No TWD this week

This week's Tuesday with Dorie was chosen by Britin of The Nitty Britty.  She picked the All in One Holiday Bundt Cake.  This looks really good as I've seen several TWDers who have baked it but it didn't make the Thanksgiving dinner list so I'll make this some other time.  Don't forget to visit the other bakers to see what they have been baking!

TWD - Peach Crisps

This is another quick and easy recipe - Dorie Greenspan's Cran-Apple Peach Crisp.  Since I was only making 1 serving, I was determined to use ingredients I already had in my kitchen (I'm also pretty appled out.)  So I substituted peaches for the apples and instead of ground ginger, I used ground nutmeg in the topping.  Okay I will use nutmeg in anything but nutmeg is a nice complement to peaches.

I also didn't bother to whip out the food processor choosing instead to use my hand mixer and then my hands to mix together the topping (sans coconut).

It took less than 10 minutes to put together!  The taste is great.  I love peaches.  The topping was a bit buttery but I think that was an error on my part in reducing the recipe.

This week's recipe was chosen by Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef.   Nice choice Em!  To see what other TWD bakers cooked up this week, check out the blogroll.

TWD Sugar Topped Molasses Spiced Cookies

I love soap operas.  Yes I admit it.  I spent the 80s at my mother's feet watching Days of Our Lives (I was hooked the day Bo met Hope), Another World and Santa Barbara.  I took the day off work to watch the finale of Another World with one of my best friends.  Soap Operas are like book serials - they allow you to connect with characters that come back to you even when the story is over.  Now thanks to SoapNet I can watch "todays soaps at night" and I've fallen in love with a whole new crop of soaps (okay they are only new to me).  If you love soaps like I do, you'll understand how someone who bakes cookies could produce this baking fail.

The bow doesn't really hide the burnt crispiness does it?

This month, we were granted permission to post our Tuesdays with Dorie recipes out of order.  First up for me are these Sugar Topped Molasses Spiced Cookies.  The dough came together quite easy and the smell reminds me of Thanksgiving!  Since I'm baking so much this month for NaBloPoMo (day #3), I frooze most of the dough and decided to just make one batch of these cookies. 

So why am I blaming the soaps that I love so much for this baking disaster?  When I put the cookies in the oven, General Hospital's Sonny was just about to give his wife, Claudia, what she deserves for ordering the hit that put Sonny's child, Michael, in a coma for over a year.  I was so excited watching the scenes, I forgot to check on these cookies.  They were only in for 10 minutes but came out a flat crispy mess.

When I bake the rest of the dough for Thanksgiving, I'll probably make them a little bigger and let set in the fridge before baking.  I'll also turn off the soaps.  This recipe was chosen by Pamela of Cookies with Boys.  She'll post her version on November 17th but check out her blog now for other great recipe ideas.  Also don't forget to check this week's baking blogrolll to see what other bakers chose to make this week.

TWD Sweet Potato Biscuits

For this week's Tuesday with Dorie, Erin of Prudence Pennywise chose the Sweet Potato Biscuit recipe.  I was really excited to make this week's recipe as I've never made biscuits and I love a good sweet potato.  This is definitely a recipe I will make again.

I think I put a little more than 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg.  =)  I actually put even more in later.  I love nutmeg with sweet potato and the canned puree I used just didn't have enough flavor.

I think next time I may have to use whole sweet potatoes (or just doctor up the biscuit a bit).

"Rolling out the dough was real simple - love that!"

This biscuit has fall written all over it.  Its good plain but even better warm with a little butter. 

My biscuits didn't rise, but I didn't really mind. The flavor was nice and the biscuit was soft.

Don't forget to visit Prudence Pennywise and the rest of TWD bakers to see their versions of Dorie Greenspan's Sweet Potato Biscuits.

Tues..er..Thursdays with Dorie

I know that I'm 2 days late, but these muffins were so good, I had to share them with you.    This week's recipe was for Allspice Crumb Muffins.  If you are like me, allspice isn't sitting pretty in your spice rack.  Let me suggest that you add it to this week's grocery list. What I LOVED about these muffins:

(1)  They are sweet enough for dessert but not too sweet to eat as breakfast
(2)  The possibilities - I could see myself adding apples or bananas or nuts to this muffin - YUM
(3)  Quick and easy - so quick, I forgot to take pictures of the process

Does the oven count?

