Tutti-Frutti Crumble

Tutti-Frutti Crumble

*photo from Cannelle et Vanille

*recipe adapted from Super Natural Every Day cookbook

3/4 cup spelt flour

2 tblsp poppy seeds

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter (melted)

2 tblsp cornstarch

2 tblsp white sugar

1 cups raspberries

1 cup blueberries

1 1/2 cups strawberries sliced

1 1/2 cups cherries pitted sliced

1 cup pineapple cut into small pieces (or use canned pineapple, well drained)

1/4 cup currents (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F with a rack in the middle of the oven.  Butter an 8 inch square or round baking dish.

To make crumble, mix together the flour, poppy seeds, oats and sugar in a bowl.  Use a fork to stir in the melted butter.  Divide the mixture into three portions and use your hands to form three patties.  Place the patties in the bowl and freeze for at least 10 minutes, or until you're ready to bake.  

Make the filling by whisking together the cornstarch and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the fruit, until evenly coated.  Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish. remove the topping from the freezer and crumble it over the filling making sure you have both big and small pieces.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is deeply golden and the fruit juices are bubbling. Let cool a little before serving!

carob chip, cranberry, and coconut macaroons

Carob Chip, Cranberry, and Coconut Macaroons

*recipe adapted from oh she glows

• 2 2/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (to make coconut butter)
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 (additional) cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or nuts of choice)
• 1/2 cup carob chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment. In a food processor, process 2 and 2/3 cups of shredded coconut and 3 tbsp of water t for about 5-8 minutes until a coconut butter forms. You will have to keep scraping down the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, you can use 1 cup of store bought coconut butter.

2. Once you have made the coconut butter, add maple syrup and vanilla extract and pulse until combined. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor pulsing and scrapping sides until just combined.  Poor mixture into a bowl and  mix ingredients further with a spatula. 

3. Using a small ice cream scoop - scoop about 1-2 tbsp of dough onto a baking sheet. Alternatively, role 1 - 2 tbsp of dough to form a ball and place on baking sheet.  You don’t have to leave much room in between as they do not spread out. Bake for 17- 25 minutes at 300F.  Watch them closely after 17 minutes. The bottoms of my macaroons should be golden in colour.
4. Allow the macaroons to sit for 25 minutes so they can firm up. If you do not do this, the macaroons will crumble, so this step is crucial! Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container. Makes about two dozen macaroons.

* note walnuts, carob chips, and cranberries can be substituted or eliminated for ingredients of your choice.  Lemon juice, vanilla bean, almond extract, pecans, or cocoa would be great alternatives!

chewy trail mix cookies

Chewy Trail Mix Cookies

-photo by unknown source

-inspired by recipe found here

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups oats

Suggested Ingredients 

note: any trail mix ingredient that you have on hand can be tossed into the dough!

• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped raisins
• 1 cup slivered almond
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2) Cream the butter, brown sugar, honey and eggs together.
3) Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking soda.
4) Add to dry mixture to the creamed mixture gradually and beat until blended.
5) Stir in the oats, fruits, nuts, seeds and chocolate chips.
6) Mix well.
7) Drop dough by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet.
8) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
9) Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Swedish Rye Cookies

Swedish Rye Cookies

Recipe and photo by 101 cookbooks

1 cup rye flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup fine grain natural cane sugar, sifted

large grain sugar (for sprinkling)
organic powdered sugar (for snow)

Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the flours and salt. Set aside. With an electric mixer (or by hand) beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, add the butter and do the same, mixing until the two are well combined. Beat in the sugar and mix until well incorporated. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir only long enough to combine the two. The dough should no longer be dusty looking. Turn the dough out onto the counter, knead once or twice to bring it together, shape into a ball, flatten, wrap in plastic and chill it in a refrigerator.

Heat your oven to 350F degrees, and arrange the racks in the top and bottom thirds. When you are ready to roll out your cookies do so on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into shapes with the cookie cutter of your choice. Place on the prepared baking sheets an inch apart, and sprinkle each cookie with a bit of large-grain sugar. Bake for six or seven minutes, just until cookies are fragrant, and getting a bit golden at the edges - avoid over-baking or they will come out on the dry side. Allow to cool, and dust cookies with a bit of powdered sugar.

* These cookies make delicious sandwich cookies. Once baked sandwich two cookies together with strawberry jam!

