Coffee Coconut Nutella Loaf

Sometimes I just want to do something out of the usual. Like have my coffee in seven shot glasses instead of a mug, go into a high-end store and try on fifteen dresses that will not be purchased by this guy, go get a tattoo.. or another cat, or maybe just drive to Texas one day to see if everything really is bigger. 

 As a routine follower and hater of change, I need to do these things every once in a while. Seriously, it took my mum five years to convince me to buy a new set of sheets because she was tired of repairing the tears in the old ones just because I'm a "nut case." 

Since Texas is out of the question until school is over, I have to settle for baking up weird concoctions and drinking coffee out of shot glasses. Luckily the two actually go together pretty well. And luckily this bread worked out too. I was contemplating throwing the batter out which is something that does not happen in my kitchen. Thank Gale that didn't happen. 

Coffee Coconut Nutella Loaf [-acinnos! Zoolander anyone?]
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp coconut extract
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup nutella

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a loaf pan, preferably 4 x 8 inches, and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside. In a cereal bowl, whisk together the egg, extract, coffee and milk. Add to the flour mixture. Stir until almost combined, there are a few bits of flour left, and stir in the coconut. Mix the batter just until combined. The batter will be very thick. Take half of the batter, it will be a thin layer, and spread it in the prepared loaf pan. Take heaping tablespoons of the nutella and plop it over the batter. It will essentially cover the batter. Top with the remaining coconut batter. Take a knife and attempt to swirl it around. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let it sit in the pan for 10 mintutes then remove to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.

* I recommend adding 1/4 cup of oil or melted butter to the batter. If you decide to do this, add the oil/butter to the egg mixture before adding to the flour mixture.

(Vegan) Mocha Coconut Banana Bread

There's something wrong with brains. They convince you that you must have your nails done perfectly everyday otherwise you don't feel right. They make you believe it's the school library's computer's fault that you didn't plug your headphones in properly and everyone was staring at you as you continued to turn up the volume for the Arcade Fire soundtrack whilst remaining completely oblivious. They make you believe that a loaf of banana bread is healthy because it has bananas. All of this seems logical according to brains.

remember this phota?

While this is mostly false in reality, banana bread is still glorious. It is probably to the thing that is whipped out of my kitchen the most. I intentionally buy loads of bananas knowing that they will never be eaten in time thus become brown and nasty. Banana bread likes them that way. 

(Vegan) Mocha Coconut Banana Bread
Adapted from Joy the Baker
 

1 cup mashed very very ripe bananas, about 3 bananas
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved into 1 tbsp of hot water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut 

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips (or a vegan alternative to make the bread, well, vegan) 

1-2 tbsp cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the bananas, oil, coffee and sugar briskly to combine. Sift the flours, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Fold in the coconut and chocolate. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if you’d like. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and a knife inserted through the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before transferring out of a pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and lather it in caramel sauce and enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Bread

Chocolate banana bread has been on my mind. Not because it is currently being ingested right now but because it has been driving me crazy. This was the first recipe I tried and it is so simple. Cake mix, bananas, milk and some cinnamon if you want. And it was ridic yet it was shameful that it wasn't completely from scratch.

First there was a poor attempt at a recipe made on a whim. It was too fudgy and it couldn't complete cook through no matter how hard I tried. Next up, I went for the infamous coco-nana bread by one Dorie Greenspan. This was way better but still not as good as the first. I then broke down into a weeping heap on the kitchen floor. 

That was a lie. The sensible being that I am excepted that cake mix is awesome and this bread is my best banana friend. And that is tough competish.

Chocolate Banana Bread

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 1/4 cup very ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup milk (skim or whole works)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Mix together all the ingredients until just combined. A few bumps are alright, they will work themselves out. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover with tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes and remove the foil. Continue baking for another 30 to 40 until a toothpick inserted comes out with a bit of batter. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 12 slices.

* This bread is amazing when it is sliced with a serrated knife, each piece wrapped in plastic wrap, thrown in a freezer bag and allow it to freeze. They don't freeze completely because the bread is so fudgy. It tastes great frozen or reheated in the toaster. Enjoy! 

Overnight Baked French Toast

A while back I had a Mother's Day brunch. It went amazingly well. I live by this guide from smitten kitchen. She is the almighty master of brunch. On my list of things to make was: scones, muffins, cake, frittata, home fries, french toast, fruit salad and bacon. The scones and muffins were in the freezer, the french toast and salad were in the fridge, the cake was made the night before and the ingredients for both the frittata and the home fries were prepped. So come the day of all I had to do was throw everything into the oven and make the home fries and bacon. I was not stressed at all and even had time to read the paper, what up?!