(4)  Allspice - seriously brown sugar never tasted so good and I think its because of the allspice (but I'm no Alton Brown so don't quote me)

These were great!  Seriously - this is one recipe you will definitely want to keep. 

My tops weren't so crumby.  I think I mixed the streusel a little too much.  But I liked how the topping melted into the muffin.

This week's recipe was chosen by Kayte of Grandma's Kitchen Table.  How much do you love that blog name?  Visit her site and then see how other TWD bakers fared.

TWD - Chocolate Crunch Caramel Tart

I really think Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours is an excellent primer for any baker as she really covers the gambit of home baking.  And I would never doubt her recipes.  If Dorie calls for 12 pounds of butter, I put in 12 pounds of butter (okay we haven't done a recipe with THAT much butter, but I trust her - my hips can't get bigger all by themselves).  But when I read "put 3 tablespoons of sugar over medium heat and when it melts, stir in more", well, I had to go to the internet to understand how and why sugar melts on the skillet ALL BY ITSELF.  I've made almost every cake imaginable, cookies till I see them in my sleep, a healthy number of pies, brownies and anything with chocolate in it.  But I never knew that you could melt sugar with little more than a non stick skillet and heat.  Sorry Dorie, I will never doubt you again.


This tart is the kind of tart you want to make for a special dinner.  Your guests will be all "You MADE this" and you will say, "oh yes - do you like it?  Cause I wasn't sure if you would want pecans (I did) or honey roasted nuts (will try next time)."  And they will forget polite dessert conversation about healthcare, Gossip Girl or if the Knicks really think Lebron James is coming to NY.  And ask questions like, how did you get this chocolate so smooth?  Did this take you all day?  Perhaps you could add more nuts next time?  I would have thought you purchased this at the fancy bakery down the street until I saw your crust (yeah... mine, kind of fell down the sides when blind baking - oh wells).


I will definitely make this again (maybe as mini tarts).  This week's recipe was chosen by Carla of Chocolate Moosey.  To see the recipe, visit her blog and then see how other bakers fared.

TWD Cottage Cheese Pufflets

Okay for my two readers, I'm sorry I haven't posted.  I've actually been... baking!  I have baked a TON in the past two weeks and have the photos to prove it but I left my camera cord at a friends house so I cannot get those pictures from my camera to you. But as soon as I do, I'll post like crazy.

One of the many things I baked during the last two weeks is Dorie Greenspan's Cottage Cheese Pufflets.  In short, I really liked these!  They are definitely on my things to make whenever I finally decide to have my friends over for brunch.  They are little puff pastries with a slight kick with a hint of sweetness being added by the jam.  For the jam I used Sarabeth's Strawberry Raspberry Jam.  I heart Sarabeth's jams.  They have two restaurants in NYC and I love having brunch partly for their biscuits and jam.  If they don't offer Sarabeth's in your grocery store.  Buy it on-line.  My favorite is Strawberry Peach. 

These pufflets are actually super quick to make.  Well okay if you want them to look pretty, they may take a little time because the dough is super sticky.  But I have no patience and care more about how food tastes than how it looks so I put those bad boys in the oven even though I could clearly see jam hanging out the sides.  Note:  If you see jam hanging out the sides of your pufflets, BEFORE you put them in the oven, your pufflets are most likely NOT sealed and may (WILL) open in the oven.  Oh wells - my memories of these lovelies is how they taste.

In the future, I will probably add more cottage cheese to the recipe as I wanted a tangy taste to contrast with the sweetness of the jam.  This week's Tuesdays with Dorie was chosen by Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes.  Please visit her blog and then see how other bakers fared.

Update:  I halved this recipe so the puflets went quickly.  Here is a picture (note - not as pretty as my fellow bakers.  I'll definitely make these again!)

TWD - Espresso Cheesecake Brownies

So despite my reluctance to make brownies from scratch, I was excited to try this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Espresso Cheesecake Brownies.  I even went out and purchased espresso powder (I know it heightens the flavor of chocolate so I guess I'll throw it into future chocolate cakes) last week.  Yes here are the ingredients sitting on my counter.... 

So did I make brownies last week or even this weekend?  Nope.  Of course not.  I waited until the last minute to make them.  In fact, they aren't done.  They are currently cooling in the fridge.  Despite most TWDers not including the topping, I have decided to try it.

The recipe was super easy.  Instead of 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate, I added 5 oz to the brownie and since I had 1 more oz, melted it and added it to the frosting.  I didn't have enough chocolate to really make swirls.  So clumps it is.

