Tomato Basil Bread

Sweet Tomato-Basil Bread

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

5 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons basil puree or prepared pesto

2 teaspoons yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 3/4 cups flour + ~2 tablespoons for flouring surface

Streusel topping

1 tablespoon room-temperature butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoons brown sugar

pinch of coarse salt

1. Melt your butter on the stovetop and then add the milk, water, tomato paste, and basil puree (or prepared pesto). Mix and heat until warm to the touch but not hot. (You should be able to submerge your fingertip in it comfortably.)
2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook), combine 3 1/4 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix together just to combine.
3. Whisk in the eggs with the warmed liquid ingredients in the pan. Then add the whole dark, lovely mixture into the dry ingredients in your mixer bowl.
4. Slowly crank up your stand mixer to beat the dough until it holds together and looks homogenous. Slow the mixer and add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, a little at a time, just until it forms a loose, sticky ball.
5. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 2-4 hours, until doubled. It will smooth out and become more elastic during this time.
   

   

    

    

6. Turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes, just until the dough feels smooth and un-sticky. (My mom has always said that bread dough will tell you when it has had enough because it will develop a smooth, powdery skin. Some kinds of bread–the ones that don’t include fat–need a sticky, wet dough in order to produce a moist, chewy center when they are baked. But this one is like the bread my mom has always made insofar as it has plenty of sugar and fat in it. So follow Mom’s advice: Knead it until it’s not sticky. Shoot for the thin, powdery skin. It will still be moist and lovely inside. I promise.)
7. Divide it into two parts and place the parts into two lightly buttered loaf pans. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and allow it to rise for another 60-90 minutes.
   

   
8. Just before baking, use a fork to mix together the streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the streusel over the unbaked bread dough.
9. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and the interior temperature reaches 200 degrees.
   

   
10. Allow to cool very slightly before slicing. Then go ahead: butter it. Why the heck not? 

Baking with Blondie - Black Forrest Cake

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Traditional Black Forest Cake coming together with dark chocolate cake layers, a fresh cherry compote, whipped cream frosting, and a dark chocolate drip.

Author: Mandy | Baking with Blondie

Recipe type: Cake

INGREDIENTS

• Dark Chocolate Cake
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 3 whole eggs + 1 egg white
• ½ cup dark chocolate cocoa
• ½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• 1 Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
• ¼ cup all purpose flour for high altitude
• 
  
• Cherry Compote/Filling
• 1½ Cup Fresh Cherries, Pitted and roughly chopped
• ½ Cup Water
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• *optional: ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
• 
  
• Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting
• 1 Tablespoon Knox Gelatine (1 packet 1.8g)
• ½ cup water
• 3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 
  
• Chocolate Ganache Drip
• 1 cup dark chocolate candy melts
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 
  
• Garnish
• Fresh Cherries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prep three 6" cake rounds with a wipe of shortening and dust of flour. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Sift in the cocoa, cake mix, and flour, and toss in chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.
3. Split cake batter evenly between prepared cake rounds.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until center is fully baked. Do not overbake. Remove rounds from the oven, let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap up in plastic wrap twice for each round, then freeze for at least 3 hours until solid. You want to frost this cake when it's cold for better results.
5. FOR THE CHERRY FILLING: In a saucepan, stir together all the ingredients except for the vanilla and almond extracts. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes on low until thickened. Stir in vanilla and almond, then store in a covered container in the fridge until cooled completely.
6. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING: Place metal mixer bowl and metal mixer whisk in the freezer. You want them chilled!
7. Place gelatin in a microwave safe bowl with water and let sit for 5 minutes. Microwave for 10 seconds, then let cool slightly.
8. Whip up whipped cream in chilled mixer bowl on low speed for 1 minute, then gradually increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. Add in soft cream cheese, gelatin, and vanilla and whip up again until stiff peaks form.
9. Add in powdered sugar and whip up again until it's thickened and ready!
10. FOR THE GANACHE: Stir together the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds and stir until combined and smooth. Add another 5 seconds if needed.
11. ASSEMBLY: Place down first cake layer and pipe on a thin layer of whipped cream frosting. Spread flat, then pipe a thick rim around the outside rim of the cake layer to act as a dam. Spoon in about ¼ cup of the cherry filling. Top with the next layer and repeat. If you notice things moving around, add a temporary dowel down the center to stabilize.
12. Crumb coat, then freeze for 20 minutes. Add drip, then freeze for 2 minutes to set. Pipe on some of the whipped cream frosting with a Wilton 8B piping tip, then top with fresh cherries. Serve cold with some whipped cream and cherry compote on the side.

m&m Cookies

1/2 c. Sugar
1/3 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. Butter
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c m&m / chocolate chips mixed

Cream butter, sugars, egg and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients.
Stir in blend of m&m and chocolate chips.
Bake at 350°F for 8-11 minutes.