The french toast recipe is brilliant. I probably love it so much because it is like a breakfast style bread pudding. I highly recommend this if you like bread pudding and eating.

Overnight Baked French Toast
Adapted from Epicurious

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
12 3/4-inch-thick French bread slices
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
2 tsp cinnamon + 3 tbsp sugar
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped 
 

Spread butter over bottom of heavy large baking pan with 1-inch-high sides.* Arrange bread slices in pan. Beat eggs, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla and salt to blend in large bowl. Pour mixture over bread. Turn bread slices to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the french toast with the cinnamon sugar mixture and sprinkle the pecans on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top. Serve warm and with maple syrup. Serves 8. 

* I baked mine last year in a large jelly pan and it was great so that each would be crisped up but this year I used two 8" x 8" pans. While it was nice to have it sit on the table, it is so much nicer in the large pan. They turn out that much better. But either way is good.

Cinnamon Raisin Buns

I do not like hot cross buns. I do not like them Sam I.. luns. It rhymed? They taste like fruitcake with those spices and fruits which is the taste of nastiness. Sorry if you love and that means I am talking to you Paps. When one of the coolest country gals around posted a recipe for hot cross buns that wasn't loaded with the gross factors, hot cross buns crept in to my future.  

This recipe was followed almost to perfection up until the actual cross bit came along. We all settled for some delicious cinnamon raisin buns with honey, peanut butter, jam or butter. We are simple folk. These have a nice crust with the egg wash but are nice and soft on the inside. If you don't like hot cross buns (amen.) then these are in your honour.

Cinnamon Raisin Buns

From the Pioneer Woman

buns
2 cups whole milk
½ cups canola oil
½ cups sugar
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cups (additional) flour
½ teaspoons (heaping) baking powder
½ teaspoons (scant) baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cups sugar 
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cups raisins, plumped*
glaze
1 whole egg white
splash of cream or milk

Combine 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot–about 30 minutes. Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and stir to combine. Mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour in a warm place. Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir till combined.  At this point the dough can be placed in a bowl coated in oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and it can refrigerate overnight. Combine 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use. Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is “plain” again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time until all the raisins are used. Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes…an hour-plus is better. Preheat the oven to 400º. Mix the glaze ingredients together. Brush onto each roll. Bake for 20 minutes, give or take, or until tops of buns have turned nice and golden brown. Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Dig on in. Makes 18 rolls or 16 slightly larger rolls.

* To plump the raisins, place them in a bowl and cover them with hot water, coffee, booze or whatever floats your boat. 

(Vegan) Peanut Butter Bread

A few months ago my Dad was offered a promotion at his place of work but there was sort of a hitch, he would have to travel. When he first started working at said company he had to travel a lot and even though I was a wee lass at the time I remember missing him. Now is no different. Since he loves his job I will let it slide. Apparently people have to support their family even if they hate it, dumb rules.

But now when he is home I make sure there is something for him. His favourites are christmas cake (barf), rugelach and burnt cookies. Everyone else in the family hates christmas cake so he goes nuts. It is often referred to his crack and my Dad isn't one to make a drug related joke. It is serious. For some reason peanut butter bread seemed right up his alley (and my life source). The ingredients list is so simple! And it isn't the least bit dry and yet has a crispy crust. Heaven amigos, heaven.

Vegan Peanut Butter Bread

Adapted from Girl Versus Dough who got it from The Food Network

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cup soymilk

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 375º. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and melt it in the microwave which was approximately 30 seconds. Add the soymilk and melted peanut butter. Mix just until combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool for 5 minutes, remove to a cooling rack. It is easier to slice once cooled but dig in right away if necessary. Makes 1 loaf.

Pretzel Rolls

Back in the day the mall was the place to be. Looking back I don't know where the money was coming from because each trip was spent shopping, seeing movies and purchasing pretzels or food court chinese or movie popcorn or all of them. My only employment was babysitting once a year. This simply proves that my parents had to put up with a lots of stupid stuff from us and yet they love us anyways. Another question is how my weight remained stable but that is for another time. 

