tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55523687155415323882024-02-20T12:52:20.750-08:00Sweet and Savoryall things food, all things yumAnnaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-64915230629860942952012-10-11T01:39:00.001-07:002012-10-11T01:39:37.477-07:00Birthday BouquetAfter seeing <a href="http://www.52kitchenadventures.com/2012/04/29/how-to-make-a-cupcake-bouquet/">this </a>idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to make one for someone's birthday. For Mel's birthday cupcake bouquet I made the <a href="http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/09/ultimate-vanilla-cupcake-test-baked-by.html">Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes</a> with <a href="http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2008/03/vanilla-bean-buttercream-frosting.html">Vanilla Buttercream Frosting</a> (I subbed vanilla extract for the vanilla paste). I bought a plain terra cotta pot and painted it purple to match the cupcakes. I followed the tutorial pretty closely, and ended up with 9 cupcakes on the bouquet. It took a lot of green tissue paper (and a lot of help from Ryan) to make all the leaves, but I think it was worth it!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kJs6S7LFfPA/UHaFQgrVGmI/AAAAAAAAAWM/NyNJRBFvKmo/s1600/bouquet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kJs6S7LFfPA/UHaFQgrVGmI/AAAAAAAAAWM/NyNJRBFvKmo/s320/bouquet.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<br />Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-36162347068424276982012-06-15T16:25:00.000-07:002012-06-15T16:25:07.084-07:00Daring Bakers: Challah<span style="font-family: inherit;">May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge was pretty twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make challah! Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided breads.<br /><br />I actually made this bread almost on time, but never got around to posting it. I think yeast hates me because my breads never seem to rise correctly. I blame this on my cold kitchen, so I am going to try again now that it is warmer.<br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZA5blQDVds/T9vDqjL2mBI/AAAAAAAAAVo/UcTevPMF8ds/s1600/challah+interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZA5blQDVds/T9vDqjL2mBI/AAAAAAAAAVo/UcTevPMF8ds/s320/challah+interior.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of my Challah loaf</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUYeE4-GDKA/T9vDtIb9djI/AAAAAAAAAVw/EClW_MP_L1U/s1600/challah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUYeE4-GDKA/T9vDtIb9djI/AAAAAAAAAVw/EClW_MP_L1U/s320/challah.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The braid disappeared during the second rise</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #442200; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-14917128653129094112012-04-10T15:24:00.000-07:002012-04-10T15:24:25.778-07:00Food Photo RoundupA few pictures of random things I've cooked in the couple months.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NJJ04ohIvIw/T4SySVbD9xI/AAAAAAAAAVM/LfmGn0iy5kc/s1600/Butternut+squash+mac+and+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NJJ04ohIvIw/T4SySVbD9xI/AAAAAAAAAVM/LfmGn0iy5kc/s200/Butternut+squash+mac+and+cheese.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese with<br />Roasted Broccoli</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCabFvVz7yM/T4SyWBMOAiI/AAAAAAAAAVU/x5DavMfIbLM/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCabFvVz7yM/T4SyWBMOAiI/AAAAAAAAAVU/x5DavMfIbLM/s200/salmon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dill and Lemon Salmon with Kale Chips<br />and Roasted Butternut Squash</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL16oE9P4yM/T4SyYCl-KEI/AAAAAAAAAVc/yeqfXcHMxe4/s1600/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL16oE9P4yM/T4SyYCl-KEI/AAAAAAAAAVc/yeqfXcHMxe4/s200/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Pot Pie</td></tr>
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</div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-29211095025194571342012-03-27T20:22:00.001-07:002012-03-27T20:22:52.412-07:00Daring Bakers: Dutch Crunch Bread<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread.<br /><br />Living in the Bay Area, I've grown to love Dutch Crunch bread and I order it my sandwiches on it regularly. A good Dutch Crunch roll is the best bread for a sandwich. It was interesting to learn that many people haven't heard of Dutch Crunch except for around San Francisco and some places in Europe where it is often referred to as "giraffe bread" or "tiger bread."<br /><br />Seeing this month's challenge was exciting, but also scary because yeast and I don't get along. My sourdough bread challenge was a failure, which didn't even make it to my blog. So while I was excited to make Dutch Crunch I was worried it wouldn't turn out. Fortunately, my rolls came out decently and were good enough to make pastrami sandwiches. I would have liked the topping to be more cracked, but this is a huge improvement over my last bread endeavor.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wt2p2DDhPHQ/T3KDWfbuswI/AAAAAAAAAU8/kTBTtLVv8qk/s1600/Dutch+Crunch+Rolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wt2p2DDhPHQ/T3KDWfbuswI/AAAAAAAAAU8/kTBTtLVv8qk/s320/Dutch+Crunch+Rolls.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dutch Crunch Rolls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6wsVuP7oI8/T3KDYvnp_3I/AAAAAAAAAVE/935sjXnecmE/s1600/Sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6wsVuP7oI8/T3KDYvnp_3I/AAAAAAAAAVE/935sjXnecmE/s320/Sandwich.