Banana Bran Muffins
about 18 Muffins
1 1/2 cups unbleached or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bran
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup banana puree (about 4 bananas)
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried cherries, raisins or chopped dried apricots
Preheat oven to 375˚F and lightly spray muffin tins with cooking oil.
Mix wets then drys and add together.
© Carolyn Beth Weil 2008
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bits
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
Prepare a nine-inch round cake pan with a non-stick spray coating and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Melt together the chocolate and butter together.
In a medium bowl whip the eggs with the sugar until pale yellow and thick. Mix in the flour and then the chocolate mixture.
Spread into the pan and bake until the center seems firm. It will be moist but not runny when tested with a toothpick, about 30-40 minutes.
The sides of the torte will rise and fall after cooling. Simply press the edges down into the pan even with the middle of the cake. To release the torte from the pan, run a knife along the edge and turning it over with a gentle tap. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate.
© Carolyn Beth Weil 2008
Browned Butter Gems
The French called browned butter "nutty butter”(buerre noisette) and it give the cookies a unique nutty flavor.
Makes 36 small cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup(+/-) granulated sugar
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Bring it to a slow boil and let brown--watch it carefully.It will become foamy and shortly after that the milk solids will brown. Stir occasionally so the milk solids don’t burn, this takes 6-8 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl include all the brown specks. Let cool, about an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350˚. Position the oven rack to the lower and upper third. Line a cookie sheet with bakers parchment.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
4. Stir the powdered sugar and vanilla into the butter and mix well. Add the flour and baking soda and stir until combined.
5. The dough is very coarse and a little crumbly but using a little finesse, scoop (#70) small balls, about 1 tablespoon, and roll in granulated sugar. Place two inches apart in the cookie sheets. Bake until lightly golden about 15-18 minutes.
Bakers note: For a less sweet cookie, don’t roll the dough balls in the granulated sugar just bake after rolling.
Double Ginger Cookies Makes 36 cookies
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
6 ounce unsalted Butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup unsulfered molasses
2 ounce crystallized ginger, minced*
In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the flour, soda, salt, ginger & cinnamon to combine ingredients & distribute leavening. In another bowl beat the butter & sugar until soft & creamy, add molasses & then the egg, beat well. Slowly add flour mixture & mix well. Scoop** small cookies, dip each in the minced crystallized ginger pieces and place ginger side up on to a cookie sheet lined with bakers parchment bake at 350˚ for 12-14 minutes. I like these chewy so I remove then from the oven when they are slightly wet in the center. Remember, as they remain on the cookie sheet they will continue to cook before they cool.
* to mince ginger: use a sharp chef knife and sprinkle pieces with additional granulated sugar to keep chunks separated.
Wash, core and slice apple thinly these I did on the "V" slicer (mandoline) at 1/16th of an inch but I think I'll try 1/8" next time. Then I tossed them in lemon juice, little bit of honey and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. Spread them out in the dehydrator and 6 hours later they were cooling and ready to store in an air-tight container. I'll bet you could try then in the oven on a silicone sheet at the lowest temp possible. I used 145˚F on my dehydrator setting.
1 lb. unsalted butter, cold
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup ground pistachios
zest from one orange
Blend together the butter, salt & sugar until they come together. Add the flour, nuts and orange zest & mix until dough pulls together. Do not over mix this dough by mixing it after it’s pulled together. On a floured surface roll out to ¼ inch thick & cut into desired shapes. Bake at 200˚ until edges are golden approx. 30-50 minutes. Baking time will vary upon your oven and the size and thickness of your cookie. You are looking for a cookie that’s firm to the touch...leaving no indent from your finger after testing and a slightly golden edge.
© Carolyn Beth Weil 2008
Chicken Pot Pie
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 large potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled
1 cup peas
4 cups firm tofu or 4 poached chicken breasts, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup half & half
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1-11/2 teaspoons salt - to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I like to use Bell's)
one batch biscuits cut into circles or ready to crumbly on top
Saute the onion in one tablespoon of butter until transparent, add the carrots and celery and cook until soft, about ten minutes. Place these into a large bowl along with the peas, potatoes, and tofu pieces. Warm the broth and the cream together, set aside until needed. In a large frying pan melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour, salt pepper and poultry seasoning and stir for two minutes. Add the broth and cream mixture and whisk until it thickens and is smooth, about five minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed. Pour the sauce over the tofu & vegetable mixture and spread it into a large baking dish. Place the biscuit cut outs or crumbles on top close together or drape with pie dough. Bake at 425˚F for 25-35 minutes for the biscuits or 450˚F for 15-20 minutes for the pie dough top. Both the crusts should be firm and golden.
Note: Sauteed mushrooms are a delicious addition as are sweet potatoes as a substitution for the regular potatoes.
Buttermilk Biscuit Topping
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup (4oz) unsalted butter, cold
1 cup buttermilk
Line a baking sheet with bakers parchment; set aside. Preheat oven to 375˚. Measure out the buttermilk & set aside.
In a large bowl combine flour, salt, powder, & soda. With a wire whisk stir well to distribute all ingredients. Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes & add to flour mixture. With your fingers or a pastry cutter or 2 butter knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is a fine texture and looks a little like cornmeal with some butter chunks the size of peas. Add buttermilk & stir until the dough is wet & sticky. Small patches of dry mix are OK. Turn the dough out on to a board & knead about 12 times until the dough comes together and is smooth. Roll out on a lightly floured board to one inch thick. Cut into shapes kneading the dough scraps together to use it up. Place the wedges on the baking sheet. Bake at 375˚ until firm & golden brown about 15-20 minutes. Baking time will vary from oven to oven.
© Carolyn Beth Weil, 1997