But back on track. I had a craving for pretzels the other night and the only cure was more cowbell.. or to make some soft pretzels. Lately yeast breads have been calling my name. In the back of my mind I remembered seeing this recipe and I had a hankering to make it. They literally taste just like the pretzels but make sure you liberally salt them. Kosher was what I had and it worked out great taste wise.

 

Pretzel Rolls
From Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Bon Appetit

2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 envelope quick-rising yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about) hot water (125°F to 130°F)
Cornmeal
8 cups water
1/4 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg white, beaten to blend (glaze)
Coarse salt

Combine bread flour, one envelope yeast, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon sugar in food processor and blend. With machine running, gradually pour hot water through feed tube, adding enough water to form smooth elastic dough. Process one minute to knead. Grease medium bowl. Add dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then towel; let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 35 minutes. Flour baking sheet, or clear area of counter. Punch dough down and knead on lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 8 pieces. Form each dough piece into ball. Place dough balls on prepared surface, flattening each slightly. Using serrated knife, cut X in top center of each dough ball. Cover with towel and let dough balls rise until almost doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line another baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bring 8 cups water to boil in large saucepan. Add baking soda and 2 tablespoons sugar (water will foam up). Add 4 rolls and cook 30 seconds per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer rolls to prepared sheet, arranging X side up. Repeat with remaining rolls. Brush rolls with egg white glaze. Sprinkle rolls generously with coarse salt. Bake rolls until brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Serve rolls warm or room temperature. Makes 8 buns.

Cinnamon Chocolate Raisin Swirl Bread

I have not been getting a lot of sleep lately. Sickness has taken over and it doesn't help that Conan believes that two in the morning is time to play. Apparently they do not get tired from running around all day. However, my little boy has to go in and get neutered and shots and all that tomorrow so he is forgiven. For now. 

 

I have made this bread before, minus the chocolate, and it was very good. As I felt like switching up the old cookie routine that I have been stuck lately, bread seemed like a nice way out. Whipped out the handy book and found myself drooling over the same recipe as before. But instead of fighting myself about not trying something new, I added something to make it new-ish. Chocolate.

Madness I tell you. Sitting there, it dawned on me that I love cinnamon and raisin toast with peanut butter and with peanut butter I love chocolate. It melted right in and it is good. Toasted with peanut butter? Amazing. Then it hit me, with honey and bacon too? But that is for next time.

Cinnamon Chocolate Raisin Swirl Bread

Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

bread

2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp/ 2 packets yeast (any kind)
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

filling

1 egg + 1 tbsp water

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 heaping cup raisins*
1 heaping cup chopped milk chocolate

For the bread, mix the yeast, sugar and salt together. Add the buttermilk and water. Add the flour and mix until completely combined, but do not knead. You may have to use your hands to get all of the flour mixed in. Cover this large bowl, but not airtight and let it rest for about two hours at room temperature. I cover it with plastic wrap but leave a bit open so its not airtight. Once it has had time to rise for about two hours, you can put in the fridge or use right away. When you choose to make this, grease three 9 x 5 pan with butter. Then sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Take a jagged knife and cut off about 1/3 of the dough.** On a floured surface, plop the dough down. Using a rolling pin, covered in flour so it doesn't stick to the dough, roll out the dough to an 8 x 16 inch rectangle. I keep a measuring tape close by when doing this. In a little bowl, make the egg wash by mixing the egg and water together until combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the dough with the egg wash. There will be lots of left over egg wash. In another separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Evenly sprinkle this mix over the dough until it is all covered. There will also be a fair amount of cinnamon sugar leftover. Next sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough., then the chocolate. Gently press them in. Now starting on the short, 8 inch side, start rolling the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together. If it sticks to the counter/surface use a spatula or pastry scraper to get it off. Plop it in the greased pan with the seam side down. If the dough was from the fridge, it will need to sit for an hour and forty minutes. If it was freshly made dough, it only needs to rest for forty minutes. About ten minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to  375º so its ready to go. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely and then eat!
* I plump raisins with about 2 tsp of vanilla and boiling water until they are covered, in a small bowl. Let them sit while preparing the bread. Drain and use.

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

I was going to title this "Cinnamon Rolls" but that's not right. These aren't cinnamon rolls, they are the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls. These have a rep around town and it's one of her, if not most, famous recipes. And not to break tradition, they were delicious. 

The only problem, actually it wasn't a problem, but the icing wasn't really strong flavoured. I followed it word for word but I guess I was just expecting the coffee to play a bigger part in the icing. So next time I would use instant coffee or espresso.

