Super Simple Artisan Bread!

Don't try this unless you want to be considered your hood's "baker". Friends could smell the bread seeping out into the street this afternoon! So obviously I totally had to share it. I love making other bellies happy!

If all things "homemade" bread scares you - then try this one! Say whaaat? Yeah, it's pretty much ditz proof. And get this! If want to eat it piping hot outta the oven - make the dough ahead of time and it'll stay good in your fridge for up to 2 weeks! Just bake a loaf when you need it. Talk about holy house of goodness. Uh, sign me up. Throw on a big pot of stoup (stew slash soup) to go with it! Mmm.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/2 T Kosher salt
1 T sugar
3 cups warm water
6 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
In a large bowl combine yeast, salt, sugar, and water. Whisk until frothy and all yeast is dissolved. With a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour until all completely incorporated - you'll have a thick dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise for 2 hours at room temp.

Remove the towel, and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. With a sharp knife, divide the dough into 4 equal parts or 2 if you want large loaves. One large loaf will serve 6, one small loaf will serve 3. Sprinkle flour on your hands as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Form each portion into an oval ball and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (seam side down). Allow loaves to sit for 40 minutes uncovered at room temp (longer if making the large loaves).

Preheat oven to 450. Fill a 8X12 baking pan with warm water and place inside oven on bottom rack (while oven is preheating). The water in the pan will create steam during baking (giving the bread a crusty exterior. Once preheated, sprinkle the loaves lightly with flour and make several cuts (criss-cross or slats) with a serrated knife. Place the cookie sheet into the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown on top! Serve warm with your favorite soup, pasta, or warm meal.

Life's A Peach! {pie}

SEriously so simple to make and everyone will be wanting more. Actually making two would be wise. Husby and his chum ate half the pie themselves. Oinkers! This is a must to pay respects to summer. The peaches are now on their way out and apples n' punkins are makin' a big rush in. So have one last hoorah and love every bit of bliss. You'll be thinkin' your life's pretty peachy afterwards.

Pssst! Yes, don't tell my grams... this is her secret "cold pie" recipe that everyone has begged to snatch over the years - around the block, she's totally known for her pies.

Ingredients
~6 ripe peaches (blanched, peeled, and sliced)
1 pie crust (store bought or homemade) I was in a hurry and bought mine.
1 T + 1 t. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup 100% apple juice
3 T peach jello

Directions
Bake pie shell according to directions and let completely cool while you make the filling. Blanch all peaches by rotating them in boiling water for 30-90 seconds. Remove them and cover them in an ice-bath. Peel the skin off using the edge of a knife. Slice peaches and set aside in a bowl. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch and whisk (without any heat). Add cold apple juice and combine until all clumps have disappeared. Turn the stove onto medium high heat. Bring the liquid to a full boil stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil turn off the stove and remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the jello. Let the filling cool for ~30 minutes. Add the peaches to the saucepan and gently stir with a spatula until filling and fruit are well incorporated. Pour the filling into the pie shell and refridgerate for 3 hours or more. Before serving prepare homemade whipped cream as a garnish.


A'hem: might I add one last tip? This recipe can be changed according to any cold fruit of choice (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries) by merely changing the flavor of jello. All the rest of the ingredients stay the same! ;)

Brandi's Best Chocolate Bundt Cake

Last Sunday I was CRRRAVING a chocolate cake. I wanted a really fast and simple recipe that would do the trick and quick. One of my friendlies happened to be on Facebook at the same time my craving hit. She also happens to share in my LOVE for all things delish and likewise LOVES to cook. It's a good "go to" when you don't feel like baking from scratch and/or use up a boxed cake mix. She gave me the recipe but then decided to be a SAINT and actually bake it for me right then and there! Needless to say, after eating half the cake myself I brought some home to husby who has wanted me to make it ever since. Its super moist and oozing with chocolate! Make sure to have a pitcher of milk close by! You're the best B! :)

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream (can use fat free)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup water
4 eggs (or 1 egg and 3 egg whites)
1 pkg Duncan Heinz Devils Food Chocolate cake mix
1- 3 oz package instant chocolate pudding
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients until combined with an electric mixer on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 40-45 min, or until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wired rack to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3 T. milk
2 T. cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar (or more to consistency)

Combine first 3 in saucepan. heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and pour in powdered sugar. pour over top of cake.

