Buttered Scones

True story: My very first day in culinary school, I was in my first baking class and we were learning how to make scones, which is one of the simplest and most basic of all baked products.

My fellow classmates and I were required to make several batches, tasting the finished products as we went along.

Sometime around the middle of the class, I began to feel unwell. I mean, really unwell. Like somebody had stabbed me in the gut with a chef’s knife unwell.

I thought, “Great, I just left my career as a writer to become a chef, only to poison myself on the very first day of culinary school!”

It was only after I got home and had to be rushed to the hospital that I learned that it wasn’t my scones that had poisoned me, it was my appendix, which was on the brink of rupturing and had to be removed during emergency surgery.

I must admit that ever since then, scones have made me a little queasy. But they are one of the easiest and fastest baked products you can make.

Scones fall under the category of “quick breads”, which are breads that don’t need to be leavened prior to cooking. Rather than waiting hours for slower-growing yeast cultures to form air pockets in the dough — like traditional breads — quick breads are leavened instantly by chemical reactions caused by baking powder, baking soda or both.

Other examples of quick breads would include muffins, biscuits and even pancakes, all of which can be made in just a few minutes.

I flavored these scones with raisins, but you also could add frozen or fresh fruit, seeds, nuts or just about anything. Toasted and buttered scones with a little jam on the side make a lovely breakfast and they also go perfectly with mid-afternoon tea.

Scones

1/3 cup Unsalted butter

1-3/4 cup All-purpose flour

3 TBS Granulated sugar

2-1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Sea salt

1 Egg, beaten

1/2 cup Raisins

6 TBS Fat-free half and half

1 Egg, beaten

1 TBS Coarse sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Combine butter, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Use a biscuit cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, or just use your hands, squeezing the butter and dry ingredients together between your thumbs and index fingers until it all has the consistency of small pebbles.

2. Add the egg, raisins and the half and half and stir just until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. Then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly a few times adding additional flour if necessary, just until the dough forms. Be careful not to overknead, otherwise the scones will become tough. You want the dough to just hold together.

3. Flatten the dough into a 1/2-inch thick sheet using either your hands or a rolling pin, then cut the dough into triangle shapes about 4″ long, placing each on an ungreased sheet pan. Brush each peice with egg wash, sprinkle with a little coarse sugar, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheet pan and cool.

Scones are transcendent when served immediately while still warm. Another option is to cool them completely, cut in half horizontally and toast in the toaster. Scones are traditionally served with softened butter and a selection of jams.

 

 

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

In winter time, I like a homemade bread that can stand up to sturdy soups and stews, but not so heavy that it is a chore to eat.

That’s why I love this Mediterrean olive loaf. It has the texture of a good whole wheat bread without the treacly denseness of a pumpernickel or heavy rye. Plus it’s so easy to make.

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

There’s no greater cooking pleasure than making bread with your own hands. There’s something for all five senses — sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. Okay, maybe not so much sound, but four out of five isn’t bad!

This loaf is peppered with tiny specks of black olive. I also use the water the olives come packed in to make the loaf a deeper, satisfying grey-brown. And the fennel seed topping gives it just the right hint of licorice flavoring.

Like all breads, you can make this loaf into any shape you want. I chose the rounded ball, but it easily can be rolled into a long loaf, formed into rolls or placed into a traditional Pullman loaf pan. It would be really interesting to try it as a flatbread or even a pizza crust.

"This loaf is peppered with tiny specks of black olive ..."

I used medium whole black olives, but you could really use any kind of olive, including kalamata or green olives. Just remember to remove any pits ahead of time.

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

1-1/2 cups lukewarm water (baby bath water temperature)

1 TBS active dry yeast (or one envelope)

2 TBS honey

2 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegetable shortening (or butter)

3 TBS nonfat dry milk powder

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rye flour

6 oz can medium black olives, sliced

1 TBS EVOO

1 TBS corn meal

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1. Pour the water from the olive can into a measuring cup then add enough water to bring it 1-1/2 cups. Heat in microwave until lukewarm, about 15 seconds on high. Pour into Kitchen Aid bowl (or mixing bowl) and whisk in yeast, honey, molasses and shortening. Let let sit until mixture begins to bubble, about five minutes. Meanwhile, combine milk powder, salt and the flours together in a separate bowl.

