Strawberries: Bread & Butter

When Whitney brings you strawberries... Make Strawberry Bread and Butter.

I love this bread and butter it is delicious and refreshing, there is really nothing more to say! It's Strawberry season and you must try it!

The Recipes

Strawberry Bread:

1 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Lemon Extract
4 Eggs
3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Cup Strawberry Jam
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
Optional 1 cup chopped nuts

In mixing Bowl, Cream butter, Sugar, Vanilla, and Lemon Extract till fluffy. Add Eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir together thoroughly Flour, Salt, Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda in a separate bowl. Combine Strawberry Jam and Sour Cream. Add Jam mixture alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture beating till well combined. (optional: stir in nuts now) Also another option is to add fresh diced strawberries and fold into the batter at this time.  Divide batter evenly among 5 greased 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 X 1 1/2 - inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 till done. 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pans. Remove from pans: cool on racks.

Strawberry Butter:

1 cup of fresh Strawberries. In blender mix berries, 1 Cup softened Butter, and 1 Cup Powdered Sugar. Cover. Bled at high speed till smooth. Scraping sides as often as needed. Makes about 2 1/2 Cups.


Enjoy,
nicole

Avocado Pound Cake

I found this recipe on Joy the Baker about a year ago, and trust me this pound cake is amazing, and life changing. Just give it a shot I know you won't regret it.

Avocado Pound Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 ripe avocados, just over a cup.. almost a cup and a half of avocado, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. Set the four eggs out on the counter to come to room temperature (quick tip to warm up your eggs- place them in a bowl filled with luke warm water) while you beat the butter and sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until softened and pliable. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the avocado and beat another minute to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is thoroughly mixed.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after the addition of each egg. Beat in vanilla extract.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture, all of the buttermilk, and then the rest of the flour mixture. Beat just until combined.

Divide the dough between the two loaf pans and place in the oven. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. I checked my cakes every ten minutes or so after the 30 minute mark. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

much love,
nicole

White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Have I ever told you how much I love Martha Stewart? I mean, because I do. She is such a creative and talented woman. She seems to have an unlimited amount of ideas and her recipes are fool proof. Last year I made cupcakes for my aunt's bunco party. In return she gave me this:

I already have her cupcake book and love it. Of course I knew I would love her cookies cookbook too. My aunt knows me so well. This week we had our Webelo's cub scouts over to our house and I wanted to make them a treat and who doesn't love cookies? I had some white chocolate chips in my pantry and some sweetened coconut. I love coconut but didn't think that everyone else would so I decided to make 1/2 of the cookies just white chocolate chunk and the other 1/2 with coconut and oatmeal. Ummm.... delicious. And the cookies with coconut in them? Divine. Reminds me a little of Kauai, my most favorite vacation spot EVER. Martha actually has a white chocolate chunk recipe that calls for coconut, nuts, golden raisins and oats. Well, I decided to just make her basic white chocolate chip recipe and added oats and  coconut to half of the batter. Easy enough for me! 

The bad thing is? I can't help myself with these cookies. Good thing there is only one left so I don't have to keep eating them. Oh, and another good thing? I ran 12 miles yesterday so I felt like I could have a cookie or two. I am in week 6 of my marathon training and so far... so good. Ha Ha, we will just wait and see how I feel in 2 weekse when I have to run 14 miles, then  15 and so on... wish me luck.  Happy Saturday!

XOXO,
Whitney

White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 C unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 C or one bag of white chocolate chips

If you want to make w/ Coconut and oats like I did also add the following:
(I didn't really measure these I just added how much I thought I wanted)
1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut
1 C  oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk together flour and baking soda in a bowl. PUt butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric miser fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix one medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 min. Reduce speed to low. Add salt, vanilla and eggs. Mix until well combined. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and if desired oats & coconut.

2. Bake cookies on a greased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. (Mine were perfect after 11 minutes) Let cookies cool on cookie sheets on a wire rack.

Banana Bread

Today mother and I had success in the cooking department with Banana Bread. We always use the same recipe which came from my grandma, you just can never go wrong with it. The secret is to eat this bread hot from the oven with a little bit of butter on top.

