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Make it Yourself! Baking Mix {Bisquick}

September 27, 2012 · by · 14 Comments
DIY Baking Mix {Bisquick} from ItsYummi.com

 

 

If you're the type of person who likes to save money on groceries, but hates sacrificing taste to do so, you're just like me.  In addition to the lack of flavor, I also despise the added chemicals that are a part of most convenience foods.  That being said, there are days when I don't feel well, I've got plans that require me to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible, and/or I'm just too danged lazy tired to spend a lot of time preparing meals. Those types of days are the ones where I love reaching for a convenience mix or meal.

 

So in my effort to save a few dollars and some cooking time, but still have a grasp on what my family is eating, I've started making some of my own pantry staples.  Items like homemade self-rising flour and cake mix have been huge kitchen time savers for me.  This baking mix is no exception.

 

 

Aside of the time and money savings, I love that this recipe only requires FIVE ingredients!  If you're trying to watch your sugar intake, it's made up with FOUR.  If that's not something to shout IT'S YUMMILICIOUS about, I don't know what is.  Plus, it's easy peasy to make a batch.  If you have a food processor, it can be made up in less than 3 minutes.  It's as simple as combining the dry ingredients and pulsing in the shortening.  If you're using your own sweet hands to make this up, it'll probably take you a minute or two longer.  That's FAR less time than it would take me in the check-out lane at the grocery store.

 

If you have a go-to DIY recipe that you'd like to share, I'd LOVE to hear about it!  You can leave me a comment below this post and/or come share your thoughts with me on Facebook.  Or both!

 

Incidentally, I hope you'll leave me a comment below even if you don't have a recipe or idea to share, because I really need the validation that I'm not just typing these posts up for an audience of one!  ;-)

 

4.5 from 2 reviews

DIY - Homemade Baking Mix {Bisquick}
 
Created By:

Recipe Category: Baking
Cuisine: Pantry Staples
Prep time:
Total time:
Print

 
If you like the convenience and versatility of boxed baking mixes, but hate the added chemicals and expense of them, learn how to make your own!
WHAT'S NEEDED
  • 8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup all-vegetable shortening

HOW TO MAKE IT
  1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor.
  2. If using a food processor, pulse to combine dry ingredients, then add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Otherwise, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to incorporate the shortening into the dry ingredients.
  3. Store tightly covered in a pantry or the refrigerator. Can also be frozen.

IMPORTANT STUFF
What exactly is "coarse meal"? Crumbly, but clumpy. Does that make sense? You'll have little bits of butter that are the size of peas.

WordPress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

Filed Under: BAKING, DIY, frugal recipes, grocery savings, recipes · Tagged: , , , , ,

Make It Yourself! Self-Rising Flour

August 25, 2012 · by · 6 Comments
Photo Credit: FoodNetwork.com

Have you ever come across a recipe that calls for self-rising flour? It's pretty common in recipes like cobblers, muffins, and biscuits. There is a small but VERY significant difference between all-purpose flour and self-rising flour.

 

Self-rising flour is actually all-purpose flour that has had leavening agents (usually baking powder and salt) added to it. It's convenient to use if you already have some in your pantry, but if you ever find yourself needing it and you've only got all-purpose, I suggest saving time and money by mixing a batch of your own.  Yeah, sometimes I get good ideas.  Let's roll with that, ok?

 

Photo Credit: FoodNetwork.com

How to make your own self-rising flour

If your recipe calls for 1 cup of self-rising flour, use the following formula:
Add 1 teaspoon baking powder to 1 cup all-purpose flour. If the recipe don't call for salt, add 1/4 teaspoon salt. If the recipe calls for salt, don't add any to your flour mixture.

If your recipe calls for more than 1 cup self-rising flour, use the following formula:
For every 3 cups all-purpose flour, mix in 2 teaspoons baking powder. If the recipe doesn't call for salt, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Again, if the recipe calls for salt, don't add any to the flour.

If your situation is flip flopped and all you've got is self-rising flour at your disposal, just omit the baking powder or baking soda and any salt that is called for in the recipe, and you're good to go!

Here are some great recipes you can make with your self-rising flour.  If you have a favorite recipe that calls for it, by all means, please leave me a comment and share the recipe with me!


Buttermilk Cornmeal Biscuits with Honey Butter

 


Cheddar Herb Biscuits

 


Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Muffins

Filed Under: BAKING, Cooking Tips, DIY, recipes · Tagged: , , , ,

Homemade Puff Pastry Creations

May 11, 2012 · by · 8 Comments
Puff Pastry Creations

Houston, we have a problem.

