Grilled Flat bread

1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
pinch of sugar
1 1/3 cup flour (plus more for dusting)
1 Tbsp olive oil (plus more for brushing)
1 tsp Kosher salt

*I use a stand mixer for this, but you could stir by hand.
Stir yeast and sugar into water. Let sit about 5 minutes (until foamy).
Add olive oil, salt, and a little bit of flour to yeast mixture and mix with a paddle attachment on mixer. Keep adding little bits of flour and then switch to the dough hook attachment. Add remaining flour until a sticky ball forms.
Remove from mixer bowl and knead by hand until smooth and elastic.
Place in an oiled bowl and let rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Get your grill heated up to medium-high.
Divide the dough into 4-6 equal portions. Roll out into small circles. Brush with olive oil and place on heated grill. Flip after 2 minutes.
* I make the circles all different sizes for my kids and you really can't mess these up. This week, my grill broke so I quickly moved these flat breads under the broiler in my over. They cooked even faster and tasted great, though I love the flavor of the grill.
I use these as pita breads.

No joke-these are the BEST cookies!

My friend Kara made up a recipe for whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies that is AWESOME. So, I have tweaked it a bit and am pleased to introduce the most amazing cookie I have ever had. I was thinking it kind of reminded me of Mike- designed just for me and has everything I want in a cookie. Is that sick? They are somewhat nutritious, which makes it easy to justify eating half a dozen in one day. Watch out!

* Note: the cookie jar is almost empty!

Whole-Wheat and Flax seed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. whole wheat flour (sifted)

2 c. quick-cooking oats

2 Tbsp. milled flax seed

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Kosher salt

(in a medium bowl, mix these dry ingredients)

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter

1.5 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

*chocolate chips and for extra fun: Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate Mix (it's really a bunch of amazing shaved semi-sweet chocolate pieces)

* In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar by hand, with a FORK (this is Mark Searcy's secret technique- and it works!).

* Add eggs and vanilla until mixed in well.

* Add previously-combined dry ingredients and mix until blended STILL with the fork.

* Incorporate the chocolate. Don't over-mix!

Scoop by tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (the parchment is crucial) and bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 5 minutes, rotate and bake 5-6 more minutes. Cool on a cooling rack. As soon as they are cool, and you've already sampled a few, store them immediately in a container so as not to dry out.

Spring Break Treats

I woke up in a baking mood! I had some mashed potatoes in the fridge and thought they would be delicious in some potato rolls (from the BHG cook book). I was correct- they ARE delicious! I swapped out the milk for water and the shortening for butter and probably should have added more salt.
Then we took the leftover dough from the graham crackers I made Monday and we made some cookie letters, Scrabble style.

We're eating dinner with some friends tonight and I am bringing Irish soda bread and chocolate cupcakes. I'll post those pictures later. What will be in the oven tomorrow?

*this bread was so good! Izzy and Max made it all by themselves! No joke! Izzy measured all the ingredients (Max watched) and they both mixed it all up with their hands (clean hands, of course). All I did was pour it on some parchment paper and stuck it in the oven. Way to go, my little sous chefs!

Graham Crackers

I finally got around to making the graham crackers that I posted about almost a year ago. We were wanting banana airplanes for snack and you can't properly make a banana airplane without graham crackers. I didn't have any in the pantry, so figured I should just try this recipe out. They were so good! I probably should have baked them a few minutes longer so they would be a bit crisper, but no complaints from the kids. I have a little dough left over so I'm going to have the kids cut out alphabet shapes and bake them. Yum!

S'mores Cookies

Yowzaa, these rock! Here's the recipe for these little gems. I actually use creamy-centered chocolate kisses instead of the bars, and add them AFTER the cookies have baked. Enjoy!