2. Attach the dough hook attachment to the Kitchen Aid (or just use a wooden spoon). Set to low speed, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. When combined, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is formed, about two minutes. Finally, add olives and mix until combined.

3. Flour a work surface and roll out dough. Knead with your hands for a few minutes, adding additional flour if necessary. The dough should be slightly tacky, but not sticky. Grease the bottom and sides of a clean mixing bowl with the EVOO, then place the dough in the bowl, rolling around so all sides are greased. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rest in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about an hour. Punch down, then let rise for another 30 minutes.

4. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray then dust with corn meal. Punch the dough down again, let it rest a minute or two, then cut in half with a sharp knife. Form the two loaves into whatever shape you want then place them on the sheet pan. Cover the loaves loosely with the dish towel and let proof about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 375F. Using a sharp knife, make 1/2 inch deep slits every two inches or so, then brush loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt and fennel seeds. Place pan in oven and cook 30-35 minutes. You can tell that the loaves are done when they give a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool loaves on wire rack.

Do you have any favorite accompaniments to winter soups and stews? Why not share them in the comments section below? And thanks for looking at my blog!

 

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate chip cookies.

I love to eat them but I hate how fat they make me. Chocolate chip cookies are probably the reason I stayed away from being a pastry chef. That much access to sweets would put me in the diabetic ward.

When I was the executive chef at Donald Trump’s casino in Gary, Indiana, we made hundreds of giant chocolate chip cookies for hungry gamblers from scratch daily. It’s a good thing chef’s pants have elastic waistlines.

So here’s a way to enjoy chocolate chip cookies without feeling guilty about it: Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies! They are half the calories of regular chocolate chip cookies because they are half the size!

The only difference between the formula for regular chocolate chip cookies and minis are that you use mini chocolate chips. Normal sized chocolate chips would not work because they would take up too much room inside the cookie and they wouldn’t hold together very well.

Did you know chocolate chip cookies were invented by accident in 1940 by Ruth Wakefield, a baker at the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts? She happened to have a bar of chocolate lying around and decided to throw it into her butter cookie batter. The rest is history.

This miniature version of Ruth’s recipe may be lower calories, but if you eat twice as many there’s no real caloric savings. What I usually do when I bake sweets is to make sure I give them away as quickly as possible. If they are lying around the house, I am powerless to not eat them.

Needless to say, my family and neighbors love when I bake. I’m like a one-man Cub Scout bake sale except for free!

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 oz bag mini chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped fine (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Cream butter, shortening and sugars in Kitchen Aid, or use hand mixer. Meanwhile, combine flour, salt and baking soda in mixing bowl.

2. Add the flour mixture to the Kitchen Aid and mix just until dough is combined and moist but don’t over mix because it will make the cookies tough. Nobody likes a tough cookie. Add the mini chocolate chips and nuts and mix a few more seconds so they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

3. Use your hands to form small cookie drops, about 1 TBS each, and spread out evenly on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until just browned. Remove and cool on baking racks. When completely cool, store in airtight containers. Make sure to give them away as quickly as possible, otherwise you may eat them all.

This recipe also can be used to make chocolate cookie bars. Just press all the dough into an ungreased baking pan, 15-1/2″x10″x2″, and bake at the same temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. When cool, cut into 2″ bars. Serve with milk. Yum!

Are there any foods that you hate because you love them so much? Share your tragic love story in the comments section below. And, as always, thanks for looking at my blog!

Oatmeal Cookies

Did you know that in the United Kingdom, what we in the US call cookies are known as biscuits? And that in Scotland a cookie actually refers to a plain bun? Or that in South Africa, if you ask for a cookie you will be given a cupcake?

