“Eat Me” Blueberry Lemon Scones ~ #SundaySupper

April 14, 2013 By 68 Comments

Happy Sunday! This week the #SundaySupper crew is going to the cinema. Heather from Girlichef is hosting a movie-themed #SundaySupper this week. We’re making movie-inspired recipes. I just about jumped for joy as I was signing up to participate this week.

I don’t watch a lot of television, but I do like a good movie. Squirrel and I signed up for Netflix about a  year ago, which means we get to watch as many movies as we like. Usually, Friday night is our movie night. Sometimes it’s just the two of us, but most of the time we head over to my mom and dad’s house to watch a movie with the family.

I’m a wee bit obsessed with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. As you can probably guess, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland is my favorite movie. I love the Alice books so much that I decided to use the movie as the topic for my 20-page research paper that I wrote last semester.

In honor of Alice and our movie-themed #SundaySupper, I decided to make “Eat Me” blueberry lemon scones. If you’re familiar with Disney’s Alice in Wonderland or the Alice books, then you know that Alice is forced to consume little cakes scrolled with the words Eat Me and cocktails (non-alcoholic, of course) scrolled with the words Drink Me in order to fit through the various doors and holes throughout the movie. I thought scones would be an appropriate choice to celebrate Alice and the rest of her “mad” friends. Besides, I adore scones; especially these, because they’re healthy.

I was originally supposed to make you strawberry orange scones, but I couldn’t find any decent strawberries. After I couldn’t find strawberries, I decided to make blackberry orange scones. Well, that didn’t quite work out as planned. I made a boo-boo during the mixing process; I forgot to add the sugar. I tried slipping the sugar in at the end (knowing that this was a bad idea to begin with and that my efforts would be futile), but I proceeded, keeping my fingers secretly crossed behind my back like a sneaky school girl breaking a promise. The universe didn’t have my back. Instead, it kicked me to the curb and didn’t return. The result wasn’t pretty. The scones looked like crater-pitted blobs.

So, I started over again. Come, join me for a “Mad” tea party…

Blueberry Lemon Scones | www.themessybakerblog.com -6975

The second time was a charm. Just look at that lemon glaze dripping off the sides. Yum!

Since I’m trying to eat better, I decided to create a healthier version. These are full of whole wheat flour, greek yogurt, fat-free butter milk, and fresh blueberries.

Blueberry Lemon Scones | www.themessybakerblog.com -6959

The result is a guilt-free, moist hunk of carbohydrate. Warning: Don’t be surprised if you go “mad” while nibbling on these.

Blueberry Lemon Scones | www.themessybakerblog.com -6965

Enjoy with a cup of tea or a big mug of coffee.

Check out the other movie-inspired recipes:

Toast (bready things)

No Reservations (soups and salads)

Today’s Special (fish, chicken, beef, and pork)

Forks Over Knives (veggie-heavy dishes and sides)

Udon (pasta and noodles)

Just Desserts (sweet treats)

Bottle Shock (beverages)

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday, April 14th to talk all about movies that have inspired us to head into the kitchen – and the food that comes from that inspiration (7pm EST)!  We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world.   Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

5.0 from 3 reviews

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“Eat Me” Blueberry Lemon Scones
Author: 
Recipe type: Scones, Quick Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 11
 

Ingredients
Scones
  • 2½ cups white whole wheat flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tbs. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1¼ cups fat-free buttermilk
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (do not thaw frozen blueberries)
Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 3½ tbs. lemon juice

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles very coarse sand (the mixture will still be a bit dry).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries. Scoop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet using a large ice cream scoop.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the scones are golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Drizzle the glaze onto the slightly warm scones.
Glaze
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon zest. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice until smooth.

 

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: , , , ,

Citrus Scented Cheese Babka ~ #TwelveLoaves

March 18, 2013 By 17 Comments

Easter is right around the corner. I can’t believe it! Next thing you know it will be June and Sunny.

The mention of June conjures up thoughts of flip-flops, pink sunsets, and sandy beaches. I can’t wait for flip-flop weather. I know some people like to wear flip-flops all year long, but I’m not that gal. My toes would freeze right off.