Update:  Topping added.  Refrigeration done.  Brownie tasted. 

Meh.  Needs more flavor or texture.  These aren't bad, I've just had better.  I probably won't make these again but if I did I would add nuts to the brownie batter and something tangy to the cream cheese.  Perhaps I needed a better brand of espresso?  Don't blame my lack of enthusiam about these brownies on the recipe.  Remember, I can't bake brownies.  I've peeked at other baker's brownies and most had much more success than I did. 

To see a mouth watering version of this recipe visit Melissa of Life In A Peanut Shell.  Then please visit other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers for more versions of this recipe.

TWD - Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie

Growing up, one of my mother's go-to desserts was Lemon Meringue Pie. We (I always seemed to pry myself away from a book when dessert was being made) would use the ready made Graham cracker pie crust and real lemon juice (from the bottle). She could quickly whip it up add the meringue topping and quickly put in the oven as we were clearing the dinner dishes. I loved it!

I haven't had this quick and easy Lemon Meringue Pie in years as my mother now uses fresh lemons and pie dough crust versus the ingredients of my childhood. I've been thinking about making that pie all summer. So I was excited when I saw that this week's recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie was The Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie.

I just got back from my family reunion so I opted not to make the crust. Hey Keebler never failed me before.

I really like this recipe because it has few ingredients and was easy to make. I used a double boiler for the cream and to my surprise, it thickened up rather quickly. (It did take me 16 minutes to get to 180 degrees versus the recipe's 10 minutes). Straining the lime zest was a slight pain as my first strainer clogged. Fortunately I have 2 so I didn't have to stop to clean the first one.

The one thing that I never do with any meringue pie I make, is put it back in the refrigerator after browning. I'm now a convert! With this pie, the meringue didn't "sweat" or shrink as it often does for me the day after baking.

This is definitely something I will make again! For the recipe, please visit Linda of Tender Crumb and then visit the rest of the Tuesday with Dorie bakers for alternate versions of this pie.

TWD - Brownie Buttons

(This plate is only angry because we cannot try these brownies until tomorrow)

I love baking. I love sharing recipes. I love watching shows about baking. I love talking about the recipes I've made or want to make.

My friends and family? Not so much.

Sure they indulge me by trying my new recipes, dishing out compliments (even when undeserved) and even requesting new items for me to try. But they have other interests (boring). That is why I was so excited to join Tuesdays with Dorie. Now not only do I have a good excuse to try new recipes, I can see other bakers takes on that same recipe.

My first recipe was for Brownie Buttons. Ah brownies. Let me tell you a secret. I am pretty much a 95% from scratch baker. No judging - its just the way I learned to bake. But when it comes to brownies - I'm all about the mix! My brownies were always too thin, too moist, too dry, yadda yadda. So I was not too excited that my first recipe was for brownies. What if they turn out horrible and the TWD gang kicks me out for being a baking imposter?

But these brownies were a piece of c--- oh, well... brownie. I doubled the recipe because I don't own a mini muffin pan. I also did not include the orange zest. I did want to get some orange flavor so instead of vanilla extract I used, well, orange liquor (because its noon somewhere in the world). I had read from others that the brownies don't rise so I filled 8 muffin cups pretty close to the top and baked.

I'm not a white chocolate person so I used Lindt's Dark Chocolate Intense Orange.

Don't you just love the look of melted chocolate? The specs are slivers of almonds - yum!

I'm saving these for dinner tomorrow night but if they taste as good as the batter, I'm sure this will become a staple. Perhaps next time I will try with orange peel (or a little more liquor).

For the full recipe, please visit Jayma at Two Scientists Experimenting in the Kitchen and then see other bloggers takes on the Brownie Buttons!

Tuesdays With Dorie

I've just joined the baking group Tuesdays with Dorie. Tuesdays with Dorie is a baking group that bakes one recipe from Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking from My Kitchen to Yours. I just received my book in the mail and I can't put it down. This is going to be so much fun!

I've been watching this group for the past year and was even inspired to make the Celebration cake a few weeks before starting this blog. This week's recipe was chosen by Mary of The Food Librarian. She chose the Classic Banana Bundt Cake. I wasn't able to make today's recipe but will definitely be up next week's challenge. To see the cake and recipe, please visit Mary as well as other member's versions of this great looking cake.