I stepped outside of my baking comfort zone yesterday, and what I wandered into was a wonderful world filled with puff pastry treats.  My life has been forever changed by HOMEMADE buttery, flaky deliciousness.  I'm afraid there's no saving me... I'm done for.

To be honest, I'd never really had a desire to make my own puff pastry before.  After all, Pepperidge Farm makes a perfectly acceptable product that's convenient and one that, until yesterday, I thought was  suitable for use whenever I had a craving for a pot pie or fruit filled treats.  All of that has changed now.  THIS is what happens when you can create anything you want with fresh ingredients and no preservatives...

Dunk a couple of these babies into a little powdered sugar glaze, some melted chocolate, or even a cold glass of milk or hot cup of coffee.  They're just beyond extraordinary!

Preparing multiple layers of pastry dough and butter is time consuming (about 5 hours total), but the results are SO worth it.  If you've never bitten into flaky puffed pastry straight out of the oven, I need you to trust me when I tell you to give it a try and see if you don't become a little bit obsessed with it.

This whole shebang of a project started thanks to my participation in the Sundays with Joy baking group.  This week's recipe, which you'll have to come back on Sunday to read about, calls for a puff pastry crust.  80% of the group is using the traditional boxed puff pastry, but a few of us were encouraged by the wonderful and uber-talented pastry chef, Jenni Field, to make our own.  She offered to help walk us through the process, assuring us that it's really not a difficult technique, it's just time consuming.  Then Jenni threw in the deal maker for me... she told me that she made a tutorial video to help teach us the tricks to the trade.  I was SOLD!  I figured that even if it turned out to be a complete disaster, I would have had fun learning, and I'd only be out a few bucks in ingredients.  But it WORKED...OH how it worked!  In case you're interested in learning the technique for yourself, here are the videos

I made my project for Sunday's post and then I just got crazy creative thinking of the filling possibilities.  I made sweet treats and savory treats with that flaky puff pastry. Some of my favorites were the chocolate filled, and these savory garlic puffs.

I made them by placing a little bit of Lia Marie's 5-Cheese Garlic Spread into the center of the dough before folding them up and crimping the edges. Oh, by the way, there's a great $1.00 off coupon out right now for Lia Marie's.  You can get it by clicking HERE

 I really hope you'll consider making your own puff pastry so that you can experience the yummiliciousness for yourself!

Filed Under: BAKING, pastries · Tagged: , , ,

Name that Dessert – When Baking Goes Bad

May 5, 2012 · by · 3 Comments
sick banana cake2

Wanna play a game with me?  It's called "NAME THAT DESSERT".  It's great fun. Watch!

Hmm...I spy nuts and something creamy and yummilicious looking on top.

It might even be tasty. Should we try a bite?

 

 

No guesses? Here, let help you...

THAT, my friend, is one seriously ill banana cake!  His batter was looking OH so lovely when I poured it into the pan and placed it ever so gently into the oven, but um... he never rose to the occasion...

I will now keep this a "G" rated site, bite my tongue, and refrain from comment.  All of you mind-in-the-gutter friends of mine that I love and adore, please feel free to finish the sentence in your own perverse way.

So you may now be wondering, "For the love of bacon, what happened to your poor cake, Bec?"

I'm SO glad you asked!  The culprit was lack of leavening.  Say what?!  Didn't you add baking soda and/or baking powder to your recipe, you doofus?  Yup. I sure did.  I just had absolutely no idea that my leavener had left the building.  It had lost it's luster.  It refused to rise.  It's get up and go had got up and gone.  My baking soda was old news.

The expiration date showed that it still had a remaining useful life of 3 months, so I have absolutely no idea why it went bad.  Could have been from excessive heat in the kitchen, or maybe that expiration date was wrong.  Whatever the case, the score was now

SINKHOLE IN MY CAKE   1     -     Arm & Hammer   0

LESSON OF THE DAY

Occasionally test your leavening agents to assure that they are at the peak of their performance.  This includes baking soda, baking powder, and even yeast.  The shelf life for active leaving is about 6 months, but be sure to check the expiration date when you purchase the product, too.

For baking powder, place 1 teaspoon baking powder in a cup and add 1/3 cup hot tap water.

For baking soda, place 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a cup and add 2 teaspoons vinegar.

If active bubbling occurs, the products are fine to use. If not, they should be replaced.

 

RIDICULOUSLY SILLY RHYME OF THE DAY:

Without a good and proper rise, your baked goods will meet their demise.