Before I even think about wearing flip-flops, I have to do something about my tootsies. I hate to admit it, but they may need a hack saw or power sander taken to them. I feel bad for the poor soul that has to tend to my feet. Fact– I haven’t had a pedicure since my foot injury last October. Eek! It took forever for the poor injured toe to heal, and I’ve been hesitant to let anyone near the thing. So, before I go showing off my feet, a pedicure is a must.

This month Lora challenged the #TwelveLoaves group to make a type of Easter/Passover bread. I’ve never actually made Easter bread before, so I was excited for the adventure. I did a little research and came up with cheese babka. Babka is a sweet yeast cake that varies depending on the origin of the bread. The legend suggests that the sweet bread was accidently invented by an exiled Polish King. I decided to create the Polish version of cheese babka for this month’s Easter/Passover themed #TwelveLoaves.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this bread. The aroma of the dough was utterly intoxicating as I was slowly stiring the mixture with my wooden spoon. Wafts of vanilla and sweet sugar billowed through the air as I was kneading the rich, buttery dough. As I was kneading the dough, I was thinking, ”If the dough smells this good, it has to taste amazing!”

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6674

It does. This bread tastes amazing! It’s mildly sweet and slightly dense, stuffed with a creamy lemon scented cheese mixture. I could’ve eaten the entire loaf by myself.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6673

I could live off of bread. Seriously, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and not complain once.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6683

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6668

I spiked the cream cheese filling with homemade citrus marmalade to brighten it up a bit for Easter. One bite of this bread, and you’ll be hooked.

Cheese Babka | www.themessybakerblog.com-6685

Enjoy!

CheeseBabkaCollage

We would love to have you join our #TwelveLoaves group. It’s easy!

#TwelveLoaves March: Holiday Bread. Bake a bread, yeast or quick bread, loaf or individual. This #TwelveLoaves is all about the incredible holiday breads featured in March. Do you have a favorite Easter or St. Patrick’s Day Bread? We would love to see it. Let’s get baking!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your Bread is inspired by the theme!
2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this March, 2013 posted on your blog by March 31, 2013.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Citrus Scented Cheese Babka
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 8-10
 

Adapted from allrecipes
Ingredients
Dough
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • ¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup lukewarm milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Filling
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, at room-temperature
  • 1 tbs. sour cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbs. orange or citrus marmalade
  • 2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Instructions
  1. Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar over the warm water; stir to dissolve. Let stand for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, ¼ cup sugar, salt, vanilla extract, milk, and eggs. Stir in 1 cup of flour.
  3. Add the yeast mixture and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the remaining flour to form a soft dough (the mixture will be a little sticky at this point).
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding small amounts of flour to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a round and place it in a large greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a dry towel and place the bowl in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
  5. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in egg until incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract and marmalade until smooth. Set aside.
  6. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
  7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with melted butter. Spread the cheese filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, starting from the long end, roll the dough towards you. Pinch the ends closed. Pull the long edge of the dough up and pinch to seal. Carefully lift the rolled dough into the prepared bundt pan. Cover with a dry towel and let rise for 1 hour.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  9. Bake the babka until deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes; invert the babka onto a wire rack and remove the pan. Allow the babka to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

 

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Healthy Pina Colada Muffins ~ #MuffinMonday

March 4, 2013 By 35 Comments

Happy Monday, all!

It’s time for another round of #MuffinMonday. An challenged us to make a muffin using coconut this week. Up until a few years ago, I really didn’t like coconut. I think it was a texture thing. I loved the flavor, but the flakes rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t know what changed, but now I can’t get enough of the tropical fruit.

Skinny Pina Colada Muffins | www.themessybakerblog.com-6571

Believe it or not, these muffins are healthy. They’re full of greek yogurt, coconut oil, whole wheat flour, crushed pineapple, and dried pineapple.

Pina Colada Muffins | www.themessybakerblog.com-6580

Go ahead, have two!

