Chocolate Bars

Here is another one of those "just for fun" posts. Today, I am going to list as many different names of chocolate bars as I can. Here I go...

Kit Kat, Aero, Coffee Crisp, Caramilk,  Mr. Big, Snickers, Mars, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Cookies and Cream, Hershey's, Eat More, Skor, Crispy Crunch, Twix, Wunderbar, Dairy Milk, Crunchy, Galaxy, Almond Joy, Butterfinger, Mr. Goodbar, Oh Henry

Here are some others that are not chocolate bars, per se, but they still count...

Kinder Surprise, Rolo, Reese, Smarties, M&Ms, York Peppermint Patties, Maltesers, Cherry Blossom, Glosettes, Toffifee

Among these chocolate bars, there are many different varieties and flavors of each type as well. There is certainly a lot to choose from. Can you think of any more?

PHOTO CREDIT: "all" http://www.epicureansanswer.com/favourite-things/the-10-best-chocolate-bars/.Epicures Answer, n.d. Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Tuna Casserole

For whatever reason, the words "Tuna Casserole" seem to take with them a negative connotation. Not in this case though. Our tuna casserole is delicious, and we look forward to the days when we have it for supper. Although, our tuna casserole is probably quite a bit different from the standard definition of tuna casserole. It consists of pasta, vegetables, tuna and cheese. The idea for the recipe came from an online recipe website. This tuna casserole makes excellent leftovers, as it keeps well and reheats well in the microwave. It is quick, easy, and convenient. Here is the recipe.

Tuna Casserole
1 box (225g) macaroni and cheese mix
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. Italian dressing
1 bag (3 cups) frozen vegetable blend (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot sticks)
2 cans ( 120g each) flaked light tuna, packed in water
3/4 cup marble cheese, cubed
4-8 thin slices marble cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Add cheese mix, milk, and dressing. Stir to combine. Stir in vegetables, tuna, and cubed cheese. Bake, covered at 350◦F for 30 minutes. Top with cheese slices, bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Note: This can be baked in a deep casserole dish, a shallow baking pan, or even directly in the pot the pasta was mixed in, for minimal cleanup.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Swirls

Here are some more cupcakes I made for the birthdays of two aquatints. I made twenty chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing, and a friend of mine made twenty vanilla cupcakes wit chocolate icing. We shared the forty cupcakes in celebration of the birthdays. These are the cupcakes I made. I simple whipped up some chocolate cake batter and made my signature vanilla buttercream. Then I used an open star tip to pipe overlapping, circular swirls around the cupcakes, piling the icing on higher towards the center, and finishing off with a peak. As you can see, twenty cupcakes fit perfectly in my container. Had I needed to make one more, I would have had to use another container! Surprisingly the container held the cupcakes just right - the icing did not become squished on any sides, and the cover was just high enough so that the peaks of the cupcakes did not squish. The black and white patterned wrappers go perfectly with the black bottoms and white tops of these cupcakes, and the white bottoms and black tops of the other cupcakes. Simple and classy was the aim here, no sprinkles, bright colors, or other adornments. Just sweet and simple.

Brown Sugar Cookies

This is an excellent quick and easy cookie recipe that uses just a few ingredients and a simple procedure. These are different, yet incredibly original cookies. They are sort of like chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate. They are a great plain cookie option or an option when allergies are a concern. These cookies are incredibly soft and moist and keep well. The recipe is from Company's Coming "Cookies".

Brown Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together well. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Stir flour, soda and salt together and add. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookies sheet. Bake in 350◦F (180◦C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

Paré, Jean. "Brown Sugar Cookies." Recipe. Cookies, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1989. 29.

Helpful Conversions

In cooking and baking, different measurements are used depending on the source you are using. These measurements refer to ingredient amounts, pan sizes, and temperatures, and can be metric or imperial, or by dimensions or volume. All of these conversions are merely approximations and rounded values. It is recommended that when cooking and baking, you refer to the same set of measures for everything in the recipe, as the equivalents are not exactly equal, but if you use all of the same measurement for your recipe, it will turn out, whether you are using metric measurements or imperial. For example, use all imperial measures, do not measure some ingredients imperially and some ingredients metrically.