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastrami Sandwich</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-87658921357988406222012-02-27T00:30:00.000-08:002012-02-27T00:30:00.828-08:00Daring Bakers': Quick BreadThe Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.<br /><br />I made banana bread for my quick bread. I used a recipe from<a href="http://cookingforseven.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/banana-nut-bread/"> Cooking For Seven</a>, but omitted the nuts. <br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JizOEvsSmUA/T0sDq1cTA_I/AAAAAAAAAUs/ikcqcL0d6wU/s1600/Banana+Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JizOEvsSmUA/T0sDq1cTA_I/AAAAAAAAAUs/ikcqcL0d6wU/s200/Banana+Bread.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Whole Wheat Banana Bread</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-356087186020436382012-01-28T14:49:00.001-08:002012-01-28T14:50:33.544-08:00Daring Bakers: Scones aka Biscuits<br />
Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host.. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!<br />
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I shouldn't have waited so long to do the challenge. My first batch I accidentally used baking soda (oops!) instead of powder so while those came out pretty they tasted really, really gross.<br />
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My second batch did not come out as puffed or as pretty as I would have liked. But I'm already late on the challenge so I'll have to try some other time. Here are my ugly biscuits in a horrible picture...totally not in focus =(<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EazvHMaSrFc/TyR7igtqQtI/AAAAAAAAAUg/nLyzjOTSrlY/s1600/biscuits+DB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EazvHMaSrFc/TyR7igtqQtI/AAAAAAAAAUg/nLyzjOTSrlY/s200/biscuits+DB.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biscuits Made with Half and Half</td></tr>
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<br />Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-73287420412090032732012-01-26T18:09:00.000-08:002012-01-26T20:41:20.298-08:00Coconut Macaroons<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8TalMwcbZmE/TyIG9H6lnaI/AAAAAAAAAUI/VIcaTs0fqLk/s1600/Macaroons+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8TalMwcbZmE/TyIG9H6lnaI/AAAAAAAAAUI/VIcaTs0fqLk/s200/Macaroons+edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut Macaroons</td></tr>
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Last October Birthday! I made these for Sarah's birthday and I was happy to hear that both her and Wilmar really liked them!Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-71189922439564013192012-01-26T18:05:00.000-08:002012-01-26T18:09:23.899-08:00Madeleines for Madeline<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pMmtu99dak/TyIFaIxWS0I/AAAAAAAAAUA/bWknEkoNnQo/s1600/Madeleines+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pMmtu99dak/TyIFaIxWS0I/AAAAAAAAAUA/bWknEkoNnQo/s200/Madeleines+edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange Scented Madeleines Dipped in Chocolate</td></tr>
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These cookies (also referred to as cakes because of their consistency) were for Madi's birthday in October, as well. I think I used the recipe from <a href="http://joyofbaking.com/madeleines.html">Joy Of Baking</a> but I'm not positive. I added orange zest because I really like the combination of chocolate and orange (like the chocolate oranges you break open!).Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-2408434043335447052012-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:002012-01-26T18:09:33.044-08:00White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFOMmEZPVY0/TyIEicovZPI/AAAAAAAAAT4/cLJEC5bmg3M/s1600/white+chocoate+macademia+nut+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lFOMmEZPVY0/TyIEicovZPI/AAAAAAAAAT4/cLJEC5bmg3M/s200/white+chocoate+macademia+nut+edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies</td></tr>
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I'm super behind on posts. These cookies are from Melissa's birthday in October. It was so long ago, I can't remember what recipe I used. Oops!Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-36344067257579477832011-11-27T10:30:00.001-08:002012-01-26T18:11:01.551-08:00Daring Bakers: Sans Rival<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Catherine of <a href="http://www.munchiemusings.net/">Munchie Musings</a> was our November Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make a traditional Filipino dessert – the delicious Sans Rival cake! And for those of us who wanted to try an additional Filipino dessert, Catherine also gave us a bonus recipe for Bibingka which comes from her friend Jun of <a href="http://blog.junbelen.com/">Jun-blog</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I chose to make my Sans Rival cake with almonds instead of cashews because I had almonds on hand and also I don't like cashews as much. I used almond meal for the ground nuts in the batter, which made it simpler to make. To flavor the buttercream with almond flavor I used Disaronno instead of almond extract because I didn't have any. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I thought this recipe was fun to make, but I wasn't sure I was going to like the cake. After it sat for a night in the fridge the layers softened and it was a lot easier to cut than I expected. Even though the cake was really sweet from all the frosting it had an interesting texture and good flavor. If I ever made it again I would try to make the buttercream less sweet and perhaps make the dacquoise layers thicker.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almond Sans Rival Cake with Disaronno Buttercream</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-82706974262664299272011-10-27T22:24:00.000-07:002012-01-26T18:11:21.188-08:00Daring Baker's Challenge: PoviticaThe Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!<br />
