Peach Cobbler

Cream together: 1 cup soft margarine 1 cup sugar 2 cups flour 4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt Add: 1 cup milk Beat until smooth. Pour into bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Put 1 large can of peaches or 2 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches (more or less can be used according to your taste) on top of batter. Save the juice left in bottom of can. Add enough hot water to make 2 cups liquid. Pour over cake. DO NOT MIX. The juice should just be sitting on top of the cake and peaches. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes until top is golden brown and set. Serve alone or a la mode. YUM!

How To Make Sponge Cake

Sponge Cake Recipe. This light and airy recipe for sponge cake serves as the basis for many types of layered cake desserts like angel food cake. Enjoy our Sponge Cake recipe. Step 1: You will need

Units:

8 eggs, separated to whites and yolks 190 g sugar 95 g flour 55 g corn starch 45 g butter, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 mixer with whisk attachment 1 rubber spatula 1 spring-formed pan, 26cm diameter, lined with parchment 1 bowl 1 sieve 1 wooden skewer

Serves: 6 to 8 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 40 minutes Oven Temperature: 180 c - 360 f

1. Step 2: Preheat the oven

The first thing that you need to do in preparing your sponge cake is to set your oven to 180C, 350F or gas mark 4.

Step 3: Mix the egg yolks

Place the egg yolks into the mixer and mix them on a high speed until creamy. After a minute, add about 2 tbsp of sugar. Continue to mix for a few minutes more until the mixture becomes thicker. 2. You can now add the vanilla extract. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes double that of its original volume. Now turn off the machine and transfer the egg yolks to a separate bowl. 3. Wash your mixing bowl and the attachment well in preparation for whipping the egg whites.

TIP!
Make sure that the mixer attachment and bowl are washed extremely clean at this point. If not, any fat that remains on these utensils will affect the whipping of the egg whites. Make sure your things are spotless!

Step 4: Whip the egg whites

Place whites into the clean mixer bowl. Beat them on high and let them whip until they become white and frothy. Now slowly add the sugar a bit at a time. The whipped egg whites mixture is ready when it clings to the beater attachment but does not drip. Once the mixture is nice and stiff, turn off the mixer.

Step 5: Combine yolks and whites

Now you can introduce the egg yolks to the egg whites mixture. Add the whipped egg yolks into the egg whites and fold them in with the rubber spatula. Make sure not to over-mix.

Step 6: Complete the batter

Next, we need to introduce the flour and corn starch to the eggs. Start by combining the flour and the corn starch in the sieve and using your hands, slowly sift it into the mixture. Sifting the flour will increase the amount of air in the cake, helping to make it even lighter. 4. Fold it all together remembering again not to over-mix and then add the melted butter to the batter, combining it in briefly.

Step 7: Bake
Using your rubber spatula, you can now transfer the batter into the lined springform pan. Spread the batter evenly with the rubber spatula and give the pan a few good shakes to remove any air pockets that might remain. 5. Now put the cake into the oven and allow it to bake.

Step 8: Remove the cake

After around 30 minutes, test the cake to see it is ready. Insert a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. The cake is ready when the skewer comes out free of batter. Now set it aside to cool before removing it from the pan. 6. Once the cake is totally cooled, take a sharp knife and run it around the outside of the cake. Now remove the spring-form pan and there you have it, your sponge cake.

Step 9: Serving Suggestions

Although sponge cake can be eaten as it is, it can be used as the base for many different layered cakes. We hope you enjoy your sponge cake - made the VideoJug way.

How To Make Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake is moist and sweet. Watch our film on how to make this classic, traditional carrot cake. This simple carrot cake recipe is delicious. You will need

Units:

180 g self raising flour 350 g caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 3 eggs 220 g grated raw carrot tsp salt 300 ml sunflower oil for the frosting: 180 g cream cheese 180 g melted butter 220 g icing sugar tsp vanilla essence

Serves: 8 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Oven Temperature: 180 c - 360 f

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven

Heat your oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease and line a 25cm round cake tin.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients

Sieve together 175g self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Step 3: Mixture
Put 300ml oil in a large bowl and beat with 350g the sugar. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then fold in the dry ingredients and stir in 225g grated carrot.

Step 4: Bake
Place the mixture in the tin, level off the top, and bake for 45 mins. Then turn the oven down to 170C/325F/gas 3 for a further 20 mins. When it's done, take the cake out of the oven and cool in the tin for 5 mins. Then remove from the tin to cool on a wire rack.

Step 5: Icing
While the cake is cooling, beat together the 175g cream cheese and 175g butter and add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence. Gradually add 225g sieved icing sugar until the mixture is stiff but spreadable.

Step 6: Finish
When the cake is cool, split it in half horizontally and use the icing to sandwich it back together and cover the top.

How To Make Chocolate Cake

This simple chocolate sponge cake recipe is rich and chocolatey. Learn how to make our perfect chocolate cake recipe. Step 1: You will need: Units: 200 g caster sugar 200 g softened butter 4 medium eggs, beaten 170 g self-raising flour 30 g cocoa 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp milk 200 ml double cream 50 g butter 3 tbsp clear honey

200 g dark chocolate

1. Step 2: Mix
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, 375F. Butter two 20cm (8 in) sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.

Step 3: Bake
In a large bowl, beat together 200g softened butter with 200g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 170g flour and 30g cocoa powder until you have a smooth, soft batter. Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 mins until the top is a beautiful golden colour. The cake should spring back when you press it. Turn it onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

Step 4: Frosting
For the fudge frosting, heat 200ml double cream until it just begins to boil. Take it off the heat and add 50g butter, 3 tablespoons honey and 200g dark chocolate, which has been broken into pieces. Leave the mixture for five minutes so the chocolate melts, then stir it briefly to combine all the ingredients - don't over-mix it or it will lose its shine.

Step 5: Ice
Sandwich the cakes with a third of the just-warm frosting and spread the rest over the top and sides. Top with shaved or grated chocolate.

ngredients 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 3 large eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots 1 cup walnut pieces 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together. Set aside. 2. In another medium bowl, mix the eggs, oil, extract, and sugars together. Stir until smooth. Add the carrots, walnuts, and pineapple. 3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. 4. Spoon the batter into twelve well-greased muffin cups. Place the muffins on a shelf in the upper portion of the oven. Immediately turn the temperature down to 375 degrees. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. (Baking times will vary depending on how well your oven holds heat. The muffins should test done with a toothpick picked in the center of a muffin.) Let the muffins rest for a few minutes in the muffin pan and then remove them to a wire rack to cool. ---\

he Perfect Banana Muffin Recipe

Our goals for this recipe were: Plenty of banana flavor--we wanted as much banana as flour in the recipe--high domes, and a light, tender muffin. It wasnt until we thought to eliminate the egg whites that we were able to achieve our goals. Essentially, we replaced the egg whites with mashed bananas. The keys for success with this recipe are: 1. Use the ripest bananas that you can find. Ripe bananas have much more flavor. 2. Adjust the flour if you have to. Because bananas differ in their moistness as they ripen, you may have to add a couple tablespoons of flour. The batter should be half way between cake batter and cookie dough for drop cookies. It should be stiff enough that it can mound in your scoop. 3. Fill the muffin tins almost to the top. It takes a lot of batter to build a dome. If you fill the tins only 2/3s full, youll have batter left over and smaller muffins. This recipe is designed for 12 standard muffins. 4. Start out with a hot oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and then reduce the temperature as directed. The initial hot oven creates a burst of steam that helps lift the muffins. 5. Check the cooking time. Because you turn the temperature down, times are only an estimate and reflect the time required in our oven. Other ovens may retain heat as ours does. The Perfect Banana Muffin Recipe 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 cups ripe mashed banana 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup sour cream (not low fat) 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup pecan or walnut pieces Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 1. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix the mashed banana, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and vanilla together. 3. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until the ingredients are mixed well. Fold in the nuts. 4. Fill the well-greased tins nearly full. Use all the batter for twelve standard muffins. Sprinkle on the optional streusel topping. 5. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Let sit for five minutes and remove the muffins from the pan to a rack to cool. Streusel Topping 1/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter, melted To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients and stir until well combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over the muffins before baking.

