tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22835928309641261472024-03-17T10:22:36.181-04:00The Cookie CrumblesMeredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-14356404546741518782019-07-16T11:40:00.000-04:002019-07-16T11:41:26.384-04:00Titanic Halloween Costume<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img class="size-full wp-image-400" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6672.jpg" width="480" /><br />
In August of this past year 2018, my Darling Son (who was still 5 at the time), was leaning against me on the couch watching Spongebob Squarepants when I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween.<br />
<br />
"Captain Smith," he answered instantly, eyes still glued to the tv.<br />
<br />
"Uh, who, honey?" I fumbled, trying to figure out who he meant.<br />
<br />
"You know, the captain of the Titanic," he said, snuggling closer. "I can wear a Titanic ship the same way I wore my Gravedigger costume."<br />
<br />
Oh.<br />
<br />
Backing up, I should probably mention two things. First, my son <em>loves</em> the Titanic. He has countless models and toys, wall art, memorabilia, and books. He knows everything about it. We even revolved our vacation this year around seeing the Titanic exhibit at the National Geographic Museum in D.C. where we saw, amongst other things, artifacts like an actual deck chair from the Titanic, Madeleine Astor's life jacket, and John Jacob Astor's pocket watch.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-401" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_5979.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone on the Titanic sat on this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-402" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madeline Astor's life vest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-403" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Jacob Astor's pocket watch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Second, for Halloween two years ago, my son wanted to be a Monster Jam monster truck driver, Gravedigger's driver specifically. I found a Gravedigger driver jumpsuit easily online and, brimming with confidence, told him that I could make a truck for him to wear. After all, I had Pinterest on my side.<br />
<br />
How hard could it be?<br />
<br />
The answer is I'll never know, because luckily Gravedigger is an incredibly popular truck, and at the 11th hour I found a foam truck that had been commercially produced, and I paid a ridiculous amount for it in my relief. I <em>might</em> have forgotten to mention to DS that I bought it as opposed to making it, but hey, he never specifically asked, amirite?<br />
<br />
Fast forward to this past year. "Uh, okay honey. Mommy will do her best," I told DS. Hopeful, I set out to Google. Titanic is incredibly popular too, maybe this costume already exists?<br />
<br />
Nope. Nope it does not.<br />
<br />
What I did find were several pics of homemade costumes that various industrious parents had handcrafted for their kids. I showed the pics to my husband, who quirked an eyebrow at me but said nothing. This is a man, after all, who has seen me struggle to draw a stick figure.<br />
<br />
No matter. Halloween was still far away. I had tons of time. I set about collecting "Titanic-size boxes" at work, and berating anyone who threw a big box in the dumpster before I had a chance to look at it. Over the next few weeks, we had accumulated a sizable collection of large boxes which I stashed in the garage, earning me Another Eyebrow from my husband.<br />
<br />
I found my son a passable <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003L53X3C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share">Navy uniform</a> on Amazon that more or less looked like the pictures, and bought him a little adhesive <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0733NNCWJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share">beard</a> and toy pocket watch. Making progress! Feeling good! I've never assembled or spray painted anything in my life, but so what? Can't be hard. Oodles of time.<br />
<br />
September came before I knew it. Boxes were still in the garage. No paint had been bought. Really, no <em>anything</em> for making the ship had been bought. At this point, the Titanic was like Schrodinger's Cat: as long as I didn't start trying to make it, there was no tangible proof that I <em>couldn't</em>.<br />
Suddenly, September was gone. October. Was. Here.<br />
<br />
Dang.<br />
<br />
I have a very technically demanding job in a STEM field, but I am painfully bad at starting tasks. So I started small. With a list. I hate starting tasks, but I <em>love</em> making lists of tasks. Go figure. So, I listed out the <u>must-have</u> features of the Titanic, and it looked something like this:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Big black sides</li>
<li>Red bottom trim</li>
<li>White stacks of whatever on top with windows</li>
<li>Funnels</li>
<li>Anchors</li>
<li>Propellers</li>
<li>Then the <u>nice-to-haves</u>:</li>
<li>Lettering</li>
<li>Some sort of railing</li>
<li>Smoke (for the smokestacks)</li>
<li>Details like windows on lower levels</li>
</ul>
The Titanic had one central propeller with 4 blades, and 2 flanking propellers with 3 blades. A Google search later, and I found clip art of propellers that looks roughly right, so I printed them on paper, and then used that as a template for tracing onto cardboard:<br />
<div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img class="size-medium wp-image-405" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6427.jpg" width="480" /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-406" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 propellers! Hey, I made something! I rested on these laurels for almost a full week...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I had to just guess at the size here, because I literally had nothing else built, nor did I have any idea <em>how</em> to build anything!<br />
<br />
Then, I went <i>shopping:</i><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>From Michael's, I bought two miniature metal anchors about 1.5" tall each, and some bronze acrylic paint. I also bought a variety of gold craft adhesive letters.</li>
<li>From Staples, I bought two <a href="https://m.staples.com/2-x-24-Mailing-TubesWhite-Each-468298/product_468298">white 24" mailing tubes</a> with a 2" diameter for the funnels (I also bought 3" diameter tubes because I wasn't sure which size would be best, but they were way too big).</li>
<li>I also grabbed 3 FedEx Priority Mail small boxes.</li>
<li>From Home Depot, I bought this <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/304727482">adhesive-backed Velcro tape</a>.</li>
<li>From Amazon, I bought <a href="https://www.amazon.com.dp/B0084HTLX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_obACCbDGQM19G">this</a> White Star crew patch to add to DS' Navy costume, and after reading a <a href="http://www.titanic-cad-plans.com/whitestarbuff.pdf">blog post</a> about the likely color of Titanic's funnel (a color called "White Star Buff" which apparently had two different hues pre- and post-1920), purchased this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BWOS0I?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share">spray paint</a> for the funnels along with glossy white. I also bought this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OQFOXSK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share">dollhouse picket fence</a> because I thought I might be able to make a railing from it.</li>
<li>Walmart was the real jackpot. I went to the store for brads, which I wanted to use to attach the propellers and anchors. While I was there, I spied this 20x30" black foam <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Elmer-s-Sturdy-Foam-Board-Sheet-Black-20-x-30-x-3-16/17011432">poster board</a>, and bought 4 pieces. I also bought several sheets of 18x24" <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Elmer-s-Sturdy-Foam-Board-18-x-24-2-Pack/37699772">white foam poster board</a>, as well as a few sheets of red (not foam) poster board. The white foam board had a faint iridescent grid pattern that came in handy later. I also grabbed a yellow tape. I also got some tools and peripheral items: low-temp glue gun, double-sided Scotch tape, an exacto knife (a ceramic one which I regretted, more on that later), 2 long rulers (one was clear plastic 18"), a geometry compass for drawing circles, and a variety of black Sharpie markers of varying thickness.</li>
</ul>
<br />
The first thing I did was paint the 3 propellers that I had cut from cardboard. I also painted the metal anchor charms. The latter was far more difficult, as the paint I bought wasn't made for metal, but I flipped them over and painted the textured back, which helped the paint adhere better. I'm not sure I saved myself any time using the charms, it probably would have been just as easy making anchors using the same method I used for the propellers.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-423" height="200" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6564.jpg" width="150" /></a><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-422" height="200" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6565.jpg" width="150" /><br />
<br />
<br />
The main body of the ship was made from the 4 black foam boards. I cut the red poster board into 4 inch strips, and used double sticky tape to adhere them to the bottom of each board. Because the red board was 6" shorter than the black, I also cut 4 additional 4x6" pieces and taped them into these gaps.<br />
<br />
I realized that I would need to have some white on the black boards as well, so I decided to cut 2" strips from the white foam boards. This is where I regretted my ceramic exacto knife, because my cutting edges were sloppy. Luckily this was less obvious on the finished ship. And as with the red, because these white boards were only 24" long, I had to cut 4 additional pieces, this time 2x6". For the white strips, I used the compass with a fine tip Sharpie in it to trace 1" circles to look like circular porthole windows. The centers of the circles (where I placed the needle) were 2" apart from each other.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-416" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6446.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future portholes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then, I filled all of the circles in with black marker. Once the white strips were dry, I double-side taped them to the tops of each of the 4 boards. I used the yellow tape to cover the seam between the bottom of the white strip and the black board. Now, I had 4 black boards lined with red and white, with a narrow yellow stripe. I decided to use 1 board each folded in half for the bow and stern, and one each for the sides. For the bow and stern folds, I sliced through the red and white pieces I adhered, as well as the top layer of black poster board and foam down the center of the board, but left the bottom layer of poster board (used for the inner edge facing the inside of the boat) intact so it would make a sharper fold.<br />
<br />
I chose the piece I wanted for the stern, and used a brad to attach the center propeller to the fold's seam. I flanked this propeller with the smaller ones on either side.<br />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-418" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6450.jpg" width="480" /><br />
<br />
On the bow piece, I used the gold adhesive letters to spell Titanic on either side (later I re-enforced this with cellophane tape to prevent peeling). I punched through the black board on either side with the anchors. Then, I took the mini picket fence and carefully pushed it into the top of the black foam up to the bottom wire. This made holes in the foam which meant that I could easily remove the fence and put it back again as I built various other pieces.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-450" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fence pushed into the black foam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<img class="size-full wp-image-421" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6447.jpg" width="480" /><br />
<br />
Next, I start figuring out how to make the interior of the ship. First, I cut each mailing tube in half (12" long after the cut), intending to have the side with the cap be the top of each funnel. I spray painted the funnels with the yellow paint. Sure, I painted the grass yellow too, but I got it done. I let those dry for a few days while I tackled the upper decks. My vision in my head was to build a structure at the bow and stern that suggested the deck and the upper part of the ship, while leaving the center open for my son to stand in.<br />
<br />
As a support structure, I took the 3 still-flat FedEx boxes, and spray painted one white. After it was dry, I cut all three down the center crosswise in half -- since each box is 12.25"x11", each half was ~6"x11". For the two halves that were painted white, I used the compass to trace two 2" diameter circles per half, which I cut out of the top part of the box only, with my exacto knife. These holes were for the funnels, so they could be secured via the cutout of the first box, and stabilized with the other two boxes underneath. I then assembled the 6 halves into two stacks 3 halves high each, alternating the cut and sealed ends, with each spray painted half as the top of each stack. The stacks were held together with the tape.<br />
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<img class="size-full wp-image-428" height="237" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6763-1.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
I then cut 4 pieces of white board to cover the front and sides of each stack (so 8 pieces total). The front and back faces of the boxes were 11"x5" so I cut 4 of those pieces. I cut the sides of the stacks to extend little longer than the 6" length of the boxes, at 9"x5".<br />
<br />
For the front and two side pieces per stack, I used the Sharpie and a ruler to draw windows and shadows to approximate what I was seeing in pictures of the Titanic. When I did this, I laid the 3 pieces per stack in a row with the front piece in the center, because I wanted to create the illusion that the windows and awnings were wrapping around from the front to either side. I used glue to put the front and sides on each stack once they were dry. The markings didn't line up perfectly, but they were close enough.<br />
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<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-452" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0349.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
Once the funnels were dry, I used the Sharpie to color each one black for 2 inches from the top. If I had more time, paint would have looked better, but I was loathe to buy anything else or take any more time. Once those were dry, I put glue around the rim of each and fitted them down into the holes of each stack, 2 per. I glued cotton balls into the two funnels of the bow stack, and the first funnel of the stern stack (because only 3 of the Titanic's funnels were functional, the 4th was there to make the ship look more symmetrical).<br />
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I then attached a back piece to each stack to cover the cut boxes from view. I attached each of these with a piece of mailing tape across the top so that the flap could open like a hinge (more on that in a minute).<br />
<br />
The day before Halloween, I stumbled upon an illustrated cutaway of the ship's interior online that seemed <em>made</em> for the dimensions of the costume. Even though no one would see it but my son, I added it to the interior face of each stack as a last-minute detail. So, I ended up with 2 stacks like this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-432" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6526.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two stacks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-433" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6757.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down from the top, you can see where the poster board has been glued on the sides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-434" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6760.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the illustrated cutaway of Titanic's interior with the Grand Staircase running down the center -- DS loves this detail!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-435" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6763-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hinged back</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I needed a good way to support the stacks, so I took my bow piece, and traced the interior onto the white board, and cut out a roughly triangle shape that I glued into the bow like a deck. This piece had a part that extended as a rectangle towards the body of the ship, as a platform to support the stack. This extended part was fitted to the shape of the ship <em>but not glued in</em> (important detail). I then did the same with the stern, custom fitting a white board to that piece.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-454" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "deck" platform. It is only glued to the bow up to the seam with the side of the boat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-439" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stack Velcro taped to the deck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Around this time, I started to realize that my life would be a lot easier if I could make the stacks detachable. In fact, the more parts that could reversible be taken off, the better.<br />
<br />
Enter the Velcro tape.<br />
<br />
I used the tape to adhere the stacks to the decks, which is why the hinged back of the stack came in handy - I could flip it up and it gave me a way to grip the stack to get it off the deck without accidentally yanking the white board off of the sides.<br />
<br />
Instead of permanently glueing all of the black boards together, I decided to use the Velcro tape again.<br />
The tape came as 1.5" wide, the hook and loop sides already pressed together, with adhesive backing on each. I cut 4 long strips, each almost 20" long to cover the majority of each seam between the black boards. Then, for each seam, I peeled the hook and loop pieces apart, and sliced the hook piece (the hard side of the Velcro) in half lengthwise, to get two 3/4" hook pieces. I took the adhesive off of the hook pieces, and applied them to either side of the seam between the black boards. Then, I was able to take the loop strip (still 1.5" across) and span both sides of the seam, binding them together in a reversible way. I left the back paper on the loop strip so that it wouldn't be sticky.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-461" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0356.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cut hook pieces are adhered to, and flank the seam between the boards. The top loop part can span both sides and hold the boards together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-460" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0357-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="610" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The loop side, fully down, holding the ship together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I decided to employ a similar method for the shoulder straps to hold the ship up on my son. This time, there was no slicing of the tape, I left the whole thing as 1.5" across. I had my son stand in the boat to approximate the length. Then, I cut 1 long strip, in excess. I decided that one strap would be hook, and one would be loop, so that they would latch when crossed over behind my son's shoulders. I separated the two sides but kept the paper backing on the adhesive for both.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-464" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One strap is hook, the other is loop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<figure><figcaption><br /></figcaption></figure>I cut two 12" pieces of Velcro for interior anchor points for the straps. Because I wanted the straps to cross, I needed to place the anchors diagonally from each other -- in other words, if the interior hook piece was on the left at the bow, it needed to be on the right at the stern, and vice versa for the internal loop pieces. I peeled the backing off of the internal pieces and positioned them. Then, I added the straps, with the hook strap adhering to the diagonally-places loop pieces inside the ship, and vice versa. Then I was able to slide the strap between the deck and the black board, because it was not glued at this position.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-467" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_0360.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strap adhered inside the ship. You can also see one of the seams right next to it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One final touch, I downloaded clip art of 3 flags: US, UK, and the White Star flag. I printed each out as mirror images duplicated horizontally so that I could fold them over a wooden dowel (1/4") with double-sided tape. The Titanic was oriented with the US flag at the bow (where the ship was headed), the UK flag at the stern (where the ship was coming from), and the White Star flag somewhere in the middle. I should have adhered then with glue, because I just forced the dowels in, but I was already pretty tired by this point. I wish I had secured them better however, since they kept slipping throughout the day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-469" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6539.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US flag on the bow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-470" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6560.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UK flag and additional lettering on the stern</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And then, I hot glued that White Star patch on my son's costume uniform and, because I can't quit, I also downloaded the emblem from Captain Smith's hat, printed it out, backed it onto foam board, and glued it to my son's hat.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-477" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6584.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the hat and uniform patch</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-478" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6665.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the beard. It looked great, but he only wore it long enough for me to take this picture</td></tr>
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On Halloween, we went to my dad's house prior to school, and while I was in the kitchen, I heard my son wailing "Dziadziu, <em>noooooo</em>!" When I came back into the living room, I saw that my dad had glued cotton balls onto the 4th funnel, because he assumed they had fallen off 🤣. After I picked off the interloping cotton balls, we were off to school.<br />
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Here is the full length ship, at my son's school, at 5 feet long and 3.5 ft high (with the stacks on):<br />
<img class="size-full wp-image-473" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6586.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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It <em>just </em>fit into the back of my Honda Pilot diagonally with the 3rd row folded down, and the stacks/funnels off.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-475" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6612.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parade pic</td></tr>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-474" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6615.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-476" height="480" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6648.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His costume took up So. Much. Space. I didn't intend for it to be so big, it just kind of happened</td></tr>
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<figure><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-480" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6679.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trick or Treating</td></tr>
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<figcaption><br /></figcaption></figure><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-481" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6689.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-482" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6691.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-483" height="640" src="https://bakelab.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/img_6706-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The captain</td></tr>
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<figure><figcaption><br /></figcaption></figure>I thought my son would get tired wearing it for Trick or Treating, but he had so much fun, he didn't want to come in, we were out for about 4 hours (the longest he has ever lasted), and he wore the Titanic the entire time. Once he got his "sea legs" so to speak, he maneuvered around just fine despite the bulk of the costume.<br />
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There are some things I might do differently a second time around, but I have no regrets about taking on this project, as much work as it was. I'm pretty sure my son's memories will last a lifetime, I know mine will.</div>
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Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-75965814374381100282013-03-27T08:52:00.001-04:002013-03-27T08:52:07.166-04:00Coconut Macaroons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm always on the lookout for a good coconut macaroon recipe, and this is definitely a great one. It is Alton Brown's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paradise-macaroons-recipe/index.html">Paradise Macaroon</a> recipe (with minor modification), which was his contribution to Food Network's 12 Days of Christmas Cookies circa 2008.<br />
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Now, these are coconut macaroons, which are the most common kind of macaroon in the US, although I am sure everyone is also familiar with the French cookies of the same name as well. Why two such variant desserts under the same name? Well, it turns out that "macaroon" is a rather loose term: it can be used to describe a light, small cookie or cake(ish) baked good, commonly with egg whites, some kind of nut and/or almond paste, sometimes coconut, and sugar. The coconut macaroons are most common in the US, while French macaroons, also called <i>macarons</i>, are meringue cookies filled with some type of ganache or buttercream. People tend to use the term macaroon interchangeably for either the coconut or cookie macaroons, and while some people try to exclusively use macaron when talking about French-style macaroons, there isn't a universal convention for distinguishing between the two<br />
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<a name='more'></a>These cookies are fairly easy to put together, although there is an egg-whipping step in the middle. Trust me, it is well worth the extra work.<div>
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First, combine the coconut, condensed milk, salt and vanilla, mixing well to coat.</div>
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Then, in a separate bowl, whip the eggs until foamy, the slowly incorporate the sugar, whipping until medium (aka firm) peaks form (the peak has a gentle curl to it when you lift the beaters out, <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-soft-peaks-firm-115557">check this out</a> for a visual reference). Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture:<br />
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Using a tablespoon or a #40 scoop, scoop out the coconut mixture onto parchment-lined cookie sheets...<br />
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And bake for 20-25 minutes at 325 until golden brown.<br />
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Take them off the pan and put them on wire rack to cool immediately, and let them cool down completely. Then, you can melt the chocolate and shortening together (I melted the chips in the microwave in 15-30 second increments,stirring after each time, with the oil), and dip the top of each completely cooled macaroon into the chocolate.<br />