Rum Balls

Rum Balls

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (6 bakers chocolate squares) - melted
1/3 cup almond paste
1/2 cup sour cream
A pinch of salt
4 cups (or 1 1/2 boxes) Nilla Crackers or vanilla wafers
3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup dark or spiced rum
3 cups chocolate sprinkles

Combine melted chocolate, sour cream, almond paste and salt with spatula. Cream well and set aside. In food processor blend wafers. Once the wafers have been blended to create aprox 4 cups of fine crumbs add butter, cocoa and rum to food processor and blend until combined and crumbs hold their shape. Add crumb mixture to chocolate-sour cream mixture and knead with your hands until blended and soft. Refrigerate dough until firm (overnight).  Once firm form small rum-filled balls then roll in chocolate sprinkles and put in sealed container lined with wax paper. Keep them refrigerated until you eat every single last one of them.

Brown sugar shortbread

Brown Sugar Walnut Shortbread

*recipe adapted from Lottie + Doof

*Picture by/from Lottie + Doof

1 lb (2 cups) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/8 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/3 cup spelt flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper. Allow a two-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan to help release the shortbread later after they have been baked.

Cream butter and sugars in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla until combined, then mix in dry ingredients. Combine completely.

Spread dough evenly on to prepared cookie sheet, spreading smooth and level (aprox 1/2 inch thick). Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake at 325° until golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Let cool completely before using a sharp knife to cut into squares. 

These keep well at room temperature for at least a week!

***This recipe makes a lot of cookies. Depending on how you cut them, anywhere from 3-5 dozen.

Apple and Carrot Shortbread

*Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks

*Picture from 101 Cookbooks

You're going to want to use metal (or sharp-edged) cookie cutters here, it will help cut through the shreds of apple/carrot more easily.

1/4 cup  semolina flour 

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt


3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature


2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup grated apple, grated


zest of one lemon

milk

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Combine the semolina, flours, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir the carrot, apple, and lemon zest into the flour mixture, and mix until well coated and evenly dispersed.

Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a dough forms, then knead a couple times to bring everything together. Split the dough in two, flatten each piece into an inch-thick patty, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes.

When you're ready to bake the shortbread, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface ¼ inch thick. Use a metal cutter to stamp out cookies, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with a bit of milk and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown just a bit.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Gluten Free Muesli

Gluten Free Muesli

* recipe adapted from green kitchen stories and photo by green kitchen stories

Gluten Free Muesli
2 big glass jars

2 cups quinoa flakes
1 cup hemp seeds
1 cup almonds (chopped)
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup dried coconut flakes

4 tbsp honey
3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the dry ingredients with apple syrup and cinnamon. Spread them out on the baking sheets and let it roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Stir around a couple of times to keep it from getting burnt.

3/4 cup dried dates (chopped)
1 cup  dried apricots (chopped)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup raisins

1 cup puffed buckwheat
1 cup puffed amaranth

While the dry ingredients are in the oven, chop the soft ingredients roughly and put in a large bowl. Let the roasted dry ingredients cool of before stirring it all together.
Store the muesli in large glass jars.

Black Bean Brownies

Amazing Black Bean Brownie Recipe
* adapted from 101 cookbooks
* photo from 101 cookbooks

Keep these brownies in the refrigerator, they will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or preferably overnight.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate


½ cup unsalted butter


2 cups soft-cooked or canned black beans, drained well

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup walnuts chopped

1 tablespoon vanilla extract


3 large eggs


1/2 cup corn syrup (or agave nectar)

¼ cup honey

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

- Prepare (grease) a 9 inch square baking pan.

- Melt the chocolate and butter in a sauce pan. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely.

- Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and cocoa in a food processor.  Blend for about 2 minutes, or until smooth. Add melted chocolate mixture to bean mixture and blend for 1 minute. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Pour chocolate / bean mixture into a bowl, mix in remaining walnuts and set aside.

- In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and honey and beat well. Set aside.



Combine the egg mixture with the bean/chocolate mixture.  Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Berry cobbler pie bars

recipe and photo found on Joy the Baker
Crust and Topping

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

zest of two lemons

Berry Filling

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

2  (16-ounce) packages frozen mixd berries, defrosted and drained

(You can also use 6 cups of fresh berries, or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen berries and 3 cups of fresh berries)

To make the crust and topping-

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a half sheet baking pan (12x17-inch) with butter or cooking spray and set aside.  If you use a 9x13-inch baking pan you'll have thicker bars.  Zest two lemons.  Measure out the sugar onto a clean work surface.  Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with a bench scraper or the back of a spoon.  Rubbing the zest into the sugar will release oils from the zest and create a lemon scented sugar.

