[BakerAunt]

I recall that some of KAF's yeast recipes (the Hot Cross Buns) require some baking powder. It was also called for in that dismal sweet potato biscuit recipe that I baked--and which Bake from Scratch insists works, although they said that they would check it.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: If you ever decide to make the vegetable lasagna, I don't think you would have to cook the frozen spinach. Instead, just let it defrost in the refrigerator in a strainer over a bowl, and squeeze out the moisture. The 30 minutes in the oven would certainly cook it. I've made vegetarian lasagnas, and I've never cooked the defrosted frozen spinach before baking it.

As for the broccoli, I often do broccoli in the microwave. For two people, I put it in a covered glass dish--after rinsing it off--and microwave on high for about 2 minutes or so, then let sit for a couple of minutes.

[BakerAunt]

Aaron--congratulations on the big Challah bake. In addition to raising money for a good cause, you are teaching young people about baking. Passing on our knowledge of baking to another generation is one of the most important things we can do.

[BakerAunt]

On Saturday, I baked Brown Sugar Cardamom Bundt cake, from Rebecca Miller Ffrench's Sweet Home. I also baked Oatmeal Scotchies--a recipe from a bag of Nestles butterscotch chips a VERY long time ago. It's not the recipe that Nestles now has, and I've adjusted it to include some white whole wheat flour. The cake and cookies are for after service social time at church tomorrow. The first time I took the cardamom cake to church, two people asked for the recipe.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook--making your own salad dressing does qualify as cooking!

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: I was sure that I'd had it raw with dip. I decided to google it, and here's a great link:

http://www.thekitchn.com/jicama-most-exciting-vegetable-youre-not-eating-the-vegetable-butcher-220006

[BakerAunt]

I finished off the week by making Dilled Salmon and Couscous for dinner. The recipe is posted on this site.

[BakerAunt]

Joan told us about her experience in the February 5, 2017, What are You Baking thread.

Aaron--you are not the first, and you will not be the last, to forget an ingredient. I hope that it works for you. I also hope that tomorrow's Challah bakefest goes well.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

It's nice to have you back, Chocomouse! I'm glad that you are also pursuing some baking therapy.

Tonight, using the last of my cranberries, I baked Cranberry Scones, from Elizabeth Alston's Biscuits and Scones. I have substituted in 1/3 whole wheat pastry flour, added some pecans that come from our tree (I'll miss it when we move), and a bit of orange oil. Most of the scones will be frozen for fast breakfasts over the coming weeks.

[BakerAunt]

Welcome, Oldelady! It is great to have yet another new voice on the website. And now we all have a new recipe to tuck away and try.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt. Reason: corrected typo

[BakerAunt]

Yes, Cass, in addition to 1 tsp. vanilla, the cookie recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. almond extract--ah, heaven!

[BakerAunt]

I've had a hectic couple of days, so I needed some cookie therapy. This afternoon, I baked Cherry-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. (They also include toasted almonds.) The recipe comes from Bon Appetit (February 1998). My only change was to use the Bittersweet Chocolate Chips from KAF and decrease the amount from 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 cups. I used a combination of sweet and tart cherries that I first plumped with a bit of hot water. I dropped the cookies using the 2 Tbs. scoop (Zeroll #30) and got 26--but two of the warm ones were eaten quickly.

[BakerAunt]

Riverside Len: Those doughnuts pass my health food test!

I decided in the afternoon that I'd like a special bread to go with the leftover roast beef we would be eating, and I had 4 oz. of asiago cheese to use up. I grabbed my copy of the King Arthur Wholegrain Baking Book, and found "Rosemary-Asiago Chop Bread" on pp. 240-241.It uses whole wheat and barley flour, and only a small proportion of bread flour. The instructions are mostly clear, although when it said to form the dough into a 9 x 12 inch oval, then spread the cubes of cheese on half of it, I was not sure whether that meant lengthwise or widthwise. I decided to spread it widthwise, and I then folded the other half over it, then worked it into a 7-inch circle. The dough seemed a bit dry, so I used some water to help seal cracks. It goes into an 8-inch round pan, then the baker uses one corner of a bench knife to make cuts all over the top, down to the bottom but not through the bottom. It baked as a round flat loaf with chunks of cheese in every slice. I didn't have cheese oozing out the top, so maybe my cuts were not deep enough. However, it was great with the leftover roast and should be excellent with soup.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Lenny--we, too, enjoy having leftovers and conveniently fast meals from our roast. I'm sure that Mike has some leftovers from his rotisserie chicken as well.

On Tuesday afternoon, I made a Lentil-Brown Rice-Vegetable soup, using turkey stock, and I added chopped Hot Toscano Salami and a Tablespoon of tomato paste. Seasonings were 1/2 tsp. rosemary, 1 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. oregano, fresh parsley, and a bay leaf. It definitely has a kick to it from the salami, so it is too spicy for my husband. I will eat it for lunch this week, and maybe freeze some of it.

[BakerAunt]

Tuesday morning, I baked Oatmeal Date Muffins, a recipe that appeared years ago in the Los Angeles Times food section. I have now posted it on this site, as it is a favorite that I often bake. This time I used half white whole wheat flour, and it worked well.

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