 

P.S.  The cake wasn't at all light and fluffy... it was heavy and dense, almost like banana bread, but it was still darned delicious!

Filed Under: BAKING, Cooking Tips, Food Facts · Tagged: , ,

New Grocery Coupons – January 16

January 16, 2012 · by · 1 Comment
Coupons

 

Hot off the press.... some of these grocery coupons are rare and will reach their print limit fast, so get your printer fired up!

 

Oh, and don't forget to print out your $1 /1 Lia Marie's Garlic Spread coupon!

 

$1.00 off SMUCKER’S SUGAR FREE PRODUCT

 

 

$0.55 off two HORMEL Bacon Bits products

 

 

$3.00 off HORMEL Party Tray product

 

 

$0.55 off two HOMRMEL Pepperoni packages

 

 

$0.55 off 2 HORMEL Chili products

 

$1.00 off TWO Great Grains cereals

 

$2.00 off LLOYD'S Barbeque Ribs

 

 

$0.55 off 2 HORMEL Premium Chicken Breast

 

 

$0.50 off ONE MARIE CALLENDER'S FRUIT PIE

 

 

$0.50 off one Newman's Own Salsa

 

 

$1.50 off two PLANTERS Peanut Butter

Filed Under: coupons, Deals, grocery savings · Tagged: , , , , ,

*HOT* Baking Coupons

December 8, 2011 · by · 1 Comment
Coupon Roundup

If you plan to do any baking for the holidays, be sure to clip these coupons to take to the store with you.

If you have a Piggly Wiggly grocery store near you, head into the store this week and you'll find loads of baking supplies on sale. I listed many of those sale items in my last post, so be sure to check there as well!

Baking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can access more food and merchandise coupons by clicking below

Filed Under: BAKING, coupons, meal planning · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Making Beautiful Pastry Dough

November 19, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Caramel apple galette

 

With Thanksgiving less than one week away, it's time to fire up the oven and officially start the 2011 baking season.  Now THAT'S something to gobble about!

The secret to serving a perfectly yummilicious pastry dessert lies in using fresh ingredients, and in making a flaky, buttery, light-as-air crust.  There are numerous suggestions for making perfect pastry dough, all of which I've tried on my journey for the perfect pie.

Fortunately for you, I've already made all of the pastry flops and learned the hard lessons to be able to avoid you the embarrassment of serving a holiday pie that tastes like a cardboard box.  Here are my tricks of the trade:

MAKING BEAUTIFUL PASTRY DOUGH

1.  Measure your ingredients accurately, using a good quality kitchen scale.  There are thousands to choose from, ranging anywhere from $8 to $180 dollars.  I'm a frugal girl on a limited budget, but I also wanted a good quality, accurate, and reliable scale.  I found this one, which works wonderfully.  I love how thin it is and that despite its small size, it has a weight capacity of 12 pounds.

 

 

Incidentally, I wasn't compensated for that review, I really do just love my scale!  Anyhoo, on to tip #2...

2.  Make sure that ALL of your ingredients are very cold before you start working with them.

I even put my dry ingredients into the freezer for a quick chill for about 20 minutes before I start making the recipe.  The most important thing is to have your butter as cold as it can possibly be.  If it's too warm, it will spread before the pastry has had time to incorporate and start baking in the oven.  This will leave you with a finished product that is heavy, dense, and dry.

3. Don't overwork the dough.

This is one time when you should definitely heed the parental warning to stop playing with your food.  The more you mix, roll, knead, and touch your dough, the more unhappy you will be with the results.  Some people prefer to use a pastry cutter like this to incorporate their butter

I've tried using one similar to that to make pastry dough, but I found that I was still working the dough too much when trying to get the butter incorporated, and I also found it a bit of a pain when the cold butter got stuck between the blades.  Then I found this video on YouTube for making the perfect pie crust.  The video suggest the use of a food processor to make the dough.  In my opinion, that idea is pure genius!  By making the dough in the processor, it takes nothing more than a few quick pulses and the cold butter is beautifully incorporated into the dry ingredients.

In fact, maybe you should watch the video, too.  He also talks about how he adds cider vinegar to his dough to make it extra flaky.  I love that tip, and it's 100% true. This recipe makes a pastry crust that melts in your mouth!

 

Here's the recipe, as mentioned in the video.

 

Print
Pastry Dough in the Food Processor

Enough dough for a 9-inch, double crust pie

Pastry Dough in the Food Processor

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ¼ cup cake flour
  • 4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cubed
  • 4 oz. (1/2 cup) shortening, VERY cold and cubed
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 5-6 T. ice water
  • 1.5 tsp. cider vinegar

HOW TO MAKE IT

Combine the flours and salt in a food processor by pulsing 3 times.

