I need to make a disclaimer…this post has been influenced by chardonnay and stress.

I had a meltdown this afternoon.  Walking through the produce aisle the reality of the last few months came crashing down on me like a wall of bricks.  I don’t mean the reality of trying to understand life after my parents’ death.  I mean the reality of diving head long into the adoption process.

For months The Mistah and I have been quietly filling out forms, scheduling inspections, and writing checks, all in the hopes of adopting a child.  Now that we are a single form away from being able to submit our application, and a check that equals our monthly mortgage payment, to our adoption agency,  the stress of what lays before us is starting to sink in.

In case you’ve never met me in real life, by my own admission I am a worrier.  And  a planner.  And an obsesser.  Which means that I tend to get fixated not on the big picture but on the smaller pieces that make up the big picture.  This is one reason why The Mistah and I work so well together…he looks at things with a macro perspective while I look at all the little details.  Between the two of us, there is balance.  But left to my own devices, I’m a hot freaking mess of worry.  Which gets me back to the produce aisle.

I was looking for garlic and apples and lemons, but all I could see was dollar signs.  And please forgive me for sounding dramatic, but until you’ve been in this place, you may never understand it.  Adoption does not come cheap.  There are fees.  And expenses.  And fees on the expenses.  It’s not like buying a car. You can’t get a cheaper interest rate from your credit union and they’re aren’t any 0% interest offers.  Not only do you pay, but you pay a premium for not being able to do what a majority of the rest of the population takes for granted…having a child.

There are grant programs but they require you to be affiliated with an organized religion and/or to demonstrate financial need.  I haven’t gone to church since I was 12…and the last time I checked The Universe was not a recognized congregation.  And through hard work, and the help of The Mistah, we have paid off all of our debt with the exception of our mortgage.  So on paper, we are not financially needy.  But if you look closer, what we have in savings just about equals what an adoption would cost.  So if we were to empty our savings account in the name of adoption, it would leave us one paycheck away from financial peril.  And for once, I am not speaking grandiosely.  Adoption costs would leave us with no savings.  No safety net.  Nothing to fall back on in the event of a job loss in an uncertain economy.  Mortgage refinancing isn’t an option since we owe more on paper than our house is worth.  So because we do our best to act responsibly and not carry consumer debt, but don’t have an excess of liquid assets available, we don’t qualify for grants to offset adoption expenses.  How the hell does that make sense?

Is it really better to spend every penny we have to adopt a child and then be left without any resources to weather a job loss or an unexpected major expense?  Is that the responsible choice?

So there’s the cost.  But the adoption process also requires you to open yourself up to the scrutiny of others.  References, tax returns, autobiographies.  It’s not for the self conscious.  Because let me tell you, no freaking stone goes unturned in this process.  In the simplest of terms, the application process is where someone else says whether or not you are a good candidate to be a parent.

Excuse me?  If third party approval were a requirement for being able to give birth, the world would not be in the middle of a population boom.  Forget about the fact that a third party has to give you approval in order to move ahead in the process.  The standard of care that a potential adoptive parent has to meet is ridiculous.  For instance, we failed our health department inspection.  No because our house was unsanitary but because we didn’t have thermometers in our refrigerator and because our hot water heater was set too high.  We also failed our fire department inspection.  Not because our house is a death trap but because we didn’t have enough clearance around our gas meter, the lock on our 3o year old storm door was not up to current code, and because the fire extinguishers in our house weren’t the right ones.  Who the hell comes to a pregnant couple’s home and looks at these things?  If I were to give birth to a child, nobody would scrutinize our home or our ability parent.  They would simply send me home with an infant, without regard to the conditions that child was being subjected to.

At this moment, I don’t doubt our ability to successfully raise a child.  I have always known that The Mistah would make a fantastic parent.  And with the death of both of my parents, oddly enough, I have somehow been freed from the assumptions that I had always made about my ability to unconditionally love a child.  And yet, there are so many obstacles in our way.