Make-up or Mixing Methods Commonly Used in Recipes

While there are scores of methods used in baking, many recipes for cakes, muffins, cookies, and more utilize one of two methods: the muffin method or the creaming method. (The muffin method is not just for muffins and is common to many recipes.) Once you understand these two methods, you will quickly recognize the method in any recipe and instantly know what you must do to mix the batter or dough properly. Understanding these methods and how they work will make you a better baker.

The Creaming Method

In the creaming method, we cream the fat (butter or shortening) with the sugar until light and then add the other ingredients. In the muffin method, we mix the liquids and the dry ingredients separately and then stir them together until just combined. In the creaming method, place the butter or shortening in the mixing bowl of your electric mixture. Add the sugar, spices, and salt and cream the mixture together with the paddle attachment for the mixer. (Of course, recipes that call for oil instead of butter or shortening cannot be creamed unless you substitute butter or shortening.) The objective is

to drive the sharp sugar crystals through the butter or shortening creating tiny voids of air in the mixture. This entrained air will help the muffins rise. The creaming method has two advantages: The sugar and fat are well-dispersed in the batter and the entrained air tends to make for a light, fine crumb in the muffins.

Steps in the Creaming Method

1. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream together the butter or shortening and sugars, spices, and salt until light. 2. Add the eggs one at a time, creaming after each. 3. Add the liquid ingredients and stir them in. Do not over-stir or you may reduce the entrained air in the creamed mixture. 4. Mix the flour and leavenings together and then add them to the creamed mixture. Mix until just combined. 5. Place in tins or a pan and bake immediately as set forth in the recipe.

The Muffin Method

The muffin method is quick and easy. Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together including the eggs then add the wet mixture to the dry mixture with a spatula and youre ready to bake. (Dont use the electric mixer.) Stir the two mixtures together with a spatula only until combinednot lump freeso that the gluten in the flour will not be developed. (One advantage of the muffin method is that both the dry and the wet ingredients can be mixed the night before. Store the wet ingredients in the refrigerator and then add the wet to the dry ingredients in the morning and youre ready to bake. Youll save time on that busy morning.)

Steps in the Muffin Method

1. Whisk all the wet ingredients together including the eggs and oil or melted butter. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients together. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just moistened. 4. Place in tins and bake immediately as set forth in the recipe.

Tips for Great Whipped Cream (with recipe)

We would like to share some tips for great whipped cream and a recipe for Creme Chantilly. Whipped Cream Tips

1. Chill the cream, bowl, and beaters before starting. 2. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer or use a wire whisk. 3. Use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for sweetening. The finer powdered sugar dissolves more readily and the small amount of cornstarch gives the cream a little more body. 4. Do not use very fresh cream. Cream whips better if it is a couple days old. 5. Do not over whip. Stop while the peaks are still soft. 6. Add other ingredients such as syrups, extracts, and fruit at the end of the whipping. 7. Extra cream should be stored in the refrigerator. Dollops of cream can be frozen on waxed paper. Creme Chantilly 1 pint heavy whipping cream (the fat content should be 35% or more) 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1. Chill the cream, the utensils, and bowl that you will be using. 2. Beat the cream at medium speed until soft peaks form. --

Three Keys to the Perfect Crust

There are three keys to making perfect pie crusts. The first is choosing the right ingredients in the right ratio. The second is cutting the butter or shortening into the flour mixture properly. The third is maintaining the correct temperature. 1. The Ingredients Pie crusts are a mixture of flour, fat, and water. The best recipes seem to have a common ratio of these ingredients: 1/4 cup water to 1/2 cup fat to 2 1/2 cups flour. (The flour should be measured by spooning the flour into the measure, not scooping it. Scooping packs the flour and overloads the formula.) Add one-half teaspoon of salt and you have a recipe for a double crust. 2. Butter or Shortening For the fat, you can use either butter or shortening or a combination. (Butter is 15% water so cut back slightly on the water when using butterthough the ratio is forgiving enough that you probably won't notice the difference.) If you are making more than one pie, just change the amounts but keep the same proportions. It is important that you cut the fat into the flour mixture properly. For that you will need a pastry knife. With a pastry knife, cut the butter or shortening through the flour until the mixture is coarse and nearly uniform without large chunks remaining. If you are using butter, work quickly so that the butter doesnt become soft or melt.

3. Temperature Temperature may be even more important than balanceespecially if you are using butter. The trick is to keep the butter and the dough cold enough that the butter pieces remain intact. If it gets too warm, it melts and saturates the flour. (The same thing happens with shortening but the melting temperature of shortening is higher.) It's the little pieces of butter that makes the crust flaky. As the butter heats in baking, little pockets of steam are formed from the butter nodules. To keep your dough cold, use only the coldest butter and water. Then refrigerate the dough for an hour before forming the pie. If making multiple pies, take only enough dough from the refrigerator for one pie keeping the rest cold until you are ready to for it. Recipe for a Double Crust 1/4 cup ice water 1/2 cup shortening 2 1/2 cups pastry flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1. Mix the salt and flour together with a whisk. 2. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until you have a coarse, nearly uniform mixture. 3. Make a well in the center and add the ice water. Mix with a fork until it comes together into a dough ball. Knead a few times, only until the dough is smooth. Extra kneading will make the crust tough instead of crumbly. 4. Roll the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and form the crust. Just-Add-Water Pie Crust Mix A just-add-water pie crust mix makes a remarkable pie crust with little work. Just add cold water and beat for moment with the paddle and your stand-type mixer. Mix only until it comes together into a dough ball. With and electric mixer, its easy to beat too long and the dough will be tough.

How to Bake: Dinner Rolls

As part of this week's newsletter, buy Sunday Dinner Rolls. Click here.

Nothing makes a dinner special quite like dinner rolls. You can make dinner rolls from your favorite bread mix or recipe though rolls are usually a bit sweeter and richer with more butter and milk products. There is probably no bread product that allows you to be more creative than dinner rolls. You can make them plain or fancy, and if fancy, into a multitude of shapes. You can wash them to give them an attractive glaze or you can top them with seeds or grains. Today we'll show you how to make several of these shapes. We'll use our Sunday Dinner Roll mix though you can use any mix or recipe of your choosing. (We have several dinner and sandwich roll mixes. (Click here to see your choices. Click here to see rolls sized especially for bread machines.) Let's begin with a simple round shape.

After the dough has risen, use a sharp knife (rather than tearing) to divide the dough into the chosen number of pieces. A piece the size of a golf ball or small egg will make a nice-sized roll. If you are using a scale, about 1.5 ounces makes a popular-sized roll. To form round rolls, some people simply roll the dough pieces between their palms. We prefer to pull the skin around the center and pinch the seams together on the bottom to form a taut skin. Place the rolls about 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased pan, cover, and let them rise again until doubled. When the dough has risen fully, a finger pressed softly into dough should leave an indentation. Cloverleaf rolls are made by rolling three equally-sized rolls in butter and then placing them in a muffin tin. Traditionally, parker house rolls were made this same way only with a rich dough. Parker house rolls are also made in a folded shape as follows: Roll balls of dough as in round rolls. Press them flat into 1/4-inch thick disks then brush the tops with butter. Fold them in half as shown in the picture and let them rise until doubled. (To see our Classic Parker House Roll Mixes, click here.) Now let's look at making Kaiser rolls or dinner rolls in a rosette shape. Kaiser rolls are a New York favorite, typically made larger than dinner rolls and used for sandwiches, but you can use the rosette shape to make fancy dinner rolls. First, roll the dough under your palms into long sticks as shown in the figure at the right. (Step 1) Then make a single overhand knot in the center of the dough. (Step 2) Take one of the tailing ends and tuck it around and back through as shown. (Step 3) Take the other end and go around and up through. (Step 4) It's harder to explain than to do. After a couple tries, you'll have the process down and be able to turn these rolls out quickly. After they are formed, let them rise until doubled. In addition to the shapes shown here, you can make twists, overhand knots, or any other shape that you desire. Often, you will want to glaze the tops of your rolls for a glossy finish. For a bronze glaze, use an egg yolk. For a clear glaze, use only the white. For something

