I made a cake!

I made a strawberry cake for a baby shower and thought it was pretty!  It was also fun to make. 

I used this Homemade Strawberry Cake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Reducing down strawberry puree.

Ready to bake!

Frosted with freeze dried strawberries made into powder.

Ta-da!

Pie Blog Post

I've actually been very unenthusiastic about making pies lately.  That is, until last weekend when I  got out a new to me cookbook that I got from my favorite mother-in-law a while back.  It has all sorts of new recipes in it! 

The first try was a Fluffy Chocolate Pie.  It was supposed to be cloud-like, and like a chocolate chiffon pie.  Well, it ended up being a pie-flop!  It was definitely cloud-like, but we decided we didn't like cloud texture!  So, we froze it.  It was slightly better, but still pretty bad.  So, down the disposal it went.  I mean, why eat something you don't like?!  It did look really pretty though.

 

Looks pretty, right?  Blahhhhhhhhh.....!!!

I gotta confess that I ate the drizzled chocolate off the top before it went down the sink. hahahahaha!

So, second try at a pie out of this new cookbook...Apple Pie in Cheddar Crust!

This pie was good-Jeff said he could taste the cheddar, but I didn't taste it that much.  I've never had cheddar with apple pie, so I didn't know what to expect, but it was good. 

So, that's it!  Stay tuned for more pie blog posts to come as I make my way through this cool pie cookbook!

Baking Bloopers

Today we are deviating from our regular pictures of cute kids because well, sometimes you just have to laugh and make fun of your own mistakes.  Yesterday Jeff was too kind and offered to take the kids outside while I cooked supper in peace and quiet.  I took him up on his offer because I was going to try once again to make homemade tortillas.  You know, shave a little bit more off the ol' grocery bill.  I've tried them before, and they've not turned out, but hey, I'm not a quitter, so I decided I would try again and this time they would be perfect!  All the pictures on pinterest show lovely tortillas that are just a breeze to make.  Yeah, you can see where this is going.

An hour and a half later I served supper, pretty much exhausted, okay not really, but it took so long- with the kitchen looking like a flour hurricane went through it.  It smelled like burnt flour and still had raw dough stuck to wax paper that refused to come off.  A disaster!!!  I hold all tortilla makers in high regard now because I am throwing in the towel!  Tortilla making is not for me.  Oh and since some of them turned out a little towards the end, I decided I would have one with butter and honey before bed.  So I heated it up but by the time I put my butter and honey on it, it was like trying to chew hard...something not quite as tough as leather.  :)

The "Peekaboo, I see through you," tortilla.

The "What shape is this?," tortilla.

The "I give up on you," tortilla.

And finally, the "I'm trying to be like Oklahoma", tortilla. 

There you have it!  Baking Bloopers, episode 1!  We will be back to our regularly scheduled blog posting of cute kids soon!

Bread Making with Buddy

Zaneo and I made bread the other day and it was awesome.  I started off looking for a whole wheat dough recipe that could be frozen and baked later, but instead found a recipe that sounded good and I couldn't pass up.  Plus, Zane could help me and we could eat them for dinner!  It made plenty of rolls, so I still have them in the freezer, just already baked.  If you are interested, you can find the recipe here.

He had a great time.  He was scared of the bread hook for some reason and almost came off the cabinet but I carried him and showed him how it went on the mixer and what sound it made and he was fine with it.  Funny boy.

Good thing he had an apron on...flour everywhere!

Learning to knead the dough.

Eating his bread that HE made.  :)  He was proud!

Zucchini Muffins, Please!

For what seems like days on end, Zane has been asking for zucchini muffins for breakfast.  I guess since the last time we had them!  Anyway, on Saturday we were in the grocery store and I bought a zucchini for that purpose and told him we'd make muffins on Monday.  Well, this morning, I didn't really feel like it, but I want to keep my word to him so he can count on me!  So, he got to help this morning and had a grand time and had an even grander time eating them!

He got to stir and dump ingredients!

And he did a great job putting the muffin cups in the muffin tin!

Happy at breakfast!

He lined up all his bites and called it his "parking lot."  And down they went!  He ate 2 muffins!

Here is a short video:


And if you are interested in the recipe, you can find it here!  It is delicious and I leave off the sugar/cinnamon topping.

Mmmm

Anybody want to come visit us this weekend?

Sticky Rolls!

I used my awesome bread machine to make these beauties when it was really cold out.  I thought that they would smell good cooking.  I have them in the freezer now and it only takes a sec to take one out and heat it up.  Mmmmm!  Zane approves too!

Zane has been having fun with some plastic eggs I got out, his bucket, and a Cheerio box.  I had some others, but unfortunately lost them while I was transferring them to my computer. 

I also tried my baked oatmeal recipe for Zane today.  I tried to make oatmeal for him and it was absolutely gross, so this is hopefully going to take the place of that. 

Baked Oatmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c raisins
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

Mix in a bowl and bake in a mini muffin pan for 15 minutes.  Makes 24.

This recipe is modified from a recipe I found online.  I would give credit, but I can't find it anymore.  I forgot to substitute applesauce for the vegetable oil, but hopefully I'll remember to do that next time.  Zane likes them a lot!