What a glorious cinnamon roll mountain. These were made for my amigo, Saliva, who turns nineteen today. It is a big deal up here in the big North. Nineteen gives you the freedom to openly drink (in a bar, not the streets), smoke (outdoors) and gamble like a mad man. She's pretty reserved, she is actually turning ninety. Saliva enjoys a good glass of wine and three naps a day. We're best friends because opposites attract, clearly. But we do have a common love for the beloved Pioneer Woman! I bought her the cookbook and made her these as well. 

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe from here, and it gives a great step by step tutorial.

cinnamon rolls
1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
icing
1 bag Powdered Sugar (enough to make it thick but still pourable)
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
¼ cups Brewed Coffee
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Making the dough: Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour. 

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down). 

Preparing the rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. 

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it. 

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans. 

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Making the frosting: mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

Pumpkin Bread

I am currently in Montana as this is published. We are all heading out there to see my cousin graduate! I haven't seen their whole family in about three or so years. Back in the day, we would go to Cranbrook and Montana for nearly the entire summer. Unfortunately, it is pretty impossible to do so anymore. My older bro-ha and I have work and baby B has sports. Therefore, I am so happy to be going back. 

Before our departure I looked through the fridge to see if I could get rid of anything that would not be in great shape when we got back. Granted my older brother will be here for an extra week but all he consumes are bologna sandwiches. Real healthy that boy. I noticed that I hadn't used up all of my pumpkin yet. I had made this very bread not too long ago, cookies and some lattes but still it remained. The perfect amount actually, 1 cup. And here is the birth of pumpkin bread. 

I am sure I have mentioned this before but pumpkin bread is one of my favourite things. Amongst bread pudding, pie and such, pumpkin bread is there. And I recently realized that I had not posted a single recipe for pumpkin bread. There are many things that are baked around here that never even stand a chance of getting a photo because they are consumed. It is infuriating! Determination on my behalf got the photo now here is the recipe.

Pumpkin Bread!

Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup milk 

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Spray a 9 x 5 pan with baking spray or butter it up and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350º. In a larger bowl, cream the shortening. Add part of the brown sugar and then eventually add the rest, just so it is easier to combine. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each one. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla and milk. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add this to the pumpkin mix and stir just until combined. Do not over beat it! Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let it cool for about 15 minutes in the pan. Remove the loaf from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was going to be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you, and I never told you till just now.

a la Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Ain't that cute? I sure think it is. The song is so funny and blunt which is nice. There is no beating around the bush but honest love. Not that I don't love myself a good metaphor, simplicity is good.

 Speaking of simplicity, let me reintroduce my friend Mr. Kneadless Bread. He is a little different this time around. Just changing up his look you know? Jazzing himself up is no problem to me. I love his new crisp sweet ends and raisin filled middle. I'm going to stop addressing the bread as a person now. But the gist of it all is right there, it is simple and it is delicious. 

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

bread

3 1/4 cup all-purpose bread

2 1/4 tsp yeast, of any kind

2 1/4 tsp sugar

2 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk*

1 cup lukewarm water

filling

1 egg + 1 tbsp water

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins*

For the bread, mix the yeast, sugar and salt together with the buttermilk and water. Add the flour and mix until completely combined. You may have to use your hands to get all of the flour mixed in. Cover this large bowl, but not airtight and let it rest for about two hours at room temperature. I cover it with plastic wrap but leave a bit open so its not airtight. Once it has had time to rise for about two hours, you can put in the fridge or use right away. When you choose to make this, grease a 9 x 5 pan with butter. Then sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Take a jagged knife and cut off about 3/4 of the dough. On a floured surface, plop the dough down. Using a rolling pin, covered in flour so it doesn't stick to the dough, roll out the dough to a 8 x 16 inch rectangle. I keep a measuring tape close by when doing this. In a little bowl, make the egg wash by mixing the egg and water together until combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the dough with the egg wash. In another separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Evenly sprinkle this mix over the dough until it is all covered. Next sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough. Gently press them in. Now starting on the short, 8 inch side, start rolling the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together. If it sticks to the counter/surface use a spatula or pastry scraper to get it off. Plop it in the greased pan with the seam side down. If the dough was from the fridge, it will need to sit for an hour and forty minutes. If it was freshly made dough, it only needs to rest for forty minutes. About ten minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to  375º so its ready to go. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely and then eat!
* I plump raisins with about 2 tsp of vanilla and boiling water until they are covered, in a small bowl. Let them sit while preparing the bread. Drain and use.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Sorry for the delay. Exams are still on. I have officially completed two and only have one left! This semester really has flown by compared to the last one. But when all is said and done, first year is over and done with. Summer time baby! I think about you in the summer time, and all the good times we had baby. Nothing like New Kids on the Block to start the summer.