Pina Colada Muffins | www.themessybakerblog.com-6575

The coconut milk, greek yogurt, and coconut oil create a moist, tender muffin. One bite, and you’re transported to the tropics.

Pina Colada Muffins | www.themessybakerblog.com-6579

Enjoy!

5.0 from 4 reviews

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Healthy Pina Colada Muffins
Author: 
Recipe type: Muffin, Quick Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 12
 

Ingredients
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ cup greek yogurt (plain, vanilla, pineapple)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tbs. agave
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ⅓ cup coconut milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg white
  • ⅓ cup crushed pineapple
  • 1tsp. coconut extract
  • ½ cup dried pineapple, chopped
  • ½ cup coconut flakes

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with papers.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together greek yogurt and sugar until smooth. Whisk in coconut oil, coconut milk, agave, and crushed pineapple until incorporated. Whisk in egg, egg white, and coconut extract.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in dried pineapple.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way. Top with ½ tablespoon of coconut flakes.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

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Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls ~ #TwelveLoaves

February 27, 2013 By 29 Comments

I’m going to apologize in advance. Why? Oh, you’ll see. Just keep reading.

Have you ever been enamored by, obsessed with, or head-over-heels in love with a dessert before? Enter these sweet rolls. Everything else became a blur as I was shoveling forkful after forkful of sweet dough into my mouth. Ladies & Gentlemen, meet my new obsession.

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6509

I’ve been in love with a lot of desserts in my lifetime, but nothing surpasses the decadence of these nutella and toasted pecan sweet rolls. The dough gets slathered with a generous helping of chocolatey Nutella, then drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled with toasted pecans before getting rolled up and baked to golden brown perfection.

Be still my beating heart!

Fear of devouring the entire pan myself led me to dealing out sweet rolls at a healthy snacking party. Was I ashamed? A little. What choice did I have? It was either give them away or eat the entire pan myself.

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6511

I wasn’t actually planning on making sweet rolls. They were more of a happy accident… A really delicious happy accident. Maybe even life changing. I was originally going to make my grandmother’s recipe for English muffin bread for #twelveloaves when a diligent effort to locate the recipe failed. Let’s just say I’m thankful I keep a large stock of Nutella on hand at all times.

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6534

One bite, and that’s it. You’re. In. Love! Just give yourself over to the sweet roll. You can’t fight it; why try?

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6528

The sweet mocha glaze gets drizzled on while the rolls are still warm. Oozing its way through the doughy fissures, the glaze creates a caramelized crunch on its journey to the underbelly of the rolls, ensuring each roll is perfectly coated with the gooey glaze and each bite is just as sticky and delicious as the one before it.

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6520

Your chin and fingers are coated with mocha glaze, but you don’t care, because licking your fingers at the end just prolongs the sweet moment of pure bliss.

Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls | www.themessybakerblog.com-6530

Enjoy one. Enjoy two. Heck, enjoy the entire pan. Or, you know, share the sweet roll love. I’ll leave it up to you to decide.

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Nutella & Toasted Pecan Sweet Rolls
Author: 
Recipe type: Sweet Rolls
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 18
 

Sweet roll dough adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
Sweet Roll Dough:
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 pkg. yeast
  • 4½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
Nutella Filling:
  • 1 cup Nutella, slightly melted (see note)
  • 4 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Mocha Icing:
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbs. strongly brewed coffee
  • 1 tbs. half & half
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, whisk together milk, sugar, and oil. Using a candy thermometer, heat the milk to 120 degrees F. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the warm milk mixture. Stir in 3½ cups of flour. Take off the heat. Cover the pot with a towel and allow to rest, undisturbed, for 1 hour.
  2. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixture. Stir until combined. Place the lid on the pot and refrigerate until the mixture is completely cool (the dough is easier to handle if it is refrigerated).
  3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish, or two pie plates or round cake pans.
  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 24 inches long and 10 inches wide. Drizzle the melted nutella onto the dough. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Drizzle the nutella with the melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and toasted pecans.
  5. Starting at the side furthest from you, roll the dough toward you, until it resembles a log. Pinch to seal. Turn the dough over so the seal faces the work surface. Slice into 2-inch thick rolls and place in the baking dish cut side down.
  6. Cover the baking dish with a towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown in color.
Mocha Icing:
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and salt. Whisk in coffee, half & half, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  2. Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow the rolls to cool for 5 minutes before drizzling on the icing. Serve warm.
  3. Note: Heat the Nutella for 30 seconds in the microwave to create a spreadable consistency.

