BIZZY BAKES

It is good to be back.  Having been away from blogging since January, I came back with a different point of view as to what I expect from blogging and what I want to give to blogging.  This has changed greatly.  I am not sure why but I do know that before I had to take a break, I was thinking about how to change the blog and evaluating the time I put into it.  These changes may be a continuation of that or perhaps, having such a big change in my life caused me to re-prioritize. This time, I will not allow myself to feel pressured to get a recipe on the blog.  I had made up mandatory obligations for myself and if I ask why, I don't have a sensible answer.  I do have to meet my commitment to the groups I am in and that is my pleasure to do.  On the other hand, if for some reason, I can't accomplish this, I am not going to beat myself up.  Of course, this does not include any group where we cook from another blog.  That is not negotiab...

I decided to bake the  Milk-Chocolate Walnut Coffee Cake   selected by  Eileen of One Hundred Eighty Degrees  and organized by Joyce of  Kitchen Flavours.   You will find the other bakes at THB . Since hubby does not like chocolate, I used raisins and walnuts and I think, it turned out well.  I forgot to put the filling in the middle so it is somewhere on the bottom. I thought, I would add a little about mourning in Judaism.  There are stages of morning,  Right now, for us, this is called the Shloshim which ends 30 days after the burial.  We do not listen to music, cut our hair or go to parties.  The children of the deceased mourn even further, lasting the entire 12 months.  Celebrations are avoided at this time.  The other relatives are over the official mourning period,  Certainly, it is a time to remember the loved one.  Someone has suggested that since my daughter was such a fantastic cook and baker, w...

The latest bake for THB, the Home Bakers is Cranberry-Oatmeal-Walnut Cake , selected by Kit from I-Lost In Austen.  The recipe is on her blog.  She made these huge muffins.  What a treat! I made mine gluten-free so I never know how to compare it to those are baking with "real" flour.  This cake called for a full one and a half cups of oats.  All in all, it was not sweet enough for my taste.  Some of the bakers used dried cranberries which are sweeter and had a better cake.  The fresh cranberries are quite tart and even hubby commented on it. Hop on over here . to see what the other bakers have made.

Peach-Cashew Coffee Cake  The scheduled recipe for the Home Bakers is a Peach-Cashew Coffee Cake and I am happy to say that I made this choice.  I love peaches and hubby loves nuts so we have a cake akin to a marriage made in heaven. When, I chose the cake, I did not know it was to be scheduled at this time but once I got the date, I thought, I would be able to pull it off and I guess I have.  I feel badly that I didn't get better photos but it has been an incredibly busy month with school and the Jewish holy days, which I am sure I have repeated over and over again.  I had no time to make this a second time although, I am thinking, it would be a wonderful cake for the upcoming Succot holidays.  If I do make it, I plan to update the photos, if they are better. I am sharing the recipe as it is written in the book.  I made mine gluten-free to accommodate my husband.  I ended up using frozen peaches to save the time of preparing fresh pea...

In our group, The Home Bakers (THB) we are presently baking a Morning Glory Breakfast cake which is chock full of goodies.   Lena from Frozen Wings chose this bake and it is a good pick.  We are a coffee cake family and I love the different toppings or fillings, we use in these cakes.  Go over to Lena for the recipe. I subbed in a gluten-free brown rice mixture for the whole wheat and the all purpose flour.  I was out of blueberries and used dried blueberries instead.  I used coconut yogurt which is dairy free in place of the low fat plain yogurt.  Instead of wheat bran, I used one of the crumbs, I make for my husband.  This one was from Chex cereal. The cake also had carrots and an apple so you can get a picture of the goodness of this cake.  It used molasses which I included but I don't really like it. Please visit Joyce who bakes likes a dream.  She started THB and can be found at  Kitchen Flavours .  We ...

