Vermont Oatmeal Maple-Honey Bread

I always told myself that when I finally got a KitchenAid stand mixer I would still knead my bread by hand. Occasionally. Kneading bread is so relaxing and you can really tell a lot about dough when you are working with it so closely. So I mixed and kneaded this bread dough in my mixer, then moved it to a lightly floured surface and kneaded it about twice for good measure. Completely unnecessary, but it made me feel better.

Speaking of stand mixers, I really cannot believe how easy it is to make any bread now that I have one. It seriously takes bread from a slightly time consuming process to throw everything in the bowl and let it rise. I have made bread much more since I got it, which is thrilling, especially since life has only gotten busier lately.

Now to tell you about the bread. The recipe calls for maple sugar and maple flavoring, neither of which I had on hand, so I left both out. I was a little suspicious that this was good sandwich bread at first, as the book claimed, because it has so many sweet, breakfast-like ingredients (oatmeal, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon... sounds liked baked oatmeal to me). It is a little sweeter than what I would normally choose for a sandwich, but it really is divine. We made grilled cheese sandwiches with cheddar, spinach, pepperoni, and fresh basil about 15 minutes after the bread was out of the oven. I'm not even exaggerating when I say it was one of the best sandwiches I've had in my life. Now I just need to find someone to give the second loaf to so I don't eat it all by myself. Any takers? 

Vermont Oatmeal Maple-Honey Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup thick oat flakes (I used old fashioned oats)

1/2 cup maple sugar or brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring (optional)

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, sugar, maple flavoring, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon. Carefully pour the boiling water in and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. 

2. When the mixture has cooled, add the flours and the yeast. Stir to make a dough and then knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny. This should take about 10 minutes by hand or about 5 to 7 minutes if you are kneading the dough in a mixer. When the dough is kneaded, transfer it to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest until in has doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

3. Gently deflate the doubled dough and divide it in half. Shape the dough into loaves and place them in two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch greased loaf pans. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour more. The loaves are ready to bake when they have risen about one inch above the loaf pan. 

4. While the loaves are still rising, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place to loaves on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown and have an internal temperature of 190°. Allow to bread to cool before slicing. Enjoy! 

Source: King Arthur Flour- The Baker's Companion.  

Quick and Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

This week marks my last week at the tutoring center where I have been working since October. It is definitely a bittersweet departure. I will greatly miss my co-workers and the students, but I am also greatly excited about my first full-time teaching job starting in the fall! I'm taking a few weeks off here in July to get ready for all I will be doing, which also means I get to do some things I love that have been placed on the back burner for the last few months, like spending time in the kitchen. 

Cupcakes are about the easiest dessert you can make. They also happened to be about the easiest treat to make for a bunch of students, other than cookies. No forks, no plates, and maybe a pile of napkins. 

My old work schedule at the tutoring center kept me out until 8:30 or 9:00 most nights, so when I got home, I'd whip up something quick for dinner, and then find myself ready to go to bed shortly after. It was during one of these busy weeks about a month ago that I promised two sisters at the center that I would make cupcakes. 

When I asked one of them what kind of cupcakes I should make, she thought a moment, then said to me, "Mmm, just make both." After clarifying a little, I discovered that there are only two kinds of cake in her mind: chocolate and vanilla. I thought I would try a marbled cupcake, but when 9:30 p.m. rolled around, with my energy quickly draining, I looked for a super easy chocolate cupcake. This is what I found. 

One of my first cookbooks was a small, spiral bound Hershey's cookbook. It covers just the basics. I've made the Deep Dark Chocolate cake countless times, but never tried the cupcake recipe that shares the page. I was thrilled with the "throw everything in the same bowl and mix" format. It was just what I needed that late at night. I frosted them with a basic buttercream frosting (half chocolate, half vanilla), and they turned out great. Marbled frosting is about as good as marbled cake, right?! It kind of made them look like a chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream cone. The perfect cupcake to celebrate summer.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes about 24 cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with paper or foil liners and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, coca, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the shortening, eggs, milk, water, and vanilla. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for about 1 minute, then beat on medium speed until the batter is smooth, about 3 more minutes.