Favorite Baked Goods

Here are some links to some of my favorite baked goods. Are links so boring? Oh well, you won't be bored when you try some of this good-ness!
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Whole Wheat Pear Granola Muffins
Buttermilk Biscuit Bread

The blueberry muffins pictured above are from a recipe that Amie recently posted. I wish I would've taken a picture of the insides, they are delisiously marbled. Amazing! Instead of struesel I just sprinkled them with sugar. They didn't need much.

next project

This recipe for homemade graham crackers is next on my list!

Bean Brownies....

Doesn't that sound scrumptious?!! Well, they are. And, since I was added as an author just so that I could add this, here goes:

1 Brownie mix (any variety will work, I'm sure -- I usually use Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines -- my favorites are the kind with chocolate chips in the mix)

1 can of unseasoned beans, I prefer navy or black, but you can use any variety, from what I've read -- dump the beans, undrained, into the blender. Puree them until they are as smooth as you can get them. (They will still have some texture and that's okay.)

Now, make the brownies according to the box directions, EXCEPT, use your new bean puree in place of the oil... if the recipe says 1/2 cup oil, use 1/2 cup beans. I also use just the egg whites to lower the fat and cholesterol a little more.

I cook them at the temp on the box, but short the cooking time by a LOT. I usually start with 10 to 15 minutes and add 2-5 minutes at a time. You want them to be very underdone or they are really dry. Most of the time, I find they are best after about 18 minutes -- it just depends on the size of the pan. I have also found that cook more evenly, if they are thinner.

I did read on one blog, as I was looking for ways to use beans in recipes, that if you use 1/2 the oil and 1/2 beans, you get a much more normal brownie texture. Personally, I prefer just undercooking them.

I have also used this in cake mixes and it works just as well. Just match the bean color to the mix color. One can of beans is enough for about 3 mixes. I usually make all of them into cupcakes and freeze a bunch, so I don't have to bake so often. Again, short the cooking time dramatically! The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

So, there you have it! A super easy, sneaky way to add a great food to dessert and still have something any normal child (or adult) will eat. (And it makes a brownie much less damaging to your health...) At our house, we don't even have to keep it a secret. We call them "Bean Brownies" and all five of our kids love them!

Gougere

Sounds fancy but there're just cheese puffs. I'm not a baker but these are so easy & so good. Great with soup or beans.

1 cup water

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 cup gruyere or sharp cheddar cheese

Heat water & butter in pan until boiling, add flour & stir quickly with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Beat in the eggs. Don't get discouraged, it looks like it won't work but just keep mixing , it will look like mashed potatoes. Stir in the cheese. Arrange in small mounds on a baking sheet & bake for 30 45 minutes at 425.

You can add other ingredients like herbs, roasted garlic or olives in the center.  Great party treats!

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake lovers beware! This is a really moist cake (maybe not so healthy either...) and can be served up with your choice of icing (I prefer without), ice cream, whipped cream, and even your choice of chocolate sauce (Good ol' Betty Crocker's is good).

The Perfect Buttermilk Chocolate Cake Recipe
2 C flour
2 C sugar
3/4 C Hershey's Cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk
1 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. Lightly grease and flour 9 X 13 pan
3. Place all ingredients in mixing bowl
4. Mix at medium or medium high speed until all ingredients are blended and smooth.
5. Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour.

Muffin Man

My little boy is a true muffin man... what kid isn't? I found this recipe when I was trying to find ways to incorporate more fruit and veggies in his diet, without him exactly realizing they were there. (If anyone else has great recipes for picky eaters- please share!) And don't be fooled by the "sugar-free" in the title- my husband is all about flavor in his food and even he loves them. They are very moist and yummy.

(Sorry- no pictures!)

Healthy (Sugar-Free) Pumpkin Muffins

1&3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C canned pumpkin
1/4 C canola oil
1/4 C applesauce
1/2 C honey
1/3 C water
3/4 C raisins or coconut or choc chips (or all if you want!)

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then mix together until combined. Bake in muffin cups at 350 for 20-25 minutes.