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Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle on some chopped macadamia nuts, and DONE!<br />
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I used bittersweet chocolate, which I prefer to semi-sweet, and it was lovely. But semi-sweet is just fine, and if you want more of a sweet Almond Joy taste, you can even use milk chocolate. And almonds, for that matter. But I love macadamia nuts with coconut, so tropical!<br />
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These cookies are rich and decadent, and the chocolate/macadamia nut combo on the top adds just the right amount of contrast and salt. The extra whipped egg whites gives them a slightly lighter consistency than the usual wet, dense macaroon, but doesn't sacrifice any of the richness and flavor. You won't be disappointed in these!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Coconut Macaroons</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">15-16 oz sweetened shredded coconut (depending on the size package(s) you find)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">2 oz sweetened condensed milk</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">Pinch kosher salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">1 tsp vanilla </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">4 large egg whites</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">5 oz sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">1 oz vegetable shortening</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">2 oz finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
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<li>Preheat oven to 325F</li>
<li>Combine coconut, condensed milk, salt and vanilla in bowl, mixing well to combine</li>
<li>Whip egg whites until foamy</li>
<li>Add sugar slowly to egg whites, continuing to whip until medium (firm) peaks form, about 6 minutes</li>
<li>Fold egg whites into coconut mixture</li>
<li>Scoop coconut mixture onto parchment-lined cookie sheet using a #40 scoop or rounded tablespoons</li>
<li>Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown</li>
<li>Remove cookies/parchment immediately to wire rack and allow to cool completely before topping</li>
<li>Melt chocolate (microwave is fine) and oil until smooth</li>
<li>Dip the top of each macaroon into the chocolate, and sprinkle macadamia nuts over the chocolate before it sets</li>
<li>Let chocolate set before storing and/or eating</li>
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Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-76910326380878724612013-03-14T11:06:00.001-04:002013-03-14T11:11:14.791-04:00Snoopy Baby Shower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I meant to write this post ages ago, my baby shower was back in September. But better late than never!<br />
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As anyone reading my <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/search/label/shower">previous posts</a> on my bridal shower and the various baby showers that I've assisted with, I love event planning. And I've always known that, if I were lucky enough to have a baby, I would want a Snoopy-themed baby shower.<br />
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This presents its own difficulties, as many Peanuts-themed items are becoming rare and expensive. And the ones that are available are more naturally geared towards children's parties, and I didn't really like the look of them. So instead, most of the items at my shower were handmade by myself or my family. Here is a quick rundown of what we did, in case anyone else out there would like to do something similar.<br />
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First, the invitation. I made this myself, and I think it came out rather well:<br />
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I'm not much of a photo editor, and clearly not a graphic designer. But I was actually able to use PowerPoint for everything I needed. First, decide on the size of your invitation. I decided on 5x7", which is size A7. I ordered my paper products from <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/">Paper Source</a>. Once you know what size you want, you can go into PowerPoint and adjust the slide height and width to match (Design --> Page Setup). I would suggest adding an extra 1/4" to each side (5.25x7.25") as a bleed section.<br />
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I found a <a href="http://www.fontspace.com/john-k-barrow/peanuts">Peanuts font</a> online, to get the lettering right. Unfortunately, this font has no numbers, and the numbers from fonts I already had on my computer didn't look right, so I used the <a href="http://www.dafont.com/walt-disney.font">Waltograph font</a> for the numbers, which paired nicely with the Peanuts font.<br />
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I got all of the images on the invitation by googling "baby snoopy" and I used PowerPoint to remove the original color and tint everything blue (Format --> Recolor --> Light Variations, while clicked on the image, I chose the light blue option for everything here). I also used PowerPoint to adjust the contrast and brightness (also under Recolor), which helped to sharpen the edges of the images. Lastly, I made sure the backgrounds for the two images flanking the text were transparent (Recolor --> Set transparent color).<br />
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I added a border for the bleed section, so that variations in printing wouldn't cut into my actual design.<br />
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Once I had the design the way I wanted it, I saved the slide as a jpeg: make sure everything in the slide is grouped, then right-click the slide and select "save as picture." PowerPoint caps the resolution of jpeg exports, so I followed <a href="http://www.motifolio.com/tips2.html">these instructions</a> to change the resolution of jpegs saved in PowerPoint to 300 dpi, it was easy to do and made a huge difference in the quality of the invitation!<br />
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For the favors, I decided to make a Greek cookie called <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2009/10/cookie-buffet-greek-cookies.html">Kourambiethes</a>, which I also made for my bridal shower. I'm pretty proud of the packaging, they are little Snoopy houses:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0chHMblOYl9Z8u_EfPVzwu10qgu9L3ROv6TvaoYBRoS7wcZkk5sxYK-kEgqJgfn7mdGika-src7jtQaKE2wq1GbevzLZk4MmPSSuvIr1Nne7124HbDVkyXNlEzvs8ZzLehIHRCxS1CyA5/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0chHMblOYl9Z8u_EfPVzwu10qgu9L3ROv6TvaoYBRoS7wcZkk5sxYK-kEgqJgfn7mdGika-src7jtQaKE2wq1GbevzLZk4MmPSSuvIr1Nne7124HbDVkyXNlEzvs8ZzLehIHRCxS1CyA5/s400/010.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a demo bag. Yes, I know Snoopy's house is actually all red, but I couldn't find red bags that were a close enough match to the tops, so I went with white. Red, white and baby blue ended up being my shower colors, and they looked great.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bottoms are small white paper bags (I think in the vicinity of 2x3"). The tops are made from red construction paper (basically a trapezoid butterfly that folds over the tops of the bags). The Snoopy and Woodstock image was downloaded from Google images and sized to match the scale of the bags. They were printed on white cardstock, and cut out by my Dad, before being attached to the red tops. The tops were then folded over the filled bags, and voila! Snoopy favors!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFljnl2qwhupjpcbirS96e85PBF7ZcLYjGrKEngmZcr_3Hmd7pP0B6LrdQbv-0Aq14NM3VP7NO9TAhTgG9stNk0k0PXuwXucLaloppO6xep0Mprv6bzc4HkUGTIKVO1qps-b45NQZOlxv/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFljnl2qwhupjpcbirS96e85PBF7ZcLYjGrKEngmZcr_3Hmd7pP0B6LrdQbv-0Aq14NM3VP7NO9TAhTgG9stNk0k0PXuwXucLaloppO6xep0Mprv6bzc4HkUGTIKVO1qps-b45NQZOlxv/s640/002.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad made tons of these, this isn't even half of the favors, he made well over 100!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My MIL made centerpieces for the tables. She makes these neat centerpiece/favor combination using these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2JTDSlUVsS0NXXdo2WJdRU0zjJKqU-KTWe2sqdQ0BhEbAFgV7rvH-PaJgqhAFJUoHrpuhyeMqFG6E3DpBk7LhOuIROGX2jZqByjFUeACq7eMBUHMPyITBG0WW1pP_TXbcWoLOJSHvW6k/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2JTDSlUVsS0NXXdo2WJdRU0zjJKqU-KTWe2sqdQ0BhEbAFgV7rvH-PaJgqhAFJUoHrpuhyeMqFG6E3DpBk7LhOuIROGX2jZqByjFUeACq7eMBUHMPyITBG0WW1pP_TXbcWoLOJSHvW6k/s640/004.JPG" width="476" /></a></div>
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Clear tubes filled with color-coordinated M&M's, topped with white carnations and color-coordinated curling ribbon. These treats go into a bowl, the top flowers present a unified front, and it looks something like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIeYN0Yoed0MWa6d0woLbyOjkKhnrZWunR0kzswkt30QkryCtke3jXYhwcbnPdC_km8djVQ1kw2eanAWEQOpZin5zDNbAtBMmCU8QWY3-iQjob6Ff1x2oPHIBgHzJpezVyKs2_OM_ufIg/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIeYN0Yoed0MWa6d0woLbyOjkKhnrZWunR0kzswkt30QkryCtke3jXYhwcbnPdC_km8djVQ1kw2eanAWEQOpZin5zDNbAtBMmCU8QWY3-iQjob6Ff1x2oPHIBgHzJpezVyKs2_OM_ufIg/s400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then a themed object can be placed on a stalk in the center of the bowl. My MIL and SIL painted bird houses to look like Snoopy houses, and put little plush Snoopies and Woodstocks on them:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2deKp48JSo5jt44IvjUyv9ib6t4d4Vov1G_R-GiT3FydMbdfFzp3URsFURHuoa8PjiMHpK7QLTWcPxADPAT-NcveW-GlhYxM1c6xCzlgJme4jkpooLV9U42NDyUkcPViXGWKH1InVylX/s1600/DSCN1368EMAIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2deKp48JSo5jt44IvjUyv9ib6t4d4Vov1G_R-GiT3FydMbdfFzp3URsFURHuoa8PjiMHpK7QLTWcPxADPAT-NcveW-GlhYxM1c6xCzlgJme4jkpooLV9U42NDyUkcPViXGWKH1InVylX/s640/DSCN1368EMAIL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPncAa57CMc3gwL5t_HPKAlbdU8_nPkWPQglzA0s6LfdSWmnyfGi2BLHdTXO_tqdtpjYYGEZLaS33AZ4u8mHuAN2p1ays8aWXi8IvMW5gbWNXARUeJFwznFPoD8hivJmFWLrPnEEdwoc8D/s1600/DSCN1369EMAIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPncAa57CMc3gwL5t_HPKAlbdU8_nPkWPQglzA0s6LfdSWmnyfGi2BLHdTXO_tqdtpjYYGEZLaS33AZ4u8mHuAN2p1ays8aWXi8IvMW5gbWNXARUeJFwznFPoD8hivJmFWLrPnEEdwoc8D/s640/DSCN1369EMAIL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Beautiful! I don't have a full length pic of the centerpieces, but there were also Snoopy balloons from Amazon that looked like this:<br />
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Here is what the table looked like all set up:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZwijLtG9ML1ip8MxGKRH6TfVW4N0oyGQnqNXGTIDmFlngxJkKSXH66fntKRLgpsp_EzaB9g5uxTJ3_d3yqJqJzGZIR9eZ-oteXQX-_g51YGH_onH_7BWmah4wd4eUpyO-bcDbgq21z-s/s1600/EMAIL1378+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZwijLtG9ML1ip8MxGKRH6TfVW4N0oyGQnqNXGTIDmFlngxJkKSXH66fntKRLgpsp_EzaB9g5uxTJ3_d3yqJqJzGZIR9eZ-oteXQX-_g51YGH_onH_7BWmah4wd4eUpyO-bcDbgq21z-s/s640/EMAIL1378+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I also made an <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-NRd5rGT8YpYUZndEpRams0OHc/edit?usp=sharing">Activity Booklet</a> with puzzles and such. It is in pdf format, but anyone is welcome to take pages out of it as they wish:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-NRd5rGT8YpYUZndEpRams0OHc/image?pagenumber=1&w=800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-NRd5rGT8YpYUZndEpRams0OHc/image?pagenumber=1&w=800" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll obviously want a different first page, but the rest of the pages can be used for anyone. It can be tinted purple for a girl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hope anyone out there looking to plan a Snoopy shower got some ideas! There are tons of other great ideas out there, I wish I could have done more!</div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-11591914834452269922013-03-13T09:48:00.000-04:002013-03-13T11:20:18.429-04:00Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie (aka Minny's Chocolate Pie)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I read. A lot. So much that my house is currently overflowing with books, most of which live in cardboard boxes stacked to the ceiling. And that doesn't even count the books I left at my parents' house when I moved (much to their chagrin), which would easily double, if not triple, my collection. But I can't help it -- I love reading. But it got to the point where my husband put his figurative foot down and said that we couldn't possibly fit any more books in our house without the whole structure collapsing in on itself, creating some sort of biblio-singularity which would punch a hole in the space-time continuum and destroy the entire universe. Maybe not his exact words, but that was the general gist. However, being my husband, he came up with an elegant alternative: a brand new iPad with Kindle and Nook apps on them, and a gift card to Amazon. That was about a year and a half ago, and I have since become an e-book convert (although it took me a few days to get used to reading on a screen). I have 60+ books on my iPad already, because buying them when I have a whim to read or see something interesting is <i>way</i> too easy.<br />
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But why do I bring this up on a baking blog? Well, it just so happens that the very first e-book I downloaded was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. And in this book is a pivotal plot point which I won't spoil here, but it involves a chocolate pie. Minny's chocolate pie to be exact.<br />
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When the movie came out, I had my first good look at the movie-interpretation of said pie, and I was surprised to discover that it was <i>not </i>a chocolate cream pie like I had been imagining. It was some sort of baked confection, looking almost like a brownie pie, and I was intrigued. A year and a half later, on a whim, I google "Minny's chocolate pie recipe" and out pops<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/minnys-chocolate-pie"> this page</a> -- the screen-used recipe for Minny's pie! Not only did it sound delicious, it sounded almost <i>too</i> easy, so I had to give it a whirl. And thank goodness I did!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I have made this pie several times already, because it is that fast. I did adjust the sugar somewhat, and the amount of evaporated milk. I also added peanut butter one of the times I made it.<br />
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The ingredients are sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, cocoa powder, melted butter, vanilla, and a crust. You can use prepared crust, frozen crust, from scratch crust, even a prepared graham cracker or cookie crumb crust (although the last two get a mite overdone, but they don't burn).<br />
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The order you add things in the bowl will make a difference, only because the cocoa powder can seize or separate out of the custard if it isn't incorporated well. Here is what I do:<br />
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Combine the sugar, salt and melted butter in a bowl, whisking well to combine. Add in the cocoa powder, whisking well. Add in the two beaten eggs, whisking well. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla, whisking well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCs-ekZrZIWDT-4qK0Ukw9LNBwuKpgldxlTrzGBno70O2T54MMsrTOExg8SKILM-GcDo4YImwa_mJ0Tsbbifq3lGRWP0cMO5zCrkMHZt3oI73ZYrCwq_6NetBpHn2d5n40u1CqDmQ7fan/s1600/139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCs-ekZrZIWDT-4qK0Ukw9LNBwuKpgldxlTrzGBno70O2T54MMsrTOExg8SKILM-GcDo4YImwa_mJ0Tsbbifq3lGRWP0cMO5zCrkMHZt3oI73ZYrCwq_6NetBpHn2d5n40u1CqDmQ7fan/s320/139.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
At this point it gets dumped into your crust. If you want, you can put a 1/2" layer of peanut butter down on the crust first like so:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhov6w_ayVWIcfamq2tHx88u1huqiN_vo1JOCu9VDbcR8gHGlJPpnIYSm9ipcsiguOONHwJsYv1BfzbGD3Mt1b2uGwhSzHJzVElnUHjCtxXMpFrE0NOaH9shSnsHKfyOX2N4wTzhNN__KEp/s1600/140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhov6w_ayVWIcfamq2tHx88u1huqiN_vo1JOCu9VDbcR8gHGlJPpnIYSm9ipcsiguOONHwJsYv1BfzbGD3Mt1b2uGwhSzHJzVElnUHjCtxXMpFrE0NOaH9shSnsHKfyOX2N4wTzhNN__KEp/s320/140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Just sayin'.<br />
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Then, it bakes up for 45 minutes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB8SQbKFAF2hKAyyiYMQPgjrfAcvUyzsEMB0BQ9SJsCQzx6Jhg_taqNNP8eqTmC-T3BeBIkJu5q9FJBHshZxjkKJKmWLzwoZ1JOedmUbXkLPABPOerF4s4qcJcz5LPii4nV6vmX_US-aD/s1600/143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB8SQbKFAF2hKAyyiYMQPgjrfAcvUyzsEMB0BQ9SJsCQzx6Jhg_taqNNP8eqTmC-T3BeBIkJu5q9FJBHshZxjkKJKmWLzwoZ1JOedmUbXkLPABPOerF4s4qcJcz5LPii4nV6vmX_US-aD/s320/143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one was in a chocolate wafer crust</td></tr>
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It needs to cool completely before cutting and eating, I suggest at least 6 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Then comes the fun part: cutting and eating!<br />
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This pie tastes so decadent, with or without the peanut butter. No one will believe how incredibly easy it is to put together! It has a wonderful consistency, more substantial than a custard, less firm than a brownie. It also goes great with whipped cream, and honestly would probably make a great bottom portion of a chocolate cream pie. All in all, two thumbs up! This has already become a go-to recipe for those times when I need an easy dessert, especially as a take-along!<br />
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Note: The original recipe calls for 6 oz of evaporated milk. However, evaporated milk comes in either 5 oz or 12 oz cans. I don't know about you, but I'm not opening a 12 oz can just for 6 oz. So I tested the recipe using just 5 oz and it works fine. BUT, you can also use 12 oz, double the rest of the ingredients, and just make 2 pies. It is just as easy to make 2 pies as it is to make one, so I normally do that! Trust me, they don't go to waste!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 pie crust</li>
<li>1 C sugar</li>
<li>3 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>4 tbls butter, unsalted, melted</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla</li>
<li>2 eggs, beaten</li>
<li>5 oz evaporated milk*</li>
</ul>
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*use a 12 oz can and double the remaining ingredients to make 2 pies<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350F</li>
<li>Put pie crust in 9" pie dish (I found that there is no need to prebake the crust)</li>
<li>Combine sugar and butter in a bowl, whisking to combine</li>
<li>Add in cocoa powder, whisking to combine</li>
<li>Add in remaining ingredients, whisking to combine</li>
<li>(optional) Put a 1/2" thick layer of peanut butter on the bottom of crust</li>
<li>Pour custard into pie crust</li>
<li>Bake for 45 minutes, until center is set</li>
<li>Cool completely, 6 hrs or overnight in fridge</li>
</ol>
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Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-70231520730675798512013-03-07T10:21:00.002-05:002013-03-07T10:21:37.201-05:00Peanut M&M Cookie Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLy814HduKQk0BaJZcLGzguQaXGf1tO02VdMukAaR8BSiXaXN6bHZ0RiKCDISxxYPnp2CdL2sNXhl31CbIJtI8aSskVskPDBGLAseJOmsJE_Oo3ihZoTMYujjdmLdhjz12QuZgHPI2GVF/s1600/088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLy814HduKQk0BaJZcLGzguQaXGf1tO02VdMukAaR8BSiXaXN6bHZ0RiKCDISxxYPnp2CdL2sNXhl31CbIJtI8aSskVskPDBGLAseJOmsJE_Oo3ihZoTMYujjdmLdhjz12QuZgHPI2GVF/s320/088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes. These. These are my <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/12/peanut-m-cookies.html">Peanut M&M</a> cookies in a bar form. Identical batter, but a lot less time and fuss. They are chewy, so they do lack that cookie crunch, but they taste delicious nonetheless. I can't decide which I like better, in truth, but I know for certain that when I am short on time, I will definitely be making the bars. I gave a detailed workflow of preparing the batter in my cookie post, so I won't rehash it here. Instead, I will pick up the recipe where it diverges from the cookie recipe:<br />
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Rather than use a cookie scoop to make individual cookies, evenly press the batter into a greased 9x13" pan like so:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWAtbWYs0jOrS6IefhLP2pmAFtYd8HZ3xDJNIe_Fvo1JbGJNG_XGAvLKD9YYBZhuO33o1xxXmvHQGqYYunQzohbc7DpnzfGPism-DOL10N9O6qQD0Xd4v6e1pNA8kYvT1s048Loun2UJd/s1600/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWAtbWYs0jOrS6IefhLP2pmAFtYd8HZ3xDJNIe_Fvo1JbGJNG_XGAvLKD9YYBZhuO33o1xxXmvHQGqYYunQzohbc7DpnzfGPism-DOL10N9O6qQD0Xd4v6e1pNA8kYvT1s048Loun2UJd/s320/086.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Bake for about 30 minutes until golden:<br />
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Then you can cut into squares and enjoy. Easy! And yummy! The peanut M&Ms add a wonderful texture and taste to the bars. These were gone from the cookie platter in no time at all!<br />
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As you can see from my pics, I got 42 squares from the one pan. I know the squares are small if you cut so many, but honestly, they are pretty rich, so small ones work well. I think larger bars would be overwhelming to eat because they are so much thicker than cookies. But that's just a suggestion.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Peanut M&M Cookie Bars</i></b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ingredients</b><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 sticks of butter, softened</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1/2 C sugar</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1/2 C brown sugar, packed</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 egg</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 tsp vanilla</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 C flour</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1/2 tsp baking soda</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1/8 tsp salt</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">3/4 C pecans, chopped small (but not fine) -- optional</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1-12.6 oz bag Peanut M&M's in Christmas colors (or holiday colors of your choice)</li>
</ul>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Directions</b></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><ol style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Preheat oven to 350</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Coat a 9x13" pan with cooking spray (optional: line pan with aluminum first for ease of lifting out bars)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Cream softened butter and sugars until fluffy</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add in egg, salt and vanilla and mix until combined</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add in flour and baking soda, and mix until just combined</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add in pecans and peanut M&M's, and stir until combined evenly</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Press batter evenly and gently into pan</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, until golden</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Cool completely, cut into squares (can lift out of pan after 10 minutes if you lined pan with aluminum)</li>
</ol>
</div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-9566240109493492872013-03-06T11:23:00.000-05:002013-03-06T11:24:01.626-05:00Chocolate Peppermint M&M Bars (Easy Things to Do with Cake Mix #4)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Better late than never! This is a Christmas recipe, three months late. Which means, in fact, that I am getting worse, because my Thanksgiving recipes were only two months late. Oh well.<br />
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Incidentally, I think I'm going to change the tagline of my blog to: "Good food...crappy pictures." Seriously. I have no sense of artistry. I snap my pics on my iPhone, in my garish kitchen light, on a messy counter, on a paper plate. If there are Seven Deadly Sins of Food Photography, I commit them all. Simultaneously.<br />
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<i>But</i>, don't let my lack of artistic flair deter you from making these bars, because they are super quick and yummy. And like Thanksgiving, with my new kiddo, quick and easy was the name of the game this year.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>I didn't intend to make these bars. In fact, I was at a loss for what to make this year for Christmas. Normally, my mom and I make scads and scads of Christmas cookies, but this year, I knew it wouldn't happen. Frankly, I was an overwhelmed FTM, and I was lucky to make it to the shower every day, let alone coordinate the 15+ varieties (no exaggeration) of cookies and cake balls this year.<br />
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But then I saw these babies at Target:<br />
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White chocolate peppermint M&Ms. Apparently they were a Target exclusive. So I snatched up a bag for baking without a clear idea of what I wanted to do with them. But then I decided to make bars -- they're easier than cookies because it involves one pan and one trip to the oven. And for these bars, I wanted to try something a little different, so I used Devil's Food cake mix as the base. Super easy!<br />
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Just combine cake mix, oil, an egg and water in a bowl and mix to combine (by hand is fine, I used a wooden spoon).<br />
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Then, add the mix-in, which in this case was the entire bag of M&Ms:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: the oil makes the batter, well, oily. The M&Ms get coated with oil and almost fall out of the batter as you mix. Don't worry, it will bake up just fine.</td></tr>
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Then, spread it in a pan, bake, cool, and cut!<br />
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I managed to have the entire thing done before my little helper woke up!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color-coordinated with Mommy's baking!</td></tr>
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My family loved these things, they were quite tasty, and the bar consistency was perfect. Huge return on taste for a minimal time investment -- just the way I like it! The beauty is, you can use the basic cake mix recipe for any combo of batter and mix-ins! Next year, I think I will try white cake mix with these M&Ms, which should look stunning, visually. I'm also going to try a flavor variation for Easter which, based on my current posting schedule, probably won't make it onto the blog until Halloween. Oh well. Happy baking!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Chocolate Peppermint M&M Bars</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 box chocolate cake mix (Devil's Food, Chocolate Fudge, etc)</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegetable oil</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1 bag of white chocolate peppermint M&Ms (or mix-on of your choice)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven to 350F</li>
<li>Spray 9x13" pan with cooking spray (optional: line pan with aluminum foil before spraying, for easy lifting of bars from pan)</li>
<li>Combine cake mix, egg, oil and water in bowl and mix well</li>
<li>Add mix-ins</li>
<li>Spread evenly in pan (you may have to press down a little to spread evenly) and bake for 20-25 minutes</li>
<li>Cool and cut</li>
</ol>
</div>
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Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-21931922434272194212013-03-04T09:17:00.004-05:002013-03-04T09:17:56.052-05:00Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
I'm continuing to (slowly) slosh my way through a backlog of posts, and this is one that I have been meaning to get up on the blog for months.<br />
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Now, I love me some <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/search/label/pumpkin">pumpkin</a>, but oddly enough, I've never posted my go-to classic pumpkin pie recipe. And today is still not that day, unfortunately. But instead, I have another variation of pumpkin pie to post -- the "Impossibly Easy" kind.<br />