Place cubed butter into the processor and combine with flour by pulsing 5-6 times.

Add shortening and repeat step 2.

Add cold water and cider vinegar slowly while pulsing. Mix until it is almost incorporated into a ball.

Chill for 30 minutes (if necessary), then cut into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other (you’ll use the larger piece for the bottom crust). Roll out the dough on a floured surface and place into a pie plate.

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I wish you the best of success with your pastry making, and an absolutely yummilicious holiday meal.

~Becca

Filed Under: BAKING, Food Facts, pies, recipes · Tagged: , , , ,

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

November 17, 2011 · by · 1 Comment
WholeWheatBread-Slice

Happy homemade bread day! I love the fact that there's an official day for practically everything these days. I accept that it can be rather annoying at times… like on world lima bean day, but when it comes to a full day of honoring home baked, fresh out of the oven bread, I'm ALL for it! Slicing a thick piece of warm bread, lightly toasting it, and then slathering it with the topping of your choice… ahh, pure bliss!

It took me a long time to get the nerve to bake my own bread. I don't why, but I had a pretty intense fear of working with yeast. I felt like it would be easy to screw up, and I'm far too much of an anal retentive baker to permit that to happen. The good news is, my preconceived notion about yeast couldn't have been further from the truth. As long as you can gather the patience to allow the yeast to do its job, baking bread is as easy as, well, making toast!


 

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

 Recipe, tips, and nutritional information from KingArthurFlour.com

This whole-wheat loaf is the ideal everyday bread, perfect for sandwiches, toast, and French toast or grilled cheese sandwiches.

 

Buy 1 Fleischmann's® Yeast (Jar or Strip), Save 40¢.
Expires 11/30/2011.
One time use only.
GET COUPON
Buy 2 Tropicana Pure Premium® 59 oz bottles, Save $1.00.
Expires 12/7/2011.
One time use only.
GET COUPON
Buy 2 jars of Peter Pan® Peanut Butter, Save $1.00.
Expires 11/30/2011.
One time use only.
GET COUPON
Buy 1 Gold 'n Soft®, Save 50¢.
Expires 11/30/2011.
One time use only.
GET COUPON

 

Print
Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

20 minutes

45 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

18 slices

Serving Size: 1 slice

140

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 slice (55g) Servings Per Batch: 18 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140 Calories from Fat: 35; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Trans Fat: 0g. Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium: 230mg; Total Carbohydrate: 23g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 4g; Protein: 5g. * The nutrition information provided for this recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information.

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water*
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 5 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
  • 3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
  • 3 3/4 cups Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour
  • *Use 2 tablespoons less water in summer (or in a humid environment), 2 tablespoons more in winter (or in a dry climate).

HOW TO MAKE IT

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, till it becomes puffy. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

Combine the yeast/water with the remaining ingredients, and mix and knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—until you've made cohesive dough. If you're using a stand mixer, knead at low speed for about 7 minutes. Note that 100% whole wheat dough will never become smooth and supple like dough made with all-purpose flour; it'll feel more like clay under your hands, and may appear a bit rough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise till it's expanded and looks somewhat puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Gently shape the dough into a smooth log, and settle it into the pan, smooth side up.Tent the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the loaf to rise till it's crowned over the rim of the pan by about 3/4", about 75 minutes. Don't let it rise too high; it'll continue to rise as it bakes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Lightly tent it with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

Run a stick of butter over the top of the hot loaf, if desired, for a softer crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

TIPS

Don't bother heating the orange juice to lukewarm; you can use it straight out of the fridge. The orange juice won't add its own flavor to the bread, but will mellow any potential bitterness in the whole wheat.

If you're kneading bread by hand, it's tempting to keep adding flour till the dough is no longer sticky. Resist the temptation! The more flour you add while you're kneading, the heavier and drier your final loaf will be.

The amount of liquid you use to make the "perfect" dough will vary with the seasons. Flour is like a sponge; it absorbs water during the humid days of summer, and dries out during the winter. Your goal should be making the dough as it's described (e.g., cohesive, soft but not sticky), rather than sticking religiously to the amount of liquid.

When making yeast bread, let the dough rise to the point the recipe says it should, e.g., "Let the dough rise till it's doubled in bulk." Rising times are only a guide; there are so many variables in yeast baking (how you kneaded the dough; what kind of yeast you used) that it's impossible to say that bread dough will ALWAYS double in bulk in a specific amount of time.