THB: 21 - Plum-Polka Dot Caramel Cake  (click above to get the recipe for this winning cake) Joyce of Kitchen Flavours started  this group and Emily of Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray selected this cake from the book, we are baking from,Coffee Cakes, simple, sweet and savory by Lou Seibert Pappas.  As far as I am concerned, we have made a lot of successful coffee cakes, since we started sharing together.  Please contact Joyce if you would like participate too .  Joyce l eads a number of groups which you might want to check out.  Have fun. I made mine with peaches which Pappas said to slice but I just divided them into two pieces each.  I was a little concerned because the peach had to be pushed down a bit further and I was afraid that it was going to push its way up.  Hurrah.  It was just fine.  I could not locate my two piece tart pan so I made this in a pie plate.  I had no problem getting it out, I am happy to say....

  Our latest baked treat from the The Home Bakers is a tasty cranberry pecan orange coffee cake which fits right in with my husband's preferences.  Nuts and fruit and coffee cake means it will disappear more quickly than usual. Maria from Box of Stolen Socks . selected the cake, this time, and she did a good job, doing this.   The cake was easy to put together and the fruit made it full bodied and moist.  I did use orange juice in place of the concentrate.  That with some zest and you recapture the orange flavor.  I am sure concentrate would have had a fuller flavor, though. For information about the Home bakers and to see the recipes, each member has baked, go over here.   We are using the book, Coffee Cakes, Simple Sweet and Savory by Lou Siebert Pappas.

Grace of Life Can Be Simple chose the recent cake from "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas. It is the Lemon-Glazed Buttermilk Bundt Cake. We liked this one just as we have enjoyed almost all the cakes from this book. Of course, we are a coffee cake eating family. My cake is gluten-free and I made mini bundt cakes as well as some cuties, below.  I love to make little cakes and hubby pops them down, with ease.  I used powdered sugar in place of the lemon glaze which I am sure is delicious.  Hubby does not like glazes or frosting.  I did throw some blueberries in the batter. The Home Bakers is hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours . We would love it, if you would join us. Just drop a line to Joyce.

Yes, I am behind but I am working on catching up and actually, I am about ready to bake the next cake, a buttermilk bundt cake.  We in The Home Bakers (THB) are using Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas.  Since, we are a coffee cake household, this is the perfect book for us.  Except for chocolate which Hubby does not like, the rest of the recipes are just right for him.  This one, Marionberry-Hazelnut Cake is filled with his favorites, not marionberries or hazelnuts though.  What is a marionberry?  I used blueberries and planned to use almonds until I realized, I was out.  I pulled out walnuts instead.  I keep ground flours on hand with a celiac husband.  Nut flours give flavor and are a partial substitute for the all-purpose flour.  I use a gluten-free mixture and the nut flour.  A Great Combo! You can find the recipe here.  My substitutions are as above, walnut flour, gluten free mix, blueberries.  Otherwise, I ...

                                                                                                                                       I am working on catching up with the group, The Home Bakers.  I have fallen behind because of all good reasons, school, making a wedding, Passover and LIFE.  Taking a deep breath, I...

THB : Cinnamon-Apple Walnut Torte (The Home Bakers) Jasline from Food Is My Life - has chosen this wonderful apple dessert, rich and crunch and a delight to taste,  Cinnamon-Apple Walnut Torte .  I made this and an apple kugel at the same time.  The kugel came out like a cake and this came out like a kugel.  Both were delicious. I did not use nuts in my torte so as crunchy as it was with the apples, you will see the others are even better. I am busy with the upcoming holidays and I am asking you to please check out the recipe on Jasline's site or another member of the group's blog.  There are great bakers, in the group, and I am sure, you will enjoy their results. If you are interested in baking with us, contact Joyce at Kitchen Flavours.

The Home Bakers organized by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours   is a group who are baking from the book,  "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas .  We plan to complete the book, recipe by recipe.  This is our 4th bake, my 3rd.  So far, I have liked all three cakes and so has hubby.  That speaks well for the book and for Lour Seibert Pappas. For the 4th THB bake,Pear Pinwheel and Hazelnut Cake, was chosen by Zoe, Bake For Happy Kids.   You will find the recipe on her blog.  She has made any changes, she personally made, are highlighted so you have the original recipe and her recipe.  I was surprised at how flat the came was but I see that everyone had the same look for their cakes.  We both loved the cake which means, no one else got a piece.  No, we are not selfish.  I made a chocolate cake to share.  Actually, this one was made gluten-free and the chocolate was made for everyone. Just a cute note.  I ...