Berry Bread

I was in a bread bakey kind of mood today, but couldn't find yeast at Pathmark.  I know it's there somewhere, but it was so crowded and crazy I couldn't deal with the search. 

But I did recall that I had wanted to try this recipe from Real Simple and had the ingredients on hand...kind of.  (Another instance of couldn't find something at Pathmark...this time I subbed a frozen berry blend for cranberries.)

It came our pretty well!  Tasty.  Although next time I might use walnuts instead of hazelnuts.  They seemed a little unwieldy and I think walnuts would work a little better.  But give it a shot!  This would make a nice gift loaf for the holidays...or anytime!

Emma's Attempt at Cranberry Hazelnut Bread

From Real Simple

Serves 8
Hands-On Time: 10m
Total Time: 2hr 30m

Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts (again - I might try walnuts next.  Pecans or other nuts would probably work well too)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk (the mixture seemed a little dry - I added a few tablespoons additional milk)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I used frozen berry blend)

Directions

1.Heat oven to 350° F. Spread the hazelnuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Rub the warm nuts in a clean dish towel to remove the skins (discard the skins); coarsely chop.  (I let the nuts cool before removing the skins - try it when they are still warm.  It will make life easier.)

2.Butter an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla; add to the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not over mix). Fold in the hazelnuts and cranberries.

3.Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes (tent with foil if the top browns too quickly). Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Birthday Sir!

Yesterday was Julie M's birthday (previously seen here). She was abroad so I will say happy birthday today, with these cat topped cupcakes. Her cats, my frosting. Homemade cupcakes. Win!

Starting Them Out Young

Check it out! Even people not related to me enjoy my handiwork! Children even! And those guys are honest you know. Here is a little friend of mine (and nephew of my friend Rebecca, a chef). His name is Gabi and here he is sporting his new handmade (by me) apron on Christmas morning.

Yay! I think he likes it!

Thanks Becca for the idea! And thank YOU, Gabi, for being such a delightful model.

I used this tutorial as a base and freehanded it from there, making it double sided and adding two pockets, because kids need pockets for their treasures. This was a fun (and fast) project - maybe I'll make my own tutorial of it - what do you think?

Baking Up A Storm!

Happy Sunday to you! I wanted to share my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with you. Also, I really wanted to test out my new apron that I made:

What do you think? I love ruffles! I think it will be perfect for Thanksgiving too - I can wear it around and look cute, and also have somewhere to wipe my hands.

Anyway, back to the cookies. I like this recipe because you only need one bowl for it - no mixing the dry ingredients in one, and the wet in another - it all goes in one pot! Less dishes, in the end.

Its from my favorite cookbook too - The Great American Bake Sale by Alison Boteler. Highly recommended - I have had this book for probably 15 years, and everything in it is awesome. My much loved copy is a bit worse for wear, and being held together by tape, but I think that gives it character. Each chocolate sploch is a battle scar.

The oatmeal in this recipe gives it major substance too - heartier than plain cookies and adds some fiber too!

Another reason I wanted to make cookies was to use out my new cookie scoop! I love it! Totally worth way more than the $1.29 I paid for it - thanks Ocean State Job Lot!

Much less mess, and the cookies came out very uniformly. Would be perfect if I were making homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches, since they would all be the same size! Note to self: make those soon.

As you can see my cookie sheet has been through the wringer but it works just fine.

Ta da! I like to take my cookies out just before they look done - they cook a little more while they are cooling on the pan and it keeps them nice and moist.

Oh yeah, the recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

6 oz package semisweet chocolate chips (actually, I used the whole bag)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed 1-2 minutes. Stir in oatmeal, nuts, and chips. Drop by well rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool 2 minutes then transfer to racks with spatula.

Enjoy! This recipe is a keeper. My cookies are not however, for me at least - I'm sending them off to a certain gentlemen who has a birthday this week!

I'm really loving this apron! I must make more - my own design! No pattern, even. What do you think? Should I do a tutorial?

An apple a day

So, until now I haven't done anything with the apples I picked last weekend (other than handing them out to unsuspecting friends/coworkers). Lame, I know.

A variety of things kept me from them - I had to finish my very first etsy order (woo hoo!), I needed a new vegetable peeler so I would not slice up my fingers and/or hurl mangled apples about the apartment,I had a fabulous dinner engagement (did you see my detailed report of 16 Handles?), and one time I was tired.

I did have an idea of what I wanted to make, though, once I got around to it: this. (If you haven't checked out smitten kitchen yet, do it now!) Finally, Sunday night rolled around and I was ready to go!

I couldn't find my box grater, and my new vegetable peeler is not the greatest. I might have to invest in a decent one, rather than one that cost $1.40. That is for another day, though.

My hand cramped up a little from my new (old) sifter that I scored at Brooklyn Flea.

I didn't have lemon yogurt or Sambuca handy, but I made do (also, I don't like Sambuca).

I found out it was my roommates birthday midway through peeling apples, so I doubled the recipe, and made a mini cake for her:

PLUS I couldn't find the bottom of my 9 inch spring form pan (note to friends and loved ones: if you have a wayward metal disc at your house that you can't identify, call me!). Luckily I have an 8 inch and a 10 inch too. But sheesh, so many obstacles!

In the end though, I've used up almost all of my apples, the cake came out well and I was the hero of the Monday morning work day (despite my ridiculous 1 hour 45 minute commute, but that's another story). It is a super moist and lovely cake, and would be great for for breakfast or dessert.

Try it yourself!

APPLE YOGURT CAKE

adapted from The New Spanish Table, via Smitten Kitchen

Unsalted butter for greasing the pan

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (I used whole wheat, because I live on the edge)

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup lemon yogurt (I used plain, you can pick your favorite)

1/4 cup anise liquor (I used rum)

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cups finely diced/shredded peeled and cored baking apples

Confectioners sugar for dusting the cake

Creme fraiche for serving (optional)

1. Position rack at center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 inch spring form pan. (If you don't have a spring form you could use what you have - my mini cake in a 9 inch layer cake pan was fine).

2. Sift flour and baking powder together in bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale yellow (1 minute). Beat in yogurt and liqueur until smooth. Working in batches, beat in sifted flour, alternating with olive oil. Fold in apples.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth it with a spatula. Bake until the top is golden and the cake springs back when you touch it, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool.

4. Run a thin knife around the side of cake to loosen it. Remove the sides and bottom of the pan and place on a platter or serving plate. Wrap loosely in plastic until ready to serve. Serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar and creme fraiche if desired.