wednesday; what we baked

i dont know about you, but ive never been a huge fan of brownies.

which is weird.

because i love chocolate and i love baked goods, why not combined?

to me, brownies from a box have always been blah.

tasting of fake chocolate and syrupy sweet- and i dont like them warm!

so when i was thinking of something simple to make for when my in laws came over, i thought brownies would be good...

and i was right.

i stumbled upon some grey sea salt brownies, adjusted them (as usual) to what i had and to my taste and they were. so. good.

grey sea salt brownies

adapted from this recipe

1 1/2 sticks butter

4 oz dark baking chocolate  (i like ghiradelli)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup unbleached flour

1/3 dark cocoa powder

1/4 tsp grey sea salt, 1/4 sea salt for sprinkling

preheat your oven to 350.

melt butter and chocolate together, setting aside to cool after melted.

in a stand up mixer with whisk attached add the chocolate/butter mixture to sugar and vanilla.

beat on low and add eggs, one a time until combined.

in a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour and sea salt.

slowly add dry ingredients to chocolate batter.

the batter will be thick!

pour in to a butter non stick, or a parchment lined glass pan and bake for 22-24 minutes.

as soon as you remove from the over, lightly sprinkle the grey (or pink or maldon)

sea salt on top. 

allow to cool, cut and serve.

and you know what i like to serve it with! :)

wednesday; what we baked

strawberry shortcake, not just a semi- hit (in my mind) show from the eighties.

it s a dessert.

or a breakfast.

ever since i can remember my dad aging, it has been his favorite, and lucky for him his birthday happens during california strawberry season.

(i feel a nature v nurture debate on that one...)

anyways, a few weeks back when my mom and sister came over to go picking with me and the boys, 

upon request, i made strawberry shortcake.

and quite tastily, i might add.

strawberry shortcake

recipe adapted from epicurious website 

biscuit

1 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar 

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup chilled whipping cream ( i used 1/2 almond milk and 1/4 half half just to see and it worked well)

preheat oven to 400.

mix dry ingredient in a bowl. cut in butter, then slowly mix in the cream until a stick dough has formed.

dust lightly with flour and knead 2-3 times forming a ball.

roll out approx. 1/2-3/4 inch thick and cut circles ( i use a wine glass).

put on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

whipped cream

with an electric beater, beat one carton of heavy whipping cream with 4 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.

beat until firm but still soft.

cut biscuit in half, layer with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries then top with other half.

as always, this is best served with coffee (decaf if you must) or would be delightful with a glass of champagne!

wednesday; what we...froze?

as i mentioned on monday, we recently went strawberry picking.

and while there are a multitude of things you can do with a butt load of strawberries, 

we chose a select few.

i made a batch of highly unsuccessful fruit leather.

jackson and the neighbor boys made a delicious batch of strawberry lemonade. (i see a summer business happening)

and since it is practically popsicle season, i got a jump on it and made these.

strawberries and cream with lime popsicles

makes 8 popsicles

1- 1 1/2 pints of strawberries, hulled

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

juice of half a lime

2 tbsp simple syrup*

literally, all you do is dump everything in a blender or food processor until smoothish then pour in to your popsicle molds!

* i actually make a batch of simple syrup and keep it in my fridge. it comes in so handy when we make popsicle and frozen coffee drinks.

simple syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

optional add-ins:

vanilla bean pod

rosemary

lavender

blanched orange peel

simmer until sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear.

use in mixed cocktails, popsicles, coffee and a plethora of other sweet treats!

wednesday; what we baked

today, we are talking about banana bread.

about what to do with those over ripe bananas that have accumulated in your freezer.

ready?

okay.
this stuff is delicious.
and i dont want to toot my own horn, but ive had friends say its the best banana bread they've ever eaten.
yeah, thats right.
so in the middle of a long day with sick kids, i made 4 loaves and a batch of muffins.
why?
it was on my to do list.
go figure.