Neurotic Mom CInnamon Rolls - EASY!

The recipe: 
Dough: 
1/2 cup milk (4 oz. or 120 mL) 
1/2 cup heavy cream (4 oz. or 120 mL - may substitute milk) 
1 Tablespoon yeast (15 grams) 
2 Tablespoons sugar (25 grams - I accidentally said teaspoons in the video) 
1 teaspoon salt (5 g) 
4 Tablespoons salted butter (56 grams) 
1 egg 
3-4 cups AP flour (360-480 g) 

Warm Milk until luke warm in microwave. If not using instant yeast, sprinkle yeast on milk and let sit 10 minutes. With whip attachment combine milk, cream, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and egg. Combine. Add 1/2 cup of flour then switch to dough hooks. Add flour gradually until dough is no longer sticky to touch. Knead in mixer for 5 ish minutes or knead by hand. place in greased bowl and cover. Let rise in warm place for 20 min until double.

Roll out into large rectangle.

 Filling: 
1/2 cup salted butter (113 g) 
1 cup brown sugar (213 g) 
2-3 tablespoons cinnamon to taste (30-45 g) 

Melt butter and comine in cinnamon and sugar. Spread evenly over rectangle dough.  roll up dough into a sausage. Using floss cut rolls. place in pan spread evenly. Cover and let rise until double. Bake in oven at 325F for 20ish minutes until just barely golden brown.

Glaze:
 4 oz. cream cheese 
4 tablespoons salted butter (56 g) 
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (170-285 g) 
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 g) 
2-3 tablespoons milk (30-45 g/mL) 

 IMPORTANT! I ended up baking around 20-24 minutes at 325° F (163° C) In the video I said 14-18 minutes but I must have made them extra thick and gooey this time.😉 just keep watching them until they are light golden brown. Happy baking’

Butterhorn Dinner Rolls

Valantine Family Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream Together:
2/3 c. butter
2/3 c. shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar

Add and Mix Together:
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 - 3 1/2 c. flour
Add Chocolate chips

Bake 350F for 10-12 minutes

These were delicious!

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 3/4 c. warm milk (heat in microwave until hot just BEFORE boiling)
2 tbps. instant yeast
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
6 c. flour

-Mix milk, salt, sugar and oil. Let cool until just warm. Not more 110 degrees
-Then add flour, yeast and egg.
-Put in big bowl and let rise until double.
-Roll out in rectangle for rolls.

Filling:
1 1/2 c butter; melted
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c cinnamon

Instructions:
-Mix butter sugars a cinnamon
-Spread on rolled out dough
-Roll the dough up tight
-Cut in 1 1/2" length
-Put 12 roll in per pan in 9¨ẍ 13"pans
-Let rise until double
-Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
-Let cool and spread Glaze on top.

Caramel Pecan Rolls

Ingredients:
2 c butterscotch chips
1 c. corn syrup
1/3 c. butter
1 c. pecans; chopped

Directions:
-Melt chips, syrup & butter together. Add Pecans.
-Spread evenly in 2 9¨x 13¨ pans.
-Make Cinnamon Rolls
-Put on top of Caramel Pecan Mixture.
-Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes
-When baked, remove from oven and turn upsde down.
-Remove from pan while hot.
-Let cool

Makes 24 Rolls

Link for Rolls Recipie

Notes:
These are Jakobs Favorites!

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Soft pretzels are so much easier than you thought. This recipe will take you little time and effort. Top them with salt, cinnamon-sugar, and dunk in your favorite pretzel dips.

Yield: makes 8 - 10 (or more) depending on size

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (lukewarm, no need to take temperature)
• 1 packet active dry or instant yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon (8g) granulated sugar
• 3.75 - 4.25 cups (480-530g) all-purpose flour + more for the counter surface to knead (or mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir with a spoon until fairly mixed, about 1 minute. Some clusters of yeast will remain. Add salt and sugar; stir until fairly combined. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more. Poke the dough with your finger - if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and shape into a ball. With a sharp knife, cut ball of dough into 1/3 cup sections. This measurement does not have to be exact - use as much or little dough for each pretzel as you wish - the size of the pretzel is completely up to you.
4. Roll the dough into a rope with an even diameter. My ropes were twenty inches long. This measurement will depend how large you want the pretzels. Once you have your long rope, take the ends and draw them together so the dough forms a circle. Twist the ends, then bring them towards yourself and press them down into a pretzel shape. See above for link to visual instructions.
5. This fifth step is optional: Whisk 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup baking soda together in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Place a pretzel onto a large slotted spatula and dip into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Any more than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. The pretzel will float. Lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off.  Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the pretzels. Read why this is a good option here. But again, it's not necessary and I did not do it for these pretzels.
6. In a small bowl, beat the egg and pour into a shallow bowl or pie dish. Dunk the shaped pretzel into the egg wash (both sides). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 425F degrees. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 5 more minutes to brown the tops. Watch closely to avoid burning. I do the 5 minute broil no matter if I do step 5 or not.
8. Allow to cool and enjoy. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pretzels may be stored in an airtight container or zipped top bag for up to 3 days (will lose softness). Pretzels freeze well.