in between, use the entire egg. To make the glaze, whisk up to one tablespoon of water with the egg. Brush the tops of the rolls with the glaze just before baking. If you would like, you can sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or rolled oats after glazing. Tip the pan from side to side to sprinkle seeds on the sides. The egg will hold the seeds in place. If you do not glaze your rolls, consider brushing them with melted butter just after they come from the oven. The result will be a soft, buttery crust. Soft dinner rolls freeze well. Simply put the extras in a plastic bag and freeze for up to two months. Our choice? We must confess: we usually make round rollsthough for guests, we often make fancy rolls. We also make a lot of hamburger buns. We much prefer hamburgers on homemade buns and we use the extras for sandwich rolls. (If you would like to know how to make hamburger buns or buy mixes designed for hamburger buns, click here.) One final notedinner rolls make a great project with the kids. They love to get their hands in the dough and make their very own shapes. How to Make Better Mashed Potatoes Includes a guide for making 15 different kinds of mashed potatoes! For Thanksgiving and other traditional events at our house, we whip up a big pot of mashed potatoes. Often we load them with butter and cream cheese, add a little milk, and whip them into a light and fluffy mass. There are three ways to make mashed potatoes: You can mash then by hand with a hand potato masher, whip them with an electric mixer, and rice them with a potato ricer. Whats the best way? We love the texture created by a potato ricer or a food mill. They both work on the same principle: they force mashed potatoes through a metal plate with small holes. A hand potato masher leaves a bit of texture to the potatoes with an occasional lump. The quickest way to mash potatoes is with an electric mixer. An electric mixer whips potatoes into a smooth, light, fluffy consistency. The rap on using an electric mixer is that it makes for gooey, gluey, mashed potatoes. Entraining air into mashed potatoes does make them a little gooey but we dont find them offensive even though we prefer riced potatoes. We often resort to the electric mixer because it is the quickest way to process a tub full of boiled potatoes.

How to Mash Potatoes

Making basic mashed potatoes is simple. Start with good quality potatoes, potatoes that are fresh and free from bruises. Choose a heavy pot that will disperse heat well and that is large enough to hold your potatoes with ample water so that it will not boil over. Your potatoes will cook quicker if you place a lid on the pot. Unless you are making skin-on mashed potatoes with red potatoes, peel your potatoes, cut them into chunks, and place them in the pot of water. If you leave your potatoes exposed to air, they will change color. Add salt to the water, about one teaspoon per gallon of water and potatoes. Boil your potatoes until they are tender when poked with a fork. Two pounds of potatoes boiled on medium-high heat will take about 15 minutes after boiling starts, to cook but will vary depending on the pot, the quantity of water, size of the cut potatoes, and the stove. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the pot over VERY low heat to evaporate any excess liquid. This will dry the potatoes. Mash your potatoes immediately. You can use a hand masher, a hand-held electric mixer, your stand-type mixer, or a potato ricer. For creamy mashed potatoes, add milk as you beat or use one of the recipes below. A good rule of thumb is to use about 2/3 cup milk for every 2 to 3 pounds of potatoes. You can use a mixture of cream and milk, if desired. Add butter or margarine to the hot, dry potatoes, keeping them over very low heat. Mash with your preferred methodby hand, with an electric mixer, or with a ricer-until the butter is melted and the potatoes are very smooth. Many recipes call for heating the milk and melting the butter before adding to the potatoes. You can easily do so in the microwave and it will help to keep your potatoes hot. We usually dont bother if we are beating the potatoes immediately after cooking. Place your mashed potatoes in a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve. The plastic wrap will keep them warm. After dinner, immediately refrigerate your potatoes. They will keep covered in the refrigerator for three to five days.

A Guide to 15 Different Kinds of Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes dont have to be bland, something to pile gravy on. They can be adventuresomeanything from garlic mashed potatoes to cream cheese mashed potatoes. Here we will give you two recipes plus directions to make thirteen other kinds of mashed potatoes. Garlic Mashed Potatoes 2 pounds potatoes 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup grated Romano cheese

1 tablespoon oregano 4 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper Wash potatoes and boil until tender and soft. Mash them using the method that you prefer adding the butter, cheese, oregano, and garlic as you mash. Salt and pepper to taste. Sunday Dinner Potatoes 1/2 c. chopped onions 2 pounds potatoes 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sour cream salt and pepper Cook the chopped onions in the microwave until they are translucent and tender. Set aside. Wash potatoes and boil until tender and soft. Mash them using the method that you prefer adding the butter, cheese, and sour cream as you mash. Salt and pepper to taste.

13 More Ways to Make Mashed Potoates

Bacon and Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Fry bacon slices or cook them in the microwave. Use kitchen shears to snip the bacon into 1/4-inch bits. Add 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, five slices of bacon, and 1/2 cup milk or cream for each two pounds of potatoes. If you like, you can sprinkle additional shredded cheese over the top of the potatoes in the serving dish.

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Beat in 4 ounces of cream cheese, two tablespoons butter, and 1/4 cup milk for each two pounds of potatoes or to taste.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Beat in two cloves garlic, sauted or roasted plus 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup grated cheese, and 2 tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

Skins-on Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above but use thin-skinned red potatoes. Beat in two cloves garlic, sauted or roasted plus 1/2 cup milk and 3 tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Beat in 1/4 cup horseradish and 3/4 cup cream for every two pounds of potatoes or to taste. This ratio of horseradish to potatoes will provide some kick. Our son, Nathan, worked at an upscale restaurant and he brought this recipe home.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

We like the tang of buttermilk in our potatoes married with fresh creamery butter. Use about 3/4 cup buttermilk and three tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes or to taste. You will need a balance of butter to buttermilk in this recipe.

Mashed Potatoes with Shallots

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Thinly slice shallots and saut the onion in butter. Add two small shallots, 3/4 cup cream or milk, and three tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

Onion Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Finely chop a sweet onion such as Vandalia. Saut the onion in butter in a skillet or microwave it until tender. Add about one-half of a medium onion, 3/4 cup cream or milk, and three tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes with Chives

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or two tablespoons dried chives, 3/4 cup cream or milk, and three tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

French Onion Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Add 1/2 cup French onion dip, 1/2 cup milk or cream, and 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese for each two pounds of potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes with Green Onions

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Add 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, 3/4 cup cream or milk, and three tablespoons butter for each two pounds of potatoes.

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Add 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, two tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup milk or cream for each two pounds of potatoes. If you like, you can sprinkle additional shredded cheese over the top of the potatoes in the serving dish.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Make mashed potatoes as directed above. Beat in 3/4 cup sour cream and two tablespoons butter for each two pounds of raw potatoes or to taste.