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<a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2013/01/applesauce-spice-cake.html">Why</a>? I'm glad you asked. Necessity. I needed a quick pumpkin pie recipe using the ingredients I already had on hand in my pantry, which did not include pie crust, or butter or shortening, which precluded me from making a from-scratch crust (also working against me was the time factor). But, what I <i>did</i> have on hand was Bisquick.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Ah <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/bisquick/default">Bisquick</a>. Can we take a minute to talk about Bisquick? You'd love to? Great!<br />
<br />
Bisquick, in a nutshell, is a pre-mixed baking blend that includes flour, a leavening agent, and a fat source. The brandname stuff uses baking powder, hydrogenated oil and salt, but you can actually make your own usin<span style="font-family: inherit;">g o<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">ne cup of flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter. And according to Betty Crocker, it can be used in pretty much any baked good from pancakes to sausage balls. I've had both of those, although I haven't tried the myriad of other Bisquick recipes. And they're good...especially the sausage balls. But that's for another day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Back to the Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">The premise is this: impossibly easy because you mix every ingredient together in one bowl, then dump it into a pie plate and bake it. While baking, the Bisquick sinks through the custard and forms a crust (of sorts) on the bottom all on its own, and voila! A pie so easy that it is ridiculous (although I'm not sure about the "impossible"). By the by, this pie used to be called "Impossibly Pie," not "Impossibly Easy Pie" when it was first introduced in 1978. The original flavor was coconut custard, and I'm assuming the name was a reference to the surprising way the Bisquick settles into a crust. I'd love to be able to tell you why Bisquick does this (and I did try to find out) but I could not find a definitive answer. I'm assuming the Bisquick sinks because the flour granules are coated in fat...but don't quote me! Somewhere along the way, "Impossible" was remarketed as "Impossibly Easy," probably to emphasize the, you know, <i>ease</i> of it all. The recipes were expanded to include a number of different sweet and savory pies, including pumpkin.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Now, I have to admit that I didn't follow Betty's custard recipe here. It was enough for me to know that the Bisquick would sink through the custard, so I used my own custard recipe, and just added Bisquick. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">The recipe is just as easy as it sounds: mix,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">and bake.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-AC8Z_4WhqVjGG-r72QY1N47ARl6UVv402gUwUhbsBZLDD3UPeU-EjMG3B9pQ5JSrvpd38N5QeYjhCKQHW1V61HmBnNJ6IosqLv5_yCdGzvgTnhfvKx1JTzTZSlg0ynoWnmDF7MhDA6J/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-AC8Z_4WhqVjGG-r72QY1N47ARl6UVv402gUwUhbsBZLDD3UPeU-EjMG3B9pQ5JSrvpd38N5QeYjhCKQHW1V61HmBnNJ6IosqLv5_yCdGzvgTnhfvKx1JTzTZSlg0ynoWnmDF7MhDA6J/s320/046.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">It is hard to see in the pictures, but it really does form a crust, albeit a thin one:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLaNDggqs2gF3a6MYf7H-14WOeyBlq3x4sZqxt9gqHx3lum6zz8Dr2n328zxGyLjSzEQoVotS2Od7wkHtSuyKCdEgbZdpdtippGA1kfG9PzGquva_YSfmG8keqfYxEI0Wu2IMfxPAL-Y6/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLaNDggqs2gF3a6MYf7H-14WOeyBlq3x4sZqxt9gqHx3lum6zz8Dr2n328zxGyLjSzEQoVotS2Od7wkHtSuyKCdEgbZdpdtippGA1kfG9PzGquva_YSfmG8keqfYxEI0Wu2IMfxPAL-Y6/s320/054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSGxCCzPGqYIUvy_F0k6WUJEKSdc57tWA6bHa9-zm43PFal1dvhZ3kiAG7f6wQpqvBzNrzoKV5hBafU0ihCvQaYbMxAiGsC15XxIgDYzIPcj-D0k5ax0RpX784Ba1pyIZ_igpB3uWXMpB/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSGxCCzPGqYIUvy_F0k6WUJEKSdc57tWA6bHa9-zm43PFal1dvhZ3kiAG7f6wQpqvBzNrzoKV5hBafU0ihCvQaYbMxAiGsC15XxIgDYzIPcj-D0k5ax0RpX784Ba1pyIZ_igpB3uWXMpB/s320/055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Since my custard was thicker that the original recipe, I toyed with the idea of adding more Bisquick, but I decided against it. I'm not sure if it would all have settled out, and I didn't want to take the chance.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">The filling really is the star here, and that's just fine with me, although part of me missed a traditional crust. I don't think this would replace my go-to traditional pumpkin pie recipe (although the custard recipe I modified for this is almost exactly what I use in my go-to recipe). But for what it is -- an easy, quick pumpkin pie with minimal ingredients, it can't be beat!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><i>Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 19.1875px;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">3/4 C brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1 can (15 oz) puree pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (low-fat is fine, if you wish)</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">2 eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1/2 tsp salt</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1 tsp vanilla</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1/2 C bisquick</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">2 tsp cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1 tsp ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1/2 tsp nutmeg</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">1/4 tsp allspice (or cloves, if you prefer)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></span></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Preheat oven to 425F</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Grease (cooking spray is fine) a 9" pie plate -- I used glass</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Pour into pie plate</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temp to 350F (without opening oven), and continue to bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, until center is set and dies not jiggle.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Cool on wire rack. </span></li>
</ol>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-45422809262509510512013-01-28T13:32:00.003-05:002013-01-28T13:37:41.579-05:00Applesauce Spice Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitelHqzaVw8TTX5JhLNAYr3v0mDnnrG14NVAdAVWBDx6jZ4C_16VyP-51IO16vSyWzPeysLzSitypUjvMDN8XWcKPDW7KxY5AOD3ss77eImu1kNZItDkiHBgSoREiHVuYaewuVzGfd2WT/s1600/193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitelHqzaVw8TTX5JhLNAYr3v0mDnnrG14NVAdAVWBDx6jZ4C_16VyP-51IO16vSyWzPeysLzSitypUjvMDN8XWcKPDW7KxY5AOD3ss77eImu1kNZItDkiHBgSoREiHVuYaewuVzGfd2WT/s400/193.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My LO was supposed to be a Thanksgiving baby, due to arrive on November 21st. But he had very different plans. I actually went into labor on Halloween, the day after Sandy passed through when we still had no power, and I didn't end up delivering until 2 days later courtesy of an emergency c-section. Toss in coming home to 4 downed trees on our property after a week in the hospital, and it has been a very busy month!<br />
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Autumn is normally my favorite baking season, but this year, the season almost entirely passed me by, between the last few tiring months of my pregnancy, working at my two jobs until the last minute, and all of the events around my LO making his debut. Because he was so young, we just had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at our house, with my parents and my FIL. And my parents cooked the whole thing and carted it to my house. Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cornbread pudding, veggies and cranberry sauce. Seriously, they are amazing.<br />
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But for the first time in a long time, I really really really felt like baking something. After all, it was Thanksgiving. And I hadn't had the energy to bake anything in <i>forever.</i> But I had to stick with things that I already had all the ingredients for, because at the time, I was still not allowed to drive after the c-section. Luckily I keep myself pretty well stocked in fall baking staples such as spices, etc. And I also had applesauce, because I was craving it late in my pregnancy. And that's when I remembered a recipe I had seen on <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/10/spiced-applesauce-cake/">Smitten Kitchen</a>'s website for a Spiced Applesauce Cake. I already had all of the ingredients, it featured one of my two favorite autumn baking ingredients, and it made an 8x8" cake -- a perfect size for an intimate dinner for five. I just adjusted the spices to suit my tastes, and in no time at all, I had a lovely and <i>easy</i> holiday cake from scratch.<br />
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First, you combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices) together and set them aside. Then you cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until nice and fluffy, a few minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. After that, add the applesauce.<br />
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Then add the flour mixture slowly and mix until just combined, and then stir in any nuts (I like pecans, the original recipe called for walnuts). At this stage, the batter will look lumpy and curdled, which is how it should look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBjyYM3HLeMiyJvwlba6qET7ZZgsdRxRkCUk4KrKnzWQEFj28jdZOOqlzpSz6e1IZq-bIc-kS_ClpaBy4RVEZANqg_dZ0qN9plonPnO0cj_3Npf-oLPZWZUeC3Q1rVHjFrCBfA02ftHlq/s1600/181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBjyYM3HLeMiyJvwlba6qET7ZZgsdRxRkCUk4KrKnzWQEFj28jdZOOqlzpSz6e1IZq-bIc-kS_ClpaBy4RVEZANqg_dZ0qN9plonPnO0cj_3Npf-oLPZWZUeC3Q1rVHjFrCBfA02ftHlq/s320/181.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Spread the batter into a sprayed pan and bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, until golden.<br />
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Once the cake is cooled, you can add frosting. There is a lovely homemade icing recipe on Smitten Kitchen's site, but I have to admit that I cut a corner here and used cream cheese frosting from a tub (Betty Crocker brand). And you know what? It was still delicious. So don't be afraid to save yourself some time.</div>
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This cake got great reviews from the attendees of my humble first Thanksgiving dinner post-birth. The texture was great, the prep was easy, the taste was pure autumn. All in all, a great little Fall cake, all the taste of an apple spice cake with a fraction of the work.</div>
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My son approves!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Applesauce Spice Cake</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1 stick unsalted butter, softened</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1 cup packed light brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">2 large eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1 1/2 cups (about 13 ounces or 365 grams) unsweetened applesauce</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">2 cups flour</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">3/4 teaspoon ground ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8333333134651184px; line-height: 14.492186546325684px; text-align: justify;">1 cup toasted and cooled pecans or other nuts, optional</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="line-height: 14.484375px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350F</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices) together and set them aside</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until nice and fluffy, a few minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add the applesauce, mix to combine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add the flour mixture slowly and mix until just combined, and then stir in any nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spread the batter into a sprayed pan and bake at 350F for about 35 minutes, until golden.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frost when cooled</span></li>
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Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-50318509654210945852012-08-24T09:45:00.002-04:002012-08-24T09:56:32.380-04:00Lemon Ricotta Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I do love my lemon, and I will not apologize. I like it strong and unabashedly tart, especially in desserts. So I decided to give <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-ricotta-cookies-with-lemon-glaze-recipe/index.html">this recipe</a> by Giada a whirl -- lemon ricotta cookies. Now I've used ricotta cheese in desserts before, but never as part of a cookie batter, so I was anxious to try it out.</div>
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These cookies are fairly easy to assemble, just start by zesting and juicing some lemons.</div>
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Cream butter and sugar.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nUPPAvUj8A60fZv2tvMa_TOXmxl9c5ql1k5iOhHv0oER0pvMEde86TkHHY1zHDNGipnSmQfpjkrcfW-s1t0YTwuJzDhWgwDxs0vIzUo4W__aHbFQkPRWDxF2zke_1XQULYfjBXHWW626/s1600/1679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nUPPAvUj8A60fZv2tvMa_TOXmxl9c5ql1k5iOhHv0oER0pvMEde86TkHHY1zHDNGipnSmQfpjkrcfW-s1t0YTwuJzDhWgwDxs0vIzUo4W__aHbFQkPRWDxF2zke_1XQULYfjBXHWW626/s320/1679.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Add the eggs, cheese, lemon juice and zest.</div>
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Add in the dry ingredients (premix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl first).</div>
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Drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet with a #40 scoop (or about 2 tbls per cookie)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifC53LdDkr1seCTmvu07FOq-H34lHUIFyscKY81QnegFvjPS4m8zD7VII_c_HcUcmWlwZdr5mkdopEYJKmHQjuiOfmDjjy47jByg5mr1dkOIu7tR-7OUikq8Fv8X8LclDQbeekVy_3VVj-/s1600/1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifC53LdDkr1seCTmvu07FOq-H34lHUIFyscKY81QnegFvjPS4m8zD7VII_c_HcUcmWlwZdr5mkdopEYJKmHQjuiOfmDjjy47jByg5mr1dkOIu7tR-7OUikq8Fv8X8LclDQbeekVy_3VVj-/s320/1685.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Bake about 15 minutes but watch them carefully, it is easy to burn the bottoms. When the edges just start to turn golden, they are done. </div>
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Have your glaze (powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest) ready to go. The cookies need to set on the cookie sheet for 20 minutes before they can be moved to a cooling rack, and this is the perfect time to glaze them, while they are still warm (the heat will help you spread the glaze more easily). Spoon on the zest, and use the back of the spoon to gently spread the glaze. Be careful, the cookies are delicate, you don't want to rip the tops.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjTaA4U_5xzjKX4pkOyC5HcEgMR4QXgb8OC4nf8eGk1QJk5Tzr-ewrCYIv507yXomJGWJ4ifRa8fgWBE-0ZAbpkKWDS-sEzUevO8oIgHompfORtKi9uyUivQdHvnfRuiP2anInq5t1UqJ/s1600/1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjTaA4U_5xzjKX4pkOyC5HcEgMR4QXgb8OC4nf8eGk1QJk5Tzr-ewrCYIv507yXomJGWJ4ifRa8fgWBE-0ZAbpkKWDS-sEzUevO8oIgHompfORtKi9uyUivQdHvnfRuiP2anInq5t1UqJ/s320/1687.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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The glaze needs about 2 hours to fully set before you can think about packaging them. I was very surprised by the texture of these cookies. They were almost pillow-like, soft and chewy, with a great lemon flavor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYSFr2DG8xvFkJDNKK2x7iiV0DsUz3YDk92uWW4y-IGrckCUDr3IvbP4eLMynhY0muEjVWABBmpLbx7BK4enrx84EQdG-GzkvUV5UxAdzmMJZ-2y5TufQIH_wwTdVFQ09bw-1LPpHYUY3/s1600/1690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYSFr2DG8xvFkJDNKK2x7iiV0DsUz3YDk92uWW4y-IGrckCUDr3IvbP4eLMynhY0muEjVWABBmpLbx7BK4enrx84EQdG-GzkvUV5UxAdzmMJZ-2y5TufQIH_wwTdVFQ09bw-1LPpHYUY3/s320/1690.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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You'll notice on the bottom, there are two ingredients that I put a range for rather than an absolute value. The first is the amount of sugar in the cookie batter. Giada's original recipe called for 2 cups, but I (and some other reviewers) thought this was too sweet) used 1.5 cups of sugar instead. I really wanted the lemon flavor to shine through, so I dialed down the sugar. I loved how mine turned out, but I am really picky about lemon-flavored desserts, the cookies might have more general appeal with 2 cups of sugar in the batter, I don't know.</div>
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The second range is the amount of zest in the glaze. I have doubled the glaze recipe, because the amount Giada called for was rather small, and the bulk of the lemon strength comes from the glaze so I didn't want to skimp on it. Keeping the proportions the same as Giada's glaze, this glaze recipe should call for the zest of 2 lemons. I liked the zest at this strength, some found her glaze proportions too lemony, so if you just want a nice hint of lemon, use 1 lemon worth of zest in the glaze instead of 2.</div>
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Also, for giggles, I tried these cookies with lime juice and zest instead of lemon, and sprinkled some toasted coconut on top. These were also quite good, and in retrospect, toasted coconut would be a fine addition to the lemon version as well. Just make sure to sprinkle the coconut on before the glaze sets, otherwise it won't stick.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYmvcvKDlNljo9ahKWOFSOnnAQs1Nh5cgO9uRhaN-78YBF4c03bwViucFdljaSJOYjEvpz3N4JRjHh2NwimrKQnQwGseNA3Ub9ACQ5fF4h9_TDzXY-plJ22s8hleLdVc5MLtQmTLkof7N/s1600/1704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYmvcvKDlNljo9ahKWOFSOnnAQs1Nh5cgO9uRhaN-78YBF4c03bwViucFdljaSJOYjEvpz3N4JRjHh2NwimrKQnQwGseNA3Ub9ACQ5fF4h9_TDzXY-plJ22s8hleLdVc5MLtQmTLkof7N/s320/1704.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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All in all, I was quite pleased with how these lemon cookies turned out. I think they are a great choice for a lemon cookie, especially if you want something that tastes a little fancier. These would be a great cookie to serve with afternoon tea!</div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Lemon Ricotta Cookies</span></i></b></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13.5pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in;">
Cookies:</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 stick unsalted butter,
softened</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1.5-2 cups sugar</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">2 eggs</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 (15-ounce) container whole
milk ricotta cheese</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">3 tablespoons lemon juice</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 lemon, zested</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
</ul>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in;">
Glaze:</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">3 cups powdered sugar</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">6 tablespoons lemon juice</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1 tbls vegetable oil</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.75pt;">1-2 lemons, zested</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">toasted coconut (optional)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></div>
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</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set
aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an
electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3
minutes. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Add the ricotta
cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Stir in the dry
ingredients.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough
(about 2 tablespoons for each cookie or a #40 scoop) onto the baking sheets. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Bake for about 15
minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Remove from the oven and let the
cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">FOR GLAZE: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a
small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of
the spoon to gently spread. Sprinkle on toasted coconut if using.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9.75pt;">Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the
cookies into a decorative container.</span></li>
</ol>
<br /></div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-8127393702716642092012-08-21T16:06:00.001-04:002012-08-21T16:07:11.913-04:00Zucchini Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I happened upon this recipe, which I modified slightly from
<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/zucchini-bread-recipe/index.html">Paula Deen</a>, when I had an overabundance of zucchinis to consume from last year's farm share
(more about farm shares in another post). It is a simple and tasty quickbread
recipe that will yield 2-9x5" loaves, plenty to eat and share!</div>
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Start by grating some fresh zucchini. Then begin by
combining ingredients. First, premix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, spices,
baking soda and sugar) together. </div>
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Then, in a separate bowl, combine the wet
(oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice). </div>
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Add the wet ingredients to the
dry and mix (can do by hand) until well combined and moistened throughout.
Then, fold in the nuts, if you are using them (I used pecans because that's
what I had on hand -- yum). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQo7GRddsMiywFYUk1326j1mtE0QvfsrQWyi4cWYe9ZLDKjpYKsY50mN9pfmZKNLHiGrCI3VgKHRETPZ9sNJACzADnVKc7WdDsaYrpkNGhJKCzK-frcslzBgnNi0_9I6EfbSup0HPNx5P/s1600/079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQQo7GRddsMiywFYUk1326j1mtE0QvfsrQWyi4cWYe9ZLDKjpYKsY50mN9pfmZKNLHiGrCI3VgKHRETPZ9sNJACzADnVKc7WdDsaYrpkNGhJKCzK-frcslzBgnNi0_9I6EfbSup0HPNx5P/s320/079.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Bake in 2-9x5x3" loaf pans (otherwise known as
"standard loaf pans" -- the 8x4" loaf pans are 1 lb pans) for
about 60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1V4ufBKoLjT4rTg1B3OjLWTTOuS3qECV_2QTLoKi7SGHwvPg3ju9a2ZCgPJ-HQCBk2SBN6E2XXs53zSz0h0zPgzhbaagB0Ye-Dgq2X2uhPSIQBSTPycYF11UQC7GBY2SHop6FoSyAKZ8N/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1V4ufBKoLjT4rTg1B3OjLWTTOuS3qECV_2QTLoKi7SGHwvPg3ju9a2ZCgPJ-HQCBk2SBN6E2XXs53zSz0h0zPgzhbaagB0Ye-Dgq2X2uhPSIQBSTPycYF11UQC7GBY2SHop6FoSyAKZ8N/s320/082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqZuCV3xhef0hyJCAZruTnvOBoWHOu4GQAzoeyAqEvTxVewuPkXYLlUJruWuBWo69QWx9h6WzhZ-31gfTTPWPRcMcuhzAKjDOpol4hAP_tUV1KP6Y3MQ1uxcp_a1cvbqedrlOK0SzraO8/s1600/083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqZuCV3xhef0hyJCAZruTnvOBoWHOu4GQAzoeyAqEvTxVewuPkXYLlUJruWuBWo69QWx9h6WzhZ-31gfTTPWPRcMcuhzAKjDOpol4hAP_tUV1KP6Y3MQ1uxcp_a1cvbqedrlOK0SzraO8/s320/083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A note about the sugar: I've made this bread using a variety
of sugar amounts, from 1 cup to 3 cups. It depends on what taste you are going
for. 1 cup of sugar is hardly sweet at all, and would pair well with a glaze or
icing. 2 cups is moderately sweet, and 3 (what the original recipe called for)
is very sweet, like a zucchini pound cake. I personally like 2 cups the best,
half brown and half white, but that is my tastebuds. My husband prefers the 1
cup version. Don't be afraid to experiment.</div>
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I like this recipe for several reasons: 1) It's tasty; 2)
It's easy; 3) it keeps well; 4) It yields 2 loaves, which means it is plenty to
feed a crowd; 5) It's different, I've found that people still are surprised
when you tell them that you've baked zucchini into a sweet bread. It is also a
fantastic way to use up excess zucchini, especially if you have a lot of it (it
is always plentiful in the summer, especially if you have a garden or
participate in a farm share). I'm fairly certain you could bake the same exact
bread with the yellow variety of summer squash, as its texture and taste are
roughly equivalent, but I've never personally tried it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXMALFGi05pjkRUTbUBrXiNW-xHVJNC74uGexqLBKWRmac7St51lH2Z4qzsJ4tBWuP6UqkD_rOoMDI2JGjK8L7yICKMhWfCUfBvT_oUwZronnqaDgdpIYUzbbGZC3hu6ae6_TgsRFFbDg/s1600/085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXMALFGi05pjkRUTbUBrXiNW-xHVJNC74uGexqLBKWRmac7St51lH2Z4qzsJ4tBWuP6UqkD_rOoMDI2JGjK8L7yICKMhWfCUfBvT_oUwZronnqaDgdpIYUzbbGZC3hu6ae6_TgsRFFbDg/s320/085.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Having said that, I do have to be honest and say that I'm
not sure if I would go out of my way to make this bread if I didn't have excess
zucchini on hand…but this bread also makes a great base for other types of
quickbread (I added apples instead of zucchinis in a previous post, and it was
a yummy autumn treat). So if you have excess zucchini, or if you just want to
try your hand at zucchini bread, this is a great recipe. And if you want to use
it as a base for another type of quickbread, have fun experimenting and be sure
to tell me how it turns out!</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Zucchini Bread</i></b></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>3 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 1/2
teaspoons salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon
ground nutmeg</li>
<li>2 teaspoons
baking soda</li>
<li>1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1 cup brown
sugar</li>
<li>1 cup white
sugar</li>
<li>1 cup
vegetable oil</li>
<li>4 eggs,
beaten</li>
<li>1/3 cup
water</li>
<li>2 cups
grated zucchini</li>
<li>1 teaspoon
lemon juice</li>
<li>1 cup
chopped walnuts or pecans</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat oven
to 350 degrees F. </li>
<li>In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda,
cinnamon and sugar.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and
lemon juice. </li>
<li>Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. </li>
<li>Bake in 2
standard loaf pans (9x5x3"), sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester
comes out clean.</li>
<ol>
<li>Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-59412856876697842812012-08-20T10:40:00.005-04:002013-03-06T09:16:44.435-05:00Banana Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZdFPVx5SXc-bB_zGo82DylQNpYCLVidBah98mX4H7Senk6Dwb5VfaW-Y1Xyuee1uue_zP-uJkdlT8VXs3kYu1DRVfNPFOTRG3k8gbuD4IeK8GwLx7S7CuwMWORydktsxu6XyqJJzJfa8/s1600/074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZdFPVx5SXc-bB_zGo82DylQNpYCLVidBah98mX4H7Senk6Dwb5VfaW-Y1Xyuee1uue_zP-uJkdlT8VXs3kYu1DRVfNPFOTRG3k8gbuD4IeK8GwLx7S7CuwMWORydktsxu6XyqJJzJfa8/s320/074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have always been on the lookout for a definitive banana bread recipe,
and I've finally found it in the form of my friend Lauren's MIL's recipe (which I have since learned is the banana bread recipe from the 1970 Betty Crocker's Cookbook (the red one with the wheel of food on the cover). It's
not what I normally think of when I think of banana bread -- that is to say a
slightly spicy bread filled with nuts. In contrast, it is pale, white, devoid
of spice (although you can certainly add spice in), and also devoid of mix-ins
(which again, you can always add back in). It also has, to my thinking, a lot
of baking powder in it, and I was expecting there to be an aftertaste. But I
tried the recipe because I trust my friend Lauren's opinion since she too is an
avid baker. And to my great surprise, I preferred this recipe of plain banana
bread to any other that I've tried yet, and I think you will too. It is fluffy
and pure, with a banana taste that hits you right in the face.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I've made this bread plain, with chocolate chips, and with cinnamon and
pecans, and that is the order of my preference -- plain, chocolate chip, and
then nuts/spice. I'd highly recommend making it plain the first time you try it,
and then you can always change it up later if your tastebuds want something
extra.</div>
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<br /></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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But first, because I've missed writing them, a brief banana interlude.