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Filed Under: BAKING, bread, coupons, Healthy Foods, recipes · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

November 12, 2011 · by · Leave a Comment
Oatmeal Cranberry Bars from ItsYummi.com

I'm getting ready to kick my holiday baking into high gear, which is super-secret baker code for I'm going to run my bank account dry on the purchase of baking supplies if I don't use coupons!

If you're anything like me, you're also up at night worrying about the same thing. But never fear…Yummi is here! Listed below are links to all of the coupons for baking products that I could get my hot little baker hands on. I hope that they help save you boatloads of money!

Once you've clicked through and printed your coupons, be sure to come back here to print out a fantabulous recipe for cranberry oatmeal bars.

The bars are moist and chewy, with a wonderful sweet-tart combo that the citrus and cranberries bring. They'd serve perfectly as a quick breakfast on-the-go, an afternoon snack, or even a nice dessert. You can eat them as is, but since I believe that every dessert tastes better with bacon, chocolate and/or ice cream, I recommend that you finish them off with a drizzle of white chocolate and/or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. No matter which way you serve them up, the important thing is to enjoy every Yummilicious bite of them!

Scroll down for the recipe after you print out your coupons!

BAKING COUPONS (links were valid as of 11/11/11)

(Thanks to Coupon Lovin' Mom for some of these links!)

$0.30/1 Argo Baking Powder printable coupon

$0.35/1 Argo or Kingsford's Corn Starch printable coupon

Buy 1 Argo® or Kingsford's® product, Save 40¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only. (SAVING STAR)
Buy 1 Fleischmann's® Yeast (Jar or Strip), Save 40¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only.  (SAVING STAR)

$0.35/2 Fleischmann's Yeast Packets or Jar printable coupon

Buy 1 Karo® Syrup, Save 40¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only.  (SAVING STAR)

$0.50/1 Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Morsels printable coupon

40¢ off when you buy any ONE package of Stevia In the Raw 100% Natural, Zero-Calorie Sweetener Products

Buy 2 Egg Beaters®, Save $1.00. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only.  (SAVING STAR)

$0.40 off Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Save 40¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only. (SAVING STAR)

$0.35 off Diamond Crystal Salt Sense

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Salt Sense, Save 35¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only. (SAVING STAR)

Buy 1 Diamond Crystal Sea Salt, Save 40¢. Expires 11/30/2011. One time use only. (SAVING STAR)
$1.00 off 2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough

50¢ off when you buy BOTH Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® Cake Mix AND Betty Crocker® Ready to Spread Frosting

75¢ off when you buy TWO BOXES any flavor Betty Crocker® Supreme Brownie OR Dessert Bar Mixes

50¢ off when you buy TWO packages of Pillsbury® Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crusts

$1.00/1 Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Product

$0.50/1 Clabber Girl or Rumford Baking Powder printable coupon

$0.55/1 Horizon Organic Butter

And just in case you need a cup of coffee to help get you through your stressful baking…

$1.00 off when you buy any two bags of SENSEO® COFFEE PODS

 

Print
Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

24 bars

Serving Size: 1 bar

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

This recipe was adapted from Cooking Light

WHAT YOU\'LL NEED

    Crust
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
  • 6 tablespoons of butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons of orange juice
  • Cooking spray
    • Filling:
  • 1 1/3 cups of dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of grated orange rind

HOW TO MAKE IT

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Prepare the crust:

Combine the flour, oats, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Drizzle the butter and orange juice over the flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly).

Reserve a 1/2 cup of the oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7–inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.

Prepare the filling:

Combine the cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, and rind in a medium bowl.

Spread the cranberry mixture over the prepared crust. Sprinkle the remaining reserved oat mixture evenly over filling.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

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Filed Under: BAKING, coupons, holidays, recipes · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Chocolate Cookies with Nutella Ganache

November 6, 2011 · by · 3 Comments
chocolate cookies with Nutella ganache from ItsYummi.com

As far as I'm concerned, it's been FAR too long since I've blogged about my favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella.


Those of you who've been repulsed by the thought of eating a brown nut butter, let me assure you that you are missing out on one of the most decadent and creamy concoctions that your taste buds will ever experience. Besides being amazingly Yummilicious, it's also been called "Therapy in a jar", and those of you who've followed my story over the past several months know that I need all of the therapy I can get, so I certainly won't snub my nose at THIS form of it!

