Baking -- pinterest and beyond.

 These were so delicious.
Chocolate Molases Cookies.
The only thing I modified from this recipe:
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/03/chocholic-soft-chocolate-molasses-cookies.html
is I added a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the sugar you roll them in before baking.

Ok, I also didn't make them as large.

 

http://amandeleine.com/2013/05/01/cardamom-crescents/  

I made these from a webiste http://www.kitchenbelleicious.com/2012/05/22/homemade-nutter-butters-html/ and only changed the peanut butter in the filling to smooth because that is what I had on hand.  Everyone loved them, told me I was evil because they were so tasty.  I personally prefer actual nutter butters, but, hey... I'm not nabisco.

These take minimal effort and are so delicious, slightly healthy and great to give.  You'll need a food processor for the nuts. 

If you want an easy and fun dish to serve that is hand friendly, make this.  We used prepared pie crust, fresh (uncooked) spinach and the rest of the ingredients found : http://italianchips.com/spinach-pie/ It was gone very quickly, wish I'd made 2!

From Scratch Empanadas

 For spanish class I did a presentation on Empanadas.

Empanadas are simply a bread pocket with filling.

 I used Apple Cinnamon Empanadas recipe from About.com as my guide.  Along the way I replaced some of the flour with wheat flour and I skipped the corn starch all together, my apple filling gelled fine without it.

They turned out the perfect 3 bite snack.  My classmates hardly listened to my presentation, and my professor gave me a 100% and remarked that I had not referenced my notes.  

Had he not been blinded by the Empanadas he would've noticed I had my iPad propped against his computer and constantly referenced my notes.  Thankfully he was distracted by food :)

I used a biscuit cutter to make the circles.  IT is important to have some sort of round cutter, as it makes it easier to shape them in the end.


Recipe:
Dough - note I used a wine bottle because I don't have a roller, maaay have drank some of the wine along the way.

• Pastry:
• 1 cup butter, chilled 2 sticks 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 firm green apples (like Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• Pinch of salt (to taste)
• 1 egg yolk
• Sugar for sprinkling

Mix the dry ingredients - then cube cut the butter and add it mix with food processor - turn it out onto plastic make into disks then fridge.
chill for a bit while you make the filling.

heat filling until just soft

 chill.

Drink some wine.

Drink another glass.

Get dough out, roll it out with wine bottle.

Add small teaspoon of filling, wipe some of the filling juice around the edge so it will seal, use a fork or fancy roller to close.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

This says best served right away.  I found they were MUCH better after being in the fridge overnight.

But I did wake up that morning and bake them after they'd been in the fridge overnight, and served them still warm to my class.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pancakes - ways to use sweet potatoes

Put a medium sweet potato in the microwave 4 minutes (or until soft)

Get the rest ready while it cooks then cools a bit

Dry Ingredients

1 Cup flour (any kind, whole wheat, all purpose, pastry)

1/2 cup quick oats

4 tbsp Flaxseed meal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp cardamon (or cinnamon)

couple dashes cloves

couple dashes nutmeg

1 tbsp sugar (yes that is all you need)

Whisk together

Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 cup skim milk

1 egg (large or 2 small)

about 2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together

Pour into dry ingredients

combine until all wet then STOP - if you mix too much you'll have tough pancakes

Mash sweet potato with about 1/4 cup milk (want it slightly damp) Mash it good.

Dump into pancake mix (which has now had time to activate all the baking soda/powder) mix in

use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour pancakes on to 350 degree griddle or cook on stove top on a flat ish pan.

2 - 3 minutes per side. (when the bubbles are immense and the edges look dryish FLIP!)

drizzle a little teensy bit of syrup  on top and enjoy one of the healthiest breakfasts you can.

Flaxseed meal REPLACES oil - adds fiber and a bag will last forever - sugar is not necessary because you'll be putting syrup in top

Freeze them or refrigerate 

You're getting protein, fiber, omegas, beta carateen, etc..

My kids love these and also enjoy helping me make them.

Healthiest delicious muffins

Blueberry, Strawberry, Zucchini muffins.
Yes.

2.5 cups kings whole wheat flour
1 cup diced strawberries & blueberries (1 c. Total)
1 medium zucchini shredded
1 cup larger granule sugar
1.5 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
3 eggs
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup butter melted
1.5 tsp both baking soda & powder (I used the palm of my hand scrunched up)
1/2 tsp. salt
Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg to your liking..
Whisk all the dry ingredients together.
Place fruit and zucchini in a bowl, dust with flour, then add yogurt. Mix.
Dump this into flour mixture (don't panic) MIX
Pour butter into, Mix
Add eggs, Mix
Use your hands in you must, I promise it will blend and the muffins will be moist.

Bake at 350 degrees 18-20 min or until tops bounce back when gently pressed.

Enjoy, share, and have for breakfast the next day.
Oh, I threw in a handful of chocolate chips to get the kids to eat them.