Additional Notes:

*Make ahead instructions for dough: the prepared pretzel dough may be refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for three months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time for the pretzels to puff up before the baking soda bath and baking.
** When broiling turn to low and watch closely.... they burn FAST. 
*This dough is pretty heavy, in the furture I may try to let them rise a bit to get them a bit more fluffy. 
*Very good recipe!

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 2 1/4 pounds of fondant Change Servings

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
• 1/4 cup water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, divide

Directions

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
2. Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff.
3. Rub your hands thoroughly with butter, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Notes: 
- I did not refrigerate overnight.
- I also kneaded too much icing sugar into my dough originally, better to leave it just a touch sticky so that it's softer. 
- be sure to butter your work surface before you roll out the fondant or else it will stick, also butter your hands. 

Sugar Cookie Icing

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (sifted after measuring)
• 1 tablespoon low-fat milk (skim or 1% is fine although I have made this successfully using 2% fat milk)
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup (more if needed to reach desired consistency)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon almond extract
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon vanilla
• food coloring (use colors of choice)

Directions

1. VERY IMPORTANT; the confectioners sugar must be sifted before using.
2. In a bowl beat the sifted confectioners sugar with milk until smooth.
3. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until smooth and glossy (if icing is too thick add in a small amount of corn syrup).
4. Divide into as many separate bowls as desired.
5. Add in different food coloring to each bowl beating/whisking until the intensity is achieved.
6. Paint the icing over the cookies using a brush or dip the cookie edges into icing (this will set quite quickly).
7. Place cookies on waxed paper to dry.

Butter Cream Frosting

 

 Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (salted, or unsalted)
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (best quality available)
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half or milk.
*Optional- As mentioned above, I like a cream cheese version of this frosting best.  The cream cheese adds to the creamy texture, and cuts down on the sweetness just a bit.  If desired, for a very light cream cheese flavor add 1/2 block (4 oz). cream cheese, leaving the other ingredients (as listed above) the same.  For a more traditional cream cheese flavor, reduce the butter to 1/2 cup, and add 1 block (8 oz.) of cream cheese.  If using a full block of cream cheese, you can reduce the cream or milk to 1 tablespoon total.
Flavoring options- An almost unlimited number of flavoring options can be added in addition to, or instead of the vanilla.  Orange and/or lemon zest, citrus extracts, mint extract, coconut extract or the seeds of a vanilla bean are all wonderful options.  In most cases I’ll still add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, then 1/2 teaspoon of the other flavoring.  For zest, add about 1 teaspoon fresh zest.  For chocolate butter cream, add 1/2 cup (good quality) unsweetened cocoa powder.
Directions-
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter (on medium speed) until completely smooth (30 seconds to a minute). (If you are adding cream cheese, add it now, then beat until smooth)
* Add salt (if needed).
* One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
* Add vanilla, or other flavorings and beat to combine.
* Add about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating.
* Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
* Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached.  If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick.  Continue to beat another minute or so.  The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.
Troubleshooting-
* If your frosting is not smooth, it is likely because the butter was not fully smooth before adding the other ingredients.
* If your frosting will not hold up when piped on cupcakes, your frosting has too much liquid or is too warm.  Put entire bowl of frosting in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and it will stiffen up.  If it is still too thin, then add 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar, beat well.

Cranberry Buttermilk Muffins

ingredients

1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

 

directions

Beat egg, buttermilk and oil with a whisk. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups prepared with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes, testing with a toothpick.

THE Mama van den Berge Cookies

In one bowl Combine:
4 cups flour
4 cups oats
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
24 oz (or as many as you want) chocolate chips (I never measure)
1 cup chopped walnuts

In another bowl Combine:
2 cups butter (softened)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
4 tbsp milk
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Gradually add wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix throughly.
3. If not using parchment paper, grease cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes. Recipe makes around 9 dozen.

Notes:
These are hands down my favorite cookies! Soft and chewy and we always get a ton of compliments on them.