One of my favorite books is Martha Stewart's Holiday Handbook. Why? Well, i LOVE the holidays and I LOVE Marth! One of the recipes that caught my attention was Cranberry Orange Tea Cakes, which I thought is the PERFECT way to start the holiday baking! The only change I made was substituting pecans for walnuts. OMG I'm SO amazed by how yummy these are!
Ingredients: (8 mini loaves)
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
2 eggs
3/4 c heavy cream
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c fresh cranberries
1/2 c pecans, chopped
Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray mini loaf pan with cooking spray.
Cream together butter, sugar and orange zest until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a large measuring cup, stir together the heavy cream, orange juice and vanilla. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with cream mixture. Gently fold in the cranberries and pecans.
Divide batter among pans and smooth the tops. Bake until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center omes out clean, about 20 minutes.
I don't know about you but when I think of fall, apples definitely come to mind. Zucchini is also not far away since we're still seeing plenty of them after the summer harvest. So when I saw this recipe for Zucchini Apple Bread, I knew I was in for a seasonal treat! They came out so moist and since I made mini loaves, they only took about 25 minute to bake. (I'm VERY impatient!) The coconut flakes also gave them a tropical flavor, which I really loved. Perfect weekend treats!
I think I'm one of the few wives that don't mind losing my hubby to football on Sundays. I think it's mostly cuz I get an excuse to make snacks for munching in front of the TV. This afternoon I made more Cheesy Garlic Toasts with Fig Balsamic Vinegar for dipping. YUMMY! Go 9ers!
It's summer and that means Zucchini Season! I absolutely love Zucchini Bread and have been seeing lots of chocolatey recipes lately so I decided to try one myself. These have walnuts and coffee in them and taste just like brownies! If you have kids (or a hubby) that won't eat their veggies, just sneak them in these and I guarantee they'll eat them!
Ingredients: (1 regular loaf or 8 mini loaves)
1 c grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 medium)
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c cocoa
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c walnuts, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 c all purpose flour
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray and set.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, cocoa, coffee powder, salt and baking soda, and beat until combined.
3. Add zucchini and walnuts and mix until combined. Stir in flour and mix just until moistened.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes for a regular loaf or 25-30 minutes for mini loaves, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
I stumbled upon this article on Pear and Cheese and Wine Pairings recently. I found it really interesting that the type of pear would actually make a difference since they all taste pretty much the same to me. (Guess I'm not a fruit Aficionado!) Anyway, I bought Bosc Pears the other day so I thought I'd make some Pear and Cheddar Bread to find out if they really do go well together. You know what? They totally do! I'm not sure if using a different type of pear would actually NOT taste good here but these are definitely worth trying and VERY good with a nice glass of Cab!
Ingredients: (1 regular loaf or 8 mini loaves)
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 eggs
1/3 c whole milk
1/3 c olive oil
1-1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 pear, diced
Prep:
1. Preheat to 350°F. Spray regular or mini loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sage, salt and black pepper. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk and olive oil. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cheese and pear.
3. Transfer dough to prepared pan and smooth the top.
4. Bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes for a regular loaf and 25 minutes for mini loaves. Cool bread in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Blueberries went on sale this week and it's been a while since I've baked with them. I was searching for a good bread recipe and just couldn't resist this Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bread. It sounds like a mouthful but trust me, this bread was super easy and turned out SO good! I made mini loaves so they only took about 25 minutes to bake and the recipe made 8 2x1-inch loaves. In case you wanna make this right away and don't already have Bisquick, Sandra Lee has a Baking Mix Recipe that's a good substitute.
Strawberries and cream is such a classic and luxurious combination and when I saw this recipe that puts them together in bread form, I knew I had to make it! What a genius idea! I baked mini loaves, which only took about 20 minutes, and they came out so moist and creamy. Baking with berries really does make me wish it was summertime already!
Safeway ran a special on Blueberries over the weekend, Buy 1 Get 2 FREE, so I totally took advantage. The containers were pretty small but 3 of them still meant I had a LOT of berries to work with (and I'm NOT complaining)! Since I just made Blueberry Muffins over the weekend, I thought I'd try some Blueberry Poundcake. Instead of a big loaf, I made them into bite-size squares and they turned out SO good! Really moist and just bursting with blueberries!
I LOVE Eggplant Parmesan but I rarely make it cuz Greg's not a fan of eggplant and I can't possibly eat a whole pan of it by myself. I mean, you really have to eat it hot and bubbly from the oven and the left-overs just don't taste good reheated. These mini loaves are my answer to being able to enjoy Eggplant Parmesan any time of the day and even the next day! They've got all the yummy flavors of eggplant, tomato, basil and cheese and couldn't be easier to make. Just call me Miss Creativity!
Ingredients: (1 regular loaf or 8 mini loaves)
1/3 c olive oil
1/3 c milk
2 large eggs
1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c shredded Mozzarella cheese
1-1/2 c eggplant, coarsely grated
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the oil, milk and eggs. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Parmesan and pepper. Stir in wet ingredients in just until moistened. Stir in Mozzarella, eggplant, tomatoes and basil until mixed.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes for regular loaf or 20 to 30 minutes for mini loaves. Cool 15 minutes in pan; turn out loaf onto a rack to cool completely.