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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Muffins ~ #MuffinMonday

February 25, 2013 By 19 Comments

It can’t always be cookies and buttercream, right? Maybe in a fairytale land far, far away where high cholesterol and weight gain don’t exist, but this isn’t a fairytale. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some cookies, but even I have limitations. Well, that is, my hips have limitations. If they’d let me, I’d probably snack on cookies all day; however, that’s not the case.

Sometimes I want to snack on something without feeling guilty about it later, so I’ve been experimenting with guilt-free quick breads in the kitchen lately. Breads full of whole grains, yogurt, fruit, and healthy proteins. Breads that will fill me up without leaving me full of eater’s remorse later. I love baking quick breads for the very fact that they involve little to no planning. They don’t require  kneading, rising, or waiting, and can usually be whipped up in one bowl.

An challenged us to make a muffin using bananas this week, and I instantly knew that I wanted to make a muffin that combined chocolate, banana, and peanut butter. The epitome of all flavor combos. Last week I came across this recipe for Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cupcakes by Sally’s Baking Addiction. I instantly fell in love with them and knew I had to make them for #MuffinMonday this week.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Muffins {www.themessybakerblog.com}-6500-2

I made a few minor changes to make the recipe more muffin-like. I added some dark chocolate cocoa powder, white whole wheat flour, and brown sugar. They’re healthy and delicious all at the same time.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Muffins {www.themessybakerblog.com}-6502

The muffin is dark and moist and, my favorite part, swirled with melted peanut butter.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Muffins {www.themessybakerblog.com}-6501

Guilt-free muffins… Now, that’s my kind of breakfast. Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Muffins
Author: 
Recipe type: Muffin, Quick Bread
Cuisine: Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 16
 

Ingredients
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg white
  • ¾ cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup peanut butter chips

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 16 muffin cups with papers.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk in the brown sugar, egg, egg white, greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Mixture will be slightly lumpy.
  4. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Fill the muffin cups ⅔ of the way full with batter. Spoon ½ tablespoon of the melted butter on top of the batter. Using a knife or a toothpick, swirl the peanut butter into the batter. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room-temperature for up to 3 days.

 

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast Tagged With: , , , , ,

Grandmom’s Rolls

January 1, 2013 By 33 Comments

Happy New Year!!! Are you using the day off to sleep in and nurse a hangover? I had a few of these Skinny Champagne Cosmos  last night (they’re amazing), recipe courtesy of Kristina from Whipped, but I’m feeling surprisingly well.

Today I’m participating in #TwelveLoaves. What is #TwelveLoaves? It’s a concept created by Lora from Cake Duchess to inspire people to get in their kitchens and bake some homemade bread. You know, get down and dirty with some flour and sticky dough. Each month Lora hosts a different bread baking project. This month we’re starting the new year with a clean slate; a loaf of bread that celebrates simplicity.

Today I bring you a very special recipe that was handed down to me by my Grandmom. I call the recipe Grandmom’s Dinner Rolls. It’s a simple white roll with a perfectly crusty exterior and a melt-in-your-mouth, fluffy interior. I grew up watching her make these rolls and was lucky enough to receive a lesson in roll making from her last year. This recipe is so simple that I used it as my very first attempt at creating homemade bread.

I know the concept of making homemade bread is a bit ominous for some; however, once you get the basics down, you’ll be a bread-making machine. This recipe is a great starter recipe. If you’re an amateur or fear yeast and dough, start with this recipe. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Shannon from A Periodic Table. Shannon, like some of you, feared working with yeast. You don’t know Shannon? Shame! The girl can whip up Momofuko Milk bar treats in her sleep. I emailed Shannon my Grandmom’s bread recipe and she successfully made them for Thanksgiving. Easy as pie!