How to Bake a Pound Cake

Pound cakes have proven the test of time. Originating in England, they were popular by the mid 1700s. The name refers to the ratio of butter to sugar to floura pound of each. Old recipes called for lots of eggs to balance all that butter. Modern recipes, though still rich, call for less butter. Its interesting to note that most home bakers in the 1800s had kitchen scales and that most recipes referred to weights, not volumes. Weights are much more accurate than volumetric measures. We predict that the coming trend will be recipes that show both weights and volume measures. Leavening for pound cakes was created by creaming the butter and sugar and then whipping eggs into the creamed mixture until light and airy. (One old recipe that we looked at called for beating the mixture for an hourby hand, of course.) Todays recipes still call for aeration to provide leavening though some will slip in a bit of chemical leavening. (The recipe included in this article uses a dab of baking soda.) In this article, we will demonstrate the steps to making a successful pound cake and provide a recipe, a very good recipe, to apply these principles. Steps to Making a Pound Cake 1. Cream the butter. Using the paddle attachment and your stand-type mixer, beat the slightly softened butter until it is light and fluffy, about one minute. The temperature of the butter is

important. It should be firm but not hard, about 70 degrees. We use a thermometer to measure the temperature but if it feels waxy and dents slightly when softly pressed, it is ready to be creamed. 2. Beat in the sugar. Add the sugar to the whipped butter a little at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. In this step, the sharp sugar grains cut through the butter and create the tiny air pockets that aerate the batter and cause leavening. Beat a total of five or six minutes. We recommend that any flavors or extracts be added at this stage. 3. Add the eggs. The eggs contain water; the yolks and the butter, fats. Oil and water will not mix without an emulsifier, a substance that suspends fat molecules in water making a smooth mixture. The yolks act as that emulsifier. Without an emulsifier, oils and waters separate in a recipe into a curdled mixture. For a smooth mixture, add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. (If there is a slightly curdled appearance to the batter after adding the eggs, dont be alarmed. The emulsification is usually complete enough that the batter will become smooth with the addition of a little flour as the flour absorbs some of the excess water.) 4. Add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on the slowest speed. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix only until smooth. If the recipe calls for a liquid, add the liquid in additions alternately with the dry ingredients. It is important to add a portion of the dry ingredients first, not the liquids first. Adding the liquid first may overload the emulsion and create a curdled appearance while adding the flour first absorbs water. Beat no more than is necessary. Even though you are using a low protein pastry or cake flour, excess beating will develop the gluten and create a tougher cake. 5. Bake the cake. With all that sugar, pound cakes tend to stick to the pan. If you use a bundt pan, grease it very thoroughly. A non-stick pan helps as does a light dusting of flour though the flour may show on the surface of the finished cake detracting from the appearance. Loaf pans are easier to work with. They release easier and the bottom can be lined with parchment paper. Spoon the batter into the pan carefully so as not to reduce the amount of air entrapped in the batter. Pound cakes take a long time to bake. When done, a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Pennsylvania Pound Cake Recipe Ingredients 2 cups pastry or cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened but still firm 3 cups granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 6 large eggs 1 cup sour cream powdered sugar for dusting the cake Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Prepare a ten-inch bundt pan by carefully greasing the pan, especially the flutes. 2. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. 3. In bowl of your stand-type mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about one minute or until it is fluffy. While the mixer is still running, add the sugar in a slow stream. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue beating for several minutes. Add the extracts. 4. Using the slowest speed on your mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating after each for a minute or so. Beat the egg-sugar mixture for about eight minutes in total so that the mixture is very light and fluffy. 5. Add the dry ingredients and the sour cream alternately starting with the dry ingredients and adding about a fourth of each at a time. Using the slowest speed, mix after each addition just until combined. Use a spatula to assure that the mixture is evenly distributed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. 6. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes or until the cake tests done with a skewer. Let the cake sit in the pan for ten minutes on a rack and then remove it to complete cooling on a rack. After the cake has completely cooled, with a fine sieve, dust the top with powdered sugar.

Easy Everyday White Cake Recipe Keep this versatile recipe on your recipe shelf. Whip it out for birthdays, when youre in a hurry, or even guests. Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Boston Cream Pie, or California Lemon Cake. Double it to make a white layer cake. Youll find this recipe easy and use it so often that it will feel like an everyday recipe. As a birthday cake or an everyday cake, this is a white cake recipe that you can count on. Ingredients 1 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup shortening 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 3/4 cups milk Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and dust with flour a single 9-inch round cake pan for a single layer cake. Dust two if you are doubling the recipe for a layer cake.

1. Cream the sugar, salt, and shortening together. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. 2. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together. 3. Add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix briefly. Add about one-third of the milk and mix. Continue twice more with the remaining flour and milk. Do not over mix. Scrape the batter into the pan. 4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick. 5. Let the cake rest in the pan for about five minutes and then remove it to a wire rack to continue cooling. California Lemon Cake Recipe Ive always loved lemon pies. The filling was the best part. This soft, white cake is filled with that same lemony filling and then topped with a cool, white whipped frosting. This seems like the perfect dessert for recipe summertime . . . but then if you love lemon, this recipe works any time. For the cake: Bake a single-layer Easy Everyday White Cake Recipe. For the filling: Lemon Cake Filling 2 tablespoons cornstarch 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup water 2 large egg yolks zest from one small lemon 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed or battled from concentrate) 1 tablespoon butter Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir in the water. Add the egg yolks, zest, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk often, until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook for one more minute. Set aside to cool. For the topping:

Cool White Whipped Cream Frosting Prepare to whip one cup heavy whipping cream with three tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. In a cup, mix 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder with one tablespoon cold water. Heat it in the microwave for 6 to 8 seconds, and then stir again. Repeat. If the granules are not dissolved, repeat a third time. In a bowl, whip the whipping cream and granulated sugar. While the gelatin is still hot, drizzle it into the whipped cream as you are whippingdo not turn the mixer off. (If the gelatin cools, it will solidify. If it is not mixed as it hits the whipping cream, droplets will solidify in your frosting.) Add the vanilla. Continue beating until the frosting forms stiff peaks. Frost your cake. The frosting should keep its form for two days or more if refrigerated. To assemble: 1. With a long-bladed, serrated knife, split the cake horizontally. 2. Spread the lemon filling on the bottom half of the cake. Place the top half on the filling. 3. Frost the cake. Since the filling includes eggs and the frosting includes milk, this cake should be refrigerated. --

t's Strawberry Time: Classic Shortcake

There are great strawberries available in our local grocery stores; we thought it was time to bake up some Classic Shortcake. Sure, we could spread strawberries across some angel food cake or white cake but we like a notso-sweet version made with shortcake. Shortcake is made like biscuits-though a little richer and sweeter. Topped with lightly sweetened strawberries and crowned with barely-sweetened whipped cream to which plenty of vanilla has been added, this makes the perfect way to enjoy spring strawberries.

Here's the recipe for Classic Shortcake: 2 cups pastry or unbleached all purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup cold butter cut in pieces 2 large eggs whisked with 3 tablespoons of cold milk added Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry knife or two sharp knives. Keep cutting until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the egg and milk mixture. Stir until the dry ingredients are moistened but not smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured counter and roll or pat the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch circles or squares and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops begin to turn brown. Cool on a wire rack. Notes for success: Like biscuits, working the dough too much will leave the product tough, not melt-in-your-mouth tender. We prefer to just sprinkle a little sugar on our strawberries after they are sliced. The juice will dissolve the sugar to form a light syrup. For each cup of whipping cream, we add 1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla after the cream is whipped. -A Simple Chocolate Cake This cake is simplebut good. Its a moist, dense cake, nearly like a pound cake. It only has a few ingredients, is simple to mix, and uses one pan. Yet it is attractive enough for company. Serve this cake with a scoop of ice cream for a knock-out dessert.