3. Scoop the batter in the the cupcake liners, filling them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center lightly springs back when touched. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost the cupcakes with your favorite icing and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Hershey's Best-Lover Recipes, 1997.

Black Pepper Cheddar Popovers

Happy Tuesday!

If you are looking for giant popovers, then you came to the right place. This recipe makes the puffiest popovers I have ever seen, which makes them more fun to make and eat. The black pepper in these popovers makes them savory, so they would not be as good for jelly and butter as these. And if you are looking for really sweet popovers, then you should give these a try. 

The second best thing about popovers (the black pepper being first) is the cheese. It stays on the top and makes a wonderful, crispy layer. The original recipe calls for Gruyere cheese instead of cheddar cheese, but we always have cheddar on hand. I have made them twice now with the cheddar, and even though I am still planning on trying it with Gruyere sometime, I am really a fan of the cheddar. They are a great addition to breakfast or brunch, and I can't wait to try them with a bowl of homemade soup!

Black Pepper Cheddar Popovers
Makes 6 popovers

1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon butter, cut into 6 pieces

2 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 6 pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Put a small cube of butter into each well of a popover pan*. Set aside until ready to use.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk to 125°, or until very warm but not bubbling. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together with the salt and pepper. When the milk has reached the desired temperature, slowly whisk it into the egg mixture in a small stream. Add the flour to the bowl, and whisk to combine. There may be small lumps in the batter. 

3. When the batter is all mixed, place the popover pan in oven to preheat for about 5 minutes. Quickly remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter into each well, about 3/4 of the way full. Place a cheese cube on top of the batter, and place the popover pan back in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Do not open the oven ahead of time, or the popovers might deflate. Enjoy!

*If you do not have a popover pan, you can use a muffin pan with about the same result. Reduce the butter and fill the muffin wells about half way with the batter. Also, cut the cheddar into smaller cubes before placing them on top. 

Source: Jodi Elliott from Tasting Table

Cinnamon Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal

I have always liked oatmeal, but this whole idea of baking it is something relatively new to me. I was first introduced to the idea of baked oatmeal a couple years ago. I think the thing I like most about it is that you can do so many different things with it! Add fruit, like bananas, berries, apples, pears, or even dried fruit. Also add any kind on nuts you like, such as pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc. I found this recipe on one of the first blogs I ever started following, and when I made it again the other day I noticed that she got the recipe from a blog that I use constantly. Maybe the food blogging world is smaller than I realize. 

Experiment with this baked oatmeal to find a combination you like. I have to make mine with bananas and most typically make it as follows. There is something about the cinnamon chips, cranberries, and bananas that is simply wonderful. I have also had baked oatmeal that didn't have any add-ins, which made it more versatile for people that like to customize their own bowl. Sometimes I poor milk on mine and sometimes I eat it with yogurt. See what you can come up with or check out the blogs where I got the recipe to see what they did! 

Cinnamon Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal

Serves three to four

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup slivered almonds or other nuts, lightly toasted, plus a few more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 to 3 bananas, peeled and sliced into bite sized chunks

1/4 cup cinnamon chips

1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 2 quart baking dish and then set aside. 

2. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. 

3. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. 

4. Layer the bananas in the baking dish, then spread the oat mixture over the top. Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the oats, making sure that all the oats are covered. Sprinkle the cinnamon chips, the extra nuts, and the dried cranberries over the top. 

5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the oats are set and browned. Allow the baked oatmeal to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with milk or yogurt. Enjoy! 

Adapted from Apple a Day, and Annie's Eats, originally from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson. 