The key to making these rolls is not over heating the milk. If the milk is too hot, it’s going kill the yeast. Dead yeast equals dense, flat rolls, and we don’t want that.

You don’t need a fancy thermometer when gauging the temperature; your finger will work just fine. You’ll know the milk is hot enough when you stick your finger in it and your reflexes kick in. If you can’t keep your finger in the milk because it hurts to the touch, that’s when you know it’s hot enough. DO NOT boil the milk. I don’t mean to yell, but I don’t want you to make that mistake. My dad does it all the time and he wonders why his rolls are like hockey pucks; he’s killing the yeast.

The bread will need to rise two times. It will rise after kneading it and again after rolling the dough into balls.

The best part about making bread is playing with the dough. I love the feel of the sticky, warm dough between my fingers. Then there’s the malted smell that rises to your nose every time you fold the dough into itself. Mmm!

Those little green specs you see is chopped rosemary. I made a melted garlic butter sauce and added crushed rosemary to give it a boost of flavor. After brushing on the butter sauce, I sprinkled the rolls with a little sea salt for extra flavor.

Smear with a generous helping of salted butter and chow down. These rolls will quickly become a staple in your recipe box. Enjoy!

Here’s what the other #TwelveLoaves participants are baking:

Alabama Light Bread by Dorothy | Shockingly Delicious
Basic White Bread by Renee | Magnolia Days
Classic Oatmeal Bread by Liz | That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Grandmom’s Dinner Rolls by Jennie from The Messy Baker Blog
Italian Potato Bread by Rosella | Ma Che Ti Sei Mangiato
Molasses Wheat Quick Bread by Deb | Knitstamatic
Pandoro by Paula | Vintage Kitchen
Rosemary Olive Oil Bread by Alice | Hip Foodie Mom
Whole Wheat Pita Bread by Holly | A Baker’s House
Whole Wheat Sea Salt Bagel by Lora | Cake Duchess
Orange, Date & Nut Loaf by Kate | Diethood 
 
#TwelveLoaves January: Clean Slate. Bake a bread, yeast or quick bread, loaf or individual. January #TwelveLoaves is all about a clean slate. After the holiday indulgences, we are starting the year with simplicity. Have fun baking with whole grains and other flours. Share with us your favorite basic bread recipes. Let’s get baking!
 
Just follow the rules, it’s as easy as pie:
  1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your Bread is inspired by the theme!
  2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
  3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this January, 2013 posted on your blog by January 31, 2013.
Would you like to bake along with us? The #TwelveLoaves bread baking project was created by Lora at Cake Duchess; a monthly baking adventure created for the love of bread. Drop Lora a line to join in on this monthly bread baking fun! Follow@TwelveLoaves on Twitter See what’s freshly baked for #TwelveLoaves on our growing Pinterest board.
 
4.8 from 5 reviews

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Grandmom’s Dinner Rolls
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup hot milk (do not boil)
  • ¾ cup hot tap water
  • 1½ tbs. sugar
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1½ tbs. shortening
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
  • Herb Butter:
  • 4 tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tbs. chopped rosemary

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cast iron pan or baking dish.
  2. Place flour in a large bowl. Add the yeast and mix to combine. Set aside.
  3. Heat milk in a small saucepan until hot to touch (do not boil). Take off heat and add shortening, sugar, and salt. Stir until shortening melts into the milk mixture (a few lumps are okay). Stir in hot water to combine.
  4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in milk; mix to combine with a spatula. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 6 minutes, gradually adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
  5. Place dough in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease both sides. Place bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise for 90 minutes.
  6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pull off 3-inch sized pieces of dough and place in a greased cast iron pan about a ½-inch apart. Place pan in a warm spot and cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise for 1 hour before baking.
  7. Herb Butter: While the dough is rising for the second time, melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add crushed garlic and chopped rosemary. Simmer for 2 minutes to let the flavors marry.
  8. Using a pastry brush, brush dough with the herb butter. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm with a generous helping of butter.

