Vegetarian Foodie

Oh my! Baked Doughnuts

I knew that when I read about this recipe for Baked Doughnuts on this blog I just had to try it out. The daughter got to work on it too...

We chose a heart shaped cookie cutter for our doughnuts...

...Which was so appropriate because we agreed that we loved the baked doughnuts.

Strawberry Muffins

I just love a Saturday morning that invites muffin making. And muffin eating...

1 1/4 Sticks of Butter Melted
1 3/4 Cups of Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cup Milk
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 Handfuls of Strawberries (or your Fruit of choice)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Combine Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.
In another bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, milk and egg.
Marry the two bowls and add tthe fruit. Spoon mix into muffin tin.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

The Best Cookie Recipe Ever!

With Christmas having come and gone we had our fare share of cookie making and eating in the past few weeks. We have sampled delicious bits of cookies such as pecan cranberry sugar cookies, shortbread, fudge balls, raspberry squares, chocolate chip classic etc. etc. By far, we all agreed around here that Giada's Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts is the best ever. Not only do the cookies sport hazelnuts that have been toasted but also chips of toffee. Really these cookies are the business and I knew it to be true when the day after I made a batch, the husband confessed to eating 13 of the cookies upon waking. 13! An entire baker's dozen! And before 8 A.M.! I suppose I should be flattered however he proceeded to eat the cookies out of the fancy bags I had assembled as gifts for neighbors and friends.  All was settled when I angrily threw a bag of cookies at him by mid-day and then stashed the remaining bags of cookies in the back of the drawer that holds the rags, chopsticks and plastic lunch baggies. 

Make these cookies at your own risk.

1/2 Cup Oats
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Sticks of butter at Room Temp
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Ounces Heath Bar or Skor Bar Chopped
1 Cup Hazelnuts Toasted, Husked and Chopped
1 Bag of Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Chop the Oats in a food Processor. Transfer oats to a large bowl and add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a different bowl, use an electric mixer (or in my case my hands) and beat the sugars and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla.

Mix the flour bowl with the butter bowl and blend. Stir in toffee, hazelnuts and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough onto a cookie sheet (about spoon size) and bake until cookies are golden.. about 15 minutes.

Additional good news about these cookies is that the dough keeps in the freezer! Take dough out an hour or so before you plan to make some cookies.

Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

After trying this recipe torn out of the November issue of Sunset magazine, I will never again show up at any seasonal holiday party with simply pumpkin pie. This upside down pumpkin cake offers an it is about time variation of a pumpkin dessert.

1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Rum
1 1/3 Cups cranberries
2/3 Cup toasted walnuts
1 Can of Pumpkin
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
Creme Fraiche to top off your cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 inch pan and line with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in brown sugar. Add rum. Pour into pan.
Arrange cranberries and walnuts in sugar/butter mix.
In a large bowl mix eggs, pumpkin, oil, and granulated sugar until well mixed.
In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Marry the two bowls. Spread batter over cranberry/walnut/sugar/butter mix in the pan.
Bake about 40 minutes.
Flip cake and allow to cool.

The Best Brownies Ever

4 oz semi sweet chocolate squares
1 cup of chocolate chips
3 cups of Flour
1 Cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (350 degrees for 7-9 minutes)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Melt butter and chocolate squares together-I use a microwave.
• Combine salt, flour and baking soda in one bowl
• Combine eggs and sugar in another bowl and mix very well. Once mixed, add butter and chocolate goo. Continue mixing.
• Marry the two bowls and mix well.
• Add 1/2 cup of creme fraiche, chocolate chips and finally the walnuts.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Top with creme fraiche and fresh raspberries or whatever fruit is in season.

Chocolate Chip Scones

The husband and the daughter love sweet treats, especially chocolate. In fact, they really LOVE chocolate and often until it hurts. The last time I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies we ate so many that we all had stomach aches. I ended up bagging about 25 cookies and offering them to the homeless guys that hang out by the library in our neighborhood. So when I announced I was making scones and asked, "What should I put in them? Blueberries perhaps or apricots.." Without hesitation, the response was chocolate. I was not surprised. So here is the recipe for chocolate chip scones, not just for breakfast!

• 4 Cups Flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 2 Sticks of unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 Cup of buttermilk
• The insides: Chocolate (in this case), blueberries, strawberries...be creative!
• Pinches of brown sugar to top off scones

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with waxed paper
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt

Cut in the butter and mix until it is course like sand
Add the buttermilk and the insides and mix

Roll or pat down the dough and proceed by shaping small (2 inches wide) and somewhat flat (1 inch thick) biscuit shapes for the baking sheet

Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar and bake for 20 minutes