Banana Bread-

1/4 c. Shortening

3/4 c. Sugar

1 Egg

2/3 c. Banana

2 c. Sifted Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Power

1/2 tsp. Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 T. Buttermilk

1/2 c. Chopped Nuts (optional, I prefer it without)

Cream sugar and shortening. Blend egg & banana. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Blend in nuts. Bake in greased loaf pan. 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 2 small loafs 

Much Love,

nicole

Thin Mints Fake Out

So I sort of have this weird relationship with chocolate and mint. It all started when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My cousin Brooke and I were enjoying an afternoon together. We were pretty much inseparable. Seriously, we would call eachother up to plan our outfits so that we matched. Anyway, one afternoon we decided we would scoop ourselves up some icecream. In the freezer was a 1/2 gallon of Mint Chocolate Chip Icecream. Yum, sounded tasty to us. We divided out the entire 1/2 gallon of ice cream into 2 bowls, one for each of us. Well, after a few bites we decided we were done.  Our eyes were definitely much bigger than our stomachs. Just as we were about to put our bowls in the sink in walks my Uncle, obviously upset that we are just about to waste an entire 1/2 gallon of icecream. To teach us a lesson, he made us sit and eat our big bowls of ice cream. Lesson learned. Here I am, 24 years old and to this day I still cannot stand the taste of Chocolate Chip Mint icecream, let alone any type of mint icecream. And chocolate-mint treats? Forget it. Not really my favorite. Can't stand Mint Chocolate Brownies. Yes, I know I am missing out. But there are a few exceptions, like the Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. Oh my gosh, those are just a little bit addicting. You get a box and before you know it you have eaten an entire stack. Well Girl Scout Cookie season is fast approaching. I have heard so many people talking about buying Girl Scout cookies soon. Personally I haven't seen any girl scouts out selling any and frankly, I just can't wait for a Girl Scout to come up to my door. Why can't they sell them year round? Or Maybe they do? Or maybe that is what makes them so special, since you can only get them from Girl Scouts during a certain time of year. Well, whatever it is I wanted some thin mint cookies, like now! I found this recipe for Mint Sandwiches out of my Martha Stewart Cookies book. It sounded pretty similar to a Thin Mint cookie so I changed it up a little bit, made it a Thin Mint cookie rather than a sandwich and well....they are pretty much F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

Who needs Girl Scouts?

XOXO,
Whitney


Thin Mints Fake Out
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies Cook Book

For the Cookies:
1 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C + 2 TBS all purpose flour
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg

For the Ganache:
1/2 C heavy cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp pure peppermint extract

Instructions:
Make Cookies - Whisk together cocoa powder and flour in a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg until well blended. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, shape into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm; about an hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer dough to a work surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Roll out dough to 1/8" think. Cut out cookies using a 2" round cookie cutter. Bake cookies until firm, approximately 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

Meanwhile, make chocolate ganache to dip cooled cookies in.
In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil over medium heat. Add chocolate chips and stir continously until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and add peppermint extract. Let cool slightly. Dip cookies into chocolate ganache until completely covered. Place on wire racks set over baking sheets to set for approximately 20 minutes. Refrigerate cookies in airtight container until set, approximately 20-30 minutes. Do not layer cookies on top of eachother or they will stick together.

These would be best made the day before so that they have plenty of time to set and for the ganache to harden.

Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

So I do have an excuse for not posting over the weekend. A pretty darn good excuse if you ask me! I was making 250 of these for my Brother in law's open house:

 Yes...250! And on top of that I also made my Neufchatel fruit salad...enough for 200 people. (I will post that recipe next)

Anyway, I found this cupcake recipe for Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream a year or so ago on Gimme some Oven and it was love at first bite. My favorite cupcake by far! I have made it so many times since then that I have become somewhat of an expert at baking it. The last few times I have made it I decided to make a little extra caramel sauce and drizzle it over the frosting and let me tell you... the drizzled caramel sauce totally makes it EVEN better. The original recipe is for making regular size cupcakes but I love mini cupcakes so much better. They are more appealing and easier to eat, plus you don't feel too guilty about having more than one. I always get so many compliments on this cupcake so why not share my favorite cupcake with everyone else?