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Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Chocolate Muffins with Peanut Butter Frosting~ #MuffinMonday

December 31, 2012 By 19 Comments

Happy New Year’s Eve! What do you do to ring in the new year? Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s way more fascinating than what I’m doing. I tend to be a huge dud on New Year’s Eve. Squirrel and I tend do something low key. Usually, we go over a friends house, mingle, play a few board games, and have a few cocktails…except for last year. Don’t laugh, but last year Squirrel and I stayed home and fell asleep before the ball even dropped. I remember my lids feeling like bricks, so I stopped fighting it and just let the inevitable happen and fell asleep. Duds, I know. Going out means spending 5x the price for a Captain and Coke, fighting the crowds to make it to the bar for said cocktail, then jumping up and down to get the bartender to acknowledge my existence (I’m only 5’1″). So, we take the route less travelled and stay home. I mix up my cheap cocktail, pop a bag of popcorn, and plop myself down onto my favorite part of the couch and watch movies all evening. Call me old but I love it!

Today is the last #MuffinMonday before the end of the year, so I had to go out with a bang. I took the concept of the word muffin to an entirely new level with this recipe. It’s sort of a muffin/cupcake hybrid. I made a decadent chocolate muffin stuffed with a peanut butter cup and topped with peanut butter frosting. Can I get a hell yes?

The only rule we had to follow this week was to make something indulgent using chocolate. Chocolate? Check. Indulgent? I’d say so.

I know this looks like a cupcake, with its creamy frosting and peanut butter cup center, but looks can be deceiving. This is, indeed, a muffin; a very decadent and indulgent muffin. A muffin that masks itself as a cupcake that begs to be eaten for breakfast.

How about we make this muffin our last hurrah before we set our New Year’s resolutions. Whatdoya say?

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Do you think she’ll notice if I steal that pan of muffins?” It’s New Year’s Eve, I’m willing to share. We’re all friends here.

Enjoy!

5.0 from 3 reviews

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Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Chocolate Muffins with Peanut Butter Frosting
Author: 
Recipe type: Muffin/Quick Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 12
 

Ingredients
  • Muffins:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 12 miniature Reese cups, unwrapped
  • Frosting:
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbs. milk

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, vegetable oil, and egg until light in color. Whisk in vanilla extract.
  4. Add the dry mixture to the egg mixture alternating with the milk until the mixture is smooth (a few lumps are okay).
  5. Fill the tins a third of the way full with batter. Place one Reese cup in the center and gently press it into the batter. Top with batter until the cup is ⅔ of the way full.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  7. Frosting:
  8. In a medium-sized bowl, add the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Cream together the peanut butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Whisk in the milk until the frosting is smooth.

 

 

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pumpkin Orange Chocolate Chip Bread with Orange Glaze~ “Have a Grain Holiday” #Giveaway

December 7, 2012 By 55 Comments

Tis the season to be jolly. That is the saying, right?

Well, if that’s the saying, then why isn’t there more jolly people in the world this time of year? Is it the fact that you have to brave the crowds for a gift that the manufacturer only made 50 of? Or, is it because you were patiently waiting for a parking spot, with your blinker on clearly claiming the spot yours, when someone swoops in and takes it from you? Maybe it’s all the shoppers talking on their cell phones and not paying attention to where they’re walking, running right into you without so much as an apology. Could it be the rude shopper that pushes you out of her way with her cart while you were looking at a shirt, not bothering to say excuse me? Or, is it because your cat won’t stop ringing the bell on your Christmas tree at night while you’re trying to sleep and you wake up groggy and sleep deprived?

I have good news, friends. There’s no need to go out into the wilderness and brave the elements when you can give the gift of food. Instead of buying holiday gifts, bake them. My mom and I decided to make and give homemade treats for the holidays. No braving the crowds, finding parking spots, or being run into by chatty Cathy. We’re going to relax in the comforts of our own homes in our penguin pjs while we sip  hot cocoa and whip up chocolate dipped rice krispie treats and mini bread loaves.

