absence makes the heart grow fonder?

hey everyone, i just want to apologize for the lack of posts. this month i've been out of town for work and sick twice. so, it's not you, it's me. but i'm hoping to make it up to you soon. any requests?


most sincerely,
caroline

dough enhancer

so, i got some of this dough enhancer that my mom asked me to pick up for her and tried it on two different recipes and it makes the bread SO good. so much lighter and it raises so much better. i thought i'd fill you in on this tip so that the next time you make bread you could try it and you would see a huge difference.

peanut butter bon bons

i gave some of these away at work and to a few friends. these are candies that my family loves that we got from my brother's friend's mother. got that? anyway, these are a better take on a lot of the "buckeye" or peanut butter bon bon recipes i've looked up. the use of rice krispies adds a great texture.

1 stick unsalted butter
2 c. peanut butter (i like to use one cup creamy, one cup crunchy)
1 lbs. powdered sugar
2 c. rice krispies (crushed)

12 oz. choc. chips (i used more than that, and it helps to melt a tiny bit of shortening with the chocolate to make it melt better and to look shiny)

roll peanut butter into balls.


once the peanut butter balls are formed, it helps to put them in the freezer first so they are easier to handle and set up better once you dip them in the chocolate.

to melt chocolate, i just put the chips and shortening in a heat safe bowl and melted it over boiling water, and if you keep the chocolate over that hot water, it stays easy to handle. but can be a bit hot. so be careful.

this is a really blown out picture of my hand dipping the chocolate. once they are dipped and chilled, i like them best kept in the refrigerator so that they are really crunchy.

i don't have a finished product picture, unfortunately because i had to give them all away. but they are pretty and so good to eat.

banana bread pudding with caramel sauce

to celebrate the new year, i had a breakfast pot luck at my house. i know it's not really breakfast and more of a dessert but i decided to make banana bread pudding for my contribution. it's got bananas and that's fruit so i say it falls in the breakfast category. i sort of ad libbed this recipe but based it on this one:

For the pudding:
2 tbsp. butter
4 ripe bananas, peeled, halved crosswise and then lengthwise
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 cups whipping cream
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. firm white bread sliced, crusts trimmed, each slice cut into 3 strips (i used cinnamon swirl bread)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

For the sauce:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch of salt

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add bananas and 2 tablespoons sugar and cook until bananas are tender, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Combine whipping cream, eggs, vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 9x13-inch loaf pan. Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise in bottom of prepared pan. Arrange 6 banana pieces atop bread. Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour half of egg mixture over. Arrange remaining banana pieces atop bread. Arrange remaining bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour remaining egg mixture over. Press gently on top layer to compact. Let stand 15 minutes.

Bake bread pudding until puffed and golden and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make caramel sauce. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cream, sugar and salt. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

Drizzle with warm sauce and serve.

poppyseed bread

i made some homemade goodies for a few gifts this year. one of them being this poppyseed bread. i'd like to thank my oldest sister for being hot enough to have a suitor have his mom make this bread and send it to her with the recipe... cause this bread is amazing.
it has a delicious glaze to make the edges crispy, sweet and mouthwatering.

here is the recipe.

3 cups flour
2 ½ cup sugar
1 ½ t. salt
1 ½ t. baking powder
3 eggs
1 ½ cup milk
1 1/8 cup oil
1 ½ T. poppy seeds
1 ½ t. vanilla
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 ½ t. butter flavoring

Mix together and beat 2 minutes. Bake in 2 large loaf pans (greased) at 350 for 1 hour. As soon as out of oven, pour glaze over bread after poking a few holes in bread with toothpick. Be careful to brush it on slowly so that it can be absorbed.

¾ cup sugar
¼ cup orange juice
½ t. vanilla
½ t. almond extract
½ t. butter flavoring

Take out of pans when cooled.

egg nog punch

this is a perfect beverage for the christmas season. we used to have it every new years eve at my egg nog loving brother's request.

1 quart egg nog
2 cups milk
2 (24 oz.) bottles 7-up (don't use sprite or any of the other options, 7-up really is the best for this)
1 quart vanilla ice cream

combine. let ice cream dissolve in punch so that it looks light and fluffy.

the best ever sugar cookies

add veeda's request, an amazing sugar cookie recipe. i love, love, love these. they are not dry like most sugar cookies. they are light almost like a cookie muffin. they make a lot, too. these will be a great cookie to make for company for the holiday season. or just anytime at all.

cream:
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar

beat in:
4 eggs
2 T. milk
4 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon extract (this slight lemon flavor really sets these cookies apart. it's not enough that a citrus hater would be turned off)

add:
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
5 cups flour

chill 30 minutes to an hour. form into balls then smash down with bottom of floured glass (about 1/4 inch thick, these cookies should be about the same thickness as those pink grandma sycamore's cookies and a little smaller in circumference.) bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes.

frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
4 c. powdered sugar
2-4 T. milk

in large bowl, beat butter and shortening until light and fluffy. add vanilla and salt. beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. add 2 T. milk; beat at high speed until light and fluffy. add enough additional milk for desired spreading consistency. **(this frosting may be made up to 2 weeks in advance and kept in and airtight container before serving. bring to room temperature before serving)**

christmas cookies: spritz

another christmas classic is the spritz cookie. little butter cookies formed with a cookie press like this. i love these little cookies and have OD'd on them more than once.

1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/3 c. flour
1/4 t. salt

heat oven to 400 degrees. in large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. stir in flour and salt; blend well. fill cookie press; press onto ungreased cookie sheets. sprinkle with desired candies and bake. cool completely. makes 5 dozen.

wassail party

so, i had a wassail party and made my mom's insanely good citrus wassail. i didn't get a chance to take a picture of it but i found something online that looks pretty close.

this recipe gets RAVE reviews and is very much one of my favorite things about the holiday season. my mom always keeps some on hand for me.

1 quart water
2 1/4 c. sugar
10 cloves
8 allspice berries
2 sticks cinnamon
1 piece of candied ginger
2 quarts apple cider or juice
1 quart orange juice (i like the extra pulp kind)
2 c. lemon juice

mix water and sugar; boil for 5 minutes. remove from heat. stir in cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon and ginger. let stand 1 hour or more. strain. stir in apple cider, orange juice, and lemon juice. serve warm. yield: 16 servings.

granola

my oldest sister, kristin told me about this granola the other day and it's so delish and easy to make.


1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

mix together and then add:

3 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sliced almonds

Mix together and pour onto greased cookie sheet (i used a silpat and i think it helps it to not burn.) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes stirring often. Add handful of raisins while cooling (i put them in the last few minutes so they'd plump up a bit.)