No amount of bake sales or etsy shops can bridge the financial gap that we face.  And selling off the few liquid assets that we have won’t make me stop worrying about our financial ability to meet this challenge.  So what’s left?  Other than petitioning to The Universe, I don’t know.

So I will say it here to The Universe, as I say it in my heart…we would give a child love and stability.  We may not be perfect parents but we would actively parent our child and do our best to see that our child has a loving heart, a strong sense of self, compassion for others, and a joyful and generous spirit.

Does the thought of bringing a child into our world scare the bejeesus out of me?  Hell yes.  But shouldn’t it? This. Is. Freaking. Huge.

Ok, so now that I’ve had this meltdown, I need some comforting.  And Jen’s Chewy Graham Cookies are just the thing to make to think about warm, chewy happiness instead of our second date with the Fire Inspector next week.  Tell me, which would you rather focus on…buttery, spicy cookies or Baltimore City Fire Code?

Chewy Graham Cookies

Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction

• 1 1/2 sticks softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cardamom sugar

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Add the egg and beat until incorporated into the creamed mixture.

In a second bowl, whisk together the flours.  Add the flour to the creamed mixture on low speed and mix until just combined.

Place the cardamom sugar into a small bowl.  Use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the dough in 1 tablespoon servings.  Roll the dough into a ball, roll in the cardamom sugar, and place on the prepared sheet pans.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned and just set.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

I cannot tell a lie, one of the perks of going to food blogger conferences is coming home with goodie bags full of products.  Last year at Big Summer Potluck, the goodie bag included a package of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Mix.  Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to do with it since I don’t typically bake gluten free.  So I stashed it away in the pantry confident that a use for it would present itself.

Fast forward six months later.  I was working on my holiday baking list and realized that the pumpkin bread I was going to be sending to out of town family was a gluten filled no-no for my father in law’s lady friend Linda {hey Linda, bet you never thought you’d see your name here!}.  I wanted her to be able to enjoy the treats but I know NOTHING about gluten free baking except that it’s not something you can do halfway.  Then I remembered that package of gluten free brownie mix….Bob’s Red Mill for the win!

I hadn’t done much baking in the Advantium so I figured now was the time to correct that.  Operation GF Brownie Bites also presented a perfect scenario for me to compare  the final product baked in my traditional oven against the Advantium Quick Cook and Convection settings.

First off, let me say that if I didn’t know these brownie bites were gluten free, I would have never been able to tell.  Bob’s Red Mill does an outstanding job putting together a gluten free mix that will satisfy your brownie cravings.  You might have to search around a few stores to find it locally, but if you need a gluten free baked good, it’s worth the search.

So how did the Advantium do?  For me, baked goods from the gas oven are the standard to which all comparisons are made.  My gas oven, if not entirely level, is reliable.  I can usually tell by smell, touch, and sight when baked goods are done.  When in doubt, I have my trusty cake tester.  The brownie bites that I baked in my gas oven were moist and chocolatey.  The tops were firm but the interior was soft and yielding.  That was my control batch.

I have to admit I modified the pre-programmed Quick Cook brownie setting to eliminate the microwave from cycling on at all since I was using a metal baking pan.  Metal in the microwave is a big no-no.  The Quick Cook brownie bites were drier and cakier than my control batch.  They still had a rich chocolate taste but they weren’t as moist, even after cutting the cooking time by five minutes.  I wouldn’t have thought to do that but the Advantium beeped to tell me to check for doneness before the end of the cooking cycle.  Well played Advantium.

For the last batch, I switched the Advantium over to the Convection setting.  My mini-muffin pan fit perfectly on the metal turntable so I didn’t bother installing the wire shelf.  When all was said and done, this was my unqualified favorite batch.  These brownie bites were even moister than the ones from the gas oven.  The tops had just enough firmness to give the bite a little structure but gave way easily to the perfectly undercooked brownie middle.  Once fully cooled, the bites were sturdy enough to pack and ship but were still a perfect light bit of chocolatey, gluten free goodness.  Advantium Convection for the win!

Linda, I hope that Jim shared the brownie bites with you.  If not, let me know and I will bake up another batch exclusively for your enjoyment.