Oven Temperatures: Fahrenheit to Celsius to Gas Mark
300◦F = 150◦C = 2 (very low)
325◦F = 160◦C = 3 (low)
350◦F = 180◦C = 4 (moderate)
375◦F = 190◦C = 5 (moderate)
400◦F = 200◦C = 6 (hot)
425◦F = 220◦C = 7 (hot)

Baking Pan Measures: Imperial to Metric to Volume
8 inch square = 20 cm square = 2 L
9 inch square = 23 cm square = 2.5 L
8 inch round = 20 cm round = 1.2 L
9 inch round = 23 cm round = 1.5 L
9x13x2 inch rectangle = 21x33x5 cm rectangle = 3.5 L
10x15x1 inch jelly roll = 25x40x2 cm jelly roll = 2 L
9x5x3 inch loaf pan = 23x13x7 cm loaf pan = 2 L

Ingredient Measures: Imperial to Metric
1 cup = 250 mL
1/2 cup = 125 mL
1/3 cup = 80 mL
1/4 cup = 60 mL
1 Tbsp = 15 mL
1 tsp = 5 ml
1/2 tsp = 2 mL

Weights
1/2 ounce = 14 grams
1 ounce = 29 grams
2 ounces = 57 grams
4 ounces = 113 grams
8 ounces = 227 grams
16 ounces = 454 grams (one pound)

As you can see above, eight ounces is equal to approximately 227 grams. However, we generally say that one cup (250 mL) is equal to eight ounces, and that grams and milliliters are equal in weight. This shows that these measurement conversions are not precise. Also note that I did not list the conversion of measurements to exact weights (which is considered the most accurate way to measure ingredients correctly), because every ingredient has a different density - that is the weight of the ingredient compared to the amount of it, so every item would need a different conversion.
I have come to be familiar with many of these conversions over the years, but I did not memorize all of them. Some I had to look up on some of my handy charts and guides. These guides are commonly found in cookbooks, on the internet, and even in individual recipes.
PHOTO CREDIT: "cuisipro_stainlesssteel..." http://sweetkd.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/to-weigh-or-not-to-weigh-that-is-the-question.Cooking Therapy, n.d. Saturday, November 19, 2011

S'more Pull Aparts

Here is an intriguing recipe I came across in a bread recipe booklet. Since there was some leftover cottage cheese from our lasagna supper, I decided to make these S'more Pull Aparts which interestingly use 3/4 cup of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese keeps these rolls, similar to cinnamon rolls, incredibly moist and tender. The dough also uses buttermilk, and can easily be mixed up in a food processor. The dough is then kneaded briefly, spread with melted butter, and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs, milk chocolate chips, and ground cinnamon. Once rolled up and cut, the twelve rolls are placed in a springform pan, brushed with more melted butter, and baked for 20 minutes. Then they are sprinkled with miniature marshmallows and more chocolate chips and baked for 5-10 more minutes. The only change I would suggest is to use a bit less graham cracker crumbs and more chocolate chips, but that's just my personal taste! The dough is very nice and easy to work with, easy to cut too, although a little bit of the filling may seep out. A very yummy way to enjoy a different twist on s’mores in the off-season, while enjoying a cinnamon roll too!

S'more Pull Aparts

¾ cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups white all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

FILLING

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted, divided

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

TOPPING

1 ¼ cups miniature marshmallows

¼ cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400◦F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, process until very smooth. Add remaining dry ingredients, pulse together just until dough looks like a mass of small beads, beginning to clump together (I mixed the cottage cheese, buttermilk, and butter in the food processor, but did the rest by hand, as my food processor was not large enough).

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for one minute until smooth. Roll dough out to a 12x15-inch rectangle.

Brush surface with two tablespoons of the melted butter, leaving a ½ inch border all around. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and two tablespoons of melted butter, sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cinnamon.

Starting at long end, roll up dough jelly roll style, pinch seam to seal. Cut dough into twelve equal-sized pieces with a serrated knife. Arrange in prepared pan. Brush with remaining melted butter.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then unmold. Serve warm, or reheat in the microwave.

 "Easy S'mores Pull Aparts.” http://www.robinhood.ca/recipedetails.aspx?rid=4891. Robin Hood, n.d. Friday, November 18, 2011. 