This is best topped simply. We recommend an easy ganache. (Catch the easy ganache recipe here.) Ingredients 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter 2 cups granulated sugar 5 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) bittersweet chocolate or dark (semisweet) chocolate wafers (chips can be used) 1 cup buttermilk Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each. Continue beating until light and fluffy. 3. Melt the chocolate. Drizzle the chocolate into the egg mixture while the beaters are running. 4. Fold the flour mixture and the buttermilk into the mixture, about a third at a time alternating and starting with the flour mixture. 5. Spoon the batter into a prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a center crack comes out clean. -ouch of Lemon Sponge Cake 1 1/4 cup cake or pastry flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla

Classic Angel Food Cake Mix

Professional Angel Food Cake Pan

1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 1. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 2. Separate the eggs. Scald the milk. 3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl for five minutes then add the zest, milk, and vanilla. Continue beating, gradually adding the 1 cup of sugar. Beat until the mixture thickens and doubles in volume. 4. Fold the flour mixture into the eggs, about one fourth at a time. 5. In a separate bowl with clean betters, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. (Do not contaminate the whites with even a little yolk. The fat in the yolks will inhibit the formation of the whites.) Drizzle in the 1/2 cup sugar as you beat until the whites form stiff peaks. 6. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Scrape the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until done. When done, the cake will spring back to the touch. Immediately invert the tube pan over the neck of a bottle and let cool in the inverted position. Old-Fashioned Lemon Sauce 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/3 cup lemon juice 2/3 cup water the zest from two lemons 4 tablespoons butter yellow food coloring (optional) 1. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan. 2. Add the lemon juice, water and zest and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils. Gently boil for a few minutes or until the mixture thickens. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and optional food coloring. Cool until the sauce thickens to serving consistency.

Luscious Little Cakes: Chocolate/Caramel, Cinnamon/Banana, and Blueberry/Lemon

We've experimented lately with small cakes. It's been a fun journey. We have found these little cakes easy and convenient. They can be casual or elegant. We've served them as desserts for dinner guests but they can work equally well as a breakfast or brunch bread. They can be sized for individual servings or packed in a lunch box. Extras can be frozen or packaged and sent home with guests. Small cakes are much more popular internationally than they are in the US. Often they are used for brunch or for tea in Europe or elsewhere. Sweeter, richer cakes are best used for desserts. Of course, small cakes are nothing new. Muffins, cupcakes, and even some cookies could be classified as small cakes. We've found small cakes to be an opportunity for creativity. For guests and special occasions, we have used sweet sauces instead of frostings for moist, decadent desserts. Experiment with different sizes and shapesvarious sized muffin tins, baking dishes, and even something as mundane as used tuna cans will work. (Whatever you use, be sure to grease them well and flour the bottoms for easy removal.) Here are three recipes to start you on your small cake journey. Caramel Chocolate Cake This is too rich for anything but a decadent dessert. It is easy and straightforward to prepare but fancy enough that you will want to serve it to guests. 1 cup butter 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 1 1/2 cup sugar 3 large eggs 2/3 cup milk 1/2 tablespoon baking powder 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut Directions Prepare some baking cups by greasing well and flouring the bottoms or by lining with parchment paper. Large muffin tins work well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large mixing bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together in a microwave stirring once or twice. 2. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Then stir in the eggs one at a time. Add the milk. 3. Stir in the baking powder and flour. Finally, fold in the coconut. 4. Spoon the batter in the prepared cups. 5. Bake for 23 to 28 minutes depending on the size of the baking cups. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean when done. Cool on wire racks. Serve with Caramel Sauce. Caramel Sauce 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 6 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions Mix all the ingredients except the extract in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils. Gently boil for eight to ten minutes or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the extract. Cool until the sauce thickens to serving consistency. Cinnamon Banana Breakfast Cakes This is a great glorified muffin. It is made like banana bread, topped with sliced bananas, brushed with butter, and then covered with a cinnamon and sugar mixture. 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about three large) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup buttermilk 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon bananas for slicing 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing on the cake tops a mixture of three tablespoons sugar and two teaspoons cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions Prepare some baking molds by greasing well and flouring the bottoms or by lining with parchment paper. Large muffin tins work well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and continue beating. Add the bananas, vanilla, and buttermilk. 2. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together. 3. Add the flour mixture to the butter-banana mixture and fold in. 4. Spoon the batter into the prepared molds. 5. Slice the bananas and arrange them on top of the dough. Use as many slices as desired. (Remember, the dough will expand in the oven while the banana slices will tend to become smaller.) 6. Brush the tops with the melted butter and then sprinkle them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. 7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes depending on the size of the baking molds. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Cool on wire racks. Lemon Blueberry Cake If you like lemon meringue pie and blueberry muffins, you'll love this combination. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tablespoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking power 1/4 teaspoon salt the zest from two medium lemons 1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/3 cup lemon juice (approximately two lemons) 2 cups individually frozen blueberries Directions Prepare some baking cups by greasing well and flouring the bottoms or by lining with parchment paper. Large muffin tins work well. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 1. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and zest together. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is fluffy and lemon-colored. 3. Add half the dry ingredients, then half the liquids, then the remainder of the dry ingredients and the remainder of the liquids, mixing briefly after each addition.

4. Fold in the berries. 5. Spoon the batter in the prepared cups. 6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the baking cups. The cakes should be golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes should come out clean when done. Cool on wire racks. Serve with Lemon Sauce. Lemon Sauce 1/3 cup lemon juice 2/3 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch the zest from two lemons 4 tablespoons butter Directions Mix all the ingredients except the butter in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils. Gently boil for a few minutes or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Cool until the sauce thickens to serving consistency. -

Old-Fashioned Caramel Cake Recipe

This vintage recipe uses caramel syrup. It makes an attractive straw-colored cake with an unusual flavor. See the caramel syrup recipe. If you make one half recipe of caramel syrup, you will have just what you need for the cake and the frosting. Ingredients For the frosting 1 large egg 1/3 cup hot caramel syrup 2 tablespoons whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 tablespoons butter 4 cups powdered sugar, more or less

Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Drizzle the hot caramel syrup through the egg while continuing to whisk. It is important that the syrup be right-off-the-stove hot to temper but not cook the egg. The desired temperature is to be more than 140 degrees to kill any bacteria in the egg and less than 160 degrees so that the egg does not cook. (The frosting has enough sugar to inhibit any bacterial growth.) Stir in the extract and whipping cream. Set aside in the refrigerator. When you are ready to frost the cake, beat in the butter with one cup powdered sugar. Then add the caramel syrup from the refrigerator and the rest of the powdered sugar. Beat together. Add more cream or powdered sugar to get the desired consistency. When the frosting is smooth and fluffy, it is ready to use. For the cake 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup shortening 2 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup milk 2/3 cup caramel syrup Ingredients 1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. 2. Cream brown sugar and shortening together. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add the extract. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. 3. Add one-third of the flour mixture, then the milk, then another third of the flour, then the syrup, and then the remaining flour. Beat until well combined. Scrape the batter into two 8-inch layer cake pans. 4. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until it tests done. Let the cakes cool in the pans for several minutes and then remove them from the pans and let cool on wire racks. Let them cool completely before frosting. Bakers note: We made a variation of this with almond extract instead of vanilla. It was very good. Fresh Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Drizzle

This cake is very good, very moist and flavorful. It is absolutely loaded with fresh strawberriestwo cups of sliced strawberries and one cup of fresh strawberry pureeso its baked in a Bundt pan to give it more support. We topped it with a white chocolate drizzle but a simple vanilla icing or whipped cream would do very well. Ingredients 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 6 tablespoons butter 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 5 large eggs 1/2 cup sour cream 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup strawberry puree 2 cups sliced strawberries Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Set aside. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the sour cream and vanilla. 3. Fold the flour mixture and the pureed strawberries into the mixture, about a third at a time alternating and starting with the flour mixture. Fold in the sliced strawberries. 4. Spoon the batter into a prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a center crack comes out clean. Let the cake cool for five minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a rack to complete the cooling. 5. Top the cake with White Chocolate Drizzle (the recipe follows), a simple vanilla icing, or individual slices with whipped cream. Visit the Strawberry Center Recipes |Tools |Tips | Information

Bakers note: Because this cake has so much fruit, we recommend that you store it in your refrigerator. White Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients 1/2 cup whipping cream 2 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons cup light corn syrup 3/4 cup white chocolate chips or white chocolate wafers 3/4 cup powdered sugar Directions 1. Combine the whipping cream, butter, and light corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. 2. Heat and stir until it simmers. 3. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted into a smooth sauce. Add the powdered sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. 4. Let cool. The frosting will thicken as it cools. The consistency will vary depending on the chocolate used. If it is not the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or cream as needed. -

Summer Zucchini and Carrot Bread

In some parts of the country, the first fresh vegetables of the summer are on. Youll find that you can use many of the vegetables from the garden in your bakingadding color, flavor, and nutrition to your baking. Here is a wonderful bread recipe for all that zucchini squash that seems to overwhelm us each summer. Some fresh carrots are added for color and nutrition. Unlike the quick bread recipes for zucchini squash, this is a yeasted recipe.

