blog hopper

Had some quality one-on-one computer/internet browsing time... and much of that was blog hopping (ok, all of it). I've collected some new recipes! Yay! So I'm probably going to be baking up at least 2 loaves of banana bread, some new cookies, and even a cake!

I think I'm going to start buying butter and eggs in bulk. I mean, seriously! A box of butter has ONLY 4 sticks... that'll last MAYBE 2 recipes. and EGGS! THE EGGS!! I like to bake just as much as I like an egg sammie, or a poached egg, or an egg over-easy, or an omelette (OMG I STILL HAVE TO MAKE "EGGIE IN A BASKET" - note to self- before bread molds, again)... so my own personal egg consumption really digs into the dozen count egg carton. And I have to restrain myself from eating eggs lest the Citrus Yogurt Muffin fiasco re-occur. (But I think buying a whole STACK of eggs from Costco might be overkill... even for me).

Not to mention the LAZY. On "Baking Day Mondays", I spend half the afternoon shopping for ingredients. Granted I have the staples (AP flour, sugar, eggs (hopefully), butter (usually))... but I'm not a milk drinker, nor do I keep whipping cream in the fridge, or even honey! So I am guaranteed an outing to the market for that one ingredient or two... not to mention, restocking the staples since something or other is ALWAYS running out. (Note to self- parchment paper)

So, hopefully, this weekend I will be proactive and shop on Sunday (or maybe even SATURDAY, WHOA OMG)... and bake ALLLLLL day on Monday.

How long does it take for bananas to ripen? I should get those asap and force them to get old and mushy for my banana breads.

So! Everyone...

Let's look forward to these goodies in the next few weeks or month (or year):

Banana Bread w/ Chocolate and Cinnamon Sugar from Orangette
Banana Bread w/ Cinnamon Crumble Topping from Orangette
UBC Cake (Ultimate Banana & Chocolate Cake) aka Willie Nelson's Famous Banana Bread from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookie from Smitten Kitchen
Chocolate Mint Cookies from Everybody Likes Sandwiches
French-Style Yogurt Cake from Orangette

bucket o' edamame

one of the easiest and healthiest and nummiest snacks I could ever make...

boil.
drain.
salt.
consume!

the F.V.

I've been seeing/hearing about some new stores (new to me anyways) and I must say my curiosity is piqued.


The truck drove in front of my on my way to work...
the logo for sure caught my eye. So I look it up, and its another nice little market... I guess reminiscent of Trader Joe's, minus the quirky. I do like the style of it, really crisp/clean/simple... which is really an ode to its name- fresh and easy. DUH.
The closest one to me is in Fountain Valley. FABULOUS.



Heard about this from KIIS on the way to work. I am definitely interested in checking out this 'up-scale' convenience store, or rather the "premium convenience store". I'm more interested in going here than Fresh&Easy. The nearest one again is in Fountain Valley.

What is in FV that draws these business models? I mean... really?

I'll be sure to explore (eventually), and I'm sure I'll see why.

for the pups

It was a special pup-pup's birfday... so I decided to whip together a doggie cake!

Uses all "human" ingredients... although, I would definitely refrain my dog (or anyone's dog) from eating more than a bite of this.

It baked up with so much oil... it stank up my apartment. AND the stupid springform pan LEAKED oil/grease/butter in the oven (DANGEROUS!), and I have yet to clean that. Seriously, I'm not a fan of the springform pan. Maybe for cheesecakes, but even then you have to wrap the bottom in foil to prevent moisture from getting in from the water bath, etc etc blah blah. But I digress...

Bow Wow Beef and Bacon Birthday Cake
from LoveToKnow Dogs (just from internet searching)
I halved the recipe, since a 8"x8" cake would be pretty large for a small doggie.



My adaptation:
1 C AP Flour
3/4Tsp Baking Powder
1/3C butter, softened
1/4C EVOO
1/2 jar Beef and Vegetable baby food
1-1/2 large eggs
1/4C Bacon Bits

Yields a small springform round and a small ramekin.
Bake at 350degrees for 40 min.

Sift flour and baking powder together.
Cream together butter, oil, baby food and eggs.
Mix dry ingredients with the wet. Then stir in bacon bits.
Pour into prepared pan.

Notes: I simply sprayed cooking spray to grease the baking dishes. Although, given the amount of oil, I don't think that's necessary at all.
I wasn't sure if, and how much, these would rise. But they do, slightly.
Its a pretty crumbly cake, but if you are able to keep the outer "crust" intact, frosting is a breeze. But let the frosting soften for easier spreading (duh).