Fudge

Does anyone have a foolproof recipe for chocolate fudge? I have tried a few different recipes; some failed and some were okay, but I have yet to find the "perfect" chocolate fudge recipe. Right now, I prefer to buy other people's homemade fudge because it is likely to taste better than my own fudge. There are also many other types of fudge, but I have yet to try those recipes. There is divinity fudge, white fudge, maple fudge, brown sugar fudge, butterscotch fudge, peanut butter fudge, white chocolate fudge, peppermint fudge, and many, many others. There are two main techniques of making chocolate fudge. 

1. Quick Fudge, Cheater Fudge, Microwave Fudge, or Condensed FudgeThis fudge uses chocolate chips and a can of sweetened condensed milk melted together with other ingredients, and is then refrigerated to set.

2. Old Fashioned Fudge, Candy Fudge, or Boiled Fudge
This fudge combines butter, sugar, cocoa, and other ingredients on the stovetop. The mixture is boiled and must be watched carefully with a candy thermometer, and stirred and poured only when it reaches specific temperatures.

I have tried to make both of these types of fudge before. The first one did not set properly, and was not of the proper consistency at all, although it did taste quite good. The second kind turned out, but the top had a bubbly appearance, the texture was slightly off, and the taste just wasn't exactly what I was looking for. Here is a picture of the second type of fudge.

Four Methods Of Mixing

There are four main methods of combining ingredients in order to make most baked goods. The three ways are : 1) Creaming fat and sugar, 2) Wet bowl and dry bowl, 3) Cutting in fat, and 4) Beaten egg whites. I am going to give a short description of each of them, and what they are most commonly used to make.

1) Creaming fat and sugar: This method begins with a substantial amount of a fat (most commonly butter, but also hard margarine and shortening) that has been softened at room temperature. If needed, the fat is softened by itself first, and then the sugar is added. The ratio of sugar to butter is often around 1:1 or 2:1. Brown and granulated sugar are most common, but confectioners' and superfine sugar are also used. The mixture is then creamed (beaten together) for a few minutes - usually until light and fluffy, but sometimes until creamy. This step may be done by hand or using an electric mixer, the latter being much faster and more opt to produce better results. This extremely important step is often overlooked, and is not given the proper amount of beating time, resulting in poorer quality baked goods. This method really gives volume, stability, and a light and fluffy texture to baked goods. Often, eggs will be added one at a time after the butter and sugar is sufficiently creamed, followed by vanilla and/or other flavorings. This method is most commonly used for cookies, some squares, and butter cakes.

2) Wet bowl and dry bowl: This method involves measuring (and often sifting) all of the dry ingredients into one bowl, whisking together until smooth, and whisking all of the liquid ingredients into another bowl until smooth. Then the liquid ingredients are added to the dry ingredients (often into a well made in the center of the dry ingredients), and is stirred until just moistened. Overmixing can cause these baked products to become tough and full of air pockets. This method is most commonly used for muffins and loaves.

3) Cutting in fat: This method begins with combining all of the dry ingredients, and then cutting in cold, cubed fat (commonly butter, shortening, or hard margarine) using a pastry blender, two knives, a fork, or your fingers. This mixture is combined according to individual recipe directions, but commonly until the size of peas or coarse crumbs - a few larger flakes of fat are preferable, it makes for a flakier product. Then a little liquid is added, usually ice water or milk, and the mixture is stirred with a fork very lightly. This type of dough benefits from minimal handling. A light touch in mixing and rolling is best. Often this dough must chill before rolling and/or baking.This method is commonly used for pie crusts, biscuits, and other doughs.

4) Beaten egg whites: This method is pretty self-explanatory. Egg whites are beaten until they form soft or stiff peaks, depending on the recipe. Sugar is often gradually beaten into the egg whites to help increase their rise and stability. In order to get the best volume, you should ensure egg whites have absolutely no trace of yolk, and let them come to room temperature (they are much easier to separate when cold). (For more tips on beating egg whites, see my post from). The remaining ingredients (mostly dry) are then sifted and carefully folded into the egg whites, in order to prevent them from deflating which may result in a baked product with poor rise. This method is most commonly used for meringues and some cakes.

Well, these are the four main methods of mixing. In order to achieve baked goods with the best quality, you should always mix according to individual recipe directions.

Still Tasty?