Another Cupcake Extravaganza

I never thought I would say that it wasn't that big of a deal to make 150 cupcakes. But that's how I feel, even after this past weekend when it's all said and done. My little brother Mark graduated from high school on Saturday and is already getting ready to move out on his own and go to school and all those other grown up things. I feel like he should still be twelve, and only because that's about how old he was when I moved out of my parents house.  

About a month ago, he called and left me a completely ridiculous voice mail, as if he really needed to butter me up and beg me to bake something for him. I would make or do anything for him. When he asked if I would make cupcakes for his graduation reception, I was already planning on helping out somehow, but I hadn't really thought of cupcakes until he suggested it.

Mark is so easygoing and fun to be around. I kept asking him what kind of cupcakes he wanted me to make, and he could only tell me to do whatever I wanted. After much prodding, I got him to say that he wanted something chocolate. Go figure. I ended up asking most of the other family members what they wanted and came up with Strawberry Cheesecakes for my mom, Strawberry Lemonade for Kay and Jonathan, Chocolate with Whipped Buttercream for Mark, and Boston Cream Pie for myself. The cupcakes were a big hit, as cupcakes usually are, and my only regret is that I didn't make more of the Boston Cream Pie cupcakes. Those will be made again soon. 

I have a great cupcake cookbook, but I ended up making cupcakes all from Annie's Eats, one of my most favorite go-to places when I need a recipe for anything. I mixed and matched her recipes for various cupcakes to come up with what I wanted. She really has great ideas and recipes when it comes to cupcakes and many other baking related things. I encourage you to check out her blog, because chances are, you will find something that you will want to make right away. 

I am so blessed to have a brother like Mark. He is smart and caring, as well as incredibly talented with building and making things. He is such a hard worker and is always ready to give a hug when I need one (and even when I don't). I am so excited to see all that he is going to do and I know that he is going to do so well. I'm sad he is moving three hours further away from me, instead of closer, but I suppose I'll figure out some way to manage. Love you Mark! 

Tortillas

I think I can safely say that Spring is finally here! Of course, as soon as I do, I'm sure it will snow/sleet again, like it did just last week. I think I have completely forgotten what it's like to not bring a coat with me wherever I go. I'm definitely looking forward to some warmer weather. I've even been opening the windows the last couple of days. I love having fresh air inside.

I've been making tortillas for quite a while now, and I had a couple people request that I post my recipe. I just use the recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook, but I speed everything up by making them in a food processor instead of by hand. The dough requires a 20 minute resting time, which is perfect for assembling the rest of your meal. Then you can make the tortillas, and everything is ready to eat all at once. Few things are as good as a hot, fresh tortilla straight from the stove.

Making tortillas at home is pretty easy and doesn't take a lot of planning like many breads, and I really like how soft the homemade ones are. We use them for anything you would normally use a tortilla for, like wraps, tacos, chicken or pork enchiladas, and such. I still buy tortillas occasionally, but few things are simpler to make.

I was getting a little creative and decided to add some fresh basil that I had hanging out in my fridge. Not the typical addition to a tortilla, perhaps, but it made the wraps that Franky and I enjoyed one day just a little bit more special. The recipe below is the basic, plain tortilla that I usually make and not the one with basil (in case you were wondering why my tortillas have little green specs). Feel free to experiment with your own additions and see what you can come up with!

Tortillas
Makes 8 to 12

2 cups flour, bread flour is best but all-purpose will work
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
3/4 cup hot water

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.

2. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times, just until the mixture is crumbly and there are no large chunks. Slowly add the warm water while pulsing the food processor. The dough will come together quickly. Pulse a few more times to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed. Do not overmix the dough!

3. Remove the dough from the food processor and divide into 8 to 12 equal parts. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. If you are going to eat them right away, use this time to make the rest of your meal.

