Granola

I thought I would post this recipe so everyone who ask me for the recipe can just come on here and get it. We just adopted a Soldier so I will be doing a lot of baking this week to send off to him Monday and Granola is one of the many things I will be making.

Preheat oven to 250

3 Cups Oatmeal

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C wheat flour

3/4 C brown Sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C Oil

Mix oats, flour and salt into 9x13" pan, combine sugar and water in sauce pan, boil for one minute. Turn off heat, add vaanilla na doil to sugar water mixture, stir well to combine. Pour over oat mixture and stir well. Spread oat mixture evenly into pan, do not pack down.Bake for two hours, stir ever 30 minutes. cool and break up oats to the desire size. I stir it up while it is hot because I like them very small for my yogurt.Now for this recipe you see I added macadamia nuts, dried pineapple I cut up small, shaved unsweetened coconut and Banana chips. I added the nuts the last hour of the baking time so they could be crunchy.

I will not stir it while it cools this way it will be in large chunks for them.

Once I find my other recipe I will post it, it is a fruit one with dried blueberries,cranberries and pecans.

Baby Shower

I have not posted for awhile because I have not really done much baking. But I thought I should post something so I will post some things I did for my daughters baby shower.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

Yes, I am still at it. This is it for the night though I am off to bed. I will post the recipe tomorrow for the pie. Enjoy!

Smaller Chocolate Cake

OK, here is a smaller chocolate cake. I was in a hurry so this one turned out a little sloppy, but it was really good.

2 1/4 C sifted cake flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 C sugar

1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar

3 extra large eggs, separated

4 oz bittersweet chocolate or melted and cooled.

1T pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 C whole milk

1/2 t cream of tarter

Cheesecake Layer

3 8oz package cream cheese

3 T cornstarch

1 T pure vanilla

2 extralarge eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

Frosting

6 C sifted powder sugar

1/2 C unsweetend cocoa powder

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 C butter (3 sticks) at room temp.

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

2 T dark corn syrup

2 T pure vanilla extract

1/2 C heavy cream

Early in the day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
To make the cheesecake layer, put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!
Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it's completely cold, about 4 hours. Place in the freezer until ready to assemble the cake.
Meanwhile, prepare the devil's food cake layers. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees F and that the water bath has been removed. Generously butter the bottom and sides of three 9-inch round layer cake pans. Very important: Line the bottom of all three pans with parchment or waxed paper (don't let the paper come up the sides). Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Cream the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl with the mixer on medium until light yellow and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, mixing well after each until blended.
Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium-size bowl and beat with clean, dry beaters on high until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Fold about one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter until they disappear, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks--they'll disappear during baking. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and gently peel off the paper liners. Let cool completely, about 2 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until ready to assemble the cake.
Early on the day you plan to serve the cake, make the chocolate curls and lay them out on the marble or baking sheet to dry. Now make the frosting: In a large bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt together. In another large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on high until light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the chocolate, corn syrup, and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the sugar-cocoa mixture in two additions, beating well after each. Blend in the cream until the frosting is a spreading consistency, adding a little more cream if needed. Whip the frosting on high until light and creamy, about 2 minutes more.
To assemble the cake, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes. Place one layer of devil's food cake, top side down, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting. Release and remove the ring of the springform, then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Place top side down on the frosted cake layer and spread with some frosting. Top with the second devil's food layer, top side down. Spread with more frosting and cover with the third devil's food layer, top side up. Brush away any crumbs from the sides and top of the fudge cake layers. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading the top with frosting about 1/2 inch deep. Use a long metal spatula that has been warmed under hot running water to smooth out the frosting on the sides and top of the cake. Coat the sides with the chocolate curls, placing them where you want. With a small spatula or table knife, swirl the frosting on top into a decorative design. Or, if you wish, decorate with a crosshatch design: Make about 6 vertical lines, 1 inch apart, then crisscross 6 more horizontal lines the same distance, swirling the icing a little as you go.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the cheesecake to thaw enough to easily slice. Use a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, to cut it. Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

Banana Muffins

Made these out of mini loaves today

These are really, really good you have to try them.