Nutella is a mixture of hazelnut butter that has been flavored with cocoa powder. It's definitely not low in calories or fat, but because it's made with skim milk, I'll continue to lie to myself and say that it's healthy. You have my permission to do the same. You're welcome. J

This recipe was a creation of mine on one of those days when I just couldn't eat enough chocolate. Girls, you know what I mean, right? Anyway, I made them using my absolute favorite chocolate cookie recipe and then I topped the warm cookies with Nutella ganache, (which is just a fancy word meaning that I melted equal parts Nutella and heavy whipping cream) and then I used an offset spatula to spread the ganache across the tops of the cookies. I finished them off with a little dusting of powdered. They are rich, decadent, and absolutely AMAZING!

If you're up for a challenge, I suggest that you make a batch of these cookies, pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or tall glass of milk, find a cozy corner to relax and enjoy the moment in… and then try not to eat an entire plate full of these while you're there.


Chocolate Cookies with Nutella Ganache

Yield: 24-30 (2.5-inch) cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Nutella Ganache (See recipe below)
  • powdered (confectioner's) sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F (325° F convection) and place rack in the center of the oven.
  2. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone pastry mats.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
  4. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  6. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until the dough is smooth.
  7. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.
  8. Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the work surface.)
  9. Cut out circles using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
  10. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.
  11. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until they are firm around the edges.
  12. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  13. When the cookies are still warm, use an offset spatula to coat the tops of the warm cookies Let the ganache cool completely and just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Nutella Ganache

1/2 cup Nutella

1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy cream

Cook in heavy-bottomed sauce pan over MEDIUM heat*, stirring constantly until the mixture is completely smooth (7-10 minutes). Let the ganache cool slightly (about 5 minutes).

*Do NOT use HIGH heat; if you rush this, you won't like the results.

Filed Under: BAKING, Cookies, Nutella, recipes · Tagged: , , , , ,

Ultimate Cookies: A review – And Recipe!

November 1, 2011 · by · 7 Comments
110111_1547_UltimateCoo9.jpg

Photo Credit: Steve Adams

© Julia M. Usher's Ultimate Cookies (2011, Gibbs Smith)

I was recently given the opportunity to review a wonderful new book titled Ultimate Cookies. It was written by an amazing author and baker, Julia M. Usher, with photography by the amazing photographer, Steve Adams. If you love to decorate cookies that are almost too beautiful to eat, Julia should definitely be your go-to source for recipes, tips, and project ideas. You may already be familiar with Julia. She has a wonderful website, and her first book, Cookie Swap was a best seller. She is the winner of three Cordon d'Or cookbook awards, she's a James Beard Food journalism awards finalist, and she's the Secretary-Treasurer for the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Ultimate Cookies is a great follow to Cookie Swap, and it is chock full of gorgeous cookie goodness!

As I began reading the book, Julia drew me in like Pooh Bear to a honey pot with this line in her introduction: "If you've got the decorating bug but not any experience, just pick up this book and go for it." After reading that line, my inner baker screamed "Raise your hand, Becca…she's talking to YOU!"

To put it mildly and keep this site with a family friendly rating, I SUCK GUMBALLS when it comes to hand/eye coordination, which means that my dessert decorating is nothing short of disastrous. I can bake a pastry or cupcake that tastes heavenly and will melt in your mouth, but if you need it decorated, you'd have a more beautiful dessert if you asked a kindergartener to do it for you. Seriously. You don't believe me?! I really hope that one day you'll trust me a bit more. *sigh* OK, fine. Here are examples of what beautifully decorated cookies are SUPPOSED to look like:

Julia's decorated cookies (as published in Cookie Swap):

 

Photo Credit: Steve Adams

Another amazing cookie decorator is Marian.  I get giddy with excitement whenever I see that a new post of hers has arrived to my inbox. You really should check out her site AFTER you've finished reading this post and you've purchased copies of Ultimate Cookies for yourself and a couple of your friends. (You won't regret it, and besides, you know you want to...Please and thank you.)

Yes, that was a trust issue test... Take a baby step and just do it.

Anyway, here are some of the cookies that Marian decorated for Halloween this year:

    

If ever cookies could be simultaneously gorgeous, cute, and spooky, those are examples!