Let’s all agree on one thing, at least: These oatmeal cookies are delicious!

Growing up, oatmeal cookies were my favorite, especially those iced oatmeal cookies that came from the grocery store. My mother knew a handful of those would stop me in my tracks for at least a couple of minutes, so she always made sure she had a supply on hand.

I have always preferred homemade oatmeal cookies to chocolate chip cookies, which are often so sweet I get a headache after eating only one or two.

As if that would stop me! As if I could eat only one or two!

While these oatmeal cookies are certainly sweet, the sugars don’t overpower them and the fructose in the raisins balance out the sucrose in the granulated and brown sugars. Even better, try them with the lactose from a glass of milk. That will boost the glucose in your bloodstream. That’s a lot of -ose’s!

So whether you are eating biscuits in the UK, cookies in the US, or whatever South Africans call them, these oatmeal cookies are the bomb!

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

3 TBS milk

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup raisins (or chopped walnuts)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Cream the butter and sugars together in a Kitchen Aid (or use a mixer). Add the vanilla, milk and the egg and mix until absorbed. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the oats and raisins (or walnuts) and mix until just combined.

2. Use two tablespoons to drop cookie batter onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving at least 2″ of space in between for the cookies to spread. Bake 13 minutes or until cookies start to brown on the bottom. Remove from oven and immediately use a spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing unrefrigerated in an airtight container.

This recipe also can be used to make oatmeal squares. Instead of forming cookies, press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased 8″x8″ baking pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until it turns light brown. Cut into 2″ squares while still warm.

Okay, it’s the time of year to share your favorite cookie recipes. Please share the wealth in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

My, Oh, My! Sweet Potato Pie!

For your next holiday party, I want you to try an experiment.

Instead of pumpkin pie, bring a sweet potato pie. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the reaction you get.

Here in the Midwest, sweet potato pie is not nearly as popular as its pumpkin cousin. Sweet potato pie is more of a Southern thing. When I tried this experiment recently, I found that most people had heard of sweet potato pie, but had never tried one.

I’m here to tell you: They are a revelation. And they are just as good if not better than pumpkin pie because they are just the slightest bit sweeter.

Plus, they are inexpensive and easy to make. It’s a win/win!

I like to introduce people to new foods, especially when it’s something I know they will love. Try this experiment and you will see how rewarding sweet potato pie can be.

Now, before we get into the recipe, I want to address the Crust Question: Make or Buy?

This time of year, I do a lot of baking. So I prefer the convenience of keeping a couple of frozen pie shells in the freezer.

Sure, they are super easy to make — just flour, fat, salt and water. But unless you are going for a particular flavor component in the crust itself — almond, pecan, or something else — standard pie crusts are pretty flavor neutral and don’t add a lot to pie except structure. So why not just skip that time-consuming step and buy some inexpensive pie shells at the Aldi’s? That’s my attitude.

So here’s a recipe for traditional sweet potato pie. Like the old TV commercial says: Try it, you’ll like it!

Sweet Potato Pie

4 oz butter, room temperature

2 cups sweet potato, cooked and mashed

2 cups granulated sugar

5 oz can evaporated milk (or 1/2 cup plus 2 TBS)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 prepared pie shells, unbaked

1. Cook sweet potatos in 375F oven until done, about 1 hour. Cool, peel and mash. This can be done a day or two ahead of time.

2. Mix butter, potatoes, sugar and evaporated milk until well blended. Add vanilla, eggs and cinnamon and mix well.

3. About 20 minutes before baking, remove pie shells from freezer and allow to soften slightly. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour batter into shells and cook until set, about 1 hour. Jiggle it just a little bit to see if it is ready.

I served this with just a dollop of dessert topping and it was heaven. Give it a try, you’ll see!

What are some of the recipes you love to make for holiday get togethers? Why not share them in the comments section below? And thanks for looking at my blog!

Sunflower Seed Multi-Grain Bread

The weather has been particularly nasty around here the past couple of days. Since I currently work out my home office, I’ve been trapped in the house with our three dogs as the rain, wind and even snow have rolled through the Chicago area.