4. When the dough is almost done resting, heat a cast iron or a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Roll out a ball of dough into a 6 to 8 inch round. Slide the dough into the hot pan and cook until brown spots appear. Depending on the temperature of your pan, this should take from 30 seconds to no more than 2 minutes.  Carefully flip the tortilla over and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more. Roll out the next ball of dough while the previous one is cooking. Move the tortilla to a plate and keep them warm until you are ready to use them. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Seafood Stew

On a misty, overcast day much like today and many years ago now, I found myself sitting on a ferry headed across part of Lake Erie. We were in Ohio for the week, and since we were a day early for the tournament we were going to, we decided to be a bit touristy. The funny thing about that, however, was that we were visiting the Great Lakes during the off season. Tourists don't usually visit in mid-April, I guess (although I would highly recommend it).

We ended up at a charming little place called Kelly's Island. Old, gigantic houses, boats, a few little shops, and a winding road- it was an ideal place. Many things were closed, so we ended up driving around the island a bit. We saw some really cool things, like the leftover structure of an old house, and an ancient, retired cemetery with stones mostly dating back to before Civil War.  There aren't too many things from around the time of the Civil War in my part of the country.

Before we left, our group stopped at a little diner for lunch. I had a bowl of lobster chowder and remember it being one of the most amazing things I had ever eaten. It still ranks in my top 5.

Even though the stew I made was really nothing like the lobster chowder, I was reminded of our trip and the little island. I know there are probably down sides to living in a place like that, like always having to take the ferry or occasionally having a group of young tourists wandering around taking pictures, but in my mind it seems like a rather ideal place to live. Especially since then I could eat lobster chowder whenever I wanted.

Back to my Mediterranean stew. It was so perfect for the cold, wintry day when I made it. We've had a lot of those lately since Spring has been so slow in coming. This stew is simple to throw together and healthy, yet hardy and very filling. I have a thing for croutons, so while the soup was finishing up on the stove, I quickly made a batch by tossing some bread cubes with olive oil, onion powder, and a little thyme. Just bake them until they are nice and crunchy.

Mediterranean Seafood Stew
Serves 4

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 large bulbs fennel, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, whites and greens thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt and pepper
1 lb. skinless, boneless firm white fish, cut into bite sized pieces

To garnish:
Croutons
Shredded cheese, such as parmesan or pecorino-romano
Fennel fronds

1. In a bowl, crush the tomatoes then strain the liquid off, reserving until later. Use your hands if you need to or a spoon or potato masher.

2. In a large saucepan, saute the fennel and white scallions in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic slices and saute for about 1 more minute.

3. Add the strained tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick. Add the potato pieces, the reserved tomato liquid, and about 4 cups water (Use enough water to cover the potatoes). Season well with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30-40 minutes.

4. When the potatoes are done, gently stir in the fish chunks and the green scallion pieces. Simmer for about 5 more minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Garnish with the croutons, cheese, and fennel fronds. Serve with warm toasted bread. Enjoy!

Recipe from EveryDay with Rachel Ray Magazine.

Cinnamon Raisin Waffles

I like waffles because they're crunchy. That also happens to be the exact reason why my husband does not like waffles- they're crunchy.

We had a snow day today. Sometimes its fun being a teacher because no matter how old I get, I can still enjoy the snow days when school is unexpectedly canceled. Now if I can just manage not to think about all we have to get done in class...

In honor of this snow day, I decided to make waffles. They are really only a special occasion food around our place, so a snow day is a great day to make waffles.

I was in the mood for something a little different than the typical waffle, and this is what I came up with. It's one of those recipes where I combined two or three different recipes all into one to make my own. I do that a lot, which makes it hard to recreate recipes sometimes, unless I manage to write them down or blog about them.

These waffles were delightful. They were very crunchy and flavorful, and went along wonderfully with a little peanut butter and some Nutella. I am a yogurt-on-waffles kind of girl, but since we are snowed in and I am out of yogurt, we went the maple syrup route instead this morning.

Cinnamon Raisin Waffles

1 3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Turn on your waffle iron and allow it to preheat while you make the batter. 