Disclaimer:  As part of my partnership with GE, I received an Advantium oven.  All opinions posted about my Advantium experience are my own.

Filed under: Baking, Cooking, Photo Tagged: Advantium, Bob's Red Mill, Gluten Free Brownie Bites ]]> http://bonappetithon.com/2012/02/01/advantium-brownie-bites/feed/ 8 pmf1852 Brownie Bites http://bonappetithon.com/2012/01/16/idaho-potato-pomme-frites/ http://bonappetithon.com/2012/01/16/idaho-potato-pomme-frites/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:51 +0000 Wendi http://bonappetithon.com/?p=4730 Continue reading →]]>

J’adore les pomme frites. J’ai toujours. Mais je ne les fait à partir de zéro, parce qu’ils étaient trop démunis. Le trempage. Buvard. Friture. Double friture. Eaiser juste ouvrir un sac de surgelés ou les ignorer complètement.

My education in Le Francais  stopped about 20 years ago.  If Google Translate is to be trusted…and let’s be honest, it’s to be trusted more than I am…I said that {translation} I adore French Fries.  I always have. But I never made them from scratch because they were too needy.  Soaking.  Blotting.  Frying.  Double Frying.  Eaiser to just open a bag of frozen or skip them entirely.  {end translation}.

Why am I going all fancy with Le Francais to talk about French Fries?  To demonstrate that something as unassuming as an Idaho potato can be transformed into a dish that feels indulgent and maybe just the slightest bit exotic.

I’m not going to lie, these are still a little needy.  You have to slice the potato tres, tres thinly and then turn those thin slices into itty bitty matchsticks.  And you can only cook so many matchsticks on a sheet pan at a time otherwise they will steam instead of roast.

But here’s the good news. A single Idaho potato will make an entire batch that can serve one happily, or two if you absolutely must share.

Curry Spiced Pomme Frites

BAH Note:  Yes, I really am going to advocate that you buy a jar of coconut oil for this recipe.  These frites are so delicate that I think olive oil would completely overwhelm them.  The coconut oil is delightfully neutral and can stand up to the super high oven temperature.  Also, if you have a smoke detector anywhere near your kitchen, you may want to remove the battery while you make these.  The high temperature sets mine off.  Every single time.

• 1 Idaho Russet potato (about 10 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• kosher salt

Heat the oven to 415 degrees and line a sheet pan with baking parchment.

Combine the coconut oil and curry powder in a shallow dish and set aside.

Slice the potato very thinly lengthwise, into approximately 1/8 inch slices, on a mandoline or with a sharp knife. Pat the slices dry with paper towels and then cut the slices into super fine matchsticks.  Gently coat the matchsticks with the curry and coconut oil mixture.

Place a single layer of pomme frites onto the prepared sheet pan and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  You want them to brown but not get completely charred.  Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the pomme frites with a pinch of kosher salt.

Continue to bake the remaining pomme frites in batches and shoving them directly in your mouth.

{printable recipe}

Disclaimer:  This post is being entered into a contest sponsored by The Idaho Potato Commission in celebration of February being Potato Lover’s Month.  I was compensated for participating but all opinions expressed are completely my own.

So it’s January.  The holidays are officially over.  You may have overindulged in things like cookies, cocktails, and buttery treats.  Which may mean that you’re feeling a little cruddy right about now.  While I don’t have the cure for any additional pounds that may have stuck around as a reminder of cookies past, I have a lovely soup to warm you on a cold winter day.

I’m not naive, I know cookies are more fun than soup.  But a hearty bowl of tortellini soup comforts me on a cold, dark winter day.  I’ve yet to the meet the cookie that can do that.

Tortellini Soup

Adapted from Pan Anderson’s Meatless Meals

• 1 quart vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 9 ounces fresh or frozen tortellini

Combine the broth, tomatoes and any tomato juices, and water in a medium pot and set over low medium low heat.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the onion and carrots to the dutch oven and cook about 10 minutes or until softened.  Add the zucchini, red pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the warmed broth mixture to the dutch oven and simmer, partially covered for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and tortellini and cook partially covered for another 10 minutes.

