Tag: Baking

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food

Ken Williams Orchards Apple Slices

Posted on by lmc

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Many years ago, we traveled from Chicago up to a beautiful apple orchard in Three Oaks, Michigan called Ken Williams Orchards. After a day of picking and picnicking, we headed to the counter to pay for our bushel of apples. On the counter sat a sheet of paper that was entitled, “Favorite Apple Recipes” and listed five of the orchard’s favorite recipes. I asked the clerk if I could have the sheet and she said, “Sure, take one, they’re free!”
Well, I have used this recipe sheet over and over for the last 16 years…our favorite recipe of the bunch is something called Apple Bars. I have changed the recipe a bit and I call them apple slices. It really doesn’t matter what you call them…they will always be delicious! This is definitely the best apple slice recipe I have ever tasted.

Ken William’s Orchards Apple Slices

2 1/4 cups flour, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
2 egg yolks
4 cups sliced apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

Combine 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until crumbs are the size of peas. Stir in egg yoke. Press half of the mixture in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking pan, and reserve the rest. Combine apples, remaining flour, sugar, and cinnamon; place apple mixture over crust in pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool and drizzle with thin icing of powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.

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Posted in Baked goods, Chocolate, Desserts, Food

Westhaven Date Cake

Posted on by lmc

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As I was rummaging through my hand written recipes this morning, an odd shaped piece of paper brought back memories of Aunt Nance. She was Jim’s Aunt, and a very special person. She would often bake this cake and bring it along to family gatherings. The chopped dates in the recipe are undetectable after baking but they are essential as they add great flavor and moisture to the cake.
Years ago, I asked Aunt Nance to share the recipe with me and this is the piece of paper she slipped in my hand as I was leaving the gathering.
When I finally got around to baking the cake, I noticed that mine wasn’t as dark and chocolatey as hers was. After investigating further, I realized that she had forgotten to include 2 tablespoons of cocoa in the recipe. The cake was still quite delicious so I make it both ways and it’s always a crowd pleaser.

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Westhaven Date Cake

1 (8 oz.) package dates, chopped
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
chocolate chips
nuts
powdered sugar

Over chopped dates, pour 1 cup boiling water; let cool. Add baking soda and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Pour date mixture into dry ingredients, mix well. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cool cake before serving.

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Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Bread, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box

Creamy Corn Bread

Posted on by lmc

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Lately, M has been taking a thermos of soup in her lunchbox. Every Sunday evening, we make a big pot of soup that will last through the long school week. Recent recipe choices have included cream of broccoli, minestrone, vegetable beef, and other favorites. I’ve also been baking cornbread muffins to accompany the meal. I bake them in silicone muffin liners for easy cleanup.
This Creamy Corn Bread recipe gets its sweetness and creaminess from the corn and yogurt in the mix. No need to add sugar, this bread is sweet, moist, and satisfying!

Creamy Corn Bread

1 egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix
1 (8-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Pour into a 9×5″ loaf pan coated with cooking spray or spoon into lined muffin pans. Bake at 350° for 40- 45 minutes for loaf pan or 17-20 minutes for muffins.

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Posted in Baked goods, Bread, breakfast, Brunch, lunch box

Whole Wheat and Honey Loaf

Posted on by lmc

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Our town has a weekly farmer’s market every Saturday. It runs from late May through the month of October. Local farmers sell produce, baked goods, jams/jellies, cheese, flowers and crafts. There are vendors making donuts, sandwiches, hotdogs and even a vendor with a converted pizza truck who takes orders to make specialty pizzas on the spot. Folks visit the market then sit in the nearby park eating lunch while listening to local high school students play music in the sunshine. It’s a picturesque scene with all the coziness of a small town.
I love to head over to the market in the fall when produce is plentiful. One of my favorite booths at the market is the honey booth. I always buy a huge container of honey so that I support our local farmers while benefitting from the delicious taste of sweet golden honey.
This recipe is adapted from the Tried and True Favorites Cookbook…my “goto” for foolproof recipes. This bread is indeed foolproof as it always bakes up beautifully. The whole wheat and honey make this loaf hearty, moist and slightly sweet. I use the bread machine to make things as easy as can be.

Whole Wheat and Honey Loaf

1 1/8 cups water
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoons dry milk powder
1 1/2 tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select “whole wheat” or “medium” setting; press start.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, lunch box

Honey and Oats Bread

Posted on by lmc

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Several years ago, on one of my weekly visits to Goodwill, I found a brand new Williams-Sonoma Bread Machine on one of the shelves. I was delighted because I had given my old (smaller) bread machine to my brother-in-law when my kids were little.
The William Sonoma machine makes a really large loaf , has some attractive settings, and is a quality machine. I make my share of breads and scones by hand, but there is nothing like throwing all of the ingredients into the pan before going to bed and waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread.
This recipe is one of our favorites. You can use white bread flour or wheat flour…I was low on wheat flour this week so I mixed white and wheat. My kids load it up with crunchy peanut butter and homemade jam. This makes a hefty loaf that is sure to please.

Honey and Oats Bread

1 cup water, mild temp.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the bread pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the basic or light crust setting, press start.

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Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food

Rich Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Posted on by lmc

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I have been making this recipe for years. While this cake is delicious anytime, I think the flavor is best when the cake has had a day to sit. However, once your family knows that the cake is out of the oven, the countdown begins as to when it’s cool enough to eat. And after the first slice is gone, it seems only minutes before the rest of the cake follows and only a few crumbs are left at the bottom of the baking pan. Either way, this is an awesome cake recipe.
The mayonnaise may seem like an odd ingredient but it sure makes this cake moist and flavorful.

Rich Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

2 cups hot tap water
2 cups mayonnaise
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with non-stick spray, a 9×13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add the mayonnaise, water, and vanilla. Beat for about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

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Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Bread, Food

Mary’s Irish Scones

Posted on by lmc

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My family has been making these scones for as long as I can remember. As a young girl, I used to watch my mom make batches of these buttermilk scones without having to use a recipe. She would mix everything up by hand, then swiftly kneed and cut triangular shapes from the rolled dough. During the Lenten season, Mom would make several batches as we would have scones and tea for Friday dinner.
These days, I regularly make scones for my family. I, too, can make them without the recipe but I use a biscuit cutter to uniformly cut the soft dough into circular shapes. We often top the baked scones with homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam.(Although, J and M prefer to top them with gobs of peanut butter.) After removing a batch from the oven, it isn’t long before they’ve all been eaten and everyone is asking for more.

Mary’s Irish Scones

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut margarine into flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, with pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins and buttermilk until dough leaves the side of the bowl. Add more milk or flour as needed. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Kneed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a round about 1/4 to 1/2″ thick. With a biscuit cutter, cut scones and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.