This is not a sweet bread recipe and so it makes wonderful sandwiches and toast. We like it with peach and apricot jam. Summer Zucchini and Carrot Bread Recipe Any time that you add vegetables to your bread, be prepared to adjust the amount of flour that you use. Vegetables will add moisture to your bread and how they are grated or pureed along with the type of vegetables, will determine the moisture added. But its easy to add a little more flour; a little more difficult to dribble in a bit of water. Because it is easier to add flour than water, start your dough a bit on the wet side and add flour as needed. Because zucchini has such a high moisture content, salt is used to draw some of the moisture from the squash. Ingredients 3 cups coarsely grated zucchini squash 2 teaspoons salt 2 cups coarsely grated carrots 3 1/2 cups white bread flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 seven-gram packet of instant yeast 1 1/4 cup warm water, 110 degrees 2 cups fine ground whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon dough conditioner 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon Directions 1. Grate the zucchini. Place the zucchini in colander over the sink and stir in the salt. The salt will draw water from the zucchini. Grate the carrots and set them aside. 2. Place the white bread flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Add the warm water and beat with a dough hook until it is partially mixes. The purpose of this mix is to hydrate the yeast. 3. Squeeze the water from the zucchini. Add the vegetables to the mixer bowl along with the whole wheat flour, the dough conditioner, the rest of the salt, the butter, and the cinnamon. Knead with the dough hook at medium speed for four minutes. You will likely need to adjust the moisture level either by adding flour or water. Start out a little on the dry side as the kneading tends to wring water from the zucchini. Set the dough in a greased bowl, turn once, and cover. Set the bowl in a warm place and allow it to double in size. 4. Grease two large loaf pans. Form two loaves, cover them, and let them rise until doubled and puffy.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. The internal temperature should be at 190 to 200 degrees. If this bread is under baked, with all the vegetables, it will tend to be soggy. Remove the bread from the pans and let the loaves cool on a wire rack. -

Cinnamon Burst Sour Cream Zucchini Bread

This recipe came to us from Kara Orgill who visits our store and is an excellent baker. Several years ago, we visited a Great Harvest bakery where we tried their cinnamon burst bread. We loved the cinnamon chips and the bursts of sweet cinnamon they created. When we got back to the office, we called a food broker, Find us those chips! Several months later he did and weve been using them in bread, muffins, and cookies since.

See these cinnamon chips >>

Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups grated zucchini squash 1 1/2 cups cinnamon chips Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla together. Fold in the sour cream, oil, and zucchini. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the cinnamon chips. Do not continue stirring. 4. Pour the batter into two well-greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until done. Cool for ten minutes on a rack before removing the loaves from the pan. -

Banana Nut Bread Recipe with Banana Flavor

This is a great banana nut bread recipe with banana flavor concentrate added. It was a good recipe before added the flavor but the flavor makes it better. Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 cups ripe mashed banana 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup plain yogurt (not low fat) 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3 large egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon banana flavor concentrate 1 cup pecan or walnut pieces Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. 2. In another bowl, mix the mashed banana, sugar, yogurt, vegetable oil, egg yolks, vanilla, and banana flavor together. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until the ingredients are mixed well. Fold in the nuts. 4. Spoon the batter into a well-greased and floured 9 x 5 loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees or until it tests done with toothpick.

5. Let sit for five minutes in the pan on a rack and then remove the loaf from the pan and place on a rack to completely cool. For the best flavor, wrap tightly in foil or plastic and store overnight in the refrigerator. -

How to Bake: Favorite Banana Nut Bread

Last week, we talked about making quick breads using the muffin method. As you recall, with the muffin method, the liquid ingredients are mixed together, the dry ingredients are mixed separately, and then the dry and liquid ingredients are combined with a minimum of stirring. The other major make-up method for quick breads is the creaming method. In the creaming method, the butter or shortening is creamed with the sugar to entrain air in the batter and make the bread light and tender. We will demonstrate the creaming method with today's recipe. This is our favorite banana bread. It's tender and since it has two cups of bananas, it's very moist with plenty of banana flavor. Try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with peanut butter or cream cheese. This, like most quick breads, is better after it chills. Here's the recipe: 3 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon baking soda 2 cups mashed ripe bananas 3/4 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/3 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped nuts Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans by greasing the interiors and dusting with flour. Whisk the flour in the bag until it is light and then gently spoon it into the measuring cup. If you are using a scale, you should have about 11.6 ounces of flour. If you dip and scoop from a packed bag of flour, you could end up with 50% more flour. Add the other dry ingredients and whisk the salt and leaveners throughout the flour. Mash and measure the bananas.

Cream the shortening with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar in a stream while the mixer is running. Continue beating for a total of about five minutes. The mixture should have increased in volume substantially as more and more air is entrapped. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until foamy. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milks, stirring after each addition. Do not over mix-over mixing will develop the gluten in the flour and make the bread tougher. Fold in the bananas and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for one hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool the breads in the pans for ten minutes them remove them from the pans to finish cooling on wire racks. Store in plastic bags in the refrigerator or slice and freeze the bread for later use. This quick bread like most other quick breads is best if stored overnight before slicing and serving.

Understanding Baking: Why it Works Since we wanted lots of banana in this bread, we made the recipe as light as possible. It uses air incorporated into the shortening and sugar mixture and both baking powder and baking soda for leavenings. The combination of the three leaveners plus eggs makes it possible to add two cups of bananas and nuts without being weighty. We like to use butter in our baking both because of its flavor and because it is not hydrogenated. In this case, because we were making the bread as light as possible, we used shortening. Shortening does a better job of aerating batters than butter. Air is entrained in shortening during manufacturing and there is no water. (Butter is 15% water.) Added to most shortenings is an emulsifier that separates fat and water molecules and disperses them evenly throughout the batter for a moist, tender texture. When shortening is beat with sugar, the sharp sugar crystal cut into the shortening creating pockets for air. Beating in eggs makes the mixture even foamier. (You can use butter in this recipe but it won't be quite as light. If you use butter, cut back on the milk slightly to compensate for the water in butter.) Baking powder is a combination of several different leaveners, including baking soda, that react with each other to create carbon dioxide. Your baking powder is probably double-acting, that is, it reacts initially when moistened and again when the batter heats up. Unlike baking powder, which is chemically neutral, baking soda is alkaline. Because it is alkaline, it reacts vigorously with any acids in the batter to create carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide bubbles leaven the batter. Baking soda will not create gas and will not leaven the batter unless there is an acid present. In this recipe, we used buttermilk. The soda reacts with the acid in buttermilk to create gas. Because we balanced the amount of buttermilk with the amount of baking soda, we neutralized the acid and maximized the gas creation. Since most of the tang of buttermilk is from the acid, you won't taste the buttermilk in this recipe. This is an example of an ingredient being used as a leavener, not for flavor.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk What if you found the perfect dessertlike the Leprechaun Pieand youre out of sweetened condensed milk. You can make your own. Use it whenever sweetened condensed milk is called for in a recipe. And you can make it for a lot less than you would buy it for. Yield: The equivalent of one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Ingredients 1/3 cup water 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup dry milk powder 3 tablespoons butter Directions 1. Heat a bowl of water in the microwave until it is very hot (or use tap water if you can get it steaming hot). 2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Add the hot water and beat with an electric mixer or wire whisk until smooth. Note: This should be made as you need it and will not store well. One recipe equals one can of store bought sweetened condensed milk. -