{printable recipe}

The following originally appeared on 3/25/09 at Exit 51.

Notes On Cooking With SFC

Each week, SFC picks one meal that he will cook.  As hard as it is for me not to jump in and take over on these nights, I really do like the days when I’m just the sous chef.  I’m much happier sitting on the couch turning the pages of a book than standing over a stove whisking or reducing.

We did have to establish one major rule though.  The first time we make a recipe, we do not deviate from it as written.  No substitutions, no omission, no tinkering with technique.  Ok, so maybe we do allow minor substitution and omissions.  But we do not deviate from technique.  It may sound a bit harsh but how can someone new to cooking know what steps are critical and what steps are negotiable?  I’ve been standing at the stove for years and I still try and stick to this rule anytime I try a new recipe.

And here’s why.  If I don’t try and create a dish as specified by the author, how can I form an accurate opinion about whether it’s worth making again?  If I don’t like the results, is it because of the recipe itself or is it because in tinkering with it, I broke something that did not need fixing?

SFC’s most recent meal is my latest case study.  In theory, it should have been outstanding.  But after dinner, we both looked at each other and said it was missing something.  I’m not sure what this elusive something is.  Maybe more spice?  Maybe more heat?  But it definitely needs the volume turned up.  And I don’t understand what the marinade really does for the dish, besides give you the 20 minutes to make the salsa.  Maybe next time we will make more spice rub and skip the marinading.

For now, this recipe is tagged with a question mark and goes back into the test folder.  It’s got one more chance to impress me because in my kitchen, a recipe rarely gets a third try.

Chili Rubbed Salmon with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

From washingtonpost.com

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 2 (4 to 6 ounces each) skin-on or skinless salmon fillets, pin bones removed
• 1 lime, for garnish
• 4 ounces fresh or canned pineapple, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (1/2 cup)
• Flesh of half a medium avocado, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
• 1 scallion, white and light-green parts, cut crosswise into thin slices (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 to 2 limes (to yield 1 tablespoon)

Combine the oil and vinegar in a shallow dish.

Combine the chili powder, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Use it to rub the salmon fillets all over, gently pressing it into the flesh, then place the fillets in the oil-vinegar mixture. Turn them over so both sides are coated; let them marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prepare the salsa.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the pineapple, avocado, scallion, pepper, salt and the tablespoon of lime juice in a mixing bowl; toss to mix well.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet that is ovenproof over medium-high heat. (Alternatively, lightly grease an ovenproof baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray.)

When the pan is hot, add the fillets (if skin-on, place them skin side up) and cook for 1 minute. Turn them over, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness or to desired degree of doneness.

Remove from the oven; use a wide spatula to transfer each piece to individual plates. Spoon the salsa on top of each fillet. Cut the remaining lime in half and squeeze over each portion. Serve immediately.

I find it somewhat ironic that for someone who has a hobby devoted to stringing together words into sentences and stories, I am sometimes completely unable to find the right words to express the thoughts in my head.  Usually, this bit of irony rears its head when I am trying to convey my gratitude to someone.  Too often the words “thank you” just don’t seem enough.  Thank you is what I say when someone holds a door open for me or tells me to have a nice day.  It’s what I say without even thinking.  90% of the time, it’s enough.  But there are moments, the other 10%, when it falls short.

Because expressing my gratitude, especially when someone’s kindness has touched me beyond words, is an affirmation. An affirmation that I am not alone.  An affirmation that I am worthy.  An affirmation that no matter what the challenge may be, there is grace and compassion in the world.  But Hallmark hasn’t come out with that line of cards yet.  So until they do, I fall back on a tried and true trick….I wrap my thanks in butter, sugar, and flour.

In my experience, the language of baked goods is universal.