I haven't put out many new recipes lately and its not that I haven't been baking but I had a few duds. One was healthy brownies. They are not meant to be healthy and I know why now. I had leftover applesauce from something I can't remember and wanted to use it up. Even coating those puppies in peanut butter could save them. The other was bran muffins. Bran muffins are actually great. My Mum makes them and I love 'em. Dates and raisins in them, even better. These were not. Tasted like straight molasses. Once again, using up that applesauce. (Not going to name the recipes so that I don't insult anyone.) 

Being a little down and out because of the above failures, what better than two favourites? Peanut butter and bananas. It really did make me feel better. Peanut Butter Banana Bread and I are good friends.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

bread
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 humungs bananas, mashed. About 1 1/2 cups
topping
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325º. Grease a loaf pan with baking spray. In a little bowl, mix all of the topping ingredients together until formed into clumps. Feel free to use your hands if necessary. In a small bowl, mash up the bananas and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set it aside. In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter and sugar. Beat the eggs in one at a time. Mix in the vanilla. Mix in about three quarters of the flour mixture until combined. Add the bananas and mix until combined. Mix in the rest of the flour mixture just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the topping over the unbaked banana bread. Pop in the oven and bake for about an hour and 10 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Let it cool, or don't, and eat away.

Soft Flour Tortillas

Brisket seems to be everywhere. In my house. We had it a few weeks ago and had it again last night. Those left overs seem to be endless, as in every meal of the day for a couple of days afterward. But no worry, it is the greatest. So tender and it literally falls apart. Enough of my ode to brisket, an ode to tortillas now.

When I went to Cabo in February, I tried their tortillas. And I could have eaten them everyday for the rest of my life. They were so soft and chewy. Last night, to accompany the brisket, I decided to make tortillas. These ones were not made with corn flour, as they are flour tortillas, but they were almost exactly what I was looking for which was soft and chewy. If you have never made tortillas, and I hadn't, this is an easy recipe that is so conveniently delicious.

Soft Flour Tortillas

From the Homesick Texan
 

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
4 tsp canola oil
1 1/2 cups warm milk, can be skim

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes. After the dough has rested, break off sixteen sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook. In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame, in the oven wrapped in foil or simply in the microwave. Store in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap. Makes sixteen tortillas.

Bread

Gaaaah! I am so behind. I have not posted anything in ages. My exams and final papers are approaching at an alarming speed and yet I seem to find time to go to a hockey game this coming weekend. Not to mention the fact that I went skiing on Sunday..

But I also have time to make this bread. One thing I am not, or at least not yet, is a bread master. Yes, master. I said it. My mum used to make it nearly every week and still frequently does. I've seen her in action. In the old country, Merritt, my Aunty Mel and I made bread together. All the bread making going on around me, all the bread eating I have done still didn't mean I had ever made it on my own. Countless recipes have been bookmarked and my cookbooks have little tabs all over them with recipes "to do". But when I went into Chapters the other day to buy a cookbook, the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day just jumped at me. Sort of like a little spot light came down on it. 

Needless to say, I bought the book (and a couple others..) and I made artisan bread in five minutes today! The book title, as easy as it sounds, still scared me. Yeast can be a scary thing. My fears are conquered. It really did take five (active) minutes, just like they said. 

The Master Recipe. I really just googled it and put the first link with the recipe. I used instant yeast, it doesn't matter what you use though. I mixed it all in one ginormous bowl with a wooden spoon then me hands. It doesn't have a lid so I put two pieces of saran wrap and left a thin slit in between the two so it wasn't air tight. Once it goes in the fridge just cover the slit up. Boom, bread.

Zucchini Bread Debate

One thing I enjoy is finding a great recipe. As if that weren't obvious from having a food blog. I was on the search for a zucchini bread recipe in this case. Having read about zucchini bread but never actually tasting it, I went out and tried four different varieties. These were: two chocolate and two spice varieties. The first was called chocolate chip zucchini bread from Pinch My Salt. The second was double chocolate zucchini bread from Baking Bites. The third was zucchini sweet potato bread from Joy the Baker. The fourth was straight up called zucchini bread from Smitten Kitchen. 