Hodgson Mill contacted me a few months ago and asked if I’d like to participate in their “Have a Grain Holiday” recipe contest. I couldn’t refuse a chance to be creative and bake up something delicious to give as gifts for the holidays, so of course I said yes. I decided to bake mini loaves of pumpkin orange  bread studded with tons of creamy chocolate chips and topped with an orange glaze.

These mini loaves are an adaptation of my pumpkin banana bread recipe, and they are amazing. Not only are they delicious, they’re healthy too. I used Hodgson Mill’s whole wheat flour and some Greek yogurt to give the recipe a healthy boost.

I really enjoyed using Hodgson Mill’s whole grain flour products. Each bag of their whole wheat flour is stone ground to preserve nutrients and taste. When you open up a bag of their whole wheat flour, you can see the bits of natural grain running throughout in various shades of tan. I decided to use their whole wheat flour and loved the toasted nutty flavor it added to these little loaves.

After making these loaves and giving a few of them away,  I toasted the remaining slices for breakfast and added a smear of pumpkin butter for good measure. Talk about delicious!

I’m going to trim these loaves with ribbon and gift them to family and friends for the holidays. What says happy holidays better than a gift made from your own kitchen?

Hodgson Mill’s was nice enough to provide me with a $25 gift pack full of their stone ground, natural grain products to give away to one of my lucky readers!

This giveaway is for one $25 Hodgson Mill product packs, including free shipping directly to your door! The giveaway is open to US residents only and will run from Friday, December 7th  to 6:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 12th. The winner will be chosen by random draw. I will notify the winner by email and they will have two days to respond before another winner is chosen.  

To Enter:  Leave a comment telling me what you would make with your Hodgson Mill whole grain products.

For additional entries: 

Like The Messy Baker on Facebook
Follow The Messy Baker on Twitter
Tweet this giveaway using the following: Enter to win an @HodgsonMillInc #giveaway from @MessyBakerBlog
Follow The Messy Baker on Pinterest
Follow The Messy Baker on StumbleUpon and stumble this post
Follow Hodgson Mill on Twitter
Follow Hodgson Mill on Facebook

Leave me a separate comment for each entry. That’s 8 chances to win!

Click here to receive a printable Hodgson Mill coupon for $1 off on any flour or cornmeal product. Hodgson Mill is also doing a holiday gift pack sweepstakes. Click here to sign up for a chance to win, but hurry, the contest ends on December 9th, 2012.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Pumpkin Orange Chocolate Chip Bread with Orange Glaze
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour (I used Hodgson Mill)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp. orange zest (approximately the zest of 2 oranges)
  • 1 15oz. can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tbs. melted butter
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice (approximately the juice of 1 orange)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Glaze:
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • 2 tbs. orange juice

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and Greek yogurt. Add the orange juice, orange zest, and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop the mixture into the prepared loaf or mini loaf pans. If you’re using a large loaf pan, bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. If you’re using a mini loaf pan, bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before. After removing, allow the loaf/loaves to cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add a touch more orange juice.
  8. Drizzle the glaze over the warm loaf/loaves. Serve.

 

 

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Glazed Snickerdoodle Muffins~ #MuffinMonday

December 3, 2012 By 27 Comments

Let the Christmas countdown begin- only 22 more days! I have so much to do and not enough time to get it all done. There’s cookies to bake, holiday treats to create, gifts to wrap, and a 15-page research paper to complete. Wah, wah! I’m knee deep in research and can’t wait to dig myself out. If anyone would like to deliver some donuts to my house, I’d greatly appreciate it.

The one thing I was able to get done was my Christmas decorating. My mom and aunt were nice enough to come to my house and help me deck the halls. The tree is up, the snow babies are in their rightful places, my kitchen tree is glowing with food ornaments (yup, I have a tree in my kitchen), and the nativity set is assembled. It’s darn right festive in my house!