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I'm disappointed that my Povitica did not come out as beautiful as I would of liked =( The loaf pan I used for the traditional walnut filling was too big and therefore the design wasn't right plus you can't see the contrast between the dough and the filling. At least it tastes good.<br />
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I made a half batch, which yielded 2 loafs. One I filled with the traditional walnut filling and the second I filled with a frangipane-esque type filling. It was based on regular frangipane paste plus I added some cocoa (in hopes to get the contrast) and some milk to thin it out. The second loaf I baked in a smaller pan and thankfully it came out a lot better!<br />
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I've enjoyed the Daring Baker's challenges I've done so far. It has been fun learning about new recipes, especially ones like Povitica, which I would never have known existed. Maybe I'll try making Povitica again because some of the other Daring Baker's had such great results.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcPWJi3Omq8/Tqo8MSBJ1jI/AAAAAAAAASw/Qu_bnE5c0cc/s1600/Povitica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TcPWJi3Omq8/Tqo8MSBJ1jI/AAAAAAAAASw/Qu_bnE5c0cc/s200/Povitica.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Povitica with Chocolate "Frangipane" Filling</td></tr>
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<br />Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-57536026582557291972011-10-07T23:21:00.000-07:002012-01-26T18:10:35.567-08:00Weekend Cooking Part 2: Clam ChowderLast weekend, I also made clam chowder. I was hoping to put it in bread bowls, but the Safeway near me doesn't have a bakery and is therefore very lacking in the fresh bread department. Instead, I served it with a sourdough baguette and it was almost as delicious.<br />
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My clam chowder was loosely based on <a href="http://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/new-england-clam-chowder-recipe.html#axzz1aAU4vHa1">this </a>recipe, but I used 3 cans of minced clams plus a small bottle of clam juice. Instead of milk and cream I mixed in half & half for the creaminess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SJ0yFKEaOc/To_q5mzwhvI/AAAAAAAAASg/NFKyNi24xpI/s1600/clam+chowder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SJ0yFKEaOc/To_q5mzwhvI/AAAAAAAAASg/NFKyNi24xpI/s200/clam+chowder.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy Bowl of Clam Chowder!</td></tr>
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<br />Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-16738268129897337112011-10-04T16:10:00.000-07:002012-01-26T18:10:41.458-08:00Weekend Cooking Part 1: Tacos<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the weekend, I made steak tacos and clam chowder for Ryan and myself. Both recipes came out well, and I would make them again. </span></div>
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First, the tacos were based on a recipe from Tyler Florence. I used his recipe for mojo as a base and tweaked it a little bit to my preferences and what I had on hand. I wish I had skirt steak instead of flank, but I was happy with the final product. Next time, I will add more chipotles because, while the marinade had good flavor I want it to have a little more of a kick.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JYG_FUazA80/TouQymTV8YI/AAAAAAAAASc/PJWOUvGCC2Y/s1600/Steak+Tacos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JYG_FUazA80/TouQymTV8YI/AAAAAAAAASc/PJWOUvGCC2Y/s200/Steak+Tacos.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ryan's Plate of Tacos with Side of Mexican Rice</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Mojo Steak Tacos</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/tacos-carne-asada-recipe/index.html">Tyler Florence</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Ingredients:</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 - 1 1/2 lb skirt or flank steak</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Marinade:</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5 garlic cloves</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 chipotle in adobo plus some adobo sauce</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 limes, juiced</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 orange, juiced</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbs red wine vinegar</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup grapeseed oil</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>For Tacos:</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Corn or flour tortillas</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Guacamole</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tomatoes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Salsa</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Shredded lettuce</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sour cream</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cheese</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Directions:</i></b></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a food processor and pulse together until it forms a paste.