[Italiancook]

If you have time, Mike, please let me know how the half recipe works in the square pan. I've never tried that.

BakerAunt, a while back, ATK had a segment on baking powder. Their testing indicated baking powder needs to be replaced every 6 months regardless of the expiration date on the can. Ever since then, I replace my baking powder and baking soda every 6 months.

The powder will work after 6 months, but the test kitchen showed that biscuits won't rise as much after 6 months.

Does anyone know if baking soda needs to be replaced sooner than 6 months?

[Italiancook]

Mike, the recipe calls for 2 - 9 inch cake pans. I have edited original post to include that.

I don't bake this in round pans. I use and old-timey sheet pan that is 13-1/2" x 8" x 1-1/4".

I think that if you make this when your outside temperatures go down that you'll like it. What I enjoy is that it has enough flavor that I'm happy to eat it without any icing.

I used this recipe to make a German "Chocolate" Cake for someone who prefers that cake be yellow, not chocolate. Worked out great.

[Italiancook]

Mike, the cake was fully baked. Tasted delicious even in the fallen area. I'm convinced KIDPIZZA diagnosed the problem correctly. I don't know how long the cake sat before it went into the oven, but it was longer than normal. Usually, I start preheating the oven half-way through a recipe, but this batter was almost finished before I thought of the oven. Nevertheless, I'm posting the recipe here:

Yellow Cake
1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar (I used half white Splenda & half sugar)
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare 2 - 9" cake pans. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs & blend. Add and mix other ingredients. Bake 25 minutes.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

KIDPIZZA, yes! you helped me with my baking mystery. The recipe has both baking soda and baking powder. I didn't realize the baking soda would do its thing while waiting for the oven. Thanks for educating me.

Italiancook (Gail)

[Italiancook]

My husband uses an electric sharpener on our knives. Don't know the brand, but it was recommended by ATK, as I recall.

I have my dad's manual knife sharpening stone. Sometimes I want a knife a little sharper than the electric sharpener makes it. Then I use my dad's stone. Many times he gave me oral instructions on how to sharpen knives while he was working with the stone.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

I didn't bake this week. Instead, I exercised twice a day in an attempt to lose more weight. At week's end, I had gained one-and-a-half pounds! So much for exercising instead of baking.

[Italiancook]

I made my dad's Chop Suey. It's not the least bit authentic, but it tastes good. I served it with Chow Mein Noodles instead of rice. Dad always used those dried noodles, so I do, too. I make this rarely; when I do, I want to replicate Dad's. The recipe makes a lot, so ate this for the better part of the week.

[Italiancook]

wonky, I would never have thought of making French toast with the raisin bread, but it sound delicious. I'm going to make that for supper tonight. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Italiancook]

I did more baking than usual so I didn't cook much. The most exciting unexciting meal I made was my mom's baked chicken. Before church, she would cover bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with salt. They baked while we were gone. Not sure what temperature she used, but I bake them at 350 degrees and would never leave them in for more than an hour. I use a liberal amount of seasoned salt on mine instead of plain salt.

[Italiancook]

I had houseguests that included 2 children. I taught the kids how to make Martha Stewart's Sugar Cookies from her book, "Entertaining." They had great fun rolling out the dough and using Christmas and Easter cookie cutters. I gave each child 1/4 of the dough. I put the other half in the freezer.

After they left, I made Banana Bread for the freezer. I slice it, then wrap each slice in an inexpensive fold-over-flap sandwich bag. I put the slices in a freezer bag, label it, and I have breakfasts or snacks.

I was going to the meat market, so I made Double Chocolate Brownies for the guys there. My husband offered to do that errand. I forgot to send the goodies with him. He inherited the brownies.

I also made Wonky's Raisin Bread that I wrote about in another thread. Thanks, Wonky for the delicious bread!

[Italiancook]

Wonky, a thousand apologies! I obviously don't know how to read the threads. So sorry, but so grateful for the Raisin Bread recipe. I haven't cut it yet. Put it in a plastic bag for tomorrow's breakfast. Will let everyone know how it turned out. The sides seem squishy. I wonder if that's the way the bread is supposed to feel, or if it's from my mistake. Will know in a few hours.

BakerAunt, thanks many times over for setting me straight on whose recipe it is. I appreciate the education.

Mike, your way of making raisin bread sounds interesting. I may try it next time.

[Italiancook]

wonky, I have questions that you may have answered in the KAF site. I'm curious. How do you bake so many loaves in one day? Do you have a slew of bread pans? Or, do you bake a couple of loaves, wash the pans, then bake again?

I'm thinking you have to be extremely organized to bake so many loaves in one 7 hour period. I don't think I could do it, and I have 2 ovens. I own only 2 bread pans. So you amaze me! And inspire me.

[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, I understand your frustration. You've worked hard putting recipes on this site. Maybe people are busy with out-of-town guests. I've spent the last 2-1/2 weeks getting ready for guests and entertaining them. I think that for northerners, summer is a busy guest season as people don't want to travel when there might be snow or ice.

I bake as much during the summer as I do the rest of the year. But I bake in spurts. I may bake a lot (for me) in one week and do no baking the next. As for cooking, I've been in a lazy streak and have made do with simple foods that really don't qualify as cooking. So I don't always have something to contribute to the What Did You Bake/Cook posts, but I sure enjoy reading what you and others have been doing. Those posts motivate me.

[Italiancook]

From ATK's "The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook," I made Minute (Cubed) Steak with Garlic-Parsley Butter.

I also made my second favorite meal -- beef liver with mashed potatoes 'n gravy and tomatoes. Bought the tomatoes at the farmer's market, and they tasted good.

My favorite meal is the liver, gravy & mashed potatoes with slow-cooked green beans. I bought the green beans at the farmer's market, but by the time hubby brought back the cottage ham from the meat market, it was too late to start them. I'll cook them today.

[Italiancook]

I had a bag of limes, so I baked Lime Meltaways from "Martha Stewart's Cookies."

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