Skip down to ignore my rambling and get right to the recipe!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Bananas are native to Southeast Asia, and have been cultivated for <i>at least</i> the last 5000 years, if not
longer! They didn't start becoming popular in the United States until after the
Civil War, and it wasn't until 1933 that the first recipe for banana bread
appeared in an American cookbook (Balanced Recipes by Pillsbury).
Coincidentally, the appearance of this first banana quickbread recipe coincides
with a marked rise in the use of the chemical leavening agents baking powder
and baking soda in America in the 1930's (get it -- "rise"? I crack
myself up).</div>
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<br /></div>
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Little known fact: bananas are actually slightly radioactive due to
their high potassium content. They contain small amounts of the isotope
potassium-40, which has a half-life of 1.25 billion years! One banana does not
have an appreciable amount of radiation, a trace amount when eaten that has
been termed the Banana Equivalent Dose, or BED. But, a whole truckload of
bananas actually has enough radiation to trigger false alarms by the Radiation
Portal Monitors (RPMs) that screen goods coming into US land and sea ports (<a href="http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/radiological-nuclear-detection-devices/">http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/radiological-nuclear-detection-devices/</a>)!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Today, virtually all sweet bananas sold (as opposed to plantains) are
of the Cavendish variety, but currently that variety is under threat of being
damaged by a brand-new strain (Tropical Race 4; TR4) of a soil fungal infection
called Panama Disease. A different strain of Panama Disease, Race 1, all but
destroyed the previous large-scale banana cultivar, Gros Michel, in the 1950's.
Blights on banana crops have such stunningly devastating effects because cultivated
bananas are in fact sterile -- they produce no seeds. They are not crossed and
bred like other crops to maintain genetic diversity, with the result that all
Cavendish bananas are essentially clones with identical genetic material --
which means they are all equally susceptible to TR4. It is estimated that in anywhere from 5-20
years, TR4 will reach South America and permanently cripple the Cavendish
banana supply. Worse, unlike the situation in the 50's where Cavendish stepped
up after the demise of Gros Michel, there is currently no viable Cavendish
replacement for large-scale banana cultivation. Other variants that exist are
so far away from what you and I would consider the "typical banana"
that most people would consider these alternate variants to not even be bananas!</div>
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Back to the baking!</div>
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<br /></div>
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I apologize for the pictures, when I gathered up the photos I had in
hand, I realized that some of them are from the time I tried the recipe plain,
some are from when I added chocolate chips, while others are from the time I
tried adding nuts. So the pics are sort of all over the place, if you are
wondering why one pic might have chips while the next pic is of plain bread…</div>
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<br /></div>
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This recipe is so easy, I almost can't stand it. First, mash up the
bananas, the riper they are, the better (a fork works great for this).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE0Paa2NET3EMwUC9JTG4BCX1lvrf-MJ7yC8M-tjFYRn_onpMEVUyj_Da1TD0Hr6FkScCDQuJgN6Ewa3zDAmT4qw0WG88RzLmn_d_-RrTYQF2P2as7-PSfacnpC7VuAUPGtMxZ5Bufacl/s1600/013+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE0Paa2NET3EMwUC9JTG4BCX1lvrf-MJ7yC8M-tjFYRn_onpMEVUyj_Da1TD0Hr6FkScCDQuJgN6Ewa3zDAmT4qw0WG88RzLmn_d_-RrTYQF2P2as7-PSfacnpC7VuAUPGtMxZ5Bufacl/s320/013+%25287%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Then, combine the bananas with all the other ingredients, and mix until
moistened (about 30 seconds in a stand mixer).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c3CLZV4WTxy3R2MW1Eqg3WOYrEnSbT75rq3dqquQSQFcNyNTV9JpVE23_B7mlWroCjfUyXJCaYoFeyZG2h2syg9ItzPur9w1VvC8yxs4xzxSKkIhQcvN4pF2DYZyJVGn26jTOGwhNOEk/s1600/014+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4c3CLZV4WTxy3R2MW1Eqg3WOYrEnSbT75rq3dqquQSQFcNyNTV9JpVE23_B7mlWroCjfUyXJCaYoFeyZG2h2syg9ItzPur9w1VvC8yxs4xzxSKkIhQcvN4pF2DYZyJVGn26jTOGwhNOEk/s320/014+%25287%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Pour into a 9x5" loaf pan (I used the Pam baking spray with flour
in it to coat the pan first, or you can do the traditional grease and flour),
and bake at 350F for 55-65 minutes until the top of the bread is golden, and a
tester is clean.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-m10T5timnvSgKz4r6wG86ts0RoTQFrt39fYWw1DRw4DH-gVV48-I0xbFK6IJrWU7JQjObVVwIt7L_Xqo-PHUG8Rc6uy5063-kwn7ijUgyyUgHxkvh9Z73Du2jMNM9wcQ9ZeB-s2dQ4E/s1600/015+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-m10T5timnvSgKz4r6wG86ts0RoTQFrt39fYWw1DRw4DH-gVV48-I0xbFK6IJrWU7JQjObVVwIt7L_Xqo-PHUG8Rc6uy5063-kwn7ijUgyyUgHxkvh9Z73Du2jMNM9wcQ9ZeB-s2dQ4E/s320/015+%25288%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLJwzgDFdAEgBVPTt2YV3PmQV5X1Ls_MX2m0N9JG8rRtL5QL3tMGRJwRwnFxdupfy-hnOzBYhvuEU3YxUDqf01wyF420ePgMzl-Wes8d4o7YQty_KRZJV95aKCDXy2oVNpGrLVuqV2ojV/s1600/016+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLJwzgDFdAEgBVPTt2YV3PmQV5X1Ls_MX2m0N9JG8rRtL5QL3tMGRJwRwnFxdupfy-hnOzBYhvuEU3YxUDqf01wyF420ePgMzl-Wes8d4o7YQty_KRZJV95aKCDXy2oVNpGrLVuqV2ojV/s320/016+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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I can't say enough good things about this bread. It is simple, easy,
and tastes fantastic even without anything in it -- in fact I prefer it plain,
which is unusual for me! But you can easily use this recipe as a base and
customize it with nuts and spices, or chocolate chips; I've tried both of those
variations as well and they are both yummy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuqt3golUvDGkhZ435-rovDRxIsbQuQlZZ1aTrFyjRjBYK_zuA1C9LhhCxchN5NgRoPvBZnpe9XkWZOVXnfLkM9HeUQ9TDISwKi5_s77MsrPITeOc4kbxAZ1Ro7NrciEM7310BH5M2vky/s1600/077+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuqt3golUvDGkhZ435-rovDRxIsbQuQlZZ1aTrFyjRjBYK_zuA1C9LhhCxchN5NgRoPvBZnpe9XkWZOVXnfLkM9HeUQ9TDISwKi5_s77MsrPITeOc4kbxAZ1Ro7NrciEM7310BH5M2vky/s320/077+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Banana Bread</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>2 1/4 cups flour</li>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>3 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil</li>
<li>3/4 cup milk</li>
<li>1 cup mashed very ripe banana (2-3 bananas)</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>optional mix-ins: 1C of nuts or chocolate chips</li>
<li>optional spice: 1 tsp cinnamon</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li> Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li>Grease and flour your loaf pan.</li>
<li>Beat the mixture for 30 seconds on medium speed (the great part of the
recipe is that you don't have to cream anything or do any step-wise additions;
just dump all the ingredients into the bowl and mix).</li>
<li>Pour into a 9-5" loaf pan.</li>
<li>Bake 55-65 minutes until tester comes out clean</li>
</ol>
<br /></div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-14074883615140098492012-08-17T09:30:00.000-04:002012-08-17T09:30:41.998-04:00Blueberry Crumb Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvVqpHTwHuT4HxJs1GztlFAxH1KDzH9DZkwYN_Eg-Xr4iGS0w0mQPf4r37BY78phMtQhw_czzUL4zAwSNqYztaCeWTXshwQ6D7W-tz7As6NXnoScb76W2_PII62SIFTA5_tam2DdOxmEl/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvVqpHTwHuT4HxJs1GztlFAxH1KDzH9DZkwYN_Eg-Xr4iGS0w0mQPf4r37BY78phMtQhw_czzUL4zAwSNqYztaCeWTXshwQ6D7W-tz7As6NXnoScb76W2_PII62SIFTA5_tam2DdOxmEl/s320/058.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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When I was little, my Yia-Yia's backyard was completely
lined with blueberry bushes, and one of my favorite childhood memories is going
out into her backyard with her to pick berries, so blueberries have been one of
my favorites my whole life.</div>
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Although I love <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/07/blueberry-pie.html">blueberry pie</a>, I really wanted to try something different with the berries this time, and I
found a great recipe for blueberry bars on <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/blueberry-crumb-bars/">Smitten Kitchen's fabulous site</a>. If you've never visited her site, please do, it puts mine to shame. I only wish
I was as creative of a baker, and as talented of a photographer.</div>
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But anyway, these bars attracted me because they seemed
simple and straightforward, and yet big on taste. I have very little spare
time, so I try to get the biggest baking bang for my buck, so to speak, and
this recipe looked like it fit the bill.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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Like all the best summer recipes, you start with fresh
fruit: blueberries, which you combine with a little lemon juice, sugar and
cornstarch.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitraBf8tzsNCH5grqSW1KEpXX_cGbyj5ZTeHtooX0dAfE9DfYLclYXkq7Yoh1loW1FWGda8IVrVz07YVepd7XI5MvID9TfnJyVvy0m_p3Ovlp2izFH-0dISKb7Lewb8PoalXDN8dCXdJAL/s1600/001+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitraBf8tzsNCH5grqSW1KEpXX_cGbyj5ZTeHtooX0dAfE9DfYLclYXkq7Yoh1loW1FWGda8IVrVz07YVepd7XI5MvID9TfnJyVvy0m_p3Ovlp2izFH-0dISKb7Lewb8PoalXDN8dCXdJAL/s320/001+%25284%2529.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Then you assemble the dough for the crust by combining
sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkzfnnKOGZqelK4e-ZJ-uU-qIfTR7ix4M5dTUAY9ik8Fwc_erEE5t4mYSMzyTt_ktHWwj0auMyCA9qgdO3zhrPIMw7J-oH5OpPJBQJqOC2GxRFlduAfLqpUp777Et3apIM0lxIJLKuKem/s1600/002+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkzfnnKOGZqelK4e-ZJ-uU-qIfTR7ix4M5dTUAY9ik8Fwc_erEE5t4mYSMzyTt_ktHWwj0auMyCA9qgdO3zhrPIMw7J-oH5OpPJBQJqOC2GxRFlduAfLqpUp777Et3apIM0lxIJLKuKem/s320/002+%25284%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Cut in the butter and egg (I used a pastry blender, but a
fork works just as well, or a food processor would also work nicely -- I just
never want to clean mine afterwards).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKWqJH4QfFD_Atjn5z-8tGYeDYEhIyGB4qZLGAknW3itahAc5ANOECnzNy0QqNB3ndyKmft2zA-w-NfJi5roanDwI9Z2EDfn_xy91cR1NjAZzR-ILRxu4nHsF4iN7BvhsPkQJqWgTmzdV/s1600/003+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKWqJH4QfFD_Atjn5z-8tGYeDYEhIyGB4qZLGAknW3itahAc5ANOECnzNy0QqNB3ndyKmft2zA-w-NfJi5roanDwI9Z2EDfn_xy91cR1NjAZzR-ILRxu4nHsF4iN7BvhsPkQJqWgTmzdV/s320/003+%25284%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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The dough will be moist but crumbly when you are done. Pat
half the dough down in a 9x13" pan…</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBguyu1c05lQEw32otg_qBw3kfazELAEu-8Y92Y1KyBrdJETJ_LJ2nA2QBosASp79EN47YGRPzbmE_0Q55fLZXRtifNFnkFugfYlo6C2WRlARZFVJJE5VKbufWPuZL83cNbh5RKcR3-omY/s1600/004+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBguyu1c05lQEw32otg_qBw3kfazELAEu-8Y92Y1KyBrdJETJ_LJ2nA2QBosASp79EN47YGRPzbmE_0Q55fLZXRtifNFnkFugfYlo6C2WRlARZFVJJE5VKbufWPuZL83cNbh5RKcR3-omY/s320/004+%25284%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Dump the blueberry mixture on top…</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmS2-mfapjhomyijz6t4ybC5moHagYMHBquw5CzAnQvAZNFolo5hQqGYMpUgmH5lNz9936nTk8bBqAwPh9UYbBj8SyZ8z3lOgk8sYKFYv8MQZmNZ7kcUjWweBvTMjqcspoLxttIAuaGav/s1600/005+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmS2-mfapjhomyijz6t4ybC5moHagYMHBquw5CzAnQvAZNFolo5hQqGYMpUgmH5lNz9936nTk8bBqAwPh9UYbBj8SyZ8z3lOgk8sYKFYv8MQZmNZ7kcUjWweBvTMjqcspoLxttIAuaGav/s320/005+%25284%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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And then crumble the remaining dough on top. Easy! I told
you!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr_-WFOyY7NravQWDm1UuLSKi8643WgTPackkw5Bq7itWd6DoOShSER0L_RTuje22ik3zVzTPbn1R4dLADdoOtIl-cioQbUDlhS8d7H85fZOV43EeiTbhr22NCjyc0VNcS1whdH9TI4zT/s1600/006+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr_-WFOyY7NravQWDm1UuLSKi8643WgTPackkw5Bq7itWd6DoOShSER0L_RTuje22ik3zVzTPbn1R4dLADdoOtIl-cioQbUDlhS8d7H85fZOV43EeiTbhr22NCjyc0VNcS1whdH9TI4zT/s320/006+%25283%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Bake at 375F until the top turns golden. The original recipe
said it should take 45 minutes, in my oven it took closer to 55, so the easiest
thing to do is just start watching around 45 minutes, and pull it out of the
oven when the top crumbs have a nice golden hue.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZXbskFinF4pJoJO0K4T9uykfQoEm36XRw7XzeNYWeIrQR2aaAUsG-SUfnQPxT__MABER4Kue_58O7iHFIjfoQ6cSDi6UV7BmeZ9a1ARihDgpxxZtd0_k23G5PHI2oeBauQZAEFOkzH2Y/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZXbskFinF4pJoJO0K4T9uykfQoEm36XRw7XzeNYWeIrQR2aaAUsG-SUfnQPxT__MABER4Kue_58O7iHFIjfoQ6cSDi6UV7BmeZ9a1ARihDgpxxZtd0_k23G5PHI2oeBauQZAEFOkzH2Y/s320/057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let them cool to room temperature, and then cover and put
them in the fridge to chill. As Smitten Kitchen also notes, these bars cut best
when chilled. And although you don't necessarily need to store them in the
refrigerator after cutting (they won't spoil or anything), they do keep better and
taste better in the fridge than at room temp.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ItCq_3t2kCspuOwyg9Fi9Qd1Q3De7DWgalz_04_tmYh0lgl80MBtf7lfsKjJaMm6BN2W2bo82V8b8a2CpGz21-7nBJ4LWQbw5aM4YY4eWAnARIMp-W0sR8rltTebt5en3noqRcnOhyphenhyphenOw/s1600/007+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ItCq_3t2kCspuOwyg9Fi9Qd1Q3De7DWgalz_04_tmYh0lgl80MBtf7lfsKjJaMm6BN2W2bo82V8b8a2CpGz21-7nBJ4LWQbw5aM4YY4eWAnARIMp-W0sR8rltTebt5en3noqRcnOhyphenhyphenOw/s320/007+%25285%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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And these
bars are definitely worth it! They are easy and delicious, a perfect no-fuss
summer treat!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvVqpHTwHuT4HxJs1GztlFAxH1KDzH9DZkwYN_Eg-Xr4iGS0w0mQPf4r37BY78phMtQhw_czzUL4zAwSNqYztaCeWTXshwQ6D7W-tz7As6NXnoScb76W2_PII62SIFTA5_tam2DdOxmEl/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvVqpHTwHuT4HxJs1GztlFAxH1KDzH9DZkwYN_Eg-Xr4iGS0w0mQPf4r37BY78phMtQhw_czzUL4zAwSNqYztaCeWTXshwQ6D7W-tz7As6NXnoScb76W2_PII62SIFTA5_tam2DdOxmEl/s320/058.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b><i style="background-color: white;">Blueberry
Crumb Bars</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Dough</i></div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 cup white
sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon
baking powder</li>
<li>3 cups
all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 cup cold
unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon
salt</li>
<li>Zest of one
lemon</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<i>Fruit</i></div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Juice of one
lemon</li>
<li>4 cups fresh
blueberries</li>
<li>1/2 cup
white sugar</li>
<li>4 teaspoons
cornstarch</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></div>
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</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.</li>
<li>In a
medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in
salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and
egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.</li>
<li>In
another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix
in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust.
Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.</li>
<li>Bake in
preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool
completely before cutting into squares.</li>
</ol>
<br />
</div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-73798890598381654962012-08-16T15:26:00.000-04:002012-08-16T15:26:09.459-04:00Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj9SwY3tpI1SbrFUAraHCETfw9mxwdkH2yA1kw4kaipcuIE-bDvCkeiXr5iMhdYwGo41egpyvzq1zNJvz1Iu9WgPJfs4VUdnjfR9PKLS9ZKpMR3Csm1V96LnBfNCA7Dooo0fxc5C5YZuQ/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj9SwY3tpI1SbrFUAraHCETfw9mxwdkH2yA1kw4kaipcuIE-bDvCkeiXr5iMhdYwGo41egpyvzq1zNJvz1Iu9WgPJfs4VUdnjfR9PKLS9ZKpMR3Csm1V96LnBfNCA7Dooo0fxc5C5YZuQ/s320/042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've had an unintentionally long hiatus from
posting recipes. That is a combination of moving, working two jobs, and being
pregnant. The frustrating this is it's
not so much finding the time to cook or bake (although I'm not doing either as
often as I would like) as it is finding the time to organize and post a well
thought-out entry. But I finally sat down today to write the first of about 30
some-odd entries that I have had back-logged and in the posting queue since <i>last</i> summer, so I'm posting these out of
chronological order, but according to the season we are currently in, if that
makes sense. I have about 6 baking entries that I consider "summer themed'
so I am going to try to bang out as many of those posts as I can before the end
of August. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I also have a huge number of backlogged cooking
posts from the farm share I had last summer, which I suppose are "summer
themed" as well, but I'd rather get the baking ones out of the way first,
since I tend to be more enthusiastic about my baking than about my cooking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Strawberry and rhubarb is one of my favorite
summer flavor combinations, and this is not the first strawberry-rhubarb
dessert I've posted on this blog, but it might just be my favorite. This
particular recipe is a relatively simple bar recipe which I modified from a
<a href="http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/355/strawberry-rhubarb-dessert-bars">post</a> on landolakes.com (don't ask how I ended up there browsing, I can't
remember for the life of me!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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You start with the filling, which is made up
primarily of sliced rhubarb and sliced strawberries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZs6qc3dGFZ74wf9hfgZoMMozTvsrUXExntE4flsl2P_04a8eZUL-lkcritFoV5Lod0evwgPf_3dH6Y07FbML4bErn7zRkl1kbpXgKExVCvxufYARhi1cOd9w-L8Lw2WJlTacBMUtngTiP/s1600/021+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZs6qc3dGFZ74wf9hfgZoMMozTvsrUXExntE4flsl2P_04a8eZUL-lkcritFoV5Lod0evwgPf_3dH6Y07FbML4bErn7zRkl1kbpXgKExVCvxufYARhi1cOd9w-L8Lw2WJlTacBMUtngTiP/s320/021+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Cook the fruit over medium heat with a little
lemon juice until the fruit breaks down into a preserve of jam consistency. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxYPktRll6b2HPWYFD_r7j6J7k73d8XzOnRLsgAB9jVK2yG0PQDUR2WYIS9Tsc0B7uFodslM4mvnynBda_humL72Dw70SJDJ5fCWN2nL96xQnBLP1N4gKqhN-DbJaPTD87o9otXqnZUT-/s1600/025+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxYPktRll6b2HPWYFD_r7j6J7k73d8XzOnRLsgAB9jVK2yG0PQDUR2WYIS9Tsc0B7uFodslM4mvnynBda_humL72Dw70SJDJ5fCWN2nL96xQnBLP1N4gKqhN-DbJaPTD87o9otXqnZUT-/s320/025+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The
original recipe said this would take about 8-12 minutes, but if I recall correctly,
it took me about 20.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjlzU_NskvR_bbz2KeQkLiFie8jiEdrBmzP4Dt6tR5FcyAHWFhEfwjg6W0d6K-XcZ1H-OVmFPnylM9uSeA8PPB8Z5ty1TDVQQP1GXph982FitOaKo6bkwptLAfJBeHMQK5GoPIDUCc2Qh/s1600/027+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjlzU_NskvR_bbz2KeQkLiFie8jiEdrBmzP4Dt6tR5FcyAHWFhEfwjg6W0d6K-XcZ1H-OVmFPnylM9uSeA8PPB8Z5ty1TDVQQP1GXph982FitOaKo6bkwptLAfJBeHMQK5GoPIDUCc2Qh/s320/027+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then you add in sugar and cornstarch and
bring it back up to a bubble, give it a chance to thicken, and set it aside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While the fruit is cooling, start on the
crust by combining oats, butter, brown sugar and flour in a bowl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwg9jLKJN0ROsMH-_NZ36XrdFohCQ-xNGQKNWpEPZM4Y_JL9s-tAFACjTP3CS_HbGyJCcAtf_Bvk34LIQNmIx8zSZhFFWnQL3j9gbH867PYEuWR3KmJ4kgo_AdH1VmnKqhoAgkJFLbtvBS/s1600/028+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwg9jLKJN0ROsMH-_NZ36XrdFohCQ-xNGQKNWpEPZM4Y_JL9s-tAFACjTP3CS_HbGyJCcAtf_Bvk34LIQNmIx8zSZhFFWnQL3j9gbH867PYEuWR3KmJ4kgo_AdH1VmnKqhoAgkJFLbtvBS/s320/028+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Pat about half of it into the bottom of a
9x13" pan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oe-t-S5o3iiEeQLXmB-bVJdFNgqlM9G0DdyTjQ8MioeA9DrL5pIJmnheRh1xCSzrM8nQvUA6uoqTRlKeUHWsItnG-f9fzbl1UU_DVqR6KZY6b0hMrM_tUfWy3tZa11NdgQ-ojNpIxaYy/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oe-t-S5o3iiEeQLXmB-bVJdFNgqlM9G0DdyTjQ8MioeA9DrL5pIJmnheRh1xCSzrM8nQvUA6uoqTRlKeUHWsItnG-f9fzbl1UU_DVqR6KZY6b0hMrM_tUfWy3tZa11NdgQ-ojNpIxaYy/s320/032.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Spread the fruit over the bottom crust (fruit
does not have to cool completely, however long it takes you to make the crust
and preheat the oven is good enough), and then sprinkle the reserve crust on
the top evenly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hxDqVYHSw2LgcbLLnXa0y_V-K_tlmkU-Jy83LNH9eOgZYPFVOK-IL1GNtZ9gevRQ0q7661FQa6QbkToSQ1K6owzv268Fd9XNJJCbxSaA7yzNmjLHZ3Icte0rb6Qah9OufmV2LCx6YW3g/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hxDqVYHSw2LgcbLLnXa0y_V-K_tlmkU-Jy83LNH9eOgZYPFVOK-IL1GNtZ9gevRQ0q7661FQa6QbkToSQ1K6owzv268Fd9XNJJCbxSaA7yzNmjLHZ3Icte0rb6Qah9OufmV2LCx6YW3g/s320/034.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, until the top
is a nice golden brown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4ENup-Sj3_PYk4YEWlNSJT_b7dwoVNE3Sym7PwJ71Hd3cg7B6P0ZzVbrnPDWknMBWYYy6a4ZXsgaZFgSZRc3cssDaqe4GdGlCDWgHgH_NbEwCo_e2iO79skfvr4dJt5sERxu94JrEqSB/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4ENup-Sj3_PYk4YEWlNSJT_b7dwoVNE3Sym7PwJ71Hd3cg7B6P0ZzVbrnPDWknMBWYYy6a4ZXsgaZFgSZRc3cssDaqe4GdGlCDWgHgH_NbEwCo_e2iO79skfvr4dJt5sERxu94JrEqSB/s320/039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cool completely before cutting and serving.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KJBcGuWQ8u1clfXqa3ejJ_Iu-MaIj3x5RkVPvv_uarDKjvfhO1nkk3H9-WSjr9s0nNNihU4APHH11ztB0WD-c4fzxonyPePpnr3cUIzZ8Ztp9kM4vRWfSXhc4eaofUkExaogPRUAZO9e/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KJBcGuWQ8u1clfXqa3ejJ_Iu-MaIj3x5RkVPvv_uarDKjvfhO1nkk3H9-WSjr9s0nNNihU4APHH11ztB0WD-c4fzxonyPePpnr3cUIzZ8Ztp9kM4vRWfSXhc4eaofUkExaogPRUAZO9e/s320/040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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These bars were delicious, and a big hit when
I brought them into work. They are sweet, tart, transport well, and don't have
to be refrigerated. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien7CVpe83fbtZL9-UWzSziy3zL_iv-K2W2h84zqgekoCD42IJq98GjmCXsCdR94DHuXkIWgkqotVYijVKXyh4D1vqdgdMLYIFMdsQgQshK0M_yACC8VdVxS1ete39qSG8IdH0RI2Xpok4/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien7CVpe83fbtZL9-UWzSziy3zL_iv-K2W2h84zqgekoCD42IJq98GjmCXsCdR94DHuXkIWgkqotVYijVKXyh4D1vqdgdMLYIFMdsQgQshK0M_yACC8VdVxS1ete39qSG8IdH0RI2Xpok4/s320/044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">All in all, they are a great choice for a summertime treat, especially if you need a take-along dessert!!</span>
</div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj9SwY3tpI1SbrFUAraHCETfw9mxwdkH2yA1kw4kaipcuIE-bDvCkeiXr5iMhdYwGo41egpyvzq1zNJvz1Iu9WgPJfs4VUdnjfR9PKLS9ZKpMR3Csm1V96LnBfNCA7Dooo0fxc5C5YZuQ/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj9SwY3tpI1SbrFUAraHCETfw9mxwdkH2yA1kw4kaipcuIE-bDvCkeiXr5iMhdYwGo41egpyvzq1zNJvz1Iu9WgPJfs4VUdnjfR9PKLS9ZKpMR3Csm1V96LnBfNCA7Dooo0fxc5C5YZuQ/s320/042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Filling</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/2 cups fresh <i>or</i> frozen
unsweetened rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups sliced fresh
strawberries</li>
<li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>2 tablespoons cornstarch</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br />
<i>Crust</i></div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups uncooked quick-cooking
oats</li>
<li>1 cup firmly packed brown sugar</li>
<li>3/4 cup butter softened</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Directions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice in 2-quart
saucepan. Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit is
tender (8 to 12 minutes). Basically the consistency of preserves, if not
full-on jam.</li>
<li> Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in small bowl.