Toffee Shortbread Bites

Adapted from Desserts 4 Today, Abby Dodge

BAH Note: These shortbready cookies have a crumbly dough that should come together in your hands.  If you go to form the dough and it will not hold together, add more butter 1 tablespoon at a time, until it will.  Because of this diversion from Abby Dodge’s ratio, and some smaller portioning on my part, I squeezed nearly 48 of these beauties out of what should have been a batch of 24 (below).

• 10 tablespoons room temperature butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 8 ounces chocolate covered toffee candy bar, chopped

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a mini muffin pan with paper liners.

On low speed, beat together the butter and sugar in the workbowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for approximately 1 minute or until combined.

Add the flour and mix on low for another minute or just until all the flour is combined with the butter and sugar.  Stir in the chopped candy bar bits on low just until t hey are mixed into the dough.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place into the prepared pan.  Work quickly so that the buttery dough does not start to get soft and melty in your hands.  Bake for 15 – 19 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the cookies have puffed and the tops look cracked and just a little dry.

Cool on a rack completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

{printable recipe}

Let’s get the elephant out of the room and state the obvious…clearly this was not my finest moment.  All of my missteps turned incredible brownie possibility into a hot mess of reality.  Let’s review, shall we:

Misstep #1

I forgot to turn the temperature down when I put the pan in the oven.

Misstep #2

When I realized that I hadn’t lowered the temperature and tried to turn it down to 350, I neglected to hit the “start” button so the temp didn’t change and the batter continued to bake at 400 degrees.  In all I’d say it baked at too high a temp for a good 20 minutes which probably explains why the edges puffed up like a souffle.

Misstep #3

After 30 minutes a tester came out clean, despite Ruth’s comment that the normal toothpick test doesn’t really work for these brownies.  Worrying that I had overbaked them, I pulled them out of the oven early.

As you can see from my actual, didn’t add or delete any elements, photo above, the brownies were only about 3/4 set.  It was absolutely impossible to cut them into anything resembling a square.  However….if I would have had a bowl of vanilla ice cream, the partly set/partly molten chocolate lava would have been the perfect topping to spoon in.  Sadly, there was no ice cream to save these brownies from their fate of being tipped into the rubbish bin.

The saddest part of all this is that when I scraped the batter into the pan and then stole a lick or two from the spatula, this was hands down the best brownie batter I had ever tasted.  Don’t let my failure to turn the perfect batter into the perfect brownies keep you from giving this a try.  Learn from my missteps….or at least have a pint of vanilla ice cream ready to go in the freezer just in case.

Ruth’s Brownies

Adapted from Ruth Reichl, Tender at the Bone

BAH Note:  When I need to melt butter and chocolate, I usually do it in the microwave.  I tend to either work in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each, or setting the cook time for 2-3 minutes on 20% power and stirring every 30-45 seconds, repeating as necessary.

• 2/3 cup butter
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate (not cocoa powder)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sifted flour

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter and flour an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan and set aside.

Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or on top of the stove in a double boiler.  When they have completely melted, stir in the vanilla and set the bowl aside.

Beat the eggs and salt in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Add the sugar and beat for 3-5 minutes on medium until the mixture becomes almost white in color.

Reduce the mixer to low and stir in the melted chocolate until it is just combined.  Add the flour and continue to mix on low just until there are no white steaks of flour remaining.  Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.  Place the pan on a baking sheet and put it in the oven.

IMMEDIATELY REDUCE THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

Bake for 40 minutes, rotating the pan half way through the cooking time.

Let the brownies cool completely before cutting into 12 servings.

{printable recipe}

The following originally appeared on 3/11/09 at Exit 51.

Cooking Light

As I’ve mentioned, I used to subscribe to Cooking Light.  But the sheer volume of recipes they fit into a single magazine overwhelmed me.  Instead of tackling the challenge head on, I ignored it and hoped it would go away.  But it didn’t.  That is why, years later, I’m still pulling pages torn from CL out of my test recipe folder.  I only wish they printed the date or the issue on the pages so I could know exactly how long these things have been waiting to see the light of day.