2. In a glass measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the milk and the vinegar. Stir once, then set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until light. Add the soured milk, the melted butter, and the vanilla. Whisk to combine then set aside. 

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and the raisins. Mix together until the ingredients are fully incorporated, making sure that the raisins to not clump together. 

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir gently to combine until there are no dry streaks remaining. 

5. Pour a scope of the batter onto the hot waffle iron. Cook according to you waffle iron. Serve with fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, and maple syrup. Enjoy! 

*If you do not want to use the whole wheat flour, just substitute it for regular all-purpose flour. The milk and vinegar could also be substituted for buttermilk. It's up to you! 

Recipe mostly adapted from Betty Crocker. 

Pirouette Cookies

It's crazy how life sometimes piles up, then you blink and wonder, "Where did all the time go?" I keep looking back over the past few months, and then the past year and several years and I am a little in awe of all that God has brought me through. Looking back gives me hope for the future because I can see how He has been faithful before and I know He will be moving forward. That is something I am very grateful for.

My Grandpa Dale died the week before Christmas. We were very close and had been my entire life. Even though the following weeks were hard, I have found that the times I have missed him the most are completely unexpected and sudden, and all within the last month or so. Like when I'm standing at the grocery store and suddenly smell an assortment of things that remind me of my grandparents' house. Or when I find myself singing some old song, then sadly realizing that if I can't remember the words, I have no one to ask. I miss him in the little things.

At Christmas time, I was going to do a whole series of Christmas cookies, but with everything happening the way it did, I didn't get around to it. Then life started in full swing in January and I am still a few months behind. I noticed the other day that I still have a couple pumpkins and a few very Christmas-y things sitting around my apartment. Time keeps ticking, but it stands still at our place.

On the Saturday before Christmas, I made a couple hundred cookies for families at church. I love how long days of baking make you exhausted but so satisfied at the same time. I also spent some time baking before we went home, which is when these lovely little cookies made their debut.

As I have probably mentioned before, I need something crunchy to dip in my coffee. Or my tea. Or hot chocolate. Or whatever hot beverage I happen to be enjoying at the time. It's like Oreos and milk. Or bacon and eggs. You CAN do one without the other, but why would you?

These cookies are especially crunchy and have the perfect balance of vanilla and chocolate. They soak things up nicely and tend to not fall apart so easily. I rolled mine on the handle of a wooded spoon, but I think I am going to get a small wooded dowel for the next time I make them since the wooden spoon made them just a little larger than I wanted. I am also planning on experimenting with a filling of some sort, too, and probably something chocolate or hazelnut to mimic the Pepperidge Farm pirouettes.

Pirouettes
Makes about 16

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour

Dark chocolate, for drizzling

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place a non-stick baking mat on a cookie sheet, and place it in the oven to preheat also.

2. In a bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and egg whites until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat again to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour and beat just until it is combined.

3. Place a scoop of the dough in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for about 8 seconds to warm the dough and make it pour easily.

4. Remove the preheated cookie sheet from the oven. Use a spoon to pour about a tablespoon of dough on the cookie sheet in 4 or 5 spots on the sheet. Make sure that they are well spaced. Then tilt the cookie sheet to get the dough to spread around in a thin, flat circle. Make sure the dough circles do not touch.

5. Bake the cookies for 4 to 6 minutes, or until they are just starting to brown and turn golden around all edges. Remove the pan from the oven, and immediately roll a cookie around a small wooden dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon. Be careful not to burn yourself!  The cookie will be very hot.  Place the rolled cookie on a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Work quickly to role all of the cookies before they cool.

6. Heat another scoop of dough in the microwave again and repeat the process. When the cookies are cool, dip or drizzle with chocolate. Enjoy!

*If you are having a little trouble envisioning all the steps, the recipe I used has good step by step pictures you might want to check out.

Recipe adapted from The Chocolate Gourmand.