Blueberry Citrus Cake

Oh dear, it's kill me already good - if you're a tart n' sweet kinda treat person. And to top it off, I added a tangy citrus cream cheese frosting!We had it after a meal of fish. It was a great compliment.

Ingredients:
1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix (umber! i know...i took the shortcut for this one)
1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs (at room temp)
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Tangy Citrus Frosting:
2 tablespoons orange peel
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon peel
3 oz room temp cream cheese
1/4 cup room temp butter
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flout 2 8.5 or 9.5 round cake pans and set aside. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, orange juice, water and oil. Add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer just until combined. Gently fold in fresh blueberries, orange peel, and lemon peel. Pour into prepared pans. Bake according to box instructions and pan size or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool on cooling racks in the pan for 10 min. Remove from pans carefully and continue to cool until room temp. Fill and frost the cake and place in the refridgerator until ready to serve. Garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh blueberries.

Frosting Directions:
Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice and beat until combined with an electric mixer. In a seperately chilled bowl (place a small metal bowl in freezer 10 min prior) beat the whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture. Add the lemon and orange peel and beat on low speed until combined.

Orange Angel Cake

This one is a quick and easy dessert that curbs your sweet tooth without the guilt. It's delightfully light.

Ingredients
1 package angel food cake mix
1 package sugar free orange jello
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
whipped cream (make it from scratch)
1 orange for plating
1/2 pint raspberries for plating

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix according to the directions. Pour batter in an ungreased pan (see pan options on box). Spread batter evenly. Back for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown and cracks feel dry and not sticky. The cake should be firm to the touch - so don't underbake. Carefully turn the pan upside down onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely. Once cooled poke holes with a metal skewer about 1/2 inch apart. Make jello using the boiling water, mix until completely dissolved. Add the cold water and stir. Pour the jello over the cake. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Frost the cake with fresh whipped cream. Garnish with orange wedge and fresh raspberries.

(optional) try adding freshly graded orange zest to the angel food cake batter for an added kick!

Punkin Muffies!!!

These AMAZING muffins have become a fall family tradition. It all started in college with a health nut roomie who tried to get loverbuns and I to fall in love while baking. Awww, it worked. To this day, we're still making muffins every fall. And get this! They're FAT FREE, no oil, nada - just apple sauce! This'll make a batch of 48 that can then be frozen for later use!

Ingredients
5 ¼ cups organic flour
1 T + ½ t. baking soda
2 T + 1 t. baking powder
1 T + ½ t. salt
2 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 T + ½ t. nutmeg
1 T + ½ t. cinnamon
7 eggs
3 ½ cups pumpkin puree (~2 cans)
3 ½ cups shredded carrots
1 ¾ cups apple sauce
12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
3-4 cups chopped walnuts

Directions
Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Sift together all dry ingredients in another large bowl. Add and mix ¼ of dry mixture at a time to the wet ingredients until all of it is combined. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts last. Fill paper muffin liners almost to the very top. Bake in a (preheated) 350 oven for ~18 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remaining muffins can be sealed in a ziplock and frozen for up to 3 months.

Heavenly Berry Muffins!!

I think must've died and gone to berry paradise. Seriously, if you're a fan of berries and/or muffins - these are hands down the best I've EVER made! Not to "root-eh-toot-toot" my lil' horn... but these are too delish to pass up.

Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 half-pint fresh blueberries (do not wash... i know sick... but choose organic)
1 half-pint fresh raspberries sliced in half (substitute 2 half-pints if you want to leave out the raspberries)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans. Spray the top of the pan with "non stick" cooking spray as the muffins will overflow (don't worry, they're supposed to).

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries and raspberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

Mom's Better than Bread - Breadstix

These breadsticks will beat a slice of plain jane bread, hands down! It's a great sidekick to many-a-meal! It'll be one you go back to time and time again to save your sorry keester! Plus, you take ALL the credit since they're made from SCRrratChhh! Booya! Take that, wannabe bad-A bread!

DIRECTIONS

Dissolve and let stand about 5 minutes: 1Tbsp yeast –2 Tbsp. sugar—1-1/2 cups warm water.

Mix together and add to yeast mixture: 3 cups flour-1 tsp. salt. Knead about 3 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll out into rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Melt one stick butter on cookie sheet. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into strips about 1-1/4 inches wide. Cut strips in half. Roll in melted butter and position on cookie sheet. It’s ok if the strips are irregular. When they raise they become connected. Sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Let raise for 10 to 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 or until lightly browned.