Stir into fruit mixture. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture
comes to a boil (about 1 minute). Continue boiling until thickened (1 minute).
Remove from heat. Set aside. </li>
<li> <i>Heat oven to 350°F</i>. Combine all crust
ingredients in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs. <i>Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture</i>.
Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
Spread filling over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.</li>
<li> Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool
completely. </li>
</ol>
<br />
</div>
Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-45053842798195154542011-10-13T15:52:00.000-04:002011-10-13T15:52:53.217-04:00Cinnamon Apple Quick Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFinpzz3QHCp2v_8MCXIgjOd6ycO0sTVP-n9lq9FOK5u_IjOUsJ-FCcBvGS5KkwTU5Ihz3ob7dUmvt26PhmHkDxRJJwa_YeeSRalKyqdZ2P21Nc4gIgrv_5kLpVPRn5yNb994uyOmwxn/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFinpzz3QHCp2v_8MCXIgjOd6ycO0sTVP-n9lq9FOK5u_IjOUsJ-FCcBvGS5KkwTU5Ihz3ob7dUmvt26PhmHkDxRJJwa_YeeSRalKyqdZ2P21Nc4gIgrv_5kLpVPRn5yNb994uyOmwxn/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I am waaaaaaay behind on the posts I had hoped to make. I still have an entire summer's worth of farm-share related blogs to get to, but I'm going to not even think about those until after this holiday season is done.<br />
<br />
Although I love yeast breads, the joy and simplicity of a simple quick bread never ceases to amaze me. After I went on my annual apple-picking excursion, I wanted to try some new things with my apples. The first recipe I settled on was an apple quick bread, which is a variation of Paula Deen's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/zucchini-bread-recipe/index.html">zucchini bread</a>, which I became well-acquainted with this summer during my farm share, when I had zucchinis coming out of my ears. At the time, I thought the base would be good for other fruit or veggie mix-ins, and I was right. With a little tweaking, I made this recipe work beautifully for apples.<br />
<br />
But first, a little interlude (or skip down for more baking!):<br />
<br />
Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, hand's down. Not only do I love Halloween-themed treats, but I love Halloween tradition as well. <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween">Last year</a>, around this time, I paired my Halloween and Fall-themed posts with little blurbs on the background of some common Halloween tradition and/or lore, including the history of Halloween and trick-or-treating, vampires, zombies, jack-o-lanterns, and bobbing for apples. This year, even though I am starting a little late, I am continuing that tradition with this latest topic:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5EFeL5kKhM/Tpcw5GWYb8I/AAAAAAAABpo/4wsbYlKMZ5Q/s1600/085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5EFeL5kKhM/Tpcw5GWYb8I/AAAAAAAABpo/4wsbYlKMZ5Q/s400/085.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat."</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<br />
This is my 6 month old kitty cat, Severus (as in Severus Snape, because I'm a huge nerd), and he and his brother Magnus hold my heart in their paws. I've always been a dog person, growing up I had a wonderful German Shepherd, and I never seriously contemplated owning a cat. But, I always promised myself that if I <i>did</i> ever get a cat, he would be jet black from the tips of his ears to the bottoms of his paws. There's just something about them that draws me in. So what more perfect Halloween interlude than to examine the superstition surrounding Halloween and<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIzGmEIwBn0/TpcwvJOgeXI/AAAAAAAABpg/lVCdwaXz718/s1600/black+cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIzGmEIwBn0/TpcwvJOgeXI/AAAAAAAABpg/lVCdwaXz718/s400/black+cats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Throughout history, the attitude towards cats in general has been one of dueling extremes. In ancient times, particularly in Egypt and Rome, cats were revered. In Egypt, they were the earthly representatives of the goddess Bastet, while in Rome, they were often worshiped as household gods. The ancient Christians had a tradition that a tabby cat kept the baby Jesus warm when he was born, and in gratitude, the Virgin Mary bestowed the characteristic "M" on his forehead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But during the Dark and Middle Ages, this began to change. In 1232, the Pope suggested that cats might in fact be agents of the Devil. Although no one is sure what caused this shift in attitudes, the fact that cats are nocturnal animals with highly reflective eyes that seem to glow and aloof demeanors probably didn't help matters any! Many cats were burned at the stake along with their owners during medieval witch hunts. One high-profile example in the 17th century was the story of Charles I and his favorite cat, which happened to be black. Charles I was very attached to his kitty, so the story goes, and even assigned guards for its protection. When it died, he allegedly exclaimed that his luck had gone, and the very next day, he was arrested. His subsequent execution resulted in the (temporary) overthrow of the British monarchy, and only did more damage to the reputation of black cats. In the latter part of the 17th century, New England witch hunters in Salem and elsewhere became convinced that cats, particularly black ones, were familiars -- that is, the spirits in animal form that collude with and assist witches. These early attitudes gave rise to most of the black cat superstitions we are familiar with today, such as: having bad luck if a black cat crosses your path; a black cat at a funeral meaning another family member will die; and just the general bad luck that was believed to follow black cats around. It also gave rise to the classic Halloween icon of a black cat silhouette. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even though we live in modern times, some superstitions unfortunately die hard, because a study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science looking at adoption rates in CA animal shelters found that black cats have the lowest adoption rate out of all coat colors. All Halloween playfulness aside, this is heartbreakingly unfortunate for all the sweet black kitties out there that desperately need love. If you're ever in a position to welcome a cat into your home, and you have a choice of a black one, please seriously consider taking him or her since statistics show that it is unlikely that someone else will come along to adopt him. :-(</div><br />
And now, back to baking!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Cinnamon Apple Bread</span><br />
<br />
This recipe is ridiculously easy. So easy that I hardly have any pics to go with the post. First, start with some apples. I used Fuji exclusively, because that is what looked good at the orchard, but generally I like to have a mix of apples. Either dice them up or shred them using the biggest openings on your shredder. I chose to shred because it goes quickly, and I always get lazy when I'm dicing, and I end up with progressively larger and larger pieces...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O21H8Eq1SDc/Tpc7aRwzuXI/AAAAAAAABqc/w7dv5SZGwo4/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O21H8Eq1SDc/Tpc7aRwzuXI/AAAAAAAABqc/w7dv5SZGwo4/s320/016.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Mix a little lemon juice into those cut apples, to slow down the oxidation (browning).<br />
<br />
Pre-combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. A note about the sugar: I've made this bread using a variety of sugar amounts, from 1 cup to 3 cups, which is why there is a range in the recipe listed below. It depends on what taste you are going for. 1 cup of sugar is hardly sweet at all, and would pair well with a glaze or icing. 2 cups is moderately sweet, and 3 (what the original recipe called for) is very sweet, like apple pound cake. I personally like 2 cups the best, half brown and half white, but that is my tastebuds. My husband prefers 1 cup.<br />
<br />
Beat the eggs together with oil and water in a separate bowl, then mix in the apples (and nuts if you want them).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B0t-kJ4kBn4/Tpc7Yq3_2II/AAAAAAAABqU/8m23Iu_EEk8/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B0t-kJ4kBn4/Tpc7Yq3_2II/AAAAAAAABqU/8m23Iu_EEk8/s320/015.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Combine the dry and wet ingredients together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qnlesMisVKM/Tpc7XYjOyZI/AAAAAAAABqM/Bka6fG9Ehrs/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qnlesMisVKM/Tpc7XYjOyZI/AAAAAAAABqM/Bka6fG9Ehrs/s320/014.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Then, take 2-9x5" loaf pans, spray them with butter spray, and line the bottom with parchment. Spraying before you put the parchment on the bottom helps it to stick to the metal. Then give the top of the parchment a little spray as well. Don't skip the parchment step, believe me, I only tell you to parchment-line something if it is really necessary. Then, divide the batter between the two loaf pans, and bake at 350F for about 50 minutes (as a range, I'd say anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour). Keep baking until a tester comes out clean.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GiXOd7k9fdA/Tpc63pNWyNI/AAAAAAAABp0/R86qW5AADc4/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GiXOd7k9fdA/Tpc63pNWyNI/AAAAAAAABp0/R86qW5AADc4/s320/011.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Cool in the pan for ten minutes before de-panning and cooling fully.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFinpzz3QHCp2v_8MCXIgjOd6ycO0sTVP-n9lq9FOK5u_IjOUsJ-FCcBvGS5KkwTU5Ihz3ob7dUmvt26PhmHkDxRJJwa_YeeSRalKyqdZ2P21Nc4gIgrv_5kLpVPRn5yNb994uyOmwxn/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFinpzz3QHCp2v_8MCXIgjOd6ycO0sTVP-n9lq9FOK5u_IjOUsJ-FCcBvGS5KkwTU5Ihz3ob7dUmvt26PhmHkDxRJJwa_YeeSRalKyqdZ2P21Nc4gIgrv_5kLpVPRn5yNb994uyOmwxn/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This bread is a yummy and fragrant bit of Fall, studded with apples and walnuts, and swirled with spices. It would probably be delicious with a caramel glaze, but that involved going to the store, so I didn't bother. As-is, however, 2 loaves got devoured in a single day at my work. If you have apples, and you want to make more than just pies and crisps, consider making this bread!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cinnamon Apple Bread</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: x-small;">(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/cinnamon-apple-bread?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 C apples, shredded</li>
<li>1 tsp lemon juice</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>1 C vegetable oil</li>
<li>1/3 C water</li>
<li>3-1/4 C AP flour</li>
<li>2 C sugar (1C brown, 1C white)</li>
<li>2 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1 tsp ground nutmeg</li>
<li>1 C nuts, pecans or walnuts</li>
</ul><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat oven to 350F</li>
<li>Shred or dice apples, and mix with lemon juice</li>
<li>Beat together eggs, oil, and water. Stir in apples and nuts</li>
<li>Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and spices in separate bowl</li>
<li>Combine wet and dry ingredients</li>
<li>Line the bottoms of two 9x5" loaf pans with parchment, and spray bottom and sides of pans</li>
<li>Divide batter evenly between 2 pans and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until tester comes out clean </li>
<li>Cool in pan for ten minutes, then de-pan</li>
<li>Enjoy!</li>
</ol><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-22722474243444603002011-06-01T11:25:00.000-04:002011-06-01T11:25:22.704-04:00Quick & Easy Dinner: Buffalo Chicken Breasts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Sorry for the crappy pictures in advance, I know they leave a lot to be desired. But, take it from me, this recipe is totally worth making!<br />
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Buffalo chicken breasts have fast become one of my favorite quick chicken recipes because it is a snap to put together. I've hardly had any free time lately due to work, and anything that is quick and tasty is at the top of my cooking list. This dinner is a no-brainer for anyone who likes buffalo wings -- but if you don't like regular hot sauce, substitute a mild version (or an even hotter version if you like more heat).<br />
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This dish only has a handful of ingredients: combine hot sauce, melted butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUVIDTNcdmgphT332-nSSPnSDwdP4TtGMequGXQv_LAIBBDw3rcu5mty2QRKcQJ_LCs6133R4Hhd9fKPMUN9LPLS9rck_FQH8BbkUNFBfQCOCqieLG8qd4q5QV1MQ6dQNBU0gVrIjtk6w/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUVIDTNcdmgphT332-nSSPnSDwdP4TtGMequGXQv_LAIBBDw3rcu5mty2QRKcQJ_LCs6133R4Hhd9fKPMUN9LPLS9rck_FQH8BbkUNFBfQCOCqieLG8qd4q5QV1MQ6dQNBU0gVrIjtk6w/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Set aside 1/4 C of the sauce, and use the rest to marinate chicken breasts (I used the thin sliced, as always) in a sealed ziplock bag for about 30 minutes <b>at room temperature</b> (it won't kill you, I promise). A little longer won't hurt, I think I actually marinated for closer to 45 minutes because I got side-tracked doing other things. But, if the thought skeeves you out, marinate it in the fridge for at least two hours.<br />
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Then, remove the breasts and discard the marinade. Saute the breasts in a cooking spray-coated pan over medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side (more for thicker breasts) until fully cooked.<br />
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And that is it! Such an easy, hassle-free recipe, and it's huge on taste!<br />
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...Incidentally, do you know what Worcestershire sauce is? I had heard of it of course, and even occasionally dabbed it on some steak, but I had never bothered to really find out what the heck was in it. Turns out, Worcestershire sauce was first made in Worcester, England by the pharmacists (or, in British lingo, "dispensing chemists") John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins (of Lea & Perrins fame), and was first commercialized in 1837! It is a type of fermented fish sauce, believe it or not (I had no idea!) containing anchovies, malt vinegar (or white vinegar in the US), onions, garlic, molasses, cloves, soy sauce, and other spices.<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Buffalo Chicken Breasts</span></i></b><br />
(Printable Recipe)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Anywhere from 1 lb to 1.5 lbs of chicken breast halves, anywhere from 6 oz (regular thickness) to 3 oz per half (thin sliced)</li>
<li>3/4 C hot sauce</li>
<li>1/4 C butter, melted</li>
<li>1/2 tsp onion powder</li>
<li>2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (aka Worcester Sauce)</li>
</ul><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire Sauce, and onion powder to make buffalo sauce</li>
<li>Reserve 1/4 C marinade, and set aside</li>
<li>Marinade chicken and remaining buffalo sauce at room temperature for 30-45 minutes</li>
<li>Remove chicken and discard marinage</li>
<li>Saute chicken in a cooking-spray coated pan over medium high heat for 4 minutes/side (thin breasts) until chicken is cooked thoroughly</li>
<li>Serve with reserved sauce</li>
</ol><br />
</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-72318702216285278142011-04-07T21:01:00.000-04:002011-04-07T21:01:19.143-04:00Quick & Easy Dinner: Goat Cheese and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BuS69RKEG94/TZ5dn9oQcNI/AAAAAAAABpI/LLQlOl57HRs/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BuS69RKEG94/TZ5dn9oQcNI/AAAAAAAABpI/LLQlOl57HRs/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here is yet <i>another</i> easy, quick, and relatively light weeknight dinner recipe: chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese and prosciutto. As with other quick chicken recipes I make, these are with thinly sliced breasts folded over a filling, but you can adapt it to work with full-sized breast halves by slicing into the breast and creating a pocket, then adjusting the cooking time accordingly (and perhaps finishing it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350F after sauteing)<br />
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The packs of thinly sliced breasts that I buy have 5 breasts per package. Accordingly, I split my goat cheese (Chevrai brand, 4 oz) into 5 slices, and buy a prepackaged proscuitto that also has 5 slices per package. Don't ask me if the prosciutto is domestic or imported, I have no idea. I'm a gourmand, not a gourmet (where cooking is concerned, anyway). All I know is: it tastes good and it is easy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNCCmm8VoGQ/TZ5dTxLxffI/AAAAAAAABo0/b4mCBqOrgWc/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNCCmm8VoGQ/TZ5dTxLxffI/AAAAAAAABo0/b4mCBqOrgWc/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I always bread the chicken when I make this recipe. Because the chicken gets folded, I only bread one side. To do this, dredge one side of the chicken successively in flour, beaten egg and seasoned bread crumbs.<br />
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Then, lay the breast down, with the coated side face down. Lay the full slice of prosciutto on top of the breast, and then the slice of goat cheese on top of the prosciutto, on the lower half of the breast.<br />
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Fold over and secure with toothpicks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b86q0i3W9bg/TZ5deZqkh2I/AAAAAAAABo8/hdQkRyW0J_4/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b86q0i3W9bg/TZ5deZqkh2I/AAAAAAAABo8/hdQkRyW0J_4/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Saute over medium-high heat in a cooking spray-coated pan, for about 4 minutes per side. Make sure that the fold on the side of the chicken (opposite the open end) is also cooked. You might have to get a pair of tongs and hold the chicken on-end to accomplish this.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYk7mSGR7BTtFoIaIy2bFONytqW3U3Ps2bXPmDl-QEoadpfPf7gnjTpUtJBivze8tGYGr3SEDm3kfTgmPoYW4Xj1jxTkcU_rD32ssC02jPOLdTlUzYzQHukSxWvQbckivYiK07BnRlIUa/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYk7mSGR7BTtFoIaIy2bFONytqW3U3Ps2bXPmDl-QEoadpfPf7gnjTpUtJBivze8tGYGr3SEDm3kfTgmPoYW4Xj1jxTkcU_rD32ssC02jPOLdTlUzYzQHukSxWvQbckivYiK07BnRlIUa/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And then it should be done, and ready to eat! Simple, and yummy!<br />
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If you want to make more, scale everything up depending on how much chicken you intend to use!<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Goat Cheese and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breast</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">s</span></b><br />
(Printable Recipe)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 package of thinly-sliced chicken breasts (each breast is approximately 4 oz)</li>
<li>1 block of goat cheese, 4 oz, sliced to match breast number (can use more cheese if making more than 5 breasts)</li>
<li>1 package of prosciutto (enough for 1 slice per breast)</li>
<li>Seasoned breadcrumbs</li>
<li>Beaten egg and flour for dredging</li>
</ul><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Coat one side of the breasts in breadcrumbs: first, dredge one side in flour; then beaten egg; then seasoned crumbs.</li>
<li>Place breast coated side down</li>
<li>Layer on one piece of prosciuto</li>
<li>Place one slice of goat cheese on lower half of breast, and fold breast over, securing with toothpicks</li>
<li>Saute with cooking spray over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, until done. Don't neglect the fold.</li>
</ol><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-40151417571559982992011-04-07T20:54:00.000-04:002011-04-07T20:54:41.916-04:00Quick & Easy Dinner: Olive and Pimento-Stuffed Chicken Breast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ArjWSk7SE5A/TZ5bThrn0jI/AAAAAAAABoY/sbpxPAPX-qA/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ArjWSk7SE5A/TZ5bThrn0jI/AAAAAAAABoY/sbpxPAPX-qA/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here is another quick and light weeknight chicken meal: chicken breasts stuffed with pimentos/olives, cheese and bacon.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pimiento-cheese-chicken-50400000109615">original recipe</a>, which I modified a bit, calls for just pimentos. However, I had never bought "just pimentos" before, and didn't have a clue where the supermarket by my house was hiding them. I looked by the olives, which seemed logical, and also by the jars of roasted red peppers, garlic, sundried tomatoes, etc etc and no dice. So I bought a jar of sliced Spanish olives with pimentos (I think this is called "olive salad" sometimes), and this is why there are olives in my pictures. I have since discovered that jars of just pimentos were hiding in the Spanish food aisle, which was probably the only aisle I didn't go down for some reason. I think the recipe was very yummy with the olive/pimento mix, although the taste of olives was strong...and salty. If you don't particularly like green olives, I'd recommend using pimentos only.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and it goes without saying that my recipe list has all light ingredients, but you can certainly substitute full-fat counterparts as you see fit!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Combine the bacon, onion, pimentos and/or olives, mayo, lemon juice, hot sauce, and the shredded cheese (if you are using shredded), and set aside. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A few points about this step:</span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I always cook my turkey bacon in the microwave to save time. Directions are usually on the package, but I always cook them on high for about 3 minutes on paper towels. Give them a minute or two to cool, and they will get crisp and easy to crumble!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Instead of using shredded cheese and mixing it into the filling, I used what I had on hand, which was presliced fat-free cheddar (Borden). This worked fine as well, so if you already have sliced cheese, don't think you need to run out and grab shredded too. You'll just add the cheese at a later step.</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Then, decide whether you want your breasts coated with bread crumbs, which is totally up to you. If you decide yes, you can use preseasoned breadcrumbs, or season your own with some Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. This step is optional. If you are stuffing the breast, dredge the whole thing in flour, egg and then bread crumbs. If you are folding thin breasts over the filling, like what I did, you can just dredge one side, and have that be the outside that touches the pan.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now it is time for assembly. If you are using a full-sized breast half, slice into it, creating a pocket, and stuff the filling in (stuff sliced cheese in there too if you are using it). Secure with a toothpick.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If you are using the really thin breasts, lay the cheese slice (if you are using it) on what will be the interior side, then place the filling on top of the cheese, and fold the breast over, securing with one or a few toothpicks.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ndc2ybM4hmI/TZ5bNCZt-zI/AAAAAAAABoQ/VI6GZi1pK9M/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ndc2ybM4hmI/TZ5bNCZt-zI/AAAAAAAABoQ/VI6GZi1pK9M/s320/005.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, saute over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side, adding additional spray as needed. If you have the thin breasts folded over, they should be fully cooked at this point. The thick breast will have to be finished in the oven for about 12 minutes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Olive and Pimento-Stuffed Chicken Breasts</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(Printable Recipe)</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 cup shredded part-skim or fat-free cheddar cheese (or 1-2 slices per breast)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons minced green onions</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 tablespoons diced pimientos</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise or light mayo</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon hot sauce ** or to taste</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon salt, divided</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or the thinly sliced chicken breasts that I used)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon black pepper</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cooking spray (olive oil)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Seasoned bread crumbs (optional)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Flour and egg for dredging breasts (optional)</span></li>
</ul><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Preparation</span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350°.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cook bacon, either in a large ovenproof skillet, or in microwave until crisp. Crumble. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Combine bacon, next 6 ingredients, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Cut a 1-inch-wide slit into the thick end of each breast half; carefully cut down to the center of chicken to form a deep pocket. Divide filling mixture evenly among pockets. Secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. OR follow directions for thin breasts, and fold breast over the filling</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Heat pan over medium-high heat. Spray pan. Add chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes. Turn chicken over and repeat.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If using thin breasts, they are probably cooked through at this point. If you have thick breasts, bake at 350° for 12 minutes; let stand for 5 minutes.</span></li>
