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Yesterday, even though it was too hot to bake, I made the Clonmel Double Crusty Bread with substitutions suggested by BakerAunt (omitted the vinegar and used half water/half buttermilk). I used my bread machine for mixing and kneading but only made half the recipe since I am cooking for one. I made a freeform loaf since it didn't appear to fit in either the 9x5 or 8x4 loaf pan. It was one of the best loaves of bread I have made in a long time. The crumb is so nice and the egg wash made a gorgeous golden brown crust. I will be using it for sandwiches and toast.
I baked an Italian Creme Cake on Friday and we ate it today, but it was for an early Valentine celebration. This was a new recipe for me and it turned out pretty good; however, I will be looking for another recipe to experiment with. It was at my granddaughters' request because she had eaten one at a restaurant and fell in love with it. It was similar but not exact. Since I haven't tasted it, it was hit and miss. It was not the usual Italian Cream Cake with nuts and coconut (which I like and have a recipe for), but the family doesn't. So it was a fun adventure finding out if I could duplicate something I've never tried. My granddaughter was happy with it.
If anyone has a recipe, I would love to give it a try. Any and all suggestions welcomed.
I baked my KAF recipe for Blueberry Buckle Coffeecake. I have to use more of last years' blueberries since my bushes are beginning to bud and bloom for this year. I'm hoping we don't get a last minute freeze to ruin the crop.
I finally tackled the KAF Apple Cake again and made the changes suggested by Kid Pizza (Thanks,Cass). I also changed the spices from ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg to the Apple Pie Spice. I must say that I like this version much better than the last. However, next time I make it I will change the Brown Sugar Frosting to a simple glaze. This frosting is over the top sweet and takes away from the cake which is delicious. I have a Banana Nut Bar recipe with such a glaze and I plan to use that in the future.
Yesterday I made a vegetarian lasagna which included spinach, mushrooms, some thinly sliced zucchini and carrots plus all the usual ingredients (sauce, cheese, etc.). It was made for my vegetarian granddaughter and she enjoyed it. I also made a small loaf of french bread to go with it. We, who are not vegetarian, didn't really miss the meat in it.
Cass, thank you for all your detailed suggestions. I will be making this in the next couple of days as I have apples that need to be used and will report back on the results. I will also alter the spices a little.
I hope your baking adventures are going smoothly. Let us know how the cheesecakes turned out. I make a New York style cheesecake for the family at the holidays and it is always good.
Thanks again for all your help.
BevAaron, thanks for the comments. I did allow the dough to rise in the fridge overnight (next time I'll try 2 nights in the fridge) and it was stretched into the round pan. I have to experiment with different temperatures and rack positions. As I said, they weren't perfect, but we enjoyed them. And it was FUN.
I guess this could go under baking or cooking, but since it's savory, I'll put it here. I made pizza for the second time for my kids who come over each Sunday. This is the second time and I'm hoping, eventually, it will get better. I used KAF recipe for Easy Pizza dough and it is simple to make. It makes 3 decent sized pizzas. We did cheese and Pepperoni for one and for the other one, I made a white sauce to go on two of them with spinach and mushrooms (our version of a white pizza). Like I said, they weren't perfect, but were really tasty. I only have a regular gas oven and am sure it would make a difference to have one that baked hotter and faster.
Bakeraunt, thanks for the tip on freezing the whole banana. I have lots that I don't use and hate to waste them/throw them away.
Cass it is good to hear from you. I don't post often, but I read the posts and like to keep up with everyone from the KAF Baking Circle. Your comments and advice are always welcomed. Like you, I don't see much need for mashing the bananas excessively so I just give them a good stir with the fork and the mixer takes care of the rest. (I have never found chunks in my cake either.) The suggestion of banana liquor for added flavor sounds like one I would like to try.Mushroom stems was suggested on one of the websites I looked at. Sounds like a good idea since I don't always use all of the package.
Italian cook, thanks for the tip about mushrooms. I had some but hesitated to use them. I will definitely do next time.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and link to Veggie Stock. That is pretty much how I made mine. I did add a small piece of lemon grass and some fresh bay leaves. Eventually the weather will cool off and I will make the tortellini/spinach soup and will report back on the flavor.
This probably doesn't qualify as "real" cooking, but I tried my hand at making vegetable broth. My granddaughter is trying really hard to become vegetarian and some of the broths bought at the store are, in my opinion, questionable in color and taste. The broth looks to be about the same color as chicken broth and I'm hoping it will make a nice tortellini/spinach soup for her one weekend. If anyone has any suggestions on ingredients to add to the broth, I am open to any and all opinions.
Pie crust has never been my favorite to make. It is always "hit and miss" as it never seems to be as flaky as it should be. I guess I need a lot more practice and to do some more reading on technique.
I baked a recipe I found on the KAF website: Blueberry Buckle Coffeecake. It has become one of our favorites which is great because it uses 2 cups of blueberries. My freezer is full (almost) from the crop of berries this summer. Several times I have added 1/2 cup sour cream to the batter which I like since it seems to make the finished cake a little more moist. The streusel topping makes it perfect and my granddaughter always takes half of it home.
I took a picture of it to post, but it is too big and I haven't learned to resize photos on my phone yet.
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