So here is the break down of each recipe. This little trial began at around ten o'clock at night. It was late and I was home alone and bored so zucchini bread tests! Therefore I tried the bread the next morning not immediately. They had about 6 hours to cool and then they were tested. 

First up is the chocolate chip zucchini bread. This is a very moist (yes, that word again) bread. It was the softest of the bunch I would say. It held together when it was sliced instead of crumbling. The chocolate chips were a great addition for flavour because the bread didn't have a very strong chocolate flavour on its own. The cinnamon in the recipe came through which was nice. This was great but in terms of chocolate bread, it was not the richest. But, like I said, I really liked it. I hear it is low fat too.

This bread right here was the double chocolate zucchini bread and boy was it chocolatey! It was so rich. While it was not as moist as the first, it was still moist. It sliced nicely. The tops of loafs are always the greatest and this was great. Very rich and nice top. 

This is the first of the two spice breads. On my notes for this it says immediately "moist!". I slightly undercooked this which may have been why but I think it is from the zucchini and sweet potato. It crumbled slightly when it was sliced but that could have been because it was undercooked. Despite the crumbling, no complaints. It had a nice crunch from the pecans and the cranberries added to the moistness and bit of tartness. It is kind of pumpkin pie like with the spices, which I love. I love pumpkin pie! Getting off topic. All in all, this is a great one because it is so well rounded and tons of different flavours.

Last, but not least, is the other spice bread. This one was my Mum and Dad's favourite. It was not as moist as the others but keep in mind just how moist all the others were. Also, I slightly overcooked it I think by a few minutes. They did not care clearly. This one had milder spices and the nuts were not as distinct. Also the raisins added a greater sweetness which was great. The nuts weren't as distinct but still provided a soft crunch.

The final verdict? Out of the two chocolate loafs, I would have to say the second is the richest. I really liked them both but in terms of chocolate, that one completely overpowered the other. Out of the two spice loafs, I really like the first but my family loved the second. The first my favourite texture. the second was the greatest chocolate loaf. The third was something different then I have ever made. And the last was nice spice bread, it was basically a less moist version of my Mum's date loaf.

Here are the recipes:

1. Chocolate chip zucchini bread from Pinch my Salt

2. Double chocolate zucchini bread from Baking Bites

3. Sweet potato zucchini bread from Joy the Baker

4. Zucchini bread from Smitten Kitchen*

*I used pecans and raisins because I had already used walnuts and cranberries in the Joy the Baker recipe and chocolate chips in the first two.

Date and Nut Loaf

Don't let the name fool you, this is amazing. I can not take credit for it because my lovely mother made this. She has made it a few times before and every time is as great, if not better, than the last. The dates keep it so moist! Also.. it is low fat. No joke. With a minimum amount of oil and loads of dates, you would not even know.

Mum's Date Loaf

1 1/2 cup chopped dates
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 egg
1 cup milk, can be skim/low fat
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan. Place the dates in a bowl and pour in 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir constantly until it is thickened. Set this aside to cool. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the pecans and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, milk and oil. Add the date mixture and the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and beat for about half a minute. Don't worry, the batter will be lumpy. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake this puppy for 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool or just eat away!

Low Fat Banana Bread

Christmas is just around the corner! It just so happens to be my favourite holiday and I have been waiting for weeks, if not months. Most of the christmas decorations are already but we have yet to buy a tree. The only thing that is keeping me from full on excitement is my finals but oh well.

Since the holidays are upon us, I decided to try low fat banana bread. Confused? No, it is not part of my holiday baking but because I have so much butter and chocolate ahead of me I thought it would be best to keep something mildly healthy on hand. It also helped that I had more than my fair share of exceedingly overripe bananas! They may look nasty but they are the absolute best for baking. So go eat some low fat banana bread and let the holiday baking begin.

Low Fat Banana Bread
Adapted from here
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp canola or walnut oil

1 large egg, beaten
2 medium egg whites, beaten

3 large bananas, ripe

1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

Grease and flour a loaf pan(I used a 9" x 5" one) and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients including the oats and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or fork. Add oil and whole egg and mix thoroughly(I added the brown sugar in this mix). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. The batter will be fairly thick. In a medium sized bowl, with an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter in three additions. Pour batter into pan and bake until top of loaf is firm to touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Flip out and cool on a wire rack for another 10 minutes. Slice loaf into 10 equally sized slices.