The Versatile Santa Fe Sopaipillas

We like the versatility of sopaipillas. They are great at home as an accompaniment for meals, a vehicle for our favorite Mexican foods, or dipped in cinnamon and sugar and served as a snack for the kids. But they also work as camping food. They can be made ahead of time as a mix and they work as great, fresh bread on a backpacking trip. And keep them in mind for emergency breadthey can be cooked over any heat when the power goes out. Best of all, they are quick and easy. (We're always interested in bread that can be cooked in the event of emergency. See an earlier article titled, "Emergency Bread".) Santa Fe Sopaipillas

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 cup dry milk 3 tablespoons shortening 3/4 cup cool water Optional cinnamon-sugar coating: 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon Directions: 1. Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. At this point, you have a mix. Store the mix for no longer than thirty days in the pantry, six months in the refrigerator, or two years in the freezer. 2. To make the mix, place the ingredients in a medium bowl. Form a depression in the middle and pour in the water. 3. Cut the water into the mix. The dough will be crumbly and dry. Remove to a clean surface and knead for two minutes. You will have a stiff dough. 4. Form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Smash the balls flat with the heel of your hand until they are no more than 1/4-inch thick. 5. Heat cooking oil in a heavy fry pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be 3/8-inch deep and hot enough that there is a slight sizzle when the dough is placed in the oil. 6. Fry each side until brown. Dip in cinnamon and sugar if desired. This recipe will make about a dozen three-inch sopaipillas.

Orange Cake
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Antipasti Loaf Strawberry Lemonade Vegetable Salad with Grapes Warm Potato and Snail Salad Tools: Sign in to save recipes Print Share:

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Yield: 8

Ingredients

For the Cake

375 millilitres (1 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour 5 millilitres (1 teaspoon) baking powder 250 millilitres (1 cup) softened unsalted butter 250 millilitres (1 cup) sugar Grated zest of 3 oranges 3 eggs 60 millilitres (1/4 cup) orange juice

For the Strawberry Coulis

500 millilitres (2 cups) fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed 60 millilitres (1/4 cup) sugar

For the Garnish

1 litre (4 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled 60 millilitres (1/4 cup) sugar Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

For the Cake

1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Butter a 10 x 20-cm (4 x 8-inch) loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over the long sides. 2. In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and the orange zest using an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. With the mixer

on low speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the orange juice. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. 4. Let cool partially. Unmould onto a cooling rack and let cool. If the cake is for a picnic, wrap in a clean tea towel or place in an aluminum cake tin.

For the Strawberry Coulis

1. In a blender or food processor, pure the strawberries and sugar until smooth. 2. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. If sauce is needed for a picnic, transfer to a Mason jar.

For the Garnish

1. In a bowl, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar and zest. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 2. Serve slices of cake with the sauce and macerated strawberries.

Sacher Torte
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Recipe summary
This soft sponge cake will get your mouth watering at first sight. Recipe courtesy of Burgi Riegler, Pastry Chef, Konditor. Yield is 6 servings. Yield: 6

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

4 ounces couverture (professional-quality coating chocolate), chopped 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter 1/4 cup plus 2 tsp. confectioners sugar 6 eggs, separated 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar 1 cup flour, sifted 3/4 cup apricot jam

Chocolate Icing

2 cups sugar 3/4 cup water 13 ounces couverture, chopped

Assembly

Whipped cream, for garnish, optional

Directions

Sponge Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Melt the chocolate couverture in a medium stainless-steel bowl over a pan of simmering water.

4. 5. 6. 7.

Put the chocolate in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Add the soft butter and confectioners sugar to the couverture. Turn the mixer on and stir in the egg yolks one at a time. In another stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites and sugar until almost stiff peaks hold. 8. Add the couverture mixture and flour to the egg white mixture. 9. Whip for a few seconds or until combined. 10. Place a 9-inch cake ring on the parchment-lined baking sheet. 11. Scrape the mixture into the 9-inch cake ring. 12. Smooth the top and bake for 1 hour. 13. Cool the cake and use a small knife to ease the torte from the pan. 14. Cut the cake horizontally in half. 15. Heat the apricot jam in a small pot on medium heat and strain it through a sieve over a small bowl. 16. Spread the jam thinly on the bottom portion of halved sponge. 17. Sandwich both sponges together. 18. Coat the top and sides of cake with the remaining jam. 19. The top of the cake now has a layer of jam. This will also help to keep the cake moist and is a base for the chocolate icing.

Chocolate Icing
1. Put the sugar and water in a medium pot with a candy thermometer attached to it. 2. Bring to a boil and stir in the chopped couverture. 3. Boil for about 10 minutes, to 230 degrees F, brushing the sides of the pot with water periodically to prevent crystals from forming. 4. Strain the icing through a sieve and pour it onto a marble slab and work the couverture with a palette knife. 5. When it begins to firm up and look somewhat lighter in colour, return it to the pot and stir well on medium heat. 6. Pour it onto the table and work it again. 7. Return it to the pot once more and stir. 8. Doing all the above steps with the chocolate will give a shiny glaze to the chocolate icing. 9. Use the chocolate icing immediately to glaze the cake.

Assembly
1. Put the cake on a cake rack over a baking sheet and pour some chocolate directly from pot onto top of the torte. 2. Spread the icing with one stroke of a palette knife over the top. 3. Let the chocolate icing dry and serve Sacher Torte with dollops whipped cream!

Puff Pastry
adapted from Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan

One recipe makes approximately the same amount as 3 (397g) packages of store bought puff pastry.

2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1-1/4 cups cake flour (or 1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour + 2 Tbsp cornstarch) 1 tbsp. salt (you can cut this by half for a less salty dough or for sweet preparations) 1-1/4 cups ice water 1 pound very cold unsalted butter

1. Check the capacity of your food processor before you start. If it cannot hold the full quantity of ingredients, make the dough into two batches and combine them. 2. Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a couple of times just to mix. Add the water all at once, pulsing until the dough forms a ball on the blade. The dough will be very moist and pliable and will hold together when squeezed between your fingers. (Actually, it will feel like Play-Doh.) 3. Remove the dough from the machine, form it into a ball, with a small sharp knife, slash the top in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Wrap the dough in a damp towel and refrigerate for about 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, place the butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin until it flattens into a square thats about 1 thick. Take care that the butter remains cool and firm: if it has softened or become oily, chill it before continuing. 5. Unwrap the dough and place it on a work surface dusted with all-purpose flour (A cool piece of marble is the ideal surface for puff pastry) with your rolling pin (preferably a French rolling pin without handles), press on the dough to flatten it and then roll it into a 10 square. Keep the top and bottom of the dough well floured to prevent sticking and lift the dough and move it around frequently. Starting from the center of the square, roll out over each corner to create a thick center pad with ears, or flaps. 6. Place the cold butter in the middle of the dough and fold the ears over the butter, stretching them as needed so that they overlap slightly and encase the butter completely. (If you have to stretch the dough, stretch it from all over; dont just pull the ends) you should now have a package that is 8 square. 7. To make great puff pastry, it is important to keep the dough cold at all times. There are specified times for chilling the dough, but if your room is warm, or you work slowly, or you find that for no particular reason the butter starts to ooze out of the pastry, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it . You can stop at any point in the process and continue at your convenience or when the dough is properly chilled. 8. Gently but firmly press the rolling pin against the top and bottom edges of the square (this will help keep it square). Then, keeping the work surface and the top of the dough well floured to prevent sticking, roll the dough into a rectangle that is three times as long as the square you started with, about 24 (dont worry about the width of the rectangle: if you get the 24, everything else will work itself out.)