</ol><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-24292264056424809422011-04-07T20:53:00.001-04:002011-04-07T20:54:14.451-04:00Quick & Easy Dinner: Hawaiian Chicken (Light)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcfIG82vffY/TZ5cEIsE8sI/AAAAAAAABos/p6XswMEGSI4/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcfIG82vffY/TZ5cEIsE8sI/AAAAAAAABos/p6XswMEGSI4/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I've been trying to cook lighter lately, in a concerted effort to lose weight. Because of my working hours, I've been trying to concentrate on entrees that are not only light, but also quick and easy. Many nights, this means some variation on chicken, because it cooks quickly (especially if you pound it out thin, or buy the breasts that are sliced extra thin).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The great thing about chicken is that it is so versatile -- you can completely change the meal just by changing the sauce and or accompaniments.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This meal, Hawaiian chicken, I modified off of the <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=50400000109631">Cooking Light</a> site. It is a recipe for chicken breasts which have been marinated and basted in a soy sauce-pineapple glaze, and quite easy to put together. If you are interested in some lighter versions of meals, I suggest giving this site a try. Just make sure to check out the serving size of any recipe you intend to try, because I've noticed that some of the "light" recipes have less fat and calories because the portion size is a lot smaller, not because of adjustments to the recipe. But in most cases, Cooking Light is a great resource, and most of the recipes seem fairly simple and fairly adjustable to your individual tastes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This recipe requires a little forethought, because it involves marinating overnight (although, you can get away with marinating for 2 hours if you really need too, but you might want to make more sauce, so you can baste more as you cook).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The marinade contains low sodium soy sauce, pineapple juice, low sugar ketchup, ginger, and garlic. Combine everything first, and reserve about 1/4 C of the marinade, covering and refrigerating it.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ywBIAnH7VQ/TZ5b0Trrp6I/AAAAAAAABoc/ILotKzCdI-E/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ywBIAnH7VQ/TZ5b0Trrp6I/AAAAAAAABoc/ILotKzCdI-E/s320/008.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Add the rest to a ziplock bag filled with the chicken. This will get refrigerated, ideally overnight, but at least for a few hours if you can. Prep-wise, it is much more efficient to set up the marinading the night before.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmqCqPCSBa4/TZ5b4E1Q7LI/AAAAAAAABog/CLPTTDVrFbc/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmqCqPCSBa4/TZ5b4E1Q7LI/AAAAAAAABog/CLPTTDVrFbc/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The next day, you simply discard the marinade, salt and pepper your chicken to taste, and saute the chicken in some olive oil cooking spray. How long will depend on the thickness of the chicken you are using and the amount of heat you are using. I normally buy thin-sliced breasts to save me time, which are about 1/2" thick. These take about 4 minutes per side on medium-high heat, and you can use the reserved marinade from the day before (the one that wasn't sitting with raw chicken) to baste occasionally. If you intend on serving the chicken with some additional sauce on the side, make sure that you put some on the side <i>before</i> you start basting, as you don't want to be dipping your basting brush that has contacted raw chicken into the same sauce you intend to serve with the meal.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCc4j3GppKDIlLbn3EOgfUrWZTBlNLIRIZgveCGIE6uz2vC-Lk1Qw43Y09luiHMjDXgwsleJVPoo9RJun41nzGo2ybVUDLFkikiZzcs8ksyzeSJD_hG4X6lfxv-RKZWDitm-BJcF5EjYo/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCc4j3GppKDIlLbn3EOgfUrWZTBlNLIRIZgveCGIE6uz2vC-Lk1Qw43Y09luiHMjDXgwsleJVPoo9RJun41nzGo2ybVUDLFkikiZzcs8ksyzeSJD_hG4X6lfxv-RKZWDitm-BJcF5EjYo/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> If you aren't sure whether your chicken is done, slice open a piece through its thickest part, and check. Keep in mind that the marinade itself is reddish, so it might tinge the meat pink.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcfIG82vffY/TZ5cEIsE8sI/AAAAAAAABos/p6XswMEGSI4/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcfIG82vffY/TZ5cEIsE8sI/AAAAAAAABos/p6XswMEGSI4/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And that is it, a quick, easy, flavorful and light way to dress up some chicken breasts for a weeknight dinner!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Hawaiian Chicken</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(Printable Recipe)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup pineapple juice</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons ketchup</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 garlic cloves, minced</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cooking spray</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 teaspoon salt, divided</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 teaspoon black pepper</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></div><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Combine first 5 ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill overnight (or at least a couple of hours)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade in bag. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 4-6 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 4-6 minutes.</span></li>
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-83619326048934523632011-04-07T20:45:00.001-04:002011-04-07T20:46:17.714-04:00French Toast Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PKLndY0yO4/TZ5Z7bJkuCI/AAAAAAAABoE/IpxJrYXCOqo/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PKLndY0yO4/TZ5Z7bJkuCI/AAAAAAAABoE/IpxJrYXCOqo/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My friend Allie, of <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2011/02/grover-cookies-cookie-favors.html">Grover Cookie</a> fame, recently hosted a brunch get-together so that we could all spend some time with her new little man. So I decided that now would be a great time to try one of those overnight breakfast casseroles I keep reading about -- you know, the kind that you assemble the night before, pop in the fridge overnight, and then just pop in the oven the next morning? I read about people who make such casseroles for Christmas morning, because all you do in the morning is bake it, which leaves you free to enjoy Christmas morning with the fam while breakfast takes care of itself. So with visions of being a domestic goddess on Christmas morning dancing in my head, I decided to take one of these breakfast casseroles for a test drive.<br />
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There are two main categories of breakfast casseroles that I have encountered: sweet, meaning that it is more along the lines of waffles, pancakes, etc; or savory, meaning it is usually egg based, with meat, cheese and occasionally potatoes. Since eggs were already on the menu, I decided to save an egg-based casserole for another time, and concentrate on the sweet, in this case, a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/index.html">French Toast Casserole</a> recipe modified from Paula Deen.<br />
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It has very simple ingredients: eggs, cream, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, all assembled the night before, and the recipe also calls for a wonderful pecan praline topping that you sprinkle on right before baking. It is, essentially, a French Toast bread pudding.<br />
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First the bread: Paula calls for French bread, a 13oz-16oz loaf. Well, when I went to the store, all I could find was baguette, and a 12oz loaf at that. So I bought it. Better than nothing, amiright? However, this meant that I had already deviated from Paula's instructions without even meaning to. She calls for you to slice the bread into 20-1" slices, and arrange upright in two layers in a 9"x13" pan. I sliced my baguette into many more slices, since it was longer, but because the loaf and slices were so small, I had to: 1) downgrade to an 11"x7" pan; and 2) lay the slices flat, making 2 layers that way instead. And it worked fine, so don't fret if you can't find full-sized French bread.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdG6r951PBk/TZ5Y5U-VMqI/AAAAAAAABnU/Ps1Zmm6PA7g/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdG6r951PBk/TZ5Y5U-VMqI/AAAAAAAABnU/Ps1Zmm6PA7g/s320/029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next, you combine the eggs, half and half, milk, vanilla, sugar, and spices. This recipe doesn't call for a lot of sugar in the custard, because you are going to be topping the casserole with praline and, presumably, syrup. If you don't want the praline topping, you could compensate by bumping up the sugar to 1/2C to 1C, depending on whether you still plan to use syrup. Or, you can put syrup or maple extract directly into the custard.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7umYZgWY9E/TZ5Y9T-TTEI/AAAAAAAABnY/GyQhaELhu5g/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7umYZgWY9E/TZ5Y9T-TTEI/AAAAAAAABnY/GyQhaELhu5g/s320/030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And then, evenly pour the custard over the bread.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_L5Fs6soXGQ/TZ5Z1Pvc3TI/AAAAAAAABn8/mIqOTzehAZc/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_L5Fs6soXGQ/TZ5Z1Pvc3TI/AAAAAAAABn8/mIqOTzehAZc/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once you pour the custard on the bread, cover and refrigerate this overnight, let that bread soak up the liquid. The next morning, it will look like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zD7TR3dgyoU/TZ5ZASWAWtI/AAAAAAAABnc/IOzQMNlgmrA/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zD7TR3dgyoU/TZ5ZASWAWtI/AAAAAAAABnc/IOzQMNlgmrA/s320/031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now, you can make the praline. Combine pecans, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup (the real stuff, if you have it), light corn syrup, and the spices.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymUtmmWqn7E/TZ5Zxjz0_kI/AAAAAAAABn4/69SvdwMjQTc/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymUtmmWqn7E/TZ5Zxjz0_kI/AAAAAAAABn4/69SvdwMjQTc/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Spread it over the surface of the casserole, and bake in a preheated oven. Because I made this in an 11"x7", mine was a little thicker, and I baked it for about 47 minutes. If you make it in a 9"x13", it will take closer to 40 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sGKBQY4HBGo/TZ5Z32ASAJI/AAAAAAAABoA/NNUJtccjHUg/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sGKBQY4HBGo/TZ5Z32ASAJI/AAAAAAAABoA/NNUJtccjHUg/s320/034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Tada!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PKLndY0yO4/TZ5Z7bJkuCI/AAAAAAAABoE/IpxJrYXCOqo/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PKLndY0yO4/TZ5Z7bJkuCI/AAAAAAAABoE/IpxJrYXCOqo/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sorry for the quality of the final pics, I was trying to take pics as I was serving the casserole. Just slice it up, and serve it, letting people put maple syrup over it just like regular French toast.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5k-tcHeSyw/TZ5ZReQ5ySI/AAAAAAAABnw/bk3_P1clA5M/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5k-tcHeSyw/TZ5ZReQ5ySI/AAAAAAAABnw/bk3_P1clA5M/s320/036.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
And it was yummy. Oh my, was it yummy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xqHy73RlEM/TZ5ZUjZOBMI/AAAAAAAABn0/0wHJ4_N_OfA/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xqHy73RlEM/TZ5ZUjZOBMI/AAAAAAAABn0/0wHJ4_N_OfA/s320/037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The praline topping contrasted beautifully with the bread custard, and the maple syrup tied everything together. Although, as I said before, this dish can exist without the praline, but I'd bump the sugar in the filling up to at least a half cup if you decide to lay off the pecans. But I wouldn't. Lay off the pecans, that is, because the topping is just divinely rich and satisfying.<br />
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There are some other recipes out there that call for you to saute the bread/egg mixture before putting it in the casserole pan, and I am sure that is tasty too...but, this recipe is already super-yummy as is, and it is <i>easy</i>. Now, this casserole is rich, so it is definitely not meant to be an every day breakfast treat, but it really is a perfect casserole to make, especially for mornings when you want to spend the time with your family, and not over a stove.<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">French Toast Casserole</span></i></b><br />
(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/french-toast-casserole?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
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<i>Casserole</i><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1- 13 to 16oz loaf of French bread</li>
<li>8 eggs</li>
<li>2 C half-and-half</li>
<li>1 C milk</li>
<li>2 tbls granulated sugar</li>
<li>2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground nutmeg</li>
</ul><br />
<i>Praline Topping</i><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 sticks butter, melted</li>
<li>1 C pecans</li>
<li>1 C brown sugar</li>
<li>2 tbls light corn syrup</li>
<li>1.2 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 tsp nutmeg</li>
</ul><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Slice bread into 1" thick slices (20 slices for a regular French loaf, more for a baguette). </li>
<li>Arrange in a sprayed 9x13" pan in 2 layers (or in an 11x7" pan in 2 layers for a baguette)</li>
<li>Combine eggs, half-and-half, milk sugar, vanilla and spices together</li>
<li>Pour over the bread slices in the pan, covering evenly</li>
<li>Cover pan and refrigerate overnight</li>
<li>The next morning: preheat oven to 350F</li>
<li>Make praline topping: combine pecans, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and spices together, tossing to coat nuts</li>
<li>Take casserole out of fridge, and spread topping over casserole</li>
<li>Bake for 40 minutes (45-50 in an 11x7" pan) until puffed and lightly golden</li>
<li>Serve with maple syrup</li>
</ol><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-28753745793561658352011-03-24T22:18:00.000-04:002011-03-24T22:18:49.713-04:00Lemon Blossoms (Easy Things to Do With Cake Mix #3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6e_ZWtHcYK0yyugm2STA3MTB5tpYsja8sE4EhW1PCZQNGBE8Ff1cr6Y20SBgUXzVMfYjJQSbE9PwCsAFfzv2Ta-ewWCiKnRl_AzViuUEU94yUkHDJe6yKa-YeX-OO4eheS5pCJriuRxH/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6e_ZWtHcYK0yyugm2STA3MTB5tpYsja8sE4EhW1PCZQNGBE8Ff1cr6Y20SBgUXzVMfYjJQSbE9PwCsAFfzv2Ta-ewWCiKnRl_AzViuUEU94yUkHDJe6yKa-YeX-OO4eheS5pCJriuRxH/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And, with this post, I am finally done with the three boxes of yellow cake mix that I had left over from Christmas. The first two were used to make <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2011/02/pecan-chocolate-cake-bars-easy-things.html">Pecan Cake Bars</a> and <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2011/02/raspberry-oat-bars-easy-things-to-do.html">Raspberry Oat Bars</a>, respectively. Both recipes are delicious and quick ways to use cake mix, with the raspberry oat bars being a real stand-out in terms of flavor and ease of assembly. For this last box of mix, I decided to stick to the fruity route, and I chose a recipe called <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/lemon-blossoms-recipe/index.html">Lemon Blossoms</a> from Paula Deen, which are tiny little lemon cakelets baked in a mini-muffin pan and covered in a lemon glaze. I had it in mind to test as a potential Easter recipe (for some reason, Easter and lemons are always associated in my mind), plus it sounded like a great, bright, spring-time recipe now that Spring is officially here.<br />
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Although, you'd never know Spring is here from all the snow I've been cleaning off of my car every morning, but that's another story.<br />
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This recipe starts with an ordinary box of yellow cake.<br />
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Normally, when I make a lemon cake from a mix, I buy the lemon-flavored mix, and dump in a box of lemon Jell-o to make the color bright and the flavor pop. It is an easy thing to do, and I recommend it for anyone who wants a quick lemon cake. This recipe, however, calls for a box of yellow cake mix, and a box of instant lemon<i> </i>pudding, so I was very interested to see how the flavor of this cake compared to my standard from-the-box lemon cake (Spoiler Alert: this recipe is divine).<br />
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Combine cake mix, pudding, lemon zest, eggs, and vegetable oil in the mixer until well-combined. The batter will be very thick, resist the urge to add extra liquid, these cakes are supposed to be dense, like a tea cake.<br />
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Fill a sprayed mini-muffin tin (no liners) with batter, filling the wells half full of batter. The blossoms rise a lot, and if they spill over the top of the well, getting them out of the pan might be harder, so make sure you only fill up half way.<br />
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Now, they bake in a pre-heated oven. The tops will spring back when they are done, mine took about 15 minutes, although the directions say 12.<br />
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When they come out, before they cool, invert the pan and turn them out onto a towel. Paper towels are fine.<br />
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You can right them if you want.<br />
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At this stage I was a little worried. Mine looked browner than Paula's -- baking them until the sprang back seemed to turn them into what felt like little hockey pucks...or so I thought.<br />
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Now it is time to dip them in the glaze. Paula calls for you to dip them as soon as you turn them out onto the towel. I didn't do this, because I didn't have my glaze made yet. I don't think the blossoms ended up any worse for wear, but that is your decision. So, prep your glaze (you can even do this before you assemble the dough, just be sure to cover the glaze, and stir it again before you dip): lemon juice, lemon zest, a little veggie oil (I didn't put as much in as she called for), and a little water.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKu6oprvQQtuAApVmx8Wip_mt8Y_AnFTPKuVNo8I3ERT5GGiNBWwBCkNR9Tw0gMJ9PVnOGfmHChEe-dJgRhc0pHU7vSX3FHUsYvY3p5tOUctmAowkwk5NhY5_aMXC1AiiLD8Z-1Q-A5Ly/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKu6oprvQQtuAApVmx8Wip_mt8Y_AnFTPKuVNo8I3ERT5GGiNBWwBCkNR9Tw0gMJ9PVnOGfmHChEe-dJgRhc0pHU7vSX3FHUsYvY3p5tOUctmAowkwk5NhY5_aMXC1AiiLD8Z-1Q-A5Ly/s320/022.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>There are two ways to dip: you can either dip the entire blossom, or just the top. It definitely affects the flavor, and both are yummy. The texture is a little softer if you dip the whole thing, but the lemon flavor is much stronger, so I recommend trying it both ways to see what you like better. If you intend to dip the entire blossom for most or all of them, I'd double the glaze, because I started running a little low.<br />
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Dip them, Put them on a rack on top of wax paper, so that the excess glaze can run off, and let them set for about an hour before you try to pack them for storing.<br />
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They look a little like glazed doughnut holes, and the taste is wonderful. The cake is dense, but the flavor is light and bright. The amount of cake you choose to dip will really affect the level of lemon. I loved them both ways, they are the perfect accompaniment to tea, and just a great addition to a dessert spread in general.<br />
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There's no reason why you can't substitute lime juice and zest, or orange juice and zest to change the flavor. You can use vanilla pudding in the mix, or you can use lime or orange Jell-o, respectively. There's also no reason why you can't substitute a chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding, and make the glaze out of vanilla and water instead (or substitute a chocolate glaze).<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lemon Blossoms</span></i></b><br />
(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/lemon-blossoms?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<i>Cake</i><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 box of yellow cake mix (18.5)</li>
<li>1 package lemon instant pudding (3.5 oz)</li>
<li>Zest of 1 lemon</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>3/4 C vegetable oil</li>
</ul><br />
<i>Glaze</i> *<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>4 C confectioner's sugar</li>
<li>1/3 C lemon juice</li>
<li>Zest of 1 lemon</li>
<li>2 tbls vegetable oil</li>
<li>2 tbls water</li>
</ul><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Combine cake mix, pudding, zest, eggs and oil in mixer, and mix until combined, about 2 minutes</li>
<li>Spray a mini-muffin tin with butter spray, and fill the wells half full with batter. This recipe makes 48 mini-muffins, and uses 2 pans</li>
<li>Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 12-15 minutes</li>
<li>Turn out immediately on a tea towel</li>
<li>In the meantime, make the glaze, combining all glaze ingredients together</li>
<li>Dip the blossoms, either by covering completely, or by dipping the tops (*double the glaze recipe if you want to completely cover all blossoms)</li>
<li>Let glaze harden for an hour before putting away</li>
<li>Can store at room temperature</li>
</ol></div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-75116822345286244392011-03-23T19:07:00.001-04:002011-03-23T19:07:52.338-04:00Shepherd's Pie, Lightened Up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NHOfy2FOodQ/TYp4mPzdsMI/AAAAAAAABmY/I1b8UDv3Ozo/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NHOfy2FOodQ/TYp4mPzdsMI/AAAAAAAABmY/I1b8UDv3Ozo/s320/015.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
As you might have detected from several of my past blog posts, I like themes. I highly enjoy seasonal cooking and baking, to the point where I will cling to<a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/09/eat-like-pirate-tortuga-rum-cake.html"> any excuse</a> to incorporate a theme into my kitchen experiments. This post is no exception, although with far more legitimate origins. It is, after all, still St. Patty's season, which means, for me, that all things even <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/search/label/St.%20Patrick%27s%20Day">slightly Irish</a> in origin are a-go. So I decided to give Shepherd's Pie a try.<br />
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Shepherd's Pie, aka Cottage pie, is a meat pie topped with a mashed potato crust. Termed "cottage" as a reference to the poor people who could not afford to indulge in extravagant meals, this pie was originally conceived in the 18th century as a way to use up leftover meat scraps. It was paired with the potato due to the latter's affordability (potatoes were relatively cheap at the time). Originally, cottage/shepherd's pies were made with beef mince, and although both terms are still used interchangeably, many current shepherd's pie recipes contain mutton instead of beef (due to the connection between shepherds and lambs, presumably). <br />
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Hey, I'm a meat and potato kinda girl. But I'm also a "trying to get back in shape" girl, so I decided to give <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/shepherds-pie-recipe/index.html">this recipe</a> a try with some heavy modifications because: A) I don't like lamb; and B) I'm on a diet, so I need to try and keep things light. Mashed potatoes and "light" are not exactly synonymous, but I think this recipe does a good job. Don't get me wrong, because of my modifications, you won't entirely mistake it for a full-fat version, but it is flavorful and pretty healthy, while still tasting like comfort food. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that many of the ingredients in this recipe can be swapped out in favor of their full-fat counterparts if you wish.<br />
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Like all Shepherds Pies, this one begins with mashed potatoes. So grab and peel some potatoes (I used russet, but you can use whatever you like), cut them into quarters, and then bring them to a boil uncovered with some whole, peeled garlic cloves. You want to boil them until they are fork-tender, probably at least 15 minutes, closer to 20 for larger chunks.<br />
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Drain the potato chunks and garlic and put them in whatever container you are going to use to mash them in. For myself, I mash them right in the pot I boiled them in. Add the sour cream, 1/4C beef broth, butter substitute (or real butter if you want to splurge), and the cheese, and mash them up. I do this by hand, I am not a fan of potatoes that have been whipped by a mixer. Plus, it is easy to overmix them using a mixer, and then the consistency is all wrong. My advice is to stick to a hand masher, especially since this volume of potatoes isn't large. As you mash, check the consistency of the mashies. If you think they need a little more liquid, add some from the reserved 1/4C beef stock, but do so slowly, it is easy to add liquid but next to impossible to take it away. When you're done with the potatoes, cover them and put them aside temporarily while you focus on the meat.<br />
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First up is the bacon. I used turkey bacon, which I cooked in the microwave to save time (the directions will be on the box). If you plan on using regular bacon, fry it first, and then cook everything else in the bacon fat.<br />
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Chop up some onion and carrots, and prep some peas (I usually make a meat and potato only pie, but I decided to test out this recipe with the veggies in it, and was pleasantly surprised).<br />
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Saute your onions in olive oil spray on medium high until they begin to sweat and turn translucent, and then add and brown your beef.<br />
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Add in the peas and carrots and minced garlic, and cook for another few minutes. Add in some tomato paste and flour, and mix well to combine.<br />
