Posts tagged ‘baking’
Blueberry coffee cake
Our big move has temporarily stalled most kitchen activities, but I did find some time last weekend for baking. Eating local means storing lots of summer produce in the freezer and I had an almost full bag of BC blueberries to use up. I’ve been meaning to make the blueberry coffee cake recipe from the Four Sisters Inns Cookbook for ages and the surplus blueberries created a perfect reason. (more…)
New stove!
This is the new stove in my life. Hello happy friend! Where have you been? Why did I hang out with that old dud for so long? All of your burners work. You don’t say 400F and actually mean 350F. You won’t make people keep asking, “Are you going to get a new stove soon?” Nothing about you is crusty or ugly. I can hang a tea towel on you like normal people do – apparently that idea hadn’t been invented yet when the old one was made. AND…you have a light inside that works!
Life is grand.
Banana muffins
Banana muffins were one of the first recipes I mastered in the kitchen when I was learning how to cook in my teens. The recipe came from a Canadian cookbook called Muffin Mania. I still own it; the pages proudly wear all the slops and spills of a well-used cookbook. My family loved seeing a batch of warm banana chocolate chip muffins emerging from the oven on the weekend, and I loved the fact that they loved what I was making. That feeling of mutual enjoyment between cook and eater was born with this recipe and is at the heart of why I find cooking such a joy, a true source of peace and comfort. (more…)
Shortbread cookies
Shortbread cookies are a favourite in my family, and I think for everyone’s family. It’s especially true at this time of year as we celebrate the holiday season by making and indulging in all manner of yummy treats.
The recipe I use is my grandmothers’, as is the pretty china plate you see in the photo above. It’s as simple as recipes get. I’ve changed it slightly to fit with my tastes using all organic ingredients and substituting whole wheat pastry flour for the normal all-purpose flour. All-purpose gluten-free flour can also be substituted here. These are delicious with a steaming cup of tea.
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups of wholewheat pastry flour
Mix together ingredients in a mixer or by hand until they form a smooth dough. Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten with a glass or cookie press. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in a 325F oven. Makes about 24 cookies.
Lemon poppyseed muffins
Most of the food I make has a strong bias towards being healthy. This recipe is an exception to that rule. It’s probably only good for your soul. Lots of butter, lots of sugar and white flour. Still, they are very good: lemony with a perfect poppyseed crunch. I’ve added a few fresh cranberries and a sprinkle of raw sugar on top. (more…)