It’s days like these that are perfect for bread baking.

The oven warms the whole house and the aroma of baking bread wafts through every room, turning a lousy day into a magical experience. Even the dogs cheer up.

Autumn is perfect for a heavier bread, such as this multi-grain loaf with sunflower seeds. It’s denser than a traditional French baguette or a softer Italian loaf, yet not so heavy as a pumpernickel or Lithuanian rye. It goes perfectly with a bowl of hot homemade soup.

I reverse-engineered this loaf because I’ve had some sunflower seeds lying around that I bought a while ago while on a health kick and wanted to use them up. And they fit really nicely in this recipe. You can leave them out, or substitute walnuts or even raisins.

So when the weather turns nasty outside your house, mix up a batch of this dough, turn on your oven, and turn your day around.

Sunflower Multi-Grain Bread

1-1/2 cups lukewarm water (baby bath water temperature)

1-1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or one envelope)

2 TBS honey

2 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegetable shortening

3 TBS nonfat dry milk powder

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rye flour

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1 TBS EVOO

1 TBS corn meal

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

1. Whisk water, yeast, honey, molasses and shortening together in bowl of Kitchen Aid and let sit until mixture starts to bubble, about five minutes. Meanwhile, combine milk powder, salt and the flours together in a mixing bowl.

2. Using dough hook attachment (or just a wooden spoon), add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until dough is formed, about two minutes. Then add sunflower seeds and mix until combined.

3. Pour out onto slightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes to finish dough. Grease the bottom and sides of a clean mixing bowl with EVOO then add dough ball, turning over to coat all sides. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free space until about doubled in size, about an hour. Punch down, then let rise for another 30 minutes.

4. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray and dust with corn meal. Cut dough in half and form into desired shapes (I usually make one round loaf and one long loaf, or you can use bread pans). Place on sheet pan and cover loosely with a dish towel and let rest about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 385F. Use a sharp knife to make 1/2 inch slits every two inches or so, then brush loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place sheet pan in oven and cook 30 minutes. Cool on racks.

This recipe makes two 1 lb loaves. You can also use it to make about 24 dinner rolls, if you prefer.

What do you cook to warm up a cold, blustery day? Why not share your ideas in the comments section below? And thanks for looking at my blog!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

A couple of years ago, cupcakes become the trendy food in Chicago.

In upscale neighborhoods like Lincoln Park or Bucktown, just about every block has a bakery that specializes in cupcakes, complete with downtown prices. And people are willing to stand in line to buy them.

I can remember a time not so long ago when the most popular cupcake anywhere was chocolate and had white curliques running across the the top of it.

Well, times change, and if bakers are able to get $7 for a cupcake, more power to them.

Cupcakes are easy and inexpensive to make. That’s why they have been the staple of school bake sales for years.

I recently made red velvet cupcakes, which are made from the same batter as red velvet cake, one of those old-school cakes that has recently come back in popularity. It is the same as the cocoa-based devil’s food cake, but red instead of brown.

In the old days, bakers used beet juice to die the batter red. I’m not sure how that would work out, flavor-wise. Nowadays, we just use flavorless red food color.

The recipe also includes vinegar and buttermilk because their acidity brings out the natural redness of the anthocyanin in the cocoa.

Red velvet cake has been around since at least the beginning of the 20th Century, but its heydey came during the 1940s and ’50s. Its popularity ran its course and and it fell out of favor until 1989, when it became popular again after was featured in the movie “Steel Magnolias” as a groom’s cake shaped like an armadillo.

I used cream cheese icing, but you could use buttercream if you prefer. A word of warning: Be careful with the red food color because it gets everywhere! Maybe I should have used beet juice after all!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cocoa

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 tsp vinegar

1 oz red food color (1 small bottle)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

For the Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 8-oz package of Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)

2 cups confectioner’s sugar (also known as 10x sugar because it is 10 times as sweet as granulated sugar, fun fact!)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two muffin pans with paper cupcake inserts. Cream eggs and sugar in Kitchen Aid mixing bowl (or use a hand mixer). In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cocoa. In a third bowl, combine vinegar, oil, food color and vanilla.