With this first roll, it is particularly important that the butter be rolled evenly along the length and width of the rectangle; check when you start rolling that the butter is moving along well, and roll a bit harder or more evenly, if necessary, to get a smooth, even dough-butter sandwich (use your arm-strength!). 9. With a pastry brush, brush off the excess flour from the top of the dough, and fold the rectangle up from the bottom and down from the top in thirds, like a business letter, brushing off the excess flour. You have completed one turn. 10. Rotate the dough so that the closed fold is to your left, like the spine of a book. Repeat the rolling and folding process, rolling the dough to a length of 24 and then folding it in thirds. This is the second turn. 11. If the dough is still cool and no butter is oozing out, you can give the dough another two turns now. If the condition of the dough is iffy, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Each time you refrigerate the dough, mark the number of turns youve completed by indenting the dough with your fingertips. It is best to refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes between each set of two turns. 12. The total number of turns needed is six. If you prefer, you can give the dough just four turns now, chill it overnight, and do the last two turns the next day. Puff pastry is extremely flexible in this regard. However, no matter how you arrange your schedule, you should plan to chill the dough for at least an hour before cutting or shaping it.

*While this is not included in the original recipe, many puff pastry recipes use a teaspoon or two of white vinegar or lemon juice, added to the ice water, in the dtrempe dough. This adds acidity, which relaxes the gluten in the dough by breaking down the proteins, making rolling easier.

*Keep things cool by using the refrigerator as your friend! If you see any butter starting to leak through the dough during the turning process, rub a little flour on the exposed dough and chill straight away. Although you should certainly chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes between each set of two turns, if you feel the dough getting to soft or hard to work with at any point, pop in the fridge for a rest. *Not to sound contradictory, but if you chill the paton longer than the recommended time between turns, the butter can firm up too much. If this seems to be the case, I advise letting it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to give it a chance to soften before proceeding to roll. You dont want the hard butter to separate into chunks or break through the doughyou want it to roll evenly, in a continuous layer. *Roll the puff pastry gently but firmly, and dont roll your pin over the edges, which will prevent them from rising properly. Dont roll your puff thinner than about about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, or you will not get the rise you are looking for. *Try to keep neat edges and corners during the rolling and turning process, so the layers are properly aligned. Give the edges of the paton a scooch with your rolling pin or a bench scraper to keep straight edges and 90-degree corners. *Brush off excess flour before turning dough and after rolling. *Make clean cuts. Dont drag your knife through the puff or twist your cutters too much, which can inhibit rise. *When egg washing puff pastry, try not to let extra egg wash drip down the cut edges, which can also inhibit rise. *Extra puff pastry dough freezes beautifully. Its best to roll it into a sheet about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick (similar to store-bought puff) and freeze firm on a lined baking sheet. Then you can easily wrap the sheet in plastic, then foil (and if you have a sealable plastic bag big enough, place the wrapped dough inside) and return to the freezer for up to a few months. Defrost in the refrigerator when ready to use. *You can also freeze well-wrapped, unbaked cut and shaped puff pastry (i.e., unbaked vols-au-vent shells). Bake from frozen, without thawing first. *Homemade puff pastry is precious stuff, so save any clean scraps. Stack or overlap them, rather than balling them up, to help keep the integrity of the layers. Then give them a singe turn and gently re-roll. Scrap puff can be used for applications where a super-high rise is not necessary (such as palmiers, cheese straws, napoleons, or even the bottom bases for your vols-au-vent).

Puff pastry

What makes puff pastry so light and crispy? Well, the secret is in the folding. Puff pastry is made by placing chilled butter (or sometimes lard) between sheets of dough, then folding and rolling it many times to create hundreds of layers. As it cooks, steam lifts and separates the layers, resulting in a crisp, flaky pastry suitable for the tops od pies or the classic French dessert, mille-feuille (translates a "a thousand leaves").

Preparation Time
30 minutes

Makes
3 sheets

Ingredients

225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour Pinch of salt 30g lard, chopped 125ml (1/2 cup) iced water 200g butter

Method
1. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the lard into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the water and use a round-bladed knife to stir until a dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until just smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. 3. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 10 x 30cm rectangle. Place butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and tap with a rolling pin to make a 8 x 9cm rectangle. Lay dough on a lightly floured surface with a short edge closest to you. Remove the plastic wrap from the butter and place in the centre of the dough. Fold the end closest to you over the butter, then fold the opposite end over the top (the butter should now be enclosed in the dough). 4. Turn dough 90 clockwise and gently press edges together. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to gently tap to flatten butter. Roll out dough to a 10 x 30cm rectangle and repeat folding process as before. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. 5. Remove dough from the fridge and repeat rolling and folding process 2 more times. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Repeat rolling and folding process a further 2 times and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. (Dough should have been folded and rolled 6 times altogether.)

Notes

Makes: the equivalent of 3 sheets (25 x 25cm) ready-rolled puff pastry Prep: 30 mins (+ 2 hours resting time) Lard is rendered animal fat and is available in the dairy section of your supermarket, near the butter. Top tips: When making puff pastry, both the ingredients and the equipment should be as cool as possible. Chill dough between folding so the butter doesn't melt into the dough and the layers remain separate. Use a short, quick rolling action so the butter is gradually and evenly distributed between the layers. Roll lightly so the butter doesn't tear the layers and break through. The pastry should be chilled and rested before cooking and the oven must be hot so the pastry puffs before the butter melts and runs out. When cutting and trimming pastry, use a sharp knife that cuts quickly and easily without dragging. Bring on spring with gorgeous lamb recipes, salad recipes and strawberry & pineapple recipes.

Celery and Eggplant Stir-Fried in Oyster Sauce (Servings: 4) -200g (6.7oz.) round of beef -2 sprigs celery -4 small eggplants

-50g (1.7oz.) garden peas -1 clove garlic -1T salt -Seasoning for the beef -- 1/2T vinegar -- 1/2T sugar -- 1/2T sesame oil -- 1/2T cornstarch -3T salad oil -3T oyster sauce

- Cut the beef and celery into 5 centimeter lengths. Remove stems from the eggplants, cut in half crosswise and then into 6 wedges. Remove the fiber from the garden peas and lightly cook in boiling water. - Place the beef, garlic and seasoning in a bowl and mix thoroughly. - Place the eggplant in 2C of salt water and squeeze to remove the water after the eggplant has become soft. - Heat 1/2T salad oil in a wok, stir-fry the eggplant and add the celery. When the eggplant has changed color from cooking in the oil, stir-fry and remove from the wok. - Heat another 1/2T of salad oil in the same wok and stir-fry the beef from step 2. When the beef is cooked, return the eggplant and the celery, season with oyster sauce and soy sauce , add the garden peas and quickly stir-fry.

Lingue di Gatto: Cat Got Your Tongue Cookie

Recipe courtesy David Rocco Show: David Rocco's Dolce Vita Episode: Rocco's Food Tour Sponsored by:

View Photo: Lingue di Gatto: Cat Got Your Tongue Cookie TOTAL TIME:26 min Prep:20 min Inactive Prep:-Cook:6 min YIELD:4 servings LEVEL:Easy

Ingredients

7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces/100 g) unsalted butter 1 tablespoon/14 g vanilla powder 7 tablespoons/100 g icing sugar (confectioners' sugar) 4 egg whites 1 whole egg 3 1/2 ounces/100 g flour

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Directions
Preheat the oven to about 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, vanilla powder, and icing sugar. Whip the mixture to a creamy and fluffy consistency. Slowly add the egg whites and the whole egg to the mixture and continue mixing until fully combined. Then slowly add the flour and mix well until fluffy and uniform in texture. Place the mixture into a piping bag and squeeze out approximately 2 1/2-inch/6 cm long strips (about 2 1/2-inch/6 cm apart) onto a greased baking sheet. Strips will flatten and expand in the oven into the shape of a 'cat's tongue'. Bake for approximately 6 minutes, or until golden.