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts

1 cup granola

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.
Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve

The Apple

Here is a picture of the apples I am famous for. We were raising money for a bus once in church and had a bake sale, I made a bunch of these apples and two of the sold for $500.00 each. I would give you the recipe but there is none. I just do somethng different each time.

Mega Cake

Do you think this cake is big enough? I like to do some really crazy things when I bake. I figure for one of my huge Sunday dinners I would make a four layer cake with chocolate whipcream frosting. It had a chocolate layer, frosting then here is what makes it really good (I don't like chocolate but this was good) I made a cheesecake and added it as a layer, then more frosting, another chocolate layer more frosting and the last chocolate layer. It was so heavy when I went to pick it up and move it. I made another one with a white cake and only three layers, and the cheesecake was a strawberry one I was playing around with. I just blended fresh strawberries and added them to the cheesecake batter before I baked it. This is a picture of that cake and the recipe farther down the blog.

Just thought I would share my mega cake with you all.

Lemons

I know it has been awhile, not that I have not been cooking just I have not been able to take pictures or post anything. I will try to do better but life is so busy.

Well as you can see I was given some lemons at church and figure I would make some lemon Meringue pies. I made a bunch of mini ones in a mini muffin pan for church tonight. They were a huge hit. I tried a new recipe this time and I will post it. I like my old recipe but everone seemed to love this one. Hope you make one and give it a try, I will admit this recipe is so much easier then my old one and really fast to make. Don't be scare to make a Lemon Meringue pie they are really easy to make. I will also admit these pies do not look as nice as I make them, I had made a lot of mini ones, I got tired of making the mini ones so I just put the left over in to a crust and did not even fix it to look nice. But it still tasted good.

Lemon Meringue Pie
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
3 lemons, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar
DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350
To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
4.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Teriyaki Steak

I have been trying a few different thing with steak to give it a different taste. So far they like the one I make with Cumin and Chili powder, well until today, Dad ate so many there was none left over. I make a homemade Teriyaki sauce I make. I make it like I make my BBQ sauce. I never measure anything, so each time it taste different.

Since I am posting pictures I even took a picture of my steak for you. :o)

Sushi

Well I think I may have found a Sushi recipe I like. The rice is even good. I have made it before but I did not think it was that great. So I figure I would take the stuff I like in a Sushi Roll and add it to one roll. Everything is organic and hormone free and no food coloring added to the Tuna to make it bright red. It looks pretty and fools our eyes to look fresh but why not just use fresh fish and not add the dyes to our bodies. I mean come one we can save harming our bodies with all the sugar we put in it. Ha ha ha! Sushi is the only thing I make that is healthy. OK, there are a few items I make. The funny part is I really don't think I care for Sushi, I think I make it for Krisitne and David since they like it. This one seems to be a keeper they both liked it. I will post the recipe also.

Sushi Rice

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups Japanese sushi-
style rice
1 (4 inch) piece konbu dried
kelp (optional)
3 cups water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Place rice into a large, deep bowl. Fill with cold water and rub rice together with hands until the water turns milky white. Pour off the cloudy water, being careful not to pour out the rice. Repeat 3 or 4 times until you can see the rice through 3-inches of water.
2.
Drain the rice in a fine strainer, then place into a saucepan along with konbu and water. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Stir together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved in a small bowl, set aside.
3.
Cover, and bring rice to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
4.
Scrape rice into a bowl; remove and discard the konbu. Stir in vinegar mixture until well incorporated and no lumps of rice remain. Allow to cool at room temperature. For a shinier appearance, use an electric fan to cool the rice rapidly.

Filling

8 sheets nori (dried seaweed
sheets)

just add what you like. I added fresh Tuna, cucumber, avacado and cream cheese.

You will need to keep your finger tips wet while you add the rice to the Nori sheets, then at one end add your filling and roll up. I lay my Nori on plastic wrap and the plastic wrap keeps it from sticking to my sushi mat.