I have discovered the ultimate internet tool to determine if your food is still safe to eat. It is stilltasty.com, "Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide". This handy search engine has all the answers - just type in the food you are wondering about, click the most appropriate option, and read about your storage options and how long the food keeps. It's that simple! This website lists everything from canned spinach to fresh lobster to olive oil to homemade banana chip muffins. For most food options, several different categories are listed. Usually these categories include options such as canned, jarred, bottled, commercially purchased, and homemade. There are also options for whether the product has been opened or not. In addition to this handy search engine, the site also offers guides to food storage, tips on freshness, and answers to frequently asked questions. I find this site very useful, and it has never steered me wrong! So, check it out, it may save you from wasting a lot of food. Just remember the golden rule: When in doubt, throw it out!

Turkey Soup With Oat Dumplings

What could be better to warm you up on a crisp fall day other than a hearty bowl of soup? I got this recipe from a cooking magazine, although it used chicken. Since we had some leftover turkey pieces in the freezer and a few cups of stock I made with that turkey, I decided to make turkey soup. This is basically a traditional soup recipe with onions, carrots, and potatoes. Here, you also get the bread and soup all in one dish with the oat dumplings. The soup gets added flavor and tenderness from initially sauteeing the vegetables in butter, instead of just adding water/stock and boiling them. This also makes for quicker preparation, so the soup doesn't have to be simmering on the stove all day. Only for an hour or two. The soup turned out warm, spicy, and delicious; and the dumplings were tender and fluffy.

Cupcakes

I whipped up a small batch of cupcakes, and was presented with a challenge: How do you make enough buttercream icing to generously frost 21 cupcakes with about 1 cup of icing sugar? The answer: you don't. That's why my last seven cupcakes ended up with a simple topping of melted chocolate chips. Oh well, who doesn't like chocolate? So here are some cupcakes with piped buttercream alone, with sprinkles, and some with chocolate. I love cupcakes, they are so cute, and everyone can have their own individual serving. They are also a lot quicker and easier to decorate than an entire cake. Here is another important reminder: It is important to have some troubleshooting skills in the kitchen, as conflicts can often arise, especially in the art of cake decorating.

Chocolate Butterscotch Ripple Squares

Yummy! This would be the one word I would use to describe these squares. If I could describe them in a sentence, it would go something like this: ooey, gooey, chewy, rich chocolately, butterscotch bundles of goodness. No need to elaborate. I found this recipe in an old baking booklet I picked up at a grocery store way back when.

Chocolate Butterscotch Ripple Squares
1 package (300g) butterscotch chips
1 can (300mL) sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I didn't include them)

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chips, milk, and 2 Tbsp. butter, stirring until smoothly melted. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well. Spread half of the dough in prepared pan, pour butterscotch mixture over. Dot with remaining dough, spread carefully with a knife to cover. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until just set.

St. Martin's Day Cake

Every year on November 11^th, my mother makes a special St. Martin's Day Cake to celebrate the feast of St. Martin, because my father's name is Martin. St. Martin is the patron saint of soldiers and one of the patron saints of France. So we celebrate this day with "Pizza Di San Martino" (St. Martin's Day Cake), although we call this cake raisin bread; since it definitely has the texture of bread, and is made the same way as bread, with yeast and two risings. 

The description for this bread says, "This is a recipe for a coffeecake served in the Abruzzi region of Italy on the feast of St. Martin." My mother found the recipe in the cookbook "Cooking With The Saints" written by local Ernst Schuegraf, who is also a family friend. This is a large book with recipes for every saint you can imagine, along with background information and descriptions about all of the saints. It includes five recipes for Saint Martin: St. Martin's Day Cake, along with St. Martin's Day Croissants, St. Martin's Torte, Crabmeat St. Martin, and St. Martin's Day Duck.

I really enjoy this St. Martin's raisin bread. It makes a delicious breakfast, light lunch, or snack; and is good with butter, cheese, or nothing at all. It has a subtle orange flavor and is chock full of plump raisins. It is delicious fresh from the oven, room temperature, or toasted. It is not particularly difficult or time-consuming to make, in fact, it doesn't even require kneading. The recipe makes two, and we like to freeze one for later, it holds up in the freezer very nicely.  Happy Feast of St. Martin!

