[cwcdesign]

Navlys, my new crockpot cooks faster too. I’ve started using my Chef alarm from thermoworks to monitor my cooking time. I put it in a chicken breast, set it for 163, and turn it on manual low. When the alarm goes off I know it’s ready. Most of my recipes say 4-5 hours for the chicken and mine’s been done in about 3½.

Not the convenience of cooking all day, but at least it takes care of an afternoon.

[cwcdesign]

Thank you Jan. I was encouraged by her recent activity. I’m sorry she is not doing well. I
Sending my prayers, too

[cwcdesign]

I made a sheet pan chicken Parmesan with broccoli that was really successful. It’s nice to have leftovers after work today- the start of my first full week.

[cwcdesign]

We ate lots of leftovers during the beginning of the week - the Mexican chicken and the broccoli Alfredo pasta. On Thursday, I made a batch of barley vegetable soup so we would eat through the weekend

[cwcdesign]

During the Thanksgiving week, Will was sick and I was exhausted. One day I made crock pot fiesta Mexican chicken and rice and on Saturday I made a one pot broccoli Alfredo pasta which is definitely a keeper.

[cwcdesign]

Saturday was our big bake sale so I made 2 cranberry almond coffee cakes in the Nordic Ware wreath pan. They came out perfectly! I also made one gluten-free Caribbean rum cake and one regular Caribbean rum cake. I had grand plans to bake more, but time got away from me. I started a new job with the same company last week and was finishing up at best th other jobs. And, as co-chair of the Bake Sale I had to be there for set up day and day of. It was fun n and successful but I’m glad it’s over for now.

As for the cakes, I spoke with King Arthur abut the GF cake and it should reach a temp between 200 & 210, preferably 210. Since our kitchens at work use vegalene, I bought a can from KAF - it was cheaper than Amazon and it has no silicone to leave a sticky residue - it didnt. I dusted all the pans with alm9nd flour - the rum cake called for it and it replaced the chopped almonds in the coffee cake. I reheated the rum cakes slightly before turning them out and they turned out easily. All sold except for the regular rum cake - we had so many to sell we had quite a few left over. Since I have another friend who wanted one for her family, I bough5 it back at half price and stuck it in my freezer for her. Less expensive than another bottle of rum!

[cwcdesign]

Both are something that I love to do and to me it acts like a meditation and stress reliever. I love knowing that we have healthy and interesting food to eat. I didn’t really start baking until 8 years ago. Of course I would bake brownies and cakes, but that’s when I became more passionate about it. I just finished my first year as co-chair of my garden club’s bake sale and it’s great to see how our community responds. And, like italiancook, I love sharing with co-workers and friends

[cwcdesign]

Italiancook, Rascals & Cassina, in the KAF ingredients weight chart, which I’ve found to be quite accurate, they say a cup of vegetable oil weighs 7 oz compared to the weight of a cup of butter. I don’t know if this has to do with the lack of water or if it’s just because oil is heavier

[cwcdesign]

On Sunday, I tested the Caribbean rum cake from KAF, taking half to one job. It was a hit!

On Wednesday, I tried a recipe for a pumpkin latte cake for my other job. It had a swirl of an espresso cream cheese “filling” and I made my own pumpkin spice since I didn’t want to have a lot on hand. I added extra spice because the color was too light and I’m glad I did. It was a good cake, but I won’t make it again- the recipe had too many moving parts

[cwcdesign]

Rascals, I have the KAF one bookmarked. Except for flour - theirs is the weight I use unless it’s specified differently in a recipe - I have found it to be very accurate. If they don’t have I google for the specific weight I’m looking for

[cwcdesign]

Basically you just add a little vodka at a time and then wait while the vanilla you have infuses the new vodka. I started out with no pods when Cindy gave it to me 3 years ago. I slowly added used pods. I have about 4 - I would have more if I weren’t such a cheap skate. You just add another when you feel like it. When I have a chance, I’ll post Cindy’s instructions

[cwcdesign]

When I went to rinse the wreath pan for measuring the water, I discovered a recipe for a rum wreath cake inside. Looking at the quantities, I think the recipe I have for my cranberry almond coffee cake will fit nicely. I'm wondering if Cass will concur.
The ingredients for the wreath rum cake
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup dark rum
2 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whipping cream

For the cranberry almond coffee cake
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ cups sour cream

Note that the coffee cake is baked in a 10 inch tube pan - you layer ½ the batter, then a can of cranberry sauce and then the rest of the batter. I have made this recipe many times and it is always a hit. The one difference I might make with baking it in the wreath pan is instead of chopped almonds, I may coat the pan with almond flour.

Both cakes get syrup and glaze

Thanks for your help!!!!!

[cwcdesign]

On Monday night I made a gluten-free ginger pear cake as a test for our bake sale. One of my friends has a later in life gluten intolerance. So we took a small slice and she took the rest to a group cooking for the sale. I used KAF measure for measure flour. I liked this recipe partly because I didn't have to pull out the stand mixer.
The recipe said to bake it for an hour and I baked it for 45 minutes and tested it - the tester came out clean.

As for taste, we thought it needed some ground ginger - it has ripe pear and crystalized ginger - but the texture was a little gooey. I think I should have baked for the full hour - that may be a difference between baking with regular flour and gluten free flour. I am going to make a loaf or 2 with my changes for the sale.

And, I will not be attempting it in the wreath pan, but I have another recipe I've made many times that I'm going to post for Cass to adjust for that pan, after I measure the water in it.

[cwcdesign]

We had leftovers and Harris Teeter freshly made pizza Sunday through Tuesday. Yesterday I tried a recipe for turkey and stuffing meatballs from one of my favorite sites. She used dried cornbread stuffing - I went with the PF Herb Stuffing since that says Thanksgiving in our house. We liked them but all agreed that there wasn't enough stuffing in them for our taste; an easy fix.

I thought the leftovers tasted better last night even reheated in the microwave. Still think it needs more stuffing mix and probably s&p. Although I wouldn’t make it often, it’s a nice recipe to have on hand for a change. I can post the link if anyone’s interested.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by cwcdesign.

[cwcdesign]

Thank you all. Not quite sure why I couldn’t figure that out - I’ll chalk it up to exhaustion. Since I lan to bake a sample ofthecake I wntto use in a loaf pan first, I can measure the batter before I put it in the loaf pan.

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