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Then, in goes the beer. Dump in a full bottle of beer and bring everything up to a boil for 3 minutes. I used Guinness, and it smelled absolutely fabulous while it was cooking. As you mix it, try to scrape the bottom of the pan for all of those lovely browned bits accumulating at the bottom.<br />
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Add the crumbled bacon, the beef broth, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture back up to a boil. Once it boils, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes or so.<br />
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Now it is time to assemble. I made mine in a 9.5" glass pie plate. Put all of the meat into the dish, and spread it into an even layer. Then, spread the potatoes on top. Spritz some butter substitute spray (like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) on top of the potatoes.<br />
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This goes into the oven for about 30 minutes. Pull it out, sprinkle about a cup of cheese on, and pop it back into the oven for another 10 minutes, so that the cheese can melt.<br />
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This needs to rest for about 10 minutes before you slice into it. And there you have it. Comfort food without the guilt. This pie really is tasty, despite being considerably lightened up. I am convinced it is the Guinness, it adds such a distinctive taste to the meat.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2SO5Em_V0MI/TYp4kd-93II/AAAAAAAABmU/CnH1_0TpakA/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2SO5Em_V0MI/TYp4kd-93II/AAAAAAAABmU/CnH1_0TpakA/s320/014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As an aside, my mashed potatoes didn't look like much in the pot, or when I was spreading them on top of the meat, but when I cut into the pie, I was shocked to find out that my potato layer was about 3 times as thick as my meat layer. Next time, I will probably split the potatoes in half. I'll put half on the pie, and save half in the freezer for another day, either as a quick side dish or to make another pie.<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Shepherd's Pie, Lightened Up</span></i></b><br />
(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/shepherds-pie?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Potato Cheese Topping:</i><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered</li>
<li>10 whole garlic cloves, peeled</li>
<li>1/2 cup sour cream, fat-free</li>
<li>1/4 to 1/2 cup beef broth (low sodium, fat-free)</li>
<li>2-4 tablespoons butter substitute (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or your favorite), softened</li>
<li>1/2 C shredded fat-free cheddar cheese (from 1 3/4 C bag)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>Nonstick cooking spray</li>
</ul><br />
<i>Meat and Veggie Filling</i><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>6 slices turkey bacon, crumbled</li>
<li>2 medium onions or one large onion, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon</li>
<li>1 pound ground beef (extra lean, 93%)</li>
<li>2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped, (about 1 cup)</li>
<li>3/4 cups frozen peas, thawed</li>
<li>4-6 garlic cloves, minced</li>
<li>1/2 can of tomato paste (3oz)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer (I used Guinness but a lighter beer is also fine)</li>
<li>1/2 cup beef broth (low sodium, fat-free)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 tsp dried</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>Remainder of fat-free Cheddar </li>
</ul><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Prepare potato topping:</i><br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;"><li> In a large saucepan add the potatoes and garlic and cover with cold water. </li>
<li>Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. </li>
<li>Transfer the potatoes and garlic back to the pot.</li>
<li> Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the broth, butter, salt and pepper, and mash with a masher until most of the lumps are gone, and garlic is also smashed. If using a mixer, be very careful not to over-mix.</li>
<li> If the mixture is too dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth. </li>
<li>Cover and set aside.</li>
</ol><br />
<i>Meat and Pie Assembly</i><br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. </li>
<li>Spray a, 8-10-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray.</li>
<li>Cook bacon (in skillet or in microwave).</li>
<li>Saute onions in cooking spray until translucent</li>
<li>Stir in the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the beef browns, about 7 minutes. </li>
<li>Add the carrots, peas, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.</li>
<li> Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until well blended, about 2 minutes. </li>
<li>Add the beer, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. </li>
<li>Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes </li>
<li>Add the cooked bacon, the broth, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. </li>
<li>Spread the potato topping evenly over the beef mixture. </li>
<li>Bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 30 minutes. </li>
<li>Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. </li>
<li>Let rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.</li>
</ol><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-30939447232564227342011-03-16T22:57:00.001-04:002011-03-16T22:59:09.165-04:00Oreo Balls That Don't Need Refrigeration. Is there anything butter can't do?!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snxETW9rlyY/TYF22KFuRMI/AAAAAAAABlw/PNXMRuFXna4/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snxETW9rlyY/TYF22KFuRMI/AAAAAAAABlw/PNXMRuFXna4/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This isn't even a real recipe, but it is important enough that I wanted a post about it.<br />
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<a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/07/oreo-balls-patriot-style.html">Oreo balls</a> are amazing. They are one of the easiest and most popular things in my entire food prep repertoire. If you haven't tried making them, I can't recommend them enough. Wherever you bring them, people will love you. There's just one problem. They contain a block of cream cheese, which means they have to be refrigerated. While this isn't often a huge deal (they normally disappear too fast for this to be too much of an issue), it can present a problem if fridge space is short, or if they are going to be sitting out for a while (for a picnic, etc), or if you want to use them for something like event favors.<br />
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Oreo balls are already delicious and addicting, but I wanted to find a way to cut out the cream cheese without compromising the flavor, yielding an Oreo ball that would be just as delicious, but could be stored at room temp. This St. Patrick's Day was the perfect opportunity since I was planning to make a batch of Shamrock balls (mint Oreo balls) anyway.<br />
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I wanted to do this for the sake of convenience, but also for the sake of my sanity. I won't let my milk sit out for more than a minute on the counter. Is anyone else like this?<br />
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I can't bear the thought of milk, or any dairy product for that matter, going bad. I'm one of those people that searches through all the milk gallons for the one with the latest date. I'm one of those people that sniffs the milk every time I take it out, and if I detect even the slightest aroma, down the drain it goes. I have a deeply-rooted fear of dairy products sitting out too long. When I bring something dairy that needs to be refrigerated to someone's house, I make sure it goes right into the fridge. And, when it sits out to be served, I helicopter around it nervously, waiting to put it back into the fridge.<br />
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Mind you, I'm a microbiologist. It's my job to think about bacterial growth. Heck, it's my job to work with bacteria period. And even though all my training tells me, in a rational inner voice, that bacteria aren't going to flourish in my milk that has only been out for two minutes, I just can't help myself. So having Oreo balls that can just sit out, and don't need to be fussed with, is welcome on so many levels.<br />
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<a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/07/oreo-balls-patriot-style.html">Normally</a> you crush Oreos with cream cheese and dip them. Without the cream cheese, you need something else to bind the crumbs together. Not icing from a tub, like you would use with cake balls, because the added sugar will make them too sweet. Of course you could make your own icing and control the sugar. Or you can do what I did, and carry it one step further. After all, if you take out the sugar from icing, what are you left with? It is the easiest solution, and also, I think, the best: butter. The Wonder Fat.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6bfpPeidZCI/TYF2x-HgHNI/AAAAAAAABlk/0paW7N0a7xc/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6bfpPeidZCI/TYF2x-HgHNI/AAAAAAAABlk/0paW7N0a7xc/s320/010.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is crushed Oreos in a bag, by the way...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A stick of butter did the trick for my double-stuffed mint Oreos. Solid butter, <i>not</i> melted butter -- just slice it up into tablespoons and toss it into the crumbs with the mixer going. I even did this immediately after the butter was taken out of the fridge, I didn't bother to soften it. Just beat, and the crumbs will come together. Once they do, you can roll them and dip them like any other ball. And, finally, you can store them like any other ball, that is to say, at room temperature.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fKCwzRWGfYU/TYF2zM9kHlI/AAAAAAAABlo/9r4GmDUOh1o/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fKCwzRWGfYU/TYF2zM9kHlI/AAAAAAAABlo/9r4GmDUOh1o/s320/011.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Now, I tested this out on mint Oreos, which are double-stuffed (as are all flavored Oreos). When you are using these kinds of Oreos, you generally use the whole cookies from 2/3 of the package, and scrape the filling out of the remaining 1/3, using only the cookie part. For these, I used a little more filling, because I wasn't sure at first whether additional Oreo filling or butter would bind better (butter does, btw), and they were just a tad too loose, so I could have done without the extra filling.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_7fjx2QM0vM/TYF20gp6-WI/AAAAAAAABls/9Q0STQrrU14/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_7fjx2QM0vM/TYF20gp6-WI/AAAAAAAABls/9Q0STQrrU14/s320/012.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Because I haven't had a chance to test the butter proportions yet on a package of regular Oreos, if you decide to make these, start out with 6 tbls of butter first, combine it, and make sure it isn't too loose before you add the final 2 tbls. You might even need an extra tbls or so, I don't know. But I know it'll work. And, it'll taste divine. Let's face it, taste-wise when has butter ever been added to the detriment of anything?! Exactly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snxETW9rlyY/TYF22KFuRMI/AAAAAAAABlw/PNXMRuFXna4/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-snxETW9rlyY/TYF22KFuRMI/AAAAAAAABlw/PNXMRuFXna4/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-13332229689457118402011-03-15T19:36:00.000-04:002011-03-15T19:36:58.643-04:00King Cake (Mardi Gras Style)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0zpj1sihWnU/TX_x8RA25bI/AAAAAAAABlQ/UygiNVuUrNM/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0zpj1sihWnU/TX_x8RA25bI/AAAAAAAABlQ/UygiNVuUrNM/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have always wanted to try my hand at making a King cake, that purple, yellow and green colored sweet confection traditionally served during Mardi Gras, and this year was finally the year I managed to work it into my schedule. This recipe is a yeast dough, and is a little advanced because of the extra steps involved in using yeast, but it is not difficult. I will try to be as explicit as possible for those who have never baked with yeast before.<br />
<br />
But first, how about a little background info on these colorful cakes?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yZ-lOAgx9_A/TXkAZbjHA3I/AAAAAAAABio/jvGmuRxChK8/s1600/King+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yZ-lOAgx9_A/TXkAZbjHA3I/AAAAAAAABio/jvGmuRxChK8/s320/King+cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In the title, I specify that this recipe is specifically for a Mardi Gras-style King Cake. I have to make this distinction, because there are actually many different types of King Cakes in many different cultures. Typically, these cakes are associated with the Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas (aka Twelfth Night) when the 3 Wise men (aka the 3 Kings) finally arrived in Bethlehem to visit the Baby Jesus. The King Cake "season" extends from the Epiphany all the way until the day before Lent (Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday).<br />
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Besides the famed (at least in the US) King Cake of New Orleans, King Cakes include the <i>vasilopita</i> of Greece, the <i>roscon de reyes</i> of Spain, and the <i>galette des Rois</i> of France, amongst others.<br />
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All these cakes have several features in common: they are typically a variation of a sweet bread, occasionally with a filling, and they almost always contain a trinket of some sort. This trinket can range from a simple bean (the majority of European King Cakes), to a coin (<i>vasilopita), </i>to a plastic baby representing the Christ Child (New Orleans). The person who gets the piece with the trinket either has special privileges for the day, special obligations, or both. In the case of New Orleans King Cakes, the finder of the trinket is usually declared King or Queen for the day, with the obligation to provide next year's King Cake, or host next year's Mardi Gras party. Some Mardi Gras krewes (parades and balls) also choose the monarch of their ball using the King Cake.<br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And speaking of</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_iw9fD5600QRKS0dgfA-JQ6PXx7y1O45eJACs_zpM7Hpa2qkm3QeOrvLFnbZELX4ku-WcNc9KzWsInpwrwpXjyJoDplZFZBdufQSqrVKV65f2jIZfG1pw5tN18lG2XVTXpiJM-t1G8hR/s1600/Mardi+Gras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_iw9fD5600QRKS0dgfA-JQ6PXx7y1O45eJACs_zpM7Hpa2qkm3QeOrvLFnbZELX4ku-WcNc9KzWsInpwrwpXjyJoDplZFZBdufQSqrVKV65f2jIZfG1pw5tN18lG2XVTXpiJM-t1G8hR/s320/Mardi+Gras.jpg" width="320" /></a>...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mardi Gras is the New Orleans Carnival season, filled with parades, balls and King Cake parties, from the Epiphany until Fat Tuesday. In fact, for those of you who don't speak it, <i>Mardi Gras</i> is literally the French for Fat Tuesday. Although the whole season is referred to as Mardi Gras, it culminates on the literal Mardi Gras, the day before Lent, the idea being to eat and celebrate as much as possible before the fasting and deprivations of the Lenten season.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The practice of Mardi Gras was brought to New Orleans by its earliest French settlers, with the earliest recorded Mardi Gras in New Orleans taking place in 1699. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The three traditional colors of the Mardi Gras are purple (justice), gold (power), and green (faith). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Parades (Zulu, Rex, etc) and balls are the most common form of Mardi Gras celebrations, and they are run by Krewes, which are somewhere between social clubs and charitable organizations. These krewes run the gamut from super-exclusive to open membership (for a small fee). The oldest on record is the Mystick Krewe of Comus (1830). During these parades, "throws" are hurled from the floats into the waiting crowd -- the stereotypical beads and doubloons, although some krewes are starting to become more elaborate with their throws, offering limited edition items or krewe-specific trinkets. The most sought after throws are the Mardi Gras Coconuts, thrown during the Zulu parade.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Mardi Gras style King Cakes feature prominently in all of these celebrations. They are brioche-type bread, traditionally twisted, but many varieties exist. They were also traditionally deep fried like huge doughnuts, but that has been changing. Now it is very common to find them baked and with a filling, which can be cinnamon, praline, fruit, cheese, or some combination of the above. A special subtype called the Zulu cake is iced with chocolate and filled with coconut as a nod to the coconut throws of the Zulu parade. Some New Orleans krewes use the King Cakes to choose a monarch for their parades and/or balls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Incidentally, since there is bourbon in this recipe...the famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans is not named after bourbon the liquor, it is named after the House of Bourbon, the royal family of France which ruled from the 16th century (contemporaries of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England) until the two French Revolutions (in 1792 and 1830). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And now, back to the King Cake!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/14310-mardi-gras-king-cake">recipe</a> I chose to modify has a cinnamon praline filling. I was tempted to add cheese, but I didn't have room to store the cake in my fridge overnight, so I didn't. I'll provide a suggestion for a praline-cheese filling at the bottom of this post. I also chose to fold my dough into a cylinder as opposed to rolling it jellyroll style because of the thickness of my filling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This recipe, as well as any other bread recipe involving yeast, starts with "proofing" the yeast, that is, making sure the yeast is active. Start by heating up the milk, you want it between 110F and 120F. This should feel like a temperature for a baby bottle or warm shower. If it is scalding hot, you will kill the yeast. If you aren't sure, do what I did, and check it with an instant thermometer. I found that 1 C of milk in a 1 C glass measuring cup nuked on high for 60" did the trick, but it will differ a bit based on your microwave.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pour the milk into the bowl where you will be assembling the dough, sprinkle in one packet of yeast, and 1 tbls of sugar, stirring to combine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnP3flQ3WmPuTJTL-Fz6035VbwYpkPvMYSS3O4PS11fadN-DklV3YkYr3HMc2VqohGFRvBH1ZN4KqiVf2FzAfO7YH709MdmwwGYw1h_XHn2BEpPWD6kqWjY15DzXLoQuyuEGTBQC3nxoz/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnP3flQ3WmPuTJTL-Fz6035VbwYpkPvMYSS3O4PS11fadN-DklV3YkYr3HMc2VqohGFRvBH1ZN4KqiVf2FzAfO7YH709MdmwwGYw1h_XHn2BEpPWD6kqWjY15DzXLoQuyuEGTBQC3nxoz/s320/001.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, leave it alone for about 10 minutes. If the yeast is active, it will start to bubble a bit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hkHAKA_AXiM/TX_xnQTxWwI/AAAAAAAABkY/F9tOPnFQTpE/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hkHAKA_AXiM/TX_xnQTxWwI/AAAAAAAABkY/F9tOPnFQTpE/s320/003.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, add the sugar, salt, nutmeg and zest to your yeast, and mix (I just used a spoon).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4xeHZ7R5iH4/TX_xorvI_PI/AAAAAAAABkc/rbp9Q1pkCeM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4xeHZ7R5iH4/TX_xorvI_PI/AAAAAAAABkc/rbp9Q1pkCeM/s320/004.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then add the yolks, bourbon, extract, OJ and mix again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTgv5POpEAzqf2WmmHyxxkONDnpbr9veMlb6TzO1seWF_-5iHhUcqYSRoTWS4daSgrQCt0m0NpN3mwHYsh-SKfMytiluF_66jBRF0_oVoiU8dHKXT5qnY_0WgBs0QPd-xW_ZWQzzxtwkj/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTgv5POpEAzqf2WmmHyxxkONDnpbr9veMlb6TzO1seWF_-5iHhUcqYSRoTWS4daSgrQCt0m0NpN3mwHYsh-SKfMytiluF_66jBRF0_oVoiU8dHKXT5qnY_0WgBs0QPd-xW_ZWQzzxtwkj/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now in goes the flour, cup by cup. At this point, I started using my paddle. Once the flour is in, I started adding the butter a few pieces at a time (in 1/4 tsp cubes), until it was pretty well incorporated, which took a few minutes with the paddle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KUKQoa1Fgac/TX_xrKPBs-I/AAAAAAAABkk/bNuWduX9dLc/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KUKQoa1Fgac/TX_xrKPBs-I/AAAAAAAABkk/bNuWduX9dLc/s320/006.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, turn it out onto your floured counter (or other floured surface) and knead until the dough is no longer shiny, is elastic, and springs back when pulled. Here is a simple but <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_13898_knead-bread-dough.html">great tutorial</a> on kneading. Kneading by hand will take anywhere from 8-12 minutes, depending on how vigorous you are.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HsTBaq69rvg/TX_xsWn_ncI/AAAAAAAABko/_lyCDHmVDWo/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HsTBaq69rvg/TX_xsWn_ncI/AAAAAAAABko/_lyCDHmVDWo/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Put the dough in an oiled bowl (I used Crisco veggie oil), cover with a damp towel (I used paper towels that had been wetted and then squeezed out of excess water), and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, make the filling. Put the toasted pecans, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter and salt into a foo processor, and process until crumbly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QpTBAXU7DY4/TX_xt_LqtBI/AAAAAAAABks/d6qIEvzT0yg/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QpTBAXU7DY4/TX_xt_LqtBI/AAAAAAAABks/d6qIEvzT0yg/s320/008.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After your dough rises, punch it down. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cHwWVTTRy1k/TX_xw39hcOI/AAAAAAAABk0/-8dXCW2bRdc/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cHwWVTTRy1k/TX_xw39hcOI/AAAAAAAABk0/-8dXCW2bRdc/s320/010.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This deflates the air pockets, and re-invigorates the yeast by redistributing them and exposing them to new food sources. Punching dough is used when you want an end product with a tender and fine crumb, a little denser, like cinnamon rolls, and cake-like pastries (FYI, folding at this stage will produce larger air pockets, and is used for things like rustic loaves, baguettes, etc). Then, let it rise again, and punch it down again (I admit, I skimped on this step, and I didn't notice any ill-effects of skipping the second rise/punch, so if you're short on time...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now roll it out to a 28"x8" rectangle. I rolled mine out to an 18"x8" rectangle, because apparently I can't read. This is why my roll looks so fat, and why my finished King Cake was more like a disk than a ring...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uibLohta0G0/TX_xyVgtf9I/AAAAAAAABk4/R5l9fCUyEhc/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uibLohta0G0/TX_xyVgtf9I/AAAAAAAABk4/R5l9fCUyEhc/s320/011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Put on the filling (*see below for a note about cheese filling, if you want to use it), leaving a 1" perimeter. Brush this perimeter with an egg yolk/milk mixture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rVklm2u6uFQ/TX_xz1aAAAI/AAAAAAAABk8/yAtRoH-98RU/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rVklm2u6uFQ/TX_xz1aAAAI/AAAAAAAABk8/yAtRoH-98RU/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fold the dough over the filling and pinch shut along the sides, and on the two ends. Again, mine is too fat. At this point, roll it right onto some parchment, for easy transfer to a cookie sheet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bjgytqL3AVY/TX_x1N3uuxI/AAAAAAAABlA/9LwHRXAxBfg/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bjgytqL3AVY/TX_x1N3uuxI/AAAAAAAABlA/9LwHRXAxBfg/s320/014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Form this cylinder into a ring, and pinch the two ends together. Don't be like, me, try to leave a circle in the center at least 3" in diameter. Slide the ring/parchment onto your waiting cookie sheet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zCbBHwQlSmQ/TX_x3sh900I/AAAAAAAABlE/-P0dEVnyshQ/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zCbBHwQlSmQ/TX_x3sh900I/AAAAAAAABlE/-P0dEVnyshQ/s320/015.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cover with damp towel again, and let it rise again, for about 30 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, brush it with some of the remaining yolk/milk wash (which I forgot to do) and bake it until it is golden, and the underside is golden brown, about 30 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6oCJajALkrrVURyuGe-xA5Q2tCmRz7Rv2vkM5LdkumVasoecw4py1AH0HBg-cHiikybsM520d8Ylxn0o9F3sZZNzWJi_tsoRGzyzorPk4mTmMeJN0dpD5FD_vO411xZ-fpPc_izQYS7y/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6oCJajALkrrVURyuGe-xA5Q2tCmRz7Rv2vkM5LdkumVasoecw4py1AH0HBg-cHiikybsM520d8Ylxn0o9F3sZZNzWJi_tsoRGzyzorPk4mTmMeJN0dpD5FD_vO411xZ-fpPc_izQYS7y/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let it cool for at least an hour. When it is cooled, you can make the glaze. To be authentic, have your colored sugars on hand.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YVNOxON6WIo/TX_x7HPy5yI/AAAAAAAABlM/Zd6urArUB-4/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YVNOxON6WIo/TX_x7HPy5yI/AAAAAAAABlM/Zd6urArUB-4/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Combine the confectioner's sugar, orange juice, bourbon until smooth. It'll be pretty thick, brush it on top or spoon it as best you can. Immediately after, grab your sanding sugars, and start sprinkling in alternating colors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0zpj1sihWnU/TX_x8RA25bI/AAAAAAAABlQ/UygiNVuUrNM/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0zpj1sihWnU/TX_x8RA25bI/AAAAAAAABlQ/UygiNVuUrNM/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This cake, even though it didn't look quite like I pictured, turned out even better than I was expecting. The bread was subtly sweet, slightly buttery, and extremely tasty, while the pecan filling was absolutely delicious. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qtMc0rcQiUE/TX_x93SUdqI/AAAAAAAABlU/nC0SeozfLYs/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qtMc0rcQiUE/TX_x93SUdqI/AAAAAAAABlU/nC0SeozfLYs/s320/022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I brought it to work, everyone devoured it. I definitely will be making this again next year for Mardi Gras, trying out the addition of cheese to the filling. The dough was so tasty on its own that I am thinking of using it as a base and experimenting with other kinds of breads to make some coffee rings and other pastries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--qZMI14WAEY/TX_x_ArtoPI/AAAAAAAABlY/HjKw8LBxtsI/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--qZMI14WAEY/TX_x_ArtoPI/AAAAAAAABlY/HjKw8LBxtsI/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">King Cake (Mardi Gras Style)</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/king-cake-mardi-gras-style?tmpl=/system/app/templates/print/&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Dough</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 C warm milk (110F-120F)</li>