Julia's book has equally fun and spooky Halloween ideas, but I didn't post pics, because I don't want to give away all of the fun packed inside the book!  Aside of the great project ideas, I love how Julia explains very delicately and sweetly in Ultimate Recipes that with a steady hand and some practice and patience, it's possible for almost anyone to create cookies as beautiful as hers are. I guess the emphasis should be on PRACTICE, because this is what my very first attempt at decorating with royal icing looked like:

    

Yes, I know. Say it with me… They look PATHETIC.  I had so much fun baking them that I almost didn't care, though!  As I learned in Julia's tips, my royal icing was too thin, so I had some issues with the drippage on the letters. However, I used her easy to make sugar cookie recipe, which means that they tasted absolutely DELICIOUS! They have a wonderful crisp exterior and a tender, chewy interior, just the way I like them. I wanted a nice fall spice to my cookies, so I made the cinnamon cookie variation. They were PERFECT for Brian to take to his Halloween office party. By the way, I may or may not have eaten 5 servings of chilled cookie dough while I was baking these up. It had to be done, because what kind of cook would I be if I didn't taste the food I was going to serve, right? You'll have to buy the book to see the endless variations of the traditional cookie recipe (the orange-clove and cinnamon varieties were my favorites), but you'll find the traditional recipe at the end of this post.

Julia's book has tips that you aren't likely to find in other books. She gives you instructions on making your own custom cookie cutters (something I can't wait to try!), tips on how to save money by making your own parchment paper decorating cones, and she covers decorating techniques that are easy for beginners as well as delving into some more advanced design ideas like decorating with wafer paper, beadwork, and stenciling, too.

Something else I love about Ultimate Recipes is how well everything is laid out. The table of contents is thorough and the handy index in the back made it super easy to find the projects I wanted to work on. There are project ideas for virtually every holiday in this book, and you're going to find some wonderful gift-giving ideas, too. Julia gives easy step-by-step directions for making the dough, rolling and cutting out the cookies, and helpful information for preparing the royal icing. I think that her foolproof directions and troubleshooting tips would even make it possible for older children to follow along and try.

Of course, there are beautiful pictures throughout the book too, which made it amazingly easy for me to fall more in love with each turn of a page. With over 40 projects to try, this book is sure to have something that you'll want to try. The book is scheduled for release in November, and I highly recommend that you run off and pick yourself up a copy. With practice and patience, maybe our 2011 holiday projects will look something like these beauties!

Photo Credit: Steve Adams

JULIA USHER'S SIGNATURE SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH

© Julia M. Usher's Ultimate Cookies (2011, Gibbs Smith)

Makes about 1 pound 6 ounces dough or 3 to 3 1⁄2 dozen (2 1⁄2-inch) round cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1⁄3 cup (1⁄3 stick) shortening
  • 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside for use in Step 4.
  2. Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy.
  3. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Do not overbeat, or your cookies will dome upon baking, making them more difficult to decorate later.
  4. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract in another bowl.
  5. Slowly blend into the butter mixture on low to medium speed and mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, to ensure even mixing.
  6. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the reserved dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
  7. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate about 3 hours, or until firm enough to roll without sticking.
  8. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (or silicone baking mats) and set aside.
  9. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 1⁄8- to 3⁄16-inch thickness. (Note: It's best to roll these cookies no thicker than 3⁄16 inch in order to keep them their flattest for decorating.)
  10. Cut out assorted shapes with your favorite cookie cutters or the cutters or templates specified in the project you've chosen. Carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets with an offset spatula, leaving no less than 3⁄4 inch between each cutout.
  11. Baking time will vary considerably with cookie size and thickness. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around their edges, about 8 to 10 minutes for 2 1⁄2-inch round cookies or as specified in your project. Let particularly long or delicately shaped cookies cool 1 to 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks. Otherwise, immediately transfer to racks and cool completely before frosting and/or assembling with Royal Icing or decorating.

NOTE: For easiest handling, the dough should be chilled about 3 hours before rolling and cutting. The dough can be frozen for 1 month or more with minimal loss of flavor if wrapped tightly in plastic and then foil. For best eating, store baked cookies in airtight containers at room temperature and enjoy within 1 to 1 1⁄2 weeks.


Filed Under: BAKING, Christmas, Cookies, recipes · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

A Life Flipped Upside Down

October 26, 2011 · by · 18 Comments
upside down cake

Let's face it.  Sometimes life is just plain embarrassing.  I shouldn't speak for you...I apologize.  Sometimes MY life is just plain embarrassing.  Especially lately.  What I'm about to share with you embarrasses me immensely, but I think it's important enough to mention, because you or someone close to you may be experiencing the same thing.

The first embarrassing thing I want to talk about is this:

That happened to me yesterday.  It was a 4-layer devils food cake with homemade caramel pudding between the layers, and covered in the most glorious whipped  frosting that I've ever eaten in my life.  SERIOUSLY.  It's A-MAZ-ING.  I had even piped a huge spiderweb on the top of the cake and was putting the finishing touches of orange sugar and sprinkles around the edges.  Then it flipped upside down...just like that.  4 hours of work was gone in 4 seconds.