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Place the steak into a resealable bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cook on a grill or cast iron pan to desired doneness.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Serve on tortillas with any toppings you like. I think that guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream make the perfect taco!</span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-52429741910543251492011-09-27T12:57:00.000-07:002011-09-27T22:53:05.895-07:00I Love Croissants!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!<br /><br />My second Daring Bakers challenge...CROISSANTS! It's definitely a challenge to make croissants for the first time. We don't have a lot of counter space I had to clear away the appliances so I had enough room to roll out my croissants.<br /><br />I love croissants, and I was happy mine turned out pretty tasty! Not big and fluffy, like bakery croissants, but they tasted right and were the right texture. I made a few plain croissants, some almond filled, and a couple chocolate. I love, love, love almond croissants so those were my favorites.<br /><br />Here's a picture of how they turned out:</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZuN2YYWFfg/ToIqPNZ_EcI/AAAAAAAAASY/l9OqR3A7-_Y/s1600/Croissants+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZuN2YYWFfg/ToIqPNZ_EcI/AAAAAAAAASY/l9OqR3A7-_Y/s320/Croissants+Blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-44830693083603814342011-09-10T14:57:00.000-07:002011-09-12T22:36:23.453-07:00Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesIn celebration of a friend's birthday, I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Learning that he had a love for the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, I thought this recipe would be perfect. These thin, peanut buttery cookies are splattered with bits of chopped chocolate, creating a new twist on the chocolate chip cookie.<br />
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This recipe in particular seems to be used in various adaptations because I also saw the same recipe on another website swapping nutella for the peanut butter (now a cookie that is high up on the my list to bake). When I was making this recipe I upped the amount of chocolate by quite a bit and ended up using two types of chocolate because that was what I had on hand. I roughly chopped both a 63% cacao bar chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips and mixed them together. <br />
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Even though I don't love peanut butter cookies in general, especially the traditional fork smashed variety, these came out pretty tasty. While some came out a little more done/crispy than I would like, the ones that were crisp and chewy at the same time were yummy. It's important not to bake them too long because they will continue to crisp up while they cool. Also, the recipe says it yields 24 cookies, but I used about a tablespoon per cookie and I ended up with 55 good-sized cookies!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D1qsOrTP4k/Tm7ruodFteI/AAAAAAAAASM/EPrkFSWtHw0/s1600/PB+Chocolate+Chip+Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D1qsOrTP4k/Tm7ruodFteI/AAAAAAAAASM/EPrkFSWtHw0/s320/PB+Chocolate+Chip+Cookies.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp baking soda</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp salt</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup granulated sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup packed brown sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 large eggs</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup creamy peanut butter</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
10 oz chocolate, roughly chopped</div>
<i><b>Directions:</b></i></span><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.</li>
<li>Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and set aside.</li>
<li>In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.</li>
<li>On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.</li>
<li>Remove bowl from mixer, and use a spatula to fold in chocolate. </li>
<li>Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. With your fingers gently press each cookie down so it's flat.</li>
<li>Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time, until cookies are slightly brown. Do not overbake.</li>
<li>Remove pan from oven and cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer individual cookies to a wire rack to cool.</li>
<li>The cookies are best the day of, but can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. They will get slightly crunchier, but perfect for dunking in a glass of milk.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Adapted from <a href="http://www.foodgal.com/2009/05/man-happy-cookies/">Food Gal</a></div>
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Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-58969347938620757582011-08-27T11:57:00.000-07:002011-09-10T14:58:00.707-07:00My First Daring Bakers' ChallengeThe August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!<br />
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This was my first Daring Bakers' challenge and I was excited. I would have rather baked something, but making chocolates was fun, too. For my two candies I did two different types of truffles. Both were dipped truffles, one is a Hazelnut Coffee Truffle (Frangelico liqueur and instant espresso on the inside, and rolled in crushed chocolate covered coffee beans) and the other is an Amaretto Truffle (Amaretto liqueur and rolled in toasted, chopped almonds). </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