My kitty, Watson, believes the tree to be his own personal jungle. He sleeps under it, runs in circles around it, and drags the tree skirt out from under it. I’m waiting for the day that I come home from work and find him perched in the tree. I even found one of my cupcake ornaments on the ground by the trash can the other day. The cat is out of control! I even tried buying him a new catnip toy in hopes that he would stop playing with my toys, but it just made the situation worse. He gets his catnip high on and gallops around the house like a drunken race horse.

Anyone want a kitty for the holidays?

Today is week 3 in our #MuffinMonday holiday series. An gave us a decadent snickerdoodle muffin recipe to adapt this week. I made it even more decadent by adding cinnamon chips and a gooey glaze. These are the bomb! That’s right, I’m bringing back the phrase “the bomb.”

Just look at them in all of their glazed glory. And that sugary cinnamon coating- drool!

I couldn’t contain myself when they came out of the oven, wafting that enticing cinnamon scent throughout my house. That smell that makes your heart go pitter patter. I gobbled one up as soon as I removed them from the muffin tin. Gulp. Gone!

Cinnamon is the star of the show in this muffin, and I took cinnamon to a new heights by adding gobs of cinnamon chips to the batter. You get double the cinnamon, and who doesn’t love that?

These muffins are one of the lightest muffins I have ever made. They’re like fluffy cinnamon pillows that melt in your mouth.

Wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth.

Enjoy!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Glazed Snickerdoodle Muffins
Author: 
Recipe type: Quick bread, Muffin
Cuisine: Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • Muffins:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room-temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. cream of tarter
  • ¾ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1¼ cups sour cream
  • 1¼ cups cinnamon chips
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbs. cinnamon
  • Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs. milk

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 muffin tins.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and 1 cup of sugar. Cream for 3-5 minutes or until fluffy and pale in color. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one a time, mixing after each addition.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and nutmeg.
  4. Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Fold in the cinnamon chips.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
  6. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll around to coat completely, making sure not to press your fingers into the batter while you roll. Place the coated muffins into the prepared tins.
  7. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth.
  9. Drizzle the glaze over the warm muffins with a spoon or a fork.

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Banana Muffins~ #MuffinMonday

November 19, 2012 By 16 Comments

Is that a long title, or what? Sorry, but I just couldn’t leave anything out. Doesn’t that muffin just sound delicious? Is it calling your name? It is, isn’t it?

Today marks the first Monday of our holiday #MuffinMonday series. Every Monday the #MuffinMonday crew will be bringing you sweet holiday themed muffins that will get even more decadent the closer we get to Christmas. If that doesn’t get you excited for the holidays, I don’t know what will.

Peanut butter and banana is one of my favorite combinations. The two flavors blend beautifully together. You get the sweetness from the banana and the saltiness from peanut butter…it’s perfection.

An asked us to make a decadent muffin, so I went the extra step and added mini chocolates chips and topped them with a dark chocolate glaze. What you end up with is an extremely moist muffin that tastes like a decadent dessert, but a dessert that you can eat for breakfast.

These muffins were so good that I proceeded to eat three of them in a row on Saturday. I had to give the rest away so I wouldn’t eat the entire batch in one sitting.

How do you like them sprinkles? They’re little pink piggies!

I enjoyed these muffins so much that I decided to turn them into bread and give them as Christmas gifts.

Happy Monday!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Author: 
Recipe type: Muffin/Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 12
 

Ingredients
  • Dry:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • Wet:
  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 1 tbs. half & half
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • Chocolate glaze:
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips.

Instructions
  1. Muffins:
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin.
  3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, add the banana and sugar. Mash to combine.
  5. Whisk in the peanut butter and half & half.
  6. Add the egg and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
  7. Fold in the dry ingredients.
  8. Add the mini chocolate chips. Fold to combine.
  9. Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tins, about a third of the way full.
  10. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  11. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
  12. While the muffins are cooling, prepare the glaze.
  13. Glaze:
  14. Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl.
  15. Heat the heavy cream over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
  16. Lightly dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze and, if you like, add some sprinkles.

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week. 

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