5 mins or so and voila!! But I am a bit impatient so I added a few Tbs of milk and it gave it enough moisture to finish the job quicker...

That's really all you do...And it is exactly like eating banana soft serve..I added some honey to top mine off for an added bit of sweetness...Yummm I have a feeling we are going to being buying tons and tons of bananas once the A's get a hold of this ;)

Look....you know you want to throw some of those almost too ripe bananas in the freezer and try this out tonight :)

Green Smoothie Goodness...

Oh Green Smoothie how I missed you...it's been a few months since I fell off the G.S wagon. Not sure why but I got out of the habit and am happy to report I am back in again!!

If you read or watch anything about health these days you will most definitely find some form of the Green Smoothie..These things are amazing and really do, do wonders for your health not to mention fill your tummy so you aren't eating crud til lunch :P

My G.S is made up of..

1 banana
1 slice of fresh pineapple
4 or so slices of frozen peaches
4 or so ice cubes
about half cup of o.j
1 cup of water
handful of Spinach, I know yuck but you can't taste it I promise...

And this is what it will look like, don't be scared even the 2yr old loves it!!!

A favorite cookie and a Watermelon recipe

As I mentioned earlier despite the heat I braved the oven and baked up some of our family favorite cookies...Reese's chewy chocolate cookies, they are so yummy but I am paying for it now because the house is warmer then it should be....

So next time I get the urge to make something I have decided to stick to cooler, maybe healthier things like Watermelon Sherbet this looks really good, I guess I have to go out and get a watermelon or two so I can try this I know this kids would love it and it would help cool us all down that's for sure...Found this one at farmers almanac, makes me want to do some serious summer recipe searches. Keep the cold snacks coming!!!

Watermelon Sherbet
2 ¼ pounds seeded, cubed watermelon
1 cup superfine sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup cold water
2 egg whites

Puree three quarters of the watermelon in food processor. Mash remaining watermelon on plate (to give sherbet more texture). Stir sugar, lemon juice, and water in saucepan over very low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is clear. Mix watermelon puree, mashed watermelon, and syrup mixture in large bowl. Pour into freezer container and freeze for 1 to 1 ½ hours until edges start to set. Beat the mixture and then return to freezer for another hour. Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Beat ice mixture again and fold in egg whites. Return to freezer for one more hour. Beat once more and freeze until firm. Before serving, place sherbet in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to soften.

Yummy Banana Bread

The other day I noticed a few banana's hanging around on the counter that the kids had not chowed down yet...I quickly jumped at the opportunity to make some banana bread...I needed a simple quick not so messy I have the ingredients already, recipe..."Because if I go to the store the banana's might not be there when I get back" And I found it HERE As you can see half is already gone so I'm off to hide the rest....YUM

Dinner

So I used to be a server at The Cheesecake Factory...Can someone say YUMMMMM!!!

Well not only is it too expensive to eat there on any type of regular basis with 4 kids. The closest one currently is several hours away :(.... And with nothing but cruddy fast food around this place. I have been really wanting some good old CCF.

So what's the next best thing??? CopyCat recipes of course...I have yet to try any but am going to take the venture tonight. Wish me luck!! I will be attempting Chicken Madeira. One of my favorite dishes ever!!

I had luck finding what sounds like the perfect recipe HERE I will make sure to update after dinner to give me CCF expert opinion on this one.

I now have a new mission to weed out the CCF recipes and see if they can come close to the real thing...:)


OK...GREAT recipe!!! I need to work on the sauce, get it a little thicker but YUMMM. Especially loved that the kids wanted seconds and fought over the last few pieces of chicken :)

Oh and I made this with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh baked asparagus yum..!!