The Start Of Christmas Baking

Tomorrow marks Remembrance/Veterans Day, and following that, stores and businesses will be hauling out and displaying their Christmas decorations, if they haven't already! Christmas is by far the holiday that is celebrated and prepared for the earliest. It is still 45 days away! Christmas shopping begins, and so does Christmas baking. Many people bake large batches of a variety of baked goods for their Christmas guests (and themselves, too). It is a very smart idea to start early, so you don't get caught up in the last minute Christmas rush. Freezers are the prime tool for this job. Most cookies, squares, muffins, and cakes hold up well for a month or so in the freezer if properly wrapped, even iced and decorated goodies! Fruitcakes and panettones on the other hand, can be made now, wrapped tightly, and stored in a cool, dry place to "ripen" for improved flavor. Many Christmas candies can also be made now and stored at room temperature, as can jarred goods such as jellies, jams, relishes, and marmalades.  Homemade dry mixes, such as cakes, cookie, muffin, biscuit, and got chocolate mixes, are very much appreciated as gifts. I have even given a dry mix for a mushroom risotto dish, which turned out really well. This way, people who are busy or inexperienced in baking can quickly and easily enjoy homemade goods. Other great gift ideas include themed baskets, such as a hot chocolate theme filled with hot chocolate dry mix, mugs, candy canes, and marshmallows; or an Italian inspired basket, with a risotto mix, dry pasta, an Italian cookbook, jars of pasta sauce, and some Italian-themed oven mitts.  Freshly prepared homemade casseroles, breads and soups also make great gifts for earlier in the Christmas season.
 I plan to start preparing my Christmas gifts and baked goods very soon, and my mother has already made her fruitcakes. Happy Holidays!

PHOTO CREDIT: "blogosphere_gingerbread." http://vitalitychiropractic.blogspot.com/2010/12/4th-annual-christmas-baking-contest.html.Vitality Chiropractic Wellness Center, n.d. Thursday, November 10, 2011

Bread Baking Tips

Making bread can become an easy and enjoyable process with a little practice, patience, and pointers. Common problems that arise during the bread-making process are: insufficient risings, improper timings, and poor finished products. Here are some bread baking tips to ensure your bread turns out scrumptious!

·        Ingredients: Use the proper amount and type of yeast, warm water of 100◦F-110◦F (use a thermometer), sugar to feed the yeast, a little salt for flavor, and sometimes oil for moistness. Water temperature is crucial; too cold and the yeast will not activate, too hot and the yeast will die.

·         Procedure: Most recipes using regular (not quick-rise) yeast require proofing of the yeast first. Allow the yeast to sit for a sufficient amount of time to activate before proceeding with the recipe. All wet ingredients should be added now. Then mix the flour in slowly, a little bit at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. Then knead in enough remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic, using just enough flour so the dough does not stick. Remember, you can always add more flour, but you can never take it away.

·         Risings: Dough should be allowed to rise in a warm, but not too hot, draft-free spot. The ideal location (unless you have an actual proofer) is in the oven with the light on and the door shut tightly. The oven should be set to 200◦F and allowed to rest there for no more than 10 minutes, then shut off before putting the dough inside. The dough should be covered according to the recipe. Often greased plastic wrap, waxed paper, and tea towels are used. A tea towel dampened with hot water will improve rising and keep the dough moist. Do not peek until the minimum amount of rising time is up. The dough had risen sufficiently if it is doubled in bulk.

·         Baking: Bread is generally baked for a fairly long amount of time in a moderate oven. If the top browns too quickly before the inside is fully cooked, it should be covered with foil. Proper shaping of the dough is important for even cooking. To test bread for doneness, toothpicks are not used. Sometimes the sound of the bread when tapped, and the feel of the bread are good indicators. The most accurate method however, is to insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the bread.

There you have it! Some general tips that apply to most types of breads. Happy bread baking!

Fish Cakes

These are what my mother made for supper for me tonight. They may not look like much, but  they taste outstanding! My mom created this recipe herself. I believe the story goes something like this: she didn't know what to cook for supper one night, didn't have a whole lot of ingredients on hand, and came up with this idea. And I am certainly glad that she did! These make an excellent quick and easy meal. These fishcakes can also easily be kept warm or be reheated the next day. They are composed primarily of canned flaked tuna, chopped onion, mashed potatoes, dry breadcrumbs, and seasonings. They can make a nice meal with a variety of different side dishes, or they can be a side dish or even an appetizer themselves. Here are some of Mom's miniature fishcakes.