<li>1 packet of active dry yeast (1/4 oz)</li>
<li>1/2 C sugar</li>
<li>4 yolks</li>
<li>1 stick sweet butter, cold, cut into pieces</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 tsp vanilla</li>
<li>2 tbls orange juice</li>
<li>zest from one orange</li>
<li>2 tbls bourbon</li>
<li>4 C flour</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Filling</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>3 C toasted pecans</li>
<li>1/2 C brown sugar</li>
<li>1 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li>2 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 stick sweet butter</li>
<li>pinch of salt</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Glaze</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 C confectioner's sugar</li>
<li>2 tbls orange juice</li>
<li>1 tbls bourbon</li>
<li>1 tbls water</li>
<li>sanding sugars in purple, yellow and green</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Heat the milk to 100F-120F</li>
<li>Pour the milk into the bowl where you will be assembling the dough, sprinkle in one packet of yeast, and 1 tbls of sugar, stirring to combine. Let it stand for about 10 minutes. If the yeast is active, it will start to bubble a bit.</li>
<li>Now, add the rest of the sugar, salt, nutmeg and zest to your yeast, and mix (I just used a spoon).</li>
<li>Then add the yolks, bourbon, extract, OJ and mix again.</li>
<li>Add the flour, cup by cup. </li>
<li>Add the butter a few pieces at a time (in 1/4 tsp cubes), until well incorporated</li>
<li>Turn dough out onto floured counter (or other floured surface) and knead until the dough is no longer shiny, is elastic, and springs back when pulled, 8-12 minutes approximately.</li>
<li>Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.</li>
<li>In the meantime, make the filling. Put the toasted pecans, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter and salt into a food processor, and process until crumbly.</li>
<li>After dough rises, punch it down. Let it rise again for 30 minutes, then punch it down again.</li>
<li>Now roll it out to a 28"x8" rectangle.</li>
<li>Put on the filling, leaving a 1" perimeter. Brush this perimeter with an egg yolk/milk mixture.</li>
<li>Fold the dough over the filling and pinch shut along the sides, and on the two ends. </li>
<li>Form this cylinder into a ring, and pinch the two ends together.</li>
<li>Transfer to cookie sheet, cover with damp towel again, and let it rise again, for about 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Then, brush it with some of the remaining yolk/milk wash, and bake it until it is golden, and the underside is golden brown, about 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Let it cool for at least an hour. </li>
</ol><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><i>For Glaze</i>: Combine the confectioner's sugar, orange juice, bourbon until smooth. It'll be pretty thick, brush it on top or spoon it as best you can. Immediately after, grab your sanding sugars, and start sprinkling in alternating colors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><i>For Cheese Fillin</i>g: Combine 2-8 oz packages of softened cream cheese, 2 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 tbls of milk or cream in a mixer until well-combined and fluffy. Thin with more milk/cream if need be, and spread in a thin layer on the dough before spreading the pecan layer on the dough.</div><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-85648910937541396172011-03-15T09:01:00.001-04:002011-03-15T09:01:47.189-04:00Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VFV_cvf4X9k/TX9hhFg0tsI/AAAAAAAABkM/C5xfjMlxPd4/s1600/135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-VFV_cvf4X9k/TX9hhFg0tsI/AAAAAAAABkM/C5xfjMlxPd4/s320/135.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
This is my second recent posting on pecan bars, and it is a recipe I have been wanting to try forever: a shortbread-based pecan pie bar. My <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2011/02/pecan-chocolate-cake-bars-easy-things.html">previous pecan bars from a cake mix</a>, while tasty, were not quite what I had in mind, so I decided to start from scratch, and make my own recipe. And this time, I decided to do something I had never done with pecans before: add some bourbon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHkLuoMbcejC_6fkBaYB8B_V1zwkG16H8wqdTlK73Y67Xfa2_n91Cpq7ZnbYR6gi1ZnAZxYsm3Gdr0BOMdS0-MHWNrxo1uj9EWLVQvxPjBvpczpiW1LRkicdCCOiOVn1usOVEAw2cMsUZ/s1600/120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHkLuoMbcejC_6fkBaYB8B_V1zwkG16H8wqdTlK73Y67Xfa2_n91Cpq7ZnbYR6gi1ZnAZxYsm3Gdr0BOMdS0-MHWNrxo1uj9EWLVQvxPjBvpczpiW1LRkicdCCOiOVn1usOVEAw2cMsUZ/s320/120.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Now, bourbon has a long history of being paired with pecans in pecan pie, although how long, no one knows for sure. For certain, it is a Southern tradition. Bourbon, the drink, is named after Old Bourbon (present day Bourbon County) in Kentucky, the place associated with its invention. To this day, 95% of the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky, and the export of bourbon to the rest of the world is a billion dollar industry.<br />
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This recipe starts with the creation of a shortbread crust. I did this all in my food processor today, but I've made this dough before (for <a href="http://bakelab.blogspot.com/2010/03/thumbprint-cookies-strawberry-rhubarb.html">thumbprint</a> cookies) in my mixer. Both work fine, so don't worry if you don't have a food processor. I have included directions for making with a mixer in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.<br />
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Whisk together egg yolks and vanilla, and set aside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eoHeA9HxMpw/TX9hB2y5N1I/AAAAAAAABi0/UdI6c7lhTn8/s1600/113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eoHeA9HxMpw/TX9hB2y5N1I/AAAAAAAABi0/UdI6c7lhTn8/s320/113.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Combine the flour and the sugar in your processor, and pulse a few times to combine.<br />
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Cut up your cold butter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EiuqlftM4Rw/TX9hDf5LOiI/AAAAAAAABi4/g1peroPvEZM/s1600/114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EiuqlftM4Rw/TX9hDf5LOiI/AAAAAAAABi4/g1peroPvEZM/s320/114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Ad it a few pieces at a time, with the machine running, until it looks crumbly, this won't take long.<br />
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Then, pour in the egg/vanilla mixture, and process until blended and the dough starts to pull away from the sides.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QSHr-BPMf8E/TX9hGITT-gI/AAAAAAAABjA/8sEyG6TK3ZM/s1600/116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QSHr-BPMf8E/TX9hGITT-gI/AAAAAAAABjA/8sEyG6TK3ZM/s320/116.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Take this dough, and pat it into a sprayed 9"x13" pan evenly, but make a tiny lip around the edges to try and contain the filling you will eventually be pouring in there.<br />
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This gets baked in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes, until it is lightly golden.<br />
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Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine white and brown sugar, light and dark corn syrup (you can use all light corn syrup if you want to lessen the sweetness, this filling is pecan pie-sweet), melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla and bourbon until well mixed. <br />
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Then, stir in pecans and chocolate chips.<br />
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When the shortbread base comes out of the oven, and pour the filling on top. <br />
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Pop it back into the oven for another 25-30 minutes, until set.<br />
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Let it cool completely before slicing.<br />
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These bars are great when they are cooled, even better the next day. The shortbread crust is buttery and firm, and pairs deliciously with the sweet filling. These bars are pretty easy, create no mess while baking (unlike some recipes I've seen that actually tell you flat out in the recipe that the bars will overflow the pan and land on your oven while baking), and are a decadent treat. They are a great take-along item too -- a lot of people don't like to fuss with cutting a pie, but no one objects to grabbing a bar.<br />
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Don't be afraid to leave out the bourbon, or adjust the amount up or down according to your personal preference. The first time I made these, I actually used about 4 tbls of bourbon in the filling, because I couldn't get enough. I loved them this way, but there were people who thought they were way too strong. Since then, I've dialed down the amount significantly. For me, because I love the bourbon flavor, 2 tbls is just right, but bourbon can overwhelm the flavors, so I would start with 1 tbls the first time you make them if you're unfamiliar with bourbon, and see if you like how they taste. You an always add more the next time you make them if you approve of the bourbon flavor. It is a distinctive flavor, it is definitely not for everyone. These bars will be delicious even without a single drop of bourbon, so don't hesitate to leave it out if you think the bourbon taste is not for you.<br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars</span></i></b><br />
(<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/bakelabrecipes/chocolate-bourbon-pecan-pie-bars?tmpl=/system/app/templates/print/&showPrintDialog=1">Printable Recipe</a>)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">ngredients</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></b><br />
<i>For the Shortbread</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 C cold sweet butter, cut into pieces</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2/3 C granulated sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 1/4 C AP flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 egg yolks</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp vanilla</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><i>For the Filling</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 eggs, beaten</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup corn syrup (1/4 light, 1/4 dark)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup sugar (1/2 white, 1/2 brown)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons butter, melted</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tbls bourbon (optional, see note in the text)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 C pecans</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></div><div><br />
</div><i>For the Shortbread</i><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla together, set aside.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Combine the flour and granulated sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment or in a food processor/mixer and process just to blend. </span></li>
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">For Mixer: </span>Sprinkle the butter onto the flour/sugar mixture and mix on medium until the mixture looks crumbly, this won't take long. Add in the egg mixture and mix until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">For Processor: </span>With the machine running, add the butter 2-3 pieces at a time and process until the mixture looks crumbly. With the machine still running, add the egg yolk mixture and process until blended and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.</span></li>
</ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pat dough down in a 9"x13" sprayed pan, making a slight lip around the edges</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bake in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden (see Step 3 below)</span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>For the Filling and Bars</i></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>In a bowl, combine the sugars, corn syrups, melted butter, vanilla, beaten eggs, and bourbon, and mix well to combine</li>
<li>Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips, coating well</li>
<li>Pour the filling over the shortbread crust when the shortbread crust comes out of the oven</li>
<li>Bake bars at 350F for 20-30 minutes (my oven took about 23), until filling sets</li>
<li>Cool completely</li>
<li>Slice and serve</li>
<li>Even better the next day!</li>
</ol></div><br />
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</div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283592830964126147.post-90856937126303191362011-02-28T17:10:00.001-05:002011-04-04T15:50:27.689-04:00Jacked Jambalaya!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DBmtXL8C940/TWwcKkg8cyI/AAAAAAAABig/EaiNJlz1hbs/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DBmtXL8C940/TWwcKkg8cyI/AAAAAAAABig/EaiNJlz1hbs/s400/023.JPG" width="297" /></a></div>As in build muscles, that is! Just in time for Mardi Gras, this Jambalaya is chock-full of lean protein and whole grain carbs, perfect for anyone trying to stay healthy and/or watch their fat intake! It is modified from Emeril's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/kicked-up-jambalaya-recipe/index.html">Kicked Up Jambalaya</a>, made up to be a healthier version: turkey andouille sausage, chicken breast, shrimp, brown rice, low-sodium chicken stock, and cooking spray.<br />
<br />
But first, a brief interlude into the origin of that famous Louisiana dish, Jambalaya!<br />
<br />
Jambalaya is a combination of meat, vegetables, and rice, similar to paella, and indeed it is of dual Spanish-French origin. There are actually two types of jambalaya: Creole and Cajun. They both start with what is known as the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_trinity_(cuisine)">holy trinity</a>" of ingredients: onion, bell peppers and celery. Meat is then added, most often a spicy smoked sausage (andouille), poulty, and seafood. Stock and rice are also an integral part of the dish. The main difference between Creole and Cajun jambalaya is the addition of tomatoes. Creole jambalaya contains tomatoes, and is often also referred to as "red jambalaya" accordingly. Cajun jambalaya is more brownish in color, and without tomatoes.<br />
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Although there are many theories where the name "jambalaya" came from, the most likely is that it is derived from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Provençal (<i>i.e.</i> the French dialect spoken in Provence) word "<i>Jambalaia</i>", which literally means "mish mash" -- a pretty accurate description!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">And now, back to the food!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">This recipe is complex without being complicated, if that makes sense. It is a little time consuming, but the end result is so worth it. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The first step is to make the Creole seasoning. This is actually commercially available if you can find it, as Emeril's Bayou Blast, but you can also make it from scratch. It contains paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powders, pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. At this point, you can control the heat by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper in the mix. 1 tbls of cayenne gives it a nice hot pep. 2 tbls would be really hot. If you don't like hot spice at all, maybe 1/2 tbls, or eliminate it all together. There are two ways to modulate the heat in this recipe: adjust the amount of cayenne pepper in the Creole seasoning , or use less Creole seasoning overall. I'd probably opt to tweak the cayenne rather than less seasoning overall, but that is up to you.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Then, start chopping, this is the most labor-intensive part. I started with the veggies: onions, peppers and celery.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Then, some lovely turkey andouille sausage (I found mine at Whole Foods, Wellshire Farms brand), cut into 1/2" slices</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--nzrSrlQ1xo/TWwb8KW0qjI/AAAAAAAABhs/7-L7HRWDqeM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--nzrSrlQ1xo/TWwb8KW0qjI/AAAAAAAABhs/7-L7HRWDqeM/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Then, slice up some skinless chicken breasts (sorry, no pic), and prep some shrimp (peel, de-vein, and defrost if need be).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Now, it is time to flavor your meat with the Creole seasoning. I did this shake-n-bake style, putting each meat into a ziplock bag with the spices. I split the spices between all 3 because I wasn't reading the original recipe carefully -- Emeril actually only calls for you to season the chicken and shrimp (I guess because the sausage is already spiced). I don't think it much matters, to tell you the truth. Later, when it goes into the stock, most of the seasoning will go into the liquid anyway. How much seasoning you want to use is up to you, but I used it all. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Toss those seasoned shrimp into the bottom of your dutch oven, with some olive oil spray. Periodically spray the shrimp as they cook, to keep the spices from burning. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">When they are done, take them out and set them aside.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Ditto for the chicken.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z7atMrhecPA/TWwcAsJclrI/AAAAAAAABh8/QfnEm64W6y8/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z7atMrhecPA/TWwcAsJclrI/AAAAAAAABh8/QfnEm64W6y8/s320/011.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Now put the sausage in and brown it. This is not as critical to watch for done-ness if the sausage comes fully-cooked (check your package). </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvOMNvhnO2zurabiD1DclxDujfGkIzgXiisefN7bXszW5IKKleXbJ3poAnkJ66vW1ZmsTCy8NOqZBQ2vMc00nCysUG2j9sYeUv0xswBTCnwbYsoOrEB0XC5RDRLf4VOsL9PR-uJWJ5INm/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvOMNvhnO2zurabiD1DclxDujfGkIzgXiisefN7bXszW5IKKleXbJ3poAnkJ66vW1ZmsTCy8NOqZBQ2vMc00nCysUG2j9sYeUv0xswBTCnwbYsoOrEB0XC5RDRLf4VOsL9PR-uJWJ5INm/s320/012.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Then, leaving the sausage in the pot, add in the onion, pepper and celery, along with chopped tomatoes, cayenne and some garlic. Let this cook for a few minutes, so the veggies can start to sweat. You can add some fresh thyme at this stage, although the thyme taste was a little strong for me.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUUuYCvN7fghN8gEiTeYwtB__Ku_gHaEoIp-bgicqZAwVgQQq2PraD6UqXa2lb-LlG9LepMJBpF0IX8Iy6yQDOcGfs0WDsaQwA-vPGw3ymLomOONImdicdYWNQpCcd4Ky9XYJkP9W216B/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUUuYCvN7fghN8gEiTeYwtB__Ku_gHaEoIp-bgicqZAwVgQQq2PraD6UqXa2lb-LlG9LepMJBpF0IX8Iy6yQDOcGfs0WDsaQwA-vPGw3ymLomOONImdicdYWNQpCcd4Ky9XYJkP9W216B/s320/014.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Now it is time to add the stock, chicken, the can of crushed tomatoes (undrained), and the bay leaves.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--ofrYb1zvl0/TWwcEzeGLuI/AAAAAAAABiM/19Lrir3f6_I/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--ofrYb1zvl0/TWwcEzeGLuI/AAAAAAAABiM/19Lrir3f6_I/s320/016.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">This will simmer away happily for a bit, and then you add the rice. I pretty much used the whole box, because it was just a tad more than 2 cups, and it seemed like there was a lot of liquid that I was hoping the extra rice would absorb.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcShMzyGrvR9sByHibd7DLZrV8_KuGd9JtGXN1W8r02MumoeEujzWI-PCEH0y3AIdP9Xo2Jbmr4isBW4Qhe1MuxNGLGb0XD77rR8goQLkH7-1LZUXiV2Wy6bNka_FQYJUhq8sMXcTQlQ9j/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcShMzyGrvR9sByHibd7DLZrV8_KuGd9JtGXN1W8r02MumoeEujzWI-PCEH0y3AIdP9Xo2Jbmr4isBW4Qhe1MuxNGLGb0XD77rR8goQLkH7-1LZUXiV2Wy6bNka_FQYJUhq8sMXcTQlQ9j/s320/017.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">This cooks some more, and gets even happier. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Then, you add back in the shrimp, some chopped green onion, and some fresh chopped parsley (which I forgot), and it cooks a little more.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-amzg1354MKo/TWwcIqcghLI/AAAAAAAABiY/szQI9x8oipY/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-amzg1354MKo/TWwcIqcghLI/AAAAAAAABiY/szQI9x8oipY/s320/020.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Take it off the heat for about 10 minutes. At this point, it seemed like there was a lot of excess liquid. But I used a slotted spoon and served 2 helpings in a bowl. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIY_8_xidrBnSe7rbJ4jFlfzJV_yCQLGfLPCmSewHmnANlVbeYqWsh91N_HqHoy5ShU2vbQU1qEk9JbT9ef0u7_P2NjJd2QCu1X2RyDjwyUtvDY-vAiud9EFPeRwqGBmA6x83ACiF9OmT/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIY_8_xidrBnSe7rbJ4jFlfzJV_yCQLGfLPCmSewHmnANlVbeYqWsh91N_HqHoy5ShU2vbQU1qEk9JbT9ef0u7_P2NjJd2QCu1X2RyDjwyUtvDY-vAiud9EFPeRwqGBmA6x83ACiF9OmT/s320/022.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">By the time my husband came back for seconds (maybe 10-15 minutes later of it sitting uncovered), this happened:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DBmtXL8C940/TWwcKkg8cyI/AAAAAAAABig/EaiNJlz1hbs/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DBmtXL8C940/TWwcKkg8cyI/AAAAAAAABig/EaiNJlz1hbs/s320/023.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Beautiful!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">It is a lot of steps, but once you get going, you realize that it isn't hard, just prep-intensive.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">And there you have it, a filling and pretty lean meal. Comfort food that you can feel good about eating!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><i>Jambalaya</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">(Printable Recipe)</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>For the Creole Seasoning</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 1/2 tbls paprika</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 tbls salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 tbls garlic powder</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tbls cayenne pepper* (see text)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tbls black pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tbls onion powder</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tbls thyme, dried</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tbls oregano, dried</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>For the Jambalaya</i></span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 1/2 lb turkey andouille sausage (24 oz)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 lb shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and defrosted if frozen</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 C onions, chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 C bell peppers, chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 C celery, chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 tbls garlic, minced</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">3 bay leaves</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1/4 tsp cayenne</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 C chopped tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1-28oz can crushed tomatoes, undrained</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">3 C low-sodium & lowfat chicken stock</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 C brown rice (not minute rice)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 C green onions, chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Olive oil cooking spray</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Spray a large Dutch oven with olive oil spray over medium-high heat.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Season shrimp with Creole seasoning and saute until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp and set aside until later.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"> Season <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">chicken </span></span>pieces with Creole seasoning. Spray Dutch oven, and add chicken pieces and saute until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Respray. Add <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">sausage</span></span> and cook until browned. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cayenne and <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">thyme (if using)</span></span> and cook until vegetables are wilted, about 6 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Add <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">tomatoes, can of crushed tomatoes</span></span> and stock and return chicken pieces to pot. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Season with salt and pepper and <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">simmer</span></span>, covered, for 20 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"> Add rice to pot, stir well and return to a <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">boil</span></span>. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Add shrimp, green onions and <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;">parsley</span></span> to Dutch oven, mixing carefully, and continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes before serving.</span></li>
</ol><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Meredith Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06934621742994065802noreply@blogger.com0