After that cake landed on my disgustingly dirty kitchen floor, I cried for 10 minutes and then started throwing things around the kitchen.  It wasn't a pretty sight.

Luckily, I made up for it today by making a gloriously delicious REAL upside down cake...pineapple style!  You can find the yummilicious recipe for it here.  Or if you prefer the semi-homemade version, just use the recipe for the topping from that website and then add your favorite boxed cake mix over the top.  I bet it would even be wonderful with chocolate cake!  Here's how well mine turned out.

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!  Take another looksie at the velvety smooth butter cake.  It literally melted in my mouth and made me cry...happy tears this time.

So there's one more embarrassing thing that I want to share with you.  There really isn't an easy way to say this, so I need to just spit it out.  I'm doing this because I hope that by doing so, I can save even ONE person from going through the torture that I experienced...

I have a mental illness.  Technically, two of them.  There...I said it.

I recently spent a week in the hospital, where I was diagnosed with Severe Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  Since August, when my mother passed away, I've experienced almost all of these warning signs/symptoms of depression:

  • Things just seem “off” or “wrong.”
  • You don’t feel hopeful or happy about anything in your life.
  • You’re crying a lot for no apparent reason, either at nothing, or something that normally would be insignificant.
  • You feel like you’re moving (and thinking) in slow motion.
  • Getting up in the morning requires a lot of effort.
  • Carrying on a normal conversation is a struggle. You can’t seem to express yourself.
  • You’re having trouble making simple decisions.
  • Your friends and family really irritate you.
  • You’re not sure if you still love your spouse/significant other.
  • Smiling feels stiff and awkward. It’s like your smiling muscles are frozen.
  • It seems like there’s a glass wall between you and the rest of the world.
  • You’re forgetful, and it’s very difficult to concentrate on anything.
  • You’re anxious and worried a lot.
  • Everything seems hopeless.
  • You feel like you can’t do anything right.
  • You have recurring thoughts of death and/or suicidal impulses. Suicide seems like a welcome relief.
  • You have a feeling of impending doom – you think something bad is going to happen, although you may not be sure what, and/or…
  • …You have a very specific fear that torments you constantly.
  • In your perception of the world around you, it’s always cloudy. Even on sunny days, it seems cloudy and gray.
  • You feel as though you’re drowning or suffocating.
  • You’re agitated, jumpy and anxious much of the time.
  • Your senses seem dulled; food tastes bland and uninteresting, music doesn't seem to affect you, and nothing you do makes you feel happy or want to smile.
  • Incessantly and uncontrollably into your mind comes the memory of every failure, every bad or uncomfortable experience, interview or date, like a torrent of negativity.

The weird thing is, I experienced many of those symptoms, but I passed them off as stress and grief over losing my mom.  I ignored my body's aches and pains, my intense headaches, and I even ignored many of the comments from concerned friends, who told me that I was acting "differently".  Things went on that way for about a month and then all Hell broke loose in my head and my body.  I became so withdrawn that I had a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.  I even had a death wish.  I just didn't see any hope or point in living.  I started having dizzy spells and moments where I would become so forgetful that I almost couldn't remember where I lived.  I started having panic attacks and crying spells in the middle of my classes at school.  It was embarrassing, humiliating, and downright scary.  I hope and pray that none of you ever have to experience that kind of pain.  There IS hope.  Depression is horrible, but it IS treatable!

I will likely be on medication for the rest of my life to regulate my serotonin levels, and I will have to see a therapist to help me deal with my anxiety, but at least I know that one day I will feel like a human being again.  My doctor said it may take a few weeks before I start feeling the effects of the meds.  I look forward to that day....

Until then, I'll keep taking baby steps towards better health and living life one day at a time.  I hope you'll stick around and join me for the wonderful ride of living life.

If you just read this post and you or someone you care about is experiencing a similar situation, I urge you to seek help.  Call or text a friend.  Reach out to your local United Way or Crisis Intervention service. Tell a teacher, your preacher, or someone you trust.  Whatever you do, DON'T HOLD IN YOUR FEELINGS.  If you have nobody, then please email me!  I CARE ABOUT YOU and I will help you find the help you need.

The depression symptom list was taken from the Wing of Madness Depression Guide

 

 

 

Filed Under: BAKING, Motivational, recipes · Tagged: , , , ,
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