The main challenge of the challenge was tempering chocolate. This ended up being difficult for me because I didn't have an appropriate thermometer. I'm sure my tempering technique wasn't perfect, but after dipping the truffles in the tempered chocolate I rolled them in the toppings so any imperfections were hidden =) Here's how they turned out:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EO-JXw_MUlE/TlcjLIv3_LI/AAAAAAAAARo/_9_SG6PtGmU/s1600/Hazelnut+Coffee+Truffles_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EO-JXw_MUlE/TlcjLIv3_LI/AAAAAAAAARo/_9_SG6PtGmU/s320/Hazelnut+Coffee+Truffles_blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J_GEdLFZVUg/TlcjQPYGGJI/AAAAAAAAARs/3VI0VoPmr50/s1600/Amaretto+Truffles_Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J_GEdLFZVUg/TlcjQPYGGJI/AAAAAAAAARs/3VI0VoPmr50/s320/Amaretto+Truffles_Blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I like the Amaretto Truffles the most because I really like the Amaretto and almond flavor. Also, with the Hazelnut Coffee Truffles I used instant espresso, which I think made the chocolate bitter (and I wasn't using a very sweet chocolate to begin with).</div>
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Overall, I liked doing this challenge and I'm looking forward to having something new to try every month.</div>
Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-34341100074490813292011-08-17T22:07:00.000-07:002011-08-18T00:31:16.872-07:00Baked Not FriedTrying to find healthier alternatives to fried food can be a difficult feat. Some things are just meant to be fried. While baked alternatives may not ever be able to emulate the deliciousness of their fried counterparts, I've been trying out some recipes in hopes of finding some suitable substitutes.<br />
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In the past, I've tried baking buffalo wings, fries/sweet potato fries, zucchini, many attempts in vain, but some more successful. The most recent and most successful attempt was buffalo wings. Using Alton Brown's method of steaming the wings before baking produced a tasty result that was *this* close to fried buffalo wings. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9KIopFYYVE/Tks3Pgyu1CI/AAAAAAAAARY/Ti0PVUs4pZk/s1600/baked+buffalo+wings+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9KIopFYYVE/Tks3Pgyu1CI/AAAAAAAAARY/Ti0PVUs4pZk/s320/baked+buffalo+wings+edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
<div>Tonight for dinner, I attempted making a baked version of chicken taquitos. Taquitos are a celebrated fried snack food, making them an ideal target for the "baked not fried" challenge. The results weren’t exactly amazing, but at least they tasted good. The corn tortillas split open while baking, something that happened when I tried baked taquitos before. I think it has to do with the tortillas drying out in the oven because there is no oil (just non-stick spray) to keep them moist.<br />
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For the chicken, I baked off a chicken breast then mixed in the adobo sauce from canned chipotles, leftover yogurt dip (greek yogurt, chipotles, garlic, lime), mozzarella cheese, and spices including cumin, coriander, garlic and smoked paprika. I wrapped them up in corn tortillas that I got from a Mexican grocery store in Oakland. After spraying them with non-stick spray I baked them at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>I added a side of homemade refried pinto beans. To make these I just sauteed half a jalapeno, one shallot and one clove of garlic in a little bit of olive oil in a small pot. I drained half the liquid from a can of pinto beans and then using a fork smashed and mashed them up in a bowl. I added the beans to the pot along with a little salt and pepper plus a bit of cumin. The beans cooked for 10-15 minutes on low until some of the moisture had evaporated. Before serving I added some cheese to the pot and put the lid on so it would melt. Even though I was trying to cook healthier I ended up with a meal lacking in vegetables besides onion and jalapeno so I added some tomato on top of the beans.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's a picture of the result.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6KKiN4_jwg/Tks6MbNlQkI/AAAAAAAAARc/uEEBp1xaBYA/s1600/chicken+taquitos+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6KKiN4_jwg/Tks6MbNlQkI/AAAAAAAAARc/uEEBp1xaBYA/s320/chicken+taquitos+edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Overall, it was a tasty and satisfying alternative to the fried snack, but I want to play around with ways to make the taquitos so they don't split open during baking.</div><div><br />
</div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-77049088456868045542011-07-12T19:01:00.000-07:002011-07-12T20:23:54.120-07:004th of July Oreos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-twlZWqtDwjU/Th0Pr-aanSI/AAAAAAAAAPk/0qOP3w8NmuM/s1600/oreos+edit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-twlZWqtDwjU/Th0Pr-aanSI/AAAAAAAAAPk/0qOP3w8NmuM/s320/oreos+edit+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Homemade Red and Blue Oreos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>For the 4th of July I wanted to make something patriotic and decided on red and blue Oreos (I actually planned on having white ones, too, but after some miscounting I ended up with just blue and red). I don't actually like real Oreos except in Cookies 'n Cream ice cream so I was wary of how these would turn out. Overall, I think I prefer store bought Oreos because my homemade ones didn't come out as crisp as store bought. They were chewy, but not soft...just kind of a weird texture.<br />