Bannock

This is Bannock, a type of rustic bread, traditionally cooked in a frying pan on the stove (or over a fire). I came across this recipe in Company's Coming "Breads". It looked easy and tasty, and it was a quick bread to make - it relied on chemical leavening of baking powder in place of old fashioned yeast, so no rising times.

Bannock Modern
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter or hard margarine
1 1/4 cups milk (or water)

Measure first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly.
Add milk. Mix until dough forms a soft ball. Poll or pat int 3/4 to 1 inch thick round on greased baking sheet. Bake in 375◦F oven for about 40 minutes. To cook in greased frying pan, cook about 15 minutes per side. Makes 1 loaf.

I made a few changes to the recipe. I used all whole wheat flour, and added a little ground flax seed as well for added health benefit. I used liquid honey in place of brown sugar, and I used water but added an egg for a bit of extra richness and nutrition. It turned out to be delicious!

Paré, Jean. "Bannock Modern." Recipe. Breads, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1996. 91.

Calzones

Tonight for supper I made calzones, which are also known as pizza pockets and panzerottis. Basically you make pizza dough, divide it into individual servings, top half of it with pizza toppings, fold it over, enclose, and bake. I got the recipe from Betty Crocker's "Low-Fat Low-Cholesterol" cookbook. They were quite good, nice and crisp. I made two batches: one with all white flour and one with half whole wheat flour. They both turned out well. Here is the original recipe.

Whole Wheat Calzones
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (105◦ to 115◦)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 egg white, beaten

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, oil and 1 cup of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover with bowl and let rest 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 375◦F. Spray cookies sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Pat each piece into 8-inch circle on lightly floured surface, turning dough over occasionally to coat with flour. Top half of each circle with toppings. Fold dough over toppings; fold up and pinch securely to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Toppings for calzones can be just about anything, not just traditional pizza toppings. Calzones are known to be made with more vegetable fillings too, such as ratatouille or other vegetable blends. The key to successful calzones is not to over fill them: place the filling only over half of the circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Don't pile toppings on too high either. One of the reasons vegetable and stir-fry mixtures are often used in calzones is because they don't use sauces, which leak out and burn easily if piled on too high.

Crocker, Betty. "Whole Wheat Calzones." Recipe. Low-Fat Low-Cholesterol, New York: MacMillan, 1991. 120.

Disappearing Apple Cake

Yesterday I showed you my Apple Streusel Coffee Cake. It was soo good, and now there is barely any left! 

Today I realized that I did not include the recipe. So I will do that now. It is a bit lengthy, but totally worth it. Tomorrow, I promise I will have something new baked to show you. This is the full-sized recipe, because if it is halved, it disappears way too quickly!

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 3/4 cups milk
STREUSEL
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup cold butter (or hard margarine)
CAKE
3/4 cup butter (or hard margarine), softened
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Measure vinegar into 2 cup liquid measure. Add milk to equal 1 3/4 cups. Let stand for 10 minutes to sour.

STREUSEL Combine first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Makes 1 3/4 cups topping.

CAKE Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir. Combine next 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 4 additions, alternating with milk mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon 1/2 of batter into greased 9x13 inch pan. Spread evenly.

Arrange apple slices close together in single layer over batter. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup topping over apples. Spoon remaining 1/2 batter over top. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining streusel topping. Bake in 350◦F oven for about 55 minutes until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cuts into 15 pieces.
Paré, Jean. "Apple Streusel Coffee Cake." Recipe. Baking Simple To Sensational, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 2004. 104.

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

Soft, moist cake, tender apples, and a sweet and spicy topping: it's Apple Streusel Coffee Cake! This cake is a delight to make and eat. It consists of a layer of white cake, a layer of apples, and a layer of streusel, followed by another layer of cake and another layer of streusel. The cake is very moist, with a tender crumb; the apples soften and melt into the cake; and the topping is light and full of cinnamon. I got this recipe from Company's Coming "Baking Simple To Sensational", and it is fantastic!