Turtle Cake!!!

This Caque {father of the bride, anyone?} is oh so delish! It's just as good as old fashioned Turtle chocolates but in cake form! Ooo, ooo! Yes, puhlease!!

Ingredients

Cake:
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 bag (14 oz) caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 bag (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
Ice cream or Whipped cream,
Caramel and chocolate topping
Chopped pecans - garnish

Chocolate Gnash:
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half n' half
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions

Cake:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour half of the batter into pan. Bake 22 minutes (25 minutes for dark or nonstick pan). Refrigerate remaining batter.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat caramels and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted. Stir in pecans. Pour caramel mixture over warm cake in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread with remaining batter. Bake 25 minutes (29 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool at least 30 minutes.

Gnash: over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter into the half and half, until smooth. Add more or less half and half depending on desired consistency.

Serve with ice cream, drizzle with Gnash, caramel topping and sprinkle with pecans. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

July 4 Daily D: Cute Cupcakes!

Ingredients
Makes 34

For the Cupcakes:
3 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
8 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 pints (3 cups) blueberries
34 raspberries (1/2 pint; about 1 1/3 cups)

For the Frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

For the Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in middle and lower positions. Line 3 muffin tins with 34 liners. Whisk together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt.
Beat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and the vanilla until pale and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk.
Beat whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the whites into batter, then carefully fold in remaining whites. Gently toss blueberries with remaining 1/4 cup flour to coat. Gently fold floured blueberries into batter. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners.
Bake until cupcakes spring back when touched, 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tins, and let cool completely on wire racks.

For the Frosting: Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Frost cupcakes and garnish each with a raspberry.

Helpful Hint
Use a light-colored metal muffin tin for this recipe. Dark and nonstick tins retain too much heat and will cause the cupcakes to burn around the edges before cooking completely in the middle.


[pic and cupcake recipe from marthastewart]

Coconut Cake Couture

Ingredients

For the Cake:
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, and optional lemon zest and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; this is normal.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip).

[Make sure cake is completely cooled! Otherwise, icing will melt and cake won't set]

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting [~ 1/4 in. thick on top - it tends to soak into the cake once the other layer is on - so be generous]. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Carat Cake Couture

Ingredients

For the cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots, grated
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

For the frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

For the decoration:
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

For the Cake:
Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well. Add in raisin & walnuts. Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack. Make sure they are completely cooled otherwise the cakes will melt the icing.

For the Frosting:
Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.
Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate sides with chopped walnuts, and with diced pineapple on top (one wedged slice per slice).

Shorty Cake Couture

CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS CAKE that I've made fairly recently! But this time it'll be kicked up a notch with freshly picked strawberry's from the farm patch! Could be a crowd pleaser?!?!?

Melt-In-Your-Mouth [fruit] Muffins

I know, I usually stick to a theme for all of my recipes [it gives food purpose with a place amongst other food yummies] but today I decided to be random & share one recipe while you all wait for the unveiling of our next theme: Cinco De Mayo Fiesta!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 t. salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 t. vanilla
1 cup chopped [insert fruit of choice] fresh or frozen
optional: add chopped nuts for additional protein & cinnamon for a metabolism boost! Or try adding 1 T fresh lemon or orange zest to give a punch!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, & baking soda. In another bowl, mix eggs, yogurt, butter, & vanilla. Toss fruit into the flour mixture. Then pour yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and stir. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins or muffin liners. Bake for 20-25 min, or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Health Fact:
By using plain yogurt instead of oil you will save 150 calories and 18g of fat per muffin! Holy-moly yoggie is awesome! Plus, you'll get 4g of protein and 2g of fiber per muffin. Oh, and as a lil' tip...yogurt is also great substitute for sour cream!

Did you make these muffins? What fruit did you use? Was it a flop or an absolute fav? Share with us!

Ooey-Gooey Sticky Buns

Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white or original raisins

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour rolling surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful - they're hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Optional: You can leave them as classic sticky buns, or dress them up by adding a cinnamon roll flare with icing. I used the leftover icing from the Carat Cake and Coconut Cake recipes. Alter by reducing recipe to 1/4. Microwave for 1 min. or until warm and runny. Then drizzle on top! Voila!