APPLE Oatmeal Raisin Bread! I saw this recipe and knew I wanted to try it. They came out SO good and made the kitchen smell amazing with the cinnamon and nutmeg. I baked Mini Loaves so they only took about 20 minutes in the oven. If you like Oatmeal Raisin anything, you will absolutely LOVE these!
Why is it TRIPLE Omega-3? Cuz it's got avocado, walnuts AND olive oil in it! I mean, this bread gives "Superfood" a whole new meaning! The best part is that it's YUMMY too! It's the perfect way to add a good-for-you treat to your probably not-so-healthy holiday menus!
To me there's nothing that says "Fall" like pumpkins and apples. I mean, Thanksgiving just isn't complete without Pumpkin and Apple Pies right? So when I saw this recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread and knew I wanted to try it! I baked lil square breads and they only took about 25 minutes. They came out so moist and had just the right amount of crunch from the apple chunks. Perfect "Fall" treats!
I'm in charge of bringing in breakfast for the office on Monday mornings and I like to switch things up. So far I've brought in Noah's Bagels, Pastries from Starbucks, and Muffins from Specialty's. Everyone enjoyed all the variety but my boss hinted last week that Banana Nut Bread is his favorite so of course, I had to bake some especially for him! This recipe comes from my Pillsbury Muffins and Quick Breads book and I baked mini loaves so they'd be easier to share. I totally missed my kitchen since we were gone for Thanksgiving and was so happy to be back in it! I just love the smell of the apartment whenever something yummy is baking in the oven! I ended up with 6 mini loaves, which took about half as long as a regular loaf. Everyone (especially my boss) loved them!
Ingredients:
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 c (2 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or 6 mini loaf pans.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter unti light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Add bananas, milk and vanilla; blend well.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, nuts, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add to banana mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into greased pan.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes (or 25-30 minutes for mini loaves) or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I make lots of different sweet and savory Zucchini Bread but not so much Squash Bread so when I saw this recipe for Savory Squash Bread, I knew I had to give it a try. I love Feta in just about anything and it was great in this bread! It just adds such a nice salty bite and creaminess. I added about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley for some herby flavor and of course, pretty color! I also turned my bread into mini loaves and topped each with some Parmesan cheese for a yummy brown crust. Perfect savory treats for any time of the day!
I'm always looking for new savory breads so when I saw this recipe for Herbed Zucchini Cheese Bread, I knew I wanted to try it. My herb of choice was Parsley and I also topped my mini loaves with some Parmesan cheese for that extra yummy cheesy flavor! They came out SO good! Savory and cheesy and the perfect Saturday afternoon treat!
Although Cranberry Season started in September, I really don't see them in the supermarkets until November, when everyone starts thinking about Thanksgiving and Cranberry Sauce. BUT cranberries can be made into so many different treats other than Sauce and I love experimenting with them. I found this recipe for Cranberry Corn Bread and knew I wanted to give it a try. I halved the recipe to make a 9x5-inch loaf and it only took about 25-30 minutes to bake. I love the slight tartness that the cranberries added and the bread came out incredibly moist. Great breakfast or snack any time of the day!
This recipe was adapted from my Pillsbury Best Muffins and Quick Breads cookbook and it came out super moist and yummy! I love the layers of cake with raspberries in the middle and you can definitely have it any time of the day and not just for breakfast.
Ingredients:
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c fresh raspberries
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter until fluffly. Add eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla; beat until well blended.
3. Add flour and baking powder; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with raspberries. Pour remaining batter over raspberries.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
I LOVED the sweet and savory combination of my Cheddar Apple Bread and wanted to try another variation. This time I combined Pear with Blue Cheese, which I thought were the perfect pairing! There's something about the saltiness of the cheese that actually brings out the sweetness of the fruit. Combined with some crunchy walnuts and these were just perfect lil snacks!
Ingredients: (12 squares)
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c oil
1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c crumbled blue cheese
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 pear, chopped
1/4 c chopped walnuts
Prep:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk and oil. Stir in the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix just until it all comes together and no flour is visible. Stir in the cheese, pear and walnuts.
3. Transfer the batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
I've finally found a "go-to" savory cornbread recipe that I can add whatever veggies, meat, cheese and herbs I feel like. It's cheesy and super simple baked in a cast-iron skillet. This one has mushrooms, cheddar and parsley but like I said, add WHATEVER you have laying around. I love savory cornbread cuz they're good any time of the day!
Ingredients:
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c yellow cornmeal
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c veggies (bell pepper, mushroom, squash, etc), diced
1 c buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 c (4 oz) cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, green onions, basil, etc), chopped
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
2. Melt butter in a 9 or 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Add veggies and sauté until tender. Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly. Add to rest of the ingredients along with in cheese and herbs.
3. Pour into hot skillet and place in oven. Bake until skewer inserted into center tests clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve (with more butter).
Now that summer is officially over, it's time to say good-bye to the beloved zucchini. BUT I just couldn't bare it without making 1 last batch of Zucchini Bread! I found this recipe using chocolate chunks that apparently came from a Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar package and just couldn't resist. I've seen lots of recipes for Chocolate Zucchini Bread and even Zucchini Brownies but haven't tried the combination before. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips instead and it added just the right amount of sweetness. I only a small zucchini so I cut the ingredients down in half and made 4 mini loaves instead of a big 1. The baking time was also a lot shorter, about 25 minutes, which is a total bonus since I hate waiting around for my yummy treats!
