[Italiancook]

Mike, forgetting to turn on the oven must be contagious even via the Internet. Your cut cake looks exactly like it should. I'm glad you enjoy the flavor.

[Italiancook]

I had to pay the piper by cleaning both ovens. That's a four day project, although I'm not working on them for long . . . well, cleaning the racks by hand is a time-consuming task. The racks took two days. Consequently, the only item I baked was a yellow cake, which I've talked about in the semi-flop thread.

[Italiancook]

I made Coq au Vin from "Cook-Ahead Cookery" by Theodora Zavin & Fredda Stuart. I never drink alcohol, but I enjoy cooking with it occasionally. This recipe calls for red wine. For the first time, I used Merlot. I am quite pleased with the taste it gave the final product.

[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 9 years, 10 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 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 9 years, 10 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.

[Author]

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