I heart Salted Caramel! I have also made these cupcakes with an almond buttercream and these are so delicious too!!

My Almond Buttercream recipe

2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 T almond extract
1  tsp vanilla
3 T milk

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, extracts and milk and beat with an electric mixer until frosting consistency has been reached. Enjoy!


XOXO,
Whitney

Here is the recipe for cupcakes:

Vanilla Almond Cupcakes w/ Salted Caramel Buttercream Recipe
(Adapted from gimme some oven)
Ingredients:
Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 oz.) white cake mix
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 eggs

Frosting Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 3 sticks salted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Method:
To Make Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line  muffin tin with paper liners.
Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, almond extract and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, until the batter is well-mixed. Increase speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy, 2 minutes longer.
Pour or scoop the batter into the paper liners until they are 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool on a wire rack. If baking mini cupcakes bake for approx 9-10 minutes.
To Make Frosting (pics above and below):
Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (just start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. (Be careful, as the mixture will definitely bubble up and possibly splatter a bit as you add in the cream.) Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes. Reserve 1/3 of caramel sauce for drizzling.
Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add 2/3 of caramel. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).
Frost cupcakes and drizzle caramel sauce over each cupcake as desired.

Ridiculously Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just realized that it is mid-November and I have not made anything with pumpkin in it. WHAT?? That is just not acceptable. November is the month when you can indulge in all things pumpkin so what am I thinking! I better get with the program before my pumpkin time is up. Every November I am normally baking my super moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. No lie, I usually make them at least every week throughout November and so far I have not even made them once. So here I am... getting my priorities straight and finally baking up these Ridiculously Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I am serious when I say they are ridiculously moist. I have made them so many times that I have been able to tweak the recipe for an almost perfect Pumpkin Chocolate chip cookie. So if you are a slacker like me here is a fool-proof recipe to get you back in the groove. It's November people!!! Thanksgiving is just around the corner...

 If I feel like sharing them with others I will double the recipe, otherwise I would probably end up eating 4 dozen cookies! The recipe I use only makes about 2 dozen, that way I eat less! I am trying to keep the Thanksgiving lbs from packing on!

Happy Pumpkin Month!

XOXO,

Whitney

My Ridiculously Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 C butter

1/4 C shortening

1 C white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 can of pumpkin puree (about 1 cup)

2 C all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl or stand mixer cream together the shortening, butter and white sugar until smooth. Beat in egg. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 11-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: Approx 2 dozen

Fabulous French Bread

I love Fall weather. The sun is shining, leaves are turning red and yellow and the air is crisp. I also love all the warm comforting foods that fall and winter bring.  When it is chilly outside nothing is better than a steaming bowl of soup and homemade bread. Last year my sister gave me this recipe for French Bread. She said it was super easy to make but I was a little weary... french bread? Really? Sounds difficult! I tried it and fell in love with it instantly. It was so easy to make and now I make it all the time, especially when I am making home made soup. Don't be frightened my friends... French Bread is your Friend!

Here is what you will need:

 Pretty simple ingredients: Flour, Rapid rising yeast (I keep mine in the fridge- it lasts longer that way), oil, salt, sugar and...warm H2O

 Mix half of the flour (3 cups) and the rest of ingredients.

 Whisk together vigorously for 2-3 minutes. This makes sure all the ingredients are well mixed and it also gives you a great tricep workout.

 The consistency will be somewhat like pancake batter

 Then add the remaining flour and mix well. At this point you will want to switch from using a whisk to a wooden spoon if you have one or a spatula will do. Then, every ten minutes you will stir down the dough. You will do this 5 times... so for 50 minutes.

 After you have stirred the dough down 5 times you will then cut it in half and roll it out into 2 loaves.

 Roll it out into a rectangle shape, approximately 9x12. But it doesn't have to be perfect people, no measuring sticks needed.

 Then, start rolling it like a jellyroll, lengthwise.

 Pinch the edges to seal and tuck under the ends like so:

 Repeat with the other half the the dough. Then, place dough on a greased cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 30 minutes. If you want your bread a little crispier you can also sprinkle cornmeal on the greased cookie sheet. I didn't have any cornmeal today! After it has risen for 30 minutes take a sharp knife and cut several gashes.