Because to be honest, some of these deserve not only the light of day, but a spot light.  Like the Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce.  This was a recipe sent in by a reader.  Kudos to Alix McLearen of Wesley Chapel, Florida because I think your recipe may have just nudged the Barefoot Contessa’s Mustard Roasted Fish out of my binder.  As much as I like Ina’s Mustard Fish, I like this one even better.  The sauce has a more balanced flavor without relying so heavily on the dairy portion of the food pyramid. And the addition of the mushrooms brings a bit of earthiness to the dish.

It’s funny that I ended up pairing this fish with the same side as I used with Ina’s.  Either fish and asparagus really do go together or I’m incredibly predictable. Either way, I think you should definitely put this recipe on your to-do list.  And we can discuss my predictability over a plate of Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce.

Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce

Cooking Light Magazine, Courtesy of Alix McLearen

According to the author’s notes, orange roughy or chicken can be substituted for the tilapia, and tomatoes or spinach can be subbed for the mushrooms.  I wanted a slightly thicker sauce so I let the chicken broth reduce a bit after the fish was removed, as well as kept the sauce on the heat longer after the mustard and cream were added.  I recommend adding the fish back to the pan for a few moments before serving.

• 4 tilapia filets (6 oz. each) (I used orange roughy)
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (I used dried, probably about half as much)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 chicken broth
• 1 ounce portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream (I used half and half)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sprinkle fish with thyme, pepper, and salt.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add fish; cook 1 minute on each side.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook, uncovered, 1 minute until mushrooms are tender.  Remove fish from pan; keep warm.

Add cream and mustard to pan.  Stir with a whisk until combined.  Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.  Serve sauce over fish.

This is the tale of two muffins.  Two bran muffins.  On the surface, they are completely identical.  I used the exact same recipe for both batches of muffins.  So what could possibly be different about them?  I’ll give you a hint, it has everything to do with how I baked them.

One muffin was baked in my big oven.  400 degrees for 20 minutes.  The other muffin was baked in my Advantium.  380 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes.  One muffin was made on a lazy afternoon.  The other muffin was made after a long day of work.  Can you tell which is which?

I typically avoid baking on weeknights because I’m tired, I’m cranky, and it’s tiresome to have to haul out all of the pots and pans that live in the oven in order to heat it up and bake something.  But after the Advantium arrived, I wanted to challenge myself to see if its super powers could make baking accessible to me during the week.

The proof is in the picture.  The muffin on the right is from the batch that I made on a Thursday night.  It helped that the recipe I used was minimally fussy and didn’t require me to break out the stand mixer, let the batter rest, or otherwise allow me to get sidetracked from my muffin mission.  It also helped that I halved the original recipe and only baked up a dozen of these on a weeknight.  Sometimes the smaller capacity of the Advantium totally works to my advantage.

So the two muffins may look the same, but how did they taste?  If I hadn’t known which batch of muffins of which, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you which came out of the big oven and which came out of the Advantium.

Weeknight baking mission accomplished.

Bran Muffins

Adapted from The Muffin Myth

BAH Note: There’s nothing fussy about these muffins.  They are full of wheat bran which I was readily able to find in the grocery store.  Look for Bob’s Red Mill brand.  I think they are the bran muffin equivalent of a blank canvas…sturdy and up for the job but they aren’t out to wow you.  So you might want to add in some fresh fruit and spices you like to give them a little something special.

Advantium Tip: To modify the recipe below for use in your Advantium, place the metal cooking tray on the turntable (instead of the glass tray) and install the wire rack in the bottom position.  Select Convection Bake from the menu and set the temperature to 380 degrees.  You will want to start checking for doneness after about 15 minutes.  Depending on how full you’ve filled your cups, the muffins should be done in approximately 16 to 18 minutes.

• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups wheat bran
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and line approximately 18 muffin cups with liners.  Mix the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, milk, water, and vanilla together in a large bowl.  Combine the wheat bran, flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill your muffin cups (the muffin myth said she got 12 out of the recipe but I made mine a bit smaller and got about 18) and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are firm.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning the muffins out on a wire rack to cool completely.  Leftover muffins can be wrapped in plastic and frozen.