2. Add vinegar and oil mixture to egg and sugar mixture and mix well. Then, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, rap pan once on counter to release any trapped air bubbles, then bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

3. Cool completely in the muffin pan, then frost with cream cheese icing.

To make the icing, cream the butter and cheese in mixing bowl, add vanilla, then slowly add the sugar and mix until proper consistency, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides about midway through so there are no lumps.

I wanted to frost these using a piping bag with a star tip, but I couldn’t find the one I had when I was in culinary school. Does anyone know where I can get one on the South Side without paying Bed, Bath and Beyond prices? If so, leave a note in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Pecan Squares

Let me just say it: Pecans are my favorite nut.

They are so sweet and delicious, I cannot resist them. So when I started thinking about what type of baked items I wanted to start trying for the holiday season, pecans immediately came to mind.

I’m a sucker for pecan pie, even the lousy ones you buy frozen that are made with who knows what. I love it when pecan pie is so sweet it makes your teeth hurt.

But I’m not ready to commit to making a pecan pie. That’s a sacred ritual. Instead, I wanted the flavor of pecan pie, but without the trouble of making the crust. I’ll do that another time. So that’s why I decided to make pecan squares.

Pecan squares are easy to make and certainly nutritious. Pecans, however, are pretty expensive — about $8 to $10/lb depending where you buy them — so pecan squares are a good choice for budget cooking because you only use about a cup of them altogether.

You get all the delicious pecan flavor for only a fraction of the pecan cost. Good deal!

Fortunately, my wife works in an office where her co-workers love to eat baked goods. So after sampling only one (or two) of these pecan squares, I packed them up and sent them off, freeing me from the temptation of eating myself into a sugar coma.

Like I said, I’m a sucker for pecans.

Pecan Squares

For the Crust

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 TBS unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup pecans, chopped very fine

For the Filling

2 eggs

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

2 TBS all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup pecans, rough chop

So sweet they'll make your teeth ache

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and brown sugar in Kitchen Aid mixer (or use hand mixer), then add eggs one at a time until absorbed. Beat in the vanilla extract, then slowly add the flour and mix on low until mixture resembles coarse meal. Don’t overmix because you don’t want gluten strands to start forming, like if you were making bread dough.

2. Spray an 8″x8″ baking dish with pan spray, then pour the mixture into the bottom and press down firmly. Bake about 10 minutes or until crust starts to brown. Remove from oven and cool. This can be done up to a day ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap to store until ready to use.

3. Place eggs in mixing bowl and whisk until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, flour, salt and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Pour pecan filling over crust and sprinkle with the pecans. Don’t worry if it looks like they are sinking into the mixture, it will turn out fine. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until firm and browned. Let cool completely in pan before cutting, or you will get pecan mush. Cut into squares and serve.

What kind of baked goods are you thinking about as we head toward the holidays? Why not share your ideas in the comments section below? And thanks for looking at my blog!

Baking Your Own Garlic Bread

There’s something special about making your own bread for your family, especially this delicious, amazing garlic bread. Not only does it fill your house with a wonderful aroma, but it warms the hearts and feeds the soul of the people you love most.

I love garlic bread, but I don’t love those greasy frozen loaves you buy at the grocery store. Garlic bread should taste like garlic, not fake butter and salt. So I set out to create my own recipe.

I started with a basic French bread recipe. Simple enough. Then I roasted an entire head of garlic, crushed up the nutty brown cloves and kneaded them into the dough. Finally, just before baking, I sprinkled the formed loaves with a generous amount of granulated garlic and coarse sea salt.

The result: Amazing garlic bread that actually tastes like garlic, but doesn’t overpower and goes perfect with any pasta dish.

I chose a pasta recipe I’ve been making for almost 30 years that combines whole wheat pasta with steamed broccoli, Italian sausage and carmelized onions, tossed in a simple combination of extra virgin olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.