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Here's the link to the <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/my-kingdom-for-a-glass-of-milk/">recipe</a> I used. I added food coloring to the filling to make them red and blue.Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-20784361978110205712011-07-12T13:24:00.000-07:002011-07-12T21:06:44.862-07:00Duo Challenge Day Coffee Cake<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_phxcWqfzc/Thymj1V9wzI/AAAAAAAAAPM/q3Nc5F93_eU/s1600/Blueberry+Crumble+Coffee+Cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_phxcWqfzc/Thymj1V9wzI/AAAAAAAAAPM/q3Nc5F93_eU/s320/Blueberry+Crumble+Coffee+Cake.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>This past weekend, I made this coffee cake for a potluck picnic and bbq. I knew I wanted to make something with fruit because it's summer. Originally, I was thinking about grilling pineapple, but finally settled on a blueberry coffee cake because the last coffee cake I made came out so yummy. This blueberry version came out delicious as well...moist and chock full of blueberries. There was almost a 1-1 ratio of blueberries to batter.<br />
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Here is my adaptation of the recipe. I used 1.5 the recipe so I could make a 9x13 cake.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">adapted from <a href="http://community.tasteofhome.com/community_forums/f/30/t/189740.aspx">Cook's Illustrated</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span></b></i><br />
Streusel<br />
3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup packed brown sugar<br />
3 tbs granulated sugar<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
pinch table salt<br />
6 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened<br />
<br />
Cake<br />
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 1/4 tss baking powder<br />
15 tbs unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
3/4 tsp salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br />
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
3 large eggs , room temperature<br />
6 cups fresh blueberries, washed<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Directions:</b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ol><li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Add butter and mix with hands (squeeze pieces of butter so they break apart) until mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter pieces remain. Set aside.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For the cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with 2-inch sides with nonstick cooking spray, line bottom with parchment, and spray again with nonstick cooking spray. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to combine; set aside. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In standing mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter, sugar, salt, and lemon zest at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; using a rubber spatula, scrape down bowl. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">With mixer running at medium speed, add eggs one at a time; beat until combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until flour is combined, but don't over mix. Using a spatula, gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Transfer batter to prepared pan; with rubber spatula spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle streusel over the batter by squeezing handfuls to form a clump and then breaking the clump and distributing evenly.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Cool on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. </span></li>
</ol>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-85780431297086314222011-06-07T23:53:00.000-07:002011-06-07T23:53:43.164-07:00Happy Birthday, Ryan!<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TrGh_yZnSOM/Te8bFCVxTHI/AAAAAAAAALU/fWMRRrHjpW0/s1600/photo%2B%25281%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TrGh_yZnSOM/Te8bFCVxTHI/AAAAAAAAALU/fWMRRrHjpW0/s320/photo%2B%25281%2529.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;">For Ryan's birthday I made him chocolate molten lava cake...ooey, gooey and chocolate-y. I had bought a special pan for making molten cakes, but I didn't use the recipe that came with the pan. This turned out to be a mistake, because the method for the recipe I used just did not work with the pan. I ended up following the recipe and putting the batter into a ramekin, which definitely worked a lot better. Next time, I will use the recipe that goes with the pan and see how that comes out and so the pan doesn't go to waste!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I bought a giant box of Scharfenberger chocolate bars so look forward to many more chocolate recipes...hopefully soon!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. Excuse the grainy picture it's from my iPhone...not that my other pictures are all that great though.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-18262353373377819832011-06-07T23:35:00.000-07:002011-06-07T23:35:19.217-07:00Chocolate-Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PadI_Ilj66A/Te8XUTe3U3I/AAAAAAAAALM/N-wSgjLlqtc/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PadI_Ilj66A/Te8XUTe3U3I/AAAAAAAAALM/N-wSgjLlqtc/s320/IMG_0629.