Christmas Cookies

I really really like baking during the holiday season!  It's so fun and it's usually stuff that you only make once a year!  I got in the mood yesterday and tried a new recipe.  Actually, I got the idea from one site for Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, but didn't have the refrigerated dough that they required, so I looked up some that I could make from scratch.  I found this recipe, and used the frosting from the chocolate peppermint cookies.

Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Chocolate Frosting

I made the chewy double chocolate peppermint cookies in mini form, put a marshmellow on top, baked it an additional minute, cooled them and then frosted them.  Then, a certain 1 year old, added the sprinkles on top with my help!  It resulted with chocolate frosting on my pants and on him, and then he wanted to eat one sooo bad, so after we were done, I gave him one of the frosted ones.  After that, he got a bath!

Minis!

I recently bought myself a birthday present that I've wished I had for a long time!  A mini-muffin pan!  I love it!!!  I've made mini spinach quiche, whole wheat blueberry donuts, and mini corn muffins!  I can't wait to use it again!

Ooey Gooey Mess

I tried to make Jeff a Boston Creme Pie for his welcome home dessert.  We may be eating it with a spoon!

Happy Fall!

MeMaw's Pecan Pie

Come and see us this fall and I'll make you one of these!  :-)

Whole Orange Cake

I made this cake yesterday and wanted to share the recipe.  It is interesting because it uses two whole oranges-peel, flesh, just about everything.  I wanted to make it just to see how it would taste and if it would be good.  It is and Jeff likes it, so yay!

Whole Orange Cake*
Serves 12-big pieces

Cooking-oil spray
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 oranges (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, then cut into chunks.  Take out seeds if there are any.
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat a bundt pan with cooking-oil spray.  In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs.

Whirl orange chunks in a food processor until mostly smooth but not pureed.  Add 1 1/2 cups orange mixture to batter and beat until blended.  Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to bowl and beat until smooth.  Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs-about 55 minutes.  Cool pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert cake onto rack and let cool completely.
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl.  Drizzle over cooled cake.  Let glaze set, then slice cake.

Whole Orange Cake

*"Whole Orange Cake." Sunset Mar. 2013: n. pag. Print.

And because every post should have a picture of this little guy:

 

I wanna go fishing Daddy!  :-D

Cinnamon Rolls

I woke up this morning with cinnamon rolls on my mind and I was determined to do something about it!  I found this recipe for Multi-Grain Cinnamon Rolls.  They have whole wheat flour, regular flour, and quick oats (shhhh, don't tell Jeff!).  They are pretty easy as far as cinnamon rolls go and they taste great!  The dough only has 1/4 cup brown sugar in it, but don't worry, there is plenty of regular gooey goodness rolled up in the dough.  I added a little vanilla to the glaze too.

Cinnamon Rolls

 I hope some of you can enjoy this recipe!

Teeny Tiny COOKIES!!!

I've seen this recipe before, but today I decided to try it!  It makes 48 mini cookies, each 1 pointplus each!  And they are delicious!!!  They were really fun to make.  If you want, you can find the recipe, here.

Itty bitty dollops of cookie dough!

Tasty bites!

 Another thing I've been working on is altering a dress I bought.  I found a dress that didn't have sleeves and the top needed work, so I decided I would try to fix it with the pocket material!  It didn't work at first.  I put the sleeves in, but it didn't fit right.  So, it went in the closet for about a week until I decided to try again.  Here are the results.  Sorry about the bad pictures!

Saw this dress in the store today and took a picture for the before.

After

 I hope I can try this again sometime soon!

Little Kitchen Companion

This afternoon I had a little kitchen companion with me while I baked!  He got to read books, sing with me, and play with his cool toys.  He also got to play with his measuring cup.  That was one of the few things that didn't make it to the floor.  But, given enough time, it would have eventually.

The abandoned play area near the kitchen.

Oh yeah, the new spot is where all the action is!

Coconut Macaroon Pie

Unbaked 9" pie shell
1/4 c chopped pecans
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c water
1 1/2 c sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1 1/3 c sweetened, flaked coconut
1/2 c butter or margarine, melted

Sprinkle pecans over bottom of pie shell.  Combine remaining ingredients; pour into pie shell.
Bake in slow oven, 325 degrees, until golden brown and almost set.  Mine takes 65 minutes.

Coconut Macaroon Pie-supervised by Zane

German Apple Pancake

On Sunday evenings after church services, our family tradition at home is to have breakfast food.  A long time ago, Jeff cut out a recipe from the newspaper for a German apple pancake.  I never tried it because you have to have a cast iron pan or something similar that will go into the oven.  For Christmas, Jeff gave me a dutch oven, so I decided to use it and try making the recipe.  I used one online though that you can find here because it had really great ratings.

It was so much fun to make.  I was a little intimidated with the dutch oven because I was afraid I was going to mess it up and that the food was going to stick really badly, but I decided to go for it.  It was awesome!  Jeff helped me get it out of the oven because it's really heavy and it tasted really good-really really sweet-like eating candy!
*Amanda-have you ever eaten or heard of an apple pancake over there?

It was easy to clean up too.  I just had to use hot water and scape the food all off.  No soap because it takes the seasoning off the pan.  Interesting I thought.

First use of our dutch oven!  German Apple Pancake!

It puffed up pretty high!

I'm excited to try more recipes using this new tool!  There seem to be lots online!  :-)
Hope everyone has a great week!
Love to you all!
Amy