{priable recipe}

Disclaimer:  As part of my partnership with GE, I received an Advantium oven.  All opinions posted about my Advantium experience are my own.

You may feel like you’re experiencing a bit of deja vu seeing that photo.  Yes, you saw it when I talked about the quick bread frosting I made with the new Kerrygold Premium Spreadable Butter.  You even got the recipe for the frosting.  But I didn’t really talk about what was under the frosting.  And that must be addressed.

Back in October I was introduced to this pumpkin bread by my friend Mary.  She stopped by for a visit and brought along a wee loaf of it for me to enjoy.  Now let me say that a visit from friends is an absolute pleasure.  But when they also come bearing gifts lovingly made with their own hands….multiply that by infinity.

After only one bite I was badgering Mary for her recipe.  And she told me that she had found it on allrecipes.com.  A few google moments later, I pulled the recipe up on my phone and had her confirm that I found the right one before I could continue in any kind of normal conversation.

A few weeks later, I went about making the pumpkin bread not knowing the chain of events that it was about to start.  First, I used it as the delivery vehicle for the quick bread frosting as part of the Kerrygold competition.  Then, I took some to work for a birthday celebration….congratulations, you’re a year older, please have a slice of quick bread.  I also delivered a loaf to the folks at the coffee shop who get my morning caffeination needs met Monday through Friday and to my chiropractor and his staff for taking such good care of me after the latest fender bender.  Lastly, I sent the rest of the batch off to the Headquarters staff of my sorority to thank them for all of their support in the last few months.

Yes, I was using butter, sugar, and pumpkin to express my thanks and appreciation.  Or in the case of the competition, to share my #butterlove…it’s what I do.  And I do it for the joy that I receive from the act of expressing my gratitude or sharing my love of something with others.  It’s as simple as that.  But sometimes, that gratitude has a way of being returned to me.  Take the Headquarters staff.  They had no idea that a lovebomb was coming their way.  When it arrived, it made them feel special.  And it could have ended there with their enjoyment of the pumpkin bread and cookies.  But they took a moment to sit down and write me a note to tell me how much they enjoyed the treats and to thank me for thinking of them.  It made my heart smile.

And then, most unexpectedly, my chiropractor asked me whether I sell any of the things I bake because he had 16 guests coming for Thanksgiving and wanted to include the pumpkin bread in their holiday meal.  If I hadn’t been so relaxed and dreamy from the adjusting he was doing, I would have probably laughed because it has never been my ambition to do the cooking and baking as my profession.  On the contrary, I do it as a bit of personal therapy.  So I told him that what I don’t keep for our personal enjoyment I give away.  And then I asked whether I could give him a batch of pumpkin bread for his Thanksgiving.  Because really, is there a bigger honor than being asked to share something I have made with someone’s family for Thanksgiving?  In that moment, I felt the Universe beaming my gratitude back to me.

I can’t promise you that this pumpkin bread will bring you fame or fortune.  But it just might bring you a bit of gratitude when it’s least expected.

Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from allrecipes.com

BAH Note: Go ahead and bake up two batches like I did…the quantities below make a single batch. Because according to Mary, the loaves freeze beautifully.  So even if you plan on giving most of it away, stash a well wrapped loaf or two in your freezer for your own enjoyment.   You  will likely need to mix each batch separately, unless you’ve got a ginormous mixing bowl.  And be sure that you’re using canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour six 3×5 disposable aluminum loaf pans and set them on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until combined.

In a separate bowl, using a clean whisk or a fork, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until they are just combined.  Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating your pan halfway through the cooking time, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool completely before wrapping in several layers of plastic wrap for freezer storage.

{printable recipe}

Filed under: Baking, Breakfast/Brunch, Cooking, Food, Photo, Recipe, Sweets, Tips and Tricks Tagged: Gratitude, Pumpkin Bread ]]> http://bonappetithon.com/2011/12/12/pumpkin-bread/feed/ 13 pmf1852 Pumpkin Bread with Kerrygold Frosting Low Res