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;">After making a coffee cake awhile ago, I realized how easy it is to put one together. This time I used cocoa powder and cinnamon in the swirl, but I felt like the chocolate flavor didn't come through even though I increased the amount of cocoa. Still, the coffee came out moist and with a delicious crumble on top. This is an easy way to impress someone for breakfast or even dessert with a cup of coffee.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-6288293000535236522011-06-07T23:20:00.000-07:002011-06-07T23:22:01.571-07:00Coconut Macaroons<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BveqpKBFvsQ/Te8TqtbkTxI/AAAAAAAAALE/WmabjnJMofg/s1600/IMG_0324.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BveqpKBFvsQ/Te8TqtbkTxI/AAAAAAAAALE/WmabjnJMofg/s320/IMG_0324.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After making macarons, I decided that I should also try making macaROONS. I had never eaten a macaroon before either, so I wasn't sure what to expect. They came out moist and coconut-y and pretty delicious. Since I made them awhile ago I can't remember where the recipe came from, but from what I can remember recipes either little/no flour or had more of a flour base. These ones were mostly shredded coconut, sugar, egg whites and almond extract.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-30512062600057918762011-04-06T16:32:00.000-07:002011-04-06T16:34:02.055-07:00Need to Bake!It's been forever since I've baked something. I haven't really had any occasion to bake recently, but now I need inspiration. Any suggestions?<br />
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<3Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-47761621026739633462011-01-30T18:38:00.000-08:002011-01-30T18:38:31.472-08:00MY Birthday Jelly Roll Cake<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-p3gHmlzv6o/TUYfEN5vNgI/AAAAAAAAAKs/r1I_BYYZQdo/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-p3gHmlzv6o/TUYfEN5vNgI/AAAAAAAAAKs/r1I_BYYZQdo/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;">Happy Birthday to Me<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">For my birthday Ryan and I made a Strawberry Jelly Roll Cake. It was a light airy sponge cake with a strawberry whipped cream filling. It was really yummy and a nice light cake overall.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The recipe is from <a href="http://joyofbaking.com/SpongeCakeorBiscuit.html">Joy of Baking</a> (again!). We used strawberries instead of raspberries. The strawberries came in a 16 oz package so we just added the puree to the whipped cream until it tasted right. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5552368715541532388.post-66449862557533369882011-01-25T22:27:00.000-08:002011-01-25T22:27:43.637-08:00Brown Sugar Spiced Penguin Cookies<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-p3gHmlzv6o/TSKUdk6ZN_I/AAAAAAAAAKk/Zzow3hqFL6w/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-p3gHmlzv6o/TSKUdk6ZN_I/AAAAAAAAAKk/Zzow3hqFL6w/s320/IMG_0294.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;">Penguin Family<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">I'm really behind on posting recipes. These cookies were from our annual cookie exchange and secret santa get together. When I saw the penguin cookies I had to make them. I didn't want to make gingerbread cookies though so I searched for an alternative recipe. I ended up choosing Brown Sugar Spiced cookies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The directions for the icing and steps to decorate the cookies like penguins can be found <a href="http://www.the-crafty-penguin.com/2010/12/penguin-gingerbread-cookies.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is the recipe I used for the cookies. I increased some of the spices but I think nutmeg and allspice have pretty strong flavors so I didn't increase them quite as much and that is the reason for the weird measurements.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brown Sugar Spiced Cookies</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">adapted from <a href="http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2009/11/brown-sugar-and-spice-cut-out-cookies.html">bake at 350</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> Ingredients:</i></b></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">2 3/4 c all-purpose flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 tsp ground ginger</div><div style="text-align: center;">little less than 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg</div><div style="text-align: center;">little less than 1/4 tsp allspice</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 c granulated sugar </div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 c light brown sugar, packed</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 sticks butter, softened</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp pure vanilla extract</div><div style="text-align: left;">Directions:</div><ol><li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li>Whisk the flour, baking powder and spices, set aside.</li>
<li>Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extract and mix until combined.</li>
<li>Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom. The dough will be quite thick so form it into a ball with your hands.</li>
<li>Roll on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your cutter (I baked the bigger penguin for 12 min, and about 10 min for the smaller cookies). </li>
<li>Let sit a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.</li>
<li>Decorate as desired.</li>
</ol></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div></div>Annaliese Dentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11124666933594510234noreply@blogger.com0