 It will look something like this:

 Lightly beat an egg and brush it onto the bread generously.

 The egg wash will help your bread become a nice golden brown.

 Then, bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Your house will start to fill with the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread. Once it is done you will have some gorgeous French Bread.

 See it wasn't that hard now was it?

 It does take a little time but the result is SO worth it.

My house smells so good right now I just might have to go cut myself a piece of bread even though it isn't dinner time yet! Here is the recipe! ENJOY!

XOXO,
WHITNEY

Fabulous French Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups very warm water

2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Cooking oil
6 cups flour
2 Tbsp. yeast-instant yeast

 Pour warm water into a large mixing bowl.  Stir in sugar, salt, oil, half the flour and yeast.  Beat vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in remaining flour until all ingredients are well mixed, leaving wooded spoon right in the heavy batter. 

Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes then stir down.  Rest dough for another 10 minutes then stir down again.  Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down 5 times.   

Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide into 2 pieces.  Roll each portion into a 9x12 rectangle.  Roll up like a jellyroll starting on a long side.  Pinch edge to seal.  Arrange both loaves lengthwise on a large cookie sheet that has been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. 

 With a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal gashes on the top of each loaf, then brush entire surface with a lightly beaten whole egg.  If desired sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.  Bake immediately at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until browned.  Remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.  Makes 2 loaves.

Ooey Gooey Oatmeal Carmelitas

I have always liked caramel. But for the last year or so my "like" for caramel has turned into more of a "true love" with caramel. I used to want chocolate anything, now I prefer CARAMEL anything. Caramel icecream, caramel sauce, caramel candies, salted caramel, and the list goes on and on. My Aunt Cathy is famous for her Oatmeal Carmelitas and we have to have them at every family gathering. Recently I went to one of my best friends showers and was asked to bring a dessert and I was craving my Aunt's carmelitas and just had to satisfy my caramel craving. They are so easy to make and seriously delicious. Plus, if you are a chocolate lover, they have chocolate in them too... don't worry!

Here is what you need:

 Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chips, Baking Soda, Flour, Butter, Quick Oats, Salt, Jar of Mrs. Richardsons Butterscotch Caramel

Melt your butter. Don't be intimidated by the butter... just remember, butter makes everything taste better.

 Then, Mix flour, oats, b.sugar, butter (melted), soda, and salt together.

 Stir in the butter and it will look something like this...

 Spread half of the mixture on the bottom of a greased 9X13 pan.  Bake the crust in the oven for approximately 10 minutes.

 Warm the caramel in the microwave and add flour to the caramel and stir until well combined.

 Pour the bag of chocolate chips on top the baked crust. Then pour caramel on top of the chocolate chips.

 Sprinkle the remainder of the oats mixture and bake in the oven for another 25 minutes.

 Let them cool completely and then chill in the fridge for a few hours. Trust me, it will be
 a lot easier to cut them up into bite size squares. 

You really won't be able to have just one.

I absolutely love these but wonder how they might taste if I used my homemade caramel sauce in them?? If I try it I will let you know the verdict.

XOXO,
Whitney

Aunt Cathy's Oatmeal Carmelitas

Ingredients:

Flour – 2 cups
Quick Oats – 2 cups
Brown Sugar – 1 ½ cups
Butter – 1 ½ cups
Soda - 1 teas
Salt – ¾ teas
1 jar Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Carmel (mix in ¾ c. of flour)
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Mix flour, oats, b.sugar, butter (melted), soda, and salt together.

Spread ½ of the mix in a 9/13 baking pan and bake for 10 minutes at 325.

Heat carmel to soften and then stir in ¾ cup of flour.  This makes the carmel so it is not sticky.

When you take the crust out of the oven sprinkle the bag of chocolate chips over it and then pour the carmel mix over the chocolate chips.  You can spread it a little to make sure the whole thing gets covered.

Sprinkle the rest of the oat and brown sugar mix over the top and bake it for another 25 minutes at 325.

Chill for about 2 hours before serving.