Combine lemon sugar, flour, salt and butter in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment.  Beat the ingredients on medium speed until the mixture looks dry and crumbly.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crust mixture to use as the topping.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes until it is golden brown.  Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.

To make the filling-

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.  Add the sugar, sour cream, flour and salt.  Gently fold in the berries.  Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust.  You may have to distribute the berries evenly around.

Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is lightly browned.  Cool for 1 hour before slicing.

**If you're using frozen berries, be sure to defrost and drain the excess liquid.  Place the frozen berries on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.  They're defrosted and ready for bar baking!

chewy sugar crusted ginger cookies

Chewy sugar crusted ginger cookies

from Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves3/4 cup 
(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses 
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)


Position a rack in the middle of the oven.  
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.


Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.  
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar and spices until smoothly blended, about 2 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.  


Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light color, about 1 minute.  
On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it.


Spread the turbinado sugar into a small bowl.  Roll 2 Tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hands into a ball, toss the ball in sugar to coat and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Continue making cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart.


Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 12-14 minutes.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bran muffins

Moist, sweet and healthy bran muffins!  Perfect for a meal on the go.

Bran Muffins

adapted from eva's recipe

2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup bran

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp grated orange rind

2 cup butter milk

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

4 tbsp melted butter

3/4 cup of chopped dates

1/2 cup sliced almonds

combine wet and dry ingredients.  distribute combined ingredients into greased muffin tins.  

Bake at 350 F for 23 minutes.

*Makes 12 large muffins

Granola Bars

Whitewater Cooks Granola Bars
recipe shared by Isadora
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
6 cups oats
1 cup coconut (toasted)
1 cup sunflower seeds (toasted)
2 cups chocolate chips/ raisins or combination or other nuts / dried fruit

Cream butter, peanut butter, vanilla & sugar.  Add corn syrup, then remaining ingredients.  Press into greased 12x9 pan.  Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly before cutting into squares or bars.

the perfect chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published in NYTimes 

adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or chips 

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.
Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

vanilla roasted pears

vanilla roasted pears

recipe and picture by smitten kitchen

Serves 4 or so
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1 1/2 pounds slightly-under-ripe, fragrant, medium pears, peeled if desired, halved though the stem and cored (I used Bosc but will be giving this recipe a spin with Bartlets later today; Schneider says all varieites work)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the sugar in a small bowl. With a thin, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape out the seeds. Stir the seeds into the sugar.
Arrange the pears in a large baking dish, cut-side up. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the fruit, then sprinkle with the sugar. Nestle the vanilla pod among the fruit (I first slit my halves lengthwise into quarters). Pour the water into the dish. Dot each pear with some butter.
Roast the pears 30 minutes brushing them occasionally with the pan juices. Turn the pears over and continue roasting, basting once or twice, until tender and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes longer (if the pears are small, test for doneness after 35 or 40 minutes of cooking; a paring knife poked into the thickest part of one should meet with no resistance).
Serve warm, spooned with the caramelized pear drippings from the pan over ice cream, dolloped with crème fraîche, on your morning oatmeal, chilled with cheese and crackers or...

granola

granola

~ recipe by me

makes aprox. 20 cups

14 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1.5 cup wheat germ

1.5 cup oat bran

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pecans

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup honey

1 cup hot water

1 cup grape seed oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups coconut

1.5 cup dried cranberries

1.5 cup raisins

1 cup cut up dried apricots (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F

-In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, wheat germ, oat bran, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, and almonds.

-In a separate bow mix brown sugar, honey, hot water, oil, and vanilla.

-Add the dry ingredients to wet and mix well.

-Spread evenly in a large metal bowl or on cookie sheets and bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until cereal is evenly browned and crunchy. Baking takes 1 - 1.5 hours.

-Remove from oven. When cooled, add the coconut, raisins, sun-dried cranberries, and apricots

apple pie

Nothing like tasty apple pie filling to compliment the perfect pastry!

Filling (for a deep dish pie)

recipe and picture by confessions of a tart

1.5 lb Granny Smith apples (for tartness)
1.5 lb Golden Delicious apples (for sweetness)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (to make it a little gooey - if you don't like that, use all granulated sugar)
3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
2 tbsp cold butter, cut into little pieces

Peel and core the apples andslice into 1/4 inch slices (I like my slices pretty thin so they become very tender and don't slide out). In a large bowl, toss with the sugars, spices, vanilla, lemon juice and flour. Turn to coat and let stand for 15 minutes, mixing several times to soften the apples. When you're ready to fill the pie, drain about half of the juices.

*see pastry recipe below for further baking directions