Garlic Bread

1 TBS fast-acting yeast (or one envelope)

1 cup lukewarm water (baby bath temperature)

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1 head roasted garlic, cloves removed and crushed

3-1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 TBS vegetable oil

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 egg white

1 TBS cold water

1TBS granulated garlic

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1. Cut the top off an entire head of garlic, drizzle it with a little EVOO, wrap in foil and bake at 350F until soft and brown, about 45 minutes. This can be done up to a day or two ahead of time.

2. Place yeast and sugar in bowl of Kitchen Aid mixer (or mixing bowl) and whisk in water and wait for bubbles to form (about five minutes, it means the yeast is activating). Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add garlic and oil to liquid and attach bowl to Kitchen Aid, then add about half the flour mix and mix on medium using the dough hook attachment for about two minutes. Slowly add the remaining flour until  the dough is formed, about five minutes.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, then turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead for a few minutes until dough is smooth. Grease a mixing bowl with EVOO, then place dough ball into bowl and roll around until all sides are covered with oil. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let sit in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about an hour.

4. Punch down dough, knead for another minute or two, then let rest five minutes under the dishtowel. Use pan spray to grease a baking sheet then sprinkle the cornmeal onto it. Cut the dough into two halves and use a rolling pin to form each half into a flat rectangle about 5″x18″. Roll up tightly, beginning with the 15 inch side. Pinch the edge of the dough into the roll to seal well and place on baking sheet.  Make 1/4-inch slashes across the top of each loaf about every 2 inches. Brush with cold water and let loaves sit uncovered in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about an hour.

5. Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk together the egg white and 1 TBS water, then brush the loaves with the egg wash. Sprinkle each loaf with granulated garlic and coarse sea salt, then bake 35 minutes. Remove to cooling racks.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Oh, Boy! Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins!

I was at the dollar store the other day buying dog food with coupons (thanks, economy!) when I came across a cute little mini muffin pan for $4.

It has 24 little holes. How could I resist? I couldn’t, so I bought it.

Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins

I couldn’t wait to use it when I got it home. When my wife told me she needed to bring something for a meeting at work, I almost leapt out of my seat.

“How about mini-chocolate-chip-banana-nut-muffins!” I shouted. She agreed, so I immediately set about making them.

The only difference between regular muffins and mini muffins is that they are smaller. That should seem obvious, but I’ve had some people tell me a different batter is required. Not true.

What is different is that the some of the ingredients may have to be a little smaller. In this case, the pecans are chopped a little finer and mini chocolate chips are used instead of normal-sized ones.

The best part about mini-muffins is that you don’t have to feel as guilty because they are so tiny and cute. Never mind if you eat three or four, instead of one normal size muffin. That’s not the point! These are smaller, so they are better for you, right? Right?!

I find it hard to commit to a full-sized muffin these days. It’s just too indulgent. I’ll eat the muffin top. Or I’ll split a whole muffin with somebody. But eat a whole muffin by myself? What are we, the Rockerfellers?

Anyway, if you happen to be at the dollar store and you happen to find a $4 mini muffin pan, take my advice: Buy it!

It will make you happy.

Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 overripe bananas

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts), chopped

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray muffin pan generously with pan spray (Even though it says it says non stick, it’s definitely ”stick”).

In a small bowl, mash up two of the bananas with a fork so they are still chunky. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.

In the Kitchen Aid bowl, mix together the remaining two bananas and the brown sugar until well mixed, about 5 minutes on medium (You can also use a hand mixer for this). Add the vanilla, the butter, then the eggs one at a time and mix well. Slowly add the dry flour mixture and mix until just combined (you don’t want gluten to form, which would make the muffin tough). Finally, fold in the nuts, chunky banana and mini chocolate chips.

Using a teaspoon, fill each hole in the muffin pan so the batter is about even with the top. Spinkle each muffin with a little sugar.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

What kitchen gadget finds have inspired you to make something new? Share your story in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!