This recipe has several steps and layers which makes it a bit more time consuming, but I really enjoyed making it. It was relaxing and fun. Because I like to try as many different recipes as possible, and there are always several baked goods around, I halved this recipe like I do many others. Instead of using a 9x13 inch pan, I used a 9x9 inch pan. My pan was also glass, so I had to put it in at 325◦F instead of 350◦F, but because it was a smaller size, it baked in 5 minutes less. Will definitely be making this again, a fantastic fall comfort food!

Pancakes

Since I haven't posted a recipe on here for awhile, I am going to share with you my master recipe for pancakes. These are simple, unflavoured pancakes, but both chocolate chips and blueberries can successfully be added to the batter. In our house we like to make our pancakes small, about the size of a standard cookie, and we can fit up to six in our frying pan at once. That way we can eat a bunch of pancakes instead of just one that takes up the entire plate. We often eat pancakes for supper with pan-fried ham and scrambled eggs. In our house, I hold the record for trying the most different toppings on these pancakes. I have tried butter, pancake syrup, pure male syrup, peanut butter, molasses, corn syrup, icing sugar, brown sugar, yogurt, Nutella, cinnamon, applesauce, jam, cinnamon sugar, honey, and several combinations of those. They are all quite good.

Pancakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulateed sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 1/2 cups milk

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl.
Beat egg slightly in small bowl. Mix in oil and milk. Add to dry ingredients. Stir. A few small lumps in batter are preferable. Add more or less milk to have thicker or thinner pancakes. Pan is ready when drops of water bounce all over it. Drop batter by spoonful onto lightly greased hot pan 380◦F. When bubbles appear and edges begin to dry, turn to brown other side.

Paré, Jean. "Pancakes." Recipe. Muffins and More, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1988. 133.

Company’s Coming

If you have not yet checked out the series of Company’s Coming cookbooks, I highly insist that you do. They are the most popular cookbooks in Canada. I myself own thirty of them, and my mother owns almost twenty additional titles that I have easy access to. You have probably noticed that I make recipes from them quite often. The Company’s Coming series includes twelve individual cookbook series and one craft book series. The series range from Original Series to Lifestyle Series to Special Occasion Series, with subjects from sandwiches to desserts to Asian cooking, and in total, the series includes over two hundred different titles. The titles have sold over thirty million copies worldwide!
The one amazingly talented author behind each and every one of these cookbooks is the remarkable Jean Paré. She began her own catering business in 1963, before finally publishing her first cookbook 150 Delicious Squares in 1981 due to great encouragement by family and friends. To publish this cookbook, she with the help of her son, created their own publishing company, Company’s Coming Publishing Limited from a spare bedroom in her rural home. She released one book a year for the first few years, but that quickly grew to at least eight books a year, with a huge test-kitchen and publishing facility. Today, Jean is still alive at almost eighty-four years old, and had just retired as of March 2011!
Now, I probably sound like I am being an advocate for this particular series, but I cannot help it, I simply love this series! I have tried countless recipes from many of the different cookbooks in this series, and I have been satisfied with every single one of them. Many of them are absolutely outstanding! I have never once made a recipe from this series that failed, it truly I a highly trusted and reputable series. Jean Paré stays true to her Golden Rule of Cooking, “Never share a recipe you wouldn’t use yourself.”

PHOTO CREDIT: "Image 2297." http://raisinganarmy.wordpress.com/. Raising An Army, n.d. Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Spooky Shepherd's Pie

For supper last night I had to make something appropriate to the occasion. So I whipped up this Spooky Shepherd's Pie with mashed potatoes in the form of ghosts. I got the idea online, but I didn't follow their recipe, I made pretty much our usual Shepherd's Pie. I didn't go through the extra step of baking the pie in the oven either, it works just as well simply in a skillet on the stovetop. I cooked up my meat and vegetables and mixed them all  with cream of mushroom soup. Then I mashed and seasoned some potatoes, and piped them on top to resemble ghosts. The original recipe had called for the use of instant mashed potato flakes (but if you remember my thirteenth post, then you know I certainly wasn't going to use them). I am wondering if boxed potatoes are easier to pipe then real potatoes? I just used a simple zip-top bag with a large hole cut out of one corner, but I did have a bit of trouble piping them. They just don't have the same consistency of buttercream icing (not to mention being piping hot). Oh well, they turned out looking okay. I gave them peas for eyes, and piped the rest of the potatoes around the edge of the pan. A delicious and frightful meal!