For the frosting I used cream cheese, very light layer. And for the "flower" decor, I mixed some peanut butter (Since we all know that pups love the PB) with cream cheese to add some color, and "piped" it on (I should work on that). Then, to top it off... a doggie stick treat! And...
it kinda goes downhill from there.



It's a dense cake, so shoving a stick down the center really isn't the brightest idea ever. But oh well. At least the "front" is presentable.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies - FAIL

from Real Simple July 2007

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
8oz. bittersweet chocolate
4 large eggs
3c. granulated sugar
2tsp. vanilla extract
1.5C AP flour
1/2tsp. kosher salt
8 large peanut butter cups cut into pieces (OR, mini peanut butter cups, like I used)

400degrees for 35min (until knife comes out clean) ***NONONO! 400degrees cooked the outside WAY too fast***

9x13pan

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat.
Using mixer, beat eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy.
Lower speed and pour in melted chocolate and vanilla.
Mix in flour and salt.

Fold in peanut butter cups.*

Scrape into buttered pan.**


Notes:
*I used Trader Joe Mini Peanut Butter Cups instead of cut up pieces of regular peanut butter cups. I pretty much just dumped in most of the 12oz. container.
**Everyone knows the "trick" for buttering pans right? Use the butter wrappers from the sticks of butter!

This was my first from scratch brownie. So, I was worried that it wouldn't get that crust on top. The batter also seemed to be a lighter brown than brownie mixes come out to be. But that seemed to work out ok.

It was the temperature issue that really messed up this recipe. I thought 400degrees was pretty irregular for a brownie mix, but me and my penchant for following directions to a T had to go forward with it. I did the "knife" test, and it came out clean. Too bad that the inside was still wet. I put it back in to cook more at 325 for about 20 min... it seemed to cook a little more. But when I went to scoop a chunk from the center, it was just as raw. So, I scrapped the whole thing. VERY ANNOYED.


'til next time...

Citrus Yogurt Muffins

This cute little book features all kinds of cupcake recipes, and VARIATIONS on those recipes! I only wish there were more pictures (like for EVERY SINGLE CUPCAKE FLAVOR) but that would be a little excessive (maybe?).

Last night I attempted to bake Citrus Yogurt Muffins.
It wasn't until too late that I realized I had no eggs (none, not one) in the fridge. SO unfortunately, and definitely (according to my chef at work), this recipe REQUIRES that egg. OOPS.

Citrus Yogurt Muffins

from the "Low-Fat Cupcake" chapter

2C AP flour
3/4C granulated sugar
1 tbsp grated orange zest (approx. all of a regular sized orange)
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (approx. all of a regular to large sized lemon)
1 tbsp grated lime zest (approx. 2 decent sized limes)
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1C fat-free plain yogurt
1/2C sunflower oil (I used vegetable oil, I wonder if that made a difference too.)
1 lightly beaten egg

Combine dry ingredients and zest.
Mix together yogurt, oil and egg.
Stir in flour mixture until combined- do not overmix.
Spoon into prepared muffin pan (yields 12).

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool 5 min. Serve warm. (They DID taste ok still warm; I didn't bother tasting them the next morning though.)

Maybe I'll try these again, WITH the egg. Maybe I won't. I end up wasting the naked fruits anyways. So sad.

Domo cake!

With only a few mishaps, a lot of kitchen mess, and 3 minorly burned fingers... I give you:

THE Domo cake

the process:


2 sheet cakes (9x13)
2 loaf cakes
Vanilla Cream Custard
Chocolate Frosting
Cocoa Powder (for the "fuzzy" texture)
Rice Crispy Treats (fresh made for shaping arms)
Fruit Roll-up (Strawberry)
White Chocolate (melted and cut for teeth)
Whoppers (for the eyes)

Notes: Did not come out as good as I wanted. Time was an issue, since I was constantly rushed to a) meet people for dinner and b) meet people for lunch. And quality of detail went into decline once the fingers got burned. So, that disgusting white goop on his bottom teeth was a consequence of that injury. Otherwise, its all about the proportion of the body and appendages, as well as attention to details of the mouth. Easy to make if you take the time to carefully shape the body and make the details nice. After all, he's a RECTANGLE shaped character. What would be easier!