Banana Bread


6-8 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sunflower oil*
 1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
6 tbsp milk
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups whole wheat flour


preheat oven to 350. cream the sugar, butter and sunflower oil. mix in bananas and eggs. mix in the rest of the liquid ingredients. then fold in the salt, baking soda, baking powder and whole wheat flour. pour in to 3 buttered loaf pans ( i prefer the foil ones because i like the size). bake for about 40-45 minutes. 
then let cool a little, slice off a chunk with a pat of butter on it and seriously, so good.
*my moms original recipe calls for one cup of butter but i subbed half for sunflower oil and it tasted the same!

also, look for something exciting tomorrow! an actual project that i worked on with 1313 photography!

wednesday: what we baked

that up there, thats a cake.

its the best cake i have ever eaten.

whoa whoa- thats quite a statement isnt it?

let me justify.

in florida, we have publix. and i cant tell you how much people looooove publix cake.

i think its disgusting. (i may lose friends for that one)

it tastes of fake flavoring with that weird grimy feeling in your mouth after you have taken a bite.

a cake that is dense while soft and rich but not too sweet- thats what i like.

no hydrogenated in your face high fructose non dairy stuff happening here.

no sir.

this is ina gartens' beatty's chocolate cake.

and my next child will be named beatty.

i made this cake two weeks ago and then i made it again, but with whipped cream the second time.

just as good.

also, if you have this cake in your home, invite friends over or you will eat more than you planned.

i didnt say you would feel bad about it.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

slightly adapted from Ina Garten

• 
  
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt ( i used grey sea salt and it was yum)
• 1 cup buttermilk*
• 1/2 cup melted butter (she calls for oil but i had butter and it was perfect)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (no fake stuff!)
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• 
  
• *if you do not have buttermilk on hand, dont run to the store! just take one cup of milk and 4 tsp of lemon juice and let sit for 5 min!
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350. Brew coffee while combining all dry ingredients in your kitchen aid with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer.
• in a separate bowl combine melted butter, buttermilk,vanilla and eggs. 
• slowly add in dry ingredients and at the very end, pour in the fresh, hot coffee.
• pour into a bundt pan (its denser this way but two round pans will work)
• and bake for 35-40 minutes.
• allow for the cake to fully cool, cut the cake in half hamburger style with a sharp serrated knife and frost with either whipped cream or chocolate frosting.
• 
  
• 
  
• best eaten alongside a hot cup of coffee (for breakfast) or decaf peppermint tea with honey (dessert).
• just sayin.
• 
  

wednesday: what we baked

Flour-less Almond Butter Cookies

1 cup organic, all natural (just nuts and salt) almond butter

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup honey or brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

Bake at 350 for 8 min. The cookies will look set but not done, let them cool before transferring off the baking sheet. If you want something a little different, try spreading some organic raspberry preserves on them, so so good. Enjoy!

the reason these are flour-less (because maybe you were wondering) is because i have been doing the GAPS diet for the past month which is a starch/sugar/dairy restrictive diet, intended to heal leaky gut. (im not crazy, just ask summer)

anyways, these cookies are delicious!

we do almond butter because jbear is peanut allergic but you could easily sub peanut butter in- just leave out the extracts!

so make these today!

wednesday: what we baked

did you think i forgot about this "series"?

if so, you were wrong! 

ive actually been baking up a storm over here, using up all the rest of our flour and grains before we start this.

so this afternoon while the baby child napped and the older chid fevered and watched caillou, i baked up some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

(if you follow me on twitter, you know i was an egg short but dont worry! i borrowed one from a neighbor!)

my recipe is kind of a mix of all the best cookie recipes.

umm i just made it sound like im better than all those, but really its just preference.

the name comes from jacksons accidental mis-speak when eating these.

and it went " i wuv these cookies because they have huge chocks of chunklate."

and, it stuck.

i also prefer all organic ingredients.

if you dont already, it really does make all the difference :)

oatmeal "chocks of chunklate" cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3/4 brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups oatmeal

1 1/2 cups flour

10-12 oz chopped chocolate (dark or milk, we mix both), or chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350 F.

cream sugars and butter.

add in eggs and vanilla until incorporated.

add in salt, soda, powder and oatmeal together then stir.

add in flour, then fold in chocolate chunks.

use an ice cream scoop if you have one, or just dollop the dough into balls on a lined cookie sheet.

bake for 8-9 minutes.

when you pull the cookies out, sprinkle (lightly) with pink or grey sea salt.

makes them so so good!